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Once again friends rallied round!!! A big thanks to Milan, Matt, Slobodan, & Nik who pitched in to help us lift the huge steel tank into the building.
From left to right: The largest glass has a small spout to pour easily, it is the pitcher. The next glass has a sort of flat bottom, it's the high ball glass. I have two in total. The third in line has perplexed some. I have a total of 8 of these. It has a more rounded bottom, which you can't see very well from the photo. You may be able to see it gets more narrow as it goes to the bottom. I suppose it's more of a table glass. The last is a shot glass. I have two of them.
Iran / Tehran / Darband
دربند تهران
Thank you so much my dear frinds for accept my invitation and make that DREAM ...
I have very good times in your village (!) and specially in Darband , Sa'd abad and Tuchal .
I will upload my photos as soon as possible ...
So I found out the other day that a Great Horned Owl lives in my neighbourhood park, an elderly gentleman pointed it out to me but as I did not have my telephoto lens on me I couldn't take a picture. Today, I decided to visit this feathery friend with my Takumar 200mm lens, here is the result. :) I think, I will be visiting him again with a teleconvertor and a tripod :D
F4 | 1/500 | ISO 1000 (cropped)
Friendly's Restaurant Ice Cream Shop. Spring 5/2014 Berlin CT. Pics by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
I have been doing the Kent church project for 11 years now, so I thought I knew most churches in Kent and all in East Kent, but just before Christmas a contact posted shots of a church I had not heard of before, St Peter-in-Thanet.
Once life settled down, I tried to arrange a visit before Christmas, that was impossible, but the church will be open every days from 2nd January I was told.
And as I had one more day off, why not start the year with a crawl?
I programmed the sat nav with the post code, and let it guide me to Sandwich then to Ramsgate and across the island via Westwood Cross, with the urban sprawl of Ramsgate and Broadstairs merging into one large town all around.
I saw the tower of St Peter from a mile away, surprisingly large. Nearer, I see that the area declares itself a village, also called St Peter, and there is a traditional village pub opposite.
I point out again at this point, the towns of Ramsgate and Broadstairs merge into one, St Peter is now part of Broadstairs. And indeed was the ancient centre of the town before the resort took off.
I park next to the church, present myself in the large and friendly parish offices next door, and told the church is open.
I just have to find which one of the half dozen doors into the church and vestry is actually unlocked.
I introduce myself, again, and they are happy to let me go around taking shots, whilst they water the multitude of plants. But they do stop to point out interesting details.
Nothing more fabulous that the highly decorated chancel; painted panels on the roof, painted beams, tiles and mosaics.
Even at first glance it is stunning.
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The medieval church of Broadstairs, St Peter's stands well inland to serve the original farming community that showed little interest in the coast that was to change the later life of this part of Kent. The tower, however, is easily visible from the sea and was long used as a landmark to shipping, which is why it still flies the White Ensign. Although the church was restored in the nineteenth century by Joseph Clarke and is stamped with the atmosphere he usually managed to create, there is some fine Norman architecture in the five bay aisle arcades (although the central arch in the south arcade is a later insertion into an inexplicable break in the Norman work). The chancel arch is of the thirteenth century and there is a good cut-down sedilia in the sanctuary. The delicate marble font is of eighteenth century date and there are some fine hanging wall tablets of the same period. The stained glass presents a good cross-section of the nineteenth century art, much of it by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=St+Peters
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ST. PETER'S
LIES the next parish south-eastward from St. John's, being so called from the dedication of the church of it to St. Peter. This parish is within the liberty and jurisdiction of the cinque ports, and is an antient member of the town and port of Dover, and though united to it ever since king Edward I.'s reign, yet so late as in that of king Henry VI. it became a dispute, whether this parish was not in the county at large; to take away therefore all doubt of it, that king, by his letters patent, united it to Dover, to which place, in like manner as St. John's above-mentioned, it is subsect in all matters of civil jurisdiction. The mayor of Dover here too appoints one of the inhabitants to be his deputy, who is chosen either yearly, or once in two or three years, at the mayor's pleasure; and to the charges of the sessions formerly held at Margate, this parish and Birchington used to contribute their proportion.
