Summer time in Montana

In addition to the photos from this posting, I have added several photos to the last posting as well.  You can access them by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS FROM THE ENTIRE TRIP" link to the left, or you can click here.

8/15/11 Day 37: Helena, MT to Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, MT: 72 miles

I left Kelly's this morning with a good feeling in my heart. He is a really nice guy who has made some incredibly generous decisions in his life. He left me with nothing but positive affirmation of the goodness of people in the world, and enthusiasm for what I'm doing.

Heading south east out of Helena, I started up another mountain pass. I paralleled I-15 as it climbed toward Boulder, MT, and I stuck to the frontage roads that Google had told me would be passable. At one point, after a particularly steep stretch of road upon which no one passed me (very light use), I encountered, all at once, the end of the pavement, a “Dead End” sign, and an even steeper hill in front of me. It did not take me long to decide to unhook my bags, drop them on the other side of the fence toward the interstate, and repack my bike on the other side. I had reached the summit of the day's climb, and the ride down the other side of the interstate was smooth on a nice, wide shoulder. I soon pedaled off of the interstate into the town of Boulder, and found myself on a flat highway until the end of my ride.

The thunderstorm I rode through today was serious. Clouds loomed all day, and I even managed to take some pictures of the storm I was riding into just before the rain started. The sky then opened up and dumped. I managed to cover my things and myself just in time to avoid becoming immediately saturated. Big, fat raindrops turned into hail and back into rain. I turned all of my lights on and pedaled hard to keep myself warm, wearing only a rain shell and a wool t-shirt on top, and my bike shorts on the bottom. The road turned into a big puddle, and big trucks passed in a spray of road water. After about 15 minutes, the rain calmed. A man offered me a ride in his truck, which I declined.

As the sun sank lower in the sky, I entered a canyon in which I knew I would find Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park, but I did not expect the surprising beauty that I found. Unique geological features decorate the canyon walls, and a river & train tracks snake their way along the canyon floor. Strata from thousands of years ago turned on end by ancient forces were clearly visible in diagonal layers on one side, and huge holes in the rock foreshadowed the caverns which lay beyond.

I pulled into the campground and had a look around. Once again, I asked a couple of folks who seemed interested in my bike if they'd be interested in splitting a site, and they told me to set up my tent anywhere, no need for compensation. A couple in their late fifties or early sixties, Kim (male) and Rojene were super-friendly and easy going. This seems to be the theme of all the folks I've met in Montana so far. We chatted about their kids, bike trips of the past (Kim has done some serious riding), and Montana in general. They live in Missoula, and we will all be attending weddings in Minnesota this September, but on different weekends. After an absolutely beautiful sunset, during which lightning struck in the distance and a triple rainbow came out, we said goodnight.

8/18/11 Day 40: Bozeman, MT

I got my first flat tire on my way into Bozeman two days ago. It took me about 15 minutes to remove my tire, put in at new tube, and pedal onward.

Upon arrival at my friend and colleague (we worked at NAL for 5 seasons together) Tyson's place in Bozeman, I jumped in the shower, greeted my friend Mikaela, who had flown in from New York City to visit, and we all headed off to the farmer's market. Tyson lives with a friend who owns a house a few blocks from downtown, so we got a small tour on our way. We decided to purchase some fresh greens, salmon, and goat Gouda in order to put together a salad with the lettuce growing in Tyson's garden. It was a delicious meal, heaping with fresh green stuff and topped with the most delicious salmon I've had in years.

Yesterday, I went on another river float! We packed a two-person air mattress, an inner-tube, and a cooler full of icy beverages, and zoomed out to the countryside in Tyson's old Subaru. It was a great day to be outside, hot and sunny, floating down the Madison river. Downstream, the Madison joins with the Jefferson and the Gallatin to form the Missouri river. The confluence of the 3 rivers takes place in Missouri headwaters state park, which I had pedaled past the day before.

After a good nap, Tyson hosted a barbeque at his house, and I met his girlfriend, along with several of his close friends. That evening's activities included a jam session in the living room and another visit to downtown to check out the nightlife.

Mikaela departed this morning by bus heading toward Seeley Lake, where her mother Randi (with whom I camped in Bigfork before heading into Glacier NP) lives. We had a great visit, and it was very nice to have the time to reconnect and catch up.

After Mikeala's departure, Tyson and I jumped in the car and headed out to the countryside again, picking up Tyson's friend Iain along the way, for some rock climbing. In a beautiful area of rolling hills and evergreens scattered about in the golden grass, granite formations stuck out of the ground like lumps of dough before it is made into cookies. We wandered through the rocks, finding a site that Tyson and Iain had visited before, to set up some ropes and scale some walls. While Tyson and Iain were getting their gear ready and putting on their harnesses, I took a walk around the formation we were going to be climbing, and ended up in a beautiful little patch of thistles, alive with the activity of bees and butterflies. I watched them gather nectar from the bright purple blossoms, buzzing and fluttering happily in the sun. I took several photos. Winding my way through green brush on my way back to the climbing site from a different direction, I ran into a patch of wild raspberries, and happily munched several, while saving a few to take back to my companions.

