Always Listen to Mom...

This post is a bit pre-mature in that if things had gone according to plan, I should probably be descending the Westside of Snoqualmie Pass right now.

So obviously, my (eh-hem... foolish) plans of crossing the state in 3 days on bicycle didn't quite pan out.

Wednesday morning I took off from Pullman at 6:00 AM, just before sunrise... just as I'd planned. At 5:00 PM, after pedaling 151 miles, I arrived in Vantage on the banks of the Columbia River... just as I'd planned. What I didn't plan on was a flare-up of an old Achilles injury. I hurt my right Achilles tendon about a year ago while training for a marathon, and it healed, but has never quite felt right.

In Othello, at around mile 110, it started to feel a little warm. Between Othello and Vantage, it got progressively worse. By the time I rolled into Vantage... I was mostly pedaling with my left leg, thinking THIS SUCKS!

There really wasn't much for me to debate... I knew I wasn't going to be able to ride the next day. Hopefully I'd be able to walk.

So, the good news was...

1. I have an incredible friend by the name of Weed, who was more than willing to come rescue me. He drove out Thursday morning before dawn, and had me back in Seattle before lunch time. Weed... you're a champ.

2. I got to enjoy a beautiful ride along HWY-26. The sun was out, fields were golden, and my pedestrian pace allowed me to notice nice little farm houses and such that I normally miss when zooming by at 70mph.

3. I got to watch the sunset and the sunrise from my little camping spot at the Gorge. Nothing like eating freeze-dried meals and drinking hot chocolate while watching the sky change color.

4. I got an extra day in Seattle! Law student roommate hooked up some Mariner tickets... FRONT ROW third-baseline! What a stud. Later that night, I even got to enjoy a pitcher of seasonal Pumpkin-Ale with the roomies and my great friends Wes & Jess.

5. My parents, bless their hearts, never once said "I told you so," when I called to let them know I'm quitting half-way. Whatever faults they may have, they will always be my biggest supporters in whatever I do. Thanks Mom & Dad.

6. I still have a goal to shoot for. I think I'll give the ride another try next summer. This time, however, I think I'll allow myself more than 3 days to cover the 288 miles.

So that's it... I'm back in Seattle with 4 more days until my departure. Here's a photo of my trusty steed. Clicking on the photo will link you to other pics on my Flickr page.