7/31/05 Maumee to Wellington, OH (Findley State Park) 106 miles.
We watched the Toledo Mud Hens beat the Durham Bulls 2-0 last night & then we were treated to a flat-bed truck full of fireworks. Quite an impressive display on a crowded city street. Back at Mark’s & Jean’s we had a nightcap & I put my nightcap on & headed for bed.
This morning I got on the road again The camping mat & road food are going to be such a letdown. I said my goodbyes to Jean & Mark & Mark’s cousin Chuck & his wife Celeste, & rode east.
I rode through Fremont, OH, birthplace of Rutheford B. Hayes, the 1st president to visit California (I stumbled on Fremont, but I learned the latter fact from a folk song). Some really beautiful old homes there.
Wellington’s claim to fame is that the painter of “The Spirit of 76” lived here for a while.
Just chock full of history today.
Unfortunately, I seemed to have used up all the flat in OH. The landscape is just starting to roll & tomorrow I fully expect some climbing as I head to the Appalachians. I tried to cut some miles off today by sticking to the major highways, but I passed 3000 miles today – only 600 or so to go.
I’m resting nicely at my sister Jean’s. I’m eating, sleeping and drinking like a king, thanks to hers and Mark’s hospitality. Mark’s cousin and his family are also here and last night we had a scrumptious dinner complete with an early birthday cake for me. Tonight we’re going to a Toledo Mudhen’s game, and early tomorrow, I’m on the road again.
Here’s the plan for the next week:
Sun, Jul 31: Leave Maumee to Wellington, OH ~100 miles.
Mon, Aug 1: Wellington to Paris, OH ~ 75 miles.
Tue, Aug 2: Paris, OH to McDonald, PA ~ 85 miles.
Wed, Aug 3: McDonald to Ohiopyle, PA ~ 75 miles
Thu, Aug 4: Ohiopyle to Cumberland, MD ~ 74 miles.
Fri, Aug 5: Cumberland to Fort Frederick State Park, ~ 70 miles.
Sat, Aug 6: FFSP to Tuscarora/Gaithersburg, ~ 88 miles.
Sun, Aug 7: Gaithersburg to Annapolis, ~ 80 miles.
Mon, Aug 8: Annapolis to Bethany Beach, ~ 90 miles.
This is a pretty aggressive schedule, especially making 80+ miles on those trails, and counting on clear weather, it will defintely be adjusted as I go. I’m getting to the point where being done is job 1.
7/28/05 Monroeville, IN to Maumee, OH 96 miles
Today was the flattest ride I’ve done on the tour so far — only 210 feet up. I heard Western Ohio was still part of the plains, but this was great. Especially since I underestimated the mileage by about 10 miles which made for a long day.
I tried to get started early. Got up at 6:30 and started packing and had almost decided that I would ride to breakfast when the route took me right past the bar I had eaten in last night. They were open for breakfast, too, so I went in and plopped at the bar. It took a whole 40 minutes to get 2 pancakes & sausage, but in some ways it was worth the wait. The pancakes were hugh — glad I only ordered 2 — and the sausage was about an inch thick and as big as a t-bone steak. No wonder it took so long to cook. While filling, the extra time again got me off to a late start and I wasn’t out of Monroeville until 8:45.
There’s not much to say about the route today except that it was flat and that Ohio corn and soybean fields look very much like every other state’s. I did stop for lunch in Defiance, OH and got a short history of it’s role in the French & Indian wars and saw a marker for Pontiac’s birthplace and another marker for Johnny Appleseed’s first orchard. After Definance, I rode mostly along the Maumee River road, though the river was very muddy from the recent rains.
I arrived at Jean’s & Mark’s around 6:30, ready to be off the bike for a couple of days. I was treated to a wonderful meal, excellent libations, and slept in a wonderfully soft bed, feeling fully lubricated. (Have I used the Waldorf-Astoria analogy yet?).
7/27/05 Peru, IN to Monroeville, IN 80 miles
As I said in my post yesterday, my legs are tired and sore & a north wind didn’t help. So, today was a slow day after a very late start. I left Peru at noon with the goal of making it to Ohio. Mostly, I stayed on US 24, but later in the day I returned to the Adventure Cycling route, passing through Huntingdon (birthplace of Dan Quayle — oh, and I forgot to mention that I went through Dixon, IL, birthplace of Ronald Regan — I didn’t stop at their respective libraries), and Zanesville, where I had a steakburger at a little pizza shop where they had slips from all the through cyclists under the counter glass (mine’s there now, too).
I made it within 3 miles of the border, anyway. The description in my Adventure Cycling maps of Monroeville, IN sounded too good: Camping shelter in city park for cyclists — showers, laundry, and best of all FREE. If Iroquois, IL is the Motel 6 of cyclist-friendly towns, then this place is the Crowne Plaza. Not only did they have all of the above, but a full kitchen, cots, and enough room for 20 people. There was another couple there — in their late 60’s from South Carolina on their way to Ohio to visit their daughter. The place was big enough that we both had our own areas. They went to be and I went out to find something to eat. I went to a local bar, “Pour Boys” and had a chef’s salad, fries, a beer, and a good dose of 60’s country music: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, etc. Like a time warp.
Anyway, if you’re cross-country cycling — Monroeville, IN should be on your itinerary.
It’s Day 40 when I’m writing this from Payne, OH, and I’ve just crossed into the Eastern time zone (so I lost another hour), and I’ve also crossed off 2800 miles. I have about 800 or so left according to the rest of my maps, so I’ll fall a little short of 3700, but I’m not worrying about that too much. Next missive should be from my sister Jean’s in Maumee, OH.
Iroquois, IL to Peru, IN 100 miles.
Well, after yesterday’s post I headed on to Logansport where the signage was extremely confusing and I got caught up for about 1/2 hour. While getting my bearings using maps at a convenience store, it started pouring rain. That lasted for about 5 minutes and within another 5 minutes, the streets were dry. I headed on towards a campground in Peru, about 15 miles away.
Never made it. Halfway there it started raining in earnest, complete with much lightning. I took shelter under the eaves at someone’s house and waited for about 15 minutes. The immediate storm passed and I continued on, though it was still raining. After three days of record heat, and as the temps were still in the high 80s, the rain actually was refreshing.
As I approached within 4 miles of Peru, the heavens opened and the storm resumed, a deluge this time. I waited under a bridge for a few minutes and when it seemed that it was now or never, I went on the last two miles into Peru. The rain was really pelting now and the lightning became more frequent, so when I saw the MOTEL sign ahead, I made straight for it.
