What a day!

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[Russian Spies? The Spread of Socialism? What are you talking about?]

Today we made great progress toward our goal. We started and ended the day with a bit of a cross wind. Not angry, just right to left. The rest of the day we had a strong tail wind that allowed us to complete a monstrous 126 miles before we finally stopped in Malta, MT. It wasn't our original plan to bike quite that far. We were going to stop in Harlem, MT, a mere 80 miles from Hingham (and a world away form New York). We arrived in Harlem around 12:30 and decided it was much too early to stop, especially with a nice tail wind. So off we went to Dodson where we planned on ending with an impressive 108 miles. Unfortunately, Dodson is tiny. Smaller than Hingham, even. The camping location was a mile off our route at a bed and breakfast where we were told they sometimes allowed overnight camping. Showers? Laundry? Food? Well, there didn't seem to be many options in Dodson, so off we went to complete the last 17 miles (it was only 17 miles...) to Malta. We arrived tired and aching, but we arrived. We found a nice little campground behind the Edgewood Inn where I'm pretty sure we will feel like the trains are coming right through the middle of the tent tonight. Yep, we're close...real close. Across the dining room close. Luckily I'm a pretty heavy sleeper. The other two? Well, I pity them. It might be a long night if there are lots of trains. The only other thing worth mentioning is the mosquitos. They are bad - northern Minnesota in the woods by a stagnant pond after two weeks of rain bad. I don't know where they are breeding because as near as I can tell its dry as a bone in this part of the state. We did have a little rain last night. In any case, they are multiplying and they are voraciously hungry. At our last "rest stop" we had about 10 seconds to quick grab a swig of water before swarms of them were clouding the skies around our heads and our arms and legs were thick with the bloodsucking insects. Thank goodness for DEET.

Blah, Blah, Blah

[Coldest spot? It was 90 degrees today...]

[Ben, Guido, and the Steel Triceratops]

[Our wonderful view all day long]

[The approaching storm]

[The shelter and Randy]

Today was our first full day of riding through the non-mountainous part of Montana. It's awful! There is absolutely nothing to see. Nothing. No landscape, cool buildings, or wildlife. Just grass, sky, and the road. The most depressing thing is when you actually do see a town. The sight of town makes you so excited because you're almost somewhere, and then after about 10 or 15 more minutes of biking you realize the town you are looking at is still 5 or 6 miles away. In addition to the boredom it was HOT. Over 90 degrees hot with a 10 mph crosswing that was angled just enough to be in our faces and slow us down. On the positive side, we still covered 95 miles, despite a 1 hour break in the morning for some pancakes, and those 95 miles were straight east. No turning. We reached the town of Hingham, MT (population 150) where there is a beautiful city park where you can camp for free. No showers, but there was a water spigot. Just as we were finishing setting up we were informed by a friendly local that severe storms were approaching. So we stashed all of our stuff in the park shelter and it was off to the local bar for dinner and to wait out the storm. As I am writing this Ben and I are just finishing up a drink and planning on closing down the bar...it closes at 8:00. The people in this town have been absolutely wonderful. The owner of the bar is a former teacher who did his own bike tour with his buddy (a swimmer from Michigan State) back in 1988. He reminisced about his glory days while we ate our dinner and he even offered to see if any of his spare bike tires would fit Ben's bike. Ben is in desperate need of a new rear tire. We are hoping he makes it to Havre before it goes. If you ever make it out to Hingham, MT make sure you stop in at Spencer's Highway Bar and say hello. The people here are great! Time to go back to the shelter and make sure nothing blew away.

[A view of South Glacier]

[Riding up to Marias Pass]

[The Obelisk]

[Guido and the Blackfeet]

[A parting shot]

Good Bye Mountains, Hello Prairie

[Cool little Waterfall at a rest stop on the way up to Marias Pass]

[Joe and Ben at the Continental Divide]

[Kevin at the Continental Divide]

[Eastward View: Hello Praire - nothingness]

[Westward View: Goodbye Mountains]