We set up and each climbed 3 pitches, at difficulty levels from 5.9 to 5.10a, which I had much less trouble with than I expected. The rock was very solid granite with lots of lichen and many small, crystalline rocks embedded in the surface. This made for many small holds, and a large variety of choices of things to step and grab onto. As the sun sank lower in the sky, Iain had a dinner date with his girlfriend, so we had to head back.

After dinner, I spent some time chatting with friends online, and ran out the door just in time to catch the end of “Music on Main,” a live performance for which they shut down a section of Main street every Thursday night and allow people to dance, drink and make merry in the street. I met Tyson, his housemate Lance and Lance's girlfriend Megan, along with Tyson's friend Jake near the stage to socialize and cheer for the last few songs of a local funk/soul/reggae band. We finished off the night with a game of cribbage using a scoreboard that Lance had made out of a deer antler. Very cool.

The Good folk of Montana

8/12/11 Day 34: Choteau, MT to Craig, MT: 78.4 miles

Yesterday was a great day! Choteau, a small, quaint, cute little down just a few miles from the Rocky Mountain Front has charm and friendly locals. My host, Morgen, set up a day very nice day for us. While she worked for a few hours in the morning, I posted pictures and updated my blog, did laundry, ate breakfast, and generally got things in order. She came home around noon, with her boss/co-worker in tow, and we all jumped in the car to head up to Teton Pass, the local ski area. Morgen worked there as a bartender for a short time in the winter and her boss Jody's boyfriend was working there over the summer clearing trees from the ski trails. Since Jody and Morgen had been working hard to meet a deadline that they just finished, they had decided that the day I was there was a good day to take a half-day retreat in the mountains, have a barbeque, and relax. My timing was excellent!

The ski hill is about a 45 minute drive from town, through towering gray cliffs, past beaver dams and evergreens. When we arrived, Nate, Jody's boyfriend, and Chuck, Nate's coworker, had the barbeque going already. We ate a big meal of kebabs and hot dogs, with a nice pasta salad, fresh fruit and ginger cookies to finish. Then someone got the idea of firing up the ski lift (there's only 1 real lift, it is a small ski area) so that we could ride it up and get some views from the top of the mountain, so we did! Nate & Jody's golden lab, Lambo, chased us all the way up, tongue hanging to the ground when we all got to the top. The view was quite fantastic. Morgen & I decided to hike down, while Jody and Nate took the lift back. Wildflowers bloomed everywhere, the smell of pine trees filled the air, and we slowly made our way back down the steep slope, chatting and enjoying the scenery.

Later that evening, we made our way to the Wagon Wheel, a local bar, to play some horse shoes and billiards. Morgen and I teamed up against Matt & Jeff, whom I had met the previous night at the Wildlife Sanctuary (another bar). We had the most edge-of-your-seat game of horseshoes I've ever played, with every player getting at least one ringer, and we ended up losing by 1 point after having a substantial lead to start. It was great fun.

Today was a long, hot ride through more Montana hills. There were some interesting geological features along the way, along with great views of the Rocky Mountain Front. The best part of the ride was the end, as I wound my way down the Missouri River canyon toward a cabin owned by Morgen's parents, which I was invited to this evening because it is halfway between Choteau and Helena, and makes a perfect stop on my way.

The cabin is right on the shore of the Missouri River, just a few miles after it starts (and it goes east from here all the way to the Mississippi!). I arrived just before 7 pm, and immediately jumped in the perfectly cool, refreshing water. Morgen and I cooked up some dinner, atE on the deck overlooking the river, and enjoyed the peaceful night.

8/14/11 Day 36: Craig, MT to Helena, MT: 51 miles

Yesterday, after a bit of internal conflict, I decided to stay at the cabin on the Missouri river for one more night. Morgen and her family are wonderful, welcoming people, and made me feel very at home. In addition to this, Morgen invited me to float the river with several of her friends who were driving up from Helena that day, so that's what we did. Five of us jumped into an oar-raft and spent 3+ hours drifting down the slow-moving waters of the Missouri, chatting, swimming and and making a day of it. The water was cool, the air was hot, and the jumping rock was fun. I had a chance to sit in the driver's seat for a while, and paddle with oars, which I don't get to do very often. That evening, Morgen's brother cooked up a gourmet meal, and we had a big fire to end the night. Some friends of the family had kids who roasted marshmallows. It felt like summer.

