I woke up this morning all ready to hit the road. Ok, that's a lie. I woke up and had a lot to do so that I could hit the road. After I got everything packed up and ready to go I took the bike out for a spin to test out my leg. The leg felt pretty good for the extent of the 1-2 miles with no noticeable pains. The only pain was the ice cold rain falling on my face and numbing my legs.
After checking the weather for the next few days I decided to stay in Portland for one more day. I am eager to get on my way with the trip but I would really like to leave Portland on a good note during a 'nice' day.
I will use this day to catch up with e-mails, make some phone calls, figure out health insurance, stretch, watch the Yankees and just relax in good company.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday October 26th to Wednesday October 28th
I have spent the last three days exploring Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA.
I have met up with Avanti friends over dinner (thank you for dinner Sharron!), visited the Portland Zoo, Climbed up a to the top of a waterfall while pretending to be from a different country as I said hi to every hiker I passed, Watched the Yankees advance to the World Series, Met Chris's family (Sharron's Husband), been treated to many meals (Thank you to all that cooked!), experienced Voodoo doughnut, purchased a new pair of pants for the trip, played with one of the cutest high energy kids in the world (Joe, Sharron's son), applied to jobs online, went grocery shopping, bought a book at Powells book store, visited Washington Park, socialized, went hot tubbing, received a treatment for my leg from an amazing PT, completed laundry, fixed another broken spoke on my bike, and 'most importantly' caught up on my blog!
Sounds like a great trip to me! The only question left is how will my leg feel tomorrow when I jump back on my bike? Hopefully very well! I will be sad to leave such great company though, my trip to San Fran may be very boring compared to what I have experienced in this lovely city! I still am looking forward to seeing CA though. Come on Redwoods!!! In the mean time... more socializing and enjoying my time with the Donnnelly's.
I have met up with Avanti friends over dinner (thank you for dinner Sharron!), visited the Portland Zoo, Climbed up a to the top of a waterfall while pretending to be from a different country as I said hi to every hiker I passed, Watched the Yankees advance to the World Series, Met Chris's family (Sharron's Husband), been treated to many meals (Thank you to all that cooked!), experienced Voodoo doughnut, purchased a new pair of pants for the trip, played with one of the cutest high energy kids in the world (Joe, Sharron's son), applied to jobs online, went grocery shopping, bought a book at Powells book store, visited Washington Park, socialized, went hot tubbing, received a treatment for my leg from an amazing PT, completed laundry, fixed another broken spoke on my bike, and 'most importantly' caught up on my blog!
Sounds like a great trip to me! The only question left is how will my leg feel tomorrow when I jump back on my bike? Hopefully very well! I will be sad to leave such great company though, my trip to San Fran may be very boring compared to what I have experienced in this lovely city! I still am looking forward to seeing CA though. Come on Redwoods!!! In the mean time... more socializing and enjoying my time with the Donnnelly's.
Day 59 - Sunday October 25th
MONW, WA to Vancouver, WA/Portland, OR
42.9+ miles
3:19.26+ hrs
34.7 max
11.4 avg
Well the mileage and time of riding today are off due to me not resetting the odometer at the beginning of the day so I just listed the mileage recorded after I hit the reset button. This is the first time it has happened but I am not worried because my system records the overall mileage as well so my end calculations will be correct when I end the trip.
Not a great day of riding today. My knee wouldn't stop hurting, I got a flat, it was overcast and it was rainy!
Sharron, in her typical generous form, offered to come pick me up from anywhere if I needed it. At first, there was no way I was not going to allow her to drive out of her way to unnecessarily pick me up, but after I got a flat while climbing up a large hill (900') my right leg froze up and became useless again. I had thought of getting a hotel for that night and just waiting till I could cycle into Portland on my own free will, but after much thought... I decided that it was better to save the money (of potentially a couple hotel nights) and just get a ride to a place where I could heal. So, I gave in and opted to be picked up. I still don't know how I feel about the decision to be helped into Portland but I feel that I will be able to come to terms with it. Maybe I will bike back up there and continue on my way... but if I do that then I should probably ride back up to Seattle and ride over the portion of the trip when I got a lift when my bike was broken and un-ride-able; not going to happen.
It was great to see Sharron again and meet her lovely family! They are SO nice and I can't wait to spend some time in Portland exploring the local area and catching up with Sharron.
42.9+ miles
3:19.26+ hrs
34.7 max
11.4 avg
Well the mileage and time of riding today are off due to me not resetting the odometer at the beginning of the day so I just listed the mileage recorded after I hit the reset button. This is the first time it has happened but I am not worried because my system records the overall mileage as well so my end calculations will be correct when I end the trip.
Not a great day of riding today. My knee wouldn't stop hurting, I got a flat, it was overcast and it was rainy!
Sharron, in her typical generous form, offered to come pick me up from anywhere if I needed it. At first, there was no way I was not going to allow her to drive out of her way to unnecessarily pick me up, but after I got a flat while climbing up a large hill (900') my right leg froze up and became useless again. I had thought of getting a hotel for that night and just waiting till I could cycle into Portland on my own free will, but after much thought... I decided that it was better to save the money (of potentially a couple hotel nights) and just get a ride to a place where I could heal. So, I gave in and opted to be picked up. I still don't know how I feel about the decision to be helped into Portland but I feel that I will be able to come to terms with it. Maybe I will bike back up there and continue on my way... but if I do that then I should probably ride back up to Seattle and ride over the portion of the trip when I got a lift when my bike was broken and un-ride-able; not going to happen.
It was great to see Sharron again and meet her lovely family! They are SO nice and I can't wait to spend some time in Portland exploring the local area and catching up with Sharron.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Day 58 - Saturday October 24th
Hoquiam, WA to Middle of No Where, WA
59.28 miles
4:47.56 hrs
36.7 max
12.7 avg
With a good nights sleep and all my gear dry I had high hopes for my leg. I was not granted such luxury. My leg continued to produce large amounts of sharp pain at times and I continued to cycle using only my left leg for the majority of today's trip. I did find that if I stood up while climbing that I was able to use my right leg. This only lasted for about 2 hours though then I could no longer use it for climbing.
Oh, not to mention the scenery over the past couple days has been gorgeous and it would have been so fun to go over all these rolling hills gazing off at the mountains/large hills if I were 100%! I am having fun with it though, it is all mental at this point. I just have to keep a positive mind frame.
