The Final Days, written by the boys

Day 16 - Pfeiffer State Park to San Simeon Campground- 71 miles

Hello all, first and foremost apologies for the belated update, in our defence it’s been fairly non-stop since finishing what with 1500 meter climbs up a certain Grand Canyon in the scorching sun, or recovering from the now infamous bug that sneakily infiltrated camp and wreaked havoc. Anyhow now sufficiently recuperated, we’ll go back to the day in hand.

The day got off to a hilly start, with all riders (bar Dom: who decided to go off in the opposite direction!) tackling a 1000 footer for breakfast to help settle the belly and get a good layer of sweat soaked in those shorts you cleaned in the shower last night. Unfortunately this was all a bit much for Chris who having swapped his usual pillow for one made of porcelain, was unable to continue.

The rest of us continued weaving our way up and down over the coastal road that makes up the Big Sur, with a bright blue sky to match the color of the ocean, crashing waves and the distant sound and smell of seals drifting from below it was definitely one of the most scenically rewarding days spent crushing ones nether regions in the saddle.

After 40 miles of riding I decided (Rhian) to have a sleep on the side of the road as I too was now feeling a little under the weather, must of made for a fairly interesting spectacle for all passerby’s seeing a cyclist spread eagle one the side of the road, clad in Lycra and gentle snoring. The ride flattened out thereafter and we decided to call the day short, due to illness. Got into bed early feeling sorry for myself and really not wanting to get back on a bike anytime soon.   

 17. San Simeon Camp site to Lompoc.

After a days recuperation, Christopher was back in the saddle. Definitely not feeling 100% but pluckily fighting through the weakness. We started rather slowly on what was supposed to be quite a long day. Only 25 miles were achieved by 12 o’clock this was mainly due to Peter’s recurring puncture problems, repaired inner tube was replaced by repaired inner tube and we battled on. On route we bumped in to a couple of tourers who were travelling south from San Francisco to then cut up across the country to New Jersey, their route taking them through the infamous “DEATH VALLEY” rather them eh?!?!

Charging along on relatively rolling terrain we passed through the university town of (San Luis Obisbo) (check!) and found ourselves stopping of at Wallys World Famous Bike Shop. Peter and I (the puncture brothers) stocked up on inner tubes while Rhian and Chris had their bikes assessed. After a brief analysis Rhian was informed that his rear cassette and front chain rings were completely worn and needed replacing, oh well only 4 days for them to hold out. Wally had a number of superb looking retro bicycles which everyone admired with glee. My Classic Steel framed Bianchi obviously felt right at home with the other stunning bikes on show.

Anyway on to Guadalupe for lunch. After leaving beautiful San Luis the landscape became extremely flat and dull, mostly agricultural, specializing in strawberries and celery and manned by Mexican immigrants. Guadalupe could best be described as a ghost town (don’t go there). After an assessment of our situation we decided to cut the ride short by 20 miles thus avoiding a hilly ending. We had one large 1000 foot climb to tackle and then cruised in to Lompoc for camp. I FELT FINE! 

Lompoc to Santa Barbara to Leo Carrilo, 115 miles, day 18

The day started excellently with Tristan announcing to me that he felt sick. ‘You’re lying’ I said, fast becoming my standard response to his more flamboyant claims. Unfortunately he really was ill, but had bravely/foolishly decided to crack on with the 120 mile day anyway. The superhuman support team managed to prove they were actually a little bit human after all as they struggled with a flat battery, losing precious time in the quest for groceries and a meet up in Santa Barbara for lunch, 60 miles away.

About 10 miles in we began climbing what was our last significant climb of the ride, a 1000ft pain the backside which went uphill at the same shallow gradient for about 15 miles. Very tedious. Sadly this was  where Tristan had to be collected by the delayed support team, after throwing up whilst on his bike. We all agreed that if he couldn’t keep up with me then this was very bad news for the team and therefore should be plonked into the back of the car.

After we descended from the mist of the hill we had about 40 miles to cover before we hit Santa Barbara. Fortunately the weather was overcast and cool but dry – the best conditions for covering a lot of miles quickly. The fact that the scenery was very flat and unremarkable further propelled us on.