Today was HOT. I departed the cabin on the Missouri feeling as though I was leaving good friends, and headed south through a fairly mild mountain pass (comparatively) to the capital city of Montana.  Along the way, red cliffs covered in lichen lined the sides of the canyon and the sun beat down.  I did not see much of the down-town up close, but rode through some neighborhoods to the home of Kelly, my couch-surfing host here. 

Kelly works for the forest service in the summer, and was called in to work dispatch for wild-land fire-fighting, so he was not home when I arrived, but had made his home open and available to me. I parked my bike in the garage, took a shower, and met his parrot before he came home, and we went out for a beer and an excellent dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant. Afterward, we stopped by the bar next door and said hi to Kim, one of Morgen's friends with whom I had floated yesterday, who works as a bartender here in Helena. It was a fun and social evening.

Over the Mountains and Into the Hills

If you've missed any photos from the trip, or want to look at last weeks photos, check out the new link on the left side of the page which says "CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE ENTIRE TRIP"

Big News today:  I have just confirmed employment with a Minnesota wilderness therapy program called Thistledew for the period of September 27 through November 29.  This will mean that I will have my first sabbatical from the biking trip to refresh with some time in the wilderness, and restock the bank account.

Also, as a result of a conversation I am continually having with drivers, if you drive a car, you should read this (it will save you money and carbon emissions): http://www.slate.com/id/2192187/

8/7/11 Day 29: Bigfork, MT to Avalanche Creek campground, Glacier NP: 60 miles

Biking out of Bigfork this morning, I stopped to check out the art fair and say goodbye to Randi and Juan, who had woken up several hours earlier to set up their booth for the fair.

The road was smooth and fairly flat, with shoulder width ranging from a full lane to 2 inches wide with a steep 8 inch drop. At around 1 pm, I had been pushing pretty hard, and had done 30 miles or so. I was getting hungry, and knew in the back of my mind that all I had to eat for lunch was trail-mix. I convinced myself that I would stop at a grocery store and grab some carrots to dip in my sunflower butter (a regular snack). I whizzed through the “big town” on the map without even realizing it, and soon, I was even more hungry. I also wanted to send off my last few days of blog and photos, and was looking for a place with free wifi, when a giant sign in front of me read, “Cafe, ice-cream, wifi.” I couldn't say no, and I sat down looking at a menu of down-home diner food. I ordered a giant omelet with hash browns and toast, and kissed my hunger goodbye. Sometimes, trail-mix just doesn't cut it.

After several hours interneting, setting up places to stay and planning my route for the next few days, I rode on into Glacier National Park. The Going to the sun road, which is famed for its difficult construction, amazing views, and the ridiculous task of plowing that it requires each year, is only open to bicycles before 11 am and after 4 pm. Some parts of the road are narrow, and traffic is heaviest in the middle of the day. So I rode in at 4:45, stopped to take some fantastic photos of Lake McDonald framed by the jagged Rockies and hillsides covered in evergreens, and made my way into a the hiker/biker camp at Avalanche Creek.

I have met several other hikers (no bikers!) who are staying here as well, and all are interesting people. Carol, a woman in her sixties, has been working back-country jobs for the forest service for more than 20 years, and couldn't find a job this year. She was very friendly, and had lots of stories to tell. She appreciated my advice on some internet-related questions, and also asked about mountain biking and sleeping bags. Gear is always a good topic for outdoorsy people to relate through. I have an early day tomorrow, as I must make it to Logan pass (elevation 6646) before 11 am. It will be a good ride.

8/8/11 Day 30: Avalanche Creek to St. Marys, MT: 36.5 miles

The Going To The Sun Road, which winds up and over Glacier National Park's most scenic accessible pass, is an excellent example of the National Park Services first Superintendent's wishes. I read that he felt strongly that all National Parks should have just one paved road which allows access to the most scenic parts of the park, and that all other parts should be left to wilderness. It seems like his plan and idea have been adhered to fairly well. The Going To The Sun Road, which was completed in 1932, took 6 years to build, and was an incredibly difficult task due to the steepness of the cliffs which it clings to.

I departed camp at 7:45, a record for me on this trip (I like my sleep!). Bicycles not allowed on the steep western section of the road from 11am to 4pm due to the high traffic, narrow road, and complete lack of shoulder to allow passing. I began climbing 12 miles distant and 3000 feet lower than Logan pass, and made it to the top at 10:45, including 2 stops of at least 15 min for road construction. Though it was undoubtedly one of the longest continuous climbs I have ever done, it was not the near-impossible feat that many I talked to beforehand had made it out to be. In fact, I was passed by another cyclist on the way up (carrying no gear), and ran into 6 other touring cyclists over the course of the day.

The views going up the road, from the top, and going down were completely phenomenal. Glacier National Park is not named because of its many glaciers (there are 25 left, down from 150 in the year 1850). It was named because of the incredible forms of mountains and valleys that allow for such awesome vistas, all of which were carved out by glaciers around 2 million years ago. It is estimated that all of the glaciers in Glacier National Park will be gone by 2030, but the mountains will still be there, and the fabulous views will remain.

