I forgot to mention a cute little event 2 days ago. Pam and I had stopped by the road to rest and enjoy a scenic view. A Monarch butterfly landed on my shoulder. That in itself was pretty cool. What happened next was almost, well, touching. I didn't want to move for fear of scaring it away. I could see out of the corner of my eye that it was walking up my neck. Then it happened. I felt it give me a butterfly kiss on my cheek as it flew off. A butterfly kiss from a butterfly. Now that has to be a good omen.
Fast forward to today. Thursday June 30. We said adios to Two Rivers RV Park at 7. Our destination is Libby, MT. The route profile promised a fair amount of climbing. Nothing serious. A few steep sections of a mile or two. As it turned out one of the steepest sections was leaving the park! Go figure. Lucky us.
The first stretch was a single road about 35 miles long. Gay said it was one of his all time favorite sections of road. I have to hand it to him. At the end of the day, the Montana scenery was very good to us. I just saw a photo from Sandy's FB page that was breathtaking. I'll have to post a few soon too.
It was 35 miles of up and down. Nothing steep on either direction. Just plenty of it.
At the end of that stretch, there was a rest area. A place to sit in the shade and a bathroom. Oh yeah. Water was good too.
Justi down the road we saw a place to get a cold drink! Actually it was the trailhead for Kootenay Falls. We stopped and decided we needed some exercise. The 0.1 mile hike ended closer to 1.0 down and up. The falls were spectacular. The color of the water is glacier blue. We made it back to the stand and got those cold soft drinks. Ahh...
The next 15 miles were to be slightly uphill according to the map. With tailwinds like we had I'll ride uphill any time! We flew.
Pulled into Libby by 2. Would've been sooner without the hike. Found a cheap municipal park between a hotel that sold great showers for $5 and a grocery store with a dining area. Entree and 2 sides for $6!
Tomorrow may be epic. 70 hilly miles. We have options if that seems too long. We will depart earlier than normal in the morning. We already stocked up on food and drinks. Sadly, no time for coffee. Ugh. We are fast approaching Whitefish. That would be day after tomorrow. Want to make the bike shop for some ticking noises. Annoyances for now. Can get worse if ignored.
It's 73 now and expected to go down to 54 by morning. Lights out. Long day up.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
KPW
Today:
4:11 hours
12.0 avg
50.52 miles
33.1 max
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Day 11 Hot, Hot Hilly and Scenic
We left Sandpoint campground at 7. First stop. Breakfast! An unusual treat to have a sit down start to the day. Stuffed my face with pancakes and a little bacon. Coffee and OJ was perfect. Bill had pie and other stuff. Pam had a veggie omelette. Surprise! We left after food and some quality phone charging time. Right out of the lot, up up and away we went. Maybe eating a big breakfast wasn't such a great idea when you gotta climb a lot. Ugh...
Yes today wasn't going to be flat. At all. Of course it had some flat sections but that didn't seem to be the norm. Not only that but man oh man did it feel hot! 90 degrees hot it was. A tailwind is ALWAYS GOOD. The problem that creates it there is no cooling effect. It just blows you along. What's a rider to do? Drink. As much as possible. Dump some on your back and head. Soak your shirt when possible. Remember lots of sunscreen too! I prefer 50 rating.
I wear one of those funny little cycling caps under my helmet. The brim keep the sun out of my eyes and is compatible with my helmet. Helmets are well vented so a cap keeps my noggin from getting fried. I don't have as much hair as I used to.
About an hour after lunch, we made a long nature break in the shade. The breeze felt awesome. I wear a thin long sleeved shirt to keep the sun off my arms. It gets kind of sweaty, which is good. The breeze had a real cooling effect. It totally envigorated me! Despite the hills and heat, my day went surprisingly well.
I had one little incident. I was riding close to a guardrail when I hit something and skidded into the rail. No bodily damage. My front pannier rack worked loose. My wheel was out of kilter a bit. I had to stop and figure these things out before I could proceed.
I didn't yell at my team. I was in back. They didn't see me as they went around a corner. Apparently they took a while before they figured something was wrong. I didn't hear Pam's phone call. They were nearly back when my smiling face appeared. All's good.
While the up and down continued, the scenery improved. Dramatically. We traveled along a wide slow river with impressive peaks in the background. Made suffering worth it. We stopped for pictures at one pullover. A nice man went to the back of his trailer and pulled out some fresh cherries and strawberries! Talk about lifting spirits.
We had turned on to a side road which was dirt. It lasted 5 or 6 miles. Hilly but very scenic. We kinda got cheated though. This road took us into Montana but there was no sign to capture the landmark. We also moved an hour closer. Time zone change. No signs. Oh well.
In a few more miles after the dirt road ended, we reached Two Rivers RV Park & Campground. Really sweet lady looked after us. Gave us shower and washing machine access codes. Wifi included unlike Ms Cranky Pants at Newport. This lady even provided towels!!
We cooked a fun dinner of tacos using lettuce for wraps. A pasta side dish added depth. Sandy brought desert from a wonderful bakery next to where we had lunch. I'm not so sure I would have been able to share that treat. Thanks Sandy.
It was a long hot hard day. We lost an hour to the time change. The ground is soft under our sleeping pads in the tent. Mosquitos are hungry but we work to deprive them..
