Day 4 Odessa to Spokane

Day 4 - Odessa to Spokane

DUE TO WI-FI TIME CONSTRAINTS THIS POST IS CUT SHORT.
CHECK BACK FOR CONTINUATIONS.

Getting up, my tent system screwed up. I got all my stuff out, rolled my tent, packed my bags and then realized that I had left my sunglassed in my tent. DUH!!! Unroll the tent, get out my glasses and reroll it. Apparently my system needs a little work still.

After a great warm breakfast from the Future Business Leaders of America Parents, we headed out. I made the rist turn correctly and promptly turned south on Hwy 21 instead of North on Hwy 21. After getting turned around we had a really peaceful day.

I decided to ride with other folks at a bit fo a slower pace. David Latner, from Toronto, was my morning riding companion. Latter I moved on to ride with Justine, who is from Jersey and Philly and is riding the BIg Ride for the 3rd time. Her dedication to the ride is so big that she was ready to quit her job, if they didn’t give her the time. They did though and all was good.

Later I hit a water break and was taking a break until, Brian L pointed out that we had a tail wind. There is nothing that will get the sore tired legs of a cyclist moving, like the news of a tailwind. Suddenly 5 exhausted cyclists wre running to get back on our bikes.

Anyway we continued on and had a 5 bike paceline running for while. Eventually that broke up and I rode with Tom for most of the rest of the afternoon. We had a sweet tail wind blowing us up a hill at 20mph.

Once we started to get into Spokane we had crazy directions and rerouting but got a great downhill where I hit 35 mph just coasting. By tipping my toes either up or down, I got a great cross ventilation through my shoes and had air conditinoing for my toes.

Here are quick pics of Tom and traffic and the farms.

Big Ride 03

Day 3 - Vantage to Odessa

Slept okay. My morning routine seems to be working pretty well. I like my little tent, sleeping bag packing system etc. Everyone’s mornig routine seems to be gelling. Often we are up at 5:00 a.m. I usually have slept in my riding clothes, but I still have to put on my sunscreen, chamois butter, put my bible and journal away so it takes a bit. Then the strategic packing of my bike bag, planning what I might need for the day in terms of food and clothes. Finally roll up the tent withthe fly and ground cloth layered inso so it rolls and unrolls all at once. Things are a bit damp sometimes, but it speeds up the setup and strike of camp. And I am so thankful to have a tent that sets up in less than 5 minutes. Watching everyone struggle with their tents I appreciate the ease of my tent all the more.

Anyway we have a hot breaktast again at the restaurant and then Stephen McCloskey and I head across the bridge across the Columbia River. It is a narrow bridge with traffic and it is good that we are taking it early in the morning. Once across the bridge we climb out of the river canyon. At the Wild Horse Stature Monument, we get a great view of the river valley, the bridge, the campsite, and the other riders coming up the hill.



The extra 1/8 of a mile to the viewpoint from the highway was definitely worth it. After that Steve and I got cruising. We pushed hard. Good conversation, talking about his overcoming cancer, my divorce, Faith and the balance fo life. It was pretty bleak ride without much to see. Occasionally we were chased by dogs which elicit a flurry of activity. First one of us sees the dog, mentally freaks out, calms down then yells “DOG!” At which point we sprint like crazy trying to get away fromt he dog, who currently is faster than us, has momentum and the element of surprise on us. When we think we are at least at comparable esacping speed one of us usually has the presense of mind ot turn around and bark back, very ferociously at the dog. Now of course all of this happens in the timeframe of about 1.5 and 2 seconds. After which we spend the next 2 miles settling our hearts back down.

About mile 35 we hit Ephrata. I was hungry and looking really wanting a slice of pizza and coke for lunch. This prove amazingly hard to find since at 9:15 in the morning. We made do with an organic produce shop. At which point Superman Bill Harm came screaming by.

Steve and I caught BIll and were working on a pace line with him. Our pace was too aggressive and Bill felt better running his own pace. Steve and I hammered it out. This was the same drive I was on last year when I caught up with last year’s Big Riders so it was an emotionally sort of decisional homecoming for me. I remember this last hill with Silos on it and kept looking forward it. Of course I told Steve of this Silo hoping ot provide inpisration. But that backfired as teh miles seemed to get further and furhter apart. Steve was starting to think that these Silos didn’t exist.


