Into the Fourth Quarter

We now have just under 1000 miles left to Yorktown, Virginia.

Friday July 28th
Destination: Chester, Illinois
I got a late start since it was only 50 miles to Chester. I met two women riding west and we shared information about the route. Each time I talk with west bounders we have the combined knowledge of every Transam mile but can only talk about what is behind us and have to guess at what’s ahead. I thought I was out of the steep hills and told the women about the climbs they had coming up. They seemed a little dismayed. After we parted I began to run into a lot of steep hills and realized that the women had just ridden those hills and must have thought the hills I’d ridden were much worse. In retrospect the hills ahead of them were no harder than the ones behind but we had no way of knowing that. We riders are like the mythical Janus with two faces; one looks back to the east, and one looks back to the west but neither can see what lies ahead.
When I crossed the Mississippi it not only meant that I was entering Illinois but that I’d made it out of Missouri without encountering a single rogue driver. I did get one comment about Spandex while riding through Eminence. That was stupid, didn’t the guy know that I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing Spandex. I only wear Lycra.
Jani met me in Chester and we drove about 80 miles north to Godfrey, Illinois. We’re staying the night with Tom, his wife Jane, daughter Betsy, and son Will. Tom works for Boeing St. Louis and I worked with him while he spent three months in Everett this year. It’s really fun to have a short break from the normal routine and visit with them. Tomorrow we’re going to St. Louis to see the city but primarily to see the Gateway Arch. We could see it off to the west while driving this afternoon and are looking forward to seeing it up close.
Mileage: 50/3105 Transam Riders: 4 today/47 total for the trip















Mississippi River Bridge from Chester, Illinois

Saturday July 29th
This was the fourth day on the trip with no riding and the first since Boulder, Colorado two weeks ago. It was nice to sleep in and spend a leisurely morning with Tom and his family. Tom drove us into the city where we visited the arch. After watching an informative movie about building the arch we rode the small elevator cars to the top. Since the cars are inside the arch there was no feeling of height but they’re very small and could be claustrophobic. The view from 630’ in the air was impressive. The arch seems the perfect blend of a simple aesthetic concept combined with impressive engineering and construction.
Before we left Tom and Jane’s she presented me with a denim shirt. She had embroidered a bicycle and the words “Transamerica ‘06” on the front. It was a complete surprise and I’ll wear it with pride. We can’t thank them enough for the hospitality they showed us.


Jani, Gary, and Gateway Arch

Sunday July 30th
Destination: Elizabethtown, Illinois
We spent a very hot and sticky night camped just north of Chester. When we got up it was cool but still muggy. Jani dropped me off in Chester with the understanding that we’d be staying in a motel tonight. The riding was nice but big thunderstorms to the south were threatening. Luckily the route seemed to keep me just to the edge of the lightning. Close enough to be exciting but just far enough away for comfort. The countryside was much like eastern Missouri with a lot of trees, corn, and soy bean fields. It was still hilly but enjoyable since the hills weren’t that steep. After noon it started to get really hot. It was still cool on the descents but I had to take it very slow on the uphill or risk overheating. When we got to Golconda the only motel was completely booked for a funeral. There are worse things than not finding a motel room. We were lucky to find a room just up the road in Elizabethtown. The Inn only allows pets in their guest cottage so we’re forced to put up with a bedroom, living room, kitchen, and Jacuzzi bath. Life’s tough.
This town is very scenic. It’s on the bank of the Ohio River which looks like a lake except for the occasional barge that passes by. We can see Kentucky across the river and will be there tomorrow.
Mileage: 110/3215 Transam Riders: 0 today/47 total for the trip


Thunderheads near Murphysboro, Illinois

Monday July 31st
Destination: Sebree, Kentucky
I got a late start this morning since it was so relaxing at the cottage. After yesterday’s longer ride I felt justified in a shorter ride today. The destination was also set by it’s vicinity to Henderson which is large enough to have motels. There were many times when we wanted campsites and could only find motels, now it’s just the opposite. With daytime highs in the 90’s and nighttime low temperatures about 80 degrees we’ve forsaken the van in favor of air conditioning.
The heat index today was 107 degrees. In a twisted way I’m glad to be riding in this extreme heat. For over a year the heat and humidity were the biggest unknowns of the trip. Everyone seems to have their horror tales about the heat and there wasn’t anything I could do to prepare, but I’ve now met my adversary and am a little relieved. It can get hotter, but the extreme heat advisories prove that this is more than just normal temperatures. I don’t want to downplay the conditions. The heat is a worthy challenger. It might very well be too much if combined with headwinds and/or really steep hills but so far I’ve been lucky with light winds and more rolling terrain. The biggest concession is that I spend all day expending as little effort as possible. If I push too hard I overheat so I ride as gently as possible, coast downhill and soft pedal uphill.
I caught my first eastbound rider today and rode with him for a bit. He’s loaded down and slower on the hills so I ended up riding on. His gear choices are the opposite of mine: recumbent bicycle, two wheeled trailer, hiking boots, hiking shorts, t-shirt, and no bike computer. We’re all riding the same route but in our own way.
Once again the plan for tomorrow is to start just before sunrise. I’ve only been successful a couple of times and it will be complicated by the 20 mile drive back to Sebree from Henderson.
Mileage: 65/3270 Transam Riders: 1 today/48 total for the trip


