We only have 6 days left of this absolute life-changing journey, but today I write to take you loyal fans back in time to days 11 and 12. After everything my team and I have seen and been through in our 5 weeks on the road, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention a few great people who have helped us along the way.
On Day 11, we rolled up to Bike Newport, the best bike shop we had hit on the coast yet (and possibly still), in Newport, Oregon. Grace and Savannah had written in the notes that it’d be a short, easy day, and it should’ve been, considering we only went 23.4 miles with a 1,053 ft elevation gain (chump change). Nevertheless, our legs weren’t yet composed of the pure steel they are today, and we were just getting past the fresh legs stage - right in the heat of the excruciating soreness that is “I’m finally getting into shape.” All of that to say, it was a hard day.
We came lurching up to the shop and were immediately greeted by our angels of the hour: Doc, Marci, and Darin. Doc and Marci had stocked a cooler full of anything we could ever want or need and ordered pizza for us, too. Darin allowed us to use the bike shop’s shower, real towels, and gave us a space upstairs to sprawl out and relax in. To 11 sweaty, tired girls, it was heaven.
We all got cleaned up and ready to go to dinner - Doc and Marci picked us up and took us to Cafe Mundo. It was the first time some of us had seen vegetables in days. We gorged ourselves on delicious teriyaki chicken bowls and enjoyed their company, retelling the countless adventures we had already had in even that short time on the road.
Then they shuttled our full, happy bellies over to Darin’s home where he so graciously let us camp in his yard. We set up our Taj Mahal tent and that night slept the whole team in it together for the first time.
Doc supplied the team with all sorts of vitamins, natural supplements, and much needed sore muscle creams. Marci gave us a huge box of organic, juicy apples. Darin made the team spaghetti and not one, but two campfires where we consumed far too many s’mores. Doc organized for the team to talk on a local radio station… the list goes on and on.
Then they shuttled our full, happy bellies over to Darin’s home where he so graciously let us camp in his yard. We set up our Taj Mahal tent and that night slept the whole team in it together for the first time.
Doc supplied the team with all sorts of vitamins, natural supplements, and much needed sore muscle creams. Marci gave us a huge box of organic, juicy apples. Darin made the team spaghetti and not one, but two campfires where we consumed far too many s’mores. Doc organized for the team to talk on a local radio station… the list goes on and on.
Our time spent in Newport, Oregon remains one of the highlights of our trip - a time of rest we can look back on and laugh at how little we knew and how far we had to go. Sweet moments with even sweeter people -- more names to add to the list of countless kindnesses that we couldn’t complete this journey without.
One week left and the people are still the best part. See you jokers in San Diego!
Madilyn
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