Recumbent Retreat 2015

2 trikes, gear and 3 cases of wine!

Once again, I had a great time at the Recumbent Retreat this year. I was joined on the 2 day tour to the coast by my friend Barbara. This is my 11th retreat and I always look forward to this ride. We had a generous offer from another cycling friend, Kathi, who picked us up in her minivan to bring us over the southwest hills of Portland. I sat in Myrtle to make room for all our gear, trikes and 3 cases of wine. Kathi decided the safest place for us to start would be the Banks/Vernonia Linear trail head. That saved us 20 miles and over a 1,000 feet of climbing. Nice - thanks Kathi!!

The Banks/Vernonia trail is a fantastic 20 mile paved path through forest and farmland. Being an old train line the inclines are very gradual with no more than 2% grade but there is 1,000 feet of climbing to the highest point. We stopped along the way to pick blackberries for our morning oatmeal. The bushes were over flowing with berries. This summer in Portland has been brutally hot and we were very lucky to get temperatures in the low 80's with a light breeze. 

At the Banks/Vernonia trail head

We pulled over to let the horses pass

The trail also allows horses and we pulled over to let them pass without incident. One short section of this path has hairpin turns where a trestle bridge used to be. The path is very steep going down and then back up.

I often meet trikers somewhere along this trail during my yearly pilgrimage and expect they are also on their way to the retreat. It always surprises me when the trikers have never heard of the recumbent retreat. Today we met a couple with Terra trikes in their truck bed driving to Stub Stewart State Park. Maybe they'll go to the retreat next year.

Barbara and I made it to downtown Vernonia in the mid afternoon stopping for a delicious lunch at the Mediterranean inspired Blue House cafe. We bought a few baklava to-go for later. Then we went to the market to pick up supplies for dinner and lunch for day 2 of our tour. We found a loaf of Dave's Killer Bread and added avocado, cucumber and onion to make sandwiches for dinner. Banana, almond butter and honey sandwiches with fruit would keep us fueled for our ride over the coastal range. Yum!!

Big Eddy hiker/biker site

Leaving Vernonia, we rode back to the trail for the last few miles around Lake Vernonia and then out to Big Eddy County Park on Hwy 47. The hosts at this campground are always very nice. The hiker/biker area is $7 per tent and there are picnic tables but no water or electricity. The hosts let us use outlets from the closest RV site to charge up our phones, batteries and other electronics. The water used to have a strong pungent smell of iron but that has been cleared up. The water was always safe but the smell used to make me nauseous. 

This area is big logging country but every year there is less and less truck traffic to deal with. The sound of logging trucks loudly rumbling passed the campground used to be a constant companion. The heavily loaded trucks would start rolling by at 3 am and make sleeping difficult even with ear plugs. This year the roaring trucks were more occasional than constant.

I also got to try out my new camping gear. I was excited to have a new 2 person tent, sleeping bag and pad this year. The bigger tent felt so luxurious and the wider pad made a huge difference to my comfort. The new bag has more room in the feet than my old bag and was so thick with down I felt very cozy. All my new gear provided a noticeable improvement and I actually slept well. Until now, I didn't think that was possible. After this night's sleep I feel much better about tent camping.

The only hiccup was I bought the wrong fuel for my alcohol stove. I mistakenly picked up 90% Isopropyl alcohol instead of denatured alcohol cooking fuel. I didn't understand the difference and there is a big difference! Isopropyl alcohol burns very dirty and sooty and it took a long time to boil water for after dinner tea. The flame was wide and orange instead of blue. My pot was coated in grimy black soot and the handles even melted a bit. I really didn't want to use that fuel again so I knocked on some RV camper doors to see if I could find better alcohol. All anyone had was more isopropyl. Oh my, what would we do without coffee in the morning?! Luckily, the campground hosts came through offering to boil water in the morning for our coffee. Phew - crisis averted! Riding 63 miles over the coastal range without coffee is almost unthinkable.

Banks/Vernonia Linear Trail

We gratefully stopped at the host's RV in the morning for glorious boiled water for coffee. Then we got our trikes loaded and pushed off down the road around 9 am. There used to be a bar in Birkenfeld to stop at 15 miles into this ride. They had fabulous berry shakes and I would usually get food to go for later. Now the bar is only open on weekends and the area seems to have fallen on hard times. We did stop to use the facilities at a modern Mist fire station. The firemen didn't hesitate to let us in.

Video of my ride with Barbara to the Retreat

Kathi surprised us by pulling over on her way to the retreat just as we arrived at the Jewell Elk Preserve. We were almost to the start of the climb over the coastal range when she took all our gear substantially lightening our load. Wow! Sagged at the most difficult part of the trip. Great timing!

