Washington State is bigger than Massachusetts

I know this is true, because George and I have been riding for three days now, have logged 190 miles since we left Vancouver on Wednesday morning, and we still aren't to Seattle yet. They make states a whole lot bigger out here in the West than they do back East!

And they have much bigger mountains, too. I have the sore legs to prove it. I have discovered, however, that there is apparently an inverse relationship between how easy the bike riding is, and how spectacular the mountain views are.

Today we had some breathtaking views of (I believe) the mountains of the Olympic National Park. Sometimes the view comes just after you've made a mind-numbingly (or other appropriate part of the anatomy) difficult climb, and then there it is - the most spectacular view you can imagine. And then we were riding through some farm country today, through a little out of the way town, then out past some rich black fields ready for planting, when the most amazing panorama of mountains in the distance appeared before us. Just couldn't believe the view that farmer got to wake up to every morning!

At least on days like today. We've been very fortunate with weather so far. Although we woke up to 36 degrees and cloudy this morning, it got up to around 60 with mostly sun. Perfect riding - and viewing - weather.

George and I are already learning a lot together. First of all, how much we really do like being together and having this kind of experience together. We're also finding that we're good for each other. Just when one of us doesn't know if he can make it up the next hill or not, the other one kicks into gear, encourages the other, and we end up doing things we didn't know we could do.

I had lots of good advice from biking friends before we started this trip, and it has come in very handy - all of it. Todd Miller said to spare no expense on good padded biking shorts. He was right. Today on day 3, I began to feel a bit saddle sore, but the good padding definitely helps.

I also got lots of very helpful advice from Tom Jones in Andover. Tom and his son did this same trip in 2000 and have done other big ones since. When I told him a couple of months ago that George and I were planning to do this, he looked at me and said, "I just have one thing to say: you will never be sorry you did it."

Actually, Tom is pretty much responsible for our doing this trip at all. In the fall of 2000, I was still rector at Trinity Church in Topsfield, and for a fall stewardship event we invited Tom to speak. As we were talking before the event, somehow my recent cross-country motorcycle trip with George (then 12 years old) came up. He then told me that he and his son had just done the Canada to Mexico ride along the Pacific Coast. I was definitely impressed - and challenged - and have been imagining doing it ever since.

One of Tom's pieces of advice in a recent email was to remember that the first 4-5 days are the hardest - and secondly, to take the maximum amount of Advil recommended. I forgot to do that the first two days, but I remembered today - and it definitely made a difference in how I'm feeling tonight. If he's also right about the first 4-5 days being the hardest, that means we are well on our way!

George and I are both overwhelmed by the experience already. We're deeply grateful, first of all, for the opportunity, and thrilled to be learning all the thing about ourselves and about life that we are learning.

It will be nice, I have to say, to cross into another state - eventually. But, we're going to soak up every bit of the experience in Washington in the meantime.