Day 13. June 29

Day 13.  June 29.   Burley to Pocatello, ID

Today was a little longer day - about 86 miles, but with only about 1200 feet of climb. That almost feels flat. With longer mileage, of course, that means an earlier start time. So breakfast was at 5:30, loading at 6:30 and we were on the road by 6:45. The forecast called for a HOT day, almost record temperatures, but the sky was pretty overcast and looked like we could get rain. Of course all my rain gear was packed away, stowed on the truck. About 10 of us took off at the same time, including what I'll call the "big dogs." These are the ones who usually get in first. Right out of the parking lot, they were forming their pace line so I thought I'd jump on and see how far I could go. There was a bit of a headwind (why do the winds always seem to be blowing in the opposite direction from where you want to go?) so they settled into a pace of 19 to 21 mph. I was able to hang on and they began to rotate, the lead rider pulling off to the side and letting the other riders move ahead. The lead rider takes his place at the end of the line when the last rider passes. And the first rider pulled in behind me, surprised to see an unexpected bike. Every mile or so, the leader rider would drop back and you move one rider closer to the front. And then it was my turn to lead! We were still going between 19 and 21 mph. I was able to take my turn, maybe not a full mile, but close, without losing speed. I went to the side and took my place at the rear, not sure how long I could really keep going with them, but still,with plenty of leg for at least a while. After a about 12 miles from the start, the others I had started with were not in sight, so I decided to drop back and ride with them, even though I could have gone further. I told the others it was like going to fantasy bike camp, riding with the big dogs. At supper tonight one of them invited me to join me again, down the road. I'll give that another shot one of these days.

Anyway, the first 45 to 50 miles were into a pretty good wind. We finally stopped for lunch just before noon in American Falls. Our timing was perfect, as there was a girls' basketball tournament going on and two teams with parents stopped in just as we sat down to enjoy our Subway sandwich.
Back on the road, the clouds began to break up and the sun began to heat things up. The last 30 miles or so were pretty hot - into the mid 90s. One of the riders later said his computer has a thermometer and it registered over 100 degrees. The weather reports won't show that, but it gets pretty hot on the bike, with the hat reflected off the black road surface. Some it's critical to,stay hydrated and cool. To help in this effort, we stopped for water, and once for an ice cream bar-all to make sure we’re staying healthy.

Today we rode through a lot of open cattle range. At one point we watched a herd cross the road. I had to sing a version of "Home on the Range."

Just outside Pocatello, ID

Coming into Pocatello, we saw a huge hill where they were mining or digging something. We came to learn that it was owned by Simplot and they were digging for fertilizer - phosphane, I was told.
A lot of the town people don't like them as they raise a lot of environmental concerns and Idaho is very big into outdoor sports and nature.
The J. R. Simplot Company, was founded in 1929 by 20-year-old J. R. Simplot  in south central Idaho. The business expanded due to high war profitsserving the military dehydrated onions and potatoes during World War II.  Simplot made billions from the commercialization of frozen French fries. By the early 1970s it was the primary supplier of french fries to McDonalds. By 2005, it supplied more than half of all french fries for McD's!
Pocatello is also home of On semiconductors. You wouldn't thin of Idaho as into semiconductors, but the other day coming out of Boise we passed Micron Technologies.

Register Rock, signed by many on the Oregon Trail

Much of this information was related to me by Lis, the director of marketing at our hotel. She is first generation American, her parents immigrating from Denmark. Most of her family still lives in Denmark. She loves her job here and she easily engages with people. She has 2 kids and 6 grand kids, all living in California. She related that she has tried to teach her kids to not be materialistic. She said she was successful with her daughter, but not as well with her son. Lis is very happy with life, with little she would change.   As we were talking, we learned that both of our fathers were born on Christmas Day.

Tomorrow just a 65 mile ride. Nice!  Monday will be one of the roughest, perhaps the worst of the whole trip. To be discussed later.

Be well.

Don

Day 12. June 28

Day 12.  June 28.  Twin Falls, ID to Burley, ID

Today was a fairly easy day - only 39 miles.  Back home, for many of us, we would think we had a pretty good workout going 40 miles. Today was pretty much the shortest day of the trip. Because it was such a short distance, we didn't load until 8:30 and didn't start riding until about 8:45.  Had we left earlier, there would have been a good chance that the rooms would not have been ready. Leaving late, though, gave the sun a chance to get up and get cooking. it was hot! Fortunately the ride was short today.

Today we passed miles of alfalfa fields as well as potatoes. You can't believe how much they irrigate out here. Huge sprinkling systems run for miles all day long. We crossed the Snake River again, but a bit further upstream. The bridge was not as impressive as the Perrine, shorter and not as high, but intimidating nonetheless. No protected sidewalk and little shoulder.

