| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Havre | Havre | Rest Day |
What’s there to do on a day of rest? Why, watch the movie Forrest Gump of coarse! (…I have to give my editor something to do…)
Below are some photos I didn’t want left out of the story…
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Joplin | Havre | 55 |
The birds start chirping at 4 AM, almost on the dot. By 4:15 they’re in full voice.
It was windy last night. That is putting it mildly. It looks like today I’m going to get my West wind. So far I have slept in cold, in rain, and now high wind. If I had to choose between the three, I would take wind. The tent performed better in the wind than it does in the rain. One thing you don’t have to worry about in high wind is condensation inside the tent.
It turns out the wind was out of the Northwest, but it still helped riding. The Northwest wind pushed me slightly forward, but also away from the white line, which is helpful.
The Sweet Grass Hills (see photo below) possess special powers for the Blackfeet Indians. According to legend, the Creator Napi fashioned the hills in the distant past from remnants left over from the creation of the Rocky Mountains. Napi liked the hills so much that they became one of his favorite resting places. The Blackfeet people used these hills as a vantage point when hunting game and watching for enemies. Because these hills are so closely tied to the creation of the earth, they are a spiritual place for the Blackfeet people. Often teenage boys would go up into the hills on a vision quest to help guide them into adulthood. Many epic stories have been handed down through time of great journeys and important discoveries made by young men on their vision quests.
Sweetgrass Hills outside Northwest of Joplin.
Horse of many colors.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Shel-Oole CG | Joplin | 53 |
A little more about Shelby before I tell you about Joplin…
The Lake Shel-Oole Campground is just North of Shelby. It was a good riding day, temperature in the mid 60’s. The wind was steady all day out of the South-East. That has a tendency to push the bike toward the white line so you have to pay attention to what you’re doing. Out here when you see a wide-load coming, you have to get off the bike. I’ve been riding on a 2’ shoulder most of the day. Not my favorite thing.
Shelby is a railroad town and supports the area’s farming community. In 1922 when oil was discovered just North of Shelby, the City Leaders decided to capitalize on the discovery by hosting a Heavy-Weight Prize Fight. The fight was scheduled to pit Jack Dempsey, the undisputed champion against challenger Tommy Gibbons. An Event Publicity Center was built along with more infrastructure including a 20,000 seat arena for the fight. Dempsey won the bout in a 15 round unanimous decision. Unfortunately, the fight was a financial disaster for the city and several banks went bankrupt over the their investment in the event. The Publicity Center became the Town Hall and it still stands today as an historic landmark.
Now a bit about Joplin…
I reached Joplin at around 1:00 pm. I had to stop because the town was having their 25th Annual “Art in the Park and Car Show.” There were classic cars, live music, food, and local arts and crafts. I had to take it in. I’ll be spending the night here in the city park, once the car show cars have left!
I met some awesome people, and they took great care of me. Several people came up to me and chatted. Another group invited me to sit down at their table and we talked together like we were family. They offered me beer and the lady running the event told me she would turn the sprinklers off in the park for me. I sat down to listen to live music and the guitar player singled me out because, well, I look different than everyone else. He asked me where I was coming from and where I was going I told him and he said “you’re crazy…” He was speaking into the microphone. He looked at the crowd, told them what I was doing, and said “give this man a round of applause! They all did. It was quite a scene.
I’m hoping tomorrow I’ll get a West wind that this part of the country is famous for. Haven’t had one yet since dropping down out of the Rockies.
Roadside East of Shelby.
When at an arts and crafts fair, one must indulge. This is an heirloom. Handmade nickel-steel blade with polished moose and deer bone inlaid handle. This will be handed down along with my Grandfather’s handmade carving knives with walrus tusk handles.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Cut Bank | Lake Shel-Oole CG, | 30 |
I’m camping at Lake Shel-Oole Campground. It is just outside Shelby.
Sometimes my mind wanders when I’m riding. It occurred to me that I should come up with some sort of definition of the different types of bicycle touring. When I think of touring, this is kind-of how I classify it. I’ve never been an Elite level tourer. When I was younger, I was able to easily ride at the Enhanced level without trouble. I’m hoping to reach the Enhanced level on this trip. Maybe even reach Enhanced Plus…
Casual Touring: Under 50 miles per day average.
