I get to whitefish, and with all the rattling of my back tire, I am feeling very saddle sore (sorry if that is too much information). We roll into one bikeshop, but it is late saturday and they will be closed sunday (not enough time to build me a new back wheel). just as they are recommending the other bike shop in town, one of the mechanics from the other bike shop, TIm, rolls up, testing out a new bike. After a long conversation all around, Tim escorts us to the other bike shop, where they offer to build me the toughest wheel they can for 115. We also stock up on other good things, like an extra tire, some more tubes, more chain lube, and plenty of recommendations about what to do for saddle sores (mainly they recommend some rest).
So, here we have been in white fish, after biking in on Saturday, and laying about for two days in a nearby camping spot (7$ a night 2$ for a shower), hanging out at the local coffee shop, the library, and our campsite (which has a lovely view of lake whitefish, and plenty of curious tow-headed kids to watch play). We are catching up on our reading, stretching and relaxing, and looking forward to getting going tomorrow. Our plan is to get to the base of logan pass for tomorrow night (6/30), and then get up logan pass and another 60 miles by the end of the day. Considering the kind of climb it is going to be, and how far out of our way it is going to be, it better be freakin gorgeous.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Day 15 Eureka!
With my slightly wobley back wheel, Lindsey and I bike ~70 miles to Eureka. It is a cute little town, and we spend the night, again, in the city green, but this time with no fire. It is a relatively uneventful day, except that, I kept blowing tubes, and we didnt get started out of Libby until about 1. I have found, more recently, that I need to be much more careful about putting pressure on the nozzle with my hand held pump...
Day 14 Trouble (Cormac)
We get about 30 miles of gorgeous Montana miles behind us, before, I run over a rock the size of my fist while going 35 mph. My tire goes flat and my rim has an indentation that you could fit a dime into.
We hitchhike 8 miles into Libby, with a guy who turns out to be a little sketchy (one sketchy guy among all the ones that we have run into isn't so bad). He takes us to a discount store that obviously wouldnt have what we want, and then offers to cart us all over town. We dont think that he is harmful necessarily, but we think that he is going to want money for his trouble. So we thank him, but it takes some insistince for him to drive off without us.
As it turns out, there really isn't anywhere in Libby that he could have driven us that would have been helpful. Ace Hardware actually had some wheels, but none that would fit, and the sportstore has nothing but mountain bikes.
Lindsey, meets an older fellow named larry while hanging out outside of Ace (Larry's wife works at ace), and Larry, offers to drive us to Troy, where there is a small bike shop (a guy, a garage and a few tools). Larry gets this guy's number, and luck enough, he has what we want.
Larry offers to take us to Troy, and we gratefully accept. Along the way, we have about the best and most interesting conversation we have had on this trip. It turns out that about half of the people in Libby are affected by Asbestos poisoning due to a local mine. Larry is one of them, so was Larry's dad, who also happened to be the head of the union in charge of working that mind. The way Larry described his father's attempt to shut down his own mine (putting his own union out of work) put tears in all of our eyes. "It's killing our families," Larry's father would say. But the workers didnt want to listen. It took years to close down that mine (well after Larry's dad died).
Larry also shared a story about how one of his kids got him to quit smoking, first by trying to lecture him for two hours, and then threatening to start smoking and keep on smoking until Larry quit.
Larry waited for us, while Dennis "The Mennis" bent my wheel back in to shape (he had a wheel that would fit, but admitted that it was too low a quality for the weight I was hauling).
We drove back, and Larry talked about his experiences of God, and how he, in his own quiet way, was rescued from PTSD and Alcolohism, by his budding faith. We never mentioned once we were ministers.
Lindsey and I parted ways with Larry and set up a tent in a little park right in the middle of Libby, MT. It cost 5$, and it is the first time we had to pay for a campsight in a very long time (it turns out that our experience of paying 14$ for a campsite was an aberation... for anyone curious any United States Forest Service campground is free... and they are usually lovely and well cared for... though often without showers, and sometimes without water altogether.)
One benefit of camping in the middle of town is that we can buy grogeries that might go bad... so we cook up veggie sausages for dinner and eggs for breakfast... we also invest in a little oven tray turned campstove, as we are a little tired of getting all of our hot food by boiling 2 cups of water in our jet boil. We also invest in some non-instant coffee and coffee filters. Our tastes seem to be getting a little richer, and our bags a little heavier.
We hitchhike 8 miles into Libby, with a guy who turns out to be a little sketchy (one sketchy guy among all the ones that we have run into isn't so bad). He takes us to a discount store that obviously wouldnt have what we want, and then offers to cart us all over town. We dont think that he is harmful necessarily, but we think that he is going to want money for his trouble. So we thank him, but it takes some insistince for him to drive off without us.
As it turns out, there really isn't anywhere in Libby that he could have driven us that would have been helpful. Ace Hardware actually had some wheels, but none that would fit, and the sportstore has nothing but mountain bikes.
Lindsey, meets an older fellow named larry while hanging out outside of Ace (Larry's wife works at ace), and Larry, offers to drive us to Troy, where there is a small bike shop (a guy, a garage and a few tools). Larry gets this guy's number, and luck enough, he has what we want.