Today- 60 miles
Tomorrow promises to be beautiful but more climbing is in store.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
Please remember that I'm tapping this out on my phone. Excuse any obvious errors as my proofing leaves something to be desired.
Yes today wasn't going to be flat. At all. Of course it had some flat sections but that didn't seem to be the norm. Not only that but man oh man did it feel hot! 90 degrees hot it was. A tailwind is ALWAYS GOOD. The problem that creates it there is no cooling effect. It just blows you along. What's a rider to do? Drink. As much as possible. Dump some on your back and head. Soak your shirt when possible. Remember lots of sunscreen too! I prefer 50 rating.
I wear one of those funny little cycling caps under my helmet. The brim keep the sun out of my eyes and is compatible with my helmet. Helmets are well vented so a cap keeps my noggin from getting fried. I don't have as much hair as I used to.
About an hour after lunch, we made a long nature break in the shade. The breeze felt awesome. I wear a thin long sleeved shirt to keep the sun off my arms. It gets kind of sweaty, which is good. The breeze had a real cooling effect. It totally envigorated me! Despite the hills and heat, my day went surprisingly well.
I had one little incident. I was riding close to a guardrail when I hit something and skidded into the rail. No bodily damage. My front pannier rack worked loose. My wheel was out of kilter a bit. I had to stop and figure these things out before I could proceed.
I didn't yell at my team. I was in back. They didn't see me as they went around a corner. Apparently they took a while before they figured something was wrong. I didn't hear Pam's phone call. They were nearly back when my smiling face appeared. All's good.
While the up and down continued, the scenery improved. Dramatically. We traveled along a wide slow river with impressive peaks in the background. Made suffering worth it. We stopped for pictures at one pullover. A nice man went to the back of his trailer and pulled out some fresh cherries and strawberries! Talk about lifting spirits.
We had turned on to a side road which was dirt. It lasted 5 or 6 miles. Hilly but very scenic. We kinda got cheated though. This road took us into Montana but there was no sign to capture the landmark. We also moved an hour closer. Time zone change. No signs. Oh well.
In a few more miles after the dirt road ended, we reached Two Rivers RV Park & Campground. Really sweet lady looked after us. Gave us shower and washing machine access codes. Wifi included unlike Ms Cranky Pants at Newport. This lady even provided towels!!
We cooked a fun dinner of tacos using lettuce for wraps. A pasta side dish added depth. Sandy brought desert from a wonderful bakery next to where we had lunch. I'm not so sure I would have been able to share that treat. Thanks Sandy.
It was a long hot hard day. We lost an hour to the time change. The ground is soft under our sleeping pads in the tent. Mosquitos are hungry but we work to deprive them..
Today- 60 miles
Tomorrow promises to be beautiful but more climbing is in store.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
Please remember that I'm tapping this out on my phone. Excuse any obvious errors as my proofing leaves something to be desired.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Day 10 The Hills Are Alive
Destination: Sandpoint Idaho.
We left the Newport campground and headed to the local Safeway for coffee and breakfast. After hanging around for a while we headed east. Uh oh. Apparently towns are not built on tops of hills.ok, it's just not how I wanted to start the day. Man, I gotta pay more attention to the road profile that tells you what kind of terrain is ahead. Maybe I should have held back on breakfast a bit. 2 things: 1) I wasn't prepared mentally for the up part and 2) I just didn't know what to expect!
The first climb was steep but gratefully pretty short. Maybe a mile or 2 long. The second was also steep but not as long. The good news is it had a fun downhill! Top speed was only 35.6. The fun came to an abrupt halt after making a bend towards town. Surprise! Brakes work fine... After that bit of fun, the riding adventure continued.
When you drive a car in hilly terrain, you can hardly tell unless you pay attention. On a bike, much less one loaded with gear, your entire being becomes a level. The strain of simply making the pedals go around in little circles becomes increasingly challenging. The cardiovascular system takes the que and ramps up its responsibility. In order to keep the entire effort in check, the hands come into play.
(Note: My bike has 27 gears. Two shifters. 3 gears (chainrings) in the front. 9 in the back (cassette). A total compensation of up to 27 gear ratios or speeds. Without turning this into a lesson, just know that some gears are better for climbing than others to make the job possible. Just like gears in a car but not automatic.) The levers at the ends of the handlebars essentially shift the gears. Come on hands don't fall me now!
Actually, shifting isn't a big deal. Once you get used to it it's no big deal at all.
I shift into sensible gears that don't overtax my system. I find gears that allow me to maintain a decent pace. Up I go. Drink water. Pay attention to what's ahead. Communicate with anyone behind you about what you're doing. Alert them about any road hazards like potholes or glass that sort of thing. Don't want to cause an accident.
The hills were relentless. Most of the time today was either up or down. But because we are timing our arrival at Whitefish, MT for Pam to catch her flight home, we are taking our time. That means shorter riding days.
We found a campground run by the Army Corps of Engineers. It's well kept. Nice bathrooms with showers ($.25 for 5 min) Stores too far away (3 hilly miles) so we knew to bring our supplies with us..
Today we rode 36.5 miles
Tomorrow we head for a campground at rt. 200 & rt 56. Probably 2 Rivers RV Park and Campground
Thanks for following us!
Cheers!
