71.6 miles and a state of emergency!

Here we are after a 71.6 mile ride. Things got a bit scary when we ran out of water and food and the next town was 20 miles away. Luckily we found a fresh river. We had a shower, drank the water and the solo cyclist Simon from France gave us some rice. It was the pit stop of justice. Without that rice we really would have struggled to reach the next town without hitching a ride. Ted became a man today. For all those who doubted Ted. I am afraid to say you were wrong. I was wrong because he really has become one of the strongest riders in our pack. Hand on heart I am so proud of him I truly am!

July 4th Independance Day!

Reached Olympia, Capital of Washington for Independance Day celebration. Hoping for a huge party like Canada day but rolled into a ghost town. Ended up taking the party to them. Found a small bar called the Brotherhood. DJ was playing music only from the 60's. Some of the best music I have ever heard. We moved tables and made a dancefloor. We jived and boogied and a local guy said to us "in all my years I have never seen anyone dance in this bar ever". Within half an hour there was about 25 local people dancing the night away. It was the epitomy of an all American bar and everything I could have wished for.

Windy mornings!

Its a scientific fact that every single morning after a campsite dinner, normally consisting of pasta and sauce Ted will be woken by the sound of a sleeping bag pants ripper! Its almost routine for me. They are ferrel and last anything from 2-5 seconds in length.

Camping on the lakes!

Our first night camping together in the woods. This was the morning in which Ted ate two slices of humble pie! The first was the raincoat humble pie. After a heavy downpour a sodden Ted turned to me and mumbled "Joe you were right maybe I do need a raincoat for Washington, after all is it the wettest state in the USA". Second serving came in the form of padded lycra cycling shorts. After over 100 miles in the saddle Ted's gooch awareness was paramount and he went on to buy some second hand shorts from a thrift store along the way, something which I foolishly went on to sniff. Yes I deemed it necessary to ensure that the gooch was clean without really thinking of what I had just done. Ted looked at me in amazement and said "Did you actually just do that?" "yes Ted I did!"

Port Angeles, Washington!

After a 1.5 hour ferry ride from Victoria, BC we arrived in the USA. Passports stamped! Cycled 51.19 miles today along the Highway 101, a road which will be our home for the next 5 weeks. Breathtaking mountain backdrops along the lakes. The trip for me has just begun here. Leaving the city and heading into the forests camping with the bears!

Ted the yawner!

In the early days on the road this is common sight for me in my rear view mirror. Seeing Ted drafting (cheating) behind me while I break the headwinds ahead.

Canada Day!

Plans were suddenly changed as we were about to leave Canada for the ferry to the US. We realised that the day after was Canada Day. Described by proud locals as being bigger than New Year and with one guy explaining that "downtown will be a fucking zoo man" we decided to stay. After all missing it would be a sin. It would be like Elton John leaving San Francisco the day before Gay Pride. It wouldn't happen! So after a few cheeky hostel drinks later we found ourselves covered in Maple leaf flags and pear cider standing amongst a sea of red and white. Goodbye Canada, Hello USA and roll on Independance Day!