My Summer Off

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2009-07-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

July 1, 2009
Now that I'm home several people have commented on the fact that I left the blog unfinished. When I got to Vitoria it was the end of riding and in my mind the end of the blog, so here's a quick summary.

Thursday June 25
I took a taxi out to the Aernnova office and visited with some of the people I've worked with. A lot of the group are off to other places, but it was fun to see the few that are still there.
That evening Santi met me after work (his not mine) and we went out for pintxos. Two of the bars are new and one has been remodeled. Thursday is a busy night; the streets and bars were full. It's nice to see that Vitoria is even more dynamic than my last visit in 2007. As usual the pinxtos were fantastic.

Friday June 26
I packed up and rode to the bus station. There wasn't any problem taking the bike on the bus, it only cost 8.5 euros. I got dropped off in Bilbao within a half mile of my hotel. After packing up the bike, I headed out around Bilbao. I spent a day there in 2007 and it's a fun city to walk around. Like Vitoria there has been and still is a lot of new construction. The only thing I knew about before visiting in 2007 was the Guggenheim, but the city is very nice in it's own right.

Saturday June 27
I left the hotel at 6AM for my long trip home. The flights were on time; my luggage and I were deposited at Seatac at 1PM.

Future
It's time to plan the next trip.

Vitoria

2009-06-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

June 24, 2009
It’s fun to be back in Vitoria. I made three week-long trips here in 2007 so I’m already familiar with the city. Vitoria has a nice pedestrian area of the new town and a nice old-town. The pintxos have been really good since Pamplona and this city is no exception. My hotel room has a balcony that fronts a pedestrian street with a dozen bars where we usually bar-hopped for dinner.

view from my balcony at Hotel Dato

The road from Lekietio was nice, but had a fair amount of traffic. I missed a back road because I couldn’t place the signed names on my map. After climbing into the mountains the road dropped down and intersected the main highway between Bilbao and San Sebastian. At the closest I was only 14 miles from Bilbao. It felt strange to be that close to where this trip started. I’ve seen so much that I test myself by trying to name every place where I’ve stayed in the last 25 days.

The route went east to Durango then got really interesting. In five kilometers it gained 500 meters (1640’). It averaged 10% grade with sections of 12%. That’s the same steepness as Alpe d’ Huez in the French Alps. I sure would’ve had a much harder time doing those grades at the beginning of the trip. It’s going to be fun to get on my 16.5 pound road bike after riding a 50+ pound bike for 24 days.

view from the climb

celebration cerveza at the top

Once at the top of the pass it was a quick and easy ride into Vitoria. I went past the industrial park where the Aernnova office is located, so I recognized the roads into town.

Tomorrow I will go to Aernnova. It will be fun to see some of the people I worked with for the past four years. I haven’t seen most of them for almost two years.

Assuming I take the bus to Bilbao it’s time for the statistics.

Distance ridden: 2254 km, 1400 miles
Average speed: 20.8 kph, 12.7 mph
Time on the bike: 108 hours
Total elevation gain: 25,803 m, 84,634 ft
Temp’s while riding: 11-39 C, 51-102 F
Frowns: quickly forgotten
Smiles: too numerous to count, but will be long remembered

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Lekeitio

2009-06-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2009
I’m getting into this slow and easy lifestyle. Today’s stop is Lekeitio which is only 22 miles along the coast from Zumaia. Let’s see, that’s less than yesterday’s mileage. At this rate I might not make it back to work. Hmmm, that sounds about right.

As opposed to the last couple of mornings, Zumaia is so small there weren’t any problems finding my way out of town. The road went inland for a bit, then back to the coast at Deba. I might have stopped there, but it was only 9 miles and I really needed to do double digit distance. Mutrika is another scenic town which looks like a working fishing village.
Ondarroa mixes a fishing port with a couple of nice beaches. Finally after a grueling day I stopped in Lekeito. The road goes inland from here to Guernika so I decided to stay on the coast and spend another afternoon at the beach.

coast road

Mutrika

Lekeitio

Tomorrow I’ll head south through mountains to Vitoria. Hopefully my legs haven’t forgotten how to pedal for an entire day. The weather is still perfect so that should help.

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Zumaia

2009-06-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

June 22, 2009
My day has been relaxing, once I was able to get out of San Sebastian. I tried taking a very narrow, very steep road west of the city, but turned back because I was afraid it would dead end. It’s another episode to blame on the map, and ultimately on me.

The coast is very scenic. I stopped for a while in Zarautz before continuing on to Zamaia. I’m only a little over 20 miles down the coast, although I rode further with my trial and error navigation method.

Zarautz

downtown Zumaia

I spent most of the afternoon at the beach just west of town. It’s in a dramatic setting wedged between slate cliffs. The weather couldn’t have been nicer today.

Itzurun beach in Zumaia

looking back at the beach from further down the coast

Tomorrow I’ll continue along the coast, maybe to Bermeo. Wednesday I’ll probably head south to Vitoria.

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San Sebastian

2009-06-22T09:33:00.001-07:00

June 21, 2009
I just got back to my hotel after watching the sun set at 9:50PM over the San Sebastian bay. I was here for a day in 2007 and the city is just as beautiful as I remember. The weather is really nice and I have high hopes for the final week.

summer solstice San Sebastian

Getting out of Pamplona was confusing since my map doesn’t show the new freeway. There were lots of cyclists out this morning and several of them gave me directions. I still wasn’t sure since there were large signs warning of road construction and suggesting alternate routes. That might have been okay if the alternate routes were on my map. While still debating what to do, a couple of cyclists came up to me. One of them could speak some English, said they were going my direction for 40 km, and that I could tag along. I could keep up without too much problem on the flats, but had to work hard on the steep climbs because of the extra weight I’m carrying. It was nice to ride with others for a change although we went faster than I would have on my own. After they turned off, I left the highway to follow very small roads through the mountains to San Sebastian. There was a very steep climb, a nice descent, a steep climb, then a descent that ended a few miles outside San Sebastian. Once again I was rescued by a local rider who showed me how to get to the downtown area. My biggest challenge has been to stay off the freeways. My map of this area is: 1) not up to date; and 2) doesn’t have the accuracy that I need in and out of the cities.

3 guys making hay, one on a tractor, the other two with wooden rakes

There are lots of tourists here. Pamplona and San Sebastian are both on the Camino de Santiago so there are lots of backpackers and hikers in town. I notice a few other Americans, but not as many as expected. Since it was Sunday there were probably more locals here than on the weekday. I expect it to be a little calmer tomorrow. Speaking of which, I have a little time cushion and am not sure how far I’ll go tomorrow. I plan on riding the coast until just before Bilbao, then heading south to Vitoria.

La Concha Beach in San Sebastian

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Pamplona

2009-06-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

June 20, 2009
I made the correct decision to stop early yesterday. The wind was still blowing today. It was recorded at 24 mph in Pamplona and definitely much stronger (low 30’s) in the hills south of here. I averaged a whopping 9.7mph over the 25 miles. It took four hours before I was in my hotel. I think I was destined to stop early yesterday, either in a hotel or curled up in the ditch.

There are still a few weeks until the Festival of San Fermin (running of the bulls) but it sounds like they’re getting an early start. A brass band has been marching around the old town all day and just came down the narrow street of my hotel. The hotel clerk warned me that the room fronting the street will be noisy. I’m pretty sure it will be louder than noisy all night.

view from my hotel balcony

The closest I got to the bulls is the big statue of bulls and runners. It could be a corny tourist attraction, but is very interesting. The kids love climbing over it also.

running of the bulls statue

Tomorrow will take me through the mountains to San Sebastian on the coast. The weather forecast is for the winds to calm to about 10mph. After the last two days I’ll believe it when I see it.

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Blown away in Tafalla

2009-06-19T10:37:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2009
I got my wish for cooler temperatures today, but at a steep price. There was a little rain (which in itself wasn’t bothersome) but the wind was fierce. No place to run, no place to hide, it had me in the sites of its gun. After 65 miles I threw in the towel, raised the white flag, and cried uncle. It’s only 20 miles to Pamplona which would have been another two hours on the bike. Tomorrow’s weather will tell me if I made the right choice. For now I’m enjoying the air conditioning and a bottle of local Navarra red wine.

I don’t think the wind is unusual since I saw hundreds of windmills today. I took a back-road first thing this morning (which unbeknownst to me climbed almost 1000 feet) up to a ridge where I counted 80 wind turbines.

some of the many wind turbines

much of the land was terraced

This is the best bull shot I've gotten so far.

I had one fun encounter this morning. I was climbing a hill a few miles out of Tudela when a serious looking biker came by me. This guy was standing up, pounding on the pedals, and didn’t even glance at me as he passed. I might not be able to speak Spanish, but I’m completely fluent in the universal language he was speaking with his bike. I dropped a few gears and chased after him. When I started gaining on him I pushed harder and came up on his rear wheel. I decided there were three options: 1) pull up alongside and say halo; 2) go around him; or 3) sit in his draft. He already showed that he wasn’t interested in talking, and I didn’t think I could ride faster than him into the head-wind, so I picked option 3. He played the perfect victim; half glancing behind to see if I was still on his wheel and repeatedly sprinting to try and drop me. We flew along for a couple of miles (including several traffic circles) before he finally put an end to it by diving off on a side street. For those few minutes my legs weren’t tired, the bike wasn’t heavy, and I wasn’t bothered by the wind. I finally had a conversation with a local where we understood each other perfectly.

As to dealing with locals in verbal conversations I’ve finally broken the code. “Hablo espanol un poco” doesn’t really mean “I only speak a little Spanish”. It means: “Please talk as fast as you can and use all the words you know.” It happens time after time, and I just stand there like a deer in the headlights. What I need to do is ask them to slowly repeat themselves, but I always think that if I listen harder I’ll be able to understand. It’s gotten better over three weeks, and I’m now confident that things would be fine after three years.

It’s strange to think about flying home a week from tomorrow. I just got here, and yet I’ve been here for long time. How do you put the genie back in the bottle?

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Lucky in Borja

2009-06-18T09:48:00.001-07:00

June 18, 2009
First things first, I’ll answer to the title. I got to Borja at 5PM after riding 103 miles. I had planned to stop in Tarazona but it’s another 15 miles so I got a room in the local hostal. Within 30 minutes a thunderstorm (that had been lurking behind me all afternoon) let loose. It’s been two hours and there are still huge rain showers, thunder, and lightning. Hence this hostal is perhaps the best place I’ve stayed in three weeks.

a few miles from Borja, the monster looms behind

30 minutes after getting to my room

A 7:30AM start was very pleasant. It was already 70F degrees so there was no suspense that the day was going to be very hot.

My riding partner was ready first thing this morning

The terrain was varied like yesterday, but drier and more open. One difference is that I rode through orchards today. They were harvesting cherries, which have been a real treat when I can find them in the supermarket.
Borja is about 2500’ lower and flatter than Molina. A lot of the day was easier because of the elevation drop, but there were enough climbs (including a bonus pass ten miles from Borja) that I gained 6000’ for the day.
At times I was on some very narrow roads in the middle of nowhere. It became an issue since I was going through water very fast. A couple of well placed villages with town faucets saved the day.

The truck drivers were cautious and courteous but I stepped off the road anyway.

Very well timed village faucet

I couldn't pass this picture up. Isn't this sign a little bit late?

All in all I feel much better today. I took it easy on the hills (like I had any choice in the matter), drank a lot, and ate regularly, including salty snacks.
Pamplona should be about 90 miles tomorrow. If I haven’t used up all my luck it might be a little cooler after this storm. The thunder is still booming in the distance but the rain has stopped. I’m not the only happy camper; my room faces the town park and I don’t think I’ve heard as much birdsong as right now.

It's 8PM. I'm hydrated, have updated the blog, and done my laundry. Now it's off to find a restaurant for food and drink.

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Molina de Aragon

2009-06-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

June 18, 2009
Everything worked out better than I expected yesterday after discovering my pump won’t work. Roberto picked me up at the hotel at 9:30 and we got to the sporting goods store just after they opened. He is from Paraguay where he worked as a police officer for 16 years. He speaks a little English, but talked to me almost entirely in Spanish. I’m not sure I totally understand why he came to Spain, but he’s been here for three years. When I offered to buy gas for his car he told me it wasn’t necessary since he’s always worked at helping others. Between his English, my Spanish, and the dictionary we were able to carry on a conversation there and back.

