The exciting conclusion

So, on Friday, when I woke up I was in even worse shape that the day before. My breathing was ragged, seeing as my lungs were flooded with phlegm, my voice was raspy and anything I said was interrupted by a hacking coughing, my nose was running it's own little marathon. I but I figured that it if I let myself sleep in a bit, I'd be fine.
Long story short, I was fine enough to make it up a really big hill, but going down the other side was too tough, painful even, and sooo slow, I remember it as a blur of mucus, tiredness and a really weird head ache. 10 miles just coasting down a hill, and I was miserable. When I got to the bottom of the canyon, knowing that a 10 mile climb awaited me to get out, I pretty much collapsed on the side of the road all snotty and crying. I am soo lucky that Jeff was there, he set up my tent and then went to call my brother for help and get me some food (he brought back chicken noodle soup! along with other nourishing goodies). But, as lay in my tent at the side of the road realizing that there was nooo way I was going to be able to finish this ride that I had dreamed about for so long, this dream came crashing down around me and in my unhealthy state so did all my other dreams. Was it a sign that I will fail at all my other endeavors? Will I never get married? Will I never have a beautiful daughter that I will dress up in rainbows and glitter? Will I never get my career going again? (not that I have even tried :) but I might want to work again next year) Will I turn into a hobo satisfied to live in my parents' backyard forever. ("This might not be so bad", I think as I write this... GASP... I'm almost already that hobo!) Oh my goodness. It was probably one of the most pathetic moments in recent memory.
The next morning when I was driving home with my sweet brother, on my way to a shower and all the comforts of a good family and home, most of those thoughts and drama were gone, but some of it still lingers.
It took two weeks for that nasty bug to pass, very nasty.
I'm going to have to do those last 150 miles of that ride, But I've decided that I want to do it as a ride not a tour, and I want to do it in one day, but not til the fall, it is waaay too hot right now.


Pics, the scenery of the ride was constant vistas of farmland, forest and volcanoes, so pretty! In my sick state I didn't really document like I should have, but here are a few pics I took.

Adams Ride 5

So after that lovely day in Hoodriver, I woke up feeling like I had been hit by a very large truck. Whatever sickness my sister had before I left, finally caught up to me. Luckily, I had planned a super short ride for that day so that I could spend the morning bee-bop-ing around Hoodriver, which I did, just really slowly.
When I was finally ready to go, I got to hitch hike across the Hoodriver bridge (bikes and pedestrians are not allowed to cross) Living on the edge.
Knowing I was sick I took it super easy on the ride and made it to my camp site near Troutlake still feeling well-ish.
Exciting side note, I've finally started cooking my own meals! I never saw the need to cook when Mountain House meals were so easy (dehydrated meals, just add hot water and poof!). But this meal was took up less space and was was cheaper. I did pick up some smoked oysters on the way up, as an experiment... probably wont do that one again!

By the way, people that I met along the way where very nice and many were very helpful. The lady who managed this camp ground was one of those people. When she came around and checked me in, we talked for a bit and I told here what I was up to and then we said goodnight. I built a fire and was reading when all of a sudden she backed her pick up truck into my camp site and starts unloading all this fire wood! She had gathered it for me! What a sweet heart! The wood lasted me all the rest of the evening, until my friend Jeff (who I had been waiting for) finally arrived at the campsite and I was able to go to sleep.

Adam's Ride 4

So I think before I go on, I should explain the motif, although I think it is obvious. I am going through a Star Trek phase, or should I say, returning to my roots, seeing as my parents made sure that Star trek was a weekly family event while we were growing up. Ah yes, many a fond memory. Anyway, I have recently discovered Startrek.com! Go to the video section, there are like 200 episodes of the original, free for viewing!!! I happened to discover this the last couple months of school last year, and consequently this site (and cycling too, hee hee!) became my coping strategy when stress put my thoughts in an unhealthy, downward spiral! (Why think of all that silly stuff, when you can just zone out and think of nothing but aliens and temporal anomalies all dressed up in the bright, sparkly colors of the 60s!) Of course I need to acknowledge the hand of God in my life, helping me maintain sanity. It is always interesting to see the different mediums through which He works: family, friends, the families of my friends, nature .....Star Trek.

