Coeur d’Alene to Port Angeles

Hey there, Ian's Ride followers! It's time for another big adventure. I'm ready to do it again! Click here for 2016' s ride in review. The beauty of our state was so enjoyable in 2016 that I'm going to try and ride from East to West. This August, we are going to start in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and finish in Port Angeles, Washington. That's just two short months away! The exact dates and route will be coming soon. The route in particular is still up in the air. I'll be reaching out for as much help as I can get in this department. Crossing the Cascades in a safe and realistic way will be tricky. It was brought to my attention that my platform for the 2016 ride was really important, and that I should try to carry my message forward. Ian's Ride the nonprofit was formed and I'm officially an executive director and even have a board! With all of my mileage and elevation testing in 2017, I think I'm ready to brave crossing the desert of Eastern Washington and doing the long climb over the Cascades. Here is a link to my 2017 adventures.

Here's the plan so far. I have three bike riders joining me for the entirety of the trip. All three of them were also part of the 2016 ride: the two Josh's and tall Jimmy. They will do all they can to keep me alive. They have agreed to this knowing it will be a 450+ mile ride with over 25,000 feet of elevation gain at the slow pace of 7 mi./h. This means they will have to do long hours of climbing without the reward of coasting freely down the other side. They are pretty special, and I'm lucky to have them.

Heat and elevation gain will be my biggest obstacles. Going through Eastern Washington in the middle of August will certainly be a challenge for me. If you recall, I cannot regulate my temperature. I can't sweat in response to heat or shiver in response to cold. This creates some difficulty if you're doing a wheelchair/bike tour for long hours each day in direct sunlight. So I have four main strategies to help keep my temperature controlled. First, try to start out each day with my body temperature as low as I can get it overnight in an air-conditioned room. Second, I'll use a canopy over my wheelchair to shade me from the intense sun. Although the umbrellas were entertaining during the last ride, we want something a little sturdier this year. The product I have in mind is rated for up to 50 mi./h winds. Third, I will be using an ice vest to hopefully keep my core temperature down. Finally, I'm working on an easy to use mister that can be mounted right to the chair. This should offer some evaporative cooling and be a nice form of artificial sweat.

As for the elevation, it's going to be a little trickier. There will be some days that require big climbs and nothing saps a wheelchair's battery like going uphill. I will definitely be bringing a second wheelchair that I'll keep fully charged and could swap into once my first chair is out of juice. In addition, I'm hoping to have a second bank of batteries on my primary chair. Our plan is to use lithium batteries to keep the weight down and have them lightly secured to the back of my chair. Fire hazard is the biggest worry here, so we're working on something easily detachable if disaster should strike. I wouldn't want to use these batteries if I were riding alone, but I feel confident enough in my team to use them for the big elevation gain we will be facing.

I guess I better also refresh your memory on why the heck I do these daunting rides. Before I was injured, I had a great fondness for bike touring. This joy was lost, or so I thought, once I was confined to a wheelchair. A few years after my injury I finally started getting back out onto the trails, this is where I found my solace and was able to reestablish my identity. I eventually traveled all of the trails in my area and wanted to expand out. Ian's Ride 2016 was born. It soon became much more than this. I have met so many great people with spinal cord injuries that also love being outside, they often lack safe access to the outdoors. Being outside has given me a feeling of independence, joy, adventure, and a return to who I was before my injury. Because of this, I am happy to advocate for others to get outside and enjoy the healing qualities of the experience. If you want to read more about my story, click here.

Now you may be asking, what can I do to help? I need route suggestions (my next blog post will detail what I've got so far). I certainly welcome any financial help. I'll need to fund this journey with the majority of cost going to hotel stays and food. I will be seeking corporate sponsors to cover the majority of the cost. I am happy to share my story, so I could use some media involvement, any connections with TV, newspaper, radio, etc would be welcome. I always welcome ride-alongs. If you're in the area I am riding through (see the coming route blog post for maps) I would love to have some local expertise or just a friendly chat while slowly charging across state. I'm just a normal guy wanting to go on summer ride. This wheelchair is my bike. I am of the firm belief that more people, not just the mobility challenged, should get outside and pursue a passion.