THE PARISH OF ST. PETER is as pleasant and healthy a situation as any in this island, the lands open and uninclosed, the soil a dry chalk, with frequent hill and dale interspersed throughout it. At Sowell hill, in the northern part of the parish, the land is reckoned to be the highest in the island. The village stands on a pleasing eminence, surrounded with trees, which is rather uncommon in these parts, having the church on the north-west side of it; at a little distance southward from which, is a small neat chapel, built by the sect of Methodists. Several genteel families reside in this village, situated about the middle of the parish, which is about two miles and a half across each way, and is bounded by the high chalk cliffs on the sea shore towards the north and east. It seems formerly to have been more populous than it is at present, for there were in the year 1563, as appeared by archbishop Parker's return to the orders of the privy council, one hundred and eighty-six housholds within this parish. Besides the village above mentioned, there are several other small hamlets and houses interspersed throughout it, viz. towards the south, Upton, Brompston, which is now the joint property of Henry Jessard, esq. and Mr. John Grey; Dumpton, great part of which extends into St. Laurence, it belongs to the earl of Hardwick; and Norwood. On the north-west side of the parish is Sacket's-hill, so called from its being the estate of an antient yeomanry family of this name, several of whom lie buried in this church, one of whom, John Sackett, as appears by his will, resided here and died possessed of his estate in this parish in 1444; on it there has been lately built a handsome house by Mr. King, for his summer residence, whose children are now possessed of it. In the northern part of the parish is the hamlet of Reading-street, southward of which is a small forstall, and then Sowell-street. In the eastern part of the parish, close to the cliffs, is Hackendon downe, or banks, where several antiquities have been dug up, as will be further mentioned hereafter; and the hamlet of Stone, formerly the residence of the Pawlyns, and then of the Huggets, where a few years ago Sir Charles Raymond, bart. built a small pleasant seat for his summer residence; Sir Harry Harper, bart. is the present owner of it. Not far from hence there formerly stood a beacon, which used to be fired to alarm the country in case of an invasion; a few years since some remains of the timber of it was dug up on the top of the Beacon-hill, about fifty five rods nearer to Stone than the present light-house.
¶About a mile and an half north-eastward from the church, at the extremity of the chalk cliff, is a point of land called the NORTH FORELAND, (suppofed by most to be the Cantium of Ptolemy) so called to distinguish it from the other Foreland, betwixt Deal and Dover, usually called the South Foreland; it is a promontory, or cape of land, that reaches further into the sea, and is somewhat higher than most of the land herebouts. On the top of it was formerly a house, built of timber, lath, and plaister work, with a large glass lanthorn on the top of it, in which a light was kept to direct ships in the night in their course, that they might keep clear of the Goodwin Sands, which lie off this point, and on which ships are apt to strike before they are aware, on account of their endeavouring to keep clear of this land, which extends so far into the sea. This house being by some accident burnt down in 1683, there was for some time a sort of beacon made use of, on which a light was hoisted; but about the latter end of the last century there was built here a strong house of flint, an octagon, on the top of which was an iron greate, quite open to the air, in which was made a blazing fire of coals. But about the year 1732, the top of this light-house was covered with a sort of lanthorn, with large sash lights, and the fire was kept burning by the help of bellows, which the light-men kept blowing all night. This invention was to save coals, but the sailors complained of it, as being very much to the prejudice of the navigation, many vessels being lost on the Goodwin Sands for want of seeing it, and indeed it was so little seen at sea, that some of the sailors asserted, they had in hazy weather seen the Foreland before they saw the light; whereas, before the lanthorn was placed here, when the fire was kept in the open air, as the wind kept the coals constantly alight, the blaze of it was seen in the air far above the light-house; complaint being made of this, the governors of Greenwich hospital ordered Sir John Thomson to view it, who ordered the lanthorn to be taken away, and the light-house to be made nearly the same as it was before, the light to continue burning all night and till day-light; since which, a few years ago, it was again repaired, and two stories of brick were raised on the former building. The height of it at present, including the small room in which the lights are kept, is somewhat more than one hundred feet; this room, which may be perhaps best described as a done raised on a decagon, is about ten feet in diameter, and twelve feet high; it is coated with copper, as is the gallery round it, to prevent fires. From the gallery there is a very extensive view, of which a conception may be formed from these lights being visible in clear weather at the Nore, which is ten leagues distant; in each of the sides of the decagon, towards the sea, is a patent lamp, kept burning all night, with a reflector and magnifier, the latter being very large. The whole building is white-washed, except the light room on the top; and all the rooms in it are used by the man and his family, who take care of it. (fn. 1) To the repair and maintenance of this light-house, every ship belonging to Great Britain, which sails by this Foreland, is obliged to pay two-pence for each ton; and every foreigner four-pence. It is under the direction of the governors of Greenwich hospital, in whom it is vested. There is a signal house between the North Foreland and Stonehouse, erected in 1795, the establishment of it is a lieutenant and midshipman of the navy, and two men.
