Ridin' for Rotary

Cubbies!

2009-09-16T16:05:00.001-07:00

Yeah! Big Big Sign behind a couple of Big Big Studs! The Cubbies may have lost to the Phillies, but we felt like we owned Wrigley Field. Yes, it was hot....yes, we were wiped out...but yes, at the end, we were all talking about where we would go next year.

These guys are amazing. I can't imagine putting up with me, if I were them. But, we love it.

Hopped on a Grandma and Grandpa express from Joliet and headed into Chicago. They dropped us off at the Cubs game, we quickly dropped a ridiculous amount of money on cool hats, food, bats...we were putty in their hands at the giftshop. Then, around the 4th inning, we jumped ship, took a cab to the now "Willis" Tower and....those are our tired feet up there, 103 floors about the street level. My knees were shaking, but I couldn't let the boys see that...faking brave...seemed to work.

Long drive back to Colorful Colorado, but we needed it to unwind, talk about all we had seen, laugh a bit, eat some more, sleep and get home to tell Mom and Hannah.

Next year....we'll see!

Tour Guide Todd

2009-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

Yup...we jump onto the I&M, ride for about 20 minutes, and up rides the first guy that actually looks like a biker (since we left Davenport, hadn't seen any 'real' cyclists). He said, "you gotta be Ryan..?..."

"You Todd"

"Yup"

"Let's ride!"

Todd was a great tour guide. Explained much of the history as we passed the I & M Canal Locks (Illinois and Michigan if you're wondering). Todd happens to be a Chauffeur in Vail during ski season. Small world! This was no Hennepin Canal trail, look at this incredible canapy of trees:

A fairly cool ride, what a nice change! Slower because of the looser surface, we sink into it from being so heavy. But, we cruised right along and made some stops along the way.

Frogs hopping across the trails.

Turtles moving up and off logs in the Canal.

Birds and crazed insects flying all around.

No fish though. We tried. Does Dylan look like Tom Sawyer or what?

I asked the Boys if they wanted to go on and into Chicago, or hit the hotel now. Duh??? !!! We found yet another hotel with a pool, what are the odds?

A call to a cab company, and we played at the Haunted Hills amusement park, with Go-Karts (Dylan went on his first high-speed SOLO Go Kart ride, he did so well). Riley was of course, a madman, and beat everyone on the track.

Now, the photo I really want to post, I didn't take. BUT, here we are at 6 or so in the evening and realizing that we hadn't eaten much at all. STARVING. So, back to hotel and next to it was a Cracker Barrel. You'd think after living 40 years I would've had a meal at a Cracker Barrel before, but no. This would be a first.

Let's start with the fact that I couldn't get a beer. OK, that's fine...and I realized why...if they did, the FDA would have to shut the entire chain of restaurants down for flagrant disregard for human caloric supply (FDFHCS).

The size of the patrons...best described by the couple next to us with 'his' and 'hers' matching pajama pants. These were worn intentionally to provide maximum stretch-age after muscling down Chicken Fried Chicken, Chicken Fried Steak, Chicken Fried Fries...and I'm pretty sure Chicken Fried Coca-Cola. By the way, these were NASCAR pajamas, his Dale Jarrett, her's Tony Stewart. The fact that I know this by the racing numbers, must make me a bit of a red-neck as well.

Perhaps we're done riding. The boys are torn, but a train takes us right to Wrigley with a day game tomorrow. Todd said he'd ride with us, but we'll see....we are a bit unsure about the safety of our bike ride into the heart of the city from here. The hotel said they'd hold our bike for us...everyone again, has been unbelievably nice!

Bee Hive Restaurant

2009-08-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

Rolling up and down the hills of Starved Rock and working our way to Ottawa, wasn't exactly easy on the boys. They were hungry! So when we saw our first sign for Ottawa, smiled were popping up. After a few not-so-hot snack joints, we rolled into the Bee Hive Restaurant. A great 50's style breakfast/lunch counter spot with Flo and the girls working the room. I told R & D they could have whatever they wanted, while I went and picked up some food for lunch. Returning, I tossed a couple ice cream cones in the freezer without R & D knowing, looked to see Dylan eating a bagel and frosted flakes, with Mr. Riley choking down a French Dip and vegetable soup. Fine by me, fuel up! Our next stage was Morris, apparently another 30+ miles and spotty rain expected. Just before we blew out of Ottawa, Flo asked the entire restaurant for their opinion on our route, unanimously 'Morris Blacktop' won the vote, so we loaded up as she gave the boys their ice cream...Big smiles now!