The weather was perfect, the crowds were staggering, and the camera was clicking at every turnout. I may have taken more pictures on this day than in any week of the rest of the trip. Waterfalls, craggy cliffs, horns, peaks, snowdrifts, big-horned sheep, and clouds in big white puffs. I learned about how long it takes glacial ice to form (big snow years don't actually help at all!), and was impressed by the heavy emphasis the park is placing on climate change and reducing carbon footprints.

Tonight, I am camped behind the Park Cafe in St. Marys, a small town just outside the east entrance of the Going To The Sun Road. Friends of a relative own the cafe, and it is a hoppin' joint. Because the nature of their business is so seasonal (no one comes between December and March), they hire and house a group of 40 mostly young college-aged folks for the summer, and put them to work in the cafe and the store next door. Kathryn and Neal, the owners of the cafe, took me on an evening walk to a nearby hilltop, where we watched the sunset as a summer lighting storm chased us back to the cafe just in time not to get drenched. I was then invited into the “community room” where a bunch of the employees were playing card/board games, socializing and having some late snacks and drinks. I ordered a piece of the cafe's famous pie (pecan is my favorite), and then I went back to the community room and chatted with the friendly, happy group of employees until around 11pm when I hopped into my surprisingly dry tent.

8/9/11 Day 31: St Marys to Browning, MT: 30 miles

This is my 6^th straight day of biking, my longest stint without a layover yet. My left knee bothers me when I climb hills for a long time, so I intended to make this a short, easy day, but it started off with a fairly hefty climb, during which my knee felt fine. Cruising south-east away from the park, the views were still incredible (much better than from the west side), so I stopped to take more photos. I ran into 2 other cyclists, one with worn-out gear from the 80s who had once done a round-trip tour from New Hampshire to Washington State to Mexico and back to New Hampshire. He was a little eccentric, and shied away from the idea of taking a look at my blog because he doesn't like technology. The other, who caught up to me on my way up the big hill, is crossing the United States in bits and pieces when he has time off of work. His wife and child were carrying his gear in a minivan on this leg of the journey, so he was much lighter than I, and pedaled off in front of me.

I soon descended from a mixed forest of fir and aspen into rolling foothills of tall grass. Montana sure has a lot of wide-open spaces. My ride was smooth and flat and mostly down hill. I found a zip-lock bag containing 4 perfectly good fresh kiwis on the side of the road. Crazy what gets abandoned out there. Over the course of the trip, I've also seen about 20 bungie cords, a set of keys, towels and clothing of all sorts, and nuts and bolts galore. In addition to lots of road kill, today I say a cow patty that had been painted right over because it sat in the path of the white line on the side of the road.

Tonight, I am couch-surfing in Browning, MT, the “capital” of the Blackfeet Indian reservation. The only other white people I have here seen other than my host were tourists filling up their tank at a gas station.

My couch-surfing host here is Rachel, a recent college grad who is working with Americorps to provide health services to the elderly of the tribe. She has been in charge of a group of 12 young adults, all from the Blackfeet tribe, and they have been doing work to help the older folks in the area who can no longer do some things for themselves. Rachel and I got along instantly, and share a passion for health, environment and improving the state of things in the world. We walked around town for a bit, past the local liquor store, which had several folks who seemed to be in various states of consciousness hanging around, despite a large sign which read “NO LOITERING.” We had planned to stop at the grocery store, but it was closed due to a broken water main, which had left the whole town without water for most of the afternoon. It was a bit like being in a 3^rd world country again, trash on the streets, weeds growing from every nook and crack, homes in various states of decomposition.

We made our way back to Rachel's small apartment, and managed to cook up some tasty burritos from what she had in her kitchen. After much animated conversation about the state of the world, we found out that we both want to study eco-toxicology, and feel that it holds some answers to the declining health of Americans in general. It was refreshing and inspiring to meet another person, quite a bit younger than myself, with passion and interest in so much of what I care about.

8/10/11 Day 32: Browing, MT to Choteau, MT: 73 miles

Rachel took off to work early in the morning, and left me to pack my things and lock up her place. Given the time and the opportunity, I felt we could have become great friends.

Rolling hills of grass, with the occasional interspersed cow filled my ride from Browning to Choteau. Shade was hard to come by. Gentle hills are great for riding: a mild workout on the way up, followed by a nice break on the way down. Much more interesting to look at than flat land as well. Thunder clouds chased me all afternoon, and filled the “big sky” with texture. I did not find occasion to pull out the camera.

