This is a 2 part post. 1 at the end of my journey in 2016, 2 a little over a year later.
Part 1. It's been 18 days since I finished cycling the Northern Tier. It was one month ago that a tragic accident occurred on another bike tour in another part of the country. Let me explain.
Anne Davis was a rock climbing student of mine at W&M. A natural climber. Tall athletic build. Happy go lucky kind of girl. (Meant to be kind words) Rarely came to class on time. Gave it her all when she finally arrived.
Last spring she was in my Rock Climbing II class. It was a small class that bonded well. At the end of the trip, we gathered for a group photo with the cliff in the background. It's a classic photo. After the final field trip experience, the class had a hard copy made and everyone signed it adding a few jaunty words. They mailed it to my home after graduation. Needless to say I was touched. I have that photo on my home desk. That was in mid May, 2016.
I'm not sure exactly when I learned about Anne's intention to ride a bike across the country, but it didn't really surprise me. And it didn't surprise me to learn that she had little experience with cycling. Ah to be young and impetuous again. I saw a Facebook post of her on a bike with a backpack on. Yikes! I thought. Hope she's not riding with that on her back... I had no memory or understanding on the specifics of her intended journey. I smiled to myself and wished her well. I prayed she'd be in good company.
Fast forward in time. I'm nearly a month into my own journey. Somewhere in eastern Montana. On July 15th, I see a Facebook post about Laura Stark and Anne being struck by a car in Idaho Falls. It was a go fund me account for Ms. Stark. Anne was spoken of in past tense. My heart sunk. After doing a Google search I learned what happened.
Early Wednesday evening July 13, 2016, Anne and Laura were at the end of a 79 mile day when a 33 year old woman struck them from behind as they entered Idaho (Falls) from Wyoming. Despite quick medical assistance, Anne didn't make it. Laura is still in the hospital in Idaho facing a long recovery. My heart goes out to Laura and both families and their friends.
I am touched by this tragic turn of events while I was on the ride, but there was absolutely nothing I could do. Zip. I did know this. I could say nothing to my family and friends. I couldn't offer my condolences on social media as it would increase worries from my family, especially my mom.
Part 2.
Here it is August 3, 2017. It's been over a year since I finished the Northern Tier. I look back on the experience with great fondness. Almost surreal. Definitely a strong sense of accomplishment.
I still bike a lot. Did a 500 mile bike tour around eastern NC in June with my wife, Pam, Tom B and Gay. Gay had knee replacement last winter. Doing great. Not perfect but great. He did RAGBRAI last week with Denise. Tom is a local VA friend. Funny guy. He's pretty remarkable too. He's half the man he used to be. Just 4 years ago he weighed 420 lbs! Now, 205. Wow. Just wow. No surgery. Just diet and exercise. I had an emergency appendectomy in late April so I hadn't done a lot to get in shape for the tour, but I figured it would be fine because it was F L A T! We all did great.
Back to Anne Davis. The woman that killed her and put Laura, her riding buddy in a wheelchair for life, pleaded guilty a year later to vehicular manslaughter and failure to maintain vehicle insurance. One year in jail with all but 60 days suspended. 3 year license revocation & 5 year restriction and a $500 fine. Patricia Breyer had previous convictions including no insurance and leaving scene. I hope there is a special place in hell for such irresponsible people. This event has touched my heart on so many levels. A sweet young woman undertaking an experience of a lifetime had her life ripped away by a ... I don't even have words to describe her.
Anne was The treasured daughter of a Methodist minister. Recent college grad. Former student of mine. (A picture of my rock climbing class that includes Anne complete with everyone's note still sits on my home desk.) Sigh. Rest In Peace, Anne.
Now for the rest of us, be careful out there. Driving and cycling.
With that set back as the exception, what a great adventure it was bicycling across the USA. I highly recommend it. Prepare yourself. Physically. Mentally. Equipment wise. Spirituality. Yeah, I'm the praying type. Know thyself and thy gear. Have spare nuts and bolts. Tools. And back up plans. Tell your family not to worry and that you love them very much.
Ride on and Godspeed.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Monday, August 1, 2016
Epilogue Part 1
I managed to get up and have the motel's continental breakfast with Bill & Sandy. It felt a bit odd to see them ride away. We'd been traveling together for just over 6 weeks since Anacortes. Excellent traveling companions and friends. I'm certain the rest of their journey will go well. Godspeed.
I picked up a one way rental car from Hertz in Brainerd. Actually they came to the inn and picked me up. I was able to load my bike and gear in the car and was taken to the Hertz location where I filled out the paperwork and was off to head home.
Driving all the way back to southeastern VA probably sounds torturous to most people. Mostly I agree. What I liked best about the drive is the time to think and reflect. I know once I return home, I'll happily return to my life. Bicycle touring is a much different world as you have read in this blog. But why is is so appealing? Good question. Here are some of my thoughts.
I love being on the open road. It's both inspiring and intimidating to look ahead and see what's to come. That runs the gambit of realms from seeing the grueling climbs, harrowing descents, long lonely, desolate stretches, exciting destinations and breathtaking scenery. Each aspect is an essential ingredient of the journey. For some it's all about arriving. While that's ultimately "The Goal", to me it's what happens along the way that makes the destination so darn sweet.
I think about the times when I question my decisions. Decision to go on this little adventure. How to manage the logistics (getting bike, gear and self there). How to physically prepare myself. My gear. Prepare my family for my absence. (They were awesome in their support!) And of course to manage the road ahead. To my credit, I chose only the best of traveling companions! Seriously. While there may have been a few hiccups along the way, knowing how people operate is most helpful in wrapping your head around personal day to day routines. The most endearing quality I appreciated of them was patience.
The daily routine: wake up. For the umpteenth time. Some nights are longer than others. Finally get up. Get dressed for riding. Pack. Throw your gear out of the tent. Find the restroom. Come back. Pack up the tent. Load the bike. Oh yeah. Find something to eat and drink before beginning. Head out. This process from getting up to departure took 45 minutes. Do this each and every day we camp. When we stayed indoors, the routine varied only slightly. It was more challenging to get out of bed.
Day after day. The only thing that varied was the route and weather. Typically we made decisions the day before about our "destination of the day". At some point before we departed for the day, we would look at places to stop along the way for food/drink and rest. We'd need to anticipate availability of food and shelter at our destination and if we needed to buy and bring stuff with us or get it there. Little towns weren't all that dependable. They might close early or not open on Wednesdays or some such nonsense. Always have emergency rations with you. Just in case... As for the weather, I'm sure I annoy my companions with my weather watching. I like to know what to expect. (I've avoided the teeth of more than one storm!) It helped me prepare. Mentally and physically. When to repack certain things to ensure they stay dry. Make other stuff more accessible. Etc. Will it be cold or hot? Headwind, crosswind or tailwind? Knowing helps me steel myself for the challenges ahead and delight in the anticipated joys. Some of my compatriots don't want to know. That's part of the excitement for them, I understand that.
Fun? Define fun. Enjoyable. Amusing. Pleasurable. I suppose I could look at it that way. Heck, why else would I ever undertake such an experience?
The allure. I've done enough extended touring (more than a week) to grasp the appeal of loaded bicycle touring across the USA. The mysterious unknowns of what lies ahead. Who will you meet? What the accommodations will be like? Unusual sights? Physical challenges? How I will interact with all this draws me forward.
Day by day: The simplicity of day to day activities is, well, simply beautiful. Following a route and routine carries a certain amount of comfort. And the effort. Oh the effort. That never goes away. Everything requires a mental and physical push to move onward. The grind of getting on your heavy, loaded up bike and churning out miles each and every day can certainly wear on your psyche. Not to mention my sore body parts. But I couldn't let harsh thoughts overcome me. Even when the going gets difficult, I had to find the silver cloud. That's what challenge is all about to me.
Heading towards a specific destination helps me find the motivation to drive on. So while I'm back mentioning the destination, it's the steps along the way that keep the destination in focus. I might compare it to painting a picture. I'm no artist but it's clear that a lot goes into painting a picture. But when it's done, and not until it's done can one fully appreciate its message. So as I have reached the end of my journey across the USA I can really begin to put it all in perspective. The people I've met and traveled with. The communities I've visited. Sights seen. Emotional highs and lows. And so
much more.
I'm a Christian man who had a lot of time on his hands to ponder life. I spoke with God on a number of occasions. I prayed of course. Mostly I talked to God expressing my great appreciatioon for all that I have and all that I have been given, that allows me to experience such a life changing journey. At one point I felt pretty ill. I asked Him for strength and improved health so I could continue & complete my journey across country. Now of course I don't know if I was granted grace by His hearing my plea, but I'd like to think so. I am and will be eternally grateful.
It had been one week now since I was on the last leg of my travels. Do I miss it? Sure. I miss traveling with my wife and friends. Seeing new places and meeting new people. I can still ride my bike any time. My bride is still my riding partner and the mother of my great kids, although they aren't really kids anymore. My friends are still my friends and when we get to hang out together, our bond will be even more meaningful through our shared experiences. Not only will I have my memories to cherish but I'll have my photos and this blog to keep my memories straight! At least from my point of view.😎
This epilogue has largely been a rambling piece in an attempt to tie up a few loose thoughts. I plan to have at least one more entry to share some even more random thoughts and experiences and maybe feelings about this little bike ride.
This leg completes my bike ride across the USA via the Northern Tier.
Total mileage 4,303 miles
73 days of riding
Yes. It was fun.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!🍺🚴🏻😎
Kim
I picked up a one way rental car from Hertz in Brainerd. Actually they came to the inn and picked me up. I was able to load my bike and gear in the car and was taken to the Hertz location where I filled out the paperwork and was off to head home.
Driving all the way back to southeastern VA probably sounds torturous to most people. Mostly I agree. What I liked best about the drive is the time to think and reflect. I know once I return home, I'll happily return to my life. Bicycle touring is a much different world as you have read in this blog. But why is is so appealing? Good question. Here are some of my thoughts.
I love being on the open road. It's both inspiring and intimidating to look ahead and see what's to come. That runs the gambit of realms from seeing the grueling climbs, harrowing descents, long lonely, desolate stretches, exciting destinations and breathtaking scenery. Each aspect is an essential ingredient of the journey. For some it's all about arriving. While that's ultimately "The Goal", to me it's what happens along the way that makes the destination so darn sweet.
I think about the times when I question my decisions. Decision to go on this little adventure. How to manage the logistics (getting bike, gear and self there). How to physically prepare myself. My gear. Prepare my family for my absence. (They were awesome in their support!) And of course to manage the road ahead. To my credit, I chose only the best of traveling companions! Seriously. While there may have been a few hiccups along the way, knowing how people operate is most helpful in wrapping your head around personal day to day routines. The most endearing quality I appreciated of them was patience.
The daily routine: wake up. For the umpteenth time. Some nights are longer than others. Finally get up. Get dressed for riding. Pack. Throw your gear out of the tent. Find the restroom. Come back. Pack up the tent. Load the bike. Oh yeah. Find something to eat and drink before beginning. Head out. This process from getting up to departure took 45 minutes. Do this each and every day we camp. When we stayed indoors, the routine varied only slightly. It was more challenging to get out of bed.
Day after day. The only thing that varied was the route and weather. Typically we made decisions the day before about our "destination of the day". At some point before we departed for the day, we would look at places to stop along the way for food/drink and rest. We'd need to anticipate availability of food and shelter at our destination and if we needed to buy and bring stuff with us or get it there. Little towns weren't all that dependable. They might close early or not open on Wednesdays or some such nonsense. Always have emergency rations with you. Just in case... As for the weather, I'm sure I annoy my companions with my weather watching. I like to know what to expect. (I've avoided the teeth of more than one storm!) It helped me prepare. Mentally and physically. When to repack certain things to ensure they stay dry. Make other stuff more accessible. Etc. Will it be cold or hot? Headwind, crosswind or tailwind? Knowing helps me steel myself for the challenges ahead and delight in the anticipated joys. Some of my compatriots don't want to know. That's part of the excitement for them, I understand that.
Fun? Define fun. Enjoyable. Amusing. Pleasurable. I suppose I could look at it that way. Heck, why else would I ever undertake such an experience?
The allure. I've done enough extended touring (more than a week) to grasp the appeal of loaded bicycle touring across the USA. The mysterious unknowns of what lies ahead. Who will you meet? What the accommodations will be like? Unusual sights? Physical challenges? How I will interact with all this draws me forward.