On the rest day in Boise, we had a few other riders join us for this next leg of the trip to Casper, WY. A father and his teenage son and another father and his two adult sons.
The younger father had ridden cross country when he finished college a number of years ago, carrying his own bags. He is hoping to share some of the same experience with his son.

The other father, Jay, rode across the country about 10 years ago and has done a few of the legs with one of the sons. They are from the Indianapolis area, but one of the sons, Brad, works for Nationwide in Columbus and lives in Galena.   I rode with Keith today, an attorney who lives NE Indianapolis. The two of us decided not to take some of the "extra" scenic side trips where riders went down to the river and then had to climb a 10% grade back up. We are trying to save ourselves for the next few days.
Keith and I pulled into the motel just about noon. The rooms were ready with an ice cold bottle of water. Unfortunately, the bags were not unloaded until about 1p, so we sat around for almost an hour before cleaning up.

To make things a bit  more interesting today, the leader team arranged for a scavenger hunt. We had to collect various items along the road (part of a fan belt, something unusual, a sprig of alfalfa, a clothes pin, etc. we didn't win, but at least made a showing.

Larry, one of the maintenance men here at the motel, helped me find a couple of items on the scavenger list. He told me he's lived in several states out west and has seen a lot of the world from his military days, but he favors Burley, a little town of about 10,000, because of the people and the quality if air. This is where he grew up and "home is home."  Having been on the road now for nearly two full weeks with only one day off, I know what he means. I'm enjoying the trip as well as the people, but it can get a bit repetitious out here on the road - get up early, peddle for lots of miles, eat, go to bed,get up and repeat. I look forward to the rest of the trip, but am already anticipating home.

So tonight, it will be early to bed. Breakfast is at 5:30 and we'll be on the road a little after 6:30. Tomorrow is an 82 mile ride into Pocatello with only about 1200 feet of climb (although a couple of the climbs will go up pretty sharply). Weather reports suggest mid to high 90s, so it will be hot on the road. The heat really reflects up from the asphalt and chip and seal.

Be well
Don

Day 11. June 27

Today was an early day, with breakfast at 5:30, loading at 6:30 and departure right afterward, as the route was a bit over 97 miles. It was a gorgeous morning, not a cloud in the sky. It was a bit cool, but we knew that wouldn't last long. There were 6 or 7 of us that joined up just outside town and formed a nice pace lime at 19 to 21 mph for the first 15 to 18 miles. Very sweet!  The advantage of a pace line with everyone working together is that you can draft off the person in front of you (generally somewhere between 2 to 5 or8 feet behind the wheel in front). You've probably seen race cars get real close?.?  Same principal. The guy in front breaks a lot of the wind resistance and the guy behind can go the same speed, but only work about 70% of what the rider in front is putting out.

The pace line broke when someone dropped somthing. From then on, we were in small groups of 2 to 5, some faster, some of us a bit slower. We rode past huge irrigated fields of corn and hay. Hundreds of sprinkler heads shooting water out most of the day. We went miles, seeing very few houses, occasionally passing through very small towns (eg Hammett, Glenn Ferry) before coming to Bliss at mile 50.  By that time (10:15), it was starting to get warm and we were starting to get a bit hungry, so we pulled into the Ox Bow Cafe, where there was a couple getting ready to leave and a guy at the counter who had just ordered. So I sat down and started talking with him. I learned that Frank and his wife had moved to Bliss (what a great name for a town) about 10 years ago when they bought a piece of property and sold their house in Idaho Falls. He then bought a bar and renamed it Outlaws and Angels (Frank claimed to be the outlaw). He told me about a fundraiser that they have been doing for the community for the past several years.  www.rockchuckderby.com.   I learned from Frank that a rock chuck is a marmot, a large ground squirrel that does a lot of damage to farms. The derby is to shoot these critters. Frank told me that last year, they raised just about $100,000!  I guess people come from all over Idaho to shoot rock chucks.
Montana is called Big Sky Country, but I'll tell you, Idaho has it's share of big sky as well.  The farms go on for miles!  And sometimes the road does as well. We were on a lot of chip and seal roads today, some just put on as we were passing through. Riding a bike on these surfaces, mile after mile after mile is not only boring, but hard. The surface is very uneven, so there is lots of bumping around, making your legs and arms tired quickly. When we'd turn onto a road with a smoother surface, our speed would pick up 3 to 4 mph.

At about mile 71, needing some cold water and wanting an ice cream bar, we stopped at a little dinky store in the middle of nowhere, outside Buhl, ID. There was a little four year old girl, Yuhelia, with bright blue-framed glasses who met us at the door with a tall glass of ice. She was very shy, but quick to "give me five" when I put my hand out.

