Bike America Day 8: How Remote Can ya go??

Today's distance: 68.51
Average speed: 11.7
Max speed: 34.2
Odometer: 413


On Thursday Josh got to officially join bike America, by accompany me on half the day's miles. But he was still kind enough to let my mom ride the middle miles over a mini mountain range east of the cascades called the Selkirk.

After a breakfast of cold bagels and pb, Josh and I set out, in our Florida bike jerseys, for the first eleven mile of the trip. The scenery on this stretch was beautiful, with quiet farms all around us, and mountains in the distance on all sides.

We met my mom in Colville and bought dinner to go and reapplied some basics. I added nutella to that list of "basics". I left and rode 6 solo miles uphill out of town. When tw others caught me, I was surrounded by more gorgeous scenery, with a field of bulls off to the side.

My mom and I rode the next 30 miles together from there to Tiger, WA over the Selkirk mountains. Josh drove the distance, stopping for pictures and checking on us along the way. About 10 miles from the end of that stretch we stopped at Beaver Lodge to rest and eat our peanut butter banana sandwiches. We talked to the woman in te store who nearly scared us out of our planned route and pre-paid campsite.

The last part of the day would be across the Pen D'oreille river, where we'd also be sleeping. She told us that there was an Indian reservation on that side and that there would be "nothing there" and we'd see "lots of bears". She said the bears have been "peas this year". She has seen one repeatedly in her back yard and her friends' parents had had to shoot one after it lingered and killed their cats.

If you can't tell by now, my mom and I are pretty scared of bears and we were spooked. I am a strange breed with a strong sense of adventure from my dad and a knack for worrying from my mom. We decided to lose the $30 we had paid for our remote campsite and look for a place in one of the towns on the west side of the river.

When we got to tiger, which is nothing but a visitors center, old blacksmith shop, and historic store, the woman in the store eased our fears. She lives a few miles from our panhandle campground and drives our route daily. So my mom left the decision up to me and I chose to stick with our original plan.

Josh and I rode the final 21 miles along this road "with nothing around" that turned out not to be so much in the middle of nowhere. We rolled into camp just before 6. My mom had talked to the host who said they haven't had a bear sighting here in six years. The only others here are a Canadian couple riding the opposite direction as us and a college grad from Boulder who is riding solo from Anacortes to Bar Harbor.

After this pose, Josh said "West siiiide. Of the country, that is."

Dinner was sushi for me, chicken for Josh, and a sandwich for my mom, all bought pre-made at the Safeway in Colville. We spontaneously made a fire to ward off the man moskitos, had a long conversation with the guy from Boulder, and then passed out in our tents for the night. It was our last of many great nights in Washington.

Some general updates:

• Internet is scarce for us out here. I am trying to blog as frequently as possible but there will be periods of time when I can't. I am still writing, as best I can, about each day individually and I'll post as frequently as I can! Stay tuned!
• My friend Nathaniel and his friends have created a web app/service that allows people to track trips and outings and they're using my adventure as a test to see how it works for someone who's unfamiliar with it. As with blogging, I'm not able to keep up with it every day but it is a really cool service and it paints a good picture of what part of the country I've covered so far. Track my route here and register yourself for jumbl here.
• Follow my adventures on twitter and instagram @sweatinginstyle
• I have organized the links to all my summer blog updates on my Bike America page. For easy access to any specif day, refer to that page. Enjoy!

Bike America Day 1: Washington to...

Sitting in a small town restaurant for lunch, 31 miles into our ride, my dad said "Well, I think it's safe to say that our adventure is officially underway." And that it is.

We're in Rasor State Park, a pine forest at the foot of the Cascade Mountains. Day 1 of our ride was cold, windy, and cloudy. It was also simple and fun.

We started just before 9AM pacific time at the ferry stop in Anacortes Park. After taking a few commemorative photos, my dad and I began riding and my mom set out in the car. The scenery was strange for the first thirty miles. A strange mix of farms, mountain ranges mostly blocked by clouds, and industrial powerplants and warehouses. One thing is certain: it felt very far from home.

In Sudro Wooley, the town 31 miles in, my dad and I ate lunch and waited for my mom to arrive. After parking the car at our overnight destination, she rode the 17 miles back to meet us. 

