| Day 1 | Charleston , OR to Newport, OR 105.1 mi. more pictures |
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| Day 2 | Newport, OR to Wheeler, OR 93.9 mi. |
First day ‘solo’ heading up the OR Coast. Driven the route hundreds of times – looks different from a bicycle seat. Made a few stops along the way to say ‘hello’ to friends. Arrived in Wheeler in time to get a room on the Bay (w/ a Jacuzzi) and a good dinner. Saw numerous cyclists – all heading SOUTH – none going North…Perfect biking weather –overcast & no wind. Kathy’s already on her second book. |
| Day 3 | Wheeler, OR to Astoria, OR 43.1 mi. |
Short day - over by lunchtime. First flat – female rider south of Seaside who had no pump, no patches, no cell phone and no clue how to change a tire. Finished our trip shopping at Costco (vitamins, Ibruprofin, etc.), visited with Rich at ‘Bikes and Beyond’ and got things ready to head east in the a.m. on the Lewis & Clark Trail. |
| Day 4 | Astoria, OR to Portland, OR 101.4 mi. |
After breakfast w/ Al & Marie Gann, headed out from Astoria. Kathy stayed behind to meet with local agency staff and met me two hours down the road at the ferry crossing in Westport, OR. Took ferry to the WA side of the river and headed east along the Columbia River. Crossed back to OR at Longview, WA and rode in to Portland. First flat on hwy 30, 13 mi. from the city. Picked up ‘Paley Bars’ from Chef Vitali Paley, had dinner w/ brother Peter and got a motel in S.E. |
| Day 5 | Portland, OR to Hood River, OR 72.7 mi. |
Crossed river to Vancouver, WA after a confusing start in unfamiliar part of town. Had to separate from Kathy to stay ‘on course’ and we both got lost for a while – she ended up in Wilsonville on I-5 and called to say “am I too far South?” Finally got back on track in Troutdale and rode through some beautiful countryside adjacent to I-84. Weather getting hot… Met daughter Maylee, son-in-law Greg and granddaughter Mekenzie in Hood River – they were in town for a ‘wind weekend.’ Had a nice dinner and visit with ‘family.’ |
| Day 6 | Hood River, OR to Crow Butte C/G, WA 101.0 mi. |
Fixed 2 nd flat in the a.m. before saying ‘goodbye’ to Maylee & family. Bought a new set of ‘no flat’ tires at the local bike store and left windy Hood River in the early a.m. Nice breakfast in Mosier, OR after a beautiful ride on the Mark Hatfield Trail (paved). Route east follows the Columbia River, high above I-84 to the Dalles, Biggs Junction and then over to WA side on Hwy 14 E. No more ‘green’ – nothing but high desert and rolling highway – bleached out bones and bungie cords, my only company as I peddle along in 96+ degree heat!!! Stopped in Roosevelt at the ‘mini mart’ – turns out the owner is from Coos Bay and knew both Kathy & I. She had us sign the ‘bike book’ and we read about the folks out ahead of us on the ‘trail.’ The last 20 mi. were almost unbearably hot and the campground Kathy found, right on the river, looked like a mirage in the middle of a desert. Pitched the tent for the first time on the trip and set up camp. Place was so nice we decided to take a ‘rest day’ tomorrow… |
| Total mileage – 517.7 | ||
| Day 7 | ‘Rest Day’ Crows Butte Campground, WA |
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| Day 8 | Crows Butte C/G, WA to Waitsburg, WA (110.1 mi.) |
Broke camp and got on the road early (7:30 a.m.) to get some miles in before the heat. First stop, Umatilla, OR, 32 mi. from the C/G. Filled up water bottles at the visitor’s center and headed east to Walla Walla, WA. Long, hot leg – in the 90’s by the time we rolled into the ‘onion town’. Kathy made contact with the local shelter staff and we found shade in a schoolyard for a lunch break. Coyote ran right in front of me across the highway as we left town and headed on to Waitsburg, WA. Long, hot hill before coasting down into town. No shade anywhere. Found a room at the only motel in the ‘burg’. No phone, but it had air conditioning! Longest day yet… |
| Day 9 | Waitsburg, WA to |
Left early again to beat some of the heat. Beautiful rolling wheat fields east of town – real farm country. First stop was Dayton, 10 mi. up the road. Stopped at an internet café in a restored hotel building and Kathy checked her email. Hooked up with a father-son duo on a coast-to-coast bike ride, traveling ‘light’ with only minimal gear and a credit card for lodging & food. Compared routes and decided to head east to ID together. Lunch in Pomeroy, WA – one of the farmers in the diner bragged about ‘Chuck’s albacore tuna’ when he found out we were from Coos Bay. We just happened to have a case in the truck so I brought in a can and everyone passed it around and took a taste… Big pull over ‘ Alpowa Pass’ then the best downhill of the trip (40+ mph all the way) as we dropped down to the Clarkston, WA/Lewiston, ID area. Crossed the bridge into ID at 4:30 pm and checked into a motel. Butt really sore – changed saddles to see if that helps. Costco for some essentials, calls home, a nice Italian dinner and some more carbo loading… |
| Day 10 | Lewiston, ID to |
Headed out early with Ted & Joe. Kathy stayed in town for a 9 am meeting w/ local agency staff. Shirley called from the ODCC office and brought me up to date. On the Nez Perse Indian reservation for most of the day as we rode east into the mountains along a beautiful river. Lots of fireworks stands along the roadside. Terrain changing as we start gaining elevation – still hot, hot, hot. Called ahead and reserved a cabin on the Clearwater River in Lowell, a rafting & kayaking hotspot in the ID ‘panhandle’ area. The kid ‘bonked’ late in the day and we slowed down the pace to get him in to town. I feel good, all things considered. The saddle change was just what the Dr. ordered… |
| Day 11 | Lowell, ID to |
Left at 8 am and continued east along the river. Hillsides heavily timbered - gaining elevation with every mile. Rafters and kayakers floating by as we peddle in the morning sun heading toward the dreaded ‘Lolo Pass’ that everyone keeps talking about. First real climb of the trip and it’s we don’t know what we’re in for…Nice lunch break along the river – Kathy waits for us in the shady spots. Hit Powell at 1:30 pm (65 mi) and Ted & Joe decided to take the only room available after Kathy said that there was nothing but campsites left ‘over the pass’ at Lolo Hot Springs, our original destination. The Pass was only another 10 mi. up the road and I wanted to get it over with, so we parted company and Kathy & I kept going. Out of nowhere, the sky started to darken and it started raining, big drops as I headed up the pass. Fortunately, it passed quickly and I was back in the hot sun in no time. Finally reached the summit at 78.9 mi.(5,235 ft) and stopped to pose before the ‘Welcome to Montana’ sign before dropping down the backside and cruising on in to Lolo, Mt., 10 mi. south of Missoula. Took a pass on the hot springs – looked like a tourist trap. Put the bike on the roof and drove on it to Missoula and a comfortable bed at a motel. Longest day so far… |
| Day 12 | ‘Rest Day’ |
Laundry; bike shop for a quick ‘tune up’; great dinner at Scotty’s Table in the downtown area. Calls to friends & family back in OR. Ted & Joe showed up at 1:30 pm, hoping to hook back up for the ride over the Rockies in a few days… Called my old friend Roger who lives in Big Sky and made plans to swing by next Wed. for a long-overdue visit. |
| Day 13 | July 4 th |
