Second rest day tomorrow; 7 riding days down, 33 to go.
Apparently when you live in the Northern parts of the US, you have NO IDEA what REAL HEAT is. Lucky for me, I've grown up in Louisiana all my life and then proceeded to go to college in Washington, DC; both places full of heat and full of humidity. It definitely came in handy the past few days.
Day 6: Spokane to Sandpoint
After a full day of rest, we were ready to roll into our SECOND STATE! We were on our way to IDAHO..woo hoo. I believed the only thing worth anything in Idaho were there sacks of potatoes, but apparently my misconceptions have come back to haunt me once again. Idaho was marvelous! We spent most of our time riding along the Pend Orielle River, a river made from glaciers! It was absolutely breathtaking. The water was so clear, we could see the fish swimming in it. We could see the snow caps in the background and with every wind in the road, there was a new breathtaking showcase to uphold. I could hardly believe my eyes. It felt like I should have been in the islands in the middle of the Pacific, not the panhandle of Idaho (there's a state with a panhandle other than Florida? Who knew?)
All in all, a spectacular ride.
Since it was Saturday evening and we would be riding all day Sunday, we decided to try and catch the vigil mass. The mass was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. The priest's homily was a story about their lives and the struggle they went through in order to pass Christ's message to others. I thought if they can go through all the pain and suffering they endured, I can surely take a little knee and bum pain in order to make it across the US.
Upon returning to camp, the boys on the trip had decided to play a little trick on us. Our bikes were hung up in the tree with rope. Rachel had to climb the tree and use her super dooper camping awesomeness knife to cut the bikes down. Revenge will be sweet, boys, that's all I have to say about that.
Day 7: Sandpoint, ID to Thompson Falls, MT
Hills, hills, hills...I've never seen so many in one day. Scenery was gorgeous once again. We were warned we may see moose, but I wasn't so lucky. I did, however, have a close encounter with a deer. it sprinted across the highway right in front on me! A bike on deer collision was avoided, but it would have been a cool story to get road rash from Bambi.
By the time Letty and I were riding the last 13 miles, I thought I would not be able to make it. I really should have made another peanut butter and jelly sandwich!
Luckily, I did make it, and I lived to see another day.
Oh, and we made it to our third state...and switched time zones. This may be my first time in the mountain time zone...so weird!
Upon arriving at camp, Letty and I decided to go for a swim. We walked down to the water and started making our way in. The water was so cold, I instantly got chill bumps upon taking a step in. Can't say it was a bad way to cool off in the 105 degree heat though.
When we were walking back to camp, the ride leader yelled at one of our support vehicles to let us into the car. There was a mama bear and her cub back at camp, and we could have been bear bait if we continued walking down the path. Saved once again by our support vehicles - magicians in disguise.
The forecast insinuated the temperature would reach around 105 the following day, so we were given the option to skip breakfast and start early. Considering we're broke college graduates, we decided to bear the heat and take in the breakfast.
Day 6: Thompson Falls to Missoula
BREAKFAST WAS AMAZING! All those riders who woke up 4AM in order to beat the heat really missed out.
Today was the first day we were required to ride 100 miles. I decided to bang it out as quickly as possible, and made it to our stop before most of the riders.
Unfortunately, because I had ridden ahead, I had no clue Rachel was lagging behind. I got to camp and was told Rachel was truly in pain. I found out later she was having symptoms of heat exhaustion and at one point was thinking of getting a ride into camp. Letty, being the amazing friend and person that she is, stuck with her and then gave her a 5-hour energy supplement. Next thing you know, Rachel was back on the bike and making her way to Missoula.
We three successfully completed a century; we have entered a category of 1% of 1% of the US population...that's pretty darn cool.
Missoula rest day tomorrow; wonder what's in store.
Yay Big Ride!
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
The varied topography of Washington State
If there is a perfect way to see the state of Washington, riding on a bike would be it. In the past few days, I've seen mountains, hills, plains, farmland, desert, rock formations, and forests. I have spent miles riding along the Columbia River, hearing the gentle roll of the cool water, and I have spent miles seeing nothing but desert brush. I had NO CLUE Washington State was so beautiful.
This trip is not only allowing me to see the beauty on the ground, but I have spent much time in reflection. Sometimes it gets so quiet that I could hear the leaves whistling in the wind and the the electricity buzzing in the lines. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. I thank God every time I get a tailwind, every time a get a downhill, and every time I sleep in a tent with no rain.
There is something so peaceful about living a life so simply. We sleep in tents, use no motors to get from one point to another, and have very limited to cell access wherever we go. It's really nice stepping away from the TV, cell phone, traffic, and hectic schedule kept by a job seeking babysitter in cycling training.
