Day 22 Lewistown, MT to Sand Springs, MT

1156.5 miles

We had to cross some more mountains today. I don't know where they keep coming from, but if we cross a mountain range in Nebraska, I'm gonna lose it. Today it was the Judith Mountains, and the crossing was pretty tame. People tell us that was the last major climb, but I'm prepared not to believe anything anyone tells me at this point.

We did hit some flats after we left the Judiths, and we managed to cruise pretty fast the 80 miles to our camping spot, which was supposed to be behind a bed and breakfast. We both had visions of some cute old place out on the range, with lots of trees, and french toast in the morning. Instead we got a nasty climb up a gravel road to somebody's ranch house built in 1982, with biting flies, and nobody was home. It was a pretty weird setup, so we threw back some calories and prepared for our first century.

Twenty more miles to Sand Springs. There's no population for Sand Springs or a sign. I think the population is one. There is a store/post office and an old woman lives next to the store/post office. She unlocked a bathroom for us and gave me the granola from my mom. We sat in the rocking chairs out front of the store as the sun went down and camped out back to the sounds of the coyotes and sheep.

Day 20 Denton, MT to Lewistown, MT

1052 miles

We got stormed on hard last night. We were sitting under a shelter in the Denton city park when the storm clouds started rolling in, and it was something to watch. Wind blowing in every direction, clouds moving over and under each other. But, we stayed dry in the tent and woke up to sunshine, briefly.

We had about an hour of sun, and then more storm clouds appeared on the horizon. We only had about 40 miles to go, so we jumped on our bikes and road as hard as we could to Lewistown. We passed some great scenery including more mountain ranges, but we had a purpose, and that was not to get soaked in a thunderstorm.

We managed to stay out ahead of the storm, and got sprinkled on a little. We made it to Lewiston tired, hungry, but dry.

In Lewistown, we stopped at a part time bike shop called High Plains Bike and Ski. The owner, Mark, has a pretty great setup and is a meticulous mechanic. He works on bikes in the afternoon and drinks beer with his friends in his little garage shop. Then they go riding or skiing on the weekends. Some people just never grow up as Mark says.

Day 20 Fort Benton, MT to Denton, MT

1006.3 miles

We rode a thousand miles!!! We rode a thousand miles!!!

Wasn't sure we were gonna make it after the toil of the past few days, but things started looking up today.

We rode out of Fort Benton and spent most of the day passing between Square Butte and the Antelope Bluffs with the Highwood Mountains, yeah we found some more mountains out here, in the distance. It was quite beautiful and the weather was great for riding. So, we had a pleasant day, and as we were just outside of Denton, we finally got welcomed to the middle of nowhere. It's nice knowing we are finally here.

Day 19 Great Falls, MT to Fort Benton, MT

941.9 miles

I'm pretty sure it was beautiful around us today, but all I remember are hills, pain, and sweat.

We got to Fort Benton and the Summer Festival was happening, so after we set up camp we went downtown to enjoy the festivities. Downtown we met Cousin Allen and Cousin Darryl (all of you from the country will know what I'm talking about) and they gave us a couple of beers. We stood and chatted for awhile until the conversation started going in circles because Cousin Darryl had drank so much he couldn't see straight.

So, we stole off to sit on a bridge over the tiny Missouri River and look out over Choteau Canyon. As dusk began to fall we had some fry bread, Amanda went to the street dance, and I found us a spot to watch the fireworks from.

Day 18 Lincoln, MT to Great Falls, MT

886.4 miles

So, the early bird gets the worm, and the early cyclist gets a cool morning ride. Silas and Amanda get baked in the sun because they can't get out of bed before, well today before 9:30. Today was Roger's Pass, 5610 feet, our exit from the Rocky Mountains. We ate it for breakfast as promised in the zine. At the top we climbed up the Continental Divide Trail to get a good view of where we came from and where we are going. I thought I saw North Dakota.

Full of bravado and jive talk we flew down from the pass only to discover the foothills of Eastern Montana, or as we've come to call them The Rockies Revenge. Obviously the karmic balance sheet, or as Amanda refers to it The Clipboard Man, was watching us up there on top of the pass with our chests puffed up.

