Wray to McCook to Minden

Tuesday was an awesome day, despite a strong headwind which made the ride intense. My dad and I (Mark) rode with Jim Holwerda, Katrina, and Nancy. We acted as the windbreakers, pulling the others along. You really got to see a pace line at work that day. There was such a difference from leading in the front to following in the draft behind. I felt really good that day, must be from that energy-rich oatmeal breakfast, yum yum. So we arrived at camp around 3:30 in Wray, Colorado. Our tent was quickly set up in the park and we went off to explore the town. Turns out that there was a public pool which was free for Sea to Sea cyclists (multiple towns have done this). Well, this wasn't just some ordinary, diving board public pool. This pool had a kid's water park place, and two water slides, a yellow and green one. Now, the yellow water slide was longer, but slower. The green water slide was "wicked" (in the words of Ed) fast, but shorter. So you decide, which one to go down. I went down both and had a super duper time.
Camp supper that night was amazing with mashed potatoes, peas, salad, beans, and cherry cobbler for desert - absolutely delicious. Our cooks really know how to make food or it's just that we'll eat anything after a long hot day of biking.
In addition to all the fun we have been having, there have been some serious accidents. So please pray for the safety of all the Sea to Sea riders. Three cyclists have had to leave the tour - Arnie, Tyler, and Cynthia. We miss each very much. The community really takes a toll when any rider is hurt. Please pray for quick recoveries and comfort.


Wednesday was a not-so-awesome day. The wind was just wild. It was like a huge fan blowing in your face. I don't think that I believe in tailwinds any more. The day was frustrating to me. You wanted to go faster, but the wind held you back. You got saddle sore. The sag wagons and towns just didn't come soon enough. It was just too hot outside. So, as I said, it was a tough day. However, there were good things too. We made it into camp. We got a slushy and Arby's jamocha shake. The sun was shining (even though it was too hot). We got to ride through three states - Colorado, Kansas (a detour off route), and Nebraska. So, I guess it was a good day looking back on it. When you're riding it's tough though, each pedal stroke can be a drag. But, Once you get into camp, your energy is renewed almost like that. A shower freshens you up and you feel as if you could do the whole ride again, or just take a nap in the shade. So, that day we went from Wray, Colorado to McCOOK, Nebraska (our sixth state).


Thursday, today, was an awesome day again. I'd have to say that it was amazing. We woke up at 6:00, packed our tent, ate breakfast, prepared our bikes, and were on the road by 7:30. The was a no wind, such a blessing. Then, as the day progressed, a tailwind grew and grew. Suddenly, instead of just going 18mph we started to go 22mph. Our speed dramatically increased which made the day wonderful. It was nice to move along at a good pace after days of crawling around in a headwind. My dad and I stopped at a gas station for a slushy, cherry and blue raspberry flavored. It's a tradition now to get at least one during the route. In fact, we keep our cup in my bike bag so that we can get refill prices.
My dad and I arrived in town at about 1:30pm. The gear truck was still locked. So we had to tour around town. While meandering the streets, a small boy on a bike shouted out a greeting. He was a salesman, shouting out the good news that just 'round the corner there was a lemonade stand. Only 25 cents was the price. He was so compelling, that we had no choice. My dad and I went to the corner of 2nd and Colorado to find the homemade lemonade stand with beach chairs alongside the road. We drank our fill. Then off we went again. This time in search of "Southfork," a local cafe praised highly by the lemonaders. We found the place eventually and were taken aback by the air conditioning. What a treat. So we just had to split a cheeseburger and basket of fries (their special), along with a chocolate malt and cyclone (ice cream with candy bar). It was great. I wish we could've stayed. They were hiring, but not shifts for the "short time/one day" I was thinking about.
At camp now we're resting up. My dad, Denise Bentum, and I are sitting in the shade. My dad's sleeping, I'm blogging, and Denise is just thrilled that she learned how to make a slide show on her computer. It's pretty hot out now, but we do have the usual iced tea and strawberry-lemonade in large jugs. We're keeping cool.
Well, that's all for now. Sorry, we couldn't keep you updated sooner. The satellite for internet seems to be taking a few days off. Hopefully we can get up some pictures later on.

And, for all who wish to know, we have met Ralph Fledderus. He's a great guy.

Denver to Fort Morgan

Monday we had a terrible headwind. I (Mark) think it blew so hard that we can remember nothing else about that day. However, there are a few highlights. the beginning of the day started with about 18 miles on the South Platte Bike Trial in Denver. What a smooth, scenic ride. there even was a Starbuck's for my dad on the side. We weaved our way around the outskirts of downtown, viewing the Six Flags Great America and Wesco field. As we carried on into the country, the headwinds mounted up against us. We rode through barren plains dehydrated and eager to be out of the sun. Our directions were limited and we sometimes had no idea which way we were headed. So as we plodded on with no real knowledge of the road before us, a 7-11 appeared before us. There we took our daily pit stop in Fort Morgan, or what we thought was. We downed a few slushies (I bet we've tried every flavor by now) and a pop or two. This is how you hydrate. Stop and drink slushies. The ground ice does wonders for your hot, sweaty, weary body.
As we rode into camp, a storm began to brew. The clouds darkened and took on an ominous face. the wind picked up and blew in gust, throwing sand this way and that in the wind. We did make camp though before the storm and decided quite quickly not to set up our tent. So to wait out the storm, we went to find the showers and wash our laundry. The storm never did hit us, though we did get a few raindrops during supper. And so, after filling ourselves on hot dogs and watermelon, we opted to not set up camp entirely and sleep in the gym. Lights went off automatically at 10pm and came back on at 6am, ensuring us an early start for the next day (luckily we found some mats extra mats to sleep on behind the bleachers). We slept well and woke up early, actually heading out on the road at about 7:30am versus the normal 8:00am - quite an improvement I'd say. Our goal was to beat the headwind which rises at noon. And so, to hear about today's, Tuesday's, adventures you'll have to read on later when we post them(since I want to eat supper now and perhaps get seconds on cherry cobbler), .

