Biggs Junction to Umatilla 86.4 Miles / 2,340 Ft climb An early(ish) start on a blazing hot day. On the road by 7.30am for a very ambitious 90 miles. This was not by choice but because we could not find any accommodation to break the long distances. Maryhill’s answer to Stonehenge Some challenging road surfaces … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 9/10
Category: Parkinson’s
Cycle Across America – Day 8
Hood River to Biggs Junction 53 Miles / 3153 ft climb A stunning first ten miles, a combination of new tarmac, traffic free trails and quiet roads made for a lovely cycle. A lovely coffee stop mid morning where we met with Caroline and Paul. We will cycle together for the next 3,500 miles! The … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 8
Cycle Across America – Day 7
Hood River The Kindness of Others Today saw us welcomed into the family home of friend who happened to be visiting Hood River from the UK, at the same time as us. Despite never having met any of this wonderful family before, we were invited to join them for the day and made to feel … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 7
Cycle Across America – Day 6
Cascade Lock to Hood River 18 hard, hilly, hot miles / 974ft It might sound easy. It wasn’t. Mainly along a lovely riverside bike trail but the penultimate five miles found us back on the I30. Day 6 - Our learning so far…. Miles in the afternoon seem twice as hard and twice as long … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 6
Cycle Across America – Day 5
Portland to Cascade Locks 31 miles / feet climb Knowing that we only had 30 miles to do today, we made another slow start. This is becoming a habit but this first week was planned to familiarise ourselves with cycling on the right side of the road, the road markings, junctions and highways. It was … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 5
Cycling Across America – Day 4
St Helens to Troutdale 43 miles / 850 feet climbs There was no alternative today but to take highway I30 to Portland. Pretty much a 30 mile straight stretch of road. It is a highway and not a freeway but the size, weight and speed of the monster trucks, their proximity to us as they … Continue reading Cycling Across America – Day 4
Cycle Across America – Day 3
Clatskanie - St. Helen’s 36 miles / 1430 ft climb https://videopress.com/v/c1yFHkjK?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true A short day in theory but the prospect made us both a little laid back and we didn’t set off until after 10am. We had left our packing to be done in the morning. A slow, shaky start for me, a little detour to … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 3
Cycle Across America – Day 2
Astoria - Clatskanie 40 miles / 1972ft climb With Kathy and Dave having returned home yesterday and Caroline and Paul not joining us until Friday, it was just the two of us today. Our goal was to cycle 40 hilly miles from Astoria to Clatskanie, along the Columbia River. I had no sense that the … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 2
Cycle Across America – Day 1
Pacific Ocean - Astoria 14 miles / 341ft climb We cycled a lovely, varied route for 25 miles to the Pacific coast today. That’s 25 miles in the ‘wrong’ direction if we’re ultimately heading for the Atlantic Ocean. However, we were keen to dunk our bike wheels in the Pacific Ocean to mark the official … Continue reading Cycle Across America – Day 1
In Other News
Our first encounter with a big bear was not a scary as I had anticipated! My essential medications made it through customs unquestioned. Mo’s serves a mean clam chowder. There are lots of Sea Lions in Astoria harbour and they can be incredibly noisy. Astoria welcomes cyclists of all varieties. X
Bike Packing!
Dismantling Bike Weigh In Taxi to Airport Hotel Room Reassembly Transfer to starting point A short road test Another day of preparations. Bikes reassembled and transported to Astoria ready for a short ride to the coast tomorrow to dip our wheels in the Pacific Ocean to officially mark the start of our 4,500 mile journey … Continue reading Bike Packing!
The Weather
I had done well to whittle down my list of things to worry about, the hills, the bears and the long days on the saddle were all put into perspective with the kind words and imparted wisdom of others. I was feeling reassuringly calm and even allowed a modicum of excitement to surface……. And then … Continue reading The Weather
Cycling Across America
In the challenging months after diagnosis, I learned that exercise had many benefits for people with Parkinson's. I have exercised consistantly in the intervening 10 years, much of it on a bicycle. I love a cycle challenge and have travelled extensively, had some incredible experiences and met many wonderful people doing these challenges. This year … Continue reading Cycling Across America
2 Days and Counting…….
Our last outdoor training ride was last weekend and we had the perfect weather for it, a beautiful route, lovely company and possibly one of the best cake and coffee stops ever! Not really hard work at all.....except for the hills of which there were quite a few. I'm reminded of the phrase that used … Continue reading 2 Days and Counting…….
