Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Have gone about 1500 miles in about 30 days. So seem to be on schedule.
No more squashed porcupines. Yesterday saw quite a few lizards. None of them squashed. They seem to flit away and stay safe.
Missed running over two snakes. Seems like distinguishing between road tar squiggles and snake squiggles is getting easier.
Still looking for Giants in the Earth kind of flat. There have been glimpses, but for the most part, North Dakota is full of hills.
Stayed in a campground in Steele last night. It was hot, hot, hot. The campground owner saw me melting into puddle like the wicked witch of the west and took pity on me. He invited me into his air conditioned shop. Turns out he collects and repairs old American and French clocks ( as in 1700's/1800's). We got on e-bay and he showed me some interesting clocks that tell time in fascinating ways. One was a clock that indicated the passing of time by how fast it burned whale oil.
I got a good education and stayed cool at the same time.
Big storms last night. We were under a tornado watch. A little spooky in a tent. So we got rained on and the wind put up some good gusts. The tent held up well. People who have been through tornado's often describe the sound as that of a train. That made it interesting. As usual, the campground was next to train tracks. So, we had several trains going by during the storm. Usually I hate it when the trains use loud warning signals going through towns. This time it was comforting. I knew it was a train.
Today, there were hundreds of dead frogs on he road. There were quite a few ponds/ small bodies of water next to the road for most of the day. It was just strange to have so many frog road kill.
Expecting more storms tonight. We have a pattern going of hot, hot, hot. Followed by storms. We will see what happens.
Will be in Minnesota in a few days. North Dakota has been great. Minnesota will feel familiar as I spent lot of time as a kid coming up north to Minnesota from Iowa to go fishing with my parents and grandparents. Good memories.
Til next time
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
After Medora and the badlands, the terrain changed dramatically. From 10-15 miles east of Medora, immediately it became farm country. Lots and lots of grain, hay making, some corn, and now we are into sunflowers. I am especially drawn to the fields of sunflowers. Bright and different.
We had a few more episodes of the "parting of the grasshopper sea" today. The part that I don't like about it is when they end up all over me.
Spent last night in Glen Ullin ( I think that is how you spell it). The campground host was originally from Minnesota. Very friendly. Has a son who works in Casper of all places. He used the expression "you betcha" about 10 times during our five minute conversation. Brings me back.
Today it was cooler and rainy most of the day. Not much rain, but enough to keep me wet for long periods of time A good contrast to the hot, hot , hot of the last few weeks.
Today's stangeness involved porcupines(sp?). There were at least 7 maybe 8 dead porcupines on the road. I think I have only seen one other porcupine that had been hit by traffic in my whole life. So, it seemed rather strange to find so many today.
In Bismark, which a stark contrast to where I have been for most of my trip. Too much traffic. It is a nice city. Just different when you see it on a bike. Supposed to be big thunderstorms tonight, so I got dry and am enjoying a tentless motel stay. We'll see what the weather bring tomorrow.
Til next time.
After Medora and the badlands, the terrain changed dramatically. From 10-15 miles east of Medora, immediately it became farm country. Lots and lots of grain, hay making, some corn, and now we are into sunflowers. I am especially drawn to the fields of sunflowers. Bright and different.
We had a few more episodes of the "parting of the grasshopper sea" today. The part that I don't like about it is when they end up all over me.
Spent last night in Glen Ullin ( I think that is how you spell it). The campground host was originally from Minnesota. Very friendly. Has a son who works in Casper of all places. He used the expression "you betcha" about 10 times during our five minute conversation. Brings me back.
Today it was cooler and rainy most of the day. Not much rain, but enough to keep me wet for long periods of time A good contrast to the hot, hot , hot of the last few weeks.
Today's stangeness involved porcupines(sp?). There were at least 7 maybe 8 dead porcupines on the road. I think I have only seen one other porcupine that had been hit by traffic in my whole life. So, it seemed rather strange to find so many today.
In Bismark, which a stark contrast to where I have been for most of my trip. Too much traffic. It is a nice city. Just different when you see it on a bike. Supposed to be big thunderstorms tonight, so I got dry and am enjoying a tentless motel stay. We'll see what the weather bring tomorrow.
Til next time.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Sort of took the day off. Went about 27milles and am staying with friends of a friend. So, I took it really easy, got up late. Rode with an easy pace, and am refreshing (shower, laundry, etc.)
It rained last night, and we had some lightning and scattered showers. Surprising considering what we have had for the last week (the forecast was for "slight" chance of showers).
A new experience today. Lots and lots of grasshoppers. Sometimes it was just a few at a time. At other times, it was thick. As I came through the bunches, it was like a parting of the grasshopper sea. The would be trying to jump to the side to get away. Most of them made it. Some of them got squished or sliced up in the spokes. Quite a few of them made it onto me, which wasn't great fun. A new experience for sure.