Ohio River ferry between Illinois and Kentucky

Missouri

Monday July 24th
Destination: Golden City, Missouri
Today was a fairly short day. After meeting Jani for breakfast in Gerard I rode on to Pittsburg which is a nice size town with a big library where I was able to get on the internet and update the blog. We passed into Missouri just east of Pittsburg and although the road was still straight as an arrow it had some fun hills. The only camping in Garden City is the town park. It was still early in the afternoon, I didn’t feel like riding further, and we didn’t feel like hanging out in the park all day so we drove to Lamar. Harry Truman was born in this town so it must be good enough for us.
The temperature was in the low 90’s today. There’s some talk of rain coming in the next few days but I can handle that as long as it doesn’t get too hot.
Mileage: 58/2771 Transam Riders: 0/43

Tuesday July 25th
Destination: Marshfield, Missouri
If someone had told me Missouri had great riding I would have said “show me”. Today was fabulous and now I’m a true believer. The terrain was hilly, the roads were nicely surfaced, there was very little traffic, and most of the time I had tailwinds. The roads were like a roller coaster; Jani even noticed it while driving the van. The hills didn’t gain more than a couple hundred feet but they kept coming all day long. A lot of them were small enough that I could hammer over them in the big ring; some of them were steep enough that it was hard work just to keep the cranks turning in the lowest gear. This is the terrain where it really pays off to not have to carry my gear. With a heavy load you would lose all momentum at the bottom of each hill and just have to grind it out to the top. I’m sure this country must test out the patience and perseverance of the heavily laden bikers, but I had a blast.
The temperatures have been increasing over the last few days and reached 96 degrees today. I finished by 1:30 which was when it was just starting to feel hot. I’d do well to get an early start in the morning since I hope to get to Eminence which is a little over 100 miles from here.
Mileage: 83/2854 Transam Riders: 0/43


Great Missouri Riding

Wednesday July 26th
Destination: Eminence, Missouri
I started riding just after sunup. There was a strong wind out of the southwest and a few high clouds. The clouds offered shade but it felt like the humidity has increased. I wouldn’t dare mention that to a local because I’m sure they would tell me it’s cool and dry weather for this area. You can only complain about it if it’s your weather.
As with yesterday’s ride there was no end to the hills today. They tended to be longer than yesterday and eventually took their toll. The last 5 miles to Eminence had some really impressive grades down to river crossings then up the other side. I remember talking with a German guy in Dubois, Wyoming who said he had measured grades up to 18% in Missouri. I believe it, and it looks like I’ll have more of the same tomorrow. All I can think of on climbs that steep is how much slower it would be if I was hauling a trailer.
We went through some interesting town names today. One road sign pointed left to Success and right to Houston. Of course we turned away from Success. After Houston was Yukon so we covered a lot of ground today.
The countryside is still very scenic. In places the oak and grass woodlands remind me of California. In other areas there are Pines that look like those along the Pacific Coast. It’s surprised us that everything is so green even this late in the summer. I guess that humidity is good for something.
Mileage: 109/2963 Transam Riders: 0/43


I saw manure but no buggies on the road

Thursday July 27th
Destination: Farmington, Missouri
The weather forecast says we are having “muggy” weather. It seems they’d have as many names for humidity as the Eskimo’s supposedly have for snow. I didn’t really mind riding in the heat yesterday; however I’m not too excited about trying to sleep while drowning in my sweat. By the time it was comfortable for sleeping the alarm went off. I slept in for an extra hour even though I knew it would mean riding an hour later in the heat of the day. My secret weapon was that we decided to get a motel room if things were too difficult.
The route out of Eminence continued yesterday’s theme with many significant climbs. I know it didn’t happen on every hill but it seemed like a truck would come up right when I was near the top of each hill. There weren’t any shoulders so all I could do was ride on the white line while watching my mirror. Fortunately all the trucks were very considerate and waited to pass until they could move over and give me plenty of room.
Jani and I have marveled at the turtles that cross the highways. Jani has seen some walking on the road; I’ve only seen them waiting in their shells. That might be a great evolutionary adaptation for animal predators but seems a little lacking in dealing with automobiles. Although it must work okay because I’ve only seen one flattened shell. One of the locals told Jani that it will ruin your tire if you run over them, so maybe evolution has worked after all.
Today while climbing one of the innumerable hills I saw a round black object in the road. It’s been several weeks since the rattlesnake experience and I’ve calmed down a little. You know what comes next, it was another giant snake. This time instead of lying flat it was tightly coiled and whipped its head around to watch me as I rode by. It looked like it had just been nicked in the tail and couldn’t or wouldn’t move. Now in addition to watching for oncoming traffic I have to continually scan the grassy shoulders.
We might make it into Illinois tomorrow which seems amazing. I went over 3000 miles today and have just over 1000 miles left. I still break out laughing when it sinks in that I’m really out doing this.
Mileage: 92/3055 Transam Riders: 0/43

Jani: I’ve seen so many pieces of black tire that I thought were snakes, so it figures that this time when I saw the perfectly coiled piece of tire that it ends up being a snake. I talked to the campground host last night in Eminence about snakes. He said to watch out for the ones with the triangular heads, which house the fangs.
The flies, and heat were getting to me, so a hotel tonight makes my day.