Enhanced Touring: Over 50 miles per day average.
Enhanced Plus Touring: Enhanced Touring with a minimum of one Century.
Elite Touring: Over 75 miles per day average with a minimum of one Double Century.
A “Century” is 100 miles or more in a single day.
There are four conditions:
These are my rules. Of course if you play with me, you have to play by my rules!
So, how am I doing against this (arbitrary) standard? I have ridden 15 days so far and my average daily miles is 48. By my definition, I currently fall into the Casual Touring category. One thing should be kept in mind. Over the course of the last 728 miles, I have crossed both the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. (The most elevation I will encounter in any similar length section from here to Maine.) Cut Bank Montana is considered the “beginning of the plains.” What that says to me is that in a couple of weeks I have a good chance of working my way into the Enhanced category. I’m sure you and I are both waiting with baited breath to see if either of those can be accomplished. Well, maybe just me…
Note: My Editor informs me that use of the word baited in the sentence above is incorrect. The correct word is “bated.” The word baited may be used occasionally, but only after eating a large portion of deep fried onion rings. My Editor informed me the word bated first appeared in the English language in Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” in 1605. Leave it to a good editor to know that bit of trivia.
Yesterday, after crossing the Continental Divide, I confirmed that indeed all rivers now flow either East or South, rivers are no longer flowing West or South. Yesterday, about half-way through the day, I came within 4 miles of the most northerly point reached by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They named their encampment, “Camp Disappointment.” They were hoping to find headwaters that would allow them to report to Jefferson that the Louisiana Purchase was even larger than originally anticipated. That was not the case.
I’ve decided to camp here tonight and push on in the morning.
No longer in the Rockies!
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Devil’s Creek CG | Cut Bank | 71 |
Behind every good writer, there is a good editor. I’m not suggesting that I’m a good writer. I will, however, emphatically argue that I have a very good editor. (i’m hoping she doesn’t have a problem with the punctuation of that last sentence… if she does, she’s still an excellent SAG.)
It rained off-and-on all last night. Our family tent would’ve done just fine, but the little backpacker tent that I’m carrying was only adequate. Most of my gear I had to put away wet this morning That adds weight to my kit that doesn’t exactly thrill me. Other than the fact that it’s a little bit overcast. It’s not raining this morning and I’m actually enjoying the workout.
The day started with a 6 mile, 2,000 ft. climb up to Marias Pass The climb started just 2 miles outside the campground.
I felt victorious reaching Marias Pass. I won’t tell you how long the climb took me because that would be revealing too much about my climbing ability.
I couldn’t get a photo of Glacier Peak on the way up because it was shrouded in clouds. My winter riding gloves came in very handy today, the only problem with them is they’re hard to get on when you can’t feel your hands.
Taking a break at East Glacier Village, then pushing on to Cut Bank. The town ”Where the Rockies meet the Plains.”
Taking a break on the climb to Marias Pass.
Success.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Whitefish | Devil’s Creek CG | 67 |
It’s a beautiful morning!
I planned today’s route to stop at Hungry Horse, about 12 miles outside Whitefish, so I could check-in at the Ranger station to find out about campgrounds East of West Glacier. I’m thinking about extending my day. I found out there is dispersed camping options but the only campground with water and vault toilets is 40 miles East of West Glacier. I’m going to try and make it there.
It’s amazing what you don’t know until you realize there’s something you don’t know. I wasn’t completely sure what the proper weight distribution of the panniers on my bike should be, so I asked the Internet. here’s what the Internet had to say.
“The recommended weight distribution for panniers on a touring bike is about 60% in the front and 40% in the back. This helps maintain balance and stability while riding.”
Well, good news, that’s pretty much what I’m running. It’s slightly counterintuitive because the front panniers are smaller than the rear panniers. I’m not exactly sure why they’re designed that way. i’t’s comforting to know I’ve been doing it right even though I didn’t know I was doing it right.
