It’s March 27th and it is SNOWING again! That and the volcano keep erupting!!! (by Linda)

March 28th, 2009

OK, the Governor of Louisana thinks it is a BAD idea for Alaska to get $140,000,000 dollars for the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Lots of folks agree with him, I don’t because we have volcanoes in Alaska that really make it hard to cycle when you don’t know they are about to blow their tops!

Redoubt Volcano is about 100 miles away from Anchorage, as the crow flies and the wind blows. It is a beautiful mountain and it is also a restless mountain. I moved to Alaska in 1985 and have been ashed on 4 times so far. Redoubt erupted several time in 1989 and Mount Spurr, just across Cook Inlet from Anchorage ,erupted in 1990 and 1991 and really left a hugh mess on us. The ash was so light and fine you couldn’t feel it on your skin when in landed there. The air filters of your car would get clogged in minutes and the car would die, and it would get damaged because the ash got inside the engine and scraped it up. A real mess.

Trying to sweep away the ash was impossible, it was so light that it just lifted up off of the ground, floated around in the air and finally landed in another spot. No dust pans or shovels would really work, the ash was too light. Hosing it down with water made a “ashy” mess that was slick and hard to get rid of. The wind would blow and you had to grab your mask because it was in the air and that was not good for your lungs. What eventually happened was time helped by having rain, wind, walking on it and grass growing tamp it down and it became part of the dirt. For years after the eruptions you could dig down in the dirt and pull up a shovelful of dirt to see how far down the ash had migrated. After 2 or 3 years we lost interest and forgot to keep track of the ash level in the dirt.

So this winter we have had a lot of snow and now we are waiting for the ash to fall on top of the snow so it can become a pasty, icky mess when the snow finally melts. When it melts the roads will be really dirty and slick for a period of time then the cycle will start all over again. It is great fertilizer. The ash from Mt. Spurr is really good for the soil; the ash from Reoubt has more glass particles in it and is OK but grittier.

I love cycling in the winter, see other blogs, but right now I have to be careful because of the potential harmful effects of the ash. I don’t want it in my lungs and I really don’t want it in my eyes, I just paid $4000 to get my eyes fixed! So I am being cautious and I am listening to and logging into the Alaska Volcano Observatory to keep up to the minute on what is happening and where the ash is heading. I like having the AVO, too bad others think it is a waste of money!

On another, non-political note: summer will get here and evenutally the mountain will stop blowing its top and it will settle down, I hope. I have signed up for 2 bike rides so far, the third will be open for signup at 12:01 AM April 1. The two I have already signed up for are the Larry Holman Ride for Life, fund raiser for ColoRectal Cancer support and research and the Fireweed 400, in the new event the 300K (200 mile) 2-Day tour to Valdez, Alaska.

The Ride for Life is special; my Uncle Jim died of colorectal cancer, it was a very long time ago and I never got to say good-bye; it was a terrible way to die and I miss him! He was my favorite Uncle, he understood me and let me be the onry little girl who loved to have fun and always got into trouble! He thought I was funny and just let me be me! I now have a small way to show him how much he meant to me. If you would like to donate to the cause you can do so at http://rideforlife.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=304614&supId=171592127. It is my personal page for the Ride for Life that is set up for participants in the ride. The website for the event is http://www.rideforlifealaska.com/. It would be great if everyone who reads this blog would donate a dollar, this is a disease that we can treat, and beat if caught soon enough. I am the co-captain of the Providence Hospital /Providence Cancer Center Ride for Life Team and I am glad to do what I can to beat this thing into the ground!

