Here is the second set of pictures.

View them here.

Eliot took along a few disposable cameras on his trip. The first set of pictures are up on the Kodak Easy Share Gallery.

View them here.

YOSEMITE

Saturday morning, Lopach and I awoke with another layer of ice on the sleeping bags. It snowed about 1/2 inch in the evening, but then cleared, so we had decided to sleep out. We got up before dawn and drove down to the Yosemite Valley - beautiful to see El Capitan and Half-Dome formations in the early dawn light. We hiked up to upper Yosemite Falls, though with the Fall season the flows of water was very low. Then we drove back to Porcupine Flat and I had one more day of Yosemite riding in ideal weather. There were a few icy spots and we got one photo of me biking in a snowy stretch, but the weather was clear and cool and the forest and views were beautiful.

We ended up the afternoon off a forest service road about 5 miles outside the park boundaries up on a hilltop with a beautiful view of the canyons to the West. It was the last night with Lopach. He departed about 3am for the drive to LA to return the rental car which had served so well on the journey. It was awesome to be able to share such a big stretch of the trip with Lopach. The simple living and open-ended nature of each day's travels reminded both of us of our time traveling Europe together in the Summer of '92. It was tough to say farewell as he drove off into the darkness, but also felt fitting that I should complete the final stretch of the journey in solo mode.

I spent Sunday resting and reading up on "Weathertop." A peaceful place to re-gather myself for the ride across the central valley and into Oakland.

RIDING INTO THE VALLEY

Monday I awoke before dawn and broke camp, excited to be back on the bike. It took a bit to get re-acquainted with the feel of the fully loaded bike! The first few hours were characterized by three minute zooms down to the bottom of a drainage, followed by 15-20 minutes crawling up the other side. Then I came to a dramatic drop-off (akin to Yarnell Hill in AZ for those familiar with that area.) It was a five-mile stretch of curvy steep downhill - not sure I could have pedaled up it, but there was no pedaling involved in going down. I stopped every mile or so to cool the brakes and take in the view.

Then it was into the rolling hills and more intense traffic. As the afternoon got hot, and I pushed into physical exhaustion, I rolled into Oakdale, CA and heard about a campground at Woodward reservoir, a few miles past town. I was glad to get a cool shower there, and the ranger copied a portion of a detailed map of the region along with some tips on different roads (about all of which seemed to conclude with "everyone zooms down that road at 90 mile an hour - don't want to be on there with a bike.")

I settled in early, with an alarm set for 3am - hoping to beat the morning traffic, and if all went well, perhaps push all the way into Oakland tomorrow.

THE FINAL DAY???

I awoke under the bright moonlight at 1:30am, feeling "ready to go", so broke camp quickly and had the bike loaded before 2am. I pushed it away from its tree-rest and quickly discovered the back tire was flat. I unloaded everything, I mean everything (in trip lingo "had a yard sale") to get to a spare tube and tire irons. By 3am I had a new tube in place and the bike re-loaded. I had a quiet hour or so biking past cattle yard after cattle yard, in the not-so-good-smelling moonlit madrugada.

Then I noticed that my back tire was again low. It seemed to be a slow leak, so I stopped every few miles to add air, hoping to get to a good location for another yard sale. At 6am I pulled into the lit parking lot of the San Joaquin veteran's clinic/dialysis clinic. I quickly established another "yard sale" - this time, checking the tire with more care I found the thorn that had now punctured two tubes : ) By 7:00 I had everything back together, only to discover that I had a broken spoke, on the back rim again - familiar ground! Just then some lights came on in the Dialysis Center and I went in looking for help. After talking to a few folks, they called out Sam, "he can probably help you." Within my first minute with Sam, I could tell he is the kind of person who helps a lot of people. As I was "in the middle of nowhere", Sam wanted to drive me back to a bike shop in Manteca. He asked his supervisor, who sent him up to the next supervisor. I am not sure how that conversation went, but a moment later he pulled up in his jeep and we quickly horked the bike and all the gear inside and hit the road. We pulled into Manteca and the bike shop was out of business (it had been there less than two weeks ago, and remnants were still in the abandoned store site.) Sam, knowing he would probably get some heat from his supervisor, but committed to helping me out drove back down the road as he knew of a "mom and pop" place - Anderson's Mower and Bike.

