A big country bike ride

WAITSBURG - Four bike riders stopped at Ten Ton Coffee in Waitsburg on their estimated 50-day journey to NYC. Bob Zalnis, Chris Watson, Lucas Murga, and Paul Brazeau began on April 24 after the riders and bikes arrived at the Seattle Airport.

Chris Watson traveled the farthest, from Salisbury, England, to meet up with friends Brazeau and Zalnis from Wisconsin and Murga from California.

The bike adventurers told The Times, "We do this not because it is easy, but because we thought it would be easy."

The quartet invited anyone interested in their journey to follow them on their group page, "A Country Bike Ride," on Facebook.

An interesting anecdote: in 1998, Watson was honored by Queen Elizabeth for his work as project manager on the restoration of Windsor Castle, damaged in a devastating fire in 1992. The repair was completed five years after the fire, in time for the 50th wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip. Watson said he was tasked with presenting the Queen with a ceremonial key for the restored castle on a velvet pillow, then backing away as one never presents their backside to her RH.