Pedaling a little faster

Don't know if anyone's noticed, but he's making excellent time. There's been a delay in postings because I've been visiting his parents in Tulsa . Every morning, his dad prints out the Google map and gives it to his mother. Annie has a folder with all the printouts so she can see the amazing progress her son has made. And then she doesn't really want to talk much about it, since she's still worried about him.

Apparently, the folks at the Adventure Cycling Association were very helpful and Ed was able to get a clear plan for the route. The number one question now is - will he be ahead of the weather?

My dad has a few links to weather sites, but as Ed's sister said, "Why is it you can ask any man any time what the weather is anywhere, and THEY KNOW?" Beats me, but in a case like this, I'm glad my man knows the weather. Not that he ever does anything about it...

Here are the last two map links:

CLICK HERE FIRST, YA BIG FREAKS

CLICK HERE SECOND YA BIG FREAKS

Don't know what these are, but they're interesting. StoLat, ya'll.

Sedro-Wooley

He's back on land after the five-day ferry journey, hanging out with Pete and Sandra, cousins from Portland, Oregon. Thanks a big bunch to Pete for uploading a TON of pictures via a high-powered FTP. I think Ed was swearing off technology at some point, having to sign up for 30-minute increments at public libraries with turtle speed uploads or hotel lobby free computers with limited picture features. For the next few posts, I'll be able to show lots of pictures, some from the early days of travel that are just stunning.

HERE'S THE MAP LINK, YA BIG FREAKS

After exiting the ferry Friday morning, Ed rode to Sedro Wooley, WA, which he believes is linked somehow to a character from "Chico and the Man" (for you whipper snappers, that was an awesome show in the '70s starring Freddie Prinze). An extensive search for this connection could not be found, but if you find one, you win a cookie.

Now that he's gotten a little more organized for the last half of the trip, he's plotted a rough outline of his course. This is, of course, barring any detours, scenic routes and plain laziness. We're hoping he gets to Denver by the third week of October.

After Sedro, he'll head east (obviously) through North Cascades National Park and then on to Idaho and Montana. Yesterday, at the request of his mother, he went to the ranger's office for the park and got some maps and whatnot from them.

"My mommy asked me to come in and talk to you guys," Ed told the rangers. I know this made Annie very happy.

"Do you want to call her from here?" they asked. Ed laughed and said no thanks.

Apparently, there is an adventure cyclist shop in Missoula that Ed wants to visit, so head's up ya'll - the Crazy Bike Guy is coming.

After that, who knows. South to Colorado, most likely, but which road is anyone's guess.

For your viewing fun, here are a few pictures:



That's him somewhere in the woods - wearing Sooner colors.


Don't know where this is, but isn't he adorable?
And, because luxury accomodations are his thing, here's a place he stayed along the way: