The Idea...Part 2

Robbo: The whole idea started last year when Cathy Craig, one of my BFF’s, called and said, “I have an adventure in mind and you’re in it!”

Cath and I have had more than a few adventures together. Dating back to houseboating on Lake Powell in the early 80’s to riding the Tour of the Moon together in 2018, she’s been like a sister to me ever since graduating from Colorado College in 1978. Sandwiched between those two journeys were a slew of others including 450 biking miles during Ride the Rockies, and a two day RADICAL raft trip on the Upper Animas.

So when she suggested another one in our future, I naturally said, “The answer is Yes, what’s the adventure?”

“Portland to Portland” was the answer. On bikes of course.

Oh boy. This is big. But I’m in. Heck, this was exactly the kind of thing I looked forward to when I decided to retire a couple years ago.

Naturally, one of our first subsequent conversations had to do with who, if anyone, would we want to join us. Not surprisingly, Peach jumped to mind. My roommate at CC for two years and lifelong dear friend, had done some bicycle touring of his own. And nobody in the world would be easier to travel with. Done.

Anyone else? Well, we’ll see. The most likely candidates came from our pool of fellow CC graduates who had become known to us as the Big Chill group, with a tip of the hat to that 1990 movie of the same name. We’d had four or five mini-reunions over the years, not counting the times we’d gathered for official homecomings in Colorado Springs. Our temporary residence during those many festivities had become known as the Big Chill House.

Fast Forward to today and Peach has said yes, but then had to reconsider thanks to the house he’s building in Huntsville, Ontario. MAN, we’re going to miss him.

Happily, John “Tex” Traeger has signed on, and Pete “Boomer” Bansen has agreed to drive most of the way. Frankly, I’m not sure I’d take it on without a support vehicle. Fortunately, that’s not a concern now. Cathy (“C2”) felt the need to ask Boomer about five times if he was SURE he wanted to do this. Lucky for us, he never wavered.

After a year of chatting about it, and two recent months of some actual planning, we’re on the road in about two weeks ... August 4. The route’s been altered slightly, with Anacortes, WA as the kickoff, and Bar Harbor, ME the point where we dip the front wheel in the Atlantic ... hopefully around October 3.