Day 25 – Breckenridge, CO to Hartsel, CO

Miles today – 40

Total miles – 1518

So, today is the day.  We will climb from 9,500 feet to an elevation of 11,542 feet.  This promises to be the biggest climbing challenge of the entire ride.  Mark and I will climb about 2,100 feet of elevation over 10 miles.  Going from west to east is considered the “hard side” because it is a steeper grade than coming from east to west.  We started from the front driveway of our aforementioned luxury condo and immediately began the uphill ascent.  The weather was absolutely perfect…cool, blue skies, and no wind in our face.  We couldn’t have order nicer climate for the day.  The first six miles of the climb was fairly gradual and we wondered if this was as bad as it was going to get.  Mark and I talked as we cranked up the mountain. The next four miles were a different story. 

The road became steeper and we encountered a few switchbacks with very sharp turns.  All conversation stopped as we focused on breathing the thinning air trying to get enough oxygen to our lungs and brain.  At one point a deer (8 point buck, actually) ran across the road in front of us and all Mark could get out was “look…deer…horns”.  I didn’t tell Mark before starting the day that I had set a secret objective to do the climb without stopping.  Head down we continued to climb.  Finally, we completed the last three hairpin turns and spotted the sign for the Continental Divide.  With a final burst of adrenalin, we sprinted to the top.  We got there just as another cyclist coming up the other side also arrived.  This is good because we needed somebody to take pictures.  He introduced himself as Phil and told us that this was his forth time across the Hoosier Pass.  I asked him where he was from and he said Carlisle, PA…I grew up in Camp Hill, PA which is about 15 miles away.  He was a strong rider and was waiting for his wife and another couple he was riding with to reach the summit.  So, he took a few pictures for us while he waited.

Having spent a while enjoying the summit and our accomplishment, we decided to descend the other side and move on to our final destination of Hartsel.  Mark and I both reached speeds of 47 mph…we had earned the thrill by completing the climb.  What’s the old saying?  “Faster, Faster…until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death!”

The remainder of the ride to Hartsel was fast.  It was mostly a gradual decline in elevation and we cruised at speeds between 18 and 25 mph almost the entire way to Hartsel.  We passed a field where a herd of “beefalo” were grazing.  These animal are specially bred (cow and buffalo) and raised for their meat.

Hartsel is a small whistle stop of a town but we had a few interesting encounters there. 

First we came upon Dorothy’s Homemade Tamales.  I love tamales and good ones are hard to find so that was our first stop.  I ate a pork and green pepper tamale and Mark tried a Buffalo tamale, both with homemade chili sauce.  We bought a few takeouts for appetizers tonight. 

 When Donna arrived to transport us back to our luxury condo (did I mention our luxury condo?), we decided to have a proper lunch next door.  That’s were we met Jim Thompson from New Mexico.  Jim was wearing cyclist attire so we engaged him in conversation.  As it turns out, he was part of the Continental Divide race that I mentioned in an earlier blog.  These guys are crazy.  Jim was riding a custom Gary Fisher mountain bike with minimal gear.  He was wearing the same clothing for the 40 days it will take him to complete the race.  He covers an average of 145 miles per day on dirt roads and trails and sleeps on the ground with no tent.  And you think I’m nuts?  Donna gave him some water and Mark and I shared our Shot Blocks.  You’d have thought we had given him rare gems.  I updated him on the Italian team that bonked in Rawlins and we parted ways wishing each other a safe ride.

Donna drove us back to Breckenridge.  As we drove the Hoosier Pass in the car, Mark and I marveled at what we had achieved today.

David

June 29, 2009

Day 24 = Kremmling, CO to Breckenridge, CO

Miles today – 52

Total miles - 1478

After a night in our luxury condo, Carolyn drove Mark and me out to Kremmling so we can ride back to Breckenridge.  Those are the rules.  We have to start each day where we left off the day before.  We got out to Kremmling at about 9:00 am so it was a bit of a late start.  The original plan was to ride 43 miles to Frisco but Mark and I felt we could probably get back to Breckenridge. We were riding a lot of hills today.  Kremmling is at 7,500 feet and Breckenridge is at 8,800 feet so we had a mostly uphill day.  We started strong and averaged 13 mph for the first 25 miles so we arrived in Silverthorne for lunch and decided that finishing in Breckenridge was a no-brainer.  We climbed into Dillon and found the trail that circumnavigates the Dillon Reservoir.

This trail winds wildly up and down through the pine trees that border the lake and is very useful when trying to make the connection between Dillon and Frisco. 

There is an elaborate trail system around Frisco and I have to say that it is a bit confusing.  The local map stations are not clearly marked so Mark and I ended up on Route 9 then walked our bikes across a marshy field to rejoin the trail to Breckenridge.  As is typical here, the weather was great in the morning and as we approached Breckenridge the sky turned dark and threatening.  We were able to climb into town to the bike shop across the street from our condo where Mark arranged to have his wheels trued up and a few other adjustments made in preparation for our big climb tomorrow morning.

We hit the grocery store and cooked in tonight.  Then Mark and I used the hot tub to ease some of the day’s muscle soreness.

David

June 28, 2009   

Day 23 – Rand, CO to Kremmling, CO

Miles today – 58

Total Miles – 1426

Donna drove Mark and me down to the hard surfaced road from the Whispering Elk Ranch and we set off to climb Willow reek Pass.  We would cross the Continental Divide once more, this time at 9,621.  We were both a bit apprehensive because this was to be the highest peak so far.  The morning weather was perfect, sunny cool and blue skies. We began experiencing some rolling hills then a fairly steady climb up a 6% grade.  Before we knew it we had reached the summit without much effort. 

On the descent down the other side, we saw a moose and some dramatic rock formations,

We realized that the remainder of the day was mostly down hill and that we would be arriving in Kremmling ahead of schedule.  We stopped in Hot Sulphur Springs and had a very leisurely lunch, then rode on.  The ride from Parshall, CO toward Kremmling was one of the most beautiful of the trip.  We rode downhill into a stiff wind through a canyon of rock cliffs rising on both sides of the road and the Colorado River running swiftly below us.  It simply doesn’t get too much better than this.

Fighting the wind the rest of the way into Kremmling, we arrived at about 2:30.  We finally had cell phone reception and called Mark’s wife, Caroline to pick us up.  She was at a rodeo in Walden with their two kids, Michael and Jilly but it only took her about 45 minutes to arrive and drive us to Breckenridge where we would spend the next few nights.  Rather than moving every day, we decided to spend the next four nights in Breckenridge which will require Donna or Caroline shuttling us out to our starting point each day.  So, tomorrow we will be driven back to Kremmling and we will ride back to Breckenridge.  It’s worth the hassle to be able to stay in Breckenridge.  My friend and fellow Arthritis Foundation Board Member, Frank Kelly donated a beautiful three bedroom condo at the top of Main Street in town.  After some of the “rustic” places we have stayed, this place is a paradise.  I don’t suspect I will enjoy this kind of luxury for the rest of the trip.  Thanks, Frank.

The cabin we had last night has a small step down into the bathroom.  Donna warned everybody to be careful, then proceeded to miss the step herself, twisting her ankle which now is swollen and she is having trouble getting around.  Breckenridge is a great walking town but it doesn’t look like Donna will get to see much of it this “trip”. 

I couldn’t post pictures of Whisper Elk Ranch last night because we had a weak signal so I’ll post a few now.  Here's the now infamous Tom (sitting next to me) and Paul from Cincinnati,

 Here is the entrance to Whispering Elk and what the skies have looked like for  the past few days (when it wasn't raining).

I really enjoy your comments on the  blogs so keep them coming.

David

June 27, 2009

Day 22 – Encampment, WY to Rand CO

Miles today – 70

Total miles to 1368

I knew today was going to be a challenge.  It had rained during the evening and more rain was predicted to.  Colorado has had drought conditions for many years and much has been said about how much rain they had been getting.  Of course, the 20 year drought ends the year I decide to ride my bike through the state.  The morning began under overcast skies but perfect weather for riding.  My friends Tom and Paul were having breakfast as I rolled out of town at 8:00 am.  Just over the bridge, I was startled by two deer standing next to the road.  About 50 yards down the road, a dead tree was the perch for about 15 huge buzzards.