A Quick Review of 2017

My goal for 2017 was to put at least 3000 miles on my chair and not miss a day out on the trail. It was a success! My total mileage for the year was 4700, and I'm proud to say I got out there 365 days in 2017. I spent 745 hours riding this year which comes out to an average of just over two hours a day. I climbed about 130,000 feet and rode in four different states (including Hawaii!). (You can view all of my rides on my Strava profile: https://www.strava.com/athletes/4075444) I did seven marathon distances in seven days in early October (over 190 miles that week). I did some sketchy climbing of Mount Rainier in late July, and Josh and I attempted to summit Hurricane Ridge, unsuccessfully, twice in the late summer (I'll get to the top in 2018). I was a keynote speaker at the Washington State Bike Summit where they honored me with the title of Washington Bikes person of the year. I was featured in an Apple commercial which demonstrated outside access for all (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWNKM8V98cg). I met lots of great new friends on the trail, saw loads of birds, was snowed on, rained on, and sunburnt. There was one out-of-control crash (only one this year!). Went through three sets of tires, 12 sets of caster bearings, hours of tightening bolts and maintenance to keep my chair on the road, and then more hours cleaning the trail grime off the chair (I have awesome employees!). Overall it was a heck of a year, and I surpassed my own expectations. Here's to living your dream and not letting physical limitations hold you back. #thisismybike#getoutside

A Nice Summation Using Storify

Here is a link to a page that is very easy to navigate where you can see all of the tweets, articles, and blog posts of the 2016 ride. Thanks Barb at Washington Bikes for putting this together.  

Final Thoughts

Doing life!

Okay, this is long overdue, it's time to wrap up Ian's ride 2016. I want to share some of the stats and takeaways from my adventure. I had an amazing time and made some incredible memories. Thank you so much to all of the supporters who helped make this possible. This never could have happened without you.

Let's start with the stats.

Mileage

I used Strava to record my mileage which all can be viewed here. The total journey was 335.4 miles over 10 days. This took me 53 hours and 18 min. of riding time with 9585 feet of elevation change. My average speed was just under 6.5 mph and my longest day was 40 miles exactly. We left Port Angeles on August 13 and arrived in Portland on August 23. After a couple days exploring Portland's accessibility we made it home on August 25.

Beer

I used Untappd to record and rate all the beer tasting; the data can be found here. We visited 15 breweries over 12 nights and sampled 107 unique beers. I did a flight/sampler at each brewery which was often shared between us. I'm happy to say I never overindulged on the trip and woke up each morning hangover free. The title of favorite brewery goes to The Dirty Bucket in Woodinville with my favorite beer being the Ruski Porridge Oatmeal Stout. Their staff was very welcoming, their beer was excellent, and the owner is a really nice guy who enjoyed discussing his craft and picked up our tab. I've been back a couple times since and am sure happy I stumbled across this gem. I highly recommend visiting this establishment.

The reward after a hard days work.

Umbrellas

I had to purchase a total of four umbrellas throughout the trip. It turns out these poorly performing parasols aren't made for traveling 7 mph in a headwind. Two of these shade providers flat out broke after flipping inside out one too many times. Despite Josh Blaustein's best efforts to keep these devices in working order the unrelenting wind proved to be too much for these parabolic sun protectors. In the future I will look into some sort of canopy that is more durable and less likely to fold in the middle of a busy intersection.

The final umbrella!