A funny thing happened last night as I was leaving one of the local bars. A group of 6 women were huddled around as one of them opened two bottles of wine. I think they decided to buy the bottles rather than pay for it by the glass. The one with the cork screw looked up and said something to me. I made my usual reply of “hablo espanol un poco” then added “pero vino es vida y agua es para los pescados” (but wine is life and water is for the fish). They laughed then just as I went around the corner I heard one of them say in English “I want to go with him”. She was embarrassed when I looked back around the corner but everyone had a good laugh.

I left Albarracin at noon and am now in Molina de Aragon. I am very tired although I felt good on the bike. It’s hard to manage the physical side of things in the heat. I’m never able to drink enough while on the bike and have to drink (water) like a fish when I get to the hotels. After the day off and with the late start I probably pushed harder than was wise.

Molina de Aragon

The route went through more amazing countryside: Pine and oak forested mountains; hills with green wheat in the valleys; and open dry hillsides. There was also plenty of climbing.

In the mountains

wheat growing in the valleys

Just outside Molina I met a touring cyclist. Florin is from France where he rides his bike every day as a mailman. He left Versailles ten days ago, crossed the Pyrenees, and is headed to Andalucía in southern Spain. He’s suffering from the sun and rides with long pants and long sleeved shirt. He gave me some information tomorrow’s route since I’ll be taking the same small roads. Florin makes the forth touring cyclist I’ve talked with (not including the ones I saw doing the Camino de Santiago). I did see a couple on fully loaded bikes three days ago. We passed on a very steep climb, I was going up and they were heading down. The man didn’t say anything and the woman just said halo. They seemed like they could be Dutch or German and I’m still confused why they would just ride by. I don’t think they had time to notice how bad I smell.

Tomorrow I’ll get an early start and try to make it halfway to Pamplona. It might get interesting since there aren’t that many towns in the next stretch.

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Adventure begins

2009-06-16T07:08:00.001-07:00

June 16, 2009
The word for the day was relaxation.

I climbed up to, and on the town walls. The east wall has been restored. The west wall is in original condition.

East wall, the tower at the top was the first structure, built in the 10th century.

You can walk on the restored east wall.

I took a tour of the town museum and the castle. The guide talked primarily in Spanish, but gave a few words of English for me and the Japanese tourists. It was very interesting and worth learning more about.

Albarracin with the town wall in the background.

castle tour

Since I had the afternoon free I decided to rotate my tires. I've ridden just under 1000 miles so far with no problems. When I went to pump them up I discovered that the valve end of the pump is gone. It's been a good pump, better than many I've owned. Pumps can be the bane of a cyclists existence. I've been on rides where 2 out of 3 of us had pumps that wouldn't work. Well that's fine when there are three, and that's where the adventure is about to begin.

the culprit

Teruel is a larger town about 20 miles from here. The web shows two bike shops in town. Now I'm going to try to get the hotel staff to call them, see if they have a pump, then decide how and when to get there. I am so lucky that this happened here and not in the boonies, or whatever they're called in Spain.

Update:
Roberto works at the hotel. He called the bike shops in Teruel, but they aren't open yet. He checked on the cost of a taxi and found that it would be 80 euros round trip. That's a lot, but would still be much better than taking a bus. He then offered to give me a ride there in the morning. I didn't believe he was telling me that so he wrote it down in Spanish. We're to meet at 9:30 tomorrow morning.

We'll see what happens next,but I'm very hopeful.

Laughing out Loud

2009-06-15T23:45:00.000-07:00

June 15, 2009
This was a five star, laugh out loud, serendipitous day. I now realize one of the main factors for a great day is to not be going to a major destination. I’ve really enjoyed seeing all of the cities, but on those days the riding can take a back seat to just getting there in time for sight- seeing. When I started out from Cuenca this morning I thought it would be enough to just spend the night in Albarracin. There was no pressure to get here, or thinking ahead of what I should do when here. Having said that, Albarracin is a great place and I’m going to stay here an extra day.

But beyond the freedom to take all day on the bike, every bit of the 80 miles was great riding. I left Cuenca on a bike trail along the river. The woman at the tourist office had told me that almost all of the traffic would be on another route and I only saw a handful of cars. The only thing I knew about the area around Cuenca are the weird rock formations called “ciudad encantada”. They require admission and are probably a zoo on the weekends, but were fun to see.

Ciudad Encantada

My route was through mountainous terrain all day. Some of it reminded me of Northern Arizona with pines and reddish rock cliffs. No that’s wrong, it reminded me of Spain.

Other parts were through canyons with fast flowing streams and lots of greenery.

I detoured at one point to climb several hundred feet up to a village set on the side of the hill.

I kept looking for signs to Albarracin and was curious why there weren’t any. When I finally got to my turnoff it was a very narrow path with a sign saying that the pavement was bad. The road climbed 1000 feet up and the rough pavement didn’t bother me at 6mph. The first car going my way was surprising since no cars had come by in 1 ½ hours.

It was so steep I almost fell off

There were good winds all day. I expected tailwinds going up the valleys, but it was blowing down the other side also. Just before town I met a touring cyclist headed the other direction. He’s from Madrid and it was fun to talk with him about the area.

Eduardo

Near the end of a perfect ride

Albarracin is built on a rock promontory created by the adjacent river. There isn’t any room for a modern road so it tunnels under the narrowest section of town. The uphill side was protected by a wall that arches high on the hillside above. I’ll climb up to the walls tomorrow.

Albarracin

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Cuenca

2009-06-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

June 14, 2009
I got to Cuenca by 1PM. There were strong headwinds for the first half. I saw windmills on the horizon when I left Tarancon. That usually isn't a good sign. The terrain didn't offer any break from the wind so I just had to keep going and not think about it too much. The second half was better because: it was higher and trees were growing; the wind died down; I was able to get off the freeway onto smaller roads; and I finally found a bar open for coffee. This is my third Sunday and it's more difficult because a lot of places are closed.

My room has air conditioning and wireless. At this stage it almost doesn't matter what else is in the room. The rest of the room is nice though. It's interesting since this is the first room I've had since Bilbao that has any traffic noise. Almost without exception the room have all been dead quiet at night.

There was a religious procession just ending as I got into town. I don't know what it was all about.

Religious Procession

Cuenca's old town is built on a rock promontory. Many of the houses and buildings continue straight up from the cliff sides. I think this is another day trip destination from Madrid. It wasn't very crowded this afternoon.

Cliff edge of the old town

It was bad lighting, but these are the most photographed buildings

Old town main plaza

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Hotter, I think

2009-06-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

June 13, 2009
This morning I walked to the train station to see if I could get one to Cuenca. I would’ve had to go to Madrid first, and that seemed too complicated. The bus or a rental car may have been other options, but I didn’t know where the bus station was and didn’t think about trying to rent a car. I did meet a couple of women at the train station who are just setting out on a four month self-supported (no hotels) bike tour. When I asked one of them “donde vas?” I got the same deer in the headlights look that I’m so good at giving. It turned out that they’re from New Orleans and Portland. I envy their free time, but not camping in this heat.

In any case things seem to have worked out since I’m a little over halfway to Cuenca, in a small town: Tarancon. I may have pushed things a little since the one-star hostal I’m staying at seems to be the only game in town. But then again one room is all I need.

After walking to the train station I made sure to be at the Toledo Cathedral at opening time: 10AM. It’s another impressive building, and it’s beyond my comprehension how they could build those massive structures almost 800 years ago. A guided tour seems like the only way to do it justice. I tried to take my time, but in the back of my mind was the fact that it was already very warm and getting hotter.

View of Toledo and the Roman Bridge

Banners are hung above the streets for shade

Setting off at 11AM it was already 91F degrees. I use whatever units are handy and it’s just not as impressive to say that it was 33C. That reminds me that this is the kind of heat I will look back on next winter when I’m commuting in 33F weather, or maybe 0 degrees C.

I very efficiently found the wrong road out of town. It wasn‘t a severe mistake, and only added a few kilometers to my route. In my defense it was one of the rare times when the signs weren’t obvious. Almost all the other times they’ve been very easy to follow.

It was hot today and I made sure to make the most of the heat by riding until 5PM. Most of the road was new blacktop which seemed to be a couple of degrees C warmer than the aged grey roads. My bike computer read 40C (in my shadow) on the new sections and 38C on grey asphalt that looked to be a couple of years old.

More open wheatlands

This evening in Tarancon it has definitely cooled down. The sky is overcast and thunderheads have formed. At 8PM the outside temperature is a cool 82F. I saw something on TV that looked like Toledo may have reached 40C.

With an early start tomorrow I might be able to finish before things heat up. I’m not sure what idiot planned my original itinerary with a 115 mile day from Toledo to Cuenca. It must have been someone that thought a few inches on the map couldn’t amount to much. They were probably sitting in the comfort of their living room and lost sight of what is really practical. In light of this failure I’ll have to double check what other tricks might be in store.

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Comments

2009-06-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Since I don't want to leave this air conditioned bar, here are answers to most of the comments. I enjoy reading them all.

Chris, does D3 really pay you overtime for 33 hours in a week?

Amane, All meals are better if you ride a bike far enough.

Brendan, there is life over the fence. All I ask is when they haul me back to my cubicle, that you'll have my glove and baseball ready like Steve McQueen in Great Escape.

Alberto, I realized when I was in Zamora that it was really stupid not to have gotten your recommendations before leaving for this trip. However I do think Zamora is an unknown secret and I'm glad to have stopped there.

Tania, I still don't know what a "big head of salt" is. It doesn't make any more sense in English.

Steve, let me know when you're ready for the Camino de Santiago. Also I hope that all of the hills will keep the bad kind of flats from happening.

Steve P, all my plane spotting data is on my secret blog. You know the one.

Jani, I have a thousand places in Spain I want to share with you. Next time.

Well it's time for dinner (10PM). So until next time this is your loyal correspondant in Espana.

Officially Hot

2009-06-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

June 12, 2009
I made it 87 miles to Toledo. I now know that “Holy Toledo” applies to the temperature. If today doesn’t qualify as hot; I’m in trouble.

I left Avila at sunrise. The light on the city walls was beautiful, and the only other things moving were hundreds of swifts.

The town wall at sunrise.

Requisite shadow rider photo

The road climbed up to open range land, dropped into oak woodlands, then climbed up to pine forests. The landscape reminded me of California. It’s amazing how many different types of countryside there are in Spain.

California?

About 50 miles from Avila the hills ended and I was back into rolling hills of wheat. Some of the fields were being harvested as I rode by. This area looked very much like eastern Washington.

I was comfortable in the shade.

The road got much busier the closer I got to Toledo. Once in the city, it took me awhile to find a hotel. The Old Town is a veritable rat maze of narrow streets, and they can be very steep. This is the hardest city to find my way around. I didn’t know at first, but my hotel is in a good central location. Better than that, the air conditioning that just turned on at 7PM.

I’ll stay here until noon tomorrow. The Cathedral was closed by the time I got here today. It should already be hot (or really hot) when I leave tomorrow; my plan is to only ride about 40 miles. That way it should only be about 65 miles to Cuenca.

My room is just beginning to cool down. I’d better go out before it gets too comfortable.

I'm in an internet bar and checked the weather for Toledo. At 8:30PM it's 93 degrees and reached a high of 99 degrees (37.2C) today. I think that qualifies as hot, and it will be fine with me if it doesn't get any hotter. I don't feel bad about riding 87 miles in that heat.

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Avila

2009-06-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

June 11, 2009

I never know when talking with people will be productive. There’s a shared frustration in most conversations, especially if people are busy doing their jobs. Three conversations have stood out in the past couple of days.

The first was with a woman running a fruit store in Segovia. She has an autographed photo of Pedro Delgado (winner of the Tour de France) in her store and told me he’s from Segovia. We talked about Spanish bike racers and her son who works in Boston. Second was when I checked out of the Segovia hotel and the owner asked me about my trip. I was able to tell him where I’ve been and where I’m headed. Then this afternoon in Avila I met two Argentinean tourists and we talked for quite awhile. They didn’t speak English and were very patient in dealing with my limited Spanish. Neither of these encounters lasted very long, but they’re a big part of why I’m here and what I’ll remember.

I left early this morning for the 20 miles climb up to a 6100’ pass. I wanted to make use of the cool morning. Shortly after leaving Segovia the road was in forest, first oak, then through pines. I only saw one other cyclist on the way up, but at the top there were dozens of cyclists. On my descent from the pass there must have been a hundred cyclists. Luckily I hadn’t climbed up that side or I’d have pushed harder than would be prudent.

