Day 40: "O! the Joy"

Forty days and just shy of 3300 miles, my ride across America comes to an end at a haunting shipwreck on the Pacific coast. The anticipation of arriving at my final destination woke me up early this morning, and it turned out I needed every minute to make the trek from Portland to Astoria, OR and the coastline. Describing the moment as bittersweet might seem a bit trite, but the word seems appropriate. I am certainly happy to have traversed this distance without incident and eager to get back, but I will miss life out on the open road.

Western terminus at Fort Stevens, OR on the Pacific Ocean

Nature conspired today to make the final day of riding a bit more difficult than usual. A cool wind out of the northwest off the ocean grew steadily stronger as I zeroed in on the coast pushing me back east. The Columbia River Highway from Portland to Astoria is hardly a pleasant cycling route with several steep climbs and a fairly narrow shoulder amidst heavy traffic. Logging and allied industries ensure a steady stream of large truck traffic. Conditions were more favorable in terms of temperature - some brief morning cloud cover gave way to steady sunshine with the ocean breeze keeping temperatures no higher than the mid 60s.

Wreck of the Peter Iredale on the Oregon Coast

As the miles added up, the increasing wind and the widening river were the only clues that I was approaching the coast. Forests and hills kept the horizon close with a fresh scent of cedar from the procession of logging trucks. However, shortly after entering Astoria, the first scent of saltwater materialized, with a view of the broad estuary following shortly thereafter. Two hundred years earlier, Captain William Clark wrote in his journal, "Ocian in view! O! the joy," but still needed an additional three weeks to make it past the estuary to the ocean proper.

At the Pacific in front of the Iredale wreck

My first glimpse of the Pacific only came as I made my final turn into Fort Stevens Park. I carried my bike over the sand dunes as the Pacific looked brilliant in the afternoon sunshine. Built on the sight of an old military installation, the park seems to be a good place to experience the Oregon coast - the craggy outcroppings near the beach and the evergreen rainforest just inland. Wading in the cold water, I poured a small vial of Atlantic Ocean water that I had carried cross-country from Brighton Beach.

Recreation of Fort Clatsop, winter encampment of the Lewis and Clark expedition

With time running out to drop off my bike in Astoria for shipping and despite not stopping for lunch, I raced over to Fort Clatsop just five miles away from the coast. Here stands the site of Lewis and Clark's encampment where the Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805 where they hoped in vain to spot a clipper ship to avoid returning by land. I managed to survey the memorial and get back to Astoria to drop off my bike and some gear for shipping back to New York.

Sunset over the Pacific with Astoria-Megler Bridge in the background

So ends my transcontinental bike ride. In the coming days, I will add some additional posts with thoughts and advice for those contemplating their own trip. 

For now, some thanks are in order: I could not have done this without the support of those who cycled with me and visited me out on the road, often at great personal expense. I also want to offer a special thanks to my family who were not entirely comfortable with this endeavor but nonetheless supported me throughout the way.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Portland, OR

Ending Point - Fort Stevens, OR

Distance - 105.1 miles

Cumulative Distance - 3299.9 miles

Vertical Elevation - 4937 feet

Counties - Multnomah, Columbia, Clatsop, OR

Wind - moderate headwind

Day 39: The Gorge

On this penultimate day of my cross-country journey, Reed and I traversed the Columbia Gorge and cycled into Bike City, USA - Portland. Despite some fierce gust in the Gorge and some busy stretches on the interstate, much of the riding today was spectacular. Bike trails through temperate rain forests, climbs overlooking the Columbia River Valley, and riding past 500 foot waterfalls along the Historic Columbia River Highway were just some of the highlights.

Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River

Cool winds blowing from the Pacific make the Gorge a particular windy location. The stiff west winds made hard going on the I-84 for the first 12 miles out of Hood River. A tourist town with plenty for outdoor enthusiasts, the windy conditions make Hood River known for its water sports including windsurfing and kitesurfing. Any evidence of the arid desert environment of the previous days had vanished as we cycled along forests and mossy cliff faces either side of the Columbia River.

Multnomah Falls along the Historic Columbia River Highway

At Cascade Locks near the Bonneville Dam, we stopped to admire the Bridge of the Gods - one of the more recently constructed crossings of the Columbia River. Right along the side of the road, we found blackberry bushes. Reed collected a handful of sufficiently ripe blackberries for a mid-morning snack. Salmon berries and raspberries were also spotted along the bike trails further down the road.

Blackberry bush near Cascade Locks

Perhaps the most stunning feature of the Columbia Gorge is how quickly the landscape changes from arid deserts to lush temperate rainforest. From east of the Dalles to just west of Hood River is not more than 35 miles, but in that distance, the landscape makes a 180 degree shift. Bike trails along I-84 pass through a rainforest filled with giant evergreens, mossy rocks, ferns, and waterfalls streaming from the Cascades. This amazing landscape marks a great way to end a cross-country trip. If and when they complete bike trails around the interstate sections, this route would be second to none that I have encountered.