The weather was getting hot and all we saw were a few dead snakes. Water stops were few and far between.
Ultimately Steve and I were just trying to get through the hot, dry, boring countryside and be done. We got done first and made teh last turn. I was wanting to be “first in” since it was the place I had decided to ride this year. Just as we made the last turn, my chain jumped and Steve held up to let me in first. We were in at 12:50 so in just 6 short hours we had made our ride.

Shortly there after a few more riders came in and we quickly unloaded the truck and then rode back down into town for the pizza and (root) beer that I had dreamed about for 50 miles.
Camp these days really builds up fast and folks are getting into a groove. It was hot lot high school practice field that we were staying in. Lots of folks were resting and hanging out. Rodney really embodied this.



This night we were all starting to feel the miles on our bodies. The Massage train started a couple times with 6 or 7 folks all involved.

Us guys wound up sharing the locker room with the high school football camp that was in town for the week. I tell you it has been a long time since taking a communal high school shower.

Anyway that is about it for this post.

Day 2

Day 2 - Easton to Vantage

Holy Moly is it cold! Yeah us ‘zonies are whining but so is everyone else! I mean ridiculous cold. It feels like January riding weather back in Phoenix. Everyone is layered, bundled and working on warming up. We run out of hot oatmeal, so I go for the cream of wheat and hot cocoa. Just something hot.

I don’t start well in the mornings and start about 2/3 through the group. Just the way I am. But we set out. I start out to not be as fast. Riding with Alison, we get into the sunny light and except for the wind that we are generating at a 17 mph pace we are warming up.

We are still figuring out the ride and read navigating but getting better at it. Alison is a Graphics operator from Vegas, so we are kindred spirits in terms of desert dwellers and in the same biz. We can talk in gig speak and can appreciate each other professionally. Everyone else is sort of perplexed as to what I do for a living so I every much appreciate her company.

We catch up to Scott Hadley and Kari and have a 4 man group happening. A bunch of folks stop in Cle Elum, a small town, to overwhelm the local coffee cafe. I find a granola bar to be sufficient and we are on the way. Kari and I wind up pulling ahead an ride together for a lot of the rest of the day.



4 large Doe deer are in a field off to the left and are just so beautiful to see. Large rolling hills in pine forest are our view. The snow capped Enchantment mountains are the backdrop on our left and there is a river on our right. Temps are in the 60s it is mid morning and there really isn’t anything better to be doing that riding my bike.

A non-ALAW cyclist comes passes us on a hill and I manage to hang with him. He is Tom, a Kirkland teacher on his first day of Summer vacation. He has driven over the Mtns and is riding from Cle Elum to Ellensburg and back. We ride for 15 miles and I tell him what we are up to. When we realizes that Vantage is only tonight’s destination, but that Washington D.C. is our overall destination, he is gives us kudos. Eventually I need a scheduled rest break and as I leave him, he gives me his Power gels energy snacks and wishes us well.

A nice little break in the middle of nowhere. I ride the next 10 miles solo and enjoy the peace of just me and my bike. At the next intersection my directions are screwed up. I explore the straight fork after 1 mile out I decide it is wrong and backtrack, where I find Kari again. She is equally confused and to support the unofficial Big Ride slogan...” at least we are lost together.” She make a phone call, I watch a hawk sore and scream. What a pretty sight.

I feel like I am out in it this beautiful place. Not stuck in my car, watching it whiz by. Miles before a Vulture in a nearby tree flew off as we passed and the rushing sound of its wings scared me at the time. I am glad to be here, on my bike in these moments, in the world.

Kari is done with her phone call We are totally lost, but luckily she attended college here, so I get a personal tour, past the cannery where she worked and where they are canning, what smells to be peas. Lots of peas.

Finally we find the checkpoint and are back on course.

We ride out together and begin a long arduous fight against the wind. Usually this should be a tail wind coming off the mountains but since Seattle is clear with good weather, wind have shifted. We struggle. I might be a stronger rider, but I don’t want Kari to have to fight the wind alone, so we work together. I lead a few miles, she does a few miles. Back and forth. I am pushing her a bit, but she is up to it. We take our breaks and get a fabulous view of the back side of Mt. Rainier from the eastern side of the Cascades. I have never Seen Rainier from this side and it is absolutely amazing. It’s size, height, majesty, and knowing the power that created it.



We head into the wind again and finally catch Rodney, a 60+ guy originally from Australia who now lives in Israel and is riding across the U.S. (Can you get any more continents involved in one sentence.)