The morning proceeded normally as I crossed the Border into Colorado. I thought I would catch lunch in Cowdrey, CO but when I got there at noon I discovered that there was no restaurant.  So, it was on to Walden.  Six miles from Walden, the skies opened and I just barely got on my rain gear before the cold rains came.  I rode the remainder of the way into Walden in a downpour.  Donna was waiting for me at the River Rock Café and we had a nice lunch but I couldn’t stop shivering.  I went into the men’s room and wrung out my socks and dried off with paper towels.

OK, here is the freaky story of the day.  My friend Mark Matje is meeting me tonight in Rand and will ride with me for the next 4 days.  Mark came out to Boulder, CO a few days early to work with a client.  Todd, the guy he was working with noticed that Mark had a bike on his rental car and asked about it.  Mark told him about my trip across America and Todd mentioned that his uncle Tom was also riding across America and it sounded like he would be in the same cities as I was in. Mark, remembering that I had met a “Tom” during my ride asked if Uncle Tom was from Cincinnati.  Todd said, “How did you know?”  Too weird.  I meet Tom from Cincinnati while riding.  My friend, Mark works with a guy in Boulder whose uncle is the same Tom.  This stuff happens to me all of the time.  Mark called me just before I was ready to depart Walden to tell me this story.

I have to say that it was very difficult to get back onto the bike knowing that I had 20 more miles of hilly road between me and a warm cabin.  About half way to Rand, the rain stopped.  I stopped to talk with David and his son Chris from Tennessee who are westbounders.   We talked about the wind (in my face, again) and the fact that Colorado roads have no shoulders.  Route 125 has a 65 mph speed limit and no shoulders for bikes.  This requires cyclists to ride the “white line” and hope they are visible to traffic.

I finally arrived in Rand and Donna met me at the base of the dirt road that went 4 miles into the valley to the Whispering Elk Ranch, our home for the night.

David

June 26, 2009

Day 21 (Three weeks on the road) – Rawlins, WY to Encampment, WY

Miles today – 60

Total miles – 1298

I know that I had told many people before I left on this trip that I like to stay at unusual places and that stating at a Holiday Express would be viewed as a failure.  Last night I stayed at the Holiday Express in Rawlins.  When they heard that I was riding across the country for the Arthritis Foundation, they gave us the suite for the same price of a regular room.  The suite had a separate room with a Jacuzzi and a flat screen TV.  It was great so I take back what I said previously…staying at the Holiday Express was definitely not a failure. They had a great spread for breakfast and I was on the road at 8:15.

Leaving Rawlins, you are required to ride up the entrance ramp to I–80 then turn onto an access road that goes through Sinclair, WY.  I hadn’t seen a Sinclair gas station for years until I got in Montana and Wyoming.  I remember Dino the dinosaur in commercials when I was a kid in the 50’s. Then the gas stations disappeared from the east coast. Sinclair, WY is the sight of a large refinery.

After passing through Sinclair, cyclists are required to get on I-80 for a harrowing 13 miles with traffic whizzing by at 75 mph.  The shoulder is wide and debris is surprisingly little so the ride really isn’t that bad.  I have developed the following ranking for driver courtesy and willingness to yield to cyclist based on my experience so far:

Most courteous – Long Haul Truck drivers and any vehicle with a sport rack for bikes and/or kayaks.  The long haul truckers may surprise you but it is true that they will almost always move far to the left and yield to cyclist.  Thanks, long haul truckers.

Less courteous – Local truckers and passenger cars.  These guys have developed a little attitude about cyclist on the road but they aren’t directly threatening.

Oblivious – Those people that think it is a good idea to pay $500,000 for a luxury “motor coach” then pull a full size car behind it because they can’t drive the motor coach around town after they dock the darn thing at the RV park.  These folks will never move left for a cyclist.  The craziest one or these that I have seen, and I’m not making this up, was a huge motor coach pulling a full size SUV that was pulling a trailer with a golf cart on it.  Are these people for real? Take all that money and travel to Europe for heaven’s sake.

Downright rude – Some construction and service workers and guys driving large pick up trucks that have been jacked up to accommodate oversized wheels.  These guys have testosterone issues…thus the big trucks that attempt to make up for other obvious inadequacies.

I’m just sayin’…

I hopped off I-80 and stopped at the gas station in Walcott (population 30) at 10:00 am to take a conference call. So, here I am standing in a gas station in Walcott on my cell phone with people from Boston, San Diego and Germany trying to nail down a deal…pretty cool.

I turned off of I-80 onto Rt 130.  The side road off 130 is called Rattlesnake Junction.  Over the next 3 miles, I passed seven dead rattlesnakes on the roadside.  It's like the snakes could read and knew where their juction was.

Route 130 leads to the little hamlet of Saratoga, WA which sits on the Platte River.  Donna met me there and we sat on the deck of a small restaurant, J. W. Hugus, and had lunch as the swollen river sped past.   All of the rivers and streams are running high because of the snow melt and recent rains here.  (It’s raining again as I write this.)  I took another conference call at 1:00 as Donna proceeded to Riverside and Encampment to scope out a place to stay.  Riverside began its life as a shipping center for the copper mines that used to dot the landscape of the nearby Sierra Madre Mountain Range. It was originally named Dogget, however, when people began calling it Dog-town, the citizens decided that Riverside would be a more suitable, less corruptible name for their home.
Riverside lies on the banks of the Encampment River, a popular attraction for fisherman, rafters, and kayakers.  I had previously checked out Riverside places to stay on Google and found the Riverside Garage and Cabins which sounded “unique”.  I arrived in town under threatening skies and sure enough, Donna had found the place and booked us into the Cowboy Cabin.

I quickly changed into street clothing and we hurried up to the Grand Encampment Museum.  The museum is really a village of buildings that have been moved to this location.  One of the buildings is a two story outhouse which was made necessary by heavy snow falls in the mining camp.  When the snow covered the first level, miners could climb stairs to the second level.  The seats on the first level were removed so that the waste could drop below.  I bet Spring clean up was really fun. Lucas, a local high school student, did a great job of guiding us through the local history

We walked across the street to the Bear Trap Café and had the best dinner of the trip.  Margaret from Seattle bought the place last year and has really turned it around.  I have a long day’s ride, mostly uphill, tomorrow so I will sign off.

David

June 25, 2009

Day 20 – Jeffery City, WY to Rawlins, WY

Miles today – 67

Total Miles – 1238

The stay at our motel last night was “interesting” as I described yesterday. Before we retired for the evening, I was charged with killing as many of the mosquitoes that I could locate in the room. Here are some pictures of our accommodations so you can get a real feel for the place.

Here's a picture of Kenneth (Sweden) on the left and Mathew (Netherlands) on the right.

We also met Paul and Tom from Cincinnati.  They were kayaking buddies and decided one day that riding across America might be fun.  So, here they were following the Adventure Cycling Association Transamerica route eastbound like me.  Paul was riding a recumbent bike pulling a trailer.  He was struggling a bit with the hills and wind but seemed to be managing.  Tom was on a more traditional bike with panniers.  I left them after breakfast and don’t know if I’ll see them again.

Jeffery City was a boomtown after the discovery of uranium.  At one point there were over 5,000 residents…now there are 50.  Donna and I had an early breakfast over at the Split Rock Café with Mathew and Kenneth.  They were heading west and at 8:00 am I started east toward Rawlins.  It was a beautiful morning and the weather was perfect. I was down to a light jersey very early.  I had a friendly wind at my back so covered the first 25 miles in two hours including some stops.  There is a rock outcropping called Split Rock.  Pioneers moving west used this as a landmark on the Oregon Trail because it could be seen for miles.  It is estimated that over 500,000 people used the Oregon Trail when coming from all points east to lay claim and settling the west.