Temperate rainforest in eastern Oregon

I finished up my five day ride with Reed with an afternoon enjoying the culinary experiences of Portland. Reed, Courtney and I sampled the overwhelming food truck scene here in Portland for lunch, grabbed some cocktails at the Whiskey Soda Lounge in southeast Portland, and enjoyed a fine dining experience of local flavors for dinner at Castagna Restaurant. I cannot thank them enough for joining me here in the northwest. Reed has been an excellent cycling companion for five days from Lewiston to Portland, and Courtney drove on her own from Wyoming to Oregon taking care of their dog Chloe on that long journey. Tomorrow is one last leg alone to the Pacific.

Reed Walker, Courtney Olsen Walker, and myself at Castagna

STAGE SUMMARY (click for map):

Starting Point - Hood River, OR

Ending Point - Portland, OR

Distance - 68.8 miles

Cumulative Distance - 3194.8 miles

Vertical Elevation - 3824 feet

Counties - Hood River, Multnomah, OR

Wind - moderate headwind

Day 38: Reclamation

It was a short and sweet ride today from Biggs Junction, OR to Hood River, OR marking our entrance into the Columbia River Gorge. Given the climbs and the wind conditions, we decided that a one day ride all the way to Portland would be too much. Moreover, this part of the valley is a region to savor.

From Biggs Junction, the landscape very much resembles the dry desertscapes of eastern Oregon with little but sagebrush and dusty cliff faces to admire. However, around the Dalles, the landscape begins to change completely with dryland giving way to pine forests and an otherwise greener environment. Outside the Dalles, we pick up the Historic Columbia River Highway and climbed to Rowena Crest overlooking the Gorge. This route, lightly traveled by cars and closed to motor vehicles in some sections, is a favorite for cyclists from the Portland area.

Overlooking the Columbia River from Rowena Crest

Despite its arid environment, the land around the Columbia River Valley remains tremendously productive agricultural land owing to the damming of the river. This high volume river is damned along its entire reach to the Canadian border providing water for high values crops from apples and cherries to the vineyards around Walla Walla. The diversity of the agriculture in this region sets it apart from the Dakotas or other parts of the Midwest.

Reed Walker overlooking John Day Dam

The aggressive reclamation projects in this region and the West overall have shaped this region economically and continue to carry economic and environmental consequences. Cheap hydroelectric power from the dams brought the Manhattan Project to Hanford where nuclear waste slowly seeps towards the Columbia, helped Alcoa become one of the world's largest aluminum producers, and brought airplane manufacturers like Boeing to the region. Reclamation also decimated the salmon runs that sustained the native population and characterized the river that Lewis and Clark traveled down in 1805. Today, salmon ladders and fish hatcheries try to revive these once plentiful salmon runs.

Bonneville Dam with transmission lines in the distance

Despite its changed character, the Columbia Valley remains a stunning sight to witness. Reed's wife, Courtney, drove today from Wyoming and met us in Hood River, OR. We took an afternoon drive 20 miles south towards Mount Hood and hiked up to a cliff face in the forest in the area. Avid climbers, Reed and Courtney scaled up some of these climbs; I even attempted the briefest of ascents before losing my grip and deciding to preserve my strength for the final couple days of my ride of the Pacific coast.

The Dalles Dam with salmon ladder in the foreground and Mount Hood in the background

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Biggs Junction, OR

Ending Point - Hood River, OR

Distance - 45.4 miles

Cumulative Distance - 3126.0 miles

Vertical Elevation - 2934 feet

Counties - Sherman, Wasco, Hood River, OR

Wind - light headwind

Day 37: In the Rain Shadow

We started and ended in Oregon but most of the day was spent on the Washington side of the Columbia River. The climate here is dry and hot with a vexing wind from the west blowing along the valley. It made today's ride a bit of a slog, complicated by the absence of stops along the way. We took a couple of breaks just stopping along the side of the road sitting on guardrails or finding shade under a cliff face.

Drylands of Eastern Washington

When our heads weren't down pedaling furiously into the wind, we got a chance to admire the imposing valley cut by the Columbia River. Though the highway runs parallel to the river, the ride still features numerous climbs and descents along the sloped riverbank. Wineries, farms, and orchards dominated the area near Umatilla, OR while windmills dotted the cliffs on each side of the river closer to Biggs Junction.

Checking out the road ahead next to the Columbia River

This region's arid climate is attributable to the rain shadow cast by the Cascades Mountains. Cool wet winds from the Pacific condense and precipitate before arriving further inland. As we made our way west, Mount Hood emerged in the distance. As one of the highest peaks in the Cascades, it's snow-covered slopes offered a jarring contrast as we baked in the summer sun. It seems as if all the moisture from the Pacific finds itself stuck there. Sagebrush, tumbleweed, and the occasional stand of Ponderosa pines were all that could survive here.