As the ride was long and the temperature hot (reaching the mid to high 90s today), our plan was to stop frequently, take a breather and make sure we had lots of water. We also brought some v-8 juice to keep supplied with electrolytes. It's very important to keep them in balance.

As mentioned yesterday, I was worried for two days about crossing the Snake River Gorge Bridge (Perrine bridge) here in Twin Falls. I'm so glad I didn't try to find a picture beforehand. I'm not sure I could have made it across. Those who know me, know that I do not like heights. Not at all. We could ride across on the road or on the sidewalk that was about 5 feet wide, but a lot closer to the edge. Unfortunately, the road was very busy, so I opted for the sidewalk. Now, I can control a bike pretty well and ride a pretty straight line, but when I get on high bridges, the five foot sidewalk looks like a 2 X 4  to me. My hands get tense and I sweat profusely! About half way across, I realized that I was only looking about 5 feet in front of the bike. It got a lot easier to steer when I lifted my head and could look 50 feet ahead. Fortunately, the right hand (gorge) side had a thick steel fence a little over waist high.  Finally, to my great relief, I made it over the gorge, eyes open, but NEVER ONCE looking out over the gorge. After crossing, we stopped in the parking lot to take pictures.

FYI, the Perrine Bridge is about 1500 feet long. From the bridge deck to the water below, it's about 480 feet, straight down! It's actually the only structure in the US where you can (not me) BASE jump year round without a permit. I guess they do it regularly.

Tomorrow should be a relatively easy day, just 40 miles.

Until then, be well!

Don

Day 10. June 26

Day 10.  June 26

Yesterday was a rest day, a much needed and appreciated rest day. We arrived in Boise on Monday afternoon, by about 2:00. It gave me a chance to empty e suitcase, do all the laundry and repack.  It was so nice not to have to worry about getting up at 5:30. I think I slept in until 6:00. After breakfast, a few of us walked a little over a mile to the Cathdral of St. John to attend morning Mass in the basement chapel. It was nice to see about 40 people at Mass.

Afterwards, a few of us walked into the state Capitol building.  Beautiful! The inside was all highly polished plaster that looked like marble. The governor's office was right there when we went in. I should have been a bit bolder and walked in. He wasn't in, but his secretary later let two of our riders go into his office and sit down in his chair. I think one even put his feet on the governor's desk. Entering the building was surprising, as there was a very conspicuous absence of any security officers or devices. It was a bit weird just to walk around so openly.

The lobbyists' locker

In the afternoon, several of us took a trolley ride around Boise and learned some of the local history. Boise was named by the French. Those of you who know French may know that bois is tree in French. (I may have misspelled that). But that is what they saw as the came over the ride line. Trees surprised them, as beyond is just brown desert like territory. We went through a lot of that - just mile after mile of relatively flat terrain (1400 feet of climbing), brown with a fair amount of scrub brush. Actually it was a bit boring today, as we rode less than 55 miles into Mountain Home, IDaho. A beautiful day, though, for riding -reaching e low 90s in the afternoon.  It would have been nice had the wind been at our back, but you don't get everything all the time!

Today was a tough day to meet anyone. After leaving Boise, we rode 25 miles to our first SAG stop which was an interstate exit/entrance (we were on I-84 again today for about 11 miles).  Then it was another 23 miles to the hotel. We barely saw any houses, people or animals today. It is barren here and where we travelled, not irrigated. Not sure what they do here, and, as there was no one to ask, I didn't find out much.

Tomorrow will be a bit different. Breakfast is at 5:30 so as to accommodate the 97 mile ride. There will be a little more climbing as well (2,350 ft). I guess we get back toward the Snake River and will go over the gorge. Some of you may remember Evel Knievel tried to jump the Snake River gorge several years ago on a rocket powered motorcycle, but scrubbed it due to the winds. And we get to ride over the bridge tomorrow. Those of you who know me well know that I don't do we'll with heights. My strategy is to close my eyes and ride over the bridge as fast as I can. If it works and I survive, I'll tell you about it tomorrow. If not, you can read about it on the American by Bicycle website under rider journals!

Be well

Don

Day 8. June 24

Well, it was inevitable. I had my first flat tire of the ride. We left Ontario, OR this morning, a little town right on the Oregon-Idaho border. For most of the day, we were on back roads, passing fields of potatoes, beets, clover and corn. Our only rest stop of the day was at mile 31, giving me a chance to freshen my water bottles and get some food (pretzels and oranges - it's interesting the things you crave when expending a lot of energy). There was a big tent in the parking lot with a pick-up truck parked next to it. A guy with a blue T-shirt and red head bandana was working on some stuff at the tailgate so I went over to talk with him. After we got through talking about the bike trip, I asked what he was doing. He told me he was getting ready to sell fireworks. He introduced himself as Andrew and that he was the associate pastor of the Church of God across the street. They sell fireworks to raise money for their youth group so the kids can go to camp. I thought that was an interesting way for a church group to raise money.  (Karen, you may have to run that idea past the development committee!). He told us the highlight of the day's trip would be seeing the blue football field at the University of Idaho. I told him the highlight of my days have been talking with people like him.