My bike route turned south and started a gradual climb.  Now the wind was in my face…wind in my face while pedaling uphill…not my favorite combination but it builds character so I dropped to the lower handlebar position and forged on.  The map showed that I would be crossing the Continental Divide twice today which indicates more climbing.  At the end of the day I would have crossed the Divide five times in three days.  For those who may not know, the Continental Divide is a series of mountain ranges that extend from Banff, Canada to New Mexico.  The Divide is defined by water drainage.  Geologists determined that if you poured a bucket of water on the west side of the mountain it would flow eventually to the Pacific Ocean.  If you poured the water on the east side, it would flow to the Atlantic. Occasionally, we ran across a group of cyclists riding radical mountain bikes and learned that they were in a race on mountain roads that are on the crest of the Divide.  They were racing in teams of two and we met teams from Italy, US and UK although there were more.  We learned today from a local Rawlins resident that a friend had found both members of the Italian team on a dirt road near Rawlins.  One rider was on the ground and both were suffering from heat stroke.  She took them both to the local hospital.  As I said, it was hot today.  Good thing I know how important it is to hydrate…drink early and often. I fill my water bottles at every opportunity.

We were also warned that we were riding through rattlesnake country.  We should be careful when leaving the road to watch were we stepped.  I didn’t see any snakes today and that’s just fine with me…I’m not a big fan of snakes in general.  I did see pronghorn elk today.  One ran along the road beside me for awhile then darted across the road behind me.

I was thinking about my time with the cyclist I have met from Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands.  When you are on the road, you tend to become friends very quickly.  There is no time for pretense because you will spend a brief time and then probably never see each other again.  It occurred to me that we are all ambassadors and that how we treat each other will create lasting impressions that represent our countries.  None of the cyclist I had met so far had ever been in the States before and they were now encountering its diversity in a dramatic way.   All of them commented on how many Americas there really are and how different rural, suburban and city America is.  I look forward to meeting more international friends along the way.

David

June 24, 2009

Day 19 - Lander, WY to Jeffery City, WY

Miles today – 58

Total miles – 1171

Because I only needed to do 58 miles today I decided to work in the morning while I had an internet connection.  I got on the road at 9:30.  The first 13 miles out of Lander were not very scenic as I pedaled up and down some rolling hills.  This is the first warm weather that I have encountered.  Not trusting that it was really warm, I bundled up a bit too much and so had to stop and “de-layer” at about mile 14 where the scenery tuned again to dramatic red rock.  But that only lasted for about five miles and I found myself pedaling through a very desolate valley populated by cows and sagebrush. I was running out of water when Donna circled back from her exploration of points East to check on my progress and report that Jeffery City shouldn’t be called a city and that the “motel” shouldn’t be called a motel.  With all due respect, the owner had just bought the place and was slowly fixing it up.  Our room was one of the few that had working AC and power to the unit was supplied by and extension cord that ran to a plug socket outside of our room.  Water was supplied to the shower by color-coded hoses, red for hot and blue for cold, that ran along the floor and somehow mysteriously connected to the tub.

When we arrived, we met Mathew from the Netherlands and Kenneth from Stockholm, Sweden. Both were riding solo and were Westbounders.  In the Transamerica cycling world there are Eastbounders and Westbounders.  I’m an Eastbounder.   Mathew is a retired engineer and Kenneth is a member of the Stockholm symphony.  Don’t you meet the most interesting people on a bike trip?  Both are avid touring cyclists and have been all over the world on bicycles. They weren’t riding together but just happened to also land at our motel at the same time.  Donna knew that Kenneth was rolling in because she had spotted him earlier in the day while exploring and had “stopped to see if he needed anything”.  Isn’t that a classic Donna move?  She was probably going to whip up a few meatballs and a little pasta.  We all walked over the Split Rock Bar and Café where Kenneth reported that his room has no electricity so he is using his battery powered head mounted camping light to navigate to his bathroom at night.  Also his AC doesn’t work.  Mathew reported that he has no water in his sink and that only cold water runs in his shower.  Donna and I must have the deluxe suite because we have hot and cold running water and AC. 

Both Mathew and Kenneth shared stories about their rides adventures and warned me that I was destined to become an addict as well after this trip.  We’ll just have to wait and see.

We have no internet or cell phone reception here so I am sitting, with Fay’s permission, using her wifi at the café.  I don’t have pictures loaded on my computer of the motel but promise to post some tomorrow because you really need to see this place to appreciate that we actually stayed here.

Fay opens at 6:00 am for breakfast so I’ll probably get an early start to Rawlins, WY tomorrow.

David

June 23, 2009

Day 18 Dubois, WY to Lander, WY

Miles today 75

Total Miles 1113

John, Megan, Donna and I planned an early breakfast so I could get on the road but we were having a good time so didn’t finish until 8:30 am.  I knew I had 70+ miles to ride but it was mostly downhill to Lander, the county seat.  John and Megan were heading for Jackson Hole to spend two days before heading home.  Donna hung around in Dubois then headed out to scout for hotels in Lander.

Remember my rating system for the day?  Well, they don’t get much better than this one. The start of my day was mostly downhill on a very nice shoulder with almost no traffic and the wind at my back through a dramatic red rock landscape. 

I finished the first 20 miles in one and fifteen minutes.  At about 10:30 Donna spotted me on the road on her way to Lander. I was half way done with the day already.  I entered the Wind River Indian reservation and on the horizon saw the Crowheart Butte which dominates the skyline for much of the ride.  Chief Washakie and the Shoshoni Indians fought the Crow Indians for hunting rights in this area.  The Shoshoni were victorious and Chief Washakie displayed a Crow warrior’s heart on his lance in celebration of the victory.  Everything in the area is now labeled Crowheart including the butte.

I cruised through the day until I was 8 miles outside of Lander and the previously friendly wind turned meanly into my face. Because my odometer had died I had no idea how fast (slow) I was going but my guess is that it took me an hour to cover the 8 miles finally rolling into town around 2:00 pm.  I needed a few bike parts but the bike shop was closed so I stopped at the Radio Shack next door to buy batteries for my bike computer. 

I have discovered something about myself and my relationship with my bike computer…I am obsessed and it reduces my riding enjoyment.  Because my batteries had died, I had no way of knowing how many miles I had ridden or how many miles to the day’s finish.  I didn’t know what gear I was in.  I lost track of my total miles for the trip and the total distance ridden on my bike since I bought it. Not having this data drove me crazy and reminded me how German I can be at times. Traveling without this data for two days taught me that none of it was that important and, in fact, could detract from simply riding from point A to point B without data. I was going to ride the distance anyway.  Why do I feel the need to measure every mile and be reminded of how far I had to go? Just go! Lesson learned, the first thing I did when I reached civilization was buy new batteries for the computer.  I had lost all trip data so far and I had to reset all of the settings on the computer after putting in the new batteries.  I got to my room and immediately called Shimano technical support to help me recalibrate all of the settings.  The computer is up and running and I was able to set the trip mileage total.  Yeah, I’m glad I learned that lesson about myself and, man, am I glad I have my computer back.  

David

June 22, 2009

Day 17 Togwotee Mountain Lodge to Dubois, WY

Miles today 46

Total miles 1038

John and I decide to do a light day because it was Father’s Day and we deserved it so we started a 9:00 am after a buffet breakfast at the lodge.  Today was John’s last day with me and we will cross the Continental Divide for the forth time in three days.  The temperature was 40 degrees when we started the climb to the highest peak of the trip so far…Togwotee Pass at elevation 9,658 feet.  John found out that they sold small oxygen canisters at the lodge store so he bought one for each of us. The air really thins out at 7,000 feet and can become a real problem at 9,000 feet when you are involved in strenuous exercise.  As we started out my odometer decided to die.  I never realized how obsessed I was with my odometer until it quit.  I was freaked out that I couldn't’t track our progress but the show must go on so we pressed on. We climbed for 8 miles (according to mile markers) and the temperature began to drop below 40 degrees.  Using mile markers, I briefly celebrated hitting the 1,000 mile mark. Only 3,200 miles to go!  We finally reached the top of Togwotee Pass without the use of oxygen.  The ground is completely snow covered and today is the first day of summer…strange. Did I say this would be a light day?  John decided to take a hit of his oxygen despite the fact that we had already summitted.  He popped the top, pressed the release button and inhaled deeply.  He looked at me kinda funny and said, “I think I hear Led Zepplin.”

