I have been to three Alpines in my life. Alpine, WY; Alpine, CA; and now Alpine, TX. Let me tell you, they do not have this name because they are flat.
Last night my Dad and I slept on the side of the road. I kid you not; we slept on the side of a farm road in Texas. I don't think a single car passed us all night long. The wind, oh the wind. Due to the ferocious wind I speak of, I was afraid my Dad and I would be propelled into the sky and would awake to a chorus of "We welcome you to Munchkin Land." Well, we didn't wake up in Oz. However, we awoke to freezing cold temperatures and a bitter wind. I'll admit that my mood could be classified as slightly better than foul.
We survived and had a great day of biking. We climbed to the McDonald Observatory. Again, I have never been to an observatory that is flat. We laughed frequently.
Tonight we are staying with another Warmshowers contact. They are GREAT. James and Julie fed us dinner (and dessert!) and told us stories of their adventures along the Pacific trail, Grandma's marathon, a trip to Spain, etc. They are also saving us from tonight's predicted low temperature of 10 F. They also have a "What would Wellstone do?" sticker. Oh Minnesota...
God Bless Texas and these awesome Texans.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Texas
We are in Texas!
We did a little biking in the rain, we saw more "inmates at work" and I got a flat tire and a flat tire in my Bob!
Tonight we are staying with Kamala and Charley Land in El Paso. They have a super cool adobe style house filled with treasures from around the world. For dinner we at shepherd's pie and pumpkin pie. When Kamala dished out the dessert she gave each one of us a quarter of the pie with a great big dollop of whipped cream. We are so spoiled.
Fun fact about this family: they have a dog named Hallelujah!
Peace and love.
We did a little biking in the rain, we saw more "inmates at work" and I got a flat tire and a flat tire in my Bob!
Tonight we are staying with Kamala and Charley Land in El Paso. They have a super cool adobe style house filled with treasures from around the world. For dinner we at shepherd's pie and pumpkin pie. When Kamala dished out the dessert she gave each one of us a quarter of the pie with a great big dollop of whipped cream. We are so spoiled.
Fun fact about this family: they have a dog named Hallelujah!
Peace and love.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Lots of time to think
This trip has provided me with a lot of time to think. Here are some of the things on my mind:
Top things a cyclist does not want to see:
1. Mean dogs who chase cyclists
2. A wind farm with the wind blowing in the wrong direction (We saw a wind farm in CA at the top of one of our major climbs. I do have to admit that I felt a certain amount of validation that someone else thought it was so incredibly windy that energy/money could easily be made at this location.)
3. Road signs reading: (we've seen all of these)
No shoulder
Soft shoulder
Road narrows
Road construction
Detour
Danger falling rocks
No stopping inmates at work (My cadence easily doubled.)
I have also felt a bit homesick today. My Dad and I biked with Team Slipstream on our way into Silver City. We first saw this team of professionals (who are commited to not doping/doing drugs) going in the opposite direction and later in the day we biked along side them. This occasion also caused my cadence to double. I wish Dale had been there! Plus I have seen a million freaky birds I can't identify. Much to his chagrin, the field guide was cut because of its weight.
Yesterday, my Dad and I arrived in Las Cruces, NM. To get here we passed many fields of pecan trees with signs that read "No nut picking." I found the signs thoroughly amusing. Another sign that I particularly liked was a sign near a campsite of ours that read, "Danger: Lake ahead." Obviously we're not in Minnesota.
I also learned of our Las Cruces hosts from the website warmshowers.org. Their names are John and Jenette and they too have been extremely hospitable. They let us do laundry, shower, they fed our voracious appetites and have engaged us in very interesting conversations. Jenette is an artist so their home is filled with beautiful and colorful decorations. I am so thankful for their hospitality and the opportunity we've had to visit with locals.
My Dad (aka He who hath the patience of Job) is great. One thing about my family is that we do not camp. Our church would have camping trips so we would go to them, but just as dusk was settling in (and when the mosquitoes would begin to carry off the small children), we would go home to sleep in level beds with down pillows. Apparently on one rainy night long, long ago my parents left their tent and gear at their campsite and vowed to not camp ever again. I do have to say that When it was 15 degrees the other morning, I too felt a little like leaving the tent and gear behind.