Sunday, July 27

Today we rode a total of 4 miles to and from Denver Christian High School to Englewood Christian School for the celebration service. At the celebration service we all celebrated communion together in the football stands in the hot, sunny weather. After the celebration service the local churches who put on the service hosted a sloppy joe, watermelon, chip, and homemade cookie lunch. Loving those homemade cookies. Thanks.
This afternoon a bunch of us went downtown Denver. We walked through the downtown mall area, visited a catholic cathedral to take a peak inside, rode an old time bike with the huge wheel in the front and a tiny wheel in the bike, listened to street performers, etc. Downtown Denver kept us busy for the afternoon. While we were downtown my dad was doing laundry for several people including us at a locals house who he met at the celebration service and offered up their washer and dryer. A big thanks to my dad for doing laundry and to the people who let us borrow their washer and dryer. It will be so nice to have actual clean laundry verses just sink or shower washed laundry.
This evening the churches hosted dinner for us. The kitchen staff was so excited for the break and they deserved it. 15 new people hopped onto the tour and 15 people left. Hopefully they feel welcome and confident as they begin their adventure.
Mark got a haircut today and was mistaken as a new rider in camp. Mark really appreciated the trim. He had been growing out his hair for quite awhile so a friend who went to cosmetology school out here could cut his hair in a professional manner. Thanks Bri! Good to see yah and say hi to the family.
Looking forward to a new week. We are headed out of the mountians now and into the plain states. May the wind be at our backs otherwise the flats may feel like the mountains.

Saturday, July 26

Today we rode 86 miles from Snow Mountain Ranch to Denver. Many people said that is was one of their best and favorite ride yet. The day started of great as every Saturday does with pancakes and bacon for breakfast. We make sure that no pancakes go to waste. In the morning we climbed Berthoud(?) Pass to I think 11,000 feet. What a gorgeous view! At the top we were surprised with Jelly Bellys and watermelon. Thanks to whoever had this ready for us! Gotta love the Jelly Bellys!
After Bethoud Pass we cruised downhill for a long time all the way pretty much into Idaho Springs, maybe 20 miles(?). I (Eric) hit 47.9 mph. What a rush! No worries I do balance out tucking to get speed and standing up for sight seeing as I go down. I don't want to miss the sights, but going fast is a blast.
We rode down through another canyon today, pretty much all downhill with a rushing river tumbling alongside the road. We rode through multiple small Colorado mountain towns. Some had art fests, pancake breakfasts, and the like going on. About 4 miles from our camp in Denver we were welcomed by a church with chips, gatorade, and water. Thanks! Then to our surprise as we pulled into Denver Christian High School we were greeted with cheerleaders, goodie bags, mail, free hair cuts in the school gym, homemade cookies, free postcards, and an ice cream social. What hospitality! Thanks so much to all who made this happen! You have represented Denver well and we have not even had the celebration service and lunch afterwards yet. And I am now typing this blog in the Denver Christian HS library. Thanks for opening the school up to us. Many of us were bilited(?spelling?) (P.S. I just learned what this word means a couple of weeks ago. I am convinced it is a Canadian word thing or something.) or we can sleep in the school gym or our tents. Thank God for the blessing of such welcoming and encouraging hospitality. In this western segment of the tour we have not seen many people because there is a lot of just wilderness between here and there, but I am looking forward to the eastern section more and more because it will be cool to see all the communities who have helped support this tour and the cause and also spread the word more to new people. We are on our way. We take the tour a day at a time. God is faithful and His mercies are new every morning.

Friday, July 25

So I think Mark already did this blog, but yesterday we rode 34 miles from Kremling to Snow Mountain Ranch. The ride was beautiful. During one part of the ride we rode through a canyon river with a rushing river running down the canyon along the roadside. I (Eric) was so excited to arrive at Snow Mountain Ranch because I knew that there were a bunch of Calvin kids there (about 40) who were working there for the summer with a joint program that Calvin and Snow Mountain Ranch runs called the Leadership Challenge Institute. I walked into the front desk area, the gift shop, and the swimming pool and out popped all these familiar faces in an unfamiliar place to me, so exciting. Thanks to Rachel and Allison we got a narrated tour of the SMR grounds. After dinner they even took a group of us on a hike to some waterfalls. I the way back from the waterfalls we saw a beaver swimming in the mountian stream tumbling alongside the path we were hiking on. Thanks so much Rachel and Allison for these great adventures! It was great also sharing dinner with all you who tried out the biking camp dinner with us. I think they were impressed with what we eat on the road. We have some great cooks on our support crew!
Last night we also had a farwell service for the 15 people who are stopping in Denver. We also add 15 new riders this weekend in their place. Each person leaving gave a little farwell speech and 1 or 2 people then shared their fond memories of that person on the trip. Beautiful words just flowed out of the speakers mouths, words of testimony, encouragement, and good times. It was quite something to sit there and listen. After these speeches we all shared communion together. What a beautiful thing! That is who we are and what and why we are all about. We are the body of Christ, all brothers and sisters. Thank God for the blessing of being a part of His family!

Craig to Kremmling and Kremmling to Winter Park

Yesterday, we biked from Craig to Kremmling. The ride was absolutely amazing despite its humongous Rabbit Ears Pass. The route was 95 miles and took us through the mountains. There was a tough headwind, but working together in a pace line you could pull through. Our team consisted of my dad, Tyler B., Nathan Beach, and myself. we were rolling along fine until a clanking noise arose and I discovered a broken spoke in my rear wheel. So my dad and I stopped, the others we waved on, and attempted to repair the damage. Well, it would've been done, however, our local bike shop had given us the wrong spoke length. So I rode crippled for 5 miles until we entered the very tourist-oriented town of Steamboat Springs. The bike shop there repaired us in a jiffy and we were off again. The climb came next,6 miles out of Steamboat. So our muscles were tested. And, we found that after four weeks of biking, mountains aren't that bad after all. I made sure to take plenty of pictures while riding up because it helps break up the time. I don't stop to take the pictures though, I've worked on this coordinated riding-picture taking process. Finally, after about an hour of climbing, I reached the summit, or shat I thought appeared to be the top of the pass. It turns out that I was wrong. Rabbit Ears is a unique pass in that it is rolling at the top. What was my "summit," was five miles from the true peak. So I trudged on, taking only a slight break to eat an "otter pop" provided by the Carpenter family.
There at the pinnacle of this mountain, an hour and a half of climbing, I reached the continental divide which separates the watersheds. The pass had been conquered and
I rejoiced.
The rest of that days ride was primarily downhill. I took it easy, riding by myself in order to experience the vast wilderness of Colorado. Mountains surrounded me, closing me in. the grasses would sway in the wind, undulating their tendrils while wildflowers would bob their heads at the sun. Rocks loomed over the road, stating their formidable presence. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the trip. Walter's stop came near the end. he gave us watermelon - what a treat for weary cyclists. Around 4:00 we arrived in Craig. My dad and I quick took a break inside a Wendy's for some shakes and fries. We had finally hit civilization again. Fast food restaurants were in abundance.

