Many miles - Part II

When you read a caption/sentence/or title, do you expect just that topic to be discussed, or more than that? In this case: "Many miles - Part II", mileage, stories, photos( random and thought out), and more shall be combined into a bunch of well intentioned thoughts. 

First I would like to say I woke up this morning at 4:30 AM Pacific Time. I did this on purpose so I would be able to get my gear packed and my Cannondale Caad 9 set up for today's ride. Yesterday I made it to the town of Unity, OR. So my goal for today is Dayville, OR. It's about 90 miles but I feel I can do it. I received some of the best sleep I have in a while delivering new energy to my body. Why??? Here's the kicker: I slept on a couch in a church. I might have woken up once but I actually got more than 6 hours of solid deep sleep. So comfortable!! So how this came to be was I had been getting rained on a few miles before I rode into Unity. So once I got into town I read up the history of the town and how it was an old mining and agriculture town( still is). Point is, as I was reading intriguing facts the rain led up enough to where I found a dry spot for my bicycle to lean under. Immediately after that, I huge downpour( a wall of some of the hardest rain) came flying from the clouds. I trudged my way through the gravel parking lot into the market store and had a "steak and eggs in a can." As I consumed this yummy beverage, the rain came down even harder. I waited it out for 20-30 minutes then got back on my bicycle for a few miles, saw a church and decided to ask the minister if I could pitch my tent somewhere on the church property. He did me one better, he offered me a couch to sleep on within the church. I accepted his generous offer with a great smile and stayed dry inside from the weather. 

Oh yeah, did I mention I made it to Oregon Two days ago. Since I have been in Oregon, I have stayed in Vale( I got a shower a age place to stay for $20), and now just outside the town of Unity. Learning that my friend in Portland will not be in town when I thought I was going to be there I have decided to take on a challenge of racing across The state of Oregon from Vale to Astoria in SEVEN days. Including today, I have six more days (including today) to get there. 

126 days

No more riding epic long journeys until next year when I attempt the great divide on my mountain bike. Today I accomplished something only crazy wicked stinky dirty sweaty punishable strict emotional determined individual cyclists can either dream of doing, want to do, have done it, or want to do it again: ride their bicycle coast to coast of the United States of America. Well today j did that. The only thing that actually halted my efforts to riding into Astoria in Oregon was: 1) breaking my deraileur hanger, 2) breaking my rear deraileur, and 3) breaking my chain, all at the same time.

Fortunately, I only had 4 miles to go to try into town. I coasted part way, and I walked the remaining miles. I still got here though. So although I did not make my final destination of San Diego, CA on my bicycle, I did however make it from the Atlantic Ocean at Plymouth, MA all the way to the pacific oven in Astoria, OR. I can not be 100% certain on the full total of miles, but it was about 250 miles from Paul's in VT to Boston, MA. In Boston I purchased a cycling computer to track miles and speed. On the computer today is showed 4601 miles when I boxed it up to be shipped back to Flagstaff. Thus, I can only guess for now (until I take time to check the roads I took to Boston for miles) I made it across the USA seeing and visiting with friends, friends of friends, friends of family, and family in 4851 miles. 

Crazy! Right??

Cheers!

Utah - Idaho - Oregon

Leaving colorado for Utah:

9/6: 74 miles 

Utah mileage:

9/7: 52 miles (really hot + needed a shower and bed)

9/8: 78 miles ( pitched tent in cow pasture alongside trade berry reservoir)

9/9: 66 miles ( made it to Salt Lake City)

9/16: 86 miles ( got eaten by Mosquitos west of Corinne)

Leaving for Idaho

9/17: 89 miles (camped in a sheriffs front yard)

9/18: 75 miles ( thank you motel 6!!)

