Bike Trips
*Video tribute to my good friend and longtime riding partner, Mark Annas, who passed away in 2016.*
Mark was a Big Fish. Unflappable. Soft-spoken & good-natured. Compassionate. Intellectually evolved. Upright, but not uptight. Direct and honest, to a fault. We shared a load of laughs. The many bicycle trips I rode on with him was but one of his many amazing lives. And his stories got better with age.
2017 -- Scotland II - The Highlands
Edinburgh; Pitlochry to Kenmore, Ben Lawers (Glen Lyon), Killin, to Dunblane; Glasgow to Balloch, Tarbet (Loch Lomond)
9 days riding, 290 miles
John & Melissa Dover, Ted & Cecile Schultz
Ted, Mel, Cissy, John on Edinburgh's Royal Mile
Innocent Railway Path
Clark's Bar
Leaving 14 Northumberland St NW Lane, Edinburgh, for the Highlands tour
Melissa & John's 34th anniversary, Loch Tay, Kenmore
Cissy & Ted being greeted by Melissa upon arrival at the Kenmore Hotel
Glen Lyon -- "Scotland's longest, loneliest, and loveliest glen!"
Ascending Ben Lawers pass (1,500 ft. climb from Glen Lyon)
Ben Lawers road summit and Lochan Na Lairige
(former site of our pub sign)
Falls of Dochart
(site of Hitchcock's "39 Steps" film)
Glen Ogle viaduct
Melissa on the path between Killin and Lochearnhead
Doune Castle (site of Monty Python's "Holy Grail" film)
Ted wonders at the Forth Rail Bridge, Queensferry, before we rode across the Forth Road Bridge (left)
Loch Lomond west cycle path (on my solo ride from Glasgow to Balloch to Arrochar/Tarbet)
2015 -- Kansas Prairie Trails
Osage City to Council Grove (Flint Hills Nature Trail), and Garnett to Iola (Prairie Spirit Trail)
2 days riding, 83 miles
Ted Schultz, John Dover
Ted at the start of the ride,
Osage City depot
John at the beginning of the
Flint Hills Nature Trail
Flint Hills Trail
Ted with cousins Mike, Pat, & Jenny at Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium tailgaiting before the Broncos game
The painting I collected from Sav-Art
Prairie Spirit Trail south of Garnett (having ridden the northern half of trail, from Ottawa, on our Broncos-KC trip last Nov.)
Mark and John beginning the ride from the Pittsburgh, PA, Amtrak train station
Allegheny River, Clemente Bridge, and site of old Three Rivers Stadium
Soggy night on a hard floor. Turned out to be my last night of bike camping--ever!
Laurel House Hotel & Cafe, Ohiopyle, PA
The GAP trail and Youghiogheny River
The GAP (Great Allegheny Passage)
Mark and his BOB on the GAP Trail
Big Savage Tunnel, PA
Played chess at the street fair Cumberland, MD
Locks along the C&O Canal Trail
Paw Paw Tunnel, West Virginia
Stopped into Ft Frederick
Honeywell Dam on the Potomac
Street fair, Williamsport, MD
Bridge to Harper's Ferry, WV
Me & John Brown (replica of KS statehouse mural) at his NPS museum in Harper's Ferry, WV
Georgetown Docks and the Watergate Hotel
End of the ride selfie with Mark on the national mall, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background
After such a long ride, I treated myself to a night at the Melrose Hotel in Georgetown...
A bottle of Flor de Cana 7 yr. rum & ginger ale..
Cocktails at 51st St Tavern, followed by Crab cakes at Clyde's...
And a late night out partying with Mark's ex-wife and my old friend, Elena, and her old chums from DC!
