Friday, August 16, 2019
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Sunday, June 9, 2019
Friday, June 7, 2019
Monday, April 1, 2019
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Thursday, February 21, 2019
LQ Diggs
After a full riding day, 68 miles from Forks, on what many feel is the most scenic and serene leg, it is always a pleasure to pull up to the manicured grounds of the Lodge and take full advantage of the plethora of their amenities. If I can pull some strings we just might end the day with a salmon BBQ!
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Friday, February 15, 2019
Thursday, February 14, 2019
2019 Epic Ride
2019 Epic Ride, Aug 3-24. Seattle to LA. 1,600 miles, 21 days. How good can you ride it?
More transcription
This morning I was asked, innocently enough, to provide a capsulized verbal sample of the typical day that one might experience aboard the 2019 Epic Ride cycling adventure ship.
Right.
First off I say, with painstaking precaution not to start my prebuttal with a 'well', no two of the projected twenty-one riding days are the same. They are all uniquely spectacular unto themselves, all taking considerable pride in their global positioning along the course. Every day is an adventure, be that a (relatively) short fifty miler or one of the more elongated centuries. We begin each segment (forthwith called legs) at a pre-designated location, either the campground, motel or suitable historic site, with an intel meeting and distribution of the latest updates on road conditions, weather, construction and rendezvous sites. We have coffee and check gear. Maps and coordinates are synced. Water bottles filled, fuel gauged. Each team member should consider, silently or aloud, what the meaning of the day could be, a mantra to carry along the route, mixing the extrinsic accompaniment of sea, wind and sun with intrinsic endorphin flow and elevated heart rate. Adventure is our goal, joy our reward with the experiment being one of a synergistic merging of the two. Can we ride and grin? Pedal and comprehend, see everything without a stare? How good can we stand it?
This is not a race, I continue, everyone must ride at their own pace. There are no rewards for time saved or speed achieved. If anything success must come from the deep satisfaction of accomplishment and a thorough commitment to optimal experience, what many are now calling peak experience or dynamic flow. It is a time to reflect, relax and enjoy the simple fact that we are doing something absolutely incredible, one mile at a time, one pedal rotation after its prior, at somewhere in the neighborhood of one hundred heartbeats per minute. I find this energizing, engaging and empowering. It is, once again, the real-time demonstration of our understanding of magic and freedom.
We average seventy-five miles a day. It is the sixteen-hundred mile coastal route separating the Emerald City of Seattle with the City of Angels, Los Angeles. Which of course sounds more romantic than the actual start on Bainbridge Island, WA and finish at the pier in Santa Monica, CA. It is the coastal route. Beach access for 80% of the ride. It is stunning, soul-enriching and utterly magnificent. In adventure riding legend, it is a 'must-do'. Ride it once and you may brag for eternity.
The ride is supported IF WE REACH OUR TEN RIDER GOAL. If not, I will tote an in-line trailer and you will pannier-up. The route is designed to have a state park as daily start/stop point with a motel in close proximity. Should you desire a nightly room and a soaking tub, that is up to you, as is the expense. Should you desire to take advantage of the hiker/biker campsites along the way, you may opt for that should you enjoy camping, most H/B sites are still less than ten dollars a night. Food is up to you as well. If you are conditioned to surf and turf as the nightly supper fare, don't let us crimp your style. I like a campfire and fresh veggies, a burrito and cold local brew. The 2019 Epic Ride disclaimer specifically states that if we reach full support status (ten riders) SAG expenses, gas, oil, ride food, spare parts, water, etc, will be shared in equal parts by the number of participants. A quick example: Total gross gas receipts one way come to $250 (1,600 X 20mpg = 80 gals @ $3 = 240). That is split among the ten riders, or $25 each. Less expensive SAG would be hard to source, eh?
Lastly, and here is the fun part, I set all this up for personal reasons. I am a videographer, having shot professionally around the world since 1989. I plan to use the media gathered along this spectacular route for a humble documentary. One in which you are the star. I figured that a great way to get actors for my doc is to take them along for the ride (almost) free. There I am: Now 100% transparent.
That is the verbal sampling, transcribed. If all of this sounds like as much fun to you as it does to me, please let me know the nanosecond you are committed.
2019 Epic Ride dates are August 3-24. I will arrange transportation to and from Sea-Tac for your arrival. Should you choose to ride a portion of the route, we will get you to a suitable drop-off location wherever logistically possible.
The only requirement, the one thing that every rider must bring to this once-in-a-lifetime event, is an attitude. And not just a good one, we need great ones!
Hope that answered your question.
Cheers,
Kevin M. Lynch
2019 Epic Ride
General Manager and Scout Master
206.379.3608
2019epicride@gmail.com
Friday, February 1, 2019
Monday, January 14, 2019
Friday, January 11, 2019
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Monday, January 7, 2019
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Friday, January 4, 2019
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Planning Has Begun
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| Oregon Zen rocks |
I am truly scratching my head on this one. I would like to continue to make daily posts on whatever the heck is swirling around my ’sphere of reception’ (taking the risk of sounding like a lost boy-scout with TV antennas sprouting from his protective headgear.) However, I am now, officially committed to the eCOW, the pending epic CAL-OR-WA bicycle adventure. My experience suggests to me that up-front logistical planning will ultimately determine the success of the trip. Meaning, of course, that my planning due diligence needs to start yesterday. Can I do both? Will one necessarily have to suffer from attention to the other? Should I build a website or continue down the Blog/Social Media/Video path? Today those head scratches need to end this annoying itch.
First item on the list is to select the date. We are talking about three weeks. From our little island in Puget Sound (Bainbridge) to somewhere between Santa Monica and Long Beach, maybe Balboa Island to complete the island to island theme, or Catalina. Mileage will be approximately 1,600, making the daily average 76 miles. There are two or three possibilities to double up to get in a century, adding both intrigue and reducing overall days on road, but that will be decided upon once we get to the daily ride specifics. Support is crucial. Known as SAG, support and gear. it is the one area outside of bad weather, that will make or break a trip. I have been offering a trade on Craigs List, my RV for a suitable van, truck or SUV for this purpose and always have the Ranger, which with a added canopy could act as support vehicle in a pinch, so I am not overly concerned about that part. I can, and will, lead the support team if I cannot find a volunteer.
The way I see daily execution assuming I become the SAG master (and guide and videographer), would be something like this: Prepare bikes, gear and daily maps and directions before start of each day. Prepare light breakfast, called Continental in many places, and get the day’s ride started. Support, film and advance that evening;s accommodations and then, this is the fun part: Drive to the daily destination, check in, hop on my bike and ride BACK to meet the group, joining them armed with advance intel, to the destination, an out and back ride that could, if planned with precision, give me similar mileage to the rest of the group. Check in, camp, check gear, eat, sleep and repeat for 21 days down the West Coast.
On my two prior trips, both South to North, camping on the beach, proved to be a phenomenal way to experience the beauty of the coast, get in some serious riding and meet a host of other riders, locals and adventurers. My kind of folks.
With that as outline, it is my chore to put the myriad pieces together for a workable, enjoyable, safe and successful epic cycling adventure. The 2019 eCOW.
Planning has begun.
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