Day Fourty - Oh Heck No, AKA The Final Miles

Day Fourty – Oh Heck No (AKA The Final Miles)

Dana Point To Carson

Daily Brief

We made it to the end of the road. We are alive!

The Ride

The main crew awoke on the beach bright and early. It’s hard to sleep when there is sunshine seeping into your tent, but I really try anyways. Leaving the beach, we headed towards our final destination.

The further inland we got the hotter it got. The heat sorta snuck up on us and before we knew it, it was over 100 degrees. We probably drank enough water to fill a small pool. As we wound our way through the urban streets, we only took a slight detour by going too far west. Eventually we found the bicycle path the lead us to Corona. As the path broke away from following the river, the heat picked up even more. I know what we were all thinking, it was something along the lines of ‘Oh heck no! It better cool back off!’ We also found the faster you went, the hotter the wind got. The only release came from our frequent van stops when we would refill water and sit in the shade for a moment before continuing on. This was by far the hottest day of the trip.

Shaun’s fiancée, Faith, decided to try a leg of the day with us. It was pretty brave of her to wait until today. Plus, she didn’t have clips so she was riding with sneakers on the clip in pedals, on a bike that was probably a little big for her. Even so, she managed to tough it out, although she was more then thrilled to see the van again for the next rest stop where she could hop back in and drive to the next place, and I don’t think any of us could blame her.

At the van break where Faith finished her leg of the journey, we met her mom and she supplied us all with cool towels. They really helped cool us off. After that we were informed that we only had three miles until the finish at one of our church’s(Stake center). No one was waiting for us there, but that was where we had decided to end our trip. Chris and I were joking around that if we were told there were three miles to go, there was probably nine left…or more. It usually happened that way, that whenever someone gave us an estimated destination, that you needed to double or triple that number in order for it to be accurate. Like that last time in LA.

As we took our journey onward, our pace quickened, and quickened. We only had a few miles left to finish our 2,600 mile journey and we were anxious. As we went, Chandler and Shaun went straight because no one knew the name of the road we were supposed to turn right on. Ok, so, one wrong turn, not too bad right? Oh heck no! As we sprinted up the hill, we came to a church! Chandler and I sprinted up the last few feet into the parking lot, and gave ourselves a sweet high five and some hollers of enthusiasm. Russ was right there too, but that’s when Faith’s mom came and told us this wasn’t the stake center, it wasn’t the finish. Oh heck no! So, as Shaun and Chris were coming up the street we yelled at them to turn around. And so, we continued.

We were told that we should take a right after Wal-Mart. As we approached I stopped to get come clarification and Faith told me to take a right before In N’ Out. The problem was, with the tree’s you can’t really see In N’ Out from the street we were on. So I continued on straight to find it. Meanwhile, Chandler had seen me talk to Faith and continue straight and he thought that she had given me new directions, so after he took the correct right turn, he then turned around to follow me. As I journeyed on, I thought about turning around but then I saw Chandler behind me so I figured that Faith’s mom had caught him and rerouted him, like she had done before.

The city passed away and Chandler and I were on a dusty road, the heat was maxing out at 109 Degrees in the air, hotter on the road. I eventually stopped to wait up for him. When he caught me we collaborated and found our mistake. He was out of water, and starting to get dizzy and a little shaky. We were now 9 miles down the road, after we had been told we had three to go. I had hoped that someone would have sent a car to get us if we were off, but that never happened. As it was, Chandler and I made it back to the turn at Wal-Mart which wasn’t that far up the road, and found everyone waiting at the In’ N’ Out, which was by the Wal-Mart which we had seen. We both collapsed in the In N’ Out under more cool towels provided by Faith’s mother.

After some cool off time, Chris’s mother thought that we had gone far enough. I totally agreed. We still were not at the church, but then again, we had done the ‘only three miles left’ three times over, had a fake finish, and weren’t in the best of shape. Ergo, the In N’ Out became our final destination, our shelter, our finish. We ate and took pictures, re-arranged the vans, and split up after driving to the Pearson’s house (who were providing the evenings shelter for chandler and I). Shaun went to stay at Faith’s house. Chris went off with his mom and sister. And so, we divided.

That then is the end of the road for EB Trek 2008, and while we dismount and leave our bikes, and go to our homes, or wherever it is that we are headed, we know there are many who can’t just leave their pain behind. The kids that we met don’t just make a simple finish, or stop at a restaurant to end their hurt. There is hope for a cure, we look forward to see it, and we hope that many of the kids we met with EB will experience it. It is close, and with the right support it could be closer.

EB Trek raised money and awareness for a cure.

We want to thank everyone who donated their time, money, and means to accomplish this and make this Trek a success.

Without your help, we never could have made it.

Thank You.

Thank You.

Thank You.



Daily Stats

Distance: 59.13
Time: 4:05
Avg Speed: 14.5
Max Speed: 42.0

Total Distance: 2614.30

P&C Pushups: 100

Day Thirty Nine - LA Split and EB reunion.

Day Thirty Nine – LA Split and EB reunion.

West LA to Dana Point

Daily Brief

Our aim was to make it to Dana Point by 2:00 PM, but LA proved to be longer then we thought. I got left behind in LA (the split) , but made it to Dana Point where we all met EB kids and their families at a local deli (the reunion).

The Ride

Waking up in west LA, having slept on a roof, we had dew on us and the morning sun wouldn’t let us sleep. We got up, got going, and ate some breakfast food provided by our kind hostesses. We then took on the crazy LA streets and traffic. After all the miles we’ve ridden, this was probably the scariest. After surviving the LA streets, we made it to the beach front.

At this point I was ahead of everyone since I was meeting my friend, Adam Ifill by Long Beach. Finding my way without a map was an adventure I will share another time, needless to say, we found each other and chilled for a few minutes before Shaun called me. He was ahead at an intersection, so I raced to catch up with everyone but they were gone by the time I got there, and didn’t stop until Dana Point. Meanwhile, since no one was answering their phone I wondered around LA trying to find my way.

Usually we don’t leave people behind, but we were supposed to be in Dana Point around 2:00 PM to meet some EB kids and their families, so the team went on their way. (At least this is the excuse I am giving for the punks...) Eventually Adam called me with correct directions and I found my way.

Meeting with the EB kids and families was the real highlight. Whenever we meet the kids, (and to be fair, not all of them are 'kids', but that’s just what we say) it’s a real motivator for us to keep working for the cause.

After the meeting with the EB kids at the deli, we finished off at a beach campsite and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Chris and Chandler took a swim, I was to beat from my wonderings to join them. The Russ’s enjoyed the beach.

Daily Stats

Distance: 78.31
Time: 4:54
Avg Speed: 16.0
Max Speed: 34.5

Total Distance: 2555.17

P&C Pushups: 150

Day Thirty Eight – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Day Thirty Eight – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Carpenteria to West LA

Daily Brief

As hard as it was to leave our shabby hotel, we felt better on our bikes and even kept up with the cyclists who passed us that thought they were faster. As fast as they were, I think we were stronger, owing to our uphill climbing ability honed on the mountains of Idaho.

The Ride

In the morning, as hard as it was, we left our hotels. The Russ’s, Chris, Chandler and I had been at the best hotel ever. Not exactly the highest quality place, but the right price, it had cigarette stains on the shower curtain and a strange smell in the room. There was a chair in the bathroom and a bright light outside our window that would blaze on any time at night when someone walked by. It made for a memorable experience.

Leaving the shabby hotel behind, we collected at the other hotel where Shaun and his family had been staying. We met up and headed out. After awhile some other bicycle riders passed us. As is our usually style, someone in our group had to try to keep up. Actually, Chris, Russ and I all got behind them and started to draft. There were three of them and initially they moved pretty quick, powering up hills and pushing down the other side. Russ thought that they were trying to lose us, and Chris eventually got too far behind to draft. Once you’re not in the slipstream it can be a pain to catch up, or simply impossible. At the rate these guys were pushing it, it would have been a real challenge. Russ and I stuck with them for awhile, and as fast as they were, they weren’t strong enough to leave us behind when they sprinted up the hills.

As we got into Southern California the scenery changed. Instead of miles of empty coastline and gorgeous views, we hit a steady stream of coastal towns. One town merged into the next, into the next beach, into the next town. Sometimes we were riding in busy coastal downtowns that have sprung up along the route and sometimes there is even more city than that. It made for a little more nervous riding.

Once we hit LA the traffic picked up and there was a sea of cars to our left. As Russ and I were still trailing the fast bicycle riders, we hit the worse road we’ve ever ridden on yet. Going downhill, the roadway was torn up, presumably for construction purposes and it was so rough that it almost shook us off our bikes. Imagine a field made up of softballs all stuck together, and then trying to ride across it at 25 MPH, it would be a similar sensation. As we went down, there were periodic manholes that stuck obtrusively out of the ground, I swerved to miss one that I didn’t notice until the last moment but Russ didn’t. He tried to hop over it but his back tire didn’t clear it and it slammed so hard it popped his tube and messed up his tire. At the bottom of the hill I noticed he was gone and so I went back up the parking lot that mirrored the road and found him there. Soon he was fixing his bike and the rest of the team caught up. We took a short break and continued on our way.

