Dolly's Bike Blog

Often when I have a rest day on a bike tour, I try to arrange for a chiropractic adjustment.  Google led me to Dr. Chris Frost.  Part of this appointment was a hydro-treatment, something new to me:  it is like going through a car wash with your clothes on – water spraying back and forth the length of your body, sort of a water massage.  I could get used to this!

I also had a manicure before meeting fellow cyclists at our Orientation Session.  Two other women were with me on the Southern Tier, and five others on the Atlantic Coast tour.  We are 26 cyclists plus 2 guides.

After the meeting, I strolled along the coast back to our hotel, enjoying the sights on Anacortes.

Before our kick-off dinner tonight, Don and I drove up to Rotary Park and enjoyed a view of the Cap Sante Marina and the refinery area.

We are off to Port Townsend tomorrow….

When I signed up for the WomanTour’s Pacific Coast tour, I knew that I wanted to start at the Canadian border, not just at Anacortes, where the tour begins.  I explored routes on Ride with GPS, then contacted Lynda Churchfield from my East Coast ride who lives in Blaine, WA.

Not only did she review a suggested route, she invited Don and me to spend the night at her home, and to ride to Bellingman.  Joining us was Barbara Blackford from Atlanta, who was also on my East Coast ride.

After a healthy breakfast at Lynda and Dennis’ home, Don drove us to Blaine, to retrieve Lynda’s bike from a friend’s house.  From there the three of us cycled to the Peace Arch Park, a Washington State Park.

The Peace Arch Park was created more than a century ago as a “neutral” space between the USA and Canada, a show of friendship.  You can walk back and forth within the Park to the Canadian side without a passport.  Many more cars were traveling from Canada to the US than from the US to Canada.  After many photos, it was time to get rolling.  We said goodbye to Don who was to meet us in Fairhaven, south of Bellingham, in three hours.

Lynda knew the most scenic and traffic-light route, first along the beach past Birch Bay near to her home, then inland in farm areas with excellent views of Mount Baker.  We stopped at a bike shop in Bellingham to have an adjustment to my cables as I was having some shifting problems.

Arrived in Fairhaven close to 1 pm (departed Peace Arch at 9:30 am) and said goodbye to Lynda.  Don was driving her back to her home to prepare for another houseguest.  Barbara and I shared a sandwich, then “attacked” Chuckanut Drive, noted hill route.  Jonathan, I am pleased to say that my new lower gears are working great!!  The ups and downs go on for some dozen miles, but the views are wonderful of the various bays.

Once out of the hills, we celebrated at a bakery in Bow, before facing a likely headwind for the remaining miles into Anacortes.  Luckily, our route was a zig zag that gave us some tailwind, combined with a cross wind.

Just after we saw the sign announcing arrival in Anacortes, I took a wrong turn and led us an extra eight miles.  But, as a result, we got to experience long tanker wharfs (more than 3 football fields from the refinery to the waiting ship) and the Fidalgo Bay Nature Preserve rail trail into the east side of Anacortes.  We arrived safe and sound around 5 pm to the Majestic Inn, where the WomanTours ride begins on Saturday.

72 miles, 2200 ft of climb

Here is the Relive version of the ride, followed by some additional photos:

https://www.relive.cc/view/1184411209

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.