I also think about food constantly. We burn a lot and we eat a lot. Today my Dad and I purchased Ensure Plus so that we could get all our nutrients and 100 more calories per drink. It's ridiculous.
Tomorrow we head to El Paso, TX. I will keep you posted about whether or not everything is truly bigger in Texas.
Words from Mark,
I've had a lot of time to think too,like...
Would Gatorade taste good as a hot beverage?
Would Raspberry flavored Gu make a good sandwich spread?
How many days in a row do you have to wear the same jersey and bike shorts before the the dogs won't chase you?
How long will it take before my daughter figures out that her father is not really adventurous but rather just nuts?
Technical update for the "Bicycle Chain" crew
So far everything has worked pretty well. So far we have had six flats, three in the area around Safford, Arizona home of "bullheads" or "goatheads" depending on who you talk to. They are thorn bushes that grow near the side of the road. We've purchased some heavy duty tubes because we were told to expect more of these bushes in Texas.
The chain on Ann's bike went over the top when she shifted to the big front ring one day but no damage was done and we made a minor adjustment so hopefully it won't happen again. Other than that the only adjustment we had to make is the stretchy things on the pannier bags we are using don't have anything to hook on to on Ann's back rack so we used twisty ties to secure them.
Thanks for all you've done to help us get our equipment set up and ready for this adventure. We could not have done it without you!!!
Finally, if Ann and I had not been pulling trailers when we saw the Slipstream Team I think we could have ripped their legs off.
Top things a cyclist does not want to see:
1. Mean dogs who chase cyclists
2. A wind farm with the wind blowing in the wrong direction (We saw a wind farm in CA at the top of one of our major climbs. I do have to admit that I felt a certain amount of validation that someone else thought it was so incredibly windy that energy/money could easily be made at this location.)
3. Road signs reading: (we've seen all of these)
No shoulder
Soft shoulder
Road narrows
Road construction
Detour
Danger falling rocks
No stopping inmates at work (My cadence easily doubled.)
I have also felt a bit homesick today. My Dad and I biked with Team Slipstream on our way into Silver City. We first saw this team of professionals (who are commited to not doping/doing drugs) going in the opposite direction and later in the day we biked along side them. This occasion also caused my cadence to double. I wish Dale had been there! Plus I have seen a million freaky birds I can't identify. Much to his chagrin, the field guide was cut because of its weight.
Yesterday, my Dad and I arrived in Las Cruces, NM. To get here we passed many fields of pecan trees with signs that read "No nut picking." I found the signs thoroughly amusing. Another sign that I particularly liked was a sign near a campsite of ours that read, "Danger: Lake ahead." Obviously we're not in Minnesota.
I also learned of our Las Cruces hosts from the website warmshowers.org. Their names are John and Jenette and they too have been extremely hospitable. They let us do laundry, shower, they fed our voracious appetites and have engaged us in very interesting conversations. Jenette is an artist so their home is filled with beautiful and colorful decorations. I am so thankful for their hospitality and the opportunity we've had to visit with locals.
My Dad (aka He who hath the patience of Job) is great. One thing about my family is that we do not camp. Our church would have camping trips so we would go to them, but just as dusk was settling in (and when the mosquitoes would begin to carry off the small children), we would go home to sleep in level beds with down pillows. Apparently on one rainy night long, long ago my parents left their tent and gear at their campsite and vowed to not camp ever again. I do have to say that When it was 15 degrees the other morning, I too felt a little like leaving the tent and gear behind.
I also think about food constantly. We burn a lot and we eat a lot. Today my Dad and I purchased Ensure Plus so that we could get all our nutrients and 100 more calories per drink. It's ridiculous.
Tomorrow we head to El Paso, TX. I will keep you posted about whether or not everything is truly bigger in Texas.
Words from Mark,
I've had a lot of time to think too,like...
Would Gatorade taste good as a hot beverage?
Would Raspberry flavored Gu make a good sandwich spread?
How many days in a row do you have to wear the same jersey and bike shorts before the the dogs won't chase you?
How long will it take before my daughter figures out that her father is not really adventurous but rather just nuts?
