The end of the road in Washington

Kim and Steve's home on Puget Island over looking the Columbia River. I slept in the gabled roof room watching the full moon float in and out of the clouds.

A look out of the back of Kim and Steve's kitchen window. The Columbia River

The most gracious hosts, Kim and Steve! Thanks guys for a fantastic evening! Craig and I really appreciated you hospitality.

Myself and Craig heading out after staying with Kim and Steve for the evening.

Friday, September 4th

I heard from many of you regarding my quick lack of tracking the date. Not only did I not know the date for my last posting, I also got the month wrong. I have not seen a TV, heard a radio,picked up a newspaper or surfed the web since I departed MSP on August 28th. Current events are not part of my current vocabulary. The librarian has been kind enough to provide me with a calendar, to help me recall events.

Today, Craig and I rode to the boarder of Washington and Oregon, staying at Kim and Steve's home on Puget Island, WA. Kim and Steve are a couple who open their home to cyclist from around the world. We had warm showers, queen size beds and free laundry services. Kim is a master gardener who treated us to a farm fresh dinner that will be remembered as one of the best meals of the trip. Tomorrow we take a ferry across the Columbia River and enter Oregon.

Today's cycling was again, a real treat! Speeds were up, and the hills were mostly down. This is my 4th day of riding and I can feel my legs getting stronger and my will power lasting longer that the inclines. Just as Lance Armstrong has pointed out in his book, "It's not about the bike," I feel the same way about this ride. This ride has nothing to do with the bike or bike riding. My journey is to explore the possibilities of my emotional strength, trying something that I have only dreamed about and being content with what ever the outcome is. Even on my toughest days of walking up hills, progressing at incredibly slow speeds and facing strong head winds, I still manage to keep a smile on my face and gratitude in my heart.

I am exceedingly thankful to family and friends who have so kindly encouraged me to think big and take a risk. So, to end this day, I encourage all of you to stop talking about what you want to do and start planning to do it. You have the ability to make things great things happen! Share your life with others and you will be blessed double-fold. This much I know is true. I am living it everyday here on the open road.