(Click HERE for Day 1 of Ride)

Distance to Date: 19,923 km / 12,300 mi

Until now, we have been fair-weather friends of the bicycle. If it rained or if it was too cold, we'd just wait a few days for things to clear up. Now that we are in the Pacific Northwest, we are realizing that weather is going to be a take-it-as-it-comes game for the rest of our journey. Slowly, we are beginning to embrace that prospect.

We arrived in Klamath Falls very cold, wet and thankful to have a dry place to stay. Our awesome host family (met through Warm Showers) let us stay for many more days than we'd originally planned as we watched the forecast's grim outlook. Finally, we decided that it was as good of a time as any, and we had to tear ourselves away. We spent another warm night sponsored in a dry room at the Dawson House Lodge in Chemult, Oregon. Then, on Monday, we braved a very cold and very windy ride toward Sunriver, taking time to talk to two newspapers on our way to our next gracious hosts in Sunriver.

Sunshine greeted us on Tuesday as we rolled into Bend, Oregon, where all of the locals recognized us from the front page of the daily paper. We are now staying in the very comfortable home of Bonnie and Dewey, whom we'd also met through Warm Showers.

After four days enjoying time in Klamath Falls with the magnanimous Heaton family, we say "good-bye" and get back on the road. From strangers to friends, the bonds formed on the road happen fast but last forever. Even the bond with our best friend, Mr. Headwind. His presence is seen here by the direction of the flags. Two sets of reporters visit us on our way into town. Brooke from the Sunriver Scene bestowes us to love in the form of local chocolate bars. He also alerted the authorities in Sunriver to our presence on the roads, which are very confusing. The Sheriff escorts us from the edge of town to our home for the night. On Tuesday, folks beep and toot, honk and hollar. When we arrive in Bend, we learn what all the fuss is about: a front page story! Legally Blind, Alaska-Bound. Heck yeah! We stopped in a cafe for a hot pot of coffee while we talked to the reporters. This picture shows Christi guiding Tauru out the door and back to his spot as captain on the bike. See the Bend Bulletin's video of our chit-chat with them.