The Fireweed 400 is a multievent ride that has become a special treat for me. I will never do the RAAM (Race Across America), which this is a qualifier for, but I will have a lot of fun riding in this event. This ride pushes me and makes me realize that I am the only person who can keep me from completing this event, or anything I attempt to do. Same goes for the rest of the things I do in my life. I turned 65 this last December and I embrace the fact that I am now a card-carrying Old Fart with a Medicare Card that can still ride my bike and enjoy every minute of it. The longer the ride the better! Next year, 2010, my daughter Shannon and I are planning a trip to Italy, it is a graduation gift to Shannon, she will graduate from Nursing School in December 2009, and I want to do something very special for her, it has been a hard struggle for her, a divorced mother of two wonderful boys who wants to do something special in this world; Shannon wants to work in a VA hospital in Houston, Texas and help the soldiers coming back from the multiple wars we are involved in. We are going to cycle Tuscany if I can save enough money to make the trip happen. But that is another blog at a future date. Cycling with a surgical face mask on looks funny but it does do a good job of ash control. I have a pair of motorcycle goggles that keep the stuff out of my (expensive) eyes. I just have to be careful and not slip and slide on the ash.

The news just announced that Mt. Redoubt just erupted, again! It is going to an interesting spring, which will eventually start here. We are about a month behind the rest of the country because of where we are located. But I will continue to cycle, ash and all. Life is an adventure and it is so good!

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One small VICTORY for cycling in Anchorage (by Linda)

March 28th, 2009

It has snowed a few times since my last entry and I am loving it! But with the increased amount of snow on the ground there are problems. I am a low level citizen here in Anchorage because I ride a bicycle. I am even lower because I ride a bicycle during the winter.

The drivers of the cars are awful here in the Last Frontier. They forget from winter to winter how to drive and how to be safe on slippery roads. But mostly they forget their manners, not only to pedestrians, but between other vehicles, too. Then add insult to injury by being a bicyclist on the silppery roads, in the dark, with or without reflective gear and bike lights and you end up with a potentially dangerous situation.

Because of the dark winter is tough on cyclists in Alaska. Another problem that hinders winter commuting is the sidewalks. Anchorage has just over 260,000 people living within the city limits. Over the past 20-30 years (Alaska is getting ready to celebrate its 50th birthday as a State in January 2009) Anchorage, in particular, has spent a lot of money creating roads. Not too many years ago we had a Mayor who had a vision of bike trails/multipurpose trails linked to those roads and Anchorage now has about 250 miles of multiuse bike paths and trails within the city. Many are used as ski trails in the winter and biking/running/walking paths during the summer. The Nordic Ski Club lays the ski trails during the winter.

I have been busy on the computer and the phone and I have had success. I contacted the Municipality and was told the State Maintenance folks were responsible for the part of the road I was complaining about. That is the part of the road that never gets cleaned. My argument was not about my inconvience, it was about the rest of the folks who were not able to safely utilize the sidewalk on a stretch of road that took them to an elementary school, several hospitals, two universities and numerous Alaska Native medical office and hospital. The bus stops were not usable because of the snow berms; the kids who go to the school have had to climb over the berms and walk in the roadway in the dark with cars driving by.

I wrote an email to the local State Maintenance representative and was surprised to receive an response within an hour of pressing “ENTER.” Mr. Fullerton explained the lack of money and equipment for the lack of snow removal. He said that the State Maintenance department in Anchorage did not have any sidewalk cleaning equipment, that it was due to arrive in Anchorage in late December, but there was little money to pay for workers to utilize the new equipment.

What was really surprising was the next day I headed to work and the sidewalks were cleaned, all the way to the area where the universities and the hospitals took responsibility for the cleaning! And since that first email I have sent in two requests for the sidewalks to be cleaned and within a day they are cleaned! It is amazing and it is so greately appreciated! I have to admit that I really didn’t think anything would happen. I also wrote to the City Council and had two of the members contact me. They have helped in making sure the sidewalks around the schools and hospitals are being cleaned faster than before.

I don’t know if I was responsible but I do know that a short section of sidewalk near my house is now cleaned on a regular basis, and I will take credit for that! Because the sidewalks are safer I have seen more cyclists out there pedaling to and from work or school or wherever they are heading. It is SO COOL!

