The end of the road

We have arrived! Two by bike and one by car (Scott sold his bike in Portland!!). It was a day's ride to the coast, but we took some time to explore Portland before finishing. Approaching the west coast is pretty different from our experience in Virginia. With just fifteen miles left, we were still climbing a mountain range! We celebrated our accomplishment and slept under the stars in what we thought to be a discreet stretch of sand. We were awakened by curious beach goers and found we had picked a spot right in front of some condos.

The past two and a half months on the road have been unforgettable, but I must say I am excited to have a roof over my head again. Adam is staying in Portland and seeking employment, Scott is off to make a home in San Francisco, and I am headed back to South Bend. As for bicycle touring, I dig it. I think I just might take my bike out again sometime.

Thanks so much for following the adventure and this, my inaugural blog.

Over and out,
Katie

A lovely start to a horrible day

The sunrise was beautiful, but about as good as it was going to get for us on our final day in Washington. Our situation was this: a stolen phone, stolen ipod, and five flat tires, all before we left the campground parking lot. Though the culprit of the theft was unclear- the two items were snatched from the bathroom where they were charging- the flats were the fault of a certain brier bush called goatheads. We fixed the flats and looked warily at our small stash of spare tubes. We were also running low on cash. It turns out that Visa wasn't everywhere we wanted to be and we'd encountered two broken atms. Then came the wind, which grew worse as the day wore on, eventually holding our speed to around 5 mph. At that point you feel you could be walking the route faster. To sum up, diminishing cash, diminishing parts, diminishing energy, and diminishing spirits. We threw in the towel around 5pm after being blown into the guard rail for the third time. Oh, and Adam had a flat. It took all our remaining energy to put on bright smiles at an exit and quickly score a ride into Portland, but we were picked up pretty quickly. Not exactly a triumphal entry, but friends with couches were waiting in the city.

We've been riding along the Washington/Oregon border, where the wind howls persistently up the Columbia River gorge. The conditions make it a destination spot for wind and kite surfers from all over the country. I don't recommend it for cyclists. We took the Lewis and Clark highway up the Washington side of the river. River rafting, I believe, was the great explorers preferred mode of travel and at the time it seemed like a pretty good idea to us; the current does all the work for you, right?

The highway is desolate, with some 80 miles between stops. Across the wide river you can see RVs rolling along the interstate, resting at travel plazas. We camped with some surfers at Roosevelt, WA, where we stopped after a long 75 miles against the wind. They were a friendly bunch, interested in what we were doing, and they had valuable information on wind forecasts. We left the next morning wishing each other the best of luck, though we were hoping for opposite conditions.

O Idaho

Idaho! A brand new state for me; I've never been, and wasn't sure what to expect. We entered Idaho at the top of Lolo pass. They had a nice vistors' center with free hot chocolate and a film on Lewis and Clark. They are really into Lewis and Clark out here. Their figures are on road signs all across the northwest, always pointing at things. I guess that's what explorers do. The next 100 miles took us down through a canyon that runs along the Clearwater River. Enormous fir and pines blanketed the mountains that rose up on either side. I can't really explain just how lovely and rich the sight was. It didn't really fit in a camera lens either, but I took a video anyway.

Fotografias!

3,000 miles!

We're just here chilling out in Montana with some friends of Scott. It's been a week of coincidences- I ran into a high school friend in the Tetons and was surprised here in Bozeman by some familiar faces from UNC. This past week we stayed in Grand Teton National Park and then rode through Yellowstone, drinking in the scenery. Beautiful though it was, we were a little disappointed (or relieved?) by the lack of wildlife we encountered. No bears, excepting the one below, a couple of bison, a marmot, and some elk. We've passed the 3,000 mile mark and we're still going strong.

Be Bear Aware

We did everything possible to prevent this sort of thing. We read the warnings and followed the recommendations. We made noise as we moved through hiking trails; we neither fed nor molested the animals; we stored snacks, water bottles, and toothbrushes in bear safe containers. But alas, we are in bear country, and my bike is sweeter than honey!

Sometimes mosquitoes are better than people

Wyoming! Home to only a half a million people, and they like it that way. As one fellow put it, "We've got only 500,000 people, so get out!" Another conversation with a road construction worker went like this:
Me: what a beatiful place to work, on top of the mountain and all.
Him: Yep. I've got the best office in the world.
Me: Yeah, just so long as you can stand the mosquitoes.
Him: [Long pause]The way I see it, sometime mosquitoes are better than people.

Of course, I can't blame these folks for the quiet pride they have in their beautiful outdoors and I respect them for surviving the harsh winters. I think the average low here in Grand Teton National Park is 1.5 F in January.