Turns out the county I was in had a severe thunderstorm warning and two counties southward had tornado warnings. After I got settled in the room, the storm really picked up — I had made it through what could only be called the “best” part of the storm. I walked across the street to a chinese restaurant and had dinner while watching the lightning flashing every few seconds. The lights in the restaurant flashed a lot, but to the credit of the power company, they only went out once for about 30 seconds and came back on within another 30. Guess they know how to deal with lightning out here.
Anyway, my legs are in no rush to get moving today, even though it’s beautifully clear and cool out. I’m sore & tired after two big mileage days in the heat and the excitement and frantic pedalling last night. I’m heading to the Ohio border today, and should make to my sister’s on Thursday. Friday will be a long-needed day off.
Streator, IL to Iroquois, IL 103 miles.
Well, I didn’t make it to Rensselaer, but I did make it to Iroquois, IL. This is about the friendliest-to-bike-passers-through town I’ve been in.
The Adventure Cycling maps I’m using said I could camp in the park, but to call the mayor. I tried, but my cell phone wasn’t working in that area, so I just went to the Iroquois Cafe and had a few beers. The bartender was very busy as she was both tending bar and handling 5 full tables without a cook, so I didn’t get a lot of info out of her. I left the bar and was going to pitch my tent in the park, but first I stopped at the local store. The clerk asked me if I was staying in the park and if someone had opened the shower room for me. “Well, no — I tried to call the number, but couldn’t.” So he called Dennis, the shower contact. And when his phone didn’t answer, he called Dennis’ father with the same results, and then Dennis’ son, and again no answer. I was resigned to sleeping in the park with just a quick, cold wash off.
I started to leave and asked the clerk where the Post Office was and what time it opened. He said it was a block away, but that he didn’t know when it opened. So, I went back to the bar and got my bike and didn’t walk five steps when the guy in the house next to the bar asked me if I was staying in the park and whether I would like the showers opened. “Sure. That’d be great.” Turns out the “Dennises” were out of town and Gary was taking care of the park duties for them.
It also turns out that the shower is actually in a little building, half of which is a garage, and the other half a conference room/office. Gary said I could just stay in there if I wanted, which of course I did since it was still 90 at 8:30 PM and the conference room had an air conditioner. (I’m getting so spoiled with all the cool air nights.)
I took a shower, made some phone calls, and headed back to the bar. It was empty, save the bartender. I had another beer or two and we chatted about all the cyclists that come through that town (thanks to Adv. Cycling’s maps), my bike trip and her kayaking/canoeing. I went back to the bed with a little buzz, but I had a great rest and decided not to start too early on Day 38 as I wanted to get some postcards mailed and rest my legs a bit.
In the morning, I had breakfast at the Iroquois which serves as the both the local breakfast, lunch and dinner place, and the bar. I made a quick run to Sheldon where the bartender assured me I could get Illinois postcards (I had been looking for them all the previous day and even took an 8 mile detour. It seems tourism is not a big deal in East Central IL).
And then I saw Gary again, and asked him if the way I was going into Indiana had a “Welcome to Indiana” sign. He didn’t think so, but that if I went south back to Sheldon and took US 24, there was one there. I head back to Sheldon and east on 24 with a wonderful 15 mph tailwind coming directly out of the west. While there wasn’t any sign save for a little “Entering this county, leaving Illinois”, the road was so good and I was going so fast that I decided to stay on the route and head straight for Fort Wayne/Monroeville on this road.
While the shoulders have narrowed from 3 to 2 to .5 ft, I’m still making good time and hope to cut a big chunk out of Indiana today. More later.
Streator, IL to currently Watseka, IL — 87 miles.
Another hot one. Corn to the left of me, soybeans to the right… (here I am, stuck in the middle…) 😉
Trying to reach Indiana today, Renssalaer, to be exact. That will be a bit of a stretch, but I’m feeling good and have just spent some time at the library cooling down. Will update you on that progress as soon as I can.
Polo, IL to Streator, IL 88 miles.
Hi Temp on my bike Thermometer: 105. 90 by 9 AM and 100 by 11.
The plains are so much easier than the rolling hills I’ve been dealing with the last 3 days. I started off at 6 this morning and it was still under 80. The bike path turned out to be just dirt so I used US 52 which on Sunday morning was empty and compared to the bike path and the county roads, a dream, as I was able to find services almost every 5-10 miles. And in this heat, I had to get ice and water at every stop. I faired well, though, keeping hydrated, sunscreened and moving — stopping only serve to intensify the heat. As long as I was moving, I actually stayed pretty cool. The wind was more cooperative today, too, as was the terrain and I finished up by 3:30. This will be the first time since leaving the Hanlons that I’ve gotten more than 11 hours of rest after the riding day.
Streator, like many of the towns here, doesn’t really have a claim to fame. A nice old downtown which I saw on the wsy out. I did stay in a hotel, though. The thought of camping out in 90+ weather with no “official” campground with shower facilities anywhere nearby helped with that decision. I got some epsom salts and soaked my knee and rear and that felt good and got a long, cool summer’s nap.
Warren, IL to Polo, IL 58 miles
I was held up for 4 hours today in Lena, IL for more thunderstorms – the farmers were desparate for the rain, but I wasn’t. It both made for along day & a short riding day. I did get my laundry done, though.
Nothing else very special today – I did stop shortly in Freemont, IL where Lincoln debate Douglas once, but the most notable thing about this town of 20,000 was a sizable downtown that was virtually empty. Rather spooky, actually, & I did not feel comfortable enough to leave the bikeoutside the restaurants with no street views.
The highlight of the day was the gargantuan chicken cordon bleu I had at Jack’s Bar & Grill in Forreston, IL. Rather good but 3 meals worth ofeating.
In Polo, IL & looking forward to the 1st 20 miles tomorrow being on a rail trail. 115 degree heat index expected tomorrow so I really want toget my miles in early.
Bloomington, WI to Warren, IL 75 miles
A nice day. Started off with breakfast at Ma’s Bakery in Bloomington, WI as I noted in my earlier post. Headed to Lancaster, Platteville & Shullberg. In Platteville, I took a short break at a convenience store, & while looking over my maps, a man asked me if I needed help with bike routes. “Sure,” I said, “any help I can get.” He then said he was planning to go out for a ride & offered to ride along if I wanted himto. “Double sure.”