Kim
We left the Newport campground and headed to the local Safeway for coffee and breakfast. After hanging around for a while we headed east. Uh oh. Apparently towns are not built on tops of hills.ok, it's just not how I wanted to start the day. Man, I gotta pay more attention to the road profile that tells you what kind of terrain is ahead. Maybe I should have held back on breakfast a bit. 2 things: 1) I wasn't prepared mentally for the up part and 2) I just didn't know what to expect!
The first climb was steep but gratefully pretty short. Maybe a mile or 2 long. The second was also steep but not as long. The good news is it had a fun downhill! Top speed was only 35.6. The fun came to an abrupt halt after making a bend towards town. Surprise! Brakes work fine... After that bit of fun, the riding adventure continued.
When you drive a car in hilly terrain, you can hardly tell unless you pay attention. On a bike, much less one loaded with gear, your entire being becomes a level. The strain of simply making the pedals go around in little circles becomes increasingly challenging. The cardiovascular system takes the que and ramps up its responsibility. In order to keep the entire effort in check, the hands come into play.
(Note: My bike has 27 gears. Two shifters. 3 gears (chainrings) in the front. 9 in the back (cassette). A total compensation of up to 27 gear ratios or speeds. Without turning this into a lesson, just know that some gears are better for climbing than others to make the job possible. Just like gears in a car but not automatic.) The levers at the ends of the handlebars essentially shift the gears. Come on hands don't fall me now!
Actually, shifting isn't a big deal. Once you get used to it it's no big deal at all.
I shift into sensible gears that don't overtax my system. I find gears that allow me to maintain a decent pace. Up I go. Drink water. Pay attention to what's ahead. Communicate with anyone behind you about what you're doing. Alert them about any road hazards like potholes or glass that sort of thing. Don't want to cause an accident.
The hills were relentless. Most of the time today was either up or down. But because we are timing our arrival at Whitefish, MT for Pam to catch her flight home, we are taking our time. That means shorter riding days.
We found a campground run by the Army Corps of Engineers. It's well kept. Nice bathrooms with showers ($.25 for 5 min) Stores too far away (3 hilly miles) so we knew to bring our supplies with us..
Today we rode 36.5 miles
Tomorrow we head for a campground at rt. 200 & rt 56. Probably 2 Rivers RV Park and Campground
Thanks for following us!
Cheers!
Kim
Monday, June 27, 2016
Day 9 No hills to climb!
We left Cedar RV Park in Ione at 7:15 after a couple of cups of joe. Gay had stayed at a friend's house he met last year when he passes through. He stayed near Beaver Resort. He made the 14 miles before 7. No surprise. An early bird he is.
Today's route took us to Newport, WA. But we'd pass through Parton Idaho then back into WA. The route was long and flat. Not quite Virginia Beach flat though. For much of the distance we paralleled a river. Wide and slow it was. Mountains hemmed us in on both sides. Reminded e of looking up at the Blue Ridge mountains from the valley. We saw a field with buffalo. I think it was part of an Indian reservation. We did make an early lunch stop at a Kalupel Tribe headquarters. It was a huge conference center and recreation facility with a pool, gym, nice locker rooms and a climbing wall I didn't see. It had a nice little deli we enjoyed. It's a good thing it was there as there wasn't much else until our destination.
While the ride was long it was also the hottest day. 90 but a dry hot. We used pace lines to work together to keep us moving and together. After a while wed split into more compatible sub groups. We were still pretty close together. Finally we reached Newport but not before entering and leaving Idaho.
The campground was in town by the river. Grumpy lady behind the counter. Did think much of tent campers I think. Learned two sites were in Idaho the rest in WA. Taxes are different too. The site was cramped but convenient. Pavilion behind us made it easy to cook and clean. Bathroom was meh.
Tomorrow we head to Sand Point, Idaho!
Today = 52 miles
Thanks for following
Cheers!
Kim
Today's route took us to Newport, WA. But we'd pass through Parton Idaho then back into WA. The route was long and flat. Not quite Virginia Beach flat though. For much of the distance we paralleled a river. Wide and slow it was. Mountains hemmed us in on both sides. Reminded e of looking up at the Blue Ridge mountains from the valley. We saw a field with buffalo. I think it was part of an Indian reservation. We did make an early lunch stop at a Kalupel Tribe headquarters. It was a huge conference center and recreation facility with a pool, gym, nice locker rooms and a climbing wall I didn't see. It had a nice little deli we enjoyed. It's a good thing it was there as there wasn't much else until our destination.
While the ride was long it was also the hottest day. 90 but a dry hot. We used pace lines to work together to keep us moving and together. After a while wed split into more compatible sub groups. We were still pretty close together. Finally we reached Newport but not before entering and leaving Idaho.
The campground was in town by the river. Grumpy lady behind the counter. Did think much of tent campers I think. Learned two sites were in Idaho the rest in WA. Taxes are different too. The site was cramped but convenient. Pavilion behind us made it easy to cook and clean. Bathroom was meh.
Tomorrow we head to Sand Point, Idaho!
Today = 52 miles
Thanks for following
Cheers!
Kim
Day 7 & 8
Day 7 for me was another day off. The crew stayed in a motel in Republic, WA on Saturday night. Rode about 55 miles. It was raining and cold as I noted in my last entry. They had a great but uneventful day. They talked about all the burnt out forest. Especially the area that also was hit by a tornado! Insult to injury. But Sunday their destination was Colville. Another 56 miles.
