On our day off, I awoke with an insatiable desire for sweet tea. I fancied sitting around on a front porch in a rocking chair with a glass of sweet tea all day. And while I couldn’t do anything about the porch and rocking chair, I could find some sweet tea. I biked 3 miles to Walmart, and biked all the way back carrying a gallon of sweet tea. By the end of the day, every drop was gone. As they say, "You can take the girl out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the girl.”
I ate breakfast at the Pancake Parlor where a painting of the University of Montana football field occupies an entire wall. Many of the men wear cowboy hats here -- even in the diner.
I did a few other errands and housekeeping tasks, including laundry and giving my bicycle a serious bath, but mainly just took it easy today. I shudder to think about the next four days. In fact, I’m in complete denial. Three of our next four days are over 90 miles… and we’re going through the Rockies… and the forecast is rain (and hail). My chances of survival are slim! :o/
a bit of bicycling
pancakes anyone?
I think plan ‘blog at the end of the day’ is a no go. I’m so drained at the end of the day that I have no energy left to devote to making sound decisions. I talked, and even titled a post, about derrieres for Pete’s sake. I really must get a grip, and behave more reasonably, mental power or no! As such, I've tidied up and added a bit to the few most recent posts... apologies again for discussion of behinds. It's just been on my mind a lot lately, and I couldn't keep it from coming right out of my mouth (or fingers in this case). Will try very hard to behave better in the future. :o)
Day 8 started out cold. We bundled up with pants over our cycling shorts, jackets, long gloves, and ear warmers. We had breakfast at Minnie’s Café again, and I went for the egg and pancake combo. It was delicious, but unfortunately my belly was not hungry enough for all of them. I realized that as I began the meal, and make a joke about how silly things, like taking pancakes with you in a ziploc bag, begin to seem reasonable after being on a biking trip for a week. Everyone laughed. I did too. By the end of the meal, I’d decided it was no joking matter, and that the pancakes must come along with me. So the waitress (though she gave me a bizarre look) packaged them up in a baggie for me and I rode out of Minnie's parking lot around 7 am with pancakes flapping in the breeze from my back pocket. By mile 35, they were gone. :o)
Today was our first century (ride over 100 miles), and I tried to pace myself. For the first 20 miles, I was just fine, although I did notice that I was having to fight against the wind. While I could cover most of me up from the cold, my face was still exposed and was freezing as I rode into the wind. The headwind continued as I rode through miles 20 to 46, where we had the lunch stop. As I’d just finished my pancakes, I didn’t eat too much, but packed my pockets full of snacks and sandwiches for the afternoon. The scenery was absolutely stunning as we got closer and closer to the Rockies throughout the day. We also rode alongside the Creek Fork River for most of the day, and the views were breathtaking. Taking it all in occupied my attention and kept me moving against the wind during the first half of the day. After mile 60 or so, the sun started pounding down on me, and though I’d shed the extra clothing, I still felt like I was melting. I refilled my 2-liter Camelbak at the last checkpoint, but drank it all within 10 miles – with 10 miles still left until the next opportunity for refilling. The headwind persisted, and the ride became progressively hillier. Then, around mile 75, we began a 4.5 mile climb. It was a shallow grade, but with the headwind, it was brutal. We were all creeping along. The fact that it was so shallow and you couldn’t really see how much you were climbing, but could only tell that you were really struggling, was really disheartening.
We had another checkpoint at the top of the climb around mile 80. I’d pent up all of the frustration of the hill, and was ready to vent to the first poor soul I saw. I had a full scale, all out temper tantrum in mind. Rich, the mechanic, was at the stop and the first thing he said is “It’s all downhill from here.” The way he smiled told me he meant it. My heart leapt – there was a chance I’d survive after all!
And he was right – it was mainly downhill. I’d been a bit overzealous in my interpretation of his words though, and I was expecting to not pedal a single stroke for the remaining 20 miles. Around mile 90, I encountered a small hill – I mean really small – that wouldn’t have phased me at the beginning of the day. But I was so exhausted, I pedalled up it at, quite literally, a snail’s pace. In fact, I’m certain I saw several inchworms whizzing right by on the ground. At least, I think they were inchworms – they were going so fast, comparatively, they were a blur.
I arrived with four other riders at 6:20. Believe it or not, there were four other riders still behind us. In (sadistically) good news, all of the other riders are starting to slow down, so at least I’m in good company and rarely alone now. There was a plate of cookies out, and I grabbed one and shoved the whole thing in my mouth, not even bothering to eat it by bites. Thankfully, it was a smallish cookie so that it didn’t choke me to death. Once I found out that I could eat one cookie in a single bite, I then grabbed two more and shoved them in my mouth. It was literally the only thing I was capable of doing at the moment.
We have a rest day tomorrow and are staying in the University of Montana dorms. Our dinner tonight was in the university cafeteria, and it turns out that they stop serving at 6:30. The crew members shoo’d us into the cafeteria to try and grab dinner before it closed. I walked aimlessly and collected a random assortment of non-complementary food items from the buffet on my plate. I sniffled the whole way through the line to keep from crying. Others were not able to keep the tears in. It was a really tough day.
Sarah, one of the other riders, didn’t come in until around 8 pm. Her determination is seriously admirable! Several of us waited outside for her, ran with her for the last bit, and cheered her on. I made the unfortunate mistake of trying to converse with people while waiting for Sarah to arrive. Conversation was clearly far above my mental capabilities in my current state, and all that cam from my mouth were silly, incoherent syllables. It wouldn’t even be fair to call them sentences.
After much effort, I managed to put myself to bed, and I slept like a baby.
Day 8 started out cold. We bundled up with pants over our cycling shorts, jackets, long gloves, and ear warmers. We had breakfast at Minnie’s Café again, and I went for the egg and pancake combo. It was delicious, but unfortunately my belly was not hungry enough for all of them. I realized that as I began the meal, and make a joke about how silly things, like taking pancakes with you in a ziploc bag, begin to seem reasonable after being on a biking trip for a week. Everyone laughed. I did too. By the end of the meal, I’d decided it was no joking matter, and that the pancakes must come along with me. So the waitress (though she gave me a bizarre look) packaged them up in a baggie for me and I rode out of Minnie's parking lot around 7 am with pancakes flapping in the breeze from my back pocket. By mile 35, they were gone. :o)
Today was our first century (ride over 100 miles), and I tried to pace myself. For the first 20 miles, I was just fine, although I did notice that I was having to fight against the wind. While I could cover most of me up from the cold, my face was still exposed and was freezing as I rode into the wind. The headwind continued as I rode through miles 20 to 46, where we had the lunch stop. As I’d just finished my pancakes, I didn’t eat too much, but packed my pockets full of snacks and sandwiches for the afternoon. The scenery was absolutely stunning as we got closer and closer to the Rockies throughout the day. We also rode alongside the Creek Fork River for most of the day, and the views were breathtaking. Taking it all in occupied my attention and kept me moving against the wind during the first half of the day. After mile 60 or so, the sun started pounding down on me, and though I’d shed the extra clothing, I still felt like I was melting. I refilled my 2-liter Camelbak at the last checkpoint, but drank it all within 10 miles – with 10 miles still left until the next opportunity for refilling. The headwind persisted, and the ride became progressively hillier. Then, around mile 75, we began a 4.5 mile climb. It was a shallow grade, but with the headwind, it was brutal. We were all creeping along. The fact that it was so shallow and you couldn’t really see how much you were climbing, but could only tell that you were really struggling, was really disheartening.
We had another checkpoint at the top of the climb around mile 80. I’d pent up all of the frustration of the hill, and was ready to vent to the first poor soul I saw. I had a full scale, all out temper tantrum in mind. Rich, the mechanic, was at the stop and the first thing he said is “It’s all downhill from here.” The way he smiled told me he meant it. My heart leapt – there was a chance I’d survive after all!
And he was right – it was mainly downhill. I’d been a bit overzealous in my interpretation of his words though, and I was expecting to not pedal a single stroke for the remaining 20 miles. Around mile 90, I encountered a small hill – I mean really small – that wouldn’t have phased me at the beginning of the day. But I was so exhausted, I pedalled up it at, quite literally, a snail’s pace. In fact, I’m certain I saw several inchworms whizzing right by on the ground. At least, I think they were inchworms – they were going so fast, comparatively, they were a blur.