I arrived at the house of my next couch-surfing host, Morgen, around 6:15 pm after departing Browning around 11am. After introductions, she invited me to “taco night” at a local bar, so I took a quick shower and we headed out. The bar, called “The Wildlife Sanctuary” was filled with locals and tourists for taco night, and I met several of Morgen's friends and those they were socializing with. We had a couple of beers, ate some great tacos, learned about some local politics regarding bears and elk, and made our way home for the evening. Morgen and I get along very well. She is a relaxed, open, caring individual with a job that helps people in a serious way.   

Lakes, Trucks & Trees

I'm heading into Glacier National Park this evening!  In the next 2 weeks, expect to find me in: Browning, Helena and Bozeman, MT.  After a few days in Bozeman, I'll be heading into Yellowstone NP, followed by Grand Teton and a stopover in Jackson, WY.  If you're around, let me know!

8/4/11 Day 26: Kellogg, ID to near Thompson Falls, MT: 30 miles

Having cleared the Pacific states now by a long shot, I wonder when I will next see the ocean. Today was the bumpiest ride I've had by far, and in the top 3 for steepness as well. Somehow I once again ended up on a gravel forest service road in the middle of nowhere. I wish Google would tell me which roads are paved and which are not. I survived, with a positive attitude most of the way, and rode through some beautiful country on my way to an amazing campsite. There were a few times during my descent that my hands got so tired from braking that I thought I wouldn't be able to stop. Steep, rocky, twisty descents are not nearly as fun as smooth, flat paved ones.

Yesterday, I woke up fairly late after watching “The King's Speech” the night before. Jessica, with whom I was couch-surfing, made a big breakfast for us and another friend who spent the night. I then rode into town, and Jessica made the bike shop at the ski resort where she works available to me so that I could clean and tune-up my bike. The shop was fully equipped, and I spent an hour or two getting my bike back into tip-top cleanliness, but I am having some minor issues which I don't understand how to fix. They can wait.

After being treated to a great lunch at a local Mexican Restaurant by Jessica's boss, Janet, I helped the two of them move computers and equipment for the season pass office from one room to another. I was then shown into the indoor water park that the resort runs, and Jessica hung around to take a few pictures of me on the artificial surfing wave which is the main attraction at the park. I had never been to an indoor water park before, and had a great time sliding down watery tunnels in an inner tube, trying my luck at the surf wave, and splashing around in the many pools.

Later that night, I cooked up a big dinner full of greens and garlic. It was tasty and satisfying.

Day 27: near Thompson Falls, MT to Hot Springs, MT: 66 miles

Today started off hot and sunny, riding down the rest of the dirt road on which I passed over the Idaho/Montana border, and camped next to last night. When I hit pavement, I stopped to clean my drive-train of dust and debris, and almost cursed myself for not jumping into the little creek next to my campsite before leaving. Descending through the Montana hills was an experience of beauty and solitude. There was hardly any shoulder on the small highway, but it didn't seem to matter due to the light traffic. Hills full of evergreens, clear, flowing streams, and gray, hard rock cliffs shooting up from the ground at diagonal angles filled my view.

Shortly after I finished my lunch break, the clouds that had been looming in the sky started to release their water. Light waves of thunder followed lightning bursts in the distance, and small drops landed on me as I tried to outrun something more serious. Eventually, I stopped to cover all of my things with rain-proofing, and soon, it was dumping. I ducked under the awning of a firehouse in Plains, MT to put on my raincoat and continue on. The rain didn't last long, so I took off my coat, and the hills that I was going up and down kept my body warm enough not to need an extra layer through the small showers I continued to encounter.

This evening, I am camped at Camas Hot Springs in Hot Springs, MT. Hot Springs is a small, touristy town tucked into the hills of western Montana. Leroy, the local who collects money for use of the hot-springs, showed up soon after my arrival, and I paid him to soak and camp. After setting up my tent and eating dinner, several locals showed up and we all chatted about farming and yurts and backpacking. One of the locals owns a natural food store, and another builds yurts when he's not running permaculture classes. I was in like-minded company. Leroy, who is “a big, mean Indian,” to hear him tell it, (the springs are on tribal land) told a story about nearly burning up camp Pendleton when he was a marine there before the Vietnam war. The whole experience was a great taste of local life. I could see myself getting to know these folks better.

8/6/11 Day 28: Hot Springs, MT to Big Fork, MT: 65 miles

Montana has lots of trees, but not where the highways are. I found myself starved for shade today, but managed to find one giant cottonwood accessible from the highway. The shoulders on the highways here are not designed with cyclists in mind, and everyone drives a big truck. I was honked at more than once, and I don't think it was in a friendly way. I did not feel threatened, and I remain very visible with a rear light blinking at all times, giant yellow panniers and an orange safety vest. The RV to human ratio here is very high. People are camped all over the place, on private and public land, next to rivers and in the middle of empty fields. I saw one large pickup with a big camper shell towing a double-level trailer with an ATV on top and a boat on the bottom, and there was a scooter strapped to the front of the truck as well. I feel like that image sums up the general attitude of much of Montana, but the folks I met at Camas hot springs have already shown me another attitude.

