Journals

2014	Bicycle Trip - Leavenworth to Omak

2014	Bicycle Trip - Leavenworth to Fox Creek CG West of Entiat

2014	Bicycle Trip - Valdez, AK to Leavenworth, WA

2013	California Car Trip

2013	Bicycle Trip to Trans Canada Trail

2013	Bicycle Trip Around Mt. Adams and Washington

2012	Washington Olympic Peninsula Loop

2012	Idaho Bicycle Trails

2011	Austin, TX to Natchez Trace to Leavenworth, WA

2011	Leavenworth to Winthrop

2010	British Columbia - TCT

2009	Northeast U.S. and Quebec

1991-1993	Around the World	05/04/91 - 10/11/93

United States	05/04/91 - 10/01/91

Turkey	03/15/93 - 06/13/93

1980	U.S. and Canada

1978	U.S. and Canada

Day	Date	Miles	Total	C/M	Cost	Total	City/Accommodation

1	04/07/14	65.7	65.7	M	$44.42	$44.42	Leavenworth to Chelan - Deep Water Inn

2	04/08/14	54.8	120.5	M	$53.70	$98.12	Chelan to Omak - Rodeway Inn

3	04/09/14	46.4	166.9	M	$53.70	$151.82	Omak - Rodeway Inn

4	04/10/14	55.4	222.3	M	$44.42	$196.24	Omak to Chelan - Deep Water Inn

5	04/11/14	64.4	286.7	Chelan to Leavenworth - Home

Monday, April 7, 2014	Day 1	65.7 - 65.7	Avg: 11.0	Max:36.0

Leavenworth to Chelan - Deep Water Inn	$44.42 - $44.42	9:15 - 4:40	RT: 5:55:51

Since the weather is supposed to be good this week we started a short 5 day bike trip with all motels and no camping. It was in the 40's when we left around 9:15 with thin clouds instead of the promised mostly sunny. The uphills on North Road were plenty warm and the downhills a bit cold. Stines Hill was quite warm even though I had taken my heavy long sleeves off earlier. In Cashmere I got down to shorts and jersey and Shirley got down to shorts. We finally took a break at the Rocky Reach Dam Overlook. It felt quite warm sitting there. We stopped in Entiat for water and Shirley bought a Gatorade. The park in Entiat is being remodeled and it looks like they removed all the trees in the old camping area. The first mile long hill on Navarre Coulee was very warm. The rest was a bit cooler. We got to Lake Chelan S.P. around 1:20 and had a short break. It was then 10 more miles to our motel in Chelan. Our motel is right on 97A on the hill out of town. Across the street was a dock shop where 2 guys were cutting steel pipe. It was very noisy and made a bad first impression. The bikes are in the garage. After showers we walked the 4-5 blocks back to Safeway and bought breakfast stuff. Three 6 oz yogurts and a box of cereal for me. We finally decided to eat dinner out and found a pizza place and ordered a 15" vegetarian. We ate all but 2 small slices. Then, back to our small room.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014	Day 2	54.8 -120.5	Avg: 11.4	Max: 28.5

Chelan to Omak - Rodeway Inn	$53.70 - $98.12	8:35 - 3:00	RT: 4:48:00

Our room was fairly light last night as there was a light right outside our door and a frosted window over the door. 97A quieted down eventually, but was noisy again early. I still slept well last night. The coffee machine was a fancy version where you put a little container of coffee in it and it gets punctured when you close the lid. I put too much water in and made 1.5 cups of coffee. Fortunately, I suspected that and was ready with the second cup. We made arrangements to get a room again Thursday night. There was only one left. Unfortunately, it is also on the 97A side. We were off at 8:35. It quickly felt warm climbing out of Chelan. The first little downhill wasn't as cold as I expected. There was road construction and a flagger. To our surprise we were allowed to go without waiting for the pilot card. We turned onto Apple Acres at the airport which was busier than expected, perhaps from people going around the construction. The first downhill to 97 was cold. We stopped at Wells Dam for a break and then again in Pateros to eat our left over pizza. It was cold in the park by the river. It felt warmer riding to Brewster. We took our long sleeves and tights off before heading up to Old Highway 97. It was plenty warm on the 1.5 mile hill. Shortly after the top Shirley had to stop and eat again. There was lots of traffic at first on Old 97 and a bit more than expected the rest of the way. We had a tailwind and it was easy riding to Okanogan. We stopped at the Legionaire Park for a snack before continuing to Omak. Highway 215 was busy, but had a shoulder. There was a lot of squares dug out and badly refilled in Okanogan. Our room in Omak is small and it took a while to figure out where to put our stuff. The BOBs are under the sink with Shirley's under the pipes and mine on its side. The bikes are between the sink and desk. Mike Logsdon had said the Breadliner Café was good so Shirley wanted to go there. It was only 5 blocks away. Shirley had a chicken salad and I finally decided on lasagna. Our entrees entitled us to the bread buffet which was 7 or 8 types of bread. I started with 4 small slices and then had 2 more. Our total bill was $28.00 and Shirley left $4 or $5 tip. While waiting for our food we saw a cop chasing someone across the intersection outside. One of the patrons jumped up and ran outside toward where the cop had run. We don't know if he was an off duty cop or what. He came back a little while later. There were some showers on the hills East of here as we came back. We stopped at the library which was across the street from the café and I checked out a book since my Kindle needs charging and I didn't bring the charger.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014	Day 3	46.4 - 166.9	Avg:9.1	Max: 34.5

Omak - Rodeway Inn	$53.70 - $151.82	8:45 - 3:10	RT: 5:05:19

We laid in bed too long again this morning. I had eggs, sausage, and toast for breakfast since I didn't see any of the promised waffles. However, later we saw a guy with a couple of waffles although we don't know where he got them. I'll have to ask tomorrow. We finally left on our loop to Conconully at 8:45. I started in my long sleeve jersey and heavy shirt, but I didn't really need the shirt since we went uphill. It wasn't long before I took it off. Old Riverside was nice and then we got on 97 for 6-7 miles. It wasn't too bad, but still too many cars. The road to Fish Lake was mostly uphill. I finally got down to my jersey until we started down again. The final steep downhill to Fish Lake had sand on it so we had to be careful. We had a break at the lake and shortly after we got there a Fish and Wildlife guy arrived and we watched him dump 2300 trout into the lake. They were darting around like crazy. The ride up the dirt road around the lake and toward Conconully was pretty easy. Going down to Conconully the sun came out again and it was fairly warm. We had another break at the State Park. It was quite warm sitting in the sun and out of the breeze. We had a cold breeze heading back to Omak, although I finally got back down to my jersey a couple miles from the turn into Omak. We finally went to the store for dinner. I bought a couple Lean Cuisines, potato salad, and some fruit while Shirley got a packaged salad and some more salad and fruit. I forgot to get something for tomorrow and went back after dinner. I finally ended up with a couple of muffins. On our ride we had clouds at first and then sun and then clouds toward Fish Lake and then sun into and after Conconully. We had light to a little stronger headwinds most of the day.

Thursday, April 10, 2014	Day 4	55.4 - 222.3	Avg: 10.2	Max:28.5

Omak to Chelan - Deep Water Inn	$44.42 - $196.24	8:45 - 4:10	5:25:04

It felt rather cold this morning when we went over for breakfast. I asked about waffles and indeed the waffle maker was by the counter and she made me two, although I think she thought there was one for each of us. I had a few eggs while waiting for the waffles. Shirley had a big plate of eggs. We went back to the room and waited for it to warm up a bit before getting ready at 8:30 and leaving at 8:45. It was just a shade warm with my heavy long sleeves and just after Okanogan it came off. We pretty much had a tailwind to Brewster so it was pretty easy, even the hill to Brewster Flats. At Brewster we went straight instead of turning onto 97 at the bottom of the hill and that road took us straight to the store. Shirley had noticed on Monday that the roads had the same name. We weren't hungry so decided to continue to Pateros. The last 3 miles or so into Pateros had a headwind. After Mallot I had taken my tights off and for the hill up to Brewster Flats I took my long sleeve jersey off. It was a little cool on top and quite cool going down to Brewster. At the park in Pateros I put my long sleeves on again. We went to the bakery and sat in the courtyard since it was warmer than by the river. I took my long sleeves off again when we left at 1:10. We had a bit of a headwind along 97 and Starr Road. Before we reached Wells Dam we ran into a section being paved. The pilot card went so slow we caught back up and kept up until after we passed the paving. We were just about to Wells Dam by then and rode the shoulder to the turnoff.. The other flagger was just past Wells Dam. Going up Apple Acres was easy and warm with a tailwind and then a headwind the 5 miles to the airport. We stopped at Walmart for the Subway shop. We parked our bikes where we always do and as Shirley started walking toward the door she found a $100.00 bill. We figured there was no way to find the owner so we kept it. It was then to the motel. After showers we walked toward the lake and Safeway to eat our sandwiches. About the time we reached Safeway we decided to go to the outlet park instead since it would be warmer. We found a nice spot on the walkway in the sun. After eating and going to the store we walked the river path back toward the motel and then the back streets. Our room has twin beds with a light over one. There is a chair near the other with the overhead light.

Friday, April 11, 2014	Day 5	64.4 - 286.7	Avg: 9.6	Max:31.0

Chelan to Leavenworth - Home	8:40 - 4:40	RT: 6:43:05

Our room last night was much darker than the one Monday night since there wasn't a light right outside the door. We got up before 7:00 and had breakfast. I once again had cereal and 3 small yogurts. Shirley had some sort of pastry. Shirley had me make coffee, but then let me drink it because of the effort it took. She had the quarter cup that was left over. It takes close to 3 cups of water in the machine to get it to brew and then it gives 1.25 to 1.5 cups of coffee. We waited until 8:30 to leave and found it was pretty warm and probably could have left earlier. Shirley decided we should go home via 97 rather than 97A. I started in my heavy long sleeves which felt good on the downhill to Chelan Falls, but I probably could have survived without it as it came off after crossing Beebe Bridge. We had a light tailwind for the first few miles until we climbed the first hill on 97. At the top we encountered a noticeable headwind and Shirley slowed way down between the hill and wind. We eventually made it to Daroga S.P. where it was really windy, but more of a tailwind. We finally sat behind the restroom to eat. Before we finished a ranger stopped by and said the area was about to get watered and we should probably move. We went to the group site to finish our lunch. The restrooms there were locked so we peed behind the dumpster. After Daroga we had more tailwind and some headwind. We stopped again at Lincoln Rock S.P. Shortly after that we finally got off 97 and encountered a very brisk headwind. Once we headed West it was straight into the wind. Shirley's shoulder hurt and she was psyched out and slow. I told her I was doing Old Monitor Road, crossing back at the bakery and then crossing Highway 2 again at Nahahum to do Stines Hill. To my surprise she decided to do Old Monitor Road. It was definitely windy and very slow and Shirley was not having a good time. At the bakery Shirley got water and then after we waited to cross Highway 2 for a while she got mad and said she was going to Cashmere, get on the Highway and go home. I crossed the highway just as she turned around. I saw her ahead of me at Cashmere. She took the highway to North Dryden Road and I took Stines Hill and Deadman Hill. I had to eat 2 Clif bars before Deadman. I took North Road and expected strong headwinds, but had mostly tailwind instead. Shirley took Highway 2 and said it wasn't bad either. After all that she got home 5-10 minutes before I did. Just as I came down the hill on North Road to Chumstick my rear tire went flat. I pumped it up and it got me home. At home I had a bowl of ice cream for dinner.

Day	Date	Miles	Total	C/M	Cost	Total	Location / Accommodation

1	05/17/14	54.1	54.1	C	$12.00	$12.00	Leavenworth to Lake Chelan S.P.

2	05/18/14	52.9	107.0	C	$6.00	$18.00	Lake Chelan S.P. to Fox Creek NF CG

3	05/19/14	65.0	172.0	Fox Creek CG to Leavenworth - Home

Saturday, May 17, 2014	Day 1	54.1 - 54.1	Avg: 11.1	Max: 38.0

Leavenworth to Lake Chelan S.P.	$12.00 - $12.00	8:05 - 2:05	RT: 4:53:59

We started a 2 night bike ride to test our new equipment (tent, bike, shoes, etc.) And to give Mike Wyant a test ride before Alaska. At 6:00 this morning Mike called and said he needed to cancel for today and for Alaska due to Carol's back. We decided to go anyway. The forecast was for 15-22 MPH winds and 30% chance of rain. It looked like it could rain as we headed toward Wenatchee. We had a tailwind about 98% of the day, but not 15-22 MPH. We rode to Peshastin on Hwy 2, made the illegal left to the back roads to Hwy 2 at the Big Y, and took Stines Hill to Cashmere. We took our first break at the dam overlook. At that point Shirley realized she forgot the stoves so we stopped in Entiat and bought a couple cans of cat food. At camp we threw the cat food away and used my small screw driver to punch holes in the cans. It worked well, but we did have to punch from inside to outside. We actually got a H/B tag even though we are still camped in the same spot in the picnic area, although there is now an amphitheater nearby. Our site is right on the edge of the hill above the lake. It took a couple tries to get the ground cloth, tent, and fly all oriented correctly, but since it wasn't raining or windy that wasn't a problem The showers gave us hot water without having to buy tokens so that was nice. Our new stoves don't work quite as well as our old ones, probably because the holes are smaller. We camped close to the new amphitheater and later learned there was "open mike" tonight from 7:00 to 9:00. A bunch of firewood showed up around 6:10. We went to the open mike which was a lot quieter than we expected. We even sang 99 bottles of beer down to 95. There were 3 or 4 kids who kept singing song, mainly from the movie Frozen.

Sunday, May 18, 2014	Day 2	52.9 - 107.0	Avg: 8.7	Max: 34.5

Lake Chelan S.P. to Fox Creek NF CG	$6.00 - $18.00	7:45 - 6:05	RT: 6:00:45

The sun was on our tent by 5:30 this morning, but then hid behind a cloud for a while. We finally got out of the tent around 6:00 and it was sunny again. We didn't get ready very fast and it was 7:45 by the time we left. I started in tights and long sleeves, but took the long sleeves off after 1/4 mile on Navarre Coulee. At the top I put my long sleeves, a heavy shirt, and two pairs of gloves on for the downhill even though it felt warm standing there. I was glad for the next couple miles, but then could have gotten by with a bit less. When we got to Hwy 97A I stripped down to shorts and short sleeves and was just a tad chilly at times. We stopped at the fire tower display in Entiat for a snack before going to the store for vegetables and some fruit. Leaving the store we followed Entiat Way which did a bit of extra climbing but was nice. At the store my eyes were itchy and my nose was running like allergies. When we left I felt OK until we stopped at the Mad River Bridge. I started sneezing and my eyes were itchy and my nose running. About the time I took a Benadryl I sneezed one more time and it felt like something came out and I felt better and was OK the rest of the day. Then it was just a slow grind to Fox Creek CG. We mostly had a tailwind with an occasional headwind. It was quite warm. We reached the CG around 2:10 and then spent 50-55 minutes looking at sites and trying to find one with a hanging tree. Surprisingly Shirley was willing to take a site away from the river where it was warmer. By the time we got set up and the food hung it was 4:10. I managed to get the rope hung up in the tree. Fortunately it was in flexible leaves and we were able to pull the tree down and retrieve the rope. The second throw was more successful. We then rode the 3.5 miles to Silver Falls CG and TH, but didn't hike to the falls, but just rode around the CG. We did stop in to see Box Canyon. Back at camp Shirley decided to wash up in the river even though we had left water in the sun to warm up. I should have used that instead of going with Shirley to the river. It again took 3 jiggers of fuel to cook dinner tonight. By the time we finished everything it was after 7:00.

Monday, May 19, 2014	Day 3	65.0 - 172.0	Avg: 10.8	Max: 32.0

Fox Creek CG to Leavenworth - Home	7:40 - 3:15	RT:5:59:46

We didn't get started dressing until 6:30 this morning since there wasn't any sun. Last night I was real tired and went to bed about 8:50. It was chilly, but not really cold this morning and we were off at 7:40. I did wear my heavy long sleeves as well as my long sleeve jersey, an extra pair of socks, and two pairs of gloves and my ear band. The first two downhill miles were cold, but when we started the up and down it was warmer. Shirley had a lot of clothes on and stopped at the first little up to take some off and again after another couple miles. I finally took my heavy long sleeves and ear band off and after13-14 miles I took my tights off. We stopped in Ardenvoir so Shirley could poop at the store and I got down to short sleeves and shorts. Shirley bought a candy bar so she wouldn't feel guilty about using the toilet. I ate most of it (a Hershey's dark chocolate). A couple miles after the store we met Phil Yenney and Joe Anderson on their way to Ardenvoir on their bikes. They stopped to talk for a while. We stopped just before Hwy 97A to eat and they passed us while we were on the side of the road. To our surprise they came up from behind again just a mile or two before the dam. They had gone into Entiat for water. We had a lot of tailwind coming down to Entiat and all headwind to Wenatchee. Coming up to Leavenworth was some tailwind, but mostly light headwind with storm clouds over the hills to the South. I once again took Old Monitor Road and Stines Hill plus Dead Man Hill. Shirley road the highway to Cashmere and then again from the 2nd Cashmere exit to North Dryden Road. She got home before I did.

Day	Date	Miles	Total	C/M	Cost	Total	City/Accommodation

1	06/01/14	35.1	35.1	C	$28.78	$28.78	Twisp, WA - Riverbend RV Park

2	06/02/14	26.3	61.4	C	$6.00	$34.78	Klipchuck NF CG

3	06/03/14	57.8	119.2	C	$6.00	$40.78	Newhalem - Newhalem NF CG

4	06/04/14	44.4	163.6	C	$12.75	$53.53	10 Miles West of Concrete - Razer S.P.

5	06/05/14	38.0	201.6	C	$13.00	$66.53	South of Bellingham - Larabee S.P.

6	06/06/14	6.3	207.9	C	Free	$66.53	Bellingham - Alaska Ferry

7	06/07/14	0.0	207.9	C	Free	$66.53	Alaska Ferry

8	06/08/14	0.0	207.9	C	Free	$66.53	Alaska Ferry

9	06/09/14	15.1	223.0	M	$128.80	$195.33	Juneau, AK - Driftwood Lodge

10	06/10/14	13.9	236.9	C	Free	$195.33	Juneau, AK to Alask Ferry

11	06/11/14	0.0	236.9	C	Free	$195.33	Alaska Ferry

12	06/12/14	13.0	249.9	M	$100.70	$296.03	Valdez, AK - Keystone Hotel

13	06/13/14	55.7	305.6	C	Free	$296.03	Billy Mitchell Historic Site

14	06/14/14	70.8	376.4	C	$15.00	$311.03	Liberty Falls State Rec Area

15	06/15/14	48.7	425.1	M	$80.00	$391.03	Kenny Lake Motel

16	06/16/14	73.2	498.3	C	$6.00	$397.03	Sourdough BLM CG

17	06/17/14	59.0	557.3	M	$82.50	$479.53	Tangle River Lodge

18	06/18/14	0.0	557.3	M	$82.50	$562.03	Tangle River Lodge

19	06/19/14	22.3	579.6	M	$120.00	$682.03	Maclaren River Lodge

20	06/20/14	40.9	620.5	C	$20.00	$702.03	Gracious House CG

21	06/21/14	54.5	675.0	M	$65.00	$767.03	Cantwell, AK - Cantwell Lodge

22	06/22/14	36.1	711.1	C	$7.00	$774.03	Denali NP - Riley Creek CG

23	06/23/14	1.7	712.8	C	$7.00	$781.03	Denali NP - Riley Creek CG

24	06/24/14	0.0	712.8	C	$11.50	$792.53	Denali NP - Riley Creek CG

25	06/25/14	0.0	712.8	C	$7.00	$799.53	Denali NP - Riley Creek CG

26	06/26/14	64.7	777.5	M	$98.80	$898.33	Nenana, AK - Rough Woods Inn

27	06/27/14	51.9	829.4	M	$65.23	$1063.56	Fairbanks - Chena River Best Western

28	06/28/14	63.4	892.8	C	$10.00	$1073.56	Birch Lake CG

29	06/29/14	40.8	933.6	C	$10.00	$1083.56	Delta Jct. - Delta S.P.

30	06/30/14	91.7	1025.3	C	$18.00	$1101.56	20 Miles N. of Tok - Moon Lake CG

31	07/01/14	18.5	1043.8	M	$95.00	$1196.56	Tok, AK - Snowshoe Motel

32	07/02/14	65.5	1109.3	C	Free	$1196.56	15 Miles South of Northway Jct - Deadman Lake CG

----------------------------------------------------BEGIN CANADA ----------------------------------------------------------

33	07/03/14	57.5	1166.8	C	$12.00	$12.00	13 mi S. of Beaver Creek,YT - Snag Jct CG

34	07/04/14	37.6	1204.4	C	$12.00	$24.00	50 mi S. of Beaver Creek - Lake Creek CG

35	07/05/14	67.9	1272.3	C	$20.00	$44.00	61 Mi N. Haines Jct - Destruction Bay RV

36	07/06/14	17.4	1289.7	C	$30.00	$74.00	50 N. Haines Jct - Cottonwood Park RV

37	07/07/14	71.5	1361.2	C	$20.95	$94.95	20 mi W of Haines Jct - Otter Creek Cutoff

38	07/08/14	77.2	1438.4	M	$157.49	$252.44	Whitehorse, YT - Ramada Klondike INN

39	07/09/14	8.7	1447.1	C	$20.00	$272.44	Whitehorse, YT - Robert Service CG

40	07/10/14	67.0	1514.1	C	$12.00	$284.44	67 miles South of Whitehorse - Squanga Lake CG

41	07/11/14	36.1	1550.2	C	$12.00	$296.44	Teslin Lake CG

42	07/12/14	34.1	1584.3	C	Free	$296.44	Morley River Picnic Area

Sunday, June 1, 2014	Day 1	35.1 - 35.1	Avg:10.0	Max: 26.0

Pateros, WA to Twisp, WA - Riverbend RV Park	$28.03 +$0.75 - $28.03 + $0.75	10:55 - 3:15	3:27:36

We started our Alaska trip today. Mike Wyant picked us up at 9:00 and drove us to the Rest-A-While fruit stand near Pateros. Loading and unloading was so easy with Mike's help. He was in a hurry to get back so he and Carol could go to the hospital to visit Carol's sister Nancy who had heart surgery on Thursday, so he didn't stick around after unloading the truck. Shirley had a blueberry scone from the bakery and we were off just before 11:00. Our bags are very heavy as we have lots of clothes and food. We figure between the rain and mosquitos in Alaska we will need a lot of clothes. We also had a lot of food to carry, some because food in Alaska will be expensive and stores are few and far between. Luckily we had a pretty good tailwind which made the ride seem easy. We finally stopped on Gold Creek Road about halfway to Twisp to eat some of the pound of strawberries we had and a little of our other food. About 2-3 miles from Twisp it started raining lightly. At first just a few big drops. Then enough to get the road wet. We finally stopped to cover our rack packs and my handlebar bag. About 1/2 mile later it quit. We stopped at the store in Twisp for frozen vegetables. Shirley found nanaimo bars so bought 2 and I got some Little Debbie brownies. Not sure why I did that. Shortly after leaving the store the road was completely dry and it hadn't rained. There is lots and lots of cottonwood fluff in the CG. It looks like it snowed. We set our brand new (we decided we couldn't trust the other tent we had and the new one had arrived Friday) tent up and then I ate my 22 oz tub of pudding I carried from home. Shirley ate her nanaimo bars and then went to take a shower. I managed to take a 2 1/2 minute shower for 25¢. Shirley used 50¢. Just a little later I had to go back for nose blow and when I came out it was raining lightly. Shirley had moved most of the gear into the vestibules. We took our books and puzzles to the picnic shelter. It rained lightly and not so lightly off and on for a couple hours. We finally got our food and stoves around 6:00 for dinner. It was a little cool before dinner and I put my long sleeves on, but when it cleared up around 7:00 it warmed up again.

Monday, June 2, 2014	Day 2	26.3 - 61.4	Avg:8.3	Max: 28.0

Riverbend RV Park to Klipchuck NF CG	$6.00 - $34.03 + $0.75	9:55 - 12:45	3:08:36

We got up around 6:35 to a sunny morning. The tent was a little wet but not too bad. I did situps while Shirley was in the restroom. It was 7:55 by the time we were off. After a couple miles we took Old Twisp Hwy for 2-3 miles which was nice. We should have taken Witte Road as well for another mile or two off the highway. We stopped at the store in Winthrop, mostly for vegetables and fruit. Leaving Winthrop a couple on a tandem caught us and slowed down to talk for a while. They have toured a lot too, including Guatamala. We planned to go to Klipchuck and hike to Driveway Butte. The riding was easy with a tailwind again. Around 10:00 some clouds started forming. When we got to the Klipchuck CG turnoff it didn't look too bad towards Driveway Butte, but a dark cloud was forming near us. We finally decided to go to the CG and hike. There was a steep uphill for half of the 1.2 miles to the CG. We found a nice site and were looking far and wide for a food hanging tree when it started raining very lightly. We figured we better set the tent up and worry about a hanging limb later. We got the tent up before it rained too hard and threw everything in. It rained for 1/2 to 3/4 hours. After it stopped we finally found a limb where we could hang our food. As I was trying to throw the rope over the host came by and said there weren't any bears. He said if we walked the trail 1 1/2 miles or so we would see bear scat, but not in camp. He said the deer were more of a problem. We managed to get our food hung before more showers arrived. We decided we weren't going hiking. Maybe around 2:30 or 3:00 we went for a short hike on the trail along the creek. It was pretty wet and we had to be careful not to get in the water. It went for less than a mile. We then walked part way up the Driveway Butte trail after waiting for a short shower to end at the TH. We only hiked up for 10-15 minutes. Back at camp we took bucket baths in the outhouse. The hardest shower so far occurred as I was finishing and for a little while afterwards. My back does not like sitting in the tent. We ate under the small overhang of the outhouse where it was dry. A short shower came over as we ate. I walked around a while, sat by the outhouse for a while and finally found a comfortable spot on the ground leaning against a tree by thent where it was dry.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014	Day 3	57.8 - 119.2	Avg: 8.5	Max: 43.0

KlipChuck CG to Newhalem - Newhalem NF CG	$6.00 - $40.03 + $0.75	7:00 - 4:20	5:45:08

It was 5:30 when Shirley first talked about getting up this morning, but it was probably at least 5:50, maybe later, by the time we actually got out of the tent. The fly and the table were very wet, but it was still dry under the trees which is where we ate. I didn't feel super cold until we took the tent down and I handled the wet poles. Fortunately, my hands warmed up again once I got my gloves back on. We were off at 7:00 dressed in 3-4 layers. The steep downhill back to the highway was cold. We were in the sun by then and after only a couple hundred yards we stopped to sun screen. We got down to shorts and jersey. It was warm most of the way to Lone Pine CG until we got a little headwind. A short downhill felt pretty cold and Shirley put her long sleeves on at the CG. We stopped for water before doing the last 6 miles to Washington Pass. There was quite a bit of snow here and there, but not as much as we thought there might be. Shirley got passed by a roller skier shortly before she reached the top. A little later a guy came up. They were trying to hitch a ride back down when we left. We put our jackets and gloves on for the downhill and they felt good. It only took 3 1/2 hours to get to the pass. As we were going up Rainy Pass 4 touring cyclists with huge panniers came down. They said something, but we could not understand it and are not sure it was English. At the top of Rainy Pass we met a guy on a recumbent. He was with a group of 9 cyclist headed for Bar Harbor Maine with a sag wagon. We met the last of their group 7 1/2 miles down from Rainy Pass at 1:30. They talked to us for a while and they were going to Winthrop today and stay at Perrigen S.P. They had only gone about 20 miles so far and probably had 40 to go, although only 10 more were hard uphill. We had the normal headwind coming down, although for the most part it may not have been quite as strong as the last two times. It was quite windy at the Diablo Lake Overlook. We stopped to eat at Colonial Creek and met a cyclist heading East. He started on the C&O and GAP with some other people, but they all canceled out by Madison so he took the train to Seattle and started East. He has an irregular heart so is on beta blockers which he says limits how fast he can go. We continued on to Newhalem and ended up in the same site as we stayed at last year with Larry, We had another site picked out, but couldn't find a hanging tree. Once again the CG is practically empty. Shirley washed her biking clothes even though it was after 4:30. There are little swarming mosquitos, but they don't seem to bite. I finally got my odometer back on auto mode which I lost Sunday night when I changed the tire size since it was under recording. My mileage was all messed up yesterday. Today I remembered to push the start button every time, but not always the stop so my mileage was right, but time and average were off so I used Shirley's The last two days my allergies were acting up. Today we seem to have gotten away from whatever was getting me. I forgot to do my sit ups and stretches before cooking dinner, but I did to them before eating it.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014	Day 4	44.4 - 163.6	Avg: 10.3	Max: 29.5

Newhalem CG to 10 Miles West of Concrete - Razer S.P.	$12.00 + $0.75 - $52.03 + $1.50	7:30 - 1:45	4:18:34

We got up around 6:30 to a dry and fairly warm day. The ground cloth was just a little we so it was put on the driveway while we ate. By the time I was ready to pack it away it was pretty dry. There were clouds over the peaks when we left around 7:30. It was an easy 14 miles to Marblemount. Shirley was already hungry so we stopped at a closed café and sat at a table under some cherry trees to eat. It was then across the river to the Rockport road. We saw two different sets of two cyclists heading to Maine. The first couple were on a small downhill and didn't stop. We talked to two guys for a short while. We stopped to eat again at the park in Rockport. Shirley seemed very hungry today. After that it was a headwind on Highway 20 to Concrete. The cyclist at Colonial Creek yesterday told us about a gluten free bakery in Concrete so we headed up the hill to the business district. We finally found it about the time we thought we had missed it. I had a Death by Chocolate and Shirley had a macaroon. Neither was very big, but it cost $5 total. While we were eating them the worker behind the counter came out to tell the other couple sitting at a table that the baker wasn't satisfied with the 5B bread they had bought so she had them trade it for another kind. We stopped at the store for a few things ($17.50) including a small salad for Shirley and some grapes for $1.99 per pound. At first Shirley didn't want to ride the rail trail from the store, but at the first opportunity we did get on it. We were both glad we did as it seemed easier than last year. We got to the CG by 1:40 and managed to get checked in pretty quick. So far the mosquitos aren't as bad as the last two times we were here. After setting up the tent we did laundry with the soap in the rest rooms. We spread it out on a picnic table in the sun and breeze to dry. Shirley ate her salad and we quickly devoured the grapes which were small but very tasty. It took a long time for my shorts to dry, but around 5:00 I declared them dry. Around 4:00 I went for a shower. They are 50¢ for 3 minutes. I put my first quarter in, but the second one jammed with just a little bit sticking out. I first tried to get it out with my fingers and then the end of my toothbrush. It moved some, but wouldn't come out. I then remembered I had my nail clippers and with that I finally got the quarter out. I then poked the end of the clippers in the slot and got something (a quarter or slug) to fall through and the shower started, so I got a shower for 25¢. It seemed to take a long time to get hot water, but then it seemed to run a long time. We ate dinner in the picnic shelter which means we had to carry all our stuff quite a ways. At least I didn't forget anything. About 7:20 we went back to camp to ready everything for night. We then went back out to the picnic area where it was lighter. I forgot to do my exercises again today until well after dinner. I finally did them around 7:50 and it was hard doing the sit ups after eating only an hour before.

Thursday, June 5, 2014	Day 5	38.0 - 201.6	Avg: 9.7	Max: 23.5

Razer S.P to 5 mi South of Bellingham - Larabee S.P.	$12.00 + $1.00 - $64.03 + $2.50	8:05 - 1:15	3:54:26

We slept in today and didn't get out of the tent until just after 7:00 We ate breakfast over by the picnic area restroom in the sun. It was quite nice in the sun. So much for the predicted cloud cover by the park volunteer. We got packed and were off at 8:00. I was a little cold in my long sleeve jersey and light gloves, especially my hands. After 2-3 miles I started warming up At Lyman my allergies kicked in again and shortly after getting on the rail trail I stopped to take a pill. After a little ways we stopped to take our long clothes off and the longer we stood around the worse my allergies got. We rode the rail trail to the end in Sedro Wooley and then turned and got on Highway 20 for a mile or two and ended up right at Food Pavilion as planned. Shirley got a chicken salad which we used for sandwiches on bagels while sitting on a bench by the store. We headed West the way we did two years ago until we crossed I-5 and then continued West where we turned left in 2012. We followed some back roads until we had to get on Chuckanut (Highway 11). It was windy and from Sedro Wooley to Larabee S.P. it was cool to cold at times and warm at times. Chuckanut started as a road with adequate shoulders and not real heavy traffic. Then it went along a bay and became a windy road along a hillside with little to no shoulder. At Laragbee S.P. the host was going to send us to some tent sites by the highway, but the ranger showed up just as we were getting ready to go and sent us to the walk in sites. She suggested W1 so we wouldn't have to push our bikes so far. She reserved that site as her administrative site for bikers. It was a steep unpaved road/trail to W1, but then was much gentler. There was a tent with firewood in W2 and it looked like we would get their smoke so we checked out the other sites and decided on W6. As we were unloading a raccoon was watching. It wandered off but then we saw it again later coming in from another angle. Shirley chased it off, but had to throw a rock to get it to leave. We got our food hung high enough to be raccoon proof and then finally around 3:45 went for a hike. We found a trail guide at the host's spot and decided on Fragrance Lake. It was 1000 feet gain in 1.8 miles. It seemed fairly steep. We thought the sign at the TH said 1.3 miles, but it does say 1.9. The lake was nice and small enough to walk around. We got back to camp at 6:30. Shirley ate a salad while I did sit ups and then cooked. Shirley took her shower while I ate and wrote in the diary. We can hear traffic on the highway and the train tracks are very close on the other side. At Sedro Wooley I bought some generic Benadryl to help with my allergies so now I have lots of pills and will probably get out of allergy country.

Friday, June 6, 2014	Day 6	6.3 - 207.9	Avg: 9.4	Max: 31.0

Larabee S.P. to Bellingham - Alaska Ferry	$0.00 - $64.03 + $2.50	12:30 - 2:00	0:40:14

We really slept in today until almost 8:00. After eating we went for a hike. First we walked to the beach which didn't exist as it was high tide. We then walked back tot he Fragrance Lake TH and up to the Interurban Trail and over to the Clayton Beach parking area. We tried to follow the trail to the beach, but there were trails everywhere and we decided we weren't on the correct trail. We came back a different way and ran into the trail. It eventually got worse and we ended up at the RR track which you aren't supposed to cross. We crossed and got to the water, but no beach. We sat there a while before heading back. We got to the described TH which was not really at the parking area. We got back to camp around noon, packed and ate a little. We took the road to Bellingham and easily found the store where we spent $97 on food. We then rode to the ferry terminal. It took 1 1/2 hours to buy the tickets and get ready by putting the tkings we want in bags to carry onto the ferry. We weren't going to set up our tent, but we met a cyclist this morning and he talked us into it, so we got a roll of duct tape at the store. We got on with the walk ons and I handled securing the bikes while Shirley took the tent to secure a spot. The bikes are firmly bungied. The tape holding the tent down is not sticking as well as hoped, but we are tied to several posts as well. Shirley bought a Thai salad for us to make sandwiches with and it was very spicy. As of 5:45 there are 8 tents in groups. One group with 2 tents actually have a cabin but they said it was awful. One more tent showed up and seems very secure against the railing. We had half a large sub for dinner and made a bit of a crumb mess as we did with our sandwiches earlier. I went to watch a science fiction movie called Oblivion. It was at best OK and I left in the middle to take a shower and go to bed.

Saturday, June 7, 2014	Day 7	0 - 207.9

Alaska Ferry

I had trouble getting to sleep last night, but slept well once I did. I had to get up twice during the night. At one point we had wind and could feel the boat rocking. At some point the tent we thought was least capable of surviving was dragged over next to ours and tied to the posts and some chairs. Later this morning the tent next to it was put on the other side of our tent. Shirley later talked to the woman and she apparently was scared last night and thought she might go overboard. I think we got up around 6:30 and finally ate the other half of our sub for breakfast around 8:00 or 8:30. We once again made a bit of a mess. I tried doing a Kakuro puzzle last night, but I didn't bring my list of number combinations for 2, 3, 4, etc. length numbers. I started manually creating it but kept screwing up. I redid it this morning and finally got it right with no problem. It just took a long time. We had lunch around 11:30 and at 1:00 went to watch the animated movie Frozen which was actually really good. Unfortunately we passed Bella Bella while at the movie which Shirley wanted to see. We ate our own food for dinner again. Bagels and cheese for me and peanut butter pretzels for Shirley. Afterwards Shirley bought a cantaloupe and grape salad for $4.00. We finally went to bed around 9:30.

Sunday, June 8, 2014	Day 8	0 - 207.9

Alaska Ferry

It rained again last night. At some point the people in the problem tent took it down and moved into the Solarium. The rain made me wait a bit longer than I wanted to get up to pee. When we first went to bed last night someone was playing their radio, fairly softly but still audible. Soon a couple people were calling out to turn it off. I finally put my ear plugs in. I think they finally got him to turn it off. Once again I had problems getting to sleep, but slept well once I did. We got up around 6:15, but instead of eating right away in preparation for going into Ketchikan we ended up watching the approach to town. We finally ate about the time we docked. I was anxious as I wanted enough time to go to the store and get back. We walked to Safeway in less than 1/2 hour and bought a few things including another large sub for 2 meals. We then walked up the steep streets to the neighborhoods before heading back to the boat. Along the way we saw some bald eagles sitting on some poles thanks to someone pointing them out to us. We got back to the boat at least a half hour early. When we left the boat we got our rain gear from our bikes and Shirley wanted to turn our bikes around so they would be facing out. When we got back we were going to put our rain gear sway and discovered our bikes had been moved. Fortunately, it didn't rain at all since we had gotten up. We secured a table in the lounge as people were just leaving as we got back. We checked the tent and decided it was dry enough to take down since we didn't want to do it tomorrow morning before arriving in Juneau at 5:45 AM. When we took it down Shirley found a bra under the fly from the problem tent. They were still in the Solarium trying to dry things and Shirley returned it. We dried the tent a little more over chairs before packing it and taking it down to the bikes. It started raining again shortly after we got the tent down. We had a hard time waiting until 11:00 to go eat lunch of part of the sub and some strawberries. The car deck is no longer available for pet walking except at stops. It rained off and on and is forecast to do so through at least Monday night. I was surprisingly hungry all afternoon even after eating an apple and a brownie.

Monday, June 9, 2014	Day 9	15.1 - 223.0	Avg: 9.8	Max: 24.5

Alaska Ferry to Juneau, AK - Driftwood Lodge	$128.80 - 192.83 + $2.50	5:00 - 7:00	1:31:41

The lights were turned off in the lounge at 8:30 last night. The sign says they are off from 9-9. I went to bed around 9:00 and slept between two tables behind the seats. Shirley slept on the seats. It was quite warm and even I took my socks off. I may have been the only one who slept in their underwear, or maybe not. I had trouble getting to sleep and then slept good until 2:30 when I had to pee. I slept fitfully after that. We got up around 4:00 when the 1/2 hour to the dock at Juneau announcement was made. We packed our stuff and ate our bananas and oranges. It was then down to the car deck where it took a long time to put everything in our BOB bags and put our rain gear on. It was unfortunately raining lightly but steadily. We headed toward the CG and town, but I was sure we would go to town and get a room. The riding was easy with a wide shoulder and little traffic for about 4-5 miles. Then there was a sign that said No Pedestrians or Bicycles. We had passed the Glacier Highway a little before and in retrospect I'm sure we were supposed to turn there. Where the sign was there was a Safeway so we stopped in to ask about a route. The first guy I talked to was the manager who wasn't exactly friendly, but indicated there was only the one road. I went back in a little later and talked to the pop delivery guy. At first he said the same thing, but then added we could take Glacier Highway when we got to Fred Meyers a couple miles down the road. So, we ignored the no bicycles sign and rode another 1-2 miles until Fred Meyers and got on Old Glacier Highway, which had a bike lane and for a while a bike path. When it rejoined the main Highway there was another road to a hospital, but no bike lane sign. We started up the road but decided it didn't go where we wanted. We went back and got on the highway since there wasn't a no bicycles sign. After another 1-2 miles and a couple of people honking at us another side road appeared on the other side of the highway. We got on it and as we crossed the highway I noticed a no bicycles sign going back the way we had come. I think we were supposed to be on the side road the whole time although I don't where we were supposed to get on it. We finally got into Juneau and eventually passed the Driftwood Lodge so we stopped in. Shirley went in and a room was $128.80. She said OK if we could move in right away. Since we used a debit card there was a $500.00 deposit and a $50 incidental fee that is held on the card but won't be charged unless we trash the room. Shirley was reluctant to have that fee on the card, but finally agreed. At first we were going to get a second floor room since the available first floor room hadn't been cleaned yet today. Then the manage said rather than make us carry our bikes to the second floor she would upgrade us to a kitchenette available on the first floor for the same price. That was great since we also had a little mor room for the bikes. Our BOB bags were surprisingly dirty for riding on pavement and we cleaned them off before taking them in. Shirley had a trash bag from the ferry which we split open and put on the carpet before bringing the bikes in. She got another bag from the office for the BOBs. We had to move the table so we could fit the bikes in and the chair so we could get the BOBs in. We used the plastic bag from the waste can to gill in the gap under Shirley's bike. We finally ate breakfast. At 9:00 Shirley took a nap for an hour after we drank the decaf coffee that came with the room. Later we walked around town, neighborhoods, and cruise shop docks for 2-3 hours before going to the store. The town is very hilly with lots of steps to houses. We also found a trail which we walked on for a little bit. At the store we had a salad bar at $6.99 per pound for a total of $13. After eating the salad at some tables we then bought $48 in groceries. Shirley thought her new jacket, pack cover, and helmet cover leaked in the rain today so she bought some Kiwi spray which is a water repellent at the hardware. After doing laundry this afternoon which included washing her coat Shirley went to the covered area out back and sprayed the items with a little help form me. The coat changed from a bright orange to a dull orange, but has recovered some of its brightness. All of it is outside on a chair from the laundry room because it really smells like a petroleum product. We cooked a frozen vegetable stroganoff and added canned chicken for dinner. It was good, but salty. Shirley had a peach which was good. I had a nectarine which was awful.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014	Day 10	13.9 - 236.9	Avg: 11.0	Max: 26.0

Juneau, AK to Alask Ferry	Free - 192.83 + $2.50	7:35 - 9:00	RT: 1:15:28

We got up early when our alarm went off. It took a while to eat breakfast and get packed. It was raining lightly when we got up, but had stopped by the time we checked out. The lady who checked us out actually went to the room and looked in the room, although all she did was stick her head in the door. Riding back to the ferry was easy since we knew where we were going. The bike path appeared where it was supposed to at the dead end street. At the one question point a couple cyclists from the Netherlands came along after getting off the ferry. They told us the way. They are out until the end of October. Shortly after that we got off the bike path and got on the road and came out at the Safeway store we had stopped at for directions yesterday. We got to the ferry at 9:00 and didn't take as long to get ready. It took us a little while to realize we could get on and boarded around 10:00. We were told we could put our bikes by the fuel door so I got them secured with our bungies. We went to the Purser's office to get a map of the boat and to find out where we could sleep. We had our choice of two lounges where you can only have your stuff out from 8 PM to 8 AM or the enclosed solarium where you can set up tents or sleep in the chairs. We decided to use the solarium after checking them all out. After claiming a couple of chairs we went to the lower forward lounge and spent most of the day reading with a few forays outside to whale watch or take pictures of the mountains. We had each gotten a book from the rack of free books at the terminal. There is another two cyclist on board. The guy is from Canada and she is from Switzerland. Shirley took a couple of naps and also had a chocolate dessert. It feels much colder outside, maybe because it's colder, maybe because we are going faster. We've also seen a few porpoises and several glaciers. Shirley's coat still has a very strong petroleum smell to it.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014	Day 11	0 - 236.9

Alaska Ferry

The lights in the solarium stayed on all night. I went to bed somewhere before 9:00. With the lights and being light outside and being too warm to really hide in the sleeping bag it took a while to go to sleep. I got up to pee at 11:30 and it was still light. Shirley had come to bed by then. Around 3:30 I got up again. Someone was in the toilet stall so I went downstairs. The door seemed locked so I went down another level to the toilet by the front lounge. While there I visited the front lounge. The drapes were drawn, but no one was sleeping there since it is prohibited. I went back to bed and got up for good around 5:40. Shirley got up a little after 6:00. We were docking at Yakatat about that time, an hour late. Someone sid they had been early but did a trip to the Hubbard Glacier and ended up late. We claimed a table in the front lounge. Before we decided to get off and walk around before breakfast. There was a store so we went in and found a small, but good store with prices better than we've seen so far in Alaska. Oranges wer $1.99/pound and I got a box of donuts for $2.99. Shirley bought some Fig Newtons for $5.95 which was half our bill. We even got a 10% senior discount. There was no car access at the dock so we had a walkway from the deck. We got back on and had breakfast and then I finished my book. When we left Yakatat we had a brief detour to see the Hubbard Glacier. There were lots of ice pieces floating in the water. We didn't get as close as what must have been a small cruise ship. Shirley bought a small salad for dinner and then we ate some of our carrots. I still have 5 bagels left. I think I will sleep in the lower aft lounge tonight. There are light switches and blinds in there. About 6:30 I showered and shaved and when I was done Shirley showered.

Thursday, June 12, 2014	Day 12	13.0 - 249.9	Avg: 6.9	Max: 33.5

Alaska Ferry to Valdez, AK - Keystone Hotel	$100.70 - 293.53 + $2.50	6:30 - 8:00	RT: 1:52:00

Sleeping in the lounge last night was much better than the solarium. The floor vibrated more, but it was much darker with the curtains drawn and the lights out. I went to bed at 9:00 and we got up at 6:00 this morning when the announcement that we were an hour out form Whittier was made. It was a bright sunny day and we enjoyed the views of the mountains and glaciers as we approached Whittier. We had breakfast of our cereal at the table in the ferry terminal. After that we decided to go for a hike. Using a map we picked up at the terminal we decided to go to Shotgun Cove. At first the streets were named, but when we needed names the most there weren't any. The road turned to dirt and had several short but steep hills. I think we got to where the TH was and did find a short trail to a waterfall. I think the trail we were looking for was across a stream. Also, we had stupidly brought our BOBs to the TH and didn't want to leave them for the bears if we hiked so we headed back to the terminal. Coming back to the terminal we took a pedestrian tunnel under the RR tracks which was fairly long. Shirley wanted to leave our BOBs inside the fence at the terminal so we asked the gate keeper if we could. He agreed, but about the time we got them unhooked he was overruled by his boss so we had to bring them back out. We decided to ride without the BOBs on the waterfront trail to the car/train tunnel out of town. We sat by the cove for a while and then decided to check out the NF road we had seen. We found the Portage Pass TH and decided to hike it. Just as we arrived a small tour of about 10 people also arrived. We talked to a guy from Seattle as we hiked up. The view of Portage Lake and Glacier was spectacular and it only took about 1/2 hour to get to the overlook. On the way back to town we stopped at a bench and ate while enjoying the view. We did a short detour through town and ended up coming back through the tunnel again. Shirley decided she was hungry and needed a store so it was back through the tunnel to where I had seen a store this morning. She ended up buying a package of Oreos. By the time we came back through the tunnel again we had about 1/2 hour to kill before we boarded the ferry to Valdez. We went on through the car gate and waited while the cars unloaded. We then got to go on first and they found us a good spot to put our bikes. We found a table on board and waited for the loading to finish. It was clouding up by the time we were loading the ferry and by 3:00 it was completely cloudy, although we could still see the peaks. It rained a little bit and later looked like it was raining in Valdez as we approached. Shirley took a little nap right after we got on the ferry and later I felt real tired and walked around a lot. The ferry ride seemed to go on forever. When we got to Valdez it wasn't raining, but the roads were wet. Shirley had already decided we should get a room. As we rode into town we saw the tour group we met on the trail at the Keystone Hotel which Shirley's notes described as small cramped rooms with a continental breakfast. We stopped in and got a room with a 10% senior discount for around $108. The bikes got put in another room reserved for bikes. They barely fit with the beds. After we got settled in I went for a walk. I found the store which is a Safeway and only 4-5 blocks away. It drizzled on me so I headed back and it started raining harder a couple blocks before I got back to the hotel. I had a bite to eat (1/2 bagel, some peanuts, and 4 carrots), got organized, and now I'm ready for bed.

Friday, June 13, 2014	Day 13	55.7 - 305.6	Avg: 8.8	Max: 30.5

Valdez, AK - Keystone Hotel to Billy Mitchell Historic Site	Free - $293.53 + $2.50	9:45 - 6:05	RT: 6:18:16

Shirley was ready to get up at 6:30 and we finally did around 7:00. We organized our stuff a bit before going for our continental breakfast. Lots of the tour group we met yesterday were there. I had 4 slices of toast, a small muffin, a cinnamon roll, and a fruit cup. We were finally off around 8:30 and went to Safeway where I added a few pounds and we spent $58. It was raining when we got up but just lightly and when we went to the store it was misting. When we left the store it was raining. Shirley thought we should get bear spray so we went to a store and bought a $40 can of spray. Shirley had asked for directions to where we could buy the spray, but misunderstood the directions to the hardware store so we rode an extra few blocks looking for it. By the time we were really on our way it was 9:45. Since it was raining I packed the bear spray in the frozen vegetables container. There was a bike path for several miles which was nice even though there was a wide shoulder on the road. After 8 miles we got on the road at MP 3. The rain was light at times and stopped at times. Finally it quit and the road started drying. We went through Keystone Canyon with some really nice waterfalls, but my camera was packed away due to the rain. By the time we reached a partially constructed RR tunnel from the late 1800s it had stopped raining. We had a snack in the tunnel. Shortly after that we came to the remnants of a huge avalanche. I decided to dig the camera out and Shirley went on. Afterwards I tucked the camera inside my jacket with the strap around my neck. When I went to take off my mirror was missing. I must have knocked it off when I put the camera over my head. I wasn't sure where that had been. I searched for a long time and couldn't find it. I even rode back to the tunnel, about a mile, just in case I lost it there. I came back and searched some more and was just about to give up because I knew Shirley would be wondering where I was. As I was walking to my bike I finally found it. That must have been at least 20 minutes, probably more. As I rode up the highway I met Shirley riding back after a mile or two. I knew she wouldn't have been able to wait for me. About a mile later I stopped to take my rain gear off. And Shirley said that was where she took her rain gear off and had waited for me. I was really overheating since I had my long sleeve jersey and tights on. We picked up a headwind in the canyon and it continued as we climbed the 7-8% grade. About 5 miles from the summit it started raining again. About 2 miles from the summit we stopped to stuff some cookies in our mouths. Just before the summit I put my long sleeves back on under my rain gear and my ear band and light gloves. Shirley was quicker and left before I was ready. When I got to the summit there was a van for a bike tour parked on the other side of the road. The guy came running over and said congratulations and gave me two bags of M&Ms. I had him take my picture at the summit sign. On the way down 5 of the cyclists were heading up. Shirley was waiting at the turnoff to a glacier. Even though Shirley's stomach hurt from wearing 3 layers we rode the 1/2 mile or so to the viewpoint. It was a little better than from the road. About 15 miles later we came to the Billy Mitchell Historic Site and Rest Area. It had nice covered tables so we decided to camp since it was after 6:00. Fortunately there was a nice clear stream to get water from. Since we didn't do sun screen we didn't even take baths. The water was cold so we waited an hour or more to eat so it could warm up. By the time we were all done and the food was hung it was after 9:30. When Shirley went to change water bottles this afternoon she found white crystals in the second bottle. She didn't want to drink that. In camp we treated a quart and we each have a water bottle full. We can get water tomorrow at a lodge in about 9 miles. We had a long spell of dry weather from 3-5 miles before stopping right up to 10:30 when we went to bed.

Saturday, June 14, 2014	Day 14	70.8 - 376.4	Avg:9.8	Max: 35.5

Billy Mitchell Rest Area to Liberty Falls State Rec Area	$15.00 - $308.53 + $2.50	9:00 - 5:30	RT: 7:11:27

It started raining shortly after we went to bed last night and was still raining when we got up at 7:50 this morning. Listening to the rain made it hard to get up. It was so nice to have a dry tent even though it rained all night. It was mostly uphill to the lodge 8 miles away. The lady gave us water but didn't seem pleased that was all we wanted. It continued uphill with off and ofn rain for a few more miles. There were then several miles of gentle downhill or rolling hills. We were following a river bit it felt like we were going up. We saw the Alaska Pipe Line for a while. It had finally stopped raining and we were really over heating so we got out of our rain jackets. Shirley also took her rain pants off. I should have since it didn't rain again for a long time. A couple miles from the turn to Chitna and McCarthy we had a steep uphill for a mile and then a gentler, but steep hill. After the turn we had 4 miles of downhill, some steep. Then there was a bike path for 3 miles to Kenny Laek. We stopped at the store and the sun came out. It had really warmed up when we came down the hill. Since the weather was good and it was only 3:00 we decided to go another 16 miles to Liberty Creek. Earlier we had planned to stay indoors at Kenny Lake. A few miles before the turn it had rained again and we had put our rain gear on. Maybe 1/2 mile later we rode out of the rain to dry pavement. Not too many miles after Kenny Lake I got a BOB flat. The mosquitos were vicious where we stopped to change it. I changed it in record time and my ankles were itching like crazy. It was easy riding and fairly flat. Then we went down an 8% hill for a mile and after a couple miles started heading up a very steep hill. The first 1/4 mile was probably over 10% and then settled down to just 8%. It started raining again and we finally stopped to put our rain gear back on. I noticed my helmet cover was gone. I figured it blew off on the steep downhill. We got out of the rain before the top of the hill. At first I was going to go look for my helmet cover without BOB but then decided we should do the 2 miles to the CG and then I would go back. We had a couple more steep hills before arriving. There are only 10 sites and we were glad to see at least one was available. I dropped BOB off and headed back to look for my helmet cover while Shirley chose a site and set up camp. I ended up riding all the way back up the 8% hill even though I knew I still had it part way down. At the top and after 6 miles I had to eat. It was sunny and warm. I rode slowly back and didn't see my helmet cover. I was about to give up when I spotted it at the bottom of our steeep uphill only 3 miles from camp. By the time I got back it was 7:10. Shirley was still in the same site and she said it had rained a couple times. There was a group next to us with 3 or 4 obnoxious dogs. Fortunately they were packing up to leave. Shirley was just finishing filtering water since a sign says the water may not be suitable for drinking. I filled all my water bottles and Shirley went to bathe in the rest room. We walked to the pump and got more water and I bathed. We cooked dinner and then got our food all organized and hung. Just as we were finishing it started raining lightly. I had a couple more things to do and then locked the bikes before getting int the tent at 9:40.

Sunday, June 15, 2014	Day 15	48.7 - 425.1	Avg: 8.8	Max: 37.0

Liberty Falls to Kenny Lake Motel	$80.00 - $388.53 + $2.50	8:45 - 4:15	RT: 5:31:03

It started raining shortly after we got in the tent last night. We didn't get up until 7:30 and the tables was just wet enough to make it hard to do anything. We had breakfast on the bridge across Liberty Creek since the mosquitos attacked as soon as we got out of the tent. The fly was very wet. We got packed and were off for McCarthy around 8:45. We had a 1.5 to 2 mile hill and then mostly downhill to Chitina including one steep one with a couple small ups. There was a nice small store in Chitina up a short gravel driveway. The prices were surprisingly cheap. We got two cans of vegetables, 2 ramen and a donut thing for under $6. We then headed toward McCarthy. It was paved for a couple miles to the Copper River bridge. There were lots of native Americans net fishing on both sides of the bridge. They had 30-40 foot poles with a net on the end and they waded into the river, walked downstream and got back out, hopefully with salmon in their net. There were also some with boats and several fish wheels. We watched for quite a hile before continuing. There were large patches of blue sky and it was quite warm. After the bridge we hit the dirt road on an old railroad grade. The first couple hundred feet were very steep and gravel and was not RR grade. After that it was more like RR grade. It started out mostly hard pack dirt and wasn't too bad. Gradually we got to mostly loose gravel and it was very slow going. After 4 miles we decided it would take way too long to get to McCarthy and we weren't having fun so we turned around. We stopped at a pullout and got down to short sleeves. Shirley even got down to shorts. The downhill back to the bridge was still slow and not much fun either. We decided we could easily make it back to Kenny Lake and a room. We were in the sun most of the way with some clouds over the mountains. It was mostly uphill back to last night's CG with the one steep hill being not too bad. We had lunch on the bridge in the CG since it was bug free. It was then the couple little uphills and the one mile long 8% uphill before the 10 mile easy cruise to Kenny Lake. There was lots of blue sky by then. We got a tiny little room barely big enough for the twin and double bed for $80. The bikes are in the hall and the BOBs are by the couch in the common area. We are on the second floor so it took several trips. I put the tent parts on the deck of the closed restaurant to dry. Shirley then did laundry at $3.75 to wash and $2.75 to dry. We finally got around to dinner around 7:00. So far we are the only ones here and we hope it stays that way. My knee was hurting some yesterday while riding and it was stiff and sore in the tent last night. I was thinking I should raise my seat but then decided the problem was riding in my booties with the 1/4 inch soles so I didn't change my seat. It was fine today with no rain gear. I have welts all along the side of my face from yesterday's and today's mosquitos

Monday, June 16, 2014	Day 16	73.2 - 498.3	Avg:11.3	Max: 33.0

Kenny Lake to Sourdough BLM CG	$6.00 - $394.53 + $2.50	7:15 - 4:15	6:27:54

Just as I was doing sit ups in the hall last night two guys showed up for a week. It must have been around 9:00 and they were noisy while bringing their stuff in. The rooms were not very soundproof at all. They watched a DVD, but fortunately kept the sound pretty low and when we went to bed at 10:15 it wasn't a problem for us. Shirley used ear plugs. Their alarm went off around 5:00 or 5:30. We finally got up around 6:00. They were already gone for breakfast or work. We ate in the common area and were all packed and ready to go by 7:15 (or maybe 7:45, I don't really remember). We took Old Edgerton Road which was dirt. It was a good hard packed surface and no gravel. It was flat and came out on the highway 9 miles down the road without us having to do the 7 miles of uphill back to the highway that we came down the other day. The ride to Glennallen was mostly flat with a couple downs and ups at rivers, one very gentle and one not so gentle. We stopped at the Wrangle - St. Elias NP Visitor Center and got a good view of Mt. Drum. Shirley bought a postcard for Thea which she mailed at Glennallen. We stopped for a snack at what looked like a gravel pit with a few RVs. A dog came running out to bark at us and then promptly started to pee on Shirley's BOB. She swatted it before it really did anything. While eating we noticed a sign that said private property and no trespassing. We went 1.8 miles out of our way on Hwy 1 to go to the IGA in Glennallen since it is the biggest store we will see for a few days. We bought $82 of food. We both have lots of heavy food now. It was another 32 miles to the BLM CG which sounded like our best choice and we had already done 40. Luckily, the road remained relatively flat and we continued to have a really good tailwind. At the turnoff to Tok we stopped at a little store for canned vegetables and some Heet since we had forgotten to get them at Glennallen. Each was $1.75, not bad for a small store. In Kenny Lake they wanted $3.10 for Heet. The final 18 miles from the junction seemed a bit more uphill, but still gentle and still with a tailwind. The wind was good both for riding and when stopped because it kept the mosquitos away. We finally got to the CG where there are lots of mosquitos. We checked the walk in sites, but there wasn't enough breeze. We dug out our rain pants and were swarmed before we got them on. We finally found a breezy site which worked well until the breeze decreased. Water is from a tap in a building and is trucked in from somewhere (Shirley thinks Anchorage). We took baths with the water left in our water bottles since that water came from the hotel and is questionable drinking water. There are a couple bear boxes by the walk in sites and at least one in the regular sites. We carried our heavy bags to the ones at the walk in sites which are sites 2-5 and we are in site 29. I may have to ride BOB over to get the food in the morning. We woke to a glorious sunny morning and had to use sun screen today. It took a while to get down to shorts and short sleeves because of the wind. It would be hot going up, but cool otherwise. I'm now sitting at our table with the half body bug netting Shirley made. It works quite well. I have a few more bits and bumps on my face and hands from while we were cooking, eating, and getting ready for tomorrow. It gradually clouded up and by mid afternoon it was mostly cloudy. Around 9:00 we had a few very light sprinkles.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014	Day 17	59.0 - 557.3	Avg: 8.5	Max: 34.0

Sourdough CG to Tangle River Lodge	$82.50 - $477.03 + $2.50	8:40 - 6:10	RT: 6:54:20

I forgot to mention yesterday that shortly after we left the Visitor Center a mama moose and baby moose came out of the woods right where we were, walked along the edge of the trees for 100 feet or so and then crossed the highway in front of us. I tried to get a picture as they stood in the road, but a car came along and honked at them and I think they were gone before I got my picture. (Later at home I found that I did get a picture of them as they left the road) After we went to bed last night around 9:30 it started raining hard and we closed the doors. When I was ready to pee this morning at 3:30 it was raining hard. When I thought I might have to go out in the rain it quit. It was colder last night and I was disappointed that my toes got cold. It was cloudy and buggy when we got up at 7:30, but no rain. There was some blue sky to the South. I rode my bike over to get our food bags. We were off around 8:40. We had a lot more hills today and not much of a tail wind. It was hot going up and cold on any downhill. For a while it looked like it was gradually clearing, but then the blue sky all disappeared. We were stopped for a break somewhere between 11:00 and 12:00, I think, when a few drops started falling and it got colder and windier. Shirley only put her jacket on and took off. By the time I got all my rain gear on it was raining hard. Just as I saw Shirley when she stopped to put her rain gear on I also saw a fox in the road. He was sitting there until he saw me and then he trotted off. Before our break Shirley had seen one. We rode in the rain a few miles. As soon as it stopped it got warmer again.. We decided to stop at the Paxson Lodge and not camp even though it had been described as run down. It was closed permanently and the next option was the Denali Cabins practically next door for $150 with breakfast. They turned out to be full. I'm glad of that since $150 is too much. We ate snacks on the steps of a weather station at the cabins. We headed for Tangle River Lodge 20 miles away at 2:45. The first 4 miles were a steep uphill and it started raining again. A small group of 6 cyclists were heading down to Paxson. We met the last 2 on top of the hill. They were meeting their van in Paxson and returning to the Tangle River Lodge for the night. We had 10 more miles of up and down with off and on rain. The final 7 miles were mostly downhill and it took us close to 3 1/2 hours to do the 20 miles. We got a room, a tiny room, for $82.50. A sign said no bikes in the rooms or on the deck. We were allowed to put our bikes on the deck since we had the end room away from the rest room and we had to make sure they didn't go beyond our door so people wouldn't trip over them at night. Of course it was always light enough that no one would trip over them anyway unless they were drunk. We hung the tent on the railing to dry and then took showers. By the time it was time to eat it was 8:15 and we decided to eat in the restaurant. Shirley had a $12.95 salad bar and I had a buffet which included the salad bar plus mashed potatioes, bread, fish, and beef for $22.00. There were 3 groups including the bikers and while we were eating the owner drew numbers and gave prizes to members of the groups. They tried to give us a T-shirt for the Seattle Seahawks by asking for people from Washington, but Shirley said she wasn't carrying it so they gave it to one of the bikers. Earlier today we stopped at Meiers Lake Lodge and I bought a muffin so Shirley could pee. We talked a while to a native woman. She seemed disappointed we didn't see the native display at the Visito Center yesterday. It was raining again when we came out of the restaurant.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014	Day 18	0 - 557.3

Tangle River Lodge	$82.50 - $559.53 + $2.50

I got up to pee at 5:30 this morning and it was snowing outside. It was still snowing at 8:00 when we got up. We decided to eat breakfast in the lodge and with the tour groups there was a breakfast buffet for $14.95. We ate lots while watching it snow. There is 1-2 inches on the cars and slush on the ground. The thermometer is sitting at 30º. We talked to the small bike tour group until 10:00 when they were preparing to leave. We returned to our room and read and did puzzles. We didn't seem to have any heat. We decided to stay another day rather than go on and higher by 1000 feet. In early afternoon I went over to pay and the owner asked if we were eating dinner tonight. She suggested I wait and pay for it all at once. I had my Kindle so I sat at a table to read since our room was cold. Another guy sat down by the coffee cup that was on the table and said he was sitting there bit it was OK for me to stay. He was then presented with a cheeseburger and fries. We talked while he ate. He has lived in China for the last 5 years running a business and now plans to take 4 months to ride his motorcycle to Tierra Del Fuego, although he's not sure he can successfully run his company while away. When he was done it was time to lock the doors for a couple hours so I came back to our room. It was cold so I kept going to the rest room which is warm. Shirley sat in bed with the blankets. At one point Shirley made a paper airplane from a used sheet of Sudokus and tried to fly it into the trash can. It took us many tries before we finally got it there. We briefly had heat when they cleaned the room next door, but then it quit again. Finally, around 6:30 I asked about the heat and the lady behind the counter said we should have heat. She came over to the room next door and said the thermostat was off and set it to 70º. She asked if I wanted 69º or 70º and since I was really cold I said 70º. Our heat came on, but it wasn't getting up to 70º. By the time we went to bed Shirley thought it was too warm and wanted to open the window. I thought it was just fine. The forecast seems to be d days of rain and widespread with flooding around Tok and Sitka. It rained off and on all day, sometimes hard. We're thinking we may go back to Paxson tomorrow and head to Fairbanks via Delta Junction rather than go higher on the Denali Highway. We dould go to Denali Park and come back across the Denali Highway from the West. Shirley decided we should eat in tonight so I had a bagel and Clif Bar. Shirley ate an apple and the can of corn she didn't eat the other night.

Thursday, June 19, 2014	Day 19	22.3 - 579.6	Avg: 6.9	Max: 23.5

Tangle River Inn to Maclaren River Lodge	$120.00 - $679.53 + $2.50	9:40 - 1:44	RT:3:14:48

I think it was after 7:30 when we got up this morning and we made it to the restaurant around 8:00, I think. It rained much of the night but wasn't raining when we got up. We had breakfast with a motorcyclist who is out for a while from Ohio. We both had cheese omelets. Then we talked to a young family from Indiana who had flown to Anchorage. It was 40º this morning, 10 degrees warmer than yesterday. We got packed and were off at 9:40. It wasn't long before it started raining. We already had our booties and rain pants and rain coats on. I had to stop after a mile or so to take my long sleeve shirt off. We had 9-10 miles of real uphill although it was mostly not too steep, just slow. We then had another 6 miles of flat to gentle uphill. It mostly rained, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavier. We stayed warm going uphill. There was more snow on the side of the road, but the road was clear. We finally got to the downhill and put our long sleeves back on. About a mile down a gentle slope we met two Swiss cyclists. They were so young. They started in Anchorage and are ending up in Vancouver via a ferry at Prince Rupert. We started getting cold so had to quit talking. The two miles of real downhill were painful as my hands got very cold. At the bottom I stopped and waved my arms around and rubbed my hands until they felt better. Just after meeting the Swiss cyclists there was the Maclaren summit sign. I stopped and debated whether I wanted to take my overmitts off to take a picture. I finally did. A guy in a car jumped out and volunteered to take my picture. The final 2-3 miles were sort of flat which allowed us to warm up. The Swiss couple told us the lodge 20 miles from Maclaren said they were booked until August 2. When we got to Maclaren Lodge around 1:15 we decided to stay. There was a tour bus full of people just finishing lunch so they were sort of busy. That gave me time to get my glasses unfogged. At first the waitress said they didn't have any rooms, but a couple minutes later she said the did. The owner said she had a $150 room with a queen and 3 twin and a bathroom she would let us have for $120. Shirley jumped on it. We took our bikes out to the deck for the room via a ramp. The room wasn't ready yet so we went back to the restaurant. We each had a bowl of chili and then I had a veggie burger and fries. They sort of did a special effort for my burger as the grill was off and their special was a tuna salad sandwich. Both the burger and the tuna were $10.00. The room is very spacious even with 4 beds. It overlooks the river and a snowy mountain. There is a front and rear door. We brought the bikes in and put them on a dark rug by the front door. The BOBs are on the back deck. There's a TV although I can't figure out how to actually display a channel. All I can do is get a summary. Shirley and I had a minor dispute last night. Shirley was hot so wanted to open the window when we went to bed. I didn't want to since I had been cold most of the day. We finally switched sides of the bed so she was next to the window and she opened it a bit. We did showers and relaxed until Shirley got hungry so we went to dinner. Shirley had a pasta salad which didn't really fill her up. I had a hamburger and fries. There is some blue sky around but it is still raining lightly. There's a dog at the lodge that earlier was sleeping on a bar stool. When we returned for dinner he was on the pool table.

Friday, June 20, 2014	Day 20	40.9 - 620.5	Avg: 8.2	Max: 26.0

Maclaren River Lodge to Gracious House CG	$20.00 - $699.53 + $2.50	8:40 - 3:00	4:56:20

I was very surprised at 3:30 this morning when I looked out and saw clear blue sky. It was still there at 5:30 and again at 6:30 when we thought about getting up. I went to the restaurant for pancakes and to pay while Shirley ate her cereal in the room. Fortunately I got my order in before any of the other people. The 3 pancakes were decent size and apparently the coffee was free. The pancakes only cost $6.00 which is the only reasonable thing we had. Our total bill for the room and two meals was $182.00. By the time I got back and packed it was 8:20 when we left. The mountains were impressive. We had some gentle uphill and then flat and downhill. All day we gently went up and down with a few short steeper hills. There were always lakes and snowy mountains. We finally took our long gloves off at a break. Not long after restarting I stopped to put mine back on. A few minutes later I was riding along and saw a moose head in the brush. I stopped and was trying to focus the camera when the head disappeared. Then I saw her walking toward the road and into the road maybe 50 feet away. There was a small hill on the other side of the road so she walked toward me to go around it. I was thinking if the moose doesn't like me I'm in trouble. I think I didn't get a very good picture because I had zoomed in when she was in the bushes and probably screwed up when she got so close. (Later at home I discovered I had good pictures). We eventually started a steady though not continuous downhill to the Susitna River. The vegetation changed and we once again had small trees, which we had lost climbing up from Paxson. We had gone maybe 3-4 miles today when Shirley stopped and decided we should spray our leaky over mitts with the water proofing she bought in Juneau. They then got to air dry real good on BOB. In camp we sprayed them again as well as Shirley's rain pants and my helmet cover and rack pack. That finished off the can which made Shirley happy. At first Shirley asked about a room, but the guy we talked to didn't know the prices. I asked if the Gracious House CG was closed since we hadn't seen it and he said there was camping here. He showed us a nice flat, grassy, open spot and we decided it was good camping. Fortunately, the owner came by so the guy we were talking to could ask the price. The owner seemed to make up the price of $10 per person on the spot. Rooms were $100 with the toilet being the one we would use if we camped. When Shirley went to check out the restroom she couldn't find a light switch and only saw a shower, but no toilet. I went to check it out and found the light switch and toilet. It gradually clouded up during the day, but then the tailwind became a headwind and they retreated some. I finally got my long sleeves off and probably could have gotten down to shorts. The clouds are getting closer again, but who knows if it will rain. For some reason traffic was much lighter today when it was nice than yesterday when it was raining. It seems like there were only 20 cars all day although I didn't count. We only saw 5 motorcycles compared to lots yesterday. Around 8:00 a couple young women showed up for camping. We talked briefly and they said they might have a small fire. They were far enough away we hoped the smoke wouldn't get us.

Saturday, June 21, 2014	Day 21	54.5 - 675.0	Avg: 8.2	Max: 23.5

Gracious House to Cantwell, AK - Cantwell Lodge	$65.00 - $764.53 + $2.50	8:40 - 5:15	6:35:49

The women last night told us it was supposed to rain today and about 5:00 this morning we heard little rain drops. We thought about getting up to pack before the tent got wet, but we couldn't do it. We finally got up about 7:50 after a harder rain and getting the fly soaked. We carried our stuff to the covered walkway by the cabins. The two women were at the bathroom. Fortunately, one was almost done and tried to get her friend to let her in her restroom so I could use the toilet. Apparently she wouldn't let her in because when I came out she was in the entryway. The only problem for her was that it was dark in the entranceway. We ate breakfast on a bench under cover after taking advantage of a lull in the rain to take our tent down. The two women had driven the couple hundred feet to the restroom and ate in their car. Packing was slow and we were off at 9:40. We had a strong tailwind and light rain. The wind was so strong the bikes wanted to go too fast on any flat or little downhill. The road was rougher and there were several steep hills. It rained almost continuously. At first our overmitts seemed more waterproof, but they still leaked. We rested briefly once, but didn't take a real break until the BLM CG 23 miles down the road. We sat under the roof at the restroom. We were sort of cold and miserable as we ate. Just as we were getting ready to leave a van of bird watchers which had been parked in the parking lot pulled up. One old lady helped Shirley get her rain coat over her mitts and then took our picture. Fortunately, the road surface was better for most of the last 30 miles although there were still several steep hills. Our drive trains were complaining loudly. Traffic was much heavier again today, but most vehicles were polite. The one exception being a group of 6 jeeps on a tour. They passed us once each way. About 10 miles out we passed what appeared to be a training session for bird hunting dogs. We finally got to pavement after 50 miles. The uphills were very warm after th CG and I was comfortable on flat and downhills. I should have eaten again, but we didn't stop until we reached the Park Road which goes between Anchorage and Fairbanks. We considered stopping at the RV park to get a cabin. We saw a cyclist who had just ridden from Healy and had just gotten a trailer at the RV park. He looked as miserable as we felt. We decided to go another 1.5 miles to Cantwell. It continued to rain all the way. We got what looks like a dorm room in a building full of rooms for $65. We spent an hour filling our water bottles and washing things off. There is a combination lock on the entry door and I forgot the combo and had to wait for Shirley to come back out. The bikes and BOBs are for from perfect. They sat for a while in the entryway, but then I managed to fit the bikes in the closet and the BOBs under the table while Shirley showered. At first I put my bike in first, but then after putting Shirley's in decided they would fit better the other way. I had to put the bikes in the hall again to do the switch. After showers we cooked dinner by running water through the coffee maker. Yes, we have a coffee pot, fridge, and microwave. My ramen wasn't really cooked. Our neighbors have a dog which we heard for a while and we can hear them. I feel very tired tonight.

Sunday, June 22, 2014	Day 22	36.1 - 711.1	Avg:11.0	Max: 33.0

Cantwell Lodge to Denali NP - Riley Creek CG	$7.00 - $771.53 + $2.50	9:40 - 1:00	RT: 3:03:18

We stayed in bed until 8:00 again this morning. We made a pot of coffee and drank it while eating breakfast. I didn't have any milk so I had a Clif Bar and some cereal without milk. We gradually got packed and were off at 9:40. There were clouds with some large patches of blue sky. We had a tailwind and the road was mostly flat or downhill. Shirley spotted a moose well off the road after only a mile or two on the Parks Highway. There were lots of parking areas along the road. Traffic was much heavier than on the Richardson Highway, but there was a wide shoulder and it wasn't all that heavy, but would have seemed bad without a shoulder, though. We saw one cyclist going our way as we were having a snack and two cyclists going the other way as we were screaming downhill. The sky became mostly blue sky although there were still a lot of clouds behind us. We got to the park around 12:45 and went to the Wilderness Center to register for the CG and to get bus tickets into the park for tomorrow at 6:30 AM. The bus is $34.50 each and camping is $7.00 with our senior pass. We are in the walk in section which is a closed loop of the CG. We found a breezy site in the sun and hopefully away from smoky fires. After getting set up we checked out the Mercantile and then rode to a store a couple miles away on the Parks Highway. Prices were very high and we spent $47 on very little food. I ended up getting a quart of milk since neither store had canned milk. Later I lookd at the receipt and it appears one of our cans of green beans somehow rang up as a pound of ground beef ($4.59 versus $1.39). I will have to go back and complain. We also bought a small metal bottle for $9.99 at a gift shop next to the grocery to put our Heet in since the Heet bottles tend to leak if they fall over once they are open. The full bottle of Heet and the remaining amount in the open bottle just fit in the new bottle. After we got back to camp and stored our new food in the bear box we went for a 2-3 mile walk. We took bucket baths in the rest room and had a late dinner at 7:00. The CG host rode his bike around the loop to check the tags. Today's forecast was for 9% chance of rain, tomorrow is 12%, and Tuesday is 55%.

Monday, June 23, 2014	Day 23	1.7 - 712.8	Avg: 7.9	Max: 28.5

Denali NP - Riley Creek CG	$7.00 - $778.53 + $2.50	5:45 - 5:15	RT: 0:13:19

We were scheduled for the 6:30 AM bus into the park so I set my watch alarm to 5:10. We were awake at 5:00 which is good because my alarm didn't go off. It worked fine on the ferry so I don't know what the problem was today. I thought it might be an AM/PM problem, but it didn't go off this evening either. We got to the Wilderness Center around 6:00. Fortunately it was warm because it was very cold in camp eating breakfast. One of the buses before us had a driver that was obese. When our bus arrived the driver was even bigger. When she dropped a couple ticket stubs we weren't sure she would be able to pick them up. She was breathing very heavy after climbing back into the bus and had trouble talking. It took 4 hours to get to our destination at the Eilson Visitor Center. We saw some sheep and caribou along the way, but they were so far away the sheep looked like little white rocks. The caribou were a little closer. A few miles from the end a grizzly was sleeping pretty close to the road, but I couldn't ever see him until he moved a leg. Once he quit moving I couldn't see him anymore A couple other bears were silver blobs in the brush. We hiked 1000 feet up to a ridge and then did an easier loop trail down lower from the Visitor Center. We followed an unmaintained trail toward the river until it got steep with loose rock. We returned to the Visitor Center and got signed up for the ride back. We didn't make the first bus in 5 minutes, but got on the next bus about 5 minutes after that. This bus driver was a fit young woman and we liked her better. Several people got off at the first rest stop. The sleeping bear we saw was apparently walking around on the other side of the road when we returned. It ambled down a slope and across a snow patch before continuing up the hill. I think I got some nice pictures. Later we saw another grizzly walking up a hill, Not too far away a caribou was laying down. The grizzly started running toward the caribou, but long before it got there the caribou got up and ran away. We watched them circle around for a while before they went their separate ways. It was a long drive back after that with a few people getting off at campgrounds and others getting on from hiking. At the turnoff to the parking lot at the end there was a moose by the bike path. The driver sat in the turn lane for a while and traffic backed up from the parked cars. The trip up was sunny and we got good views of Denali and other peaks. It gradually clouded up in the afternoon and by the time we got back we thought we might get wet riding the .8 miles back to camp, but fortunately it hasn't rained so far. Last night was really nice because we didn't have any neighbors near by. Unfortunately someone is in the adjacent site tonight, and they have an axe. Hopefully they will get all their wood chopped at once. There seems to be more young people tonight. One group was out gathering wood.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014	Day 24	0 - 712.8

Denali NP - Riley Creek CG	$7.00 + $4.50 - $785.53 + $7.00

Our neighbors didn't chop any more wood last night, but they did stay up drinking and playing cards with another couple. Shirley finally got up and talked to them at 11:30. The other couple left and things got quiet immediately. There was even a mumbled "sorry" after Shirley came back to bed. We didn't get up until after 7:00. It was a bit warmer than yesterday morning. After breakfast we went for a hike. It was cloudy, but didn't look like rain was imminent. We hiked the Mt. Healy trail to an overlook and then walked along the ridge a ways beyond that. We walked from camp to the TH. We could see showers moving in from the South so we sort of hurried back along the ridge to the overlook. It was sprinkling as we turned around. We made it down the rockiest part before it rained enough to put my booties and rain pants on. By the time we reached the TH it had mostly quit raining. We went to the Visitor Center and while sitting outside a moose came very close although below a rock wall. We then went to the grill and had coffee for $2.50 each. We took the bus back to camp. We then went over to do laundry and Shirley took a shower for $4.50 while I took a bath in the sink. The laundry room was very busy. One woman would have used all 4 washers, but I managed to save one until Shirley came out of the shower. Then one of the dryers was out of order and the woman got both dryers that worked. If Shirley had been quicker we could have gotten one of the dryers. They obviously need more than 4 washers and 3 dryers. It turned out only one dryer was heating so the woman took forever drying her clothes since she kept putting stuff from the cold dryer into the hot one. When we finally got our stuff in most of it dried in the time it took for me to walk to our tent and back. I had remembered I had left my food bag in the tent when I started feeling hungry so I went back to put it in the locker. The rest of our clothes finished drying long before our allotted time was up. One woman said before we even got to dry that she had wasted 1:40 in the laundry and she came in after our wash was done. It was 6:40 when se finally got finished. We then went to the store to buy dinner and something for tomorrow. It was then back to camp to fix dinner. After dinner Shirley went to the post office to mail some postcards, dump our trash, and brush her teeth. While she was gone I was writing this entry. I heard a noise and thought it was Shirley, but when I turned around it was mom and baby moose coming through our camp less than 10 feet away. They were moving pretty fast and disappeared very quickly.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014	Day 25	0 - 712.8

Denali NP - Riley Creek CG	$7.00 - $792.53 + $7.00

It started raining very lightly this morning at 4:00 AM just as I got up to pee. It gradually increased to a full rain. We weren't in any hurry to get up and finally managed to make it out of the tent after 8:00. We decided to go to the grill by the Visitor Center to see what they had for breakfast. We took our lunches plus something for breakfast if needed. We also took our Kindles. There really wasn't anything for breakfast so I ate the muffin I bought the other day and Shirley ate 2 Pop Tarts. We finally decided to ride the bus to Savage River and maybe do the 4 mile Alpine hike. We caught the 10:40 shuttle bus. After only a couple stops we got to Savage River. I'm not sure if we didn't notify the driver quick enough or what, but we were dropped off on the road and had to walk into the parking lot in the rain and wind. This caught us of guard and we didn't have our coats zipped. It was 200-0300 feet to the rest room which was the only shelter. Shirley didn't seem happy about doing the hike. I think she would have been content to stay on the bus and return to the grill. She got her ankle braces on and I put my pack on under my rain coat. It was definitely raining when we started hiking. We gained 1200 feet so staying warm wasn't a problem even in the wind which was mostly at our back. It was an interesting hike with lots of steps up and then trail up and a gentle downhill and then a long flat back to the road. The transition from up to down was very windy and cold. We got to the road just as a bus was approaching so our timing was perfect. It was the same driver as we had going up making the return trip of the next round trip. It took us about 2 hours to do the 4 miles. On the way up on the bus there was a moose in the road and later some caribou that were just a little too far away. We returned to the grill and Shirley had a vegetarian panini and I ate my two bagels and 2 Pop Tarts. We sat and read for a while before returning to the CG around 4:00. We paid for tonight and I bought some Ramen and Vienna Sausages for dinner. The dryers still haven't been fixed. I wasn't going to eat yet, but it wasn't raining so I decided to start cooking after all. Of course it started raining before I finished. By the time I ate and got everything washed and put away it was 6:00 when I got in the tent. On the way back to camp we stopped at the P.O. for a stamp and the guy said Saturday and Sunday were supposed to be just cloudy. Tomorrow and Friday are forecast for rain.

Thursday, June 26, 2014	Day 26	64.7 - 777.5	Avg: 12.7	Max:35.5

Denali NP to Nenana, AK - Rough Woods Inn	$98.80 - 891.33 + $7.00	10:00 - 5:15	RT: 5:04:47

It rained continuously all night last night. We both peed in the vestibule twice rather than go out in the rain. Even though I went to bed around 8:30 we laid in the tent until 8:00 this morning. The rain let up and finally almost stopped so we got up and packed. We got the stuff out of the food locker and got packed except the tent while inside the tent. It pretty much quit raining during the packing and we got the tent down with only a few drops. The fly, of course, was soaked. The ground cloth was pretty dry. My hands got cold handling all the wet stuff. I put what I needed for breakfast in my coat pocket and we went to the Mercantile to eat at the covered table on the deck. I had a muffin at 600 calories and then went in and bought and ate another one. We were finally off at 10:00. It rained just a little bit and we had a very strong tailwind. We stopped at the Sled Dog store and got a refund of $4.10 for the can of string beans that rang up as a pound of hamburger 3 days ago with no questions asked. There were some rafters starting out and we were glad we weren't going. There were some hills at first but then mostly flat or very gentle up and down. We quickly got over heated with all our rain gear on. I finally took my over mitts off and felt good. After 25 miles we stopped to eat at a side road with vegetation that blocked the wind. I took my jacket off. We stopped in Healey at a small liquor/grocery store. I bought some bagels and cheese plus a muffin and Ramen just in case. We also bought a couple apples which turned out to be terrible. It was hard to pack the food away due to the wind. About halfway I took my rain pants off and with about 16 miles to go I took my booties off. A young kid of 22 stopped to talk and said he had ridden to Valdez last year. He has just graduated as a mechanical engineer and was a very nice young man. The last 13 miles didn't seem as easy as the wind was not as strong and was less of a tailwind. We had several sections of road construction today and twice they made us put our bikes in the back of the pilot car for a couple miles. Neither time was really necessary. The first woman had a dog in the truck with her because her car was in the shop. We got a room in Nenana even though it hadn't rained since before noon. Shirley was ready for a room. It's big enough we got both bikes and BOBs in with a path to the bathroom. The attached café had closed early due to lack of customers. We used the phone on the wall to call the number on a hand written sign on the window. The number wouldn't connect. We then called the number on a sign on the wall and the lady who answered was in the café closing out the register. After getting settled in we went to the store before it closed for a couple items and then walked back 1/2 mile to a pizza, subs, and salads joint. It turned out to be take out only. We ordered a pizza and ate 1 slice each at a picnic table outside before taking the rest back to the room. We hung the tent to dry on a back deck while Shirley put her pad in the bathtub to look for a slow leak she's had all trip. She couldn't find it and she had me look to no avail. We were told the road into Denali was closed today due to flooding. Also we were told Dry Creek is usually pretty dry, but it was roaring today. There was fresh snow on the ridge above Healy Overlook where we hiked the other day.

Friday, June 27, 2014	Day 27	51.9 - 829.4	Avg: 9.1	Max: 32.0

Nenana to Fairbanks - Chena River Best Western	$165.23 - $1056.56 + $7.00	9:10 - 4:15	RT: 5:39:48

We didn't get up until going on 8:00 again. The sky was mostly cloudy with a couple patches of blue. It had obviously rained some during the night. It was warm enough I started in tights and long sleeve jersey. No rain gear. The first 10 miles were mostly gentle uphill. We got warm, especially after we hit some steeper hills around mile 11 or so. I finally took my tights off. Shortly after that we got a few sprinkles. We finally stopped for a snack after 15 miles or so at an overlook. We could see rain coming in from the South. It was getting cooler so I put my tights back on. I also put the rain covers on my handle bar bag and rack pack. Not too long after we started riding again the rain started, very lightly at first. We stopped to put our rain gear on and it wasn't long before we really needed it. It rained pretty much constantly the remaining 35 miles to Fairbanks. We had lots of hills that got us into low gear. They were very hot and I finally stopped to take my long sleeve jersey off. There was a fair amount of traffic, but we had a wide shoulder. Occasionally gravel had washed onto the shoulder. We finally made it to Fairbanks after riding in a fog for a while and then finally descending several miles to get below it. A bike path appeared just before the highway turned into 4 lanes. At the first major intersection we stopped and were looking at the map. A phone company (I think) guy parked his van and walked over to talk to us and help us find our way. He told us where the Fred Meyers was and where a couple hostels were. Some people can be so nice. We decided to go to Fred Meyers first and then find a room. At the Fred Meyers there was a motel across the street so we checked it out. It was full, but they let Shirley call the Best Western which was across the highway from Fred Meyers. They had a room for $161. At first Shirley told them no, but since it was still raining steadily and it was so close to the store Shirley called them back and took it. At first they wanted a credit card to hold the room, but when they learned we were across the highway they decided it was OK. We rode to the hotel which we had passed on the bike path without seeing it. Shirley got a senior discount and they even checked her ID. The clerk told us to just wheel the bikes into the room and she would mop the entryway which surprised me. There is lots of room for the bikes and BOBs. After getting everything in and wet items hung to dry and changing clothes we walked to Fred Meyers. Including salad for Shirley and a hot dish meal for me for dinner we spent $80. Shirley also bought a fleece shirt for $18 since her long shirt wicks water up the sleeves in the rain. We came back to the room and ate a lot, including blueberries and grapes. I also had a cup of French Vanilla coffee. After showers, the motel computer was free and Shirley did email. I made the mistake of washing my socks before going to the store. I've used the hair dryer on them a couple times and am now wearing them t try too dry them.

Saturday, June 28, 2014	Day 28	63.4 - 892.8	Avg: 10.9	Max: 26.0

Fairbanks to Birch Lake CG	$10.00 - $1066.56 + $7.00	8:35 - 4:15	RT: 5:49:38

Shirley was ready to get up at 7:30 this morning. The sky was partly cloudy and it was good to see sun. We did situps before heading to breakfast. I had 2 thick pancakes plus 2 servings of eggs and potatoes. Shirley went back to the room during my second pancake. I then had 2 yogurts as well. We hooked the BOBs up in the room and after Shirley paid we wheeled them out and took off. We got out of town on a series of bike paths and quiet roads and after 7 miles we got on the Richardson Highway. At that point I took my tights off. The highway was 4 lanes and busy. We were able to get off it on a frontage road for a while. When Shirley stopped to oil her chain I took my long sleeves off. It was so nice to be in shorts and short sleeves. After Eilson AFB the highway got down to 2 lanes. Traffic slowly decreased, but was still not exactly quiet. Fairly early there was some road construction and traffic was diverted to one side of the 4 lanes. We continued through the barrier and across a closed bridge. Unfortunately they were working on the other side of the bridge and we had to get on the road again. Before we made it past the guard rail keeping us from the highway a worker in a truck was after us saying we couldn't go on. He was happy when I said we were headed for the highway. Riding was easy as we rode gently up the Nanana River which we couldn't see most of the time. When we did it was very wide and flooded. We finally hit a small hill after 48 miles and a longer, steeper one at mile 57. That was it for the day. The CG at Birch Lake is at the boat dock and looks more like a picnic area. We found a lovely site right on the lake with very few mosquitos. Later the breeze picked up and there were no mosquitos. There are some steps to the lake which were good to sit on when we first got here. We finally put the tent up so it could dry. We weren't sure there was water, but when I went to the pay station there was a pump. It took both of us to get water which is rather brown, but tastes OK. We took baths in the lake which was refreshing and not super cold. We had dinner around 6:30 before the breeze really picked up. Unfortunately there have been lots of jet skis making noise. As of 8:00 they seem to have quit running around. Surprisingly, there is a nice limb for hanging our food. It is over the path along the lake that a few fishermen have used, but it will work fine. About 8:00 a cyclist pulled in. He's from Holland and is just finishing an 18 month trip from Tierra Del Fuego. We didn't offer to share our site since there really wasn't room and he had that ridden too hard look and demeanor. He is leaving Anchorage July 18 so he has plenty of time to get there.

Sunday, June 29, 2014	Day 29	40.8 - 933.6	Avg: 9.2	Max:34.5

Birch Lake to Delta Jct. - Delta S.P.	$10.00 - $1076.56 + $7.00	8:45 - 2:50	RT: 4:24:53

We got up to a gloriously sunny day at 7:30. It wasn't even very cold. We ate breakfast and it seemed to take a long time to pack. I tried to give our map of Fairbanks to the other cyclist, but he already had one. We were finally off at 8:45 in shorts and long sleeves. Within 3 miles we were in short sleeves. Just as we pulled into the CG entrance yesterday my front brake cable snapped and I could squeeze the lever and see the brakes move, but they didn't do much and I forgot to do anything about it in camp. I rode all day today with very little braking power as my rear brakes weren't all that good either. We had a couple hills early on including one steep one for maybe a mile. Mostly, though, it was just a continuous climb following the Tanana River. It may have been a bit steeper than yesterday, or it could just have been the headwind. Anyway, it took a long time to ride the 39 miles to Delta Jct. When we got to Delta Jct at 2:45 we decided we would stop at the state park rather than go another 30 miles to a rest area as planned. We saw two moose today. The first was on the other side of the road and was standing broadside and close to the road. We didn't even stop for a picture. The second one was on our side, but farther away. We wouldn't have even seen it if we hadn't stopped to look at a cutout of a man panning for gold in the creek. We found a shirt, shorts, and pair of socks on the road, all seemingly freshly laundered. I kept the wool socks, Shirley is going to use the shirt as a rag, and we gave the shorts to someone in the liquor store next to the store in Delta Jct since the gift shop was closed. We set up the tent and hung our food before going to the store for a few thins ($24). When we came back I replaced my brake cable. I had trouble getting the new one in and finally had to take my handle bar tape off so I could move the housing. That all took too long. I also adjusted my rear brake so it works better. Shirley borrowed a Milepost from a couple from Colorado. He came over to talk for a while about bicycling. Some clouds formed and thundered and a few drops of rain fell but fortunately that was all. After dinner we returned the Milepost and talked to the couple. They have sold their home and live in the motor home. They have raced the Baja 1000 and 2000. I was in short sleeves until 9:30 with almost no mosquitos.

Monday, June 30, 2014	Day 30	91.7 - 1025.3	Avg: 11.5	Max: 25.5

Delta Jct to 20 Miles N. of Tok - Moon Lake CG	$18.00 - $1094.56 + $7.00	8:10 - 6:20	RT: 7:56:11

We didn't get to bed until 11:00 last night. We were out of the tent at 7:10 to cloudy skies, but no rain. As we left at 8:10 there was sun on the mountains to the southwest. Traffic was fairly light. We made it 8 miles before it started raining. It was still raining when we got to the rest area with covered tables that we thought we might camp at. We initially had expected to get there yesterday. Shirley talked to a soil conservationist who was preparing to go on a survey. He said it was supposed to rain heavily this afternoon and tonight and continue raining tomorrow. It was cold and early so Shirley decided we should ride another 50 miles to a B&B for tonight. It continued raining for another 5- 10 miles or so and then we were on dry pavement, although it had rained. We rode for 25-30 miles before the next shower started. It misted and rained off and on for a few miles and then quit again. We had stopped to eat before it rained again. Then about 5-6 miles before the B&B we stopped at a rest area. I had a few nuts, but apparently that wasn't enough since after 3 miles I was really fading. I stopped for A Clif Bar and felt better almost immediately. Shirley had decided she wasn't up fot the B&B, but they did have camping. When we got there she thought we should go another 7 miles to a state recreation area. Most of the day had been a gently 1-2% grade up or down with a few short steeper hills. After the B&B we had a 2 mile climb which didn't quite get us into our little chain rings. Then most of the remaining distance was gentle up. There was rain on the hills above the road and we figured we would soon get wet. We got to the CG without rain, got a site, and set the tent up. I think we were here around 6:20, but it may have been later. We got a couple quarts of water from another camper since the water pump water is brown and the state recommends boiling. We cooked with the pump water. We managed to get everything done and put our food in the back of the bear proof trash container just as it started to rain lightly at 9:00. We never expected to have so much dry time in camp. At one of our rest stops in a parking area we talked to a DOT worker who has ridden from Perth to Adelaide. He said he may have to try a trailer. I put on a lot of clothes and went to the lake. I took it all off except for my running shorts and jumped in the lake. The breeze was a bit cool as was the water, but it was refreshing. By the time I put my shirts and shoes on and walked to the restroom to put my pants on my legs were getting cold. Shirley only washed her face since getting in her panties and bra would be problem here. Shirley saw a moose today standing in the middle of the road in front of a car. I was far enough behind that with the rain on my glasses I didn't see it.

Tuesday, July 1, 2014	Day 31	18.5 - 1043.8	Avg: 9.5	Max:25.0

Moon Lake CG to Tok, AK - Snowshoe Motel	$95.00 - $1189.56 + $7.00	9:15 - 11:00	RT:1:56:08

Not a real exciting day today. It rained much of the night and into this morning. We finally decided to get up around 8:15 since it was only raining lightly. Shirley didn't feel like eating breakfast as she was in a hurry to get to Tok and get a room. She ate a few nuts and I had a bagel. We put our rain gear on and were off around 9:15. The .2 miles out of camp was fairly steep. Shortly after leaving we had a misty shower. In the 18 miles to Tok we had 3-4 little showers, but the last 10 miles or so were dry. Shirley was in a bigger hurry than I was so I rode slow to look around and to try not to overheat. I think she was exasperated with me as she asked if I needed to eat. Of course, when we got to Tok we had time to go to the Visitor Information Center. There was a Swedish cyclist who started in Prudhoe Bay and is going to Tierra Del Fuego. He has about 20 months. He spent yesterday at the Sourdough CG in Tok. We didn't get any useful information at the Visitors Center. We tried one of the motels from the Milepost that we could see. We got a 2 bedroom suite with refrigerator and microwave for $95. The bikes are in one room and the BOBs are in the other. Shirley tried to get them to let us do a load of laundry, but no way. In fact, the cleaning lady in charge seemed rather rude about it. The store is next door so we did a quick $24 trip. I got a 32oz yogurt which was delicious. We also got 2 containers of Heet. I had already gotten one and then Shirley did too in case we can't find it in Canada. After eating a bit we walked the mile back to the laundry at an RV park. I got change at the bank next to our motel. Washing was $3 and we did drying for 75¢. There are 2 very big women working at the motel, one at the store, and one at the bank. The fly is drying in the bathroom since all the rail space outside is taken up with flower pots alternating with ash trays. Our sink was draining very slowly so I asked a worker if there was a plunger. His reaction was to try to take the trap apart under the sink. After a little while he gave that up and managed to fish something out of th drain. Now it works fine. To get the bikes in we moved a chest of drawers and found a plastic bag with some perfume, lotion, and deodorant. The bag looks very good. The Swedish cyclist said the Haines Jct grocery was closed due to a robbery or something. The folks at the Visitor Center didn't know anything about it. It started raining again at 5:00 and continued until 8:00. Shirley had wanted to go to Fast Freddies .8 miles away for a taco salad, but we decided to just get dinner from the store. I had 2 mini pizzas for $1.00 each and a container of potato salad. Shirley had bagged salad and a sandwich. We also bought enough food to hopefully get us to Haines Jct about 300 miles away. According to an Anchorage TV station high pressure is supposed to build starting tomorrow and last through the weekend. Whether that applies to where we are going is unknown. It looks like we have definitely decided to not do the Top of tThe World Highway since we don't trust the weather for a dirt road.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014	Day 32	65.5 - 1109.3	Avg: 10.6	Max:38.0

Tok, AK to 15 Miles South of Northway Jct - Deadman Lake CG	Free - $1189.56 + $7.00	7:25 - 4:15	RT: 6:08:31

We awoke to a sunny morning. The thermometer on the walkway said 60º. We got up a little after 6:30 and were off at 7:25 in tights and long sleeve jersey. By 8:30 the tights came off and somewhat later the long sleeves. It was mostly easy riding as we continued to follow the Tanana River to Northway. All the mountains in all directions had clouds. We kept riding toward dark clouds and then would curve away and then back toward them. Around 11:15 the sun disappeared behind the clouds, but came out again later and continued to go in and out. We met a German cyclist (Stephen) around 1:00. He started in Whitehorse and is just going as far as Tok and then on the Top of the World Highway until he hits the Canadian border and then will turn around and return to Whitehorse. He had panniers and a BOB. He had gearing problems at the Boundary Lodge and a guy there was able to fix it and wouldn't take any money. Stephen noticed some boards and a bridge that needed replacing so he stayed there 8 days and helped build the bridge. The clouds got dark while we were talking and almost all the blue sky disappeared. I had already moved my rain gear to the outside. We stopped at Northway Jct for frozen vegetables and were also able to fill our water bottles, including the 2 quart bottles since our CG doesn't have drinking water. As we were getting water 2 Austrian cyclists arrived. They started in Anchorage 4 days ago and are going to Calgary. They were planning on doing another 65 miles today. We left before them, but they never passed us. The CG has very widely spaced sites and we found a nice site on the lake. Unfortunately the lake access is through the reeds so we went to the dock for a bath. It was a bit public and right next to an occupied site so we bathed in our underwear which looks like swim suits. The water was pretty warm. We will put our food in the trash can again tonight. A few miles before the CG we saw a Japanese guy pulling a large trailer/cart. Stephen had told us about him and I had forgotten and was going down and was past him before I realized what I was seeing and didn't get a picture. The cart was big enough a horse could pull it. He is on his way to Fairbanks. The road was quite variable today with lots of different surfaces from good asphalt to concrete to rough chip seal. The shoulders also varied a lot. Sometimes it was mostly gravel or non existent, but most of the time it was good. Two bad things happened today at our first rest stop. There was a very steep short uphill to the parking area. I shifted into low gear and started up. My chain started skipping and I had to get off and push. Secondly, Shirley sat awkwardly in order to see over the railing. When she got up she hurt her back. She was hobbling around in camp tonight, but not real bad. None of the proposed tent sites were comfortable for her, though, and she walked real slow

Thursday, July 3, 2014	Day 33	57.5 - 1166.8	Avg: 9.3	Max: 32.5

Deadman Lake CG to 13 mi S. of Beaver Creek,YT - Snag Jct CG	$12.00 - $12.00	6:25 - 4:45	RT: 6:11:08

Shirley decided it was time to get up this morning when she saw some sun. After sitting up and starting to dress I looked at my odometer and it was only 5:00. We were out of the tent by 5:15 and off by 6:25. At first I thought I needed my jacket, but changed my mind before leaving. I was too warm in my long sleeves and tights on the uphills, but cold on the downhills. Our sun quickly disappeared, but we could see lots of blue sky behind us. After 8;30 we got a couple sun breaks. We had more hills today and we were slow. We stopped at the Tetlin Wildlife Visitor Center. The young man behind the counter was the same one that was at the Tok Visitor Center. He works at Tok one day a week. He filled our water bottles from 10 gallon cans since the water at the center is still being tested. We talked to him and a young female ranger for quite a while. We then moved on to the last little motel and gas station before Canada. I had a $4.00 cinnamon roll and Shirley had a$5.50 piece of pie. I got rid of the $2.50 in quarters I had and a $5.00 bill. There was a sign saying they needed fives and tens so I traded three tens, a five, and five ones for two twenties. After a couple miles my BOB started making weird noises and I thought I might have a flat. I removed the wheel and decided it really wasn't flat. When I tried spinning the wheel it stopped pretty quick. We oiled the hub which helped a lot. I put air in both our BOB tires. Now that my BOB wheel turns riding is much easier and I can go downhill as fast as Shirley. It took us four hours to do the 27 miles to the border. The Canadian customs was nearly 20 miles away near Beaver Creek. The road was a very rough chip seal and really slowed us down. There was a lot of uphill for the first 6 miles and that took a long time. After that it was much easier, but still rough. We stopped at a small store in Beaver Creek and bought 2 cans of mixed vegetables at $3.50 each and a can of milk at $2.95. I charged it since all we have is $24.00 Canadian. I tried to get $400.00 from an ATM in the store, but the transaction failed saying it couldn't connect to the bank. I tried the restaurant down the street, but it was closed until 4:30 and it was only 3:55. We looked at the attached CG, but it was pretty run down and we didn't want to wait to see how much it was. There was road construction out of town. We made it 4 miles on a torn up road. It was OK until the water truck would come by. We reached a red light and a sign that said wait for the pilot car. When it arrived the driver said a truck was coming to take us through the construction. The truck was almost a flat bed with about a foot high railing. The woman put a row of orange pylons (not cones, but the 3 foot high pylons) next to the railing to keep our bikes from falling out. It probably wasn't good for Shirley's back to be laying the bikes and BOBs out. She took us 7K to the end of active construction and we then had 4 more miles to the CG. We found a nice site and got set up. There are more mosquitos than the last few CGs, but not super bad. A sign says boil the water for 10 minutes, but the only water we found was the lake. We went down to the lake and took baths in our underwear. We had gotten water for cooking and filtering and had just changed out of our wet clothes when 2 women from the nearby RVs brought us a bag containing two 2 liter and four 1 liter bottles of water. They said they were from Canada and had to make us feel welcome and couldn't let us risk drinking lake water. That made life a lot easier. We gave one small bottle to a French motorcyclist who looked like he needed water. We cooked dinner and had to fight off a small red squirrel multiple times. It's already 8:30 (actually 9:30 Yukon time) and I am tired. Tomorrow I will start using Pacific time like the Yukon. Shirley's back is better, but not perfect. We stood and talked to a father and son for quite a while 1K after the customs and her back hurt after that.

Friday, July 4, 2014	Day 34	37.6 - 1204.4	Avg: 10.3	Max: 26.0

Snag Jct CG to 50 mi S. of Beaver Creek - Lake Creek CG	$12.00 - $24.00	9:10 - 3:45	3:39:29

Well, we managed to stay in bed until after 8:00 today. Of course, yesterday morning that would have been 7:00. There was what sounded like a lot of wind in the trees all night, but the tent didn't flap. It was still blowing this morning, but was mostly clear. The pesky little red squirrel from last night was back again today. He climbed all over my BOB bag, bike, and the table. I threw little rocks at him, but never hit him. Once we were done eating he disappeared just like last night. I started in my tights, long sleeves, and jacket since it seemed cold. Immediately I knew I made a mistake. After a couple miles I took my jacket and tights off. Not long after that my BOB wheel fell off. The skewer wasn't working right so we put some oil on it which helped a lot. I could at least tighten it better, but with the bad bearings it still wasn't tight. We continued riding and just before a rest area at about 7 miles it become very hard to pedal and BOB was making bad noises. The seal for the bearing is bent and half the bearings were gone. After looking at it hopelessly I went over to an RV just as they started their engine to see if I could borrow a wrench. The guy turned the engine off and they got out. He brought out a tool kit. I also got my little crescent wrench. We took the axle assembly apart and he finally got it together enough that it seemed to spin pretty good. It did still wobble quite a bit. We finally got going again and made it 4 or 5 miles before it really started making noise. Eventually we came to the White River Lodge. I stopped in and when I found the folks I asked if they had a 16 inch wheel. Unfortunately, but predictably, they didn't. However, the guy thought about it as he continued to make what looked like a noose. He then threw it over the roof of the large shed he was standing by. He decided he had some washers that might work. I went to get my little crescent wrench and discovered the RV guy must have ended up with it. Fortunately this guy had an even better wrench, but he had to go get it. He fiddled with my wheel for a while and finally ended up with 2 washers and one nut on the bad side and the 2 nuts on the good side. It works pretty good. When we asked how much he wanted he told us to decide. I was going to charge $20, but then I asked if he would rather I give him $20 US. He finally took the cash and said he was going to Alask next month. I probably underpaid him for his time. The fix worked pretty good for a few miles then it got real hard and made bad noises. We oiled the washers and it worked better, but was still hard. After a couple more miles it suddenly got easier and was quieter. We made it to the CG without any further problem. There was only one RV in the CG and we ended up camping right next to it. Shirley liked the grass in the site, and it was the only one with creek access. We took a bath in the creek in our underwear again. However, it was so cold I never got in deep enough to get my underwear wet. The bottom was also very muddy feeling. We set up the tent as it had clouded up as the day progressed and there were a few dark clouds. We treated 3 liters of water and filtered another 3. We cooked with good water. A few drops of rain fell as we cooked, but not enough to get anything wet. We are getting some smoke from the fire at the RV which was lit around 5:00. Another tent has been set up in the other side of us and 2 sort of hefty women are in that site.

Saturday, July 5, 2014	Day 35	67.9 - 1272.3	Avg:9.1	Max: 26.5

Lake Creek CG to 61 Mi N. Haines Jct - Destruction Bay RV	$20.00 - $44.00	8:45 - 6:25	RT: 7:25:27

I just said we should get up before it rained this morning when we heard the little pitty pat of rain drops. It didn't rain much. It sprinkled a few drops just as we went to bed at 10:20 and a few times during the night too. Just before we went to bed last night I heard a splash and the lady next door said come look. It was a beaver swimming upstream. After we went to bed we heard her say there was an otter and some ducks that were the prey. We talked to them for a while. They are First Nation folks. He is cutting brush along the highway. He was a bit hard to talk to since he was a bit drunk. He kept repeating his questions. When we got up we went to the kitchen for breakfast and to pack. The fly was just damp. Shortly after we left a few drops fell and it was very cloudy from the time we got up. It looked like it was raining to the North. Our long clothes felt good today. After maybe 5 miles the road turned to dirt and was rough. Of course, the pavement is not a treat either. It seemed like we climbed until we reached the Mt. Logan viewpoint at 19 miles. Of course, there was no view today. Fortunately we got pavement again for a nice downhill from the viewpoint. We stopped for a snack at the closed Kulane Wilderness Village. It has been closed for a while, but it was a nice place for a snack as we sat on a picnic table. We then had more uphill and rough pavement. There was lots of bear poop along the road, some quite large. So far no bears, though. Shirley decided she should carry the tent today to give my BOB a break. She later regretted that decision as she was very tired by the time we reached Burwash at 90K. She wanted to get a hamburger at the café, but it was closed. We then backtracked to the resort and if they had food we would camp. They also were closed, with the closed sign after we went down a hill. Shirley ate a Pop Tart and gave me the tent back and she was faster and I was slower for the final 16K to Destruction Bay. It was mostly uphill and a headwind. We had our tights off for a while today, but at the Kulane River overlook 25 K from Burwash Landing it got cold again and we put them back on. We reached Destruction Bay which has an RV park. However, the owner is very nice and lets bicyclists camp for $10 per person. He charged our fee and even added $20 and gave us cash. He complained a lot and said lots of places are closed because of the US economic problems. He said Burwash was closed because the First Nationbought it just for the land. Showers are included. The tent site isn't all that wonderful and there is no table, but it's home. After setting up the tent and taking showers we headed to the restaurant next door at 8:00 for dinner. There was also a small store so we could buy enough to get us to Haines Jct. We paid for dinner and our groceries at the store and the clerk asked if we wanted to leave a tip for the waitress. Shirley agreed to15%. It turned out we got charged 15% for the meal and groceries. When we returned to camp a couple pickups were parked clsse to us. Apparently we are in the dry camping section. The owner was upset because he had just found out someone had stolen a 100 foot heavy duty extension cord and even worse the only place he can replace it is Whitehorse which is not very close at all. Shirley's not sure she wants to do 67 miles tomorrow to get to Haines Jct. Unfortunately, the only camping between here and there is 15 or 20 miles from here. We will see tomorrow. The owner said the wind has switched to the Southeast which brings better weather. Unfortunately that means a headwind for us.

Sunday, July 6, 2014	Day 36	17.4 - 1289.7	Avg: 7.8	Max: 22.5

Destruction Bay to 50 N. Haines Jct - Cottonwood Park RV	$30.00 - $74.00	7:35 - 9:50	RT: 2:12:36

We got up at 6:30 this morning just because we were awake and we thought we might go all the way to Haines Jct. There was a good Southeast breeze which made it feel cold even though my thermometer said it was almost 60º . We got our food out of the back of the bear proof garbage can and went to the deck of the café to eat. I packed as much as I could in the tent out of the wind. I started in my long clothes plus my jacket and ear band. I didn't really feel over heated once I unzipped a bit. The jacket does catch the wind, though. We had an up and over for 7-8 miles and then a little more up. When we got to Congdon Creek CG we decided to check it out since Shirley needed a day off. We rode the 1/4 mile down to the CG only to find a closed to tents sign due to bears. Shirley went to the toilet and said there were 3 motorcycles at the kitchen and they had hung tarps over the entrance and windows. We continued on another few miles to Cottonwwod RV Park. There was a sign for cabins and Shirley decided she needed one even though the sky was clearing. Fortunately, the cabins were all rented. Camping is $30.00. We paid $20.00 Canadian and $10.00 US. There are no trash receptacles as people are expected to take it with them. However, the old laundry room is available for us to store our food and she told us where we could put our trash. There were 26 sites (A-Z) where there is no water or electricity and she allows tents in them. We looked at most of them and finally chose one with the table near the lake and a protected tent site. At first we didn't want it due to the wind, but after it cleared it was warmer so when we looked a second time we decided it was OK. We set up camp, ate a bit, washed our jerseys and went for a short hike. We were going to walk along the lake, but that was hard so we ended up just walking around the CG. I did puzzles and read all afternoon while Shirley took a nap. We can look across the lake and see the road heading up toward the first of three 3200+ summits. Around 4:30 I was getting hungry, but Shirley was looking at maps. We finally went to the store and found the prices very reasonable. A can of vegetables was only $1.25, a package of cookies was $3.00 or $4.00 depending on which price on the package was right. We bought 2 vegetables, 2 ramen, and a package of cookies for only $8.50. I had 3 ramen, a can of vegetables, a little rice, and some cookies for dinner and now feel good again. Our food is in the defunct laundry. We moved our table away from the lake for dinner to get more out of the wind and into the sun. We saw a moose walk across the highway this morning.

Monday, July 7, 2014	Day 37	71.5 - 1361.2	Avg: 9.2	Max: 28.0

Cottonwood RV to 20 mi W of Haines Jct - Otter Creek Cutoff	$15.70 + $5.25 - $89.70 + $5.25	7:45 - 6:25	RT: 7:43:40

I managed to get to bed at 9:40 last night, the earliest in a while. The sun was still shining. It blew really hard during the night and was still windy this morning although not as hard. Shirley had wanted to get an early start today, but the wind psyched her out and we didn't get out of the tent until 6:30. Since our food was already in the laundry room that's where we ate breakfast. I didn't have any milk so ate dry cereal and a Clif bar. We went back to the tent and finished packing. The wind wasn't too bad for the first few miles, but then we went around a corner heading up a bay toward the Dahl Sheep Visitor Center and directly into the wind. Those 2K were cold and slow. We stopped at the visitor center, but it wasn't open yet. We used the toilet and a young lady from Quebec said the spotting scope was pointed at some sheep. I never would have spotted them without her help. After a couple K of side wind we then had a tailwind. We took our jackets off and when I put my fender back on under the bungee my back spasmed. Fortunately, it didn't go out. I did a couple stretches and a pointer doggie. It still felt a bit off, but got better. We climbed the hill we could see from camp yesterday. It wasn't near as steep as it looked from camp. I didn't even get into my little chain ring. Shirley decided it was actually the second hill shown on the map and we had bypassed the first hill before the visitor center. Unfortunately we got a headwind again once we topped the hill. Fortunately, we had lots of mountains to look at. It was mostly cloudy, but there was some sun. Without the wind it would have been pretty easy as for the most part the hills were gentle. We stopped to eat about 20K from Haines Jct and then found we had a downhill pretty much the rest of the way. We even picked up a tailwind and sun and it really got warm. There was a bike path at the junction to Haines, AK so we got on it. At one intersection there was a sign board that said Canada Post, but no arrow on anything. I decided it was down the side street and sure enough it was. It turned out a bank agent was in an attached building. I mailed my letter to Lifewise Insurance canceling my insurance as of the end of the month. I had wanted to mail it July 3 in the US, but we weren't in an area that had a P.O. Postage was $1.20 and Shirley wanted another stamp for a postcard. I had to buy a book of 6 stamps in order to get the two I needed. The clerk might have been able to come up with enough small stamps to make up $1.20, but not two. The bank agent didn't have an ATM, but the lady could do a cash advance on my VISA card. There was no fee, but Vanguard may charge something. (Later at home I found out there was no fee from Vanguard). I got $400.00 so now we have money. We stopped at the Visitor Center located in a brand new building and from the information Shirley got she decided we should ride another 20 miles to Otter Creek Cutoff to an RV park. That way Whitehorse is only 76 miles away and we can get there tomorrow. We went to the tiny market at the gas station and found a loaf of rye bread from the bakery and some blueberries. Outside the store was a young female cyclist with a bad ankle who was hoping to get a ride to Whitehorse. We shared some blueberries with her. Fortunately, there was more downhill than uphill and the wind was variable, some headwind, some tailwind. About 5K from Otter Creek a little shower passed over. Enough to make us cover our packs, but not put on rain gear. About 2K from the RV park it quit raining. We paid for camping ($15.75) but put off showers ($5.25 each). We set the tent up, but not the fly and were just getting organized when it started raining. We threw the stuff in the tent and put the fly on. Shirley decided to pay for a shower, but I washed in the rest room. We then went to the restaurant. Shirley had a small 6 oz hamburger and a small salad. I had the Triaxle platter which was 3 eggs, 3 pieces of ham, 3 pancakes, and potatoes. The waitress said she never saw anybody eat the whole thing, but I had my doubts since I had no problem. We then bought some cookies and sunflower seeds for tomorrow plus a can of milk. We then sat in the restaurant and finished writing in the journal.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014	Day 38	77.2 - 1438.4	Avg: 9.9	Max:26.0

Otter Creek Cutoff to Whitehorse, YT - Ramada Klondike INN	$157.49 - $247.19 + $5.25	8:25 - 6:30	RT: 7:44?49

We left our food by the cash register last night. It rained lightly off and on all night. The last I heard was around 5:30. We finally started rousing ourselves sometime after 7:00. We fetched our food and I had cereal and milk. Shirley bought a cookie and some OJ. The table was dry, but the fly was quite wet. I wiped it off when we first got up and didn't take it down until after breakfast. We had a headwind for the firt 8-9 miles and then it suddenly switched to a tailwind. Around mile 18 it started raining. I got really frustrated as I hadn't covered my handlebar bag before leaving this morning and everything that could tangle or stick to something did as I tried to put the cover on and then my rain gear. We rode in our rain gear for at least 20 miles. During that time we passed a small grizzly on the side of the road. He was on the other side and a car was stopped. The driver backed up and kept his car between the bear and us as we passed. My camera was packed away due to the rain so I didn't even get a chance for a picture. We seemed to have mostly uphill for the first 40 miles. We then passed a microwave tower and we had more downhill. The uphills also seemed steeper. About 20K from Whitehorse it started raining again. We had taken our rain gear off for quite a few miles and had even gotten down to shorts and short sleeves. It was obvious it was going to rain again and we had stopped just before the rain to put the rain gear back on. It rained really hard for a couple miles and then we were through it. We took our rain jackets off, but left the rain pants and booties on. Just as we got to the Whitehorse exit it started raining again, so back to the rain jacket. In town we stopped to look at the map of Whitehorse. A guy stopped and suggested we try the Klondike Inn across the street. While talking to him another car with a female driver pulled up and the two drivers knew each other and each had been touring. The Klondike turned out to be a Ramada for $149. We tried another motel a few blocks away which was only $109, but the clerk wanted us to leave our bikes in the hall. Shirley didn't like that idea. The clerk suggested another location, but Shirley didn't like that either. We were both tired and cranky so we simply returned to the Ramada. I though Shirley had said they had a big breakfast, but after checking in I found they had no breakfast. I think Shirley said they probably have a big breakfast. By the time we showered and were ready for food it was at least 7:30. Shirley had wanted to unload the bikes and let them be stored in another room. I just wanted to wheel them in and be done with it. We were still both grouchy from being tired and hungry. We finally just wheeled them in. There is a baseball tournament in town and the teams were just returning as we were wheeling our bikes down the hall and trying to get in our room. My BOB sat down and one of the players who didn't speak English helped get it up. We decided to go to Walmart for food. We were going to ask the lady at the desk if it was a Super Walmart, but she wasn't there. Instead we asked a guy who didn't speak much English. He said it had food. As it turned out it had a very limited selection since it is not a Super Walmart. I ended up getting yogurt for dinner. Shirley made do with snacks. I feel better after eating, but I'm still cranky as I hate getting ripped off and I feel I am getting ripped off here. There is a lot of noise from the hall and other rooms and no breakfast. Several times today my back felt like it wanted to go out, starting with the first time I got into my bag on top of BOB. I had to be careful not to bend over, but to stoop. I did pointer doggy a couple times today.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014	Day 39	8.7 - 1447.1	Avg: 8.7	Max: 16.9

Whitehorse, YT - Robert Service CG	$20.00 - $267.19 + $5.25	10:00 - 5:00	RT: 0:59:22

Another screwed up day. It started fine as we got up around 7:00 to a mostly sunny day. The forecast has changed a lot since last night from 70% chance of rain to 20%. Shirley wanted to do laundry so we started a load around 9:30 in the hotel. At 10:00 I took my bike to the shop (Icycle). The 16" wheel they had felt real rough so I decided to try the other shop for that. However, they did have all the parts for a complete new drive train so I left it to be worked on. I stored BOB and bag in the back of the service area. I went back to the motel and got Shirley on the internet and we finished the laundry. After checking out Shirley rode to and I walked to the other bike shop (Cadence). They had the same 16" wheel, but it felt a little smoother and was $5 cheaper. He tried to make it better, but the design does not allow a cone wrench to be used. I also tried to get a tire. He had a cheap narrow tire and a $60 Schwalbe. I took the Schwalbe and after paying for it I noticed it was about 3 inches too big. He was real surprised and after looking it up I think he decided it was for an E-bike. He refunded my money. Now, this is where I made the big mistake. We had Shirley go off to the CG and get us a site. At first she was going to go back to Icycle and get the rest of the tent, but I said she should drop her BOB off and come back for mine as she had mentioned last night, so that's what she did. After I walked 2 blocks I realized she should have just taken the tent from my BOB since now we didn't have any way to carry food back to camp, plus I had to wait for her at Icycle for what seemed like a long time. When she arrived and I went to get my BOB the mechanic said my bike would be ready in about 10 minutes. He asked if I wanted him to work on my rear brake. After learning it would be about 15 minutes I said sure. Since they didn't have any 16" tires Shirley walked over to Walmart and bought one. By the time she got back she was hungry and cranky. We finally went to the Super Store and found it was really a big grocery with cheap prices. We should have gone there last night since it is right next to our motel. We bought food for immediate consumption and sat outside and ate. I had potato salad and Shirley had a salad which I got part of. It was then back to the CG so we could set up the tent. The guy in the office told Shirley we didn't have to worry about bears, but to watch the squirrels and to put our food in the tent. That's what we did when we went back to town. First we went to Walmart for a bungy for Shirley. She waited outside while I went in. There was a choice of a pack of 6 (3 different sized of 12, 16, and 24 inches) and a package of one 20". Shirley decided the 20" was what she needed. I bought one for her and one for me. It turned out the package had 2 in it so now we have extra bungies. I had wanted to buy a wrench at Walmart, but they didn't have any. We went to Home Hardware across from our motel. Shirley came in with me since she had gotten too hot at Walmart and kept trying to make me buy the more expensive wrench. I told her that was why I wanted to shop alone. She got mad and aid she would go back to camp and get her BOB. Fortunately, she calmed down after I apologized. We then went to the store again. We were still a little agitated with each other and at first we did our own thing. By the time we finished we were OK again. We spent $71.00. Just as we were leaving the store after packing our food in BOB the female cyclist we met in Haines Jct came out. She recognized us and stopped to talk. She had just bought some blueberries and offered some to us to pay back the ones we had given her in Haines Jct. Back at camp we found a squirrel had put a bunch of little holes in the mesh of our tent, probably with his claws. While I put my fender back on and changed wheels on BOB Shirley mended the tent. After the screw up in town she was not happy about that. It was after 7:00 by the time she was done. She then cleaned her bike a bit before eating. We hung our food in a nearby tree for the night. So far our neighbors are quiet and haven't built a fire and don't look like they will.

Thursday, July 10, 2014	Day 40	67.0 - 1514.1	Avg: 9.3	Max: 28.0

Whitehorse to 67 miles South of Whitehorse - Squanga Lake CG	$12.00 - $279.19 + $5.25	8:35 - 6:00	RT: 7:08:34

We didn't get up until 7:10. It was a beautiful sunny day. It took longer to get ready today and we didn't leave until 8:35. We started following the bike path, but it crossed the river and looped back so we backtracked to the CG to get on the road. We had a headwind once we got on the Alaska Highway. I got down to shorts and short sleeves on the hill up to the highway. It was cold for a while, but the uphills were warm. There were lots of hills around. We had a cgoice of going about 30 miles or 65 miles. We got to the shorter CG around 12:30 and decided to continue since it was a sunny day, in spite of the wind. After that there were more hills. When we went by Marsh Lake there was nothing to block the wind. We were glad when we got back to more hills which had some vegetation. We knew at Jakes Corner we turned 90º and it would be easier. We stopped there and sat at the permanently closed restaurant on some old chairs at a table. The last 25K into Squanga Lake were more down than up and had a tailwind. There were only a couple of people camped at the CG and only a couple more have arrived since we got here. After selecting our site we took a bath in the lake with our underwear on. We changed on the dock afterwards. By the time we got the tent set up and water filtered it was 7:30 or 8:00. At least there was a water pump for a change although a sign said the water should be boiled. We were just finishing dinner when the Swedish rider we saw in Tok arrived. We invited him to join us. He carries a lot of food including a jar of mayo, eggs, canned food, etc. He is the guy headed for Tierra Del Fuego. His name is something similar to Daniel. We also talked to a motorcyclist from Paraguay. He will leave his motorcycle with a friend in San Francisco and fly home. There are a couple of small bear boxes in the CG which we used.

Friday, July 11, 2014	Day 41	36.1 - 1550.2	Avg: 9.1	Max: 29.5

Squanga Lake CG to Teslin Lake CG	$12.00 - $291.19 + $5.25	9:00 - 2:20	RT: 3:57:35

We got up to a sunny morning at 7:35. Shirley wasn't quite ready to get up since it was at least 10:45 when we went to bed last night, but it's a good thing we did if we wanted to see sun since by 9:00 when we left it was cloudy. Unfortunately, we had put on sun screen. Daniel was still eating when we left. There was a headwind and the first little downhill was cold. We warmed up quickly on the uphill and took our tights off. We then had some downhill and flat and I got cold. I would warm up on the uphills. We stopped at the start of the Canol Road after 13 miles and had a snack at the display. It was looking like it might rain so I covered my packs and dug out my rain gear which I had packed away in BOB. That seemed to take a long time. We made it another 7-8 miles before it started raining. Once we put our rain gear on it was just ride to the CG. It rained lightly for a few miles and then was just dripping a bit. The road even dried out a little at times. We turned into the CG to eat at the covered kitchen. We weren't here that long when Daniel showed up. He said he saw a bear run across the road just as he was leaving the Canol Road. He unpacked his stove and cooked pasta and added canned chicken and spices. He planned to go on another 30-40K. We finally decided we were going to stay here since it was 2:30 when we arrived. We left to set up camp while Daniel was still eating. We set up the tent and put our stuff inside. There are a couple food lockers at the kitchen again so we put our food in one. We then followed a trail to the lake. For the first time this trip it was secluded and we could jump in naked. After that we paid and walked around the camp looking for the supposed hiking. We didn't find any so we prepared water. We filtered water into our water bottles and treated 2 - 2.5 liters. Once again there was a pump with a sign that said the water should be boiled. We were just starting to get ready for dinner when it started sprinkling so we moved to the kitchen. We cooked with untreated water. Between the time we set up camp and dinner Shirley actually drank a liter of lemonade. It sprinkled again after dinner, but not enough to get anything wet.

Saturday, July 12, 2014	Day 42	34.1 - 1584.3	Avg: 8.8	Max: 29.0

Teslin Lake CG to Morley River Picnic Area	Free - $291.19 + $5.25	8:20 - 1:40	RT: 3:50:54

We got up to another sunny morning, but like yesterday it clouded up before we left at 8:20. We put sun screen on our faces since it wasn't a real heavy cloud cover. The wind was variable from headwind to tailwind from light to strong. We had more up and down along Teslin Lake until we reached Teslin after 9 1/2 miles. We stopped at the trading post which was an OK little store. We bought a 1 Kg loaf of rye bread plus our normal canned vegetables, ramen, and milk. Shirley also bought a small nanaimo bar for $2.00. The clerk dropped one of our apples when she was weighing them and was just going to put it back on the scale. Shirley said she would replace it and got another one. We had $21.00 in change and I asked for two tens. The clerk said they were short on tens. Shirley asked for four fives since we needed camping fees. The clerk reluctantly gave them to us. We never saw the clerk smile even a little bit and she was a bit surly. She was quite young and looked like she would rather be anywhere but in the store. Outside the store we met a woman with an 18 month old girl from Quebec who had stayed at the motel across the street last night and is traveling by bicycle to Argentina along with her husband. The longest bridge on the Alaska Highway crosses the river at Teslin. It had a metal decking which seemed to take a lot of energy. Then there was a steep hill climbing up from the river for 2-3 miles. After that we had a bit of downhill. Then the long gradual ups and downs began again with some of the ups being steep enough for low gear. We stopped for a break and just as we were leaving another cyclist came along. He is from Connecticut and left last November or December to ride the perimeter, first to Florida, then to California, then to Washington. He caught a ferry to Skagway from Port Harding we think. He left Skagway on Thursday. He tried riding with us for a while, but he is young and only has rear panniers and we were too slow so he left us. When we got to the Morley River picnic area where we had planned to camp he was just getting ready to leave. Actually we were planning to camp at a BCFS CG just before the picnic area, but didn't see it. After looking around we took a slightly more buggy site that is more secluded. There is a water pump, but no handle. It looks like the wood handle broke. We tried pumping without a handle and with sticks across the handle that was left, but it was too hard and we didn't know if the pump really worked, so we quit. We finally decided to get water and bathe in the river. By the time we did that it was 3:40. The bath was another secluded jump in naked bath. We went to a windy table to write in our journals and read, but around 4:00 it started dripping. We came back to the tent to put everything inside including my sleeping bag which was airing on the outside of the tent. We also put the fly on. We were going to sit outside under a tree, but it was too buggy. It stopped dripping so Shirley headed back to the windy table. I stayed in our camp and when it started raining again I got in the tent. It gradually rained a little harder. About 5:05 it quit raining and the sun came out a bit. Shirley sat out the rain in the wood shed. A guy in a pickup came by and after making sure Shirley was OK wanted to know if she had cell reception. He said his boat was adrift and had already gone across the lake and started down the river. The couple from Quebec arrived here while it was raining and looked very tired. Like us, the Quebec couple had expected a CG with a covered kitchen shelter. We ate dinner after the rain and then sat at a windier table than ours. My back tried to go out at one of our stops today. I had to pause what I was doing 2 or 3 times. Finally, I stood very straight and it seemed to pop back in place.