Using the facilities at the fire house in Mist

The ride over the coastal range isn't especially hard. It's 6.5 miles ascending at a constant 6% grade. We had overcast skies which kept temperatures lower. There have been years where the heat made the ride very difficult. Some years a huge elk herd is visible in the meadow but none were out today. Once over the top we had sweeping downhills on smooth pavement with canopied forested roads. It was fantastic. The next stop was at the fish hatchery at the bottom of the hill. They have rest rooms right at the perfect time. The last 20 miles is along the Young's River and there is a surprising amount of short steep climbs. Little by little the road gets busier until the intersection with Hwy 101. Usually we take the Lewis and Clark bridge over the Lewis and Clark River but it was closed for repairs. We spent some time to see if there was a way around the construction equipment but we had to turn around. Instead of taking the traffic laden and narrow Young's Bay bridge we called friends and got a ride the last few miles. Thanks for a fun ride Barbara!


The Recumbent Retreat was fantastic, the best yet. Even though the retreat officially starts on Friday, almost everyone had arrived on Thursday by the time we got there. The retreat is run by OHPV (Oregon Human Vehicle Association) and they did an outstanding job. Every year, they reserve 2 loops at Ft. Stevens State Park the same weekend in August. Over 100 riders attend. This year's retreat was so much more relaxed than any in the past. There were lots of new faces and everyone had a great time.

Raffle prizes call out has a captive audience

Ft Stevens is a terrific campground.

Peter Iredale shipwreck in the sand at sunset

On friday night, Lonnie, The Capt, led 20 riders on a wonderful twilight route through the park to the beach. The deep orange sunset added drama to the Peter Iredale shipwreck remains in the sand and pounding surf. This was the first year Lonnie led this ride but I think it has become an instant classic.  We returned to the park to join everyone else for smores around the campfire. There had been light rain throughout the day but the night cleared up nicely. The next day is crowded with events starting with a breakfast ride to various restaurants. Then there's the photo shoot followed by more rides through the park or out to the Young's River waterfall. The potluck dinner had a huge amount of fabulous food.

Twilight ride

I brought some local wine that is made using a recumbent trike to crush the grapes. Kathi found room in the van for 3 cases of Recumbent Red and Recumbent Riesling that was sold to raise money for OHPV. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of it and the wine was good too.

Local Oregon wine made using a recumbent trike to crush the grapes.

The highlight of the retreat is the lighted bike parade. This year so many people went all out with lights. Jeff, the champion cat herder, expertly led us, at a relaxed pace, through all the loops in the campground. The parade is hilarious! The lighted bike parade is such a well known event that lots of campers return every year to watch. Some campers even light up their sites to join in the fun.

Getting lit up for the parade

Video of the Recumbent Retreat event

Everyone really went all out with the lights this year.

The retreat is the highlight of summer but at the end of the weekend I also feel like summer is coming to a close. Since my next tour is going to start in another 2 weeks I didn't feel like I wanted to take the time to pedal home and Lonnie gave me a ride back to Portland. Thanks Lonnie!!

Thanks to everyone for making this another fantastic Recumbent Retreat. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Touring Gear Upgrades.

Trailer with 75 lbs of gear I carted through Mexico in 2007

Although I've done 2 tours in the US, most of my previous tours have been in foreign countries. I camped a lot on my first tour in 2007 riding down the Pacific Coast but since then, not so much. My imagination always got the best of me and I never slept well. I've been analyzing why camping has been so uncomfortable.

Even though I haven't often camped over the last few years, I always carry camping gear. I need to be prepared for areas where camping might be the only option at the end of the day.  And I have used my camping gear surprisingly often - just not usually in campgrounds.  Sometimes, especially in Asia, hotel beds can be nothing more than a very thin mattress on a thick concrete slab. This is where an air mattress is indispensable.  In every country, I've found myself in poorer villages where hotel rooms were sketchy. Sometimes the beds are downright creepy. Often, I use my sleeping bag when I don't have the courage to get into the sheets. Having a sleeping bag on tour is important for a good night's sleep. Even in SE Asia, where the weather was too hot for a sleeping bag, I often used a bag liner for peace of mind. 

On my upcoming tour, I've decided to stay in the US where I'll be riding through Oregon, Idaho and Utah on my way to the Southern Tier. There are beautiful national parks throughout the route with great camping opportunities. For this tour, I'll be camping much more often. With this in mind, I looked over my gear to see if upgrades could make camping more comfortable. I ended up doing a complete overhaul.  

For the last 5 years, I've been using a Big Agnes Copper Spur 1 person tent. It's a great, ultralight tent and super easy to set up but too small to keep all my gear inside while I sleep. I spent some time going over gear lists from long distance cyclists and noticed using a 2 person tent is popular. REI had a sale at the beginning of summer and I picked up a Copper Spur 2 person at a good price.  At first, I bought the Mountain Glow version which comes with LED lights built into the tent but I ended up returning that for the standard 2 person tent. 

