Sonia and Dan wait at the top of Blue Mountain for Alison to finish climbing. This bike and gear probably weigh 120+ pounds.
Alison and Gus enjoy the downhill AFTER Blue Mountain summit.
Pouring rain outside. Warm and dry inside. Adirondack Hotel, Long Lake, NY.
Adirondack Hotel. We were remembering an episode of Fawlty Towers where Basil puts up the moose head and then it falls on him.
Clinic in Newcomb, NY where Dan and Sonia set off alone for the first time. Thank you to the medical staff there for assistance, and thank you to Kevin for a ride to Ticonderoga!
Dan stands in the footsteps of George Washington and others at Fort Ticonderoga.
Matt, history interpreter, with new "recruits" on the parade grounds of Ft. Ticonderoga.
The final days spent on its side: the RANS recumbent tandem without Alison and Gus aboard.
Sonia before the ferry crossing into Vermont.
Vermont! Our 10th state/province.
Across Lake Champlain.
9 comments:
Seeing the Tandem in the back of the ute has certainly put a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.
Just few days shy of riding all the way across America. Well..As far as i'm concerened you have and then some.
You have been the inspiration of so many people.
All of you deserve a bloody medal.
This is one trip that will be an intrigal part of your journies through life. Thankyou for sharing it with us.
Alison when you get home please go to the bike store and try a recumbent tricycle, it may be the ticket to keeping you in the saddle just a little longer.
Keep the blog going , I would like a photo of Alison pedaling over the finish line.
Dear biker dudes and dudettes- There is nothing more I can add to all of these comments from the past few days. You are an inspiration to many. You have met and surpassed many goals- through less than ideal conditions. I am very proud of you all.
Safe travels from Terri G.- WW
Awesome! I couldn't help but notice the lack of about 80 pounds of gear on Dan and Sonia's bike!!! That must make riding a lot faster and easier. And that truck looks GREAT! Even with the bike in the back....it's a good compromise. Enjoy Vermont! We're cheering you all the way to the end! We'll be up at the cabin with a bottle of champagne.
rachel
Hi Dan.
You've got to love Google. For some reason I Googled your name today and up came this great blog. What a wonderful experience for Alison, you and the kids. When life settles down, please send me a note.
You are an inspiration.
Sincerely,
Dennis Anderson, Lawrence, Kansas
(From your Triton College days)
danderson@ljworld.com
hi guys! i've been reading your blog for a while now but this is my first comment.
just wanted to say how utterly impressed i am with everything you guys have accomplished this summer! i read your blog when i'm at work in my boring research lab, and let me tell you, i sure wish i was out riding across the country instead of sitting indoors.
anyway i just wanted to say hi and wish you the best for the last leg of your journey! hope the weather treats you well and your tires stay inflated :)
can't wait to hear about the end of your trip!
best,
erin higgins
hcasb 2008
Dan and Alison, Check your e-mail. I just sent you Sheila's latest article in the Walla Walla Union Bulletin. Love, Mom
With only 2 days left in your trip, I know you are all looking forward to seeing that blue water of the Atlantic!
Dan, I know that you spent hundreds and hundreds of hours putting this trip together, making all the plans, reservations, etc. etc. But, beyond that, your tremendous physical and mental strength has held it all together and seen it through despite a lot of frustrations and problems (flat tires, excesive rain, and unexpected health problems predominating). I hope you are able to relax a little as the final days approach and realize what a tremendous feat you have accomplished this summer.
Alison, I can't say enough about your inner strength and determination. This trip WAS your Mt. Everest, and to tackle it with MS and succeed beyond all expectations just amazes the rest of us. As you said, you pedaled until you couldn't do one more stroke. That photo of you in the ER was rending to see, but knowing that you gave it everything you had has to give you a lot of satisfaction in your abilities despite the ravages of MS. I so admire you.
Sonia, early on in the trip, your Dad said he learned that when the times got tough, he learned that he could depend on you to really buckle down and put your strength into pedaling. You have matured so much on this trip. I've enjoyed seeing the photos of you reading while biking or at the bookstore. I'm happy that your parents saw to it that you kids got to be 'kids' with lots of fun things to do along the way.
Gus, the trip started out with late Spring weather giving you a lot of snow and rain as you crossed the Coastal Range and Cascade Mts. here in Oregon. Yet, your Dad said he learned that you will sing in the worst weather. That says so much for your personality! I can't tell you how proud of you I was when your Mom said that you have become so strong that you carried her those last two days that she rode the bicycle. This trip has shown that you and Sonia have strengths beyond what any 10 and 11 year olds could be expected to have. After meeting the challenges of this trip, nothing in your lives can hold you back! I hope all of you will enjoy Mom and Dad's 23rd anniversary celebration tomorrow. And, Sonia, your 12th birthday coming on Monday when you get to dip your wheels into the ocean signifying the end of your trip, has to give that milestone a very special meaning. We love all of you very much. Granny and Grandpa
We're rooting for you!
I have been following your family adventure with interest and admiration. What an accomplishment! I’m sure you and your kids have a built up a rich store of memories during this trip.
I was crushed to read about Alison’s MS setback. It happened when you were so close to your goal. You must have been so disappointed. And yet, you confronted the crisis and found an alternative that lets you continue your adventure. You didn’t let your setback spoil the trip, and that sets a great example for your kids.
Jerry, Danny and I will be thinking of you as your trip comes to its end on the shores of Maine. Thanks for sharing your great pictures and stories. Your humor and determination in the face of adversity -- be it in the form of bad weather, bugs, flat tires, obnoxious drivers, steep hills or exhaustion – have been an inspiration to us.
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