Once in Santa Barbara the weather had become much sunnier and we headed towards the beach to meet the support team and an unwell Tristan reclining in the back. It was very difficult to get back on the bikes after an hour of lounging around in an immaculate beachside park, but we had another 50 miles to do. This second part of the journey made for quite unpleasant cycling as we were either riding on poorly maintained roads that jarred the body or on 4 lane highways that jarred the soul.

We arrived in Ventura to pick up supplies of snickers and skittles and managed to lose half an hour in the process. We then commenced the final push of the day, a mad dash to Leo Carillo State Park, situated 30 miles north of LA. As ever, the final miles seem to drag on the longest, whilst our effort levels would be at their highest - tasty barbeques and hot showers motivating us to the finish line. We raced to get in before dark, and pulled in just as the last remnants of sunlight dipped below the pacific.

The campsite itself was a bit of a dump, and we had been allocated a spot on the side of the hill, so some members of the team found themselves waking up at the wrong end of the tent in the morning. But we did manage to get a BBQ going and we all got clean after what proved to be one hell of a long day.

Day 19 -97 miles, Leo Carillo State Park to Dohoney State Park

The morning came to my attention with the gentle patter of rain on the thin exterior of my tent! It was around seven o clock and the days task seemed that bit more daunting with the addition of rain, but this was a task well practiced by now so we got to work with prepping the body’s and bikes for the days ride. We left early with the team in full strength, Tristan was back on the bike despite feeling the full force of the mystery bug, but we are a well hardened team so he pushed on.

After consulting the book (which was now affectionately being regarded to as the bible) we knew our main challenge of the day was going to be the sprawl of what was called L.A. The book/bible warned us of the dangers and said that one would have draw on all of ones cycling skill to navigate the dangerous smoggy, violent streets. We later found this to be one of the bigger exaggerations of the book as we gently plodded through the sleepy streets and idyllic beaches.

The first leg of the days ride we were treated to the truly stunning beach houses of Malibu, the precariously balanced multi-million dollar residents were a welcome distraction to the semi over cast day but the clouds were breaking and the mood lifting with every ray of sunshine and thought of the finish line. Another fun game which was a result of “bin collection day” was dustbin slalom, some bins slightly to close and the boys trying to recreate the moves better suited to slopes of Aspen resulted in some close calls but it all helped to pass the miles.

Finally after about 25 miles we started to penetrate the vastness of L.A and made our way onto the bike lanes dreaming of the scenes we had all seen on episodes of Bay Watch as young men! The first figure appeared on the horizon roller blading towards us back lit by the morning sun, all the bikes slowed ready to appreciate the Californian dream! Alas the image we were presented with was that of a rather over weight man in a vest and slightly too short shorts. The bikes rapidly picked up speed and made a rather more direct route south. We stopped on Venice beach for a spot of lunch, some left over BBQ and cheeses sandwiches with a rather ostentatious biscuit for after’s. The girls were enjoying a rather more subdued affair, a small jaunt up to the hills of Hollywood and some stars with names on them stuck to the floor we felt no resentment and pushed on in anticipation of the last day! One more puncture for Tristan was the perfect excuse for him to show off a rather to well-rehearsed procedure with speed and efficiency of a formula one pit crew. We were back on the road and making our way out! Total punctures now at 28!

The day grew hot and the legs tired of the constant stop start city riding but the last 25 miles looked flat and the bible predicted and easy out the final campsite. We turned the corner to be presented with a 25 mile slog of the American dream! Not the freedom of speech but mile after mile of faceless buildings mainly fast food, oil change, tyre outlets and rather dodgy looking shacks with rather reinforced steel doors and blacked out windows we did not stop apart forma well deserved burger king which could have been the catalyst for my (Dom) turn of the dreaded stomach bug. We pushed on and finally pulled into the campsite which was a rather strangely situated in the middle of a built up area with a train track meters form the tents. This did not cause much of an issue as we rolled in ate and proceeded to pass out with the Mexican border in our dreams. By this time the bug had got a hold of me and resulted in many visits to the facilities throughout the night. Two hours sleep later and we were ready to smash the last day!  

