The journey so far

We are now at the end of the first week's ride across the US, the question is 'How has it gone?'  Well the answer is that that is has gone well, very well indeed.  The bikers have covered around 500 miles of tough riding and finished the week fit and not so tired that the prospect of carrying on is daunting.  The bikes have stood up to the rigours well and the RV has been great.  We find that having 5 souls in the RV makes it just a tad cosy but just fine. Being able to pull over for a break, food and check out the maps etc is just great.


The country we have travelled through has been fantastic, rugged, beautiful and always chugging. The last two days has seen the bikes cover high miles, a 92 mile day and then a 85 mile day - all helped by a strong tail wind.

To prove the point here are intrepid bikers....Tom, Alvon, Bob

Many readers look forward to a picture of Alvon, our celebrity biker. Well today Alvon gave me a self portrait.

During the week we have met the very best of people, veterans from conflicts during this and the last century,  they have freely given their stories to us and their company has been exceptional.

At the weekend we were hosted by Eunice and Wally Hickerson at Prosser in the Washington Desert. The hospitality that have given us has been very welcome and they have been the most tremendous of hosts.  We would like to than Wally's company, ICF International as acting as corporate sponsors.

During the week we met with someone who wanted to share with us and others via the blog, her experiences of the war in Afghanistan, Hope Gallinger-Long.

Hope met her husband, Riley, while as school (they were best friends), they married and Riley then joined the Navy as a Corpsman, in the UK this would be a Filed Medic.   He was then seconded to the Marine Corps and was posted to Afghanistan. Hope and Riley had been married for just 5 months when he was shot and killed by a sniper on Aug 11, 2011.

This is her story, to view click on the train]gle.

So it has been a memorable and awe-inspiring first week.  Tomorrow we start week 2 as we push East towards Idaho and Montana.

Our continued thanks to all the Washingtonians who have made our 1st week truly memorable by treating us like one of their family.

Portland in the rain

The day started in the Salvation Army's accommodation in Portland Oregon.   We have found that people are very kind and very supportive, it was a good stay and we enjoyed the company as I mentioned in the last blog.  What was great that we were joined at the the start of the day by James  Mourning of the Disabled American Veterans  he was with us at dawn with his daughter Ashley and Son in Law Ian. They joined us for the the reading of the 100 names of those killed in battle in both the Iraq and Afghan wars.

Stan is a lovely man and heads the Senior Vice Commander of the chapter in Longville.  It was lovely to see him and his family join us.

As readers will know, the coffee chain Starbucks has to be checked out on a regular basis by the author of this Blog, (I know its tough but hey) - even some times by the riders. Below the person fast becoming the Poster Boy of the Blog, 

The riding was good in that it was not far but not great as it was wet, and Tom's chain broke, but still going well. 

And yes you're right that is Alvon in the lead.

Have a good one....B

Oakville - Washington state

Well now we are getting going and embracing the American culture I am sat in Starbucks posting the Blog.  Very good coffee as well!

We are getting a routine going, wake up, porridge (American translation - Oats) eggs, and away for 60 miles cycling.

Here in Washington State we are meeting the most wonderful people and this Blog starts with the finish  yesterday, that was in the town of Longview.   Here we were given accommodation.  Our thanks to the Salvation Army in the town,  they have a small Motel attached to their offices.

It was in the offices we met members of the DVA, this is the Disabled Veteran's Association.   Vets from Korea, and Vietnam.

It was very good to talk with Gerry Mies  who had fought and was badly wounded in the war that is often called the forgotten war, the Korean War.

This is part of his story, sorry no editing in Starbucks.

The day started in Oakville, we were given a great meal in the in the Methodist Church presided over by Preacher Bill.

No shortage of logs in this part of America.

To all people who view this, thanks for looking. its great to know that what are doing is being seen all over the world.

Now back to that cappuccino!

B

A start like no other

The dawn today saw the Sea2Sea team and its RV on the beach looking out not over the Pacific but into the mist that covered the land and the sea.

It seems that one of the team, Alvon  Elrod  has a sort of ceremony he likes to perform when he climbs mountains, that is to stand on his head, so clearly when he goes to the ocean at dawn he doesn't hold back

The start of the ride was this morning, it was remarkable  for the enormous amount of support and encouragement from this small community of Ocean Shores WA.

At the start of the day Tom asks members of those following us to read the names of a 100 casualties from the UK and US military wars, this was made more poignant by the large numbers of school children that were present.

Then the riders left for there first day of riding.

 We finished the day in Oakville where the local Methodist gave us supper for which we thank them.

By the ocean

So here we are just by the Pacific Ocean and the journey out is over, now just to go back - three months give or take, to return to DC.

So how is it? Well I have to say it's amazing, the Americans are very good people. Friendly, welcoming and so supportive, so today we arrive and we meet with Penny Romito.

Penny has been amazing in helping us get the first week's routes planned. We met with her at lunch time and during the afternoon met with many other people who came to see what we were about and wanted to know about the ride.

Amongst these folk the most amazing couple, now bear in mind we have never met these good people before but I am writing this Blog in their house were that have given us four beds for the night.  I was able to take a photo of them, here it is and if you get to see this Lee and Carol-Lee, thank you.