Today we rode from Craig to Winter Park. We're staying at the YMCA, otherwise known as Snow Mountain Ranch. During the ride, our shortest yet (34 miles) we passed through many small towns. Riders took breaks all over the place. Coffee and Breakfast shops were booming with business as 150 hungry cyclists rode by. Our route took us through Byer's Canyon. What an impressive sight. Tall cliffs made of jagged rock loomed on both sides of us. A stream flowed along our right, bubbling away. Also to add to the picturesque view was a railroad track with an occasional train or two. This canyon was the best part of the day.
My dad stopped for coffee, breakfast, and lunch. Eric and I stopped for nothing. We were eager to arrive at the ranch and explore the many activities offered to us. Our first adventure as finding a campsite. The ground here was pine cone ridden and stump laden. Bumps and weeds abounded all around. I found the perfect spot though. Only after removing about 30 pine cones.
After establishing our presence in camp and clearing the ground, Eric, Kevin, Peter, Denise, and I headed into the swimming pool at the ranch. What a sight! Water is so awesome when you're hot and sweaty. The pool filled up quickly with Sea to Sea cyclists. I think we scared the lifeguards with our numbers. All ended well though. No one had to be rescued. Alex did have a sore stomach after a few belly flops. and some others turned red from the sauna.
Now, everything is cooling down. I'm waiting for supper. Each night it's a mystery. hopefully tonight is something like lasagna. We'll see. I have heard that there is an ice cream social tonight. I think I'll go to it, gotta carbo load or whatever you know.

Wednesday, July 23

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Today we rode 86 miles from Dinosaur, CO to Craig, CO. I (Eric) left at 7:45 am and arrived in camp at 1:45 pm. Boy oh boy, was it ever good to get into camp early. I stopped only for pit stops and water. I surprised myself by riding on a banana, apple, and some grapes all day, but I devoured my lunch once I got to camp. Yesterday we took an hour break to eat our sack lunches in a McDonald’s. I think that let my body cool down a little to much because my legs felt like concrete after that. May it was because we ate so much at one time for lunch too that did me in.
Prairie dogs popped up along the road today. This part of US-40 had much more of a shoulder than yesterday so we were not literally inches from death like we were yesterday due to the big semi trucks just grazing by. Although, I was chased down by a big tractor which could only go 24 mph, but I could keep that pace so he eventually passed me. I wish I could have stayed with him to keep his draft, but no go there.
The whole route today was like a hilly roller coaster, so much fun. It is such a rush going 40 mph downhill when after only climbing at 5 mph uphill.
We are at a school again so we actually have decent showers again. What a convenience that we have got so used to at schools in being able to use their locker room showers!
Craig is a big city compared to Dinosaur. The view was gorgeous riding in – mountains in the distance with what looked like rain falling on them. So far Colorado has been all mountains. It is nice to have that rolling variety verses just flat land. From a local I heard that tomorrow will be another tough day because we have quite a steep pass to climb. We are all getting stronger physically and mentally though. I think I can say that I like these 90 mile days better than the only 40 or so mile days that we started with. You feel like you have accomplished something and you aren’t looking for things to do with a long afternoon in camp. Although that dead time can be nice at times too.
Phew. The honey wagon that travels with us just pulled up. It gives off quite a stench, just a reality of the every day road travel.
I rode pretty much alone all day today. In a way that was nice because then you are not so vigilant on staring at somebody’s back tire in a pace line and you can enjoy the surrounding scenery a little more. Today was the day for that. Well, almost everyday is I guess. We woke up at 6 am and left a little earlier today, 7:45 am, which gave us a little more cool to ride in. That is priceless. Today we hit 100 degrees on our bike computers as usual. Ride on!

Tuesday, July 22

Tuesday, July 22

Yesterday, Monday, July 21, we biked from Jordenelle State Park to Duschene. We climbed to 9450 feet in the beautiful Utah mountains with pine forest, flowing streams, and wildlife such as deer and moose on UT-35. However when we turned from UT-35 onto UT-208 the landscape seemed to change from green, stream trickling mountains to rocky, shrubby, dry steam bed mountains. At the celebration service on Sunday a local mentioned that on our ride this week we would see why the dinosaurs died. After peleton, our evening meeting, we were surprised with ice cream as a special treat. It was my dad’s birthday yesterday. I guess the kitchen staff knew by coincidence.
Today we biked from Duschene to Dinosaur. It was already 81 degrees when started on the road at 8:10 am this morning. We were some of the last to leave before the sweep team. Most people tend to leave by 7 am or even 6 am on these long 90 mile days that we have been having back to back.
The first 60 miles of the day seemed to cruise right on by down interstate 40. We rode interstate almost all 80 miles today and we will again tomorrow. It is absolutely breath-takingly crazy when a semi passes by you only about a foot from your shoulder. Pray for safety because these roads are crazy at times. Although the past three evenings we have seen a rainbow in the sky. God must be reminding us that He is with us and watching over us every pedal stroke of the way. As for the last 30 miles they were straight-up grueling for everyone. A wicked side/head wind slowed our pass down to about 10 mph unless you got so sick and mad at going that slow that you just ground out 15 mph tops. We were even going downhill at 10 mph at times because the wind was putting up such a good fight. Phew, was it a joyous thing to see camp!

Hi Rachel. Peter just said you read this blog.

My dad and bother Mark actually decided that they did not do enough biking and biked 2 miles to Dinosaur National Monument. Then they biked up a bluff, 1000 feet, 4 miles, in the park. They said it was a sweet view of the surrounding area. Dinosaur is just another tiny little town. Tomorrow looks like today. Our directions are pretty much 86 miles down US-40. We’ll cross our fingers that we don’t make any wrong turns. There are really no wrong turns to make, because there are hardly any other roads or anything other than wilderness out here.