Sunday, July 13, 2014	Day 43	64.4 - 1648.7	Avg: 10.2	Max: 39.0

Morley River Picnic Area to Rancheria Lodge, YT	$10.00 - $301.19 + $5.25	7:50 - 4:50	RT: 6:12:05

It never rained any more last night and we awoke to partly cloudy skies. I saw a full or near full moon when I got up to pee around 5:00 this morning. The mosquitos were out and it was 60º when we left. Shirley started in long sleeves, I had on tights and long sleeves. I took the tights off after a few miles and shouldn't have started with them. Less than a mile from camp we saw the road into the BCFS CG we though was before the Morley River picnic area. I pumped up the tires last night and now my new BOB tire rubs the fender. After stopping twice I decided it was just the hair like projections hitting, but it is annoying. The road continued its up and down with many low range hills. We had a tailwind all day and at times fairly strong. At one point I thought we might get a shower, but we got past it and into bluer skies. The temperature got up to 80º. From the permanently closed Swift River Lodge we had 10 miles to the continental divide between the Pacific and Arctic oceans. We thought it might be all up hill. There was a short and not too steep up, some flat, and then a 1.5 to 2 steeper uphill to the closed Continental Divide Lodge. After that it was practically all downhill to the Continental Divide and then to Rancheria. Since the Continental Divide Lodge was closed we asked an old couple going the other way and who were stopped at the Continental Divide Rest Area if the next lodge (Rancheria) was open. They siad they thought they would have noticed if it was closed. We continued to Rancheria Falls and did a short 1/3 mile hike, half on boardwalk to a 10-15 foot falls. We then sat in the picnic shelter and ate. Not long after leaving we met 2 cyclist headed the other way. They said Rancheria was definitely open. They also said they have had headwinds for 6 days and today was the coolest. What a difference from us. We also have had headwinds, but this is by far the warmest day. Rancheria Lodge looks run down, but the CG itself is nice. The rest rooms, however, are in sad shape. The showers are broken and the entire mens rest room is closed. The lady said to come back to the lodge after we got set up and we could showers in one of the motel rooms. While setting up the tent a squirrel got to the loaf of bread on the table and ate quite a bit before Shirley noticed it. Of course, he nibbled on 6-8 slices instead of just eating one. I repackaged it and later cut off where he chewed. We hung our food so it is squirrel proof, but not bear proof since the trash cans are just 55 gallon drums. It was then off to shower. We were let into a room and Ishowered while Shirley washed clothes and then I shaved while Shiley showered. The mosquitos are pretty bad so we had dinner at a table by the river in the open where the breeze made the mosquitos a little better. We filled our water bottles from the sink in the rest room so we hope it is potable. My Kindle battery needed charging so I charged it in the mens rest room while we ate and later I worked on my BOB wheel hoping to get it quiet, but there were too many mosquitos. I pulled some of the hairs off and oiled the bearings, but it is just as noisy.

Monday, July 14, 2014	Day 44	60.1 - 1708.8	Avg: 10.7	Max: 31.0

Rancheria Lodge to Nugget City RV	$24.20 - $325.19 + $5.25	9:05 - 4:05	RT:4:37:04

There were lots of mosquitos on the tent this morning and in camp so we decided to pack and go eat at the restaurant.

Day	Date	Miles	Total	C/M	Cost	Total	City/Accommodation

1	04/18/13	C	Free	$0.00	Mosier, OR - Ken and Joan's house

2	04/19/13	M	$45.00	$45.00	Grants Pass, OR - Bestway Inn

3	04/20/13	C	$17.00	$62.00	10 Miles East of Crescent City, CA - Redwoods NP/SP - Jedidiah Smith CG

4	04/21/13	C	$18.50	$80.50	3 Miles North of Orick, CA - Redwoods NP/SP - Elk Prairie CG

5	04/22/13	18.5	18.5	C	$18.00	$98.50	3 Miles North of Orick, CA - Redwoods NP/SP - Elk Prairie CG

6	04/23/13	C	$9.00	$107.50	35 Miles North of Eureka, CA - Big Lagoon County Park CG

7	04/24/13	70.9	89.4	C	Free	$107.50	80 Miles West of Red Bluff, CA - Hell Gate NF CG

8	04/25/13	31.4	120.8	C	$9.00	$116.50	Red Bluff, CA - Sycamore Grove NF CG

9	04/26/13	C	$11.00	$127.50	3 Miles from Valley Springs, CA - New Hogan Lake - Acorn CG

10	04/27/13	54.3	175.1	C	$11.00	$138.50	3 Miles from Valley Springs, CA - New Hogan Lake - Acorn CG

11	04/28/13	70.3	245.4	C	$9.00	$147.50	3 Miles from Valley Springs, CA - New Hogan Lake - Acorn CG

12	04/29/13	C	$5.00	$152.50	Yosemite Valley - Camp 4

13	04/30/13	C	$5.00	$157.50	Yosemite Valley - Camp 4

14	05/01/13	C	$5.00	$162.50	Yosemite Valley - Camp 4

15	05/02/13	C	$5.00	$167.50	Yosemite Valley - Camp 4

16	05/03/13	C	$5.00	$172.50	Yosemite Valley - Camp 4

17	05/04/13	36.2	281.6	C	$5.00	$177.50	Yosemite Valley - Camp 4

18	05/05/13	C	$10.00	$187.50	25 Miles North of Fresno, CA - Hensley Lake CG

19	05/06/13	50.7	332.3	C	$10.00	$197.50	25 Miles North of Fresno, CA - Hensley Lake CG

20	05/07/13	55.4	387.7	C	$10.00	$207.50	25 Miles North of Fresno, CA - Hensley Lake CG

21	05/08/13	25.4	413.1	C	$10.00	$217.50	31 Miles East of Fresno, CA - Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG

22	05/09/13	53.4	466.5	C	$10.00	$227.50	31 Miles East of Fresno, CA - Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG

23	05/10/13	51.8	518.3	C	$10.00	$237.50	31 Miles East of Fresno, CA - Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG

24	05/11/13	50.0	568.3	C	$10.00	$247.50	31 Miles East of Fresno, CA - Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG

25	05/12/13	C	$9.00	$256.50	Kings Canyon NP - Azalea CG

26	05/13/13	C	$9.00	$265.50	Kings Canyon NP - Azalea CG

27	05/14/13	42.8	611.1	C	$9.00	$274.50	Kings Canyon NP - Azalea CG

28	05/15/13	27.4	638.5	C	$9.00	$283.50	Kings Canyon NP - Azalea CG

29	05/16/13	C	$10.00	$293.50	Sequoia NP - Lodgepole CG

30	05/17/13	C	$10.00	$303.50	Sequoia NP - Lodgepole CG

31	05/18/13	C	$10.00	$313.50	Sequoia NP - Lodgepole CG

32	05/19/13	C	$10.00	$323.50	Sequoia NP - Lodgepole CG

33	05/20/13	C	$10.00	$333.50	Sequoia NP - Lodgepole CG

34	05/21/13	C	$10.00	$343.50	5 Miles East of Lemon Cove, CA - Wakeah Lake - Horse Creek CG

35	05/22/13	41.0	679.5	C	$10.00	$353.50	5 Miles East of Lemon Cove, CA - Wakeah Lake - Horse Creek CG

36	05/23/13	C	$11.00	$364.50	7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA - Sequoia NF - Hobo CG

37	05/24/13	51.0	730.5	C	$11.00	$375.50	7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA - Sequoia NF - Hobo CG

38	05/25/13	46.1	776.6	C	$11.00	$386.50	7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA - Sequoia NF - Hobo CG

39	05/26/13	8.3	784.9	C	$11.00	$397.50	7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA - Sequoia NF - Hobo CG

40	05/27/13	C	Free	$397.50	24 Miles West of Lone Pine, CA - Inyo NF - Horseshoe Meadows CG

41	05/28/13	C	Free	$397.50	24 Miles West of Lone Pine, CA - Inyo NF - Horseshoe Meadows CG

42	05/29/13	C	$28.00	$425.50	5 Miles South of Bishop, CA - Keough Hot Springs

43	05/30/13	60.2	845.1	C	$10.00	$435.50	35 Miles North of Bishop, CA - Convict Lake NF CG

44	05/31/13	C	$10.00	$445.50	35 Miles North of Bishop, CA - Convict Lake NF CG

45	06/01/13	34.9	880.0	C	$14.00	$459.50	50 Miles South of Winnemucca, NV - Rye Patch Rec Area

46	06/02/13	C	$20.00	$479.50	Council, ID - Hodges RV Park

47	06/03/13	35.6	915.6	C	$4.00	$483.50	50 Miles West of Lolo, MT - Wilderness Gateway NF CG

48	06/04/13	C	$4.00	$487.50	50 Miles West of Lolo, MT - Wilderness Gateway NF CG

49	06/05/13	70.5	986.1	C	$5.00	$492.50	16 Miles West of Lolo, MT - Lolo Creek NF CG

50	06/06/13	C	Free	$492.50	Missoula, MT - Anne Well's Apartment

51	06/07/13	24.8	1010.9	C	$18.00	$510.50	Cataldo, ID - Khanderosa RV Park

52	06/08/13	78.8	1089.7	C	$8.00	$518.50	7 Miles NW of Enasville (Kingston), ID - Bumble Bee NF CG

53	06/09/13	Leavenworth, WA - Home

Thursday, April 18, 2013	Day 1

Mosier, OR	Ken and Joan's house	Free

We started a trip today 12 frustrating days after we had planned to leave while waiting for new lenses for my sunglasses which should have been ready before the 1st. We are doing a car trip with our biking and hiking gear and will do day rides and hikes. It took us 5 hours to drive to Mosier as we, especially me, took it slow. We got there shortly after 2:00. Ken has gotten even fatter, which is not good since he was already way too fat.

Friday, April 19, 2013	Day 2

Grants Pass, OR	Bestway Inn	$45.00

I got up at 6:00 this morning after going to bed at 9:30 last night. Ken was up about 6:45 and Shirley a little after 7:00. We (Shirley and me) finally ate breakfast consisting of the cereal we brought and were off around 8:30 I would guess. It was raining lightly and rained off and on hard and light and not at all, all day long. We stopped at several rest areas along the way and I drove slowly (60 MPH) when I drove. We had to get gas in Cresswell and had to pay 35¢ for using a debit card. It was getting sunny by the time we got to Grants Pass around 2:45, but Shirley had long ago decided we were staying in a motel since the nearest CG was another 80 miles. We got a nice room for $45 total. We walked to the store which was about 3-4 blocks and later to a Subway which was at least 1/2 mile. It was 67º when we arrived, but a bit breezy and 68º when we went to Subway. Since we haven't been doing anything we only got a 6 inch sub each.

Saturday, April 20, 2013	Day 3

10 Miles East of Crescent City, CA	Redwoods NP/SP - Jedidiah Smith CG	$17.00

Breakfast at our motel wasn't until 7:00 so we slept in until 6:55. Since we haven't done anything yet I only had one waffle and one bowl of cereal. Shirley had a bowl of cereal with some nuts and fruit added. We may have been off around 8:30. We stopped in Gasquet, CA at a NF ranger station. It was closed, but there was a 6 mile round trip hike up the French Hill Trail across the road, so we did that. It was a nice little hike. We continued on to the Redwoods NP/SP and Shirley was very disappointed to find the Visitor Center still closed for winter. She had hoped to get hiking info. We pulled into Jedidiah Smith CG which is the SP CG within the NP. We finally took a site with a river view even though it has close neighbors on both sides. Personally, I would have chosen another site further away from the river. Most of the trails are across the river and are accessed by a seasonal bridge from the CG which has not been put up yet. We decided to do one across the highway, but missed the TH and then decided to keep walking across the highway bridge over the river to a TH. It was 1/2 to 3/4 mile and wasn't especially pleasant. The trail was nice and goes by lots of big trees. We walked down as far as the seasonal bridge that is missing, about 2.1 miles. We then had to come back the same way. One of our neighbors is a couple of young guys and a woman with a smoky fire which mostly is missing us. They got to talking to their neighbors and are noisy at times. Our other neighbors haven't come home yet. One good thing is that the SP has started accepting the federal Senior Pass so what we thought would be a $35 CG is only $17. Showers are 50¢, but neither of us took one. Shirley washed off in the restroom. Our first hike had several madrone trees which are very red and pretty.

Sunday, April 21, 2013	Day 4

3 Miles North of Orick, CA	Redwoods NP/SP - Elk Prairie CG	$17.50 + $1.00

We didn't get up until about 7:15. Our neighbors had quieted down by the time we went to bed and they went to bed shortly after we did. Our other neighbors came home some time later and I first heard them when I got up to pee. It wasn't too cold this morning, at least I didn't hurt. We ate and packed and were off some time between 8:30 and 9:00. We stopped at the Visitor Center in Crescent City and Shirley was glad to get hiking info. The guy suggested a trip to the Klamath River overlook for possible whale sightings. We drove the 2-3 miles off the highway to the parking area and found fog on the trail and ocean. We hiked the 1/2 mile to the overlook and were mostly in the sun, but could only see a few feet of ocean. No whales. We then drove to Elk Prairie CG where some trails start. We got in around noon and by the time we ate and started our 12-14 mile hike it was 12:30. I think by the time we actually got to the TH it was 12:50. We followed the Thomas Irvine Trail to the Fern Canyon Loop Trail and saw lots of big trees and flowers including lots of trilliums. We messed up at the end of the Fern Canyon Trail and ended up going 1/2 mile or so North on the Coastal Trail. We had missed an unmarked stream crossing to the parking lot. Supposedly, the Coastal Trail headed South from the parking lot, after heading out to the shore. We headed toward the ocean, but found a stream in our way and finally bushwhacked through some very pointy and sharp evergreen trees and walked the road to the Miners Ridge Trail which we had planned to take back to the Thomas Irvine Trail anyway. About .3 miles from the Visitor Center a sign said CG to the right in 1.2 miles. We followed it up and down to a seasonal bridge which wasn't there. Shirley took her boots off and waded across. I had my boots off and was going to follow, but when she went in to her crotch I decided to put my boots back on and back track to the Visitor Center. I was a bit behind Shirley and she had the tent halfway up by the time I got back to camp. She had also changed her wet clothes. We took 50 cent showers tonight, Shirley before dinner and me after dinner.

Monday, April 22, 2013	Day 5	18.5 - 18.5 miles

3 Miles North of Orick, CA	Redwoods NP/SP - Elk Prairie CG	$17.50 + $0.50

Thee was heavy dew and some fog this morning. We didn't get up until 7:45. Our site wasn't as sunny as hoped as a bush / tree blocked the sun. We ended up going to the next site which is a handicap site for breakfast. About 11:00 we went for a short 4-5 mile hike. We passed the H/B sites and talked to a couple from Seattle who drove to Crescent City and started biking from there. It took them 3 days to do the 40-50 miles to here. They have very heavy bikes and carry a lot of stuff including chairs, heavy pans, umbrella, and a machete. And I thought I traveled heavy. We went as far as Big Tree which is a pretty good size tree, but maybe not all that much bigger than some of the others. Neither of us felt like a long hike. This afternoon we got the bikes out and rode back North up the hill we drove down yesterday. It felt quite warm until we started down the other side. We went out to a dead end, at least for cars, to the Coastal Trail. We could have continued on an old unpaved road, but didn't. We put long sleeves on coming back and it was still cold. We got back to camp around 4:00. Shirley took a shower, but I washed and shaved in the sink since there is hot water. Showers cost 50¢.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013	Day 6

35 Miles North of Eureka, CA	Big Lagoon County Park CG	$9.00

It felt a little colder last night and I eventually put my light long sleeve shirt on. Before going to bed an RV in the open area near us had a smoky fire and really filled the valley with smoke. Fortunately, the breeze kept it mostly away from us. There was just a little fog in the field when we got up at 7:20 this morning. We emptied the tent and took it to the sunny handicapped site to dry. We once again ate breakfast there as well. We weren't in any hurry as we waited for the tent to dry. We were off somewhere around 9:30. We drove the 3-4 miles to Orick, hoping there would be some sort of market. To our surprise there was a fairly good little market. We got fruit and bagels and even some cereal for Shirley. It only cost $15.14 which was less than I thought it would be. We then drove to Big Lagoon County Park which was maybe another 20 miles. We got a site right on the Lagoon which I may regret come morning, although none of the sites are very far away. Our site looks like it might get some sun in the morning, although not super early. Our tent is under a thick bush / tree and the table is in the open by the water. After setting up camp and eating a little we walked to the spit that forms the lagoon. It was quite cold and windy and we eventually put on all our heavy clothes. There are agates on the beach and several people were searching for them. We asked one guy what they looked like and he showed us some he had gathered. As we walked we picked up some rocks which may or may not have been agates. They are now sitting in the car by the shifter. We got there after high tide and it was receding. It was quite cold and windy back in camp and we sat in the car reading until 6:30. We then went to cook behind the restroom which was quite pleasant as it was out of the wind and partially in the sun. The sun went down shortly after 8:00 and a full or nearly full moon came up.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013	Day 7	70.9 - 89.4 miles

80 Miles West of Red Bluff, CA	Hell Gate NF CG	Free

It was a little cool this morning, but we didn't get up until the sun was shining through the trees so it was much warmer than last night, especially since the wind was calm. We drove to Eureka and found a gas station and then a store. Shirley decided we only needed enough for the day and we should stop in Red Bluff for a store again. I bought enough for a couple days anyway. Either at the gas station or store I managed to lose one of my lightweight gloves that I had put in my pocket. Darn! We then drove to Hwy 36 and Shirley started riding at Hyderville. We agreed I would park the car at the Mad Rive Ranger Station some 45 miles away unless it got hard and I would ride from there. At around 20 miles there was a 2 mile 10% grade and then a lot more uphill before heading downhill. At 36 miles I thought the road was starting up again so I parked the car and started riding about 7.5 miles early. I thought Shirley would be tired. It turned out it was easy riding from where I parked to the Ranger Station. I thought about returning to the car and driving to the station, but decided it was too much effort. How I wish I had. After the Ranger Station I had a couple miles steep up and a couple down before an 8 mile up to 4077 feet. The map had said it would be 7077. It was then a nice 8 mile downhill before another long climb. When I stopped to eat there were pine cones bigger than a pineapple. I had a short 2 mile downhill and a few more up. By now it was almost 5:00 and I decided I better head back since Shirley hadn't arrived yet. I quickly ran ut of water and still had 30 miles to go. The 8 mile uphill back to 4077 took forever. Fortunately there was a young couple on top and they gave me some water. I was really parched by then. I finally got back to Dinsmore, 2 miles from where I left the car around 8:15, and there was a highway patrol car and Shirley. She had ridden past the car and didn't see it. She rode to the Ranger Station and over the first hill and down the next before returning to Dinsmore. She had no idea where the car was and with a lot of trouble got the highway patrol to come out from Eureka. After I arrived he drove Shirley back to the car after telling me to stay at the store and she returned to the store with the car. By the time we got loaded and left the store it was getting fairly dark. We drove 20 miles or so to Forest Glen and pulled into the closed Hell Gate NF CG. We parked at the gate, which was well off the highway and ended up camping in the picnic area which was right at the gate. We got water out of a stream running through the CG. I cooked dinner and Shirley took a bath in the stream and then had tea and a cold meal. By the time we got done and ready for bed it was after 10:00. At least the CG was quiet and there wasn't any smoke. It helped that there was a full moon so we could see what we were doing.

Thursday, April 25, 2013	Day 8	31.4 - 120.8 miles

Red Bluff, CA	Sycamore Grove NF CG	$8.00 + $1.00

It got a bit chilly last night after being quite warm when we went to bed. We didn't get up until after 8:00 and the sun was in camp. It didn't feel that bad until I would take my gloves off to do something and my hands would get cold. We drove to where I turned around yesterday and I started riding. Shirley drove 21 miles and parked and started riding. I had some nice downhills and the uphills were much shorter today. I had a 3 mile 7% downhill to the car. Since it was only 21 miles I rode back up the hill and rode down it again. I then rode 1.5 miles uphill the way Shirley went and back to get 31 miles. I caught Shirley about 5 miles from I-5 and she decided to ride the rest of the way. We drove into Red Bluff and found a store about 1 mile past our turn to the CG. We stocked up and then drove to the CG which is about 3 miles out of town. Since it's federal we got it for half price at $8.00 plus 50 cent each for showers. Since it was only a little after 4:00 we did a little laundry while showering. It's very warm and dry so things are drying pretty good. Unfortunately, about dinner time mosquitos came out. Just enough to be annoying. They finally died down after dark.

Friday, April 26, 2013	Day 9

3 Miles from Valley Springs, CA	New Hogan Lake - Acorn CG	$10.00 + $1.00

When we got up this morning the faucet near our camp was bungied on. I turned it off, but then we noticed all the faucets were running so I turned it back on. Just before we left a ranger came by to turn the faucets off. I asked why they did that and he said they do it the last Friday of every month to flush the system before having the water tested. It was warm last night and we got up early and were out of the tent at 7:30. We decided to drive a couple hundred miles to New Hogan Lake, the nearest CG Shirley knew was open. We had to drive through Sacramento which was a real treat. Shirley did good navigation and we made it through and on to Hwy 88. Still heavy traffic, but fewer lanes. We stopped for gas and a store in Elk Grove. We saw a Sam's Club and stopped in. We discovered it is like Costco. Shirley got a free one day pass, but like Costco only large quantities were available so we left without getting anything. We got gas and asked for a store and there was one close by on the other side of the highway. It turned out to be a good store with the best prices we've seen in California. Shirley drove from there. I messed up navigating in Valley Springs because our turn was quicker than I thought and I had Shirley go the wrong way. We finally turned around and came back. Shirley then missed the turn and we had to turn around again. Only this time it was after 200 feet, not 5 miles. The guy checking us in at the Corp of Engineers CG had trouble getting us checked in. Then the Senior Pass discount wasn't applied. He finally said if I was paying cash we didn't have to wait for him to get it fixed, so I did, leaving me with only $6.00. Most of the sites are not made for tents, or at least not flat. We found one right next to the check in booth, but decided against that. We found another site further down with a lake view. We went for a walk toward the dam on a trail well above the lake before setting up the tent. Back in camp the mosquitos came out as we set up the tent. Worse than last night. We cooked at our site, but ate at another. Unfortunately, the mosquitos came out there as well before we were done. Fortunately, like last night, when it got dark they disappeared. A group of 6 people moved in to the two sites across the way. For a while they were playing music. That stopped around 9:00 so maybe there are quiet hours. Now they just talk and laugh loud at times and we occasionally get their smoke. Fortunately, they are using the site farthest from us. The two sites on either side of us are reserved, but as of 9:20 no one has arrived.

Saturday, April 27, 2013	Day 10	54.3 - 175.1 miles

3 Miles from Valley Springs, CA	New Hogan Lake - Acorn CG	$10.00 + $1.00

It was fairly warm last night although I did feel a little cold just before daybreak. We got up a little after 7:00. Not bad since the folks across the way were noisy until at least 11:00. We were off on a bike ride at 8:30. We took Hwy 12 to San Andreas with a couple miles on a quiet Double Springs Road. We then took Pool Station Road which was quiet, but hilly. After a brief 1/2 mile on Hwy 4 we turned onto a very quiet, but very bumpy road. There were patches on patches. We could see Salt Spring Valley Reservoir way below us and we eventually went along the South Shore. There were a couple miles of smooth pavement along the reservoir and really good pavement for about 1/2 mile down a hill through a canyon. We got on Milton Road which was a good road with not too much traffic. We turned onto Baldwin Road and started up again. We were supposed to turn onto an unnamed road according to our map, but there were lots of roads. We stopped at a road where I saw an arrow on the road, but Shirley thought our turn was further along. We saw a police car a couple hundred feet away and went to ask. Unfortunately, he wasn't local and was there as part of a manhunt. Shirley really didn't want to take the side road then so we continued on down to Hwy 26 which is busy and we didn't really want. We decided to ride it anyway. When we got to where we could get off of it Shirley didn't want to because of the manhunt and the police helicopter flying overhead. After another mile or so we came to a wide shoulder, which ended at a road called Vista Del Lago. Shirley wouldn't turn without asking so we stopped in a little shopping center. Indeed, the road came out very close to where we turned around on our hike yesterday. We got back to camp at 2:50. The neighbors on either side of us still haven't arrived. Unfortunately, the noisy folks across the road were in camp. We ate some more and then I took a shower while it was still dry. It was sort of warm in camp until the sun finally went behind the trees around 4:30-5:00. The mosquitos weren't out yet so I decided to eat. Shirley only had a can of vegetables and some nuts. The mosquitos finally came out around 6:15, but every once in a while a breeze blew them away. The noisy group plays music now and then as does a couple of guys further down. At about Milton today my allergies were really bad. Back in camp I finally took a pill.

Sunday, April 28, 2013	Day 11	70.3 - 245.4 miles

3 Miles from Valley Springs, CA	New Hogan Lake - Acorn CG	$8.00 + $1.00

We decided to stay here another day and do a bike ride. First, though, we decided to move one site further away from the noisy group so we loaded our stuff in the car and drove it one site over and carried the tent. Shirley walked the two bikes while I drove the car. By the time we left on our bike ride it was 9:30. We rode to Valley Springs and then toward the North Shore of Comanche Reservoir. We had lots of hills and saw lots of cyclists going the other way. Eventually we came to a water station and learned it was an annual ride put on by the San Joaquin bicycle Coalition. There was a 50K and 100K option starting from Lodi. Our ride got easier after leaving the water station. We were going to go through Stockwood, but decided our ride was getting too long and turned earlier than planned. It was good since traffic was picking up on Liberty Road which we were on. Heading South we had a good tailwind and good pavement. We went by what were apparently nut trees (maybe walnut) as we passed a nut processing facility. It was getting hot by the time we headed East and a bit uphill, but it was easy riding. We encountered 1.1 miles of gravel road which was smoother than the bumpy road yesterday. There were very few trees and twice we ate in someone's driveway. We ended up on Hwy 26 for about 4 miles with half of it having a good shoulder. When we got to Baldwin St. where we came down yesterday Shirley was hot and tired so we stopped at a realtor for water. We were going to go up Baldwin to the road we missed yesterday, but after looking at a map from the realtor we found a road paralleling Hwy 26 to Silver Falls Road, the road that goes to Hogan Dam. It was very good and gentle. Silver Falls wasn't too bad. We came to the dam and had to ride to the top. Fortunately it was graded well. We stopped at a restroom and the hand dryers kept turning on by themselves even when nobody was in the restroom. We finally made it back to camp about 5:00. We did laundry before Shirley drove to the store in Valley Springs, mainly for frozen vegetables. I took a shower while waiting. We ate when she came back and then Shirley took a shower. The noisy group was not in camp when we got back from our ride. One tent has disappeared, but another car has appeared. I hope we don't wish we had moved further away. At least the guys a little further down who played loud music left today, as did most everybody else. Camping is only $16 ($8 for seniors) since it is not Friday or Saturday. My allergies started up during our ride again today and once again I took a pill around 6:00.

Monday, April 29, 2013	Day 12

Yosemite Valley	Camp 4	$5.00

It was very quiet in camp last night. I think half the noisy group had gone home and we were further from the rest. We got up around 7:15 or 7;30. Shirley made it to the restroom just before the cleaners arrived, but they were already cleaning by the time I got there. I waited a long time, but about the time the hose came out to get everything wet I decided to drive to another restroom. I passed the cleaners on the way back. When we left this morning we had planned to go to Hensley Lake. Partway there Shirley suggested we got to Yosemite instead. We stopped in Sonora and bought $50.00 worth of food so we can stay for 3 or 4 days if desired. We drove to the Northern entrance over a winding and hilly road. It was then another 20 miles to Yosemite Valley. We went to the Visitor Center where a lady suggested a couple hikes. We also learned the only camping available was at Camp, the walk in camp since all the others are reservable and full. The ranger was kind and put us in one of the closer sites along with a German couple. The other two tent sites in our group of 4 are empty. There are new one bear box per tent site instead of one per group of 4 as last time we were here. After getting camp set up we walked over to the Four Mile Trail once we found out from the bus driver how to get there. It was only open for 2.8 miles which is why we chose it since we didn't get started until 3:00. We met several people who went beyond the closure and said there was no problem. It took us 2 hours to get to the closure and only 1 hour to get back down. We made it back to camp and after a bucket bath we had dinner and talked to the German couple. By the time we were done and put everything away it was pretty dark and it was only 8:00.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013	Day 13

Yosemite Valley	Camp 4	$5.00

It was surprisingly warm last night since we are at 4000 feet and this morning I didn't even put on my gloves, although I did put on my other warm clothes. The German couple left this morning to head to the Sequoias. We finally decided to hike up Four Mile Trail again and go past the closure to Glacier Point. It only took us 1:50 to get to the barricade today and 3 hours to get to the top. The views from there were worth repeating the part we did yesterday. We could see from Yosemite Falls to Half Dome and Clouds Rest that we hiked over last time we her and then around South. Quite a view. Just before we reached the top we passed a group of perhaps 10-12 CCC workers cleaning up the trail. There was also a little snow on the trail maybe 1/2 mile from the top. Actually, it was on half the trail and we didn't have to walk in any. One spot had obviously been shoveled. There was one other couple on top when we got there and 4 or 5 before we left. We passed a few more on the way down along with the work crew. We got back to the TH about 10 minutes later than we started yesterday. Back at camp we decided to pay for one more night and stay again tomorrow. We have new neighbors including 4 REI workers (2 couples) and a dog. At least 2 of them smoke. There is another tent but no one has seen the owner yet. There seems to be a lot more people tonight as almost every campsite has the allotted four tents while last night most only had two. The 4 people in our site are unfortunately building a fire so we are sitting on a rock a little above the camp. An oriental looking couple were taking a long time trying to set up their tent. I finally asked if they needed help and they said no. One of the REI guys then just went over and helped since they were not close to getting it right. In the camp next to us a guy started playing his guitar and singing very loudly. After we went to bed he sounded like a preacher. Apparently he had drunk a lot of whiskey.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013	Day 14

Yosemite Valley	Camp 4	$5.00

The guitar player played a little bit this morning, but much more quietly. Fortunately, he packed up and left. We decided to do the Yosemite Falls Trail today and were on the trail right out of Camp 4 at 8:30. Getting to the falls wasn't too bad, but there were stone stairs and cascades. Near the falls the trail went downhill and then level over to the falls. The views were spectacular and there was just a little mist. We were in the shaded trees most of the way. After the falls the trail got much rockier and wet and was in the sun. I wished I had my sweat band. We followed another 60+ old woman to the top of the falls and she told us to be sure to go to the overlook which was down some stairs carved in the rock and then along some stairs and ledge with railings blasted into the side of the cliff. Not at all what I expected. After a snack we continued up to Yosemite Point and a little further toward North Dome. By then we were ready to head back after another food break. The trail back to the lower part of the falls was very slow as the rocks were worn smooth and weren't very even. The only good thing is that much of it was now in the shade. I was very glad to get back to the level and better trail. We finally got back to camp around 3:30. We had a quart of fruit drink mix each. We decided to stay another 3 nights. We were only going to do 2 more, but then we would leave Saturday and have to find a campsite. The ranger was just leaving as we got there. He at first said we would have to stand in line tomorrow morning, but then said he would do it. Then he realized he had already closed the register so he updated our tags, but said we could pay tomorrow between 12:00 and 5:00 to the woman in the booth. We cooked dinner at the same time as our site mates and ate at the table with them. They are leaving tomorrow and driving back home to San Francisco. There seems to be a lot fewer people again tonight. My Kindle ran out of juice this evening. I'm not sure I'm trusting enough to leave it in the rest room to charge.

Thursday, May 2, 2013	Day 15

Yosemite Valley	Camp 4	$5.00

Since we didn't plan to do much today we didn't get up until after 7:30. The crew from San Francisco got up closer to 8:00 but did get out of here by 9:00 as planned. Shirley almost lost her light gloves as one lady asked the other if they were hers and then they figured out they were Shirley's. We took the shuttle bus to the Mirror Lake TH at the far end of the valley. One certainly can't be in any hurry if they take the bus. It goes slow and waits a lot. We finally got on the trail at 9:30. It was surprisingly cold as the sun hadn't hit that area yet. Fortunately, within a half hour we were in the sun. Mirror Lake was a bit disappointing as it is very small and the reflections hard to get a picture of. The loop along the Tanaya River was the easiest we've done and may have been the fewest people we've seen. We took our time to do the 5 mile loop and were back at the TH around noon. We decided to walk the .8 miles to Curry Village for a shower. We missed a turn somewhere and walked a bit further than necessary. We found the restrooms/showers, but there was no indication where or how much to pay so we just took them. Shirley had to wait a little bit for the women's to be finished being cleaned. The shower was very nice with soap gel and shampoo. I was going to shave, but decided not to since I just shaved the other night and we were taking showers without paying. We then took the bus to Yosemite Village for the store. We had to check out the small store at Curry Village first, though, because Shirley didn't believe the main store was at Yosemite Village. That didn't take long. Fruit and vegetables were surprisingly cheap except for bananas which were $1.19 per pound. Everything else was very expensive. We got some frozen and canned vegetables, fruit, cuke, avocado, a can of milk, a cookie for Shirley (which I think turned out to cost $2.09) and a postcard and only got dinged for $21.21. We took the bus back to camp where I discovered I didn't have my washcloth. After eating a bagel I took the bus back to Curry Village and surprisingly found it on the floor by the sink I used to comb my hair. Even by being efficient and transferring buses as needed to minimize my time it still took 50 minutes to do the at most 10 miles, probably less. Since it was only 3:00 I decided to charge my Kindle. I put it in the paper bag from the store and put it in one of the individual toilets since the plugs in the main restroom were full. Of course, being untrusting I had to check it every 15 minutes to make sure it was still there. Finally, after 2 hours I brought it back. We have 3 new camp mates. There was a stove on either end of the table with other stuff in between. When one guy came back I asked him to move his stove to the bear box which he did. I finally moved the other stove to the top of the other bear box. As of last night fires are only allowed from 5:00 to 10:00. That didn't seem to slow it down much last night, but it has tonight. We paid our $15 for the next three nights when we got back this afternoon. So far there is no indication our site mates will have a fire, but that may change.

Friday, May 3, 2013	Day 16

Yosemite Valley	Camp 4	$5.00

We got up around 7:00 this morning because Shirley had to pee. It still wasn't very cold, but a bit chillier. After breakfast we headed for Vernal and Nevada Falls. As usual it took forever on the bus to get to the TH. We were hiking around 9:05. We took the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and it is aptly named as we got pretty wet. Fortunately, we were in the sun. There were nice rainbows in the mist. Instead of going all the way to Nevada Falls we turned off on the Panorama Trail to go to Illoulette Falls. The trail was a very good trail with very few rocky parts. Unfortunately, we didn't see the falls even though we made it to the bridge across the Illoulette River. The view of the falls is partly up the other side of the river toward Glacier Point. My feet really started hurting as we headed back. Fortunately, they got better, but I was very glad to get back. We got off the bus at Curry Village and took showers again and I shaved. It was after 5:00 by the time we got back to camp. About the time we were finishing dinner our new camp mates showed up with a box of wood. Next door is a group of 8 or more college kids who just finished exams and are out for the summer. They immediately mixed large batches of margaritas. Once we got all organized we went above camp to sit out of the campfire smoke. I told Shirley if she's going hiking tomorrow she's going without me because my feet hurt. We plan on biking tomorrow. We probably hiked 14-15 miles today.

Saturday, May 4, 2013	Day 17	36.2 - 281.6 miles

Yosemite Valley	Camp 4	$5.00

We got up some time after 7:00 this morning when, once again, Shirley had to go pee. We took our time in camp waiting for it to warm up enough to ride. We hiked over to Lower Yosemite Falls and did a one mile loop. When we got back it was time to go for a ride. We did the valley loop mostly on the road because the bike path is too full of slow walkers and cyclists. We stopped at Bridalveil Falls which was a real zoo with a couple tour bus groups and not a good view because the sun was just above the top of the falls. The upper part of the valley is nice with less traffic and some closed roads and bike paths with fewer people. Shirley decided we needed to do laundry, especially after seeing washing was $1.25 and drying was 25¢ for 10 minutes. Back in camp Shirley said she could do the laundry if I wanted to ride some more. I took her up on it. I road the upper loop 3 more times and got another 18 miles. Shirley discovered that at House Keeping, where the laundromat is, that showers are $5.00 so I assume they re that at Curry Village also.

Sunday, May 5, 2013	Day 18

25 Miles North of Fresno, CA	Hensley Lake CG	$10.00

I went to bed a little after 9:00 again last night, about an hour before Shirley again. We didn't get up until after 7:00. We took the tent down, but let it dry from where our site mates had dumped water on the ground which ran under our tent. By the time we ate and were ready to pack it up it was dry. We drove 35 miles or so to the Mariposa Grove of sequoias where we took a 3 hour hike looking at the trees. We then drove to Oakhurst where we stopped at a Vons for gas and groceries. We got the gas first, but should have shopped first because now we have a 20 cent per gallon discount after spending $97.78 on groceries. I bought a Kozy Shack pudding which I really didn't need. We also got 3 pounds of strawberries. I have enough food for 3-4 days at least. Shirley may only have a couple days worth. We then drove to Hensley Lake, but had a little trouble since Buchanan Draw Road on our map is Yosemite Springs road in reality and Lily Mt. Road was named something else as well. We finally stopped at a hardware store to ask directions. He said go out the back gate and turn left and that would be Road 400 which is what we eventually wanted. There was no back gate so I asked again at the gas station next door. It turns out the Back Gate was something down the road, although we never saw it. We did end up on Road 400, though, but further North than planned and at least we found it. We are now in very dry country that is already very brown. Fortunately, it is much cooler today. We have a very nice flat site with a big tree that should provide shade for much of the day tomorrow. It is very quiet and peaceful. Surprisingly, the showers are not pay showers. After eating my pudding and some strawberries I didn't feel the need to cook dinner. Shirley had a kale salad from the deli. When we first got here it was quite windy and we looked for a protected site. One site we liked had an overflowing trash can next to it and we were afraid it would stink if they didn't pick up the trash tomorrow so we looked elsewhere. We rejected one site because of a yipping dog and kids nearby. The site we selected was still close enough to hear the dog, but fortunately it stopped before too long and never started again.

Monday, May 6, 2013	Day 19	50.7 - 332.3 miles

25 Miles North of Fresno, CA	Hensley Lake CG	$10.00

The little bugs finally drove us into the tent last night. They weren't necessarily biting, but really swarming. We didn't get up until 7:15-7:30. It was mostly cloudy, but not real dark clouds. By the time we left on our bike ride around 9:00 it was mostly sunny with a bit of a breeze. When we looked at the map closer it appeared our chosen loop was only about 35 miles so we headed toward Dalton to do a small loop before doing our chosen loop. The road back turned out to be dirt so we simply turned around. We went up Road 600 which seemed smoother than Road 400 which we drove yesterday and was going to be part of our loop. We finally decided to just turn around and come back Road 600. Back at the lake we rode up a road we thought would connect to Road 600 and sure enough after 2 miles we were at a point that took us 7-8 miles to get to earlier. It was also the best pavement of the day. It was windy today and we had tailwind early on and headwind coming back. We decided to stay another night and do a bike ride again tomorrow. It was cloudy off and on all day and pleasant. About 6:00 a dark cloud formed North and East of us and we heard and occasional rumble. So far it hasn't threatened us, though. After sitting for 6 days at Camp 4 the car was filthy. Shirley washed one side this morning using her bladder and a rag. I washed the rest of it this evening using 2-3 quarts of water and our water bottles. It looks so much better.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013	Day 20	55.4 - 387.7

25 Miles North of Fresno, CA	Hensley Lake CG	$10.00

It finally started raining about 9:00 last night. At first it appeared it was only going to be a short sprinkle, but then it started up again. There was one real close lightning bolt with loud thunder. It rained off and on all night. Surprisingly, our site isn't muddy. It was still quite cloudy this morning with some dark clouds. We finally started out for a 50 mile loop on our bikes around 10:00. It sprinkled a few times riding to Raymond and looked real dark farther on so we stopped at the store for vegetables and turned around. We started to take the long way back to camp, but were heading directly toward a very dark cloud. It started drizzling and we turned around and sprinted back uphill to the short way. We got out of the drizzle quickly. Just as we got to the campground the pavement was really wet as if that dark cloud had passed over. We put the bikes away and then sat around camp and watched the sky become less dark. It was only noon. We read and puzzled until 3:30 when I decided we should eat the cantaloupe we bought the other day. It could have been a little riper, but it wasn't bad. Also this afternoon one of the volunteer caretakers dropped by and offered us a head of lettuce saying a woman had given him two. We took it although we weren't sure what we would do with it. Around 4:00 I decided to go for a ride and did a fast paced 37 miles past Dalton and toward Chowchilla. It was 6:40 when I got back. After loading the bikes in the car it was time for dinner and then showers. Now it's dark again.

Wednesday, May 8, 2013	Day 21	25.4 - 413.1 miles

31 Miles East of Fresno, CA	Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG	$10.00

It rained again last night. Not real hard, but steady for a while. The tent was wet this morning when we got up at 7:30. We walked around a bit after breakfast to try to work the kinks out of Shirley's back which didn't like sitting in her chair all afternoon yesterday. We were off around 9:00 I think. We eventually got into Fresno, population over 500,000. We had talked about trying to find a store in Clovis, but I decided to look in Fresno. After driving through a mall or two we asked someone about a store and he gave very good directions to a Vons about 4-5 blocks away. We bought another $48.37 worth of groceries to last at least 4 days. We ended up taking a longer route back than necessary since we retraced our path to the store. Clovis was an extension of Fresno and we passed a Vons along our route so I wasted a lot of time by stopping in Fresno. We eventually got to Pine Flat Lake and then to Island Park CG where we planned to stay. We parked to look for a site. We discovered the restrooms were locked. We went to the booth to see if there was a sign, but there wasn't. We passed the host who told us the water was off since Sunday and might be repaired tomorrow. We finally decided to drive a few more miles to Trimmer CG. We found a lovely CG of 10 sites with water and free showers. We finally chose the site farthest from the lake and closest to the road (which has very few cars). After setting up the tent and eating we left at 2:20 for a bike ride. We rode up lake over a couple little hills and then at the end of the lake headed uphill, gentle at first and then more steeply to a ridge. There was a sign that said "Cell Site". We went just a little ways down the other side so we would have 25 miles by the time we got back to camp. When we arrived there were 2 park rangers who had just arrived to collect our money. We paid for 4 nights. Shirley says we camped here 9 years ago when we did the Pacific Crest ride. Shirley went to take a shower, but came back saying they didn't work, so she was going to take a bucket bath in the shower with hot water from the sink. A few minutes later I went down to check the men's shower and fund it worked by pulling the control knob out to turn the water on and around to control the temperature. I stuck my head in the women's restroom to tell Shirley. She was very glad to learn they worked. While eating dinner at 6:40 a car pulled in one of the lower sites and a couple walked down to the dock, and I do mean down as the water is a long way away. They may not be camping and other than them we have the CG to ourselves. There are a few mosquitos and lots of little floaters which I hope will go away as it gets dark. Indeed the other couple left and we have the CG to ourselves.

Thursday, May 9, 2013	Day 22	53.4 - 466.5

31 Miles East of Fresno, CA	Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG	$10.00

We didn't get up until 7:30 this morning. The gravel tent pad was very comfortable. It was mostly sunny and fairly warm. We were finally off for a bike ride around 9:00. We headed up Maxon Road toward Fresno and/or Hopewell. The road was quite steep. About 1/2 mile up the road (.8 miles from our site) Shirley realized she didn't have her water pack, just her water bottle. I sat on the side of the road and waited as she went back to get it. The uphill was about a mile before a nice downhill. We followed a little creek for a little while before coming to our junction where we either continued toward Fresno or turned onto Burroughs Valley. We turned and started up again, mostly not too steep. It sort of leveled out, but continued up through some housing developments. After a good one mile downhill at 12.5 miles we turned toward Hopewell and had a bit more traffic. Three or four cars honked at us, probably in an unfriendly way. After 3-4 miles we decided to turn around. Going back up the steep hill on Burroughs Valley Road some guy had to slow down due to oncoming traffic. He honked at me like he expected me to go into the ditch. Then, as he passed he honked continuously and yelled "go Home". As he passed Shirley he yelled "You'rt not welcome here". I told Shirley we strayed into asshole country. When we turned onto Burroughs Valley road at the bottom of the hill some idiot coming down raced up to the stop sign as Shirley turned and I wasn't sure he would stop. Then as I got to the turn he started accelerating like he didn't see me right in front of his car. Fortunately, he saw me and slammed on his brakes. I cursed at him, but he probably didn't hear. We then road toward Fresno on the original road we were on. It was quiet and peaceful. At a food break I disturbed two different ant nests (one large ants, one small ants). The large ants eventually calmed down, but the small ants never did. We turned around at the top of the next hill and had a nice return trip to our junction with Burroughs Valley. It was then another climb and a very steep downhill to the CG. I was trying not to use my front brakes because it sounded like rocks were in the pads. We had stopped earlier to try to fix it, but didn't have any success. I nearly lost it on one curve and had to use my front brakes after that. Since we only had 37.4 miles and it was 2:15 we decided to ride back to the bridge at the end of the lake. My legs were feeling pretty tired. It was about 8 miles to the bridge and after eating and stretching it was back to camp. I felt better after the break. A few drops of rain fell on s aas we started back. Back in camp we washed clothes, took showers and ate. So far, we once again have the entire CG to ourselves. It rained a few drops while Shirley was showering so the bikes went back into the car. As we were coming up the hill on Burroughs Valley about 8-10 cyclists came screaming down, some more so than others. We also saw 2 other cyclists.

Friday, May 10, 2013	Day 23	51.8 - 518.3

31 Miles East of Fresno, CA	Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG	$10.00

We got up around 7:00 this morning, mainly because we went to bed at 9:00 last night and because Shirley had to pee. It was pretty warm last night, but I still put on my heavy clothes and hat this morning. Since we got up earlier there wasn't any sun to sit in for a while, but it didn't matter very much. We were off on our bikes at about 8:30, and headed toward Balchcamp in the direction we went the first day and ended the day with yesterday. We made it up to the Cell Site ridge fairly easily. After .7 miles of gentle downhill we had a couple miles of fairly steep downhill with several longish (for around hear) straight stretches. I went faster than Shirley and even though I had delayed my descent I caught up with her for a change. I braked and let her get ahead and caught up again. This time I stopped for 15 seconds. Unfortunately, by then we were in a curvier section and I couldn't go as fast. We then gently followed the Kings River uphill for a couple miles which was very nice. We turned into Kirch Flat CG, a NF CG which is free, but doesn't have water, except the river. The 3 miles to Balchcamp was on a bumpy paved road gently following a creek. After that, the road seemed to get steep so after 1/4 miles we turned around. Shirley's thumbs hurt on bumpy downhills. We went back to the CG for food and decided we needed to ride 4 more miles at least to get 50 today, so we rode 1.5 miles toward camp then back to the Balchcamp turn before heading back. The climb back up from the river was hot, but fortunately we mostly had a light headwind to cool us off. I had to stop on one stretch where we had a tailwind and wipe the sweat out of my eyes. We had a nice downhill to the lake and the last 8 miles back to camp seemed a lot easier than yesterday. We got back to camp around 3:15 and to our surprise there weren't any other campers yet and only one car down at the dock. Our table was in the sun so we went to a different site for a while to sit in the shade. It's now after 5:00 and there still aren't any other campers, but at least 3 other vehicles are at the dock. On the way up the ridge this morning a total of 6 vehicles passed us. They may have been going to the rafting company near the Kirch Flat CG or to the CG itself. There were several tents at the CG. The Friday night noisy boat people were at the dock for a while. People talking loud, music, and jet skis. Fortunately, the water level is down so the dock is pretty far away, and fortunately, they left around 7:00. Looks like once again we are going to have the whole CG to ourselves as it is getting dark and nobody has arrived yet.

Saturday, May 11, 2013	Day 24	50.0 - 568.3

31 Miles East of Fresno, CA	Pine Flat Reservoir - Trimmer CG	$10.00

We got up around 7:10 this morning to the warmest morning so far. I never zipped my sleeping bag last night. We decided to ride down lake and back toward Piedra for an easier ride today and were off around 8:25. It was already feeling rather warm in the sun. After a couple miles we passed two women cyclists going the other way. In a couple more miles there was another cyclist and then a fourth. A little later a group of 8-10 were flying down a hill and a mile or two later another group. We figured they were doing a loop out of Fresno. For the first 6.5 miles there was very little traffic with a bit more after we passed Island Park CG. We had a really nice downhill to Piedra. Shirley stopped to ask a couple guys in a yard about stores for tomorrow. They were a couple young PG&E workers who had worked all night moving underground cables. We ended up talking to them for quite a while. They told us there is a Walmart in Sanger and it sounds easy to get to, so we plan to go there tomorrow. One guy confirmed the riders were from Fresno. We were riding along Piedra Road when we came to Avocado Lake so we stopped in after learning we didn't have to pay the $5.00 fee. It was very shaded and pleasant. After a while we continued on. Shirley finally decided Piedra was boring so we went back a half mile or so to a side road which was fairly pleasant and passed the Sherwood Forest Golf Course. When we got to Hwy 180 Shirley didn't want to cross it so we turned around before even going 25 miles. On the way back we took a couple short dead end side trips so we would get 50 miles. We stopped at another county park, Milton Park, on the way back a few miles past Avocado Lake. It wasn't quite as nice, but was a good break before heading back up the hot hill. Mostly there was a tailwind going up the hill and sweat kept getting in my eyes. I had to stop a couple times in the 2-3 mile climb to wipe the sweat away. Pretty much at the top and just past the road to the CG was the "I Forgot" store and we stopped in. They didn't have any quart size Gatorade or Powerade so we bought a 2 liter 7 UP for $2.59 ($2.91 with tax and deposit). Shirley also took the proffered cup and ice. We sat at a shaded table outside and drank most of it. I had more than my share. Unfortunately, two pickups pulled up not far away and left their engines running for the 10-15 minutes they were there. The final 9 miles back to camp were warm, but had more downhill and flat than uphill. I blew my nose too hard and as is often the case when it is hot my right nostril started bleeding. Since Shirley was a little ways ahead I kept riding and it eventually stopped. Finally, a glob of congested blood came up in my throat and I could breathe better after spitting it out. We got back at 2:45. After cooling a bit we did laundry. I washed my night shirt and put it on wet. It didn't take long to dry. A couple hours later I washed my pants and put them on wet too. The dock area is busy again and for a while several noisy boats were playing near by. Fortunately, they eventually went elsewhere. Of course, we still get boats going by. We sat at the other table for a while again. I came back up to our site when it started getting shady. Shirley stayed at the other site. I finally decided to drink my last Powerade since Shirley used all our good tasting water (the CG water is very irony) to do her clothes. She assumed all the good water was gone, but I don't think it was. There were two bulls in camp this morning. They were still bulls because they still had their balls. They were at the site farthest from us. I went down to chase them away. The bigger of the two looked like he considered charging me. At first I had the table between me and them. The smaller one reluctantly left and even more reluctantly so did the second. The smaller pooped as he left the campsite. They were standing in the exit road whn I left on my bike. Shirley was out a few seconds earlier and didn't see them. Our string of good luck ended at 9:15 tonight when a family pulled in to camp. They took the site that is next to the farthest from us. So far they haven't been real noisy

Sunday, May 12, 2013	Day 25

Kings Canyon NP	Azalea CG	$9.00

It was warm last night and we didn't even zip up our bags. We got up around 6:15 to pack and eat. Our neighbors last night were quiet and didn't build a fire. We drove to Sanger and easily found the Walmart due to the instructions from the guys yesterday. Shirley decided we should get 7 days worth of food and we spent a long time gathering our food. We ended up with a $113.43 bill. When we got back to the car Shirley realized she forgot rice cakes even though they were on the list she made last night. So, she went back in and bought $8.00 of rice cakes. It was getting warm by the time we left. We forgot to get gas, but found a station on Hwy 180 to top off our tank. We then climbed to over 6000 feet to get to Kings Canyon. Most of the CGs are still closed. We stopped at the Visitor Center and got some hiking info. Shirley bought a map of the Canyon area for $3.59 plus tax. The CG had lots of sites available unlike Yosemite. We started to pick a real shady site, but decided to take the next site over with more sun since we are so high. We are in a tent only loop. Another old (older than we are) couple from Washington took the shady site we passed up. They were at one of the Corp of Engineers lakes yesterday and it was 98º and very noisy. We had lunch and then went for a hike. First we went to Grant Tree and then went to a lookout tower. We couldn't find the TH out of the Visitor Center and Shirley got grumpy because she was hungry. We ate and then she bought a brownie at the store and ate that too. We asked at the Visitor Center and the TH was by the tent cabins and unmarked. The trail was well graded, but did have a few blow downs on it. It took 1.5 hours to do the 2.5 - 3 miles. It only took 1 hour to come back. We took a bucket bath, set up the tent, and had dinner. There's a few fires around, but it's not super smoky. My right eye is really bothering me. It apparently dried out and feels like something is in it. I walked back from the tower with it closed and it felt fine. It's regressed now that I have it open again. In the RV section there are two Jucy rental RVs the size of our Subaru. It appeared to have a stove and sink in the back hatch and I guess bed on top.

Monday, May 13, 2013	Day 26

Kings Canyon NP	Azalea CG	$9.00

We didn't get up until after 7:30 this morning. It felt cold when we went to bed at 9:45 last night and my hands were cold from sitting outside. My feet felt like they wanted to get cold a couple times. Both our neighbors left today. We have one new neighbor from Colorado and another across the road who unfortunately has a smoky fire. We drove some 37 miles to the end of the road in Kings Canyon. The road down to the Kngs River is very interesting with lots of curves and switchbacks. Then it follows the river for several miles. We hiked the Paradise Valley Trail to Mist Falls and then on to Paradise Meadow. It started flat with the first part being sandy, then forest, and finally rocky as we headed up. The falls were nice. Coming back the Kanawyer Trail which was .6 miles longer my feet were saying maybe we should have taken the shorter way. All told we probably hiked 13 miles. Driving the back along the river a large flatbed truck was driving too fast on one of the curves and his trailer was halfway in our lane. If Shirley hadn't braked hard and nearly hit the rock wall he would have hit us. Coming back up the hill we stopped at 3 or 4 pullouts. We got back to camp around 5:30, did bucket baths and then ate. My eye felt fine this morning, but shortly after getting in the car it started bothering me. Good thing Shirley was driving as it was watering for several miles. Finally it settled down and didn't bother me again.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013	Day 27	42.8 - 611.1 miles

Kings Canyon NP	Azalea CG	$9.00

We were going to ride to Hume Lake today and rent kayaks or canoes, but Shirley had a sore throat all night and didn't feel well this morning so she decided not to do anything today. After breakfast we unloaded the bikes so I could go for a ride. It was cooler today so I walked around the CG waiting for it to warm up. I was off at 8:45. I rode to Hume Lake. It was a 10 mile ride to the lake, mostly downhill with the 2-3 miles of uphill coming at the beginning. The lake is very beautiful. I rode to the other end of the lake at Sandy Cove. The lake is formed by an old dam, but rather than being a single arc it is a series of 8-10 small arcs. Supposedly that took less material to build. A sign said 9 miles to The Generals Highway so I continued on. It was mostly gentle after the first couple miles with one 1/2 mile downhill. When I reached the highway I had lunch on top of a recycling dumpster which was very comfortable. A sign said 4 miles to Grant Village which is essentially Azalea CG. Instead of going that way I returned to Hume Lake where I had another lunch sitting on a very comfortable adirondack chair at the edge of the lake facing the mountains. I checked on kayak rentals, but the store was closed until 1:00. An employee of the Christian camp which rents the kayaks said they are available and he though they were $15/hour but wasn't sure. Shirley had heard $10/hr. The 4 miles back to Hwy 180 (kings Canyon Hwy) wasn't too bad. The 3 miles back up the hill on 180 was a bit steeper, but after the hills around Pine Flat Lake not too bad. I got back to camp before 1:30. If it had been smoky I would have suggested we drive Shirley to Hume Lake. Shirley took another nap this afternoon after going to the PO, store, and Visitor Center this morning. It feels much cooler today although the predicted high was 68. We put our warm clothes on way early. At dinner Shirley had tea with some brandy. The brandy was in the bear box when we arrived the other day. So far there are fewer people in the CG and few fires, at least that are getting us. Is it too much to hope that will continue? I went to the store this afternoon and bought two 20 count packages of cough drops for Shirley.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013	Day 28	27.4 - 638.5 miles

Kings Canyon NP	Azalea CG	$9.00

It remained mostly smoke free last night which really surprised me since it was colder and a fire might actually have felt good. I slept with my hat on and bag zipped. My toes would get cold unless my head was in the bag to warm thing sup. Shirley snored a lot last night due to her illness. I let her snore rather than disturb her sleep. We didn't get up until almost 8:00. Shirley decided she was well enough to go to Hume Lake today. First, though, we walked around the CG waiting for it to warm up. We were finally off around 10:30. I started in shorts and short sleeves. Shirley had her long sleeves on, but took them off on the first hill. We ate a snack on the adirondack chairs at the lake. We then rode to the other end of the lake and the dam like I did yesterday. We also hiked a few hundred feet to an interesting bridge across the inlet stream. We went back to the adirondack chairs and ate again and Shirley took a 15 minute nap before we rented kayaks. We thought we needed to go to the store to rent them, but it was closed from 11:00-1:00 today for a staff meeting and lunch. When they opened we learned the boat store was behind the snack bar. We had to have someone in administration call someone to rent us a boat. We spent most of our time playing in the reeds and watching hundreds of small fish. Before we knew it 40 minutes had elaspsed and we were maybe 1/4 of the way down the lake. We turned around and slowly came back. We had to once again have someone call the person to check us in and she arrived by bicycle again. We rode back to camp and were back around 4:20. Shirley met a cycle tourist in the CG and invited him over later. I went to the Visitor Center to shave with hot water, although it was actually only warm. When I returned to camp the touring cyclist, Bob, was there. He started in Florida in March to do the Southern Tier and enjoyed it so much he is doing the Sierra Cascades route. His last bike tour was 23 years ago. We talked a while before he headed back to camp for dinner. Shirley took him the little bit of brandy that was left. We have a new neighbor, but so far he hasn't started a fire and the CG isn't real smoky. It feels quite a bit warmer in camp tonight although it is still a long sleeves and jacket night. Shirley thinks maybe she shouldn't have done the bike ride and kayaking today due to her cold.

Thursday, May 16, 2013	Day 29

Sequoia NP	Lodgepole CG	$10.00

I think we got up around 7:30 this morning. My toes were cold most of the night. Shirley didn't snore with her cold near as much last night, but her throat is very hoarse. We leisurely ate and packed up before heading toward Lodgepole. At the turnoff to the Lodgepole Village there was no sign indicating a CG so I drove by, but after 1/10 mile I turned around and went back. Indeed, the CG is after the village. We parked in a site in the 8 site tent only loop that was open and walked through the tent/RV section which has a lot of sites. The only problem with our selected site is the wind is blowing other sites smoke our way. We finally decided to take it anyway. There was one guy asleep in his car with a smoldering log which was getting us a bit. We were checked in by 10:30. Shirley wanted to go to the village to check on a laundry and the Visitor Center for hikes. There is a laundry, and we got a couple hike suggestions. We returned to camp and did a short 1.7 mile hike to Tokopah Falls since Shirley is sick and it was only 300 feet gain. The laundromat closes at 4:30 so when we got back at 2:30 it was off to do laundry. Once again we have clean clothes for a few hours. It was sunny when we got up, but overcast by the time we reached Lodgepole. The forecast was 30% chance of showers. Just as we returned from doing the laundry it started to sprinkle and a little later a steady light rain. While doing laundry Shirley went to the store and bought some Contact Cold and Flu medicine. The Lodgepole area doesn't seem to have all the pollen flying around like at Grant Village. I had to once again use the snow brush to clean the pollen off the car this morning.

Friday, May 17, 2013	Day 30

Sequoia NP	Lodgepole CG	$10.00

I woke up sometime last night to Shirley telling some guy in a truck we were camped here. He asked if we were in 69 instead of 68, but Shirley told him 68. Apparently, he had moved the table and pulled his truck into the spot between the table and bear box. We had to move the table back when we got up this morning. Since we were in the path of too many fires we decided to move to another site when the guy left. We put the bags and sleeping pads and bike bags in the car and I drove the car to the new site (64 instead of 68). We carried the tent to the new site. While Shirley staked it and put the stuff back in I carried the stuff from the bear box. Shirley walked to the entrance station and had them change our car site tags. So far the air quality has been much better. We finally drove to the Visitor Center for clarification of our hiking choice and ended up buying another $3.78 map. We then drove to the Sherman Tree parking area and hiked to the Sherman Tree and then a five mile loop on the Congress and Sequoia Trails. The trails were a bit confusing and I guess the map helped us orient ourselves. It was cold and foggy at times. We did see a lot of big trees and very few people once we got away from the Sherman Tree (the largest living thing by volume). On the way back up to the parking lot 2 or 3 bus loads of tour groups were coming down. Tour groups are absolutely terrible at sharing the trail, especially the oriental ones. Shirley is still sick and was getting pretty tired by the time we got back to the car. Back at camp she took a long nap while I ate, visited the village, and walked around the other open loop. We finally started dinner around 5:30 and it was quite cold. About 6:30 Shirley had me go to the store for more Contact Cold and Flu, but the store closed at 6:00. By 7:00 the breeze died down and it felt quite a bit warmer, but still cold. Someone moved into the handicap site and gathered a whole lot of wood. Now he is breaking it up. I hope he finishes it all at once. My throat is hurting a bit today. Shirley thinks it will really kick in tonight.

Saturday, May 18, 2013	Day 31

Sequoia NP	Lodgepole CG	$10.00

It was cold last night. Shirley thought the tent was crunchy when she got up to pee sometime last night, but it was always wet when I did. My toes were cold when I went to bed and never warmed up, although they were warmer at times. We got up around 7:30 to a sunny, but cold morning. There were some sun patches at our site which we ate breakfast in. We did a 4.2 mile (one way) hike to Calhoun gap. The trail continued, but with Shirley just getting well and me still maybe getting sick we didn't want to push it. The gap was a 2000 feet climb to 8660 on a mostly good trail. At the gap we went off trail to the top of a little hill and found a nice big rock to climb up on for food and a good view. We had a little bit of problem at the start as there was a trail sign, but no obvious trail. We walked up a big rock and couldn't find a trail. We finally returned to the sign and a little further on was another sign and an obvious trail. We started around 9:10 and were back by 2:15. I went to the sink by the restroom and washed my hair. The water was quite cold and by the time I got my hair wet and washed and rinsed twice I almost had a cold headache. I then went down to wash the rest of my body in water warmed in my dark bladder. My timing was terrible. I wanted to wash my upper body in the sink and just as I started some woman wanted drinking water and didn't notice the faucet outside. I got my upper body washed and then went inside the restroom to wash my lower body. There was someone in the big stall so I washed my legs at the basin. Another guy came in to the other stall. Just as they were finishing and I was ready to go wash my butt and crotch an employee came in to clean and replenish the TP in the restroom, so I went back to camp to wait for him to finish. I went back to the restroom to finish the job as Shirley was off to the village to take a $3.00 shower. I hope it isn't as much of a zoo down there this afternoon as it was yesterday when I was there when there was a long line waiting for the cleaning crew to finish. The good news of the day is that my throat didn't get worse during the night nor on the hike today. Hopefully, tonight it will decide to get better instead of worse. Shirley enjoyed her 10 minute shower and used every minute by the time she adjusted the temp, washed a couple pieces of laundry, washed her body, and shaved her legs. When she came back she said we could get a pizza for $17.00. When I asked if she wanted to she said she wasn't socially acceptable due to her cold. About 5:00 she decided she wanted a pizza after all. I told her I thought the place closed at 4:30 like the store, but she didn't believe me. While I added two more nights of camping to our car pass she went to order a pizza. By the time I got the car pass and put it on the car Shirley was coming back saying I was right. Now that we paid for 2 more nights the wind is not so steadily blowing the smoke away from us. It is still mostly correct, but not always. There is a large group of tents in one of the closed loops and they all have fires and they get us occasionally. The restroom there is now open so it must be an authorized group, perhaps a work group of some sort. The whole valley is a lot smokier tonight.

Sunday, May 19, 2013	Day 32

Sequoia NP	Lodgepole CG	$10.00

Shortly after going to bed last night my nose started draining. I blew and blew and blew before I finally got it all out. It must have been coming from my toes. Fortunately, after that I didn't have any more problems. Unfortunately, it got cold again. There was frost on one car window out in the open. My thermometer registered 35 degrees around 8:00. Once enough sun was in camp that we could sit in it, it was quite comfortable. We decided to drive the 3 miles or so to Wolverton and hike to Heather lake. The trail started at 7200 feet and went up from there to over 9000 feet, perhaps 9500. Neither of us were very energetic due to our colds. We briefly thought about not going down to the lake, but we knew it wasn't too far. It was probably 300-400 feet down. The lake was ice free, but there was snow on the north facing slope. We sat on a rock right on the edge of the lake for about an hour. It was very sunny and warm. There were lots of 4-6 inch fish and Shirley kept trying to get them to jump at things she threw in the lake. We laid down for a bit just before leaving and got quite warm. The uphill out of the lake was pretty slow going, and the downhill wasn't all that fast either. Round trip was about 8.4 miles. I felt really tired and apparently Shirley did too. Just as we got to the Visitor Center there were a bunch of people in the road with cameras so we figured there was a bear. Actually, it was mom bear and two cubs. We parked and watched them eat on the hillside. We went to the store and Shirley bought liquid Vicks 44 Custom Care for $11.89 and a couple OJs, one for me. She took the first hit of the medicine outside the store. She made all kinds of faces. Back at camp she immediately went in the tent for a nap. I went down to the shower room and shaved with hot water. Shirley finally got up around 4:30 and we ate around 6:00. At 7:00 a couple pulled into the one site that might get us with smoke from a campfire. Maybe we will get lucky and they won't have one. I laid in the tent for a while after Shirley got up and felt worse afterward. I'm going to take some Contac Cold and Flu before going to bed.

Monday, May 20, 2013	Day 33

Sequoia NP	Lodgepole CG	$10.00

We didn't get up until almost 8:00 today. It was much warmer last night and neither of us got cold. We didn't feel like doing anything today due to our colds. We finally went to the Visitor Center around 1:00 to look at maps and ask about the SE section of the park for spending Memorial Day weekend. After much discussion and looking we finally bought a Sequoia FS map. I'm not sure how useful it will be. Shirley doesn't want to be very low because of bugs and heat. The choices seem to be 2000-3000 feet or 6500 feet. Unfortunately, it is supposed to be cold again by Wednesday. The one CG that looks good is at 6500 feet. Shirley wanted pizza tonight so at 3:30 we got one for $17.00 ($18.03 with tax). I ate 3 slices and Shirley ate 2. Later she ate another. They didn't have boxes so I used paper plates to carry the remaining slices. I bought some more cold medicine. I got Dayquil because Shirley says Contact did nothing for her cough. I wish I had gotten Contact.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013	Day 34

5 Miles East of Lemon Cove, CA	Wakeah Lake - Horse Creek CG	$10.00

It was fairly warm last night and we got up at 7:30. We slowly ate and packed and were off at 9:00. We hit a couple short road construction delays before descending some 6000 feet. We stopped to check out the CG at Wakeah Lake when we got there and decided to stay for 2 nights and hopefully do a bike ride tomorrow. We set up the tent and paid and then drove 25 miles to Visalia for food. After a couple of stops to ask directions we finally found a Food Maxx. They didn't have everything we wanted, but it sufficed. They didn't have propane for the stove or almond milk so we asked about a Walmart and there was one on the way back to Hwy 198. We missed it the first time and had to ask and return and then turn down a side street paralleling Hwy 198. Walmart didn't have almond milk either. We did get propane and Shirley got a book of 600 Sudokus. At Food Maxx I got $100 in cash and unfortunately they gave me a $100 bill. I therefore paid our bill at Walmart in cash so I could break it. We then found a gas station to fill up and drove back to camp. The people at a site closer to the lake left while we were gone so Shirley wanted to move. I'm not sure we gained much in shade or coolness by moving. I think the temperatures are wonderful, Shirley thinks it's too hot. Shirley took a shower in the building close to us and had to keep pushing a button. I walked to the one by the pay station, at least 1/4 mile away to tell the host we moved. That building had a regular shower. I felt good most of the day, but I didn't take my 4:00 medicine and by 9:00 when I did take some I was wishing I had taken the 4:00 dose. I forgot to get more medicine at the store so if we go on a bike ride tomorrow I'll check at one of the little markets in Lemon Cove or Three Rivers.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013	Day 35	41.0 - 679.5 miles

5 Miles East of Lemon Cove, CA	Wakeah Lake - Horse Creek CG	$10.00

It was fairly warm again last night although there was a breeze that made me shiver a couple of times when I got up to pee. In the bag, though, it was quite nice. We got up just before 7:00 and dressed for a bike ride. At first I had on my heavy jacket, but eventually it came off as we prepared our bikes. We were off on our bikes around 8:30 - 9:00. I wore shorts and my long sleeve jersey. We stopped in Lemon Cove so I could buy some drugs for my cold. I got 24 capsules of Tylenol Extreme for $6.99 and a 12 oz bottle of Nyquil Nighttime for $6.99, about half the prices at Lodgepole. I hopefully have enough to keep me comfortable for the next 4 days while I'm freezing my ass off at 6500 feet again. We found some quiet roads through the orange groves and then a few miles up Yokohl road, a gentle road up a creek with dry land around it. We turned around at 20 miles since we are both sick and retraced our route. We were back at camp by 1:00. After eating and a few Sudokus Shirley took a 1.5 to 2 hour nap. It's cooler today and sitting at a table in the sun feels good. I did puzzles and read for a while. About 4:45 my Kindle indicated it needed charging so I got the charger out and went to the nearby restrooms. They don't have any electrical outlets, so I had to walk the .4 miles to the restroom by the pay station which does have outlets. Now I just have to hope the Kindle is still there after 4 hours of charging, maybe less if I feel the need to go to bed by 9:00.

Thursday, May 23, 2013	Day 36

7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA	Sequoia NF - Hobo CG	$11.00

We got up at 6:30 this morning and it was a little cool until the sun finally peeked over the hill. Around 7:30 the folks who have our site reserved starting tomorrow came by with a pay stub for today as well. They had come by last night to make sure the site had been reserved for them and that we would be leaving so they must live nearby. We were probably off by 8:00. Shirley looked at the NF map last night and finally decided we should go to a CG near Lake Isabella which is around 2500 feet instead of the 6500 foot CG we were looking at since we are still sick. Shirley had hoped to find a store with almond milk, but we were on a freeway as we passed through Portersville and were out of it before we knew it. We then took Hwy 155 over a 6100 plus foot pass to get to Lake Isabella. That road was very curvy and slow and extremely steep on the downhill side. We finally got to Lake Isabella and found an IGA, but no almond milk. As we left town we saw a Vons, but Shirley didn't want to stop again. She did a good job of navigating and got us to the selected CG only to find it took reservations and was full. The host said Hobo CG down the canyon another mile didn't take reservations. We went there and found a nice walk in site right on the Kern River. There is no water, however, so we will be going back to Lake Isabella tomorrow to buy some. It's quite breezy today and we will be lucky to not lose anything. One bad thing about a river front site is all the fisher people feel they can walk through it to get to the river. Shirley went down to the host to pay and he said he would be around later to collect. Around 4:00 or so he came by and said he would collect in the morning. Some sites, however, have tags on them indicating when they will leave so I assume he collected from them. Oh well, Iguess he will take our money some time. We sat around camp all afternoon doing puzzles and reading. One family a couple sites down and across the road has a dog that yelps while they are off fishing. Of course, they just ignore the noise. They are also the worst about walking through our site. Our parking brake broke today when I released it. The button on the end came off. I finally managed to find the button, but it doesn't just go back on and now we can't put the brake on.

Friday, May 24, 2013	Day 37	51.0 - 730.5 miles

7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA	Sequoia NF - Hobo CG	$11.00

We didn't get up until the sun hit our tent this morning which was around 7:20, I think. About the time we went to bed last night, the noisy family finally made their dog shut up. We drove back to Bodfish and parked at the PO and rode South toward Caliente. The first 3 miles were uphill and didn't help my cough at all, as some of it was steep. I would cough while riding, and especially when I stopped. We then had a 2.5 mile downhill before starting up again, gentle at first. We stopped in Havillah to rest at some tables in the shade after only 7 miles. Shirley even ate a little. We continued up for several more miles and it got much steeper. We finally topped out at a store that was closed when we toured through here about 9 years ago. We then had a good 2.5 mile downhill to a large meadow where it was quite windy. We rode down the West side to a junction and went back up the East side. We then headed East up another hill that started gentle but then got steeper. We had a headwind going down the West side and a tailwind going up the East side and going East. We were hoping to get 50 miles and about 1/2 mile from the top of the hill we would have gotten 50 miles. Only the last little bit seemed really steep, mainly due to the tailwind. Coming back would have been a nice downhill except for the headwind. Coming down my nose started bleeding. I tried to ride through it like at did at Pine Flat, but it wouldn't stop bleeding. I finally stopped to dig out some TP. I had blood all over my nose and lips and right hand. Shirley saw me stop and eventually came back. I finally got it stopped. A little later a couple of drops came out, but it may have been left over since after I sniffed it up a couple times it quit and then a big blob of congealed blood came up my throat and I spit it out. No problems after that. The hill back up to the store wasn't too bad thanks to the wind and the downhill to Havillah was almost scary. The final uphill started hard with a headwind, but the last 1.5 miles had a tailwind. The final downhill to the car was steep and windy, so it was a bit scary. Fortunately, no cars came by on any of our downhills. We drove to Vons and got water and almond milk plus some nuts and salad for Shirley. When we first got back to the car around 4:00 I took some Nyquil and now I feel tired. Back at camp I washed off, cooked and made tomorrow's lunch. Shirley ate her salad, washed off, and made tomorrow's lunch. The fisher people aren't as active tonight, probably because they fished all day. My energy level was good on the hills today, but I can't talk without coughing so I guess I'm better than the other day. So far the noisy folks are playing music, but no yapping dog tonight. Apparently, a guy in a camper tried to set up in our parking spot today, probably because there wasn't a tag. The host made him leave and he got real upset according to the host.

Saturday, May 25, 2013	Day 38	46.1 - 776.6

7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA	Sequoia NF - Hobo CG	$11.00

We didn't get up until 7:20 again when the sun hit the tent. Earlier Shirley had hollered at a couple guys standing and talking on the river bank by our camp and asked them to come back later as we were trying to sleep. I think they did move. We decided to ride the 10 miles down canyon until the road met Hwy 178. It turned out to be more up and flat than down and against the wind. It was 9.6 miles. We came back and then rode 4 miles to Bodfish. Going that way was very easy with the tailwind. It was then back to camp. The fisher people were at the edge of our camp. When the kids were trying to cast it wasn't long before Shirley had to ask the woman if this could be a no kid casting zone. The woman replied that the river bank is open to everyone, which is true. Shirley said her concern was getting hooked. The woman did have the kid move a little further away from us. However, I felt he would then hook the tent instead of us should he really mess up, but I didn't think there was really a problem to start with. Shortly thereafter we rode the 9.6 miles down canyon and back again just because it was quiet. Shirley rode much faster than I did. I rode slow because I didn't see any reason to hurry back to camp and have Shirley obsess over every little departure from our standards. She is so worried about what other people do. I got another nose bleed today just as we were getting ready to leave on our bikes the second time. My right nostril does not like dry country and my blood pressure was probably up from Shirley nit picking everything (obsessively picking up other people's trash, griping about people being close to our site, etc). We finally paid today. As we were getting ready to leave the first time the host came by to give us a tag for our post and car. I guess he didn't want the hassle of someone trying to set up camp again. Shirley washed her hair today and I got my left foot wet when I didn't hold the bucket tight enough and it spilled out on my foot. Later, Shirley did laundry and needed rinse water, but the rock where we've been getting water is being used by the fisher people Shirley has pissed off by chasing them out of our camp, and she didn't want water from right by our camp since it isn't flowing. So, I walked down stream a bit and got water elsewhere. Coming back I tripped on something, possibly some fishing line, and I spilled a great deal of water on my right foot. I said "Son of a bitch" pretty loud. Now, both shoes are drying in the sun and I have my biking shoes on. To do my laundry I used Shirley's rinse water and then dipped some water from near our site which Shirley wouldn't use. I also got water from near our site to take my bath. It's sort of a back eddy so the water has leaves and stuff on top which I just brushed away. When the table got in the shade I brought all my food from the car which is really hot. Unfortunately, our neighbors have a fire tonight and we keep getting their smoke. I think the fire was built by someone new that arrived doday. I noticed this afternoon that the date on our car and post tag is off by one day. Rather than hunt down the host about it I simply changed the date. I wonder if he will say anything. As of 7:00 there hasn't been any loud music tonight.

Sunday, May 26, 2013	Day 39	8.3 - 784.9

7 Miles South of Lake Isabella, CA	Sequoia NF - Hobo CG	$11.00

Once again we didn't get up until 7:20 when the sun hit the tent after going to bed around 8:45 plus or minus 15 minutes. It was pretty warm this morning and we were in shorts and jersey pretty quick. We decided to drive a few miles to the far end of Lake Isabella and ride toward Kernville. We found a nice shaded spot to park the car about 1 mile down the road to Kernville. After a couple miles there was a short, but steep uphill and downhill and then a longer looking steep hill. We decided to turn around. After the first little uphill I was coughing so much I took some medicine. We then drove toward Kernville thinking we would find flatter ground and ride from there since the road eventually followed the river. However, Shirley didn't like anything before Kernville, and Kernville is a tourist town and traffic was very heavy. We parked in the shade in Kernville and after eating walked through the art in the park. Shirley decided she needed ice cream so we walked around until we finally found a little wagon selling ice cream about the time we were ready to give up. Shirley bought 2 scoops for $3.50. Shirley only had $4.00 and I didn't have any with me so she had to make sure there wasn't any tax. When she finished we headed back toward camp. We stopped at a NF CG along the way and filled 3 gallon bottles, 4 liter bottles, and 1 two liter bottles with water. We now have lots of water. We stopped at Vons on the way back and bought a few more things. We were back in camp by 12:30. We spent the rest of the day puzzling, and in Shirley's case taking a nap. The wind was blowing and it felt cold. The family that irritated us the most with its yapping dog and loud music playing left this morning. Within seconds their site was occupied. Nobody fished for most of the day today. We finally had dinner starting at 7:00 tonight. I don't plan on taking any more drugs until I go to bed and then it will be a shot of Nyquil.

Monday, May 27, 2013	Day 40

24 Miles West of Lone Pine, CA	Inyo NF - Horseshoe Meadows CG	free

Shirley couldn't wait for the sun this morning because she had to pee so we got up at 7:00. By the time we were eating breakfast we were in the sun. By the time we packed and were off we were in shorts and short sleeves. Last night Shirley talked about doing a bike ride this morning, but decided she wasn't up to it. We drove over Walker Pass to the East side of the Sierras and then headed North on Hwy 395. At a rest area we stopped to decide where we were going. Shirley finally opted for Big Pine. We stopped in Lone Pine for a store. First, though, we walked a block off Hwy 395 and sat in the shade on the steps of a permanently closed doctor's office and ate lunch. We had parked by a hiking/climbing store and Shirley went in to talk to them. She finally decided we should go to Cottonwood Pass West of Lone Pine and we could see where Ruth Ann's brother Chuck died a few years ago. She also bought a map of the Cottonwood Lakes area. Now we are camped at about 10,000 feet and are the only ones in this fairly large walk in CG. After setting up camp we did a short 5 mile hike to Trail Pass and Mulkey Pass. Camping is supposed to be $6.00 ($3.00 with our Senior Pass), but after filling out the envelope and putting our money in we discovered there was no bottom or lock on the pay station and the envelope just fell through to the ground, so I picked it up and put it in my fanny pack. I guess camping is free unless someone shows up. It's been cloudy off and on and it looks like it could conjure up a raindrop or two. So far it is cold, but not real cold, but it is only 6:35. On our hike I felt a little dizzy a couple of times. I guess between my cold and the altitude I'm not getting enough oxygen. I didn't take any drugs today and for the most part didn't cough too much. I will take Nyquil again tonight. We are finally getting well.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013	Day 41

24 Miles West of Lone Pine, CA	Inyo NF - Horseshoe Meadows CG	free

It was surprisingly warm last night in the tent although we did sit in the car for a while before going to bed to try to stay warm. It had pretty much cleared by the time we went to bed, but it was cloudy when we got up this morning around 7:30. We put our rain gear in our packs just in case, but it soon became sunny as we hiked. We went to Cottonwood Lakes (1-6) and it was quite windy. It was over 11,000 feet at the upper lakes and it was cold and very windy. On the way back it got fairly warm as we dropped below the lower lakes. I didn't want to take my long sleeves off because I didn't want to put sun screen on. Shirley finally took hers off, but did not sun screen. A couple of the trails shown on our map that allowed us to do a loop for much of our hike have been abandoned and blocked off. We did one and in the outlet stream of Lake 3 there were lots of 6-8 inch fish that really swam fast. Another one we decided not to do since it was shown partially as a route and we didn't want to overdo until we are well again. I didn't cough much today, except on the steeper uphills. I also got dizzy a couple of times and had to slow down. We left the TH at 8:05 and got back around 2:20. Back in camp I washed my underwear and socks and we put water in my black bladder in the sun for bath water. We sat at a table in the sun. Around 4:15 a group of PCT hikers arrived. One of the guys came over to see if we were PCT hikers and talked a while. He is from Australia and they started April 1 and expect to finish in late September or early October. They are competing for the slowest time. They had hitched into Lone Pine yesterday and hitched back to the CG this afternoon.. At 4:30 Shirley bathed in the outhouse and I went over to a tree stump in the sun. A couple other people showed up to camp and there are a couple fires fairly far away, but there is a slight smoke smell by our tent. One couple has two dogs which they allow to room free and he constantly calls "Here, Buster".

Wednesday, May 29, 2013	Day 42

5 Miles South of Bishop, CA	Keough Hot Springs	$28.00

We got up at 6:30 this morning to a sunny and fairly warm morning. Once again I managed to stay warm last night, but I did wear my tights, 2 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt, and my hat. We packed the tent and put our bags in the car, left the food in the bear locker and were off on a hike to Cottonwood Pass at 7:45. We were surprised to find the Austrailians part way of the pass. We figured they would have taken Trail Pass and walk the PCT. They did save 3 miles by doing Cottonwood Pass, but missed 3.8 miles of the PCT. It was pleasant hiking to the pass, but the elevation is still getting to us. I didn't get dizzy today, but I did get winded. The pass was at 11,146. It was very windy and cold from the pass most of the way over to Trail Pass. Out of the wind was quite pleasant. I wore my hat, gloves, and heavy shirt most of the way on the PCT. It was warm back to the car. We loaded up and headed to Lone Pine. Shirley had lost her shirt in Lone Pine on Monday. We stopped at the hiking/climbing store, but they hadn't found it. We walked to the steps we had eaten on Monday and surprisingly there was Shirley's shirt in the corner. We went to the store for a day's worth of food before heading to Keough Hot Springs which Shirley really wanted to go to. We paid an extra $5.00 for a hookup site since there was grass there and the dry camping was nothing but dirt. We also paid $8.00 each to use the hot pool. We were in the pool for a little over an hour (4:15 - 5:15). We took showers at the pool rather than pay $2.00 for 6 minute showers at the CG restroom. We were very pleased to see no fire pits in the hookup section. Much to our disappointment the host, 2 vehicles away built a fire around 7:00 and the smoke came directly toward us. After a late dinner we went to the picnic area to get away from the smoke. Before dinner the host pointed out a road runner that was going through camp. It's now 8:30 and I'm still in shorts and short sleeves.

Thursday, May 30, 2013	Day 43	60.2 - 845.1 miles

35 Miles North of Bishop, CA	Convict Lake NF CG	$10.00

It was quite comfortable sleeping last night, but I did have to eventually turn around in the tent because the light near out tent was shining in my eyes. We got up around 6:45 and I put on a light long sleeve and my long pants over my biking clothes, but I'm not sure I really needed them. We drove to Bishop and stopped at a Vons store. I didn't think we needed much, but Shirley did and we ended up spending almost $65.00. We filled up the gas tank as well and we had a 40¢ per gallon discount since we've been shopping at Vons so often. Unfortunately we only needed 7.6 gallons. We then drove to Convict Lake NF CG about 35 miles North of Bishop. We found a nice little campsite and then drove back to Hwy 395 and a side road we planned to ride. There was a little church there and several cars that appeared to be bikers doing the same road. It was 11:20 when we finally took off. We had a side/tailwind and riding was pretty easy. During the first 6 miles we passed 7 cyclists in groups of 2 or 1 heading back to their cars. Obviously, they got an earlier start than we did. It was mostly uphill for the first 15 miles to a 7500 plus foot pass. That's not too bad since we started around 6000. We had a 4 mile fast downhill and then started climbing to a 7650 plus foot pass, again with a tailwind. At around 24.5 miles we came to a sign that said 12% grade. Shirley decided to turn around and I told her if she didn't want to wait for me I would ride the 3-4 miles back to camp from where the car was parked since I wanted to get 60 miles in. The really steep part lasted less than 1/2 mile and then it was steep for another 1 to 1.5 miles. The next 3.5 miles weren't too steep except for two 1/2 mile sections. I turned around at 30.1 miles. I had a strong tailwind blow me back up the hill. It wasn't too bad except for the last quarter mile which was really steep. I was coughing pretty good when I stopped at the top. I had a head wind all the way back from there which wasn't too bad on the first downhill, but made the second uphill much harder. The last 15 miles took me 1:15 and it was mostly downhill. The last 10 miles were very slow and pure torture. Shirley had said she might ride to camp, but I figured if she had the same headwinds I did the car would be gone. As I approached the church I could see a car parked there, but I couldn't tell if it was ours. Much to my relief I discovered it was. Shirley had waited for me since the wind was so strong. She was a bit pissed and was in a hurry to load up and go back to camp. Once we got to camp and she got washed up she was in a better mood. I washed my night shirt and short sleeve hiking shirt and then bathed. By then it was definitely dinner time since I didn't get back to the car until 5:00. The lid on one of the water bottles wasn't tight this morning and the water leaked all over the back of the car. Shirley had dried it some while waiting for me and we finished the job back in camp. A trail from here is shown on our California map so we talked to one of the hosts about it. He showed us on a hiking map where it goes. We could do a 12 mile hike tomorrow if we decide to stay here another night, or do a 55 mile bike ride tomorrow if we leave. Decisions, decisions. It's a bit colder tonight and I have my two long sleeve shirts on. When the sun disappeared behind the mountain at 6:25 people lit there fires and we have light smoke. When we got back this afternoon there was a deer in our driveway eating the bushes. Later when we returned from talking to the host there were 4 deer in the road and in an empty campsite.

Friday, May 31, 2013	Day 44

35 Miles North of Bishop, CA	Convict Lake NF CG	$10.00

We didn't get up this morning until the sun hit the tent which was about 7:15. It seemed to take a long time to get ready, but we were off on our hike at 8:20. On the way we passed the marina and discovered we could rent a kayak or canoe for $40 per hour. The trail followed the lake to the other end and then headed up. It was a good trail for a while and then got into lots of rock. There were 3 or 4 places where the trail had washed out, but enough people have been over it that there was a worn path. There were stretches of greenery, trees and bushes. After 2.5 hours we came to a stream crossing. There used to be a large bridge, but all that remains is the abutments. At the bridge a side creek came in to the main stream. We pondered crossing the side creek for a while. Finally, Shirley started across, but came back when the first flat rock she stepped on was slimy and very slick. We decided to turn around. On the way down we met Dennis' (the host) friend he had told us about last night. He had Dennis' map which Dennis had offered to us. This guy said the trail crossed the side creek and the main creek and was a bunch of rocky side hill afterwards. When we got back to the lake we continued around it on a trail. We found a nice grassy spot on the edge of the lake for lunch. While eating a woman with a young puppy ran by and the puppy got sidetracked by us. Walking back Shirley talked about going swimming later, but there really wasn't anyplace nice. I told her we could probably afford the $40 for a kayak if she wanted, but she decided it wouldn't be that much fun in the heat. We got back to camp by 1:30 and spent the afternoon sitting around camp. I did wash the car using 4 liters of water. It was covered with sticky pollen again. We also washed our hair with very warm water that had been sitting in the bucket. The car has dried out and we put the bikes back in so we don't have to do that tomorrow. We also found the sun screen we bought a couple weeks ago and hadn't seen since. It was in the bag with our cleaning supplies

Saturday, June 1, 2013	Day 45	34.9 - 880.0

50 Miles South of Winnemucca, NV	Rye Patch Rec Area	$14.00

We got up when the sun hit the tent again this morning which I think was before 7:00 which means yesterday's stated time is wrong. We ate and packed and headed off for Mono Lake. At Highway 167 we turned toward Nevada and I dropped Shirley off on her bike to ride to Hawthorne, NV. I drove 50 miles and parked the car and then rode back toward Shirley. She had a 1500 foot gain to a pass and my side was about 3000 feet. She had a strong tailwind most of the way up her side and a headwind down, but not too strong of a headwind until she met me 15 miles from the car. I had figured I'd be lucky to make 15 miles. We ate a snack and then headed for the car. I was parked about 4 miles from Hawthorne and still above it so I told Shirley to pass the car and I'd pick her up in Hawthorne if she wanted. The headwind coming back was getting stronger and Shirley decided 50 miles was enough and offered to pick me up in Hawthorne. At first I wasn't going to, but then decided to ride and I'm glad I did. It was a nice four mile downhill and the headwind diminished as I went down. Shirley parked at the edge of town and we packed the bikes and started driving to Fallon some 70 miles away. We passed some CGs along Walker Lake and they were absolutely treeless and empty. Not sure they were open. In Fallon we stopped and looked at the map and Winnemucca was only 135 miles away so we decided to go there instead of the state recreation area South of there since Shirley was afraid it would be like Walker Lake. We stopped in Lovelock for drinks and gas, and as we left Shirley saw a billboard about Mule Days or something like that with mules in Winnemucca from 5/30 to 6/2 so we decided to check out the Rye Patch Recreation Area after all. It turned out to have a nicely treed CG. Most, if not all, of the trees are Russian Olives so it smells very sicky sweet. As the sun set our table got in the sun as it started shining below the cover over the table. We have Mexican music playing quite loudly from across the river. After baths and setting up the tent I shaved in hot water I heated in a pan. We will eat dinner after the sun goes behind the hill. We are camped just below the Rye Patch Dam and the river looks very brackish. The water from the faucet is just a tiny bit alkaline. At 7:50 our RV neighbors turned on a generator. Fortunately, it's a quiet one, but still disturbs the peace. Of course, the Spanish music is still louder. It sounds like a live band to me, but Shirley thinks it's a tape. Hopefully, both will stop before we go to bed.

Sunday, June 2, 2013	Day 46

Council, ID	Hodges RV Park	$20.00

The Spanish music stopped just before 9:00 when it got dark. The generator, however, continued on. I wasn't sleepy, but I couldn't stand the generator so I went to bed at 9:15. I had a lot of trouble going to sleep, but finally did. At some point I heard the generator be turned off, but I don't have any idea what time it was. We got up a little before 7:00 and were off for a driving day around 8:10. Shirley drove first so she would be on the shady side of the car. Shirley drove to a rest area North of Winnemucca. When we were stopped Shirley had me check the tire pressure since she says the car pulls to the left. They were all between 37 and 38 PSI. While checking them a small snake crawled under the car and Shirley watched as it crawled into the right rear wheel well. We tried kicking the tire to make it come out, but it didn't so eventually I drove off. I guess we'll never know what happened to it. I drove for a while and finally pulled off at a closed weigh station in Oregon because my butt and leg were complaining. We ate an apple each and stretched. Shirley drove the remaining 45 miles to Jordan Valley, OR. Where we got gas. We forgot we couldn't pump our own gas until I got out of the car. We had lunch at the park and even did stomach exercises for the first time since we got sick over two weeks ago. I drove again to Parma and then Shirley drove to Council, ID. We had thought about going to White Bird, some 100 plus more miles, but we were both ready to stop. We found a lovely RV park off the highway with grass and a very clean and well designed toilet and shower block. It was $10.00 each which given the facilities is very reasonable. We went to the store before setting up camp since it was 5:00 and the woman wasn't sure if the store closed at 5:00 or 6:00. Luckily, it turned out to be 6:00. I could only get $10.00 cash back at the store so we are a little cash low after paying cash for camping. After setting up the tent we did laundry. We put part of it in the dryer and part of it on a clothesline the lady said was installed for the cyclists who don't like to put their bike clothes in the dryer. This is part of one of Adventure Cycling routes, Trans Am I think. It felt a bit cool earlier when the wind was blowing, but it has died down some. While driving on I-80 this morning we were passed by a climbing wall loaded in a truck. Shirley tried calling Anne a couple times to tell her we are going to be there in a couple days, but couldn't get an answer. We think we are in the Mountain Time Zone now, but I will continue using PDT. We checked into the RV park at 3:45 (PDT) or 4:45 (MDT). After last night I was ready for a motel tonight, but the RV park is quiet and there are no fire rings. The only other people here are 5 trailers containing worker sorts whoe live here, at least temporarily.

Monday, June 3, 2013	Day 47	35.6 - 915.6

50 Miles West of Lolo, MT	Wilderness Gateway NF CG	$4.00

Well, I guess I will use MDT times after all. I think we got up around 7:00, but I'm not sure. I had put my Kindle in the laundry room last night around 9:45 to charge. When I got up to pee I went to check it to see if it was done charging and it was so I brought it back to the tent. Shirley got hold of Anne before leaving this morning and told her we would be in Missoula Wednesday or Thursday. Anne said Thursday would be better since she goes to Jancy's for dinner on Wednesdays, so we plan to get to Missoula on Thursday morning. I drove for the first 70-80 miles and then Shirley took over. We stopped in Grangeville, MT to buy groceries (only $19.00) and gas. We took Highway 13 to Kooskia, MT and almost had an accident when a truck pulling a horse trailer pulled out in front of us. Shirley had to slam on the brakes pretty hard. Not sure he even knew it although after a few miles he pulled over and let us pass. We then ran into road construction and had to wait 5- 10 minutes. At Kooskia we put our cycling clothes on and I was going to ride to the CG, but we decided it was 50 miles and it was already 1:45 so we decided to drive to Syringa and I would start there and Shirley would drive to the old ranger station just before the CG and ride back down Highway 12 to meet me. As we were driving to Syringa I was wishing I had ridden. Then we hit road construction and they had ground up the pavement for 6-7 miles. I was glad I hadn't ridden. The road work ended just after Syringa and I started riding from there. With traffic stopped by the road work I would ride 3-4 miles and then a group of 3-8 cars and RVs would pass. I had a tailwind and it was very pleasant. There were a few puddles from a heavy rain last night and a dark cloud or two today, but it didn't even come close to raining. I rode 19 miles before meeting Shirley. She had ridden 11. She decided to ride another 4 miles down so she could get 30 miles in, and I decided to ride past the car to the CG. I stopped at the car to pick up my long clothes, but it turned out to be sunny and warm at the CG. I checked out the CG and found what I thought would be a good site, but then I talked to a guy and he said he and a group of kayakers were going to camp by there so I checked out another loop. At the entrance to the CG was an information board with an 8x11 notepad. Since Shirley always checks out the information I left her a full page message to meet me in B11. I was checking out the nearby sites when she pulled up, but she hadn't seen my message. B11 and nearby sites had no tent spot, but there were three walk in sites at B15. We took one and our tent is on a wet mossy spot. There are two other walk in sites at B15, but our receipt on the post makes it look like they are not available which is fine by us. Two motorcyclists came around the loop and didn't stop. It seemed they had chosen a site further away, but then moved to B14, right next door to us. Their tent is either on the pavement or just off the end of it. As of 8:30 they haven't lit a fire yet. At Shirley's urging we went to the host to ask about hiking trails. She gave us a thick list of trails in the Clearwater NF. The descriptions aren't very complete and we think the distances are one way, but it gives us an idea of the trails out of camp and in the vicinity. So far, the temperature feels warmer than last night, but that could just be because we are out of the wind.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013	Day 48

50 Miles West of Lolo, MT	Wilderness Gateway NF CG	$4.00

We didn't get up until 8:45 this morning after going to bed at 10:15. Shirley didn't seem to want to get up. After breakfast we finally decided to hike the Boulder Creek Trail and see if it took us to the hot springs we hiked to in 1991. We followed the trail for 4 hours, leaving camp at 10:00. We passed two junctions, but we never got to a hot pool. Either it was a different trail or we hiked a long way in 1991. We turned around at 2:00 and were back in camp around 5:00. We took our bucket baths and ate dinner. When Shirley went to the bathroom I heard a strange noise and when I turned around there was a young male deer who looked for all the world like he was sneezing. He would sometimes stamp his foot when he did. He must have sneezed (if that is what it was) about 10 times before leaving. Later we returned the list of hikes to the host. As of 7:30 we don't have any neighbors. Last night's neighbors were very good. They were quiet and didn't have a fire. Twice today when I was leading on the trail I ran into spider webs and ended up with spiders dangling from the bill of my hat. The first was small and black, the second larger and sort of striped. There were also four snakes while Shirley was leading and I had to touch one with a stick to get it to move. Shirley didn't scream for any of them. There were also a few snails and hopefully we didn't step on any.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013	Day 49	70.5 - 986.1

16 Miles West of Lolo, MT	Lolo Creek NF CG	$5.00

We didn't get up until after 9:30 this morning. Actually, it turns out it was 8:30 since we have been in the Pacific Time Zone even though we thought we have been in the Mountain Time Zone. After eating and packing Shirley was off on her bike around 10:30 (I'm still using MDT) and a few minutes later I took off driving the car to drive 30 miles and park. I found a nice parking area in about 31 miles and then rode back toward Shirley. I met her 9.7 miles from the car. As she continued up I continued down until I had 15.5 miles before turning around and heading back up the pass. Back at the car I stopped to eat and get more water. Originally Shirley was going to stop at the car and drive to the CG on the other side and then ride some more, but the West side was so good she decided to do all her riding there and had continued up the pass past the car. I finally met her again about 10 miles from the summit as she was heading back down. She had ridden another 5 miles to the start of the steep part which she didn't want to do as her sort chest muscle is finally getting better. She had stopped to eat her apple so I stopped and ate my apple too. There was a biker doing the Trans Am that we had passed early on and talked to the first time I met Shirley. He passed us while we ate our apples. I passed him again on the steep part and he was walking his bike. On top of the pass I didn't go into the rest area, but stopped just before the downhill to eat my last bagel. The tourist pulled into the rest area just before I was ready to leave. Shirley passed me in the car 3 miles down the East side, right about at the best part of the downhill. After that it was another 10 miles to the first CG (Earl Tennant) that we had planned to camp at. It didn't take me long to figure out Shirley wasn't there as there were only 7 sites and there was no water. I had to ride another 3 miles to Lolo Creek CG. Fortunately I found Shirley sitting in one of the sites filling ut a registration form. She had me choose one of 2 sites and I picked the one that was more secluded and by a little stream for a bath. We bathed in the stream and then set up the tent before doing dinner. There are a few mosquitos, but aren't too obnoxious, at least not yet, and it is 8:20 (We are now in the Mountain time Zone as of Lolo Pass). It's cooling off a bit so maybe they will disappear.

Thursday, June 6, 2013	Day 50

Missoula, MT	Anne Well's Apartment	Free

We got up by 7:45, I think. It was a little overcast. I stayed warm last night in just my underwear and short sleeves shirt. I did have my feet fully protected, though, with my down like jacket inside the bag and my fleece vest outside. We were off shortly after 9:00 and arrived at Anne's by 10:30. There was a note on her door that she was exercising downstairs, but meant down the hall. We watched as they did some simple balance and neck stretching exercises before heading to Anne's room. Later Shirley and Anne went shopping at Walmart and REI and to see Jancy where she works. I couldn't go since there is only room for 2 people in the car with all our stuff and the bikes. I took a shower and shaved while they were gone. I was going to check email and bank balances while they were gone so Anne had signed on to her computer before they left, but when I tried to use it later it was frozen and I couldn't do anything. I did manage to check everything after Anne returned and signed on again. We had lunch at Anne's home and I had to pay $4.25 for the privilege of eating a very small lunch. I was still quite hungry afterwards. Anne and Shirley returned around 4:30 and brought brownies from Walmart which we ate. While I was on the computer Anne took a nap until 7:00. Apparently Shirley wore her out. The only real noticeable affect of Anne's PSP is her speech pattern and a bit of slurring.

Friday, June 7, 2013	Day 51	24.8 - 1010.9

Cataldo, ID	Khanderosa RV Park	$18.00

I slept on my pad on the floor last night and Shirley slept on the couch. Neither of us slept especially well. We got up at 7:00 just a little before Anne. We sat and talked to about 9:00 and then went down to breakfast. For $3.25 each I made sure I got enough to eat today. I had scrambled eggs with 2 slices of toast, a couple different fruit bowls, 2 orange muffins, a banana, and a couple glasses of OJ. We then went back to Anne's room and talked some more. Anne had me show her how to add and change email contacts (she uses Windows 8 and gmail). She tried to have me help her to respond to some guy using LinkedIn which seems to be some sort of job seeking social network. She was supposed to sign in after clicking on a link in an email, but it wouldn't accept her password. If she went directly to the site she could sign in, but couldn't respond to the email. I couldn't get it to work either. We left around 11:30 and went to the store. It then took a long time to go the few miles to I-90 as traffic was backed up, apparently because of the stop lights. We finally made it to I-90, but then there were miles of 35 MPH due to road construction. We finally made it to Idaho and we got gas in Kellogg before continuing to Cataldo and an RV park we remembered right on the Couer d'Alene Trail. For $18.00 we got a nice grassy site, but no table. The bathroom and showers are in a trailer with curtains for doors to all the stalls. If we had a table we would have stayed two nights, except for being really close to I-90. After setting up we went for a ride to check out the Snake Pit restaurant in Kingston (Enasville) four miles to the East and a campground 1/2 mile up the highway from there. The restaurant is being remodeled so we can't pig out on the brunch like we did last fall, and the CG is $20.00 with no table or shower. We are thinking tomorrow morning we will pack up and head to the NF CG we stayed at last fall with Harold and Mel. We drove 1/4 mile to a TH and had dinner at the table there. We are still there as I write this. It has been windy all day and is still blowing. My nose doesn't like something the wind is blowing around. We rode 2.5 miles West of our CG before having enough headwind. While riding to check out the Snake Pit we saw a mom moose with two calves. They were very cute and we had a clear view for a while. We even saw them cross a small creek. Unfortunately, back at camp the only person whose smoke might come our way is the only person who seems to have a fire. If we are lucky he will give it up fairly quickly. We are now sitting in the car after our showers since that's the only place to sit. We are back on Pacific Time.

Saturday, June 8, 2013	Day 52	78.8 - 1089.7

7 Miles NW of Enasville (Kingston), ID	Bumble Bee NF CG	$8.00

We got up at 7:00 this morning, packed up and drove to Bumble Bee CG. Our campsite was in the shade and was quite a bit colder than Cataldo. The host came by to collect the fee as we were finishing filling out the pay envelope. He knew we were here because the envelopes were right next to this trailer. We ate breakfast and then drove back to the Enasville TH of the Trail of the Coeur d'Alens. We rode almost 40 miles down to the bridge that crosses the lake. Along the way we saw lots of herons, what might have been swans or they could have been white pelicans like we saw a little later. We met Doug, a farmer from the Paloose area and he told us we were seeing white pelicans since they were really too far away to tell. He rode with us all the way to Harrison. We also met his wife in Metamont(?). In Harrison they were having a pig roast in the park with a band. On the way back we stopped in to see what was happening and to get water. We were going to get some BBQ, but they were on hold waiting for buns and more potato salad. Shirley bought an apple turnover, of which I got a couple bites. We finally saw them serving large plates of meat and nothing else so we left. At about 22 miles to go we had a break and talked to a Canadian couple who are passing through Leavenworth later. They were interesting to talk to. Back in camp we decided we would head home tomorrow. We thought about staying another day, but changed our minds. This morning the sites we wanted at the end of the CG near a little creek were occupied, but the host said one of them was leaving today so we checked it out when we came back. One of the sites was open, but the trailer next to it was running a generator so we stayed put. After baths and about the time we started dinner someone a few sites away started a generator. Fortunately, it only ran for an hour or so and hasn't come back on yet. We got a little smoke for a while, but then the breeze cooperated. Hopefully, it will keep blowing it away from us.

Sunday, June 9, 2013	Day 53

Leavenworth, WA	Home

It was warmer in camp this morning than yesterday when we arrived. The sun was close to, but not in our campsite when we got up so we went to a site with sun for breakfast. It was about 8:50 when we were finally all loaded and heading out. I drove first so I could drive through Spokane. Traffic was light until Coeur d'Alene where we picked up quite a bit and more in Spokane, but being Sunday it wasn't too bad. I was ready to give up driving at the first rest area after Spokane. We took I-90 to the Quincy exit which I like better than driving Highway 2 from Spokane. It's a few miles longer, but is probably quicker over all. I drove from the rest area before the Quincy exit. We stopped at Cosco on the way home and got home around 3:00. The weeds aren't as bad as expected. There are lots of weeds, but they are not as tall as a couple years ago when we got home later. Plus, other wanted foliage is bigger now and helps hide the weeds.

Day	Date	Location	M/C	Cost	Total	Miles	Total

1	07/07/13	Entiat, WA - Entiat City Park	C	$22.00	$22.00	38.6	38.6

2	07/08/13	Carlson, WA - Carlson RV Park	C	$15.00	$37.00	61.9	100.5

3	07/09/13	25 Mi West Winthrop, WA - Lone Fir NF CG	C	$6.00	$43.00	46.0	146.5

4	07/10/13	Newhalem, WA - Newhalem NP CG	C	$6.00	$49.00	51.1	197.6

5	07/11/13	7 Mi West Concrete, WA - Raser SP	C	$12.00	$61.00	45.2	242.8

6	07/12/13	Sumas, WA - Sumas RV Park	C	$10.00	$71.00	61.6	304.4

7	07/13/13	7 Mi East of Chilliwack, BC - Timihi BCFS CG	C	$13.00	$84.00	33.7	338.1

8	07/14/13	30 Mi East of Chilliwack, BC - Chilliwack Lake PP	C	$18.00	$102.00	22.3	360.4

9	07/15/13	35 Mi West of Hope, BC - Bridal Falls RV Park	C	$22.00	$124.00	58.1	418.5

10	07/16/13	6 Mi East of Hope, BC - Othello Tunnels CG	C	$28.35	$152.35	35.1	453.6

11	07/17/13	32 Mi East of Hope, BC - Britton Rest Area	C	Free	$152.35	32.5	486.1

12	07/18/13	3 Mi West of Tualameen, BC - Otter Lake PP	C	$21.00	$173.35	47.2	533.3

13	07/19/13	2 Mi West of Bandier, BC - Chain Lake BCFS CG	C	$12.00	$195.35	47.4	580.7

14	07/20/13	Summerland, BC - Peach Orchard CG	C	$30.65	$226.00	39.1	619.8

15	07/21/13	Oroville, WA - Osoyoos Lake Veterans Memorial Park	C	$16.50	$242.50	57.8	677.6

16	07/22/13	Conconully, WA - Conconully SP	C	$24.25	$266.75	49.9	727.5

17	07/23/13	Pateros, WA - Paddlers & Pedalers campsite	C	Free	$266.75	55.0	782.5

18	07/23/14	Leavenworth, WA - Home	84.8	867.3

Sunday, July 7, 2013	Day 1	38.6 - 38.6

Entiat	Entiat City Park	$22.00

We started a bike trip today to do some more of the TCT. Shirley wants to hit some CGs that we don't always go to so we decided to ride to Entiat today. As a result we didn't leave until 10:00. I thought we should leave tomorrow to let the 4th of July traffic die down, but the weather is good now. Shirley didn't want to do the hills on North Road so we headed down Highway 2. I had a big breakfast of 2 pieces of toast, cereal with yogurt, and a banana. Later I had a muffin. Highway 2 was very busy. We had taken our trash with us and when we passed the Marsons building just past Safeway we found a dumpster and in it went the trash. We made it about 2.5 miles when Shirley's BOB tire went flat. We were at a wider paved spot, but it sure wasn't pleasant as I patched the tube. We continued on toward Monitor and did Stines Hill. Larry Glickfeld caught us as we were going up. We talked as we rode until the downhill and he took off. We also did Old Monitor Road. We had a break at the Wenatchee River County Park in Monitor. We made it over Easy Street and were heading toward highway 97A when my rear tire felt really soft. We stopped at the veterinarian's office and I found a small hole in my tube. Neither Shirley nor I found anything in the tire. Highway 97A wasn't quite as busy as Highway 2 in that there was a pause in traffic every once in a while. We made it to Entiat at 2:40. To our surprise there was only one RV and no tents. The booth, as usual, was closed and the host told us to pick a site (actually a numbered table since there are no sites and the tables move around) and come back to register. There was a large group in the picnic shelter, but they were older and quiet. There was also a small group with a sun shade and boat. Unfortunately, they kept trying to water ski with what looked like a snowboard fairly close to the CG. After eating a little we got in the lake rather than paying $1.00 each for 4 minute showers. The bottom was sort of muddy, but it did clean the salt off us. Just when we wanted to dry our clothes the sun went behind some clouds. Around 5:00 we walked the 1/2 to 1/4 mile to the store for frozen vegetables. It had been calm, but just as we got everything out to cook the wind picked up. The pots, stoves, bags, etc. went flying. We managed to get everything contained and the stoves going. Of course, they don't work as well in the wind. We cooked on the ground due to the wind and we both left little burned spots. As we were eating the wind died down again. The large group was pretty much gone when we went to the store, but the boat people kept at it until 6:30. Fortunately, there wasn't anybody using jet skis. About 8:30 we had a few drops of rain so we moved under the picnic shelter. It never did really rain. Another tenter arrived sometime between 7:00 and 8:00 and stayed very close to the road and their car.

Monday, July 8, 2013	Day 2	61.9 - 100.5

Carlton, WA	Carlton RV Park	$15.00

We went to bed around 9:45 last night and got up at 6:00 this morning. It was almost warm enough to not put on my long clothes. By the time we left at 7:00 it was definitely shorts and jersey. When we left Shirley was all for going Navarre Coulee and then to Chelan because of the traffic and the Knapp tunnel. When we got to the turnoff she was ready to stay on 97A and do the tunnel. One car passed me in the tunnel and after Shirley waited for a truck to pass she made it through with no cars passing her. We got to Chelan around 9:15 and sat on a bench in the shade along the river. Lots of walkers and joggers passed by as we sat there. Two people on stand up paddle boards sat in the river and the guy finally got up just as we left. We stopped at Walmart on the way out of town and I bought some Nerf sandals for $10.00 for when we swim or bathe in rivers or lakes. It felt quite warm on the uphills, but flats and downhills were pleasant. We stopped again at Wells Dam. Shortly after that we met a cyclist going South doing the Sierra Cascades route and we talked for a while. He told us about another cyclist, Larry, going our way. We stopped at the Rest-a-While fruit stand/ bakery. Shirley had a scone and I had a large brownie, total $7.00. To my surprise the entire brownie disappeared. We had a tailwind which wasn't bad most of the time, but it did make the steeper uphills warm. We had another break in Methow at the table at the historical sign. A few miles out of Methow a cyclist caught us easily. He was Larry the other cyclist told us about and is about finished with the Sierra Cascades route, starting at Truckee which he rode to from his home in the Bay area. We rode with him the last few miles into Carlton. He went on to Twisp to a brewery the other cyclist told him about. We told him to take the Twisp-Carlton road and he did. The owner of the RV park wasn't around when we arrived, but the niece or something who lives here told us to camp anywhere. We found a site not being watered and in the shade and then took showers which were very nice. The laundry is drying nicely. An hour or so later the caretaker arrived and took our money. We cooked dinner and Shirley burned hers a little, but it fortunately didn't taste burned, but it did make the pot a little harder to clean. There's a dog yipping in the house at the end of the CG. I don't know how it can yip for so long. Fortunately, it is indoors or it would be real annoying. Later, the owner came home and stopped by to see if we had paid. She wasn't sure if the caretaker was around today. It turns out the yipping dog was theirs and was in their trailer, I think. About 7:50 a couple from Fort Collins, Colorado arrived on a tandem with two kids, one in a tag along attached to the tandem and on in a bugger attached to the tag along. The kids are 5 and 8 and alternate between riding in the bugger and on the tag along. They started in Selah and are doing the Washington Parks loop we did last year. Since much of the RV park is being watered they are camped right next to us. The only bad thing about that is they will be up later than us since they got here so late.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013	Day 3	46.0 - 146.5

About 25 Miles West of Winthrop, WA	Line Fir NF CG	$6.00

We went to bed last night close to 9:30 shortly after the family had finished eating. I could hear the girl and mom talking and was thinking I might have to get my ear plugs out. Either they got quiet or I just went to sleep because the next thing I knew I was waking up to pee. We got up at 6:10 shortly after the sun hit the tent. Once again it was just cold enough for long clothes, but we were in shorts and jersey when we left at 7:10. We got to Twisp about 8:15 and bought a few items at the store. The time and temperature said 66º, but it felt warm. We bought a pound of strawberries and 18 ounces of blueberries. We carried both to Winthrop where we stopped in the park after making the left turn toward the pass. We ate the strawberries in no time. There was a guy in a very low recumbent with a dog that had a tag that said "seizure warning dog". There was also a group of people at "The Barn" doing strange chants. It sounded like part of it was FFA. We headed up the pass with a nice tailwind which made it feel really hot. Sometimes it would be a little from the side which felt good. We made it past Mazama to the Early Winters CG before we stopped for more food. The steep climb after the CG was very warm although not as bad as last July. I still had to stop to get the sweat out of my eyes, though. We had to stop in the shade a couple more times and I ate my last bagel about 2 miles from the CG. We spent about 20 minutes looking at all the sites. It always takes a while when Shirley is hungry. We finally settled on a pull through site with nice shade. We realized there weren't any food hanging limbs so we checked out the sunny site next door. It did have good limbs so we finally decided to move. We came back to the shaded table with our food and reading material. Before moving we did little baths in the creek next to our site and ate the blueberries. Somewhere around 4:30 to 5:00 Larry pulled in. He's the cyclist we met yesterday. He's going to stay with us. We told him he could stay as long as he doesn't build a fire. He kind of laughed and said that wouldn't be a problem. The family we camped with last night showed up around 8:15 and took the site next to us that we started to take.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013	Day 4	51.1 - 197.6

Newhalem, WA	Newhalem NP CG	$6.00

We weren't out of the tent until 6:50 this morning since it was a little colder and the sun was behind the ridge. My hands only really got cold when we took the tent down. We were a little slow packing and weren't off until 8:10. We left a little before Larry. We had long sleeves on, but it didn't take long before they came off. We stopped after a couple miles and Larry caught us. He stayed behind when we left again. We finally made the six miles to the summit of Washington Pass in two hours. We decided to go to the overlook which was a little more uphill than we recalled, but it is lovely. When we got to Rainy Pass we met Larry again. He had started up to the overlook, but decided he didn't want to do the hill. He fell behind as we started down. We had a headwind again, but not as strong as last year at first. I actually felt like I had some downhill this time. Shirley didn't agree. Unfortunately, by the time we got to the Diablo Lake overloook it was really strong and we had missed some downhill again. Larry caught us again and we rode together the remaining 12 miles to Newhalem. We stopped at the store and bought canned vegetables and a chocolate muffin. Larry bought a can of tea and surprised us by opening it to drink at the store just as we were getting ready to leave for the CG a mile away. We sat at a picnic table while he drank it. In camp we found a site that had two tent pads, but later learned there were walk in sites. There were a few mosquitos, but Larry seemed to attract them. When he went in his tent they really seemed to increase. Larry paid tonight since we paid last night, but we used our Senior Pass to get the half price rate. Larry's not quite old enough for the "Geezer Pass" as he calls it. We also talked to his girlfriend on his IPhone. Later he showed us how he updates his blog from his IPad via his Iphone. For some reason it took forever to boil my water tonight and then it barely did. I think it was the canned peas with a gram of salt. In spite of the mosquitos I stayed out till bed time.

Thursday, July 11, 2013	Day 5	45.2 - 242.8

7 Miles West of Concrete, WA	Raser SP	$12.00 + $0.50

I'm not sure what time we got up this morning, but I think it was around 7:15. It was mostly cloudy and around 60º which felt sort of cold. My hands got just a little cold. We left in long sleeves and for me tights. Shirley was in shorts. We thought Larry was going with us, but he didn't leave when we did. We had a headwind and it felt rather chilly. We stopped for a snack in the sun after about 10 miles. It felt warm and I took my tights and long sleeves off. I almost wished I had kept the long sleeves on when we started riding again. We met a couple of French cyclists heading to Los Angeles and then to South America for a total of 7 months. There English wasn't real good, but a lot better than our French. We had another break in the sun at the County Park in Rockport. At Concrete we toured the business district which involved going up a short, but steep hill. The town is actually pretty nice. It was then back to Highway 20 and the store. From Concrete we rode the rail trail about 4 miles to the road to Raser SP. We were in camp around 3:25. The first thing we did was laundry so it would dry. I just washed mine in the bucket, but Shirley went to take a shower to do hers. She ended up getting a nice long free shower as she got hot water without putting her quarters in. About the time I was going for the shower at 4:30 Larry arrived. He bought watermelon slices for all of us and a piece of chocolate cake for me. Larry washed all three pairs of his cycling shorts which didn't dry and now he is trying to dry at least one pair at the hand dryer. We ate the watermelon while our dinner cooked and I had the cake as dessert. There are lots of mosquitos, better in the picnic area than camp. We set the tent up after dinner and then went to the picnic area.

Friday, July 12, 2013	Day 6	61.6 - 304.4

Sumas, WA	Sumas RV Park	$10.00

We didn't get up until 6:40 this morning. It was a bit cool at 50º. My hands felt cold. We sat in the sun to put sun screen on. When we left I wore tights and long sleeves and wished I had my gloves. Larry started with us today. When we got a chance to get on the rail trail we did. We took it all the way to Sedro Wooley. I finally got warm as we rode this morning and when we got on the rail trail I got warm enough to get to shorts and short sleeves. They were paving the end of the trail. Shirley and I rode down the shoulder the wrong way about 300 feet to a frontage road. Larry rode Highway 20 and didn't turn onto the frontage road so we got separated. We had to ask twice to get to the Food Pavilion. The second time we were very close. We bought a lot of food. I needed cereal and rice and cheese so I added 4-5 pounds. We ate fruit at the store before heading on Highway 20 and then Highway 9 North. Highway 9 was busy to start with and had a narrow shoulder. We stopped after 5-6 miles at a grange to eat. We had a nice tailwind so it was pretty easy. We found Larry again in Acme. He was taken by the fact that they had Acme ice cream since Acme is the company Wile E. Coyote always uses to order things to get the Road Runner. Highway 542 had even less of a shoulder with a chip seal that didn't go all the way to the edge of the shoulder, making it difficult to ride. Traffic got a bit lighter when we turned onto 547. We finally got a downhill about 5 miles from Sumas. Of course, it was only 580 feet so it went quickly. From Acme to Sumas, about 28 miles we mostly had a headwind. The Sumas RV Park is mostly permanent residents. We thought it would be $25, but tents are only $10. Larry had dropped back at the 547 turnoff and showed up just as I was getting ready to pay. He decided to stay with us again so we paid $5 more for an extra person. The rest rooms have a lock with push buttons, but open without having to enter anything. There was no one in the office so I filled out the registration form and folded our money into it since there were no envelopes and put it in the deposit slot. The showers used to have coin boxes, but now work without them and were quite nice. We are camped right next to a corn field, maybe ten feet. On one of my trips to the rest room a guy asked if I wanted the bathroom code. I think he said it was C123XY, but so far we haven't needed it. There isn't any hot water in the sink so I took a pan and got hot water from the shower to shave.

Saturday, July 13, 2013	Day 7	33.7 - 338.1

7 Miles East of Chilliwack, BC	Tamihi BC Forest CG	$13.00 (Canadian)

I think we got up before 6:30 this morning, but it could have been 6:45 as the times are running together in my mind. Shirley decided last night we should take Larry out to breakfast in Canada this morning so after some tea for Shirley and Larry and a banana for me we headed off to Canada, about a mile away. At the border we were directed to park our bikes and go inside as a pedestrian. Another woman on a bike with a couple baskets arrived as we did and when I said it looked like she went shopping she said she was on the way to an exercise class and then a parade. The border agent we got was very serious. When Shirley asked about a place to eat he said dead pan "I'm not giving you my lunch". He wouldn't recommend a restaurant, but did finally tell us there was a restaurant 5 minutes ahead on the left. We found the Pantry Restaurant which did have good food. Larry and I had omelettes and Shirley had some other concoction she called a potato sandwich, but they called something else. When we went into the restaurant Larry asked if he could charge his phone and they accommodated him. Total bill was $41 and Shirley tipped $5 on the Visa charge. We sat and talked a while before finally leaving around 9:30. After Larry took off I convinced Shirley we should go to the bank. We rode another mile into Abbotsford and found a store and 2 banks. Shirley thought we should go to the store and see if we could get money back. We got a store card because the prices were a lot better, especially on some fruit. We saved just over $4.00 with the card. When we checked out our debit card automatically went as a charge transaction with no option to get cash back. I then went to the bank as I had wanted to in the first place and got $300.00. For some unknown reason to me Shirley insisted on changing her $60.00 US to Canadian. I don't have any idea what rate she got, but I'm sure it was much lower than the ATM rate will be. It was then back 2 or 3 miles to the road we wanted. There were lots of cyclist riding around. An electronic sign said there was a 20 minute wait at the border. When we came through there was very little traffic coming into Canada and a long line going into the U.S. We had several miles of quiet roads until we got to Yarrow. From there on it was busy with good shoulders. At the turn to Cultus Lake the road went uphill and didn't appear to have a shoulder. Since Shirley needed food we rode past the turn and into Chilliwack for a store and found another Save On Foods which we have a card for. I didn't need much since I bought my stuff in Sdero Wooley and Abbotsford. After debating a while we finally decided to take the road toward Chilliwack Lake and go to the Tamihi BC Forest CG rather than going to Cultus Lake and taking the TCT as we had originally planned since the TCT was described as very hard and the ride to Cultus Lake did not look pleasant. The first mile was busy and no shoulder. Fortunately we then hit new pavement and a shoulder. We had forgotten to get vegetables so we stopped at a small store and got some canned vegetables. The guy gave Shirley a map that showed a couple of recreation areas where we could camp. We never saw them although we are guessing they were where some gates were. At Tamihi, when we first pulled in it wasn't very pleasant. It was a parking lot with sites around the edge. There was a map showing another section a bit further down the dirt road. We went there and there were 4 or 5 sites still open. We took the one the host recommended. Unfortunately there are a lot of motorized recreation vechiles (ORVs mainly) on a road right outside the CG and camped in the CG. Our site, and most sites, is nothing but 1/ 2 to 3/4 inch gravel. There are pit toilets and no water other than the river. We got water from the Chilliwack River and treated it. We did bucket baths. Later we walked up the road and onto the TCT We had a bit of trouble finding the TCT and when we did it had lots of ruts from the ORVs in spite of the no vehicle signs. We finally decided we would take the paved road around the next 6K of trail. We hung our food tonight to keep it away from raccoons. The limb we chose wasn't very strong and bent way down. The bags are only about 4 feet off the ground. Shirley tried to change her odometer to kilometers, but only succeeded in making it not work at all.

Sunday, July 14, 2013	Day 8	22.3 - 360.4

30 Miles East of Chilliwack, BC	Chilliwack Lake Provincial park	$18.00 (Canadian)

Our bed of rocks was pretty comfortable. Shirley didn't seem to be in any hurry to get up. I finally got up and went to the outhouse to pee and went back to bed. We were finally out of the tent at 7:45. The tree limb our food was on broke during the night and our bags were on the ground, but still over the limb which was still attached. We talked to a guy who did a Defeat Cancer ride from Surrey, BC to Seattle with 3000 riders. It took 2 days. We were finally off at 9:05. We rode the road a while and missed our first chance to ride the TCT. We finally got on it at Thurston Meadows CG for a couple K. That stretch was very nice. It was then back on the road for a few K and then we got back on the TCT before Pierce Creek. We found the turn off the highway, but missed the left onto the TCT almost immediately, went through some concrete blocks and after a few hundred meters ended up at a trail going right and a locked gate on a road heading more or less the way we wanted. We managed to get the bikes under the gate by leaning them way over. We rode a while and the road started up steeply. We decided we were on the wrong road and turned around. We got under the gate easier going back. Just before getting back to the highway Shirley saw the TCT sign. The trail was pretty overgrown at the start. It had a few bumps, but was quite doable as it was fairly flat. We came to Pierce Creek which we couldn't ride with BOB. We changed into our sandals and pushed the bikes across. There was a steep short hill on the other side which I struggled up. Shirley finally came over to help just as I got up it. I helped Shirley push her bike up the hill. Shirley was ready before me and headed off. Shortly she came back and said the route was the other way on a road we were at. I followed and in 1/4 mile we came back to the highway which didn't match the guidebook. We rode back to the junction and finally saw a TCT sign pointing the way Shirley first went. The confusion was a bunch of TCT signs without arrows on a round structure and they wrapped the way toward the highway. Just as we were ready to go again several horses came from the direction we were going so we waited for them to pass. One horse spooked and tried to run over the horse in front of it. Two other women on horses came out of the woods and said they were going our way and we should go first. At first it was easy going and we were glad we were ahead. Then we hit a boggy part which I got through, but Shirley fell in. Her shoes stayed dry, but she was sitting in the water over her bike until I came back and helped her up. The two women on horses caught us and since we were at the bottom of a steep hill we let them go first. I had to walk the couple hundred feet up since I stopped in second gear to help Shirley and couldn't get started. There were a couple spots where we didn't know which way to turn, but eventually found TCT signs. We got back on the road to cross the Chilliwack River and stayed on the road the last 8-9 miles to Lake Chilliwack. The CG has 140 sites and is nearly empty with almost every site with a 7/14 departure tag. We found a site and Shirley immediately washed her shorts. It was pretty smoky and we decided to move. We went a short distance away and were in the sun. Shirley continued looking around while I did some laundry. We finally moved a few more sites away to a nice quiet and smoke free site. Unfortunately, around 5:30 a group of young folks moved in not too far away. They were a bit noisy at first, but then quieted down. They were a bit noisy again when a second car arrived. They then walked to the lake while we were eating. They were a little noisy when they came back and immediately lit a fire. The noise bothered Shirley and the smoke got both of us so at 7:00 we moved again. There were some noisy kids riding their bikes, but by the time we got the tent up they were quiet. We still have some smoke smell as it is almost impossible to get away from it from somebody. When Shirley checked her odometer this morning before we left it still wasn't working, but as we pulled out onto the highway about .4 miles from our site she noticed it had started working. All her settings are even still intact. We went for a walk to find the TCT. We had asked the ranger and we were sure he pointed to the right of the lake. We found the TCT, but it went uphill steeply and then followed the river down valley. I finally convinced Shirley it was the wrong way. We walked back to the CG entrance on the TCT and found a map. Indeed what we want is at the entrance to the park. Shirley went back to camp to go to the bathroom and I walked the trail to the Chilliwack Lake Road where the TCT continues onto a dirt road down the East side of the lake. By the time I got back to camp it was 9:30 and time for bed. The kids we moved away from were very noisy, even when they walked to the lake and back. Fortunately, we were just far enough away we didn't hear them when they were in their camp.

