Day 75: Rest Day in Newport, WA - Seeking a Bicycle Warrior's Death, Part I: The Northern Tier - CycleBlaze

July 19, 2021

Day 75: Rest Day in Newport, WA

It's Getting A Bit Too Real; Now What Do I Do?

(EDITING NOTE; be aware that I have made changes to days 67, 68, and 70 - 74.  The changes mostly include adding a narrative and videos)

I arose this morning at 04:00 to see Doc off.  In the craziness of last night, I accepted his offer to take his tablet computer with me.  He's trying to reduce weight for his run to Seattle and said he would mail the tablet home unless I wanted it.  My netbook isn't powerful enough to run the software that assembles the video segments each day, so we have that software on Doc's tablet.  I didn't want the extra weight either, and I debated just posting the videos in their "raw" state, but in the end I took it.  I also took a freeze-dried dinner he had for emergency food in case I got caught out and needed to camp unexpectedly.   We said our goodbyes and Doc rolled out at 05:00.  In the early light the photo below isn't focused well.

Doc Rides Off In The Early Morning, Heading For Seattle
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Doc took the 3 remaining laundry pods with him, as he needs that many to finish.  I walked over to the local Safeway at 06:00 and bought more laundry pods.  I kept a few and gave the remainder to Steve and Allane, and I also gave them the remainder of a box of "teabag coffee" after taking what I needed.  Steve rolled out after Doc left, and Allane drove off later.  I went through my stuff and managed to find a few more things I could ship home and walked a block to the post office.  I'm soon to climb at least 3 mountain passes, and I don't need excess weight.  Reading from right to left, I will (hopefully) climb Sherman Pass, Wauconda Pass, and Loup Loup Pass in that order.  The 4th (leftmost) pass is Washington Pass, and unless the road reopens I won't be able to climb it. 

Profile (credit to Adventure Cycling Association)
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I will be tired after climbing these passes, and I will end up in Twisp.  At that point I must divert unless the road reopens.  If so, I don't yet know where I will try to go each day or what lodging options exist (if any).  I also don't know what the road conditions will be like, I will have to rely on the Google bicycle routing to give me the best route.   The good news is that it should only take a few days to reach the Seattle area if I must divert.

So, everything has changed.  We made it to the last state on this incredible journey, and now our path is blocked.  But I will finish somewhere, somehow.  At the moment I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed, and very much alone.  I have ridden solo on tours before, so I know I can do this.  I'm concerned about Doc also, I know he has ridden too far today and encountered some unexpected obstacles - but he's about 100 miles closer to Seattle now.

Update on Doc.  Doc just called - he biked 100 miles today to reach Sprague - Google bike routing put him on a loose gravel trail for 10 miles before he could get off it and seek his own route.  He has 300 miles to go to reach Seattle.  Here's a picture he took of a lava flow on his ride today;

Lava Flow (photo credit; Doc)
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Found Money Update.  I have $2.91 in the "found money" fund now.  It's a silly game I play, but if you never play games how do you ever have fun? 

The Found Money Collection
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Health Update.  I have health, both good and bad.  The wisdom tooth infection has been brought under control with the antibiotics, and I have no more pain from that.  A milestone for me happened last night when I applied the last dose of the topical chemotherapy for the in-situ melanoma on my left heel, so I don't have to do that anymore for the remainder of this trip.  So those are positive things. 

I hope you have everything under control in your life.  Things are good here, I just can't control little things like forest fires, so I'll have to roll with it however it works out.  Good night all...

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Comment on this entry Comment 2
Michell IrvingHi Bud,
Check out the Seattle area on Ride w/gps, many bike paths and routes. Having just been there, I took the light rail from the airport station to the University district where there are many bike shops and a post office. If you stay in that area or in the downtown area light rail is a good option to get to the airport, it is unbelievably easy. If you make it to Anacortes the Belaire airport shuttle is convenient and reasonable.
Hope the roads open up!
Tailwinds,
Michell
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2 years ago
George HallTo Michell IrvingMichelle,

That's very good advice, thank you. I believe the Belair shuttle will be in my immediate future. Highway 2 is not going to open up for a long time - like maybe another month or so.

Bud
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2 years ago