Inefficiency at its Best
To ensure that I had sufficient medication to last me throughout our Cycle Across America, I needed to order a four month supply. There cannot be many requests of this nature, so I wrote a letter to one of the GP's at our local surgery spelling out what I needed and asking if he could … Continue reading Inefficiency at its Best
Itinerary
We could cycle across America in less than 2,000 miles but when we looked at the options (of which there are many) we very quickly realised that this wasn't about rushing, not about being fastest and not about the destination. It is absolutely about the journey, the sights we see, the challenges we face and … Continue reading Itinerary
Overthinking Things……
I am as ready as I'll ever be. There are a limited number of times I can pack and unpack my bike in preparation for our ride across America. There are a limited number of additional miles of training I can clock up and there are a finite number of lists I can write. I … Continue reading Overthinking Things……
A Perfect Day!
I enjoyed the loveliest cycle this afternoon with these wonderful ladies. We started with a coffee stop at The Knead Bakery at Elkstone, sitting outdoors in the sunshine, while we waited for everyone to arrive. It has been a long time since we all cycled together and we could easily have simply sat and chatted … Continue reading A Perfect Day!
Drug Dependancy
I’m completely dependent on this hold-all of drugs to help get me out on my bike every day for 100 days to cycle 4,500 miles across America. Without them I won’t be going anywhere. Without this cocktail of drugs (28 each day), I simply won’t be able to move, think or communicate properly, so here’s … Continue reading Drug Dependancy
Bike-Packing
So, I can ride a bike but have never bike-packed....until now. What panniers / bags to use? What items to put where on the bike? Front panniers, handlebar bag, tube bag, rear panniers, rack packs, pockets and saddlebags are all options. To follow the basic 'rules' of bike-packing: Distribute weight equally on both sides of … Continue reading Bike-Packing
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
I arranged to cycle with friends yesterday. Lovely friends who are joining us on some of our cycle across America. I was excited to see them. There was lots to discuss and training to be done........and I had the wrong day in my diary and didn't turn up! It got me thinking that for our … Continue reading What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
No Excuses
It was a beautiful day, there was no excuse not to go out on bike and I was keen to get another few miles training in. 36 miles, a decent 1,913 ft of climbs which I managed although to say I managed them with ease would be a stretch to far. Soon I will have … Continue reading No Excuses
Springing Into Action
Image Source: ClipArt Library I have struggled to find the motivation to train much on our indoor cycle lately. It is a great training tool and can be used in any weather. There is a fantastic team of people with Parkinson’s who regularly cycle 'together' on Zwift, so there is conversation and much laughter available … Continue reading Springing Into Action
Weight Management
I have, over the years made many, quite often expensive decisions related to cycling on the basis that the lighter the load, the easier it is for me. The lighter the bike, the quicker I will cover the required distance and the less exhausted I will be at the end of each ride. A simple … Continue reading Weight Management
The Route
A Very Brief Overview The American Cycling Association (ACA) produce an incredibly useful interactive map and map guides of tried and tested routes for cyclists, throughout America. The TransAmerica Route is the most popular cycling route cross America but there are also the Northern and Southern Tier routes to consider and lots of routes in … Continue reading The Route
‘The Plan’
Last year, I posted a blog, The American Adventure, when I outlined my 'Plan' to cycle across America. Calling it 'The Plan', on reflection, was a bit of an exaggeration. A more accurate description would be 'an overly optimistic and grandiose assessment of my understanding of what exactly I was letting myself in for and … Continue reading ‘The Plan’
Taxi!
I had been invited to be interviewed on Sky News by Kay Burley about living with Parkinson's as part of a bigger interview with Laura Culpan, a director of Artwise. The interview is predominantly about the Cure3 art exhibition devised and created by Artwise to raise awareness and funds to support Cure Parkinson's vital research. … Continue reading Taxi!
‘Good Years’
Newly diagnosed with Parkinson's, I recall a well meaning neurologist telling me that I might reasonably expect to have '5-10 good years' ahead of me. He seemed very pleased to share this information with me and at the time I was pleased to receive it. He had, after all, said 'years' and not 'months'. There … Continue reading ‘Good Years’
Better Together
"Individually we are one drop, together we are an ocean." Ryunosuke Satoro Arriving back home late last night, I have found myself, like many of the group, unpacking, doing the laundry and restocking the fridge today. None of these things have felt like chores as I have also spent the day reflecting on an amazing … Continue reading Better Together
Sommorøy – Tromsø
Day 8 78km / 627m climb We have done it! A beautiful, slightly undulating 80km today. Whipped by the wind at times but largely calm, comfortable and easily within our reach today. The mood was mixed. Excitement that we had nearly completed our challenge and yet a sadness that this experience was drawing to a … Continue reading Sommorøy – Tromsø
Challenging Times 
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