While Tony went to change & get his bike, I had a quick lunch. When he returned, I was treated to an excellent guided tour thru the backroads that only local cyclists know. Tony teaches math @ the local college & it was great riding & talking with him. We covered about 3/4 of the distance to Shullsburg & parted ways after exchanging cards. We snapped a pic & in answer to Tony’s question about flats, I told him, “Only 2 -1 on Jake & 1 on BOB.
Cyclist’s rule #14: NEVER TALK ABOUT LUCK WITH FLATS!
Less than a mile after we parted I heard that familiar hisssssssss from Jake’s rear. I was going up a slight hill & decided to walk to the crest – only to find another, albeit smaller hill looming & not a tree in sight. Now this was about noon, & the sun was blazing high in the cloudless sky & my temp gauge read 98. Jake’s rear tire had a blowout in the sidewall. I could’ve patched that, but the rest of the tire was so cut up from all the abuse of 2500 miles of touring that I put it out of its misery & put on the spare. I also patched the tube & pumped it up & got everything back together. I was literally dripping with sweat.
And just over that next rise? A nice big farmhouse with a nice, shady front yard, not more than 300 yds from where I worked in the burningheat.
Cyclist’s rule #37: ALWAYS look over the next hill.
OK, so on to Shullsburg. Well, that proved not so easy, either. The road I turned on to Shullsburg was closed ahead for construction. The closest alternate was 5 miles away, backtracking over the hills I had justlabored over.
Often, road closures are for relatively short work areas such as bridges or culverts & there’s usually a way to walk around them.
Not today.
When I hit the construction area about a mile later, the whole road was torn up for (I was to learn later) realignment of two curves. I couldn’t see how far the work went on, but I did notice that all the dozers & graders were parked & there wasn’t a pickup or worker in sight. But there were tire tracks thru the dirt & faced with the prospect of a 10+ mile detour, I sallied forth, knowing that at worst I’d have to walk in the grass berm. It was bumpy, but I made it through the 1/2 mile noworse for the wear.
I stayed in Shullsburg for 3 hrs to stay out of the sun. Ate at a little greasy spoon, refilled my water, wrote postcards, updated my blog & gotsome route maps printed at the local library.
Unlike yesterday, I knew I had some overnight options coming up. I crossed into Illinois & shortly came upon the little town of Warren. I went straight for the only motel, only to find it open, but with no cars & no one answering the bell. I resigned myself to heading about 10
miles further to a state park campground.
Less than 2 blocks past the motel I passed a nice old house with a woman sitting on the front porch & a sign out front: Noni’s Bed & Breakfast. I quickly turned around & asked if she had rooms & how much? She did & it was reasonable & the deal was struck. What a find. After a shower & short trip to town for dinner, I sat on said porch & chatted with Noni, before settling into a soft four poster bed with the freshest sheets.Awwwwwww-mmmmm.
After a great & restful sleep, I woke to overcast skies & the weather radio warning of 30% chance of storms before 7am. I left anyway not wanting to lose a minute of cool, sun-free riding. Within 3 miles it started raining & by the time I made it here to the cafe in Lena, IL where I’m writing this while sitting in my rain poncho trying to stay warm. It’s still raining & thundering @ 10:30 though the forecast is forsun & temps nearing 100.
Off to the next coffee shop…
After my last post, I bypassed all the hotels, stopped in Wally-World and stocked up on Naproxen (Aleve) and a couple of cold packs and headed east. The 35 miles was eating at me, and the meatloaf I had in Marquette kicked in, so I decided to keep going.
I set out with the intention of hitting a state park or private campground, and there were two in the area. However, 5 miles out of Prairie du Chien (pardon my french, but I misspelled and mispronounced it earlier it’s Prayer-ee due Shayn), I got off of the main highway which appeared to have a big climb and went on a county road which *HAD* a big climb. Zoomin’ up at 4 mph& being eaten by flies to boot. (I did do this voluntarily, right? 😉 At the top, the routes to the campgrounds obviously went downhill back to the Mississippi, so I kept the high ground and headed for Patch Grove. At this point, I’ve got about an hour of daylight left. Patch Grove turned out to have nothing but two bars and I asked at one of them about lodging further down the road, and was told there was a park in the next town — about 4 miles. That, I could make, so I headed off to Bloomington.
And there was a park. However, it was local softball league night, and the place was swarming with people — in the pavillions, the volleyball courts, the playground, not to mention the ballfield. The concession stand was selling beer and at 9 PM, there was a game going on and two other teams warming up. It was already dusk and the next town with a motel was 14 miles away and this was the best I could do — so I bought a Sprite and sat down to watch the game and wait until the festivities ended. As the first game ended, the crowd did thin a little bit and I started chatting with a man who had been sitting there. Charlie, it turns out, was the father or grandfather of about a 1/4 of the next team (slight exaggeration, but not much). We talked for quite a while about his kids and grandkids, my kid and grandkid, his jjob, sports and army exploits, his retierment, and me and my trip. About 11 PM, the park had cleared enough that I could walk about 100 yds to the next pavillion and set up, and that’s what I did. I said my good-bye-nice-to-meet-you to Charlie (after getting a pic, of course) and he recommended “Ma’s Bakery” as a good breakfast spot. I made my way to the pavillion, parked Jake & BOB against a table, put my pad & bag on the concrete and put in my earplugs.
Did I mention that I thought the beer selling was going to mean a long night? It did. Even though the games were over by 11, the hangers-on hung on to midnight. After that, I did have a quite peaceful and restful night. I got up in the morning, packed up, and while filling my tires, found that my front tube had a big hole by the valve base that only leaked if it were turned a certain way. I changed the tube and got to “Ma’s” by 6:40. And Charlie was there. It’s really cool to walk into a place where you don’t know anyone, but yet you do, and I almost bellowed, “Hi, Charlie!” He sat and talked with me while I ate my breakfast (“Ma’s” was very good & cheap, BTW), we said our goodbyes again and off I went.
That’s why I didn’t stay in that hotel last night watching the weather or re-runs of I Love Lucy! Just little slices of Americana like that make the extra miles worth it (I finished with 60 for the day).
Today, on Day 33, I’m sitting in a library in Shullsburg, WI, just cooling down a bit. I’ll get to today’s report later though, gotta get back out on the road soon.
Lansing, IA to Prairie du Chen, WI 35 miles
Whew. I’m tired. Today’s ride was delayed by thunderstorms until after noon. I was staying in a campground about 2 miles west of Lansing. When I woke up just before 6 to get ready to leave, a quick check of weather radar indicated a big storm coming in about an hour. I was able to pack up the tent and got everything into the BOB and got into town just before the storm hit. I parked Jake & BOB under an awning at the local hardware store and hit the quik stop, restaurants, coffee shops, variety stores, hardware stores, and just about every place I could take shelter. I had my fill of coffee today, let me tell you. 😉 Rain, lightning, & thunder lasted until 11:30. I finally got on the road shortly after noon.
