A Century! That's 100 miles.

Ev and I finally rode in a century (and finished it).

We rode the Lighthouse Century starting in San Luis Obisbo in an up and back route to Piedras Blancas Lighthouse. We have not been riding a lot and we could have opted for the Metric Century (66 miles). We had to decide at 36 miles but felt good enough to keep going. It was unseasonably hot and the last 20 miles were pretty tough. There were many tandems which was nice to see.

We stayed at the Bridge Creek Inn, a great two room bed and breakfast located in the Edna Valley.

I would like to do a couple more next year. Maybe Solvang or Palm Springs.

Photo of the week

Rob submitted one of our photos to Adventure Cycling's photo of the week and they chose it! Check it out: photo

So as this is a photo of the of the week our photo is now not the first one you see when you open the page. You can hit previous photo and eventually see ours.

Pictures of our trip

It has taken a while, but here are some photos of our trip. There are a lot of them! We did lose most of our photos from Vancouver and the days following. We tried three different recovery programs but we now know that we should have bought a new SD card as soon as we realized the ones were lost.

There were so many memorable moments on the ride, but it seems that the ones we talk about the most are the whales at San Juan Island, the kayaking (also on San Juan), and our stay at Heceta Head Lighthouse.

It has been rough getting back to reality ( & work). We have not ridden much since the trip. We are signed up for a century ride in late September, so we better get riding.

Eugene, OR

Sitting just across from the train station having beers waiting for the train. The bikes are boxed up in baggage. Nothing to do but enjoy the sunshine and blog.

A seven course breakfast that lasted 1 1/2 hours. It was grand. Fresh fruit, egg dishes, smoked salmon, chocolate-hazelnut-butter and cheese blintzes were just some of the dishes we enjoyed at the lighthouse. Eleven of us shared the food and conversation. For once, our bike trip did not dominate the discussion and nobody said (out loud) that we were crazy. Before breakfast Ev and I walked down to the beach. It was low tide and we explored the tide pools.

Right after the lighthouse was a pretty good hill and tunnel. We are getting pretty good at the Oregon tunnel thing. Push the button warning cars that you are in there. Take one last look for oncoming RV's or logging trucks and then pedal like crazy. When cars are in the tunnel, the sound is deafing. When empty it's an eerie silence.

After a 13 mile ride we met up with Doug in Florence. He camped a Jessie Honeyman with another large group of bikers. We shopped for the night's dinner and Ev did laundry. We got back on the bikes for a 30 mile ride to a county campground. The plan was to get up early the next day and ride into Eugene. After less than 10 miles we were down to shorts and a jersey. It was hot. We took a break at the first small town for water and ice cream. 45 miles to Eugene. We considered the possibility. At our intended turn-off we decided to ride on. It was at least another 35 miles but we thought it was worth it. In the end it was, but it was tough. The heat never let up and there were two major climbs. We were 14 miles out of town and made reservations just two blocks from the train station. 70 miles of riding and we were spent. Quick showers at camp Hilton and we went out to dinner to celebrate our ride.

We rode over 900 miles. The GPS did not always work in the trees and a couple times I forgot to turn it on right away, so we probably rode 920-930 miles.

We climbed over 30,000 vertical feet, again probably more.

Our maximum speed was 33.3 mph.

We averaged a little over 51 miles per day for 18 riding days.

Pretty cool.

This morning we slept in a little and then went to the Saturday farmers market for breakfast. Oh the fruits and vegetables! We then went to REI for clothes to wear on the train ride and a large duffle so we could check most of our gear.

I end were I started. Still sitting across from the train station enjoying an Oregon brew.

We'll probably do some more waypoints on Track My Tour during the train ride. We'll post some closing thoughts early next week and PICTURES!

Heceta Head Lighthouse, OR

Ev and I were just sitting out on the porch of the B&B having cheese, crackers and a beer. Looking north is the lighthouse (B&B is in the light keepers house), looking out west is the ocean and the rugged Oregon coast. Looking South is the bridge we will cross tomorrow. What a special place. The nearest restaurant is in Florence, about 12 miles away. We did not want to ride to dinner. We called the inn keeper earlier to confirm our reservation. We told her we would pick up some cheese and salami for dinner. She informed us that they have a full guest kitchen that we can use! We are now going to have pasta, asparagus and wine.