Monday, July 15, 2013	Day 9	58.1 - 418.5

35 Miles West of Hope, BC	Bridal Falls RV Park	$20.00 + $2.00

We got up at 7:35 and were off at 8:40. The 8K along the lake was a much better dirt road than we expected after reading the description in the guidebook and we averaged 9.6 MPH. We started up the Paleface Pass road, but after less than .2 miles and struggling over 4 berms and dips we reached a very rocky and torn up stretch. Shirley decided she wouldn't enjoy the downhill even if we made it up the pass so we turned around. The berms and dips were fun on the way down. We rode back to the entrance gate at the park and then to a campsite on the TCT maybe 1/4 mile away to have a snack. We mostly had a tailwind and downhill on the 40K back to Chilliwack. We stopped at the store for fruit, vegetables, and sun screen. Prior to going into the store we walked over to a taxation place that apparently is First Nation and asked about campgrounds. They did a Google search and printed a map of CGs in the area. The closest was about halfway to Hope and on Hwy 1, about 5-6K off our route. Chilliwack went on for a long time, but it was pleasant riding as the roads had bike lanes. We stopped at a park where the fountains came on every 20 minutes or so and the kids played int the water. We snacked in the shade and watched. When we got to Hope River Road and then Camp River Road traffic got very light and we went through farm land. At Highway 9 we headed South to get to the RV park. It was busy but did have a shoulder. We stopped at a berry stand and bought a small container of blueberries and a container of raspberries for $4.00 each. They were very good, but not near as good a deal as the blueberries the other day. To stay off Highway 1 we took a side road which went 2K past the RV park and then across Highway 1 on an overpass and back 2K to the park. At the park we had a choice of shade over the septic tank without a table or partial shade at a regular site which soon disappeared. We took the regular site and a table. After eating the berries we went to do showers and laundry. The showers were $1.00 for 5 minutes so after doing that we had to go back and get more $1.00 coins for the laundry. The laundry building provided shade for a table so we sat there until the laundry was done and hopefully our site was in the shade. Shirley put our bike clothes on a table in the sun and the jerseys dried really quick and the shorts did a good job of drying too. We went back to camp eventually and moved the table to the shade of a tall tree before having dinner. The water was hooked to an irrigation system for some new trees so we had disconnected it to get water. Later the owner came by to water the trees. He told us to hook the irrigation back up and turn it on when we were done with the water.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013	Day 10	35.1 - 453.6

6 Miles East of Hope, BC	Othello Tunnels CG	$28.35

We were out of the tent at 6:00 this morning and off in shorts and jersey at 7:05. After riding the 2K back to the overpass we were in the sun and were quite warm. It was 4.1 miles back to where we went off route to go to the CG. The bridge over the Fraser River was very long with a narrow shoulder. There was a walkway in the shadows with a 6-8 inch curb which I couldn't see in the shadows. I had to remind myself not to try to go to the right even though it looked like there was someplace to ride. The bridge was quite long and just when it seemed like we had it made on the downhill we got a headwind. Traffic on Highway 9 was a little lighter than yesterday afternoon, but still heavy. When we turned toward Highway 7 traffic was much lighter. Fortunately, there were good shoulders on both roads. We had a headwind all the way to Hope with mostly flat terrain and just a couple uphills. There was a strange loop at Highway 5 which took us back across the Fraser River on a much friendlier bridge and into Hope. We stopped at the Visitor Center to find out about camping between Hope and Princeton. Shirley read on the website that a section of trail was closed, but the guy at the Visitor Center hadn't heard anything about that. He said the trail was in bad shape because a bunch of ORVs came through, but I wasn't sure where he was talking about. After going back in a couple times and looking at maps and CG information we finally decided to camp about 10K East of Hope. We went to a Coopers Grocery which, to my surprise, uses the same store card as the Save On Foods stores we've been going to. The store was only 1-2 blocks off route. We spent $44 for 2-3 days of food. Hopefully, that's enough to get us to the next real store. We followed the TCT out of town with only a little trouble due to road construction. We actually had some trail we could ride. We got on the Kettle Valley Trail for about 3 miles which was in good shape and very pleasant. It went through the Othello Tunnels which were interesting. There were lots of people as it is a tourist attraction. When we came off the KVT after the tunnels the road went by the CG after a mile or so. There was nobody at the office so we rode through the CG and selected a site we wanted. We went back to the office and pushed an intercom button and got the owner who came over to register us. The site cost $27.00 plus $1.35 tax. We told him the wrong number since the posts are not aligned the way we would do it and we didn't notice the arrows until after we paid and got to our site. We decided the site we had told the owner was better anyway, unless somebody takes the site next to us which is only 10 feet away. It was over 90º at 3:00 when we checked in. We had time to relax and do puzzles and read since we got in early. We put the tent up around 5:30 and it was still 85º. We finally got close neighbors around 8:00. They sounded German, but were very quiet Fortunately, no one in our little are built a fire.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013	Day 11	32.5 - 486.1

32 Miles East of Hope, BC	Britton Rest Area	Free

Since it was so warm last night I agreed to leave the fly off even though there were a few clouds. After it was really dark we woke up to a light rain. We quickly put the fly on which was sitting just outside the tent. It was a very light rain until a little later. It rained off and on all night. We finally got up arrund 7:40 to a cloudy day, but not raining. Shirley wanted to eat in the rec room rather than under our cover on the table so we carried everything to the rec room. There were patches of blue, but it rained again while we were eating. It was mostly blue by the time we finished so we packed up and left. The fly was very wet, but the tent and ground cloth were dry. We kept our rain gear handy and had our pack covers on. It was warm enough for shorts and jersey. After a couple miles or more of quiet road we had to get on Highway 5 for a while. After a couple more miles we were able to get off the highway and go on the Jessica Trail which eventually went under the highway and up a fairly steep hill to the KVR trail. We had to push a lot of the hill. The first K or so was not very nice, but then it turned into a real rail trail. At 8.8 miles we stopped to eat at an overlook. After a couple miles or so we had to go down a steep road to the highway again, but were able to get on a dirt service road. At first it was nice, but then started uphill. We rode for a while, but then had to push for a while. Without BOB it would have been rideable. Finally we topped out at the highway again, but we took a trail along the side of the highway for 2K to the Portia Station exit. At this point we had hoped to take a pipeline road up to the high point on the highway. Unfortunately, a sign said it was temporarily closed for 22K for pipeline maintenance. Shirley had read on the TCT website that it was closed, but the guy at the Visitors Center in Hope said he hadn't heard about it. So, we had to ride 11-12 more miles up Highway 5 to Coquihalla Pass at over 4100 feet including a 3 mile very steep section. Fortunately, there was a bypass around the snow tunnel in this section. Some of the trucks were barely going faster than we were. We finally topped out at a rest area just as I was starting to really need food so we stopped to eat. It was almost 4:00. It was another mile or so of gentle uphill to the summit and then 4 miles downhill to the Britton rest area where our guidebook said there would be water. Unfortunately, a sign said the Ministry of Health says don't drink the water, just as at all the rest areas we've been at. We asked a man at the snack shop if the Coquihalla Lodge had camping as the sign on the road indicated, but he agreed with the Visitor Center that it hadn't had camping for years. He suggested we find a grassy spot on the far side of the rest area to camp. He also suggested we buy his bottled water. First we went to a picnic table and had dinner and treated a few liters of water since it was after 5:00. I treated 2 liters and Shirley treated 4. We then found a nice little campsite in the trees except for the fact that we can hear the highway and the cars coming into the rest area. The food hanging limb is within site of the rest area, unfortunately. After setting up camp among the mosquitos, the worst of the trip, we took bucket baths in the rest room. While Shirley took hers I put the fly on to dry and after 6 or 7 tries finally got the hanging rope up. It kept catching on the weeds when I threw it. By the time I got my bucket bath and the food hung it was 8:30.

Thursday, July 18, 2013	Day 12	47.2 - 533.3

7 Miles North of Coalmont, BC	Otter Park CG	$21.00

We were up at 6:45 to a fog over the hills and some dew in the grass. The mosquitos were out in full force as we quickly packed and headed to the rest area restroom and an attached room with a table. We were off at 7:50 and easily found the TCT on the KVT in a mile or so. The start was very rough, but quickly turned nice. There was a good campsite not far along the trail. After a couple miles we came to a stream crossing. Instead of getting our sandals out we turned around and got on the highway about 100 meters back since we would have to get on the highway in a few K anyway due to washouts. It was pretty much downhill and easy riding, but the shoulder seemed a bit narrow at three feet with cars and trucks going by at 110 KPH and more. There was a steep hill for 2K to get to the exit where we could get back on the KVT. We then had to go back down the hill on a frontage road to the trail and the Brodie Bridge across the Coldwater River. The first couple hundred meters were very chewed up and difficult, but then became quite rideable. We had a very buggy break which wasn't very relaxing. We came to a washout where we had to push the bikes down and up a dip on a narrow trail and later a small pile of rocks in a road cut. The ride to Brookmere was mostly good with some patches of soft gravel or rocks. At Brookmere we reached the part of the TCT we did 3 years ago. We had another break with fewer bugs this time. The ride to Tulameen was more of the same except there were probably at least 10 gates, all with different methods of opening. Some were easy, some a little more difficult, and one very hard to open and lose. We got a couple more miles of TCT we didn't do last time as we rode down the East side of the lake to Tulameen instead of getting off at a road and riding the West side to the Otter Lake CG. Shirley was getting hot so we stopped at the Tulameen store. We got two small Snapples for $2.25 each and a bag of 750g of frozen vegetables for $5.00. I couldn't get myself to pay $4.00 for a can of milk for breakfast. Shirley had wanted to ride to Coalmont and stay in a BC Forest CG, but decided drinking water and a dip in Otter Lake was better so we rode back 6K on a paved road to the Otter Lake CG. We found a lovely site which we thought was reserved starting the 21st, but after a more careful reading I decided the 21st was the departure date and it was reserved starting tonight. We checked every open site and they were all reserved starting tonight until the very last one we checked which had a one night only sign on it. We took it. It was after 4:00 by then and we immediately went to the lake and jumped in for a bath. That felt very good. There are lots of flies so after hanging our wet clothes and a little more laundry for Shirley we set up the tent. Shirley went to the nice site to sit until the people arrived since there was a breeze there and less flies and then went in the tent until dinner at 7:00. When the ranger came by she simply collected the money and got my name and left. About dinner time she came by and said some guy who had a reservation through Sunday was going home because his kids were unhappy and he wanted his money back. They don't give refunds so instead of actually registering us she gave us his receipt and we think she refunded him the $21.00 we paid. Surprisingly, all the reserved sites actually have someone in them. So far the breeze is cooperating and keeping the smoke away from us. We saw 3 or 4 deer today, all by themselves. There was also a coyote, or maybe a dog, since it was hard to tell from the distance. Just North of Thyme Lake a bear ran out of the bushes on our left, ran a short distance on the trail and went off to the right. There were also some ducks and geese and we heard loons both at Frembd Lake and Otter Lake.

Friday, July 19, 2013	Day 13	47.4 - 580.7

2 Miles West of Bankier, BC	Chain Lake BC Forest CG	$12.00

We didn't get up until 7:30 today. It felt warm in the sun and a little cool in the shade. We left at 8:25 in long sleeves. We rode the trail from Tulameen to Coalmont and it was pretty nice. We saw a deer that didn't want to jump a fence and when it walked across the trail it was limping. We saw one ORV driving very fast the other way on our way to Coalmont and 2 dune buggy sorts while stopped in Coalmont. The trail down the river to Princeton was pleasant and one very polite ORV passed us. It was much easier than the road we took last time. The tunnel that the guide book said we needed a light for was short enough I could see light around the bend after my eyes adjusted so I just rode it without a light. Shirley took the time to get her headlight out. Just outside Princeton we met 3 young cyclists coming from Castlegar to Brookmere. They had a support vehicle (not on the trail) at least some of the time. We got to Princeton around 11:30, I think. We found the store and bought $73 worth of food including a bottle of Fondue Fuel for $3.99. We ate 2 plums each, shared a peach, and I had a banana, and we had a chocolate croissant each at the store before going to a park to eat a pound of blueberries. Instead of going back to where we got off the trail we proceeded out of town the other direction to where we thought the trail was and actually went out the wrong way. We stopped to ask and easily got back on the trail, but missed 3-4K of paved trail. The climb out of town seemed easier than 3 years ago for the first 17K. Then we got into a lot of sand and gravel and the last 15 miles were really hard in spite of being less steep. At one point I got a little ahead of Shirley and just as I stopped to wait for her I her yell "Stop!" and then "Help!". When I got back to her I found a one inch round stick wedged between her front wheel and frame. We could not pull it out or move the wheel at all. Finally, Shirley realized if we let the air out of her tire it would release the stick. Of course there were lots of flies while we were doing all this. We finally made it to the road down to Chain Lake and had to ride the highway for a couple miles. We were beginning to think we were headed for Osprey Lake when we reached Chain Lake. It is very pleasant here this year unlike 3 years ago when it was cold and windy. We finally took the site at the far end since it was right on the lake and more secluded. The same host as last time collected our money and said he would leave a jug of water on his table for us. After swimming in the lake in our underwear we dressed and went and got 5 liters of water. The new fondue fuel is blue and burns much quicker than Heet and there were flames coming up the side of my pot. I'm not sure my water boiled, but it was hot. By the time we ate, hung the food, and prepared for tomorrow it was getting dark. So far once again we are out of the smoke zone.

Saturday, July 20, 2013	Day 14	39.1 - 619.8

Summerland, BC	Peach Orchard CG	$29.40 + $1.25

We finally got to bed at 10:00 last night. It was very quiet and peaceful. We got up around 7:05 and were off in shorts and jersey at 8:00. We had forgotten how steep the climb on the road to the KVR at Bankier was. We were certainly plenty warm. The trail wasn't too bad at first, but then got sandy, but not near as bad as yesterday. It was pretty much all downhill or flat to Summerland. We stopped 2 or 3 times along the way. We pulled into the KVR tourist train station above Summerland and sat in the shade and got water as the train prepared to leave. We thought we would try the rodeo grounds again and see if someone would let us stay like last time, or failing that, go down to the CG in Summerland. As we started to leave the train station Shirley noticed her BOB tire was flat. It turned out to be the Skabs patch from Walmart had come loose so I patched it with a real patch. At the rodeo grounds we were accosted by some guy who told us we couldn't camp there. I think he would have told us about some free camping, but we wanted a shower tonight so he told us how to get to the city run CG. We took the trail down to the edge of Summerland and somewhere made a wrong turn. We came to Highway 97 which we were supposed to go under. I saw a bicycle path going under so we took that and then had to climb a short hill before going down a long way to Okanagan Lake. We were sure hoping it was correct. At the bottom of the hill Shirley saw a sign saying the CG was to the left. We passed the beach and picnic areas with lots of people as it is once again in the 90s. We were then directed uphill again. Fortunately, it wasn't too far to the CG, maybe 1/4 mile. For $29.40 we have a shady site very close to two other sites. There is a sink right next to our site which everyone uses. We washed our biking clothes in the sink and put them on a table in the sun. After a couple hours it was dry. In fact it blew off the table. There is a central fire pit for our little section of the CG with a few pieces of wood provided. A sign says fires are extinguished at 11:00. About 7:45 a group of people built a fire even though it was still in the 80's. Some young folks from Quebec showed up and said they were in site 105 next to us even though it was already taken. They moved a table over from site 102 and almost stepped on our fly on the ground. Shirley finally suggested they check at the office and they were assigned a different site, fortunately in a different section. They didn't move the table back when they left. By 9:00 the people sitting around the fire let it die down even though there were still some pieces of wood left. A little before that a couple from Victoria came over to ask how much camping was. Apparently the office was already closed. They were an interesting couple who do lots of outdoor things and talked with us for a while. They finally decided to camp even though they thought it was expensive..

Sunday, July 21, 2013	Day 15	57.8 - 677.6

Oroville, WA	Osoyoos Lake Veteran Memorial Park	$16.00 + $0.50

It must have been close to 10:00 again when we went to bed last night. The nearest two tents on each side of us were still vacant. We have no idea where the people were. Sometime after we went to bed the people in the two tents on one side came back, but they were pretty quiet. The other people never did. It was warm enough we were in shorts and jerseys in camp this morning. We were off at 7:15 after getting up at 6:25. The ride down Highway 97 to Pentiction wasn't too bad since it was still early. In Pentiction we were to get on a path along a canal next to Highway 97. The only instructions Shirley had were to start at some old ship so we ended up riding over the canal to her starting point only to come back to the canal, adding a mile or more to our ride. Just like last time we were in Pentiction there was a triathlon going on. There were also lots of joggers and a few cyclists on the canal path. We then were supposed to get on the KVT around Skaha Lake, but we had a little trouble finding it as it started in the middle of an RV park which was jammed full of RVs very close together and starting in the RV park was not obvious from the directions. After riding a few loops in the RV park we found the path which was more of a flat trail along the lake. It was very weedy and sandy, but very rideable. We went through another RV park which wasn't as crowed and the KVT was clearly marked and finally ended up in another RV park North of Olliver. After a brief stint on a road the final section of trail was a very nice crushed gravel surface with lots of people. We had a little trouble finding the bypass road to keep us off Highway 97 for a few K, but finally found it. It was very nice. Once we got back on Highway 97 we stopped at a provincial park for a snack and the host came over to talk to us. We found out the gas station that was supposed to be an Oasis is now an EZ. That was good to know since that was the landmark for another bike path. This one was paved and we were on it for several miles before it turned to gravel. It finally ended about 5 miles North of Osoyoos, BC. We made it into Osoyoos as it was pushing 95º. We stopped at a gas station store to buy drinks and spend our final $4.85 in coin. We checked the price of a small Powerade and it was $2.29, but tax made it $2.59 so two would be $5.18. The clerk said we could have them for $4.85. After we paid Shirley amazed me by asking the clerk if he had any American money since we had $20.00 to convert. This was after the guy knocked off $0.33 on our drinks because we told him we only had $4.85. Sometimes she just amazes me. We went over to a BC information building to eat and drink our Powerade in the shade. Earlier in the day we had stopped at a fruit stand and bought 2 pounds of apricots for $3.00. We ate half at the fruit stand and the rest at the visitor center. It was then off to the border. We had expected a long line, but there wasn't. We got behind an RV being checked. When it left Shirley started forward to ask if we should be in line or park and was reprimanded for moving past the stop line before being told to. After being waved forward we were asked a bunch of questions and the female agent felt our BOB bags as if she could tell what was in them and were waved through. The state park in Oroville is now a city owned park and the primitive sites are $16.00. We have the last of 6 sites and all were in the sun when we arrived around 3:30. Some of the sites had trees close enough the tables could be moved under them. We parked the bikes under a tree about 50 yards from our table, but there was no way we were carrying the table that far. Shirley wanted pizza for dinner so we locked the bikes to the tree and walked a mile or so to the pizza place via hilly side streets. Unfortunately, it is closed on Sundays and Mondays so we walked back to a Subway practically across from the CG and had a foot long sub each. It was then to the store for a few things and cash. It was still sunny in camp so we went to the beach and jumped in with our bike clothes on. Shirley then showered. By the time we got back to camp all but our site were in the shade. We sat at the site next to us since the people hadn't arrived yet until our site was shady around 7:00 and the people arrived for their site. They eventually tried to build a fire, but didn't seem to be very successful, at least not before we went to bed.

Monday, July 22, 2013	Day 16	49.9 - 727.5

Conconully, WA	Conconully State Park	$23.00 + $1.25

We got up at 6:25 to a shorts and jersey morning and were ready to leave at 7:15. On the way out we met a couple of Canadian cyclists. They had done Highway 20 and were heading to Pentiction today. The last couple days they have ridden at night to keep cool. They rode from Winthrop to Pateros to Brewster the other night because they didn't want to do Loup Loup pass. They also have the America the Beautiful Senior pass so now we know you don't have to be an "indigenous species" as on of them put it. After talking with them and a bathroom stop it was 7:30 by the time we left the CG. The first hills to get above the dam were quite warm and sweat was getting in my eyes. After that we had less of a tailwind and the hills were shorter. It seemed easier, but not easy, to Nighthawk than I remembered. We finally took a real break at Palmer Lake at a nice shaded table. It was quite pleasant once we removed the dirty baby diaper from the table. We continued on to Loomis and got there before 11:00, I think, although that seems too fast. We stopped at the store for drinks and got some 99 cent Brisk Strawberry Melon drink which was mostly high fructose corn syrup. It was cold and didn't taste that sweet. Later when we finished it off after it got warm it tasted very sweet. There were 4 cyclists who had ridden 6.5 miles to Loomis from a CG down the road. We headed out again and the first 5 miles went well, but mostly up, since they were paved. Then we hit the dirt and progress slowed, although at times we went 6-8 MPH. The road wasn't too bad, but had soft spots because there was logging going on. It was very dusty when a log truck passed us. At least 4 loaded and one empty truck passed. Also a car and pickup with a bunch of young folks passed us 4 times plus several other vehicles. Maybe one slowed down. We passed the road the log trucks were using after 4 miles and were very glad. After 10 miles we reached the turnoff to go to either Fish Lake or Conconully. We decided to take the shorter direct route to Conconully rather than the longer route around Fish Lake. It was steep for a mile or so. After the steepest section I came back down to Shirley and pushed. She was getting very hot. We stopped before we went up the hill and there was an apricot tree so Shirley gathered a few from the ground. They were riper than the ones we bought yesterday. We finally topped the hill and did the grind into Conconully. We found the store closed (later we learned the owner died about a month ago). Shirley, of course, was depending on it for dinner and lunch. I had bought enough food in Oroville for today and tomorrow since I remembered the store as being very poor. At the state park the ranger said there was no hiker/biker rate and we had to pay $23.00. Of course, we didn't have the right change. It took a while to find a shaded site not being watered and that Shirley would accept. We ended up right by the road because the site was very shaded. Shirley stood in the sprinkler and said it was very cold. We took showers with some difficulty adjusting the temperature, mainly because the hot turned clockwise and the cold counterclockwise which wasn't obvious until after you put the money in and the water started. We went to a small store and bought canned vegetables, canned pineapple, canned milk, and Oreos for Shirley for tomorrow. We made sure we got change so we could pay for our campsite. Shortly after that 3 motorcyclists arrived and they took a site in the sun and built a fire. I cooked dinner and Shirley just had her vegetables and pineapple cold plus 1/3 of the cookies. We've got the food hung on a limb as big as most tree trunks. It was so easy getting it up there. Shirley decided today that she doesn't want to struggle up to Loup Loup Pass on a dirt road so tomorrow we will take the paved road to Okanagon and Brewster and then to Pateros. We will then see if we have it in us to go on to Chelan.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013	Day 17	55.0 - 782.5

Pateros, WA	Paddlers and Pedalers Campsite	Free

Shirley was slow to get up today so we weren't out of the tent until 7:15 and were off at 8:05. It was once again a shorts and jersey day from the time we got up although I did have my long sleeve jersey on for just a bit. After an initial 1/2 to 1 mile uphill it was mostly downhill or flat with a few little ups and one really steep downhill where I hit 39.5 MPH. It didn't take long to get to Okanagon and on toward Brewster. Just before the Smallwood Fruit stand and maybe 3/4 mile from the turn toward Mallot Shirley ran over a piece of metal and sliced her BOB tire and tube. We booted the tire and put in a new tube and all was well. Fortunately, there was a house with tall bushes where it happened so we had shade. We stopped at Smallwoods and Shirley worried the clerk by picking up the apricots and peaches. She finally had the clerk pick some ready to eat peaches and apricots for us to eat immediately. We stopped in Mallot for a break. Old Highway 97 which we were on has been improved and a shoulder has been added. At the junction where we could climb a sunny hill to get to Brewster or take Manse River Road to Highway 97 and add a few miles we decided to go the river road since we thought it would be cooler and we had never done it. It was a bit rougher, but indeed cooler than climbing a hill. At Manse it turned to dirt for 2.5 miles as it went through a wildlife area. There were a couple little hills on the dirt part. When we reached Highway 97 we had a couple more hills before finally getting to Brewster. I don't think I will have to go that way again. Shirley stopped to wait for me and as I pulled up she said there were thorns. We went to the store for a few things. There were lots of pickers, some looking Hispanic and some very dark and not Hispanic. Shirley asked where they were from and it is Jamaica. We talked to one of them for a while asking about picking conditions and pay. They quit picking at 11:00 due to the heat. As we were starting to ride away I noticed I had a flat tire. Shirley decided to got to Subway next door and get a foot long sandwich for us while I fixed the flat. With everyone watching me I forgot to check the tire for the cause of the flat. When Shirley came back she found a thorn in my tire, but I doubt it was the cause since it was in a knobby and not very far. We rode to the park on the lake and ate our fruit and sandwich and drank our drinks. We talked to a woman who said 70% of the pickers are illegals. I kind of doubt that. We finally continued to Pateros and fortunately my tire held air. We found the free Paddlers and Pedalers campsite provided by Pateros and it is very nice. There is grass, a table (which we never used because it is in the sun), and an outhouse. In the restroom in the park .2 miles away is a free shower. We swam in the lake to wash our clothes and then sat in the shade while the clothes dried in the sun. Another couple on bicycles arrived and sat in the shade of a different tree. They are from New England and are doing the Sierra Cascades as for as Sisters, OR, but they started in Anchorage. The woman, and maybe the man, said she is not using sun screen because she doesn't like to put chemicals on her skin. This sounded a bit strange to us since they both had body tatoos so they didn't mind putting things into their skin. There is a stinky dumpster across the street from the campsite and occasionally the odor wafted our way as we sat in the shade. When the sun went behind the hills we decided to move close to the outhouse since the breeze didn't blow that way very often, but it did have more piles of dog crap which we had to move. About 8:30 Shirley took a shower and when she came back I took one too. As of 9:00 the streetlight by our tent hasn't come on yet, but it's not quite dark.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013	Day 18	84.8 - 867.3

Leavenworth, WA	Home

We were lucky last night because the wind seldom blew the odor from the smelly dumpster our way and never vary strongly. Shortly after going to bed last night the street light by our tent came on. Fortunately, the solid part of the tent blocked it out from shining directly in my eyes even without the fly, but it was still pretty light. At 4:45 this morning the boaters started arriving to go fishing. Over the next 15 minutes 3 or 4 put in. We finally got up at 5:50 just as workers started arriving for the nearby businesses. We packed and rode down to the park along the lake for breakfast. We were off around 6:50. It was warm, but pleasant. Going up Apple Acres Road toward Chelan was hot when in the sun, but there were some nice shaded stretches. Shirley needed to stop at Walmart for a new BOB tire to replace the one she cut yesterday. She put it on immediately and threw the old one away. We also bought some fruit and ate it. We then headed toward Lake Chelan State Park which was much easier and pleasant than normal when it is at the end of the day. We had a break at the park before heading up Navarre Coulee and toward Entiat. We had a headwind going into Entiat which helped keep us cool, but it was just a bit stronger than necessary for that. We had been looking forward to having Entiat Park to ourselves, but when we got there we found about 10 large tents along the water's edge, 2 or 3 large rental trucks, a whole lot of people, and no available tables. We talked to a Canadian couple who live in Vancouver and come to Entiat 3-4 times a year and found out a church group from Macano Island near Seattle had fully taken over the CG.. They said the group was quiet last night. Of course, as we talked all we could hear was a bunch of jet skis. The hosts weren't home so we couldn't inquire about a place to camp. We finally decided to ride the 40 miles to home with a planned stop at Tom, Dick, and Harry's in Monitor for dinner. It was around 97º and was predicted to be 100. As we approached our exit from 97A we stopped at a gas station for cold drinks. My thermometer read 100 as we sat outside in the shade. The break really helped as we headed up Easy Street with a tailwind. Fortunately, it turned into a headwind before reaching Monitor. We stopped at Tom, Dick, and Harry's as planned and I had a 3/4 pound burger with fries and Shirley had the cheeseburger deluxe special with fries and a drink. I ended up eating Shirley's fries as expected and she ate the last couple bites of my burger. The thermometer said 101 as we left. Again, the headwind was just a little stronger than necessary to help cool us. As we approached the Peshastin Pinnacles turnoff Shirley's rear tire was getting soft. We pumped it up and continued on. Shirley was riding faster to try to get home before it got soft again. At the weigh station at the Big Y we pumped it up again and Shirley rode even faster. Just before Safeway in Leavenworth we pumped it up a third time and Shirley managed to ride home. When we reached the shade shortly after Peshastin the temperature dropped noticeably and riding was easier. We got home around 7:30 and the thermometer read 80º. Unfortunately, it was warmer than that in the house, but it felt better once all the windows were open. I took a coolish shower and felt a lot better.

Day	Date	Miles	Total	M/C	Cost	Total	Location

1	09/08	54.1	54.1	C	$28.60	$28.60	Ellensburg - Ellensburg KOA

2	09/09	62.0	116.1	C	$7.00	$35.60	7 Miles West on White Pass - Windy Point NF CG

3	09/10	47.4	163.5	C	$19.75	$55.35	Packwood - Packwood RV Park

4	09/11	50.1	213.6	C	$9.00	$64.35	25 Miles North of Trout Lake - TakhLakh Lake CG

5	09/12	28.0	241.6	C	$16.00 + $4.00	$84.35	Trout Lake - Guler Trout Lake Klickitat County Park

6	09/13	53.1	294.7	M	$76.65	$161.00	Goldendale - Ponderosa Motel

7	09/14	70.1	364.8	M	$55.00	$216.00	Grandview - Grandview Motel

8	09/15	52.5	417.3	C	Free	$216.00	Desert Aire - Grand Count PUD Park

9	09/16	58.0	475.3	C	$12.00 + $2.00	$230.00	30 Miles NW of Othello - Potholes S.P.

10	09/17	59.5	534.8	C	Free	$230.00	Odessa - City Park

11	09/18	61.6	596.4	C	$5.00	$235.00	3 Miles East of Grand Coulee - Spring Canyon CG

12	09/19	60.6	657.0	C	Free	$235.00	Pateros - Paddlers & Pedalers Camp

13	09/20	51.2	708.2	C	$22.00	$257.00	10 Miles North of Wenatchee - Lincoln Rock SP

14	09/21	32.0	740.2	C	Free	$257.00	Leavenworth - Home

Sunday, September 8, 2013	Day 1	54.1 - 54.1	RT: 5:44:22	8:10 - 3:50

Ellensburg	Ellensburg KOA	$28.60 - $28.60	Avg: 9.4	Max: 34.5

We had planned to start a bike trip last Tuesday, but it has been rainy so we delayed until today and now have a week of sun forecast. We left at 8:10 in shorts and long sleeves. We rode down Hwy 2 since once again Shirley didn't want to do the hills on North Road. At the junction of 2 and 97 we got down to short sleeves. We continued up Hwy 97 taking the side roads when possible, except for the lower Old Blewett because Shirley didn't want to cross the highway. Once we got off 97 at the upper Old Blewett we stopped in the sun for a snack. I realized I had forgotten my hat. It took us 2:10 to get to the turnoff to Old Blewett and 4:10 to get to the top. We had another snack before heading down. We stopped at the Mineral Springs NF CG for water. Traffic was heavy on 97 until 970 took off to Cle Elum. It was then much lighter. Shirley didn't want to do Bettas Road so we rode up the hill on 97 and then down to Ellensburg. The last 1/2 mile or more had been ground up for repaving. Shirley wanted a DQ so we detoured about 1/10 miles to the DQ. Shirley had a blizzard and I had a cone. I should have gotten a blizzard since while we were eating we noticed a sign saying buy a blizzard and get a second for 99¢. My cone was $1.79. All the tent sites at the KOA were empty. Good thing since they are very close together. There is highway noise from I-90 and road noise from Thorp Road, but the I-90 noise is mostly a continuous hum. We had a tailwind all day, but it seems to have become more of a West wind since we got here. I borrowed a couple of paper clips from the office for my receipts since I forgot to bring one. When I took my shower and was standing on the uncomfortable rubber mat I realized I didn't bring my sandals I bought on our last rip. We cooked dinner on the concrete where the garbage cans are because it was out of the wind.

Monday, September 9, 2013	Day 2	62.0 - 116.1	RT: 6:07:05	7:55 - 4:25

7 Miles West on White Pass	Windy Point NF CG	$7.00 - $35.60	Avg: 10.1	Max: 35.0

We got up at 7:50 to a very dewy, but fairly warm morning. The sun was just about to hit us. We did some nice back roads by going across the Yakima River on Thorp Road and turning on Brown Road and then Umptanum Road to Canyon Road. We went by some motels and restaurants and we were out of Ellensburg. Once again we had a tailwind and we rode 24 miles in 2 hours to Big Pines CG in the canyon. We had a break there. By the time we got out of the canyon it was 85º. We stopped for a rest break at a church before heading on the hill toward Naches. We still had a tailwind and Shirley was suffering from the heat. For some reason I'm faster than her on the downhills this trip and certainly on the uphills. We had to stop in the shade of some trees in a driveway so Shirley could eat. We made it to the hill above Naches. Shirley was hot and hungry, but didn't want to stop in the sun so it was down to Naches. There was a fruit stand across from the store and we bought 4 plums, 3 peaches, and an apple for $2.99. We ate all but the apple at the fruit stand. We were sitting on the concrete parking blocks, but the lady told us there were a couple chairs so we moved. There was also a bathroom where we could get water. It was then across to the store for frozen vegetables, a couple bananas and a Powerade for each of us. We ate the bananas and then headed to a gazebo to eat and drink our Powerades. We managed to find Old Naches Highway to White Pass. It was 3:30 when we headed up the pass. Shirley had to stop in the shade after 2 miles. We had hoped to get to the next CG since they are supposed to start chip sealing a 10 mile section of highway tomorrow and the next CG is close to or after the far end. However, by the time we reached Windy Point it was time to stop. We set the tent out to dry and then took bathes in the river. Shirley kept her panties and sports bra on during the bath, but she was washing her crotch when a raft with 3 guys went by. The second raft went by when Shirley was washing under her sports bra. She yelled something like "free entertainment" at them. We set the tent up and then cooked dinner. In Yakima Canyon we found a pair of heavy sandals so I now have sandals to wear which was nice when we took our baths in the river. As we cooked dinner the fee collectors came around. The dumpster here is not bear proof and has lots of trash in it and the fee collector said there has never been a bear here so we aren't hanging our food tonight. There are a couple of yellow jacket traps near where the tent is. The only other guy in the CG came by to talk just as it was getting dark. He is from Wisconsin and is in his 60s at least since he has a geezer pass. He collects old postcards (early 1900s) and turns them into a jpeg, adds music, displays the writing from the card, adds music, and puts them on a CD. He then sells them to the local historical societies. They didn't seem very interesting to me, though.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013	Day 3	47.4 - 163.5	RT: 4:44:04	8:00 - 2:25

Packwood	Packwood RV Park	$19.75 - $55.35	Avg: 10.0	Max: 37.0

We thought about getting up at 6:30, but by the time we got out of the tent it was already 6:50. It was surprisingly warm. As I was putting sun screen on my leg which was on the bench of the table my back went out. I could no longer stand up straight. My front tire was very low, but I decided to just pump it up since my back hurt so bad and I hoped to get by the chip sealing going on further up the road. Shirley was using the toilet so didn't know about my decision. We made it as far as the next campsite about 50 feet away when Shirley remembered she was going to adjust her seat so we stopped to do that. Then we made it about a mile up the road before my tire was so flat I couldn't ignore it. I put a new tube in and we were off. Good thing it was warm since we stopped in the shade. After 6 miles or so we reached the flagger for the chip seal. We had to wait for the pilot car even though we couldn't keep up once it arrived and led the cars away. After a little ways one of the truck drivers told us to pull off at a nearby wide spot because traffic was coming back toward us. We almost took off again before we finally saw the pilot car coming back. After only 200 to 300 feet we were at the turnoff to the next CG and pulled in for water since the water from Windy Point was very irony. While riding after the CG the pilot car came back from behind us and was on the new chip seal. About the time the string of cars got by us the oil truck was coming toward us in our lane and we had to get on the new chip seal. It was harder riding, but not too bad. The last little bit seemed like a different gravel and looked drier. We finally made it past the construction and then had very quiet road for long stretches. Fortunately, when we went through the one tunnel just before Rim Rock Lake there was no traffic. It was like a bike path along the lake. We stopped at Indian Creek CG at the far end of the lake for a food stop. After that we started climbing. There was one two mile stretch carved out of the hill and in the sun which was very warm. We finally made it to the top at 1:00. The downhill was very nice, but I only got up to 37 MPH and it was supposed to be 6%. We stopped briefly at the first viewpoint for Mt. Ranier and had another food stop at the second one where there were tables although we didn't use the tables since they were in the sun. We decided to go into Packwood to camp so Shirley could get a shower and we could go to the store today rather than tomorrow. The site the guy at the RV park gave us was nice except there wasn't a table which was also true for most sites. While I sat down to ease the pain in my back Shirley walked around the CG and found an RV site with a table and went back to the office. The guy agreed to let us move. We took showers and washed our clothes which dried nicely in the 90º heat. It took me a long time to walk to the shower and back even though it was maybe 100 yards away. We put the tent up and then sat around for a while. Around 5:30 Shirley decided she had recovered enough from the heat to go to the store. Shirley walked the 2 or 3 blocks and I rode my bike because walking hurts my back and riding doesn't. In the store I leaned on the cart and that worked fine. Shirley had a salad for dinner and I cooked. By the time we were done and packed it was after 7:00. I shaved in barely warm water because it had a water governor on it and it would have taken all night to get it hot. I rode my bike to the washroom rather than walk that far. My socks have not totally dried, especially the heavy ones I've been wearing at night.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013	Day 4	50.1 - 213.6	RT: 6:58:44	8:00 - 5:15

25 Miles North of Trout Lake	TakhLakh Lake CG	$9.00 - $64.35	Avg: 7.1	Max: 28.0

Once again it was about 6:30 when we first looked at the time, but 6:50 by the time we got out of the tent. I had a tough time getting out of the tent to pee last night because of my back. Even after I managed to sit up it really hurt if I moved wrong. It took me a while to hobble over to the rest room this morning and my back really spasmed 3 times while sitting on the toilet. I was really worried about today. Even moving slow we managed to get off at 8:00. We made it a couple blocks before Shirley needed to adjust her seat because her butt hurt. Then we made it a few miles to a rest area before she needed to adjust it again. As we were leaving the rest area my foot caught on my pedal and I almost tipped over. It wouldn't have been a problem except for my back. It was easy riding for the 17 miles to Randle. We stopped at a gas station for water. We weren't sure if our turnoff would say Road 23, Road 25, Hwy 131, or Cispus Road, but it turned out it said all four. The first 3 numbers were on a huge highway sign and Cispus Road on a street sign on the corner. The first 3 miles were easy as we branched onto Road 23 after a mile and finally started uphill. After a mile on the hill we stopped to eat. NF Road 23 was pretty quiet and almost entirely very shaded. Several horse trailers passed us, most going downhill. After about 10-11 miles a road took off to the Cispus Center and Tower Rock CG. Apparently that is where the horse folks were since we didn't see any more after that. We stopped at North Fork CG after another 2-3 miles and ate and got water. It was shaded enough Shirley put her long sleeve shirt on. We were only at 1400 feet and still had 3,000 feet to go. After another 3 miles we stopped for a break at Blue Lake CG and were at 1800 feet although we kept going up and down. We stopped since it was the last place to stop before the gravel that we knew was coming up. It was then another 6-7 miles to the end of pavement. There was too much gravel of just the wrong size on the road and the 7 miles to the CG turnoff were very hard and slow. Shirley tipped over a couple times early on, but I was doing good until mile 5. Then I tipped over 3 times in .6 miles. My back hurt a little each time, but nothing serious. Of course, I had to pick my bike up which was a bit harder and I worried about my back. We thought it was about 6 miles of gravel to the turnoff, but it was 7 and we were ready to be there by the time we reached it. We were a little confused when we turned off Road 23 because there appeared to be a paved road going one way and a gravel road going the other way, and we only expected one paved road. Shirley stopped a car and asked and the guy said just follow the paved road and the signs. We had 2-3 miles of good paved road with only one well signed turn without too much climbing. When we reached the CG the sign was very unclear and at first we thought the CG was straight ahead on the gravel and the lake was to the right. After 100 feet and no sign of the CG we stopped and Shirley walked back to the sign. It said CG on both sides so we decided it must be down toward the lake. It was. We came to the tent only section right away and we found a nice site. My back really hurt as we walked around, but was fine as soon as I sat down. As we were laying out the tent to dry our nearby neighbor lit a fire which really smoked up the whole section and we though about moving. Fortunately, the wind shifted a little and the fire calmed down and we were OK. We walked the short distance to the lake, very slowly and painfully for me, to take a bath and to get water. Shirley swam in her sports bra and underwear, but I just stripped to my underwear and waded in a little ways since I didn't want to get my clothes wet. It was then a slow walk back to camp with a stop at the pay station along the way. By the time we got Shirley's clothes hung and the tent up it was 7:15. I had to have a brownie before I could cook dinner. About an hour after we got back to camp the host came by and said she didn't have any payment for us. We told her we had paid and she said she hadn't stopped by the pay station before coming around. We didn't hear from her again. There is a beautiful view of Mt. Adams from the lake. After dinner and writing in the diary Shirley went down for another view in the dark. I didn't go because of my back. My back actually felt pretty good after riding to Randle and even on the paved uphill. I don't think it liked the gravel, but it is better than last night at this time.

Thursday, September 12, 2013	Day 5	28.0 - 241.6	RT: 2:45:55	8:50 - 11:45

Trout Lake	Guler Klickitat County Park	$16.00 + $4.00 - $84.35	Avg: 10.0	Max: 36.5

It was 7:20 before we were ready to get up today and 7:35 by the time we got out of the tent. It was 8:50 before we got out of camp. I started in shorts and long sleeves. Shirley had tights, long sleeves, and gloves on. The first mile of downhill was a little cool, but it warmed up quickly once we started up on the gravel and it wasn't long before we took our long sleeves off. When we got off FR 23 yesterday we thought a road went each way, but this morning it was obvious there was one road to the lake and the other way went back onto FR 23 to form a Y at the junction. We had another mile of uphill before reaching Baby Shoe Pass . It was much gentler than yesterday, but there was still lots of gravel. We then had another 3 miles of flat and then downhill with way too much gravel. We were very glad to get to pavement. The pavement was very smooth and the uphills were quite gentle. The first downhill to a creek was very cold and I thought I might have to put my long sleeves back on, but once we got past the creek it was warm again. We had some traffic early on, but then it really quieted down. We had several miles of up and down and then mostly downhill for the last 12 miles to Trout Lake. We found an REI hat not too long after getting on the paved portion of FR 23. It has mesh sides and is just a little too big, but very nice. Shirley needed a toilet when we arrived at Trout Lake so we followed signs to camping and toilet to the county park. We got there around 11:45. It was quite warm and our next camping opportunity was Leidl on the Klickitat River with no water except for the river. We finally decided to stay at the county park in Trout Lake. It got up to 90º and Shirley was suffering. Then, as she was sitting at the table she shifted and her back started hurting. Now she is pissed, probably at me since she carried my bag from the tent this morning and she thinks it's too heavy. It is, but I didn't ask her to carry it. My back is still pretty bad and it is hard to walk to the bathroom. My rear gear cable has been poking me the past couple of days so I changed it this afternoon. Indeed, it was frayed. I also patched my tube from the other day. There was a sign saying the CG was on a self pay system, so we decided we would pay as we left to go into town rather than go to the pay station. Around 3:00 the host came over to collect the money. I guess he thought we weren't going to pay. About 4:00 Shirley decided she was going to an air conditioned restaurant for pizza. She didn't quite get the air conditioning or the pizza. The little café wasn't very cool and there was no sign of the pizza that was advertised out front. We ended up with Mt. Adam burgers and fries. We then went to the store for a few items. The store was very little and we mostly ended up with some fruit and junk food. On the way back to camp we stopped at the host's trailer to get $4.00 worth of quarters so we could take showers.

Friday, September 13, 2013	Day 6	53.1 - 294.7	RT: 5:26:39	7:45 - 2:45

Goldendale	Ponderosa Motel	$76.65 - $161.00	Avg: 9.8	Max: 35.5

We didn't put the fly on last night since we were under a tree and figured it wouldn't dew. Just before we went to bed a noisy truck pulled into a site close to us. It smelled bad and the two guys were smoking. Then, after it sounded like thy unloaded something they left again and never came back. This morning it didn't appear they had left anything. We were out of the tent around 6:35 to a sort of cool morning. Shirley found a frog in the toilet and had me remove it. I took it outside. We were off in long sleeves and shorts at 7:45. Our road, Sunnyside, started out nice and sunny with great views of Mt. Adams. After a mile or so it went into the shade and was a bit chilly. After another mile or two we started climbing and got down to short sleeves. We then had several miles of up and down. Then it sort of flattened out and we were riding along a canyon above the Klickitat River. We followed a dirt road to an overlook and then walked 100 feet or so down a steep trail to the overlook. My back wasn't sure it like that. A sign at the start of the dirt road said it was closed to all public entry due to extreme fire hazard. The view was nice, but maybe not much better than from a nearby wide spot in the road. Traffic was light and we eventually went down to the river and the Leidl Recreation Area where we had considered going yesterday. There were pit toilets and no tables whatsoever. It's probably good we didn't go there since with my back, and even with a good back, a table is sure nice. We had a break before starting a 5 mile uphill in the sun. It was nicely graded so it wasn't too bad. There was then 6 miles of construction, but mainly off the road in the culverts. It didn't effect any downhill we had. The final 10 miles or so were on Highway 143 and were a bit busier, but not bad, although the closer to Goldendale we got the busier it got. We turned off the highway and into downtown and eventually stopped at a real estate ageny to ask where the motels were. The agent gave us a map and marked where the two motels were as well as the Subway, McDonalds, and store. The store was only a block away from the motel closest to the road to Bickleton which was also the motel Shirley's info said was the cheapest. With the map we were able to ride side streets the 6 blocks or so to the motel. Shirley had found quoted rates of $35-$55 on the Goldendale web site, but our choices were a $65 room on the second floor or a $75 room on the first floor in the new section. With our backs we took the first floor room, although we did get a $5 senior discount. After showers and lounging around we walked to the store. This was the furthest I've been able to walk since my back went out and I couldn't have walked that far yesterday. I still didn't enjoy the walk and once again used the shopping cart to lean on in the store. We got salad and canned chicken for dinner as well as 4 peaches, a pear, some prunes, a bottle of grapefruit juice, and a cantaloupe. It was all delicious.

Saturday, September 14, 2013	Day 7	70.1 -364.8	RT: 7:22:09	7:55 - 5:15

Grandview	Grandview Motel	$55.00 - $216.00	Avg: 9.5	Max: 35.0

We got up at 6:40 and ate a couple peaches before heading to breakfast. I was very disappointed there weren't any waffles as promised, but biscuits and gravy instead or SOS as a motorcyclist said. We were off at 7:55 and started in long sleeves. Within a half mile I had wished I had packed it away. We climbed steadily for 4 or 5 miles and then had 7 miles or so of easy riding before a 3 mile downhill to Rock Creek where we took a short break. We then had a 3 mile fairly steep uphill. From there we had mostly uphill to Bickleton. It was quite warm climbing up from Rock Creek and hot the rest of the way. A lot of it was mentally hard because it was uphill, but didn't look uphill since there were no ridges. We would be going 5 MPH and it looked like we should be doing 15 MPH. It was after 1:00 by the time we did the 36 miles to Bickleton. We stopped at the café and store and each had a 20 oz pop. Shirley had Sprite and I had a Seven Up. We filled our water bottles at the store. The lady said we couldn't drink the tap water due to nitrate contamination so she gave us water from her 5 gallon container. We each filled two water bottles and 2 liter bottles and felt bad about using so much of her water. She said it was part of the service. We then went to the church to eat. By the time we left it was just after 2:00. The wind had picked up, but it helped us more than hurt us. We had about 5 miles of gentle uphill before finally starting down. About 10 miles from Bickleton we met 2 guys who had started in Coeur d'Alene and had very little with them and were doing 100+ miles per day. One guy had really bonked and was having trouble. I filled his water bottle. The other guy had already ridden 1.5 miles further up the hill to a farm and had come back for his friend, telling him the farmer would let them cool off with a hose. At this point they were hoping to find something in Bickleton rather than get to Goldendale as they had planned. We had seen a B&B sign, but don't know if it was really there. We had an easy time down to the junction at the Mabton Highway about 17 miles from Bickleton. We then had a one mile gentle hill and 7 miles of downhill to Mabton. It looked closer to go to Grandview than Sunnyside and Grandview was bigger so we went there. The first 5 miles were easy past vineyards and hops. Then we headed North and had a long hill and then a shorter hill. We stopped to ask a guy in his yard about a motel and he said Grandview didn't have any decent motels and we would be better off at Prosser or Sunnyside. He then told us how to get to the motel and said it wasn't that bad. It looked a little run down from the outside, but it's not too bad. We took showers and then headed to Safeway which was just up the street across the intersection. We bought salad for dinner and I got a pudding. With other breakfast, lunch, and dinner items we spent over $56. By the time we ate and prepared lunch for tomorrow it was 8:00. Shirley called Harold to see if he wanted to join us. He may meet us at Potholes SP on Monday.

Sunday, September 15, 2013	Day 8	52.5 - 417.3	RT:5:36:08	7:10 - 2:40

Desert Aire	Grand Count PUD Park	Free - $216.00	Avg: 9.3	Max: 33.0

We got up around 6:20 this morning and were fairly fast eating and packing and were off at 7:10. We found the bike path to Sunnyside after about 1.25 miles on a very quiet road since it was early Sunday morning. It was situated between I-82 and the road between Grandview and Sunnyside. At first it was a bit rough, but shortly became nice. There was a toilet or two and several tables and a water fountain or two along the 6 miles. From the end of the trail we headed North and had a steady uphill for 3 miles before heading back to Highway 241. We continued climbing for another 8 miles or so before a few miles of downhill and another 1 mile up to Highway 24. Traffic started light and gradually increased. At Highway 24 we stopped at a DOT site and sat in the shade to eat. For a while there had been a tailwind, but it changed to a headwind before we reached the top of the hill. For the 8 miles from the DOT site to Hanford it was mostly a tailwind and there was new chip seal in the traffic lane and smooth pavement on the shoulder. When we turned North for 6 miles we had a bit of a headwind, but it wasn't bad. We stopped for a while at the Vernita rest area just before crossing the Columbia. The final miles on Highway 243 along the Columbia had a very narrow shoulder and moderately heavy traffic. After 7 miles we were able to get off on road R and skip a few miles on 243 by adding a couple miles of riding. We came back out right at Desert Aire. Shortly before Desert Aire Shirley stopped to pick a couple of apples from an orchard. We inquired at the store about camping and the clerk said there was camping down by the boat ramp. We bought 2 cans of vegetables, a small milk, and a bag of puercos for a total of $7.46. A bit high, but convenient. We rode by the boat ramp turnoff because I took the clerk too literally about don't turn off the main road. After 1.4 miles we turned around and came back maybe 1/2 mile. To our surprise the camping is free with water and a pit toilet. The site we wanted was marked as being reserved so we picked one with the table in the sun and shade nearby. As it turned out none of the 5 or 6 sties marked as reserved ever got occupied. We jumped in the lake in the swimming area near a group of guys with a jet ski who kept coming in to trade off. It clouded up during the afternoon although the sun did peek out a couple more times. The jet skis finally went away just before 5:00. I managed to walk to the restroom several times and to the lake although not without pain. I was really hungry at 5:00 so we started cooking dinner. As we ate and prepared our stuff it got really dark across the river and started rumbling. Just as we got everything in the tent it started blowing and raining. It started blowing really hard about 6:20. Unfortunately, it was coming from the side and was deforming the tent. We held the sides and poles for 1/2 hour before it finally died down a bit, and it blew less strongly for another 15 minutes. About 20 minutes after the strong wind started the security patrol guy came by and asked if we wanted to sit in his vehicle, but we told him we had to keep holding our tent down. I had to go out and redo the stake on the leeward door as it had come loose. We also attached the velcro to the poles which we usually don't do. When the wind finally passed there was a very lovely sunset through the clouds. There was on other couple in a pop up trailer wen it started storming. When it was done their trailer was down and they and their truck were gone. They never came back so we assume they went to the motel.

Monday, September 16, 2013	Day 9	58.0 - 475.3	RT: 5:48:49	7:45 - 3:00

30 Miles NW of Othello	Potholes S.P.	$12.00 + $2.00 - $230.00	Avg:9.9	Max:31.5

It rained and was breezy off and on all night last night, but never very hard. It was starting to clear when we got up at 6:45 and everything was dry due to the breeze. We put long sleeves on to eat and pack, but took them off when we left. Shirley had talked to a local woman last night and she told us we could get out via the North Trail from the parking lot so we tried it. It was a newly paved flat path for about 3 miles and then nice quiet roads for another 2-3 miles. We got back on Highway 243 at Mattawa, 7 miles after we got off of it on Road R yesterday. Traffic was still heavy on 243, but at least there was a good shoulder. At Beverly we tried to get off the highway and take a side road to get to Beverly burke. All we did was go up a hill and around in a circle to find dead end roads. After a short break we did the mile, at most, on Highway 243 to Beverly Burke. We mostly had a headwind to Beverly and going up the first hill from Highway 243 on Beverly Burke we had a very strong side wind and more traffic than we expected. After two miles we turned East and had a good tailwind for 3 or 4 miles before heading North and into the wind again. When we hit Highway 26 after 2.5 miles Shirley wanted a break from the headwind and to turn East for a mile before continuing North another 2-3 miles, so we did. That may have been good since the road we took North had corn fields blocking the wind at first and then the wind died down a bit. We then had 25 miles or so of East traveling with a good tailwind. The last 10 miles had a few hills which slowed us down a bit. Shirley stopped to pick 4 more apples from an orchard. We ate one a little bit down the road and one in camp with one each for tomorrow. One of yesterday's apples was eaten in camp yesterday and the other in Beverly today. Luckily, for the final 2.5 miles uphill heading North the wind had shifted to a South wind. We stopped at the gas station store 1/4 mile from the S.P. and bought canned corn, canned milk, muffins, and a small pizza. We ate the pizza at a table outside the store. The CG only has 5 or 6 campsites taken in the tent section. Harold is not here. The sites are "primitive" and are only $12.00. I ended up riding back to the entrance station to make sure the site we selected was a single site since it seemed very large. Water is very near our site and we are using the flush toilet in the picnic area. Shirley rode back to the entrance station after we learned that was where the shower token machine was and bought 4 shower tokens so I used 2 giving me 6 minutes since we can't do anything else with them. Surprisingly Shirley only used one. Since she found one extra in the token machine she has 2 left over. My back is getting a little better every day. I can now turn over and sit up without a lot of pain. I walked over to the other section to check for Harold tonight and it hurt, but was doable.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013	Day 10	59.5 - 534.8	RT: 5:58:58	8:00 - 3:50

Odessa	City Park	free - $230.00	Avg: 9.9	Max: 40.0

We slept in a bit this morning and didn't get up until 6:50. It was very peaceful and dark last night. It felt a bit cooler when we got up and we started in long sleeves. When we got out in the sun it felt quite warm and we finally took our long sleeves off after 2-3 miles. When we turned North after a couple more miles we had a side wind and the sun disappeared behind clouds and it felt cool to cold. We stopped in Wheeler after 20 miles for a break and put our long sleeves on as we ate. Shirley kept hers on for a while until the sun came back out. Five miles after Wheeler we came to a road closed sign. Two guys who were putting up additional signs said 14 power poles were down from the storm the other night. We had to detour 1 mile South and then 2 miles East before heading back 1 mile North. The map showed the entire detour as gravel, but fortunately only one of the miles heading East was unpaved and it was a nice surface with only a few washboards. When we got back on route we had a series of hills with each one seeming to be longer. This went on for about 10 miles before we got to Batum Road and headed North. Batum Road started with a short steep down and up and I got up to 40 MPH very quickly. It was then another 7 miles of up and down with a side wind. There had been a couple signs pointing to Batum so we thought it might be a small town, but all that was there was a grain elevator. Fortunately, the final 6 miles to Highway 28 were much easier, but still mostly uphill. On Highway 28 we had 3 more miles of gentle up with a tailwind and 3 nice downhill miles to Odessa. Shirley asked a lady about camping and she told us we could camp in the Tourist Park or the city park. She said there might be people camped already because this weekend is DeutcheFest Days which is a big deal. After a stop at the store we went to look for a campsite. Indeed the small Tourist Park was full of RVs (3 or 4), but a block further down the side road was the city park. There were several RVs with extension cords to all the electric outlets in the park. We opted for a table furthest from the railroad line and away from most of the RVs. However, most of the RVs looked like they had been dropped off in anticipation for the weekend and were empty. Our table is also the furthest from the restrooms. Fortunately, my back is much better and I can walk there without much pain. We took bucket baths in the restroom before setting up the tent. It is quite breezy and cool where we are and we cooked dinner behind a large fireplace and oven under a shelter near the restrooms and had dinner on a nearby table that was more protected from the wind. With the breeze it feels fairly cold and I have my hat and 2 long sleeve shirts on.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013	Day 11	61.6 - 596.4	RT: 7:18/38	8:05 - 5:05

3 Miles East of Grand Coulee	Spring Canyon CG	$5.00 - $235.00	Avg: 8.4	Max: 38.0

We managed to put our tent in the brightest area in the park last night. We were next to the swimming pool and the bright lights were on. Shirley wore ear plugs due to the occasional train. Much to my surprise shortly after I got up to pee for the second time the bright pool lights went off. Shortly after that it started raining and rained off and on until close to daylight. When we finally got up around 7:00 it was mostly cloudy with a few blue patches. We ate breakfast standing up at the food preparation counter in the nearby covered shelter because it was dry while our table had wet spots. My hands felt cold for the first time this trip and I had to put my gloves on. The tent had dried a bit by the time we packed it, but not completely. We were off at 8:05 in tights, long sleeves, and gloves. The first hill out of town was a bit warm, but then we got into a side wind and it felt cold, especially on any downhill. After a few miles the tights and gloves came off. A little later I took my long sleeves off. It was either be too hot on the uphills or too cold on the downhills. The sun had come out earlier, but shortly after I took my long sleeves off it disappeared again and it was much cooler. We stopped at the Odessa Crater TH, but didn't do the 1.1 mile hike. We then stopped at the Cache Crater TH 1/4 miles further up the road and walked the 1/6 mile to the crater. It was a big round sink hole in the ground maybe 150 feet or more across and 50-100 feet deep. No explanation as to the origin. We had ups and downs on Highway 21 with more up than down. After 23 miles we finally got to get off Highway 21. At the junction a large truck made a left turn in front of us and if we hadn't moved to the side he would have run over us. Either he was a very poor driver or was just having some "fun". After 1 mile up we had 4 miles of mostly down although with the headwind we didn't get much fun out of it. After another mile of up we headed North again toward Almira. We had a couple miles of gentle up before dropping down into a coulee and climbing back out. The good thing about the coulee was that we were out of the wind. We finally made it to Almira at 1:30 and had a break in a nice little park. As we were leaving Shirley asked which road would take us to Grand Coulee since towns like to rename roads to local names. The guy told us and then added that in maybe 10 miles the road was closed and we would have to take Baghdad Road over to Highway 374 and into Grand Coulee. Looking at the map that appeared to add 10 miles to our ride. A mile or so later a sign said Old Coulee Road was closed from Baghdad Road to the Grant County line. Looking at the map again we saw we probably could have continued past Almira and taken the next paved road to Grand Coulee since it met Old Coulee Road at the Grant County Line. As we road toward Baghdad Road we decided we would stay at Spring Canyon CG on Highway 274 and make dinner with the food we had. It was pretty easy getting over to Highway 274 as it was East and we had a tailwind for the 4.5 miles of rolling hills. Highway 274 was downhill, gently at first and then steeply for 5-6 miles. Fortunately, very little traffic passed us on the steeper part. We had a 1 mile uphill before the turnoff to the CG which was then downhill for 1.5 miles. The lower loop had several people so we went to the upper loop which is nice because it is a no fires loop. We took a site with covered car parking. At first we were going to put our tent on the grass, but finally decided to put it on the pavement under the cover. We took bucket baths in the restroom and I even shaved. I gave Shirley some rice and one of my Ramen noodles which she added to dried vegetables and some peanut butter. I had rice and one Ramen plus extra instant mashed potatoes. Our bikes are parked under the cover also. By the time all was done it was 7:30 and pretty dark. So far we've seen a couple turkeys, 3-4 deer, and some quail. There are only 2 other RVs in this loop and are not near us.

Thursday, September 19, 2013	Day 12	60.6 - 657.0	RT: 5:39:43	8:10 - 3:50

Pateros	Paddlers & Pedalers Camp	Free - $235.00	Avg: 10.7	Max: 32.0

We were a little slow getting up this morning and didn't get out of the tent until 7:05. Just after we got the tent put away the sprinklers came on and the wind blew the spray to where the tent had been and water ran all over the pavement. We moved to the next table to eat breakfast and then to the rest room area to finish packing. It was a bit breezy and therefore felt cold. We started in tights, long sleeves, and gloves which was a bit much for the 1.5 mile climb back to the highway. However, it did feel good going down the hill to Grand Coulee. In town we found a Safeway and got the few things we needed to get us to Brewster. We had a good tailwind. We had a fairly steep 3/4 mile climb out of Grand Coulee and then continued up for another 4 miles or so. After that we had flat and gentle rolling downhill with a good tailwind to Highway 17 at which point we had gone 26 miles. Traffic wasn't too bad up to then. Highway 17 was downhill to Bridgeport with a few more trucks. We stopped for a break after 9 miles and our tailwind had sort of died. By the time we got going again we had a headwind, but a steeper downhill. We stopped at a park in Bridgeport for another snack before the final 11 miles to Brewster. At first we thought traffic would be light, but it picked up as we went along. After 6 miles I had to pee and it took 3 miles before there was enough of a break in traffic I could do so. We went to the store in Brewster. Shirley suggested we consider going Highway 97 all the way to East Wenatchee and stay at Daroga SP or Lincoln rock SP tomorrow instead of going over to Lake Chelan SP so we bought 2 days worth of food. I bought a package of 6 chocolate coated donuts which I shouldn't have done as I already have 2 muffins. On the way to Pateros there was an accident involving a bin truck which lost bins and probably a car since there was broken taillight, etc. on the road, but the car was gone by the time we got there. Traffic was backed up for miles. Shirley, as usual, slowed way down. I finally passed her when she stopped because a car was on the shoulder and I went around the car. We finally got to the accident and we pulled in front of the DOT truck parked on the shoulder by the guy with the stop sign. Traffic was going through one way at a time. When we finally got to go we got way over. Once everyone pulled onto the shoulder to allow a cop car to head toward the accident. Another time there were two cars abreast going North as one was giving the other a jump and everybody swerved over. Fortunately, the string of cars were past when we got to our turn into Pateros. Shirley wanted to do a shower and laundry right away so we went to the shower. I just washed my jersey and socks and showered while Shirley washed lots. It was 3:50 when we got here and 4:35 by the time Shirley was ready to head to camp. While we were in the shower a bus load of kids from Tonasket stopped in to use the restroom after being in Leavenworth for the Salmon Festival. In camp Shirley ate her packaged salad and I finished my donuts. I didn't eat dinner until much later. The dumpster still stinks when the wind blows the wrong way. We didn't set the tent up until the sun went behind the hill, but we did sit at the table in the sun this time without being too hot.

Friday, September 20, 2013	Day 13	51.2 - 708.2	RT: 4:28:27	8:20 - 2:15

10 Miles North of Wenatchee	Lincoln Rock SP	$22.00 - $257.00	Avg: 11.4	Max: 30.0

We really slept in this morning and we didn't get out of the tent until 7:25. The street light was so bright and shining directly in my eyes last night that I slept upside down compared to Shirley. It felt a bit cool this morning, but was warming fast since we didn't get up until the sun hit our tent. We had taken our tights off and were ready to leave when a cold wind started from the West. Fortunately, it was better on the highway and after 8 miles I got down to shorts and short sleeves and took my long gloves off at Wells Dam. About 6:00, I'm guessing, the trash truck came and emptied the stinky dumpster. Unfortunately, the odor remained. We had a bit of a tailwind and it was sort of easy getting to BeBee Bridge where we had a break. There were a couple of blacktop patches along the way and I'd say the DOT did not get their money's worth since they were so bad. It got a little harder to Daroga as there were some hills and chip seal. We stopped at Daroga in the walk in tent area and no one was there. If it hadn't been only 11:00 it would have been nice camping. New wooden wind breaks have been built around all the tent pads. After Daroga it was much easier as the tailwind increased and the road was better and flatter again. We stopped at Orondo for canned vegetables before continuing on to Lincoln Rock. My can of mixed vegetables was $2.99 and Shirley's can of creamed corn was $2.69. We stopped at a fruit stand, but it was self pay and only had boxes of fruit. Shirley wanted to take a couple apples from a box and pay a couple bucks. I told her that was unfair to whoever bought the box. Fortunately, we came to another stand a couple miles later and we each got an apple and an Asian pear. When we got to Lincoln Rock my front tire was getting low. The wind was blowing pretty hard and we got a site on the water and upwind from everyone. We arrived at 2:15 and our site was scheduled to be watered at 2:40. About the time the sprinklers started a couple park people showed up and looked in a hole full of water. They decided all was not well and turned the sprinklers off, so we only got watered for 5 to 10 minutes instead of the scheduled 40. We took showers using a couple tokens left over from Potholes SP. While Shirley showered and before I took mine I patched my tube Shirley sat on the dock for a while to get out of the sun. I joined her for a little bit, but my back felt better at the table. We finally set the tent up around 4:30. About 5:00 I started cooking dinner. By then the wind had quit. Shirley started her dinner around 5:25. Lucky us, we are between the only 2 campers that have fires. Fortunately the wind is mostly blowing away from us so far. Someone said it is supposed to rain tomorrow. It was a little cloudy when the wind was blowing, but cleared when it calmed down. Now a few clouds are building again.

Saturday, September 21, 2013	Day 14	32.0 - 740.2	RT: 3:27:30	7:40 - 11:45

Leavenworth	Home	Avg: 9.2	Max: 30.5

The wind changed slightly last night and began blowing the smoke from one neighbor directly at our table. Shirley went to the dock until dark and I walked around the camp and then we moved to another table until we went to bed. The RV sections were pretty much full while the tent area was half empty. A few drops of rain fell last night and I do mean a few. It looked a little cloudy when we got up at 6:50, but became a sunny day by the time we left. We started in long sleeves until the sun hit us a mile before the Loop Trail parking area. At Monitor I took Old Monitor Road, but Shirley refused to cross Highway 2 so we split up. I crossed over again at the Anjou Bakery to ride the side road into Cashmere and over to the light after Nahahum Canyon. I crossed the highway again into Cashmere and over Stines Hill. I went through Dryden and stopped at the ball field to eat. Shirley says she also stopped at the park in Dryden. I had to get on Highway 2 to cross the Wenatchee River after Dryden and then took the back roads starting just before the Big Y. I then had to get on Highway 2 for another 1/4 mile to Peshastin and North Road. I got home at 11:45, a little while after Shirley. It was 60º in the house, but warmed up to 65º with the windows open. I went to Preys and bought a box of Asian pears and to the store for food and fruit. We did laundry since it is supposed to rain tomorrow.

Ride

Day	Date	Miles	Total	Clock Time	Time	Avg	Max	C/M	Price	Total	Comments

1	7/10	58.9	58.9	7:30 - 3:10	5:05	11.6	32.5	C	$28.00	$28.00	Beebe Bridge Chelan County CG

2	7/11	69.2	128.1	6:35 - 4:30	6:20	10.9	26.0	C	$10.00	$38.00	Bicycle Barn - 6 M. W. Winthrop

3	7/12	57.0	185.1	7:10 - 4:20	6:21	9.0	39.5	C	$6.00	$44.00	Colonial Creek CG - Cascades Hwy

4	7/13	54.3	239.4	7:30 - 2:15	4:56	11.0	34.5	C	$13.25	$57.25	Razar SP - 5 Mi W. Concrete

5	7/14	47.6	287.0	7:40 - 3:00	4:32	10.5	30.0	C	$14.00	$71.25	Deception Pass SP - 9 Mi. S. Anacortes

6	7/15	37.3	324.3	7:50 - 6:00	4:12	8.8	35.0	C	$12.00	$83.25	Fort Townsend SP - 6 Mi. S. Port Townsend

7	7/16	58.5	382.8	8:10 - 6:30	6:11	9.4	32.5	C	$25.18	$108.43	Elwha Dam RV Park - 8 Mi. S. Port Angeles

8	7/17	66.7	449.5	8:15 - 5;15	6:34	10.1	38.0	C	$13.25	$121.68	Bogchiel SP - 5 Mi. S. Forks

9	7/18	62.3	511.8	7:30 - 3:30	5:56	10.5	34.5	C	$10.00	$131.68	Quinault Lake - Wilaby CG

10	7/19	52.1	563.9	8:10 - 3:30	4:53	10.6	36.5	C	$13.00	$144.68	Lake Sylvia SP - 1 Mi. N. Montesano

11	7/20	52.2	616.1	9:50 - 5:15	4:34	11.4	26.0	C	$13.00	$157.68	Miller Sylvania SP - 9 Mi. NW. Tenino

12	7/21	0.0	616.1	--------	----	-----	-----	C	$13.00	$170.68	Miller Sylvania SP - 9 Mi. NW. Tenino

13	7/22	46.2	662.3	8:00 - 1:15	4:14	10.9	33.5	M	$112.80	$283.48	Mill Village Motel - Eatonville

14	7/23	54.6	716.9	7:50 - 3:15	5:20	10.2	27.5	C	$10.00	$293.48	La Wis Wis CG - 6 Mi. N. Packwood

15	7/24	41.2	758.1	7:50 - 2:15	4:36	8.9	34.0	C	$7.00	$300.48	Windy Point CG - 12 Mi N. Naches

16	7/25	60.5	818.6	7:00 - 3:00	5:22	11.2	33.5	H	Free	$300.48	Ruth Ann's House - Ellensburg

17	7/26	60.0	878.6	7:05 - 2:15	5:40	10.6	32.0	Home - Leavenworth

18	7/27	Home - Leavenworth

Tuesday, July 10, 2012	Day 1	58.9 - 58.9	RT: 5:05	7:30 - 3:10

Beebe Bridge Chelan County Park	5 Miles E. Chelan	Avg: 11.6	Max: 32.5	$28.00

We managed to get off around 7:30 this morning in temps around 65º. It was actually quite pleasant. We did Hwy 2 to just past Peshastin and then made the illegal left turn to take the back roads to the Big Y. It was then back to Hwy 2 to Dryden and over Stines Hill to Cashmere. We took Old Monitor Road and finally took a break at the Wenatchee River County Park in Monitor. We managed to cross Hwy 2 to Easy Street and after about 1/2 mile I had a flat. I had a lot of trouble getting my tire back on and I said "Something's not right". I finally got it on, but when I pumped it up the tube popped inside the tire. When I took it back off I discovered I had somehow doubled the tube over and got the whole tube in half the tire. No wonder it blew and ruined the tube. The second tube I put in leaked so I patched the first tube with a no glue patch from Walmart. Finally, the 3rd try was the charm. Shirley was getting discouraged since we had left early to beat the predicted hot weather. It was after 10:00 when we got to Food Pavillion and Shirley bought some apricots which were quite good. We managed to get on the loop trail and take the spur over to the parking lot. As we road along a parallel road for a couple of miles a dog chased Shirley for a long way and then me for a little. A couple miles after getting on Hwy 97/2 we stopped at a fruit stand for more apricots. We got to Orondo and bought a quart of Powerade each (2 for $2) and sat at a table outside to drink them and eat the apricots. I then bought a 12 oz bag of frozen vegetables for $2.29. It felt a bit warm riding to Daroga State Park as it was around 90º. We got there around 1:10 and after sitting in the shade a while and eating we decided to go another 15 miles to Beebe Bridge. There were some really hot blasts of air along the way. We took a short break at the entrance to the Lone Pine Fruit Stand about 2-3 miles from Beebe Bridge. A thermometer read 104º. About a mile from Beebe Bridge my tire was really getting soft and I slowed way down. I managed to limp into the campground. We found a site right on the river with some nearby shade. Unfortunately, it cost $28 since all they have are tent/RV sites. We sat around for a while and were just getting ready to go swim when a ranger came by and said she would get an occupied sign for us since we don't have a car. We then went swimming in the Columbia River. The water was fairly cold and hurt my feet a bit. I managed to walk back to camp barefoot as the grass was nice. I only had to cross a couple asphalt and concrete patches. Afterward I swapped my tires since the rear one is a bit worn and patched my tube. My last flat was the Walmart patch coming undone. I put a regular patch on. Shirley also had me replace one of her patches. We cooked on our homemade alcohol stoves. Shirley liked it because it doesn't stink. I find not being able to turn it off a problem as we just put what we hope is enough fuel in to cook our dinner.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012	Day 2	69.2 - 128.1	RT: 6:20	6:40 - 4:30

Bicycle Barn CG	6 Miles W. Winthrop	Avg: 10.9	Max: 26.0	$10.00

The CG was noisy last night after the sun went down and people came back to camp. Dogs barking and kids playing plus the traffic on Hwy 97. We went to bed around 9:30 or maybe a bit earlier with ear plugs. We were out of the tent at 5:30 this morning. Before getting out Shirley noticed my front tire was flat. While she went to the bathroom I tried to fix it. I couldn't find a hole in the tube, even after dunking it in the river and going around twice. I finally put my spare in. Shirley took the tube to the bathroom and couldn't find a hole either. About the time I put my wheel back on Shirley noticed BOB was flat too. I found a fairly large hole on the inside of the tube. By the time I ate I was a bit behind Shirley and it was 6:40 by the time we got started. I had put a light long sleeve on in camp, but I took it off when we left. Shirley left hers on, but we got in the sun as we crossed the bridge and it quickly came off. We made good time to Wells Dam and had a break and got water. We talked to a Yakima Screw rep for a bit. He covers a lot of ground. We took Starr Road to get off 97 for 3 miles before the turn toward Twisp. We stopped at the Rest-A-While bakery/fruit stand. We got apricots plus a small pastry each for a total of $2.86. I was surprised it was that cheap. It was getting warm as we headed toward Methow. We still had our tailwind and it was surprisingly easy to do the 11 miles. We had another break at the historical marker with a table with a table cloth. Traffic wasn't too bad, but we still got off on Gold Creek Road which was really quiet. We got into Carlton before noon and much to our surprise the store is open again. Also to our surprise the outside facet was turned off unlike last fall when the store was closed and the faucet was on. The lady in the store gave us water and even gave Shirley a book from the book exchange. It was 90º when we left Carlton and headed up the Twisp-Carlton Road. My thermometer got up to 95-97º along the way. Shirley needed food about halfway and we stopped under a tree. In Twisp the thermometer said 100-102º, but my thermometer still read 97º. We got food at the store before taking the back road to Winthrop. Originally we were going to stay in Twisp, but we decided I should get a new tire and tube in Winthrop so we went there to make sure the shop would be open when we went through. I got a tire for $55 and 2 tubes at $7 each plus a couple small patch kits. Total was $81. We then continued another 6.5 miles to the Bicycle Barn Camping, a bicyclist only CG at a house. Shirley needed food about halfway again. For $10 we get an outdoor solar shower with optional extra heat, water, picnic table, shade, refrigerator, and grass. Unfortunately, there are also flies and it is right by the road. The road should calm down, though. We had a little bit of trouble finding where we were supposed to camp becuase Shirley insisted on knocking on the door of the house and getting no answer rather than going back down the driveway to read the sign we passed on the way up. The sign had very good instructions on where to go.

Thursday, July 12, 2012	Day 3	57.0 - 185.1	RT: 6:21	7:10 - 4:20

Colonial Creek CG	N. Cascades N.P.	Avg: 9.0	Max: 39.5	$6.00

Around 8:15 last night two women cyclists showed up. They started in Savannah in March, rode North to Maine, took a train to Glacier from somewhere and rode from there. Yesterday they came from Omak and will finish in Seattle on Saturday. Once again we went to bed a little after 9:00. We got up around 6:00 and were off around 7:00. It looked like the two ladies were about ready, but we never saw them again (almost). We took Goat Creek Road after a mile which added a couple hundred feet of climbing. We had a good tailwind again which made it really hot on the steep uphills. The first steep grade to Klipchuck was quite warm and it was early. We had to stop and get the sweat out of our eyes. We had a break at Lone Fir CG, the last one before Washington Pass. It was quite pleasant at 80º in the shade and a breeze. After we left we saw the two women approaching in our mirrors, but they turned into the CG. It was 10:30 with about 6 miles to go to the pass. After 2-3 miles I stopped at a pullout to view a waterfall and get the sweat out of my eyes again. After another 100-200 feet we stopped in the shade of a tree since we thought it might be the only shade before the top. A day rider caught us and said it was indeed the two women we saw. There were patches of snow along the road and at one patch a Canadian family was playing in the snow. The other rider stopped and offered to take a picture of the entire family. When we finally got to where we could see the switchback it seemed to take forever to get there. It must have been at least 1.5 miles. After the switchback we had less of a tailwind so it was cooler and it was easy to get to the top. It wasn't quite 12:30. We continued to Rainy Pass without going to the overlook on Washington Pass. Shirley didn't want any extra uphill. We had another break at the Rainy Pass Picnic Area, but it still had so much snow we sat on rocks among a lot of water. A woman cyclist had just arrived from Newhalem and was going to Washington Pass after eating and then return to Newhalem. We had a lot of downhill after Rainy Pass and a lot of headwind so we got cheated out of our downhill. Shirley was suffering and after a small steep uphill she needed food. There were lots of waterfalls and they had a large cooling effect as we rode by. A touring cyclist was resting at one as we went by and we stopped at one for a little while to cool off. At the Diablo Lake overlook it was very windy so Shirley was cautious the last couple miles to the CG. Shirley had read that last month the CG lost its water when a tree damaged the water system, but if so it is all fixed now. We're in a nice walk in site with neighbors who have to have a fire even though it is almost 80º. There is also a walking path going right by our site. We took baths in the handicap restroom which was nice and sunny and had a locking door so that worked well.

Friday, July 13, 2012	Day 4	54.3 - 239.4	RT: 4:56	7:30 - 2:15

Razar S.P. H/B Camp	6 Miles W. Concrete	Avg:11.0	Max: 34.5	$12.00 + $1.25

Fortunately, our neighbors were quiet last night and, after cooking, their fire was small and well behaved. We only got a couple short whiffs. We went to bed at 9:00 and didn't get up until 6:30. It was cool enough we put on long sleeves and pants in camp. I started with a light long sleeve and shirt when we left and should have been in short sleeves since we took the long sleeves off a mile into the uphill from camp. Traffic was light for the first couple hours. Around 9:00 we started getting a headwind although it stayed much lighter than yesterday's. We had lots of downhill to Marblemont with a few little ups. There was one short tunnel and one a little longer, but straight. The center line had lit reflectors. At Marblemont Shirley bought and drank a quart of Gatorade. We then took the Cascade-Rockport road even though it added a couple miles. It was nice and quiet. We had a few clouds and it maybe got up to 80º. From Rockport to Concrete we were back on Hwy 20 and traffic was heavy, but there was a shoulder. There were a couple ups and downs. By the time we got to Concrete it was looking dark and rainy behind us. When we left the store and got on the unpaved rail trail it was really dark and getting closer. Somewhere in the next 4 miles it got lighter, but still cloudy. We made it to Razar SP and got a lovely H/B campsite for $12. It's off the picnic area although the RV campsites aren't far away through the bushes and trees. Some really noisy rig showed up and took forever to get settled. There are, unfortunately, mosquitos. We've also had a few little rain drops, but not enough to even get things wet. At 4:30 it's down to 70º. The noisy RV turned out to be a large tow truck coming to pick up a broken RV. Shirley spent 75¢ on a shower, I did mine for 50¢. We went out to the picnic area for dinner since there were fewer mosquitos. There was just enough wind at times to be annoying. After Shirley turned in I went for a short hike along a path and found some sort of a rally with cryptogram type clues. Must have been some kid thing.

Saturday, July 14, 2012	Day 5	47.6 - 287.0	RT: 4:32	7:40 - 3:00

Deception Pass SP	9 Miles S. Anacortes	Avg: 10.5	Max: 30.0	$14.00

Shirley went in the tent before 8:00, maybe 7:30, last night. I sat in the picnic area rest room for a while and read. Too many mosquitos outside. I also dried my towel and washcloth at the hand dryer. I turned in about 9;15. We got up at 6:30 and were off at 7:40. The gates were still shut. We took back roads all the way to Sedro Wooley. Shirley had printed a map of Sedro Wooley and the direct route to the store was actually good. I think it helped that it was Saturday. We bought food at Food Pavilion. It had been foggy when we left this morning and then cloudy. After shopping and loading our bikes I went back in the store to use the toilet. When I came out it was raining lightly. I discovered my rack pack cover was at home so I went back in the store and got a plastic bag. It fit perfectly. As we started to leave there was a covered section of the shopping center so we sat under there and ate. It was still raining lightly when we left. We decided to try Cook street instead of the longer route recommended by Adventure Cycling. Cook had a wide shoulder, but a lot of traffic. It started raining harder, but we could see patches of blue sky. After 1 - 1.5 miles it quit raining and the road was dry. In about 3 miles we crossed I-5 and lost most of the traffic. Shortly thereafter we turned South for a mile before heading West again. We came to a road closed barrier, but it looked like we could get through. We stopped a pickup that was coming the other way and asked and he said we could get through. It turned out they were putting pipes in under one of the lanes, but they were not working today so it was pleasant riding. We got to Bay View before noon and ate at the start of a 2 mile bike trail around Padilla Bay. There were distance markers every 1/8 mile. We had a bit more quiet road before getting on Hwy 20 which was now a 4 lane and very busy road. After crossing some slough by crossing a steep bridge we were able to get off again for a few miles. It was then back on Hwy 20 for the last 10 or so miles to Deception Pass SP. The shoulder narrowed down to 2-2.5 feet for several miles with lots of traffic and 2 lanes once we turned South toward Whidbey Island. The turn caught us by surprise as there was a left turn lane backed up for a long way with no pedestrian crossing of any kind. There was never a time when there wasn't traffic going across the highway that went straight towards Anacortes. We rode up to where the left turn was and crossed the lanes of traffic so we were in the left turn lane next to the cars and turned when they got the light. The bridge to Whidbey Island is very high and long. We walked our bikes on a narrow walkway along with lots of other people. Whenever we met someone I parked and got behind my bike so they could pass. It was a real zoo. Being Saturday probably made it worse. We got to the SP around 2:30 and had to wait in line to check in. We had a little trouble getting our tokens since at this park one token is 50¢ for 3 minutes instead of 2 tokens for 50¢ for 3 minutes last night. We ended up with 4 tokens. There was a steep uphill and then a steep downhill to the CG. Once again we missed the H/B sign the first time, mainly because the site numbers are a little out of order. After looking at the CG map we found it easily. After eating and doing some laundry we headed to the beach via a trail. I wore my jersey so it would dry and I'm glad I did. My socks are finally almost dry after wearing them in camp. Shirley's sports bra is still wet. She wore her jersey for a while in camp to dry it and her wet socks under her shirt. The showers were quite messy from people with sandy feet and shoes, but the shower itself was quite good. There are 5 H/B sites and as of 8:15 they are all full. There is one with a lot of gear and an ice chest so we're not sure who is there since we haven't seen anybody yet.

Sunday, July 15, 2012	Day 6	37.3 - 324.3	RT: 4:12	7:50 - 6:00

Fort Townsend SP	6 Miles S. Port Townsend	AVG: 8.8	Max: 35.0	$12.00

We didn't get out of the tent until 6:45 today. The sky was cloudy, but we hoped it would clear off. We got started at 7:50. The first steep hill out of the CG got me breathing so hard I had to stop just as it slacked off a bit to catch my breath. It was too steep too early. We were on Hwy 20 for just a little bit before turning off on a bike route. After a few hills we came to where we had planned to get back on Hwy 20, but the bike route sign and Cycle Washington signs pointed the other way. We decided to follow them. It took us over several steep hills and to the East side of the island. We finally got to Fakeema Road which took us back West to where we had planned to get off Hwy 20 again. The bike route continued South toward oak harbor. We got back on our planned route again at Hwy 20, which we were on for maybe 1/10 mile. Shortly after leaving camp it had started misting and misted/rained most of the time with periods of dry. It was warm on the uphills and cold on the downhills. The final downhill to the West coast got me really cold as I was only in a light long sleeve and shorts and I was not having fun. Shirley needed food before the next uphill and I really didn't want to stop, but while we ate I did warm up a bit. Riding up the hill did warm me up. We had a couple more uphills before getting to Madrona Way leading to Coupeville. About a mile from Coupeville Shirley got a flat and our troubles began. Shirley replaced the tube, but the new tube didn't hold air so Shirley put another tube in after I patched it. Unfortunately, Shirley didn't get the tube in correctly and after we started she felt a bump every revolution. When we stopped and deflated the tire we could see the tube. We took the tire off and reseated it although we had different ideas of how to reseat it and Shirley got mad. We made it into Coupeville before her tire went flat again and we stopped under a roof at a lawyer's office. A patch had come off, the one I had just put on. I patched it again using a bigger patch. It was raining lightly while we worked and we put our booties and rain coats on when we left. When we left Coupeville we actually made it a couple miles before her tire went flat again. This one was a hole in about the same spot as the first one. We felt the inside of the tire carefully and couldn't find anything. Shirley finally spotted a tiny piece of glass on the outside and we got it out. I gave her one of the new tubes I bought in Winthrop. We managed to ride the last mile or 2 to the ferry and didn't have to wait long to catch the 3:45 ferry. In port Townsend we rode into town and bought 2 new tubes and then went toSafeway. We decided to get a Chinese dinner for 2 for $10. We ate most of it at a table in the store. We thought about a motel and if we had passed one between Safeway and the CG we would probably be there since it misted some more. Fortunately (?), we didn't so we are camping. As we approached the state park a ranger going off duty stopped and told us how to get to the H/B sites so we didn't have any problems finding them tonight. It was looking lighter by then, but the trees are dripping heavily. We got set up and went to take a shower. Unfortunately, the men's shower wouldn't accept the tokens so I ended up taking a basin bath. Not very satisfying. My towel and wash cloth and the dish towel are very wet since they were "drying" on my BOB all day. I had to wash them to clean them. There was some blue sky when we came out of the rest rooms, but has fogged up again since then. The trees in the campsite are really dripping so we sat at a picnic table in a field by the outhouse while reading and writing in our diaries The remaining part of our dinner is in the outhouse by the H/B sites since Shirley thinks it smells too much to be in the tent. My shoes and socks are quite wet since I waited too long to put my booties on and my expensive booties don't work very well. They are more wind proof than water proof. My shoes will probably have to stay outside tonight or Shirley will complain about the smell.

Monday, July 16, 2012	Day 7	58.5 - 382.8	RT: 6:11	8:10 - 6:30

Elwha Dam RV Park	8 Miles SW Port Angeles	Avg: 9.4	Max: 32.5	$25.18

I don't know if actually rained last night, but the trees dripped all night and the fly was very wet this morning. We didn't get up until almost 7:00 and ate our leftover dinner for breakfast plus a couple pieces of fruit. We got packed up and were off around 8:10. Surprisingly my feet didn't get cold when I put my wet socks and shoes on when I got up. It was about 1.6 miles back to Highway 20. Traffic was already fairly heavy, but we had a wide shoulder. In a mile or two Hwy 19 branched off and most of the traffic went that way. Unfortunately Hwy 20 didn't stay as quiet as first hoped. We had a couple long hills before we reached Hwy 101. There was a table on the side of the road so we stopped for a break. About the time we were finishing a touring cyclist going the other way stopped to chat. He is from Tucson and said it's been cold and wet. He is heading to Olympia to take a bus back to California and fly to Japan and Thailand. He was a little brusk and negative and he grew tiresome. We had maybe 16 miles on Hwy 101 with a long uphill and then a downhill to Sequim. We turned on Old Blyn road and came to a library. We stopped at the far end of the parking lot for a break and pulled all our wet gear out and dried it in the sun while we ate. We then got on the Olympic Bike Path from Sequim to Port Angeles. Getting through Sequim took a lot of time. There were hills on the trail, forested sections and flat sections. There were lots of people using the trail. About 14 miles from Port Angeles we met an Aussie cyclist. He was much more interesting than the first cyclist. The first cyclist, however, did give us a bike map of the county which was useful. There was a small hole in my shorts the other day and when Shirley got behind me today she noticed it was now a large hole. I decided I better get a new pair of shorts in Port Angeles. The Aussie cyclist gave us good instructions on how to get to a bike shop as he had just spent a layover day there yesterday. We rode along the shore into Port Angeles and it would have been nice to spend more time in spite of the cold wind, but I wanted to make sure I got to the bike shop before it closed. I got a new pair of shorts for $45 with tax. I put them on before leaving the store. We went to Safeway when se left the bike shop and it was already 5:00. By the time we left Safeway it was after 5:30. We followed the bike trail some more and it became gravel. It had a good surface, but was bumpy and slow. We finally got off it again and headed to the RV Park. There were a couple hills that didn't look steep, but I got in my low range since I was getting hungry. The last 1 to 1.5 miles were downhill right to the RV park. We have a nice grassy and treed campsite, but there are mosquitos, but they don't seem to bite. I had a 22 oz tub of pudding right away and Shirley a deli dish from Safeway. It was already 6:30. Shirley needed to do laundry so she went to do that while I set up the tent. The lady in the office had given Shirley a cup of liquid detergent. We cooked and ate as the wash dried. Actually I got the last of the wash before I ate. It was then showers which cost $1.00, but were wonderful. By the time I started writing in my journal it was after 10:00. Shirley discovered at our first stop today that she lost her hat that she really liked last night. She thinks she dropped it between the shower and camp or possibly left it hanging in the shower.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012	Day 8	66.7 - 449.5	RT: 6:34	8:15 -4:15

Bogachiel SP	5 Miles S. Forks	Avg: 10.1	Max: 38.0	$12.00 + $1.25

Even after getting to bed late last night we still got up before 7:00 and were off around 8:00. We stopped at the Elwha Dam trail at the RV park entrance and rode the 100 yards to an overlook. There wasn't much to see. We didn't do the continuation of the trail which would have been a hike of unknown distance. It was about 55º when we got up and maybe 60º when we left, but it felt colder. We started in tights and long sleeves. The first uphill warmed us up and I got down to light long sleeves. Before too long we ran into a cold fog and it was back to tights and heavy long sleeves. This was sort of the pattern all day. The uphills would be warm and any time near the ocean and downhill was foggy and cold. I was wishing I was back on the East side. There were lots of small hills and a couple longer hills on hwy 212. We came to a section when they were using one of the big weed eaters and there were two flaggers and a pilot car. The flaggers were probably at least a mile apart, probably more. We finally turned away from the ocean after about 30 miles and it got warm. When we hit Hwy 213 there was another flagger. For about 100 yards they were doing something, but the other flagger was 3 miles away. Again there was a pilot car. There were a few new pavement patches and lots of areas marked, but no sign of paving machinery. The entire 3 miles stretch was uphill for us and the pilot car passed us twice in each direction. We had a tailwind going up and it was hot. Unfortunately we had a headwind going down and we were cheated out of our downhill. About 3 miles from 101 we took a break. Just as we were getting ready to leave the construction crew moved the pilot car line to just below us, but it was no problem for us. The 11-12 miles on Hwy 101 weren't as busy as we feared, but it continued to be a headwind. I ran out of gas about a mile from Forks and that made the final mile seem real hard. The store was another mile at the far end of town, but fortunately it was flat. We got our food and when we came out I ate 2 of the 4 muffins I had bought. That's why I had bought the package of 4. Unfortunately, there was a guy smoking at a table near our bikes and we had to stand upwind from him. Shirley had gotten some phoney salmon salad and it was pretty bad and I had to help her eat it. The 5 miles to the state park went easy as the wind had finally stopped. There are 2 H/B sites and we took the larger, flatter one near the rest rooms. There were lots of mosquitos, but they didn't bite much or else didn't itch. Shirley was quite unhappy, though. We dried the tent from last night's dew and got set up before showers and then dinner. I had to walk around the CG looking for someone to give us change for a couple dollars so we could use the showers which took quarters. I think we got in around 6:00. About 8:15 another cyclist came in and took the other H/B site. The mosquitos have died down a lot as it cools down a tad and gets a little dark. I had a headache most of the night last night. My left leg also cramped during the night, my hamstring and inside of my thigh. I bought Gatorade tonight to try to replace my electrolytes.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012	Day 9	62.3 - 511.8	RT: 5:56	7:30 - 3:30

Quinault Lake - Willaby CG	S. Shore Quinault Lake	Avg: 10.5	Max: 34.5	$10.00

Shirley was ready to get up at 6:15 this morning while I was still asleep. We were out ot the tent at 6:30. Surprisingly the tent was dry. Unfortunately the sky was cloudy. We packed and ate and were off at 7:30. It was only 55º so I started in tights and long sleeves. Partway up the first hill I took my heavy long sleeves off. The hills were gentle and traffic fairly light. It seemed to take a long time to get to the ocean. I wasn't looking forward to that as it was warm uphill, but cold downhill. Fortunately, it wasn't much different on the ocean. We stopped at Ruby Beach, the first access and sat on the side of the entrance road and ate and watched the ocean. Just as we were getting ready to leave at started misting. We put our booties on. Today I had plastic bags to put over my shoes and in the booties. It misted and drizzled for the 11 miles along the coast. Shirley would have liked to camp since this is the last we will be along the coast, but it wouldn't have been fun. As we headed inland the mist became less frequent, but the road was wet. We had miles of rough chip seal in the Quinault Indian Reservation. We liked the pullouts since they hadn't been chip sealed. Mostly we had gentle uphills and downhills today and a lot of tailwind and some light headwind. The only bad part was the shoulder was very narrow at times and narrow most of the time. Luckily, traffic wasn't real heavy, but heavy enough. We stopped at Amanda Park to get some frozen vegetables before continuing another couple miles to the CG. We arrived at 3:30 and I sort of liked site 3 since it was sort of isolated and not real close to the lake. Shirley took a walk and decided it was too far from the restrooms so we are in site 14 which has closer neighbors and is closer to the lake. The highway noise is less and it is close to the restroom. It is also right where cars turn around to go out so we get all the traffic twice. There is no shower so we took baths in the sink. I put some soap in my shoes hoping to make them smell better since they suffered badly the other day in the rain. It helped but I may need to use more soap. The mosquitos are swarming again tonight and a few more are biting than last night. I couldn't get my new Kindle to work tonight. Hopefully it just needs charging. Too bad the power adapter hadn't arrived before we left home.

Thursday, July 19, 2012	Day 10	52.1 - 563.9	RT: 4:53	8:10 - 3:30

Lake Sylvia S.P.	2 Miles N. Montesano	Avg: 10.6	Max: 36.5	$13.00

Shirley was a bit slower getting up today. I had to give her a nudge to get up by 7:00. It was cloudy again, but the tent was dry. The mosquitos were still out. We ate breakfast while walking around. We were off at 8:10. The biker from Bogachiel SP pulled in around 9:15 last night, just as I was getting ready to go to bed. If it hadn't been so late I would have offered to share a site. We pretty much climbed the 1.5 miles back to Hwy 101. We had started in tights and heavy long sleeves, but the tights and heavy long sleeves came off at the junction. After another 5 miles or so I got down to short sleeves. It was a little cool on the downhills, but warm on the uphills. Around 10:15 when we took a break in Humptulips the sun came out. We put sun screen on and were warm the rest of the day. Hwy 101 had a small to no shoulder and was still rough chip seal. A couple miles before we turned of 101 the shoulder reappeared and was nicely paved. We rode an extra 1/4 mile on Hwy 101 because Shirley wanted water at a store that was supposed to be at the junction and wasn't sure we had the right junction. We took a series of back roads to Montesano which were a real treat after 101. The pavement was still rough, but the traffic was light. We followed a stream for a few miles then jumped between drainages. There was one couple mile long hill and several smaller ones, but none real steep. The .6 miles that was supposed to be unpaved is now paved. We got to Montesano before 2:30 and stocked up at the store. We stopped at the fire station for directions to Lake Sylvia SP. The guy we talked to was real friendly and a bike rider. It was about 1.5 miles uphill to the SP and we were in camp at 3:30. We did a little laundry and put it on table in the sun by the rest room and sat on a nearby log. Camp once again has mosquitos. Around 5:00 I took a shower and shaved. The shower was in a larger room set up for the handicapped. It was so nice to not get everything wet. The sun left our drying table fairly early. I only washed the pits on my jersey so it dried quite well. My socks dried really quick too. I used paper towels to dry after my shower again. The other H/B site has a young German cyclist with a mountain bike and bugger he bought in Seattle for $300. We chatted with him for a long time. Later a young woman cyclist from Quebec came over and talked. She was camped in the grass across from the ranger's office. Both are headed South on the coast route. She was a bit snotty about American's inability to speak French, but she did speak English very well.

Friday, July 20, 2012	Day 11	52.2 - 616.1	RT: 4:34	9:50 -5:15

Miller Sylvania S.P.	9 Miiles NW Tenino	Avg: 11.4	Max: 26.0	$12.00 + $1.00

It rained off and on most of the night and was very gray looking this morning. The German cyclist has a tarp and bivy bag and the tarp was tied to the bike, bugger, table and fire grate with him under it. We didn't get up until about 8:00 and at first put our camp clothes on. We found a shelter by the office and ate breakfast there. After a short walk we decided to leave since it hadn't rained since we got up, so we packed and took the wet tent down. Actually, only the fly was wet as the tent and ground cloth were dry. The German cyclist (Chris) was up packing when we got back to camp. Shortly before we left the French cyclist ((Julie) came over to see if Chris was ready. As we were riding up the hill out of the park Julie passed us. She only has small rear panniers. It started misting on the downhill to town, so we stopped and put our booties on and bagged our packs. Chris passed us as we did. By the time we were on the way again it was raining lightly. It rained and misted for several miles. At Satsop Shirley had a flat just as we passed a store and we stopped under the front awning. When we finished Shirley was washing her hands in a puddle and the lady from the store said they had a restroom Shirley could use and she did. I decided to wash my hands too and also took the opportunity to pee. In the next town a guy stopped to talk to us. He rides a lot even though he has had eleven knee operations and has no knee caps. A couple miles later I had a flat. I changed the tire and tube. It was now 12:30 and we had gone 14 miles. We had 16 miles of fairly quiet road to Oakville before we had to get on Hwy 12 for the last 3-4 miles to Rochester. Hwy 12 was very busy, but had about a 1.5 foot wide shoulder. Along the way it rained on us for a couple brief periods. I really wanted to take my booties and tights off, but I certainly didn't want to get my shoes soaked again. We found a good store in Rochester and stocked up for two days so we can spend 2 nights at the SP and not have to worry about finding a campsite on Saturday as we are leaving state park country. Leaving Rochester we missed our turn off Hwy 12 because the whole intersection has been changed and didn't match our maps. There was an arrow on the road like bike tours use, but we ignored it. We finally decided we had missed our turn and then compounded the problem by turning the wrong way once we got off Hwy 12 and getting turned around 90º. We ended up back on Hwy 12 after it had curved around somehow. We stopped at a gas station and found a local pumping gas. He drew us a simple map to get back on route and told us about the turn we wanted being changed. We weren't that far off route and didn't really need the map, just the directions. By the time we got back on route it was 4:30. Once again we were on a quiet road and we saw the bike group markings again that we had ignored earlier. On Old hwy 99 traffic was sort of heavy again, but we were only on it for 2 miles before turning toward the state park. Fortunately, the last 8 miles were easy. When we got to the park the CG was full, but there were H/B sites. We got one for two nights. After eating a bit and setting up the tent just in case it rained Shirley went for a shower. They take tokens and the one Shirley tried took her tokens, but didn't work. She came back to another $1.00 and my tokens. This time she found one that worked. I then went to take a shower. I got more tokens, but the shower at the RV section where Shirley took hers was full of young guys taking showers and making a lot of noise. I walked to a different rest room and there the token box wouldn't take my tokens. I got dressed and went to a different shower, but it was occupied so I went back to the RV section, but it was still busy and the young guys were charging all sorts of devices. I went back to the occupied shower and waited for the guy to come out. When I went in and put my tokens in nothing happened. When I came out a ranger happened to be there and I asked if there were any showers in the park that work and told him my owes. He told me to use the RV showers. He also told me to ask the host to reimburse me the 4 tokens we lost. I got the 4 tokens from the host and went in to the showers. One was in use so I used the other one. It wouldn't take my tokens either. So for the 3rd time I got dressed and went to the other shower which was now empty. I held my breath when I put the tokens in and fortunately it worked. As I was showering I noticed four tokens in the soap dish. So finally after an hour I got my shower and ended up with 9 tokens. All in all it was a frustrating end to the day. By the time I got back to camp it was 8:20. We ate dinner as it was getting dark. Right now it is 9:20 and seems very dark. Just before we left the store in Rochester a pickup backed into a parked car and smashed the rear taillight. He then managed to park next to it. Just as we were leaving several employees came out to see who's car had gotten hit. The young lady who's car it was, was not happy. My calf is really sore tonight. The tendon that runs through it is very sore to the touch.

Saturday, July 21, 2012	Day 12	0 - 616.1

Miller Sylvania S.P.	9 Miles NW Tenino	Avg:	Max:	$12.00 + $1.00

We didn't go to bed until 10:30 last night and slept in until 7:00 since we weren't going anywhere. Around 10:15 last night the CG quieted down. We found a close rest room this morning in the group section which is right next to us. It is very old and decrepit. We finally wandered down to the lake around 10:00. One sign said there were boat rentals at 10:00 and another said 11:00. Mind you this was at the same rental place. Several people were waiting. Around 1:00 the snack bar and rental opened. We rented a canoe for an hour and made it all the way around the lake in about a half hour. We dallied around and finally returned a little before our hour was up. We went back to camp for food. Later we went back to the lake so I could air out my shoes in the sun since there is no sun in camp. Unfortunately the table we sat it was a bit slanted. Shirley finished her book and gave it to me since my Kindl doesn't work.

Sunday, July 22, 2012	Day 13	46.2 - 662.3	RT: 4:14	8:00 - 1:15

Mill Village Motel	Eatonville	Avg: 10.9	Max: 33.5	$112.80

The day started out very promising as there was sun on the trees in camp with some clouds around. We put sun screen on thinking it was going to clear. Instead, by the time we left at 8:00 it was pretty much cloudy. We went a couple miles North and then East 3-4 miles on a hilly road to get to the bike path coming South from Tacoma. There was a little more traffic than we expected for 8:00 on a Sunday morning, but it wasn't bad. We rode 8-9 miles (maybe more) on the bike path down to the bike path from Tenino to Yelm. It was quite pleasant except for a few bumps where roots hhd grown under the pavement. Then we rode several more miles to Yelm. The bike paths were different from most in that they were mostly straight and didn't have all the curves that most have to slow you down. Shortly after we left Yelm it appeared we had missed our turn when a side road appeared that from my map seemed to indicate we were on the wrong road. We rode back 1 1/4 miles to were we thought we went wrong only to find out we were right. So, it was back the way we had been going. Unfortunately, the road wasn't the most pleasant to be doing 3 times as it was very busy. If we had gone another 1/4 mile the first time we would have reached McKenna and it would have been obvious we were right. We had gained a couple miles earlier as our route had been shorter, but we made up for it with our little error. We were hoping that Hwy 702 out of McKenna would be quiet, but it wasn't. Fortunately, we got to turn off of it after a couple miles. Earlier in Ranier a couple said it was supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow and it sure looked like it could at any time. We had about 9 miles of quiet road before we had to get back on Hwy 702 for a couple miles. We missed the turn to Eatonville and went a mile or two further than we had to before cutting back to get back on route. That wasn't all bad as it was quieter than where we should have gone. Eventually we got to Hwy 161 into Eatonville. It was busy, but had an adequate shoulder. There was a long uphill into Eatonville. A few drops were falling by then and a Hwy 7 detour was putting traffic on our road out of Eatonville. We decided to check out the motel, mostly because Shirley didn't like the traffic. We got a $100 ($112.80 with tax) room even though it was only 1:30. Since there was a laundromat across the driveway and my shoes really needed washing we did laundry. I then dried my shoes with the in room hair dryer. They smell so much better now. Hopefully they won't get wet and smelly again tomorrow. Later we went to the store, mainly because Shirley needed lunch for tomorrow and bought a few things. I only got an apple and bananas and probably should have skipped that as we will get a big breakfast in the morning. The store didn't take plastic so I only have $1.04 left. Shirley still has $40, though. We then went to the Subway for dinner and each had a foot long super vegie with avocado. I'm quite full. Shirley checked about the detour in the office and learned it was due to a rock slide on Hwy 7 that happened in June and won't be cleared and repaved until August. She noticed a computer in the lobby so I took my Kindl over and found a USB port to charge it. Hopefully that's all it needs to work again. I had left it sitting out at the computer and had come back to the room. One of the workers moved it into a drawer where it was more secure. Unfortunately, the recharging failed. The recharging screen never appeared and the Kindl didn't appear as a disc. Hopefully it's a problem with the computer and not the Kindl. I'll find out for sure in a few days when we get home. Apparently a day off cured my calf. It was fine all day today.

Monday, July 23, 2012	Day 14	54.6 - 716.9	RT: 5:20	7:50 - 3:15

La Wis Wis CG	6 Miles N. Packwood	Avg: 10.2	Max: 27.5	$10.00

It didn't appear to have rained last night, at least at the motel. We got up around 6:40 and went over for breakfast at 7:00. Shirley thinks I pigged out because I had 2 waffles, 4 sausage links, 2 hard boiled eggs, a 4 oz yogurt, a small muffin, and an orange juice. It did get me pretty much all the way to camp today. The road today was much quieter when we left than when we arrived yesterday. It was mostly uphill for 7 miles with a little downhill at the beginning and end and there was some evidence of having rained. A cyclist going to Ohanapegosh to meet his daughter or granddaughter passed us. It's not clear if he's riding home again tomorrow. Hwy 7 had a wide shoulder and it was early enough the traffic was light. At Elbe we got on Hwy 706 and immediately hit a flagger just after traffic had gone through. We had to wait about 15 minutes before we got to go. The pilot car went slow enough and stopped at one point for the construction that we kept up for the mile long trip. After that the road was mostly quiet with bursts of traffic from the flagger. We stopped at a little park in Ashford and Shirley ate. I just had a couple of cookies. I also filled my water bottles. Right after the construction we had come to an artist's place where all sorts of large iron constructions were sitting in a yard, including a 15 foot high penny farthing (high wheeler), some huge horses, a skier, and many more things , all made from various scrap metal. They were all quite realistic looking. The 23 miles on FR 52 to Packwood was very quiet and lovely. The first half was a gradual up and then a pretty good, but cold down. The road was pretty rough, but doable. About 5 miles from Packwood there was a 1.5 mile stretch of construction that was dirt and had been heavily watered, or else it had really rained hard. We tried to ride slow to reduce the mud splashing, but our bikes and BOBs (especially mine since I didn't have a BOB fender) got really covered with sloppy mud. So much for my clean shoes! We went to the store in Packwood as the sun was finally starting to come out. We sat outside and ate a pint of blueberries and a couple of apricots. It was then off to La Wis Wis CG 6 miles up the road. There was a long downhill from Hwy 12 to the CG that will be warm in the morning. The CG hosts recommended a site and when we eventually found it we took it. We took the bikes to the water faucet and spent a half hour or more washing them and the BOB bags. It took a lot of bottles of water. We then sat up camp and I finally ate one of my bagels and finished off my cookies. We did a short hike to Purcell Falls which is really a series of cascades. After washing off in the restroom we finally fixed dinner around 5:30 and went down by the Cowlitz River to eat since it was breezier and had a lot fewer mosquitos. Apparently I left the old tire by the faucet when we washed the bikes and by the time I remembered after dinner it was gone. Not much of a loss, but a loss.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012	Day 15	41.2 - 758.1	RT: 4:36	7:50 - 2:15

Windy Point CG	12 Miles NW Naches	Avg: 8.9	Max: 34.0	$7.00

In what's become our normal we got up around 6:50 and were off at 7:50. For a change we had bright blue skies, but only 55º. Since we were going uphill I started in shorts and light long sleeves. After 2-3 miles it was down to short sleeves. Traffic was light until close to 10:00 and even then wasn't too bad. There were several good views of Mt. Ranier in the mirror. There was one minor construction area on the way up, but we didn't even have to stop. Traffic came in spurts from the other direction so we suspected more construction. It took us about 4 hours to do the 14 miles to the summit of White Pass. At the summit there seemed to be some sort of runners camp as there were a bunch of runners doing weird high stepping runs in the parking lot. Shirley put her long sleeves on for the downhill even though it was quite warm. Not too far down was another construction area warning of up to 45 minute delays. We were approaching just as traffic was coming up so we probably would have made it through without stopping, but Shirley stopped at a pullout to take her long sleeves off. So we got stopped for about 20-25 minutes. The flagger let us wait in the shade a little ways down from her. A trucker from Moses Lake came down to talk to us while waiting. When it was time to go the flagger let us go first and held traffic until we did the 1/4 mile or so past the construction which was rock scaling. We had a tailwind going up and a headwind going down. We were thinking of doing a 75 mile day to Yakima Canyon, but with the headwind we decided to stop at a small store and get frozen vegetables and milk and stop at the last CG on the Tieton River. The next little store we came to was closed, but the one at Rimrock was open. We got our frozen vegetables and canned milk plus canned pineapple and a Snickers bar for $8.74. The CG is only 12 sites and as of 4:45 there is only us and one other couple, but 3 or 4 sites may be reserved or may have been used last night. We think the latter. We washed off in the river without getting naked since there wasn't a good spot to jump in. We then did some laundry since it was early and the clothes will dry. Shirley also washed her hair. The water here has an iron taste and seems to get worse the longer it sits so we both made a quart of lemonade which helps.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012	Day 16	60.5 - 818.6	RT: 5:22	7:00 - 3:00

Ruth Ann's House	Ellensburg	Avg: 11.2	Max: 33.5	Free

Shirley was ready to get up at 5:20 this morning when I got up to pee, but we delayed for another 30 minutes. It was sunny and warm enough I started in shorts and short sleeves. It was just a bit cool in the shade. We passed a motorcycle parked on the other side of the highway with the flashers blinking. The rider was walking back and forth on the shoulder. He was dusty and appeared to have crashed. Shirley asked twice if he was OK and he assured her he was. There was a herd of what we thought were deer on the highway further down the road, but before we got close to really see them a truck came along and scared them off the road, but they scampered across rocks so we think they must have been sheep. We took the old highway into Naches which was nice. We went to the store and bought a few items for the day. We wanted to call Ruth Ann to let her know we were coming today, but there are no longer any pay phones in Natches. We tried to use a cell phone at the store, but the guy said it was a business phone and he didn't want to tie it up. A lady at the gas station said we couldn't use hers either. At the other gas station the lady said sure, but when she checked the manager was using it for a conference call of unknown duration. We then went over to a group of motorcyclists and one of them let us use his phone. Actually, just about everyone offered their phones. When Shirley looked at the phone she didn't have any idea how to make a call so the guy dialed for her. To be fair it was a touch screen and the sun made it very hard to see the screen. It was short notice to Ruth Ann, but it was notice. We took the old Natches Hwy and the Wenas-Natches Hwy to Selah and had little traffic. We could see the Yakima Canyon not too far away, but we had to circle way south to get to it. We stopped in the shade of a tree at a fruit packing warehouse to have lunch before heading into Yakima Canyon. Near the top of the first hill there was a flagger and a pilot car to lead traffic past a rock clearing operation from a mud slide due to hard rains last week. The pilot car went at 5 MPH so we could keep up. I'm sure the car drivers really appreciated that. He could have led them over, come back with a group and gotten a new group on our side in the time it took us to get to the top. We felt just 2 flaggers would have been adequate for what was happening. We stopped at the Big Pine area for a rest and snack in the shade. Between Roza and Big Pine we saw an older looking guy pushing a loaded bike with a 2 wheel trailer. The rear wheel appeared flat. We both asked if he was OK and he said yes. At Big Pine we talked to a guy who said both he and the guy pushing the bike had camped at Roza last night and the biker had talked to himself a lot. He thought the biker was in his own world. On top of the hill before Red's and the new resort I had a flat. Fortunately, it was in the shade and there was a small pullout. When it was fixed we went to the resort and got water and then ate in some shade of a tree by the old Reds. Mostly we had a slight tailwind although for the last 10 miles it was more of a light headwind. We made it to Ruth Ann's around 3:00. She had taken off work early at noon and had just finished mowing her yard. We talked until dinner then she and Jerry took us out to eat. First we looked at the community garden and then ended up at the Yellow Church restaurant. Ruth Ann, Shirley, and I had a messy chicken barbeque sandwich with potatoes on the side. The sandwich was good, but the potatoes were way too salty. I did manage to eat mine and the remains of Shirley's, but it wasn't easy. Jerry had a bowl of soup and a hummus plate and ate very little of it, but did get a doggie bag with Ruth Ann's urging. We stopped at Dick and Jane's, an artist's yard and looked at the "art" on the way home. Lots of reflectors, bottle caps, keys, etc. We talked to about 9:30 before going to bed.

Thursday, July 26, 2012	Day 17	60.0 - 878.6	RT: 5:40	7:05 - 2:25

Home	Leavenworth	Avg: 10.6	Max: 32.0

We got up around 5:45 and had breakfast around 6:30 when Ruth Ann came out. We were off at 7:05. It was warm enough for shorts and short sleeves. We easily found our way over to Hwy 97 and even had a very light tailwind. The wind turbines weren't even turning. We decided not to do Bettas Road this year, although after climbing to the top of the hill on 97, Bettas might have been easier. Shirley was slowing down by the time we reached the top, but she didn't stop and continued down the other side. She finally stopped for food just after passing the Lauderdale Junction and the road was busier and nosier. She had been hoping to make it to Mineral Springs, another 5-6 miles. Just as we were finishing a couple from South Carolina pulled up on their bikes. They too are doing the loop we are, but they took a detour to Crater Lake, but rented a car and drove to Yakima on the way back. After talking a bit we invited them to stay with us tonight and they agreed. We gave them our number so they could call us. They took off much faster than we did. We took a break at mineral Springs and got water before continuing over Old Blewett. It was warm going up the hill. Shortly after getting back on Hwy 97 we saw Paula and Dave ahead of us. We passed them easily as our BOBs were more aerodynamic. They stopped at the Blu Shastin CG for a break and we continued on. There was a wreck not far after that with a boat and trailer flipped. Shirley went very slow past the stopped traffic and the wreck which was in the other lane. We made it past as traffic was released and Shirley still went slow. Finally she picked up a little speed. We stopped at a fruit stand and got a couple peaches and some nectarines. By the time we left again traffic seemed normal. We did North Road on the way home and got in around 2:25. After unloading and showering i went to the store for salad and burrito fixings. I was going to give Dave and Paula my bed, but Shirley said my room smelled too bad which pissed me off. They arrived around 5:00 and we let them shower before talking a while. I made burritos and we ate around 6:30. I think Paula could give me a run in an eating contest. They are a very interesting couple. Both are teachers. Dave teaches some sort of Engineering and Paula math and science at a private school where she only grades tests and the parents grade the homework. She teaches 3 days a week and the kids are home schooled the other 2 days. We gave them alternative route suggestions from the Adventure Cycling route.

Friday, July 27, 2012

I got up at 5:30 this morning and was quietly using the computer so as not to disturb our guests only to find out when Shirley got up at 6:30 that Dave was up and Paula had gone to the pool which opens at 6:30. When Paula came back we had breakfast and they were off at 9:00.

Ride

Day	Date	Miles	Total	Clock Time	Time	Avg	Max	C/M	Price	Total	Comments

1	9/11	23.3	23.3	1:15 - 4:45	2:30	8.9	30.5	C	$8.50	$8.50	6 M. E. Plummer, ID - Heyburn SP - Hawley CG

2	9/12	28.4	51.7	12:20 - 4:15	2:38	10.8	23.0	C	$8.50	$17.00	6 M. E. Plummer, ID - Heyburn SP - Hawley CG

3	9/13	56.4	108.1	9:25 - 4:00	4:50	11.7	23.5	C	Free	$17.00	7 M. NW Enaville, ID - Bumblebee NF CG

4	9/14	56.8	164.9	10:00 - 4:30	4:40	12.1	19.3	C	Free	$17.00	7 M. NW Enaville, ID - Bumblebee NF CG

5	9/15	63.1	228.0	9:40 - 6:00	5:33	11.3	32.5	C	Free	$17.00	7 M. NW Enaville, ID - Bumblebee NF CG

6	9/16	25.6	253.6	8:30 - 12:30	2:32	10.1	19.8	C	$15.00	$32.00	Wallace, ID - Wallace RV Park

7	9/17	51.5	305.1	8:15 - 5:45	6:28	7.9	22.5	C	Free	$32.00	4 M. N. Avery, ID - Telichpah NF CG

8	9/18	50.7	355.8	8:30 - 5:00	5:11	9.8	29.5	C	Free	$32.00	33 M. E. Avery, ID - Fly Flat NF CG

9	9/19	50.8	406.6	9:15 - 3:15	4:31	11.2	28.5	C	$7.00	$39.00	30 M. E. St. Maries, ID - Hucklebery BLM CG

10	9/20	31.3	437.9	9:05 - 1:15	3:34	8.7	20.0	C	$8.50	$47.50	6 M. E. Plummer, ID - Heyburn SP - Hawley CG

11	9/21	0.0	437.9	Leavenworth, WA - home

Tuesday, September 11, 2012	Day 1	23.3 - 23.3	RT: 2:30	1:15 - 4:45

Heyburn SP, Hawley CG	6 Miles E. Plummer, ID	Avg: 8.9	Max: 30.5	$8.50

We left home at 7:15 this morning and drove to St. Maries, ID. We arrived around 12:35 and by the time we found and got parked at the police station it was 12:55. We got packed fairly quickly and at 1:10 we went across the street to city hall to ask about groceries and the route out of town. Our turn on Hwy 3 was only 2 blocks away and a grocery store was only 1 block out of the way. All we bought was frozen vegetables since we had a lot of food from home. Hwy 3 had a bit of a shoulder for a few miles. My knee started hurting fairly quickly and I found a wide spot and raised my seat. I then had it a little too high and my calf hurt so at the next driveway I lowered it a little. Then, the height was just right, but the seat was pointed a little to the right, but I ignored it. After 8-9 miles we started climbing and went up for 2-3 miles. Traffic was mostly light with a few log trucks. We turned onto 97 toward Harrison and then onto a smaller toward Lake Benewah. It was mostly downhill and at the bottom we could see the lake and bike path, but no obvious way to get to it. There was a gravel road with a sign that said Sportsman Access so we turned. Unfortunately, we started up. We finally stopped after less than a mile. Ac couple of young guys came by in a car and we stopped them to ask how to get to the bike path. They told us about 50 feet from where we turned onto the gravel road was an old gated road that went down to the path. It was obvious once we knew it was there. The path was nice and we had a bridge across the lake which was interesting. Instead of going smoothly up and down it would go up 10 feet and level out and up 10 feet and level out, etc. We were expecting a CG right after the bridge and found a day use area. We asked a guy about camping and he said a mile or two along the road there was a CG at the entrance to the SP. Another lady verified that. Neither had noticed that they had crossed the bike path in their cars about 1.5 miles before reaching the parking area and that we could have ridden the bike path rather than the road most of the way to the CG. We are in Heyburn SP at a different CG than we had planned on, but it is nice. We get to stay for 1/2 price since we are over 62.5 years old, so we are staying two nights for $17.00. There is a separate tent area and so far no one has a fire. We had hoped to ride to Plummer after we got here, but it was already 4:45 so we will do that tomorrow. It took a while to figure out how to arrange our tent and table on the tent pad, but we finally got it. My stove cooked real slow tonight, but it did finally boil the water. By the time I finished eating and washing my dishes it was getting dark. I was surprised to learn we had free hot showers. You had to push the button for maybe 15-20 seconds of water, but you could push it as many times as you wanted, although the time didn't accumulate. The water was quite warm. The trees here are very bad for hanging food and since there are just regular trash cans we are keeping our food in the tent.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012	Day 2	28.4 - 51.7	RT: 2:38	12:20 - 4:15

Heyburn SP, Hawley CG	6 Miles E. Plummer, ID	Avg: 10.8	Max: 23.0	$8.50

It was 41º in the tent and 38º outside when we finally got up around 8:00. When I went to the restroom I noticed the dock was in the sun so we took our breakfast down there and it was a lot more pleasant. Eventually a couple from Maryland came down as we were finishing and then a couple from Vancouver, WA. They were just checking out the dock, not eating. We talked for a long time. Just about dark last night a woman came in and set up camp. She kept beeping her lock mechanism. Then her friends in a VW camper van came in and parked essentially where our parking space is and they kept opening and closing the sliding door. The couple from Maryland left this morning and had the walk in site furthest from the VW van so after a short hike we moved to their site. It's closer to the lake so it might be a little colder. We shall see. We didn't leave on our bikes until 12:20. We rode to Plummer (6 miles uphill) since the trail starts there. While there we bought vegetables. There were lots of cyclists on the trail. We think a group was out. We took our vegetables back to camp to thaw out and then rode over to the CG we had wanted. It turns out it closed for the season after Labor Day. That's why even the ranger we met yesterday didn't mention it. We then rode back over the bridge across the lake and a couple miles back toward where we came from yesterday before going back to camp. We got back to camp a little after 4:00. Shirley took a shower and then I did. Shirley brought warm water back for cooking. When we started cooking we forgot to put the vegetables in for a while. Fortunately we started with warm water and it still boiled. Unfortunately, the fire from the ladies who came in late last night, and the only ones in the tent area that have a fire, is at least at times, coming our way. Perhaps we should have stayed where we were.

Thursday, September 13, 2012	Day 3	56.4 - 108.1	RT: 4:50	9:15 - 4:00

Bumble Bee NF CG	7 Miles NW Enaville, ID	Avg: 11.7	Max: 23.5	Free

It took longer to get cold last night, but by morning it was just as cold as yesterday. Once again my toes got cold. We didn't get up until 7:00. Shirley went to the restroom for 2 bottles of hot water and then we went to the dock for breakfast in the sun. The Vancouver couple joined us again. While packing, the tent was in the sun which was nice. We were finally off at 9:15 in tights, long jersey, extra shirt and gloves. After we got on the trail in 1.5 miles we were in the sun. Before we got back to where we first got on the trail on Tuesday we saw a blue heron in a small pond. Later we saw another one in a different lake. Until Harrison we didn't see anyone else and then after 10:30 we started seeing people. By 1:00 it was feeling really warm in the sun when we stopped, but felt good riding. We saw a bunch of geese near Harrison and along the way a couple deer and some ducks. We rode maybe 2-3 miles extra to go to a store in Pinehurst and then came back again to go to the NF CG. At the store we bought half a cantaloupe for 26¢ per pound and a bunch of grapes for 99¢ per pound. We also got 3 cans of milk and lunch stuff. It was easy riding with light traffic the 4 miles to the turnoff for the CG and a very quiet 3 miles to the CG. We spent a lot of time (an hour maybe) looking at every site because the trees were pathetic for hanging trees. We finally opted for the site we first pulled into. Other than the poor hanging trees the main problem with our site is an open fire pit about two feet from the table. We tried rolling a big log over it to prevent us from falling in it, but we couldn't get it to go straight and gave up. I finally put some branches over it which should remind us to be careful. Shirley went to get water at the pump and discovered the handles are missing. Fortunately our neighbors in an RV gave us a gallon of water. Normally we would have gotten water form the stream, but streams are questionable around Idaho due to past mining. We did bathe in the stream, though. We ate the cantaloupe before the bath and threw the rind in the woods past the end of the CG since the good bath site was in the last campsite. By the time we cooked dinner and ate it was 7:20 and getting dark. We were going to meet Harold and Mel here tomorrow and spend 2 nights, but Shirley wants to go back to the main highway and to a commercial CG we saw maybe 1 mile from Enaville. I would almost rather ride back to Pinehurst and buy several gallons of water. Our food hanging limb worked out well.

Friday, September 14, 2012	Day 4	56.8 - 164.9	RT: 4:40	10:00 - 4:30

Bumble Bee NF CG	7 Miles NW Enaville, ID	Avg: 12.1	Max: 19.3	Free

It was a bit warmer last night. My toes didn't get cold until fairly late. It was really dark and I used my light when I got up to pee. We didn't get up until 8:00. We had breakfast at a table in the sun. The paint on the table was wet with dew and frost. We finally decided we should stay here and ride to the Walmart in Smelterville to buy water. It was 11 miles and right on the trail. We ended up buying 6 gallons of water. We took the water back to camp and had lunch. We decided to ride down to the trail and ride back to meet Harold and Mel. We finally saw them about 10 miles down the trail. We stopped for a snack with them. Shortly after that we saw two young moose about 30 feet off the trail. We noticed on the way down that a side road pointed to the same CG from our end as the other end so coming back we took the Old River Road and it was wonderful. It was really smoky down on the trail from various fires, but our CG is clear. When we first met Harold and Mel we mentioned the smoke and they said "What smoke?". Apparently it is very smoky back home. Someone is camped in the site we used to access the bathing spot last night so we had to go back to the road and go to the main river. Fortunately, the fishermen left just before we got there. It is much warmer tonight. There's only 2 or 3 more people here so far. Unfortunately our neighbor used his generator until 7:40.

Saturday, September 15, 2012	Day 5	63.1 - 228.0	RT: 5:33	9:40 - 6:00

Bumble Bee NF CG	7 Miles NW Enaville, ID	Avg: 11.3	Max: 32.5	Free

We went to bed around 9:00 last night. Some time after we went to sleep someone camped at a site across the road and off and on chopped wood until 2:30 or 3:00 A.M. We all complained about it to each other in the morning. To my surprise Mel and Harold got up around 6:30 Shirley and I didn't get up until 7:30 and for me that was only because Harold and Mel were up. The sun didn't start warming things up for another hour. It finally warmed up enough for Shirley and me to think about leaving. We were finally off at 9:40 on a loop ride without gear. After the 3 miles to Old River Road we met some river clean up people and they said Old River Road came back to the highway after 12 miles with 2 miles of dirt. It was more like 14 miles and 3 miles of dirt, but at least we weren't stuck on the wrong side of the river. We stopped at the little store at the "Y" before heading toward Dobson Pass. The first 7 miles were gentle uphill and I couldn't keep up with my knobby tires. Harold, Mel, and Shirley saw a mom and baby moose, but they had run into the woods by the time I got there. The last 3 miles to the pass were very steep and gained about 2000 feet. Mel and I left Harold and Shirley behind. We saw several motorcycles coming down as we went up. When we got to the summit there were dozens of parked motorcycles ranging from hogs to big quiet ones. They were on a "poker" run from Cataldo. Shirley was a bit behind Mel and me and Harold brought up the rear. The pullout was nothing but dust from ORVs and trucks going up the side roads. When we started to leave Shirley noticed her tire was very flat so we had to change her tube in the dust. The first 3 miles down were steep and then 4 more gentle miles into Wallace. We checked out the store for tomorrow and it is a Great Harvest so we will buy tomorrow's food there when we pass through. We also passed by the RV park as we came into town and it didn't impress us from what we saw from the road, but at least we know it's there if needed. We had a food stop at a shady table at a museum just off the trail and right next to I-90. We rode really fast to Kellogg with Shirley setting the pace. Mel didn't have a water bottle cage on her bike so we stopped at a bike shop right on the trail and Mel bought a cage and water bottle and had the shop install the cage. She also had her seat moved back a little as she is getting saddle sores. Not surprising since she wears panties under her bike shorts. We stopped at the Walmart in Smelterville for vegetables and Harold and Mel got a couple other items for dinner. We got back to camp at 6:00 and went to the river to bathe. There was a truck in the parking area, but no sign of the fisherman so we took a quick bath. Just as we were leaving the fisherman and hs wife showed up on an ORV, or perhaps the fisherman was there and the wife showed up on the ORV. Who knows. It got dark while we were eating dinner. Mel, Harold, and Shirley discussed plans for the next couple of days and decided how many days of food to carry. Harold went to bed around 8:20 and Mel went to her tent to read. So far the mad wood cutter has been quiet. Shirley took our empty water bottles to the couple who gave us water to see if they wanted to reuse them. They said they would reuse the ones they gave us and "dispose" of the others.