Reed cycling up a climb with Mount Hood in the distance

Umatilla and Biggs Junction have little to offer of note. The former appears to be an farm town with a large Mexican-American community that works the nearby fields in the Palouse while the latter seems to be a truck stop on the interstate into Portland. The mini mart in Roosevelt - halfway between Umatilla and Biggs Junction - provides an invaluable rest stop for thirsty and hungry cyclists. We came across several today heading in both directions.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Umatilla, OR

Ending Point - Biggs Junction, OR

Distance - 85.5 miles

Cumulative Distance - 3080.6 miles

Vertical Elevation - 4056 feet

Counties - Umatilla, OR; Benton, Klickitat, WA; Sherman, OR

Wind - moderate headwind

Day 36: Occupational Hazards

Oregon and the Columbia River! A short but hot ride today brought us further into the arid stretches of eastern Washington and Oregon. A cool wind off the river kept the heat manageable in the morning, but, by the afternoon, even the wind blew hot air. We stopped by a small beach along the river to jump in and cool off.

Checking the integrity of the Oregon Welcome sign

As I near the end of my trip, this is probably as good a time as any to describe the physical effects of a cross-country journey. If you are a fan of farmer's tans, then a cross country bike ride is for you. Whether you are riding in bright sunshine or cloudy skies, a fierce tan is to be expected and it will take the shape of whatever cycling gear you are wearing. In particular, for someone like me who shaves their head, be prepared for a tan in the shape of your helmet, complete with the strap lines and stripes where the sun gets through the helmet's air vents.

Ridiculous tan line on my arm

Beyond unfortunate tan lines, the only other particular physical ailment has been the isolated bout of dehydration. In hot and humid days on the road, you lose a lot of water and electrolytes in a fairly short period of time. During the first two days of the trip in humid 90 degree weather outside New York, I started developing muscle cramps by the early afternoon. I have found that electrolyte tablets taken in the morning generally work well along with Gatorade throughout the day. A combination of acclimation and generally drier weather has staved off any additional bouts of cramping. Nevertheless, at the end of hot days, I find my face and jersey caked with salt (I'll spare you the pictures).

Reed Walker surveying the Columbia River

Beyond managing elements - sun and rain, heat and cold - I have not suffered much in the way of other ailments. I have managed to avoid sickness or food poisoning, though some cyclists I have come across have not been so fortunate. Soreness in the quads is largely confined to the hardest climbing days or days cycling into a headwind. Initially, you will experience soreness and tightness in your arms and back from sitting upright on a bike for 5-7 hours a day but the body seems to adapt within a week or so.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Walla Walla, WA

Ending Point - Umatilla, OR

Distance - 56.2 miles

Cumulative Distance - 2995.1 miles

Vertical Elevation - 1634 feet

Counties - Walla Walla, WA; Umatilla, OR

Wind - variable headwind

Day 35: The Palouse

Into Washington and the homestretch. No more rest days as I make the final push to the Pacific Ocean. My friend, Reed Walker, flew out to Lewiston, ID yesterday and joined me on the road. He will ride with me to Portland as we make our way through the arid regions of eastern Washington to the Columbia River and through the Columbia Gorge into the city.

Beginning at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers, we entered a dry and hilly region of eastern Washington called the Palouse. Composed of silt dunes formed during the last ice age, the Palouse is now productive farmland home to vast fields of wheat, barley and mustard. Our ride today featured several climbs including a somewhat severe 10 mile, 2000 foot climb out of the L-C Valley towards Pomeroy, WA. In the bright summer sunshine, the brown wheat fields appear soft and willowy stretching on rolling hills in all directions. We spotted deer wading through the fields, sheep and cattle grazing upon immense slopes, and even a snake sitting on the roadway. Giant windmills towered over the hills slowly turning in the light breeze.

Windmills over the Palouse

Our route also brought us to several interesting small towns here in southeastern Washington. The small farming town of Dayton - one of the older communities in Washington formed along the Oregon Trail - offered several options for brunch including the excellent Weinhard Cafe. Leaving aside the wisdom of cycling after drinking a beer, we stopped by a microbrewery in Waitsburg - the Laht Neppur. Arriving in Walla Walla, we discovered a town with more wine tasting places than cross streets. Apparently, the region, with its dry climate, is known for its vineyards. The Charles Smith Tasting Room is one of innumerable local wine tasting spots. For those teetotalers, the main street offers plenty of inviting cafes, restaurants, and antique shops.