Larry offers to take us to Troy, and we gratefully accept. Along the way, we have about the best and most interesting conversation we have had on this trip. It turns out that about half of the people in Libby are affected by Asbestos poisoning due to a local mine. Larry is one of them, so was Larry's dad, who also happened to be the head of the union in charge of working that mind. The way Larry described his father's attempt to shut down his own mine (putting his own union out of work) put tears in all of our eyes. "It's killing our families," Larry's father would say. But the workers didnt want to listen. It took years to close down that mine (well after Larry's dad died).
Larry also shared a story about how one of his kids got him to quit smoking, first by trying to lecture him for two hours, and then threatening to start smoking and keep on smoking until Larry quit.
Larry waited for us, while Dennis "The Mennis" bent my wheel back in to shape (he had a wheel that would fit, but admitted that it was too low a quality for the weight I was hauling).
We drove back, and Larry talked about his experiences of God, and how he, in his own quiet way, was rescued from PTSD and Alcolohism, by his budding faith. We never mentioned once we were ministers.
Lindsey and I parted ways with Larry and set up a tent in a little park right in the middle of Libby, MT. It cost 5$, and it is the first time we had to pay for a campsight in a very long time (it turns out that our experience of paying 14$ for a campsite was an aberation... for anyone curious any United States Forest Service campground is free... and they are usually lovely and well cared for... though often without showers, and sometimes without water altogether.)
One benefit of camping in the middle of town is that we can buy grogeries that might go bad... so we cook up veggie sausages for dinner and eggs for breakfast... we also invest in a little oven tray turned campstove, as we are a little tired of getting all of our hot food by boiling 2 cups of water in our jet boil. We also invest in some non-instant coffee and coffee filters. Our tastes seem to be getting a little richer, and our bags a little heavier.
Day 13 (Montana is Gorgeous) (Cormac)
We get through the last little bit of the Idaho panhandle and into Montana. The rolling foothills of the Rocky's and the expansive landscape offer some of the most scenic riding yet. Though we did get a late start from Sandpoint (soaking up every hotel second), the sun doesnt set until around 10. We also find that riding in the evening, between 4 and 9, is about the most gorgeous time to ride.
We roll into a US forrest service campsite right on a beautiful river, and cook over a fire.
We also use our sleeping pads for the first time and sleep like logs, without waking up feeling like logs.
We roll into a US forrest service campsite right on a beautiful river, and cook over a fire.
We also use our sleeping pads for the first time and sleep like logs, without waking up feeling like logs.
Day 12 (Our One Month Anniversary) 6/23 (Cormac)
Our one month anniversary happened to coincide with the finishing of our first map section, in Sandpoint Idaho.
We both get super excited about crossing state lines into Idaho, and even more excited about staying at a hotel again. i break a spoke, on the hub side of my back wheel. Since we dont have the tools for replacing that spoke, we grab a ride into town.
At the camping/biking store we finally decide to buy sleeping pads (we had been sleeping like logs, but also waking up as stiff as logs). We both felt very tough when everyone at the camping store was aghast that we had gone so long with just our bags. Everyone is super nice, and the guy who fixes our bikes gives us the skinny on Logan Pass (it is the continental divide, the highest peak in the trip, and its in Montana). We had been planning on avoiding it like the plague and taking an alternate route. But the bike repairman (whose name i sadly forget) said that it is the most gorgeous part of the whole tour and that we would be fools to skip it. He fixes our spoke for next to nothing and offers to let us camp on his lawn. It is our month-iversary, though, and we both want showers, so we decline his gracious offer.
We enjoy a fine italian meal. I get another ribeye, which actually doesnt hold a candle to the one I paid 8 bucks for just a weak ago.
We also hit the book store where Lindsey gets Diane Ackerman's "A History of the Senses" which she has been quoting from non-stop ever since, and I get Richard Bach's "A Bridge Across Forever."
We go back to the hotel room, watch a little TV and sleep like we actually have a bed.
We both get super excited about crossing state lines into Idaho, and even more excited about staying at a hotel again. i break a spoke, on the hub side of my back wheel. Since we dont have the tools for replacing that spoke, we grab a ride into town.
At the camping/biking store we finally decide to buy sleeping pads (we had been sleeping like logs, but also waking up as stiff as logs). We both felt very tough when everyone at the camping store was aghast that we had gone so long with just our bags. Everyone is super nice, and the guy who fixes our bikes gives us the skinny on Logan Pass (it is the continental divide, the highest peak in the trip, and its in Montana). We had been planning on avoiding it like the plague and taking an alternate route. But the bike repairman (whose name i sadly forget) said that it is the most gorgeous part of the whole tour and that we would be fools to skip it. He fixes our spoke for next to nothing and offers to let us camp on his lawn. It is our month-iversary, though, and we both want showers, so we decline his gracious offer.
We enjoy a fine italian meal. I get another ribeye, which actually doesnt hold a candle to the one I paid 8 bucks for just a weak ago.
We also hit the book store where Lindsey gets Diane Ackerman's "A History of the Senses" which she has been quoting from non-stop ever since, and I get Richard Bach's "A Bridge Across Forever."
We go back to the hotel room, watch a little TV and sleep like we actually have a bed.