Sunday, September 16, 2012	Day 6	25.6 - 253.6	RT: 2:32	8:30 - 12:30

Wallace RV Park	Wallace, ID	Avg: 10.1	Max: 19.8	$15.00

Mel and Harold got up early again today while Shirley and I waited until after 7:00. We were going down to the Snake Pit in Enaville for breakfast which opened at 8:00. Even though we were up later I was the first one ready as Harold and Mel were unorganized. Shirley was second and then Harold and finally Mel. We gave one gallon of water to the mad chopper and dumped 1/2 gallon. Since it took Mel and Harold so long we didn't get started until 8:30. We had the all you can eat buffet for $8.95. Shirley had coffee for $1.50. Total was $20.57 plus $2.00 tip. I probably ate the most, but Mel was a close second and Shirley ate a surprising amount. Mel and I had several helpings of the chocolate pudding. I made it to the Walmart about 4 miles away before I really had to poop. In Kellogg Mel and Harold went to a mining museum while Shirley and I waited at a little park. They said it was interesting and that the tunnels were under much of the surrounding area. We then continued on to Wallace. About 1-2 miles from Wallace Harold had a soft tire and finally stopped to change it. A little later Shirley's tire was going soft, but we made it to Wallace and the RV park. The RV Park turned out to be nice. We got a large patch of flat grass and very nice restroom and shower. After setting up the tent Shirley changed her tube and we all took showers. We then walked into town and Shirley and I did laundry while Mel and Harold were going to historical sites. While our stuff was drying they came to the laundry and said everything was closed on Sunday. The change machine in the laundry was broken and I went to a bar to get change. After laundry we went to the store and I pretty much bought 4 days of food, probably too much. It was 5:30 and dinner time by the time we got back to camp. It is another nice warm evening.

Monday, September 17, 2012	Day 7	51.5 - 305.1	RT: 6:28	8:15 - 5:45

Telichpah NF CG	4 Mi N. Avery, ID	Avg: 7.9	Max: 22.5	Free

It was cold this morning even though it was fairly warm last night. Mel looked really cold when we finally got up since as usual she got up much earlier. It took me a long time to eat because I had generic Grape Nuts and put too much in my bowl. We got off at 8:15 about 15 minutes earlier than we planned on. It warmed up nicely once we got on the bike path. We got to Mullen and stripped down to shorts and short sleeves. We were on a paved road for a while. We had a little trouble finding the NORPAC trail, but as it turned out both roads at the junction we had trouble went to the trail. We finally got on the trail which is an old railroad grade. It was quite pleasant. We finally got to Lookout Pass about 12:30. Just before Lookout Pass we could see all the way back to Mullen which wasn't very far away horizontally, but a long way down. We could also see a huge retaining pond being built. We bought our Hiawatha tickets at the ski area for $10 each. We also filled our water bottles from the soda dispenser and made a real mess on the floor. I filled my water bottles plus 3 Powerade bottles. We had about 10 miles of downhill before 2.25 miles of fairly steep uphill to the Hiawatha trailhead. We ate a snack before going into the first 1.7 mile tunnel. I was last getting into the tunnel because I was taking pictures and everyone took off as I got there and before my eyes adjusted. I had to walk for a little bit before I caught up when they stopped. I then followed Harold closely and followed his reflectors. After a while I noticed I could see the walls. We stopped in the middle and turned off our lights. By then I could see fairly well. There was one other longish tunnel and one that was in a horseshoe shape. There were 9 tunnels and lots of trestles, with most of the tunnels being short. I ran into the wall in one tunnel as we were approaching the exit. We noticed it was getting late and sort of hurried for the last half of the trail. We took the more main road to the CG rather than the 4 wheel road and almost missed our turnoff. It's a nice little CG with one other couple in the other section by the river. Shirley and I took a bath in the river before setting up the tent and finding a hanging tree. I had a bit of a problem getting my rope in the selected tree and finally used the same tree as Shirley. By the time we finished dinner it was pretty dark. It is surprisingly warm so far. I forgot to mention that between 1-2 miles down from Lookout Pass I stopped to take a picture and Shirley and Mel went on around a corner and then just after Harold passed me I heard a thud like someone crashed. I looked up and Harold was still riding. When I went around the corner everyone was just putting Shirley's BOB wheel back on. There were two grooves in the road where Shirley went BOB sledding. Apparently her wheel came off and almost went over the hill and down a steep ravine. Fortunately it was stopped by a bush and Mel saw where it went. Harold and Mel are talking about heading toward the car tomorrow instead of doing the 100 miles (50 up and 50 back) side trip up the St. Joe River. Harold wants to be home Thursday.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012	Day 8	50.7 - 355.8	RT: 5:11	8:30 - 5:00

Fly Flat NF CG	33 Miles E. Avery, ID	Avg: 9.8	Max 29.5	Free

It was fairly warm last night and when I got up to pee I took my tights and long sleeves off. I had already taken my hat off. Before it was time to get up I did put the hat back on. It felt cold after we got up and it was 40º. While eating it dipped to 35º, but went back up to 40 by the time we left. Just as we were about to leave Shirley noticed her tire was low. I told her to pump it up until we got to the sun, but she changed it. Brrrrr. Harold had already gotten down to shorts and stood around for 20 minutes helping Shirley. We were finally off at 8:30. It was cold, but after a mile or two we had a good uphill which helped, but not completely. About the time only one finger was cold we had a patch of sun. After 5 miles we got to Avery and the warming sun. We spent quite a bit of time at the store and Harold and Mel thought about going with us, but finally decided to go toward the car. We were finally off by ourselves at 10:05. The Joe River Road was very gentle and quite pleasant. Good pavement and very little traffic. As we left Avery there was a sign warning of road construction and to expect delays and heavy truck traffic. I drank a bottle of water pretty quick and we stopped at the first CG about 8 miles up and I filled a bottle. I had filled my 3 Powerade botles at the store in case the water in the CGs was off. We finally got to Conrad Crossing CG before 2:00. Shirley's info was that it was 38 miles from Avery, but it was only 28 miles. The remaining site wasn't very good so we decided to go to Fly Flat which was only 4 miles away and 10 miles closer than we had thought. We hit the construction at the junction toward Fly Flat with the construction being on the continuation of the road we were turning off of. Apparently the heavy truck traffic is going the other way since we didn't see any riding up. Fly Flat turned out to be the emptiest CG we saw all day. After circling the CG of 14 sites we took site 1 which is huge and looks like a picnic area. Camping is by donation. We set up the tent and hung the food before riding the 6 miles to the end of pavement and the Red Ives Ranger Station. We thought about riding another 2-3 miles to the end of the road, but since it was already 4:00 we decided not to. Back at camp we took a bath in the river. Shirley even laid in the water. Brrrr again. I just washed off. The drinking water is a bit brown, but fortunately doesn't taste too bad. Eating dinner I had a mosquito bite me. Once again it seems pretty warm. My right thumb is sore from shifting and braking. It is hurting to write.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012	Day 9	50.8 - 406.6	RT: 4:31	9:15 - 3:15

Huckleberry BLM CG	30 Miles E. St. Maries, ID	Avg: 11.2	Max: 28.5	$7.00

We sat outside until 9:00 last night and although I was bundled up I never put my gloves on. Shirley said her toes were cold when she went to bed and stayed cold all night. It did seem cold this morning, but my thermometer said it was 40º. We didn't get up until 8:00 and the sun started hitting our site by 8:15. It felt much warmer by the time we left at 9:15. I wore my gloves, long sleeve jersey, light long sleeves, and tights. Shirley had her hat and jacket on as well. There was a lot of pitch on the ground cloth and as we discovered later on the bottoms of our shoes. The ride to Avery wasn't too cold and eventually I got down to shorts and jersey. I bought a Snickers bar for a snack later, very sweet cupcakes for breakfast tomorrow, and some canned milk. Shirley bought a package of Oreos. We also filled all our water bottles figuring our proposed CG wouldn't have water since Shirley couldn't find any information on it before we left home. We took the old dirt road out of Avery to avoid the traffic (which was light, but increasing) on the paved road. It had a very good surface and only had a few uphills. The paved road was the old railroad grade. After 12-13 miles we got on the paved road as the dirt road became the old railroad grade. We had to get on the paved road to get to our CG in about 5 miles. To our surprise the CG has water and electricity at every site. Shirley couldn't find information on it because it is a BLM CG and she was looking for a NF CG. The cost is $14 without electrical use, but we get it for $7 due to our Senior Pass. The river access from the first site we looked at was pretty far away. The host suggested another site and we took it because it is right next to the river. Unfortunately, we also get a bit more highway noise. Our shoes looked a lot better, but we still took a screw driver to dig the pitch out of the grooves. Shirley also found the hole in her tube from yesterday's flat. It felt very comfortable in short sleeves until 5:30. After dinner we walked the CG which is surprisingly long for 33 sites. There is one other tent besides us and he is using electricity.

Thursday, September 20, 2012	Day 10	31.3 - 437.9	RT: 3:34	9:05 - 1:15

Heyburn S.P. Hawley Landing CG	6 Miles E. Plummer, ID	Avg: 8.7	Max: 20.0	$8.50

It didn't seem as cold last night and I didn't wear tights or long sleeves. I was even hatless most of the night. My thermometer said 50º this morning. The sun was around us, but not on us due to a tree at 8:00. We sat on the pavement and ate in the sun. We had about 6 miles on the highway with a few trucks to Calder. The trucks started around 5:00 and are carrying contaminated soil to Medical Lake. We crossed the river at Calder to get back to the dirt RR grade. There is a bridge out near there so we had to take a detour for 4 miles which had a few ups and downs. Once we got back on the old RR grade it was pretty flat and a bit gravelly and wash boarded. We were only able to go about 8.7 MPH. At about 13 miles we crossed back over the river and had some nice hard pack for 2-3 miles before going back to gravel and wash boards. It wasn't really that hard, but it was slow. I thought it was better than being on the highway with the trucks. Shirley wasn't so sure and was very glad when it was over. We got into St. Maries around 1:15. We considered driving home, but I thought it would be more relaxing tomorrow when we wouldn't be driving into a setting sun and worrying about whether we would get home before dark. We bought a few things at the store and a foot long sub each at the Subway in the store. We went 3-4 blocks past our cars to the city park to eat our subs. We then went back to the police station and loaded everything into the car and headed to Heyburn SP after a stop to thank the folks at City Hall for letting us leave our car there. We are camped in yet a different tent site than when we were here at the start of the trip. We took showers and I shaved before we set up the tent. We each had a Kozy Shack pudding for dinner and part of a cantaloupe. It's so warm we are in short sleeves and shorts at 5:00. We are in a site with a car area rather than the walk in sites and we can hear hwy 5 very nicely. The sky is fairly smoky again today from the Washington fires which we hear are doing very well.

Friday, September 21, 2012	Day 11	0 - 437.9

Home	Leavenworth, WA

We had thought about going for a short ride this morning, but ended up just packing and driving home after breakfast. When we got to Waterville we thought maybe we should have stayed in Idaho since it was fairly smoky. As we drove down the canyon toward the Columbia it became very smoky and continued smoky all the way home. Fortunately, it's a little less smoky in Leavenworth, but it is still bad. The house was cool and it was warm outside, but we didn't dare open the windows due to the smoke.

Ride

Day	Date	Miles	Total	Clock Time	Time	Avg	Max	C/M	Price	Total	Comments

1	03/08	0.0	0.0	M	$72.68	$72.68	Austin, TX - Microtel Inn

2	03/09	41.3	41.3	8:30 - 2:45	3:42	11.1	23.5	C	$20.00	$92.68	Bastrop, TX - Bastrop State Park

3	03/10	50.8	92.1	8:20 - 3:00	4:44	10.7	30.5	C	$23.00	$115.68	8 Miles E. of La Grande, TX

Oak Thicket CG Cedar Cr Resevoir

4	03/11	36.6	128.7	8:30 - 1:00	3:03	12.0	28.5	C	$8.00	$123.68	10 Miles NE Burton, TX

Yegua C.G. - Somerville Lake

5	03/12	41.9	170.6	8:10 - 2:30	4:04	10.3	26.5	C	$10.00	$133.68	1 Miles W of Navasota, TX

Navasota City RV Park

6	03/13	40.8	211.4	9:45 - 3:00	3:43	11.0	28.5	C	Free	$133.68	Sam Houston N.F. - Cagle CG

7	03/14	36.6	248.0	8:50 - 3:00	3:18	11.1	29.0	C	$10.00	$143.68	7 Miles NE of Coldspring, TX

Browder Marina

8	03/15	61.7	309.7	9:05 - 4:00	5:01	12.3	23.0	M	$45.00	$188.68	Kountze, TX - Relax Inn

9	03/16	52.7	362.4	8:30 - 2:40	4:41	11.2	22.5	M	$52.85	$241.53	Kirbyville, TX - Gateway Motel

10	03/17	56.5	418.9	8:30 - 3:30	4:48	11.8	20.0	C	$20.00	$261.53	4 Miles SE of DeRidder, LA

Pleasant Hill RV Park

11	03/18	35.1	454.0	8:40 - 12:25	3:10	11.0	20.0	M	$55.00	$316.53	Oberlin, LA - Oberlin Motel

12	03/19	55.5	509.5	8:10 - 3:00	4:48	11.6	18.2	C	$10.00	$326.53	Washington, LA

Willie's Washington Bar and CG

13	03/20	50.9	560.4	8:45 - 2:00	4:21	11.7	15.5	C	Free	$326.53	1 Mile W of Simmesport, LA

Yellow Bayou Civil War Park

14	03/21	56.5	616.9	8:20 - 4:45	5:32	20.2	22.5	C	$13.38	$339.91	5 Miles SE Francisville, LA

Peaceful Pines RV Park

15	03/22	68.5	685.4	8:30 -5:00	6:11	11.1	35.0	C	Free	$339.91	20 Miles from Natchez, MS

Sandy Creek WMA

16	03/23	33.3	718.7	8:35 - 2:30	10.3	10.3	0	C	$18.00	$357.91	10 Mi N. Natchez, MS Natchez SP

17	03/24	0.0	718.7	C	$18.00	$375.91	10 Miles N. of Natchez, MS - Natchez SP

18	03/25	51.5	770.2	8:15 - 2:00	4:16	12.0	29.5	C	Free	$375.91	Natchez Trace - Rocky Springs CG

19	03/26	73.2	843.4	8:05 - 5:20	5:54	12.4	24.0	C	$10.00	$385.91	25 Mi N. Jackson, MS - Ratliff Ferry CG

20	03/27	40.9	884.3	11:05 - 3:25	3:34	11.4	19.1	C	Free	$385.91	Kosciusko, MS - free bike CG

21	03/28	35.0	919.3	9:10 - 2:10	3?27	10.1	27.5	C	Free	$385.91	65 Mi S. Tupelo, MS - Jeff Busby CG

22	03/29	43.4	962.7	8:00 - 2:15	3:56	11.0	24.0	C	Free	$385.91	35 Miles S. of Tupelo, MS

White Dance Picnic Area / Bicyclist CG

23	03/30	31.5	994.2	8:45 - 1:30	3:03	10.3	25.0	M	$45.00	$430.91	Tupelo, MS - Scottish Inns

24	03/31	49.6	1043.8	9:15 - 4:10	4:45	10.4	26.5	C	$16.00	$446.91	42 Mi N. of Tupelo, MS - Tishomingo SP

25	04/01	57.6	1101.4	8:40 - 5:00	5:23	10.7	28.5	C	Free	$446.91	Collinwood, TN - Collinwood City Park

26	04/02	35.4	1136.8	8:30 - 1:10	3:25	10.4	30.0	C	Free	$446.91	130 Mi N. Tupelo, MS

Meriwether Lewis CG

27	04/03	57.2	1194.0	8:25 - 3:30	5:11	11.0	36.0	M	$45.99	$492.90	Only (Bucksnort), TN - Travel Inn

28	04/04	0.0	1194.0	M	$45.99	$538.89	Only (Bucksnort), TN - Travel Inn

29	04/05	48.9	1242.9	9:55 - 3:45	5:07	9.5	36.0	M	$50.00	$588.89	5 Mi S. Stewart, TN - Southernaire Motel

30	04/06	40.2	1283.1	7:40 - 2:20	4:09	9.7	38.5	C	$4.50	$593.39	Between the Lakes Natl Rec Area

Rushing Creek CG

31	04/07	54.7	1337.8	8:05 - 3:10	4:55	11.1	33.5	M	$36.40	$629.79	Birdsville, KY - Birdsville RV & CG

32	04/08	40.4	1378.2	8:00 - 2:30	3:42	10.9	40.0	C	Free	$629.79	Cave In Rock, IL - Cave In Rock SP

33	04/09	64.9	1443.1	8:30 - 5:45	7:02	92.	38.5	C	$8.00	$637.79	Goreville, IL - Ferne Clyfe SP

34	04/10	42.3	1485.4	7:35 - 3:30	4:20	9.7	36.0	M	$55.00	$692.79	Murphysboro, IL - Best Value Inn

35	04/11	0.0	1485.4	M	$55.00	$747.79	Murphysboro, IL - Best Value Inn

36	04/12	40.8	1526.2	7:45 - 1:00	4:10	9.7	30	M	Free	$747.79	Chester, IL - Frat. Order of Eagles Cabin

37	04/13	47.8	1574.0	8:00 - 2:40	4:47	9.9	39.5	M	$40.60	$788.39	Farmington, MO - Al's Place (hostel)

38	04/14	67.5	1641.5	7:40 - 5:05	6:38	10.1	39.5	C	$13.00	$801.39	Sullivan, MO - Meramac SP CG

39	04/15	46.7	1688.2	9:00 - 2:00	4:28	10.2	37	M	$50.00	$851.39	Washington, MO. - American Inn

40	04/16	33.2	1721.4	8:00 - 12:15	3:27	9.6	18.4	M	Free	$851.39	St. Peters, MO - Jenny's House

41	04/17	0.0	1721.4	M	Free	$851.39	St. Peters, MO - Jenny's House

42	04/18	32.3	1753.7	12:30 - 4:00	3:09	10.2	13.7	C	$10.00	$861.39	Marthasville, MO - City Park

43	04/19	53.0	1806.7	9:40 - 5:50	5:38	9.4	12.8	M	$10.00	$871.39	Tebbets, MO - Turner Katy Trail Hostel

44	04/20	41.0	1847.7	9:10 - 4:15	4:35	9.0	15.3	C	$8.00	$879.39	Huntsdale, MO - Katfish Katy CG

45	04/21	61.7	1909.4	8:30 - 6:45	6:24	9.6	29.0	M	$78.50	$957.89	Sedalia, MO - Best Western Motel

46	04/22	0.0	1909.4	M	$78.49	$1036.38	Sedalia, MO - Best Western Motel

47	04/23	44.3	1953.7	8:35 - 2:40	4:40	9.5	30.5	M	$55.75	$1092.13	Clinton, MO - USA Inn

48	04/24	54.0	2007.7	7:35 - 2:00	4:55	10.9	35.0	M	$40.00	$1132.13	El Dorado Springs, MO - C H Motel

49	04/25	0.0	2007.7	M	$40.00	$1172.13	El Dorado Springs, MO - C H Motel

50	04/26	82.7	2090.4	8:05 - 6:30	8:03	C	Free	$1172.13	Pittsburg, KS - Lincoln City Park

51	04/27	56.8	2147.2	8:40 - 5:40	6:34	8.6	20.0	C	Free	$1172.13	Chanute, KS - Santa Fe Safari City Park

52	04/28	42.6	2189.8	9:25 - 4:30	4:55	8.7	22.0	C	$8.50	$1180.63	Near Toledo, KS - Cross Timber SP

Toronto Point CG

53	04/29	26.8	2216.6	8:00 - 12:45	2:42	9.9	22.0	C	Free	$1180.63	Eureka, KS - City Park

54	04/30	37.3	2253.9	7:40 - 1:30	5:01	7.4	14.4	C	Free	$1180.63	Cassoday, KS - City Park

55	05/01	69.0	2322.9	8:10 - 4:30	6:06	11.3	22.0	C	Free	$1180.63	Buhler, KS - Wheatland City Park

56	05/02	79.7	2402.6	8:20 - 6:30	7:21	10.8	23.5	C	$10.00	$1190.63	Larned, KS - City CG

(stayed in tent inside a trailer)

57	05/03	47.0	2449.6	8:10 - 2:45	4:13	11.2	30.5	C	Free	$1190.63	Alexander, KS - Hwy Rest Area

58	05/04	21.6	2471.2	8:35 - 12:30	3:15	6.5	15.5	C	Free	$1190.63	Ness City, IS - City Park

59	05/05	57.6	2528.8	8:05 - 4:30	6:26	8.9	16.2	C	Free	$1190.63	Scott City, KS - Swimming Pool and Park

60	05/06	49.1	2577.9	8:20 - 4:20	5:36	8.7	16.5	C	Free	$1190.63	Tribune, KS - City Park

61	05/07	58.8	2636.7	6:55 - 2:25	5:13	11.2	18.6	C	Free	$1190.63	Eads, CO - City Park

62	05/08	65.8	2702.5	6:55 - 5:10	7:07	9.2	16.2	C	$15.00	$1205.63	Ordway, CO - Store / RV Park

63	05/09	46.7	2749.2	7:05 - 3:30	5:26	8.6	14.8	M	$39.95	$1245.58	Pueblo, CO - Travelers Motel

64	05/10	38.6	2787.8	6:30 - 2:00	5:10	7.4	29.0	M	$58.80	$1304.38	Westcliffe, CO - Antler Motel

65	05/11	0.0	2787.8	M	$58.80	$1363.18	Westcliffe, CO - Antler Motel

66	05/12	47.9	2835.7	7:30 - 2:15	4:32	10.5	32.5	M	$60.89	$1424.07	Salida, CO - Simple Hostel

67	05/13	0.0	2835.7	M	$62.89	$1486.96	Salida, CO - Simple Hostel

68	05/14	34.4	2870.1	6:45 - 12:50	4:37	7.4	38.5	M	$43.64	$1530.60	Sargents, CO - Tomichi Cr Trading Post

69	05/15	73.6	2943.7	7:05 - 5:00	6:36	11.1	35.5	M	$54.25	$1584.85	4 Mi E Cimarron, CO - Black Canyon RV

70	05/16	51.3	2995.0	7:30 - 3:25	5:18	9.7	42.0	M	$51.00	$1635.85	Ridgeway, CO - Adobe Inn Hostel

71	05/17	59.8	3054.8	7:00 - 3:40	6:32	10.0	34.5	M	$55.83	$1691.68	Naturita, CO - The Ray Motel

72	05/18	50.0	3104.8	6:50 - 3:00	6:32	7.6	38.0	M	Free	$1691.68	Dove Creek, CO - Mike & Mona's House

73	05/19	0.0	3104.8	M	Free	$1691.68	Dove Creek, CO - Mike & Mona's House

74	05/20	0.0	3104.8	M	Free	$1691.68	Dove Creek, CO - Mike & Mona's House

75	05/21	42.0	3146.8	7:30 - 12:34	4:14	9.9	34.5	M	$35.70	$1727.38	Blanding, UT - Sunset Inn

76	05/22	79.5	3226.3	7:05 - 4:15	7:23	10.7	38.0	C	$6.00	$1733.38	48 Mi SE Hanksville, UT - Hite C.G

77	05/23	52.3	3278.6	7:20 - 2:20	5:27	9.6	36.5	M	$65.49	$1798.87	Hanksville, UT - Hanisville Inn

78	05/24	48.4	3327.0	7:20 - 4:00	6:15	7.7	32.0	M	$38.59	$1837.46	Torrey, UT - Torrey Trading Post Cabins

79	05/25	63.6	3390.6	6:50 - 4:10	6:32	9.7	41.0	C	$16.00	$1853.46	5 Mi N. Antimony, UT - Otter Creek S.P.

80	05/26	46.0	3436.6	7:15 - 3:45	6:03	7.6	21.5	C	$7.50	$1860.96	Bryce Canyon N.P. - North C.G.

81	05/27	0.0	3436.6	C	$7.50 + $2.00	$1870.46	Bryce Canyon N.P. - North C.G.

82	05/28	0.0	3436.6	C	$7.50	$1877.96	Bryce Canyon N.P. - North C.G.

83	05/29	6.2	3442.8	9:25 - 9:56	31	12.0	32.0	M	$75.00	$1952.96	2 Miles W. of Bryce N.P. - Foster's Motel

84	05/30	19.8	3462.6	8:40 - 10:45	1:45	11.2	24.5	M	$39.25	$1992.21	Pangritch, UT - Bryce Canyon Motel

85	05/31	78.2	3540.8	7:45 - 4:15	6:21	12.3	47.0	M	$39.14	$2031.35	Milford, UT - Affordable Motel

86	06/01	0.0	3540.8	M	$39.14	$2070.49	Milford, UT - Affordable Motel

87	06/02	83.5	3624.3	6:05 - 3:55	8:45	9.5	28.0	C	$17.00	$2087.49	Baker, NV - Whispering Elms C.G.

88	06/03	64.0	3688.3	7:20 - 4:20	6:34	9.7	46.0	M	$42.16	$2129.65	Ely, NV - Deserest Motel

89	06/04	76.4	3764.7	7:00 - 4:55	7:37	10.0	47.0	C	$15.00	$2144.65	Eureka, NV - Silver Sky Lodge RV Park

90	06/05	0.0	3764.7	C	$15.00	$2159.65	Eureka, NV - Silver Sky Lodge RV Park

91	06/06	71.0	3835.7	6:40 - 5:15	8:30	8.3	33.0	M	$54.75	$2214.40	Austin, NV - Lincoln Motel

92	06/07	49.4	3885.1	9:30 - 2:15	3:50	12.8	31.5	C	Free	$2214.40	39 Miles S. of Battle Mountain, NV

Roadside Rest Area

93	06/08	40.6	3925.7	7:05 - 11:30	3:16	12.4	28.0	M	$53.66	$2268.06	Battle Mountain, NV - Big Chief Motel

94	06/09	53.4	3979.1	6:50 - 1:05	5:08	10.4	30.0	C	$20.12	$2288.18	Winnemucca, NV - Winnemucca RV Park

95	06/10	18.3	3997.4	11:30 - 4:15	1:35	11.4	23.0	C	$20.16	$2308.34	Winnemucca, NV - Winnemucca RV Park

96	06/11	69.3	4066.7	7:10 - 3:20	6:06	11.3	36.0	C	Free	$2308.34	35 Miles S. of Denio Jct, NV - Rest Area

97	06/12	53.9	4120.6	6:55 - 1:40	4:53	11.0	30.5	C	Free	$2308.34	Fields, OR - Backyard of store

98	06/13	51.5	4172.1	7:00 - 2:50	6:24	8.0	31.0	C	$0.00 + $5.00	$2313.34	French Glen - French Glen Hotel lawn

99	06/14	61.3	4233.4	6:50 - 4:10	6:40	9.2	27.0	C	$18.00	$2331.34	Burns, OR - Burns RV Park

100	06/15	44.6	4278.0	6:55 - 2:15	5:59	7.4	33.5	C	Free	$2331.34	Seneca, OR - City Park (Rest Area)

101	06/16	56.7	4334.7	7:30 - 2:45	5:02	11.2	30.5	C	$20.00	$2351.34	Dayville, OR - Church Hostel

102	06/17	62.5	4397.2	6:55 - 4:00	6:52	9.1	33.0	C	$0.00 + $1.25	$2352.59	26 Miles S. of Heppner, OR

Anson Wright Memorial County Park

103	06/18	26.1	4423.3	7:50 - 10:45	2:35	10.0	33.0	C	Free	$2352.59	Heppner, OR - Northwestern RV Park

104	06/19	55.5	4478.8	6:40 - 12:05	4:21	12.8	38.0	C	$7.00	$2359.59	Plymouth, WA - Corp of Engineers CG

105	06/20	59.3	4538.1	6:40 - 3:15	5:58	9.9	33.5	C	$14.00	$2373.59	Riverside, WA - Riverside RV Park

106	06/21	65.7	4603.8	6:45 - 4:00	6:11	10.6	31.5	C	$7.50	$2381.09	Yakima Canyon - Umtanum CG

107	06/22	74.9	4678.7	6:30 - 4:45	7:38	9.8	35.0	Leavenworth, WA - Home

Tuesday, March 8, 2011	Day 1	0-0

Austin, TX	Microtel Inn	$72.68 - $72.68

Margaret took us to the bus stop at 4:00 PM yesterday and we caught the bus to Wenatchee. Thea picked us up and took us to her house. She had dinner for us of rice and salad. She also had some brownie bits and Don had fat free ice cream. We went to bed a little after 9:10 and got up about 3:50 this morning. Thea had toast and OJ for us. We left about 4:25 and were checked in by 4:50. It cost $40 each for our 2nd bag. Check in and screening went smoothly. It was cloudy so no views on the way to Seattle and it was raining in Seattle. The 41/2 hour layover went fairly fast even though I was too tired to work my puzzles. I read a little and walked around a little. The four hour flight to Austin seemed longer. After we landed and collected our luggage Shirley went to contact our motel for the shuttle. She came back and said she couldn't get the info center to work. I went over and touched the screens and couldn't get it to work either. Shirley finally got our new cell phone out and called the motel. She couldn't hear and/or understand the lady so she gave the phone to me. I couldn't understand anything at first, but after I said we were at the airport and needed the shuttle she was very clear. It didn't take too long for the bus to arrive and fortunately the bikes were waiting for us. The check in lady said the room was very small and we could use the breakfast area to put our bikes together. After we saw the room we thought that was a good idea. All of Shirley's cables were undone, so that took a little while to get together, plus her gearing was now unadjusted. Mine went together pretty easy, but it was still 8:30 by the time we were all done and washed up. I was going to eat my last bagel for dinner, but Shirley wanted to go to the sub shop so we did. We each had a foot long sub although I ate the last little bit of Shirley's. Back in the room I put the BOBs back together and organized for tomorrow. By the time everything was done and we had showers it was 10:30 when we went to bed. Even though that was 8:30 our time it seemed late.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011	Day 2	41.3 - 41.3	RT: 3:42	8:30 - 2:45

Bastrop, TX	Bastrop State Park	$20.00 - $92.68	Avg: 11.1	Max: 23.5

We got up around 7:00 to a sunny day. We headed down to breakfast. I made a mess when I made a waffle as I used the wrong container for the batter and put too much in the waffle iron. It was still good, though, I then had scrambled eggs and bacon. We each took an Otis Spunkmeyer muffin with us. Shirley did a little adjustment on her seat in the parking lot and we were off at 8:35. There was a bit of a breeze and it was a bit cool in my short sleeves. Shirley started with long sleeves. The first few miles were on 4 lane roads with no shoulder, but traffic was light and it wasn't a problem. In probably 7-8 miles we were out of Austin and in cactus country. Good thing the airport is way on the East side of town. After another couple miles Shirley's rear derailleur cable slipped and we had to adjust it and rebolt it. At around 13 miles my bike started making a strange noise. Shirley finally discovered I had a BOB flat. After I fixed that all was well. We had some nice quiet back roads heading to Bastrop and some highway with wide shoulders. Traffic picked up in Bastrop and we road a frontage road with a fair amount of traffic. After a mile or so we found the Walmart and got food and fuel. Shirley insisted on getting the quart for $5.85 instead of the gallon for $9.49. I have trouble paying over twice as much for something for a smaller size. Shirley wanted to go to a bike shop to have them adjust her gears since the index shifting was skipping. We had trouble finding it and finally gave up in spite of good directions from a couple friendly folks. The problem was they wanted us on a busy highway. Finally we gave up and went to the state park. After checking in we found out the bike shop was about 1/2 mile from the entrance. After we got settled in camp Shirley rode to the shop while I fixed my BOB flat and did a little paper work. Shirley was back pretty quick. Don at Full Circle in Wenatchee had given us a couple skewers when he packed the bikes and we were going to give them to the bike shop, but Shirley forgot them so I took them over. When I got there the owner said "Are you with the young lady who was here?". He gladly accepted the skewers. Back in camp we got more organized and took showers. Shirley's didn't work very well, but the men's was a wonderful shower. By then it was time for dinner. As we were finishing the other guy in our section came over to talk and tell us everything would be green from pollen in the morning. Then the C.G. host came by on her bike with her dog. By the time we all got done talking it was 6:45 and getting dark. Fortunately, the wind finally died down after dark.

Thursday, March 10, 2011	Day 3	50.8 - 92.1	RT: 4:44	8:20 - 3:00

8 Miles E. of La Grande, TX	Oak Thicket CG on Cedar Creek Resevoir	$23.00 - $115.68	Avg: 10.7	Max: 30.5

It got a bit cold sitting outside last night so I went to bed shortly after 8:30. We didn't get up until 7:00 when the sun was shining on the C.G. It was about 45 which felt a bit chilly. We ate breakfast at a sunny table which was plenty warm. When we left I had 3 long sleeve shirts on. It felt good on the downhills, but warm on the uphills. After 1/2 hour I took 2 of them off. The road between Bastrop and Buescher Parks was very quiet, but did have a few steep hills on it. We actually should have paid a $4.00 per person fee in Buescher Park, but we didn't stop at the headquarters to pay as we left. Shirley's hip is bothering her so far this trip. She tried riding with her foot out of the cleat and more forward and thought it was better. In camp she moved her seat forward as far as it would go. The highways we were on after the park were fairly busy with wide shoulders. Other farm roads were quiet with wide shoulders. We definitely had more hills today, mostly very gentle after the park. We still had mostly a tailwind with a little headwind or side wind when the road angled at times. We had a break at a church in Winchester and ate about half the Oreos I've been carrying since home. In La Grande we found an H.E.B. and stocked up for $9.88. Apparently, we're not very hungry yet. There was also a Walmart in the other direction. We went about 3 1/2 miles off route to camp at a resevoir. It's nice, but once again we can hear the highway, although it is much less busy than last night. We had to wait quite a while to check in as there wasn't anybody at the home/office when we arrived. After a little bit a young boy showed up and talked to us and took us inside to see his dog. Finally Mom showed up to check us in. She seemed surprised to find us inside and probably wasn't too happy with her son. We ate our army MRE for dinner. We got it from Margaret a few weeks ago. She got it at the Senior Center as part of the food handout. It was very heavy so I wanted to get rid of it. It had a packet of peanut butter which Shirley saved, an energy bar which we took a bite of and saved since it tastes like coffee, crackers, juice drink, chicken stew which we added to our meals, coffee, and soup which we will add to tomorrow's meals. After dinner we sat on the dock until after the sun went down. When we got to camp we were told we could choose any open site except those marked lakeside. A little while after we picked a site and went back to the office to tell them which one the guy came to tell us we were in a site that was reserved all week, but the person hasn't shown yet. He said we would probably be OK.

Friday, March 11, 2011	Day 4	36.6 - 128.7	RT: 3:03	8:30 - 1:00

10 Miles NE Burton, TX	Yegua C.G. - Somerville Lake	$8.00 - $123.68	Avg: 12.0	Max: 28.5

We managed to stay up until 9:00 last night without retreating to the tent. It was a bit cold by the time we turned in. My site was very comfy. We finally got up after 7:00 even though the sun hadn't got to us. It was actually pretty warm. I started out with my 2 long sleeves, tights, and gloves and immediately felt over dressed. As we rode by the entrance station there were about 50 vultures or buzzards. After 3 miles we took our tights and a long sleeve shirt off and should have gotten down to short sleeves. After a few more miles we finally did. Road 237 had a very narrow shoulder with a bit more traffic than yesterday. It wasn't a problem, though, as the drivers are very considerate and polite. We stopped at a small park in Round Top and had a snack, including finishing the Oreos. Since last night's CG was booked for the weekend we decided to do a short ride to a Corp of Engineers CG and hit a biker only CG tomorrow. In Winchester there were lots of antique markets where people rent tent space. Signs indicated the next event was March 26 - April 2. I'm glad we missed that. Traffic thinned out after Winchester and then we had 2.5 miles on busy US 290 with a wide shoulder. We stopped at a little store in Burton for a few items. We figured we would buy milk for breakfast at a store by the lake. Unfortunately, the real store was permanently closed and the restaurant and store was out of small milks. I bought a strawberry flavored milk. The wind shifted today and is blowing from the South which is good because we headed North today. Riding was really easy and we got to the CG at 1:00 even with a blowout flat on my BOB. All the tread knobbies are coming off the tire. I put my spare tire on and threw the old one away in camp. Shirley tilted her seat up last night and adjusted her cleat angle today. Her hip problems seem to be cured. We got a $16 walk in site for $8 because of Shirley's America the Beautiful Pass. The site was a bit hilly and dry looking. We finally found a spot for the tent, but as Shirley was testing her spot she got poked and when se looked at the bottom of the ground cloth it had goat head thorns. We checked our tires and found a few stuck in. Fortunately, they are short and don't' seem to have penetrated yet. We'll find out tomorrow when we ride if any are broken off in the tires. We turned the BOBs upside down and laid the bikes on them. We moved the table off the concrete pad and put our tent on it so as not to puncture the floor and our pads. Since it was only 2:30 we did laundry and with the wind it dried pretty quick. We went for a walk and I got 6-7 thorns in my socks. Most came off easy, but one was very hard to get off. We headed North today and fortunately the wind shifted and was a good tailwind all day. At times in camp it was a little too strong. About the time we decided to cook dinner the wind kicked up. That made it very hard. I used the barbie as a wind shield, but it wasn't angled correctly to fully block the wind. The soup from the MRE was more of a mess than it was worth. Just before dark we got neighbors on both sides. There were two guys really close to us and one of them asked me if we had a hammer he could borrow. I was a bit surprised he thought we might have a hammer, but he may not have realized we didn't have a car since the sites are sort of walk in sites.

Saturday, March 12, 2011	Day 5	41.9 - 170.6	RT: 4:04	8:10 - 2:30

1 Miles W of Navasota, TX	Navasota City RV Park	$10.00 - $133.68	Avg: 10.3	Max: 26.5

It was warmer and cloudier when we got up this morning. Sleeping was pretty good last night as our neighbors were pretty quiet. When we got ready to go we carried everything to the road and loaded the bikes there. We didn't get any flats today so I guess we survived the thorns. It was mostly sunny by the time we left and I wore my long sleeve jersey. It wasn't too long before it came off. The clouds quickly disappeared, but we had a stronger wind today. It probably helped more than hurt, but it was a real pain. The side winds were terrible. We had a bit ore traffic today, but the busy roads all had wide shoulders. We saw our first touring cyclist today. He was on the side of the road fixing a flat. Fortunately it was one of the quiet ones. We also saw 8 plus or minus day cyclists, all with aero bars. We had a snack in Independence and another at Washington at the Brazos State Park. That was nice because it was well off the highway. We probably got to the campsite at Navasota around 1:30. It's a 10 unit RV park run by the city where RVs get full hookups for $10.00. There is a large pavilion and showers. Shirley decided we should pay $10 also. We locked our BOBs in the pavilion and rode the 2 miles into town for a store. We aren't sure if any small town stores will be open on Sunday so I bought enough food for today and tomorrow. The only protection form the wind is right in front of the restroom and behind a small shed which doesn't have as nice of grass or offer as much protection. Before we knew it, it was 5:00 and time to set up the tent and cook. The tent is behind the small shed and pretty well protected. I cooked in front of the restrooms and after trying to eat in the pavilion went back there to eat. Everything is securely in the tent now and even though it is a little less windy it is still plenty breezy.

Sunday, March 13, 2011	Day 6	40.8 - 211.4	RT: 3:43	9:45 - 3:00

Sam Houston N.F.	Cagle CG overflow area	Free - $133.68	Avg: 11.0	Max: 28.5

Daylight savings time started today so all times are now DST. We got up at 8:00 after a sort of comfortable sleep. Mine may have been the worst so far while Shirley says hers was the best. The wind was back to its normal blow this morning so we could eat in peace. It was quite warm and I started out in my long sleeve jersey and regretted it. As we started to ride I noticed my fender stay was broken where it attaches to the frame. We tried a zip tie through the screw hole and around the fender stay, but the zip tie bike when I pulled it tight. I then tried a heavier zip tie that wouldn't fit through the hole so I wrapped it around the frame. We thought that did it until I noticed my fender was now rubbing my tire. I tried adjusting the other stays, but the fender was too out of position since the zip tie was sliding up the frame. I tried to put another zip tie on, but I couldn't angle it correctly. Shirley finally said she had wire so I cut the zip ties and put the wire through the hole and around the stay. That worked. Traffic was a bit heavier than we expected for a Sunday morning, but better than yesterday. After about 3 miles when we turned onto Hwy 90 we lost our shoulder. We saw a touring couple on a tandem who were doing the Souther Tier. They live in Olympia and did the Natchez Trace to get in shape. We also saw lots of day cyclists going in all directions. We found a cycling glove along the road which Shirley picked up. About 1/2 mile later we found the second one. Shirley wore them for a little while, but said they didn't grip as well. We stopped at a small store in Richards for milk and canned vegies. When we got to our chose N.F. CG it was full and a very conscientious couple were guarding the entrance. They wouldn't let anyone in without paying the $5 day fee. There was no way they would bend the rules and let us camp in the picnic area or find a site to share. Some guy wanted to drive through and look at the day use area and they let them, but told him if they got out of the car it would be $5.00. They sent us to the Equestrian Parking which is the overflow camping area. There is one other car here with 3 young folks camping here so far. We got as far away as possible since they were building a fire on the ground among the pine needles. It's actually nice camping and more peaceful than the CG would be and so far is free. We filled all our water containers at the CG booth. Good thing we got 2 quart bottles of Powerade yesterday. We even had enough water for a bath with each of us using about 1/2 liter. This coming week is Spring Break so we may have problems all week. One other RV pulled in around 6:30 and parked closer to the others than to us. Just as it was getting dark mosquitos started coming out. Shirley went into the tent and maybe 15 minutes later my legs and hands were itching so I went in too. I finished my book.

Monday, March 14, 2011	Day 7	36.6 - 248.0	RT: 3:18	8:50 - 3:00

7 Miles NE of Coldspring, TX	Browder Marina	$10.00 - $143.68	Avg: 11.1	Max: 29.0

Nobody else showed up last night so it was peaceful. We had a few light sprinkles, but not even enough to get things wet. It was very cloudy this morning and as we packed up we could hear continuous thunder. It was also warm and we left in shorts and jersey. It did sprinkle lightly on us for the 5 miles to New Waverly. There were puddles in New Waverly. We stopped at the grocery which luckily had a nice overhang because it rained hard while we were there. It was still raining when we came out and a guy said the weather report said it would all pass over in 2-21/2 hours. I saw a sign that said up to 20 oz cappuccino for 69¢ so we went back in the store and Shirley had a 16 oz and I had a 20 oz. They were very sweet. It stopped raining while we drank them. It didn't look super threatening so we finally decided to move on. The wind was out of the North and much cooler. We put our long sleeves on. I also put my booties on to keep my feet dry from the road splash. After another 5 miles or so we picked up more traffic including more trucks. It was not real pleasant, but not super bad either. We were glad when suddenly we goat a shoulder again a few miles after Pumpkin. We thought about going to Double Lake but that would make a long day tomorrow, although we only went about 9 more miles to where we are. Coldspring had a good store so we stopped and bought yogurt, cheese, rice, and cereal. The New Waverly store didn't have yogurt so we had bought milk and it didn't have brown rice. There was another cyclist drying his rain clothes and possibly tent, but we didn't talk to him because he was on his cell phone. After Coldspring we finally got on a quiet road for the last 7 miles to the Browder Marina. All day it was warm out of the wind and a bit cool in the wind. Finally around 2:30 the sun came out and we got back to short sleeves. The marina is a nice place and we get a very grassy site away from everyone for $10.00. There's a laundry so Shirley wanted to take showers right away and do the wash. The shower set up was strange with a dressing stall and two shower stalls. I managed to hang my stuff on the hooks at the front of the shower stall and keep it dry. I burned Shirley's dinner by not stirring the soup mix enough. I didn't realize it settled to the bottom of the pan. Shirley refused to eat it so I gave her my dinner and ate hers. It tasted a little burnt, but not bad.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011	Day 8	61.7 - 309.7	RT: 5:01	9:05 - 4:00

Kountze, TX	Relax Inn	$45.00 - $188.68	Avg: 12.3	Max: 23.0

We walked around the CG last night and there were quite a few people, but not nearly full. Nobody else was in our area. It was colder again last night. Shirley retired to the tent before 9:00 and I followed around 9:30. My toes got cold last night and I slept with my hat on. It wasn't bad in the sun this morning, but the ground cloth was wet and there was a little dew. The cycling today was easy with little wind and very gentle hills. The road mostly had a small shoulder and light traffic. We did have some log trucks carrying very small trees. They tended to run in groups of 2 or 3. Generally they gave us plenty of room. I started in my tights and 3 long sleeve shirts which felt pretty good, but before long 2 of the shirts came off. Eventually, the tights came off and the final long sleeve. At Votaw we stopped at a church for a break. There were some cars parked there and I needed water so I went inside and found about 10 women working on two quilts. They let me get water and asked some questions including how old I was. Three of the women came out to look at our bikes. Most of them were at least 60. A few miles down the road we met a young cyclist who left New Orleans 4 days ago and is heading to San Diego. He only did 20 miles yesterday and got a hotel due to the prediction of rain. He said it maybe rained for an hour. Today he had already done 60 miles when we had done 40. Today is probably the best day for camping due to the lack of wind and we are in a motel. We went to Subway for dinner and then to the store. Just before town we missed our turn and went .8 miles before Shirley realized we should have turned.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011	Day 9	52.7 - 362.4	RT: 4:41	8:30 - 2:40

Kirbyville, TX	Gateway Motel	$52.85 - $241.53	Avg: 11.2	Max: 22.5

The bed didn't seem especially comfortable last night. We got up around 7:15 and were off at 8:30. I started in tights and my long sleeve jersey and at first I thought I should have worn more, but after 2-3 miles I felt warm. The road toward Silsbee wasn't too bad and had a narrow shoulder. Unfortunately, I didn't notice we were suppose to turn a few miles before Silsbee and Shirley didn't see the road number. About 1.8 miles down the road Shirley stopped and asked if we missed our turn. We decided we must have and went back. We were already looking at a 70+ miles day if we went to Marysville to camp. At Silsbee we took our tights off and turned onto a busier road 92 which had a 70 MPH limit and a wide shoulder. Surprisingly it wasn't too bad. We finally stopped about 12 miles North of Silsbee at Fred for a break at 25 miles. Unfortunately, when we entered Tyler County our nice shoulder became rough. It was definitely easier riding on the road. From Spurger to Kirbyville we didn't have much of any shoulder, but traffic was fairly light. After about 10 miles in Mt. Union there was supposed to be a gas station/store, but it wasn't there. We needed to eat so we stopped in a grassy driveway and ate. I had 6 tortillas to eat today, but I gave Shirley 2 at Mount Union since apparently she didn't have enough. My brakes were rubbing a bit and I finally decided there was a lip on them that needed filing down. In Kirbyville we finally decided to stay in a motel rather than ride another 24 miles to camp. I guess we are getting old. Actually, I think Shirley would have gone on. We found the motel and the Indian manager helped us move into our room. He decided it was too small so he gave us a 2 bed room and told us we could use 1 bed. There is a lot more room. I worked on my brake while Shirley washed clothes and dried the tent outside. It didn't take long to dry the tent. I think my brakes are fixed, but I probably need new pads. After Shirley's clothes mostly dried in the sun we walked to the store, about 7 blocks down a 4 lane with no shoulder. It wasn't pleasant walking on the lumpy grass. There was a Subway another block down so we once again had foot long subs. Coming back we bypassed the worst of the walk by dropping over one block. It was cloudy most of the day and the sun only came out just as we got to the motel at 2:30. It pretty much stayed out the rest of the day.

Thursday, March 17, 2011	Day 10	56.5 - 418.9	RT: 4:48	8:30 - 3:30

4 Miles SE of DeRidder, LA	Pleasant Hill RV Park	$20.00 - $261.53	Avg: 11.8	Max: 20.0

I found last night's bed more comfortable than the one in Kountze. Shirley was just the opposite. We put our tights and long sleeves on, but when we took the bikes outside the tights came off. A mile down the road the long sleeves came off. It was mostly cloudy with a few clear spots, but quickly became mostly sunny. It also became the warmest day so far. Last night would have been a good night to camp. The roads were just busy enough to be a little annoying. To Bon Wier, TX it seemed to be mostly us and the logging trucks with a few other trucks and pickups thrown in. After that we were in Louisiana. It was still us and the trucks. Merryville seemed more like a real town than we remembered from our 2001 trip. The museum where we camped in 2001 was not as remote as I remember. Heading toward Singer we had a side wind with a little headwind, but mostly it was blocked by trees. We stopped at a ball field for lunch. I needed water so we went to the store where I found an outside faucet and simply filled my bottle. We were on a more major road heading toward DeRidder, but we had a very nice tailwind and traffic was actually not bad. It seemed like there were fewer trucks. When we got to 171/190 in DeRidder it was a 2 lane one way road with lots of slow traffic. We could keep up for the 1/4 mile or so until it widened and we had a little shoulder. We found another Brookshire Brothers grocery and since Shirley wants to go canoeing tomorrow or Saturday I bought 3 days worth of lunch and breakfast, I already had 3 dinners. I may not need it since we might be able to get to the canoe place and go canoeing tomorrow. It was our biggest food bill at $46, but it did include a $7.50 ointment of some sort for Shirley. For 2 miles or so out of DeRidder we were on a 60 MPH 4 lane with no shoulder. Fortunately traffic was light enough it didn't back up behind us. Then we got a shoulder and shortly thereafter was our turn to the RV Park. It is more of a live in park where people like us also spend the night. We camped behind the office/house in front of a couple RVs, one unoccupied, one occupied. Just over the fence are 2 small donkeys and 3 small goats. I've also seen a couple small gecko type lizards. The owner's young daughter "helped" us set up camp. She sort of got stuck on "Are you setting up your tent?". Eventually she left. Unfortunately the guy was mowing the grass and then weed eating etc. It seemed like forever before he was done. We didn't have a table so we asked if we could get one. The woman said we could use the one from the unoccupied RV. She had her husband help move it the 50-60 feet to our site. The guy in the other RV called me over and showed me a propane charcoal grill we could use if we got cold or if we wanted to cook a hot dog. He said it got cold at night. There are 2 toilet rooms with toilets on little pedestals. The shower was quite nice. We are even away from the highway for the first time in days. I think Shirley has gotten in shape. I haven't been able to keep up with her the last 3 days.

Friday, March 18, 2011	Day 11	35.1 - 454.0	RT: 3:10	8:40 - 12:25

Oberlin, LA	Oberlin Motel	$55.00 - $316.53	Avg: 11.0	Max: 20.0

We got up around 7:30 to a very warm day. I put my long sleeves on while we ate, but took themt off before we left. We had a nice shoulder on the road and not real heavy traffic. We stopped at a church for a snack after finding the canoe rental places we hoped to camp at and do a canoe trip were closed. We called one of the places and he said they hoped to open next week after a meeting about insurance. Our phone said we had 2 voice mail messages. I somehow got a guy in Washington who claimed he didn't call us. The second message was in Spanish. Mostly all we did was use up several minutes of our phone time. Then a 75 year old lady came to pray and stopped talked to us. She was hard to understand since she didn't seem to have teeth and had a Southern accent. Since we couldn't stay at the canoe place and the next camping was 65 miles away we decided to ride the 11 miles to Oberlin and see if we could find something. Adventure Cycling said there was a couple of B&Bs. We found a motel and after just 35 miles we stopped and got a room by 12:30. After a while I had to take a walk. I ended up at the Dollar General and bought milk, cookies, and a gallon of water. The water here tastes terrible so I bought the water. Around 5:45 we went out to eat and ended up at the gas station for pizza. It was not too bad. The motel is here due to a casino several miles down the road. There is even a free shuttle from the motel to the casino.

Saturday, March 19, 2011	Day 12	55.5 - 509.5	RT: 4:48	8:10 - 3:00

Washington, LA	Willie's Washington Bar and CG	$10.00 - $326.53	Avg:11.6	Max: 18.2

We got up around 7:00 this morning and were off by 8:15. Our bikes were in a shed so we had to get the manager to open it for us. It was another warm day and we started in shorts and short sleeves. Finally, we had some quiet roads again. The first 7 miles weren't too bad, but then we turned onto LA 104 which was really quiet. It was more like the Louisiana we remember. Almost no trucks and few cars. There was a little more traffic as we neared Mamou and of course the town was bad. We had a break in the shade of a bank in town. The mile or so through town wasn't too good and the first couple miles out of town were rough with too much traffic. Then, the traffic pretty much disappeared. We had some rough pavement and then miles of good pavement. We missed most of Opelusa, but our instructions were off a bit on the mileage just as we got to the edge of town and we had to ask for directions. We were in a section of mostly black folks and it does feel strange to be the minority. When we got to the road to Washington we asked about a store and there was a Piggly Wiggly about 1 mile in the direction we needed to go. No big yogurts so we have milk for breakfast again. We stopped at a small store in Washington so Shirley could check directions again. There were some ladies doing barbecue and as we left a guy on a bike said they had good sandwiches. We easily found the CG which turns out to be a bar with mostly people living in RVs behind it. We are camped under a shelter in front of the bar. There is a large grassy area with 3 shelters and a bandstand. It took us a while to decide where to set up. We ended up on the concrete with the side and back of the tent staked in the dirt, the other side bungied to a concrete block and the front bungied to a post and a table. Shirley decided she wanted to go back to the barbecue. We figured it was close enough to walk. All that was left was chicken so we each got a chicken leg and thigh on bread. We walked to a pet spa (Southern Tails) and sat on the concrete steps and ate our "sandwiches". It's hard to eat a sandwich with bones it it. Back at camp I went into the bar to see if I could find out if a bridge was out on our route or whether we needed to take a busier, but shorter route. Nobody knew about the longer route we wanted to take. I then walked to the gas station and didn't have any better luck. One woman said they were asked last year and didn't know then and still didn't know. I did meet a cyclist who I hoped had come from the East, but unfortunately he came from the West. He left Iowa in August, headed West to California through Utah and Nevada, and down the PCH to San Diego. He left San Diego in January and will eventually take a bus home before heading to Haiti on a mission. Back at camp we showered and I cooked the vegies we had bought for dinner. Some guy on a bike came to talk to us. He lives only a couple blocks away and wanted to show us his tandem. He said he was born on December 20 and doesn't get either birthday or Christmas presents. He got his bike free at some concrete job he was at and said he loves it. He converted it to a one speed since a derailleur is $80. There seems to be a few biting bugs attacking my ankles, but not my arms.

Sunday, March 20, 2011	Day 13	50.9 - 560.4	RT: 4:21	8:45 - 2:00

1 Mile W of Simmesport, LA	Yellow Bayou Civil War Park	Free - $326.53	Avg:11.7	Max: 15.5

It was foggy when we got up this morning and the tent was wet. The first time I got up to pee last night I couldn't get back to sleep due to the loud music from the bar. I finally put my ear plugs in. The next time I got up there were lots of cars and trucks, some very close to us. It took us a little while to get going today. It was cooler and I almost started in long sleeves, but finally decided it was warm enough for short sleeves. I was glad I did. Shirley did wear her long sleeves for much longer than I thought she would. The fog really messed up our glasses for the first few miles as it condensed. I kept wiping them with my finger. Finally the fog burned off and it was another sunny day. Hwy 10 to Le Reau wasn't bad on a Sunday morning. After that we had mostly quiet roads with lots of small palms and cypress trees and then lots of fields. We were surprised to find churches to take breaks at on a Sunday, but we never did see one with cars. The first one had services the 2nd and 4th Sundays. The second one looked like an academy and we even found rest rooms that were open which was good because the road hat lots of houses but little traffic. We got to our chosen CG, a city park that allows cyclists to camp, or at least did 10 years ago when we stayed here. Unfortunately, the rest rooms are locked, but there is lots of water faucets at an RV parking area, although the RV sites haven't been used as such for a while. After a while I rode the 1 1/4 miles to the store while Shirley dried the tent. It was another Piggly Wiggly. The fruit selection was minimal. Red and golden delicious or Granny Smith apples. I bought a couple nectarines which were a bad buy. The first one was black inside and we threw it away. The second one was better and Shirley ate part of it. I couldn't. A guy stopped by to talk to us for a long time. He is originally from Pennsylvania, but now owns 35 acres near St. Francisville. He was very negative about government and taxes and how nobody works but gets government checks. Later a woman who moved here in 1981 to teach French talked to us. There is a track around a field and lots of people run or walk around and around.

Monday, March 21, 2011	Day 14	56.5 - 616.9	RT: 5:32	8:20 - 4:45

5 Miles SE Francisville, LA	Peaceful Pines RV Park	$13.38 - $339.91	Avg:20.2	Max: 22.5

We finally had the park to ourselves about 7:30 last night. There were lots of bright lights around the park including one that was just outside the pavilion that shined into the tent door. We got a trash can and a cardboard box which we put in the can and had it stick out the top. We positioned it so the shadow blocked the light from Shirley. My side was only partially in the light. Before going to bed I pooped in a plastic bag and threw it in a trash can. Just after we went to bed a car came and parked by the pavilion with a rumbling motor. After several minutes it left. One other car came in shortly after that. It may have been a police car as a light seemed to play over the pavilion. About 4:00 this morning it sounded like a fleet of trucks were driving on the road next to the park and at 4:30 it sounded like a trash truck was going down the street. We finally got up about 7:15. People were already walking around the track. We packed and ate. Unfortunately I discovered the milk had overturned and leaked in my BOB bag. What a mess! I used the dish towel to wipe things up as good as I could and figured I'd do a good job tonight. I would have pooped in a bag again, but Shirley was planning on riding to the gas station about 1 mile down the road. We were off at 8:20. The gas station was under construction so we went to the casino next door. Shirley went first and I told her to hurry since I really had to go. It was quite a relief when it was my turn. Once we crossed the bridge over the Atchafalaya River we had quiet, but somewhat bumpy roads. At our first break we sat in the grass and my allergies started acting up. I moved to the pavement and was better. Not too far down the road my nose and eyes really started running. I finally stopped and took an allergy pill. It gradually worked or we got past whatever bothered me. I've had more minor allergies the last two days. We stopped at the Angola Ferry again just for the heck of it. About 3 miles before Morganza we dropped into the Morganza Floodway which was interesting as we were below huge flood walls. At St. Francisville we crossed the Mississippi River on a ferry. We had to go slightly out of our way to get to a store, but not too much. There were 2 across the street from each other. About 21/2 miles from camp Shirley picked up a tack in her tire. We didn't pull it out and it made it to camp. We didn't arrive until 4:45 which is a shame since I had to clean my BOB bag and everything in it. First, though we set up the tent and I took a shower since the owner recommended I do it quick before the construction workers came back. There is only one shower for everyone, so Shirley took hers after I did. There was a guy in the shower when I got there so I was waiting outside. The owner came by and asked if I was sure someone was in there. I said yes because I heard someone. He knocked and got a reply. He then whispered to me he was just trying to hurry him up. When I returned to camp Shirley had just finished putting a new tube in her tire and found the hole in the old one. While she showered I put her wheel back on and pumped the tires and fixed her flat. I then tackled the milk mess. I was really hungry so I wasn't too happy. Shirley decided she would wash clothes and ended up doing it by hand since the washers were busy, but dried them in a dryer. It was 6:45 by the time I started dinner. Fortunately we are camped right next to the indoor pavilion so we are inside with lights and a fan to help keep the mosquitos away. We headed mainly South today so we had a headwind so this was our longest ride time so far. The last miles into St. Francisville were more Easterly and easy and the last 21/2 miles to camp were North and very easy. When I went to throw last night's grocery receipt away I discovered I didn't get charged for the nectarines which is good since they were so bad.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011	Day 15	68.5 - 685.4	RT: 6:11	8:30 -5:00

20 Miles from Natchez, MS	Sandy Creek WMA - camping on closed road	Free - $339.91	Avg: 11.1	Max: 35.0

It was fairly quiet last night although we weren't very far from a road. Shirley thought about staying another day, but she would rather spend 2 days at Natchez SP which we will get to tomorrow. Shirley is very bothered by the fact that the tent floor gets wet at night. It may be from the thorns at one of our early camps. She wanted to buy some plastic last night in St. Francesville, but the hardware store was the wrong way. We had mostly quiet roads today. One exception was a couple extra miles we had to do on Hwy 33 between Wilson and Norwood due to construction on the old road. Fortunately we had a tailwind and it wasn't that busy. At Norwood we continued North into Mississippi and left the Southern Tier and got on the Great Rivers Route. Mississippi put rumbles on the white line and the teeny shoulder so we had to ride in the road. There was a quiet loop we took. We rode by our unsigned turn to complete the loop and ended up going .6 miles before we turned around. In Centerville we found a small market and bought milk, frozen vegies and two oranges for $5.95. That was all we spent today. The owner let us get water and I filled my 2 quart bottles and 2 water bottles. Shirley just filled her water bottle and one liter bladder. We had a very quiet 14 miles after Centerville and then after a short stretch on a smooth highway we had a very rough 3 miles into Rosetta. If we had known how rough it was we would have stayed on the smooth highway since it really wasn't that busy and also went to Rosetta. We found some sort of small business who let us refill all our bottles plus Shirley's three liter bladder. He said the road to camping in the WMA was gravel and was so bad he turned around on his motorcycle. We figured we would find out in about 12 miles. He tried to send us to the Natchez SP we will go to tomorrow. When we got to the road that would take us to the campsite it was gravel, but rideable with a little effor with my 35C tires. Shirley had more problems with her 25-28C tires. We found the designated campsite in .7 miles and it was just a large pullout on a side road. Shirley insisted I ride further down the road to make sure it was the correct spot. I rode another .6 miles and came back. There was another side road in .06 miles with a locked gate so we decided to go there. We walked down the road a couple hundred feet until we couldn't see the main road any more. It is very grassy and peaceful. It was another 85+º today although it felt pretty good when the wind was not a direct tailwind. We also had hills today. Not very long, but enough to require the little chain ring at times. Whatever got my allergies yesterday mustn't have been around today since I didn't have any problems. I was surprised Shirley didn't want to hang our food tonight since a sign at the hunter check station said there may be black bears in the area. I think Shirley decided it was too hot for bears.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011	Day 16	33.3 - 718.7	RT: 10.3	8:35 - 2:30

10 Miles N. of Natchez, MS	Natchez SP	$18.00 - $357.91	Avg:10.3	Max: 0

It was nice not to have traffic noise last night. We got up sort of late at 7:30 to a very warm morning. I didn't even put long sleeves on. It seemed easier coming back out to the paved road although I'm not sure Shirley agrees. The road remained quiet all the way to Natchez and the start of the Natchez Trace. We had to ride about 1/4 mile past the parkway to Hwy 61 and then another 1/4 to 1/2 mile to a Walmart. We spent $85, but I got 3 days of food and we did buy $35 of non-food items including $8.50 for plastic so Shirley can put a piece under the tent, $6.00 of fuel and some dental floss, eye drops, and something else for Shirley. BOB was very heavy when we left. Fortunately, the parkway is very good pavement and the hills are very gentle. After 10 miles we turned off to go to the Natchez SP. Oddly enough the office isn't at the entrance to the park and once we got there we had to ride another 2.3 miles to the office. We rode past both campgrounds. We finally decided to stay 2 nights rather than 1 with the option of another because our site might get reserved otherwise. Shirley noticed a magic marker and some scissors on the counter so we borrowed them and dug out the ground cloth and plastic to cut a piece off. It would have been a lot easier if the wind hadn't been blowing. We managed to get it cut and gave the extra plastic to the guy in the office. We rode back to the campground and unfortunately a guy was mowing the grass, leaves, dirt, and branches and raising a lot of dust. Then he got the weed whacker out and finally a leaf blower. It was much more pleasant when he finally finished. We did laundry in the bucket and I used some hair and body wash that was in the restroom. I filled our little dish soap bottle with it also, but that was hard since it was thick and didn't want to go in the small hole. I finally realized I should squeeze the air out and then suck it in. While we were sitting around the guy from the office came by with the bottle of fuel we had bought. Shirley had left it sitting where we cut the plastic. We put the tent on a pile of leaves on the flattest spot in camp. Hopefully we got all the sticks and thin pokey thins out. The campground is real quiet as of 5:00 with only 1 RV and 1 popup trailer here and no people. Shirley is charging the cell phone in our electrical box. May as well since we paid for it. The first time I got up to pee last night all my clothes were soaked in sweat. I tried not to snuggle in my bag after that.

Thursday, March 24, 2011	Day 17	0 - 718.7

10 Miles N. of Natchez, MS	Natchez SP	$18.00 - $375.91

Not much to say about today since it was a rest day. Two other tenters arrived last night including a guy and his son who drove from upper Wisconsin so the father could ride the Natchez Trace in 5 days. The mosquitos came out for about an hour, maybe 1.5 hours last night, but not too bad. They did, of course, drive Shirley into the tent. It was cooler today than it has been for several days. I put my heavy long sleeve and my long sleeve jersey on. We talked to the biker for a while and he's done the Northern and Southern Tiers and the PCT and AT. We did puzzles all morning and my back didn't like it. It's been bothering me all afternoon. I got so engrossed in one puzzle it was 12:30 before I knew it. I ate a bagel and a couple cookies for lunch. At 2:00 we went for a walk to the other campground and found a nature trail which we followed to the lake. We hoped to make it to the office via the trail, but didn't manage to do it. We then walked the road to the office and walked out on the pier. Shirley was going to take my picture, but the batteries died so they are now charging in the outlet. Some women were fishing with very long cane poles. Right at the entrance to our CG are 2 dogs tied by a trailer and they bark at everyone and everything. Fortunately they are not very near and are down a hill from us. It warmed up nicely by mid morning and was quite warm this afternoon. It did seem like the wind was more Northerly today. If so, I hope it goes back to a South wind tomorrow. Both last night and tonight it smells like someone is burning garbage.

Friday, March 25, 2011	Day 18	51.5 - 770.2	RT: 4:16	8:15 - 2:00

Rocky Springs, Natchez Trace	Rocky Springs CG	Free - $375.91	Avg: 12.0	Max: 29.5

We got up at 7:00 this morning because Shirley wanted to get to the free CG early since we didn't know how quickly they fill up or what they are like. We were off at 8:15. It was much cooler this morning and in camp I wore my heavy long sleeve and long jersey and heavy vest, plus my stocking hat. By the time we left it was just tights and long sleeve jersey. By 9:00 I took them off and was just a little cool on the downhills. I left my gloves on for another couple miles. We had a tailwind for the most part and were plenty warm. We didn't stop a whole lot. At the first picnic area where I took the long clothes off there as what appeared to be an abandoned female dog who looked like she had pups somewhere. She wanted us to pet her so bad and probably to feed her. We went into Port Gibson for a market. It was about 1 mile to the town. Shirley chose to turn right in town which was unfortunately the wrong way for the super market. We only went about 1/2 mile before we asked. The market was about 1/4 mile the other way. There was enough traffic we were glad to get back on the parkway. The store was pretty good. Shirley bought a pomegranate for 89¢ which rung up as a green pepper for $1.87. The clerk had trouble taking it off and trouble getting it rung up correctly. We stopped at Owens Falls for a food break about 2.5 miles from the CG. The spring and falls died several years ago as the ground water table has dropped. When we got to the CG there were lots of sites available. Shirley found a very nice site. The only problem is we are not very far from a group of Boy Scouts. Shirley wanted to put some strapping tape loops on the plastic ground cloth so we spent maybe an hour doing that. Hopefully they will work. After eating we went for a walk at 4:00 and walked part of the old Trace and visited the old town site of Rocky Springs and the dried up Rocky Spring. We passed on RV with a bike with very flat tires. He said someone had slashed the tires while on the RV. By the time we got back to camp at 5:15 the CG was pretty much full. However, we could easily share a site with a lot of the RVs since they are not using their tables. When the sun went down the mosquitos came out and are the worst of the trip. One RV has had a generator (pretty quite fortunately) running almost the whole time we have been here. They are in there watching TV. In the one next to it the people have headlamps and appear to be reading. We saw lots of cyclists today, mostly from Vermont. A group is down here on a supported trip with Vermont Bicycle Tours. Today they started at Jackson, rode South then over to Vicksburg. Not sure if they were going back to Jackson today. Most, if not all, looked at least as old as us. Once again an hour or so after the mosquitos came out they disappeared.

Saturday, March 26, 2011	Day 19	73.2 - 843.4	RT: 5:54	8:05 - 5:20

25 Miles N. of Jackson, MS	Ratliff Ferry CG	$10.00 - $385.91	Avg: 12.4	Max: 24.0

We got up around 7:00 to a very cloudy and muggy morning. It was 65º, about 15º warmer than yesterday. We were off at 8:05 and rode the first 30 miles in 3 hours. We stopped at one picnic area for food and read the signs at a few historical sites, none very interesting. A group of day cyclists passed us going South. Later, at a parking area just outside of the Jackson metro area and where our notes said traffic would increase, we stopped where several cars were parked, some with bike racks, and figured that was where the cyclists had started. We ate again and just as we were getting ready to leave the cyclists arrived. We talked with one guy for quite a while. We were thinking of staying at Ratliff Ferry, but were concerned about it being a Saturday because someone on a web site had said it was a "party place". The cyclist told us it could be, but that we could get in a quiet corner and that most of the partying would be in the water in back. We decided to go there. Indeed, as warned traffic increased after we crossed I-20. We stopped at the Clinton (town) Visitor Center for water. There were 6-7 people playing various string instruments and I found them very entertaining. We chatted some with the info people. They said there was a 30-40% chance of rain tonight and tomorrow. At the time it was clearing. In Ridgeland our instructions were a bit unclear about where a grocery store was. I was pretty sure they meant it was on Hwy 51, but they mentioned a craft center 2-3 miles away. We stopped at a historical site to reread the instructions. A couple came in and unloaded bikes from a truck so we asked them about a store. They were getting ready to ride a bike path paralleling the parkway. It turned out there was a grocery just off the bike path and through a round-a-bout. Unfortunately it was a very up scale market. We couldn't find Ramen and ended up with some rice noodles for $1.39 each. Most of the fruit was organic so it was expensive. We thought we were getting blackberries for $2.50 bit it turned out we were charged $5.99 when I looked at the receipt in camp. I really have a hard time in a store where everything is 1.5 to 2 times as expensive as I expect and sort of go into a daze. Shirley, on the other hand isn't bothered and wants to buy all the expensive junk. I finally bought some $5.99 brownies after Shirley asked me about them 3 or 4 times. We spent $42 on basically one day's worth of food. We continued on the bike path after the store. Shirley was hungry again so we ate at an exit ramp. I was still in a daze and funk from the store for long time. We weren't sure where the bike path went and were thinking of getting back on the parkway when another local cyclist came by and led us to a parking lot and said the path from there went to the Reservoir Overlook about 15 miles from camp. She said she passed us earlier in a car. The path was very twisty and a bit more hilly than the Parkway, but there weren't any cars. By the time we got back on the road traffic was thinning out and about 8 miles from our CG most of the traffic turned off. By the time we reached camp it was clearer and less muggy than it had been all day. The biker area for $5 each is just outside the CG and next to a restroom with no TP. Showers are in the CG and there is no TP there either. Just after we arrived two local guys came to talk to us. They are in their 50's and pretty interesting. They said we missed the Sweet Potato Queen Parade today in Jackson. Until this year it was part of the St. Pat's Parade, but it grew too large. There are chapters world wide and the parade is like Mardi Gras. They also said there are alligators in the water, but I'm not sure I believe them. It was well after 6:00 by the time they left and we got the tent set up. We took showers which were very nice and then had dinner as it was getting dark and the mosquitos were coming out. As last night they died down around 8:30, but didn't go away this time. I managed to get all organized for tomorrow before they drove me into the tent. For a while there were lots of boats being taken out of the lake at the dock right by camp. Later the kids were riding an ATV around the CG. At least the bar closed at 7:00. I took an allergy pill today as soon as I felt like my eyes were itching and nose running and didn't have any problems.

Sunday, March 27, 2011	Day 20	40.9 - 884.3	RT:3:34	11:05 - 3:25

Kosciusko, MS	Ranger District Office free bike CG	Free - $385.91	Avg:11.4	Max: 19.1

Sometime during the night it started raining. I got up to pee and tightened all the straps to pull the fly away from the tent. I think it helped a lot. About the time we usually get up there was a lot of thunder although not real close. It rained and thundered for a long time. We finally got up at 9:00 and Shirley went over to the store/bar and found a covered patio and got permission for us to eat breakfast there. The lady running the place even let us use the bathroom which actually had TP. There were 2-3 trucks with trailers and boats in the parking lot. When it quit raining around 10:00 they unloaded their boats and we decided to pack up and leave and go 35 miles up the road. We were off around 11:10. Our tent leaked somewhere by the door or else water condensed on the poles and dripped onto the screen and then onto our faces. It was about 58º when we left, but it felt cold and we were in long sleeves, tights, and gloves. We would warm up a bit riding, but it cooled off again when we stopped. There were historical sites about every 5 miles today, none very interesting. At the picnic area about 5 miles before Kosciusko we finally took our gloves off. Just as were leaving two women from town arrived on bikes. It was one woman's first bike ride ever. She said it was harder than running, but appeared to be having a good time. We easily found the bikes only CG which has a pit toilet (an outhouse over a very shallow hole), a water spigot, a table, and 4 tent pads. Unfortunately, it is right next to a busy highway so there is traffic noise, but it is below us so not as bad as it could be. Shirley, of course, did not want to use a tent pad so we are set up in the leaves and debris next to a tent pad. After setting up the ten we rode to town and found a Walmart for food. The round trip was about 3.8 miles. It was cloud all day, but it didn't rain.

Monday, March 28, 2011	Day 21	35.0 - 919.3	RT: 3?27	9:10 - 2:10

65 Miles S. of Tupelo, MS	Jeff Busby CG	Free - $385.91	Avg: 10.1	Max: 27.5

Sometime last night we had a very brief shower. Just about long enough for me to get up to tighten the tent and pee. It was cold last night. My feet were cold off and on and I wore my tights and hat. It was 45º when we finally got up at 8:00. Once again it was cloudy and it felt like mist every once in a while. As we were getting dressed in the tent we heard someone come and collect the trash. Shirley said Hello and we got a Hello back. Surprisingly he took the trash out of the bag in the can rather than replace the trash bag. When we left and got out from under the trees we discovered it was misting lightly. We stopped at the Visitor Info to get a weather report and found out tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, especially up toward Tupelo. Shirley had thought about getting a motel room in Kosciusko this morning, but decided it would be better to do so tomorrow if it rained. For the first 4-5 miles it was cold and my glasses kept getting wet. My hands were cold, too. Finally I warmed up after it quit misting and it wasn't too bad. I had all my shirts zipped to the top, though. We stopped about halfway at another cypress swamp and then at a missionary site for lunch. It felt cold again after we started. At French Camp we went into the small town, but only found a bakery which smelled really good. The grocery was just on the other side of the Trace. We bought a couple cans of vegies for dinner and had some small stuffed potatoes which were pretty good. There were several turkey hunters there having a grand time. It was up to 56º when we left and it felt much warmer with the same clothes on. With about 4-5 miles to go we had some hills, one of which actually got us into low gears. I got over heated at that point, but cooled right down on the next little downhill. We got into camp a little after 2:00. This one has a totally different feel than Rocky Springs. There are a few tent pads on a hilly slope, but the pads are flat. There are also long pullouts accessing 3-4 campsites. Shirley decided it was designed before there were so many RVs because now an RV will block several sites. We got set up in a site without a tent pad and ate again before taking a hike of maybe 1.5 miles RT to an overlook. There are definitely many more hills around now. The overlook is a little over 600 feet. The walk warmed us up and we had dinner when we got back which kept me warm even longer. I have an extra pair of socks, tights, and light jacket on tonight in addition to my normal 3 long sleeve layers so maybe I will be warmer longer tonight. At least there weren't any mosquitos last night and none tonight. The one RV in our area that is running his generator is the same one who was at Rocky Springs. He said it hailed so much on Sunday morning in Rocky Springs the ground was white. That's when we got rain at Ratliff Ferry. He also said the weather forecast is for improving weather.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011	Day 22	43.4 - 962.7	RT: 3:56	8:00 - 2:15

35 Miles S. of Tupelo, MS	White Dance Picnic Area / Bicyclist CG	Free - $385.91	Avg: 11.0	Max:24.0

It seemed warmer last night. I stayed outside until 9:15 when I went to bed. I was much warmer during the night although I still wore my tights and hat. It seemed warmer this morning at 50º although my hands got a little cold at times when I took my gloves off to do something. Just as we got to Mathiston, about 11 miles up the road, a few drops of rain fell and it started getting foggy. We were stopping for food anyway so we decided to stay at the motel. When we got there the guy said he had a water leak and no water. He didn't seem to think it would be fixed today so we went to the store and continued on. At least the fog had disappeared. At times we would have shadows and later a few drops would fall. It got up to 50 and I got down to one long sleeve jersey and tights. Shirley kept her hat and three layers on all day. She wanted to go to Stinkin Jim;s, a horse camp with laundry, but at the turnoff to Hwy 8 she decided she didn't really know where it was, so we rode 3 more miles to the free bike camp at the picnic area. I set the tent up while Shirley changed clothes and ate. I then heated water for tea and so Shirley could take a bath. There was enough hot water left for me to wash too. While we were gone some animal (we think an abandoned dog) got into Shirley's food bag and ate a bagel as well as tore the bag. It also took a package of 4 bagels off the table and ate them. I guess we shouldn't have both left camp at the same time. It looked like it was going to clear for a while and then a few drops of rain fell. The restrooms have electric hand dryers which will be nice if it gets cold. Shirley used them to dry her hair after washing it. About 5:00 I decided to cook dinner just in case it decided to rain. Good thing I did since it got darker as I cooked. We threw everything in the tent. A few drops fell while I cooked, but then stopped. We started eating and it started raining lightly so we moved to the restroom overhang. The dog checked out camp again and got into the pot bag and we had to keep watching camp to protect it. It dripped for a while before quitting. Shirley went in the tent to protect it from the dog while I stayed at the restroom because my back hurt a bit today and it felt better leaning against the wall. Around 7:00 I came and sat at the table by the tent. It started rumbling and at 7:15 it rained real hard. I got sort of wet just jumping into the tent. It rained hard for about 10 minutes and then much lighter for a while. Unfortunately our tent leaked at the door very badly. We first tried putting Shirley's sit fabric between the tent and fly, but it wasn't quite big enough. We then tried the garbage bags we wrap the tent in and the plastic sit sheet for me. It helped a lot. By then a lot of water had leaked in and around and under our pads. It was 11:40 by then. It rained hard off and on most of the night.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011	Day 23	31.5 - 994.2	RT: 3:03	8:45 - 1:30

Tupelo, MS	Scottish Inns	$45.00 - $430.91	Avg: 10.3	Max:25.0

We got up around 7:30 to a very cloudy, but not raining day. We packed everything including the tent and then ate breakfast at the table. We made a stop at the restroom. I talked to a guy who was telling me it had been hot a week ago and they were glad it had cooled off. When I said we liked those 80's he said they have so many hot days they didn't need any more now. It felt cold to me today although the temperature was 50º. Another woman stopped by and she is walking the trace at 10 miles a day. This is the first time she has walked two weeks in a row. Her husband is the sag driver. After walking for 5 days they go home or camp somewhere. We went about 20 miles and stopped at an RV park which our info said had a cabin. We had to use a phone at the office to call the manager who was out working. He said there wasn't any cabin. There was a nice restroom, though of which we took advantage. We headed toward Tupelo, only 9 miles away. The last 4 miles had a lot of traffic, and wasn't that pleasant. Our exit was onto a busy 4 lane highway. After a few blocks we stopped to ask directions. The guy said the motels were down about 4 lights and to turn left at the Burger King. For a while traffic was heavy enough we were able to keep up until we passed a light and then it sped up a lot. We found a Walmart where we bought food. We continued down the road and after what seemed like a long way we stopped to ask again. They said we were close. We took a side street and came out right at a motel. We got a room for $45 which is pretty nice, but could use one more light. We had to unplug the microwave to plug in the wall lamp. We ate and I dried the plastic ground cloth outside in a little rock bed that was just wide enough. I wiped it clean with my rag and then we set up the tent. We walked about 3 blocks to a laundromat. We got our wash for free as one washer was free every once in a while and today was the day. I asked the woman at the laundromat about a library. There was one about 3 blocks the other way from our motel. I went there to trade our books. I bought 2 books for 50¢ each and donated our 2 books. When I got back to the room Shirley had put the fly on the tent and we put seam seal around the door. Shirley then went to the library for email and checking on the Katy Trail. We finally took the tent down and went to Burger King for dinner. I had 2 whoppers and Shirley hand one. Across the street was a big Kroger grocery store so we bought another day's food so we don't have to stop tomorrow. It was dark by the time we got back to the room.

Thursday, March 31, 2011	Day 24	49.6 - 1043.8	RT: 4:45	9:15 - 4:10

42 Miles N. of Tupelo, MS	Tishomingo SP	$16.00 - $446.91	Avg: 10.4	Max: 26.5

We awoke to a mostly sunny, but cool morning of 41º. Apparently there had been a few light early morning showers. We took our time eating and packing in order to get past rush hour. I had a couple cups of coffee from the in room coffee. It was pretty strong, but was OK with 3 packets of sugar. We were finally off at 9:10. After looking at some maps we decided to go out Jackson Street. The laundromat we used last night was on Jackson and it appeared pretty quiet. It was a much better route. There wasn't an entrance ramp to the Trace, but there was a gentle grassy slope. Traffic on the Trace was much quieter than yesterday. We stopped at all the little pullouts today which showed us down a lot. There were periods of sun and clouds with the clouds winning more often. I started in my long sleeve jersey and wind breaker and tights. After a few miles I took my wind breaker off. About 2:30 it finally got up to 60 and I took my tights off. It felt warm in the sun or uphill, or out of the cold North wind. I thought about taking my long sleeves off about 10 miles from the SP. I finally did take it off about 3 miles out. After a short ride into the wind we turned a little and it felt good. As we got to the SP it was feeling colder again. We were told to take any tent site and pay on the way out tomorrow, and if no one was in the booth to leave it in the slot. The only sort of level tent site was occupied and the were all a ways from the restroom on a muddy road. Some other sites were close to the lake, but not flat and looked muddy. We finally took an RV site which will probably be $5 more, but we have water at our site and grass instead of mud. There is a chance of light showers tonight and we have had a few drops falling already, but not enough to get us in the tent. A guy in an RV said it rained for 3 days and hailed the other night. The entire park looks wet and muddy. We saw a semi going South on the Trace today, which is prohibited. We've also seen a few tractors on trailers and a couple trailers of furniture which are probably illegal too. We didn't notice until after we set up that there is a light right in front of our camp. Fortunately, it doesn't work. As we have ridden North the trees are much less leafed out again. Even some of the dogwoods aren't leafed out and some others are only partially leafed out

Friday, April 1, 2011	Day 25	57.6 - 1101.4	RT: 5:23	8:40 - 5:00

Collinwood, TN	Collinwood City Park	Free - $446.91	Avg: 10.7	Max: 28.5

The rain gradually increased and finally drove us into the tent last night. It started leaking again so we put the old ground cloth between the tent and fly to hopefully catch the drips. It worked on my side, but Shirley's wasn't positioned correctly and she had another flood. We got up after 7:00 to another cloudy, but not raining morning. We got packed and I started off with my two long sleeves, jacket, tights, and gloves. We stopped to pay and were off at 8:40. Before long I took my jacket off. We entered Alabama at 9:30 and spent a total of 4.5 hours in it before reaching Tennessee. We had a couple of hills and the sun even came out briefly. I got warm and took my heavy long sleeves off and had hopes of getting more off. Unfortunately, the uphill and sun went away and it felt much colder. We stopped at a closed visitor center for lunch and I really got chilled. We crossed the Tennessee River which has been dammed so it was really wide. We stopped at Rock Spring for a short hike and I finally warmed up again. The hike was interesting with stone steps over the creek and a walk by old beaver dams. The sun started coming out a little more often and felt warm at times. About 2:15 I took my tights off. I could either be hot at times and comfortable at times or cold at times and comfortable at times. We entered Tennessee and in spite of predictions of more hills after the Tennessee River it pretty much remained gentle up and down. We stopped for a final feeding about 8 miles from Collinwood and the sun finally came out most of the time. However, the wind shifted from South to North and I put my tights back on. It was a little too warm for only a short distance. In Collinwood there is a visitor center with showers. We got the keys and it took us a while to realize the showers were off the restroom. We were probably rude for not donating to the visitor center. The water was warm, but not overly so. There are 2 parks where we could camp. The first was very public and didn't feel right so we rode another mile or so to the second and bigger park. It is where the ball field and swimming pool are. We found a pavilion way off the road. Shirley set about drying the tent in order to try to seal more seams while I checked for bathrooms and went to the store. Since it is Friday there are ball games tonight and the restrooms are open. I asked a guy if they would be open after the games and he said he would leave them open. He told someone else to remind him. I went to the store and bought 2 to 3 days worth of food so we can stay at Merriweather Park for 2 nights. Back in camp Shirley was just about ready to seal the tent so we did that. I then cleaned my rear derailleur and took the jockey wheels off to clean them since they were squeaking badly today. I got very dirty and had to go wash my hands in the rest room and even then it wasn't easy with just cold water. By the time we got to dinner it was after 7:00 and dark before we finished. As we were eating 3 young teenage boys came to talk to us. They had been playing basketball at the other park when we were there. Two are in a foster home. We have the tent set up in the pavilion between the tables.

Saturday, April 2, 2011	Day 26	35.4 - 1136.8	RT: 3:25	8:30 - 1:10

130 Miles N. of Tupelo, MS	Meriwether Lewis CG	Free - $446.91	Avg: 10.4	Max: 30.0

We slept well last night and it was remarkably quiet for the ball fields being next door. We got up around 7:15 to a sunny day. It was nice to have the sun shining in our door at 6:50. It was cool at 50º and a brisk East wind. Thankfully the guy remembered to leave the restrooms open. We had to stop at the store since I forgot to buy rice yesterday. Two of the young men who we met yesterday came by and talked to us some more. One of them only had one pedal on his bike. We then stopped at the PO to buy 2 postcard stamps so we could mail the postcards we bought the other day. With all that it took us 1/2 hour to go the first mile and get back to the Trace. Traffic seemed very light today. The number of RVs was way down. Riding was pretty easy with a few longish, but not too steep hills. They were long enough I rode ahead of Shirley instead of behind. We took a two mile loop on what is called the Old Trace Loop. It was one lane and roughly paved. It was quite pleasant. At one stop there were three young girls, maybe teenage, and two young boys all dressed very fancy. Two of the girls were changing shoes so one of them could try 5 inch heels, apparently for the first time. Everyone was laughing at her when she walked and teetered across the parking lot. They helped her down some stairs to where Mom was going to take pictures. I was disappointed to find the turnoff to our CG was right after a busy highway, but then we rode for another 2-3 miles before actually reaching the CG. After riding around a couple loops we found a very good site near only a couple RVs without generators. Since we got in camp by 1:45 we did a little laundry and hung it in the sun and wind. About 3:30 we went for a little hike to the Merriwether Lewis burial monument and saw a guy walking his motorcycle while straddling it and his wife/girl friend on back. He did this for maybe 100 yards before his friends caught up and then he started the engine and they drove off. It was warm today and I was in shorts and jersey at 9:45. It was almost too cool at first, but just barely. Shirley seems to have lost a stuff sack in the wind yesterday while I was at the store and she was working on the tent. We were told by a park employee that severe weather is supposed to move in on Monday so now we're wondering whether we should stay two nights here like we had planned.

Sunday, April 3, 2011	Day 27	57.2 - 1194.0	RT: 5:11	8:25 - 3:30

Only (Bucksnort), TN	Travel Inn	$45.99 - $492.90	Avg: 11.0	Max: 36.0

With the prediction of bad weather for tonight and tomorrow we finally decided to take advantage of the good weather today and move on instead of staying another night at Merriwether Lewis. The CG was very quiet both from other campers and road noise. It was the normal 50º when we got up, but by the time we left at 8:25 I started in tights and light long sleeves. The tights came off in 1.5 miles as we approached the Trace. The shirt came off by 9:45. We skipped a few of the stops today including another Old Trace side trip. We did stop at a falls although we only walked to where we could see the falls and not down to the bottom. A couple from camp were there and they were headed to Columbus, TN to a mule celebration. There were a couple of fairly long hills, but not real steep. At an overlook we had a nice view of a farm and green pastures and cows. I thought it was the most scenic so far. We had quite a bit of downhill for the last 10 miles to the Duck River and our exit off the Trace. We also had a good tailwind. A woman cyclist from Nashville arrived as we were finishing a food and rest stop and she said 40 MPH winds were forecast beginning around noon. It was noon. The wind was string, but not that strong. The first 4 miles on Hwy 50 were not real good as the little bit of shoulder had rumbles and traffic was a little heavy. The road had a Bike Route sign on it. Now why would they rumble a bike route? We then turned onto Hwy 230 which was very low traffic and was very nice except for one steep hill. We stopped at a gas station at the junction of 100. Some old guy with a brain injury or rummy head talked to us for a long time. He may not have had any teeth and was very hard to understand, especially when he talked with his cigarette in his mouth. We were glad when he finally left us alone. The 4-5 miles to Centerville were not pleasant as Hwy 100 had rumbles on the shoulder and traffic was moderately heavy. We stopped at a store, but since camping was not an option tonight we didn't buy much. I was going to get a yogurt, but Shirley said our motel option was a Travel Lodge and would probably have breakfast. The final 11 miles to I-40 and Only (Bucksnort) were on Hwy 230 and were very quiet and in the woods. The pavement was smooth and there was only one steep uphill. When we got to the motel we thought it was closed since the parking lot was empty and there was no sign for the office. However, when we tried the door it was open. We got a room for $45.99 which is a big room with plenty of room for the bikes. Unfortunately it is a Travel Inn and not a Travel Lodge as Adventure Cycling said, so there is no breakfast included. There is a restaurant next door, but it closes at 4:00 on Sunday and we didn't even get here till 4:30. After showers and relaxing a bit we went to the gas station for food. It had sandwiches for about $3.50 depending on what condiments you had. I had turkey and Shirley had Cajun Turkey. The room is cold as if the A/C has been on, but it isn't. The woman at the desk had to turn on the hot water.

Monday, April 4, 2011	Day 28	0 - 1194.0

Only (Bucksnort), TN	Travel Inn	$45.99 - 538.89

It was raining lightly when we got up at 7:30 this morning. We had already decided we would stay here another day rather than try to beat the storm to get to Waverly. We went to the restaurant for breakfast. I had hot cakes and Shirley had an omelette. Her omelette disappeared very quickly. My hot cakes were very flaky and like sponges with the syrup. With tip breakfast was $11.75. When we came out the rain had stopped. It actually started to look like an OK day until about 10:30. It clouded up and rained off and on. About 12:45 I was channel surfing and it started getting dark outside. I came to a station that was tracking the storm and citing what counties and cities were under severe storm warnings. It took us a while to find our approximate location on the changing maps. They would give a list of towns and times to expect the storm. After a little bit we lost our electricity and the ability to track the storm. It was raining sort of hard when a sudden wall of water moved across the parking lot. We moved way back into the room by the bathroom and away from the big picture window. We had lost our electricity by then so we couldn't follow the storm on the TV any more. A trash can went sailing very rapidly across the parking lot and a 4x4 support post holding a gutter blew down. We didn't even hear it even though it was right in front of our room It must have rained really hard and blown really hard for 10-15 minutes. Shirley was getting very nervous. It gradually slackened and rained lightly to moderately for hours. The remote for the TV didn't work last night so this morning I took the back off and switched the batteries around and surprisingly it started working. I would guess the batteries weren't seated properly. Of course, once the electricity went off it didn't matter anyway. We went to the restaurant for dinner around 4:45 and had delicious chef salads with marinated chicken. The chef had to work by candlelight in a very dark kitchen with no windows and did a good job. We also had pie, chocolate for me and pecan for Shirley. It doesn't sound like the electricity will be on before sometime in the night at the earliest. We talked to the teenage waitress for quite a while. Her grandmother owns the restaurant. She was amazed we rode our bikes from Austin. It was raining again when we left the restaurant. Shirley borrowed some 409 from the motel to clean her pad today.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011	Day 29	48.9 - 1242.9	RT: 5:07	9:55 - 3:45

5 Miles S. of Stewart, TN	Southernaire Motel	$50.00 - 588.89	Avg: 9.5	Max: 36.0

The electricity never came back on so I went to bed at 8:30 last night. Unfortunately a semi spent all night next to the parking lot with its engine running. When we got up there were six semis. We got up at 6:40 and went to the restaurant for breakfast. I had the special of eggs, ham, and home fries plus biscuit. Shirley had a Western Omelette. It was sunny, but cold at 40º. I started im my two long sleeves, jacket, tights, and gloves. After a while I took my jacket off. I even wore my ear band for the first time this trip. We stopped to eat just before Waverly. As we entered Waverly we passed a Freds which was a good food store in Centerville the other day. This one had a very tiny food section. We did buy Ramen, cookies, and nuts. We decided we needed a different store. We found one about 1.5 miles past our turn. It wasn't as good as we hoped. There were no big yogurts so we got milk. I couldn't find granola. I did get brown rice. By the time we left Waverly it was after noon. We did see some damage from yesterday's storm. Lots of tree debris and an old looking building with its roof missing. There were lots of hills and it was still cold. I did get my tights off just out of Waverly. Later I got my shirt off and it felt good uphill, but cold on the downhills. The roads were a bit rough and with the hills it was slow going. We got to smoother roads and less steep hills after about 13 miles, but we still didn't arrive at Hwy 147 about 5 miles from Stewart, TN until 3:40. We decided not to go another 18 miles to the forest service CG we had planned to go to, so we checked out the motel/restaurant that had camping. Unfortunately, there wasn't a restroom except in the restaurant that was closed from 8:30 PM to 7:30 AM. So we finally decided to get a room for $50. Shirley noticed the restaurant had an all you could eat buffet so we decided to eat there. First, though, Shirley changed her tire as she noticed most of the tread was gone. Then we took showers. At the restaurant we had catfish, fiddlers, hush puppies, chicken, kielbasa, salad, and several deserts plus a few other things. When we left I was starting to feel a bit over stuffed as everything settled. Shirley had ice cream and got cold so we turned the heat on for a while.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011	Day 30	40.2 - 1283.1	RT: 4:09	7:40 - 2:20

Between the Lakes Natl Rec Area	Rushing Creek CG	$4.50 - 593.39	Avg: 9.7	Max: 38.5

I forgot to mention I saw a couple of otters yesterday. We came upon an old barn in a lagoon. I took a picture and Shirley went on. As I was getting ready to leave I noticed something swimming and go into a mound on a log. Then another one came and swam all the way to the shore closest to me, while making little squeaking noises. It sure looked like an otter to me. After watching some TV last night I finally found some music channels so we listened to malt shop oldies. We got up about 6:40 to a sunny day. I had my cold gear out, but when I went out decided I didn't need my ear band or heavy gloves. We were off at 7:40 and within a mile I took my heavy long sleeves off. I was still hot going uphill and cool downhill. The road was good, but hilly with light traffic. After a few miles I took my long socks off. A little after 11:00 we got down to shorts and jersey. I had already taken my tights off earlier. In Dover we found a Piggly Wiggly about 1/4 mile before our turn to Land Between the Lakes. It was a good store with yogurt and expensive name brand granola type cereal. Fuji apples were on sale for 99¢ per pound. We managed to spend $28. Traffic in the Land Between the Lakes road seemed to come in strings of 5-7 cars. The road is on land between lakes on the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers formed by a dam down stream. After debating we finally decided to go to the Rushing Creek CG about 3 miles off route. The other option was Wrangler CG which also has horse stables. The CG may have been wonderful, but we didn't want to chance it smelling like horses. The next camp ground was another 25 (plus or minus) miles and possibly on a busy road. It was, of course, hilly to the CG. We got in around 2:15. We may be the only ones who are not seasonal. There are 2 in our little loop and 3 in the other loop. We selected our site because it had a nice spot and was a lot less windy than the other sites. We took showers in a roofless little building. Good thing it was warm and sunny. I forgot to shave and had to go back later. I also washed my dry bag and stove bags when I showered since the frozen vegies I've carried during this trip have leaked several times. I now carry them in a zip lock bag that Shirley provided this morning.

Thursday, April 7, 2011	Day 31	54.7 - 1337.8	RT: 4:55	8:05 - 3:10

Birdsville, KY	Birdsville RV & CG (cabin)	$36.40 - $629.79	Avg: 11.1	Max: 33.5

It was very dark and very quiet last night. We got up to a warm and sunny morning. It was nearly 60º when I got around to looking. We started in our long sleeves, but the first hill proved we should have started in short sleeves. I took my long sleeves off after 2.5 miles when we got back to the highway. Traffic was very low for the first 1.5 - 2 hours. It was hilly and warm. We stopped at the visitor center at the north end of the recreation area and Shirley got a weather forecast. It's for pretty good weather the next 3 days with a slight chance of isolated thunder storms. When we got to Grand River we followed the sign to the business district and simply did a loop by some houses and came back out to the highway. There was a bike shop in a shopping center across the highway so we stopped to see if Shirley could get an offset seat post since her new seat doesn't go back far enough. It turned out it was a quite large and good bike shop which surprised us since the town only has 300 residents. They didn't have one, but found one on somebody's bike. The female mechanic was going around measuring all the seat posts. She swapped posts with Shirley and charged $30 for labor. Traffic was heavier with no shoulder into Smithland. We found a grocery and bought the few items we needed for about $5.50. We continued on to Birdsville and had a quiet road for the last 3 miles. When we got to our intended CG it appeared to be closed. A lady across the street called to us and said they were closed because of bad flooding from the Ohio River up to about two weeks ago. She asked if we wanted a cabin and called the owner who was at "the farm". She said she was on the way here. After about 40 minutes or so the owner showed up. They actually live here. She showed us a $25 and a $35 cabin. The $35 cabin was a bit larger and had a table. We decided to take it since the table would be nice. Shirley figures we gave them $10 for letting us stay. The men's bathroom had a leaky sink pipe and the sink was on the floor. The owner said since we were the only ones here I could use the women's bathroom. After showers, one at a time unfortunately, we had dinner. A couple large barges of coal went down the river while Shirley showered. Several more barges went by as the evening progressed. We ate outside and sat on the rocking chairs on the porch until dark. We walked down to the CG and it is very sandy. The bank obviously eroded as one tree had been uprooted and is leaning on another tree. A third tree has about 2 feet of its roots visible. You can see where the lanes have been plowed and the site pads have been plowed free of sand.

Friday, April 8, 2011	Day 32	40.4 - 1378.2	RT: 3:42	8:00 - 2:30

Cave In Rock, IL	Cave In Rock SP	Free - $629.79	Avg: 10.9	Max: 40.0

The barges ran all night apparently, although they aren't as bothersome as car traffic. We got up around 6:40 and had breakfast after going to the restroom. The restroom was quite warm as the lady had turned on the heat. I turned it down when I went in. It was quite cloudy this morning so I only sun screened my face and kept my rain gear out. It was already 65º when we left so we were in shorts and jersey. After a couple miles we had a very steep hill, the steepest of the trip. We had a couple more steep hills during the day, but mostly not. Traffic was very low and the roads good. We also had a nice tail wind again. At Tolu we had a break on a bench in the shade of the fire department. Some guy in a pickup came by to talk. He told us of a couple Kiwis who came through and he gave them several beers. Another couple of younger guys stayed in an old trailer he has and used his swimming pool. Later they sent his son a t-shirt with his name and their route on it. After another 8 miles we took the ferry across the Ohio River to Cave In Rock, IL. We asked a guy in a wheel chair about a store and he said it was out on Hwy 1 & 146, about 2 miles away. So, it was off to the store. There was an uphill to the junction and we didn't see a store anywhere. We looked down 146 and didn't see anything that looked like a grocery. We continued up the hill a couple hundred feet to a pullout. I disconnected BOB and road up the hill a little farther and didn't see anything. On the way back we stopped and looked down 146 again and noticed a building with cars. I could see gas pumps and an old faded sign that looked like it said groceries. It was the store. We ended up buying and eating a pizza for $7.50. I decided that was dinner even though it was only 1:00. Shirley bought a can of vegies and we got a bottle of milk. We rode back to Cave In Rock and went to the SP. There was a steep hill into the CG and an even steeper hill to the tent section. The RV section has lots of flat sites with grass. The tent section is very hilly with no grass. We finally selected a site and found a good leafy spot for the tent. It's not too far from the restroom (pit toilet) and a water faucet. Unfortunately, the water faucet doesn't work. We walked back down to an RV site to fill our water bottles. We quickly drank a quart each since the pizza made us very thirsty. Shirley went to the lodge not very for away in hopes of a laundry, but to no avail. She rode over to the shower house to wash some clothes. It was 4:00 by the time she was done and I went to wash a few clothes. About 5:00 we walked the 1/4 mile to the lodge for a great view up and down the river. We followed the road to the Cave in Rock. It went in maybe 100 feet. Unfortunately it was a bit muddy inside so our shoes were a bit muddy. We pounded them on concrete and used a stick to clean them. Back in camp Shirley ate her can of beets and I ate my last lunch bagel for dinner. The shower design was terrible. There was a tiny wall protecting the bench from the spray. The entire floor got wet. It got up to at least 85º today and at 7:00 was still 75º. Shirley found a tick on the tent and a couple inside.

Saturday, April 9, 2011	Day 33	64.9 - 1443.1	RT: 7:02	8:30 - 5:45

Goreville, IL	Ferne Clyfe SP	$8.00 - 637.79	Avg: 92.	Max: 38.5

We got up at our normal 6:40 to a cloudy, but once again warm day of 65º. By the time we ate and packed the sky to the South and West was getting dark and we could hear thunder. I put my rack pack and handlebar bag covers on. We decided to go sit in the picnic shelter in the RV section and see if the storm would blow over. We got in the shelter at 7:45. It got really dark and the lighting was very close a couple of times. Around 8:00 it started raining and then the wind picked up and it rained really hard for 10 minutes or so. We had to put our rain coats on because of the blowing rain. By 8:30 it had passed on and we put our rain gear away and started riding to a clearing sky. The roads were still pretty wet. Not far out of Cave In Rock the hills started and we had a headwind. Traffic was very low and it was a lovely ride in spite of the hills. Just before we reached hwy 146, after about 9 miles, we passed a yard with all sorts of lawn ornaments and cute signs such as "Free weeds - you pick". Next to a bench was a "Bicycle Rest Stop" sign. Too bad it wasn't time for a break yet. Hwy 146 was a little busier going into Elizabethtown. We stopped at a convenience store for bananas and I got a brownie and Shirley got a package of mint chocolate cookies. The only thing that went with us was some of the cookies. Traffic was heavier for about 6 miles until Hwy 34 took off. The hills continued and the headwind continued. We finally got to the turnoff to Eddyville and had another break. We had a bit of a tailwind to Eddyville for 10 miles. It was hot on the hills which continued with one fairly long steep hill. The road signs appeared to have GPS coordinates on them in UTM and KM. We had hoped for a market at Eddyville, but it was closed and not just for the day. We continued on, but Shirley needed water so when we saw a guy sitting on his porch we asked if we could get some water. He filled our bottles from an outside faucet. We talked with him for a while and he was a very interesting guy. He sounded liberal in that he thought the government should have been working on alternative fuels since the 1973 embargo. We finally headed off since we still had 30 miles to go and it was 2:00. The hills finally eased off a bit and we had less headwind. We had really good pavement and starting before Eddyville were bike route signs marking the Trans America trail. This was good because after the town of Simpson our directions said turn right on unsigned Simpson Road. The road was actually signed, but with a different name. Fortunately, there was a bike route sign indicating we should turn, and Shirley only hesitated a few seconds. We had a couple more hills and when we passed a horse camp at 3:45 we briefly considered stopping, but pushed on. It was easy for a while, but the last 3 miles to t\I-24 were hilly and into the wind again. We stopped for canned vegies and milk. The only vegies were creamed corn which I got and 3 bean salad which Shirley got. The only small milk was chocolate so we got that. It was then 3.15 miles to the SP and a few more hills. The SP had a small hill to the CG about a mile away. We went to the RV section first to get water and talk to the host. They said it was $20 in the RV section and $8 in the primitive camping section and no way were they letting us stay in the RV section. He assured us there would be water in the tent section. So down, and down being the key word, to the tent section we went, 1.2 miles from the showers. We took the first site which is lovely and near the water and outhouse. There is a large flat tent pad with tiny crushed rock. We set the tent up and then went to take showers since it was already 6:00. The showers were a bit cool, but gradually warmed to tolerable about the time I was done. By the time we got started on dinner it was after 7:00 and dark by the time we finished and got all settled. Shirley found a few more ticks this morning, but so far it seems we escaped getting any attached. When Shirley asked this evening the host lady said there are ticks everywhere due to the warm weather. It was at least 85º today and still 75º when it got dark.

Sunday, April 10, 2011	Day 34	42.3 - 1485.4	RT: 4:20	7:35 - 3:30

Murphysboro, IL	Best Value Inn	$55.00 - $692.79	Avg: 9.7	Max:36.0

It was warm again this morning and we got up a bit earlier at 6:20. Once again it was 65º. We were ready to leave at 7:30, but Shirley wanted to stop at the boy scouts camp and ask about a sporting goods store in Carbondale to get seam seal. The guy said Dick's on Hwy 13 just as you come into Carbondale from the East was good. We headed out at 7:35. The climb out of camp wasn't as bad as I feared although it was definitely a low gear hill. The store in Goreville didn't open until 9:00 and it was only 8:10 when we went by which was OK since Carbondale wasn't that for away. It was pretty breezy, but we had enough trees it wasn't too bad. The roads were very quiet. At one point we went North for 5 miles on a very hilly road. The tail wind was so hard that I easily made it up all but the last hill. I had to slow down on the down hill before it because I could see dirt on the road and I wasn't sure how bad it was. I decided I should try to call Jenny before they left for church since Shirley has been bugging me to ask her to check the Missouri River and see if it is flooded even though it won't tell us anything because I don't think she lives near a section that floods. I didn't get an answer on her phone and Nathan's number didn't even ring. We went through a wild life area and a sign indicated we were supposed to have a pass to be on the road. At a trail head in the wild life area we stopped for a snack. Two guys returned to their car from mushroom hunting. Shirley asked them about a sporting goods store and they agreed Dick's was good. We decided to follow the route until the Carbondale bypass and then continue into Carbondale and Hwy 13. We rode maybe 5 extra miles on a busy 2 lane with no shoulder and came out right at the Walmart and Dick's. We went to Walmart and bought $51 worth of food and eye drops. We went to Dick's and Shirley bought 2 tubes of seam seal. The wind was really blowing hard by the time we came out of Walmart. Things kept trying to blow away. When we headed toward Murphysboro we decided to backtrack a mile or two to a bike route going West toward the University of Souther Illinois which our bypass route went around. The bike route ended before actually reaching the University so we got on the sidewalk. Shirley was having a very bad time because of the side wind. It was pretty obvious we would be staying indoors tonight. As is often the case Shirley's sense of direction and common sense goes out the window when traffic gets bad and/or it's windy. I managed to get us to and through the University and came out right at our detour route as I knew we would by looking at the map. We stopped at the last building in the University and had a long break because Shirley was frazzled. The ride to Murphysboro was quite pleasant except for the wind. We even saw a horse and buggy. The last 4-5 miles were heading North so were easy. We skipped the last bit of our bypass route which would have taken us further West and closer to the state park. As usual, in Murphysboro we didn't know which way to go to find a motel. We finally were able to see one to the East so we went there. It was closed for remodeling, but a guy pointed out a motel just down the road where we managed to get a room. We finally decided to try to seam seal the tent behind a fence, hoping it would block the wind. Unfortunately, it was still windy and only about half of the seam seal looks like it should. Even more unfortunate, most of the bad part is on Shirley's side. After showers we walked back to the first motel and a Hardees. I had 4 double cheeseburgers and Shirley had a Thick Burger and a shake. We were plenty full. I called Jenny tonight to see if she knew anything about flooding on the Katy Trail. She doesn't. We were unable to use the motel phone since the line was dead. I used 17 minutes on our cell phone.

Monday, April 11, 2011	Day 35	0 - 1485.4

Murphysboro, IL	Best Value Inn	$55.00 - $747.79

It started raining hard about 4:00 this morning, and continued raining all day at various levels of strength. We got up late and decided to stay the day. Shirley tried calling an 800 number to get info on the Katy Trail, but the phone still didn't work. She called the office and the manager came to the room and eventually got it working. Shirley called the number and from the info it sounds like the Katy Trail is doable. I tried calling Jenny via our calling card, but again the line was dead. I called the office and he said he would do something and I should try again. It worked. I got Jenny's voice mail and told her we would be doing the Katy Trail and visit her. We watched lots of house remodeling on HGTV, read, and did puzzles. Around 4:00 it wasn't raining so I went for a walk. I stopped at the library, but they wanted $3.00 for 1/2 hour. I said it was too expensive. I stopped at Subway and got sandwiches. It was raining lightly when I came out, but I didn't really get wet coming home. After dinner Shirley went to the gas station for milk. She also got more coffee and sugar from the manager for tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011	Day 36	40.8 - 1526.2	4:10	7:45 - 1:00

Chester, IL	Fraternal Order of Eagles Cyclist Cabin	Free - $747.79	Avg:9.7	Max: 30

We got up to a nice sunny day although it was only about 53º. We started in tights, long sleeves, and gloves at 7:45. We had an option of a hilly route or a much flatter route to Chester. The flatter route ended up with a 10 mile stretch on Hwy 3 which was reported to be shoulderless with coal trucks. We chose the flatter route. There were a couple little hills getting out of Murphysboro and then we had miles of flat farmland. Unfortunately, we had a head wind for much of it. The roads were very quiet with almost no cars. It was just cold enough with the wind that it was just right going downhill with the long clothes, but a bit warm on the few uphills. Approaching Cora we saw piles of coal and a coal train as well as a conveyor belt to a dock on the river. When we got to Hwy 3 at Cora, IL we took our tights and long sleeves off. It was plenty warm by then. Hwy 3 indeed did not have a shoulder, but we had very little traffic and even fewer trucks until we reached the Chester city limits. There were several barges docked along the river. In Chester there were lots of coal trucks, but most were going the other way. Shirley had written down that the free cyclist cabin was at the Elks, so when we asked a county sheriff where it was he had a little trouble since it was really the Eagles. He did point us in the right direction, though. We crossed Hwy 3 on a side street and since it only said Hwy 3 we weren't sure if it was Hackert which was mentioned in our instructions. We asked again and the person corrected us about the lodge being the Eagles and not the Elks. A young lady from the Eagles bar showed us the cabin, rest rooms, and showers. Unfortunately, when we tried the rest rooms and showers the rest rooms were locked. I got a key (which was actually just a piece of wire to stick in a hole on the knob) and opened the rest room. The men's toilet looked like someone used it 3 months ago and never flushed it. The women's was a bit better, but neither had water. We also discovered the showers didn't have water either. I inquired in the bar and was told they would see about turning on the water. We got ready to go to the laundromat after eating and on the way Shirley stopped to use the toilet in the bar and was told a message had been left for someone to turn on the water. We went the 1/2 mile or more to the laundromat. After getting the laundry started I went to the store which was a good mile away from the laundromat. I had a bit of trouble finding it since I misunderstood the directions and went the wrong way at first. I got food and went back to the laundromat although I considered going to the cabin first since it was closer. I should have since Shirley was already done with the laundry and back at the cabin. Since today is Shirley's birthday I went to ask about the toilets again since they still did not have water. I was told there would not be any water. She said they were planning to work on them this coming weekend. There had been a sewer backup and that was why they were in bad shape. The bar is open until 1:00 AM so we have a toilet until then. The problem is in the morning when it doesn't open until 9:00. I bought Shirley a piece of cheesecake and strawberries for her birthday treat. After that Shirley wasn't real hungry, but since we had frozen vegies we bought in Carbondale 2 days ago (fortunately the motel had a fridge) she ate her share of vegies and 1/2 of a Ramen. It's good we're in the little cabin a ways from the bar due to rap music and cars arriving and leaving. They even put the cabin pretty far from the lodge. The light switch in the cabin doesn't work so we have to turn the light on by screwing in the bulb. There is a lamp clamped to the upper bunk, but it points onto the upper bunk so it isn't very useful for reading. We put our bags on the middle bunk of 3 bunks and plan to sleep on the bottom bunks. Every time I bend over to get something from my bag I bump my head on the top bunk.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011	Day 37	47.8 - 1574.0	4:47	8:00 - 2:40

Farmington, MO	Al's Place Transamerica Trail Inn (hostel)	$40.60 - $788.39	Avg:9.9	Max:39.5

It was 6:50 by the time we got up this morning. I walked up to the bar to see if the door was by any chance open. It wasn't. After packing a few things and getting ready for breakfast I took a plastic grocery bag behind the cabin to the fence enclosed space and pooped in the bag. That way I didn't need to rush. Shirley, however, held out for a bathroom so she was in a hurry by the time we left at 8:00. We did a good job of coming out on Hwy 3 right at the gas station. Shirley almost got run over parking her bike, but didn't even notice as she was in too big a hurry for the toilet. We started in tights and long sleeves, but no long gloves. There was a downhill to the bridge across the Mississippi River and my hands got cold. After crossing the bridge I had to stop to put my long gloves on. The bridge crossing was very calm. Hwy 51 in Missouri had a wide shoulder. The first couple miles were nice, although someone had to honk at us. We then turned onto U which had no shoulder. At first there was a bit of traffic apparently due to a plant of some sort, but it thinned after a couple miles. We stopped to take our long clothes off since we now had a bit of a tail wind and after being flat we saw the first of the day's hills coming up. After St. Marys we got on some very quiet, but hilly roads. We stopped at a fire station for our first break after 20 miles and a church for a second break after 33 miles. We were needing water so we stopped at a winery/brewery for water. There was a huge restaurant with no one in it. The lady said the road from there was less hilly and there were only two big hills. It was indeed flatter, but I wonder which of the 6-7 hills she considered the two hills. There was what Shirley said was a free hostel in Farmington so we called the police department for the address and access code. When we got there it was an old, small jail that has been converted to a hostel. Some workers who are prepping the outside for painting were just finishing up. The hostel is upstairs and the bikes stay downstairs in a locked room. There are bunks for 14 and we got towels and sheets. There is a real bathroom with showers, a kitchen with hot plate and microwave, and two large couches in a large common area. Unfortunately, it is not free, but $20 per person. Shirley is in 7th heaven, though. On the other hand I would have gone another 7 miles to a State park to camp if I had known. We went to the store and bought baked potatoes, sour cream, and salad for dinner. Since I didn't think that was enough I also bought some brownies which we ate first. The potatoes came out perfect. We found soap and shampoo for a shower. There is a computer, but the internet access doesn't work and it says the network did not assign an address to the computer. This is very nice since we have it to ourselves, but it would be crowed if full. The mayor and some other guy came to visit for a little bit. We heard them at the door, but they had forgotten the code. By the time we went to let them in they had gone back down the stairs and just talked from there.

Thursday, April 14, 2011	Day 38	67.5 - 1641.5	6:38	7:40 - 5:05

Meramac SP (Sullivan, MO.)	Meramac SP CG	$13.00 - $801.39	Avg: 10.1	Max: 39.5

We got up at 6:30 this morning to another sunny day. By the time we ate, packed, and cleaned a little it was 7:40 when be left. We went by a school and traffic was heavy with parents dropping their kids off. After that it wasn't too bad through town except for crossing one busy street. When we crossed Hwy 61 there was a very steep hill ahead of us. A bike route sign pointed left and a smaller sign indicated a TH straight ahead. According to our directions we still had a mile or so to go before the bike path. Just as I took off to go up the hill Shirley asked a guy in a truck. He said something like "That road don't go nowhere. There's only a bike path up there." Which, of course, is what we wanted. Before hitting the really steep part I stopped to take my tights and long sleeves off since I was getting hot. The bike path to St. Joe SP was nice and through the woods.. After the park we had pretty flat and very quiet roads most of the way to the first turn some 15 miles away. We almost missed a turn, actually we did, but Shirley stopped to take her long sleeves off and after I looked at the map and directions I noticed we just missed our turn to Old Bismarck. The last 4 miles into Bismarck were on a busy Hwy 32 with a wide, but falling apart shoulder. After a break in Bismarck we continued on to Potosi. Hwy U was very quiet and mostly not too hilly. We felt like we had left Missouri. It was only noon when we got into Bismarck so we decided to do another 30-35 miles to Merimac SP. We stopped at a store in Potosi which was right on route. Immediately after we turned onto Hwy 185 the hills began. Traffic was a bit heavy at first, but soon died out. We had a nice tail wind so it could have been worse. After 10 miles the hills got less frequent and less steep, but there were still enough. According to our map we thought the SP camping was a couple miles after the Merimac River, but just after crossing the river we saw the Visitor Center and decided we better inquire. The Visitor Center closed at 4:30 and it was just past that. Fortunately, there were two guys in the parking lot and indeed the CG was on the road from the Visitor Center. It went back under the bridge across the Meramac and then, much to our dismay, up a steep hill and then down the other side to the CG for a total of about 3 miles. The CG is practically empty which is good since the sites are close. One other tenter is here and has a fire which occasionally blows our way. The person who drives around to make sure everyone pays said a slow moving storm will arrive around 3:00 this morning with possible hard, strong winds, and tornados. He was concerned that we knew where shelter was in case a tornado developed. We well see what we get.

Friday, April 15, 2011	Day 39	46.7 - 1688.2	4:28	9:00 - 2:00

Washington, MO.	American Inn	$50.00 - $851.39	Avg: 10.2	Max: 37

It started raining about 4:15 this morning. We put the ground cloth up as a shield which kept the drips out of our faces. The tent, however, leaked badly and the floor was quite wet. We didn't get any strong wind or close thunder and lightning, though. It stopped before we got up at 7:00. We packed everything and rode over the hill to the picnic shelter for breakfast. By the time we were on the road it was 8:30. Going into Sullivan wasn't too bad. It would have been really lovely without the traffic. The Adventure Cycling directions were wrong in Sullivan, but from the map we actually managed to get on the correct unsigned road. Most of the riding today was on quiet roads that weren't overly hilly. Most of the hills weren't real gut busters even when they were low gear hills. It was cloudy most of the day with periods of sun. We had a lunch break about 10 miles from Washington and it was the sunniest all day. We then got on a busy Hwy A with little to no shoulder into Washington for the last 6 miles or so. We could see dark clouds moving in behind us and we tried to hurry. Shirley isn't very good at sprinting and kept getting too far behind me.. Only one person yelled something at us for holding them up. Some of the strings of traffic got pretty long if someone was too cautious to pass. We made it into town, but weren't sure where the motel was so we had to ask. I hurriedly got an answer as the first drops of rain fell. We spotted an old gas station which is now an auto repair shop. The covers over the old pumps were still there so we quickly pulled in under one just as it really started to rain hard. A couple lightning strikes were real close and the thunder was immediate and very loud. We were getting wet from the blowing rain and a guy in the office motioned for us to come inside so we did. It rained really hard and hailed a bit for 10-15 minutes. When it quit we continued on wet roads toward the motel which was 1.5-2 miles away. It sprinkled a couple times briefly. We got to the motel and got a 2 bed room since that was all they had in non-smoking even though there isn't anyone else here. The room is very crowded and it took us a while to figure out where to put everything which was OK since the bikes and BOBs needed time to drip dry. The Weather Channel had all kinds of severe weather warnings, but mostly toward St. Louis from us. After a while I decided to go find some milk for breakfast. The lady at the office said a store was a mile away. It was a long mile, probably more like two and I finally found a convenience store. There was a shopping mall further along, but I figured I had gone fare enough. I bought a bottle of milk and 2 small packages of cookies for tomorrow. I got back to the room at 5:30. We then went a block to Pizza Hut. The waitress tried too hard to please and to push items on us, and it was Friday night loud. We have two slices left for tomorrow and were glad to get out of there. I apparently didn't bring the map of how to get to Jenny's so I guess we will have to call them tomorrow to pick us up somewhere.

Saturday, April 16, 2011	Day 40	33.2 - 1721.4	3:27	8:00 - 12:15

St. Peters, MO	Jenny's House	Free - $851.39	Avg: 9.6	Max: 18.4

It rained a bit last night and we got up to a very cloudy and cool day. I started in my tights and long sleeves under my rain gear, head band, and gloves. Before long I realized I didn't need my tights or my rain coat. The bridge across the Missouri didn't have much traffic, but it did have a strong side wind. After we got across the bridge I stopped to take my rain coat off. We had about 3.5 miles into Dutzow with a strong head to side wind. Traffic was heavy and it was not fun. We then got on the Katy Trail and had a good tailwind. It was so nice not having any cars. Unfortunately, it was cold. My hands got pretty cold off and on and I would tuck them inside my pants. Yet, I had to take my rain pants off as I was getting hot. There wasn't anyone out on the trail for a long time and then we started seeing a few runners, mostly women. We stopped at a few of the trail heads, mainly for the toilet and to eat. We didn't do any sight seeing as it was cold and we knew we would come back this way. We got to Green Bottoms TH around 12:15 and decided that was the closest to Jenny's so we called. She said Nathan would be there shortly. It was about 1:05 when he arrived and I was just getting ready to call him. We saw him drive by the entrance to the TH, but then slow down and come back. I was shocked to see how fat he has gotten. When we got to their house I was surprised how fat Jenny is getting too. Kevin is still very thin. Jenny gave us their bedroom and she and Nathan crowded in with Kevin's boys. We protested, but not very strongly. We should have been more forceful. After changing we went down to meet everyone. Later we went shopping with Jenny and Nathan for pillows and food. We set up our tent to dry while Nathan cooked hot dogs and hamburgers. Donna and Ron came over for dinner and later in the evening Amanda came over after work. We also went to a kids movie "Gnomio and Juliet". Most of us missed a lot of the dialog because the sound was terrible. The room was bad acoustically and the sound system was turned up too high We stayed up to after 11:30.

Sunday, April 17, 2011	Day 41	0 - 1721.4

St. Peters, MO	Jenny's House	Free - $851.39

We got up at 7:30 today expecting everyone else to be up for church. Instead, no one else was up. It was quite a while before Nathan got up and even longer for anyone else. Nathan was on call for work so didn't got to church so while everyone else was at church he took us to Dick's Sporting Goods to look at tents. We didn't see anything we wanted. However, we did marvel over golf clubs for up to $500 for one club. We had left overs for lunch and in the afternoon Jenny drove us to Brentwood to an REI store. We bought a new tent which weighs 6 lbs 11 ozs. It's orange unfortunately, but it does have 2 doors and one is more likely to get in without rain getting in. Hopefully we'll like it. For dinner Jenny took all of us to dinner at a pizza place. The 5 of us devoured a 20" pepperoni pizza. I think Nathan and Ethan were disappointed we shared their pizza. We feel we did them a favor since they are fat. I also bought new fenders at REI. It took way to long to put them on. The new fenders are good for up to 700x35c tires. My rear tire is a 38c so I had to switch my front and rear tires in order to put the new rear fender on. I also had trouble getting the stays and nut on with a slightly new design. I was hungry and irritated by the time I finished. I was disappointed to learn Jenny wanted to go out. Just as we sat down to eat Donna texted Jenny to say she wanted to take us to breakfast tomorrow. She gave us the option of IHOP or Denny's at 8:00-8:15. We chose the IHOP. We said OK. Jenny said we should drive ourselves to the restaurant tomorrow. She then drove us to the restaurant on the way home so we would know the way. Back at their house we played video games with Ethan. We weren't very good at the shooting games. Once again it was after 11:30 when we got to bed.

Monday, April 18, 2011	Day 42	32.3 - 1753.7	RT 3:09	12:30 - 4:00

Marthasville, MO	City Park	$10.00 - $861.39	Avg:10.2	Max: 13.7

We heard someone get up at 6:30, but when we got up at 7:00 we found Nathan gone and everybody else in bed. We sat around hoping Jenny would get up so we could get the keys to the truck. At 7:50 we called Donna to see if she could pick us up. Of course, right after we did that Jenny came downstairs although she wasn't really awake yet. She gave us the keys and a map she had printed and said she would call Donna and tell her we were on our way. The map started at the first turn and we weren't sure which way we should go. We went the wrong way. It didn't take long to realize that and after that all went well and we got to IHOP at 8:15. Donna was waiting and talking to Jenny. Prices were higher than I expected and I wished we had gone to Denny's. I had chocolate chip pancakes and Shirley had an omelette which to her surprise came with 3 pancakes. I ate them as well. Surprisingly, conversation went easy with Donna. She had to go to class, but it was 10:20 by the time we got out of there. Back at Jenny's we packed and loaded the truck. Jenny baked us some cookies so we had to wait for them to cool before we could leave. We told Jenny and Kevin and Sarah they must have told the kids we were ogres and we would eat them if they were noisy since they really were good while we were there. We forgot to buy sun screen yesterday so we stopped at Walmart on the way to the TH and I ran in to buy some. By the time we finally took off it was 12:30. It was quite warm and we had a tailwind. There were quite a few day cyclists out. Almost all of the THs indicated there was water, but we could never find any. We thought about staying at Klondike Park, but since it was so nice and it was less than 20 miles we continued on to Marthasville, where we found a flush toilet and water. We noticed our map indicated it was provided by the park service while all the others were by the community. Riding was a lot more pleasurable today. At Marthasville we could see the ball park and a shelter. Since Jenny and Sarah told us it would shower today Shirley wanted to stay in the shelter. When we got over there it was apparent people were gathering for ball practice. Shirley talked to someone and was told there was hot showers and we could camp anywhere for $5.00 each. We went across the road from the ball park and found a table and lots of grass. A woman talked to us and said where we were was actually a city park and separate from the ball park, but it was OK. After setting up the tent Shirley went to take a shower. Of course, there was no hot water. When she came back I went. There was no place to put anything except a hook outside the shower stall. The water wasn't super cold, but definitely not warm. Back at camp we had dinner and before long it was dark. I went over to the Katy Trail restroom to poop since the ball park restroom closed when practice was over. Someone had thrown the 2 rolls of TP in the toilet in one of the stalls. Fortunately, the other one was OK. Unfortunately, it was dark in the toilet and I didn't notice the rolls in the toilet until after I pooped. Fortunately I had some TP in my pocket. I was also able to pull the roll out of the toilet bowl so the toilet would flush. Just after Shirley returned from the toilet it started raining lightly. The new tent has lots of head room since it doesn't slant at all, but it doesn't have quite the floor space, or not arranged the same anyway. Both our BOB bags fit in the end of the tent. My other bags have to sit on my BOB bag, at least for now. I may try putting them on the side by my feet. We left our old tent at Jenny's for Ethan to play with, or for them to get rid of if desired. I saw three small snakes today. They appeared to be little garter snakes.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011	Day 43	53.0 - 1806.7	RT: 5:38	9:40 - 5:50

Tebbets, MO	Turner Katy Trail Hostel	$10.00 - $871.39	Avg: 9.4	Max: 12.8

It didn't rain much last night before we went to bed. However, during the night a thunderstorm moved through with lots of lightning and hail. Unfortunately a rear peg came loose and the wind blew rain under the fly on my side. It all finally ended around 4:15. We didn't get up until 7:50. We packed up and rode over to the TH for breakfast. The PO was open by then so Shirley sent home a package including my new front fender and some stays. By the time we ate and were ready to go it was 9:40. The trail was in pretty good shape for the rain, but it was softer than yesterday. Eventually the sun came out and it was quite warm. We didn't travel very fast and by noon we had only gone about 20 miles. Looking at the map we decided we should go anther 30 miles to Tebbetts and see if the hostel was there and if not go another 13 miles to North Jefferson for a motel. The trail gradually dried out and we decided we should ride a little faster. In Bluffman we came upon a CG with cabins. We thought about staying there, but called the Tebbetts hostel via a couple phone calls and learned it really was there. By the time we got to Portland, 15 miles from Tebbetts we had a head wind and it was starting to cloud up. We met Tammy, a woman from New Mexico who is checking out the Katy Trail for leading a trip for Adventure Cycling. We told her to come stay in the hostel. She has a car and go anywhere she wants. Since the forecast is bad she said she would. After eating we continued on. We still had 9 miles to go when it started raining hard. We hid under a bridge until it stopped. It started raining a mile or so after, but not for long. By Mokane it was sunny, but we could hear thunder and see cark clouds to the South. Fortunately it didn't rain any more. The hostel was easy to find and the key was on the utility pole as promised. We had trouble finding the light, but eventually read the rules close enough to find out the main switch is on the back wall. We got the bikes inside the shop and hung the tent up to dry on some ladders. Shirley took a shower without lights because it wouldn't turn on. When I took my shower I stood on a chair and twisted the tube and it came on. While I was showering Shirley washed her clothes. Tammy showed up at that time and couldn't get in, but found another key and finally got in. We ate dinner and then talked to Tammy. While talking I fixed lunch, got water and wrote in my diary.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011	Day 44	41.0 - 1847.7	RT: 4:35	9:10 - 4:15

Huntsdale, MO	Katfish Katy CG	$8.00 - $879.39	Avg: 9.0	Max: 15.3

We got up around 7:00 this morning when Tammy got up. We didn't have any milk or yogurt so we ate our cereal dry. We talked and packed slowly and it was 9:10 by the time we left. It was about 40 and I wore my two long sleeves, jacket, tights, ear band, and mittens and felt pretty comfortable. Several dogs greeted us and one puppy ran after us for quite a while. I stopped to chase it back and all it did was hunker down and cower. I finally sprinted off and eventually it gave up. It was cloudy and remained cold most of the day. The sun finally came out around 2:00 and I gradually got down to one long sleeve shirt and tights. We saw several bikers today including 6 touring cyclists. One tandem, 2 guys with backpacks, and 2 guys with panniers. Yesterday we didn't see any cyclist and only a couple people. We saw Tammy again at Hartsburg. She's in New Franklin, another 17 miles down the trail, tonight. We won't be seeing her again. We stopped at Jefferson for a break and I got pretty cold before we left again. It took a long time to warm up. We picked Huntsdale as our target today since it was 40 miles and the map said it had camping. At McBaine, 2 miles before Huntsdale, we found out the camping was Katfish Katy , which according to the internet comments was unreliable. It turned out to be a real CG and not just camping by the store as I thought. It was only $8 instead of the $15 indicated by my research. We had stopped in Easley at a campground/marina for food. We couldn't find anybody, but picked out 4 Ramen and 2 cans of corn. When the guy finally showed up it sounded like we took food from their larder. We asked about milk and he said he had a gallon, but maybe there was some canned milk. There was and we got a can. When we asked about the prices he put it to us. Shirley first said $5.00. He didn't seem too happy with that so we sent to $6.00. I also threw in the 30-40¢ I had. It certainly covered his cost, but may not have given him much profit. Good thing we got food there since that was the only store until here and there isn't anything here. The shower was good although the floor was a bit dirty. It's clouding up a bit now that the sun went down. The sun didn't set until 7:45. My tooth with my last crown hurt every time I drank today. Since getting to camp it has just been hurting and even more when I drink cold water. This is not good. We picked a bad spot to camp because our neighbor is a fire bug. He's been burning all the time and collecting more wood which he cuts with an electric chain saw even though he already has a big pile. He offered us some wood, but we declined. Unfortunately the wind shifted and is blowing most of the smoke our way.