And it was a slogging day. The road from Lansing to Harper’s Ferry, IA leaves the river and climbs over a number of the bluffs. Three good size climbs to be exact. I did get a chance to stop at (and get a welcome break) at the Effigy Mounds National Monument. I DID NOT do the 7 mile hikes — the visitor center sufficed.
I finally made Marquette, IA at 4:30 and stopped in a cafe and had the meatloaf special. I then crossed the mighty Mississippi into Prairie du Chen, WI, in whose library I update this tome.
Will stay here for the evening and hopefully get a good an early start tomorrow. My knee is still tender and my rear is still swollen & blue, but being on the bike actually feels much better than walking or lying down. Must be all those muscles I’ve been building up the last few weeks giving some back.
Plainview, MN to Lansing, IA 83 Miles
Today’s ride was mercifully easy, thank goodness, & I still made over 80 miles, bum knee & all.
I rode along the Mississipi, past the many bluffs that dot this region. And I hit a new state – Iowa.
On to Wisconsin & Illinois!
A final pic with my saviors and hosts for the last 4 days, the Hanlons.
As I’ve already said, I’m lucky to have been where I was when I crashed. Though I lost a few days and a few actual bike miles, I’m feeling much better thanks to Eric’s & Wanda’s help, wonderful meals and libations (including Hanlon’s Fisher Hill Red), quiet sleep, theraputic pool, and tremondous energy from Zach, Hannah, & Sam. Thanks so much to all the Hanlons.
I went for a ride with Jake & Bob and Eric last evening and it was successful enough to plan to continue on tomorrow morning. I’m going to stick with my original route through Iowa (touching on Wisconsin for a bit), Illinois, & Indiana. In about 7 or 8 days and 620 miles, I’ll be in Maumee, OH visiting with my sister Jean and her husband Mark, hopefully in time to catch some Toledo Mudhen games. It will be a little slow at first — my knee did do some complaining, and my rear is still bright blue and swollen — but the bike felt pretty comfortable and I’m feeling confident about continuing.
… but slowly getting better. I’m going to try a fully-loaded ride this evening and decide whether to get on the road tomorrow or not. Today will be a good day to go over the bike, change brake pads, rotate tires, lube it, etc. In the meantime…
Road Kill Ruminations
Warning: Graphic content. Material may be unsuitable for small children, family pets, or anyone who gets queasy at the sight of a stray drop of ketchup on their sleeve.
One of the things new cyclists are faced with when they start out on longer rides is roadkill. You quickly learn that you can’t keep your head down looking at the white line too long, or you may face an extremely unpleasant meeting. You need to know what’s coming and whether or not and how long you may need to refrain from breathing to get past roadkill lying in wait — a sometimes trying task, especially if you are sucking wind up a long hard climb. Too often, the only way you find out about a kill lying in the grass to the side of the roadway is to pass through the stench of it’s rotting flesh. Other times, you have to manuever your mount through various body parts & fluids strewn over the highway and shoulder, all the while trying to avoid becoming roadkill yourself. Splayed intestines are the most offensive, imho.
As I crossed this great nation, the roadkills varied with the landscape and climate. In the Cascades of Washington, weasels seemed to be the most prominent formerly live objects on the roadways. As I descended into the high desserts, snakes became pretty prominent (some rather large ones, too).
Idaho and Montana kept the snakes, but the weasels were replaced by squirrels.
In Wyoming, jack rabbits were the most common, but the snakes were still there, too (I only saw one very small and one medium size still alive snake waiting to eventually be smushed on the side of the roadway).
In South Dakota, things became much more varied. As I left Rapid City and the Black Hills diminished into the badlands, turtles started appearing, and rabbits were still pretty frequent. Out of the badlands and into the great plains, pheasants started appearing quite often.
In Minnesota, raccoons and foxes joined the pheasants in the mix.
Overall, I was surprised an the paucity of deer, because they were sure prominent in the western forests. However, I only saw 4 or so deer in the 1st 2000 miles. Contrast that with often seeing 4 deer on a single ride in Central PA. I’m sure that has to do with the population of both people and deer and also the traffic density in PA, but I was surprised a bit.
While nothing looks especially attractive after meeting an untimely and violent demise under the weight of a motorcar, birds appear particularly ungainly in death. Perhaps that’s because in life they represent such grace and spirit in flight, that the sight of them sprawled on their backs, their scrawny feet sticking up into the air, heads flattened like pancakes, their wings tucked or splayed, makes their passing that much more tragic.
This is what happens when you have so much time to think. 😉
<- Real tough recuperation I’m having, huh?
If I had to have an accident, I couldn’t have picked a better place to have it. Eric & Wanda have been wonderful hosts, attending to whatever I need, and today, Eric took me into Rochester to visit the nearby Mayo Clinic’s Emergency Room.
I got an OK to continue on. The knee is sprained, but structurally sound. The doctor had me push, pull, twist, turn and walk against force and and I was able to perform every task with the same strength in the right knee as the left. They didn’t even bother with X-rays. I do have a rather large hematoma on my right buttocks, but its basically a big bruise, and not a show stopper.
After the doctor’s explanations about hematomas et al, I asked “Are there *any* restrictions or problems with continuing my ride?” I asked. “No,” he answered. “Except for expecting pain?” I replied. “Oh, yeah,” he said, “It’s gonna hurt.”
So, I’m going to lay low for another day, maybe two, and then continue on, albeit more slowly at first. I think I’m going to abandon the cooking idea, send all that extra weight back home, and eat out for the rest of the trip. That will both lighten my load, and give me more time during the daylight hours for riding. Just one less thing to worry about, too.
After flying down passes in the rockies at 45+ mph and dodging Montana’s truck drivers, RVs in Wyoming, South Dakota’s tourists, and farm machinery in Minnesota, it’s a bit ironic to me that I was brought down in a slow speed solo manuever. I was going about 11 or 12 mph when Jake & Bob conspired with whatever pavement defect it was that caught their attention and tire to ungraciously throw me like a rider from a bronco bull. At least those guys are expecting it.
So stay tuned. I’ll probably try to leave here Wednesday morning, only a day off schedule. In the meantime I’ll try to post some other observations from the road that I haven’t had time to write up.
