Around the World on our bikes in 10 1/2 years…...24,901 miles!

We did it!

Today we accomplished something that we cannot even quite believe ourselves.  

It is this:  Since January 2012 we have cycled around the world together--24,901 miles.

Never could either of us have imagined such a thing 10 1/2 years ago when we rode that first mile together in Cloverdale, California.

And neither of us could have imagined doing such a thing in our lives before we became an “us.”  In less than 11 years we have cycled around the world.  I know we just said that, but it keeps going around in our heads, like our bicycle tires for all of those miles.  Around the world.  Around the world.  AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!

And cycling's not even our major hobby.  It is one of several hobbies.  For example, we have also hiked 4,400 miles in that time.  But neither cycling or hiking is our main hobby. Dancing is our major hobby…we met at a dance and dancing together to our beautiful romantic music is what really defines us.

So to cycle around the world, meanwhile doing all kinds of other wonderful things together (like being GRANDPARENTS!), is something that (I know we just said it, but so what) we could never have imagined.

We're not even the greatest of cyclists.  We are merely the kind of "good" you become by just doing something, and doing it a lot because you love it and love doing it together.  

We both took up cycling in our 60s, although we both rode bikes a lot as children, as these photos show:

 

(if you have doubts as to whether or not the above photo is really of Vicky, all I want to say is "big bright red bow in her hair...who else?")

For about three of those 10 1/2 years we were road tripping and camping, so couldn't cycle.  At first we took our bikes on our road trips/camping trips, but the harsh conditions usually precluded riding them and/or were hard on the bikes.  So, actually we have accomplished our around the world trek in about 8 years, because that’s the amount of time that we had access to our bikes.

In those 10 1/2 years, in addition to cycling, hiking, dancing, swimming (when we are in Leisure World), doing 55000 miles on camping road trips, camping in 350+ different sites, and being grandparents, we have had to deal with life, as everyone does.

All of our parents died in that time, as well as a dear brother and a sister. How we would love for them to share in our excitement.  Dan had open heart surgery and treatment for prostate cancer that made any kind of movement difficult (especially, as you can imagine, sitting on a bike seat) and had to take medicine that turned his muscles to mush, Vicky had bouts with skin cancer that required her to not move for weeks at a time so sutures would not tear, and she also dealt the entire time with the chronic pain of a broken back that was repaired by surgery 25 years ago but will never be the same. 

And the coup de grace about life? We have gotten older.  And being older we see that the old statement about aging is so true:  "What doesn't hurt doesn't work."

But every morning we eagerly get up and get ready to go….to do something fun together.  

Much of our cycling these days is on our Rads electric-assist bikes.  When we are in Leisure World we primarily use our tandem bike.  The Rads are wonderful for cycling on mountain roads because they can get up hills that would be too much for us on regular mountain bikes.  But we still get a ton of exercise.  You can get the amount of exercise that you "dial-in."  So it's not like you are just sitting on your bike and having the motor do the work—far from that in fact.

We wanted our final ride that got us back to the starting point (i.e., the 24,901 miles back around the world) to be special, so decided on the Rim Road.  This road travels along the edge of the Mogollon Rim, which towers a thousand feet above Pine, AZ, the town we live together in our sweet little log cabin.  

This ride where we competed our circumnavigation of the Earth this morning represented a lot about our cycling together--kind of challenging and stunningly beautiful, as the photos below show. 

We got up very early so we could have the road all to ourselves, before the occasional camper headed out on the rim road looking for an adventure.  We left home at 4:30 a.m. and started our ride at 5:30 a.m.

The sun was just rising over the Rim as we started our ride.  We were treated to a beautiful sunrise as we rode eastward on the Rim Road.

From the rim there are spots where it seems like you can see for a 100 miles, south, east, and west.  Maybe you can.  The views are breathtaking, which is why we wanted this epic ride to be on this road.

 

Look carefully through the trees to see Vicky riding down the road:

And at exactly 8.83 miles into our ride we crossed the finish line together.  We wanted to complete our circumnavigation of the Earth side by side—close together, as we have cycled all our 24,901 miles.  Vicky said the last mile was joyful but hard, because she was crying.  I said "me too."