Day 11 (Cormac)
We got a bit of a late start out of Sherman Pass, but it turned out to be a glorious morning. The sun broke through the clouds and offered a magical backlight to the towering evergreens.
We roll through the towns of Cusick and Usk. Now they may be the nicest towns in the world, but judging a book by its cover, they looked like sad, sad places. Most of the windows were boarded, and there was lot after lot of trailer park spaces vacant and for sale.
Something about those towns gave us the willies in a pretty serious way (no offense willie). But, when clouds started to gather and rain started to come down, and we realized it was 20+ miles to the next campsite, we pitched our tent in a campground just outside of town, feeling a little nervous, and hiding our campsite as best as we could.
We sleep like slightly scared logs.
We roll through the towns of Cusick and Usk. Now they may be the nicest towns in the world, but judging a book by its cover, they looked like sad, sad places. Most of the windows were boarded, and there was lot after lot of trailer park spaces vacant and for sale.
Something about those towns gave us the willies in a pretty serious way (no offense willie). But, when clouds started to gather and rain started to come down, and we realized it was 20+ miles to the next campsite, we pitched our tent in a campground just outside of town, feeling a little nervous, and hiding our campsite as best as we could.
We sleep like slightly scared logs.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Day 10 6/21/09 (Sherman Pass)
Sherman Pass is the highest pass in all of Washington (at about 5600 ft. elevation), and we biked up it. True, we started at a higher elevation than before Washington pass, but it was still a rough day. Coming down out of the pass is always fun. It is a bit like a rollercoaster. Going up is like waiting in line. It takes a lot of patience, and by the time you are about 1/2 done you are thinking whether or not it is worth it. Then you go down, and it is awesome. We try not to get to far above 35 mph, and are very mindful of turns, but we also try to have some fun to make up for the slog up hill.
About halfway through the day it started raining and didn't stop. We learned three things 1) all of our waterproofing gear works 2) biking in the rain sucks 3) setting up camp in the rain sucks. A few more experienced campers than our selves helped us set up a fire, but we hardly used it before getting into our tent and calling it a night.
About halfway through the day it started raining and didn't stop. We learned three things 1) all of our waterproofing gear works 2) biking in the rain sucks 3) setting up camp in the rain sucks. A few more experienced campers than our selves helped us set up a fire, but we hardly used it before getting into our tent and calling it a night.
Day 9, 6/20/09 boy are we tired (Cormac)
Les and Karen invite us round for some breakfast, and Lindsey has some non-fish meat for the first time since september of 2001. It is a piece of bacon, and it was delicious. She says she might also try some bison meat as we head through montana.
After 3 passes in 3 days, we are both feeling tired, and Lindsey's knee starts to hurt. We debate about how far to go and end up having a very, very short day, staying just east of republic, WA, after only going 30 miles. We spend most of the day in the Library, reading books and not updating our blog.
We end up at the Ferry county fair grounds (where the camping appears to be free), and there is a wedding going on. I strike up a conversation with a few of the folks there, and they take us in to this indoor carousel, which had been rebuilt by each horse, and each fixture being sponsored by a different person in town. Lindsey and I both ride at their encouragement, and have a blast.
Again, we sleep like logs.
After 3 passes in 3 days, we are both feeling tired, and Lindsey's knee starts to hurt. We debate about how far to go and end up having a very, very short day, staying just east of republic, WA, after only going 30 miles. We spend most of the day in the Library, reading books and not updating our blog.
We end up at the Ferry county fair grounds (where the camping appears to be free), and there is a wedding going on. I strike up a conversation with a few of the folks there, and they take us in to this indoor carousel, which had been rebuilt by each horse, and each fixture being sponsored by a different person in town. Lindsey and I both ride at their encouragement, and have a blast.
Again, we sleep like logs.
Day 8 5/19/09 (Cormac)
We ended up finding out that the campsite we were planning on staying at is closed. But the very same person who tells us this offers to let us stay on her and her husbands ranch (her name is Karen).
It is a pretty serious slog up Wauconda pass, but we make it, and find Karen and Les in their gorgeous log cabin on hundreds of acres of forest, and pasture land. Les gives us the skinny on how to Ranch, and explains his beef with environmentalists--they are a bunch of city folks who don't live in the wilderness, so when they come out here they want to treat it like a play ground, but, really, if they just took care of the land around them, and lived in ways that didnt require so much pollution things would be a lot better. We didn't feel like arguing with him, and found it very interesting to hear his side of the argument.
We pitched a tent on his thick, soft grass, and slept like logs (as usual).
It is a pretty serious slog up Wauconda pass, but we make it, and find Karen and Les in their gorgeous log cabin on hundreds of acres of forest, and pasture land. Les gives us the skinny on how to Ranch, and explains his beef with environmentalists--they are a bunch of city folks who don't live in the wilderness, so when they come out here they want to treat it like a play ground, but, really, if they just took care of the land around them, and lived in ways that didnt require so much pollution things would be a lot better. We didn't feel like arguing with him, and found it very interesting to hear his side of the argument.
We pitched a tent on his thick, soft grass, and slept like logs (as usual).
Friday, June 19, 2009
This is going to be a quick one.