When we had hit the crest, the Pinnacles came into view.  This is a mountain comprised of impressive rock towers that soar above the pass.  We began a steep descent along the Wind River.  I stopped to talk to Dave from New Jersey who was peddling randomly around the West looking for a job.  He was riding a road bike with a BOB trailer…I’ve seen a lot of trailers being used on cross country rides.  On the way down we saw a solo elk cross the road and she waited until we stopped along side the road to admire her before she loped into the woods. The temperature did not get warmer.  John’s fingers became numb even in his full fingered gloves.  I couldn't’t feel my toes for awhile.

The road down to Dubois is almost all down hill so we rolled into town at about 2:30 pm.  To our surprise,the landscape changes to striated red rock, similar to Arizona.  In some areas we saw the red rock on one side and the now familiar gray granite on the other side of the road.  Since Donna and Megan were in Jackson Hole for the day, John and I had a nice late lunch at Paya and then visited the Dubois Museum to kill some time.  We learned about the logging industry that supported the economy of this region for many years.  Then I took a ride on a jackalope...yee haw!

The girls arrived from Jackson about 4:00 so we had happy hour on the deck behind our cabin which sits right on the banks of the Wind River.  We had heard from a local about a luau that was being held at The Sundance restaurant parking lot with a band.  This had to be good…a luau in Dubois, WY on Father’s Day.  How could we not experience that?  The luau consisted of a grilled hamburger and a bag of chips and lots of local brewery beers to choose from.  The band was fun and we danced a bit and talked with some of the locals.  Here I met Bill and Billy Garnick.  Bill is 97 years old and his wife, Billy is 90.  They have been married for 67 years and own a local dude ranch called the Triangle C.  The property is 2,700 acres and at one time they had over 100 horses.  What an amazing couple.  Half the people at the luau were their children and grandchildren.  During the luau, dark clouds formed and it began to rain.  Suddenly there was a commotion and everybody’s attention turned to the sky where the most amazing double arch rainbow appeared.  We have never seen two complete arches that touched the ground on both sides and displayed all of its colors.  I took this to be a good omen for my ride but actually it meant that it was raining (again) but the sun was shining.  Everybody agreed that this was the most amazing rainbow that anybody had ever seen.  The picture can't begin to capture the beauty and colors.

I must mention that Donna and Megan have had their own adventure.  While John and I were biking yesterday, they decided to rent a canoe at Jenny Lake. Picture two babes from Philadelphia in heeled sandals and fashionable dress jumping into a canoe.  John and I laughed but they canoed out and spotted a moose with a calf.  They returned prematurely to the dock when the sky opened up and they were drenched by a cool summer shower.  John and I dubbed them McAhonatis and Shueyjewea.

We are staying at the Trails End Motel…rustic knotty pine rooms overlooking the Wind River.  Tammy and Scott, the owners are very nice and customer friendly.  Tomorrow John and Megan head for Jackson Hole for an R&R day then home.  Donna will stay with me and provide sag wagon support for five more days until my friends Mark and Caroline join us for a few days in the Rockies.

David

June 21, 2009

Day 16 Grant Village, WY to Moran Junction, WY

Miles today 60

Total miles 992

John and I had bought breakfast supplies at the Grant Village store because the restaurant didn’t open until 9:00 am and we wanted to get started around 8:00 am.  It was a beautiful morning and most of our ride was to be down hill and out of the South Entrance of Yellowstone.  The day was uneventful and we stopped at Flagg Range for a late morning snack and to buy some Off bug spray.  We had stopped at Moose Falls; a little know but quite impressive water falls.  Our visit was cut short by a vicious attack of mosquitoes.  While we were taking pictures, I looked down at my leg and it was covered with at least 50 mosquitoes.  We ran back to our bikes and headed to Flagg Range to buy repellent.

We stopped for lunch at Leeks Marina, surprisingly good.  As we were preparing to leave, the skies turned black.  We started to ride up the access road as thunder and lightening hit so we decided to return to the marina and wait it out a bit.  There we learned from a local that our hotel was not really at Moran Junction but 16 miles up the side of a mountain.  John said that the name should have been a clue…the Togwotee Mountain Lodge. The rain continued and the wind turned into our face as we climbed to the lodge.  Donna and Megan met us there and after a much needed hot shower and happy hour, we dined at the lodge restaurant.  I ate the Wyoming Grill entrée which was elk and bison meat…just another way to enjoy the local animals.

The day was fairly uneventful and tomorrow we continue a climb to 9,200 feet then a long descent to Dubois, WY...afairly easy day in celebration of Fatther's Day.

I got a question a few days ago from a friend wondering about my saddle. I bought a Brookes saddle (bicycle seat) because I was told that it is the ultimate seat for touring. It cost more than my first good bike but I decided that if my butt was going to be in that saddle for over 4,000 miles, I would spare no expense.  My friend wanted to know if the saddle was all that it was cracked up to be (pun intended).  Yes, it is if maintained properly.  The saddle consists of a slab of high quality leather over an old fashion seat frame.  After each use, you are required to rub the saddle with Profide which is a wax compound that softens the leather and allows the seat to shape and conform to the contour of your derriere. This all works great unless the seat is on the post a bit crooked which is what happened to me when the bike was assembled before the start of the ride.  I didn’t notice this until 5 days into the ride and my left butt cheek had several blisters on it.  Over time I have developed calluses and I believe that my butt now looks like a slab of teriyaki beef jerky.  I haven’t tried to look because I really don’t want to and I can’t figure out a safe way to accomplish this.  Standing on the sink seems dangerous, so I will just need to use my imagination.

David

June 20, 2009

Day 15 – West Yellowstone, MT to Grant Village, WY

Miles today 55

Total Miles 932

My friend John McEnroe and I emerged at 6:45 am from our cabins at Hibernation Station and were greeted by a frost covered West Yellowstone.  We both decided that this was a “long pants” day. So we bundled up a bit and headed into town for eggs, pancakes and coffee.  We discussed the day that lay ahead.  We knew that we would be crossing the Continental Divide twice and the elevation would exceed any of the passes I had ridden so far.  John had rented a carbon fiber Trek road bike for the three days he would be riding with me.  It weighs about four pounds and is set up for racing so john wasn’t going to be troubled by the hills.  I need to mention that the bike is purple and white, a source of embarrassment and potential future constant ridicule.  I had covered this same territory about five years ago and remembered the climbs.

So, into the West Entrance to Yellowstone were rode, stopping to pay the $12 bike park fee to the smiling Park Ranger who asked me if I was eligible for the senior discount.  I can’t write the words that went through my mind because kids read this blog.  On we rode to Madison and made the right turn toward Old Faithful.  We rode on narrow shoulders along the Madison River and remarked on the damage that fires had done to this area years ago. New growth is coming back with a vengeance which is great to see. 

Suddenly ahead cars were stopping on the roadway, a sure sign that there was something to see.  As John and I approached we saw a huge bison walking and grazing next to the road.  This was up close and personal…check out the picture of John and the Bison to get a feel for how close we were.  What a magnificent creature.  At one time there were 60,000,000 bison in the West, the largest hoofed animal population in America.  Indians hunted bison for food, fur and made tools from bones.  When settlers came west, they began a slaughter.  They killed bison for sport and left their carcasses to rot.  In 1889, the bison population was reduced to 541, all but extinct.  The slaughter was halted by the federal Government and the bison have been successfully repopulating North America.  We saw several herds later in the day lazily grazing.  They only eat grass but can reach weights of 1500 pounds…on a salad diet.

This will give you an idea of how close...that's my friend, John (the one on the left).

After stopping at the paint pots and smaller geysers, Old Faithful was our next destination.  We got there just as the geyser had put on its show.  It “erupts” every 90 minutes so we had a wait but it was lunchtime so we visited the old lodge which is a huge impressive log building and headed to the cafeteria to grab a quick lunch.  While at lunch, I tried to call Donna because there is no cell phone reception anywhere in Yellowstone except for the Old Faithful area.  Turns out she and Megan were outside and ready to watch the geyser so we joined them.  Old Faithful has been erupting ever 90 minutes for centuries…thus the name.  Impressive and again, a reminder that we were actually standing in the caldron of a huge volcano.