2 person Mountain Glow (left)  next to 1 person Copper Spur

My air mattress also had comfort issues. Even though it is a full size Exped 20"x72", it isn't wide enough to lay with my arms at my side. I typically sleep on my back and my arms are always laying on the tent floor. Not so comfortable. While I was at REI, I found an Thermarest Xtherm Neo Air pad that is 25" wide. The R-rating is 5.7 which may be the warmest pad on the market.  I did a short video showing the difference between the 2 pads:

I also really like to cook. During my summers in Portland I rarely eat in restaurants. I'm not a fancy chef but I enjoy eating good, simple, healthy and tasty food. Over the years, I've discovered my body is more comfortable eating a diet rich in plant foods with only a little meat. I don't eat meat every day. Last summer I learned that eliminating nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, all peppers, artichokes ...) cured chronic low back pain and stiffness. It was impressive that diet had such a huge impact on my health.  The way my eating has changed is far from the usual American diet. I want to cook more on tour to eat healthier meals than what I would find in diners.  The challenge is also appealing.

In the past, I've carried a canister stove with a pot mostly to boil water for coffee and make oatmeal in the morning.  My canister stove is a Snow Peak and doesn't work with canisters offered in Europe, Morocco or Turkey. Since I was only boiling water it made sense to switch to a simpler alcohol stove on those tours. The biggest difference in performance between the stoves is canister stoves offer flame control and simmering is possible. Alcohol stoves don't have flame adjustment.

For my next tour, I'll expand the kitchen to include both canister and alcohol stoves with a lightweight (7 oz) 8" MSR frying pan. This way I can cook pasta, rice or boil potatoes in the pot while frying up or steaming veggies. Not only will I be carrying more cooking gear but I'll also be packing more condiments such as olive oil, vinegar, honey and tamari with various spices.  In a previous post, I showed how to make hummus on the road and look forward to trying out that recipe while camping too.

New kitchen

I have always carried a can opener with cutlery, a tupperware container for leftovers and my Planetary Designs french press cup. This french press makes such a good cup of coffee I use it even when I'm not touring. 

Planetary Designs french press mug

Western Mountaineering Alpinlite bag

I'm happy with these changes but my biggest upgrade is to my sleeping bag. For the last 8 years I've used a Feathered Friends 30 degree bag. It was a very nice bag but I made a big mistake by keeping it stored in the stuff sack too long.  After so many years of being compressed for months at a time, the down got clumped up to the point it wouldn't fluff up anymore. Lesson learned. I splurged for a really nice and plush 20 degree Western Mountaineering Alpinlite bag. I went with the 5' 6" woman's bag which fit me perfectly. This sleeping bag is very expensive but I expect to get my money's worth especially after having the last bag for 8 years while not knowing how to care for it. 

My kitchen equipment has added about 1.5 lbs of weight. The extra food for cooking will add much more weight.  My camping gear upgrades have added 2 lbs to what I previously carried. My new Olympus OMD M5 Mark ii camera with 12-40mm lens,  Arkel handlebar bag and tripod has added 4 lbs from the little Panasonic Lumix p&s I used for my last few tours. The last upgrade I made is to replace my stolen MacAir with a MacBook pro. This has added an additional .5 lb. 

Over the last few tours, I had gradually whittled my gear weight down to around 35 lbs. On my last flight I strapped the panniers together and they weighed in at 23 lbs. This is a long way from the 75 lbs I trailered through Mexico on my first tour in 2007.  Even still, I think I'll be approaching 50 lbs for this upcoming tour. It's a lot of weight but not unusual for fully loaded touring. (I also have to add that I've lost about 75 lbs off my body since that 1st tour. I've still got another 15 to go and that will more than make up for the weight I've added to my bags.)

Tour with Barbara

Last weekend I had a chance to put my new gear to the test. With my friend Barbara, we did a 2 day ride to the annual Recumbent Retreat. This was my 11th year attending and I've always ridden there. We camped out at Big Eddy county park outside Vernonia over night on the way to the Oregon coast.  Then we camped at Ft. Stevens for the weekend with over a hundred other recumbent riders. 

It was so nice having a bigger tent. The tent has 2 doors which made getting the gear in and out a lot easier.  Even with all the bags in the tent, I still had extra room and didn't feel cramped. The new sleeping bag was very plush and it has more room in the feet. Meow! The new pad was the biggest improvement. Having a wider pad made all the difference. The Thermarest pad is the most comfortable pad I've used so far. I was concerned that the mylar insulation would be too crinkly but it was fine. For the first time while camping, I slept really well. What a relief! 

Camping at Big Eddy on the way to the Recumbent Retreat.