At the end of the trip I heard some loud music coming from a house in the middle of no where. There was a husband and wife outside having a fire and drinking some beers. They waved to me as I slowly glided by and I second back to ask them about camping in the local area. The family offered up their land to me and I spent the night socializing and helping the family set up the new computer that they purchased... fair trade? I thought so considering if they were to hire someone to come in and set up their system it would have cost them about $30 an hour!
59.28 miles
4:47.56 hrs
36.7 max
12.7 avg
With a good nights sleep and all my gear dry I had high hopes for my leg. I was not granted such luxury. My leg continued to produce large amounts of sharp pain at times and I continued to cycle using only my left leg for the majority of today's trip. I did find that if I stood up while climbing that I was able to use my right leg. This only lasted for about 2 hours though then I could no longer use it for climbing.
Oh, not to mention the scenery over the past couple days has been gorgeous and it would have been so fun to go over all these rolling hills gazing off at the mountains/large hills if I were 100%! I am having fun with it though, it is all mental at this point. I just have to keep a positive mind frame.
At the end of the trip I heard some loud music coming from a house in the middle of no where. There was a husband and wife outside having a fire and drinking some beers. They waved to me as I slowly glided by and I second back to ask them about camping in the local area. The family offered up their land to me and I spent the night socializing and helping the family set up the new computer that they purchased... fair trade? I thought so considering if they were to hire someone to come in and set up their system it would have cost them about $30 an hour!
Day 57 - Friday October 23rd
Humptulips, WA to Hoquiam, WA
25.67 miles
2:20.56 hrs
27.1 max
10.9 avg
I woke up i the middle of the night and found a mini lake in my tent. Part of my footprint (tarp under the tent) was sticking out of the rain fly and collected a bunch of water and allowed it to funnel, collect and seep into my tent from underneath. There was nothing I could do to save much of my gear besides fix the footprint and hope that it did not continue to leak in for the rest of the night.
I ate breakfast with my local neighbors at the campsite that morning and got to an early start biking. To top off the morning my leg was in more pain than ever and I ended up riding the 25.67 miles into Hoquiam with my right foot behind me, on the rear rack of my bike as to provide stability and a nice place to rest. With as much pain as I was in and with all my gear wet, I decided to cut my ride really short and get a hotel room. I was able to talk the guy at the econo-lodge down to $45 dollars a night and spent the rest of the day drying my gear out in front of the heater and resting.
25.67 miles
2:20.56 hrs
27.1 max
10.9 avg
I woke up i the middle of the night and found a mini lake in my tent. Part of my footprint (tarp under the tent) was sticking out of the rain fly and collected a bunch of water and allowed it to funnel, collect and seep into my tent from underneath. There was nothing I could do to save much of my gear besides fix the footprint and hope that it did not continue to leak in for the rest of the night.
I ate breakfast with my local neighbors at the campsite that morning and got to an early start biking. To top off the morning my leg was in more pain than ever and I ended up riding the 25.67 miles into Hoquiam with my right foot behind me, on the rear rack of my bike as to provide stability and a nice place to rest. With as much pain as I was in and with all my gear wet, I decided to cut my ride really short and get a hotel room. I was able to talk the guy at the econo-lodge down to $45 dollars a night and spent the rest of the day drying my gear out in front of the heater and resting.
Day 56 - Thursday October 22nd
HOH National Rain Forest, WA to Humptulips, WA
68.13 miles
5:14.07 hrs
29.3 max
12.8 avg
Yes, I did choose today's destination because of the name... immature, but at the time I found it hilarious! I stopped at Ruby Beach for an hour or so and had a great time taking some pictures of the ocean and dipping my feet in the frigid waters! It was very scenic and it felt good to finally be at the ocean with large waves and high cliffs!
My leg is progressively getting worse and at the end of the day I had severe pain running through my leg with each stroke. NOT GOOD! I spent the last 30 miles of the trip pedaling with only my left leg. I almost gave in and purchased a hotel room so that I might allow proper healing but the elevated rates of the motel in Amanda Park convinced me to continue riding to free camping just outside of Humptulips, WA. Good idea? We will find out...
68.13 miles
5:14.07 hrs
29.3 max
12.8 avg
Yes, I did choose today's destination because of the name... immature, but at the time I found it hilarious! I stopped at Ruby Beach for an hour or so and had a great time taking some pictures of the ocean and dipping my feet in the frigid waters! It was very scenic and it felt good to finally be at the ocean with large waves and high cliffs!
My leg is progressively getting worse and at the end of the day I had severe pain running through my leg with each stroke. NOT GOOD! I spent the last 30 miles of the trip pedaling with only my left leg. I almost gave in and purchased a hotel room so that I might allow proper healing but the elevated rates of the motel in Amanda Park convinced me to continue riding to free camping just outside of Humptulips, WA. Good idea? We will find out...
Day 55 - Wednesday October 21st
Port Angeles, WA to HOH Rain Forest, WA
80.86 miles
6:03.07 hrs
30.3 max
13.3 avg
This was the first day that I really got to test my new rain jacket and it was amazing! Great to be fully dry while it was down pouring! I am not complaining about the rain because it really enhances your awareness of the ride and allows your whole body to feel it with every drop that hits your skin/clothes!
The ride around Lake Crescent was AMAZING and I really wish I had someone to share that ride with. The mountain tops were covered by foggy clouds, the lake was clear as glass and it was just gorgeous. During this portion of the trip I thought about Kevin McGinnis's request to do a bike trip in the future and I started planning it out as I rode. Can't wait for that trip and I am not even close to done with my own!
People have started to contact me about potential jobs, of which I have been applying to weekly. Hopefully they can wait a little while to hear back from me and are willing to put off interviews until I am done with the trip?!
At the end of this days journey my right leg started hurting on the lateral side of my knee. It is a dull pain that would be very annoying if it continues. At least it did not last all day! The pain started right after I went through Forks, WA (no, I sadly did not see any vampires!) but I was glad to continue on and make it to HOH where I had free camping!
80.86 miles
6:03.07 hrs
30.3 max
13.3 avg
This was the first day that I really got to test my new rain jacket and it was amazing! Great to be fully dry while it was down pouring! I am not complaining about the rain because it really enhances your awareness of the ride and allows your whole body to feel it with every drop that hits your skin/clothes!
The ride around Lake Crescent was AMAZING and I really wish I had someone to share that ride with. The mountain tops were covered by foggy clouds, the lake was clear as glass and it was just gorgeous. During this portion of the trip I thought about Kevin McGinnis's request to do a bike trip in the future and I started planning it out as I rode. Can't wait for that trip and I am not even close to done with my own!
