May 6 – 9, 2010 RIDE ORCAS ISLAND
My daughter, Zida, her husband, Matt, and my two grandchildren, Caleb and Charis (7 & 5) and Ilene and I in a chase vehicle, struck out for Moran Park on Orcas Island, WA. Last year it was snowing and cold with lots of wind. This year warm, 60 degrees, bright weather, and very little wind.
Driving through Seattle is always very interesting. It kind of reminds me of a nightmare, but we did fine. Matt was guiding us through.
We found a great tent sight by the lake with our own little private beach. Charis and I walked ½ mile up to Sunrise Point. She is quite a little trouper.
We put the bikes on the back of my maxi van and drove to the top of Mt. Constitution, about 5 miles. Onto the bikes and down the four miles to camp. Ilene drove the kids and the van back to camp.
The next day we went back up and picked another trail by a beautiful lake, then Zida rented a paddle boat and her and the kids paddled in the lake for an hour. Matt and I went back up to do another ride.
The third day two more new trails and Matt took the kids out in the paddle boat. The trails are so steep that this old man gets very tired after two rides. It takes me an hour and six minutes to ride four miles. The brakes on my bike have been adjusted up for the second time. Later that day we walked half way around Lake Moran including Caleb and Charis who are both real troupers.
The ferry left at noon and at three. The weather was so good that three looked like a good time. Ilene took Matt and me up to the top one last time. Matt took off on a trail. I moseyed down and came to an out cropping of lava rock. This being the fourth day, thinking I had everything under control and had a lot of confidence, tried to ride over the lava rocks. With my butt behind the seat and squeezing on both brakes, the bike bounced. I squeezed too hard on the front brake locking the wheel and going over the handle bars onto the rocks. Being dazed, I sat down and relaxed for a bit. I just had one little cut to my hand and a bunch of bruises here and there. My bike was about 20 feet away. I carried it back to the trail and walked it through the rest of the rocks. Before this I was thinking of asking my friends to ride this with me, but if they got hurt like I did, I would feel bad. I finished riding the last two miles to the park and then into the van and off to the ferry. In Anacortes we found a really neat ice cream place. They had a banana split so big that it would take two people to eat it.
On the way home we stopped at the Lucky Eagle Casino for Ilene (It was Mothers’ Day), gave our donation of $40 and left; but she had a great time. I also let her drive in the rain and dark because my bruises were hurting. Don’t think for a minute I wouldn’t do it again!
Are you being Byranized? More stories: www.mrbontheside.blogspot.com
My daughter, Zida, her husband, Matt, and my two grandchildren, Caleb and Charis (7 & 5) and Ilene and I in a chase vehicle, struck out for Moran Park on Orcas Island, WA. Last year it was snowing and cold with lots of wind. This year warm, 60 degrees, bright weather, and very little wind.
Driving through Seattle is always very interesting. It kind of reminds me of a nightmare, but we did fine. Matt was guiding us through.
We found a great tent sight by the lake with our own little private beach. Charis and I walked ½ mile up to Sunrise Point. She is quite a little trouper.
We put the bikes on the back of my maxi van and drove to the top of Mt. Constitution, about 5 miles. Onto the bikes and down the four miles to camp. Ilene drove the kids and the van back to camp.
The next day we went back up and picked another trail by a beautiful lake, then Zida rented a paddle boat and her and the kids paddled in the lake for an hour. Matt and I went back up to do another ride.
The third day two more new trails and Matt took the kids out in the paddle boat. The trails are so steep that this old man gets very tired after two rides. It takes me an hour and six minutes to ride four miles. The brakes on my bike have been adjusted up for the second time. Later that day we walked half way around Lake Moran including Caleb and Charis who are both real troupers.
The ferry left at noon and at three. The weather was so good that three looked like a good time. Ilene took Matt and me up to the top one last time. Matt took off on a trail. I moseyed down and came to an out cropping of lava rock. This being the fourth day, thinking I had everything under control and had a lot of confidence, tried to ride over the lava rocks. With my butt behind the seat and squeezing on both brakes, the bike bounced. I squeezed too hard on the front brake locking the wheel and going over the handle bars onto the rocks. Being dazed, I sat down and relaxed for a bit. I just had one little cut to my hand and a bunch of bruises here and there. My bike was about 20 feet away. I carried it back to the trail and walked it through the rest of the rocks. Before this I was thinking of asking my friends to ride this with me, but if they got hurt like I did, I would feel bad. I finished riding the last two miles to the park and then into the van and off to the ferry. In Anacortes we found a really neat ice cream place. They had a banana split so big that it would take two people to eat it.
On the way home we stopped at the Lucky Eagle Casino for Ilene (It was Mothers’ Day), gave our donation of $40 and left; but she had a great time. I also let her drive in the rain and dark because my bruises were hurting. Don’t think for a minute I wouldn’t do it again!
Are you being Byranized? More stories: www.mrbontheside.blogspot.com
posted by Byran on the side at 4:50 PM
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