Day 20 Doheny Beach Park - Mexican Border (Tijuana)

We decided to get up early as we wanted enough time to get back to the hostel for the inevitably massive celebration after the ride. Dom ended up being the final victim of the mysterious runny bum disease and only managed a couple of hours sleep but decided he couldn’t miss out on the last day so got on his bike like a champion. We also forgot to bring the guide book with us so ventured off blindly towards San Diego. After all, surely you just follow the coastline to the border right? Wrong. We happily cruised along cycle routes and RV parks for 30 miles and couldn’t believe our luck until we happened across a military base impeding our path to San Diego. We were beginning to contemplate doing a U-turn and retrieving the guide book, tail between legs, when a guardian angel in the shape of an ironman athlete who looked remarkably like Chris arrived and explained that we might be able to blag our way onto and through the base. Only Rhian had any form of ID so we didn’t fancy our chances, but our angel managed to explain the situation to the guards and after a couple of minutes deliberation they let us on. With the ironman angel on board and setting a challenging pace, we were making very good time and had reached the halfway point ahead of schedule. We even had time to check the various RAAM (Race across America) competitors begin their training before they set off. Seeing the GB team in their immaculate cycle gear and hearing of their intentions of cycling 3000 miles in under a week certainly made us feel like the five ordinary guys that we are! But it also spurred us on to drag ourselves to the border, including poor Dom, who was really suffering from the illness and fatigue.

We hit San Diego and stopped off for lunch in front of a giant medical centre. The support team arrived and topped us up with water and we were ready for the final 30 mile stretch to the border. We now had the guide book which was a relief as the route to the border is a highly complex one that led us through dirt tracks, up and down steep hills and along busy industrial roads. By the time we were within 10 miles of the border we were going at a snails pace, feeling the heat and effects of 20 days hard cycling. We knew we were on the right track when the traffic started picking up to what was gridlock for the last mile or so. Fortunately as cyclists we managed to glide through all the angry horn-beeping Mexicans to arrive at the pedestrian border, which was also extremely busy, presumably because it was a Friday afternoon.

And so it ends. We were all obviously elated to have finished the ride but struggled to take in what we had done - even now it hasn’t really sunk in. The expected celebratory party ended up being a fairly quiet evening at TGI Fridays with a couple of beers and cocktails; all of us too shattered to do any epic partying.   

All that is left is for the five of us to say thank you to all of those that have supported us, either with donations or encouraging messages. We would also like to thank the tireless efforts of the support team. They put up with a lot of our moans and groans and helped us when we were succumbing to illness. They also kept the blog updated and encouraged people to donate that little bit more. So THANK YOU!

And on that note, please please please donate what you can now that we have completed our epic ride. We know some of you were going to donate after we finished so now that we have please don’t forget!

The web address for the donations page is : http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/VancouvertoTijuanaRide2011

Love,

The boys x

P.S. We are sorry the blog has been bereft of any visual imagery but if you hold on for a couple of weeks, I (Peter) will add a PDF file of all the good pics for you to download and peruse at your leisure.

Update!!!

Day 10.

Patricks Point State Park to Standish Hickey Recreational Park.
123.07 miles.

A slightly grey morning, the cyclists ride on. The boys spirits were lifted with the sign of blue skies and sunshine! Hallelujah! Dom cycled thirty miles with his dodgy knee before calling on the super human support team.
While the boys travel along on the 101, we entered the avenue of the giants! Surrounded by glorious towering Redwoods, we were delighted to learn that we could actually drive the car through the base of one! Following the first 50 miles we met the boys for lunch. They were surprised to see us sunbathing in the carpark near to the Immortal tree tourist attraction. Em kissed the tree in hope for immortality.....huummm!!
The fastest cycling duo (Rhian and Chris) found themselves separtated early on in the ride as Chris waited with Dom until the super human support team picked him up. This brought them nothing but bad luck! Chris and Peter got stopped by the police on the 101 and were asked to take an alternative route, adding miles to their journey. Whilst Rhian,cycling alone, was devastated to lose his puncture virginity. Back at camp the others were delighted to hear of his misfortune. As Chris arrived last to camp (for the first time) he tells us that he too had lost his puncture virginity. Bringing the total to 27.
We learn that the best way to motivate the boys is to turn everything into a competition. So far, Pete has the best track track record for neatly packing his bag ready for loading (although he certainly takes the longest in the morning). Tristan has the most luggage ( which is strange as he appears to have bought NOTHING for camping or cycling e.g A cup, plate, bowl, bike pump the list goes on....) still he is close second in the bag preparation competition. Rhian appears to have collected bricks in his back pack...we can't understand how it has become so HEAVY! Chris has told us to write that he is clearly the winner of this competiton (although half of his belongings are piled neatly on top of his bag rather than inside).

