The idea was to ride my bike across Montana and North Dakota and keep track of the Seattle Seawolves rugby team at the same time.
It was an idea doomed to fail.
The Seawolves vs. Austin Elite game on Saturday, June 9, was not carried on TV networks available in Jordan, MT, (pop. 386). Especially since the game was played on Friday, June 8, which shows you how out of touch I was after four days of bike riding (246 miles). I heard it was a nail-biter with Seattle winning, 20-19.
And Seawolves vs. Glendale Raptors on Saturday, June 16, while in Lisbon, ND, (pop. 2,124)? Forget it. Yes, really forget it. Seattle lost 33-11.
But I did get to see the U.S. team beat Scotland, 30-29, which bodes well for the national team going forward. Maybe a win or two in the 2019 Rugby World Cup? That would be welcome across the land – even in Jordan and Lisbon, should they hear of it.
About this bike ride: It was not my idea. My sister gets credit/blame for that. It’s her goal/obsession to ride across all of the lower 48 states. We did Iowa and Nevada in 2017. Arkansas, North Dakota and the rest of Montana were on tap for 2018. I promised to ride across Arkansas with her, but our plans fell apart due to other priorities.
I said I would be support and gear/guidance (SAG) for her on Montana/North Dakota. But when her riding partner backed out, what kind of brother would I be if I left her pedaling alone somewhere between Great Falls, MT, and Fargo, ND?
SAG duties fell to the spouses, and Kathy and Don can never be thanked enough.
It all started on June 4 when Kathy and I started the drive from Seattle. . .
Great to see you are riding. I raise money for Diabetes Tour de Cure by giving quilts to donors. Doing rides in Oregon, Hawaii, and 550 miles in New England
Tell me more. So where do the quilts come from? And how exactly do you do this? Given that I am putting in the miles, maybe there is a way to make to benefit others as well.
“make it benefit”
So, John, really. If this is your sister’s dream, an you are her supported, shouldn’t you have recommended starting sooner? Like two decades sooner? 🙂 Much respect, from Jeff Docter
Just before my 50th birthday? Maybe 40 years earlier. Good to hear from you.