Morris Blacktop was another beautiful farm road. We called Mommy to check in, as we took a quick respite from the rain under a tree, just as this guy pulls up with his tractor:

Now Dylan... Riley....this guy says he's lived here his whole life, the tractor is from when he was born (apparently 1949 or 50, he couldn't remember for sure). And he was sure happy to see us using his big tree in his front yard. He shut down the tractor so he wouldn't disturb the phone call to Mom, and was so pleasant to talk too. About 2 teeth I'd say...

Now getting closer to Morris, the boys are pretty tired of pedaling, and I'm seeing some fatigue come into the picture. Luckily, Grandma and Grandpa were at a camp site in Morris. They met us in town and hauled us to their site. Shower, great food, hit the laundromat...and of course, a movie, Herbie the Love Bug playing in the RV.

I called a bike shop in Joliet to see what the best route would be. Seems Chicago is fairly limited to bike paths. "Todd" grabbed the phone and said, I'll meet you on the trial, go to the I & M canal and ride East, I'll find you.

Well, don't know you Todd...It's a 30+ mile trail....we'll see...

Up Up Up to Starved Rock

2009-08-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

So, the story is that Native Indians were apparently marooned on top of this rock, until they starved and died. How wonderful, and fitting actually.

We left Princeton, had another straight shot East until Illinois' version of the diagonal, called Plant Road. This dropped us by a small airport (no planes sighted for days until Plank Rd), through Peru (must've ridden farther than we thought), by a funeral (Dylan, don't make a scene) and through LaSalle.

Fairly lost at this point, grabbed a walking mailman and told him that he looked like a mighty good La Salle Tour Guide. Lucky we asked him, the bridge and area we planned to use was evidently closed down and another plan came together. This involved a town called 'Jonesville,' doesn't sound right, does it? We kept on churning and found Staved Rock campground. Not the Oasis we had planned, but the folks were nice nonetheless.

Lot's of families had to come by and talk to Riley and Dylan about Blackjack. They were proud, and as they were sword fighting yet again, it gave me a chance to make a few business calls. Then, R came running to me with serious concern on his face. I look over and Dylan is holding his leg in big-time pain. (Note, no pictures to share here...my gift to you)

The sword fight apparently caused a skid by the tent stakes, which gave Dylan a monster gash on his left leg, about 7 inches. No need for stitches, but enough blood to keep everyone on edge for a bit. The medical kit was in high fashion for a while, took Dylan all of 1 minute to find his laugh again and feel manly about his new 'scar.' Mom would again, be so proud.

A quick freeze dried Meat Lasagna (that I thought was dandy), a dash over to the neighbors for some tasty s'mores (Ian, Austin and Emma were happy to talk with R & D all night), and we were ready to dine again the next morning with those yummy peaches from Wally-World we had saved up.

Tent camping...windows open, al fresco. It was a perfect perfect night.

Now, up and at 'em...Look towards Blackjack and trash everywhere...oh no! We've been robbed! A Raccoon, darn smart one...unzipped our packs! Yup, ate it all, Dylan's Oatmeal, ShotBloks, bananas, and my peaches...history! Darn it. Now, our job was to break camp, load up and get to Ottawa for a breakfast. Not a short ride, however our neighbors happened to be a couple that rode a tandem up from St Louis. They were nuts like us, and shot us some raisins and cranberries to get our blood sugar up a bit. Dylan wanted to know, 'When's breakfast?' Hang on D, we have about 12 miles to go!

Hennipin Canal Revisited

2009-08-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Just realizing that the Canal will live in memory without photos. Fairly hot, long and all our focus was on getting through the trail and back onto our much favored farm roads. Lots of turtles along the way to keep our eyeballs searching for another critter.

We hooked up with 1745 North Ave. This was a straight shot to the East that gave us a quick tailwind, that was nice. A few ups and downs, rollers ya' know. Popped up to Backbone Road, feeling groggy, but a darn good day, since we decided to split our travel en route to Starving Rock. Nothing like another pool party at the AmericInn, a jont to Walmart to pick up some tasty peaches and various snacks for our camping night in the hills. Now, Wally-World also supplied us with what two brothers desperately need on a trip like this, weapons! Nerf Swords are our new best friends...the AmericInn provided an excellent fighting ring.