Yesterday was a great riding day. There were three major hills to climb. Our bike kinda broke, but just like last year's tour, some of the best days are also the most challenging. Except for those three climbs, the ride was mostly flat. The first climb started just as we passed the entrance to the campground we would have stayed at if we hadn't stayed with Doug in Netarts. At the top we were in the clouds! We passed by Sand Lake. It was a lake of sand! Beautiful. We were cold, so we stopped at the only store. We got coffee and goodies and visited with the owner. She and her husband grew up in the town. We sat on stools right at the register counter and listened to stories about the area.

We stopped for lunch at Neskowin at the only cafe in town. What a treat. A mix of coffee house and pizza joint. The three of us sat at a counter watching the pizzas being made and put into the wood burning oven. We had debated about the afternoon's route. We could stay on 101 or ride the old 101. Both had a serious climb but "real" 101 was shorter. Our waiter weighed in and told us to go the old route. Great choice. It was a five mile climb, but not too bad. There were hardly any cars and we were riding through a rain forrest. Sweet. The downhill was awesome! At one hairpin turn we were able to wave to Doug as he passed by on the lower section.

Our third and last climb also had an alternate route. We rode below the 101 on a one-way street. One way for cars and a bike lane the width of a normal car lane. Sweet again.

Last night's hiker biker site was the best yet. Our new friends Allen, Harold and Al all showed up later. Two more guys came a lot later. They had ridden over 100 miles and were planning the same for today. No side trips. Just ride. Good for them, but not our kind of bike tour.

Today's ride was a mix of rollers and hills. We mostly had the wind to our back. Some times too much wind.

We stopped early at Bike Newport to get our bike looked at. We got there at 9:45. They were suppose to open at 10 but turns out they had a Tour de France party that morning and had been there since 6AM. What a great shop. They had a "touring" lounge upstairs with a shower and laundry facilities. Got a new chain and had the rear disk brake adjusted.

Doug went ahead at Yachats to his campground while we went shopping for dinner. The ride to the B&B was not very fun. Windy, up and down, no shoulder and lots of RV's.

Tomorrow we will meet Doug in Florence and turn inland for the final leg of this amazing journey.

Netarts, OR

A real house with a kitchen, laundry, bathroom and a computer! We are staying at Doug's mom-in-law's house. Unfortunately she is in the hospital so we do not get to say hi. We had salmon for dinner that Doug caught yesterday with his brother-in-law, Jim. Really good. Ev's doing laundry and we plan to find some ice cream later.

Yesterday we rode from Astoria to Nehalem Bay. Ah, to have the wind to our backs and be riding down the Oregon Coast. Such a pleasure.  There were still hills. There are always hills. In fact, we passed over 20,000 feet in vertical climbing for the trip. We rode along the promenade (boardwalk) in Seaside. Many people were out and about and on the beach. Not a SoCal beach day for it was cold and overcast, but they all seemed to enjoy. We stopped for coffee and a treat at Cannon Beach. Cute town with lots of small quaint shops. Our book said there were places down the road to get lunch so we ventured on.

Hug Point State Park was a short downhill ride and walk to the beach. There is a small waterfall going onto the beach and some really cool caves. There is also an old section of the original Hwy 101 when it was (literally) on the beach. You had to time your journey according to the tide. You can see some of the rode just left of us in the above picture.

We never found an open store or cafe the rest of the day. We split a Cliff Bar and some Sport Beans. We were a little spent by the end of the ride. We shopped in Manzanitas just before our campground. We bought cheese, smoked oysters and beer for a late lunch or really appetizers. We also got salad makings for dinner.

The hiker biker site was right at the entrance, not far from bathrooms and showers. We earlier met Allen and Harold on the road and they showed up. We also met three girls earlier that were on the first day of a 5 day bike tour and they showed up. After Al (77 years old, riding 2000 miles this trip), a couple from the Netherlands and a guy from Germany came, there were 11 of us at the site! Great night of stories and trading advice.

Today's ride took us through Tillamook. We stopped to tour the cheese factory. Us and everybody else for it was very crowded. Doug met us there and we had lunch with him, Jim and Judy and Jim's Aunt. The "girls" and the "guys" also showed up at The Rodeo (the restaurant). Quite a scene of bikes parked along the side of  the resturaunt.

