Bellingham

Day 8 GDMBR Thursday June 19th 2025,

Slept better and woke early, due to a plan to cycle to and in Bellingham together. After another great yoghurt breakfast, we started cycling via a cycle route to Bellingham center. It was a beautiful ride through parks and along the bay over a wooden cycle and walkway, partly over the water. A lot of pedestrians were accompanied us along the way. It also went over a railway-bed, so was mildly in the grades. Alex had an appointment with a pupil who he learned some reading and writing skills.

I was taking a coffee break at “café Velo” which was a bike-shop and a place to have coffee and treats. With a large Cappuccino, I first called Rieneke to ask her how she was. She was busy with the dogs (3 + 1) and preparing for the weekend at sea with our daughters and grandchildren. The temperature will be high, so they will go into the sea definitely. After the phone call (WhatsApp call) I went to work and used the audio recording (for the first time) of making the Polarsteps entry of Wednesday. It went well, I only had to edit it a lot before posting it. I will use it later again! Also, I tried to figure out about putting the basic map of the USA into my Garmin GPS. Because while cycling here in Bellingham, there were no roads on my GPS. Not a problem now, but I would like that to be solved before the GDMBR. I finished my “work” and did see Alex approaching on the “find my” app on the iPhone. We met again and did another return to his home.

This to get a better “lay of the land”. The hills were not high, but I experienced a lack of experience in climbing. This won’t be a problem, because we will increase the daily distances in time and I will get stronger in time, I am sure!

Now I am having a great lunch and typing the Wednesday and, part of, Thursday for Polarsteps. Scott and his wife Lorry were here and Alex did give him a real nice comfortable matrass to use during the GDMBR. Also, now I could show him my gear and explanation of why I did choose the separate choices. We had a great, big filled burrito with each other as a diner, it tasted very good.

I organized my gear a little more. Used the big black bicycle box as a space to stash the protective items and gear I wouldn’t need after all and the travel items. I went to bed early to battle a headache that was bothering me the whole day. Another great day passed fast.