Me. I rested and cruised around town. Checking out businesses that carry very different stuff than what we find at the Beach. North 40 for example. Kind of similar to a Bass Pro shop with a distinctly northwestern bent. Difference being clothing and type of hardware.
In downtown Colville I had lunch at a family Mexican restaurant. It was great as was the service. I just had a simple chicken taco salad.
I checked out of my stinky room and scouted out the fairgrounds camping area. It looked like a winner. Grassy tent area. Fences to lean the bikes on. CLEAN bathrooms and showers! And only $5 a person! Heck the bathrooms had a code to get in to keep the rif taf out. I also met my newest best friend. Annie Lou. Her grandfather was the campground host. She had pink cowboy boots and a suitable matching attire. She spent most of her time showing me how well and fast she could ride her bike. A busy 5 year old for sure
Finally Pam called. They were on the outskirts of town. I rode out to meet them and brought them in.
The host found out we gave someone the code that wasn't actually camping ( but we thought they were) and he politely tore me a new one explaining in some depth why it's a problem! I won't bore you but if you really want to know, just ask. I am an expert now. The rest of the day was uneventful. Great sleeping weather.
Day 8 Sunday
We're up at 6 and have camp broken down and out by 7. First stop Safeway in town for some Starbucks. Rough huh? We all find our appropriate fuels and off we go towards Ione. It's only about 44 miles away but the first 27 are uphill. It's not killer uphill like Washington Pass but gains about 2,000 feet, then drops like a stone for 10 miles.
Ok. I'm feeling pretty darn good, but haven't really been riding for 2 days. Everyone is in better shape than I am at the moment. I can't let that concern me. I'm thrilled to have a lot of fit companions that have each other's back when the chips are down. Now I know everyone else is doing well, it's my turn to see if I've recovered fully.
Just like any endurance event, you have to "know thyself" and take on a cadence or pace that works for you. Trying to keep up with someone else at their pace can spell t r o u b l e. So, I just eased into the long uphill grind. Pam stayed with me almost the whole time. It took over 4 hours to reach the top. We took a number of stops on this relentless ascent. The ultimate goal was a small resort a ways short of the descent. What a welcome oasis Beaver Lodge Resort was. Cold drinks and breakfast all day! Pam learned first hand what a "beaver sized" blueberry pancake was. Big!
We sat inside to enjoy the view despite it being a beautiful day outside. Seats with backs have a huge appeal after a long ride. Can't remember ever having a Diet RC before. It was good.
Ok. I'm stoked. A good thing. I felt good all through the climb. And the descent is something to look forward to! I'm sorry for making this center on me so much but coming back with so much of my journey left is key. If the climb is any indication, the rest of the journey is most promising.
The descent was really really fun. Roads are in great shape. Not much traffic. Enough turns to make it interesting. It went on for quite a while. Maximum speed was 36.3!
We regrouped at the intersection. A young woman who lives at a clapboard house nearby started a conversation. She asked if we wanted to see her newborn kid. It was walking and eating grass within a few minutes she said. It was 1,5 hours old. Ok, I guess you figured it was not her kid but a baby goat. Name: Lambchop!
After we depart our new friends, Ione is our destination. 4 more miles. Once there we spot a grocery store. We don't get many groceries but map out a plan. We ride from there to a RV park and motel across the way down by the river. At the bottom of the gravel driveway we saw a quite weathered set of... buildings. We figured which one was the office. The windows were shaded or boarded closed. A number of residents appeared along with the manager. He apologized But he didn't have showers. Or running water. Let that sink in. He sat outside his office door smoking a cigarette. Do not enter sign on the door. Well maybe we'll have to go elsewhere. Quickly.
We learned about Cedar RV Park 1/2 mile down the road. As soon as we rode up we were greeted. Sure . "Got just the place for you" he said. It was grassy. Shaded. Had bathrooms and showers close by. He brought us chairs. Showed us where the laundry was. Then the coup de grace was when he said he'd have coffee waiting for us in the morning!! Asked how strong we liked it. Gabe. What a host! All for $10 a person. Brought us a cooler to use. Had a sink and other amenities too. A slight contrast from the meth lab we stopped at first.
An excellent finish to a fantastic day.
Thanks for following.
Cheers.
Kim
Me. I rested and cruised around town. Checking out businesses that carry very different stuff than what we find at the Beach. North 40 for example. Kind of similar to a Bass Pro shop with a distinctly northwestern bent. Difference being clothing and type of hardware.
In downtown Colville I had lunch at a family Mexican restaurant. It was great as was the service. I just had a simple chicken taco salad.
I checked out of my stinky room and scouted out the fairgrounds camping area. It looked like a winner. Grassy tent area. Fences to lean the bikes on. CLEAN bathrooms and showers! And only $5 a person! Heck the bathrooms had a code to get in to keep the rif taf out. I also met my newest best friend. Annie Lou. Her grandfather was the campground host. She had pink cowboy boots and a suitable matching attire. She spent most of her time showing me how well and fast she could ride her bike. A busy 5 year old for sure
Finally Pam called. They were on the outskirts of town. I rode out to meet them and brought them in.
The host found out we gave someone the code that wasn't actually camping ( but we thought they were) and he politely tore me a new one explaining in some depth why it's a problem! I won't bore you but if you really want to know, just ask. I am an expert now. The rest of the day was uneventful. Great sleeping weather.