On through Dickinson tomorrowand then towards Bismark.
Til next time.
Sort of took the day off. Went about 27milles and am staying with friends of a friend. So, I took it really easy, got up late. Rode with an easy pace, and am refreshing (shower, laundry, etc.)
It rained last night, and we had some lightning and scattered showers. Surprising considering what we have had for the last week (the forecast was for "slight" chance of showers).
A new experience today. Lots and lots of grasshoppers. Sometimes it was just a few at a time. At other times, it was thick. As I came through the bunches, it was like a parting of the grasshopper sea. The would be trying to jump to the side to get away. Most of them made it. Some of them got squished or sliced up in the spokes. Quite a few of them made it onto me, which wasn't great fun. A new experience for sure.
On through Dickinson tomorrowand then towards Bismark.
Til next time.
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Back to normal. The body forgave me. The winds died down ( a bit of headwind, but mostly cross wind and not too bad at that). North Dakota is kind of beautiful. There is such a thing as the Badlands here, but most of western N.D. has been badlandish. Great buttes and beautiful rock formations. Colorful and dominating.
Rode on the interstate highway for the first time today. It was really good. Not a whole lot of traffic. Wide, wide shoulder. Not much debris/junk on the shoulder. And a nice rumble strip between me and the cars passing me. I was most pleasantly surprised at how well it went.
Still plenty hot. It has been in the 90's for several days and looks like it will be on into next week. It is hard to fathom how much I drink. But I guess it is necessary.
In Medora.
Til next time.
Back to normal. The body forgave me. The winds died down ( a bit of headwind, but mostly cross wind and not too bad at that). North Dakota is kind of beautiful. There is such a thing as the Badlands here, but most of western N.D. has been badlandish. Great buttes and beautiful rock formations. Colorful and dominating.
Rode on the interstate highway for the first time today. It was really good. Not a whole lot of traffic. Wide, wide shoulder. Not much debris/junk on the shoulder. And a nice rumble strip between me and the cars passing me. I was most pleasantly surprised at how well it went.
Still plenty hot. It has been in the 90's for several days and looks like it will be on into next week. It is hard to fathom how much I drink. But I guess it is necessary.
In Medora.
Til next time.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
The headwind taketh away.
The last two days have been incredibly challenging. Yesterday it was headwind for 5 miles followed by very stong and gusty cross-winds. My hands were really sore by the end of the day from trying to control the bike in the gusty winds. It was especially challening when big trucks went by - in either direction really. It was just hard to know what the wind was going to do.
Spent the night in Circle, Mt.. Campground not really meant for tents and no shower. But met Tom from Manchester, England who had the same issues I did and suffered a flat tire to boot. So, I can't complain too much.
Today was the worst day of biking I have ever had. One of those days where I question what I was thinking when I decided to do this cross country thing. Today it was all headwinds - the toughest I have ever ridden in. It took me 7 1/2 hours to go 50 miles. Hard peddling all the way. Very physical and also very mental. I feel physically beat up. My whole body is sore and I am wind burned.
But I am recovering. Had a shower, which works wonders. Eating and drinking to replenish. After a good nights sleep, I will be ready to go tomorrow. On to North Dakota.
Til next time.
The headwind taketh away.
The last two days have been incredibly challenging. Yesterday it was headwind for 5 miles followed by very stong and gusty cross-winds. My hands were really sore by the end of the day from trying to control the bike in the gusty winds. It was especially challening when big trucks went by - in either direction really. It was just hard to know what the wind was going to do.
Spent the night in Circle, Mt.. Campground not really meant for tents and no shower. But met Tom from Manchester, England who had the same issues I did and suffered a flat tire to boot. So, I can't complain too much.
Today was the worst day of biking I have ever had. One of those days where I question what I was thinking when I decided to do this cross country thing. Today it was all headwinds - the toughest I have ever ridden in. It took me 7 1/2 hours to go 50 miles. Hard peddling all the way. Very physical and also very mental. I feel physically beat up. My whole body is sore and I am wind burned.
But I am recovering. Had a shower, which works wonders. Eating and drinking to replenish. After a good nights sleep, I will be ready to go tomorrow. On to North Dakota.
Til next time.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
And the trains came! Not quite as many as in Chester. Maybe 12 or so. They were really, really loud. I woke up for good about 4 a.m. Up until then it seemed like most of them were headed west. At 4, they changed directions and came fast. About every 10 minutes a train came rumbling through going east. Then at 5:15 or so, they stopped. Made for a peaceful breakfast. The Whiporwhills(sp) started serenading, and the night was clear, starting to show the morning light.
Today was the first day of school. Now I know for really, truly that I am retired. Feels good.
Animals for the day included mosquitoes that swarmed when I stopped for a drink or rest, cows that bellowed a lot, and a fairly good sized herd of sheep. I also ran over a snake.