We are in Tonasket at the moment. Just had some deliciously good calzone and Cormac had a philly cheesesteak in hopes of getting enough energy in us to get us up the next hill that we are about to tackle. Our hope is to climb Wauconda pass which is 4,310 ft over about 15 miles or so. It is not as steep as the passes we've done so far but this will be three days in a row of big hills!!!
Yesterday we had a great and unexpectedly long day. After the last update in Winthrop, we headed on to Twisp, very near and then did a pretty hefty grocery shop before deciding onward with it. So we climbed Loup Loup Pass. We arrived (finally) at the campground on the other side of the pass - so after we had gotten to enjoy some 10 miles or so of 6% grade downhill - around 8:30. The sun does not set here until 9 or later this time of year, which is wonderful!
Our evening last night was lovely. We met a couple, Kevin and Monique, who are from Omak and were camping at Leader Lake (the campground) for 3 days. They offered us a whole bunch of water, which we cheerfully accepted as there was no water at the campground, and we in turn offered them some of our quite spectacular trail mix and found ourselves talking with them until late. A really honest, funny, spiritual, just nice two people. It was a highlight for Cormac and me so far, meeting them and making that connection.
So we left Leader Lake around 9am and biked through to Omak for a leisurely coffee break at Starbucks. Yes, folks, we actually biked around asking for the starbucks because Kevin had told us there was one and we wanted to find a place where we could use the bathroom and get water and ice rather than go to one of the (many) espresso huts along the road!
A few things about Washington: Although it is called the Evergreen State, more than half of Washington is desert - and we are biking through the deserty part right now. Kevin and Monique informed us that folks who live on the Western side of the Cascades are referred to as 'Coasties'. They did not know what they, who live on the East side, were called. As may have already been suggested:) there are many big mountains in Washington. We have Wauconda and Sherman Passes to go before we say hello to some long flat stretches.
We have definitely gotten into a rhythm in our biking and are now more comfortable taking longer leisurely breaks during the day since we know our bodies and how long it takes us to bike different terrain better. We've got setting up camp and packing up camp down!
And we are also apparently about 1 day behind another fellow who is biking the Northern Tier route. He stopped for pizza at the same place yesterday and you stand out from the crowd enough when wearing padded bike shorts:)
That's all for now. Wishing all you well.
peace.
We are in Tonasket at the moment. Just had some deliciously good calzone and Cormac had a philly cheesesteak in hopes of getting enough energy in us to get us up the next hill that we are about to tackle. Our hope is to climb Wauconda pass which is 4,310 ft over about 15 miles or so. It is not as steep as the passes we've done so far but this will be three days in a row of big hills!!!
Yesterday we had a great and unexpectedly long day. After the last update in Winthrop, we headed on to Twisp, very near and then did a pretty hefty grocery shop before deciding onward with it. So we climbed Loup Loup Pass. We arrived (finally) at the campground on the other side of the pass - so after we had gotten to enjoy some 10 miles or so of 6% grade downhill - around 8:30. The sun does not set here until 9 or later this time of year, which is wonderful!
Our evening last night was lovely. We met a couple, Kevin and Monique, who are from Omak and were camping at Leader Lake (the campground) for 3 days. They offered us a whole bunch of water, which we cheerfully accepted as there was no water at the campground, and we in turn offered them some of our quite spectacular trail mix and found ourselves talking with them until late. A really honest, funny, spiritual, just nice two people. It was a highlight for Cormac and me so far, meeting them and making that connection.
So we left Leader Lake around 9am and biked through to Omak for a leisurely coffee break at Starbucks. Yes, folks, we actually biked around asking for the starbucks because Kevin had told us there was one and we wanted to find a place where we could use the bathroom and get water and ice rather than go to one of the (many) espresso huts along the road!
A few things about Washington: Although it is called the Evergreen State, more than half of Washington is desert - and we are biking through the deserty part right now. Kevin and Monique informed us that folks who live on the Western side of the Cascades are referred to as 'Coasties'. They did not know what they, who live on the East side, were called. As may have already been suggested:) there are many big mountains in Washington. We have Wauconda and Sherman Passes to go before we say hello to some long flat stretches.
We have definitely gotten into a rhythm in our biking and are now more comfortable taking longer leisurely breaks during the day since we know our bodies and how long it takes us to bike different terrain better. We've got setting up camp and packing up camp down!
And we are also apparently about 1 day behind another fellow who is biking the Northern Tier route. He stopped for pizza at the same place yesterday and you stand out from the crowd enough when wearing padded bike shorts:)
That's all for now. Wishing all you well.
peace.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Travel Day 6, Inch by Inch (Cormac)
Going up hill is hard.
My knees start hurting almost immediately, and I make lindsey promise that we can literally stop every mile for a 5 minute break. We end up stopping slightly less frequently than that, and I pump tons of advil.
We get high enough that we start seeing snow on the ground. Lindsey thinks it is beautiful, I think that it would feel really good on my knees (it does).
All in all it takes us about 6 hours to go up 18 miles (including the 5 minute break, and an hour brake close to the top).
When we finally hit the top of Washington Pass, we can feel our anxiety melt away and our patience renewed. Our blissful feelings are aided by the fact that we have to ride the breaks to do 30 MPH down the other side.