As did 1800 N Ave....The middle of the road, shoes off, game on!

Now, the fun continued with a mighty big feast at Wise Guys Bar and Grille. You can see, the Mozzerella sticks were in season!

Everyone has been so incredibly thoughtful and helpful along this trip. Represent Mid-West...Nice!

We love shade!

2009-08-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

Did I mention how hot it is? Well, never in my forty years, had I learned that you can sweat buckets...I always thought that was an expression, as it turns out, I do believe I had become Niagara. (speaking of water, a note about yesterday in the truck. Riding from Bernie's to Annawan, both boys were with me in the back, and I swore Riley was spitting on me in the wind...just as I was getting ready to let him have it, I noticed Bernie's black lab had his head out of the window, which provided me with a light mist during the trip. On any other day, that would've been fairly gross, but this dog provided a nice cool shower that felt great!)

Today's leg was set to be about 4 hours, half way to our camping destination of Starved Rock. A bit on the Canal, that was very slow going, and then we made our way to some lightly travelled farm roads. The pic above is the nicest spot on planet earth, Road #1745. Not a flashy name for the greatest place in the world, but this is a shady grassy front yard of some folks that let us chill-out a bit...again, did I mention the heat? Wow!

You can see D-man and I covered our eyes with a T-Shirt, stretched out after chowing down a most-delicious Ham & Cheese Sandwich from a Shell Gas Station, a true delicacy, all with a half-life of 10,000 years I'm sure.

Sliding up and down, across and back, working our way to the next town...is that the water tower up ahead? I bet it is...no, next town will be Princeton. Special help today, a serious tailwind. This brought our average speed up to 8.1mph from 7.3mph, look out, we're breaking all speed records now!

A few hills, brutal heat, and we were getting close, I mean close....psssssss, what's that. "Um Dad, We have a problem back here..." Yup, our first flat EVER on BlackJack. Trailer tire, how conveeeenient as Dana Carvey said back in the 80's. Hot, on Backbone Road, and I changed a flat in a half-delirious state of exhaustion in seconds flat. If the boys could've only appreciated how fast that flat was fixed, a personal record for certain.

"Hey Riley, look, there's Corn." For a few hours, that seemed to be a pretty funny joke...now I don't even get a chuckle. No sunscreen can save us out here, I think SPF 1,000 is no match for Illinois in August, we look like we've been in Tahiti for a year.

Now, you may be wondering, why are they self-supporting and packing all that camping gear, and end up in a motel. The pool! There is nothing more pleasant than a highway motel sign that says "Indoor Pool." It's kind of like the scene where Richard Dryfus keeps making the 'shape' of the mountian in Close Encounters...we felt the same way...we simply end up in the pool and have no way of explaining how we got there. Now, before I retire to the sub-zero A/C room of the AmericInn, the liquid tally for 2 days is unbelievable. Just on the road, we have gone through 4 Camelbacks of water, 1/2 gallon of Gatorade, 6 bottles of water, 2 Sprites, 2 Dr Peppers, a Starbucks biggee coffee (yes, my 8 year stint without caffeine is now officially over) and enough gas station food to feed an army. Rain expected tomorrow...Why do they call it Starved Rock? Not exactly inviting...?

Yo Ol' Miss....

