The Adventure Is Over...It was Quite A Ride!

Thursday, December 11, 2014

It has been almost a month since we got off our bikes in San Diego. Just like in 2010 at the end of our first big ride, we have mixed emotions about it ending. In some ways we are relieved but in many ways we are sad that the adventure has come to an end.

One of the things I would like to again do is a statistic page. So here goes.

State By State Statistics...

Washington = 602.46 km. in 10 days for 60.25 km. per day.

Oregon = 646.64 km. in 10 days for 64.66 km. per day.

California = 1817.94 km. in 30 days for 60.60 km. per day.

Overall Statistics...

# of Days Riding = 50 days.

Average Daily Distance = 61.34 km.

Days Off = 7 days.

Longest Day = 91.64 km.

Maximum Speed = 61.22 km. per hour.

Total Ride Distance = 3067.04 km.

Equipment Analysis...

Once again our Rocky Mountain bicycles were 'bullet proof'...they truly were work horses. We completed the whole journey without a flat...something that no-one else that we met could say. I suspect that we were lucky but the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires we have are the 'Cadilacs' of bicycle touring tires. Our new MSR tent...I guess that I should quit calling it that, it is well broken in now...it worked flawlessly...well maybe it had some issues with the lakes underneath it in some of the torrential rains...but that was not the fault of the tent. Our Coleman stove 'bit the dust' but it was after all 'old'. Overall, our equipment again served us well.

Some Personal Observations...

The West Coast...Left Coast...is a world class cycling destination. It is a difficult ride...the hills just keep coming at you day after day...but the scenery is outstanding. I know that it is a cliché but it is true: words cannot describe the scenic beauty, only pictures can tell the true story. I hope some of our pictures do tell that story!

Oregon was our biggest surprise. Us 'Easterners' have been 'bombarded' with information and images of California...Oregon cannot take a 'back seat' in any way. Its beaches, it can be argued, are as nice as any in California, and a lot less 'disturbed' by human influence...truly amazing!

We were treated really well by everyone we encountered...with the exception of the San Diego Bike Shop owner...we will put that to rest! We also got to spend some time with other tour cyclists something that we had never experienced before. It was fun to spend time, swap stories, and realize that everyone has their own reasons for touring but that we all share an 'incredible' bond. We learned the term 'pay forward'...when someone helps you out...pass it on to the next person that is in need...a motto more people need to learn in the 'real' world.

Enough rambling...it is time to wrap this up! I would like to thank all of the people who have taken the time to follow the blog. It again has been fun to share our experiences with you.

I also would like to thank all of our friends and family who shared in and made our latest adventure possible. Without your help and support Sue and I would never be able to take on these journeys! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Our adventure is over...only the memories remain...but they are great memories! I have the feeling we are not finished with the bicycles yet...I suspect we will be back!!!

The 'Saga' Of The Bicycles is Over

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

The 'wayward' bicycles have returned home safe and sound. It is difficult to believe that it was such a difficult thing for the San Diego Bike Shop. A lesson was learned that is for sure. Do your homework before trusting the word of a total stranger. We are still unsure what the bike shop's problem was but in the end they are nicely tucked away in our basement ready for a cleaning and re-assembly.

I have been delaying the final thoughts about our adventure until we found out about our bikes...I guess I have no more excuses for delaying.

Stay tuned!

We Have Arrived Home Safely

Thursday, December 4, 2014

After a long day of driving from Sault Ste. Marie, we have arrived safely at home.

A wrap up of our 'Adventure' will be posted in the next couple of days...so stay tuned!!!

Ticking off The Kilometers

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

For the first time on this adventure the time change got me. My internal clock failed me by an hour. So we hit the road a little later than usual.

Unlike yesterday, the drive up and around Lake Superior was quite scenic. It does not matter how many times we drive through the area we are impressed every time. The road conditions varied today. We faced roads that were snow packed, to icy, to slushy, to wet, to dry. The sun shone at times and at other times it snowed hard with blowing snow greeting us as well. But the panoramic views of Lake Superior more than made up for the 'iffy' driving conditions. We made it to Sault Ste. Marie where we are staying at a Comfort Inn. And yes Neil we saw your 'landfill' sign or was that a 'scenic route' sign?

Just an 'update' on our bicycles. Last week I posted that there had been a bit of a 'mix up' or should I say a 'very large screw up' with the shipping of our bikes by the San Diego Bike Shop. We have some positive information to now pass along. After several attmepts to get in touch with them by email to confirm the shipping destination, cost etc., and then contacting them by telephone on 4 different occasions, I finally 'blew my stack' at the owner and mysteriously they were shipped that very day. So now they are in the hands of Fed Ex and are on their way to Port Huron. It is incredulous that his bike shop is the only place in the world that cannot recieve an email from us. Enough for now...every time I think or talk about the bicycle shop my 'blood boils'. So on the bicycle shipping front...progress has been made.

One Day Older...One Day Wiser...I Hope

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

The drive between Kenora and Thunder Bay is not that scenic in the Summer...it is even less so in the Winter when the lakes are frozen over and what little snow there is dirty. The drive was not exactly 'inspiring'. Even our stop at Kakabeka Falls was not what we are used to. It has the reputation of being the Niagara Falls of the North but today it was at least 90 % frozen over.

On the positive side, the sun shone and the temperature rose from minus 21 to a balmy minus 6...still not exactly San Diego weather but a heck of an improvement over the last couple of bone chilling days. We also made it past our intended destination of Thunder Bay and are in Nipigon for the night. We are again re-visiting a motel we stayed in while cycling in 2010. This time, however, we are not 'drowned rats'!

Sue asked me this morning how I felt about celebrating another birthday. My answer was "I feel one day older and one day wiser"!!!

Sunrise In Northern Ontario

Kakabeka Falls - One Of Sue's Favorite Places

After 2 1/2 Months We Have Returned To Ontario...But Still We Have A Long Way To Go

Monday, December 1, 2014

The truck 'groaned' this morning before it 'fired'...it might have been the minus 29 Celsius with a wind chill that was absolutely 'bone chilling'. Even the steering was 'stiff' and so was I by the time I finished fueling up the truck. Even the air from the heater was only 'luke warm' after 15 minutes. How people actually live and work in these conditions is beyond my comprehension. The sad part is it gets a heck of a lot colder later in the Winter than we faced today...unbelievable!

We made great time through the rest of the Prairies today despite the 30 to 40 kilometer per hour winds that we were facing...that is the advantage of an automobile...it just burns more fuel. We had aimed for Winnipeg but have actually arrived back in Ontario after 2 1/2 months away. We are in Kenora tonight re-visiting a motel that we stayed in when we cycled through in 2010.

But wait...we might be in Ontario...but we are still a long, long way from home!

Another Prairie Sunrise