2013 -- Scotland I - Edinburgh day rides, with overnights to North Berwick and Falkirk Wheel
415 miles total over 25 days of riding between May 1 - June 25
John & Melissa
Our cottage at 14 Northumberland St NW Lane had a private garden & storage shed for our bikes
Bought this used Ridgeback for ÂŁ120 from Eastside Bikes, and sold it back 10 weeks later for ÂŁ50 after putting 515 miles on it
Goldenacre Path, Edinburgh
Water of Leith path
Dean Village
Frequently rode to the Firth of Forth coast along Silverknowes Esplanade and the mouth of the Almond River, with a stop at the Cramond Inn for a pint of Samuel Smiths
Almond River weir
Causeway to Cramond Island before high tide which submerges it twice a day
Silverknowes Esplanade
Cramond Island from the esplanade
Firth of Forth railway bridge
27 mile ride across the Forth Bridge
Train back from Burntisland
Portobello Beach
Mel climbing the steps to the Union Canal from the Water of Leith path
Mark Stanton and I rode to the Almond River Trail, with a lunch stop at the Cramond Inn
Bike path around Arthur's Seat
Holyrood Park and Arthur's Seat
Rode 40 miles one day along the Union Canal path to the Falkirk Wheel where I met up with Melissa
Avon Viaduct near Linlithgow
The Union Canal now has but one lock, this huge one served by the unique Falkirk Wheel which opened in 2002
The Falkirk Wheel boat lift--an engineering marvel replaced 11 locks
Falkirk Wheel
Almond River
Almond River trail
One day Mel and I caught a train to North Berwick...
...and we rode out to Tantallon Castle
Bass Rock off the coast of Tantallon
Rode back to North Berwick in time for sunset
The next day, rode back towards home on John Muir Way
Caught the train back to Edinburgh from Longniddry
Union Canal in town
Bike path to Bolerno
Water of Leith path from Bolerno to Edinburgh
Bolerno village
Cramond Inn, a Samuel Smiths pub
2013 -- Scotland I - The Highlands
Moulin (Pitlochery) to Aberfeldy, Kenmore, Killin, Callander, Dunblane
5 days riding, 100 miles
Melinda (Torres) Snow, Melissa & John Dover
Melissa, Melinda, and Johnthe Moulin Inn
Taymouth Castle gate on our 30th wedding anniversary
Scotland's oldest hotel, the Kenmore Hotel
Mel in the Kenmore Hotel Poet's Bar which features on the wall a hand-written poem by Robert Burns!
Met TV travel host Rick Steves at the Kenmore Highlands Games
Melissa along the southern banks of Loch Tay
South side of Loch Tay
Melissa, John, and Melinda at Firbush Outdoor Pursuits Centre which we attended in college
Falls of Dochart, Killin
Killin Hotel
Glen Ogle Viaduct
Hwy 14 in Colorado between Ft Collins and Sterling (30 miles);
Boonville to Jefferson City, Hermann, Augusta
4 days riding, 155 miles
"Boise" Dave Fotsch, Mark Annas, John Dover
A week after a 30 miler in NE Colorado, I rejoined Dave & Mark and the Dolphin at Boonville
Boise Dave and John with drivers Boise Bob and Steph M
Boise Dave Fotsch and I at Charrette Creek bridge
Dave and Mark somehow still managed to smile after riding some 1500 miles from Boise, on their way to take Dave's Mom "home" (Alzheimer's fundraiser)
Mark near Rocheport bluffs
Children of the Corn
2011 -- Eastern Canada
5 day rides: Lachine Loch canal path (Montreal), Fundy Tr, Clyburn Valley Tr (Cape Breton), Halifax, Montreal waterfront
John & Melissa
Montreal Canal path
Fundy Bay Trail, New Brunswick
Cape Breton National Park
Pt. Pleasant Park, Halifax
St Charles to Augusta, Hermann, Jefferson City; & Columbia to Boonville
4 days, 140 miles
Dave & Mary Beth Dover, and John & Melissa Dover
Melissa and I beginning the ride from St Charles
Tree on trail from recent tornado
John, brother Dave & Mary Beth
Dave, Melissa, and Mary Beth admiring the bluffs near Rocheport
Melissa, niece Cori, me, Mary Beth, Dave at the start of the Jamboree ride in Columbia on day #4 (Memorial Day weekend)