The girls took off in the car and John and I were left to face the challenging ride over the twin peaks.  The first climb is Craig Peak which tops out at 8,261 feet above sea level.  John was climbing strongly on his purple bike and I, head down, slugged it out.  At the top we took pictures of us with self satisfied grins on our faces.  We took a quick descent into a small valley then began climbing again.  This time we would need to reach an elevation of 8,391 before we could earn another grin.  Again, john out-climbed me but I always caught him on the descent.  John likes to go up hills fast and down hills slowly.  I like to go up hills slowly and go down hills fast.  On average we are compatible.  yep, that's snow on the ground behind the sign. Note John's fast purple bike.

The day ended with a quick descent into Grant Village were we will stay in dormitory-like rooms…no TV or air conditioning…which is true of almost all of the properties inside Yellowstone Park.

Tomorrow the Grand Tetons, one of my favorite places on earth.

David

June 19, 2009

Day 14 – Ennis, MT to West Yellowstone, MT

Miles today – 73

Total miles – 877

I woke up this morning and checked the weather by stepping outside my door.  The previous night’s rain had stopped.  It was chilly and cloudy but looked like it would be a nice day.  Because my motel didn’t offer a full breakfast, my plan was to get an early start and ride 11 miles to Cameron for breakfast.  My map showed full services were available there.  As I walked my bike out of the gravel driveway, I noticed that the motel did offer a continental breakfast so I turned around and went into the cozy office and ate a muffin and drank a cup of coffee.  I figured that would hold me until I got to Cameron. I had a brief conversation with some nice folks from Georgia and was on my way. I was right about the morning. It was perfect riding weather and soon I had my heavy jacket off.

The trouble began when I got to Cameron and found absolutely nothing there.  The store and RV park were closed and offered for sale.  Nobody was having breakfast here anytime soon.  Then I realized that I was entering a wilderness area with no food service for about the next 30 miles.  I began taking inventory of what I had with me…2 packets of goo, 1 small bag of almonds, two small containers of peanut butter that I had taken from the Best Western breakfast buffet 2 days before and two bottles of water and a packet of gum.  The gum gave me hope that I would be OK because I consider gum a major food group.  Doesn’t everybody?  Deciding to preserve my store, I pedaled on, eventually arriving at a small village with a restaurant call the Grizzly Bar and Grill (Grizzly Bar, I get it). Oh boy, a real breakfast I thought, until I saw the sign, “Open For Dinner Only”.  OK, time to breakout the food.  So, there I was standing next to the road trying to suck all of the peanut butter out of those two little plastic tubs while trying not to lacerate my lips and tongue.  Then I downed a strawberry goo and drank some water. Now, that’s the way to satisfy a man-size hunger.  I headed east again hoping I could find something more satisfying to eat.

Then, of course, the rain clouds gathered. I felt a few drops so I stopped to put on the rain gear.  It was then that I noticed the elk standing in the field looking at me and wondering what I was doing.  If that elk knew how hungry I was, I bet she wouldn’t have stuck around so long.  The rain came but wasn’t too bad.

At about mile 42 I came upon a little fly fishing shop.  Food?  Worms and grubs for lunch I wondered?  Inside, a nice young man directed to a small room that had two beverage coolers and, yes, granola bars.  I stocked up, drank a Dr Pepper on his nice porch and headed east again knowing now that I would not starve.  I climbed to 8,000 ft without really noticing because it was so gradual past Earthquake Lake.  This lake did not exist prior to 1959 when an earthquake brought down the side of a mountain and blocked the Madison River.  As the valley began to flood, the Army Corp of Engineers opened a small spillway relieving some of the water but the lake remains. 23 people died in the quake, a reminder that this entire area sits on one of the largest volcanoes in the world and is very unstable.

My wife, Donna and our friends John and Megan McEnroe met me in West Yellowstone after a long travel day for them. We had a nice dinner in town and crashed early at our cabins at Hibernation Station.  Tomorrow John and I will ride Yellowstone. Donna and Megan will carry my gear in the car so it will be a treat to ride a light bike for a few days.

David

June 18, 2009

Day 12 – Wisdom, MT to Dillon, MT

Miles today – 67

Total miles – 731

Today the bicycle gods paid me back for my perseverance yesterday.  I had a great ride under silver nimbus clouds through Big Hole Valley. It is difficult to describe and impossible to photograph the expanse and beauty of this area of Montana. Home of some enormous ranches, the area is known for the quality of its hay, cattle and horses.

I started early, leaving my Spanish friends and Kristen/Mark still sleeping. Adios and safe travels.  Rodrigo invited me to Spain for a ride. At least that's what I think he said.  Maybe I will.  I hope to see Mark and Kristen again because they are using the Adventure Cycling Association route but have planned side trips so maybe not.  It was chilly this morning when I headed out of town.  I rode for an hour without seeing another car/truck…rush hour in Wisdom.  After 18 miles, I rolled into the small town of Jackson, MT and started looking for a cup of coffee.  Jackson’s population is listed as 38 on my ACA map so, I didn’t have high expectations.  I almost passed the Jackson Hot Springs Lodge. It looked like it might serve coffee so, I braked and turned around, stowed my bike on the porch and wandered in.  A huge log and pinewood “great room” greets you as you enter.  There are more than enough dead animal heads on the walls to keep several taxidermists busy for years.  I’m talking moose, elk, rams, buffalo…big animals all staring down at me while I tried to enjoy the free cup of coffee that the proprietor offered me.  And yes, they have a real hot spring that feeds a pool.  This looks like a great place to stay if you happen to be in Jackson, MT.

I knew that I had two passes to summit today and the first climb began shortly after leaving Jackson.  First a few practice hills then the road begins to climb perpendicular to a small mountain.  Approaching the foothill, the road takes a right turn and proceeds up the side of the mountain.  This is Big Hole Pass and it’s actually higher than Chief Joseph at 7,360 feet above sea level but is easier to climb because you are starting at a higher point.  (Oh, and it wasn’t cold and raining.) I developed a new strategy for long hills.  It is similar to being in a high place and somebody says, “Just don’t look down.”  My new coping mechanism is, “Just don’t look up.”  I put my head down and climb because I know if I look up I will be discouraged by the amount of ground I need to cover.  I’m sure that there is a lesson in life here, some metaphor for a management book. I just can’t think of it right now.  I’ll let you know if it comes to me.

The ride down the other side was an adrenalin rush.  I hit a new top speed of 46.8 mph. If you yell, “yee haw” at the top of your lungs and nobody hears you, are you still a geek? Wow, that was fun. And yes, Donna, dangerous too…but here I am.

The next climb was Badger Pass which is only 6,760 feet above sea level but it was longer and therefore required more “head down, don’t look up” time.  I climbed the entire pass without stopping.  My new technique works.

I need to mention the Montana mosquitoes. The roads I am riding on have standing water in the gullies which is where those little pesky bugs love to breed.  You can’t stop along the road to eat something or take a picture without becoming a meal for these nasty pests.  Advice from the road…bring bug spray if you’re riding through Montana. 

The last five miles into Dillon are downhill and the town is a “full service” destination.  I’m at the Best Western doing laundry and soaking in the hot tub…this is much better than yesterday.

David

June 16, 2009

Day 11 – Darby, MT to Wisdom, MT

Miles today – 58

Total miles – 664

Today I am seeking Wisdom…Wisdom, MT is my goal but Chief Joseph stands in the way.  I wake up early to get a jump start on the day because I know that I will be taking my time climbing through the Chief Joseph Pass, the biggest challenge of the trip so far at 7,241 feet above sea level. I don't know Chief Joseph but already I don't like him.  I am discouraged to peek out of my window to discover it is raining.  I have begun to “rate” my days: Rain = bad, Sun = good; Hills = bad, Flat = good, Wind from the East = bad, Wind from the West = good. Today was Rain + Hills (bad, bad) and no wind.

Little did I know what lay ahead…the worst day I have ever had on a bicycle!  Sorry, I am trying to be positive and I know that adversity makes for great stories after the ride but, today was over the top.

