Redefining an Industry One Mile at a Time

Redefining an Industry One Mile at a Time

Orcas Island was super rad. The ride took us through beautiful country that wrapped between Obstruction Pass and the sea, around West Sound, and eventually deposited us in the sleepy little hamlet of Deer Harbor. We were some how able to get wifi out on the peer and so we just sat the labtops up and worked until around dark. As we were getting back on the bikes to go find camp, Elliot popped a tire and started fixing it on the side of the road. Within a couple of minutes a man named Roy stopped by to make sure everything was alright and to see if we needed a place to stay for the night.  We followed Roy around the corner to his home and started setting up the tents. Roy’s girlfriend Beverly (her pen name is Fanny Lou on the comments section) came outside with a cocktail in one hand and proceeded to make us up some sandwiches, cook our chili, and treat us like her long lost sons had arrived.  The rest of the night was spent eating way too much and chatting about various travels while drinking Rainer Beer in their living room.

 

We got up the morning before last and headed back down to the peer to prepare for our meetings and do all the other stuff it is we do first thing. It’s quite entertaining doing work while all the sailors are coming and going.  At 10am we had a meeting with Ward, the owner of Northwest Classic Day Sailing, and he invited to sail us back around the island to the ferry dock and we could just do our meeting during the ride. As the boat cut across the sound, with our bikes strapped to the bow, it felt like we were revisiting the Lyle Lovett song, “If I Had a Boat.” It was an absolutely beautiful sail and there was just something great about doing business with our shirts off on the open sea.

 

After the islands we spent the last couple of days biking into the mainland and over Stevens Pass to Leavenworth.  It was without a doubt the most intense thing I’ve ever done on a bike. We did 74 miles yesterday, 36 of which were climbing 4000 ft to the top of the pass.  It was nice though because as soon as you come over the crest of the pass you enter into the dry side of the rain shadow and the weather transforms from the rainy NW to dry and sunny much like Colorado. All in all it was a beautiful romp through the mountains but my legs still remember the previous day’s battle quite vividly.

 

We’re meeting with mostly rafting companies here in Leavenworth and they all seem really excited. They’re at the height of their season right now and the concept of streamlining their booking systems through SWAE has a very real time application when three phones are ringing with client’s who have booking questions. Elliott signed up Orion Expeditions yesterday at the farmer’s market in the Bavarian enclave that is Leavenworth’s downtown. They invited us to camp out at their rafting compound up in the mountains. It was nice because cell phone reception was at about nill and so the only thing to do was kick back and chill out. My good buddy from college Shaun Reed was actually passing through town on his way to Seattle and was able to swing through and catch up for a few hours.  Anyway, we’re just working out of the Red Bird Kaffi Haus this morning and other than the sound of typing, all is quite on the western front.

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