I’m camping at Devil’s Creek Campground. It is 40 miles East of the West of Glacier Park entrance. (I made it!) The’s a cycling couple here that I saw back in Troy. I got a chance to chat with them and they are headed to New York. They are taking a slightly different route than I am. You never know, we may meet again down the road.
Made it to West Glacier!
Another of the many road-side attractions.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Day | Whitefish | 0 |
When I arrived in town yesterday, my legs were shot. It will be difficult for me to forgive Komoot for routing me onto 5 miles of Forest Service road. (I don’t really blame Komoot. It’s likely a user error. I need to look into the settings to see if there is an option for “paved roads only.”)
I’m excited about dinner tonight. The regular chef will be back at Momma Ev’s. That means dinner tonight is pasta!
What I am currently undertaking is not an event it’s a journey, in the true sense of the word. I understand now better than ever before what that word actually means. Among other things, a journey is living a routine that takes you out of your ordinary world and puts you into a space where you are required to do all the normal tasks of life in a very different way. All this for the purpose of a singular goal. In my case, that is cycling a long distance. I do it for the reward of the accomplishment. There are other rewards. The break from my normal routine gives me a chance to appreciate all that I have, but tend to dismiss. Appreciation of little things, your loved ones, a cup of coffee in the morning, a nice meal at the end of the day — even if it’s a simple one. Giving my body a chance to strengthen rather than settle into a routine of slow decline. I realize that allowing decline isn’t a given, and can be accomplished without punishing yourself day-after-day. I remind myself often that I need to figure that one out after I get home.
I love to write. Trust me, you don’t have to be good at something to enjoy doing it. In a way, like an artist takes his easel out into the country to paint, riding a bicycle across the country and writing about it falls into a similar category. This writing will never hang in a museum, that’s fine with me. If it were to be acknowledged in some way that would not increase my satisfaction in having created it.
Cheers!
Momma Ev! If you visit Whitefish, MT, you have to stay at the Chalet Motel and have dinner at Mama Ev’s Pizzeria.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Eureka | Whitefish | 56 |
Coincidentally, the Great Divide race is happening right now. The riders left Banff, Canada on Saturday and I have seen them on the road the last two days. Only briefly mind you. Most of their route is off-road. They are running fully kitted mountain bikes. The best in class will run the 2,700 miles from Banff to the Mexican border in 14 days. Second tier riders will do it in 21 days. Everyone else, 4 to 6 weeks. All of them, even the six week crew, are in a class by themselves. This year’s favorite is shooting to do it in 11 days! He’s carrying almost nothing and he’s planning on only 4 hours of sleep a night. That’s 250 miles a day! My hat is off to those guys!
Seven miles outside Eureka, Komoot took me onto a side road. Komoot is designed to do that to avoid highway traffic whenever possible. The only problem with this side road is that it was 7 miles long but only the first 2 miles was paved. The last 5 miles was Forest Service road. I felt like I was on the Great Divide! My bike (which I haven’t named yet, I’m working on it.) complained bitterly to me the whole way. It reminded me it was built for pavement not for this sort of thing. I was sympathetic, but I told it we had no choice. Misfortune like this is often accompanied by little surprises. At the end of the road was a Forest Service day-use area with an outdoor lavatory. Just in time I might add.
Five miles outside whitefish I hit road construction. Three miles of unpaved road. It wasn’t your ordinary road construction. The road was completely torn up and what was left was mostly unpacked dirt and gravel. (I heard my bike say “why are we doing this again?”) It was the sort of construction that a Pilot Car has to lead you through. I told the driver of the Pilot Car I probably wasn’t going to be able to make it in one go, she said that’s OK. Just pull over whenever I needed to. I managed 2 miles before traffic started coming towards me from the other direction so I pulled over to rest. I forgot to mention, more than half of the 3 miles of construction was uphill.