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Riding in the snow is much different than riding in the heat! (by Linda)

November 5th, 2008

Election Day, a beautiful day in Alaska. The sun was out, it got into the mid-20’s and there is about one and a half inches of snow on the ground. What a great day to ride my bike! It is hard to believe that just two and a half months ago I was riding my bike down Route 66 in the sun and humidity and heat. My tan is fading but the memories are not. But, things are changing…

I had my Surly Long Haul Trucker, the bike I had on the Route 66 trip, fitted with my snow-cat fat snow tires. On the side of the rear fork of my Surly there is a decal that says “fatties fit fine” so I took the bike to Chain Reaction Bike shop (not part of the national chain) and had the guys try to put the tires on the bike. I was really pleased when I found out that the tires fit! I rode it to work a week ago and realized that there are modifications that need to be made. The ride was not very comfortable.

I am signed up for the Susitna 50K bike race/ride (www.susitna100.com) on February 14th, a ride that will take me out on the Alaskan tundra for a 32 mile out and back bike ride and I want to ride Granny (the name of my Surly) in that ride. The snow-cat tires are fatter than my regular studded tires and the front fork is rigid, which is much better than my mountain bike with the front shock. I found out several years ago that seals on the front shock I have on the mountain bike freeze and the fork collapses at about 5 degrees.

I also found out on that one ride to work was that I also need a new handlebar, because it was not comfortable to ride with the drop bar. So Granny is going to get a new handlebar and shifters. This will make her more comfortable and usable when I change back to touring mode.

My daily commute to work is 10.46 miles round trip. My biggest problem on my commute is not the snow, it is moose. I seem to run into Mr. & Mrs. Bulwinkle, and family, almost daily, not in the same place, they do roam, but almost daily. Many people think moose are cute, and look so tame. Let me tell you they might be cute but they are VERY DANGEROUS. My biggest fear is coming up on a moose off to the left side of the route I take. I travel down a main road and off to the left is swamp and forest. During the time when there is no snow on the ground I can’t see the moose if they are near the trees, they blend so well. I have strong lights but moose don’t shine or glow or reflect light. Even the eyes of a moose are hard to see, you have to hit the eyes with a light just about dead center to be able to see them. I have been chased several times and have been able to out run the moose, but that was before the snow was on the ground and the studded tires were put on the bike. With snow on the ground they are a little easier to see but not much. I have to be very aware and alert for most of the commute in the morning. Riding home hasn’t been an issue because it is light and I can see the moose and avoid them.

It is suppose to snow more later this week so it will take me more time to ride to and from work. Right now I can make it to work in about 25 minutes and 35 minutes coming home. It is mostly downhill going so the return trip is all uphill. But I like the ride. The road noise is loud coming home but I can tune that out, usually.

I am riding my trainer 5 days a week. I have a specific routine that I am following and I kind of like the regiment. I want to do better in several events this next spring and I am working on that goal during the winter. I need to get to the gym or the Dome track and run so I can do well in the running events I want to enter, too.

The biggest shock for me at this time is that in just over a month I will turn 65! It is hard for me to believe that I will be eligible for Medicare! I never thought that day would ever come! I don’t feel any different than 10 or 20 years ago. But I have learned that just having the big 65 looming does cause things to change. People treat me differently, even though I am in better shape than most of the people around me. But I am not going to let their impression of what I am suppose to be like because a magic number has been associated with my name change who I am or what I am going to do with my life! I have a lot of plans and I will do the things that are important to me, regardless of my age.

So, I am going to watch a little more TV on this historic night. It has been a long political season and I am glad it is almost over. But is has been interesting and historic, no matter how the numbers end up and who gets to move into the White House. I think that I will ride the trainer for a little while, watch a little more of the election results and then head to bed and be surprised in the morning. I get up early and ride in so I can cool off and get changed without being rushed.

