Arrived at U of Wash Huskyland

Today we arrived in Seattle and checked into the dorm we are staying at for the next couple nights at U of Wash. Saturday, we will need to transfer to another dorm just a couple buildings away to join the others of the tour there. We met one other biker that came in today, Bob Winkel, from Waupun, WI....the town Julie and I lived in when first married and before we moved to MI. A few other tour guys are here in the dorm also....the ones that drove the gear truck and mobile kitchen and one of the CRWRC vans.

Julie and I took a 3 hour tour of the city with a guide to hit the high points. We saw various neighborhoods, the Pike St. Market, waterfront, downtown buildings, fishing terminal, Sleepless in Seattle houseboat, locks and fish ladders, and a history lesson from a good guide. The city is very scrunched together, as there is only so much real estate, being surrounded by water and mountains. The real estate is very expensive and the homes have very small lots. There is very little lawn mowing needed here. Today is was cool, in the 60s, but mostly sunny. We had a partial look at Mt. Rainer today and could see the middle section, but not the bottom or top. Apparently there are few days to see it all clearly.

Tomorrow, we plan to return to the Pike Street Market area and walk around and have some fresh seafood for lunch. There are a lot of bikers in Seattle and maybe tomorrow I will get my bike out and see if Bob Winkel wants to go for a ride. Also, a lot of people will be arriving via flights tomorrow and will be shuttled to the campus here. Maybe there is something we can help out with tomorrow and tomorrow night.
That's it for now.
Love, P & J

Almost there!!

Today we put on another 715 miles and made it to Ellensburg WA. We are less than 2 hours from Seattle now. We went through some very long, narrow canyon roads today in MT, ID and open plateaus in WA. Most of the mountain streams and rivers are quite high and fast as there is a lot of snow melt coming from the peaks. All the major mountain ranges that we have passed yesterday and today, the Big Horns, Crazies, Rockies, and Cascades all have a lot on snow on the peaks for this time of year. At one time we had considered going up to Glacier Natl Park on our way, but ruled it out on account of distance and time. Well, at breakfast this morning a couple told us they had just come from there and the "Going to the Sun Road" is not open all the way through the park because of snow and they could only go part way and then had to turn around. So, we are not feeling as bad about not being able to do it.
Today it hit both of us, as to how long we have been sitting and riding in the truck to get to Seattle, and that now the tour will be doing this on BIKE and even longer than MI to WA. That is sobering and scary. We will just need to focus on one day, the next camp at a time.
Today we are thankful for the beautiful country that God has given us and the opportunity to participate in this adventure.
P & J

Big Sky Country

We put in a big day today. Left Sioux City IA at about 8:00 EDT and stopped tonight in Billings MT, a 819 mile day. Today we saw a lot of wide open country in SD and WY. We saw lots of antelope and a few mule deer. Tomorrow will bring new and beautiful scenery, after Bozeman MT, as we have never gone through the part of the country beyond Bozeman. I have been to the Bozeman area a couple times elk hunting.
Love to all....
P & J

Seattle or Bust!!

This is really happening!!
We left home about 7:00 this morning and drove til about 7:30 tonight. We made it to Sioux City, IA, 690 miles. We kind of putted along at 65 MPH to conserve on petrol. Gas is cheaper in IA... I paid $3.77 (am I really saying $3.77 is a bargain??) for 89 octane, which was cheaper than 87 octane. Go figure. E85 is cheaper yet...$2 something a gallon. We had a stopage on I-80 about an hour west of Chicago. Traffic both ways came to a complete stop and everyone was out of their vehicles looking up the road ahead. I had my binocs along and could see about a mile ahead that at least 2 semi trailers were overturned and one was burning. After sitting there about 1/2 hour, I cut thru the median grass and backtracked about 3 miles to an alternate route and bypassed the accident scene. Traffic was backed up for miles. Tomorrow we plan to make into MT, maybe around Bozeman....we'll see.

Sunday afternoon I got a bike ride in with my grandson, Tyler, and Pete Drost. Tyler is planning to join me from Grand Haven to GR when the tour bikes through West Michigan and Pete Drost also plans to ride along with the tour sometime in West Michigan.

That's it for now. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.
P & J

Patience Tested

Well, this past week sure did not go the way the training schedule and packing schedule were layed out. It started with 5+ inches of rain overnight on Saturday night that caused some flooding in our finished basement. It was limited to one bedroom, closet, and bath and did not harm the walls, just carpet soaked. But, took time to move all the furniture out, wet vac out the water and try to dry it all out. We ended up having the carpet sanitized and professionally cleaned and have a couple industrial blowers going all weekend and a dehumidifier going all the time. Can't wait for the next electric bill.

Then, on Tuesday night, I came down with something. My body just ached, stomach was rumbling, and had to lie down to keep it together. I missed work on Wednesday, made it back to work for Thurday, and then the bug hit again on Friday and I stayed home from work again and missed a golf outing on Saturday. Bummer!!

So, I not only lost valuable training time and packing time, I now need to recoup some lost strength.

I'm having one of the Spirit's fruits tested.

My 1st "Century"

I managed to complete my first 100 miles bike ride...though not without a battle against heat, humidity, and wind. I biked in the Grand 100 for the 1st time on June 7. The tour route was described as having gentle rolling hills. Well, the person that wrote that was probably riding the route in a car! It was a very pretty route and the hills I am talking about are out in the orchards near the Sparta area and Dale Sprick's buffalo. They may be gentle and they may be rolling, but they were also quite a challenge in the humidity.

I made a mistake on the route and followed the wrong group of riders and missed the turn for the upper loop that makes the course 100 miles. I ended up finishing on the 65 mile loop route. So, I packed up my bike, rode home, jumped back on the bike and put another 35 miles on in Allegan County. By that time it was the hottest part of the day and I needed to stop about 3 times to rest up and cool down. On my second stop, I layed down on the front lawn of the Benthiem elementary school, in the shade of a small maple tree. It was breezy and the shade helped cool me down and I think I even dozed off a minute.....only to be waken by someone calling out...."You ok?...you ok?". I looked up and it was one of Allegan County's finest, getting out of his cruiser and coming toward me!! I assured him I was ok, just resting, and thanked him for checking. It must have been my crimson face that called his attention to me.

Anyway, I completed my first 100 mile day/ride!! Now I know how much pain will be coming in Iowa, when we face 3 consecutive days of 100+ miles in the middle of the summer.