Day 8 Sunday
We're up at 6 and have camp broken down and out by 7. First stop Safeway in town for some Starbucks. Rough huh? We all find our appropriate fuels and off we go towards Ione. It's only about 44 miles away but the first 27 are uphill. It's not killer uphill like Washington Pass but gains about 2,000 feet, then drops like a stone for 10 miles.
Ok. I'm feeling pretty darn good, but haven't really been riding for 2 days. Everyone is in better shape than I am at the moment. I can't let that concern me. I'm thrilled to have a lot of fit companions that have each other's back when the chips are down. Now I know everyone else is doing well, it's my turn to see if I've recovered fully.
Just like any endurance event, you have to "know thyself" and take on a cadence or pace that works for you. Trying to keep up with someone else at their pace can spell t r o u b l e. So, I just eased into the long uphill grind. Pam stayed with me almost the whole time. It took over 4 hours to reach the top. We took a number of stops on this relentless ascent. The ultimate goal was a small resort a ways short of the descent. What a welcome oasis Beaver Lodge Resort was. Cold drinks and breakfast all day! Pam learned first hand what a "beaver sized" blueberry pancake was. Big!
We sat inside to enjoy the view despite it being a beautiful day outside. Seats with backs have a huge appeal after a long ride. Can't remember ever having a Diet RC before. It was good.
Ok. I'm stoked. A good thing. I felt good all through the climb. And the descent is something to look forward to! I'm sorry for making this center on me so much but coming back with so much of my journey left is key. If the climb is any indication, the rest of the journey is most promising.
The descent was really really fun. Roads are in great shape. Not much traffic. Enough turns to make it interesting. It went on for quite a while. Maximum speed was 36.3!
We regrouped at the intersection. A young woman who lives at a clapboard house nearby started a conversation. She asked if we wanted to see her newborn kid. It was walking and eating grass within a few minutes she said. It was 1,5 hours old. Ok, I guess you figured it was not her kid but a baby goat. Name: Lambchop!
After we depart our new friends, Ione is our destination. 4 more miles. Once there we spot a grocery store. We don't get many groceries but map out a plan. We ride from there to a RV park and motel across the way down by the river. At the bottom of the gravel driveway we saw a quite weathered set of... buildings. We figured which one was the office. The windows were shaded or boarded closed. A number of residents appeared along with the manager. He apologized But he didn't have showers. Or running water. Let that sink in. He sat outside his office door smoking a cigarette. Do not enter sign on the door. Well maybe we'll have to go elsewhere. Quickly.
We learned about Cedar RV Park 1/2 mile down the road. As soon as we rode up we were greeted. Sure . "Got just the place for you" he said. It was grassy. Shaded. Had bathrooms and showers close by. He brought us chairs. Showed us where the laundry was. Then the coup de grace was when he said he'd have coffee waiting for us in the morning!! Asked how strong we liked it. Gabe. What a host! All for $10 a person. Brought us a cooler to use. Had a sink and other amenities too. A slight contrast from the meth lab we stopped at first.
An excellent finish to a fantastic day.
Thanks for following.
Cheers.
Kim
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Day 6 RV
As agreed, Pam, Gay, Bill and Sandy departed at 7 a m leaving me behind. I stretched out on the picnic table until the only store in town opened at 8. Rode the short distance for coffee. Soon after I returned to camp, Rick asked if I'd be ready in 20 minutes. He and Maile were going to give me a lift as far as I needed. All I knew was I had a reservation in Colville, the only room left. A smoking room. Ugh. You see Pam had the tent so I had no choice.
My ride was an Alohabagan. Rick had it especially made for his castle on wheels. I have a picture of it and the grand couple on Facebook.
Heading up the first pass we spot the crew on the side of the road taking a break. I was pretty excited. So excited I broke the inner door latch. I was now trapped... Maile (pronounced Miley) came to the rescue. I felt terrible. They played it down. Anyway, I got out and kissed and hugged Pam. Said hi and goodbye.
As the 3 of us continued, I moved out of my back seat and sat up on the floor behind & between the two of them. She drove. He navigated. Rick was diagnosed with Parkinson's 3 years ago and no longer drives. Their travels together have been great for them. Doing something together they both enjoy. They are headed to NC for a reunion then to Richmond for another family visit. Other than that they are enjoying the back roads route. Lucky me!
I was thinking that when we got to the last pass before the Columbia River, I would get out and coast to Kettle Falls. At the top of Sherman Pass it was pouring rain. Rats. It's not that I mind the rain but unknown downhill in the rain solo didn't seem to be the best idea. Damn prudent decisions. Stay in the Alohabagan and enjoy the most excellent company and conversation. Ok maybe I can ride the flat roads from KF to Colville. At FK, oops, KF it was still raining. Still rats. Just drop me in Colville. We finally found the inn and a restaurant. I at least talked them into letting me buy lunch. They wouldn't take my money for the damage I caused or for fuel expenses. I think they were just glad to learn that I wasn't a serial killer! Rick politely asked that question earlier in the drive. He said his daughter wanted to know.😎
I checked into my somewhat smelly room. $55. I got what I paid for. It was pretty clean and comfortable just smelly. The rest of my day was boring. Nap. Eat. Blog. Shower. Sleep.
