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By
Janette Heitz
Biking
is a fairly new sport for me. My husband and I started the sport only five years ago as a form of
exercise. However,
we quickly developed a love for it and started taking week-long and
three-week long trips in the
United States. My
ultimate goal was to cycle across the USA
which we did this past summer.
Bike Dreams was never a plan for me. My husband thought it would be a great way to spend some time with
our twenty-seven year old daughter, Jordan who is an enthusiastic and good
cyclist. They
made all of their plans and reservations, did their training, and set off in
September to meet their fellow cyclists and live out their bike dreams.
Their plan quickly ended, though when my husband developed an abcess in his
foot and had to have emergency surgery in
Le Puy,
France. That’s
when I entered the picture. Since his doctor’s orders required him to return home, we decided
that I would join the group in
Granada, Spain
and continue the trip with
Jordan
.
The part of the trip that has been such a delight for me is travelling with
the hard-working, and enthusiastic staff. It is evident that Bike Dreams owners Wilbert and Rob spent hours and
hours of planning and preparations before this trip could ever be more than
a dream of their own. They had to travel the course, making note of food shops, beverage
stops, camp sites, gas stations, barking dogs, restaurants, and GPS
readings. They
also had to maintain the website, buy the supplies, and organize the
transportation. Wilbert even assembled a guide book that rivals writing a college
thesis paper.
Cooks Rudy and Maryanne must depend on local supplies to plan their evening
meals that they cook in make-shift kitchens. In addition to always being on the search for bread that we devour at
breakfast, lunch, and snacks, they must brave the cold, wind, sun, sand, and
darkness to deliver healthy and delicious meals.
They must also shop in great quantities to make sure we have enough
food to last during the extended makes sure that desert and bush camp stays, and they have to deal
with keeping the propane tanks full.
Drivers Adam and Anna must do much more than drive the huge truck that
carries all of our supplies and luggage. They find the campsites that Rob and Wilbert have designated, set up
the kitchen and have afternoon soup waiting for us when we arrive. They truly care about people and always makes sure our needs are met
and that all is well. They even stopped for a lone local cyclist who was travelling on our
same highway to give him a bottle of water which he did not have. Adam is always ready for a game of backgammon and beat most of his
challengers.
Rick, the mechanic, is young and cute but has ten years experience fixing
bicycles. He
can detect a problem and fix it without ruffling one hair on his head. He will even stop eating his breakfast to fix a problem so that an
eager biker can get a start on the day.
Our newest doctor, Wout, joined us just last week, but as a specialist in
tropical diseases, he has the knowledge that we will need as we travel south
toward mosquito prone areas. He is an expert cyclist also and doesn’t mind winning a stage now
and then.
Newcomers to the staff are the Kiwis Nick and Jamie. They have smoothly joined our group and help Adam and Anna wherever
needed and help out in the kitchen. They amuse us with their stories and easy-going attitudes.
So, even though I am living out my husband’s bike dream, I have enjoyed
the time on this trip that I am spending with our daughter, the staff, and
the cyclists.
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