After the break, we found a bicycle path that lead along the beach. We road on a strip of pavement that was situated in a sea of sand, with the ocean to our right, and LA to our left. We then cut back into LA and found where we were going to crash for the night, which was the roof of an apartment building. Not just any apartment building though, the roof of Chris’s sister’s friend’s apartment building. It was actually a really cool set up. They had lawn chairs on the roof and it was just the right temperature at night.

After we found the place we were staying for the night, we did take showers in the apartment and then went to dinner with Brandon (an EB kid) and his family. They paid for the team dinner, which was at a nice little Italian place close to the apartments we were crashing on. Arriving back at the apartment after dinner we talked for awhile with two of the girls who were living there and then retired early at around 10:30 PM.

Even after pushing it today, we weren’t adversely affected. All this cycling has sure made us faster and stronger, not to mention better at riding bikes, although our rears are sure hard.

Daily Stats

Distance: 86.44
Time: 5:03
Avg Speed: 17.1
Max Speed: 39.3

Total distance: 2476.86

P&C Pushups:100+

Day Thirty Seven - Too Long

Day Thirty Seven – Too Long

Nipomo To Carpenteria

Daily Brief (In Haiku)

A very long day
Rusty is a transformer
Cool ocean breeze rocks

The Ride

It was a long day, I’m tired and I know everyone else is as well. It’s getting harder to type with the loss of dexterity in my fingers due to leaning on my wrists for six weeks, but it should come back soon. Shaun used to be unable to straighten out his finger, we think it was a pinched nerve, but it’s better now.

The Morning went well, Pam Quinn (My Aunt) had given us shelter for the night and fed us well in the morning. The rest of the day went well, although Rusty ran over a rock, and Russ ran over a grate, which he didn’t remember until his dad told him. Although Russ did remember running over the rumble strips and almost losing control. I got a personal massage from them as well. I digress, the start of the ride reminded us of Idaho with the open fields and hills. It was also hot like Idaho, actually it was probably the warmest we’ve felt in awhile. We were really sweating for awhile there. We were rewarded for our effort with an nice downhill, 7.5% downhill grade for 2 miles. Rusty hit 53 MPH himself on the way down.

While were on the subject, I think it’s about time we mentioned Rusty’s secret downhill ability. When riding normal, he looks like any other rider, but when we hit any downhill he transforms into speed racer. He does so by tucking into a small ball and hiding behind his handle bars. The effect is he usually ends up at the bottom of the hill before any of us. It’s pretty intense, trust me.

After the downhill run we went a little further and finally came to the ocean. This meant a cool ocean breeze that kept us from heating up and pushed us forward as well. We actually came across a nice beach today, the kind you envision when you think of California. Ya know, sunny, tons of sand, lots of people, etc

As we went, we didn’t know how to get to Carpenteria, but thankfully we came across a local bicyclist who showed us the way. He showed us all the way into town. That was such a life saver.

We all checked into hotels and went to grab some food and crashed.

Daily Stats
Distance: 109.56
Time: 6:28
Avg Speed: 16.9
Max Speed: 53.0

Total Distance: 2390.42

P&C Pushups: 100+

Day Thirty Six - Short and Sweet

Day Thirty Six – Short and Sweeeeet

San Simeon To Nipomo

Daily Brief

A Short fast ride, it was sunny, cool, and the scenery was gorgeous.

The Ride

As you can see, we did the ride pretty fast. It was a sunny coastline and the wind was blowing our way. It was a great great day to ride a bicycle. We ended the ride today at my Aunt Pam’s house, who bought me dinner at In N’ Out, which deserves a mention on the blog since it was really good. J

Daily Stats

Distance: 63.38
Time: 3:44
Avg Speed: 17.0
Max Speed:38.2

Total Distance: 2280.86

P&C Pushups: 100+

Day Thirty Five - A Sunny Sunday Ride

Day Thirty Five – A Sunny Sunday Ride

Limekilm to San Simeon

Daily Brief

Usually we like to rest on Sunday but due to a shorter day yesterday then expected we had to turn out a few miles today.

The Ride

We awoke in Limekilm, well, those of us who camped. We ate breakfast then went to the small beach front. It was cloudy but not too cool. After a bit we ate lunch taking naps in between all the before mentioned activities, or at least pretty often. Finally Faith and Shaun arrived and we packed up camp and hopped on our bikes. The first part of the ride had some pretty steep uphill climbs, and we took it fairly slow. After we got over the climbs we made it to rolling hills with the wind to our backs. We probably averaged 24 MPH on the last 20 miles coming into San Simeon. After arriving we found a place to stay and cleaned up, got in the hot tub and ate dinner. Chanlder, Parry and Chris went down to check the beach out. It was a rocky beach with sand to suit. A couple of brave surfers went out to hit some waves. We thought they were nuts because of all the rocks in the water. After that everyone just relaxed some more, made a few phone calls and went to sleep. Everyone was snoring after a few minutes, and I can attest to that personally.

Daily Stats:

Distance: 41.72
Time: 2:22
Avg Speed: 17.6
Max Speed: 41.4

Total Distance: 2217.48

P&C Pushups: 0 (It’s Sunday!)

Day Thirty Four - Tasting Pavement

Day Thirty Four – Tasting Pavement

Watsonville To Limekilm

Daily Brief

Chandler took a spill, and we couldn’t find a place to stay.

The Ride

Waking up at Chris’s Aunts house, we ate breakfast end everyone recollected and prepared for the days ride. As we headed out, we took our direction towards Big Sur, which was our original destination for the day. Owing to the unavailability for places to sleep we had had to change our destination, which in all reality was simply any place past Big Sur. Starting out, we passed two motorized vehicles, tractors to be exact. Still, we felt good being able to pass a motorized vehicle for once, even if it was meant for a farm. On the way towards Big Sur we experienced some good downhill runs, which were good until Chandler hit some gravel.

Flying down a downhill run at about 35 MPH Chandler hit some loose gravel on the shoulder of the road. Realizing what he was in, he hit his brakes. It slowed him down but unfortunately there was a large rock in his path, and since he was unable to turn, he hit it. The rock sent him flying over his handle bars and onto his side. Chandler managed to walk away with just some scrapes. Shaun patched him up and they were on their way.

Meanwhile Parry and Bob had made a sprint towards Big Sur and were out of range when Chandler had his crash, so when the van caught up to them they were eight miles up the road in Big Sur. They waited there until everyone caught up. In Big Sur Rocky and Bob took off back towards San Francisco and the rest of the group headed on to find a place to stay.

As we came across Lucia, a town after Big Sur, it was just a lodge and restaurant and there was no place for us there. So we had to continue onwards and finally came across a little camping site out the middle of nowhere. They were full, but they made room for five tired riders who were running out of options. The little campsite was called Limekilm and was in a valley that ran to the ocean.

The Van left us for the first time since ever, and we forgot to take out the propane but thankfully we were able to make a fire and cook dinner like we had all learned in Boy Scouts. Everyone stayed and camped except for Faith (Shaun’s fiancée), Laurie (Shaun’s mom) and Shaun. At least we didn’t have to set up camp on the road side. We did learn a valuable lesson though, if you want to start a fire, Lay’s potato chips are like magic kindling. They have so much grease that when they burn they can start a fire right up.

Daily Stats

Distance: 94.56
Time: 6:03
Avg Speed: 15.6
Max Speed: 42.0

Total Distance: 2175.76

P&C Pushups: 270

Day Thirty Three - Stanford

Day Thirty Three – Stanford

San Francisco (Lafayette) to Watsonville

Daily Brief

Tragedy on the bikes, components breaking, tires popping, ash falling from the sky and a blood red sun, but it was worth it for our meeting at Stanford with EB kids and their families. (And let’s not forget those doctors, nurses, and Lynn and Gary Anderson from EBMRF)

The Ride

So, I’m giving up writing in the third person. “I” refers to Parry from here on out. Keen? Good.

The day started off alright, no signs in the skies of impending tragedy just an innocent sunny California morning beckoning cyclists back onto the streets. We recollected our group at the BART station to take the train towards Stanford. It was there we met the news reporter who interviews Shaun and Chris and took shots of us riding around. That’s when we got our first flat as Russ (Chandler’s cousin joining us for the next few days) got a flat. It wasn’t too big of a deal since we weren’t in any sort of hurry…yet. After the news interview we hopped onto BART and made our way through the city towards Stanford.

After getting off of BART we started riding towards Stanford but we weren’t sure about the route. Our faithful captain, Shaun, knew the name of the street that we were supposed to turn on but it came much closer then it should have. Rocky thought it was the right road but Shaun still wasn’t sure. That’s when bicycle tragedy struck. It figures that the first time on the trip we need to be some place by a certain time that things go awry. So, as we were putting along, amidst the storm of confusion of direction, Shaun decided to ask a friendly crossing guard for directions. A seemly innocent maneuver, but the problem was, I was next to him, so as he turned right and I continued straight, the gap between us closed rather rapidly, and I didn’t just fall into the Gap, I slammed into it. It wasn’t even a close nick, it was more of a full on squall and the minnow was lost, er, I mean, and the bicycle was dead. I went down fast and was mostly ok. Now I have two sore knee’s, but don’t despair, the power of Advil saved that day. So, my rear derailleur was completely dead. Thankfully the ingenious professor, AKA Rusty (Chandlers uncle) got it to work in one gear so I hobbled to a bike shop where I got it replaced for about the price of a new boat.

