May 31, Day 25,Old Faithful, Wyoming, 31 miles

After an obligatory assault on the food related items at the hotel's free breakfast area, I put on my game face and made my way to the Yellowstone Park entrance where I has the privilege of paying  $12.00 just to ride my bike through the park. The ranger at the kiosk warned me about two storm systems coming through today, the second one, in the rangers own words, was, "hum dinger." Rain and lightning during the morning hours, followed by some clearing into the afternoon, then a serious system from the south(right where i was headed) was expected by mid afternoon that was slated to bring heavy amounts of rain and huge hail storms. Tornado warnings were also being issued in the north east portions of Wyoming and Montana. Yikes.

The first 8 miles into the park was relatively peaceful and I was now in Wyoming. I got to see some elk and a few Bison blocked me from getting through for a few minutes until they were satisfied that I was inconvenienced enough for them. Then the lightning started. Lightning so close my heart nearly defribrillated every time it cracked. I checked to make my tires were made of rubber and steadfastly move on. Then the rain came. Light and drizzly at first, then hard and heavy. I was gradually climbing and at around 7200 feet  the temperature starting dropping. The rain was cold also and I started feeling the first bit of body chill working its way in. I knew that did not bode well considering I had 70 miles yet to ride and another 1300 feet of elevation.

Old Faithful getting ready

At 30 miles the rain had stopped and I arrived at the exit to Old Faithful and the lodges there. I failed to get a room at either of the lodges there in spite of my repeated efforts over the prior week. They get booked a year in advance. I wondered however, if the inclement weather might force some to reconsider their visit to Yellowstone and cancel their reservations. Long shot I know but I promised my wife the day before that I would try.  Soaking wet and grungy beyond description, I waltzed into the opulent lobby of the Yellowstone Inn and stood next to tourists from all over the world who were checking out of their rooms. I sloshed up the counter when my turn came asked the host if they had a last minute opening. They did! I'll never complain about my wife nagging me again!

Good fortune saved me today from what would have been an ugly experience. I unpacked my panniers from the bike and stored them at the concierge because I could not check in for many hours yet. I walked outside just minutes before Old Faithful was due to go off and caught the event on my GoPro camera. I had a Bison burger for lunch and then on to the laundry room to clean the sopping wet clothes. The Snow Lodge behind the Inn had pay by usage WiFi and that is why you have this and the last blog!

had a burger made outta him for lunch

Tomorrow I head to the cabin where they graciously accommodated my reservation change. Now lets just hope the weather clears up some.

Everyday an adventure...................I'm too old for this.

May 30, Day 24, West Yellowstone-70 miles

If you want to know anything about small town history you are obliged to visit the local cafe at 6:00 AM to speak with the elders  as they gather for their morning coffee and chat ritual. And so it was at the Ennis Cafe that I  took my spot at the breakfast bar, clearly separated from the preset coffee cups and newspapers that adorned the areas for the regulars. It was from them that I learned Ennis was named after William Ennis.

William left his home country in Ireland when he 14 and came to the US where he worked in the freight trade. After learning of a gold discovery in Alder Gulch, Ennis and his wife moved to the area like thousands of others and he later purchased a large piece of land which would later become the town of Ennis. He worked as the postmaster util his death in the late 1800's. There you have it.

Madison Valley

After respectfully parting from the elders, I mounted up and started my 71 mile jaunt to West Yellowstone. The ride was gradually uphill the whole way in order to gain the 2,000 feet necessary to get to W. Yellowstone. The first 45 miles was beautiful Madison Valley, with open pastures and waterways to the west and sharp steep snow covered mountains to the east. The next 15 miles or so provided a starkly different view as I made my way out of the valley and into a canyon with steep sides and where the Madison River raged along its rocky crags and crevices.

Climb out of Madison Valley

At the top the canyon opened up into beautiful "Earthquake Lake." named so because it was literally created by an earthquake. Farther along the road saddled up to Hebgen lake and 10 miles of lake side views. I had the misfortune of riding into unbelievably thick swarms of gnats along the shoreline and proudly displayed a few hundred of them to the waitress at the grill where I stopped for a late lunch. They got everywhere.

I eventually arrived at my day's destination, West Yellowstone, a typical tourist town lying right outside the west entrance to the park. Overpriced bar and grills, T-shirt  and souvenir shops, park tour companies and motels made up the lions share of businesses. i checked into my hotel and began feverously making phone calls. I was desperately looking for some place to stay inside the park the following day and it became more urgent when I found out that the campgrounds I had previously planned to stay were not even open for the season yet, even though the Yellowstone campground phone recording said that they were.

Ram tough!

After two hours of being placed on hold or listening to voice mail after voice mail I gave up and figured that I was for the most part screwed. My only option was to ride completely through the entire park, exit the other side at the south entrance and hope that the campgrounds there were open and available. That meant roughly 84 to 90 miles of riding, with three peaks over 8,000 feet, forecasted storms and no guarantees. Not good.

While belly aching to my wife through text messages, I called one last place in the Grand Teton National Park called Colter Bay Village and a real human answered the phone! To my great relief they had an open cabin and I reserved it on the spot.

So there it was.....The following day I had quite a challenge ahead. Just under 90 miles to the cabin, three peaks to get over and a significant weather system moving in that was scheduled to bring heavy rain, hail and thunderstorms. I went to a bar and grill to eat and was overjoyed with the prospect of killing myself the next day. So much so that I didn't realize I had mindlessly walked into a lesbian bar! and not the feminine ones.  Whatever! The food tasted fine and I shared a few jokes with the staff and bartender. I wanted to get an early start the next day so I went back to the hotel room to write this blog but the WiFi that the staff was so darned proud of when I checked in didn't work a lick. They told me they were, "working on it." Too late to wait so I went night night. Big day tomorrow.

May 29, Day 23, Ennis Montana-71 miles

Amazing what just one day of rest can do for the body and the mind. I scavenged the hotel breakfast display and took extra food with me as I made my way out of town and started the days' 70 mile ride to Ennis Montana.

The first 28 miles were primarily flat and led to the town of Twin Bridges. I had a nice tailwind pushing me along and my speeds reflected it. In the world of cycling, wind can be a wonderful luxury and a sadistic hindrance,  and sometimes both in the same day. Today I would reap the benefits of the wonderful luxury in the morning, but in Twin Bridges I would be taking a sharp turn into a south easterly direction and quite possibly a strong headwind.