Day by day: The simplicity of day to day activities is, well, simply beautiful. Following a route and routine carries a certain amount of comfort. And the effort. Oh the effort. That never goes away. Everything requires a mental and physical push to move onward. The grind of getting on your heavy, loaded up bike and churning out miles each and every day can certainly wear on your psyche. Not to mention my sore body parts. But I couldn't let harsh thoughts overcome me. Even when the going gets difficult, I had to find the silver cloud. That's what challenge is all about to me.
Heading towards a specific destination helps me find the motivation to drive on. So while I'm back mentioning the destination, it's the steps along the way that keep the destination in focus. I might compare it to painting a picture. I'm no artist but it's clear that a lot goes into painting a picture. But when it's done, and not until it's done can one fully appreciate its message. So as I have reached the end of my journey across the USA I can really begin to put it all in perspective. The people I've met and traveled with. The communities I've visited. Sights seen. Emotional highs and lows. And so
much more.
I'm a Christian man who had a lot of time on his hands to ponder life. I spoke with God on a number of occasions. I prayed of course. Mostly I talked to God expressing my great appreciatioon for all that I have and all that I have been given, that allows me to experience such a life changing journey. At one point I felt pretty ill. I asked Him for strength and improved health so I could continue & complete my journey across country. Now of course I don't know if I was granted grace by His hearing my plea, but I'd like to think so. I am and will be eternally grateful.
It had been one week now since I was on the last leg of my travels. Do I miss it? Sure. I miss traveling with my wife and friends. Seeing new places and meeting new people. I can still ride my bike any time. My bride is still my riding partner and the mother of my great kids, although they aren't really kids anymore. My friends are still my friends and when we get to hang out together, our bond will be even more meaningful through our shared experiences. Not only will I have my memories to cherish but I'll have my photos and this blog to keep my memories straight! At least from my point of view.😎
This epilogue has largely been a rambling piece in an attempt to tie up a few loose thoughts. I plan to have at least one more entry to share some even more random thoughts and experiences and maybe feelings about this little bike ride.
This leg completes my bike ride across the USA via the Northern Tier.
Total mileage 4,303 miles
73 days of riding
Yes. It was fun.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!🍺🚴🏻😎
Kim
Monday, July 25, 2016
Day 36 Last Day Riding
We departed the Lakeside View motel at 7 as usual. I was able to make coffee in the room. A treat for me. Sandy revealed that unlike me, she is less than fond of the aroma of fresh coffee. Good thing this was our last opportunity to share a room with coffee privileges.😎
We headed down the road to Brainerd via the Paul Bunyon Trail (PBT). It's an asphalt trail about 10 or 12 feet wide. Like any other paved surface, its condition varies from smooth to cracks resembling a lunar landscape. But mostly, it's mildly cracked with tar filling the crevasses. It's well shaded but the trees and growth don't obscure an afternoon sun. The trail does guard against winds from the side. Most of what we felt came from behind.
Occasionally, we would encounter noticeable ups and downs with signage warning cyclists of same. It felt a bit humorous to see and experience considering all we've seen and ridden so far. That did make the PBT more fun because it's quite long and monotonous. Scenic from time to time but monotonous. The grade of the terrain is v e r y gradual. Typically it's difficult to tell visually if you're going up or down. The only thing that gives it away is your speed relative to how your legs feel with the effort. That means going down is easier than going up!
This section of trail was familiar to me as I rode it last year in my run up to Bemidji from Brainerd. It was largely as I had remembered but of course I was headed in the opposite direction! We ate breakfast at "Joe's Viddles". As it turns out, we had lunch there last year! Kinda like old times:-)
As it also turns out, the trail was far from cleared of storm debris. Lots of trees across the trail. All but 2 or 3 of them simply called for us to duck under branches or pick our way through the brush. Once we had to stop and pick up our bikes over a significant log. No biggie. One we had to walk around the end/tree top in the tall grass. Others had blazed that trail before we got there. There was a short but steep climb back to the trail. Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal at all, but we are pushing bikes laden with stuff! My front panniers are not suited for off road adventures. No clearance. One more was our biggest challenge. There was no way around. We had to go through. Not a lot of fun but with a few choice words we made it through.
It's incredible how far ranging the destruction from the storm had on the area. We were over 100 miles from Itaska State Park yet the wind damage had been evident throughout! People in Bemidji and Walker had been without power for about 3 days and a week later some are still without power! Glad we missed that blow.
But in the closing 30 miles of the ride today, there was scant evidence of the storm. The trail was in very good shape even in the area where construction of a new trail bridge was being built. Seeing that being constructed was impressive. We stopped at Nisswa (not a typo) for lunch. The A&W restaurant sold "All American Food". They even made their own root beer on premises. Bill and Sandy had a root beer float. I had a milkshake. My only regret was I decided not to have a root beer float too. I did have a "Coney" (chili dog). Mm mm.
That made the final miles enjoyable. We rolled into Brainerd and found the Rodeway Inn. Actually as we neared it things began coming back to me from last year. We stayed there last year too. Last year it was the last room in Brainerd. There had been a big storm nearby and all the neighboring power companies had crews on site. We got lucky. 1. We missed the storm and 2. We got a room.
But now the riding part of this saga is coming to a close. Tomorrow Bill and Sandy will pack up their bikes and continue their journey to family camp in Central Lake, Michigan. I will be picked up by Hertz at 9 with a rental car to teleport be back to the land of heat and humidity.
It has been one hell of a journey. And it has been about the journey not the destination. From start to this point. We crossed over the 2,000 mile point today. I'm glad I had the company of my beautiful loving wife, Pam, for the first part up to Whitefish. She had to fly home. She's my soulmate and inspiration. Then there's the one and only Gay Rehnback. He also parted ways and headed south to tag up with the Transamerica route to ride home to the Beach. Godspeed. And finally, the dynamic duo. We traveled together for nearly 3 weeks. They will continue on to Central Lake, Michigan where they'll meet up w their daughter and son in law for family camp. I look forward to the next adventure with them. It was a blast. A long, grueling, challenging, fun experience. I think we'll have a few tales to share.
This is not the end of this blog, however. I plan on at least 2 more posts. One will be an epilogue. The other a collection of thoughts and random experiences, and a couple of surprises. As you read this, if you've been following me and have anything you would like to read more about, don't hesitate to suggest something. This entire blog has been a culmination of my thoughts and experiences tapped out on my iPhone 6+ I only wish I could have found a format to post pictures with my blog. It wasn't meant to be. I post some things on Facebook. Others will reside in my collection.
It's been real.
Today
66 miles
5 hours 20 minutes in the saddle
12.3 mph avg
26.5 max
You're the best. Hugs to you all.
Cheers!
Kim
We headed down the road to Brainerd via the Paul Bunyon Trail (PBT). It's an asphalt trail about 10 or 12 feet wide. Like any other paved surface, its condition varies from smooth to cracks resembling a lunar landscape. But mostly, it's mildly cracked with tar filling the crevasses. It's well shaded but the trees and growth don't obscure an afternoon sun. The trail does guard against winds from the side. Most of what we felt came from behind.
Occasionally, we would encounter noticeable ups and downs with signage warning cyclists of same. It felt a bit humorous to see and experience considering all we've seen and ridden so far. That did make the PBT more fun because it's quite long and monotonous. Scenic from time to time but monotonous. The grade of the terrain is v e r y gradual. Typically it's difficult to tell visually if you're going up or down. The only thing that gives it away is your speed relative to how your legs feel with the effort. That means going down is easier than going up!
This section of trail was familiar to me as I rode it last year in my run up to Bemidji from Brainerd. It was largely as I had remembered but of course I was headed in the opposite direction! We ate breakfast at "Joe's Viddles". As it turns out, we had lunch there last year! Kinda like old times:-)
As it also turns out, the trail was far from cleared of storm debris. Lots of trees across the trail. All but 2 or 3 of them simply called for us to duck under branches or pick our way through the brush. Once we had to stop and pick up our bikes over a significant log. No biggie. One we had to walk around the end/tree top in the tall grass. Others had blazed that trail before we got there. There was a short but steep climb back to the trail. Normally this wouldn't have been a big deal at all, but we are pushing bikes laden with stuff! My front panniers are not suited for off road adventures. No clearance. One more was our biggest challenge. There was no way around. We had to go through. Not a lot of fun but with a few choice words we made it through.
It's incredible how far ranging the destruction from the storm had on the area. We were over 100 miles from Itaska State Park yet the wind damage had been evident throughout! People in Bemidji and Walker had been without power for about 3 days and a week later some are still without power! Glad we missed that blow.
But in the closing 30 miles of the ride today, there was scant evidence of the storm. The trail was in very good shape even in the area where construction of a new trail bridge was being built. Seeing that being constructed was impressive. We stopped at Nisswa (not a typo) for lunch. The A&W restaurant sold "All American Food". They even made their own root beer on premises. Bill and Sandy had a root beer float. I had a milkshake. My only regret was I decided not to have a root beer float too. I did have a "Coney" (chili dog). Mm mm.
That made the final miles enjoyable. We rolled into Brainerd and found the Rodeway Inn. Actually as we neared it things began coming back to me from last year. We stayed there last year too. Last year it was the last room in Brainerd. There had been a big storm nearby and all the neighboring power companies had crews on site. We got lucky. 1. We missed the storm and 2. We got a room.
But now the riding part of this saga is coming to a close. Tomorrow Bill and Sandy will pack up their bikes and continue their journey to family camp in Central Lake, Michigan. I will be picked up by Hertz at 9 with a rental car to teleport be back to the land of heat and humidity.
It has been one hell of a journey. And it has been about the journey not the destination. From start to this point. We crossed over the 2,000 mile point today. I'm glad I had the company of my beautiful loving wife, Pam, for the first part up to Whitefish. She had to fly home. She's my soulmate and inspiration. Then there's the one and only Gay Rehnback. He also parted ways and headed south to tag up with the Transamerica route to ride home to the Beach. Godspeed. And finally, the dynamic duo. We traveled together for nearly 3 weeks. They will continue on to Central Lake, Michigan where they'll meet up w their daughter and son in law for family camp. I look forward to the next adventure with them. It was a blast. A long, grueling, challenging, fun experience. I think we'll have a few tales to share.
This is not the end of this blog, however. I plan on at least 2 more posts. One will be an epilogue. The other a collection of thoughts and random experiences, and a couple of surprises. As you read this, if you've been following me and have anything you would like to read more about, don't hesitate to suggest something. This entire blog has been a culmination of my thoughts and experiences tapped out on my iPhone 6+ I only wish I could have found a format to post pictures with my blog. It wasn't meant to be. I post some things on Facebook. Others will reside in my collection.
It's been real.
Today
66 miles
5 hours 20 minutes in the saddle
12.3 mph avg
26.5 max
You're the best. Hugs to you all.
Cheers!
Kim
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Day 35 Paul Bunyon and the Blue Babe
We left Itaska AYH Mississippi Headwaters hostel a little after 7 despite getting locked out for a few minutes. We made a first stop at a little convenience store 3 miles out of town for coffee and food. The weather was excellent for cycling. 60s and light winds. Our ultimate destination is Walker, MN but the real objective is Bemidji.
To refresh your memory, last year I biked form Bar Harbor, ME to Bemidji. This year I'm cycling from Anacortes, WA back to Bemidji. There's nothing special about Bemidji for me it was just a place I could stop and get transportation home last year. So by reaching Bemidji this year I have connected the two halves to equal riding across the USA. Never had the time to do it all in one stretch, so I'm doing it in approximate halves. The Paul Bunyon statue is the touchpoint.
Now where was I. Actually it's only about 30 miles to Bemidji from Itaska park. The road was fairly hilly with varying shoulder widths. The roads were rough and cracked too. Sigh. Can't have everything. We finally pulled into the town of Bemidji, but that's not good enough. We had to find the city center where I ended up last year. For the last few miles we were on the Paul Bunyon Trail which is in great condition pavement wise. We got some local directions and found it.
Ok. This is cool.
No banner to cross. No bands playing a victory song. No cheering crowds. Just Paul Bunyon and the Blue Babe waiting to pose for a picture with me. Doesn't get any better than that. Really. I'm thrilled. Thrilled. 4,250 miles coast to coast. I just checked that off my bucket list. Done. Sure feels good, I'll say that much. More on this in a future post. A lot more.