We go from worrying about our knees to worrying about our hands (breaking frequently for an hour straight causes some serious hand cramps).
We do about 20 more miles in less than an hour (stopping only to fill up our water... we finally reach potable water after 60 dry miles).
Washington pass is our most difficult climb, it is the most elevation that we will ever have to do the whole trip, and having done it with only one major argument, we decide to treat ourselves to a hotel and dinner.
We end up at Mazama country Inn, and guess what, it's barbeque night. Believe it or not, they actually have a delicious veggie option for Lindsey (roasted portabello), but for me, a ribeye steak that weighs at least a pound and a half, cooked to perfection, with a side of fresh slaw. It takes me about 40 seconds to eat the whole thing.
Everyone there is so nice, and we stock up on our sugar and salt supply, showe (oh my god we shower! and not in a camp shower)... and we fall asleep like babies on a fresh, warm bed.
My knees start hurting almost immediately, and I make lindsey promise that we can literally stop every mile for a 5 minute break. We end up stopping slightly less frequently than that, and I pump tons of advil.
We get high enough that we start seeing snow on the ground. Lindsey thinks it is beautiful, I think that it would feel really good on my knees (it does).
All in all it takes us about 6 hours to go up 18 miles (including the 5 minute break, and an hour brake close to the top).
When we finally hit the top of Washington Pass, we can feel our anxiety melt away and our patience renewed. Our blissful feelings are aided by the fact that we have to ride the breaks to do 30 MPH down the other side.
We go from worrying about our knees to worrying about our hands (breaking frequently for an hour straight causes some serious hand cramps).
We do about 20 more miles in less than an hour (stopping only to fill up our water... we finally reach potable water after 60 dry miles).
Washington pass is our most difficult climb, it is the most elevation that we will ever have to do the whole trip, and having done it with only one major argument, we decide to treat ourselves to a hotel and dinner.
We end up at Mazama country Inn, and guess what, it's barbeque night. Believe it or not, they actually have a delicious veggie option for Lindsey (roasted portabello), but for me, a ribeye steak that weighs at least a pound and a half, cooked to perfection, with a side of fresh slaw. It takes me about 40 seconds to eat the whole thing.
Everyone there is so nice, and we stock up on our sugar and salt supply, showe (oh my god we shower! and not in a camp shower)... and we fall asleep like babies on a fresh, warm bed.
Day 5 6/16/09 (Cormac)
We start seeing mountains, and things start getting sparse. We start seeing signs like 60 miles to potable water.
We had planned on camping in colonial creek, and then biking 42 miles up Washington (~5500 ft. elevation) pass the next day.
However, we find out at the Newhalem Rangers post, that it is legal to camp at trail heads and that there are plenty of trail heads heading towards Washington Pass.
We end up camping at Canyon Creek Trail head about 11 miles further up the mountain (meaning a shorter hike up the mountain the next day).
The trailhead is gorgeous and we cook dinner by the river, mixing albicore tuna, a can of tomatoes, couscous, and saizon seasoning (a descent meal, even after being spoiled by Brooks camp cooking).
We also decide to store our food in the ladies bathroom at the trailhead, afraid that we might otherwise attract bears.
Both of us sleep like logs.
We had planned on camping in colonial creek, and then biking 42 miles up Washington (~5500 ft. elevation) pass the next day.
However, we find out at the Newhalem Rangers post, that it is legal to camp at trail heads and that there are plenty of trail heads heading towards Washington Pass.
We end up camping at Canyon Creek Trail head about 11 miles further up the mountain (meaning a shorter hike up the mountain the next day).
The trailhead is gorgeous and we cook dinner by the river, mixing albicore tuna, a can of tomatoes, couscous, and saizon seasoning (a descent meal, even after being spoiled by Brooks camp cooking).
We also decide to store our food in the ladies bathroom at the trailhead, afraid that we might otherwise attract bears.
Both of us sleep like logs.
Day 4 Part 2
In Sedro Woolley we buy a little gift for Stan, the fellow who gave us a ride the day before. He had mentioned that he was about to have a grandkid, so we got him a childrens book, Blueberries for Sal (or something like that), and we finally dropped it at his fence. After about 40 miles, we are finally hitting new territory, after our set back.
We also hit Cascadian Farms (of Jam and Jelly fame) and eat the best strawberries in the world.
I notice that my skin looks a strange color, and think that I might have jaundice. After some conferring with Lindsey, it turns out that I actually have my first tan ever. We are all very excited.
We also hit Cascadian Farms (of Jam and Jelly fame) and eat the best strawberries in the world.
I notice that my skin looks a strange color, and think that I might have jaundice. After some conferring with Lindsey, it turns out that I actually have my first tan ever. We are all very excited.
A Few Notes on the Blog (From Cormac)
Pictures:
I couldn't figure out how to put pictures on the blog, so I just put them up on my facebook account. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2230915&id=34388&saved#/album.php?aid=2230915&id=34388
Writing in General:
We decided that whoever is writing the blog that day will be indicated in the title. According to my dad, it is too confusing to try and have a voice that includes both of us.
Also, I am not going to try and write rushed again. I will also post one travel day at a time, rather than all at once.