Terrain outside Twin Bridges

I arrived in Twin Bridges and turned south, perfectly willing to receive my comeuppance after 28 miles of biking bliss. The winds however were not what I anticipated and I had a relatively peaceful additional 26 miles into Nevada City and then two more into Virginia City. Both towns reflected the old wild west look and many original buildings from the 1800's were still up and some even functional. Just before the two towns I rode by an area called Alder Gulch. Dredge tailings from early placer mining activities can be seen for miles along the highway. This was a popular gold mining location for many years and some of the ancient mining equipment can still be seen abandoned by the river along with rock pilings and collapsed structures.

Nevada City

After Lunch in Virginia City, I had a nasty 4 mile, 1,500 foot climb to contend with. Tourists eating in the cafe alongside me questioned whether I could physically make it up such a steep pass on a bike. They informed me that their vehicles had a tough time getting over the pass. My mapping indeed provided a steepness warning about the climb but did not give any further indication that it was any more difficult then some of the others. As I got up and left the cafe, I was getting these looks of empathy buttered with pity and it made me wonder a little.

The build up was over blown. It had it's tough spots but they were short and sweet. I made it over the pass in 45 minutes and the next thing I knew I was clocking a trip speed record of 47 MPH descending a hellacious and dangerous steep winding downhill in a gusty wind! I was caught somewhat off guard and immediately initiated downhill survival techniques fine tuned during my experiences descending at high speeds in the Death Ride. It was also today that I discovered for the first time that my brakes are no match for a bike of this total weight on a descent of this grade. Fortunately traffic was very light and I was able to use the entire roadway to maneuver my way to the valley floor 10 white knuckle miles later.

Virginia City

I arrived at my destination town of Ennis and got settled. Ennis is a small but touristy town and is the last town before the 70 mile drive to West Yellowstone and the park entrance. That 70 mile length is my route tomorrow.

May 28, Day 22, Reflections and numbers

Both Idaho and Montana are states that definitely define themselves by their lifestyles, faith and principles. If you do not live and work in these two states, then you simply have no input or coercive power to impose your particular political or ideological beliefs upon them. Every conversation with the day to day residents in every small town and hamlet I have had all carry the same unspoken, tacit acknowledgement of what their lives are about up here. They work; whether it is tending bar or running a cattle ranch. They communicate; both verbally and with tremendous sensitivity to body language. When I saddle up to a bar to get a beer and start a casual conversation with someone next to me, without fail they turn towards me and look at me. They are gracious; when the winds of Idaho turned ugly on me a week or so ago, every fifth or sixth car on the roadway slowed to offer help or a ride to my destination. Cattle hauling trucks and big rigs honk and wave as they pass. People sitting on their porches or doing yard work wave and wish me luck as I go by. There is a strong human connection up here.

Salmon River Idaho

The last 10 days have been marked by several mountain passes that connect the adjoining water way and valleys. My route almost always synched up with these creeks and rivers and provided me with nearly continual picture perfect views. The Lochsa  and Powder Rivers in Idaho may have been my favorite, but it's hard not to love every one of them. Lolo Pass In Idaho leading to the Montana border and more recently, Chief Joseph Pass were the two more difficult climbs of the last 10 days, but I found that the amazing views of the snow covered peaks to be an effective anesthetic for the discomfort from the efforts. Simply stated, this is beautiful country.

Bitterroot Valley Montana

Its also very popular with the RVers, campers, hunters, white water rafters, fisherman, hikers and bikers(the wussy kind with the engines between their legs) and cyclists. Everybody up here is towing something and off road vehicles look like required equipment.

Standard Bar decor

The cattle industry is huge up here and the roads I traveled these last few days all had one thing in common. They were all plastered with flattened cow pies. Zillions of them. I discovered that cattle ranchers actually herd their cattle at times right down the same roads as the truckers, bikers, cars and cyclists and everyone is expected to accommodate them.

Numbers; I covered 600 miles during this last ten day segment for a trip total of 1,175 miles. During those miles I climbed 25,375 feet in total elevation gain for a trip total of 52,667 feet. 
I burned roughly 43,984 calories for a trip total of 87,048 calories. My daily diet is filled with every single food item Dr. Oz says will kill you and I'm getting into great physical condition and still losing some weight.

I was delighted when Mark Boggeman screamed me down on St. Joseph Pass a couple days ago. Having some company was a great experience after so many days of solitude. Mark has logged over 100,000 miles in bike touring over a forty year period and shared some priceless tidbits of advice that only someone of his experience could share. I took in every word he spoke and burned them into my memory. Who knew coffee filters were great for cleaning bike chains? They are absorbent, tough and light!

Mark at Chief Joseph Pass

My next 10 days will be a mixed bag of spontaneous decision making and some camping. I will be entering Yellowstone National Park on about May 30th and will spend an extra day or two there seeing the sights. Weather and cold temps are a concern but I will play it day to day and have some fun! Same goes for the Grand Teton National Park.

A special shout out goes to Hope Pick. Hope convinced me to use Aquaphor Advanced Therapy healing ointment and provided me with plenty! During the course of my trip thus far, I can tell you that this ointment has found its way into and onto nearly every crevice and surface of my body and it has been a life saver! Aquaphor is now the official skin treatment ointment for the 2014 Trip across America! Thank you Hope!

I would like to finish by thanking everyone who has been so supportive during this adventure. Everyday I receive emails, texts, blog comments and trackmytour App comments that are filled with words of encouragement and motivation. They are refreshing to read and good for my ego!

Ciao

May 27, Day 21, Dillon Montana-67 miles

For the second day in row, breakfast was not available in the town where I was staying. The lady who ran the local cafe in Wisdom decided not to open until 11 AM this day and I found myself wandering into the bar at 7 AM because I saw people sitting inside. The bar called "Antlers," where I ate twice the day before was open for coffee only and when I walked in I got the "what the hell?' stare from about 8 or 9 senior citizens who were drinking their coffee and rolling dice. Nobody in this part of Montana wears dry fit, whisk away poly anything clothing and I felt like Mork from Ork when I straddled in and begged for coffee. Two cups later and a 50 cent tab paid in full, I mounted Silver and galloped south for the town of Jackson, 18 miles down the road and the nearest place to get something to eat.