9/19: 90 miles ( camped with Scott at Bruneau Dunes State park)

9/20: 57 miles ( hot day in the middle of nowhere ruins your motivation)

Leaving for Oregon:

9/21: 80 to 90 miles ( rv park shower was awsome! Made it to Vale, Or)

9/22: 70 miles ( almost got struck by lightning)

9/23: 77 miles ( slept in a church in Dayvillle where I met another cyclist. He just started his venture heading east. I told him to watch out for snow)

9/24: 86 miles ( hot shower and bed in prineville was a must)

New jersey, meet old jersey. 

 A tree full of shoes out in the middle of nowhere along hwy 26, what?????

Snake river dividing Oregon and Idaho.

Rattlesnake gorge

 

Pass # 2 on the way to Prineville from Dayville

Colorado to Utah!!! ... And more??

Utah is fun, but colorado was sweet! A good mix of city riding, interstate riding, and also state highway riding. 

My favorite part was rabbit ears pass. I think it was the 6th or 7th time I crossed the continental divide riding my bicycle. 

Within an hour if summating and crossing  Rabbit Ears Pass, I rode over the continental divide again at Muddy Pass!. That was fun! And just as chilly as it was 1000 feet higher at Rabbit Ears Pass. Burrrr! 

Anyway, had some great times in Colorado w/ friends, family, and random cool people I met while there. 

So this is the breakdown if my mileage thru CO: 

So... I decided to ride my heart out they the Rockies into the Yampa River Valley.

446 miles in 6 days with elevation gains and losses so big I decided not to calculate. Epic average nearing 75 miles/day. 

Anyway, made it to Utah on September 6th and made it to Salt Lake City on September 9th, 1 day earlier than expected. Camping was great and some of the best during the ride. The sunsets and sunrises here in Utah are some if the best I have encountered so far. 

 Scenic overlook looking east between Jensen and the UT-CO border. Oh yeah!!!!!

If I remember right, this sunrise was just east of Maybell in between Craig, CO and Elk Springs, CO.

No sunrise or sunset the night I camped at strawberry Reservoir. Just rain that sucked and pusses me off. Got really wet putting up the tent( all dry now) but was able to get dry and stay warm that night. Then the next day I made it to Salt Lake City 5 hours earlier than I thought I would. Pretty awesome!!!!

Cheers for now! 

 

Many miles- part I

Cheyenne was a great stop on my way across the nation. I was able to hangout and visit my stepbrother Kelly and his family. It was a bummer leaving but on August 25 I did departed for Denver in the rain. Fortunately, It cleared up about 20 miles south of the WY-CO border so majority of the remaining ride for that day was dry with the exception of a couple additional afternoon showers. Long story short I arrived in Denver that same day(113 miles) and had a blast hanging out with Kevin ad Heather, Jankee, Mike and his girlfriend(Colleen?? I think that's how it is spelled), and cousin Kate for the week I was in town. 

I took very little pictures while in Denver, but for those who don't live there, and/or have never been, it is the flagstaff, AZ of metropolis's. It is awesome, laid back, and a sweet place to be with incredible seasons. 

Yes! A sign for Denver!!!!

Rolling into Downtown Denver at sunset. I barely got to my friend Jankee's place before dark. 

Time for a new wheel. The old one told me it needed to retire in Denver, settle down, in the garbage. 

Yogi! My new best friend! Sorry P-Tuck, this guy's pretty awesome.

Heather! Kevin sneezed and ruined your masterpiece. It was super fun with you on your Birthday Kevin! 

What do you think? Too much stuff to carry across the USA? If you thinking this is too much, I have mailed home and thrown away plenty along the way. This is just the essentials I carry in my panniers, not including my camping gear( tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, tarp), hydration pack( w/tools), and five 1-Liter water bottles. Crazy huh!?  

I have steered way from my original idea to this post, so look for more about "many miles- part II" in the next post.

Steamboat Springs

Finally made it to steamboat springs. I think I'm in the rain tomorrow and the next day(Friday). The wind here us kinda shirty but thankfully it had blown out the storm clouds that were lingering. 

Dinner time. This time it's real food: nachos!!! 