People have started to contact me about potential jobs, of which I have been applying to weekly. Hopefully they can wait a little while to hear back from me and are willing to put off interviews until I am done with the trip?!
At the end of this days journey my right leg started hurting on the lateral side of my knee. It is a dull pain that would be very annoying if it continues. At least it did not last all day! The pain started right after I went through Forks, WA (no, I sadly did not see any vampires!) but I was glad to continue on and make it to HOH where I had free camping!
Day 54 - Tuesday October 20th
Seattle, WA to Port Angeles, WA
69.29 miles
5:33.49 hrs
33.7 max
12.4 avg
I woke up at 9am today and rushed off to REI. I bought a couple extra stakes for my tent and was tempted to by a new tent all together. I would really like to have a tent of my own anyways and what better of a time to get one when I am going to be able to use it MANY times! In a common shopping fashion I am putting off the purchase until I am fully convinced that I need one.
After REI I wanted to stop by the post office but was running late on time to make the ferry to Bainbridge Island, across the Puget Sound. Fortunately, the ferry was late arriving, for I would have missed it and been delayed in Seattle for another hour or so. The ferry ride was really cool, I enjoyed taking in the scenery without having to do any work! Very relaxing!
I am still worried about my rear wheel even though my chain does not produce as much slack when I stop pedalling as before. I can't believe that I have broken so many spokes! I am going to have to take up all my issues with the assumed responsible parties after my trip. In the mean time I need to concentrate on riding!
With high chances of rain today, fog engulfed Seattle this morning. After crossing 'The Sound', the weather almost cleared up before turning extremely foggy again. I had small glimpses of the mountains around me and the ride ended up being very pleasant! Even more pleasant than the ride was the company that I had found on Couchsurfing.com to put me up for the night. I was given a nice shower, food and some music lessons on the harmonica that I purchased back in the Black Hills! Hopefully I will be able to go back to Port Angeles in the near future, visit my new friends and be well enough versed in Harmonica to have a little jam session!
69.29 miles
5:33.49 hrs
33.7 max
12.4 avg
I woke up at 9am today and rushed off to REI. I bought a couple extra stakes for my tent and was tempted to by a new tent all together. I would really like to have a tent of my own anyways and what better of a time to get one when I am going to be able to use it MANY times! In a common shopping fashion I am putting off the purchase until I am fully convinced that I need one.
After REI I wanted to stop by the post office but was running late on time to make the ferry to Bainbridge Island, across the Puget Sound. Fortunately, the ferry was late arriving, for I would have missed it and been delayed in Seattle for another hour or so. The ferry ride was really cool, I enjoyed taking in the scenery without having to do any work! Very relaxing!
I am still worried about my rear wheel even though my chain does not produce as much slack when I stop pedalling as before. I can't believe that I have broken so many spokes! I am going to have to take up all my issues with the assumed responsible parties after my trip. In the mean time I need to concentrate on riding!
With high chances of rain today, fog engulfed Seattle this morning. After crossing 'The Sound', the weather almost cleared up before turning extremely foggy again. I had small glimpses of the mountains around me and the ride ended up being very pleasant! Even more pleasant than the ride was the company that I had found on Couchsurfing.com to put me up for the night. I was given a nice shower, food and some music lessons on the harmonica that I purchased back in the Black Hills! Hopefully I will be able to go back to Port Angeles in the near future, visit my new friends and be well enough versed in Harmonica to have a little jam session!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Monday October 19th
I spent the day exploring Seattle. I biked to REI to get my bike fixed, again. It is finally in working order. I need to take the broken spokes up with the bike shop I bought the wheel from. What is it with me and transportation systems? Something negative always seems to happen!
I loved all the coffee shops around town and it was fun to walk around the pike place market! I ran into a couple at the Pike Pub and Brewery and ended up spending the late afternoon together conversing over a beer and a bowl of "non-dairy clam chowda". It was great to connect up with some random people and learn about their lives instead of having the focus always be on me and my trip. Although, I did give them my website and they had a bunch of questions for me.
The evening was spent wondering around the city trying to figure out how I could catch a glimpse of Mt Rainier. I was going to go up in the Space needle but was advised by the ticket salesman that if I wanted to see Rainier it was not going to happen from the space needle with the current weather conditions. So, instead I visited a couple local hotspots and soaked in the Seattle demeanor. The whole time I was wandering around I could not help but constantly think about "Sleepless in Seattle". Flashbacks to the movie kept on popping into my head; I need to watch that movie again!
There are still somethings around Seattle that I would like to do but I don't think that it would be worth sticking around town for another full day just to check them out. I have a feeling that it could be but by not visiting them it will ensure that I make it back out to this area again sometime in the near future! I do really enjoy this area and if it wasn't for the darn weather I would highly consider moving out here. If I love Seattle I can't even imagine how much I am going to love the other cities on the West Coast. Although, I have a feeling that Seattle is probably going to be the most outdoorsy of all of them.
A special thanks to my host this evening for supplying me with a home cooked meal! It was very gracious of you to offer me dinner! Also, thank you for putting me up for the past two days! Your location was perfect and your company even better!
I loved all the coffee shops around town and it was fun to walk around the pike place market! I ran into a couple at the Pike Pub and Brewery and ended up spending the late afternoon together conversing over a beer and a bowl of "non-dairy clam chowda". It was great to connect up with some random people and learn about their lives instead of having the focus always be on me and my trip. Although, I did give them my website and they had a bunch of questions for me.
The evening was spent wondering around the city trying to figure out how I could catch a glimpse of Mt Rainier. I was going to go up in the Space needle but was advised by the ticket salesman that if I wanted to see Rainier it was not going to happen from the space needle with the current weather conditions. So, instead I visited a couple local hotspots and soaked in the Seattle demeanor. The whole time I was wandering around I could not help but constantly think about "Sleepless in Seattle". Flashbacks to the movie kept on popping into my head; I need to watch that movie again!
There are still somethings around Seattle that I would like to do but I don't think that it would be worth sticking around town for another full day just to check them out. I have a feeling that it could be but by not visiting them it will ensure that I make it back out to this area again sometime in the near future! I do really enjoy this area and if it wasn't for the darn weather I would highly consider moving out here. If I love Seattle I can't even imagine how much I am going to love the other cities on the West Coast. Although, I have a feeling that Seattle is probably going to be the most outdoorsy of all of them.