Thursday, April 21, 2011	Day 45	61.7 - 1909.4	RT: 6:24	8:30 - 6:45

Sedalia, MO	Best Western Motel	$78.50 - $957.89	Avg: 9.6	Max: 29.0

The tent and grass were wet at 6:00 this morning when we got up to pee, but then the wind started and it was dry when we got up. It was chilly and cloudy, though. We were off at 8:30 and I wore both long sleeve shirts, jacket, tights, double socks, and ear band. Before too long the jacket came off. We passed a flock of turkey hens. In New Franklin we met a guy walking the trail. He said he was a fat couch potato until 2005. Since then he has ridden the Northern Tier and hiked the AT and PCT. We talked with him for a long time while sitting behind a toilet to get out of the wind and got cold. We found a store in Booneville and stocked up a bit. In Pilot Grove where I thought we would be camping it was cold and windy. While trying to decide whether to camp or go another 24 miles to Sedalia and a motel 3 guys showed up. They had started in Clinton today and hoped to go 100 miles and get to Huntsdale. They said it was supposed to rain tonight. We decided to go to Sedalia and set off at 3:15. We did the 12 miles to Clifton City in less than 1:10. It was really cloudy and I got ready for rain by putting pack covers on and booties on and getting rain gear handy. We headed off for Sedalia at 4:37. The rain caught us about 9 miles out, but it was gentle and only rained for a couple miles. It looked like we would make it to Sedalia, but then 3 miles out we got another shower. In Sedalia there was a detour around a missing section and then lots of city riding on the trail. At one spot we weren't sure where to go and it others it wasn't clear who had the right of way. We asked a guy about a motel and he finally told us the Best Western was on Hwy 65. When we got there we could see it about 1/4 mile away on a busy 4 lane with no shoulder. We had to walk the bikes down a steep hill to the road which took both of us. We started on a sort of sidewalk, but there were driveways cuts with bad curbs. Shirley started walking so I pulled around her, got in the road and got to the motel. She followed after a little bit. It's expensive at $75, but we do get breakfast. It was already 6:45 by the time we arrived. We watched the weather for a while. I had to urge Shirley to get moving to take a shower and go eat at Subway since she didn't want to cook. By the time we got back to the room amid a light rain it was 8:15. The weather sounds pretty wet for the next few days. During the day we passed a real cave with a stream coming out and a sign saying it was closed to protect bats. There was a goose on the bluff above the cave. We passed several geese on the trail and lots more on bays in the swamps alongside the trail

Friday, April 22, 2011	Day 46	0 - 1909.4

Sedalia, MO	Best Western Motel	$78.49 - 1036.38

Not much to say about today. We got up to very dark skies and rain. The forecast was for possible large hail. We went to breakfast which was a very filling buffet. After a lot of debate we finally decided to stay here another day. Of course, it gradually became a pretty good day with some sun and a little rain. I got on the computer for guests, but unfortunately the date was set at March, 2002. This caused problems with all secure web sites since the security certificates didn't work. Nobody could reset the date since a password was needed and the manager is gone until Monday. I had to override a lot of messages. We had several email. Kurt, Myra, Bob and Diane may come meet use in Colorado. I only had 3 pieces of fruit for lunch since I wasn't hungry after breakfast and we went back to Subway for dinner. Other than that it was reading and watching TV. Shirley also did laundry today.

Saturday, April 23, 2011	Day 47	44.3 - 1953.7	RT: 4:40	8:35 - 2:40

Clinton, MO	USA Inn	$55.75 - $1092.13	Avg: 9.5	Max: 30.5

We woke up to a mostly cloudy, but dry day. We went to breakfast and there were lots of people. I didn't eat as much as yesterday, but I still had a good amount. It was in the mid 50's so I started in tights, long sleeves, and long gloves. It was too warm for that and before long the gloves and tights came off. While we were adjusting clothes Shirley spotted a cute little owl in a tree. For a while the tail was very soft. It felt like I had 3 flat tires or my frame was broke. Fortunately the further we went it gradually got firmer. In Windsor we met a day cyclist who we talked with for a long time. While talking an Easter Parade went by. We easily got into Clinton, where we are leaving the Katy Trail, before 2:00. At the TH was a sign that said there was camping at the fair grounds and a map showing where it was. We went over there and found the rest rooms locked. I went into the swimming pool and the lady there called someone else. She was told we should use the bathrooms in the community center which closes at 5:00 and doesn't open again until Monday. We decided that wasn't viable so we went to a motel. After eating a bit and a quick drying of the tent we went to Walmart. Shirley got a map from the office and we had a nice route to the store, although not the most direct route. Coming back Shirley decided we should ride busy Hwy 13 since it had a shoulder and was much shorter. It wasn't near as pleasant, but was quicker. Shirley bought a 22oz tub of pudding, strawberries, and 14 oz brownies. We ate all but half the brownies. After showers we had dinner. Shirley only had her half of the vegies we bought 2 days ago. I cooked my half and 2 Ramen. This morning we heard a tornado had hit the St. Louis airport. I tried calling Donna around 7:00 PM since she lives about a mile from the airport and didn't get an answer. I tried calling Jenny and didn't get an answer there either. Later I called again and got an answer. Donna's house is OK. We got just a few drops of rain after riding 3.25 miles. After that it was dray all day.

Sunday, April 24, 2011	Day 48	54.0 - 2007.7	RT: 4:55	7:35 - 2:00

El Dorado Springs, MO	C H Motel	$40.00 - $1132.13	Avg: 10.9	Max: 35.0

Shirley was apparently in a hurry to leave today as she was up at 6:30. We went for our continental breakfast and each got a tiny cinnamon roll and a cup of O.J. We passed on the Cheerios and Froot Loops and went back to the room to eat the yogurt I've been carrying since before Sedalia and our cereal. It seemed to take a long time to get ready, but we were off at 7:35. The Weather Channel radar showed a band of rain approaching so I started in my booties and rain pants plus long sleeves and jacket. Soon my jacket came off. Traffic was very light and the road was gentle. It started raining lightly after 6.25 miles. When it started raining harder a couple miles later we took our long sleeves off and put our rain coats on. There were a couple of small hills before turning off Hwy 18. We were ready for a break after about 20 miles and came upon what looked like a church. We pulled into an old dilapidated metal garage with a broken door as it started raining harder. By the time we ate the rain had slacked off a bit. Since my gloves were wet my hands started getting cold when we started riding again. Luckily it quit raining and we hit a few hills and I warmed up. It continued hilly for a couple miles and then flat for a while into Appleton City. After that traffic was a little heavier, but still good. It got a bit warmer and I finally took my rain coat off about 10 miles from El Dorado Springs, but I should have done it much sooner. After another mile my rain pants and booties came off too. I put my long sleeves on when I took the rain coat off, but I didn't put my tights on. The Last 5 miles into El Dorado Springs was a bit more hilly, but not "Missouri Hilly". When we got to town we asked a couple young guys working on a car where motels were and one of them was very helpful. The one motel we knew about said No Vacancy. Luckily there was a second one the guy had told us about less than 1/4 mile away. We got a tiny room for $40, but by rearranging all the furniture we got everything inside. We relaxed and ate for a while, but since I was afraid the rain would move in again I was in a hurry to go to the store. Since Shirley wasn't I walked the 1/2 mile to the store. Shirley told me to buy junk food so I bought a big bag of cookies and some sliced cream cake. I also got strawberries plus our normal stuff. We ate the strawberries and some of the cake which was very good. After showers and a bit of TV I was ready to cook dinner, again afraid it would rain. I got dinner cooked and eaten before it finally started raining around 5:45. It's suppose to rain a lot tomorrow. I kept smelling what seemed like cologne and every once in a while we heard a strange noise. Finally we related the two when I was close to something on the wall and it made a noise and I immediately noticed the smell. It was on automatic air freshener.

Monday, April 25, 2011	Day 49	0 - 2007.7

El Dorado Springs, MO	C H Motel	$40.00 - $1172.13

Another boring rain day today. It wasn't raining when we got up, but the radar showed it coming and before long it started. We hoped it would pass, but by 10:00 we decided we weren't going anywhere so Shirley went over and paid again. . We managed to turn off the air freshener this morning without any apparent bad result. Mostly we watched TV and rain. I hope Shirley finishes her book soon so I can have it. I did a couple puzzles, but most are too hard for me to enjoy. Around 4:00 it quit raining and I went to the store. I almost got there before it started raining lightly again. This afternoon we found some music channels so we listened to music for a while. Tonight we're having baked potatoes for dinner The potatoes were not as successful tonight as last week. The subway napkin was way too thin to cover them. I cooked mine for 17 minutes and it still wasn't done. I also bought a package of salad and there is lots of that left. I almost got run over by an Amish carriage going to the store tonight. I was on the shoulder when a carriage came my way and wanted to get on the shoulder. When he noticed me he got back in the traffic lane and waited till he passed before pulling over.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011	Day 50	82.7 - 2090.4	RT: 8:03	8:05 - 6:30

Pittsburg, KS	Lincoln City Park	Free - $1172.13

We finally got out of Missouri today. We got up at 7:00 to a mostly cloudy sky, but the clouds were not a solid layer of gray. We were off at 8:05 and I wore tights, long sleeves, jacket, and long gloves. It wasn't real cold, but there was a good breeze coming from the WSW. Hwy 32 actually had a nice shoulder for the 6 miles we were on it. Hwy 97 didn't, but there wasn't much traffic. We actually made it 8.25 miles before I had to use low gear. Actually, for most of today the hills weren't bad and for a long time fairly flat. It was hard going West into the wind, but not too bad going South. We took our first break in a driveway of a house that may have been abandoned, but probably not. My hands got a little cold, but warmed up before too long. It started clearing by 11:00 and eventually the wind eased up and the sun came out. We actually got down to shorts and jersey. We thought about going through Lamar on Hwy 160 so we could get water rather than go down to the Adventure Cycling route on Hwy 126, but decided we had plenty of water and that 126 would probably be quieter. Our second break was in a driveway just before Hwy 160. Hwy 126 was quite pleasant until we reached US 71. There was a sign that said "Road Closed in 1 Mile", which was where it crossed a river. Shirley thought we should go check it out, but as we crossed US 71 the river was flowing over the road and we could see construction down by the bridge across the river. Looking at the map we could go 5 miles South to Hwy H or 6 miles North to Hwy 160. I would have just gone South to Hwy H, but Shirley was afraid that because Hwy 126 was closed by flooding that Hwy H would be also, so she had me call the Missouri Hwy Patrol at a number on our Adventure Cycling maps. They verified that Hwy H was open. Then, when we got to Hwy H she wanted to stop to ask someone to see if we could get through. Fortunately, I quickly convinced her we didn't need to stop. We made it through with no problems. We had another break just before getting back to Hwy 126. Shirley had me call the parks department in Pittsburg, KS to see if we could camp in the city park and if there would be toilets. I was told we could camp and I got directions to the park. Unfortunately the toilets are locked at dark and reopened around 6:30-7:00. Hopefully, they will indeed be reopened. By now it was 4:20 and we had lost the sun to clouds. We also had a tailwind. When we got to Hwy 43 with only about 12 miles to go we ran into another road closed sign. We went to a nearby house and the woman said the DOT was replacing a bridge down the road, plus the one we had gone around. It would have been nice for the DOT to have sign about both bridges since we could have stayed on H and bypassed both closures. It also would have been nice if the Hwy Patrol had mentioned the second closure when I had called. Fortunately, the woman told us about a dirt detour of only a mile down and a mile back. Even better, the dirt roads were in very good shape. The final miles into Pittsburg were pretty easy. We considered going to a motel since the toilet would be locked at night, but when I inquired we found out they were 3-5 miles up the highway from our turn. We decided to go to the park. We found it easily from the directions I received when I called. It was a large park and we had to ask a couple times to find the pavilion where we could camp. The first person we asked is from Washington and is visiting. The second was a local and got us in the right direction. It was 6:30 by the time we got here. We set the tent up in the pavilion after making sure the toilets were open. Shirley took a bath in the restroom while I fixed tomorrow's lunch and got organized and then I bathed. It was then dinner as a calm thunder shower moved through. Afterwards I went to use the restroom, but didn't have to do much. Shirley went just before 9:00 and got there just in time to use it before it was locked. Early on today Shirley caught her foot on something and almost crashed, but managed to save herself and only rip her map case off. She was able to sew it tonight so she can reattach it to her bars. Today was one of those rare days we didn't spend any money. That's what happens when we don't go through any towns.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011	Day 51	56.8 - 2147.2	RT: 6:34	8:40 - 5:40

Chanute, KS	Santa Fe Safari Park (City Park)	Free - $1172.13	Avg:8.6	Max: 20.0

This was a very depressing day for most of the day. It was dark and cloudy when we got up. The rest rooms weren't open when I first went over around 7:30, but someone showed up about 8:00. Since we got in so late last night we didn't have any milk or yogurt so I just had 2 Clif Bars for breakfast. When we left iat 8:40 it was raining lightly. I started in tights, 2 long sleeves and long gloves. After about a mile Shirley decided to put her booties on so I put my booties and rain pants on even though I didn't think it would rain long and I would be too hot. Before long I did have to take the pants off, but I left the booties on. It was windy with a cold North wind. Of course, much of the early riding was North after about 5 miles West. About the time we were to head North it started raining harder so I put my rain pants and coat on. By the time we got to Girard I was over heating in spite of the wind and rain. I was not having a good time at all. We went to the store since it was the only one today. We bought a pudding to share and a very sugary small pie each. We also got 4 hard boiled eggs. I decided to buy milk later since they didn't have big yogurts. The pudding was good, the little pies were terrible, although I had one last night when we first got to camp and it tasted good then. The first egg Shirley peeled really peeled hard and she mad a mess, especially after the wind blew the shell pieces around. Luckily, the other 3 peeled easy. It quit raining about the time we got to Girard and didn't rain again, but it remained windy and cold. When we headed West again I took my coat off. When we had another food break I got pretty cold. At Walnut, our first choice to camp after only 33 miles, I bought a pint of milk for $1.71. I should have gotten it in Girard. We decided to go at least another 9 miles to Erie. At the turnoff we stopped at a rest area for more food. It was very windy and cold there. I put my jacket and heavy shirt on and my helmet cover. While we were freezing some young guy started playing golf in shorts and short sleeves. Shortly after we left again I took my coat off. It finally started clearing around 4:00, but the wind continued. We were heading toward Chanute so we could have a shower and toilet all night. It seemed like we went uphill all day. The sun finally came out around 5:00. The last 3 miles to the park were North and into the wind. The park is pretty nice with an RV section which is mostly full since it is only $10.00 and a nice grassy tent area. The wind died down a little and it felt the warmest of the day after 7:00. The showers were nice even though there are no doors or curtains. The rules sign says the first 48 hours are free so we are not paying the $10.00 camping fee. Hopefully no one will object.

Thursday, April 28, 2011	Day 52	42.6 - 2189.8	RT: 4:55	9:25 - 4:30

Near Toledo, KS	Cross Timber SP - Toronto Point CG	$8.50 - $1180.63	Avg: 8.7	Max: 22.0

What a glorious sunny day. It was cold last night, but the sun was shining nicely on and into our tent when we finally got up at 8:00, and a long time before that too. I got up at 2:45 this morning and went to the bathroom. I was surprised to find a guy and a bicycle in there. He said he stopped there to eat breakfast on the way to work. He was very big and didn't look like a cyclist in his bib overalls. He said people think he's crazy for riding his bike, but he was in better shape than they are. We finally were off about 9:25. I did wear tights, 2 long sleeves, and long gloves due to the wind. My fingers got cold on the 1 mile ride to Walmart since it was sticking out a hole. By the time we shopped and packed it was 10:05 when we left. We decided to head back to the park and ride the road through the park. It was a lovely ride, but it came back out to the highway a couple hundred feet past Walmart. It wasn't worth the 1/4 mile ride back to the park. The wind was once again out of the NNW and, of course, we mainly went West and North. It seemed to take a long time to do the first 13 miles. After only 4 miles we took our tights and long sleeves off. It was really nice having the sun out, even with the wind. When there were trees on the North side of the road it was really pleasant. We had our first break at a gas station behind a small fence around the tanks and it was quite warm. We had to get on a busier road for a while to go around an area of dirt roads. The road was still very pleasant to ride on. Unfortunately, I had a flat as we were crossing a bridge. I yelled at Shirley to stop, but she couldn't hear me due to the wind and she's so blind she couldn't see me walking and then jumping up and down in the middle of the road. I got to a side road and changed my tube, but it had a short valve stem and my pump won't work on it so I had to put my other spare tube in which has a longer stem. I was just putting my wheel back on when Shirley arrived back. I always tell her to just wait, but she never does. The wind at times seemed to shift to a West wind and others stay NNW. The last 16 miles were more or less North. We got into a very flat area with lots of fields and my body decided it needed to poop. I told Shirley not to worry if I suddenly disappeared and eventually I found some trees to use. When we got near the lakes it got hillier and the wind was relentless. We finally got to the C.G. and it is lovely. It was sunny and there were enough trees to block the wind. We washed a few clothes. When I went into the men's restroom 3 showers were running with no one in them and it was like a steam room. I turned them off. There was hot water when we washed clothes, but later when we took showers there wasn't any. After dinner we walked around the C.G. and we appear to be the only ones camping. We didn't do all the RV loops, but we didn't see any RVs. When we got back to camp the men's rest room smelled like smoke. I stayed in short sleeves until 7:50. This the first time we camped 3 nights in a row since leaving the Natchez Trace on April 3. Shirley really likes this C.G. and says it feels a lot more like camping than staying in the city parks.

Friday, April 29, 2011	Day 53	26.8 - 2216.6	RT: 2:42	8:00 - 12:45

Eureka, KS	City Park	Free - $1180.63	Avg: 9.9	Max: 22.0

It remained clear last night, but only got down to around 50. Our camp wasn't in the sun this morning so we ate at a different site. When we went to leave I noticed my front tire was flat. I tried pumping it up since it was good all afternoon yesterday. We made it almost 4 miles before it was going flat. I changed tires and tubes. We were anxious to get going since the wind was out of the SE. We got on Hwy 54 which was a bit busier and had semis. Fortunately, there was about a 2 foot shoulder. The wind was fairly strong but we made the 18-19 miles on Hwy 54 to Eureka. As we were entering town my rear tire started going flat, but we made it the 2 miles or os to the store. While Shirley shopped I fixed my tire. It was hard to find any holes due to the wind and other noise in the parking lot. At one point one of my tubes I had inflated blew about 40 feet away between the store and a fence. I finally decided the tube from yesterday was leaking at the valve stem so we threw that one away. I couldn't find a hole in the tube from this morning. I finally took my tire off and found a piece of glass. I patched the tube that was in the tire. This all took a long time and I was frustrated. A couple of folks told us it was supposed to really get windy this afternoon. Shirley bought some sort of frozen chocolate cake to soothe my irritation. We ate some of that and some "real" food. Shirley was able to bungy the rest of the cake on her bike. We headed off for another 19 miles on Hwy 54 around noon. The wind had gotten stronger and it was hard to ride even on the wide shoulder we had out of town. After a mile or less we decided it was too dangerous to ride since we could barely stand next to each other to talk and especially if we lost the shoulder so we turned around and went to the city park to check it out. There is a spot sort of protected from the wind. I tried to call the city clerk, but got what sounded like a computer. About 1:30 I walked to City Hall which was very near the grocery store. Supposedly the restroom will be open 24 hours a day. I then went to the library to verify our finances and check email. I sent an email to Kurt, Myra, Bob, and Diane about meeting them in Colorado. I'm not sure how that will work out. It was windier in town than earlier. We took baths in the rest room before school let out and people would come to the ball fields. I also checked the motel and there is a cyclist rate of $40, tax included rather than the normal $45. I was a bit surprised Shirley agreed to camp. About 3:00 Shirley went to town while I heated water and shaved. Ball practice started around 5:00 and gradually became games, I think. We finally moved to our selected tent site around 7:15. It is much calmer, but wasn't in the sun so we had waited. The lights are on at the ball field, which is sunken and we can't see it, so it appears games will be going on for a while. Hopefully they won't play too late. There was at least one tent set up when we set ours up and gradually a few more appeared, getting closer to us. At 9:15 we decided to move our tent farther away as it appeared everyone was going to be up for a while and be talking. Our site was bad anyway since every car that drove around the one way road shined it's lights on our tent, which I had pointed out to Shirley before we set up.

Saturday, April 30, 2011	Day 54	37.3 - 2253.9	RT: 5:01	7:40 - 1:30

Cassoday, KS	City Park	Free - $1180.63	Avg: 7.4	Max: 14.4

We got up at 6:30 this morning to a very warm and calm day and we had great hopes. We unloaded the tent and started packing. Shirley took all the stakes out and then went to the bathroom. Of course, that's when the wind started. I quickly took the tent down. Suddenly it didn't feel so warm. We ate and finished packing and were off at 7:40. We learned that the event last night and today is "Relay For Life", the cancer benefit. Instead of walking a track all night Eureka played ball all night. The wind was out of the North as promised. I started in tights, 2 long sleeve shirts, and gloves. The wind was stronger than yesterday morning, but not near as strong as yesterday afternoon. Traffic today had a lot fewer trucks, but more cars. We were in the Flint Hills and definitely did some climbing. Eureka is at 1050 feet and Cassoday is over 1400 feet. Riding on Hwy 54 was not real pleasant with a side wind and traffic, but we made it to the Rosalia turnoff in 2:40 for 18 miles. We had a break at the high school in the sun and totally protected from the wind. It was so pleasant we were in shorts and jersey. When we started again we put our light long sleeves on. At first it was a little cool, but then comfortable. We had a headwind which was slow, but more pleasant than the side wind. Also, there was very little traffic. After a few gentle hills it really flattened out. Without the wind it would have been very easy. It took 3 hours to do the 17 miles to Cassoday. We saw a couple parks before going to the store. There were 3 mountain bikers there who had already ridden 80 miles on dirt roads getting in shape for a 200 mile ride on June 4. One had a trail of blood running down his leg from his knee. The lady at the store said a lot of bikers stay in the gazebo in the nearby park. We looked at it. There were lots of trees, pit toilets that need some TLC, and a water spigot. It is very close to I-35. We went back to look at a tiny park in town. There were porta potties in very good shape, table, and water. However, since the tables were all in the sun outside a fence and it was near the RR crossing Shirley decided she preferred the other park, so back we went. After changing clothes I finished my book so I could exchange it at the book exchange at the store. We went to the store around 5:15 and got 2 cans of vegies, a package of cookies, a pint of milk, and a Snickers for $9.22, and exchanged our books. There were signs in town saying "Biker parking" and "Quiet Zone" so we figured there was a motorcycle event about to happen. As it turns out on the 1st Sunday of every month motorcycles descend on Cassoday for a brunch. The lady at the store said probably 4000-5000 motorcycles will be here tomorrow. Hopefully, not too early and not to many on our road.

Sunday, May 1, 2011	Day 55	69.0 - 2322.9	RT: 6:06	8:10 - 4:30

Buhler, KS	Wheatland City Park	Free - $1180.63	Avg: 11.3	Max: 22.0

It felt cold to me last night even though my thermometer said it was 47º this morning. During the night I put on a second pair of socks and my tights and my hat. We got up to a cloudy day, but it didn't really look like rain. The wind was light by Kansas standards and was out of the NNE. It was cold and I started in tights, two pairs of socks, two long sleeves, jacket, ear band, and gloves. I did take my jacket off before too long. Most of the way to Newton it was a fine line between being too hot and too cold. I was pretty warm until we stopped so Shirley could adjust her seat. Then I was cold for a while. Then I warmed up again. We had a break in a DOT gravel pile which was quite comfy and fairly warm as it blocked the breeze. The road to Newton was fairly flat or gentle hills and we had a small tailwind component. Before we got halfway to Newton I knew Shirley would want to go further since this was the easiest we've had in a while. We did 35 miles by noon. We saw a few motorcycles, but not that many if 4000 actually showed up in Cassoday. Newton was practically deserted as ll the stores were closed on Sunday. Luckily a big grocery store was open right where we turned left to leave Newton. A couple of cyclists stopped to talk with us though neither were on a bike at the time. One did a tour of all 48 states in 6 months and the other was co owner of the local bike shop and said he would open for us if we needed anything. There were also a couple of other cyclists who came to shop. We bought a bunch of stuff including Clif Bars and Power Bars we thought were on sale for $1.00 each. Unfortunately, that was only if you had a Dillons card. We paid $1.59 for the Power Bars and $1.09 for the Clif Bars. If I had been awake I would have asked the person behind me to use their card. The receipt said we could have saved $5.94 out of $48.49. We continued on to Buhler on fairly quiet and easy roads. We even had a tailwind for a while and did the additional 28 miles in 2.5 hours. The park is very nice and big. We weren't sure where we could camp, but we found a spot by the closed swimming pool and have two tables under a small cover. The restrooms are a bit far away, but not bad. Water is on the outside of the swimming pool building. While Shirley was washing in the restroom a guy stopped to talk. He has lived here 32 years and works in a salt plant that gets salt from 600 feet under ground and processes it into various forms for consumers, food manufacturers, etc. He asked if we went to church and did a short speech about how God is the thing. Fortunately, it was short. It started clearing around 3:00 and was a really nice day by 6:00. We rode toward the best part of the sky all day which was comforting. We could see small dark clouds in the SW, but they always passed behind us. A few miles before Buhler I got down to short sleeves.

Monday, May 2, 2011	Day 56	79.7 - 2402.6	RT: 7:21	8:20 - 6:30

Larned, KS	City CG (stayed in tent inside a trailer)	$10.00 - $1190.63	Avg: 10.8	Max: 23.5

We got up to a cold and mostly cloudy sky, although the sun was sort of shining through in the East. I started in tights, 2 long sleeves, jacket, ear band, and gloves. As expected I soon took my jacket off. The sun came out fairly early and I was down to one long sleeve and no ear band before the 20 miles to Nickerson. Shortly after leaving Buhler our directions had us do a little jog on Hwy 61 and loop back. However, recent and current road construction made it so we should have simply gone straight across Hwy 61. As it was when we did the jog we ended up having to push our bikes across a field that used to be the road. It was only 50 feet or so, but we ended up directly across Hwy 61 from where we started the jog. We stopped in Nickerson for the store and bought dinner vegies and three 6 oz yogurts for breakfast since we presumably didn't know if we would make it to Larned. I was pretty sure we would unless it was really hard since the options were off route 5 miles and Shirley doesn't do off route. The lady at the store was excited that the U.S. had finally killed Osama Bin Laden. I doubt it will make a difference. After Nickerson we were on a busier road for 7-8 miles. There was road construction a couple miles into it and they would stop traffic for a while. They let us through and then we didn't have any traffic until we almost made it to our turn. Unfortunately a couple of the cars that caught us followed a truck around Shirley on a blind hill and drove another couple vehicles coming the other way off the road. No accident, but close. After that the riding was very good again. At about 55 miles and 3:10 we could have gone off route to Hudson and camp in the city park, but the "route" is sacred and Shirley would rather ride 23 miles to Larned in spite of the wind becoming less favorable and clouds amassing to the West. We stopped to eat about 17 miles from Larned and the wind was a bit more of a headwind and the clouds were getting very dark. About 10 miles from Larned the rain hit. It got very windy and it rained pretty hard for a couple miles. Then the wind died and the rain eased. We came to a farm with several sheds for tractors and Shirley felt we should take cover. I felt like we were just wasting time since it wasn't raining very hard. I was really depressed with the weather and sitting around after it had mostly quit raining. Finally we took off again and soon the sun came out and we got a tailwind. We got into Larned and found the C.G. at the far end of town. The toilet/shower house is closed for repairs. We were going to leave when the manage said we could use the toilet and shower in a trailer being repaired. He meant for us to set our tent up and just use the toilet and shower. Shirley thought he meant sleeping in it. He let us do that for the camping price of $10.00. It was 6:30 by the time we arrived and after 7:10 by the time we got all in and settled. We took cold showers and then Shirley was off to do laundry while I cooked dinner. By the time we ate and the clothes were done it was 9:00. There are ants everywhere and evidence of mice so we set the tent up and put our food inside. We will sleep in there tonight also. At the store in Nickerson a tortilla delivery man told Shirley he had accidentally ripped two packages of tortillas and said we could have them if we wanted. Shirley took one. If I had been there I would have taken both.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011	Day 57	47.0 - 2449.6	RT: 4:13	8:10 - 2:45

Alexander, KS	Hwy Rest Area	Free - $1190.63	Avg: 11.2	Max: 30.5

We didn't get up until after 7:00 this morning to a clear sky day. By the time we got packed and ready it was after 8:00. We asked about a store and it was back 1.2 miles the way we came yesterday, but 1 block off the route. We got there via residential streets. It was another Dillons which has a rewards card. At the checkout I asked if she had a guest card, but was told no. I also told her the organic oranges were 49¢ instead of the 59¢ she rang up. She went to check the sign and found I was right so she corrected it. She then punched in a code and we got the rewards card savings of $3.28. I had started in tights, 2 long sleeves, jacket, gloves and ear band, but it felt really warm in the sun and out of the wind at the store so I got down to only a long sleeve shirt. It felt good for a few miles, but then I got cold and had to stop to put my tights back on. We had a break at Fort Larned at a very nice rest area. Not long after we started again I had to put my gloves back on. We met a cyclist going the other way who started in Oregon in March, about the time we flew to Austin to escape the weather. He said it was so cold he sent his camping gear home and has been staying in motels. At Rush Center we found our Hwy heading West has been ground up and actively being worked on in Rush Center. Fortunately, the shoulder was still intact until the last miles to the rest area. As I was writing this another touring cyclist pulled in. He is from New Zealand and heading East. He left Portland, OR on April 6. He also said the mountains were very cold and has stayed in some expensive motels, including over $100 in West Yellowstone. He sat and talked with us for a long time. He had planned to go on to Rush Center, another 13 miles, but finally decided to camp here. He is supposed to be at a Warm Showers place in Witchita tomorrow so he will have about 75 miles to do. It finally warmed up really nicely about 11:30 and was quite warm this afternoon, although if the sun goes behind one of the puffy clouds it cools right off.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011	Day 58	21.6 - 2471.2	RT: 3:15	8:35 - 12:30

Ness City, IS	City Park	Free - $1190.63	Avg: 6.5	Max: 15.5

Before we went to bed last night we could see a big dark cloud to the North, but it didn't come our way or else it didn't have rain. Unfortunately, the wind started during the night and was blowing pretty hard this morning. We very carefully took the tent down, being sure to keep the wind from catching it and bending the poles. The other cyclist was long gone. It felt cold in the wind, but good in the dun in front of the restroom. We ate breakfast in the sun and were comfortable. The lady from the house next door came over and cleaned the restroom. The wind was mainly out of the South and Southwest. I started in gloves, 2 shirts, and tights and was a bit over dressed. It was slow going in the wind. The ground up pavement ended at the county line 1.5 miles away. One of the shirts and the gloves came off after not too long. Later the tights came off and after another mile or so the last shirt came off. We struggled to make it to Ness City in 4 hours and only 20 miles. We certainly didn't feel like doing another 31 miles to Dighton. We stopped at City Hall to check on camping in the city park. It was closed for lunch so we went to the park. The restrooms were, of course, locked. At 1:00 we went back to City Hall. A maintenance man said he would turn the water on to the toilets and get them open. We went to the store and bought food to eat for the day and went to the park. The city guys started working on the rest rooms while we ate. Afterward I went to the library and checked email and finances. When I came back the rest rooms were still being worked on. The women's had the toilet seat outside and the sink off. I told the guys if it was a problem we could go to a motel. They said there was a ball game tonight and they needed the toilets anyway. Shirley noticed her front derailleur cable was breaking so we replaced it. Unfortunately I put the cable on wrong and a couple strands broke. Now we will have to replace it again before too long. Shirley was getting cranky because it was hot and she couldn't change clothes. At 5:00 I went to the store for dinner vegies and tomorrow's yogurt. When I got back the city guys were gone and the toilets were open. We're not sure when they were finished since they had been coming and going several times. Just as we decided to move over to the far side of the swimming pool for camp a guy arrived with a bunch of chairs and tables so it was good we were moving. I ended up eating the pound of vegies and 2 Ramen as Shirley didn't want any heated food. She ate a Raven dry, and apple, some strawberries, and some cookies for dinner. She seems to be in a funk like I was the other day when we got rained on. The game turned out be a H.S. seniors softball game put on by "those church people" as one of the girls said. They played a couple hours and quit as it was getting dark at 8:00;

Thursday, May 5, 2011	Day 59	57.6 - 2528.8	RT: 6:26	8:05 - 4:30

Scott City, KS	Scott City Swimming Pool and Park	Free - $1190.63	Avg: 8.9	Max: 16.2

I was going to sit outside under the light near our tent and read last night, but the wind really picked up and I got tired of the grit being blown in my face so after about 10 minutes I went in the tent. By 9:20 I decided to go to bed. The wind gusts were really strong for quite a while. When we got up around 7:00 it was a gentle breeze and the sky was cloudy to the East and South. It wasn't too cold so I started in tights, long sleeves, and gloves. Shirley didn't wear her tights. I was very glad I did. The wind was a NNW wind and was strong enough to be annoying, but doable. At home we would call it a windy day. We rode 16 miles to Beeler before taking a real break. We found a cemetery and sat behind a shed in the sun where it was calm and sunny and warm. When we left again Shirley thought something was rubbing. She finally bent the stays on her rear fender and was happy. I took my gloves and tights off a few more miles down the road. About 6-7 miles from Dighton I took my long sleeves off too. At Dighton we stopped at the store to buy an orange, 2 bananas, and some tortillas before going to the park for lunch. Shirley needed water, but the fountain in the park didn't work and there weren't any rest rooms. She spent a lot of time looking for water and finally got it at a building cater corner from the park. When we left I had my long sleeves on again as there were lots of puffy clouds that kept blocking the sun. After 10 miles or so I took it off again when we were getting out from under most of the clouds. Shirley finally took hers off fairly close to Scott City. The last 12-15 miles would be hard at times and easy at times as the wind seemed to shift from NNW to NNE and back and blow at varying strengths. In Scott City we saw a sign to the swimming pool and sports complex so we headed that way. Some city workers were working on power cleaning the pool. We asked if this was where cyclists could camp and they said yes. I asked if the rest rooms were open and the guy said he thought they would stay open all night and they were only locking the ones in City Park. City Park is probably where the Adventure Cycling instructions said there was cyclist camping. I think he called someone because he later told us they would be open. He also took a hose and cleaned them. We would have preferred he hadn't done that since now the floor was all wet. We set up the tent and then went to the store which was about a mile away. When we got back with lots of food we washed up and then ate dinner. Afterwards I heated water to shave since it's been 6 days. By the time I got done and everything organized it was almost 8:00. There are lots of doves around here that keep making their cooing noise. After Dighton there was a lot more traffic, especially trucks. It still wasn't too bad, but the volume was much higher. Several wide and over size loads passed us today. For the second evening in a row I got a bloody nose when I blew my nose. The dry air is killing me.

Friday, May 6, 2011	Day 60	49.1 - 2577.9	RT: 5:36	8:20 - 4:20

Tribune, KS	City Park	Free - $1190.63	Avg: 8.7	Max: 16.5

It got a bit cool last night, but not too bad. I only wore one pair of socks and no tights. I did put my long sleeve shirt on the last time I got up to pee and zipped the outer door to block the breeze. We started getting up at 7:00 as usual. It felt cold with the breeze even though it was 50º. I started in gloves, 2 shirts, tights and ear band. I was a bit over dressed but decided to ride 6 miles before changing. I then got down to my long sleeve jersey and tights. Three miles later I took my tights off and 3 more miles my shirt. The wind was pretty steady from the SW. Traffic was heavier than we would have liked. At Marienthal the trucks were coming and going towards Scott City and traffic got better. We made the 24 miles to Leoti in under 4 hours. We got Powerade at a convenience store since it was in the 80's and went to the fairgrounds to drink it and eat. It was then off to Tribune. Traffic was still light and the wind eased up. For a while it seemed to stop or even be a tail wind. Unfortunately, the headwind came back for the last 6 miles. About 1/4 mile from the turnoff into Tribune I got a flat, a goat head thorn naturally. Because of the wind Shirley couldn't hear me yell "flat!". Luckily she stopped at the turn and soon came back. We stopped at city hall to check on camping in the park. The lady was on the floor with her shoes off and shredding paper, I think. She took me next door to a different woman, but didn't put her shoes on. We were then sent to the Sheriff. At the Sheriff's office the clerk had me sign in with name, address, starting point and ending point. When I asked about rest rooms she said the only ones were at the pool and she didn't know if they were open. When we got there, there was a nice port-a-potty by the ball field and the swimming pool was locked. After wasting a lot of time we went to the ball park. We fiddled around a while and then noticed lots of goat heads. We carefully went back to the swimming pool where the grass was green. There was more dried looking grass and tables in a strip between 2 roads. Shirley changed clothes in a sunken area between the pool and the tennis courts, but her ass still stuck up where people could see. Later she did the same thing when she washed her crotch. When I washed I squatted completely below the concrete wall. Shortly after we finished washing a guy showed up and opened the swimming pool doors for us. He even turned the hot water on so we could take showers. They were very nice. We finally decided we better go to the store so we locked our bikes and walked the 6-7 blocks back to the store. Since it was hot Shirley was having a hard time unless we walked in the shade. Just before leaving for the store I blew my nose very gently and for the 3rd night in a row got a nose bleed. It took a while to get it stopped. When we got back we had dinner and set up the tent, but not in that order. About 10-12 miles before Tribune we entered the Mountain Time Zone, but all times today are still Central Time. I will start with Mountain Time tomorrow. There is a parade tomorrow at 10:00 for Loyalty Day or something like that. We should be long gone by then. Shirley took a piece of my old inner tube to try and make her map case stay on her bike in the wind.

Saturday, May 7, 2011	Day 61	58.8 - 2636.7	RT: 5:13	6:55 - 2:25

Eads, CO	City Park	Free - $1190.63	Avg: 11.2	Max: 18.6

I stayed in my shorts and short sleeves until I went to bed last night at 8:30 (MDT). The wind picked up a bit just before I turned in, but I think it died down again pretty quick. The light right over our tent didn't come on, but the swimming pool lights did just before I climbed in the tent. Shirley says I missed someone coming to play tennis and turning on the tennis court lights. We were camped between the pool and tennis courts, a distance of maybe 30 feet. It was 55 when we got up and just a little breezy. I put on all my normal clothes, but when we left I got down to tights, light shirt, and gloves. We were off at 6:55, long before the 10:00 parade. By 8:00 I was ready to take the long clothes off. We had a light WSW wind all day so riding was easy and traffic was really light. It felt like touring again. We got to Eads, CO around 2:15 and had climbed another 700 feet to 4217. Our info said we could camp at the city park and use the rest rooms at the rest stop along the highway across the RR tracks from the park, so when we passed the rest rooms coming into town we stopped to check them out. They were very nice. We turned into town and saw the park which was a narrow strip of very green grass. We went to the store and bought the needed supplies and then went back to the park for a snack. We debated whether to stay here on the green grass with water sprinklers or go on 22 miles to a tiny town of Haswell and camp at their park which may or may not be thorny. I went over to the courthouse to see if I could find someone to ask about the sprinklers, but it was all locked up. I went back to the store and asked and the lady had a guy call someone. According to him the sprinklers will come on at 8:00 AM on the East side of the park. We should be long gone by then. It was already 3:30 by then so we decided to stay in Eads and hope the wind is kind tomorrow so we can do 62 miles to and RV park. We got into Colorado at 8:30 this morning and 2 miles into Colorado at the first town of Towner we were going to take a break at a church, but a little yap yap was barking at us. I noticed my front tire was going flat so we went across the highway to a weight station where I fixed it and we ate. I didn't find anything in the tire, but I suspect a thorn.

Sunday, May 8, 2011	Day 62	65.8 - 2702.5	RT: 7:07	6:55 - 5:10

Ordway, CO	Store / RV Park at Hwy 71 and 96	$15.00 - $1205.63	Avg: 9.2	Max: 16.2

I didn't sleep well last night after the first time I got up to pee. My mind wouldn't shut down and kept thinking about the sprinklers. I did manage a few hours of sleep, though. We got up before six and were off at 6:50. Unfortunately the wind was a headwind today. Traffic was very light again and we rode the 21 miles to Haswell in 2.5 hours. We had a break at a closed store which had an old diner table and chairs in front. It was warm this morning and even though we started in tights and long sleeves, they came off within a half hour. We went by the park on the way out of town and it looked pretty nice with greenish grass, an outhouse, and covered tables. We should have gone there last night, although we didn't actually go into the park to make sure there weren't any thorns. We finally saw some live deer today. Each of us saw three, but I'm not sure they were the same ones. We gained 300 feet to Haswell, but stayed pretty much even to Arlington. We had a break at a little pullout that had a picnic table which was completely stuffed underneath by tumbleweeds. There was also an outhouse that had some brochures on the Prairie Horizon Trail that we have been on and a sign in sheet for travelers. The ride to Sugar City was just more of the same. We sat on some chairs by a closed store and Shirley got water from a church group next door. They said they would feed us supper, but we continued another 5.5-6 miles to Ordway and an RV park. The campsites looked pretty pathetic for $15 so we decided to go to a Warm Showers place run by a New Zealand woman who hosts a lot of cyclists. Shirley had to have a shake first, though. We stopped at a real store on the way to Gillian's house. Shirley thought she knew where to go from Kiri's (the NZ cyclist we camped with a few days ago) directions, but we missed the road she is on and went too far. We asked one lady and she said she kept to herself and didn't know. We backtracked and tried knocking on a couple houses, but couldn't find anyone home. As I was at the second house Shirley flagged a truck down and it turned out we were at the street to Gillian's. It was a dirt road and not obvious. Unfortunately she wasn't home. Since it was 5:00 and we had no idea when she would be back we went back to the RV park/store/gas station. Shirley had bought some kiwis for Gillian and since it wasn't obvious where the front door was she left them hanging on a small tree. Hopefully Gillian will find them. After I paid at the C.G. I asked where the showers were and found out there weren't any. Also, the only toilet was the one in the store which is closed from 10:00-5:00. We tried calling the Ordway Hotel which is a hostel, but got an answering machine so we stayed at the C.G. We found a spot that had green RV carpeting on it so we set our tent up on the carpet, putting only 4-5 holes in it. Shirley got a bucket of hot water from the rest room and had me pour it on her like a shower. I just did a wash job with my wash cloth. She got another bucket of water to wash clothes. We finally ate and got organized for tomorrow. Shirley's butt is really giving her problems riding. She was very uncomfortable today and a little cranky as a result of that and the wind. I think she went to bed about 8:00, about the time I was finally able to relax. I had another bloody nose tonight when I blew my nose. For the third night in a row I'm in shorts and short sleeves after dark.

Monday, May 9, 2011	Day 63	46.7 - 2749.2	RT: 5:26	7:05 - 3:30

Pueblo, CO	Travelers Motel	$39.95 - $1245.58	Avg: 8.6	Max: 14.8

I slept pretty good last night except for a couple hours when my nose was clogged with blood. We were out of the tent at 6:00 and off at 7:07. We would have been off a few minutes earlier except just as we started Shirley remembered her map case was at the bottom of her BOB bag and had to take a lot of stuff out to find it. The toilets being closed from 10:00 to 5:00 wasn't a problem, but a couple times Shirley couldn't get in yesterday evening. Once because of a bus arriving and another just because it was busy. It was windy again today and again from the SW. The first 10 miles seemed especially hard. There were some trees, but they didn't seem to help much. After that we had stretches of relative easy riding and stretches of hard riding. In Olney Spring we had a break at a closed store. Just as we were getting ready to leave a guy came to talk to us, telling us about a restaurant a couple buildings away. He said to tell any cyclists about it and about camping in the park. Of course, there are no toilets in the park. In Boone we talked to a guy who is very active in the Frontier Horizon Trail which is Hwy 96 from Kansas to Hwy 50 near Boone. He has a place upstairs with TV, computer, toilet, kitchen, maybe a couple beds for cyclists. He gave us a map of Pueblo and showed us where the bike shop is. It got windier after Boone. Hwy 50 was better due to the wide shoulder. About 10 miles from Pueblo I got a flat. We crossed the highway and went into a little mobile home development and I found a small piece of wire in my tire. We thought we had it made a couple miles later when the wind was blocked. Then it really got strong. A pickup pulled over and when we got to it he offered us a ride. Shirley was ready so we agreed. He said he would take us to the bike shop. It turns out we were less than 2 miles from the Pueblo exit. Riding through town would have been awful, though. At the bike shop I found 2 tires at half price for $17.95. We also bought a pair of long gloves each for $22.00 each. Shirley bought a pair of socks and a water bottle and I bought a tube. Total was $110 which I thought was pretty good. We asked about a motel and learned one was 4 blocks North. We got an extremely well lit room for $39.95. After showers Shirley asked if I bought a gear cable for her. I had forgotten. We called the bike shop to learn they closed at 5:30. It was 4:55 so we hurried to the bike shop and then to Safeway which the motel clerk said was 7 blocks away. It was actually 13 blocks. We bought turkey for sandwiches plus way too much food. I have been looking for a chocolate Kozy Shack pudding all trip and finally found it. On top of my two turkey sandwiches it was too much. I called Myra, Diane, and Kurt and got no answer. A little later Myra called us. Apparently she got the number from her phone. They hope to meet us in Westcliffe tomorrow.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011	Day 64	38.6 - 2787.8	RT: 5:10	6:30 - 2:00

Westcliffe, CO	Antler Motel	$58.80 - $1304.38	Avg: 7.4	Max: 29.0

We got up early this morning so we could leave at 6:30 to get out of Pueblo. Traffic was very light and it was actually a nice ride. Once we got on Hwy 92 again it was a bit hilly, but warm and calm. We had started in long clothes, but stripped to shorts and jersey at 7:30. The ride to Wetmore was quite pleasant with just a little wind the last 8-10 miles. I was a little concerned about my rear tire as I saw some cord showing about 15 miles from Wetmore, but it made it and I put one of my new tires on when we took a break at the church. Leaving Wetmore the road seemed steep. We stopped at a store for water and each bought a 20 oz soda for $1.75 each. Traffic after Wetmore was a lot heavier from a road coming from the North. We finally took a break after 7 miles. We were sitting on some rocks at a pullout when a car pulled up. It was Bob and Kurt. They didn't have their bikes and were just down for the day. After talking a while we decided to load our bikes and gear in Kurt's car and drive to Westcliffe. Kurt put his roof rack on so we could put the bikes on top. I was disappointed since we only had another 2 miles or so of steep hill and another 5-6 miles of gentler uphill before the top of Hardscrabble Pass and then the downhill to Westcliffe. There were great views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and it was a shame to miss the ride. If we had known they weren't going to ride with us we could have had them meet us in Ordway and drive to Pueblo rather than here. We went to dinner at a restaurant at the Feedstore and I had a vegie burger since they were out of hamburger and the rest had Chicken al Fredo. We treated Kurt and Bob. Myra and Diane hope to come meet us tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011	Day 65	0 - 2787.8

Westcliffe, CO	Antler Motel	$58.80 - $1363.18

We got up a little after 6:15 and went over to Kurt and Bob's room at 7:00. Kurt had been up since 3:30 and had already found the bowling alley would open at 7:00 for breakfast. We went there and were seated in the "new" section with a good view of the mountains. It had been mostly clear when Kurt got up and mostly cloudy when we got up. When we got to the restaurant it was starting to mist. While eating it rained and then began snowing. We took a long time eating. We each had the breakfast special and coffee. We got a 10% old folks discount. Afterwards I called Myra. She and Diane will not be able to meet us until Friday due to schedule problems for Myra today and Diane tomorrow. We will have to call her again. We went back to the room and talked a while. Kurt and I got really cold hands removing his bike rack as it was snowing really hard. They left about 10:00 and I paid for another night. I hung my gloves over the trash can by the heater to dry. At 1:00 we went to the library for internet. We had been working about 15 minutes when the power went off all over town and we heard in the county. Eventually I went back to the room for lunch while Shirley stayed at the library and read. About 3:30 the power came back on and I went back to the library and we finished our work. We forgot to check for Mike and Mona's address in Dove Creek which is where they are according to Kurt. We went to the store after that. We had potato salad and bagels for dinner. I watched TV and Shirley got bothered by it and went into the bathroom to read.

Thursday, May 12, 2011	Day 66	47.9 - 2835.7	RT: 4:32	7:30 - 2:15

Salida, CO	Simple Hostel	$60.89 - $1424.07	Avg: 10.5	Max: 32.5

We were a little slow getting up today because we thought it would be cold. It was in the low 40's when we left at 7:30. Shirley dropped her book off at the library as we left after finishing it yesterday. It was a heavy book and Shirley bought a much lighter one at the library yesterday. We had dressed very warm before going out today and were soon overdressed, especially since there was more uphill than we expected. I took my rain coat off after a couple miles and was still too hot. A little later the rain pants came off just before we turned toward Cotopaxi. Once we did the downhill to Cotopaxi it was down to one long sleeve shirt and tights. Eventually the tights came off. The canyon out of Cotopaxi was very lovely, but unfortunately there wasn't much of a shoulder on Hwy 50. We stopped in Howard after 10 miles and a couple who owned an RV park told us we could go down by the river and eat on a small deck. We talked to the guy quite a while. Christo is trying to get permission to drape material across the river in the canyon by putting in rods. Many people are against it. We thought about going to Poncha Springs, but decided to stay at the hostel in Salida. We arrived at 2:15 and there wasn't anybody there. I called a motel and rooms were $73 while the hostel is $55. We decided to go to the store and come back later. We got back about 3:30 and someone was there. We took a private room. There are also 3 other people staying here. One other young woman who had a pack and about 300 pounds including a raft was here, but left a couple hours later. Myra and Diane can't come until noon and will go home again so we will stay here tomorrow to see them and spend another night here. Hopefully it won't be the only good day to go over Monarch Pass. We had baked potatoes and vegies cooked in the microwave and it was delicious.

Friday, May 13, 2011	Day 67	0 - 2835.7

Salida, CO	Simple Hostel	$62.89 - $1486.96

Not much to say about today. We got up about 7:15 and went down to breakfast. I had 4 waffles and Shirley had 2 pancakes. They were very good. The mix came with the room, but we had to make them. I was reading trying to finish my book so I could swap it when at 9:00 Shirley wanted to walk to Walmart to look for eye drops. We knew it was on the other side of town. At 9:40 when we finally saw the Walmart I decided I would head back to the hostel to wait for Myra and Diane who were supposed to arrive between 11:00 and 12:00. Shirley actually got back before 11:00. We sat outside reading until they showed up. We had lunch at a café our host recommended and after sitting there for a long time went down by the river. The restaurant wasn't especially good. Diane had Mike and Mona's phone number so I called them and got Mona. If we can make it there Wednesday they can see us. After that they will be on the river with their kids. We walked around some more and ended up at an ice cream place. Diane made a bit of scene by wanting to recycle her plastic dish. They finally left around 4:30. We went to Safeway and bought baked potatoes again and once again they turned out good. It got windy this evening and a few drops of rain fell. I hope we didn't squander our best riding day since it was calm and sunny.

Saturday, May 14, 2011	Day 68	34.4 - 2870.1	RT: 4:37	6:45 - 12:50

Sargents, CO	Tomichi Creek Trading Post - Cabin	$43.64 - $1530.60	Avg: 7.4	Max: 38.5

We got up fairly early today. I had 4 waffles and Shirley had cereal with the milk we bought 2 days ago. We were off at 6:45 to a sunny day. I started in 2 long sleeve shirts, tights, ear band, and gloves. Going to Ponchas Springs looked flat, but I sure hope it was uphill since it seemed fairly slow and hard. We got on Hwy 50 at Ponchas Springs and it still didn't have a shoulder. Both of us remember Hwy 50 having a shoulder. Again the road looked flat for a while, but sure didn't feel like it. I stopped to take a long sleeve shirt off. After a few miles we had a break and I took my tights off. By now we were definitely going uphill. After a few more miles the last long sleeve and gloves cam off. We stopped once to tighten Shirley's front derailleur cable so it wouldn't rub. It still rubs some. We stopped in Garfield (Monarch according to the DOT sign) for lunch and sat in the sun at a tour place that was closed. From there it was 5.5 - 6 miles to the pass. I did it without stopping, but only because the clouds started building. I finally reached the top at 11:48. I had plenty of time to put my warm clothes on before Shirley arrived at 12:06. I asked the lady in the little shop if it was sunny all day yesterday and she said yes. It was after 12:15 before we started down. We didn't get too far before it started snowing lightly and then it turned to grapple. My bike felt real squirelly and I slowed way down. I thought my new tires were bad or my frame had broken. Later, I decided the road must have been icing up. We had 9 miles of downhill to Sargents and we just wanted to get down before the weather got worse. Our hands were quite cold when we got to Sargents so we went in the trading post to get some hot chocolate. When we finished it was raining lightly, but steadily. We finally decided to get a cabin rather than go another 21 miles to the next option since Shirley had enough of the road in the wind and rain. Of course, as soon as we got the cabin it stopped raining and looked like it was clearing. We stood in the tiny little cabin debating whether we should bring our stuff in or try to get our money back and go on. We finally stayed. We must have acclimated a bit over the last 2 days since I didn't gasp for air after every drink today. Also, my head hurt the last two evenings, but so far not today. I don't think I drank enough the last 2 days. About 4:30 it really cleared off. We went to the little store and bought 2 cans of corn, a can of evaporated milk, and a small package of 5-6 donuts for $5.22. I cooked dinner in the sun and we ate outside. As we were finishing dinner it started clouding up again. It was also calm while we cooked and ate, but got breezy again.

Sunday, May 15, 2011	Day 69	73.6 - 2943.7	RT: 6:36	7:05 - 5:00

4 Miles E. of Cimarron, CO	Black Canyon RV Park - Cabin	$54.25 - 1584.85	Avg: 11.1	Max: 35.5

We woke up to a mostly sunny day, but a bit cool at 35º. By the time we left at 7:05 it was up to 38º. I started in all my warm clothes plus my full rain gear. After only a few miles the rain gear came off. There was a shoulder, sometimes wide, sometimes not. I was having trouble getting into my large chain ring and I couldn't get it to go into my little chain ring. I decided I better change my front derailleur cable in Parlin. Unfortunately, about 5 miles before Parlin my cable broke completely and, of course, the front derailleur went to low gear. I only had to pedal a mile or two before Shirley stopped. I changed my cable and then we continued to Parlin. Yesterday, on Monarch Pass I had trouble getting into my little chain ring, but forgot about it after the rain/sleet coming down. Besides after the problem I was pretty much always in my little chain ring. The store at Parlin was closed so we sat on a bench in the sun and ate. It might have been a problem finding someone to rent us a cabin yesterday if we had opted to go to Parlin as we had considered. By the time we got to Gunnison I was over heating on any little hill. We found a Safeway and Shirley wanted to buy a big sub for $6.00. We sat at a table at the edge of the parking lot and ate half of it. I ended up with a two pound cheese brick since there weren't any one pound mozzarella and the one pound Swiss was only 20¢ cheaper than the two pound mozzarella. Gunnison has become a biking town as has Salida. The ride along Blue Moon Reservoir was easier than I remember. There were only 3 big uphills and I remember that they went on and on. Shirley wanted to stop at the Visitor Center when we passed it. I didn't since it looked way downhill. Fortunately it wasn't bad. We finally stopped to eat again at a rest area when the road crossed the lake about 17 miles from Gunnison. I was quite hungry. We ate the rest of the sub and I also had a bagel, Power Bar, and an apple. After another 3 miles we started climbing a 1000+ foot hill. We eventually got to a store and found 2 cyclist going East. They had started in Montrose today and had gone 35 miles and were planning to go to Gunnison, another 32 miles. It was already 3:00. There was also a guy riding a horse from Kentucky to California. He started last March, but did work at a ranch for about six months. Just as we were getting ready to leave he got on his horse and talked to the four of us a little more. Shirley petted Rico's (the horse) nose and forehead. Apparently he liked that and liked Shirley because he got a very large erection. The other cyclist said there was a false summit. We continued up and finally got to the first little summit and had about 1.5 miles of downhill before starting up again. The second hill seemed steeper. We finally got to the top. It was so warm and sunny I didn't even stop to put long sleeves on. The downhill was very nice as the curves were not very sharp. We got to our proposed RV park before the end of the downhill. It felt warm enough to camp. We'll see what it's like in the morning. We got a very nice cabin for $54 which has a toilet and shower, microwave, fridge, gas stove, and toaster. It's got a double bed with a single bunk over it plus a futon chair with a bunk over it. Shirley was in heaven. We took showers and sat on the futon for a while. I drank a quart of lemonade very quickly. About 6:10 we cooked dinner and ate outside on the porch with a gorgeous view, but highway noise. When we went back in we could smell gas so we opened the door and window for a while. We also have a radio.

Monday, May 16, 2011	Day 70	51.3 - 2995.0	RT: 5:18	7:30 - 3:25

Ridgeway, CO	Adobe Inn Hostel and Cantina	$51.00 - $1635.85	Avg: 9.7	Max: 42.0

We weren't in a super hurry to get up this morning. It was 35º outside. When we left at 7:30 it was 38º. I had my long clothes, rain gear, and gloves on. I didn't use my booties and I forgot my ear band. The 3-4 downhill miles to Cimarron were cold and I wished I had my ear band. However, we then started a 5-6 miles uphill. We stopped at the bottom and got down to our tights and long sleeves. After a mile or so I took a long sleeve off and not long after that my light long sleeve. I was still a bit warm with my tights. At the top we put our long sleeves back on. The first 4.5 miles were really nice. The road surface was good and the curves were gentle. I hit 42 MPH. After that the grade lessened, but with a tail wind it was still quite fast. The shoulder was a bit gravelly at times and the rumbles were hard to see. Shirley didn't like it at all. I thought it was mostly fun. We stopped at the Visitor Center in Montrose and found out where a bike shop and store were. We had some food and got down to shorts and jersey. We went to the bike shop and bought 2 gear cables and a set of brake pads. We then went to a store and bought a lot of food. It was then off to Ridgeway. Unfortunately Hwy 550 is quite busy. Good thing there is a wide shoulder and good views of the mountains. The wind gradually shifted to the SW as a front was moving in. Fortunately we seemed to be protected for most of the way. As we rode we could see clouds forming behind us. We stopped at Colona for a snack and got behind a building off the main highway. The road into the mountains was busier than we expected. When we left we had a bit more wind. At times we had strong winds. We finally made it to the bike path leading to Ridgeway. It was only a couple miles long, but pretty. We stopped at an antique store to ask about places to stay. The lady said the cheapest was at the Adobe Inn restaurant which had rooms with bath down the hall. It was closed until 5:30, but we managed to rouse the cook who checked us in. The room is small with a single bed below and a double bed in a loft. There is a small TV and a coffee pot with coffee. The bathrooms are tiled and lovely and shared by the restaurant that is open from 5:30 - 9:00. We took showers and at 5:00 went to the market. I bought a large brownie and chocolate chip cookies plus fruit and milk. Prices have gone up a lot since Montrose. We came back to the restaurant for dinner. Shirley had a taco salad and I had flautas. We had our ration of grease. Right after Colona the shoulder disappeared for 3 miles. That was not real pleasant. It disappeared again just before we nreached the bike path.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011	Day 71	59.8 - 3054.8	RT: 6:32	7:00 - 3:40

Naturita, CO	The Ray Motel	$55.83 - $1691.68	Avg: 10.0	Max: 34.5

I did not have a lot of fun today. We woke up to a cloudy and windy day. The temperature was about 43º. I started in my cold weather clothes, but not the rain gear. The road started up immediately and we got very warm. There was a short down and then we started up Dallas Divide. It was cold. Our feet started getting cold and after a few miles we put our booties on. It got colder and windier. I was getting hungry but didn't want to stop. I did stop to put my helmet cover and ear band on. Shirley stopped to eat her muffin less than a mile from the top. I ate a couple bites of my brownie, but had trouble eating. Shirley put on most of her rain gear, but I waited for the top. It took me a long time to put my rain gear on and I was not happy. Going down wasn't all that fast and we got a few snow flakes and then gropple. It gradually warmed a little as we went down and I was getting hungry. Shirley stopped a couple miles from Placerville and we ate. Traffic got lighter as we headed toward Norwood. I was still cold and hungry and unable to enjoy the beautiful canyon. We stopped to eat again and I started to feel a little better. We met a cyclist from Boulder who had ridden from Oregon and had done much of the route we are planning to do. Suddenly the road left the river and we had a 2-3 mile climb. It started raining / sleeting very lightly again. We finally got to Norwood and found a good market. It was then down to Naturita, which unfortunately, is 4 miles past our turnoff. It sprinkled several times and the sun came out a few times. Ian, the cyclist, said he stayed in a crappy motel in Naturita for $66. When we got there the motel gave Shirley a $20 discount without even asking and we got a room for $55. The sun came out several times after we got here. We have a fridge, microwave, and a small kit containing toothpaste, deodorant, small package of craisins, and 3 drink supplements. I called Mike and Monas around 7:00. They said they would pick us up in Dove Creek and take us to their house tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011	Day 72	50.0 - 3104.8	RT: 6:32	6:50 - 3:00

Dove Creek, CO	Mike and Mona Price's House	Free - $1691.68	Avg: 7.6	Max: 38.0

We got up around 6:00 and were off at 6:55 to a cloudy, but dry morning. If we weren't heading to Mike and Mona's we probably would have stayed another day at the motel. It was fairly warm and I started in tights, light long sleeves, and gloves. It was a little breezy. It took 25 minutes to get back to our turnoff where we started a long gentle climb into the wind. At about 10 miles it began raining. I had stopped to put my long socks on and ended up putting on my full rain gear. Shirley had stopped a couple miles earlier and wasn't showing up so I ended up riding back less than 1/2 mile. It was feeling cold and windy. After 3-4 miles the rain stopped and a few patches of blue sky appeared. We stopped at the closed Basin store in Dry Creek Basin for a break out of the wind. There was a sign that said "Closed for Winter. See you in the Spring." Apparently it's not Spring yet. We had only gone 15 miles in 2.5 to 3 hours. The next 25 miles went much quicker as we went across the basin and did a little climbing and downhill and a little more uphill to Gypsum Gap. There it was several miles of downhill, several with the wind, to the Dolores River. It was partly sunny and we had a nice break except for the wind. We started the long climb from the river at 11:45. We made it about 1.5 miles before it started raining hard. It continued to rain for a couple of long and slow miles and it was cold. When Shirley caught up to me with 18 miles to go to Hwy 666 she was ready to call Mike Price to come pick us up. It had briefly quit raining so I tried calling, but couldn't get any reception. It rained some more and at mile 15 I tried calling again and got no reception. Then it started snowing and when I got to Shirley she was really cold and started crying. I started up a driveway to see if I could use a phone, but came to a chained gate and 3 horses which were really getting spooked so I turned around. A car was approaching and I tried flagging it down, and it stopped. I asked the driver if she could take Shirley to Dove Creek to call Mike while I stayed with the bikes. She said she was going to her aunt's house a couple miles down the road. I had Shirley get in the car and gave her the phone and the Price's phone number and they took off. I stayed with the bikes with my back to the wind and wondering how long it would be before I got cold. About 15 minutes later the car came back and Shirley said Mike was on his way. I got in the car, but after several minutes Shirley wanted to ride down to the woman's house and wait there for Mike. By the time we got there I could barely see due to snow on my glasses and sleet stinging my eyes and I was getting pretty cold. I briefly went in the house just as Mike arrived and got to where I could see again. When I went out Mike and Shirley had loaded her BOB. I helped load my BOB and we put the bikes sort of on top after taking the front wheels off. All this was made difficult by the heavy wet snow and blowing wind and cold wet fingers. We finally got all loaded. The ground was turning white and the road was slushy. As we headed down toward Dove Creek the snow changed back to rain and eventually stopped. Mike's garage is a good 1000 feet from the house. We unloaded the bikes with difficulty as my pedal had snagged Shirley's bungie on BOB and we had a hard time getting it undone. We then left the bikes in the garage and Mike and I wheeled the BOB's up to the house. Mona set up a couple drying racks in the mud room and we hung al our wet clothes. We left the bags in there too. Their house is very nice and they own 237 acres. The only problem is that their house leaks when it rains and has for 20 years and after several attempted fixes. We had hot chocolate and warmed up. Mona had appetizers for us and dinner was paella, salad, and banana cake. The toilets are composting toilets and instead of flushing it you put a hand full of wood chips in it.

Thursday, May 19, 2011	Day 73	0 - 3104.8

Dove Creek, CO	Mike and Mona Price's House	Free -$1691.68

We stayed up talking until 11:30 last night and didn't get up until almost 7:15. Mike made waffles and we gorged ourselves on waffles with blackberry topping and Greek yogurt. Mona had a PT and doctor appointment today for her knee surgery so they left at 10:30. We went to the garage and put the wheels back on the bikes and loaded them into the truck and hopefully left enough room for the BOBs. We did email and I checked finances before eating a big lunch. It was snowing a little before we got up and forecast was 70% chance of rain/snow so we didn't go anywhere. We ate some of their leftovers for lunch. When they returned we talked and for dinner we made pizzas with Mona doing most of the work. I overate and didn't feel very good afterwards

Friday, May 20, 2011	Day 74	0 - 3104.8

Dove Creek, CO	Mike and Mona Price's House	Free - $1691.68

We got up to another gloomy day, but we got dressed to leave. Mike and Mona seemed surprised since the forecast now was for 60% chance of rain and snow. After looking at Weather.com we finally decided to stay another day so we changed back to our regular clothes. Unfortunately, Mike is driving someplace in New Mexico tomorrow for a native plant walk. Mike fixed waffles for breakfast again. Shirley and I sat around reading the past couple month's worth of Time and Newsweek. Mona fixed us some small tortillas with bean and cheese plus garnishes while they just ate salad. It seemed like Mike and Mona worked in the kitchen all afternoon. We took our bags and most of our stuff to the truck and loaded it in because Mike needs to leave by 7:30 so we need to be out the door by 7:00 tomorrow morning. Dinner was paella with a lot of chicken and salad. Mike made scones for tomorrow. After dinner we watched the PBS news with Jim Lehrer. Shirley and I took showers and probably wasted water by waiting for hot water. I think maybe Mike and Mona somehow save the water that is used before the hot water gets there. We sat around and talked until bed time.

Saturday, May 21, 2011	Day 75	42 - 3146.8	RT: 4:14	7:30 - 12:34

Blanding, UT	Sunset Inn	$35.70 - 1727.38	Avg: 9.9	Max: 34.5

We got up a little before 6:00 and Mike and Mona were already in the kitchen. It was sunny but 32º with a few clouds over the mountains above Monticello, UT. We had scones for breakfast and then were off to the truck to load our final items. Mike needed a little more money so had to drive around to the parking area nearer the house to run in and get some. The path to the truck was a bit frosty, but the roads were fine. Mike drove us to the highway and waited until we were all together and rode off before he left for NM. It was sunny and felt comfortable with 2 long sleeves, ear band, two pairs of socks, and mittens. After 2 miles we were in Utah and after another 4 miles the heavy long sleeves and mittens came off. Then the sun went behind a cloud and stayed there. It felt colder and the gentle uphill felt much harder. I eventually got cold and had to put my light orange jacket on. I was really depressed with the cold and I must have been hungry as it felt really hard to pedal up the hill. There was also a light WNW wind and we were going West. I barely made it to Monticello, UT. We stopped at the store and bought a few items. Outside I ate 2 cookies and 2 bagels and felt better. There was some sun when we left, but the sky was getting cloudier. We had a tailwind to Blanding and the 21 miles felt much easier than the first 19 even though we had some steeper hills. I never did take my long sleeves or tights off. I realized we had stayed in Blanding before when I saw a sign for the dinosaur museum. We stopped at the visitors center so Shirley could get a Blanding map and ask about a motel and store. We ended up at the same motel we stayed at last time we were here. The room wasn't ready yet since it was only 12:45. Shirley looked at it before paying since it was only $35.70 with tax. It is a good bicycle room with lots of space for bikes and BOBs. We went to the store while the room was cleaned and got 3 days of food although we will probably only need 2. We had to wait a few minutes when we got back for the room. After eating a bit we headed off to the laundromat and it was 5:00 by the time we got back and organized. Shirley studied maps while I ate a little and wrote in my diary. A fridge and microwave were added to the room as promised. At first we didn't see a plug for the fridge, but eventually saw it by the light switch for the bathroom. About 6:15 I started dinner. Shirley decided she only wanted potato salad and a very few vegies. The owner/clerk saw me sitting on the ground cooking and a little while later came over and asked if we needed an outside chair. I had already finished cooking by then. A little before Blanding we met a cyclist on a mountain bike with very wide tires. He had a raft on the front and has been rafting a lot of rivers over the last 11 days. He had planned to return to his car tomorrow after riding the mountains above Monticello, but the snow the last few days made that impossible so he ended up riding the highway to Monticello and his car today.

Sunday, May 22, 2011	Day 76	79.5 - 3226.3	RT: 7:23	7:05 - 4:15

Lake Powell (48 Mi SE of Hanksville, UT)	Hite C.G	$6.00 - $1733.38	Avg: 10.7	Max: 38.0

We got up at 6:00 and were off around 7:05. It was fairly warm at 45º. I started in two long sleeves, tights, and light gloves. After about 6 miles of downhill we started an uphill and I got down to shorts and jersey. Shirley kept her long sleeves on for another few miles. We had a light tailwind. We went up and down a couple times. The downhills were a little cool, especially in the shade. Finally we reached Comb Wash and started a 10 mile, 2100 foot climb. We finally stopped to eat after 2 hours and 45 minutes and 23 miles. We got to the Natural Bridges turnoff at noon so we decided to go on to Hite Marina. The winds started to become a headwind, but it switched a lot from headwind to tailwind and was probably more tailwind than headwind. It was mostly downhill to Fry Canyon some 18-20 miles. After that there were a few hills with a downward trend. I saw two blooming cactus, one near Fry Canyon and one about 4 miles from Hite. We finally got to Hite around 4:15 after a little over 9 hours. We stopped at the ranger station to pay. Shirley's old person pass got us in free. Otherwise it would have been $14. We were also informed it was no longer Hite Marina, but just Hite since the lake level has been down for several years. We asked about the store for milk and were told it hadn't opened this afternoon. However, the maintenance man who was chatting with the female attendant said he got some pints of milk that were about to expire and he would go get one for us. The woman then said she still had one in the office and would give it to us. We went down to the CG and rather than take the one table that was there Shirley walked around looking for a non windy site. We finally ended up at the table. It was sunny and breezy. We had to get water right away to keep the empty bottles from blowing away. Shirley wasn't ready to eat so we sat at the table. Around 5:30 the sun went behind a cloud so Shirley took a bath in the bucket. She didn't want to bathe earlier because it would wash off her sun screen. I took a bath later in the sink in the restroom. There are only 3 other campers here and they are spread out pretty far. About 6:00 I said I was going to wash and then cook dinner. I cooked by the restroom since that was the only place the wind was blocked. There were dark clouds around from time to time, but no rain. The wind died down around 8:40.

Monday, May 23, 2011	Day 77	52.3 - 3278.6	RT: 5:27	7:20 - 2:20

Hanksville, UT	Hanisville Inn	$65.49 - $1798.87	Avg: 9.6	Max: 36.5

It was calm this morning with partly sunny skies. It was also warm at 62º. We stopped at the restroom on the way out and met the maintenance man. We told him the milk was wonderful on our cereal. It was 1.5 miles out to the main road. We started in shorts and jersey. By the time we reached the road it was mostly sunny. It took us an hour to get from camp to the start of the hill leaving Lake Powell that we could see from our camp site. We had a snack at the turnoff to an overlook a mile up the hill. It was then down to the canyon that heads toward Hanksville. We had a tailwind and the grade was gentle. We stopped at Hog Spring for a long break at the rest area. It was so sunny I put my rain gear in BOB. About a mile later it started clouding up and just before we got to the junction to Bull Frog it looked like it was going to rain so we got our rain gear out and put our pack covers on. Fortunately, the storm moved away from us and we went slow enough uphill we didn't catch it. We did see some damp spots on the road now and then. There were more rain showers across the area. We finally stopped about 10 miles from Hanksville to eat. Up to then we had mostly tailwind. The next 5 miles were headwind and even though it looked downhill it was hard. Maybe it was uphill. Then we definitely had some uphill, but the wind was blocked so psychologically it was easier. We got into Hanksville as it was looking dark. Shirley wanted a room even though it was just showers. The motel we stayed at last time we stayed in Hanksville is permanently closed and run down. There was one across from the store with a sign saying the office was at the store. When Shirley inquired she was told the motel is now low income housing and the store has nothing to do with it. You would think they would take the sign down. We had passed 2 motels earlier although Shirley had only seen one. We went back to the one closet to the store. Shirley managed to get a $10 discount for being a senior (50+), but it was still $65. It was thundering pretty good as we checked in, but it only rained a little an hour or so later. It's been fairly quiet and sunny since and would have been good camping once that windy, wet cell passed through. Shirley took a nap until 5:30. We went to the store and bought baked potatoes, bagged vegies, yogurt, and frozen burritos for dinner. Shirley didn't eat her burrito. She says she will take it with her tomorrow. We also bought a can of pineapple chunks which we didn't eat.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011	Day 78	48.4 - 3327.0	RT: 6:15	7:20 - 4:00

Torrey, UT	Torrey Trading Post Cabins	$38.59 - $1837.46	Avg: 7.7	Max: 32.0

We got up after 6:00 and were off at 7:20 again today. It was mostly cloudy and just under 60º. There was just a little bit of sun. It cooled to about 55º as we rode. The sun disappeared and I got depressed again. Eventually we got a light headwind and then a light tailwind. We stopped a couple of times for cookies, but didn't take a real rest break until we reached Capitol Reef after about 25 miles. As we were eating at the orientation station a tour bus pulled up. I had just used the restroom and Shirley quickly ran over before the bus parked. The bus was full of French tourists and eventually several of them took our picture and talked with us in very broken English. We headed off and after a couple miles the sky started getting dark so we stopped to put our pack covers on. Shirley was quicker and was ahead of me. I barely got started again when it started raining so I stopped to put my rain gear on. As I was putting it on it started hailing, luckily about pea size. I rode further until I came upon Shirley hunkered under a tree. It rained and hailed really hard for several minutes. When it slackened off we continued on to the Visitor Center. By then it had stopped raining and was getting sunny again, but still between 55 and 60. We took another break and talked to some people from Singapore. We finally took off for Torrey, 11 miles away, at 1:15. It was uphill with a strong headwind. We had to pedal down the few downhills there were We eventually stopped to eat in the parking lot of a huge motel not far from Torrey. It was 3:45 when we got to the outskirts of Torrey. Shirley stopped at the Info Center and after talking with the guy decided we should go to Red Canon instead of Bryce for Memorial Day weekend since there would be a greater chance of finding space over the holidays. We were both really beat and while she was in the Visitors Center I sat outside and felt depressed and when she came out we decided to stay in Torrey rather than ride the 7-8 miles to Bicknell. The guy at the Info Center said we could get a cabin for $35 at the Trading Post so we went there. It's actually a nice cabin. The BOBs and bikes fit. Too bad the restrooms are not attached. We got bedding and towels and wash cloths and a TV. We went to a hamburger place for dinner. I had 2 hamburgers and Shirley had a burrito. I also had a couple donuts and drank a lot of water. Now I feel too full. It's sunny, but windy.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011	Day 79	63.6 - 3390.6	RT: 6:32	6:50 - 4:10

5 Miles N. of Antimony, UT	Otter Creek S.P.	$16.00 - $1853.46	Avg: 9.7	Max: 41.0

Shirley was in a hurry to get up this morning in order to beat the wind so we were up at 5:50. The sky was clear and there was a definite breeze, seemingly from the Southwest. The temperature was about 38º. We were off at 6:50 wearing ear band, 2 long sleeves, jacket, tights, and heavy gloves. The headwind wasn't real strong, but was noticeable and I thought it was going to be a long, hard day. Then, at about 6 miles we turned around a hill and the wind disappeared. It was still cold and still uphill, but there was hope. We made a little over 7 miles the first hour and got to Bicknell in about 1:10. We stopped to warm up in the sun at a closed liquor store and Shirley had a snack. It was then more down than up to Loa and by the time we got there it had warmed to the mid 40's. The store was a pretty good store and we spent a long time getting about 4 days worth of food. I had hoped to get cash back, but for some reason the transaction went through as a credit card. Oh well, I shouldn't need much cash anyway. We were at the store for over an hour by the time we shopped, ate, and packed. There was a 1300 foot climb out of Loa, quite steeply at first and then more gently. The last few miles were up and down. While riding from Torrey to Loa there were several fields being watered and all were quite icy even when my thermometer said it was 40º. The downhill from the 8385(?) foot summit was really nice, but too short. I was surprised to find that was our hill for the day as I expected a hill when we headed South toward Otter Creek S.P. We had a break in Koosharem at a church with some tables. All the tables, which we started at, were in the shade so we soon moved to the steps in the sun. We had gotten down to shorts and jersey shortly after leaving Loa and managed to stay that way until we reached the summit. We put our tights and long sleeves back on for the downhill. When we left Koosharem we were back to shorts and jersey and it was quite comfortable. We had a light headwind with a few stronger gusts. Although we basically followed Otter Creek we were far enough away that we had lots of gentle ups and downs. At the state park we told the guy we would look at the sites and come back. After selecting a site and I returned he said "Oh, you changed your mind" He thought we were looking at other places to stay rather than the State Park. The tent sites have pads which made it easy to set up the tent, although we had spent a lot of time looking for a grassy site and out of the wind. Pretty much neither existed. The RV sites have shelters to block the wind, but not the tent sites. We went behind a shelter to cook and eat since the wind picked up a bit after we got here. It also clouded up quite a bit, but stayed fairly warm.

Thursday, May 26, 2011	Day 80	46.0 - 3436.6	RT: 6:03	7:15 - 3:45

Bryce Canyon N.P.	North C.G.	$7.50 - $1860.96	Avg: 7.6	Max: 21.5

The wind blew all night last night. It calmed down a bit just before dawn. It was fairly warm at around 50-55º. We got up before 6:00 hoping to get some miles in before the wind picked up. Just as we started to leave Shirley noticed her front tire was a bit low. We decided to just pump it up and take off. We got started at 7:15 and the tire stayed up all day. It was a bit breezy, but not too bad to Antimony. The wind came and went all day, but mostly was there. We went through a couple nice canyons early on with varying strength of wind. At one point some cows got spooked and were running down the road in front of us. We couldn't get past them until we finally had a little downhill. After 15-18 miles we came out of the canyon and just had a steady uphill into the wind. It was slow and frustrating. We didn't really know how far it was to Hwy 12, but we figured it was under 45 miles. It turned out to be 41.5 miles. We debated whether to go to Bryce and hope for a site or go to Red Canyon. At Hwy 12 we finally decided it would be a shame to be so close to Bryce and not go there. At Ruby's we stopped to see if we could find out if there were any campsites available, but couldn't get the info in spite of a very helpful lady at the shuttle office. We decided to ride the 3 miles to the park and hope. Shirley went into the store and bought some frozen vegies, 2 cans of vegies, and 2 cans of milk plus a bottle of milk for $9.00. At the park entrance the lady wanted to charge me $12.00 instead of letting us in on Shirley's American the Beautiful Pass. We told her the web site didn't agree with that. She finally relented, but said I shouldn't exit and come back. She said she hadn't been told the C.G. was full. We headed to the C.G. which was only a couple hundred feet away and found at least 5 sites empty. After looking at all of them several times we finally chose the first one we had parked our bikes at. The rest room is closed and there are 3 porta potties. The host told us there had only been 2 but that wasn't enough so a third one was added today. They cost $1400 a month for each one. Our site is right next to them. After setting up we did a short hike on the rim trail before eating dinner. There is a French cyclist in camp who has ridden from San Francisco and is now heading back. He said he has mostly had headwind. Later a guy in a car from California asked for our help in putting his fly on his tent. He said he normally has tents without a fly. We showed him how to stake it and guy it out. He didn't stake the tent, only the fly. The Spanish cyclist came over to get advice on how to get from Zion to Mono Lake. He stayed and talked until after 10:00.

Friday, May 27, 2011	Day 81	0 - 3436.6

Bryce Canyon N.P.	North C.G.	$7.50 +$2.00 - $1870.46

We slept in until 8:30 this morning. The sun had been in camp for a long time and it felt warm. It got down to the low 40's last night and my toes got a little cold. After a leisurely breakfast we went hiking on the Fairyland Trail, an 8 mile loop. We returned to camp around 2:00 and did puzzles, etc. About 4:00 I walked over to the Visitor Center and checked the weather. I'm sorry I did since the forecast for Sunday and Monday is rain and snow. We were planning on staying here until Monday, but now we may leave tomorrow to get somewhere with rooms before Sunday. The guy we helped with the tent last night offered us some chicken and broccoli which we accepted. He also shared strawberries. I then fixed dinner also. After visiting the Visitor Center we took the shuttle bus to Bryce Point and back without getting off. Shirley just wanted to do it. We got off at the store and each bought a muffin for breakfast. Shirley went back later for a $2.00 shower. I did another bucket bath. The other tent loop was opened today and it also has porta potties. All the loops are full. Our neighbors are from Germany and ar on the start of a ten month round the world trip.

Saturday, May 28, 2011	Day 82	0 - 3436.6

Bryce Canyon N.P.	North C.G.	$7.50 - $1877.96

We didn't sleep quite so late today, only 7:45. It was another sunny day and the wind was calm. We took the shuttle to Bryce Point and hiked the Peek a Boo and Queen's Garden trails back to Sunrise Point. Not many people on Peek a Boo, but lots and lots on the Queen's Garden. We stopped at the store to buy more muffins and eat lunch at a table. We got back to camp at 1:10. We sat around camp doing puzzles for a while. Shirley took a couple hour nap. I walked to the Visitors Center to check the weather forecast. It still calls for rain and snow tomorrow, but the morning might be OK. Still predicted to be cold tomorrow night. It was about 50 when we got up this morning and my toes didn't even get cold last night. I talked to Dan, the guy we helped with his tent the other night, and I'm getting tired of him. Later he did offer us his car to drive to the far end of the park, but we declined. It got really windy in mid afternoon and as a result fairly cold. The forecast has changed to no precipitation tonight and 50's tomorrow. It's still supposed to get into the 20's and be windy. A guy from Florida wanted to know what to expect so I told him the forecast. He and his wife had a cheap tent from Target. He bought several stakes from the store and used a tarp and rope he had to wrap it up and stake it down. He did a very good job.

Sunday, May 29, 2011	Day 83	6.2 - 3442.8	RT: 31	9:25 - 9:56

2 Miles W. of Bryce N.P.	Foster's Motel	$75.00 - $1952.96	Avg: 12.0	Max: 32.0

We got up at 7:00 because Shirley was in a hurry to start calling motels for a room tonight. It didn't get much below 50 last night, but the wind blew all night and the inside of the tent was pretty dusty. We couldn't get cell phone reception so we ended up going to the Visitor Center. The forecast was for strong winds today and somewhat better tomorrow. We got a brochure listing the motels around the region. We used the pay phone to call Ruby's which was full. It cost us $1.00 to call the next motel because we put the 50¢ in first and then dialed which didn't work. We then dialed and put the 50¢ in when it told us to. They had a room for $75.00 with tax. Shirley took it. Check in was 1:00. Shirley was in a hurry to get there to beat any bad weather that might arrive even though the sky was clear. We did walk around the C.G., though, and a lot of people were gone or leaving, some a day or even 2 earlier than paid for. We packed and were off for our 6 mile ride at 9:25 and got to the motel at 9:55. We were told the room might be ready at noon. We finally decided to eat breakfast in the restaurant to kill time and managed to stretch it out to after 11:00. When we paid for breakfast we were told the room should be ready. It wasn't quite, but was within 15 minutes. The bikes are locked by a door from the outside to a common area that is blocked by a treadmill. The BOBs are in the closet. Shirley had put the accommodation brochure on the table in the room when we checked to see if it was ready. When the maid finished cleaning she threw it away so finding a motel for tomorrow will be more difficult. After settling in we went to the store and bought 2 oranges, 1 apple, 1 banana for $2.31. We did puzzles until 5:30 when we went to the store again looking for dinner. Shirley got a can of soup for dinner which she ate cold, and a muffin for breakfast. I got a can of peas and carrots and I cooked dinner. It was feeling pretty cold outside and I had trouble finding a place where the wind was blocked.. The items at the store had various prices on them. Some were reversed digits like $1.29 and $2.19, but others were just totally different. I was sitting by the window which leaks and got cold so on Shirley's suggestion I turned the heat on. Then the sun heated up the room and Shirley wanted the air conditioner on. I said we didn't need the air conditioner and Shirley got mad and snapped that she was sick. The air conditioner didn't work so I opened the window. We may as well have been camping.

Monday, May 30, 2011	Day 84	19.8 - 3462.6	RT: 1:45	8:40 - 10:45

Pangritch, UT	Bryce Canyon Motel	$39.25 - $1992.21	Avg: 11.2	Max: 24.5

We woke to a partly cloudy and cool day at 39º. The wind wasn't blowing too hard. We ate breakfast and were off at 8:40. After a couple miles we had to get on a bike path which was very smooth, but much hillier than the road. When we got to Red Canyon it was not near as nice of a downhill as the road. We stopped at the Red Canyon Visitor Center and got another accommodation brochure. It was a bit chilly at times, but I was plenty warm in my helmet cover, ear band, heavy mittens, 2 long sleeves, jacket, and tights. At the Visitor Center I removed the jacket, helmet cover, and mittens and put on my light gloves. The last 3 miles of downhill to Hwy 89 were colder than I thought it would be on my hands, but I warmed up quickly when we turned. We got to Panguitch just after 10:30 and found one of the cheaper motels listed. I thought another one looked better, but this one worked out nicely. We have a fridge, microwave, table, and room for the bikes for only $35 ($39.25 with tax). There were also books at the office so we traded books. We went to the store and bought a fair amount. We were able to get $50 to replenish our dwindling cash. After eating lunch we did our laundry at the nearby C.G. By the time we were done it was 3:00. Shirley went window shopping and to look at quilts on the sidewalk for a show for maybe 3/4 hour and then I walked around for about an hour. Shirley paid $5 more for a room with fridge and microwave so we had baked potatoes again after Shirley got a couple paper towels from the office. They turned out very well as did the vegies we cooked on the revolving plate.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011	Day 85	78.2 - 3540.8	RT: 6:21	7:45 - 4:15

Milford, UT	Affordable Motel	$39.14 - $2031.35	Avg: 12.3	Max: 47.0

We didn't get up very early and were off at 7:45. My thermometer said 45º, but the sprinklers in the fields were all covered in ice. It was sunny with a nice Southern breeze. This was good since se had 10 miles going North. There was still some holiday traffic left over, but not near as bad as yesterday. Another cyclist caught us at the junction of Hwy 20. He is just out for 4 days and is heading home to Salt Lake. We took some clothes off before heading up Hwy 20. After a couple miles I got down to shorts and jersey. I was warm enough riding, but it was cool to cold when we stopped. The climb on Hwy 20 seemed easier than we remembered from 2001. The tail wind certainly helped. We decided to go down before eating since it was cold on top. The first couple miles were 8% with a dead on tailwind and smooth pavement. I just let it go and hit 47 MPH. There was a rumble strip just to the right of the white line so I got out in the lane of traffic. When it flattened out a bit and I slowed to 30 MPH it seemed slow. There was a short uphill and then another 4 miles of 8%. It was curvier and windier so I didn't go faster than about 46 MPH. We stopped a couple miles before I-15 for a snack. It was 10 miles up and 10 miles down. I-15 went North and we had a good tailwind to Beaver. After a 6 mile uphill to 6500 feet it was then downhill to Beaver. We bought enough food to get us to Milford in 2 days. We headed toward Minersville S.P. The first couple miles went West, but then we had about 7 miles heading SW and into the wind. At the park we decided to go on to Milford since after the park the road headed West for 8 miles to the town of Minersville and then North to Milford and was downhill. The final 13 miles into Milford were really easy and we covered the 20 miles from the state park to Milford in 1 hour, 25 minutes. At Milford Shirley decided it was time to send some stuff home so we parked and dug out stuff to send home. We sent 6 pounds, 1.9 ounces home for $14.95. Shirley found a pair of Nikes on the interstate today so she sent her spare pair of shoes home. I sent the battery charger and some clothes home. We went to the library to check the weather. The forecast is for 25-35 MPH winds tomorrow and gust to 50 MPH from the SSW. Thursday is 18MPH from the SW. Friday is SE at 9 MPH. We hoped to camp but were told the park wasn't open. The librarian said we could camp in the city park, but when we rode up the hill there wasn't a rest room or any water, but there was nice grass. As we passed the motel to check out the city park we saw another cyclist checking in. We ended up at the motel. We have a large room with fridge and microwave for $39.14. There is a funky smell in the bathroom. It seems unlikely we will go to Baker tomorrow due to the wind.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011	Day 86	0 - 3540.8

Milford, UT	Affordable Motel	$39.14 - $2070.49

Another rather boring day in a motel. Since the winds were forecast to be 25-35 with gusts of 50 MPH we decided to stay put today. There was a cyclist from Salt Lake staying next door and he headed South at 7:45. Around 9:00 I was going out for a walk when he came riding back. He said he made it 6 miles before deciding the wind was too strong. He said it was fun coming back, though. Unfortunately, he had left his key in the room when he left and the office doesn't open until 4:00. We invited him in our room to wait. Before we invited him in this morning he went walking with me and I really had to slow down. He is quite a loud talker and after a while I had to go for another walk. I did find the store while out. I looked at the RV park and there were no restrooms there. Around 1:00 the cleaning lady came around and Rob was able to get into his room. I was hoping he would leave us, but he settled in again. Around 3:15 Shirley and I said we were going to the library to use the computer and he finally went to his room to change clothes. We then went to the store and got more food in case we leave tomorrow. On my walk alone I bought brownies and something called Torpedoes at the store. They looked like pizzas. Unfortunately they had hot peppers on them. Rob was riding to a 5-7 day trip that Cheryl Soshnik is leading. He won't make it to the start in time now, but may be able to meet them somewhere. Shirley tried all afternoon to get her hair cut. She finally got in at 5:00 and it took nearly an hour. She ended up paying $15. After I paid for another night we went to the Subway for dinner. One of the ladies there said we must be the other bikers waiting for the weather. About 7:00 Rob came over supposedly to get our full names. He then stayed for 1.5 hours talking. His voice is a bit loud and I was just wishing he would leave. I finally made to take a shower and he finally got the hint to leave. Hopefully we will leave tomorrow.

Thursday, June 2, 2011	Day 87	83.5 - 3624.3	RT: 8:45	6:05 - 3:55

Baker, NV	Whispering Elms C.G.	$17.00 - $2087.49	Avg: 9.5	Max: 28.0

We got up to pee at 4:30, but we didn't stay up. We finally got up at 5:00 in hopes of beating the wind. We were off at 6:05. The wind was light and a tailwind. The climb to the San Francisco Mountains wasn't too bad and it took us 2 hours to do the 14 miles. It was 40º when we started and warmed up as we climbed and the sun hit us. On top it was very windy and cold. Fortunately after a couple miles we turned and it got warmer. We were actually able to coast for several miles. At the bottom it was quite warm and calm. We stopped to eat and a plastic bag just sat on my BOB bag without blowing away. Ten years ago when we did this trip it was agonizingly slow across the Wah Wah Valley due to headwinds and we couldn't tell if we were going up or down. This year we cruised along at 11-12 MPH. Then we started the 7 mile climb to the Wah Wah Mountains. After a couple miles I got down to shorts and jersey. The hill was steeper than the first hill. We only put our gloves and long sleeves on for the downhill and it was quite cold as we went into the wind. At the bottom we turned again and got a side to slight tailwind, but it was still cold. After several miles we stopped to eat again. Shortly after that it was up the third hill of the day. This one was more gentle and 200 feet lower than the others. We had a tailwind for much of it as our road curved more North. We finally got to the top and again put gloves and long sleeves on. Going down was very gentle and slow due to the wind. We stopped after 10 miles for another snack. The next 3-4 miles were hard and windy. Then just as I was about to go insane we got a very good tailwind and flew along for 15 miles into Garrison. We took our last break in Garrison about 9 miles from Baker. Fortunately the last 9 miles were easy and we got into Baker by 5:00, less than 11 hours after leaving Milford. We stopped at the store and bought some canned corn and a pint of milk before heading to the place we stayed at 10 years ago. Then we got a room and this year we are camping. It is expensive at $17. The tables are very tiny, but there is nice grass to camp on. The showers were very clean and well designed. We set up camp, took showers, and ate. As we were eating a very young (under 21) British cyclist came in. He is having a hard time with the wind, but he does smoke. It has taken him 13 days to get here from San Francisco. The wind died down for a while, but then came back up later. It is much colder when the wind is blowing. Shirley climbed into the tent around 8:20 to get warm. We entered the Pacific Time Zone at the Nevada border, but all times today are Mountain Time. I will start with Pacific Time tomorrow. Shirley sounds like she would like to do the 63 miles to Ely in two days. I would like to do it in one, especially if the winds are favorable. Shirley agrees about the wind.

Friday, June 3, 2011	Day 88	64.0 - 3688.3	RT: 6:34	7:20 - 4:20

Ely, NV	Deserest Motel	$42.16 - $2129.65	Avg: 9.7	Max: 46.0

I went to bed before 9:00 last night and we didn't get up until 6:00. It felt cold again, especially since we were in the shadow of the house. We went to a table in the sun to eat. My hands got cold while packing up. I didn't warm up for about 4 miles. I took my heavy long sleeves and tights off soon after getting on Hwy 50. We had a nice tailwind and even though it was cold I took my other long sleeves off a few miles later. We stopped at a rest area a couple miles below the summit of Sacramento Pass. I got really cold due to the wind even though I had put on my long sleeves and tights. When we left I just pedaled hard to the top and warmed up. For the downhill I put my heavy long sleeves on as well. The downhill was 6% and I hit 46 MPH and the long sleeves felt good. I kept the warm clothes on for miles before finally taking the tights and one long sleeve shirt off. We stopped to eat when it was warm and calm. We were starting up the next pass so I took my long sleeves off. I got ahead of Shirley and almost didn't stop at Majors Place at the Hwy 93 junction, but waited at the far end. Shirley pulled in to use the restroom, which was only for paying customers. She bought an almond Hershey bar for $1.00 for the honor of using the restroom. I pushed hard up the last 5 miles which were 6%. I stayed in my middle chain ring. It was quite warm. On top I put my long sleeves back on. It got a bit warm, but when we stopped at a rest area about 10 miles down we got cold and put our tights and another long sleeve on. Of course, we got hot when we started riding again. I only took my heavy long sleeve off, but should have taken off more. After the first 6 miles down NDOT started rumbling the small shoulder forcing us into the lane of traffic. We stopped at a KOA and camping cost $26.40 plus tax. Shirley wanted a motel anyway. We stopped at a store and Shirley asked about a cheap motel. A woman told us the Nevada Hotel had $35 rooms and even called them to make sure a room was available. It took a long time to arrange things. After shopping we went to the hotel. Shirley checked in, but when she went to look at the room she decided it was too small for our stuff. She had me look at it and I agreed, so Shirley had the guy cancel the charge. We went to a motel advertising $37.99 and up which we had passed on the way to the Nevada and Shirley talked them into the single rate. The room is plenty large enough for all our gear. After showers we went to eat and found a family style restaurant. I had a chef salad and Shirley a Taco Salad. Total $20.31. Shirley wants to go 39 miles tomorrow to a reservoir off the road 1.5 miles. I'd like to go 78 miles to Eureka, but it is supposed to be windy. I'm tired of the cold and wind and just want to get the heck out of the mountains and get to lower country.

Saturday, June 4, 2011	Day 89	76.4 - 3764.7	RT: 7:37	7:00 - 4:55

Eureka, NV	Silver Sky Lodge RV Park	$15.00 - $2144.65	Avg: 10.0	Max: 47.0

I was very depressed when we started today. It was supposedly 32º although it didn't feel anywhere near that cold, it was supposed to windy, we were only going 39 miles when I want to do long days to get out of here, and the naked views of Shirley have been too few and not so good. We got up a little after 6:00 and were off at 7:00. Shirley was hot last night so she turned the noisy air conditioner on. She said I could turn it off when we went to bed, but later she turned it back on and I didn't sleep very well. Robinson Pass was pretty easy as it gained 1200 feet in17 miles and we had a tailwind. On the uphill we stopped after 10 miles or so and Shirley ate most of the brownies and I had 3. My feet got cold which depressed me even more and I dug out my long socks. I pushed sort of hard since I hoped if we got to the reservoir early Shirley would agree to go to Eureka. The down side wasn't very steep and then we had a long valley to cross as ususal. The wind was more of a side wind in the valley. I was finally ready to eat in the valley after about 24 miles. It was fairly windy, but not too cold. Shortly after we started again we passed three cyclists going the other way who said we would have a tailwind. I was surprised Shirley didn't stop to talk. We started up Little Antelope Pass and after 8 miles came to the reservoir turnoff at 12:45. We definitely had a tailwind. Shirley's hip was hurting, but she finally decided we should go on and take advantage of the tailwind since we weren't sure there were any trees at the reservoir. The rest of the pass was easy. The downhill was a little steeper and we stopped to eat again. We could see the next pass called Pancake Pass which was 900 feet lower than Little Antelope. Continuing down we had side wind with a tail component. The uphill was only 4 miles and only the last mile was into the wind. We then had 10 more miles with a side wind and head component, about half of which was downhill. We finally got to the curve in the road that would give us a tailwind for the rest of the day. We stopped to eat before the last pass of the day, Pinto Pass which was back to 7300+ feet so we had 1000 feet to climb in 5 miles. I had missed Pinto Pass on my map until Shirley told me about it at our break before Pancake Pass. Fortunately the wind blew us up the hill. The downhill was really nice and I once again hit 47 MPH. It was hard to stop at the RV Park when I got there. Shirley was so far behind I was beginning to wonder what happened. It was quite windy and we debated whether to camp. Shirley's hip/back really hurt and her nose was allergic to something. The tent camping was the grassy area behind the RVs and cost $15. We spent a lot of time determining where to put the tent. The best spot wind wise was getting the smoke from one of the RVers who smoked and the other area was a bit windy. After staking the ground cloth down three times and debating the merits of each site we finally settled on a spot. Shirley took a shower and then crawled in the tent while I showered. When I paid I didn't have the correct change and there was no one in the office, but the self pay station was stuffed full and I could reach the money other's had put in. I managed to get enough change out so I could pay our fee. Anyone watching probably thought I was stealing the money. I finally got her up at 7:00 to eat dinner. I cooked just outside the bathroom because that was out of the wind. While eating the wind died down to almost nothing. Shirley got back in the tent after dinner. Hopefully we didn't do her in today. She wants to take a day off tomorrow. That might be good as the next jump to Austin is 70 miles and it is supposed to be windy again tomorrow and will probably be a headwind component.

Sunday, June 5, 2011	Day 90	0 -3764.7

Eureka, NV	Silver Sky Lodge RV Park	$15.00 - $2159.65

The wind started blowing fairly strongly during the night sometime. Fortunately, it stayed pretty warm. The sun didn't hit our tent until about 7:20, I think. I finally got up around 7:40, although I stayed in the tent until Shirley got up. It was nearly 9:00 by the time we ate breakfast. Shirley's nose still was running and her back hurt. She went back to the tent. I walked the mile or so into town. The two cheapest looking motels said full. It was 12:15 by the time I got back to camp. Shirley got up and we read a while before she decided to check the motels. The cheap ones still said full and the Best Western was $100 so we are camping again. We stopped at the store on the way back and I may have made an error by not getting rice and cereal as I used all my rice tonight and only have a couple days of cereal. Winnemucca may be the next good store. At the Best Western Shirley had the clerk pull up the weather forecast for Eureka and Austin and according to her both said wind of less than 10 MPH tomorrow. That would be very nice if it were true. We stopped at a small drive in café on the way back to camp and had ice cream. I had a large chocolate cone which was very large and Shirley had a hot fudge brownie which surpisingly came in a large cup. I think we ended up paying more because we ordered and ate inside rather than going to the take out window. Back in camp the wind was really blowing hard at times. I tried puzzles for a while, but switched to reading. We ate dinner around 6:00 and the owner finally showed up. He picked up trash and cleaned the restrooms. He had been gone 5 days. We had dumped the trash, dried the mats, and swept the floor this morning. When I had paid this morning I had to do the retrieve the change from the self pay slot again.

Monday, June 6, 2011	Day 91	71.0 - 3835.7	RT: 8:30	6:40 - 5:15

Austin, NV	Lincoln Motel	$54.75 - $2214.40	Avg: 8.3	Max: 33.0

Today started out nicely, but then turned to crap. We got up at 5:30 to a clear sky except for a few clouds over the mountains to the East. We ate in the laundry where it was warm and went to the toilet between showers being taken by some RVers. We were off at 6:40 dressed in tights, 2 shirts, jacket, ear band, long socks, and mittens. It felt good on the 4-5 mile downhill but after that I got down to tights and long sleeves. I also forgot to take my long socks off. We then had 7-8 miles of gentle uphill. The wind was from the SE and helpful. We did the first 25 miles in 2.5 hours. The clouds to the East were growing and for a while looked like they would catch us, but then they headed North. However, clouds were forming over the mountains to the West and South. I thought it was going to be easier than I had hoped with the wind the way it was. Then after 28 miles the sun went behind a cloud and it got cold and we got a headwind. In 5 more miles it started raining just as we got to a rest area. I managed to get into the rest area and to a vacant table with a shelter before it started raining hard. Shirley got to an occupied table. She didn't see that I was at a shelter too. She talked to a guy walking across the country to promote awareness of bullying. He had camped at the rest area last night and Shirley said he had a very large gun. By the time I got all my pack covers on and rain gear on it quit raining. Shortly before the rain we passed 4 cyclists going the other way. We continued on into the headwind for most of the day. It rained on us again coming off Hickison Pass. I even got sleeted on because I had stopped to take a picture. After a couple miles I needed to put my ear band and helmet cover on which was very difficult with my over mitts on. After a couple more miles it quit raining and got warmer again. After both showers the headwind disappeared for a couple miles before roaring back. I got back down to a light long sleeve shirt. It was then a 12+ mile climb to Bob Scotts Summit at 7195 feet, some 600 meet higher than Hickison. It was cold and very windy going up. We then had a 2 mile downhill and a 2.5 mile steep uphill to Austin Summit at 7484 feet. The last 1/2 mile was so windy Shirley had to push about half of it. I had to stop to regain my balance a couple times and got really frustrated. The final three downhill miles which lost 1000 feet was very windy and cold and not much fun. We had to go very slow to make sure we didn't get blown off the road. Shirley's back was hurting all day. She took an Advil and Ibuprofin from me early on and on top of Bob Scott she took another Advil. She realized about 8 miles before that she needed another Advil, but she is out and I had them. We stopped at the first motel and got a room for $54.75. It's OK, but very run down and the shower isn't very good. Shirley had trouble finding the hot water and then it was hard to adjust. After showers we hit both gas stations for food for tomorrow since there is no store. At the first we only bought muffins for $1.89 each. At the second we got half and half, tortillas, and a small pie. We then went to a café where Shirley had a cheeseburger and I had two 1/4 pound hamburgers and fries. Finally it was back to the room. Shirley wants to spend another day here tomorrow since we have a 90 mile day jump to Battle Mountain and the weather is not supposed to be much better.

Tuesday, June 7, 2011	Day 92	49.4 - 3885.1	RT: 3:50	9:30 - 2:15

39 Miles S. of Battle Mountain, NV	Roadside Rest Area	Free - $2214.40	Avg: 12.8	Max: 31.5

We awoke to a sunny day and got up around 7:30 planning to stay in Austin another day, mainly for Shirley's back. This depressed me since Austin has no grocery, and all I want to do is get out of the mountains. Shirley turned on the weather channel and the forecast was for 3 MPH SE winds today and 12 MPH WNW winds tomorrow. I felt like we were wasting a good day to ride a bad one. Shirley suggested going out to breakfast so we did. I had a Denver omelet and Shirley a mushroom omelet with coffee for me and tea for Shirley. Total was $20. I was depressed which was obvious to Shirley so we talked about riding 50 miles to a rest area, leaving 40 miles to Battle Mountain tomorrow. We asked a local in the restaurant about getting water out of the Reese River and he said it wasn't good. He did say there was a farm house very near the rest area, though, and we could probably get water there. He also mentioned a hot springs about 5 miles before the rest area that we could probably camp at. With the hope of water Shirley decided we could leave. By the time we packed and I fixed Shirley's front tire that was very soft this morning due to a piece of wire it was 9:30 when we left. We started in gloves, 2 long sleeves, and tights for the downhill out of town, but once we got to the rolling hills it was down to shorts and jersey. We cruised along at 11-12 MPH with mostly a very light tailwind and the occasional light headwind. The hills were very small and rolling. When we crossed the Reese River there was very little water and a little later no water. It was a very easy and pleasant ride. We skipped looking for the hot springs since we didn't really see any of the landmarks the guy mentioned. About 1/4 miles from the rest area we stopped at a farm house and found an 88 year old man and 84 year old woman who gladly gave us water. We talked a while before heading to the rest area. The couple was just getting ready to walk to the rest area for the second time today, so we chatted some more when they got here. It's a little cool in the shade and we put our long sleeves on, but it is 70º and warm in the sun. Before leaving Austin we bought another bag of cookies for tomorrow and a can of tomatoes for tonight's dinner. The other choice was green beans. About 6:30 I went to the house to get more water and didn't see the old couple. Shortly after that we cooked dinner and just as I started I saw the couple start walking up the highway. They got here just as I finished cooking. We talked with them until the sun started setting and they had to head back. We called Mike Logsdon tonight. Shirley didn't want to even try the cell phone so we used the calling card. Shirley thought they were going to meet us on the 11th when actually the are driving down on the 10th which is what I thought, so it's a good thing she called. As soon as the sun got low in the sky it started cooling off.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011	Day 93	40.6 - 3925.7	RT: 3:16	7:05 - 11:30

Battle Mountain, NV	Big Chief Motel	$53.66 - $2268.06	Avg: 12.4	Max: 28.0

It didn't get very cold last night and the sun hit the tent early. We got up around 6:00 and my hands never got cold, but I did wear my light gloves most of the time. I started in tights, two long sleeves, and gloves. The first long sleeve came off rather quickly, and I was down to shorts and jersey by 8:00. We had a light tailwind most of the day with the occasional headwind. About 13 miles from Battle Mountain we developed a headwind and went gradually uphill for 2-3 miles. The wind wasn't bad and then we had a downhill into Battle Mountain and then 3-4 miles of flat at the end. There was a bike path the last couple miles. We passed a Visitor Center before 11:00 and stopped in. The lady told us there was no tent camping in town. She said we could try a mobile home park that recently added RV spaces. We rode through it, but didn't see any rest rooms so it was back to the Visitor Center. She called the Flying J truck stop and RV Park. They allow tents for $27 but they warned they did have goat head thorns. We then inquired about motels and were given a couple choices. The first was at a casino and was full. The second had 55 rooms, but only one single bed room open and on the second floor and a double bed room on the first floor for $5 more. We looked at both and decided on the ground floor room. We were in the room by 11:40. The lady at the counter said if we had been a couple hours later she would probably have been full due to all the mine and power plant workers. The whole process of checking the casino motel and then the Big Chief Motel seemed very familiar from the last time we came through Battle Mountain. After eating we walked to the store about 8 blocks away and bought food for tonight and tomorrow. Half of our $24 bill was brownies for $6.99 and Cozy shack pudding for $4.19. The library didn't open until 2:00 so it was back to the room to eat the pudding and half of the brownies. At 2:30 we went to the library. Shirley emailed Mike and Harold that the motels might be full. While walking around the wind was blowing fairly strong from the West. It's supposed to be from the WNW tomorrow which is bad since we are going West. We passed a couple creeks today that actually had water in them, but when we crossed the Reese River it was still just a mud hole. I forgot about the expensive muffin I bought in Austin for breakfast today. I guess I will have it tomorrow along with our continental breakfast that comes with the room. After we got back to the room Shirley decided it was hot and needed the air conditioner even though I was quite comfortable. I finally had to put my long sleeves, pant legs, and shoes on as it got down to 65º in here. Shirley even put her long sleeves on when she finally turned the air conditioner off. We had baked potatoes, a 16 oz tub of sour cream, and a bag of vegies for dinner. It turned out very good.

Thursday, June 9, 2011	Day 94	53.4 - 3979.1	RT: 5:08	6:50 - 1:05

Winnemucca, NV	Winnemucca RV Park	$20.12 - $2288.18	Avg: 10.4	Max: 30.0

We got up at 5:50 so we could go to the 6:00 continental breakfast. I had 2 mini bagels, a rice crispy something, hard boiled egg, bowl of cereal, banana, and mango juice. I also took a brownie and rice crispy thing with me. It was actually pretty filling. We were off at 6:50 into a light headwind. I started in light long sleeves, tights, and light gloves. After about one mile we got on I-80. Traffic was light for an interstate, but still too much. At one point I counted to 50 cars and 22 semis. It took just over 1/2 hour. Traffic seemed to pick up as the day went on. We had a light headwind or component most of the day. Sometimes it would seem to stop for a little while. By 8:00 I was again in shorts and jersey. There was a stretch of concrete highway with "good" rumbles covering all but about 1.5 feet of the shoulder. The uncovered part was on the traffic side. Even though they were shallow, they were annoying. Then we got to blacktop and the rumbles were only a foot wide and on the traffic side. We stopped at both rest areas, one at 14 miles and one at 43 miles. We also stopped on top of Golconda Summit at 5159 feet about 13 miles before the second rest area. It was quite a bit colder there and was only 650 feet higher than Battle Mountain. We wore our long sleeves and gloves down the other side. We got to the Winnemucca RV park around 1:15 and the owner is very nice. She gave us a 10% discount and the total was $20.12. We have a nice grassy site, but we can hear the highway. After setting up and eating a bit we decided to walk to the store. We left at 3:00 and it took us 45 minutes to walk there, 30 minutes to shop, and 45 minutes back. We bought most of what we will need for the next 4 days of travel. We also bought sun screen ($5.00) and Shirley bought hand lotion ($5.00) and more Ibuprofin ($5.00). She could have bought a 10 oz bottle of lotion for $2.89 but instead bought an 8 oz bottle for $5.00 because the extra 2 ounces bothered her. We got turkey and spinach for dinner and Shirley gave over half the spinach to the owner. It was a big bunch for only 93¢. We didn't eat until after showers so it was after 6:30 by the time we ate. Yesterday Shirley had tried to send an email to a Warm Showers guy who lives about 25 miles down a dirt road near the rest area we will stay at when we leave here. She asked if he could leave water for us since there isn't any at the rest area. Now she thinks she sent the email to us instead.

Friday, June 10, 2011	Day 95	18.3 - 3997.4	RT: 1:35	11:30 - 4:15

Winnemucca, NV	Winnemucca RV Park	$20.16 - $2308.34	Avg: 11.4	Max: 23.0

We didn't get up until after 7:00 and we didn't actually get out of the tent until after 8:00 as we sat and read. It was partly to mostly cloudy. I had to wear my long sleeves and gloves until the sun hit the table. I finished the Koontz book I had so Shirley could trade it in for another book. I rode to Walmart to get Shirley a new BOB tire, but all they had was a $17.00 folding tire. I did a little grocery shopping and bought two bags of bagels and 3 cans of milk plus a quart of fuel. I then went to the bike shop and bought a BOB tire for $12.00. There is nothing really wrong with Shirley's BOB tire, but she wanted to replace it anyway. She did have a BOB flat today due to a piece of wire. When we put the new tire on it wouldn't seat properly so I took the whole wheel back to the shop. The guy put on a different tire, but had the same problem. He soaped it and had it on and off a few times. He finally got it to seat properly by pumping it up real hard. By the time I got back it was 3:00 and we decided we better go to the store. We bought another $47.00 worth of food. We ought to have plenty of food for the next 4 days. When we got back to camp there was a note from Mike and Harold. While Shirley did laundry I called Mike. They will try to meet us at 7:00 in the morning. We had sandwiches again for dinner. One other tenter came in last night near dark and left before we got out of the tent this morning.

Saturday, June 11, 2011	Day 96	69.3 - 4066.7	RT: 6:06	7:10 - 3:20

35 Miles S. of Denio Jct, NV	Rest Area	Free - $2308.34	Avg: 11.3	Max: 36.0

We didn't get up until 5:50 since we didn't expect Mike and Harold until 7:00 at the earliest. We got the tent down and were eating breakfast at the table in the sun when they arrived at 6:30. I t didn't take them too long to get ready and Mike's dad and brother were off around 7:00. We didn't get finished packing and get off until 7:10. We took the back roads out of town to Hwy 95. There was little or no wind and we went gradually uphill. There was a rumble strip with 1.5 to 2 feet to the right of it which we rode. There was too much traffic to be really enjoyable, especially since we had to concentrate on staying between the rumble strip and edge of pavement. We finally got to the Hwy 140 turnoff after going over a 4907 foot summit. The uphill was only two miles long. Hwy 140 started with a nice 2 mile downhill and a light tailwind. We had a break at the bottom and just as we were leaving a local arrived on an ATV to talk to us. He said the Quinn River would be nasty. It continued pretty easy riding all the way to the rest area. I was last and trailing all day as I added a lot of weight in food and fuel. Harold even beat me up the two mile hill. Harold and Mike rode by the Quinn River without stopping since they were looking for a bridge instead of a culvert. Shirley and I stopped and started filling our Powerade bottles and bladders. Harold and Mike came back in a while. We filled up 4 quart bottles and four 2 liter bladders so we had plenty of water for cooking and bathing. The water looks like lemonade. On the down river side cows were grazing. About the time we got to the rest area the wind started picking up and soon became annoying. At least it waited until we were done riding. Lots of people came into the rest area to use the toilets. Early on Harold asked a guy in a truck with 2 ORVs if he had any extra water. He said sure and proceeded to give us 7 pint bottles and one 20 oz bottle of pop, all of which were very cold. Harold drank the Pepsi and we each had a bottle of water. Later Shirley and I cooked with the river water. Harold and Mike used bottled water. Shirley and I also bathed in river water. It had clouded up during the day and it was looking like rain so around 6:30 we set up the tent. It took all 4 of us for each tent due to the wind. Mike and Harold tied one end of their tent to a post protecting the table from cars and the post for the cover over the table. The other end got tied to 2 concrete blocks. We rolled a dumpster over to our table and tied one end of the tent to it and the other end to the post and cover post like Mike and Harold. Shirley found a large piece of concrete for our door and a bunch of asphalt pieces for the other. Mike and Harold also used some of the asphalt for their doors. It was cold and windy and spitting rain so we all retired to our tents. It gradually became calmer, but continued to drip.

Sunday, June 12, 2011	Day 97	53.9 - 4120.6	RT: 4:53	6:55 - 1:40

Fields, OR	Backyard of store	Free - $2308.34	Avg: 11.0	Max: 30.5

It really calmed down during the night and finally cleared after a couple very light showers. We awoke to a very sunny morning. We didn't get up until at least 5:45 and the sun was shining. Ac couple driving two trucks pulled in after dark and parked in the corner near us for the night. We talked with them this morning and they are moving to Georgia for a job. They said Google maps told them to take this route. We put the dumpster back where it was and were off at 6:55. It was a bit cool and I started in light long sleeves, tights, and gloves. Shirley skipped the tights. Mike and Harold were in shorts and short sleeves. At 7:30 I got down to shorts and jersey. It was a bit cool until we finally started up Denio Summit after 17 miles. We had been climbing very gradually before that. The summit was at 4845 feet and about 3 miles and then a downhill into Denio Junction. I was last until the hill and then I got ahead of Harold. I passed Mike on the downhill and caught Shirley. There were 2 planes parked at the gas station in Denio Jct. They had landed for lunch and fuel. They said their planes ran fine on premium gasoline and it was $1.50 to $2.00 cheaper than aviation fuel. Harold helped one guy pull his plane through the parking lot and the other guy taxied on the road to the runway. Shirley asked for some bleach and Mike and she washed out the platypus bags. I later put the water in the quart bottles I had left. In Fields she washed the pans with soap so we should be clear of Quinn River water. We mostly had a tailwind from Denio Jct to Fields with very little traffic. We did have some mosquitos along the way. At Fields the lady told us to go across the road and camp by some trees. We bought some treats and ate them before filling our water bottles. We looked around and saw a strip of grass by the fence so Harold went in to ask if we could camp there. The guy he talked to said we could camp in the backyard so we did. It is very lush grass. Since it is free we decided to eat in the restaurant. I had a 1/2 pound hamburger and Shirley had a cheeseburger. Total was $18.00. It was only 4:30 when we finished so we walked over to the trees to see what we passed up. It wasn't near as nice as the yard and was right next to a flooded area so will be very buggy when it cools down. Of course, the yard may be as well. After setting our tent up in the shade Shirley noticed a light on a pole so we will move it after the sun goes down or nearly so. I noticed after we got to Fields that my left thigh was hurting. Somewhere today, probably when I hurried up and down Denio Summit I pulled or strained my quad.

Monday, June 13, 2011	Day 98	51.5 - 4172.1	RT: 6:24	7:00 - 2:50

French Glen	French Glen Hotel lawn	$0.00 + $5.00 - 2313.34	Avg: 8.0	Max: 31.0

We played Hearts last night until almost dark before Mike went out and Shirley ran. The mosquitos were getting everyone with bare legs or arms. Shortly after going to bed the wind really started blowing hard. It must have blown for at least a half hour. It also rained off and on for much of the night. We got up to a mostly cloudy sky, but no rain. We packed and then went to the table in front of the store to eat breakfast. Fortunately, it was fairly warm and my hands didn't get cold. I started in tights, light long sleeves, and gloves. We had a tailwind for the first two miles, but then into the wind when we started up the hill. My leg felt good when we started, but after a mile or so up the hill it started hurting. Between the clouds and sore leg I got depressed again. I was real slow up the hill which was steep. I put my raincoat on to go downhill. We stopped a little way down for a snack and I took it off. That was a mistake as we had several more miles of gentle downhill and I got cold. It took quite a while for me to warm up again. We then had miles of gentle uphill and downhill. The sky gradually got less cloudy and about halfway I finally was down to shorts and jersey. There was a steep downhill into French Glen. Mike and Harold took a shaded table and I went for a sunny one. We went to the store which didn't have much. All I got was a Snickers. We set the tent up, but we were getting whiffs of the outhouse so had to move it and the table. Unfortunately, we were then in the shade. I was hungry all day so I finally started dinner a little after 4:30. Harold and Mike were eating a the hotel at 6:30 for $20 each. Mike, Harold, and Shirley each took a shower for $5.00. I took a bucket bath. While Mike and Harold ate Shirley and I talked to a census taker who goes out to houses that didn't reply. After dinner we played Hearts. Mike won when I went out. The mosquitos were a little worse than last night and it's definitely colder. My leg was quite sore tonight. It hurt every time I walked anywhere.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011	Day 99	61.3 - 4233.4	RT: 6:40	6:50 - 4:10

Burns, OR	Burns RV Park	$18.00 - 2331.34	Avg: 9.2	Max: 27.0

We got up to a sunny, but very dewy day. Fortunately, by the time we ate the fly had pretty much dried. The ground cloth was still quite wet. I thought it was a bit cool so I started in long sleeves and tights and gloves. I took an Ibuprofin for my thigh before leaving and it felt pretty good. I left a little before the others so I could ride slowly. I saw lots of rabbits and ducks. Mike and Harold saw a crane and a deer in the wildlife refuge. When they caught me after about 5 miles Shirley said the manager of the hotel might come by and offer me a ride. I was hoping I would get at least 30 miles. As it turned out I managed to ride the whole way as he never showed up. I took more Ibuprofin every 3.5 hours and rode gently up the hills. The riding was easy with a light to moderate tailwind. It was mostly gentle up for the first 30 miles and then a short downhill to the Narrows RV Park where we met a cyclist from Missoula going to California. After that we had some flat miles before a two mile climb before the final ten miles into Burns. We went to Safeway to buy a couple days worth of food. We were warned to get bug spray before going to the RV park. There are mosquitos, but not super bad. Shirley even lasted to almost 7:30 before retiring to the tent. The RV Park was flooded a couple weeks ago and the lawn is still quite wet. Shirley did laundry so we all threw our bike clothes in. The lady from the RV Park provided soap for free. After dinner we borrowed some scissors so Harold could cut my hair. They were too dull so the lady went home to get some barber scissors and now I have a hair cut. There are two other cyclists here doing a loop trip in Oregon.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011	Day 100	44.6 - 4278.0	RT: 5:59	6:55 - 2:15

Seneca, OR	City Park (Rest Area)	Free - 2331.34	Avg: 7.4	Max: 33.5

Mike and Harold got up early today so Shirley and I did too, meaning 5:45. Our campsite was not quite in the sun and with the breeze it felt cold. My hands got cold taking the tent down. Shirley and I ate in the laundry room which was nice and warm. There was a guy doing something on his laptop. I started in tights, 2 long sleeves, and light gloves and still felt cold. After about 4 miles I got my heavier gloves out and that helped. We climbed 1400 feet to Divine Ridge Divide. I tried not to put too much pressure on my thigh. It took us about 3 hours to do the 16 miles to the summit. The sky was partly cloudy so we had periods of sun and sort of warm and clouds and cold. We went down a couple miles to the Joaquin Miller CG for a snack. We all sat on the table in the sun. We had more downhill after that and that was cold. I finally stopped to dig out my mittens and wore them the rest of the day. There were many miles of gentle down along a river, but it looked uphill and certainly felt uphill with the wind. Then we followed a river uphill for miles and it was very tedious, especially since I was trying to gear down for my thigh. It had hurt pretty good at the CG. At one point at Seviers we sat in a ditch to get out of the wind. Fortunately, the last 7 miles to Seneca seemed easier and we finally got there around 2:15. We stopped at the store for snacks and inquired about staying in the city park. The lady said lots of people do, so we did. There is still a North breeze. Yesterday Shirley noticed a red stripe showing on my rear tire, probably indicating wear. I was going to swap the front and rear tires last night, but forgot until late so I did it this afternoon in camp. Shirley went to the store and got vegies for dinner and canned milk for breakfast. Just as we were getting ready to set up our tent behind a building out of the wind Shirley noticed a light right above the spot so we moved it beyond our covered shelter to block the light. Shirley didn't like the spot because it wasn't blocked enough from the wind and wanted to go farther away behind something else. I didn't want to be that far from the table so I nixed it. It is warm in the sun, especially when the wind doesn't blow.

Thursday, June 16, 2011	Day 101	56.7 - 4334.7	RT: 5:02	7:30 - 2:45

Dayville, OR	Church Hostel	$20.00 - $2351.34	Avg: 11.2	Max: 30.5

It started out cold this morning, although it wasn't too bad in the sun. The sky was mostly cloudy, but the clearest part was to the East so we did have some sun. Everyone else wanted to go to the store, which opened at 7:00, to get something hot to drink and something to eat. I ate my muffin which I bought yesterday at the store, finished packing and then joined them at the store. I had a long John. It was 45º when we took off. I wore tights, 2 long sleeves, jacket, ear band, helmet cover, and mittens. It felt good until the last two miles to the top of the pass. I took my jacket off for that. I put it back on for the downhill to John Day. The sky was clearing as we approached the pass and by John Day it was mostly sunny and much warmer. We took some clothes off two miles from John Day. We spent a long time in the store buying too much food. I got down to light gloves and long sleeves when we left at 11:30. Eventually I got down to shorts and jersey. I started out without Ibuprofin today, but on top of the pass after 10 miles decided I better take some and back off on my riding a bit. After John Day I really backed off again. We had thought about staying at Clyde Ballard State park 8 miles from John Day, but since it was a nice day we went another 25 miles to Dayville. It was down river but we did develop a light headwind. We were going to camp in the city park, but Harold went to get a Pepsi and someone told him the church across the street from the park is a hostel so we went to check it out. Shirley found Rose, the person in charge, at a nearby house and she opened the rest room/showers and showed us around. We have a kitchen, computer, dining area, etc., and we can sleep on the floor. Everyone thinks it is wonderful except me. This is one of the few days we can sit outside and be warm and we are in a cold building. I'm sitting outside in the sun writing this. The computer is old and slow. It took forever to boot up and response time is slow. I was still able to get things done, though. My thigh is better, but still hurts when I walk. I shouldn't have pushed this morning. In the hostel Rose noticed there wasn't any pancake mix and even though we told her we had breakfast food she brought some over. In Canyon City, where we took clothes off, my allergies kicked up so I took an allergy pill. I took a shower around 5:30 and that was nice so being inside has some advantages. A Bible study class met in the late afternoon and usually would have met in the dining area that we had taken over, but instead met in the church area. Rose had told us there would be a meeting and we were invited, but none of us thought that was a good idea.