We then rode the "Three Capes Scenic Route". It's a thirteen mile ride. The first part was directly into the wind since we were heading northwest. Ugh... not hard but not very fun. Then a hard turn to the south. Yes the wind was to our backs but also up this killer 1 1/2 mile hill. All granny gear all the time. Ev really started to feel bad. Lunch was not agreeing with her. We stopped a number of times, but we made it. Doug had visited him mom-in-law and drove up to meet us at the lighthouse. We were making contingency plans if Ev could not ride again. I could ride the tandem solo, but it is a real weird ride. We saw the lighthouse and the "octupus" tree. Ev started to feel better and insisted she could do it. There were two more hills but not as bad. Hot and sweaty on the rides up and cold on the way down, we made it. Doug drove down and got his recumbent bike and met us just as we got into Netarts to show us the way. 43 miles total today.

Tomorrow is a long day; over 60 miles to Beverely Beach State Park. The tandem - recumbent train will ride again.

A sad note: With a real computer, I uploaded a couple of photos this time. We suspected, but now know, we lost all of our Vancouver pictures. Somehow they got deleted when we charged the battery. Thankfully the iPhone still has photos from those days, so all is not lost.

Leaving Astoria, OR

Yesterday was a day to explore the town. We took the trolley to the maritime museum. We spent a couple hours viewing the numerous exhibits. We then went to another local brew pub for a late light lunch listening to a local jazz band. Back to our B&B we relaxed and read.

We ate diner at the Astoria Coffee House and Bistro. It had a vibe. We had Old Fashions (house recipe) and two seafood entrees. We split orange creme brulee.

On the walk back we saw a car way up on the hill. Below it was a walk street on an even steeper section. We started walking and ended up at the Astoria Column. What a view over looking the two rivers and bridges and the whole city. What a sight!

Another great breakfast at The Rose River Inn. One of the other guests used to own a bike shop so we talked bikes and touring (of course).

We are taking a coffee and pastry break in Cannon Beach. Already have 28 miles behind us.

Astoria, OR

Sitting in our room in the B&B. Just had breakfast with a young, newly married and pregnant couple from Portland. Enjoyable conversation about life, kids and (of course) bike touring. Today is a rest day. The bike will stay in the garage while we explore Astoria.

Long cold days of riding since our last post. Our route through Washington was a blur of trees, mud flats and highways. Not many side trips or points of interests.

We did stop at a cute museum in South Bend. It had a lot of info on the local industries of fishing, oysters, logging and cranberry farming. Answered many questions and gave us a new appreciation of the area.

Two days ago we were almost to the KOA campground in Bay Center, WA. We stopped by the grocery store for dinner. There was little to choose from. After much discussion, we had smoked salmon and oysters on Keebler crackers for appetizers. I then made pasta with onion, canned peas and blue cheese "flavored" cream cheese. Pretty good considering. Doug did not know he signed up for a catered trip. We camped next to a family that was moving to So Cal in two weeks. After spending the last couple days with overcast skies, I told them anywhere in So Cal with "beach" in the name would be great. They left early to build sand castles in Long Beach, WA.

Yesterday we rode with Doug in the morning. He left us before lunch and headed toward Tillamook, OR to see his ailing mother-in-law. We will see him again in a couple of days.

After lunch in Ilwaco (oysters) we took a side trip to the Lewis and Clark museum at Cape Disappoint. While Ev and I knew about their expedition, the museum beautifully explained the journey with words, paintings and artifacts. Makes our little 900 mile "adventure" seem pretty tame. We then conquered the bridge. We read in our book about crossing the Astoria bridge over the mouth of the Columbia River. It is 4.2 miles long, no shoulder and scary. Traffic was light and Ev kept a watchful eye on upcoming RV's and trucks. The two most challenging parts were the STEEP incline on the tallest part and the STEEP, curvy descent coming into Astoria. I kept thinking the only thing between me and a real bed was that bridge so we made it unscathed.

Our B&B is lovely. We ate last night at the Columbia Cafe. Three booths and a row of counter stools, the food is prepared right in front of you. It was great. We then went to a brew pub for a pint.

Today we are going to bundle up and go to a farmers market and a maritime museum. There is another microbrewery on tap for lunch.