We toasted with Champagne  (well, actually we had put V-8 juice in small wine bottles). 

It was the best “Champagne” we had ever tasted….and the most well deserved too!

 Here is our ride from Google Maps:

We did it.  We cycled around the world in our 60s and 70s.  Every mile together....actually every inch together, watching each other and each making sure that the other is safe.

During all of these miles around the globe, Dan has cycled behind me.  (The exception is when we are on our tandem, Daisy, where we need his strength for tight turns and braking so he is in front.)  Dan is very insistent about cycling behind me.  He is constantly watching the cars behind us, staying alert and aware of any dangerous driver who is going too fast or might veer toward us.  He says that if a car runs into one of us, it will be him, not me.  He is my Superman.

For our trip around the world I have seen Dan constantly in my rear view mirror.  And I feel a deep love for him. He is keeping me safe.

During our trip around the world we have seen spectacular scenery all over our amazing county....at 12 miles per hour.....slow enough to really enjoy each sight and each moment!

Ten and a half years ago we started this epic journey together around the world.  It all began in January of 2012.  We headed off on our first road trip with our bikes strapped to the back of our vintage 1970 Chinook camper….

Here we are on our very first bike ride in 2012 (with my brand new “fancy” $450 Specialized road bike) touring the wine country outside of Cloverdale, California:

Cycling on the Pacific coast from Pacific Grove, through Monterey, and north to Marina, California:

Cycling in the Mojave National Preserve was my first 40-mile ride.  The last 20 miles was up a steady hill and into the wind.  When we got back to the truck/camper Dan said, “You can make to to Portland!”  (He was referring to the 206 mile, 2-day, Seattle to Portland STP Bike Ride that he had done before.)

In Roper State Park, Arizona we set a Dan & Vicky Record of four flat tires on ONE bike ride. 

Every spring and early summer Dan and I trained like fiends for the Seattle to Portland 200+ mile bike ride (the STP).   We are old and needed to be in top cycling shape to ride that far in two days.   By the time we would head south to Portland each summer, we had ridden 1500-2000 miles and had completed several 100-mile rides as part of our training.

Here we are in Coupeville on our ride from our Whidbey Island home in Langley to Deception Pass and back home again, a total of 95 miles in one day!

Here we are taking a lunch break on another 100-mile ride which we love and have completed many many times (often with Jules)  on the Burke-Gilman Trail which travels from Seattle around Lake Washington.  We really enjoyed all our rides with Jules.

Marymoor Park on the Burke-Gilman Trail:

We rode on a beautiful 40 mile trail through Red Canyon in southern Utah:

Dan and I stayed with Kathy and Bill in Fort Collins, Colorado and spent days on end with them, Mom, and Tonia.  In the mornings we cycled on all the walking/bike trails in the area.  

Sean invited us to ride the Tour de Tugaloo with him.  The ride traveled from Georgia into South Carolina. The fall colors were spectacular!  Thank you Sean.  It is a special memory being able to take this ride with him.

Dan and Sean

Through the years we have cycled many miles in Mesa, Arizona, on the Pass Mountain Loop and out the road to Lake Saguaro.  We would start our ride from our campsite at Usery Mountain Regional Park.

Several times we rode right through the center of Death Valley from the Mesquite Springs campground.  We found that this 40 mile ride is often windy, the elevation gain is considerable.....and it can be very HOT!  

To stay hydrated on this long, hot ride, we started stashing extra water bottles along our route.  Look at the wind blowing Dan’s jacket in this photo while he is repairing a flat tire.

Our first organized bike ride in early springs was the Tulip Pedal.  We did this ride with Jules for several years. It was through the beautiful farmland and tulip and daffodil fields around La Conner, Washington.

Here we are at the end of the driveway at our Whidbey Island home.  We were not play acting in this photo.  It was often VERY cold cycling there in early spring.  

For several years we rented a motel room in the San Juan Islands.  We cycled on virtually every road on Lopez Island and San Juan Island.  This is one of our very favorite cycling destinations. 

 

The Orca Inn on San Juan Island had very tiny rooms, but was quite adequate for our cycling trips.  