Cattle ranches in Big Hole Valley

Rosie was her name and Rosie's Cantina was the name of her cafe in Jackson. I was the day's first customer and I was hungry. Rosie's beagle dog came over and laid by my feet in the booth where I sat. Yes, dogs are a common sight inside bars, cafes and even restaurants round these parts. The 18 mile ride into Jackson gave me forewarning about the what I could expect from the remaining 48 miles ahead of me today. The legs were heavy and cold and my breathing was somewhat labored. Sleeping at 6,200 feet last did not come easy for me and my heart rate was higher then normal. I pushed hard the day before and stayed at altitude that maybe I was not sufficiently acclimatized to yet. A good breeze was developing and the forecast called for thunderstorms throughout the day.

I would be riding through the Big Hole Valley today before climbing one of two passes that sit in the path of Dillon, my day's destination. Like everywhere else in Montana so far, the views were stunning, the air was crisp and cold and the cattle ranches were everywhere. I know where the beef is now!

Climbing out of Big Hole Valley

The climbs today were not all that difficult but with tired legs and a decent headwind I found myself huffing and puffing my way up to 7,400 feet and Big Hole Pass. I took a picture and sat down to recover for a couple minutes. I was on the last day of a 10 day run and I was feeling the fatigue that accumulates after that long. I checked my cell phone and saw a few text messages. I must have ridden into cell phone service range. One of the messages was from a friend named Vikki. Her message to me was powerfully generous and very complimentary and her timing could not have been better. It was just the jolt I needed to pull myself out of the fatigue funk and get going. Thank you Vikki!

Pooped at Big Hole!

I muscled my way up the second pass(Badger Pass) and then enjoyed a 20 mile downhill all the way into Dillon by about 2:15 PM and a much needed rest day. Dillon is the home of the University of Montana Northwest and sits just off Interstate 15, the first Interstate Hwy I've seen since Interstate 5 in Oregon.

I dined at a restaurant/lounge called the Supper Club where I enjoyed a couple of Shocktops and a big plate of Spaghetti while trying to match intellect with the reigning Jeopardy champion on the monitor overhead. It did not go well for me.

Nice Kitty

lest you forget that Montana is a hunter's paradise, this little feline was sitting right over my head in the bar area. I have seen just about every conceivable animal stuffed and mounted in bars, taverns, dining establishments, stores and motel lobbies since entering Idaho and Montana. All except one that is.....................

May 26, Day 20, Wisdom Montana-58 miles

I slipped out of Darby bright and early and ready to do some climbing. I threw down a banana and a cliff bar to get me going and planned to ride for 18 miles of gradual incline to the town of Sula, where there was a country store and restaurant. I planned to eat a big breakfast there and then start the long 13 mile climb to Chief Joseph Pass and my first crossing of the continental divide.

View of Lost trails Ski area 

I got to Sula only to find out the restaurant was closed! The store portion was open and the lady behind the counter apologized profusely. She must have picked up on the look of sheer horror my face was making. I gathered myself and decided to adapt and overcome. I found two frozen burritos in the freezer section and a Mega Muffin on a shelf. Coffee was available and there was breakfast! I nuked the burritos and wolfed everything down. Not ideal but good enough.

Looking back down the hill

I started climbing up the mountain shortly after leaving Sula and remembered my pledge to make it hurt in honor of our fallen vets and all servicemen and woman on Memorial Day. I pushed one gear bigger then I would normally for the grade and told the ponies to leave it on the mountain.

another view during climb

After an hour or so I had settled into a good hard pace and was feeling it. I stopped a couple times to take pictures and then got back to work. About 80% of the way up I stopped one last time before my final push to the summit. I took a long drink of water and heard someone yelling somewhere back down the road. I yelled in my big boy voice, "Do you need help?" I heard a voice yell, "OP!" The echo from the hills made it hard to figure out what direction it was coming from other then below me. I waited a few seconds and responded with a word only a highly trained former cop would think to say....."WHAT?"

The next time the voice yelled, I heard it loud and clear, "STOP!".........Oh........Ok.

About 30 seconds later I saw another rider making his way up the road toward me. I stood there as he approached and we exchanged greetings. His name was Dave Hoggeman and according to him he had been trying to catch me for over an hour because he thought it would be less painful to ride the mountain pass together. He laughed at his desperate yells because he couldn't make up any ground and thought he was going to have a heart attack trying. I welcomed the retired Chemist from Montana State University and we rode the remaining distance together while I explained why I was riding so hard. We hit the 7,242 foot summit and took pics.

Great company, great guy

Dave was doing a one week tour of Montana and makes his home in Bozeman. His route was identical to mine for most of the day so we rode the day out and made the long descent into the town of Wisdom, my stopping point for the day. Dave started 20 miles after me and still had about 25 more to go on his route. We shared a pizza for lunch in Wisdom and exchanged info. Great guy.

On the way into Wisdom we passed a historic sight called the Big Hole National Battlefield. It is sad story and too long for this blog, but in a nutshell, the Nez Perce Tribe was being forced by the US Government back in the late 1800's to relocate to an Idaho reservation. Chief Joseph chose to take his tribe and flee to Canada where they thought they would be treated better. In the area just outside of Wisdom here in Montana, the Cavalry caught the Nez Perce and a bloody battle ensued. Many died on both sides. Research it when you get a chance.

Ugly period in our history

I head to Dillon Montana tomorrow and a rest day.

May 25, Day 19, Darby Montana-52 miles

Today my ride took me south along the pristine Bitteroot Valley and a gently undulating 52 mile postcard experience. I gave the ponies the day off today and ordered Silver on easy cruise control. My goal was to recover as much as possible without actually taking a day off in order to be strong for the next days long climb up to Chief Joseph Pass in the Rocky mountains. A 7,300 foot peak.

For the first time on this entire trip I got the opportunity to listen to music while I rode. Safety concerns and common sense precluded me from putting the ear buds in up until today. I was able to access a bike trail that ran the 34 mile length from the town of Lolo to Hamilton. It made my ride that much more enjoyable and I had forgotten how significant a role music played in my exercise mojo.