Technical update for the "Bicycle Chain" crew
So far everything has worked pretty well. So far we have had six flats, three in the area around Safford, Arizona home of "bullheads" or "goatheads" depending on who you talk to. They are thorn bushes that grow near the side of the road. We've purchased some heavy duty tubes because we were told to expect more of these bushes in Texas.
The chain on Ann's bike went over the top when she shifted to the big front ring one day but no damage was done and we made a minor adjustment so hopefully it won't happen again. Other than that the only adjustment we had to make is the stretchy things on the pannier bags we are using don't have anything to hook on to on Ann's back rack so we used twisty ties to secure them.
Thanks for all you've done to help us get our equipment set up and ready for this adventure. We could not have done it without you!!!
Finally, if Ann and I had not been pulling trailers when we saw the Slipstream Team I think we could have ripped their legs off.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
In New Mexico
Right now we are in Hanover, NM. I recently finished my dinner of chips and salsa, a salad, chowder and spinach lasagna. YUM! All of this from a lovely woman named Pat. She is my hero of the day. From fellow cyclists I had learned about a website for cyclists called warmshowers.com. Hanover looked like a good final destination so I contacted this stranger and she has graciously welcomed us into her home. She even provided a trailer with two beds, HEAT!, a shower, toilet and so much delicious food. She's wonderful.
I cannot express the fullness of my gratitude for all the people that have hosted us.
Last night we camped at 6300 feet in January. For dinner we ate a can of Dinty Moore canned stew which we heated over our campfire. For the rest of the night we played cards (you would have been proud of me Grandma!) and attempted to keep warm. We weren't very successful at the latter part. Yesterday we climbed and climbed and climbed.
The previous day we biked from Globe, AZ to Safford, AZ. After learning that we were lucky we weren't attacked by local javelinas we climbed again and were stopped by a couple of flat tires. Once we reached Safford we stopped at the local bike shop to get new inner tubes which is where we met a guy named Mons Larson. While my Dad was shopping, I called some local motels to check on the availability. The guy at the Econo Lodge answered by saying, "Quit calling, we don't have any rooms!" Mons informed us that they are building a new copper mine in the area and that miners and construction workers have been living in the hotels. Mons could sense that we were feeling homeless so he invited us to camp on the property where he and his parents have homes. Once we reached their land, we were welcomed in, fed dinner, provided with a bed and warm showers and good conversation. They even trusted us enough to leave us alone while they attended a meeting at their LDS church! What a lovely family. I'm so thankful for the generosity and kindness they showed us during our unexpected visit.
Peace and love.
I cannot express the fullness of my gratitude for all the people that have hosted us.
Last night we camped at 6300 feet in January. For dinner we ate a can of Dinty Moore canned stew which we heated over our campfire. For the rest of the night we played cards (you would have been proud of me Grandma!) and attempted to keep warm. We weren't very successful at the latter part. Yesterday we climbed and climbed and climbed.
The previous day we biked from Globe, AZ to Safford, AZ. After learning that we were lucky we weren't attacked by local javelinas we climbed again and were stopped by a couple of flat tires. Once we reached Safford we stopped at the local bike shop to get new inner tubes which is where we met a guy named Mons Larson. While my Dad was shopping, I called some local motels to check on the availability. The guy at the Econo Lodge answered by saying, "Quit calling, we don't have any rooms!" Mons informed us that they are building a new copper mine in the area and that miners and construction workers have been living in the hotels. Mons could sense that we were feeling homeless so he invited us to camp on the property where he and his parents have homes. Once we reached their land, we were welcomed in, fed dinner, provided with a bed and warm showers and good conversation. They even trusted us enough to leave us alone while they attended a meeting at their LDS church! What a lovely family. I'm so thankful for the generosity and kindness they showed us during our unexpected visit.
Peace and love.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Time with G & G
I don't think I had ever been so anxious to see my Grandparents as I was on Friday afternoon. After traversing CA and half of AZ, we made it to Mesa. Upon arrival, we showered, did our laundry (wahoo!) and have been fed delicious food and provided with a chocolate selection that rivals any Russel Stover or Fanny Farmer. It has been so nice to catch up with my Grandma and Grandpa and hear stories about my Dad's childhood. We're going to leave tomorrow which is probably good because if our bellies get any bigger we might not be able to ascend our next series of mountains.