Please make comments, give advice, and send us your well wishes.
I couldn't figure out how to put pictures on the blog, so I just put them up on my facebook account. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2230915&id=34388&saved#/album.php?aid=2230915&id=34388
Writing in General:
We decided that whoever is writing the blog that day will be indicated in the title. According to my dad, it is too confusing to try and have a voice that includes both of us.
Also, I am not going to try and write rushed again. I will also post one travel day at a time, rather than all at once.
Please make comments, give advice, and send us your well wishes.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Preparation Day 1, Travel Day 1-3
Prep Day 1 6/11
Well, it took longer to get going than we thought. We finally worked out a battery charger for Lindsey's phone, got some front racks for our bikes, met Cindy's awesome boyfriend Patrick, and biked up the steepest hill in seattle (good practice). We also bought our first set of groceries (20.40 for 2 days).
Cormac also decides to cut his hair a little shorter, and makes the grave mistake of asking Lindsey to help. In the end, Cormac decides to shave his head altogether.
Travel Day 1 6/12
Yay! We're on the road.
We get started at 9:30 AM, a little later than planned and head to Mukilteo (sp?) to catch a Ferry to Whidbey Island. Lindsey gets in touch with an old friend Sarah who had just moved back home to the Island, and we met up with her and her boyfriend Tucker.
We go to Sarah's parents' house which is about the most gorgeous spot ever. Sarah and Tucker are about to get married (good luck to you guys), and her mom is growing all the flowers and a lot of the food for their wedding, and the large garden's amidst the green rolling hills makes one want to kick up their feet and relax.
We continue to north on the Island and do our first night of camping at Fort Casey.
Did you know that it costs 14$ to camp at state camp grounds? We didn't.
Anyhow, we set up our tent all by ourselves, and Cormac builds a fire and grills some toast.
We biked ~40 miles (we hadn't gotten our odometers to work yet), and we felt pretty good to get going.
Day 2, Deception Pass and Heading East
The first stop of our day is Deception Pass, which our Seattle host, Cindy, said is one of the most gorgeous places in the world. Turns out she is right.
From the long bridge that connects whidbey Island to Anacortes you can see lush islands and steep cliffs and sail boats, and man was it gorgeous. We decide to stop and have lunch.
After some hemming and hawing we decide to walk our bikes on the sidewalks over the narrow bridges, and we finally hit root 20 and start going East (and get on our maps, which start in Anacortes).
We hit some minor hills and get to a camping ground in Bayview where we meet Nolan, a Biker (motorcyclist, that is) from B.C.. Nolan likes to do short tours and hit up campgrounds to build a fire for the night. He shares his camping space with us (and a couple of beers) for free. We wish that we could have hung out longer, but after watching the sunset over the pacific (bayview is well named) we are too pooped to stay up too late).
Day 3 Things get interesting
We get an early start, and we have got flat ground ahead of us and a tail wind and we feel great. We bike down the south skagit river highway, which has a river on one side and lush hills on the other, and huge trees completely covered in moss. We feel like we are getting somewhere, we feel like this is why we are doing this, we feel like there is nowhere we would rather be. We also meet our first other cross country cyclist, Brook and her friend Hillary (who is doing the last couple of days). They give us some fantastic advice about where to stay, what roads to avoid, and just offer some general encouragement.
Shortly after this, Cormac notices a horse looking right at a bird, and it looks like they are having a conversation, when he goes to point this out to Lindsey he accidently bumps into her, and sends her off a steep shoulder. Lindsey is fine, but her bike isn't so good. Her front wheel is facing the wrong direction, and her front break is all bent up. We put the wheel back in place easily enough, but when trying to bend the brake back into place, Cormac totally snaps it in half. It turns out Aluminum is not great for bending and rebending.
Shortly after this, we are able to flag down the nicest cop in Washington, who looks up the closest bike shop, and gets their number. Sadly, they are in Burlington about 45 miles in the direction where we just came from, and it is Sunday, so there are no buses running.
Just as Cormac and Lindsey are formulating a plan to bike to Concrete (the next town east), spend the night and catch a bus the next day. Stan, he guy who owns the land with the horses that like to talk to birds (they are not his horses, but it is his land), comes out, as he is closing his fence, Cormac asks him if he happens to be going to Burlington any time today. He says no, but when he hears about our plight, he offers us the brakes right off of his bike. Sadly they are too old for us, but he happily offers to take us out to Burlington. We have to rush out there to get there before the store closes at 5 (everything closes early on Sun. around here).
Stan takes us in the little camper that is on the back of his pick-up, and we get there just in time.
Even though the bike shop is booked with repairs until the 23rd (this must be a fringe benefit of being the only bike store in at least 45 miles), they immediately take our bike. They do have to root around for brakes, and though they are worried they might not have the brakes we need, they finally find some top of the line shimanos, and pop them on, and Re-true lindsey's tire, and basically give us another tune up for free, only charging 6$ for labor (I think they felt guilty that they only had really expensive brakes to sell us).