Let me make a little nod of tribute before I return to the ride. I absolutely could not have done it without the love and support of my family and friends. My loving wife, Pam, most of all for the support and inspiration. My children, Kirsten and Logan for their love and caring. Gay Rehnback for being with me the first half last year and up to Whitefish this year. Bill and Sandy Doyle for putting this whole plan into action and keeping me on track since Whitefish. No small task mind you. And I would be remiss if I failed to thank my dear mother and mother in law for following me every pedal stroke of the way. And to the rest of my family and friends for being there for me. But now, back to the ride. I ain't done yet!
We said adieu to Paul. Headed towards a mythical campground this side of Walker. We take the Paul Bunyon Trail. (PBT). It's closed to motor vehicles and VERY gentle grades as it's an old railroad to trails track. It's over 100 miles long! We motor along enjoying ourselves. We notice that there are a lot of branches and trees down across the way. We have to pay attention or pay the price. Stuff like that can take a bike down.
We passed through Nary, Guthrie and stopped for lunch in the shade. The only biker we saw stopped to chat. He warned us about blockages past Laporte and Benedict. Yikes! That's a long trail of storm damage.
Sure enough. We avoided Laporte all together and tried to get back on the PBT at Benedict. Blocked. No way to get loaded bikes through! Rats. We detour to the road. We are still hunting for the campground. Just outside Walker we come to the realization it's truly mythical. We look for a motel. Since we had purchased groceries in Bemidji we needed a place to cook. We spotted a motel with a picnic table outside. Perfect.
We went inside and got a bargain room. I was a bit concerned because the front office reeked of something. Went in the room and ... bonus! It has a kitchenette! It was clean and odor free! Living large! Bill prepared a scrumptious meal and successfully setting off the fire alarm. I disarmed it for the duration.
Tomorrow our destination in Brainerd, some 60 miles away. The condition of the PBT is now suspect. It's more direct than the road. It could get interesting.
Today
5 hours and 27 minutes of cycling
68 miles
12.4 mph avg
27.5 mph max
Thank you so much for reading about this little life adventure.
It's been a challenge for certain.
It's been a joy to know some of you care enough to read this piece of work. This has been a driving force behind the scenes for me to stay committed to keep up with my day to day activities and thoughts. I'm no writer but I enjoy writing.
Thanks again.
Cheers!
Kim
By the way, tomorrow will NOT be my last entry. I expect to do at least 3 more after tomorrow's entry. So, stay tuned. KPW
To refresh your memory, last year I biked form Bar Harbor, ME to Bemidji. This year I'm cycling from Anacortes, WA back to Bemidji. There's nothing special about Bemidji for me it was just a place I could stop and get transportation home last year. So by reaching Bemidji this year I have connected the two halves to equal riding across the USA. Never had the time to do it all in one stretch, so I'm doing it in approximate halves. The Paul Bunyon statue is the touchpoint.
Now where was I. Actually it's only about 30 miles to Bemidji from Itaska park. The road was fairly hilly with varying shoulder widths. The roads were rough and cracked too. Sigh. Can't have everything. We finally pulled into the town of Bemidji, but that's not good enough. We had to find the city center where I ended up last year. For the last few miles we were on the Paul Bunyon Trail which is in great condition pavement wise. We got some local directions and found it.
Ok. This is cool.
No banner to cross. No bands playing a victory song. No cheering crowds. Just Paul Bunyon and the Blue Babe waiting to pose for a picture with me. Doesn't get any better than that. Really. I'm thrilled. Thrilled. 4,250 miles coast to coast. I just checked that off my bucket list. Done. Sure feels good, I'll say that much. More on this in a future post. A lot more.
Let me make a little nod of tribute before I return to the ride. I absolutely could not have done it without the love and support of my family and friends. My loving wife, Pam, most of all for the support and inspiration. My children, Kirsten and Logan for their love and caring. Gay Rehnback for being with me the first half last year and up to Whitefish this year. Bill and Sandy Doyle for putting this whole plan into action and keeping me on track since Whitefish. No small task mind you. And I would be remiss if I failed to thank my dear mother and mother in law for following me every pedal stroke of the way. And to the rest of my family and friends for being there for me. But now, back to the ride. I ain't done yet!
We said adieu to Paul. Headed towards a mythical campground this side of Walker. We take the Paul Bunyon Trail. (PBT). It's closed to motor vehicles and VERY gentle grades as it's an old railroad to trails track. It's over 100 miles long! We motor along enjoying ourselves. We notice that there are a lot of branches and trees down across the way. We have to pay attention or pay the price. Stuff like that can take a bike down.
We passed through Nary, Guthrie and stopped for lunch in the shade. The only biker we saw stopped to chat. He warned us about blockages past Laporte and Benedict. Yikes! That's a long trail of storm damage.
Sure enough. We avoided Laporte all together and tried to get back on the PBT at Benedict. Blocked. No way to get loaded bikes through! Rats. We detour to the road. We are still hunting for the campground. Just outside Walker we come to the realization it's truly mythical. We look for a motel. Since we had purchased groceries in Bemidji we needed a place to cook. We spotted a motel with a picnic table outside. Perfect.
We went inside and got a bargain room. I was a bit concerned because the front office reeked of something. Went in the room and ... bonus! It has a kitchenette! It was clean and odor free! Living large! Bill prepared a scrumptious meal and successfully setting off the fire alarm. I disarmed it for the duration.
Tomorrow our destination in Brainerd, some 60 miles away. The condition of the PBT is now suspect. It's more direct than the road. It could get interesting.
Today
5 hours and 27 minutes of cycling
68 miles
12.4 mph avg
27.5 mph max
Thank you so much for reading about this little life adventure.
It's been a challenge for certain.
It's been a joy to know some of you care enough to read this piece of work. This has been a driving force behind the scenes for me to stay committed to keep up with my day to day activities and thoughts. I'm no writer but I enjoy writing.
Thanks again.
Cheers!
Kim
By the way, tomorrow will NOT be my last entry. I expect to do at least 3 more after tomorrow's entry. So, stay tuned. KPW
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Day 34 Itaska - Headwaters of the Mississippi River!
We departed Tamarack by 7:15 although this will likely be our shortest riding day so far. A big storm is forecast for the early afternoon so by arriving at Itaska State Park earlier we would avoid riding in foul weather. Smart huh!?
The ride is going swimmingly except for the ups that preceded the downs. Sure feels like a lot of work first thing in the morning. Within a few miles the hills relented for a while. The road was now flat with a slight cooling breeze in our faces. Felt good to me. It was shaping up to be a nice ride.
We had departed Tamarack before the camp store had opened. The good news is a convenience store was indicated to be 3 miles down the road according to the map. Yep. Sure enough. It was there! But not a soul to be found about the place. That's ok. I learned not to rely on these out of the way stores. 15 miles or so Two Inlets was a another store in the town by the same name. I could taste the coffee as we neared. Sure enough. It was open and Java was being served. We even took time for 2 cups. Ahh.
The rest of the short ride into Itaska was uneventful. We took the south entrance. This downhill scenic ride led us to the main entrance. We waited in a line of cars to enter and maybe pay a fee. Soon a ranger rode up beside us and gave us the good news that we could just ride on in like we owned the place. (My words not his) The visitor center was almost majestic. Big and beautiful. And busy. We checked out the displays and got the lay of the land. We had plenty of time to kill as our lodging didn't open til 5 and it was 11:30.
We rode a nice bike path to the Headwaters of the Mississippi. That's what this place is all about. We rode the 5 miles first to the headwaters. Lots of people there. Took my shoes off and splashed about trying not to fall and bust an ankle or something dumb this close to me end of my journey. Before we left Bill, Sandy and I got together for a picture on a log over the headwaters stream. Sandy posted it on Facebook. Nice pic.
We went to lunch then killed a couple of more hours. It rained a bit but not much. I decided we lead a charmed life as there were big ugly looking storms in front and behind us. Whew. The park was closed last week for storm clean up. Lots of downed trees everywhere. Charmed I say. Charmed.
We're staying at an AYH Hostel Mississippi Headwaters. Busy place. Communal living style. Children of the earth mostly. A lot of families here with young kids this time. Nice atmosphere. Interesting conversations. A lot of cyclists stay here. Cooked pasta and broccoli with chicken. Been carrying this with me since Washington state as an emergency meal. Time to stop giving it a free trip across this great land!
Wifi ok. Cell service is poor. Can't get or make a call. I got a message that Pam left a voicemail but I couldn't retrieve it. Go figure.
Tomorrow-Bemidji. This is where I ended my journey last year. When I reach the Paul Bunyon and Blue Babe collassal figures, that will mark the end of my transcontinental journey. I can't stop there cause I couldn't find a rental car one way home so I have another day's ride south to Brainerd. Bill and Sandy will be with me as they are going to keep riding east to Michigan. They're headed to family camp. Their daughter, Brittany, will join them at camp and give them a ride home in late August.
Today
3:40 riding time
42.75 miles
11.6 mph avg
26.7 avg
Thanks for following.
I'm not done yet by any means.
Cheers!
Kim
The ride is going swimmingly except for the ups that preceded the downs. Sure feels like a lot of work first thing in the morning. Within a few miles the hills relented for a while. The road was now flat with a slight cooling breeze in our faces. Felt good to me. It was shaping up to be a nice ride.
We had departed Tamarack before the camp store had opened. The good news is a convenience store was indicated to be 3 miles down the road according to the map. Yep. Sure enough. It was there! But not a soul to be found about the place. That's ok. I learned not to rely on these out of the way stores. 15 miles or so Two Inlets was a another store in the town by the same name. I could taste the coffee as we neared. Sure enough. It was open and Java was being served. We even took time for 2 cups. Ahh.
The rest of the short ride into Itaska was uneventful. We took the south entrance. This downhill scenic ride led us to the main entrance. We waited in a line of cars to enter and maybe pay a fee. Soon a ranger rode up beside us and gave us the good news that we could just ride on in like we owned the place. (My words not his) The visitor center was almost majestic. Big and beautiful. And busy. We checked out the displays and got the lay of the land. We had plenty of time to kill as our lodging didn't open til 5 and it was 11:30.
We rode a nice bike path to the Headwaters of the Mississippi. That's what this place is all about. We rode the 5 miles first to the headwaters. Lots of people there. Took my shoes off and splashed about trying not to fall and bust an ankle or something dumb this close to me end of my journey. Before we left Bill, Sandy and I got together for a picture on a log over the headwaters stream. Sandy posted it on Facebook. Nice pic.
We went to lunch then killed a couple of more hours. It rained a bit but not much. I decided we lead a charmed life as there were big ugly looking storms in front and behind us. Whew. The park was closed last week for storm clean up. Lots of downed trees everywhere. Charmed I say. Charmed.
We're staying at an AYH Hostel Mississippi Headwaters. Busy place. Communal living style. Children of the earth mostly. A lot of families here with young kids this time. Nice atmosphere. Interesting conversations. A lot of cyclists stay here. Cooked pasta and broccoli with chicken. Been carrying this with me since Washington state as an emergency meal. Time to stop giving it a free trip across this great land!
Wifi ok. Cell service is poor. Can't get or make a call. I got a message that Pam left a voicemail but I couldn't retrieve it. Go figure.
Tomorrow-Bemidji. This is where I ended my journey last year. When I reach the Paul Bunyon and Blue Babe collassal figures, that will mark the end of my transcontinental journey. I can't stop there cause I couldn't find a rental car one way home so I have another day's ride south to Brainerd. Bill and Sandy will be with me as they are going to keep riding east to Michigan. They're headed to family camp. Their daughter, Brittany, will join them at camp and give them a ride home in late August.
Today
3:40 riding time
42.75 miles
11.6 mph avg
26.7 avg
Thanks for following.
I'm not done yet by any means.
Cheers!
Kim
Day 33 Tamarack
We departed Fargo with a good taste in our mouths. The hospitality was pleasant. The bike shop was professional and cool. The food and ambiance about town was memorable. Can't beat that. I'd make a point to visit if I find myself back in these parts. But move on we must.
We wound ourselves around town a little finding our way east. We had to cross a bridge using the walkway since the road seemed narrow and busy. Well so was the walkway. And rats! We entered into Minnesota but there was NO welcome sign to mark the occasion. Double rats. Same thing happened entering Montana too. Oh well...