I wished him well and headed out with 5 or 6 riders. Less than a mile down the road, I must have run over something and my tire was flat. Because I was toward the back, several of them did not see me and went on (I would have expected them to do that). I brought the bike to a stop (we had been on a nice downhill slope) and began changing the flat when a motorcyclist stopped to see if I needed help. I related that I had everything I needed, but he said, "I only live a couple of miles from here. I'll be right back with some things." Sure enough, he was back in about ten minutes in his pick-up truck with an air compressor in the back. He gave me an extra inner tube and proceeded to change my flat. He told me that he (John) and his wife had moved to Idaho several years ago from Northern California because he liked all the motorcycle trails in Idaho. He had been retired and his wife wasn't working. Their only son was in the military in DC, so it seemed like a good move. When asked, John related that he hoped his son had learned to stop and help people along the road, but thought that maybe he had only learned to race motorcycles. He explained that I probably ran over a "goat's head," a little pricier that is common out here. We talked about 10 minutes, but it was time to get back on the road, still 30 miles to go and hardly anyone in sight.

I was able to ride up to Nicole, the youngest rider on the trip. Nicole is 21, from Tucson and a journalism major atNorthwestern. We had a nice leisurely ride into town together.

So we are in Boise tonight, AND tomorrow night. Tuesday will be our first rest day, after almost 650 miles. My knees (and backside) can use a break. This also gives me a chance to catch up on some laundry. As I was waiting for a machine, I ran into Jennifer and her 15 year old son. They are here checking out the area, as they will be moving from Colorado (I forget the name of the town, somewhere between Denver and Colorado Springs). Jennifer's husband is an engineer and has recently accepted a position here in Boise. Josh is a little nervous, as he will be leaving all his buddies. I told him about our moving from Fort Wayne to SE Michigan when Kristen was going into her first year of high school. She thought I had ruined her life, only to tell me later (several years later) that she had learned that she could make new friends and this was a valuable lesson for her. Transitions are always a bit tough (like even entering retired life) but there are things to be learned, even if it takes some time.  As with many of the parents I've met along the way, Jennifer hopes that Josh and his two younger sisters are learning to care for others, to take time to help. It's obvious that Jennifer and her husband are doing a great job at that, as Josh already spends some time volunteering to help kids. Keep it up, Josh. Josh is also excited that he can get his driving permit here at age 15.  I know you'll be sensible!

So, tomorrow morning, a few of us are getting up to go to Mass. I forget where we were last Saturday, but the church cancels its Saturday evening Mass in the summer, and by the time that had Mass on Sunday morning, we were two hours down the road.

For now, good night. Be well.

Don

Day 7. June 23

Day 7. June 23
Today was the kind of day why I own and ride a bike! We got started about 7:30, heading out of John Day, OR and riding south east to Ontario, OR - about an 83 mile ride today. The day started out in the low 60s but worked its way to the mid 80s. By that point, the leg and arm Warner's were off and it was gorgeous. The terrain has flattened out a bit (only 1700 feet of climb and almost all of that in the first 10 miles).

I did something I,ve never done before on a bike. I rode on the interstate (I-84)for about 16 miles. Actually it sounds scarier than it was. There were nice wide shoulders and not a lot of traffic. Obviously this is legal out west.

The towns out here in eastern Oregon are far apart. We went miles without seeing a house, let alone a town.  The first town we came to, Huntington, was about 50 miles into the ride, giving us a natural stopping point for coffe and pie or something else to get some fuel in the tank. I learned from the waitress that the town is about 350 people and they have their own school -kindergarten through grade 12. There are 70 kids in the whole school and it,s not unusual to travelm60 to 80 to play another team. Shortly after leaving Huntington, we started riding next to the Snake River. It's a fairly wide river, at least a couple hundred feet. And then next to the river, it started to turn green, a stark contrast to all the brown we have been seeing lately. We rode past fields of corn and clover and huge fields of onions. Onions are one of the big crops out here and there were two articles about onions on the front page of the local paper.  Shortly thereafter, we entered into the mountain time zone! I've never ridden through a time zone before.

