My first full year of retirement allowed me to do lots of bike touring. I rode 7,110 total miles for the year, which is an all time personal best. I got to ride through a lot of beautiful and interesting places, met lots of new friends, and reconnected with lots of old friends. Looking forward to a lot more of the same in 2017
Warning you might need to turn the sound off when viewing the slideshows below. I had initially uploaded these with popular songs as the sound tracks. Google said "hey you've got copyright material here. That's cool, but we're gonna stick ads on them." I didn't like the ads so I removed the videos and re-uploaded them using my own material. That's right you get to hear me sing and play guitar and ukulele. Some of the songs are covers, but a few are original material. Some of it may sound pretty bad. If so just turn off the sound and enjoy the pictures. February and March in Florida
February and March - Florida
I shipped my bike to my sister's house in Ft. Lauderdale and flew over. After a week visiting with my family I rode south to Key West, then took the ferry to Fort Myers Beach. Form there I rode north to Tampa and visited with my friend Tom for a couple of days. Then on to St. Augustine to see my daughter Kalima. It was also in St. Augustine where I ran into fellow bike tourist Rob from Australia with whom I shared a few beers. I made it down to Daytona in time for Bike Week, but I had the wrong kind of bike. Then it was a couple more days fighting headwinds and staying with great Warm Showers hosts on my way back to Ft. Lauderdale. I got back in time for my dad's 92 birthday party, which was really great as this would be the last time we had together.
Music
In the Islands - Soprano Ukulele - Original
Wildlife Refugee - Tenor Ukulele - Original
June - Oregon Coast Loop
My friend Dan had the idea to go to the coast in honor of ACA's Bike Travel Weekend, which was part to the Bike Centennial 40th anniversary festivities. We were joined by Dan's wife Eileen and our friend John. We also joined up with a group of cyclists from Sacramento that I had helped plan a route to the coast for. It was rainy when we left but then was really nice for the other 3 days. Eileen and John headed home on the bus after day 2, while Dan and I camped on the beach and then headed back over the Coast Range on a remote logging road.
Music
Blowin in the Wind - Acoustic guitar - Bob Dylan my arrangement
June - Wallowa Loop Tour
The Mid Valley Bike Club 2016 Loop Tour. Spectacular and lots of fun to be riding with 30 other people. Perfect weather including rain and scorching heat.
Music
Ain't Misbehavin' - Tenor Ukulele - Fats Waller
Glory of Love - Tenor Ukulele - Billy Hill
July - Washington
This was a very unique tour as I never road for more than 3 consecutive days before arriving at a friends house and staying for few days. A great mix of riding and visiting. After the Wallowas I got a ride to Umatilla where the freeway includes a separated bike bridge across the Columbia. From there it was west along the Columbia before heading up into the hills at Goldendale. Then south through the Yakima Valley to Ellensburg where I caught the John Wayne Pioneer Trail (rail-to-trail) west to Seattle. After a few days visiting in Seattle I headed north on the Burke-Gillman and Centennial Trails to Granite Falls and Mount Vernon. After a big gathering of friends there I took the Amtrak home.
Music
Down the road I go - Electric guitar - Original
September - Crater Lake and Ashland
September is often the best weather in Oregon, and it is also when they have a car-free day at Crater Lake. So I made a tour out of it, meeting friends at Crater Lake, and also in Ashland. I also got to ride through some very remote, and rugged, parts of the southwestern Cascades.
Music
They call me the Breeze - with my band Endangered Species (2006) - JJ Cale