Here were two fairs formerly kept every year, one on June 29, being St. Peter's day; and the other on March 25, being Lady-day; but they have for several years past been changed to the 10th of july, and the 5th of April.
The manor of Minster claims paramount over the greatest part of this parish; the landholders holding of it, by a certain rent called Pennygavel. Subordinate to this manor is that of
Near this place, in 1574, a monstrous fish shot himself on shore on a little sand, now called Fishness, where, for want of water it died the next day; before which his roaring was heard above a mile; his length, says Kilburne, was twenty-two yards; the nether jaw opening twelve feet; one of his eyes was more than a cart and six horses could draw; a man stood upright in the place from whence his eye was taken; the thickness from his back to the top of his belly (which lay upwards) was fourteen feet; his tail of the same breadth; the distance between his eyes was twelve feet; three men stood upright in his mouth; some of his ribs were fourteen feet long; his tongue was fifteen feet long; his liver was two cart loads, and a man might creep into his nostril. (fn. 7) There were four whales, or monstrous large fish, towed ashore by the fishermen on this island a few years ago, one of which had been found floating on the sea dead, and was brought to Broadstairs, and measured about sixty feet long, and thirty-eight feet round the middle; its forked tail was fifteen feet wide, its lower jaw nine feet long; it had two rows of teeth, twenty-two in each row, about two inches long; the upper jaw had no teeth, only holes for the lower ones to shut in. It had only one nostril. It had two gills, and the lower jaw shut in about three feet from the end of the nose. It is said this fish sold at Deal for twenty-two guineas.
MANY BRASS COINS of the Roman emperors have been found near Broadstairs, on a fall of the adjoining cliff, after much rain and frost at different times; but they have been so much worn and defaced, as not to be distinguished what they were.
Near the cliffs, about midway between the lighthouse and Kingsgate, are two large barrows, or banks of earth, called by the country people Hackendon, or Hackingdown banks, already noticed before. The tradition is, that these banks are the graves of those English and Danes, which were killed in a fight here; and that as one bank is greater than the other, the former is the place where the Danes were buried, who are said to have been defeated. It is not improbable that this battle referred to in history, was that fought A. D. 853, when the Danes having invaded this island with a considerable force, were attacked by earl Alcher with the Kentish men, and earl Huda with those of Surry, and an obstinate battle was fought, in which the English at first got some advantage, yet were at last deseated; great numbers were killed, among which were the two English generals; and the battle being fought so near the sea, a great many on both sides were pushed into it and drowned.
One of these barrows was opened in 1743, in the presence of many hundred people; a little below the surface of the ground several graves were discovered, cut out of the solid chalk and covered with flat stones; they were not more than three feet long, in an oblong oval form, and the bodies seem to have been thrust into them almost double; a deep trench was dug in the middle, and the bodies laid on each side of it; two of the skulls were covered with wood-coals and ashes. The skeletons seem to have been of men, women, and children, and by the smallness of the latter, these were conjectured to have been unborn.
¶Three urns made of very coarse black earth, not half burnt, one of them holding near half a bushel, were found with them, which crambled into dust on being exposed to the air. The bones were rather of a large size, and for the most part perfectly found. In 1765, the smaller barrow was opened, the appearances were similar to the former, but no urns were found. In memory of this battle, lord Holland erected a fantastic house, or monument, with an inscription, on the larger of the two banks.
THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Westbere.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Peter, stands on a rising ground. It is a small structure which has something pleasing in the appearance of it. It is built, as the rest of the churches are hereabouts, of flints, covered with rough-cast, and the quoins, windows and doors cased with ashlar stone, only the porch has more workmanship used about it; above are stone battlements; the roof is covered with lead, and the portal or door way has a mitred arch of wrought stone. It consists of a nave with a small isle on each side of it, a large middle chancel, and a smaller one on the north side of it, part of which is now made into a vestry. The middle chancel, which is beautiful, is ceiled in compartments, the framing of which is enriched with carved work, as is the cornice round it. The church is elegantly pewed with wainscot, and has a very handsome desk and pulpit. In the middle isle are two handsome brass chandeliers, which were purchased by subscription, and there is a neat gallery at the west end, well contrived for the convenience of the inhabitants, and the whole is kept in excellent order, and more than usual neatness. At the west end of the middle isle, under the gallery, is a handsome font, of white marble, the gift of John Dekewer, esq. as appears by the inscription, erected in 1746; below the inscription are the arms of Dekewer. At the west end of the north isle stands the tower, which is a sea mark. There were antiently five bells in it, which some years ago were cast into six, the great bell being made into two. The high or middle chancel was beautified about the year 1730, at the expence of Mrs. Elizabeth Lovejoy, lessee of Callis grange; who, out of the profits of that estate, ordered this chancel as well as hers and her husband's monuments in it, to be repaired as often as should be needful; and the sum of twenty shillings to be paid yearly to the clerk, on the day of the anniversary of her death, March 29, as an encouragement for him to take due care of the monuments.
At the west end of the south isle is a room taken off for the school house. In this church were antiently, besides the high altar in the middle chancel, three other altars dedicated to St. James the Apostle, St. Mary of Pity, and St. Margaret. Before these altars, on which were the images of these saints, were wax-lights constantly burning, for the maintenance of which there were several fraternities and legacies left. Several antient monuments and inscriptions are in the body and chancels of this church, the principal ones of which are in the middle or high chancel: Among others, a monument for James Shipton, vicar, obt. 1665; another, for George Lovejoy, first school-master at Islington, then of the king's school at Canterbury, obt. 1685. He lies buried within the altar-rails; arms, Azure, three bars, dancette, or, impaling chequy, azure and or, on a fess, three leopards faces of the second. On a marble against the north wall is an account of the charities given by Mrs. Elizabeth Lovejoy, as follows: By her will and testament, to the mayor and commonalty of the city of Canterbury, her lease of Callis grange, upon trust, to pay yearly to the vicar of this parish, forty pounds; to a school master, to teach twenty poor children gratis in the parish, twenty pounds; to Jesus hospital, Canterbury, five pounds; to St. John's hospital, in Canterbury, ten pounds; to Kingsbridge hospital, in Canterbury, five pounds; to Cogan's hospital, in Canterbury, four pounds; to St. Stephens's hospital, five pounds; to Harbledown hospital, five pounds per annum; and she gave by her will to the school and hospital at Islington, 200l. and to the school at Wicomb, in Buckinghamshire, 100l.
She wainscotted and adorned this chancel, and gave plate for the communion table in her life time, and two silver flagons by her will, A. D. 1694. She died of an apoplexy before she had sealed or finished her will, so that it took no effect as to her real estate, but after many suits and controversies was adjudged good as to her personal estate; and twenty shillings she left yearly to be paid to this parish clerk to keep both monuments clean. A memorial for Mr. Leonard Rowntree, minister, obt. 1624. In the north chancel, on an altar tomb, an inscription for Manasses Norwoode, of Dane court, and Norwoode, esq. obt. 1636; arms, Ermine, a cross, engrailed, impaling six coats. There are several brass plates and inscriptions for Culmer and Elmstone. In the north isle an altar tomb for Michael Webb, obt. 1587. A brass plate for Philip Smith, obt. 1451. Another for John Sacket, of this parish, obt. 1623. A memorial for Alexander, son of Alexander Nor woode, esq. of Dane-court. A black marble for Cornelius Willes, A. M. nineteen years vicar of this parish, and prebendary of Wells, obt. 1776. A like stone for the Rev. John Deane, A. M. forty-one years vicar, obt. 1757. A memorial for Daniel Pamflet, gent. and Mary his wife. He died 1719. An antient tomb for Mrs Elizabeth Omer, obt. 1709. A mural monument and inscription for the Rev. Roger Huggett, M. A. late vicar of the king's free chapel of St. George, in Windsor, and rector of Hartley Waspaill, in Southampton, eldest son of Roger Huggett, of Stone, in this parish, who was sole heir