 

The buildings had originally been on barges to provide housing for the men that worked to clean up the 1989 Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.  The tiny rooms were the quarters for the workers and had not been remodeled.  The interesting history of this Inn made it more fun for us.  

 

One of our favorite organized bike rides (that we did many years with Jules) was the Inland Empire Century in the Tri-Cities area of eastern Washington. And our favorite part of this ride is on the top of the Horse Heaven Hills plateau.

The photo below was on top of Horse Heaven Hills.   It was our 5th anniversary, Mother’s Day, and 8,000 miles cycling together.  How cool!

We ran into Jules and Dale at the rest stop at the top of Weber Canyon high on the plateau:

It was so windy another year going up Weber Canyon and on the Horse Heaven Hills plateau that at times even though we were pedaling with all our strength, our bikes had virtually no forward movement.  But we loved the ride on this windy day and often reminisce about it.

Look at the wind billowing our STP jackets like balloons (although I think that Dan’s jacket is all puffed out because he is so buff!).

After cycling together for 5 1/2 years, five STP’s, over 10,000 miles we retired my $450 bike, and we bought me a top class road bike.  Here is my new Specialized Ruby.  Isn’t my red bomb a beauty!

Another wonderful annual bike ride that we did with Jules was the Apple Century.  It was held in early June, often on my birthday.  To go on this ride was a wonderful birthday present.  The Apple Century is in central Washington and travels from Wenatchee on the Columbia River, through dozens of apple orchards, to the mountains surrounding Leavenworth, and back again.

Here we are at our halfway point on the Apple Century after climbing over 10 miles up Chumstick Highway.  Now we get to fly down the hill on our bikes for miles and miles!

The last part of the ride travels along the Columbia river.  Here is a photo of Jules as he finishes the ride.

 

The Apple Century on June 2, 2018 was our 500th bike ride since our first ride through the California wine country in January of 2012.  In those 6 1/2 years we had cycled 12,827 miles.

Here we are on top of Deadman Hill (appropriately named) on our 500th ride together!

The Centennial Trail travels north for 30 miles from Snohomish, Washington.   At one time it was rail line.  We loved that trail where the trains used to travel.  It winds through forests, farms, and over rivers.  We rode hundreds of miles on this trail.  

This old barn at the end of the trail where we’d turn around and head back to Snohomish.

And then the ultimate ride together:  The STP with Jules.

 

We did the 210-mile Seattle to Portland bike ride seven times together, and every time we rode it with Jules.  Since Jules is a speed bomb cycling and we’re not, we didn’t actually ride "with" Jules.  

 

We started our ride with him each morning.  Then we would reach our destination in the afternoon several hours after Jules had arrived there.  He had already showered, gotten a massage, and finished at least one beer.  Nevertheless, we all consider that we rode seven STP’s with the three of us together. 

The next several photos are highlights along the STP route that we think of with great fondness.

The three of us heading out from Jules’ home at 5 a.m. on Day 1 of the STP.

 

 

 Lake Washington Boulevard in Seattle:

Tenino Trail south of Yelm, WA:

The magnificent barn:

Devouring cool, refreshing creamsicles in Centrailia, Washington at 100 miles into our ride:

End of Day 1:  Relaxing at Wayne and Mindy’s “Nightmare Farm” (their name, not ours) in Napavine, Washington after cycling 116 miles from Seattle.  We stayed here all 7 years.

 Mindy, Wayne and June--who opened their home to us and who we became very fond of.

 

 

Day 2: leaving Nightmare Farm at 5:30 a.m. and heading to Portland....with Jules!

 

In this photo we had just set our tires on Oregon pavement!   In the background is the Longview Bridge which spans the Columbia River and is the boundary between Washington and Oregon.

 

Jules approaching Portland ahead of us:

Dan and I crossing the Willamette River on the St John’s Bridge and entering Portland.  

Only 10 miles to the Finish Line…we are stoked!

 

Over the finish line and onto the grass where we were awarded our Finisher’s Badges!  

And to be very honest about it:  We DID need those steeenking badges!

Our Finish Line photo.....210 miles from Seattle to Portland!

And with Ian and Adam to give us a hug at the Finish Line!