We all rode the final stretch together and I breathed a sigh of relief as the sun peaked its way through the clouds and some beautiful blue skies shone through. I also breathed heavy as I set off for 7 miles of solo riding at 20 mph to warm my body up in the chilly, 50 some degree air.

The final stretch into our campsite was a beauty. I could feel our distance to the mountains shrinking in a very surreal way. At the end of the day, we had ridden 49 miles at an average speed of 13 MPH with a max speed of 30.4 MPH. Now, in our secluded pine forest, we've already set up camp, bundled up in warm clothes, and filled ourselves with chili dogs, salad, and wine. The only thing left to do is eat s'mores and read myself to sleep.

Tomorrow should be beautiful, ending ten miles up into the mountains. It will also be a day with very little chance of internet service. So when you hear from me again, it's likely I'll have ridden my two wheels up and over the Cascade Mountains. Wish me luck!

Quake Day

What a day! (yesterday) The earth quaked. I stayed at work late to make up for the time spent standing outside post-quake. I wanted to get home asap to fit in a workout before dinner with my good friend from high school, Erin.

Erin

So I hopped on bikeshare in van ness. Four minutes later, I was at the station in cleveland park but without a vacant docking station. Grrreeeat.

I guess everyone opted for bikes today, as metro is experiencing extreme delays. I contemplated riding back to Van Ness and walking home but that seemed absurd. So I waited. And waited. Finally, I gave up and headed back. And docked my bike in  the same place I took it from.

By the time I got back to Cleveland Park on foot, there was an empty dock. I knew that would happen.

With little time left to work out, and having gotten a meek leg workout on the return bike trip, and some cardio during the earthquake panic attack, I decided that a fifteen minute ab routine would have to suffice for the evening.

I spent a little time cleaning up the earthquake debris in my home. And by "debris", I mean:

Gator head on the edge of disaster

RHCP, Gumbee, Boba Fet catastrophe in our bookcase!!

I shared quick quake stories with Joshua and then hurried to dinner with Erin. She had just returned from a two month internship in Uganda and is on her way to Michigan to find a job with Americorps. She is the free-est spirit I know and she is a crucial element on my cross country ride so I'm hoping her mystery job allows for her to join. We tried Spices and their Rainbow Roll (Salmon, Eel, Tuna, Cucumber, Avacado) left me satisfied with a little room for ice cream. And now I'm fueled for tomorrow's training run.

Where were you during the quake? Did you feel the shake? Were you one of the people clogging up all the bikeshare docks? (If so, good for you- keep on riding!!)

Cross Country Planning: (With Adventure Cycling)

Have you ever heard of the Adventure Cycling Association? It was founded in the seventies and offers many programs and organized rides for cyclists. They have developed a national network of touring routes, including at least four that run all the way across America. Their mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle. [They] help cyclists explore the landscapes and history of America for fitness, fun, and self-discovery. As such, they are an obvious resource in my planning of a cross-country bicycle trip. They have all kinds of resources, from training guides to cycling gear reviews. They also have a "companions wanted" network, through which cyclists can find companions who are interested in joining them on their journeys. There are posts about biking in Kenya, across America, through Asia, on the back roads of France, and around the world. That could be a useful resource for my journey, but I'd rather ride with these people if they'll join me.

In any case, I will continue to explore Adventure Cycling and I will very definitely be using their maps to develop a route.

Via

There are plenty of options in this great land. But fitting Ragbrai in there certainly limits them. Where would you ride? Northern route or Southern route? Pacific Coast or Underground Railroad trail? Or would you rather drive the support wagon, stopping to take pictures and scout out the best food stops to refuel at?

25 Before 25

I have been working on a list of 25 things to do before I turn 25 and it is harder than I thought it would be. At first I included things that I’ve done before but want to do again. But I tailored those so that everything on this list is a new challenge. I am scared of how fast time flies but I am excited for all that is ahead. I truly look forward to being twenty-five, I think it will be a great age and I expect to be ready for new adventures. But, as my dad always advised, I will not wish my life away. I will live in the moment, while also planning for the future, and I will try my hardest to accomplish these twenty five “to-do”s in the measly fifty-one weeks ahead.