On my way out of Hot Springs, I stopped at the Natural Foods store that belonged to one of the gentlemen I had met the night before. It was well stocked, well priced, and I picked up everything I needed for less than I expected to spend.

For much of the day I was pedaling around Flathead Lake. This large, natural lake fills a low spot just west of the Rockies, and has small towns sprinkled all around it. The lake with the backdrop of the Rockies was quite stunning, but power lines and housing developments kept me from getting many good photos. I picked up batch of delicious local cherries.

Upon arriving in Bigfork, I was flagged down by Randi De Santa Anna, the mother of one of my best friends in high school, with whom I had made arrangements to camp this evening. Good timing led me into a delicious meal at a Mexican restaurant with stimulating conversation from then through the rest of the evening. Randi and her husband Juan had a booth for Juan's photography at an art fair in Bigfork for the weekend, and Juan and Randi have both done wilderness therapy in the past. We had much to talk about.   You can see Juan's photos here: http://bigguys.zenfolio.com/

Back in the saddle

Day 23: Spokane, WA to Harrison, ID: 56.4 miles

Following a rousing weekend of shenanigans and foolery (as every bachelor party should be full of), I got back on the saddle today. The weekend left me with a severely jammed toe, a skinned knee and in need of much sleep, but none of these things hindered my riding much.

Heading south from the northern neighborhoods of Spokane, I rode through Gonzaga University, which is tucked into a bend in the Spokane river right across from downtown. Beautiful landscaping, lots of flowers, and large green lawns characterize the campus, along with a bike path running the length of the river.

Rolling hills of wheat and patches of evergreens dotted the landscape as I headed southeast. I passed through Heyburn State Park after crossing the border into Idaho, and rode over Chalcolet lake on a bridge which used to be a railroad, and is now part of the Coeur d'Alenes trail. The trail is a beautifully paved bike path which runs 72 miles from Plummer, Idaho to Mullan, Idaho, just before the Montana border. I will be crossing most of the Idaho panhandle on the trail tomorrow.

Day 24: Harrison, ID to Kellogg, ID: 47 miles

I have never seen so many lily pads in my life. The Coeur d'Alenes trail follows an old Union Pacific rail line along the Coeur d'Alenes River, gaining only 150 feet in altitude over 40 miles. Swampy lakes and wetlands fill the valley around the river and the tracks, resulting in a tremendous amount of frogs, birds, tall grass and cool, blue water. I must have seen at least a dozen Great Blue Herons, one of which I was finally able to snap some pictures of before it flew away.

I stopped twice to jump into clear, rushing streams as they joined with the river. The air temperature was hot, and the water was cold enough to bring my body heat down fast. I lounged in the shade, cooked up some ramen noodles for lunch, and enjoyed the isolation that being on a lonely bike path brought. Many other cyclists passed in both directions, but none were loaded down with more than a day's worth of gear.

After my last dip in a stream, a boy (going into 7^th grade) approached me and asked me which way I was going on the bike path. I told him, and he announced that he was going the same direction, and that he would ride with me. We talked about his divorced parents, who live 4 miles apart in this valley, both easily accessible from the bike path. He said it was a tough hike in the winter, but not so bad in the summer. He wanted me to tell him “your mama” jokes, but I thought better of it. We parted ways once he reached the second parent's house.

Tonight I am couch-surfing at the home of Jessica, who accepted my request to surf before I left for Minnesota. She works for a ski resort, and rents bikes to people riding on the Coeur d'Alenes trail during the summer. I stopped at her work, we chatted for a bit, and then later had a beer at a local bar which overlooks a softball field. The sun lit the hills of evergreens surrounding the valley as we headed back to her apartment east of town. We have been getting along wonderfully well, and have conversed about Buddhism, television and small town living. Tomorrow, she has a few things planned for us, and I am excited to get to know this part of the country a little better.

Out of the Desert, Onto an Airplane

1100 Miles down!  After 3 weeks of pedaling, I take a short break.  Check out this link to see my route so far:
http://www.spotadventures.com/trip/view?trip_id=268827

Blog Day 20: Richland, WA to Palouse Falls State Park: 79.6 Miles

Another incredible day! I continue to enjoy all of the wonderful little things that this trip is helping me to see. Today I noticed grasshoppers – thousands of them- jumping out of the way of my wheels as I rode through endless wheat fields in the desert southeast of Washington. They sit, sometimes in little clumps, all over the road. I think it may be mating season, but I also see some grasshoppers hanging out next to dead ones that have been squished on the road. This intrigues me.

A tumbleweed chased me for 100 yards up the side of a canyon while I rode slowly up a hill.

I stopped to take photos of an abandoned farm house in the middle of nowhere.