A special thanks to my host this evening for supplying me with a home cooked meal! It was very gracious of you to offer me dinner! Also, thank you for putting me up for the past two days! Your location was perfect and your company even better!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Day 53 - Sunday October 18th
Mount Vernon, WA to Seattle, WA
22.88 miles
2:02.36 hrs
31.8 max
11.2 avg
Today was supposed to be a very long day (95 miles) but turned into a very short day with a little bike trouble. 20 miles into my trip I was climbing a hill and I heard a "pop". I immediately connected the noise with a broken spoke. I looked down at my spokes as I rolled along slowly and did not notice any of them broken. I then contributed the sound to a slip in the gearing; as sometimes I get a "ting" noise when I am changing gears under high tension of the chain. Due to the whobble in my tire from the previous day I decided to stop for lunch and true my wheel.
Once off my bike, with sandwich in hand, I noticed that I actually had 4 broken spokes all on the opposite side of the cassette. To me this meant that the bike shop that I purchased the wheel from did not tighten the spokes properly after receiving the wheel from the manufacturer! I will be taking this up with the bike shop at a later date. Upon realizing that all the bike shops on the island were closed (Sunday!) I immediately proceeded to look up the location of the nearest REI, 40 miles away. Being that I could not safely ride my bike to the store I resorted to old school tactics: I put on my "help me face" and went to the side of the road where I proceeded wave to strangers passing by with my thumb. Now, hitch hiking may be hard enough with only a backpack but imagine the frequency of someone wanting to pick up a hitch hiker with 120 lbs of gear with him! Sue enough, after about 15 min of watching traffic zoom by me and giving me looks of disgust, a nice Reverend picked me up in his minivan and drove me all the way down to Clinton so that I could fetch the ferry over to the mainland. From there I took the bus to the mall where the REI was located. I almost was not allowed on the bus with all my stuff but the bus driver was very understanding of my story and said that I could do it "this one time".
The people at REI fixed my wheel but took about 2 hours to do so. They put a beginner tech on the job and at some point during the process he placed the plastic guard on wrong and it made the cassette catch and spin with the wheel. Nobody could figure out what was wrong with it and they sent me off with an imperfect bike saying that I should bring it down to corporate REI when I got to Seattle and have them look at it. They mentioned that I was covered by REI's insurance policy and therefore if they truly did mess something up in the hub (their current diagnosis was that they tightened the cassette down to hard and ruined the hub) they would give me a replacement wheel for free.
Fortunately, I had a contact in the local area who was willing to come and pick me up and bring me into Seattle from REI. She even treated me to dinner at my favorite restaurant that I have found on my trip thus far. I don't stop at nearly any restaurants while biking but this restaurant is one of my favorite of all times! It is called "........" (I forgot the name but will get it and let you all know later). They make their noodles from scratch, their dumplings from scratch and have amazing green beens!!! Unbelievable food! Thank you Melissa for treating me to that wonderful food and giving me a ride into Seattle! You are a life saver!
22.88 miles
2:02.36 hrs
31.8 max
11.2 avg
Today was supposed to be a very long day (95 miles) but turned into a very short day with a little bike trouble. 20 miles into my trip I was climbing a hill and I heard a "pop". I immediately connected the noise with a broken spoke. I looked down at my spokes as I rolled along slowly and did not notice any of them broken. I then contributed the sound to a slip in the gearing; as sometimes I get a "ting" noise when I am changing gears under high tension of the chain. Due to the whobble in my tire from the previous day I decided to stop for lunch and true my wheel.
Once off my bike, with sandwich in hand, I noticed that I actually had 4 broken spokes all on the opposite side of the cassette. To me this meant that the bike shop that I purchased the wheel from did not tighten the spokes properly after receiving the wheel from the manufacturer! I will be taking this up with the bike shop at a later date. Upon realizing that all the bike shops on the island were closed (Sunday!) I immediately proceeded to look up the location of the nearest REI, 40 miles away. Being that I could not safely ride my bike to the store I resorted to old school tactics: I put on my "help me face" and went to the side of the road where I proceeded wave to strangers passing by with my thumb. Now, hitch hiking may be hard enough with only a backpack but imagine the frequency of someone wanting to pick up a hitch hiker with 120 lbs of gear with him! Sue enough, after about 15 min of watching traffic zoom by me and giving me looks of disgust, a nice Reverend picked me up in his minivan and drove me all the way down to Clinton so that I could fetch the ferry over to the mainland. From there I took the bus to the mall where the REI was located. I almost was not allowed on the bus with all my stuff but the bus driver was very understanding of my story and said that I could do it "this one time".
The people at REI fixed my wheel but took about 2 hours to do so. They put a beginner tech on the job and at some point during the process he placed the plastic guard on wrong and it made the cassette catch and spin with the wheel. Nobody could figure out what was wrong with it and they sent me off with an imperfect bike saying that I should bring it down to corporate REI when I got to Seattle and have them look at it. They mentioned that I was covered by REI's insurance policy and therefore if they truly did mess something up in the hub (their current diagnosis was that they tightened the cassette down to hard and ruined the hub) they would give me a replacement wheel for free.
Fortunately, I had a contact in the local area who was willing to come and pick me up and bring me into Seattle from REI. She even treated me to dinner at my favorite restaurant that I have found on my trip thus far. I don't stop at nearly any restaurants while biking but this restaurant is one of my favorite of all times! It is called "........" (I forgot the name but will get it and let you all know later). They make their noodles from scratch, their dumplings from scratch and have amazing green beens!!! Unbelievable food! Thank you Melissa for treating me to that wonderful food and giving me a ride into Seattle! You are a life saver!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Day 52 - Saturday October 18th
Bellingham, WA to Mount Vernon, WA
30.34 miles
2:32.03 hrs
29.8 max
11.9 avg
This morning was full of contemplation. "It is raining hard, should I start riding now or should I wait to see if it settles down a little? Since I have a connection in Bellingham should I stay another day, tomorrow it is supposed to clear up a little? Should I push myself to ride all the way to Seattle tonight or should I break up the ride?" Of course this morning was no different than any other morning on my trip when I wake up and decide exactly what I am going to do. The only difference was that I am no longer in a HUGE rush to get over the Rockies so I have a little more freedom in what I do and where I decide to take a day or two off.
As I woke up it was raining pretty heavy and I had a huge urge to get down to Seattle! Before I could do so I wanted to stop at my favorite Co-op I have run into thus far on my trip to restock on some almond milk, granola and my new favorite kind of chocolate bar; "Equal Exchange Chocolates". After purchasing my special items, I sat outside staring at a map trying to figure out the logistics of getting to Seattle. It really didn't make sense to me to push myself 120 miles in the rain. Instead, I decided to ride down to Mount Veronon and spend the night at the Moffitt's again. This would take 30 miles off the commute to Seattle and give me better weather while riding across the islands.