2009-08-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

The weather broke...and we nearly did as well. Game time (8:30 am) temp was around 75, had some threatening clouds behind us, but we outran them. As we left our campsite, the boys were fired up to see what adventures and challenges lay ahead. As we worked our way through town, we crossed the Mighty Mississippi over Centennial Bridge to an area called Rock Island. This was a Saturday morning, and was eerily, in fact spooky...there was noone there, at all. Riley was freaking out a bit. No cars, no shops open, no people walking around. Stephen King would've loved this. It was Children of the Corn (not a good reference...very scary actually), the City Version. As we worked our way through to Moline, we asked some folks how to get to the Heppenin Canal Trail. They had no clue..we were on our own. Then to East Moline, then to a Pizza Hut in Colona. Nicest guy, gave us the best news...we were 4 blocks from the 105 mile trailhead. The boys knocked down a medium pepperoni in no time and off we went to the Canal. This trail was crushed rock, not exactly the smoothest service for our 485 lb rig, but what made things more challenging, were all of the washouts that we had to push our machine up and around. Those 'Warning' Signs worked Dylan and Riley's pscyhe a bit.
Now, we were rolling along for miles, which is fine. The problem was the unbelievable heat and humidity. The guy at the Pizza Hut said this was the hottest day of the year...lucky us. Lot's of stops, I was WAY overheated and we were running out of liquids, so off the trail we went and worked our way to a town called Atkinson. Through corn field after corn field, all incredibly manicured and very well kept. A smattering of soy bean fields as well. A Red truck passed us with the dogs screaming at us to get over...we soon became friends with those dogs.
As we turned the final corner of our now, 9 1/2 hour ride (yes, I felt like 'SurvivorMan/Daddy style) we pulled up to the first restaurant we had seen in 4 hours, Gordo's Barn. Sitting at the bar were a group of unbelievably nice folks, smiling and wondering what on earth we were doing on a bike on a hot day like this. Our goal for the day was another 10 miles away, called Sheffield, the boys were cooked, so one of the guys there was Bernie. Bernie is our hero. I asked Bernie if he knew someone with a truck because the boys (and of course myself) were toast. The idea of another 10 miles was not pleasant one bit. After a wonderful round of Sprites and Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bernie said that he was picking up Pizzas for his family, and if we wanted, he'd give us a ride back to his house, eat with his posse and he'd run us to Sheffield. Yup, fine idea Bernie. His home...unbelievable, his family...perfect and exactly what you'd hope families in these parts would be. Tons of kids, great big beautiful yard and Riley and Dylan had new ears to listen to their tales. And yes, those dogs that were barking...Bernie's. Turns out, this was Bernie's home since he was married, some forty-plus years ago, and the pizza, apparently celebration for that very day, was their wedding anniversary.
Dylan in the back of the pickup, with Blackjack, said, "This is the greatest day of my life...I never rode in the back of a pickup before!" Mom may not have approved, but this was a Manly Man's trip, right?
A short night at our very favorite, Best Western (with an icy cold swimming pool, made my legs shake), and we were off again.

Rained OUT!!!!

2009-08-07T08:53:00.001-07:00

The road trip out to Davenport was great, but long. Left the house at 4:15 a.m. and we were fired up. Stopped by at Ft. Kearney Archway Museum. The boys and I walked through time, very similar to the Oregon Trail Museum in Baker City, Oregon. Amazing how tame this buffalo was, he was decidedly big as you can see. This museum is located exactly equidistant between the Pacific and Atlantic shores of the U.S.

Friday, we were rarin' to go. Up and at it early, packed up and ka-boom! The rain came down hard. Our 'go' or 'no-go' decision was to stay put and wait it out. A bit of time at the Library, and we're off to explore the raging city life of Davenport. Perhaps tomorrow we'll be able to unleash the fury of Blackjack!

NEXT UP, IOWA!!!

2009-08-03T07:29:00.001-07:00

Well, no doubt we've had one heckuva busy summer. Looked like work was going to keep us from our ride this year, but of course, the boys would hear nothing of it. Dylan and Riley have been very active this summer, lot's of exercise and they should be in tip top shape. Their Dad on the other hand, is now 40, and hasn't been gracing the gym as much as he should've. Oh well, that's why they make Advil, right?

The Plan! We're off to the Mississippi River and Davenport, Iowa. Nothing like the balmy August confines of the Midwest, but we'll figure out a way to get comfy. We'll go due East (with tailwinds we hope) and go to Sheffield, then Starved Rock State Park. Work our way up Morris, to the birthplace of Bob the Builder, aka Grandpa and possibly sneak in a movie in Joliet, finally cracking the urban roads of Chicago. The Cubs and their hot dogs should be ready for us.

OK...not picking up from Sun Valley to connect East. I decided that stretch is for us when the boys get a little older....stay tuned!

Finito!