P.S. Mark ate lots of peppermints today to keep his throat moist.

Sunday July 20 Jordanelle State Park, UT (near Park City

The bike ride Saturday was 100 miles with big mountain climbs after Salt Lake City, the local church provided refreshements in SLC, and others did at the top of the mountain pass (our hardest so far). We briefly visited the Morman Temple area Saturday. We had a necessary relaxing Sunday in the state park. Thunder storms threatend some. But God showed us his favor with a rainbow during dinner Sunday night. Several churches provided dinner Sunday night - and we ate well. They lead a great worship service Sunday night in the pavilion by camp - music, messages,even the Hoflands were part. Larry drove one van shuttle to Park City for the morning and afternoon. Eric and Mark met a park ranger and he let them try out his wind surfer and kite. Big biking day again Monday and the rest of the week getting to Denver.

Oh, sleep is good - look at the photos.

Saturday, July 19

Saturday, July 19

Today we rode about 95 miles from Willard Bay State Park to Park City, Utah. This was our longest ride yet. We climbed quite a ways, but it was a blast. Well, before I go on about today’s adventures I should write about yesterday because we have not blogged on that yet.

So yesterday, Friday, July 18 we rode from Snowville to Willard Bay State Park. We were off and rolling from the tiny town off Snowville at about 7:30 am, but we stopped about 0.1 miles down the road for coffee and hot chocolate at Mollie’s Cafe. The coffee was calling my dad. We sat and talked while we sipped our coffee about the day ahead. We learned a little about Snowville from the two ladies running the café. The kids in Snowville get bused 38 miles to Tremonton(?) for school. Wow! Snowville is popular stop before the long, straight, drawn-out, nothing, but desert trip to Burley where we were the night before for gas and food. Snowville is home to O.S.I. which if I heard right fishes for brine shrimp out of the Great Salt Lake. Brine shrimp is really the only thing that lives in the lake.
Well we got done with our talking and sipping and the sweep team pulled up. My dad phoned work so we stayed and chatted some more while he talked on the phone. I (Eric) decided to just ride with the sweep team, primarily Heidi, Denise, and Theo. About 15 miles down the interstate which I guess we could not avoid riding on Heidi took a spill and needed a new wheel so we waited in the shade of an overpass for a new wheel from support crew. No worries and we got back rolling. Heidi is a tough cookie.
Further down the trail off the interstate we had fun taking goofy pictures at a rocket display. I guess out here in the dessert at this rocket sight they test rockets for space shuttles and stuff like that. As we got to Corrine at about mile 50 out of 65 we stopped at a local café called the Gold Spike Café. Heidi, Denise, and I have had a ravish hankering for French toast. Upon special request the cook cooked us up some French toast even though it was on the breakfast menu. Many bikers had stopped into this café earlier but since we were taking up the rear we were the only ones there.
We pedaled our last 15 miles on a great meal of French toast and lots of syrup in the heat and finally ended up at Willard Bay State Park, our camp spot, at 5 pm. Right by our camp was a beach to go swimming at on a big fresh water lake at the state park. Mountains towered around the camp. We had some delicious cheesecake with cherries on it along with chili and chips for dinner. Everyone was starting to get anxious for today so it was an early bed time at about 9:30 – 10 pm.

Today, Saturday, July 19, every one woke up early and anxious for this long 95 mile day with two long climbs that did not come until after the 60 mile mark. Breakfast was served at 6 am, a half of an hour early, and most people were out of camp by 7 am. We covered 55 miles by 10:15 am. We were fly down the flat to Salt Lake City where our climb for the day would begin. 1st CRC provided snacks for us in Salt Lake City and at the top of our first climb out of Salt Lake City. Thanks!
In Salt Lake City we – my dad, brother Mark, and I - took a couple side adventures. We visited the Mormon temple downtown and took pictures by some sweet cars at a local Ferrari dealer. We even handed out cars to the guys there and the owner. Maybe something will come of it, but at least we tried.
The rest of the day was a long, slow climb to camp through the mountains, tough but a total blast if you ask me. Some may beg to differ with me. Climbs do take work, but the scenery is beautiful, and the downhills are a rush.
We arrived at Jarnelle State Park at 4:30 pm. Some people did not arrive until after 8 pm because of the long day but they made it. The state park has a beautiful lake and we are looking forward to the day of rest tomorrow.

Burley to Snowville

Yesterday, Friday, was a rough day, or at least I (Mark) think so. From Burley, Idaho to Snowville, Utah, not only our muscles, but our minds were challenged. The route began with a climb. We had left at about 8:00am in order to escape part of the midday heat. The climb drained our strength, a long and gradual slope into the mountains. Upon reaching the top, we were looking into a valley as far as the eye could see and surrounded by mountains which loomed as shadows in the distance. So we descended into the valley, regaining lost time on the downhill. The beginning of the valley was scenic, a small town named Albion and patches of trees in the fields. However, as we progressed, the valley turned into a barren, desolate wasteland, covered by sagebrush. The road was long and straight. you could look down it for miles. A headwind began to grow ahead of us and our bikes somehow began to slow down. This wind lasted for the entire route. It was a challenge to continue pedaling, with the infinite long road and desert sprawled out ahead of you. We pushed through the wind though. Our paceline slowly covered the long and dull miles. I say dull because the majority of riders believe the scenery was boring. The sagebrush has become boring to them, but I still find it beautiful. There's just so much of it. I feel repetitive in describing this scenery, but it's so unique compared to the mountains and forests in Washington. So eventually we reached Snowville, a small back country town of about 300 people as we learned from the local cafe. Coming into town, my dad and I (Mark) were thoroughly exhausted. We decided immediately to take a long pit stop at the single Chevron gas station in town. Here we drank our fill of mountain dew, orange slushies, and chocolate milk. At first, I felt terrible after gulping down so much fluid so fast, but then, as time wore on, my spirits rose. I had energy again. So, for about 2 hours, my dad and I recovered in the air conditioned gas station. I never knew that gas station could be such a accommodating place. They even gave us free refills! Talk about hospitality. We thank them so much. It was just what we needed.
And so we rode into camp, ready to take our cold showers. The camp aids, Bill, Bert, and Ed had rigged a sower from tarps since the park we were staying at lacked traditional showers. In the end, what was a patch of nice grass turned into a squishy mud pit. I believe that we came out dirtier than cleaner. But, that's okay. We felt refreshed from the ice cold hose water. Supper that night consisted of pasta, all you can eat. So of course, we stuffed ourselves, eating noodle after noodle. Then, like a bear ready for its winter hibernation. We went to sleep. The night turned cold and we slept soundly. I believe that the ride was the toughest yet, harder than the mountain climb through Steven's pass. We'll see though, Denver is coming. I've got high expectations for an intense challenge.