I am a bit sore this morning. All the little bruises that weren’t noticed yesterday made themselves known. Injuries to date: Strained right knee, deep contusion on right gluteus maximus, contusions on my left and right quadriceps, and a little twinge in my back. Hmmmm. The bike and the trailer appear for all intents and purposes to be unscathed. Curse them! 😉
At this point, I’m waiting and seeing and keeping ice on the knee, and tomorrow I’ll see if it seems alright to continue.
Anyway, I’m still officially travelling. I got a few questions from some of you about what happened to Chris and who Eric is (BTW, you can drop me a line at – 
):
Chris left on Friday to return to the Denver airport & fly home. I would not be this far without his great help getting through South Dakota.
Eric is Eric Hanlon. We worked together in the mid-90s at a company called Roadware in Kylertown, PA. After Roadware pulled their operations back to Canada, I went independent, and Eric moved to Minnesota to work at the Mayo Clinic. His wife Wanda is originally from MN, and they live here with their three adorable children, Zach, Hannah, & Sam.
So, after Eric’s dramatic rescuing of me from the McDonald’s in Owatonna (well, not dramatic, but I’m just trying to spice things up), we went back to their place, I cleaned up a bit and we went to their neighbors for a gourmet dinner, replete with fireworks. What a treat! It was hard to feel sorry for myself with such great company and wonderful food. And a little libation helped to ease the pain, too. Eric & Wanda are so nice, I feel blessed that if I was to have an accident, that I was close enough to end up here. They are taking good care of me.
Slept very well last night – a good sign that the injuries are not too serious. Like I said, I’ll see what tomorrow brings and maybe head to the local clinic just to get checked out. At the least, it’s going to be uncomfortable for a few days. At worst I might have to postpone finishing. And all possibilities in between. We shall see. 😉
Not to worry, it was relatively minor – details below.
Darfur to Owatonna, MN 92 miles.
First, unfinished story: I forgot to tell you that I pitched my tent in the Darfur American Legion Park, two blocks from the lounge. Just me & 6,000 mosquitos & a cool little owl using the pavilion as a base.
Had a restless night since it stayed hot & my body still hadn’t stopped peddling, & I only got to rinse off using the park fountain.
My mapping/timing mistakes yesterday really cost me today, & fatigue & the heat didn’t help. By 2 pm, it was clear I wasn’t going to make the Hanlons’ without motor vehicle assistance (i.e. a ride).
I called Eric – I would ride for two more hours & he’d pick me up. Then, just as I crossed the city limits, I was going to make a pit stop at McD’s. When I turned to cross the highway, my wheel caught on the lip of the shoulder & I was sent sprawling into the traffic lane. There were no cars coming (I looked 1st), & a nice lady who saw me fall pulled up behind me & put her flashers on & stayed until I got off the highway & got myself together.
Jake & BOB are fine. I bruised my right butt cheek & its very hard. My right knee also took a beating. I was OK enough to ride over to McD’s & then, minus BOB, to walmart for instant ice packs & an ace wrap.
I’m sitting at McD’s with half my bottom on one ice pack & another on my knee & Eric just pulled in.
Updates later. I’m OK, just sore & not quite so charmed.
Well, the adventure begins. I got a late start today – purposefully – as Chris was leaving & I was feeling tired after doing 410 miles in 4 days through the SD heat & wind.
I felt charmed. For the first time all week, I had a tailwind, & without Chris, & with the BOB in tow, that made for a much easier day. The terrain of western MN is much gentler, too.
I did, however, make two misjudgements: the distance I needed to cover, & the “ruralness” of this part of MN.
I had planned on going to Madelia, & after a nice, but too long lunch stop in Slayton (a real roast beef sandwich – no lunch meat & $2.50), I realized I’d really have to move to make Madelia. And I did – with the tailwind & flat roads I was doing 18 mph.
But by 8pm with the sun sinking, almost out of water & no food but trail bars, I knew I wasn’t going to make it. & after Slayton, services had dried up.
From my maps & pocket database, I knew I could go south about 10 miles & find food. No, I had to be stubborn & kept plodding on. At a little crossroads called Darfur, I saw a sign for the Darfur Lounge – Open 7 days a week, 365 days a year, on the ground, leaning against a building. I followed the directions, & sure enough, there it was.
I went in with the idea of getting my water bottles filled & using the john & getting on my way. I sat down at the bar beside an older man & couldn’t resist the call of the cold beer. I asked Pat, the farmer I sat beside, lots of questions about directions & he filled my ear with observations about farming 300 acres of corn & soybeans at 77 because the meds he & his wife needed cost $1000 a month & that was just about all they got from Social Security.
The bartender & various other patrons would come over occasionally to ask about my trip. Pat’s wife Shirley came over to take him home & we got to talking about my trip & she gave me $5 for The 2nd Mile & she’s gonna pray for me, too!
B0NUS! It was friday happy hours & there were free sloppy joes, so for 6 bucks I had 3 beers, 4 joes, 4 full water bottles & a priceless experience.
G’nite. Long day tomorrow & I’m very tired.
But I still feel charmed.
The Corn Palace — the facade is covered in corn of various colors.
The yellow hills of the Badlands, SD.
Chris and I in the Badlands.
The Pig Dig in the badlands.
The Longhorn Saloon, Scenic, SD.
Just some things I didn’t get to in the last post.
If you are ever in Pipestone or I-90 in western MN, it’s worth the side trip here just to eat at Lange’s Cafe. What a menu & selection of baked goods – pie to die for.
It’s funny how different things become just crossing a state border. The road maintenance changes of course – SD had better shoulders but MN does a much better job on the cracks — and so far, NO CHIP SEAL!! ;). Anyway, Chris & I both independently observed that MN is much neater (in the clean & tidy sense) than SD by far.
And much more populous. I won’t be lacking somewhere to stop (I hope I’m not speaking prematurely).
There’s a national park here at a quarry of soft red stone which the Indians carved into pipes & traded all over the country. I did a quick tour just to see what it’s all about. Also, every August you can come here for the annual Hiawatha pagent, where they put the play “Song of Hiawatha” on.
Well, Chris is leaving today – after brunch he’s heading west to catch a plane & I’m going east. ;( I spent a good part of the morning packing things to send back & getting only the essentials in the BOB.
I hope to be at the Hanlon’s tomorrow.
Mitchell, SD to Pipestone, MN 93 miles
5 states down, 15 to go. Just over 2000 miles so far.