After this weekend's successful camping, I'm ready and looking forward to my next tour.

Terracycle Side Seat Mount and Arkel Handlebar Bag

Arkel handlebar bag with shoulder strap

I've added a new Arkel handlebar bag using the Terracycle Side Seat mount to this year's touring kit that I'm excited about. Recently, I upgraded my camera to an Olympus OMD M5 mark ii mirrorless with a 12-40mm lens. This camera is much bigger than the compact Panasonic Lumix p&s I've been using on my last few tours. I love taking pictures while riding my trike and needed a way to keep this new camera protected and handy. 

Pat Franz, of TerraCycle, has 3 bags offered with his newly designed side seat mount. The Arkel bag is the most expensive ($139) and my camera fit in it the best. The bag is waterproof and the zippered side pocket will keep my phone, wallet, keys and lip stuff close at hand and organized.  The real benefit of this bag is how easily I can take all my valuables off the trike whenever I stop. I've left the shoulder strap attached for comfortable carrying.

Contents of bag

In the main section of the bag I keep my Olympus camera, a lightweight weatherproof jacket, snacks, Sony helmet camera and wrist monitor. There are 2 net side pockets. On one side I keep a small packable cloth grocery bag and the other side I keep sun screen.

The Terracycle side seat mount has lots of placement flexibility to get the bag exactly where you want it. Pat has also designed mounts for most of the major trike brands. The main bar attaches on the back of the Euro mesh seat with 2 clamps. The mount also has a longer bar set up to use 2 bags, one bag on each side of the seat. I'm using the shorter bar for one bag. 

Attachment clamps and shorter bar for use with one side bag looking down from the top and back of the seat.

The Arkel bag is designed to use on upright handlebars. The supplied attachment clamps are a good 2 inches long which puts the bag farther away from the seat. Pat designed and machined new clamps for trikes that put the bag right next to the mount. These will be especially useful for anyone using 2 bags. Very nice! 

This picture shows the difference between the long clamps Arkel supplies and the new Terracycle shorter clamps

After getting the mount set up, I had trouble getting the bag to go on and off the clamps easily. Pat spent lots of time fixing the bag. First he took the clamp attachments on the back of the bag and smoothed out the edges. This helped but the bag still didn't come off the clamps as easily as I wanted.  Then he looked closer and noticed the clamp attachments and the back of the bag were bowed. He replaced the clamp attachments from a new bag and then machined a new metal stiffener. Pat also added a solid piece to the bottom of the bag and foam around the edges. Now my camera is well protected and the bag goes on and off smoothly, like butta. The amount of time Pat put in to make this bag right is impressive - it's not even his product! 

The bag is close to the seat and within the width of the front wheels.

At first, I had the bag on the right side of the seat. I ended up moving it to the left side because I make sharper turns to the right than the left.  Occasionally, the bag would brush up against objects when I turned tightly.  Putting the bag on the left has solved that issue.

I have short arms and the handlebars need to be farther back. Just enough clearance with the bag!

I think this bag will be a wonderful addition to my touring gear kit and I'm very interested to see how it handles the elements over time.

Myrtle with the new Arkel side bag

Making Hummus on the Road

I love hummus and eat it almost every day. In the past, I've used store bought hummus but recently discovered I have a sensitivity to nightshade foods. Most store brands of hummus contain paprika and cayenne which are also nightshades. Trying to avoid nightshades, I've started making my own hummus. Thinking of my next tour, I wondered if anyone had a technique for making hummus on the road especially while camping. I started a discussion on the Facebook vegan bicycle touring group and within a few minutes we came up with a method I thought would work and was excited to try out.

Hummus is traditionally made with garbanzo beans but can be made with many different types of beans. I decided to use white cannellini beans for this recipe. I bought 2 cans. One can was opened, the water drained and the beans poured into a large ziploc baggy. Then I added fresh lemon and crushed garlic, curry powder, tahini, olive oil and salt. I closed up the bag and used the second can to mash the beans and mix the ingredients. I squeezed the lemon into the top of the bag and the seeds were easy to remove. There are many wonderful recipes for hummus and you can add whatever ingredients you prefer. After the desired consistency and taste is achieved, the hummus can be stored and saved in the same baggy.  On the road, I will probably double bag to avoid surprises. 

Use a full can to mash beans and mix ingredients

The only extra implements needed are a fork to crush the garlic, a knife to cut the lemon and a can opener.  These are things I always carry on tour. 

Delicious hummus.

This really is a quick, easy and no mess technique for making hummus with ingredients that can be found anywhere.