In order to show our fatigue and exhaustion, we have included these nice pictures of us resting. This is how tough our day can be. We really need our sleep.
-sorry, technical difficulties, pictures coming this weekend

Eric's Gooding to Burley

Today we rode form Goodings to Burley. We left camp in Goodings at about 8 am for our 81 mile day. I (Eric) was feeling almost 100 % better than on Monday and Tuesday. I think I was tired from having too much fun going ice blocking and tubing over the weekend. The last two nights were some early bed times like before 10 pm. About 15 miles into the ride we stopped at Ted Miller’s dairy farm where we got a sneak peak at the milking operations. Fifty cows ran on a carrousel. One was milked every 12 seconds. The farmer set out coolers with milk and water for our refreshment. Just before Twin Falls, we passed a huge canyon at the bottom of which the Snake River flowed. We rode across a big iron bridge across the canyon into Twin Falls. Heidi and Denise said they saw a man jump off the bridge with a parasail! He landed on a grassy spot at the bottom of the canyon. This bridge is one of the few spots left in the United States where it is legal to base-jump. It is quite popular! A road wound to the bottom of the canyon where there was a smaller bridge, farming fields, homes, trees, and even a golf course. It was quite a beautiful canyon. About half way on our ride in Twin Falls we stopped at a local Reformed church who fed us subway sandwiches, fudge popsicles, orange cream popsicles, strawberry, white and chocolate milk, watermelon, and potato chips. A stellar lunch, I have to say! Thanks so much to that church! Perhaps this will happen more often if future churches hear how thankful we are for these lovely stops in our day. We also went a little off-route in Twin Falls to stop at Shoshone Falls, the Niagara Falls of the west. It was quite a majestic sight! The locals said that the water volume flowing over the falls was unusually high due to all the snow they got in the winter. We had to descend 1200 feet into the canyon to see the falls. Then we had to climb back up, but it was worth it. The ride down was a switchback rush, and the ride back up went quicker than we thought. Past the falls we cruised down highway 30 to Burley. We rode at a solid pace. All day long my Dad, my brother Mark, and myself rode together. We can move pretty well as a three-man pace line. We arrived in camp at 3:30. We showered, set up our tent, and are now waiting for dinner.

The photo of the ladies in the sprinkler is at falls - they were hot and ran into the sprinkler (Geri and ___ the head cook).

Thanks to Denise, this blog was typed up in a very timely fashion.

Mountain Home to Gooding

So this morning we were awake by 6:00am, definitely not my (Mark) idea of a summer full of sleeping in. The reason was that our "sweep" team was on duty. We had to swiftly set up the tables for breakfast so none of the riders would go hungry. Our job was crucial. If not for us no one could have their nicely mashed oatmeal or cut-up muffin for breakfast. Eventually, at about 9:15 after loading the gear truck, our team hit the road for the days ride. We were off to Gooding, Idaho. It's a town in a forest of waist-high sage brush and desert sand. Actually, the scenery is quite beautiful with the light green color against the tan sand and brown mountains looming far off into the distance.
So our sweep team began our journey. It was a rough start. At approximately two miles into the route, we came across a troupe of lost and weary bikers. They had gone astray, following not old highway 30 but some other deceptive road sign. Thankfully we were there to rescue them and point them in the right direction. This was only the first amazingly and nice good deed out of a million we performed that day. Sometimes we would repair tires, other times replenish empty water bottles, and still other times we would encourage riders to stop with us at the local cafes for a bite to eat (the one called Oregon Trail Cafe in Gooding has really good hamburgers). Not bad for a day's work I would a say. However, despite its glories, "sweeping" is not so glorious. Our day, though it was filled with adventure, was hot and long. We were on the road for about nine hours, arriving at camp at about 5:00pm.
What's so neat about this tour called Sea to Sea, despite its obvious awesome goal, is the unique and diverse people. Some people are strong riders and others prefer to take their time. This can be frustrating, especially when you must wait for them, however, it really does open your eyes into the struggles of that person and the beautiful creation around you. Sure, you're hot and sweaty, dreaming of that nice ice-cold shower at camp, but sweep can really teach you a lesson in patience and relationships. You get to meet some people you never would cause you may otherwise just blow right by them. You get to slow down, look around the road and notice the intricate flowers and rock formations, the rivers that wind and the creeks that appear from seemingly nowhere in the desert. God is truly an amazing Creator. We are so blessed to be able to experience creation on a vehicle such as a bike. What a way to slow down and praise God for all the good things he has made.
And so, approaching camp, I saw ahead a huge cloud of smoke looming a few miles outside of Gooding. A fellow rider, Randy, and I speculated what it could be. Perhaps it was a factory, a huge bonfire, or the grill from the kitchen trailer going up in flames. Well, to our surprise, there was actually a sagebrush fire outside of town. A burning pile of dead brush had spread to surrounding fields and began to burn all the area around it. Thankfully, the firefighters were able to control it before it got too far, but it still did spread about five miles.
Tonight, we had some type of bean, hamburger, and hot dog collage. It was quite good. Desert was pistachio pudding with marshmallows and pineapple mixed in. Quite a treat for us weary cyclists. Supper led into peleton where ewe are now beginning to hear about some of the organizations which will be receiving the funds raised by Sea to Sea. Tonight was Home Missions and the work they do abroad in countries such as Haiti. Small groups consisted of meditating on our shifting gears devotional passage. We talked about "spiritual perspiration" tonight. When you see a person struggling, sacrificing, and working hard, you want to know why they are doing so. Thus your sweat spreads and opens the opportunity to share the reason for your struggle. We related this to our bike tour because when people see us biking, they want to know what's going on, especially when 145 of us ride by their house or stop at the local coffee shop. And so, we are able to spread the mission of Sea to Sea to the surrounding communities that we pass through.
Well, it's late and I must go. Sleep is becoming a priority. Good Night