As a person from MN, I think of AZ as being a tropical place. However, in the past few days, Arizona has been close to setting new record cold temperatures. As a result of the howling winds and overnight temperatures in the 20s and 30s we have stayed in a couple hotels. Brrr... we need these winds to be tailwinds for a change! My Dad and I think our cheeks have been swollen from windburn.
Biking on the freeway isn't so bad. The shoulder is huge, there aren't any blind curves and the draft from the passing semis can be used to our advantage. I never thought I would say that.
THe first major city we passed through in AZ was Quartzite. We saw thousands upon thousands of RVs. Apparently all winter long that city hosts rock hounds who sell various gems and minerals. Given that we didn't want to haul any rocks with us, we did not peruse the selection. Old-man RV drivers are by far the scariest. When we can see a poof of grey or Red #5 hair peering over the steering wheel, we tremble.
Despite the fact I'm using SPF 45, my tan lines are sweeter than ever. Since we've been heading east, the right side of my face is significantly darker than my left. I also have four small stripes on the top of my forehead that indicate where the sun peered through the cracks of my helmet. Katie, don't worry, by the time I'm in your wedding on August 30th I think the lines will have faded. If not, I will have to strategically hold the flowers.
Go Packers!
We love you Mom!
Words from my Dad:
Hello from sunny but cold Arizona. I know I won't get any sympathy from anyone in Minnesota right now. We are preparing to head for New Mexico on Monday morning. It's been a great adventure so far and we are looking forward to the next phase of the trip. Thanks to everyone at home for keeping Sandy company and for supporting her as she supports me in another one of my hair brained adventures.
Love to all,
Mark
As a person from MN, I think of AZ as being a tropical place. However, in the past few days, Arizona has been close to setting new record cold temperatures. As a result of the howling winds and overnight temperatures in the 20s and 30s we have stayed in a couple hotels. Brrr... we need these winds to be tailwinds for a change! My Dad and I think our cheeks have been swollen from windburn.
Biking on the freeway isn't so bad. The shoulder is huge, there aren't any blind curves and the draft from the passing semis can be used to our advantage. I never thought I would say that.
THe first major city we passed through in AZ was Quartzite. We saw thousands upon thousands of RVs. Apparently all winter long that city hosts rock hounds who sell various gems and minerals. Given that we didn't want to haul any rocks with us, we did not peruse the selection. Old-man RV drivers are by far the scariest. When we can see a poof of grey or Red #5 hair peering over the steering wheel, we tremble.
Despite the fact I'm using SPF 45, my tan lines are sweeter than ever. Since we've been heading east, the right side of my face is significantly darker than my left. I also have four small stripes on the top of my forehead that indicate where the sun peered through the cracks of my helmet. Katie, don't worry, by the time I'm in your wedding on August 30th I think the lines will have faded. If not, I will have to strategically hold the flowers.
Go Packers!
We love you Mom!
Words from my Dad:
Hello from sunny but cold Arizona. I know I won't get any sympathy from anyone in Minnesota right now. We are preparing to head for New Mexico on Monday morning. It's been a great adventure so far and we are looking forward to the next phase of the trip. Thanks to everyone at home for keeping Sandy company and for supporting her as she supports me in another one of my hair brained adventures.
Love to all,
Mark
More Pictures
Sand dunes!
Our tent in Glamis, nestled between three out houses
The Chocolate Mountains
We made it to Mesa, AZ! Soaking in the sun with my grandparents.
Pictures
Pictures:
At the ocean in Solana Beach
Our first night: camping at Lake Jennings
Tired
The sand dunes of Glamis
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Update
First, thank you for all the prayers and encouragement that you have sent our way.
Second, I am at the computer lab at the library in Blythe, CA and the computer does not have any USB ports (what???) so I unfortunately cannot upload pictures or videos...booo...
Friday January 11th, 2008 "Control Your Bob!" <-- That's for you Jill, Mitra and Al
I would call this day "Happily Ignorant." We woke up to a delicious breakfast, sunny skies and a palpable excitement. We left from the Geierstangers house and headed for the ocean. We took off from Fletcher Cove and very quickly had our first taste of hills. We toured around La Jolla (home of Dr. Seuss) and made our way through all the city traffic. I did not realize that "bike friendly routes" were on freeways.
