More serious white water

Years of playing in flat water didn't prepare me for this kind of white water. I'm so used to waves come from the same direction, no matter how big. Rocks in the middle of my path is also new....

Lucky we had Kim showing us the way, Kathleen and Giselle guarding along. Only a few blisters after a very exciting 8 miles run down the main Payette (Banks to Beehive Bend). I was told that there were several class 3 sections. I can see why certain type can get addicted to white water.

White Water

Here's Kim's summer hide out place along the South Fork Payette, near Boise, Idaho.
These are only two persons kayaking gears......, luck we got plenty of tree around here.
Another river view.
Lunch break after a little white water kayaking in Kelly water park. Then we headed right back to get more wet. Here's a little video of fun. Thanks for all the helps from the experts, Kim, Jeff and Scott, who keep my day fun and safe.

TdA one month

Still trying to extend the mail hold at home, which has a maximum period of one month. It seems that, I cannot do it online until the time is up, and then have a new request!?!

Yes, we're on our way home, first stop Hood river, Oregon. It's a windsurfer/ kiteboarder/ sailor's heaven, for its reliable strong wind in the Columbia River Gorge. Bill had spent months here windsurfing when he was younger.

Most of the vehicle here has at last a few toys attached to the top/ back/ inside. And they're not limited to windsurfers, kayaks or bicycles..... BTW, one of the best bike trail we find is the Historic Columbia River Highway - the Twin Tunnels Trail between Hood River and Mosier.
Other than pear, cherry and grapes, here's a surprise found. A small lavender field under Mt. Hood. We learn the difference between the French long stem and English sweet one.
I guess wheat doesn't take much water to grow. Most of the east Oregon desert region are endless fields of wheat.

2 weeks in Port Moody, BC

It was nice to spend time with one's family and eat all the Chinese food one would like to. The only complaint I can come up with, was temperature, which is mostly around 60-70F. Too cold to play in water up in the mountain lake (for me).

For whatever reasons, we never explored this part of the Rocky point's shore line trail before.

Big summer project: restoration of 20 years old back yard fence, which went on and off according to weather.

TdA Day 12-13

After three nights in Montana, we leave Bozeman on Monday morning, drove west along I90, had a brief ride in Missoula before heading to Coeur d' Alene. Had our first ride in the rain in this trip around this old pine forest and lake.

Then GPS route us through Grand Coulee Dam and Oroville to Canada.

Arrived Port Moody, BC just before dark.

TdA Day 11

Yellowstone Park 2nd round.

We started early, and went clockwise.

The park was quieter on the east side and there were more wild animals and wild flowers.

Along the Yellowstone river, witness how water can change, one moment clam and smooth, the next moment surge and destructive.

Unlike yesterday, Old Faithful erupted while we drove near by, took us by surprise.

Just a few miles before exiting, the moment we thought we will have apple pie and milkshake at tea time outside the park, a park ranger stop us and told us an RV went off road, tow trucks try to pull it back up, and the road will be close for at least 45 minutes.

Bill pulled out his trike, rode up and down the road, while waiting.

I pulled out my camera, went down to the river,while waiting.

And of course 45 minutes turned into 90 minutes, and miles of traffic.

At least, it make a special ending to the visit.

Here is the link for the Yellowstone album:

TdA Day 10

We didn't get to ride today. On the other hand, the drive inside Yellowstone National Park was amazing. For a few days, we were worry about the oil spill and the excess snow melt in the Yellowstone river, which we drove along for a few hundred miles and see no oil but very high water level. We picked up a local guy who flipped his raft in the river 16 miles down the entrance of the park. He said the river is exceptionally high, and there are some class 5 situations. There were some crowds inside the park, but not as bad as it could be. Always be able to find parking within a minute. It was the waiting on Old Faithful took over 90 minutes.

TdA Day 9

Cycled around the Lake of Bemidji early in the morning. Chilly enough to need a thin jacket. Above are Paul Bunyan and blue ox Babe, they are kind famous up here in this fist city on Mississippi.
The bike path doesn't go all the way around, but the bike lane is extra wide here. Plus almost no traffic in this hour, so we feel it's hard to top.

We zipped past North Dakota this afternoon after a oil change in Fargo, managed to duck through some major storms. So far, we managed to find rooms without advance reservation. However, we couldn't find a decent hotel with vacancy for a hundred miles in Montana. So, I just make one in Gardiner, (north entrance of Yellowstone Park) over the weekend.

TdA Day 8

We planned to do the Minnesota Valley State Trail starting in Shakopee, but found out it was flooded out.

All of the state park and rest stop along the highway are also closed due to the state budget impasse, government shutdown.

So, we went on up to the upper St. Croix River to visit a great potter, Linda Christianson. I never meet her before. But, she is very excited to see us once she saw bikes inside the mini van. Within minutes, we were exchanging stories of crazy things we do. I was trying out her kick wheel and she was trying out my bicycle. She pulled out the map and show us the near by and far away nice routes to go. She is part of the reason why we're here in Bemidji tonight. I felt so lucky to get to know such a creative, generous, wonderful person.
On the other hand, we're not as lucky with the visit with Jeff Oestreich's studio in his Pottery lane. We missed him by 15 seconds.

TdA Day 7

Another Rails to Trails call Raccoon River Valley Trail near Des Moines, Iowa. I only did 30 miles, going north from Redfield and back. The whole trail is asphalt, mostly trees on both sides, and rolling hills of corn field in the far side. It wasn't hot even in the middle of the day. The goofy part was those little blueberry look like things all over the trail. Now, they are all over my bike and the back of my shirt.

TdA Day 6

My first ride on rails to trails on the Tunnel hill Trail in Illinois.

Nice part: very shady, tall trees on both sides, quiet, very little traffic.

Strange part: road bike is not design for crushed lime rock surface, I got my very first flat tire after 15 miles. Also, after I went in the tunnel, it was pitch black. I couldn't see anything, but the exit at a distance. I lost my sense of speed and fell over because of going too slow.

Cyclist re-fueling station: "Fountain on Locust" in St. Louis, Mo.

TdA Day 3- 5

Day 3: Rode the heritage riverways trail in a beautiful college town; Rome, Ga. I hope more town will have this kind of planning in mind.

Day 4/5: Visiting the Hasegawa's family in Paducah, Ky. Did some riding in the "Land between the Lakes" national park. Beat the crowd and the weather in July 4th morning.

Days 1 & 2

Day 1: Drove from Stuart to Jacksonville (240 miles), then attended two memorial services - one for about 1,000 people inside and outside the Good Shepherd Church, one for a dozen people where we spread Bill's Uncle Bronson's ashes on Julington Creek.

Day 2: Lucky we did some nice cycling on Amelia Island with old oak trees hanging over the road, before we took on the 400 miles on I95, I16 and I75 with mix of rain and traffic jams. We're spending the night in Rome, Ga.


Dinner at Big Bear's BBQ, 2 ribs with fried okra, pinto beans and cornbread. Most tender ribs I have had.