Practice Rides

Some people, (ok may people) think the idea of biking from Boston to Seattle is crazy. I find it amusing that even those people have to nod their heads in agreement when we say we are doing a bunch of "practice rides" beforehand with full gear to simulate the experience. No one ever thinks practice is crazy.

Practice Trip 1 was to see my co-teacher Anita and her lovely family in Kingston, Mass. Her husband is a lobster man and her daughter, Stella, is one of the more energetic eight year olds I have ever seen (yes, that includes myself). Anita greeted us with a gorgeous lunch spread, grilled chicken, GREENS and a mozzarella antipasto. After lunch Stella got us all to play wiffle ball. After yard games and visiting their goats we headed back into Boston, with a not-so-quick stop at a Harpoon party in Quincy.

That ride was 70 miles and was a huge confident booster. We figure if we can wake up late (and slightly hungover) the morning after Wake Up the Earth Festival and bike 70 miles, stopping for two parties, we just  might be able to do this biking to Seattle thing.

Practice Trip 2 we completed yesterday. Saturday we biked from our place in JP 112 miles to Northampton MA, where we stayed with our first Warm Shower hosts, Brett and Jenny. They definitely set a high standard for the Warm Shower experience. They were so warm and welcoming and eager to share stories of their own biking adventure. Three years ago they rode from Northampton to Portland to San Francisco on a tandem recumbent bicycle. In the morning Nik and I tried out their recumbent, which was way more challenging than I had imagined. Props to them for making such an epic journey in such a unique way. 

It turns out 226 miles is a lot of biking over two days.  We got home late yesterday night, sore and exhausted but oh so triumphant!