Day 11.

Standish Hickory Recreational Park - Manchester State Park-KOA
115 miles.

Today was a long ride in the glorious sun. Chris and Rhian were reunited once again. Dom completed a full day cycling.
We set up camp in the wilderness right near the hole in the ground and the much needed water supply. We fully erected the tents and sat down peacefully ahead of time to prepare dinner. Then, the duo arrive. Chris wanted to know why we hadn't called to consult them about the camp ground next door which had a hot tub, swimming pool, hot showers and a laundrette!!!! We pleaded ignorance and look smuggly at how well we had done in setting up camp. However our cyclists were in need of a spot of luxury and moments later the others appeared and packed up quicker than we had ever witnessed!
They all enjoy a hot tub and hot showers. Having refused to pay extra for luxury, we sit and cook dinner waiting for their return.

Day 12

KOA- Samuel P Taylor State Park.
121.0 miles.

The boys set off for the day and out of sight, we made the most of the facilities! This included a lovely long hot tub, the use of the laundrette and taking some well deserved chilling out time!
Today we all get lost. Something to with lack of road signs maybe!?! We all miss the same turning and ended up taking the same detour adding extra milage.
We arrive late to camp and the sun was almost set. We had no lantern ( as previously sleepy Rhian knocked it off the table whilst trying to be helpful) The petrol was low and we didnt know when settling down for the evening that chris would have to venture out to collect the lost cyclists. As he pulled out of the remote campsite, we hoped that he would make it to the petrol station in time.
We started to cook dinner (tuna and rice....yum yum) only for the gas to run out. There was nowhere at camp that sold gas. Luckily, some Germans came to our rescue with a spare stove, they also gave us their remaining food and 3 chairs as their trip was ending! "god bless the Germans"
Later that evening as we endulge with hot chocolate and marshmallows, Rhian tells us how he got questioned by the police after jumping a fence to empty his bladder ...this wasnt his first toilet-ing offense.. but if you want further details....ask Rhian!
We all giggle at the change in Pete following a hot shower and a meal..actually 3 bowls of tuna rice later.. he glows and be grins...so cute!!!

Day 13

Samuel P Taylor State Park to San Francisco.
42 miles.

We arrive in San Francisco. The city is built on steep hills and we took great pleasure in revving the car to get up them! (although we werent going to tell the boys that) It was a shock to see lots of people and civilsation after 12 days in the forest with coastal folk, dirty clothes and no make up!
The boys got lost whilst we enjoyed a spot of lunch and hit the shops. Checking into the hostel, everyone was excited at the prospect of a mattress and a duvet! We hit the Irish bar, followed by a Giants baseball game! it was great fun, by the end of the game we almost understood what was going on! There was an incredible fireworks display celebrating the Giants win!
Chris finally let his hair down and put the cycling guide and map to one side and allowed himself to have a laugh with the super human support team! He saw the funny side as excitable Rhian smears mustard across his face while they share nachos watching the game.
After a final midnight feed at Mcdonalds the boys were full for the night, we roll in at 1 am for an early start the following day.

Day 14

San francisco- Manresa State Beach.
88.4 miles

Having left the city there was no supermarket for miles and miles. We were starving as once again we had given the boys the remaining food for their journey. Gagging for something other than tinned veg or slop we stop for a naughty Domino's pizza before reaching the supermarket. The kind checkout lady concerned by the quantity we were buying gave us discount, grocery vouchers and 2 dollars sponsorship.
With a car full of food, we (full and content) continue the journey back to the meeting point ahead of time! However there was some confusion over where we were meeting....anyway, reunited with the boys (after their panic that we had abandoned them) they stuff their faces in mad hunger rush! Concerned Dom turns to us and says "make sure you girls eat something too" little do they know we were stuffed with pizza!
All the campsites we were depending on were booked. It was a long night and a long story. The boys arrive in the dark, starving as usual! We cook them dinner using the light of the car in the car park of a really, really, really basic campsite!!

