Day 9 - ...that leads to your door.

Patty:
After eating a typical camp morning breakfast of cereal and milk, we started to break down camp. I realized that we had become quite efficient at rolling up bags, pads, and tents, putting things in their proper places, stowing our clothes in either backpacks or the ever-growing laundry bag, and making sure that all of the assorted other things were in the car. On a typical morning we would do all of the above mentioned things as well as check tire pressure, refill water bottles and hydration packs, restock underseat packs with protein or snacks bars, and make sure sunscreen was applied appropriately. It generally took us less than an hour to accomplish or morning ritual. Today was the last time.

Tim and I were headed to Beaverton once again to drop off all of our gear. We planned on meeting Kevin and Gavin somewhere around Newberg for some photo-ops.

Kevin:
The weather was great again today. I must say that the weather on this trip has been outstandingly and consistently beautiful, cool (but not cold), mostly sunny, and no rain.

The road surface was inconsistent today. There was almost always a shoulder to ride on (or a bike lane in Newberg and Sherwood) but in some places riding on the shoulder was so rough I had to stand on the pedals to absorb the shocks.

Still, it was a good ride, and knowing that it was going to be short and that at the end we would be in a real house made it better. In Newberg we stopped briefly at a bike shop intending to purchase a couple of new tubes for spares, but it was too early and the bike shop had not opened yet. We kept on riding.

There was one big hill going into Sherwood, but we geared down and took it slowly, as is our custom (or at least mine; I suspect Gavin alone might take hills more aggressively than his asthmatic father).

The ride felt good and was going very well but shortly into Sherwood, with about five miles left in the ride, I heard a "pop!" and suddenly the road felt REALLY rough. I stopped quickly, because I knew that meant a flat tire. Sure enough, the back tire had picked up a heavy-duty staple from the road, and the tire was totally flat. I called Patty and found out that she had finished dropping our camping stuff at Rick and Linda's house and had driven back to Newberg to find us. It was then 9:55 am and the bike store opened at 10. We decided that we could wait; she would buy two new tubes and return to where we were.

And now for a word about tires. When I got the bike a couple of years ago, I asked for tires with the best flat resistance available. They gave me Specialized Armadillo tires. I still get flats...two in the last three days. Not only that, but the Armadillos are rather slow, and make for a rougher ride. I think it's time for new tires.

Patty:
Tim and I watched the opposite side of the road for Gavin and Kevin as we headed toward Newberg, but we did not see them. There was one stretch of highway where the lanes are split by a forested area. Apparently that was when we passed the guys. We were just pulling into Newberg when Kevin called with news of a flat (the third in three days). So I stopped at the Newberg Bike Shoppe for the needed tube, and while there found a pair of the kind of bike shorts that Kevin likes. We quickly headed up to Sherwood so that the ride could continue and then Tim and I headed to the final destination: Friendly Road in Beaverton.

Kevin:
Once the tube had been changed, there were only about five miles remaining. We were generally climbing but going through rolling hills. Then I saw the end of the road, with Patty and Timothy standing at our "finish line" and suddenly I realized that the ride, and the entire trip, were over.
I will admit that I was getting a little tired of being on the road and constantly setting up camp and taking it down again. (I must say that Patty did a huge share of this, as well as planning, making reservations, organizing meals, and packing more into the jeep than I thought it could hold. Thanks, Patty!) But I have enjoyed most of the riding and it will seem odd to get up tomorrow and not ride. Gavin and I rode about 370 miles, quite enough for us for now.

Well, I guess it is about time to say farewell to the trip, the blog, and anyone who has been reading it. I hope all of you can do something this fun sometime!

Patty:
It was so great when Gavin and Kevin rolled to the end, and I was very proud of their perseverance and amazing endurance. We had a great time and it was well worth all of the effort. Who knows what we'll be up to next?Ride Stats
Distance today: 21.9
Distance trip: 369.5
Max Speed: 29.5
Av Speed: 13.3
Time: 1:38