Tripping with 'The Vans': Wrapping up an amazing 9 weeks

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Wrapping up an amazing 9 weeks

Our Fiesta 2013 summer trip had a spectacular ending . . . We stayed overnight at the foot of Mt Shasta, then did a gorgeous bike ride along the Sacramento River. It was 102 degrees. Yoweeeee. After that we drove home to sunny Saratoga, CA and parked the Fiesta in the driveway.

What an amazing 9-week, 6200 mile trip for 'Team Van'. It was everything we had hoped for and more. An experience of a lifetime! (The only exception was that Ike's knee recovery took longer than anticipated. Big bummer for Ike and all of us.)

We owe a HUGE 'thank you' go to our family, friends, strangers and everyone else who helped make this trip extraordinary. We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you!!!

Today we started discussing plans for our next vacation; once we decide we'll keep you posted here on vantrippers.blogspot.com.

Tomorrow I'll post a list of some fun stats from our trip.

Thanks for visiting!

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Bike Rides!

8/5/2013 11 miles along the Sacramento River, in 102 degree heat. Yoweeeee! There was lots of whining, and then (following bribes of Oreos and computer games) none.
8/4/2013 8 miles along a river lined with huge lava rocks. How can each bike ride look so different from the others?!!!!
8/2/2013 17 gorgeous mile dirt trail around Timothy Lake near Mt Hood, Orgeon, 800' feet of climbing, totally gorgeous ride and happy to see the end!
8/1/2013 Spectacular 9 mile paved trail along the Columbia River. Huge blackberry patch at the end made Skyler very happy.
7/27/2013 8 miles to/from the local pool, and a big swim at the pool
7/26/2013 Up and the down the huge, steep hill to Oma & Opa's house (Walfred), 2 miles
7/25/2013 Awesome 16 mile bike ride today along a bay and over two wooden trestle bridges. Followed by (at Sky and Erik's request) a trip to Tim Horton's for donuts.
7/22/2013 Whistler - Downhill only, ski-lifted to the top of the bike runs. Woooohoooo! 3 miles
7/21/2013 Mt Robson - Climbed to Lake Kinney (Ike only, 7 am!)
7/20/2013 Jasper - 10 miles of singletrack full of roots and huge rocks. More difficult than advertised. Ugh.
7/19/2013 Jasper - 15 miles single track and dirt roads, visiting 3 totally gorgeous glacier lakes
7/15/2013 Banff - Biked 10 miles across the continental divide, and crossed the province line from Alberta into British Columbia. Great views. Blue skies.
7/13/2013 Waterton Lakes - Biked up 500' from Red Rock Canyon, 8 mi round trip, through the woods, singing to keep the bears away
7/12/2013 Waterton Lakes - 10 mile ride against fierce headwinds, Sky & Erik learned to draft!
7/11/2013 Waterton Lakes - 9 miles of singletrack through wildflowers and dense bush (grizzly country!), luckily no grizzly encounters
7/8/2013 Glacier - Grizzly encounter! Black bear encounter too! 8 miles
7/5/2013 Bodwoin Wildlife Refuge, Montana - 15 miles non-stop around the lake, great bird viewing, too many deer-flies
7/4/2013 North Dakota Badlands - 5 miles of difficult single track, woohooooo!, with a river crossing at the end
7/3/2013 Mississippi River - 6 miles along the river, near Minneapolis, Minnesota
6/29/2013 Niagara Falls - 8 miles along the river and trails