Decided to take another day off – didn’t want to be on the road on the holiday credited with the most traffic fatalities… Cleaned the bike, washed the truck, mapped out the next three days route, and took the dogs for a nice walk in a rural park on the edge of town. Tried not to get too excited about the ‘bear warning’ signs posted in the area… Weather changing – rain moving in… |
| Total mileage – 915.9 | ||
| Day 14 (7/15) |
Missoula , MT to Sula, MT (90.0 mi) |
Packed up and left Missoula after watching a spectacular fireworks display from the balcony of our motel room the previous evening. Ted & son Joe showed up at 7:30 am and we rolled out of town, heading… south! Decided to take the “ Big Hole Pass” route vs the easterly ‘shortcut’ so we can get as close to Big Sky, MT as possible to visit my old friend Roger Boyington. Adds some extra days, 250 mi. and 6,000 more ft. of climbing to the trip but it passes through some beautiful country…Kathy stayed behind to visit the local D/V agency and caught up with us in Stevensville. Took a few miles to get back in the rhythm after two days off the bike. Steadily gaining elevation throughout the day as we ride by beautiful ranches, each with a big arch marking the entrance to the driveway. Made it to Sula (pop. 10) by early afternoon but decided to ride further up the road to a small ‘resort’ at the base of the pass to save climbing in the a.m. A $50 ‘dog fee’ (for sleeping on the porch) sent us back down the hill to Sula and a great little cabin on the river where Kathy wanted to stay in the first place. |
| Day 15 (7/6) |
Sula, Mt to |
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| Day 16 (7/7) |
Dillon, MT to |
Left town early – 2 mi of road construction gravel before pavement. Kathy stayed behind to make contact with the local D/V agency. Fast pace-line to Twin Bridges 25 mi east, where I parted company w/Ted & son Joe. They headed south toward W. Yellowstone and a more southern route east – my destination, north toward Three Forks. Lonely riding by myself again, in the middle of nowhere, with only an occasional car or truck flying by at 70 mph. Kathy finally caught up with me at Whitehall and we stopped for a quick lunch. Every town is decked out w/ L & C icons in celebration of the bicentennial. Whitehall’s claim to fame was 9 murals depicting their journey… P.M. took us through canyons under threatening skies that produced the first rain on the trip. Fortunately, it didn’t last long… Toward the end of the ride, saw an eagle fly off the roadside up into the hills, a squawking crow chasing it all the way. Arrived in Three Forks in the middle of a windstorm – glad to put bike on the roof and call it a day. Drove 70 mi SE to Big Sky to visit my buddy Roger, an old friend from MA who used to live in Charleston, OR and fished for salmon on the F/V Capistrano. Now he’s the captain of the driftboat ‘Ellis D’ and is a river guide in ‘paradise’. When he’s not helping rich folks catch trout on a flyrod, he’s skiing 120 days a year on the mountain… |
| Day 17 | ‘Rest Day’ |
Got up early, a little ‘fuzzy’ after a night in the lodge w/ Roger & pals…Loaded up the driftboat, bought a one-day, non-resident fishing license (24 bucks) and headed S. through W. Yellowstone Park to the Madison River for a day of fly fishing. After casting lessons in the parking lot from the ‘master’, we put in along with a herd of boats, each carrying paying passengers festooned with all the latest fly fishing gear & paraphernalia. Drifted for 6 hrs, caught one small trout & a Montana ‘whitefish’, between the tangles and other screw-ups that befall a ‘first time’ fly-fisherman. Rodger caught two beauties just to prove they were there… Kathy took the dogs for a long hike up the ski hill, almost reaching the summer snow field… Spent a second night at Huntly Lodge, the resort founded by the late newscaster… |
| Day 18 (7/9) |
Three Forks, MT to |
Left Big Sky early and drove back to Three Forks where we left off on Day 16. Took a while to get back into the rhythm – hot, more wheat fields and nothing but nothing to look at from the bicycle seat… White crosses starting to get to me. You see them on the safest, straightest sections of the highway where there’s no apparent reason for accidents…Rode briefly w/Jeff, a fully-loaded traveler from CO, heading for AK. Good luck…Kathy drove ahead to Helena where she met w/ shelter staff. I caught up at lunchtime and found a shady park for break. Really hot – in the high 80’s. Quick visit to the local bike shop for some ‘essentials’ and then it was back in the saddle for a long, hard, hot climb north out of town, fighting the wind all the way. Came across a dead seagull on the roadside – in central MT? Made it to the tiny town of Wolf Creek in the late p.m. Checked into a decrepit ‘cabin-style’ place called ‘Frenchy’s Motel’ that caters to single male fishermen looking for a bed, and nothing else, after a day on the river. More like the ‘Bates Motel’ according to Kathy. We used our own sleeping bags & pillows and slept on top of the bed. The one funky chair was questionable as well, so we brought out our folding camp chairs/table for dinner on the grass outside. Shower was a ‘dribble’ – air conditioning, out of the question… |
| Day 19 (7/10) | Wolf Creek, MT to Fort Benton, MT (97.2 mi.) |
Beautiful a.m. ride north following Spring Creek – fly fishermen in the river at every turn – truly a sportsmen’s paradise. Saw a flock of pelicans drifting along… Caught up w/ a bike racer from Great Falls out on a Sat. a.m. ‘century’ ride. Sucked his wheel all the way into the city at 22+ mph and then went to his home for lunch w/ his family. We provided the ‘Chuck’s’ albacore tuna and made some more converts… Long, hot rollers in the afternoon as we headed north out of Great Falls. Cross/head wind made the going really tough. Finally made it to Ft. Benton, on the banks of the Missouri River, at 5 pm. Lodging options extremely limited – went from the “Bates Motel” to a ‘basement suite’ in the bottom of a converted mercantile store. After a ‘take out’ pasta dinner, we located the local laundromat and washed clothes to the sounds of the destruction derby at the local county fair off in the distance. Big ‘bike tour group’ staying at the fancy old restored hotel up the street (not ‘pet friendly’…), heading west at 50 mi. per day… Glad to be ‘solo’ on our pace |
| Day 20 (7/11) |
Fort Benton , MT to Chinook, MT (96.3 mi.) |
Stayed in town until the local market opened up at 8 a.m. to get some grocery items and our daily allotment of cooler ice. Our new ‘5-day’extra insulated’ model is a floating food pond at days end in this heat. Climbed back up to the highway and headed…north again. Another long, hard day – 75 mi. of rough ‘chip seal’, MT favorite road surface. Hot cross winds & endless rollers made for some tough sledding. Getting sick of wheat fields…Finally broke out the MP3 player that my daughters got me for Father’s Day and listened to some ‘tunes’ to help pass the time. Lunch break in a shady park in Havre, MT on Rt. 2, the ‘highline’ that runs E to W across the northern part of the state. Finally heading east again!!! Though about calling it a day but decided to push on to Chinook, MT, (20 mi. east) under threatening skies. Two mi. from my destination, all hell broke loose and it started to pour rain, complete w/ thunder & lightning. Kathy’s ahead of me getting a motel room and she calls me on the cell phone and tries to guide me in. It’s raining so hard I can hardly see and I’m expecting to get my soaking-wet ass lit up like a candle with a bolt of lightning at any moment. I think I set a record for that last mile into town…Turns out the storm was 35 mi. ahead of us – “nickel-sized hail and 60 mph winds”. |