Friday, June 17, 2011	Day 102	62.5 - 4397.2	RT: 6:52	6:55 - 4:00

26 Miles S. of Heppner, OR	Anson Wright Memorial County Park	$0.00 + $1.25 - $2352.59	Avg: 9.1	Max: 33.0

We got up at 5:45. Shirley and I had our normal breakfast while Mike and Harold had pancakes. I was surprised when Harold served them on paper plates and poured the syrup into a plastic / paper cup. Shirley donated $20 to the church which is twice what I would have given. I think Mike or Harold did to. It was supposedly 41º so I started in 2 long sleeves, tights, and heavy gloves. We followed the John Day River downhill so it felt pretty good. After 6 miles Mike stopped to take clothes off so I took one long sleeve shirt and my tights off. It was almost too soon. We continued following the river with a tailwind and a few small ups. After 13-14 miles I took my shirt and gloves off, but within a mile put them back on as I was cold. We did the 26 miles to Kimberly in a little over two hours. We bought a couple of cans of vegies at the store while Mike and Harold bought snacks and we had a long break in the sun. We then followed the river for 10 more miles with a few longer ups before heading North toward Heppner and a 2800 foot climb. We did half of it in 7 miles before taking a break at a false summit. Mike, as is often the case, barely had his bike off the pavement. In fact, the tires may have been touching the pavement. It was then a mile of downhill before finishing the climb with another 7 miles of up. With the tailwind we actually sweated on the uphill. After a few miles of rolling downhill we had a gentle downhill to the county park. It is sort of like a National Forest CG with showers. The host let us set our two tents up for $10 instead of $10 per tent. The tent sites are intermingled with the full hookup sites and it took us a little bit to realize this. The showers were 25¢ per minute. Mike and Harold each took 5 quarters, Shirley took 3 and I took 2. My BOB fender broke today where the stay attaches to the top of the fender. I removed it in camp and threw it away, but kept the stay and reflector. After dinner we played a game of cards and then everyone but me retired to the tent due to the mosquitos. My back doesn't like sitting in the tent so I stayed out. I'm almost ready to declare my thigh healed. I took some Iburprofin before we left this morning, but no others. It never really hurt today, but I did feel a couple twinges so I backed off, but mainly I kept up with Shirley on the uphills. I also had an allergy attack before Kimberly and had to take a pill. There are lots of hay fields which I think are getting me.

Saturday, June 18, 2011	Day 103	26.1 - 4423.3	RT: 2:35	7:50 - 10:45

Heppner, OR	Northwestern RV Park	Free - $2352.59	Avg: 10.0	Max: 33.0

We awoke to a cloudy day and since we were only going 25 miles we didn't get up until 6:30. Shortly after taking the tent down and while fixing our cereal it started sprinkling and was a light rain by the time we left at 6:50. I had my full rain suit over my tights and long sleeves. It felt good for the first 3-4 miles until we started uphill. Then I got over heated real quick. The hill was only 2 miles, but I thought I would roast. There was then some rolling hills before a downhill to the junction of 106. At first it was cold, but then warmed up. Harold didn't have rain gear so he got wet and cold. At the junction we started up again so I took my shirt off and put the rain coat back on. After 1/2 mile I took my rain coat off also and was still too warm. We got to Heppner around 10:45. Mike and Harold had parked at the store and had gone across the street to get a coffee by the time I got there. We sat at the store debating what to do. Mike and Harold were for going on since it was so early. A guy stopped to talk to us and said there was a wedding party in town and had the motel booked. We went to the motel and it said vacancy, but when we went inside the guy said it was full and the vacancy sign went off. Shirley and Harold checked at the library to see if we could camp in the city park and were told we could camp at either the RV park (a gravel lot) across from the motel or at the dam 2 or 3 miles away. We checked at the motel about the RV park and the guy showed us a grassy spot beyond the fence where we could camp for free and use the toilet and shower in the RV park.. We got set up and our stuff in the tent just before it started raining pretty hard again. Around 1:30 I went to the library and used the computer for 1/2 hour and then looked at magazines. Later, after it quit raining, Shirley and I went to the store. I ended up with tortillas for tomorrow. We also bought yogurt for breakfast. At 4:00 we all went to a pizza place and we ended up with 4 slices left over. We shouldn't have bought the yogurt. We took nice showers after dinner. My front tire was low so I put a new tube in, but couldn't find any hole in the old one. I hope my tire makes it home. I went for a walk and found a really huge mural on some sort of industrial looking building that was very nice.

Sunday, June 19, 2011	Day 104	55.5 - 4478.8	RT: 4:21	6:40 - 12:05

Plymouth, WA	Corp of Engineers CG	$7.00 - 2359.59	Avg: 12.8	Max: 38.0

We started getting dressed at 5:30 this morning to a fairly warm day. There were clouds to the South and East and clear to the North and West. We took the tent down and went to a table in the gravel RV park. A guy in a trailer (probably the maintenance man) asked if we wanted coffee and gave Mike and Harold coffee in our cups. He then disappeared over by the motel. Harold wasn't packed yet so we held the coffee for him. We were off at 6:40. I started in two long sleeves, tights, and light gloves. We had a tailwind and uphill and after a couple miles we stopped to strip. I got down to light long sleeves and gloves. After 3 miles we turned North and still had a tailwind. We saw several deer along the way. After topping out after 6-7 miles we had a long wonderful downhill with a tailwind and very smooth pavement. My leg felt really good and I was out front by a long way. We went over another little hill and about a mile before Hwy 207 we stopped to eat. We sat behind a hay bale to block the wind and it was warm and wonderful. We continued to have a tailwind all the way to Hermiston. Along the way we stopped at a gas station / A&W to pee. Mike and Harold each got a vanilla ice cream cone. It was then on to Hermiston. A guy told us how to get to the Walmart which was on the way according to our map. We didn't buy too much. After that we had 4 miles on the 4 lane US 395 before turning on to 730 to go to the Umatilla Bridge across the Columbia. There was a bike path on the bridge, but we couldn't get on it from the entrance ramp to I-82. Apparently we were supposed to take a side road before we got to the bridge. Harold and Mike lifted their bikes over a guard rail to access the bike path. Shirley and I just rode the shoulder. On the other side Mike and Harold were able to ride onto the shoulder. We got off I-82 and onto Hwy 14 and went to Plymouth to camp. We turned one road early and ended up on a dead end. When we got to the park a sign said campground full, but there were lots of sites available. We have a really large grassy site with lots of shade. The only bad thing is that sprinklers will turn on at 2:00 AM so we have to set up on the gravel, pavement, or back in the dry grass. At 3:00 Harold and Mike walked to the Plymouth Tavern for dinner. Shirley and I cooked later. We set our tent up on the pavement of the pull thru site. We used boxes with rocks in them to hold the ends of our tent up. The sides reached the grass. Harold and Mike finally set their tent on the "tent pad", a gravel area next to the table. I think ours has the greater chance of not being sprayed. We played 2 games of Hearts tonight and surprisingly I won both, the first I've won.

Monday, June 20, 2011	Day 105	59.3 - 4538.1	RT: 5:58	6:40 - 3:15

Riverside, WA	Riverside RV Park	$14.00 - 2373.59	Avg: 9.9	Max: 33.5

We started getting up at 5:30 again today and were once again off at 6:40. It was warm and I actually started in shorts and jersey although I wore tights and long sleeves in camp. We climbed about 13 miles from camp with a few small dips along the way. At our first stop there was a benchmark at 1950 feet and we figure we started at 300 feet. We had a lot of downhill for the next 12 miles with some uphill. Wind was practically non existent or tailwind for most of the day. Mike, as has been his habit, kept riding in the left lane, especially on the uphills. I finally asked him as a favor to me to stay to the right of the yellow line. After that he did. We'll see if that carries over to tomorrow. We had a nice 2.5 mile downhill into Prosser. I coasted at 33.5 MPH. Mike with his panniers and upright sitting was pedaling hard and couldn't keep up. We rode into downtown Prosser and stopped at a truck stop. Mike, Harold, and I all ate something, but Shirley just had a 30 oz drink. After Prosser we did a lot of North and West roads. We kept going uphill on the North and downhill on the West roads. We finally let Harold lead us to a store. We got close to a Walmart but decided to go to an Albertson's, which turned out to be an Hispanic store instead. We managed to find everything we needed. However, the store looked different from Anglo stores, especially in how the fruit was displayed. Mike and Harold thought it was way too hot and it was warm in the sun. We got to the RV park and it turned out to be pretty nice. We have a grassy and shady spot by the playground and a very small table for $14. The showers were quite nice, but there are only two toilet / shower rooms. Shirley wanted sandwiches so I tried to get turkey at the store and ended up with turkey ham. Now I'm very thirsty. Harold did a load of wash so I threw in my socks and jersey. Most people here are living here, at least temporarily. We called Ruth Ann to tell her if she doesn't see us by 6:30 tomorrow we won't be there at all. It will be a 70-75 mile ride to her house. If the wind is bad we will camp in Yakima Canyon and go home Wednesday.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011	Day 106	65.7 - 4603.8	RT: 6:11	6:45 - 4:00

Yakima Canyon about 8 Miles from Thrall	Umtanum CG	$7.50 - $2381.09	Avg: 10.6	Max: 31.5

Mike and Harold bivied last night. They put their bags rather close to us and I had to make sure I didn't pee on them when I got up during the night. Our neighbors built a fire just before we went to bed and stayed up late drinking and talking. We got up slightly later today, but left only 5 minutes later at 6:45. Once again there were lots of earwigs on the tent, the third day in a row. It was warm enough to start in shorts and jersey again today. Our route out of town was not too bad as we took Van Belle over to Hwy 223. It was a little busy, but OK. We rode 223 to S. Track Rd (Wappenish Rd on Shirley's map). That took us to Wapato where we had our first break. I retaped my handlebars which I meant to do last night. It was then onto N. Track Road to where 97 joins Hwy 82. We rode through Union Gap to the bicycle path TH where we had another break. We got off the bike path to go to Big K hoping for food, but the selection was tiny. We then stopped at Walmart to get tomorrow's food and dinner for tonight in case we didn't make it to Ruth Ann's. We rode the bike path to Selah and Harold led us around the main drag for the most part. Just before 821 there was road construction which had traffic really backed up. We rode up the shoulder and got to the flagger just as traffic was starting up. We timed it just right in front of a slow truck and made our left onto 821. The climb to above Roza Dam was pretty easy as we had a tailwind. When we stopped at Roza Rec Area Shirley was hobbling due to her back. Before we got to Reds Fly Shop she decided she wan't going to Ruth Ann's in order to try to save her back. A new luxury resort has been built at Red's and camping is no longer allowed. You can now rent a large tent with 2 cots for $55 on week days and $75 on weekends. We decided to go another mile to a BLM site. We did go into the resort and get water from a sink, though. Mike and Harold went on to Ruth Ann's. There were lots of rafters in tiny bikinis at the rec area which were fun to look at until they left an hour or so later. The only sites available are in the sun so we sat at a picnic table with a cover until the sun got too low. We went to take a bath in the river. Shirley got hers done and was putting her shorts on and I was just starting to wash up when a raft came down the river. I got out and stepped behind a bush. I was just finishing up when a family with 2 girls came down. I got behind the bush again, but not before they got a good view. There were lots of mosquitos at the bathing area and we seemed to bring some back with us. Shirley put on her jacket and we set the tent up. Shirley got in the tent and shortly afterwards the mosquitos seemed to disappear again, or at least diminish. We ate around 6:30 because we figured the mosquitos would get worse when it cooled off. I washed the dishes in river water and the mosquitos were worse than when we bathed. By 7:50 we were both in the tent. Today is free day, but only for daily use. Se still had to pay the camping fee.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011	Day 107	74.9 - 4678.7	RT: 7:38	6:30 - 4:45

Leavenworth, WA	Home	Avg: 9.8	35.0

The mosquitos were still out this morning so we ate quickly and prepared to leave. My breakfast was the 2 pastries I bought at Walmart in Yakima yesterday. Just as we started to leave I noticed I had a BOB flat. It took about 10 minutes to fix so instead of leaving at 6:20 it was 6:30. We finished the last 8 miles of Yakima Canyon easily with a light wind. We saw a herd of bighorn sheep thanks to a couple who had stopped to look at them. We headed through Ellensburg on the East side. A Subaru passed us and I thought that it looked like Ruth Ann's and then it stopped. It was Ruth Ann returning from taking Harold across the Vantage bridge. Mike had left around 5:30 this morning. She asked us to breakfast so we went for a bowl of cereal and blueberries and strawberries. By the time we left it was 8:55. Fortunately, there still wasn't any wind. It took us 50 minutes to get to Hwy 97 via our route. The hill leading toward Lauderdale was easier than I remember, perhaps because we didn't have a headwind. This was the first time we've been there since the wind farm went in. We took Bettas Road as a break from 97, but it was harder. Blewett Pass had good pavement and we had a tailwind. We stopped at Mineral Springs CG for a second snack. We took Old Blewett. At the top I was eating when I noticed a real estate brochure box. I asked Shirley if there were any brochures in the box and she checked. What she found was a note from Mike that he had been there at 9:30. It was 2;30 when we were there. It was a quick (sort of) trip down to hwy 97. My thumbs ached from braking. At the Old Blewett town site I had a rear flat due to a piece of wire. Shirley waited at the store across from Valley High, but the store is permanently closed. It was then on to home at 4:45. Shirley wanted Subway so I rode over and got two foot long subs. Shirley called Mike and he ate breakfast at Perkins in Ellensburg and nothing else until he got home. He rode all the way home instead of stopping at his Dad's house and even went over Dead Man Hill and Stine Hill. The yard is very weedy and Shirley pulled a few tonight. The router died so we have no internet which really irks me. The house was 71º when we got home and the outside was 81º.

Ride

Day	Date	Miles	Total	Clock Time	Time	Avg	Max	C/M	Price	Total	Comments

1	09/06	30.4	30.4	8:05 - 2:20	4:26:57	6.8	18.8	C	Free	$0.00	4 Miles NW of Ardenvoir, WA - Pine Flats CG

2	09/07	46.5	76.9	7:50 - 5:20	6:05:43	7.6	37.0	C	Free	$0.00	8 Miles NE of Manson, WA - Athilon Lake

3	09/08	22.6	99.5	7:50 - 1:50	4:11:43	5.3	14.8	C	Free	$0.00	Falls Creek (lower) - Roadside Camp

4	09/09	7.5	107.0	8:00 - 11:30	2:04:32	3.5	12.7	C	Free	$0.00	Falls Creek (upper) - Roadside Camp

5	09/10	41.9	148.9	8:05 - 2:30	4:32:47	9.2	21.5	M	$29.62 + $0.75	$30.37	2.5 Miles West of Twisp - River Bend RV Park

6	09/11	11.3	160.2	8:10 - 10:30	1:20:05	8.4	27.0	C	$14.00	$44.37	Winthrop, WA - Pearygin S.P.

7	09/12	48.7	208.9	8:30 - 2:30	4:34:28	10.6	34.0	C	$14.00	$58.37	Winthrop, WA - Pearygin S.P.

8	09/13	76.4	285.3	7:50 - 4:30	6:36:53	11.5	29.0	C	$10.00 + $2.00	$70.37	Lake Chelan, WA - Lake Chelan S.P.

9	09/14	56.0	341.3	7:50 - 2:30	5:22:23	10.4	36.0	C	Leavenworth, WA - Home

Tuesday, September 6, 2011	Day 1	30.4 - 30.4	RT: 4:26:57	8:05 - 2:20

4 Miles NW of Ardenvoir, WA	Pine Flats CG	Free - $0.00	Avg: 6.8	Max: 18.8

We started an approximately 10 day trip to go walk up North Navarre and Tiffany Mts. We left home on our mountain bikes at 8:05 on a predicted 90 degree day. We started in long sleeves and finally took them off at the Merry Canyon turnoff after 9.5 miles. We had a snack of left over apricots and grapes. When we turned onto Second Creek a mile later I couldn't get into my little chain ring even though I had several times earlier. That pissed me off. I adjusted the screws and barrel adjusters and then moved my chain using a screw driver. It probably won't go into the big chain ring, but that won't be a big problem. It was an easy 3-4 miles before we headed up from Second Creek. We would have a half mile of steep and then some level and repeat. The final 1/4 mile to the top on Van Creek was steep and we got there after 19 miles and 4 hours 15 minutes. We had a nice half hour break in the shade. It was plenty warm on the uphill. Shirley sat on a stump and got pitch all over her sit fabric. On the way down I bounced the Powerade bottle off my bike. Shirley picked it up although I had noticed it gone just around the corner from where it was and was just getting ready to go back for it. The final two miles were a gentle paved uphill to the CG. So far we are the only ones here although we met David Jakes when he and some other bikers returned to their car. For a while there were flies, but no mosquitos. We had a nice bath in the Mad River. Unfortunately, the mosquitos came out around dinner time, but weren't super bad.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011	Day 2	46.5 - 76.9	RT: 6:05:43	7:50 - 5:20

8 Miles NE of Manson, WA	Athilon Lake	Free - $0.00	Avg: 7.6	Max: 37.0

For some reason Shirley was surprised it felt cold this morning. It was about 45º. The 4 miles down to the Entiat River Road were mostly in the shade and my hands got cold in my light gloves. I wore my tights plus three long sleeve shirts. Once we headed uphill we warmed up quickly and after turning onto Mud Creek Road a couple miles later we got down to shorts and jersey and put on sun screen. There were a few sort of steep stretches on the paved 5-6 miles, but not too bad. The unpaved part was mostly gentle for another 5 miles before climbing pretty good for 2-3 miles. We finally stopped to eat in some good shade a mile or so down the hill. The downhill to Navarre Coulee was pretty steep. Shirley walked one short stretch. The uphill on Navarre Coulee was easier than I remembered and then the good downhill to 971. It was pleasant riding into Chelan and we got to the Safeway around noon, I think. After buying food we went to the park on the lake and had a nice break in a shelter. My thermometer said 80º. We left around 2:00. The first 5 miles toward Manson were busy, but there is a shoulder. We turned off the first chance we got and talked to a County mower person. He said the streams above Athilon Lake are still flowing and he was just up there. That's good since we can only carry so much water. It really started feeling hot when we turned onto Upper Joe Creek Road with 5-6 miles to go and started uphill. We had a slight tailwind and my thermometer said 90º. We had a break in some shade. Just before the end of pavement a guy saw Shirley after I had already passed and gave her two 500 ml bottles of water. We drank them at the end of pavement when Shirley caught up with me. The unpaved road wasn't too bad except for the last 1/4 mile up to the lake. It was washboard and steep. It was then along the lake for 1/2 miles. We found a road to the lake and some obvious camping areas. There was no toilet so we went on to see if there was one elsewhere since Shirley's info indicated there was a CG. We came to another area which also had the non- motorized boat dock, but no toilet. The water access was pretty yucky so we went back to our original place. It is primitive camping with no table and lots of trash. It took a lot of time exploring the two areas. After setting up the tent we went to the lake for water and a bath. By the time we were done it was 6:30 so I cooked dinner. By the time dinner was over and we got all prepared for tomorrow it was 8:00. It was still 60º. I have 2 quarts of treated water from the lake and 1/2 quart of Powerade plus 1/2 bottle of water. There should be a couple of streams in 7 miles tomorrow so we should have plenty of water. At 8:00 when it was fairly dark someone started shooting a little ways down valley. It sounded close. Fortunately when it got really dark they stopped. Last night i went to bed at 8:45 after the mosquitos chased me in around 8:30 and it was too uncomfortable to read in the tent. There's been a few mosquitos, but not as bad as last night and I was able to sit outside and read. There are spots that are colder around camp. The tent seems to be in one of them.

Thursday, September 8, 2011	Day 3	22.6 - 99.5	RT: 4:11:43	7:50 - 1:50

Falls Creek (lower)	Roadside Camp	Free - $0.00	Avg: 5.3	Max: 14.8

It stayed pretty warm last night and was around 60º when we got up at 6:30. I over dressed with my hat and 3 shirts while getting ready, but got down to shorts and jersey when we left. After 1.2 miles and a little uphill we came to section D and an outhouse and tables. The water access didn't look too good, but we didn't really go down to check it out., since down was the key word. We did use the toilet since it was close to the road. After that we climbed fairly steeply for 1/2 mile plus or minus before heading down again. This set the pattern for most of the day. We would climb up just to go back down. The water from the lake tasted terrible so I made do with my 1/2 bottle I had left from yesterday for the first 5-6 miles. The first creek (Mitchell) didn't have a good access so we went on to a side stream of Gold Creek. There I fille my two quart bottles and one of Shirley's. Shirley thought we should wait until Gold Creek, but since access was so easy I thought I'd take the opportunity. I was glad I did since access at Gold Creek wasn't very good. We had a break there before heading on. It was fairly warm in the sun, but pleasant in the shade. We made it to Glade Creek with several more ups and downs and found a nice campsite and access to the creek. We filled up and since we didn't want to wait 20 minutes we just drank the water. I drank a whole quart while we ate again. Somewhere between Glade Creek and Falls Creek we had a couple miles of fairly flat riding. After 22 miles we got to Falls Creek and had gained about 1600-1700 feet with probably 3 times that total climbing. It was still 4 miles and over 2000 feet to S. Navarre CG, so we decided to camp along the road and attempt the really steep hill tomorrow. The camping is not real good with a small wide spot by the creek. The water access and bathing is good, though. There are biting flies and after out bath Shirley got in the tent. I walked maybe 1/2 mile up the road to a junction where we had thought we might camp. I'm glad we stayed here by the water although it will probably be cold in the morning. We had a little trouble hanging the food. The limbs were too little and bent down too much in the first two spots we tried. We then went back to the first spot and I got the rope closer to the trunk and it worked. It's now after 7:00 and we've have seen only one vehicle all day, just before Glade Creek.

Friday, September 9, 2011	Day 4	7.5 - 107.0	RT: 2:04:32	8:00 - 11:30

Falls Creek (upper)	Roadside Camp	Free - $0.00	Avg: 3.5	Max: 12.7

Today was hard. It was surprisingly warm and dry this morning although I did put all my clothes on again. However I was in shorts and jersey when we left since it was uphill and the sun wasn't too far away. The first half mile wasn't any worse than yesterday. A sign at the junction said 4 miles to S. Navarre CG. Surprisingly it turned out to be 4.1 miles. We managed to do 1 mile of steep uphill before stopping to rest and cool off. It then got steeper and rougher and we managed only .2 to .4 miles between stops. A car passed us on a hard part and had to wait a little before we reached a point we thought we could start from again. Only about 1/2 mile was really hard and that was due to gravel on steep road. Shirley glitched it once before that and I glitched it twice on that stretch and I was getting very annoyed. The final 1.25 miles were just steep and I did 1 mile before waiting for Shirley and then to the CG. A truck passed us about 1/4 mile from the CG. We took a break at the CG, which was nice, but no water which we knew. We then had a mile of pretty good downhill before heading up gently for a mile. We passed the truck on the downhill while the guy was changing a flat. There was one very torn up uphill for 20 feet which we both glitched. We got to the N. Navarre TH in about 2.8 miles and found the car that had passed us. As we left to find Falls Creek the truck, which had passed us again, came back and parked at the TH. Falls Creek was maybe 200 feet beyond the TH. Shirley wanted to go past it to look for a site with a view down the valley that Mike Wyant had told Shirley about. After a little over .1 miles we turned around and went back to a good site by the creek. We treated 5 quarts of water and then set up the tent. We found a good hanging limb although we were afraid it would break. Two motorcycles went by while we treated water. At 12:30 we headed up the trail to N. Navarre. Supposedly it was only 1400 feet and 5.2 miles RT. It seemed like a long way up. Our legs are tired and I drank a quart of water. Actually, I finished it on top. It took us 1:45 to reach the peak with a 10-15 minute break at a saddle not too far from the top. We stayed on the summit for a while. It was real smoky / hazy to the South and Southwest. Coming back wasn't as hard, but still seemed to take forever. Shirley was talking about not doing Tiffany since it is another climb to 6500 feet after dropping back down to Winthrop. On the way back to camp she said maybe we could ride up form Winthrop until we have had enough, camp, and do the peak as a day trip without BOB. Once again there are lots of flies and I have to keep swatting them before they bite. One other car passed with bikes on the back.

Saturday, September 10, 2011	Day 5	41.9 - 148.9	RT: 4:32:47	8:05 - 2:30

2.5 Miles West of Twisp	River Bend RV Park	$29.62 + $0.75 - $30.37	Avg: 9.2	Max: 21.5

It felt chilly when I went to bed last night at 8:35. I put heavy socks on and a long sleeve. A while later I got rid of the long sleeves. It was cooler this morning, but not too bad with all my clothes on. It seemed dark at 6:50 because of the trees. When we left at 8:05 I got down to my long sleeves jersey and light gloves. In about .7 miles I took them off and could have started without them. We had 8.5 miles of up and down to our junction where we really started down to the Methow. None of the ups were too bad. The downhill had some rough spots and some really dusty spots as well as some really nice spots. Overall mountain bike touring doesn't give very rewarding downhills for all the work to get up. It got pretty warm on the way down. We reached pavement in 22 miles and then rode 6 more miles to Carlton. The store is permanently closed so Shirley didn't want to camp there as we thought about. We did take a long break in the shade at the store. We then took the old road to Twisp. In Carlton it was 86º. When we got to the Twisp store the sign said 105º. My thermometer said 98º and cooled down to 90º in the shade. When we left the store the sign said 108º. We rode another 2.5 miles to an RV park and paid $29.12 for a site on the river. Showers were extra and I managed to one for 25¢ and Shirley for 50¢. Shirley also had to do laundry which ran another $3.50. One of my cycling gloves is missing after the laundry. We had forgotten them and Shirley had to go back to put them in. Perhaps she dropped it on the way since she was in a hurry. Fortunately, I wear two pair so I still have one glove. Of course, there is a reason I wear two pair. Since it was warm Shirley didn't want to cook so we had turkey sandwiches. Before we got up this morning some deer were running around camp making a lot of noise.

Sunday, September 11, 2011	Day 6	11.3 - 160.2	RT: 1:20:05	8:10 - 10:30

Winthrop, WA	Pearygin S.P.	$14.00 - $44.37	Avg: 8.4	Max: 27.0

It felt a bit cool before getting up today, but it really wasn't too bad. The sun actually hit our table while eating breakfast. I left in shorts and jersey but was a little cool at first. By the time we rode the 7 miles to Winthrop it was warm enough. There is a new pedestrian bridge going in by the road bridge. We stopped at the store and bought a couple day's worth of food. Shirley had decided she was too tired and too tired of bugs and heat to ride up the Chewuch with gear and we should go to Pearygin Lake S.P. and do a ride without gear tomorrow. We bought a package of 7 muffins for $6.00 and got a 22 oz pudding for $1.99. We met a woman at the store who ran 30 miles from Harts Pass to Rainy Pass the other day. There is anew section of the S.P. which we went into first and didn't find much shade. After dithering a long time we finally went to the other section and found a lot of shade. We were able to go via a non-motorized route that was flat rather than up the steep hill on the road to the entrance. The best sites were taken, but we found a spot with several trees and stayed in the shade all day. We finally had to move the table into the shade. We didn't put the tent up until late afternoon and it was close to the next site. Eventually the shade allowed us to move it closer to our site. Shirley jumped in the lake a couple of times when it was 95º. I just did puzzles all day. Just when we decided a better site wasn't going to open up and we should pay, a ranger showed up. Shirley asked if we could pay for two nights since a sign had indicated unreserved sites were available for only one night. The ranger said yes and that we could have the hiker/biker rate of $14 instead of $22 since the hike/biker site was being moved and was currently unavailable. Most of the sites eventually filled up.

Monday, September 12, 2011	Day 7	48.7 - 208.9	RT: 4:34:28	8:30 - 2:30

Winthrop, WA	Pearygin S.P.	$14.00 - 58.37	Avg: 10.6	Max: 34.0

Shirley didn't want to get up this morning and it was nearly 7:00 before we started getting dressed. It was wondrously warm although I still put on tights and long sleeves. I think we were off around 8:30 for a ride to the end of pavement on W. Chewuch. It was a little cool starting in shorts and jersey, but not bad. The first two campgrounds had water, Falls Creek had a pump and Chewuch had a faucet. The water was quite good. The higher CGs didn't seem to have water. About 10:00 it started feeling warm and it was 85-90º by the time we finally got to the end of pavement at 11:50. Coming back was fairly easy since it was mostly downhill, but it was warm. Back in camp we went for a swim which served as our bath and cooled us off. When we left today we hung our food so the squirrels wouldn't get it. Since the rope is up we will hang our food tonight although we didn't last night. There might be a couple people fewer tonight, but maybe not.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011	Day 8	76.4 - 285.3	RT: 6:36:53	7:50 - 4:30

Lake Chelan, WA	Lake Chelan S.P.	$10.00 + $2.00 - $70.37	Avg: 11.5	Max: 29.0

We got up a little earlier today and it felt a bit cooler since it was mostly cloudy with high thin clouds. I started in tights, long sleeve jersey, and light gloves. I didn't take them off until Twisp, although I probably could have a little earlier. We managed to get on the back road to Twisp without going through downtown Winthrop. It seemed easier than I remember to get to Twisp. Of course there wasn't any wind. It was also fairly easy to get back to Carlton and we were there before 10:00. We took a break at the closed store again before heading down toward the Columbia. Shirley had to stop at the Rest-A-While fruit stand and bakery. Shirley had a slice of Peach Cobbler and ice cream and I had an apple cinnamon roll and Shirley added a small nectarine, all for $8.90. The nectarine was $1.75 per pound or 55¢ for the one. Shirley thought it was well worth it. We got to the fruit stand before noon and left around 12:25. It seemed hotter on Hwy 97 and of course there was traffic. We stopped at the Wells Dam, mostly for water. When we started to leave Shirley had a flat. She had run over a piece of metal just as we got to the dam. We fixed it in the shade of the old generator blades. At Apple Acres Road Shirley decided to stay on the busy road and up to Chelan. I took Apple Acres which was wonderfully quiet. In the 6.5 miles 18 cars passed me and only 10 in my direction. I got to the junction at the airport a minute or so after Shirley. I saw her ride by as I approached. We stopped at Walmart for food and Shirley really wanted eye drops. I also bought sun screen since it won't be long after we get home ours will run out. We ended up spending $68 which is a lot considering this is the last night. Shirley bought four plums which we ate outside the store and four nectarines which we ate at camp. Shirley also needed sandwiches tonight since it is warm. We got to the park around 4:30, but the office was closed. We were getting shower tokens when a ranger drove by. He told us we could camp in the picnic area for $10.00. We set the tent up on a concrete table pad with half staked and the other half staked via bungies. I might have been able to get a free shower. I didn't check it before putting my tokens in, but I finally turned it off and even after dressing it was still hot when I turned it on to check it. It stayed cloudy and calm all day so only a few of the hills seemed hot. It definitely feels cooler at 70º tonight.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011	Day 9	56.0 - 341.3	RT: 5:22:23	7:50 - 2:30

Leavenworth, WA	Home	Free - $70.37	Avg: 10.4	Max: 36.0

My hand and feet were feeling cold when we went to bed at 9:45 last night, but it seemed warm enough during the night and this morning. Mainly, I think, because the breeze stopped. I had my long sleeves on until we left the park and took it off for the climb up Navarre Coulee. I put it back on at the top and as usual the descent was cold. Once we got to Hwy 97 we soon took the long sleeves and gloves off. When I stopped my rear brake cable housing jumped out of the braise on and I thought I had broken a cable. I didn't realize what happened until Entiat. We didn't have spare cables with us. It was cooler today, only in the 80's, but the hills were certainly warm enough. We rode Hwy 2 from Monitor except for the part from the Anjou Bakery to Apple Annies and on to Nahahum, the section around the Big Y, and North Road. When we got home it was only 69º in the house and 83º outside.

Day	Date	Location	M/C	Cost	Total	Miles	Total

1	07/21/10	5 Miles N. Wenatchee, WA - Lincoln Rocks SP	C	$21.00	$21.00	29.6	29.6

2	07/22/10	Coulee City, WA - Coulee City CG	C	$20.50	$41.50	58.5	88.1

3	07/23/10	3 Miles S. Keller, WA - Keller CG	C	$15.00	$56.50	55.0	143.1

4	07/24/10	7 Miles N. Republic, WA - Curlew SP	C	$19.50	$76.00	56.9	200.0

5	07/25/10	3 Miles W Greenwood, BC - Boundary Creek PP	C	$16.00	$92.00	42.5	242.5

6	07/26/10	Grand Forks, BC - City Park	C	$17.92	$109.92	28.6	271.1

7	07/27/10	Farrow (35K E. Christina Lake, BC) - trail side	C	Free	$109.92	36.5	307.6

8	07/28/10	10K S. Trail, BC - Kiwanis CG	C	$18.00	$127.92	59.8	367.4

9	07/29/10	Ymir, BC - trail side	C	Free	$127.92	45.2	412.6

10	07/30/10	Gray Creek, BC - Cedar Groves CG	C	$21.00	$148.92	49.9	462.5

11	07/31/10	30K W. Kimberly, BC -trail side at St. Mary's River Bridge	C	Free	$148.92	35.5	498.0

12	08/01/10	Cranbrook, BC - Mt. Baker RV Park	C	$24.64	$173.56	36.1	534.1

13	08/02/10	Baynes Lake, BC - PR RV Park	C	$15.00	$188.56	46.1	580.2

14	08/03/10	Baynes Lake, BC - PR RV Park	C	$15.00	$203.56	49.1	629.3

15	08/04/10	Sparwood, BC - Mt. Shadows CG	C	$19.04	$222.60	49.4	678.7

16	08/05/10	45K N. Elkford, BC - Weary Creek campsite	C	Free	$222.60	53.3	732.0

17	08/06/10	60K W Calgary, AB - Peter Lougheed PP - Canyon CG	C	$23.00	$245.60	28.1	760.1

18	08/07/10	Spray Lake, Banff NP - free campsite	C	Free	$245.60	35.0	795.1

19	08/08/10	Banff, AB - Tunnel Mt CG	C	$27.40	$273.00	30.1	825.2

20	08/09/10	Banff NP, AB - Johnston CG	C	$27.40	$300.40	20.2	845.4

21	08/10/10	Banff NP, AB - Mosquito Creek CG	C	$15.70	$316.10	38.9	884.3

22	08/11/10	Banff NP, AB - Rampart Creek CG	C	$15.70	$331.80	43.7	928.0

23	08/12/10	Jasper NP, AB - Jonas Creek CG	C	$15.70	$347.50	41.9	969.9

24	08/13/10	Jasper NP, AB - Jonas Creek CG	C	$24.50	$372.00	0.0	969.9

25	08/14/10	Jasper, AB - Whistlers CG	C	$22.50	$394.50	55.5	1025.4

26	08/15/10	Jasper, AB - Whistlers CG	C	$22.50	$417.00	5.1	1030.5

27	08/16/10	Mt. Robson PP, BC - Lake Kinney Hikers CG	C	$20.00	$437.00	60.8	1091.3

28	08/17/10	Mt. Robson PP, BC - Robson Meadows CG	C	$21.00	$458.00	6.8	1098.1

29	08/18/10	Albreda (23K S Valemont), BC - Summit Creek Lodge & CG	C	$20.00	$478.00	39.0	1137.1

30	08/19/10	5K S Avola, BC - roadside camp	C	Free	$478.00	73.2	1210.3

31	08/20/10	Clearwater, BC - North Thompson PP	C	$21.00	$499.00	44.6	1254.9

32	08/21/10	Barriere, BC - Dee Jay RV and CG	C	$24.40	$523.40	46.2	1301.1

33	08/22/10	Barriere, BC - Dee Jay RV and CG	C	$22.40	$545.80	0.0	1301.1

34	08/23/10	37K SW Kamloops, BC - Lac Le Jeune PP	C	$21.00	$566.80	64.7	1365.8

35	08/24/10	Merritt, BC - Clay Banks RV	C	$19.00	$585.80	49.0	1414.8

36	08/25/10	5K N Tualameen, BC - Otter Lake PP	C	$21.00	$606.80	47.9	1462.7

37	08/26/10	5K W Bankier, BC - Chain Lake BCFS CG	C	$12.00	$618.80	46.7	1509.4

38	08/27/10	Summerland, BC - Rodeo Grounds	C	Free	$618.80	40.0	1549.4

39	08/28/10	45K N Penticton, BC - Chute Lake Resort	C	$22.40	$641.20	43.5	1592.9

40	08/29/10	15K E Myra Canyon, BC - McCullough Lake CG	C	$12.00	$653.20	31.7	1624.6

41	08/30/10	20K S Beaverdell, BC - trail side campsite	C	Free	$653.20	47.8	1672.4

42	08/31/10	15 Mi SW Chesaw, WA - Beth Lake CG	C	Free	$653.20	54.0	1726.4

43	09/01/10	Omak, WA - Rodeo Grounds	C	$11.00	$664.20	61.9	1788.3

44	09/02/10	10 Mi W Chelan, WA - Chelan SP	C	$15.00	$679.20	67.5	1855.8

45	09/03/10	Leavenworth, WA - Home	56.5	1912.3

Wednesday, July 21, 2010	Day 1	29.6 - 29.6

5 Miles North of Wenatchee, WA	Lincoln Rock S.P.	$21.00

Yesterday was spent off and on until about 9:00. I've been eating a lot the last couple days to try to get rid of stuff that would spoil while we're gone. We got up this morning and figured we were in no hurry since we were only going 30 miles, but we wanted to leave by 10:00 since it was going to get into the 90's. Just as we were leaving our neighbors, Bruce and Leanne, came home so we went over to tell them we were leaving for a couple months. We thn stopped at Margrit Pliss's house to give her contact information. We were finally off at 9:20. It was actually quite pleasant. We took the back roads after we rode Highway 2 to Peshastin. We stopped at the Monitor county Park for lunch. It was pleasant except for the traffic noise. It was then Easy Street to Wenatchee. We stopped at the store for bagels before heading to Lincoln Rocks. A sign said the CG was full, but we found a ranger who told us to camp between the host and amphitheater. The area had just been watered and we do have a table and some trees. At the store Shirley also bought 18oz of blueberries for $2.50. After sitting at the table for a while we went to the swimming area around 2:30. I just waded a little bit as it is a gravel swim area. It's also a little cold, but if you moved around it would probably be OK. Shirley went swimming and washed off. On the way back we stopped at the office and paid. The young lady had to call someone to find out how to register us. She charged us the full price of $21.00. I wish there had been a ranger there. After dinner I took a cold shower since they take tokens and you have to buy at least two 50 cent tokens since the machine only takes bills. I turned the water on to get wet and then turned it off to wash. It wasn't too bad until the third and final rinse when it was getting pretty cold.

Thursday, July 22, 2010	Day 2	58.5 - 88.1

Coulee City	City CG	$20.00 + $0.50

A couple minutes after I went to bed at 9:30 last night Shirley said she could see a fire. I thought she meant across the river where there has been a fire the last 1.5 to 2 weeks. Instead, it was on our side of the river on the other side of Highway 97. With the wind it was spreading uphill rapidly. Shirley got concerned we might be in danger even though the wind was blowing it away from us and we were in a very green park. After a few minutes I went back to bed. There were some nice fire displays. It was warm in the tent even without the fly. By morning we eventually had to put our sleeping bags over us. We got up at 5:30 and were off by 6:45. The fire was pretty much out this morning when we rode by. There was more traffic than I hoped for the 7 miles to the Highway 2 turnoff. Highway 2 had a lot less, but still too much. There was 7-8 miles of uphill with 6 averaging 6%. We had a tailwind going up and it got stronger as we went higher. It took about 2:50 to go the 15 miles to Waterville. The final one mile downhill was very fast with the wind and I reached 40 MPH. We stopped at the park and Shirley went to the hotel to get Dave and Amy who came over to talk to us. It was cool in the shade and quite buggy. We spent about 1.5 hours talking. We had pretty much a dead on tailwind after Waterville and we easily zipped along at 20 MPH, and 30 MPH on any little downhill. At the dip to the Pallisades Canyon it was tricky at times due to the wind. I hit 44 MPH and stayed in the middle of the lane. Just before exiting the protection of the canyon walls I started braking. Good thing because the wind was a side wind across the valley. The wind really helped going up the other side and into Coulee City. I once again hit 42 MPH going down the final hill. The CG is now $20 with pay showers (25¢ for 90 seconds). We chose a site away from the lake which was a little more protected from the wind. It was just too windy by the lake. The kids from an RV across the road came over and put up a tent about 20 feet from out table. We think they may have been speaking English and Russian. They put a huge blow up mattress inside which we didn't think would fit. Just as we were getting ready to go to the store Harold showed up in his car with some cut up watermelons and bottled water. He stayed maybe 1 to 1.5 hours before heading home. At 5:30 we went to the store for canned vegetables and yogurt. When I started cooking the stove started leaking. I think it's the O ring where the hose from the stove goes into the fuel bottle. I managed to get the O ring out and turn it around, but it didn't help. It was dripping pretty bad and wasting a lot of fuel so I turned it off and we ate tomorrow's lunch for dinner.

Friday, July 23, 2010	Day 3	55.0 - 143.1

3 Miles South of Keller, WA	Keller CG	$15.00

It was cool in the wind last evening and I put on my light and heavy long sleeves and long pants. The wind died down at dark and it felt a little warmer. It blew again during the night. We got up at 6:00 and were off at 7:15. There was a light breeze with a headwind component. We decided to ride Highway 2 instead of the normal back roads out of Coulee City. Turns out it was a good choice since the road into Harline that we would have been on was closed to all but local traffic and had been torn up and graveled. We continued on Highway 2 to Almira and had a break at the school out of the wind. The final 10 miles to Wilbur were not as nice as the shoulder narrowed and traffic was picking up. We rode through town looking for a hardware store and at the far end found a sign advertising one and an address. Fortunately, it was on the first street going back. Even more fortunate it had the O ring I needed for the stove. I bought one and then dug the stove out and tried it out to make sure that was the problem. Apparently it was. We then bought 2 more before heading to the park for a snack and water. It felt quite comfortable at the park. We stopped at the store and it was hot in the parking lot. The climb out of Wilbur toward Keller Ferry was warm and then a nice, but curvy downhill and more up and down to the ferry. We had just enough time to pee before the ferry arrived. There was a very steep, but short climb out of the ferry and then several ups and downs to the CG about 7 miles away. The road has been recently chip sealed with black rock and was quite warm. The CG has several tents in it and one tiny little Teardrop trailer belonging to a Canadian lady. There were 3 or 4 sites open and we chose the one next to the Canadian since she looked very quiet. We jumped in the lake (a side arm of Lake Roosevelt) and it felt very refreshing. We moved the table to the shade but it didn't stay shady very long. Eventually, the shade moved to it again. The restrooms here are much nicer than the ones in Coulee City, at least so far. We once again have Russian neighbors. They brought in a lot of firewood a little while ago. For such a little CG there's a lot of driving in and out. One couple was playing music until they went fishing.

Saturday, July 24, 2010	Day 4	56.9 - 200.0

7 Miles North of Republic, WA	Curlew S.P.	$19.00 + $0.50

The Russians added a couple more cars and a few more people before dark and got a bit louder. The couple who were playing music came back with wood they had gathered and he promptly got out a chain saw out and cut up the wood. The only saving grace was that he was organized and quick. It cooled off quite a bit and once again last night and I put both long sleeve shirts and my long pants on. This morning I put them back on when we got up at 5:40. By the time we left at 7:00 I still needed a light long sleeve as did Shirley. About 8:30 we took them off. We started with a headwind which gradually became a tailwind after 18-20 miles. The road was hilly for a while bit slowly became more of a gradual uphill along or near the river. We checked out a couple rustic CGs that had at most one table, but no people, and no water other than the river. The first was about 23 miles from camp and 23 from Republic. The other was a little closet to Republic. A nice CG was at 19 miles from Republic. The ride to Republic was much harder than we remembered and when we got to Republic around 1:00 we stopped at a gas station for drinks since we were both out of water and desparately thirsty. We each got a 44 oz drink for $1.00 and easily drank them. We then went up the hill a couple blocks to the grocery store. Shirley went to look for a bike shop while I shopped. I got cherries for $1.99 per pound, 2 apples each, a red pepper, 2 packages of bagels, 3 bananas, and a 32 oz yogurt. There wasn't a bike shop. Shirley wanted to check out her shock since she thinks it feels gritty and is leaking oil, although it's supposed to be an air filled shock according to Ruth Ann. We asked a guy at the store about the back way to Curlew Lake and he said after a little uphill it was all downhill to Highway 21 and was better than taking Highway 20 and then up Highway 21. We decided to go for it. It was about 1 mile, maybe a bit more to the top, some of it sort of steep. There was more traffic than we expected, but better than Highway 20. It was then downhill for maybe a mile, another short up and a bit more down to the turnoff back to Highway 21. Shirley needed food so we stopped in the shade and ate, including half the cherries. There was a short steep climb back to Highway 21 and then an easy 1.5-2 miles to the S.P. To my surprise there were lots of sites available. The tent sites are walk in and are very grassy. We checked out one that was very secluded that a very English sounding guy told us about, but it didn't have grass. I went down to the lake and jumped in. The bank was a bit steep, but I managed to get in and out without mishap. Shirley wanted to wash her hair so took a 50 cent shower. She said the hot water would work for 10-15 seconds and then go off and then work for another 10-15 seconds. I think my dunk in the lake was better. We both washed jerseys and socks before the lake or shower. About 6:00 we got some neighbors from B.C. They could have picked a site 2 tables away, but chose the adjacent table because it was closer to the car. Perhaps because the woman is pregnant with a third child. At least they probably won't build a fire as they have no wood, and borrowed a lighter for dinner. After dinner I went over and shaved for the first time this trip. Just as it was getting dark the mosquitos came out. Not a whole bunch, but enough to bite me.

Sunday, July 25, 2010	Day 5	42.5 - 242.5

3 Miles West of Greenwood, BC	Boundary Creek Provincial Park	$16.00

We didn't get up until 6:40 today although I was awake at 5:40. It stayed fairly warm last night although I put my light long sleeve shirt on this morning but probably didn't need it. We loaned our lighter to the Canadians again this morning. He came over to talk to us for a little as we were packing. He had offered us some wine last night if we drank it, but we said no thanks. We changed our odometers to KM this morning and in so doing lost our clock settings so we had to ask what time it was. We were finally off at 8:20. Once we climbed out of the CG it was basically downhill to Curlew, not at all what either of us remembered. We both thought it was hilly. We stopped 6-7 miles up the Kettle River at a picnic table to eat our remaining apples and cherries just in case we couldn't take them into Canada. As it turns out, no questions about fruit were asked. The first time I got a drink today a stream of water shot out the side from a hole in the bottle. At the turnoff at Curlew I got Shirley's water bottle since she is using a hydration bladder and threw my bottle away. We got to the border just before noon. The guy asked a few questions including how much money we had. When Shirley said about $100 he asked how we were going to support ourselves and we told him VISA. Finally he said OK go on. When Shirley asked how many vehicles they got per day he said "We can't talk about that". Shirley said "Really!". and he said "The public doesn't need to know that". He was way too officious. We found the start of the TCT at the museum after asking a lady walking along the road in town. There was a faucet in the back of the museum with a hose attached and a small line coming out of the main line to a little spigot for filling bottles. There was a sign in sheet hanging in a kiosk at the TH. We were the first to sign in. Someone told us two days ago the one hanging there was full. The first 8K were very depressing as the surface was very sandy and hard to ride, especially the first 2K. This was supposed to be the easy part. There was then a picnic table with a shelter and we took a break. Fortunately, after that the surface improved. We decided to go to the provincial park at 11K since we didn't know if free camping on the trail was feasible due to water considerations. Shirley decided her odometer will keep trail KM and reset it at the TH and took it off again when we got off the trail. We found a shady site in the CG and sat around for a while before Shirley decided we should move to another site that was getting shady. We were going to wait until the sun hit the table and then ride the 4K to Greenwood for yogurt and fruit and hopefully money. About 4:00 Shirley decided she wasn't going so she could wash in the creek and then wash her clothes. I waited till after she jumped in the creek and then rode to town without BOB. There was a small store and I got 2 oranges, a can of vegetables, a red pepper, and a 250ml yogurt for $8.53. I was also able to get $20.00 Canadian in change so now we have enough to pay our $16.00 camp fee. When I got back to camp Shirley thought we should move to the next site since we could put the tent in some grass, even though tents are supposed to stay on the driveway, although no sign at the check in says that, only in the rest rooms. I took a bath in the creek and then we cooked dinner. About 6:20 a group of 5-6 motorcycles and a pickup moved in next to us. So far they are quiet. No music or loud talking. We hung our food with the counter balance method, although we had to do it twice before we got it right.

Monday, July 26, 2010	Day 6	28.6 - 271.1

Grand Forks, BC	City Park	$17.92

The motorcyclists were actually pretty quiet. They did, unfortunately, build a fire. They sat around and played a guitar and sang quietly. It was cold enough this morning when we got up around 6:00-6:15 my hands got cold. I eventually put my gloves on until the sun hit us and warmed us up. We were off at 7:30. The trail wasn't too bad. Just after Greenwood the trail crossed the highway. The old rail line had a trestle, but we had to go down a steep hill and back up the other side. It was probably 20-30 feet elevation, but difficult. The side of the concrete wall there has been painted with various flags of the world. There were quite a few gates to go through and one pair of gates enclosing a ranch were locked so we had to lift our bikes and then BOBs over the gates. The second gate had 3 large boulders and a log in front of it. Off and on the trail would be sandy. At Eholt Station we reached a high point of 960 meters. Midway was at 340 meters. We had 3K of dirt road and then more sandy trail, but it was downhill all the way to Grand Forks. We had 2 tunnels, both of which were short enough you didn't need a light if you let your eyes adjust. There was a bend in each though so you couldn't see the other end. We did stop to get our lights out. Shirley used hers, I didn't. Just after the second tunnel was an emergency shelter with bunks and table and outhouse. Someone had shot bullets through all the windows. We got into Grand Forks at 12:30 and stopped at the Greyhound station to visit Cathy, but it was locked. We then saw the bike shop and Shirley stopped to see about her shock. The guy said it would take him 1.5 weeks or more since he ships them out. He said there is no telling how long it will last. It was then off to the store for food and I went to the bank while Shirley went to the park to decide where we might go today. I got $400 from the ATM and it gave me five $20 bills and six $50 bills. We ate in the park and talked about going to Christina Lake to camp. I told Shirley if it was too hot for her we could stay in Grand Forks. She said good idea. We picked the same site we were at last year while waiting for our bikes. It was about 2:30 when we went to the camping area. After sitting for a while I went to check out the TCT route since it didn't seem clear in the guide book. It is simple and eventually we saw the guide book was simple too after we saw we had missed one instruction. We then went to the beach and went for a swim in the Kettle River. It was after 5:00 by the time we got back to camp. A little after 6:00 the sun was encroaching on our site so we moved to an adjacent one. Soon after getting to camp we washed all our bike clothes and some of our other clothes as well and laid them on a table in the sun to dry. We decided tomorrow we're going to try free camping after about 70K so we went to the store to buy a little more fruit. Shirley is so afraid of carrying a little extra weight we didn't buy much. Just as we were getting on the flats in Grand Forks a couple of loaded cyclists were heading toward the hill we had come down. Shirley crashed today. She was riding ahead of me and I heard a thunk and she went flying. She had hit the metal base that a barrier post would go into. All the posts have been removed or knocked over and the concrete blocks have been dragged out of the way so ORVs can get on the trail.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010	Day 7	36.5 - 307.6

Farow - 35K East of Christina Lake	Trailside camp	Free

It didn't get real cold last night and we got up at 5:45. I put on tights and both long sleeve shirts until the sun hit us. Fortunately, our table was the first to get sun. We were off at 6:45 and I wore a light long sleeve shirt, but I don't think I needed it and it came off after a couple K. The first 20K were pretty much down hill and fairly easy. We rode through fields a lot. We were stopped at a trestle over a nice little gorge when 3 guys came from the other way. They had started yesterday in Castlegar and had camped somewhere along the trail. They are just out for a few days and had the Kettle Valley Trail guide book. Shirley quizzed them, but had trouble understanding them and getting information she liked. After another trestle over the Kettle River we turned North and started climbing. The trail was still good and we made good time. I was carrying an extra 3 quarts of water as we were starting a 90K stretch without much water. After passing Santa Rosa Road heading down to Christina Lake we started seeing day bikers. In the first 4K to the next road two went down and 1 went up. Our guide book said there was a water tap on the second road, but what we found was a fire faucet that needed a big wrench to uncap. We went to a nearby house and a very nice old lady let us get water. I refilled my water bottle and another quart bottle. Shirley filled her 3 liter bladder and another liter bladder. We drank the 1 liter immediately at the table on the trail. In the 25K from Christina Lake to Farrow we passed several streams where we could have gotten water. We had another easy tunnel today and went under a highway bridge way above us (The Pankin Tunnel and bridge). Along the way there were 2 or 3 sets of tables and outhouses like for future or current camping areas. Water was usually close by. Just before Paulson, about 7-8K from Farrow we passed a very nice campsite by a creek. Actually, there were a couple of them. One had tables and a toilet, one did not. At Paulson we met a group of 6 touring cyclists who started in Castlegar today and are going to Princeton. They planned on staying at the nice site we had just passed. About 10K before Paulson was a huge washout. A path has been made around it with a railing made of poles. The detour is 130 meters and is a steep down and then up past an old flume. It took both of us to push the bikes around. Our campsite is 800 meters past a small stream. We filled up our water bottles before reaching our campsite and then went back for baths (separately because Shirley was concerned about leaving our gear) later. We were lucky today in that much of our climbing was in the shade, either from the hills and trees or from clouds at times. There are mosquitos in camp and Shirley is hiding in the tent. She even took a little nap. Since yesterday her back has been hurting, probably from the locked gates.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010	Day 8	59.8 - 367.4

10K South of Trail, BC	Kiwanis CG	$18.00

The mosquitos finally drove me into the tent around 8:00 last night. Before that 3 more cyclists came by. A guy and his daughter on a tandem and his wife on a bike pulling a BOB. It didn't get very cold last night and the mosquitos were still bad this morning. Fortunately, it was cool enough I could put my tights, both long sleeves, jacket, and gloves on for protection. I took the jacket off when we left and should have taken more off as I was too warm. We rode for over 10K before hitting the sun after going through Bulldog Tunnel and I got down to shorts and jersey. The tunnel was 930 meters and my headlamp wouldn't stay on so I had to walk the whole thing. The tunnel had ballast rock in it and it would have been difficult anyway, but Shirley made it. Now my light is working fine. It was basically downhill the first 40K, but we unfortunately hit sand again probably due to the 4 wheelers. We passed 3 of them today. We had 3 or 4 shorter tunnels that we didn't need lights for. After we hit the sand I was riding along when my front tire skidded into a tire track and I crashed. A few scrapes on my right leg that looked bad due to the dirt. Unfortunately, I jammed my left thumb. It hurt quite a bit at first and doesn't like to bend and it's very hard to grip enough to shift my front chain ring. Luckily I don't need to shift very often. When I caught Shirley where she had stopped to wait for me we washed my leg so it looked better. I put anti bacterial ointment on. Soon my leg was as dirty as after my crash. We rode along, though well above, a lake. In the lake were lots of logs tethered and soaking before being taken to the saw mill in Castlegar. They are kept in the lake to keep them from catching fire. I was glad for the 7-10K of pavement into Castlegar so I didn't have to grip my handlebars with my left thumb. We stopped at a store for food and spent some time sitting in the shade and eating. There was a choice of a trail described as difficult for cyclists or the highway to Trail some 25-30K away. With my sore thumb I opted for the highway and Shirley was glad to do it. Although we went down river along the Columbia the road climbed and then went up and down with a final 8% grad into Trail. At one point we could see what was probably the trail to Trail across the river on a hillside. I was glad I was on the highway. We found a Safeway and I stocked up on rice and granola so now my food supply is heavy again. Shirley decided we only needed 3 more bagels to go with the 6 we had to last the two days until we can probably buy more. Unfortunately, Shirley needed food about 5K from camp and we stopped to eat and ate 2 of the bagels. Now I only have 2 a day which isn't enough. Or maybe it is since we will be on roads. Cheese is very expensive. 400g was $6.00 marked down from $9.00. Where we stopped to eat before camp was right at a landslide on the old road we were on. It was only 300-400 meters long and looked like a tractor had packed it down. Unfortunately, it was very soft and we had to push our bikes. When we got to the CG a young boy (8, 9, ?) was at the office. He called his mom but she wasn't around. We waited 10-15 minutes talking to him before his mom showed up. He said yesterday (I think) he saw a bear and his dog saved his life. The showers are at the office and the CG is 700 meters away. It was hot, at least 95º, and Shirley was willing to take the first site we came to since it was nicely shaded. It also has a nice tent spot. It was after 5:30 by the time we got to our site. We did laundry, I just did my jersey and socks, and then set up the tent. Time went by quickly and it was after 7:00 by the time I started dinner. I couldn't find Ramen noodles today so I bought some stir fry noodles which worked fine, except they come in a package with 8 blocks of noodles. I used two tonight minus 1/3 which I gave to Shirley. The showers were really nice with a full curtain which kept everything dry. The only bad thing was the light was motion activated with the sensor at the door so they went out during my shower. It was still light enough to see, though. By the time we got all organized and the food hung it was getting dark. A few mosquitos came out and produced a few welts, but most seem to bee gone now at 9:30.

Thursday, July 29, 2010	Day 9	45.2 - 412.6

Ymir, BC	Camp on trail	Free

To our surprise it started raining lightly just as the sky was getting light this morning. We had to get up and put the fly on. By the time we got up at 5:50 the fly was dry as was everything else. We were off at 7:00 to an overcast sky with a temperature of 69º according to a sign a couple K down the road. After 3K of gentle downhill following the Columbia we turned off on 7 Mile Dam Road to get over to the Pend d'Oreille River. For the first few K it was basically flat once we did the 3-4K uphill between the 2 valleys. We hit a couple hills before the dam. We stopped at a picnic table and I finally remembered to oil my chain which I've been meaning to do for days. Now it is blessedly quiet again. After climbing by the dam the pavement ended. For the first 1-2K it was a good road and then became rocky and pot holed but quite rideable. There was only one very steep and loose rock hill we had to push up for 100 meters. At a waterfall that the guide book said had a small tent area were an RV, 2 large tents and a boat. We were going to have a break there, but moved on and found a nice rock to sit on. The sky had mostly cleared, but a few drops fell while we were eating. We continued up and down and I tried not to shift my front gears unless I knew it would stay flat for a while because of my thumb. After crossing the Salmo River the road improved and shortly thereafter began climbing for several K. It was fairly steep and hot. We then had a short downhill to the border crossing at Nelway. At the top of the hill we hit pavement again. The 10K on Highway 6 to Highway 3 was a little busier but not too bad and still downhill. The map showed us getting off Highway 3 after 6-7 K, but the directions didn't mention it. Fortunately, at the correct distance there was an obvious road to take to the golf course, so the last 7-8K into Salmo were pleasant. We found the store on our road. It looked like it would be a little nothing store, but turned out to be really nice, but indeed small. I found bagels and yogurt to my surprise. It was like a health food store with reasonable prices. The rail trail was a block away although, not the very start of it. Shirley wanted to get water at the museum at the start, but we didn't see it and didn't know how far the wrong way it was. We finally got water at a fast food restaurant. The trail was very difficult with loose gravel piles and small dips from the ORVs. We almost gave up, but after 5-6K it got easier, especially after we went through a barrier and for 200 meters we had grass. Then back to where ORVs were, but the surface was better. Just before Ymir we saw a path to the river and probably the swimming hole the guy at the store told us about. There were 2 women at the river and Shirley asked if anyone would mind if we camped here. They said probably not. We set up our tent to the side out of the way of where people have driven. It isn't the flattest area, but should be OK. We went to the river to bathe (with clothes since there were even more people by then). I had to wash my gloves because Shirley complained about the smell last night. Afterwards we had dinner on the rocky shore which I'm sure is under water in the spring and sat out there afterwards to be away from the mosquitos. The two women stayed until about 6:00. At 7:30 two guys came down and one went swimming. It had to be much colder then since the sun was long gone.

Friday, July 30, 2010	Day 10	49.9 - 462.5

Gray Creek, BC	Cedar Groves CG	$21.00

A little after 9:30 last night several people came down to the swimming hole to do something with a fire. I got out to tell them our food was hung over the path they were using. Fortunately, they were quiet. We got up just before 6:00. We had breakfast out on the rocks. By the time we left it was 7:20. Shirley was reading about Grey Pass last night and it sounds really hard. Shirley was talking about taking Highway 3 back past Salmo and going around. This morning she decided we should do Grey Pass. We rode the 3K to Ymir and stopped at the town center. We looked at the historical signs and Shirley got water from a faucet. After we rode about 1/2K further Shirley realized she had left her pack back in Ymir. She rode back to get it. She talked to a guy sitting by it and he said he has done Grey Pass with panniers and that it was doable so Shirley feels better about it. The rail trail overall was easier today with a few exceptions. One stretch of golf ball size rocks was luckily short since I couldn't ride it. It took us 4 hours to ride the 30K to Nelson. From the rail trail was a steep downhill to the main town. At the high point today, the trail really flattened out and we rode through a stretch that the ORVs had stayed off. What wasn't mowed was a field of flowers. It was interesting. The downhill to Nelson was in good shape and quite rideable. We passed a regional park which is getting a new bridge access into it from the trail since the road access is 600 meters down the road. Shortly before Nelson we passed a couple walking at least 6 dogs who were not good about moving out of the way (the dogs that is). Unfortunately, just after we passed them was a trestle with a sign that said unsafe bridge - pedestrians and bicycles prohibited and a dip down and up around it. We rode down, but couldn't ride up so while we double pushed the bikes up the dogs passed us and then we had to pass them again. Nelson is a big mountain bike city. Once we got to the main road the traffic was very heavy. We found a store and got enough food for today and tomorrow. It was then more downhill to Kootenay Lake and Highway 3A which was very busy. It had a shoulder, but it still wasn't pleasant. After 18K we stopped for a break at the Kootenay Creek Provincial park. While sitting there a young couple going the other way came in and they had come over Grey Pass yesterday. They said it was steep, but the surface was mostly hard pack. That's encouraging. They started in Banff and are riding to their home on Vancouver island. As we headed toward the ferry across the lake they sky ahead of us was getting very dark. We got to the ferry just as the last few cars were being loaded and we squeezed on behind the last car. Today was our coolest day yet, but still pleasant. It was breezy on the ferry, but the cars blocked the wind or it would have been cold. It was thundering by the time we docked and we started up a 3-4K hill. It was really dark to the North and fortunately we started heading South. We got a few sprinkles and then wet pavement. We passed a couple of cyclist with small rear panniers going the other way. Our CG is right at the start of the pass. The sky was clearing when we arrived, but we quickly set up the tent. The trees are cedars which are terrible hanging trees. We found a limb finally and hung our food and then took showers. By the time we had dinner and prepared for tomorrow it was getting dark. While crossing the lake on the ferry we entered the mountain time zone. However, I'm going to keep recording everything in Pacific Time. I thought I was going to get in early enough to have time to relax, but it is already 9:30.

Saturday, July 31, 2010	Day 11	35.5 - 498.0

30K West of Kimberly, BC	Camp at St. Mary's River bridge	Free

In spite of what I said last night I'm going to switch to Mountain Time. We got up at our normal time of 6:50-7:00 and were off at 8:00. Our neighbors had a dead battery so I helped the guy push the car back so another car could come and give him a jump. I'm not sure where his partner was. They were getting ready to go for a week long backpack as soon as they got gas since they forgot to yesterday. Our CG was right next to the Grey Pass Road and started out steep. At 1.4K I took a wrong turn without stopping since I went uphill. Shirley caught me 300- 400 meters later when I stopped and questioned my turn, but we continued on. After 1K we came to what appeared to be a dead end at some driveways. I walked down a steep hill looking for someone, but no one was around. As I was walking back up a car came out of a driveway but turned up what looked like another driveway before reaching us. I walked back down and indeed it was a little two track. We decided to return to where I had turned uphill. The worst part is that it was steep uphill to where we were and very very steep for the last 50 meters. I almost didn't make it up. When we got back and headed the other way it indeed was correct. So, we got 1.3K of extra steep uphill. After 2K we stopped and the 2 guys from camp passed us. We continued up steeply and even steeper at times. Fortunately the surface was good. We stopped for a snack at the 6.9K mark. After another 5-6K we got into the mosquito zone. They got worse as we went up. There were some steep stretches and some not so steep stretches. I spent a lot of time waiting for Shirley as I went 4.5-5.5 KPH while Shirley went 3-3.5 KPH. We finally stopped for a snack at the Olvea Rec Area 800 meters from the top. At the top after 5.5 hours was a sign that said steep grades with up to 14% grades. Just after we started down the other side it started dripping. We rode 4-5K before stopping to put rain covers on our packs. Shirley had put on tights, long sleeves, and jacket for the downhill. I just put a light long sleeve shirt on. After 8K I stopped to put my tights and heavy long sleeves on. At 10K we finished the steep downhill and even had some uphill and it got warm. Before long Shirley stopped for water and I took my heavy shirt off. We continued down for a while then up for a while and flat and up and down, not steep, but slow. It would drizzle and stop. One stretch of road was very wet. Finally we got to dry road and it cleared. We stopped for another snack when we were mostly below the mosquitos again. Going continued slow and when we got to the St. Mary's River we decided to camp, about 27K short of where we had planned and after 9 hours and 20 minutes. There are several RVs on one side of the bridge and we are on the other side of the bridge on the same side of the river. There was a grassy area and what looked like a seldom used ORV trail. After unhooking the BOBs, but before setting up the tent an ORV came out of the trail. They said there wasn't anyone else back there which is good because we set up camp int the middle of the trail. There are horse flies here so Shirley covered up. We washed in a cold river (with clothes due to other people) before setting up the tent. Dinner was Ramen noodles and dried vegetables from Salmo since that's all we had. Mosquitos started coming out while cooking and by the time we had eaten and gotten organized they were getting thicker so we got in the tent by 7:30. Shirley took her odometer out of her pants pocket so she could put them away. Later she couldn't find it. She looked through everything several times. Finally it fell out of a fold of her jacket after who knows how many times of moving it. So far one ORV came in and turned around when they saw us and a couple with a dog came in and turned around. I think they were joining the RV group. Later a guy in a truck with a dog came in and let his dog do it's thing. At 9:00 there are quite a few mosquitos buzzing the tent.

Sunday, August 1, 2010	Day 12	36.1 - 534.1

Cranbrook, BC	Mt. Baker RV Park	$24.64

We went to bed when it got dark last night at 10:00 and got up around 7:00. I had dry granola in my cup which wasn't too good or filling. The mosquitos were still very active and annoying. I wore my two long sleeve shirts, tights, jacket, and gloves in camp, but took the jacket and gloves off when we left at 8:15. My thermometer said it was 50, but we were in the shade and it felt cold so Shirley put gloves on. After a few K we got in the sun and very shortly I was over heating. We stopped to take clothes off and put sun screen on. After 13K we hit pavement and had a snack since we were both hungry. At 27K we reached the RV park we thought we might get to last night. It took 2.5 hours to get there. We stopped at the RV store, but there wasn't anything we wanted. We took the couples advice from the other day and skipped the detour into the nature preserve and went straight to Marysville. We found the paved bike path after asking and had a nice 14-16K into Cranbrook. There were lots of cyclist, a couple roller bladers, and a couple walkers on the trail ranging from kids to out of shape adults to riders with aero bars. We passed a lady who had crashed and the guy with her asked us to inform a group of 6 who were ahead and to send the guy in blue back. The lady was rather elderly and looked like she had hurt her wrist. Right at the end of the trail we met a guy who tried to give us directions to the RV park. We rode down Highway 3 into town and then were on a busy road. We got onto a side access road for a few blocks until it ended and then rode the sidewalk for quite a few blocks. We passed a sign giving us the RV park address and we asked a guy walking how to get there. Other than telling us to turn the wrong way on 2nd Street South he got us here. The clouds were getting very dark as we arrived and it was thundering. It took a long time to check in the person ahead of me and then me. It started raining just as we started setting the tent up. We got the fly on, but not staked and threw our stuff in the vestibule. The floor was already wet from rolling it up wet from dew this morning. We sat in the tent until it quit which fortunately wasn't that long. We then had to take everything out and put it on the fortunately nearly dry table, and turn the tent on its side in the sun and spread the ground cloth out to dry. While it was drying we cleaned our bikes and did a few adjustments. By the time we were ready to set up the tent it looked like another shower was moving in and it did briefly drizzle after we got it set up. When it quit it was off to the shower and then laundry. Washing was only $2.00 and drying $1.00, but the dryer was very slow. It was nearly 6:00 by the time the clothes went in the dryer. It was after 7:00 by the time we headed to the store. Between being very hungry and needing food for 3 days we bought $61.16 worth of food. We bought turkey for dinner sandwiches. I didn't know Shirley had gotten some pumpernickel bread so I got 18 bagels for the 3 days and dinner. We had a little tiff about that. Finally we got the bagels and bread as long as Shirley doesn't have to eat any of the bread after tonight. When I asked where the store was the RV owner said there was a store only 2 blocks away, but she had to warn me it was a Safeway which is one of the more expensive stores. By the time we ate, got all the food sorted and everything organized from the laundry it was 9:00. The guy we were talking to on the bike path said they paved part of it last fall and part this spring and it isn't officially open and people aren't supposed to use it. He said people were using it before it was finished being paved. They had $3.6 million to pave it and use $3.3 million and were allowed to use the extra $300,000 for parking lots, etc. There is a hockey camp in town this week and the RV park is full, mostly RVs. I thought the bike path was excessive with K markers every .25K.

Monday, August 2, 2010	Day 13	46.1 - 580.2

Baynes Lake, BC	PR RV Park	$15.00

We managed to put our tent in direct line of a very bright light last night. We could sit at our table and read by it even though it was probably 40-50 meters away. Fortunately, there was a tree not too far from our tent that I could pee behind during the night. For being packed and packed together it was pretty quiet last night. There were a few cars on the road unfortunately. We got up around 7:00 and were off somewhere around 8:20, I think. The tent was mostly dry, but had a little light dew on it. The ground cloth was wet, but mostly dried hanging on a bush in the sun before we left. It looked sort of cloudy the way we were going so I put my rain gear on top inside my BOB bag. We followed the Rotory trail North out of town and ended up back where we came in yesterday. Had we known we could have stayed at an RV park at that end, although it probably would have been nosier. The rail trail was fairly flat and had a good surface. Unfortunately, it only lasted about 10K before we had to get on Highway 3 and 93. There was a lot of traffic and we were glad to get off of it after 8K or so. Ha Ha Creek Road was quiet and was a chip seal that was redone not too long ago. We made it almost 40K to Wardner before we had lunch. Shirley hoped to get water at the store, but it was closed. Fortunately for her I had an extra quart I could give her. We ate at the provincial park which was just a few tables and an outhouse. The sky was getting very dark so we prepared for rain by putting all the covers on and getting the rain gear out and on top of BOB. Just out of Wardner the "pavement" ended and we climbed up a steep hill. The road surface was good, though, after the first little gravelly part. After a few K the thunder started and then the rain which got heavy quickly. We got a bit wet putting our rain gear on. Shortly after that we hid under a tree for a while until the tree was dripping more than the sky. There were puddles and rivers running down any hill. We got onto a rough part of road and started down. When I came over one little rise Shirley was sitting on the ground and her bike was on the ground. She had crashed in one of the ruts. She cut her thumb a little and rescraped her leg and added a scrape to her arm. At first she was limping a little, but after we sat for a while she was OK. We cleaned her muddy pants off on a little fir tree. It finally stopped raining and at times the road looked like it had hardly rained and at other times it was pretty wet. When we reached Teepee FSR it was more major, but had a good surface except for the mud. Every once in a while it was really muddy. Finally we reached pavement and at the bridge over the lake was what was supposed to be a small CG and it was full of ORV types. Traffic picked up quite a bit as we headed across the bridge and toward Baynes Lake. Fortunately, when we turned off after 3-4K toward Baynes Lake traffic was much better. The RV park in

Baynes Lake is run by a little old lady. As we entered a woman staying here greeted us first and invited us to visit her later if we wanted company since she was bored. We paid for 2 nights so we could do the Divide Route to Rooseville, MT and back tomorrow, about 60 miles RT. The owner said today is a national holiday which is why there are so many people here. The RV portion appears to be the kind where people rent for the season and visit on the weekend. The 6 or 7 tent sites are jammed together. The site next to us has 4 or 5 huge tents on it, but so far no people. The site on the other side has 3 young kids and a mother who arrived back to camp at 8:00 and are very quiet. A couple RV sites across the road are occupied by noisy families. When we arrived we hung our wet clothes to dry and then set up the tent in the only tent pad. None of the other tents would even come close to fitting on it. After that it was showers and then dinner. The showers are very nice. The toilets are pit toilets and stink. I forgot that before setting up the tent we took the bikes to a hose and washed them. There were large chunks of mud on everything. We figured out later that the two RVs and all the tents are together so no more people will be arriving.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010	Day 14	49.1 - 629.3

Baynes Lake, BC	PR RV Park	$15.00

We got up at our normal time of around 7:00 and were off to Roosville to do that section of the Divide Mountain Bike Ride at 8:00. Last night we went to bed around 10:00. The big group was still going strong and the kids were fairly quiet. A little later the two boys went into their tent and talked. The tent was so close it sounded like they were in ours. Eventually I went to sleep. When I woke up to pee later all was quiet. Just after we got back in the tent the mom of the kids got in her truck and the back lights came on and she started the engine and let it run for a little bit before turning it off. A few minutes later the same thing happened. No idea what that was all about. The second time I got up all remained quiet. We were going to follow the Divide route out of town, but Shirley didn't have the instructions folded at the start so we missed the route and figured we could catch it on the way back. When we headed down Highway 93 we saw where we should have come out, right before an 8% down and up across the Elk River. The route took us on Dorr Cutoff Road and at the turnoff I decided to try to oil my front derailleur cable since it was very hard on my thumb to shift. I was partially successful. The cutoff road was about 16K long to bypass about 8K, maybe 10K, on the highway. We decided it wasn't worth the 10K or so of gravel. When we got to the border we heard a lot of gun shots and I asked Shirley "Did someone not pass inspection?". It turned out it was the American agents practicing on a shooting range. We rested briefly and then headed back. We skipped the detour on Dorr Road. We stopped at the small store in Grasmere for milk and a can of vegetables. Our breakfast this morning was bread and bagels since we didn't have milk or yogurt. We took the Divide route after the dip and mostly followed it. We had a snack overlooking the lake. We did miss a little bit of the route again because Shirley still had her map and instructions the same as this morning. Shirley decided today that her shock, which has been leaking oil, isn't working because she can't press it down as far. Back at camp I was able to get it down as far as ever and I told her I thought it would go all the way down when it failed. She wants to stop at a bike shop in Fernie to have it looked at. Also her crank has been popping for the last couple days. We checked the bolts in the crank and chain rings and they seemed tight. Shirley wanted to put oil on the crank so we laid the bike on its side on a table and Shirley noticed a hex bolt at the end of the pedal and she said she hadn't checked that. I tried tightening them and one seemed to move a bit with the same noise as when she was riding. Afterwards both of us rode it a bit and didn't hear any noise so hopefully that is fixed. I turned my bike upside down and worked on my cable some more. At first I could barely move the cable through the housing. I kept putting oil in the hole and moving the cable until eventually it moved freely. Hopefully, now I can shift without hurting my sprained thumb too much. The TCT and Divide do slightly different routes to Elko and we finally decided to do the Divide route since it is simpler. When we got back this afternoon Shirley decided to run her rain gear, which she got all muddy yesterday when she crashed, through the washer. We also washed our biking clothes, all with no soap. We hung our rain gear out for a few hours to make sure they were dry. There was a part of a cake by the sink when we got here yesterday and it was still there this afternoon so I threw it away. The mom and three kids are gone, but the big group is still here, but didn't get back until 7:30.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010	Day 15	49.4 - 678.7

Sparwood, BC	Mt. Shadows CG	$19.04

The big group was quieter last night, but I think they stayed up later talking. It took me a little while to get to sleep. They were still up the first time I got up to pee. We were up and off at our normal times (7:00 and 8:15). We started with a pleasant 5-6K on Baynes Dump Road to Highway 3. Then an unpleasant 5-6K on Highway 3 to Elko. Lots of traffic and a couple of steep hills. In Elko a sign said fresh fruit was just after our turn so we went to it. It was a trailer which wasn't open. We then returned the 100 meters to our turnoff, went through the 1K residential section and got on the Elko River Road. That was mostly a gentle uphill on a very good dirt surface for 28K to Fernie. The TCT and Divide routes both went on River Road, but did separate routes through Fernie. We took the Divide route. We stopped a young woman on a bike to ask how to get to a bike shop and it turned out she was from Australia and living in Fernie, but she led us to a shop about 2 blocks away. Shirley had a guy come out to look at her shock. He said at first it needed new seals, but when Shirley showed him where it was leaking out the top he said that was a rebuild and would need to be sent to the manufacturer. Shirley asked if she should just keep on riding and he said yes. My chain has been skipping badly so I asked about getting a new chain and chain ring and he said it would probably need a new cassette since that is what usually skips. They had the parts so I told them to do it. It was a little after 2:00 and he said come back at 4:00. We went to the store and ate lunch and then sat on a bench around the corner from the bike shop. I also walked 9-10 blocks to check our route out of town. The shop allowed us to put our BOBs inside while we walked to the store, etc, and we got them back while waiting so we could put the food away. My bike was finally done at 5:00. The Divide Ride map showed a CG in Hosner about 15K away. We decided to go there since Fernie doesn't have camping. It was easy riding, but mainly on Highway 93 which was fairly busy. When we got to Hosner we found an RV park. The office had closed at 5:00, but a sign said tents were $17.00. We looked around and couldn't find a toilet. The only one we found had the doors nailed shut. The RV park is more a permanent place and an RV sale and repair place. I found a guy working on an RV and he said there was no toilet or shower. Shirley talked to a resident and was told the health department had shut the toilet block down last year. So, it was off to Sparwood, another 17-18K further up the highway. By the time we left it was after 6:00. We passed through a construction area which wasn't bad since they weren't working. The riding was easy until the last 5K when we went up a 2K hill and then down into Sparwood. The sun went behind the hills before we arrived at the CG at 7:20. Fortunately, it was at the South end of town. We had a choice of site 1 right at the entrance or site 44 way at the back. We took 44, but decided it was too close to the highway with a direct view of the cars. We went back to site 1 which isn't much further from the highway, but does have a few trees between us and the cars. Shirley set up the tent while I cooked dinner. The trees once again are useless for hanging so Shirley was eyeing the flagpole and picnic shelter. She talked to the office person who offered to unlock a pickup truck behind the office so we could put our food in it. After dinner was showers and then it got dark. This morning was a bit cool due to a North breeze which was a headwind. Heading out of Elko on River Road I was thinking I might have to dig out my long sleeve shirt. Fortunately, it warmed up after a few more K when the wind was blocked by trees. We had a head wind most of the way from Fernie to Sparwood, but not too strong. It helped block the traffic noise in camp, but it died down around 10:20 and we can hear the traffic much more. I almost forgot to mention I had a flat about 6K before Fernie. It was a hole in a patch caused by a spoke hole rubbing through.

Thursday, August 5, 2010	Day 16	53.3 - 732.0

45K North of Elkford, BC	Weary Creek Campsite	Free

We got up just a bit later this morning and didn't get off until 8:30. It was about 48º this morning, but was warming up once the sun came up. I left in tights and my long sleeve jersey. We stopped to see the supposedly Worlds largest Truck. It is a big one. We managed to go quietly through town and get on Highway 43 North which was a lot quieter than Highway 3. At the turnoff to Lower Elk Valley Road we took our long clothes off. The 12-13K on that road were very pleasant through farmland and meadows. We then got back on Highway 43. The Divide Route called for an 18K side trip on gravel with possible log trucks after 4K on the highway. Since 43 was quiet Shirley decided we should stay on it to Elkford which was not only paved with a nice shoulder, but several K shorter. We stopped at a regional park for a snack. There were 2 ball fields at the park and 3 young women picking huckleberries "for work" although not very many or very fast. We got into Elkford around 12:00 and bought $49 worth of food to last us 2 days. We headed out around 1:00 for a campsite either 20K or 45K away. The road was in very good shape and easy for the first 6-8K. Then we hit a series of hills. We bypassed a campsite after 10K and had a break a little further on. The area has been very heavily logged over the years. Across the valley and on top the ridge from where we ate was a huge mining operation. The next 10K to our first possible campsite had several ups and downs, some steep. We met two cyclists who were traveling very light and had left Banff yesterday. They came over the pass and called the road we were on "tedious". They are only going to Roosville. We got to Blue Lake at 3:30 and I thought it would be a nice place to camp. Shirley, however, wanted to go on since it is 50K to elk Pass and she's not sure we could make it tomorrow. So, at 3:40 we headed toward Weary Creek, another 25K. There were several steep ups and downs and some easy. We met another cyclist with a BOB which had more stuff than we had. He said he's had a lot of bike problems. He said a couple with kids was just ahead of us. I thought the other two guys had said they saw them yesterday. We were afraid they might be at Weary Creek, but they weren't. We got to camp at 6:05, only 2:25 for the 25K. Unfortunately, there are enough mosquitos to be a bother. We got washed up and treated water and set up the tent and had dinner. When we hung our food we had a problem. We are counter balancing our bags and have carabiners on both bags. When we went to pull up the second bag it swung out and when it came back the rope went into the carabiner of the other bag. That meant we couldn't pull either bag up or down. Fortunately the bags weren't quite high enough and by pulling the rope really hard and bending the limb and then having Shirley hold the rope I was able to stand on a cut log and reach the carabiner. I managed to unsnap the food bags. The rope almost went through the carabiner, but the extra rope in the bag at the end prevented it from doing so. We finally got the knife and cut the rope and only lost a couple inches. Good thing it wasn't high enough. We decided to just hang them from a pole. Note, use a locking carabiner. Two empty log trucks passed us fairly early on the dirt road and later two loaded trucks returned. We assume they were the same ones. They raised a lot of dust. There were quite a few other pickups and cars all day. There was a taxi with a small bike size U Haul that passed us. Later he went the other way and then even later back our way. We don't know if he was hauling people to the top or what. A little after 9:00, after we were all organized a cyclist from Seattle pulled in. He started in Jasper and will be out for 3 weeks. When Shirley got in the tent this evening the zipper separated. Fortunately it went back together since there are mosquitos. Looks like we will be buying an expensive tent in Banff! After we met the second cyclist today and he mentioned seeing bear tracks Shirley tried to make a road sign into a bear on top of the next hill.

Friday, August 6, 2010	Day 17	28.1 - 760.1

85K South of Canmore, AB	Peter Lougheed Provincial Park - Canyon CG	$23.00

When I got up t pee last night there was lightning in the distance and it seemed cloudy. Just as it was getting light and I peed the moon was out. About 6:00 it started thundering and we got up at 6:30 and began packing. Before we got to the tent it started raining. The tent was pretty wet anyway from dew. It rained for 15 minutes or so and quit. We ate breakfast and talked to Michael, the cyclist from Seattle. It showered a couple more times and then looked pretty good. Surprisingly we got off at 8:30. I thought we had camped on Weary Creek, but it was actually the Elk River so I kept looking for the Elk River crossing until Shirley corrected me. The 23K to the Elk Pass Road wasn't too bad for the most part with a few steep exceptions. The last 4K on the closed Elk Pass Road was hard. It started out OK, but then had several steep patches. I glitched one after a rut and pushed a few meters. Another one I just had too much weight for my psyche and I pushed about 20 meters. Shirley rode it all. At the top it was breezy enough to keep the mosquitos at bay which was good since they were bad for the last 10K. It was cool today, but I was in shorts and jersey due to the hills. Shirley wore her long sleeves over her jersey. Going down the other side we may not have gone the way the route describes. It mentioned going under the power lines a couple of times and we never did. Very near the top we went through a swampy area, but I managed to keep my feet dry. We followed a road/trail which at times was bumpy with roots and old muddy tracks. We finally got to a good road and almost immediately had a very steep hill. I couldn't even try. Shirley did, but didn't get too far. We pushed the 50 meters (plus or minus) to the top, double pushing, of course. It was then downhill to the trail head parking lot. After another snack we headed out to the highway and had a short uphill before descending to Boulton Trading Post. Supplies were very limited and we got a can of beef stew with vegetables for $3.69 and a carton of milk for $3.29. We decided to stay at the last CG in the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park which we were in since the next CG was 40K away with a 1000 feet gain. A bike path led from the store to the CG. Shirley kept trying to match the directions to what we were seeing and wasn't succeeding. Then, a couple K before the CG it started raining. I put my rain pants and booties on. Shirley thought we needed to go to the Visitor Center to register so we went past the CG about 1/2K. We outran the rain, but it was catching up fast. The CG is self register so we could have stopped on the way. Shirley had to use the restroom and was gone a long time and it started raining. It was raining pretty good by the time we got back to the CG. We found an empty site immediately and claimed it. We parked our bikes and stood under the eaves of the outhouse until it quit about 1/2 hour later. Shirley then needed to dry the tent and ground cloth so we set up the tent and turned it on its side so the floor would dry. The ground cloth was on my bike for a while and then we hung it on the tent. Eventually it dried and we got it set up. We got most things mostly dry and ate dinner. Just as we were finishing it started clouding up again and we started hurrying to get everything in the tent and the food hung. Just as we finished it started dripping and just after we got in the tent it started raining in earnest with bright lightning and thunder right over our heads. My thumb suffered today. The rough trail made me grip tightly and brake a lot which my poor sprained thumb doesn't like. Our site is pretty good since it has a hanging limb, a good tent site, no campsite on one side and an empty site marked occupied on the other side.

Saturday, August 7, 2010	Day 18	35.0 - 795.1

Banff National Park - Spray Lake	Free Camp	Free

We went to bed as soon as it got dark last night and didn't get up until after 8:00 this morning. We had the fly zipped all night. My toes got cold and were cold most of the night. The trees dripped all night long so our fly was soaked this morning. When we finally got up we had a blue sky and the sun was just coming up over the mountains although we had too many trees for us to get much sun. My thermometer said 45 and my hands got cold from touching anything wet. We moved the fly to the parking area after shaking it and then moved the tent there too. We had breakfast and then packed up the tent. The tent itself may have dried some, but not the ground cloth or fly, especially the fly. I packed the ground cloth and fly in separate plastic bags. We found a very sunny spot to do sun screen and it felt pretty warm. When we left at 9:30 I wore tights, long sleeve jersey, heavy long sleeve shirt, and gloves and hoped I would soon be too warm. We had a cool short downhill to the Smith Dorrien Spray Road and then began climbing in the sun. After a couple K I took off all the warm clothes. The first few K were paved and then turned to gravel about the time we really headed up. The steepest curve and hill was wash boarded and gravel. Fortunately the side was better in both respects. We supposedly climbed 1000 feet, but it didn't seem like it. After the steep part there was a small path clear of gravel which we stayed in. We stopped at the Sawmill Picnic Area for a snack. The views along the way were breath taking. Unfortunately, there were clouds and a general haze in the air. My camera lens and view finder fogged up and even after I wiped it off the camera still had trouble focusing. At the picnic area I set it out in the sun. I considered suggesting we stay on Smith Dorrien and come back a little on the West side to camp rather than take the trail to the West side via the North end, but 15-20K without cars sounded good. Since this is Saturday and a national park there are lots of people hiking. At the Shark Mt. TH there were lots of cars. A sign showed pictures of hikers and skiers, but no bicycles. On the other hand it didn't say no bicycles. The trail was actually an old road and had signs pointing the way so it was easier to navigate than the route description sounded. Once we got past Watridge Lake the road became more of a trail with roots and mud holes. We passed a creek in a narrow canyon and a waterfall. We hiked a short distance up the canyon to get a better view of the falls. Before Canyon Dam we had a steep uphill and once again I couldn't get myself to exert the effort to ride it and pushed part of it. At the dam we crossed what looked like a spillway by doing a steep downhill that we walked and a steep uphill which required both of us to get the bikes up. There were tables at a flat spot there and I was ready to stop since it was 4:00, but Shirley wanted to go on since we had only done 50K. We rode another hour and had several ups and downs. It looked more like a road again. We found one of the self registration campsites (#122) and stopped for the day. We were drying things out with the tent on its side, the fly on the ground and the ground cloth hanging on a pole between two trees and various other things laying around. I looked up and noticed the sky was getting dark so we quickly started assembling the tent. It started raining as we were putting the fly on so we quickly threw everything in the tent. Fortunately, it was a short shower and the sun came back out. We went to the lake for a bath and to get water. Before it rained I had to east since I was getting grouchy. After our bath we treated 3 quarts of water and left one untreated for washing. We cooked and ate dinner and got the food hung. The mosquitos were enough to be annoying, but not too bad. About 8:00 a few drops of rain fell and with that and the mosquitos we got in the tent. Once or twice a few drops fell. We can hear the cars on the Smith Dorrien Road across the lake. Fortunately, there aren't many. The mountains around the lake are awesome, including the view from our campsite.

Sunday, August 8, 2010	Day 19	30.1 - 825.2

Banff, AB	Tunnel Mt. CG	$27.00

We laid in bed a little too long this morning since just as we were getting up we heard the pitter patter of rain. I had tried to get Shirley up earlier since our tent was fairly dry, but we were tired. We got dressed and did puzzles until it quit raining. I had a wonderful breakfast of cereal with nothing on it and Shirley had a piece of cheese and a pita bread. The fly was pretty wet, but everything else was pretty dry. We were off to a light rain at 9:10. The remaining West side road was pretty easy. Within 5K (probably less) we got to the end of the closed road. We found the CG which was supposed to have water and after asking learned it was a couple of pay stations down the road. The CG was strung out along the road with several pay stations and garbage bins. When we found the water pump a sign said the water should be boiled so we filled a quart bottle and treated it. Had we known we could have done that last night. The road out to Smith Dorrien was easier than yesterday, especially after we got to the part cars could drive on. I tried to measure from the turnoff onto Smith Dorrien to where the Goat Creek Trail was supposed to be. There was a small road about .2K short which we passed and a road .2K after which we went down and past a service road sign. After a short steep downhill it came to a dead end at some sort of generators and two streams. We spent a lot of time looking around. I was very hungry before we even got tot the turnoff and this did not help. It started raining harder as we looked around. I finally ate after we climbed back up the steep hill. We decided to check out the road that was .2K short. We did find a very narrow and rugged trail, but decided it was way too rustic, more like a game trail. I got disoriented in the woods and had to yell to Shirley who was with the bikes to find my way back. Of course, when I yelled Shirley got worried that a bear got me. We then rode back the way we came .5K or more and didn't see anything. We decided to continue on and about .2K after the first road we turned on was a big blue sign for the Goat Creek Trail and a large parking lot. It was still raining as we started down the trail and it was quite muddy with a clay like thin layer after an initial short, steep, and rocky downhill. The first couple K were the worst for the mud then the surface got rockier. The rain gradually slackened and finally ended and the sun came out. We stopped to take our rain gear off and 4 bikers passed us with yellow lightweight ponchos. Shirley called them the butterfly brigade. They were just out for the 19K ride to Banff and had no gear. We leap frogged them a few times as the women walked the hills. There were several steep hills which about did me in. I had to push up part of one of them. Eventually we got to the end of the trail behind the Banff Springs Hotel. The two couples were there and we offered to take their picture for them with their camera. We then talked to them a while and they told us how to get to the store. Good thing too since Banff is a zoo and we would have had problems. The store was very crowded with narrow aisles, but surprisingly not any more expensive than the other stores we've been to. It started raining again as we rode to the store and while putting our food away. We bought $80 worth of food including a chocolate muffin for me, a blueberry scone for Shirley and z pizza pretzel for us. Since it was rainy we bought turkey for sandwiches for $7.00 plus. We have a couple days worth of lunches and I have several dinners and breakfasts. It was then to the information center where Shirley got maps and camping information. Tunnel Mt. CG was only 3-4K and still had 100 sites free and Two Jack was 27K with a hill. Since it was already 4:30 we opted for Tunnel Mt. There was a 1.5K uphill which wasn't too steep. When we arrived there was a line of several cars and RVs waiting to register. It must have taken at least 15 minutes to get to the booth. We were asked if we wanted a fire or no fire so I was hoping for a loop with no fires, but all we got was a site without a fire ring. There are still other sites smoking the place up. After getting our things out to dry since it was once again sunny after we went to the information place, Shirley went off to the RV dump station to wash her bike while I got the tent out to dry. By the time she got back it looked like it would rain again so we hurriedly set up the tent and got everything in as a few drops fell. But it was a false alarm. We adjusted Shirley's brakes which were hardly working because the cables were loose and I cleaned my drive train, especially the jockey wheels after I went to the RV dump station. We then ate and got organized before taking showers. There is a room with lockers for storing food which is easier than hanging. We can even put our own lock on the locker. Once again it is getting dark as I write this, but at least I am at a table with very few mosquitos and it's not raining.

Monday, August 9, 2010	Day 20	20.2 - 845.2

Banff National Park	Johnston CG	$27.00

We had a brief shower last night but the tent was mostly dry this morning. The ground cloth was wet and we dried it in the sun while we ate and packed. It was easy getting back to Banff and out to Highway 1. Shirley had to question the last turn out of Banff and stop and ask someone. I started in tights, gloves, and 2 long sleeves, but at Highway 1 I got down to a single long sleeve and shorts. Highway 1 is very busy, but we were only on it for a few K. Just as we were getting to road construction we exited to Highway 1A which started out easy and got hillier at the end. There was a bit more traffic than we hoped, but tolerable. We saw at least 2 sag supported bike tours such as Back Roads. At first we stopped at the roadside exhibits, but when it started clouding up we quit doing that. We got to Johnston CG before noon and the young man who checked us in did really good by us. We are next to a kitchen shelter and bear lockers. We got the tent set up, but the clouds passed by without raining. We did laundry of bike clothes and hung them up to dry while we hiked Johnston Canyon. That was very interesting with lots of catwalks through the gorge and lots of cascades ending with two waterfalls. There were hundreds of people. The trail continued to the "ink pots" a series of holes which are springs with colored algae. It was an additional 6.2K and an unknown vertical. I'm not sure it was worth it. Coming back it started clouding up again. Fortunately, we made it back to the paved part of the trail before a short thunderstorm hit. It probably didn't rain for more than 15 minutes. Our clothes were probably dry before it rained, but not when we got back to camp. Since our table was wet we moved into the kitchen. We had dinner which I cooked at our table and ate in the kitchen and while eating it began raining again. This rain has settled in and has been raining for a while. Good thing we have the shelter. The CG is no where near full. I finished the book I brought a couple nights ago so I left it in the wash room this morning. Hopefully someone will take it.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010	Day 21	38.9 - 884.3

Banff National Park	Mosquito Creek CG	$15.70

It was hard getting up this morning as it felt very damp and cold. When we opened the very wet fly it was to a totally overcast sky, but no rain. We ate in the kitchen and finally were off at 8:55 wearing tights, two long sleeve shirts, and gloves. It wasn't until around 11:30 we were finally warm when a bit of clear sky passed over the sun. We got down to just one long sleeve and shorts and eventually shirt sleeves. We saw several more sag supported bike tours. We got to Lake Louise shortly after noon. The store was tiny and expensive, but had everything we needed. Shirley even had me buy a chocolate muffin for $2.79. It was cloudy again when we came out of the store so we put our tights and long sleeves on. We ate a nectarine each and packed what is hopefully 3 days worth of food. We went to the visitor center so Shirley could get Jasper North Park information. It started drizzling a little so I covered up my handlebar bag. As we left Lake Louise more and more of the glacier above the town came into view and I was sorry I couldn't get to my camera. We were on Highway 1 and Shirley was in tunnel vision and go mode so didn't see any of it and I knew she'd get worried or pissed or both if I stopped to dig out my camera so I missed a great picture. There was also a bridge/tunnel that I would have liked a picture of, but we were in a construction zone and near our turnoff so again I didn't stop. The construction was about 1K before our turn to Jasper and continued another 7K on Highway 1 and also up the exit ramp we took to Highway 93. The construction actually made us feel a little safer as there were pylons about 1 meter from the edge of the road and we rode on the right of them while traffic was to the left of them. Right after the turnoff was a pay station, but apparently bikes don't pay as we were waved through. We were warm again and got back down to shorts and short sleeves. We had about a 10K uphill with lots of beautiful mountains. I kept telling myself no more pictures over and over again. It clouded up again and there were a few sprinkles so Shirley didn't want to stop. I got hungry and almost didn't make it over the last gentle rise. I finally caught up with Shirley at a viewpoint to Hector Lake, a lovely glacial lake. The sun was coming back out by then and we ate a little before continuing to Mosquito Creek. Shirley had talked about staying at the hostel at Mosquito Creek, but fortunately it was nice when we got to the CG and hostel so we camped. We found a site away from the creek hoping it will be warmer and drier. There were a few mosquitos as we got the tent parts out to dry. Fortunately, the tent and ground cloth weren't real wet and dried quickly. The ground is very hard underneath and I bent one of Shirley's favorite stakes. We put the fly on to dry since it was soaked. After hanging all our wet stuff out to dry we went to the creek for a bath. It was a mostly clothed bath since someone could come along at any time. We went to the kitchen to cook when another cyclist from Prince George was cooking dinner. He is a student and is out for 3 weeks. He started in Jasper 3 days ago. We talked with him while eating and a while after until it looked like a dark cloud was building so we went back to camp to prepare for rain. Luckily it was a false alarm. It's also much warmer tonight. The CG had several sites available when we got here, but it appears to be pretty well full at 8:30.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010	Day 22	43.7 - 928.0

Banff National Park	Rampart Creek CG	$15.70

The last couple days a couple different people have mentioned there are a lot of forest fires in BC, so now Shirley is worried about fires instead of bears. The guy from Prince Rupert last night said they weren't on the road we were planning on, but the smoke could be bad. We got up at 8:00 to a cold, but clear morning. We took down the tent and then went to a table by the creek where the sun was shining. We took the ground cloth with us to dry it. It was much warmer in the sun. At our site my thermometer said 40º. We were finally out of there at 9:05. It was still chilly and we wore tights, two long sleeves, and gloves. They stayed on for quite a while. It was so nice to be in the sun and our spirits were high. Bow Pass was very easy from our direction and on top there was a side road to Peyto Lake and Bow Summit. It was uphill to the parking area. There was an area for cars and an additional one further up the road for buses and handicapped. Shirley was needing food, but made it to the parking area. I sort of rushed her in her hungry state to go look at the lake and she was grumpy until she ate. The lake was far below and the overlook was full of two bus loads of tourists. It was impossible to get a good picture. I did a little loop trail while Shirley went to the parking lot to eat. I finally got back there and ate too. We then went back to the overlook after the buses left. The sun went behind a cloud and it got cold again. We put our tights and heavy shirts on again for the downhill from Bow Pass. I stopped part way down for a picture and didn't see Shirley pass me so I was waiting for her a long time. By the time I decided to go down Shirley was riding back up. We stopped again at Bow Lake which was very blue with good reflections. Then we stopped at Mistaya Lake, but didn't do the hike. However, we probably missed a good one since there were lots of cars. Four young women from Michigan were impressed we were touring by bike. We went by Waterfowl Lake and saw 4 touring cyclists (2 groups of 2) when Shirley stopped for water. Two were oldish women from Ontario on Bike Fridays just out for a week and 2 foreign (probably German) cyclists who have ridden from Alaska. At one point today we came upon a bunch of cars on the side of the road and we figured a bear was there. When we got there the bear had just gone into the woods and the cars were leaving. Many people had gotten out of there vehicles to take pictures. We crossed the Saskatchewan River which was lovely. Unfortunately, they were working on the bridge and it was down to one lane. We stopped at Saskatchewan Crossing and found an international group of cyclists of 2 Spaniards, 2 Swiss, and an Australian who had met on the road and were all doing this section of road, but going separately afterwards. We bought a can of corn ($2.99) and a 1/2 liter bottle of milk ($2.99). We also saw many unburdened cyclists from the tour groups, quite a few in the last 12K to our CG. Once again there were plenty of sites available, but most have filled up since we got here. There are 5 sites that have been blocked off as walk in sites. They are small like sites used to be before RVs and we are in one. It's nice except they are near where all the cars drive. It is also near the kitchen, water, and bear boxes. It is much warmer tonight and hopefully it will be warmer tomorrow. We washed in the Saskatchewan River and Shirley even got naked within view of a site that had a tent, but no people. Right now two couples are talking outside the kitchen. One guy said he bought a two day pass for the parks so they didn't have to hurry to see it. We just snickered.

Thursday, August 12, 2010	Day 23	41.9 - 969.9

Jasper National Park	Jonas Creek CG	$15.70

We had another very light rain last night, but again the tent was basically dry this morning. Unfortunately, it was also very cloudy this morning in spite of being clear when I got up to pee some time after the sprinkle. It was fairly warm at 50º, but I wore both long sleeves and tights when we took off at 8:15. In 9K I took my heavy long sleeve shirt off. When we got to the base of Sunwapta Pass I got down to shorts and jersey. At first it felt quite comfortable, but at times felt cool as we climbed and it got windy. The views were pretty good considering there were still a lot of clouds around. I kept stopping to take pictures. Once we got to the Parker Ridge TH we had done all the hard climbing and could see the summit across the way. It almost looked downhill. There was also a very dark cloud not too far beyond the summit. We would have liked to do the hike to Parker Ridge, but the weather was too threatening. We rode the final 3-4K to the pass, which was unmarked and headed down. The wind got stronger and we could see the rain coming so we put on all our warm clothes and the rain gear. I didn't put my helmet cover or over mitts on, but should have. The wind and rain were very cold. We rode a kilometer in stinging rain and strong wind and turned into Wilcox CG. We had to climb up to the CG, but at least the wind was now a tailwind. We found a kitchen shelter and spent about 1.5 hours there waiting for the rain to stop. Shirley took a little nap on a table and she was getting cold. I stayed surprisingly warm, but I did get my ear band, helmet cover, and over mitts out. When the rain finally slackened I went to get water and saw fresh snow on the high peaks that came out for a little while. It had taken us from 10:00 to 12:30 to get to the summit and it was at least 2:15 when we left the CG. It was raining again when we got to the Columbia Ice Field, but I did get a couple of pictures. We didn't get out of the parking lot. After we left it quit raining for a while and we saw lots of beautiful glaciers and water falls. Then we had another period of rain to almost the Beauty Creek Hostel. I had to stop to eat before we got there since I was over heating with all my clothes on. Shirley went to check the hostel which was next to the river and down a little path. For $27.40 each we could have a bed in a 14 bed dorm. Since it had cleared somewhat we decided to go another 8K to Jonas Creek CG. As we started to leave Shirley noticed she had a flat. She found a tiny piece of wire, like the kind from a radial tire in her tire. She changed her tube and when we put the wheel back on we couldn't get the back brake to release. We must have worked on it for 1/2 hour before getting it good enough to ride. We got to the CG at 4:55 and found several open sites. There were even some walk in sites up a steep trail. We would have liked them, but were too tired to go there. We got a site pretty close to the highway, but also close to the kitchen. We got all set up and organized, but had another brief shower as we were eating in the kitchen. The ranger said tomorrow is supposed to be 26ºC (mid to upper 70s F). Or was that Saturday? Shirley went to the tent around 8:30 and said she was told too much today. The tent zipper separated a couple times this evening. I feel a new tent coming in Jasper.

Friday, August 13, 2010	Day 24	0 - 969.9

Jasper National Park	Jonas Creek CG	$24.50

It rained a lot last night off and on, mostly on. We finally thought about getting up after 7:30. I volunteered to go heat some water for breakfast. We also decided not to pack up unless it stopped raining. The cars going by were creating quite a mist. It was cold and around 9:30 Shirley decided to build a fire in the kitchen stove which required a fire permit of $8.80. She got it going by using her easy Sodoku pages as starting paper and using some pine needles that were under the stove. I had gone back to the tent and got in the sleeping bag for 1.5-2 hours. When I came back the stove was nice and warm. We had to dig into the woodpile to find dry wood. We spent all day in the kitchen close to the stove. It got lighter at times, but pretty much rained until 2:30-3:00. The sun eventually came out and I went to the stream to bathe. I stood in the culvert to drop my pants and came back out in the sun for the rest of my bath. We heated water on the stove for drinks and finally dinner at 5:00. A couple from Holland came in and we talked to them for a while. We saw a couple of touring cyclists go by and a couple others who had tiny rear panniers who may have been touring. The tent dried off and hopefully will stay that way until morning. Later a couple from Kansas stopped in and chatted. They bought a small pickup camper to go to Alaska and left their 25 foot RV at home. An Asian cyclist arrived fairly late. Shirley told him we had a fire tin the kitchen, but he never came over.

Saturday, August 14, 2010	Day 25	55.5 - 1025.4

Jasper, AB	Whistlers CG	$22.50

It was fairly cold last night (39º according to my thermometer) so we didn't start getting up until after 7:30. Part of the tent bottom was wet where water had seeped between the ground cloth and tent. Surprisingly, the fly was practically dry. We put the tent on its side and spread the ground cloth out while we ate, but without the sun or warmth it didn't do much good. By the time we finished breakfast a patch of sun was near our site. After packing we stood in the sun to put sun screen on. We were off at 9:00 with the usual cold weather gear of 2 long sleeves, tights, double socks, and gloves. In addition I also wore my helmet cover, ear band, and light jacket. My hands got cold on the first little down hill, warmed up a bit on the uphill, were warmer by the second and longer downhill and then were OK. We stopped after 10K to take off a layer. A cyclist going the other way stopped to talk. He had absolutely nothing with him other than what he had on which was a jersey and another light jacket and tights. I asked if he was part of a commercial tour and he said he was touring for 3 weeks with a credit card and staying inside. The Asian cyclist in this morning's camp was Korean. We talked briefly to him before leaving. He had a tent larger than ours and a tarp for his bike. He also had a BOB bag about half the size of ours even though he didn't have a BOB. For a while the scenery wasn't as awe inspiring as the past few days, but then it picked up. We stopped at Sunwapta Falls which were little, but had a nice gorge the river has carved. Later we stopped at the Athabasca Falls just at the Highway 93A turnoff. They weren't very tall, but had a lot more water and again a very nice canyon. There were people everywhere beyond the fences. We saw a ranger getting after a few of them and giving them a lecture. Both stops took quite a bit of time. Highway 93A was a quiet reprieve from the traffic of Highway 93 and even Highway 1A. The first 8K were rough which slowed cars down and the speed limit was 60 KPH instead of 90 KPH and traffic was very light. We had a gentle uphill and then a gentle downhill until we reached Wassaba CG. We then had 3-4K of good uphill. Prior to that we met another couple from Holland at the confluence of the Whirlpool River and the Athabasca River. They had rented an RV in Calgary and decided they would spend more time hiking than in the RV and had so far succeeded. Too bad more people aren't like that. We had a nice downhill back to Highway 93 before the last few K to Jasper. There are two campgrounds just before Jasper. The first one has 300+ sites and was full when we passed it. The second has 600+ sites. Fortunately it wasn't full. Shirley decided she would wait in line to get a site and I would drop BOB at the entrance station and ride the 2K (which turned out to be 4K) into Jasper to get some food. It took me a long time to find my pack. Jasper isn't quite the zoo of Banff, but still has lots of people and cars. A passenger train was at the station and had more cars than any passenger train I've seen. I passed the store twice and had to ask for directions before I found it. Even then I parked my bike and walked to find it and then got my bike and went to the store. I got a pound of blueberries, 4 apricots, 2 plums, 2 nectarines, 2 bananas, plus breakfast and dinner stuff. I also got a muffin for me. I didn't see anything I thought Shirley would like so I stopped at a bakery and bought her a chocolate mint cheesecake for $4.20. By the time I got to camp it was almost 6:00. There was a CG map where I left BOB to show me where our site was and Shirley had taken BOB to our site and set up the tent and washed clothes. She had finally gotten checked in at 4:25 after we arrived at 4:00. Just as we pulled into the CG, the Dutch couple from last night were pulling out. The blueberries and apricots were very good and disappeared very fast. The other fruit will wait until tomorrow. By the time we showered and had dinner and got all packed away it was 9:00. We have a walk in site, but unfortunately it is right next to a main CG road to other loops (there are 67 loops). The food storage is a building with lockers again. They appear to be pay lockers, but most are broken. I found one that could be locked with our lock. Sometime after 7:00 there was loud music on a loudspeaker from across the CG. Then someone started talking like they were giving instructions or something This went on for a long time before ending.

Sunday, August 15, 2010	Day 26	5.1 - 1030.5

Jasper, AB	Whistlers CG	$22.50

It was well after 8:30 before we were ready to get out of the tent this morning. There were a few patches of sun on our tent and in our site, but not much. We went to a different table to eat in order to be in the sun. My thermometer said 50º this morning. I washed my bike clothes and hung them to dry while we went into Jasper. Shirley bought a new shut off valve for close to $11.00 for her bladder since she says the current one is leaking. She then wanted to find an internet place to send an email and to check on the forest fires in BC. The going rate was $1 for ten minutes. Shirley had trouble with the email since for a while there was no scroll bar. She had to insert lines to be able to see what she was doing. Eventually, she got a scroll bar somehow. As usual she took forever composing the message. She then researched the fires although I think by the time we get to them any info she got today will be obsolete. I'm pretty sure Shirley will decide to head South at some point and not go to Bella Coola as planned in order to avoid the smoke from the fires. We got a discounted rate after we told the guy about our problems. I then had to walk around alone for a while since I have trouble doing so with Shirley. I bought a chocolate muffin and some corn chips from the store. Shirley had pastries. When we rejoined we went to the store and bought $78 worth of food which we managed to fit in our 2 little packs. Any time we buy meat, cheese, and trail mix it is expensive. Shirley also bought 25 oz of dried mangos for $8. We also bought another pound of blueberries and more apricots which quickly disappeared back in camp. Shirley cleaned the zipper of the fly this afternoon. I finished Shirley's book this afternoon so now Shirley gets to carry it again. The very loud music started again tonight around 7:00 or 7:30. At 8:00 it ended and the talking started again. I wandered over to where it was coming from. It's the program at the amphitheater.

Monday, August 16, 2010	Day 27	60.8 - 1091.3

Mt. Robson Provincial Park, BC	Lake Kinney Hikers CG	$20.00

We got up shortly after 6:30 today since we both had to pee. It was 55º in the tent and 45º outside. We were up before the sun crested the hill and were off at 8:05. We saw the Dutch couple heading out at the same time. I think they went into Jasper. Later they passed us on the road, or at least we think the camper that honked at us was them. On the way out to the junction of Highway 16 we passed or saw 3 or 4 caribou (we think they were caribou and not elk). Shortly after we turned on Highway 16 there was another one standing on the side of the road and walked across in front of me when I stopped. Traffic then started picking up and became heavy. We had a good wide shoulder and we had a series of rolling hills to Yellowhead Pass. We didn't even know we had done the pass until we saw the Welcome to BC sign. The scenery wasn't as impressive as the Banff to Jasper route, but it was still lovely. We started following the Fraser River down river which was nice. There were lots of peaks that looked like I could climb. We re-entered the Pacific Time Zone, but I will continue using Mountain Time today. Sometime around 10:00 traffic slacked off quite a bit and riding was much more pleasant. We stopped at the Overlanders Falls which was small, but impressive. We finally got to the Mt. Robson Visitor Center with a fantastic view of Mt. Robson around 3:00. Shirley checked on the fires and found out a new one has started. It sounds like we could probably get through, but it would probably be very smoky at times so we decided to forget going to Bella Coola. Shirley had looked at the map yesterday and found a route to get us to Nanaimo. Since the new route is shorter overall we decided to see if there was any hiking. The guy in the information center suggested we ride the trail to Kinney Lake (7K) and then hike to Berg Lake tomorrow (23K RT). We decided we would do that and ride back out tomorrow as well. We had to get a permit to camp at Kinney Lake for $10 each. We also had to watch a short video on preserving the area. The guy said the trail gained 150 meters and there might be one spot we might have to push. We did a quick store stop for a few expensive items. It was 4:00 when we left the information center and 4:15 when we got to the TH. It took until 5:30 to do the 7K. It started out gentle, but then quickly steepened. By the 1K mark we were wondering about our decision. Fortunately, it eased off again. We had a few steep, rocky sections but they were short and doable. We finally reached the lake around 4K and thought we had it made. Then suddenly the trail switchbacked up and we had to double push our bikes up a couple hundred meters. It was then a more gentle downhill back to the lake. There were 3 or 4 stream crossings with boards laid across and we were at the CG. We found a site and then took a bath prior to setting up the tent and eating. The lake is gorgeous. Unfortunately, there is a group of 4 women who laugh and talk rather loudly. Earlier we stopped at Moose Lake today which is also a lovely glacial lake.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010	Day 28	6.8 - 1098.1

Mt. Robson Provincial Park, AB	Robson Meadows CG	$21.00

We got up not long after 5:30 and started hiking at 6:20. There was only one other couple up by then. It wasn't too cold, but I still started in two long sleeves, hat, and gloves. Before too long the hat and one shirt came off. There was a layer of smoke from the forest fires and the mountains were hard to see. We hiked the 12-14K to Berg Lake and saw many waterfalls, mountains, and glaciers. There were also lots of little bridges and one suspension bridge. The trail varied from very smooth to rocky and from flat to steep. It took 3.5 hours to get to Berg Lake and another 20-25 minutes to get to our turn around point which ended up being a bench which looked across the lake to the glacier that ends in the lake. After a snack on the bench we headed back. It took about the same amount of time to get back and it was 3:30 when we got back to an empty camp. Due to the smoke the sun this morning was just a red disk in the sky and we could easily look at it. About the time we left Berg Lake it was getting brighter and was fairly sunny by the time we got to camp although there was still a haze. Riding back out was much easier than riding in. We stopped at the information center to get brochures on camping since we are changing our route due to the forest fires. We are in the CG across the highway from the information center. The food lockers are by the showers some distance from our site and have no locks. I, of course, don't like that. When we got to the CG the flies were pesky and now that they have gone away the mosquitos are coming out. Shirley's brakes have been sticking and when we got to camp she took the wheel off and found a ridge on the pad. After she filed it off with the scratcher from the patch kit they work fine. My front shifter, however, still wants to go to first gear.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010	Day 29	39.0 - 1137.1

Albreda, BC (23K South of Valemont, BC)	Summit Creek Lodge and CG	$20.00

We got up a little before 6:30 to another smoky sky day. The sun was just a red ball again, although a little brighter than yesterday. By the time we retrieved our food, ate, and packed it was 7:40 by the time we left. I felt good in two shirts, tights, and gloves until the first uphill. Shirley stopped to take off some clothes, but the bugs were so bad she took off again while I was changing the batteries in the camera. I was able to take one picture this morning and then it wouldn't turn on any more. I continued up the hill another 1-1.5K to a rest area and then got down to one long sleeve since we were going downhill again. I kept the long sleeve on until after we turned onto Highway 5, crossed the Fraser River and started uphill. Fortunately, Highway 5 has a shoulder since traffic is fairly heavy at times with lots of trucks. We stopped at a provincial park/rest area for a snack. I think it may be the one Ed and I stayed at overnight in 1978, although it didn't look quite right. That one may still be down the road. We stopped at Rearguard Falls on the Fraser River while still on Highway 16. There was a very elaborate set of viewing platforms. A lady told us she saw a couple salmon jumping. Right after we got there Shirley saw one jump up the falls. Later we both saw a very pink and big one fly through the air. In Valemont we stopped at the Swift Creek salmon viewing park and saw several salmon spawning in the creek. It wasn't near as interesting as the flying salmon. Shirley then stopped at the visitor center to check on camping. She wanted to verify the existence of one 23K South of Valemont and to see if there were any she didn't know about between Blue River and Clearwater. I decided to go to the bike shop and see about replacing my shifter. Shirley had put a rubber band on it which added enough friction that it was staying in gear, but that was just a temporary fix. The store was deserted except for the owner. He had another grip shifter for $7.00 or a thumb shifter for $43.00. I decided to go with the thumb shifter. He came outside to install it for me and I even had him put new housing on. After quite a bit of tweaking he got it shifting to all 3 chain rings. He only charged $10.00 for the housing and labor. It was then off to the store. Among other things we bought 4 peaches which we ate at the store, I had a long john and cheese roll, and Shirley had a pizza pretzel and a chocolate croissant. Shirley shared her two things with me. Everything was delicious. It was after 1:30 by the time we left again and we had a choice of going 25K or 90K to a CG. We decided it would be the 25K. It was all uphill to the Summit Creek Lodge and CG, but a gentle uphill. We picked up a headwind for the last 10K, but it hasn't blown the smoke away. We have the CG to ourselves and it is very informal. Shirley asked if there was a laundry and the guy said they could probably do it since it was only one load. We tried to register and he said don't worry about it until later. We took some time deciding where to camp due to traffic noise. We ended up fairly close to the creek. Personally, I would prefer farther away for warmth and less dew. Shirley took our laundry over and got it started. We then set the tent up under a tree so Shirley could hide from the bugs and feeble sun. I had to move my brake lever and new shifter over as where the guy put them didn't leave any room for my hands. I was afraid that would mess up the adjustment, but everything still works fine. I then looked at my brake pads and ended up filing them down like Shirley did last night. I tried to adjust the cones on the front wheel to get rid of a wobble, but I don't have the correct tools. When Shirley went back for the laundry she managed to pay $20 which isn't bad for camping, shower, and laundry. We had a late snack at 4:00 so we weren't very hungry and by the time Shirley got done looking at maps and camping guides and finally got out of the tent to go shower it was going on 7:00. After her shower we cooked and ate. The mosquitos are getting to Shirley. I feel a motel coming if they continue. It was almost 8:00 by the time I took my shower. Just as I was finishing an RV arrived so we no longer have the CG to ourselves. We left all our food and toiletries in the wash room. Shirley found a couple holes in the floor of the tent and patched them.

Thursday, August 19, 2010	Day 30	73.2 - 1210.3

5K South of Avola, BC	Roadside Stealth Camp	Free

We got up before 6:30. We had retrieved our bags from the washroom and were getting ready for breakfast when Chris, the owner, came out and offered us coffee. We declined, but Shirley asked for tea. We got spiced chai and milk. The tea came in a pottery pot and we had china cups. After breakfast when we went to brush our teeth we talked a long time to Chris. He is an ex drunk who went through rehab (recycling as he called it). He said at one point his brain was 60% alcohol. Anyway we didn't get out until 7:50. After 5K or so we got to the top of the hill. When we got up there, there was blue sky so we hoped the wind had shifted and blew out the smoke. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before it was hazy again. All day it would lighten up and then get thick again. Even though we roughly followed the North Thompson River we didn't follow it very closely and kept going up and down, though not steeply. Not far from camp we passed a sign that said "Ban Nunn Pop 675, Elev 5282" We, and Shirley especially, don't think we were that high. We had a tailwind and mostly downhill for the first 35K and it was quite easy. Then the wind shifted and we mostly had a headwind the rest of the day. At around 53K we stopped at a rest area and met a cyclist from Colorado. He drove to Trail, BC. He was disappointed to hear it was smoky by Mt. Robson. He also told us that I-25 in Denver was widened to about 7 lanes in each direction. He said he had camped 1K South of Avola last night and the town was another 58K. Shirley ahd already decided we should go farther than Blue River and free camp. We stopped in Blue River and asked at a hotel where the best chance for groceries was. He sent us to Janies General Store. He said the smoke reaches to the coast and that over the weekend in Prince George it was good one day and smoky the next. It sounds like we may be in smoke for a long time. We went to Janies and it was definitely a locals store, but we could have gotten yogurt ($5.00) and bagels. We got 2 very good oranges, 2 pizza breads (one of which he clerk heated for us), a package of Oreos, and a chocolate nut snack. Shirley also got water in her bladder and my bottles. She said the lady washed all of them. It was then 39K to Avola with a 2.5K uphill not far from Avola. I really bonked about 2K up and fortunately Shirley had stopped to pee. After eating a few Oreos and half the pizza bread the world came back into focus. We decided to eat hamburgers in Avola rather than cook with the mosquitos and went to the Log Inn Pub which had been advertising the World's Greatest Burgers. They were $10 each and were fat, but not overly big. I could easily have eaten 2 of them. We asked for water and got bottled water. I went back and asked if the tap water was good and traded the bottled water for tap water. When we left Avola we forgot to get milk for breakfast. Shirley thought of it 3-4K down the road. Too late. We found a road that led to power lines and decided it was home. We can still hear the highway and there are lots of mosquitos. We got the tent up and hung the food. The first limb broke so we ended up using a limb closer to the tent. When we got in the tent there were 10- 15 bugs that had to die.

Friday, August 20, 2010	Day 31	44.6 - 1254.9

Clearwater, BC	North Thompson Provincial Park	$21.00

We got up, packed, and were out at 7:20 this morning. We decided to ride to the rest area down the road for breakfast which turned out to be about 8.5K away. If Shirley had known it was that close and that the rest room had flush toilets and hot water we would have been there last night. It would have been a bit close to the highway, though. It was quite smoky again today with a few clouds this morning, we think. We never had to put sun screen on. The road continued to undulate up and down with longer ups and downs today, but again most of them could be done in the middle chain ring. It felt warmer in camp this morning, perhaps because we were covered for the mosquitos and constantly moving. Once we started riding it felt colder. After 20K or so I took my tights and second long sleeve off. Shirley wanted a few more hills to get her tights off. I finally got down to short sleeves about 20K from Clearwater. Shirley never did. We stopped at a rest area which was sort of peaceful as the table was down a little hill. In Clearwater we had to stop at the information center for Shirley so she could get more camping information. She had thrown away most of what we got at Mt. Robson. It was then off to the store. We bought lots of stuff and even though it was cheaper than most stores we have seen we still spent $80. A lot of it was the Kg of mixed nuts ($12) that Shirley bought. Since she needed that I ended up buying a Kg of trail mix for $5. I didn't want that much but Shirley didn't want the cheaper and wanted all of the expensive. We also bought 2 lbs of blueberries reduced to $2.98. One package was moldy, but the other one we got didn't look bad. For the most part they were good, and we certainly got our money's worth. We also bought 4 small pastries which we devoured in camp. Other than that it was the normal lunch and dinner stuff. Hopefully we have enough for 3 days except perhaps milk or yogurt for breakfast. The provincial park was less than 5K from the store. It is mostly mosquito free, but not quite entirely. It is far enough from the highway that we can barely hear it. It is $21 with pit toilets and no showers which is expensive. There are no bear lockers, but we found a good hanging limb nearby. The attendant said they haven't had any bear sightings for a while. Shirley's trying to decide whether we should cut our trip even shorter to get out of the smoke or continue to Whistler and Vancouver island as our abbreviated plan does. Our food bags were so heavy tonight we almost couldn't pull them up when we hung them. It took both of us pulling really hard to barely get them high enough.

Saturday, August 21, 2010	Day 32	46.2 - 1301.1

Barriere, BC	Dee Jay RV and CG	$24.40

It rained a bit last night. Not much, but enough to get everything wet. We got up around 6:40 and ate and packed. Everything takes longer when it's wet. When I started to leave at 8:00 I discovered my rear tire was very flat. It turned out to be another piece of wire, probably from the piece of tire I ran over yesterday between the store and the CG. By the time I fixed it and we were off it was 8:30. The smoke wasn't near as thick today and the sky even looked blue at times. We could see more hills and the river today. About 10K from Little Fort we stopped at a small pullout on the river. When we started to leave Shirley's front tire was flat. Again, it was a piece of wire. I noticed my rear tire was getting low again so I pumped it up figuring I would fix it later. After a break in Little Fort we took the free ferry across the river to do a dirt road to Barriere. It started heading North instead of South. There was a smaller road leading South which we came back to. It started climbing and I jokingly told Shirley we were probably going to the radio tower we could see way up on the hill. Fortunately, a truck came down just after we started up and told us the road was going to the tower. The road going North went to Dunn Lake and then to Barriere. After 1-2K I decided to fix my tire. There was a second hole close to the first one. Just as I was finishing it started raining lightly. We covered our packs and stood under a tree for a few minutes before it stopped. We rode a little farther when we came to a sign that said "Dunn Lake Lodge 10K". We decided to turn around since Dunn Lake wasn't on our maps and the road was going North. When we got back to the ferry it was closed for lunch until 1:00 and it was 12:40, so we st on the dock and ate. When the ferryman came back he said he was wondering about us going on the road with our bikes. He said it was very hilly with steep grades. So, it was another 30K on Highway 5. Nothing had indicated camping in Barriere, but we found an RV park and CG. For $20 plus $2.40 tax we got a nice site sort of away from traffic noise. We could have had one even further away and on a small river, but it was not grassy and was very sunny, at least through the smoke. I rode 4K into town to get yogurt and vegetables. I also got a couple plums and 2 nectarines. The store was quite big and good. I was able to come back without getting on the highway. The showers are $1 for 8 minutes. The dressing area is very small and there are no shelves in the shower, but everything was clean. We've decided to pretty much head South until we pick up the TCT in a couple days. Hopefully by then we will be out of the smoke. Around 7:40, just as we were eating dinner a few drops of rain fell. We quickly got everything in the tent and continued rapidly eating. The wind came up and blew very strongly. Certainly not what the fires need. Some RVers who arrived at the same time we did said it was clear 20K South of Kamloops when they came through. The grass here is very dry and parched. Surprisingly Shirley's laundry didn't dry in the 2-3 hours she had it out so she took it to the dryer for $1.50. We put our food in the laundry room although there mustn't be a bear problem here since the garbage is in regular trash cans.

Sunday, August 22, 2010	Day 33	0 - 1301.1

Barriere, BC	Dee Jay RV and CG	$22.40

It seemed like it rained for quite a while last night, but had quit early enough to dry a little. Then just after daylight it started raining again lightly. We didn't get up until after 7:30. We had breakfast in the laundry room and stayed in there until 10:00 or later. We decided we would take a rest day since it was cloudy and dripping a little. When the rain quit completely Shirley took the second zipper pull off the fly and put it on the tent door since the bottom zipper has been separating more and more. We borrowed a couple pairs of scissors from out host, but ended up using Shirley's tiny knife and scissors. Hopefully the zipper pull switch will last the two weeks (more or less) to get us home. I walked into town to the store this afternoon and bought 750g of vegetables (instead of 1Kg like last night), yogurt, 2 plums, and 2 pastries. It sprinkled a couple times on me, but not too bad. It's pretty much smoke free today with periods of clear blue sky, at least in patches. Shirley's second goal of today is to read the book she's been carrying from home so she can leave it. We had a late dinner because of the off and on rain was on when it was time to eat. Every time the tent dries it rains again. Now, even if it doesn't rain any more we will have a wet tent in the morning. The last rain shower cooled things off considerably. I was feeling cold with my two long sleeve shirts and hat on. I warmed up a bit after eating.

