Ride Seattle to Vancouver and Party (RSVP) 2010

Stanley Park, Vancouver BC

We are so glad to be home. Our latest bicycle tour was to the western side of the state. RSVP Ride to Seattle-Vancouver (BC) and Party or I would rather call it RSV and be PREPARED! For those of us on the eastern side of the state this little 180 mi. 2 day treck through the bike paths in Seattle and on to Bellingham and Vancouver BC was scenic and memorable in more ways then one. The 10 page tour route guide was the hint at the complexity of the navigating we experienced. Who knew there where so many bike paths, trails, city bike routes, but be prepared. You can find them everywhere!

A tasty Latte along the way

To those who live in the Seattle area I’m sure the ride wouldn’t have been so overwhelming, I felt like we where taking the Starbucks triple Grande espresso tour! Not for the Easy Does it crew or the Ride a Century every week guy (Corrie). It was a nice surprise to experience nearly perfect weather cool mornings, clear blue skies. We did get our share of head wind near Bellingham, which was not fun but it was nice to be away from the 100 degree days we’ve had here.

The Century a Week guy begins RSVP

You had to be very prepared to manage this ride. If you wanted to even have a hope of getting in, you have to be a member of the Cascade bicycle club which allows you to register at the opening of the registration in January. Then if you know the hotels that the group uses you made reservations in January to get the designated hotels. Corrie did his best in booking overnight accommodations in Bellingham and Vancouver BC, but they where still over a mile from the luggage drop off, so we had to haul ousr back pack on your back while navigating downtown streets, and after riding 100 mi. in the heat. Great fun, I suppose for some… but this was over the top for Corrie and I. NEVER DID A SHOWER FEEL SO GOOD!

Be prepared for the minimal official food and water stops. The riders plan to enjoy the local fair at the various little towns along the way, which is a great way to spend an hour or so at places like Arlington, WA or Lyndon BC.. But, be prepared, the food was wonderful in Bellingham and Vancouver BC. Oh and the best Italian food in the tiny town of Cle Elum. If you ever travel through this little town on the way to Seattle check out Lentines. You’ll be licking the plates clean!

I was worried about the distance of the ride, but I didn’t have much trouble with the ride. I was tired at the end of our long days but mostly exhausted from the logistics of navigating in the traffic in unfamiliar areas. There were plenty of people to follow. But, for this distance (~200mi. be prepared with plenty of Ibuprofen.)

I found this wonderful Quilt store in Arlington, WA

Be prepared for some complicated city driving such as the 4 round abouts we encountered. These weren’t’ too complicated once you realized what was going on but poor Corrie nearly became road kill in one. Besides navigating round-abouts we had two suspension bridges to cross.

Fort Pitt Suspension Bridge

So finally be prepared to bike into Downtown Vancouver into one of Canada’s largest and most diverse cities… traveling through China town and the trendy Gaslight district, navigating a crazy down town with tour buses, ferry terminal traffic and bike lanes everywhere for this very bike savvy local population. IT was Absolutely crazy and exciting, especially if you had no time to even begin to follow your booklet of directions without getting hit by a granny and her walker, a punk rocker with tattoos everywhere , tourists from every country imaginable, and all this at the end of biking 80 miles.

Oh, and be prepared to sit at the border for hours if you happen to be in a bus!! Thank goodness it was a really plush bus, unfortunately neither Corrie or I where prepared for no lunch stops! So, if you’d like to do RSVP in the future I’d say you’ll have a wonderful experience… as long as you’re PREPARED!

A beautiful August ride on the Latah Trail

11 Riders for our Latah Trail Ride

I was glad we choose the Latah trail for our August Easy does it ride. It was going to top 90 in the Lewiston Clarkston Valley and our ride would be cool and in the trees. We had a great turn out for the ride; Brenda McIntosh and I where first, then Gary and Donna Callahan showed up with Chuck King from Pullman, next came Lori Gaskill and her friend Janet, followed by Heather and Beth Rimmelsbacher, and Coller Tougher, and last but not least Mary Hoesenhrl. I couldn’t believe it. Most of our group had never been on the Latah Trail.

I encouraged everyone to watch the busy trail and go at their own pace. Just out of the parking lot Lori came up with a slow leak/flat tire. I was more then happy to fix her flat but she emphatically stated no, that’s it, I’m getting a new bike. Jay’s off to Alaska fishing with his buddies, so I’m getting a bike. Well , there you go. Husbands beware. When mom needs a new bike, mom gets a new bike. So, we quickly lost Lori and Janet on this ride, but I know we’ll see her again and I can’t wait to see what bike she’ll buy.

The ride was beautiful. The sky a bit hazy but this ride is always a treat for those of us use to the Lewiston/Clarkston trail. The golden fields, pine tree forests, winding road down to Troy Id. The wind was in our face on the way back but it was pleasant and cool as the heat increased. This was Beth’s first ride beyond 10 miles on the Clarkston bike path and she was hooked. She managed twice the distance and never a complaint.

We finished close to noon and we all went our own way. And surprise, surprise who should show up just to say hi, but Chandler and his wife Becky. They weren’t able to join us for the ride but we updated them on plans for rides still to come including Joseph. Maybe we’ll see them.