Be safe, keep riding and have fun. Most of all have fun on your bike and ride like your life depends on it. I know I will! And never let anyone tell you that you can’t ride because it is too hot or too cold. Just be prepared and be safe!

Bon Route!

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The snow has appeared, the wind has blown and I’m still riding! (by Linda)

October 10th, 2008

With all of the crazy weather that we have experienced this year it was no surprise that the snow fell this week. then after the sno fell and it started to get colder we had a storm blow in last night. The key word is blow. It raged for hours, knocked out power in part of Anchorage and made riding early in the morning out of the question. As I drove to work I resembled a drunk driver, having to miss tree branches that were in the road.

The storm has calmed and the weather is much better. When I get home I will not take my bike outside, jump on it and take off. But I will get on my road bike and pedal for an hour or so. I have set up my trainer in the living room, smack in front of the television. I have been on the bike every day for the past two weeks. It makes me feel better, makes my body feel healthy. Plus I am getting to see a lot of movies that I haven’t seen in a long time.

Riding a trainer inside is not easy, at least for me. I like to see and smell and be in the landscape so riding inside is hard. But I am determined not to loose the fitness level I gain while on the trip. So I pedal away and never go any place. My dogs think I am crazy, they watch me climb on the bike and start pedaling and they they yawn and go to sleep.

I finally put an older slick tire on the bike last night. I had purchased new tires after my last flat while riding back up the Eagle River hill. I didn’t want to ruin the tire by using it while riding on the trainer. I did a little research on tires but can’t really afford any of the more expensive training tires. So I will just use the older slick tires and hope they last.

Oh, well, at least I am still riding!

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The ride may be over but my riding is not! (by Linda)

October 3rd, 2008

Who knows if anyone checks this blog site anymore. I do but I am a little strange. I had so much fun that checking the blogs is just one way of keeping that fun fresh in my mind.

Since I returned home I have ridden almost every day. I love to ride. Granny, my tourning bike that I took on the trip arrived home safe and sound. I wasted little time in cleaning her up and riding her. She is such a NICE ride. I have also done things like ride up Arctic Valley Road, a steep dirt road that has been on the list of things to do. I have now done it, more than once, and it was easy! In the past I wasn’t sure I could do it but guess what? I can and I did!

It has been snowing on the mountains today. It isn’t cold enough today to have the rain freeze or turn white, but it won’t be long! I have set up my road bike in the middle of my living room and I have been riding it while watching DVD’s of my favorite movies. I am putting my studded tires on my mountain bike this weekend and will be riding on them the 10 miles to work and back. I just can’t get enough riding! It is just so much fun and it feels so good!

I think the dogs think I am crazy, pedaling to nowhere! They watch me as I climb on the trainer and start pedaling, then they yawn and go to sleep. Guess the movies don’t grab their attention either.

Well, time to go nowhere fast. Train hard, ride lots, be careful, wear a helmet and Bon Route!

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Funny Story at Judy’a Expense… (by Sandy)

September 22nd, 2008

I’m not sure if anyone is still looking at the blogs, but today as I was cycling in Sun Prairie I remembered an incident that I knew I had to share. I had observed a hammock in one of my neighbors back yards and almost collided with a parked car remembering the incident during our bike trip that had us all (except Judy) laughing our asses off.

Judy, Michael, and I were taking a cycling break where Linda had pulled the support vehicle over. I can’t remember where we were, (Illinois or Missouri?) or what kind of establishment it was, but it had a shady garden and a picnic table and the proprietors told Linda we were welcome to sit in the shade and have a rest.

After some cold water and a few nibbles on Power Bars, Judy noticed an inviting hammock strung between two trees. She gamely strolled over to hammock, no doubt envisioning herself reclining in the shade of the supporting trees, gently swaying in the cool breeze.

She carefully and with much grace eased herself onto the rope hammock and immediately and without any grace whatsoever flipped completely over. She desperately clung to the ropes in an upside down position before dropping to the ground like a sack of potatoes, her bicycle shoes still tangled in the ropes.

