'Nuf Said: Sunday 7:15 p.m.

In The Dalles. How is it where you are?

Beating the Heat

Left Hood River at 7 a.m. to get a jump on the temperature. Yielded to good judgment at 10 and reserved a motel room for 2 days in The Dalles. Time for rest, layover, air conditioning, and waiting out some killer heat.

Hood River #2

Pizza and beer, and fascinating conversation with young scientists studying picas. Coprophagia -- look that up. Eat moss in the Gorge, and they die after 2 hrs. if temp is 70 degrees or higher. Our global warming canaries in the coal mine.

Hood River #1

Pizza and beer with old family friend.

Columbia Gorge bike trail(s)

One of my goals was to push myself harder than I do in normal life. Mission accomplished.

There are some great sections of bike trail along the Gorge, the historical highway not even available to cars. Some connections still to be completed. A set of stairs that have tire ramps for wheeling bikes, which I've only heard of in Europe. Pretty cool.

~ Carol

Five days in

Today is my first wifi connection since we started. Steamy Hood River, waiting to meet the crew and some friends for dinner.

My earlier post failed to get the captions I printed for each picture. Don't know what went wrong.

It's hot here, and we're expecting temps into the 100's for the next few days. We'll do our best with early starts and short days. Today we truly lucked out with the hospitality of someone we haven't met...a friend of a friend who owed a "big time" favor. Hope someday we can "pay it forward" in a similar fashion. Coming on towards July 4th, it may become harder to find reasonably priced accommodations, and it may become more important to be indoors.

I'm feeling stronger than the 2nd and 3rd days, but those were longer mileage and hard hills. Each day has had some magic and incredible beauty, as well as some "just get through it" mileage. Today we slogged it out on 15 miles of I-84. Actually slogged is the wrong word, I just pedaled like crazy to get back to a sane and quiet road, so really pushed the pedals. Sight seeing another time.

Looks like my opportunities to post are infrequent, but will write when I can.
~ Carol

Multnomah Falls

Today was much better for the intrepid cyclists. 28.7 miles. Yesterday was 51.4 difficult miles including many hills. In fact they were grateful for the car this morning to haul their gear up the impossibly steep mile out of the Oxbow Park campground. Day before was long and tough as well: 53 miles along the beautiful Nestucca valley. Very steep to the 2000 foot summit of the coastal range. I don't know how they do it.

Margaret

Four days in, all is well.

Our nice rental house, the "last supper" before pedaling off.

Our launch from Netarts Bay  (a mile or two from the open ocean)

Waterfall near first night's camp, Alder Glen

Crown Point Vista overlooking Columbia River Gorge

Historic Vista House at Crown Point

Fwd: Multi-nomuh

Rob's artistic view of the falls.

Campground Connections

I fell in love with this group of foster kids shortly after arriving at our campsite. Later I helped the other lad get his violin in tune. Later still I encouraged him to play his Suzuki tunes for the others. Made me think about putting a sign on the car for free violin lessons.

Ready for Day 2

Camped in the rain at Alder Glen by a waterfall on the Nestucca River. So many textures of green in this rain forest. Beautiful cycling road and I got a 45 minute walk after the bikes left. Now we are over the coastal range, looking for groceries in Carlton, home of the Barking Frog winery among many other wineries.

We're off!

Departure time is here!
We've packed and reviewed all our gear.
From ocean to ocean
We've all got this notion
To cycle and be of good cheer.

Tillamook Cheese Factory

Happy tourists together before a tearful goodbye, as Russ goes back to home and work.

Thanks...

Thanks for the warm hugs, boosting us bicyclists.  Here's to giraffes, few jackals, and good rain for the garden keepers.    ~Perry

Bend Sendoff

Last night there was a Festa Americana to celebrate our friends' visitors from Italy. When we got up to go home (way too early by Italian standards), people stood up to hug us goodbye, until it was almost a receiving line. I'll carry in my heart the many good wishes we received, and know that love is traveling with us. Thank you, grazie, ti amo.