The Start

This comes to you from Seattle, where we are now ready for the start of the Sea2Sea ride across the US.This will be from The Pacific and the town Ocean Shores in Washington State. We start  tomorrow morning (Monday).  For more information visit our web site

Tom flew in to Seattle late last night from DC. He had had two rides with the charity, Wounded Warriors, he was able to get some great time with the guys back from Afghanistan and Iraq.

The rides were supported well, but let Tom's pictures tell the story.

This team are to take part the RAA, The Race Across America and support the Wounded Warriers charity.

...and the most important person was

Audio Blog link....Click to hear


What a day, we flew into Washington DC on Tuesday and yesterday had a full, a very full day of meetings with  Senators and Congressmen.

They were all very supportive and encouraging and all are to use their  own media staff to promote the ride access the US.

It was an a amazing day finishing with a meeting with one of Tom's longest standing friends, Senator Lyndsey Graham.

Readers of the blog and followers of the Charity will know that the catalyst that has made the event a reality has come about due to the injuries and subsequent life saving treatment that Tom was able to receive in the US hospital in  Germany.  He was 'medi vacced'  from  Lourdes, France to  Germany via the US Air Force.

This was arranged by an Air Force Major who Tom will always speak about in hushed tones, such is the depth of feeling and gratitude Tom has for that move to Germany and the subsequent treatment received.

This was all made possible by the diligent work done by an Air Force Major, David Tatum.

You can only imagine the emotions that must have run through Tom's mind to be re-united with the very same Major, now based in Washington.

I know that Tom was deeply moved by this and  indebted to the work done by the Sentator's staff  in arranging this.

During the day we criss-crossed the inner corridors and tunnels that around the Capitol Building and the surrounding buildings to meet the senators and congressmen.  All were universally helpful and gracious in giving of their time and assistance in what for all of them is a busy schedule.   They are acutely aware of the challenges faced by the families and veterans themselves when returning home after the fighting, for them, is over.

The morning started with a meeting with Senator Burr (North Carolina)

Then we met with Senator McCain (Arizona)

Senator Cornyn (Texas)

Senator Ayotte (New Hampshire)

Senator Levin (Michigan)

Congressman Joe Wilson

Congressman Jeff Duncan

Congressman Duncan Hunter

Senator  Lyndsey Graham (South Carolina)

The Start

AUDIO BLOG

What a fantastic day….the start of the Sea2Sea Challenge and it has gone well, 

very well. 

The media has given us great support, the team has done everything needed to allow the day to work well, even the weather was just great, sunshine and no wind, just what you want on a bike.

The day began with neighbours cheering us off from Freeland, and then on to Brittannia Gate, RAF Brize Norton - the route today follows the route that those killed in the fighting take when being repatriated to the UK

At Britannia Gate were met by representatives of the UK Army, The US Army Veterans and also the CEO of The Veteran's Charity, Danny Greeno, this is the charity we are supporting today.  We are also met by the Station Commander, Grp Capt Dom Stamp and members of the press.  

We then went on to the Memorial Gardens, here more photographers and TV.  Tom gave a short speech explaining the purpose of the trip, he also told of the 7,000 UK and US personal that have lost their lives during the conflicts since 9/11.  With this in mind he handed 100 cards around. Each card, with the name of the person killed and where the person came from, was read out.

Every day before the riders commence the days ride we are to read out such a list and in this way the names of all the men and women killed so far in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts will be with us on the journey.

The cycling then started on the journey that will be over 4,200 miles. Tom is joined on this leg by US Tec Sgt  (TTSGT), Trandin Watkins.

Along the A40 more supporters as well as in Henley (see video) more TV interviews are conducted as well Radio Oxford taking time out to interview Tom en route.

The day has finished in an hotel ‘down the road’ from LHR; we catch our flight to Washington Tomorrow where more media coverage awaits.

A massive thanks to everyone that has made this day possible and in so doing will make the future days possible as well.

Enjoy The You Tube links.

How to get a head start

There are people that help and then there are those give themselves, body and soul to the task, or in this instance give the very space on their  bodies to the task.

Alvon clearly falls into the category of a giver, and his head is seen as a great advertising opportunity.





Avlon is  one to the team of cyclists cyclying the US with Tom.

As you can see from the photograph, he is in training in the Californian sunshine.

The days now are getting longer but the time now is getting shorter to our departure, we leave from Oxfordshire in a week today, Monday morning at The Memorial Gardens at RAF Brize Norton.

The route with map  This will take you to Google maps and how did we a mange without them?  PS This is the beta version if you cannot open please advise in the comments below, Many thanks

Every little helps

90 second Audio Clip

You soon realise what a huge effort a big and challenging event the Sea2Sea ride is, and  that there are many individual and vital components that make up that effort, some obvious, some more subtle.  The need for the bikers to make it is clear, the problems that will be present can only be imagined and the help we need will come in many forms.  What does happen and surprises in a good way is that very good people step up to help, without such generosity of spirit the trip, and the benefits that we hope will come from it will be reduced.

Many people can help, many people do help, and almost all assistance is voluntary.

Take this fine lady is the farmer that has the campsite that the support vehicle stopped at overnight in the beautiful county of Devon.

When she heard of the Sea2Sea challenge she asked to have the fee for the camping to be paid to the funds. An act generosity and of spirit that gives us a great boost and confirms that what is being done is a good thing.

So Mrs Isaacs, thank you and thanks to all the others that are doing more than asked without being pushed.