Tripod Camp Table

Tripod camp table

I've been thinking of ways to make camping on tour more comfortable. Figuring a way to have a table to use for cooking, eating, drawing and to set my MacBook on. Seems that campgrounds don't always include tables anymore. Hiker/Biker sites rarely ever did. I often bring food to prepare in my bags and finding a place with a flat surface on the road can be a challenge. Eating off the ground is annoying and disagreeable. 

Here is my solution to this touring issue. Since I'll be bringing a tripod anyway, why not give it another purpose?  I'm using a Sirui carbon travel tripod. This tripod weighs 1.7 lbs, comes with an arca type compatible quick release plate and a sbh-100 ball head.  I expect to use this table top mostly while sitting in my trike. Since I have a chair, why not use it?

My MacBook Pro will be the heaviest thing I use the table for.

I went to a local shop that sells all kinds of plastic (TAP Plastic) and found a scrap piece that is rated OK for food/eating ($4). I haven't weighed the plastic but guess it is less than 1/2 lb. This plastic is smooth and will be easy to clean. I had them cut the plastic to a more manageable size. The most expensive part of this project was buying another quick release plate - $19.95. I brought the plate and piece of plastic to an ACE hardware store explaining what I needed. The guys fit and drilled a metal threaded piece into the middle of the plastic using the screw that came with the quick release plate. That cost $5. 

Magazine added for scale and humor to show the tripod and table top are quite small.

Tripod mount upside down attached to table top.

We'll see how this idea works in real life. I'll be bringing this set up to the recumbent retreat next month. Getting to the retreat is a 2 day ride and I'll be camping on the way. 

My next tour will be in the US and one of my goals is to get more comfortable camping. Most of my tours have been out of the country and, although I bring everything I need for camping, I very rarely camp. Even in campgrounds, my imagination gets the best of me and I don't sleep well.  On all my tours, accommodation has always been my biggest expense. Camping would certainly help me save some money.

By staying mostly in hotels, I feel like I've been missing out on some additional freedom that cycle touring offers. Wouldn't it be great to camp where ever I feel like stopping for the day? On my past tours, my only real issue has been to make sure there is a place to stay at the end of the day. My routes have always been dictated by where I can find a hotel. I don't know if I'll be ready for stealth camping on this trip but finding a place to set up a tent will open up more possibilities for where to end the day. I know this camping fear is all in my imagination and I really want to get over it.

Route Ideas for My Next Tour

I've been thinking about where I would like to tour this winter and decided I'll be riding in the US. A big consideration influencing my decision to ride in the US is I've got many friends having important birthdays this year. One friend is turning 100 years old! I sure don't want to miss this party. Staying in the US will make 'flying in for the weekend' easier than coming from a foreign country. There are lots of places in the US I still want to ride and I expect this won't be the last tour I take in my home country.

With weather in mind, I'll start this tour just after Labor Day in September. Any earlier and I think the heat will be too much.  Another reason to start the tour after Labor Day is kids will be back in school and there should be less traffic.

Rough idea of route through the US

A dear friend recently moved from Portland to Missoula, Montana and I'd like to see her new home. That is how I decided on the first part of the route. With the brutal heat we've had this summer so far, I decided to take a route along the coast of Washington going north through the Olympic peninsula. This route should be much cooler than taking the more direct route east through Oregon. From the San Juan Islands, I'll take Hwy 20 east through Washington and Idaho into Montana. I expect this ride will be as challenging as it is beautiful. The route is also the Northern Tier bicycle route and will have lots of camping and Warm Shower stay possibilities.  Missoula is home to Adventure Cycling Association and it will be interesting to stop in there too.

Portland through Olympic Peninsula, Missoula, Yellowstone to Salt Lake City

From Montana, if the weather permits, I'll ride to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons on my way to Utah. The route from Portland through the Olympic Peninsula, hwy 20 to Missoula and down to Salt Lake City has over 50,000 ft of climbing.  I'm sure it will be very beautiful and rewarding but I'm so slow I'm not sure I'll be able to take any detours if I want to get to Arizona before winter temperatures hit.  There are so many national parks in Utah that I would like to see I'm hoping for a long, dry autumn. From Utah, I'll continue south into Arizona to pick up the Southern Tier bike route. I'll take that route east to Florida. There are only 2 US states I haven't seen and Florida is one of them. 

Salt Lake City to Wickenburg, AZ

Somehow, I'll make it back to the west coast.  Even though the route I've picked is almost 4800 miles, I expect to make it to Florida around the end of January. That still leaves me 4 months of more riding to do before I can return to Portland. Maybe I'll turn around and ride a modified southern tier back to Los Angeles. We'll see... As with all my tours, plans will be very flexible.

Wickenburg, AZ to Austin, TX

Austin, TX to St. Augustine, FL

Addition for this year's tour?