All I can really say about the rest of the day was it was long, sunny and hot. The first 50 miles were quite flat. The wind was light. We meandered around so it came at us from different directions. Then the roads started to rise and fall. Fortunately, in Minnesota they have the occasional trees. That means shade! Unlike North Dakota or Montana. When we wanted to take a break, if we were patient enough a tree along a driveway would invite us over for a spell. Nothing like a cooling breeze on a sweaty body to lift your spirits. If only we had a cold beverage.
Tamarack is our destination. There wasn't hardly anything else after Fargo. Tamarack is a private campground with all the amenities. We opted for camping at $10 each rather than a cabin for $129. A bed would've been nice, but that'll be happening soon enough as I'm nearing the end of my journey. The tent site is flat and close to the facilities. We opt to have dinner at the camp store. I could even get a cold beer. Just what I wanted after a long day in the saddle. Sleeping was restless for moi. Couldn't get cool or comfortable enough. That's ok. Tomorrow will be a short relaxing day.
Tomorrow Itaska State Park. Headwaters of the Mississippi River!
Today- 75 miles
5 & 3/4 hours in the saddle
12.9 mph avg
25.4 mph max
Over 1,800 miles so far with 3 days of riding left
Thanks for following us along on this little adventure.
Cheers!
Kim
We wound ourselves around town a little finding our way east. We had to cross a bridge using the walkway since the road seemed narrow and busy. Well so was the walkway. And rats! We entered into Minnesota but there was NO welcome sign to mark the occasion. Double rats. Same thing happened entering Montana too. Oh well...
All I can really say about the rest of the day was it was long, sunny and hot. The first 50 miles were quite flat. The wind was light. We meandered around so it came at us from different directions. Then the roads started to rise and fall. Fortunately, in Minnesota they have the occasional trees. That means shade! Unlike North Dakota or Montana. When we wanted to take a break, if we were patient enough a tree along a driveway would invite us over for a spell. Nothing like a cooling breeze on a sweaty body to lift your spirits. If only we had a cold beverage.
Tamarack is our destination. There wasn't hardly anything else after Fargo. Tamarack is a private campground with all the amenities. We opted for camping at $10 each rather than a cabin for $129. A bed would've been nice, but that'll be happening soon enough as I'm nearing the end of my journey. The tent site is flat and close to the facilities. We opt to have dinner at the camp store. I could even get a cold beer. Just what I wanted after a long day in the saddle. Sleeping was restless for moi. Couldn't get cool or comfortable enough. That's ok. Tomorrow will be a short relaxing day.
Tomorrow Itaska State Park. Headwaters of the Mississippi River!
Today- 75 miles
5 & 3/4 hours in the saddle
12.9 mph avg
25.4 mph max
Over 1,800 miles so far with 3 days of riding left
Thanks for following us along on this little adventure.
Cheers!
Kim
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Day 32 FARGO!
Last night we tried unsuccessfully to get a motel room. The campsite was ok. Problem: No showers. Another problem: Hot and humid with no breeze. Where's the wind when you need it?? Sigh. The tent felt more like an oven set to bake. Finally I bailed out of my pool of sweat and set up a temp camp on top of a picnic table. Yep that's right. I laid there on my pad waiting for the sun to fully set and the temp begin to drop. At 10 pm the conditions were now suitable to head back to the tent. I slept on top of my sleeping bag until sometime late in the night. Morning came too soon.
We headed out at 6:45 after breaking camp. We went to the convenience store to grab a suitable breakfast. The first stop was 29 miles out. As it turned out, it was a breeze. The road was flat and the wind was behind us as it was most of the day.
Today we would have to pay attention to the route. There would be numerous turns. The map is good but only if you follow carefully. The ride was fairly uneventful. Only a 10 mile stretch of construction that made for interesting riding. As I said, it was very flat. Just like I like it.
Fargo! One destination I was really looking forward to reaching. It borders Minnesota and has a really great bike shop. We found ourselves in downtown Fargo. A pretty cool area. Mix of old and new, not unlike Norfolk's Ghent. We head to the bike shop. Lived up to expectations. Best I've seen. Sorry any bike shop owners that are reading this. Sandy got a new back tire and a chain. They got right on it and did it quickly. Bill and I picked up a few trinkets.
Afterwards we got lunch and found a room. With air conditioning! Ahh! We walked to dinner in the downtown area 1/2 mile away. We needed the exercise. Dinner at the Toasted Frog was very good. On the walk back, I found a $20 bill folded in 1/2 on the sidewalk. Bonus!
Tomorrow- Haven't got that nailed down yet. But, Minnesota!!
Today - 59 miles
4:25 in the saddle
13.2 mph avg (speeds drops a lot just putting around town)
24.5 max (told you it was flat)
Thanks for reading
Cheers!
Kim
We headed out at 6:45 after breaking camp. We went to the convenience store to grab a suitable breakfast. The first stop was 29 miles out. As it turned out, it was a breeze. The road was flat and the wind was behind us as it was most of the day.
Today we would have to pay attention to the route. There would be numerous turns. The map is good but only if you follow carefully. The ride was fairly uneventful. Only a 10 mile stretch of construction that made for interesting riding. As I said, it was very flat. Just like I like it.
Fargo! One destination I was really looking forward to reaching. It borders Minnesota and has a really great bike shop. We found ourselves in downtown Fargo. A pretty cool area. Mix of old and new, not unlike Norfolk's Ghent. We head to the bike shop. Lived up to expectations. Best I've seen. Sorry any bike shop owners that are reading this. Sandy got a new back tire and a chain. They got right on it and did it quickly. Bill and I picked up a few trinkets.
Afterwards we got lunch and found a room. With air conditioning! Ahh! We walked to dinner in the downtown area 1/2 mile away. We needed the exercise. Dinner at the Toasted Frog was very good. On the walk back, I found a $20 bill folded in 1/2 on the sidewalk. Bonus!
Tomorrow- Haven't got that nailed down yet. But, Minnesota!!
Today - 59 miles
4:25 in the saddle
13.2 mph avg (speeds drops a lot just putting around town)
24.5 max (told you it was flat)
Thanks for reading
Cheers!
Kim
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Day 31 Long Lonely Stretch
We were all packed up and ready to depart the Cyclists Respite by 5:45 am. My last check was to make sure my cyclometer (bike computer) was working properly. Problem. It was missing... I went back in the room and looked around. Nothing. Damn it. Ended up dissecting my gear trying to find it. Nothing. Bill and Sandy were going through my stuff again as I went back to search the room again. Well whatdoyouknow. It was sitting in plain sight on the arm of the sofa. Sleuths we are. So 30+ minutes later we leave. Now that was frustrating. My bad. At least it turned up. Essential for a journey like this.
The day was going to be long. 74 miles. No places to stop at along the way for food or refreshments. So, we just have to bring it all with us. Besides food, I had 2.5 quarts of energy drink, 1 20 oz Diet Coke and 3 water bottles filled. Supposed to be hot today so hopefully it'll do the trick.
For being so late it sure was dark. Turns out it was super foggy! Condensation was so bad I couldn't see out of my sunglasses! Had to stop and take them off. Condensation was pouring off the brim of the cap I wear under my helmet. Crazy! This continued for miles. An hour into the ride we ventured putting sunglasses back into position. I certainly didn't want to provoke the sun into coming out. Cloudy days are ideal for long rides.
As I was riding along on one of the bumpy roads I have decided that I need to make a correction to yesterday's post. I described it as "bump. Bump. Bump." It should've read "Bump bump. Bump bump. Bump bump." Why you ask?? Short answer. Two wheels. One bump for the front. One for me back. So it goes. 😎
We decided to stop for lunch around 11:30 at an abandoned gas station. We got to sit for this meal. We typically stand by our bikes and wish we had shade. Shade wasn't necessary since it was still cloudy. After lunch we were still 30 miles or so from our destination.
Around the 50 mile mark the terrain got interesting. We swooped into Little Yellowstone valley. Top speed of the day @33.3 mph! Of course that meant we had to crawl up the other side. And so it goes. After that it was pretty smooth sailing. Not a lot of up and down. Light winds. Good shoulders. But the sun soon showed up to bring on the heat. We reached Enderlin by 2. I'm not sure exactly how long we were actually riding as I forgot to reset my computer.
We actually tried to get a motel room since it's so hot. Nothing doing. Booked. So we're staying in a municipal park. Bill and Sandy cooked up a steak and fruit salad. How can I lose!
Tomorrow we head for Fargo. The outer limits of North Dakota! There's a super cool bike shop we plan to visit.
Thanks for following.
Cheers!
Kim
The day was going to be long. 74 miles. No places to stop at along the way for food or refreshments. So, we just have to bring it all with us. Besides food, I had 2.5 quarts of energy drink, 1 20 oz Diet Coke and 3 water bottles filled. Supposed to be hot today so hopefully it'll do the trick.
For being so late it sure was dark. Turns out it was super foggy! Condensation was so bad I couldn't see out of my sunglasses! Had to stop and take them off. Condensation was pouring off the brim of the cap I wear under my helmet. Crazy! This continued for miles. An hour into the ride we ventured putting sunglasses back into position. I certainly didn't want to provoke the sun into coming out. Cloudy days are ideal for long rides.
As I was riding along on one of the bumpy roads I have decided that I need to make a correction to yesterday's post. I described it as "bump. Bump. Bump." It should've read "Bump bump. Bump bump. Bump bump." Why you ask?? Short answer. Two wheels. One bump for the front. One for me back. So it goes. 😎
We decided to stop for lunch around 11:30 at an abandoned gas station. We got to sit for this meal. We typically stand by our bikes and wish we had shade. Shade wasn't necessary since it was still cloudy. After lunch we were still 30 miles or so from our destination.
Around the 50 mile mark the terrain got interesting. We swooped into Little Yellowstone valley. Top speed of the day @33.3 mph! Of course that meant we had to crawl up the other side. And so it goes. After that it was pretty smooth sailing. Not a lot of up and down. Light winds. Good shoulders. But the sun soon showed up to bring on the heat. We reached Enderlin by 2. I'm not sure exactly how long we were actually riding as I forgot to reset my computer.
We actually tried to get a motel room since it's so hot. Nothing doing. Booked. So we're staying in a municipal park. Bill and Sandy cooked up a steak and fruit salad. How can I lose!
Tomorrow we head for Fargo. The outer limits of North Dakota! There's a super cool bike shop we plan to visit.
Thanks for following.
Cheers!
Kim
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Day 30 Gackle
We pulled out of Hazalton not particularly looking forward to the day. Wind would be blowing hard out of the southeast meaning it would be a crosswind. All day. Except for a couple of short stretches where the roads meander a bit. As is typical, the terrain was gently rolling hills. Pedal up. Pedal down. Not much relief today.
As the day dragged on, our collective energy waned. Stops were more frequent. At least for me. The list of things (personal aches and pains) that lead to stoppage is long. Here's a list. 1. Butt is a. Sore b. numb c. Just uncomfortable (butt fluffing time) 2. Thirsty 3. Hungry 4. Picture time 5. Clothing adjustment, 6. Bike problem. Each stop helps renew some energy, at least for a little while. It also drags on the day. We never get very far apart. We keep an eye on each other. It's great to travel with friends!
One stretch of road was terrible. Cracks spanned the road from one side to the next. The cracks were deep and several inches wide. Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump. For miles. It's wears on your nerves and bike. I have a GoPro camera mounted on my handlebars. I occasionally capture some riding scenes. It has become wuite apparent that the mount is not suited for such abuse. CRACK! And the mount fractures causing the camera to tumble to the pavement and skitter off into the roadside weeds. Joy. Turn around and go find it. Oh, another reason to stop.
This actually happened last year too. So, I'm prepared. I brought a spare piece. I'll wait until the roads improve before fixing it though.
Not a terribly exciting day. We did get to pass through one town to get a cold drink and what not. Tomorrow. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada single place for food or water. For 76 miles. More joy. It's ok. We have a plan. First, know what's ahead. In this case, nothing. Plan accordingly. Bring extra water. Lots of it. Energy drinks area suitable. Leave early. 5:30 am. Chalk it up to being a good story one day. But not tomorrow.