A climb in the Palouse

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Lewiston, ID

Ending Point - Walla Walla, WA

Distance - 96.5 miles

Cumulative Distance - 2938.9 miles

Vertical Elevation - 5808 feet

Counties - Nez Perce, ID; Asotin, Garfield, Columbia, Walla Walla, WA

Wind - variable crosswind

Day 34: God's Country

It is a dream. It is what people who have come here from the beginning of time have dreamed. It's a dream landscape. To the Native American, it's full of sacred realities, powerful things. It's a landscape that has to be seen to be believed. And as I say on occasion, it may have to be believed in order to be seen.

N. Scott Momaday -

On this Independence Day, a hard ride was made worthwhile by the vistas on display in this corner of the West. One of the cyclists I met a couple days back memorably labeled this land - the West - God's country, and its expansiveness and splendor were on full display today. My photographs hardly capture the feeling one gets cycling in the West - of being immersed and lost in forest, canyon and prairie.

Wheat fields in the Weippe Prairie

At daybreak, I started out from the banks of the Clearwater River and climbed into the steep hills up to the Weippe Prairie. With the roads nearly empty on this holiday morning, the sun cast strange shadows about the canyons as I embarked on an 10 mile, 2000 foot climb to the Columbia Plateau. At the top, I thought I was back in the Dakotas with rolling prairies of wheat and mustard fields as far as the eye could see - no sign of the landscape as seen from the valley below. This unique landscape comes from rivers that have cut steep valleys in this high plateau formed from lava fields over hundreds of thousands of years.

The steep hillsides leading up to the Columbia Plateau

These productive lands lie within the Nez Perce Indian Reservation, though little of the land is owned by Native Americans since the land was opened up to white settlers in 1895. Friends of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as they stumbled out of the mountains, the Nez Perce vainly resisted their forced relocation in the 1870s. The reservation offered few signs of the Nez Perce people outside the small tribal town of Lapwai, ID.

Mustard fields on the Weippe Prairie

The displacement and decline of the Nez Perce is the sad counterpoint to what the West represents in the American ethos - a place of opportunity and hope. In a letter to his wife, on the eve of Independence in 1796, John Adams presciently declared that this day "ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade . . . from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more." Even before the colonies had gained their independence, Adams, like Jefferson and many of the Founders, envisioned a nation stretching from one ocean to the other. For them and for so many subsequent generations, in the West lies the future. To cycle through this land is to experience ever so briefly that landscape of dreams.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Kamiah, ID

Ending Point - Lewiston, ID

Distance - 81.0 miles

Cumulative Distance - 2842.4 miles

Vertical Elevation - 5226 feet

Counties - Idaho, Lewis, Nez Perce, ID

Wind - variable crosswind

Day 33: Endless Forest

Dropping steadily over 3000 feet, I wound my way along the Lochsa River bidding farewell to the Rockies. Though it is tough to get up and start riding at sunrise at 5:30 AM, it is worthwhile to escape the heat and enjoy the quiet roads in the early hours after sunrise.

After leaving the lodge, my route tracked the Lochsa River through the Clearwater Forest for the next 90 miles. A slight downhill grade kept the pace brisk with the constant sounds of the waters of the Lochsa and the various mountain creeks that join the river the only soundtrack to the ride.

Lochsa River and the Clearwater Forest

The deep green of the evergreen forests extends in all directions unchanged. Indeed, the only way you know that you are making progress out of the forest is the mile markers that tick down one mile every 4 minutes. The river grows gradually wider and the slopes become gradually shallower as I descended out of the mountains.

Narrow US-12 through the Clearwater Forest

Just south of my route lies the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness area and further south the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness area - the largest wilderness area in the US outside Alaska. The Frank is named for the last Democrat to represent Idaho in Senate, an instrumental figure in the passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964. But for the highway, the area I was riding through would be wilderness as well. Straight south of US-12, you would not find another paved road for more than one hundred miles.

Drier landscape in the Kamiah Valley along the Clearwater River

As the number of cars dwindled, the number of cross-country cyclists surged. At Lochsa Lodge, I met four westbound cyclists and two eastbound cyclists all on the TransAmerica Trail. The westbound cyclists (one solo rider and a group of three) got an earlier start this morning, but I met them on the road, and we cycled some 15-20 miles together. At this hour, we owned the road, riding alongside and chatting about the experiences accumulated over the past couple thousand miles. We also saw several other riders headed in the other direction eastbound up to Lolo Pass. At the first stop in Lowell (some 65 miles in), a Twin Cities native headed eastbound spotted my Penn Cycle water bottle. I introduced him to one of the westbound cyclists who came the direction where he was headed, sharing clues and insights about the road ahead.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Lochsa Lodge, ID

Ending Point - Kamiah, ID
Distance - 95.3 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2761.4 miles
Vertical Elevation - 3471 feet

Counties - Idaho, ID

Wind - light crosswind

Day 32: Last of the Mountain Passes

After the better part of two weeks, I am out of Montana and into Idaho. Today, I crossed the last mountain pass of my transcontinental journey and entered the hundred mile wide Nez-Perce Clearwater National Forest. Higher elevations, an early start, and a cool breeze out of the mountains kept conditions nice during the morning ride. I could have easily cycled longer, but the next place to stay is some 80 miles further west.