Turtle on road

Kansas

Thursday July 20th
Destination: Larned, Kansas
I need some new words to describe the heat, something more than hot, hotter, and hottest. Its time to call in the troops: searing, burning, scorching, broiling, scalding, and roasting. Those words are all related to cooking which is how I feel at the end of the day: cooked.
Today actually went well considering it was 106 degrees. I started riding a half hour before dawn. The flat terrain made me feel like I was on the ocean and the lights on the horizon were not houses and buildings but other ships on the water.
This was the third morning that the wind was out of the southwest; it pushed me along until about 11:00 when it shifted to the south. By that time though I had covered 80 miles and passed through Dighton, Ness City, and Alexander. As the temperature soared, climbed, or skyrocketed (take your pick) the route also swung south into the wind. I knew the last 40 miles were going to be tough and just settled in for the grind. After a few miles I rode onto very new asphalt, and in a few more miles caught up with the road crew. Here was my extra special treat since the four enormous machines that were laying the asphalt were first heating it up to several hundred degrees. Riding past them was like riding in an oven. At last I’ve found a way to make temperatures in the low 100’s seem refreshing.
Larned seems to be a nice town although with the heat we aren’t straying very far from the air conditioned motel room. Tomorrow is only supposed to be in the 90’s but that may come with the threat of thunderstorms. I may regret saying this but at this point any change is welcome.
I talked with a group of five westbound riders from Texas, and one guy from Georgia.
Mileage: 121/2426 Transam Riders: 6/37


Dead Farm Machinery

Friday July 21st
Destination: Hesston, Kansas
The hot weather finally broke as a storm rolled through this morning. I delayed riding until 9AM but still rode in the rain for a couple of hours. That’s okay since 70 degree rain can’t compete with Seattle winter rains and I discovered a long time ago that I don’t melt. The route left Larned and headed east for 49 miles. I don’t think I’ve ever ridden that far in a straight line. The countryside was very pastoral and reminded me of northeast Scotland except there weren’t any sheep. When the sun came out it got humid but the temperature stayed comfortably in the 80’s. The wind picked up in the afternoon and was blowing from the northeast. I learned to appreciate any windbreaks on the north side of the road; even the cornfields gave some shelter. I can only imagine what this wind is like when it’s -40 degrees. If I lived here I’d want my house completely surrounded by trees and shrubs.
We’re back to camping in the van. I’m not going to badmouth air conditioning but it’s nice to return to familiar surroundings and habits. Besides you can meet a whole different breed of people in RV Parks.
Now that we’ve been out of Colorado for a few days I feel that I can rant about the car drivers. They weren’t overtly aggressive but were certainly the worst ones to this point. Only a small percentage of them were jerks but it adds up over the course of a day. Many of them would not move one foot toward the centerline even when there was no oncoming traffic. I ride as far to the outside as possible and don’t expect people to move into the other lane but appreciate it when drivers at least acknowledge that they outweigh me by several tons. Another thing that happened several times a day was that oncoming cars would pull out and pass on roads with no shoulders. I know most of them saw me in the other lane and decided to pass anyway. Even though there was a few feet between us it was unnerving to have a car go by at 70-80 miles an hour. None of it seemed malicious and was never dangerous but was a big contrast to the accommodating behavior of drivers in other states. The bad news is that west bounders tell me some Missouri drivers (rednecks) take delight in tormenting cyclists. I can only hope that some of the riders bring it on themselves by riding too far out in the lane or by not paying attention to the traffic around them. It’s been surprising that only one other cyclist has had a helmet mirror. I can’t imagine riding without some idea of what is coming up behind. So much for the rant but it is my soapbox after all.
Mileage: 97/2523 Transam Riders: 2/39



Saturday July 22nd
Destination: Eureka, Kansas
Ride, eat, sleep, ride, eat, sleep, ride, eat, sleep…. This trip is everything I hoped it would be. It’s only been five weeks but I feel like going on indefinitely. Years ago I used to agree with people when they said I was crazy for doing things like this trip. But in a Catch 22 sense I must have been sane if I thought I was crazy. Now I know I’ve really gone around the bend because I don’t see anything crazy about this trip. If people don’t already understand then there isn’t anything I can say to make them understand. My only explanation is a weak “I like to ride my bike”. Oh well, I yam what I yam.
After checking with the town sheriff we’re camped out in the Eureka city park and have used the swimming pool showers. This is dirt bag (freeloader) camping at it’s finest. Just like yesterday, today’s route started out with a long (39 mile) straight stretch through agricultural land on roads with almost no traffic. Jani and I met by pure chance for lunch at the Cassoday Café. It was the only open business in the “town” of 130 people but they had a great buffet. I probably should have ridden further after eating so much but the headwinds were tough and the next spot is 20 miles from here.
We’re still impressed with how scenic Kansas has been. It has a lot more variety than we expected. From what people said we though it was going to be dead flat and look the same for mile after endless mile. It probably helps that the temperature is only in the 80’s.
Today I finally caught a couple of east bound riders that I’ve been creeping up on for days. As it turned out I only talked with them for a minute. The guy just wanted to complain that the route had been circuitous. I don’t know if he was just having a bad day but I’m not interested in talking with a complainer. Couldn’t he read the map? I also talked with two young German west bound riders. They were thoroughly enjoying their trip. More bumper sticker philosophy: “The difference between ordeal and adventure is attitude.”
Mileage: 86/2609 Transam Riders: 4/43

Jani: So I was having a ball garage saleing in Newton and then decided it was time to get to the next town. I head to the next town, realize that there are miles of nothing between me and Cassoday, and I’m getting hungry. I make it to Cassoday, park at the only café…see Gary’s bicycle and stroll in the place saying “I sure am hungry” to try to get Gary’s attention. The punch line is that Gary didn’t even turn around because he thought it was just some whacko coming in the place. He was right.