Feeling like we should celebrate the over coming of our first accident and the overwhelming kindness showed by Stan, Lindsey and Cormac go out for a nice dinner (we invited Stan, but he had to get back). We go to Train Wreck Bar in Burlington (google this place it is awesome) where Cormac gets a bacon burger with Calamari on it (awesome) and Lindsey gets a crabcake burger. DE-LIC-IOUS. We hang out at the bar, digest, and watch the Lakers win the playoffs.
We finally get back on the road and head a few miles to Sedro Woolley (which we had already been through earlier that day, before we had to be driven all the way back to Burlington), and stop at the campsite there, where we run into non other than Brook and Hillary. They share their spot with us (Camping again for free!) and then we go to a bar, where we play a game of pool, east-bound v. west-bound (east bound wins!).
Day 4 Part 1
Hillary and Brook cook us an awesome breakfast of eggs, peppers and garlic on bagels (with ham for Cormac) and we take them out for a cup of coffee before heading on our way. (my time is up on the public computer so I have to go, will finish later).
Well, it took longer to get going than we thought. We finally worked out a battery charger for Lindsey's phone, got some front racks for our bikes, met Cindy's awesome boyfriend Patrick, and biked up the steepest hill in seattle (good practice). We also bought our first set of groceries (20.40 for 2 days).
Cormac also decides to cut his hair a little shorter, and makes the grave mistake of asking Lindsey to help. In the end, Cormac decides to shave his head altogether.
Travel Day 1 6/12
Yay! We're on the road.
We get started at 9:30 AM, a little later than planned and head to Mukilteo (sp?) to catch a Ferry to Whidbey Island. Lindsey gets in touch with an old friend Sarah who had just moved back home to the Island, and we met up with her and her boyfriend Tucker.
We go to Sarah's parents' house which is about the most gorgeous spot ever. Sarah and Tucker are about to get married (good luck to you guys), and her mom is growing all the flowers and a lot of the food for their wedding, and the large garden's amidst the green rolling hills makes one want to kick up their feet and relax.
We continue to north on the Island and do our first night of camping at Fort Casey.
Did you know that it costs 14$ to camp at state camp grounds? We didn't.
Anyhow, we set up our tent all by ourselves, and Cormac builds a fire and grills some toast.
We biked ~40 miles (we hadn't gotten our odometers to work yet), and we felt pretty good to get going.
Day 2, Deception Pass and Heading East
The first stop of our day is Deception Pass, which our Seattle host, Cindy, said is one of the most gorgeous places in the world. Turns out she is right.
From the long bridge that connects whidbey Island to Anacortes you can see lush islands and steep cliffs and sail boats, and man was it gorgeous. We decide to stop and have lunch.
After some hemming and hawing we decide to walk our bikes on the sidewalks over the narrow bridges, and we finally hit root 20 and start going East (and get on our maps, which start in Anacortes).
We hit some minor hills and get to a camping ground in Bayview where we meet Nolan, a Biker (motorcyclist, that is) from B.C.. Nolan likes to do short tours and hit up campgrounds to build a fire for the night. He shares his camping space with us (and a couple of beers) for free. We wish that we could have hung out longer, but after watching the sunset over the pacific (bayview is well named) we are too pooped to stay up too late).
Day 3 Things get interesting
We get an early start, and we have got flat ground ahead of us and a tail wind and we feel great. We bike down the south skagit river highway, which has a river on one side and lush hills on the other, and huge trees completely covered in moss. We feel like we are getting somewhere, we feel like this is why we are doing this, we feel like there is nowhere we would rather be. We also meet our first other cross country cyclist, Brook and her friend Hillary (who is doing the last couple of days). They give us some fantastic advice about where to stay, what roads to avoid, and just offer some general encouragement.
Shortly after this, Cormac notices a horse looking right at a bird, and it looks like they are having a conversation, when he goes to point this out to Lindsey he accidently bumps into her, and sends her off a steep shoulder. Lindsey is fine, but her bike isn't so good. Her front wheel is facing the wrong direction, and her front break is all bent up. We put the wheel back in place easily enough, but when trying to bend the brake back into place, Cormac totally snaps it in half. It turns out Aluminum is not great for bending and rebending.
Shortly after this, we are able to flag down the nicest cop in Washington, who looks up the closest bike shop, and gets their number. Sadly, they are in Burlington about 45 miles in the direction where we just came from, and it is Sunday, so there are no buses running.
Just as Cormac and Lindsey are formulating a plan to bike to Concrete (the next town east), spend the night and catch a bus the next day. Stan, he guy who owns the land with the horses that like to talk to birds (they are not his horses, but it is his land), comes out, as he is closing his fence, Cormac asks him if he happens to be going to Burlington any time today. He says no, but when he hears about our plight, he offers us the brakes right off of his bike. Sadly they are too old for us, but he happily offers to take us out to Burlington. We have to rush out there to get there before the store closes at 5 (everything closes early on Sun. around here).
Stan takes us in the little camper that is on the back of his pick-up, and we get there just in time.
Even though the bike shop is booked with repairs until the 23rd (this must be a fringe benefit of being the only bike store in at least 45 miles), they immediately take our bike. They do have to root around for brakes, and though they are worried they might not have the brakes we need, they finally find some top of the line shimanos, and pop them on, and Re-true lindsey's tire, and basically give us another tune up for free, only charging 6$ for labor (I think they felt guilty that they only had really expensive brakes to sell us).