of the Pawlyns, an antient and respectable family of that place. He died at Hartley, in 1769, where he was buried; on it are inscriptions for others of the same name; arms, Gules, a chevron, between three stags heads, or, impaling parted per pale, sable and gules, a griffin passant, counterchanged. A tomb for Mr. Henry Huggett, gent. sole heir of the Pawlins, of Stone; he died in 1751; and for others of this family. A mural monument, shewing that in a vault underneath, lies Mary, wife of John Dekewer, esq. of Hackney, who died without surviving issue, one son and one daughter lying interred with her, obt. 1748. In the same vault lies the abovementioned John Dekewer, esq. an especial benefactor to this parish, obt. 1762, æt 76; arms, Vert, on a cross, or, five fleurs de lis, sable, between two caltrops, and two lions, rampant, impaling argent, parted per fess, three escallops, two and one, in chief, gules, in base three piles waved, sable. A tomb for John Dekewer, son of the above John, obt. 1740. In the same vault are others of this family. A beautiful mural monument of white marble, on which is the figure of a child sitting, weeping and leaning on an urn, erected to the memory of John-Alexander Dekewer, son of John Dekewer, esq. of Hackney, and Elizabeth his wife, obt. 1778, æt. ten years. A mural monument for the Rev. Tho. Reynolds, obt. 1754. Besides these there are memo rials for Noble, Gray, Read, Witherden, White, Simons, Cooke, Culmer, Wild, Jeken, Tilman, and Kerby. In the middle of the chancel, a memorial for Grace, wife of James White, gent. of Chilham, daugh ter of Gratian Lynch, gent. of Grove, in Staple, obt. 1740, and for Grace her daughter, wife of Thomas Hawkins, obt. 1746. A brass plate in the north isle, for John Sacket, of this parish, obt. 1623, æt. 59. At the end of the north isle is a large white stone, much obliterated, for Michael Pavlen, obt. 1662; Anne his wife, and Anne their daughter. In the church yard are many handsome tombs and grave-stones, of persons of different trades and occupations, residents of this parish. In the tower is a great crack on the east and west sides of it, from the top almost to the bottom, where it opened near an inch, and more than two at the top, so that the tower by it inclines to the northward; and it is wonderful, that when it was so rent it did not fall; the fissure is filled up with stone and mortar. As tradition reports, it was occasioned by the earthquake in queen Elizabeth's reign, in the 22d year of which, Mr. Camden tells us, there was a great one felt in this county.
This church was one of the three chapels belonging to the church of Minister, and very probably was made parochial sometime after the year 1200, when the church of Minster, with its appendages, was appropriated, in the year 1128, to the monastery of St. Augustine; it was at the same time assigned, with the above-mentioned chapels, with all rents, tithes, and other things belonging to that church and those chapels, to the sacristy of the monastery; and it was further granted, that the abbot and convent should present to the archbishop in the above-mentioned chapels, fit perpetual chaplains to the altarages of them; but that the vicar of the mother church of Minister should take and receive in right of his vicarage, the tenths of the small tithes, viz. of lambs and pigs, and the obventions arising from marriages and churchings, which were forbidden at these chapels, and were solemnized, &c. at the mother church only.
As to the chaplains of these chapels, though they were to receive no more than ten marcs of these altarages, yet they were not excluded the enjoyment of the manses and glebes given to these chapels when they were first consecrated, which made some additiou to their income, and enabled them to keep a deacon to assist them on the great and principal festivals. The inhabitants of these three chapelries, preceded by their priests, were accustomed to go in procession to Minster, in token of their subjection to their parochial or mother church. (fn. 10)
After this the appropriation of the church of Minster, with its appendant chapels, and the advowsons of the vicarages of them, continued with the abbot and convent till the dissolution of the monastery in the 30th year of king Henry VIII. when they were surrendered, together with the rest of the possessions of the monastery, into the king's hands.
After the dissolution of the monastery and the change in the service of the churches wrought by the reformation, this parochial chapel of St. Peter became entirely separated from the mother church of Minster, the vicar of this parish having no further subjection to it in any shape whatever; but by the same change he was likewise deprived of several of those emoluments he had before enjoyed in right of his vicarage, and all the great tithes of this parish, being appropriated to Callis and Salmestone granges, formerly belonging to the abbot and convent of St. Augustine, as has been already taken notice of before; the endowment of this vicarage consisted only of the small tithes of this parish, the payment of two bushels of corn yearly at Midsummer, from Salmanstone grange, and a pension of ten pounds to be paid yearly out of Callis grange; besides which he had a vicarage house, orchard, garden, and two parcels of land.
