Rodchester Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 __________________________ Hello family and friends! I want to give you a brief update of my most recent visit with Erden and inform you of his projected arrival back to Seattle. I caught up with him on the road on Thursday, early evening just outside of Merritt, BC. I was so relieved to find him, as he had not traveled as far as he had projected, due to the unforgiving sun and heat of close to 100 degrees F. At one point, about 8 miles before I found him, I pulled over to give myself a pep talk and consider a "plan B." I had begun to worry that something had happened to him. I was prepared to drive all the way to Spences Bridge, where he had called me about 5 hours earlier that day, and ask anyone I saw if they had seen this guy on a bike pulling a big rig on the back! I was also preparing for worse. Fortunately, when I found him I was overjoyed! He was safe, but completely wiped out. (I don't know which of us was more happy to see the other at this point!!) He said he had not estimated the timing very well, and fell short of his projections. Plus, the up and down of the hills were terribly difficult given the heat index, so he could not make the time he thought originally he could. He decided he would take the ride into town that I offered him. We were able to fit the bike on top of my car and the rig in the back seat....with all of his gear, everything fit perfectly! Thank goodness for my Camry!! The trunk was already fairly full with camping and climbing gear. We were just 14 miles shy of Merritt and by the time we got there, he had consumed 4 beverages that I had in my cooler for him!!! We had dinner and then proceeded into Penticton. He rested thru another hot day on Friday, and we took it easy. Saturday we climbed at the Skaka Lake Bluffs and found a wonderful breeze and overcast skies that made for perfect climbing weather! Then we spent last eve. listening to a live Blues band in the city park under cool skies....a lovely evening. We drove back to the spot today where I had found him Thursday eve., and after a long hug, and a prolonged good-bye, he peddaled on. (That rig he is pulling, plus the food and stuff in the panniers, weighs a ton!!!! It is even hard for me to imagine that he can maneuver everything! He is one iron man...that's for sure!) Erden is projected to arrive in Vantage, WA (where he plans to lead Air Guitar) on Thursday or Friday this week. I will know for sure on Wednesday, and will update those who will be joining him there. We are now projecting a return to Seattle on either Monday, Aug. 25th or Tueday, Aug. 26th. I will join him after coordinating plans with his parents and Gerard Kropp, (Goran's father) who will be here for his arrival. I hope to bike back with him at least from North Bend to Seattle. Any of you wishing to join him, please let me know, and I will give you the details of his whereabouts as they unfold. As of yet, I have not planned a welcome home party...(where is my head??) but I think that is appropriate. Perhaps the weekend following his return would be best. That is actually Labor Day weekend. I will keep you informed if we do this....and the more I think about it, we really should. Right before I said good bye, he looked me in the eyes and said, "I will finish this." There was such strength and clarity in his words, that I knew he would. What he has accomplished is amazing to me, yet to him, he sees himself as an ordinary person doing something out of the ordinary....not extraordinary. But after 7 long and grueling months on the road, and all he has been through, he deserves to be honored. I am so ready to have him home!!!! There is much to celebrate indeed. So stay tuned, and please contact me directly if you would like to be part of a celebration. Email is best. I answer most often to this address, and info@around-n-over.org Thanks to all of you for your ongoing support! Regards, Nancy Nancy Board NRBoard@aol.com ---"Never fear that your life may come to a sudden end, rather fear that it may end before it has begun."--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 (edited) Next Pub Club is for Erden!! We also need to get him to rope-up and do a show! Get in touch with Beck over that. He could fund-raise for next trip too! . I am very impressed with his effort, I cant imagine .... Edited August 19, 2003 by wayne1112 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodchester Posted August 19, 2003 Author Share Posted August 19, 2003 We also need to get him to rope-up and do a show! Get in touch with Beck over that. He could fund-raise for next trip too! . That sounds like a good idea to me...would anyone protest? How about it Beck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Attitude Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Erden is a perfect fit for the Rope-a-Dope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted August 20, 2003 Share Posted August 20, 2003 Aug 26th / Erden Return Party.? A BBQ is something to think about for the return party. It was brought up on the pub-club thread for this tuesday. I am strong-arming it to possibly lower Carkeek park? Whatever we do lets decide soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Gotta bring this back up its tommorrow and I hope we can party after the REI return later. any good pubs around there? See you there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Rodchester said: We also need to get him to rope-up and do a show! Get in touch with Beck over that. He could fund-raise for next trip too! . That sounds like a good idea to me...would anyone protest? How about it Beck? I'm willing to handle the protest, if noone else will. Let me work on it and get back to you. It's important that we represent both sides here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 We saw Figgereight at The Feathers Friday night. He said he climbed Air Guitar with Erdan at 1 pm that day. We just missed him. We hoped we would see him on the road on our drive back Saturday, but didn't encounter him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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