The foothills were brutal. Rather than a slow steady climb through the mountains it was hundreds of feet up and down, up and down, up and down - but never enough down for the up. We stopped at a roadside bar called Bowman's Corner, which makes the short list of things to see in Eastern Montana, and drank iced tea til we felt brave enough to ride again. Then, we headed out and went up and down....

During the last eight miles into Great Falls as the sun was setting we saw a dog get hit by a car. It was incredibly sad, and we felt completely powerless. No one to call, no way to transport the little guy, and dusk threatening behind us. So, we stopped at the first house we could find and let them know. They said they would call and have someone come pick the dog up, but it was hard to leave him behind and move on.

Day 17 Missoula, MT to Lincoln, MT

797.4 miles

Today was a long day on the road, 83 miles. We rode a beautiful stretch of State Highway 200 along the Blackfoot River and the up into alpine meadows and forests.
Stopped at a little town called Ovando and visited there great little town museum. They had a cross section of a tree that had stood in the town center since around the time Columbus sailed for the Americas (well before there was a town center), rules for riding the stage coach, and many other interesting things to see.

The last 27 miles to Lincoln were tough, but we made it and proceeded to get caught in a mountain thunderstorm while we were cooking dinner. We were lucky to have a pavilion nearby, though, and managed to take cover. Tomorrow we ride our last mountain pass, Rogers Pass 5,610 feet.

Day 15 and 16

Missoula, MT
715.4 Miles

So, for two days we went nowhere. Well, not nowhere. We went to the bar, and nice restaurants, and Molly's porch, and the University of Montana - Library, and walking around downtown; but not much pedal time.

We woke up on the morning of Day 15 and said to ourselves, "This is nice. A roof over our heads, good conversations, and the beer flows like water in Missoula." So, we stayed. And, we got lazy. We took naps, went for long walks, drank beers with Molly, talked to Steffen. In essence we did none of the things necessary for us to leave town, for example, grocery shopping. So, on the night of Day 15, realizing we had a days worth of errands, we decided to stay again.

Day 16 was more productive. We did the shopping. We made the zine. (I hear some of you are complaining about the production schedule, and I will have you know this edition is 348.6 miles early. Thank you very much.) It went in the mail on Day 17, so you should have it in your hands soon. (I don't know what day of the month it is folks, or usually what day of the week. Time and distance have been completely warped on this trip, and given the weight of my bike maybe it is because I now constitute a super-massive object.) We also spent more time enjoy Missoula on Day 16, and gearing up for the ride out of the Rockies over Roger's pass.

Thanks to Molly and Steffen for their gracious hospitality.

Etc.

I'll try to post some pictures from the first week when we get to Great Falls. At least on this computer it is a time consuming process to do pictures, and I've run out of time. I'll also post more post offices when we get to Great Falls in case anyone wants to write.

See you all in six weeks.

Day 14 Lolo Hot Springs to Missoula, MT

715.4 miles

It was still cold this morning, curse of the mountains. It wasn't far to Missoula though, and it was nearly all downhill. We got our first glimpse of a tall mountain, Lolo Peak, on our way down to Missoula, snow top and everything. We should get some great mountainviews over the next 4 days as we ride east to Great Falls, and then we leave the Rockies behind and head into the Great Plains.

We made great time and got in a little after noon. Our friend Molly, and her new roommate Steffen put Silas up for the night, and Amanda's friend Coy bought us dinner. Then Amanda and Coy went camping just outside of Missoula. Apparently Amanda can't get enough.

We spent the day relaxing, and taking care errands. It's nice to be in a city now and then. Good coffee. People.

Thanks to everyone who was super nice to us in Missoula.

Day 13 Powell Campground to Lolo Hot Springs

674.7 miles

It was cold this morning. Bitterly cold. Not the day I would have chosen to ride the pass, but I don't get to choose the weather. Part of being on a bike, I guess.

The first eight miles weren't bad except for the cold and the occassional rain. It was the same grade we've been riding for two days, but then suddenly at mile eight it got steep. The last five miles were a 5%-8% grade, or so I've been told. It definetly took a fair amount of resolve to keep heading up that mountain, but when we hit the top, and it was all done, it wasn't that bad. People had been making Lolo into an almost insurmountable obstacle for the past week, so it was a worse climb in our heads than it was on the pavement.