Rodney is fighting the wind alone and as Kari and I catch him, I do just what I did with Kari and I slow down and put my hand on his back and lightly push him up the hill and help him keep his speed. Kari is strong and keeps going. This is the last climb of the day and we finish strong.

And although I started the day off slower, Kari is #5 through the water stop at the top, I am #6 and Rodney is #7. Alison and Scott quickly make #8 & #9.



Alison is thrilled to be first woman with only 20 miles of downhill to go. I am so proud of her for taking the coaching and beating the hills.

Heading down we elect to not want to unload the truck again so we all stop at the Petrified forest state park just a few miles from he end. It winds up being 4 or 5 petrified stumps that have been unearthed and have grates over them to protect them from Vandals. Not much to see here, but a nice stop.



We get to camp and indeed the truck has been unloaded. Justine passed us when were were at the petrified forest and is first woman into camp, but Kari knows she was it and let that distinction go. But the knowledge that she could have been, strengthens her.

I am super proud of both Kari and Rodney for reaching far and fast and attaining that.

Although camp is only night 2 we are starting to get into a rhythm. The local restaurant feeds us all dinner and tomorrow’s breakfast. Tent setup goes much better. I finally get out my thermarest chair and have a camp seat.

There seems to be more time for journalling and resting and hanging out in camp. We are on the banks of the Columbia river. Friendships and clics are starting to develop but no one is ever excluded, some folks are just closer than others.



I have mechanic Dave, work on my bike for while. After initial reassembly on Day 0, I now know what needs to be tweaked. My chain keeps jumping off the deraileur in front but I have learned how to shift it back on without having ot get off the bike. Overall though it is really annoying, so he tweaks it and trues up my rear wheel.

Dave is super kind and really pays close attention to al of us. His attitude infuses a sense of care for all of us. He wants us to be riding the best bikes we can be riding and he checks for and fixes problems we don’t even know exist. Dave is really great.

I manage to stay awake a little later on Day 2 before heading for bed.

It has been a good day.

Big Ride Day 1

Day 1




At the start is it cool and rainy. We are early. People trickle in. Many past riders show up to be part of the group as we ride out of town.



I am excited to see Steven, Chris and Eric Chessler all people I remember from last year. I really enjoy talking with Steven and Chris after having met them last year and being able to show that I am here now.

Knowing Eric is riding is huge for me. Last year I knew him to be one fo hte strongest riders and in the lead group. However he would slow down and ride with slower riders through out the ride to encourage them and really embrace the whole community aspect of the ride. He was a hero to me for that reason and it was such a pleasure to get to ride with him.



After getting cold during the requisitive thank yous from the Chairlady we were off. As we left a Bald Eagle was soaring jsut 40 or 50 feet over the lake right there and it was such a corny yet really moving American Experience.

We head out, and I am happy to finally after a week of no bike to just be pedalling again!

I ride my ride and play my game and am passing folks left and right. I am trying to catch up with Eric who is up front. I catch up on I-90 bridge and am glad to be withteh leaders and am still in my speed range and feel good to be moving comfortabley with the leaders.

A skill I suddenly need and haven’t anticipated is needing to read a guide sheet. I can Read. I can ride. But reading and riding at the same time is a huge problem. We all get lost a few times and get off course - aka we get some “Bonus Miles”.

We get things figured out and progress pretty comfortably. It is myself, Stephen McCloskey (another 2007 rider) and Eric and Baby Lucas who are both 2006 ride alongs.





We have our firt PB&J along the Lower Snoqualmie River. A great little spot. We cruise throughthe midway Checkpoint and are first through. This is the first time that it hits me that we are fastest and may commonly be the speed leaders in the group.

The next sections of ride are out on I-90 and the shoulder is smotth but littered with all kinds of road debirs. Iti s really amazing the amount and kind of stuff you find on the shoulder.
Bits, parts and pieces of tires, bolts, tools, shoes?, bananas. Weird stuff. We get off theI-90 and take a secondary road up to Snoqualmie pass. No traffic and okay. It is however in the shade and damp and wet and I finally get tired of being cold.




I want to stop. To sit down. Whine a little, but Baby Lucas is a champ and stays slow with me everystroke of the way and he gets me up and over the hill and teaches me one of many very valuable lessons. I make the top. I am glad to have just survived. And actually I am not to bad off after a bit of a rest.