I started South on Route 93 after eating my typical eggs, pancakes and coffee for breakfast.  The rain was a cool drizzle so I donned my rain gear.  The road rose gradually and after 20 miles I was beginning to think that my expected struggle through Chief Joseph Pass was going to be anti-climb-matic. Wrong…the road narrowed and began to tilt toward the sky.  I down-shifted into lower and lower gears until I had none left.  My speed dropped to 4 mph.  The rain picked up.  Man, this is miserable.  I stop to consult the map and learn that the climb continues like this for 8 miles!  If you want a test of your fortitude, let me suggest you visit Darby, MT and bike up this Pass.  I begin to set small goals.  “Just make it to the sign up there; Just do the next mile then rest, etc”. After this seemingly endless game, I finally arrive at a rest stop and met Spencer from Long Island with his Surly road bike pulling a Burley two-wheeled trailer.  We did a little point-counterpoint on trailers verses panniers and shared some touring advice. I consulted a map at the rest stop and discovered I had reentered Idaho.  What the heck?  Had I made a wrong turn? Nope, I needed to make a left on Route 43 and return to MT…and another climb to summit Chief Joseph Pass.  Was this some kind of cruel joke? And then the temperature dropped 15 degrees and it began to pour, and I mean pour, cold stinging rain as I began the descent into Big Hole Valley.  Some explorer named Ross named this area the “Valley of Trouble” because he was unable to move his group through the area.  After today, I couldn’t agree more.

I decided to pull over and eat what was left of the food I had with me.  As I pulled off the road, my front wheel sank into the sandy shoulder and I fell.  The bike and I went down together into the wet sand shoulder for a soft landing.  I couldn’t believe this was happening.  I righted the bike and assessed the damage…nothing the bike and I were fine.  The Valley of Trouble strikes again.

So, the good news is that I was riding in the freezing rain…downhill toward Wisdom. On the horizon, another huge storm was forming and it looked to me like it was hovering over my destination. I sprinted into town and found that the motel I intended to stay in was closed.  I parked my bike on the porch of the Big Hole Valley Café and went in to have a cup of hot tea and sit in front of the fireplace.  Yes, it was cold enough outside to warrant stoking up the fireplace.  The women at the restaurant kindly called another motel in town that had rooms available.  Then that hovering storm opened the sky and it poured again.  I waited it out at the restaurant and made my way to the Pioneer Mountain Lodge…a very nice place with generously sized rooms.

My three Spanish friends and Mark and Kristen rolled in at about 6:45 pm and found the same lodge so we are all going out again for dinner.  My wisdom for the day....being safe and warm should not be taken for granted.

David

June 15, 2009

Day 10 -   Missoula, MT to Darby, MT

Miles today – 67

Total miles – 604

For the past two nights, I stayed at Blossom’s B&B in Missoula.  What a find.  Troy and Blossom are the owners and they share their beautiful home with visitors to Missoula.  The house was built in 1919 by the West family using the Craftsman style Bungalow architecture. Four years ago, embers from a forest fire landed on the roof and did extensive damage to the house.  Using old family photos and historic pictures taken by the Wests during original construction, Troy and Blossom were able to restore the house to its original magnificence.  Blossom and Troy are just the type of folks who should operate a B&B.  They are gracious and friendly and Blossom’s breakfast is a feast.

This morning Troy hopped on his bike and accompanied me out of town on a system of trails that weaves around Missoula…he wanted to make sure I got out to my starting point without incident.

Yesterday was a rest day so I didn’t blog but I do want to share a bit about the day.  Missoula is a very special little town.  Home to the University of Montana, it has all of the appeal of a typical college town…great restaurants, coffee shops, book stores and, of course, bars. The town has a total population of 75,000 and one part of town is the most densely populated part of Montana which is kind of a joke because the entire population of Montana is 900,000…the entire State!  There are more elk per square mile than there are people. And everywhere you look, the scenery is breathtaking. 

So, on my rest day, I decide to replace the chain on my bike because of the earlier issue I wrote about.  After a huge Blossom breakfast of eggs, beacon, fresh fruit with honey yogurt, toast, orange juice..you get the picture…I hopped on the bike and headed for one of the eight bike shops in town.  As I turned the corner into the main part of town, I was greeted by a few dozen sheep crossing the road…not something you see everyday.  I asked a local what was going on and she informed me that the herd comes from a farm up the hill and grazes on a hillside about a half mile away,  The sheep seemed a bit confused and were bleating and darting in all directions.  Usually the farmer herds them but today they decided to make the trek on their own thus the mayhem.  I wonder if the farmer will return to clean up the stuff sheep leave behind when they are confused and afraid…quite a mess.  The small plastic bag that my neighbors use when walking their dogs will not do…a front end loader, maybe.

I was lucky to make another connection while in Missoula.  Linda Weaver came over to Blossoms to say, hello.  Linda works for Troy and Blossom but also guides and cooks for Womentour, a cycle touring company for women. My friend, Peggy met Linda on her tour across America and that’s how I found out about Blossom’s.  Connecting the dots as you go through life is really interesting.

So, back to day 10. Shortly after Troy released me into the wild, Jim picked me up.  On the edge of town, he rode up beside me a started up a conversation.  Jim lives just west of Lolo.  He was in Missoula Saturday night and woke up today to warm sunshine and decide to ride a bike home rather than take a car.  We spent the next 12 miles talking about family, and outdoor activities that we both love.  In Lolo he pointed me to the beginning of a trail that runs parallel to Route 93 and pealed off to visit his Mom.  Thanks, Jim and have a good life.

 I spent the remainder of the day in the Bitterroot Valley under the watchful eyes of the snow capped mountains that soar up on both sides of the valley, the mountains to the north being the more majestic. It was like riding through a postcard…beauty everywhere you looked.   I stopped in the little town of Corvallis and had lunch at Memories, a church that had been converted to a café and ice cream parlor. (I took a pass on the huckleberry ice cream).  As I ate lunch on their deck, rain clouds moved in so I shortened my stay and got back on the road. Scattered dark clouds dropped curtains of warm velvet rain on the foothills to the South. I begged the rain to stay in the foothills so I could enjoy its beauty and not experience its dampness.  It politely agreed to wait until I reached my motel, the Mountain Spirit Inn, in Darby then dumped a cooling wetness on this little town.

I decided to walk in to town for some dinner and spotted five fully loaded touring cycles in the parking lot. Weirdly enough, I had just told somebody that I hadn’t run into a single other rider and five minutes later, as if beaconed by my very words, there they were. Kristen and Mark, two friends who just graduated from Colorado State and riding to raise money for the Invisible Children Foundation and three guys from Spain who were adopted by Kristen and Mark in Missoula and rode with them to Darby. Kristen speaks a little Spanish. Believe it or not, the motel owner, Adele, most recently from Northern Virginia, was born in Spain. Kristen’s college roommate is from Malvern. Here we are connecting the dots again…remarkable.

The Spaniards are from Cuenca, about an hours drive east of Madrid. Rodrigo owns a bicycle shop and his English is good.  Adolfo and Isidro had fun learning new words at dinner and somehow we all communicated and had a great time. Kurt, a local Darby resident had met Mark and Kristen in Oregon.  When he learned that they were riding through his home town, he agreed to meet so he joined us for dinner as well.  I hope to have more experiences like this…this is what it is all about.

Tomorrow we have a wicked climb over Chief Joseph Pass.  We start at 4,000 ft above sea level and climb to 7,241 over 41 miles. This is the first real test of my fitness on hills.  Wish me luck.

David

June 14, 2009

Day 8 – Superior, MT to Missoula, MT

Miles today 58

Total miles 533

David and I rolled out of Superior at 7:30 am after a hearty breakfast at Durango’s.  I had huckleberry pancakes with huckleberry syrup and huckleberry butter and huckleberry flavored coffee. This would be the last day that David rides with me…our destination, Missoula, MT.  Jackets are required in the morning because temperatures are in the low fifties but jackets came off quickly after a climb up the first hill.  Then a series of rolling hills took us under a beautiful blue sky through very scenic Montana…the Big Sky State.

We made good time on I 90 which is really the only way to get from Superior to Missoula. We targeted Frenchtown as the best place to stop for lunch and found Eugene’s Café and Pizza Parlor. I swear this is true…despite the name, there was no pizza on the menu. But the BELTCH Sandwich was on there…Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato and Cheese…BELTCH. A local gent driving a King Cab pickup advised us to have the Porky sandwich which we both did. The meat in this sandwich was a piece of processed pork that was breaded and deep fried…BELTCH!