John at the Ozark Mnt Daredevils concert with Kathy & Rob Bukaty, and MJ & Steven Van de Castle
2010 -- Outer Banks of North Carolina
Morehead City to Okracoke, Buxton, Nag's Head, Duck/Nag's Head
4 days, 200 miles
John Dover, Dave Dover, Mark Annas
Leaving from Dave's house in Leawood, KS
John weathering the windy dunes
John and Dave walking on the dunes
John & Dave at Hatteras Lighthouse
Mark, John, and brother Dave on the ferry
2010 -- Southern California Spring Break
San Capistrano/Dana Pt/San Clemente, Santa Ana River Tr, Huntington Beach Tr
5 day rides, 110 miles
(4 days solo)
Melissa on one of 3 short day rides from San Capistrano to San Clemente and Dana Point harbor
The Santa Ana River Trail to the Pacific, passed the Big A and Honda Center in Anaheim (47 miles)
Huntington Beach trail to Newport Beach pier and Balboa pier (31 mi.) on my Target special that I sold that day to a rental shop
Santa Fe loop (via Madrid, Stagecoach Pass, Heartbreak Hill, Cedar Grove, Stanley, Galisteo)
1 day, 102 miles
Dave Tarwater, Larry McKenna, Greg Godbey, Dan & Margaret DeKoven, Ted & Cecile Schultz, Jane (Schultz) Burnett
2008 -- Pittsburgh to DC (GAP + C&O) I
Boston PA to Connellsville, Rockwood, Cumberland, Hancock, Harper's Ferry, North Potomac (LuAnn's), DC
7 days, 350 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas, Corrie Hahn
Corrie, Mark, and John at Boston PA trailhead
Little League's "most disappointing coach" yelling at his kids
Mark, Corrie, John and the Yough
The GAP Trail (Great Allegheny Passage) runs for 150 miles between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, MD
Antietam Battlefield
C&O Canal National Historic Trail
The Chesapeake and Ohio Trail runs for 185 miles between Cumberland, MD, and Washington, DC
Kayakers at Great Falls of Potomac
Mark & John at DC mall
Corrie, Mark, & John finishing at the Dubliner Pub in DC
2007 -- Breckenridge to Aspen II
Breckenridge to Edwards, Glenwood Springs, Aspen
3 days, 153 miles
Dave Tarwater, Bob Dover, John Dover, Dan Draper
brother Bob and Dave in Frisco
Dave at Vail Pass
Dave, Bob, John near Aspen
Dan Draper on later trip through Glenwood Canyon, and to Basalt (2 days)
2006 -- Cripple Creek
Denver to Colorado Springs, Cripple Creek, Canon City
3 days riding, 150 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas, Dave Tarwater, Dan Draper, Ted Schultz
Leaving my house in Denver. Dan, Dave, Mark, John.
Siesta for John & Dave in Palmer Lake, after hard, hot, windy ride
John, Dave & Ted at sunrise above Colo Springs
Mark on Gold Camp Road
Dave and John on Gold Camp Rd.
Dave, Mark, John & Ted at St Peter's Dome TH
Cathedral Park near Clyde
Ted in Victor, CO
Leaving Cripple Creek
Window Rock on Shelf Road
Shelf Road looking south towards Canon City (past where I took a nasty fall)
Hill City to Custer, Hill City (via Mystic, Rochford) to Deadwood
2 days, 85 miles
Bob Dover & Michele Hebert, John Dover
John, Michele, and Bob at Hill City trailhead
Michele and Bob going into tunnel
Me and Bob coming out
White-tail deer
End of the line--Deadwood
2005 -- Ireland II
Ennis to Milltown Malbay, (via Cliffs of Moher, Doolin) Lisdoonvarna, Ballyvaughn, (via The Burren) Inishmor Island & Dun Aonghasa, Roundstone, Clifden, Leenane, Westport
9 days riding, 230 miles
John & Melissa
Cleary's Pub (which looked an awfully lot like Mrs. Cleary's house) for music night in Miltown Malby
Lahinch
Melissa at Kylemore Abbey
The Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher
Legendary Gus O'Connor's Pub, Doolin
The Burren
Inishmore, Aran Islands
Dun Aonghasa trail
Dun Aonghasa
A good old-fashioned cèilidh, Inishmore
O'Dowd's seafood restaurant, Roundstone
Clifden
Maum Valley
End of the day at Leenane Hotel
Killary Harbour above Leenane
Rainy ride to Louisburgh