We were wet and cold when we reached the pass, but victorious. We warmed up in the visitors center at the top with some complimentary beverages and then steeled ourselves for a seven mile descent.

It was fast, very fast, and wet, and cold all over again. We had to stop at one point and put socks over our hands because neither of us has full finger gloves. It was worth it though because waiting at the bottom of the hill was a teepee to get us out of the wind and rain, and hot springs to soak our tire muscles.

We soaked. Then we drank beers in the lodge to celebrate. Lolo is done. It's all down hill from here, right?

Day 12 Wilderness Gateway Campground to Powell Campground

653.8 Miles

It was another beautiful day of riding - low grades, sun, the river growing wilder and more scenic all the time. We can tell that we are approaching the summitt because we can finally begin to see the small peaks around us, and are no longer deep in the river valley. We still haven't seen any big mountains, the kind with rocky tops and snow.

There isn't too much to say about a perfect day of riding. These are the days that make you savor the art of cycling and convince you that this was all a fabulous idea.

We met a fellow cyclist in camp tonight. He is on the Transamerica trail and is trying to catch up to his group after being out for a couple days with a broken wheel. He's been doing 80 and 90 mile days to catch them, and tomorrow he pushes over the pass and rides on to Missoula. But, he's a triathalon, well, nut. So, he's loving every minute of it. Best of luck Nathan!

Day 11 Long Camp RV Park to Wilderness Gateway Campground

611.4 Miles

This morning we were still feeling the pain of several long days of riding, but after lunch we had warmed our muscles up, and through some miracle found a rhythm that felt really good. We've begun the climb to Lolo Pass, and we have roughly 1400 vertical feet a day to ride over the next three days. So, to compensate for the elevation gain we are shortening up our mileage. Today was about 60 miles, tomorrow should be about 40, and then the day we summit the pass should only be about 20 miles.

The terrain around us only gets more beautiful the more we ride into the mountains. There is no sign of the desert we left two days ago, and now everything is pine forest covered hills that grow and grow with every mile. A few miles out of camp we left the Clearwater for it's Middle Fork, and then at lunch the Middle Fork of the Clearwater became the Wild and Scenic Lochsa. We started to see our first whitewater on the Lochsa, and shortly thereafter our first rafters and kayakers. Luckily, the river keeps the road grade manageable because it would be hard to watch all those folks headed downstream if we were really toiling to go upstream. But, the riding is nice. A gentle incline, sun on our backs, and a cool mountain breeze.

Idaho definetly wins the prize for best campgrounds thus far. Tonight in camp there was a country and western jamboree. We went to watch for a few songs as a group of folks in there seventies and eighties gathere to play country music and dance the night away. They've been coming here twice a year for 27 years for this gathering. After the sun started to set and our bodies went in to sleep mode, we headed back to camp, but we didn't make it to bed. Instead we were enticed into the neighbors camp by free beers. Two kayakers from Jackson, WY, Bill and Fitzy, were in the camp across from us drinking away a long day on the river. So, we hung out drank their beers and listened to stories. They were quite a pair. Bill was ebbulient and talkative and Fitzy was sombre and quiet, but the back and forth between the two of them was gold. It was hard to tear ourselves away two hours later, but the body was weary and we had more climing to do in the morning.




The Wild and Scenic Lochsa

Day 10 Lewiston, ID to Long Camp RV Park (2 miles south of Kamiah, ID)

553.4 miles

The long days are starting to stack up. Today it was 77 miles along the Clearwater River. We started out in the desert of Western Idaho, but after about 25 miles we entered Clearwater Canyon. The desert hills graduall began giving way to hills of pine forest. It was another beautiful day, and if not for the leftover fatigue of the past couple days it would have been a gorgeous jaunt.

Well, except for the traffic. We're riding US-12 through the canyon, and it is a rode basically without shoulders. The traffic is certainly heavier than we would like and forces us over to the rough edges of the road. So, part of the fatigue comes from riding over rough pavement mile after mile. But, when the traffic passes and there is a period of calm you can hear the river running down below and take a couple seconds to glance up a the hills that will soon be developing into mountains.

We have kittens in camp tonight. Kittens and hot showers, which take the edge of the day. Supposedly there are eighteen kittens somewhere, but we see three adventurous ones that come out of hiding to play with us in our camp site.

