Today was a hot one, but Mark pedaled it out and we were able to get our tent dried out. We just love Wisconsin. The roads that our maps take us on are almost like bike trails. The trees provide a canopy most of the time and the lakes are just unbelievable!
As I was driving around one of these lakes to catch up to Mark earlier today, a huge bird caught my eye as he swooped down and landed about 10 feet away from me. It turns out it was a Bald Eagle!! I stopped the car and he looked at me and I at him...we shared a sweet little moment. Maybe it's silly, but I was so excited. I've never seen a Bald Eagle outside of a zoo or nature preserve. If the lion is the king of the jungle, then the Bald Eagle is definitely the king of the sky. He was very majestic and classy. :)
We found another nice lake to swim in tonight: Lake Shawano, which also happens to be where we're camping. The bugs here are vicious!!!!!!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
A few pictures as promised...
In Anacortes, Washington at the starting point of our journey.
Still the first day...our first and second flat tire changes. This was when it was still cute and funny enough to take a picture of. From here forward, we have no more pics of the flats!
In Washington, riding closer and closer to those Cascades!
Our first night (we were waiting for it to get dark so that we could pitch our tent without being seen since it wasn't an actual campground) and morning as bike tourers!
Some foothills and the sweet little dog that I befriended. He ran alongside my bike for about a mile before he ran out of steam.
This was a pretty bridge to ride across.
Taking a Snickers break. Mark is really good at taking the action shot pictures. I'm not quite so coordinated.
Left: We would've been a lot less happy had we realized that we were on the wrong road! Right: Eating brunch the morning after a really hard downpour.
The entrance to the Cascades. This was the beginning of the HEAVY riding!
Left: Look at that scenery!! Right: That little speck of yellow is Mark hiking down to the creek to get some relief from the heat.
Some of the prettiest riding EVER!! Mark is a great photographer!
There are many more pictures that we'll eventually post on facebook. This is all I have time for right now as I need to go find Mark...he's somewhere down the road ahead of me. Hope you enjoy them!
Still the first day...our first and second flat tire changes. This was when it was still cute and funny enough to take a picture of. From here forward, we have no more pics of the flats!
In Washington, riding closer and closer to those Cascades!
Our first night (we were waiting for it to get dark so that we could pitch our tent without being seen since it wasn't an actual campground) and morning as bike tourers!
Some foothills and the sweet little dog that I befriended. He ran alongside my bike for about a mile before he ran out of steam.
This was a pretty bridge to ride across.
Taking a Snickers break. Mark is really good at taking the action shot pictures. I'm not quite so coordinated.
Left: We would've been a lot less happy had we realized that we were on the wrong road! Right: Eating brunch the morning after a really hard downpour.
The entrance to the Cascades. This was the beginning of the HEAVY riding!
Left: Look at that scenery!! Right: That little speck of yellow is Mark hiking down to the creek to get some relief from the heat.
Some of the prettiest riding EVER!! Mark is a great photographer!
There are many more pictures that we'll eventually post on facebook. This is all I have time for right now as I need to go find Mark...he's somewhere down the road ahead of me. Hope you enjoy them!
Day 32
The rain last night never let up for even a minute until sometime around 7 a.m. this morning. We had a few leaks in our tent, but it was easily fixed with our towels. The problem with that kind of rain is that it takes us twice as long to pack up camp in the morning because everything gets soaked and muddied. The moisture hung heavily in the air for the remainder of today and the sun never made an appearance, so I was unable to dry out our tent and tarp. The forecast was calling for more showers throughout the evening, so when we arrived at our destination, Crandon, we checked into the Best Western for the night. The front desk lady was even nice enough to give us the AAA discount even though we aren't AAA members. I guess we looked pitiable. :)
Mark did some good riding today. He averaged 14.9 mph, which is awesome, especially considering all of the hills and bluffs that he had to ride through. He attributes the keys to his success to the two ginormous pancakes and the biscuits and gravy that he ate this morning for breakfast. Oh yeah, and of course the leftover potatoes that he's still munching on as a snack. That's A LOT of carbs, but he never ran out of energy.