| Day 21 (7/12) |
Chinook, MT to |
Left early, already a hot wind blowing from the west. First 20 mi. in 56 minutes – decided to make it a ‘fast’ day and see where it took us. Stung by a bee – inside the roof of my mouth – and Kathy had to perform ‘roadside surgery’ to extract the stinger. Psychologically, it was really great to be heading EAST again. We’ve been in Montana way too long… 50 mi. in by 10:30 am – 100 mi. by 1:30 p.m. Encountered a large west-bound ‘Lewis & Clark Bicycle Tour’ group spread out over 5 miles of road, fighting the very tailwind that was pushing me along at 26 – 31 mph as I sail passed them. One yelled, “go baby – you’re heading the right way today!” About frigging time…Only thing that slowed us down was a road construction site in the p.m. – a road crew putting out new – you guessed it – chip seal… |
| Day 22 (7/13) |
Glasgow , MT to Culbertson, MT (104.0 mi.) |
Got up and went to Johnny’s Café at 6 a.m. to get coffee for my lovely wife (lattes are out of the question in this part of MT). Walked in wearing a T-shirt, baggy shorts and flip-flops – all the construction/farm/irrigation supply/mine workers looked up from their sausage & eggs and stared. Good thing I had my ‘Mountain Hard Wear’ hat on – that’s the only thing we had in common… What a difference a day can make! Yesterday’s beautiful tailwind turned into a headwind that wanted to do battle all day long. Temp in the high 80’s, low 90’s only made matters worse. Rolling prairie and farmland (wheat & corn) with absolutely no shade anywhere. Kathy stayed in town to visit the local Women’s Safety agency at 9 a.m. and I headed east on Rt. 2. She was interviewed by the local newspaper and we didn’t get reunited until 11 a.m., just as a flatbed truck hauling a combine was about to run me over. Fortunately, I saw it coming in my mirror and rode off the shoulder and into the weeds… More rough road surfaces – the vibration make my hands feel like ‘pins & needles’. Only break is when I can ride in the tire grooves on the more worn-out stretches of the narrow roadway. Put the ‘aero bars’ on, roadside, in the p.m. to help fight the wind and give my hands another position. Helped somewhat. Rode on the Ft. Peck Indian Reservation for most of the day. Glad to get Kathy’s call – “first motel on the right” – when I was 4 mi. from town. Took the dogs for a walk before dinner (pizza in front of the motel air conditioner) – first town where all the lawns were perfectly trimmed and green. Must be a law…Ed Blower (a bike buddy) called to check in. |
| Day 23 (7/14) |
Culbertson, MT to |
Picked up the morning coffee at the Missouri Breaks truck stop -sSame stares as the ones I received at Johnny’s Café. Turns out the café right next door to the motel makes a mean latte so Kathy left town with a smile. Harvested a handful of glass insulators off abandoned telephone poles cut down along the railroad tracks. Many are still in use.. Another hot, windy day. Passed a ‘walker’ heading west and met a cycling couple from Ohio who gave us route info for the MO to MA leg of the trip. Finally the crossed border into ND at 10:30 a.m. – at the top of a long hill – MT had the last laugh. Glad to have that state behind us…Got ‘lost’ around lunchtime when Kathy went ‘right’ and I went ‘left’ at an intersection. Rode east for 9 mi. before turning around to locate her. She wasn’t very happy when she found me…Took a ‘shade break’ in Alexander and filled up our 5 gallon jug from a natural spring coming out of a pipe in the center of town. The water hole dates back to the late 1800’s and was used by ranchers to ‘dip’ their herds. Heart not in it today – can’t wait to get off the bike…Saw a dead badger on the side of the road, along with my daily dose of flat skunks. Rich & Cora Ranger (more bike buddies) called for a progress report – it’s nice to hear from friends at home. |
| Day 24 (7/15) |
Watford City to |
Overcast skies after a thunderstorm last night. Got a late start (9 a.m.) but had some downhill for a change and made good time before lunch. Nice drop down in to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and a good climb out as well. Nice pavement (smooth) for a change – at least until we turned on to Rt. 200, then it was 45 mi. of frost heaves every 30 ft. Bump, bump, bump for hours on end, just like Chinese water torture! Thought the bike was going to shake apart…Saw deer (live) and a fox, porcupine and jack rabbit (all dead). Took the dogs to a park at days end and had Chinese ‘take out’ for dinner. Kathy’s mom called to make sure we were O.K. She thinks I’m off my rocker… |
| Day 25 (7/16) |
Beulah, ND to |
Hot & windy – what else is new… Road surface a little better but the hills are still constant. Whoever said the Plains states are flat obviously hasn’t ridden through them on a bicycle. Shirley (ODCC office manager) called (I forgot it was Friday) and we conducted our weekly Crab Commission business over the cell phone as I was riding down the highway. Signed off when I ran out of breath on a hill…Missed a turn after our lunch stop and rode 6 mi. down the wrong road before my phone rang and it was Kathy telling me I was lost. Turned around and experienced the first tailwind in nearly a week. Regrouped and followed the Missouri River for 25 mi. into Bismarck, ND. More rolling hills, more headwind. I’m getting sick of North Dakota already. Kathy’s ready to get out of the truck…Somewhat overwhelmed by the expanse and pace of the capitol (55k pop.) after all the small towns we’ve been through. Drove around for an hour just trying to find a suitable ‘pet friendly’ motel. Decided to take advantage of room service for a change. Looking forward to a ‘rest day’ tomorrow… |
| Day 26 | ‘Rest Day’ |
Slept in (6 a.m.) and started out the morning with a fresh Starbuck’s coffee. ‘Rest Day’ consisted of doing laundry, getting a haircut, washing the truck, getting the oil changed, catching up the web site and a quick trip to a local bike shop. Picnic lunch on the capitol grounds so the dogs could get ou t and run a bit. Nice to be off the bike after an 8-day, 808 mile ‘leg’ of our journey, which is getting close to the half-way mark. We’ve covered 2001 mi. in 20.5 days of riding (97.6 mi./day ave.) and will be sleeping in South Dakota tomorrow evening, Lord willing… Anxious to get the L & C portion of the trip behind us, and to start the ‘home stretch’ through the eastern states. Appreciate all the ‘good thoughts’ from friends & family – the trip’s been fun and safe to date. |
| Day 27 | Bismarck, ND to |
Got a late start out of Bismarck trying to find the right road to get us back on the L & C ‘trail’. By the time we got headed in the right direction (9 am) it was already starting to get hot. A local said it was ‘gonna be a hot one, 100 degrees’, but we shrugged it off and headed SE. Five hours later, it was another story… The usual rough pavement, constant headwind and ‘rolling’ hills – only this time with 100+ degree heat to make things interesting. Stopped at the ‘Toyota Tundra water bar’ every 5 mi. to fill up my water bottles and ‘Camelback’ – Kathy and the dogs would pull over along the side of the road (no shade what-so-ever), shut the truck (and air-conditioning) off and wait for me to roll up, drenched w/ sweat. Finally called it quits, 2 mi. from town (but w/ my 100 mi. in) and stacked the bike on the roof. Desk clerk said it was 98 degrees when we checked into the motel at 5 pm… One cool shower and two cold beers later I was feeling like I was going to survive… It was still 93 degrees at 9 pm when I went to the grocery store for cooler ice and Gator Aid. Porcupines (3) were the predominant ‘roadkill’ (r/k) for the day... If it wasn’t for my wife, I’d have been r/k myself…Glad to have North Dakota behind us, but South Dakota’s off to a tough start. |