Tomorrow the climbing starts.

Day 9 Lewis and Clark State Park to Hell's Gate State Park (Lewiston, ID)

476.2 miles

Another long day, literally this time. 83.2 miles into headwinds and over Alpowa Summit (elev. 2875 feet) We're totally beat. The day was gray and the landscape bleak desert in diffuse sunlight.

We got into camp tonight, made dinner, and didn't even see the sun set.

Day 8 Walla Walla, WA to Lewis and Clark State Park, WA

393 miles

We had a short ride out of Walla Walla today, but not an easy one. Right after Walla Walla, we rode into the Palouse of Eastern Washington. The Palouse is the rolling farm land that extends from Eastern Washington into Western Idaho. Our legs were tired from taking a day off, and not really in riding condition, so it was tough powering up and down the rolling hills. But, it was beautiful. Verdant green wheat fields stretch in every direction as far as the eye can see, and the sun was shining in a clear blue sky. So, it was a little easier to ignore the burning in our quads.

During the final descent out of the rolling hills towards Waitsburg Amanda blew a tube. We thought maybe it was a slow leak, and we could fill it up enough to limp along to the campground five miles away, but another mile down the rode it was flat again. However, the bike gods smiled on us, and the tube went flat in the parking lot of a microbrewery. So, the only logical thing to do was start drinking and hope the tire would fix itself. That didn't work, so we eventually put our beers down and repaired the tube. It was the most fortunate flat a person could have.

Pictures, etc.

So, we wanted to put up pictures today, but had to settle for using computers in the Whitman College Student Center, where we couldn't upload anything. So, look for another round of postings and pictures in about a week when we hit Missoula.

Also check out the new sidebar with post offices we will be visiting, earliest dates of our arrival there, and instructions for sending mail. We want to hear from you.

Day 7: Madame Dorion Campground, WA to Walla Walla, WA

30 miles (366 cumulative miles)

We've decided to take a couple of rest days to gear up for crossing the Rockies at Lolo Pass. So, today we had a short ride into Walla Walla, and got a hotel room.

The ride into Walla Walla took us out of the Columbia River Gorge and into Washington Farm Country. Fields of wheat and onions flanked the rode with patches of vineyard in between. It was a lovely day of riding up and down the slowly rolling pastoral hills. There were also fields of clover or alfalfa or heather (sweet smelling plants with purple flowers) that added a delightful aroma to the air. At one point we rode through a swarm of bees crossing the road. One hit me in the arm and left a little cloud of pollen on my shirt.

Once in Walla Walla, we showered, laundered the clothes, ate well, and felt like new people. Amanda's friend Kayla met us as she was passing through and we all had lunch. We had some Washington wine, and went to sleep.

Day 6: Crow Butte Park, WA to Madame Dorion Campground, WA

61.8 miles (336 cumulative miles)

So, I've decided to start posting the cumulative miles. Thought you might find that interesting.

Day 6 was our third day of cruising with the wind to our backs. It is a blessing, and today it was really blowing. My guess would be 25 mph winds with gust to 30 or 35. That'll make you move on a bike. The first half the day was more rather featureless Washington desert, but at lunch we crossed back into Oregon, and then after lunch we rode down and alongside the Columbia for the last part of the day.

Just after lunch we stopped in Hat Rock State Park, briefly. We saw Hat Rock. It looks like a hat. We moved on.

Down at the bottom of the Gorge in Oregon, however, was beautiful. The sun had come out, and was breathing color back into the landscape. Across the river we could see the magnificent bluffs of Washington rising hundreds of feet up from the river, and next to us were towering basalt hills.

We considered riding onto Walla Walla, but decided instead to stop at a roadside park called the Madame Dorion Campground - or as it has come to be known Madame Dorion's Campground of Doom. This may go down as the worst decision of the trip, it certainly is to this point. The Madame Dorion Campground is essentially a roadside park at the interection of US-730 and SR-12 that has been abandoned by the McNary Wildlife Refuge. It has several permanent occupants living out of tents and one trailer, and doesn't seem to get many travelers such as ourselves. One of the gentlemen who resides in Madame Dorion described him and his fellows as homesteaders. The dumpster smelled of death and the bathrooms were full, but not with people.