Luckily, Kit and Charlotte were more than happy to allow me to stay at their place again! So, I set out for Mount Vernon around 1:30pm ,allowing ample time to take in the scenes and find a new memory card for my camera (found an 8 gig card for $18 at Target! The card might not be that fast but I am not taking action photos or anything). Oh, I also bought a new raincoat that was on sale for 60% off with the money I received from my birthday! What a gift! Thanks Grandma!
Of course, tomorrow is Seattle... I can't wait!
30.34 miles
2:32.03 hrs
29.8 max
11.9 avg
This morning was full of contemplation. "It is raining hard, should I start riding now or should I wait to see if it settles down a little? Since I have a connection in Bellingham should I stay another day, tomorrow it is supposed to clear up a little? Should I push myself to ride all the way to Seattle tonight or should I break up the ride?" Of course this morning was no different than any other morning on my trip when I wake up and decide exactly what I am going to do. The only difference was that I am no longer in a HUGE rush to get over the Rockies so I have a little more freedom in what I do and where I decide to take a day or two off.
As I woke up it was raining pretty heavy and I had a huge urge to get down to Seattle! Before I could do so I wanted to stop at my favorite Co-op I have run into thus far on my trip to restock on some almond milk, granola and my new favorite kind of chocolate bar; "Equal Exchange Chocolates". After purchasing my special items, I sat outside staring at a map trying to figure out the logistics of getting to Seattle. It really didn't make sense to me to push myself 120 miles in the rain. Instead, I decided to ride down to Mount Veronon and spend the night at the Moffitt's again. This would take 30 miles off the commute to Seattle and give me better weather while riding across the islands.
Luckily, Kit and Charlotte were more than happy to allow me to stay at their place again! So, I set out for Mount Vernon around 1:30pm ,allowing ample time to take in the scenes and find a new memory card for my camera (found an 8 gig card for $18 at Target! The card might not be that fast but I am not taking action photos or anything). Oh, I also bought a new raincoat that was on sale for 60% off with the money I received from my birthday! What a gift! Thanks Grandma!
Of course, tomorrow is Seattle... I can't wait!
Day 51 - Friday October 16th
Vancouver, BC to Bellingham, WA
72.67 miles
5:41.23 hrs
37.7 max
12.7 avg
Another day that starts out raining really hard and makes me rethink my travels for the day and then all of a sudden lightens up! If there is one thing that I am learning, and learning well, about weather forecasting in the NorthWest, it is that the weatherpersons need to find different jobs. No, it is not their fault, the weather is just so unpredictable up here... winds are never constant and are always changing direction so you can never tell where a storm system will really end up.
After a delayed start due to weather, I headed up to the University of British Columbia and rode around the campus. The campus was gorgeous and it made me really jealous that I didn't look around more at other campuses around the nation before picking SLU. Of course, SLU was gorgeous as well but UBC was a LOT larger! Don't worry, I am still glad I went to SLU, this was just a thought that I remember having when riding by UBC.
The rest of the trip to Bellingham was long and pretty boring. I went through a bunch of residential areas that did not provide much scenery. Although I did see a bunch of really interesting houses. I even drove by a house where a film was being shot... I am pretty sure that I saw Ridley Scott! How exciting!
I didn't get into Bellingham till about 9pm. This meant that I spent quite a few hours riding in the dark. At times there were no cars on the road at all for miles and miles. This was good and bad for it would have sucked if something would have happened to me while riding but it was nice to ride in the middle of the lane where the surface conditions were a little better. Not to mention that there was not shoulder on the road I took so if there was a lot of traffic it may have been a little dangerous.
The end of the night worked out well, I stopped in at a motel just to see what rooms were going for in Bellingham and when I told him that I would pass because I was on a budget he pretty much gave me a room for what I told him I could afford! He even upgraded my room so that I could fit my bike in there comfortably. The rooms were very nice and I am going to have to go online to hotels.com and write a favorable excerpt for him! Too bad more people aren't as gracious as this fellow, he didn't want me sleeping out in the rain (I was totally ok with it though). I had a church yard picked out and ready for me to pitch away!
72.67 miles
5:41.23 hrs
37.7 max
12.7 avg
Another day that starts out raining really hard and makes me rethink my travels for the day and then all of a sudden lightens up! If there is one thing that I am learning, and learning well, about weather forecasting in the NorthWest, it is that the weatherpersons need to find different jobs. No, it is not their fault, the weather is just so unpredictable up here... winds are never constant and are always changing direction so you can never tell where a storm system will really end up.
After a delayed start due to weather, I headed up to the University of British Columbia and rode around the campus. The campus was gorgeous and it made me really jealous that I didn't look around more at other campuses around the nation before picking SLU. Of course, SLU was gorgeous as well but UBC was a LOT larger! Don't worry, I am still glad I went to SLU, this was just a thought that I remember having when riding by UBC.
The rest of the trip to Bellingham was long and pretty boring. I went through a bunch of residential areas that did not provide much scenery. Although I did see a bunch of really interesting houses. I even drove by a house where a film was being shot... I am pretty sure that I saw Ridley Scott! How exciting!
I didn't get into Bellingham till about 9pm. This meant that I spent quite a few hours riding in the dark. At times there were no cars on the road at all for miles and miles. This was good and bad for it would have sucked if something would have happened to me while riding but it was nice to ride in the middle of the lane where the surface conditions were a little better. Not to mention that there was not shoulder on the road I took so if there was a lot of traffic it may have been a little dangerous.
The end of the night worked out well, I stopped in at a motel just to see what rooms were going for in Bellingham and when I told him that I would pass because I was on a budget he pretty much gave me a room for what I told him I could afford! He even upgraded my room so that I could fit my bike in there comfortably. The rooms were very nice and I am going to have to go online to hotels.com and write a favorable excerpt for him! Too bad more people aren't as gracious as this fellow, he didn't want me sleeping out in the rain (I was totally ok with it though). I had a church yard picked out and ready for me to pitch away!
Day 50 - Thursday October 15th
Langley, BC to Vancouver, BC
42.84 miles
3:41.02 hrs
32.3 max
11.6 avg
Vancouver is GORGEOUS! It was so much fun riding around Stanley Park, visiting Granville Island (the beer is great at the brewery!) and people watching at a locale cafe'. The whole experience reminded me of a tamer, downscaled NYC with more of an outdoor adventure persona. The differences being that the buildings were not nearly as tall, nor as close together and the mountains are just a couple km away meaning that the city is surrounded by green!