When I got into town, I found a terrific bike shop. It was about 2 PM. I took my bike in and asked the mechanic if he could do a tuneup for me. When they learned I was riding the Northern Tier, they were happy to accommodate me.I asked for a motel recommendation and they told me I should definitely stay at the Chalet Motel. The motel is at the south end of town. I checked in, got cleaned up, and took my bike back to the shop. When I got back to the shop, there were a half dozen Great Divide cycles being worked on. I asked the shop if they could still get to mine by the end of the day tomorrow and they said they would. They were super friendly and cool.
I’m staying at the Chalet Motel. It is a family owned business run by Mama Ev. She’s fantastic. Right next door on the property is Mama Ev’s Pizzeria. The bike shop told me it was the best pizza in town and they weren’t kidding. I had dinner there and it was terrific. Mama Ev’s son is a professional Free Ride Skier. He waits tables at the restaurant in the summer. I enjoyed chatting with about skiing.
Komoot loves the forest. My bike doesn’t think so highly of Forest Service roads. My bike does not want to be on the Great Divide.
Keeping horses in the city? I guess here in Whitefish there is no ordinance against that.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Rocky Gulch CG | Eureka | 31 |
Today I’m happy to report: I did my first major climb, 6% grade for 1 mile. I did it on the big chain-ring upfront. That can only mean one thing, my legs are starting to get stronger. I’m running a double in the front. I’ve had to use the little guy consistently up to this point. The next climb, a 4% grade for about a mile, forced me to use the little guy. That reminded me of a valuable lesson; just because you take one step forward, doesn’t mean you will never take another step back.
I’m starting to feel more comfortable on the bicycle. Seat, knees, ankles, shoulders, arms, stomach, they all have to work together. They are starting to figure each other out. More and more often, I’m reminded how joyful travel by bicycle is.
For those of you planning to make this ride (why not?) there is a gem of a campsite just off the road at Mile Post 51. There’s even an outdoor toilet provided by the Forest Service.
I saw a couple standing on a ledge looking out at the view of the lake so I stopped and asked them if they would like me to take their picture. They said if I didn’t mind. I said sure. I climbed up to the ledge with them and took their photo. We got to chatting and it turns out they were a nice couple from Louisiana. They were headed for Spokane, Washington. I told them Spokane was a cool town. I told them I know some good people there so I wasn’t kidding them. We wished each other well and they headed West and I headed East.
Before rolling into Rexford I spotted an eagles nest. One bird sitting in the nest, probably on eggs or hatchlings, another bird perched over the nest watching things, with dare I say it, an eagle eye…
I will often blow-by sights like this. The sound of this one captured my attention so I pulled over to have a look. I was rewarded with this view.
One of the best things about being on the road is meeting new friends.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Libby | Rocky Gorge CG | 44 |
The morning got off to a rough start when Komoot led me off track. Usually it does a pretty good job of finding alternate routes that avoid busy streets but this morning it failed me. It took me 2 miles out of town to a dead end road. I had to turn around and head back into town. About halfway back to town I opened up Apple Maps and selected “Bike Route,” it showed me an alternate that turned out to work pretty well. It added an extra 3 miles to today’s ride and it also added a significant amount of climbing, but it was beautiful.
Got to my campground at 3:30 pm. Set up my tent and fixed dinner. Tonight I’m having Grilled Chicken Jambalaya, Creole Style. I’m 41 miles from the nearest town behind me and 31 miles from the nearest town ahead. No cell service, so this won’t post until I reach the next town.
My reward for starting the day off course.
Hitchhiker trying to catch a ride. Yes. I look like a flower.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Troy | Libby | 19 |
Today was a short day but it felt good after yesterday’s 60 miler. The first thing I did when I hit town was grab an espresso. It was chilly today and my hands got cold. It loots like a storm is blowing in this afternoon. I’m happy to be finishing up early. Tomorrow I’m going to wear my warm gloves! If you are an editor by nature, try and guess which two sentences above I normally would have combined into a run-on sentence but MIRACULOUSLY refrained from doing so.
Kootenai Falls.
Sadly, I did not see any!
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Clark Fork, ID | Troy, MT | 61 |
This is the 50th anniversary of my first long-distance tour. I left Seattle in the summer of ‘76 and peddled to San Diego. My favorite part of that tour was the Oregon Coast, and the Redwoods. I still have that bike, a steel Raleigh. No, you can’t have it!