Pulled pork and the fixings. 

Anyway, I haven't tallied up my miles for today yet but I'm sure I pulled off either 80 miles, or just over that. 

Start: granby, co @ 7:00am mst

End: now( actually about 40 minutes ago, 4:45 ish mst)

Good times today! Salt Lake City next week, hopefully the 10th or 11th.

These nachos are smelling so good, so, Peace out!!

Pictures of where I've been and what I've seen

I made an executive decision for the purposes of simplicity and efficiency. Majority or nearly all of the pictures I have taken, along the roadside and within destinations I have stopped at, will be uploaded to my "mobile uploads" picture section on my Facebook account. This is because there are so many pictures to upload and share that would otherwise take more time than I wish to spend writing about each photograph. 

So, I hope this makes it easier for viewers and readers to follow my continuing cycling endeavor across the states. 

Don't worry! I will still be including pictures within this blog, but they will be the better and "favorite" photos captured along the way. 

For example: 

 This is found about a mile from highest pass within the medicine bow mountains located west of Laramie in Wyoming.

3000 miles????!?!?!?!?!?!

I think that's the name of a song, "3000 miles." Regardless, it is the title of my song I am singing now. (My lyrics were pretty creative, so I encourage anyone and everyone to create their own "3000 miles" song. 

Back to the point, I began part 2 if this trip a mile outside of West Glacier, MT. Now the photo you are about to see has not been doctored in any way and is viewable by all ages. Hahaha. 

So when I stopped riding in Kearney, NE,  before going to Idaho with Uncle Lee, I was at 2013 miles on my Cateye cycling computer. 

After riding through Glacier NP, I was at 2067 miles, as shown in the following pic: 

.

Well boys and girls, yesterday I came about 1/2 a mile from rolling over 3000 miles. Right now my odometer shows "2999" miles, not including the miles from VT to the east Boston, MA. Thus, in a day or two when I leave for Denver, I will officially roll over 3000 miles here in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

My guess is that I will hit 4000 miles going into Ontario, Oregon. Can't wait!

Fun statistics - August 16, 2014

So after I stopped riding today I did some math and was pretty happy with myself. Here it goes:

Odometer: 2877 miles

Miles from S. Royalton, VT to Boston, MA: 250 miles

Total mileage (so far): 3127 miles

Miles accomplished today: 56 (from Rawlins, WY to 29 miles west of Centennial, WY)

81 days

That's how many days it has been since I  began this monstrosity of a life endeavor. The end game, no clue. Something fun, something I will not vision as an obligation to a company, but as a gift worth giving from me to the world. 

Back to the subject. Here's some stats needing to be logged since riding again as of July 30th:

___________________

7-30 glacier NP = 51 miles

7-31 browning,Mt to Choteau, Mt = 72 miles

8-1 Choteau, Mt to Helena,Mt = 104 miles

8-2 Helena, Mt to Three Forks, Mt = 68 miles

8-3 Three Forks, Mt to Palisades CG, Cameron, Mt = 75 miles

8-4 Palisades CG, Cameron, Mt to Ashton, ID = 75 miles

8-5 Ashton, ID to Jackson, Wy = 72 miles

8-5 thru 8-9: rest days in Jackson, Wy 

8-10 Jackson, Wy to Hatchet Resort, Moran, Wy = about 45 miles

(Stayed here because didn't want to be bear food)

8-11 Hatchet Resort, Moran, Wy to Dubois, Wy KOA = 60 miles

8-12 Dubois, Wy KOA to Lander, Wy = 75 miles 

8-13 (Today): rest day 

 

In 10 days of riding: 692 miles.

Here's a couple of my favorite pictures during these days:

 Bridger-Teton Mountain Range

 Enough said! (Located between Moran &  Dubois)

I felt great after seeing this road sign.

 Couldn't resist photographing this. 

Sweet!! Only 42 miles including the pass and I'm done for the day!

