Tacoma Wheelin Club
PO, Box 995939
Tacoma. WA 98499.

The following letter was written to the Tacoma Wheelmen's Club by the King's who have been cycling this summer from Washington state to Washington,D.C. At the time of s typing, they have most likely reached their destination. Stay tuned to future newsletters for announcement of their slide show.

"We're 2,471 miles into our bicycle trip across the United States. We crossed over the Mississippi River out of Iowa and into Wisconsin today (7-12-86). Our adventures thus far include climbing over a 9,600-foot pass in the Rockies, being, snorted at by wild buffalo in Yellowstone, horseback riding, 70 mile-per-hour winds in Idaho and Wyoming that almost blew us and our tent away, and being rescued from a storm at midnight in Nebraska.

People have invited us into their homes in every state, and we were practi- cally adopted by a whole town for 2 days over the Fourth of July holiday. Josh and Jason have personally inspected the jails in 2 towns, have taken a ride in a huge tractor through the downtown streets of a city, have seen their first fireflies, and have swum in practically every public swimming pool along the way.

People have been just wonderful to us
and we have made a lot of new friends.

We miss all of you! See you in early
September..."

The King's

- LAURIE WOHLHUETER
.SUE GIVEN

759-5616
848-3714
878-5465
565-0535
759-1816
863-1327

Since the July picnic committee over- estimated our appetites when food planning omething usually had to do for bicycle riders), we have lots of leftovers. Since Jim Davis is charging exorbitant rates to store this excess, we will have a spaghetti feed on Sund. >» August 31 (during the Labor

Day weekend mping trip) at Big Creek
Campground near Ashford and the entrance to
Mt. Rainier. Dinner will be at approxi-
mately 5:30 p.m

Even if you don't ride the 3- ~day
camping trip, come drive up and join us on
Sunday. Just look for the campsite with
bicycles or ask the park ranger. If you'd
like, come early and bring your bike for
some scenic riding around the area.

It's FREE! Any questions, call Jim
Davis at 759-5616.

ae

IT'S ALL APPROVED!
————— ees

The Tacoma City Council has approved our request for $10,000 to revive the bike routes in Tacoma! We will have a route planning meeting at Jim Davis' house (1369 Bel Air Rd. N.) on Tues., September 23, at 7:30 p.m. for all interested cyclists. If you want the existing routes improved, now is your chance to input your ideas.

The planning in conjunction with
the Public Works Department will begin
this Fall, We hope to have a brochure
ready in the Spring and the routes painted
in late Spring or early Summer of next
year.

Date Time Miles Start Point Activity Ride Code Leader 90+ |So. Park Community Big Creek Campground | 2 |Tom Miller (total)| Center, S. 50th & (near Mt. Rainier)for 584-1296

Sept. 1 South Tacoma Way Labor Day weekend. No ten
sag. Free dinner Sun.
for all members (see
article).

American Lake Park. 1 |Robbie Russ

Fo a.mj 35 Wrights Park

Conservatory Bring picnic lunch & 272-4198
Jim Davis
POO25016' 4 9 2s s52
UPS fieldhouse, Steve Lay
BeduLeall te eei6 RE TT OL a na eros bee EL Zo Le ey
7 am ai) 50 Mount Vernon F 18th Annual Northwest] All | Fred Strong
7 pm or grounds (Mt. Vernon) Century 1-232-7311
100 & Half-Century. Over-

night camping avail-

Jim Davis
759-5616

TCC by bus stop, Last Thursday night Linda Smith
19th_& Mildred ride_of 1986 863-1327

TCC by bus stop, "Coffee break" ride Jim Davis
19th _& Mildred 759-5616

a ES oo ee 4
Historical museum Packwood Hotel Ride.
Sun. per (old train depot) R.S.V.P. by Sept. 1.
Sept 13-14 day in Chehalis See Aug. newsletter

hore WT eneotltan ton eoartoe eConuederccaca| bondcta ples.

Sat.-Mong 125 |Seattle-Winslow ferry] Tri-Island Trek.$30+ Cascade Club &
Sept .13- terminal min. pledges. Must Am. Lung Assoc.
ser | pre-register 10 days Tim Kneeland,

before. 282-5565, or
eases EOE ee ee Wee teaieecuedeuas Socal se sueceatesseacaucsce }___[ 1-800-732-9339 __

So. End Neighborhood Jim Davis, 759-5616
Ne | Bo Branson, 848-3714}

Peoples Bank, 2 | Bob Branson

UPS fieldhouse, Ollala, Southworth, 2 | Steve & Phyllis N. 1ith & Union: Vashon Island. (Bring Lay Ee ee ree Sree money for ferry.)__|_[739=1816________.