Being loyal and concerned friends, we immediately stopped what we were doing and began laughing at her. None of us made a move to help her as she struggled out of the ropes. Then, in a vain attempt to regain some dignity, she tried it again with the exact same result!

It was the first time I experienced snorting Gatorade and pieces of Power Bar out my nose i was laughing so hard.

Michael eventually went over to help her up the second time as Linda and I tried unsuccessfully to stop laughing and show some concern. Judy showed her true character by gamely enduring our lengthy mocking and joining in the laughter.

I can’t believe I had forgotten that incident; Judy must have employed some kind of Jedi/ Obi-Wan Kenobi “These are not the droids you are looking for…” technique.

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Epilogue (by Sandy)

September 16th, 2008

After leaving the seedy LAX Super 8, (where I didn’t dare walk barefoot on the carpeting in my room…), and saying goodbye to Judy, Michael and Linda, I rented a car and drove to Riverside where I lived 2000-2006. I had a fabulous time visiting old friends and catching up; my friend Julie let me stay at her house and organized a night out with former co-workers. It was such a treat!

On Saturday I drove to Palm Desert where I watched my son play college football and visited with him on Sunday. Again, it was such a great visit with him.

Monday my travelling luck ran out. After an uneventful flight from Palm Springs to LAX, the next leg of my journey from LAX to Chicago was delayed and I missed my connection to Madison by 10 minutes. Unable to rent a car, (every rental agency was completely booked), and the next flight to Madison not departing until Tuesday a.m., I took refuge in an airport bathroom where I locked myself in the handicap stall and had a good cry. Then I pulled myself together and took stock of the situation.

I found another seedy airport Super 8 motelt; of course all my luggage, clean clothes, deodorant, toothbrush etc. were sitting at the O’Hare airport also waiting for the Tuesday a.m. flight. I am stuck for the night with just my laptop, camera, wallet, and the ripening clothes on my back.

I didn’t check in until after 10:30 p.m., and I was starving. The only food available was 2 ½ blocks away. I walked the questionable, dark, busy street, and happily the establishment was a bar and grill. I had some food and a couple brewtowskis and watched the end of the Monday Night Football game. I safely returned to the Super 8 around midnight with a 5:30 a.m. wakeup call.

Not exactly a fairy-tale ending to my Route 66 adventure, but at least I should be home by mid-morning on Tuesday. Judy loaned me her “Lois Lets Loose” novel, a true story about a British woman who rode her motorcycle solo from Alaska to the southern tip of South America. I bet she wore ripening clothes more than once during her adventure, and it has me already thinking about my next adventure!

Thanks to everyone who made this trip possible; my bosses who let me take 4 weeks off, (yes, I’m coming back to work), my staff who kept the pathology lab running in my absence, my son Patrick who stayed home by himself and took care of the house, yard and dog, my mom and sisters who kept all of us in their prayers, and Judy and Michael who conceived, planned, and did most of the organization of the ride. I am truly blessed!

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I guess this will be my final blog, I will miss the pedaling and the road (by Linda)

September 11th, 2008

Today is Day 25 of our 24 day ride down Route 66. We went to Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Judy wanted to see the foot and hand prints of the stars and the rest of us were willing to go along. Actually this is one star attraction I have missed seeing on several occasions.

As a child my Dad was not interested in driving to Hollywood to see these monuments dedicated to the stars. My former husband had no interest either so I had to wait until today to see the sight.

“It was once stated that to visit Los Angeles and not see the Chinese (Theater) is like visiting China and not seeing the Great Wall. Grauman’s opulent, awe-inspiring presence and history has been a cornerstone of Hollywood for over 75 years.” http://www.manntheatres.com/chinese/)

There were hundreds of folks milling around the theater. There were actors, I guess, dressed up as different movie characters like Batman, Spiderman, etc. Some would let you take their photos but they wanted a donation for the privilege.