Enter Angel#2 for the day - Chris Anderson. Upon hearing my story from Sam, a fellow Manteca resident, Chris set aside his backed-up work load and went right to work on the bike. Within an hour, he had me 'back in go mode." Not only did he fix the bike at no charge, he also provided me with indispensable local knowledge of all the “secret cement bikeways" the looped under the various freeways in the area and lead me into Tracy, CA freeway-free.

In Tracy, I pulled up to a man on a bike and asked directions to a bike shop (hoping to get more local advice on routes). Enter angel #3 - Luiz Gutierrez. Luiz is an avid biker; "I run a tow truck operation, but I don't get into my car unless I have to." Luiz said he'd guide me to the bike shop. As we rode side-by-side on the back streets of Tracy, it became clear that Luiz had all the route information I would need. Instead of ending up at the bike shop, I ended up in Luiz's kitchen, as he cooked up breakfast for us and filled me with information on routes from Tracy to Livermore to Oakland. It was very nice to hang out with Luiz and his girlfriend Pattie and was my first 'home-cooked" meal in many days!

Luiz directed me to the old Alta Mont Pass road into Livermore, and advised from there I could bike down to Pleasanton, and then load the bike onto BART to get into the city without biking in the traffic - sage advice indeed.

Thanks for everything Sam, Chris and Luiz!!! I made it!

I biked out of Tracy and up on to the Old Alta Mont Pass road. A beautiful road winding and climbing through grassy hills and wind farms (on this day relatively calm). I was greeted by a number of hawk cries and had a very special moment with a Golden Eagle and its young one on my way up this final pass.

After coasting down the pass into Livermore, a few helpful residents guided me on to the road to Pleasanton. From there I called into my bro and got directions on the BART stop nearest his house and the directions from there. Very simple. I found my way to BART and got my 'wide-load' onto a train. As the train made its way into Oakland I had a hard time believing I had arrived. I got off at the Fruitvale stop.

As I pedaled up Fruitvale avenue tears flowed. A very emotional moment for me. I have shed tears at the finish line of marathons, and these were akin to those, but coming from a much deeper place inside. I had another surge, as I came to the bottom of the hill by their house. It was the steepest hill of my whole journey, but very short, and with my nephew, brother and sister-in-law waiting at the end I flew up the hill, arriving out of breath.

My beautiful nephew Jayden was lying in my brother's lap, and he fell asleep within moments of my arrival. His journey, arriving into this world, was much more intense than my journey to arrive in Oakland. As with his journey, much of mine will remain in the wordless realm!

Thanks to everyone I met along the way and for everyone who has been following along and supporting me in so many ways!

I will be adding an "epilogue" next week, after I go for a final ride along the coast here, getting in some ocean time on the bike and contemplating "The Further Shore."

Peace and love,
Eliot

Eliot made it! He will be emailing me a longer update soon, but I just wanted to get the word out!

Last night Eliot climbed up Tioga pass close to 3/4 of the way up, but had to stop because of the snow storm. They camped out at a forest service campground, and woke up with ice on their sleeping bags in the morning. He was grateful to climb that pass with an unloaded bike.

The weather cleared and he called from Yosemite on a beautiful clear day.

Lopach last day is tomorrow, so they will stay in park and hike around, and enjoy.

Eliot called from the junction of highway 120 and 395 in California, on the eastern end of Yosemite National park. He was looking up at the looming Tioga pass wonder if he will be taking it today or tomorrow – clouds are packed up at the peaks, and snow is expected.

He said that it has been beautiful riding along the Sierra for the last two days. Last night they camped along 395 about 28 miles south of the 120/395 junction.

Eliot called in, and gave a brief update for the last week, here it is:

Wednesday: Had a “Big dog day” and rode all the way to St. George. He pushed passed some limits, learned some things, and fried himself a little bit

Thursday: Stayed in St. George again for rest, recuperation, and resupply

Friday: First real climbing day. Through Enterprise, all the way through Modena, to about 7 miles east of the Nevada state line

Saturday: Caliente Nevada

Sunday: 10 miles south of Rachel on the Extraterrestrial highway. His friend Lopatch (sorry if I got the name wrong, but that is what it sounds like) came out from CA to crew for him across Nevada, but they weren’t successful meeting up.