I arrived with four other riders at 6:20. Believe it or not, there were four other riders still behind us. In (sadistically) good news, all of the other riders are starting to slow down, so at least I’m in good company and rarely alone now. There was a plate of cookies out, and I grabbed one and shoved the whole thing in my mouth, not even bothering to eat it by bites. Thankfully, it was a smallish cookie so that it didn’t choke me to death. Once I found out that I could eat one cookie in a single bite, I then grabbed two more and shoved them in my mouth. It was literally the only thing I was capable of doing at the moment.
We have a rest day tomorrow and are staying in the University of Montana dorms. Our dinner tonight was in the university cafeteria, and it turns out that they stop serving at 6:30. The crew members shoo’d us into the cafeteria to try and grab dinner before it closed. I walked aimlessly and collected a random assortment of non-complementary food items from the buffet on my plate. I sniffled the whole way through the line to keep from crying. Others were not able to keep the tears in. It was a really tough day.
Sarah, one of the other riders, didn’t come in until around 8 pm. Her determination is seriously admirable! Several of us waited outside for her, ran with her for the last bit, and cheered her on. I made the unfortunate mistake of trying to converse with people while waiting for Sarah to arrive. Conversation was clearly far above my mental capabilities in my current state, and all that cam from my mouth were silly, incoherent syllables. It wouldn’t even be fair to call them sentences.
After much effort, I managed to put myself to bed, and I slept like a baby.
it's a tough time to be a heiny
Without going into too much detail, I'll just state that it's a tough time to be a heiny around here. If you think about it, heinies generally have pretty luxurious lives. They come into the world, get to hang out in fluffy diapers for the first several years and sit around on cushions for the rest of their lives. (In fact it now it occurs to me that perhaps this is the origin of the term 'your royal highness'?) Anyhow, asking them to sit on a small, hard saddle and be jostled around all day every day is quite a change from their life of luxury! Other areas that I put constant pressure on, like my palms against the handlebars, have developed a dull ache as well. Very thankfully, tomorrow is our last day before a rest day in Missoula, Montana.
On a random note, you may be surprised to know that while three people have fallen over on the trip (well, two were on a tandem... but I'm still counting it as two), none of them have been me! I've managed to stay stable and upright thus far!
It got really cold (40F!) overnight, and I woke up with my face freezing and had to curl up and bury my head inside the sleeping bag. We also had a cold start this morning and rode with jackets, long pants, and wool caps. We shed them throughout the day though as things really warmed up.
Today's ride was 88 miles and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We're making our way through the foothills of the Rockies, so there's been some climbing as well. We also had our second state crossing today as we went from Idaho into Montana! We also crossed from the Pacific time zone into the Mountain time zone, which is exciting except that we lose an hour of sleep tonight.
Several riders also spotted moose today, and while we were warned not to keep food on us since this is bear country, and it may attract them, I am please to report that we had no bear encounters! :o)
Tonight we stayed at the Thompson Falls High School, and got to stay inside on the gym floor (yay -- no messing about with the tent! :o)) We had dinner at Minnie’s Cafe which served up country culinary delights such as country fried chicken, fried fish, and I had the delightful (local!) huckleberry ice cream
I'll keep things short today and just post some photos, as I'm sure they can describe today much better than I can. :o)
On a random note, you may be surprised to know that while three people have fallen over on the trip (well, two were on a tandem... but I'm still counting it as two), none of them have been me! I've managed to stay stable and upright thus far!
It got really cold (40F!) overnight, and I woke up with my face freezing and had to curl up and bury my head inside the sleeping bag. We also had a cold start this morning and rode with jackets, long pants, and wool caps. We shed them throughout the day though as things really warmed up.
Today's ride was 88 miles and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We're making our way through the foothills of the Rockies, so there's been some climbing as well. We also had our second state crossing today as we went from Idaho into Montana! We also crossed from the Pacific time zone into the Mountain time zone, which is exciting except that we lose an hour of sleep tonight.
Several riders also spotted moose today, and while we were warned not to keep food on us since this is bear country, and it may attract them, I am please to report that we had no bear encounters! :o)
Tonight we stayed at the Thompson Falls High School, and got to stay inside on the gym floor (yay -- no messing about with the tent! :o)) We had dinner at Minnie’s Cafe which served up country culinary delights such as country fried chicken, fried fish, and I had the delightful (local!) huckleberry ice cream
I'll keep things short today and just post some photos, as I'm sure they can describe today much better than I can. :o)
les lanternes rouges
I really struggled leaving Spokane. While a rest day was great, I felt like I’d only gotten half of the things I’d intended done, and my body didn’t feel anywhere close to recovered. I’d “saved up” all of the blog writing for the rest day as I generally don’t have access to electricity and internet during the in between days, but that actually took up quite a large chunk of the day, so I decided to try and do it day by day, so it doesn’t build up (although most days I don't have internet connectivity... hence my sporadic blogger behavior). Also, hopefully I’ll be able to better recollect each day’s happenings if I don’t have to think back so far.
We ate breakfast in the Gonzaga cafeteria, and once again, I managed to get off to a somewhat late and frazzled start. However, I am very happy to report that due to the purchase of a new, larger duffle bag, and a reorganized packing system involving putting each individual outfit into its own ziploc bag for easy retrieval, packing is blissful compared to the first week. Whenever I previously wanted to get anything out of my bag, it seems that I succeeded in pulling everything else out of the bag and throwing it around the tent like a little Tasmanian devil.
I did find a really lovely little riding group today. And while we were slow, we were all slow together, and it was great to have company. We dubbed ourselves ‘les lanternes rouges’ – the lanterns rouge. I am not alone anymore! :o)
We also crossed our first state line today – from Washington into Idaho, which felt amazing. We’re going through the very skinny bit of Idaho, so we have another state crossing to look forward to tomorrow – into Montana! We’ve been really fortunate with the weather so far, and haven’t had a drop of rain. Today was pretty chilly, and I kept on long sleeves all day. Also, it turns out there’s something in Idaho that I’m seriously allergic to. My eyes were watering so much that several people asked me why I was so upset and had been crying! I grabbed some Visine at the store this afternoon, so fingers crossed that I won’t be a sobbing mess tomorrow.
We passed by a parade in Newport, Washington, where we stopped for a lunch of sandwiches by the truck, and I couldn’t help but notice how “America” the photo below is. It includes the American flag, a rodeo flag, a cage fighting truck, a vacation bible school truck, and the Oneal drug store, which has been a family business for going on three generations now.
I also learned a few new on-bike skills today. I mastered the art of eating trail mix – a daunting task as it involves so many little bits – and also I learned how to do several different stretches on my bike. I took it pretty easy on today’s ride as it was one of the shorter ones at 76 miles, and we have two doozies coming up over the next several days – 88 miles tomorrow and 101 miles the next day, with a lot of climbing involved.
Ah, and I learned an excellent thing tonight – how to make my tent stop running away! If I put the stakes in first, then it can’t run! :o) I do struggle with the stakes in general though – everyone else seems to have these nice little hammers for putting the stakes in, but I lack such a hammer. So I push it as far as I can with my hands, and then I start hopping on it (while wearing shoes), but I try to keep it subtle so that no one can tell what I’m up to. This is difficult at times. I still haven’t worked out how to determine which way the tent entrance is going to face. I appreciate that this is probably pretty straightforward, but at the end of each day as I’m erecting the tent, I just don’t have the mental energy to devote to noting which color loops the entrance falls between. This has led to some interesting tent positions – sometimes I’m facing the nice little circle of tents, just like everyone else, and sometimes I’m staring into the wild blue yonder facing away from everyone else.
It turns out that today is national ‘Camp in your back yard’ day, and while I’m not camping in my own backyard, I am camping in a backyard -- specifically, the backyard of the Sandpoint Athletic Club. We’re also able to go inside the gym, and it’s amazing. After today’s ride, I spent some quality time in the pool followed by the hot tub. They also have towels we can use, which sounds like a little thing, but is actually very exciting.