Cassoday Kansas

Sunday July 23rd
Destination: near Gerard, Kansas
The town names are interesting in this end of Kansas. We started out the morning by going through Toronto, passed north of Erie, and stopped just short of Pittsburg. It was another good day of riding aided by light winds.
We’re camped in a state park next to a lake (reservoir) which has been nice since the dog can go swimming. I wouldn’t mind swimming except that the water is very muddy and unappealing. The rivers are the same color and we keep half expecting to see alligators in them. Since there are nice shade trees along the lake we also have cicadas. I remember hearing cicadas in South Dakota however these bugs seem to be virtuosos at creating an unholy racket. The first night we heard them we were afraid they’d go on all night but thankfully they do quiet down. The other bugs we saw last night were lightning bugs. They may be very common here but still seem magical to us. It’s also been fun to see new birds like Cardinals, and Scissor Tailed Flycatchers. My other key sighting was an armadillo; yeah I’m still counting it even though it was dead on the road.
We’ll be in Missouri tomorrow and the terrain already is changing with a few more hills. Every west bounder I’ve talked with has told me of the many, short but steep hills in Missouri. I’m looking forward to seeing if they were exaggerating.
Mileage: 104/2713 Transam Riders: 0/43

Halfway Across

On July 17th I crossed over the route's halfway mark for a total of 2,121 miles and 82,280' vertical gain.


Sunday July 16th
Destination: 10 miles west of Canon City, Colorado
I climbed a total of 4400’ today but descended 6400’ using some of the elevation I put in the bank over the past few days. The first 15 miles from Silverthorne to Breckenridge were on one of the finest bike trails I’ve ridden. It went around Dillon Reservoir then through pine and aspen forests. The trail didn’t stick to a straight line but was curvy and rolling making it a lot of fun. The climb over Hoosier Pass wasn’t that hard since it is only about 3000’ higher than Silverthorne. We’ve been gradually gaining elevation for several weeks so the high elevations didn’t bother me. I’d like to be able to ride at sea level and see what difference the altitude training would make.
Tailwinds helped make the descent down the pass a real screamer. After the steep downhill ended the grade was gradually downhill and I made good time through Alma, Fairplay, and Hartsel. As I kept getting lower I could feel the air heat up and we’re now back in hot country, soon to be hotter. It was also interesting to see the vegetation change from alpine forests, to pine, to juniper and oak woodlands.
I talked with 5 other Transam riders: 2 from New York City, and a group of three from New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. Since we’re about halfway across the route I expect the west bound riders will dwindle soon.
We’re camped a few miles from Royal Gorge and will see it in the morning then head on toward Pueblo or beyond.
Mileage: 107/2041 Transam Riders: 5/25


Hoosier Pass


South of Hartsel, Co

Monday July 17th
Destination: Fowler, Colorado
Royal Gorge is a bit of a tourist trap but worth walking over the bridge which is 1000’ above the Arkansas River. I didn’t start riding until 9:30 which put me into the heat of the day, 100 degrees. The ride started with a steep descent and strong tailwinds for ten miles to Canon City. As with all tailwinds I bounce between optimism that it will last all day and pessimism that it will change into headwinds. Today the pessimist won and I had tough riding into strong headwinds for the last 50 miles.
Halfway to Pueblo I was expecting to get water in Wetmore but there were no businesses. When I asked at the Post Office the woman told me that the only store was two miles uphill in the wrong direction. She also said that the water in the building was not drinkable. It was 25 miles to go with no water and she must have seen my disappointment because she ended up giving me two bottles of ice cold water. I won’t complain about the price of stamps for awhile.
Jani met me in Boone but the only place to camp was the city park so we drove to nearby Fowler and are in an inexpensive but nice (cool) motel. I hope an early start will alleviate the heat and headwinds.
When I rode through Pueblo today it marked the halfway point for the Transam. Its finally starting to feel like I’m riding cross country. From now on the route will go more or less east. I enjoyed the early part in Idaho and Montana but its hard to feel like you’re riding to the Atlantic when the route zigzags all over the place.
Mileage: 80/2121 Transam Riders: 0/25


Post Office in Wetmore, Co

Tuesday July 18th
Destination: Kansas stateline
I got a 6AM start. It was beautiful in the early morning, 68 degrees with light winds. Breakfast was 20 miles out at the Sugar City Café. The owner of the restaurant is the waitress, cook, and dishwasher. She served up a very good breakfast with coffee for just under $4. Its nice to know that there still are places where it you don’t have to pay $20 for a meal.
After breakfast the winds picked up and I was able to ride the 60 miles to Eads before noon. Jani met me in town and we decided it was too early to stop. The problem was that it was almost 60 miles to the next town so I asked her to wait 2 hours then come find me. I’m glad I had her come by since the wind changed direction and was coming from the side or slightly in front. It was over 100 degrees and once again felt like standing in front of a blow drier. By the time I reached the Kansas state line I’d ridden 122 miles and enough was enough. We drove to Tribune, Kansas and are camped out in an air conditioned motel.
Tomorrow is supposed to be the hottest day of the week at around 106 degrees. After that its supposed to cool down to the 90’s. I don’t usually think of 90 as cool but it will be an improvement. Jani will drop me off at the state line and I’ll start riding where I left off this afternoon.
Mileage: 122/2243 Transam Riders: 0/25