Monday, August 23, 2010	Day 34	64.7 - 1365.8

37K South of Kamloops, BC	Lac Le Jeune Provincial Park	$21.00

We got up to a very foggy and dewy morning today. We ate in the laundry room again. We got packed in spite of my hands freezing from the water on the poles and were off at 7:55. The ride to McClure wasn't too bad as we got out of the fog pretty fast and there were enough hills to keep us warm. After about an hour we got down to just a single long sleeve shirt. In McClure Shirley had to stop to ask where the ferry was and was told about 3 minutes down the road. There was a big sign for the turn when we got there. We stopped at a fruit stand at the turnoff and bought six plums which we devoured there and a tomato for lunch. The ferry was a couple K from the highway and back North and we were beginning to wonder where it was, but it finally showed up. The crossing was very short and the road on the other side was wondrously quiet. There were farms there, though, so it wasn't totally car free. The tomato was very good when we ate lunch. At first the road was narrow and the yellow line created two very unequal lanes. Gradually we picked up a bit more traffic and the road got wider. After about 30K it became a good paved road with shoulders and we were in the outskirts of Kamloops. It then became a 4 lane with no shoulder, but not too much traffic. We found a store which was expensive, but we didn't need to buy too much. Eventually the road got busy and we got on the sidewalk. We stopped at a DQ to pee and then went a block off the busy road and paralleled our route. I winged various turns and eventually got to where we needed to cross the river. A bike path appeared and it took us across the river. The bike lane was very wavy and on the other side when we stopped to decide where to go the bridge really jumped up and down every time a vehicle went by. Originally we had thought we wanted to avoid Summit Drive, but when we got there we decided we wanted it since the other way said city center. Summit Drive lived up to its name as we climbed and climbed and climbed. We stopped at Thompson River University so Shirley could eat her tub of pudding she had bought at the store. A few blocks further we got to Highway 5 where a sign said no bicycles. We got on a busy road with no shoulder and finally got on the sidewalk. Shirley had me stop at a sporting goods store to ask for directions. The guy gave me directions to Lac Le Jeune without getting on the highway. He did say it was all uphill. We stayed on the sidewalk until the next turn and then for about 1K there was no sidewalk. When it appeared again on the other side of the road we got on it and continued up. Finally we got to the top of the hill and found Lac Le Jeune Road. We knew it was another 25-35K so se stopped at a Volvo parts store and got water. There was a sign that said it was 23K. The first couple K were easy and then it was a steep uphill for a couple K. After that it was mostly uphill with a few level spots and slight dips. The last 3K were finally downhill and we got to the park at 7:00, our longest day time wise. After getting the tent out to dry and putting on clothes it was a quick bath in the bucket. We are at 1330m and it felt cold. Shirley set up the tent while I cooked. The full moon came up while we were doing that. By the time we ate and got our food hung it was 9:00 and dark. Good thing we have the moon.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010	Day 35	49.0 - 1414.8

Merritt, BC	Clay Banks RV	$19.00

There were some clouds when we went to bed last night, but it became perfectly clear over night. We got early sun since there were no high hills around us. It was chilly, especially out of the sun and doing the tent. We were off at 8:05 in double shirts and tights, but by 8:30 we were down to a light long sleeve. The 25K to Logan Lake were fairly easy with probably more down than up and the road was fairly quiet. We had a break on a bench by the lake before going to the visitors center which was in a giant crane. We continued South on Highway 97C toward Merritt on a still quiet road. We stopped at Mamette Lake and talked to a guy who was part of a creek survey for the power company who is upgrading a line. They were to check every gully for a stream and see if had fish. None of the crew seemed very enthusiastic. There were a few hills with one fairly long and steep and then some good downhill to Highway 8. It took us about 2:45 to do 40K. Once we got to Merritt we had to stop at the information center. Shirley did get a map of Merritt which helps and found out where the store and the road we want tomorrow are. We chose the RV park closest to town so we could go set up camp and walk to the store. The sites are very tiny and right next to each other. We set the tent parts out to dry and Shirley went to wash her clothes. I went to an RV site for water and the pressure is so high (later we read 100 lbs) that I had trouble filling the bottles because I had to either turn it on extremely slow or it blasted the water out of the bottle. I did finally get the bottles filled. When Shirley came back I washed my cycling clothes. We also sent 3 more post cards to use up the stamps Shirley bought at Mt. Robson. It is quite warm today and actually feels like summer. Fortunately, the tent sites are well shaded. I went for a walk while Shirley was looking once again at the route descriptions. At first I was only going for a few minutes, but decided it was too hot for her so I told her I'd be back in an hour. I scoped out the store and post office. When we went to the store Shirley had to walk in all the shade. Unfortunately, the store is just like the one we stopped at yesterday, expensive and needing a card. Once again we used the card of the person behind us. Shirley didn't want to cook so we had sandwiches tonight. It's nice enough that even at 8:00 I'm still in shorts and short sleeves. The only bad thing about the CG is it's proximity to a mill where we can hear the beeping of the equipment as it backs up and the equipment running. We couldn't hear it when we arrived, but later when the wind shifted.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010	Day 36	47.9 - 1462.9

Tualameen, BC	Otter Lake Provincial Park	$21.00

It was so nice to get up to a warm morning today. I put on both long sleeve shirts and tights, but probably only needed one shirt. By the time we left at 7:50 I was in shorts and short sleeves. It was just a little cool at first, but after the first little hill it was fine. The mills operated all night and were quite noisy. We went the back way out of town to Coldwater Road and then had 40K of up and down, some steep, to where we went under Highway 5. The road was mostly quiet and hay fields, but we did have a lot of yellow dump trucks going in both directions. A sign at Highway 5 said 10K to Brookmere. After 1-2K we came to the rail trail that split off the TCT at Brodie Station to go to Merritt. Apparently we could have ridden it from Merritt. Shirley decided we should continue on the hilly road to Brookmere rather than take the rail trail to Brodie Station and then another 5K to Brookmere. We had a few log trucks on the road. At Brookmere we needed water, but there was a sign saying the water needed to be boiled. We went in search of water and Shirley found a house where someone was home. He said they had a fire last year and so much retardant was dropped the water was contaminated. It was brownish in color. We were getting ready to treat it when a woman on an ORV came by and said we could get water from her house which had a well and didn't need treating. I had only put one half of the drops in the caps, so while Shirley got water I put the drops back. The water was clear and cold. We got on the rail trail which was slightly downhill and pretty easy. The surface was not too rough and not near as sandy as the other rail trails we've been on. There were several gates, a few with latches, but mostly with hooped wires which are more difficult. We rode by a lot of hay today, both before and on the rail trail. We debated whether to try to free camp along the trail at a spot along Otter Lake or go to the Provincial Park on the other side. We decided to get off the trail at the North end of the lake and ride the 4K to the park. There's a few more people than I hoped, but I think it will be quiet in spite of a generator at a nearby site. At least it is a very quiet generator. We went down to the lake for a swim and then came back to camp to take it easy. When we arrived the generator was running, but Shirley chose the site near it anyway because it was near the ramp to the lake. Both were reasons to not take the site to me. There was a quieter site a few sites along, but Shirley didn't want it. After dinner the generator bothered Shirley so she asked the folks how long they were going to run it. They said their battery wasn't charging and they had a refrigerator. They hoped in an hour they could turn it off. Shirley decided we should move and guess what, we moved to the site I wanted in the first place. I packed all my stuff in my BOB, but we carried the tent with Shirley's pad and sleeping bag in it. It's fairly warm again tonight since as of 8:00 I'm still in my short sleeves. At 3:00 today my thermometer said 85º when we had a break in the shade.

Thursday, August 26, 2010	Day 37	46.7 - 1509.4

5K West of Bankier, BC	Chain Lake BCFS CG	$12.00

Our camping neighbors across the road had a fire last night. That's a real no no as there has been a complete BC fire ban since we've been here. It was a bit cold this morning as we got up and packed. We headed to Tulameen without eating in hopes of a store being open. It was cold until we got into the sun in a couple K. We left at 7:30 and were at the store by 8:00. It didn't open until 9:00. We sat at some tables outside and ate dry cereal. We got back on the trail but it was pretty sandy and Shirley wanted to do the road. I wasn't very energetic today and my brain was not producing the good chemicals so I agreed. I would have gotten back on a little later when the road seemed to go away from the trail, but Shirley was ahead of me and passed on by. There was one more access which Shirley also bypassed. I was really lagging and was behind. Shirley stopped at the start of a hill to take clothes off. We did an up and over to Coalmont where we could have gotten on the trail again, but after a short stretch we got off again because of the soft surface. Instead, we headed up the road with up being the key word. We climbed way above the trail which followed the Tulameen River through farm land and then a canyon. It looked interesting. We continued up for a long time, had a steep down and then more up. I was still feeling out of it and was really slow. We had a break before the final up and I ate 1 and a half bagels. I started feeling better a little later. We had a nice downhill into Princeton, crossed a one lane bridge and found a store. It had been getting a little cloudy and when we came out of the store it was dark and windy. We were already cold from the store and had to put our long sleeves on. We had a little trouble getting back on the trail since we had come in on the road and we crossed the bridge 2 more times before we got to where we were supposed to be. The first 20K were uphill on a surface that was OK, but not great. Then the next 20K pretty much contoured, but had a lot of sandy stretches. It was very slow going. We were going to get water from a creek, but it was way below the trestle. We were aiming for Chain Lake BCFS CG and headed off the trail where we thought we had to. It was then another 4K. We were wondering if we had missed it when we saw the lake. Shirley, of course, had to ask someone where the CG was when we were about 200m from it. The attendant filled our water bottles from his RV since there is not water in the CG. It had gotten cold with the clouds and even after it cleared it was still cold and windy. We put lots of clothes on when we got to camp. It was clouding up again as we were eating and sprinkled a little afterwards. We asked the attendant if we could put our food in his truck. He had to unlock it and get the book and money out of it. I had a bloody nose while sleeping last night. I noticed once when I got up to pee my nose was crusty. After we got up this morning Shirley noticed blood on my nose and up into my eyebrow. This evening I noticed blood on my shirt and found blood on the outside of my sleeping bag.

Friday, August 27, 2010	Day 38	40.0 - 1549.4

Summerland, BC	Rodeo Grounds	Free

It never rained last night after the little sprinkle when we went to bed. We were cold last night and immediately after getting every thing organized it was into the tent. Since it was 9:00 already I went to bed. It was about 48º this morning, but fortunately the tent was dry so my hands didn't get super cold. When I got the food out of the truck Shirley had me leave a bungee she found yesterday. We were off at 8:00. We rode the road for 2-3K until it crossed the rail trail just before Bankier. It was a little sandy, but not too bad. About 6K from Faulder we hit improved trail with hard packed gravel and then a good trail paralleling railroad tracks to Summerland. About 10K from Faulder we met 3 guys going the other way. They told us the stretch where we met them was much worse than previous stretches. We thought it was pretty good. Of course, then we got to the really improved trail. They had started in Castlegar and are going to Brookmere. When we got to the outskirts of Summerland we met a couple guys standing in the road and Shirley asked where the TCT was since we had just come to an end of the trail and onto pavement. We were about 100 feet from it. She asked them where the campground was and one guy said we could camp at the rodeo grounds which is where we were. He was the caretaker and said he allows some people to camp. There are showers with soap and shampoo and plenty of good water. Best of all it's free. We asked where a store was and the guy said 4K away and he would drive us there. We said we could ride. After setting up the tent, eating, and Shirley's daily perusal of the guide book we rode into town. We had planned to get up to 3 days worth of food since Pentiction, only 15-20K away is the last town before Midway. However, the store was 6K, mostly down a steep hill and Shirley didn't want to carry that much back up the hill, so we didn't buy much and will now have to stop in Pentiction tomorrow. Shirley did buy a package of 6 nanaimo bars (rich chocolate, cream and coconut). We sat at the store and I ate 1 and Shirley ate 3. The ride back wasn't too bad without BOB. Shirley's front gear cable frayed on the way back so we had to replace it. Surprisingly, her gears shifted perfectly when we were done. We also oiled the pivot on Shirley's BOB since there has been a squeak and she thinks that's where it has been coming from. We had sandwiches for dinner again since Shirley is getting tired of vegetables and Ramen. It started out fairly cloudy today, but gradually became mostly sunny. However, it did remain cool. We got down to shorts and short sleeves, but pretty much put our long sleeves on whenever we stopped. Once the sun went behind the hills we put a lot more clothes on.

Saturday, August 28, 2010	Day 39	43.5 - 1592.9

45K North of Pentiction, BC	Chute Lake Resort	$22.40

The sun was shining on our tent by the time we got up. It was still cool and I put on tights, 2 shirts, jacket, hat, and gloves. By the time we left at 8:15 I took my jacket off and thought about taking my tights off, but I didn't. It wasn't long before I wished I had. The trail started out up and down for 4-5K before ending on a road. A dog with a lot of fur came out to play with us and the owner kept calling him to no avail. The dog looked like a car wash chamois and was just a puppy. We finally stopped so the owner could catch him. We heard a few yelps as we were riding away. After the next little hill Shirley took her tights off and I got down to shorts and jersey just in time for the downhill to Okanagan Lake. It was a little cool, but not too bad. The 10K on Highway 97 were easy as they were flat and with a tailwind. We saw lots of racing types out for a ride. In Penticton we spent a lot of time and frustration of traffic looking for a store. We finally found a Safeway after asking 3 times. It whould have been much easier to have bought the food yesterday when we were at the store. We hopefully bought enough food to last 3 days and spent $71.67. When we left the store we went up one block from the busy road and found a bike route. We followed it and came to the TCT after a few blocks and were quite a ways above the lake. The trail started out as a very good surface for the first few K. Then we crossed a road and it turned to the normal sandy, rocky trail. There were lots of people on the good part and fewer on the poor part. After a parking lot at Naramata we saw a few more people until we got to a tunnel. We also saw 3 cars, 4-5 motorcycles, and a couple ORVs. One little ORV coming toward us was mostly on our side and going way too fast. The driver had to go into a skid and struggle to get over. Shirley in the meantime was heading off the trail. We left Safeway at 11:30 and got to Chute Lake Resort at 6:00. Several times it clouded up this afternoon, but it never rained. It had cooled off quite a bit by the time we got here and we immediately put more clothes on over our cycling clothes. The lady in the office was afraid we would get cold so gave us a full service site which is up away from the lake. Unfortunately, the water has to be boiled or treated and has a brownish color to it. As we were setting up the tent two women cyclists stopped by to talk. They just came from Myra Canyon today and will be heading back tomorrow. After eating dinner it felt a lot warmer. By the time we ate it was getting dark and I barely had enough light to get all my food and toiletries organized. We showered and Shirley at first thought we should put our food in the laundry, but then said she would put it in the tent. We finally hung it on the crossbar of a swing set. It's fairly high, but it would be better if it was higher. Sitting in the tent at 9:30 it feels a lot warmer than some other nights.

Sunday, August 29, 2010	Day 40	31.7 - 1624.6

15K East of Myra Canyon	McCullogh Lake CG	$12.00

It didn't feel all that cold last night although I did sleep with my tights on and eventually put my stocking cap on. This morning wasn't too bad. Unfortunately, there was a thin layer of clouds preventing what would have been good morning sun from hitting us. My hands got a little cold taking the tent down, but since the poles were dry it wasn't painful like when they are wet. The outside of the fly was pretty dry, but the inside was quite wet as was the bottom of the ground cloth. We didn't get up until about 7:45 and were off at 9:30. There was a lot of sand for about 11K which was when we crossed a road heading to Kelowna and entered a provincial park. In those 11K we met over 10 cars. The next few K to the start of Myra Canyon were nice and actually felt like a rail trail rather than a road. Myra Canyon itself was very interesting and the trail was in excellent condition. We could see many of the 18 trestles across the canyon. Being Sunday there were lots of people, both walking and riding. The good trail lasted for 12K. I picked up two bottles along the way before someone broke them and left them in a trash bag at a bike rental van in the ending parking lot. We were afraid the last 12K to McCullough Lake would be really bad, but it was in good shape except for a few big pot holes, a couple being wet. Our CG is popular with the ORV crowd although it is mostly empty now. Once again the lake water is a brownish color. The host asked if we were going to drink it when he collected the money. We told him we treated it. He just sort of shrugged. It was windy and cold when we arrived, but felt a lot better later when the wind died down. One couple said it's been getting to 0ºC at night. We shall see. Again today it would cloud up with ominous looking clouds and then clear again. We had a few sprinkles early on, but it didn't last long and didn't get anything wet.

Monday, August 30, 2010	Day 41	47.8 - 1672.4

20K South of Beaverdell, BC	Trail side camp on Little Kettle River	Free

This was by far the easiest day of trail riding we've had this trip. It was cold last night and I slept in 2 pairs of socks, a long sleeve shirt, tights, and hat. I did manage to stay warm, though, even with getting up 4 times to pee. My thermometer said 40º when we got up around 7:00. The poles were a little wet and I wore my gloves taking the tent down so they got a little wet. Naturally, there were some clouds blocking the sun for a while. The sun finally managed to shine on the table next to us so we ate breakfast there. My breakfast was a not quite ripe banana, my last Clif Bar, and some gorp. We moved all our stuff to the sunny table to pack and were finally off at 8:20. Shirley said her water tasted really bad and put some Gatorade powder in it. Mine tasted fine. The trail was in good shape all the way to Beaverdell, about 55K. It looked like a rail trail and was fun to ride. It started out cold and it took 20 minutes before my left hand started warming up and about 35minutes for my right hand. It was close to an hour before I felt warm. We stopped at Arlington Lakes so Shirley could get different water. There was an ORV trail leading down to the CG from the KVR. Shirley lost control of her bike as she walked down and it fell over. Apparently she broke her BOB flag as we later found it bent over. We had trouble finding access to the lake, but found the host. When Shirley asked if the lake water tasted good and how to get to it, he said he had well water and gave her some. Since mine tasted OK I kept it. I tasted Shirley's doctored water and even with the Gatorade it did taste bad. She had gotten some water in a different spot than I did last night. It finally warmed up enough to get to shorts and a single long sleeve at Arlington Lakes. About 12:20 we finally got to our jerseys and the sun felt hot. About 2 minutes later we made a jog in the trail and it was cold and we could see rain. As I was putting my long sleeves back on a few minutes later two motorcycles passed with obvious camping gear. It rained on us off and on for the final 15K into Beaverdell, although it cleared a bit just as we got there. It was cold again and Shirley wanted indoor food. The only food available was at a pub or the store. We sat at a closed café under a roof in case it rained and ate our food. We then went to the store. W bought milk for tomorrow, some cookies, a muffin for me, and some hot chocolate for Shirley for $12.04 total. We decided to go on another 26K to the next camp site at Little Dipper Hideaway CG. It was 1:30 when we got into Beaverdell and 2:45 by the time we left. Not far out of Beaverdell we passed several cyclists going the other way including 2 who were camping. One had a BOB and the other almost nothing. There were 4 or 5 gates which slowed us down and some rail barriers to motorized vehicles which was nice. There was a 12K section of shared access which had some washboard but wasn't too bad. At 4:30 we came upon an outhouse on the trail and a picnic table up a little hill. We checked it out and there was a nice tent site and water access so we decided to camp. It was looking like rain, but then cleared again so we got the tent dried and set up and managed to get a bath in the river. I was just treating some water and starting to get dinner started when it started raining again. It showered for about 1/2 hour. We crawled out for dinner at 6:30 and the table was quite wet. Fortunately, all of the rocks were dry. It takes longer to do anything when the table is wet. By the time we cooked, ate, prepared tomorrow's lunch, and hung the food it was 7:50. Tonight's food hanging isn't very good. If there is a bear around he can get it easy. Last night's was one of the best.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010	Day 42	54.0 - 1726.4

15 Miles SW of Chesaw, WA	Beth Lake CG	Free

We can't seem to get a good day of riding and good weather. Today's ride was interesting, but the weather was not very good. We got up to a completely cloudy sky and 45º. The tent and table were very wet. We ate on the rocks again and finally got packed and were off at 8:30. It was still 45º and I started with my normal 2 long sleeve shirts, tights, 2 pairs of socks, and added double mittens and my jacket. My toes got a little cold. The riding was mostly easy with stretches through wheat fields, hay fields, and gates. We stopped at the Kettle River Provincial Park for a snack. As we were getting ready to leave at 11:15 it started raining lightly. Hoping it would quit we didn't put any rain gear on. We had some single track, more fields, and a cow pasture to go through. Leaving the cow pasture we met several horses and a mule which wanted through the gate. It would have been a good picture of the horses and mules crowding around Shirley as she tried to close the gate, but the camera was packed away in plastic due to the rain. We finally got back to KM 0 in Midway at about 1:35. We sat in the kiosk to eat as it was raining steadily. Shirley asked the museum attendant about the weather and the forecast is for showers today and tonight, some sun and clouds tomorrow, and sunny Thursday. We debated going on or getting a motel in Midway. The problem with getting a room is that Friday starts the Labor Day weekend and we would like to be home by then. I thought we finally decided on a room much to my dismay, but when we pulled into the lot Shirley wanted to go into the restaurant and see if it would quit raining. I mentioned we still needed to go to the store so we went to the store. After spending $23 we still have $75 Canadian left. When I reminded Shirley that the border crossing didn't open until 9:00 AM she decided that was too late and we should go to Beth Lake. The rain had really slacked off. Shortly after the border the rain quit. It was about 3:15 when we crossed over. On the way to Beth Lake it got sort of bright and the sun made a brief and not real bright appearance. Unfortunately, about 1.5 miles from camp it started raining again and hasn't quit since. We found a dry spot under a tree to set the tent up and eventually moved it during a lessening of the rain to our site. Very unfortunately the water here has been shut off for repairs. So we had to get water out of the creek and treat it. Several, if not all, of our bottles taste terrible and we had hoped to wash them really good here. I had dinner of a bagel, 2 muffins, and a nectarine. Our food is in the outhouse so we hope a bear doesn't come by. No one else appears to be here.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010	Day 43	61.9 - 1788.3

Omak, WA	Rodeo Grounds	$11.00

It rained a long time last night, but was partly clear this morning. Of course, everything was wet. For Beth Lake it was surprisingly warm at 50 º. We ate breakfast on the dry spot under a tree. I'm getting used to 50º and my hands didn't get very cold putting the tent away. We were off at 8:15. The lake was beautiful. When we got into the sun on the first long hill the tights and long sleeves came off and we put sun screen on. I was already sweating in my tights and long sleeves. It was a little cool in shorts and jersey and the downhill before Chesaw was chilly. We stopped at the store to get water. There were two young boys sitting at the table in front of the store drinking soft drinks. They looked like the stereotypical southern hillbilly. Since the store owner gave us water I bought a muffin for $1.50 even though we still had 2 left over from yesterday. The climb up to the Tonasket turnoff and then to Sitzmark seemed easier this year, probably because of a tailwind. There were lots of dark clouds mixed in with sunny spots. It got colder as we climbed and we put our long sleeves back on. About 1-1.5 miles from Sitzmark one of the dark clouds moved over us and it started raining. We had stopped and put our rain gear on just before it hit. After riding about a mile we came upon an old building and went inside to eat lunch. Just as we were finishing a truck stopped outside and 2 guys got out. It had nothing to do with us. We think they peed and then sat in the truck. When we came out when it stopped raining they left. It started clearing and by the time we got halfway to Tonasket it was sunny and warm. Unfortunately, they had recently chip sealed the downhill so I couldn't go as fast as I hoped. Fortunately, it was only the first downhill stretch and later ones were good. It was 75º and sunny in Tonasket. It hadn't rained yesterday or today. We stopped at the store and I locked my bike. When we came out I took my long sleeve jersey off and packed it away. Later, after eating blackberries and we were ready to leave I went to unlock my bike and couldn't find the key. I looked all around and went back in the store and looked around. When I came back out I finally remembered I had my long sleeve jersey on and the key was in that pocket. Shirley seemed pissed when we left. We rode to Riverside and went in for another feeding. There was a very nice park, but we had to get the key to the restrooms from the store across the street. Shirley had hoped to find a back road to Omak, but we ended up back on the highway. It was only 6 more miles to the CG. We took our bikes down a steep embankment off Highway 97 rather than ride to the next exit and come back. Only 2 of the 6 or 7 tent sites were vacant. We had a choice of the end site near the highway or a site next to someone playing loud raucous music. As we were trying to decide they turned their music down. I would have chosen the highway noise, but Shirley chose the music. We set the tent parts out to dry and Shirley washed some clothes. I washed out all the water bottles after we got the tent set up and it's nice to get rid of the swamp water. Hopefully they were rinsed good enough that it won't come back. It was windy for a while, but calmed down as darkness approached. It did dry Shirley's clothes and the towels and wash cloths nicely. Later the music people were watching TV or a video.

Thursday, September 2, 2010	Day 44	67.5 - 1855.8

Chelan, WA	Chelan State Park	$15.00

It was colder than we expected this morning at 45º, but we didn't get up until 7:00 when I saw the sun in the tree tops. The fly was essentially dry and we dried the ground cloth while we ate. The couple with the TV or radio played it all night long. Not very loud, but I could hear it every time I got up to pee. When we left I was down to shorts and a long sleeve shirt. Traffic between Omak and Okanagan was a lot busier than last year when we were there on a weekend. We stopped at the fruit stand on Highway 20 just before the Malott turnoff and bought 2 plucots, 2 nectarines, and a tomato. We stopped in Malott and ate the fruit. It was comfortable riding on the flats, but the long hills were hot. In Brewster I tried to go to the river side park we had lunch at last year, but ended up at a different one since the one I was remembering is in Pateros. We still had a nice break and managed to get back on the highway with minimal problems. As we approached Pateros we got on Industrial Way which eventually took us past the park. We stopped at the toilets before continuing. We stopped at Wells Dam for a break and food. Once again we didn't take the less busy road to Chelan because Shirley remembers it as being hard. We could have skipped 2-3 miles on Highway 97 and 2 uphill miles on 97A. Surprisingly we got to the Walmart in Chelan around 3:15 when I expected to get there at 4:00. We did a fast and minimal food stop and were out of there around 3:45. When we got to the state park it wasn't full. In fact she said she had several sites, but we could get the H/B site for $14. She said it was essentially the parking lot by the picnic area. Shirley asked about the picnic area and we were told after 6:00 we could set up there. Since it was 5:10 we decided that was good. We ate and then showered while waiting for 6:00 and when I came back from my shower right at 6:00 Shirley had the tent up. It's a little cooler than we expected, but I warmed up quite a bit after dinner.

Friday, Septermber 3, 2010	Day 45	56.5 - 1912.3

Leavenworth, WA	Home

We got up to a mostly clear, but cool morning. Only the ground cloth was wet which we dried while eating and packing. As we started to leave at 8:00 I noticed BOB had a flat so that had to be repaired before finally getting off at 8:20. The uphill on Navarre Coulee was quite warm and the downhill in the shade was quite cool. It felt good when we finally got in the sun again. Traffic seemed much too heavy on Novarre Coulee and on Highway 97 it started out not too bad, but kept increasing. We stopped at a fruit stand in Entiat for expensive nectarines and plucots and had a break at the park. When we turned off Highway 2 in Wenatchee Shirley put on a second pair of shorts. She's been uncomfortable for several days now. We stopped at Tom, Dick, and Harry's in Monitor so Shirley could get ice cream. Actually, she finally decided on a vanilla shake and I had a double meat, double cheese burger. We got there a little after noon and it was quite busy. It was a bit warm on the hills. We skipped Old Monitor Road since the bridge is closed for repairs, but did the side road on the North side of Highway 2 between Monitor and Cashmere. We skipped North Dryden Road but did the side roads from the Big Y to Peshastin and then North Road. We got home around 3:00. To our surprise it was 65º in the house and 80º outside. I opened the window to warm up the house. Shirley did laundry and we aired the tent and camping gear on the deck. My pad developed a bulge a couple days ago so I left it in the dumpster in Chelan this morning. We picked up our mail from Margaret and I spent all evening reconciling our finances. It's a lot harder with foreign currency as everything needs to be looked up to see what the actual cost in US dollars was before I record it. Only 2 charge transactions from CGs in Banff National Park haven't cleared yet.

Day	Date	Miles	Total	M/C	Cost	Total	Comments

1	05/05	0.0	0.0	M	$71.82	$71.82	Coraopolis, PA - Days Inn

2	05/06	59.3	59.3	C	Free	$71.82	GAP - 6 Miles South of Boston, PA - Dravos Cemetery CG

3	05/07	53.5	112.8	C	$16.50	$88.32	GAP - Ohiopyle - Ohiopyle State Park

4	05/08	50.2	163.0	C	$6.50	$94.82	Confluence, PA - Outflow C.G.

5	05/09	49.2	212.2	C	$21.20	$116.02	Frostburg, MD - Trails Inn C.G.

6	05/10	50.5	262.7	C	Free	$116.02	C&O Canal - Purslane Run H/B CG

7	05/11	51.2	313.9	C	Free	$116.02	C&O Canal - North Mt. H/B CG

8	05/12	54.8	368.7	C	Free	$116.02	C&O Canal - Huckleberry Hill H/B CG

9	05/13	6.0	374.7	C	Free	$116.02	C&O Canal - Huckleberry Hill H/B CG

10	05/14	40.8	415.5	C	Free	$116.02	C&O Canal - Horse Pen H/B CG (26 miles from D.C.)

11	05/15	62.9	478.4	C	$26.25	$142.27	25 Miles South of Washington, DC - Pohick Bay Regional Park, VA

12	05/16	67.7	546.1	M	$50.00	$192.27	Fredericksberg, VA. - Relax Inn

13	05/17	43.1	589.2	C	$21.00	$213.27	Montross, VA - Westmoreland State park

14	05/18	59.3	648.5	M	$58.00	$271.27	Lilian, VA - Bay Motel

15	05/19	6.2	654.7	C	$12.50	$283.77	Crisfield, MD - Janes Island S.P.

16	05/20	33.6	688.3	C	$10.00	$293.77	Pocomoke S. F. - Milburn Landing C.G.

17	05/21	0.0	688.3	C	$10.00	$303.77	Pocomoke S.F. - Milburn Landing C.G.

18	05/22	45.0	733.3	C	$21.00	$324.77	Laurel, DE - Trap Pond S.P.

19	05/23	0.0	733.3	C	$21.00	$345.77	Laurel, DE - Trap Pond S.P.

20	05/24	0.0	733.3	C	$21.00	$366.77	Laurel, DE - Trap Pond S.P.

21	05/25	46.8	780.1	C	$28.80	$395.57	Lewes, DE - Cape Henlopen S.P.

22	05/26	18.3	798.4	M	$65.00	$460.57	Cape May Courthouse, NJ - Hyland Motor Inn

23	05/27	70.9	869.3	C	$20.00	$480.57	4 Miles north of Chatsworth, NJ - Brendan T. Byrnes S.F.

24	05/28	44.8	914.1	C	Free	$480.57	Hightstown, NJ - Rick and Karen Cathers House

25	05/29	48.3	962.4	C	$20.00	$500.57	7 Miles North of Lambertville, NJ - Bulls Island S.P.

26	05/30	56.4	1018.8	C	$23.00	$523.57	Mt. Bethel PA - Driftstone on the Delaware CG

27	05/31	47.6	1066.4	C	$18.50	$542.07	Dingman's Ferry PA - Dingman's CG

28	06/01	46.7	1113.1	C	$20.00	$562.07	Otisville NY - Otisville CG

29	06/02	60.1	1173.2	C	Free	$562.07	Staatsburg, NY - LW Norris S.P.

30	06/03	46.5	1219.7	C	$17.75	$579.82	Copake Falls, NY - Taconic S.P. - Rudd Pond CG

31	06/04	38.3	1258.0	C	$21.00	$600.82	5 Mi N of New Hartford, NJ - American Legion S.F. - Austin Hawes CG

32	06/05	34.1	1292.1	M	$46.36	$647.18	Windsor Locks, CT - Motel 6

33	06/06	69.7	1361.8	C	$20.60	$667.78	5 Mi Nw of Clocester, RI - George Washington S.P.

34	06/07	20.7	1382.5	C	$25.50	$693.28	Manchuag Pond, MA - Old Holbrook Place CG

35	06/08	47.8	1430.3	M	$38.00	$731.28	Littleton, MA - Minuteman CG

36	06/09	56.0	1486.3	C	$25.50	$756.78	Kingston, NH - Country Shore CG

37	06/10	45.3	1531.6	M	$59.92	$816.70	Cape Neddick, ME - Hoyt's Motor Court

38	06/11	20.4	1552.0	M	$52.96	$869.66	Wells, ME - Bellevue Condominiums

39	06/12	0.0	1552.0	M	$52.97	$922.63	Wells, ME - Bellevue Condominiums

40	06/13	67.5	1619.5	M	$34.24	$956.87	E. Brownfield, ME - Woodlands Acres CG

41	06/14	0.0	1619.5	M	$34.24	$991.11	E. Brownfield, ME - Woodlands Acres CG

42	06/15	59.8	1679.3	M	$70.20	$1061.31	North Woodstock, NH - Meadow Lark Motor Court

43	06/16	44.2	1723.5	C	$18.00	$1079.31	4 Mi. NW Groton, VT - Ricker Pond SP

44	06/17	41.3	1764.8	C	$16.50	$1095.81	Elmore Lake, VT - Elmore SP

45	06/18	54.0	1818.8	C	$26.00	$1121.81	6 Miles NW of Enosburg Falls, VT - Lake Carmi

46	06/19	58.4	1877.2	M	$75.00	$1196.81	Chambly, Quebec - Mon Repos Motel

47	06/20	47.4	1924.6	M	$49.00	$1245.81	Laval, Quebec - Motel Lido

48	06/21	64.3	1988.9	M	$35.86	$1281.67	Saint Agathe des Monts, Quebec - Camping du Domaine Lausanne

49	06/22	66.7	2055.6	M	$62.08	$1343.75	Lac Saguay, Quebec - Motel DoDi

50	06/23	69.7	2125.3	C	$24.93	$1368.68	Reserves Fauniques - La Verendrye CG

51	06/24	77.6	2202.9	C	$20.21	$1388.89	Reserves Fauniques - Ottawa River CG

52	06/25	71.5	2274.4	M	$75.00	$1463.89	Val d'ore, Quebec - Park Motel

53	06/26	52.2	2326.6	M	$81.27	$1545.16	Amos, Quebec - Motel Chez Tony

54	06/27	89.9	2416.5	C	$15.50	$1560.66	15K NW Evain, Quebec - Lake Flavrian Camping

55	06/28	65.8	2482.3	M	$45.00	$1605.66	Angliers, Quebec - Rest O Pub des Quinze

56	06/29	46.8	2529.1	C	$22.58	$1628.24	Laniel, Quebec - Campground Laniel

57	06/30	74.5	2603.6	M	$76.99	$1705.23	North Bay, Ontario - Voyager Inn

58	07/01	0.0	2603.6	M	$76.99	$1782.22	North Bay, Ontario - Voyager Inn

59	07/02	0.0	2603.6	C	Free	$1782.22	Canada - Greyhound Bus

60	07/03	0.0	2603.6	C	Free	$1782.22	Canada - Greyhound Bus

61	07/04	0.0	2603.6	C	Free	$1782.22	Canada - Greyhound Bus

62	07/05	0.0	2603.6	M	$56.50	$1838.72	Grand Forks, BC - Motel 99

63	07/06	0.0	2603.6	C	$16.80	$1855.52	Grand Forks, BC - City Park CG

64	07/07	1.2	2604.8	C	$16.80	$1872.32	Grand Forks, BC - City Park CG

65	07/08	39.1	2643.9	C	$4.00	$1876.32	10 Miles SE of Cheesaw, WA - Beth Lake CG

66	07/09	64.2	2708.1	C	$12.00	$1888.32	Omak, WA - Stampede Grounds

67	07/10	66.5	2774.6	C	$10.00	$1898.32	Chelan, WA - Lake Chelan State Park

68	07/11	54.7	2829.3	C	Leavenworth, WA - Home

Tuesday, May 5, 2009	Day 1	0 - 0

Coraopolis, PA	Days Inn	$71.82 - $71.82

Yesterday we finished packing and Shirley talked Margaret Pliss into driving us to the bus stop. That was a good thing since it started raining 2-3 hours before it was time to leave, plus it was easier than me driving Shirley to the stop, coming home, and walking back. We took the bus to Wenatchee where Thea picked us up, took us home, fed us dinner, and gave us a bed! We got up at 4:00 this morning. Thea, of course, had OJ and bread and rice cakes for us. We got to the airport at 4:45 and were all checked in by 5:00. The toilets in the secure area are out of service due to construction so we sent to the ones outside of it which put us farther back in the line. My bag needed to be manually checked due to my spiral notebooks. In Seattle we had snacks which we had brought. I ate 2 muffins and an apple. The plane to Minespolis was huge and took a long time to board. We were in row 45 of 47. From the time we landed till we got off was 1/2 hour, partly due to taxiing, but mainly for the 44 rows ahead of us. We arrived at Concourse F and left from A, a pretty good walk. Good thing we had nearly 2 hours from the time we touched down. The flight to Pittsburgh was a small plane and the trip went well. Very little checked baggage came out. We got our 2 bike bags and after a few minutes a guy came walking along with our BOBs. We called the motel for the shuttle and had to carry our bags a couple hundred yards to the correct door. I carried the bags (about 40 lbs each) and Shirley carried the trailers since she is so pitifully weak. It was raining lightly. At the motel only Shirley's bike was there. I checked the UPS site and it said mine was incorrectly addressed, but the correct address was obtained and it was rescheduled for delivery. Hopefully, it will arrive tomorrow. Shirley's arrived at 10:15 this morning. Her bike was dismantled more than usual. The front brakes were off and the seat was off the post as well as the post. It took a couple hours to get her bike and the BOBs ready. It was 10:00 by the time we finished. There is a K-Mart across the street where we should be able to get food and hopefully Coleman fuel.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009	Day 2	59.3 - 59.3

GAP - 6 Miles South of Boston, PA	Dravos Cemetery CG	Free - $71.82

It was after 11:00, going on midnight, last night when we went to bed and we got up around 7:30 this morning. We went to breakfast which was much better than I expected. There were waffles and I had one. Then I had 5 little muffins, 2 bowls of Cheerios and a yogurt, plus a cup of coffee. Shirley didn't eat much at all. I called UPS to verify today's delivery and was assured it would be here. At 10:05 the desk called to say my bike was here. We decided to put it together outside and by 11:30 we were all packed and loaded and ready to go. While waiting for the bike we watched a rabbit chasing two crows. Don't know if it was protecting young or what. The Montour Trail began less than 1/2 mile from the motel at the bottom of a hill. We immediately went under a bridge being worked on and there was a temporary tunnel to protect cyclists. The sun came out, the trail was lovely and we had a tailwind. In less than 10 miles we looped around and lost our tailwind, but it was still lovely. There were lots of flowers, dogwoods, and honeysuckle. At times it was like we were in the middle of nowhere and at others riding along a road or houses. The surface was hard packed. There were five detours for missing bridges which always slowed us down as we had to read the instructions. The longest was about 3 miles. On one we were supposed to find a gate on the right and go through an apartment complex. At the correct distance we found one on the left and went down a steep hill. I then saw there was another apartment complex farther down on the right so it was back up the hill. About 4:00 and still 30 miles from camp it started raining and rained until we got into camp at 8:00. It stopped for a while, but started again around 9:45. On the trail we saw several squirrels and rabbits and heard lots of frogs and birds. We saw a couple red birds which may have been cardinals, but they didn't look right to me. Our C.G. is mostly a bikers C.G. and is deserted and peaceful except for the trains occasionally across the river. We had to do some road riding to connect the Montour and GAP trails which wasn't especially fun in the rain. The GAP (also known as YRT or Youghiogheny River Trail) is a different kind of surface and is quite messy when it rains. My rear fender doesn't extend down for enough and my BOB, rear pack and my back got quite dirty. Good thing there is a shelter here. We have our tent set up in it and it is quite dry. I did see one small snake while it was sunny today. We had a couple tunnels today, all short enough to ride although one did curve. It was also very wet from dripping.

Thursday, May 7, 2009	Day 3	53.5 - 112.8

GAP - Ohiopyle	Ohiopyle State Park	$16.50 - $88.32

I think it was after 10:00 before we went to bed last night and about 7:30 when we got up. It rained a few times last night, but it was just mostly cloudy this morning and we were nice and dry under the shelter. The bikes were so gross we took them to the pump and washed them and the bags. The brakes still sounded very gritty. We were leaving at 9:00 when Shirley remembered we should oil our chains. It was warm enough to start in shorts and a light long sleeve. The trail was in pretty good shape and only got better as the day went on. It was all trail riding today with no detours. It was also all uphill along the river. The surface is much harder to ride than pavement. There were some stretches through small towns and some through woods. One stretch had a grassy area for horses. It wasn't near as nice with the 10 foot swath. We saw several touring cyclists going the other way, mostly couples and one or two singles. One guy passed us going our way. When we got to Ohiopyle a sign said registered campers may use a trail to the C.G., so we took it. It went steeply uphill for .4 miles. It took both of us to push a bike up the hill. I could do some of it by myself, but Shirley struggled. We entered the C.G. in the walk in sites, but the water in the faucets is turned off. We finally found a sign that said potable water was at the Juniper Loop wash house. By then we were at the Juniper Loop. We parked and I took BOB off to go look for the entrance station. I got a pay envelope since it was 5:00 by then and the booth was unmanned. We found a site and set up, but it wasn't long before a ranger showed up. It was $21 for non-residents with a $4.50 discount since Shirley is 62 for a total of $16.50. The showers were nice and by the time we were eating it was 7:00. At least it's been dry all day. The ranger said we came up the easy way since the road is 4 miles and steep. It may have been easier. We will go back the road. In camp I noticed my picture notepad was missing. It must have fallen out for one of the last two photos which I didn't write down at the time. The worst part is at the back of the book is the MCI calling card 800 number and the PIN. I hope whoever finds it is honest. If we hadn't come up that steep hill I would have gone back to look for it, maybe.

Friday, May 8, 2009	Day 4	50.2 - 163.0

Confluence, PA	Outflow C.G.	$6.50 - $94.82

It didn't rain last night. We went to bed a little before 10:00 and got up at 7:15. Our bed of leaves was very comfortable. It felt cold before going to bed and this morning, but I didn't quite need gloves. We decided to go back down the trail to the main trail. Shirley decided her thumb was OK for that. We started out in tights and heavy long sleeves. By the time we made it back to the main trail we decided the tights could come off and we could get to a light long sleeve. There was a bridge there and there were 30-40 vultures sitting on the railings, about equal numbers on each side. Later a guy told us they were waiting for the thermals. About 9 miles down the trail we stopped at a restroom and ate and talked to one of the board of directors of the trail committee. He was on a recumbent and was fairly old with past shoulder length thin white hair. He talked to us for quite a while. We continued on to Confluence and got a campsite for half price ($6.50) since Shirley is 62 and it's a Corp of Engineers CG. There is a dam and a lot of water is being released. We got set up and ate and finally headed out to Mt Davis, the highest point in PA. After about 4 miles and the first steep hill Shirley decided to turn around because her knee was hurting. We were on Coon Hollow Rd which was very scenic with a creek and flowers. Then I was on Pumpkin Center Rd before getting on Mt Davis Rd. There was several ups and downs and by the time I did the 16-17 miles to Mt Davis I was getting very hungry. I climbed the 60 ft tower and was going to eat lunch there, but it was windy and someone else showed up so I went back down to eat. Coming back was much easier. I had a light mist at first, but then got out of it. It stayed cloudy all afternoon, though. I got back to camp around 4:20. We had dinner before exploring the outflow from the dam. There is so much water that there is a cool breeze blowing through the CG. Last night we had a nearly full moon and we could clearly see it. The fly was very wet this morning from the dew. One interesting fact from the board of directors guy is that the mileage markers were measured by someone counting his steps. Seems like a very inaccurate way to do it. Even if my steps were constant I'd get bored and lose count.

Saturday, May 9, 2009	Day 5	49.2 - 212.2

Frostburg, MD	Trails Inn C.G.	$21.20 - $116.02

The far end of the CG and the hiker/biker area were very smoky last night. Good thing we were where we were. Also, the group right by the H/B sites were playing loud music till late. I went to bed around 9:15 after doing push ups for the first time this trip. Before I even got to sleep it started raining. Fortunately it didn't rain too much. We got up about 6:15. We were ready to leave about 7:45, but had to wait to 7:55 for the bathrooms to open after cleaning. The sky was quite cloudy. We didn't see very many people today and most of them were near Meyersdale. It felt warmer this morning than it did last night and once we got away from the water flow it was quite warm. Today was an interesting day for trestles and tunnels. We had a 1908 foot viaduct over the Casselman River and hwy 219. It was very windy crossing that one. Then a 909 foot viaduct which was very nice. Finally we reached the 2392 foot high crossing of the Eastern Continental Divide. From there it's all downhill. We went through the lighted 3294 foot Big Savage Tunnel. That was interesting. Finally the unlighted 957 foot Borden Tunnel which had lane stripes. Unfortunately about half way through you couldn't see them, but the tunnel was straight and I just aimed for the light. We saw a group of old folks, either 2 trikes and 3 bikes or vice versa at a place where you had to go through some posts that prevent motorized travel. One old guy had trouble getting lined up so he could get through. It appeared he may have had oxygen. We had a tailwind during most of our uphill and had a lot of sun at times. For the downhill it was mostly headwind. Frostburg is on top a hill, but there is a wheelchair access ramp to where the Trails Inn is. After registering we found out the CG is up a steep ramp. The guy said he could drive our gear around, but we elected to push it up. I got mine up, but almost didn't make the last 6 feet as it got steeper and there was just cut grass on it. There were 2 switchbacks and a 90 degree corner to navigate. The 90 degree corner was hard. The showers are at the bottom of the ramp, but include soap, shampoo, and towels. It was very nice. I finally washed my clothes for the first time. We then went looking for the store which meant going back down the ramp and then up lots of stairs to town. Then it was uphill on the road. We found a small store which was mainly a liquor store. He gave us directions to a Corner Market which was back the way we came and beyond a couple blocks. It was a very small store. On the way we found a pizza place that had a $6.99 buffet so we only got milk for breakfast and went to the buffet for salad and pizza. Oink, oink! By the time we got back to camp it was clear, but still quite windy. My socks and jersey are drying nicely, but my shorts are still quite clammy. I'm charging some camera batteries in the restroom. All I have to do is remember to get them.

Sunday, May 10, 2009	Day 6	50.5 - 262.7

C&O Canal	Purslane Run H/B CG	Free - $116.02

What a glorious day. We didn't get up until 7:00 to a mostly to partly clear sky. It felt cool due to the wind that was still blowing although it was in the 50's. We decided we could leave in shorts and light long sleeves, especially after getting our bikes back down the ramp. Once we started riding we were mostly in the shade and wind and it was cold. I would have put on gloves and a heavier shirt if they hadn't been packed in BOB. Shirley did finally put her gloves on and later a vest. We followed the scenic railway all the way to Cumberland, even sharing a short tunnel at one point. It was almost comfortable when we would head a little south and in the sun, but that wasn't often enough. We found a market very easily with good directions from the guy we asked We only had to go down a block to a mall, through the mall and hang a right for a few blocks, and there was a big store. We didn't get a whole lot, but more than we have been. On the way to the store we had to wait several minutes for a train. By the time we got back to the trail it was 11:00. The C&O is a bit bumpier and wetter. Fortunately it hasn't rained for a couple days and it is drying out. There are a lot of mud holes and dry holes and ruts to go around. Most of the canal has some water and a lot of trees in it. There are lots of turtles in the water, which we see on the logs. Shirley didn't see them until I pointed them out to her. The canal is lovely with all the trees hanging in the water and the trail has lots of green trees and patches of grassy 2 lane. The free H/B CGs are lovely. All have a table, outhouse, and water pump. They are pretty big and could hold several tents, but we are alone, at least as of 7:30. We stopped around 3:30, but had to ride into Paw Paw, WV (about 1.5 miles) to get milk for breakfast. We also looked at the tunnel we will go through tomorrow. It took about an hour to eat some food and set up camp before we headed out. There were lots of little gnats during that hour. Fortunately, they were gone when we returned although there were a few mosquitos for a while. There was a baby diaper in the fire pit which we fished out and put in a small trash bag provided at the CGs and took it with us to the store to throw away. After washing up out of Shirley's bucket we had dinner. We saw some stupid people today. As we came into Cumberland a lady was walking her dog and allowed it to cross the trail while on a leash. On the C&O a woman with a baby carriage stopped at the bottom of a hill after going around a gate. She had no clue she was in the way. Later a couple was fishing with chairs in half the path and a wagon on the other side and partly in the trail. From Cumberland we kept leap frogging a couple who rode out to see the tunnel. We learned at our camp, about 28 miles, that they though it was only 18 miles to the tunnel. They were getting a bit tired and didn't head back until about 5:00. It will be dark by the time they get back to their car. We are camped right next to the Potomac.

Monday, May 11, 2009	Day 7	51.2 - 313.9

C&O Canal	North Mt. H/B CG	Free - $116.02

Interesting day today. We didn't get up until 7:30 even though we went to bed before 10:00. Shirley said she was a tired girl. It was once again a cool, cloudy morning and we started in tights, gloves, and heavy long sleeves. After 1.5 miles we reached the Paw Paw Tunnel. I had trouble taking a picture because of cold fingers and gloves. The walk through the tunnel warmed me up, though. There is a 3 foot wide path with a railing and then the canal. It was hard to see and it seemed to take a long time to walk through it. We rode out the tunnel and there must have been 6 inches of leaves. There was also a lovely waterfall which I tried for a picture but may have screwed up due to gloves and my mirror getting in the way of tilting the camera. There was then a couple hundred feet of boardwalk followed by a very wet stretch. We moseyed along until we reached the spot where we could get on a 20 mile long paved rail trail that paralleled the C&O. It was much easier and we cruised into Hancock at 14 MPH. Unfortunately just as we got there the fire siren went off practically across the street. Then 2 fire trucks came screaming by. We found a Sav-A-Lot store and managed to get enough food for another day. Quarts were the smallest milk so we got small flavored yogurts for breakfast. As we were packing our food another couple pulled in on bikes. He had a guitar. They have been out for 12 years. Sounds like they spent a long time in Europe. Shirley talked to them a long time and it was after 3:00 by the time we were off again. The paved trail went another 10-11 miles before we had to get back on the C&O. We rode an extra mile on the rail trail because Shirley insisted we could get back on at the end in spite of a sign telling cyclists to exit onto the C&O. It started raining and our extra mile and back allowed us to put our rain gear on under a bridge. Our bikes were quite muddy by the time we rode the 5 miles to camp. Fortunately it quit raining and we got set up, cleaned the bikes and ate. I was just finishing when it started raining again so I am sitting in the tent writing this. It sounds like the rain is quitting so I'm going to go tighten the steering nut on BOB. At one point today Shirley wanted to adjust her handlebars. I discovered my allen wrenches were missing. They must have caught on my cable and lock last night, either at camp or at the tunnel and fallen out. Today I had a goose hiss at me. I was riding along looking at the river when we passed a couple of geese with a bunch of chicks. I saw them at the last minute and one of them hissed

Tuesday, May 12, 2009	Day 8	54.8 - 368.7

C&O Canal	Huckleberry Hill H/B CG	Free - $116.02

We woke up to clear skies today, but the trees were still dripping. It stopped raining before we even went to bed. This was the coldest feeling morning due to being wet. My hands got cold. We once again started in gloves, long sleeves and tights. Before we did 10 miles we were down to light long sleeves, which was a bit cold at first. We got some water from a rest room in Williamsport, but decided to skip the convenience store. We leap frogged three guys all day who started in Cumberland and took 3 or 4 days to go to Harpers Ferry, staying inside every night. They dropped their bikes off in Cumberland, drove to Harpers Ferry to leave their car, and took a train back to Cumberland. This is their first bike trip. There was a detour today for about 6 miles on roads. It will be a shock when we start traveling on roads and actually have hills and traffic. For food we did a detour to Sharpsburg. It was a moderate grade hill for about 1.1 miles and then a couple rollers. Unfortunately, there was only a small convenience store. We ended up getting crackers, a couple very ripe bananas, milk, some canned goods, and a piece of pie. When we finally got to camp there was another biker there. He has since disappeared into the woods with his hammock. Later a guy from Bellingham pulled in. They are both going the other way. The guy from Bellingham doesn't own a car, TV, or microwave. I thought we were frugal. We spent too much time talking and not getting things done. It's also more difficult when we don't have the table to ourselves. This is the muddiest site yet. Very little grass. We have the door of our tent on some leaves, but most of the tent is on bare wet ground.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009	Day 9	6 - 374.7

C&O Canal	Huckleberry Hill H/B CG	Free - $116.02

We really slept in late today. It was almost 8:00 before we got up. Ron was still here and we ended up leaving just behind him. The bridge across the Potomac had stairs up to the actual bridge. We were able to do it since se didn't have gear. Ron couldn't and took a long round about way to get to harper's Ferry. Since Joe Mike had said bikes weren't allowed Ron got off before the bridge. If he had known bikes were allowed he could have waited and we could have helped him. At the far end of the bridge was Ron's cousin's bike with Scoop Away cat litter container panniers. We saw them as were coming back across later and helped Ron down the stairs with his bike. We walked around Harpers Ferry a bit. We asked about a grocery and all there was is a 7-11. We still had to walk a ways to get to it. There was a shuttle bus from the visitor center back to where our bikes were. There is also a super Walmart in Charles Town about 6 miles away on a busy highway. We were told it wasn't bike friendly so we didn't go. We got a little food at the 7-11, but we still need a store tomorrow. We then went hiking to the Maryland Heights which has a lot of Civil War relics. There is also a very nice overlook of Harpers Ferry. When we got back to camp there was no one there, but before long a guy came in hiking who is camping with a pillow, huge flashlight, etc. etc. He also smokes and built a fire. Two solo cyclists also showed up. One is just out for one night. He has a homemade alcohol stove which he made from a cat food can and has a small foldable bike. The other guy has a BOB. I finally washed my night shirt today. I put it on during dinner to dry since I figured I'd be warm while eating. The forecast for the next 3 days is 40%, 50%, 60% chance of rain and T-storms. The hiker's fire quickly drove us from the table. It even drove away from the area. By 8:30 we were in the tent partly due to the smoke and partly due to bugs chewing on my ankles. I finished my first book tonight and swapped with Shirley.

Thursday, May 14, 2009	Day 10	40.8 - 415.5

C&O Canal	Horse Pen H/B CG (26 miles from D.C.)	Free - $116.02

We got up about 6:25 this morning because we were afraid it was going to rain. It kept sounding like splatters of rain on the tent. I was ready to get up before 6:00. The tent was barely wet and we packed up before eating. It never did rain. We were off around 7:30. It is quite windy today so it is nice that we are mostly in the trees. We passed a family of geese this morning. The parents didn't seem to be in any hurry to get their rather large chicks off the trail, but simply stood in front of them and hissed at us. We stopped in Brunswick for a grocery. We stopped at the train station for directions. The lady was not very friendly, but gave directions I thought I could follow. Shirley went in to use the toilet, but there wasn't any public toilet. A block away we met a very friendly woman who gave us the choice of a Dollar General close to where we were or a Super Fresh the other lady told us about up the hill. We chose the Super Fresh. The hill was well graded and just for the last 100 feet or so did we get in our little chain rings. I could have done it in my middle one, but figured I didn't need to. The store was a big store, but fairly pricey. At least the cashier used a generic card for us so we saved over $3.00 so instead of $42 our bill was only $39. I bought 3-4 dinners and 3-4 breakfasts. Lunch will still need another store for bagels. We got a 32 oz yogurt for breakfast. Our milk today was a bit sour. It was OK with my sweet granola, but I couldn't drink it plain and dumped some. A couple guys passed us who were doing 2 days of riding in one because the weather report they saw indicated a front moving in today or tomorrow. They were doing 82 miles today. A friend was stopping at Leesburg due to "butt" problems. We saw some sun and some clouds and lots of wind. Lots of stuff in the eyes. The muddy sections have dried out a lot and weren't too bad. We still aren't quite through it so I hope it doesn't rain too much. We got in around 2:00 Shirley ia s bit concerned about the wind blowing a branch on us so we set the tent up in a calmer area which I think will get wet if it rains. I would have moved about 8 feet to what looks like higher ground to me. Shirley sat in the tent for a while right after setting up. Later we washed and Shirley even washed her hair. My allergies have been acting up the past few days and today's wind really stirred up something. I finally took a an antihistamine which eventually helped some. It was much warmer today. I never felt cold this morning and we started riding in shorts and heavy long sleeves. It wasn't too long before we were down to light long sleeves. If it hadn't been windy we would probably have been in shorts and short sleeves the whole day.

Friday, May 15, 2009	Day 11	62.9 - 478.4

25 Miles South of Washington, DC	Pohick Bay Regional Park, VA	$26.25 - $142.27

The mosquitos finally drove me into the tent around 8:00 last night. It started sprinkling a few minutes later. It did a few light sprinkles off and on and then quit. We got up today at 6:00 so we would have time to see the mall in D.C. and still do our 60 miles. The trail was just a bit damper this morning, but no muddier. It warmed up during the night and the mosquitos were out when we got up. We were off around 7:00. There were still a few mud holes down to Great Falls. The falls was a short hike and was quite interesting, though it was a cataract rather than a falls. There were several cranes in the area. There were lots of geese and babies along the way. I almost ran over one gosling when at the last second it decided it had to change sides of the path and darted right in front of me. About 10 miles from D.C. it started getting wetter and we figured it must have rained last night which was later confirmed. Even though I tried to ride slow my rack pack got a fair amount of mud splatter. With some difficulty we found a paved trail for the last 2-3 miles into D.C. The trail was interrupted by a construction project and some sections on sidewalks. We finally got to the back side of the Lincoln Memorial, and instead of following the signs to "The Memorials" Shirley wanted to follow the signs "to Virginia". We got to the Arlington Bridge and she wanted to try to cross 4 lanes of busy traffic. I finally got her to go back to the "To Memorials" sign and it easily led us to the Lincoln Memorial and the mall. When we first came to the sidewalk path a bunch of bicycle policeman went by with a motorcycle escort. There must have been at least 50 and moving pretty good. They were on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial when we got there. After their picture taking session we talked to one and found out as part of Memorial Day today is police appreciation day and hundreds of police from all over are in town and the V.P. (Biden) was giving a speech at noon. I went up to the Lincoln Memorial and took pictures of it and toward the Washington Monument and the Capitol building. We didn't have time to walk the length of the mall since we still had 30 miles to go. We got across the Arlington Bridge OK, but then we were on the wrong side to easily get on the Mt. Vernon Trail. A jogger led us around and across the traffic a couple times and headed us the right way. We then had to find the 4 Mile Run trail to look for the grocery store Joe told us about at our Harpers Ferry CG. We asked a jogger and still got off at the wrong spot. We asked again and the second person gave us new directions. When we finally found it, it was just like Joe said and we had simply gotten off too early. It was a big, but expensive store. We ended up spending $48, but we did get a pound of turkey for $8 and Shirley got some dates and nuts which are never cheap. It was 1:30 when we finally headed out again. The Mt. Vernon Trail is very twisty so it slows you down. Then, in the middle it sort of disappeared. There were a few signs to follow, but some more would have been nice at a couple of critical spots. Shirley once again made a turn at a critical point just because. It was wrong, but we only sent about 50 feet before I stopped her and we asked. The trail finally started again and became quite hilly to Mt. Vernon. I was really struggling. We are following an Adventure Cycling route since D.C. and had to finally get on busy 385 and then go thru Ft. Belvedere where we had to show ID. Traffic was a little lighter and a lot slower there. Going up a hill Shirley noticed fishing line in my BOB wheel. At the next opportunity I stopped and my wheel would hardly turn. We took the wheel off and spent several minutes getting the fishing line unwound. Finally, we got it all using pliers and my wheel turned much better after that. We went off route after about 3 miles on Hwy 1, which for the first mile had no shoulder and lots of fast traffic. The C.G. was down a bit less busy road, but still very narrow. About a mile from camp I had to eat and had a bagel and Clif Bar. We finally got to camp at 5:30. The first thing we did was eat, then set up camp. Shirley discovered a laundry so she showered and then started the wash. The weather was foggy this morning, but quickly cleared and just got better as the day went on. Looks like we dodged the rain bullet again. By the time I took my shower, the laundry was done, and everything repacked it was after 9:00. The C.G. is smoky from all the fires and no wind. Bring back the H/B C.G.s we had to ourselves.

Saturday, May 16, 2009	Day 12	67.7 - 546.1

Fredericksberg, VA.	Relax Inn	$50.00 - $192.27

The day started out OK today with warm temperatures but a light fog like mist. Just enough to mess up my glasses. We took a different way back to the Adventure Cycling route and that was pretty peaceful. The route was a bit busier for a couple miles and then at Occoquan things got ugly. We were directed onto a 6 lane highway with no shoulder. We did ride the sidewalk which was very slow. We were only on it for 4 miles, but it seemed like forever. About halfway I had a front flat. I put a new tube in, but it had a defective seam next to the valve, so I had to put another tube in. It started raining lightly so we moved under cover at the church we were at. After 3 hours we had only gone 16 miles. The roads continued busy and after 20 miles we got on a 2 lane county road. Just enough traffic to be dangerous. Around mile 40 I had a rear flat. After eating I put in one of Shirley's new spares. Just as finished pumping it up the tire blew. It looked like part of the bead was gone so I put a new tire on and patched one of my tubes. Last night Shirley announced she thought we should motel it tonight. Unfortunately there was no motel where we expected. From what we gathered its been gone at least 3 years. We had to ride another 9 miles to Fredericksberg. We finally managed to find a fairly nice motel by my standards for $50. Camping would have been $40 plus tax at a C.G. 5 miles off route. There is no nearby store so we got milk at a small gas station store. We ate dinner at Hardees where I had 4 double cheeseburgers and Shirley had a small cheeseburger and a shake. It's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow morning. My tube of glue was dried up and Shirley's is nearly gone. One of my tubes had the valve stem ripped out. We need a bike shop. There is one here, but it is of course closed until Monday.

Sunday, May 17, 2009	Day 13	43.1 - 589.2

Montross, VA	Westmoreland State park	$21.00 - $213.27

It started raining last night before we went to bed and was still raining this morning. It rained quite hard about the time we were ready to leave so we decided to wait a while since the weather channel said it should quit by noon. It was a shame to waste a quiet Sunday morning ride, though. By 9:45 it had stopped and we decided to go for it and left about 10:20. We encountered a few drops, but nothing to get us wet. We were not looking forward to riding on busy Hwy 3. Fortunately the first 11 miles had a shoulder. Then for about a mile it disappeared about the time the wind picked up. Then the shoulder reappeared. At 13 miles we turned onto the best road since D.C. For about 13 miles we had quiet roads. We also had a couple of the steepest hills we've had. It was lovely. We stopped behind a large auto dealership for lunch about halfway thru the 13 miles when we crossed busy 301. The wind was still blowing and the building was a good stopper. The wind was getting my allergies again so I took an antihistamine. It was much better after that. The final 13 miles on Hwy 3 were on a 2 lane with little to no shoulder for most of it. Fortunately most of the traffic was going the other way. There was an alternate route that added 10 miles to avoid 7 miles on Hwy 3, but we decided we could handle it. We stopped for milk and canned veggies at a little store about 6 miles before camp. It only had 1/2 gallon milk so I walked back to a gas station and found a quart. We got to the C.G. around 3:00. It took a while to register and then the C.G. loop was another 1.3 miles. The site we had chosen from looking at the map was the most slanted so we chose another one and Shirley rode back to reregister. We each got a car pass to put on our bikes. The tent pad is filled with peas size gravel which makes it drier than it would have been after the rain. We then set up camp, ate, and headed out for a 2-3 mile hike. It was 6:00 by the time we got back to camp and started dinner. It felt quite cool when we arrived, but the wind has finally died down and it feels a little warmer. I have to find my gloves which I haven't seen for a couple of days. We have the whole C.G. loop to ourselves.

Monday, May 18, 2009	Day 14	59.3 - 648.5

Lilian, VA	Bay Motel	$58.00 - $271.27

We got up a little after 7:00 again. It really wasn't that cold, but felt cold because of the wind. It was still mostly cloudy, but slowly became partly to mostly sunny. For the first time since leaving the canal we were mostly on quiet roads. Maybe because it is no longer a weekend or maybe it was the roads. It felt warm when we were out of the wind or riding with the wind, but cool otherwise. It was nice to end up the day and not be tense. When we got to Lilian we went to the cruise line office to see about getting a spot on the ship tomorrow to go to Tangier Island and then to Crisfield MD tomorrow, but the one from Tangier to Crisfield hadn't run today or yesterday and they didn't know if it would run tomorrow. We finally got someone to call, but there wasn't an answer. Finally, a guy (probably the captain) said they would get us to Crisfield. The lady (probably his wife) asked "on the small boat?" and he said yes. Hopefully we will get there. We decided to check out the motel since camping is $40.00. The motel was $58. I was ready to go camp, but Shirley said the motel was OK. The room is large, but no fridge or microwave like the other night. We rode down to a convenience store about 1/2 mile away and spent $9 on canned veggies, milk, a cookie, and a muffin. Shirley ate her cookie and then didn't want dinner. Shirley washed her clothes and hung them outside. I cooked outside on a picnic table out back.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009	Day 15	6.2 - 654.7

Crisfield, MD	Janes Island S.P.	$12.50 - $283.77

We were up around 7:00 again although we didn't need to be at the dock until 9:30. It was a glorious sunny morning as promised. We ate and packed and decided we would leave at 9:00. We actually left at 8:50. At the dock the captain called Crisfield and found out they were running today. He only charged us the $40 each for the ticket. There should have been a $5 fee for each bike also. With the help of Charley, we loaded our bikes on. We had to make a 90 degree turn, go down a narrow aisle to another 90 degree turn to the aft end where Charley tied the bikes to the railing. We then went back by the ticket window and sat in the sun and talked to a couple of folks. There were 25-30 people on the boat. We spent most of the time outside on the upper deck. As we neared the island we went downstairs to the front of the boat. We arrived shortly after 11:30 and then had 2 hours before the second boat arrived and then another 2+ hours before it left again. This boat was bigger and as soon as everyone unloaded (70+ people) the crew loaded our bikes. We were there to help get the bikes up in order to protect the stays. It was much easier to load as this boat had a rear gate so it was a straight shot. We walked around the island which is only 5 miles long, but the paved part is much less. We went to the beach, but the mosquitos were bad there so we didn't stay. We spent most of the time at the dock waiting for the boat. At Crisfield the passengers unloaded and most got on a bus and left. We, of course, were the last. We found a store on the way out of town. It was an OK store, but expensive for the items we buy. Except for bananas which were only 39¢ per pound. Fortunately, one of the crew on the boat told us how to get to the state park. We probably would have found it anyway, but it was much easier knowing to turn at the McDonalds. We got to the S.P. around 6:15. Just as we got to the office the ranger rode up on a bike. We got a lovely site for $12.50 (half price because Shirley is 62). We got set up and had dinner just before a lovely sunset. Actually much prettier after the sun set. Unfortunately, there are mosquitos here. Not real bad, but enough. Fortunately, it is cool enough to wear long clothes. Shirley got in the tent after dark and I will probably join her before too long. On the way to Crisfield on the boat Shirley was sitting in a chair with her foot against a wall when she fell asleep and almost fell over backwards. We were both drowsy from our 4 hour wait.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009	Day 16	33.6 - 688.3

Pocomoke S. F.	Milburn Landing C.G.	$10.00 - $293.77

We didn't get up till after 7:30 today since we didn't have far to go. There were still mosquitos. The tent pad is sand so the bottom of the ground cloth was wet and sandy. The rest of the tent was dry as it has been most mornings that it hasn't rained. We let it dry before rolling it up. Today was another pleasant ride on calm roads. We got to the town of Pocomoke before noon and stopped in an info museum to ask about a post office, library, hardware store and grocery. The woman knew where all were. First we hit the P.O. so Shirley could mail some stuff home. I might have mailed some stuff too if she hadn't told me this morning after everything was packed that she was stopping at a P.O. Next was the library and email We had 32 messages about 5 of which were spam and several were emails that would have been read at home about trips, etc. but were just deleted here. Shirley sent a trip report but forgot to contact the folks from Warm Showers that we hope to stay with next week. We only had 1/2 hour and Shirley is not super efficient. We had 298 spam messages. Shirley also had an email about her government retirement which she missed until I pointed it out to her with about 5 minutes to go. Next was a stop at Lowes so Shirley could buy some plastic tubing for her hydration since the old tube was getting gunky. We missed the entrance to Lowes and had to take our bikes down an embankment and across a 6" wide mud strip. No problem. Walmart was just across the road from the entrance to Lowes so we stopped in for more food, probably a lot more than we need. I also bought some no glue patches since that was all they had and a bottle of chain lube. Finally, around 1:30 it was off to our campground where we will spend 2 nights before heading to our one on Friday where we will spend 3 nights over Memorial Day. When we got to our C.G. it said pick any non-reserved site. Of course, all sites said reserved since they are starting Friday. We had to call the office to find out which sites were available tonight and tomorrow. There is one other tent and a couple in a cabin. Unfortunately, there is also a group in the group site, who right now is quite noisy. Hopefully they will obey the quiet hours. The couple in the cabin was smoking up the CG with their fire when we arrived and now the other tenters are. Shirley cleaned her bike, oiled the chain, and used a scrubbie under the brakes to clean the rim (a tip from Dan at Full Circle before we left). I oiled my chain and cleaned my rims also. After showers it was time to eat already. I cooked at one site and we at another because Shirley thought the mosquitos were better. Later we took a walk to the boat dock and then the fishing pier. There are lots of blooming trees (laurel perhaps) that are quite pretty. There are a lot of chicken farms along the roads. As we passed one a truck carrying what we thought was dirt was pulling out. It turned out to be chicken manure and dust. He left quite a cloud as he drove down the road.

Thursday, May 21, 2009	Day 17	0 - 688.3

Pocomoke S.F.	Milburn Landing C.G.	$10.00 - $303.77

Today started off pretty nice as we had a beautiful sunny morning and ended pretty poorly as I eneed up in the emergency room. We didn't get up until 7:30 and had a leisurely breakfast. I even had coffee when the woman camped down the way asked if we wanted coffee. She had an electric coffee maker plugged in in the men's restroom. There were probably a couple cups left. After reading a while I went to the bathroom and noticed the pot still plugged in. I turned it off and unplugged it and took it to their site just as the ranger was arriving to do some work. I read some more and then went to the bathroom again. I then apparently passed out, hitting my tail bone, the back of my head, and twisting my neck. The next thing I remember I'm in the emergency room at about 4:30. Shirley says I came back to camp and kept repeating myself and had a cut on the back of my head. She got the ranger and they eventually decided to call 911. An ambulance came and took us to the hospital. I remember none of that until about 4:30. At some level maybe I understood what was going on because I didn't seem surprised when Shirley told me what happened. She said I had been awake the whole time but kept asking the same questions, yet knew my name, etc. I think I still missed a lot as time went by very fast. Though after a certain point I remember everything that happened, but it seems like more of a dream. We finally got out around 7:30 and the hospital gave us a voucher to take a cab to the bus transfer center for a bus that supposedly would leave at 9:30 and probably take us to our CG some 25-30 miles away. When the bus arrived the driver knew nothing about the CG. While waiting we had gone to a gas station across the street to get some sub sandwiches. I had 2 meatball subs and Shirley had a chicken wrap. Mine were very messy. We talked to another driver and he finally called the CG ranger who had given Shirley his number. He said he would pick us up in about 45 minutes. We got back to our site after 11:00 and Shirley had to make out a statement. By the time we went to bed it was 11:30. My neck, elbow, and tail bone were quite sore.

Friday, May 22, 2009	Day 18	45.0 - 733.3

Laurel, DE	Trap Pond S.P.	$21.00 - $324.77

I couldn't sleep on my back last night because it hurt my tail bone and the back of my head. Laying on my side was hard because it hurt my neck. Still I slept good for several hours. We got up about 6:30 and were off at 7:50. There were some mosquitos when we got up and it was pleasantly warm. I started riding in a light long sleeve and very quickly felt over dressed. Fortunately, riding doesn't hurt my tail bone, but it does bother my neck. Good thing we had a relatively short and easy day. We had very quiet roads until the last block or two to the Food Lion in Salisbury. We probably bought too much food, but we are at Trap Bond for three days. We had a couple slightly busy roads going out of town. By the time we got to the CG around 1:30 my neck was ready to be there. Our site is one reserved before leaving home and is a walk in tent site. It is quite lovely. We had trouble finding the CG because when we got to the park we went into the main entrance which led only to a picnic area. Either there was no sign or we missed it indicating the CG was down the road. With our reservations, registration took about 15 seconds. Setting up the tent took a lot longer as there were holly leaves which have sharp spines which poke holes in the ground cloth and tent, so we had to rake a spot clear with sticks. I then ate while Shirley went back to get a map of the park. There are mosquitos. Not real bad, but annoying. After eating we found some tables by the pond out in the wind. While sitting there a guy came down by the water and pushed an 18 foot dead tree over. The top 3 feet broke off and he carried it back to camp. A little later he came back with a battery powered saw and cut the remaining part into pieces he could carry. The motorized sections of camp are a lot noisier (so far at least) than our walk in area. Another older guy sitting on the bank saw something he didn't like and was throwing sticks at it to kill it. I'm not sure if he succeeded or not. One of our neighbors built their fire in the middle of their camp and not in the fire ring. This is the warmest night so far.

Saturday, May 23, 2009	Day 19	0 - 733.3

Laurel, DE	Trap Pond S.P.	$21.00 -345.77

I was feeling really tired yesterday afternoon and evening. I finally went to bed at 8:00. Much to my surprise Shirley did too. It was quite warm and we didn't use the fly. I slept very good until about 7:00 this morning. I probably would have stayed in bed longer, but Shirley got up. After breakfast we went back over to the breezy tables by the pond. Our g\quiet couple neighbor left this morning. In their place we now have a family with kids. Our other neighbor has added a second family it seems. We sat and read till around noon. The little dock is very busy with fisher people. In the afternoon we went for a hike/walk. We thought about playing some frisbee golf until we found out you had to buy the frisbee for up to $30. We did a loop trail at Cypress Point which was good until the mosquitos got to Shirley. Then all we could do is hurry back. We than walked around the lake which is 4.5 miles. The first half was open and breezy, but then we went into the trees so Shirley had to "suit up" for the mosquitos. The pace got faster and faster. I finally just let Shirley go at the end. Before going for our walks I took the bandage off my head and will put it back on for bed. Shirley put some antiseptic cream on the wound. We got back to our table by the pond around 3:00. I read until 4:30 and then went back to camp for our shower stuff and showered and shaved. Shirley then took a shower. I finished my second book of the trip and started the next one. My neck is much better today, but is still sore to the touch and hurts if I move it too far, but I pretty much have full range of motion. I can also sit on my tail bone with just a little discomfort. My elbow is still sore. We went back to camp for dinner, but came back to the table by the lake afterwards. It cooled off quite a bit by 7:30.

Sunday, May 24, 2009	Day 20	0 - 733.3

Laurel, DE	Trap Pond S.P.	$21.00 - $366.77

We managed to stay up till 9:30 last night and got up at 7:30 this morning. I slept quite soundly last night except for the last 1-1.5 hours. My bandage came off a couple times and it may be history as far as I'm concerned. After breakfast we retired to "our" table by the lake. Around 10:30 we decided to go rent kayaks. First we went back to camp and put the fly on the tent since it was cloudy. At the rental place we had lunch before getting a boat. We tried first for a 2 person kayak, but they were all out so we got 2 singles at $8.00/hour each. We paid for 1 hour. The trip was interesting, more so as we went down the lake where there were lots more cypress trees and lilies. We saw several large turtles, a crane which caught a fish while we watched, and a small fawn lying on the shore. We would have missed the fawn if another person hadn't pointed it out. It was 50 minutes into our hour when we started back so we took our time and took 2 hours. Surprisingly we weren't charged for the extra hour. My boat had 4 holes in it by design and had about an inch of water in it. Fortunately, there were ridges that stuck up out of the water so my feet stayed dry. About half way through our time Shirley pointed out I had drip guards on my paddle and they were in very close. By then my legs were sort of wet. We had another snack before returning to camp and then to the table by the lake. As we were walking back to camp several boats were docked and folks were getting out with bags of fish to be weighted for some sort of contest. Some of the fish were fairly good size.

Monday, May 25, 2009 (Memorial Day)	Day 21	46.8 - 780.1

Lewes, DE	Cape Henlopen S.P.	$28.80 - $395.57

We managed to stay up to 9:30 last night. Our neighbors were a bit noisy till then, but quieted down pretty quickly. At least that's what Shirley says as I went to sleep pretty quick. We were up before 6:30 and ff at 7:30 in shorts and short sleeves. We did stop to try to call the ferry to Cape May, but it was too early. By the time we actually left it was 7:40. We took a bike path out of the C.G. and when we came to a road at a church we turned right since the church was on Shirley's map. After a couple miles we began to think we went the wrong way. We asked a jogger and he knew just enough to tell us we were wrong. We hadn't come out quite where we thought. After 1/10 mile the other way from the church we got on the road we wanted. We had nice quiet roads. After a little while our road curved right and after a mile we realized we wanted the side road back at the curve when our road crossed a Hwy it wasn't supposed to. So once again we backtracked. The bad part about this one was we had to pass a little yapping dog that chased us again. The owner was out this time, but did very little to control it. Eventually we got to a slightly busier road 24A where there were no alternatives. It wasn't too bad and we were on a somewhat busy road for 12-15 miles. When we got close to our goal we came to a major food store. We ended up spending nearly $62. I do have breakfast and dinner for several days, but I will need lunch stuff after tomorrow probably. We passed by the ferry on the way to the park and stopped in. No reservations for walk ons and the first ferry is at 9:15 tomorrow. At the CG the attendant told us to find a site and come back. We found a nice site next to one that was reserved. Of course it took a long time to finally decide on that site. It took even longer to register as at first the guy didn't think Shirley's federal "America the Beautiful" pass was the same as the old "Golden Age" card. Finally, though, he got us registered with the 10% discount for a total of $28.80. It was clouding up by this time, but Shirley needed to eat. We had a few drops before setting up the tent. It was then off to the beach. We walked through Ft. Miles on the way, a WWII defense station. At the beach there were porpoise or something playing in the water. There were also dark clouds moving in. We finally decided we better head back to camp. We had just turned around when the lifeguard starting telling everyone to get off the beach. We walked down the beach to the car access which was closer to camp. It started raining about 1/2 mile from camp, but not very hard, although it got harder as we got closer. We made it to camp before it really started raining. Our neighbors arrived while we were gone. It's a young couple who are with the folks next to them. They are cooking at the other site. It rained maybe 1/2 hour, just long enough to get everything wet. The guy at the booth said there was a 30% chance of showers through Thursday. It stopped raining long enough to cook then started sprinkling lightly so we ate under the eaves of the bath house. It sprinkled off and on. We got everything cleaned and put away when it started raining again so it was back in the tent about 6:15.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009	Day 22	18.3 - 798.4

Cape May Courthouse, NJ	Hyland Motor Inn	$65.00 - 460.57

Not an especially good day today. It rained off and on all night and was raining lightly when we decided around 7:30 to get up and go to the ferry. We skipped breakfast and packed our very wet tent. By the time we got our tickets we probably only had 15 minutes to wait. We loaded first. It took us a little while to figure out where to put our bikes. There were bike racks on the floor between columns that one wheel would slip into. We took our BOBs off and put them in one each. I put my back wheel in one and Shirley bungied her bike to a post and I bungied my front wheel so it wouldn't flap. By the time we did all this we were on our way. We went upstairs and ate. I found a Sunday newspaper which we read. Soon we were in Cape May, NJ. The bag I put over my handlebar bag was gone, probably in the bay somewhere. We were the first ones off and went to the terminal to get organized. I noticed my mirror was gone also. It did fall off a few times this trip already. I had a spare. It was still raining as we headed off. Shirley decided she wanted a motel so after 16-19 miles in Cape May courthouse we found a motel for $65. There was a lot of traffic so far, but the roads all had wide shoulders. Shirley was glad to learn we had a laundry so we have clean clothes again. I finally went to the library to trade in a book and check email. Shirley had a message about her government retirement so I came back to the room to get her instead of wandering around as planned. I went back to the library with her, stopping at a bike shop along the way for a patch kit and a couple of tubes. After Shirley looked at email we went to a store and then back to the room. Shirley wore her bike shoes and went click, click, click the whole way which annoys the hell out of me. Between the traffic, getting a motel, and the not getting my walk alone I feel bummed out. At least Shirley probably feels better. It stopped raining in mid afternoon and we could be drying our tent instead of being cooped up in a room.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009	Day 23	70.9-869.3

4 Miles north of Chatsworth, NJ	Brendan T. Byrnes S.F.	$20.00 - $480.57

It was after 6:30 when we got up to a foggy morning. Not enough to hamper seeing, but enough to get glasses wet while riding. Our yogurt we had in the fridge was frozen as was the leftover turkey from last night's dinner. Good thing we had a microwave to thaw out the yogurt. The first few miles were still busy, but once we got on CR50 it slowly quieted down. There was a detour at one point onto a side road that we wondered why the route didn't go on. After 20 miles we stopped at a church in Corbin. A guy working on installing a window offered the use of the toilets. He may have been the minister. By then the fog had lifted. At Egg harbor City we got onto CR563 which was very pleasant. For 20-30 miles it even had a bike lane (shoulder). It gradually became mostly to partly sunny and quite warm. We got to the state forest CG around 4:00. Nothing indicated how much to pay, but a sign says we should put the payment in the provided bag and drop it off at the office when we leave in the morning. It doesn't appear anybody else is camped here, although we have seen a couple of cars, a runner, and two people on bikes. While looking at the map Shirley found a very tiny tick. At the church we stopped at in Corbin City and at a county park we stopped at to eat, the mosquitos and/or gnats were bad. So far camp has been good. A little later we saw a sign that said deer ticks with Lyme disease have been found in the area. Shirley found a second one. They are so small I doubt I will see them. The showers here have a dressing area with a door and the shower area has a shower door. We've also found out the fee is $20. It was on the registration form. The mosquitos finally drove me into the tent around 8:15. Shirley had gotten in earlier.

Thursday, May 28, 2009	Day 24	44.8 - 914.1

Hightstown, NJ	Rick and Karen Cathers House	Free - $480.57

I tried to stay awake to at least 9:00 last night, but couldn't make it. I finally gave up at 8:45. We got up around 6:30. For hours before we could hear the trees dripping from dew. Fortunately we had managed to set up not under a tree so the tent was almost dry. When we left our route took us past the office. I went in to pay, but no one noticed me so I put our envelope in the key drop box. Shirley called the Cathers so we could get directions, but I had to talk to Rick since Shirley figured I would understand them better. I then had to go back inside to ask which road was the one we wanted. We found our way and just as we left the office it started misting. Fortunately, it didn't last long and it didn't rain again until well after we arrived at the Cathers. Most of the riding was on semi busy roads with wide shoulders, but some with narrower shoulders. The last 10-12 miles were on nice quiet roads. As we have done in the past we passed some huge mansions. We got to the Cathers around 2:00. He told us he unexpectedly has to go to Phoenix tomorrow and will be leaving about 7:30. He suggested we set up our tent on the deck by the pool or on the grass. The deck would be above the bugs. After some difficulty we finally got it set up and the vestibule is secured using a deck chair and some bungies. We took showers while Rick prepared for his trip. He then had to go pick up his dog from surgery and get Karen from work. It started raining lightly around 4:00. We checked email and once again Shirley has a message about her retirement. She is still trying to find out about her Vista service. There are also 3 cats here which are very friendly. One was a little too friendly while trying to use the computer. I couldn't find my glasses holder thi morning. I usually put it in the tent pocket, but it wasn't there. I have no idea where it is. We took a break on a bridge this morning and kept hearing popping noises. Afterwards we went by Ft. Dix and some ranges and we realized we had been hearing rifles, etc. About 10 miles before the Cathers we passed a roadside tent selling some vegies and baked goods. Shirley bought a bag of 4 cookies for $3 and we got a container of grapes marked down from $2.50 to $1.00. After we paid and started eating them we found out why. Under the top bunch of good grapes were a lot of bad grapes. We left the container and bad grapes.

Friday, May 29, 2009	Day 25	48.3 - 962.4

7 Miles North of Lambertville, NJ	Bulls Island S.P.	$20.00 - $500.57

We stayed up to almost 9:00 talking to the Cathers after they fed us spaghetti for dinner. I pretty much went to bed when we went out to the tent. The outside cat (Methos) nosed around for a while. I got up to pee during the night and had a little trouble navigating the deck and stairs to the house. Fortunately, I didn't fall in the pool. About the time I needed to pee again it started raining. The cat spent some time inside our back vestibule. I finally got my cup and went into the front vestibule and peed into the cup so I could get some sleep. About 6:15 when we wanted to get up it quit raining and we got our stuff transferred to the garage. Then it started raining again. At the next break we took down the tent, although we may as well have taken it down in the rain since everything got wet from the fly. We ate our cereal dry since we never made it to the store yesterday for milk or yogurt. Karen had hot water for tea which Shirley took advantage of. We talked to Rick and Karen until about 8:15 when we left. They decided they were leaving around 8:30. Rick gave us directions on how to get back on route. The first few miles of the route were too busy as well as most of the climb over to the covered bridge loop. The covered bridge loop itself was nice although the covered bridge was nothing special. The road from there to the Delaware River (Lower Creek Road) was along a creek and very pleasant. About 10-12 miles into the ride we stopped at a large store for more breakfast. I had a muffin, banana, and milk. When Shirley went back in to pee I cleaned my sunglasses and the left lens fell out. I got my screw driver out, but the screw wouldn't turn. I managed to pop the lens back in with difficulty. Since we were in a shopping center I asked about an optometrist and luckily there was one. First the lady said she couldn't guarantee the frames wouldn't break and then asked if I minded is she put a screw and nut on. When I got them back clean and in shape I could see better than I could for a while. When we got to the S.P. the office was closed and once we found it, the entrance to the CG was gated which wasn't a problem for us. There were cars and people in the CG. At least half the sites were reserved. Shirley picked a site, but just before we started to unload Shirley noticed the site across from us said Troop 955. We went looking elsewhere and found a walk in site right on the river. One guy told Shirley he didn't see why you couldn't drive your car to the site. She told him it wouldn't be a walk in site. He complained there weren't any others, but we saw several in the other loop. Then two guys showed up, one wearing a suit which he quickly changed out of. They hauled a lot of stuff to the camp including 3 lanterns. The folks next to them also have a ton of stuff. The showers were a little strange in that there was a door to the dressing area and a door between the shower and the dressing area. There was a timer for the shower on the wall on the outside of the outside door. The shower was not cold, but not very warm either. Later we walked across a footbridge over the Delaware River. It showered a few times up to about 8:30, but nothing serious. We got into the tent around 8:45 as something was biting our ankles. There are also ticks here. I felt something on my neck and as I flicked it off I decided it was a tick. This was our hilliest day so far. We actually used our low range going up and had some nice downhills.

Saturday, May 30, 2009	Day 26	56.4 - 1018.8

Mt. Bethel PA	Driftstone on the Delaware CG	$23.00 - $523.57

I managed to stay up to about 9:45 last night. We awoke to a clear blue sky but a wet tent. As we were packing the ranger came by to put a reserved sign on our post. She asked if we were coming to the office to pay. It was around 8:30 when we headed out. We had a lot of quiet riding today, mostly on River Road. We paid a price for the road, though, in the form of hills. Lots of short but very steep hills. Out of camp we took the foot bridge to PA. A sign said to walk bicycles, but we rode. Just as Shirley got to the far side a guy in a passing truck yelled "Walk your bicycle". When we came back to NJ at French Town we rode across the bridge and then noticed on this side a sign that said no bicycles. We were supposed to have walked them on the sidewalk. We crossed back over to PA at Belvedere and again a sign said "Walk Bicycles". As we started across an official came out of as shack. I asked why we had to walk and he said because of pedestrians. I told him I didn't see any pedestrians, but we walked anyway. At about 30 miles we stopped for food in Phillipsburg. We found a small store, but without going in we asked about a larger store and were directed up a steep hill and to a busy road. We had trouble finding the store and spent probably a half hour getting to it. After we got there, it was OK, but not spectacular. We should have checked out the first store. We did get good directions on how to easily get back on route. My allergies really acted up again today, the first time for about a week. I finally had to take a pill. We also saw several groups of day riders today. We were planning on going to Worthington S.P., but pulled up at 3:45 at a private CG. We thought it would cost $35 but they had a bike rate of $9.50 for non-electric and $11.50 for electric sites per person. We took the electric site since it was on the water, farther from the road, and next to another biker who has cycled from California to Florida to here in 3.5 months. We talked to him for quite a long time. He mostly lives in SE Asia, has never owned a house, and did a New Zealand trip in 2003 with Wayne and Sue. He was pretty interesting. At 9:00 he told us the office had 25 cent and 35 cent ice cream. I had a small ice cream sandwich for .35, but Shirley had already brushed her teeth and didn't have any.

Sunday, May 31, 2009	Day 27	47.6 - 1066.4

Dingman's Ferry PA	Dingman's CG	$18.50 - $542.07

Between talking to Allen and writing in my diary and a little reading it was after 10:00 before we went to bed last night. We got up around 6:40 and Allen was already packing. He headed out before we did. Not for from camp (about 1.5 miles) a car passed us going quite fast on a road where most cars weren't. He went around a curve and we heard a bang. When we got there, there were car parts strewn along the road and 2 smashed cars. The people were just getting out of the cars. Both cars were smashed on the passenger side so we guess one car was parked on the wrong side and was getting back on the road when the speeding car came around the corner. The couple in the car seemed shaken, but OK. The guy in the speeding car looked like he may have hurt an arm or a leg and we sat him back down in his car. We stayed around for quite a while before deciding to leave. About a mile up the road we saw the police heading toward the wreck. Both cars were totally undriveable. For the first few miles the road was pretty gentle with a few little hills. We crossed back into NJ at Delaware Water Gap across the I80 bridge which is also the AT route. We were supposed to walk the bikes, but it was 1 to 1.5 miles so we rode. Then the hills began. In the Worthington State Forest the road was in bad shape with huge potholes. The visibility was poor due to the shade, so after struggling up the hills we couldn't enjoy the downhills. There were some relatively flat stretches between the hills. There was a country store at Layton which was mostly a restaurant. We managed to get some milk there, but that was about it. There was a couple eating lunch at an outside table who were from Dingman's Ferry about 2.5 miles away. It would have been nice except for the noisy motorcycles and other traffic. After some debate we headed to Dingman's Ferry to camp. It was an easy up and over. The bridge over the Delaware is supposedly the only remaining privately owned toll bridge. Bikes are free, cars are .50. The CG was about 1 mile down a fairly busy road with a narrow shoulder. We got the campsite for half price due to Shirley's age. It was still $18.50. There were some dark clouds floating around but they would come and go real quick. After setting up camp we rode back along busy 209 to go see Dingman's Falls. It was then about a mile to the falls parking lot. There was a boardwalk track of 1/4 to 1/2 mile to the falls. It also passed a narrower, but pretty Silver Thread Falls. There were a lot of people at the falls including 2 couples we had seen at Millbrook much earlier in the day. The falls (actually a cascade) was very impressive. We took the stairs to the top as well. The stairs were interesting, but the view from the top wasn't all that good. Back at camp it was showers and then dinner. Before we went to the falls we also hung our food. The limb it is on was a bit high and it must have taken at least 10 throws to get it over. Once we did it is the best bear proof hanging we have ever done. We were given a choice of a forest site or a river front site. We chose river even though it was downhill. Then we decided we liked a different site better so I rode back up to the office (minus BOB) to change sites. For some reason my tail bone hurt every time I threw the bear hanging cord. That's the only thing that still bothers me from when I passed out. My left elbow is still a little sore if I press on it right, but my tail bone bothers me whenever I sit in the tent to lay down.

Monday, June 1, 2009	Day 28	46.7 - 1113.1

Otisville NY	Otisville CG	$20.00 - $562.07

I was really tired last night and barely managed to stay up to 8:45. I think it's due to my allergies acting up again. I took a Claritin in the morning and another after dinner because I was still bothered. I think the double dose made me sleepy although they aren't supposed to. Shirley said a family moved in next to us very noisily and the kids, including a teenage girl kept coming over to our site with their flashlights. I missed it all. It felt cold this morning and there was lots of dew. We got up going on 7:00 and left a little after 8:00. Once we crossed back into NJ we had a nice quiet road to Port Jervis NY. We stopped at a CG about 1 mile from Port Jervis and asked if we could leave our trailers there while we rode to the high point of NJ. They were very nice and cheerfully said yes. We didn't have much lunch stuff so we each bought a small package of cookies. We had to go into NY and then back into NJ to get to Hwy 23 to the high point. The short stretch on the edge of Port Jervis was busy with a terrible shoulder. Once we got back into NJ we had good road to the high point. We were glad we didn't have BOB for the 1000+ foot climb to the top. There was a monument like the Washington Monument in DC on top. It was maybe 100 feet tall and actually looked kind of nice. Then it was back to the CG via NY to pick up our BOBs. We asked about a grocery and there was one where we had just been so it was back to NY and then NJ via the traffic and bad shoulder with BOB. It was probably less than a mile out of our way. The store was a Shop Rite and was very good. We ended up buying a lot of stuff and spending $51. We bought a large Focaccia bread and ate part of it at the store. We also got peaches for .99 a pound. I almost forgot, just as we were leaving the high point I had flat. Actually, it went flat while we were walking around. After the store it was back to NY and onto our route. The roads were flatter, but more traffic than the last few days. On our way to Otisville we were going to do a jog up and back down as per our map. Afer we had passed a road that would have been shorter I saw a big orange sign that said "Route 61 detour". Route 61 was the road we were going to come back south on. I yelled at Shirley to stop. She hadn't seen the sign. She's been missing a lot of signs and other things this trip. We cam back to the other road and followed the 61 detour route. After climbing for a couple miles we came to the spot where 61 came back in. The shorter route wasn't bad and didn't do any extra climbing. We planed to camp at Otisville. Shirley was in the lead and failed to notice we were supposed turn off of 21 before the CG. We finally stopped to ask and were given directions back the way we came. We had to ask twice more before we actually got back on route which was not expected and found the CG. I think I misinterpreted the directions originally. The guy at the CG may well have been in his 90's and moves very slowly. It's a funky place that is past its prime and is mainly people living in trailers, although our spot is nice. He showed us a shortcut for tomorrow which he says is quiet and mostly downhill. It looks good on the map. It was cold this morning and it took 6 miles before my hands were warm again. I was then able to get into shorts and a light long sleeve, but just barely. It did finally get pretty nice, though. My allergies are better today and I haven't taken any pills. So far there are only a few mosquitos here.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009	Day 29	60.1 - 1173.2

Staatsburg, NY	LW Norris S.P.	Free - $562.07

Around 5:00 this morning it started raining lightly. We were quite sorry to hear the little pit-a-pat. When we finally got up at 6:40 it had quit raining and we were surprised to find the table dry. It hadn't rained very much at all. We took the CG owner's advice on the route and it was a very pleasant way to go. We had pretty good roads until we reached St. Paltz around noon. Going through town was uphill from a river on a steep narrow road with a bad or no shoulder. It finally leveled out but there was still a lot of traffic. We finally decided to go grocery shopping and let the lunch hour crowd disappear. It was a little better when we came back out and then we got a shoulder. We had some more quiet road until we got to Poughkeepsie. We had to cross the Delaware River on a walkway fortunately. Just as we got to the bridge we met an old buy on a bike who volunteered to lead us through Poughkeepsie. He agreed with the Adventure Cycling route. He also showed us where there were speakers and buttons to push to hear Bridge Music which is music created by banging on various parts of the bridge. If you like percussion music it was quite good. Apparently you can buy a CD of the music. The guy led us through Poughkeepsie by riding ahead to the next turn and waiting for us. Sometimes he had to wait a while as we obeyed traffic lights and a school bus stops. He bid us goodbye as we got to the road that led to Hwy 9. Riding along 9 wasn't pleasant even though there was a good shoulder. There was just too much traffic. It was only 9 miles, but it seemed longer. At about 12 miles today we had to take a detour when the road we were on was closed due to a house fire. Fortunately, it was only about 3 miles. The water from last night's CG tasted terrible so when we took a break at a church and a guy was there we asked for water. He found a half gallon of water in a milk bottle and gave it to us. We weren't quite sure where our state park was and it turned out to be just as we turned off Hwy 9. The CG was about 2 miles in on a very good road and the road in the CG was very rocky as were many of the sites. We finally found a flat one with leaves instead of dirt. Unfortunately, after dinner some folks across the way came back and started playing loud music and talking loud. At 7:00 we decided to move. It took s an hour to find a new site and move. It's not as nice and might be quite wet if it rains. It also has more mosquitos. But, it is quieter. We saw a lone cyclist come in without much stuff. Today I didn't get anything in my eyes and my allergies were good. The two seem to go together. It was much warmer today and I was never cold. We had a few sprinkles during the first 20 miles and then it began clearing and eventually became sunny. Our leader through Poughkeepsie said it is supposed to rain tomorrow. Along 9 we passed the FDR library and the Vanderbilt Estate.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009	Day 30	46.5 - 1219.7

Copake Falls, NY	Taconic S.P. - Rudd Pond CG	$17.75 - 579.82

Shortly after we went to bed last night we heard the trash can lids by our site crash to the ground and something rooting in the trash. We assumed bear, but couldn't really see. During the night I heard a couple other bangs further away. When we got up at 6:15 the trash can was not turned over and only a little trash was pulled out so it probably wasn't a bear. No one ever came around last night to collect a fee and no one had come around by the time we left so camping was free. In fact we made .60 since I found that at our original site. It was fairly warm and I started in just a light long sleeve. About a mile from camp I decided to pump up my front tire. Instead, I broke the valve stem so I had to change tubes. It was a beautiful sunny morning and in another mile I had to take my long sleeves off. It was then back onto 19 for another 9 miles or so. We went through a small town after turning off 9 and had a little less traffic. We were supposed to turn on a cutoff road to 19W, but it was closed due to bridge replacement. We had to ride on 19W an additional .8 miles. That doesn't sound like much, but the riding was terrible. Fast cars and crumbly road with even worse shoulder whenever a few inches existed. After 1.8 miles we turned onto a quieter, but hilly road. We had a choice of 45 miles or 70 miles and chose the 45 since it was so hilly. It started clouding up around 9:30 and by 11:00 we were sure it was going to rain. As we climbed a long hill about 10 miles from the CG I could see the rain in the hills behind us. We had stopped in the previous town for food and tried to use the library, but it was closed until 7:00 PM. We got a few drops of rain as we climbed and climbed and climbed. Finally it was downhill to Hwy 22. With only about 4 miles to camp it started raining lightly. There were two more short steep hills before we reached the CG. I asked if we could set up before it rained any harder and the young new ranger said no. She said we could go select a site and come back to register. There were platform sites for $18 and ground sites for $15. We imagined a tent pad for the platform sites, but it was actually more like a deck built on a hill. Shirley wanted one but in the rain it would have been impractical since we couln't get our flg on tight enough. We finally selected a ground site and I went back to pay. The girl had trouble getting us registered and finally told me we could set up and come back later. We set the tent up under a tree where it ws still dry and then moved it to where we wanted it. We then went back to the playground and bathhouse to sit under cover. We ended up in a common area between the mens and womens changing rooms. After eating I went to pay which went very well this time. She even had our addresses from our phone number although it said Laevenworth WV instead of Leavenworth WA. Who knows where it came from. I then found a covered picnic table outside the bath house facing the pond. At the store I thought I was getting yogurt that cost $2.19, but when I was looking at the receipt I saw the yogurt was $4.19. Indeed on the lid was a $4.19 price tag. After we sat at the covered table for a while Shirley went to ask if the recreation room could be unlocked for us. She met the ranger (rather than the check in girl) at the office and he said sure, at least until dark. At 7:00 we finally went to cook and eat dinner. It had stopped raining and looked like it was clearing. It clouded back up but didn't rain. Shirley decided we should put our food in the restroom rather than hang it. Then it was back to the recreation room. My allergies were bad again today. We passed a lot of grass mowed on the side of the road which started it. I took a pill around 9:30 and by afternoon I was better. The grass was being cut in the CG when we arrived, but it was raining and held it down.

Thursday, June 4, 2009	Day 31	38.3 - 1258.0

5 Miles North of New Hartford, NJ	American Legion S.F. - Austin Hawes CG	$21.00 - $600.82

It didn't rain any more last night and we awoke to a cloudy, cool day. We left around 7:40 in tights and light long sleeves. After about 1.5 miles and going up the first steep hill we were down to shorts and short sleeves. The sun was also coming out by then and before long it was a beautiful day, but remained cool in the shade till late afternoon. We took a short cut back to the route which involved a steep .8 miles and then a good downhill to US 44. We were in Connecticut by the time we reached it. We followed 44 for most of the day and almost always had a good shoulder, although the width varied. Traffic was heavy at Canaan and then between there and Norfolk it was better. There was a long steep climb to Norfolk, but it was only really steep right into town. We came upon the library in a lovely old building and stopped for the internet. To our surprise Shirley had a government check of $630 deposited in our account. She is still trying to settle her Vista service credit, though. After a little more uphill we had a nice downhill to Winsted. Since it was already 1:00 and it was another 35 miles to the next camp ground we decided we would stay in the CG another 5-6 miles away. It was still mostly down or flat to the creek the CG is on. We did some laundry before setting up camp. We got a site that is available for 2 nights since it is supposed to rain tomorrow, and if it is raining in the morning we may stay put. Our site is huge, but the bear rope hanging is minimal. I tried a couple of dead limbs but they didn't seem sturdy enough. I then tried a live limb that was much higher and almost over the table. It took at least 10 throws to get it over in an appropriate location. It still isn't perfect, but hopefully good enough for the bear that has recently been spotted in camp. My allergies were good today. We also didn't pass any roadside mowing and very little home mowing. The CG has really large and spread out sites. It only has 30 sites, but in most CGs this size there probably would be 60-80. The mosquitos aren't bad either. There are some, but either they don't make me itch or they aren't biting much. Shirley, though, is in the tent. On one of the good downhills today when we were coasting 35-40 MPH we passed a sign that said "DO NOT COAST". If I hadn't been coasting so fast I would have stopped for a picture. I hurt my knee a bit tonight kneeling down to cook on the ground so Shirley wouldn't smell the stove.

Friday, June 5, 2009	Day 32	34.1 - 1292.1

Windsor Locks, CT	Motel 6	$46.36 - $647.18

I was ready to get up at 5:45 since I figured we should get going early to make sure we beat the rain. Shirley, however, wasn't ready to get up until 6:30. It was cloudy and cool enough I put my hat and gloves on. When we left at 7:40 I wore my heavy shirt, tights, and gloves. It felt good for the first couple downhill miles. Then we hit a steep uphill and before long I was down to just a light long sleeve. We mostly had semi busy roads with a shoulder. One of the best roads was where we somehow missed a turn and had an extra 5-6 miles and perhaps an extra uphill. However, the road was very quiet. We got into Windsor Locks with just a few drops of rain. We came upon motel row on a 4 lane road with no shoulder. At first all we saw were expensive motels. Then Shirley spotted a Motel 6. We got a room for $46. It's a handicap room and is very basic with no fridge or microwave. There were a few drops of rain as we entered the room. After eating we headed to the store 2.5 miles away as a light rain fell. The road wasn't quite wet when we got back, but shortly afterward everything was wet, although it hasn't rained real hard yet. We are right next to the airport sw we do have jets going overhead. We each had a tub of pudding. Shirley did the laundry. Our extra miles today included a 4 mile downhill which was quite chilly. We then had an additional 2-3 miles once we got back on route. We stopped for a snack at a senior housing complex and I was quite chilly. As we left a bank sign said it was 68º. It was the coldest 68º I ever felt if it was correct. By the time we reached Windsor Locks I had finally warmed up and a bank sign there said 67º.

Saturday, June 6, 2009	Day 33	69.7 - 1361.8

5 Mi Nw of Clocester, RI	George Washington S.P.	$20.60 - $667.78

We got an early start this morning since we didn't have to pack up the tent. We were off at 7:00 to a mostly sunny sky. The roads were very quiet and flat and getting out of Windsor Locks was quite pleasant. We had it fairly easy for about 15 miles. We had a snack in Ellington and then the hills really began. There was one that was really steep and several that were just steep. We were on hwy 140 to Stafford Springs and I was wondering if we would make it to RI today. However, traffic wasn't too bad. At Stafford Springs we got onto Hwy 190 and had a lot more traffic and steep hills. Fortunately by the time we reached Union in 10 more miles we were getting more downhill and less steep hills. The last 30 miles were relatively easy. In Quinebaugh I went into a tattoo parlor to ask about a store. The guy said there was a little convenience store about 500 feet down the wrong way or a bigger store 2-3 miles down the Adventure Cycling Route (he didn't use those words). We were turning off the AC route, though, to head toward RI so we went to the convenience store. We each got a can of vegies and a large drink (grape for me, orange for Shirley). We went to a church across the road to drink and eat. Our chosen route was pretty easy until an uphill to the turn to our chose CG. We turned onto a dirt road and went about 1/2 mile before Shirley asked a woman if there was a CG. The lady said it was closed so back up the 1/2 mile of dirt. Back on the main road we asked a guy if there was a CG and he told us about George Washington which we already knew about. The good thing was that he said after one more hill it was mostly downhill. We were at 60 miles and figured we had another 10 to go. Just before we reached Hwy 44 Shirley needed food so she had a rice crispy bar. I only had nuts and sunflower seeds left so I had some and felt pretty good. On 44 we only had 2-3 miles to go, but I started feeling really hungry and the last little hill seemed like a mountain. I started feeling really weak and had to stop and dig a Clif Bar out of my BOB bag. I was really shaky and had trouble finding one. The hill was then quite easy. The woman at the entrance gave us a map with available sites circled. We picked one and Shirley went to pay. While she was gone I decided I heard too much traffic noise so we checked out the other sites and went back to re- register. It turns out our new site is only minimally better. We got washed up and then set up the tent. There are no showers and only porta potties. We then had dinner and hung our food and by then it was after 8:00. We walked down to the lake (Bowdish) and watched the sun set. Shirley had planned a loop in RI, but now wants to cut it short and head back to the AC route tomorrow and go into Massachusetts. She is really intent on getting to Quebec by July and home shortly thereafter. We may as well be on vacation from a job and have to be back at a certain time. We were very surprised and pleased how many sites were available on a Saturday night.

Sunday, June 7, 2009	Day 34	20.7 - 1382.5

Manchuag Pond, MA	Old Holbrook Place CG	$25.50 - $693.28

We didn't get up until 7:15 this morning although I was ready to at 6:30. It was very peaceful and comfortable sleeping. We ate our dry cereal, but I had to put some back. It was warm enough when we left for just a light long sleeve, but in camp I had my tights, heavy long sleeves, and hat on. We were off at 8:30 and in 1-2 miles we were in short sleeves. Since it was Sunday Hwy 44 was pretty quiet for the 3 miles we were on it. After that we were on quiet and not very hilly roads. We stopped at Pascoag and Shirley decided she needed something from Dunkin Donuts. I wasn't going to get anything, but Shirley said she wouldn't if I didn't and sounded sort of mad, so I went too. I got a chocolate chip muffin and Shirley got a coffee cake muffin. I didn't think mine was very good and Shirley gave me part of hers which was even worse. I would have preferred a store muffin. We then went to the store and bought dinner and breakfast stuff even though it was only 10:00 since we weren't going very far. When we got to the CG nobody was in the office so we sat in some padded chairs and ate lunch. A car came in just as we were finishing which brought the owner out of the house. She gave us a map of which sites were available. The only problem was the sites weren't numbered and a few that were didn't have anywhere near the number indicated on the map. We finally chose a site and set up and had lunch again before going back to pay. We each got a Klondike bar also. Shirley washed her biking clothes and looked at maps as ususal. We then went to the "beach" and sat on a bench in the shade. Shirley went wading and after I finished my book I did too. Wading was very limited as it got deep quickly so neither of us waded very long. The showers were pay showers which I thought was chintzy since it cost $25 to camp. Around 5:00 it began clouding up and the owner thinks it may rain. By 7:00 it appeared we were the only ones remaining. There are several RVs and a couple cars here, but they seem to live here permanently. About 8:30 the owner came around to empty the trash cans.

Monday, June 8, 2009	Day 35	47.8 - 1430.3

Littleton, MA	Minuteman CG	$38.00 - 731.28

Since we had such an easy day yesterday we were up a little after 6:00 and off around 7:15. Just as the mosquitos were about to drive me into the tent last night it started to rain. It didn't rain very hard or long, but the fly was wet this morning although the table was dry. We started in light long sleeves and shorts. We got back onto the AC route in about a mile and immediately had a lot of traffic. We pretty much had traffic until Westborough at about 20 miles. We found an expensive store in a very fancy looking shopping center. It looked more like a vacation resort. We ended up spending over $59. After Westborough we had some quiet roads. It also got hillier, but none were real leg busters. At one point today I almost felt like I was going to pass out which scares me after my episode just before Memorial Day. After a couple miles I felt OK again. We missed a turn near the end after Adventure Cycling said it was in .4 miles and actually it was .2. Fortunately, it was easy to get back on route. Our CG is 1.2 miles off route on a busy road with a small shoulder. The steepest hill of the day was into the CG. We tried to talk our price of $38 down to something reasonable, but unfortunately we weren't talking to the owner so we didn't have any luck. The showers at least are really good. My knee hurt a bit again today. I think it's still a result of kneeling to cook a couple days ago. Shirley had a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream and some frozen veggies for dinner. I had the normal rice and veggies. I just can't pay $4.50 for a pint of ice cream. Our $38 site is one of the worst we've had mosquito wise and is too close to a busy road. Shirley had dinner in the rec room due to the mosquitos. I made it to after dinner and getting everything organized before I headed to the rec room. Prior to dinner we used the computer provided to campers to check emal and finances. It was frustratingly slow as there is also wifi and I think others may have using it.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009	Day 36	56.0 - 1486.3

Kingston, NH	Country Shore CG	$25.50 - $756.78

It rained a little bit last night, but not enough to even get the tent or table wet. We didn't get up until 6:30 and were off around 7:30. I looked at the weather channel on the TV in the rec room and there was a band of showers moving toward us from the west. Fortunately we got packed, had breakfast and were 6 miles down the road before it started raining, first lightly and then much harder. We had found the rail trail in Ayers, MA just about the time it started dripping. We put our booties and rain pants on under an overpass. A bit farther we stopped to put our rain jackets on when it really started to rain. The rail trail went to Nashua, NH which was about 12 miles west of our route. However, it was nice to be away from traffic while it was raining. We had lunch in Pepperell on a bench with a small roof over it while it poured. Getting through Nashua, a town of 28,000 turned out to be easier than we expected. We just followed the signs to Hwy 111 and Hudson, NH. We mostly had good traffic. We did have to rice/walk a few sidewalks to get by all the entry and exit ramps at the Everett Turnpike, but it wasn't a real problem. Fortunately, it stopped raining as we came into Nashua on the trail and it never rained again. We finally took our rain gear off and rode in shorts and light long sleeves. We made a 1.5 mile detour into Derry for groceries. We had debated getting a motel, but since it stopped raining decided to camp. About the time we left Derry the after school rush had started and we were on a busy road with no shoulder for about 7 miles. Fortunately, traffic slowly improved. We finally decided to go for the middle of 3 CGs we could choose from. Adventure Cycling said it was 3 miles off route on Hwy 125, but it was actually only 1.5. I rode by it since it was on the left side of a 4 lane with a small sign. Shirley fortunately saw it. The CG is far enough off the highway we can't hear it. The office was locked and the caretaker was temporarily gone. A teenager called the owner who had us come to her house which is next to the office. She said all sites have electric, water, sewer, and cable and only 5 are not seasonal and cost $40. She said we could have it for $25. I chose one of the 5, but when we got to them decided on a different one. We got set up immediately in case it rained and then off to the showers. The toilet/shower house is quite small, but when all you have is RVs you don't need a big bath house. The mosquitos are bad, but it is cold enough that long heavy clothes feel good. After dinner we managed to find a limb for hanging our food. There is a new looking laundry room which we decided to sit in. Just as we got there the caretakers were there. They said they would leave it open for us in case the weather got bad. Riding was mostly pretty easy today, partly due to the 10-12 miles on the rail trail. Only 1 or 2 short steep hills, although we did get in low range and even low gear a few times. I don't feel totally wiped out, though. It started raining around 8:00. We did leave the laundry room door unlocked when we went to bed.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009	Day 37	45.3 - 1531.6

Cape Neddick, ME	Hoyt's Motor Court	$59.92 - $816.7

I'm not sure how long it rained last night, but certainly long enough to get everything wet. We got up at 6:50 to cloudy skies, but no rain. We ate breakfast in the laundry room due to a wet table and mosquitos. We got off around 8:10. The roads were dry where there were no trees, but damp otherwise. The road to Exeter had a small shoulder with just enough traffic to be annoying. After that we were on quieter roads. We got a little lost in Rye, NH, although we may have been on route with just the names different. Anyway, after asking a couple people we got back to where we wanted to be. In the middle of getting lost Shirley needed to put tape on her mirror to keep it in place. One bridge we did over a small body of water was a metal deck with a really strange pattern. Our instructions said to walk our bikes. After getting on it and nearly losing control I can see why. The bridge across the Piscatagqua River into Maine had a wooden sidewalk which we did walk across due to pedestrians. We stopped at Ft. McClary for a lunch snack and Shirley actually paid $2.00 ($3.00 each was requested) to walk around and see the remains. A little later we stopped at a bridge in York Harbor and then a small dam and suspension bridge right next to it. As we were getting off our bikes an elderly woman came from the dam. She said someone years ago built the bridge so her friends could visit her instead of driving way around. Shirley asked her about cheap motels and she said this was the most expensive part of Maine. We walked over the dam and bridge to a preserve and then along the water for a little when we came back. We continued on and Shirley decided to check a motel. It was $95.00. Just as we were leaving the woman and her husband pulled in and asked if we were staying there. We said no it was a bit high for us. They offered to drive to a motel (cottages actually) that they had noticed advertising $48 rooms. They gave us directions and told us to wait at the final turn and they would meet us there. We didn't make it to the turn before they came back and they met us a half mile or so before that. Indeed a room for $48 was available. We got to the cottages and for $48 cash we could have a small cottage, for $53 cash we could include a kitchenette. For $3 more we could charge it. I decided on the kitchenette and charge so the total was $59. We went to the convenience store across the road and got a package of noodles and a jar of spaghetti sauce for dinner. Surprisingly we ate it all. Shirley washed her pad when she took her shower tonight. We started out this morning in tights, heavy long sleeves, and gloves. Before long I was overheating on the hills and got down to shorts and light long sleeves. From then on I was off and on cold depending on how much downhill we had, how much wind we had, and how thick the clouds were. We actually rode along the ocean for a while with a very cool breeze. It was along here the motels were expensive.

Thursday, June 11, 2009	Day 38	20.4 - 1552.0

Wells, ME	Bellevue Condominiums	$52.96 - $869.66

It was almost 7:00 when we got up and after 8:00 before we left. We went straight down Hwy 1 instead of going back to Shore Road. As a result we didn't ride along the coast. Shirley missed the fact that we should have turned back toward the coast on Bourne Road after Ogunquit until we got to Wells which is where we should have come back to Hwy 1. After stopping at a large store with the best prices on most things that we have seen for a while, we headed to the ocean for a beach walk. Just as we got there we passed a motel advertising 2 nights for $99. No one was around so we went for a beach walk. We managed to find a rest room when we needed it and then had lunch on a rock jetty. It was cloudy and cool. We went back to the motel around noon and managed to get a room for two nights. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy with showers tonight so a room sounded good. We dried the tent from the rain two nights ago and then went for a ride along the coast road that we missed by being on Hwy 1. To get here we had ridden 9.5 miles and did another 11 this afternoon without BOB. We went back to the store for food we could either not cook or cook in our microwave. We ended up with a roast turkey breast that was warm. Enough is left over for tomorrow too. We have a very nice room with sofa, TV, kitchen, microwave, toaster oven, fridge, closet and a couple other pieces of furniture. It's not ideal for the bikes, but it works. About 6:00 we went for another walk on the beach wearing hat and rain coat for warmth. Then it was back to the room around 7:30.

Friday, June 12, 2009	Day 39	0 - 1552.0

Wells, ME	Bellevue Condominiums	$52.97 - $922.63

Not much to say about today. It rained during the night and this morning and we felt good about being inside. By 10:00 it had quit raining and we went for a walk on the beach as it was low tide. When we came back to the room it was partially sunny. I walked to the library which was a bit farther than I thought. No new email. Shirley wanted me to buy her some more eye drops. I checked 3 places and the cheapest was the grocery store. I bought shoe laces yesterday, or so I thought, but when we got back to the room they weren't there and they weren't on the receipt, so I bought some today. We went to sit on the benches by the ocean, but Shirley got cold and went back to the room. I felt comfortable. We ate dinner at 5:00 and then Shirley worked on her brakes which have been squeaking badly. She cleaned the pads with sand paper and the rims with a scrubbie and they were quiet afterwards. Hopefully they will stay that way. We took one more walk on the beach at 7:00.

Saturday, June 13, 2009	Day 40	67.5 - 1619.5

E. Brownfield, ME	Woodlands Acres CG	$34.24 - $956.87

We awoke to a glorious sunny day and were off at 7:30 in shorts and short sleeves. Traffic was already heavy on Hwy 1, but there was a shoulder. After we turned off at Kennebunk onto 35 we mostly had a good shoulder and not too much traffic. The main exception being the last 5-7 miles into Standish. We had a few steep hills with little to no shoulder. Shirley got overheated and hungry. We stopped at a little convenience store and had a large drink. I thin went to a real store 1/2 mile away to get bagels and yogurt. I should have gotten some cheese too. When I got back to Shirley she was talking to a cyclist who had started in San Diego in March and did the southern tier and then up the east coast. His trip is ending in 2-3 days. At Standish we got off the Adventure Cycling route and headed northeast toward New Hampshire, which we get to in less than 10 miles tomorrow. At first we were going to go by Lake Sabago, but decided not to since it is a weekend. Our chosen route turned out to be pretty good with shoulders most of the time. It is a scenic byway. We got to the CG before 4:00 and got a site for $32.00 plus tax. It's on the Saco River and is part of a canoe trip place. It is quite sandy, like camping on the beach. Immediately after getting the tent set up Shirley headed for the rec room and the shower. I had trouble finding a food hanging branch. The best one was right over the tent. I finally found one that hopefully will work. With the bugs and heat Shirley is not in a good mood. She probably didn't eat enough today. When she came back from the shower she got in the tent and laid down for a while. I went for a shower and around 5:45 had dinner. Shirley finally came back out a little after 6:30. I knocked most of the scab off the back of my head when I combed my hair today. I forgot all about it until I hit it with the comb. We had a couple very light sprinkles before dark, but not enough to get anything wet.

Sunday, June 14, 2009	Day 41	0 - 1619.5

E. Brownfield, ME	Woodlands Acres CG	$34.24 - $991.11

It started raining last night and was still raining hard this morning. We sat in the tent until 10:00 and then moved to the rec room since we were hungry and had to pee. We stayed in the rec room all day reading and eating. Around 3:00 I finally went over to pay for another day. At 5:00 we went over to the store to get something for dinner. All we ended up with was a dozen eggs. I hard boiled 8 of them and Shirley ate 5. I put the other 4 in my rice and cooked them. I also ate one of the hard boiled eggs. We saved the last 2 for Shirley's breakfast in the morning. After dinner it was back to the rec hall. After about 4:00 it mainly just drizzled or misted. A group of 4 guys used the rest room at one point and made a lot of noise taking showers, etc. After they left and I went to use the toilet I found a bunch of clothes in the corner, a soap dish on the floor, and gravel in all the sinks. Later when I mentioned to a seasonal camper who was doing laundry he said we'd be surprised at what people left, including tents. Shirley said there was underwear in the women's restroom.

Monday, June 15, 2009	Day 42	59.8 - 1679.3

North Woodstock, NH	Meadow Lark Motor Court	$70.20 - $1061.31

I got up around 6:00, forcing Shirley to do likewise, because it hadn't rained all night but was still cloudy. I wanted to get packed and get to the rec room for breakfast. We succeeded. It was fairly warm and I left in shorts and heavy long sleeves. I got down to light long sleeves within 3 miles. It did mist lightly on us. We had quiet roads to Center Conway, NH, then 3 miles of busy road to Conway. We missed the road we wanted and ended up on Hwy 112 and stopped at a NF info center. After talking to the guy we decided to skip trying Mt. Washington since it would involve riding on a busy Hwy 302 and do Hwy 312 which is Adventure Cycling's route. We were told the state has been working on putting shoulders on the road. First, though, we had to backtrack a little over a mile to a store. He sent us to the store on the major roads, but we discovered a way back on a side road that went over a covered bridge. The difference was less than 1/2mile of busy road, but more enjoyable. The first 6 miles of Hwy 112 had no shoulder, but then we got a shoulder. Before getting to Conway we had put our rain booties and pants on, but took them off eventually. We stopped at another covered bridge leading to a ski trail and had lunch on the bridge. It was raining off and on. I had taken my long sleeves off, but put them back on for lunch. We stopped at a couple of scenic areas along the Kancamangus River. We had noticed a lot of motorcycle, an unusual number for a rainy day, and asked a couple guys about it. They said there is an annual rally going on this week in Laconia, NH which is probably about 50 miles from here. They said there is probably 40,000- 50,000 motorcyclists within 140 miles. Bad timing. We stopped at Sabbaday Falls and hiked the .3 miles to the falls. I wanted to eat again, but since it was raining Shirley only wanted a quick snack, so I only had a bar. Shortly after that we started climbing for real. It rained lightly off and on. About 2 miles from the top of the 2855 foot pass we hit a really wet stretch of road. I was thinking we missed a heavy shower. Then about a mile later it started raining and got foggy. On went all the rain gear for the first time. A sign facing the other way said we had just done 1.5 miles of 7 percent. It sure didn't feel that steep. It was another 1-2 miles to the top. I got overheated and finally took my rain coat off since I was fading fast. I barely made it to the scenic overlook. I had to eat immediately. Shirley got cold before I finished and left. I put my coat back on and followed shortly after. The other side said we had 9 percent for 3.5 miles. No way. It would have been a nice downhill in the sun, though. It was still raining when we reached our intended CG. We did a tour of it even though it was raining. It stopped while we were there and were just starting a second lap to pick a site when it started raining again. We decided to ride 5 more miles into Lincoln and get a room. All the motels said resort motel and looked expensive. We finally stopped at a Days Inn because Shirley, for some reason, thinks they are cheap. With an AARP discount we could have had a room fro $110.00, down from $130.00. I asked if there were any Mom and Pop motels and he sent us 3-4 miles south on Hwy 3. Before that we found a set of cottages which we checked out. For $65 ($70 with tax) we got a room with a small kitchenette. We might have done better if we had gone on, but it was going on 5:00 and I was ready to quit. It took a while to get all our wet stuff settled and then Shirley took a shower. Then we had dinner. Now, we have to figure out how to get back on our originally planned route. When we left Conway there was a sign that said something like "Watch for Moose. Many collisions". About 15 miles later a sign said "Moose crossing next 3 miles". Shirley was in front at the time and shortly after the sign a moose stepped out on the road and then went back in. I didn't see the moose, but I did hear it as I passed.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009	Day 43	44.2 - 1723.5

4 Mi. NW Groton, VT	Ricker Pond SP	$18.00 - $1079.31

We didn't get up until 7:00 this morning to a mostly cloudy but dry day. I'm not sure it rained very much after we got to the motel. We were off around 8:25. We weren't sure which way Hwy 112 was which is the way we decided to go finally. From the map we thought it was south. After 1.4 miles we finally found someone to ask and found out it was the other way. It turned out it was 1 mile the other way and was right where we turned south yesterday. It was a very nice road with a shoulder and light traffic. It clouded up as we approached the top of the notch. Shirley decided she needed to clean her brake pads so we did that. The last couple miles were steep and a sign on top said 12 percent. It actually wasn't more than 8 percent. The downhill said 9 percent and it did seem steep. I hit 39.5 MPH before I braked a bit. Then we had several more miles of gentler downhill with a tailwind. When we got to the junction of Hwy 302 we had a lunch on an old abandoned bridge. Hwy 302 had a nice wide shoulder and not near as much traffic as we feared. When we got to Woodsville, the last town before going into Vermont, as we entered town there was a Walmart. We bought $51 worth of groceries. We then headed across the bridge into Vermont. The Hwy continued to have a shoulder and traffic was even lighter. We had a very gradual uphill to Groton where we stopped for another lunch. The shoulder disappeared at the road we turned onto to go to the CG. We entered the CG through an old road which is now a trail. We found a site and after setting the tent up to dry and spreading the ground cloth and fly out I went off to pay. It was a little farther than I expected. We are within sight of the lake and have heard loons and later frogs. The only bad thing is we aren't very far from a cabin that has several mentally challenged adults who are noisy at times. Shirley complained her rear shifter was getting hard to shift so we turned her bike over and tried to drizzle some oil in the housing. I was able to do a good job on the housing right at the derailleur. I also oiled the shifter itself. Later Shirley tested it and said it was much better. Later we talked to the CG host and hostess for a while. They were an interesting couple of around 75. Just before dark we took a little walk and ended up in the lean to section. We saw a lot fewer motorcycles today. Apparently there aren't near as good of loops on this side of Hwy 3 as the other side.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009	Day 44	41.3 - 1764.8

Elmore Lake, VT	Elmore SP	$16.50 - $1095.81

Another lazy morning of not getting up til 7:00. Fortunately, the handicapped folks in the cabin quieted down a little after 9:30 last night and hadn't got going yet this morning. It was cold last night. I zipped my bag most of the way and had my shirts in my bag and my feet got cold. It was probably in the 40's. Fortunately, the sun hit us early. By the time we left at 8:25 we were in shorts and light long sleeves. The road from camp to Hwy 2 was a lot of uphill and then several miles of rough downhill. Lots of frost heaves. We stopped in Marshfield for a snack in the sun on the steps of a permanently closed store. We then continued on a slightly less quiet road to Cabot. It was less quiet because of the Cabot Creamery which is a tourist stop. We stopped and paid our $2 each for the tour. Today they were making low fat jalapeno cheddar and cottage cheese as a result of the low fat cheese. It was interesting to watch the assembly line. We got to sample several types of cheese prior to the tour. Then it was off to South Walden on a quiet, but hilly road. After reaching the junction of Hwy 15 and 16 we had a lunch break at a church which is probably also a school. As we pulled in a girl came running over from across the street to tell us we could use the bathroom, which we did. We were a little concerned about Hwy 15, but it turned out not to have too much traffic, though a lot more than our previous road. It did have an adequate shoulder. We stopped for food in Hardwick at a small grocery store. We spent $10 on fruit, yogurt and rice. The only 32oz yogurt they had was organic and cost $4.00. As we left town there was a bigger store that looked a lot better. We took a dirt road into Lake Elmore which isn't even on the state map. It climbed steeply for 2.5 miles. Fortunately, the very steepest part was paved. We then had a short downhill to Lake Elmore. We stopped at a convenience store and bought two cans of Arizona Lemonade before heading to the park. Shirley needed food so it took her a long time to decide on a site. She wanted a breeze to keep the bugs away, but didn't want an open site because of the sun. She finally chose a site and went off to pay. While she was gone a guy came over to talk. He is currently on a short motorcycle trip, but has done bicycle trips. He has a Trek like Shirley's. Unlike Shirley he had the shop change the gearing when he got it. After sitting in the tent and showers it was dinner time. Then a short walk to the lake and later sitting at a different site to get the breeze. When we first got here it didn't seem buggy, but they gradually came out as it cooled of a bit. The forecast is 60 percent chance of showers tomorrow.

Thursday, June 18, 2009	Day 45	54.0 - 1818.8

6 Miles NW of Enosburg Falls, VT	Lake Carmi	$26.00 - $1121.81

We got up around 6:20 this morning, later than I would have liked due to the weather forecast and cloudy skies. However, we did get packed, eat breakfast, and leave by 7:25 and without it raining. It was warmer this morning, but I still started in tights and heavy long sleeves because we knew the first few miles to Morrisville were downhill. The road was unexpectedly busy, with commuters we guess. Morrisville was very busy, but fortunately the route was well marked and mostly had a shoulder. Seven miles into the day and just as we headed up Hwy 100 it started raining lightly, but enough for us to put on our booties and rain pants. It was warm wearing the rain gear. Fortunately, I had taken off the heavy long sleeves. Before long it quit raining and at North Hyde Park we took the rain gear off. Shirley tried calling Greyhound from a pay phone to make our bus reservations. However, the traffic was too loud and Shirley couldn't hear the automated system well enough so she hung up. At Eden, another 4 miles up the road Shirley tried another pay phone. This one was louder and she was able to negotiate the menus. However, after hitting umpteen jillion keys to specify the from and to cities it said it didn't have the info. She tried to get a human, but couldn't. Finally she hung up and redialed and was able to get a person. She made reservations fro July 2, two weeks from today. She had wanted to do July 3 thinking erroneously that would get us there on July 5th, but it was cheapest to do the 2nd since it is a Thursday, and it actually gets us there on the 5th. Shirley had miscalculated. We still have to arrange for bike boxes to be at our departure station. The reservations person gave her the station phone number. We will call from Canada. It had been mostly uphill to Eden and I expected more when we turned onto 118. However, it turned out to be a lot more down than up. It was also very quiet and good pavement. There were lots of Moose Crossing signs, but unfortunately we didn't see any. It started raining again in Montgomery. I stopped to put my booties and rain pants on. I went about 2 blocks and found Shirley under the tent shelter behind a historical society. We had lunch and watched several people cleaning up from planting a tree. Not too long after we ate it stopped raining. When we got to East Berkshire and Hwy 105 we got on a rail trail after checking the Lake Champlain bike map to make sure it went where we wanted. At Enosburg Falls we found a store and bought more food, making sure we got only enough fruit to eat before heading into Canada. When we came back out it was raining so we sat down and ate the pint of blueberries we just bought. We waited till 3:00 for it to stop and when it didn't it was back on with the rain gear, even the coat this time. It was actually good we needed our coat because both of us discovered they were wet from Monday. We had thought them to be pretty dry when we stuffed them. They smelled a bit moldy. It quit again on the bike path and off the coasts came. On the bike trail there was a place where cattle crossed and the herder closed gates on the trail while the cattle crossed. It started raining again on the road for the last 3 miles to the CG, but had mostly stopped again by the time we got there. We got a lean to on the lake. It is nice and dry and big enough for the bikes and tent. We snuggled the table right up to the deck so only one bench is getting wet whenever it rains. Showers are .50 for 5 minutes. Shirley had .50, but I had to break a dollar. Fortunately I found a couple walking around and he had 4 quarters saving me the 1/2 mile walk to the office in the rain. The showers were very nice with a large changing area, real plastic stall, and a nice curtain. The forecast is for a chance of showers every day through at least Monday. No indication as to the percent chance, though. I tried cooking behind the shelter, but the fumes apparently leaked through and drove Shirley to another shelter. As of 8:30 we've not been bothered by mosquitos. When Shirley chose our lean to at the office she chose Poplar since we live on Poplar St. It turned out to be a good choice since it had a good lake view. At first she wanted to check them out, but I told her to pick one. I didn't want to spend an hour looking like we did yesterday.