From Missoula, I turned southwest into the Bitterroot Mountains climbing from 3000 feet to about 5200 feet at Lolo Pass. The route, a quiet and scenic trip through dense evergreen forests and steep mountain sides, climbs fairly gently until kicking up in the last couple miles. In these forested slopes, the Lewis and Clark expedition nearly came to their demise, struggling against starvation and exposure amid an early snowfall in September 1805. Snow was still visible at the top of Lolo Peak at an elevation of 9000 feet. I hoped to see a black bear, but the only animals I spotted were deer (and giant flies).

Snow at the top of Lolo Peak in the Bitterroot Range

During my day off yesterday in Missoula, I stopped by the headquarters of the Adventure Cycling Association, got my picture taken, met a steady stream of cross-country cyclists stopping in, and shared thoughts about routes for those traveling east and thinking about crossing the Dakotas. Missoula proved a pleasant culinary experience with great coffee houses and eclectic eateries. Less touristy and ritzy than Bozeman, Missoula is like Berkeley in the mountains. My dad joined me in Missoula and is accompanying me for the next couple days through Independence Day. We enjoyed a great meal at the Silk Road - definitely recommend for anyone passing through.

Pine beetle kill in the Clearwater National Forest

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Missoula, MT

Ending Point - Lochsa Lodge, ID
Distance - 54.7 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2666.1 miles
Vertical Elevation - 3311 feet

Counties - Missoula, MT; Idaho, ID

Wind - light crosswind

Day 31: Down the Blackfoot

One of the best parts of crossing the continental divide is getting to ride downhill the next day. Following the Blackfoot River, I winded my way through the mountains for 80 miles to my last stop in the Treasure State on the last day in June.

On the road to Missoula, MT

Riding a state highway through the mountains, the solitude and cool temperatures of an early morning start gave way to a more taxing conditions in early afternoon as temperatures rose and traffic turned heavy. The current heat wave gripping the West is breaking records here as well with heat advisories posted for today and tomorrow. I occasionally thought about jumping into the Blackfoot River to cool off. A shallow mountain stream, its clear waters looked inviting, though the current might have been a bit swift. I observed many families enjoying whitewater rafting on the river as I approached Missoula.

Clear waters of the Blackfoot River

As the headquarters of the Adventure Cycling Association, Missoula is no stranger to long-distance cyclists. On my off day tomorrow, I will add my name to the ACA log of cross-country cyclists. At a gas station, I met three other cyclists on their way to Missoula. The cyclists, carrying considerably more gear than me and looking a bit haggard, had spent the previous two weeks making their way from Jasper, Canada south along the continental divide. Two of the cyclists had also traveled cross country a couple years back along the TransAmerica Trail, and we exchanged stories from the road: the people, the routes, the wind. They congratulated me on making good time from New York and shared some advice about the homestretch to the Pacific.

Dusk or dawn outside Lincoln, MT?

For those of you who find yourself somewhere between Missoula and Great Falls on MT Hwy 200, the colorfully named Stray Bullet Cafe in Ovando, MT offers a nice stop for breakfast or lunch. Also, hop into the family-owned Lost Woodsman Restaurant in Lincoln, MT for an excellent coffee or quick snack.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Lincoln, MT

Ending Point - Missoula, MT
Distance - 79.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2611.4 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2714 feet

Counties - Lewis and Clark, Powell, Missoula, MT

Wind - light headwind

Day 30: Where the Rivers Flow West

After 30 days on the road, I crossed the continental divide today - from here on, the rivers flow west towards the Pacific Ocean. Climbing from Helena, MT at 4000 feet, I reached the continental divide in the Helena National Forest at 6100 feet - the highest point I reach on this journey. Like yesterday, the wind shifted aimlessly but with high temperatures set for the afternoon, I made an early start out of Helena.

A photo at Flesher Pass

As I cycled through the outskirts of Helena in the valley, Gadsden flags and Ron Paul signs testified to the fiercely independent political leanings of the area. Mobile homes scattered in the foothills and ranchlands gave way to forest as I began a gentle climb toward the pass. The hardest part of the climb is a three mile stretch of switchbacks along the forested mountain side where the road rises 1700 feet. The price for stellar views is sweat in the eyes and slow speeds as I spun the crank in its lowest gear. As I approached the summit, a deer stared at me quizzically (mocking me?), finally hopping up the mountain side as I passed. I lingered for some time at the divide enjoying the views and flagging down a passing car to get my picture taken.