There was a lot of culture in the food and different areas of the city. I loved walking around trying to figure out which locale flavor I wanted to experience while visiting.
It would be a great city for anyone who loves the outdoors but still wants a big city feel. Someone that likes culture, great ethnic food and a semi-high energy atmosphere. Overall... I could see myself living here for a while. Maybe grad-school?
42.84 miles
3:41.02 hrs
32.3 max
11.6 avg
Vancouver is GORGEOUS! It was so much fun riding around Stanley Park, visiting Granville Island (the beer is great at the brewery!) and people watching at a locale cafe'. The whole experience reminded me of a tamer, downscaled NYC with more of an outdoor adventure persona. The differences being that the buildings were not nearly as tall, nor as close together and the mountains are just a couple km away meaning that the city is surrounded by green!
There was a lot of culture in the food and different areas of the city. I loved walking around trying to figure out which locale flavor I wanted to experience while visiting.
It would be a great city for anyone who loves the outdoors but still wants a big city feel. Someone that likes culture, great ethnic food and a semi-high energy atmosphere. Overall... I could see myself living here for a while. Maybe grad-school?
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Day 49 - Wednesday October 14th
Mount Vernon, WA to Langley, BC
64.26 miles
4:18.20 hrs
33.2 max
14.9 avg
As I woke up this morning things looked pretty murky! I was not excited to start the day out in rainy weather. After slowly getting out of bed and eating breakfast, the sun had come out and the rain had gone away. Well, not fully but I immediately became excited and rushed to get everything together so I could head up towards Vancouver.
I found myself out the door by 10:30 with one planned stop in mind. I needed to go to the bike store to purchase some fenders for my bike. I had been planning on making this purchase somewhere on my journey and since I am in "the city that never stops rainning", I figured now was a good tiem. I was very decisive about the fenders that I bought but what delayed me in th ebike shop was deciding if I needed a new rain jacket and installing the fenders. The bike shop had a bunch of overstock $220 trek rain jackets on sale for $99. I know that I have a rain jacket but it leaks and my ride would be so much more pleasurable if I stayed fully dry.
In the end I decided that I would rough it to Vancouver and test out all my gear to see what exactly needed to be purchased. After the trip I have decided that I need a new rain jacket. The only question in mind is what kind, how much and where do I get the best deal. I could buy an all purpose rain jacket from REI or Patagonia and spend a crap ton of money or I could by a cycling specific jacket and spend a crap ton of money. Either way I need to find a HUGE sale. I will look tomorrow when I am in Vancouver for a deal and if I don't find one up here then i will purchase the jacket that is at the bike shop in Mount Vernon.
All this deliberation meant that I didn't leave Mount Vernon till about 1pm. I figured timing was still ok because the ride was supposed to be flat... it sort of was. There were quite a few stretches of flat but highway 11 into Bellingham (amazing views by the way!) was pretty hilly. It was nothing compared to the mountains I went through in the previous days but it wasn't a cake walk either.
With all my delays, I also stopped at a local co-op in Bellingham to get some food, I finally arrived in Langley, BC at 7:08 pm. The family that I am staying with, The Bay Family, have been nothing but wonderful to me. They gave me some food, a shower, access to laundry and most importantly a relaxing environment to socialize and have fun! Funny enough, nobody can figure out the connection/relation that lead to this arranged situation. All anyone knows is that it is a friend of a friend of a friend. Maybe someone can fill in the missing links?
64.26 miles
4:18.20 hrs
33.2 max
14.9 avg
As I woke up this morning things looked pretty murky! I was not excited to start the day out in rainy weather. After slowly getting out of bed and eating breakfast, the sun had come out and the rain had gone away. Well, not fully but I immediately became excited and rushed to get everything together so I could head up towards Vancouver.
I found myself out the door by 10:30 with one planned stop in mind. I needed to go to the bike store to purchase some fenders for my bike. I had been planning on making this purchase somewhere on my journey and since I am in "the city that never stops rainning", I figured now was a good tiem. I was very decisive about the fenders that I bought but what delayed me in th ebike shop was deciding if I needed a new rain jacket and installing the fenders. The bike shop had a bunch of overstock $220 trek rain jackets on sale for $99. I know that I have a rain jacket but it leaks and my ride would be so much more pleasurable if I stayed fully dry.
In the end I decided that I would rough it to Vancouver and test out all my gear to see what exactly needed to be purchased. After the trip I have decided that I need a new rain jacket. The only question in mind is what kind, how much and where do I get the best deal. I could buy an all purpose rain jacket from REI or Patagonia and spend a crap ton of money or I could by a cycling specific jacket and spend a crap ton of money. Either way I need to find a HUGE sale. I will look tomorrow when I am in Vancouver for a deal and if I don't find one up here then i will purchase the jacket that is at the bike shop in Mount Vernon.
All this deliberation meant that I didn't leave Mount Vernon till about 1pm. I figured timing was still ok because the ride was supposed to be flat... it sort of was. There were quite a few stretches of flat but highway 11 into Bellingham (amazing views by the way!) was pretty hilly. It was nothing compared to the mountains I went through in the previous days but it wasn't a cake walk either.
With all my delays, I also stopped at a local co-op in Bellingham to get some food, I finally arrived in Langley, BC at 7:08 pm. The family that I am staying with, The Bay Family, have been nothing but wonderful to me. They gave me some food, a shower, access to laundry and most importantly a relaxing environment to socialize and have fun! Funny enough, nobody can figure out the connection/relation that lead to this arranged situation. All anyone knows is that it is a friend of a friend of a friend. Maybe someone can fill in the missing links?
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Day 48 - Tuesday October 13th
Newhaven, WA to Mount Vernon, WA
64.47 miles
4:05.30 hrs
31.8 max
15.7 avg
Today, I broke the 4000 mile marker on my trip and theoretically completed a cross country tour. I have not yet seen the ocean but I am only 15 miles away from touching my toes into the deep blue that they call the Pacific. I highly contemplated traveling the extra distance today just to jump in to the frigid waters, to feel the accomplishment of traveling ocean to ocean. Unfortunately, unless I want to be freezing cold and wet tomorrow during my ride to Vancouver, I will have to wait until I get up to Vancouver to jump in.
According to local weather forecasts it sounds like it is going to be raining all tomorrow, and for the next week. Fortunately, it was supposed to be raining today and I didn't feel a drop! Maybe the weather people can be wrong for the rest of the week?
