The Universe Provides

I think I have the blog issues ironed out, but I don't know where my blog posts from the backpacking trip went.  LaLa Land.  I'm hoping the developer can help me find them.

Yesterday was a pretty stressful day.  I called Amtrak in the morning to make my reservation from Spokane to West Glacier with my trike...and they dont take bikes in boxes wider than 8 inches.  Screwed!  Now how do I get from Winthrop to West Glacer, 470+ miles, in a week?  Panic for a moment.  Then trusting.  If it doesn't work out, then the Universe has something else planned for me.  Ah yes...trust.

But also do my part to resolve the issue.  So I wrote an email to as many Warmshowers hosts (a site of folks that will host bicycling travelers) in Winthrop and Spokane as I found listed asking if they could help me close this mileage gap by giving me a lift for any part of my journey.  I got emails and phone calls offering a variety of help.  What support!  Problem has been resolved and the trip is going to be better than originally planned!  I'm getting 2 rides today to get to Spokane by tonight and I will be staying at a Warmshowers' host house, Barb Stuebing's!  Her mom and daughter are meeting me in Coulee Dam this afternoon.  Skyward has generously offered to drive me there...after all she's already done hosting me this last week and a half:))  Then tomorrow I'll bike out of Spokane with about 270 miles to cover in 6 days.  I'll huff and I'll puff, but I'll make it!   And I get to bike the mountains of Idaho and Montana instead of the desert of Washington.  Yippeee!!! 

The Universe provides...for sure!

Pedal on, pedal on,

Amazed BagLady

Test

New software. Let's see if I can post.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

More Torments

So, the blog isn't loading from my phone...and now I find out I can't take my bike on the train.  It won't box up as small as they require.  So now I have to hitch to get to West Glacier in a week.  I'll have to start hitchig right away because I don't know when the rides will come.  And I may not make it in time to meet up with the group.  

Skyward taught me a great saying.  "An adventure isn't an adventure until something goes wrong."  So I guess the adventure is just beginning!

I just talked with Sylvia, my inspiring trike traveler from Portland...thanks for the words of support.  I'll just go with the flow and see where the universe takes me:)  

As to my lost posts, I've written to the developer to see if he can find them.  For now let's just say Chelan Lake and Stehekin village with the snow capped mountains and azure blue rushing rivers was paradise.  Best hike in America!  and no crowds!!!

And I don't seem to be able to post a blog now from my phone at all.  I'm reinstalling the BlogPress software, so I will try some tests to see if I can get that to work.  If not, you'll all have to go to Facebook to see what I'm up to...I'll post to that.  

Stay tuned...

BagLady

Blog is all screwed up!

I don't know what's going on.  I got an email from a follower today when I got out of a week in the woods and she said my blog had been removed.  Skyward tried to go to it on her iPhone and got the same message.  When I got back to her house and used a normal computer, I could get to the blog page.  Whew!  That was a premature "whew!"  I tried to publish my 3 blogs written while I was in the woods.  They are written in BlogPress on my iPhone.  At first they would not post, but then all 3 gave me a "Success" message.  But when I tried to view the post...nothing, nada, zero, zip!  No new posts are showing up.  And I don't know if it's a BlogPress or Blogger issue.  So right now I'm trying to post a blog update from computer.  Gee, I sure hope those posts are not lost.  Maybe I can find them in my mailbox somewhere. 

Speaking of mailboxes, one of my email accounts was sending out spam last night Dana said.  And today I had trouble logging in and had to change my password.  What's happening.  Arrrghhh  Technology!!!  I'm ready to bag it entirely.  It's more trouble than it's worth. 

So sit tight while I try to figure all this out.  I am in Winthrop another day before pedaling on to Spokane and getting the train to Glacier.

BagLady

Lazy Day and New Friends

Sunday July 24
Winthrop WA

Just like on the AT, it feels like I never have a day off. So today I'm going slowly. Really slowly. And enjoying the heck out of it.

I've met so many folks today and it's only 1pm. First there was the couple camped next to me who offered me hot water and cherries this morning. He's in sales but loves to write poetry. They have 2 gifted kids: a son who wants to be a physicist and a daughter who also loves to write. The live north of Seattle and are Scottish decent. He is anyways. She's French Canadian. Boatee. Little Boat.

Then in the bathroom I met Vonnie and she invited me to have coffee. "I'd love to!" says I. She and her husband, Dan, have one son, Eric. His girlfriend is Gwen. And the dog, Luna. They've hosted lots of foreign kids over the years with some of them dating for as long as 7 years whole the finished high school and went to college. I can see why they stayed. Their warmth and love of life was so evident! Vonnie even got brave and flew to Japan alone to he the honored guest at one girl's wedding. Brave girlfriend! But I had to pedal off, alas!

Them there was the guy biking around like I am from Colorado, the couple from Georgia on their way home from Alaska in their motorbike, the Asian couple heading home from a wedding, and the young mom and 2 daughters off to the cousins! Loneliness is not a problem.