Tri-Island Trek (same
info. as listed for AO

| ne Ne 4 Sept .13-15 above)

1369 Bel Air Rd. N. | Tacoma Bike Routes: Jim Davis
Planning Meeting 759-5616
eee Eee Be Ratan a) (SBS aICL ES Ci 8. es SLs Aes
UPS fieldhouse, Breakfast Ride 2 | Jim Davis
{ LUM See <2 Ripeityeae ore 2A on 2H SGLOL: en.
Yelm City Park. Autumn Metric Century All|Capitol Bike Club.

+» $6 day of)

Yelm, WA. ($5 pre-i Jim King, 1-357-695g

#1 - EASY PACE - Frequent stops for riders
to catch up & regroup. 10-13 mph.

#2 - MODERATE PACE - Occasional stops to
catch up & regroup. 13-16 mph.

#3 - STEADY PACE - Limited stops. Maps
will be provided. 15-18 mph.

Oct. 19 - Ride to Steilacoom Apple Squeeze

Nov. 2 - Halloween costume ride & potluck
~~

Your copy of this new brechure is enclosed. We would like to thank the Pierce County Parks and Recreation Department for seeing this project through to completion. Thanks also goes out to Wayne Wakefield and Jim Davis for their dedicated work on this project ---

GOBBLE UP THE CHANCE
TO WORK ON THE TURKEY CHASE

The Tacoma Wheelmen's Club is spon-
soring the Second Annual Turkey Chase on
Sat., Nov. 8th. 7-Eleven stores and the
American Cancer Society have agreed in
principle to work with us in putting on
this event.

This is a ride where cyclists stop
at various checkpoints and increase their
chances to win a turkey, just in time for
the holidays. Other prizes will also be
awarded.

Our first planning meeting will be
Tues., Sept. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at Jim Davis'
house (1369 Bel Air Rd. N.---759-5616).
Any interested new or old club member is
invited to help out on this committee.

our club in action! HAPPY CYCLING!!! It's time to get trotting!
JUST ANOTHER HO HUM BICYCLE TOUR

"Lisa, I can't do this," I hollered after loading up my new pink "Cadillac" in Log

Boom Park. Even a Klein can feel somewhat like a bulldozer with front bags, rear bags,
and a 4-cubic foot garden bark bag on the rack filled with sleeping bag, tent, air mattress,
and other assorted items. Thus started my 3 week, 1200 mile journey to Prince Rupert and
other points north.

The next two and a half days I rode with the Tacoma Wheelmen. When Steve, Phyllis, Sue and I parted company, there was a bit of a lump in my throat and thoughts of "Why am I doing this?" But I put on a brave face and headed north. At last I was on one road and couldn't get lost. In one respect at least, I was in seventh heaven.

Seventy hot miles later I attempted to cross the border into Canada. Maybe I didn't
look like a very upstanding citizen, because they seemed very concerned about how much
money I had. After being shuffled to three different places, they finally allowed me to
proceed, but only after I conceded I was carrying a weapon --- a knife for slicing cheese!

The next day was the Fraser Canyon. The hills weren't bad but the steel grated bridge was and so were the 6 tunnels. The China Bay Tunnel brings back very vivid recol- lections. It is a half mile long with a curve. "No problem," I thought; "I'll just walk the sidewalk." Only problem was, the sidewalk wasn't quite as wide as my bike. With my left hip scraping the wall of the tunnel and my right front and rear panniers scraping the railing, it was real fun. Scratch one pair of shorts and half a set of front and rear panniers. It was all worth it though as I met a 14 foot wide mobile home!

Tuesday afternoon I arrived in Williams Lake in a driving rainstorm (the 10 mile
downhill was nice though). Looked up an old friend I hadn't seen in years who had no
idea I was coming. She spent the next 4 days ranting and raving about my mode of trans-
portation. The high point of Williams Lake was a real bath. Now I know how a bird feels
taking a bath in a saucer. When you're sleeping alone that's okay though.

On the road again. Great scenery, great tail winds, absolutely spotless highways, great campsites along gorgeous rivers, and feelings that being a bike bum is really where it's at! Day after day of some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

Finally Prince Rupert and the lazy part of the journey. By ferry you can't get to Seattle from Prince Rupert; first you must go to Ketchikan. What a wild frontier town! Great place for single women --- 10 men for every woman, and I really hit it lucky---the fishing fleet was in! As I strolled down the street after dinner, Willie ran out in the street and dragged me into the bar and bought me a beer. Great time but unfortunately my coach turned into a pumpkin at 11 p.m. at which time you were locked out of the Youth Hostel.

Wednesday afternoon, it was back on the ferry. The trick to riding these ferries is
to run clear up to the solarium deck and stake out your very own chaise lounge chair
which remains yours for the rest of the trip. Then you are free to sit in the bar, bask
in the sun, or fly a kite (we had two which were both lost at sea). Friday at 7:00 a.m.

we docked in Seattle. I give this trip a f-star rating. Fast Gramy says, "Check it out!"
-Fast Granny