Had to lighten the load of change I had accumulated, do I purchased a PBR and left a tip at the only food establishment I found in Cameron, Mt in order to fill up my water bottles to last me 40 or so miles until the next stop. This night I camped about 1/2 way between there and the HWY 87-HWY 287 junction. Oh yeah, I had steak for the first time since before I left flagstaff in May, thanks to a really nice person who had cooked too much food for her family camping a couple spots over from me. I wolfed it down in seconds flat. Thank you! 

Palisades CG, Cameron, Mt

The Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. It reminded me of AZ, especially when I lived in and cycled around Phoenix. 

It was so hot this day and so riding through the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, I was super excited to get to the southern entrance to the reservation. There was road construction involving re-oiling and tarring the roads for 8 or so miles, so when I got here, the roads were a lot better and I had kicked and peeled off nearly all the tar and gravel that was stuck to my tires, frame, brakes, and shoes. At this point it also meant I had only 10 miles to go to fill up on water. Woohoo!!

Continental Divide...again, and more!

So this is really backwards considering the timeline of events but in freeing up space on my phone for more photo opportunities, until i do so, things will not be in chronological order; however, they will be documented. 

This was pretty sweet! Raining and trying not to damage my phone, I took out my phone from the ziplock bag protecting it and snapped a few quick shots of me crossing the continental divide again, this time entering into Idaho from MT. 

Looking into Idaho.

Didn't ride through fog but low clouds made an excellent riding experience.

Looking back into MT.

Idaho bound!!

Location of this pic: lower Mesa falls in Idaho along scenic highway 47. Couldn't get a good focus but stellar grouping of falls. 

Guess who?!?!? It's me! @ lower Mesa falls!!!!! Pretty awesome! (Thank you really nice old couple who gave me a ride to the scenic highway that covers this greatness!)

Above 7 pics: environmentally, meteorologically, and conclusively country-sidish cool visuals thought I would share with the world. 

This was a great sign! Made it to Jackson, WY 3to 4 hours after seeing/meeting this road sign. I only had to inflate my rear tire once , then replaced my rear tire and tube after a blowout at the WY-ID border right before a mega blast if rain poured upon me, and continued until I rode through and to Emily and Dan's in Jackson. 

I need to unload pictures from my phone, so why not here

Wyoming pictures (so far):

From Teton pass to Jenny lake (in no particular order)

So I was on my way to Teton pass from victor, id and saw a weigh station fir semi-trucks. What went through my mind??? How much dies my bike weigh fully loaded? It wasn't 100% accurate, it maybe it was, and altogether my bike and gear amounts to 80 lbs. (With me included, bike + gear + me = 260 lbs.)

Not sure why but I wanted to note where that weigh station was/is. 

Awes yeah!!!! Made it to the top going from Idaho into Wyoming. Stopped about 15 to 20 times. Was a pain to get started up a 10% grade. Walked between 1/4 and 1/2 mile to reach Teton pass. So cool (and cold) at the top. No one stopped there but me. So cool!

Above two pic's:  looking down into Jackson hole from Teton pass.

The weather cleared up to make Jenny lake enjoyable and the drive out there amazing.

Above 5 photos: great afternoon hike to the top of snow king in Jackson, Wy. Snake river brewery was a great motivator this day. The hike from the bottom of the main chairlift to the top is an elevation gain of 1500ft. I hiked it in an hour and a half, then rode the lift down. The view... Crazy awesome, but not as wicked awesome as the view from atop Teton village tram.

Above 5 photos: Jenny lake and the north end of the Tetons. My intention was to go hiking across the lake but the feet were telling me "no!!", so I walked through the water to a really nice sitting rock where I snapped these pictures and absorbed the joyously sweet views.

Above two pics: just really cool and couldn't pass up these great images/memories.

Today it cleared up enough to really see the Teton mountains on my way out of Jackson, Wy. Had a blast with Emily, Dan, Annalise, and Felix. 

Now, onto Cheyenne!