JULIA Miedema and SEA to SEA 2013 : July 2013

Friday, July 26, 2013

Thursday - Saturday in Iowa city

Hey hey all!!
So the rolling hills continue and you can't imagine how it feels to roll into one and only make it up 1/4 of the way and then starting to down shift just to make it all the way up and almost crest to see another and another greet you!!
It takes alot of mental work along with physical to constantly face each day along with each part of each day.

CoralVille IA

Day 4
Thursday, July 25: Diagonal, IA to Chariton, IA. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 73.9 mi/118.9 km
Elevation: + 3357 / - 3528 ft

Overnight location: Northwest Park

Upon entering northwest park, an infinite amount of magnetism happens to draw most cyclists into the nearest bike shop.

Inside this reclaimed movie theatre is the towns bike shop hosting many types of trikes/ recumbents, along with some other "art" hung on the walls.

Day 5
Friday, July 26: Chariton, IA to Pella, IA. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 42.3 mi/68.1 km

Elevation: + 1745 / - 1891 ft

Overnight location: Central College

Showering is often an interesting event.......there are times (many) when we don't have shower access or showers are available for only an allotted amount of time cause they are at the city pool. Below is a picture of our outdoor shower created in a bucket with cement which attaches to a garden hose.... Chilly ... Yes! Private ? No!

Riding into pella was amazing! Such a nice ride today! Along some trails and right by a ginormous dam.

In the afternoon we explored Pella and it is very Dutch!! To me it seemed more Dutch than Amsterdam! I only post photos I have taken with my iPhone not my other camera...maybe when I get home and can have computer access will I upload other photos.

Day 6
Saturday, July 27: Pella, IA to Coralville, IA. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 94 mi/151.3 km

Elevation:+ 4790 / - 4957 ft

Overnight location: Morrison Park

Total Distance for Week 5: 386.4 mi/621.9 km

Today was glorious! Absolutely an awesome temperature (22) and great rolling hills. Some were tough and others quite manageable ... Power/pedal into the hill and slowly gear down while going up.

We did have wind ... As per usual, although at times it was at our backs!

So this weekend we stay just outside Iowa city, and are have a celebration service on Sunday. I did get out to town today and talked with some locals about the tour and its mission. I have handed out many many sea to sea business cards ( will post a photo) and most people think we r crazy! Although they do thank us for what we r doing and also some donate.

In our daily evening meeting we take a moment to discuss highs and lows of our days, how many flats, falls, and if anyone collected any money. It is quite amazing how God is working through us and the lives of others!! Thanks be to Him!

To CoralVille

To coralville IA

Day 1
Monday, July 22: Fairbury, NE to Firth, NE. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 52.2 mi/84 km

Elevation: + 1848 / - 1751 ft

Overnight location: Camp Oasis Bible Camp

Corn - everywhere and as far as the eye can see!

One thing good about corn is that it tastes delicious!! Oh and another!! That it provides cover ..... When needed :)

Day 2
Tuesday, July 23: Firth, NE to Sidney, IA. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 69.5 mi/111.9 km

Elevation: + 3528 / - 3806 ft

Overnight location: Waubonsie State Park

Welcome to Iowa !!

Okay so the road above looks flat but it has an incline and other than that.... Rolling hills and more and more... Just as you think you might have seen the last one you broach another!

The sunset of the evening !!

Wednesday morning we awoke to 40 mph winds and had to take the flattening tent down at 5:30 am!! A wee but early, then with the winds we had rain and thunder and lightening! Quite the morning, we were not able to leave until after 8 am.

Day 3
Wednesday, July 24: Sidney, IA to Diagonal, IA. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 84.5 mi/136 km
Elevation: + 3528 / - 3806 ft

Overnight location: Fogle State Park

Check out them bullet holes in the sign!!!

Part of the gravel road we rode down :( a little sketchy!

The porta John in all its glory!

Peloton - Sharing stories and gracious impressions !

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Part 2 to Fairbury Nebraska

Thursday, July 18: Colby, KS to Norton, KS. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 72.2 mi/116.1 km
Elevation: + 1009 / - 1754 ft
Overnight location: Prairie Dog State Park

Tail wind/ side wind!! Ahhhhhhhmazing ride today ! Would do it all over again.

There were a lot of prairie dogs in the fields near here.

Long rolling hills through Kansas .... Not flat! Long rollers!

Friday, July 19: Norton, KS to Red Cloud, NE. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 99.9 mi/160.8 km
Elevation: + 3805 / - 4473 ft
Overnight location: Red Cloud State Park

Left early for a 168 km ride today.

Lots of rolling hills and a great stop at a local church depicted here.

Close to being in the centre ....

And the storm rolls in! Got rained on and our gear at the next destination was swimming in a puddle unbeknownst to us :(

Upon arrival had to hang all my gear up, hoping it won't rain again while its hanging to dry!!

Leaving Kansas to enter nebraska.... We're doing it!

Saturday, July 20: Red Cloud, NE to Fairbury, NE. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 75.9 mi/122.1 km
Elevation: + 3074 / - 3470 ft
Overnight location: Fairbury State Park

Total Distance for Week 4 = 468 mi/753.1 km

So we are 80 clicks in and stopped due to the start of a storm and pouring rain :)

Probably the best place to stop... Grampas crossing, great pizza : order able in "hunks" - we also gave a sea to sea card to all those eating here, some are curious others could care less.

Biking out of red cloud this morning.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Sunday in Colorado Springs

Here I am at the top of CSCS, in behind you can see Pikes peak! Some of the guys on tour took the day yesterday to bike up it! Amazing!! Excruciatingly hard and great climbing skills needed. It's 14,110 ft!!

The school we are staying at is set into the mountainside... Quite the climb from the showers at the bottom (last building bottom right) I our tents (top right in fenced in sandy playground)

I slept extremely well last night, woke up at 7 to the sun beaming in the tent and sweating :)

Way better than waking up at 4:45am when other cyclists are starting to pack up their gear and get ready for the days ride.

Pikes Peak

After church we gathered a group of people to go up to pikes peak. What a drive!!! I took two chewable gravols to get through :( it really made my insides churn, not much of a shoulder or a guardrail .... And quite a drop to the bottom!

They have car races/ time trials on the mountain....look at the switchbacks !!

Saturday, July 13, 2013

On our way to Fairbury Nebraska part 1

Monday, July 15: Colorado Springs, Co to Limon, CO. Click to view route map and turn by turn directions.
Total distance: 74.3 mi/119.6 km

Elevation: + 2192 / - 3132 ft
Overnight location: Limon High School

It was a cold and dreary day, the fog rolled in thick thick thick, somewhat like a creepy movie, the rain cold until the third support vehicle and then the sun shone and dried us up. Toes were froze and wind was at our side :)