OT: My wife is a STUD!!

[dave thompson]

My wife became a cyclist 14 years ago when arthritis caused her to have surgeries to fasten bones together to cure and prevent pain. Ankle fusion, vertebra fusion, hip resurfacing and hip replacements took place over the years. About the only time she wasn't in pain was while she was on her bike.

This January she retired after working 40 years as an HR manager for several national corporations. She has a bucket list and on the very top of that list is what she's starting out to do today. After a year's worth of planning, she and two girlfriends shipped their touring bikes, panniers, BOB trailers and themselves from the west coast to Yorktown Virginia to start a 3-month ride home. I just received a pic of them dipping their rear wheels in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay near the Victory Monument, the start of their fantastic journey. They will dip their front wheels in the Siuslaw River, where it meets the Pacific Ocean in Florence Oregon sometime in early August

1,000 miles worth of training rides plus several week-long 'practice trips' this year hopefully has gotten her ready: 4300 miles, fully loaded, unsupported, camping, cooking and unpredictable weather face her. I've ridden cross-country on a motorcycle 40 years ago and I remember being whipped every day so I can distantly relate to her efforts.

I'll be a bachelor for 3 months (the party is at my house, bring the beer) but I'll be with her vicariously on her journey through her blog and her Facebook posts. There's plenty to keep me busy for 3 months, she left a honey-do list. Plus we just bought a house in Mexico. I'll be down there in June getting it ready for our move there in November. So lots going on for me but nothing compared to my wife, she is a stud!

[Peter B]

That's awesome Dave! Good for her.

Keep us posted on their progress.

[BrianVarick]

Very cool, I hope her the best of luck!

[tiretrax]

You are correct, Sir. She is a stud. I hope she has a fantastic trip. Post some pictures.

[bobswire]

Congrats to you for being secure enough in your relationship in trusting your wife to complete this adventure and to your wife for having an adventurous spirit to take on this trip however difficult. Win/win!

[Ahneida Ride]

You are correct, Sir. She is a stud. I hope she has a fantastic trip. Post some pictures.

Amen !

[downtube]

What an awesome trip. Sounds like a ton of fun. Is your wife and her friends going to do a blog of the trip? It is a fun way to share and document the ride.
chuck
A lot of people use this site: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/?o=1

[PaMtbRider]

I love stories like this. You are a lucky man. Keep us posted.

[1centaur]

While I agree with the big thumbs up for your adventurous wife, I'm also interested in the Mexico comment. Seasonal or full time, and what drove that location choice?

[jr59]

You are correct, Sir. She is a stud. I hope she has a fantastic trip. Post some pictures.

Yep +100 :hello::hello::hello:

[William]

PAR-TAY!! at Dave's house!!!!:hello::beer:http://community.secondlife.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/42889i01EDA1077FC91C0D/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1


Sounds like it with be a great adventure. Awesome!





William

[Dead Man]

While I agree with the big thumbs up for your adventurous wife, I'm also interested in the Mexico comment. Seasonal or full time, and what drove that location choice?

Me too.. Props to wife.. now where in Mehico and why?

[malcolm]

Dave is there a way to keep this thread running and post pics of her progress? They do something similar on ADV rider. I would love to follow her progress. That is a lot to bite off and most folks would only dream about it and never pull the trigger. Kudos to your wife for having the balls (metaphorically speaking) to take on such an endeavor.

[krhea]

Dave, that is so cool, goods for her. My wife has a bucket list that she's constantly procrastinating about starting, I'll have her read this post and perhaps it might motivate her.
By the way, if the ladies are close to or coming through Portland, OR we'd be happy to serve them a home cooked meal or at least buy them a cold beer or luscious glass of Oregon Pinot.

Best of luck ladies and may the wind be at your backs...that's a little tough going east to west but you get the gist of the saying...

KRhea

[David Kirk]

very cool.


dave

[dnades]

very cool. 3 months, that is awesome. Should be able to get a great interactive experience of this huge country we inhabit. Mexico sounds awesome as well. Keep us posted!

[gavingould]

Awesome.

[NRRider]

That truly is studly of her.
Hopefully she'll write about her journey in something publicly available so we can read about it.
I'm very impressed.

[kurto]

So awesome. Your wife is amazing, Dave. If she or any of her partners are blogging or posting updates somewhere, please share. I'd love to follow along.

[MattTuck]

Wow, good luck to her! Sounds like an adventure of EPIC proportions... hope all the pics are in black and white ;)


About mexico, how is it down there? I've never really been, but I'd sure like to go. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQnHAb_6sOs)

[whatwolf]

That is so cool. Congrats on the great life choices!

Does she have a blog?