I was pleased with the visit and have a bunch of photos, some of the foot and hand prints of the stars and some of the theater. It is truly magnificent with all of the detail that was built into the exterior of the theater. The masks and sculptures were beautiful! If you ever have a chance to go see this structure do so, it is well worth the time and effort. Make sure you go on a regular weekday between 10 AM and about 2 PM to avoid a lot of the traffic associated with this city. There are some parking lots within easy walking distance.

Judy has a flight out this evening and she will grab the shuttle ($5 for a 5 minute ride to LAX) from the Super 8 we are staying in. I don’t recommend this one on Western Avenue. The people in the office are not very friendly and the feeling they give you when asking a question is indifference and of being inconvenienced. Our truck and trailer is too big to come in through the main entrance, they knew this prior to our arrival, Sandy made sure of that, and they assured her there was a back entrance. Well, they have to unlock the back gate, which means they have to leave the office, unlock and relock the gate. Boy does that piss them off! All this treatment PLUS a $100/night fee! Oh, well, I just changed my shuttle pick up time to 10:00 AM, I would rather sit at the airport for several hours and avoid the people here at the motel!

So, a little more reflection on the trip; what would I do differently? I would not bring as many riding jerseys as I did. I had 4 or 5 and didn’t use any of them after the third day. They were way to hot for me. I like the way they fit but I couldn’t get cool in them. All of the jerseys were very colorful so they were dark. The sun liked the dark shirts and made me hot. In Towanda I bought a white Route 66 T-shirt and eventually I cut the sleeves off and wore it and I was much happier. It may not have been as nice looking but I didn’t care by that time.

Another thing I would have done differently was to have brought a bigger pillow. I used my little camp pillows and found they were not big enough. They were very easy to pack each morning when we took the tents down but I would have like a larger pillow to sleep with.

Gu2O is great stuff, too bad we couldn’t find any place to buy it along the route. I was amazed to find the bike shops carrying some electrolyte replacement drinks but not the Gu2O! So next time I will overload on the containers of Gu2O. Snacks were not too much of an issue but if I had been used to just one or two kinds of gels I would have been hurting, they, too, were hard to find.

I did have a problem with my bike at one time. After so many miles a tune-up is needed, just like with a car. My tune-up was done in Santa Fe. The shifting had gotten messed up and I was having a little problem. We found a bike shop and they fixed it for me and they didn’t charge me. I guess they were impressed by our trip!

I want to do more long trips, but it will take some time to pay off the bills and to decide what I want to do. At some point in my life I want to retire and pedal around the world. It mayhave to be done in short trips but it is a goal. This trip showed me that I can do this. I WANT to do this kind of thing. So, when I get home I will set up my road bike, and maybe Granny, on the trainer and I will ride all winter. I don’t want to loose what I have gained. It is hard riding on the trainer, no road kill to smell two miles away! I like to watch movies, maybe that will help.

Oh, well, I will give myself a day or so and then start thinking about what might be next.

See you on the road!

Bon route!

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Maybe now is a good time for a little reflection…(by Linda)

September 9th, 2008

I have had a few minutes to reflect on this trip/adventure, so here goes:

• Would I do this again? Absolutely, even with the financial obligation that is incurred when deciding to undertake a trip of this magnitude. I will be working to pay off this trip for a very long time, but it was worth every penny!
• What was the hardest part? Getting used to the heat and humidity while pedaling through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and part of Texas. Also trying to get use to the very Hot temperatures of west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
• What was the best part? The entire trip! I have been able to revisit a lot of memories formed when my family and I drove this road when I was very young. Thanks! Mom and Dad for giving me some wonderful memories. This has been a trip to add to those memories! Plus, a big bonus was the cycling; it was hot, hard and fun. As the days flew by I got stronger and started feeling the difference in my body. It was not hard getting up and getting on the bike. I have to admit that I would stop when I got overly hot or tired. At almost sixty-five (December ’08) I have to be realistic and take some care not to kill myself before I’m ready to check out! I have a lot of pedaling to do and I want to be healthy and fit when I do it. I guess my greatest fear is to follow my wonderful Mother into a Nursing Home with no hope, no memories and nothing to live for. When I visited her on Day 8, I asked her what she thought about while sitting in her room. Her response was “Nothing, I’m very dull.” I don’t remember my Mom ever being dull.
• What was the worst part? I can’t remember any worst part. I developed a cold on about Day 20. I rode on Day 21 and had a great day but did a lot of coughing after I got off of the bike after about 50 miles. It was worth it, but I decided that I would take a couple of days off to recover. Well, tomorrow is the last day of this adventure and I will ride to the Santa Monica Pier for the final ride. We plan to drive near the Pier and take a bike path and ride about 8 miles to and from the Pier.
• Any special thoughts? Many, I have had many solitary hours to reflect on a lot of things. Mostly, though, I have just enjoyed every moment I was on my bike and on the road. I have listened to the sounds, smelled the odors of eight different states. I have observed that the amounts, types and occurrences of road kill have diminished as I have traveled west. This is a very good thing because the road kill in the first four states was really bad, the odor rolled down the road five minutes before coming upon the poor creature. In the desert there were few animals, dead or alive so there were few odor problems. I am happy to say that I have not used any of the IPODs that I have with me. I wanted to listen to the road noise, even when I was pedaling on the freeway. Riding without music has allowed me to think back and reflect on the many people I have met. There were a few I will remember with a few negative thoughts, like the folks at the KOA in Gallup, NM. They were not especially friendly or helpful. Now, in contrast to the folks in Gallup I smile when I think about the Illinois Red Carpet Corridor folks. What a wonderful group of people! Thank you Ellie Alexander, John and Lenore Weiss, Sharon and all the folks in Towanda and all of the folks we met while passing through Illinois; Marilyn Dunlap and her family in Tulsa for making our Rest Day a real day of rest and for taking me to and from the airport to get/return the rental car so I could go visit my Mother; Susan Larson and Oprah for letting us stay at their beautiful home in Santa Fe for our second Rest Day; for showing us the sights and having fun with us when we had dinner with Frank, Candy and Allie Norris, sharing our warm memories and great company! While in the KOA Kampground in Needles we had a special treat (besides the 112 degree heat!) Julie, Misty and Marshell, friends of Judy, drove from St. George, Utah to fix us a special dinner! They brought 4 big Dutch ovens with them and fixed a wonderful meal of chicken, beans, potatoes and peach cobbler, all of which tasted out of this world. Thank you, gals, for going to so much trouble for us, it was great!

I met a young man today in a bar (I usually avoid bars like the plague!), ‘Mad Dog’ (aka Evan Colley); Evan and three other electricians were rewiring an old bar, The Iron Hog Saloon (aka Iron Dog Saloon) outside of Victorville, CA. I think he thought I was some kind of kook because I wandered into this bar, pieces of the ceiling tiles all over the floor, wires hanging out of the ceiling, garbage all over the whole place and asked him if I could photograph the inside of the bar. He let me in and went about his business. Eventually I introduced myself and we started talking. I went to the truck and got one of the business cards Sandy made for us and some of the last Alaska pins I have been handing out all over the southwest. He was touched, passed out the pins to his co-workers and gave me his card. It was a very special moment, ‘Mad Dog’ had a full beard and long hair and was working in a hot building on a hot day with clothes that looked like what they were, work clothes. I could have been worried but I had a great visit and learned a lot about this old bar. I also met a very nice man who was interesting and informative, I’m glad I wandered into the building!

OK, enough with the reflections. It has been a great experience and I am looking forward to the next great adventure. Who knows when or where but I know that there is something in the works, there always is. So stay tuned, maybe not on this web site but I will let you know!

Bon route!