| Day 28 | Mobridge, SD to |
Another 100 degree day but we ‘beat the heat’ (at least a lot of it) by getting on the road at daylight – 5:45 am – while it was still reasonable cool – low 70’s… After a few hours of frost heaves, I hit road construction out in the middle of the cornfields – 17 mi. of BRAND NEW asphalt that a road crew was putting the finishing touches on. I’m sure I was the first bicyclist to enjoy it and I told the ‘stop/go’ guy that my butt said thanks…Onida was our ‘fallback’ destination if the heat became unbearable but when we got there at lunchtime (had a buffalo burger) and took a quick look at the only accommodation option, we decided to move on. Came across a west-bound tour group doing the L & C ride in short segments each summer. Told them about the new tar down the road… Checked into a motel in the capitol city, Pierre at 1:30 p.m. as the temp. was really starting to heat up. Too hot to take advantage of the outdoor pool so we stayed inside and watched Lance win his first stage of this year’s TDF. Accustomed to watching the entire event daily on OLN, I’ve been going through withdrawals this year as we do our own ‘Tour de America. Go Lance… Heard from our good friends Don & Laura from Charleston… |
| Day 29 | Pierre, SD to |
Knew I was in for some tough sledding when I took the dogs out at 4:30 a.m. and it was already blowing hard from the east. The Weather Channel confirmed my suspicions – heat, high humidity, possible thunderstorms and E winds at 22 mph. Almost went back to bed, but decided to push on and left town at 5:45 a.m. Fought the headwind for 30 mi. along the Missouri River, barely able to maintain a slow 13-mph average. Finally got smart and had Kathy ‘motor pace’ me - riding in the truck’s draft, front wheel 12 in. away from the back bumper, at speeds up to 30 mph. Once we got our signals worked out – speed up, slow down, ‘pleasedon’tslamonthebreaks’ – we covered 17 mi. in this manner, waiving the occasional car or truck on around us while the dogs tried to figure out what the hell I was doing at their end of the truck… A wrong turn by Kathy at Ft. Thompson, a Souix Indian reservation in the middle of nowhere, found me sitting in front of the local mini-mart, in the mid-day heat, waiting for her to figure out that I wasn’t behind her. Three hard hills before rolling in to Chamberlain, a small town right on the banks of the Missouri River, where Kathy found us a riverfront motel run by a friendly young couple who shared her affection for dogs. Cinder & I took advantage of the location (and the heat - 95 degrees) and went for a swim. Daily r/k tally – a 3-point buck, a pheasant, and 3 raccoons in addition to the flat skunks and UB&F* piles. Motel owners delivered a big tub of popcorn from the locals theater to our room in the p.m. – a really nice gesture… * unidentifiable bone & fur piles |
| Day 30 | Chamberlain, SD to |
Slipped away from the motel at 5:30 a.m. in the pre-dawn darkness, warm enough to wear a sleeveless jersey. Light wind, humidity – 90%…When I caught up w/Kathy, she showed me a letter that had been left on our windshield overnight. The motel owners, Bobbi & Judd Lindquist (Lake Shore Motel) told us how our journey had ‘inspired’ them and encouraged us to ‘pedal on’ (our new motto) in the same spirit as Lance Armstrong & cancer survivers, and the women getting lives back together in Kathy’s line of work . They refunded our room bill as their donation to Coddington Place, and in one simple gesture, reconfirmed our faith in humanity as well as the hospitality of folks in SD. We were totally blown away by this act and still get choked up thinking about it. If you’re reading this Bobbi & Judd, you made our trip. Thanks!.. Made it to Platte, SD (50 mi) in time for breakfast with the locals at Shorty’s Café & Bar on Main St. Folks very friendly, asked lots of questions about our trip, etc. Bill even let me park my bike next to his three-wheeler out front. Best eggs, hashbrowns & pancake I’ve had on the trip. Flushed out two pheasants from the cornfields on our way out of town… 105 degrees by noon – in an air conditioned motel room by 12:30 p.m. Washed my bike for the first time. Stepped on a scale for the first time – 7 lbs lighter than a month ago… Big thunderstorm rolled through at 5 p.m. – rained hard for about an hour and then the skies cleared up and it was over as quick as it started. Glad we weren’t on the road… |
| Day 31 | Pickstown, SD to |
Today is our ‘anniversary’ – one month on the road. Kathy is starting to get homesick – tired of the ‘different motel every night’ routine – move in, move out, day after day… Stopped at the bait shop – the only place open at 5:45 am – to get Kathy a coffee. My ‘screaming yellow’ jersey and spandex shorts turned a few heads. More humid than yesterday but not as hot – almost chilly for a change. The sunrises are beautiful in this part of the country – one of the benefits of getting an early start. Breakfast in Springfield – a recumbent bicycle was parked outside the café – an unusual sight in this part of the country. Looked around for the spandex-clad owner when we went in but only saw locals – men on one side of the room, women on the other, which appears to be customary in these parts. Turns out that the bike belong to an old timer at the ‘men’s table’ – he said hello on the way out and asked about our trip & route, etc. Told us we’d be passing through Onawa, IA, the starting point for the annual cross-Iowa bicycle ride, the RAGBRAI – 15k riders, 30+ years old. He’s heading down on Sat. to join in the festivities himself. Stopped in Yankton so Kathy could drop off D/V materials at the local shelter. They were still cleaning up from the previous night’s storm – trees down all over town. 23 mi. later (last 10 were new pavement and a tailwind) we were in Vermillion, home of the U of SD. Pretty campus town. Dawned on me that most of the terrain had been reasonably flat today – Missouri River ‘bottom land’ – corn & bean fields. Bill Lemoine called to say hello. Brad Pettinger filled me in on ‘work issues’. Cell phone woke us up at 11 p.m. – daughter Amy checking in… |
| Day 32 | Vermillion, SD to |
Left the hotel at 5:45 – downright chilly for a change. Actually put on arm warmers for the first time since the mts. in Montana. Flat ride all the way to Onawa. Got off course in Souix City, IA and it took a while to get back on track. The guidebook’s maps leave something to be desired in the metro areas. Usually end up stacking the bike and driving around w/Kathy until we get things sorted out. Stopped at a DQ for directions and a cold treat. Finally back on a straight rural road, riding through cornfields once again. Checked into the last available motel room in the only motel in town. The town is gearing up for the ‘invasion’ of 15 thousand bicyclists, set for tomorrow (Sat.) in advance of Sunday’s start. Most will be camping at the fairgrounds, people’s front lawns and any place where a tent can be pitched…We might be in a tent tomorrow if a room doesn’t become available from a reservation cancellation. Short day, miles wise, but want to stick around to experience the spectacle that is RAGBRAI…Called home and talked to my mom… |