The small tithes of this parish being chiefly arable land, with the other emoluments of the vicarage, by reason of the great increase of every necessary article of life, falling far short of a reasonable maintenance, Mrs. Elizabeth Lovejoy, in the year 1694, further augmented it with the sum of forty pounds per annum, to be paid half yearly out of Callis grange above-mentioned; in consideration of which augmentation, the vicar is obliged, without accepting any dispensation, to be constantly resident on this vicarage, with several other injunctions mentioned in her will.
This vicarage is valued in the king's books at nine pounds, and the yearly tenths at eighteen shillings. In 1588 here were one hundred and forty-six communicants. In 1640 here were three hundred communicants, and it was valued at seventy pounds, but it appears by the return made in 1709, to the enquiry into the clear value of church livings, that this vicarage was worth only thirty pounds clear yearly income, before Mrs. Lovejoy's addition of forty pounds per annum.
¶The advowson of this vicarage coming into the hands of the crown, on the dissolution of the abbey of St. Augustine, continued there till king Edward VI. in his first year, granted the advowson of the vicarage of Minster, with the three chapels appendant to it, one of which was this church of St. Peter, among other premises, to the archbishop; since which this advowson has continued parcel of the possessions of that see, the archbishop being the present patron of it.
In 1630 the churchwardens and assistants reported, that here were belonging to the vicarage a mansion, with a well house, one orchard, one garden, and one acre of land adjoining to it, and one parcel of land, called the Vicar's Acre, lying within the lands of Capt. Norwood, who paid to the vicar, in consideration of it, five shillings a year; but no care being taken to preserve the bounds of this acre, the place where it lay was forgot, and the rent paid for it disputed, and at length quite discontinued.
I had seen this duo a few years back in the same area. One day they were playing all by themselves in a deserted square. They just seemd to be enjoying themselves.
This was taken a while back...tuna was trying to explore his world with animals =P...
I was really proud that he wasn't scared to go near the camel...he just went next to it...
The conductor of SU99 extends a friendly wave from the cab of the SD60 as they pass by the Wyckoff Station.
NYSW SD60 3810
NYSW SD60 3800
NYSW SD60 3802
NYSW SD60 3804
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Jim and I went for a wallk with Barney and Poppy yesterday we came across this frog. Maybe I should have kissed him to see if he would turn into a prince!
"Julian" is a Red rat snake more commonly known as a Corn snake (Pantherophis guttata). Photo by Frank. .
I've been having fun with different facial hair. Oddly enough, according to the "Friendliness of Beards" scale, this look is supposed to be more trustworthy than my normal, cleaner look. I can tell you one thing, when in the back alleys of Toronto looking for the next shot, this look keeps people at a "safe distance".
Friendly's Restaurant Winter Snow Feb 2014 by Mike Mozart of TheToyChannel and JeepersMedia on YouTube.
The sunsets have been incredible here lately. Treated to this one just after I got off a plane, which made things seem all the more exalted. To see another view of this sunset from about 20 miles (?) to the east, see nocien's excellent photo
P9260307. Photo: Biking Northern Idaho. PIcking up a few postcards. My new bike basket..
A Bike tour From Portland (Troutdale) to Bonner's Ferry, Idaho. Eleven days of riding 530 miles (plus 40 miles of hitching). The return was made on the Empire Builder Amtrak train at Sandpoint, ID.
For the tour Matt and Carye bought new custom built Bike Friday (www.bikefriday.com) folding bikes that are made in Eugene, Oregon. Neither Carye or Matt own cars, so investing in a reliable, flexible bike for travel was important. However the bikes arrived two days before leaving, so getting used to new bikes while on the road, was literally a pain in the butt! By the end of the trip, gears, seat and handle bar placement, and proper riding shoes were figured out. Everyday of the ride had awesome weather (not too hot, not rainy), and Carye and Matt met many friendly people, ate as much pizza and icecream as desired, and enjoyed some beautiful scenery (though Washington wheat fields get dull to the eyes after 20 miles). The fourth day brought bad luck - 4 flats (at once!) caused by Goathead thorns, and wind in the face most the day. Also a family of earwigs hitched a ride in C & M's camping gear, and it took about a week to finally see the last one. Idaho is a cyclist paradise (what a secret). From The State Border near Coere D'Alene to just before Bonner's Ferry, there were many bike paths, nice scenery, and most flat routes.