Looks like there's a line for the computer, more to come!

Goodbye Kansas. Hello...Nebraska?

Scott was loosening his mind from the Kansas monotony, a fact that will surely wound my grandmother's native Kansan pride. We did see an awful lot of the state, from the southeastern part of the state to the northwest. (Really, Nana, it was lovely.) I found it to be not quite as flat as I expected. Our route north and east took us through limestone bluffs and very gentle hills; we also saw the expected fields of corn, wheat, and cows--enough to feed a nation. Of course, it's all grid in the Midwest, no diagonals, which means we covered a lot of Kansas ground. While Scott is clearly thrilled to leave Kansas behind, Adam is in the background feeling pretty pleased to be adding an extra state to the list. We amended our route, blazing a trail through Kansas that will take us more directly to Fort Collins, where we will stop at New Belgium, a once micro brewery that started after a similar bicycle tour across Europe. Maybe Scott and Adam will be so inspired after our journey.

Stormy midwest

Recently have been overtaken by some midwest storms of biblical intensity. Our first Kansas storm came by night as we slept in a city park. One minute we were dreaming under the stars, the next we were dashing to an awning where we huddled behind a flimsy fortress of tarps and rain flies. The experience left me wary and has resulted in several calls to our on call weather service rep (Mom). Yesterday evening we cut short our plans for a 100+ mile day that was taking us right through the storm and turned in to a home with an open garage. Lightening, hail, and rain overtook the enormous sky, which was all much more enchanting from the safety of the Bean residence. They took us in until the storm passed...which turned out to be the next morning. The family lives along a natural gas pipeline in the middle of nowhere and are responsible for maintaining the compressor next to their house. You can see for miles out their front door. This morning Billy Bean could tell that it was still raining in the next town by glancing to the east. The photo below is the sliver of sky not swallowed by the evening storm.

Roadside finds:

A lovely moth

West coast stylez

If Portland won't take us, maybe we'll find our place at Laguna beach. For now we are still landlocked. As if our sizzling sense of style wasn't hot enough, temps hit the 100s today. We're managing pretty well. We started riding this morning at 7 and had 65 miles in by 12:30, landing at the water park in Great Bend, KS. We were a smash hit at the pool; the kids were curious about us ("Dude, what's up with your tan line?"), but once we had answered their questions they joined us for a lively game of sharks and minnows. After the worst of the heat passes, we'll crank out another 40 miles or so and call it a day.

Little house in the Ozarks

But alas, Laura Ingalls Wilder was not to be found. We made quick work of the "Show Me State" We didn't quite make it to Kansas by the forth, but we landed right outside in Golden City. The name suggested a grand independence day celebration, but by the time we arrived at 7:30 it was a ghost town on Main street. We celebrated nonetheless with brats and s'mores, and caught a some firework displays from the neighbors. The next morning we went to Cooky's for one of the best diner experiences of my life. They have 35 kinds of pies! I had the strawberry rhubarb, for breakfast.

Carrot juice + apple juice + ginger

The drink of choice for a rest day in Carbondale

Thou shalt attend

"Members expected, visitors welcome"

Kentucky farwell

Though last week we were less than impressed with Kentucky, it seems the people of the bluegrass state set out to change our minds. In Springfield we were treated to the finest southern fare by Renee Lamont, a real belle with a French name and a southern drawl. In McDaniels the Thompsons rolled out the red (neck) carpet for us, an experience which really deserves a posting unto its own. I'll get to that soon. Our last night was spent at a Baptist church not far from the Ohio River. Though we arrived at dusk to an empty parking lot, the door swung open and a booming voice greet us, "Ya'll want some dinner?" There we picked up two new riding companions, Max and Kevin, nearly doubling our numbers and more than doubling our joy.

Despite these and other great experiences, Adam was really ready to cross the river that marks the KY frontier. (Just look at that face!) He did so in epic fashion, swimming across the Ohio to Illnois soil. Kevin's charm won us an invitation to a wedding reception (!), where we joined Elizabethtown in celebrating the joining of Jesse and Kyla in holy matrimony. The mother and father of the bride welcomed us warmly and we couldn't turn down the fish fry, pecan pie. Our legs were not too tired for a little bit of dancing before sleep on the shores of the Ohio.

We've got big plans to blow through Missouri and hit Kansas by the 4th of July.

Lincoln logs

Illinois claims it is the land of Lincoln, but don't tell Kentucky, We saw signs for Lincoln's birthplace, Lincolns boyhood home, his daycare, first kiss, etc. Here is his childhood cabin, isn't it quaint? The cabin is actually enshrined in the monument at the top of the steps.