We cycled with Jules on many other organized bike rides in western Washington.  These rides included the Flying Wheels, Bike and Bruise, Tour de Peaks, Daffodil Classic, and the Tour de Whidbey.

A lot of the miles we rode traveling around the world were on Whidbey Island, where we  lived for seven years during the springs and summers (before we left in the falls for our 5+ month long road trips).  

There is not a more beautiful place to cycle than Whidbey Island, which is one of the San Juan Islands.  We got to cycle through forests and farmlands.  In addition, the island is surrounded by the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Saratoga Passage.  In the distance you can see the Olympic Mountains, the Cascade Range, Mt. Baker, and Mt. Rainier!

In the fall of 2018 we were living at our new home in Mesa, Arizona--Nuestra Casa.   Dan was recovering from open heart surgery, and we felt that cycling would be a good way for him to get his strength back.  Since our road bikes were at our home on Whidbey Island, we decided that it would be time to grant ourselves one of our wishes....to ride a tandem bicycle together.

So we bought "Daisy," a $440 Schwinn tandem bike.  And we so loved riding our Daisy.  In fact, our road bikes felt very neglected. 

We discovered that if we cycled at 3 a.m., it was comfortably cool or at least not too hot in Mesa in the summer.  So every morning we happily rode Daisy in the dark.  It is very safe, as the only other vehicle we usually saw was Security, who we always waved to and who always waved to us. 

 

We loved watching the moon waxing and waning.  And we loved the intense quiet and solitude.

In 2018 we rode our final STP.  However,  it was a "Virtual" STP.  And we rode virtually with Jules, Diane, Emily, Sean, Kathy, Bill, and our grandsons, Ian, Adam, Soren, and Sebastian.  It was a blast!

 

And it meant the world to Dan to have his family's support during a hard time for him--they all jumped in and did it shortly after he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and had begun daily radiation treatments.  In fact, Dan had a radiation treatment every morning that we rode the STP that summer.  I was so proud of him….he is my Superman!

And because our family all came together to ride with him, this was our favorite STP.   It meant so much to us.  And both Dan and I feel that this family STP ride is responsible for the successful treatment and his recovery.

 

Our STP virtual team (we named it Nightmare Farm Team because we wanted Mindy and Wayne to be part of our virtual STP):

 

We rode every single one of the 210 miles of the Virtual Seattle to Portland Bike Ride on Daisy and in the community where we live, Leisure World.  So now we have ridden the STP on a tandem bike!

Here we are with our well deserved STP shirts and Finisher’s Badges:

That year we had to replace Daisy.  She was a cheap bike, and we rode her to death.

It's just a bicycle for crying out loud, but it was very sad to both of us to have to say goodbye to her.  It was like saying goodbye to an old trusted friend.

Our last ride on Daisy:

 

So, sadly, like in the old 1950s Westerns, Dan had to put our trusty old steed down.  

 

 

But Daisy will live again, which actually means something to us, as she will be disassembled and we will use her for parts.

 

Fortunately we had just purchased a new Daisy, and we plan to cycle thousands more miles together on her.   And when she breaks down, we will use parts from the original Daisy to fix her.  

As mentioned earlier, in September of 2021 we took our cycling in a totally different direction.  We had bought our mountain cabin in Pine, Arizona.  Pine is surrounded on all sides by National Forests and thousands of miles of mountain roads and trails.  

We purchased two electric-assist Rad Rovers fat tire mountain bikes, so we could cycle in these magnificent forests and mountain mesas.

 

 

All these years later, after 24,901 miles and over 1,250 bike rides, we treasure each and every one of those rides.  Dan and I have always been a “team,” and we have each brought enthusiasm into the preparation for every ride.

This enthusiasm and joy of life that we have has carried us through even the difficult rides (and, likewise, through the most difficult of times as we age).  Surprisingly, some of our most memorable rides (the ones we talk about most often) have been the ones where the weather, our bikes, and/or our bodies have not cooperated, and we were not sure if we could finish the ride.

We have had adventures that we would have never dreamed of having and have created incredible memories as we cycled 24,901 miles around the world. These memories will carry us through the years ahead as we age.  

When we can no longer cycle we will look at each other, and say, “remember when…..”