Sunday, August 19, 2007

RSVP

Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party

Kevin and I started this little bike ride on Thursday as we made our way to Seattle via a couple different cars and two wonderful drivers (our wifes).



Spent the night at my parents and got up early to ride to the start line at Sand Point, got settled and we were off in the right direction (south). The ride heads south for about .25 mile before turning around onto the Burke Gilman trail and we had a grand time. The weather cooperated and the food stops were awesome. Saw some other riders and friends we know along the way. Got into the stop in Bellingham and rode home for a first day total of about 112 miles.



Since the kids were with the grandparents, Debbie and I went out for dinner and watched a movie we picked out. Got to bed and was up again early as Kevin and I wanted to head out about 6:30, rode up to Kevin's and we were off.



We should of not had breakfast as once we went into the Dutch Mothers bakery in Lynden we found out they put on a special buffet for the riders, we both just ordered a scone and was it ever good! Next time get the breakfast buffet.

Hit the border at 8:04 am just after they opened and continued north through farmland and lots of horse country. Went past an equestrian show and got some pictures for Debbie and pretty soon we were at the ferry for a very short ride across the river. Back on the bikes and another 5 miles we made it to the only food stop on the second day ride.



After some food and a short rest we got back at it, Kevin was hurting a bit but once we hit the outskirts of Vancouver and going through neighborhood after neighborhood I think he got distracted and didn't notice the shooting pain in his knee as much, He was our navigator and got us through all the twists and turns.

We totally lucked out and had NO RAIN for the whole two day ride... we did have some snow though, yep snow on August 18 in downtown Vancouver where they were filming a movie, pretty neat.



The end was a little of a let down, after all that way, we turn into a parking garage, an underground parking garage, so we head down, down, down to the depths and find a nice security lady guarding the bike coral who took our finish picture. We went upstairs and found the 'party' (yeah small p) and it was not much to write home about, or blog about other than we made it! had our free burger and paid for a beer and visited with some other riders, while a DJ played the radio in the background.

Rode the 1k to our hotel, checked in, showered and then went for a great afternoon/evening out on a double date night, took the subway, water taxi, walked around Granville Island, dinner there, back to downtown via water taxi and subway, and went for drinks at our hotel lounge, which was on the 42nd floor and rotates like the Space Needle, and did I mention the weather was awesome! had a great view all around as we sat, visited and spent way too much on way too little to drink.



Woke up Sunday morning and went for a run in Stanley Park, I couldn't pass it up and ran all around the seawall except for a section under repair due to storm damage, cleaned up and went for Starbucks and then we made our way to check-out and found an IKEA, about an hour wait at the border back and then Kevin and Robin dropped us off in time to relax and get settled.

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