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1 Mile Lava Tube:

Hike 2.5miles down a path leaving from mile 23 on the saddle hwy.  On your right is a hole in the earth.  Climb down the rocks, take 3 flashlights, and a friend: Super hostess Michelle.  You just keep heading down this long ‘culvert’ through the earth.  Stalactites, and stalagmites have a shiny silvery-black look.  Really cool, but being out here by yourselves, and seeing the frequent spots the roof has collapsed (this young rock here ain’t strong) is a little un-nerving. (more…)

Hawaii is dangerous, but really fun and cool.  Sort of a cross between North America (Walmarts, McDonalds, pickup trucks) but the added danger, and relaxed nature of Guatemala and Central America (sure you cliff jump there, but the currant could take you to Antarctica).

Driving:

I started things off with a driving tour of the island. Leaving Kona behind, I drove uphill, and was immediately met with tin shacks, giant ferns and heavy rain. The area looked nice, though, and the road (Hwy 11) was twisty with a decent verge. I later realized that these verges aren’t super safe for cyclists as the locals use them as slow vehicle lanes. (more…)

Well, I couldn’t really see spending lots and lots of time here, but it’s perfect for the training I’m doing now. Hot and dry, perfect weather.  Though there isn’t a lot of variety with the roads, for the 3 weeks I’ll be here, the stunning scenery of Red Rock won’t wear off before then.

Last year on my birthday it was my first ‘triathlon training day’.  I did a 1km swim, really slowly, followed by a 50km bike.  It was hard.  I lost 8 minutes to the Dudette in the swim.  Today to ‘re-celebrate my birthday I’ll swim 1h15, bike 2h30, and run an hour.  Mostly tempo/ race pace.  The other funny thing is that this will be a light training day compared to some of the others. (more…)

Plan A: was to hit the road and make the 6h out of the desert in the cool of Sunday evening.
Plan B: was formulated until I woke up Monday morning having not made plan A. But I was showered, had slept 9h, and my belly was full of some Ames Famliy BBQ. Not to mention that I spent 2h in the pool, ‘cooling my core’ temperature, and otherwise cavorting with my homies Emily and Colin.

Before I even got to Vegas my butt was cramping, probably a combination of the worn out seat, and the racing. Subie, is possibly due for a timing belt change, and as a precaution I purchased the required belts, and ratchet set.. sitting as preventative measure in the shotgun seat. (more…)

After rendezvousing with my Father, Barrie, in southern BC, we spent the rest of the day driving, and then next day re-packing our gear, tracking down bear spray, and getting advice from everyone.
It was a relief when around 10 am May 18th we wrapped up the last of our chores, and started north towards Prince George BC on Hwy 97.

Starting towards the Canadian Rockies, we should have our coldest weather first, and I was quite worried about this, as my trip last fall in the Rockies, I’d suffered mild hypothermia, and frost bitten toes. Not to mention that we could see snow on the hills beside us.
Because the bears have been sleeping all winter they are very hungry (there is no bear poop, just rumbly bellies). Their normal foods: berry’s, bearies, (barrie’s?) haven’t grown yet, and favorite food - Salmon, aren’t spawning. Next choice? Chilled cyclo-tourists. After 2h or riding we had spotted 3 bears, then later a moose. (more…)

My Gear List:

I have amended this list, post tour, to show which gear I deemed excessive (because there was a lot more than needed).
After the last trip when my bike was an excessive 140 lbs I wanted to try to avoid that. As I took more gear than my father, my bicycle weighed between 110, and 130 lbs depending on if I was carrying 4 days of food, or about to starve.
I am worried about being cold.
I am also a little worried about being eaten by bears. (more…)

Well it’s going, and fairly quickly. I headed back to B.E.A.U.tiful Bakersfield, and repacked my life possessions. Which I was dismayed to find has swollen to the size of 2 full subaru loads. 1.5 of these were stowed in Evil’s storage unit, and the other half load (which is about a quarter load more than I need) I couldn’t be bothered to sort through, and brought with me, just ’cause.

So 10pm I gassed up and hit the road for the 19h drive up to Victoria BC. 4.5h in and I made Sacramento, found the WalMart, and rolled out my sleeping bag in front of the Subie. 4h later the sun woke me up, so I moved around to the shaded side of the subie, and slept 3 more hours. (more…)

People keep asking if I will be coming back to Alaska. I really appreciate the beauty, and the cool things that you can do with mountains. I don’t have a return date on the calender, but I’m planning on riding from Quesnel up to the Arctic Sea in the spring.
I have started my Alaska Departure routine. Which includes returning the items I’ve ‘rented’ to WalMart (Hair Clippers, having created ‘Belgian MoHawk’ another one of my uniquely horrible hairstyles, etc) and arranged one last pot-luck. (more…)