Baker City, OR

For the first time, the camp's internet is working well, so here we are in the shade, Diane sitting beside me reading, checking our kids' messages and enjoying pictures of our grandchildren from their cottage vacation in Orillia, ON. We're at the local high school, camped out in the football field, after a short day. It continues to be hot, hot, hot, but if it's a choice between heat and rain, we'll take the heat.

We did not sleep all that well last night because the park we stayed at in La Grande was right beside a railroad yard, as we discovered to our chagrin several times during the night. The noise of train cars being coupled and uncoupled woke us and many others throughout the night, so there were a lot of tired people today. The climb we all feared today was not nearly as bad as anticipated, and most people arrived early. I was in Baker City before noon already.

We are having a good time getting to know everyone. It's hard to remember all the names but we're starting to know them all. The days all end the same, sitting in a circle in between their respective motor homes with the Vinks, Maarhuises, Betty Terpstra, Dini Meyerink, and a couple of the other kitchen crew, enjoying a glass of wine or a cold beer before we go to sleep. Erg gezellig!

I just took 2 shots today: one of the mountains we biked alongside today, and the other a self portrait with a rather dark theme.



Diane travels after breakfast cleanup with 3 other kitchen crew in the Vink's Tracker each day, encouraging the bikers along the way, especially this biker, and shopping when necessary. Yesterday, they picked up $700 worth of odds and ends. She begins work for supper at 3:30 and is finished at around 7. So it's no easy task being on the kitchen crew. The women all get along famously, however, so they have a lot of fun together. Got to keep the kitchen crew happy!

Today's statistics:

Distance: 82.87 kms
Average speed: 21.9 kph
Maximum speed: 51.7
Time in saddle: 3.45.57
Total # of flat tires: 0

P.S. All those who ask me to pass on greetings to others, be assured that I do so! Glad to hear, mom and dad, that you're getting copies of the blog too. We think of you often and hope you're not running out of eggs yet.