Climb to Navacerrada Pass

I descended past the town of El Escorial and started up another climb. This time there were a few cyclists that passed by. They were going quite a bit faster so I could let them go. This climb started in Oak woodlands and soon climbed into open and dry country. I had asked a local about the climb and had been warned that there were very many motorcyclists. Since this is Thursday it seems like people should have been at work, but it looked like all of Madrid was out for a ride; even a couple of motorcycle cops came roaring past.

I let these two get away

Once on top (of the second pass of the day) the terrain was constant hills. They weren’t as long as the climb up the pass, but kept going and going. It was warm (I’m still saving the word hot for later) and not too windy so I made good time.

I’m starting to expect these towns to be located on top of the local hill. As fortress towns that only made sense, and Avila is no exception. It’s another elegant town with the distinction that it has a continuous wall around the old town. I made a tour of the wall; now it’s 9PM time for
dinner.

Outside the town wall. Swifts have been in every town.

Inside the town

Storks are nesting on every spire

Well I just had the worst (possibly first bad) meal in Spain. The last two dinners were at the hotel in Segovia. They were good as well as cheap (9 euros). Wine came with the meal and I don’t mean a glass of wine; they put a full bottle on the table. I must have pushed my luck because this Avila hotel dinner was on a par with dorm food. In a country full of fresh vegetables they just served up instant mashed potatoes, canned peas and beans. As bad as that sounds, the ambience more than makes up for the poor meal. I’m sitting outside my hotel in a small plaza. At 10PM it’s still light and warm out. The locals are all around having their drinks, the swifts are doing excellent imitations of Star Wars fighters through the narrow streets, and best of all I can have another glass of good and cheap (there’s that word again) house red wine. So don’t weep for me; I’ll get through somehow.

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Tomorrow I head east to Toledo. It’s supposed to be in the low 90’s. If I’m lucky there won’t be too much climbing and the winds will be favorable. I’ll have to keep in mind that this is the weather that I wanted when it was pouring rain.

Into the Heartland

2009-06-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

June 7, 2009

It was a rough day of riding.

The day started out well. It was easy to get out of Leon and onto lightly traveled roads. The morning was very quiet and fairly calm, but I was apprehensive since the weather forecast was for moderately strong winds out of the southwest. The first forty miles were generally to the southeast with side winds through some scenic farming country.

This area of Spain is known as the meseta. It’s at about 2500’ and reputedly very flat. I had been wondering if it would be boring to ride through. I shouldn’t have worried since I enjoyed riding across Kansas. On a bicycle there’s more to look at, and listen to, than in a car. There are also many more hills than you would notice in your car. It wasn’t hilly, but it wasn’t dead flat either.

somewhere in kansas?

The last 30 miles were directly into a strong headwind. At times I couldn’t maintain 10mph, even on slight downhill sections. The wind was so demanding that it was hard to focus on anything else and I would forget that I was riding in a different country. If I’d been going the other direction my outlook would have been 180 degrees opposite.

I arrived in Zamora after 91 miles and a full 9to5 day on the bike. It’s an interesting town and not as touristy as Leon. The only other English speaking person I talked with was a Japanese tourist who was really happy when he found out I speak English. He said it was unbelievable that he finally found another English speaker. His luck ran out when I told him that I don’t live in Zamora and couldn’t help.

There weren’t too many places to stay in Zamora. Luckily happened on a good hostal (not hostel). Hostals are like a guest house and usually located above other businesses. The owner was very nice. She spoke to me in Spanish at first, because I was trying to speak the language. Then later she spoke with me in English. She was curious about my thoughts on Obama and I told her that it’s nice to travel without being embarrassed by my president. After giving me a beer the owner offered to do my laundry. No hotel has done that for me, but she does it for all guests.

typical rural town with cathedral and castle ruins

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June 8, 2009

It was a rough day of riding.

The weather forecast was for rain today, so I was pleasantly surprised to see some blue sky in the hotel courtyard. It was a nasty trick; I didn’t get past the city limits before the rain was bucketing down. At least the wind was mostly from the side. If it had been yesterday’s winds combined with today’s rain; it would have been brutal. There were just a few brief letups in the rain for the 4 hours it took me to get to Salamanca. Pouring rain and 50 degree weather are not what I expected, although last week was very hot and that wouldn’t be a picnic either.

Salamanca has a lot to see. I’m pretty worn out and seriously thinking about taking tomorrow off. It would be a lot better sightseeing with a fresher outlook.

Salamanca

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June 9, 2009

This has been a spectacular day, and I don’t feel the least bit guilty. After the last two days I deserved a break.

The pension in Salamanca wasn’t bad for a night, but I didn’t want to stay longer. My plan was to find another hotel for a second night in Salamanca, but the wind was still blowing, and in the direction of Segovia. I wanted to take advantage of my earnings and blew out of town. A tailwind is to a cyclist what spinach was to Popeye. Two days ago it was hard work to go 10 mph, today I could cruise along at almost 25 mph. I’ll gladly pay two headwinds (when I get home) for every tailwind in Spain.

flying with the wind at my back

After climbing a little from Salamanca the terrain was very flat for miles and miles. It was a lot like Kansas, except that instead of grain elevators visible on the horizon, there were cathedrals (in every town) visible for miles.

every town had a cathedral

My mood was so much better; I felt like a character in some corny Disney movie. At any moment the birds were going to land on my hands and sing to me. What a change, I used the same swear words for the wind, but in different ways. Instead of “#$%^& wind” it was “this is a #$%^& fantastic wind”.

As I flew through one town I heard school kids yelling at me. I didn’t understand anything more than “camisa” and “amarillo”. I was wearing my yellow-colored jersey. They were referring to the Tour de France; not a true comparison but I’ll take it just the same.

The tailwinds stayed with me for almost 90 miles. The last 11 were a little slow, but nothing like two days ago. It’s a beautiful approach to Segovia from the west and I knew instantly that this was the town/city where I should take a rest day. It’s much smaller than Salamanca and is in a much nicer setting. There are still a lot of college students running around, but not as many other foreign tourists. I don’t know what makes the other tourists think they can come to the same place I do. It’s especially aggravating if they’re Americans. What gives them the right to be in Spain while I’m here?

Pines started appearing as i got closer to Segovia

I spent some time trying to get a wireless connection in bars and only ended up drinking beer. The computer is frustrating although beer helps to dull the pain. Tomorrow I’ll drink more canas (schooners) and vino tintos (house red wine) in the pursuit of web posting.

Hasta luego.

June 10, 2009

It’s been a relaxing day with one exception; I can’t get connected up to wireless. The laptop will act like it’s hooked-up, then give a no connection warning. I didn’t want to become a slave to the technology, but here I am. So these entries might not be posted for awhile.

I went out at 8AM to find my typical breakfast: coffee and a croissant. Things were still fairly quiet. After collecting things from my room I set out on the bike. The city was crawling with tourists. They must come here for the day from Madrid.

The bike let me get to the fringes of the city away from the crowds. I explored the Aqueduct up the hill to where it ends. From there I rode to the edge of town to understand how to get out in the morning.

2000 years old and built without mortar

Segovia Cathedral

I also visited La Iglesia de la Vera Cruz (the church of the true cross) which was built by the Knights Templar in the early 13th century to hold a sliver of the cross. It’s a small church (since it only had to hold the Knights) and fairly plain. Quite a difference from the big cathedrals.

Church of the true cross

carvings next to entrance

Tomorrow’s route to Avila will take me across the Sierra de Guadaramas which are northwest of Madrid. It’s really close to Madrid so I hope the traffic won’t be too heavy. For the most part my routes have been secondary to major freeways.

June 11,2009

I just got to Avila. Another fantastic day of riding. 76 miles with 7800' gain over 3 passes. More to come, including pictures. Now it's time for a shower then cerveza, or wine, or both.

Leon

2009-06-06T11:41:00.000-07:00

June 6, 2009
The good news is that I’m conserving sunscreen. Today makes it even, three days of sunny riding, and three days of riding in the rain. Having said that it rained, I don’t want to anger the weather gods; it only rained for the last 20 kilometers into Leon. The forecast is for more rain and it’s a sure bet that things can be a lot worse. Rest assured that it will have to be a really wet day in Spain before a dry cubicle at Boeing is more appealing.

Last night I watched the fights on television (with the locals) in the hotel bar. It was like any other sporting event except that this was man against bull. I was apprehensive about watching although I’m glad to have stuck around. It was a little gory with blood streaming off the bull’s shoulders, but the final blow didn’t seem that traumatic, to me anyway. I was impressed with how still the matador stood as the bull passed within inches of his back. The beef that makes it to Safeway’s meat counter may come from cattle that have been abused more than the bull. I don’t want to sermonize or romanticize, just comment.

View from my hotel room

Today’s ride was an enjoyable 57 miles. Even the rain was bearable since the temperature was about 60 degrees. Of course there was plenty of uphill in what seemed like it should have been a flat or downhill day. The lesson for me, should be to treat every day with respect.

Poppies are in bloom

Temporary shelter from the storm

The road I took into the city led directly to the main tourist area near the Cathedral. The tourist office recommended checking at a local college dormitory. The room has its own bath, wireless internet, and breakfast for 20 euros. It may get interesting later tonight since there are still enough (i.e.- more than one) students to make an unholy racket.

The Leon Cathedral has the most amazing stained glass I’ve ever seen. It is even more impressive than the cathedral in Paris across from Notre Dame. There are lots of tourists here. I’ve heard a few English-speaking people for the first time in a week. Once again I am on the Camino Santiago and there are lots of people with backpacks or bikes doing the route to Santiago de Compostela. It looks like another reason to return, like I don’t already have enough reasons.

Leon Cathedral

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Tomorrow may be challenging getting out of the city and to Zamora. I should be ready for a full day since it looks to be about 90 miles. The furthest day to this point was 77 miles.

If anyone knows why my pictures are sideways (operator error isn't a satisfactory answer) leave me a comment.

Into the twilight

2009-06-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

June 5, 2009
This has been another interesting day. The weather held off just long enough for me to reach the top of a pass I had to cross. It then got worse and worse until I decided to stop early and outwait the rain. So far it’s not playing along.

I was lucky that it was not raining this morning. The road south of Cangas follows the river Sella almost 30 miles to its source at the 4200’ Puerto (Pass) del Ponton. The air was very humid from the rain that fell overnight. That combined with the lush vegetation and bird songs made the river valley seem like it could be in Western Washington. There were even slugs in the road. Not little slugs; these were big, black, shiny ones that would make any Northwestern person proud.

The Pueblos Blancos in Andalucia are scenic, but I like all the colors in Asturias

The middle section of valley was through a very narrow gorge (Desfiladero de los Beyos). The road is cut from the sides of the cliffs which are so steep that the only views of the river are from the many bridges that cross the chasm. It was a very narrow road, but luckily there wasn’t much traffic and all the drivers were patient in waiting to pass.

Through the Gorge

The upper section of valley opened up into more pasture lands. The road also steepened up for the final climb. The pass was almost into the clouds. Just like yesterday, I’m sure the sights are amazing on a clear day. I expected that the weather would be better on the south side of the pass, but there were big squalls visible.

Village near the top of the valley

It was only 9 miles downhill to the next town, but the rain was through taking it easy. I sheltered in a bar in Riano and had a cup of coffee. The rain didn’t let up so I ducked in another bar for a second coffee. The weather seemed a little better, then let loose again just as I was leaving town. I couldn’t motivate myself to spend a few hours in pouring rain and thus am in Riano for the night.

Riano is a really odd town. At first glance everything seems okay. It’s in a beautiful setting, on a lake and surrounded by mountain peaks. All of the buildings are new, but on closer inspection there’s almost no one living or staying here. It looks like a planned resort/retirement town that didn’t really work out. I keep expecting Rod Serling to step out from a doorway and explain that I have entered the twilight zone and won’t be leaving. There are two young girls playing in the hotel. If they float along the hallway or disappear through a wall then my doubts will be confirmed. In any case I won’t be following them. All joking aside, any port in a storm will do just fine. The rain showers have continued and there has been thunder and lightning this afternoon.

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Tomorrow should be a fairly short ride to Leon. I had hoped to spend another day in the Picos, but they’ll still be here for a future trip.

