My 2007 Bicycle Tour

For the last four years my uncle, brother, and I have gone on a bicycle tour.  These are the carry your own tent, sleeping bag, clothes, food, etc. – totally self sufficient kind of tour.  This will be our fifth year running, and we have selected our course.  It will be our toughest to date, and in line with my insane infatuation with the Torture 10,000.

For 2007, we will cycle from Anacortes, WA to Sandpoint, ID.

It covers around 500 miles (I think it’s a hair under), and for fun it includes 4 passes over 5,000 feet.  I have actually ridden all these passes before, but never carrying 40+ pounds of gear at the time.   Of course, every pound I drop between now and then will be one less pound I have to carry up the mountains.

I figure between the Tour, the Torture 10,000, and training rides – I will probably cycle over 5,000 feet (mostly starting at sea level) about a dozen times.  Just writing this makes me think I need to head back to the gym for another workout.

For those interested, the last four years we cycled from Canada to Mexico – 8 days at a time.  The total was over 1,900 miles, and I think about 2 mount everest’s in total elevation gain.  We would simply end where ever we ended, and pick up from that spot the next year.  It was great.  Saw the entire Pacific Coast through Washington, Oregon, and California.  I’ll blog about those trips some other time. 

We just sent away for maps detailing the trip (Adventure Cycling is wonderful).  I’ll give you more details once I have them.   I have a feeling this is the start of a trip that won’t end until we are in Maine – some 3,600 miles later….