Bitteroot Valley facing west

Tomorrow is Memorial Day and I cannot think of a better way to show my respect to those who serve this country then to suffer a little for them. If only the discomfort from climbing hard up the mountain pass tomorrow, it is still my small gesture for those who have suffered mightily and for those who have suffered ultimately. I will silently dedicate each pedal stroke for a fallen soldier. The second to last pedal stroke will be for my Father in Law and the last one for my father; both of whom served this country in their youth. Its all I have to give where a am so that's what I will do.

One of several cool creeks I cycled over

I'm staying in the town of Darby, a small western settlement that seems to be a popular stopping and drinking place for motorcycle riders because they are crawling all over the place here! It's hard to look like a tough sucker when your sixty years old and sporting a prominent boiler but there are plenty here trying. I want to mingle with them tonight but I didn't pack any leathers.

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day.

May 24, Day 18, Missoula Montana-58 miles

Woke up to the sound of Idaho sized rain drops pounding the roof of the cabin. I set up my wet weather gear and made my way over to the restaurant lodge for breakfast. There seemed to be several perturbed people murmuring and shaking their heads and I wondered if the service was bad.It was not the service. They were reacting to the news from the authorities that the Lochsa River had risen two feet overnight and had become too dangerous to allow rafters to run it. Hundreds upon hundreds of Memorial Day weekend rafters had their holiday ruined by the news. Outfitters and rafting companies were ordered not to take anyone out on the river until further notice. Almost everyone at this lodge and every other lodge for fifty miles was here for that very reason.

Lochsa River

The owner told me that she was going to refund everyone's lodging fees for the weekend, even if they chose to stay. She said it was the right thing to do. "The right thing to do." How wonderful it is that there are people who are willing to make a gesture in the wake of other's rotten luck because it is the right thing to do. She said the outfitters would surely do the same. That's how they roll up here.

The lodge is adorned with the hides of bears, mountain Lions and even a wolf. There are wolves roaming around up in these parts and a conservation officer living nearby was recently watching his 2,4  and 6 year old daughters playing in their backyard  when he saw a huge 165 lb wolf slowly making his way toward his children in the tree line. A 30-6 round ended the threat soon after and the wolf's hide is draped over a bar in the restaurant. I took a picture and will include it later. Animal rights activists don't even bother to come up here because, in the owners words, nobody up here is the slightest bit afraid of them so they go off to other areas where people are more likely to be intimated. Whether you agree with their lifestyle or not, you have to be impressed with their conviction.

Wolf hide in Lochsa Lodge  restaurant

I suited up and made my way up Lolo Pass in the pouring rain, a 13 mile climb which summits at the Idaho/Montana border. The first 8 miles were rather mild and it was only the last 5 that required the ponies. They came out feisty and froggy and drove Silver up to the summit in fine fashion. The views were stunning and the rain had stopped. It was cold and snow was everywhere but the crisp cold air felt good. I snapped a couple of photos and started the 35 mile downhill to the town of Lolo and then a quick 10 miles into Missoula Montana.

Gambling is legal in Montana(I didn't know that) and the state controls the distribution and pricing of liquor. I passed three casinos on the way into Missoula and they are not run by Indian tribes!

I am now back in cell service range and have a digital camera.

Tomorrow I turn south/east and make my way down the country toward Wyoming and then Colorado.

Have a great Memorial Day!

May 23, Day 17, Powell-66 miles

Today's ride called for about 66 miles of gradual incline as a part of my plan to draw close to Lolo Pass, a 3,000 foot climb that summits on the Idaho/Montana border. My route would take me along the mighty Lochsa River the entire way. The Lochsa is a well known White water recreation river and as I sat in the Three Rivers Lodge along this river the night before I watched video on the restaurant TV showing people in a variety of different floating vessels attempting to navigate this one special area of the river. The video showed crowds all set up along the river bank in a big annual Memorial Day party watching rafters crash in any variety of ways. The restaurant filled up that night with this year's river thrill seekers, some from as far away as Arizona and Iowa.

I got an early breakfast at the cafe and the owner, an old spindly cuss of a man warned me that the wolves have been coming down near the road looking for food and they have chased cyclists on occasion. He advised me that bears and Mountain Lions would most likely clean up what the Wolves didn't finish. Funny man......Funny tip.

As I was walking out of the cafe another biker rider pulled up. His bike was rigged for touring and we talked for a few minutes. His name was Tom, a 37 year old who recently quit his job, cashed out his 401K and decided to cross the country on a bike. He left Astoria Oregon on May 3, four days prior to my departure date and we are both heading to the same destination in Virginia. He is the first Trans America rider I have seen so far.

The road to Powell, my destination for the day meandered in perfect symphony with the curves and bends of the Lochsa, which was flowing the opposite direction. This river was simply awesome. I stopped several times during the ride and sat in the grass and just watched it. My trip has taken me along many rivers and streams thus far and the Lochsa is hands down the most powerful and has shown the most character.

I had about 2,000 feet of elevation gain spread across my ride today and it was not too bad but I had to put in some work to get there. The wind was at my back for once and that made it a lot easier. I secured a small cabin in the only place to stay for 66 miles. Tom showed up three hours later exhausted. He told me he was going to get to Missoula the next day and then sleep for two days. I got the feeling I won't be seeing anymore of him.

Pictures will return soon. I promise!

Tomorrow I climb Lolo Pass and enter Montana. I need some bike supplies and a camera so it may be necessary to go into Missoula myself, a 26 mile round trip spur off of the trip route. Forecast called for rain and thunder storms.

May 22, Day 16, Lowell Idaho-68 miles

Some time after lunch yesterday while leaving the town of Riggins I went back to Pacific Time. I had jumped to Mountain time when I crossed in Idaho a couple days earlier and now for some bizarre reason I was back in Pacific time. Time zone gerrymandering.

As previously mentioned in yesterday's posting, I wanted to get up earlier then normal and tackle the long climb up Whitebird Mountain. I woke up and looked at my iPhone and saw that it was 5 am. Perfect. I got my stuff packed, took care of some other details and found myself slipping out of town around 5:40 am. It was darker out then I though it should be but cruised down the street out of town and onto the beginning of the climb.

I looked down at my phone a few minutes later to get a time for the start of the climb and it said the time was 4:45 am! The smartest phone on earth couldn't figure out what time zone it was in and gave me Mountain time a few minute earlier. I released a few expletives and then starting laughing. Well I wanted an early start!