View east near the top of Flesher Pass

The town of Lincoln, MT has a dubious claim to fame: hometown of the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski. Now detained at a federal prison in Florence, CO, Kaczynski moved to a small cabin outside of Lincoln honing his survival skills in the wilderness and sending mail bombs over a nearly 20 year period.

Continental Divide Hiking Trail

A small town set in the forest, Lincoln is a fairly busy in the summer - I had some difficulty finding an available motel. Boating, hiking, and fishing are the local attractions, and no one was too surprised to see a cyclist passing through. In fact, a mountain bike race - the Tour Divide - which follows the continental divide in the US passed through Lincoln a week ago. One day of climbing in the divide was good for me.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Helena, MT

Ending Point - Lincoln, MT
Distance - 56.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2531.8 miles
Vertical Elevation - 3291 feet

Counties - Lewis and Clark, MT

Wind - light tailwind

Day 29: End of Louisiana

Back on the road after a day off in Bozeman, my route turned north towards the Montana state capital. Calm winds made for a quicker ride, but temperatures in the 90s made riding in the afternoon a bit uncomfortable. Similar conditions should prevail tomorrow when I climb my second mountain pass and cross the continental divide.

Though I have now traveled some 2500 miles from New York, I am still within the historical boundaries of the US as it existed since 1803. Through the Plains and Rockies, this land was all part of the Louisiana Purchase. Though Jefferson was only interested in securing the port of New Orleans, France, needing funding for its European wars, sold the US the territory west of the Mississippi extending all the way to the continental divide.

The landmarks along today's ride make reference to that era of American history. At Three Forks, MT, I crossed just south of the headwaters of the Missouri River where three rivers - the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin - come together to form the mighty Missouri. Lewis and Clark named these rivers in honor of the president and his cabinet. Even in one day ride, the landscape changes dramatically from marshy wetlands near the headwaters to sandy grasslands to pine forests as I entered Helena.

View south from Three Forks, MT

My day off in Bozeman yesterday was spent enjoying the culinary experience of the downtown. Check out the salad options at the John Bozeman Bistro for lunch, grab a wood-fired pizza at Blackbird Kitchen, and keep room for dessert at the Chocolate Moose. For the cross-country cyclist, you stock up when you can - lunch today was taken sitting on the curb at a gas station in Townsend, MT.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Bozeman, MT

Ending Point - Helena, MT
Distance - 99.3 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2475.2 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2116 feet

Counties - Gallatin, Broadwater, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark, MT

Wind - light cross/headwind

Day 28: Mile High

I did not feel this tired after riding twice as far one week ago in the Dakotas. My ride might have been only 63 miles, but with a vicious headwind and a 13 mile climb up Bozeman Pass, it was tough going. I was warned in the previous days that the winds coming off the eastern slope of the Rockies would be difficult and so it proved.

Crazy Mountains seen from the south

Leaving Big Timber this morning, I closed in on the mountain ranges that had seemed so distant yesterday. Here in Montana, the Rockies do not form a single solid north-south line like the Front Range in Colorado - rather the highest peaks are broken into compact ranges with the main highways weaving through these ranges. I passed south of the Crazy Mountains and north of the Absaroka Range to Livingston, MT at the start of the Bozeman Pass.

Eastern approach of the Bozeman Pass

Separating the Yellowstone and Missouri watersheds, Bozeman Pass sits a mile high some 1500 feet above Livingston. The climb is a fairly gentle one since it is spread over 13 miles, but with my bike weighed down by my gear and the fierce headwind, it nevertheless took some effort. The temperature gradually dropped as I climbed with a rainstorm materializing rather suddenly. The one positive about climbing a pass is the ride down, which offered stunning views of the forested slopes of the Gallatin and Bridger Ranges. I would have taken a picture had I not been stuck on a fairly busy stretch of I-90 with a somewhat narrow shoulder.

Bozeman offered the most inviting downtown since leaving the Twin Cities some 900 miles east. Tourism, the state university, and a strong farm economy have made this town into something of a boomtown with numerous cafes, restaurants, specialty stores. For dinner, I overate at Over the Tapas; the food and local brews were definitely worth it as were several friendly locals who took an interest in my travels. I take a day off tomorrow to further explore this interesting town.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Big Timber, MT

Ending Point - Bozeman, MT
Distance - 62.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2375.9 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2746 feet

Counties - Sweet Grass, Park, Gallatin, MT

Wind - strong headwind

Day 27: In the Shadow of the Rockies

My march across Montana continues apace even though the wind conspired to make today's trip a fairly grueling endeavor. Now due north of Yellowstone National Park and due south of the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, I am at the doorstep of the first of three mountain passes that I am scheduled to cross in the next week. Tomorrow comes Bozeman Pass at 5700 feet separating the Bridger and Gallatin Ranges in the Rockies.