The Picos have piqued my interest

2009-06-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

June 3
I can see that it would be a mistake to use up all my adjectives this early in the trip. Hot, hotter, and hottest are safe bets to make their true appearances later. So in that spirit I’ll have to downgrade what felt hot, to comfortably warm. I’m confident that describing the scenery of the Picos de Europa as majestic will hold up over the next few weeks, but I’ll have to wait before anointing any one day as the best scenery of the trip.
Now that the disclaimers are out of the way; it was a warm and beautiful day. I left Comillas at 7:30 when it was still very quiet. My freelancing along the coastal roads allowed me to see a little more of the countryside than I had planned. I wasn’t lost; I knew I was still in Spain. The next town from Comillas is San Vicente de la Barquera. It’s a pretty town, but a little too touristy. Shortly after leaving the town I headed inland, then along the northern edge of the Picos. The road follows a river upstream, has great asphalt, very little traffic, and on this day a great tailwind. It felt good to move along at a reasonable pace, but all things even out in the long run. Shortly after leaving the river I saw a road high above me and wondered where it was headed. Won’t I ever learn? It was my road up there in the sky. A worthy climb to a pass and an even worthier descent to Cangas de Onis.

"Flat" coastal roads

Great road into the Picos

Tomorrow I’ll leave the panniers at the hotel and do a ride that Alberto (from work) told me is a classic. The road climbs from Cangas to Covadonga which is famous for being the site of a battle that started the Christian reconquista of Spain in the year 718. My focus is the climb from there up to two lakes.
The weather forecast is for rain and possible thundershowers. The hills around Cangas are already covered by clouds so I hope it won’t be too bad in the morning.

Roman bridge in Cangas de Onis

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June 4, 2009
I’m finally starting to settle into the Spanish schedule. A nap and snack in the afternoon make it bearable waiting until 9PM for dinner. That’s my bedtime (or later) in Everett. Early to bed may make Jack healthy and wise, but in Spain it will make Gary very very hungry in the morning. So I stayed up and had a local Asturian dish, fabada (bean and chorizo stew) and roasted pork ribs.
It was nice to sleep later this morning, knowing that I’d be in town for one more night. My hotel was not that great, but fortunately they only had a room for one night. It didn’t take long to find another hotel and this time I upgraded from two stars to three.
After moving my stuff around the corner I set out for the mountains. The clouds were low in the valley and rain looked likely. It didn’t take long for the road to start climbing into the clouds. For the most part it was just a heavy mist, but there were several rain showers that made me question going to the top. The saving factor was that it was still about 60 degrees and I had extra clothing for the descent. Visibility was no more than 10 meters, but at my slow pace I wasn’t going to slam into any of the many cows in the road. They wouldn’t move so I rode right between them. They’re harmless….right?

My good friends

The climb was a steady 10% grade topping out at almost 4000’. The fog didn’t let up and I couldn’t see anything. It was amusing to see all the viewpoint signs pointing at nothing. Doubts were creeping into my mind about being able to descend safely on a (rain and cow-crap slickened) narrow road in a blinding fog. I thought seriously about asking one of the tour vans if they would give me a ride down the mountain, but after putting on my warm clothing I noticed that the sky was much brighter. Not only did it get brighter, the clouds opened up to give me glimpses of the surrounding peaks. When I started down it was amazing to see what I’d ridden past. Unfortunately it didn’t last. A few hundred feet lower and it was back to the pea soup. I made sure to keep the speed down and at times could follow cars which I hoped would act as cow catchers.

The fog clears

This sheep herding dog picture is for you, Jani

Can you spot the cows?

This afternoon has been leisurely. I’m sitting in a café, drinking Rioja as I write this account on my laptop. It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
I’m not sure where I’ll end up tomorrow. If the weather is okay I plan to circle around the south side of the Picos to Potes. If the weather is bad I may decide to go straight to Leon. From what I’ve seen the rain in Spain falls mainly on the mountains.

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Over the mountains to the beach

2009-06-03T11:17:00.000-07:00

Tuesday June 2nd
This was a hard but rewarding day. When I got up this morning there was no one to be found in the hostel, but (as promised) they had left breakfast for me in the dining room. I stopped in town at a farmer’s market and bought some cherries and carrots. Vegetables and fruit aren’t part of the normal bar menu so I’ll have to grab them when I can.
The ride started through grasslands and Oak woodlands similar to California. It was a beautiful morning in the low 50’s, sunny, with only the sounds of birds to keep me company. After 40 km I turned west along the shores of lake that is at the top of the Rio Ebro, which eventually empties into the Mediterranean near Barcelona. The countryside along the lake was open grassland with the snow-covered Picos de Europa as a backdrop. It reminded me of Colorado.
West of of Reinosa I talked with a passing cyclist who told me about my route. He said there wasn’t much traffic on the climb up to Puerto de palumbra, but the descent had muchas curvas and muchas vacas (cows). It was an outstanding climb, all above treeline accompanied by the windchime sounds of cowbells. As warned the descent was very curvy and there were cows in the road. I’m still not very comfortable descending on this bike (with the extra weight of panniers) and the thought of hitting a cow made me extra cautious. Even when there weren’t any cows visible there were huge pee and crap stains in the road to remind me of their potential presence.

One thing worth mentioning is how much I like kilometers/hour and how much I dislike climbing in meters. I feel 1.6 times better in kph, and 1/3 as good when climbing in m/min. Maybe I'll see if my computer will measure mm/min.
I descended 4000’ over about 20 miles to the town of Cabezon de la Sal (head of the salt?) from where I thought it would be an easy 10 miles to Comillas on the coast. The good and bad thing about going places is that you get to add the third dimension (verticality) to maps. Whereas I had imagined one long interrupted descent to the ocean, there was a large pesky hill in the way. Oh well, I know this will happen and the only uncertainty is where and when the topography will reach out and slap me upside the head.

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Comillas is a very nice coastal resort town and also happens to be on the Camino de Santiago. Not the same route as last night, but a more northern coastal route. There seem to be a fair number of people in town and I only found a hotel on the third try. The hotel reminds me of Faulty Towers in the best sense. There is none of the fumbling/bumbling, but they are very, very anxious to please. I decided to have dinner at the hotel since it’s a set menu and they start serving at 8Pm which is an hour earlier than usual. I was the only one in the restaurant and in a remarkable coincidence they put Bob Marley on the stereo. It was probably the only English speaking singer they had. The waiter and manager were constantly walking by to make sure that my every need was met. It was the first real dinner I’ve had in Spain and I really appreciate all of their concern and attention.

Comillas

Tomorrow “should” be an easier day along the coast then inland to Cangas de Onis. Stayed tuned for stories about how the coastal roads aren’t flat.

Espinosa de los monteros

2009-06-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

June 1st

Today I had an interesting time trying to find my way out of Bilbao. I didn't leave the hotel until 10AM which was a couple of hours later than planned. After several false starts I found the road I wanted, but it didn't want me as it was signed for no cyclists. There were side roads up the same valley so I got off at the next exit. Still wondering what to do I saw another cyclist ahead. I caught up to him and asked if he could help me. We didn't get very far (because of my lack of comprehension) before stopping to look at my maps. His name was Alejandro and he was out for a morning ride from Bilbao. He gave me directions then rode with me for an hour. Our routes diverged at a point where I'd been planning on heading higher into the mountains. Fortunately he told me to take the low road because even it had some hills that were up to 9% grade.

I had lunch in a beautiful little town, Balmaseda. Alejandro told me (or I should say that I'm pretty sure he told me) that this valley is on one of the many pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Campostela.

I'm spending the night at a youth hostel near Espinosa de los monteros. There is only one other person here for the night so I get a six person room to myself. It costs 13 euros which will leave me plenty of money tonight for cervesa and vino tinto.

Tomorrow had better be an earlier start since it will be much further to Comillas on the coast. I don't think it was all that hot, but it felt warm enough climbing in the sun which is another reason for an earlier start.

This is a map of my route except I was able to stay on smaller roads.

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Clicking above will open the page on google maps.

Balmaseda

Near Villanueva de Mena

Espinosa de los Monteros

Bilbao

2009-05-31T12:37:00.001-07:00

Saturday May 30th
I'm at Seatac waiting for my flight to Frankfurt with feelings reminiscent of starting my ride three years ago. This day has taken forever to get here and at the same time has arrived instantly. In a few days I hope to relive another feeling I experienced riding cross-country; laughing out loud at the sheer joy of living out another dream.

Sunday May 31st
Well this is it, I'm here. The flights went smoothly and I arrived in Bilbao at 1PM. My baggage wasn't showing up and it started to feel like one of the Boeing trips through Bilbao when my suitcase didn't find me for four days. An airport worker finally came over to tell me and a few other lost souls that the international baggage came out on a different carousel. Sure enough both bags were there going around in circles.

I'm staying in the same hotel that I used in 2007. It's nice to have something familiar, and I have one less worry since they will keep my bike case until I come back on the 26th.

After assembling my bike and doing a short test ride I spent a few hours walking around the city near my hotel. It's Sunday so the shops are closed, but like the other European cities I've visited, the streets are filled with people of all ages. Torturing locals with incomprehensible Spanish is one of my goals and I got started right away. Some of them are very receptive while others (some bartenders) are too busy to teach me remedial language skills. Oh well, it should only get better from this day forward and no one has laughed at me.......yet. I alternate between feelings of "oh no what have I done" to "four weeks won't be long enough and we should just move here."

Preparation

2009-05-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

In my usual fashion I have obsessed, fretted, and worried every imaginable detail and won't stop until the rubber hits the road. The plan is to stay in hotels which means the bike will be heavy, but much lighter than self-contained touring. As I mentioned before, the bike is new, and specially built for travel. It is a normal steel road bike (Rodrigues Rainier from R&E cycles) with couplings that allow the frame to be split into two parts. It fits in a suitcase 10x26x26 inches which is right at the limit of what airlines will carry without extra charges.

Bike ready to be packed

Packed

Ready for the airplane

Most of my gear consists of clothing for on and off the bike. I'm also well stocked with electronics: Ipod, camera, and mini laptop (netbook). Hopefully these devices will help me enjoy the journey instead of taking it for me.

I did a shakedown trip a few weekends ago, riding from home through Arlington and LaConner to Deception Pass State Park for the night. The next day I completed the loop down Whidbey Island to the Mukilteo ferry. It was a very valuable trip because I finally decided against taking camping gear, and was also reminded that patience is the most valuable asset for touring. Strength and impatience are no match for weakness with lots of patience. Something about aspiring to be the tortoise instead of the hare. Anyone who's ridden with me knows that I almost never identify with the slow and steady philosophy, but there is no denying F=ma when dealing with a large mass.

About to get a lesson in patience the hard way

LaConner Bridge

Ebey's Landing on Whidbey Island

One of the attractions of touring Spain is the opportunity to improve my rudimentary Spanish. I have been studying in my spare time. Four weeks on my own should really help force me speak Spanish. I'm a little apprehensive which is a good indication that this trip is pushing my boundaries.

Not the Whole Summer This Time

2009-05-26T18:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd finished this blog three years ago, but once again it seems like the easiest way to keep in touch during an extended trip. Last time it was Jani, Kira, and I going across the US in 12 weeks. This time it will be me, bicycling in Spain, for four weeks.

Bike touring in Europe has been a dream for awhile. One dream among many others. What put Spain atop the list were the three separate trips I took there in 2007. Boeing was working with a company in Vitoria (northern Spain) and I was lucky enough to go there for design reviews. I also managed to add side-trips to Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao and San Sebastian. Seeing some of the country made me want to see more. One trip always seems to beget three more.

I spent a lot of time two rainy Christmas' ago staring at maps, planning a large loop around Northern Spain, going close but not too close to Madrid. I found that most of the cities I wanted to visit could be combined in a 1500 mile trip starting on the north coast in Bilbao. Bilbao is a large city, but not nearly as intimidating as Madrid. From there I will head east to the Picos de Europa, a small but significant mountain range near the coast. Hopefully the weather will be good and I'll be able to spend several days in and around the mountains. After that my route will go between cities that I've wanted to visit: Leon, Zamora, Salamanca, Segovia, Avila, Toledo, Cuenca, Pamplona, San Sebastian, and back to Bilbao.