Irving

Earlier this summer my sister and her finacé came to Portland for a very nice visit. She gave me a small painting from a collection she is holding for me while I tour. I don't have a home and all my stuff is in storage. I didn't want the collection of paintings to be damaged while I travel and sent them to my sister for safe keeping. I inherited the collection of around 30 paintings, of no great value, from our father. The artist is Maria Rand and I've never been able to find any information about her. Perhaps my father bought everything she ever painted. Most of the pieces are cheery, bright colored landscapes and still lifes painted in oil with very thick brush strokes. This one is a bit of an odd duck and doesn't fit with most of the other paintings. My sister thought I should include this little painting on my next tour and titled it Irving, our father's name. 

The idea of hanging this quirky little original painting in the tent while I camp really is irresistible.

Do you carry artwork on cycle tours or while you travel?

TOT 2015

Krispy Steve's logo design

TOT (Trikes Optional Tour, aka Tater TOT), is a yearly event that has been going for many years. There were probably 100 trikers taking over the Guest House Inn in Kellogg, Idaho this year. People came from all over with lots of trikers from Alberta, Canada, Oregon, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Florida and Colorado.  Many arrived by motor home parking in the hotel lot and more stayed in sites at various local RV parks. Watching everyone arrive hauling trikes in every way you can imagine was fascinating. Trikes in pick up truck beds, trailers, big vans, mini vans, on racks, double racks, trikes stuffed in cars, on top of cars, RVs and folded into trunks. The sight of so many trikes was very impressive. I really enjoyed seeing all these crazy trikers again. There were also a number of velomobiles. Beautiful, super fast machines. And, of course, lots of 2 wheelers joined in the fun as well.  

Trying out a Velomobile, woohoo!!

Velomobiles

TOT takes place on the Trails of the Coeur d'Alene which offer 70 miles of continuous smooth paved biking trails with gorgeous scenery. The event is for a long weekend but most people come earlier and stay longer.  I arrived at the Guest House Inn, getting a lift with my friends Dave and Edna, on Thursday staying until the following Thursday. Many of the surrounding towns are old-timey quaint and a lot of fun to explore.There is so much to see and riding to do I could have stayed longer. 

All the towns in the area are rich in mining history. A good group of us took an afternoon to do a tour of a gold mine in Kellogg. Outside the temperature was 108 and inside the mine was a refreshing 48 degrees. The history was very interesting and everyone was happy to get relief from the heat. Even with the heat, some people also tried panning for gold and stones from some tubs set up outside the mine. 

Gold mine tour

TOT isn't an organized event. There are certain rides that happen every year but, mostly, I wake up, see if anyone has a ride planned and join in. Often there was a breakfast ride to Wallace or the Snake Pit. Sometimes I ate breakfast at the hotel fueling up before a longer ride.  Some people got up extra early to ride the 144 miles of trail out and back. Edna did a century training ride in the heat to prepare for STP (Seattle To Portland).  I chose more manageable, shorter rides like to the end of the trail in Mullan and back.



This year, the weather was searingly hot and this shaped much of our riding decisions. Every day the temperatures were in the high 90's and even over 100 degrees. Brutal! The weather channel said there was a heat dome over the entire Pacific Northwest. An early start was important in order to be back at the hotel before we all melted. In years past, people would congregate at the entrance of the hotel, setting up chairs and yakking late into the night. Not this year. Everyone made sure to get up earlier to ride before the heat was overwhelming. There were a couple of night rides I joined to Wallace for huckleberry shakes which were great fun. We returned after 11 pm and the hotel was eerily quiet. 

Center of the universe is in Wallace.

View from the trail.

Night ride to the spaceship at the Red Garage in Wallace

One of the most popular rides is the Trail of the Hiawatha which starts in Montana high up on an old mountain rail trail. The ride crosses into Idaho in the middle of a very long tunnel. The trail is 15 miles downhill with spectacular scenery riding over trestle bridges high above the trees. Buses at the bottom give cyclists a lift back to the top, even trikers. Even though the ride is all downhill there is so much to look at most people take hours to complete the trail. The path is hard packed gravel with larger stones and a much rougher surface for the last few miles. Without suspension, the ride can be teeth rattling. Many people rent mountain bikes with suspension instead of putting their trikes and bodies through the tougher terrain. 

Cataldo Mission and Parish House

There are lots of group rides and 2 that go over passes, Dobson and Thompson.  Some people get a lift to the top and ride down. I did Dobson last year, and loved it, but this year was simply too hot. A few of us did a ride to the beautiful Cataldo Mission which is one of the oldest buildings in Idaho and very well preserved. People would come back from rides and show off pictures of moose and baby moose, herons, egrets, eagles and elk they saw on the trail. I never saw any moose but enjoyed other's pictures and excitement. One of the big rides is from Harrison to Plummer on gorgeous Lake Coeur d'Alene. Everyone loads up the trikes driving 45 miles to the trailhead. There's a fantastic bike path bridge that crosses the lake and has a fabulous view. The turn around point for the ride was a veteran's park with a tribute to the Coeur d'Alene tribe.

