Welcome to CTC!

PACKS PADDLES AND PEDALS TRIATHALON TOUR

Calls & Notes from Readers

Dear Geri and Dennis,

It was a pleaser to meet you at Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway the other day. The story of your adventure was both humbling and inspiring at the same time. Having given up any semi-serious cycling 13 years ago to ensure we could have a child (that saddle is a sperm as well as a butt killer), your story has inspired me to get back on my bike. I doubt I'll be doing cross-country touring. You are an inspiration to us all.

Please be safe and may God watch over you,

Allen Spivey

Dennis & Geri:

Here copies of the two pictures we took of you at Otter Creek Lodge. Fortunately, our trip took a big turn for the better and we quick passing you! Enjoy your trip!

Rita Hensley
Biker Girl

Dennis and Jerry,

We sure want to know when you pick up on your trip next year. We have enjoyed every day with you. We planned to be in Higginsville when you arrived home. Now we will just have to look you up around the middle of Oct. since you speeded up when you got off the lakes. We have canoed out of Lex., Mo twice in past years. And wanted to be there to greet you.

Judy and Bob Rauch

To Citizens Telephone Co:

Many thanks for displaying the journals, photos and letters of the Stewarts Triathalon Travel Tour on your web site. Dennis and Geri are our son and daughter-in-law. We check the site daily to read of their adventures.

We know it is a lot of extra work and time for your staff but it is much appreciated by many people. We know the site is looked at by folks all across the United States and overseas. People of all ages are following their advetures, including entire school classrooms. It should be interesting to know how many times a day the site is looked at and in what locations.

Thank you again to all those involved in putting the information on the web site. It certainly is appreciated and enjoyed. Good luck to our adventurous travelers and may God watch over them and continue to keep them safe.

Sincerely,

June and Marty Stewart
Friday Harbor, WA

Dennis and Geri:

Congrats you guys on your successes so far. What an accomplishment!

I am writing for more important reasons, however.

Dennis, I want you to take good care of Geri. That girl needs to come back to MO in good shape or you are going to be in trouble.

Now that I think about it, she is probably taking good care of you, or you might still be in Montana.

Anyway, I or we are still planning to join you for a river stretch somewhere between Souix City and St. Joseph.

Great job you guys!

jim grace

Dear Dennis and Geri- This is Bob Rauch and my wife Judy. We have been following your trip and had we heard a few weeks sooner, we would have drove down Lo Lo and met you guys. You see we live here in Montana and live 7 miles west of highway 93, but this is where 93 leave USA into Canada. But we are well acquainted to where you have been traveling. We once owned property on the Salmon just south of Lewiston, Idaho. Very rugged country near Hells Canyon. We sold that and bought a lot at Darby on 93, We know all the towns and acquainted with the area. Kristy, my daughter once lived at Lo Lo over looking highway 92 where you traveled up. Kristy now lives in Missoula. You took her hiking in Colo. a couple of times years ago. She is a OB/GYN and avid hiker and out of doors person. We will met her in Glacial Park in two weeks. Judy & I have canoed extensively . Have floated the Missouril River there in Lafayette Co. Also have canoed in northern Minn. and Ontario, Canada. We just were there at Ft. Peck 7 weeks ago on our way home from Missouri. I would not care to canoe on that large lake. You guys have several large lakes on down stream before you arrive in Mo. We use to figure the current on the Mo. River there in Mo. at 3 or 4 miles per hour. I spent l8 months in the Army at Ft. Lewis, Wa. and did a lot of climbing on Mt. Ranier. Back over 50 years ago. I am still very active even though I'm now 79. I give you both a blue ribbon in your travel. Where did you ever find Geri. a gal that can keep up with you. Will write more later. Your friends, Bob & Judy

Dennis!!! I just was informed of your great trip and read with excitement of your latest journey. I am so sorry I didn't get on this e-mail sooner and try to arrange a rendezvous with you two in Missoula! I was just telling my husband how you dropped in that day (13 years or so ago??) at my office. It was such a pleasure to see you and would have been again. I know you are seeing some amazing country and I admire your endeavor. Also, I am jealous!! There are alot of travelers out there, following the Lewis and Clark journey. You guys are really doing the job in an authentic way. Well, of course you do have sleeping pads, waterproof tents, form-fitting packs, and aerodynamic bikes. All the things we take for granted these days in our outdoor pursuits!! This weekend my husband and I were canoeing in the Big Hole and I was recounting the trips you made to Colorado with crazy teenagers. Those days are long gone when a teacher could lead a group of interested youths miles away from home, drive all night, hike all day and not have disclaimers, red tape and the threat of lawsuits dampening the spirit of the trip. Sigh. Those were the best times. That was quite an undertaking on your part and I will forever be grateful that I was part of it. Dennis, good luck to you and please, keep in touch. Kristy Rauch

To whom it may concern,

Could not find a way to relay this message direct to ctcis.net or the site they have up for the traveling Duo, Dennis and Geri Stewart.