Day 1:Troutdale to Hood River (55.6 miles)
Highlights: Gorgeous Columbia River (Get the bike map from ODOT). Ride to Council Crest, Ride by Falls, bike-ped paths on the old historic highway.
The campground listed on the bike map for Hood River was not there. We decided to treat ourselves and stayed at the Hood River downtown hotel. Hood River is a super nice town - though sad the Carousel Art Museum is closed and moving elsewhere. Also on this route, between Cascade Locks and Wyeth, do not take the Wyeth Bench Rd (aka Herman Creek Rd), it is a horrible grade hill, and you are better off taking the I-84. Note about I-84, it's not the most pleasant experience, but it's not bad, In order to bike to Hood River, you will need to get on I-84 at several points - The shoulder is pretty wide at most places, and it's a good idea to wear some bright orange!
Day 2: Hood River to Maryhill, WA (52.5 miles)
Highlights: The old historic highway section is really neat: it goes through the Mosier Tunnels (now just for ped/bike), The section through Mosier town, and to Rowena's Crest was on low traffic streets. No need to get on I-84 at all all the way to the Dalles.
The crossing over to Washington on the bridge in the Dalles was difficult. It was so windy and the sidewalk so narrow we had to walk. Biking to hwy 14 across the wind was also difficult. But once on hwy 14 heading East, the wind was at our bikes, and we cruised past the Maryhill Museum (Too late in the day to stop!) and stayed at the Maryhill State Park (back down by the river).
Day 3: Maryhill to Crow Butte (58.2 miles)
Highlights: Cruising sometimes 20 miles an hour easily with the wind at our back on Hwy 14. Lovely more deserty scenery, waving to trains. A Stop at Stonehenge.
From the campground, we hitched a ride in a pickup back up the top of the hill to hwy 14. The road was a major truck route, and the shoulder was pretty much missing for the first section of the hill, we decided htiching was the safest option. We enjoyed stopping at America's Stonehenge. I had been there before, but never thought I'd bike all the way! Crow Butte park was father than we thought. We could see it, but then had to ride about 4 miles all the way around and out to it. The RV park was expensive, and did not offer "primitive camper" sites.
Day 4: Crow Butte, WA to Hat Rock Park, OR
Highlights: Early morning hike past deer to the top of Crow Butte. Discovering the way over the I-82 - there is a bike route, but you need to go on the may freeway before the bike route appears, then you exit, cross under and go over on the otherside. Umatilla was nice little town to check out. At first we were excited about the Lewis & Clark Bike/Ped Bath, but it turned into a bad situation.
The wind in the gorge changed from E to W today, so we had to push hard for 20 miles, going about 5-8 miles an hour. Very hard reality after the day before. The road moved away from the Gorge and was now less interesting. Onion (Walla Walla) trucks passed us all day, leaving onion skin trails. We crossed back to Oregon, and instead of the main road decided to follow the Lewis & Clark trail to Hat Rock State Park. Unfortunately it turned into a bad idea. The path was badly marked and kept changing from paved to shared road, to bark-dirt to gravel. After a gravel section we discovered that we had rode through thorns and had 4 flats at once. We pulled out 15-30 thorns and only had two new tubes, One tube needed to be patched 7 times. We were able to ride out to the main road and hitched a ride with a priest. The State park had a commercial RV park that we stayed at.
Day 5: Hat Rock to Walla Walla, WA (25 miles + 23 miles hitched
Highlights: Bicycle Barn in Walla Walla was awesome, they took care of us and our flat saga - and would not charge for labor because we were traveling. Thank you Reggie!! Walla Walla is a lovely town. We also had other nice folks give us lifts throughout the day.
Carye's bike had another flat in the morning. We were able to ride to the turnoff to Walla Walla where we hitched a ride, rode a little, got another flat, then got another ride. Outside Walla Walla we enjoyed an old style soda fountain/gift shop. After the afternoon in the Bike Barn - with goo in the tires to prevent anymore more thorn flats, C & M were good to go, and eager to eat an entire pizza in town. There was on camping nearby, so the Travelodge motel allowed some "free" hot showers.
Day 6: Walla Walla to Central Ferry, WA (57 miles + 10 hitched)
Highlights: Nice Campfire at a nice state park (Central Ferry)
The ride today was tough, Carye's body was tired of the bike and wanted a rest, The first part of the day was okay, but after Dalton, the ride was never ending (according to Carye) At Dodge, it was getting dark within 45 min, and with 10 miles to go, C & M hitched the rest of the way to the park.