After the collision and reroute to the bicycle shop we were now running late (we had been running early) to get to Stanford. So, while I was waiting for my bike to be fixed everyone split towards Stanford. Bob (my uncle) came and picked me up after the bike was fixed and he dropped me off with the group. Meanwhile Rocky had taken off from the group to try to find a bike shop for me, then he returned to where we had been, and then he got lost trying to find his way to Stanford. Also, as we were on our way to Stanford, for some still unknown reason Chandler and his uncle Rusty took a random left turn and ended up at Stanford later then the main group. The main group (or what was left of them), hustled their buns and arrived at Stanford at about 12:30.

At Stanford we met outside with a group of EB kids and their families. Gary and Lynn Anderson of EBMRF were their as were the doctors from Stanford. We had a filling lunch, and Lynn Anderson gave some nice comments and introduced the great doctors who gave some encouraging remarks. After the Doctors the riders had a turn at the microphone and then Lynn gave some closing remarks. During and after all the remarks we sat and ate with the EB families and took pictures with some of the kids. The kids were all such troupers. As hard as it was for us to get it together and get to Stanford, many of the families had woken up earlier, driven longer and suffered more to be there.

I don’t know what to say about the experience at Stanford, just that it was a real eye opener, motivator, and humbler. I think we would all do a little better if we remembered these kids, and what they go through just to live.

After the meeting at Stanford we continued our ride for the day. It went well until the thorns hit with fury and took down two tubes in moments. Chandler and Russ both replaced their tubes in a jiffy and we were on our way again. Later Chris had to replace his tube from a slow leak as well. The next challenge was when we turned right to go towards Watsonville. We had to get over Hecker Pass which meant a decent climb. The climb wasn’t too bad, but the further we went the more foggy and smoky it got. Halfway up Bob broke his shoe clip so he had to replace it before continuing on. As we went upwards the sky was dark from the clouds, and the smoke from the wildfires. As we got into Watsonville we all started getting ash in our eyes as we rode. The final leg of the day (that only Chris, Parry, and Rusty road) we were constantly blinking from the constant ash bits in our faces. (well, at least I was, Chris was wearing glasses, I don’t know about Rusty). We actually split up tonight, Shaun and his family went to stay at a hotel, everyone else stayed at Chris’s aunt’s house.

What a day!

Daily Stats

Distance: 92.57
Time: 5:54
Avg Speed: 15.7
Max Speed: 37.6

Total Distance: 2081.20

P&C pushups: 270

Day Twenty Nine - Day Thirty Two : Still chillin in CA

Day Twenty Nine – Day Thirty Two

The team is separated and relaxing in their respective locations, waiting for their reuniting later this week. Aside from that nothing really happened. Shaun was with Faith, Chris was at home, Chandler was with family, and Parry played games and hung at his Uncles house.

Day Twenty Eight - Chillin in CA

Day Twenty Eight – Chillin in CA

The Day

Chandler had left yesterday to go to Sacramento to stay with family but the other riders remained in Lafayette. It was a usual Sunday with church and family. Chris, Shaun and Parry did a fireside in the evening for those interested about our Trek. Ashley Powell did a fine job conducting and we all enjoyed Lynn Andersons comments, which she gave after we watched the EB video.

Day Twenty Seven - The Return of the Riders

Day Twenty Seven – The Return of the Riders

Bodega Bay to San Francisco

Daily Brief

With a total of 19 riders, it was quite the group ride. We saw more bicyclists then we’ve seen for the entire rest of the trip combined. Riding into San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge we meandered our way to a BART station and took the train out of the city.

The Ride

Starting in Bodega Bay we had 17 riders, or at least we thought we did. We all just started and forgot that Ashley was still checking out of the hotel! Well, he caught up with us at our first turn when we stopped to regroup. The bicycle mass would always split apart into several groups when the ride commenced, and then every so often we would recollect. Personally I used the time to talk to some of the other riders and it was enjoyable. Bob returned to the riding group today as well as his son, one of the original EB Trek 2001 riders, Rocky. Rocky was feeling a little sore from his long absence on the bike, but was doing a good job of keeping up.

Eventually we stopped outside of Point Reyes for an extended break to eat and regroup again. After that we set out and made our way toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Before the bridge we distributed EB Trek T-shirts to everyone so we looked united, and some of Chandlers extended family joined in with us. We got a few head turns as our huge mass made our way into San Francisco. The bridge was tight so there wasn’t a lot of room to pass people or go fast, but it was a nice view over the ocean and it was cool to look down on the city.

Coming off the bridge the riders wound their way to a BART station and returned home. Some of the riders split off into taxi cars or on other stops but we (the team) got off in Lafayette. After that we made it all the way to Shuns drive way, which was quite steep, but not as painful as I would have thought. We were cheered on by our fans at the top, the family members of the riders. After summiting at Shaun’s house we ate some food, watched a movie about EB, and relaxed for the night.

Chandler went to Sacramento with Bonnie and his family to relax for the next few days before our press conference at Stanford. Chris is staying with his Parents, and Shaun and I are staying with Shaun’s Parents.

Daily Stats

Distance: 77.36
Time: 5:06
Avg. Speed: 15.2
Max Speed: 43.0

Total Distance: 1988.63

P&C Pushups: 240

Day Twenty Six - Riding the Wind Up

Day Twenty Six – Riding the Wind Up

Fort Bragg to Bodega Bay

Daily Brief

The day went by fast, and so did we. The Coast provided some huge winds, huge drops, and tight turns. That’s mostly all there was too, from start to finish.

The Ride

In the morning we loaded up at the continental breakfast. We all had had a nice nights rest due to Cecil Pill who hooked us up with the Hotel. It was the first time I had a bed to myself for at least a month. After we left Fort Bragg we hit cruise control and didn’t take a full on rest until 43 miles into the day. We ate some snacks then kept moving because it gets cold along the coast when you aren’t moving. We must have been doing well because some other bicycle riders we passed made the comment “You must be training for something!” At lunch we took a rest in a little town that was all closed down. Chilling on the steps of a closed down market, we met some other cyclists. They had come from Philadelphia and were returning for a total of a 9,000 mile journey. We were impressed.

As we continued on, we came across some steep drops and climbs. The road was narrow and the drops were huge and the turns were tight. We probably would have hit it faster except for the wind gusts that were 30+ MPH at times. Bonnie said that cows were usually a road danger, which is why she was surprised they were just chilling right off the road, with nothing in-between them and us. The traffic didn’t help things but we still had some really fun runs. The view to our right was fantastic. There were cliffs to the ocean and rugged rocks piercing the surface of the ocean. We were hundreds of feet up so we could see far along the ocean. The one good thing about the wind was when we were climbing up the hills it gave us an extra push. It almost felt like we could ride the wind up the hills, and I’m sure if we had a sail we could have.

Ashley pushed ahead of the group after lunch and gave us the hook up in Bodega Bay for a place to stay. When we arrived we set our things in the hotel room, and went for the hot tub, which to our delight had super jets. It was just enough to help our sore muscles feel better. The pool was warm and was almost like a hot tub itself. After that, we cleaned up and Bonnie had Chris and Shaun pick up some Pizzas. We ate and relaxed, getting ready for the ride tomorrow.

Daily Stats

Distance: 109.75
Time: 6:10
Avg Speed: 17.6
Max Speed: 49.1

Total Distance: 1911.27

P&C Pushups: 120

Day Twenty Five - Tight Turns

Day Twenty Five – Tight Turns

Garborville to Fort Bragg

Daily Brief:

We hardly noticed the 1,200 foot ascent but the downhill was a blast. Tight turns, fast runs, even cars couldn’t go much faster then us. Then we came out onto a sunny coastline with rolling hills. At night we met Brandon who has EB. His Grandfather, Cecil, provided us dinner and a place to stay in a local motel.

The Ride

We started the days ride around 9:00 AM. The road we took was a little rough at first; we even had a little bit on a dirt road. It hooked back up with the 101 and we took that. Then we eventually made our way to the 1 and wound around the hills. We hardly noticed that we were climbing 1,200 feet in elevation. Perhaps it was that the up hills were offset by some downhill runs so we never got the feeling that we were really moving up, or maybe it was because we were talking so much. Either way, it went by quickly.

We passed through Legget, than had some great downhill runs. The road was narrow, and had tight turns. This was the first time we had to use our brakes to keep from flying off the road. What a rush. Even the Cars had a hard time going much faster then us. Chandler actually drafted a jeep most of the way down. Bonnie met us at the bottom and we took a break. That’s when we made the backpack cam. I had been trying to video tape the downhill ride, but it was hard to ride the tight turns with one hand. What we ended up doing was putting a tripod into my backpack and turned the camera on for the next downhill run. It wasn’t as twisty, but it was still a lot of fun. The video didn’t turn out, but the one where I held it did.