I need to give credit to my brother for helping kick me in the butt, even if it was unintentional. Last fall I was still talking about cycling in Spain even though I'd done nothing to make it happen. His reply was, "Is this the same trip you were talking about last year?" I didn't want to let another year go by and decided to finally make it come true. Buying a special bike that fits in a suitcase for airline travel gave me even more incentive. It will never pay for itself (unless the airlines start charging much more than $100 to carry regular size bikes) but I'll have fun trying to justify the bike.

Trip Details:
I leave on May 30th, arrive in Bilbao on the 31st, and start cycling on June 1st. The route should require about 19 days of cycling, leaving me with seven days off whenever and wherever needed. I need to be back in Bilbao on June 26th for my flight home on the 27th. I also want to leave a day open for visiting the people I've worked with in Vitoria.

Here is my route:

Finished

2006-08-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

This is the final Blog entry. Thanks for all the comments. We enjoyed reading and took support from all of them. I leave with a quotation attributed to Mark Twain:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines sail away from the safe harbor catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Thanks,
Gary and Jani

Friday August 18th thru Thursday August 24th
We spent Friday morning driving around the Lancaster area. The Amish have beautiful farms. It’s fun to get a glimpse of how they live but I feel a little guilty, like a Peeping Tom staring through the bedroom window. They have many things for sale: vegetables; prepared foods; quilts; and furniture. Hopefully they make a decent return for having so many people watching them. In the afternoon we drove west and spent the night at a freeway rest stop somewhere in the middle of Ohio.
Saturday we drove all day and spent the night outside Rochester, Minnesota. The miles were drawn out by having to stop at all the toll booths especially around Chicago.
Sunday was another all day drive to Badlands National Park southeast of Rapid City, South Dakota. We were tired from 2 ½ days of driving but satisfied at having finished over half of the homeward journey.
Monday morning we toured the Badlands. I have some memories from when I was there in 1964 and the return visit didn’t disappoint. We have a much better appreciation for that kind of scenery from having visited Death Valley several times. In the afternoon we continued on to Mt. Rushmore, another place I last saw 42 years ago. It was impressive to see the mountain especially since we had visited the homes Washington and Jefferson, and the birthplace of Lincoln. The ½ mile loop trail at the base got away from the crowds and gave really interesting perspectives of the statue. We got a campsite at a Forest Service Campground just down the hill from Rushmore which was convenient since we returned later that evening to see the illumination ceremony. The lighting of the heads was impressive against the black sky.

The Badlands

Mount Rushmore

Tuesday morning we took a 1.5 hour underground tour of Jewel Cave National Monument. The cave is the second longest in the world with over 135 miles of mapped passageways of which we traveled a half mile. It’s a limestone cavern with fascinating crystal formations. I’m a little claustrophobic but wasn’t bothered since the passageways are large enough to walk through. After the cave we continued on to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. It also compared very well with my childhood memories. There were quite a few people at the visitor’s center but we got away from all but a few by hiking around the base of the tower.
Wednesday we drove to Missoula then home on Thursday.

Devils Tower

I’m in the process of catching up on everything after being gone for ten weeks but still hope to make good use of my remaining time off.

August 17

2006-08-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

Sunday August 13th thru Thursday August 17th
We visited Colonial Williamsburg on Sunday then drove toward Washington DC. On Monday we visited Jani’s sister in-law Natalie (her brother is in Texas on business) and ended up staying with her for three nights. After finding a kennel for Kira we toured Mount Vernon. That evening Natalie took us into Georgetown for dinner and a walk around the town.
We spent Tuesday and Wednesday touring the museums and memorials in DC. There is so much to see in the museums. It would take a lifetime to see everything but it was fun to see the American History, Natural History, Air and Space, American Indian Museum, and the National Gallery. We also toured the Capitol Building and the National Archives.
Thursday we drove north to Lancaster in the Pennsylvania Dutch country. We’ll spend today looking around then head west. I think our next goal is to see the sites in western South Dakota.

LOOKING BACK

2006-08-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

It will take a while for the trip to sink in but we already know that this has been a life defining trip. Now that the riding is over it’s time to think about what worked and what didn’t work.

THE ROUTE
I’m really pleased with the Transam Route. One of the biggest reasons I chose it is because it went to areas that I hadn’t seen or wanted to see again. All of these panned out. It was fun to visit family/friends in Salem Oregon, Jackson Wyoming, Godfrey Illinois, and Alexandria Virginia. We enjoyed following the paths of Lewis and Clark, and the Nez Perce. We learned about Abraham Lincoln, Stonewall Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington by visiting their homes. We gave identity to the places that were new to us: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Virginia. To steal from the author Beryl Markham, those states had just been different splotches of color on the US map. Now they have entire identities in our minds. If not for this trip I don’t think we’d ever have visited some of them. We may never go back but we won’t forget either.
I’m also convinced that riding from West to East was the correct decision. I couldn’t have relaxed enough to enjoy sightseeing if we had started in the East. The only thing on my mind would have been to start riding. The other thing it did was gradually take us from the known to unknown. Ocean Park has been a part of my life from my first memories. As we went west we gradually went further and further away from what we know. Even Colorado looked somewhat familiar but Kansas was new and places in the Appalachians felt like a different country.

THE LOGISTICS
Our gear has been superb. There are very few things that we haven’t used. The only thing I can think of is cold weather clothing and we may still get a chance for that.
The Eurovan has been the perfect vehicle. We’re able to be completely self-sufficient for several days at a time in a vehicle that’s been easy for Jani to drive and gets 20-22 miles per gallon. Lots of people have been curious about the van in campgrounds. I suppose it does look kind of unique (funny) with the roof extended but is surprisingly comfortable. It really has been home except for the days when it was too hot. Even though we enjoyed having air conditioned motel rooms it was always a relief when we could get back to camping in the van. We’ve worked out a really good system with the van. Everything has a place and everything’s in it’s place. It makes us (well maybe me more than Jani) look forward to future trips in the van.
The bike worked great. I’m glad to have replaced most of the parts before leaving. I’m also glad that I was lucky enough to not need most of the spare parts that I brought. The only thing I’d have done differently would be to use a lower gear. Obviously I was able to ride with the gearing I had but it did test me at times.

BEST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP

FRIENDLY PEOPLE
I enjoyed people who’d say hi or wave to me from their front porch when I cycled past. We enjoyed people who would stop whatever they were doing just to talk with us. We enjoyed the fact that people would go out of their way to help like the man in Sonora, Kentucky who walked across a park to find out what the problem Jani was having, then helped give Kira her medicine.

WILDLIFE
We really enjoyed the birds. There were ones new to us: Scissor Tailed Flycatchers, Black Vultures, Saw Whet Owls, and Wild Turkeys. Others that we’ve seen before but still enjoy are: Cardinals, Mourning Doves, and Rufous Hummingbirds.
New animals included: badgers, woodchucks, turtles on the road, and armadillos. Old favorites were: Bison, Pronghorn, and Elk.
The insects were impressive for their noise (Cicadas), for glowing at night (Lightning Bugs), and for being larger and heavier than any flying bug has a right to be (huge flying beetles which constantly hit me in the face while riding).

FINDING THAT RURAL AMERICA STILL EXISTS
I think we all want to believe that there are still places untainted by the hustle and bustle of city life; places where the words road and rage exist but not in the same sentence; places where people don’t lock their doors then look at you like you’ve insulted them if you lock your car door; and places where the pace of life is slow enough to enjoy the little things like just sitting in front of the town courthouse. I loved stopping at General Stores with wood floors; you have the feeling that if they don’t have it you can probably do without. A large part of our route felt like we weren’t just traveling east but also back in time.

GREAT CYCLING
Every state had great cycling. They all offered different things. Kansas showed me that flat can be fun. Colorado showed me that I can ride my bike at elevations higher than all but two of the mountains in Washington. Missouri showed me that the Ozarks are worth visiting. The Appalachians helped teach me humility about small but steep mountains.

WORST THINGS ABOUT THE TRIP

BAD DRIVERS
This has to be at the top of the list since at worst it is a matter of life or death, and at the least is an annoyance that threatened my enjoyment of the trip. The worst of the worst were oncoming cars that would pass in my lane even though they saw me. Because they didn’t want to wait a couple of seconds they had to endanger my life and scare the daylights out of me. Lower down on the list were drivers who wouldn’t move over even an inch when passing. The one consolation I have is that my life isn’t so crappy that the highlight of my day is harassing a cyclist.

ROAD KILL
It’s unfortunate to see how many animals are killed along the highways. It’s really bad when they’ve been in the hot sun for days and I had no choice but to smell it at a slow pace. It seemed like only half the road kill was visible and the rest out of sight but not out of smell. One of the biggest losers in the animal kingdom is the skunk. Spraying another animal may stop it from attacking but doesn’t do much to stop a car.

HOT HUMID WEATHER
I hesitate to put this on the list since we knew it was inevitable. No one was surprised that it was hot and humid on the East Coast in August. I feel okay about how I dealt with the heat on the bike, and on the other hand feel no remorse about hiding from it in motels at night. In retrospect I might have researched getting a small air conditioner for the van.

RIDE DATA

TIME
56 total days
14 nights in motels
42 nights camping
48 days riding
8 days off (includes days that I only rode 13 and 14 miles)
263.2 hours total riding
7.9 hours: longest day on bike

DISTANCE
4294 miles
77 miles: average per day
89 miles: average per day of riding
122 miles: longest day riding (Kansas)
675 miles: most in a week (Kansas)
383 miles: fewest in a week (Wyoming)

SPEED
16.3 mph: average for trip
14.7 mph: slowest average speed (Virginian Appalachians)
21.0 mph: fastest average speed (Kansas)

ELEVATION
163,890 feet: total gain for the trip
38 feet/mile: average gain per mile
80 feet mile: hilliest day (Virginian Appalachians)
2 feet/mile: flattest day (Western Kansas)

BICYCLE
Zero f#*!’s (sudden loss of tire pressure)
I’m too superstitious to use the “f”word
2 sets of tires
2 chains
1 broken spoke

Yorktown

2006-08-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

Wednesday August 9th
Destination: Lexington, Virginia
We had a lot of fun today. After a late morning start I met Jani 30 miles up the road at Natural Bridge which is an entire resort (tourist trap) built around a rock arch. All of the manmade stuff aside the rock bridge is very impressive. It is 215’ feet high, 90’ thick at the top, and the stream that carved it still runs below. 200+ years ago it was a major attraction; Thomas Jefferson bought the land in 1774. They didn’t explain when or how the swimming pool, putt-putt golf, and wax museum were added but they were easy to ignore.
From Natural Bridge it was a short ride to Lexington where I was to meet Jani and finalize plans to camp about ten miles out of town. The town is so nice that when we found an RV Park it was an easy decision to spend the afternoon playing tourist. Lexington’s population is 6000 and it hosts Washington and Lee (W&L) College, and Virginia Military Institute (VMI). W&L College campus looks like a movie set with beautiful buildings of red brick offset with white columns. When the Union Army attacked Lexington they destroyed VMI but left W&L (at the time named Washington College) because it was named after the first president. VMI was a letdown. All the buildings are the same drab khaki color and don’t have any apparent aesthetic value. Maybe that shouldn’t surprise me since the military shouldn’t be judged by Better Homes and Gardens.
Stonewall Jackson’s house and Robert E. Lee’s tomb are also in Lexington. I’m so ignorant of Civil War history that it was very informative to tour Jackson’s house. We didn’t see Lee’s tomb but the famous joke pertains to Grant’s tomb anyway.
It’s been a little depressing on this trip to see so many of the rural small towns in various states of decay. Lexington on the other hand seems to be a thriving community. The difference could be the stabilizing effect of the two colleges, and/or its historical significance. The other huge factor in our positive experience today was that the weather was comfortable enough (88 degrees and overcast) to be outside. There have been other towns like Bardstown, Kentucky that looked interesting but it was so hot we were confined to our air conditioned room.
Tomorrow should be fun since we will be on the Blue Ridge Parkway for about 30 miles. We plan on staying in or near Charlottesville which is next door to Thomas Jefferson’s estate, Monticello.
Mileage: 46/4020 Transam Riders: 0 today/60 total for the trip