Snowcapped Beartooth Range in the distance

As I left the Billings area this morning, I sighted the Rockies for the first time on journey - the peaks of the Beartooth Range off to the southwest with snow visible at elevation in jarring contrast with the 85 degree temperatures felt in the valley. With hills and buttes to either side, I made my way up the Yellowstone River gradually ascending some 1000 feet over the day. By staying close to the river, the upward gradient was hardly noticeable, but the fierce headwind made it feel like I was climbing for 90 miles anyways.

My view on the I-90

My ride today also featured another foray onto the interstate. The wide shoulder on I-90 ensured no difficulties though traffic volumes were definitely heavier than what I encountered on my first interstate ride a couple days back. To my disappointment, my presence did not lead to any horn honking, but I do wonder what drivers think when they pass by a cyclist on the interstate - it must be somewhat unexpected.

While the wind and heat have been less cooperative in Montana than the Dakotas, the dining options are much improved. Billings has a small but eclectic downtown strip where I watched the decisive game of the Stanley Cup Finals at the Montana Brewing Company. A lunchtime salad today in Columbus, MT at 307 Bar & Grill was a pleasant surprise, and dinner at the historic Grand Hotel in Big Timber, MT was excellent. Stop by if you're traveling cross-country via I-90.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Billings, MT

Ending Point - Big Timber, MT
Distance - 87.6 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2313.3 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2344 feet

Counties - Yellowstone, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, MT

Wind - strong headwind

Day 26: Pompey's Pillar

A long ride in 90 degree heat brought me into Montana's largest city - Billings - and into the final third of my cross-country journey. Riding in the floodplain of the Yellowstone River to avoid the hills, net elevation increased gradually and steadily to from 2200 feet to 3000 feet above sea level. After some 800 miles from Minneapolis, I have now crossed the Great Plains and tomorrow should bring me within sight of the Rockies.

Pompey's Pillar National Monument

Just outside of Billings on the banks of the Yellowstone lies Pompey's Pillar - a sandstone outcropping and prominent landmark for generations of settlers and Indians traversing the Plains. When William Clark passed through in 1806, he named the tower from the youngest member of the expedition - the child of Sacajawea - Jean Baptiste - born two winters earlier. Nicknamed Pomp and later raised and educated by Clark, Jean Baptiste survived the expedition's toughest days bordering on starvation as they ascended the Bitterroot Mountains in 1805 and making it all the way to the Pacific and back. The presence of a child and a woman on the expedition signaled the peaceful intentions of the Corps of Discovery to the Native American tribes they encountered through the West.

Captain William Clark's signature

On Pompey's Pillar lies the only physical evidence of left by the Corps of Discovery - William Clark's name etched into the side of the stone and clearly visible today. In the coming decades, settlers heading westward added their names to the stone. This early version of graffiti was designated a national monument in 2001, preventing me from adding my name to this landmark. Though this area of the country is expansive and picturesque, it bears little resemblance to the region that the Lewis and Clark expedition encountered 200 years ago. Once teeming with bison and grizzly bears, it is now home to cattle ranches and beet farms.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Forsyth, MT

Ending Point - Billings, MT
Distance - 106.0 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2225.7 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2248 feet

Counties - Rosebud, Treasure, Yellowstone, MT

Wind - variable crosswind

Day 25: Tough Men of Montana

With limited motel options between Miles City, MT to Billings, MT, I enjoyed a short 45 mile ride this morning to Forsyth, MT on the banks of the Yellowstone River. The price will be a longer 106 mile ride tomorrow to Billings. In the coming days, I will follow the route taken by Captain William Clark in 1806 along the Yellowstone River as the Corps of Discovery made its way back home from the Pacific.

Today, for the first time on my journey, I rode on the interstate. Unlike states east of the Mississippi, western states permit cyclists to use the interstate highway system, though many travelers are not aware of that. While the prospect of cycling on the interstate seemed faintly ridiculous at first, after spending most of journey on highways with fast-moving traffic, this stretch of interstate riding was fairly pleasant. An eight foot shoulder with little debris afforded me plenty of room with traffic volumes similar to what I encountered in the Dakotas. However, cycling on the interstate on a cloudless day on the bluffs overlooking the Yellowstone, one does feel very small and insignificant in this part of the country.