After we emerged from the second long downhill run, descending almost to sea level, we came to the ocean. It was a huge blue sky and seven shades of blue underneath reflected in the ocean. We cruised along the coast for the rest of the day ending up in Fort Bragg with plenty of time to spare.

In Fort Bragg we stayed in a motel 8 inn. The accommodations were set up by Cecil Pill, the grandfather of Brandon who has EB. Cecil also provided the entire team dinner and was a very hospitable host. The team appreciated his support and kindness in providing us food and shelter for our stay in Fort Bragg. Brandon, the boy with EB is 14 years old and is just graduating from middle school. He is in MESA, gets great grades and lives out of the city where it is nice and quiet. He was a cool kid. In talking to his mother, we agree that he, like many EB kids is not only brave, but helps the rest of us to keep a good perspective on life. Brandon’s example of positive attitude shows that we can be happy in whatever circumstance we may be in.

After dinner we gave Cecil and his family team t-shirts, retired back to the hotel and rested up for the remainder of the evening.

Daily Stats

Distance: 71.64
Time: 4:48
Avg. Speed: 14.9
Max Speed: 42.7

Total Distance: 1801.52

P&C Pushups: 200

Day Twenty Four - Avenue of The Giants

Day Twenty Four – Avenue of the Giants

Arcata to Garberville

Daily Brief

A sunny day, winding our way through red woods, we went through the biggest tree still alive, and ended by a nice time.

The Ride

We loaded up in the morning at a continental breakfast. That would be the main meal of the day since we wouldn’t take another meal until after we arrived in Garberville. The day was just a delight. We went along 101 for awhile then turned off and went through the red wood forests, including the “Avenue of the Giants”. It was all very picturesque with our little bicycle team riding in-between these giants. Trying to look up at the tree tops presented a challenge, as they were so high that you would lose a sense of where the road was. The ride all in all went really smooth. It was bright and sunny with minimal head winds, which we only faced in any measurable degree on the highway.

We had a first in the trip today. We have never biked through a tree, much less a tree that is 5,000 years old and the biggest in the world (In some fashion, not sure which). It was kind of like biking between trees, only not so many.

Upon arriving in Garberville, we relaxed in the hotels hot tub (thanks to our good friend). We started discussing what we thought of when we biked. Here is the break down, Chandler thinks of making businesses or selling services. Chris thinks of friends. Shaun thinks of Faith, and about getting married, and all that jazz. I (Parry) make up stories and scenarios. Now this is just when we aren’t listening to books on tape or just zoning out, or thinking about other stuff, but those who know us will find this familiar. Oh, and we got some free cheese from the hotel (It was wine and cheese tasting, we just went for the cheese.)

Daily Stats

Distance: 83.62
Time: 4:58
Avg. Speed: 16.8
Max Speed: 35.3

Total distance: 1729.88

P&C Pushups: 120

Day Twenty Three - The Tempest Strikes Back

Day Twenty Three – The Tempest Strikes Back

Crescent City to Arcata

Daily Brief

The day started rough with rain, winds, and more rain. We almost considered building an ark. Thoroughly soaked, it was a fine first day for our new fifth rider Ashley Powel. Finally the weather yielded to the sunshine and we finished the day out like we wished it had begun.

The Ride

::Warning; Useless Paragraph Imminent::

First, let me just relate my experience of the night before. Those of you who don’t want to hear me whine can skip this paragraph. So, sometime after midnight I was awoken by fierce winds and rain. It was getting cold, but I tried to get back to sleep anyways, just as I was slipping into sleep a bike was pushed over by the wind onto the tent and onto me. I still refused to budge but I kept feeling water hitting my head and felt it start to soak up from beneath. I tried to hand on for as long as I could. Sometime around 5:30 AM I abandoned ship and wondered into Shaun’s tent, realized my sleeping bag was too wet to sleep in, then crashed in the car. After awhile in the car I finally got to sleep when I found my extra riding cloths and wore them instead of enough blankets. Ok, so, now that I’m done with my rant, I will on continue with the rest of the day.

::OK, you’re clear::

We started our day early and packed up our camp, all wet, into the van. We hopped on your bikes and made our way to the hotel where we met Ashley Powell who knows Shaun and Chris from church. After that we immediately started up our largest climb of the day, getting completely soaked from the outside, and sweaty from the inside of our spandex. The downhill wasn’t any better as it caught all the water in our shoes and completely water logged our feet. We’ve faced rain, but never in this volume. At least it wasn’t freezing cold, just normal cold.

After what seamed like forever we checked the odometer to a harrowing reality that we did 5 miles in around 45 minutes. That was depressing. Thankfully the rest of the ride wasn’t such a ridiculous climb. After what seamed like another forever we took lunch at a Mexican restaurant along the way. Ashley hooked the team up and we ate some amazing, large burritos. They even gave me almost enough hot pepper, almost. The Mexican food played with our stomachs a little but it wasn’t too bad. After lunch we really didn’t want to go back outside. Our spandex was soaked and every time we sat down it reminded us of that fact, especially with the biker pads. Shaun said it was like wearing a wet diaper. Chris wringed about a cup of water out of his gloves, and our shirts were all soaked through. Despite that fact we faced the cold wet day again and hopped back onto our bikes. It reminds me of what Jamie said when we started this thing, to remember her when in pain.

As the ride neared completion we finally received some tender mercy when the sun took back the sky and the wind wasn’t so bad. It actually started to dry us off a bit. When we came into Arcata a motel was the only way to go. We immediately set about drying off the camping equipment and cleaning off the bikes. Then we soaked in the hot tub, got some dinner and checked into our beds for some warm, dry, quiet rest. It’s so easy to take for granted sleeping where it is warm, dry and quiet, but we won’t tonight. (Take it for granted that is.)

Daily Stats

Distance: 74.5
Time: 5:21
Avg Speed: 13.9
Max Speed: 37.6

Total Distance: 1646.26

P&C Pushups: 0 (It was rainy ok…)

Day Twenty Two - California, A New Hope

Day Twenty Two – California, A New Hope

Bandon to Crescent City

Daily Brief

Another long day, but this time we were prepared and we tackled the day more then it tackled us. Starting in sunshine, we made our way through the fog and into California for the first time.

The Ride

We knew that today was going to be a long day so we prepared. Waking up before 8:00 AM, we made our way to the continental breakfast, which was synonymous with store bought Danishes and orange juice. After loading up with on Danishes we took off at around 8:30 AM and tackled the first 27 miles without a break. The sun was shining at the coast looked gorgeous. We took down the next 25 or so miles well and then took lunch at a Dairy Queen. It was getting colder and colder but that just kept us moving.

As we took up the climb after lunch we came into some fog. The beach disappeared and it looked for a time as if we were no longer on the coast. It added a cool effect to the ride. As we went Chandler saw a hawk pick a mouse up out of a field. He also got a flat, which he changed out fairly quickly. As we were riding I thought “I wonder what secrets these forests hold”, then looking to my right I saw a painted sign that said something to the effect of “Forrest of wonder, with many secrets”, I kid you not. There was just a vibe from that forest with its ancient tree trunks that stood like sentential guarding entrance into what lay behind its façade that faced the road.

We banged out the 25 miles after lunch quick and were into our last big run after a brief stop at a McDonalds. All in all we kept at a better pace today due to our quick changes upfront which Chris and Shaun reinstituted (they have odometers and we switch every mile who leads…or try to at least). The switching worked until the last few miles of the day. In Crescent City we found a camp site and set up camp, ate some Mac N Cheese and drank some hot chocolate. Then we enjoyed the fire and all went to sleep.

Daily Stats

Distance: 112.61
Time: 7:17
Avg. Speed: 15.4
Max Speed: 38.5

Total Distance: 1571.76

P&C Pushups: 160

Day Twenty One - Rest Day Tres

Day Twenty One – Rest Day Tres

Daily Brief

Another rest day. Another day of rest.

The Day

We woke up late, had some doughnuts. Shaun woke up early. We looked over donations then had a mini church meeting in our room, then a team meeting, and then we cleaned out the car and went for a walk on the beach. The weather co-operated and it was bright and sunny for us. The beach was cold but at least there were seals chillin out on the rocks. The coolest thing I saw was this fatty little seal pup wriggle its way up onto a rock, then its parent shewed it away. Bonnie shared with us a star fish she found and we found a few other sea creatures along the way. After that we retired back to the hotel to call family, relax, watch TV, take showers, and get some sleep.

Day Twenty – Fearless Four

Day Twenty – Fearless Four

Florence to Bandon

Daily Brief

Bob left back to CA, we hit some steep hills (that Chandler didn’t think were there), some dude’s car flipped, and we got a great deal at a motel

The Ride

Last night our all our crew (except Shaun and Parry) awoke in the night to the sounds of what sounded like a wild pig being eaten, or something to that effect. That was around 3:00 AM. At around 7:30 AM Parry, and probably some of the other campers where pondering on how to scare away, or trap, or eat the crows that liked to land near our tent and bellow there calls across the entire state park. On the upside we didn’t sleep in that long.

We ate some snacks then hit the road. A few miles down the road we stopped at a Myrtle wood shop. Bonnie bought a mirror and Bob bought a few items as well. We then ate breakfast at McDonalds, which had decided just moments before I asked for a breakfast sandwich, to throw out all their breakfast stuff. So we had cheeseburgers for breakfast.