2008-07-02T04:25:00.001-07:00

The final day! Again, bittersweet victory! The winds were howeling between Boise and Mountain Home, so with a heavy heart, but happy tush, we made the decision to not travel in the high and dangerous crosswinds. Our traditionally fun downhills, were downright dangerous and only able to sustain 6-7 mph. So, our final SAG was at hand. Gail and Dennis Daugherty lifted us up and out of the windy foothills and up to Hailey. Blackjack was ready to go, and we took our 'victory lap' up a beautiful perfectly manicured and wildflowery trail towards Sun Valley. We were all set to surpise Hannah and Mommy with our early arrival, and wouldn't you know it...their flight was cancelled and delayed a day. BIG BUMMER! But, that's how the cookie crumbled for us. The weather was perfect, and a couple hours of relaxed riding (although the altitude started to effect me, a little embarrassing for a Colorado guy don't you think?) and there was our turn off for Elkhorn/Sun Valley. Dylan and Riley were ready to be done, but excited for next year. I'm so sad that it's over, but VERY happy to see Kelly and Hannah....we pulled into the Burnham's driveway, and poetically I think, we weren't too quick to dismount. We just sat there for a moment quietly, trying to fully realize the moment. Just then, up popped Bill Burnham's face in the window, quickly followed by Kaye's. Let the champagne and Sprite bottles open! Reality now starts to set in, I'm stunned that we made it, literally, stunned. I can honestly say, Riley and Dylan never complained once. They have proven to be tougher than their Dad (which isn't saying much), they are cooler than their Dad, better than their Dad. When I grow up I want to be just like them!

The end is near....

2008-07-02T03:52:00.001-07:00

Bittersweet, that's all I can say. With the end in sight, for our first stage across the U.S., I'm sad to see it coming to an end, but excited to cross our finish line. In my head, I'm trying to figure out a way to convince Kelly to come next year and hook up Hannah, doubt that'll happen. It's painful to be away from them for so long, but, we've had a blast! A few are interested in my equipment and experiences physically, so heeeere we go....

1. Blackjack, who's real name is Hase Pino Tour. Not a flat on the trip, no problems whatsoever, except for a front clamp that gave me fits at the beginning. It held the kids crankset on, but we got 'er handled. The weight of this goliath was insane, so all the chain problems, shifting stress and concerns and braking issues never materialized.

2. Garmin 705 GPS. If you love biking, buy this, it was amazing. The only bug came into play when we had to travel on the Interstate for a few legs. It's programming was set to, rightfully, avoid interstate travel, so it kept trying to kick me off on strange side routes with our mapping. Otherwise, a very cool and useful toy.

3. Sidi shoes, can't say enough about them. They fit and perform great. I am still nursing my sprained ankle (at times, it was throbbing), so my Shimano clips had to be set very loose on my left, worked out ok. Pearl Izumi shorts, great fit of course, had to wear 2 pair during our long days for extra padding, tired tush, but no saddle sore issues throughout. Arkel packs. If you are planning a tour, get Arkel, I researched the heck out of bags and these treated me VERY well. Black Diamond Skyview ultra-light tent rocked, and even held up to our pounding as we killed dozens of mosquitos against the inside. The boys clipped in with Fly kids SPD shoes and they worked well, this kept their feet safe whenever they dozed off too.

4. Assos Chamois cream...magic in a bottle!

5. 'Superfly' camp stove, ultralight and worked extremely well. REI should sign me as their new spokesman. Heck, if Jared can sell sandwiches for Subway....

Maybe we overpacked, but not by much. The rural nature of much of the ride had me worried, so we did overpack water and food just in case. The ultralight Thermarest bed rolls were good, but I wished they were a bit more comfortable and lighter for the cost. Our REI sleeping bags were magnificent and very light/easy to pack. All in all, it was fun to research every component for the trip, and to see how they performed, I don't see any regrets with our equipment choices. Graduating from the kids bracket to the adult front crankset will sure be nice, the boys say they're ready for next year...I hope I am!

4:45am? Dad...?

2008-07-02T03:38:00.001-07:00

The heat wave was cramping our style, so the only way for us to try and stay on schedule was to leave at dawn. So, the alarm went off at 4:45am and we broke camp and were pedaling by 5:45. We were met with a perfect morning, as we left for Ontario and perhaps Caldwell. We took a few shortcuts and cut through acre after acre of farmland, following the Snake River and the tremendous amount of water they have in the region for irrigation. The heat did shut us down around 10am, so Ontario we stopped. We checked out the new Pixar movie, Wall-E, loved it, and the boys got to play in a Carl's Jr Playground for awhile, life is good. Off to Caldwell to meet up with the Daughertys, then to Meridian for some Boondocks Amusement Park fun. A storm blew in, so the boys had to endure an extended couple of hours at Boondocks, how unfortunate for them. A quick evening trek to Boise with the end now in sight. I'm sad that it's coming to an end, we're having a blast, but are really missing Hannah and Kelly a lot.

I got one! I got one!

2008-07-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

The hot, hilly and sage brush covered areas of Eastern Oregon led us all through the Oregon Trail. When we stopped in Baker City to visit the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center (a must see if you're in the area, what a well done visitor center), we too started to feel like those dusty covered wagon travelers ( I had a yoke with two Oxen named Riley and Dylan pulling our load!). A few SAGs were needed to bring us up some unpassable passes above Pendleton and LaGrande, but we worked our way South East to the 105 degree Farewell Bend State Park. Even with the temperatures soaring, we decided to pick up a couple of fishing poles and drop our lines. Dylan yelled, "I got one! I got one!", and promptly reeled in one of his 7 Crappies. Riley also faired well with 6, one fewer than Dylan (they kept an accurate count), but to keep things even, Riley did manage to land the biggest mother at a whopping 8 1/2 inches! (For this Dad, watching your boys reel in a fish is about the most perfect feeling in the World!) Tent camping couldn't have been more fun, if you notice, Dylan's BIG HAIR after climbing out of the sack the second morning (I kept thinking of our friend Timolyn that reminds us to 'let your freak fly.) Lucky for us, Grandma and Grandpa pulled into Farewell Bend with their Air conditioned Motorhome. This gave both Dylan and me one heckuva great 2 hour midday nap! By the way, No cell phone coverage, which I now find as a true luxury! Dehydrated food stinks...avoid it at all costs...

2008-07-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, it's Kelly here! Ryan and the boys spent last night in Boise!! They're doing well after a long day of riding! They didn't have cell phone access for a few days so Ryan hasn't been able to update the blog. However, I wanted to let you know that they plan to be in Sun Valley tomorrow night or Thursday morning!!! Hannah and I are so excited to see them! I'm sure Ryan will update as soon as he can!

2008-06-26T10:26:00.001-07:00

The boys are tougher than their Dad! The constant incline from the Pacific would most like be undetectable on a tour bike, but our barge of a bike pulls us back on every hill. But, the smiles keep coming. We have tunes blasting most of the time ( Riley prefers The Jonas Brothers and Dylan lives The Naked Brothers Band). From Cascade Locks, we went to The Dalles, to Rufus, and just west of Boardman. This 3 day jaunt was hot, hilly, and tough! Great news though, Grandma and Grandpa picked up the boys and their roadkill Dad and took us up the impossibly steep climb from Pendleton to La Grande. We learned early on what grades our 480lb Blackjack could successfully conquer..and what we couldn't. Dylan started writing in his journal, and Riley is all about skipping rocks and telling jokes. I'm feeling like we're living a similar movie-plot moment from The River Runs Through It. No physical problems yet, except Dylan and I have some seriously sore tushes!

2008-06-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

Where do we start. Except that yesterday was the perfect day! We left East Portland or Troutdale at 9am in a light rain, and full rain gear. Had to stay on I-84 for about 10 miles, then hopped on the ultra-beautiful Historic Columbia River Highway. This newly paved and traffic-less road was more brutal for elevation climbs thant the I-84 route, but brought us under story-book lush canapies, a half dozen water falls, the REAL Smokey the Bear, photo op after photo op,and ultimately to a campground in Cascade Locks. The weather broke by the time we hit the bike route and climbed to a sunny 75 by the time our tent was going up. You'll see we had a major obstacle, where we had to take an alternate route to avoid a narrow traffic tunnel. We had to somehow, and slowly, drop Blackjack downa a few flights of old concrete staircases. Andy from Niwot Cycles came through, the front brake held all the weight as we gingerly decscended. Just about every tourist stared at us today, one guy saw our rig about 15-20 miles prior and was quick to throw atta-boys our way and encouraged us along. Dennis and Gail Daugherty have been so supportive I can't even tell you how much we wappreciate all they've done. Friday night we stayed in their RV after we found ourselves on the wrong side of the tracks in Portland...Dennis was just a phone call away, and then Gail proceeded to slop us hogs a magnificent feast. We did take the day before off and ate all day, plus Kung Fu Panda. The cab driver, John, brought his bird Chicka Chicka along, and he (the bird) proceeded to walk right over the center dashboard, turn around, and take a major dump all over my lap! Doesn'tthis bird know how hard it is to do laundry on the road like this? Tomorrow....maybe the Dalles, maybe farther, but the boys just found out that Grandma and Grandpa are now camped about 120 miles from Cascade Locks. Unbelievably, I don't think they need the motivation.