1. Plan and begin bike ride across the US of A.
2. Start cakestruction blog with Ingrid.
3. Swim for sport.
4. Set foot on the Appalachian trail.
5. Go to Charlottesville with Joshua.
6. Try at least 15 new restaurants in DC.
7. Give YOGA another chance.
8. Significantly refresh and improve my French. Then spend an afternoon speaking only French with my mom.
9. Become comfortable with public speaking.
10. Go Running in Vermont with VT Shaws.
11. Begin Composting.
12. Properly train for a half marathon and run it, comfortably, in under two hours.
13. Create custom title/header for my blog.
14. Survey my friends on the best coffee in DC. Drink a large cup from there. And savor it.
15. Ride a century with my dad.
16. Go somewhere new with Joyce and Nicole.
17. Take at least three writing workshop courses and develop theme/plan/vision for my book.
18. Complete comprehensive, streamlined Operations Manual for Fund Development department at GSCNC.
19. Go to a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.
20. Create and eat a complete meal with foods only picked, killed, or scavenged by me and a sous-chef. Dad?
21. Convince Nathan to run Somerset 8k with me. 
22. Rock climb outdoors (with a harness and stuff).
23. Learn to use Adobe video editor. Take more videos.
24. Become much more handy. Especially with bicycle maintenance.
25. Swim in the Pacific Ocean.

Cross Country Planning: Who wants to go?

The possibility of riding across America is very real. We wouldn't depart for at least 11 months but it seems that planning must begin soon. The first thing to do is to confirm who is going and for how long. I, no doubt, will be riding the whole way. And I will not be riding alone so my ability to pursue this is wholly dependent on the interest of others. Here is the potential crew:

Joyce: My best friend from college, who currently resides in Boulder, CO, where she is working on her masters in Environmental Engineering. We decided we wanted to bike across America together and that we would do it in 2012. We're still on track to make that happen. She will graduate in late May but prefers to start later in the summer so that we won't be doing the whole thing during the hottest part of the year.

Sandy: My dad, the original bike commuter in our family. He has [imaginary] experience riding across America, Europe, and Africa. He is retired but will be the chair of the board at our church next year so the timing is not ideal for him.

Betsy: My mom, the slow and steady bicyclist of the family who was the first to ride Ragbrai and the one to get us all back into it in 2007. She will still have a job next summer so will need to see about working pat-time from the road for a few months. She is the most organized person I know and loves to plan these things. So having her along would be a logistical dream.

Nathan: My brother. He is not into long distance cycling. He rides a fixie around Baltimore and he is pretty good shape given all the cigarettes he smokes. His role would be to drive the sag wagon and carry all of our stuff. And maybe bike some. At this point, he is probably the least committed. He may start grad school in the Fall of 2012 so his availability would be something like June-August.

Ingrid: My other best friend who currently lives in DC. She has a lot going on right now, including working a full time job and going to school to become a nutritionist so she wouldn't be able to ride the whole time but wants to do one or more sections of it.

Joshua: My boyfriend. There is no way in hell he is going to take 3 months off work and ride his bike 3,000+ miles across the country. He wants to continue his career, needs to hold down the fort in DC, and simply doesn't like biking enough. The big draw for him is the scenery and the photographer's heaven we would be exploring. So he may be interested in flying out and joining us for a week or several on a bike or in the car.

And there is me, of course. I need to see about taking a leave of absence from work but it is way too early for that now. I have no idea if this is even a possibility. I need to save enough money to pay rent for three months. And to pay for all the expenses along the way.

Right now, that is all. And I don't think we want it to be too big. Nor do we want it to be too small. Everything is up in the air but it's exciting that way... the possibilities are endless.

Ideas

Tonight my brother said, "If it's not fixed, it's broken." He rides a fixed gear bike. And, though he was kidding, I think he's a snob. A hipster just mockingly confirming his hipsterness. But there's a lot more to him than that.

Tonight my brother also said he would travel cross country with me next summer. I am going to ride my bike and he will maybe follow me in a car with a video camera. I will write a book and he will make a movie. About the same experience. Our parents may join. It's all a new and crazy thing but it's something I've been thinking a lot about recently and it is something I am so so serious about.