Our first meal was at a Jack in the Box. We ate crappy grilled chicken sandwiches. After this, we started to climb and climb and climb. Finally, we made our way to the Lake Jennings campground. Beautiful. For dinner we ate Powerbars, Clif gel cubes and had Gatorade for dessert.
My Dad made a great campfire.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Breakfast: Burger King (our only option) We had odd tasting "ham and cheese omelette sandwiches," half of which we threw away. We spent the entire day climbing. Man oh man. We decided we couldn't stomach another dinner of Powerbars or fast food so we indulged with some homemade Ramen.
For lunch: Descansos Junction fish tacos. Amazing. I could go for one right now.
Sunday, January 13, 2008 My Grandma's Birthday
We decided this day should be called "More mountains, more wind"
We climbed ALL DAY LONG. We endured one soul-killing mountain after another. I went on the Historical Society's Homestead Tour this past summer and Lokey Lytjen explained how when homesteaders crossed over Togwotee Pass their initial reactions weren't necessarily "Yay mountains, so beautiful and lovely!" I could relate, my reaction to many of the strikingly awe-inspiring mountains was "NOOO! Mountains, so much suffering."
My Dad is my hero. The grade of one of the mountains was just about too steep for me with my 50 lb. trailer so once my Dad reached the top of the mountain, he unhooked his Bob (trailer), biked back down to meet me, attached my Bob to his bike and biked to the top of the mountain with all my luggage in tow. I'm still his little girl. Isn't he the greatest?
The one exception to the climbing was an extremely stressful 10-mile 6% grade descent. Bobs get squirrely at quick speeds.
On this particular day, we biked within about 100 feet of the Mexican border.
We spent the night in Ocotillo and met the James J. Hill of the city, Ed. He owned the cafe, the two-room motel, the RV park, the "Launderette," the bar, etc. He was awesome. In many ways, he reminded me of Fred Ziegler.
Monday, January 14, 2008
We started that day with an eight mile warm-up, in the wrong direction. Despite our detour and one flat tire, the ride was great. We laughed about the absurd scenery and ended up spending the night in Glamis. Glamis a city filled with NOTHING but amazing sand dunes. SO beautiful. Given the lack of motel and campground (and the roaring wind), we nestled our tent inbetween three outhouses. We were going to indulge in Ramen once again but decided it might be in our best interest to not light a flame so close to such smelly buildings for fear of a series of explosions. As my Dad said, "Glamis probably short for glamorous."
A reason my Mom is my hero... a couple summers ago she crashed while biking and basically shattered her tibia. A lengthy surgery and a new knee later, she is walking, fleurishing and being my Mom. She had her doctor's appt today and Dr. Biebl is in awe of her progess because they weren't sure if she would walk again. Not only that, her patella tendon does not work, so theoretically walking should be impossible. She's a fighter. Go Mom!
I once read an interview of the editor of National Geographic who said that the goal of each story was to create a series of contrasts. Old vs. new. Our home vs. their homes. etc. This trip creates these contrasts very easily. Ocean vs. desert. Wealth vs. poverty. America vs. Mexico. Free range vs. feed lot. Semis vs. bikes. Hills vs. downhills.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Great ride today. We are four miles away from Arizona! Wahooo! Rolling hills, diverse scenery. As my Dad sang, "Over the mountains and through the desert, to Grandmother's house we go..."
To pass the time, I have covered some well-known songs. Titles include:
"Check out my sweet tanlines" to Britney Spears' "Hit me Baby One More Time"
"I feel the earth move under my seat"
"I've lost that sense of feeling"
"Saddle sores" to "Tainted Love"
Allow me to share a verse from "Gatorade Lime" a cover of Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine"
Been cycling cross-country
Just my Daddy and me
My biggest fear was that semi
But it has yet to kill me
A few pounds of luggage
And one trailer in tow
We've been traveling so long,
Oh don't ya know
But mile after mile I know I
won't be back to this place,
just to remember the taste of
Gatorade Lime
23
The grind of the mountains
I cried when it was steep
My first time in Cali
Oh Bittersweet
I hope to survive
Like Gatorade Lime
This trip has been challenging and amazing thus far. My Dad is a great travel companion. Words do not do him justice.