Twin Harbors State Park, WA

Not only the longest day (76.8 miles) but the wind in our faces made it worse. Nothing like going downhill, on a tandem, loaded with 50 lbs of gear and still only doing 12 mph. Needless to say we were in the saddle a long time. Our butts hurt. Many discussions about stopping, getting a hotel, or taking a shortcut. In the end we prevailed. The store our book promised us turned out to be a gas station with a Subway. Mmm those sandwiches tasted good. Being so cold and windy on the ride in, we thought we were in for a cold damp night. Actually is was a great campsite. We built a fire and enjoyed our dinner. This morning all is dry.

Today is only 50 miles, flat and the wind to our backs. We hope.

Potlatch State Park, WA

Just a long day in the saddle (65 miles) Another day of "rollers".
One big climb. No side trips.

We did get off the main highway for awhile. That was nice.

Big salad for dinner. It's amazing how well we eat at camp.

To Potlatch State Park

Meeting up with old friends. We took the ferry to Anacortes and met up with Richard and Gail. Short but nice visit, catching up on 13 years. Did our laundry while having coffee. Doug and his son Isaaic were soon there. Doug joins our adventure for the rest of the trip.

Yesterday's 50 mile ride was the definition of "rollers". We were either going up or going down. We stopped for ice cream near Whidbey naval base. Jet after jet flew over so low you had to cover your ears. Asked the ice cream girls if this was normal. Yep, everyday, all day.

Rode through Coupeville. Looked in a bakery to see what they had. Owner said she just closed and we could come back tomorrow. When we said we were riding on, she gave us all free cinnamon rolls. We went to a tea shop and enjoyed.

We took our last ferry for the trip into Old Port Townsend. Our book says no showers, but they had them!

Today we again have rollers and one BIG hill.

Epic day on San Juan Island

What a great day we had.

Our visit to the island started Saturday night when we arrived by ferry. We rode 5 miles to our campground Lakedale Resort. It's private and the biker sites are far from everything, especially water. We protested a little and got moved to a great site. We had our now normal meal of bagged salad and pasta purchased in Friday Harbor.

After breakfast on Sunday we headed out to ride around the island. First stop was English Camp where we learned about the Pig War. It was actually quite interesting. We walked around, reading the guide.

Next we rode to Lime Kiln Lighthouse. We had perfect timing for a pod of Orcas rounded the point and slowly swam toward us. What a sight! About 20 in all. They breached, they dove and showed their tails and the last ones came out of the water and splashed as if they were the finale to the show. Kids were cheering as well as many adults.

We continued riding around the island. We decided not to go to American Camp because we had a sunset kayak tour reserved. We arrived back at our camp and changed for kayaking. We had to ride 5 miles to get to Roche Harbor. It's a pretty ritzy place with lots yatchs and nice houses. We had bowls of chowder before going to the dock. Our guild ("Biscuit") was a college senior from Michigan studying biology. He was a lot of fun taking the 8 of us around the islands. We saw two nesting pairs of Bald Eagles. Held two kinds of jelly fish (they feel like silacone) and used seaweed as a lotion. The sunset was spectacular but it got cold and windy at the end of the trip. We had ordered pizza before we left and Ev went to pick it up while I got the bike. We were cold and the thought of riding 5 miles in the dark seemed daunting. We gave the pizza to Bisciut. He said he would drop it off at our camp. We headed out and a taxi van passed us. Ev waved and it stopped. The bike fit on the back and it was the best 16.00 we have spent this trip. Our pizza arrived shorty after we did, and we ate in our tent. We did not get to bed until 11pm. Considering the late night and long day we decided to stay another day here instead of going to Orcas Island. We'll take the ferry directly to Anacortes tomorrow morning.

Today we slept in and left the campground around 11:30. We rode to American Camp. It was windy and cold there but still a good time. We just had lunch (oysters again) and blogging from the deck of a coffee house overlooking the bay. We'll mail some stuff back and head back to camp. We met some others on the rode who are on their first self supported tour. We plan to meet up with them later over wine and discuss bike touring. They want to know how we do it carrying only 50 lbs.of gear.

Ev just talked to another tandem couple who left Wisconsin on their recumbent tandem on May 17 and have been riding Adventure Cycling's northern tier since then.