The mechanic was helping me make some adjustments to my bike this evening, and I ended up walking to downtown for dinner a bit after most folks had. At the first restaurant I saw, Ivano’s Italian (which was amazing by the way), I spotted some folks from the ride and headed in. It was a group I hadn’t gotten to know too well yet, and we were all sharing about our background over dinner. The conversation got focused on marriage and children, and everyone went around the table sharing about themselves. When the conversation landed upon me, as you know, I don’t have much to share in the way of marriage and children. So I took the opportunity, while talking to a group of diverse ages, walks of life, and backgrounds what advice they would have for me on the matter. What were some of the lessons they’d learned, and what do they wish they’d known at my age? It was really interesting to see people reflect on the important things they'd learned throughout their lives and relationships, and we had a really great conversation about it. The high points of their advice included...
If there’s something you don’t like about someone now, you’re not going to like it later. They’re not going to change after you get married, and you’re certainly not going to change them.
Trust your intuition about a person.
The competition in the marriage should be about who can out-serve the other. Your goal should be to make your companion’s life easier. If you start keeping score, it’s over.
You should enjoy doing the same things.
And that brings me to my next point. I have an idea.... :o)
After dinner, we walked down to Lake Pend Oreille, a massive lake, on par (at least by water volume) with the great lakes. Sandpoint is an adorable little town, and I wish we had more time to explore!
We ate breakfast in the Gonzaga cafeteria, and once again, I managed to get off to a somewhat late and frazzled start. However, I am very happy to report that due to the purchase of a new, larger duffle bag, and a reorganized packing system involving putting each individual outfit into its own ziploc bag for easy retrieval, packing is blissful compared to the first week. Whenever I previously wanted to get anything out of my bag, it seems that I succeeded in pulling everything else out of the bag and throwing it around the tent like a little Tasmanian devil.
I did find a really lovely little riding group today. And while we were slow, we were all slow together, and it was great to have company. We dubbed ourselves ‘les lanternes rouges’ – the lanterns rouge. I am not alone anymore! :o)
We also crossed our first state line today – from Washington into Idaho, which felt amazing. We’re going through the very skinny bit of Idaho, so we have another state crossing to look forward to tomorrow – into Montana! We’ve been really fortunate with the weather so far, and haven’t had a drop of rain. Today was pretty chilly, and I kept on long sleeves all day. Also, it turns out there’s something in Idaho that I’m seriously allergic to. My eyes were watering so much that several people asked me why I was so upset and had been crying! I grabbed some Visine at the store this afternoon, so fingers crossed that I won’t be a sobbing mess tomorrow.
We passed by a parade in Newport, Washington, where we stopped for a lunch of sandwiches by the truck, and I couldn’t help but notice how “America” the photo below is. It includes the American flag, a rodeo flag, a cage fighting truck, a vacation bible school truck, and the Oneal drug store, which has been a family business for going on three generations now.
I also learned a few new on-bike skills today. I mastered the art of eating trail mix – a daunting task as it involves so many little bits – and also I learned how to do several different stretches on my bike. I took it pretty easy on today’s ride as it was one of the shorter ones at 76 miles, and we have two doozies coming up over the next several days – 88 miles tomorrow and 101 miles the next day, with a lot of climbing involved.
Ah, and I learned an excellent thing tonight – how to make my tent stop running away! If I put the stakes in first, then it can’t run! :o) I do struggle with the stakes in general though – everyone else seems to have these nice little hammers for putting the stakes in, but I lack such a hammer. So I push it as far as I can with my hands, and then I start hopping on it (while wearing shoes), but I try to keep it subtle so that no one can tell what I’m up to. This is difficult at times. I still haven’t worked out how to determine which way the tent entrance is going to face. I appreciate that this is probably pretty straightforward, but at the end of each day as I’m erecting the tent, I just don’t have the mental energy to devote to noting which color loops the entrance falls between. This has led to some interesting tent positions – sometimes I’m facing the nice little circle of tents, just like everyone else, and sometimes I’m staring into the wild blue yonder facing away from everyone else.
It turns out that today is national ‘Camp in your back yard’ day, and while I’m not camping in my own backyard, I am camping in a backyard -- specifically, the backyard of the Sandpoint Athletic Club. We’re also able to go inside the gym, and it’s amazing. After today’s ride, I spent some quality time in the pool followed by the hot tub. They also have towels we can use, which sounds like a little thing, but is actually very exciting.
The mechanic was helping me make some adjustments to my bike this evening, and I ended up walking to downtown for dinner a bit after most folks had. At the first restaurant I saw, Ivano’s Italian (which was amazing by the way), I spotted some folks from the ride and headed in. It was a group I hadn’t gotten to know too well yet, and we were all sharing about our background over dinner. The conversation got focused on marriage and children, and everyone went around the table sharing about themselves. When the conversation landed upon me, as you know, I don’t have much to share in the way of marriage and children. So I took the opportunity, while talking to a group of diverse ages, walks of life, and backgrounds what advice they would have for me on the matter. What were some of the lessons they’d learned, and what do they wish they’d known at my age? It was really interesting to see people reflect on the important things they'd learned throughout their lives and relationships, and we had a really great conversation about it. The high points of their advice included...
And that brings me to my next point. I have an idea.... :o)
After dinner, we walked down to Lake Pend Oreille, a massive lake, on par (at least by water volume) with the great lakes. Sandpoint is an adorable little town, and I wish we had more time to explore!
sweet rest
I ate breakfast at The Knight Diner in Spokane, which is a converted rail car where the only seats are up against the counter and they cook the food right on front of you. I had french toast, an egg, and bacon. It was the perfect start to the day.
Jess, another rider, had her husband at home call ahead to Spokane to see if he could find a masseuse. I just happened to be by her when she announced that her husband found a masseuse who was having a new client special of $42 for a one-hour massage, and had two more appointments available on our rest day. I snapped one of them up, and it was the best $42 I've ever spent.
I spent the rest of the day cleaning my bike, doing laundry, writing this blog, and generally getting my life in order. It's been a much needed and perfectly timed break!
Jess, another rider, had her husband at home call ahead to Spokane to see if he could find a masseuse. I just happened to be by her when she announced that her husband found a masseuse who was having a new client special of $42 for a one-hour massage, and had two more appointments available on our rest day. I snapped one of them up, and it was the best $42 I've ever spent.
I spent the rest of the day cleaning my bike, doing laundry, writing this blog, and generally getting my life in order. It's been a much needed and perfectly timed break!
heavenly tailwinds
Day 4 was actually amazing. I'm not sure if everyone else is getting slower, or if I'm getting faster, but today I finished in the first half of the riders and managed to get through the 77 miles from Odessa to Spokane by 1:30, averaging 14.2 miles per hour. A really nice tailwind and the thought of a rest day tomorrow helped made today's ride a breeze.
We're staying at the dorms of Gonzaga (which I've learned is pronounced Gonz-ae-guh... OK, I'm bad at this phonetic business, but the middle sound is A like A-OK... not ah like "Ah what a clever thing to say") University where beds, wifi, showers, and laundry facilities are readily available. Hallelujah! I've also learned that Spokane is pronounced Spo-can (as in "I can do a push up"... which is actually not true, but that's irrelevant :o)), rather than Spo-cane.
I've learned how to do so many useful things on my bicycle in the last several days. I've learned how to eat on my bicycle. I've learned how to drink from the water bottles in my rack on my bicycle. I've learned how to blow my nose on my bicycle. And lastly, I've learned how to take pictures from my bicycle.
We're staying at the dorms of Gonzaga (which I've learned is pronounced Gonz-ae-guh... OK, I'm bad at this phonetic business, but the middle sound is A like A-OK... not ah like "Ah what a clever thing to say") University where beds, wifi, showers, and laundry facilities are readily available. Hallelujah! I've also learned that Spokane is pronounced Spo-can (as in "I can do a push up"... which is actually not true, but that's irrelevant :o)), rather than Spo-cane.
I've learned how to do so many useful things on my bicycle in the last several days. I've learned how to eat on my bicycle. I've learned how to drink from the water bottles in my rack on my bicycle. I've learned how to blow my nose on my bicycle. And lastly, I've learned how to take pictures from my bicycle.
the never ending road
Day 3 was tougher than I anticipated. It was 83 miles, but seemed like a million. Much of the day was spent along this one very long road and as far as you could see in any direction was just empty fields. It was a gorgeous ride, but also monotonous. By mid-afternoon, I was convinced that road did not, in fact, ever end.
Yesterday, Rich told me that the ride would be a lot of "rollers", which apparently means that the terrain looks something like this...