We arrived in Gackle. We were greeted by a TasteeFreeze! That place provided a little piece of heaven on earth just for a while. Timing is everything. That was one of 2 establishments that served food. The other was s bar that served pizza. We had pizza for dinner. We're staying in a bike hostel. He built this place in the back of his home just for cyclotourists. A couple of beds. Washer/dryer, shower. Can't ask for more!
Destination- Enderlin
Time in the saddle today- 6:20 long hours
67.9 miles
11.0 mph avg
31.8 mph max
Thanks for following us.
Drink something cold for us on Wednesday!
Kim
As the day dragged on, our collective energy waned. Stops were more frequent. At least for me. The list of things (personal aches and pains) that lead to stoppage is long. Here's a list. 1. Butt is a. Sore b. numb c. Just uncomfortable (butt fluffing time) 2. Thirsty 3. Hungry 4. Picture time 5. Clothing adjustment, 6. Bike problem. Each stop helps renew some energy, at least for a little while. It also drags on the day. We never get very far apart. We keep an eye on each other. It's great to travel with friends!
One stretch of road was terrible. Cracks spanned the road from one side to the next. The cracks were deep and several inches wide. Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump. For miles. It's wears on your nerves and bike. I have a GoPro camera mounted on my handlebars. I occasionally capture some riding scenes. It has become wuite apparent that the mount is not suited for such abuse. CRACK! And the mount fractures causing the camera to tumble to the pavement and skitter off into the roadside weeds. Joy. Turn around and go find it. Oh, another reason to stop.
This actually happened last year too. So, I'm prepared. I brought a spare piece. I'll wait until the roads improve before fixing it though.
Not a terribly exciting day. We did get to pass through one town to get a cold drink and what not. Tomorrow. Nothing. Zero. Zip. Nada single place for food or water. For 76 miles. More joy. It's ok. We have a plan. First, know what's ahead. In this case, nothing. Plan accordingly. Bring extra water. Lots of it. Energy drinks area suitable. Leave early. 5:30 am. Chalk it up to being a good story one day. But not tomorrow.
We arrived in Gackle. We were greeted by a TasteeFreeze! That place provided a little piece of heaven on earth just for a while. Timing is everything. That was one of 2 establishments that served food. The other was s bar that served pizza. We had pizza for dinner. We're staying in a bike hostel. He built this place in the back of his home just for cyclotourists. A couple of beds. Washer/dryer, shower. Can't ask for more!
Destination- Enderlin
Time in the saddle today- 6:20 long hours
67.9 miles
11.0 mph avg
31.8 mph max
Thanks for following us.
Drink something cold for us on Wednesday!
Kim
Monday, July 18, 2016
Day 29 Plan B
After a slightly late breakfast, we mounted our trusty steeds and wound our way out of Bismarck. The roads leading into town were busy with all sorts of vehicles. Fortunately, we were going in the opposite direction. Not to worry anyway because we were off main roads. The bad news is the wind, road conditions and terrain were not in our favor.
While the terrain was slightly hilly, there seemed to be more up than down. 20 miles into the ride, Bill's Garmin said we'd only climbed 350 feet! We all knew that was not an accumulation but a point of how much altitude we had gained. I know. Gaining altitude in ND seems like an oxymoron. I'm not so sure about the rest of this nice state, but it isn't all flat. It has a robust amount of hills for sure. Probably making the climbs worse was the wind.
The winds were pretty consistent throughout the day. Coming out of the SSE 10 to 15mph. Not horrible just pesky. Peddle up. Peddle down. That's the annoying part. You're supposed to be able to let gravity help you out. But when the slopes aren't so great, peddle you must. Sigh. Then there was the run towards Moffitt.
Nothing brings traffic into town but a post office. Even the road we took was uninviting. That's because of it's surface. Ok we've been there before in other places. Rough like a corncob. Lots of cracks across the road making it a steady, bump, bump, bump every 10 to 20 yards or so.
So we have corncobs, cracks and wind. Actually, I'm not trying to whine or complain, although I'm good at it. I'm simply trying to paint you a picture of our day. How bad can it be!? We're survived most of it.
Once we got off that joyful stretch of road, we turned directly into the wind for a while. Hills and all. Because the route zigs and zags a bit, the wind gets to have its way with us at varying angles. For 13 miles we climbed and dipped on rt 83 into the wind until we reached Hazelton. We had been 45 physical miles. Our intended destination was Napoleon. 29 miles away. If we stayed there, that would leave us with 32 miles tomorrow to reach Gackie.
Gackie is an important starting point because after that, a 74 mile stretch of no services (food, water, you get the idea). That distance is a good day's work. So Hazelton it is! We found the municipal park campground. It doesn't stack up to the last one but it does have a bathroom and shower. A picnic shelter is open to us as well. $12 a tent.
Weather is warming up the next few days into the 90s, but NOTHING like southeast VA heat. It's pretty dry here. Makes a difference. My shirt freshly laundered in the shower is hanging along with my riding shorts and towel. Should be dry in a jiffy.
Oh crap! I forgot to add what's probably the highlight of our day. When we made our turn on to the rough road we saw a truck turn in behind us heading our way. It was just a septic waste truck. As it passed, we broke out laughing! The name of the company emblazoned on the side? Turd Burglar. I can say nothing more after that.
Today 45 miles
3 hours and 56 minutes riding
11.4 mph avg
26.3 max
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
While the terrain was slightly hilly, there seemed to be more up than down. 20 miles into the ride, Bill's Garmin said we'd only climbed 350 feet! We all knew that was not an accumulation but a point of how much altitude we had gained. I know. Gaining altitude in ND seems like an oxymoron. I'm not so sure about the rest of this nice state, but it isn't all flat. It has a robust amount of hills for sure. Probably making the climbs worse was the wind.
The winds were pretty consistent throughout the day. Coming out of the SSE 10 to 15mph. Not horrible just pesky. Peddle up. Peddle down. That's the annoying part. You're supposed to be able to let gravity help you out. But when the slopes aren't so great, peddle you must. Sigh. Then there was the run towards Moffitt.
Nothing brings traffic into town but a post office. Even the road we took was uninviting. That's because of it's surface. Ok we've been there before in other places. Rough like a corncob. Lots of cracks across the road making it a steady, bump, bump, bump every 10 to 20 yards or so.
So we have corncobs, cracks and wind. Actually, I'm not trying to whine or complain, although I'm good at it. I'm simply trying to paint you a picture of our day. How bad can it be!? We're survived most of it.
Once we got off that joyful stretch of road, we turned directly into the wind for a while. Hills and all. Because the route zigs and zags a bit, the wind gets to have its way with us at varying angles. For 13 miles we climbed and dipped on rt 83 into the wind until we reached Hazelton. We had been 45 physical miles. Our intended destination was Napoleon. 29 miles away. If we stayed there, that would leave us with 32 miles tomorrow to reach Gackie.
Gackie is an important starting point because after that, a 74 mile stretch of no services (food, water, you get the idea). That distance is a good day's work. So Hazelton it is! We found the municipal park campground. It doesn't stack up to the last one but it does have a bathroom and shower. A picnic shelter is open to us as well. $12 a tent.
Weather is warming up the next few days into the 90s, but NOTHING like southeast VA heat. It's pretty dry here. Makes a difference. My shirt freshly laundered in the shower is hanging along with my riding shorts and towel. Should be dry in a jiffy.
Oh crap! I forgot to add what's probably the highlight of our day. When we made our turn on to the rough road we saw a truck turn in behind us heading our way. It was just a septic waste truck. As it passed, we broke out laughing! The name of the company emblazoned on the side? Turd Burglar. I can say nothing more after that.
Today 45 miles
3 hours and 56 minutes riding
11.4 mph avg
26.3 max
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
Sunday, July 17, 2016
Day 28 Bismarck
The tiny town of Hebron was friendly and hospitable. A local man that helped us find the pool and camp greeted us at the store this morning. He seemingly goes there daily for coffee and to chat with his buds. Glad he was there so we could thank him again for his guidance.
The morning started out on the cool side. 50ish. A couple of layers was just the ticket. The sun was shining and the wind was again at our backs! Living large! For miles the road was flat, smooth and fast. We covered 13 miles pdq. Then trouble began. We had a choice of 13 miles along the interstate with corrugated shoulders or 10 miles of unpaved gravel road. Unpaved it was.
The road was not hard packed. Substantial amounts of gravel and sand made for occasional treacherous navigation. Picking our way along was challenging. A couple of times I had to put my foot down to keep upright! No big deal just making a point about the conditions. After a while we could pick some lines for best riding. Towards the end it was kinda fun. Only towards the end though.
The rest of the day the conditions were very very good. Didn't even mind the hills. A few were so fast and steep that we could get up enough speed and momentum to practically fly up the next hill! Tandems are beautifully suited for these conditions. Pam and I have sailed down and up a few of these. A blast. Touring bikes are suited well also.
One little town didn't live up to billing. All services! NOT! Zip for services is what they meant. We just dig out our reserves and chow down. One old guy drove up and turned off his Explorer. Said there was a festival there yesterday but couldn't remember much about it. Couldn't remember how to start his car. First put it in reverse instead of forward, then finally drove off. He parked in a big garage nearby. Whew! They drive and vote!
We sailed all the way into Bismarck. No camping around that had any appeal so we found a bargain inn. Breakfast. Pool. Wifi. Sold!
5:07 riding today
66 miles
12.8 avg
38.1 mph max!
Over 1,500 route miles so far
Thanks for following
Cheers.
Kim
Tomorrow??
The morning started out on the cool side. 50ish. A couple of layers was just the ticket. The sun was shining and the wind was again at our backs! Living large! For miles the road was flat, smooth and fast. We covered 13 miles pdq. Then trouble began. We had a choice of 13 miles along the interstate with corrugated shoulders or 10 miles of unpaved gravel road. Unpaved it was.
The road was not hard packed. Substantial amounts of gravel and sand made for occasional treacherous navigation. Picking our way along was challenging. A couple of times I had to put my foot down to keep upright! No big deal just making a point about the conditions. After a while we could pick some lines for best riding. Towards the end it was kinda fun. Only towards the end though.
The rest of the day the conditions were very very good. Didn't even mind the hills. A few were so fast and steep that we could get up enough speed and momentum to practically fly up the next hill! Tandems are beautifully suited for these conditions. Pam and I have sailed down and up a few of these. A blast. Touring bikes are suited well also.
One little town didn't live up to billing. All services! NOT! Zip for services is what they meant. We just dig out our reserves and chow down. One old guy drove up and turned off his Explorer. Said there was a festival there yesterday but couldn't remember much about it. Couldn't remember how to start his car. First put it in reverse instead of forward, then finally drove off. He parked in a big garage nearby. Whew! They drive and vote!
We sailed all the way into Bismarck. No camping around that had any appeal so we found a bargain inn. Breakfast. Pool. Wifi. Sold!
5:07 riding today
66 miles
12.8 avg
38.1 mph max!
Over 1,500 route miles so far
Thanks for following
Cheers.
Kim
Tomorrow??
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Day 27 Hebron
We're sitting under a shelter reading and generally relaxing. The day started at an RV Park in Belfield. Last night a chatty neighbor told us a town we stopped at for lunch yesterday had a big hail storm about 30 minutes after we left. Timing is everything.
I suspected if was going to happen and it did. We got our own sound and light show early this morning around 3:30 or 4. The storm was bright and noisy but didn't produce that much rain and no hail. Thank goodness. So the storm had passed by the time to get up so no rain delay.
We grabbed breakfast at a big truck stop kind of place across the highway from the campground.
We got on old Highway 10 East. We'll spend most of our time on it as we cross ND. It's a good road with very little traffic as it largely parallels I 94 which draws most of the vehicles except local traffic. The terrain is long gently rolling hills. The scenery is more Badlands style with occasional small bluffs and gorgeous fields. It has a greater aesthetic appeal than eastern Montana to me.
The wind was not that bad but it varied from crosswinds to slight headwinds. The temperature was in the lower 70s at the most. Clouds chased us along our eastern path way. We could see the storm from the morning off in the distance in front of us. We made sure to keep it that way.
We stopped in the metropolis of Dickenson for lunch hoping to at least find a bench and a cold drink. We found neither. We ate from our reserves (PB&J) and sat on some sort of new utility trailer that resembled a canoe or rowing shell trailer. It would be 14 more miles to Hebron. Our destination.