FYI from the support vehicle: I finished the first of my books today, "Till We Have Faces" and here's my review: "It's a MUST READ!"
Mark did some good riding today. He averaged 14.9 mph, which is awesome, especially considering all of the hills and bluffs that he had to ride through. He attributes the keys to his success to the two ginormous pancakes and the biscuits and gravy that he ate this morning for breakfast. Oh yeah, and of course the leftover potatoes that he's still munching on as a snack. That's A LOT of carbs, but he never ran out of energy.
FYI from the support vehicle: I finished the first of my books today, "Till We Have Faces" and here's my review: "It's a MUST READ!"
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Day 31
Wisconsin knows how to work their small towns. All of them seem like small little tourist destinations. The streets are filled with gift shops and coffee shops and putt-putt golf. It makes for some fun distractions.
Mark had a lighter day of riding today. He went 40 miles and we drove some segments in between to give him some good rest. We made it into a sweet town called Boulder Junction, where we walked around for a little while. Then it was off to set up camp and take a cold swim/bathe in Big Lake. Mark decided that he wanted to boil potatoes over our campfire tonight and just as he got them seasoned, the thunder started rumbling in the distance. Then the rain...hard rain came pouring. I quickly dove into the tent and waited for Mark to follow. When he didn't come in, I poked my head out and there he was still cooking his potatoes over the fire while the rain drenched him. He cooked every single potato, while I drifted to sleep in the warm, dry tent.
Mark had a lighter day of riding today. He went 40 miles and we drove some segments in between to give him some good rest. We made it into a sweet town called Boulder Junction, where we walked around for a little while. Then it was off to set up camp and take a cold swim/bathe in Big Lake. Mark decided that he wanted to boil potatoes over our campfire tonight and just as he got them seasoned, the thunder started rumbling in the distance. Then the rain...hard rain came pouring. I quickly dove into the tent and waited for Mark to follow. When he didn't come in, I poked my head out and there he was still cooking his potatoes over the fire while the rain drenched him. He cooked every single potato, while I drifted to sleep in the warm, dry tent.
Day 30
And today was another successful ride. Mark got a flat in his back tire in his last 20 miles or so, but I came riding in on my white horse...er...white car and rescued him. I even pumped his tire for him so that he wouldn't have to waste his energy. It took me twice as long as it takes him, but who's on a clock out here? We have a pretty good system in place. In some spots we don't get the greatest of cell phone service, so I let Mark ride for about an hour ahead of me, which let's him get 15 miles or so down the road, and then I go find him to see what he needs, give him new directions and then we begin the process again. We're camping tonight in a small town called Clam Lake. Mark is busy getting a campfire started so that we can grill some chicken and a 1 lb. sirloin steak that we found at the grocery for only $4.00!! We never would've had the time or energy to do this if we didn't have our car, so it's really nice to be able to enjoy the camping now.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Day 29
Mark's first day back to riding was a really good one. He went almost 80 miles!! I asked him to dictate a message for me (he's not a big blogger) and here's what he said: "it felt good to be on the bike again. The wind was blowing pretty strong. No problems. I like having a support vehicle, it's the way to go.Wisconsin is a pretty state to ride in." There ya have it folks. He's a man of few sentences, but he says them in all sincerity.:)
For my part, I'm really enjoying being the support vehicle...in fact, I think I've found my calling. I write down the directions for Mark, refill his water bottles and bring him food. I also drive past him with my windows down and either cheer him on or make harassing comments. That's the fun of it...he never knows which person I'm gonna be.:) The roads that we were on today were gorgeous. It's almost like being back in Washington again. Everything is really green and fertile and there's definitely no lack of trees. Lakes and rivers await us at every turn and the road terrain is very hilly and winding. That keeps things a lot more interesting and enjoyable.
We're camping tonight in Birchwood, WI and are set up right next to a lake. If anyone on Campbellsville is reading this, this area looks shockingly similar to Green River Lake.
So, definitely a successful first day. Oh yeah, and for anyone wondering how I've spent my free time, my current reading is: "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis.
