"Its like you're biking through a convection oven"
- fellow Lewis and Clark aficionado, Tom
There is a heat wave in the Northwest which is and will be, according USA Today, challenging or breaking record highs across the region. Of course the week that Julien and I are in our second (traditionally hardest) week of our cross country bike trip and are going through the Rockies there is a heat wave. We have so much to say with surprisingly little time, and even less energy, to say it so I will save a few paragraphs and let it suffice to say that it is hot.
The first thing anyone who has biked across the country, or something of the variety will tell you is that people are nice. This trip has been no exception. Every time Julien and I stop at a gas station to fill up on water, or resupply at a grocery store people want to talk to us. I suspect it is some combination of the neon yellow biker shirts, spandex tight shorts, or fifty pound panniers fixed to our bikes that attracts so much attention because normally when I go to the supermarket I am lucky if I have decent conversation, or any at all, with anyone but the check-out lady. There are two groups of people who we have gotten to know particularly well, a couple from California who are also attempting a cross-country tour, and a family, or at least part of it, from Walla-Walla, WA.
Today was a day of records, and I am not referring to the extreme heat this time. We rode 103 miles! This is by far our longest day, our next two highest being 80 and 85 miles. Not only was it our longest day but it was also by far the most uphill we've done in one day, according to Strava's elevation reader. We crossed over Lolo's Pass, over a mountain range which separates Idaho and Montana. That being said we have been making good progress as of our last post, finishing Oregon, Washington and Idaho. We have biked over 75 miles for four days and counting, but don't know if we will keep at our current pace as we are certainly feeling the wear of nine days riding and camping.
Camil
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Sunday, June 21, 2015
First Three Days!!
It took an entire day just to get to our starting point. After our dad drove us to the Boston airport super early in the morning in time for our 7:05 am flight, we arrived in Portland around noon local time. As we assembled our bikes in the baggage claim area, we experienced our first random act of kindness on the trip when a women inquired about the nature of our trip and then gave us $10, wishing us luck and saying that she support the adventure we're taking and wish she could still do something like it. Hurrah for friendly strangers! After filling up on groceries, buying camping fuel, and biking across town, we took a 6pm bus to Seaside set in for the night.
The first full day of biking started off wet. Although it was only cloudy as we packed our panniers at 5:30am (props to time changes for facilitating the transition to a daylight-guided sleep schedule!), by the time we dipped our rear tires in the Atlantic, the drizzles had commenced! Our first half day was punctuated by stops at gas stations as we relished the reprieve from the wetness. We even saw the same car at two gas stations in a row - the guy inside suggested we'd get to the other side of the country faster if we spent more time biking and less time sitting around in gas stations! Surprisingly (or not), we found that unlike our legs, our appetites did not require any time to adjust - we were eating like monsters even on the first day! Once the clouds cleared around midday we found biking to be immeasurably nicer, and were quite satisfied with our initial 67 mile effort.
The second day of biking was substantially more enjoyable, but also substantially more sore. Still, a strong morning effort got us back into Portland by 12pm (45 miles in the morning!), which we immediately compensated for by taking a 2 hour lunch break right outside a cider sampling festival. Starting to feel sore on the knees, we pushed past the city to find a place to set up tent. Adamant about finding a patch to pitch out tent free of charge (we aren't fans of paying $30 for a campsite every night of the trip like we did after the plane ride), we set out asking roadside dwellers if we could sleep in their yard. After 1 no and 2 unanswered knocks, we found a farmer who gladly let us sleep on his field of rough cut alfalfa. We were again impressed with our 65+ mile effort, but were very much on the same page as we agreed to slow down for the next few days.
The third day of biking gave us some beautiful views on Oreagon's Historic Columbia River Highway. It was also the first day that we walked our bikes up a hill - though with the upcoming Rockies, it certainly won't be the last. We actually liked the uphill walks - turns out walking is sort of therapeutic when your legs are used to making circles all day long. More frustrating is when we have to walk downhill, which gives us no benefit at all and was necessary as we came across a staircase in our trail. The day had the best ending of all though - we made it to Hood River, where we got picked up by our mother's cousin's family to spend the night at their house. Apart from our first experience slaughtering chickens, they also gave us a fantastic meal, comfortable beds, our first shower of the trip, and most importantly, a chance to catch up with some family members. Thanks Uncle Andrew!
The first full day of biking started off wet. Although it was only cloudy as we packed our panniers at 5:30am (props to time changes for facilitating the transition to a daylight-guided sleep schedule!), by the time we dipped our rear tires in the Atlantic, the drizzles had commenced! Our first half day was punctuated by stops at gas stations as we relished the reprieve from the wetness. We even saw the same car at two gas stations in a row - the guy inside suggested we'd get to the other side of the country faster if we spent more time biking and less time sitting around in gas stations! Surprisingly (or not), we found that unlike our legs, our appetites did not require any time to adjust - we were eating like monsters even on the first day! Once the clouds cleared around midday we found biking to be immeasurably nicer, and were quite satisfied with our initial 67 mile effort.
The second day of biking was substantially more enjoyable, but also substantially more sore. Still, a strong morning effort got us back into Portland by 12pm (45 miles in the morning!), which we immediately compensated for by taking a 2 hour lunch break right outside a cider sampling festival. Starting to feel sore on the knees, we pushed past the city to find a place to set up tent. Adamant about finding a patch to pitch out tent free of charge (we aren't fans of paying $30 for a campsite every night of the trip like we did after the plane ride), we set out asking roadside dwellers if we could sleep in their yard. After 1 no and 2 unanswered knocks, we found a farmer who gladly let us sleep on his field of rough cut alfalfa. We were again impressed with our 65+ mile effort, but were very much on the same page as we agreed to slow down for the next few days.
The third day of biking gave us some beautiful views on Oreagon's Historic Columbia River Highway. It was also the first day that we walked our bikes up a hill - though with the upcoming Rockies, it certainly won't be the last. We actually liked the uphill walks - turns out walking is sort of therapeutic when your legs are used to making circles all day long. More frustrating is when we have to walk downhill, which gives us no benefit at all and was necessary as we came across a staircase in our trail. The day had the best ending of all though - we made it to Hood River, where we got picked up by our mother's cousin's family to spend the night at their house. Apart from our first experience slaughtering chickens, they also gave us a fantastic meal, comfortable beds, our first shower of the trip, and most importantly, a chance to catch up with some family members. Thanks Uncle Andrew!
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Ready to go! (almost)
Camil and I have been busy bees the last few days getting ready to go! Bikes, panniers, sleeping bag, tent - check, check, check, check. Our trail maps and camping gear are ready to go! Hope we didn't forget anything.
We have our route generally planned out and we'd love to have company - let us know if you wanna join us at any point along the way!
Here are some guesses as to where we'll be and when (bold is definite):
We have our route generally planned out and we'd love to have company - let us know if you wanna join us at any point along the way!
Here are some guesses as to where we'll be and when (bold is definite):
- June 18th - Start @ Seaside, OR
- June 21st ish - White Salmon, WA
- June 25th ish - Clarkston, WA
- July 2nd ish - Mosby, MO
- July 9th ish - Fargo, ND
- July 16th ish - Stillwater, MN
- July 23rd - Chicago, IL (will take July 24th through 27th off for a cousin's wedding!)
- July 28th ish - Monroeville, IN (speed up)
- August 3rd - Ithaca, NY (Cayuga Lake Tri people join)
- ~ 60 miles a day on this part. Join us!
- Auguat 9th - Swanzey, NH (CLT people finished)
- August 13th - Finish @ NH Coast
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