Wednesday July 19th
Destination: Scott City, Kansas
This morning was great with a strong quartering tailwind. It was the easiest riding I’ve had yet with the wind, and a gravity assist from the very gradual downhill. Yes, like everyone told us, Kansas is flat but we find it interesting. Of course with a strong tailwind I’d find riding on the moon interesting. It took less than 3 hours to ride to Scott City but once again the wind started to shift direction and it was already hot by late morning so I’m taking a partial rest day.
Tomorrow I’m going to try an even earlier start and see how many miles I can ride by noon. Its hard to push on in the afternoon when I think about how much nicer it would be to ride in the early morning. We talked to three west-bounders from Virginia who have actually taken to riding at night. I’m not willing to go to that extreme but I understand the motivation. I also talked to a woman from Wales who is riding to the Oregon coast then south to LA.
Mileage: 62/2305 Transam Riders: 6/31


Headed to Scott City, Kansas

Colorado

Wednesday July 12th
Destination: Six Mile Gap Camp, 24 miles east of Riverside, Wyoming
Today was one of the hardest days yet. I slightly strained my right thigh yesterday on the ride to Rawlins. At the time it felt like a cramp but was worse today. It was particularly noticeable when standing up on the bike so I spent most of the day soft-pedaling while seated. That put more pressure on my seat which caused additional pain.
The route went east from Rawlins (including 16 miles on I-80) to Walcott then turned south to Riverside. I fought strong headwinds for 38 miles spending most of the time in my lowest gear. Jani drove up while I was stopped at a mini-mart in Riverside and we agreed to meet at a campground turnoff 24 miles east of Riverside. Jani was first going to take a short one mile detour west to Encampment so I expected to see her shortly. I rode 22 miles before stopping to wait for thunderstorms ahead. After sitting on the side of the road for awhile I decided to backtrack to Riverside. The country was wide open and I could see approaching cars for several miles, expecting each one to be ours. As I rode further and further I got more and more worried. Did she get lost? Did she have car trouble? Did Kira run off, or worse? I kept telling myself that the simplest solution (getting lost) was the most probable but couldn’t help worrying. There was spotty cell phone coverage but that was academic because my phone was in the van and the closest phone was 22 miles back in Riverside. When I was 5 miles from town Jani came driving up. She had continued past Encampment the precise 24 miles, then looked for me in every campground along the way. She finally got help from some people who showed her that Six Mile Gap Campground was 50 miles in the other direction.
Alls well that ends well and this is a great place to be. We’re a couple miles off the highway and no one else is here. Kira can roam at will, I can play music, and Jani can breathe a big sigh of relief. A little whisky didn’t hurt either.
Mileage: 99/1795 Transam Riders: 1/15


Horses grazing near Riverside Wyoming


Our Camp

Thursday July 13th
Destination: Denver Creek Camp, about 12 miles north of Granby, Colorado
I rode a shorter distance today and it’s been nice to have the afternoon to relax. We are in a beautiful camp along Willow Creek. This is the kind of place that would be a worthwhile destination independent of crossing the country.
We entered Colorado this morning and the road climbed gradually for 44 miles to Rand then steepened up to go over Willow Creek Pass (9621’). Tailwinds helped my outlook today. The scenery near Walden wasn’t that great but the tailwind was like a good personality making up for the homely surroundings.
My leg felt a little better today so I’m hopeful that it will be back to normal after a few more days of taking it easy. It’s nice to hear that although Colorado has very high elevations the roads aren’t that steep. I’ve noticed that the descents are much faster than I’d have expected. It must be a result of the lower air density.
Today was a record for meeting other Transam riders. The first was a guy from Kentucky who told me that the dogs in his home state are overrated. That’s nice to hear but he was still carrying pepper spray. I met the other four as a group: one from Florida, two from Virginia, one unknown. They said they’d had 9 continuous rainy days in Colorado. All I could do in reply was say that we’d had record heat in Oregon. I don’t think they were impressed. They also told me that I’m at least a week or two behind the bulk of the other eastbound riders.
Mileage: 63/1858 Transam Riders: 5/20

Friday July 14th
Destination: Silverthorne, Colorado
Last night after dinner there was no one else around our campsite so I let Kira chase one of the many ground squirrels that had been teasing her. She was a hundred feet away so I didn’t think anything would happen but she caught one of them. They were obviously just a bit too complacent. It got away from her twice but she quickly caught it each time. I didn’t’ want to have a rodent killing on my hands so I tried to get her to drop it which she finally did after running off a little ways. The ground squirrel looked like he was dead but after a couple of minutes he disappeared so I assume he left with only bar stool stories to tell. Kira’s always paid complete attention to animals but now she’s at a higher level and sits quivering in the passenger seat looking for varmints as if it’s a life or death mission.
This was our second day in Colorado but today the countryside really looks different. Even though we’re at 9000’ the mountains still tower overhead. Jani picked me up in Silverthorne and we were lucky to find a campsite a few miles east of Frisco. This is to Denver and thus a popular destination to beat the summer heat.
I’m going to take a rest day tomorrow then climb Hoosier Pass (11,541’) on Sunday. The pass isn’t as scary now that its only 2500’ higher than we are. It will be strange to have a free day. The van may even get washed if we can’t find anything else to do.
Mileage: 76/1934 Transam Riders: 0/20


