T minus 12 days and counting. Adventure Cycling has put together maps of bike routes crisscrossing the country. The Pacific Coast route practically goes by our house. In about 100 miles the route meets the beginning of the Northern Tier at Anacortes. The Northern Tier goes through Sandpoint Idaho, about 40 miles from my son Jake's school near Bonners Ferry. The whole trip would be at least 630 miles. I figured on taking 2 full weeks to allow for a couple of rest days, any minor problems, and a slow pace climbing a couple of serious passes with a trailer full of minimal camping gear and lots of electronics.
I talked to my local bicycle shop about fixing up my Trek 520 touring bike to make it a little safer and more comfortable. They convinced me to wait for a Cannondale touring bike that was coming in before I did any work on the trek. Meanwhile I decided I should take my Bike Friday instead. When I get to Idaho I could fold the bike into its suitcase/trailer and wouldn't have to mess with hauling a fullsize bike and trailer around. So I set off on my favorite 50 mile loop from Gig Harbor across the Narrows Bridge into Tacoma, take the ferry from Tacoma to the south end of Vashon Island, cross the island, take the ferry to Southworth and ride home. An outrageously beautiful and hilly ride. By the time I'd crossed the Narrows Bridge I'd come to an important conclusion. I was in adequate shape to make the ride on about any bike. But by the time I reach Idaho I'd be 45 years old. The most important quality of the bike on this ride is comfort. The Cannondale "Silk Tour" has a wider range of gears, great brakes, it accommodates the upright riding position us old farts seem to prefer (more room for the gut), and (drum roll) it has a suspension shock in the front to keep the endless cracks in the North Cascade highway from turning the bones in my hands into chalk dust.
Silk Tour...
Silk Tour!!!
Guess what I'm riding to Idaho.
First ride on the beauty. Followed the same route I'd shamed myself on a ride with some serious cyclists. That time, I bonked at 25 miles and only finished the almost 50 miles with lots of coaxing. On a later Vashon loop I wound up calling for a ride at 28 miles. I still started hurting this time at about 30 miles, but I just drank some water and kept cruising. It was such a sweet ride. (For the locals: I took Bethel-Burley Road to Port Orchard, ate breakfast and came back the long way through Manchester, Long Lake and Olalla.) I thought this gate was cool enough to have its picture taken with my beautiful bike. It was such a smooth easy ride that I began to worry that the trip to Idaho would be too easy. What would I do with nearly 2 weeks for a couple of days of riding? (At least it feels like I could ride 300 miles a day.)
Decided it was time for a test ride with the trailer, bob (brand name, for Beast Of Burden). I've been tossing everything I wanted to take with me into the trailer for awhile now. I had to pull some out just to close the bag. It weighed about 35 pounds, including bob. I just wanted to do a short ride to make sure everything was working. Dale and bob were fine. In the first couple of miles I began recalculating my trip. Sixty to seventy miles a day is suddenly sounding like a serious grind instead of a ride in the park. I was starting to get used to pulling a trailer by the end of the 10 miles, but I was still about as tired as I was on the 50 mile ride without bob. Is a week enough time to train?
I'm on the ferry from Vashon to Southworth on my 4th training ride with Dale and bob. I've done about 25 miles and about 2000 feet of elevation gain, so far. I'm about halfway.
The weather was gorgeous when I left home. Gig Harbor was packed with people for a weekend of streetfairs, parades, runs, pancake breakfasts, etc. People are walking around with T-shirts that say "Get Giggy". Good time to leave town.
Hit the Narrows bridge at about 5 miles. Went over a bump and lost a pin that held one side of the trailer to the axle. Fortunately nothing got too bent and I had a spare pin. Then the wind started blowing so hard I could barely stand. It was the first time I've had to walk across the bridge. 'Dale and I formed a triangle, she was blowing over on me and I was working hard to lean against her into the wind. Saw a couple of trucks leaning about 30 degrees and driving really slow. The bridge wasn't galloping so I guess it's been worse.
Crossed to Vashon on the ferry and headed up the inevitable ferry landing hill. I began thinking about time, miles, and schedules and just started chuckling. Faced with infinite miles and infinite hours, what the hell does it matter. The trip should be one long "Be Here Now", even if I don't know what time it is or where I am.
Got about halfway across the island and decided to pull over by a beautiful pasture full of horses and commune as I ate my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I was just finishing as a trio of riders came rolling by. One said "Is that a bob?" and they all came over to ogle. Such an ego trip. They were just feeding me lines to gloat about.
"Is that the new Cannondale touring bike?"
"Silk Tour."
"Silk Tour?"
"Silk Tour."
"Oooh."
They wanted to know all about Dale and bob, the waterproof Ortlieb bob bag, my radiator (Camelback style backpack waterbag and hose), etc. It was a great boost. As we rode off in opposite directions they warned me about the climb back to the main highway before the ferry. I told them that I usually take Burma Road (as steep a climb, but done three times on a roller coaster type road). "Oooh."
So I cruised on feeling pretty damn hot! The climb to the highway was really tough with bob, but doable. There were nasty, menacing clouds moving in fast when I got to the ferry landing. I pulled a jacket and pants out of the bob bag and over my shorts and jersey and traded socks and regular cycling shoes for my cycling sandals. So quick and easy. Felt like I could have pulled a tuxedo out of the bag, had it been the proper occasion. The sandals are a story in themselves. I've been looking for them for years. My bike shop couldn't order them till next year. I finally found them, in my size, at a little shop in Seattle. They're wonderful, but it did feel good to switch shoes after 25 miles.
There was a fair wait for the ferry and I wolfed a couple of ferry burgers (like McDonalds that have been under heat lamps for a few hours) and headed off on the familiar Southworth to Gig Harbor ride.
At about 28 miles, as always, I started feeling pretty tired and cranky. Must be Pre Mileage Syndrome. I did have the power to sneak up, then race by, the evil dogs' house. It was the first time I've expected them and the first time they weren't around.
The rest of the ride was still beautiful, but I was beat. My butt was screaming and my legs were burning. After 40 miles of hauling the trailer, it wasn't much fun. I did enjoy idling my way through the Giggy traffic to home and the shower and hot tub. 46.5 miles and 3500 feet elevation gain. According to my schedule, every day of the ride should be more than this. Better study that map again.