A sigh pointed down a gravel road labeled "farm road use". Hmmm. Quaint but not terribly inviting to bike tourists. We finally found paved roads that came in from another direction. The town was small but orderly. The grocery store was closed. It's Saturday about 2. Pizza place opens at 5. We spotted the town park where we understood we could camp. At a convenience store we started chatting with a man that was most helpful. He told is of the local pool. Showers!! Bonus! This brings me back to the shelter. Our tents are pitched just outside. The neighborhood surrounds us. It's a nice middle class area surprising based on towns just west of here. I suppose the oil boom in ND has had some lasting effects.
We also crossed back a time zone so it's central time now.
Today-57 Miles
4:40 in the saddle
12.2 avg
26.2 max
Tomorrow Bismarck!
PAM... WARNING! You may not want to read this next paragraph just now. A tribute.
One sad thing has occurred back home. Our, Pam's, cat, Biner, short for carabiner, had to be put to sleep today. She was in advanced stage of lymphoma. We did all we could as long as we could. It breaks my heart. And it especially breaks my heart that I'm not there to comfort Pam and Kirsten in this sad time. Biner was a good cat. Lovable. A bully to our other cat, Mica. A bird and critter catcher extraordinaire. And actually a loyal, lovable companion of 13 years. We'll miss her.
I suspected if was going to happen and it did. We got our own sound and light show early this morning around 3:30 or 4. The storm was bright and noisy but didn't produce that much rain and no hail. Thank goodness. So the storm had passed by the time to get up so no rain delay.
We grabbed breakfast at a big truck stop kind of place across the highway from the campground.
We got on old Highway 10 East. We'll spend most of our time on it as we cross ND. It's a good road with very little traffic as it largely parallels I 94 which draws most of the vehicles except local traffic. The terrain is long gently rolling hills. The scenery is more Badlands style with occasional small bluffs and gorgeous fields. It has a greater aesthetic appeal than eastern Montana to me.
The wind was not that bad but it varied from crosswinds to slight headwinds. The temperature was in the lower 70s at the most. Clouds chased us along our eastern path way. We could see the storm from the morning off in the distance in front of us. We made sure to keep it that way.
We stopped in the metropolis of Dickenson for lunch hoping to at least find a bench and a cold drink. We found neither. We ate from our reserves (PB&J) and sat on some sort of new utility trailer that resembled a canoe or rowing shell trailer. It would be 14 more miles to Hebron. Our destination.
A sigh pointed down a gravel road labeled "farm road use". Hmmm. Quaint but not terribly inviting to bike tourists. We finally found paved roads that came in from another direction. The town was small but orderly. The grocery store was closed. It's Saturday about 2. Pizza place opens at 5. We spotted the town park where we understood we could camp. At a convenience store we started chatting with a man that was most helpful. He told is of the local pool. Showers!! Bonus! This brings me back to the shelter. Our tents are pitched just outside. The neighborhood surrounds us. It's a nice middle class area surprising based on towns just west of here. I suppose the oil boom in ND has had some lasting effects.
We also crossed back a time zone so it's central time now.
Today-57 Miles
4:40 in the saddle
12.2 avg
26.2 max
Tomorrow Bismarck!
PAM... WARNING! You may not want to read this next paragraph just now. A tribute.
One sad thing has occurred back home. Our, Pam's, cat, Biner, short for carabiner, had to be put to sleep today. She was in advanced stage of lymphoma. We did all we could as long as we could. It breaks my heart. And it especially breaks my heart that I'm not there to comfort Pam and Kirsten in this sad time. Biner was a good cat. Lovable. A bully to our other cat, Mica. A bird and critter catcher extraordinaire. And actually a loyal, lovable companion of 13 years. We'll miss her.
Friday, July 15, 2016
Day 26 Cowboys and TR
We left Wibeaux after limping through breakfast. The waffle maker failed miserably. It never fully cooked the dang thing. Settled for a toasted bagel. Coffee was good. We pulled onto I 94 east. Destination was Exit 1 in 8 miles then Old Route 10.
Of course it was all uphill. Man I was having a hard time getting going again. The interstate was pretty cool. Fresh black smooth asphalt. Tired roll sweetly on this stuff. But hmmm. My tires weren't rolling so smoothly. I had a very small hop. (That means one of my tires/wheels are slightly out of round.) This was virtually undetectable in rough roads. Smooth asphalt tells no tales. There's a rest area at our exit. I'll see if the tire needs to be better seated from my flat last week. Yeah that's gotta be it.
A couple of miles in we come to the Welcome to North Dakota sigh and stop for pictures. 3 states down! Once rolling again we continued to climb. This just doesn't feel fair. We figured it was another unnamed pass. Finally when we were near the exit we begin to coast. At least we coasted into the rest area. I took the packs off to better see the wheels. They looked fine. I had Bill hold the bike up so I could spin the wheels one at a time. Back. Ok. Front. Spin. Stop. Spin. Stop. That's not supposed to happen. Wheels don't just stop. I made sure Bill wasn't messing with me. He wasn't. My friggin brakes were rubbing!! No wonder I couldn't get it going. Yesterday too. I just reseated the front wheel and slightly adjusted the disc brake and voilà! Rolls like silk. Made my day.
At this exit was the town of Beach. Population about 1k. Once leaving town we rolled onto Old Highway 10. It was a nice quiet road with mostly gentle rolling hills. Good pavement unlike yesterday afternoon. The next itty bitty little town was Sentinel Butte. Population 58. We noticed it had a set of bee hives. Didn't stop to ask about them. Another 20 miles we arrived at Medora. Population 112 but it was a busy touristy town that was the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It even has a bike shop. I stopped there to have someone look at my wheel hop and adjust my rear derailleur. Tires were fine. Wheel needs help but that would take a lot of time. Not a serious problem so just let it go and deal with it. The derailleur was not staying in a couple of gears. This would have to wait as well. Old tired derailleur won't do everything it supposed to. Hmmm. Sounds like me.... I'll replace it when I get home. The derailleur that is.
Next we have lunch then go to the cowboy museum. Cool place. It even give some recognition to the broken promises and treaties to the Indians. Then we mosey over to the TRNPark visitor center. It was ok. Enjoyed the movie. Next we loaded up and finally headed out. This took us to I 94 again. We stayed on this for a few miles then exited to get back on Rt 10 to Belfield.
That's where we are now. In an RV Park. It's late cause I got a late start to this blog. For some unknown reason I couldn't get on. Screen was just blank. Then right before I was going to crash, I tried to get on again. Well. It's done. Time for some rest.
Thanks very much for reading about this little journey.
Almost 5 hours in the saddle
57 miles
11.6 mph avg
30.1 max
No wonder I'm tired.
Cheers.
Kim
Of course it was all uphill. Man I was having a hard time getting going again. The interstate was pretty cool. Fresh black smooth asphalt. Tired roll sweetly on this stuff. But hmmm. My tires weren't rolling so smoothly. I had a very small hop. (That means one of my tires/wheels are slightly out of round.) This was virtually undetectable in rough roads. Smooth asphalt tells no tales. There's a rest area at our exit. I'll see if the tire needs to be better seated from my flat last week. Yeah that's gotta be it.
A couple of miles in we come to the Welcome to North Dakota sigh and stop for pictures. 3 states down! Once rolling again we continued to climb. This just doesn't feel fair. We figured it was another unnamed pass. Finally when we were near the exit we begin to coast. At least we coasted into the rest area. I took the packs off to better see the wheels. They looked fine. I had Bill hold the bike up so I could spin the wheels one at a time. Back. Ok. Front. Spin. Stop. Spin. Stop. That's not supposed to happen. Wheels don't just stop. I made sure Bill wasn't messing with me. He wasn't. My friggin brakes were rubbing!! No wonder I couldn't get it going. Yesterday too. I just reseated the front wheel and slightly adjusted the disc brake and voilà! Rolls like silk. Made my day.
At this exit was the town of Beach. Population about 1k. Once leaving town we rolled onto Old Highway 10. It was a nice quiet road with mostly gentle rolling hills. Good pavement unlike yesterday afternoon. The next itty bitty little town was Sentinel Butte. Population 58. We noticed it had a set of bee hives. Didn't stop to ask about them. Another 20 miles we arrived at Medora. Population 112 but it was a busy touristy town that was the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It even has a bike shop. I stopped there to have someone look at my wheel hop and adjust my rear derailleur. Tires were fine. Wheel needs help but that would take a lot of time. Not a serious problem so just let it go and deal with it. The derailleur was not staying in a couple of gears. This would have to wait as well. Old tired derailleur won't do everything it supposed to. Hmmm. Sounds like me.... I'll replace it when I get home. The derailleur that is.
Next we have lunch then go to the cowboy museum. Cool place. It even give some recognition to the broken promises and treaties to the Indians. Then we mosey over to the TRNPark visitor center. It was ok. Enjoyed the movie. Next we loaded up and finally headed out. This took us to I 94 again. We stayed on this for a few miles then exited to get back on Rt 10 to Belfield.
That's where we are now. In an RV Park. It's late cause I got a late start to this blog. For some unknown reason I couldn't get on. Screen was just blank. Then right before I was going to crash, I tried to get on again. Well. It's done. Time for some rest.
Thanks very much for reading about this little journey.
Almost 5 hours in the saddle
57 miles
11.6 mph avg
30.1 max
No wonder I'm tired.
Cheers.
Kim
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Day 25 Wibeaux
We depart our luxurious camp in Circle hoping never to return. The townspeople were friendly and willing to talk about their life. No new blood stays long there. I can see why. I grabbed a cup of coffee at the conference stop then headed east.
I could tell right away that the road was on an incline by the lack of speed. Just couldn't get the old bike moving. Ugh. This went on. And on. For ever it felt like. Finally I looked ahead to see where we were headed. A set of small hills lay on the horizon. We were headed for a pass! Relief was in sight. So after nearly 2 hours of steady climbing we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor. A very long downhill ride. It wasn't fast but it went on and on. Joy.
The ride into Glendive wasn't bad. Flat and a little breeze at our backs was all good. We even stopped in one tiny town for a drink. The town? Lindsay! That's Sandy's maiden name. Of course they had a ticker tape parade for her.
Just outside Glendive the cloud that had been trailing us for a while finally let loose. Gradually at first. We reached an underpass about the time the thunder and lightning started. We waited for a while then we went looking for a place to have lunch. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and decided that we had it in is to do another 27 miles. How bad could it be? Famous last words.
The first 8 or so miles are on the interstate. The shoulders are wide and the traffic isn't bad. It's legal in most western states as there aren't any other options sometimes. To this point the road was uphill. I wish was kidding.
Then we had a chance to get off and take a parallel route. We could see that it was going to be rolling hills. But what we couldn't see it that it was down some and mostly up. To boot the road was in very rough condition. It had lots of unavoidable cracks. Felt like we were riding on corrugated cardboard. Not one of my favorite stretches of road. I just couldn't get it going. Every bump felt like it was slowing me down. To add to this little pain in the behind we had another storm behind us. I couldn't stop to rest to keep the rain at bay. Finally we had to get off this hellish road and get back on the interstate for 7 miles. Thank heavens most of it was downhill! We had to pull off the exit at the interstate which was kind of weird. But we knew what to do. This town was Wibeaux. Just a few miles from North Dakota.
Tomorrow we head for Belfield.
Today- 77.17 miles
12.1 mph avg
28 mph max
6:20 in the saddle
Time for some rest. Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
I could tell right away that the road was on an incline by the lack of speed. Just couldn't get the old bike moving. Ugh. This went on. And on. For ever it felt like. Finally I looked ahead to see where we were headed. A set of small hills lay on the horizon. We were headed for a pass! Relief was in sight. So after nearly 2 hours of steady climbing we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor. A very long downhill ride. It wasn't fast but it went on and on. Joy.
The ride into Glendive wasn't bad. Flat and a little breeze at our backs was all good. We even stopped in one tiny town for a drink. The town? Lindsay! That's Sandy's maiden name. Of course they had a ticker tape parade for her.
Just outside Glendive the cloud that had been trailing us for a while finally let loose. Gradually at first. We reached an underpass about the time the thunder and lightning started. We waited for a while then we went looking for a place to have lunch. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch and decided that we had it in is to do another 27 miles. How bad could it be? Famous last words.