Day 7: Central Ferry to Colfax (36.6 miles - lots of hills)
Highlights: Arriving at our destination in the early afternoon, Staying on Lisa and Mike's lawn, Top Notch eatery.
While a short day mile-wise, the wheat country hills were never ending. We started the day with 7 miles going uphill. In Dixie we stopped at garage sales. In Waitsburg (cutest town ever) we had icecream shakes and got free cucumbers from the antique shop. We were going to stay at a motel in Colfax (at first look , doesn't seem like a nice town, but it grows on you!), but before we did, we met Lisa and Mike outside the city park, and they invited us to camp on their lawn. Lake Oswego transplants with two small children they loved meeting Portland travelers. They knew about Bike Friday, and Mike does a lot of long distance biking as well. For dinner we highly entertained at the Top Notch Diner, where the 17 year-old host/waiter was hilarious, and amused us. We had more icecream!
Day 8: Colfax to Spokane (61.3 miles)
Highlight: Knowing that the next day we would have a day off (finally!)
This was a long hard day as well. Everyone we talked to said said the drive was pretty with rolling farmland hills. Yeah - if you are in a car. The hills were long, and not rolling, and the scenery was yellow wheat fields. Though we did enjoy watching a fox running around. Carye's cousins live in Spokane - at the top of the hill of course. Washing laundry, showers, and hanging with family was fabulous. Also was glad to not hitch finally.
Day 9: Spokane - No bikes whatso ever
Day 10: Spokane to Coure D'Alene Idaho (52. 1 miles)
Highlights: Ride down the hill to the giant Red Wagon slide in Downtown Spokane. Bike paths all the way baby! Riding 10 miles with a German-american recreational cyclist.
Today we travelled via the Centennial Bike Path (40 miles from Spokane toC D'A Idaho). However the path on the Washington side is badly marked, and we travelled 6 miles out our way since the first section is on the road with little signage. If anyone is taking this trail please inquire on how NOT to miss your turn - it's really not obvious. After we got back on again we enjoyed riding along with a nice German-american woman to the Idaho State visitor center. At lunch at the center Carye had a freak bee sting on her cheek. The bike path continuing into Idaho was very well signed and marked and paved. Coeur D' Alene was a nice town - with a boring shopping street (Sherman Ave). We stayed at the Tamarack RV park, that literally is a mini forest now surrounded by bigbox stores. The RV park is more of a monthly rental kind of place, with no real camping. There was one tiny patch of grass next to the dumpster that we rented for the night for a mere $25!
Day 11: Coeur D' Alene to Round Lake State Park, ID ( 37.1 miles)
Highlights: Bike Path along US 95 for part of the way out of town, and an early arrival to a really nice, real forest campground for only $12 a night with FREE warm showers.
We had a short set back in the AM, Matt biked over a screw, so we had to stop to fix the flat. Wonderful nice flat bike ride all day. Arrived early enough at the campsite that we could take a hike around the lake, and make food not in the dark. We were one of three others camping in the park, unfortunately one guy was a little creepy, and scared the crap out of Carye. The quiet and solitude did not help.
Day 12: Round Lake Park to Bonner's Ferry, ID
Highlights: Another bike path from where we camped to Sandpoint, ID. We finished our journey all in one piece!!
The old bridge into Sandpoint has been turned into a bike/ped path. I was so wide! We stopped in Sandpoint to check out the amtrak train station, (on a dirt road on th outskirts - strange!) and bought Idaho souvenirs. The ride to Bonner's Ferry was also easy and Flat except for one long hill at the end. We met another long distance traveller heading West from Fargo, ND. We had pizza for lunch AND for dinner on our celebratory day. In Bonner's Ferry our Idaho hosts Linda and Ben picked us to take us to Moyie Valley Ranch, 8 miles from the Canadian Border.
We spent 5 days on the ranch, and it rained pretty much the whole time, so we never did bike over the Canadian Border! Shoot! But we made friends with the Cows, Sheep, and Horses, and started a Cob Oven project (although only the foundation got finished) and experienced a highschool reunion party for Ben and Linda's eldest daughter.
On our final day of our trip We folded our bikes into our canvas bags, and took the train from SandPoint (leaving at midnight) all the way back to Portland, in one day!