Today was pretty routine. Sun, sunscreen, wind, riding, and more riding. Really wanted to get SD out of the way. Rode from Mitchell to Sioux Falls, and we stopped at Harlan’s Bike & Tour to have my bike checked out — have a funny random clicking going on and it’s driving me nuts. The noise is still there, but at least I know it’s safe. Also, I bought a spare BOB axle, just in case. Estelle, one of the staff on the Cycle America tour insisted I have one. Also, had to buy a new flag.
Have to run. The library I’m writing this at is closing. More later.
Presho to Mitchell, SD 111 miles
Forgot to relate in my earlier post that I crossed the Missouri River this morning, 1000 mi after I first did that in Montana.
After the hyperjump from Rt 34 to old US 16, I added 22 more miles & we ended up in Mitchell, home of the Corn Palace, a building which, while garrish enough already, is redecorated every year with frescos made with 11 shades of corn. An auditorium-basketball court-all purpose building where one could buy every manner of corn-related merchandise ever made.
After an excellent Mexican dinner, we restocked supplies & I spent the night washing my clothes & mending my favorite cyclin’ shorts.
I’m only 75 miles from MN, again thanks to Chris’ superb sag work, & should make it there tomorrow.
This won’t be a complete post since I haven’t finished riding for the day, but I thought I’d write while I had access to a computer.
“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” ~ Ernest Hemingway
I’m in Wessington Springs, S.D. Started early today in Presho and have come 89 miles, and am now well over the halfway point in mileage. Chris is going to execute a Hyperspace Jump* for me and we’ll end up in Mitchell, SD, so we can see the Corn Palace. After that, I plan to ride 20 or so more miles and call it a day. Minnesota is getting closer.
By the way, I forgot to note yesterday that I entered the Central time zone. Wasn’t even thinking about it, but Chris saw the sign. Could’ve really used that hour of sleep that I lost, though.
I’ll update again when we have a place for the night.
*- The Hyperspace Jump is a cool North-South move that saves or uses no mileage. It was used once before in jumping from RT 44 to the Badlands Scenic Loop (though that one did cost me an extra 9 miles, it was well worth it). I will certainly miss the Hyperspace Jumps when Chris leaves on Friday.
Tensleep River Pass, Wyoming. It was quite a climb through time.
Wyoming from BOB’s point of view. 😉
Me at Powder River Pass in Wyoming – Snow in July!
Chris & I with some of the Cycle America tour cyclists at Devil’s Tower, my last day with the group.
Cactus Flats to Presho, SD 98 miles.
As much as yesterday was a vacation wonderland, today was a slogging workday. My goal was to make it 120 miles to Reliance, but after fighting energy-sapping headwinds on bottom-bashing, speed-sucking chip-sealed roads all day, I threw in the towel 22 miles short of my goal. Still, 98 miles was good progress, and I’m way ahead of where I would have been without Chris’ help. If everything works out, I might be out of SD by Friday.
Today wasn’t without it’s high point, though. We stopped for lunch in Murdo at the Pioneer Auto Museum. This complex was almost as big as the Wall Drug store, but was full of not only antique cars, but bicycles, farm machines, motorcycles, whole schoolhouses & train stations — almost anything old, it was there.
Tomorrow, I’m going to try to knock off half of what’s left of South Dakota. That’s the goal, anyway.
Rapid City to Cactus Flats 101 miles
Imagine “Mongo” from “Blazing Saddles” growling out the subject line.
Today’s ride was wonderful & jam packed with things to talk about. I took lightly travelled route 44 instead of riding on the Interstate, thanks to Chris’ sag support. Gently rolling hills on either side of me, & only rarely did the road go over one.
Chris met me in the little wayside town of Scenic. 4, maybe 5 buildings, most of them with ‘Longhorn’ in their name, decorated with many skulls of long-dead cows. There was the Longhorn Food & Fuel, the Longhorn Saloon, & the Longhorn Emporium. I had a very refreshing grape popsicle at the Food & Fuel, waiting in line as three obviously inebriated Native
Americans were trying to figure out how to pool there cash to pay for their gas & a bottle of whiskey (It was about 10 AM). Not a pretty sight.
One of my concerns about riding through reservations in SD was the high rate of alcoholism among the men, and the fact that they drive in that state. One of the three, Harold, very obviously & purposefully stayed behind to talk to Chris &amp; me & eventually asked for a handout. When nothing was forthcoming from us, he quickly moved on to a carload of people getting gas.
After Scenic, the landscape quickly changed, becoming more sandy & barren — I had entered the Badlands, a beautiful & strange landscape of multi-colored layered rock & thick mineral-laden streams. A giant ‘Silly Sand’ sculpture.
Chris met me at mile 70 & sagged (transport by car) me over the 9 mi gravel road into the national park, where we got to see the ‘Pig Dig,’ an active archeological site where four paleontologists were busy digging through the earth with brushes & small metal picks (like your dentist uses). In 20 years since some tourists stumbled upon a fossil here,they have unearthed an about 20 x 10 patch & over 13,000 bones of all sorts of creatures who used this ancient watering hole.
We decided after the pig dig to head into Wall at the eastern end of the Badlands scenic loop, but it took us quite a while to get there as there were so many cool ‘viewpoints’ to stop at and gawk at nature’s wonders, including a small buffalo herd & prairie dogs.
Wall is the home of Wall Drugs, a block-long americana wonderland of free ice water, 5 cent coffee, chintzy souvenirs,& cheesy tourist attractions (like a hugh plastic T-Rex that growls every 12 minutes). We had buffalo burgers at the cafe & wandered around for a while amazed at the shear excess of it all.
After our later than planned lunch, we headed back to the badlands loop so I could finish my ride. 30 miles later, I had a century in & we parked ourselves at the Circle 10 campground/Motel in Cactus Flats, ready for a good sleep.
A bath. And my first real bed in 3 weeks. Ahhhhh.
Hit Mt. Rushmore early & avoided the crowds. Before hearing that Chris was coming, I was planning on taking a tour or hitching to the monument. Having a car was a real advantage, and I’m still happy with my decision to skip the Black Hills, especially if I had BOB in tow.
We did get one big treat today – bighorn sheep lulling by the road in Custer stste park. Got a couple nice pics.
Going to enjoy the luxury of a bed again tonight, and conquer the Badlands tomorrow.
Day 21 Gillette to Devils Tower – 68 miles
Today, though hot, was a relatively easy day. The first half of the ride was mostly flat, past long, long trains carrying coal (Did you know that Wyoming coal supplies 6% of the world’s power?)