The bike was going downhill at a good clip. I thought I saw a normal tar squiggle ahead, but when I was on top of it, it moved. It gave me a start.
Another wind aided day. I discovered the benefit of flip-up sunglasses. Most mornings I am looking directly into the sun, so sun glasses come in handy. Sometimes that makes it hard to see the pavement in front of me. If I put the slip-ups half way up, it blocks the sun and I can also see the pavement at the same time. It looks dorky, but works. At this point in the trip, the looking dorky doesn't seem to matter much.
20 days in and 1,000 miles behind me. About 1/4 of the way to the goal. Feels fine, and just about what I had estimated.
Thought of my Scottish friend,Michael, as we got into Glasgow, MT.
Many thanks to the Nicol family. They were gracious enough to host me in Glasgow. They were great company, fine hosts, and saved me from the mosquito swarms.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Got out early. Great for the cool of the day and light traffic. Today was a light day. About 50 miles. It seems strange to refer to 50 miles as a light day. But it feels that way. The next few will be the same. It is just the way it goes for places to stay. I'm not up for 100 miles of loaded biking just yet. So we will stay with 50 until North Dakota and see what happens after that.
Feeling great!! In Wolf Point MT.
And the trains came! Not quite as many as in Chester. Maybe 12 or so. They were really, really loud. I woke up for good about 4 a.m. Up until then it seemed like most of them were headed west. At 4, they changed directions and came fast. About every 10 minutes a train came rumbling through going east. Then at 5:15 or so, they stopped. Made for a peaceful breakfast. The Whiporwhills(sp) started serenading, and the night was clear, starting to show the morning light.
Today was the first day of school. Now I know for really, truly that I am retired. Feels good.
Animals for the day included mosquitoes that swarmed when I stopped for a drink or rest, cows that bellowed a lot, and a fairly good sized herd of sheep. I also ran over a snake.
The bike was going downhill at a good clip. I thought I saw a normal tar squiggle ahead, but when I was on top of it, it moved. It gave me a start.
Another wind aided day. I discovered the benefit of flip-up sunglasses. Most mornings I am looking directly into the sun, so sun glasses come in handy. Sometimes that makes it hard to see the pavement in front of me. If I put the slip-ups half way up, it blocks the sun and I can also see the pavement at the same time. It looks dorky, but works. At this point in the trip, the looking dorky doesn't seem to matter much.
20 days in and 1,000 miles behind me. About 1/4 of the way to the goal. Feels fine, and just about what I had estimated.
Thought of my Scottish friend,Michael, as we got into Glasgow, MT.
Many thanks to the Nicol family. They were gracious enough to host me in Glasgow. They were great company, fine hosts, and saved me from the mosquito swarms.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Got out early. Great for the cool of the day and light traffic. Today was a light day. About 50 miles. It seems strange to refer to 50 miles as a light day. But it feels that way. The next few will be the same. It is just the way it goes for places to stay. I'm not up for 100 miles of loaded biking just yet. So we will stay with 50 until North Dakota and see what happens after that.
Feeling great!! In Wolf Point MT.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
The tail wind giveth. I went a long ways today, but a great deal of the credit goes to a nice tail-wind.
Have to take advantage when it comes. Havre to Malta, MT. The secenery changed a lot on the east side of Havre. From Chester to Havre it was just grass- wheat and grazing. On the east of Havre it was more farming. There were lots of trees owning to the fact that the route followed the Milk River. Wherever the river went, there were trees. Lots and lots of alfalfa. There was some real time making of hay. There was even a good looking corn field. I coulda been in Iowa.
A bit more about Chester - two nights ago. After posting on the blog, I spent a lot of time with a Belgian couple - Gilles and Sophie. It was really fun talking about what we could both expected from the upcoming parts of our trips. I was going east where they had been. And they were going west where I had been. We got out the maps and told some good stories about what was coming up. It was the most fun I have had with other cyclists. Picked up the spirits for sure.
I also had a great meal in Chester. At Spuds Cafe. Just the kind of local eatery we look for. A varied menu. Great service. Great Food. and reasonably priced.
This part of Montana is called the hi line. It was populated because of the railroad that was put through up here. There are a LOT of trains that use those tracks. I swear there were 20 trains that passed through Chester in that one night. And we weren't even close to the tracks. Tonight, the tracks are right by the tent area of the RV park in Malta. Should be a LOUD night.
A few more nights in Montana, and then on to North Dakota. Montana has been great. Really varied. Still more to come in the next few days.
A variety of Crickets and Grasshoppers and lots of chiping birds were the wild life for today The side of the road was buzzing all day long.
Til next time.
The tail wind giveth. I went a long ways today, but a great deal of the credit goes to a nice tail-wind.