The climb up Whitehead was long but the grade was consistent and reasonable. Two hours later I hit the summit and enjoyed an 8 mile free fall down to the valley floor and after a few more miles I was in the town of Grangeville having coffee and a plate of everything. The ponies felt surprisingly responsive during the climb and I can only surmise that I might be getting whipped into pretty good shape by accident.

I picked up some road food for the bike at a grocery store and looked around for a bike shop. I got my first flat the day before. I saw the first Wells Fargo Bank since leaving the Eugene in Oregon and hit the ATM. Many places in these parts take only cash so it is vital to be liquid at all times.

The next 46 miles were as pleasant a ride as I have had so far. No wind, flat scenic roads following impressive rivers and all with food in my belly. For the first time in the last couple of days I could take the time to sit up and really enjoy my surroundings. If I ever get a cell signal again you might even see some pictures. I plan to replace the deceased digital camera in Missoula Montana in a couple days if all goes as planned.

I checked into the Three Rivers Lodge in Lowell and got a small room right on the rivers edge. The TV in Whitebird the night before didn't work and the one here only picked up three channels. Who needs it. I haven't been able follow any news for quite some time.....

You may get this and the next posting or two a little delayed, I have been off the grid for the last day and half in remote locations with no cell service or WiFi. I'll be back though! And the pictures should be also! I have also taken some great GoPro video the last couple days.

Day 15, Whitebird Idaho- 67 miles

I pedaled out of New Meadow this morning and continued my northerly movement toward the town of Whitebird which sits at the base of Whitebird Mountain, a challenging 11 plus mile climb of roughly 3,000 feet. I didn't get two miles out of town before Mother Nature said good morning and released the Cracken again on my soul. The winds............they came back. I was looking for a good sturdy tree to hang myself on but quickly remembered that today, unlike yesterday, was primarily downhill about 3,000 feet and the winds that caused me to change religions several times yesterday might be a little less effective. I was almost entirely wrong. I also figured that being in the canyon during the downhill portions would provide me with some additional deflection or protection from the Cracken. Wrong again.

I spent most of the morning going about 9 mph on a downhill that I would normally expect to be cranking out at 25 or 30 mph, and I had to keep pedaling hard to get that. The winds funneled into a ferocious compressed blast straight up the canyon. At one point, just to see what would happen, I stopped pedaling all together on a 4 % downhill and came to a complete stop within 10 seconds! Needless to say I had another butt buster of a day and although I thought I wrecked myself yesterday, I was sure of it today and wondered how on earth I was going to be able to climb the next day. The ponies were dead.

I limped into Whitebird in the mid afternoon and surveyed the four building town. A hotel, a cafe, a bar and a church. I checked into the hotel, ate at the cafe and had some beers at the bar. I was in no mood for church. Keystone beer sold for a dollar a glass and if you wanted to upgrade to top shelf, Budweiser was two and quarter. I went big to impress the town folk.

I fell into a deep sleep at 7 pm. I convinced myself to drink water like there was no tomorrow, get up real early and get over that mountain. There was no food here and no coffee so breakfast, and much need fuel was on the other side of that there hill. Nothing keeps me from coffee..........

If this blog got through it is a miracle. I am in a canyon along the Clearwater River, cell service is non existent and the lodge WiFi is a joke. But the scenery is unbelievable.......

Day 14, New Meadow Idaho-50 miles

I started out bright and early this morning. My ride for today was a 50 mile ride in the town of New Meadow, a fairly non threatening ride with a couple of mild up ticks. My goal was to go early and go easy to give my legs some R&R. What occurred was hideous.

As soon as I made my way out of to the town of Cambridge and turned north, I was hit by 30 to 40 mph sustained winds. The wind that was hitting me square on was nothing like I have ever experienced on a bike. These were not gusts of 30-40 mph winds, they raged continually and relentlessly at that level and it was all I could do just to move forward. Almost immediately after the wind came upon me my speed went from 14 mph to 6. I was on a flat road going hard at 6 mph! Things were going to get ugly.

The first town I would see after leaving was called "Council" and it was 22 miles into the ride. The road lifted just slightly about 10 miles out and my speed dropped to 3 mph. I could not sustain any momentum. The wind was powerful and cruel and I immediately started making contingency plans. I put far more effort into going forward then anyone could possibly imagine and I decided just to reach Council and re-think the situation.

Not only was the wind tenacious in its force, it was loud! The siren like sound of the wind against my ears became almost painful after a couple of hours. I went to my supplies and found my cold weather ear muffs and put them on. I ever so slowly made my way forward, wondering if all this effort for so little progress actually made any sense. I thought about turning around and surrendering for the day but Silver would have none of it. He kept forcing the bike forward ever so slowly.

Four hours and 22 miles later I reached Council. It was 11:30 in the morning and I took cover on the side of a market. 28 more miles of this punishment seemed a nearly impossible feat but I had all day and I decided to keep going. For the first couple of miles it was no better and my 5 or 6 mph pace seemed to be the way of the day. As I started to climb out of the valley however, the wind became more and more deflected by the surrounding hills and trees. I was able to gather a little more speed and the farther I got into the Forrest the better it got. I never thought I would be so happy to see hills!

I managed a rip roaring 10 mph the remaining distance and finally arrived in New Meadow. I was staying with Don Meroux, a retiree from HP. Don ran a mobile bike repair service and acted as the Fire Marshal. I was lucky to stay in his recently fully remodeled home, and that evening a friend came over later and we all drank beer and ate pasta.

Today I experienced winds like nothing I have ever seen and it was scary. I felt the fury of mother nature when she feels like showing off. It was relentless, demoralizing and punishing. I spent 7 hours covering 50 miles and used way too much energy to do it. I hope there are not too many other days like that out there.

My digital camera is dead and my iPhone cannot transmit photos up here in no signal land. I'll try tomorrow.