Last thoughts from Canada

We are waiting for the ferry that will take us from Sidney, BC to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington. Just went through US customs so cannot leave the waiting area.

British Columbia has been an amazing place to ride. We weren't quite sure what to expect when we left Vancouver last Monday. We probably have more photos of ferries than anything else - being from the desert we are intrigued by all the water and how isolated some of the places are. While watching all the trucks drive off the ferry in Powell River we asked if there was any other way to get to the city. Ferries are the only way of getting people and supplies in and out of there.

Riding on Vancouver Island has had it's ups and downs - literally. That first day from Comox was mostly flat, although we ended at the top of a steep hill with a downhill into the campground. Rob already posted about Rathtrevor Provincial Park and the unique tent camping area. I got up in the middle of the night and was totally enthralled by the stars. Away from all the city lights and that far north they were spectacular! The next night we left the rainfly off the tent because it was so warm, but we were too close to the city lights to see many stars.

Our ride from Rathtrevor to McDonald PP near Sidney was long, hot, and hard. We knew we had a 65 mile day with lots of hills. We didn't realize that about 30 of them would be on the shoulder of a busy 4-lane highway, and on the hottest recorded day since 1952. I'm not sure of the conversion factor, but it hit 33.8C on the coast, and we were inland for a major part of the day. (The 1952 record had been 28.6.)

We did stop for double-scoops of ice cream, and road 2.5 miles uphill to a beautiful herb garden. By the time we got to camp that night we had been traveling for 12 hours (including rests, gardens, food, and ice cream).

With an easy 20 mile ride to Victoria, we took our time breaking camp in the morning. We also stopped in Sidney to do some laundry.

The bike path to Victoria was flat and green. We easily got to the hotel by 1:00 - enough time to shower and walk around some before tea. We have never done a carriage ride before so it was a lazy way to see parts of old Victoria.

Today we road half way back to Sidney on the same bike path (Lochside) before heading inland (and up!) to Butchart Gardens.

Victoria, BC

Our day started early at McDonald Provincial Park. We got there last evening after a long, hot and hilly riding day. We also took two ferries.

After breakfast we headed into Sidney. We asked another biker for directions. He took us to his son's bike shop. We found out where the laundermat and good coffee was. We now have clean clothes!

The bike path to Victoria is a mix of paved dedicated paths, gravel (but ridable) trails, residential streets and some elevated wooden paths. It was a joy to ride. Mostly clearly marked; we only asked for directions a couple of times and only took the wrong turns once or twice (a new record).

We checked in early and both took long showers (no facilities last night). We then had a light late lunch. Walked around some and then High Tea. Mmm,mmm good.

Now in our room we are relaxing until dinner. We only rode 20 miles today, but we are eating like we rode a century.

Tomorrow we will ride to Butchart Gardens then catch another ferry. This time a Washington St. ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Back in the USA. You can call and text us anytime again! We may ride around the whole island (65 miles) or go kayaking or maybe both.

Rathtrevor Beach, BC

Arrived around 5PM to the campground. Really nice site. A mix of bikers, hikers, and tent campers. Met one couple on a 9 week adventure. No plans. Just biking around BC for awhile, then camping later with their mountain bikes. Also met a young English couple riding the whole Pacific Coast. Started right before we did, but able to take more side trips. Have to be in San Diego by Semptember. Oh to be young and have so much time...

Today's ride was great. Left Powell river this morning on a ferry to Comox. Met up again with three guys riding around the Straight of Georgia. One guy carries all their stuff, but they are credit card touring (every meal out and stay in B&B's).

The ride today was nice. Very warm, pretty flat and beautiful scenery. Had ice cream around 10AM. Lunch at a pub. Oysters! We were riding along and saw a sign advertising fresh made pasta. We went down a gravel driveway and found someone in the front house. Mike claimed he makes the best and freshest pasta not only in BC, but in North America. We bought some for dinner. It was good, but after 56 miles Spaghettios taste good too.

Along the way today we saw a bald eagle and a deer along side of the road. We crossed many narrow bridges that we had to get off the bike until traffic cleared.

Tomorrow is a long day too. 65 miles and two ferry rides. We also want to stop and see some sights.