Have to take advantage when it comes. Havre to Malta, MT. The secenery changed a lot on the east side of Havre. From Chester to Havre it was just grass- wheat and grazing. On the east of Havre it was more farming. There were lots of trees owning to the fact that the route followed the Milk River. Wherever the river went, there were trees. Lots and lots of alfalfa. There was some real time making of hay. There was even a good looking corn field. I coulda been in Iowa.
A bit more about Chester - two nights ago. After posting on the blog, I spent a lot of time with a Belgian couple - Gilles and Sophie. It was really fun talking about what we could both expected from the upcoming parts of our trips. I was going east where they had been. And they were going west where I had been. We got out the maps and told some good stories about what was coming up. It was the most fun I have had with other cyclists. Picked up the spirits for sure.
I also had a great meal in Chester. At Spuds Cafe. Just the kind of local eatery we look for. A varied menu. Great service. Great Food. and reasonably priced.
This part of Montana is called the hi line. It was populated because of the railroad that was put through up here. There are a LOT of trains that use those tracks. I swear there were 20 trains that passed through Chester in that one night. And we weren't even close to the tracks. Tonight, the tracks are right by the tent area of the RV park in Malta. Should be a LOUD night.
A few more nights in Montana, and then on to North Dakota. Montana has been great. Really varied. Still more to come in the next few days.
A variety of Crickets and Grasshoppers and lots of chiping birds were the wild life for today The side of the road was buzzing all day long.
Til next time.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
The area between East Glacier and Browning was stunningly beautiful. First of all, there was always the backdrop of the mountains of Glacier National Park. The rolling grasslands were drier than the other side of the mountain, but still green and somewhat lush for this time of the year. A buffalo herd surprised me as I struggled up one of the hills. And the road was great. Early morning and almost chilly. A great way to start the day.
Stark contrast with the riding on the other side of the mountains. No shade ( except provided by the small bill of my bicyle helmet). And that also meant that what I had come to rely upon for bathroom breaks (bushes and trees) no longer were an option. That may have been the hardest adjustment.
A had a hawk staring me down and chattering in my direction from a fence post along the road.
Easier riding, because I spent a great deal of the day coming down in elevation. It was still a hard day since I ended up going 72 miles. But I had some good motivation. My son came up to visit me in Shelby last night, and that was certainly a treat.
Mosquitoes came out last night and continued the barrage this morning. Up to this point, mosquitoes haven't been an issue.
Today I took it easy after two long distance days. Am currentlly in Chester MT at the local library, catching some respite from the heat and catching up here.
Small birds and mosquitoes make up the animal theme for today. Every time I stopped, the mosquitoes swarmed and poked, making each stop a little shorter than planned. Chester doesn't seem so bad for mosquitoes. We will see tonight.
I thought I would write a little about bike/ car etiquette and interaction. For those non cyclists, I want to put down some thoughts about why cyclists ride in the road where they do.
For safety reasons, I have always been told to ride out into the lane at least 1/3 out from the shoulder. Cars have a tendency to slow down and pass in the other lane when we take up that much room. The people in the car might lose 15 - 20 seconds of time, but it makes for a much safer environment. If the driver decides to cut it really close to the cyclist, the room that we have between us and the shoulder can be used to get out of the way and still be safe.
If cyclists hug the right side of the road, drivers tend to not slow down and many of them zoom right next to us, leaving little margin for error. That also gives us no wiggle room to the right.
Sometimes there is a great shoulder to ride on, but we don't use it. Why not? There is a lot of "stuff" on the shoulder. Glass, chunks of tire, wire, broken headlights, broken tie-downs, cans, and anything that might fall off of a car. If I were to pick up all of the lug nuts I find on the shoulder, I could start a store called "Lug Nut Heaven" and make a pretty good go of it. There is lots of "stuff" that is not good to run over with bike tires.
Today, I rode 10 miles with the entire shoulder cut out as a rumble strip. I also spent a good deal of time on a road today that had recently been resurfaced. That is great if one is riding on the road part of the surface. The gravel and rocks have been pushed down into the new layering of asphalt. Easy and fun to ride on. However, the gravel and rocks on the shoulder are still sitting on top of the new layering of asphalt. Which means that it is like riding on a gravel road. Not such a good thing for tires or low rolling resitance.
Just my little piece of explanation for where cyclists ride on the road. Thanks for your patience.
Til next time. Tomorrow, Havre
The area between East Glacier and Browning was stunningly beautiful. First of all, there was always the backdrop of the mountains of Glacier National Park. The rolling grasslands were drier than the other side of the mountain, but still green and somewhat lush for this time of the year. A buffalo herd surprised me as I struggled up one of the hills. And the road was great. Early morning and almost chilly. A great way to start the day.
Stark contrast with the riding on the other side of the mountains. No shade ( except provided by the small bill of my bicyle helmet). And that also meant that what I had come to rely upon for bathroom breaks (bushes and trees) no longer were an option. That may have been the hardest adjustment.
A had a hawk staring me down and chattering in my direction from a fence post along the road.