The day flew by and we ended up in North Bend, Oregon. Bob had to go back to California for some business so he got a flight from North Bend back to San Francisco. We ate lunch then said our goodbyes. It was sad to see Bob go, he had kept our pace increasing the longer he was with us. The last few days it was because he would call out changes every mile so that a new person would lead. It was pretty effective it getting us to move quicker. For the rest of the ride today we didn’t really switch off, our pace slackened, and we moved apart (were way spaced out), although there where times that we weren’t. This is the first time we only had four riders since day one. The fearless four will continue on though, don’t you worry.

After lunch also came the hills. You know it’s going to be good when the name of the road is “seven devils”. Chandler had originally thought this was going to be kind of a flat day, that idea was shot down by Chris, Shaun, and the hills. Parry never bothered to look at the map. Thankfully the hills weren’t forever hills, just very steep hills.

The most intense part of the day was when a car flipped. So, as we were cruising the hills we all got separated and Chandler was ahead of everyone else. As he was biking along he approached a bend in the road and at that time a car came around the bend faster then it should have been going. Chandler was on the far right and the car already had passed him, but somehow the guy saw Chandler out of the corner of his eye, tried to hug the inside corner too tight then overcorrected and ended up sliding across both lanes into the oncoming lanes ditch and the car flipped (more like flopped) over onto its roof. Chandler went back and the guy was a little confused, but then crawled out of his car. Some other cars stopped and someone called 911, but everyone was fine. Eventually all the riders caught up and pushed his car fully off the road. The guy had already called a tow truck, so we said our goodbye’s and went on.

A few more miles and we were in our town for the evening. As usual, Shaun wanted to get a motel, Chris too and Chandler and Bonnie were good with it. Ergo, I am writing this in a motel, which we actually got a good deal on. The nice lady at the counter slashed the price by $45.00 per night. We had gone to a bunch of other motels, but they weren’t accommodating to our situation (stuffing 5 people into the cheapest room possible). I guess those empty parking lots are going to fill up with customers between now and…well, about now. All I’m saying is, they are the ones missing out.

Shaun, Chandler and Chris went out to eat. Bonnie and Parry stayed in the motel to chill and get some stuff done, like writing this. Plus, can you really beat hot soup, mandarin oranges, cheese and crackers for dinner? No, I didn’t think so. Oh, and Chris just gave me some Reeses. Reeses are good. (Chris told me to end this way, wait, now he’s saying not to drag him into this. I wonder what he’ll say when he reads this…)

Daily Stats

Distance: 79.6
Time: 5:39
Avg Speed: 14.1
Max Speed: 33.7

Total Distance: 1459.15

P&C Pushups: 140

Day Nineteen - Just Like Grandma's

Day Nineteen – Just like Grandma’s

Lincoln City to Florence

Daily Brief

Bob instituted quick changes for the leader which increased our pace, the day went even faster since we ended sooner then we thought after eating at Cathleen’s Kitchen (which was eerily just like eating at a Grandmothers place, just like it advertised)

The Ride

We all met up in the morning at the hotel that Bob, Shaun, and Parry were at. As we started into the ride, Bob started calling out changes every mile so that someone new was leading. This increased our average pace by a sizable amount. It also made the day move by faster.

Moving onwards, we had a late breakfast at around 11:30 AM and then a really late lunch at around 4:45 PM. The late lunch was at a little mom and pop shop called Cathleen’s Kitchen which advertised itself as “just like Grandma’s place”. Walking inside, it was a little house that had been converted to a restaurant…mostly. Walking back to the bathroom you passed by a washer and dryer, and the rooms in the back still had beds and looked habitable. No wonder it was ‘just like grandma’s place”… it was grandma’s place! ::Gasp::

After the late lunch, we, feeling stuffed, decided we didn’t need to continue on to the planned destination so we re-analyzed the situation and decided to stay in a campsite just south of Florence. At the campsite we ate smores and hot dogs using the fire that Chandler had started. We took hot showers and hit the sack.

Daily Stats

Distance: 81.75
Time: 4:55
Avg Speed: 16.6
Max Speed: 41.7

Total Distance: 1379.55

P&C Pushups: 105

Day Eighteen - Cheese, Climbing and Crashing

Day Eighteen – Cheese, Climbing and Crashing.

Seaside to Lincoln City

Daily Brief

The day was marked with three major climbs, lunch at a cheese factory, a swift 20 miles in an hour, climbing for fun, a crash, and splitting up at night for the first time.

The Ride

We started the day by filling up on an all you can eat continental breakfast. We stuffed our faces again eating our weight in breakfast food. It was hard to leave the hotel, it cost the same as the local youth hostel, but came with two rooms, two bathrooms, 2 plasma TV’s, a washer and dryer and a fully functional kitchen. In other words, sometimes you can get the hook up when you’re doing a 2,600 mile bike trip for charity and it’s the off season in a tourist town.

The day was smooth riding. With a small chill in the air it was pleasant. The weather has been good to us. It’s not been too warm except for a couple days in Idaho. We had some great views, stopping every so often to look out over the ocean. The first 50 miles flew by and we took lunch at a cheese factory, Tillamook. We were all disappointed in the portions when the supreme grilled cheese sandwich turned out to be a glorified middle school cafeteria meal. At least we found out how they store all that cheese, and watching the assembly line of cheese just made me want to gnaw on a giant cube of cheese and put on mice ears…ok, not really, I would never wear mice ears.

After lunch we busted out a quick 20 miles in about an hour. We still had one sizable climb in front of us, we had already taken out the other two in the morning. Before we made it to the last climb we stopped for a moment so Bob could clean up his cuts. We had been going around a corner when his front tire clipped Chris’s back tire and he had gone down on his side. Thankfully he was alright and was on the bike in just a few moments. We made it to the support van and he cleaned up his scratches and we took a moment to snack and recollect ourselves.

From where we stopped we could see an intense uphill driveway on the left side of the road. It was the steepest bit of road we’ve seen this trip. Shaun bet Chandler that he couldn’t make it up it. Chandler lobbied for more bets and got another $20.00 from his mom in the pot. So, he got a good start and hit the hill fast. In about 12 seconds he made it to the top. It was so steep he walked his bike back down to save his brakes…and so he wouldn’t go over the front handle bars. He then gave Shaun a double or nothing option if he could make it up the hill. Shaun took the challenge. His first attempt was foiled by his bike that wouldn’t shift properly. After some adjustments he attacked the hill again and finally made it up. You know we must be starting to feel good when we start going up hills just for fun, or at least for money.

After the climbing for fun, we had some climbing to get to the top. After summiting our last hill, we waited a moment near the top, or at least Chris and Parry did. Chandler had already started down. You will never find Chandler waiting at the top of a long and fast downhill run. You can find him at the bottom, but never the top. The downhill run was long, and Chris and Parry started to cramp up just staying in bicyclist dive bomber positions. For those of you unfamiliar with this position or the sensation associated with it, you can re-experience it yourself. Just go the top of the steepest hill around, pedal as fast as you can all the way down it, and hug the top metal crossbar of your bike with your chest while doing so. You’ll know you’ve made it when thoughts like, “what will happen to me if I get a flat right now?” or “gee, this would be a bad way to go” start entering your mind.

After the last long downhill it was smooth sailing into Lincoln City. We split up as to where we were going to sleep since Bob needs the internet for some business tomorrow. He got a hotel and Shaun and Parry crashed with him. Chandler, Chris, and Bonnie went camping nearby. This was the first time we split up at night. It will be a long night, but I think we’ll survive.

Daily Stats

Distance: 95.9
Time: 6:19
Avg Speed: 15.2
Max Speed: 40.2

Total Distance: 1297.8

P&C Pushups: 140

Day Seventeen- It's The Life

Day Seventeen – It’s The Life

Castle Rock to Sea Side

Daily Brief

The day was brisk, the ride went well, and Chandler and Parry made money by eating Yeti burgers.

The Ride

The day started a little cool, and then got cooler. It started to drizzle and the skies remained grey for most of the day, but the riding went smoothly. We took a ferry and ate some great soup for lunch. Actually the soup was a mix of 7 random soups from the soup bin, hand picked by Chandler. When we got in for the evening we went straight for the hot tub, then it was food, and sleep.

I think the real highlight came when the hotel employee challenged Chandler that he couldn't eat the "yeti" burger from a local hamburger joint. Bob threw in $20.00, and Chandler's mom (Bonnie) threw in another $20.00, then Parry got in on the deal as well. These burgers were impressive, a pound of meat plus ham, egg, bacon, lettuce and tomato with chips on the side. Chandler and Parry took the Yeti burger down without breaking a sweat. Parry even cleaned up afterwards with a brownie sundae. All that food ought to give us energy for the big hill we have to face tomorrow morning that even the guy in the bicycle shop said he's never tried.

We are staying in a hotel, which is pretty impressive. Bob said it’s the life, or something like that. I agree.

Daily Stats

Distance: 83.1
Time: 5:46
Avg Speed: 14.4
Max Speed: 37.1

Total Distance: 1201.9

P&C Pushups: 175

Day Sixteen – Let’s Go Boys!