Quick note from Comox, BC

Just arrived by ferry to Comox. Have 50 mile day ahead of us. Yesterday was long and hard. Have not had internet until this morning. Will hopefully post tonight. We cannot upload pictures from iPhone. Go to the "Track our tour" section at the top of the blog. We try to post a photo at each way point. You can also follow us on twitter. @robertlenton

Update from Vacouver

Happy 4th of July! Last year we celebrated in Eureka with Doug & Jan on our Eugene to San Francisco trip. This year there are no celebrations - we missed Canada Day on July 1, and aren't anticipating any fireworks displays over the water.

After two and a half days on trains we finally arrived in Vancouver, BC. We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the train. We met a couple from Tuson who "hash" - a drinking club with a running problem. Another couple, John and Margaret, were from Australia. They are traveling by train from San Francisco to New York via Seattle and Chicago. From New York they will cruise (for 39 days!) back to Australia John and Margaret stayed at the same hotel as us in Seattle so we met for drinks in the lobby bar where we talked politics, economics, and family.

After what seemed a very short night we were back at the train station to catch our 7:40 a.m. Train on Amtrak's Cascade route. Rob made sure our bike made it on the train.

Arriving in Vancouver, we had to detrain, gather our checked luggage and go through customs. There was no way we could manage the bike box, our two panniers, sleeping bags, and handlebar bag so we had to unpack the bike by the side of the train. We were quite the attraction. Going through customs I wasn't sure if the customs agent was questioning us about our trip ecause she was interested or as part of her job. She wanted to know how long we had been planning, if we were riding with anyone else, etc. Once through customs we finished getting ready in front of the station.

Vancouver is very bike friendly. The lanes are well marked and often separated from traffic by a divider. After checking into our hotel we walked across a bridge to Granville Island where there is an amazing public market. We ate our way from one end to the other, wishing we had a kitchen to go home and cook all the veggies, meats, pastas, and cheeses. There was even one vendor selling homemade stocks - beef, chicken, vegetable, brown, and mushroom.

Dinner was at an oyster bar in Yaletown district.

This morning we walked to the waterfront where all the cruise ships dock going to and from Alaska. We caught a trolley to Capilano Suspension Bridge. According to the guidebook it is the world's highest and longest suspension footbridge. It bounces and sways 230 feet above the river. On the other side are more footbridges strung in the rainforest treetops.

The rest of our day was spent exploring the Gastown District and going for a bikeride along the waterfront and through Stanley Park. It was a slow easy ride - only 18 miles. Not much seat time over the past week.

We start the real ride tomorrow morning, riding north toward Powell River. We have two ferries on the first day.

On the train

Still on the train.... There's something lulling about the train - if only the beds were more comfortable. Rob's back couldn't take it past 4:30 this morning so he got up for coffee in the club car. Showering on a moving train is an interesting experience. We arrived in Klamath Falls an hour early so we were able to go for a brisk walk before breakfast. While wandering we saw someone from the train who was a geo-cacher. He said his phone ran out of battery as soon as he got off the train. I downloaded the free app and the three of us were off to bag our first geocache. Rob found the small vial in the crook of a tree.

Back on the train for breakfast (mmm...runny scrambled eggs!). We have lunch reservations at 1:00 and dinner at 6:30. Not much to do but read, eat, and look at the beautiful scenery going by. Invariably someone will ask where everyone is going which leads to lots of conversations about our trip.

Packing & Decsions

The bike is loaded on the car. Ev is packing. We, again, are questioning many things to take in a constant battle of weight vs. necessity. Ev got a Nook today! Even better than my Kindle. We have decided not to take our netbook or my Blackberry. Pause while you catch your breath. We will attempt to do it all on Ev's iPhone. We plan to be at Union Station at 8:00AM. We will pack up the bike and leave on a 10:30 train. Pre-trip jitters but still really excited.

Typing is a lot slower...

Back From The Shake Down Ride

We just arrived back from our ride (and shopping). We left Fillmore around 4:30PM on Friday night. Wind in our face and lots of traffic.The three of us (Ev and I on tandem, Doug on single recumbent) made our way to the coast. We tried to simulate a day on the big tour, so we stopped at a grocery store and bought food before our destination of McGrath State Park in Ventura. Just before arriving we rode over a bridge spanning the harbor. Ev snapped a quick picture, but the ride is scary. Separate metal walkway and bike path to keep us away from cars but it's narrow and hard to keep a straight line.