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Two days and counting ~ the trip is almost over (damn) (by Linda)

September 7th, 2008

August 17th seems like a lifetime ago. Susan and Kathy met us in Chicago and we started this grand adventure. It was hot in Chicago, actually it was warm and humid. Hot is what is happening outside right now. Needles, California, the hottest place in the US where there are regular weather reports is HOT. When I came in to the clubhouse of the KOA, (yes, another KOA!) it was 112 degrees! I took a shower after we arrived and was sweating in the cool shower water! I know that I will never live here! Wow, is it hot.

I developed a sinus problem or a cold, who knows, three days ago and took one day off from cycling and had my SAG day yeaterday. I got up this morning, Sept. 6th, and felt like I had sandpaper in my throat and a bucket on my head. My ears wouldn’t clear so I was having issues with the altitude, but I chose to get on the bike and pedal. I also knew that if I didn’t feel good I would quit.

I got on Granny at around 0545 and started off. It was so cool, I had a jacket and long sleeve shirt on but no long pants. My trusty flashing red tail-light was doing its thing and I left the parking lot of the Grand Canyon Caverns motel, located east of Peach Springs, Arizona. It felt so good to be back o the bike. My legs were ready to pedal, my butt was happy (meaning there were no sore spots) and my mind was open and free!

I was a little worried that I would not have the wind that I needed to climb the hills that lay ahead. Last night (Friday, 09/05) we had driven into Pech Springs for dinner and I knew two things: one was there were several hills that needed to be climbed, and two was there was a downhill that would be a lot of fun to ride down if I could conquer the hills.

As I headed down the highway everything just fell into place. It was cool so I could breathe and my body was ready to ride. I shifted to my large chain ring (which means that it is harder to pedal but you can go faster) and just rode. The hills were never too high and I didn’t have to downshift into an easier gear; the temperature was in the mid-forties and it felt like home. By the time I had reachd the long downhill I was probably going 30 mph! That is hard to do an a bike like mine but I felt so good, so at peace with myself and just so much a part of the bike and the world. I pushed the speed up a little when I started the downhill and just let gravity take me to the bottom. I have no idea how fast I was going but it was fast. I never touched the brakes, I just rode, crouched in an areodynamic position that helped me slide through the air. It was exhilarating to say the least!

We went to the little town of Oatman, it was up in the mountains, accessible by driving up a VERY old two lan road that hugs the side of the mountains. Now remember we are driving a Chevy Avalanche with a ten foot long trailer in tow. The rig is rather wide and the road was rather narrow. Today was Sandy’s day to SAG so she got to drive up, and down, this narrow road. She di a great job! We did not add our vehicles carcasses to the skeleton’s of by-gone days.

Oatman was a quaint, old town with wild burro’s wandering the streets. They don’t seem to kick and bite the tourists, probably because we feed them carrots. They were fun to watch and pet and they do own the own. If a burro is walking in the middle of the road all traffic stops!

Tonight we are in Needles, California. We have now been in all eight states where Route 66 is a part of history. Tomorrow we are suppose to go through the Mojave Desert. It is almost 7:30 PM and it is still over a hundred degrees outside! I am so glad that we are in a KOA campground with air conditioned cabins!

I just made reservations for two motel rooms in Ludlow, CA. for tomorrow night. We have been trying to get the motel on the phone for over two weeks and finally called the Conoco Gas Station next door and were able to get the reservations made. Who would know that you had to call the neighborhood gas station to reserve a motel room? Oh, well, we have rooms!

We are getting up early, early in the morning so we can be on our bikes early. I will reserve the right to take another day off, depending on the heat. The warmer it is the more I cough and it is hard to ride when you car coughing. I will have to wait and see.

So, good night for now, I have to get across the parking lot to get to the cabin and not melt! It is so hot, I am awed by the number of people who choose to live here! They are stronger than I am, or am I spoiled with the Alaska weather, even when the summer is cool and gray?

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