Today we departed the familiar surroundings of the western mountains, but not before enjoying one of the most scenic rides to date. We started out of West Glacier about 7:30 this morning and were greeted by clear blue skies and sun lit mountain peaks. The area in and around Glacier National Park has always been one of my favorites and anyone who has been there knows why. It is simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, due to time contsraints, road construction, and the fact that Logan Pass was just opened a few days ago we decided it would be best to avoid riding Going to the Sun Road and circle the south end of the park on highway 2. The ride was still spectacular. We spent the morning climbing over Marias Pass. The road was steep and difficult at times, but it was much more forgiving than the climbs in Washington. We stopped to eat lunch at a memorial park on Marias Pass offering an obelisk, several informational signs, and an amazing view of the mountains. From there it was a nice coast downhill (mostly) to East Glacier. At this point the ecology of Montana makes an abrupt change. Within a ten mile span the lush mountainous evergreen forests gave way to flat, wide open grasslands (see above pictues. Kevin and Ben are standing in the exact same spot in the last two). We continued on highway 2 from East Glacier to the little town of Browning where we had planned on spending the night. The wind changed our minds, however. The entire 12 miles for East Glacier to Browning were ridden at about 20 - 25 mph with minimal pedaling due to a huge tail wind. We decided the wind was to good to pass up, and as it was only 3:45 we should try to make the next 33 miles to Cut Bank. The wind held strong and we rolled in to Cut Bank at 5:30. We averaged over 20 mph the last 45 miles of our trip and finished with an unexpected 105 miles on the day. Not bad considering we had to climb over a 5,200 ft pass. We are now hoping the wind continues strong out of the west and pushes homeward across eastern Montana and North Dakota. While I find myself utterly exhausted, I am in very good spirits after today's ride. By the way, did I mention it's much hotter down here on the plains...

Pictures from 6/27

[What a catch!]

[Oh, memories - and it's for sale!]

[Check out that lower right lip. Darn bees gotta watch where they're goin']

[Another new friend for Guido - Herm - Kermit's rusty cousin]

Glacier Rocks!

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[Ben at Libby Dam]

[Star Wars bunker bathrooms]

[Who's that idiot?]

[The bridge over Lake Koocanusa]

[Butch - need I say more?]

The past two days of riding have finally taken us to the outskirts of Glacier National Park - one of the most beautiful locations in the United States.

Yesterday, Saturday June 26, was by all accounts almost the perfect day. We bagan by riding out along a river that wound its way through some mountains near Libby, MT. After a relaxing 15 miles it was time to climb up a couple hundred feet to the top of Libby Dam. It was a most impressive feat of engineering and had a very Star Wars feel to the construction, right down to the bathrooms. From there we followed along the shore of Lake Koocanusa on a highway that was nearly empty of traffic. We wound our way up, down, and around the hills/mountains by the shore of the lake for about 40 miles. From there we had a slight hill to crest before coasting down into Eureka, MT - a very aptly named town as that was the cry I had to stifle in my throat as I saw it from the top of the hill several miles away. We found the city park campground to be a most agreeable spot at an incredible price. It was nestled right behind the old fire house next to a river (where we all sat up to our waists to enjoy an ice bath) and within walking distance of a gas station and a quaint little mom and pop pizza shop. We enjoyed a dinner of pizza followed by rhubarb pie desert. What a great day. Oh, and we met Butch!

Butch was just finishing his bike ride which started in Mexico and followed the Rocky Mountains all the way north to Eureka, which was an easy half day ride from the Canadien border. Butch was an east coast guy whose voice brought images of Rodney Dangerfield to mind and he had a personality to match. Now that he was done with his ride, Butch was taking a couple of days off before leisurely making his way to Kansas where he was to meet his son returning from Iraq. The best thing about Butch was that he had STORIES. The young hippies he rode with a few days that were pulling a homemade Rubbermaid trailer behind their bikes that held their gear and their dog. The Spaniard that drank like a fish every night and rolled his own cigarretes with "added ingredients" and rode down hills at 50 miles an hour without fear. He also liked to talk basketball, which Ben and I delighted in. He was a character to say the least. The icing on the cake of a 71 mile day.

Today, was not so perfect. We started out of Eureka on one of the roughest and most hilly roads I have ever been on. The hills weren't terribly long, but wow were they steep. Then we had the pleasure of riding on a very busy highway with not much of a shoulder and a stiff wind in our faces. We took a wrong turn (#2) that added 4 miles, Ben had a bee fly into his lip and sting him, and the final 2 miles into Whitefish was huge hills with zero shoulder, tons of 60 mph traffic and deep cracks in the pavement. That was all before lunch. After lunch things got a little better. The east side of Whitefish was much better riding - smooth rodes and little traffic. From there we rode on to West Glacier and it was quite nice, despite the gradual climbs and 2.8 miles of gravel roads. We reached Glacier Campgroud (a privately owned campground just west of West Glacier) and were greeted with kindness, a good price, warm showers, and a home cooked meal on a BBQ. 90 miles and I'm glad its over. My legs are tired. Tomorrow we will skirt just south of the park on highway 2 and climb over our last mountain west of the Mississippi. I won't miss the climbs, but I sure will miss the vistas.