And I want Joyce to respond to my most recent e-mail confirming that she is still interested in being a part of this adventure. After all, the idea was ours at first, thought up one afternoon last July as we rode our bikes alongside the cornfields. We've continued to talk about it and I know it will be a crazy time for her, with graduation and all, but I hope she's still as serious as I am. And as the rest of the Shaws are now.

San Fran, Baja, Iceland, Gibralter... On a bike?

Let me tell you a story about my dad. His name is Sandy. He is awesome. He is the kind of dad that a I, as a12 year old kid was so embarrassed by because I was too self conscious and immature to realize that his absolute weirdness is what makes him so unique and cool, and in turn, what made me unique and cool. When I was in 5th or 6th grade, my Dad began biking to work regularly. He had a long commute, from Chevy Chase to Pennsylvania Ave downtown. He wore bike short suspender things and stylin biker jerseys to show off his curves. He rode a simple red Trek road bike from the 80s that he still rides today. Many mornings, he rode by my friends and I at our neighborhood bus stop and never neglected to wave and draw lots of attention to himself. It was always amusing but I was at that stage in my life when everything was embarrassing and I never wanted that kind of attention.

A little while into his bike commuting, Sandy declared his interest in tracking his mileage and attempting to "ride across the country" in a year. He began recording well into the first year and made it to Colorado by the end of that year. We'd sit down to dinner and he'd declare, "I made it to Kansas today", etc. The next year he started at the Atlantic and made it to San Fransisco by October so he turned to head south for the winter and ended at the Baja Peninsula. His cross country travels inspired him to take it a step further and go international. The next year, he would ride around Europe, starting in Iceland. From Iceland, he rode all through Scandanavia, Scotland, Ireland and England, ending just north of London. Year four started up where he had left off and from London, he rode south through France, Spain, across Gibralter and down the west coast of Africa. He lost steam and finished in Africa (it must have been too hot to continue on!!).

When I say he was tracking his mileage, I don't mean he was looking up the distance from one country to another and riding until he reached that distance. He was keeping track of his journey on a daily basis, using a map to decide exactly which routes to take. Tracking his route spiked his curiosity and he began doing research on the areas he was riding through, learning about the people he'd meet and their languages and culture. He found a website that told him the road conditions on the roads he was riding on in Iceland and Sweden in January and February. He found another website with an online webcam at the famous St. Andrews golf course in Scotland so he could take pictures of the course the day that he rode by it. My favorite is a webcam he found that allowed him to take pictures looking out for the Loch Ness monster. After the first year in Europe, which I think was the most meaningful, he made a powerpoint slideshow of the journey. The first slide was a picture of him leaving our driveway on his bike one morning. Jump to the next slide and he's interacting with village people in little Icelandic towns. He went online to find photos along his entire journey and photoshoped himself into them. It was unbelievable. The best part was that he would show the slideshow to people without revealing to them that the journey was imaginary. Of course, most people knew the truth eventually but I remember his showing the pictures to one person at work who never knew he hadn't actually ridden through Northern Europe on the lookout for the Loch Ness monster. It was a great tragedy when we, as a family, were talking about this slideshow a few years ago and came to realize that it had been lost at some point in the many computer changes we've made over the years. I would love to be able to go back and see that slideshow now, as I know he would too.

This is one of my favorite stories about my dad, or about anyone for that matter. Not only does it exemplify his role as the original bike commuter in our family, without whom the rest of us may not have been inspired to take up biking so passionately. But it demonstrates how awesomely weird, unique, funny and imaginative he is. It is cool that he spent several summers traveling Europe in a volkswagon bus with his best friend from college, it is even cooler when people ship their bikes across the world and devote a chunk of time to biking a portion of unfamiliar territory. But none of this, in my opinion, is as cool as the fact that my dad, in his 50s with a wife and two kids ages 9 and 12 and neither the time nor the resources to spend a year biking in Europe, had an imagination fresh and creative enough to embark on and be so passionate about his virtual journey.

Needless to say, it didn't take me long to get over my embarrassment and appreciate my dad for all that he is. I'm not ashamed to have been embarrassed, I think that is something that all kids go through, and I hope it doesn't offend our parents to know that. I am just glad that I got over it and I look forward to many quirky bike rides with my dad and family in the years ahead.