Alrighty, enough said on that subject.

So Day3! This day was great! especially becasue I got off highway 14 and went to the Oregon side of the river and got on the senic 30! It was Gorgeous!... gorgeous in the gorge, hee hee.


Through the Dalles! I was so excited to begin the peaceful ride to Hoodriver on this most peaceful not-the-14 highway!

Some big hills are coming up!

So pretty! I was so proud of my little leggies for getting me up here!

My loaded up bike at the top!

More pretty pictures below!




So between Mosier and Hoodriver the old scenic highway is just for BIKES and pedestrains! woohoo. I found this stretch particularly fun!

Once in Hood river I met my Friend Michael, brother of Sarah, my recently-gone-to-Africa-for-a-mission room mate, for some wind surfing! We got a lesson from a most excellent teacher. I highly recommend him, so If you're looking to windsurf in Hoodriver, look up Brian from Jamaica. Wnd surfing was verrry fun and really relaxing and peaceful (I stayed out of the rowdy wind and waves)

I stayed in a bed and breakfast In Hoodriver that night, although I had tried to stay at a hostel across the river in Bingen. I had thought the hostel would be super cool, because it was in an old school house, but the owner was super cranky, and took offense to the spacey, tired and confused looks on our faces. I donno, not the first time someone has been offended by my face.... hee hee. The hostel was also scary because it was completely empty, I would have been the only occupant that evening, not very safe. So we ran away to the B&B.

Adams Ride 3

Day2. I did not enjoy this day so much. I'll tell you why, highway 14. Bleeggh. The scenery was fine although not specktacular, but the head wind and the trucks! The scary trucks! Plenty of shoulder, but it was still freaked me out, a lot. Kinda surprising because it's not the first time that I've ridden on highways with less shoulder and tucks. ( I suspect that I was starting to get sick... my nephews had nasty bug before I left). Anyway, I was not having fun at all and the wind was fierce. So, I cheated, I had my Dad and Sister come pick me up on their way to the Maryhill Museum of Art, where we were planning on meeting anyway) and I skipped most of that horrible Highway 14. I don't even feel bad about it either, I just went on thie ride for fun, and if it ain't fun, why bother! ( skipped 30 miles. hee hee)


This is the prettiest art museum out there I think. By the way, this part of the 14 is very pretty, the further to the west you go, the more lovely it gets.

I always go see The Dolls, whenever I go to Maryhill. These were made in France after WWII. There wasn't enough money or materials to make dresses for their french fashion shows, so they downsized and made these creepy, fascinating wire dolls and made these extraordinary mini dresses. I love 'em, can't say exactly why. But I think it is partly because they are set up in exquisite dioramas.

I ended up camping in Horsetail Thief Park. I slept a lot in an attempt to fight off the cold that was coming on. Sadly... it was in vain.

Adams Ride part2

Well, day 1 was nice, I went out from the Tri-Cities. My sister and my Dad were meeting me at Crow's Butte to camp with me, so I gave them my panniers, which meant I was free to ride as fast as I could, so I planned a long ride that day. It ended up being 90 miles. The treat on this ride was getting up on to the Horse Heaven Plateau. That has become one of my favorite places to ride. Of course to get up there you first need to climb. The hill lasts for about 6 miles and it's a hefty gain but so worth it!


That is my hill, and the pretty desert landscape which i have really come to love.

I really should have gotten a better picture, but once on the top of the plateau its really breathtaking. You can see all the way to Oregon and between you and Oregon is nothing but clouds, rolling hills of golden wheat and vineyards. Its soo pretty.


Nina brought the boys! So nice to see them at the end. Ephie, the more manly of the two, loves dirt, as you can see in this pic. He spent the evening rolling in and eating whatever patch of dirt he could find. He's going to be fun as he gets bigger.

Benny, helping pack up the tent the next day.

He knows he is cute! He is soo right

Here is my Daddy, this is the guy Benny and Ephie got it from!