More Pictures

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[When Guido's gotta go, Guido's gotta go]

[Mmm... that's nasty]

[Kootenai Falls]

The First Hiccup

[Welcome to Montana!]

[The Swinging Bridge at Kootenai Falls]

[Who are those two handsome blokes? And so well dressed!]

[Guido's Livin' on the Edge]

After a bitterly cold morning where a thin layer of wispy frost could be seen clinging to the green blades of grass we continued our journey eastward. After around 15 miles of gradually warming weather we happened across the Big Sky Pantry where we purchased some freshly baked cinnamon rolls and various turnovers to augment our oatmeal breakfast. It was the most uplifting thing to happen this morning, except maybe crossing the border into the great (big) state of Montana and a brand new time zone. After second breakfast we made good time across highway 200 and then 56 until we arrived at Big Joe's Bar and Grill. The ride had been very scenic and deceptively hilly. At Big Joe's we were greated by a barking dog and a very friendly man (I can only assume Joe, although he wasn't exceptionally big). We decided to eat a quick sandwich for lunch and soon found ourselves enjoying the most delicious cup of white bean chicken chili while we waited. Soon after we left Joe's the day took a turn for the worse. Kevin broke a spoke, but luckily Ben and Kevin were able to true the wheel well enough for Kevin to continue. Once we reached highway 2 we quickly came across a rest stop with signs to Kootenai Falls and a swinging bridge. Obviously we felt the need to investigate. Leaving our bikes behind we hit the trail and after a very long quarter mile (closer to three quarters - the sign lies) we saw a roaring river and a very precarious swinging bridge. The sign recommmended no more than 5 people at one time on the bridge. Sounds safe, right? So we crossed the bridge, took some pictures and then beat it back up to the bikes to finish our ride. Somehow the wind had changed directions and we found ourselves with a rather stiff headwind to fight all the way to Libby, MT. We had planned on stopping about 13 miles past Libby, but when we arrived in this not so little town Kevin found a sport shop where he could properly repair his wheel. The bike mechanic was out of town for the week, but the owner of the shop said we could use his tools and the bike wheel was soon fixed. We soon found a spot to bed down for the night, went to the grocery store, and then Kevin enjoyed a grocery store deli dinner while Ben and I gorged ourselves on pizza and pasta at Pizza Hut. All in all today was a great day. I do have to say, either McDonald's sausage biscuits with egg and cheese have a considerable staying power, or Ben has some digestive issues he may want to have checked out. 71 miles and one more state under our belts. Rockets away!

One State Down...

........[I guess Ben's s**t really does smell like roses]

[A nice little waterfall along highway 20 in eastern WA]

[One state down - many to go]

[Crossing the Long Bridge into Sandpoint, ID]

I broke down and decided to buy a little netbook laptop. I found a cheap one at the Walmart in Sandpoint so I should be able to update this blog more frequently. The last two days have been pretty nice.

When I last posted we were headed to dinner in Colville. I must report it was very disappointing. We decided to go to a Chinese restaurant. While there was a large quantity of food, it was not necessarily Chinese. There was chicken with light colored gravy, what I can only describe as celery chow mein, and barbequed pork ribs. The only really enjoyable part of the meal was the egg roll and the service.

The next day we rode on to Newport, WA which is right on the border with Idaho. It was a nice ride of 87 miles. We encountered more wildlife during that stretch than we had seen the entire trip to date. There were many deer, including two young bucks (literally) that decided to race us for about a quarter mile, turkeys, hawks, squirrels and a grizzly bear. Ok, no bear, but we did see the rest of them. It was a pleasant ride in great weather and the last 30 miles was in the flood plain along a river. Finally we were able to get into a rhythm on flat ground. We stayed at the American Kampground which was cheap, friendly, and had showers and laundry. Finally clean and dry clothes. The only downside was it rained overnight and we had wet dirty tents the following morning.

Today we rode 64 miles to Clark Fork, Idaho. We are nearly in Montana and should reach Glacier Park in 3 days. It was really foggy and cloudy to begin the day, but within half an hour the sun was out and it was starting to heat up. It gave us a little idea of what is to come when we are done with the cool weather of the mountains. Other than the heat the ride was very enjoyable. The terrain was pretty flat and we rode through the beautiful city of Sandpoint. It sits on a very large lake surrounded by low mountains and is so picturesque that Ben is considering moving out here for a few years. After the hour long wait at Walmart to puchase this wonderful internet machine, we continued on to Clark Fork. Ben finished of the last 8 miles using what I'll describe as rocket propulsion. Apparently our McDonald's breakfast made him a tad bit gassy. We are camping in the backyard of a hotel where the manager was quick to mention that the fence behind out tents was electrified so if nature called use the bushes, not the line fence. We are heading to Mama's place for dinner. I'll let you know how it is. Hopefully it is fabulous because I'm starving and Ben is feeling a little peckish as well. The only downside to the day was that I lost one of my sandals. Now I either have to buy new ones, where my bike shoes wherever I go, or hop on my right foot. I'm considering hopping because I really liked those sandals.

