Newcastle
- Like This Article
-
- Like Our Page
-
Hello from Longview, Washington!
This is the view from Mum and Dad’s balcony this morning.
We (Bonnie and I) made the journey to Washington, it was not a bad trip (compared with some others I’ve had) but we did not get much sleep. By the time my head hit the pillow I had been awake for 32 hours and only slept for 2 of them… Sleep is my biggest concern to be prepared before the ride – which is on Saturday! So I’ll be getting as much as I can between now and then!
My bike made it in one piece, hooray! Dad put it together for me while I was sleeping, (I love you! and Adam actually took it apart and packed it beforehand at home, I love you too! I got out of that very easy)!
I will take it for a short ride today and make any tweaks to the set up.
For those of you who don’t know, dad (Trev @trevor2214 on Insta) and I, along with 10,000 of our friends are riding from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon #STP17 this Saturday 15th July. It is 205 miles (329.9km) which we’ll complete in 1 day. We will leave at 5am (10pm Saturday AEST) and hope to be finished by 9pm (2pm Sunday AEST). We are riding with 2 of Dads friends, Shawn and Chad. Contemplating 16 hours on the road, bringing my own bike over was really the only option.
I have been training for the past few months. Riding 15-25km 2 or 3 times a week and 1-2 bigger rides on the weekend between 60-70km. I had intended on doing a few longer rides but that never happened… I did a bunch of rides with my brother Linden (that’s him below), one of the things I love about cycling is the time you spend, the chats you have with those you share the ride with, equally I like to ride on my own and have that time and space with your own thoughts and company (I have learnt to love this as I have become more and more comfortable with me)!
Cycling is something very dear to me for a few reasons, dad and I have cycled together since I was young. We have taken numerous cycling holidays together, spending a week cycling 700km on different parts of the East Coast from when I was as young as 14. I am very much looking forward to this ride for my own achievement however this is easily surpassed by my eagerness to add to my cycling diary with dad, and to spend that time with him.
So… Along with getting some kms on my legs, making the trek and getting my bike here in one piece there were a few other things to consider:
- Fuel while on the road – we have protein bars – Chief Bars (lamb, almond and cranberry- Libby Babet’s invention) and Exo Bars (crickets, yep you read that right, full amino acid profile and are sustainable). There are stops all along the way with fuel for us, and mum has been baking and preparing some goodies, which I haven’t seen yet but historically these are nuts mixes with chocolate, and some yummy slices all prepared with love and wrapped in cute, encouraging love notes!
- Cycling Admin – 1 am wearing 2 x pairs of cycling shorts! I figure double padding cannot hurt. It’s summer here so just a shirt and light jacket for when we get started, gloves, helmet, glasses (yes these are hideous)! Cycling shoes with cleates – have new ones, oh my they are heaven, so comfy (I splurged on Italian leather)!
- I have a little bag on my bike under the seat where I carry spare tubes and a little tool kit (although interestingly, I have never in my whole cycling life had to change a tyre, I outsource that)!
- LED white light on front and red light on the back
- I will have my Fitbit, phone and a little GPS tracker where will allow you to be able to check on my progress via a website and see my location (see below for link)
Dad has done the STP 2 times before, in 1 day and in 2 days, that has been helpful in knowing what prep we needed to do and what to bring on the ride.
Bonnie and Mum will take us to Seattle on Friday the 14th, we will stay overnight and leave early the next morning. They will meet us again in Longview (where mum and dad live, approx the 260km mark) and then at the finish line in Portland.
Bonnie is so excited, which makes me even more proud to be doing this. She took great delight in telling the over sized baggage men why we were bringing my bike on the plane. She has lots of questions and feels rather important to be part of the support crew!
Post ride – I’ll get some love from a chiropractor in Portland, usually after a ride it is my neck and my right lower back that needs an adjustment and then I’m pretty right (note this is in Australia sans jet lag)! If anything else is needed, maybe a massage for pleasure, I’ll see how I pull up and decide then!
I’ll blog a debrief on everything post ride!
Thanks so much for all your support and well wishes before I left.
Thanks to the girls for covering my classes while I’m gone, thanks especially to Brit for being willing to let me go on this adventure and spend this precious time with my family, thanks to Adam for letting me ride when I needed, packing my bike and for being super supportive of this ride and whole trip. And a huge thanks to mum and dad for their unending generosity in making this trip possible.
(Post ride we have 2 weeks with M + D in Longview, Adam fly’s over and joins us, then 2 weeks in Alaska where Adam and I will both celebrate our birthdays, San Fran, then home, none of this would have been doable without the parentals, again thank you thank you thank you).
I already miss you all and can’t wait to see you when I’m back!
I have been reminded that I absolutely love work, holidays are now just great and not an escape from reality!
Below are things you might find useful and/or interesting!
- Time difference – we are on the West Coast of the USA, which is currently 17 hours behind East Coast Aussie time, a simple equation for you to do is: add 7 hours and call it yesterday.
Eg. 7am Saturday Newcastle time, add 7, call it yesterday = 2pm Friday Longview time.
You can save it as a time zone on your world clock on your phone too, if that is easier. - STP Ride website
- Chief Bars (we can order these for you if you would like to buy some, just shoot me an email)
- Exo Protein Bars
-
STP MAP Tracking link
(this map will be fully activated on race day)
Zoom in and out to see road details, use the top right icon to turn the distances on and off. Data will be refreshed every few minutes, there is no need to keep refreshing the page
xx Shell
- Like This Article
-
- Like Our Page
-
This is SO kick ass!! Couldn’t be prouder and reading actually kinda made me wanna take up cycling – I’ll add it to the list of things to do when I piece my life back together but I will be following you the whole way! GO SHELL!! xxx
ReplyThere’s still time you could jump on a plane and meet me in Seattle, I’ll give you a double!! xxx
ReplyShell you’re such a beautiful inspirational women, everything you do you conquer with grace & beauty, I’m sure you will blitz this ride. We will be thinking of you & your Dad. Love Raz, Sia & Jodi xxxx
Reply😘
ReplyShell you are an inspiration. You tackle everything head on and full of positivity. You will smash this, will be cheering you on and checking in on your progress. Xx
ReplyThanks lovely!! Send me leg power when you do! xx
ReplyOh, Shelly, I feel your sore bottom already!!
ReplyGood luck on your ride and enjoy the break. xxxxx
I’m done now and would you believe it’s my neck more than my bott! ❤️❤️❤️
Reply