Going South

Today we planned to ride 68 miles however, the wind gods started laughing and so hard they almost blew us off the road. It was a steady 15ish with gust of 25ish better than 43 from previous day.  It was another challenging day got lost and turned around a couple of times.  We then decided to cut the ride short as Ursula's friend still didn't have power and her friends of friends were going to house us.  We rode to Oak Harbor about 20 miles short of destination we still had 56 miles.  Coming up to and crossing Deception Pass was so breath taking beautiful. I want to come back and hike the area and cycle.

Leaving Vancouver

The night before we left Vancouver there was a horrible storm trees and power lines were down the roads are full of debris.  If you saw my previous blog you know I Don't do DIRT!!!

To Vancouver

Leaving Port Orchard Steve and Suzanne took us for a scenic ride to our ferry dock with a yummy place for lunch.  We really didn't want to leave their home they are the most gracious, kind host and hostess's ever. This is our first ferry going to Bremerton a small old tugboat foot ferry. In Bremerton we took a larger ferry to Seattle. We rode about 15 miles this day. That night we met my son for dinner as he was also in Seattle. The next morning it was raining fortunately a 3 block ride to train to Vancouver, B. C. Once in Vancouver the skies went bizerk the winds started blowing with gust of 43mph. Fortunately are plan was to tour Vancouver but, because of the winds Stanley Park was closed for the first time.

Day 1 San Diego to Port Orchard, Wa

Today was planes and ferries.  Left San Diego flew over Mt Ranier landed in Seattle and ferried to Port Orchard. Staying with great friends putting bikes together. Exciting adventure begins.

Bon Voyage

Our cycling friends rode to Old Town in the rain (getting ready) to have a going on an adventure party.
Unfortunately I couldn't join them it looks like they had a great time for me and 4 of the crew were able to be there.  Great friends, thank you all for being there and the picture of the margarita and the thoughtful gifts.

The Crew

There are now 5 of us.

Sherry, Ursula, Ken, Bob and myself.  The next post will be from somewhere far north of home.

Itinerary

Some of you have been asking about the itinerary.  This is it and it is craved in Silly Putty!  We will be staying in San Francisco and not Pacifica as originally planned and from there everything else will change to some degree  but, it gives you an idea.

Leave San Diego  Thur. Aug. 27 arrive Port Orchard/Seattle

Leave Port Orchard/Seattle train to Vancouver B.C.  Aug 29

Leave Vancouver Aug 30

First night on road				Mileage		elev gain
Sun.    Aug. 30	Bellingham, Wa.			68		2800
Mon.  Aug. 31	Port Townsend, Wa.			67		3800
Tues.   Sept. 1/2	Port Orchard, Wa.  2 nights			65		3600
Thur.   Sept. 3	Elma, Wa.			66		2600
Fri.       Sept.  4	Castle Rock, Wa.			79		2100
Sat.      Sept. 5	Astoria, Or  Labor Day Weekend			67		4300
Sun.     Sept. 6	Tillamook, Or			69		4400
Mon.   Sept.  7	Lincoln City, Or.			60		5000
Tues.   Sept. 8	Florence, Or			72		4600
Wed.    Sept. 9/10	Coos Bay, Or. 2 nights			50		2800
Fri.      Sept.  11	Port Oxford, Or.			59		3600
Sat       Sept   12	Harbor, Or.			61		5100
Sun.     Sept 13	Orick, Ca			70		3600
Mon     Sept 14	Ferndale, Ca			70		2700
Tues     Sept 15	Benbow			62		3600
Wed.    Sept 16/17	Ft. Bragg   2 nights			68		5800
Fri.      Sept 18	Gualala			58		4500
Sat       Sept 19	Tomales			63		5300
Sun     Sept 20-22	San Francisco 2 or 3 nights			60		4646
Wed.   Sept 23	Santa Cruz			63		4200
Thur   Sept 24	Carmel by the Sea			59		3000
Fri      Sept 25	Lucia			52		4700
Sat     Sept 26	Cayucos			62		4100
Sun    Sept 27	Lompoc			82		3650
Mon.   Sept 28/29	Carpinteria 2 nights			70		3400
Wed     Sept 30	Malibu			65		2200
Thur    Oct 1	Huntington Beach			60		1500
Fri       Oct 2	Oceanside			58		2400
Sat     Oct 3	Tijuana   and train back			72		2400

Fully loaded

Two of the B2B team took a training excursion today. We rode the train to Orange about a 60 mile train ride and cycled home almost 68 miles.  The ride was fantastic and the prevailing winds were a gift being fully loaded that was a great push most the way back. We stopped in Newport Beach for a photo and Dana Point for lunch where we ran into about 10 of our cycling friends and rode a few miles with them.

Planning

I am planning another adventure. Border to border from Vancouver, BC to Tijuana Mex.  We are flying to Seattle and staying with some friends as a base starting location.  This will be a self contained tour.  Yikes!!! We  have planes, trains and ferries, tunnels and bridges.  Ursula, Bob, Ken and myself will be starting from Vancouver, B.C.
Our plan is to leave Vancouver, B.C. on August 30th and take 5 or 6 weeks to arrive at Tijuana. Estimating 3 weeks to San Francisco where some more friends will join us another week to Santa Barbara where some more friends will join and then 5 days to the border.  I know when we arrive in Oceanside and I get to sleep in my bed it will be difficult to get on the road one last day.  My motivation, I can ride my Pink Trek and take the coaster home.
We welcome any who want to join us along the way.  Call, email or text.

Ursula and I on last years trip