Our last stop of the day was at a public boat launch, a little upstream from where they put a small dam to create a bit of a reservoir. We pulled in and I started talking with one of the local fisherman, sitting maybe 50 feet from the river, keeping an eye on his pole. He wasn't getting a nibble, but he and his dog just enjoyed sitting. Dennis told me they were from southwest Oregom, near I-5 along the coast. They come to this part of the state a few times a year to fish for catfish. Catfish and outdoor activity is what eastern Oregon is known for. Dennis' wife, her sister-in-law, her husband, Dennis's son and daughter-in-law were out in the boats on the river, catching fish.  I learned that Dennis had two sons and a daughter, but that one of his sons had died about seven years ago. I decided to not push him to tell me that story.  When I asked what he hoped his kids learned from him, he said that was a you question because he didn't think he had been a good role model. But he hoped they had learned to be honest. He said some have told him that he's honest to a fault. I wished Dennis a great catfish supper and was on the road again.


By that time it was about time to get back on the road for the last 25 miles -pretty flat by this time.  .

I rode with three others in a pace line, each taking a turn at pulling a few miles at a time, going between 18 and 21 mph. We pulled into town about 3:15 (mountain time). It was a day meant for riding a bicycle.

I learned that we are left than a mile from Idaho. Tomorrow we head for Boise and Tuesday will be our first rest day!  My back side will be so grateful.

Be well.

Don

Day 6. June 22

Day 6.  June 22

Today's post may be a bit shorter, as I did not meet anyone today - just riders on our tour. Breakfast was at 6 am this morning, with loading at 7 and take off as soon as you could get away. This morning was partly sunny, but we knew there was not a chance of rain and the temperatures were to be a bit warmer today. It got into the low 70s, certainly a lot nicer than yesterday.

The first 20 miles was steady climbing, over 2,000 feet. We actually had 3 fairly long climbs today for a total climb of over 4,600 feet. In the last week, we've had over 24,000 feet of climbing, nearly 1/4 of all the climbing for the whole 7 week trip. I did a few hills in Hocking beforehand and twice up toward Bellfontaine, but nothing like what I've had this last week. I'm thinking I've done pretty well for a flat lander. By mile 50 today, most of the climbs were done and we were riding mostly downhill into Baker City this afternoon. For nearly the last 15 miles, we rode next to the Powder River. Not very wide, but twisty, curvy with lots of small rills and rapids.  Very pretty. The terrain is different again, now mostly grazing land and a lot more cattle. And certainly some mountains in the background, some even snow covered.

We got into town jus a little after 2 pm. Tomorrow it's on to Ontario, OR, our last nigh in Oregon. On Monday we go into Boise and then get a rest day.and I'll be ready. By the time we get there, I will have ridden 644 miles, from Sunday to the following Monday. I've never biked that much before. Tomorrow's ride is 83 miles, just  2 miles longer than today's , but we will be climbing only 2100 feet, less than half of what we did today.

Well, as it's just 8:30 here, it's time to start thinking of bed. This whole week has been nothing but riding, eating and sleeping.

Be well.

Don

By the way, America by Bicycle is also posting a bit of a blog and lots of pictures

www.abbike.com.  Go to the bottom of the page and click on Ride Journals. You'll see a link for Across America North 2013.

Day 5 June 21

Day 5 June 21
This is the day everyone was dreading. Today was the longest ride of the entire trip, at least by mileage - 117 miles from Prineville to John Day, OR. There was also 5,000 feet of climbing we had to do to get over two passes long grinding hills they go on for miles. The first one especially was almost all uphill for nearly 30 miles. What a way to start the morning. Because it was such a long day, breakfast was at 5am and we were on the road by about 6.  We got in a little after 4, so 10 hours on the road, 9+ hours in the saddle. And yes, it does get hard and uncomfortable sitting on that little seatdor that long!! Besides the length of today's ride, the temperature started at about 40 degrees with heavy clouds. On the first climb, it started to rain, at times a steady drizzle that made seeing through glasses a bit challenging. Much of the ascent was in the lowest few gears, not going more than 6 to 8 miles an hour. That should give you some idea how long it can take to get up these hills for a few miles! And then the descents. Wen you're cold and wet and going down at 30+ mph, it can get awfully cold - sometimes to the point where shifting and breaking can be you. Thankfully there was a SAG stop at the summit of the first climb where they had latex gloves. Someone has done this before, as those were very helpful. Although, it took two people ten minutes orso to put my gloves on. My hands were so cold!
Going through all the rain and gravel turned the bikes to a mess. When we got it, there was a hose available and I gave my bike a thorough cleaning, especially wiping off the rims and break pads. I wanted to make sure I had breaks the next day.
Finally I rolled in about 4:15, very tired and ready to drain the hot water tank under the shower. Oh, that felt so good. At last to warm up.