Day 13, Cambridge Idaho-60 miles

I said my goodbyes to Inga and Tyler and rolled off the ranch and out of Dayville. I would leave Oregon in the rear view mirror today and start my journey into Idaho. The first 20 miles was slightly downhill and was quite enjoyable. The sun was out again and the wind took a day off. I made my way down to the Snake River and an area called Hell's Canyon. I rode along the Snake River for about 12 miles until I arrived at the Oxbow-Brownlee Dam. After a short steep climb up to the dam I called it a morning and broke for lunch. No place to eat so I pulled out a bag of tuna, a banana and a handful of trail mix and sat on the edge of the cliff walls overlooking the dam and refueled. As soon as I crossed the dam I was in Idaho.

I had a nasty 8 mile, 2,200 foot climb out of Hell's Canyon to deal with. It's like getting a shot when your a kid; you know it's coming but you try real hard to fool yourself into thinking it won't. It came and the grind began. An hour and half of pain and exstacy later I was rolling down the other side, heading into the valley where Cambridge was waiting.

I pulled into the town of Cambridge and found the park where I was to camp for the night. The sprinklers were all on and the park was soaked. Additionally,  I checked the weather forecast locally and showers were indicated throughout the night. I looked around for a cheap hotel and found the 40 dollar sportsman special at Buckey's Cafe and hotel! The cafe was closed and undergoing a major remodel but the three hotel rooms were still in play. No WiFi

A giant plate full of food and two trips to the salad bar at the local cafe put me back on track and I stopped into the only bar on town to get a beer. In this particular crowd of Bud drinking, chain smoking regulars, I was an alien from outer space. The owner begged me to buy the bar from him for $100,000 and some plus size girls with Tammy Faye Baker make up on came over and became my bookends. They all wanted to play drinking games but I apologized for my early morning departure and went back to the sportsman special, watched an episode of Family Guy and passed out.

Day 12, Halfway-58 miles

A day of rest was just what the doctor ordered for this old guy and with renewed vigor I departed Baker City and set off for Dayville Oregon. It had been raining consistently all night and hadn't let up through the morning. It rained on me for the first two hours.

I made good time at my designated lunch spot in the town  of Richland, about 42 miles into the trip. That only left about 16 miles to Halfway, but waiting for me on the other side of Richland was a steep 4 mile grade that rose 1800 feet from the valley floor.  I gobbled up another cowboy breakfast plate and attacked the grade fully fueled. It hurt a bit but the views as I ascended out of the valley were very much worth it.

Waiting for me(so to speak) in Dayville was my host for the night, Inga Thompson and her son Tyler. I arrived at their ranch a couple miles outside of town and met Inga on the porch. To my astonishment and joy, Inga was putting the finish touches on a batch of moonshine from her still which was situated right there on the front porch! After introductions she handed me a hose running into the still and asked to disconnect the coupling because it had gotten stuck. No problem.
Inga showed me my sleeping arrangements and I took a nice hot shower while she continued fine tuning her  "Shine". After I climbed the stairs to my bedroom and noticed pictures on the wall of Inga cycling in what looked like a pro type race. After I  inquired about the photos on the wall Inga divulged who she was. My host for the night just happened to be a three time Olympic cyclist for the US, competed in multiple world championships and one of Americas greatest female rode racers during the eighties and early nineties! Any thoughts I had about impressing her with cycling prowess vanished as fast as Malaysia Flight 377!

Inga Thompson is tall and slender with a sinewy muscularity about her. Even though she has been off the bike for many years, she looks like she could get on a tricycle and kick your but. She's been ranching in Halfway for 20 years, tending cattle and horses and hosting touring cyclists who happen through Dayville on their quest to wherever.

During the afternoon hours Inga gave me a lesson in the world of horses. I watched her chase a misbehaving visiting Mare around the field. She also called her huge stallion over to say hello to me. His name was Felix and when he approached me there was no doubt who the Alpha male was in the pasture! One of her Fresha horses gave birth the day before and I got to see a one day old foal wobbling around her mother. I was also provided the opportunity to watch Felix the stallion engage in Love equestrian style when Inga put him the corral with a mare in heat. It was 30 seconds of fun for the stallion but I don't think the mare got a whole lot out of it! I think the long used phrase has been used incorrectly. Its, "wham Bam thank you mare!"

Inga made some seriously delicious homemade pizza later and we drank moonshine. We were joined by her son Tyler, a talented young man who will graduating high school next week and then on to the University of Nevada Reno. The shine made me all warm and I forgot how to pronounce words longer then one syllable. Eggs and Potatoes in the morning ala Inga and then back on the road to my next destination.

I enter Idaho tomorrow.

Day 11, Rest Day- reflections and numbers

Tomorrow will be my last day in Oregon before entering Idaho. Eleven days in one state is far more then I will spend in any other state and that is not by accident. Oregon is a state rich in geographic wonders; from the awe inspiring coastal region to the lush valleys and beyond the cascades to the high desert mountain plains. Oregon is deceptively large and much more diverse then I had imagined, not only in terms of geography, but in culture. From eco gardeners along the coast to ranch farmers up on the plains, there is a richness and virility in this land. From the more liberal lifestyles in the more populated areas to the rugged, hard working, conservative areas east of the Cascade Mountain Range, there is something and someplace for everyone. Oregon is also a very bike friendly state with countless routes and scenic venues to visit. One could spend a year here biking and not see it all.

Sisters Mountain range

I have a great deal of respect for Oregon and the people who live here. They are not without problems, but there is a level of real here that is not so common where I live. Hubris is non-existent here and people throughout the eastern portion of the state all share humility, strong faith, a hard work ethic and are generous to a fault. They talk to each other in the cafes and not their phones. I found myself putting mine away when eating. I will take a part of Oregon with me.

Ok. lets talk numbers. I have chosen to track my trip numbers in 10 day increments. I anticipate there will be about 9 of these 10 day sections altogether. According to my computer calculations I have traveled about 575 miles so far. To give you some perspective, that is farther then the distance from Folsom Ca. to Tijuana, Mexico.

I burned a few calories during the first ten days. 43,064 calories to be exact which is roughly 4,300 calories per day. I have no idea how many I was able to put back, but I'm trying!

I have done some uphill biking in the first ten day period and the next 10 day period looks about the same. Garmin says that I have climbed 27,292 feet so far in total elevation gain. That is just a couple thousand feet shy of Mount Everest. Ouch.

