DAY 1 - July 9

Blaine to Cape Deception Campground

Distance:  71.4 Miles

Elevation Gain:  2909'

Saddle Time:  5 hrs 12 Min

Max Speed:  37.1 MPH

Ave Speed:  13.7 MPH

Calories Burned:   5124

Todays ride is dedicated to Jersey Sponsors and friends Dean & Roxane Sutherland. Thanks for your support!

Wow, a very late start.  The ride officially started at 11:05 following a very thorough photo session at the Peace Arch.  After pictures, Kevin taught the girls the art of using a slim-jim provided by the Blaine Police department.   AAA was the final resolution to retrieving  Kevin’s keys which someone locked in his trunk. 

The ride began with Terry, Kevin, Sarah, and Shannon on cycles, Diane in the support van.  Steve Thompson a business associate from Cutsforth, (and a jersey sponsor),  joined us for the Blaine to Bremerton segment of the ride.  He claimed to be a novice but cranked out an impressive 23 mph pace line.  Diane catered lunch in a Bellingham shopping center parking lot.  Deli sandwiches.

Diane learned that it’s best not to open the side door of our new van when there is a bike leaning against it.

Steve learned how to remove a tire with no tools and He provided us with the opportunity to practice on both his front and back tires.

Sarah and Shannon rode from the US/Canada border to just beyond Steve’s second flat tire.  Shannon rode a commendable 12 miles and Sarah rode 14.

Terry and Kevin rode 72 miles and arrived at the campsite at about 8 pm.  A very long, complex and less than a perfect day, but in retrospect, we all survived and I’m sure will someday laugh about the peculiar details that made the day novel.

We arrived at a beautiful campground to find that the reservation (made months ago) was for July 10 not July 9.  Just one of the many challenges that plagued us today.  The campground folks were terrific and found a vacant site for us.  The mantra for the first night of camping is “have you seen the….?”  Or a variation “Where is the…..?”  The close runner up for night 1 mantra is “How does this thing go together?”  We had a new stove, tents and various other never before used equipment.  Kevin figured out how to protect his bike by assembling one of his tent poles through his bike frame.  Our tent is large enough to put my bike inside.

Diane prepared an outstanding cod dinner to quiet our stomachs.  Spirits were high as Bob Marley sang “Don’t worry bout a thing, cuz every little things gonna be alright”  Thanks Bob, but its a little late...its those "little things" that got us today.

Today marks one year since the passing of my mom, Jean Toland to whom this ride is dedicated.  No one spoke of this, but it was silently acknowledged.  We did not want to bring sadness to the start of an adventure like this one.  There were conversations about what she must be thinking of our out of control table manners…but hey, we’re camping.