I passed three cyclists today. All three were headed West. I don’t know where they started from, we didn’t stop to chat, we just waved. We are all on a mission! It’s early in the season to have started from the East Coast.
I start each day with the following Mantra. It helps me prepare my mind for the work ahead. It’s also a reminder that this adventure is as much about the people I meet as it is about the personal experience.
I acknowledge the Creator and give thanks for the opportunity to greet another day. It is my intention to honor this day by presenting my best self to the world.
It is my goal for today to be kind to everyone I meet. I will look for the best in everyone and treat everyone I meet with kindness and respect.
I will share a smile whenever I can because I believe a smile has the power to make lives better.
I love the perspective. Reminds me of Escher.
The scenery today was awesome. Of course, that will probably be my caption going forward for all the photos on the tour
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Rest Day | Rest Day | 0 |
I’m staying at the Clark Fork Lodge. This place is awesome and an exceptional value. If you are in Clark Fork and need a place to stay, this is it.
Last night I walked down to the local Bar & Grill for some dinner. Just minutes into my IPA the fellow next to me asked where I was from . I told him where I lived in Central Oregon and to my surprise he told me he grew up in the town just north of there. What a small world. He went on to explain how growing up, the boys in his town would always fight with the boys in my town. As a precaution, I made it clear I did not grow up there, only moved there five years ago. He did not mind. It was clear he was enjoying his reminiscing. He was very entertaining. My dinner was excellent too.
Besides a rest today, it’s time to repack my panniers. Before I do that, here is what I forgot to pack.
REI is shipping these items General Delivery to Whitefish Montana.
Here’s my current kit. Last weigh-in, 37.5 lbs. Bike 34.5 lbs. I’m packing my age. That said, I’ll be running slightly over that once I receive my REI order in Whitefish.
Right Front Pannier
Left Front Pannier
Right Rear Pannier
Left Rear Pannier
Rear Rack
Handlebar Bag
Top Tube Bag
Stem Bag
Stem
Cyclist’s Kit
Yes, when I get dazed and confused I can refer to this list…
The motel owner drives a Nash Metropolitan. It’s been perfectly restored. Driving this would be almost as much fun as riding a bicycle.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Sandpoint | Clark Fork | 27 |
Made it in good shape despite rain all day. Staying at the Clark Fork Lodge. Very nice room. I’m going to spend two nights here and hunker down tomorrow for a day of rest. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, then clearing after that.
Riding in the rain is challenging. Yes, you do get splashed, but less than you might expect.
I got help along the road from two drivers. The first time I got help I was off the bike at a five way intersection with a dazed look on my face. A car stopped to ask if I was okay? I said I was trying to figure out how to get to Clark Fork. The driver pointed me in the right direction and wished me luck. Don’t tell my SAG I needed direction from a stranger. She’s already betting I’ll get lost before the trip is over and I don’t want her putting any more money down on that bet!
The second time I got help was when a car pulled over to chat with me. The driver had a nice road bike on the car’s bike rack. He told me of a great side-road that would get me off the highway for three miles. I took his advice. There was some climbing involved but it was a beautiful alternate route!
REI is shipping me Chamois Butt’r to Whitefish, MT General Delivery. That could be more than you need to know…
In the “More Than You Need to Know” department, I offer the following analysis. Your mileage may vary — literally.
| Option | Saddle | Pants | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hard | Not Padded | Too Hard |
| 2 | Soft | Not Padded | Maybe |
| 3 | Hard | Padded | Perfect |
| 4 | Soft | Padded | Too Soft |
Option 1 - puts maximum pressure on the pelvic bone (unless you can stay in the drops all day long).
Option 2 - is okay but may not provide the best pelvic relief on longer rides.
Option 3 - is the best because it puts the least amount of pressure on the pelvic bone, as long as you are sitting properly on the saddle (stomach muscles tight).
Option 4 - causes too much friction. Nothing more to say about this one.