Day 15

Manresa state beech - San Simeon state park.
101 miles.

Bang, bang, bang.....we were rudely awoken by the park ranger. He demands our money before making us move. The boys set off and do the first 40 miles before meeting us at Monterey bay. Chris, Rhian and the Super Human support team take a boat out to see the whales. We travelled 9 miles out into the Pacific Ocean and we fear for our lives as the sea threw us around the tiny fishermans boat. Em planned the escape route while luce crawled around the boat, unable to stand. Rhian slept through the journey whilst Chris finished his lunch (maybe not the best thing he could have done). The experience was well worth it once we got to see the humpback whales splashing around.
That night Chris was poorly. Em set an alarm every 2 hours to check on him, which was perhaps not necessary given as the wildlife was stalking the car throughout the night. It was a sleepless night for the Super Human support team.

Here we hand over to the boys for the final few days. However we would like to let you know that everyone is ok. The super human support team dissinfected everything at camp in attempt to keep everyone fit and well in order to complete this epic journey. Unfortunatly chris past the germ to Tristan and now Dom, however today (their final day) they are all battling through the sickness, stomach cramps and the many toilet stops to reach the finish line.
We are so so proud of them all and so should you be... if you havent already donated then please please please dig deep and donate to these worthy charites!!!! Muchos lovos from Mecico!! (Mexico :0)) xxxxxxx

Next update from the boys!

Sorry once again for the delayed update. Dictated from the boys......

Day 4.

Lake Sylvia State Park to Cape Disappointment State Park- 82.35 miles
3474ft climb. Saddle time 5 hour 45.
We had lined up our SPD's on the bench the night before, sadly to find them soaked through this morning...generally everything is wet. We decided to put our feet in dog poo bags before setting off!
Tristan got 3 punctures. Peter got one puncture. The day went well, the weather finally got better enabling us to dry our gear on the back of our bikes.
Fate was on our side today. Dom, suffering with a painful knee, decided it was time to seek a professional opinion! He was fearing the worst and prepared to claim on his health insurance! However It just so happened that Dom and the servants stumbled upon the only clinic in Oregon that provided pro-bonos and had a specialist in sports injury. After a lengthly consultation and a load of free goodies, they were very grateful and all the wiser for the anatomy lesson!
Cape disappointment did not live up to its name, it was absolutely beautiful with high cliffs and silver drift wood scattered across the sandy windswept beach. Our campsite was set back behind the wild grass, nestled between the trees. Finally we share our first sunset on the beach!
We had to contend with the wildlife. Later that evening we learnt that the campsite was home to an army of overweight, greedy, hairy and vicious racoons, who made off with a dozen eggs right under our nose!
Chris would like to apologise to Sophie and Ollie for not meeting up in Vancouver, we arrived at midnight and left by 9am for the start of the ride.

Day 5.

Cape Disappointment to Cape Lookout- 94.06 miles (430 miles in total).
7.5 hours in the saddle. 4170ft climb.
We were in for a treat this morning as Pete did his best rendition of R kelly's "bump and grind" (actions included). We were highly amused! Lifting the spirits for ANOTHER day in the saddle.
It was a late start from Washington state. The roads were really bad with debris scattered along the path, it made for awful cycling conditions. The ride was tough, there was a 4.7 mile long bridge and it climbed up to 200ft. The cycle path was less than a metre wide, there were artic lorries zooming past on one side and a 200ft drop on the other. On entering into Oregon there were many beautiful villages to see, however the quality of road remained poor. we were introduced to tunnels which had been explained by other cyclists to be dangerous, whereby we had to push a button to indicate to other road users that we were passing through, at this point we were told to peddle as hard as possible to get to the other side safely. Having crossed the long bridge previously that day, this proved to be a piece of cake.

Day 6 .