My cousin's daughter, Nichole, is having a very intense multi-organ surgery tomorrow. If you could remember her in your prayers that would be much appreciated by all members of my family.
Peace and love.
Second, I am at the computer lab at the library in Blythe, CA and the computer does not have any USB ports (what???) so I unfortunately cannot upload pictures or videos...booo...
Friday January 11th, 2008 "Control Your Bob!" <-- That's for you Jill, Mitra and Al
I would call this day "Happily Ignorant." We woke up to a delicious breakfast, sunny skies and a palpable excitement. We left from the Geierstangers house and headed for the ocean. We took off from Fletcher Cove and very quickly had our first taste of hills. We toured around La Jolla (home of Dr. Seuss) and made our way through all the city traffic. I did not realize that "bike friendly routes" were on freeways.
Our first meal was at a Jack in the Box. We ate crappy grilled chicken sandwiches. After this, we started to climb and climb and climb. Finally, we made our way to the Lake Jennings campground. Beautiful. For dinner we ate Powerbars, Clif gel cubes and had Gatorade for dessert.
My Dad made a great campfire.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Breakfast: Burger King (our only option) We had odd tasting "ham and cheese omelette sandwiches," half of which we threw away. We spent the entire day climbing. Man oh man. We decided we couldn't stomach another dinner of Powerbars or fast food so we indulged with some homemade Ramen.
For lunch: Descansos Junction fish tacos. Amazing. I could go for one right now.
Sunday, January 13, 2008 My Grandma's Birthday
We decided this day should be called "More mountains, more wind"
We climbed ALL DAY LONG. We endured one soul-killing mountain after another. I went on the Historical Society's Homestead Tour this past summer and Lokey Lytjen explained how when homesteaders crossed over Togwotee Pass their initial reactions weren't necessarily "Yay mountains, so beautiful and lovely!" I could relate, my reaction to many of the strikingly awe-inspiring mountains was "NOOO! Mountains, so much suffering."
My Dad is my hero. The grade of one of the mountains was just about too steep for me with my 50 lb. trailer so once my Dad reached the top of the mountain, he unhooked his Bob (trailer), biked back down to meet me, attached my Bob to his bike and biked to the top of the mountain with all my luggage in tow. I'm still his little girl. Isn't he the greatest?
The one exception to the climbing was an extremely stressful 10-mile 6% grade descent. Bobs get squirrely at quick speeds.
On this particular day, we biked within about 100 feet of the Mexican border.
We spent the night in Ocotillo and met the James J. Hill of the city, Ed. He owned the cafe, the two-room motel, the RV park, the "Launderette," the bar, etc. He was awesome. In many ways, he reminded me of Fred Ziegler.
Monday, January 14, 2008
We started that day with an eight mile warm-up, in the wrong direction. Despite our detour and one flat tire, the ride was great. We laughed about the absurd scenery and ended up spending the night in Glamis. Glamis a city filled with NOTHING but amazing sand dunes. SO beautiful. Given the lack of motel and campground (and the roaring wind), we nestled our tent inbetween three outhouses. We were going to indulge in Ramen once again but decided it might be in our best interest to not light a flame so close to such smelly buildings for fear of a series of explosions. As my Dad said, "Glamis probably short for glamorous."
A reason my Mom is my hero... a couple summers ago she crashed while biking and basically shattered her tibia. A lengthy surgery and a new knee later, she is walking, fleurishing and being my Mom. She had her doctor's appt today and Dr. Biebl is in awe of her progess because they weren't sure if she would walk again. Not only that, her patella tendon does not work, so theoretically walking should be impossible. She's a fighter. Go Mom!
I once read an interview of the editor of National Geographic who said that the goal of each story was to create a series of contrasts. Old vs. new. Our home vs. their homes. etc. This trip creates these contrasts very easily. Ocean vs. desert. Wealth vs. poverty. America vs. Mexico. Free range vs. feed lot. Semis vs. bikes. Hills vs. downhills.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Great ride today. We are four miles away from Arizona! Wahooo! Rolling hills, diverse scenery. As my Dad sang, "Over the mountains and through the desert, to Grandmother's house we go..."