And by writing their stories, I tested myself to see if I was listening and learning as much as I was sharing my journey with them. Whew! Love the connections. And their brevity and the goodbyes don't hurt as much. I carry their warmth and energy with me. Thank you to all these new friends. If even just for a short time:)

And just met a young man who's just getting outdoors for the weekend. And on it goes.

I packed up my bike from my lunch and journaling break and was just about ready to take off when Skyward and Dave pulled in to my wide spot in the road. What a surprise. They were quite early:). Yes I want a ride! Loaded Blaze up on top. She only tried to bolt away once. Slid right down the windshield and bounced when she hit the pavement. I still have to check her out when I unload her tomorrow but I think she's uninjured from her little escapade.

Oh what views that ride would have been. I'm a little sad to have not biked it. But it's been hot here now so glad to not have baked in the sun up over that pass. Absolutely gorgeous mountains much like what I saw in Nepal! This country of ours is so goddam gorgeous! Parents should spend every summer just seeing a different part if it. Lingering there awhile!

This little slice of heaven Skyward and Dave have is spectacular. I'll try again to post a photo of the view from their front windows.
Oops too cloudy today to get a good photo. Will have to wait.

Just made plans for a week long backpacking trip up Chelan Lake (the deepest gorge in the country - half again as deep as the Grand Canyon) then up into the Cascades near Cascades Pass. Should be a fun hike part of which will be on the PCT.

No postings until I return next week.

Over and out from the Cascade Mountains of Washington.

Step Lightly,

BagLady

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Skyward Found Me

Saturday July 23rd
Ross Lake WA

Enough of the miles. This trip isn't about miles. It's about having fun.

I awoke and packed up in my grassy nook on the side of Hwy 20 hoping to find a coffee shop in Rockport. Didn't happen there, but patience paid off and I came to Cascadian Farms Espresso and raspberry stand. Breakfast. Dry tent. Restroom. Latte. Fresh organic raspberries. Everything a girl biker could want!

I was heading into the Cascades but it really didn't get difficult. Stayed pretty flat and enjoyable.

All of a sudden I hear "BagLady!". I look up and it's Skyward. For those who don't know her, we met on the PCT last year and left the trail at the same time, although she did come back to do a lot of Oregon later last summer. We've kept in touch and made plans to hike together this summer. She's item #2 on my itinerary for this bike ride. She and boyfriend, Dave, were headed into Seattle for a couple of days. The plan is fir them to pick me up in their way home Sunday night or Monday...if they find me. If not, I'll pedal in. Either way, I'm going slow and enjoying this segment since my arrival can be flexible. The backpacking trip seems to be canceled due to too much snow still in the mountains. Not sure what plan B is. TBD.

So after connecting briefly, getting directions to their house I. Winthrop, and making brief plans for how they can find me along the route, we went our separate ways.

I ended the day in a national campground. Decided on that because the road was getting steeper and looked like there would be little likelihood if finding a place to camp. And since it had been hot u was quite sweaty and would enjoy a shower. Heike, you've rubbed off on me! But the sign said the campground was full. Ask. "We have some handicap sites and I can't give those out til 8pm.". Host looks at his watch. It's only 6:30. "Oh, go ahead. Take site 30.". Yippee! I get all setup, pay my $12, and paddle off to the showers. What?! No showers! Really? So for $12 I get a wobbly picnic table.

Pedal on, Pedal on

Pissed BagLady

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Heading East

Friday July 22
40 miles i guess
Rockport WA

Sun! I awoke to sunshine this morning. It's a glorious thing!!! It's been so cold and cloudy and rainy for nearly 2 weeks. Now it'll be cold and cloudy and rainy with a few sun breaks. Only in the northwest do they count sun breaks...moments when Theron breaks through and warms your soul.

But that was after another horrible night. This time due to air force jets practicing maneuvers. They started in the early evening buzzing the fields I'm camped in. The noise was so loud I thought they were going to break the sound barrier. Again and again and again. Then it stopped and I went to sleep. Were they done? Of course not. We have to see how the jets perform at midnight because ya know it might be different. It doesn't matter that the rest of the world is sleeping. On and on. Back and forth. With deafening noise. I had to protect my good ear the noise was so painful. Really? You can't do this out over the ocean? You have to buzz the villages? My list of places not to camp is getting quite extensive:). I can't believe all the things that can surprise you with noise at night.

Talked with a spunky woman who owned a thrift store in town. I'm trying to find a sun visor in a place that has no sun! I found one in one thrift store which is functional but not cute. I'm into cute. So the hunt is on. And what a hunt it is. Almost bought one in Port Townsend at the state park but I don't like to advertise and the price was $14.50. Too much. Little did I know how hard it would be to find another. The search continues.

Back to the lady owner. We were talking about how risky traveling on these roads was and she saud "One minute you'll be biking in the forest with trees all around. Then Bam. You'll be biking in new scenery: flowers and blue sky!" One can only hope it will be that quick.

Route 20 has been a treat to bike on: wide shoulders. Yippeee! Now if all the cars would just go drive somewhere else. Or better yet, go home. I would be really happy. The confusing whizzing is exhausting. I'm camped just off the road behind some bushes and the noise continued all evening. Whiiiizzz. Whiiizzz. Whiiizzzz. I knew it would quiet down as it got later. And it did. But now it's Sat morning about 7:30 am and it's slowly picking up in volume.