Yellowstone River through the cottonwoods

My day off yesterday in Miles City, MT gave me a chance to get my bike checked out at the local shop. Aside from a minor adjustment to the spoke tension, everything checked out. The owner, a rough and tumble looking fellow who sees his fair share of cross-country cyclists, generously gave my bike a quick once over at no charge. He also shared stories of some of the cyclists who have come through: a 95 year old woman riding cross country who only started cycling at age 90; a young man on a solo ride calling from Sidney, MT (over 130 miles away) who rode in on a broken rear axle with only the skewer holding the wheel together. When they took out the skewer, all the bearings fell out, his wheel rendered useless

However, when conversation turned away from cycling to where I am from and what I do, the owner launched into a stemwinder on the evils of Michael Bloomberg and the crooks at the Federal Reserve. The ranting was real tin foil hat stuff punctuated with plenty of references to "nitwits" in Washington wanting to take away their guns and loose talk of rebellion. Though I hinted that I thought Bloomberg and the Fed might not be quite as nefarious as advertised, when another hard man from town in boots, jeans and cowboy hat entered and started nodding gravely, I decided discretion was the better part of valor and took my leave. After all that, I got my first flat tire headed back to my motel - I decided just to fix it on my own.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Miles City, MT

Ending Point - Forsyth, MT
Distance - 44.7 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2119.7 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2146 feet

Counties - Custer, Rosebud, MT

Wind - light headwind

Day 24: Rub' al Khali

Arabic for the empty quarter, the Rub' al Khali is the designation given to the world's largest sand desert occupying a quarter of the Arabian peninsula. For a cyclist, the vast expanse of the Plains - though hardly a desert - sometimes feels like the empty quarter. Today ride - 80 miles from Baker, MT to Miles City, MT - presented the longest single stretch in journey without any services: no restaurants, coffee shops, gas stations or bathrooms. Fortunately, a tailwind and cool conditions meant an easy ride. In truth, an outdoorsman would hardly consider this a wilderness area, but for city dweller who has spent the last eight years in the most densely populated area in the US, eastern Montana qualifies.

No services sign in Baker, MT

While empty quarter might be an exaggerated description of the Plains, it would be an apt description for the dining options in this area. Before arriving in Miles City, in the previous 300 miles eastward, both fine dining and fast food have been nearly nonexistent. You might think you could find a McDonald's anywhere - not in this area of Plains. 

Instead, the only places to eat in these small towns look more like a dusty catering hall or the local VFW - with seemingly surplus chairs and tables, few windows, and the strong smell of smoke. Steak or burgers constitute the preponderance of menu options, with variations on the potato as side dish (or main course for vegetarians). Foodies might find this region a bit problematic. Miles City provides variations on this theme, but drinks at the Montana Bar offer an excellent opportunity for cowboy watching.

After 375+ miles in four days and 660+ miles since leaving Minneapolis last Friday, I am taking another rest day tomorrow to recuperate before the push to Billings. I also say goodbye to Steve and Lauren who have savored (endured?) the Plains with me for the last 3 days. I cannot thank them enough for making the trek out here to support me. Once I get their pictures, I'll update the blog with a picture of the three of us.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Baker, MT

Ending Point - Miles City, MT
Distance - 79.5 miles
Cumulative Distance - 2075.0 miles
Vertical Elevation - 4303 feet

Counties - Fallon, Custer, MT

Wind - variable tailwind

Day 23: The Badlands

For 60 some miles of today's ride, the landscape appeared unchanged from the previous several days. Then, as I came over a hill, it all changed quite unexpectedly as the grasslands gave way to the badlands - places were wind and water have worn away the sandy soil to carve out curious looking buttes and hills out of the prairie.

North Dakota badlands

In the middle of North Dakota badlands, I stumbled upon the crumbling town of Marmarth, ND. Once a bustling stop on Milwaukee Road (a old time passenger railroad line along which US-12 is built), the town's main street is mostly boarded up and many of the homes abandoned. However, a solitary restaurant and bar continues to serve both locals and the occasional fossil hunter passing through: Pastime Club and Steakhouse. Like other stops in recent days, I was greeted with surprised and dumbfounded looks - a solo cyclist crossing the windswept Plains. Strangers are eager to ask about the trip and its logistics. I am beginning to see that the US-12 route I have taken is a somewhat rare one for cross-country cyclists.

Abandoned theater on the main street in Marmarth, ND

With dining options being highly limited in this part of the country, my friends Steve and Lauren (who spent their day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park) and I returned to Marmarth for dinner at Pastime. Despite furnishings resembling what one might find at a VFW hall, we enjoyed a decent meal in the sparsely populated restaurant. With few tables to attend, our gregarious waitress sat down with us and queried me extensively about my bike trip flabbergasted by the undertaking.

Despite the problematic headwind, I left behind the Dakotas today and entered the largest state on my cross-country ride: Montana. The next 10 days or so will be spent traversing Big Sky country including the remaining stretches of the Plains and the Rockies.

STAGE SUMMARY:

Starting Point - Hettinger, ND

Ending Point - Baker, MT
Distance - 86.1 miles
Cumulative Distance - 1995.5 miles
Vertical Elevation - 2236 feet

Counties - Adams, Bowman, Slope, ND; Fallon, MT

Wind - moderate headwind