The trip is not all peachy keen though. Our bums are sore and we had lots of wind on second night, so it was hard to sleep. We get unlimited PB&Js to munch on throughout the day, and sometimes that just doesn't hit the spot. Tan lines are already getting pretty ridiculous; I have one on the middle of each thigh and it looks like I'm wearing my sunglasses even when I take them off. I guess it will only get more interesting from here.
Today, on the ride from Odessa to Spokane, I took my first spill. Letty put me on camera duty for the day. I wanted to get a picture of the Odessa sign, but I didn't want to stop, so I pulled the camera out while riding. I needed to slow down, so I reached for the brake with my left hand. Next thing I know, I flipped over my handle bars, Letty and her bike fly over me. I came away fine, just a few scratches on my shine and bruises up and down my left leg. I thought I had given Letty a concussion because she came up grabbing the side of her face. She got a little scratched on her shoulder and her cheek, but no broken bones, so our first crash together was a pretty tame one. CRISIS AVERTED.
The group is coming together smoothly. Each night is spent having a couple beers and sharing life stories. There is such a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds. I couldn't imagine having a more perfect dynamic, from the 19-year-old gal doing the ride alone to the 67-year-old doctor doing it with his niece. This group is perfection!
All in all, life is good, I'm only slightly sore, and I think I can make the little over 3,000 miles left.
YAY BIG RIDE ACROSS AMERICA!
This trip is not only allowing me to see the beauty on the ground, but I have spent much time in reflection. Sometimes it gets so quiet that I could hear the leaves whistling in the wind and the the electricity buzzing in the lines. This has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life. I thank God every time I get a tailwind, every time a get a downhill, and every time I sleep in a tent with no rain.
There is something so peaceful about living a life so simply. We sleep in tents, use no motors to get from one point to another, and have very limited to cell access wherever we go. It's really nice stepping away from the TV, cell phone, traffic, and hectic schedule kept by a job seeking babysitter in cycling training.
The trip is not all peachy keen though. Our bums are sore and we had lots of wind on second night, so it was hard to sleep. We get unlimited PB&Js to munch on throughout the day, and sometimes that just doesn't hit the spot. Tan lines are already getting pretty ridiculous; I have one on the middle of each thigh and it looks like I'm wearing my sunglasses even when I take them off. I guess it will only get more interesting from here.
Today, on the ride from Odessa to Spokane, I took my first spill. Letty put me on camera duty for the day. I wanted to get a picture of the Odessa sign, but I didn't want to stop, so I pulled the camera out while riding. I needed to slow down, so I reached for the brake with my left hand. Next thing I know, I flipped over my handle bars, Letty and her bike fly over me. I came away fine, just a few scratches on my shine and bruises up and down my left leg. I thought I had given Letty a concussion because she came up grabbing the side of her face. She got a little scratched on her shoulder and her cheek, but no broken bones, so our first crash together was a pretty tame one. CRISIS AVERTED.
The group is coming together smoothly. Each night is spent having a couple beers and sharing life stories. There is such a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds. I couldn't imagine having a more perfect dynamic, from the 19-year-old gal doing the ride alone to the 67-year-old doctor doing it with his niece. This group is perfection!
All in all, life is good, I'm only slightly sore, and I think I can make the little over 3,000 miles left.
YAY BIG RIDE ACROSS AMERICA!
First Day of Riding...Seattle to Easton
Waking up at 5AM has never been a high priority of mine, but you do what you have to do in order to get our ride on. Getting onto the bike for the first time since DC was a little interesting, but I got the hang of it in the the first half mile.
The start of the ride was celebrated by presenting a check to members of the American Lung Association. Riders as a whole raised over $250,000 for lung research, cancer prevention and treatment. Even if I never made it one mile, it would be worth the trip seeing how grateful these individuals are.
We shot out of Seattle on the Burke Gilman Trail - similar to trails in DC, so I was ready to roll. Then the climb came - climbing the Cascades via Snoqualmie Pass. Riders from last year's ride rode with us today; they were a large help in calming nerves and answering questions. If I ever thought I couldn't make it all the way until DC, I now have full confidence I can make it through no problem. Apparently last year, there was some 65-year-old woman who had only ridden her bike 40 miles total before doing the ride. If she can make it, so can I.
I had a little bit of trouble climbing the long climb, but after a few pointers from seasoned riders, I made it to the Summit. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! There was snow on the ground! I could hardly believe it. Three days previous, I was standing in 101 degree weather in the humidity of DC; now I was at the top of a mountain in the middle of Washington State. I could hardly believe my eyes.
All downhill until we reached camp and set up our tents for the first time on the trip. I FINALLY figured out how to put the fly on my tent, so no more worries in that department. The riders from last year cooked dinner for us. Their company and fond memories gave this year's riders just the inspiration and excitement we needed on the first day of riding.