Total miles – 2,563.7 |
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| Day 33 | “Rest Day” |
Woke up early to start working on the weekly web update so that we could ‘play’ later on in the day. Motel had a cancellation so we were able to stay another night – only had to change rooms… Town starting to fill up as cyclists from all over the country, and world for that matter, start to arrive in advance of Sunday’s RAGBRAI start. Converted school busses, loaded with bicycles and serving as rolling ‘mother-ships’ for ‘teams’ of cyclists occupy parking lots and side streets all around town. Small tent cities are sprouting up on lawns in front yards, churchyards and any patch of green that will accommodate them. Bicyclists riding back and forth between Main St. and the fairgrounds, ‘ground zero’ for the annual gathering. Kathy & I (and the dogs) took a walk through the activity in the early afternoon as folks were pitching tents, assembling UPS’ed bicycles, getting last-minute tune-ups, rounding up colleagues and browsing the ‘bike expo’ area, complete with demo tents with all the latest equipment. Looked & drooled, but in the end, walked away with only a large tube of chamois cream (butt butter..) for my sore cheeks. Finally ate my first ear of roasted Iowa ‘sweet corn’ after riding through days and miles of nothing but corn fields…Back at the motel, I had a nice visit with Steve, a rider from Utah who has a bike (Specialized Roubaix pro) like mine. We both spent time extolling the virtues of the new carbon fiber frame, 10-speed Dura Ace, etc… |
| Day 34 | Onawa, IA to |
Left the hotel at 6:45 a.m. and rode the mile into town with all the riders gathering for the start of the cross-Iowa ride. They went east – our route out of town headed south. Detour due to a ‘bridge out’ took us out on the Interstate for a while – a tailwind made for a good pace… Got ‘lost’ in Missouri Valley mid-morning and had to back track a bit, after calling Kathy on the cell phone and getting her turned around. Lunch in Council Bluffs, IA, where we got directions from a local who told us we could avoid the ‘nature trail’ portion of the guide book’s route (40 mi.) by taking a couple of different rural highways that would get us to our destination, Shenandoah, the home of the Everly Brothers. We took his well-meaning advice and the state map he gave us, and headed off. Road - US 34 - turned terrible. Rough pavement, no shoulder, fast traffic – and it turned into a long, hot, hilly, head-windy afternoon that seemed to go on forever. Turned into our second-longest day of the trip so far… Ted & son Joe called in the p.m. for a progress report. Also heard from Jack Emmons. R/K report: possums, an owl, raccoons, a cat, a snake and numerous UFB’s. |
| Day 35 | Shenandoah, IA to |
Slipped out of town in a chilly fog – wore the USPS vest that came from Nike (thanks Mike) – and headed south for the border and a new state to ride in. Crossed into Missouri as the sun was starting to warm up the early morning. Rolling farm country, cornfields, tidy farms & manicured lawns – a freshly mowed lawn is next to godliness in this part of the country. Green, lush and humid… Picked up a state map in the first town we encountered – Tarkio – along with well wishes from a local woman who was interested in our journey. ‘Borrowed’ two ears of corn from a field mid-morning – stuffed them in my bib shorts, under my cycling jersey and rode hard to catch up with Kathy so I could unload the booty before some farmer shot me for ‘corn rustling’ or ‘hit’ on me because of the nice ‘rack’ I was packing… Late breakfast in a small town, Craig (pop. 320), at the Wright café. The waitress had been to Coos Bay numerous times in her youth, fishing on her uncle’s sport boat. It truly is a small world… Passed the solitary afternoon miles thinking about ‘lessons learned’ on the trip so far. Should have written them down while they were fresh on my mind… Hit four miles of gravel road at mi. 80 – better suited for a mtn. bike than my road bike. Stacked the bike on the outskirts of St. Joseph and drove through the city looking for a motel. Beautiful old mansions line the boulevard crossing town. Had a great steak dinner and cleaned the bike’s ‘running gear’ back at the motel. |
| Day 36 | St. Joseph, MO to |
Tough day… Hot, humid & TERRIBLE route – course changes all afternoon - L turn .03 mi /R turn .06 mi – head S, SE, N – all trying to avoid the worst of Kansas City, MO. Went from beautiful, rural farmland to suburban sprawl, with ‘cookie cutter’ subdivisions taking over where farms/farmers once raised the crops that feed the country. Houses in the “low 200’s”; “townhouses”, “patio houses” – take your pick, they all look alike; same roofline, same color, same contractor… Only highlight of the day was dropping down off the highway into the little town of Weston, MO in the mid-morning. Like stepping back into an earlier era – beautiful, old houses; a tiny ‘Main St’ lined with narrow, brick buildings – the kind of town that we could have spent an entire day in, just wandering up and down the short, tree-lined streets, looking at the old houses and basking in the charm of ‘the town that time forgot’. Had biscuits & gravy in the café – visited w/ two retired fellas who had crossed over from Kansas (9 mi) on mtn. bikes for a ‘b & g’ breakfast. They’re ‘in training’ for next June’s ‘ride across Kansas’. Pedal on guys… |
| Day 37 | Lexington, MO to |
Left 11 th & Main at 6:30 a.m. and headed SE into rolling farm country. Got 10 mi. out of town before I realized that I didn’t have the modified water bottle that carried my camera, tire irons, ‘Halt’ (pepper spray for dogs) and a ‘dog tag’ w/my name, phone number, etc. A quick check w/Kathy confirmed that it wasn’t in the truck either. Drove back in to town and our starting point, hoping it was sitting on the side of Main St. where I had obviously left it when I was getting the bike off the roof. Not there… Back to the hotel to check the room – not here either. I guess we’ll see how honest the folks in Lexington, MO are. Kathy had downloaded photos a few days back so I only lost one day’s images… Breakfast in Marshal, MO, where we met 3 ‘50-plus’ women riding the ‘Trail’ from Pierre, SD to St. Louis, MO – 2 ride and 1 drives their camper van, rotating periodically so that each get ride & rest time throughout the day. Rolled through towns settled in the early 1800’s that hadn’t changed much over the decades. Last 12 miles were on the ‘Katy Trail’, a 225 mi. bike & walking path that was once the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) railroad line. The tracks were pulled up and the rail bed covered w/crushed limestone. For much of the trail, the route follows the Missouri River and passes through lots of little towns that have seen an economic impact from tourists riding the trail and visiting wineries, B&B’s and restaurants along the way. We stopped at the Katy O’Neil Inn, a B&B adjacent to the trail run by Rodney O’Neil, an experienced touring cyclist who has a number of cross-country trips under his belt. Had a great room above the ‘carriage house’ (garage) and really enjoyed our brief stay there. Checked out a trail-side restaurant named the ‘Cracked Crab’ featuring steamed Dungeness on the menu. They opened at 5 p.m. but the staff let me snoop around the kitchen while he got me a menu to take back to the room. Saw a pile of brine-froze w/cooks slacking out in a stainless bowl and decided to save the ‘market research’ for another time & place… |