We should have moved on, but we didn't. Instead, we pitched the tent and pretended to sleep through the howling wind and the cars that would drive into the campground, up to the dumpster, park briefly, and depart - all night long. We don't know what they were doing, but the imagination runs wild.

Dear Madame Dorion,
I hope we have parted ways for good.

Love,
Silas and Amanda

Day 5: Deschutes State Park, OR to Crow Butte Park, WA

64.8 Miles

We got rained on for the first time today. But, it was a light rain, so we didn't fair too poorly. However, the clouds did suck all the color from the landscape, and we had to keep pushing on because we thought worse storms were behind us. In the end we were tired and sore after pushing for 65 miles, only to find that our chosen campground for the night was an RV Park, with no tenting sites set apart.

So, we paid $25 for an RV sight and then they wanted $.50 for three minutes of hot water in the showers. The highlight of the campground was a really nice family a couple of spots away who gave us two beers as we were setting up camp. In the morning we woke to receive the camphost in our site giving us a lecture about how cyclists are rude when they show up in this campground and don't always pay the fees, though we had ponied up and paid ours. To top it all off, someone let the air out of our tires in the night. After the beautiful Deschutes campground, well...

The unquestioned highlight of the day came in Roosevelt, WA. We stopped at a small Mini Mart to catch a snack and dry out a bit, only to meet the most wonderful old shop owner in Washington (maybe West of the Rockies). He was very cycle friendly and even kept a small journal with entries from all the cyclists who came through. He told us all about the history of the Gorge, the Lewis and Clark Rendezvous they had a couple years back, Native American ship engineering, and then gave us a bag of fresh Washington cherries. It you're ever headed through the Gorge in Washington make sure to stop in Roosevelt. You can't miss the Mini Mart, it's the only thing there.

Day 4: Ainsworth State Park, OR to Deschutes State Park, OR

69.3 Miles

Our morning started in our rain forest campsite by Silas saying, "I know I'm going to regret this at some point, but I'm ready for it to be hot and dry." Little did we know that wish would be granted in a few short hours. In less than 40 miles, we left the Cascades weather systems and cruised into the warm, windy, dry Eastern Oregon desert. During our lunch break in Hood River, we shed our layer of spandex tights and long sleeve shirts and felt like new people. Our riding for the day was mainly on I-84, which made it quick, easy, and noisy. There were, however, several adventures to note.

1. There are random bike paths that follow the interstate, and as we were cruising down one, we came to a set of stairs that were described as having "grooves for bike wheels." These grooves, in actuality, were nothing but gutters along 5 sets of concrete stairs. It's sufficient to say that we're both glad we didn't get dragged down with our out of control loaded bikes. But it was close.

2. After lunch in Hood River we decided that we were going to cross the river into Washington and ride the much flatter roads on that side of the river. This was not to be, however, as we approached the toll bridge to discover that bikes and pedestrians were prohibited. We stood by the bridge entrance, leaning on our bikes for little bit, hoping that someone would offer to throw them into a truck bed and give us a lift across the river, but that never happened. So we hopped back onto the interstate and made great time to the Dalles.

Our camp that night was along the Deschutes River as it joins with the Columbia River, in a surprisingly lush campground (thanks to sprinkler systems) surrounded by golden hills, sage, and the occasional passing train. We tried to get an early start the next morning, but it seems no matter what we do we're awake at 7:30am and not rolling out of camp until 9:00am at the earliest.

Day 3: Portland to Ainsworth State Park

40.2 miles

Today we entered the Columbia River Gorge with a bang. Just before we hit the Gorge itself we stopped at a place in Troutdale, OR called McMenamin's Edgefield. This may be the height of drinking establishments. McMenamin's is a Portland based brewing company that buys up old real estate and converts it into awesome bars. This one in particular was a a farm house, turned nursing home, turned spooky house on the hill before they converted it into a hotel with 9 seperate bars on the grounds. We had a drink at the Little Red Shed, a tiny, cozy little affair that may have been a drying or smoking room or other small outdoor building from the farm days. It had a fire place, and was just the essence of quaint.