Feeling like we should celebrate the over coming of our first accident and the overwhelming kindness showed by Stan, Lindsey and Cormac go out for a nice dinner (we invited Stan, but he had to get back). We go to Train Wreck Bar in Burlington (google this place it is awesome) where Cormac gets a bacon burger with Calamari on it (awesome) and Lindsey gets a crabcake burger. DE-LIC-IOUS. We hang out at the bar, digest, and watch the Lakers win the playoffs.
We finally get back on the road and head a few miles to Sedro Woolley (which we had already been through earlier that day, before we had to be driven all the way back to Burlington), and stop at the campsite there, where we run into non other than Brook and Hillary. They share their spot with us (Camping again for free!) and then we go to a bar, where we play a game of pool, east-bound v. west-bound (east bound wins!).
Day 4 Part 1
Hillary and Brook cook us an awesome breakfast of eggs, peppers and garlic on bagels (with ham for Cormac) and we take them out for a cup of coffee before heading on our way. (my time is up on the public computer so I have to go, will finish later).
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Day 1: People are awesome
We woke up at 4 in the morning in salem, got a ride to the airport from bob (thanks so much Bob!), said a long prayer that they would ship our bike box, and our insanely packed sleeping bags and tent (imagine two sleeping bags and a tent wrapped in trash bags and tape).
We then flew, in about 8 hrs, what it will take us the rest of the summer to bike.
As some of you know, Cormac took a pretty big leap of faith and got his bike off of Craigslist in Seattle. We found this bike because it is the exact same color and model of Lindsey's bike, and we had sent him a picture of Lindsey on the bike. He in turn, offered to meet us at the airport with the bike. This kind of kindness was a little suspect, even for we who have a pretty great faith in human beings. But, there Ed was, with his adorable daughter, waiting at our baggage claim, with my bike (which was in far better shape than we ever could have hoped). Thank you so much ed, may your kindness and trustworthiness return to you 100 fold.
Alas, we did encounter a couple of snags. First and foremost. I lost my phone. Second, we found that the charger that we thought would work for Lindsey's phone (which hooks it up to our solar/crank radio, and juices the phone up) does not actually fit.
So there we are in the airport, without Cindy's number (the person who we are staying with in Seattle's number--we didn't have the # because it was in my phone) and with Lindsey's phone quickly running out of Juice. We try to remain calm and un-anxious.
Our plans to bike to cindy's (we at least have her adress and biking directions) are foiled by the fact that I can't replace the pedals on my new bike (they require cleats that i dont have). The people at the baggage claim kindly lend me what tools they have, but without a long crescent wrench we are out of luck. So we take a taxi to the bike store that cindy recommended (wrightbrotherscycleworks.com), having gotten their adress out of the yellow pages. The cabi is about the nicest guy in the world, and doesnt charge us extra though we initially gave him the wrong adress. Seeing as he took us off the meter, he also gives us a brief tour of Seattle, where he has been cabbying for years. He drops us off, at which point we are still unaware of the level of kindness this man is capable of.
We go to the bikestore and drop off our bike, they say they can get to it by tomorrow, but the good word that the owner gives us, after discoursing on Cormac's namesake (google Cormac's encyclopedia, it's really cool), they figure they can fit us in.
We walk around town, have lunch, try to figure out where the Verizon store is, and just generally chill. We also try to figure out how to get in touch with Cindy. We have will (thank you will) leave a facebook message to call Lindsey's phone.
We find that the Verizon store is a bit of a walk, so we go to see if we can leave our bags at the bike store. While Lindsey goes into the bike store, the cabby, who had dropped us off about 2 hrs ago at the bike store, pulls up, and beckons Cormac over. It turns out, we had left 120$ in the cab by accident, and the next rider had found it, and given it to him. He came all the way back to the bike store (he is a cabby that works at the airport which is about 20 miles away) to give us our money. Cormac gives him an enormous thank you, and says "God Bless." The man smiles and hands Cormac a blank CD, but shyly says not to look at it until he is gone. After he drives off, Cormac flips looks at the CD, and finds that it is a recording of him singing the Q'aran.
It turns out that the people at the bike store are already done with Lindsey's bike, and Lindsey is discovering that she is short of cash, just as Cormac walks in with an enormous grin on his face. Everyone is very happy and moved at the bike store. Long conversations about our trip and the kindness of strangers ensues.
We get ready to bike to the verizon store, and spend a frustratingly long time figuring out how to work our panniers. Lindsey finally figures out how to get them to stay on, and we struggle through seattle rush hour traffic to the Verizon store, where we discover that any new phone we would get would not fit the charging adapter that plugs into our solar/crank radio. Everyone is very nice there, though, and gives us water. We decide to high tail it back to Cindy's (still not having gotten in touch with her) before it gets dark.
She is, very happily home, and also seems to have become a bike expert since the last time we hung out. She is very helpful, and we go out for Gelato. Her apartment is great, her street is great, and she is great. We talk about how to get to Anacortes (that is where our bike maps start), and Cormac and her shoot the stuff regarding their time at Tassajara together.
Cormac and Lindsey then crash like a T conducter using their cell phones.
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