Read a portion of their journey log regarding the encounter with the 4 bikers. I am happy to say, I know one of those bikers, Gerald "Jerry" Barrett, we graduated High School together and just saw one another at a High School Reunion for some class mates celebrating their 40th.

I am not at all surprised that they picked up the tab for their meal 'Jerry' was biking with his brother, and two friends, the brothers bike together often and they are all Great Guys.

I have to send my accolades to Dennis and Geri, what a wonderful experience they are having and creating a desire, hopefully in young people to get out and see OUR LAND, forget foreign travel, the USA has such a wealth of Treasures to be truly enjoyed.

Kudos to CTCIS for sponsoring these two and Hip Hip Hurrah for Dennis and Geri and their driven desire to complete this journey, Packing, Paddling, and Peddling!

Just wish they were venturing further south....we are in 'far' west Texas and it seems no one ever does journeys that cross our paths, it is indeed understandable, especially if you have ever been here, but still, it would be nice to be able to go out and socialize and cheer on such folks.

Thank you for your time and could you pass along the well wishes to Dennis and Geri! As I said, I could not find a link on the site to leave messages etc. only to read about their journey.

Cherry Smith

El Paso, Texas

DEAR SIRS...JUST ANOTHER SHORT NOTE ABOUT THE MEINTS FAMILY...I IMAGINE SOMEBODY HAD ALREADY GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE STEWARTS ABOUT THIS...I JUST THOUGHT THIS WAS SO GREAT...DENNIS, IN ONE OF HIS JOURNALS SAID WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND, HOW RIGHT HE WAS...THE MEINTS FAMILY WAS SO GOOD TO THEM; THEN VERLA MEINTS GOT ON THE PRICE IS RIGHT AND WON A BUNDLE OF CASH...IT WAS LIKE SHE WAS GETTING PAID FOR HER KINDNESS; I AM HAPPY THERE ARE A FEW GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD.

THANKS AGAIN FOR LETTING ME FOLLOW THEIR TRAVEL...
FRED MOORE
KELSO, WASHINGTON

Dennis & Geri,

Thanks so much for sharing your adventure with us! I can hardly wait every day to read the next installment! Dennis, now George and I know why you were unable to run for the Highpointers Board!!

Good luck with the rest of your journey. You'll have to give a talk at one of the annual Konventions about your adventure!

You two are amazing!! I am envious, but I'm not sure I could accomplish what you have already done, let alone the rest of what lies ahead!!

Best of luck!

Mary Maurer & George Vandersluis

DEAR SIRS...I HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING DENNIS STEWART WHEN THEY STAYED OVER NIGHT AT COUNTY LINE PARK, HERE IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, I MUST SAY I COMMEND THOSE TWO FOR TAKING ON SUCH A TASK...THANK YOU FOR SPONSERING THEIR WEB SITE...I HAVE FOLLOWED THEIR TRAVEL FROM DAY ONE AND HAVE ENJOYED HEARING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THEM...I HOPE THEY HAVE MORE GOOD THINGS RATHER THAN BAD HAPPEN TO THEM...THEY MUST BE TWO DEDICATED PEOPLE...THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE WHO WOULD MAKE IT AS FAR AS THEY HAVE GONE ALL READY...THANKS AGAIN AND GOD BLESS

FRED MOORE
KELSO, WA

Hello -

My wife and I first ran into Dennis and Geri on their 3rd day out at a small cafe in Grays River, Washington. That was a tough day for them as they had to get over "The KM mountains" to an altitude of around 700 feet. A gradual climb but a long one.

We met them next along the Ocean Beach Highway just west of Longview. We stopped and chatted a few minutes and shared a cold bottle of water to them. They were just about 6 miles west of Longview, Washington at that time. That was the day after Easter Sunday. They had just about covered 80 miles of their trek.

The third and last time I met them was just on the outskirts of the town of Woodland, Washington. It was late in the afternoon and they were just entering the city limits along the Lewis River. On that evening they were planning to get a motel and meet Dennis' parents who were driving down from Gig Harbor, Washington.

Knowing the roadways up here as I do and having a good idea of their "pace" I am thinking that they are, perhaps, somewhere around "Horsethief Lake State Park" on the Washington side of the Columbia River. They still have about 100 miles yet before they will leave the Columbia River and head North and East toward Walla Walla, Washington.

For the next week, at least, they will experience some rather hot weather and be walking directly into the prevailing strong "gorge winds" we have in that part of this country. No rain though.......and that is good!

They appeared to be healthy and doing just fine. It was our pleasure to meet Dennis and Geri and we wish them well. We know they are enjoying this adventure thoroughly.

Thanks again for the information. I will be "logging on" later this evening.

Leroy Dahl
Kelso, Washington

TELEPHONE CALL RECEIVED 4/26/04

Bill Beyer called in and asked that we get word to Dennis and Geri that his class was going to follow their trek until the end of the school year. He met them Sunday, April 25 in front of the Lyle Motel. He teaches in a small one room school in Proy, Oregon. He just wanted Dennis and Geri to know that they are going to hit our website 2-3 times a week to keep up on their adventures.

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