89 miles....done.
The start of the ride was celebrated by presenting a check to members of the American Lung Association. Riders as a whole raised over $250,000 for lung research, cancer prevention and treatment. Even if I never made it one mile, it would be worth the trip seeing how grateful these individuals are.
We shot out of Seattle on the Burke Gilman Trail - similar to trails in DC, so I was ready to roll. Then the climb came - climbing the Cascades via Snoqualmie Pass. Riders from last year's ride rode with us today; they were a large help in calming nerves and answering questions. If I ever thought I couldn't make it all the way until DC, I now have full confidence I can make it through no problem. Apparently last year, there was some 65-year-old woman who had only ridden her bike 40 miles total before doing the ride. If she can make it, so can I.
I had a little bit of trouble climbing the long climb, but after a few pointers from seasoned riders, I made it to the Summit. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! There was snow on the ground! I could hardly believe it. Three days previous, I was standing in 101 degree weather in the humidity of DC; now I was at the top of a mountain in the middle of Washington State. I could hardly believe my eyes.
All downhill until we reached camp and set up our tents for the first time on the trip. I FINALLY figured out how to put the fly on my tent, so no more worries in that department. The riders from last year cooked dinner for us. Their company and fond memories gave this year's riders just the inspiration and excitement we needed on the first day of riding.
89 miles....done.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
First Meeting...First Jitters...First Day Tomorrow
OK, so I managed to survive a 6.5 hour plane ride, meet tons of relatives I never knew existed, and survived the Seattle tourist sites for a day.
And so it begins...
5PM: First time meeting all the riders. There are two middle aged couples who have done the ride before and loved it so much, they decided to do it again. That's a pretty good sign that this is going to be an awesome trip.
Oh, and Rachel, Letty, and I aren't going to be the only silly college kids on the ride. There are four fellow collegiates and one collegiate on staff. I'm hoping that will ensure less "Oh, those silly girls again" comments.
First meeting and other riders already labeled me as one of the "personalities" aka troublemakers. That comes when you have a very small filter from your head to your mouth. I'm one of those cursed people. One of the riders asked about bathroom stops along the way. The leader explained there are going to be long stretches in the Midwest where no facilities will be available, and we will simply use the side of the road. I simply asked if the farmers were appreciative of our "natural fertilizer" and was labled the clown. I still think it's a legitimate question.
Tomorrow is a 77 mile ride east from Seattle to Easton, Washington. It is apparently a pretty "easy ride" for the first 60 miles, but then I nice 15 mile climb through the Cascades. No biggie, right? Umm...considering I saw snow on the mountaintops when I flew in yesterday, I'm hoping a positive spirit will push me through a cold, hard, hilly ride. Lord, please help us all finish this ride.
On that note, I think it is time for me to head off to bed. I do have to get up at 5:30 in the morning and all.
Good nite to all...WISH ME LUCK!
And so it begins...
5PM: First time meeting all the riders. There are two middle aged couples who have done the ride before and loved it so much, they decided to do it again. That's a pretty good sign that this is going to be an awesome trip.
Oh, and Rachel, Letty, and I aren't going to be the only silly college kids on the ride. There are four fellow collegiates and one collegiate on staff. I'm hoping that will ensure less "Oh, those silly girls again" comments.
First meeting and other riders already labeled me as one of the "personalities" aka troublemakers. That comes when you have a very small filter from your head to your mouth. I'm one of those cursed people. One of the riders asked about bathroom stops along the way. The leader explained there are going to be long stretches in the Midwest where no facilities will be available, and we will simply use the side of the road. I simply asked if the farmers were appreciative of our "natural fertilizer" and was labled the clown. I still think it's a legitimate question.
Tomorrow is a 77 mile ride east from Seattle to Easton, Washington. It is apparently a pretty "easy ride" for the first 60 miles, but then I nice 15 mile climb through the Cascades. No biggie, right? Umm...considering I saw snow on the mountaintops when I flew in yesterday, I'm hoping a positive spirit will push me through a cold, hard, hilly ride. Lord, please help us all finish this ride.
On that note, I think it is time for me to head off to bed. I do have to get up at 5:30 in the morning and all.
Good nite to all...WISH ME LUCK!
Friday, June 20, 2008
I'm Leaving Tomorrow
The past six months have been very interesting. I now officially a Catholic University of America alum, with honors, and unemployed. No big deal, right? So instead of sending another resume and being given the whole "You're over educated and under experienced" spill again, come Monday I will begin my journey from Seattle to DC atop a bicycle. How'd did this happen? I continue to ask myself that same question every now and then.
Am I an experienced biker? No.
