June 27th: Return to Portland Tomorrow
Tomorrow, June 28th, I will fly back to Portland arriving at 4:00 PM Portland time. My long- time friend going way back to kindergarden, Jim McIntyre, will be picking me up at the airport. He brought me back home from Bismarck last year and said he'd be there again this year to see me finish this trip and take me back home. He loves baseball and is visiting a number of major league baseball parks as he works his way to Portland. On June 30th and July 1st he will be going up to Seattle for a couple of ball games and hopes I can join him. I told him I couldn't promise anything until I see how it goes on the river on the 29th. If it goes well I will go with him. The plan is to finish on the 5th or 6th of July. Not sure if anyone plans to be at the end, but if they are it will be either of those days. I will know better after a couple of days paddling. I will either end in Astoria, OR or Cathlamet, WA.
That means I will need to do about 35 to 40 miles a day in order to make it and still go up to Seattle. I always figure I can make 30 to 35 miles a day under most circumstances. I base that on my experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail when I averaged 28 miles a day. On flat terrain like in Oregon 30 plus mile days were common. I can paddle faster than I can walk. Most of the time I'm able to make 50 miles a day with little trouble. My concern now is the wind. If it is anything like what I had before I came home it will really be tough.
I had a great time on my 10 days at home. I was able to play some golf, watch my daughter's twins play a couple of baseball games, spent a day with my son, Dean and his family in Somerset, WI and I also had a nice visit our other son Eric back here in Superior. Plus LuAnn and I were able to go out for dinner a couple of times with friends. It will be tough to leave.
Now you would think a guy would rest up for this final push, which I thought I would, but like always I needed to do some exercise so I ended up biking 25 miles each day I was home and doing an hour on my elliptical machine every day except for two. That added up to over 250 miles. Heck, in mileage for the trip that means I'm somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean! I can go back and just sunbathe on the beach!
Well, it's getting late and I still need to get my stuff together.
My goal, besides finishing on the 5th or 6th, is to also for once slow it down and enjoy the last few days with my good friend. I always seem to say that, but this time I hope I can.
That means I will need to do about 35 to 40 miles a day in order to make it and still go up to Seattle. I always figure I can make 30 to 35 miles a day under most circumstances. I base that on my experience hiking the Pacific Crest Trail when I averaged 28 miles a day. On flat terrain like in Oregon 30 plus mile days were common. I can paddle faster than I can walk. Most of the time I'm able to make 50 miles a day with little trouble. My concern now is the wind. If it is anything like what I had before I came home it will really be tough.
I had a great time on my 10 days at home. I was able to play some golf, watch my daughter's twins play a couple of baseball games, spent a day with my son, Dean and his family in Somerset, WI and I also had a nice visit our other son Eric back here in Superior. Plus LuAnn and I were able to go out for dinner a couple of times with friends. It will be tough to leave.
Now you would think a guy would rest up for this final push, which I thought I would, but like always I needed to do some exercise so I ended up biking 25 miles each day I was home and doing an hour on my elliptical machine every day except for two. That added up to over 250 miles. Heck, in mileage for the trip that means I'm somewhere out in the Pacific Ocean! I can go back and just sunbathe on the beach!
Well, it's getting late and I still need to get my stuff together.
My goal, besides finishing on the 5th or 6th, is to also for once slow it down and enjoy the last few days with my good friend. I always seem to say that, but this time I hope I can.
posted by Coach at 3:19 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home