Hello from Colville, WA

[Our "tent site" at the fairgrounds in Republic - just in case it rained]

[Ben and the Gun Show at Sherman Pass]

[Joe sans guns at Sherman Pass]

[Kevin enjoying the view of Roosevelt Lake (on the Columbia River, think Lake Pepin)]

The exciting achievement of today was that we made it over the last really big mountain in Washington. We began our ascent of Sherman Pass (5775 ft) right away this morning. It was a good 3 hour climb, but once again the descent from the top was spectacular. We crossed the Columbia River into the town of Kettle Falls and then continued on to the county fairgrounds in Colville, WA. I am happy to report the camping here is great and the FREE hot showers were much enjoyed. (I had showered in what seemed to be meltwater direct from the White Witch's palace the past two days. I'm not joking, numb fingers, toes, ears, and face. By the time I was done I had nearly turned into an ice sculpture.) We are looking forward to the flat terrain that we are approaching, although Montana still awaits.

A Few More Pictures

[Guido and his new drinking buddies]

[Ben and Guido in a cribbage death match]

[An awesome sight at the top of the pass]

[The top of Washington Pass...and VICTORY]

Hello From Republic, WA

[The top of Rainy Pass - Almost there]
[A great view...?]
[Tunnel!]
[Dam - Ben]

We finally made it to a town where the library was open past 3:00 and we were in before 6:00.
The last few days have been grueling to say the least. On Saturday we climbed over 4000 ft. to Rainy Pass and then on to Washington pass (5477 ft) before stopping in Winthrop, WA. It was a breathtaking view during the hours of excruciating pain. I guess I should have trained more than 150 miles for this trip. While the climb was tough we had a stretch of 18 miles of coasting that followed it where it was all we could do to keep the speed under 35 mph. Almost worth it. At the end of the day we had 12.5 hours on the bikes, 88 miles of mountain climbing and then descending under our belts and a dinner of pizza. Not a horrible day.

Sunday found the three of us climbing another mountain over Loup Loup Pass. While this pass was not as high (4020 ft), it did not have any breaks during the ascent. Once again though we had a nice downhill drop to our camping spot for the night in Riverside, WA. During our first rest stop of the day at a grocery store in Twisp, I bought a Bavarian cream filled donut with chocolate frosting. It was a little taste of heaven! We also made our first wrong turn (or no turn as it were) which cost us two miles, one up a really big hill and then one back down. We were done earlier and feeling better. 58 miles and in bed by 8:30. Good day.

Today we had a pleasant ride over Wauconda Pass (4310 ft). It was not as steep for most of the day and the weather was perfect. This will be one of our largest elevation change days left - thank goodness. I'll miss the 7 miles of coasting down a 6% grade, but not the and 27 mile climbs and 5 hours of pain that it takes to get to that point. We are all in good spirits and I will be updating you as soon as I get to another library.

Word from the road

[On the road]
[Here come the Cascades - that means mountains]
[Ben dipping his tire in the sound - yummy water]
[Starting at the bike shop]

Hello all (from Joe via Megan),
Ben and I arrived in Anacordes safe and sound on Thursday and met up with Kevin at the bike shop where our bikes were all put together and ready for us (despite the fact that Ben neglected to put his name on his bike box). We searched long and hard to find a place to dip our tires in the Pacific. The entire coast here is surrounded by docks, and very difficult to get down the the nasty water, but we finally were able to to make our way and officially begin the trip (I will post pics when we come across a library).
Our first leg was a short 17 miles to Burlington where we found a motel to stay in for the first night. The weather was fantastic and I got a wonderful 10 hours of sleep.
Friday we got going a bit late, it was a beautiful 70 degree sunny day. We had a reasonably flat 55 miles to Marble Mount, with the snow capped peaks of the Cascade Mountains as a stunning backdrop, reminding us of the hell that awaits. We were able to find a nice $5/tent campground with awesome showers for the night.



Today they expected to climb 1,000 ft. into the Cascades, and expect 4,000 tomorrow. They will bike through North Cascades National park. Joe said they may not have cell service for the next few days, but I will update if I hear from them. They have pictures ready to post for your enjoyment and will do so as soon as they come across a town large enough to have a library.

He hopes you all enjoy his (my) updates and he looks forward to sharing the ride with all of you.