Since I got to sleep really early last night I woke up on my own and felt pretty good. I was happy to find that the food that I hung up on the pavilion beams was still there and no little creatures appeared to have tampered with it. Much to my dismay I found out that I had consumed all of the coconut milk and therefore could not have cereal like I had been looking forward too all night long! So, I improvised and ate some dry granola with a bowl of chili... I know, not much of a substitute. Nonetheless, still good! I was very happy to get an early start this morning and thought to myself that it may be a good idea to try and get to bed that early every night so I am as productive every morning.
As I was doing my morning duties, I happened to walk down by the river with all the dead fish of which I had convinced myself, the previous night, they were poisoned. As I took a closer look, during a time when there was actual light, I noticed that all the fish were salmon. Upon further examination of the waters at my feet, I noticed hundreds of live salmon swimming around. Heck, I said to myself, if I would have known that there were salmon I would have tried to catch a few for dinner last night (and filled up my water bottles).
The views of the countryside leading out of the Northern Cascades were gorgeous. I no longer had to worry about any massive climbs, the roads were newly paved (or so they seemed) and I knew that I did not have far to travel to the coast! All these circumstances lead to a very nice day of riding (not to mention that it was not raining!). I also knew that I could take my time getting into town because the people I was staying with were not going to be home till 5pm and I had a comparatively early start!
The day went by pretty fast and allowed for many pitstops along the way: coffee at Cascades Organics, browsing at a local bike store and even a lunch break on a bridge where I watched the salmon frolic around in the current. Overall, a great day!
Not to mention the Moffitt's hospitality. It is always great to have some good company and conversation at the ends of a days ride. Not to mention treating me with one of my favorite meals in the whole world: fresh caught salmon! What a way to be welcomed to the coast! Thanks you two!
64.47 miles
4:05.30 hrs
31.8 max
15.7 avg
Today, I broke the 4000 mile marker on my trip and theoretically completed a cross country tour. I have not yet seen the ocean but I am only 15 miles away from touching my toes into the deep blue that they call the Pacific. I highly contemplated traveling the extra distance today just to jump in to the frigid waters, to feel the accomplishment of traveling ocean to ocean. Unfortunately, unless I want to be freezing cold and wet tomorrow during my ride to Vancouver, I will have to wait until I get up to Vancouver to jump in.
According to local weather forecasts it sounds like it is going to be raining all tomorrow, and for the next week. Fortunately, it was supposed to be raining today and I didn't feel a drop! Maybe the weather people can be wrong for the rest of the week?
Since I got to sleep really early last night I woke up on my own and felt pretty good. I was happy to find that the food that I hung up on the pavilion beams was still there and no little creatures appeared to have tampered with it. Much to my dismay I found out that I had consumed all of the coconut milk and therefore could not have cereal like I had been looking forward too all night long! So, I improvised and ate some dry granola with a bowl of chili... I know, not much of a substitute. Nonetheless, still good! I was very happy to get an early start this morning and thought to myself that it may be a good idea to try and get to bed that early every night so I am as productive every morning.
As I was doing my morning duties, I happened to walk down by the river with all the dead fish of which I had convinced myself, the previous night, they were poisoned. As I took a closer look, during a time when there was actual light, I noticed that all the fish were salmon. Upon further examination of the waters at my feet, I noticed hundreds of live salmon swimming around. Heck, I said to myself, if I would have known that there were salmon I would have tried to catch a few for dinner last night (and filled up my water bottles).
The views of the countryside leading out of the Northern Cascades were gorgeous. I no longer had to worry about any massive climbs, the roads were newly paved (or so they seemed) and I knew that I did not have far to travel to the coast! All these circumstances lead to a very nice day of riding (not to mention that it was not raining!). I also knew that I could take my time getting into town because the people I was staying with were not going to be home till 5pm and I had a comparatively early start!
The day went by pretty fast and allowed for many pitstops along the way: coffee at Cascades Organics, browsing at a local bike store and even a lunch break on a bridge where I watched the salmon frolic around in the current. Overall, a great day!
Not to mention the Moffitt's hospitality. It is always great to have some good company and conversation at the ends of a days ride. Not to mention treating me with one of my favorite meals in the whole world: fresh caught salmon! What a way to be welcomed to the coast! Thanks you two!
Day 47 - Monday October 12th
Twisp, WA to Newhaven, WA
84.96 miles
6:25.24 hrs
38.4 max
13.2 avg
With the amount of climbing ahead of me today and the bitterness of the morning cold, it seemed as if today was going to last forever. Unlike yesterday, I knew what terrain was ahead of me and this allowed me to mentally prepare myself for it.
In the end, the day was not so bad. The scenery was gorgeous and with the smart purchase of handwarmers/toewarmers at the beginning of the day I did not feel like I was going to lose my fingers or toes on the long descents off the two passes. It did get very cold at the top of the passes and I would have been in some major trouble if I did not decide to splurge on the heating pouches.
Throughout most of the day I had the thought of a nice shower and warm bed to sleep in concluding my days journey. I was unhappily informed, about 20 miles outside of my final destination, that the town I was going to stop in that evening was not home to such a motel. This upset me thoroughly because it is supposed to rain tomorrow and I do not want to start the day out wet!
The man who gave me this information, a motorcyclist who pulled up beside me and continued to have a 5 min conversation as we glided alongside devil's lake, did locate a place for me to camp that night and gave me a great connection in Bellingham if I need it.
I stayed in a national park tonight, under a pavilion that would keep me out of the rain when it came overnight. I knew that this was not allowed but considering that there was one person on all of the campgrounds besides myself, what were they going to do? Kick me out? (what a rebel!) The camping was free, because there was no water and this unfortunately was not optimal given my low H2O situation! I was not overly worried due to the fact that there was fast and free flowing river no more than 20 yards from my camp site. After setting up camp I went down to the waters edge to find dead fish lining the shores. Not wanting to catch some deadly disease that would hospitalize me (my COBRA insurance has been "terminated" by the way) I decided to use my last water bottle sparingly instead of risk using a water filter.
After eating a great meal of chili, hanging up my food from a rafter on the outside of the pavilion and finishing my nightly routine I fell asleep very early (9pm). This early bed time was partially due to the fact that my mind was playing tricks on me about different animals that might attack me during the night, it was easier just to close my eyes. If it was not for the banks lined with fish I probably would have been a little more worried and maybe hung my food a couple campsites away.
84.96 miles
6:25.24 hrs
38.4 max
13.2 avg
With the amount of climbing ahead of me today and the bitterness of the morning cold, it seemed as if today was going to last forever. Unlike yesterday, I knew what terrain was ahead of me and this allowed me to mentally prepare myself for it.