Natural Bridge

Thursday August 10th
Destination: Charlottesville, Virginia
I knew that it would be a good climb up to the Blue Ridge Parkway but was caught off guard by the steepness. The road up from the village of Vesuvius averaged 9% and was much steeper in places. Jani called me part way up and it took me awhile before I could speak I was so winded. I think it was the last hurrah; it was definitely a worthy climb.
It was cloudy on top and even rained a couple of times so the view wasn’t as good as it must be on a clear day. Fall must be spectacular when the leaves have changed. Someday I’d like to come back and ride the entire Parkway. Virginia has some incredible cycling country. I talked to four west bound riders on The Parkway. They realize how late in the summer it is and will be racing the snow in the Rockies and Cascades. I still envy them since their trip is just starting and mine is coming to a close.
After rolling along the top there was a quick descent to the surrounding “flatlands” which continued to work me over. Today turned out to have the second highest elevation gain per mile of the entire trip.
I met Jani in Charlottesville which is one of the bigger towns (40,000 people) we’ve been in this summer. I saw some of the University of Virginia campus and it looked like the Washington and Lee campus on a larger scale. The red brick buildings with large white columns are certainly very striking. In the hustle and bustle of the town it would have been hard for Jani and me to meet up without our cell phones. We have been very lucky to have had coverage over a very large percentage of the trip. The places where there wasn’t any coverage tended to be in the mountains where there was only one road and the towns were small enough that we could always meet on Main Street.
After meeting up in town we used our other magic technology: the GPS. We knew there was a campground outside town so all we had to do was search for campgrounds near Charlottesville then follow the voice commands. It makes it much more relaxing to drive through unfamiliar country.
Tomorrow morning we will start the day by visiting Monticello then head for Ashland which is north of Richmond. We have less than 200 miles left.
Mileage: 84/4104 Transam Riders: 4 today/64 total for the trip

Waterfall near Vesuvius

Friday August 11th
Destination: Ashland, Virginia
The highlight of the day was our visit to Monticello. Thomas Jefferson was such a great man that it inspires me to learn more about his life. He wrote his own epitaph and listed three simple things: “Author of the Declaration of American Independence, Of Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia”. He didn’t even mention being the President for two terms. I also didn’t know that he died broke which is another lesson for a great life lived.
The riding today was okay but not that interesting. I think the route’s main objective was to stay away from Richmond, it took 23 different numbered roads. I couldn’t ride more than a couple of miles before looking at the map and was continually chanting the next road number to myself. It didn’t help when I’d transpose a number or misread the map.
Being this close to the end is a bittersweet feeling. I’m really happy to complete this dream but sorry to have it end. I’ll have to deal with this in my usual way which is to start planning my next trip. The great thing is that my next trip lasts four weeks and begins when I get off my bike tomorrow in Yorktown.
Mileage: 94/4198 Transam Riders: 1 today/65 total for the trip

Monticello

Saturday August 12th
Destination: YORKTOWN, Virginia

WE MADE IT!!!

If the biking has to end then at least it ended on a good note. Unlike yesterday’s route there were only a few different roads to remember. That combined with the flatter terrain made for fast riding. It was reassuring to find that my legs were strong once out of the hills and I pushed really hard. The first half of the route followed a Civil War Battlefield Route. In 1862 the Union Army tried to capture Richmond. When that didn’t work they retreated south to the James River. The Union and Confederate Armies battled for seven days over many miles of forest and swamp. Some of the battlefields had cannons and gave more of a feeling for how savage the fighting must have been.
When we got to the official route end at the Yorktown Memorial there was a couple there with a tandem and trailer. I’ve been hearing for weeks about them and four others they rode with. It was ironic to catch them in the final hour. The first thing they asked me was how I felt about finishing. When I said that it was a little depressing they agreed and explained that this was their third cross country trip in three years. They’ve now done the Southern Tier, Northern Tier, and Transam routes. It all started when he asked for three months off from work and his company refused, so he retired and has been biking each summer since.
Now we’re ready to start the second part of our trip. We’re camped in Williamsburg and will visit the Colonial town in the morning, then go to Jamestown. Next year will be the 400th anniversary of Jamestown and Virginia. After that it’s up to the DC area, then who knows what we’ll do. In all my planning I made sure to have maps of every state for the bike route but forgot to include an atlas. When we find one then we can start mapping out our route home.
Mileage: 96/4294 Transam Riders: 2 today/67 total for the trip

Atlantic Baptism

Virginia!

2006-08-09T05:28:00.000-07:00

Friday August 4th
Destination: Buckhorn, Kentucky
It poured last night. When we got up it had stopped raining and there was only a low overcast remaining. Just out of town we started into the Appalachians. I haven’t seen clouds or hills in a long time. It looks like we won’t get into higher elevations until the day after tomorrow. Today the route continually climbed from about 700’ to 1200’ and the hills weren’t that much higher. It was very scenic and with the high humidity the forest seems like I imagine the Amazon to look. The feeling of being in a different country is helped by the trouble we have understanding the local’s.
The route was very roundabout today even using one lane roads that reminded me of Scotland. I kept a sharp lookout for dogs but didn’t have too much problem. I saw the first of another reported nuisance today: coal trucks. They are giant semi trucks and were so heavy they could barely crawl up the hills, but they scream along when empty. A couple of west bounders told me that the truck traffic is heavy for about a half day’s travel.
While riding today I thought about the stereotypes of Appalachian people. We’ve definitely seen some characters but this area seems to carry a disproportionate Hollywood burden. It’s hard to ride along desolate roads and not think about the fact that the movie script would have people lurking behind trees and jumping out at every opportunity.
I saw a number of turtles on the road today including one that was spotted with yellow. It was stopped on the centerline and blended in better than the other turtles. It must be natural selection working to camouflage it from predators. I’m sure it’s a new species and have decided to name it Mimicus centerlinecus.
Since the temperature was only about 90 degrees we’re camped in the van. We’ll find out in a few hours if that was a smart idea. If it’s too unpleasant then I may have to do a long day tomorrow to reach the nearest hotel.
Mileage: 77/3626 Transam Riders: 2 today/58 total for the trip

Entering the Appalachians

New Species?

Saturday August 5th
Destination: Elkhorn City, Kentucky
Somewhere in the hills of Eastern Kentucky two cheeks are lying on a road. I know this because I worked my butt off today. The route started out climbing from Buckhorn and kept going all day. My vertical gain was almost 7000’. I climbed over ridges, climbed up valleys, and climbed over passes, then did it all over again, and over again. The terrain was pretty but everything looked the same. For all I know I could’ve been riding in circles.
The people in Kentucky are laid back, some to the point of being almost comatose. That changes the second they get behind the steering wheel. Everyone’s seen teenagers recklessly speeding on country roads. All the drivers here seem to go at least that fast. It hasn’t just been the country drivers either, they drive the same way in the bigger towns. Fortunately the cars have all been courteous to me but Jani is tired of being tailgated. She pulls over as soon as she can but many of these roads don’t have pullouts. One benefit of riding on Saturday is that there were dozens and dozens of coal trucks parked for the weekend. The roads are exciting enough without having to share them with those behemoths.
We’re several miles from Virginia which is our final state.
Mileage: 109/3735 Transam Riders: 0 today/58 total for the trip

Breaks Interstate Park on the Kentucky-Virginia Border

Sunday August 6th
Destination: Damascus, Virginia
It was raining when I started this morning and the temperature was 67 degrees. I can’t remember the last time it was below 70 degrees. It wasn’t much more uncomfortable than the sunny weather since I’m always sopped from the humidity anyway. The rain did make me nervous on the twisty descents; I’m really conscious about not screwing up this close to the end. It was dry after a few miles so the showers must have been just localized thunderstorms.
The road continued to climb today. The hills were not as steep as yesterday but they were longer. We were just in the foothills yesterday since we climbed much higher (up to 2800’) today and the surrounding mountains were up to 5000’ high. The valleys were wider and I enjoyed being able to see the forest for the trees. One other improvement was that there were fewer cars on the road this morning. I know some of them were at church and there might have been a Nascar race on TV for everyone else. The other thing I enjoyed not having to deal with today was problem dogs. I saw dogs today but not one of them chased me. They weren’t horrible in Kentucky but it’s nice not having to stay on my guard.
I’m not really sure how far we will travel through the Appalachian’s but it looks like there are more on the menu for tomorrow. The Appalachian Trail crosses through Damascus so that’s a good sign that we’ll be in the mountains a little longer.
Mileage: 79/3814 Transam Riders: 0 today/58 total for the trip

Mountain Road West of Rosedale, Virginia

Monday August 7th
Destination: Wytheville, Virginia
I decided to do a short day in the hope that my legs will recover a little from all the climbing. In the 300 miles from Berea to where we came out of the mountains today in Virginia the route gained 21,000’. This is phenomenal hill riding country.
It was overcast today and fairly comfortable. The route started climbing right out of Damascus and went over two distinct passes. The second one was over 3500’ high. As I reached the top thunder was booming across the hills. I decided that the trees which have blocked my views were now welcome shelter from any lightning. Once again I was treated to superb descents. I’d love to ride them many times and be able to really open things up. Of course I’d probably push it too far and put in some “air time”. All year long I’ve been afraid of doing something stupid and that feeling increases the closer we get to Yorktown.
The mountain vegetation seems thicker here than it was in Kentucky where it seemed the Oaks kept other plants from growing. The under growth here includes wild rhododendrons reminding me of the Olympic Peninsula. I don’t know how settlers navigated through these jungles. I wouldn’t stand a chance. Even if you climbed to the top of a hill all you’d see would be more trees. Once we came down out of the mountains the country changed to rolling hills. There aren’t as many crops here but there is pasture everywhere. There also are more dairy farms than we’ve seen elsewhere and still a few tobacco fields.
I talked to a rider headed our direction. It seemed a little odd that all of the east bound riders I’ve met have been heavily laden until I realized that I only catch the slower riders. This guy is from Oregon and told me he’s carrying 65 pounds of gear. That’s about twice what I think is necessary and has to make the riding painfully slow on the hills. I have to hand it to him though since he’s ridden every mile that I have.
Mileage: 59/3873 Transam Riders: 2 today/60 total for the trip

Countryside near Wytheville, Virginia

Tuesday August 8th
Destination: Daleville, Virginia
Today was tough. My legs didn’t recover yesterday in spite of the shorter mileage. I might be dehydrated since it’s almost impossible to drink enough fluids. Gatorade really helps while riding but I must have exceeded my lifetime quota this summer.
It was great rolling terrain today through beautiful farm land and I had to force myself to relax and enjoy the scenery. Luckily it was overcast and not too hot. The tailwinds were also in my favor.
I saw more wildlife today. There were woodchucks alongside the road. They’re smaller and darker than marmots but similar in shape. For excitement a doe jumped across the road just feet in front of me while her fawn crossed behind. The adrenaline rush was good for a few miles. There were more turtles in the road and a large black rat snake. The snake didn’t scare me since I saw it from a distance, it didn’t look venomous, and it was moving away from me.
Some of the route crisscrossed Highway 81 west of Roanoke. The increased traffic only accentuated how remote 99% of this route has been. It’s been amazing to ride this far in sparsely populated country. It looks like we’ll be near more large cities for the rest of the trip; hopefully the route will stay on lightly used roads.
I’m not sure how far I’ll ride tomorrow. There is no rush but I do feel the finish line calling. It’s about 320 miles to Yorktown which should be about four more days. That would have us finish on Saturday.
Mileage: 101/3974 Transam Riders: 0 today/60 total for the trip

Black Rat Snake?