Cape Lookout State Park to Jessie M State Park- 122.33 miles.
Apprehensive about the day ahead we knew it would be make or break with 120 miles to go. Luckily fate was on our side we had a strong tail wind, marble like road services and bags of energy. Peter took the lead showing the boys he had some power in the those chiseled legs of his.
We were surrounded with amazing scenery. The coastal road was incredible, sea stacks covered with wildlife and the pacific continuously catching our eye with its sheer size and beauty. We had a meeting point, where we met the servants, it just so happened we had the opportunity to eat lunch whilst watching the whales swim in the sea.
Peter got stuck ten miles out with another puncture and no pump. Again, the American hospitality came to the rescue "god bless America". Peter would like to to thank the couple again for their help. "Go beavers"!
We ended the day watching the sunset over the sand dunes.

Day 7

Jessie M State Park to Bullards Beach State Park- 66.6 miles
We started the day with Dom at the Helm.
The weather was warm, the coast line was covered by dunes, we didnt get a glimpse the ocean all day. The task of riding the miles became daunting.
Later that day back at camp we were swarmed by mozys, they were a freaking nightmare!! They had a very good feed, taking a particular liking Tristan's bum! (and sneakly got through Em's leggings leaving little untouched)
To escape the mozys we head off to the beach and watched the most amazing sunset yet.

Day 8.

Bullards Beach State Park to Harris Beach State Park- 87.94 miles
Rhian and Chris raced ahead and continue to hold the 100% no puncture record. They stopped for lunch and 2 kind elderly Canadians whipped them up a cup of earl grey to help them along the way. Only to arrive back and find Lucie passed out from sheer exhaustion with flu like symptoms that appear to be spreading around the group. Leaving them only 1 servant!
During which time, Pete and Tristan (without a cup of earl grey and sweet hearted Canadians)had two punctures and no pump! They continued to battle on with sheer determination and made it to camp for 5pm.
Chris and Rhian met up with Dom at the top of Cape Sebastian after conquering a 18% gradient acsent!! Not an easy feat we are hasent to add!!
After eating yet another great meal we all head down to the beach to climb sea stacks and chat to the locals about our great adventure. Our blue jumpers and wooly hats coupled with the locals intregue is the best bit of publicity we could ever have.

Day 9 .

Harris Beach - Patricks Point State Park-86.21 miles
We crossed the border to California.
It was a very tough day and the task of riding a bike ALL day and EVERY day is becoming wearing, both physically and mentally. All support is welcome!! We need encouragement!!
Dom got back on the bike again today. His determination not to disappoint those who have sponsored him is truly inspiring. He is a true warrior!!
Today we hit the redwoods, Tris and Pete rode through a tree whilst Chris and Rhian hugged a tree.
DAMP DAMP DAMP!! Nothing has been dry for days, the campsite is spooky but not a scratch on the oyster farm. The showers are straight off a horror film set!
The servants cooked our most favourite meal yet! Even RHIAN didnt have any suggestions for improvement.
The racoons strike again. This time they take a cheeky little midnight feast of marshmallows!! Not even a thank you!! Can you believe it!?!

Now the halfway point has arrived, in a moment of reflection, we appreciate that this challenge is tougher than what we had imagined. Although this is a personal challenge and an incredible life experience, it has been done to aid and support two worthy charities that are close to our hearts. Please help us, and help them and donate online.

The First 3 Days

Sorry for the delay in updating everyone! Exhaustion combined with numerous hurdles along the way, it's been eventful, to say the least!
Day 1
Vancouver-Canada to Goldstream Campsite- Vancouver Island- 89.72 miles
The day got off to an early start suffering with jet lag. We planned to take the the ferry to Vancouver Island. The boys cycled. With one puncture for Tristan, a few wrong turns and added milage riding alongside a motorway, they arrived at the port 1 by 1 with very few minutes to spare! A soft-hearted Canadian lady helped us get the boys aboard the boat in the nick of time FREE of charge!
We split from the boys leaving them to roam 65 miles of flat motorway running along the east coast of the Island. Peter battled on with blocked sinuses and a sore throat, whilst Chris and Rhian went steaming ahead! Tristan quickly learnt that sleep deprivation and alcohol on top of jet lag are not condusive to a care free 90 mile bike ride. Determined Dominic endevoured to support the support group.
We on the otherhand, tired and getting used to driving on the right, set off to get supplies. This task proved harder than it should have been. It's a long story but in our jet lagged state, 4 supermarkets later, we had mostly everything we needed.
We arrived at the campsite at the same time as the exhausted boys! Goldstream campsite was situated in a beautiful woodland area , we managed to charm the pants off the Ranger and stay for half price!! After a hearty pasta meal cooked by us we retired to bed, only for some cheeky thieving racoon to come in the night and eat the following days lunch.