The crew covered 56 miles to Republic. It was cold and wet so they stayed in a motel, too.
Thanks for reading. I hope my adventures improve for the better so my topics will improve. Don't take that wrong Rick & Maile. YOU TWO ARE THE BEST. Thank you very much.
I hope to continue to feel better, too.
Cheers.
Kim
My ride was an Alohabagan. Rick had it especially made for his castle on wheels. I have a picture of it and the grand couple on Facebook.
Heading up the first pass we spot the crew on the side of the road taking a break. I was pretty excited. So excited I broke the inner door latch. I was now trapped... Maile (pronounced Miley) came to the rescue. I felt terrible. They played it down. Anyway, I got out and kissed and hugged Pam. Said hi and goodbye.
As the 3 of us continued, I moved out of my back seat and sat up on the floor behind & between the two of them. She drove. He navigated. Rick was diagnosed with Parkinson's 3 years ago and no longer drives. Their travels together have been great for them. Doing something together they both enjoy. They are headed to NC for a reunion then to Richmond for another family visit. Other than that they are enjoying the back roads route. Lucky me!
I was thinking that when we got to the last pass before the Columbia River, I would get out and coast to Kettle Falls. At the top of Sherman Pass it was pouring rain. Rats. It's not that I mind the rain but unknown downhill in the rain solo didn't seem to be the best idea. Damn prudent decisions. Stay in the Alohabagan and enjoy the most excellent company and conversation. Ok maybe I can ride the flat roads from KF to Colville. At FK, oops, KF it was still raining. Still rats. Just drop me in Colville. We finally found the inn and a restaurant. I at least talked them into letting me buy lunch. They wouldn't take my money for the damage I caused or for fuel expenses. I think they were just glad to learn that I wasn't a serial killer! Rick politely asked that question earlier in the drive. He said his daughter wanted to know.😎
I checked into my somewhat smelly room. $55. I got what I paid for. It was pretty clean and comfortable just smelly. The rest of my day was boring. Nap. Eat. Blog. Shower. Sleep.
The crew covered 56 miles to Republic. It was cold and wet so they stayed in a motel, too.
Thanks for reading. I hope my adventures improve for the better so my topics will improve. Don't take that wrong Rick & Maile. YOU TWO ARE THE BEST. Thank you very much.
I hope to continue to feel better, too.
Cheers.
Kim
Day 5 On the road again. Sorta
The day off was promising. Stayed in a comfortable rustic inn called The Virginian. Laundry got done. Winthrop is a cute little town with a very old time western front to the "downtown " area, partner. The food at the restaurant next to the inn was very good. The local pale ales were good too.
The plan for this day was to reach Omak. If you're not sure where that is it just east of Okanogan. The first 10 miles were flat. I still wasn't feeling perfect but thought the fist stretch from Winthrop to Twisp would be a suitable litmus test for my current ability. About 1/2 way to Twisp it became apparent that crossing Loop Loop Pass was not in the stars for me.
I made it to Twisp. Gay, Bill, Sandy and a new companion, John (another story yet to be told), kept riding to Omak. Pam went with me to see if we could find a ride to Omak. As it turns out there was a series of stores owned by Jack( I think that's his name) right where we stopped for breakfast. A man had come up to us to chat about our journey. Pam told him of our need to catch a ride. He told us to ask for Jack at the customer service desk.
Jack was The Man! He had our back and could get us a ride in minutes. For both of us and our bikes/gear, $50. Worth every penny.
A couple of young men showed up. Loaded our stuff in the back of a truck that's used for hauling lumber. The driver was a lumberjack that works for Jack. Sadly I can't recall his name. He sang Jack's praises. Told us all about growing up in rural Washington. He likes to work and workout! We drove though areas that were scorched last year when Gay was riding this part of the route. Enormous damage. If fires don't burn trees the water inside boils and drys it out to kill it soon enough. Some can be salvaged if cut soon as I understand it.
They dropped us off at a truck dealership. Turns out they needed to go pick up a vehicle being repaired anyway. I'm sure they wouldn't have made the drive in the lumber truck though. We thanked them. Took pictures and waved adios! Nice folks. Saved my bacon that day. Pam and I back tracked a short distance to "downtown "t Okanogan for a place to wait for everyone. We spent some quality time in the bike shop.
The shop owner made some great recommendations. Don't camp in Omak but stay at the RV Park in the next town of Riverside. But be sure to have lunch in Omak at the Breadline restaurant. Recommendations were spot on. Breadline food was good. Great soups. Fun decor. Riverside wasn't far past Omak for camping. Not much of a town however. One general store/convenience store. One RV Park and pottery business all in one!
As it turns out, Gay was bantering/joking with the manager about getting Bill a massage. A little while after we paid her $10 a head to camp, she showed up at the shelter with some massage ointment and next thing you know Bill is taking his shirt off and laying on top of a picnic table getting his back massage! Too funny!! No extra charge!
Nice campground. Very grassy. Shaded. Good showers. Bill and Sandy cooked a great meal with a salad. Rain threatened most of the afternoon and night. Only a little rain fell on us but a storm stayed off in the distance.