[mvrider]

Do you have plans to meet her halfway somewhere? A friend's wife rode across the country with the American Cancer Society, and I believe they met somewhere near the Continental Divide. She appreciated the support and reunion.

[SpokeValley]

Most excellent!!

Two questions;

What bike is. She riding?

What can I bring to the party? :hello:

[gasman]

That is really great Dave.

[dave thompson]

Dave is there a way to keep this thread running and post pics of her progress? They do something similar on ADV rider. I would love to follow her progress. That is a lot to bite off and most folks would only dream about it and never pull the trigger. Kudos to your wife for having the balls (metaphorically speaking) to take on such an endeavor.

What an awesome trip. Sounds like a ton of fun. Is your wife and her friends going to do a blog of the trip? It is a fun way to share and document the ride.
chuck
A lot of people use this site: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/?o=1
That truly is studly of her.
Hopefully she'll write about her journey in something publicly available so we can read about it.
I'm very impressed.

That is so cool. Congrats on the great life choices!

Does she have a blog?



She's keeping a blog here: http://jodeet1.wordpress.com/ Good wishes would be welcomed.


http://jodeet1.wordpress.com/

[dave thompson]

Most excellent!!

Two questions;

What bike is. She riding?

What can I bring to the party? :hello:

She's on her Trek 520 which I got her for Christmas two years ago. Both her friends are on Surly LHT's.

Any respectable Tequila would be good. :cool:

[bking]

I often get into following someone from crazyguy. I was following a young newly wed couple on a near around the world trip. I'd check in three or four times a week. Great photos, great story lines. Once when they got caught in an early season storm in Mongolia it was a couple weeks before they were able to upload. I about sent out a search party!
If she is blogging or posting somewhere, if you don't mind sharing it would be fun to follow them. Touch closer when your connected to someone, even if it is through a forum.
Wishing them and you the very best, and i hope you are able to fly out and meet her a time or two.

edit: thanks!

[WNCRider]

She's keeping a blog here: http://jodeet1.wordpress.com/ Good wishes would be welcomed.


http://jodeet1.wordpress.com/

Thanks Dave. Truly awesome endeavor and looking forward to living vicariously through her blog!

[SpokeValley]

Thanks, Dave. I'm following your wife.

On her blog. ;)

[dave thompson]

Thanks, Dave. I'm following your wife.

On her blog. ;)

Whew! You had me worried for a moment.

[Louis]

Plus we just bought a house in Mexico. I'll be down there in June getting it ready for our move there in November.

Dave, by the time she gets back she'll be able to drop you like a bad transmission!

And forget Spokane - Party at Dave's pad, bring the tequila!!!

[Nags&Ducs]

Sweet tour!! She is truly a stud!!!

[Cornfed]

First and foremost, your wife is my hero. I love big dreams and people with the guts to chase them. All the best to her and her companions.

If she feels like a "cool-down ride" when she gets back, have her take a look at the California Coast Classic (http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1087174). Us arthritic cyclists have to stick together. :)

[dave thompson]

Here's a quick pic of my wife's bike, pretty loaded for a training ride last month. Doesn't look like a lot but according to the scales the load weighs 63 pounds, including the weight of the BOB trailer, panniers and front bag. She asked me to weight her gear, I suppose I chould have lied, "Honey. it looks to be about 23 pounds."

http://jodeet1.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/wpid-img_0982-2014-04-09_200140.jpg?w=468&h=354

[VTCaraco]

Love hearing tales of people living life so completely!!!
Have had a few friends go east-to-west and they reported that it was good to have the miles to round-out their conditioning for the big hill in the middle.


Looking forward to reading her blog.

[54ny77]

that's an awesome story right there.

big kudos and thumbs up for your wife! :hello:

[Cornfed]

Just curious: Why did they decide to go East to West, against the prevailing winds? Was it the thought of ending at home?

And how did they choose their route? I love it -- especially the Jackson to Missoula leg -- but it's certainly not the shortest way across.

[dave thompson]

Just curious: Why did they decide to go East to West, against the prevailing winds? Was it the thought of ending at home?

And how did they choose their route? I love it -- especially the Jackson to Missoula leg -- but it's certainly not the shortest way across.

Prevailing winds aren't always in the directions commonly thought. http://hint.fm/wind/index.html

They chose east to west because of the logistics (bike and gear shipping, took me 5 days together everything correctly packaged for safe shipping) and it's 'easier' to ride home. Plus they will have more time in their legs before they get to that hill in Colorado.

Their route is the well established Adventure Cycling TransAmerica Bike Trail, which along with the Northern Tier and Southern Tier routes are the main ways of crossing the US.

[fuzzalow]

That is fantastic, your wife is embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.

Kudos to you both for getting to this stage in life together to go forwards into entire new chapters yet to be written. You guys earned it!