Kentucky

2006-08-04T05:38:00.000-07:00

Tuesday August 1st
Destination: East View, Kentucky
Today was another scorcher. I got about 50 miles to the gallon of Gatorade. At about $6 per gallon that’s a little on the expensive side. It was good that I started riding at sunrise. When the sun comes up the fuse is lit and it’s a race to see how far I can ride before the temperature blows up.
It was surprising to see all of the mist this morning but it wasn’t as interesting as it poured off me. I find late morning is the most comfortable time to ride; it isn’t broiling but has warmed up just enough to reduce the humidity a little.
I caught another east bound rider and rode with him for about an hour. He started out a month before us but has about 65 pounds of gear on his bike. That’s an unbelievable weight to be hauling. He must have a couple of kitchen sinks in the panniers. Because of the weight difference our pace was too slow for me and too fast for him, so I took off. I also saw five west bound riders.
The riding was okay until noon at which time I had ridden 75 miles; after that it got really hot and time stood still. I could only ride about ten miles before having to stop and buy more liquids. Fortunately there were plenty of convenience stores along the way. I finished at 2:30 in East View and we drove north to a motel in Elizabethtown. Back when no one traveled it was probably okay to reuse town names; now it’s downright confusing to have spent Sunday night in Elizabethtown, Illinois and Tuesday night in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. We’ll try for a new town name tomorrow.
Mileage: 108/3378 Transam Riders: 6 today/54 total for the trip

Early Morning's are Best

Wednesday August 2nd
Destination: Bardstown, Kentucky
It was a shorter day but I started a little later and still got char broiled. I’m beginning to think that the total distance doesn’t matter, only the distance ridden after noon. Today I was lucky that the terrain was gently rolling and accompanied by tailwinds most of the time.
Jani and I took separate routes but still happened to meet at Lincoln’s Birthplace near Hodgenville. They have a replica of the cabin he was born in but the most interesting thing to me was the family bible passed on to him by his parents.
The countryside is gradually changing. There are Amish scattered through the area. Their homes stand out from others because they don’t have electrical lines. We’re seeing fewer fields of corn and soy beans but now see tobacco fields. It’s obvious that tobacco was a much bigger crop in the past because there are drying sheds everywhere. They look like barns but are tall without windows and the vertical siding has gaps to let the air circulate. I don’t know if we’re in a more populated area but there are many homes with large horse pastures. Many of the homes also have extremely large lawns that are as large as city parks. It seems like the homeowners are always out mowing their yards, some guys even use full size tractors. We also notice many more cemeteries here than at home. It might be because they’re closer to the roads or maybe just because people have lived and died here longer than in the Northwest. Funeral Homes are also very prevalent and impressive buildings. We even saw a casket store in Henderson.
As advertised the dogs are out. They haven’t been too bad but I encountered one that wasn’t deterred by having a water bottle sprayed in his face. I realized that they’re probably experts who have encountered many riders. It was time to take the offensive. I picked up a couple of good sized rocks to carry in my jersey and started looking for dogs to hunt. No dog has come after me since but I’m still wary, especially after seeing a ramshackle home with a sign that said “pit bull blvd.”
Bardstown seems nice with a long history including Civil War Battles. We aren’t seeing much of the towns because of the heat. I bet fall or spring would be great times to be here.
Mileage: 63/3451 Transam Riders: 0 today/54 total for the trip

Tobacco Field and Drying Shed

Thursday August 3rd
Destination: Berea, Kentucky
I started riding at dawn this morning. The temperature was down to 73 degrees. It hasn’t been that cool in a few days. I really enjoy riding as the sun comes up especially riding out of town because all the traffic is going the other way. My overactive imagination didn’t want to be left out and reminded me that my limbless buddies also like the morning so I paid special attention to the road.
The route went through Springfield (Kentucky, not Missouri, not Illinois) then on to Harrodsburg. The riding was some of the best of the trip with small rolling hills and curving roads. Of course it didn’t hurt that there was a good tailwind today.
After Harrodsburg the scenery was still good but the heat dampened my enthusiasm. However there was one section that typified the excellent route selection as it followed a one lane road up a draw. I’m always amazed by how many small back roads I end up riding on.
Berea is on the west side of the Appalachian Mountains and I got glimpses of them today. Normally I would only consent to calling them hills but after all the flat land since the Rockies; they do look like mountains. The roads are supposed to be steep so I’d better treat them with respect.
I talked with two 20ish guys from Birmingham England who are going west. They don’t get started until about 10AM then have to ride through the heat of the day. I told them no amount of my sleep is worth riding that late in the day.
The big news is that there is a cold front coming which is supposed to bring thundershowers tonight into tomorrow morning. The high temperature is predicted to be only 88 degrees. That would seem chilly.
Mileage: 98/3549 Transam Riders: 2 today/56 total for the trip

Main Street Harrodsburg

Into the Fourth Quarter

2006-07-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

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

2006-07-27T19:08:00.000-07:00

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

2006-07-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

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

2006-07-19T12:59:00.001-07:00

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

2006-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

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

2006-07-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

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)

2006-07-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

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

2006-07-01T16:49:00.000-07:00

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.

North through Idaho

2006-06-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Tuesday June 27th
Technically we’re not in Hells Canyon but we can see the furnace door and it’s open. I think today was the hottest day I’ve ever ridden. We’re camped at Brownlee Dam just over the border into Idaho. It’s 8PM, the sun has been behind the ridge for an hour, and it’s still 93 degrees.
We had breakfast this morning with Tom and Lucy who are doing a credit card tour around the Wallowas. It was fun to see friends as it helps to break up the trip.
Yesterday when I rode into town my shifter was acting up and almost not working by the time I found Jani. I started running through scenarios of ordering a new shifter and wondering how long it would take to get to Baker City. On the chance that it just needed lube I bought some and sprayed the internal mechanism. While I was looking at the bike I noticed something on the shift cable. I peeled off what turned out to be dried slug guts and the shifter is working great.
Just out of Baker City I caught 6 people who are part of a group of about 20 doing a supported ride. Everything was fine until one of the guys jumped on my wheel then it was off to the races. Each time I would back off a bit I would see four of them chasing me and would forget about trying to take it easy. It made for a quick 40 miles to Richland. The 1000’ climb out of Richland was made harder by the heat but Jani helped by stopping to give me water half way to the top. Then it was downhill for over 20 miles to Oxbow. There were only 12 miles left to go but they seemed harder than the previous 69 miles. It was scenic along the Snake River Reservoir but was so hot that I resorted to thinking about work to make it seem better.
It’s nice to be in a new state and we look forward to crossing to Cambridge then following Hwy 95 north past McCall. There are a few high clouds overhead but it’s hard to tell if they will come to anything. With all this heat I’d expect to see thunderheads forming. Time will tell.
Mileage: 81/698 Transam riders: 0/3

In Baker City

Halfway Oregon with the Wallowa Mountains

Our camp on the Snake River

Wednesday June 28th
This morning started with a 2000’ foot climb out of the Snake River Valley. The air felt humid next to the reservoir so it was nice to climb up to cooler air. The road then dropped down to Cambridge where I heard two locals talking about how hot it is. They may say that every day but it still made me feel better.
I rode along Hwy 95 through Council, and New Meadows, to Riggins. Today was the worst day for trying to get accurate mileages. Nothing matched, not my bike map, the state road map, the mileage signs, or the mileposts. The worst examples are when a sign will say “x” miles to a destination then another sign a few miles further will say “x + 2” miles. Usually I find them amusing but today was a long day and I wanted to know exactly how far I needed to ride.
The road through New Meadows was higher and not as hot but as I descended down the Little Salmon River Valley the wind felt like a hair drier. It’s still hot at our camp next to the Salmon River but feels like it will “cool” down a little tonight. There is a thin overcast which may keep it from getting as hot tomorrow. I saw one thundershower today and actually got a few raindrops but it didn’t amount to anything.
Several people have told me that there is a group of riders a day ahead. It will be interesting to see if we ever meet.
Mileage: 111/809 Transam riders: 0/3

Across Oregon

2006-06-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

Destination: Coburg, Oregon
We got a late start this morning but it was nice to hang out at Kevin and MaryRuth’s. After driving back to Rickreall I started riding where I left off yesterday. It was a beautiful day with blue skies and tailwinds to push me down the Willamette Valley. As usual the route took me on lightly traveled back roads and I only had to spend about 10 miles on Hwy 99. I rode through Monmouth, Corvallis, Peoria, Harrisburg, to Coburg where we are camped. I saw a Mennonite Church and many hand painted signs with biblical quotes near Peoria. I took them to mean that I will have to pay a heavy price for the heavenly tailwinds I had today.
Tomorrow we will head east towards McKenzie Pass. I still don’t know if the pass is open or if we’ll have to go over Santiam Pass. In any case I’d like to make it to Sisters but that’s 100 miles so we may pull up short.
Mileage: 64/267

Jani: I drove to Corvallis and parked in a shady spot, right next to a great bookstore. Looked around for awhile then walked Kira all around the downtown area. Found a nice park to walk in and watched the kids play in the fountains. I’d get a thrill every time I’d see Gary on the side as I passed by. Spent quite a bit of time in Harrisburg shopping. Then ran into Gary just as we were turning off for Coburg. So far he’s always ahead of me. How does he do it? The RV Park we’re in has a dishwashing sink, I wish they all did. Steak/mashed potatoes/green beans/cherries. Kira broke her collar trying to get to a dachshund.

Thursday June 22nd
Destination: Sisters, Oregon
I’m tired but happy about today’s ride. It was 100 miles with 5620’ elevation gain and I felt okay. I may take tomorrow off or do shorter mileage but the legs are coming around. The route followed the McKenzie River valley then went over McKenzie Pass. The pass is still closed to cars but bikes are allowed. It made for the best bike trail I’ve ridden. The road passes through lava fields at the top and gave great view of The Sisters, Mt Washington, and Mt Jefferson. On the descent there were swarms of butterflies over the road and I was smeared with fluorescent green bug guts by the time I met Jani in Sisters.
I met the first other Transam riders today. They were both English but that is where the similarities ended. The first rider had started from Virginia two months ago and told me that I was going the right direction since he had fought headwinds the entire way. When I told him that I was sorry for him but glad to hear that I might have favorable winds he told me that he thought it was cheating to travel west to east. He then complained about everything from the coffee to the three other riders he had started with but then left. I’m sure the other three will never regret leaving him. The second guy is a train driver from Newcastle. He can’t get enough time off for the entire trip and has done it in two sections: Yorktown to Breckenridge, Co last year; Breckenridge to Florence, Oregon this year. He was really nice which fortunately is the norm. It should be fun to talk with other riders even if they’ve gone the opposite direction.
Mileage: 100/367 Transam riders: 2/2

Jani: I spent the morning mailing a package; buying pillow/laundry bag/dog leash/collar/dog treats. Then somehow got turned around and was lost. The GPS came to the rescue. Bought raspberries in Walterville then continued on to Leaburg, all good family names. Kira and I had a blast at Suttle Lake. She was curious about a log in the lake and made the plunge to retrieve it (twice). Then chased butterflies to keep me entertained. Sisters town is a lot like Winthrop, with the Western styling and shopping. Our spot at Cold Springs campground had a creek running through it that was just right for Kira to jump over and run madly through. Ponderosa Pine completed the Western look.

Covered Bridge over McKenzie River

Three Sisters

McKenzie Pass

Friday June 23rdDestination: Sisters City Park
We decided to head towards Bend so I took off on the bike while Jani stayed behind in Sisters to look through some shops. It was a quick ride to Tumalo State Park but they were full so we drove to Redmond. After striking out at two RV parks we came back to Sisters and are camped in the city park. We did our laundry and it’s nice to be set for another week. I met another Transam rider from England so that’s three for three.
Tomorrow we’ll head east through Prineville then on Hwy 26 to Mitchell. There aren’t many towns through that part of Oregon so the mileage will be dictated by where we can stay.
Mileage: 18/385 Transam riders: 1/3

Saturday June 24th
Destination: Mitchell, Oregon
It’s hot on the way to hotter. At least it’s still a dry heat.
I was going to start riding in Redmond because of road construction but started ten miles out because the garage sale opportunities were too good for Jani to ignore. I rode a backroad (O’neil Hwy) into Prineville then took Hwy 26 over Ochoco Pass to Mitchell. The forest was very scenic with large Ponderosa Pines and lush grass everywhere. Once over the 4700’ pass it was evident we had passed into eastern Oregon. By the time I reached the bottom of the descent it was 20 degrees warmer and sagebrush was the only vegetation. I started to worry that Mitchell (population 179) was going to be a hot dustbowl that would make for an unpleasant night but it’s a nice little “town” consisting of a general store, cafe, hotel, and city park (where we are camped).
I know we’ll adjust to the heat. This is the first day we’ve had over 80 degrees all year. When it started to bother me on the climb I tried to remember all the dark, wet, freezing commutes last winter when I would have been glad to be too hot. The other change I’ve made is to break out the gin and tonics. Life is still good.
Mileage: 79/464 Transam riders: 0/3

Mitchell, Oregon

Sunday June 25th
Destination: Prairie City, Oregon
It was about 95 degrees today and is supposed to be hotter tomorrow. This morning was very comfortable temperature which was good because it started with a 1500’ climb. We went through more high grasslands before dropping down to the John Day River then took a short detour to see the John Day Fossil Beds. The visitor’s center has very good displays of many different fossils.
I had another day of good tailwinds which helped me finish riding by 2:30 in the afternoon. I got on the bike at 8AM but will try to get out earlier tomorrow. I only have to ride 68 miles but that includes climbing three passes on the way to Baker City.
I got a new reply after answering that I’m riding across the country. This one came from a little girl who asked if I was doing it to lose weight. No, but that would be nice. Other questions have been: Does your bum hurt? What kind of motorcycle are you on?
Mileage: 84/548 Transam riders: 0/3

Monday June 26th
Destination: Baker City, Oregon
It’s supposed to be 100 degrees today and it certainly feels that hot. The ride here was not that long but the climbing was over 4000’. The good thing is that most of the way was up in the forest and it was relatively pleasant. The bad thing is that there weren’t any towns along the way and I got very thirsty before getting water at a campground 50 miles from the start. I find that I need to drink at least twice what I normally would and am still dehydrated. I got to Baker City a little after 1PM and found Jani and Kira at the city park. We’re camped at an RV park just north of town. There are a lot of big trees with shade for us and filled with squirrels to keep Kira occupied.
Jani has been too hot to write in the journal but has still been able to find used clothing everywhere. She mailed home two more big boxes to bring the total to 4 or 5. I can’t keep track.
Tomorrow we’ll go through Halfway then cross into Idaho at Brownlee Dam. Oregon has been more scenic than we could have imagined but it will be nice to finally enter a new state.