We proceeded to Missoula for an early arrival.  David had to find a shipping box for his bike and I planned a visit to the headquarters of the Adventure Cycling Association. We separated.  I was on a mission.  I had been carrying a jersey that was worn by Jim Kehew in 1974 when he and his wife Es rode across America to help map the route for the Bikecentennial.  (Jim and Es had “preserved” these jerseys by storing them in mothballs for 35 years. I had the jersey in my pannier bag and all of my clothing picked up the smell. David made me wash all of my clothes before we could eat in public because I smelled like his grandmothers attic.)

 In 1976, 4.000 cyclists rode across America in celebration of the bicentennial, half starting on the West Coast and the other half starting on the East Coast. After the ride, several participants morphed the organization into the Adventure Cycling Association. Jim and his wife had custom jerseys made to wear while they rode and mapped their route. Their daughter, Peggy had given me one of the jerseys to present to the Association for their archives.  I have to say that it was a special honor for me to present this jersey to Greg Siple who was on a segment of the Bikecentennial ride and knew Jim, Es and Peggy.  Pictures were taken and I hope we make it into the next edition of Adventure Cycling Magazine.  I met Jim Sayre, the President of the Association as he was running out the door to a ride through some pass that was just plowed open but still closed to cars.

I arrived at Blossom’s B&B, my home away from home for a two day stay.  Tomorrow is a day off and I will enjoy the local Missoula scene and rest for my trek across Montana that begins again on Sunday. I was surprised to learn that Peggy had called ahead and treated me to a night’s stay at Blossom’s. Thanks, Peggy.

David

June 12, 2009

Mullan, ID to Superior, MT - 53 miles

Total miles 475

David and I got up early to flee Mullan, ID.  On the way out of town we discovered a small café that’s name was The Café so we stopped for breakfast.  Then back on to I 90.  We knew that we would start the day with a long climb to Lookout Pass.  The elevation change was 1000 ft over 6 miles. It took us an hour to do the climb. Let’s put that in perspective. Let’s say you sit down to watch NCI Miami and David and I start climbing the hill. We finish climbing when the end credits roll on your TV.  The fun part was the 4 mile descent which we completed in exactly 10 minutes. One hour to do 6 miles up and 10 minutes to do 4 miles down…on average, we are making great time.

The rest of the trip in was mostly downhill with the St Regis River on our right.  David discovered that if the water was running in our same direction, we were going downhill.  If the river was running toward us, we were climbing uphill.  We stopped in St Regis for lunch at the Huckleberry Patch. These people are obsessed with the huckleberry.  My BBQ chicken had huckleberry BBQ sauce on it!

Then a short ride into Superior, MT. Let me tell you about Superior…it’s not. Rumor has it that the town council is meeting to consider a name change to Just OK, MT to properly reflect the ambiance of the little hamlet. The Big Sky Motel is great though…Mary behind the desk was most pleasant and we had a good meal across the street at Durango’s.

A few milestones: I finished the first week of riding.  I am over 10% done.  I’ve ridden through two States. I calculated that I will turn the pedal crank 360 degrees over 1,360,000 times in 4000 miles.  Many things pop into one’s mind as one pedals…not all of it useful.

David

Day 6 Plummer, ID to Mullan, ID

I had ridden 250 miles so far and David and I planned to add 72 miles today by  riding the Coeur D’Alene Trail end to end. After a hearty breakfast at the Gateway Café, we entered the trail just a few yards down the road. We would be on a paved trail all day through some of the most beautiful countryside that America has to offer.  What a true gem this trail is. I have ridden many trails throughout the country and this one is by far the best. Coeur D’Alene means “Heart of an Awl” which is a term that French traders gave the local Indians because of their tenacious negotiating skills. The locals were some of the toughest traders in the country. The trail is a magnificent result of what began as a conflict.  The local native Americans sued the railroad for contaminating the land along the rail bed.  To resolve this issue, the native tribes, the State and Federal government and the railroad all came together to restore the right-of-way by developing the trail. The result is a spectacular trail that weaves along Lake Coeur D’Alene and the banks of the Coeur D’Alene River with views that you must see to believe.  The trail is meticulously maintained. I can’t say enough…what a gem.

As we rounded a bend just after crossing the lake on a rail bridge that had been restored for trail use, we noted two large “dogs” walking on the trail.  As we got closer, we quickly recognized that the “dogs” were, in fact, wolves. After yesterday’s dog encounter, I immediately moved to get David between me and the wolves but it wasn’t necessary as they slipped from the trail into the brush.  One aspect of building trails is that local wildlife will also tend to use it as a way to get from point A to point B.  Later in the morning we came upon this bigger animal standing on the trail. There's a picture of her at the bottom of this page. 

As we got our cameras out, she left the trail and we took photos as she retreated slowly across the marsh.  We heard from a park ranger that a bull moose and an elk were spotted earlier in the day on the trail ahead of us but we didn’t see them.

We had lunch at the Snake Pit in Enaville, an old historic building owned and operated by a man who supported the trail development. The waitress treated us to complimentary huckleberry ice cream, a local favorite.

The trail gets less scenic east of Enaville.   If you come to ride Coeur D’Alene, I would definitely recommend the stretch from Enaville to Plummer. We forged on to Mullan ending with a six mile climb about half way up Lookout Pass. I was wrong about reaching a new low in accommodations in Plummer. Mullan is worse. Again, if you come out to ride, definitely stay in historic Wallace at the bottom of Lookout Pass. When we pulled into Mullan all I could think of was, “pedal faster, I think I hear banjo music.” Unique is one thing but this place is a bit scary.  We didn’t feel like pedaling back down to Wallace which would also involve a climb back up in the morning, so we reluctantly stayed.

David

June 10, 2009

Day 5 Colfax, WA to Plummer, ID

I began the day with a small climb out of Colfax fueled by my “free” breakfast at the Best Western. Then the terrain became a series of rolling hills under a clear blue sky. My lunch destination…Rosalia, WA population 667. I had another reason to be visiting Rosalia. My riding buddy, David Michels was meeting me there to join me for four days of riding in Idaho and Montana. The logistics of this meeting required military precision. I ride from Colfax to Rosalia as David flies from Baltimore to Spokane. There he would try to find a ride with his bike in a travel box to meet me in Rosalia. Like clockwork, he arrived in a cab at 2:00 pm. We assembled his bike on the street in front of the thrift store and were ready to proceed to Plummer, ID our destination for the night.

I had eaten lunch at the Eclectic Café (great potato and bacon soup) and Jennifer, my waitress had given me a shortcut to route 27. So, with our hand drawn map, David and I headed up a very steep side street out of town and into the rolling hills of Washington State. Part of out shortcut involved a primitive gravel road. Just  as we were about to turn onto the gravel road, Jennifer and her son arrived in a white Mazda Miata  to inform us that we were turning onto the wrong road.  She directed us to the correct road informing us that we would have ridden back to Rosalia had we continued on the wrong path.  Our first angel…Jennifer from Rosalia…in a white sports car no less.

On to Plummer. The wind is a fickle friend. Earlier in the day, I found myself speeding up a hill. I looked to my right a saw the canola plants leaning in the same direction I was traveling.  A friendly tailwind gentle pushed me up the hill. Toward the end of the day, David and I climbed a final hill before a descent into Plummer. I stiff wind hit us directly in the face making the climb all the more challenging. A fickle friend, that wind.

We left Washington State behind and entered Idaho. One State down, a few more to go.  I experienced the first dog attack as we cruised down Rt. 60.  Two large dogs came bounding through the tall grass barking to let us know they were not happy that we were on their road. I had a simple defensive strategy…I maneuvered quickly so David was between me and the dogs…problem solved. I pulled out my trusty water  bottle and began splashing water at the two beasts…later David thanked me for drenching him as I rode by…I think he was being sarcastic. No dog bites resulted so I stand by my tactics.

We finally arrived at the Hiway Motel and Tackle Shop, our home for the night. David and I had reached a new low in accommodations with this place but it is the only motel in Plummer.  What a dive. The innkeeper bore a resemblance to one of the dogs that attacked us earlier and was about as friendly.  Our bathroom had pink fixtures and a bright orange tile floor.  If you stayed in there too long, you became disoriented, It is strange that the trail head town to one of the  most beautiful trails in the country doesn’t have a proper place to stay. We walked across the street to the Gateway Café. I drank three gallons of diet coke and ate chicken fried steak.  David consumed a hamburger that was bigger than his head.