Fast fact from Bourbon country

The distillery we toured (Heaven Hill) holds 17% of the world's Bourbon in it's warehouses!

Our team gets techy

Adam picked up this tiny little acer computer in Berea. It's not much bigger than a paperback and has great wireless reception. Our posts and emails now come to you from restaurants, coffee shops, and city parks.

Horse country?

This guy was the size of a small pony! It was supposed to be a photo, but Adam captured in real time the coating of my helmet in doggy slobber.

One way to Bee

One of several amusing church signs in Bee, Kentucky. Another just down the road : "We aren't Dairy Queen, but our Sundays are great!"

Kentucky is like level two of our cross country challenge. Level two has all the difficulties of level one- hilly terrain, windy backroads, afternoon thunderstorms- but now we face an added obstacle: the Kentucky canine. We were forewarned about Kentucky's hounds by seasoned cyclists headed the opposite direction. One of them said he had been chased by over forty dogs. Surely an exaggeration, I thought. Our first of many dog chases occurred just a few miles across the stat line. Adam and I were a few hundred yards behind Scott, who had disappeared around the bend with alarming speed. A man standing at his mailbox, presumably the dog owner, pointed to his pups in the road and said, "If them dogs start off after you, you just pedal, hard." And so we did, again and again across the state. Scott carries a small container of mace in case of a particularly threatening encounter. I bought a small air horn at Wal-Mart, but the results have been rather disappointing. (The thing let out a quiet pffffft on it's inaugural use.) Adam just yells GO HOME in his harshest tone. He's had some success, but some of the dogs just don't have homes. Others live on a short chain in the front yard. Eastern Kentucky is very depressed. Coal stained jeans hang on fences and clotheslines, the industry has left the land and the people depleted and exhausted. We have found them more reserved than Virginians, but no less hospitable. A gentler side of Kentucky is Berea, the small town where we are taking a rest day. We're staying with some great folks at Berea College, which is an all around cool place with an interesting history.

A couple of photos: the first is from Breaks Interstate Park, which is said to be the Grand Canyon of the East. Also, the sweet pin they gave us at the campground there, for having completed the 570 miles of Virginia.

Where were we going without ever knowing the Whey?

Adam's dad spent the evening with us in Wytheville, VA. He left us with some parting gifts, including this enormous jar of whey protein that will make us the size of body builders in approximately six weeks. Here's Adam and Scott after the first dose.

The Daily Progress

507 miles! We are just about out of Virginia, which is a legnthy state if I ever saw one. We've been hitting around 65 miles a day and riding pretty hilly terrain. I feel like I owe everyone some updates:

Scott's knee is much improved. The doctor set him up with the triple threat of medication, a brace, and stretches, and put us back on the road the next day. He's been feeling good, and we've all been babying our knees as a precaution.

I did end up parting ways with my trailer. It was a really good decision, the weight difference is noticable. I hung on to my flag though.

Man down!

We are back in Charlottesville with full stomachs and clean bodies, but long faces. Scott, riding companion and chief navigator, is having serious knee trouble: Iliotibial Band Syndrome, to be specific. His knee gave out on him on the climb to Afton mountain, en route to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we descended to Charlottesville to reevaluate. According to Wikipedia, Scott should avoid running, stair climbing, deadlifting, court sports, martial arts, and bowling. We've focused instead on eating, sleeping, and air hockey. Doc appointment at 4:30, we hope for the best!



Also, I went with the panniers. They feel great.

Four days in and I am rethinking my weight bearing strategy. I am thinking of switching from a trailer to panniers (saddlebags). Touring cyclists are divided on the issue, switching now would be like leaving UNC for Duke after a rough freshman year. The trailer is more or less an extra ten pounds. This is not to say that the first few days were misery. We've been averaging just under seventy miles per day, and feeling pretty good. My trailer and I have been through 200 miles of glorious countryside. Highlights include purple polka dot wildflowers in the Tidewater, pioneer graves at Lyle cemetery, and a magnificent red moon rising over Lake Anna. Wish I had more photos, but my SD card crapped out and I just got it working again. Below is the place we stayed at in Yorktown before we took off, and my family bustling around the kitchen at lunchtime. We rested a day in Charlottesville with them, tomorrow, to the hills! I know you're all on the edge of your seats about my tentative separation from my trailer, but you'll just have to stay tuned. Maybe we can work it out.

TransAmerica bike route

As marked on a U.S. States geography placemat.

Ready