Biking with Bill

There was complete agreement about today's 75 mile ride to Welches, OR; everyone loved it! It was a great day on the bike! The route was varied and interesting, the scenery was stunning, and the weather was ideal for cycling; clear and cool. We had a few climbs (2900 ft of climbing today) and some fast descents. We crossed over the Willamette River on the St John's Bridge, and rode on an off-road bicycle path along the Columbia River for many miles.

It was appropriate that "Team RTC" suited up in our Rails-to- Trails jerseys today, as we experienced the safety and pleasure of biking on the scenic pedestrian-only bike path in North Portland, OR. Part of the ride was on the levee of the Columbia River where we passed by the airport in small groups enjoying the great pathway provided for bikers and pedestrian recreation.

It was in the town of Orient, OR that we got our first view of Mt Hood....WHOA! There it was --the massive snow covered mountain we had all been waiting to see. We had many more sightings as we rode on route 26 heading directly at it. It REQUIRED you to get off the bike and take another photo. It is a beautiful sight. Skiers and snowboarders are still on the mountain for summer training on the glacier.

The region near the mountain that we rode through today is a center for large commercial nurseries covering hundreds of acres of trees in various stages of growth. The seedlings and young trees of all types are grown here to supply local nurseries around the country.

Our hotel tonight is The Resort at the Mountain (Mt Hood), which is a first class resort with all the ammenities. It is located in a peaceful forest park setting in the Cascades. ABB has informed us that we should not get accustomed to such luxury--we have a long way to go--and a lot more Super 8's.

We have a mom and her 2 teenage sons with us on the trip. They ride a TRIPLE bike, a bicycle built for three! They are perhaps the fastest bike in the group (6 legs make it fly). The family has lived in Paris, France for the past 10 years, where the boys go to French schools. They have absolutely no accent in either language. (I'll have to try out my language skills.) All three were in University of Notre Dame biking outfits today as the father and grandfather are alumni. Mom said to me with a wink, "There is absolutely no pressure on the boys". It is an interesting group we have here.

Tomorrow is guaranteed to be a "tough day". I'll give you a report.

Bill