Monday: Meet up with Lopatch at dawn and rode to the Northern end of the Extraterrestrial highway to Warm Springs. One of the best days so far: incredible mountains and valleys, showers, rainbows and sunshine – beautiful, beautiful riding.

Tuesday: Got of to a good start, climbed three summits before dawn. Coming down the last summit heard a little ping and busted a spoke.

He had a spare spoke, but it was on the back wheel on the gear side and he did not have a sprocket puller. Luckily Lopatch was there in “crew” mode. They pulled the bike apart and crammed it into his rental car and they drove into Tonapah, about 10 miles away. No one there had a sprocket puller. They had to drive to Bishop, CA to get the repair done at a bike shop.

Wednesday: Having a few more things done to the bike in Bishop.

I just spent a few minutes on the phone with Eliot. He camped last night about 7 or 8 miles south of Jacob’s lake, and he intends to spend another night up in the high country before heading down into the desert toward Fredonia, AZ.

After the rim-to-rim hike, slowing down and enjoying the beautiful forest seemed like the way to go.

Eliot is grateful for all the support, here, and from all the wonderful people he has met. He also mentioned that the sunrises and sunsets have been particularly wonderful.

Note: Aleia and I are headed out of town on Thursday for most of a week, so don’t worry if there are no updates on this site, as soon as we get back we will post an update

Eliot called in this evening, he said he had a beautiful day hiking rim to rim, and is feeling very good.

The highlights where:

• Saw the dawn just below the south rim.
• Had a close encounter with a big horn sheep and a rattle snake.
• The people he met along the way especially Louis, Mary, and Marion for saving him from going the wrong way at a trail junction.
• The beauty of the Canyon

Eliot called in today; here is his first update from the road:

He is at the south rim of the Grand Canyon, enjoying some rest and relaxation, and recuperating from his wounds. He sends a big thanks to Jan and Steph for setting him up here there.

The first day crash happened in between Wayne’s House and NAU. The bike was broke, and lost a few parts. Eugene was there to help with an incredible repair - he had just the metal and tools needed.

There was a nice sendoff for him at NAU from students and friends. He camped out last night about 10 miles east of Valle in the juniper trees outside of the wind.

Friends Tyler and Lisa met up with him on highway 180 and gave him a boost at two points along the way.

His Mom found him about 15 miles away from the canyon loaded up the bags, and he got to make the rest of the ride on a nice light bike.

Tomorrow he will be hiking from the rim to rim, while his Mom drives the bike around.

Eliot made a brief stop at NAU to say goodbye to his friends there. On the way he had has his first 1^st fall. After first aid and bike repairs where made we has on his way.

Thanks to Diana for the great pictures!

Who needs a bandage!

Eliot and Mom at NAU

Hello and welcome! My name is Eliot Schipper. I serve as a volunteer on the Further Shore governing board in the position of Client Liaison. On September 22nd, I will be getting on my bicycle at Wayne's House and riding 1000 miles to Oakland, California! You can "ride along" on my journey by following my progress and updates here. You can also contribute to Further Shore's mission by donating to our 1000 Mile Ride fundraising effort!

But let's back-peddle a bit so I can explain how this came about. The initial inspiration for the journey came forward as I found myself in a period of transition on my own life path. My nephew is due to be born in Oakland in late September. As the "first of the next generation" within our family, I was inspired to go to meet him in a special way and under my own power. I am also leaving my current position as NAU Upward Bound Director after a wonderful 10.5 years with the program. In the midst of change, I realized that I needed some space to figure out the next steps along my personal, professional, and spiritual path.

Serving at Further Shore has allowed me to see the powerfully positive impact our services have for people in transition. During this first year of service, I have realized how so many of us go through transitions without finding the space and support we need to move through changes with grace, health, and ease. Many of our clients are not in a financial position to pay for services.

At our quarterly board meeting the suggestion to "Blog Eliot's Ride" became a hot topic! After some spirited discussion, and a duly appropriate vote, I now embark upon this journey intending to create an opportunity to raise funds and awareness for Further Shore's mission and services. Your donations will help people in need who are experiencing life and death transitions. You can support this effort by making a contribution to Further Shore

Thanks for riding along and for your support in whatever ways feel right!