Easier riding, because I spent a great deal of the day coming down in elevation. It was still a hard day since I ended up going 72 miles. But I had some good motivation. My son came up to visit me in Shelby last night, and that was certainly a treat.
Mosquitoes came out last night and continued the barrage this morning. Up to this point, mosquitoes haven't been an issue.
Today I took it easy after two long distance days. Am currentlly in Chester MT at the local library, catching some respite from the heat and catching up here.
Small birds and mosquitoes make up the animal theme for today. Every time I stopped, the mosquitoes swarmed and poked, making each stop a little shorter than planned. Chester doesn't seem so bad for mosquitoes. We will see tonight.
I thought I would write a little about bike/ car etiquette and interaction. For those non cyclists, I want to put down some thoughts about why cyclists ride in the road where they do.
For safety reasons, I have always been told to ride out into the lane at least 1/3 out from the shoulder. Cars have a tendency to slow down and pass in the other lane when we take up that much room. The people in the car might lose 15 - 20 seconds of time, but it makes for a much safer environment. If the driver decides to cut it really close to the cyclist, the room that we have between us and the shoulder can be used to get out of the way and still be safe.
If cyclists hug the right side of the road, drivers tend to not slow down and many of them zoom right next to us, leaving little margin for error. That also gives us no wiggle room to the right.
Sometimes there is a great shoulder to ride on, but we don't use it. Why not? There is a lot of "stuff" on the shoulder. Glass, chunks of tire, wire, broken headlights, broken tie-downs, cans, and anything that might fall off of a car. If I were to pick up all of the lug nuts I find on the shoulder, I could start a store called "Lug Nut Heaven" and make a pretty good go of it. There is lots of "stuff" that is not good to run over with bike tires.
Today, I rode 10 miles with the entire shoulder cut out as a rumble strip. I also spent a good deal of time on a road today that had recently been resurfaced. That is great if one is riding on the road part of the surface. The gravel and rocks have been pushed down into the new layering of asphalt. Easy and fun to ride on. However, the gravel and rocks on the shoulder are still sitting on top of the new layering of asphalt. Which means that it is like riding on a gravel road. Not such a good thing for tires or low rolling resitance.
Just my little piece of explanation for where cyclists ride on the road. Thanks for your patience.
Til next time. Tomorrow, Havre
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
I got to Glacier today and couldn't take all of the cars and people. It was crazy. So I went round Glacier to the south. I think it was the middle fork of the Flathead river the we followed(I refer to "we" sometimes in reference to me and my bike).. Much, much better as per the crazy cars and people. Struggled today with not knowing when to refuel and rehydrate. Part of that had to do with the lack of the number of people(not as many places to get food, etc.)
I had planned to camp at the summit of the pass(Marias?), but when I got there the signs indicated that it was bear country and to use hard sided bear proof containers for food. When in Washington, the bear proof containers were part of the camp site. This turned out to be a bring your own situation. As I didn't have any, it was off down the pass to East Glacier. A few too many miles today, but such is the life of a vagabond cyclist.
Radical change in the vegetation on this side of the mountain. I will have to be much more aware of carrying enough water and not riding into the hot afternoon. This stage of riding will be much, much different. The mountains will be in my rear view mirror. Hello plains. How do you do.
Til next time.
I got to Glacier today and couldn't take all of the cars and people. It was crazy. So I went round Glacier to the south. I think it was the middle fork of the Flathead river the we followed(I refer to "we" sometimes in reference to me and my bike).. Much, much better as per the crazy cars and people. Struggled today with not knowing when to refuel and rehydrate. Part of that had to do with the lack of the number of people(not as many places to get food, etc.)
I had planned to camp at the summit of the pass(Marias?), but when I got there the signs indicated that it was bear country and to use hard sided bear proof containers for food. When in Washington, the bear proof containers were part of the camp site. This turned out to be a bring your own situation. As I didn't have any, it was off down the pass to East Glacier. A few too many miles today, but such is the life of a vagabond cyclist.
Radical change in the vegetation on this side of the mountain. I will have to be much more aware of carrying enough water and not riding into the hot afternoon. This stage of riding will be much, much different. The mountains will be in my rear view mirror. Hello plains. How do you do.
Til next time.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
A few great days. The area around Lake Koocanusa (created by Libby Dam) is beautiful, but it got a bit boring. That is one huge lake. Ended up in Eureka (about the most northwest you can get in Montana). Stayed in the city campground, which was great in some aspects, but had its drawbacks - it turned out to be the hangout for all of the young people in town. So, constant trucks coming in and out of the park. Lots of guys and girls trying to meet and impress each other. I never felt threatened, but it put me on edge. I can sleep anywhere, so I did fall asleep. I woke up with a start around 12:30 and felt something was wrong. IT WAS FINALLY QUIET! Ate a tremendous meal at a restaurant on the Main Street. Green Curry which was one of my favorites in Casper. It was tremendous. I ate it slowly and savored every bite.