Chandler shares a root beer

I was planning to investigate the Moscow farmers market. I haven’t been to the Market in years and it seems like an entire different world at this neighborhood experience. Take it in and while you’re at it, take time to ride the beautiful Latah Trail for a cool August ride.

Moscow Saturday Market

2010 OBR Bike Tour

The Stanley Basin

A bike tour around the Stanley Basin sounds like an adventure and it was, as usual. Corrie and I have signed up for the Oregon Bicycle Ride for the last 7 years and we’ve always had a wonderful time. I tell people it’s like adult summer camp. Our fun is planned for us, all we have to do is show up and bike our butt off for a week.

The group has been at this for almost 30 years and they have it down. They plan a 400 mi or so route around scenic areas in Oregon, Wa or Idaho. They look for low traffic roads with good shoulders and a 40-75 miles. This sounds like an impossible task for some riders but remember all you have to do is keep riding.. and if you’re over your limit there is a friendly sag driver to pick you up and did I tell you they plan the most wonderful rest stops… OH,MY, GOD… you wouldn’t believe the spead they put out… fruit of all kinds, chips, homemade cookies, pickles, cheese, crackers, peanut butter and bananas with… chocolate!!! And the second rest stop… not to be outdone will have a completely different list of yummy snacks.







Camping in the Park


Our ride this year was quite a mix. We started in the little town of Carey, Id.. who would ever take time to explore a little town the size of Anatone, if not on a bike tour with nothing else to do. We start very early… about 8 am after a substantial breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, fruit, meat of some kind… some eat well, but many just have the gormet coffee, light on all but the oatmeal and plan for more about 25 miles down the road at the first rest stop. Our first ride out of Carey was about 50 miles in a flat desert, but we would have time to tour the Craters of the Moon National Park. Everything looks better when you travel in the cool morning by bicycle. The National Park was amazing in it’s desolation and you wonder what pioneers had to go through if they traveled through this county. Most everyone arrives by 1 pm and we settle into the routines of the afternoon.
• First you look for your tent… and if you have a fast hubby like mine, it’s already set up!
• Next you find camp central and look for that tub of iced drinks… juice, pop, beer ,take your choice
• NAP or Shower… via the traveling shower truck ( a semi converted into mens and women’s showers, clean as a whistle and with a dependable hot vigorous shower
• FOOD… snacks or lunch, visit with all your camp buddies
• NAP… read that good book you brought
• Dinner…. Visit will all your camp buddies
• Nap or read
• Sleep… heavenly, deep sleep that you’ve earned after biking your butt off!
Our tour continued from Carey to Arco and Challis… another thriving metropolis of about 100 people. All our rides where a challenge this year from a 50-80 mile day with 30mi/hr head winds (we where told) to Galena Pass, more head winds on our easy day. So no easy days for our group.



Our tour continued from Carey to Arco and Challis… another thriving metropolis of about 100 people. All our rides where a challenge this year from a 50-80 mile day with 30mi/hr head winds (we where told) to Galena Pass, more head winds on our easy day. So no easy days for our group.

We did get a layover day in Stanley, ID. This is an idyllic mountain town. The small population are mostly associated with some type of recreation in the surrounding woods, mountains or the Salmon river. We had our choice of hiking, swimming, rafting, biking or even mountain climbing. Corrie had written about his experience riding but I had the better experience of rafting the Salmon river. The guide began our ½ day guided white water raft trip with a safety lecture. How to man the oars, sit in the raft as we ventured into level 1-4 rapids, wear our life jackets, and in the event we “went for an unexpected swim”, how we would be snatched! Little did I know that within in 5 min of entering the rapids I would be in for a “SWIM!” I found myself in the front spot of the 8 man raft, very uncomfortably sitting with my foot in a pocket. The first few minutes seemed easy but they warned us about the soon approaching rocks we where going to dod…..ge! OH, NO, OVER AND UNDER I WENT, head over heals and more, as I was tossed around in the rapids…OH, NO, there goes my sandals, OH NO, there goes my hat… NIKKI”S Biking hat! OH, MY GOD they’re moving away… as I grabbed onto the floundering Brit who joined me for a swim… thank God, I’m a swimmer, not afraid of the water, but dunked into swirling rapids is a whole different experience!! I climbed up the Brit and we both managed to reach the raft and the strangers I started with pulled us in and became our instant best buddies. Was I cold they asked?? NO, I’m in the raft!!! That was quick! After a bit of shaking, I managed to calm down, enough to grab my oar and take my part as part of our rafting crew. The rest of the ride was uneventful as I found more secure footing. We had about another hour or so of rafting plus lunch on the shore prepared by our guides. What a lunch!!! Moroccan chicken, couscous and veggies, blue cheese and garlic dip, chips, brownies, lemonaide… did I say I’d put aside the weight watchers diet plan. This was an eventful adventure. Not only did I take an unplanned swim but as we managed the rapids, first one sandal then the other followed the currents and made it straight back to me. But, not the hat… my favorite biking hat, my only biking hat was sacrificed to the river. Some day it will be found by a surprised rafter. Maybe they’ll convert and try a bike. Sorry Nikki, I loved that hat.

The friends I met during our bike tour will stay with me forever. I’ll probably forget their names, I probably won’t send them promised e mails. I’ll miss the biking adventures we shared, but I have Corrie to share our memories and of course the pictures will remind me of the wonderful biking “summer camp” adventure.





Corrie and Dave