Near Westport and the end of the ride
End of the line--Ennis bike shop
2004 -- Cabin Ride
Larkspur to Colorado Springs, Green Mnt Falls, Tranquil Acres Cabin, Colorado Springs
4 days, 111 miles
1 day with Russell Weisfield, 3 days solo
Russell and John starting near Larkspur
Riding on the Greenland Open Space Trail
New Santa Fe Trail through the Air Force Academy
"Kissing Camels" in Garden of the Gods
My old hometown
Dover's Cloon Cabin in Tranquil Acres
2004 -- Tuscany, Italy
Florence to Siena, San Gimignano, Empoli, Lucca
4 days riding, 135 miles
Solo
Kevin Helliker's wedding in Florence
...and reception at Villa San Michele, Fiesole
My rental bike
Colle's upper town
Piazza del Campo, Siena
View from San Gimignano
Stayed at superb Hotel La Cisterna, Piazza della Cisterna, San Gimignano
Looking back at San Gimignano
near Empoli
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Path on top of Lucca's wall
On the wall
Hill City to Custer, Hill City to Mystic, Deadwood
3 days, 113 miles
John, Melissa and Bryson
Bryson, Melissa, & John about to begin
Mystic trailhead
Boonville to Jefferson City, Hermann, St. Charles
3 days, 170 miles
John, Bob Dover
near Boonville
Les Bourgeois Vineyards lunch
Taking in the local cuisine--Riverfront Bar & Grill, Mokane, MO
The Missouri River, "Big Mo"
2003 -- Breckenridge to Aspen I
Breckenridge to Vail, Eagle, Glenwood Springs, Aspen
5 days, 193 miles
Mark Annas, Dan DeKoven, Bob Dover, John Dover
John & Dan on Vail Pass
John, Dan, Mark in Glenwood Canyon
Bob, John, Dan, Mark in Glenwood Canyon
Mark, Nanette, (Papa) Jun at our Vail condo
2002 -- Spain
Along the Camino de Santiago from Leon to Hospital de Orbigo, Rabanal, Cacabelos, O Cebriero, Portomarin, Arzura, Santiago de Compostela (& La Coruna)
7 days, 233 miles
Mark Annas, Teresa Falagrady, John Dover
Flew to Madrid with my old Trek 930
On the climb to O Cebreiro
the now familiar yellow shell points the way
A rocky section...
A wooded section...
Mark, Teresa, & John at Santiago Cathedral
Which way to the tavern?
Visited Tim Doolittle's home in A Coruna. Irene, me, Tim, Mark, Theresa, and Angela
Attended a bull fight in Leon
2001 -- Ireland I
Limerick to Ennis, Lisdoonvarna, (Cliffs of Moher & Doolin), Miltown Malby Music Festival, Inishmor Island, Roundstone, Leenane, and Westport
8 days, 235 miles
Mark Annas, Bob Dover, Mary Ann Morning, John Dover
Bob, Mary Ann, John, Mark at Dun Aonghasa on Inishmore Island
The Cliffs of Moher
Sixmilebridge
near Leenane
near Westport
Gaelic football
Miltown Malby music festival
near Cashel
John along Killary Fjord
Mark & John, Kylemore Abbey
Ennistymon
Bob, Mark, John, Mary Ann, at our B&B, Roundstone
2000 -- Wisconsin Rail-Trials
(Great River Tr, La Crosse River Tr, Elroy-Sparta Tr, 400 Tr, and Military Tr)
Onalaska (La Crosse) to Trempealeau; Wilton, Reedsburg, Spring Green, Verona (Madison)
5 days, 230 miles
John Dover, brothers Dave and Bob, nephew JR Dover
JR and I with Miss Trempealeau at Catfish Days
Team Dover (Dave, John, JR, Bob)
Pleasant Ridge, WI
Cool tunnel fog on Elroy-Sparta Trail
First trip with my Trek 930 that I bought last year for $550 (which I'm still ride in 2021!)
John on LaCrosse River Trail
Bob on LaCrosse River Trail
Giant bike in Sparta, WI
Loop from Sturgis to Nemo, Keystone (Mt. Rushmore), Legion Lake, Hill City, Deadwood
6 days, 205 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas, Dave Tarwater, John Ruzick
Dave, Mark, John D, John R
Centennial Trail turned out to be more than we bargained for!
Dave pretending to be having fun!
Mt Rushmore
Pigtail bridge & tunnel.
Legion Lake cabins
On the Mickelson Trail
Mickelson Trail tunnel
The ham may have been "a bit rancid" the smokey-voiced old waitress rasped--but we were welcome to send it back if it was (and, of course, it was!)