| Day 38 | Rocheport, MO to |
Rodney served up a nice breakfast at 7 a.m. – the ‘ladies’ stayed there also so we visited w/them and compared notes from our respective adventures on the L & C Trail. Rode on the trail for most of the day, occasionally switching to the adjacent highway when our butts needed a surface change and we wanted a change of scenery. The Trail is rather boring with only occasional glimpses of the river through the trees, scrub brush and farmer’s fields. Great for talking and visiting, without having to worry about traffic, course changes, etc. Lots of rabbits, frogs and lizards crossing the path as we rode along… Kathy followed their van and met us at various towns along the route. Ended the day at the ‘Custard Caboose’ in Marthasville w/an ice cream cone and chocolate malt. Started to rain as we headed across the river to Washington, MO to find a motel room. Washed the limestone dust off the bike before calling it a day… |
| Day 39 | Marthasville, MO to |
Woke up to pouring rain and a bad forecast. Should have rolled over and gone back to bed… Anxious to finish the L & C portion of the trip (only 38 mi. left) so we decided to check out and head back to Marthasville where we had finished up yesterday. The ladies took one look outside and said ‘good luck’ and goodbye from the comfort of their dry motel room. Sat in the truck for an hour at the trailhead, reading, hoping the rain would let up. Finally donned a rain jacket, covered my helmet with a motel shower cap and headed east on the Katy Trail – Kathy set to meet me in 11.4 mi (Augusta, MO) to see how things were progressing. Should have had her stop in Dutzow, only 3.7 mi. away… Swerved to avoid a tree branch at 2.2 mi. and hit the soft shoulder on the side of the trail bed, which was now a wet limestone slurry. Flipped the bike and crashed in the brush, skinning my knee, tweaking my brake handle and getting covered in mud in the process. Rode another 8 mi. until I found some pavement and followed it into town and Kathy. Washed up, put on another jacket and set out for St. Charles on Hwy. 94, a winding, hilly, two-lane road through rural wine country east of St. Louis. Got about 12 mi. from St. Charles (the beginning – or end in my case – of the ‘official’ L & C Trail) when the country road abruptly turned into 4-lane divided highway w/cars whizzing by at 65 mph, ten inches from my elbow. No shoulder what so ever. To the right of the pavement was wet, muddy gravel so I was forced to hug the white line and…pray. It’s still pouring rain and the traffic’s getting heavier. Crashed again – hit an edge and fell onto the roadway – and was very lucky not to get run over 8 mi. short of completing the first leg of this adventure. Called Kathy back to the closest intersection to be ‘rescued’ and rode into town on a Tundra seat instead of a bicycle seat… Drove through the old, restored part of St. Charles but couldn’t find adequate lodging so we decided to head east, through St. Louis and on to Rt. 40 (about 20 mi), the road we intend to head east on now that we are off the guidebook…Drove by the famed arch, shrouded in a rainy fog, as we crossed the Mississippi River. Found a motel in Collinsville, IL and settled in for a few ‘rest days’ while we regroup for the final push. Not the kind of finish I anticipated at the end of the L & C Trail after 3,117 mi of riding, but we made it safely and that’s what counts… |
| Day 40 | ‘Rest Day’ Collinsville, IL (0 mi) |
Laundry, clean bike, walk the dogs, etc… Typical ‘rest day’ on this trip. Kathy talked to the folks in the agency and got caught up on all the ‘issues’ at her work. Shirley filled me in on Crab Commission issues on Friday, as I was waiting to be picked up alongside the highway… Nursing some dandy black & blue & yellow bruises from yesterday’s contact with the road surface. Mapping out the route east and calculating the days it will take to get to the Cape. Figure on arriving in Provincetown, MA on or near Aug. 15 th, Lord willing… |
| Total Miles – 3,117.7 (97.4 mi/day avg.) | ||
| Day 41 | ‘Rest Day’ Collinsville, IL (0 mi) |
Took a second ‘day off’ to prepare for the ‘mad dash’ to the East Coast and the end of the bike portion of our journey. Relaxed, read, shopped for groceries, etc. Found a GNC nutrition shop that carried the ‘sports recovery drink’ powder that’s become a part of my daily post-ride ritual, right before I have a cold one (that carbo-loading thing). After 3k+ mi. I swear by the stuff and really think it has helped me get on the bike, day after day, with a minimum of residual soreness. Tried to send digital photos to Allan (epuerto.com - our friend & web-site manager) so he could add them to the web site and make it more interesting, but still having software problems that make it difficult. Sorry folks… |
| Day 42 | Collinsville , IL to Casey, IL (121.6 mi) |
Checked out of the motel at 6 a.m. and drove up I-70 (no bikes allowed) 10 mi. to the junction w/Rt - 40E, the highway that parallels the interstate and will take us across, IL, IA & OH in a relatively straight shot – according to the map anyway… Changed a tube (worn out at the valve) alongside the road before starting out in humid conditions as the sun came up. Flat road, decent pavement, small towns every 3 – 10 mi. – a big change from the Dakotas, where we sometimes only encountered two towns a day – the one we woke up in and the one we went to bed in… Mid-morning, Rt.40E turned into I-70 and I had to find an alternate route to catch up w/ Kathy, who was in Pocahanis, IL, waiting for me. Mid 90’s by the afternoon – hot & humid, but with a tailwind for a change. Pace 18.3 mph for the day - felt good to be back on the bike after two days off… |
| Day 43 | Casey , IL to Indianapolis, IN (91.5 mi) |
Beautiful sunrise as we left town at a muggy 6 a.m. Crossed over the border into Indiana early in the day, just east of Terra Haute – a city small enough that we were able to ride through it without having to stack the bike and drive to the east edge to avoid crazy, strip-mall traffic patterns. Stopped for lunch in Stilesville and talked w/a 72-yr old Korean war vet from MO who was interested in our trip. Also inspired an insurance salesman who walked for heath after having heart problems. He suggested that we stop at the speedway to see if I could ride a ‘victory lap’ around the famous oval… Arrived in Indianapolis in the early p.m. and drove around the city to the east side so that we could be on Rt. 40E, ready to leave, in the a.m. Very few motels left on the old highways – most are now chains located at major interstate exits – and we ended up in a ‘no-tell motel’ in a grimy part of town. Rooms were rented by the week (and who knows, maybe ‘the hour’ as well) and although many were occupied, there were virtually no cars parked in front of them at nightfall. Strange place to say the least. They made us leave a deposit because of the dogs, and actually inspected the room at 5:30 a.m. before we left. Thanks to Kathy’s fastidiousness, it was cleaner than when we checked in and we got our $50 bucks back… On a sad note, my office passed along the news that Carol Puetz had passed away a few days ago. Called Gary and offered our condolences… |
| Day 44 | Indianapolis , IN to Springfield, OH (116.8 mi) |
