West Coast 1 - first 4 days and 200 miles completed.

After months of planning and preparation we have finally started the West Coast ride from Seattle to San Diego. I was reunited with my American bike - ‘Uncle Sam’, who usually lives in Atlanta in Georgia. He was taken down to Americus in Georgia, the home of the housing charity, the Fuller Center for Housing (https://www.fullercenterbikeadventure.org), the people organising the ride, placed in the trailer and then transported to Seattle.

On arrival at the Fauntleroy Church, I helped unpack the trailer, including Uncle Sam, and we started the preparations for the ride. This usually contained an ‘ice-breaker’ to learn all our names and sign up for the code of conduction for the tour. Then on Saturday, we all launched out for a short ride to Renton, including a photo opportunity in front of Downtown Seattle.

Whilst I was there I took the opportunity to have photos taken for all the organisations involved in my ride:

This was just a short ride of 24 miles for day one which gave us more time to get to know each other. On the Sunday we attended the church service of the church where we were staying overnight, before another short ride of 30miles to the next church in Tacoma.

Good safe space for cyclists alongside the main carriage way

Day 3 was the first longer ride of 61 miles when I agreed to ‘sweep’. This entails riding at the back of the group to try to ensure that everyone arrives safely at the host church. Jeff and I rode together and assisted a rider who had a flat tyre and we stayed with a rider who had an accident until he could be picked up and taken for medical care. Fortunately there was no serious injury. Along the way there was plenty of wonderful landscapes to enjoy.

Day 4 brought the first big ride of 91 miles to bring us the Naselle. This was a real effort to complete as we faced headwinds from the West, coming off the Pacific. I must admit I struggled towards the end of the ride, although with about 5 miles to go I had a second burst of energy and the finished the ride quite well. Again some fantastic scenery to enjoy.

Finishing in Naselle means we are close to the State boundary line so tomorrow we will leave Washington State and enter Oregan and the pictures of the coastline should be spectacular. Don’t go away!!