Ten Dollars, per person, for a hiker/biker site! California is broke! We set up camp and made a dinner of pasta, salad and wine. Finished at dark, dishes, then bed. Oh, we did camp next to a large church group. They had a little revival going, and we heard part of the service.

Oatmeal for breakfast (what else?) and out of camp by 8:30AM. We took a different, and much better route back. We followed Foothill Blvd. over rolling terrain, not many cars and many bikes. Doug's wife, Jan, called and reported that their condo in San Diego was flooding. We were planning to rush back and meet Jan so they could head to San Diego. Turns out (after some worrying) that there was no flood. Tenant called and  had found no water.

Lunch in Filmore at a bar watching USA in the World Cup. Saw us tie the match, but later learned we lost. Off to REI. We can sure spend a lot on stuff! But we also saved so much by not buying a new GPS or shoes. We did buy new pillows. Last trip we stuffed our clothes in the sleeping bag stuff sacks for pillows. One issue was that we do not take that many clothes! Another is now we bought water proof sacks (expecting rain) and they are not the greatest feeling for pillows. Found some "cute" blow up ones that feel nice and are very small.

Then to Bent Up Cycles. Doug needed a tune-up and some new tires. Bought a flag for his new (to him) tandem trike. Jan, I know you have to work this trip, but we expect you to be there on the next one!

Ev set waypoints on trackmytour.com as a test for the big trip. I think it worked well. We have a different link for the big trip on the blog main page.

Back home. I am sure next week will be a blur. Kendal comes home Monday to see us and take us to the train on Thursday. Have to sign up enough work to keep everybody busy, service the bike, get ready for the train, pack again, and second guess everything we do. Can't wait!

Packing & Bike Changes

We are packing! Not for the big trip, but for a "shake down" ride with Doug this weekend. Last year we did an overnight trip to test out everything (see one of our first posts). Doug will join us midway through our trip. He now has a recumbent and trailer and needs to see how it all works for touring. Filmore to Ventura again. I sense a trip to REI is coming.

We leave July 1st from LA Union Station and take Amtrack to Vancouver.  We are both very excited, but the reality has just hit us that we leave in a week. Training? Some. Ready to leave my company for three weeks? No. Have everything? Maybe. If we can find last trip's list it would help. Healthy? We'll see how the back holds out. (We did not complete the century ride in our last post. My back went out one week before. Twelve-weeks-of-physical-therapy later it is much better. It is not 100% and I fear that it never will be again. Getting old sucks.)

We are expecting more inclement weather this trip so in preparation we have changed out our carbon forks to steel so we could install fenders. The front were relatively easy to install. The rear was a little harder working around the disk brake. Seriously considered changing out the rear braking system and going with a drum brake and V brake but never got around to it. Guess the down hills will again be an E-ticket ride!

Planning the next trip!

It's official, we are planning our next trip! We will take the train up to Vancouver, BC in early July 2010 and ride up, then down to Eugene, OR. Using "Bicycling The Pacific Coast" as our guide, this trip will include many ferry trips and a couple of 70+ mile riding days. We plan to stay about a day and a half in Vancouver and find a hot dog cart with a Japa Dog (with seaweed and wasabi mustard) to eat. We'll camp until we get to Victoria, BC, take a rest day and stay one night in a hotel. Then more camping until we get to Astoria,OR where we plan to stay two nights, rest and maybe go up the Columbia River. We will ride just over 900 miles in 18 days (not counting travel and rest days) averaging 50 miles a day. We have made many of the reservations, but still have a lot of planning and research to do.

I'll blog periodically on our planning. We are looking into a new iPhone App that will allow us to track our trip and instantly plot our progress for all to view. The first test today did not work. We have not decided if we are going to twitter. I twitter Lance, Levi and George and enjoy following them. Do you really want to know what we had for lunch? We also need to figure out how to blog from an iPhone or Blackberry, for we do not plan to take a laptop this time. Ev should be done with her Masters. Yea!

We are signed up to ride the Solvang Century in mid March. We have not ridden as much as we had planned, and 100 miles seems a little daunting, but we will see. It's already paid for so we have to try.