The Oregon Coast

2006-06-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Bike Baptism

Sunday June 18th
Destination: Nehalem Bay State Park near Manzanita, Oregon
Today took forever to come and arrived instantly. I had to smile thinking about the dream finally taking wings. My parents joined us for the weekend at Ocean Park and this morning we drove out on the beach so I could take my bike and baptize it in the Pacific. I wasn’t going to risk full immersion and settled for just setting the tires on the wet sand.
It was a good ride today with strong tailwinds and just a couple of rain showers. I haven’t ridden in over a week so decided to take it easy today. Going over the Astoria bridge was aided by strong tailwinds. The route took backroads to Seaside that were much better than Highway 101.
I kept wondering if Jani and Kira were doing okay and hoped they wouldn’t be too bored. That was a waste of time since I made it to the campground before they did. Jani was able to stop at all the garage sales and thrift stores that I always complain about. It was a great way to start the trip.
Mileage: 75/75

Jani: He beat me to the campground in Nehalem. There was even a thrift store/recycling place right at the beginning of the campground that I had to skip. I talked the store owner at one store(in Long Beach) into a bag sale (she said just for you though). I knew it would be a great day. So I got one bag of cool hippie shirts there, and nothing else for the rest of the day except a lot of fun looking in antique stores. Kira is happy to ride along and go for a walk whenever I’m inclined. Camp site was right next to the beach access and across the street from the showers/restroom. Lots of dog interaction and people visiting with us. Surprisingly the corgi wanted to play with Kira.

Cannon Beach

Nehalem Bay State Park

Monday June 19th
Destination: Cape Lookout State Park (southwest of Tilamook, Oregon)
It rained first thing this morning but stayed dry after that. Once again the route followed side roads instead of 101. The traffic was so light that most of the time I could ride in the middle of the lane. Tailwinds blew me to Tilamook but I paid the price going north around Three Capes. It was cloudy and cool all morning then cleared off and is now sunny and beautiful.
I’m still taking it easy on the bike and look forward to getting my legs and having the confidence to push when it feels good. At this point my biggest concern is to not do something stupid. There’s just too much at stake.
The park sits next to a great beach. It’s the kind of place that would be fun to stay for several days. Tomorrow’s route will head east to Salem where we’ll visit my cousin MaryRuth and her family.
Mileage: 49/124

Jani: Today was Murphy’s Law, nothing worked out for me with the clothing picking. Places were closed when they were posted to be open. Had ice cream/red vines to console myself. Donated our beach chairs because they are impossible to get out of and hurt your back. Picked out a nice spot to camp, bunnies and squirrels all over the park, and a pristine beach to walk and play on.

Cape Lookout State Park

Tuesday June 20th
Destination: Salem
After stopping to watch surfers at Cape Kiwanda we headed inland. We had so much fun along the ocean it was hard to leave but it was nice to finally head east. The route followed old 101 from Neskowin to Otis and it was a beautiful detour with no cars. As the road climbed through the forest the only sound was the singing of numerous winter wrens and I finally began to relax and settle into the trip. I still don’t think ahead more than a few days but am beginning to find a rhythm.
When I rejoined the highway there was a lot of traffic but I know the route only takes highways when there aren’t any good back roads. I met Jani in Rickreall then we drove through Salem to MaryRuth’s house. It was good to see everyone and their beautiful home. The van is comfortable but it’s nice to be able to move around without stepping on each other.
Mileage: 79/203

Jani: Pacific City has a pretty beach. I remember being there with Jeff when Gary rode his bike down the coast to California. We were there early, so Kira had a chance to run on the beach before too many people showed up. Then Gary arrived and we played the running back and forth game with Kira. Stopped at a book store that had been operating for 40 years, new/used. I could have spent all day there. I arrived early in Rickreall so decided to look at Monmouth, only 6 miles further. Discovered people setting up a store to sell dead stock items from a store that had closed 20 years ago. They let me shop even though the sale was to start Friday. I bought 27 pairs of sta-press Levi’s/blue box champion shorts and cool hats, then shipped them home. We spent a wonderful time with Kevin/Tori/MaryRuth/Jana. Kevin made a gourmet salmon dinner. We played MaryRuth’s game Krijavi. Sort of like Scatagories but a fun version. Slept in our van in their driveway.

GOING, GOING, GONE

2006-06-16T16:15:00.000-07:00

Jani - I remember when Gary asked me if I would be interested in driving across the U.S. Visions of vintage Levi’s danced in my head. They would be everywhere I visited. Now the reality will hit the fan. It’s been hard work getting the house/life ready for a 3 month sojourn. I knew when Womeldorff asked me if I wanted to do this excursion that it would be happening. He doesn’t mess around when it comes to play time. We’re still trying to leave Everett, just waiting for our son to finish cleaning his apartment at college, so that we can coordinate with him. Many thanks to Lea, Amy, Sheryl, Lisa and Linda for the sweet bookclub send off.

Gary - We’re finally off. It won’t officially start for a couple of days when I get on the bike but at least we’re packed and leaving home. Everything is in the van except for the kitchen sink….nope we have that also. I keep going over my lists and wondering if I’ve forgotten anything. Antarctic explorers from a hundred years ago probably spent less time worrying about what gear they were taking. Making it even worse is the fact that we’ll probably never be more than a few miles from a store, can order anything we could possibly want on the internet, and will have all kinds of technology at our disposal. The laptop I’m typing on must be many times more powerful than the computers on the Lunar Lander. The bottom line is that this planning has been a substitute for actually riding. I just need to start spinning the cranks, cranking out the miles, and hammering the hills. There is nothing wrong with me that a good dose of lactic acid won’t fix.

Hopefully the next post will tell how I dipped my bike tires in the Pacific and finally started gnawing away at the 4200 miles between me and the Atlantic.

Four Days Left

2006-06-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

We’re in the final stages of preparation. Three more days of work then it all starts. We have everything together, now it’s just a matter of fitting it all in the van. I’m anxious to find out how much we can put in and still be able to move around.

It’s taken me a long time to settle on how many and just what spare bike parts to bring. Originally I planned on taking an extra bicycle but that seems like overkill so the spare bike will be left at home to be sent in case of emergency. I don’t want to think about my bike frame breaking but have broken five frames in the past so it’s always in the back of my mind. Most of the moving parts on my bike are new for this trip and should last long after the trip ends. However that still leaves the following spare parts: 2 tires, 8 inner tubes, 3 patch kits, 1 set of wheels, 1 chain, extra pedals, extra pedal cleats, and an extra “cushy” seat. The only thing missing is the partridge in a pear tree. Maybe I can buy one along the way.

People have asked what kind of training I’ve done for the trip. I cycle an average of about 6000 miles a year. Many of you know that last statement is a lie, not the part about the miles ridden but that I have to guess how many. I admit to having a slight OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) when it comes to tracking numbers and will torture the data until it confesses to every last decimal place. Rest assured that I’ll try to spare the gory statistical details. Anyway because of my bike commuting and normal weekend riding I haven’t done any extra training. The increased fitness should come once we start, as long as I take it easy and don’t do anything to hurt myself.

It still hasn’t sunk in that we’re leaving in a few days. I just keep thinking of everything that needs to be done. It may not become real until we’ve been on the road for a week but in any case we’re about to find out.

Intro

2006-05-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

I’m starting this journal to record our trip across country. I will be riding and Jani will drive the camper van with Kira our dog. If everything goes right we will meet up to camp each night. We will leave Everett on June 16th and spend a night or two at my family’s beach cabin in Ocean Park. The route I will be riding starts in Astoria, Oregon and ends in Yorktown, Virginia but the cabin is only about 20 miles from Astoria and makes a more meaningful starting point.

We’ve talked about doing this trip for over 5 years and the time has finally come. Riding across country has been a dream and goal of mine for many years. I may not remember the names of people who years ago told me about their bike trips but each one of them helped to reinforce my desire to one day do the same. Jani hasn’t dreamt of riding a bicycle across the country but has wanted to see more of the country. Kira is a ten month old puppy and doesn’t dream of anything more than eating, playing, and sleeping.

I began to seriously plan the trip a year ago. The first step was to tell everyone that I was going to take off the summer of ’06. I knew this would finalize my plans because it would create a verbal contract that would be hard to break. The other thing it did was reaffirm that this was a worthwhile goal. At first I was a little apprehensive as to whether anyone else would share my enthusiasm but everyone has been very encouraging. Most people wouldn’t want to ride a bike that far but all have expressed interest in taking time off work to do something that you really enjoy.

The second step was to inform work that I wanted to take a total of 12 weeks off including 8 weeks without pay. I’m always worrying about things that never happen and this was another example. My leave was approved even though it comes at a very busy time. I’m sympathetic to the extra work that will be required by my coworkers but don’t think there will ever be a perfect time for me to be away from the job.

The final step has been to accumulate all the necessary gear. The biggest purchase was the VW Eurovan camper. I’ve been interested in camper vans for years and that interest was fed by working next to Jan who owned one and told me how useful it was for him and his family. Everything fell into place when Jan took a temporary assignment in Australia and decided to sell his van. The van has a propane stove and refrigerator, sink, bed, and the roof extends to give standing room inside. The only thing lacking is a toilet and shower but we plan on staying in campgrounds so that shouldn’t be a problem. In addition to the van I have bought: replacement and spare parts for my bike; cell phones; a talking gps for the van; and a laptop. I’ve spent months thinking about what to take even though I know it’s not like we’re going into the wilderness. We will be able to buy things along the way. Even bike parts can be ordered by phone and delivered in a couple of days.

We’re essentially ready to go but need to wait until we can get Jeff moved back from college for the summer. His classes end mid June then we’re off to Ocean Park for a couple of days. After dipping my wheels in the Pacific we’ll head out on about the 18th.

THE ROUTE

I will be riding a route that was first done in 1976 and was called “Bikecentennial”. Adventure Cycling Association produces detailed maps for this Transamerica route as well as many other routes in the US. For many years I thought about crossing the country through the northern section but ultimately decided to stick with this one since it’s been around for 30 years. The route is about 4200 miles long. It starts in Oregon and meanders through Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado before hanging a left and going more directly across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Virginia.

Here is an overview of the route (from Adventure Cycling):

I don’t have specific mileage goals for each day and hope to not become fixated on the numbers. I’d like to complete the cycling in eight weeks which would leave four weeks for the trip back home. That will be about 80 miles per day with a day off each week. I’m sure there will be longer days and that’s okay if it’s by choice not necessity.

It will be a challenge to pick a destination each day. Jani and I won’t plan on meeting during the day so ideally I’ll be able to decide how far I want to ride and where we want to spend the night. We each have cell phones and she’ll have the GPS unit that connects to the laptop. Hopefully it all works since I don’t relish the though of spending the night with nothing more than Lycra bike clothing.

Other than the fear of not finding Jani each night my biggest concerns are the usual worries of rogue drivers and dogs, along with a new concern: heat and humidity. We can’t start the trip earlier in the year so if/when it gets really hot I’ll just have to start riding early in the morning. I also will have to remember that no matter how challenging it may become, it’s still better than not going.