At first my face lit up as I asked "The kind of rollers where you have enough momentum from each downhill to make it up the next hill?" He smiled and said "No, they're big rollers." He was right. One fellow has a gadget that tells you how much you've climbed each day -- even though I don't think our net elevation change was that great, due to the rollers, we ended up climbing about 2,500 feet throughout the day.
It was another gorgeous day, but was also very hot. I drank 8 liters of water today plus 2 water bottles of electrolytes. I put on sunscreen four times, but I still managed to end up looking a bit like Rudolph.
I made an effort to pick up the pace so I could stick with the group today, and the plan worked for the first half of the day, but I fell behind in the second half. The speaker and audio books (I'm starting with Atlas Shrugged) have been a saving grace though.
By the time I got to camp -- at the Odessa High School -- I was seriously gross. My skin was coated with layers of smudged sun screen, sweat, salt that had solidified on my skin, and layers of dirt. I have never been so happy about a shower! A group from the high school made us a dinner of salad, garlic bread, chicken parmesan, and strawberry short cake. I've been getting so excited about food that I end up putting more on my plate than I can eat. I must make a mental note about this so I don't do the same tomorrow!
I've been so amazed by how well organized the trip is. The route is really well planned, our lodging has been very well organized, and the food has been great! All of the crew members are also great. They've known the answer to all of my random questions (how often I should be eating, how much, etc. -- 100 - 200 calories per hour while riding is the answer in case you're curious), they're really great about keeping track of and checking on everyone, and are great at everything bicycle-related. Based on my experience so far, I'd really recommended events organized by the American Lung Association!
Yesterday, Rich told me that the ride would be a lot of "rollers", which apparently means that the terrain looks something like this...
At first my face lit up as I asked "The kind of rollers where you have enough momentum from each downhill to make it up the next hill?" He smiled and said "No, they're big rollers." He was right. One fellow has a gadget that tells you how much you've climbed each day -- even though I don't think our net elevation change was that great, due to the rollers, we ended up climbing about 2,500 feet throughout the day.
It was another gorgeous day, but was also very hot. I drank 8 liters of water today plus 2 water bottles of electrolytes. I put on sunscreen four times, but I still managed to end up looking a bit like Rudolph.
I made an effort to pick up the pace so I could stick with the group today, and the plan worked for the first half of the day, but I fell behind in the second half. The speaker and audio books (I'm starting with Atlas Shrugged) have been a saving grace though.
By the time I got to camp -- at the Odessa High School -- I was seriously gross. My skin was coated with layers of smudged sun screen, sweat, salt that had solidified on my skin, and layers of dirt. I have never been so happy about a shower! A group from the high school made us a dinner of salad, garlic bread, chicken parmesan, and strawberry short cake. I've been getting so excited about food that I end up putting more on my plate than I can eat. I must make a mental note about this so I don't do the same tomorrow!
I've been so amazed by how well organized the trip is. The route is really well planned, our lodging has been very well organized, and the food has been great! All of the crew members are also great. They've known the answer to all of my random questions (how often I should be eating, how much, etc. -- 100 - 200 calories per hour while riding is the answer in case you're curious), they're really great about keeping track of and checking on everyone, and are great at everything bicycle-related. Based on my experience so far, I'd really recommended events organized by the American Lung Association!
reality strikes
Even though day 2 was fewer miles (72), it was mentally a tough one for me. On the first day, I'd pretended I was just going for a bicycle ride for a single day. Just like any old training ride. On day 2, it hit me that I was bicycling all the way across America... and I had a really long way to go. Also, I was really trying to take it easy on my joints, so I didn't push myself and did a lot of spinning. No one else had the same idea it seems, so I kind of got left in the dust again. I think a big part of it is that I'd underestimated the time it would take me to break down all of my camping gear, and I got off to somewhat of a late, and already frazzled, start. I was on my own for most of the day, which was also disheartening. I'd really gotten bored of being alone while training and was really looking forward to riding with people on the trip.
It was really nice weather, but we did have some more hills. The climate changed pretty drastically as we got to the east of the mountain and it got hot pretty quickly. As we did so, the vegetation changed from large, green first to beige sagebrush.
On another note, I'm pleased to report that the U.S. bug population is declining. I'm taking them all out with my face. Sometimes my eyes, on occasion I'll eat one, and even with my arms at times.
Other interesting things that happened today were that a dog ran out in front of me so I had to yell at it to go away. It actually worked! (Dogs are actually one of the most common causes of bike accidents -- hitting an animal will really take a biker out). Also, I saw a snake on the road, and got so scared I nearly jumped off my bike to get away from it. I appreciate this was not exactly the logical move, seeing how the snake was on the ground, and I'd be jumping onto the ground as well, but it was my approach nonetheless, and I made it past the snake unscathed.
As I rolled in to Vantage, the seriously motivated 17-year-old, who'd already done one cross country trip, was out for a jog after bicycling 72 miles. These are the people I'm bicycling with. I'm doomed!!!
When I got to camp, I had the mechanic, Rich, help me hook up some speakers to my bicycle. (We're not allowed to wear headphones for safety reasons.) At least if I'm going to be alone, I'll now have books on tape to keep me company!
Also, very happily, I put my tent together like a pro tonight. I even did the stakes just right (after casually, so as not to be obvious inspecting, how they worked on other tents). :o)
It was really nice weather, but we did have some more hills. The climate changed pretty drastically as we got to the east of the mountain and it got hot pretty quickly. As we did so, the vegetation changed from large, green first to beige sagebrush.
On another note, I'm pleased to report that the U.S. bug population is declining. I'm taking them all out with my face. Sometimes my eyes, on occasion I'll eat one, and even with my arms at times.
Other interesting things that happened today were that a dog ran out in front of me so I had to yell at it to go away. It actually worked! (Dogs are actually one of the most common causes of bike accidents -- hitting an animal will really take a biker out). Also, I saw a snake on the road, and got so scared I nearly jumped off my bike to get away from it. I appreciate this was not exactly the logical move, seeing how the snake was on the ground, and I'd be jumping onto the ground as well, but it was my approach nonetheless, and I made it past the snake unscathed.
As I rolled in to Vantage, the seriously motivated 17-year-old, who'd already done one cross country trip, was out for a jog after bicycling 72 miles. These are the people I'm bicycling with. I'm doomed!!!
When I got to camp, I had the mechanic, Rich, help me hook up some speakers to my bicycle. (We're not allowed to wear headphones for safety reasons.) At least if I'm going to be alone, I'll now have books on tape to keep me company!
Also, very happily, I put my tent together like a pro tonight. I even did the stakes just right (after casually, so as not to be obvious inspecting, how they worked on other tents). :o)
la lanterne rouge
La lanterne rouge is French for "the red lantern" and refers to the red lantern hanging from the caboose of a train. It is also the term used to refer to the rider who finishes last. This is the role I played on day 1 of the bicycle trip. I'm OK with it, because it sounds a lot better than caboose. It's French. It's cool. Don't argue with it. As promised, I was a great leader at going slowly! The problem, it seems, is that no one has followed! :o/
I woke up at 5 am and packed my duffle bags. They were so full that zipping them required Herculean strength, and may in fact have been the most difficult part of myday. We had a nice breakfast of eggs, hash browns, muffins and coffee, followed by a send-off ceremony which involved some staff members from the American Lung Association and the mayor of Seattle. Everyone else seemed excited. I was panicked.
Several Big Ride alumni rode along with us on the first day to guide us, which was really great. They seemed to be positive about the whole thing... and they'd survived. Most of the first day was along bicycle paths by the river and was very nice.
Fifty or so miles in, we had a great boxed lunch that was donated by a deli. After lunch, we began a 13 mile, 4,000 foot climb over the Cascade Mountains to the east of Seattle via the Snoqualmie Pass. Part of this was on Interstate 90, which was a little unsettling at first, but a really wide shoulder allowed you to keep plenty of room between yourself and the speeding traffic. The remainder of the climb was through a gorgeous national forest, but was windy, steep, and seemingly neverending.
Part of the interstate was closed to bicycles due to construction so we got shuttled around this part in a van, which was a welcome break. After a nice descent on the other side of the mountain, I at last rolled in to the Easton State Park Campground. The ride totalled 94 miles. Our instruction sheet is below.