Alison, from Las Vegas arrives shortly after us at the top and the group changes. Eric and Lucas drop out for the day, so Alision, Stephen and I head downhill from the pass on I -90.

As I lead the draft line, I point out EVERY drainage grate. They laugh at my attention to such dtails but after my crecent crash it seems justified.



We stop for some pictures along the lake right next to the freeway. The mountains are still snow capped and absolutely beautiful and as we get further east over the pass, we have more and more sun. It feels so good.

Stephen falls back and eventually flats (gets a flat tire) so Ali and I pull away. The road is really bad and we come through a section where there are a thousand metal disks that seem like the lid off a tennis ball can. In the middle of this seem of tire land mines, I realize I might flat at 35mph. I say a prayer to get me through unscathed. Alison and I manage to get through without a problem. Others are not so lucky. 4 flats result among the whole group from the disc and a couple tires are shredded.

Day 1 Camp

We camp at Lake Easton and learn why it is not advantageous to be early into camp. As soon as there are 4+ riders in camp, those early riders unload the truck. 50 people x 2 overstuffed duffel bags each, averaging 70 lbs per person is way to much lifting and carrying after riding 80 miles. Especially when you are carrying and walking in your cycling shoes, because your camp shoes are still in your own luggage, which is undoubtedly packed into the middle of the pile.

Early riders do however get their pick of campsites. What makes a good campsite? For me it is one near enough to the truck to not have to carry my bags very far, yet far enough to not have lights or conversations keeping you up at night. It really is a skilled art that I am still developing.

We setup camp. For many this is the first time setting up their tent, arranging the sleping bag etc. Advice is given, mistakes are made, however no one loses an eye due to a wayward tent pole, so all is good.

I take one fo the early showers, and don’t have hot water yet. This is THE coldest shower I have ever taken. We have tokens for the shower. Each token is good for 3 minutes. I try to only use 1 token. If properly prepared for, it is possible to take a less than 3 minute shower, especially when the water temp does not invite you to linger.

Quiet hours comes around at 8:00p.m. and 50 people are all too happy to go to bed so early and rest. Just remember tomorrow we have to do it all over again starting a 5:00 a.m.

Big Ride Day 1 Pre-start

Day 1 - Pre-start

Jeff had set the clock for 4:30 and I planned to get up at 5:00 since we needed to head out at 5:30 to make the 6:30 starting meeting. Jeff and I are scurrying around in the morning and I have few “pre-show” butterflies, just like before a load-in at work.

It is about 5:15 and we our down to our last zip -ups and heading out the door. Checking my phone to make sure it is on and good, I read the time as 2:15 not 5:15! What?

I quick look for a second clock and things instantly fall into place. He hasn’t reset his alarm clock form Eastern Time. That is why it is still pitch black dark outside... Why Ali hasn’t woken us up or checked on us... Why there is no movement in the RV. I check the Cable box time. 2:19 a.m. Tme confirmed.

Hey Jeff we are up 3 hours to early! We have a laugh and hte nervous tension between evaporates and we are instantly comrades. As i am repacking I realize I can’t find my camera and for the second time in 12 hours I have lost it at Ali’s. So we spend a 1/2 hour looking for it, unpakcing, repacking etc. Can’t find it. I decide it is more important to sleep. I let it go and chalk it up to a possible loss. As I lay there tyring to go back to sleep I can finally calm down and retrace my steps and think it is outside on the balcony rail.

I put on sandles and dash out in my clothies in the pooring rain to look for my camera on the balcony. I find it!!! Okay. That is our mishap. In every gig, show, trip whatever, there is always one big mishap. Well this is the one for the Big Ride. I head back to the room witha huge smile, knowing we have sidestepped this little mishap, no worse for wear. The ride is ON!

We have trouble getting back to sleep after all this but we manage another 90 minutes or so of rest.

We get up at the right time, ALi checks on us, nothing is missing and we are off to the start.

Big Ride Day 0 Orientation

So this is it. My Big Ride Across America.

Day 0 - Orientation.

It’s like the first day of high school. So many new people I don’t know. Almost everyone is new. Lookng for familiar faces, Dan and Kelly both from Phoenix. However, this time with all the new faces, I am not worried “If” we are going ot be friends. Itis a forgone conclusion that we are all going to need to be friends and need eah other to get across the country.

A common bond is that we have all worked to raise the minimum fundraising and have earned our place in this group.



