Thursday, September 01, 2011

Team Turtle Update: Riding the Oregon Coast

photo by Bjorn Simpson

Even though we've yet to ride The People's Coast Classic, the ride has already shaped our summer. Christine has her bike and she's been biking to work every day. We've gone on wonderful day trips and a lovely overnight tour. But everything has not gone perfectly. Christine worries that she is not fast enough and may not have the endurance for the full ride. Our friend Michael, who had been planning on joining us for this trip, has an immovable work commitment the week of the tour. Life seldom goes as planned but we adapt to conditions and roll onward.

I explained why we are doing this ride back in May and since then we've managed to raise some money for this fine cause, but I had hoped we could raise much more. My friend Tai assures me that "You've both done fine. This is a rough year for fundraising and you've done a lot to get the word out about the ride." He also wants Christine not to worry about her speed or endurance, "Ride and see," he says, "a lot of folks are not fast and we do have support vehicles." So we will ride and see. But we also have our own plan if our pace turns out to be too turtlesque. We don't want to burden the ride.

Oregon has a beautifully detailed Oregon Coast Bike Map and it describes many camping options along the route. Christine and I love camping, so we are bringing our lightweight camping gear with us. If we do not keep pace with our companions, we'll adapt. Our friend Michael has generously offered to retrieve us from wherever we wind up on Saturday Sept 17th. We will ride & take pictures and do our best to document this lovely part of the world.

We know the ride will be beautiful and any funds we raise are going to the Arthritis Foundation. There is still time to pledge and the cause is a good one, so if you'd like to go to either


or


your contribution will be most appreciated.

Stay tuned to this blog for updates from the coast. Thanks for all your good thoughts and keep 'em rolling,

Kent "Mountain Turtle" Peterson
Issaquah WA USA

4 comments:

doug in seattle said...

Pretty jealous. I rode a with my fiance down the coast on a tandem in July and it rained every darned day. But still, it was beautiful and fun!

Anonymous said...

Christine...no worries regarding speed and endurance. As Kent has often reminded me...slow steady sure...the views are fabulous along the Oregon Coast...day or night.

wayne w methner

Jim Laudolff said...

My philosophy is: if you have all day to ride, you can ride any distance. Enjoy the coast! Send pics for us suckers back here.

Gordon Inkeles said...

Can't go wrong with that ride. I did it a few years ago and can't wait to do it again! Apparently, Oregon becomes more bike-friendly every year.