The first 8 or so miles are on the interstate. The shoulders are wide and the traffic isn't bad. It's legal in most western states as there aren't any other options sometimes. To this point the road was uphill. I wish was kidding.
Then we had a chance to get off and take a parallel route. We could see that it was going to be rolling hills. But what we couldn't see it that it was down some and mostly up. To boot the road was in very rough condition. It had lots of unavoidable cracks. Felt like we were riding on corrugated cardboard. Not one of my favorite stretches of road. I just couldn't get it going. Every bump felt like it was slowing me down. To add to this little pain in the behind we had another storm behind us. I couldn't stop to rest to keep the rain at bay. Finally we had to get off this hellish road and get back on the interstate for 7 miles. Thank heavens most of it was downhill! We had to pull off the exit at the interstate which was kind of weird. But we knew what to do. This town was Wibeaux. Just a few miles from North Dakota.
Tomorrow we head for Belfield.
Today- 77.17 miles
12.1 mph avg
28 mph max
6:20 in the saddle
Time for some rest. Thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Day 24 Crosswinds
Yesterday was such a breeze. We clicked off 50 miles in a flash. I knew today would be different. The winds were still blowing out of the west. Not as hard as yesterday but still quite breezy. After several days of great conditions I certainly can't complain. That would be greedy, I suppose.
Today the route turned south for 54 miles. The winds come off our right side. All day. Since we ride on the right side of the road at least we don't have to worry about being blown off the shoulder. Riding a straight line is a pipe dream. It doesn't happen in these conditions. You have to do the best you can. At any speed. (Fast is easier to make the bike go straight.). Even try to anticipate the push of the gusts. Hang on tight to the handlebars. Pay attention to the road. All day long. What scenery?
Gravity is your best friend and your worst enemy. Going uphill you fight gravity. Going down it's your best friend. Unless the wind is having its way with you. In that case you peddle uphill AND downhill. It's just a little frustrating. So it goes. I just have to be thrilled that it's only a sidewind and not a headwind!!
On top of the wind, today featured rolling hills. Nonstop. The hills were never steep either up or down. They felt like long grinds. Frankly, I wasn't in the mood for exerted myself so I just took my time and settled into a comfortable pace. Bill on the other hand was like the energizer bunny! He would be hanging back practically out of sight then next thing I know he's on my wheel getting ready to blow by. Sandy would be hanging back just a little ways taking in the scenery. I have to hand it to her. She is very observant. Notices stuff that might otherwise totally escape my consciousness. Color hues. Odd trees and the like.
As it turns out this stretch of highway was void of places to stop for a tall cold drink, much less a place to stop and sit in the shade. Trees shade? Another pipe dream. No trees you see. Best option is a paved driveway (not many of these!) or some odd pull off area just to get off the road. We either stand or sit Indian style on the pavement and eat and drink. The roadside grass isn't so inviting.
Finally the last few miles the road turns making the winds finally play in our favor. The climb is less arduous and the downhill is more joyous. We reach Circle, MT.
Wolf Point was a pretty cool town. Circle. Not so much. The one RV Park, is a dump by all metrics. The only operating motel is a flea bag hotel. Not my description but Gay's. He stayed there last year when he decided the campground was below par. I did find a few businesses that were appealing and inviting. I had dinner at the Wooden Nickel. A family cafe.c
Today - 54 miles
10.9 mph avg
5 long hours in the saddle (similar distance yesterday was 2 & 3/4 hours.
25.7 mph max
Tomorrow we aim first for Glendive, MT.
Thanks for following along on my journey.
I miss my family and very much look forward to being with them in the not too distant future. xoxoxo
Cheers!
Kim
Today the route turned south for 54 miles. The winds come off our right side. All day. Since we ride on the right side of the road at least we don't have to worry about being blown off the shoulder. Riding a straight line is a pipe dream. It doesn't happen in these conditions. You have to do the best you can. At any speed. (Fast is easier to make the bike go straight.). Even try to anticipate the push of the gusts. Hang on tight to the handlebars. Pay attention to the road. All day long. What scenery?
Gravity is your best friend and your worst enemy. Going uphill you fight gravity. Going down it's your best friend. Unless the wind is having its way with you. In that case you peddle uphill AND downhill. It's just a little frustrating. So it goes. I just have to be thrilled that it's only a sidewind and not a headwind!!
On top of the wind, today featured rolling hills. Nonstop. The hills were never steep either up or down. They felt like long grinds. Frankly, I wasn't in the mood for exerted myself so I just took my time and settled into a comfortable pace. Bill on the other hand was like the energizer bunny! He would be hanging back practically out of sight then next thing I know he's on my wheel getting ready to blow by. Sandy would be hanging back just a little ways taking in the scenery. I have to hand it to her. She is very observant. Notices stuff that might otherwise totally escape my consciousness. Color hues. Odd trees and the like.
As it turns out this stretch of highway was void of places to stop for a tall cold drink, much less a place to stop and sit in the shade. Trees shade? Another pipe dream. No trees you see. Best option is a paved driveway (not many of these!) or some odd pull off area just to get off the road. We either stand or sit Indian style on the pavement and eat and drink. The roadside grass isn't so inviting.
Finally the last few miles the road turns making the winds finally play in our favor. The climb is less arduous and the downhill is more joyous. We reach Circle, MT.
Wolf Point was a pretty cool town. Circle. Not so much. The one RV Park, is a dump by all metrics. The only operating motel is a flea bag hotel. Not my description but Gay's. He stayed there last year when he decided the campground was below par. I did find a few businesses that were appealing and inviting. I had dinner at the Wooden Nickel. A family cafe.c
Today - 54 miles
10.9 mph avg
5 long hours in the saddle (similar distance yesterday was 2 & 3/4 hours.
25.7 mph max
Tomorrow we aim first for Glendive, MT.
Thanks for following along on my journey.
I miss my family and very much look forward to being with them in the not too distant future. xoxoxo
Cheers!
Kim
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Day 23 Blowing in the Wind
We left Glasgow a little after 8. With this wind I figured we'd reach our destination in time for brunch. All day long the wind would be howling. Out of the west again. It's been a great run of favorable winds. Today would is shaping up to be the best yet.
The forecast is "lake effect winds" of 25 mph winds out of the west with gusts around 32. Funny thing is I'm having a hard time finding any sizable lake that might have such a huge influence on the weather over such a vast area! Living by the Atlantic Ocean I guess I just don't get it.
We were going to be breezing by a few small towns. Nashua. Frazer. Oswego. None of them had a store or place to stop for a cold drink. It's ok though cause we never really worked up much of a thirst.
It was common for us to be riding side by side. Chatting. Doing 25. Loving every second of it. Days like this can make me REALLY Love biking. A few times I looked down at my cyclometer and it said I was doing 19. I was trying to figure out why I was going so slow. I looked around and noticed we were going uphill! That explains it...
Not a lot to say different about this day's ride. It was ... Splendid. Awesome. Fantastic. Really really fun. Pick one.
We blew into Wolf Point by 11. We looked at tenting at an RV park. We decided that there was not nearly enough protection from the wind for bearable living conditions. The wind isn't so bad when you are going with it but standing around getting beaten up by it for hours is quite another matter. We opted for a motel. Again. Turns out this motel is quite spacious.
With our few spontaneous stops we rode the 50 miles in 2:46 or about 17.5 mph. That's my best estimate cause I failed to reset my cyclometer this morning with my not so nimble fingers. Dang those buttons are little and hard to get to. Max 37.6 mph
Tomorrow- Circle, MT is the plan. This means 2 things. 1) We make a turn off Route 2 and head south and 2) The wind also needs to change direction to continue the trend of glowing us along our way.
Thank you so very much for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
The forecast is "lake effect winds" of 25 mph winds out of the west with gusts around 32. Funny thing is I'm having a hard time finding any sizable lake that might have such a huge influence on the weather over such a vast area! Living by the Atlantic Ocean I guess I just don't get it.
We were going to be breezing by a few small towns. Nashua. Frazer. Oswego. None of them had a store or place to stop for a cold drink. It's ok though cause we never really worked up much of a thirst.
It was common for us to be riding side by side. Chatting. Doing 25. Loving every second of it. Days like this can make me REALLY Love biking. A few times I looked down at my cyclometer and it said I was doing 19. I was trying to figure out why I was going so slow. I looked around and noticed we were going uphill! That explains it...
Not a lot to say different about this day's ride. It was ... Splendid. Awesome. Fantastic. Really really fun. Pick one.
We blew into Wolf Point by 11. We looked at tenting at an RV park. We decided that there was not nearly enough protection from the wind for bearable living conditions. The wind isn't so bad when you are going with it but standing around getting beaten up by it for hours is quite another matter. We opted for a motel. Again. Turns out this motel is quite spacious.
With our few spontaneous stops we rode the 50 miles in 2:46 or about 17.5 mph. That's my best estimate cause I failed to reset my cyclometer this morning with my not so nimble fingers. Dang those buttons are little and hard to get to. Max 37.6 mph
Tomorrow- Circle, MT is the plan. This means 2 things. 1) We make a turn off Route 2 and head south and 2) The wind also needs to change direction to continue the trend of glowing us along our way.
Thank you so very much for reading.
Cheers!
Kim
Monday, July 11, 2016
Day 22 Malta to Glasgow
I picked up my phone to see it was 4:45 am. Checked the weather. Rain. Soon after that a single loud clap of thunder got my attention. A rain delay to the day was inevitable. A couple more times before 8:30 the weather was unchanged. Rain. The good news was the wind was going to be blowing out of the west! 15 to 25 mph.
We finally came to life as a team about 9. It was raining pretty good out there. We agonized whether we should stay or go. I liked the rain delay. We came to the conclusion to toughen the hockey puck u. We needed to be out by 11. As it soon turned out we had to leave anyway. The inn was booked. Karma.
We headed out into the rain. Dressed to deal with it. Layers. Add or mostly subtract as needed. It was in the mid 50s but as I noted the wind was behind us. That makes it easier to stay warm. And go faster.
There weren't many surprises in the terrain. Prairie. A few hills through out the day got our attention.
We started in Malta. Passed by the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Saco (population 187), Hinsdale (even smaller) Then 35 miles later we reached Glasgow. That's a long way between towns. Glasgow is huge with a population of 3,258!
About 20 miles outside town we met a lone German cyclotourist headed west. Against the wind. He pulled over to my side of the road to talk. He didn't look happy. And he wasn't. The last several days he had been bucking the headwinds we have come to love. It was brutal on him. The effort. The chilling effect must have taken a toll too. The rain had long since stopped and we were in shorts and short sleeves. He was layered us with a jacket, long pants, gloves and booties! Poor bastard. We felt terrible for him. Wanted to suggest he take a ride to East Glacier where he could start to enjoy the ride again.
We arrived in town taking our time to select an inn. The weather looked atrocious again. It had been chasing us for a while. As soon as we pulled into the portico it started pouring. The bad news is there wasn't any place close by to get dinner. We did learn that the local Pizza Hit doesn't deliver. We learned that the Chinese restaurant does. Score!
My max speed was 36.6! Mostly we enjoyed the swift wind at our backs. Spinning along effortlessly for the most part. My average speed was 15.3 for the 70 mile ride. That's @4.5 hours in the saddle. It felt awesome. I tell you, if I had felt any better it would have been illegal.
Tomorrow we head to Wolf Point. Population 2,821.
Thanks for letting me share my day with you.
I am truly a blessed man.
Cheers.
Kim
We finally came to life as a team about 9. It was raining pretty good out there. We agonized whether we should stay or go. I liked the rain delay. We came to the conclusion to toughen the hockey puck u. We needed to be out by 11. As it soon turned out we had to leave anyway. The inn was booked. Karma.
We headed out into the rain. Dressed to deal with it. Layers. Add or mostly subtract as needed. It was in the mid 50s but as I noted the wind was behind us. That makes it easier to stay warm. And go faster.
There weren't many surprises in the terrain. Prairie. A few hills through out the day got our attention.
We started in Malta. Passed by the Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge, Saco (population 187), Hinsdale (even smaller) Then 35 miles later we reached Glasgow. That's a long way between towns. Glasgow is huge with a population of 3,258!