Day 2.
Victoria- Vancouver Island to Quilcene WA. 68.3 Miles
Another pilarva at the ferry port as we try to cross the border. The boys planned to catch the early ferry. Three hours later we arrive the boys are still there. Turns out the whole of America are trying to return after a "memorial" weekend. The ferries were all booked out. Mr Jobsworth aka US Customs Officer took a dislike to our disorganised arrival and apparently forbidden cargo. Who would have thought a bag of oranges and a bit of fire wood would cause such a problem!! Forseeing that we would be 8 hours behind the boys we attempted to cook a meal on the side of the road! Only to be called to the car before finishing the job! The boys left for the boat with no agreed meeting point, no contact numbers, food or money. Dominic went under interigation for boarding the boat. In his sleep depreived state, his answers were not quite on the point. Mimicking a scene from a Shakespear play we shouted to Chris and Rhian as the large ferry set sail as we were denyed boarding, thereafter we were known to the security as the "rejects".
Needing to make up for lost time the hungry boys push on whilst we wait in Canada. Peter's main worry was eating a COLD meal!! It didn't matter to him that he had sailed too fAST down hill, fallen off his bike and crashed into some railings, (almost launching himself into a freezing cold mountain river) much to the others amsument he struggled to prise his bike free!
6 hours later we arrive in the USA with the food and everyones belongings. It was dark, we got lost and 2 hours later we found the boys. They had found the most secluded, eerie campsite ever known to mankind. We had the feeling they werent telling us everything.
Down a dark dark lane on an oyster farm we set up camp and got heads down praying that everyone would be alive in the morning!
Day 3.
Quilcene Oyster Farm- Lake Sylvia State Park WA-90 miles
Amazingly everyone was alive, however couldn't wait to pack up and leave! Dom's knee was very sore, after a massage from Tristan and Em, it felt better. The boys set off.
It rained and it rained and it rained for the first 57 miles, they got drenched! Not a great day for Dom he got puncture number 2. With 30 miles to go Dom's knee finally gave up. He came to support to support team.
During the ride Peter consumed all of his food supplies and looked to Tristan for something, the only thing he had was a peanut butter and jam sandwich covered in rice and brocolli. Peter was appalled, after a grimaced look and a disappointed smile, he ate it. Despite refuelling, on the final mile Peter got a puncture and had to picked up in the car.
We quickly learnt that the only way to win Chris' attention at this point in time (constantly planning the next step) is to use key words. This includes items of interest
"look, otter!" "food" "fire" etc....
With car full of food we fought off the hungry and very brave chipmonks whilst unloading the tents.
It was an early night for all, Rhian was left writing his diary by light of lantern.

 

Update to follow soon!

xx

The day before it all begins!

The day before the big ride!

We are currently sitting in a sports bar in the downtown of Seattle watching the Champions League Final soaking up the american atmosphere and enjoying the 28- 50' wide screen tvs dotted around the place. (trust me this is cruical training). The car is fully packed with everything that we need for the trip including camping stoves and all the bikes and asociated bits! the girls are enjoying the unenviable task of getting to america which as we know from persoanl experince is a long day!

The bikes all survived the dangerous crossing and tunned up ready!

We are making our way to Vancouver this evening and bedding down early for the start of the epic trip ahead. The first day is going to be a comfortable 70 miles with a ferry crossing to boot!

Watch this space

Dom and the boys

The boys in Seattle

It's 10.20pm and we are relaxing planning the crazy day ahead. Today we have been getting all the essential bits and pieces like stove ( which will be feeding us for the next month!) we are picking the girls up from the airport tomorrow and then heading to the start point VANCOUVER!
As soon as we get the laptop up and running we will put up some photos of the getting ready! A big shout out and thank you for sponsoring us!

Dom

Just landed

Just arrived in Seattle airport after a long and arduous journey totalling 22hrs. Still have to sort out how we're going to get 5 boys, 5 bikes, 10 bags into a car with no bike rack! We'll update shortly! X