Uncertainty

It's a rocky time right now at this house in Edmonds. I'm so uncertain about whether or not I'm going to be able to  ride from Montana onward. My gut says "no", and that is deeply disappointing personally. I have done so much inner and outer work to get prepared and geared up. It's also disappointing publicly as so many people have given love, support, advice, and encouragement to help me on my way. I was a mess this morning, grieving and conflicted as I tried to sort through and pack up my panniers for the trip with so many unknowns. Working on inner emotional "wiring" that makes me believe that I have to present myself as either smart and funny or else invisible to get along in this world. So daunting to think I'll show up to this group of cyclists who ARE all geared up positively to start riding across the country, and bring this basket of needs and uncertainties. I got through this week at work by acting philosophical and accepting of whichever path I end up taking. But I HATE not knowing, and would almost rather just decide not to bring my bike, just in order to have SOME decision.

I will have clearer direction in a week, as I'm driving the sag wagon and finally able to communicate with my surgeon. The question now is whether riding too soon, despite pain & discomfort, will interfere with full healing and possibly increase the scar from the incision. Which would make future cycling difficult. Maybe this ride for me needs to happen next year. 

Meanwhile, I'm packed and ready to drive the car with my bike & panniers (36 lbs. not counting bike), plus some walking shoes and a few paperback books to pass the time as I wait for my cyclists to ride their daily miles. And I will have at least a month of vacation, which will be good for my spirits. I expect happier posts once we get rolling.

Roll 'em

After much planning and training, I'm so ready to roll starting Tuesday, yay! Slide my gear photo stuff into the bags and off we go. Thanks team for all the co-work to make this a reality.

~Perry

Good luck charm

From one of my wonderful neighbors...
~ Carol

No Muss No Fuss

I also got the "no muss, no fuss" haircut last week. Less shampoo to carry!
~ Carol

A Lot Less Helmet Hair

Taking a positive step, hoping to spend the summer on a bike under a helmet.

Time to Shed Some Locks

Side Trip to Surgery

A cyst where a cyclist must straddle
Made it hard to spend time in the saddle.
   I thought it behooved
   Me to have it removed,
Before it came time to skedaddle.
--------------------
The bump on my sit-upon is gone.
I'll be back in the saddle anon.
   I'll thank Dr. Millie
   O'er miles flat and hilly
As I cycle in comfort. Ride on!
--------------------
(two weeks later....)

But how does one measure "anon"?
That recovery estimate's long gone.
   It's healing too slow!
   Yet we're scheduled to go,
And I can't ride a bike yet. Doggone!
--------------------
(a few days later...)

A kind couple in our new clan
Proposed the following plan:
   Why don't I drive
   Until we arrive
In Montana? Car/bike caravan!

'Twould return their parked car to trip's end,
And give me three weeks more to mend.
   And so it was moved;
   The new plan was approved.
I'm quite grateful the planning could bend.

Nice overnight

Chimney Rock, BLM campground on the Crooked River. Entertainment committee included bald eagle, blue heron, an owl, bats, many songbirds...and an all-night cricket.

On this perfect-weather, no-car ride, one result leads us to investigate why bikes shimmy. As one might expect, it's widely discussed on the Internet.

~ Carol

'S Wonderful

Many folks approach me now with questions about how long until we leave. The answer is usually followed by their enthusiastic assurance that I'm going to have just a Wonderful Time and So Much Fun. I'm starting to feel like a static object for their projections, when I'm actually on a roller coaster of emotions as departure nears.

Two weeks ago I felt frightened, frustrated, and furious that I'm the only one in our group with no bike touring-and-camping experience on which to base a visualization of my needs and what I should bring. Today I've been feeling sad that I'm leaving home, friends, job, familiar roles and routines that I like. Lurking deep are tears of gratitude and joy for the opportunity to realize a lifelong dream. Who knows what I'll feel tomorrow?

What is clear to me is that people close to me need assurance that I'll share my experiences with them, that I will keep in touch, and that I will return. Perhaps they want support in considering the idea that they, too, might take a risk someday to make a dream come true. What I appreciate most are those who ask how I'm feeling and leave room for the answer, instead of shoveling on more 'S Wonderful stuff that buries the real Margaret.

Maybe I will have a jolly good time. I hope so!