A HUGE Day!

2008-06-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

A HUGE Day! I tried to convince the boys otherwise, many times, but they were both convinced that we should make Portland by the end of the day. So, we left Claskanie at 8am, and here we sit, on the grass at a Hospital (just for the irony of it all) arriving in Portland at 7pm. Brutal, but an Olympic effort. Right out of Claskanie was an immediate steep climb, similar to leaving Vail heading East. The grade was so severe, that we had to walk the final 2+ miles. The weather was great, in fact too hot by mid day, but we are so thankful that it wasn't a typical rainy Oregon day. We stopped every once and a while, and even found a great park with some hungry geese. Rainier, St Helens and even Scappoose were great little towns, where each needed a personal Blackjack tour and explanation from Riley. Dylan continues to eat like a horse, the calorie burn rate must be astronomical. No riding tomorrow, perhaps a movie or 2 and lots of rest. I'm very proud of the boys, very little, in fact no complaining. I think they found a groove today!

And we're off!

2008-06-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

And we're off! Here we are dipping the traditional rear wheels in the Pacific, although it is more riverlike, there are sea lions that make their way to this boat launch area known as John Day. Working our way up and feeling all of our 480 combined pounds, the hills started to take their toll. Clatskanie is our first destination. Not as far as we had hoped, but a major accomplishment to ascend as a team. Bald Eagles, a deer 5 feet from us, and a gorgeous blue sky hiding behind the lush green overgrowth of a rain forest. I don't know how, our muscles are screaming, but we are still smiling and able to laugh on this first and very challenging day.

Carter Lake was no match for R & D!

2008-05-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

OK, I can't believe it, but Riley and Dylan helped power us up the south switchbacks up to Carter Lake. This was a bit insane, but all part of the plan with the wonderful Community Bike Tour that our good friends at Banner Health hosted on Sunday May 18th.

After 16 miles or so, we pulled off and looked at the face of this mountain...the decision was that the only way we could make it up, is if everyone pedaled. If any one of us quit, we were done for. Riley and Dylan didn't blink an eye, and up we went, all 390 lbs of us! I looked down and we weren't even going 3.0 mph, but we were moving.

I couldn't catch my breath at all, and Dylan says, "Dad, tell us a story.'' Ain't a good time D-Man.

We feel we're more ready now though....one month to go until lift off!

Over the River!

2008-05-16T11:40:00.001-07:00

If Hannah had anything to say about it, she'd say, "Use a Bungee Cord!!!' to cross the Columbia River....Well, we in fact have changed our routing plans for our June 19th Ridin for Rotary launch.

We will leave Astoria as planned, on June 19th, where we will meet Gail and Dennis Daugherty with Blackjack. They have been so gracious, and will bring our contraption to us with their trusty Cummins Turbo Diesel and 40' Toy Box.

After much research, we will now go through St. Helens, Portland, follow the Columbia River across to the East and in and out of Washington until Umatilla. Then we'll drop down through Pendleton, Baker City, Boise and Mountain Home. Then.....the really ugly climb up through Faifield and finish (like there's really a chance) in Sun Valley.

A big training ride this Sunday in Loveland for a McKee Hospital Charity drive with the boys. Ironic, that one of our final big rides is for a hospital, don't you think?

Blindfold Mommy!

2008-04-30T13:44:00.001-07:00

So what do you do? Your Dad's foot is swollen, looks like a grape, no chance for a bike ride....Let's blindfold Mommy, with her own shirt, and play "pin-the-head-on-the-snake." Riley's version of Pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. Mom did ok, by the way...

More importantly, Dad did go for a ride Tuesday! 2 hours and not much complaining. His ankle must be getting better.

Also, the great 3rd Graders and 1st Graders in Mr. Peterson's class at Niwot Elementary got to hear our Blackjack Rider presentation today. Tell the World, we're raising money for dictionaries and every little penny helps!

Collision on the tennis court!