Today I find myself in Whitefish, MT. The ride from Eureka was great again. Followed another river valley. The last 4 miles into town were the worst yet. No shoulder, lots of traffic - including BIG trucks, and the beginning of crazy traffic related to Glacier and the Flathead Valley. But I made it. The Glacier bike shop helped with some bike issues ( I think I finally have that behind me). I am staying in a hotel tonight (It feels good, finally). It has a laundry, which i needed about as much as a shower. I was beginning to be able smell myself ( not a good sign).
Whitefish is beautiful. Great mountains, and a nice sized lake with a beach and boating, etc. Really a nice vibe. For you Montanan's, I had a great pizza at the MacKenzie River Pizza Company. Multi-grain crust and lots and lots of veggies. MMMMMMM.
Tomorrow I head for Glacier. Not sure what direction I will be going in. Wanted to do the Going to the Sun Highway, but all indications are that the traffic and craziness will drive me away from that and more towards a route around Glacier. We will see how it goes tomorrow.
Having a great time!
A few great days. The area around Lake Koocanusa (created by Libby Dam) is beautiful, but it got a bit boring. That is one huge lake. Ended up in Eureka (about the most northwest you can get in Montana). Stayed in the city campground, which was great in some aspects, but had its drawbacks - it turned out to be the hangout for all of the young people in town. So, constant trucks coming in and out of the park. Lots of guys and girls trying to meet and impress each other. I never felt threatened, but it put me on edge. I can sleep anywhere, so I did fall asleep. I woke up with a start around 12:30 and felt something was wrong. IT WAS FINALLY QUIET! Ate a tremendous meal at a restaurant on the Main Street. Green Curry which was one of my favorites in Casper. It was tremendous. I ate it slowly and savored every bite.
Today I find myself in Whitefish, MT. The ride from Eureka was great again. Followed another river valley. The last 4 miles into town were the worst yet. No shoulder, lots of traffic - including BIG trucks, and the beginning of crazy traffic related to Glacier and the Flathead Valley. But I made it. The Glacier bike shop helped with some bike issues ( I think I finally have that behind me). I am staying in a hotel tonight (It feels good, finally). It has a laundry, which i needed about as much as a shower. I was beginning to be able smell myself ( not a good sign).
Whitefish is beautiful. Great mountains, and a nice sized lake with a beach and boating, etc. Really a nice vibe. For you Montanan's, I had a great pizza at the MacKenzie River Pizza Company. Multi-grain crust and lots and lots of veggies. MMMMMMM.
Tomorrow I head for Glacier. Not sure what direction I will be going in. Wanted to do the Going to the Sun Highway, but all indications are that the traffic and craziness will drive me away from that and more towards a route around Glacier. We will see how it goes tomorrow.
Having a great time!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Saturday, August 10,2013
The theme of the day yesterday was Blue Heron. Lots of lots of Blue Heron around Clark Fork Idaho. The theme of the day for the day before was deer, deer, deer. The ride of Thursday was the best yet, until today. It was cool, not much traffic, not too many hills, and the aforementioned deer. Really really good. 61 miles on that day, and it just felt good. It is still really hot in the afternoon, so I have been trying to get on the road at first light. Today finds me in Libby, Montana(God's country according to Leslie). There is a riverfront blues festival today,which can at times make it hard to find a place to sleep. But right next to where i am typing this (in the deli section of a grocery store) is a small camp ground that just fits the bill.
The theme of the day on Wednesday was moose.
I wanted to mention something I went by on my trip over Sherman pass. It was on a small acerage next to the road. It became obvious that it was a sacred place. Very large eyes and other symbols were painted on half of a barn. There were also several wooden signs posted on poles. These also had what were obvious sacred symbols painted on them. At the end of the land there was a body raised on a platform high above the ground, suspended by stilts/poles. The body was wrapped and there was a ssedond skull placed right next to the skull of the body. I seem to remember that this was a Crow ritual, but I could be wrong. It was good to be able to go by it so slowly(as I was climbing the pass). I didn't take a picture. It felt wrong to disturb the sacredness of the place.
Now to set the record straight ( I can hear my men's group calling me on this one) - Sherman peak was 5,500 feet, but the climb up was only 3,000 feet.
Quite often the biking is challenging mentally. Physically it is also challenging, but I have more issues with the mental aspect. For example, the ride up Sherman Pass was tough, so I had to think of a time that was similarly tough and use it as a way to help me to the top.
My solution was to think about those weekends when the Casper Storm hockey team (of which I am a member) played in tournaments. We would play 5 to 6 games in one weekend. I thought it was insane at the time, but it turned out to be the thing that helped me get to the top of the pass. As I got closer to the end, I would think of how I dealt with the fatigue towards the end of that 5th or 6th hockey game.