Now I'd done a test run of putting my tent together so that I didn't look like a great fool putting it together in front of everyone for the first time. It went just fine in my dorm room. I got the thing together, and I got the hang of it. However, everything went pear-shaped when I tried to put it together in the campground. Perhaps it was because I was so tired. Or perhaps something had gotten into the tent. Either way, the thing was running away from me. I'd get one of the poles in place and go to put the other one in place, and the first one would just take off running across the ground. Thankfully, I'd arrived so late that the only spot left was slightly removed from the others, so the spectacle of me assembling my tent was not readily visible to all. At last I got the blooming thing put together, and headed to the shower.
I arrived to find that the women's shower only had cold water, so everyone was using the men's showers, and there was a line. I was so eager to shower that I decided I'd rather go for the cold shower than wait. We had two tokens for showering, each of which gave us 3 minutes of water. I used one token in the cold, women's shower, but 30 seconds was all it took for me to realize my mistake. So with conditioner in hair, I wrapped back up, grabbed my towel, and went to wait in line for the warm shower in the men's bathroom.
Several Big Ride alumni had come up the campgrounds and made an amazing feast for dinner. It was all kinds of mexican food, and was all home made and absolutely divine. I slept like a rock that night.
I woke up at 5 am and packed my duffle bags. They were so full that zipping them required Herculean strength, and may in fact have been the most difficult part of myday. We had a nice breakfast of eggs, hash browns, muffins and coffee, followed by a send-off ceremony which involved some staff members from the American Lung Association and the mayor of Seattle. Everyone else seemed excited. I was panicked.
Several Big Ride alumni rode along with us on the first day to guide us, which was really great. They seemed to be positive about the whole thing... and they'd survived. Most of the first day was along bicycle paths by the river and was very nice.
Fifty or so miles in, we had a great boxed lunch that was donated by a deli. After lunch, we began a 13 mile, 4,000 foot climb over the Cascade Mountains to the east of Seattle via the Snoqualmie Pass. Part of this was on Interstate 90, which was a little unsettling at first, but a really wide shoulder allowed you to keep plenty of room between yourself and the speeding traffic. The remainder of the climb was through a gorgeous national forest, but was windy, steep, and seemingly neverending.
Part of the interstate was closed to bicycles due to construction so we got shuttled around this part in a van, which was a welcome break. After a nice descent on the other side of the mountain, I at last rolled in to the Easton State Park Campground. The ride totalled 94 miles. Our instruction sheet is below.
Now I'd done a test run of putting my tent together so that I didn't look like a great fool putting it together in front of everyone for the first time. It went just fine in my dorm room. I got the thing together, and I got the hang of it. However, everything went pear-shaped when I tried to put it together in the campground. Perhaps it was because I was so tired. Or perhaps something had gotten into the tent. Either way, the thing was running away from me. I'd get one of the poles in place and go to put the other one in place, and the first one would just take off running across the ground. Thankfully, I'd arrived so late that the only spot left was slightly removed from the others, so the spectacle of me assembling my tent was not readily visible to all. At last I got the blooming thing put together, and headed to the shower.
I arrived to find that the women's shower only had cold water, so everyone was using the men's showers, and there was a line. I was so eager to shower that I decided I'd rather go for the cold shower than wait. We had two tokens for showering, each of which gave us 3 minutes of water. I used one token in the cold, women's shower, but 30 seconds was all it took for me to realize my mistake. So with conditioner in hair, I wrapped back up, grabbed my towel, and went to wait in line for the warm shower in the men's bathroom.
Several Big Ride alumni had come up the campgrounds and made an amazing feast for dinner. It was all kinds of mexican food, and was all home made and absolutely divine. I slept like a rock that night.
what's that you say? i'm beginning a bicycle trip across america tomorrow?
Lalalala, I can't heaaaar you!
It turns out that I am in absolute and complete denial about this trip. I think that if I actually wrap my mind around the magnitude of it, I'd fall apart. So instead, I'm just thinking that I'm going for a bicycle ride tomorrow. That's it. One day. One bicycle ride. I'll think about what to do the next day when I get to it. So yeah, I'm going for a bicycle ride tomorrow. Not so sure about the next day yet... I'll have to play it by ear. We'll see.
It turns out that I am in absolute and complete denial about this trip. I think that if I actually wrap my mind around the magnitude of it, I'd fall apart. So instead, I'm just thinking that I'm going for a bicycle ride tomorrow. That's it. One day. One bicycle ride. I'll think about what to do the next day when I get to it. So yeah, I'm going for a bicycle ride tomorrow. Not so sure about the next day yet... I'll have to play it by ear. We'll see.
oriented
On Sunday, the day before what is my certain doom begins, we had a two hour orientation with all of the other riders. There are 27 riders. The youngest is 16. The oldest is around 70. Most riders are teachers, students, or retirees. Two girls just graduated from high school, and this is their second cross country bicycle trip(!!!). There are 3 crew members, one of whom is a bicycle mechanic.
The trip will take 48 days -- from Monday, June 20 to Saturday, August 6. 40 of the days will be riding days, and the other 8 will be rest days. You can find our route and schedule here. Most of the nights we'll be camping, but on special occasions we'll be in dorms, churches, gyms, etc.
Our shortest day is 42 miles (our last day), and the longest is 112 miles (eek!). We will average 83.3 miles per day. On riding days, we have a checkpoint every 20 - 30 miles where the van stops and we can refuel with water and snacks. Lunch is provided on the road, and is generally peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we make ourselves. Dinner is also provided / catered, which is also amazing.
At orientation, they stressed the importance of safety and told scary stories about bicycling accidents -- broken femurs, being clipped by a car mirror, etc. -- that definitely drove the point home. I didn't need scary stories though. I needed a pep talk. I was already shaking in my boots!!
They also warned to really start slowly and not to push yourself too much. "Spinning", or pedalling quickly (60 - 80 rotations per minute) in a lower gear, would be easier on the joints and was recommended. The crew leader, Charlton, commented that one of the challenges of the first week would be getting people to go slowly so as not to get stress injuries. I told him not to worry one iota -- I excel at going slowly. I will be a great leader in this area! :o)
The trip will take 48 days -- from Monday, June 20 to Saturday, August 6. 40 of the days will be riding days, and the other 8 will be rest days. You can find our route and schedule here. Most of the nights we'll be camping, but on special occasions we'll be in dorms, churches, gyms, etc.
Our shortest day is 42 miles (our last day), and the longest is 112 miles (eek!). We will average 83.3 miles per day. On riding days, we have a checkpoint every 20 - 30 miles where the van stops and we can refuel with water and snacks. Lunch is provided on the road, and is generally peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we make ourselves. Dinner is also provided / catered, which is also amazing.
At orientation, they stressed the importance of safety and told scary stories about bicycling accidents -- broken femurs, being clipped by a car mirror, etc. -- that definitely drove the point home. I didn't need scary stories though. I needed a pep talk. I was already shaking in my boots!!
They also warned to really start slowly and not to push yourself too much. "Spinning", or pedalling quickly (60 - 80 rotations per minute) in a lower gear, would be easier on the joints and was recommended. The crew leader, Charlton, commented that one of the challenges of the first week would be getting people to go slowly so as not to get stress injuries. I told him not to worry one iota -- I excel at going slowly. I will be a great leader in this area! :o)
all the gear, but no idea
I heard the saying recently, and decided it was entirely applicable in this case!
This post may not be of interest to most, but I wanted to provide some of the more nitty gritty details in case someone else is planning a bicycle trip and would find this useful. So below is a photo of my bicycle, and list of what I'm taking.
rear rack for bicycle
small bag for rear rack
front and rear lights
map holder
bicycle computer for keeping up with mileage
water bottles
camelbak
tools for changing a flat
spare tubes
spare tire
4 bike jerseys
3 bike shorts
tights
arm warmers
rain jacket
bike shoes
bike shoe rain covers
4 bicycle socks
helmet
rear view mirror
bike gloves
warm, waterproof bike gloves
bike sun glasses
sun block
chapstick
tire irons
chain lube
frame pump
electric tape
tweezers
zip ties
tire patch kit
extra cleats
small first aid kit
camera
small plastic bags to keep stuff dry in my bike bag on rainy days
shower cap to put on my bike saddle at night
light weight lock to carry with me on the road
headband
chamois butter
lotion
3 shirts
2 shorts
jeans
a sundress (it is me after all!)