Day Sixteen – Let’s Go Boys!

Elma to Castle Rock

Daily Brief

Starting fast at first on flats, we hit rolling hills, were rewarded with a 16% downgrade, and found ourselves moving faster with Bob’s sprints.

The Ride

When your body craves fuel, there is nothing like a continental breakfast (which is worth it’s weight in gold). As Bob commented, we probably ate about as much in food as what it cost us to stay there for the night, and it was true. I know I downed 6 bowls of cereal, an English muffin, a bagel, and two glasses of OJ myself, so you can imagine what all five riders did to that breakfast, decimation.

In the morning we also met Eddie. He’s an older fella who’s taking the same route as us, but he’s doing it by himself and is carrying all his stuff (no support van). We are using the same route made by the Adventure Cycling Association, or at least that’s what the map guys says. (Shaun). So far it has been good to us, today was a pretty good ride so I can’t complain.

After getting our fill at breakfast, we started burning our fuel on flats and found ourselves moving quickly. The first part of the day we were averaging about 17-18 MPH. After awhile we starting going up and down on rolling hills. These hills were fun, and with no wind, they felt good too. We would all power up the uphill and enjoy sprinting down the downhill. Speaking of downhill, we hit a trip max speed on a 16% downhill grade. Shaun clocked in at 46.3 MPH. It was to the point where pedaling wasn’t doing much even in the biggest gear.

We have been doing a decent job at staying together. Every so often we separate, especially moving uphill, but we usually wait and recollect so we aren’t too spread out. Chandler has been doing some power climbing and usually is ahead, so it’s nice of him to wait up.

Bob has inspiring the team to move a little quicker as well. Usually he’ll start sprinting ahead and shout something like “Let’s go boys!”, which he did on our last sprint into Castle Rock. Shaun will usually follow his dad when he starts bursting ahead, and the rest of us as well. I think one of these days were gonna stop talking about having quick changes for the front and just do it so we can pick up the pace. Or maybe we’ll just stay in cruise mode.

Ok, probably just cruise mode.

Daily Stats

Distance: 80.4
Time: 5:00
Avg. Speed: 16.1
Max Speed: 46.3

Total Distance: 1118.8

P & C Pushups: 155

Day Fifteen – Picking up the Pace

Day Fifteen – Picking up the Pace

Daily Brief

Kregg finished his leg to Seattle and we picked up Bob Garff (Shaun’s Dad) and Jenni Skeen joined us for a day. Swiftly moving through back roads, we experienced perfect weather and found that our pace quickened.

The Ride

Kregg was done riding with us so we said our goodbyes this morning. He will be missed as will his tactful compliments that helped lift the team from time to time. We wish him a safe flight home to Utah. At the Seattle temple Jenni Skeen joined us. She had heard about the trek from a friend. We’re really glad she joined us because she knew how to get to the city on bike trails and not on the highway. We started at the LDS Seattle temple and Jenni led us to peer 52 where we were going to take the ferry. The bike route was fun and we saw more cyclists on the route then we’ve seen the entire 1,000 previous miles combined. We all resisted the temptation to burn out and show them up.

At peer 52, Bob Garff (Shaun Garff’s father), joined us. He’s riding with us from here down until Lafayette CA, and maybe a little further as well. Between Bob and Jenni, we actually started picking up the pace. Bob’s used to biking with cyclists who race, which explains why he was able to push forward so well. Jenni was just a powerhouse. Unafraid to jump in with 5 other guys and lead the way, she was often found in the front allowing us to draft her.

Cruising on the back roads of Washington, the ride was hilly – but enjoyably so. The hills were just that, hills. We weren’t trekking up mountains or 1,000 feet climbs, it was just gently rolling hills. With our pace quickened, the police officer clocked us at 16 MPH, and that was about our average speed. We made it into Elma, WA with time to spare. It was then that we said our goodbye’s to Jenni and checked into a local hotel. We ate dinner at The Rusty Tractor and went back to the hotel to get some rest for tomorrow.

Daily Stats

Distance: 82.15
Time: 5:31
Avg. Speed: 14.9
Max Speed: 33.2

Total Distance: 1038.38

P & C Pushups: 210

Day Fourteen - Rest and Relaxation

Day Fourteen – Rest and Relaxation

Daily Brief

Another day for some rest and relaxation

The Ride

There wasn’t a ride today as we just relaxing up at Kregg’s parent’s house. We went to church, looked at the ride ahead, caught up on sleep, worked on donations, and made plans. Tomorrow will certainly be more eventful.

Day Thirteen - Sweetest Downhill Ever

Day Thirteen – Sweetest Downhill Ever

Daily Brief

Zoom zoom. Welcome to downhill paradise.

Flying Down from Snoqualmie Pass

We awoke in Ensign Ranch, ate breakfast, and suited up. We weren’t sure what the conditions of the summit were going to be as we ascended another 1,000 vertical feet so we dressed for a little chill but also with the hope that if we needed more cloths that the support van would be close. Shaun declared this day the EB Trek’s Alp D’huez, although if it was, it was an Alp D’huez in reverse (then what they do in the tour).

We started up the slope on I-90 and came across some beautiful views. Thick pine tree forests and snow capped mountains with intermittent lakes that were as smooth as glass. We’re definitely not in Idaho anymore. As we biked on I-90 we would feel the sun warmed wind coming down from above, but when ever the wind came through the tree’s it was like getting hit with an artic blast. The air coming through the tree’s was like one last spiteful chilly breath as winter finally lost his hold on the mountains for this year.

As we went upwards we came across ski resorts and snow still on the slopes. I really really wanted to stop and play in the snow, but the snow on either side of the highway was dirty as mud, so that was a no go. Still, I bet that bicycle shoes would make some pretty sweet makeshift sleds.

We summated Snoqualmie pass and all felt fine and ready to take on more. Shaun made the observation that our worst climbing day was still day three, and we had to agree. We have yet to face a climbing day like that one.

Coming over the pass, we started off with reckless abandon. We strayed apart as we each went flying down the descents. Chris and Shaun both clocked in at about 40 MPH. My favorite part was when a Semi slowed down enough for me to draft behind it, and for 20 seconds I grew wings. Chandler lead the group down, but we all got separated, and since Shaun got a flat it took a little while to regroup, which we finally did at exit 47, just past some of the steepest downhill runs.

After we regrouped we continued to cruise downward until we took another break by a mountain stream. We all took a dip, Chandler took a bath. Moving along towards Belmont, we did have some climbs but it was mostly a downhill journey as we came down, 3,000 feet from the summit. We continued to enjoy the scenery, despite the incessant traffic that kept speeding by.

We ended our trek for the day in our planned location at Belmont, and swung up to check out the LDS temple where we were picked up by Kregg’s sister Kelly. She drove us from Belmont to her parents’ home where we are staying the night and Sunday night. (Up in Everett, WA)

Daily Stats

Distance: 67.06
Time: 4:26
Avg. Speed: 15.1
Max Speed: 37.6

Total Distance: 956.23

P & C Pushups: 180

Day Twelve - Longest Day Ever

Day Twelve- Longest Day Ever

Daily Brief

After the fight we had with the weather on day nine, we still had to make up some ground, which we did today. It was the longest day yet in terms of miles and travel time, and riskiest because of darkness.

The Ride

Coming out of Prosser, both Kregg and I (Parry) got flats. We knew this was going to be a long day, so we weren’t too enthusiastic about the flats, but then again who ever is? Either way, we learned that glass likes to chill on the shoulder of roads in Washington. When Kregg got his flat we realized we were out of tubes, so Bonnie had to go buy some and come back with the support van while we took refuge under an overpass. Meanwhile we tried to patch the flats with the patch kit included with the tools that came with the bikes, but then realized they didn’t come with glue. Ok, who’s idea was that? When Bonnie arrived we put in the new tube and I patched an old tube with a patch kit that came with glue.

The ride went smoothly until lunch, which we took at Wal-Mart. After Wal-Mart we got on a road headed straight towards the mountains. At first I thought it would turn to the right, but we kept getting closer and closer until I realized the trail we were taking went through the mountains. We were off the highway and onto a thin two lane mountain road. There were some great views, but the shoulder was almost non-existent, so we found ourselves hugging the shoulder as RVs and trucks kept whizzing by. The wind behaved most of the time, but a few times it hit us pretty hard. At one point it stopped us all dead in our tracks. We literally went from 12 MPH to 0 MPH in just a few seconds. The gust of wind came out of nowhere, but thankfully we were on a flat and not going downhill. There were some pleasant downhill runs, and a lot of winery’s and a small river always to our left. After about 20 miles I was ready to be out of the canyon pass as it just kept going forever. Another 5 miles and we were finally out. It didn’t help that I got another flat due to glass which slowed us down, yet again. (Plus my seat came loose.)

After that we started into canyons that were more spread out valleys. They had bigger farms with pine tree forests towards the top edges of the mountains. We enjoyed the views but sun was setting fast and it was getting darker and darker. Eventually we made it out of the valley run but it was dark. We were still a few miles from Ensign Ranch where we were staying the night. Our solution was to use the support van as a source of light.