The picnic lunch was held in Moorcroft Wyoming, where they had a Jubile Parade going on. Complete with Cowboys on horseback & Shriners and a very refreshing iced cherry-lemonade.
There were a few hills on the rest of the ride, and it was getting hotter. But a cold Pepsi at the one building town of Carlile gave me enough of a boost to haul BOB over the remaing hills. These hills almost magically started sprouting dark pine trees – a dramatic switch from the dry grass of the high plains – the end of the high plains and the start of the Black Hills.
The KOA at Devils Tower had a pool and after throwing in a load of laundry, I joined many of the other cyclists and jumped in. Now that felt good.
Since services are sparse at the Tower, some of the staff threw a party – and my friend Chris made it in time. We joined the party while waitng for the mechanics to finish tuning up Jake – his last professional servicing before my solo effort.
After loading Jake & BOB into the car, I bid everyone my bittersweet goodbyes. I got really attached to this group in the last 3 weeks and we had a lot of fun together. I resisted the many requests to stay on, and am really looking forward to doing South Dakota with Chris’ help, and then striking out completly on my own. So, Chris & I left the tower and
my new friends behind and headed to Rapid City.
Buffalo to Gillette, WY 72 miles With BOB.
Today was a hot one. My bike thermometer read 113 in the direct sun.
Lots of sunscreen & water made that tolerable. We were on Interstate 90
for 66 of the 72 miles. Easy riding on the big wide shoulders & really
very clean – except for the tire debris that claimed my tire.
Yes, I had my first flat of the tour. With over 1500 miles done, I
consider that really lucky. In fact, I was reluctant to mention my
avoidance of any flats in fear of jinxing my good luck. Others have been
getting quite a few. I actually got the flat just before an exit where
there was a water stop, and a short distance from there was a tree for
some shade. So, after a short walk, I had plenty of water, relief from
the sun, & five fellow cyclists offerring pumps, tubes, cookies & moral
support. I’m going to miss this group – the camaraderie can really help
getting through tough days like yesterday. And there’s always somebody
behind you to help.
BIG NEWS (& a big surprise): My friend Chris Fahey is picking me up in
Devils Tower tomorrow & is going to sag me through South Dakota. That is
going to be so great to have help getting through there, especially with
the dry heat that’s taken over the region.
More on that later. Tomorrow is my last day with the tour & I still have
68 miles to the tower with BOB in tow, & temps are forecast for over
100. Gotta get some rest.
Riverton to Buffalo, WY – 91 Miles, 7600 feet of climbing (ouch)
That’s almost double the amount of climbing I’ve done in one day. The experience was very similar to yesterday’s, climbing through the geological layers of Tensleep Canyon. That took us to Powder River Pass after almost 15 miles of continous climbing up 4-7 percent grades. And the scenery again was amazing, and I hope I can get some pics uploaded soon, maybe this weekend.
We had a grand pizza dinner at the Occidental Hotel in Buffalo. Hadeyn, the tour’s massage therapist) great-grandfather built the original hotel. This hotel as built in 1880 and has 26 bullet holes in the bar area. If you’re ever coming to this area, make reservations. It’s a treat not to be missed.
The other treat in Buffalo is the Deer Field Boutique and Expresso Cafe, from where I’m writing this entry. It’s a really cool place with a playland for kids, great artwork, live music, and of course great coffee.
Long day and I’m very tired and heading to bed. Tomorrow, we travel 63 miles on I-90 heading to Gillette.
Riverton to Worland, WY 94 miles.
A beautiful, but tough day. We are definitely out of cold country. It only went down to 55, and the tents were dry. Some people slept under the stars, and I’m going to try that tonight, mosquitos permitting. It will save 15 minutes in the morning, and after riding in the heat of theday today, an earlier start is proscribed.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. The cool morning was pefect for riding and the highway out of Riverton was flat & I finished the first 20 miles in little over an hour. The route went down Wind River Canyon, a journey in geologic time. The road signs call out the various eras & how many millions of years ago. The canyon walls were just beautiful; the colors of the rocks changing as the path moved along in time.
The picnic stop was at the end of the canyon, where I arrived at 10:30. I was anxious to get back on the road before it got hotter, but the mechanics wanted to put my new wheel on Jake to get a good break-in period before I go out on my own. So, Jake got a shiny & strong new ‘shoe’ at lunch, and I was delayed about 45 mins. That didn’t matter much because the sun was just so unrelenting, & the terrain so shadeless, that the rest of the ride to Worland was a series of stops to fill up the water bottles and reapply the sunscreen. I had a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup milkshake at Arby’s as soon as I made it into town.Mmmmmm, that hit the spot.
Tomorrow, we’re told, is the toughest day of the tour, with 8000 feet of climbing (double any previous efforts), and temps again in the high 90s.I plan to be on the road at first light to get a jump on that heat.
Dubois to Riverton 86 miles
1200 miles so far & almost 50,000 feet of climbing.
This part of Wyoming is so different than the Jackson/Yellowstone area we left just yesterday. We’re in the high plains, and vegitation and rain are sparse (hasn’t rained in a month here in Riverton).
Riverton is quite a bit larger than Dubois & has all the major box stores, so many of us went to Walmart & made photo CDs & restocked our Naproxen & Ibuprofen supplies.
It was a relatively easy day today, but hot – in the high 80s. Tomorrow is to be in the 90s & we’re going 100 miles. Need to get an early start to beat the.heat.
Oh, but first another ‘small world’ story. 0n Sunday, when the new people joined the group, someone said, ‘there are more Pennsylvanians here.’ They were from Roaring Spring and when I noticed a volleyball shirt on one of them I said if you play v-ball in that area then you know my brother, Dave. He (Gary Smith) did. & I had played with him, too. Hmmm.
Jackson to Dubois — 105 miles.
Brrrrrr. There was ice on our tents this morning, but as we needed to pedal 19 miles to breakfast, we had to get on the bike & get moving. My hands were freezing before I got on the bike. I had almost everything warm on that I brought with me & I was still cold.
The 7 miles into Jackson were torturous, with scowling at every hill that blocked the still rising sun, & rejoicing when the sun rays hit my freezing fingers. I was not quite prepared for this, but I did make it into town & stopped at a coffee shop & got a hot mug to warm my frozen fingers. The coffee, combined with being past the sun-blocking hills made the rest of the trip to breakfast much nicer.
This might be a good point to talk about organized (supported) tours vs. the self-supported tour I’m starting next week. This Cycle America tour has been great. The staff is first-rate, friendly & extremely helpful. Our every need is attended to, be it meals, sleeping arrangements, water stops enroute, sag wagons, routing & mechanical help.
