by Jay, with some details by Geno

You know how it is when a tiny seed gets planted in your head about buying stuff -- once it's deeply rooted, there is no way to get it out.  You are doomed.  Such was the case with my touring bike which I purchased on eBay in February of this year. This "seed" was the result of a two-month bicycle tour of Japan with my son in September and October of 2005.

So, when Geno, Dick and Herb asked me to join them on this bike trip to Washington's Cascade loop, there was very little hesitation. With a "kitchen pass from my wife," as Geno calls it, I was ready. This would be my first-ever loaded bike tour with all four panniers carrying approximately 50 pounds of necessities for the two-week trip . . . and I was ready for the challenge.

Then, the unthinkable happened a week and a half prior to the start day. I sprained my left ankle playing racquetball!  I wanted to scream, "This cannot be happening!"  a la John McEnroe on the tennis court.  Instead, I kept my mouth shut and hoped for a quick recovery.

Then, another unfortunate incident occurred: Dick was hurt and unable to do the loaded tour but was willing to drive his van as a support vehicle. Well, that's how our loaded bike tour ended up being another sort of a Campo-Velo-Hiko trip. And I wasn't complaining. I figured if things got too tough for me to handle, I could feign re-injury and ride the van with Dick, but at least I would be able to see the Cascades. And what a wonderful trip it was.

The tour of the North Cascades, in September 2006, was a first for each of us. Our bike tour started at Bay View State Park near Puget Sound and ended 260 miles later at Lake Chelan on the eastern edge of the Cascades. We rode Hwy 20 through the heart of the Cascade Mountains, then Hwy 153 through the Methow River Valley, and finally Hwy 97 to Lake Chelan along the Columbia River.

As the miles rolled by, the scenery transitioned from coastal farmlands to lush green forests, tumbling waterfalls and swift-moving rivers, aquamarine lakes, rugged mountains and passes, and then to dry hills and valleys, fruit orchards and the broad Columbia River. Each ecological zone we passed through provided a distinct change of scenery and showcased the diversity of the state of Washington.

We broke up our cycling days with hikes to some spectacular mountain peaks, lakes, waterfalls, rivers and glacier fields. The Trail of the Cedars/Seven Ladder Falls on the Skagit River, Sauk Mtn, Lookout Mtn and Lake Ann/Maple Pass hikes took us to breathtaking viewpoints. Did you know that Washington has more glaciers (700) than all of the other lower 47 states combined?

Having the van turned out to be a blessing. The major hikes required driving to distant trailheads. We also were able to drive to surrounding areas on our layover days and, best of all, to local cafes for good dinners instead of those dehydrated meals in camp.

Deception Pass State Park, on the north end of Whidbey Island, was the last stop before ending our tour at the home of Ron and Carol Chaney, an active couple that Geno and Herb met on a Costa Rica tour last December. The Chaneys were perfect hosts, providing us with comfortable beds, delicious home-cooked meals, use of their washer/dryer to clean two weeks of dirty laundry, and a sauna to revive tired bodies.

Although it rained the two days we spent with them, it did not dampen our spirits since it gave us time to recover from 14 days of hiking, biking and sleeping on the ground. A big thank you to Ron and Carol for a splendid finale to our tour.

This was an exceptional tour. The scale, grandeur and beauty of the Cascades were awesome, but I will also remember the simple things like picking fresh blackberries for our breakfasts, stargazing at night, the joking and camaraderie of the Three Musketeers, and the friendly people we met along the way. Emily, the high school prom queen at the Methow Cafe, and Rika, the receptionist at the Sun Mountain Resort in Winthrop with whom I conversed in Japanese, are two friendly faces that bring a smile to my face.

And thank you Geno, Herb and Dick for making this trip possible and making me a welcome fourth Musketeer. "All for one, and one for all!"