About 20 miles outside town we met a lone German cyclotourist headed west. Against the wind. He pulled over to my side of the road to talk. He didn't look happy. And he wasn't. The last several days he had been bucking the headwinds we have come to love. It was brutal on him. The effort. The chilling effect must have taken a toll too. The rain had long since stopped and we were in shorts and short sleeves. He was layered us with a jacket, long pants, gloves and booties! Poor bastard. We felt terrible for him. Wanted to suggest he take a ride to East Glacier where he could start to enjoy the ride again.
We arrived in town taking our time to select an inn. The weather looked atrocious again. It had been chasing us for a while. As soon as we pulled into the portico it started pouring. The bad news is there wasn't any place close by to get dinner. We did learn that the local Pizza Hit doesn't deliver. We learned that the Chinese restaurant does. Score!
My max speed was 36.6! Mostly we enjoyed the swift wind at our backs. Spinning along effortlessly for the most part. My average speed was 15.3 for the 70 mile ride. That's @4.5 hours in the saddle. It felt awesome. I tell you, if I had felt any better it would have been illegal.
Tomorrow we head to Wolf Point. Population 2,821.
Thanks for letting me share my day with you.
I am truly a blessed man.
Cheers.
Kim
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Day 21 Epic Day
Let me begin by giving a big shout out to my awesome mother-in-law Barbara Hartman. Happy birthday to you. Hope it was a great day and sorry I couldn't be there with everyone to celebrate. You know I love cake and ice cream. xoxoxo
The fairgrounds were a good bargain. $10. Get what you pay for sometimes. Havre's nightlife is apparently limited to riding your Harley around the fairgrounds into the wee hours. There are some things I can still hear without my ear buds in. It was a busy place.
We departed at 6:45 this morning. Since the fairgrounds were at the top of a hill we were able to start the day with a fun downhill stretch! Only thing of it's kind all day. And it ended up being a long day. There were no surprise climbs to set the day off to a sullen mood. The road was flat and the wind was at our backs. Just the way we like it. A little more velocity would have been helpful but we take what we can get.
Our general plan was to get to Malta. We thought it was 67 miles. Just outside of town we got s shock when the sign said 92 miles. A slight miscalculation. Ok. Keep rolling. We'll adjust our goals first stop. Great thing about goals. Flexibility. Our first real stop was Chinook, 20 miles in.
Chinook had a great convenience store with almost everything you could want. Except sandals. Just outside town Bill had to stop and make a load adjustment. The load was leaning hard left. Ready to topple it was. Why did it take on such a form? One of Bill's sandals had fallen off! Probably at the fairgrounds where the road was rough and rocky. Rats. He would either have to wear his flip flops or cycling shoes until he could find something else.
Back to the plan. Next up was Zurich. Too soon. As was Harlem which was another 22 miles from Chinook. Dodson it was. That would make it a 72 mile day. Better than 92! Bad weather is predicted so we wanted a roof over our heads. We called the B&B and left a message. Hmmm. Back on the road we go.
Nothing in Zurich for us. Harlem had a convenience store for a break. It would be close to 30 miles before we reached Dodson. We had food and drink to sustain us. Good to go. At some point on this forsaken stretch of road, Sandy proclaimed "We just crossed the 1,000 mile mark!" We all smiled as we continued on our merry way.
Before we knew it we were in Dodson. The area had trees! And a lot of old run down buildings. We found the turn to the B&B. It was .7 off route. Easy. The school we passed was clean and attractive. Nice playground. The B&B was one of the nicest homes around. Grass cut. Shrubbery trimmed. Problem. No body was home. No one answered the phone. What to do? The person may come home soon or not at all... It was starting to sprinkle. We get out rain gear and resolve ourselves to riding to Malta. Sigh.
Looks like it's going to be a 92 mile day after all. The rain fell. Lightly. Thank heavens. But the wind changed direction and blew in our faces. Our pace slowed considerably considering the conditions. This stretch was barren and desolate with a steady but slightly uphill climb. Perfect. Just perfect. We plug on. And on. It's gray and stormy looking on the horizon.
Hope not to get tangled up in that.
Finally we reach Malta. We found several motels available. Whew. We settled on Royals Inn. The innkeeper is a kindly older gentleman. He helped us find the right room. He also let us store our bikes in his work area. Even gave us our own key. As a bonus he let us use his washer and dryer! Free!
Tomorrow morning looks wet so after today's epic we won't be in s hurry to get out.
Today- 92.4 miles
14.0 mph avg
My bike is locked up so I'll have to update the rest later.
Thanks for following us.
Cheers!
KPW
The fairgrounds were a good bargain. $10. Get what you pay for sometimes. Havre's nightlife is apparently limited to riding your Harley around the fairgrounds into the wee hours. There are some things I can still hear without my ear buds in. It was a busy place.
We departed at 6:45 this morning. Since the fairgrounds were at the top of a hill we were able to start the day with a fun downhill stretch! Only thing of it's kind all day. And it ended up being a long day. There were no surprise climbs to set the day off to a sullen mood. The road was flat and the wind was at our backs. Just the way we like it. A little more velocity would have been helpful but we take what we can get.
Our general plan was to get to Malta. We thought it was 67 miles. Just outside of town we got s shock when the sign said 92 miles. A slight miscalculation. Ok. Keep rolling. We'll adjust our goals first stop. Great thing about goals. Flexibility. Our first real stop was Chinook, 20 miles in.
Chinook had a great convenience store with almost everything you could want. Except sandals. Just outside town Bill had to stop and make a load adjustment. The load was leaning hard left. Ready to topple it was. Why did it take on such a form? One of Bill's sandals had fallen off! Probably at the fairgrounds where the road was rough and rocky. Rats. He would either have to wear his flip flops or cycling shoes until he could find something else.
Back to the plan. Next up was Zurich. Too soon. As was Harlem which was another 22 miles from Chinook. Dodson it was. That would make it a 72 mile day. Better than 92! Bad weather is predicted so we wanted a roof over our heads. We called the B&B and left a message. Hmmm. Back on the road we go.
Nothing in Zurich for us. Harlem had a convenience store for a break. It would be close to 30 miles before we reached Dodson. We had food and drink to sustain us. Good to go. At some point on this forsaken stretch of road, Sandy proclaimed "We just crossed the 1,000 mile mark!" We all smiled as we continued on our merry way.
Before we knew it we were in Dodson. The area had trees! And a lot of old run down buildings. We found the turn to the B&B. It was .7 off route. Easy. The school we passed was clean and attractive. Nice playground. The B&B was one of the nicest homes around. Grass cut. Shrubbery trimmed. Problem. No body was home. No one answered the phone. What to do? The person may come home soon or not at all... It was starting to sprinkle. We get out rain gear and resolve ourselves to riding to Malta. Sigh.
Looks like it's going to be a 92 mile day after all. The rain fell. Lightly. Thank heavens. But the wind changed direction and blew in our faces. Our pace slowed considerably considering the conditions. This stretch was barren and desolate with a steady but slightly uphill climb. Perfect. Just perfect. We plug on. And on. It's gray and stormy looking on the horizon.
Hope not to get tangled up in that.
Finally we reach Malta. We found several motels available. Whew. We settled on Royals Inn. The innkeeper is a kindly older gentleman. He helped us find the right room. He also let us store our bikes in his work area. Even gave us our own key. As a bonus he let us use his washer and dryer! Free!
Tomorrow morning looks wet so after today's epic we won't be in s hurry to get out.
Today- 92.4 miles
14.0 mph avg
My bike is locked up so I'll have to update the rest later.
Thanks for following us.
Cheers!
KPW
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Day 20 Hingham High
Last night I moseyed over to the convenience store in front of the motel. It also doubles as the motel office. I went there for 2 reasons. 1. To buy a single beer. I just wanted to sip on a tall cool one and watch some TV. TV hasn't been on my agenda since I left home. And 2. There are a pair of identical blonde twins that work at that fit the store. They might be 18 or so. Bill and I both noticed that they responded in unison when we spoke to them. I had to find out if everything they said went so.
I found a tall Busch beer that fit the bill perfectly. 24 ounces that can satisfy my thirst at this moment like only a beer can do. I went to pay and the twins paired up at the register. One tang it up and the other said "$2.29". As I often do to make sure I heard it right I said "$2.49?" "No. $2.29 they replied as one. Hmmm I smiled.
What time do you open in the morning? Only one responded. 6. I asked about coffee. Again only one responded. So, the experiment ended. Results were mixed. I think they have stock answers that they may use and try to have a little fun in their little corner of the world in what I know as Chester.
On the way back to my room I noticed that next to my room was the headquarters for the Chester Chamber of Commerce! Go figure. In the middle of the motel rooms.
In the morning we bid adieu to Chester. We were all anticipating pretty flat and fast roads with westerly winds of 15 to 25 predicted. Well it didn't start out that way. To the eye everything looked great, but no wind yet. That's OK it'll come in due time. The problem was that we were only riding a pedantic pace of 9-10 mph. Maybe we wer just not warmed up yet. Nah that's not it. It was hard. To darn hard and it kept going and going... Ok. It had to be an upgrade. Just pedal. So it went. Finally, after an eternity, the conditions turned to our favor. Downhill and flat with the wind at our backs!
Fortunately, this was how the rest of the day largely unfolded. Until we got to Hingham anyway. Don't get too excited. Sandy just had a slow leak in her front tire. This is what passes for excitement on terrain like this. We were able to stop at a bar, open at 9, and get coffee and refreshments while Sandy changed the tire (tube). My bad joke with the town name was to refer to a Clint Eastwood flick, I called it Hingham High.
We were on our way. Next stop: The Kremlin, American style. It was a depressing, largely vacant little village without the store that was promised. Oh well. We stopped anyway and dug out our reserve food and had lunch. At 11:00. Next stop- Havre.
The last 19 miles went swimmingly. We did have to crawl up the only hill in town to find the fairgrounds camping. It was a bit confusing as no attendant was around. We finally got that figured out with self registration. $10 for everything! Showers and bathrooms included.
Tomorrow we set our sights long on Malta to dodge some rainy weather.
Today
35.5 max mph
4 hours in the saddle
56.5 miles
13.5 avg
Thanks for following
Cheers!
KPW
Friday, July 8, 2016
Day 19 Making Hay Yesterday Was Good
Having a hearing impairment is truly a mixed blessing. When I take out my ear buds, the world is largely lost to me. This morning, Sandy and Bill asked if I talked in my sleep. I said not that I've been told of. Well then it seems the motorcycle camper that pulled in around midnight did. B & S said it started around 2 and went on. And on. It was loud. Like "Ow! Stop that!" And so on. It appears that the man was engaged in (this is a family friendly blog) some S&M type actually, I suppose. I have to take Bill and Sandy's word for it. Ah the adventures never end.
Short day 43 miles
Late last night I got to do laundry before the motorcyclist showed up. I started laundry after dinner at Pizza Hut. Pizza and a salad.
We went to breakfast early at the Inn next door. $6 for a hot breakfast buffet! Got my fill for sure. Then we headed east.
I was hopeful that today would be a carbon copy of yesterday. Well, someone forgot to turn on the fan. The road had a few longish climbs. @3/4 mile or so with considerable effort required to get over the top.
Joy.
The wind was either barely blowing or it was coming out of the east/southeast. A headwind. But the good news is it wasn't a stiff breeze. But that combined with a predominantly slight upgrade made for a deceivingly strenuous day. So here's how our day played out.
Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.Peddle.
PeddlePeddle.PeddlePeddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.
Rest. Find a place to relieve myself. Make a bike adjustment.Get back on the bike.
Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.
Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.
Rest. Eat. Drink. Look around at prairie. Get back on bike.
Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.Peddle.
Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle. Peddle.
Reach destination. Looks like fun huh? 😎
Camping is in a municipal park with no amenities. (Water, bathroom, much less shower). No appeal. One motel looked like it rented by the hour. Kinda scary looking. The one we're in looked clean and acceptable on the outside. We took it. The prospects for camps reasonable distances down the road were of the municipal variety. No lodging either. So, beautiful, scenic Chester it is. Actually the rooms inside are pretty decent. Big bed. Sofa and big screen TV!
Oh yeah. It's kind of weird/unusual. We have 4 bars of reception and wifi but can't make a phone call.
Short day 43 miles
Avg 13.3 mph
Max 26.2 (Yesterday I was doing 30 on the flat ground with the tailwind breathing through just my my nose!)
Tomorrow's intended destination- Havre, MT
Thanks for following!
Cheers,
KPW
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