Mark's Boise to Mountain Home

Mark here. Our ride today took us from Boise, Idaho to Mountain Home, a small town located in the center of an immense forest of sagebrush. Not really much of a forest, but they still have a ranger station. The ride went well, besides Eric's two flat tires. For the first flat, the tire began to bubble in the tread and Eric didn't notice till the bubbles started popping. The second flat turned out to be a defective tube. We repaired that in a jiffy though. We're getting pretty good at fixing these sorts of things.
The ride was hot. We got a late start (seems we keep leaving later and later from camp). So as a result, the it was midday when we were biking in this barren desert. We survived though. The wind was blowing at our backs so the riding came easy. We were whipping along a a clipping pace of 20-25 miles per hour. You couldn't even tell that you were going uphill. The wind just pushed you over the top. Towards the end of the ride my dad and I (Mark) stopped to have a refreshing pit stop involving mountain dew. The dew did its purpose. We were revitalized and nothing could hold us down. Thus we flew into camp, leaving tumble weeds in our dusts. At camp we did the usual routine: unloading the gear truck, setting up the tent, exploring town, and taking showers. The school we're at is called Mountain View Middle School. I'm pretty sure it should be a high school, maybe they just build their schools ginormous out here. It's very nice though, spacious and air conditioned. Tonight they say we could get a wind storm. hopefully it's not as bad as Huntington's, but we're prepared. We know how to face these sorts of environmental difficulties now. Well, I must get back to my sweep team duties. We have to serve supper, clean up camp, and make sure the dishwater is clean (sort of). So I guess that's all there is for now. Thanks for all the comments you guys post. We love hearing from you. Tell us if you want a specific picture or something. We'll see what we can do.

Mountian Home, Idaho, Monday, July 14

Sat and Sun July 12 and 13

Mark and I had a long day biking Saturday because we rode with some riders having trouble, separating from each other to help those individuals make it. We all started together today, but earlier on Eric wanted to go slower and met up with his friends. The sky was blue the temperature was about 95 to 105, the sun was shining, and the wind was at our back matching our speed in the afternoon on Hill Road so it was very dehydrating. Finally I reached town, and not just housing developments in Boise. A much needed break was made at about 5pm for huge pop, huge water, burger and fries. Then we completed the last five miles, joining with the sweep crew and Agatha to reach Timberline High School. A cheering group greeted us. And, we had a well deserved meal at 6 pm after a shower. Eric had earlier gone off with friends to some ones home in Boise. We hear that they swam in the river, had grilled pork chops, went ice block sledding on a huge grass hill, then slept at this family’s home, got breakfast Sunday and in the afternoon went tubing on the Boise River (Mark joined them tubing, Larry was the afternoon shuttle driver for laundry and stores by choice to relieve those doing it daily).

We got to enjoy our favorite from mail delivery – Auntie Jan chocolate chip cookies! See the photos. Betsy enjoyed one with Mark and Larry Saturday night at Starbucks.

I forgot to take a few photos last night of the automatic lawn sprinkler “attack” on a many tents and riders about 12:30 to 1:30! What a night for them. I helped two get bedded down in the gear trailer after draining there tents and hanging up the wet stuff. Many waste barrels and tables were set over sprinklers to minimize the reach of their attach.

The worship service with Valley Community Church in the park was great. The message was on the fruit of the Spirit - peace. The music was great, Helena spoke about why we are biking (my son John got to talk with her a little Sat. night while Larry and Mark called home asking if she was Eric or Mark’s girl friend). We know that God is always with us and that He is totally in control even when trials and tempest temporarily beset us. The church fed us lunch, a potluck with burgers and hot dogs, desserts (like peach cobbler and chocolate brownies). It is so uplifting to worship with the community, their praise band, and all us SeatoSea folks. I took some video to try to capture a bit of that so we can show you in a movie that Mark hopes to make when we get home. Several media crews were present. Many people in the community ask about us and some offer some support. One lady really took on any assistance that was requested – thank you!

Hoped to go to Dairy Queen tonight across the street but it closed at 10 pm. Now I am writing about 11:30 to update our blog, but the internet satellite connection is not working. Earlier today I helped cooks and kitchen helpers Dini and Geri get blogs started, and flicker photo sites.

Monday, July 14

Today we rode from Boise to Mountain Home, Idaho. We just cruised along with the wind at our backs the most of the time. Tonight we are on sweep duty so we have to help set up and serve dinner.
This past weekend I (Eric) stayed over at a friend of a friend’s house who is on the tour. We got to go ice blocking on Saturday. Ice blocking is riding a block of ice down a big grassy hill. I guess it is the thing to do in Boise during the summer. We saw some other kids coming out at night to do it as we were leaving because we thought it was getting too dark. The bumps just come right up on you. You really feel it when your ice block stops because of a bump and you keep moving. What a hoot!
Yesterday, Sunday, we got to go floating down the Boise River along with just about everybody else in Boise it seemed. What a blast! The water was quite refreshing. Our hosts served us BBQ ribs for dinner, cheesecake for dessert, provided beds, and just straight up blew us away with their great hospitality. Thanks so much to them. May God bless them for being such a blessing to us, just a crazy group of bike riders.
Interviews happen randomly along the route. Mark has been in the paper and just yesterday I guess I was on the Boise news from what people have been saying. It is not easy being put on the spot when they fire questions at you. I just stuck to the basics in describing the tour. Jesus said to love our neighbor as our self so we are reaching out to our brothers and sisters in poverty, trying to live out Jesus’ words. I also mentioned about how God has and continues to surprise us in so many ways like being hosted for the past weekend by a friend of a friend. What a connection! Thank God for providing such great and encouraging hospitality along the way, not only at the homes we stay, but also just the people we meet who get excited about the cause and give on the spot and the great churches that host the celebration services and serve all of us lunch on Sundays. We also got mail this past Saturday and in it came Auntie Jane's chocolate chip cookies. So good! Thanks!

