First Night of Camping (May 25, 2012)

The day after flying to Portland, OR on May 23, my long-time friend Bill Burke was kind enough to pick me up and give me a tour of the Columbia River Gorge ... spectacular to say the least. Included in the drive was a trip up to the Timberline Lodge at the base of Mt. Hood ... while my Tucson-area friends were sweltering in 100 degree temps, Bill and I were scurrying through a snow storm (or maybe just a flurry, but snow none-the-less). As is usual when Bill and I get together, we shared many a story which usually ended with great amounts of laughter. Bill has one of the great laughs ... even for an old codger.

On May 25, I started out on this summer's bike trek. This is the fourth summer in which I have traveled via my bike. I found I was not at all nervous about starting this adventure ... a very real calm. However at this morning's breakfast (and I think Bill will attest to this), I began to whine like a five year-old not wanting to start kindergarten. Quite pathetic, I am sure.

Just as responsible mothers get those five year-olds off to school, Bill pushed me down the road. This first day of riding was a short day ... 32 miles from Lyle, WA to Stevenson, WA. Riding in a westerly direction along the Columbia River provides a bike rider with a consistent, nay persistent, headwind. Other than the task of riding into the wind, it was a relatively easy day ... good way to start the trek. (On a side note for those in the Old Boys lunch group, the town of Stevenson was founded by a guy by the name of George Stevenson ...)

So, the trek has begun. As for the the first night of camping ... ain't happened yet.

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4 comments:

  1. skyMay 27, 2012 at 11:13 PM

    glad to see you are back at it. i will "follow by email" and continue to wish you the safest of journeys. look forward to the time when i can join you. take care.

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  2. NOBMay 29, 2012 at 10:38 PM

    The Prefontaine classic and the return of RG via bike! Let summer begin!

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  3. crazy bikerguys wifeJune 1, 2012 at 8:22 PM

    Hi Randy..we had the pleasure to meet you in 2010 on the Northern Tier ..(actually we spent July 4th at the Cottonwood Motel/RV park at the same time you did)...Altho it didn't work out, we were to have ridden with Don Lamothe, Andrew Lanz-Ketchem, Tom Wolfe and the rest of the group with Bob Fisher..Ron rides and I "sag wagon" in a yellow VW van (Ron loves it)..The last day we saw you was when you met up with your friend and left the "group" to ride the Ragbrai..Funny things happen, we bumped into the "group" just as we reached the Erie Canal...spooky? and after bumping into each other for days, we finished the last week with the remnants of the group and dipped the wheel with them at Hampton beach, NH..Do you remember the tandem couple Doug and Terese??..on the last day , who did we meet???Doug alone ...isn't it just FUN!!!...hope to meet you again and really do wish you well this summer!...Kathy and Ron Desjardins

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    Replies
    1. Randy GarmonJune 4, 2012 at 7:51 PM

      Wasn't your name for your VW Van "Buttercup"? That group of riders traveling across Montana and North Dakota was a great group ... made for a fun trip. So where are you and Ron off to this summer? I won't be up in the Port Townsend area, so we would have to meet-up on the road.

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