Thursday, November 8, 2012

Home Again!! November 6-7 Days 43-44 Flagstaff, AZ to Soldiers Grove, WI

Last blog posting

 

Best of Journey:
1) Spending 5 weeks with 33 extraordinary women!
2) No rain (except for one time evening showers) in 35 days!
3) Special visits with Alby and Alan in San Diego and Kelle and Gerald in Flagstaff

Vital Statistics:
1) 30 days biking with 5 recovery days
2) 
Biking distance 1900 miles (73,000 feet elevation)
3) Driving distance 1577 miles
4) Flying distance 2360 miles
5) 175,000 calories consumed in 35 days
6) 140 bottles of water
7) 2 flat tires


Best meal:  Oyster Bar on Fisherman's Wharf
Most comforting:  Evening "Tea" with cycling colleagues
Most difficult days: Gualala to Bodega Bay and Big Sur to San Simeon
Most dramatic views: Big Sur
Most flat:  Route south of Los Angeles
Most breathtaking: Biking across Golden Gate Bridge
Most daunting: Hill with 18% grade
Most friendly: Construction workers on highways
Most unique: Tunnels with flashing lights to indicate bikers were inside
Most embarrassing: Falling in hotel parking lot when meeting up with friends who were visiting
Most utilized medications: Ibuprofen and Arnica
Best story: Cyclist stopped by highway patrol and given warning for failure to stop at red light (in construction zone)
Favorite regular clothes:  "Findlay Farmer's Market" wrap around skirt & long gray sweater
Favorite biking clothes: Anything Hi-Viz with zippers (zip down uphill and zip up downhill)

Last but not least:  Many thanks to Jill, our Pilates instructor, and Ellyn who was a great training/biking partner..... and the many friends and family who made this journey a reality!!!

Monday, November 5, 2012

November 2 to November 5 Days 39 to 42 Visiting Kelle and Gerald in Flagstaff, AZ

Best of Visit:  Spending time with Kelle and Gerald, meeting their friends, traveling to Winslow and LaPasada,


 and Jerome AZ, a historic mining town!



Worst of Visit:  Leaving: 




Best quote:  "Let's just go to a movie and have popcorn for dinner!"

Friday, November 2, 2012

November 1 Day 38 Third day off bike! Leaving San Diego

Best of Day:  Flying to Phoenix to meet Bud then driving to Flagstaff to visit Kelle and Gerald!

Worst of Day:  Leaving San Diego and Alby and Alan

Quote of Day:  Thank you Alan for your generosity and for taking our picture when we left for the airport!! 


This transition must mean the ride is officially "finished" and I am so grateful to all who made this trip (of a life time) possible!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

October 31 Day 37 Second Day Off Bike

Best of Day:  Leisurely Day!!  What a gift!   Shipped extra biking gear home.   Spent time with Alby and Alan's new charge named Brooks, a puppy in training to be a service dog.



Visited their grandson for Halloween!  


Worst of Day:  Last day in sunny southern California!   Sooooo beautiful!


 

Quote of Day:  "Kirby and Katie finally made it to Monument Park (aka the border)"  which was written in another blog by a cyclist!
 

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

October 30 Day 36 First Day Off the Bike!!

Best of Day:  Woke up to beautiful flowers.

Casual trip to coffee shop with Alby to meet Kirby, Fouse and their friends, Barney and Sheri.


Dinner with Alby and Alan and Bill and family.


 

Worst of Day:  Separating from the bikes at Bernie's Bike Shop (same bike shop we shipped to when we STARTED the Cross Country trip in 2010!!).   Leaving behind all those crazy (and wonderful) espresso drive throughs.


Quote of the Day:  "How many people does it take to decide where and how to pack and ship bikes?!" 

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

October 29 Day 35 Cardiff by the Sea to the U.S.- Mexico Border (51.8 miles)

Best of the Day:  1900 miles, 35 days later......

Worst of Day:  Fog rolled in as we were closer to the Border (maybe we wouldn't see it!!)


Quote of Day:  "The Sweeps have maintained their reputation as the last cyclists on the road!!"


We did it!! 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

October 28 Day 34 Huntington Beach CA to Encinitas CA (37 miles)

Best of Day:  Beaches, beaches, beaches (see picture), arriving in Encinitas at Alby & Alan's house (see picture)




 
Worst of Day:  Ride is coming to an end. 




Quote of Day:  We called today another "Chris Smith day" (Chris is a good friend from the organized ride who said every day should be fun, short, with time to stop and eat, and visit, etc. etc.!!!!)