Even though it was a long, tough day in the saddle, it was an interesting and good day. My lgs felt pretty strong, although I could tell I was hitting a wall around mile 100. But I meant some interesting people along the way.
At the first rest stop, after fueling up, I was walking around when a 15 passenger van/bus pulled into the rest area, filled with ladies in their 70s. Oneaskedmewhat was going on. Of course everyone is fascinated about a group of nuts riding their bikes for nearly 3700 miles. Wen we got through that part of the conversation, I asked "What are you ladies up to today?" One responded, "This is the boob bus and we're all going to get our breasts examined!  I never expected that answer and didn't know how to respond.  I think several of these ladies get a kick out of other's reactions to that.

At the third rest stop, we were at an old general store. There were afew other cyclists there, not with our group, but with full panniers on front and back wheels. They were going cross country, but supporting themselves and hauling everything around on their bikes.  Two guys, Larry and Andrew had started in Delaware in early May and were within a weeks of the west coast. Larry had just graduated from Bluffton University between Lima and Findlay. The two had actually met, thou when they studied together ar Rosedale Bible College, a two year school in the conservative, Mennonite tradition,  south of Plain City a little bit and about 25 miles from our house. I ride past there regularly. What are the odds  of meeting two guys on the road in the middle of Oregon who went there. They were surprised that I had heard of it.

These guys were a bit amazing, in that one of them had not ridden bikes before. He borrowed one from a friend and rode 60 miles for his training. Te other guy had ridden about the same. Their gearing was nothing special and they were on platform pedals-the kind you ride around the neighborhood on, not where you clip into the pedal. Oh to have young legs. Andrew's legs, after over 3,000 miles were as solid as steel!

And then I met Barb as I was checking into e hotel. Again, just very interested in our ride. She grew up in Indiana, just outside Cincinnati, but has lived in Idaho for a number of years. She was in John Day for her 16 year old son's baseball tournament. We chatted a while when I asked, "What do you hope your son has learned from you." She didn't hesitate, saying she and her son had actually talked about that in the way over today. She wants him to be kind and have integrity. I told her about a billboard I had seen a few days ago. "The evidence of good parenting is an adult with integrity. I liked that.
A few hours later, I met Barb again at the Subway restaurant, as I was buying tomorrow's lunch. She greeted me with, "Hi, Don." And I responded with "How  are you doing, Barb." Old friends who will never meet again.

So, it was a tough day, a wet day, a cold day - but a good day. It is officially the longest bike ride I have ever taken.  Ready for bed.

Be well.

Don

Day 4. June 20

Day 4.  June 20

Last night we stayed at the Kah-Née-Ta Indian resort. Very nice.

This morning we set out about 7:00am for what I thought was going to be a little 60 mile ride to our next destination - Prineville.  The sun was out and the sky half filled with puffy white clouds, but it was less than 50 degrees. I actually found the day to be a bit of a tough ride, encountering strong head and cross winds most of the day only one SAG stop today (supply and gear for you non-bike riders) at about mile 30.

Some of the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. For several miles we could see Mount Jefferson, still covered in snow. In the high desert, there is a lot of scrub bushes, but a lot of farming as well with the huge irrigation systems. We saw some hay fields and wheat fields as well as cattle and horses.

After the SAG stop, it was 30 miles to the next stop. The hills were pretty and the road pretty straight with a little up and down. Actually, as pretty as it was, e scenery got somewhat tedious, as it never changed. Others commented the same. Mile 30 to 50, I found a bit challenging, just mile after mile, riding into the headwind. The last 10 miles gave us a bit of a break, as it was mostly downhill. We got into Prineville about 1:30, glad to be done. I stopped to eat at a local Subway restaurant. Quite a line and not just with cyclists. As I was waiting in line, an older woman (I'd guess in her early 70s) had just gotten her food and was ready to sit down to enjoy her lunch when she asked if we were out for a little bike ride today. When I told her about the day's ride and then the overall goal, the look on her face was precious. She wore hearing aids and I suspect she initially thought she didn't hear me right when I asked how far it was  to New Hampshire. Then I asked about her town. She told me it sat on a caldera, in a bowl, formed by a volcano hundreds of thousands of years ago. She was waiting for the rodeo to come to town next week, as that's one of the big events in the summer. She told me they grow a lot of mint nearby, for candy and gum. Next time you chew a piece of spearmint gum, think of Prineville, Oregon! She also told me that ine of the big activities was to collect rocks. there were plenty of rocks around, but they look for those that had been spewed out of the volcano. the cut them, polish and sell them.  Look up "Thunder Eggs."  She was obviously very proud of her town and wanted to make sure we saw their courthouse. Prineville is the county seat of Crook County. She said it named that because of all the crooks they had. She then say down to enjoy her lunch, but before she left, she stopped by and wished me well.