Bridge across Lake Coeur d'Alene

Boat Houses and Lily Pads

Turn Around at Plummer

Lake Coeur d'Alene

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Snake Pit buffet line

The Snake Pit restaurant put together a nice buffet dinner of bbq chicken with all the fixins for the whole group. We all rode the 6 miles there and the parking lot and grassy area outside the restaurant was full of trikes with colorful flags. This was also the second year a fundraiser pig roast dinner took place on the trail just outside the hotel. Lots of fabulous salads and pulled pork. There are also many really good restaurants in the area. This year I tried the Fainting Goat in Wallace which has a big time chef trained in New York and Italy. Great food. The Silver Mountain lodge is across the street from the hotel. They have a ski lift where mountain bikers can put their bikes in a gondola to the top of the mountain and come down on single track trails. The lodge also has a restaurant with good food offering lots of healthy choices. This is my 3rd TOT and there are still more restaurants I want to try.

Snake Pit parking

Buffet at the Snake Pit

Just like last year, I made reservations for next year before I left. Next year's TOT will be a week earlier in June and, hopefully, cooler. Many thanks to Edna and Dave for giving me and Myrtle a lift - there and back. It was fun hanging with you too.

Resolving Health Issues

The last 6 weeks or so have been tough physically. It has, seriously, been one thing after another. I'm not used to being sick so this has really worn me down. First I had a cold that took a couple of weeks to get over and then there was the flu. I think I threw my back out throwing up. Once I felt better I was so excited I went out and played tennis and then cleaned the house. I knew I was in trouble when I couldn't get the vacuum cleaner up the stairs. I still played tennis even though I was having trouble standing up. Actually, I played a couple of doubles matches wearing those heated Thermacare pads and

somehow we managed to win. It probably delayed recovery though as I have been to the chiropractor, message therapist and acupuncturist countless times over the past month to get relief. It is finally loosening up and I'm almost 100%. Last weekend I managed a 32 mile ride with a good group of OHPVers and the slugs. It was a gorgeous day. I think the biking helped. I've also been swimming and taking epsom salt baths. I going to start working on my abs and doing some strength training this week. I'll be taking it slow to insure there aren't any relapses.

Quiet time

Yesterday, I took my cat Ro to the vets to be put down. She has been a dear, dear friend for over 16 years. What a love and a little sweetie!! Her kidneys and liver had been failing for the last 6 months and it seemed she was in a lot of pain whenever she used the box. Animals tend to have a higher threshold for pain and I'll bet she was in more than she let on. Thursday afternoon the pain appeared to be worse than before and I couldn't take it anymore. I called the vet to make an appointment to talk about putting her down. I wasn't sure it would happen on Friday but in the morning I went to the bathroom and discovered Ro had sprayed diarrhea all over a wall. Poor little thing!! That was a clear sign it was time to put her down. Larry Pike met me at the vets. It was nice to have his support - not having to do it alone. The vet gave her a shot and she was gone within seconds. I think she was gone before the vet finished giving her the shot. She quietly fell asleep in my arms. It felt very humane. Crying as we left the room, I gave her one last kiss, sniff and pet. I know she will always be with me. It sure is quiet around the house without her.

JaVa LaVa

This was a recumbent ride starting in Camas. It was supposed to start at the Java Coffee House but that has closed since the last time this ride was offered. Java House is now Sushi Land. Luckily, I recognized someone in the parking lot as I looking feverishly for a coffee house. About 10 people showed up at the start and others joined in later. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. If anyone had said it was going to be 63, sunny with no wind I would have said they were crazy. The weather before and after this day was typical grey and rainy. What a day to be on a bike!! We meandered our way to the downtown Java Coffee House and met a half dozen other riders. There were additional bikers enjoying a break from thier own rides. The place was hopping. It was Diana's birthday and her husband Jeff pulled a package of cupcakes out of his panniers for everyone to enjoy. After coffee and sweets we headed down River Road and out to Vancouver Lake where we met up with some more riders. A few guys were out there preparing for the upcoming Jack Frost time trials. Most everyone decided to do the 12 mile Jack Frost route but Diana, Jeff, Jim and I headed back to Camas. We put in 32 miles by the end of the ride.