Heeney Colorado (north of Silverthorne)

Saturday July 15th
Destination: Boulder, Colorado
When we saw how close we were to Boulder we decided to drive there and spend the day. They’re having a street fair and it was fun walking around looking at the food and art exhibits. I also visited a couple of bike shops for some a new spoke and chain. Since 0ur last shower was four days ago and its 100 degrees we’re camped out in a Best Western. This is the first motel stop in four weeks but may happen more frequently.
Mileage: 0/1934 Transam Riders: 0/20

Across Wyoming

Sunday July 9th
Destination: Dubois, Wyoming
This was a day of extremes. It was the highest I’ve been (9658’), the hardest rain, and the strongest headwinds. The climb up Togwotee (“toh-goh-tee”) Pass was nice except for the thunderstorms around me. Even so I was lucky that the road wound its way between the thunderstorms and the lightning wasn’t directly overhead. As I neared the summit there were stretches covered with pea size hail so I couldn’t complain too much about the torrential rain on the descent. Once the rain ended the wind picked up and it was a struggle riding into it. Then for dessert the road was torn up for about ten miles. It started out as just torn up then the asphalt completely disappeared and I had to ride on dirt and gravel . I guess they’re supposed to shuttle bikes over that section but not on Sundays. So all in all it was good I didn’t have to ride far today. The thunderstorms and headwinds may be tempered by finishing earlier in the day. If I’m ambitious I’ll get an early start in the morning.
There is a German rider camped next to us. He is the first non-English foreign rider I’ve met.
Mileage: 56/1500 Transam Riders: 1/13


Wyoming Highway?

Monday July 10th
Destination: Lander, Wyoming
Today was a quick day of riding, partly because the scattered towns dictate how far we can go, and because I had great tailwinds for the first part of the morning. The higher speed was also aided by terrain that was rolling but predominately downhill. Once again thunderstorms and headwinds formed in the afternoon confirming the early morning start.
Lander is a nice sized town with a real West feeling. It doesn’t look like it’s been designed for tourists. We spent time looking around shops and in the city park trying to stay cool.
I met a Dutch rider who is west bound. He says he saw two riders going my direction just a little east of here. I get the feeling that there could be dozens of riders going our direction and I would only see them by accident.
I’m not sure where we’ll be tomorrow. Rawlins is the only town of decent size but its 125 miles away. That’s not too far if the winds and/or thunderstorms act up. We’ll see.
Mileage: 75/1575 Transam Riders: 1/14


The Wind River east of Dubois

Tuesday July 11th
Destination: Rawlins, Wyoming
I have spent almost 1500 miles on the lookout for snakes. I have jumped like a little girl at fanbelts, bungie cords, pieces of truck tire, sticks, even squiggly patches of tar on the road. This morning the rehearsals ended when I came within a foot of riding over a three foot rattlesnake (that’s about 35” longer than any snake should grow). The devious serpent was laid out straight and motionless in order to deceive me. After a few choice swear words I circled back to look. His head was on the white line with his body stretched out on the shoulder. I couldn’t see any movement (from ten feet away) but I didn’t see signs of injury either. By coincidence Jani had stopped a few hundred yards up the road. When she heard about the snake she turned around for a look. Her report didn’t help my confidence since she said that it moved off the road into the grass at a good rate of speed. She also said that it blended in perfectly. That’s more information than my active imagination needs. The good news was that my shorts dried out quickly and the cars didn’t seem to mind that I was riding in the middle of the highway. I think they were curious that someone could stay upright while quaking like a leaf.
Other than the snake encounter the rest of the ride was okay but a little on the long side. We’ve been warned that there’s a lot of nothing across Wyoming but it didn’t seem that bad. Once again I think it’s a lot more interesting on a bike than in a car. The Oregon Trail went through the same area and in places I could see wagon ruts across the hills. There was also a marsh area where the pioneers could dig down and find ice in the summer. That and the snow fences along the highway speak to just how cold it must be here in the winter.
My ride was 4 miles short because I had told Jani to come looking for me at 4PM. 121 miles was more than long enough and I was happy to drive the last bit into town.
Mileage: 121/1696 Transam Riders: 0/14

Jani: Gary’s been setting his alarm earlier each day. Today’s wakeup call came at 5:30 am. Isn’t that the middle of the night? I managed to scrape the van along the metal post at the campsite and get not one scrape but three good ones. Can I blame it on lack of caffeine? No such luck, Gary made hearty oatmeal and strong black coffee (we’re never denied).
I enjoyed the red rock scenery and rock formations, even the snake encounter was interesting. I couldn’t believe how he just sort of floated over the vegetation with his head held high. Kira and I hang out every day with the van trying to stay cool. I entertained myself with antique store shopping and walking all over Rawlins. We’re in a KOA campground again with a swimming pool, which I’m going to try to use each time. I even enjoy doing the laundry, just getting away from the van and the dog for a little while helps.


