Since I went on hiatus 2 weeks ago, I have been busy with a bit of golf, some hill training, and lots of relaxation with family.  Sadly, much of the time we were at SunRiver there was smoke from the many fires east of the Cascades.

A week ago, I set out to climb to Mt Bachelor, a local ski area during the winter.  The up and down were a total of 45 miles, gaining 3000 ft.  Sadly the smoke was thick enough at the top that I couldn’t see the mountain.

We left SunRiver on Saturday to drive to Seattle and spend a few days with our daughter and her family.  Sunday I had a nice visit with Nancy Innes who rode with me on the Southern Tier and East Coast tours.

Monday I decided I need one more day of hill training – and there are plenty of hills in Seattle.  Over 20 miles, mostly in the Magnolia neighborhood, I climbed over 2200 ft.  Hopefully these hill training rides have prepared me for the ups and downs ahead.  I am trying out a new App called Relive which links photos of my ride to Strava – let’s see if this link works.

https://www.relive.cc/view/1179826277

Yesterday Don and I rode the tandem into the Space Needle area and enjoyed several hours at the Chihuly Museum – another Relive https://www.relive.cc/view/1181271079

Later today we drive to Bellingham to meet up with Barbara Blackford from the WT East Coast tour; we will spend the night with Lynda Churchfield, also of the East Coast tour, then bike tomorrow from the Peace Arch at the Canadian border to Anacortes where our West Coast tour begins.

On a separate note, I am excited to share with you about our friend Jim for whom I am dedicating this ride.  He is considered in Partial Remission as his lesions have been shrinking.  I have his permission to share this email:

“Today I heard from Dr Bhatia, my oncologist, the word remission. It means that all the cancer is shrinking or gone. Cancer is losing the battle.

It is still present in my body and I still have a brain MRI to be completed and reviewed in 3 weeks. Dr Bhatia was full of smiles and very pleased at how well I am doing. At this point I have about 15 more months of treatments with the drug Opdivo. This is the one I have been on since January. Also Keytruda from January thru March. If I stay clear and lesions keep shrinking thru this next 15 months, I have excellent chance of NO RETURN in the next 10 years

I am dealing with and will continue to deal with fatigue. Hunger and my interest in eating goes up and down as well as what I want to eat. Today chicken is out, beef is in. Pizza out, cottage cheese in.”

That’s the way to start an epic ride:  hill training and improved health news.