To pass the time, I have covered some well-known songs. Titles include:
"Check out my sweet tanlines" to Britney Spears' "Hit me Baby One More Time"
"I feel the earth move under my seat"
"I've lost that sense of feeling"
"Saddle sores" to "Tainted Love"
Allow me to share a verse from "Gatorade Lime" a cover of Deana Carter's "Strawberry Wine"
Been cycling cross-country
Just my Daddy and me
My biggest fear was that semi
But it has yet to kill me
A few pounds of luggage
And one trailer in tow
We've been traveling so long,
Oh don't ya know
But mile after mile I know I
won't be back to this place,
just to remember the taste of
Gatorade Lime
23
The grind of the mountains
I cried when it was steep
My first time in Cali
Oh Bittersweet
I hope to survive
Like Gatorade Lime
This trip has been challenging and amazing thus far. My Dad is a great travel companion. Words do not do him justice.
My cousin's daughter, Nichole, is having a very intense multi-organ surgery tomorrow. If you could remember her in your prayers that would be much appreciated by all members of my family.
Peace and love.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
In sunny CA
Pictures:
1- Building the Bobs (Not a flattering pic. We're in the garage of the Geierstanger's beautiful Mission-style house. Of note: their washer and dryer are in the garage. Since I've always lived in cold and wintry places, I had never seen this.)
2- Ocean background
3- Biking- see the hot air balloon?
Sorry I can't rotate the pic
My Dad and I, along with all of our luggage!, made it to San Diego. Upon arrival, we were told we would be facing the coldest days of the year. Thus far, we are tolerating the 65 degree and sunny weather quite well. It looks, smells and tastes tropical. We are staying with the daughter of our neighbors in North Oaks. The Geierstangers and their lovely daughters have been so hospitable.
I'm pretty sure that the number of convertibles I saw today equals the number of convertibles I have seen in my entire life. I have yet to see a Subaru.
Today we built our bikes and trailers and explored locally to make sure everything was functioning properly. We also biked to Torrey Pine State Park. Tomorrow morning we plan to start our journey and ease into the trip.
My poor mother. In a loving way, she threatened that I owe her 10 grandchildren for stealing my Dad away from her.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Heading to California...today!
Picture 1: My Dad packing
2: The flowers from Dale!
3: My Momma
So we're off to the airport in about two hours. Jill and her bf Al went back to Madison this morning. As Jill would say, our mom is a sad panda. I don't think I'm a bad daughter, but it certainly doesn't seem like a good daughter would abandon her mother and steal away her Dad for two months! She'll be so happy when we "return of our own volition." Keep her company if you're near her.
In other news, both Jill and Mitra got Teach for America. I'm happy and proud that they earned this opportunity, but I'm not completely convinced this is the right challenge for Jill. I 100% believe she is up to the challenge, but I think her strengths and passions are elsewhere. Should she chose to do it, she'll be in Atlanta.
Yesterday Dale sent me flowers. (Yesterday was HIS birthday.) My Mom, Jill and I had just finished fleurishing (it's what we Klosterwomen do) when the delivery man arrived at our door. The flowers are beautiful. So romantic, so thoughtful.
We've all been saying many prayers for discernment and safety.
Time for one more lunch.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Pictures
1. Doing things the way sisters do them.
2. Dale and the snow visited Minnesota!
3. My Dad and I posing with our fancy new bikes.
4. A family picture where none of us look particularly good.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Patterns
First, here are my answers to some commonly asked questions:
1. When do you leave? What are your initial plans?
My Dad and I will fly from Minneapolis/St. Paul to San Diego on Wednesday, January 9th. We are going to stay with Mark & Mary Peterson's (North Oaks neighbors) daughter. Since we will be taking our bikes on the plane, we will have them rebuilt on Thursday and will locally tour around to make sure they are structurally sound. On Friday we will likely start our journey by placing our tires in the ocean. From there, we will head east.
2. What will your accommodations be?
We plan to camp and stay in hotels. Numerous variables will influence our decisions.
3. What is your final destination?
St. Augustine, Florida
4. Can I still donate to CES?
YES! DEFINITELY. If you would like to improve the living conditions of the developmentally disabled adults that I serve, please send your checks, payable to CES, to:
PO Box 4259 Jackson, WY 83001 Memo: Dreams on Wheels
Thank you for your donation if you've already given!!
