Not much sleep last night-1:00 AM hear pounding on door next to us & yelling for someone to open door.  Goes on for 15 min-finally open door-see big guy, long hair, tattoos-tell him to go to office & get another key or I will call office.  He lowers head & says he will go to office.  Later a horn alarm goes off.  Leave at 7:30 w/Whitney-sun is shinning.  Make good time-bike on freeway, rds under construction, rds lined w/trees & lakes-not many hills except 1 w/16% grade.  See 2mph-get off before falling off-walk bike up hill at 2.5mph.  Get to town at 11:30-call Jean from DQ.  They’re 2 hrs behind because they stopped at McDonalds (Jean’s favorite place for breakfast).  Eat lunch at Subway & try to find City Center Motel.  Streets are all torn up–go up steep hill or 2 or 3–GONSOULIN brothers w/maps have decided this doesn’t look right!!!  NOT AGAIN–go back to town-motel is a stone’s throw from Subway!!  Talking to manager when we see 2 bikers–It’s JEAN & LYNN.  They were2 hrs behind us but we check in at the same time-something is wrong w/this picture.  Mom & Pop motel-$65-clean.  Want to go to movie–see Mortal Instruments–It’s a sci-fi-not sure exactly what is was about.  Meet Lynn & Jean at Subway for dinner-call Whitney.   Map rap session-decide to leave at 7:00 AM together so we can follow Jean out of town.  Not taking many pictures except for Armand & Whitney reading maps.

47 miles   11.7mph (2-38 mph)  4 hrs riding time 

Up at 7:15 out @ 7:40-no more waking up at 8:00!!!!  It’s cold-50 degrees.  Stay on hiwy-lots of traffic-been on this rd before to our last ferry ride.  Get to 8:45 ferry at 8:45:30-wouldn’t let us on–call Lynn & wave good-bye to them.  Go eat muffin & hot chocolate–9:15 leave.  Can’t say enough about WA State Ferry system-For $10 each-rode around all the islands w/no more charges-last ticket was $2.  Also impressed w/grocery stores on islands-all well stocked w/fresh fruits & home made foods.  Islands were scenic & fantastic–what an adventure already.

Have on our Oregon & TX shirts-wear them on every trip.  Ride is going well-I love you OR-Are you following me TX? I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth.  My feelings change later today.  Stop at gas station to pee–when I come out-OR says that he sees Jean across street at grocery store.  Take picture of them in front of pumpkins-it’s 11:15.  Leave before them-OR jokes about taking wrong rd so we need head start.  Lake on rt-fort on left-STOP.  OR says lake is suppose to be on LEFT–asks hiker-need to go BACK 3 1/2m.  Sorry, TX! We just did an extra 7 m of hills.  Later see 2 bikers stopped on hill-It’s Jean & Lynn!! Tell Jean I want a new leader.  Go on uphill-stop at 53 m-really tired.  OR offers me chocolate-feel better.  Rd gets better-very warm-finally make it to Super 8.  Did 67.22 m-biked my age–which is a goal Mary Ruth & I have each yr.  Checked in room-looked outside window-Armand’s brother Whitney is standing outside talking on phone.  He got his bike fixed & will be riding tomorrow w/us.  Met Jean & Lynn at DQ-discussed route-either 43 or 70m.  Ate dinner w/Whitney-Italian.  Will be interesting to see how late I get to sleep.  Hope you had a good day.  

7:40 to 4:15   67 m  11.5 mph aver  (4 mph to 36 mph)  5 hrs 50 min riding time   4,000 ft elevation

Got up at 8:00, cool & foggy.  Watch Leave It To Beaver & Daniel Boone while getting ready-watched Columbo last night.  Bike to ferry-5 m-there 1 hr early-could have watched Perry Mason–my all time favorite show growing up.  Armand wants to wait till Anacortes for bkft–order hot chocolate & big muffin–don’t want to share so he decides to eat know too.  Foggy on ferry so take nap–benches are like little beds.  Bike to Anacortes-on to Deception Pass again–long uphills but at least going 5 mph.  Decide to walk across bridge this time-leader wanted to ride side by side slowing down traffic-didn’t want to get run over by 18 wheeler.  Stop at fruit stand w/big elephant statue–animal reminds Armand of ME!!!  Pick up peach–see ice cream cones-look better & was delicious–put peach on bike.  Back at Acorn Motor Inn in same room-$74.  Get my NAILS done while Armand does the wash.  Lynn & Jean are here–they have a 2 bedroom w/kitchen & living room for $69–unbelievable how nice it is.  Jean is another of the cross country 2002 bikers.  Her claim to fame is that she has biked in 46 states & covered over 100,000 miles touring.  She started at 36 & is now 63.  We tagged along last yr on her European trip & 2 yrs ago on her St. Louis-Minite, ND, Minneapolis-Madison-St. Louis trip.  Both Jean & Lynn have nice short hair cuts-go across street & get all my hair cut off.  Eat at Thai Restaurant beside hair place.  They’re leaving around 6:30 AM–we will NOT.  Suppose to meet Armand’s brother tomorrow night.