Boise, Idaho

Last night we stayed on the grounds of Ontario high School. The grass was soft and the night cooled off so we slept well. For breakfast, we were served a royal breakfast of pancakes, bacon, oatmeal, and cereal. Definitely filled us up with that essential energy for the day. We got out on the road by about 8:30. The route began by taking us through town and then crossig a river into the state of Idaho. Of course, we got a picture of our third state we are cycling through. Next came an agricultural region in the country filled with a whole variety of edible plants, primarily those good ole Idaho potatoes. My dad and I (Mark) started out biking together until we hit a group of fellow cyclists. One cyclist had a few spokes broken in her wheel and her derailer was out of place. My dad fixed the bike temporarily, or at least as well as he could. I more or less watched and learned, picking up useful tricks for the future. So eventually we got back on the road again, but at a slower pace as we helped pull these cyclists into Boise by using the drafting technique.
Entering Boise was quite a sight. The outsirts of the city were dotted with enormous houses and ranches with beautiful landscaping. Hitting the city was quite a shock as we adjusted to seeing so many other cars, people, and houses all over the place. We rode along a looping and curvy road on the outside of town to the Timberlane High School. After today's 65 miles we had reached the end of this week's trip. We set up tent, took showers, and waited for supper. Supper tonight was another fabulous treat: slopppy joes, broccoli salad, baked beans, watermelon, etc... and peanut butter. We always have peanut butter. After supper, my dad and I went across the street to explore the little plaza of shops. Somehow we ended up at a Starbucks. My dad got a coffee and we split a couple almond hershey bars from a local right aid.
Coming back to camp, we received a surprise package of goodies from the "cookie-lady." To our delight, we found inside a whole box of chocolate-chip cookies wrapped in designer wrap. So, for desert, we munched on a few (or maybe more) of the delicious treats. Now we'll really have to watch our weight. Our huge thanks to Janice Dyksterhouse. We thoroughly enjoyed our snacks.

Baker City to Huntington to Ontario

Yesterday we began our ride in Baker City. After a breakfast of oatmeal and cereal we took off for our 45 mile bike ride. The route was to be all downhill. Not feeling challenged enough, my dad and I (Mark) decided to follow a fellow cyclist on and adventurous expedition over a mountain pass nearby. So we departed on our adventured and rode 5 miles up a mountain pass, 2500ft. Then we continued on our way, searching for a rode to lead us to our next camping site in Huntington. The rode we were biking on ended in gravel, a depressing site. So we turned around and went back up the mountain, 5 miles and 2500ft, versus the 20 miles on a gravel rode. Eventually retracing our pedal strokes, we arrived back again in Baker City. We already had about 60 miles logged onto our bike clocks. After stopping at a local gas station for mountain dew and some sour apple slushies, we left on our original planned route for huntington. The ride was hot, but enjoyable since it was primarily all downhill. All around us was desert and sagebrush. Huntington was a small town, built around the railroad and concrete industy. Now things have slown down, but the people are just as friendly as ever. A laundry mat near the school of the Huntington Locos allowed Sea to Sea cyclists to do their laundary for free. Such hospitality. Arriving in Huntington, we pitched our tent and went into town for some appetizers before supper. The local cafe served us some amazing homemade marion-berry pie and a chocolate shake. Both were delicious and the air conditioning in the cafe a welcomed relief. The evening progressed with the normal activites: peleton, small groups, teeth brushing. Eric went for a mountain hike nearby. We thought we could pick him out from camp, a samll white dot in the distance. However, all this while, the wind was picking up. That night the wind was about 40 miles per hour depending on the gusts. Some rainflies were lost and a tent blew away (but we caught it a 1/2 mile down the road). The night was restless, but refreshing since we could sleep in, knowing that tomorrow our route would only be a mere 35 miles to Ontario, Oregon.
This morning started out with breakfast, oatmeal and cereal again (our staples). Then Eric, my dad, and I started out of Huntington. We traveled along the winding Snake River. My legs were feeling a little tired from yesterday's adventure up and down a mountain. Good thing the ride was flat. There were many irrigated fields along the route containing onions, radishes, corn, wheat, etc. The hills and small rock formations were quite amazing. Despite being in the desert, the scenery awed us by its extreme diversity of green farmland and barren desert. We had no flats. The locals tell us that goatheads (like a sandburs) often prick a rider's tires. We were lucky I guess, until we were about a mile away from the Ontario high School and my dad got a slow leak. We did patch it up though and decided to explore town since the ride was so short (35 miles - took us 2 hours so we got here by about 11am). We stopped at a local coffee shop called Java and Juice. Extremely friendly service and great ice water.
For those of you who wonder what we are eating, tonight's supper consisted of mashed potatoes, meatballs, salad, green bean cassarole, chocolate pudding, carrots, and peanut butter sandwiches. My second plate turned out to be bigger than my first. I'm going to have to start to watch my weight. Right now, some fellow cyclists and I are using the internet at the local library. Our satellite internet is not working as planned. They say it's missing a part I think. Hopefully that can be fixed. Otherwise, we'll look for those handy libraries to let you know what's going on. Tomorrow we're off to Boise, Idaho, our third state. We're really starting to really move along now.

Day 10 - Baker City

Today we rode from La Grande to Baker City. We had some eggs and cheese with our normal cereal, fruit, and yogurt for breakfast. We cruised right along today. It was only about a 50 mile day. We stopped in the small cattle ranching town of Union to sit down under a tree with our usual peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. Gotta love that peanut butter and jelly! We arrived in Baker City at about 12:30 and stopped at the local bike shop to take a look around. We stopped at Charley's ice cream for a quick snack, Huckleberry and Amazon Trail ice cream. Mmmmm. Mmmmm. Gotta support the local ice cream shops. The owner stopped by our table in the shop and asked about the tour. We handed out a few cards about the tour to others in the shop too. Who knows what may come of it, but we were encouraged to keep on handing out more cards. We are biking now, but we are still on a mission. The locals were great people. A local newspaper crew came to camp at the high school here in Baker City to interview several of us and take pictures. We found a river about a mile from camp, the Powder River. We plopped into the river from a rope swing tied to a tree along the banks. The river had quite a current, but not overpowering. Some local kids were taking what looked to be a float trip down the river in their little blow up boat. Now we are sitting in the shade of the gear truck waiting for dinner at 6 pm. We are always looking forward to dinner time. Last night we were surprised with apple crumble and ice cream for desert. Dad stopped at the Dollar Store to pick up a whiffle bat and ball. We hope to get a game going tonight maybe before dinner or something. If we are at all of these schools we figure that we might as well have fun on the baseball fields. We are still getting to know names on the tour. 150 people is quite a group. So many great people with great stories, new ones everday pop up to make our ride more exciting. Thank God for the great weather that we have been having and the great company to share it with.