As it turns out the best thing that happened to me personally was the Alohabagan (Winnebago)RV camped next to us. The couple were meandering along the Northern Tier route on their RV. No hurry. No agenda. Rick and Maile. (Married young. 47 year anniversary!) They had bikes on the back of the RV which of course caught our attention. Pam talked with them and they offered me a ride to wherever I needed to go. Considering the relative remoteness and possible alternatives should I continue not to function at my normally superpowers level, I agreed to gratefully accept their super kind offer.
Yeah I know. That puts my claim of cross country in the asterisk territory. I can live with that. I'm not about to fold up my tent and go home just yet. There's still plenty of riding and adventures to be had. Tomorrow is another day. The gang will continue without me for a couple of days. They will depart about 7a m on the 24th with Republic as their destination.
The plan for this day was to reach Omak. If you're not sure where that is it just east of Okanogan. The first 10 miles were flat. I still wasn't feeling perfect but thought the fist stretch from Winthrop to Twisp would be a suitable litmus test for my current ability. About 1/2 way to Twisp it became apparent that crossing Loop Loop Pass was not in the stars for me.
I made it to Twisp. Gay, Bill, Sandy and a new companion, John (another story yet to be told), kept riding to Omak. Pam went with me to see if we could find a ride to Omak. As it turns out there was a series of stores owned by Jack( I think that's his name) right where we stopped for breakfast. A man had come up to us to chat about our journey. Pam told him of our need to catch a ride. He told us to ask for Jack at the customer service desk.
Jack was The Man! He had our back and could get us a ride in minutes. For both of us and our bikes/gear, $50. Worth every penny.
A couple of young men showed up. Loaded our stuff in the back of a truck that's used for hauling lumber. The driver was a lumberjack that works for Jack. Sadly I can't recall his name. He sang Jack's praises. Told us all about growing up in rural Washington. He likes to work and workout! We drove though areas that were scorched last year when Gay was riding this part of the route. Enormous damage. If fires don't burn trees the water inside boils and drys it out to kill it soon enough. Some can be salvaged if cut soon as I understand it.
They dropped us off at a truck dealership. Turns out they needed to go pick up a vehicle being repaired anyway. I'm sure they wouldn't have made the drive in the lumber truck though. We thanked them. Took pictures and waved adios! Nice folks. Saved my bacon that day. Pam and I back tracked a short distance to "downtown "t Okanogan for a place to wait for everyone. We spent some quality time in the bike shop.
The shop owner made some great recommendations. Don't camp in Omak but stay at the RV Park in the next town of Riverside. But be sure to have lunch in Omak at the Breadline restaurant. Recommendations were spot on. Breadline food was good. Great soups. Fun decor. Riverside wasn't far past Omak for camping. Not much of a town however. One general store/convenience store. One RV Park and pottery business all in one!
As it turns out, Gay was bantering/joking with the manager about getting Bill a massage. A little while after we paid her $10 a head to camp, she showed up at the shelter with some massage ointment and next thing you know Bill is taking his shirt off and laying on top of a picnic table getting his back massage! Too funny!! No extra charge!
Nice campground. Very grassy. Shaded. Good showers. Bill and Sandy cooked a great meal with a salad. Rain threatened most of the afternoon and night. Only a little rain fell on us but a storm stayed off in the distance.
As it turns out the best thing that happened to me personally was the Alohabagan (Winnebago)RV camped next to us. The couple were meandering along the Northern Tier route on their RV. No hurry. No agenda. Rick and Maile. (Married young. 47 year anniversary!) They had bikes on the back of the RV which of course caught our attention. Pam talked with them and they offered me a ride to wherever I needed to go. Considering the relative remoteness and possible alternatives should I continue not to function at my normally superpowers level, I agreed to gratefully accept their super kind offer.
Yeah I know. That puts my claim of cross country in the asterisk territory. I can live with that. I'm not about to fold up my tent and go home just yet. There's still plenty of riding and adventures to be had. Tomorrow is another day. The gang will continue without me for a couple of days. They will depart about 7a m on the 24th with Republic as their destination.
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Day 4 Zero Day
Quick and brief update. I woke at 6 to prepare for our 7:00 a m departure.
Nothing doing. I've come down with some kind of bug so we decided to lay low to see if I can get well soon.
Maybe tomorrow. Pray for me.
Cheers!
Nothing doing. I've come down with some kind of bug so we decided to lay low to see if I can get well soon.
Maybe tomorrow. Pray for me.
Cheers!
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Part 2 days 1-3 June 18-21 share with you their stories as we go along
Hey there. I'm back to my old blog site. I could never log on to the new one so I'm giving up.
I'm riding from Anacortes, WA to Minnesota. I'm being accompanied by my bride, Pam, Bill and Sandy Doyle and the infamous Gay Rehnback. I'll share with you their stories as we go along.
We just survived day 3. Barely.
Camping at the Virginian in Winthrope. Actually it's a rustic inn. Cedar walls with exposed beams in the ceiling. It's air conditioned and has a TV. The AC feels pretty good as I got my fair share of sun today. This place is our reward for the grueling climbing we endured today.
I think we gained about 5,700 feet in elevation when we reached Washington Pass in the North Cascades National Park. From our camp we climbed for about 25 miles. We coasted for a near equal distance! Winthrope is another 15 miles from the base of the climb.
The grade or steepness wasn't as bad as we feared. Map profiles are deceiving. Made it look vertical! Only felt that was for 30 or 40% of it. There were some steep pitches that would go for a mile or three. Kind of like stair steps.