Today was the best riding day. Coming up the Bull River Valley was my definition of nirvana. Beautiful meadows, great scenes of mountains all around, very few cars, the humming of my tires. Cool and refreshing. Good stuff.
Until next time.
The theme of the day yesterday was Blue Heron. Lots of lots of Blue Heron around Clark Fork Idaho. The theme of the day for the day before was deer, deer, deer. The ride of Thursday was the best yet, until today. It was cool, not much traffic, not too many hills, and the aforementioned deer. Really really good. 61 miles on that day, and it just felt good. It is still really hot in the afternoon, so I have been trying to get on the road at first light. Today finds me in Libby, Montana(God's country according to Leslie). There is a riverfront blues festival today,which can at times make it hard to find a place to sleep. But right next to where i am typing this (in the deli section of a grocery store) is a small camp ground that just fits the bill.
The theme of the day on Wednesday was moose.
I wanted to mention something I went by on my trip over Sherman pass. It was on a small acerage next to the road. It became obvious that it was a sacred place. Very large eyes and other symbols were painted on half of a barn. There were also several wooden signs posted on poles. These also had what were obvious sacred symbols painted on them. At the end of the land there was a body raised on a platform high above the ground, suspended by stilts/poles. The body was wrapped and there was a ssedond skull placed right next to the skull of the body. I seem to remember that this was a Crow ritual, but I could be wrong. It was good to be able to go by it so slowly(as I was climbing the pass). I didn't take a picture. It felt wrong to disturb the sacredness of the place.
Now to set the record straight ( I can hear my men's group calling me on this one) - Sherman peak was 5,500 feet, but the climb up was only 3,000 feet.
Quite often the biking is challenging mentally. Physically it is also challenging, but I have more issues with the mental aspect. For example, the ride up Sherman Pass was tough, so I had to think of a time that was similarly tough and use it as a way to help me to the top.
My solution was to think about those weekends when the Casper Storm hockey team (of which I am a member) played in tournaments. We would play 5 to 6 games in one weekend. I thought it was insane at the time, but it turned out to be the thing that helped me get to the top of the pass. As I got closer to the end, I would think of how I dealt with the fatigue towards the end of that 5th or 6th hockey game.
Today was the best riding day. Coming up the Bull River Valley was my definition of nirvana. Beautiful meadows, great scenes of mountains all around, very few cars, the humming of my tires. Cool and refreshing. Good stuff.
Until next time.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Another good day. Some climbing to start with(not my strength). But once at the top, it was beautiful riding. Lakes, streams, trees meadows. It was also cooler -mostly because I rode earlier in the day.
Ran into three women from the east coast coming this way. It is always good to touch base with other riders. They were young and enthusiastic -strong riders. I met them at the top of a hill that they were climbing. They weren't breathing hard. Not the case for me.
In Ione, Washington. Great campground. Mostly set up for RV's, but the tent situation is fantastic. And they even have wi fi.
I think I have a day of riding in valleys tomorrow. That will be different. It has been mountain passes for a long, long time.
Having some issues with the bike, but there are three bike shops in Sandpoint, Idaho. So I can hopefully find some help there. I've done mechanical things on the bike, but I am not very good at it. And it is a different kettle of fish out here on the road.
It has been good to not hear the news. The news for me is related to the weather and the people I meet. Different way of looking at things. Til next time.Might be a few days without the internet.
Another good day. Some climbing to start with(not my strength). But once at the top, it was beautiful riding. Lakes, streams, trees meadows. It was also cooler -mostly because I rode earlier in the day.
Ran into three women from the east coast coming this way. It is always good to touch base with other riders. They were young and enthusiastic -strong riders. I met them at the top of a hill that they were climbing. They weren't breathing hard. Not the case for me.
In Ione, Washington. Great campground. Mostly set up for RV's, but the tent situation is fantastic. And they even have wi fi.
I think I have a day of riding in valleys tomorrow. That will be different. It has been mountain passes for a long, long time.
Having some issues with the bike, but there are three bike shops in Sandpoint, Idaho. So I can hopefully find some help there. I've done mechanical things on the bike, but I am not very good at it. And it is a different kettle of fish out here on the road.
It has been good to not hear the news. The news for me is related to the weather and the people I meet. Different way of looking at things. Til next time.Might be a few days without the internet.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
I should have been at work yesterday, so I actually feel like I am offficially retired. Yeah!
I was all ready to import pictures into this blog. I downloaded all the pictures from my camera onto the IPad, but for some reason, the blog is not giving me the choice of importing those pictures. So, I will forgo that. Today was somewhat great and somewhat brutal. I went over Sherman Pass (5,500 feet). and ended up doing 56 miles all together. And it was in the high 90's.
But things are still going well. I can't believe I complained about the cold and wet earlier. I guess that is the beauty of being outside and in the weather. Put the coat on, take it off. Get the rain gear ready, use it or not depending on what happens.