2008-04-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Oh, come on! Kel and I were out for a mixed doubles tennis tournament Sunday, when a nice little lob shot sent both of us racing for the ball at Mach 10. Of course, we are not good enough to remember to call for the shot, so bammo! Kel did a slide across the court, a nice slide actually, Matt Holliday from the Rockies would've been proud. I took my left ankle about 90 degrees in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, a 3rd degree sprain, but no break after x-rays Monday. We'll be off the bike for at least a week, but no more tennis for me for a while. Anybody want to take my spot with Kelly? Maybe a helmet and mouthguard would be a good idea.....never a dull moment with the Ferreros!

Skydiving with Riley and Dylan

2008-04-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday April 13th:

Kel and Hannah had plans and a bit of a cold, so Dylan and Riley agreed to head out for a long day on BlackJack. We left at 11:15 and didn't get back until 3:30. Had to stop at Niwot Cycles for some D-licious Sport Beans, went by the IBM park, headup into Boulder and up Boulder Creek path. Lots of curious looks, everyone was wondering what kind of 'contraption' were we riding...a stop at McDonald's to reward a job well done and on home we went. Unfortunately, we dumped the bike for the first time. Found out that tight right hand turns jackknifes the trailer, so after a few minor bumps and a tear or two, we were ok.

The excitement for the day, was stopping at a park, looking at a strange pole with some ribbons hanging from it, and then looking up to see skydivers coming down right on top of us. Never a dull moment in Boulder County!

Ridin' For Rotary Covered in The Coloradoan

2008-04-07T09:43:00.000-07:00

Father, sons to ride 800 miles to supply dictionaries for students - Ryan Ferrero’s years of biking to work from Niwot to Loveland have prepared him for perhaps his greatest challenge: lugging nearly 420 pounds — including his own weight — from Astoria, Ore., to Sun Valley, Idaho, on a three-week bike trip.

Ridin' For Rotary Overview

2008-04-01T09:05:00.001-07:00

"Ridin' For Rotary" is a 3-summer, fundraising coast-to-coast bicycle tour that is set to begin June 19th, 2008 by 9-year old Riley Ferrero, 7-year old Dylan Ferrero and crazy dad, Ryan Ferrero (39 for those keeping score).

Route:
Between June 19th and July 3rd, the boys will be dipping the traditional rear-tire in the Pacific in Astoria, Oregon, then the Ferreros will ride a self-supported 800-mile solo tour through the Oregon Cascade Mountain Range, through Boise and completing their first of three legs in Sun Valley, Idaho. Summer 2009 and 2010 will complete the journey in Washington DC where the front wheel will be dipped in the Atlantic.

Purpose:
Every third-grader in the Thompson R2-J School District receives a beautiful color dictionary courtesy of the Loveland Rotary Club. Ridin' for Rotary will be a charitable ride that will seek donations to support this dictionary project, with a goal of more than $5,000. Coordinated through the Loveland Rotary Club ( www.lovelandrotary.org ), we will raise money to ensure that every 3rd Grader receives the New Heritage full-color hard-backed Dictionary.

The Riders:
Riley Ferrero is a third grader, 9 years old, likes skiing, snowboarding, reading, Wii and baseball. Dylan Ferrero is a first grader, 7 years old, likes skiing, reading, basketball and guitar. Ryan Ferrero loves his kids, but will reassess his feelings after 800 miles on their bike together.

The Hardware:
German company Hase, is currently producing a special tandem hybrid bike for this event. The bike is called a Pino Tour. The front child sits in a recumbent fashion (the stoker), while Dad sits in a traditional tour geometry (captain). Tailing along is the Hase Trets recumbent trailer. This bike gives great safety and allows riders to hold easier conversations.

Niwot Cycles, www.NiwotCycles.com, is helping sponsor our event.

We need you!
We need your support and a little bit of luck!

We need to know if your company wants to donate to this great (and test of wills) event. Several newspapers are interested in covering the tour, along with tour photo blogs and blogs written by the boys. We are hoping that 9News will also feature the event as a featured children's fitness story. But who knows, the point is to really ride, survive and support kids, through our dictionaries.

So, no rules here. Call me with any questions or if you have a way to talk me out of this. If you want to support "Ridin' for Rotary" send your donations to:

Ridin' for Rotary
4040 Byrd Drive
Loveland, Colorado 80538