5. Are you ready?
Yes. But really, what else would I say? I have a travel companion, maps, a one-way ticket, a brand new bike and a strong sense of adventure... this is going to be great.
I titled the name of this post "Patterns," because I feel a pattern of my life will repeat itself. Before every major change in my life, I have cried. My parents have reminded me that after every first day of school I cried. Not because it was bad, but because it was change. I am leaving behind my Mom's DELICIOUS food, a real bed, jobs I enjoy, co-workers I adore, a Mom, a Sister, friends, DALE!...the temporary absence of these things is very bittersweet. Ironically, I have always cried at the end of every year of school, job, etc. I'll cry, but this change is something that I want.
6. What have you been up to lately?
Eating. My parents have clearly mastered the art of portion control because they smother their food with copious amounts of butter, cream, etc. They regularly use a full pound butter dish. We've also gone through multiple gallon-size pails of ice cream in the past couple weeks.
Cooking. This is not a shock for anyone that knows my Mom. We have used her oven more times in one day than I use mine in an average month.
Being outside. Cross-country skiing, walking, running, sledding
Organizing. Sorting things for the bike trip. Deciding that I'm not going to haul make-up (darn!- sarcasm). Getting rid of childhood junk.
Talking endlessly with my Mom and Sister. Jill has a big life. My Mom is very wise and gives me heaps of advice about everything. I mean everything.
Watching the news. Minnesota is a great place to live.
Petting Swede, the rotund cat.
Socializing.
Talking to Al, Jill's new boyfriend. He's made a good impression thus far (He's been here for about 10 hours).
Talking to Dale on the phone. It sucks that he went back to Wyoming.
Good night!
1. When do you leave? What are your initial plans?
My Dad and I will fly from Minneapolis/St. Paul to San Diego on Wednesday, January 9th. We are going to stay with Mark & Mary Peterson's (North Oaks neighbors) daughter. Since we will be taking our bikes on the plane, we will have them rebuilt on Thursday and will locally tour around to make sure they are structurally sound. On Friday we will likely start our journey by placing our tires in the ocean. From there, we will head east.
2. What will your accommodations be?
We plan to camp and stay in hotels. Numerous variables will influence our decisions.
3. What is your final destination?
St. Augustine, Florida
4. Can I still donate to CES?
YES! DEFINITELY. If you would like to improve the living conditions of the developmentally disabled adults that I serve, please send your checks, payable to CES, to:
PO Box 4259 Jackson, WY 83001 Memo: Dreams on Wheels
Thank you for your donation if you've already given!!
5. Are you ready?
Yes. But really, what else would I say? I have a travel companion, maps, a one-way ticket, a brand new bike and a strong sense of adventure... this is going to be great.
I titled the name of this post "Patterns," because I feel a pattern of my life will repeat itself. Before every major change in my life, I have cried. My parents have reminded me that after every first day of school I cried. Not because it was bad, but because it was change. I am leaving behind my Mom's DELICIOUS food, a real bed, jobs I enjoy, co-workers I adore, a Mom, a Sister, friends, DALE!...the temporary absence of these things is very bittersweet. Ironically, I have always cried at the end of every year of school, job, etc. I'll cry, but this change is something that I want.
6. What have you been up to lately?
Eating. My parents have clearly mastered the art of portion control because they smother their food with copious amounts of butter, cream, etc. They regularly use a full pound butter dish. We've also gone through multiple gallon-size pails of ice cream in the past couple weeks.
Cooking. This is not a shock for anyone that knows my Mom. We have used her oven more times in one day than I use mine in an average month.
Being outside. Cross-country skiing, walking, running, sledding
Organizing. Sorting things for the bike trip. Deciding that I'm not going to haul make-up (darn!- sarcasm). Getting rid of childhood junk.
Talking endlessly with my Mom and Sister. Jill has a big life. My Mom is very wise and gives me heaps of advice about everything. I mean everything.
Watching the news. Minnesota is a great place to live.
Petting Swede, the rotund cat.
Socializing.
Talking to Al, Jill's new boyfriend. He's made a good impression thus far (He's been here for about 10 hours).
Talking to Dale on the phone. It sucks that he went back to Wyoming.
Good night!
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