Pendleton

Today, we arrived in Pendleton. The ride was hot and moderately uphill. However, the scenery was amazing. At first we were in a canyon with strong headwinds, but eventually climbed out of it. All around you up top were wheat fields stretching out into the vast horizon. Talk about amber waves of grain. In Pendleton, we beat the gear truck and so I (Mark)and a friend, Peter, took a ride into town. Eric was still biking and my dad was fixing his first flat tire of the tour. He then went to a local coffee shop. In town I got some postcards at Walmart, went for a underground historic tour (free because they liked Sea to Sea), and visited the Pendleton Woolen Mills. The blankets at the mills were gorgeous, but expensive. And anyway, I had to stick to my sixty pound weight limit. Tonight we had spaghetti for supper, definitely high in carbs and preparing us for our next day, a 2500ft climb into La Grande. Our Pendleton meeting covered the same topics as usual - flats, accidents, banana peels alongside the road, etc. We then had a devotion speaking about the intricacies of a bike wheel, how all the parts must function and fit together in order for the wheel to spin true. If Paul were a biker, he would have used the bike wheel analogy versus the body perhaps. After small groups we watched the sun set quickly. The red glow is amazing over the hills. Now is time for sleep, a very essential part of biking. Perhaps I can get them to let me sleep in a little to 6:30. We'll see.

Yakima, Sunnyside, and Kennewick (Columbia Park)

Thursday we arrived in Yakima after a beautiful ride through the Yakima River Valley Canyon. there were gorgeous rock formations and an oasis where the river flowed through with its swift waters. All around the outside of the canyon and its walls was barren brushland with tufts of plants and shrubs spotting the hillsides. Eric and I (Mark) climbed up the side of one of these "bluffs". We would have to guess that it was a thousand foot climb. Each time we would reach what seemed to be the top, a new higher ridge would appear before us. So, being commited we continued climbing to the top and succeeded in viewing a vast landscape of the Sonora Desert. The wind was blowing and you could see Yakima in the distance. Quite a sight! (Mountain biking shoes work well for climbing we found out) Then, continuing our adventure, Eric and I explored an old road travelling parallel to the highway. It went through an old bridge through the cliffs on the edge. We carefully walked through, carrying our bikes. Inside we found many graffitti-drawn pictures. It was really cool seeing all the artwork. Eventually we found the right road again marked on our maps and rode to that night's camp site. We stayed at a local Christian school. the Yakima CRC provided us with peanut m&m's and tootsie roll pops. We gratefully appreciated the snacks. It is this type of hospitality that is so amazing!
In the evening at camp we played card games. We played variations of spoons and president. Both served well to build community and burn time before supper. Mosquitoes turned out that night. I woke up that morning with a couple bites, but you don't notice when biking.
Friday we reached Sunnyside. The ride was very hot in the "barren wasteland" we were biking through. However, when we would look around you would notice patches of green where irrigation was occuring. This region of Washington is actually a major center of fruit growing, especially cherries. During the ride we received refreshments from a Church in Zillah, another small gesture of support and hospitility. I believe the people in Washington are the most friendly that I have ever encountered. At the rest point in Zillah, we ate cherries, watermelon, bananas, etc. A few from the church were there to serve and converse with.
When we arrived in Sunnyside it was early in the day for our ride was short, about 40 miles. We stayed in the fields around the local Christian School. To cool down from the heat, Eric and I ran around in the sprinklers with some other riders in the fields. Later that night, my dad, Eric, and I were put to sweep duty. This is where you serve food and help set up/tear down camp. However, we were spared our chores for the CRC in the area served us supper. We didn't even have to bring or wash our own dishes! It was an amazing meal of tortilla chips, tacos, beans, hamburger, pork, and strawberry shortcake. Then, that night for the forth of July we went to fireworks at Sunnyside high school. Another church served us rootbeer floats-very refreshing in the heat. I think we will gain weight versus losing it on this trip. The fireworks that night were great, an impressive show, but many of us were so tired that we could hardly keep our eyes open. Eventually we turned in for the night. Camping in fields under the stars.
Saturday,we arrived in Kennewick at Columbia park. It's a park right beside the Columbia river with some mountains in the background and multiple large bridges towering over the waters. The bike ride that day was extremely hot. Not much shade or coverage was around. The three of us were on sweep duty. We were "appointed" the last riders of the day, bringing in the herd. As a result we wer eon the road for six hours in the scorching sun. I'm sure that I have gotten burned. Many riders that day had flat tires from goatheads, small, sharp burs. Thus, we ended up mastering our tire repair skills and leisurely biking the route. When stopping for a bathroom break, we asked a local Mexican farmer if we could us his port-a-jon in the orched. he was all to happy to allow us and insisted that we take some cherries from his orchard. He quickly went and found a huge box filled with fresh cherries, picked that day, and told us to take them all. We ate what we could, and packed a few, but could not finish off the entire box. Before we left, the farmer insisted on giving us his cell phone number in case we wanted to come back for more cherries that night. What a blessing this farmer was, giving us not only a meal of cherries, but cold water. I think that I have now concluded that folks from Washington are the most friendly, we'll see how the other states are though.
Today, Sunday we attended the celebration rally in the park we're staying in, Columbia Park. Kennewick consists of about three cities and so the rally was bigger than the first one at the University of Washington. The service asked us to give and realized that we are more blessed when we focus on those around us. A few of the church were Burmese, another story, and they provided us with amazing music and singing. What a wonderful sound, even though it is in another language.
This after noon, we were able to do different activities from boating to floating down a river to shopping. Eric and I went to a pool at the house of a person from the area. The pool had a waterslide, diving board, and zip-line. Quite a treat. We enjoyed it and thank them deeply. My dad stayed at camp and rested up while playing bocce ball. Overall, its been a relaxing day preparing us for another intense week of biking. Thanks for all the support. We'll watch the sunset over the river tongiht and think of all you. Thanks again.