Be well

Again, if you have any questions, whether about biking or anything else, just send an email to.  donwisler@att.net, or make a comment to the blog.

Don

Pictures

I with apologies, I'm still trying to figure out how to download pictures fro my camera to the iPad to the blog. The pictures take a lot a space and overwhelm the page.
In the meanwhile you can see some pictures taken by the America by Bicycle staff at
http://www.americabybicycle.com/wordpress/?cat=22

Don

Day 3 - June 19

Day 3.  June 19

Welches, OR to the Kee-Nah-Ta resort in Warm Sprins, OR.

We loaded the wagons between 6:15 and 6:30 this morning before riding to breakfast at the Whistle Stop Cafe. It was not quite on the way, but less than a mile away.

Sorry about not writing yesterday. We rode a little over 75 miles and didn't, get in until late afternoon. Because they had to shuttle us to supper it made for a tight schedule. We didn't get back to the hotel (resort, really) in Welches until almost 9p.

Day two was a bit harder with a few longer climbs of 2 1/2 miles at 5 to 6% grades. With this being only day 2, I still don't have the legs on total shape (that'll come within the next two weeks or so, I hope). So I went to bed just after 9. Glad I did.

After all the climbing yesterday, we got to what appeared to be a slight descent. But the bike seemed so sluggish. I couldn't get it over 13 mph, no matter how hard I tried.  At first I thought I had developed a slow leak or the brakes were rubbing. When neither of those were detected, I really got worried, thinking it was rider fatigue )old man's legs).

Today, when I experienced the same problem, I thought I was going to be in real trouble. It could be a long ride if I couldn't get much faster. Then they suggested that it may have been a "false flat" where the terrain seems flat or even a downgrade, but it's really a 2 to 3% up slope. Today, I was relieved to learn that's obviously what happened. Once we got over the hill, I was going downhill at 35 to 40 mph and on e flats could pretty easily hit 20 to 22.

Back to the ride today.  It started out pretty chilly this morning in the upper 30s. Yesterday they had predicted a 50% chance of rain today, but it came during the night. It was very overcast this morning, but the rain was holding off.  The first rest stop was at the 14 mile mark, as we were going up Mount Hood. Again, long, grinding hills. I spent nearly the fist two hours going between 5.5 and 8 mph, going up the mountains. By the time I got to the top, I was wet with sweat, but oh so cold. I thought it would be a miserable day for sure, as we had anger 55 miles to go. Then we crested and began the descent. Then it started a misting rain. The descent was  easier, but being wet, I got even colder. Toward the bottom, we stopped at a gas station to warm hands at the blow dryer in the rest room.

Had a nice chat with one of the staff. It was Ray's 55th birthday today. He was so proud of his two sons that have served in the military. One was a code breaker. After a cup of coffee and feeling a little warmer, it was back to the bike.

A few more climbs and descents and it was clear we were coming out of the mountains. It was amazing how in just five miles, the scenery changed from very green and filled with tall pine trees, to brown with much shorter tress spread further apart. The flowers along the road were changing as well. We started entering the high desert of Oregon. Soon we were riding fairly flat roads, surrounded by rather large, brown hills with scattered evergreens and red dirt in splotches. The sun came out and it began to get a bit warmer, reaching the mid 60s. In the distance we could see Mount Jefferson, covered in snow.

Then we started another long descent on a road with sweeping turns and some switchbacks. I tried to hold it between 30 and 35, but what a ride. Those of you who ride know the feeling. It was an afternoon that was marvelous. We ended the last quarter mile with a steep climb up to the Kee-Nah-Ta resort. It's on an Indian reservation in Warm Springs.

Great day. Tomorrow will be a bit lighter - 60 miles with some good climbs -getting ready for 116 miles on Friday.

Keep praying for me, as I do you.

Be well.

Don

Day 1 - June 17

Breakfast was available at 6 am this morning and most riders were there on time. Vans were loaded at 7, a group picture taken at 7:20 and riders were on the road shortly thereafter.
The weather was nice today. Dry, reaching into the upper 60s -great for riding. A little cross wind, but a nice day for riding.

I kissed Tam good-bye just after 7:30 ( today is our 41st wedding anniversary), hopped on my bike and headed out with Josine, a women from the Netherlands. Boy, is she a strong rider! She led most of the way. At the end of the day, a few of us were calling her "Big Ring." None of us ever saw her take it off the big drive ring. Even up the 6% grades, she never put it in the little ring!! Most of us were quick to gear down pretty low. Cyclists will understand this. If you non-cyclists would like a little explanation and I can give you a lesson on bike gearing.