Particular Trails

I feel I should mention some of the trails I enjoyed most while tooling down the state. My favorite trail ended up being the Centennial trail in Snohomish County. It's 30 miles in length, has a very smooth surface, and is well away from the road for much of the distance. There were beautiful pedestrian bridges, meandering rivers and streams, and lots of singing birds. Another noteworthy one was the Yelm-Tenino trail. This trail travels through some rural towns and keeps you far enough off of the streets where you don't hear road noise. We traversed the section during a very hot day and we welcomed the tall trees on either side of the trail that kept us out of the sun. It's only about 14 miles in length but well worth the visit if you are in the area. I used many others such as the Burke Gilman trail, the Lochside trail, the Green River trail, the Interurban trail, and the Sammamish River trail. All of these had their charms but the Centennial and Yelm-Tenino were the two that I would love to ride again.

Fundraising and Donations

I raised just over $11,000 for the ride. Total expenses were right around $6000 ($1000 of which went to replacing a crew members bike), which left $5000 for donations. Washington Bikes was the main recipient with $4000. I also donated $1000 to the Peninsula Trails Coalition. The PTC manages the Olympic Discovery Trail which I ride regularly. Both organizations were very appreciative of the donation which I'm confident will be put to good use.

Now for some takeaways

– Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you feel strongly about something, look to your friends, family, and community to help make it a reality.

– People are awesome. They love seeing someone overcome a challenge and often will support you in doing so.

– Washington is a beautiful state. Many of the small rural towns are quaint and charming with delicious mom-and-pop eateries. The most beautiful thing to me though, was the natural beauty. Our rivers, trees, and vistas are just spectacular. I believe you gain an even greater appreciation when you get to view them at 7 mph.

– Use a U lock when locking up bikes.

– Downtown Seattle is not easy to navigate in a power wheelchair.

– Don't let physical limitations deter you from your passions. Take chances. Go outside.

– Over three fourths of the ride was on roads and highways. This really developed my appreciation for bike lanes. Jon Snyder, who rode with us on day six, is an advisor for the governor and introduced me to the concept of "complete streets". I plan to advocate for this concept moving forward.

– Being Washingtonian of the Day is pretty cool.

Me and the Gov.

– The biggest challenge turned out to be the heat. The shoulderless highways were challenging but expected. I had not planned for the heat and it really made for a couple difficult days.

–The biggest surprise was the outpouring of support, not just financial, but honks and fist pumps, Gatorade, buying of our dinners, and then the e-mails from veterans and recently injured as well as other passionate outdoor wheelchair users throughout the world. These were the things that really make me want to do another ride.

Final Thoughts

I can't say enough how rewarding it was to push my limits, spend two weeks with people I love, and do something I'm passionate about. It was also immensely rewarding to have encouraged and inspired others to get out of their comfort zone. It's been great being greeted and thanked on my home trail, the ODT, for being an advocate for outdoor accessibility, and getting to meet with the governor really made me feel like I did something of worth. All in all it was a tremendous success, and although nothing is planned, I had such a great time I will have to take another big ride in the future.

A trip to remember!

The Crew

  I'm home, and I've had over a week to rest and decompress. There's plenty I'd like to share here as a wrap up to my experiences on this adventure. But first I need to tell you all about my crew. They were not only supportive and helpful. They were funny, clever, interesting, and uplifting. I couldn't have asked for a better team.  I had the easy job.  The two Joshes were with me for the distance. These guys really did the work. They put themselves at risk on some dicey roads. Without them, and the rest of the crew, this trip never could have happened. So here's to you guys.

Josh Blaustein, aka Dr. B, aka The Umbrella Man, aka John Craigie Fangirl - hailing from Santa Cruz, CA where he is a chemistry professor, a father of four daughters, and to my mother’s dismay, a vegan.

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He was the mechanical guru on the team and our fearless leader. Stuff breaks frequently on a wheelchair, particularly after 300+ miles, and he was always there to get things back in working order. He developed a love-hate relationship (he may disagree with the love part) with the numerous umbrellas we went through. He tried every MacGyver move possible to help keep me shaded and his skill with a bungee cord is unmatched.  His mechanical assistance was appreciated but the most valuable asset he brought to the table was his never-ending positive attitude and ability to always make me laugh. I could never say enough good things about this guy; he was truly the heart of the team. Thanks Dr. B, you bring fun wherever you go.