2 socks
underwear
flip flops
shower shoes
tennis shoes
sun hat
laundry bag
ear plugs
eye mask
roll of quarters
laundry soap
tent
camping elastic clothes line
bottle brush
tent ground cloth
flashlight & extra batteries
toiletries
sleeping bag
bed sheet
mattress pad
quick dry camping towel
And all of this fit in two duffel bags!
This post may not be of interest to most, but I wanted to provide some of the more nitty gritty details in case someone else is planning a bicycle trip and would find this useful. So below is a photo of my bicycle, and list of what I'm taking.
And all of this fit in two duffel bags!
sleepless in seattle
Something amazing happened to my nerves when we landed in Seattle. They calmed completely. Perhaps I had come to terms with the imminence of my downfall. Perhaps I was inspired by the movie on the plane when Aragorn proclaimed "I do not fear death" before fearlessly running into the caverns of the Dead Men of Dunharrow. Either way, the time to bail and sip margaritas on the beach for two months instead had passed. I was in Seattle, and I was going to begin the trip, whatever the outcome. Also, the fact that I had a whole host of errands to run in a very short amount of time took most of my energy and concentration, so I had little to spare on fretting.
At the airport I waited and waited, and long after all the bags come out, my bicycle appeared! I breathed a sigh of relief. It was intact and it was here. After briefly being fussed at by customs for not having a receipt for my bicycle, I wheeled my bicycle and luggage out on a little cart. Just as I was getting to the exit and could see the light at the end of the tunnel, some guy walks up, grabs my bike, and throws it on to a conveyor belt that carried it into the dark unknown before I could grab it back. He hadn't bothered to mention this, but he did work at the airport and was apparently trying to be helpful. While most other people were carrying their luggage on the train that takes you to the exit, he thought the bicycle would be too big and rechecking it, so that it came out at the main baggage claim, would be best. I was really distressed to let it go again but had little choice at that point.
After a short ride on the train, I arrived at the main terminal and went to Baggage Counter 1, where the man told me I could expect my bicycle to appear. At Baggage Counter 1, there was a sign indicating oversized bags would be delivered there. Immediately beside it was another sign indicating that oversized bags would be delivered to Baggage Counter 5. So I wheeled my luggage and paced anxiously between the two counters certain that someone would steal my bike while I was at the other counter. 10 minutes passed. 20 minutes passed. While it was only 5 PM local time, it was 3 AM for me. Many people can function productively and nicely when not well rested. I am not one of them. I regress to the age of approximately five years, whine, fuss, and am generally helpless and useless. 30 minutes passed. I was starting to panic. Someone had certainly run away with the bike. I located a British Airways help desk and breathed a sigh of relief. I realized it was unmanned and the panic began to rise in me again. 40 minutes passed. I asked at other the help desks for other airlines where BA oversized baggage was delivered. No one knew the answer. 50 minutes passed. At last, I had the clever idea to get some caffeine to hopefully jolt some life into me and help me get a grip. I downed 20 ounces of Diet Coke in no time flat. Finally, I gave up the pacing and sat midway between Baggage Counter 1 and 5. At long, long last, my bicycle appeared. I ran to it and hugged it. Alas, it was not stolen! And it was not damaged. And it was here! Major progress.
I then went over to the rental car counter to find out that most providers were fully booked. I found a few with cars available, but they were very expensive. I talked to the fellow at the Hertz counter for a while, and found out they had several pickup trucks they were having trouble renting out that they could give me for the same price as their smallest car. ("No one wants to drive a pick up around Seattle," he said shrugging. I said I didn't mind. Upon arriving in town, I found out that nearly all spots were parallel parking... ouch!) Half an hour later, I was driving out of the airport, bicycle and bags in tow, in a Chevy Silverado. I hadn't driven in a while, and I definitely hadn't drive on the right side of the road -- in a massive pickup truck no less -- in a great while. Rather than easing into it, it was like they'd set up an obstacle course of cones (supposedly for construction work) and a tight corkscrew exit ramp from the parking garage. And as soon I'd passed those hurdles and gotten onto the open road, it started to rain. Ahh, at least the rainy weather made me feel right at home!
I'd hoped to drop my bike off at the bike shop for assembly that night, but unfortunately they'd already closed. I did manage to find the dorms at Seattle Pacific University that were available at a discounted rate for those participating in the ride and get checked in OK. I was nervous about leaving my bike in the truck overnight, so I dragged it into the dorm with me. I'd looked up the location of an AT&T store, and was able to get a U.S. SIM card and plan set up there surprisingly easily. By then it was 6 AM my time. When I hit the bed, I was out cold.
However, I did awaken pretty early. I was able to keep myself in bed until 6:42, but just couldn't lie there awake for any longer. The next day was a whirlwind of activity. My friend, Rebeccah, was coming up from her home in California to spend the weekend in Seattle with me, and I wanted to get the trip preparations out of the way before she arrived, so I'd be able to relax and sightsee with her. I was running errands from 8 AM to 10 PM, and went to the Apple store, three bicycle stores, REI, The American Lung Association, Fred Meyer (kind of like Walmart), and the bank. I was exhausted again. So I slept. But not well. I kept waking up during the night either hungry or ready to go take on the day. I struggled to shake the 8 hours of jet lag.
Rebeccah arrived late that night, and it was really great to see her, hang out together, catch up, and have someone to help calm my nerves. We went to Seattle's famous market, Pike Place, and saw lots of amazing, fresh seafood among other interesting odds and ends. We wandered along Puget Sound and spent the afternoon at a restaurant overlooking the water just basking in the sun and catching up. We then spent the evening at the very sepctacular Crab Pot, featured on an episode of Man vs. Food. We shared a portion intended for one, and were so full we struggled to walk out. It was divine.
It was my first time in Seattle, and it reminded me a lot of San Francisco. It was very hilly, but still managed to boast a large bicycle community. Everyone was really, really nice there. Everyone smiled at you in the streets, and everyone was very friendly. Also, the tap water was GREAT. A random thing to note, but it was truly noteworthy. It tasted really fresh and almost sparkling.
Oh, one other interesting thing about the time in Seattle. We had heard something about a Solstice Festival, but didn't know what, when, or where it was. We quickly found out that we were right in the middle of it when we saw a whole swarm of naked bicyclers headed towards us while out for a walk! Perhaps another reason Seattle reminds me of SF -- that's the kind of thing you might expect there.
At the airport I waited and waited, and long after all the bags come out, my bicycle appeared! I breathed a sigh of relief. It was intact and it was here. After briefly being fussed at by customs for not having a receipt for my bicycle, I wheeled my bicycle and luggage out on a little cart. Just as I was getting to the exit and could see the light at the end of the tunnel, some guy walks up, grabs my bike, and throws it on to a conveyor belt that carried it into the dark unknown before I could grab it back. He hadn't bothered to mention this, but he did work at the airport and was apparently trying to be helpful. While most other people were carrying their luggage on the train that takes you to the exit, he thought the bicycle would be too big and rechecking it, so that it came out at the main baggage claim, would be best. I was really distressed to let it go again but had little choice at that point.
After a short ride on the train, I arrived at the main terminal and went to Baggage Counter 1, where the man told me I could expect my bicycle to appear. At Baggage Counter 1, there was a sign indicating oversized bags would be delivered there. Immediately beside it was another sign indicating that oversized bags would be delivered to Baggage Counter 5. So I wheeled my luggage and paced anxiously between the two counters certain that someone would steal my bike while I was at the other counter. 10 minutes passed. 20 minutes passed. While it was only 5 PM local time, it was 3 AM for me. Many people can function productively and nicely when not well rested. I am not one of them. I regress to the age of approximately five years, whine, fuss, and am generally helpless and useless. 30 minutes passed. I was starting to panic. Someone had certainly run away with the bike. I located a British Airways help desk and breathed a sigh of relief. I realized it was unmanned and the panic began to rise in me again. 40 minutes passed. I asked at other the help desks for other airlines where BA oversized baggage was delivered. No one knew the answer. 50 minutes passed. At last, I had the clever idea to get some caffeine to hopefully jolt some life into me and help me get a grip. I downed 20 ounces of Diet Coke in no time flat. Finally, I gave up the pacing and sat midway between Baggage Counter 1 and 5. At long, long last, my bicycle appeared. I ran to it and hugged it. Alas, it was not stolen! And it was not damaged. And it was here! Major progress.