Did I train for months and months to build up? Unfortunately, not as much as I should (Hey, senior week activities including free food and booze were mandatory, right?) Don't get me wrong; I didn't completely ignore the fact I would be going and going for 48 days. I rode a little here and a little there - my longest day right under 70 miles. Maybe I should have put in a few more weeks and effort into, but I'm 22. I'll catch on right?
So, what did I do to prepare? I begged. Almost every person in my life was hit up for money (had to raise $5,500 for the American Lung Association, and what recent college grad do you know with that kind of disposable income...NONE), I had to get camping gear and riding gear. Oh yeah, and I had to get a bike!
Luckily I had a sister who randomly won a bike from her company for a job well done. Was this a custom-made road bike suggested for a ride of this magnitude? Nope! It was a hybrid, slightly rusty from a year of being kept in a garage, and completely awkward when I first got on top of it, but it would do. Hard to turn down free, right?
How did I get it? Oh, my boyfriend and I just drove 10 hours to Nashville (where my sister lives) and turned around at 3AM in order to get him back for his last final as an undergrad. Totally makes sense right?
Bike: check.
Money, money, money. I HATE asking people for money, but it wasn't going to appear any other way. The three happy hours we (the two fabulous young ladies who will be experiencing this adventure with me) put on were not quite as successful as we hoped for. Luckily my family and the wonderful people God surrounds me with pulled through, and their support verbally and monetarily set me up for success.
Money: check.
When signing up for this ride around Christmas, I didn't realize the thousands of dollars worth of gear I would need in order to survive in nature for 48 days. There were spare parts, biking jerseys, bike shorts (don't even get me STARTED on those interesting tight numbers with the pads that make your rear absolutely ridiculous), spare tires, rain gear, cold gear, special shoes and socks, a tent, waterproof EVERYTHING, etc. etc. etc.
How did I manage in that department? I just happend to have a friend who is OBSESSED with the outdoors and was willing to depart with his beloved camp gear for two months. I just happened to be really good friends with the son of the VP for Under Armour who was willing to throw me some coldgear and rain gear to keep me warm and dry during cold, wet, miserable days. I just happened to have a sister who willingly opened her pockets in order for me to get the final pieces neccessary to survive. I just happened to have many answered prayers and many miracles from the one above.
Gear: check.
Many worries and a couple of complete meltdowns later, I am geared up, shaped up, and as prepared as I can be to begin this crazy adventure. No turning back now!
Am I an experienced biker? No.
Did I train for months and months to build up? Unfortunately, not as much as I should (Hey, senior week activities including free food and booze were mandatory, right?) Don't get me wrong; I didn't completely ignore the fact I would be going and going for 48 days. I rode a little here and a little there - my longest day right under 70 miles. Maybe I should have put in a few more weeks and effort into, but I'm 22. I'll catch on right?
So, what did I do to prepare? I begged. Almost every person in my life was hit up for money (had to raise $5,500 for the American Lung Association, and what recent college grad do you know with that kind of disposable income...NONE), I had to get camping gear and riding gear. Oh yeah, and I had to get a bike!
Luckily I had a sister who randomly won a bike from her company for a job well done. Was this a custom-made road bike suggested for a ride of this magnitude? Nope! It was a hybrid, slightly rusty from a year of being kept in a garage, and completely awkward when I first got on top of it, but it would do. Hard to turn down free, right?
How did I get it? Oh, my boyfriend and I just drove 10 hours to Nashville (where my sister lives) and turned around at 3AM in order to get him back for his last final as an undergrad. Totally makes sense right?
Bike: check.
Money, money, money. I HATE asking people for money, but it wasn't going to appear any other way. The three happy hours we (the two fabulous young ladies who will be experiencing this adventure with me) put on were not quite as successful as we hoped for. Luckily my family and the wonderful people God surrounds me with pulled through, and their support verbally and monetarily set me up for success.
Money: check.
When signing up for this ride around Christmas, I didn't realize the thousands of dollars worth of gear I would need in order to survive in nature for 48 days. There were spare parts, biking jerseys, bike shorts (don't even get me STARTED on those interesting tight numbers with the pads that make your rear absolutely ridiculous), spare tires, rain gear, cold gear, special shoes and socks, a tent, waterproof EVERYTHING, etc. etc. etc.
How did I manage in that department? I just happend to have a friend who is OBSESSED with the outdoors and was willing to depart with his beloved camp gear for two months. I just happened to be really good friends with the son of the VP for Under Armour who was willing to throw me some coldgear and rain gear to keep me warm and dry during cold, wet, miserable days. I just happened to have a sister who willingly opened her pockets in order for me to get the final pieces neccessary to survive. I just happened to have many answered prayers and many miracles from the one above.
Gear: check.
Many worries and a couple of complete meltdowns later, I am geared up, shaped up, and as prepared as I can be to begin this crazy adventure. No turning back now!
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