Left hotel a 5:45 a.m. after the ‘room inspection’ and headed east on 40E through one ‘strip-mall’ after another, all offering the same fast foods and services. Finally came to the first cornfield at 10 mi. and felt ‘at home’ again. Started to rain at 7 a.m. – by 7:30 it was a full-fledged thunder/lightning storm and I dove into the cab of the truck to sit it out in front of the post office in a small town. Diesel, our chow-mix, started to hyperventilate as he always does in storms, and it was all I could do to keep him calm and more importantly, from climbing through the ‘pass through’ window between the cab and the canopy. Rain let up a bit after 1.5 hrs and we got back on the road… Had to stack the bike on the east side of Richmond, IN due to slippery roads & strip-mall madness, and ride the three mi. across the Ohio border on a Toyota seat vs a bicycle seat. Finally dried up in the afternoon as we rolled through the Ohio countryside. In Englewood, came across a young Amish farmer selling fresh fruits & vegetables off a horse-drawn cart – in the corner of a busy K-Mart parking lot… Had a nice visit at the end of the day with two members of the Springfield Rotary Club (Ed Leventhal & Kathy), arranged courtesy of Mike Hosie of the CB/NB Rotary Club. Talked about ‘our mission’ and recounted the highlights of our trip to date. Ended up in a ‘handicapped’ room at Red Roof Inn with a king-sized walk-in shower - worked great to wash all the day’s road grime off the bike…R/K update: a mink and a mole. |
| Day 45 | Springfield , OH to Cambridge, OH (95.8 mi) |
Lost an hour due to a change in the time zone so we got off to a later start than usual. Clear skies after yesterday’s storms – north wind, which I fought all day. Lunch at Ruby’s Pizza & Soft Serve in a ‘ville’ whose name escapes me at the moment. The owner was interested in our trip and amazed that we were both ‘in our fifties.’ Said she was going to get a bike… Have seen lots of BIG cemeteries in the middle of the country. Folks in these parts must like to be planted in the ground, just like all the corn, etc. they plant year-in and year-out. Acres filled with large, shiny tombstones – even passed the “Pet Heaven’ graveyard this afternoon, complete with small-sized marble and granite headstones to commemorate the family pet’s passing. Terrain getting hillier – starting to get more trees that actually provide some shade along the roadway. Lots of road construction to make things interesting. No shoulder and passing cars that don’t seem to be interested in sharing the road. Finally gave up and stacked the bike in New Concord – drove to Cambridge to find lodging… |
| Day 46 | Cambridge , OH to Winterville, OH (56.6 mi – ½ day) |
Not a good day… Cold in the a.m. it never really warmed up. Rt. 40E turned into I-70 (no bikes) so we had to head north on highway 22 through hilly, rural countryside, right into a headwind. No shoulder, narrow roads and lots of truck traffic to watch out for. Stopped to ask directions mid-morning, from a young man sitting out in front of a single-wide trailer with his son –he in boxers, son in pj’s – enjoying morning coffee and a smoke. Said it was hilly all the way to PA, although he didn’t know about Pittsburg and beyond as he was a ‘hillbilly’ and had never been out of Ohio. From the looks of things, there wasn’t much opportunity locally, ‘cept workin’ in the mine. The two-lane country road eventually turned into a busy, four-lane highway and we stacked the bike and drove across the Ohio River through W. VA (a narrow 7 mi sliver between OH & PA) and on into downtown Pittsburg to locate a bike shop and map of the PA bike route (Bike PA, Rt.Y) that crosses the northern tier of the state. Unsuccessful on both accounts after driving around in circles in the city for an hour, we drove 100 mi. north on the interstate to Edinboro, PA, a small college town near the OH/PA border on Rt.-6 that crosses the state from OH to NY. Found a great bike shop (Countryside Cycling & Wheelworks) and owner Bob Kramer solved my shifting problems (replaced a worn-out chain) and got my bike in good working order again. Finally wore out the tires that I installed in Hood River 3000 mi. ago (Specialized Armadillos – truly bombproof) so I put on a spare set back in the motel room… Today’s R/K report: a big hawk, a turtle and more skunks. |
| Day 47 | Edinboro , PA to Smethport, PA (111.7 mi) |
Chilly, sunny a.m. that turned foggy, cloudy and threatened rain all day. Stopped in the Corry, PA state police office to get some road info and 45 min. later I left with motel info for every town within shooting distance of our estimated location at the end of our planned 100 miles. Holly, the dispatcher must have been a travel agent in another life…While I was getting lodging info, Kathy was parked along side the road five mi. to the east. A trooper stopped to see if she was lost or needed help – the first inquiry by a lawman in 3650+ miles of sitting on the side of the road waiting for me to catch up… Stopped at an Amish stand selling fresh baked goods – bought cookies & a pie to support the local economy. Lunch at the ‘Cabin in the Woods’ bar ( a ‘real’ cheeseburger) also helped out…Nice down hills amid eastern hardwood forests that will be awash with color come fall. Coasted down into Smethport to find Kathy, room key in hand, at the first motel she encountered. Owners Mark & Teresa were ‘dog people’ and welcomed the four of us to their tidy place. Suggested that we eat at the ‘blue house’ restaurant ($15 prime rib) and tell ‘em they sent us… Sure enough, the prime rib was a slab and the meal was great. Mark & Teresa even stopped by to by us a drink at the end of our dinner and we spent the rest of the evening with them and their friends, along with late arriving motel guests from NJ. |
| Day 48 | Smethport , PA to Mansfield, PA (85.0 mi) |
Beautiful ‘fall-like’ weather as we rolled through the hilly, wooded countryside with a tailwind for a change. Lots of ‘Sunday drivers’ out enjoying the small towns and scenery. Made phone contact with a Rotarian from Westboro, MA who has offered to help us get some ‘local’ exposure for our endeavor when we get in his area. Rain clouds started to develop in the afternoon and we ended up pulling the plug in Mansfield instead of pushing on to Troy, 18 mi. to the east. Kathy was ready to get out of the truck and I wasn’t about to argue with her… R/K update: a porcupine, vulture & a woodchuck. |
| Day 49 | Mansfield , PA to Carbondale, PA (103.6 mi) |
Beautiful weather – sunshine that turned hot & humid as the day wore on. Entered the ‘ Endless Mountains’ region of northern PA – appropriately named as the hills never stopped all day long. Encountered a ‘regulation inspection’ along the highway –state troopers were stopping everyone to check for license, registration and proof of insurance. Kathy found what they were looking for in the glove box, and when the officer questioned why she was in the area, her answer – “accompanying my husband on a cross-country bicycle ride” – generated the following response: “I can’t imagine doing that…” Dawned on me later on in the day that if you can’t imagine doing something, you won’t. On the other hand, if you can imagine it, you can do – anything. When I came rolling up, they waved me by… Lunch on the tailgate along side a shady section of road. Lots of summer camps in this area – kids from the NE cities shipped out to the woods for carefree summer fun. The Carbondale police suggested that we head 3 mi. out of town to find a ‘decent’ motel as they wouldn’t recommend any of the ‘local’ ones. Must have belonged to a relative because when we got there 5 mi. later, it was under whelming. Had to talk them into accepting the dogs, and the price, made up on the spot, was obviously intended to keep us looking for other options. Didn’t give them the pleasure of taking advantage of us twice by eating in the adjoining restaurant. Instead, we drove north to Clifford and had a nice dinner at the restored hotel in the center of the tiny resort-area town. R/K for the day: rabbit, deer & a weasel. |