Even though I'm up in the mountains so to speak, I haven't started climbing yet. That will be today. I just hope the road stays gradual. Then it will be fine. I've got 80 miles to Winthrop and 3 days to do it. Should be I'm good shape.

Off to pack up, find coffee and some morning sun. Oops, the sun seems to have disappeared. Darn!

Oh I forgot to mention the Velomobile I saw yesterday. A Dutch trike with a fiberglass shell. Very cool. Craig Johnsen was the power behind the pedals. Oh the delightful people I meet!!! Enjoyed our chat!

Pedal on. Pedal on

Stinky BagLady

Oh, my legs!

Monday July 18
51 miles
Potlatch State Park

Yesterday Heike and I biked 25 miles in 3 hours to get to a sports bar by 11 am to see the women's soccer final! I really pedaled hard! And my legs felt it! It's so much harder in the legs pedaling the trike. Especially picking up the pace. My legs are bigger! And feel like steel! And I'm only half way done.

And it rained again in the afternoon so we bailed and got a motel so that we could dry out our gear. And I could do laundry. Pretty dirty stuff.

Food is a lot easier when 2 are sharing. We're combining our food stash to conjure up our meals. Much more fun!

Today we pedaled to this state park so Heike could have a shower. My skin has never seen so much water. First all the rain then the showers!

Had a flat in the rear tire today and glad Heike was there to help. Turns out she's quite a bike mechanic. First was knowing how to release the parking brake. Then dropping the tire off. But I was the one that figured out hoe to get it seated again. Teamwork!
Been having problems with the rear fender. Keeps popping off the spokes. I'm not happy with it. I think I need to duct tape the connections:). That fixes everything.

They sure grow tall trees out here! Big leaf maples 75 ft tall I'd guess! It's so lush everywhere! From all this rain!!!

Biking on 101 has been scary. Fast cars and tractor trailer trucks whizzing by. Usually little shoulder. Windy road. And it's hard to stay alert hour after hour after hour. I focus on the white line. Sometimes the shoulder widens and I'm in a fog and don't notice it right away. ADD is dangerous out here but it's hard to be so alert all the time. Sometimes a truck will pass so close it actually makes me jump! Imagine being low and only a few feet from a massive truck going 65 mph! Hang on, girl!!! Bravery or stupidity. Still trying to decide:)


Pedal on, Pedal on

Soggy BagLady

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A break in the weather! Yippeee!

Saturday July 16
Raymond WA
~47 miles.
Total 1250 miles


That's Heike eating pizza in the shower stall. Only place we could find warm and dry yesterday.

After full day of rain and sitting around the restrooms of the Cape Disappointment State Park, I finally moved north. With a new friend. Heike is from Berlin and has biked most of the way from Toronto. She's on her way to Vancouver and since she doesn't fly out til Aug 24th she has time to go at Blaze's pace. Having her ride on the tush and it pouring rain really pushed me today. About 47 miles in 5.5 hours. And we stopped for a quick lunch.

In Raymond we're camped next to the pool because Heike needs a shower every night. It did feel good:). And we had picnic tables for cooking and there are public restrooms nearby. Life is good.


www.thebaglady07.blogspot.com

Sent from my handy, dandy, mini, little computer (iPhone)


Pedal on, Pedal on

Saddle BagLady

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Washington

Friday July 15th
Cape Disappointment WA
17 miles.
Total over 1200

Rain. Yup. It let up yesterday afternoon long enough for me to dry out my tent and get out of Astoria. Thank you, rain gods. Started again during the night and on through the morning.

Saw the Pacific Ocean yesterday!!!! What a glorious sight! Now I know what Lewis & Clark must have felt. Just a tiny bit, anyways.

Met a woman from Germany here at the State Park I stayed in last night. She's biked from South Dakota. Got there by public transport from Toronto. She didn't want to bike through the boring Midwest either:). She's done a lot of bike travel in Europe, Tasmania, South Africa.

It's 8:45 am. The rain is letting up. I need to think about getting up but I know everything is so wet: the tent, the bike, the grass, the picnic table. This won't be fun getting going. I still don't know what I'll do if I can't dry my tent during the day. I need a 1/2 hour of sunshine or a dryer. Last time I threw it in the dryer, I threw in my special poly-something ultra lightweight dropcloth...and it shrank. Ouch! Got a tyvek sorta piece of housewrap at a construction site that I'm using now. We'll see how it dries.

It felt good yesterday to be out of town and in the woods (sorta) again. Not really fond of all the hustle and bustle. Cars alone are exhausting me. I realized how much noise a car really makes when I had to bike through a tunnel yesterday. Unbelievable! I had to cover my good ear to stop the pain. Thank goodness I only had to cover one ear;)

Cars are the downside of biking. Don't know how to solve that problem. I do like the biking to get some place part.

Crossing the Columbia River Bridge:



Pedal on, Pedal on

Saddle BagLady

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