From Lincoln City
It is starting to sink in that we are finished with this journey. So far, I've played 14 games of Scrabble with my Dad, and he's graciously let me win the last four in a row. Nancy has already put the finishing touches on a raffle quilt and has begun a project of her own; for my part, I've selected a very easy project for those days Jim works so I have something to do. Yes, I know how to sew. I learned how in the Navy, so that makes it manly.
Nancy and I have ridden our bikes together just once since arriving here at the coast - a short trip around Devils Lake on East Devil's Lake Road to the outlet mall (where I finally got a new pair of shoes and a couple pair of jeans), and back home on 101, a total of about 12 miles. Last year, while visiting, we rode the same loop on the more upright, cruiser-style bikes we have here, and it almost killed us. We were WAY out of shape, and it showed. This time, it was easy. It's nice to feel fit again. We will be riding more frequently now that my behind has stopped aching.
Nancy rode down to the house of one of Suzi's friends today, about 9 miles each way, covering the distance in about 42 minutes. She's pretty studly.
We will be returning to Lawrenceville on the 16th, and will be there for the better part of 10 days as we arrange to have our worldly possessions moved to Portland. We are planning on seeing anyone and everyone who wants to see us, and even some of you who probably DON'T want to. I know 5 wants us to go to a Dawgs game; is there a Thrashers game we can attend in that time frame, 11? I'd love to have a big beer with you for old times' sake. Demetrios, Elaine, pick a night that's good for you and we'll go have dinner. Gunnar, Lisa, same thing. Bob, anything you want from the Nike campus while I'm in the neighborhood?
Here are a few more inane stats for everyone:
Total number of tortillas eaten: 128
Number of jars of peanut butter: 3.333...
Number of freeze-dried camp dinners: 12
Number of times we ate at a McDonalds: 3
Number of times we ate at a Tim Horton's: 9
Number of times our only food option was a hamburger: 34
Number of times we rode before actually eating breakfast: 11
Payday bars eaten: 116
Bags of Hot Tamales eaten: 11
Bugs (inadvertently) eaten: dozens
Nights spent next to a river: 47
Nights spent next to an ocean: 12
Nights spent next to a lake: 8
Nights spent next to a waterfall: 3
Nights spent next to a vinyard: 2
Nights spent next to a shipyard: 4
Nights spent in a hog barn: 1 (our anniversary)
Number of days with a headwind: 68
Number of days with a crosswind: 17
Number of days with a tailwind: 6
Number of days there was no wind (or we didn't notice): 43
Number of days we rode in the rain: 6
Number of days we rode in the hail: 1
Times we made camp/motel moments before it rained: 5
Oddest animal seen: zebras (in Kansas)
Number of cows seen: about a zillion
Number of times I "mooed" at the cows: about a zillion
Number of times it worked: once, causing a small stampede
Number of times horses ran with us: 4
Number of times cows ran with us: 1
Places we stayed that had hot tubs: 21
Number of those hot tubs we actually used: 6
Number of places we stayed for free: 9
Places we were actually not SUPPOSED to stay for free: 2
Number of air mattresses we used: 4
Air mattress that never leaked the whole way: the one 11 gave us after day 2
(It still works, 11; want it back?)
Times we rode on a water ferry: 7
Times we rode in a vehicle instead of riding: 2
Times we rode in cars, but not as part of the ride: 15
Number of books we read: 6
Number of books we bought for less than $1: 5
Number of shot glasses purchased: 16
Number of charms for charm bracelet purchased: 10
Items seen by the side of the road:
12 television sets
11 pairs of jeans
10 tupperware containers (food still inside)
9 telephones/cellphones (mostly complete)
8 hair dryers
7 board games
6 Neil Diamond tapes/8-tracks
5 guitars/ukeleles
4 Hawaiian shirts
3 silk demi-cup bras (one red, one white, one blue)
2 complete toilets
1 big, red, floppy clown shoe
0 large, overstuffed bags of money
Flat tires: 9
Broken spokes: 0
Broken chains: 1
Broken mirrors: 3
Broken flagsticks: 2
Broken trailer frames: 1
Lost sunglasses: 2
Lost locks: 2
Lost cotter pins: 2
Lost motel room keys: 2
Lost mind due to wind: 1 (that day in Kansas I was an IDIOT)
New friends: dozens
More soon!