Meeting all kinds of people. A couple from Germany and a couple of guys from Slovenia yesterday. I think what is interesting is that the conversations have little to do with our lives outside of biking. We want to know where others stayed. What kind of camp places were available. How bad were the passes to get over. That kind of thing. Lots and lots of kind and nice people. I was running out of water today and a retired tech teacher from Vancouver dug into his stash of water and saved my butt.
A coyote ran across the road in front of me yesterday. A treat. I'm getting to know the bug kingdom on personal level.
The tent has been great and campgrounds fantastic.
Spending the night in Colville, Washington. I don't have any more giant passes to go over, but tomorrow still will be a day of climbing. The last one for a while.
I'll look into what is going on with the picttures.
I should have been at work yesterday, so I actually feel like I am offficially retired. Yeah!
I was all ready to import pictures into this blog. I downloaded all the pictures from my camera onto the IPad, but for some reason, the blog is not giving me the choice of importing those pictures. So, I will forgo that. Today was somewhat great and somewhat brutal. I went over Sherman Pass (5,500 feet). and ended up doing 56 miles all together. And it was in the high 90's.
But things are still going well. I can't believe I complained about the cold and wet earlier. I guess that is the beauty of being outside and in the weather. Put the coat on, take it off. Get the rain gear ready, use it or not depending on what happens.
Meeting all kinds of people. A couple from Germany and a couple of guys from Slovenia yesterday. I think what is interesting is that the conversations have little to do with our lives outside of biking. We want to know where others stayed. What kind of camp places were available. How bad were the passes to get over. That kind of thing. Lots and lots of kind and nice people. I was running out of water today and a retired tech teacher from Vancouver dug into his stash of water and saved my butt.
A coyote ran across the road in front of me yesterday. A treat. I'm getting to know the bug kingdom on personal level.
The tent has been great and campgrounds fantastic.
Spending the night in Colville, Washington. I don't have any more giant passes to go over, but tomorrow still will be a day of climbing. The last one for a while.
I'll look into what is going on with the picttures.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
sat. august 2, 2013
It has been a wet and cold beginning. So far each day has started with the mountains/hills shrouded with fog that hasn't really burned off until way later in the day. It rained two days. But the good news is that my rain gear works, and it was mostly just drizzle. Kept me in the tent for 5 hours on Thursday morning. But right after i decided to go for it, the rain quit for 30 minutes, which allowed me to get the tent down and head on my way. Camping every night so far. Last night used the bear proof storage for the food. No encounters. I had more encounters with a bunch of drunk college kids who strayed into my sight looking for the bathroom.
Currently in Winthrop, Washington. Really busy town. It is Saturday and the locals tell me that Canadians have a holiday. There also seems to be a motorcycle rally going on. Lots and lots of bikers(the other kind). Winthrop styles itself as an old west kind of town. Wooden boardwalks all along the center of town. Had lunch at "The Schoolhouse" (can't get away from it). Nice patio overlooking the river that goes through the center of town.
Broke a spoke on my rear tire yesterday. Limped into Winthrop and got it fixed at a bike shop. For me, the rear spokes are a big challenge, so better to have someone who knows what they are going take care of it.
Getting the hang of how much to eat and when. I need to eat more. I just keep riding and then discover that my energy supply is too low.
Beautiful mountains, but I am not very good at climbing. Maybe I will get better at that as I go along.
A day early, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mom!!!!!!!!!! Til nextt time.
It has been a wet and cold beginning. So far each day has started with the mountains/hills shrouded with fog that hasn't really burned off until way later in the day. It rained two days. But the good news is that my rain gear works, and it was mostly just drizzle. Kept me in the tent for 5 hours on Thursday morning. But right after i decided to go for it, the rain quit for 30 minutes, which allowed me to get the tent down and head on my way. Camping every night so far. Last night used the bear proof storage for the food. No encounters. I had more encounters with a bunch of drunk college kids who strayed into my sight looking for the bathroom.
Currently in Winthrop, Washington. Really busy town. It is Saturday and the locals tell me that Canadians have a holiday. There also seems to be a motorcycle rally going on. Lots and lots of bikers(the other kind). Winthrop styles itself as an old west kind of town. Wooden boardwalks all along the center of town. Had lunch at "The Schoolhouse" (can't get away from it). Nice patio overlooking the river that goes through the center of town.
Broke a spoke on my rear tire yesterday. Limped into Winthrop and got it fixed at a bike shop. For me, the rear spokes are a big challenge, so better to have someone who knows what they are going take care of it.
Getting the hang of how much to eat and when. I need to eat more. I just keep riding and then discover that my energy supply is too low.
Beautiful mountains, but I am not very good at climbing. Maybe I will get better at that as I go along.
A day early, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mom!!!!!!!!!! Til nextt time.
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