I took a moment to get off the bike in the rain to capture this image.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Newport, WA | Sandpoint, ID | 30 |
Today was the best day of riding so far. The weather was perfect and the road surface was good for 28 of the 30 miles. I was relaxed and I started to feel comfortable on the bike again. It takes a few hundred miles to become accustomed to long distance days.
One of the joys of long distance bicycle travel is the opportunity to enter a state of mindfulness, much like that which results when meditating. While you are concentrating intently on the road in front of you, your mind can free associate. I’m sure it’s different for everyone. That is often where I find myself. Today while my mind was floating somewhere between the front tire and the road 10 yards in front of me, the following occurred to me…
Welcome to Idaho!
I know things and I can fix stuff.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Ione | Newport | 53 |
On the first day out of the mountains, instead of climbing I was greeted by wind, cold, and even a spot of rain. Thankfully the climbing was moderate, only 1,100 ft.
The highlight of today’s ride was getting chased by two dogs. The first dog, a Doberman, came out and tried to nip at my heel. To ward him off I simply barked at him louder than he was barking at me. He found my bark disturbing and he turned around. (He had no idea my bark is worse than my bite.) The second dog, a Shepherd mix tried to run in front of my bike while barking at me. (I guess that’s a Shepherd thing.) I turned the front wheel toward him and made like I was going to run into him. He retreated with no further interference.
The day ended with a family dinner at a local restaurant. It was a combination send-off and farewell dinner. Farewell because my SAG is departing in the morning. Send-off because family that was not able to be in Anacortes was able to meet me here in Newport.
It was a good day for all hut the two dogs.
I am definitely going to take up watercolor painting. I’ve been able to capture no shortage of subject material.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Kettle Falls | Ione | 48 |
Tomorrow I’ll be just a few miles from Idaho. My SAG is from Idaho so I’m looking forward to that portion of the tour.
Speaking of SAG, tomorrow is my last day of support. I’m going to miss her. If all goes according to plan we’ll be meeting in Maine!
A view from the road. That stretch of shoulder is actually some pretty good riding compared to previous miles. I’ve got Idaho in my sights…
Some beautiful landscapes. These shots were taken before it clouded over and wind blew in.
Meeting a fellow cyclist along the road yesterday was a pleasant surprise. There aren’t a lot of us out here (only two as far as I know). We shared some stories and a bit of riding. It was great fun.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Republic | Kettle Falls | 43 |
Highlight Today: Sherman Pass descent.
Another day of climbing. Slightly less than yesterday, but two days in a row takes a toll. That said, the downhill was fun! My bike is a race horse. I reached 40 mph on the downhill. I was only passed by one car in 10 miles.
We found another Northern Tier Rider today. He’s out of Florida. He has an awesome bike. A pinion/belt-drive gravel bike from a New York builder. I have to say I was a bit envious. Since this is the third trip cross-country with my Titanium Davidson, it’s too late to switch horses, even if you are not in the middle of a stream.
After finding a motel in Kettle Falls (my Florida friend and I got the last two rooms) SAG and I went downtown to see what we could see. It so happens Kettle Falls was having their annual Summer Street Festival! Beer Garden, live music, and oh my gosh, Kitch for sale like you can’t believe. We had a great time! I was wearing my tour T-Shirt and a local woman came up to me and asked me about it. I told her about the tour and she was so curious and gracious. She said she would keep me in her thoughts and prayers. I was humbled.
There is a correlation to the width of the shoulder and the rider’s IQ. I won’t describe the correlation in any detail, it could be direct or it could be inverse. As a friend of mine often says, to be a long distance cyclist only requires you to be a hard-working 81.
A watercolor painting waiting to happen.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Omak | Republic | 66 |
A Tisket a Tasket I’m going to Tonasket… then on to Republic…
Today was tough. Perfect example of biting-off more than you should attempt to chew.
Tomorrow will be a tough day as well but with slightly less climbing. 4,100 ft. today, 3,800 ft. tomorrow. Fortunately tomorrow is fewer miles by about 20.