In the end, the day was not so bad. The scenery was gorgeous and with the smart purchase of handwarmers/toewarmers at the beginning of the day I did not feel like I was going to lose my fingers or toes on the long descents off the two passes. It did get very cold at the top of the passes and I would have been in some major trouble if I did not decide to splurge on the heating pouches.
Throughout most of the day I had the thought of a nice shower and warm bed to sleep in concluding my days journey. I was unhappily informed, about 20 miles outside of my final destination, that the town I was going to stop in that evening was not home to such a motel. This upset me thoroughly because it is supposed to rain tomorrow and I do not want to start the day out wet!
The man who gave me this information, a motorcyclist who pulled up beside me and continued to have a 5 min conversation as we glided alongside devil's lake, did locate a place for me to camp that night and gave me a great connection in Bellingham if I need it.
I stayed in a national park tonight, under a pavilion that would keep me out of the rain when it came overnight. I knew that this was not allowed but considering that there was one person on all of the campgrounds besides myself, what were they going to do? Kick me out? (what a rebel!) The camping was free, because there was no water and this unfortunately was not optimal given my low H2O situation! I was not overly worried due to the fact that there was fast and free flowing river no more than 20 yards from my camp site. After setting up camp I went down to the waters edge to find dead fish lining the shores. Not wanting to catch some deadly disease that would hospitalize me (my COBRA insurance has been "terminated" by the way) I decided to use my last water bottle sparingly instead of risk using a water filter.
After eating a great meal of chili, hanging up my food from a rafter on the outside of the pavilion and finishing my nightly routine I fell asleep very early (9pm). This early bed time was partially due to the fact that my mind was playing tricks on me about different animals that might attack me during the night, it was easier just to close my eyes. If it was not for the banks lined with fish I probably would have been a little more worried and maybe hung my food a couple campsites away.
Day 46 - Sunday October 11th
Okanogan Family Fair to Twisp, WA
73.87 miles
5:49.24 hrs
36.6 max
12.6 avg
First off, this day was freakin' cold! Specifically at the end of my trip when I was rolling into Twisp well after sunset. I thought that today's ride was supposed to be downhill at first (13 miles) and then all flat from then on out. Boy, was I mistaken! Little did I know I had a 3100' climb near the end of my ride. I thought that I had plenty of time to dillydally around in Tonasket but I definitely paid for it later!
About 6 miles into climbing the 4000' pass I finally took out my map and realized what I had ahead of me and what time this would put me into Twisp. At this point though, there was no turning back. After going through the closest thing to hell that I have experienced on this trip, I decided to treat myself to a motel in Twisp. One redemption point of the night was that the grocery store I stopped at to pick up dinner had $1.99 10" peach pies that were delicious! I consumed half for dinner and half for breakfast. I also had other food as well, including a 1/2 off 2-lbs pre-cooked pork chop!
73.87 miles
5:49.24 hrs
36.6 max
12.6 avg
First off, this day was freakin' cold! Specifically at the end of my trip when I was rolling into Twisp well after sunset. I thought that today's ride was supposed to be downhill at first (13 miles) and then all flat from then on out. Boy, was I mistaken! Little did I know I had a 3100' climb near the end of my ride. I thought that I had plenty of time to dillydally around in Tonasket but I definitely paid for it later!
About 6 miles into climbing the 4000' pass I finally took out my map and realized what I had ahead of me and what time this would put me into Twisp. At this point though, there was no turning back. After going through the closest thing to hell that I have experienced on this trip, I decided to treat myself to a motel in Twisp. One redemption point of the night was that the grocery store I stopped at to pick up dinner had $1.99 10" peach pies that were delicious! I consumed half for dinner and half for breakfast. I also had other food as well, including a 1/2 off 2-lbs pre-cooked pork chop!
Saturday October 10th
At first I was only planning on staying at the fair for one night. It did not take much convincing to get me to stay an extra day! The combination of the need for a days rest, lack of sleep from the previous night and the cold temperatures in the morning made a convincing argument to spend another day with my new found friends.
Day 45 - Friday October 9th
Republic, WA to Okanogan Family Fair (13 miles East of Tanasket)
30.56 miles
2:41.34 hrs
35.8 max
11.3 avg
Not much to say about this day besides that the Okanogan Family Fair came a lot sooner into today's journey than expected. I thought that it was going to be in Tonasket, not 13 miles before Tonasket.
The people at the front gate of the fair liked the fact that I did not use any gas to get to the fair and they therefore waived the $40 camping cover. After locating the crew that I met the previous day, I quickly was assigned the name "Biker Dave". It was fun to spend the night in a fair atmosphere with live music, good food and good company!
30.56 miles
2:41.34 hrs
35.8 max
11.3 avg
Not much to say about this day besides that the Okanogan Family Fair came a lot sooner into today's journey than expected. I thought that it was going to be in Tonasket, not 13 miles before Tonasket.
The people at the front gate of the fair liked the fact that I did not use any gas to get to the fair and they therefore waived the $40 camping cover. After locating the crew that I met the previous day, I quickly was assigned the name "Biker Dave". It was fun to spend the night in a fair atmosphere with live music, good food and good company!
Day 44 - Thursday October 8th
Colville, WA to Republic, WA
61.00 miles
5:27.25 hrs
40.8 max
11.1 avg
Today was a great ride! I had a 5575' mountain that I thoroughly enjoyed climbing. While climbing I lost myself in thought and ascended 3/4 of the mountain, at a good rate, without even realizing it.
3 miles from the top of the climb I ran into a bus that was overheating. Post-inquiry of their troubles and destination, I had a bunch of people to hang out with (camp with) at the "family fair" in Tanasket, WA for the following couple days.
At the end of the day I was graciously granted a room at a local motel for $20. It is amazing how people will open up if you spend the time to converse and befriend them!
61.00 miles
5:27.25 hrs
40.8 max
11.1 avg
Today was a great ride! I had a 5575' mountain that I thoroughly enjoyed climbing. While climbing I lost myself in thought and ascended 3/4 of the mountain, at a good rate, without even realizing it.
3 miles from the top of the climb I ran into a bus that was overheating. Post-inquiry of their troubles and destination, I had a bunch of people to hang out with (camp with) at the "family fair" in Tanasket, WA for the following couple days.
At the end of the day I was graciously granted a room at a local motel for $20. It is amazing how people will open up if you spend the time to converse and befriend them!
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