[malcolm]

Thanks for the link Dave. I subscribed to her blog. They are living life.

[firerescuefin]

I see a lot of stuff these days touted as "inspiring".

This actually hits the mark (exceeds IMO). Most would have given up long ago and accepted a much lesser life. Don't know you or your wife, but find her truly Inspiring.

Purchased this from Climb's company (Democracy of Sweat) a few months back. Think it captures her spirit (in her undertakings) well.

http://shop.democracyofsweat.com/collections/mens/products/mens-t-no-3

[sc53]

Wow I envy her and her pals! I would love to do something similar but wonder if I'll have the strength and fortitude (and fitness!) when I retire in another 6 years! I do not have two friends who could or would do it with me, though. Two people in my bike club have crossed the country twice on their Surly LHTs, without BOBs. They just had panniers front and back and a solar panel recharger thing for their electronics draped over the rear panniers.

[tv_vt]

Wow, that's impressive, Dave. Good for her!

I hope she's not truly a stud, otherwise I'd be worried about her being off on her own for three months! You may have to plan some rest days visits!

That trailer looks heavy. Never rode with one, but I did ride CC with bike-mounted panniers. The full bike weight was over 60 pounds - and that was a bit scary at first. So maybe the trailer is the way to go. The bike won't feel so unwieldy when she stands up on climbs.

cheers,

Thom

[merlinmurph]

That's fantastic!

Good luck to her.

[rwsaunders]

Unbelievable Dave and Godspeed to the ladies for sure! :hello: You did mention to your wife before she left that you were moving to Mexico, right?

[dave thompson]

Unbelievable Dave and Godspeed to the ladies for sure! :hello: You did mention to your wife before she left that you were moving to Mexico, right?

Yeah, she does Bob. Matter if fact, she's the one that suggested Mexico for retirement last year. I'll be going down next month to take possession of our casita and get it ready for the move in November.

[tiretrax]

Thanks, Dave. I'm following your wife.

On her blog. ;)

Better than a panel van. My son gets anxious whenever he sees one.

Thanks for posting thye link, Dave. I look forward to reading about their progress.

If you PM me your address, I'll send you a bottle that my wife bought in Playa.

[therealpeel]

Awesome. Love that cycling inspires people to do much greatness. Best of luck.

Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk

[mso]

How exciting! Wish her safe pedaling and enjoy everyday. May the wind always be at her back:)

[dave thompson]

How exciting! Wish her safe pedaling and enjoy everyday. May the wind always be at her back:)

Thanks Mic! They'll need the tailwinds, the Appalachians are coming up in a couple of days.

[Louis]

Dave, I hope you've set yourself a goal to match at least 25% of the mileage she'll be cranking out. (more if you're not working full-time these days) :)

[dave thompson]

Dave, I hope you've set yourself a goal to match at least 25% of the mileage she'll be cranking out. (more if you're not working full-time these days) :)

I officially retire May 17.

[Louis]

Congratulations :hello::hello::hello:

[weisan]

Here's a quick pic of my wife's bike, pretty loaded for a training ride last month. Doesn't look like a lot but according to the scales the load weighs 63 pounds, including the weight of the BOB trailer, panniers and front bag. She asked me to weight her gear, I suppose I chould have lied, "Honey. it looks to be about 23 pounds."

http://jodeet1.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/wpid-img_0982-2014-04-09_200140.jpg?w=468&h=354

Dave-pal, both you and your wife are hugely inspiring to this community.

[Fiertetimestwo]

Dave, let your wife know that she has some avid followers in Australia.

Also, I don't think this thread is in any way OT- a cool bike tour such as your wife's could not be more on topic!

Hope she is having a great time.

[Ken Robb]

are you selling the Spokane house and moving to Mexico year-round or is it a winter get-away place?

[Nooch]

you know, the leave it on the road guys kinda ruined the idea of riding cross country -- they set out on their speedvagens, with a support van, and banged out 100 mile rides every day...

this is more inspiring, the 30 mile day here and there, enjoying the ride vs. enduring the ride, i suppose...

big props to her!!

[dave thompson]

are you selling the Spokane house and moving to Mexico year-round or is it a winter get-away place?

This year it will be our winter home, November through about April. We'll see how that goes and maybe consider selling the house in Spokane. We did buy a motorhome last year with the idea of running away during the summer. My ideal would be winters in Baja and summers everywhere else in the motorhome.

you know, the leave it on the road guys kinda ruined the idea of riding cross country -- they set out on their speedvagens, with a support van, and banged out 100 mile rides every day...

this is more inspiring, the 30 mile day here and there, enjoying the ride vs. enduring the ride, i suppose...

big props to her!!

They have set a 'goal' of 90 days to complete the trip. Not fast by our standards but still an average of about 45 miles a day.