BUT, everything is on a schedule, & there is little room for deviation. So, for example this morning, if I were on a self-supported tour, I would have rolled over in my bag & gone back to sleep until it warmed up a bit. If it never warmed up, I might have stayed in all day. As it was, tent zippers were zipping at 5 AM, waking most everyone up. These are the early birds, or people who know they need extra time to get those 19 miles, and once they’re up, only the soundest sleepers can stay asleep.
And while there is a picnic stop and dinner every day, they are at set times for set durations. Of course, you don’t have to eat with the tour, but it’s part of the package & there’s no extra expense on your part, so most people stick to the plan & schedule.
As I said, self-supported, you can make your own, and different decision on when to eat & when to ride, but you are out there on your own otherwise.
Back to the actual riding.
After breakfast, a few people took the off-the-official-route detour around Jenny Lake. It added 10 miles to the trip, but it was definitely worth it. All the locals said it was a “must do” if you’d never been here before. The views of the Tetons were great, and as soon as I can, I’ll try to get some pics uploaded.
We crossed Togwotee Pass at 9138 ft. & another crossing of the Continental Divide. We were above the snow line and I hopped in a snow bank and made a snow angel on the 4th of July! Once over this pass, the landscape soon changed. The vegetation thinned and the desert-like features appeared. Also much warmer temps — everything except the basic jersey & shorts were shed. There are some very interesting rock formations that would remind you of the painted desert in Arizona. Horizontal striations (sp?) of different colored rocks — very cool.
Dubois is a cool little western town. We all watched the fireworks and went right to bed after a hard day of riding.
Hi, just taking a minute to post this. No riding today, but I wanted to catch up on a few things I’ve been noticing but forgot to put in my blog.
1) It’s spring in July in Montana & Wyoming. Lilacs, which bloom in PA in May, are just blooming here. Attests to the cold winters that people go through in the high mountains.
2) I crossed the Missouri River for the first time as I was going from Townsend to Ennis. I’ll cross it again in South Dakota, many, many miles and a few mountain ranges from here (about 700 miles, I believe).
Remember earlier I mentioned losing track of time? Well I just noticed I misnamed a few entries and it’s now day 14, which must mean I’m in Jackson (actually Teton Village), WY.
Stats so far: 1092 miles, three states, 39490 ft of climbing.
I’m writing this at a KOA waiting for my laundry to be done. It’s our rest day, and after yesterday, much needed and appreciated.
I left Ashton with the intention of attacking the ride and trying to keep my speed up. Well, rough roads, high winds, and another broken spoke quickly sapped my energy & spirit. The spoke broke about a mile before the lunch stop, and I used a quick but temporary fix to get to
the lunch stop & the mechanics. It took almost two hours to get fixed, and the long term prognosis for the wheel isn’t good. It just isn’t up to the stresses of carrying the BOB. So, Uri, a truly master bike mechanic, is going to build me a new wheel with a higher spoke count &
better quality spokes. Very reasonably, too. That will make me feel a lot better about heading out on my own next week. Don’t want to spend two hours every couple days replacing spokes.
Anyway, while waiting for the repair, there was a fiddlin’ contest at the park where our lunch stop was located; part of the 4th weekend festivities. I even got in a few waltzes with some of the locals & other cyclists. That was a welcome little bonus – and the fiddlers were really good, even though I was there only for the 13-17 year olds.
Back to the ride. By the time I got started again, the winds were gusting to 30mph from the SW, & I still had 7 miles going south to just get to the big climb. When I finally got turned to the east & started up the mountain, the wind was mostly at my back. Still, it was a hard climb to 8200 ft, & the air was thin & I was feeling a little nauseous, & noticed my heart rate was really up. But I made it, held my bike up high while getting my photo snapped, survived the hair-raising descent, and had a good night’s sleep. Today, a bunch of us are catching the bus into Jackson for some R & R, & tomorrow we take on the rest of Wyoming.
W. Yellowstone to Ashton, ID 57 miles.
It’s funny to hear people (& myself) asking what day or date it is. Our
days are so full of riding & not much else.
It was another blissfully pretty day today, & shortly after we left we
reented Idaho at the continental divide (7100′) & saw the Tetons rising
in the distance. We went thru Targhee on some of the flatest,
straightest roads I’ve been on, & passed one spectacular waterfall on
the way, too.
Ashton itself holds not much more than the distinction of claiming to be
the largest exporter of seed potatoes. It does have one of the nicer
school facilities that we’ve been in, and serves as the staging stop for
our attack on the Teton pass tomorrow – 70 miles, climbing to 8431′
It’s going to be a tough day, but I felt really good w/o BOB today & am
looking forward to my first rarified air ride. G’nite!
<- Montana Wildflowers & “Big Sky”
Ennis to W. Yellowstone 79 miles.
I’m in W. Yellowstone, & I’ve got 7 miles to go to the lodge we’re camping at. Right now, I’m waiting for Lew (picture Gepetto as a bike mechanic) at Yellowstone Bicycles (& video store & kite store & model plane store} to fix yet another broken spoke, so I thought I’d write while I wait.
Today was just gorgeous. We left Ennis & travelled through a wide, wide valley lined by snow covered peaks. It’s easy to see why Montana connotes “Big Sky.” We followed rt 287 to Earthquake Lake, which was formed by a 1959 quake which killed 28 people & devestated the area. The resulting damage is still visible, & looks very akin to a.strip mine,
only lots worse. However damaged though, the area has a beauty all it’s own.
I had to really rush after the spoke repair to make it to the campground, scarf down dinner, put up my tent, shower & run to catch the shuttle to old faithful in Yellowstone. On the way in, we saw Elk, & Bisons with little baby bisons, and a bald eagle & eaglets in their nest.
That was all before the geysers & paint pots. In a very short time, we got to see Old Faithful spout, catch some of the peripheral geysers, and see the paint pots on the way out just as it was turning dark. I hope those pics come out.
Back at the camp, I’m falling asleep as I write. Short day tomorrow to Ashton, ID, then on Saturday, we have a big climb over the Tetons to Jackson Hole, WY, and another needed day of rest.
UPDATED 9-6-2005
South Dakota Homestead (click to enlarge)
Dipping the wheels in Puget Sound
Steven’s Pass
. Note that text messages are notoriously unreliable, especially if the phone is off or out of a service area for a period of time, so don’t be worried or offended if I don’t respond — it’s more likely that Verizon dumped it. But try anyway — it’s always nice to see something in the In-Box.