Huge Bluffs between Dayville and Mount Vernon

Casualties. I left a pair of gloves in the snow on Mckenzie Pass during a break when we finally found clear roadway. Earlier in the day, just before starting the climb, I stopped at the base of the mountain to grab something out of my rear pack and had to remove my round foam back roller. I set it on a wood rail support beam and rode off without it. I have a Lumix digital camera that I use and the charging unit has up and disappeared. Its almost out of juice. After that its useless unless I can find a compatible plug in unit. Its an older unit.

The number one most significant event that can occur for me each day is to get a hot shower. It is hard to explain how important that is. Fortunately I have not gone without to this point but the next two weeks shows areas where I may. It seems like all I am ever doing when not on the bike is eating. I eat all the time and so far I have lost several pounds in spite of my SEE food diet. There is nothing(except Mayo) that I wont eat.

Coastal  mountain greenery

I fill the hours of silent pedaling with thoughts of the trip, family, the past, the future, what could have been, what was and what might be. I think about the friends in my life and their situations. I think about my hero Susan Carey and her remarkable personal strength. I think about my father in Law Jim Cornett who has been climbing the highest of mountains in his battle with ALS. I think about how lucky I am.

Tomorrow I travel to a town called "Halfway" where I will sleep in a loft above a barn at a cattle ranch run by Inga and her son Tyler. That should be something.

Day 10, Baker City-70 miles

Sleep came fast and deep for me through the night in Prairie City and the timing was good. Today's ride called for a strenuous 70 mile stretch to Baker City which included three summit climbs; Dixie Pass- 5,277 feet, Tipton Pass- 5,124 feet and Sumpter Pass- 5,082 feet. These three passes were all in the first 40 miles of the ride and the first one started right at the end of the street in Prairie City! lets call it warm up by fire. The terrain after the three passes was primarily gong to be flat to downhill all the way to baker City so I focused my efforts on simply getting over the passes. The rest would be cake. The weather had cooled significantly and a hazy sun made riding conditions ideal.

Vista Point, halfway up first pass

The ponies came out firing on all cylinders today and showed their appreciation for the prior days rest. I also got three full meals in the day before and made it a point to hydrate constantly. It has been difficult to stay hydrated because it requires constant attention. While in Prairie City I drank 100 ounces of water, 24 ounces of beer, a 16 ounce Vita water, a 16 ounce coke and I didn't need to use the john until after midnight.

I competed each climb feeling very strong and enjoyed the miles of downhill after each one. I was joined on the second climb by two guys who were doing a one day loop. As is the case each time I run across fellow cyclists, they invariably ask me if I am married and when I answer them, they want to know how I got permission to leave for three months! I usually tell them my wife didn't even know I was gone for about five days until she noticed nobody took the garbage out.

I think I'll go straight here

After completing the third climb I was ready to have a nice big lunch to refuel but there was nothing on my route for 29 miles, and that was my destination of Baker City. I decided to pull over at a Ranch entrance and have a bag of Tuna and almonds dipped in peanut butter. After reading the sign at the entrance, accompanied by the visual back up, I made sure to sit behind a big rock pile just in case somebody wanted to use me for target practice. I would meet the owner a few minutes later and he was a great guy who laughed at his signs as nothing more then fun humor. He had a gorgeous 134 acre ranch that he built with his own two hands. Awesome fella.

Lunch break behind the rocks!

The remaining 29 miles or so was a beautiful meandering ride out of the mountains. I followed the most serene and scenic small river for most of the trip. Powder Creek was the idyllic creek that you have all seen at one time or another running by and through the old family farms that have been used in countless westerns and shows like "Little House on the Prairie." Many of those structures from real families of those times are still standing and some still functioning. Unbelievable natural beauty. Clint Eastwood filmed several scenes from his western movie days in this area.

Baker City is the largest town I have seen since Eugene. With 9,980 residents and a federal building, it is the hub for three highways that all come together here before heading off in all directions at the other end of town.

I rewarded the ponies for their exemplary performance today with some IPA ales from a bar and grill and a giant plate of spaghetti and meatballs a little later. I visited a bike store and arranged to have the bike, which now officially has a name, receive some love and tenderness the following day. I repaired to an old hotel that was referred by the bike shop and called it a day.

Amen

Tomorrow is my first rest day since leaving Astoria 10 day ago. I need it.

Now let me take this opportunity to introduce you to my bike. This beast of brutality, this epitome of dependability, this companion of unrelenting faith who in only ten days of work has been dragged through snow, sleet and hail, braved gale force winds, has run over rocks, glass, wood bark and anything else you can imagine, all while hauling a back breaking load, shall be known from this point on as "SILVER."

Hi -Yo Silver....Away!

Day 9, Prairie City-45 miles

Today I had a 45 mile ride into Prairie City. I planned an easy pace in an effort to recover some mojo from the prior day's damage. I packed my things, signed the church guestbook and pinned my hometown with name attached to the map of the United States that hung conspicuously on the wall by the bathroom. After drinking an entire pot of coffee, I left a good donation,(beer guilt) bid farewell to the church and rolled into the same cafe for breakfast. I ordered their traditional breakfast plate.

Standard cowboy breakfast!

I eased out of Dayville and cruised along the desert at a relaxed pace. I had all day and the ponies needed a day off. Roughly 23 miles later I rolled into the town of Mount Vernon, named after a horse named Vernon that a local indian chief from long ago obsessed over. I walked into, yup you guessed it, the towns cafe and became their only customer for the time being. I was greeted by owner Dale, a delightful lady, and shortly after the cook Elloise joined her at the table. A new person! I asked then questions about the area and they immediately went on a rampage about the State of Oregon sending all their sexual perverts and child molesters out here and paying them to stay. There is a major disconnect out here between the high desert Oregon folk and the big city politicians around the coastal areas.

Dale and Elloise...sex offender task force!

After a nice turkey sandwich and lentil soup, I mounted up and pointed my ride toward Prairie City, about 22 more miles down the road. This is cowboy country and rodeo posters are everywhere. Ranch entrances dot the roadways all along the desert road and some are pretty cool in their decor.

I arrived in Prairie City without expending too much effort and checked into the Prairie City Hotel. My room was about 18 inches larger then the queen size bed on all sides and may bathroom was out in the hallway. The room was so small I could not get my bike inside!

I went to the super cool bar and restaurant that just opened for the season, (Elk Season in case your wondering) and flirted dangerously with another Blue Moon Pale Ale or two. The walls were adorned with the heads of many Elk who didn't move fast enough at the right time and the area behind the bar was filled with wall statues of topless woman figurines. My kinda place!

