Past Halfway

It's so so easy to neglect to keep a blog up to date. But so much has happened. When Camil last posted, we felt like beginners who had a lot left ahead of them. We still have over 1000 miles ahead of us, but we've been biking day in, day out for over a month and finally have our legs under us. I figure now's a good time for a recap of our trip thus far.

Section 1 (independant): Seaside OR to Kooskia, ID
The first section was intense can fascinating. Right once we got off the airplane, as we were assembling our bikes, a women saw what we were doing and asked about our trip. Upon hearing we were embarking on a x-country adventure, she gave us each $10 because she "supported what we were doing." Western Washington/Oregon was very beautiful, as we followed the Historic Columbia River Highway which had constant nice views. We stayed with our Mom's cousin Andrew's family the third day of the trip in White Salmon (just north of Hood River) and learned some of the ins and outs of chicken slaughtering. We also met an retired couple while changing a tire, who not only showed us a much better technique to prevent future flats, but also gave us some great conversation. You can read their blog here.

Section 2 - Kooskia, ID to Jordan, MT (w/ Mom & Dad) 
It was amazing having Mom and Dad join us a week into the trip. Behind schedule and suffering in the heat wave that hit Eastern Washington (it was 107 degrees when they pulled up in their rental car), we needed the relief that only parents can provide. With our bike panniers in the car, our bikes felt light and went faster, and we needed fewer breaks. Suddenly, 80 mile days didn't seem to bad and we even found ourselves going 130 miles one day (even without panniers, that was tough). By the end of this week we were significantly ahead of schedule.

Section 3 - Jordan, MT to Fargo, ND (independent)

Loaded once more with panniers, we cycled headstrong into the next segment of the trip. By this time, we had learned the secrets of audio books - entertaining and educating us during the 6-8 daily hours on bike seats. We continued the breakneck pace set by our parents, and blasted across North Dakota in just 4 days (averaging 100 miles a day). We also finally signed up for Warm Showers, a community website in which people offer to host touring bicyclists for free, offering (variably) meals, beds, and, of course, showers. Our first host, Terri from Fargo, was amazing - welcoming us with a delicious meal and jubilant personality. Also, as you can no doubt tell from the pictures, our facial hair really started coming into it's own.

Section 4 - Fargo, ND to Chicago, IL (independent).

Once in Fargo, we performed a recalculation and realized that in order to make it to Chicago by the 23rd (in time for a plane on the 24th to attend a cousin's wedding), we only needed to average 50 miles a day and could take two off days to spend time with our cousins and friends in Milwaukee and Chicago.Thrilled, we immediately slowed down the pace by leaving much later in the morning. Through Minnesota, we were able to find many Warm Showers hosts. That, combined with our parents offer to pay for a hotel once a week, meant we only have to camp about one out of every three days! Considering the armies of mosquitoes in the land of 10,000 lakes, this was definitely welcome. Leaving North Dakota, we also reentered civilization, and took advantage of the abundance of QuikTrip gas stations to treat ourselves to such convenience store delights as hot dogs, doughnuts, and mountains of cosmic brownies. We met more interesting and awesome people along the way (Camil will be sure to expand on this in his upcoming post) and relished our visits to our cousins and friends along Lake Michigan.

Some people we met:

• Terri Verkuilen (Moorhead, MN) - Prodigious warm shower host, painter, and a great cook
• Jan Lasar (Bowlus, MN) - Adventure magazine editor, bike enthusiast, and late night pizza cooker.
• Jim Patterson (Red Wing, MN) - Chiropractor and great conversationalist
• Rosemary Lyons (Winona, MN) - Practicing Buddhist, home gardener, former foster parent, and retired teacher for kids with emotional / behavioral disorders.
• Rob Nelson (Baraboo, WI) - Bike enthusiast, service dog trainer, softball coach.
• John Rowland (Racine, WI) - World class hobbyist chef; tech, bike, and camera prosumer; 3rd generation owner of insurance family business.

Special thanks to our cousins in Milwaukee (the Allens) and Chicago (the McBratneys) and the Muis (also from Chicago).

Also note: we post our progress every day on Strava (click link below) along with photos. Look there anytime to check our progress!
 

Mom's Guest Post

Written by Holley Allen

June 27-July 3 2015

H and J: Spokane to Billings with 1 car and 1 bike. Biked 40-60 miles per day for 6 days with J and C.
J and C: just past Kooskia, ID to Jordan, MO, through Nez Perce country, up the Clearwater River, over Lolo Pass, Missoula, Rogers Pass, Great Falls, Lewistown.

Julien chose to bike cross country after graduating from college. Camil decided to join.

Wow, what to say about kids who are not kids? Who have the physical and mental stamina to bike 85-130 miles day after day, to pedal and hydrate and eat and seek shade and seek air conditioned  cheap calories and pedal some more? Who keep going when it is 108 degrees because they can, because they have set a goal?Who learn from strangers who become friends what life is like in Walla Walla Washington or Sand Springs Montana, population 1, and she is 90! ? Who deal with chafe, sore knees, tooth pain, bike seat butt without complaint but with lots of Ibuprofen?

I say it is a privilege to do your laundry, buy your Spandex and Gatorade powder, bring you Gabe's Jetboil (oops) and learn to use it as we prep your dinner. It is a joy to dip in cool streams after sweating up a storm. It makes me happy to wait in the car, reading Nightengale (good enough to make me cry) as you bike another 10 miles with Jacques-O. And to deliver donuts and ice cold strawberry lemonade. To join you as you check the map for progress, again.

It is an honor to be your Mom and I thank you for allowing us to share in your adventure.

Now pedal home my boys (have you figured out how many pedal revolutions yet?)... And be safe.