Less than a Week and Counting!

Our plans are set in place to leave on Sunday, May 22, however we are getting cold feet!  If you want to know why, look at the following website http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades - interesting site. The photos of the DOT clearing the highways are beautiful (several are included).  However we are wondering whether we are leaving home too early as the passes are still not open.  They are hoping to have the highway opened by Memorial Day, but we understand they have had more snow in the past day or two. 



Highway 20 - Hairpin Curve - Snow covered



Opening US Highway 20 - Hairpin Curve



Opening Highway 20 - Just a few feet of snow!!



After we leave home it will probably be two weeks before we arrive at the Cascades, as we will be driving west, seeing friends and Rachel's sister, and then Cal has probably 4-5 days of riding before we arrive.  We know there is an 80 mile stretch of highway with no services other than campgrounds.  We hope the campground are cleared too, as there is no way Cal will ride 80 miles in one day in that terrain!  Don't you agree, it looks COLD with all the snow! 

As to Cal's training, he rode 60 miles on Sunday and 75 miles on Monday.  He needs to have several back to back days here in Iowa, as that is what it will be while on the road.  He is planing on 35 & 45 mile rides yet this week, before we leave. Since mid March Cal has ridden 1000 miles, which includes his ride on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  

We keep checking items off of our 'to do/to take/to buy' list.  We are trying to wind up a few spring projects.  Tonight Cal painted the final coat of paint on his bee hive boxes - they look great, and I primed our wrap around front porch tonight.  If the weather agrees, I plan to paint the final coat tomorrow night.  The porch at least looks better with primer than the scraped bare spots, but hopefully the weather will be agreeable.