| Day 50 | Carbondale , PA to Kingston, NY (102.5 mi) |
Left town under a forecast of thunderstorms, rain and bad weather. Another day of humid hills until we crossed the border into NY-state at noon, where it got surprisingly flat. Breakfast in Honesdale, PA at a diner on Main St. The owner gave us a NY map from his glovebox, along with much appreciated route information. Said he gets a dozen or so bikers passing through a year – all heading west and all stating how tough the regions hills are. People have been really helpful throughout the trip whenever we needed directions, etc. They are always interested in our journey and in awe of our progress. Heading north on Rt. 209, toward the Catskills in ‘upstate’ NY. Talked to Mike Hosie about Rotary contacts in MA. Talked to daughter Amy about missing our family & friends at home. Said she was ‘proud of her dad’ – what more could I ask for… Rolled through Accord, NY and started looking for a motel room. Passed the 4000 mi. mark a few miles before the daily 100. A local suggested we’d have better luck driving up to Kingston where the interstate intersects 209. We did. He was right… Went out for a late-night ice cream to celebrate the mileage mark. We’re getting close – will cross into MA sometime tomorrow… |
| Day 51 | Kingston , NY to Pittsfield, MA (75.7 mi) |
Went back to where we stacked the bike yesterday p.m. started NE again. Anxious to get to my home state & town – pace was fast due to my obvious excitement. Crossed over the Hudson River with the rush hour traffic and rode through rural countryside to Hudson, NY, where we stopped at a bakery for pastry & coffee. Got route info at the local police station. Crossed over into MA in the early afternoon and rolled into Pittsfield 10 mi. later. Went straight to the ‘Hotdog Ranch’, a hotdog joint that we used to frequent as teenagers when they were still ‘10 for a buck’… Ate 5 of them to Kathy’s 4 – only now, they’ve gone up to $1.25 ea. Four inches long and custom made by a local meat co., w/ onions, mustard & special meat sauce, on a custom bun made by a local Polish bakery. They are the best hotdogs on earth – bar none…A couple of locals bought us a ‘welcome back’ beer after hearing about our ride east. Called my brother Peter and provided him with a description of the changes to the downtown area as we drove through the city. Drove up to Pontusuc Lake in Lanesboro, where we were raised, and went by moms old house. The neighborhood looked tough… Started looking around for a motel but couldn’t find one that would accommodate dogs. Finally found an older lady at the ‘Heart of the Berkshires Motel’ that took a chance on us after listening to my spiel about ‘howgoodtheyareandhow weareresponsiblepetownersandthatwealwayspickupthepoop…’ Had a great visit with my longtime friend Pete White and his wife Sally. They brought pizza and Ben & Jerry’s to the room so we wouldn’t have pack the dogs back into the truck for dinner in town. |
| Day 52 | Pittsfield , MA to Shrewsbury, MA (80.2 mi) |
On the way out of town, we drove past the General Electric complex that used to be the primary employer in the area as we headed to Dalton, our starting point on Rt. 9 which will take us half way across the state to our next overnight stop. Thousands of jobs have been lost and most of the plant buildings are new being torn down. Climbed over Winsor Mt. and the rain started coming down as I coasted down the backside. Wind & rain made the next two and a half hours to Northampton, MA a real effort. Soaked to the bone as I watched the mirror to make sure the cars kept their distance. Passed a recumbent rider heading to NY-state for a gathering of ‘bent’ riders. Not the only fool on the road… Had lunch in Northampton and then did a little shopping while the showers tapered of and things dried up a bit. Back on the bike for another 40 mi. until I stacked it west of the city when the traffic got too hectic. Paul Gallagher, a local Rotarian gave us directions to his home in Shrewsbury along with an invitation to spend the night. In addition to his ‘day job’, Paul heads up an international Rotary project that trains medical personnel in Central America. Had a lovely evening & dinner with he and his wife Sandy, and enjoyed our first “home stay’ on the trip – dogs and all… |
Total Miles – 4,160.1 (98.1 mi/day avg.) |
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Note: It wouldn’t be fair to keep those of you who have hung with us this long, in suspense any longer… We finished the trip on Tuesday, August 17 at 1:30 p.m. in Provincetown, on the tip of Cape Cod, and are presently in Harrisburg, PA, heading home. (Ni I’m not riding the bike – it’s locked up safely on the roof…) Will file the final four days reports later on this week, along with the ‘official’ mileage for our Coos Bay to Cape Cod adventure. There are still a few more ‘spills & chills’ to recount so stay tuned… Nick, Kathy, Cinder & Diesel |
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Overwhelming send-off at Sunset Bay thanks to Char and the staff of the WS&RC. Friends, family and well-wishers all there to see Kathy & I off on our ‘adventure.’ Still trying to process all the emotions… Made it to Newport by 5:30 pm thanks to my ‘bike buddies’ Rich and Dave who took the long pulls and told me to save my legs for therest of the trip.
Spent the entire day relaxing. Took the dogs for a swim in the Columbia River; took a nap under a shade tree; replenished my carbohydrate supply (ie. drank beer…); ate; watched seagulls play in the thermals high above the campground; more carbo-loading; met a retired PA couple riding the L & C trail on fully-loaded bicycles. They had three months to make it home. At the rate they’re traveling – stops at every historical marker & winery – they’ll need all of it… A great horned owl took up residence in the tree above our tent and watched our activity for part of the afternoon. Honda ‘Gold Wing’ touring group shared some fresh salmon with us at dinnertime. More carbs…
Drove back up to the base of the pass and picked up Ted & Joe at the ‘not-dog-friendly’ resort. Mornings chilly now that we are in the mountains – wore arm-warmers for the first time since leaving the OR coast. Started out the day climbing and spent most of the day going up…First pass was Lost Trail which turned into Chief Joseph Pass at 7,240 ft, where we crossed the Continental Divide. (Blew the kid’s doors off, but he made me pay later on in the day…) Stopped in Wisdom for a mid-morning break. Mosquitoes were thick east of there… Passed loaded bikers heading both ways. West-bound riders looked like they were working hard. Aussie tourist in Jackson told us about a terrible accident he passed back in Idaho along the river route we were on four days ago, involving 4 cyclists and a tourist pulling a R.V. Had a real dampening effect on the rest of the day… Climbed Big Hole Pass (7,360 ft) – the payoff, a great downhill (49 mph) that went on forever. Unfortunately, ‘what goes down, must go back up’ in this country, and 6,760 ft Badger Pass came late in the afternoon under the hot sun. Another fast downhill took us into Dillon and some well-deserved ‘carbo-loading’ in the form of ‘Fat Tire’ ale…