Fortified with fine drink we entered the Columbia River Gorge along the Sandy River, and from mile one, we knew it was going to be phenomenal. Small water falls were everywhere, spouting out the sides of the bluffs above us, and we were surround by the green of the continuing rainforest. Climbing the big hill of the day brought us first to the Portland Women's forum overlooking the Columbia River, and then to Vista House. Vista House was constructed early in the 20th century as a reststop of travelers along the Columbia River Scenic Highway, and it certainly offers respite with a view. The Columbia River Stretches in both directions, and on clear days you can see for 30 miles.

Descending from the Vista house on a fast, windy road brought us into the falls zone. Every couple of miles is the opportunity to see a spectacular waterfall. We stopped at Multnomah Falls. At 600+ feet it is the second longest Falls in the Continental US. It is glorious. The falls have carved the volcanic basalt into and ampitheater covered in vegetation. As you stand on the bridge above the crash pool the thundering of the water, amplified by the rock, drowns out the traffic on the highway below, and the whole world seems to melt away. I've could have stood there in awe for hours. After tearing myself away from the splendor of the falls, we rode a couple more miles to Ainsworth State Park, where we camped amidst the Rain Forest itself.

More to come

It's the middle of day four, and we are in Hood River, OR. If you're sending mail, we should be checking the post office in Walla Walla early next week, and then we'll check mail again in Clarkston, Idaho.

Day 3 and beyond, plus pictures...all coming soon.

Day 2 - St. Helen's to Portland

30 Miles
Weather was overcast with occasional sprinkles, and rain showers in Portland. Temperatures in the low 60's.

We woke up in St. Helen's feeling a lot better than anticipated, but a little weary. The first order of business was to make Silas's bike fully functional. Not only did he need new pedals, but the drag being created by his big, underinflated tires made him feel like a 300lb man. At the local bike shop in Astoria he was able to change out his pedals, but they didn't have any tires fit for a tour. So, we decided to continue on to Portland, change the tires out, and crash there for the night. It made for a pretty easy ride for our tired bodies, and gave us another chance to enjoy the riches of Portland including Stark Naked pizza with Jimmy and Sam, and Jimmy's floor, again (Thanks Jimmy).

Day 1 Astoria to St. Helens

69.5 Miles
Weather was mostly cloudy, high's in the low 60's, with occasional drizzle.

In Astoria we stayed with our friend Cassandra (thanks Cassandra)who is a journalist at the local paper, The Daily Astorian. She showed us around town, took us out for beers, and regaled us with tales of crooked port directors. Astoria was as darling as you would expect a little town on the Columbia River Estuary to be, and maybe then some.

The day started with a minor disaster when Silas broke a pedal just outside of Astoria. Instead of turning around, he decided to be stubborn and pedal on a broken pedal for the remainder of the day. However, the minor disaster was followed by a wonderful omen as a bald eagle circled overhead during our first break of the trip near Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery.

The rest of the day was ups and downs...and ups and downs...and ups, ups, ups. Our final eight miles was gradual ascent into St. Helens that just wouldn't quit. We'd been feeling good and confident all day, but at the top of that hill the 70 miles caught up pretty quick. We stumbled (it's hard to stumble on a bike, but I assure you it can be done) around the corner and collapsed in a Mexican restaurant to celebrate our first day with burritos, margaritas, and beer. Then we rolled down the road to the city park and crashed for the night.

Thanks to Elizabeth for these pictures.

The night before the launch

It's 10:32 pm pm in Astoria, Oregon. There are large, dark clouds rolling in from the ocean and the town is much colder than we anticipated. We are staying with our friend Cassandra; we called her shortly before we left Portland. We drove a car that we borrowed at the last minute. That's the way this trip is going. Off the cuff.

Tomorrow we're waking up, packing up our bikes, having toast with Elizabeth (Silas' girlfriend who is seeing us off), and then we ride. East. Our goal for the day is 45 miles to Clatskanie (where the town profession is skinning cats).

Our first shout out goes to Jimmy (Amanda's friend from college). He lives in a tiny studio in downtown Portland and provided pre-trip hospitality. 4 people, 3 bikes, 2 nights, 1 dog, no uncluttered space.

For those of you who want to send care packages full of things to eat or letters, we will be checking the post office in Walla Walla, Washington. Write this for an address.

Postmaster, please hold for
Amanda St Ivany and/or Silas Allard
Walla Walla, WA 99362