BALLE On! The 2007 West Coast Tour

Alas the end of the long journey arrived. This adventure challenged each member physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The last day was no exception.

We left the warm hospitality of Bodega Bay and initially headed inland for a hilly jaunt through primarily agricultural land. We soon turned back toward the coast and the sleepy, oyster-driven towns bordering quiet Tomales Bay.

The team had a last lunch-on-the-road huddle at a diner in Port Reyes Station before starting the last leg of the journey. Little did we know just how long the last leg would be!

The girls jumped into the car to navigate the wilds of city freeway driving at speeds of over 65 miles an hour (which seemed very fast to those of us that spent the last couple of weeks riding through the country) while the guys hopped on their bikes to finish the final ride.

Riding through an ever-densifying city meant an ever-slowing roll through urban landscapes and a dizzying maze of streets, signs, traffic, and buildings. Rather than one or two roads to navigate, the possibilities of getting lost mounted.

Bryan and Derek navigated the complicated routes and arrived at last at the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge late in the day, but with sun and partly cloudy skies perfect for some photo opportunities. They reveled in the bittersweet triumph and thought of comrades separated - it wasn't quite right to end the journey with only part of the team.

The foremost complication was getting to the East Bay. Cars could cross all the bridges, whereas the bicycles could only cross the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco. Hence, the groups were severed and had to navigate their own ways to Berkeley. Both groups got lost, arriving much later than we had hoped.

We did arrive though and enjoyed our indoor accommodation over the next few days while attending the inspiring BALLE conference. We took in the sights of the area with one last group ride on the Monday after the conference while hanging out at Indian Rock in Berkeley.

The boys hopped the train back to Seattle and the girls headed off to Yosemite to practice being Ansel Adams, hiking around and taking in this unique place.

What next? Stay tuned for some video clips of this incredible journey.