Open spaces north of Rawlins

Jackson (Mt) to Jackson (Wy)

Sunday July 2nd
Destination: Jackson, Montana
I got my obligatory mountain pass in today with the climb from Hamilton up Lost Trail Pass then over adjacent Chief Joseph Pass. The road climbed gradually for 35 miles then kicked up for the last ten. It was a reasonable temperature with some clouds to give relief from the sun. I met Jani at Big Hole and we looked at the exhibits and watched the video describing the battle between Nez Perce and Army soldiers. It was very dramatic reading accounts from both sides while looking down on the battlefield site. It’s hard to believe that for the last 4 days and 350 miles we’ve been following the route the Nez Perce took, and won’t leave it until we’re in Yellowstone.
I talked with a rider from Iowa who started in Virginia in mid-April. He’s ridden with other people but has been on his own since Kansas. It’s really hard for groups to stay together; they all seem to split up.
Leaving all puns aside we didn’t feel like staying in Wisdom and proceeded south to Jackson. The bugs are a nuisance in the Big Hole area, probably because there is so much irrigation but this is a very scenic area. We’re camped behind the Jackson Hot Springs Lodge which is the only place in this village of 38 people, but Jackson definitely has a much nicer feel than Wisdom and I’m glad we pushed on. There is a Harley convention here tomorrow so it’s probably a good thing that we’re leaving in the morning. The bikers we’ve met have all been really nice, in fact the Harley riders are the only motorcyclists who will wave to me, but this is a small resort for many people.
Mileage: 95/1156 Transam Riders: 1/8

Jani: While waiting for Gary at Lost Trail Pass I talked with a forest service ranger, named Curly. I asked him if he knew my grandfather, Gene Powers and he said no, but this other guy that was standing there whips his head around and says “sure I knew him, he was supervisor in Salmon for a lot of years”. His wife’s name is Arlene Westfall and his name is Carl.

Monday July 3rd
Destination: Virginia City, Montana
I rode a long ways today but we didn’t make it very far east because the route zigzagged up and down. First it went SE to Dillon, then NE to New Bridges, SE to Alder, then finally East to Virginia City. I climbed over two passes on the way to Dillon and although they didn’t gain much elevation I could feel the effects of riding at over 7000’. Hopefully these elevations will help get me ready for Colorado.
Last night we had thunderstorms and had to scurry around in the dark bringing in things that shouldn’t have been left out. There were more storms this afternoon but I was lucky that the route skirted them. I may have to finish earlier in the day if afternoon storms are now the norm.
Virginia City is an interesting collection of old buildings from it’s day as a gold rush town in the late 1800’s. It would be nice to stay here for the 4th of July celebrations but the RV Park owner thinks all the spaces will be taken. Ennis is only 15 miles away and we may end up staying there tomorrow night. I feel like I could use a short day.
Mileage: 106/1262 Transam Riders: 0/8


Big Sky and Big Clouds outside Dillon, Montana
(click on any picture for a larger view)

Tuesday July 4th
Destination: Ennis, Montana
Today was the shortest ride yet. We are in Ennis which is only 14 miles east of Virginia City. Even though Jani got here by 9AM we were lucky to get a camping spot behind a motel. The town was overflowing with people here for the 4th of July festivities. We watched the parade then hung out at the local park. It’s been a very restful day. Tomorrow we go to West Yellowstone.
One thing I’ve noticed lately is that there are all sorts of creatures that can make distracting noises. Some birds can sound just like a squeaky chain and seem to keep time with my pedaling, others can sound just like the cell phone ringing. Or maybe I’m just losing it in all the wide open spaces.
Mileage: 14/1276 Transam Riders: 0/8

Wednesday July 5th
Destination: West Yellowstone, Montana
Headwinds and rain helped me atone for some of the tailwinds and sunny weather in Oregon. The wind was so strong that I was in my lowest gear for long stretches. Fortunately the wind switched at the same time the rain started so I only had to deal with one opponent at a time.
The scenery was great as usual. Montana has had a different feel with broad valley floors ringed by mountains. I’ve also seen some different wildlife. Several times today I’d glance over and see pronghorns watching me. Then they’d go bounding off showing their white behinds. I saw a badger for the first time ever today. It was going to cross the highway then saw me and reversed direction. It was so flat with a long coat that it looked like a long toupee shooting across the ground.
Tomorrow we’re going to spend the day playing tourist in Yellowstone then head to Jackson to visit friends on Friday.
Mileage: 72/1348 Transam Riders: 2/10


South of Ennis, Montana

Thursday July 6th
Destination: West Yellowstone, Montana
One of the reasons for choosing this bike route was the chance to go through Yellowstone. Until now it has just been an abstraction but it was a real bonus to spend the day in the Park. We saw lots of elk and bison, no bear, but we saw tourists going into the woods to view a bear cub. Where’s Darwin when you need him?
Tomorrow I hope to get an early start as I’ll be riding through the Park. If everything works out I’ll be most of the way through the Park before the RV crowd wakes up.
Mileage: 0/1348 Transam Riders: 0/10


Yellowstone Falls from Artist Point

Friday July 7th
Destination: Jackson, Wyoming
It rained hard all night and was still raining when we got up but had stopped by the time I started and just got better and better. The road was really good to about ten miles past Old Faithful. After that it was narrow but the downhills let me stay a little ahead of the traffic. As impressive as the scenery was I still kept an eye on my rear view mirror looking for rogue RV’s. Fortunately they all moved over and gave me plenty of room.
The first views of the Tetons were as dramatic as the first time. They’re like Crater Lake, or the Matterhorn. You just can’t believe they look as impressive as the postcards.
Jani met me at Moran Junction which is where I’ll pick up the route headed east for Dubois and Rawlins. For now we are at our friends Bill and Patti who live just south of Jackson. Bill and I have been friends since kindergarten which is now more decades than we’re willing to admit to. Jani and I were here ten years ago and it’s another bonus of the route to be here again.
Tomorrow Bill is going to take us down the Snake River thru Tetons Park. He is a fly fishing guide, is taking his birthday off to float the river, and we’re lucky enough to be in the right spot at the right time.
Mileage: 96/1444 Transam Riders: 2/12