As we climbed the scenery improved. Dramatically. Mountains with sharp precipices erupted thousands of feet in the cool air. Alpine glaciers dotted the surrounding landscape. I just wanted to stop and go make a snow angel. Maybe tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next. We should be traveling through the Cascades for another 4 days.
We stopped pretty often. The obvious reasons would be food and water. Catching our collective breath from time to time is good too. But you probably don't know about, wait for it, butt fluffing! That's not a misprint. Our tushes get a tad sore as you can only imagine. So we stop and get off the bike and fluff our, butts! No one does it for you. Mostly we just get out of the saddle for a few minutes. No actual fluffing required.
The road shoulders are wide. Even so most drivers give us plenty of room. It's hard to go very straight when you're climbing with an 85 pound load (bike included), at 3-6 mph up hill. Speed is our friend when it comes to going straight. Please give cyclists the benefit of the doubt and give them 3+ feet. We have all kinds of stuff do dodge. I'll save that discussion for another post. The roads in WA have been great!
65 miles covered today
Day 2 we covered 56 miles. We broke camp at a state park. I was happy to leave too. We had to pitch our tents on gravel. Ugh. We have pads under our sleeping bags but it's not fun. Good showers though under the circumstances. $.50 gets you 3 minutes of water.
The road was pleasant. We meandered around route 20. Eventually that's the road we stay on for a long way. We traveled in a valley that got narrower and narrower. Only a few undulations in the road to give us a taste of things to come.
Day 1
A frantic morning at the Anacortes Inn. Get up. Grab a little continental breakfast then get the bike boxes and start re-assembling bikes! This whole process for my 2 bikes took about 3 hours. Fortunately I packed them so I knew what to do. In the boxes I also had several panniers (still to pack), sleeping bags, pads, tools, helmets and cycling shoes and more.
We finally departed around 11:30. Rode 6 miles to the ferry where the Northern Tier starts/ends. Then we doubled back to begin this journey anew.
We follow Adventure Cycling Association maps. The terrain was city/suburban with lots of waterways around. Scenic. Easy riding. Not much to report about this that I can recall 3 days later.
So it begins.
Rode 46 miles
After 3 days we have ridden 167 miles.
Thanks for reading! Cheers.
I'm riding from Anacortes, WA to Minnesota. I'm being accompanied by my bride, Pam, Bill and Sandy Doyle and the infamous Gay Rehnback. I'll share with you their stories as we go along.
We just survived day 3. Barely.
Camping at the Virginian in Winthrope. Actually it's a rustic inn. Cedar walls with exposed beams in the ceiling. It's air conditioned and has a TV. The AC feels pretty good as I got my fair share of sun today. This place is our reward for the grueling climbing we endured today.
I think we gained about 5,700 feet in elevation when we reached Washington Pass in the North Cascades National Park. From our camp we climbed for about 25 miles. We coasted for a near equal distance! Winthrope is another 15 miles from the base of the climb.
The grade or steepness wasn't as bad as we feared. Map profiles are deceiving. Made it look vertical! Only felt that was for 30 or 40% of it. There were some steep pitches that would go for a mile or three. Kind of like stair steps.
As we climbed the scenery improved. Dramatically. Mountains with sharp precipices erupted thousands of feet in the cool air. Alpine glaciers dotted the surrounding landscape. I just wanted to stop and go make a snow angel. Maybe tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next. We should be traveling through the Cascades for another 4 days.
We stopped pretty often. The obvious reasons would be food and water. Catching our collective breath from time to time is good too. But you probably don't know about, wait for it, butt fluffing! That's not a misprint. Our tushes get a tad sore as you can only imagine. So we stop and get off the bike and fluff our, butts! No one does it for you. Mostly we just get out of the saddle for a few minutes. No actual fluffing required.
The road shoulders are wide. Even so most drivers give us plenty of room. It's hard to go very straight when you're climbing with an 85 pound load (bike included), at 3-6 mph up hill. Speed is our friend when it comes to going straight. Please give cyclists the benefit of the doubt and give them 3+ feet. We have all kinds of stuff do dodge. I'll save that discussion for another post. The roads in WA have been great!
65 miles covered today
Day 2 we covered 56 miles. We broke camp at a state park. I was happy to leave too. We had to pitch our tents on gravel. Ugh. We have pads under our sleeping bags but it's not fun. Good showers though under the circumstances. $.50 gets you 3 minutes of water.
The road was pleasant. We meandered around route 20. Eventually that's the road we stay on for a long way. We traveled in a valley that got narrower and narrower. Only a few undulations in the road to give us a taste of things to come.
Day 1
A frantic morning at the Anacortes Inn. Get up. Grab a little continental breakfast then get the bike boxes and start re-assembling bikes! This whole process for my 2 bikes took about 3 hours. Fortunately I packed them so I knew what to do. In the boxes I also had several panniers (still to pack), sleeping bags, pads, tools, helmets and cycling shoes and more.
We finally departed around 11:30. Rode 6 miles to the ferry where the Northern Tier starts/ends. Then we doubled back to begin this journey anew.
We follow Adventure Cycling Association maps. The terrain was city/suburban with lots of waterways around. Scenic. Easy riding. Not much to report about this that I can recall 3 days later.
So it begins.
Rode 46 miles
After 3 days we have ridden 167 miles.
Thanks for reading! Cheers.
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