During orientation we introduce ourselves and tell what color our first bike was. As I think about it I realize that I broke the fork on my first bike as well. Of my 4 bikes in my life, I have ruined 2 forks. Somehow that just strikes me as funny.

We have dinner and everyone wants to hear how I am doing, how I am feeling and how the crash happened. I am sort of taken aback by all the interest, but it is instatnly reassuring to be in a group so caring and concerned.

Jeff and I are staying at our host’s house for the night and will get a ride down to the start line with the support RV in the morning.

We get the exercise/play room for the night and diligently set about to nervously packing and checking that we have ll or our gear. Last minute adjustments and changing over to being ready to ride, versus couch serfing with our friends/famliy.

Basically we are ready and just nervously trying to outsmart the looming shadows of the future days. For what turns out to be a terrific diversion, Ali, our host invites us out for some late night left over cake. She rode the ride in 2000 and we sit at her kitchen counter talking about our guesses and her expereince of what is to come. After all the “nervous nellying”, we have been doing, I am refilled with a sense of excitement and peace that it is time and it will all be fine.

I go to bed positive and looking forward to tomorrow.

Mountain Training

Saturday for Memorial Weekend, I took my bike with me down to Tucson, to ride Mt. Lemmon. Dad and I had worked out plans that he would drive as support as I tried to climb a 25 mile hill with 7000' of elevation. I had never attempted such a large hill and it was a concern of mine, if I could do it for my upcoming Big Ride.

We started out Saturday morning about 6:30 and I rode to the 8 miles to the base of the mountain as my warmup before I starting the actual ride up.

I was feeling good and climbing strong throughthe lower switchbacks. Dad had lagged behind to get a coffee and give me a chance to get a headstart and head up the mountain. He thought he would drive a ways sit and wait for me, take a picture or two as I rode by. As it turned out, I was stronger than we had both anticipated and I was making such good time, that Dad didn't really have a chance to read. He would get ahead of me, wait a minute or so, shoot a picture, get back in the car, cruise up to the next sport wait another a couple minutes, take another piture and so forth. We did this all the way upt he mountain.

I told him that I would skip Windy point, but when we got there I was reminded about what a spectacular view it was and how high up we were. I was proud to have felt so strong climbing to this point so we did take couple pics of celebration here.



I kept climbing and from there hit a tough climb up to Palisades ranger station where I had to stop for a Clif bar. This was a tough climb but after some water and Clif bar I was on the roll again. I caught up to Chuck, an older cyclist, who was also climbing the mountain that day. He had done it before and was educating me on the turns and the tricks and so forth of the mountain.

We were near the top and I sent Dad ahead in to the little town of Summerhaven to get fresh batteries for the camera. In that time I turned and headed the last 2 miles uphill to the ski slope. With one mile completed and jsut startignteh second mile, I hit a snow drainage culvert and crashed. Apparently I celebrated too early at Windy Point.

The crash was hard! I sheared off my fork witheh fron wheel still attachd to the fork and not the bike.
I wound up going over the front end and protecting my helmet with the side of my face.
Positive Loss of Consciousness for about a minute. Chuck was right behind me and lookng down at the road when I crashed. He thought he heard a gunshot and looked up to see me and the bike both crashed out and on the ground. He sprinted up to where I was stopped. The gunshot he thought he heard was evidently my fork snapping.

Chuck was tending to me and another motorist had stopped to call 911 when Dad pulled up to the scene a few minutes later. Apparently I was conscious and responsive, but I don't remember any of it. My first real clear memory is opening my eyes and looking up to 4 or 5 faces all staring down at me. Several of them were Paramedics and there were trees shooting up behind them and blue sky. At that point I realized I was on my back and concluded that I must have crashed. Considering that the part I don't remember was: the crash, the call to 911, my dad showing up, the arrival of the paramedics after the 911 call... I estimate that I have memory absenteeism for about 8 minutes. That part is the spooky part.

To shorten the story , they took down the mountain via the ambulance. They actually took me part way down and then transferred me to a 2nd ambulance. Finally down at teh hospital Mom joined us and we waited, for the docs, the Xrays, and all the other things that go on in an ER. It wasn't too bad a wait. 1 CT scan, about 10 Xrays and some bandages later, they let me go with just a broken rigt hand pinky finger.

It was too bad that I hadn't made it all the way tot he top. It was too bad that I crashed but I all in all I am happy and confident in the ride and know that as soon as I heal, I will be ready to set out across America!!!