Saturday July 8th
Destination: Jackson, Wyoming
This is the second day off in three days and it could become habit forming. We had a five star day. It couldn’t have been any better. People come from all over the world to do what we did. The weather was fabulous and the fish didn’t care that Jani and I don’t know squat about fishing. In some of the areas we would catch fish on every cast. I even got to try fly fishing and got a taste of how addictive it can be. I know winters here can be harsh but the summer days can make up for a lot of snow.
Tomorrow I’ll get back on the bike. It should be interesting since I’ll have to go over a pass that is just under 10,000 feet on the way to Dubois.
Mileage: 0/1444 Transam Riders: 0/12


Fishing on the Snake River in Teton National Park

Into Montana

Thursday June 29th
Destination: Lowell, Idaho
This was the day it finally cooled down which was good except that it came with rain, but that wasn’t too annoying since it was still 70 degrees. At least we won’t be drowning in our sweat when we go to sleep tonight.
Today’s route followed the Salmon River, climbed over White Bird Pass, followed the South Fork of the Clearwater, then went up the Lochsa River to Lowell. This was the same route that the Nez Perce Indians took as they tried to escape to Canada. They fought battles near White Bird and Stites then fled over Lolo Pass which is where we are going tomorrow.
I stopped to talk with two Dutch women east of Grangeville. They started in New York then cycled to Virginia to hook up with the Transam trail. They won’t stop when they get to Florence Oregon but will turn south and ride to Los Angeles. Leave it to foreign tourists to make you feel like you haven’t seen anything of your own country.
The weather is cloudy but dry which will be important tomorrow as Lolo Pass is 5325’. I don’t mind climbing in the rain but it gets cold on the descents. Well it just started raining again and thundering but I shouldn’t waste time worrying about it because all I have to do right now is go to bed.
Mileage: 99/908 Transam riders: 2/5


New Career Opportunity


Flowers near Whitebird

Friday June 30th
Destination: Powell, Idaho
I got dehydrated today and had to stop short at Powell. Yesterday’s rain was gone by morning and the clouds dispersed to make for nice weather. Unfortunately there was no drinking water available for 66 miles and I was probably already dehydrated from yesterday. It’s hard to remember to drink when you’re being soaked on the outside. I could have saved myself a lot of trouble by carrying iodine tablets to purify a few quarts out of the millions of gallons of water I rode by today. But that would have meant heeding my own advice.
It may be just as well that I stopped early since my legs can probably use a little rest. I’ll find out tomorrow if I’m recovered. From our camp we’ll climb to Lolo Pass, downhill to the town of Lolo, then relatively flat up the Bitterroot Valley to Hamilton or Darby.
I met my first eastbound Transam rider this afternoon. He asked us for a ride to Missoula because his wheel had a broken spoke. We told him we aren’t planning to go into Missoula but I could fix his wheel. He didn’t believe me at first but soon realized that I had the necessary tools and we got him back on the road. It turns out that he and two others have leapfrogged us at least a couple of times over the last week and a half. My misfortune of having to stop early today was his good fortune. It’ll be interesting to see if we cross paths again.
Mileage: 69/977 Transam riders: 1/6


Lochsa River

Saturday July 1st
Destination: Hamilton, Montana
Today went well so I’m sure that yesterday’s problems were caused by dehydration. It was a comfortable 48 degrees when we got up this morning and stayed nice for the climb to Lolo Pass. We crossed into Montana at the pass then had a nice descent to Lolo. I forgot to take my map with me and ended up riding along Highway 93 instead of side roads from Lolo to Hamilton. Yesterday I rode without my pump and today without the map. I can see that I’m a bit too relaxed and need to pay more attention.
Today’s bumper sticker philosophy is: “Don’t Postpone Joy”. Those are words I can live with.
I talked with a rider headed west out of Lolo. He’s from north of London and started with the first rider I met back in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. I asked him about riders ahead of me but he doesn’t know since he took a different route through Montana.
Things are busy because of the holiday weekend. We’ve always been able to find an RV Park or campground but that may be tough for the next few nights. Tomorrow the route continues up the Bitterroot Valley, over Lost Trail and Chief Joseph Pass (7241’), then down to Wisdom. We’ll stop along the way at Big Hole Battlefield National Monument which is another site on the Nez Perce Trail. It looks like we’ll be up around 6000’ so it should be cooler.
Mileage: 84/1061 Transam riders: 1/7

Jani:
Going over Lolo Pass at a leisurely rate was really fun because I got to stop and look at the wildlife and rivers. Usually we’re at breakneck speed going to Salmon, Idaho which is where my grandparents lived.
I ended up on the back roads that Gary was supposed to have ridden. I found them by following signs to a Flea Market. Why couldn’t he find it? Kira got to play with another dog at a garage sale house. The bugs are out so we’re sitting in the van.