I stopped in the shade by the side of a pesticide warehouse, where I met 2 guys working there. They were friendly and smiley, even though they were the only signs of human life for 30 miles in either direction.

I gazed upon vast, open, empty planes of grass that seemed never ending. Some of them were wheat, but most were a mix of invasive European grasses and yellow star thistle. I stopped to contemplate what a Ranger at Pinnacles National Monument had told me once about the yellow blossoms of star thistle being so attractive to honey bees that they neglected to pollinate native species because they were too busy with the star thistle.

I rode into the Lyon's Ferry Canyon, the Snake river winding through, an elevated train bridge rattling with constant traffic crossing the river next to me. The canyon walls of steep, red basalt contrasted with the green trees lining the river and the cool, blue water. Fluffy white clouds floated in the sky. An Osprey chased me away from its next on top of the bridge as I crossed.

My day is ending in the campsite of a Pastor and his son, who invited me to camp with them after I asked them if they'd be interested in splitting a site with me. David, the father, immediately invited me to camp, refused my money, and gave me a hearty dinner of steak, potatoes and carrots. It was tasty, timely and so incredibly kind. We are camped at Palouse Falls State park, home of 198 ft. high Palouse Falls. They have made me feel welcome, and we just finished roasting marshmallows around the fire.

Day 21: Palouse Falls to Coffeepot Lake: 93.1 miles

Tired. Today I pedaled for 8 hours and 26 minutes. This is the time I spent on the bike, actually pushing my legs around and around. I went 93 miles and ascended 4962 vertical feet. Not all at once, but over the course of the day.

Some people might question a guy riding a bike uphill through the middle of nowhere in the desert in July. I saw opportunity in the challenge.

My skin is about 5 shades darker, with tan lines that would make fake tanners jealous.

I stopped at 3 homes to fill up with water (I drank over 6 quarts today), because homes were the only human development along most of my route, and there were no streams.  At the first, an old man opened the door, I asked to fill up, and he pointed at the faucet outside next to the doorway. Simple. At the second, I was greeted by 2 dogs, one semi-friendly who walked up to me after a few barks, and then went back to lay down in the shade. The other dog was attached to a serious chain, and went totally nuts barking and growling and snarling at me. I was glad to be out of range of the chain. I heard other dogs barking behind a fence, but could only see a nose and some ears. I stood in the driveway, waiting for someone to come quiet down the racket of the over-excited barking dog, but no one ever did. I looked around for an accessible hose, but only saw one behind the fence, where more dogs were hidden. On my way out of that driveway, I noticed at least 4 other dogs barking at me from behind a chainlink fence, most in a rather unfriendly way. I guess no one was home. At the third home, I met a nice young lady who was happy to let me fill up from her outside faucet. The houses are all on wells, and the water tastes very good. After a short conversation about her parents who sell machinery to wheat farmers (I had been surrounded by wheat fields all day), I departed.

Tonight I am camped at Coffeepot lake, a BLM managed site used primarily by fisherman. In the most unlikely place, Coffeepot lake simply appears in the middle of the desert, and is surrounded by picturesque basalt cliffs in a small canyon. Tomorrow, I will jump in before I leave.

Day 22: Coffeepot Lake to Spokane, WA: 69.3 miles

I completed my 1000^th mile of the trip yesterday. Today was more of the same. Coffeepot lake, with its cool waters, green vegetation and flocks of birds, is a far cry from most of Eastern Washington. Wheat fields and fluffy clouds filled my eyes all day. I sprinted the last 15 miles to Spokane (averaging 18mph) to make it to the post office in time to collect the package that I mailed to myself general delivery from Ashland. It felt good, and my legs feel strong enough to climb the rockies. I am ready for this 4 day break. The most time-crunched portion of the trip is now over.

I got a nice look at downtown Spokane on my way to the home of Ian Farquhar and Michelle McRory, whom I worked with for many seasons at Naturalists At Large.

Ian and Michelle are in a comfortable apartment in the northern neighborhoods of the city. They have a crowd of vegetable and flower pots on their back patio, and an uncluttered feel to their abode. They were already cooking dinner when I arrived, and we chowed down on grilled turkey burgers, potatoes and breaded zuchini sticks followed by cookies and ice-cream. It was a wonderful meal to be welcomed with. Tomorrow, I fly to Minnesota after running some errands in town. You'll hear from me again soon!

Out of the Forest, into the Desert

Day 16: Portland to Mosier, OR: 76.7 miles

Today went like I expected, and continue to expect, most days of this trip to go.  Despite a somewhat late start, I put in the longest day I've had so far through beautiful, scenic country in varying weather conditions.
Cheryl really took care of me before I left this morning, putting together a HUGE egg scramble filled with goodies, as well as a homemade muffin which is one of the best I've had in a long time.  I spent some time trying to find a place to stay in Kennewick, where I plan my next layover.

