My First Bike Tour, Day Two -- Part B

[SierraSlim]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Well, if you've been following my tour, you know I'm having trouble getting the photos posted here, but I'll try again, hoping that being in Phoenix in a houseful of boxes that need unpacked will prove lucky, lol. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]As I said in my last thread, this day was my favorite by far of the tour. There were no steep uphill grades, and the scenery was breathtaking. As in:[/COLOR][/SIZE]
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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Also... This bridge we crossed was really interesting. It didn't slope upward and downward... it stair-stepped![/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Going DOWN it was a blast!![/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]In the area pictured below, my sister (shown) and I saw lots of bear poo. I guess they call it 'scat,' lol. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]But what was cooler than seeing the scat was that at one point, the large bushes ahead moved around like Godzilla was coming through -- and as I biked past them, there was this really loud huffing and chuffing and then the unmistakeable growly rumbly roar of an unhappy bear! Fortunately, he didn't chase me -- but he gave me goosebumps, just the same![/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Other than that, the tour day was breath-takingly lovely and peaceful. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]And the more beautiful scenes I saw, the more there were to take pictures of![/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Like this...[/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]And this....[/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Not to mention the pictue above, which is where we had lunch![/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]It was really yummy.... which, as you can tell from the next picture, I enjoyed entirely too much. (This is for you, Steve A, and only because you bugged me for it; it's the only one of me you'll get, lol.) Remind me to take off ***** packs the next time I get a picture snapped. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

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[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]And that was the end of the first half of day two. Thank you to all of you who have been commenting on my tour threads. With moving this week, I haven't had time to answer you personally, but I do appreciate your encouragement.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Now... back to unpacking.... sigh..... /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Happy pedaling![/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[Reid2]

Sierra? You are sweet, beautiful, giving, heroic.
We look at your pictures again, Sierra;
we sigh for the vision of women.

 

[kdelong]

Sierra, you are how old??? You certainly don't look it. Must be either good genes or you photo shopped the heck out of the photo.

Anyway, good to see more of the tour. The scenery is amazing. Does the tour company have rides for men? The downhill on that bridge does look like fun but getting up onto it looks like it would be a pain the butt. By the way, that wasn't a bear in the bushes. It was just me fixing a flat. Never happy about that.

I realize that you have to get your house unpacked but I am looking forward to the rest of the tour episodes. Unpacking can be fun though. Think of it as a treasure hunt. Now which box did I put that (insert "prize" here) in?

 

[Reid2]

(grins) a little verse-gift for her:



Sierra is busy unpacking.

What she finds, well, she is not lacking.

Sierra is busy unpacking to give

The love we need.

 

[SierraSlim]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks, you two![/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]KD, you're very sweet. I DID photoshop the picture of me -- but only on the arms, which look like snowmen, and I can't stand it, lol. As my mother used to say, "Fat smooths out wrinkles." So maybe I'm 'lucky' that way. And sorry, but their tours are for women only. (And getting up that bridge WAS a pain in the butt -- and the knees!!)[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Reid, your posts are so kind! Thank you for the song and the poem.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE= 12px][COLOR= #0000ff]Thanks again, y'all.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[Steve_A]

Sierra, Thanks for the photo! You are just as lovely as we all pictured! (Is that too much?) Nice color on your jersey. Anyway, what a beautiful tour. I am also envious and would love to ride it. Good luck with the unpacking, enjoy the memories of this tour, and look forward to the next. Steve

 

[SierraSlim]

[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= 12px]Wow, Steve![/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= 12px]'Lovely' is not a term I've heard applied to me before, but I think I like it, I like it, lol. No woman I know would ever be insulted by such a nice compliment.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= 12px]After all my apprehensions and misgivings, I loved nearly every second of the tour, to the point that I cried when it was over and immediately began pitching a reunion tour to the group, which will probably take place in 2013. It was truly more beautiful than I had even anticipated, and helped me heal in so many ways. There is zero doubt in my mind that I will do it again. Can't wait![/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= 12px]Thanks again.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR= #0000ff][SIZE= 12px]Sierra[/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[davereo]

Wow Slim you look terrific. I am immensely jealous of your tour it looks great. Just like Kd has posted I would love to ride down that bridge it looks like a blast. Thanks for sharing I know how much effort you have to put into posting the pics. Thanks again it is a wonderful story. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/icon14.gif