We hopped back onto I-90 with the support van in close pursuit with hazard lights on and headlights to show us the way. After what seamed like forever (time travels slower with adrenalin) we took an exit that would take us to Ensign Ranch. It was another 2.5 miles in the dark (the sun was long gone by now), and we followed Shaun, who was following the white line on the road. Thankfully no one was one the random side road but us.

Riding into Ensign Ranch, we were all relieved to unpack our stuff into the bunk house, scarf down tons of soup, and crash for the night. The day started at around 9:00 AM and ended at around 10:15 PM and we traveled an incredible 122.3 miles, the longest distance any of us had ever traveled on a bicycle in one day. Today was definitely the longest day ever.

Daily Stats

Distance: 122.3
Time: 9:38
Avg. Speed: 12.6
Max Speed: 32.9

Total Distance: 889.17

P & C Pushups: 150

Day Eleven - Downhill at Dusk

Day Eleven – Downhill at Dusk

Daily Brief

Morning was a slow start due to some bicycle tune ups. After we got going we made decent time, entered into Washington, and didn’t stop for lunch or dinner (did anyone else notice that?). Finally, we had an amazing downhill run at dusk and found ourselves in Prosser.

The Ride

In the morning we got our bikes fixed at a Pendleton, After that we took the 84 to the 395. On the 395 we crossed into Washington. This time Parry’s bike made it in first. To get into Washington we crossed the Columbia river. The biggest bridge we’ve crossed so far, it also had the best view. As we soaked up the scenary we continued on until eventually ending up on the 21 north. Our final destination was Prosser, not what we had origainally intended, but a minor adjustment due to day nine. (Yakima was our original intended location)

Prosser was at the bottom of an awesome downhill run. We took a moment to enjoy the view from the top. The sun was melting into the horizon casting its last rays across the valley beneath. After appreciating the sunset for a minute or two we took off one by one, rocketing towards it. Kregg says to ‘mark him at 50 [MPH]…I think I heard a sonic boom behind me…’.Actually, we were going at about 33 MPH. No one was trying to pedal (except Kregg) because we were all enjoying not having to. Riding into town on our carbon fiber stallions, the next job was finding a place to lay our tired heads.

We headed toward the first steeple we saw, which was a Baptist church. The youth minister told of us a few places we could try and offered the lawn if we needed it. Riding further into Prosser we came to a park, which was closed. By this time Chandler had counted 7 police cars that were parked or passing by us. We went a little further and Kregg decided to get a room in a Hotel. Bonnie got one as well. The rest of us crashed on the floor. (No sleeping in the car tonight!)

Daily Stats

Distance: 79.32
Time: 6:16
Avg. Speed: 12.6
Max Speed: 33.4
Total Distance: 766.87

P & C Pushups: 210

Day Ten - Deadman's Pass

Day Ten – Deadman’s Pass

Daily Brief

Riding through pine tree’s with snow on the ground, you would think it was November, not May. Surviving the coldest day yet, the only thing to warm us was the hope of a hotel and the golden beams of mercy lighting up the sky in front of us as we passed through dark skies and merciless weather.

The Ride

As we started the day there was a little bit of a drizzle. Winding through the mountains we stated to climb, and climb, and climb. As we forged our way upwards we entered a pine forest, and moving up found snow. It was hard to believe, but scattered all around us was white, late may, snow. Chris and Parry made it to the top and waited for the others at the van. Everyone else was a little late coming up to the top because Chandler had a flat, and no one else with him had a tube. Taking a moment to break at the top, and changing the tire it got colder, and since we weren’t moving, we all got really cold. What really chilled us off though was the downhill on the other side. As we descended it started to rain. We descended a ways then it was back onto highway 84 to ascend up again.

Moving up 84, it continued to get colder, and with the rain we were soaked and muddy. Riding up we saw a sign for “Deadman’s Pass”, not the most comforting sign when you’re cold, wet, and the winds just picked up again. We took a moment to rest at Deadmans’ Pass rest area. I took the moment to use the hand dryers to dry myself off. Kregg missed the turnoff, so the rest of us didn’t stay long and went to catch up with him. Moving the last of the way up the mountain we saw golden beams of mercy up ahead, sunlight fighting through the dark clouds overhead. At first we couldn’t tell how far away the light was, but it meant warmth, so we pushed for it. Coming over the peak we saw that the light was beaming through over into the next valley, but even if it was that far away just seeing it gave us some warmth.

The Sign at the top was another classic, 6% downgrade next 6 miles. The final descent from the peak was awesome, a bit hard to see with the rain and a tad windy, we still clocked in at a max speed of about 40 MPH.

Flying into the valley below, we came to Pendelton. Chris and Chandler had gone ahead and, not knowing where to meet us, had done a lap of the town. Kregg, Shaun and I (Parry) found them again and we all went to a hotel. We cleaned the mud off our faces, and peeled off the wet dirty spandex and rain gear. Then we got dinner at a Chinese place that had pretty good portions, probably in part due to the fact that Chris talked to our server in Chinese. Then we went back to the hotel and crashed.

Daily Stats

Distance: 80.95
Time: 6:44
Avg. Speed: 12.0
Max Speed: 39.1

Total Distance: 687.55

P & C Pushups: 120

Day Nine - The Tempest

Day Nine – The Tempest

Daily Brief

The Weather gathered her forces and mounted an attack on our little band of bicycle riders, who formed a retaliation effort, although in the end they were still set back a little.

When fierce winds become your enemy (The Ride)

In only stands to reason that after the smoothest day of bicycle riding we needed to be tested. Today was that test (I hope). In the morning there was hills and wind. The rolling hills were doable. We could have handled that. It was the face blasting winds that drove us up the wall, or back up the hill as the case may be. We had to pedel just to keep moving going downhill, so you can imagine what the up hill climbs were like. We took multiple rest breaks to recuperate and gather our strength. As we continued our valiant efforts against the prevailing winds, we were getting close to our lunch location when near freezing rain began pelting us. Soggy, stung and worn-out we made it to a McDonalds where we took shelter for lunch.

Lunch was provided again by Bonnie, making the group happier day by day for the great idea of having Chanlder’s mom drive the van. That and she keeps an eye on us fella’s while still letting us be guys biking across the western united states. Yeah, it’s like that.

So, we hid in McDonalds against the onslaught of ever increasing rain. We waited and waited but the rain kept coming. We still had 40 miles to go and we were already dead tired from the morning skirmishes against hills and headwinds. I looked up online and found that we had been facing gusts of wind of up to 37 MPH. I was fine with staying right there, but the day was moving on and something had to be done. After about three hours the riders began to prepare for the inevitable. Slowly, ever so slowly, we started making motions to head back outside. I can’t remember who started it, I think it was Shaun and Chris. They began to suit up for bike VS. weather combat. On came the leg warmers, hats, headbands, gloves, rain jackets, extra shorts and toe warmers. Chandler and I got some plastic gloves from the McDonalds people to put under our short bicycle gloves to keep the water out (and they worked great!). After we geared up we had Bonnie lead us out to battle with a prayer for safety and relief.

As we jumped back into the rumble we found relief as the rain let up to a drizzle, then it disappeared! Praise be! Our prayers were answered and we continued on, still facing some tuff winds and hills, but we forged ahead. To either side we saw snow capped mountains, and darkening clouds. I wouldn’t doubt if one of them lead to Moordore. As evidence of the destined wind I spotted about 50 or so electircty gernating windmills to our right, far away on the landscape. We conquered about 20 more miles, then took a rest in a little town called North Powder. The rest turned into a re-evaluation, and with it the decision to stay there for the night. As we were unpacking our gear into the local motel the rain started up again, and we knew we had made the right decision.

While the wind and rain pushed us back by 20 projected miles, we still made a good effort and took plenty of ground. We have until Saturday to make up for the lost 20 miles, a feat that one favorable day of bicycle riding could more then make up for. Heck, if it was like yesterday we could make it up in our sleep!

Here’s for a good one tomorrow…

Daily Stats

Distance: 71.78
Time: 6:15
Avg. Speed: 11.5
Max Speed: 23.9

Total Distance: 606.6

P & C Pushups: 150

Day Eight - Getting To Nowhere Fast

Day Eight – Getting to Nowhere Fast

Daily Brief

We left the Gwilliams house, had our fastest day yet and ended up with plenty of time to do whatever we wanted to, in the middle of nowhere.

The Ride

Leaving the Gwilliams house we hit the 84 fast, and kept moving fast. In fact, we cruised through 60 miles by lunch time at 12:30. Bonnie provided lunch from Taco Time which we all enjoyed, along with an hour or so to nap and relax. After that we hopped back on our bikes and were done with the ride by around 3:30 PM. This was probably the smoothest day yet. Finding ourselves with plenty of time we worked on some fundraising details, played Hearts and Euchre, and tried to make our way into the Snake river. This time only Shaun made it all the way in the river. It wasn’t just because it was cold, the river was low so it was muddy and all kinds of soggy presents kept floating our way. The Burrs and bugs didn’t help.

Just for the record, Chandler won hearts, Chris was a close second. Bonnie and Parry took the Euchre game against Chris and Chandler.