Leaving Portland was quite easy, and I followed bike routes and paths the whole way, even crossing the Columbia river in a bike lane which runs down the middle if the Interstate 205 bridge, with 4 lanes of traffic on either side of me (see photo).  This was exciting, but I felt very safe with tall guard rails on either side, and no evidence of anyone ever having crashed into the center.  After 8 miles of pedalling, I was in Washington, and I turned Eastward on the old Evergreen highway, which joined shortly with the Lewis & Clark Highway, which runs along the north bank of the Columbia river for most of the length of Washington.

I exited the highway shortly and continued to follow the Google bike route, which makes a strong effort to keep cyclists off of main highways, but at what cost?  I found myself pedalling up a HUGE hill that I did not expect to encounter while following a river.  At the top, rain started pouring down and I got quite soaked on the fast, steep ride back down to the river.

The rest of the day was smooth and simple, and I ended up camping by the side of an abandoned road near a small lake.

Day 18: Paterson, WA to Richland, WA: 41.5 Miles

Yesterday, I arrived at the home of Alicia, a woman who accepted my request to surf her couch on couchsurfing.org.  The morning that I left Portland, I sent out requests to 5 people who were listed as having a couch available in the Kennewick, WA area.  I had decided that this would be a good place for a layover during my trek from Portland to Spokane, rather than trying to bike and camp for 7 days straight.  Two of the five gave me positive replies, 1 of whom later withdrew, saying that she had mixed up her dates, and would not be home on the day I was planning to arrive.   So I am staying with Alicia, her 10-month old daughter Cinda (who is completely delightful) and her brother and uncle (who has Alzheimer's).

 Alicia lives in what I imagine is a typical neighborhood, in Richland, which seems like a pretty normal American town.   Situated on the west bank of the Columbia river after it leaves the famous gorge which separates Oregon and Washington, Richland is dry and hot and fairly flat.  It used to be a company town for a big piece of the Manhattan project back in the 40s and 50s, and as such, has aging infrastructure and lots of companies with "Atomic" in the name (Atomic Brew Pub, Atomic Bowling, Atomic Auto Body).

Earlier tonight, after some great pizza at the Atomic Brew Pub, I went with Alicia and Cinda to a local park, where a volunteer organization had set up a series of fun events for Saturday night, culminating in the screening of the movie "Rango," which I had already seen, but enjoyed thoroughly for the second time.  The park was amazingly crowded, especially by the pre-teen crowd, who were happily playing games and socializing, enjoying some good, clean fun.  It was nice to see.  The movie was projected onto what must have been at least a 25 ft screen with an inflatable 2 ft diameter tube as its structural support.  It was great fun, and the temperature stayed mild all the way to the end.

The previous day was EPIC.  I started the day in a fairly dry area (having biked through pouring rain in lush green forests the previous day) and it continued to become more dry and desolate as the day went on.  The towering, green forests west of the cascades became dry, golden fields of grass and steep basalt cliffs as I continued east along the north bank of the Columbia River.  After pedalling 51 miles, I stopped to take a dip in a calm, flat tributary.  The water was cool and clear and I filled up by bottles.  Then I got back on the bike for what I expected to be another 25 miles, to round out my day somewhere between 75-80 miles so that my next day would be similar.  At mile 65, just before 5 pm, I passed through the town of Roosevelt, which consisted only of a mini-mart and a bar/grill with what seemed like "pleasantville" tract homes in a small bundle tucked in next to the river.  This neighborhood was much newer and more planned than anything else for miles.  I considered stopping at the grill for dinner, but decided I wanted to get some more miles in before eating, as I had been dining at 7:30 or 8 pm most nights.  So I continued on.

The next town on the map, at mile 81 for me, was Alderdale, which consisted of a turn-off to a winery, and nothing else.  The next town on the map was Whitcomb, at mile 86 for me, which consisted of a nice state park (with RV camping only) and an island which had restricted entry due to its being a wildlife santuary.  I stopped on the side of the highway here, near a green pond (I was getting low on water) and considered camping in the bushes.  The other problem in the back of my mind was that I had very little gas left for my stove, and would only be able to cook up a small dinner unless I found a restaurant in which to get a proper meal.  So I had a big snack, made some Gatorade from the powder I've been carrying, and pushed on.  Food immediately gives me energy!  No matter how many miles I've gone, or how many times I've snacked, my body seems to make food into energy very quickly.  So I rode on, into Paterson, the next tiny town on the map, at mile 98 for me.  There, the only store/restaurant happened to be having its once monthly rib and tenderloin dinner, which I happily said yes to, scarfed down a huge portion of absolutely delicious meat, and found a place to camp in some tall sagebrush a few miles down the road.  After 102 miles, I wanted to sleep so badly, but it was warmer than it had been anywhere else, and my down sleeping bag made me sweat.