Fine dining in Prairie City

The owner was the bartender and his wife, the cook. She made homemade pasta for transcontinental cyclists coming through and I ordered just that in a bath of Alfredo sauce. Every bar stool was occupied with a local and it seems they all claim to have seen me riding into town earlier. Weird. I fielded questions for an easy hour and a half about the nature of my trip. I'm getting used to being a novelty in these parts and I think a new face in the bar is probably refreshing for these residents, who all know each other like family.

The wife came out from the kitchen after my pasta pig out and advised me that her Strawberry rudabega(sp) pie is an award winning desert( she pointed to a yellowed newspaper clipping on the wall behind the bar and the husband backed up against the wall and held his arm up to like Carol Marol from the Price is Right, pointing proudly and on que at the article. Plus, she added, it comes with the meal. Good enough for me!

I turned in early. The next day was challenging but I knew it would be the last before my first rest day. That's called motivation............

Day 8, Dayville-86 miles

Got an early start out of Prineville because I had two significant climbs and over 85 miles to ride. There's not much you can do about it in this area if you are cycling through. There's basically nothing between the two towns but desert. The first pass, Ochoco Summit was a long and steady climb with about 2,000 feet in elevation gain.

The second pass, Keys Creek Summit was much steeper and shorter and it was there that I began to unravel. The pass was 7 miles long with about 1800 feet of elevation gain but it was the last four miles where all the climbing took place and the grade was about 8 percent for the majority of it with no relief. My bike weight, coupled with fatigued legs not only forced me to take the ponies out of the barn, but run them into exhaustion in 90 degree heat. It took every thing I had to get to the top of Keys pass. When I stopped at the sign to take this picture, my thighs were like grandma's boysenberry jelly. If it weren't for the fact that the remaining 30 miles was primarily downhill I would have been toast.

OUCH!

I passed the John Day Fossil Beds on my to downhill into Dayville but I was too spent to do anything else but get to town. Dayville is a small one horse town, like so man others up here in the wild west part of Oregon. Dayville also has a church that is famous. The Dayville Community Presbytarian Church, which at the east end of town, opened it doors to cross country cyclists 37 years ago and never stopped. it's location makes it ideal for weary bikers to find a place to shower, do laundry ad even eat for free! The church is listed on bike touring guides all over the world and I knew way back during the planning stages of this rip that  I would find a way to stay there. Today I was in Luck. I was the only one staying there and I had the run of the place! The care taker Rose Saul, who had mannerisms and voice inflections absolutely identical to my sister's, made me feel completely at home and showed where everything was located.

I could sleep wherever I wanted in the church, just not on the pews themselves. I choose to put my pad and bag in the social hall, which looks a lot like a classroom. I was extremely tired and hot so after a long cool shower and my first shave since day one( I was starting to scare myself), I threw  a load of laundry in and set out to get food.

This is what desert cycling looks like

Here is where I would like to apologize to some friends. After sitting down in the town cafe, I began receiving text messages from a few friends who felt like checking in and chatting. All I could focus on was getting food in my stomach and having a beer, the latter of which was not served in this diner, along with any other kind of alcohol. I was too fatigued to focus on much and may not have been as responsive or engaging as I should have. Lets call it bad timing and I promise to do better from this point on.

After the meal I asked the waitress where I might procure a beer. I was directed to a liquor store/ feed store/ deli/ library/ bait shop where I was able to buy a beer. I bought one beer. I walked back to the church and decided it was time to relax, kick my feet up and enjoy every sip of this fine Blue Moon Pale Ale. I opened the beer and began perusing the wall notices for guests of the church. Rule #1......Please respect our church by refraining from any alcohol or tobacco use while on site.....shit

I knew for sure somebody in that small town saw me walk into the church with a brown paper bag fresh from the liquor store. I resigned myself to a life in hell next to Nancy Pelosi when it occurred to me that I was in the perfect place to ask for forgiveness! After that I simply walked off the property line, sat on the curb and drank my beer like a good bum.

I had just enough usable brain power left to complete the blog for the day before and go to bed. later, after actually reading said blog, I may have over estimated my remaining brain power.

Day 7, Prineville-38 miles

My stay with the Steve, Karen and Stephanie Howery in Sisters last night provided me with the opportunity to visit with a family that is both close and endearing. Steve and Karen are tandem cyclists and they ride a seriously impressive bike. Their daughter Stephanie works as a teacher and lives with them also.

View from the Howery's living room!

This has not been the best of years thus far for the Howery family but they are no less warming with their gestures of generosity and hospitality then had they won the lottery. They have a strong faith that shows and are the people everyone wants as neighbors. I was fortunate to stay with them.

The ride into Prineville the next day was short and sweet. I took it real easy and stopped halfway in the town of Redmond to hog the WiFi at Starbucks for two hours. After a visit to Subway, I dilly dallied the last few miles and arrived in Prineville. The first thing I saw riding into town was a guns and ammo store which was sitting right next to a Doomsday Prepper shop. I do believe the culture is different in the high desert region of Oregon then along the coast.

I went to the address where I was staying for the night and was greeted by Kim Kostelecky. She and her husband Dennis actively hosts cross country cyclists and Kim graciously allows her enormous Yoga Studio to be used as a sleeping dorm. Kim is a yoga instructor, a retired school principal and in her youth as a student at George Washington University she just missed making the 1972 Olympic swim team by a mere 2-one thousandth of a second!

I think you need to turn your end around

Dennis is a retired school administrator and continues to work in the same field with a charter school in town. He and Kim also have a parcel on the edge of town where they have sheep, cows, chickens and a greenhouse. They stay busy! They let me tag along and help on the farm during the early evening hours which entailed putting up an electrical fence to keep the sheep in and I harvested eggs. As you can see we had that fence thing all figured out.

Its tough work on the range

Dennis and Kim's son Elliott and his girlfriend Beth came over later for a lamb chop dinner. Elliott is a wilderness firefighter and Beth a teacher. I enjoyed their company and the wonderful hospitality they showed me. I had to hit the sack eventually because the next days ride was a brutal one and I needed some rest. Great folks who live a wonderful and enriching lifestyle. I'm a country boy now!