The first part of the ride was a little rolling, some climbs, but not bad. They staged the first rest stop at mile 20, so everyone was still pretty fresh. Josine made sure we were one of the first to arrive.
A little further up the road, we were joined by Mitch from Plano, TX.
Ten the climbs started. There were 3 or 4 two+ mile climbs at 5 or 6% grade.  As long as I geared down and rode my ride, not trying to keep up with Mitch or Josine, I was fine. They generally waited at the top of the hill and off we went.  Downhills were a lot easier, but a bit scarier. Sme of the roads were pretty rough and I was shaking down at about 38 mph.

As we came down one of,the final hills, just past Alston, the view opened up to the Columbia River. We could see a snow-capped mountain in the background. Just gorgeous. At one point, a big logging truck came whiz zing pst, a bit close for my comfort level.  "Hail Mary, full of grace..." I wasn't about to stop and take a picture. Just wanted to get to the bottom so I could slow down and get out of the way of trucks.

Shortly after the 2nd stop, I could no longer catch up, so spent the next 15 miles or so riding by myself. But that's ok. It gave me a chance to think of all of you. Finally, I arrived in St. Helens a little after 1pm. Felt good to finally get the riding gear off, ice down a bit and take a shower.

Tomorrow we get up and do it all over again, only a little further, as we head toward Mt. Hood.

Be well

Don

Day 0 The Adventure Begins!

So let the adventure begin.

Tam and I arrived in Astoria, the beginning point of the ride, on Saturday, and signed in among the early birds. A few riders have been here a couple of days already, and we began to meet those I will spend the next seven weeks with. The variety of riders is amazing, from at least 15 different states (some of that information was not listed for every rider). There is a rider from Perth, Australia (he looks really strong), Tel Aviv, Israel, Tapei, Taiwan, and from The Hague, Netherlands. People have literally come from all over the world to share this trip. Just amazing.

This afternoon, a group of about 11 riders, rode 15 miles to the beach to ceremoniously dip our rear wheels into the Pacific. It felt good to be back on the bike. I've not ridden since packing the bike and shipping it west on June 6.

Tomorrow (Monday) is a 68 mile ride to St. Helen, OR with about 3200 feet of climb.  We'll probably spend the next few days learning who rides at the same pace, who the strong riders are and who are the slower riders.  In 50 days, God willing, we will all dip our front wheels into the Atlantic to mark the end. In between, there will be lots of pedaling, uphill and downhill. 

Today, the skies are cloudy and the temperature is in the mid 60s with a moderate wind, enough that a windbreaker felt good, at least on the first half of the ride. Tomorrow we start riding toward the mountains. The forecasts are calling for a bit of rain over the next few days.

These posts over the next few weeks may seem a bit overdue or a day late, as most who may be reading this are on Eastern Daylight time. We're 3 hours later out here on the Pacific. I know you are all anxious for some pictures, so I'll try that tomorrow.

For now, be well.

Don

A Few Days of Fun Before the Ride

Tam and I left Columbus yesterday (Tuesday, June 11) flying through Washington DC to get to Seattle - obviously not the most direct route, but one that worked with our time frame. We were scheduled for a 3 1/2 hour layover, but  lucked out in that, just as we arrived at Dulles, there was a plane boarding for Seattle. It had been delayed by over 2 hours. We were the last ones to board and again lucked out with exit row seats - plenty of leg room. I couldn't even touch the seat in front of me.

We rented a car and drove north to Bellingham to renew friendship with a couple we met last summer. We had a lovely evening catching up and today (Wednesday) spent several hours on their 40 foot sailboat in Bellingham Bay. I learned how to hoist the mainsail and trim the jib without falling in the drink. Before today I wasn't even sure what a jib was.

Several of the streets here in Bellingham are rather steep. All day long,  I kept looking at the mountains outside town, wondering to myself how I would get a bicycle over them.  It's been a week since I've been on my bike, time enough to lose a little of the training I've done this spring.  America by Bicycle (AB Bike) has reported to us that there will be over 108,000 feet of climbing on this ride across America. An email yesterday indicated that almost 25% of the climbing takes place in the first week of the ride.  Part of me is thinking, "You're in trouble!" And a smaller part of me is thinking, "You can do this, but you're going to hurt a lot the first several days!" I'll report on this after a few days of riding.

I got word today that my bike made it to the hotel. Now I just have to pedal east.

Tomorrow, we leave Bellingham and we'll spend a day or two in Seattle before heading to the start line. Probably one, maybe two more posts before we start riding.

Be well.  Thanks to all of you who have called or emailed wishing me well. I enjoy hearing from you and will try to answer any questions you might have - about cycling, the ride, what I'm doing in my "spare" time. Feel free to ask or comment along the way.

Don