Josh Sutcliffe, aka Chauncey, aka JS – hailing from Port Angeles, WA where he is a dog runner, a barefoot runner, a thespian, and keeps me alive on a weekly basis.

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This Josh has worked for me for over a year. I've known him not nearly as long as the other crew members, but his contributions were critical. He is a man of many hats – he can handle my respiratory needs, my wheelchair glitches, beer pouring, and personal needs that I'd prefer not to ask of old friends.  He forced water on me when I didn't want it, and sprayed me down to cool me on the scorching days.   This was his first time meeting many of my close friends, and he handled it with humor, tolerance and grace. You the man Chauncey.

Adam Mackay, aka My Brother – hailing from Port Angeles, WA where he dominates in disc golf, works construction and is an awesome Dad to my beautiful niece, Paige.

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Adam was able to start and end the trip with me. He is not an avid cyclist but made the long miles look easy. I was super thankful to have him. He is a busy guy and I don't get to spend nearly as much time with him as I'd like. He had to miss work to do this. Being able to share part of this ride with him meant the world to me. He enjoys his beer at least as much as I do and is a smart, funny man who I really admire. He will soon be moving to San Diego and I will miss him tremendously. Thanks bro, you made it an unforgettable trip.

Matt Marks, aka Matty Mizzo – hailing from Oakland, CA where he shapes the young minds of Oakland’s youth.

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Where to start with this guy… Matt has gone with me on every vacation/trip I've been on since I sustained my spinal cord injury. That is at least one trip a year for eight years! He is one of my very best friends, is always there for me when I need him, and I couldn't imagine doing this trip without him. He can single-handedly transfer me into any hotel bed (often despite my reluctance) and can stretch my legs and arms like a champion. His happy-go-lucky attitude can light up a room and his quick wit forever keeps me on my toes. I'm extremely lucky to have a friend like him. Lots of love Mizzo.

Jimmy Quenelle, aka The Beer Guru, aka Stud – hailing from Morgan Hill, CA where he is a biologist doing important conservation research, a father to two daughters, and brews some quality beer.

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I asked Jimmy to join me on this ride months prior and it just didn't look like things were going to work out. I had written him a letter (more like a desperate plea) a week before we left asking (begging) him to consider joining us. He really wanted to, but just couldn't make it happen. So imagine my surprise when he was at my hotel door the night before the final day. I was ecstatic. He's been one of my closest friends for a long time, and I generally make a yearly trip to California to stay with him and his lovely family. He is one of the smartest guys I know and has been there for me during all the trying times after my accident. The sparkle in his eye, his sensitivity, and infectious laugh make him an absolute delight on any excursion. Thanks for the surprise arrival Jimmy. Your company was appreciated more than you know.

Teena Woodward,aka Mom, aka Supermom – hailing from Port Angeles, WA where she manages a small business, maintains a beautiful piece of property, and keeps me alive around the clock.

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This is a hard one. We all have a special place in our heart for our mom. Many spinal cord injury survivors have an even greater appreciation for these maternal figures. My mom has been my rock ever since I broke my neck (okay, since I was born). She has sacrificed so much to ensure that I am a healthy, happy man and I will never be able to repay her for all that she has done for me. I love her more than words can describe and will always be thankful to have such an awesome person as a mother. I truly lucked out in the mom department. During the trip she was nothing short of amazing. She was the publicist, social media manager, Sherpa, bringer of lunches, and the road crew. This does not even include the caring for me every night of the journey. I'll admit I am a pain in the ass during the nights. I sleep on a ventilator and often have respiratory needs throughout the night. She went to sleep after me and woke up before me every single night. She woke up when I needed help coughing or needed to be turned and got the least sleep of anyone. She had the hardest job of all and did it with class, style, and a smile on her face. Thanks mom, you are amazing!