Worst Day of the Year

Now that was an event!! This was a charity ride benefiting the Community Cycling Center. There were 2 ride choices offered - an 18 mile SE neighborhood family ride and a 40 mile 'challenging' ride. It was my first time trying it out and I chose the 40 mile challenge. Being February - the weather can be unpredictable. This year saw sunshine, rain, wind and then cold heavy rain. The 40 mile option took some of the 1500 riders from the Lucky Lab Brew pub in SE Portland to REI in the pearl to REI in Hillsboro and back. I got there early to get going with the first wave. Waiting for the official start I found myself with 2 other trikers. We had a good time yakking it up. There were lots of people with decorated bikes and in costume. The drummers sent us off regally through a flurry of bubbles on an easy ride to the REI in the pearl. Sipping on a delicious chai tea I ran into some recumbent rider friends. These are all very strong riders and didn't expect to see them again on the ride. I hopped back on Myrtle and started climbing a pretty steep hill. Reaching the top, I turned the corner to find myself climbing even more. Entering Washington park I had a flat and pulled over where another biker was just finishing up fixing his own flat. It was nice having the company as he helped and gave me pointers. So many people passing offered to help - very comforting. Back on Myrtle, we kept climbing and climbing. I couldn't believe how big this hill was. A couple power walking passed me and we all had a good laugh. Then I passed a couple of teenage boys one who hissed at me like a cat - he even extended one of his hands out like he was taking a swipe at me with his paw. Well - I, of course, hissed back even louder. I think he got a kick out of that. I did too. The climbing continued on and on and up and up for miles and miles. It started to rain lightly on the way up. Almost at the top a guy on a regular bike passed and we exchanged a few friendly words of encouragement. I noticed he was taking a very long time waiting at the lights and pretty soon I caught up with him. He would set out and get to a light and then wait. Eventually we were riding together. We arrived at REI in Hillsboro - the half way point and had some snacks, chai tea and rested while I had a mechanic check my tire to make sure everything was ok and there was enough air. I started back and the guy that rode in with me started riding back with me. I am so slow this must have been difficult for him. It was sure nice having the company. Pretty soon we were back to climbing what turned out to be an even bigger hill than the one on the first half of the ride. I was riding 3-4 mph - I don't know how this guy stayed upright. He must be very stong to keep riding with me. He didn't really talk much and I finally got his name - Carter. What a nice guy to hang with me. As we got to the top of the hill it started raining very hard. The view was lovely and we stopped to catch our breath and enjoy it. Then came the screaming downhill. I'm still squimish about downhill riding. I've gotten to 30 mph and then I panic and start breaking. This downhill was very steep and winding, there was no shoulder, lots of traffic and it was pouring rain. I think I got to 32 mph. I knew there were riders behind me that couldn't pass and I'm sure they could have ridden much faster. After we crossed the Broadway bridge I got another flat tire. At this point my buddy Carter rode on - oh well, it was nice having his company. The wind was really blowing and it was cold. This flat was annoying, it took me awhile to find the glass buried deep in the rubber. Luckily I was only a few easy miles from the finish and my car. By the time I made it back I just wanted to get home and take a warm shower. All in all, I was very proud of myself for completing this ride. At first when I realized what kind of climbing was being asked of us, I couldn't believe the organizers would create such a difficult ride. This was a charity event after all. Much of the roads we took had quite a bit of traffic and most didn't even have a shoulder. That really surprised me. But once I finished the ride I couldn't believe I had done it. I felt good at the end physically and mentally. And cold. This was one of those confidence building rides I'll remember for a long time. It really felt like if I could do this ride any ride was possible. I may be slow but I'll get there.

New Year

I just returned from visiting my aunt in LA. She was in a play at the Odessey theater. The play was called 'The Oldest Profession' by Paula Vogel. My aunt played the madam in a brothel of senior citizen prostitutes. She had a solo song and dance routine. Not bad for an 81 year old. I really enjoyed the play. Everyone worked together so well. One by one they each die off and go to harlot heaven. I'm really glad I went down to see it. My aunt and I always have a good time together. We also celebrated my cousin Carissa's 23rd birthday. We talked about my plans for the future. Eve really wants me to move to LA and go to law school. I'll give it some thought. I don't have any idea what my life will look like after my bike ride. I'm not opposed to her idea. It would be fun living close to her and the rest of the family again. LA? I'm not so sure... My cousin Jim wants to join me on my bike ride when I get to San Francisco. He was so envious of my plans. Wait till he sees how slow I am. Slow as a turtle. Of course, I'll have over a month on the road before we meet up. Plenty of time to get my speed up. I've been reading alot of journals of people biking in Mexico. It's peaked my interest to the point I've enrolled in a spanish class at the local community college. I've also been working on my mascot.

Introducing...

Myrtle the turtle.


















Once I get a PO box and figure out how to forward my mail I'll be designing a business card and clear stickers with Myrtle on them to give away. The yellow band is for the Lance Armstrong's Livestrong foundation that I'll be fundraising for. I'm not exactly sure how that works - something else to figure out. But, I figure, if I'm handing out cards I might as well give the web address of where to donate.