Polebridge to Whitefish, Big Fork, Swan Lake, Holland Lake, Seely Lake
5 days, 220 miles
Mark A, Dave T, Teresa F, Dave & Robert from Boise, Barry, John (Dad drove)
Dad and Dave shuttling luggage to our rustic cabins
After too many Moose Drool beers last night, a hearty breakfast at the bakery got us going
Time for a dip (Dad & Mark supervising)
We're the little specs up the trail
1998 -- Acadia National Park Maine II
Bar Harbor to Seal Harbor; and BH to Aunt Betty Pond & Eagle Lake
2 day rides
John, Melissa & Bryson
Bryson and John on the carriage trails
Sedalia to New Franklin (via Boonville), Holts Summit, Hermann, St. Charles
4 days, 193 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas, Dave Tarwater, John Ruzick, Mark Shamet, Shannon Minch
John and Shannon
After the fall (caused by a squirrel)
Seaside to Tillamook, Lincoln City, Washburne SP camp (Yachats), North Bend (Coos Bay)
4 days, 240 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas
Camped on beach near Gearhart, OR
Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, OR
Parked Seaside Chamber of Commerce
Mark on the coast
Sandlake Grocery lunch with "Grandma", Cloverdale, OR
Mark and John at the Sea Lion Caves, north of Florence
Just before the Coos Bay bridge
1996 -- Saratoga Hot Springs WY to Granby CO
Saratoga to Walden, (via Willow Cr. Pass) Granby
2 days, 130 miles
John Dover, Dave Tarwater, Larry McKenna
1995 -- Idaho's Salmon River Valley & Yellowstone Full Moon Ride
In Idaho: Galena Pass to Sunbeam, Challis Hot Springs, Salmon, North Bend/Salmon
In Yellowstone NP: 72 mile circle route from Mammoth (via Norris, Canyon, Roosevelt)
5 days, 250 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas
Beginning on the top of Galena Pass, Idaho
Camped on Salmon River, swam in natural hot springs
Sunbeam Cafe
John after firefighting in Clayton, ID
Grand Tetons on the way to Yellowstone NP
Yellowstone full moon ride
John on Dunraven Pass at daybreak
Mark & I were among the last ones to complete the 72-mile loop (11 hours after starting) which began from Mammoth Hot Springs at midnight, but at least we finished (which about one-third of the group did not)!
Ft. Stevens (Astoria) to Barview, Lincoln City, Reedsport, North Bend (Coos Bay)
4 days, 240 miles
John & Melissa Dover, Mark & Elina Annas
Breakfast at Ft. Stevens State Park campground on the morning of the first day of the ride
Mark & Elina Annas, Melissa & John
John on the Oregon Coast
Melissa and Elina
Mel in the forest
1989 -- Saratoga Hot Springs & Snowy Range Pass WY
Saratoga (via Riverside) to CO stateline & back; Saratoga to Laramie
2 days, 160 miles
John & Melissa Dover, Mark & Elina Annas
Medicine Bow National Forest
Museum at Encampment
Saratoga Springs "Hobo" hot pool
1988 -- Acadia National Park Maine I
2 day rides from Bar Harbor to Seal Harbor & Eagle Lake
John & Melissa
Acadia National Park carriage trails
1988 -- Walsenburg CO to Taos NM
Walsenburg (via La Veta pass) to San Luis, Taos
2 days, 130 miles
John Dover, Mark Annas (and 3 guys Mark kind of knew)
Taos Plaza
VERY friendly accommodations--the owner (he) especially liked John
1985 -- Shortyville to Dunning's Longview Cabin
Green Mnt Falls to (via Woodland Park, Deckers) Buffalo Creek CO
1 day, 43 miles
Mark & Elina Annas, John & Melissa Dover
John & Melissa on the way to Deckers, 1985
Melissa and Elena rode with us from our Shortyville cabin to Deckers where they picked up the car, then met us in Buffalo Creek, and drove us to Dunning's cabin
1985 -- Buena Vista to Poncha Springs CO II
Buena Vista (via Salida) to Poncha Pass camp, & back the next day
2 days, 75 miles
Mark Annas, John Dover
Mark
John
1984 -- Buena Vista to Poncha Springs CO I
Buena Vista (via Salida) to Poncha Creek camp, and back the next day
2 days, 75 miles
Mark & Elina Annas, John & Melissa Dover
On my old Schwinn that I purchased used for $15 in 1979
Melissa had a nice Motobecane 10-speed
Melissa at Poncha Creek
Mark & Elina Annas at Poncha Creek camp (1984)