We cross the finish line in Portland....our 8th Seattle to Portland (STP) bike ride

For the first seven Seattle to Portland (STP) rides together we cycled out of Seattle VERY early on Saturday morning with Jules and arrived in Portland Sunday afternoon.  

Here we are crossing the finish line on our final STP in 2018.

Because of the pandemic, the Cascade Bicycle Club that sponsors the STP created a virtual STP ride.  So we rode all 206 miles on our tandem Daisy in our 1.5 square mile senior community for “active adults.”  (We guess finally qualify as “active adults.”)

This year it took us fifteen days to ride the STP.  But we are no less proud of our accomplishment than we have been on any of the other years.  In fact, we are more proud.

Because during our entire virtual STP Dan has been undergoing radiation every weekday to kill the cancer cells in his body. That radiation therapy doesn't just kill cancer cells but also injures all adjacent cells, so the usual side-effect for most people is fatigue because the body is trying to heal itself.

And to this point, since June 11 when he started treatment, we have not missed a day of cycling for an hour and walking for almost an hour and a half.  We have each cycled and walked over 950 miles since the radiation clinic has started destroying cells in his body and injuring others.

As if that was not enough, it has also been HOT!  This morning when we got up at 2:30 a.m. and got out on Daisy it was already 90 degrees!  Dan didn’t complain or procrastinate.  We cycled anyway and crossed the finish line, fifteen days after we (virtually) left Seattle.  I am so very proud of Dan.

We are very happy to be riding the 2020 STP virtually with our grandchildren, children, brother (in law) Bill, and family.  In fact, on this morning that we crossed the finish line our team collectively had done over FOUR virtual STPs!!

Although we all need to take precautions and stay healthy and can’t be together, we can all virtually ride together and give each other virtual high fives and virtual hugs each day!

When got to “Portland“ and crossed the finish line this morning it was 3:50 a.m.  That was too early (even for Dan) to celebrate with wine, so we toasted each other with milk in our wine glasses.

Dan here:  I couldn't do it without Vicky.  She is my treasure.