Oh, and it’s great to be rolling down the highway and Shaun starts yelling out NO. NO. NO. It caught me off guard at first. It’s not because he disagrees with you, or because we are going the wrong direction. He’s got this hands free head set thing and he uses the voice activation as he’s riding to talk to people.

The real highlight came when Chandler made a prairie dog trap. Using common household items, he engineered the classic pull string trap that you would think only works in movies and cartoons. It was comprised of an upside down laundry basket propped up by a stick. A string was attached to the stick so when you pulled the string it would move the stick and make the basket fall. At first the bait was an entire thing of Peanut Butter, but we had an uproar about using perfectly good peanut butter, so it was decided that only a few crackers with peanut butter would be used. And the results…we caught one! Don’t worry though, we let him go, although he probably didn’t make it though the night. Coyotes came and dug out some Prairie dogs holes in the night.

As a side note, we’ve also discovered that Chandler can sleep anywhere, anytime. All he has to do is prop his head up with his arm and he’s out, in McDonald, in the Van, anywhere.

Daily Stats

Distance: 81.45
Time: 5:02
Avg. Speed: 16.1
Max Speed: 31.9
Total Distance: 534.82

P & C Pushups:150

Day Seven - In Heaven

Day Seven – In Heaven

Daily Brief

Our First rest day, and our bodies are doing their best to recover from the weeks riding.

Chillin’ in Boise

Chris and Eric Gwilliam provided us shelter and food. We woke up to a Belgium waffle breakfast complete with homemade whip cream and strawberries. Now, they know how to do breakfast right, and the brownies Chris made were amazing. If you’re ever in Boise, you know where to go for brownie recipes. There was also cheesy eggs and an Idaho morning potato hash-brown type dish. Come to think of it, those were the first potatoes we’ve had in Idaho so far.

After breakfast we were introduced to Mario Kart on the Wii, Chris Rains beat us all. After Mario Kart it was on to church, which we enjoyed. The ward was great and we met Scotty Squire who works at the Power Bar plant and is going to hook us up with some Power Bars. That was music to my ears. After pounding up mountainous hills it really helps to have something of substance to refill your body.

After Church we just set to doing all the stuff we had been putting off all week, like finding places to stay next week, and working on contacting friends about what we are doing.

Even though we haven’t ridden today, all the riders are still feeling their sore muscles and skin. I think our bodies are reminding us that we just pedaled 450 miles.

Day Six – Shadows Getting Longer

Daily Brief

Starting in Bliss, we made our way to Glenn’s Ferry for lunch. It was smooth riding until the wind and hills picked up, just about the time that we thought we couldn’t take any more. Thankfully the smooth asphalt of Boise provided a little relief as we finished up our longest run yet.

The Day

We woke up and said our finals goodbye’s to Carsten, our first driver. From here on out his mother (Bonnie) will be driving the support vehicle. We’ll miss his quirky antics and hook-ups, like getting random jelly beans from the guy who fixed the vans tire for only $14.00 (Day two). We left Bliss at about 10:30 AM and jumped onto highway 84. After awhile we got tired of 84. There was the usual traffic but the rumble strips (alert strips) were cutting across almost the entire shoulder where we were riding, so we only had about a foot between the rumble strips and the far right lane of the highway. We decided to hop back onto highway thirty.

Highway thirty proved to be painful. It was hot, hilly and windy, although we did enjoy some of the scenery. Green alfalfa fields made it look like we were somewhere with water, like Kentucky. Aside from that it was fairly barren. We crossed a lot of empty space, and decided to get back onto the 84. Before we got back onto the 84 we came to Mountain Home and took lunch. Everyone had McDonalds except Parry, who decided to try out Chandler’s suggestion and go for some cold soup. Not bad, not bad at all, just make sure not to do the condensed kind.

Heading out of Mountain Home Chandler caught sight of a bike shop, Tony’s bike shop. He turned off and told us to go ahead. We went a little further and waited, and waited, and Chris and Parry went back to the bike shop. When Chris and Parry arrived back at the bike shop Chandler was just in the middle of getting his bike fixed. He had lost the use of three of his gears because of a broken derailleur part. Tony fixed him up, spent an hour on his bike, and only charged Chandler the original $12.00 quote. Thanks Tony!

Meanwhile, Shaun and Kregg had gone ahead and started onto the 84 again. Chris, Parry, and Chandler jumped on the 84 and eventually caught up. The 84 was worse then before and shifty winds kept catching us from different sides. No drafting angle was perfect, or could keep us protected from the menacing winds.

At a random exit we met up with the support Van. Bonnie (Chandler’s mother and new Van driver) had already filled up the water jug with ice cold water which we all very much enjoyed. At the support Van we evaluated our progress and realized we had 29 miles to go. We were exhausted from the wind and the 70 or so miles we had already traveled. We ate doughnuts, and hit the road again.

As we took on 84 again the sun was getting lower, our shadows were getting longer. Whether we moved or not, our shadows would grow and grow until darkness took over the sky and made our ride dangerous if not impossible. Thankfully we found relief in Boise. Smooth asphalt, and a lack of headwind helped propel us forward to our destination, which was actually Meridian (a little past Boise itself by a few miles). In the last few miles the sun was low in the sky and started to blind us. We rode into the sun for about half an hour and made it to Meridian. We arrived at the Gwilliams house, the kind souls that were going to let 5 sweaty, dirty guys take over their attic. We crashed in front of their house as the sun was saying its final goodbyes and waited as the Gwilliams made it home. After some much needed showers, Shaun and Kregg went to Carabas and the rest of us ate some Mac N Cheese. We talked, watched the season finale of The Office and got some much needed sleep.

Daily Stats

Distance: 103.00 Miles
Time: 6:48
Avg. Speed: 15.1
Max Speed: 35.21

Total Distance: 453.37

P & C Pushups 125

Day Five – Idaho’s Eden

Daily Brief

Highway 30 took us through country bugs, black rock canyons and climbs, by the beach of the Snake River, and all the way into Bliss.

Burley, Bliss and Bugs

Starting out from Burley we decided to take a more scenic route, highway 30. At first the scenery was nice, but it was a tad hard to enjoy as we were constantly running into bugs. There is nothing like looking down to see seven flies stuck on your arm. Thankfully no one swallowed any, although we sure tasted some.

We took lunch in Twin Falls Idaho. The highlight was the conversation about Shaun’s Ski boat, and our plans to use it when we get to California. Let me attempt to recreate the moment for you. Carsten asked Shaun, “How does it fill the back tanks if it’s a waterski boat?”

Shaun answered authoritatively, “It’s a Mastercraft pro star 209”

Everyone “ohhhhhhhhh well of courseeeeee”

Chris “So it pretty much does your laundry too…”

As we continued onwards, there was the usual ups and downs, but what killed us was a black rock canyon. The Landscape looked like something out of a classic star trek show, it was an alien desert scattered with dark black rocks everywhere, like someone just dropped a cargo plane full of black rocks all over the place. As we came into it, the road climbed up, and up, and around the corner into up oblivion. We hit it fast, but it winded us so we had to down shift and take it a pedal at a time. Eventually, after what seamed like forever, we made it to the top. We took the moment to rest and recuperate and survey the landscape and check out the electricity generating windmills.

We were rewarded for our efforts up the long climb up the black rock canyon when later we came across my favorite sign yet. There is nothing like seeing “6% grade next three miles”, especially when it is all downhill. We cruised down the miles in what seamed like moments in probably the fastest three miles we’ve traveled yet.

Continuing on highway thirty we came across the Snake river again, which met at a little beach front at the Snake River resort. We hopped off our bikes, out of the hot sun and into the Snake River. It was so cold that I lost my breath for a moment. Chris decided he didn’t want to risk the wet spandex, a good maneuver - while the rest of us plunged in. We swam around a little, skipped a few rocks and watched the wakeboarders. After that we were on our way again. It didn’t take long to dry off in the hot sun.

The route continued to provide us some nice downhill runs, and Kregg made good use of them. Flying to the front of the line, he cruised down in his rocket red jersey and we managed to keep up. Cruising down highway thirty, it had been taking us longer then we thought to get to Glenns Ferry, so Shaun had us stop a moment as he talked to some locals. We found out that we had 27 miles to go, and it was already late in the day. We realized that wouldn’t be ale to make it before dark so we had to readjust our plans. The next closest town of any size was Bliss. Chris was positive the name was bad news. I called him on it, but he said, “I just say those things to lower everybody’s hopes…for all I know Bliss is the Eden of Idaho.”. And so, that’s where we went, the Eden of Idaho.

“Eden” had a 24 hour gas station / restaurant, two hotels, and an onramp to highway 84. We checked out ‘Eden’s’ grass for camping, but it didn’t look to promising, so we gave into the idea of a hotel. Shaun scouted out both. One was going to give us three beds and a decent rate. The other hotel wasn’t such a decent rate. Shaun was also a little put off by the office being in a room…and the room having a half naked man on the bed, as his wife (giving them the benefit of the doubt) answered the door to barter with Shaun about prices…so, the first hotel was very nice. We took showers and relaxed and enjoyed sleeping in a real bed.

Daily Stats

Distance: 92.37 miles
Time: 5:53
Avg. Speed: 15.7
Max Speed: 34.7

Total Distance: 350.37

P&C Pushups:150