I am off on another great biking adventure!

In mid-September, after some exploring and tandem riding with Don (see below), I will begin my next epic bike tour down the Pacific Coast, from the Canadian border in Washington State to the Mexican Border in Southern California. I will again be writing about my adventures here on my blog, including photos of the sights. You can sign up to get email notification whenever I publish a new post in the sidebar.

For this tour, I am raising funds for Outrun the Sun (or, in my case, OutRIDE the Sun), in honor of our friend Jim, who was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma earlier this year. This Indianapolis-based charity is dedicated to building awareness of melanoma and other skin cancers, educating communities about preventive measures that reduce melanoma’s incidence rate, and raising funds for melanoma research, leading to effective treatments and a cure.

Please consider a donation: crowdrise.com/dolly-bikes-the-pacific-coast1

Since Crowdrise (the fundraising host site) charges some fees, you might also consider making a donation by check to Outrun the Sun, Inc., 8435 Keystone Crossing #175, Indianapolis, IN 46240 (please write Dolly on the note line).

The entire distance of my ride is approximately 2,000 miles, most of which will be with WomanTours, my travel group for previous epic bike tours. Before the official start of the tour in Anacortes, WA (about 70 miles south of the Canadian border), Don will drive me to the border so I can truly ride the full coast from border to border. When the WomanTours trip ends in Ventura, CA, Don will again support me as I continue south to Mexico.

Don and I left Indianapolis in our new van on August 13, heading west with stops in St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Ogden, UT, and Ontario,OR,  before arriving in Portland, Oregon. Using my brother and sister-in-law’s home in Lake Oswego as our base, we are taking a one-week cruise on a paddle wheeler on the Columbia River, with daily stops for tandem riding. Our itinerary includes joining millions of our newest friends to experience the Great American Eclipse on August 21. Before heading north to the border, we’ll also get to visit our daughter Sarah and her family in Seattle.

Thank you all for your continued support of my riding, and I hope you’ll also support Outrun the Sun, a cause that’s become so important to me.