I then went over to the rental car counter to find out that most providers were fully booked. I found a few with cars available, but they were very expensive. I talked to the fellow at the Hertz counter for a while, and found out they had several pickup trucks they were having trouble renting out that they could give me for the same price as their smallest car. ("No one wants to drive a pick up around Seattle," he said shrugging. I said I didn't mind. Upon arriving in town, I found out that nearly all spots were parallel parking... ouch!) Half an hour later, I was driving out of the airport, bicycle and bags in tow, in a Chevy Silverado. I hadn't driven in a while, and I definitely hadn't drive on the right side of the road -- in a massive pickup truck no less -- in a great while. Rather than easing into it, it was like they'd set up an obstacle course of cones (supposedly for construction work) and a tight corkscrew exit ramp from the parking garage. And as soon I'd passed those hurdles and gotten onto the open road, it started to rain. Ahh, at least the rainy weather made me feel right at home!
I'd hoped to drop my bike off at the bike shop for assembly that night, but unfortunately they'd already closed. I did manage to find the dorms at Seattle Pacific University that were available at a discounted rate for those participating in the ride and get checked in OK. I was nervous about leaving my bike in the truck overnight, so I dragged it into the dorm with me. I'd looked up the location of an AT&T store, and was able to get a U.S. SIM card and plan set up there surprisingly easily. By then it was 6 AM my time. When I hit the bed, I was out cold.
However, I did awaken pretty early. I was able to keep myself in bed until 6:42, but just couldn't lie there awake for any longer. The next day was a whirlwind of activity. My friend, Rebeccah, was coming up from her home in California to spend the weekend in Seattle with me, and I wanted to get the trip preparations out of the way before she arrived, so I'd be able to relax and sightsee with her. I was running errands from 8 AM to 10 PM, and went to the Apple store, three bicycle stores, REI, The American Lung Association, Fred Meyer (kind of like Walmart), and the bank. I was exhausted again. So I slept. But not well. I kept waking up during the night either hungry or ready to go take on the day. I struggled to shake the 8 hours of jet lag.
Rebeccah arrived late that night, and it was really great to see her, hang out together, catch up, and have someone to help calm my nerves. We went to Seattle's famous market, Pike Place, and saw lots of amazing, fresh seafood among other interesting odds and ends. We wandered along Puget Sound and spent the afternoon at a restaurant overlooking the water just basking in the sun and catching up. We then spent the evening at the very sepctacular Crab Pot, featured on an episode of Man vs. Food. We shared a portion intended for one, and were so full we struggled to walk out. It was divine.
It was my first time in Seattle, and it reminded me a lot of San Francisco. It was very hilly, but still managed to boast a large bicycle community. Everyone was really, really nice there. Everyone smiled at you in the streets, and everyone was very friendly. Also, the tap water was GREAT. A random thing to note, but it was truly noteworthy. It tasted really fresh and almost sparkling.
Oh, one other interesting thing about the time in Seattle. We had heard something about a Solstice Festival, but didn't know what, when, or where it was. We quickly found out that we were right in the middle of it when we saw a whole swarm of naked bicyclers headed towards us while out for a walk! Perhaps another reason Seattle reminds me of SF -- that's the kind of thing you might expect there.
packed... and ready?
I can confirm that I am packed. I have put all of the necessary items in a bag. However, I can under no circumstances, confirm that I am ready. I was actually fairly well-behaved about sticking to the training schedule. However, in my longest week, I biked around 250 miles. On the trip, we’ll average just under 500 miles. I feel grossly underprepared.
I wasn’t certain that I’d be able to participate in the bicycle trip until just over a few months prior to its start, so my training was somewhat more condensed than I’d have liked. I began with about 100 miles per week, and added about 20 miles per week, until I reached around 250 miles in my last week. My longest day was riding 100 miles, during which it rained for the last four hours. I won’t deny crying… a little. :o)
The city is no place to train, but when I went off into the countryside, I generally got myself lost, or spent most of the time looking at directions, so a lot of days I spent going ‘round and ‘round either the 7-mile loop at Richmond Park or the 3-mile loop at Regent’s Park. All that time with little mental distraction can drive a person mad, so I listened to some books on tape, which helped a good deal, and on special occasions managed to drag some friends along to keep me company.
On Wednesday, I flew to Seattle where the trip begins. Truthfully, everything went as smoothly as could be asked. I managed to get all of my belongings I’m not taking on the trip packed up and into storage in the spare room at our flat as I’m renting out my room while I’m away. Simpson’s Cycles packed up my bicycle for shipping, and I caught the bus with my two duffle bags to pick up my bike, and a cab met me at the bicycle shop to take the whole lot of us to the airport.
Despite all going smoothly, I still managed to panic. If I got onto that plane, it meant it was all actually going to happen. The thought made me tremble like a leaf. I recently read an article on stress relief techniques, such as breathing deeply and breathing from your tummy rather than chest. I’ll tell you, I belly-breathed my whole way through that airport and onto the plane to prevent myself from turning tail and running straight out of the airport, into a cab, and back to my happy little life.
When I did see the plane, however, I was heartened -- it was a double decker plane! It would just be like on the London bus. I planned to go straight to the top, grab a front row seat, and stare out the window the whole time. Unfortunately, I was on the lower deck, and as far as I could tell from the inside, it was like any other plane I'd flown on. However, just knowing there was a whole level above me did add an air of mystery and excitement (when you're in such a frazzled state, even the littlest of things don't fail to excite!).
On another note, I appreciate it when ridiculous, yet comfortable, fashions become socially acceptable. For example, in the winter, I manage to get away with wearing what's more or less a sleeping bag with a hood, under the guise of a coat -- brilliant! And let's face it -- Uggs are just tall bedroom slippers that someone decided are OK to wear about in public. My travel dress is another noteworthy example. It is made of terry cloth and is actually just a towel with straps. It is the single most comfortable item of clothing in the world, and while I don't understand it, I'm over the moon that someone decided adding straps to a towel and wearing it about is now socially acceptable!
While my travelling clothing was great, I did encounter a few rowdy babies (otherwise known as RBs) on the plane. In fact, I was somewhat surrounded!
RB1 was a little girl with her hair done up in a single pony tail on the top of her head that stuck straight up in the air, much like Pebbles Flintstone. RB2 was a bald boy, and truthfully with one exception was not all that rowdy -- he was more of a plain B. And RB3 was a beautiful Indian girl with the thickest head of hair I've ever seen on a baby -- it looked almost like a bonnet.
While you may have heard of duelling pianos, you may be less familiar with duelling babies. I became very familiar with them on my flight. RB1 and RB3 that got into quite a duel with RB1 taking soprano and RB3 picking up alto. Sometimes they'd take turns. Sometimes they'd wail together. But wail they surely did, and whenever one of them got started, the other would join right in.
In all seriousness, I am just being silly and have the utmost respect for parents travelling with children. Getting myself through the airport and along to my destination is more than enough to keep my hands full -- I can't imagine what a challenge it is to take care of a little one along the way. Also, the way my parents tell it, I too was once a RB on flights!
The other unexpected treat of the flight is that Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was one of the available movies. My friend, Kate, and I have been watching the trilogy together, and made it through the first two, but had serious difficulties watching the third. Between US DVDs not working on UK DVD players, missing DVDs, and stalled downloads, we never managed to catch it. So it was great fun to be able to at long last catch it on the flight and at over 3 hours long, it managed to keep me occupied and out of trouble for a good portion of the flight.
About 10 hours after I left London, we landed in Seattle!
I wasn’t certain that I’d be able to participate in the bicycle trip until just over a few months prior to its start, so my training was somewhat more condensed than I’d have liked. I began with about 100 miles per week, and added about 20 miles per week, until I reached around 250 miles in my last week. My longest day was riding 100 miles, during which it rained for the last four hours. I won’t deny crying… a little. :o)
The city is no place to train, but when I went off into the countryside, I generally got myself lost, or spent most of the time looking at directions, so a lot of days I spent going ‘round and ‘round either the 7-mile loop at Richmond Park or the 3-mile loop at Regent’s Park. All that time with little mental distraction can drive a person mad, so I listened to some books on tape, which helped a good deal, and on special occasions managed to drag some friends along to keep me company.