For my part, I'm really enjoying being the support vehicle...in fact, I think I've found my calling. I write down the directions for Mark, refill his water bottles and bring him food. I also drive past him with my windows down and either cheer him on or make harassing comments. That's the fun of it...he never knows which person I'm gonna be.:) The roads that we were on today were gorgeous. It's almost like being back in Washington again. Everything is really green and fertile and there's definitely no lack of trees. Lakes and rivers await us at every turn and the road terrain is very hilly and winding. That keeps things a lot more interesting and enjoyable.
We're camping tonight in Birchwood, WI and are set up right next to a lake. If anyone on Campbellsville is reading this, this area looks shockingly similar to Green River Lake.
So, definitely a successful first day. Oh yeah, and for anyone wondering how I've spent my free time, my current reading is: "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
and the Physical Therapist said...
Thank you all so much for your sweet and encouraging comments and messages! We've recently moved into a new apartment and don't have internet access yet, so today is the first chance we've had to check facebook, e-mail, blog, etc.
I visited the physical therapist on Monday afternoon and she confirmed that it's Tendonitus. The positive side of that is that it's not too serious and I can't really do anything to injure my knees further. The negative side is that the only treatment is rest and ice. She instructed me to ice both knees for 10 minutes, 5 times a day and she also gave me some gentle stretches and exercises to do that will strengthen my quads and keep them from flaring up again in the future. So, that's the diagnosis. :)
Meanwhile, we're staying the night tonight in Osceola, Wisconsin which is located right on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. Mark will resume biking tomorrow (Thursday) morning. He's excited about our route change that will take us across this state and eventually into Michigan and then Canada! It should be some really beautiful riding. I'm excited about getting to serve him and assist him along the journey. I have 6 books checked out from the library that will keep me occupied while my knees heal. I'd appreciate prayers for a speedy recovery as I really want to be able to ride a little in this part of the country and give Mark some relief when he needs it. All in all, we ended up cutting all but about 20 miles of North Dakota and the whole of Minnesota from our trip (but we've done lots of riding in Minnesota already, so that's not a huge disappointment).
Our little respite in Rochester was a nice distraction. We met up with lots of sweet friends of ours. Mark got to work a few hours, we unpacked and set up our new apartment, we received prayer from some of you and South African chocolate from others, and two friends even blessed us with a gift card to Massage Envy! We want to especially thank Kris Allen for setting up my PT appointment and picking us up from the train station. All of you may not have even realized it, but you were the hands and feet of the Lord to Mark and I, and you showered us with His love simply by spending time with us during a time of hard disappointment. Thank you and bless you!
I visited the physical therapist on Monday afternoon and she confirmed that it's Tendonitus. The positive side of that is that it's not too serious and I can't really do anything to injure my knees further. The negative side is that the only treatment is rest and ice. She instructed me to ice both knees for 10 minutes, 5 times a day and she also gave me some gentle stretches and exercises to do that will strengthen my quads and keep them from flaring up again in the future. So, that's the diagnosis. :)
Meanwhile, we're staying the night tonight in Osceola, Wisconsin which is located right on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. Mark will resume biking tomorrow (Thursday) morning. He's excited about our route change that will take us across this state and eventually into Michigan and then Canada! It should be some really beautiful riding. I'm excited about getting to serve him and assist him along the journey. I have 6 books checked out from the library that will keep me occupied while my knees heal. I'd appreciate prayers for a speedy recovery as I really want to be able to ride a little in this part of the country and give Mark some relief when he needs it. All in all, we ended up cutting all but about 20 miles of North Dakota and the whole of Minnesota from our trip (but we've done lots of riding in Minnesota already, so that's not a huge disappointment).
Our little respite in Rochester was a nice distraction. We met up with lots of sweet friends of ours. Mark got to work a few hours, we unpacked and set up our new apartment, we received prayer from some of you and South African chocolate from others, and two friends even blessed us with a gift card to Massage Envy! We want to especially thank Kris Allen for setting up my PT appointment and picking us up from the train station. All of you may not have even realized it, but you were the hands and feet of the Lord to Mark and I, and you showered us with His love simply by spending time with us during a time of hard disappointment. Thank you and bless you!
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