I tried to post this entry last night but when I clicked the tab, the entry I had written disappeared and I got a message that I had lost my connection. My weeping woke David so I decided to try again today.

David

June 9^th 2009

An early morning rain had washed over Othello but the sun was out as I hit the road at 6:30 am.  I knew I had a long day ahead of me.  After doing 100 miles yesterday, I needed to do 95 today. The trip was on Route 26 the entire day from Othello to Colfax.  Eastern Washington State is very flat and boring in a beautiful way.  Farming is a very serious industry out here and there are farms that must be thousands of acres...green fields that disappear over the horizon.

I rode the first 50 miles with no effort stopping at small country convenience stores and stockpiling food as I went. The Pacific Coast gas station's breakfast bruitto was really good (or I was  really hungry).  Shorty after passing through Dusty, Wa (yep, a real place) the temperature dropped about 20 degrees in about one minute.  Suddenly the cold front met the warm front.  Anybody want to guess what happens next? Thunder, lightening and an immediate downpour that turn the gutter next to the road into a small stream.  I've never seen a storm develop that fast.  Here's what I learned 1) It's better to put your rain gear on before you are drenched...kinda defeats the purpose after you are soaked to the core. 2) There are no trees in Eastern Washington...you're out there and you're gonna get wet 3) when trucks try to move over into the center of the road to give your bike safe clearance, they drive directly into the rain puddles and send up huge waves that reminded me of the beach.

So, I'm struggling to get my rain gear on in a downpour and in pulls Mr. Geezer driving a camper. I'm thinking, "hey, why don't you hop in the camper and get out of rain for a bit." Nope...he announced, "have to close some windows on the camper." and off he and Mrs. Geezer drove. I have to admit that I was unsure of what my reaction would have been if somebody offered me a ride.  The thought bof getting my butt out of the saddle in into a car was tempting.  I decided that would be cheating. The final thing I learned today 4) Nobody is interested in having a drenched cyclist in their dry car or truck.

The rain finally stopped and the day finished with some punishing hills that really took their toll on me physically and mentally.  Day four and I'm already talking out loud to myself as I ride. At least I haven't done this in a restaurant or other public place...yet.

I meet David tomorrow for our three days from Rosalia, WA  to Missoula, MT where I will take a much needed day off.

David

Today was a big day...I did 100 miles from Cle Elum to Othello. I said my good byes to Mary and Doug at the Iron Horse B&B at about 8:30 after eating the house special breakfast called the train wreck.  It had a little bit of everything in it and was really tasty.  Tai, his wife Eva and their really cool little boy lead me out to the entrance ramp and headed back to Seattle.  It was great to have Tai with me for the first two days.  I would have been literally lost without him.

 I traveled on I 90 again for the beginning of the ride. The shoulders were wide and had less trash...in fact, almost none, so peddling was smooth. Did some rolling hills until I got to Ellensburg.  I stopped there at the truck stop and met Larry Weaver from Missouri except he pronounced it "Mizura".  Really nice guy who rides alot and was knowledgable about bikes...wanted to drop everything and join me but couldn't.  Then a big climb up to the rest stop...about a five mile hill.  The down hill to the valley at Vantage was great.  I coasted at 27 mph for almost 20 minutes and really covered some ground. I stopped at Blustery's Drive In and had a burger and a shake because it was that kind of place.

The bridge across the Wanapum river has no  shoulder so I just pedaled as fast as I could and hoped for the best...a fairly scary crossing.  Getting on Rt 26 was a good decision. Great road surface and wide shoulders.  I climb out of the valley then it becomes one of the flattest and straightest roads I've ever traveled.  The original destination was Royal City but when I got there I discovered that the entire town consisted of a Conoco gas station and about 15 houses.  I guess I really didn't want to camp, because I pressed on the Othello, thus the 100 miles.

I'm staying at a Best Western.  Not very unique but Rose, the desk clerk took one look at me and gave me a room with a Jacuzzi tub. Now I am going to go soak all of my aching body parts and do some laundry.

Love to all.  Being alone for the first time was better than I expected.  Your kind words of encouragement lift me up.

David

Tai Lee, my friend from the Seattle Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation, rode with me again today.  We rode from North Bend to Cle Elum, a total of 57 miles.

Oh, before I forget...shout out to my coworkers from Willis in Seattle who showed for the kickoff yesterday.  Thanks Terry, Joy, Lee and Brian!  You guys are the best.  Next visit the gooey duck (?) is on me.

Last night's lodging was at the North Bend Motel.  The manager, Lee, was from the Bronx and was wearing a Yankees tee shirt. He moved out to North Bend to care for an ailing brother and  never went back. A very nice guy. He lived in New Jersey for a while and used to work in the Empire State Building.

We started the day under grey Pacific Northwest skys. There was a fine, cold mist coming down, not rain, just moisture. We again traveled for the first part of our trip on I 90 which climbs steadily out of North Bend for 17 miles. Then the fun begins. Tai remarks over his shoulder (he wwas always in front...huh) that we would "summit" on a back road. One thing I have learned already on the trip is to try to avoid places with names like summit, hill top, overlook and stuff like that.  We climbed for 5 more miles at a much steeper grade.  I used the "granny gear" for the first time on the trip...it won't be the last. About 3 miles before the summit, we started to see snow on the ground.  Here's a picture of me standing in the snow. 

Hi all, Tai and I just finished day one riding.  We only did 35.3 miles today but most of it was a gradual climb.  This is really the first time that I have ridden the bike fully loaded and the darn thing weighs a ton.

So, let's see. I'm .9% done with the ride.  Only 3,965 miles to go. I think I can do this.

We had fun at the kick off.  It was great to have Ashley and Shannon there and they are having fun in Seattle according to their text messages.

Well, I had my first mechanical misadventure. Tai put a new chain on my bike and at mile 14 we discovered a defective link from the manufacturer.  A metal spur on the inside link plate caused the chain to hiccup as it passed through the rear guides.  We stopped, took out a few links, added a quick link and were back on the road.  I'm glad Tai was with me because, in a previous life, he was a bike mechanic...phew!

Oh, did I mention I almost crashed into a stone wall?  We were haulin ### down a nice hill on the Iron Horse trail when suddenly (without warning or any signage) the trail took a hairpin turn. I grabbed the front and rear brakes and squeezed with all my might. The wheel locked up and started to slide on the damp path.  I was headed straight for a stone wall. I don't know how but the bike halted 6 inches from the wall.  I must remember my physics lesson...mass in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by outside forces...and between me, my bike and all the stuff I'm carrying, I have masses of mass.

Weather was unseasonably warm so riding condition were superb.  We had to ride on I 90 which was interesting. The speed limit is 70 mph.  We were climbing a 4% grade at about 9 mph while dodging broken beer bottles, hubcaps, nuts and bolts, shreaded tires, a complete set of car keys, trash and stray lumber. Not very "green" people. Let's try and keep this crap in the dump where it belongs.

I did n't take many pictures today so won't post any here but hope to have some fun shots for you later.

I'm turning in early.

In three days I will be on my bike for the first day of my journey across this great country of ours. I promise to post new entries on this blog as often as I can.  I sent an email out to friends and work associates todat remniding them about my ride.  The reactions were interesting.

Many people wrote that they admire what I am doing.  I went over to my friend John's house last night for a good bye adult beverage.  John made me talk to his three kids about what I was doing and why.  They had lots of questions. John was trying to impress upon the kids a little bit about community and giving back. John says he admires me. When I got to John's house, he was playing a spirited game of 3 man baseball with his two boys in the backyard. You know what...I admire what he and his wife, Kim are doing...raising three great kids to be productive members of our society.  Important work.

Some of my friends are worried about me. Funny but I'm not too worried about me.  Should I be? My friend Jack summed it up in a pithy, concise email that just said, "Have fun. Don't die." That about says it all.  It's good to have goals and now I have two thanks to Jack.

I shipped my bike to Seattle earlier in the week and it arrived without damage...thanks UPS. My friend Tai in Seattle assemled my bike and went above the call of duty by cleaning all of the drivechain.  I really need to be better about that during the ride.  I leave tomorrow to join my bike.

65 sunrises to go.

David