On Wednesday, I flew to Seattle where the trip begins. Truthfully, everything went as smoothly as could be asked. I managed to get all of my belongings I’m not taking on the trip packed up and into storage in the spare room at our flat as I’m renting out my room while I’m away. Simpson’s Cycles packed up my bicycle for shipping, and I caught the bus with my two duffle bags to pick up my bike, and a cab met me at the bicycle shop to take the whole lot of us to the airport.
Despite all going smoothly, I still managed to panic. If I got onto that plane, it meant it was all actually going to happen. The thought made me tremble like a leaf. I recently read an article on stress relief techniques, such as breathing deeply and breathing from your tummy rather than chest. I’ll tell you, I belly-breathed my whole way through that airport and onto the plane to prevent myself from turning tail and running straight out of the airport, into a cab, and back to my happy little life.
When I did see the plane, however, I was heartened -- it was a double decker plane! It would just be like on the London bus. I planned to go straight to the top, grab a front row seat, and stare out the window the whole time. Unfortunately, I was on the lower deck, and as far as I could tell from the inside, it was like any other plane I'd flown on. However, just knowing there was a whole level above me did add an air of mystery and excitement (when you're in such a frazzled state, even the littlest of things don't fail to excite!).
On another note, I appreciate it when ridiculous, yet comfortable, fashions become socially acceptable. For example, in the winter, I manage to get away with wearing what's more or less a sleeping bag with a hood, under the guise of a coat -- brilliant! And let's face it -- Uggs are just tall bedroom slippers that someone decided are OK to wear about in public. My travel dress is another noteworthy example. It is made of terry cloth and is actually just a towel with straps. It is the single most comfortable item of clothing in the world, and while I don't understand it, I'm over the moon that someone decided adding straps to a towel and wearing it about is now socially acceptable!
While my travelling clothing was great, I did encounter a few rowdy babies (otherwise known as RBs) on the plane. In fact, I was somewhat surrounded!
RB1 was a little girl with her hair done up in a single pony tail on the top of her head that stuck straight up in the air, much like Pebbles Flintstone. RB2 was a bald boy, and truthfully with one exception was not all that rowdy -- he was more of a plain B. And RB3 was a beautiful Indian girl with the thickest head of hair I've ever seen on a baby -- it looked almost like a bonnet.
While you may have heard of duelling pianos, you may be less familiar with duelling babies. I became very familiar with them on my flight. RB1 and RB3 that got into quite a duel with RB1 taking soprano and RB3 picking up alto. Sometimes they'd take turns. Sometimes they'd wail together. But wail they surely did, and whenever one of them got started, the other would join right in.
In all seriousness, I am just being silly and have the utmost respect for parents travelling with children. Getting myself through the airport and along to my destination is more than enough to keep my hands full -- I can't imagine what a challenge it is to take care of a little one along the way. Also, the way my parents tell it, I too was once a RB on flights!
The other unexpected treat of the flight is that Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was one of the available movies. My friend, Kate, and I have been watching the trilogy together, and made it through the first two, but had serious difficulties watching the third. Between US DVDs not working on UK DVD players, missing DVDs, and stalled downloads, we never managed to catch it. So it was great fun to be able to at long last catch it on the flight and at over 3 hours long, it managed to keep me occupied and out of trouble for a good portion of the flight.
About 10 hours after I left London, we landed in Seattle!
what have i done?
There are times in one's life when one wonders what one has gotten oneself into. This is one such time.
Bicycling across America sounds like a great idea, right? Wind in your hair, breathing in fresh air, cycling through mountains, plains... from sea to shining sea. What could be better?
These were exactly my thoughts when I clicked the "Enter" button and submitted my registration for the American Lung Association's Big Ride Across America. I was giddy with excitement.
I awoke the next day in a cold sweat. Now that I'd signed up, I'd have to actually drag my rear end from one coast of America to the other. Turns out, it's over 3,300 miles. Turns out, we'll average over 80 miles per day.
What was I thinking???
As I write this post, I have the radio on in the background, and quite ironically, I'm now hearing...
Nowhere to run to, baby
Nowhere to hide
Got nowhere to run to, baby
Nowhere to hide
... blasting from it. Oh, how I can relate!
For many children, the big yearly event in their mind is Christmas, or their birthday. They'll have a count down to it, and eagerly await its arrival. The big event in my young life was the annually required one mile run that was part of P.E. class. I had an anti-countdown. With each day it grew closer, my trepidation grew. At last, when the day arrived and the running could not be avoided, I forced myself to struggle, and do I mean struggle through the four laps around the school field, and generally came in dead last. I did not excel in other physical areas either. I never managed a single pull up. I played softball for a year, and didn't have a single hit. I played basketball for a year, and didn't have a single basket. I played soccer for a great many years, and didn't score a goal (I suppose this one was somewhat legitimate as I played a defensive position) but did manage to tear cartilage in both knees that required four knee surgeries between the two. I did once manage to drag myself 13.1 miles, but that was a rarity and my crowning physical achievement. In summary, saying that I am not known for my physical prowess would certainly be an understatement.
And yet... off I go. Attempting to get myself across the whole of the United States. After much thought, I've realized that there's only one way this will turn out: I will certainly die. The other riders will be cycling through the glory of the scenic woodlands and mountains of America, and I will be this shell of a person that collapses into a heap of misery, unable to carry on. I've already requested that my parents get a large shovel as they'll most certainly be having to scoop me off the side of a road somewhere in middle America.
While this is my current outlook, I admit it may be a smidge grim. By the end of writing this post, another fitting song has come on the radio... The Five Stairstep's Ooh Child:
Ooh-oo child
Things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child
Things'll get brighter
Ooh-oo child
Things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child
Things'll get brighter
Right now, right now
Dear me, I hope so! And for an additional bit of inspiration, I recently ran across this little fellow who gives quite a pep talk about bicycling. If he could make it, surely I can... right?
Bicycling across America sounds like a great idea, right? Wind in your hair, breathing in fresh air, cycling through mountains, plains... from sea to shining sea. What could be better?
These were exactly my thoughts when I clicked the "Enter" button and submitted my registration for the American Lung Association's Big Ride Across America. I was giddy with excitement.
I awoke the next day in a cold sweat. Now that I'd signed up, I'd have to actually drag my rear end from one coast of America to the other. Turns out, it's over 3,300 miles. Turns out, we'll average over 80 miles per day.
What was I thinking???
As I write this post, I have the radio on in the background, and quite ironically, I'm now hearing...
Nowhere to run to, baby
Nowhere to hide
Got nowhere to run to, baby
Nowhere to hide
... blasting from it. Oh, how I can relate!
For many children, the big yearly event in their mind is Christmas, or their birthday. They'll have a count down to it, and eagerly await its arrival. The big event in my young life was the annually required one mile run that was part of P.E. class. I had an anti-countdown. With each day it grew closer, my trepidation grew. At last, when the day arrived and the running could not be avoided, I forced myself to struggle, and do I mean struggle through the four laps around the school field, and generally came in dead last. I did not excel in other physical areas either. I never managed a single pull up. I played softball for a year, and didn't have a single hit. I played basketball for a year, and didn't have a single basket. I played soccer for a great many years, and didn't score a goal (I suppose this one was somewhat legitimate as I played a defensive position) but did manage to tear cartilage in both knees that required four knee surgeries between the two. I did once manage to drag myself 13.1 miles, but that was a rarity and my crowning physical achievement. In summary, saying that I am not known for my physical prowess would certainly be an understatement.
And yet... off I go. Attempting to get myself across the whole of the United States. After much thought, I've realized that there's only one way this will turn out: I will certainly die. The other riders will be cycling through the glory of the scenic woodlands and mountains of America, and I will be this shell of a person that collapses into a heap of misery, unable to carry on. I've already requested that my parents get a large shovel as they'll most certainly be having to scoop me off the side of a road somewhere in middle America.
While this is my current outlook, I admit it may be a smidge grim. By the end of writing this post, another fitting song has come on the radio... The Five Stairstep's Ooh Child:
Ooh-oo child
Things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child
Things'll get brighter
Ooh-oo child
Things are gonna get easier
Ooh-oo child
Things'll get brighter
Right now, right now
Dear me, I hope so! And for an additional bit of inspiration, I recently ran across this little fellow who gives quite a pep talk about bicycling. If he could make it, surely I can... right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Subscribe To Elizabeth Ashley Durham's Blog
Posts
All Comments