My buddy Mike with the KLR 650, back at the Omak campground, gave this to me to protect me on my ride. I plan to carry it in my pannier.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Winthrop | Omak | 46 |
Today’s ride introduced me to a significant bit of climbing… 3,325 vertical. Getting hit with that out of the gate on day three is not my idea of an easy ride, but it was satisfying, even though grueling.
We are in the city park in Omak in a nice tent site. The fellow next to us is touring. He is on a KLR 650. He started at the Mexican border and is headed for the Arctic Circle. The three of us had a great time chatting about our tours!
Tomorrow will be a long day. You never know quite how far you are going to get until you get there…
Just follow the signs and you’ll be fine.
The public library in Twisp is smaller than I expected. One thing you don’t do on a cycling tour is carry books, for obvious reasons. The work that goes into deciding what to carry takes a fair amount of deliberation.
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Rest | Winthrop | 0 |
My SAG is taking me around the Hwy 20 road closure at Ross Dam. Our SAG route will take us from Rockport to Winthrop where I will pick up the ride again. A winter rock slid closed the road and it won’t be open again until July.
Not a lot to be said about today. It was a seven hour drive to get back on route. That was the shortest way possible.
I’m grateful to have SAG along with me. The detour would have taken a week without SAG. The acronym stands for “Support and Gear.” Since SAG refers to support as well as the person supplying the support, I was cautioned by my SAG to be careful how I spelled that term. I was told under no circumstances was I to spell that with an “N” an “H,” or a B.”
| Start | End | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Anacortes | Rockport | 64 |
I learned last night that Highway 20, my planned route east from here is closed due to rock slides that occurred during the winter. It probably won’t be open until early July, this calls for a slight adjustment to the plan.
I’m going to ride to Rockport which is about 18 miles east of the closure. My SAG and I will camp in the Newhalem State Park, then detour around the closure. The detour will require us to go south, over the Cascades at Stevens Pass, then go north and west to Winthrop. It’s about a 200 mile detour. The detour will bypass about 80 miles of the route. I’m planning to make that up at the end of the ride by adding a side trip or two, probably somewhere in Maine.
Before I left Oregon I took pledges from a dozen or so people for their support of the homeless shelter in town. When I reached Rockport I ducked into the town bar for a beer. After describing what I was doing to a couple of patrons there, one generous soul gave me some cash for the shelter. I was blown away. My hat is off to you (when I’m not wearing my cycling helmet.)
Ready to leave Anacortes.
For the next three months or so (if all goes according to plan) I’ll be posting a daily entry here describing my bicycle ride across the country. Each entry will usually contain a photo and a story about that day. It may be slightly bold to say this, but I hope you will enjoy the journey along with me. I would be delighted to have you drop in here from time-to-time…
We spent the day wandering the Main Street of Anacortes. We hade lunch at “Dockside Dogs.” They have one of the best dog menus I have ever seen. Locally sourced, top quality dogs. Naturally I had the “Anacortes Dog.” It was terrific. Five stars!
A small gathering of family and friends came together for a send-off dinner. We shared an amazing evening of good food and good company. I learned from my friends that a portion of the road ahead in the mountains east of here is closed due to winter road damage. I will have to detour around a 35 mile stretch of the route. Fortunately I have SAG support for my first week on the road.
Tomorrow begins the journey. Wish me luck!
This morning we left Redmond, Oregon for Anacortes, Washington — the start of my tour. We decide that rather than slog up I-5 all the way to Anacortes, we would cut-over to Mukilteo, just North of Seattle, and catch the Washington State Ferry to Whidbey Island. We drove up-island and crossed the famous Deception Pass bridge. Built in 1935, it is a landmark in Washington. We parked and walked across the bridge (see photo below) and enjoyed the view from this remarkably preserved structure. Whidbey Island State Park is the most visited park in the state of Washington. It encompasses the bridge on both sides. Tomorrow we plan to enjoy the city of Anacortes and have dinner with friends and family before I begin the tour on Monday.
The view from the Deception Pass bridge on Whidbey Island.
I’m heading into the Apple Store to get my cat an iPhone.
When I’m cycling across the country, I want to be able to call him and see how he’s doing. If he misses me as much as I’m going to miss him, it’s the least I can do…