Friday, June 19, 2009	Day 46	58.4 - 1877.2

Chambly, Quebec	Mon Repos Motel	$75.00 - $1196.81

It was after 7:00 before we got up today, and 8:25 before we left. It was cloudy but not raining. Just as we left it started misting lightly, but didn't last long. It was 12-13 miles to the border crossing at Morse Lines. Our map showed two black roads converging to be a red road at the border. Our road was very quiet and continued to be so into Canada. The border guard only asked if we were both US citizens and when where we were going. No ID check or any questions about fruit or our baggage. The restrooms were locked and we had to get a key. Shirley asked how many cars passed through in a day. He said 20-40 in winter. Up to 150 in summer. We had quiet roads for quite a few miles. Eventually we got on Grande Ligne heading toward Iberville. There was a very narrow (8 inch) shoulder, but traffic wasn't real heavy. We stopped at a bank in Alexandre for an ATM. The bank didn't have one but they sent me to a bar around the corner. The patrons there told me the ATM didn't work. I asked at the post office about an ATM and she sent me down the street to Banque Desjardins. I thought she said Case something so it was lucky I saw the bank and thought it looked like a bank. I tried twice to get money from checking, but it said it was refused for technical reasons. I tried a third time using the credit card option and got $300 Canadian. I have no idea what kind of service charge that will be. We had hoped to camp at a CG near Sobrevois so I asked at the PO about that too. One of the employees, who I had to wait for to arrive, lives in Sabrevois and said there wasn't any. All the conversations at the bank and PO were hard because the staff didn't speak much English, and we don't speak any French. The next CG was west of Iberville. The map showed it in the metro area so Shirley didn't want to go there so we decided to go to Chambly and hope to find a motel. In Iberville we found the signs for the Route Verte. Just as we got to the first sign some old guy on a bicycle crossed into my lane and nearly ran into me head on. Fortunately, he finally saw me and moved over. We followed a canal from Jean Sur Richelieu (across the river from Iberville) to Chambly. The canal has quite a few locks and is still in use. Some of the locks are manually opened and closed. Also, several bridges across the canal are swing bridges (they swing open when a boat needs to go through). We saw one in operation. Part of the 18K path was paved and part was crushed gravel. Some of the unpaved parts were a bit wet. At Chambly we assked one of the lock operators about a motel. She said she only knew of one. It turned out there was a sign for it on the path. It actually backs onto the path. A room is $75 ($1.13 Canadian to $1 US). The room is nice and the bikes got put in the garage. First, though, we rode maybe a mile to the store. It was 5:00 or 5:30 and the store was hectic with after work people, and here we were trying to sort out a new store. Fruits and vegies weren't too bad, but dairy products seemed expensive. The cheapest yogurt was $2.99. We got sliced chicken for sandwiches and lots of fruit. We spent $25.15 which ended up being charged. I started to slide my card for a debit, but the cashier took it and rang it up as a credit card. We came back and ate before doing a little laundry and showers. Except for the mist early on, it didn't rain on us today. The desk clerk says it is supposed to be nice for 3-4 days. We called Harold and he still wants to meet us when we get back to WA. We used up most of the minutes on our phone card.

Saturday, June 20, 2009	Day 47	47.4 - 1924.6

Laval, Quebec	Motel Lido	$49.00 - $1245.81

We got up at 6:20, early for us lately and were off at 7:25. While eating breakfast my spoon broke while getting the last bits of yogurt out of the container. Too many times in the cooking pot, I guess. I tried glueing it with super glue, but it didn't even begin to hold. We did really well getting out of Chambly and close to Montreal as the route was clearly marked. There was a touring cyclist sleeping on a park bench as we left town. In Montreal we did a bridge with a ramp up and a spiral ramp, at least 4 levels, down. I had stopped for a picture and when I got down Shirley was at a junction and took off to the right. I simply followed her. I had an inset map and was wondering why I wasn't seeing any of the streets. Just as we were beginning to think we were wrong I saw a Walmart and Shirley decided we should go buy a phone card. It started drizzling as we got there. I went in to get a phone card, but upon reading them I decided it woold be cheaper to add minutes to the one we have. When I tried to add minutes last night I was told there would be a 15 percent fee, which is why we were thinking of buying a new card. From what I read calls to or from areas outside of Quebec would add .08 per minute and if we called the 800 number it would be .14 per minute. When I came back out it was raining steadily. The roof we were under didn't extend to the wall so our bikes were getting wet, but Shirley had put the covers on. When she went in to pee I got a couple carts and put them next to the wall and leaned our bikes on them. We decided we had gone the wrong way at the spiral bridge. It stopped raining and we headed back, 4 miles it turned out. We continued toward downtown and crossed a bridge to an island. There was some sort of walk a thon and we got mixed up with that. We missed a turn and after a few blocks had to come back against the walk a thon. What a mess. Then we found a spot where the signs seemed to indicate we should go in a circle. Eventually, we found the way across the bridge to downtown. There was all sorts of activity going on and lots of people. We weren't real sure we were still on track as we weaved through hundreds of people and street acts. There was a line of horse drawn carriages and jugglers, etc. Finally we got through it and were definitely on route. A little later Shirley needed food so we stopped along a road across from another gathering of performers. For miles we were on bike lanes along city streets. There were hundreds of bikers and bikes were parked everywhere. We finally got to the second river and crossed with no problems, but then somehow got on a different bike route. I thought one leg was way too long to the east and then when we went east again we knew we were wrong, especially when we crossed a busy road. Two women stopped to help. One who lives in Laval and one who is Austrailian who was the mother in law. They confirmed we were too for east, but not as far as we thought. We started working our way back toward the route. The hard part was that there are very few street names on the map. We found some good roads to a street close to the route. Then we had to parallel the route on a busy 4 lane. We rode the sidewalk. We passed a motel and decided to check it out. For $49 we got a small room that smells funky. There is a continental breakfast and I think we could order adult (xxx) movies. I washed my jersey and shorts. Shirley asked about a laundry and was told 10 minutes away by bike. We went to Quiznos for dinner and spent $18 for two sandwiches and two cookies. Shirley wanted ice cream. We checked out a mini golf that advertised ice cream, but they didn't have any yet. We saw a bike route going west so we checked it out. We think it will go where we want. We saw a Wendy's so Shirley got her ice cream. We then went to a convenience store for milk since we don't think we will get much for breakfast. There is a mirror on the ceiling over the bed.

Sunday, June 21, 2009	Day 48	64.3 - 1988.9

Saint Agathe des Monts, Quebec	Camping du Domaine Lausanne	$35.86 - $1281.67

We were up before 6:00 today so we could go over for our wondrous continental breakfast. We waited to about 6:05, but when we got there it wasn't ready yet. The desk clerk quickly got coffee, hot water for tea or cocoa, juice drink, and muffins and croissants. A sign said only one muffin or croissant and only one cup of one of the drinks. I got what I thought was a muffin with chocolate chips on top and hot cocoa. The muffin was a carrot muffin with tiny pieces of nut on it. I didn't think much of it. Shirley ate hers later in the day and thought it was wonderful. We were off around 7:00. The bike path we scoped out last night took us right back to the route which was lovely. It was cloudy and warm. I started in a light long sleeve. When we joined up with the trail there were lots of snails on the trail. At first I thought they were something like an acorn crunching under my tires, but then I noticed they were snails. At first there were only a few other bikes, but as it got later then number increased a lot. For the first 25 miles it was mostly flat, but after St Jerome it started climbing and was generally uphill the rest of the day. Shirley discovered last night she hadn't counted 140K, but she thinks if we do 100K per day we will make it in time for our bus. I'm not quite so sure. Early on we took the suggestion of a guy from yesterday and bypassed a big zig to the east and back. There was an alternate route that went via a bridge on Hwy 117 over the river. However, when we reached the junction on the Route Verte when we needed to get on the alternate route Shirley didn't believe me when I said it was what se wanted because it didn't say Route Verte. The street names matched the map, however. We both got a little hot, but Shirley finally went the way I wanted. It took a little bit for her to agree it was correct. Once we got back on route everything was fine again. Today's ride was very enjoyable although it did sprinkle a couple of times, but never enough to get the road wet. The sun also came out enough for us to put sun screen on although it always clouded up again. Our CG is expensive at $34.86 plus showers are $1. There is also a laundromat which Shirley was really wanting. Unfortunately, there are also lots of mosquitos at our site. We took our stuff to a table near the restrooms and lake where it is breezier. There we were bothered mainly by little flies. I cooked while Shirley showered and after we ate I showered and then Shirley did the laundry.

Monday, June 22, 2009	Day 49	66.7 - 2055.6

Lac Saguay, Quebec	Motel DoDi	$62.08 - $1343.75

We got up early today because I got up at 5:15 to pee and some mosquitos got in. We never really went back to sleep so we got up at 5:45 to a clear blue sky. We took our breakfast stuff to the rec room to escape the mosquitos. When we went back to pack they were really bad. It was hard to finish packing when we took our tights and long sleeves off. My legs itched for the first couple of miles. Shirley probably itched all day. We didn't really start seeing other cyclists until 9:00. After a few K of up we had some downhill in the shade. That was rather chilly. Finally we got in the sun and most of the rest of the day was uphill or more or less flat. Shirley decided she couldn't handle the bugs so I agreed to getting a room tonight. In Labelle we saw a group of kids taking off on their bikes. We passed them a couple of times. About 30K from Lac Saguay Shirley asked at an information place about hotels in Lac Saguay. She came back and said the motel DiDo had rooms for $45. When we got to the town we stumbled upon Motel DoDi. The $45 turned out to be $58 with tax and Shirley liked the more expensive room at $62. The room is very over priced as it is small and doesn't have air conditioning. Even though we have a table out front Shirley wanted to eat out. I had a double (1/2 lb) burger and fries. Shirley had a cheeseburger. Our room is so warm I am shirtless. I was hoping Shirley would be too, but that was sure in vain. She did get down to her bra for a while before changing to her night shirt. Shirley sat outside for a while until the sun went down behind the hill and quit shining in our window. Shirley's bike seat is falling apart so she taped it with duct tape. Hopefully, that will make it more comfortable.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009	Day 50	69.7 - 2125.3

Reserves Fauniques	La Verendrye CG	$24.93 - $1368.68

We got up at 5:45 this morning and were off at 6:45. We started in shorts and short sleeves, but shortly after getting in the trees I put my light long sleeves on. After a few K I felt pretty warm, but kept my shirt on for the first 20K or so. I'd be warm in the sun and just right in the shade. I had forgotten to fill my water bottles so I did that at La Barette while Shirley adjusted her seat. We stopped for a snack at the last table before Mont Laurier at a lake. It was quite lovely. There was a big IGA on the trail at Mont Laurier and we bought 2-3 days worth of food for almost $48. The trail continued past highway 117 for about 1/4 to 1/2 mile and we followed it. We then had some back city roads to get back to 117 outside of town. It took longer than we thought it would and although there was no way we could have missed it, Shirley made us go back until we found someone to ask. Fortunately, it was only 1-2 blocks. We were going the right way and in less than a mile we were on 117. There were long rolling hills that were very well graded like a rail trail. It was also warm. One bank said 82º. We had a tail wind for about 40K into Grand Remous. The shoulder varied in width and quality, but was always adequate. We stopped at a store in Grand Remous for frozen vegies, but the bags were big and expensive so we got canned vegies. For the next 19K to the Natural Reserve we had a light headwind, but it was still easy riding. We stopped at the entrance station to the park. A map cost $6 which we decided was too much. We did find out that our CG was about 13K away and there was one another 100K away. Tonight's CG was paid for at the CG, but Whiskey could only be paid for at certain offices. We decided to go ahead and reserve a site for tomorrow since it is a Quebec holiday. Apparently tonight's CG is run by a full time person and tomorrow's isn't, or something like that. The lady at the CG didn't speak very good English, but got us registered. The water here is non potable. Water was for sale for $2.00 per liter bottle which is too much. Shirley asked if we could cook with the water and the lady said yes. When we got to our site we were swarmed by small black flies. After setting the tent up Shirley got in. I went looking for a windy spot but failed to find one. I went to the lake to cook. I was sweating profusely with my long sleeves and cap. I tried putting a hankie under my hat to cover my neck with only some success. Afterwards I showered and was ready to get in the tent to organize my stuff when Shirley announced she thought we should hang our food. She went off to shower while I put the hanging rope up. I had a lot of trouble finding a rock for the bag. I was not happy as the flies were chewing on me. I then had to get my lunch ready. I finally finished and was in the tent when Shirley came back. Every time we get in or out about 100 flies get in. It takes a long time to kill them all. Inside it sounded like it was raining from all the flies. My ears and neck are bloody from the flies I killed. Hopefully, tomorrow's CG will be better, but I doubt it. Shirley didn't eat dinner because of the flies. We filled our water bottles and put iodine in them.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009	Day 51	77.6 - 2202.9

Reserves Fauniques	Ottawa River CG	$20.21 - $1388.89

I got up at 5:00 this morning which meant Shirley did too, in hopes of being ahead of the flies and mosquitos. It worked to some degree, but by 5:30 the mosquitos were getting really bad. We were really hurrying by 6:00 to get out of there. We had put tights and heavy long sleeves on for the bugs which we took off when we left. We did wear our light long sleeves for a few K. The road was relatively quiet to about 8:30. By the time we did the 40K to Le Domaine we were thinking we should go to the next CG after the one we had reserved. That way we would do 125K today and 100K tomorrow instead of vice versa. We figured today was nice and we were in no hurry to get into camp and the bugs. We stopped at the store in Le Domaine. It was a very small convenience store as we knew it would be. We bought 4 liters of water for $2.09 and a can of vegies for .99. We refilled our bottles and I had a couple cups of water to drink. We went across the road to a couple of tables under cover. It was nice and bug free. We had done 40K by then. We rode another 30K to Lac Rapide where there was a park office. Shirley went in and changed our reservations from Whisky CG to Ottawa River CG and from site 69 to site 96 with no problems. Then we had another 50K to ride. It was about 86º when we left the office and it felt like it. The wind was light and variable. When we had an uphill with the wind it was very hot. It felt like we were going more uphill than downhill today, but it is so hard to tell with rolling hills. We took a break at Whiskey CG. It was quite crowded and our selected site was close between two other occupied sites. However, there weren't many trees and even fewer tall ones, so the bugs weren't a problem. Shirley was thinking we may have made a mistake changing. We filled a water bottle each and put tablets in them. We then headed off for the last 25K. They went fairly easily and we got to camp about 4:30. Our site is right on the lake and there is one tree shading the next site which was unoccupied. We moved our table into the shade. It wasn't too long before we jumped in the lake with our bike clothes on. Mine were very salty. There was enough of a breeze and non vegetated enough that the bugs weren't a problem. There were a very few horse flies. I had changed into my night clothes before we decided to go swimming so I had to change back and then back to my night clothes. Our clothes dried pretty fast in the breeze and heat. It was 5:15 by then and a few clouds were building. Suddenly a strong wind kicked up swirling dust everywhere just as I was getting ready to cook. Shirley decided she wasn't eating hot food tonight. I had a bit of trouble cooking and eating due to the wind, but there certainly weren't any bugs. By the time we were done the sun had permanently gone behind some clouds. We set up the tent and moved the table back to our site. The wind died down unfortunately about the time we were ready to relax at the table. I got tired of picking flies out of my hair and Shirley was tired of the flies too so we got in the tent around 7:00. It was pretty warm so we got in our underwear. The back of my neck is full of bumps from last night's flies. I've drunk nearly another full bottle of water since dinner. I drank the one we filled at Whiskey CG right after we got here. Every once in a while I'll move my leg wrong while riding and my knee will hurt. I think I've permanently damaged it crawling around in the crawl space without knees pads.

Thursday, June 25, 2009	Day 52	71.5 - 2274.4

Val d'ore, Quebec	Park Motel	$75.00 - $1463.89

A dark cloud passed by last night and we could hear thunder and see lightning far away, but it never rained. It was mostly cloudy when we got up at 5:00, but cleared as the morning progressed. It was 70º when we left this morning. The terrain remained rolling hills, with perhaps more downhill today, or perhaps not. Overall it didn't seem quite as hot today. We stopped at the exit to the park where we were able to get potable water. We stopped again at a rest area and I dumped both bottles of water and got fresh because I wasn't sure which one I had filled earlier. We stopped in Louvi Court for Gatorade. For a price of $4.98 there was .62 tax. We didn't stop much because there were flies, mostly the larger variety. In Val d'ore we stopped at the tourist information. Shirley bought a map of Quebec mainly to have a new map. We got info on where the grocery, library, and a motel were. We went to the motel first although we did pass the library on the way. Shortly after leaving the info place the Route Verte went on a bike path and then onto bike lanes that took us to within a block of the motel. Our room is $75 with tax, but is large with 2 beds and fridge. I have a feeling we didn't get the cheapest room. I may have thought he asked if it was for 2 people when he asked if we wanted 2 beds. Or, maybe not. After eating a bit we backtracked a mile or so to the library. For $1 each we got 1/2 hour. It was then about 5-6 blocks to the grocery. When we got to the street it was on the info person had mismarked where it was so we turned the wrong way. However, we asked very quickly and got turned around. We were in the middle of downtown. Then, back to the room for dinner and showers. Before going to the library we also called the North Bay Greyhound. The lady said they had s supply of boxes, but there was no guarantee the bikes would arrive when we did. In fact she said it was unlikely and we should send them a day or two early. After I hung up Shirley wanted me to call back and ask if they were going as baggage. The lady I got this time said bikes are not baggage and had to be shipped 2-3 days earlier. Well, we'll just do what we have to do. We had a Greek pizza sub from IGA for dinner. It was about 18 inches and I probably ate 12 inches. The forecast seems to be a chance of showers for the next week except for Saturday.

Friday, June 26, 2009	Day 53	52.2 - 2326.6

Amos, Quebec	Motel Chez Tony	$81.27 - $1545.16

We slept in to 6:00 this morning and were off a little after 7:00. It was mostly cloudy, but not looking like rain. It was also windy. We rode to Malartic, 27K away. We had a break in some sort of arena that had tables and about 15 porta potties. It was very cloudy by then and cold and windy. Hwy 117 was very busy. Just before Riviere Heva we got off on a side road. It was very quiet and pleasant except for 1-2K of dirt that was very wash boarded. After 10K we got on Hwy 105 which was much quieter than 117. It was sunny once or twice, but cloudy and windy and cold most of the time. I was wearing only a light long sleeve and zipped the neck all the way up and was still cold at times. We stopped once on the side of the road to eat and once at a rest area. The rest area had a few too many mosquitos. As we entered Amos Shirley bypassed the road that had the cheapest motel. We stopped at a gas station to ask where it was. The woman didn't speak English, but I did understand that we had missed it. A few minutes later she came out and told us about the Motel Tony, 1.5 blocks away. It was the second cheapest. We got a room and then walked the two blocks to the store. We spent a long time buying not a lot, but spending a lot. We bought salad and chicken wraps for dinner and some chocolate croissants for dessert. Back at the room I had an apple and a croissant before going out for a walk. It was like walking in a foreign country. It was time for dinner when I got back to the room.

Saturday, June 27, 2009	Day 54	89.9 - 2416.5

15K NW Evain, Quebec	Lake Flavrian Camping	$15.50 - $1560.66

We got up at 5:05 since we knew we had a long way to go and were off at 6:00. I thought it was 52º so I started in shorts and a light long sleeve. After 3K I was so cold I stopped to put my tights and heavy long sleeves and gloves on. My thermometer said it was 48º. With the wind it felt really cold. Around 9:00 it was feeling really warm, so I went back to shorts and light long sleeves. I finally took my long sleeves off when we stopped to pee, but I put it back on after a couple K. We had a long break in Tochereau at a rest area on the lake. We watched a woman have a lot of trouble trying to back her boat trailer up to launch her boat. It took a while, but she finally made it. Another guy with a boat pulled in while she was trying to get positioned and after observing her troubles left again. He did come back a little while later and was able to launch his boat. Hwy 111 was quiet and had a shoulder so the riding was good. The road to Poularis was very quiet, but hilly. We stopped at a café and Shirley got a liter of Gatorade for $2.29 and I got a Klondike bar for $2.09. Shirley also filled up her hydration bag. She tried to get tap water. The woman didn't speak very much English. She asked if Shirley wanted what sounded like new water and Shirley said yes. Apparently she said cold in French because she dumped Shirley's water out and filled it with cold water from a jug. We finally headed south and it was easier as we now had mostly a tail wind. There wasn't a shoulder on Hwy 101, but traffic was not too heavy. When we passed hwy 353 we picked up a shoulder and off and on new pavement. Good thing because traffic gradually increased. We saw 3 or 4 cyclists out for a day ride. Along the way we decided to camp rather than pay $100 for a motel in Rouyn Noranda which only has 3 star motels. Shirley's notes said there was a CG at Evain, 5K after Noranda. First, though, we had to go into Noranda to find a store. Fortunately, it was only 3-4K to a store. We then headed to the CG. When we got to Evain we learned it was another 15K off route to Lake Flavrian and to the CG. About 9K was unpaved. Fortunately, it was mostly smooth. When we got to the CG it was mostly seasonal types. The guy who ran it had his wife show us two available sites since she is learning English. The first site was grassy and near the toilets, but it was buggy. The second site wasn't quite as grassy, but was more open and had a view of the lake, so we took it for $15 which we just gave to the woman. Although we though it was buggy, she was running around in a bathing suit and didn't even notice the mosquitos. We changed into night clothes for the bugs. They weren't too bad, but we didn't want to get too bitten. After setting up the tent I cooked dinner. Shirley had pudding for dinner. I also had a banana, two plums and 150g of raspberries. It was then off to the shower which were .25 per minute. I got by on .50. Shirley's shower worked without putting any money in. By the time that was done it was after 8:00. My odie broke today, or possibly yesterday. I noticed it wasn't working as we left the motel. I stopped to adjust the magnet and reseated the computer. Finally I noticed the wire was broken. It must have caught on something. I can probably tape it back together if I take the time.

Sunday, June 28, 2009	Day 55	65.8 - 2482.3

Angliers, Quebec	Rest O Pub des Quinze	$45.00 - $1605.66

We didn't get up until almost 6:00 this morning and it was 7:10 before we were off. I bought 2 chocolate chip muffins yesterday. I had one for breakfast and was very disappointed. It tasted pretty bad. It took us 53 minutes to get back to Hwy 117. We thought it was mostly uphill last night, but there was just as much up going back out today. We rode the 10K to Aintfield and had a break at a rest area where Hwy 101 and 117 split. We met a racing cyclist from Rouyn Noranda. His bike weighted 14 pounds. We had some headwind although it was a beautiful clear sky day. As we headed south we had more of a headwind and lots of hills. Neither of us were real energetic after yesterday. We took another break at Montbeillard, another 15K down the road. We stopped at a church and as we sat there people arrived for the 11:00 service. We made it another 15K to Rollet. We found a little store. Shirley asked for water, but the clerk said they didn't have any, but the park had water. There were 2 parks. The one we went to didn't have water and we didn't see the other one. We went back to the store to buy water. The clerk told me again about the park. I went back outside and Shirley got pissy so I went back in and bought 4 liters of water. It was only $1.69. We then had plenty of water. It was starting to cloud up a bit. At Remigny there was a sign saying there were rooms and camping in town. Since Shirley hadn't found any camping their before we left home she thought we should go on. It sure looked like it was going to rain before we did the 25K to Angliers. Sure enough, about 2:20 it started raining. Luckily, we had just eaten. At first I only wore booties and rain pants, but finally put on my coat. It was pretty warm. We got to Angliers when it was raining pretty hard. We passed a place advertising rooms and stopped at a Hotel-bar. A guy who lives across the street said we should try the place we bypassed. We went back, but a sign (in French) said to call a number at all times. A man in one of the rooms told us where the owner lived. We went there, but no one was home. So, it was off to the hotel-bar. We weren't excited because we thought the rooms were over the bar. Instead, they are in a separate building. There are 10 rooms with bath down the hall. We got a room for $45. Our bikes and BOBs are in the hallway. We showered and then went to the café for dinner. We had Club Sandwiches since we saw someone else with one and it looked good. Shirley ordered hers "avec pouline" which is with cheese and gravy. She didn't know it came with fries which also had the cheese and gravy on them. Since Shirley ordered hers avec pouline mine came that way also even though I tried to get it without. I didn't want it because it was $3.00 more. It was good, though. Our bill was $23.70 and Shirley added $2.30 tip. We did laundry in the washer/dryer in the rooms building. $1.25 each. It finally stopped raining around 8:00, but it may have showered a little after that. I managed to rewire my odie. I'm not sure it will hold. The room is not bad, but it would be a lot different if the other nine rooms had people in them.

Monday, June 29, 2009	Day 56	46.8 - 2529.1

Laniel, Quebec	Campground Laniel	$22.58 - $1628.24

We awoke to a cloudy, but dry morning. Shirley says it rained during the night. Couldn't prove it by me. About 3:45 this morning there was a loud bang as if someone had slammed a door. I got up to investigate, but didn't find anything or anyone. Later today I decided it was a room door blowing closed. We were off around 7:10. Route Verte followed an unpaved rail trail from Angliers, but we decided to not look for it since it had rained so much. The road was a little busier than expected, but was still pretty quiet until we got to St.Eugene. We picked up a lot of traffic and some trucks. It wasn't until later that we discovered there was a detour on 104 sending traffic our way. We found this out when the detour went back to 101. We stopped in Lorraineville for a store stop and a break. We only bought $17 worth of groceries. We picked up some chip trucks after that and then they suddenly disappeared and the road was very quiet. We were surprised to find 101 to be quiet also. The sky gradually became mostly sunny and by Laniel it was quite warm. We got there around 2:00 and debated whether to go the 50-60K to Temiscamiag today and North Bay tomorrow, or do it as 2 days. Camping in Laniel was $20 and a very nice chalet was $85. We looked at the chalet and decided it was too much, both in price and what we needed. Shirley was not feeling 100 percent so we camped and set up the tent which she crawled into around 3:00. There are lots of flies so I am in the anteroom to the shower, toilet, and chalet. There has been a brief sprinkle and it has clouded up again. I simply draped the fly over the tent so as to not make it too hot for Shirley. I put our bags in the anteroom so they would stay dry. About 3:50 I went outside to see what it looked like and it immediately started raining. I quickly put the fly on and staked it down. We hadn't staked the tent since we had just put it in the shade so Shirley could lay int it. I guess it's not moving. My odometer worked all day. We'll see if it still does after the rain. It didn't rain very long and I went out to cook around 4:50. While I was eating the wife of the owner came over to finish cleaning. She took a long time and the flies were really swarming me. Shirley ate her portion of canned vegies in the tent and didn't cook anything. When the lady finished cleaning I took a shower which was very nice. The water here is marked non drinkable. Shirley asked the owner why and he said because they have to run tests and if they don't they have to put up the signs. He said he drinks the water. We finally decided to treat our water. Shirley got out of the tent at 6:15 for her shower. We had set the tent up in the shade when we first put it up, which meant it was under a tree. After the rain we wanted to move it into the open. One of the stakes had been driven into a tree root and I had a very hard time getting it out. The owner had come over to help us build a fire and he worked on the peg too. I finally got it out. Meanwhile, the flies were amassing on my neck. We got the tent moved and when Shirley got in she said, "It wasn't dripping, it was the flies". The owner had actually come over to get the key to the restroom since we will be leaving in the morning. He left the door open. Now, we just have to make sure we don't lock ourselves out. The shower was wonderful with an actual shower stall and ample dressing area.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009	Day 57	74.5 - 2603.6

North Bay, Ontario	Voyager Inn	$76.99 - $1705.23

We got up at 6:00 to a cloudy day, but no rain. We quickly ran to the rest rooms with our stuff to eat breakfast in order to avoid the mosquitos. They swarmed us pretty good as we took down the tent and packed. We were off around 7:15. I had a hard time all day and Shirley kept getting way ahead of me. I'm not sure if my wheels were rubbing or what. When packing our bikes this afternoon my rear wheel would hardly move, but it was partially disassembled at the time. Traffic wasn't too bad going to Temiscaming. Only once did I have a truck going both ways at the same time. Unfortunately, the flies and mosquitos were bad. We had to have very quick food breaks, if at all. It rained on us fairly early. I put my booties and rain pants on. Shirley also put her coat on. Fortunately, it didn't last very long. We stopped at a rest area and ate in the women's bathroom. The men's toilet was backed up and smelled bad. There was a very interesting bug about the size of Shirley's hand on the outside wall. By Temiscaming, about 45K, it was sunny and we put sunscreen on. We got a shoulder for the last 4K into BC and BC had a shoulder until 25K from North Bay. We kept getting dark clouds that looked like it would pour and then it would clear again. It did finally rain a little about 10K from North Bay. We didn't even put rain clothes on, although I did cover my handlebar bag. Shirley had directions to the bus station and we managed to follow them, although we did have to go on a road that said no bicycles or pedestrians for at most 1/2 mile. When we got to where the bus station should be, it wasn't there. We stopped a cyclist who gave us directions. It turned out the bus station was very close to where we went on the road we weren't supposed to be on. After talking to the cyclist we stopped at a bike shop to get more directions. The guy gave us a map of the city which helped a lot. We had gotten into town by 3:30, but it was probably 4:30 by the time we got to the bus station. It wasn't really a Greyhound station, but an Ontario Northland station shared by a couple other bus lines. We talked to an Ontario Northland agent and she said bikes had to be shipped. We went next door to the shipping agent. We guessed weight and he estimated $175 for the bikes and BOBs. We bought 2 boxes at $10 each, and went outside to box the bikes. It took about 2 hours for us to do it. I had to take my handlebars and seat off. Shirley could leave her seat on. We also took the front fenders off. Just as we were ready to take them in, it started raining. We were under cover, but it was about 20 feet of uncovered to the door. Shirley held the door open as I quickly ferried the bikes in. The BOBs didn't need to boxed fortunately. The total weight was 104 pounds for a price of $91. We had estimated 120 pounds. By the time we had everything settled and called a cab to take us to the motel Shirley had reserved in the middle of packing it was 7:00. Meanwhile, it was really pouring outside. Fortunately, just before the cab got there sometime after 7:30 it quit. We have a large room with fridge and microwave for about $65 per night. After settling in we walked to a store about 1/2 mile away. I should have paid cash, but charged our $46 bill. I was starving and had trouble thinking straight. Shirley bought an Italian pasta dish for us which turned out to be way too spicy with pepper. By the time we ate it was 9:30. It was then showers and to bed at 10:30. About 15K into Ontario we stopped at a gas station/café for water. I went in and the guy asked if I needed water and sent me to the café part. There, the guy gladly filled our bottles. It was all done in English and was so easy. When I came out I was smiling enough that Shirley noticed. Somewhere along the way today Shirley decided we needed to dump our remaining fuel since it couldn't go on the bus, so I stopped a couple of times and dumped the remaining fuel on the shoulder of the road.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009	Day 58	0 - 2603.6

North Bay, Ontario	Voyager Inn	$76.99 - $1782.22

I slept well until about 2:30 this morning. After I got up to pee I had trouble getting back to sleep. I finally got up around 6:15. Shirley stayed in bed for a while longer. It was dry, but cloudy. We eventually had breakfast. I read for a while, but by 9:00 I had to get out. I went for a walk. I found an open book store so we can trade our books. Almost everything is closed since this is Canada Day, a national holiday. I walked over to the mall by the bus station and the entire mall, including Walmart, is closed. I found a tunnel under the RR tracks to the bus station. I asked if our bikes had made it out, and they have. I finally headed back to the room. It was getting darker and darker, and about 3 blocks from the motel it started raining lightly. Shortly after I got back it really poured again and then rained a long time. During a break we walked back to the book store and traded in our books and $3.78 for 2 used books. It was looking real dark again as we headed home. We made it back dry, but it rained off and on all afternoon and into the evening. I watched a star wars movie "Battle of the Clones".

Thursday, July 2, 2009	Day 59	0 - 2603.6

Canada	Greyhound Bus	Free - $1782.22

I slept much better last night. I was awake at 5:30, but didn't get up until after 6:00 when Shirley got up and showered. We ate and more or less packed before calling Harold at 8:30 (5:30 his time) to have him check on whether the state parks we were thinking of staying at are open. We also agreed his wife Judy would be a contact person if we need to leave a message. We then went to the store and bought $42 worth of food. We probably overbought for the 3 days on the bus. By the time we were basically ready to go it was on 9:30. Checkout is noon and the bus didn't leave till 3:50. We finally checked out around 11:45 and got a cab to the bus station. The cab arrived very quickly and cost $12.00 and Shirley tipped him $2. When we tried to get our ticket the lady said it probably wouldn't work on her computer as no Greyhound ticket has so far this week. She entered our number and our names came up, but she couldn't issue the ticket. She said she would talk to the driver to get us to Sudbury where there is a Greyhound office. Shirley bought a Sudoku puzzle book at the store this morning. At the station I walked over to the mall and bought Shirley a logic puzzles book and me a general puzzles book. At the store this morning Shirley bought a 4 pack of sandwiches. We each had one before we left the room and Shirley ate one at the station. I ate my other one in Sudbury. About 45 minutes before our bus was supposed to leave North Bay an announcement was made that an express bus to Sudbury had room for anyone who wanted to go. The driver had already been notified about us and we were able to get on. Too bad this is our shortest leg. We sat in the front seat which had a good view, but no place to put our packs except overhead. Along the way we saw a touring cyclist going the other way. It didn't look pleasant since there was no shoulder and heavy traffic. I also saw a VW stretch limo parked along the way. At Sudbury we were able to get our tickets. The agent said others have been made to buy new tickets. The Sudbury Greyhound station is not near as nice as the Ontario Northland station in North Bay. While waiting in North Bay a woman with a couple of young kids arrived. The kids did nothing but run around and scream, and she did nothing to control them. Unfortunately, they were on the bus we took. Fortunately, they quieted down and went to sleep pretty quick. Unfortunately, we have them all the way to Calgary and they were noisy at the Sudbury station. Our bus was 1.5 hours late leaving Sudbury, which meant a 9:00 start. Greyhound was very bad about telling us when the bus would arrive at the station so we could depart. Apparently it broke down. We waited outside for 2 hours.

Friday, July 3, 2009	Day 60	0 - 2603.6

Canada	Greyhound Bus	Free - $1782.22

I slept pretty well off and on last night on the bus. Fortunately, we got rid of a few people and I was able to get 2 seats to myself. Sometime early this morning the driver had to brake hard for a moose. It was still fairly dark and we are near the back of the bus so I didn't get a very good view. We ate our breakfast of yogurt and cereal in Thunder Bay. We were late leaving Thunder Bay by about 45 minutes. Again no announcement or explanation. We were just left to stand around and wait. It rained while it was dark, but cleared as the morning wore on. We finally got into the central time zone around noon. In Dryden, which we got to around 2:25, we picked up some new passengers, the first since Sudbury. Too bad, since now we lost our open seats and we no longer have 2 seats to ourselves. At one point this afternoon after the screaming kids had been screaming way too long I finally said loudly "Enough screaming". Surprisingly they quieted down and after that the mother was better at telling them to be quiet. It was still nowhere near perfect, but better. Another girl got on behind us at one our stops. She was really good at first, but had couple crying spells along the way. In Winnipeg our bags were transferred automatically to our new bus. Unfortunately, I only saw one. I hope the other went out the other side. We went to the University of Winnipeg across the street from the bus terminal and found a quiet bench to sit on and eat dinner. Back at the terminal Shirley saw our other bag. Later she helped a young couple from Montreal, who have been on our bus since Sudbury and who don't speak very good English, check out their ticket to make sure it is going where they want to go, which is Banff. We had to go through security to get on our bus out of Winnipeg. It was a cursory check of the bags and waving a wand along our body. We left only 13 minutes late.

Saturday, July 4, 2009	Day 61	0 - 2603.6

Canada	Greyhound Bus	Free - $1782.22

Since we left at 11:43 we slept for most of the trip to Regina. At first it was very hard to sleep as the seats were uncomfortable. Fortunately, the two people behind us got off pretty early and Shirley moved to their seats so we could lay down. We crossed into Mountain Time while we slept. In Regina we had a 40 minute break during which we ate breakfast. We bought a pint of milk for $2 and had our cereal. They had us reload our bus before transferring all of us to a different bus that already had people on it. This was very unfortunate since we were 4 rows from the devil kids, but now we are right behind them. When Shirley chose our seats someone else was sitting in front of us, but the moved and the monsters moved in. We were 35 minutes late leaving. In Moose Jaw two people got off from the seats behind us so we moved back one row. After that, the kids were pretty quiet. They fussed a bit after a 30 minute break in Swift Current. Not only is the mother a bad enforcer, she also stands in the aisle a long time getting settled in when she gets on, thus backing up traffic behind her. Two women in Swift Current were waiting to get on and were told there is no room, come back for the later bus tonight or try again tomorrow. I hope they didn't have reserved seats. At one station two young women (maybe in their teens) got on and were separated by 3 rows. They were talking to each other loudly with "fuck" and other curse words in every sentence. After a little bit the driver stopped the bus and asked the guy next to one of the girls if he would trade with the other so they could be together and the whole bus wouldn't have to listen to them. They were right in front of us. They acted like teenage girls putting on lipstick and makeup and trying to act like they were adults by talking about drinking and parties. In Medicine Hat Shirley decided she wanted ice cream. Luckily for her we passed a DQ about 4 blocks from the terminal and we had 25 minutes so she got her ice cream. Her stomach was upset the rest of the day, although truthfully it probably wasn't the ice cream. The 4+ hours in Calgary before our next bus slowly passed. We had to go through security again, but we were first in line. The guy with the wand had a little trouble with my leg zippers, and I forgot about my odie watch in my zippered pocket. Shirley's small keychain knife made it through again. There were only 12-14 people on the bus. One guy from our previous bus got kicked out of the terminal when he showed up with his stuff in a plastic bag after being told earlier to get a box. He was weird anyway. We easily got a row to ourselves. Before loading I checked to make sure our bags had been loaded. They are in the trailer.

Sunday, July 5, 2009	Day 62	0 - 2603.6

Grand Forks, BC	Motel 99	$56.50 - $1838.72

The night was very uneventful. Mostly I slept with my legs across the aisle and my feet on the seats there. It was actually quite comfortable. Much better than curling up in two seats only. The Greyhound station in Salmo is no longer open so the bus stopped at a gas station. The Subway there was not open yet so we went to another café so people could get breakfast. I walked back to the gas station for milk. When I got back to the café we drove back to the gas station for any new passengers. I ate my cereal on the bus. Shirley didn't eat. I asked the driver about Grand Forks and he said it will be open although some aren't on Sundays anymore. Since waking up around 5:00 we have been in the mountains. This bus has had more short hoppers than any other bus we have been on. We got into Grand Forks on time and carried our bags into the terminal. When I inquired about the bikes and BOBs the woman told us the trailers were here, but not the bikes. She started calling various stations and drivers trying to track them down. She was scheduled to close the office at 11:30, but stayed past 11:45 trying to get the driver of one of the buses. She finally had to leave her personal cell phone number. We left our bags in the terminal and walked a block to a motel. Shirley talked the guy down from $59 to $50 plus tax or $56. We will go back at 5:30 to the terminal to see if she found out anything. As it turns out we wouldn't have been able to meet Harold today as his wife Judy is in the hospital for tests, possibly a gall bladder. Shirley took a nap for 2-3 hours. I watched a little TV and then went for a walk. After the station re-opened we walked the block to it only to find that the bikes were still lost. We moved our bags to the back with the trailers. We walked to the store and bought $42 worth of stuff including sun screen for $8. Our total was actually $44, but the clerk got a guest card which knocked it down to $42.16. Which is good because we had less than $43 Canadian left. Now I think we have about 30¢.

Monday, July 6, 2009	Day 63	0 - 2603.6

Grand Forks, BC	City Park CG	$16.80 - $1855.52

I was really tired last night and went to bed a little after 8:30. I slept well and we got up a little after 6:00. At 8:45 I walked to the bus terminal to find out there is no news on our bikes. We waited until the 10:35 bus was due before going back. It was raining when we got up and drizzling the first time I went to the station. By 10:30 it was sunny. The forecast was for possible T-storms. Still nothing on our bikes. We collected our BOBs and bags and went back to the motel where we debated camping or staying in the motel. We finally decided on camping, for me mainly because there is less traffic noise. It is not near as easy to push or pull BOB by hand as it is with the bike. We managed to get to the park in about 1/2 hour with 3 or 4 rest stops. At one point Shirley flipped her BOB over forward trying to adjust her hand hold. We chose a site and I went to the office just as the guy was getting ready to leave. He told me to pick a site and come back after 3:30. We chose what appeared to be the shadiest spot. We set up the tent and then had lunch. As we ate the sky got dark so I put the fly on. It got even darker and we put our stuff in the tent. After we finished eating it sprinkled a little and we got in the tent to the sound of thunder. It quit before long. I walked to the library at 2:00, but it is closed on Mondays. It was getting real dark and thundering again so I returned to the tent just as it was sprinkling again. Before long it started raining very hard and hailing. We quickly got a puddle around our tent. It only rained for 10-15 minutes, but the puddle is sinking into the ground very slowly. It sprinkled a couple times and finally quit for good and began clearing. We went for a walk around 4:30 and ended up at Greyhound. Still no news. Kathy said she hadn't heard anything from Calgary. We went to the store and bought more food. We had sandwiches for dinner. Besides us there are 5 other tents and 3 RVs so far. I tried calling Greyhound at 8:20 but kept getting a busy signal so gave up. About 9:00 it started getting dark again, then thunder could be heard. Around 9:30 it started raining again. Darn, the tent had dried so nicely.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009	Day 64	1.2 - 2604.8

Grand Forks, BC	City Park CG	$16.80 - $1872.32

We woke up to another cloudy morning, but the table was dry. We had breakfast. Around 8:20 a crew of city workers in a pickup, backhoe, and dump truck arrived to cut a tree down. While they were doing that I went to the office and called Cathy at Greyhound. Nothing new on the bikes. At 10:25 we walked over to see if the bus arriving had our bikes. It didn't even have a trailer because it was an old bus and didn't have a hitch. Cathy started calling people until it was time (and past time) for her to close. While we were there a guy came in with a bike in a bike bag. He had been out for a week, staying indoors, and was heading home on the bus today. We walked with him to the library. We got internet access for free. I sent Harold a message saying we weren't leaving today. It rained off and on all afternoon. We would get the table dry and then it would rain again. I sat under an overhang from the restrooms for a while, but it started getting wet so into the tent. We had dinner at Subway, a vegie foot long for me, and a pizza foot long for Shirley. I decided it was better to get something other than a vegie because you get all the vegies with any other sub. Shirley had wanted to walk to the Greyhound station, but it looked too much like rain again. Around 7:35 I called. Cathy said the bus was late, but it did have two bikes on it. She said she would deliver them to us after 8;30 when she closes. I told her to just hold them til morning. When I told Shirley we decided to go over tonight and put them together. We got there about 7:55. By the time we got them together it was starting to get dark. I sent Harold an email saying we got the bikes and were putting them together. Cathy was kind enough to let me use the station computer. She left a little before we finished. We rode back to camp and it was pretty dark by the time we got to camp. I had to adjust my handlebars a bit and it was getting hard to see by the time I finished. After getting somewhat organized by getting the handlebar and seat rack bags on and filled with the proper stuff I went in to wash my hands. I met a guy with a drink in his hand from the RV across the road. He complained about how expensive it was to camp here ($37). He is from north of Calgary and has a beef farm. I thought I would never get away from him.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009	Day 65	39.1 - 2643.9

10 Miles SE of Cheesaw, WA	Beth Lake CG	$4.00 - 1876.32

It was after 10:00 by the time we got to bed last night and we didn't get up until after 6:00 this morning. I was leaning against a tree just getting ready to whip it out when someone came out of the restroom about 30 feet away. I decided I'd go use the rest room. While we were packing the guy I was talking to last night came over to talk. As he was leaving he asked if we wanted hot water for tea or coffee. Shirley took him up on it. At the RV his wife offered us pancakes so Shirley called me over. We each had a big pancake. That was good since we didn't have anything to put on our cereal. We left a little after 9:00 and headed to the store. We bought yogurt for tomorrow morning and hopefully enough food to get us to Tonasket tomorrow. Shirley decided Cathy needed a gift so she bought a box of dog biscuits for her dog Sasha who has been at the station every day. We dropped the biscuits off as well as a book we have both read. Cathy wasn't there as it is her day off. We knew that from last night. It was less than 5 miles to the border and we had no trouble crossing. It was cloudy when we got up, but between the border and Curlew the sun came out. We stopped to sun screen and take tights and heavy shirts off. Probably 4-5 miles into the US we stopped at a small CG and ate some more. I had bought 6 muffins so we each had one. We remembered that we had forgotten to get something for dinner tonight so we stopped in Curlew. They had a small bottle of Coleman fuel, probably about 30 oz, for $4.69. We got that and some frozen vegies to go with the rice we still have. Shortly after the next turnoff to Canada it started raining. I put my booties and rain pants on. It rained most of the way to the turn off to cheesaw. Shirley didn't put any rain gear on for quite a while. I got to a road I thought might be our turn, but Shirley wasn't there. I rode up it a couple hundred yards and it turned to dirt. I didn't see Shirley's tracks. I came back and waited until someone came down that I could ask. It wasn't our road. It stopped raining before our turn, but the road was wet. The sun came out and we took our rain gear off. We got to Beth Lake around 2:15 and to my surprise Shirley didn't want a site as close to the lake as possible, but up high where we might get some sun. There was enough sun to dry the tent and ground cloth completely before setting it up. We ate while it dried. After getting camp all set up Shirley worked on retaping her seat and I respliced my odie wires. I wasn't surprised to find out they had come apart again during shipping. After that we went for a walk and ended up walking around Beaver Lake. One side had a trail and we came back the road. We had forgotten to zip the vestibule and when a few drops fell we got worried. Fortunately, it didn't rain. We then went to bathe at the boat ramp at Lake Beth. We just washed off without getting naked. It was after 5:00 when we got back to camp, so I cooked dinner in case it decided to rain. The sky got cloudy, then clear, then cloudy again. Camp was pretty much bug free until about 6:30 when a few mosquitos appeared, but they were pretty much gone by 7:00. The plan tonight is to put our food in the restrooms since the trees are terrible for hanging purposes.

Thursday, July 9, 2009	Day 66	64.2 - 2708.1

Omak, WA	Stampede Grounds	$12.00 - $1888.32

It was cold last night and this morning. My feet got cold after I got up to pee and never really warmed up again. My thermometer said it was 42 when we got up at 6:25, but it felt like 32. Our food survived the night in the restroom. I wore my hat and mittens whenever I could. I had to keep taking the mittens off to do various things. We were off around 7:30. Too bad that after climbing out of the CG we had a short downhill and then flat along the lake in the shade. It seemed like forever before we started climbing, still in the shade. About halfway up the hill my fingers quit hurting and by the top I was sweating. We decided to take our long clothes off after the downhill and on the final uphill to Chesaw. We remember struggling into Chesaw the first time we rode that road. We must have had a vicious headwind that day. We had a break in Chesaw and got down to a light long sleeve which we took off not too far out of town. As we headed toward Stizmark ski area and Tonasket we could see a dark cloud building over Bonaparte Mt. We stopped at the ski area for another feeding before finishing the climb to the top. We could see it really raining on Bonaparte. Part way down we met a couple cyclists going up. I was behind as I had stopped to put my shirt on and was disappointed to see Shirley stopped in the middle of my downhill. They are following the norther tier, but taking a detour north since they heard it was better than Hwy 20. We then had a good downhill although Shirley went slower since she said it scared her. We then had a series of flat stretches and downhill stretches to Tonasket. We found a store after asking someone and I bought enough cheese (2 lbs) to get us home. I should have enough dinner stuff although Shirley took some of the rice I was planning on eating. I had to buy more granola as I probably only had enough for one more day. Unfortunately, Hwy 97 and Hwy 20 were detoured onto the quiet side road out of Tonasket so we lost that 5 miles of good riding. Instead it made our road dangerous because there wasn't a shoulder. We made the five miles alive, however. We then had 15 miles on 97 which although not necessarily pleasant, it was safer. It was 40º warmer than it was this morning. I didn't realize it was so hilly between Tonasket and Omak. At Riverside we took the old Riverside Hwy which started out by climbing for 1.5-2 miles. Then it was flat and gentle downhill to Omak. We found the fairgrounds CG that we had told Harold we would be at and arrived about 4:20. There are 6 tent sites and lots of RV sites. One other tent site is taken by 3 motorcyclists. The sites are small and Harold and Mike will be very close if they arrive. The shower was .50 and blasted out very hard. One didn't really need soap as it would just blow the dirt away. I had to be careful not to let it hit me in the balls. By the time we had dinner it was after 7:00.

Friday, July 10, 2009	Day 67	66.5 - 2774.6

Chelan, WA	Lake Chelan State Park	$10.00 - 1898.32

My back was not real happy with last night's site. Not sure why. We got up about 5:45 to sunshine. Before leaving I pumped up all the tires. It's been a while since that was done. We were off around 7:15. The Canadian motorcyclists said the sprinklers got their tent really good last night even though the attendant said she had turned them all off. Luckily, ours was dry, although part of the table and Shirley's bike did get wet from the no tent area. The ride to Okanogan was nice and we passed a small city CG on the river which would be much better camping than in Omak. On hwy 20 we stopped at a fruit stand and bought apricots and a cucumber. At Malott a road sign said there was construction with up to 20 minute delays and indicated Hwy 97 was an alternate route. We decided to chance the construction. It turned out on one was working today and it appeared they were still in the surveying/prep stage anyway. It was warm from the time we got up, and the hill before Brewster was really warm and sweaty. We stopped at the store in Brewster. Shirley said she was considering BB Bridge or Daroga SP so I bought yogurt and bagels for tomorrow. I also bought a Powerade which I regretted since I didn't drink it until camp. Shirley bought a 2 lb container of blue berries. We ate quite a few before leaving the store. At Pateros we decided to go to the city park and eat since there wouldn't be much shade after that. It was very pleasant in the shade of a shelter over a table right on the river. By the time we left it was after 1:00. Traffic picked up quite a bit and by the time we got to Wells Dam Shirley decided we should go to Lake Chelan SP. We wanted to take Antoine Rd. instead of Hwy 97A, but apparently it is now called Apple Acres so we missed it. That meant a few more miles on 97 and 2 miles on 97A. In Chelan Shirley was hungry again so we stopped at the Forest Service office and sat at a shaded table on the lake. Very pleasant. When we turned off 97A to head to the SP we stopped at a convenience store and bought canned vegies since we had forgotten that in Brewster. I was dreading the SP since I knew it would be full, and sure enough there was CG full sign. We went to the office ready to beg for a site, but the ranger said he had a site for us without any hassle. He called it his unadvertised H/B site. It's just the picnic area. We chose a table that had lots of shade and looked like it would stay that way. Shirley did some laundry and noticed the showers now took tokens sold at the entrance station. We decided to just jump in the lake instead so we went to the swimming area. It was quite refreshing, but we didn't stay in very long. My legs felt rubbery afterwards. Unfortunately, about dinner time our table got in the sun so I postponed it until the shade came back. We set up our tent on the concrete pad that the table had been on but someone had moved it off. I hope my pad is up to it. Shirley sat on the concrete until the shade came back to our table.

Saturday, July 11, 2009	Day 68	54.7-2829.3

Leavenworth, WA	Home

I figured Shirley would be anxious to get home today, but she didn't get up until 6:20. I didn't sleep well last night after I heard the sprinklers going, but we didn't get wet since any sprinkler near us had been turned off. It was 7:25 by the time we left in shorts and short sleeves. The climb up Navarre Coulee was quite warm, but the downhill in the shade that followed was a bit cool. Traffic on 97 wasn't too bad to Entiat where we took a break. We met some cyclists from Seattle who were riding from Wenatchee to Winthrop today and back tomorrow. They were sag supported, though. Traffic had increased by the time we hit the road again. We stopped again in the shade of a veterinarian's building just after getting off Hwy 97. It was quite pleasant in the shade. Someone, possibly the vet showed up right after we did and invited us to use the toilet, which Shirley did. We stopped in Monitor at Tom, Dicks, and Harrys for ice cream cones. Two small cones were $5.40. I got rid of one of our Canadian dimes. The woman looked at it for a couple seconds and then accepted it. Shirley wanted to stop there because they advertised 24 flavors of soft serve. She had apricot while I had German chocolate which tasted like coconut. It was then off to home. It was feeling pretty warm by the time we got home around 1:30. The yard is full of weeds, some pretty big, and morning glory. Shirley began the process of cleaning up the yard. I began getting our finances up to date after going to the store. We've not been able to get hold of Harold or Mike to find out why they didn't meet us in Omak.

This is the journal of a 2.5 year bicycle trip around the world starting in May, 1991 and ending in October, 1993. We traveled through 23 countries counting the U.S. for over 23,000 miles.

United States

Day	Date Miles	Total	C/M Cost	Total	City/Location	Accomodation

1	05/04/91	49	49	C	$3.00	$3.00	Mosier, OR to 12 Miles South of Goldendale, WA	Mary Hill SP (WA)

2	05/05/91	60 109	C	Free	$3.00	Mary Hill SP (WA) to Bickleton, WA	Churchyard

3	05/06/91	78 187	C	$2.00	$5.00	Bickleton, WA to Desert Aire, WA	Campground

4	05/07/91	52 239	M	$25.80	$30.80	Desert Aire, WA to Ellensburg, WA	Lighthouse Motel

5	05/08/91	58 297	M	$28.00	$58.80	Ellensburg, WA to Leavenworth, WA	Edelweiss Hotel

6	05/09/91	0 297	M	$28.00	$86.80	Leavenworth, WA	Edelweiss Hotel

7	05/10/91	44 341	C	$3.00	$89.80	Leavenworth, WA to 10 West of Chelan, WA	Lake Chelan SP

8	05/11/91	35 376	C	$3.00	$92.80	Lake Chelan SP to 2 Miles West of Pateros, WA	Alta Lake SP

9	05/12/91	0 376	C	$3.00	$95.80	2 Miles West of Pateros, WA	Alta Lake SP

10	05/13/91	73 449	C	Free	$95.80	Alta Lake SP to 2 Miles South of Grand Coulee, WA	Spring Canyon Recreation Area

11	05/14/91	58 507	C	Free	$95.80	Grand Coulee to Odessa, WA	Odessa Tourist Park

12	05/15/91	78 585	C	$3.00	$98.80	Odessa to 23 Miles SE of Washtucna, WA	Palousse Falls SP

13	05/16/91	9 594	C	Free	$98.80	Palousse Falls SP to 32 Miles SE Washtucna, WA	Lyons Ferry SP

14	05/17/91	70 664	M	$25.00	$123.80	Lyons Ferry SP to Clarkston, WA	Golden Key Motel

15	05/18/91	46	710	C	$7.00	$130.80	Clarkson, WA to 38 Miles South of Lewiston, ID	Winchester State Park (ID)

16	05/19/91	38	748	M	$24.61	$155.41	Winchester State Park to Kamiah, ID	Sundowner Motel

17	05/20/91	58	806	C	$5.00	$160.41	Kamiah, ID to 12 Miles East of Lowell, ID	Wilderness Gateway CG

18	05/21/91	0	806	C	$5.00	$165.41	12 Miles East of Lowell, ID	Wilderness Gateway CG

19	05/22/91	0	806	C	$5.00	$170.41	12 Miles East of Lowell, ID	Wilderness Gateway CG

20	05/23/91	59	865	C	Free	$170.41	26 Miles West of Lolo, MT	Lee Creek CG

21	05/24/91	39	904	C	Free	$170.41	Lee Creek CG to Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House

22	05/25/91	0	904	C	Free	$170.41	Missoula	Anne Well's House

23	05/26/91	0	904	C	Free	$170.41	Missoula	Anne Well's House

24	05/27/91	0	904	C	Free	$170.41	Missoula	Anne Well's House

25	05/28/91	0	904	C	$8.00	$178.41	Missoula to Glacier NP	Apgar CG

26	05/29/91	0	904	C	$8.00	$186.41	Glacier NP	Apgar CG

27	05/30/91	0	904	C	Free	$186.41	Glacier NP to Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House

28	05/31/91	5	909	C	Free	$186.41	Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House

29	06/01/91	0	909	C	Free	$186.41	Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House

30	06/02/91	0	909	C	Free	$186.41	Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House

31	06/03/91	61	970	C	$7.00	$193.41	Missoula, MT to Sealy Lake	Sealy Lake CG

32	06/04/91	72	1042	C	$5.00	$198.41	Sealy Lake to Big Fork, MT	Wayfarer State Park

33	06/05/91	48	1090	C	$4.00	$202.41	Wayfarer State Park to Glacier National Park, MT	Apgar CG

34	06/06/91	0	1090	C	$4.00	$206.41	Glacier National Park, MT	Apgar CG

35	06/07/91	55	1145	C	Free	$206.41	Glacier National Park, MT	Apgar CG

36	06/08/91	31	1176	C	$20.80	$227.21	Glacier NP to Polebridge, MT	Polebridge Hostel

37	06/09/91	48	1224	C	$20.80	$248.01	Polebridge, MT	Polebridge Hostel

38	06/10/91	62	1286	M	$37.44	$285.45	Big Fork, MT	Timber's Motel

39	06/11/91	48	1334	C	Free	$285.45	Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House

40	06/12/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	Missoula, MT to St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

41	06/13/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

42	06/14/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

43	06/15/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

44	06/16/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

45	06/17/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

46	06/18/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO	Mom's House

47	06/19/91	0	1334	C	Free	$285.45	St. Louis, MO to Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House

48	06/20/91	20	1354	C	Free	$285.45	Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House

49	06/21/91	65	1419	C	Free	$285.45	Missoula, MT to Darby, MT	Georgia Grenfell's House

50	06/22/91	76	1495	C	$12.84	$298.29	Missoula, MT to Salmon, ID	Salmon Meadows CG

51	06/23/91	68	1563	C	$14.18	$312.47	Salmon, ID to Challis, ID	Challis Hot Springs

52	06/24/91	82	1645	M	$30.00	$342.47	Challis, ID to Arco, ID	Lost River Motel

53	06/25/91	83	1728	C	Free	$342.47	Arco, ID to Rexburg, ID	Beaver Dick Park

54	06/26/91	36	1764	C	Free	$342.47	Rexburg, ID to 10 Miles West of Tetonia, ID	Green Caynon Hot Springs

55	06/27/91	60	1824	C	$6.00	$348.47	10 Miles W of Tetonia, ID to 9 Mi. NE Ashton, ID	Warm River NF CG

56	06/28/91	58	1882	M	$42.80	$391.27	9 Miles NE of Ashton, ID to West Yellowstone, MT	Thunderbird Motel

57	06/29/91	50	1932	C	$4.00	$395.27	West Yellowstone, MT to Yellowstone NP, WY	Grant Village CG

58	06/30/91	41	1973	C	$4.00	$399.27	Yellowstone NP, WY	Canyon CG

59	07/01/91	0	1973	C	$4.00	$403.27	Yellowstone NP, WY	Canyon CG

60	07/02/91	40	2013	C	$4.00	$407.27	Yellowstone NP, WY	Mammoth Hot Springs CG

61	07/03/91	40	2053	C	$4.00	$411.27	Yellowstone NP, WY	Madison CG

62	07/04/91	40	2093	C	$4.00	$415.27	Yellowstone NP, WY	Grant Village CG

63	07/05/91	58	2151	C	$4.00	$419.27	Yellowstone NP to Teton NP, WY	Jenny Lake CG

64	07/06/91	0	2151	C	$4.00	$423.27	Teton NP, WY	Jenny Lake CG

65	07/07/91	0	2151	C	$8.00	$431.27	Teton NP, WY	Jenny Lake CG

Saturday, May 4, 1991	Day 1	49 - 49

Mosier, OR to 12 Miles South of Goldendale, WA	Mary Hill SP (WA)	$3.00 - $3.00

WE'RE OFF

Finally, after years of dreaming we are off on our round the world, 2 1/2 year bike trip. We got up a little before 8:00 and had breakfast. I then worked on getting a new disk for Bill while Shirley talked to Ken and Joan and organized her stuff. By the time we were ready to leave it was 11:15. Ken recorded it all on his cam corder and 35mm as well as on our cameras. We then stopped by Willis and Margie's to tell them we left the car at Ken's and that Ken would deliver it this evening. We left their place about 11:45 and were really on our way.

The day was gorgeous. Sunny, warm, and not as windy as yesterday. Still, a fair breeze, but fortunately a tail wind. In talking to Ken this morning Shirley learned of a back way to Biggs which sounded much better than I-84 in Oregon or Highway 14 in Washington. So, we decided to go that way and try to make St Mary's SP just across the river in Washington from Biggs, OR. The roads were indeed very quiet and with the help of a map Willis drew for us and Ken's verbal directions we found the route real easy. We were in shorts and T-shirt all day. After about 32 miles my front derailleur cable broke. Since we were coming down to an overlook of Celilo and the Columbia River we found a good spot and stopped to rest while I changed my cable. If the whole trip would be like today it would be perfect. Shirley and I got along great and the biking was superb.

We thought the state park was up a hill and then back down to the river. However, it was just across the bridge from Biggs and at the base of the hill. It will be perfect to start the hill in the morning and do the hill when it is the coolest part of the day. Sites are $10.00 for most people, but they have biker sites for $3.00. They are grassy and flat and have tables. While I was taking my shower the ranger came by and returned $3.00 to us. He said it was $3.00 per site and not per person as we had thought. So far we are way under budget with a total expenditure of $3.50 today. Of course, starting with two plus days of food from home sure helped.

I forgot to mention that about 5 miles from Biggs I had a bloody nose. It stopped quickly once I got stopped and applied pressure.

Sunday, May 5, 1991	Day 2	60 - 109

Mary Hill SP (WA) to Bickleton, WA	Churchyard	Free - $3.00

Today wasn't quite the perfect day that yesterday was. It rained a bit last night, but not much. More of a sprinkle. It never did get very cold last night. Tights and a jacket were plenty warm while eating and packing.

We went to Stonehenge which was a steep mile or two up from the river. It was sort of interesting, but not very comprehensible in the clouds. We then continued on Highway 14 planning to go up Rock Creek Road to the road to Bickleton. However, traffic was so light and we had such a nice tail wind we decided to ride to Roosevelt and go up to Bickleton from there. It still took us 4 hours to get to Roosevelt even with the tail wind. By the time we had a snack and started up the hill it was 1:00. The first couple miles or so were real steep, but with a tail wind. We then turned around the hill and started into the wind. It also showered a little and got cool enough I put on my capilene shirt and my tights. Shirley put on her jacket. Fortunately, the shower didn't last long, but the wind did. Part of the time it was a side wind with a slight tail component and I could get in my middle chain ring. The rest of the time it was a head wind and little chain ring. Other than the first few miles, though, the grade wasn't bad. There were even a few brief sun breaks. We got into Bickleton about 5:30 and found the store had closed at 3:00. We decided to see if we could camp in the church yard. The minister's children were playing in the church yard and said it would be OK to stay, but their father was not home. I sure hope he is as agreeable as the kids. We did ask another couple we saw in their yard and they said it would probably be OK, but they couldn't speak for the minister.

We set up our tent and found a hose for water and eventually went in the church and found the bathroom. Dinner was a sloppy Joe mix (which burned to the bottom of the pan) and rice. It was better than we had hoped. It's quite a bit colder already tonight than it ever got last night. Of course, we are at 3000 feet here and some sort of front appears to be moving in.

Monday, May 6, 1991	Day 3	78 - 187

Bickleton, WA to Desert Aire, WA	Campground	$2.00 - $5.00

It didn't feel quite as cold this morning as last night. I still ate in my hat and jacket, though. We decided to leave $10.00 to the church for letting us stay in the churchyard and use the toilets. Shirley wrote a note saying they could use the money for anything but locks for the church.

The road to Mabton was pretty easy with a pretty good tail wind. The downhill to Mabton was a little cold, but not bad. The road to Sunnyside was a little busy and the shoulder had a lot of glass, but it wasn't too bad. We found a big store there just as the high school across the street was having lunch. The students flocked to the store. The majority seemed to be speaking Spanish. Shirley bought a fair amount of food for $14.00. We spent almost an hour eating a large yogurt, some fruit, and a muffin. We had a slight disagreement on how to get to our road from the store, but finally made it.

From Sunnyside we had a gradual 12 mile uphill, 4 miles down, 2-3 more miles up with a good tail wind on Highway 24, then downhill to the Vernita Rest Area where we were hoping to camp. It was 4:00 when we got there, and the area was very small with no place to really hide. After eating Shirley looked at her accommodation information and found a motel at Desert Aire which appeared to be about 10 miles away. We decided to go to it and left about 4:45. The first 7 miles were pretty easy, but then we hit a fairly strong headwind for the last 3 miles. We inquired about camping and the guy at the gas station said we could camp at the Desert Aire private campground. After he found out we were on bikes he even called the home owner's association to make sure we could. He was very nice so I bought some food even though we really didn't need any. He said the campground was down the road by the river and the toilets were in the picnic area across the road. The campground is really set up for RVs, but there is a nice grassy area we pitched our tent on about 10 feet from the river. It is real breezy at the river so we decided to ride to the picnic area for dinner. When I checked out the toilets I found they had showers so we each took a shower before dinner.

Tuesday, May 7, 1991	Day 4	52 - 239

Desert Aire, WA to Ellensburg, WA	Lighthouse Motel	$25.80 - $30.80

Today was the worst weather of the trip. It was cloudy, but fairly warm. We packed up the tent and went to the picnic area for breakfast. The grass was being watered when we got there and we fixed breakfast in the dry part of the shelter.

We had a tail wind as we headed North. We were really surprised by the tail wind. It was not real warm, but with the wind at my back I took off my long sleeve shirt. We stopped for a snack at Wanapum Dam. It drizzled a little and felt real chilly. Once we got started again, though, I warmed up quick and had to strip down again.

Crossing the I-90 bridge across the Columbia was interesting. It was a neat location The bridge did not have a very wide shoulder. Fortunately, we were going downhill and there wasn't much traffic.

At vantage we visited the Ginkgo Petrified Forest. We stopped at the interpretation center which was closed until May 11. A couple miles further up the hill we stopped at the interpretive trail for a hike. The petrified trees were in little cages and all looked the same.

Toward the top of the hill between Vantage and Ellensburg it started drizzling and gradually increased until it was raining. When we started downhill I put my rain pants and booties on. Shirley didn't put hers on until the bottom of the hill. It rained all the way into Ellensburg although it did slow down to a drizzle again. We got a motel room for $25.80. It has linoleum floors which is nice for the bikes. It also has a bright flourescent light which is real nice. Unfortunately, it's also quite warm. The thermostat is on low, but it is still warm.

We went to the store and bought salads and yogurt for dinner as well as a lot of other food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner tomorrow.

Wednesday, May 8, 1991	Day 5	58 - 297

Ellensburg, WA to Leavenworth, WA	Edelweiss Hotel	$28.00 - $58.80

Today was payback day for the tail winds we've been having. The wind was howling today and was a dead on headwind. Predictions were 20-35 MPH. I started out in my light capilene shirt and no gloves. Within a couple hundred feet I knew I needed more clothes. I finally stopped and put my jacket and gloves on. Soon I put my rain pants on also to protect my crotch.

After two hours I finally stopped for a rest and to eat. Shirley was ahead of me and kept going. About a mile later I found her stopped and had another break in the ditch. It took us about 4 1/2 hours to cover the first 18 miles.

At that point we dropped down to a different valley and the wind became a tailwind and we got to the National Forest. The ride up to Swauk Pass was not too difficult although it never did warm up very much. With the tailwind I did manage to take my rain pants and jacket off. We stopped for another snack at Swauk campground and got real cold as the sun kept going behind clouds. There were two chipmunks there who were very aggressive. They were not afraid and I thought one little guy was going to fight me for my food.

The downhill was very cold. We stopped at Bononza campground, but decided it was too cold and windy to camp so we headed to Leavenworth, some 18-20 miles away. We have a European style room which means the bathroom is down the hall. It is very clean and well lit and is $28.00. We took it for two nights. We got in about 6:30 after leaving around 9:20 this morning.

We went to Safeway and bought potato salad, strawberries, chocolate mousse, and yogurt for dinner. We then had a cup of tea.

Thursday, May 9, 1991	Day 6	0 - 297

Leavenworth, WA	Edelweiss Hotel	$28.00 - 86.80

After breakfast we went to the National Forest ranger station to check out the roads we want to take from Leavenworth to Lake Chelan. The lady at the station was new and didn't know very much, but was willing to help. She called another district and found out the road has at least 3/4 - 1 miles of snow covered stretch. We don't know about the rest of the road after that, but we are going to try it anyway. It will be real hard getting through the snow.

After stopping at the store we went for a hike up the Icicle Ridge trail. It was a nice hike except for the construction getting to and from the trail head. It was sunny to start, but gradually clouded up. It was cold up high and a little windy. Actually, quite windy.

Friday, May 10, 1991	Day 7	44 - 341

Leavenworth, WA to 10 West of Chelan, WA	Lake Chelan SP	$3.00 - 89.80

Good day - bad day today. It was a good day because the ride was beautiful. It was a bad day because I got a headache early on so 2-3 hours weren't so much fun.

After breakfast we went to Safeway and bought a little more food since we weren't sure how much snow there was on our road and whether we would make it to Lake Chelan. As we left we also stopped at the real estate office and chamber of commerce. We got a list of current homes for sale. It seems there might be good housing for $100,000.

The road up to Entiat Ridge was quiet and not too steep until the last 2-4 miles. My eyes did their thing fairly early and my head hurt before we really got to the steep part. About the time we finally arrived at the scenic part my head was fine again. The snow turned out to be no problem. There were several short stretches impassable to cars, but with a narrow bare area we could ride on, even if it was little muddy. There were only two short (100-150 feet) stretches where we had to push our bikes. At Ardenvoir we stopped for water at the work center and a man there told us we wouldn't have any more snow. He was right. The road over to Lake Chelan was gentle for several miles and then 1-2 miles that were steep. The final 4 miles on Navarre Coulee were paved and not too hard in spite of the hill we had to go over. The state park is very large and no where near full. We paid for a primitive site ($3.00) but couldn't figure out where they were. We found the ranger and he said there really weren't any primitive sites. We ended up in a walk in site right next to the lake. The drinking water is not too far away and the site is very flat. The shower was very nice and actually had an adjacent dressing room.

The weather today was warm to hot with just a light wind. The least windy day so far. It was so nice not to be blown about.

Saturday, May 11, 1991	Day 8	35 - 376

Lake Chelan SP to 2 Miles West of Pateros, WA	Alta Lake SP	$3.00 - $92.80

Not much to write about today. Last night we went for a walk before going to bed and ran into a couple of geese that hissed and came after us. They must have had babies around somewhere.

Shirley got up around 6:40 this morning because it was sunny and warm and she wasn't going to miss it. It's probably good she did because by 8:30 a big cloud moved in again. After reading that the trails we had planned to hike were open to motorcycles, we decided to pack up and ride to Alta Lake today and hike tomorrow. We thought about doing some National Forest roads, but since they went past a ski area and appeared to go over 5000 feet we decided to take Highway 97.

We got as far as Chelan before we were starving and ate at the Safeway. It was noon by the time we left Chelan. The ride to Pateros was easy with just a couple little hills. At Wells Dam there was a diagram showing the Columbia River and its tributaries and the dams on them. There are 125 dams which generate 1/3 the hydro electric power in the U.S. There was a steep hill up to Alta Lake. The campground isn't quite as nice as Lake Chelan. We finally found a campsite at the far end of the park which looked pretty nice. It overlooks the lake. The only problem is the trees are pretty thin and the wind has picked up. The park wasn't self pay and the ranger finally came around to collect the money. He wasn't sure whether to charge us $3.00 or $4.00. We told him everyone else has charged us $3.00, so he charged us $3.00. Our laundry dried really quick due to the openness and the wind.

Sunday, May 12, 1991	Day 9	0 - 376

2 Miles West of Pateros, WA	Alta Lake SP	$3.00 - $95.80

Less to write about today than yesterday. We got up at about 7:00 to a light (very light) drizzle. Nothing even got wet. By the time we ate breakfast it had stopped. We hiked up a trail from the campground. It only went to the ridge top and petered out. We walked around camp a while and then rented a rowboat for a couple hours. We managed to do the entire lake which surprised me. I was also surprised it only cost $3.00 per hour. It was very calm while we were on the lake and the sun shined for a while. The wind came up for a while during dinner and felt a little chilly, but it has calmed down again.

Monday, May 13, 1991	Day 10	73 - 449

Alta Lake SP to 2 Miles South of Grand Coulee, WA	Spring Canyon Recreation Area	Free - $95.80

Long day today. Shirley got up before 6:30 and I got up shortly after she did. It was sunny this morning and she wasn't going to miss it. As it turned out it was sunny all day.

We rode into Brewster to find a store. While Shirley shopped for food I went to the True Value looking for a new tire. Mine started thumping on the 3rd day and I finally looked at it close enough Saturday evening to discover the casing was disintegrating on a 6 inch stretch. I bought a 40 pound tire for $7.00. We then went to the park in Brewster to eat and change my tire. I ended up putting the new tire on the front and putting the tire that was on the front on the back. We then had a nice ride to Bridgeport where I got a flat tire. I put my spare in which immediately went flat, so I had to patch both tubes.

After Bridgeport we climbed for 25 miles or so before dropping into Grand Coulee. After shopping for dinner and tomorrow's lunch we went to see the Grand Coulee Dam, which is the largest concrete structure in the world. It's in a pretty desolate and ugly location, but is impressive. We then rode to the campground which was 3 miles away with the first mile uphill. Then we had two more miles back downhill to the river and the campground.

The campground is a national park and had a NO FEE sign which normally means no water. Fortunately, in this case there was water. We figure they just haven't started collecting this year, at least not during the week. By the time we selected a site it was going on 8:00. Fortunately, the twilight lasts a long time. It was getting rather dark by the timw we got everything eaten and cleaned up. There was still enough light, though, to check out the beach and RV campground. The beach is real low. The boat ramp is totally out of the water and the buoys marking the swimming area are on the sand. They must have lowered the lake to allow more water for the salmon. The RV area has little carports for the RVs.

I'm sitting by the bathroom right now so I can see to write in my diary. It is now time for bed as it is after 10:00.

Tuesday, May 14, 1991	Day 11	58 - 507

Grand Coulee to Odessa, WA	Odessa Tourist Park	Free - $95.80

I got up at 6:30 this morning. The sky was clear to the West and cloudy to the East. At first it appeared to be clearing and then it seemed to grow more cloudy. Eventually it became mostly sunny. There were a total of 3 sets of campers. Us, a small trailer with 2 people and a family of 4 in a dome tent I talked to the park ranger this morning and he said the lake was down about 70 feet due to letting more water out for the salmon, generating more electricity, and making room for heavy late spring snow falls. He said the lake had risen about 7 feet since last Friday.

The first part of the ride to Wilbur was up a fairly steep canyon. We passed a work crew dumping rock on the shoulder and we weren't sure we would get by them. We had a 10 mile rolling downhill into Wilbur. We bought a cantaloupe and ate it on a church's steps.

The ride into Odessa was 36 miles of rolling hills through sage brush and wheat fields (and possibly other grains since some were being watered and Shirley said she has never heard of wheat being watered). Rolling hills are not my favorite terrain. Fortunately it was not real hot, although I am getting that baked feeling.

Odessa is very small and not a real tourist stop. We stopped at a gas station to ask about camping and he said there was a tourist park where we could camp a couple blocks down the main road. It is across from the church and has a faucet for water and nice flat grass for tents. It also has a covered picnic area for cooking. Unfortunately, the outhouse is locked. Fortunately, the city park is only a block away with toilets at the kiddie park. They are very dirty, but at least we can take a crap. The men's toilet looked like it had half a roll of paper towels in it so I went over to the women's. The sinks were very dirty, but we cleaned up and did our laundry anyway. I returned to the men's toiler for cleaning. The picnic tables at the parks are also very dirty. We cleaned them off somewhat, but they are still dirty.

Wednesday, May 15, 1991	Day 12	78 - 585

Odessa to 23 Miles SE of Washtucna, WA	Palousse Falls SP	$3.00 - $98.80

Interesting day today. It was very sunny and cold this morning. My toes got cold for a little while and my fingers got real cold when I washed the dishes. Certainly, by Colorado standards it wasn't cold, but I felt good in my capilene, wool shirt, and jacket. I got up at 6:15 and we left at 8:15. The ride into Lind was very hilly with lots of ups and downs. There was a decent wind which wasn't helping us and it took a lot of effort to ride. We rode mainly uphill until 4 miles from Lind when we finally had a good downhill. We made the 30 miles to Lind in 4 hours which I though was very good. We found a small park and Shirley went to the store for junk food. We each had a package of Archway cookies. Shirley ate all of hers and a fourth of mine. We also had an apple. We were in Lind for over an hour and I was sure we would be stopping again to eat pretty soon since we didn't eat any "real" food. Fortunately, the riding was much easier after Lind. The hills were much flatter and eventually disappeared for a while. The 12 miles to Highway 26 went in about an hour. Highway 26 was a little hillier, but we made it to Washtucna by 4:30, about 3 hours from Lind. We bought food for 2 days and decided to head to Palousse Falls State Park. The first 6 miles were flat and easy. We then turned onto Highway 360 for 8 miles which was mostly up. It was really pretty easy, but I was getting hungry. The ride was interesting with a canyon and rolling hills. Finally we got to a slight downhill and cattle country. It sure didn't look like a state park would be anywhere nearby since all we saw was sagebrush and grass.

We then turned onto a dirt road for 2 miles which dropped down to the Palousse River and falls. The falls is quite spectacular as well as the canyon leading from it. We are the only ones here although one family did come look at the falls and leave. We are camped in the picnic area since it is the only area with a view of the falls. There are little marmot looking creatures here so we will hang our food tonight. There are no showers and only pit toilets.

Thursday, May 16, 1991	Day 13	9 - 594

Palousse Falls SP to 32 Miles SE Washtucna, WA	Lyons Ferry SP	Free - $98.80

A couple more people ended up staying at the campground last night. One couple put up a tent and there was another car whose occupants we never saw.

I got up at 5:45 to retrieve my towel and wash cloth because it was dripping a little. I figured it was too early to get up so went back to bed. We finally got up about 7:00. We moved to the covered picnic area because it was still dripping. We ate breakfast and packed the tent before the park ranger came by.

It was quite pleasant this morning. Maybe the warmest we have had yet. We hiked a little bit around the falls before heading to Lyons Ferry State Park just 9 miles away. We arrived around noon and set up camp in what looks like the primitive site. It's the only one you can't park a car at and the only one without a gravel pad for your tent. After eating (again) we hiked over the bridge across the Snake River to get some gas for our stove. We then hiked up to an overlook and out a peninsula in the park. By the time we got back it was 5:00. We took showers and then fixed dinner. While eating it started raining and we had a pretty good shower before quitting. It still looks like it could rain some more. We are sitting in the tent right now writing in our diaries.

The zipper on the tent has died. There is one spot where it won't stay closed. Right now that is not a problem, but will be if we ever run into bugs. Hopefully, we can make it to Missoula and get it fixed while visiting Ann.

Friday, May 17, 1991	Day 14	70 - 664

Lyons Ferry SP to Clarkston, WA	Golden Key Motel	$25.00 - $123.80

It rained off and on all night and was real windy for a while. It was raining lightly when we got up and we decided to ride into Starbuck for breakfast. Our camping last night was free. The sign said we would be registered at our campsite, but no one ever came around. There was only one other trailer in the whole park.

It drizzled on the way to Starbuck, but it was quite warm. I rode in a short sleeve shirt. We had omelettes for breakfast. The ride to Pomeroy continued to be easy and it rained lightly as we approached the town. We stopped at a forest service office for lunch since it had large eaves for our bikes and a bench for us. A woman in the office came out and offered us coffee, which Shirley accepted. We tried to get a forest service map of Clearwater in Eastern Idaho, but they were out.

We continued on to Clarkston. It was uphill for a while up to 2785 feet and then we had a glorious 5 mile steep downhill and a few more downhill miles to Chief Joseph State Park. There was a pair of geese there with 32 goslings. We decided they must run the day care center. Since it was still cloudy and looked like it was going to rain again, we decided to find a motel in Clarkston about 8 miles away. It rained the hardest it had all day. When we got into town we got out the literature and found 3 motels that might be our style. We stopped at the first one on our list and found a good room for $25. It is clean and quite large. It even has an icebox.

When we checked in I asked about a store. She told me a Circle K was 3 blocks away and an Albertsons was a mile away. It had stopped raining by the time we showered and were ready for the store so we headed toward Albertsons. We found some salads. One was $1.50 and the other was 99¢ each. They were pretty good. We also bought some muffins which were expensive.

The forecast is for rain through the weekend.

Saturday, May 18, 1991	Day 15	46 - 710

Clarkson, WA to 38 Miles South of Lewiston, ID	Winchester State Park (ID)	$7.00 - $130.80

We awoke to a cloudy, but dry morning. The temperature was a pleasant 50º. After eating breakfast of leftover salad from last night and muffins and yogurt we were off somewhere between 9:30 and 10:00.

We hoped to find a sporting goods store on hopes of buying a Clearwater National Forest map. However, when we got to what we think was the correct address the store wasn't there. I don't mean we had the wrong store, I mean nothing was there. So, we continued into Lewiston, ID without a map.

We found a tourist information place and stopped in. It was run by an old couple who were very friendly. Unfortunately, they didn't have any National Forest maps either, but he did call a couple places to see if they did. No luck. We did get an Idaho state map and some other literature including the 1991 state park guide. While we were there a local who was passing by on his way back from a running race stopped in because he saw our bikes outside. He told us about campsites and hot springs along Highway 12 and what mile marker they are at. We asked him about two alternate routes we could take, one up Highway 95 and eventually back to Highway 12 or just straight up Highway 12. He recommended Highway 12 because it was flat until Kamiah whereas Highway 95 gains 2500 feet up to Winchester and then drops back down to the river. It was real nice of him to stop and offer his advice.

When we left we decided to take Highway 95 and go to Winchester Lake so we could spend the weekend getting to Kooskia on Monday to get a map from the National Forest office there. If we went straight up Highway 12 we would have had a hard time taking two days.

Highway 95 was a lot busier than we hoped. It wasn't bumper to bumper, but enough to be noisy. After the quiet roads we have been on it was unpleasant. The grade to Lapwal was not bad. We saw a store there and decided to buy dinner since we didn't know what the other towns would be like. We made a good choice. We had about 12 miles of steeper hill, but only 5 requiring the little chainring between Cul de Sac and Winchester. Not near as steep as we had been led to expect. It looked like it was going to rain on us, but it waited until we got to the campground and got the tent set up. Cooking dinner was a little wet and afterwards it was into the tent which is where we are now. The rain has let up and may have quite, but the trees are sure dripping.

A lot of cars passed us today with mountain bikes on them. A fair number of the cars also looked loaded like they were moving. We think maybe the college term may be over and the students are going home, plus maybe a bike event somewhere. Who knows?

The state park is sort of a disappointment. It's nice, but the toilets are pit toilets, the tables are metal, and there are no showers. The worst part is it costs $7.00. The new brochure said there were 71 sites with showers. I asked the ranger and he said they were adding the showers and had hoped to be done my Memorial day, but are behind due to the weather. Too bad. It is sort of cold and a shower would have been nice.

Sunday, May 19, 1991	Day 16	38 - 748

Winchester State Park to Kamiah, ID	Sundowner Motel	$24.61 - 155.41

It rained all night last night. Sometimes pretty hard. It was still raining lightly this morning, although not enough to get you wet. Because of the wet it felt real cold this morning. We both had to do the jig a couple times to warm up our hands and feet.

After breakfast we walked around Lake Winchester before packing the tent. My hands got real cold in the process. The tent was very wet. It was probably about 11:30 when we left.

It was mostly gentle uphill with some downhill to Craigmont. It rained lightly for a while, but then quit. It felt very warm riding uphill in my full rain gear.

We had a lunch at Craigmont and then took Highway 62. It was still warm and I finally took my raincoat off. A little later I took my rain pants and booties off. As we rode along Highway 62 we could see small patches of blue ahead which turned to a large patch by the time we reached Nez Perce. We sat in the sun and had a small snack before continuing to Kamiah.

I decided we should stay in Kamiah to give us 2 chances for a National Forest map, once in Kamiah and once at Kooskia.

We found a store and learned it would be open to 9:00 so we found a motel before shopping. The motel is nice for only $24.61 ($23.00 if I had paid cash). The room once again is large enough for both bikes. We set up the tent to dry, did our laundry, and took showers before going to the store to buy 4 days worth of food, since there won't be much between here and Missoula and we want to spend a couple days hiking in the national forest. There is a pizza place a couple doors away where we had dinner, our first restaurant dinner since we left. It was delicious. Apparently there are not any no smoking regulations since the two young (probably high school) girls running it were smoking.

The sky is mostly clear now after getting real dark in the East earlier and sprinkling a little.

Odie (my odometer) is very frustrating. It keeps getting on the wrong pulley and distorting the miles.

Monday, May 20, 1991	Day 17	58 - 806

Kamiah, ID to 12 Miles East of Lowell, ID	Wilderness Gateway CG	$5.00 - $160.41

We got up and ate our cinnamon rolls and yogurt and granola. After some packing we went over to the national forest office to buy a map. The woman who helped us didn't know which campgrounds were open, but called someone who knew. The campground we wanted was open and had water. She told us there wouldn't be a fee until Friday because there wasn't any garbage collection.

It was cloudy when we got up, but cleared as we left. By Kooskia we decided to put sun screen on. Naturally, a little later it clouded up again. The riding was easy although uphill. The grade was gentle and we were in our middle chain rings all day. The canyon we followed was lovely and the Lochsa (rough water) River was flowing very swiftly and high. It became quite a bit smaller, but still large after the Selway (gentle water) River.

It started dripping around 2:40 just as we stopped at a closed picnic area for a lunch. It gradually increased as we ate until we decided to put our rain gear on before we left. It rained lightly for 4-5 miles and then quit. By the time we reached the campground the sky was clearing and looks pretty good now. It was fairly warm all day and is still pretty warm. The bath in camp did not feel cold at all except for the water. Riding up the road today we kept passing through cold pockets of air whenever we would pass a creek. The campsites here near the creek (Boulder Creek) are definitely cooler than the ones away from the creek.

We also saw some rafters in the river about 10 miles from camp. They all had wetsuits on. There were some pretty good rapids, although probably not dangerous for the experienced. They also are staying in the campground.

In spite of what we were told at the ranger station in Kamiah, the campground fee is being collected. There is even a campground host here.

Tuesday, May 21, 1991	Day 18	0-806

12 Miles East of Lowell, ID	Wilderness Gateway CG	$5.00 - $165.41

A very interesting day today so read on to find out why!

The day started innocently enough. I got up about 5:45 to pee and the Eastern sky was cloudy and Western sky was clear. By the time I got up 45 minutes later it was mostly sunny with the clouds in the West.

After breakfast it was off to Stanley Hot Springs about 6 miles away. First, though, we had to decide what to do with our food. We had tried to hang it last night, but didn't have much success so we slept with it in the tent. We decided to just wrap it in a big plastic garbage bag and leave it in the vestibule today.

The trail up Boulder Creek was beautiful and quite warm. Just before we came to the turnoff Shirley saw a bear. She was a little ahead of me since I didn't have my shorts and was quite hot. She said it was little and ran away down the trail. For the next few feet we really walked cautiously, but didn't see the bear again.

After that we made it to the hot springs. We almost walked by it, but I saw some steam. We took our clothes off for a dip in the pool. The water felt quite warm and at first felt too hot to get in. Gradually we did get in and I sat there sweating.

After a half hour or so we ate lunch and then continued up the trail (dressed, of course). We started to make a loop back to camp, but had to cross Rock Creek. There wasn't a bridge so we turned around and went up the other fork instead. I got warm and finally took my blue jeans off and hiked in my underwear. We hiked until we came to steady snow, which was much higher than we had expected. We eventually turned around and went back to the hot springs for another dip.

On the way back to camp Shirley suddenly turned around and came back toward me. I knew she had seen a bear and it was heading our way. When it stuck it's head around the corner and saw us, it turned around and ran. It was very cute and very close. A little further on there was another bear in a tree right next to the trail. We retreated and made noise until it finally crashed down the hill. We continued walking and after a short while saw a mother and cub in a tree not too far from the trail. We should have gotten a picture, but didn't want to spend too much time there. Not much later we saw a female moose on the trail. She too took flight and ran down the trail ahead of us. All this was probably in less than a mile. Closer to camp we found three snakes (not all in one place) on the trail.

All together, we saw one moose, one frog, two elk (at the hot springs the second time), three snakes, and five bears today, not to mention all the birds and insects. Not bad for a 9 1/2 hour hike. I can hardly wait for what tomorrow brings.

Wednesday, May 22, 1991	Day 19	0 - 806

12 Miles East of Lowell, ID	Wilderness Gateway CG	$5.00 - $170.41

Today was not near as exciting as yesterday. After breakfast we went for a hike toward Lochsa Peak and Cantaloupe Peak. The last few hundred feet up Cantaloupe were in the snow. Our feet got pretty wet since all we had were our mesh shoes. Unfortunately, our shoes didn't dry on the way down, but we got back around 4:30 and the shoes are drying in the sun.

On the way back we saw 4 or 5 elk grazing in the trees. When they finally noticed us they took off running and crashing through the trees. We also saw a deer early on as we started out.

The rafters who had been here both nights we were, were leaving as we returned, so there are several more open spaces so far tonight. The campground host came by while we were fixing dinner (as he did last night too) to see if we had paid our fees. When we told him yes he said we were good people. Apparently a lot of people don't self register like they are supposed to. We couldn't believe he drove around the campground to see if everyone has paid. There are only 25 sites.

Thursday, May 23, 1991	Day 20	59 -865

26 Miles West of Lolo, MT	Lee Creek CG	Free - $170.41

We got up early today (before 7:00), mainly because I had to pee and I didn't feel like coming back. It was fairly warm and very sunny. The fly was wet on the inside and the ground cloth was soaked on the underneath side. I put it in the sun for a while. We ate, packed up, and were off around 9:00.

The first 47 miles were easy as it continued to be pretty gentle and usually a tailwind. Shirley didn't want to eat much today so I ended up with 3 of the 4 English muffins. We ate the last one on top of Lolo Pass. Now all we have for tomorrow is a little cheese, some peanut butter, and some jelly. The last 5 miles up to the pass were quite steep ( a sign at the top said 6%, but the first couple miles seemed steeper than that and the last 3 less than that).

We stopped at a couple campgrounds on the way up hoping for water, but the pumps did not have handles. The Visitor Center at the top of the pass also did not have water. We stopped at the first campground on the downhill side (about 6 miles down) and decided to stay even though the water wasn't on. We were looking for a good site when we came upon the campground host. Shirley asked if any of the water was on and he said no, but his RV had a filter and he would be glad to give us some water. So, he filled up the water bag and the 1 1/2 quart bottle which is nice since now we don't have to filter the water. We bathed in creek water and washed the dishes in creek water, but cooked and drank his water. Since there is no water available, the campground is free. So far there is only one other couple here other than the host.

We saw other cycle tourists on the top of Lolo Pass today. The first we've seen this trip.

Friday, May 24, 1991	Day 21	39 - 904

Lee Creek CG to Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House	Free - $170.41

We crossed into the Mountain Time Zone when we crossed into Montana yesterday. Shirley adjusted quickly and got up at 7:00 (6:00 yesterday's time). It was fairly cold this morning, probably the second or third coldest night so far. We ate breakfast and packed and were off by 9:00 (8:00 yesterday's time). It was a little cool, but warmed up fairly quickly. I had stopped to pee and take some clothes off and when I caught up with Shirley she was talking to two old (probably 60s) women. One from Arkansas and one from Washington who were sisters and both widows. They were out traveling and enjoying themselves. They were very bubbly and exuberant.

The ride down Lolo Pass was as boring as I remembered from 1980. We stopped at a small store 6 miles from Lolo and bought brownies and yogurt. Shirley looked in the phone book for bicycle shops and mountain shops and a map to find Anne's house. We stopped in Lolo to buy some food and ate in the parking lot in the sun. The ride to Missoula was easy.

We stopped at a laundromat about 3 blocks from Anne's house and washed all our clothes. We then went to Anne's house and found a note telling us where a key to the house was. A little later Anne called and said she wouldn't be home until 6:00. We fixed dinner and then spent the evening with Anne.

We saw another cyclist heading up Lolo Pass as we were nearing Lolo.

Our mail from Ken included three whole mirrors instead of just parts. That was a real surprise. We also have checks from both A.G. Edwards, which are only good for at least $250 and we will use as our American Express cash card, and Edward D. Jones which we will use for campgrounds, etc. Ken called a little later and said Bank of America wanted to know what to do about the $10.50 check that hasn't cleared and the direct deposit for Shirley's paycheck that we had not expected to be deposited. I will call on Tuesday to rectify the problems. There are also more mirror parts in Mosier. I told Ken to send them here.

Shirley also called about getting the zipper on our tent replaced. We found a place that will do it. We will call on Tuesday to set a date.

Saturday, May 25, 1991	Day 22	0 - 904

Missoula	Anne Well's House	Free - $170.41

I got up about 8:30 this morning. I slept on a futon bed which is like pallets with a thin mattress. It doesn't sound very comfortable, but it really is.

Anne's eye was bothering her and looked infected, so after breakfast she and I went to the mall so she could go to a clinic there and I could take our finished rolls of film in for development. My film didn't take long, but it took close to two hours before the doctor saw Anne. I spent most of the time in B-Dalton looking at books.

When we came back and ate lunch, Shirley and I went out and prepped Anne's house and garage for painting while Anne finished some paperwork for work. Actually, Anne had already done much of the work and we finished it up.

After dinner we rented a movie and played it on Anne's VCR. We watched "The Gods Must be Crazy". It didn't seem as funny as "The Gods Must be Crazy II" to us.

Sunday, May 26, 1991	Day 23	0 - 904

Missoula	Anne Well's House	Free - $170.41

We basically only painted today. This morning we primed the house and garage. We started about 11:00 and finished around 2:00. We had lunch and then I went to pick up our slides. While I was gone Anne and Shirley started painting the garage. I helped when I got back. We finished about 6:30. Of course, we still have the trim work to do. Tomorrow we will paint the house. After Anne takes a shower we will look at our slides.

Monday, May 27, 1991	Day 24	0 -904

Missoula	Anne Well's House	Free - $170.41

We got up at 8:30 again today. After breakfast we waited for it to warm up enough to paint. Anne took her paperwork to the hospital while Shirley and I started painting around 11:00. We took a pizza break around 12:45 and then continued painting. We finished around 6:00. Had a tuna noodle casserole for dinner. Now we are packing to play the rest of the week.

Tuesday, May 28, 1991	Day 25	0 -904

Missoula to Glacier NP	Apgar CG	$8.00 - $178.41

Rather boring day today. We ate a light breakfast before heading to a "health food" place to eat. Shirley called the tent place to see about getting our zipper repaired and was told the seamstress wouldn't be in until 9:30 or 10:00. I called Bank of America to handle the check that hadn't cleared from the account we closed and Shirley's paycheck which went into the account. The person I needed to talk to wasn't there yet and they were still trying to get the system up.

We went to the restaurant and had cinnamon rolls. They were not overly sweet and were good. Afterwards we dropped the tent off. The seamstress said it might just be the slider and they would check it out before replacing the zipper. I also bought a fanny pack for my camera. We then found a pay phone and I called Bank of America again. I decided to just have them close the account and mail the check to Ken.

We then drove to Glacier NP with a few stops here and there. We took a short hike (3 miles round trip) to Holland Falls. It was nice and very pretty. We also met a couple of cyclists who started in Ketchum. The gal looked much younger than the guy and had biking shorts and shoes on and was riding a mountain bike. The guy had sandals, long pants and was riding a normal bike. They camped last night without a tent and it rained quite hard.

Much of the day we debated whether we should camp since it looked like rain and we drove through some showers. It finally appeared to be clearing and we decided to camp. We stayed in Apgar which is very much bear country. They have notices on all the tables about what cannot be out except when in use. All waste water is supposed to be caught and disposed of in the service sink or toilet.

Wednesday, May 29, 1991	Day 26	0 -904

Glacier NP	Apgar CG	$8.00 - $186.41

I slept in the car last night and Shirley and Anne used the tent. I was quite comfortable, but Anne and Shirley got wet from condensation. I got up first and started tea water. By the time Anne and Shirley got up the tea was ready. We had yogurt and granola and muffins for breakfast. I think Anne would have preferred a nice warm restaurant.

We then drove up toward Polebridge after buying some bear bells to scare the bears away. I didn't want them, but Shirley and Anne did. A couple miles up the road we passed a small black bear and a cub. They were not the least bit concerned about us and we watched them for a while before they wandered into the woods. We then drove to Bowman Lake. It was another beautiful lake with lots of white mountains. We had lunch in the picnic area with less than fearful deer and a few mosquitos. We took a 6-7 mile hike to Lower Quartz Lake. The trail was moderately steep and a part through a burn area had nice views of the mountains. The back country campground had a bear pole which was a 15 foot pole with foot long hooks on top. There was a long pole with a hook on it for putting your food up there. We snacked on the bridge across Quartz Creek because it was breezy enough to be mosquito free. Shirley wore the bear bells to the lake, but was slowly being driven crazy by them so Anne wore them back. Back at Bowman, Shirley and I decided to take a short hike toward upper Quartz Lake while Anne waited for us. We were gone about 1:45. Since the mosquitos were still bad we decided to head back to Apgar. We took the slow route back and saw two more bears along the road. One we got a good look at as he ran down the road in front of us for a ways. The second one we did not get a good look at. It was after 9:00 by the time we got back to Apgar. There was a tent in the hiker/biker site tonight. It must have been a hiker because there wasn't any bikes.

The sky was clear by the time we got back to Apgar and we got a real good view of the mountains. Too bad the sun was setting.

Thursday, May 30, 1991	Day 27	0 - 904

Glacier NP to Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House	Free - $186.41

Shirley and I were just getting up this morning when Anne told us to get up because there is a mama moose and her baby going by. Shirley got out of the tent fast, but didn't see the moose. I fugured I missed it, but Anne said it was still there. I climbed out as I was pulling my pants on and managed to get a glimpse of mama, but not the baby.

We quickly packed the tent because it was dripping a few drops, and went to the restaurant for breakfast. I had pancakes and Shirley and Anne had omelettes. Shirley must have been hungry because she ate all her omelette, her potatoes, and her toast. Usually I get some of her potatoes or toast.

After breakfast we drove up as far as we could on the Going to the Sun Road. We could then walk another mile beyond that. There was some very friendly deer at the turnaround with one being a real beggar. We then went for a short hike on a trail at the turnaround which in 42K would have taken us to Waterton Park in Canada. We went down the Cedars Trail which is a wheelchair accessible trail in a cedar grove. Very nice and quite different from the other forests of lodgepole and larches. We ate lunch on a platform at a falls in the MacDonald River.

We took the long way home with stops in Kalispell for coffee and a store for muffins (they were out of muffins). Anne made me nervous with her driving because she was constantly looking around to show us things and would drift into the other lane. But, we made it back to Missoula. It is cool in Missoula and felt warmer in Glacier. Shirley and I are doing our laundry and will be starting out clean.

Friday, May 31, 1991	Day 28	5 - 909

Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House	Free - $186.41

Another rather boring day. Shirley and I walked downtown this morning to a bike shop and to pick up the tent. It took longer than I thought it would. We ended up going to several bike shops. Shirley bought a new water bottle and a seat cover. I bought a seat cover and on Shirley's urging a new pair of gloves and new handlebar pads. Hopefully that will stop my hand pain without using the foam scrubby I've been using. In between bike shops we picked up the tent. They only put a new zipper pull on for $12.50. It seemed to work OK in the store. Hopefully it will continue to work for two more years, especially now that we are in mosquito country. I also went to a hardware store to buy some more bolts for the racks since Shirley used the last one when her rack came loose a couple weeks ago. The ones I got are shorter than I wanted, but hopefully will be long enough if needed.

Ken called today about the insurance policies Shirley wants him to send. I think they got it all settled. He also had a question about how to use our computer to get into PCWRITE.

While I was on the phone Shirley and Anne left to buy food. I didn't know they left so I was looking for them until I noticed the car was gone. I decided to go to the XXX movies. It was not real exciting. They weren't the type that really turn me on. I also bought a felt tip pen to use to write on the slides.

Shirley came back from the store with lots of food. I had requested a red pepper for a "Hawaiian Cocktail Franks" recipe for the DAC North party tomorrow. She came back with a pepper that cost $3.17. Obviously, she didn't look at the price.

Saturday, June 1, 1991	Day 29	0 - 909

Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House	Free - $186.41

I got up around 7:30 today. I thought it must be much later than that, but I was wrong. After breakfast we piddled around and finally did the trail to the "M" above Missoula. We got there shortly after 10:00. We went to a bakery on the way back for a small snack and the health food store for granola. After lunch we started painting the trim on Anne's house. Shirley and I did the eaves while Anne scraped some bubbles off the house and painted the doors and a little of the front window. The whole trim is going to require two coats.

After we got cleaned up it was close to time for Len and Sandy to arrive. I made my appetizer with the red pepper and Shirley took a picture of me cutting it and Anne and I looking surprised at the sales receipt.

We had a nice picnic with Len and Sandy and their two kids, and Tom and Vicki and their three kids. Len and Tom helped Anne go get a new (used) couch and move it to her living room. Anne had sold her old couch and chair this morning at a garage sale a couple doors away. Her new couch is much fancier and originally coast about $800. We all pigged out on hot dogs and/or hamburgers and chips, etc.

After Len and Sandy left we went over to Tom and Vicki's to look at their slides of their bike trip to the British Isles in 1985. Their slides were really good, but I didn't have a very good time. Between the slide projector sticking, the kids being pests, and Tom yelling at them I was quite tense.

Just before we left Anne's house to go over there, Anne noticed Penny (her cat) had several sores and/or cuts on her. She had spent the day outside and Anne was all worried because she hadn't gotten Penny's rabies shot. We finally got to leave. When we came back she daubed some hydrogen peroxide and Betadine on the sores. Whenever Penny would move or meow (whether from irritation or pain) both Anne and Shirley would jump. We finally got to bed shortly after midnight.

Sunday, June 2, 1991	Day 30	0- 909

Missoula, MT	Anne Well's House	Free - $186.41

We didn't get up until after 9:00 today. I tried to get Shirley interested in a little excitement this morning, but all I got was hugging. Although, that in itself is better than normal and was nice. After breakfast and reading the paper we fixed lunch and headed off for a hike in the Rattlesnake Recreation Area. It was quite warm and sunny today (80º predicted). We did a short 5-8 mile hike. Anne has really gotten out of shape since her leg problems began a few years ago. It's hard to believe she could easily out hike me when I first met her.

Just as we got back Tom came over with a guide on hot springs and a Montana accommodation guide to look at. He didn't stay long because he had to go to work delivering pizzas. It's amazing how many hot springs there are, many of which are undeveloped.

Shirley is cleaning her chain before we get packed up and head out tomorrow. Anne is doing laundry so we will wash a few things before packing

Monday, June 3, 1991	Day 31	61 - 970

Missoula, MT to Sealy Lake	Sealy Lake CG	$7.00 - $193.41

We're off again. The day dawned mostly sunny and warm. Much to my surprise Shirley stayed in bed until after Anne left. She was very playful and horny. Unfortunately, my back didn't cooperate and spasmed a little as we cuddled in bed. Just as I came my back really spasmed. I thought I was in real trouble, but it didn't hurt anymore once it quit. We finally got up around 8:00.

We ate breakfast and packed the last few things, including food. We left Anne's about 9:25. We followed the route Tom Noble had suggested and it worked really well. We had a tail wind and we went about 13 miles in the first hour. We stopped for a snack at Potomac and ate at a picnic table at the store where we bought pop and juice. We had another snack one mile before Highway 83 at a fishing access park. We stopped at the junction of 200 and 83 for water and ended up eating some really good huckleberry ice cream.

When we headed North toward Sealy Lake we got a head wind. It wasn't real strong, but enough to impede progress. We stopped at the Salmon Lake picnic area for a pee stop, and about 3 miles further Shirley decided she was hungry so we ate at a pullout in the road. It would have been nicer to eat at the picnic area.

When we got to Sealy Lake we started looking for a road that went around the lake. The first one turned out to be the wrong road, but we did see a rather large turtle in the road which I moved to the shoulder. Less than 1/4 mile down the road we came to the proper road with signs showing the way. When we got to the campground on the West side of Sealy Lake, Shirley thought we should continue to Lake Inez. However, the sites here were so peaceful we decided to stay. I think Lake Inez is right on the highway and wouldn't be near as peaceful. Shirley spent a long time in the picnic area bathroom taking a bath. The bathroom has flush toilets and blow dryers.

Tuesday, June 4, 1991	Day 32	72 - 1042

Sealy Lake to Big Fork, MT	Wayfarer State Park	$5.00 - $198.41

Before we went to bed last night we talked to the couple camped next to us. They were from Tucson, Arizona and had left Saturday. That seems like a lot of driving in three days. They are on their way to Alaska for the summer. He worked as a mining consultant and has been all over the world as part of his job. They also were very interested in our trip.

It never did get very cold last night and the mosquitos were out when we got up. It was cloudy, but appeared to be clear in the North which was good since we were heading North. We took off about 9:30, but as I started off my chain jumped to the inside of my chain rings and really jammed in there. Shirley came back when I didn't show up and with her help and a couple sticks I was able to get it unjammed without getting too greasy. Unfortunately, when it came loose I pinched my finger in the pedal. It really hurt and all Shirley cared about was the mosquitos.

We had a head wind much of today and the first 15 miles were pretty hard. However, just as we were reaching the top of the uphill a bear walked across the road between Shirley and me. Shirley was ahead of me by 100-200 yards and the bear walked about halfway between us. Shirley didn't see him, but I sure did. He was casually walking across the road until he saw me and then he took off running. My heart was pounding and I felt really good after that. We then had a rolling downhill to Swan Lake with headwind most of the time, but not always very strong. The sun came out for a while and it got pretty warm. Earlier it had gotten pretty cool like a front went through.

We had a lunch stop in Condon and that was about it until Swan Lake. We bought dinner and fuel at Swan Lake even though we were going on to the Wayfarer State park near Big Fork. It was 5:00 when we left Swan Lake and the way the wind was blowing I thought we were nuts to go another 20 miles. Luckily, the wind died down and I did the 11 miles to Highway 209 in about 50 minutes.

When we got into the state park we did a circuit and didn't really like any of the sites. The tent area was very bumpy and we decided to take an unnumbered site that didn't have any parking. It really is a good site, but until the park host came around to collect the fee I wasn't sure we were in a site. Now I can relax knowing we don't have to move. I also thought it would be $7.00, but it was only $5.00 (50¢ per bike plus $4.00 for a site). Bikes do get a break after all. However, we are not very impressed with Montana state parks based on the camping here.

Wednesday, June 5, 1991	Day 33	48 - 1090

Wayfarer State Park to Glacier National Park, MT	Apgar CG	$4.00 - $202.41

Today was our wettest day yet. It started raining lightly early this morning and was still raining when we got up. While in the tent it sounded pretty hard, but when we got out it wasn't bad. We ate breakfast. Just granola, nothing hot. About the time we took the tent down it started raining harder, so it got a little wet. The fly, of course, was soaked.

It rained for a few miles and then slowly stopped and then started again. We stopped at the deli and bakery at the junction of Highway 35 and 206. We spent an hour or so there eating a sandwich and a very large brownie for me, and a cookie and potato salad for Shirley. By the time we left again it had stopped raining and the road was drying. We made it the 10 miles to Columbia Falls without rain.

We stopped in Columbia Falls to buy 4 days worth of food so we won't starve in Glacier. While at the store it started raining lightly again. It's just as well that it did so we would wear our rain gear and have enough room for the food.

At Coram we became very hungry and had to eat. It was raining again, but I had to eat. A couple miles from Glacier there were patches of blue sky and sun on at least one hill.

The campground is quite different from last week. The hiker/biker sites are full of people. There are at least 8 other bikers, a couple hikers, and even a couple from Australia with the lady in a wheelchair. They are traveling the U.S. for 6 months, mostly without a car. We talked to them quite a while and plan to get their address in the morning. They live in Perth and said we could visit them if we get there.

Thursday, June 6, 1991	Day 34	0 - 1090

Glacier National Park, MT	Apgar CG	$4.00 - $206.41

I got up this morning about 7:00 and went looking for moose. All I saw was deer. Just as I was getting dressed it sprinkled on the tent, but by the time I got out it had stopped.

We decided to stay here again tonight and hike to Apgar lookout. This is the hike the ranger told us about last week. It wasa long hike to the start (3-5 miles). The road was very busy to the turnoff and then we found out there was a hiker/biker trail from Apgar to the turnoff. Shirley wore her bear bells up the trail. The view was great from the top and the sky was gradually clearing. On the way down it was mostly sunny. Shirley made me wear the bells. Surprisingly, we saw a moose on the way down. Once again not where I would have wxpected. We took the bike path back, which was much more pleasant than the road.

Coming back we crossed a bridge where a man and two young girls were fishing. Just as we got there one girl caught a fish and was very excited, although she didn't want to get too close. She was disappointed she had to release it.

The spot the Australians were in is now occupied by a German cyclist. I guess that's the international spot.

We got new bear warnings put on our table tonight. They say pretty much the same thng only in slightly larger and brighter letters.

Friday, June 7, 1991	Day 35	55 - 1145

Glacier National Park, MT	Apgar CG	Free - $206.41

Another very wet day. It started raining last night before we went to bed and rained most of the night. It wasn't raining when we got up, though. There was even a patch of blue.

The stove quit working while cooking breakfast. We got the cream of rice cooked, but it was barely burning for the tea, so we gave up.

We rode into West Glacier to mail some stuff for Shirley, mainly postcards and some information for the Cashmans who we hope to stay with in Arizona. It started raining just as we got back to Apgar.

We decided to ride up the pass as far as it was open. That took 4 hours with a couple lunch stops and checking out Sprague campground. In some ways it is better because it has large trees to protect you from the rain. We hiked toward a chalet from the road closure, but never reached it. We turned around after we hiked in the snow for a while.

The rain has become steady and we ate PB&J in the tent tonight. When Shirley looked for the tortillas in the food locker we couldn't find them. It is getting too dark to write for now.

Saturday, June 8, 1991	Day 36	31 - 1176

Glacier NP to Polebridge, MT	Polebridge Hostel	$20.80 - $227.21

Last night when we were getting ready to eat, Shirley couldn't find the tortillas in the food locker. It turned out they were still in her panniers which had been in the tent all day. While we were eating the guys next to us returned. One of them said "I just want to get the fuck out of here.". They did not sound like happy campers. The two real young guys returned at 2:30 and 4:00 this morning from Whitefish.

The German guy left yesterday and another person replaced his tent. We met her this morning. She is an American who lives in Vancouver. When we saw her from the back we thought she was a guy, but she was a woman, probably our age ± 5 years. She has done a lot of backpacking and biking.

It was cloudy this morning, but not raining when I got up at 7:00. I decided we should pack and eat at the restaurant before it rained. It took a long time to pack all our wet stuff. I dried my socks with the hand dryer and partially dried my shoes. As we were riding to the restaurant we saw several of the other bikers. They seemed pretty chipper. By the time we got to the restaurant it was 10:00. One of the young bikers and the newest lady were in the restaurant (separate tables). This week there was a large no smoking section which didn't seem to exist when we were here with Anne. Shirley had an omelette and I had pancakes. After breakfast we chatted a while with the Vancouver gal.

By the time we bought lunch stuff and headed off it was 11:30 and raining. It rained fairly hard for a while before tapering off and finally quitting. It rained once more around 2:30 for a while. It was quite warm whenever I had to put my rain gear on.

We took the North Fork road, but didn't see any bears, only deer. I guess you can't see bears all the time. We were following some bike tracks for a while and finally passed a couple on road bikes with hardly any gear. We didn't really talk with them so we don't know where they were headed.

We are staying at the Polebridge Hostel. It is only us so far. There is running water, but pit toilets. It was nice to have a shower after a week of only cold baths. There is no electricity, but lots of kerosene lanterns. There is a gas stove which is nice. There has been a couple more rain showers since we have been here. An English guy, who is staying elsewhere came over for a bath. There is a shower where he is staying, but every once in a while he treats himself to a bath.

Sunday, June 9, 1991	Day 37	48 - 1224

Polebridge, MT	Polebridge Hostel	$20.80 - $248.01

We made it to Canada today. We got up around 7:15 and had breakfast. It was cloudy when we got up, but was sunny by the time we finished eating. We went over to the mercantile for some snacks. The pickings were pretty slim, and we settled for some vanilla wafers.

The ride to the border wasn't too hard except for the muddy spots. The last 5 miles seemed real muddy. The views were really spectacular the whole way. Traffic was really light. The border customs guy was quite friendly as was his young German shepherd. We played ball for a little bit before we pedaled a little ways into Canada for a lunch stop. We found a scenic place to eat before heading back to Polebridge. When we got back to the border a woman customs officer came out of the Canadian customs office. I wasn't going to stop until I realized she was the U.S. customs agent just visiting the Canadian office. That's how little used the road is.

When we got back to Polebridge we stopped at the mercantile and ended up with a bag of tortilla chips and a jar of salsa. While eating the chips on the porch of the hostel I saw a moose in the field next door real close to the road. Shirley walked to the road and got a picture. It then circled wide and ended up fairly close in a marsh near the hostel. We walked closer and I climbed on a stump for a picture. About this time another biker came up and I relinquished my stump so he could get a picture.

I adjusted my front brakes. They were sounding like they were worn down. There were little pieces of metal in them even though there was plenty of rubber left.

The other biker is from Cleveland and just started yesterday in Whitefish. He came over a pass from N. Whitefish Lake and had a two mile stretch of snow he had to go through.

Dinner was sort of a disaster. It was noodles with chicken sauce. The directions said to make the noodles and the sauce separately, but I did them together. The sauce didn't dissolve and the lumps were awful. John (our host) is a real slob in the kitchen. Shirley gets real bothered by that and has been cleaning the kitchen a little more every time we eat.

Monday, June 10, 1991	Day 38	62 - 1286

Big Fork, MT	Timber's Motel	$37.44 - $285.45

I got up about 7:45 this morning. Shirley didn't show much desire to get up. I made breakfast and Shirley finally came down. We got packed and left about 1:00. The ride from Polebridge wasn't too bad. Most of the cars on the dusty part of the road actually slowed down to give us a break. Of course, there is always the odd asshole and the cement trucks who didn't slow down at all.

At the junction to go into Glacier Park, we decided to go the other way and take the back road into Columbia Falls. This allowed us to bypass the busy part of Highway 2. It did mean another 11 miles of dirt road, but traffic wasn't bad except for a couple of cement trucks.

In Columbia Falls we stopped at the DQ for a blizzard. Both of us were having gas and stomach problems. We think it was from the dried prunes we ate. I got over mine after a couple of trips to the bathroom, but Shirley's only subsided. We also stopped at the junction of Highway 206 and 35 for snacks. We spent an hour there. It was 6:00 by the time we left for Big Fork. It was close to 7:30 by the time we got into town. We stopped at the store to see how late it was open. When we went to leave Shirley had a flat. I went to look for a motel while she fixed her tire. I got a room at the Timber's Motel. The operator is an ex anthropologist who has spent a lot of time in Central America. We talked for quite a while before I finally was able to leave to tell Shirley where we were staying. I got the room for the spring rate even though they have switched to their summer rates. He said it was because the room doesn't have a view, but looks out onto a wall. I think he was just being kind. The room is huge and is only $37.44.

We showered together and then had sex. Afterwards we walked to the store about 1 1/2 to 2 blocks away and bought 3 days worth of food. The walk was not real pleasant since it was on Highway 35. The bags were heavy and it was dark before we returned, which means it was late.

Tuesday, June 11, 1991	Day 39	48 - 1334

Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House	Free - $285.45

Not a real good day today! We stayed up till after midnight last night eating dinner and writing in the journals. The room was pretty warm, but very dark.

Sometime this morning it started raining and was raining hard. We got up about 8:45. It was very cloudy, but wasn't raining. We ate breakfast and got all the food packed and were ready to go at the crack of 11:00. By this time it was raining hard again. It was pretty warm, though.

We had only gone about 2-3 miles when I saw a car stop Shirley. I pulled over and waited until it came up to me. It was the county sheriff and he had an emergency message for me to call Mom about a death in the family. We rode another 2-3 miles to Ferndale and called. It was Bob. He died of a heart attack Sunday while working on the farm in Arkansas. I then called Donna to talk to her and Ron. He felt it was important for me to be there for the funeral which is Thursday at 1:00. Shirley and I discussed our options and decided we would call Anne this evening after she got off work and have her come get us. In the meantime we would ride toward Missoula. A little later Shirley happened to think that we could call Tom and Vicki Noble and have them come get us. Besides, they have a bike rack. So, at Swan Lake we called Tom. He said Vicki was out of town and he had to go to work from 3:30 - 5:30. It was already 1:00 so we agreed we would continue riding and he would come get us after work. We continued riding and Tom found us about 7:00. It was almost 9:00 by the time we arrived in Missoula. We discussed our options some more and decided to fly out tomorrow and come back on the 19th or 20th. I called United and they said the only carriers going from Missoula to St. Louis were Continental and Northwest. I called Northwest and was told the fare would be $517 (half price) per person, but I needed the name of the funeral home and the phone number. I had to call Donna since it was already 10:00 (11:00 St. Louis) to get the name. I now have reservations for tomorrow at 7:40 AM. which will get us in St. Louis at 2:38 PM. We will return to Missoula on the 19th. Anne will take us to the airport tomorrow.

Wednesday, June 12, 1991	Day 40	0 - 1334

Missoula, MT to St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

Not a very exciting day today. We got up at 6:00 to eat and get ready to leave for the airport. Anne drove us over at 6:45 and we got there by 7:00. The Missoula airport is another very small town airport. They are so easy to get into and out of. We flew to Great Falls and on to Minneapolis before connecting to St. Louis. On the first flight we were in the last row with no window and right next to the engine. The first leg was nearly empty so we moved to other seats, but the second leg was full so we had to stay in our seats. On the flight to St. Louis we were still by the engine, but not quite the last row. Seats near the engines are quite noisy.

Before leaving the airport we decided we had to get something to eat since none of our flights had meals. We had a small chicken salad and a pudding each for a total of $7.38. We then took a cab to the funeral home. The cabby obviously did not speak English very well and did not know how to get to N. Florissant. I had to direct him. I don't know what we would have done if I hadn't known the way. He never did really figure out where we were going and we ended up getting out next door to the funeral home.

The first view of Bob in the casket really got to me. I ended up crying on Mom's shoulder. We spent the rest of the day (until 9:00) at the funeral home. Donna's family came back to Mom's afterwards and it was midnight before they went home and we all got to bed.

Thursday, June 13, 1991	Day 41	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

Today was spent on funeral activities. We got up and had breakfast. Shirley and I then went for a walk and by the time we got back it was time to get ready to leave. Before I even got into the shower Donna was here to pick Mom up. When we got to the funeral home it was once again hard to look at the casket. Mom really cried. It's probably the first time I have seen her cry ever. The service was a bit too religious for me, but no unexpectedly so. Rob gave some remembrances of Bob and probably made him out to be more of an outdoorsman than he was. After the funeral there was a gathering at Mom's with lots of food prepared by friends and relatives.

Around 3:30 I went up to the school yard with Kevin, Keith (Donny's son), an adult neighbor and a couple neighbor kids to play some ball. I haven't played ball in over 20 years. I was surprised I could still hit the ball at all, much less out of the infield. My back sort of hurt so I tried not to bend too much.

When we came back, Donna was in the back yard by herself and I finally went out to talk to her. Prior to the service today Aunt Bert talked to me and said she understood we (Donna and I) had some different ideas. She went on to say that we should resolve them because in later years that would be important. Apparently she had the same conversation with Donna. So, Donna and I talked and did resolve some of our differences. She also told me about a conversation she had with Bobby. Apparently Donny and Bobby felt left out and that it was a funeral orchestrated by Donna. To some extent they were probably right, but, according to Donna, all decisons were made by Mom with Donna there as just a supporter. Also, Donny and Bobby apparently want the tools in the basement. Donna essentially told them not to bother Mom about that sort of thing for now and to let her work through her grief. She warned them not to harass Mom. Bobby, of course, said those were fighting words to a Viet Nam vet. That, of course, didn't go over very well with Donna. When Mom dies, the settling of the estate will not be near as amicable as with Shirley's folks.

Donna also told me it wasn't her idea to notify me about Bob's death. That was one of the areas of our differences. She had gotten the impression I didn't want to be here for the funeral. In some respects she is right in that ceremonies don't mean much to me, whether they be weddings, funerals, graduations, or whatever. I think we got that one resolved.

Friday, June 14, 1991	Day 42	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

Today was a recovery day. We spent a lot of time looking through old pictures and cards from Uncle Les. He has become ill and is in a nursing home, and Aunt Bert and Mom have been cleaning out his house.

Shirley and I also went to the doctor with Mom for an appointment that had been made 2 months ago. Everything checked out fine. Before that Shirley and I practiced taking Mom's and our blood pressure.

Howard and Armilda brought the truck and camper back today. He parked it in the driveway by driving it forward. Mom had Dave (the next door neighbor) back it out of the driveway and then back it into it's parking spot.

Saturday, June 15, 1991	Day 43	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

I slept a little better last night, although I still got up around 7:30. At least I was able to get to sleep a little quicker. The main thing keeping me awake now is being horny.

Shirley and I went to a bike shop to buy her a new tire. It cost $21.95. She also bought some new gloves.

We then looked for a place to develop a roll of film I finished. The place we had chosen turned out to be a hut in the middle of a parking lot and would have to send the film out for 6 or 7 days. So much for that since we will be gone by then.

We also went grocery shopping for fruit and vegetables. By our standard the vegetables are pretty cheap. Unfortunately, we didn't check the fridge first and ended up getting some stuff that was already here. We made a big salad and had it for lunch.

We started putting a jigsaw puzzle together. It's a 1000 piece puzzle of a mountain scene. By 10:30 we had made pretty good progress, but there was no way we were going to finish it today.

Sunday, June 16, 1991	Day 44	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

I'm still horny. I tried to get Shirley interested, but couldn't. I doubt if I will while we are in St. Louis. Shirley got up and I stayed in bed until 8:45 or so. After breakfast we finished the puzzle. It was just about noon and lunch time when we finished.

St. Louis is getting boring. We are much too inactive for us. We walked over to a nearby park and did the exercise course there this afternoon.

Donna, Ron, Kevin, and Amanda came over briefly today. Shirley is thinking about starting another puzzle.

Monday, June 17, 1991	Day 45	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

Another exciting day. Shirley surprised me by letting me talk her into sex. I didn't think there was a chance since she complained about my hot touch and was having difficulty breathing.

After breakfast I called Busch Breweries and learned about the tours. We decided to go, and Mom went too even though it included 8 blocks of walking and lasted 1 hour 15 minutes. The tour was OK, especially the bottling part. We saw a group of bottles get rejected. A man just stepped in and pushed a couple of buttons and they went into the trash.

When we got home Ron and the kids were here with the Wizard of Oz. Shirley had never seen the movie before. Donna and Ron offered to bring it over so she wouldn't be deprived.

Kevin asked me to come to his ball game at 6:00. We went over and watched. Kevin's team lost 17-9 mostly because of errors. Fortunately, Kevin didn't make any errors. He struck out once and walked once. Whenever a player got on first it was automatic he would steal second and third. Finally, Kevin's team learned to throw people out at third. Kevin wanted me to come over after the game, but we didn't. Now, I'm invited to come watch Rob's game tomorrow.

When we got home we finished the puzzle we started yesterday. It was much harder than the first one.

Tuesday, June 18, 1991	Day 46	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO	Mom's House	Free - $285.45

Today Shirley and I did a round puzzle of 650 pieces. It was hard to tell if the pieces fit or not, especially on the border. As we got better it became a little easier.

I finished off the brownies and cake today. Good thing. I have been eating way too much junk.

This evening we went over and watched Rob play softball. His team lost 10-5. Rob got on base once and made an error. He also was the middle man for two double plays.

Tomorrow afternoon we finally return to Missoula before continuing on our trip on Friday or Saturday.

Wednesday, June 19, 1991	Day 47	0 - 1334

St. Louis, MO to Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House	Free - $285.45

Another uneventful day. I had hopes for a little while of interesting Shirley in sex, but we only snuggled. We did our laundry this morning and not much else.

Mom was a little nostalgic this morning. She said it was hard to believe Bob wasn't coming back. She also showed me a poem Bob liked. It was on smiles and how they improve life. Mom seems rather lonely, but she is talking about the future.

Shirley and I went for a walk before we left for the airport. The flight to Minneapolis was uneventful except for the guys breath sitting next to me. It smelled like a stale ashtray. We had almost 3 hours to kill in Minneapolis before heading on to Missoula. We asked if we would get food on our flight and were told a snack (sandwich) would be served. We got a frozen yogurt ($3.58) at the airport. Shirley also had a brownie ($2.11) and I had a pizza ($3.17). If we had to survive on airport food we would go broke.

Our stopover in Great Falls was a bit shorter than normal. Due to a thunderstorm moving in, we left about 30 minutes early. Since the flight is only 20 minutes we actually got into Missoula before we should have left Great Falls.

Thursday, June 20, 1991	Day 48	20 - 1354

Missoula, MT	Anne Wells House	Free - $285.45

It rained quite hard for a while last night. We are certainly back in Montana. Today I did errands. I took my second roll of film to be developed. Then bought film and food. I also bought a tire to replace my rear tire. It had developed a big blip. Shirley ended up staying at home hoping to get a phone call from Portland. Her last check was once again sent to the bank. She called Portland to see what needed to be done. The person told her she would call back. Of course, she never did. I think Shirley and I are both ready to take off again.

Friday, June 21, 1991	Day 49	65 - 1419

Missoula, MT to Darby, MT	Georgia Grenfell's House	Free - $285.45

Shirley got up at 7:30 this morning. I don't know why she was in such a hurry today. Shirley called about her check again and was told she needed to call Denver where the check is processed. She was finally told they will send her check to Mosier. Shirley was told she should have filled out a form to stop the direct deposit. We finally left Anne's about 8:35.

We stopped in Lolo to mail some stuff to Ken, including pictures of my father, maps, and my heavy capilene shirt. At Florence we took a back road which we hoped would be quieter. It was a little, but not as quiet as we hoped. It did provide a much better view of the mountains, though.

The ride was pretty easy. We started out with a headwind, but around Florence it shifted to a tailwind. The road was fairly flat, but slightly uphill. Just South of Hamilton we met a couple of cyclists from South Africa. They started in glacier.

We are staying at a relative of Shirley's who she has never met. Shirley's father and this woman's mother were cousins. She is very into the family history. She has a very organized album on the family. Shirley is having fun learning the history. We were looking through an old album and found some pictures of Shirley and Ken when they were kids.

We had eggs and ham and pancakes for dinner. Georgia was worried we might be vegetarians so she hadn't fixed anything until we got there. She is 71 years old and very up on everything. She has traveled a lot and is familiar with Colorado and Oregon.

Saturday, June 22, 1991	Day 50	76 - 1495

Missoula, MT to Salmon, ID	Salmon Meadows CG	$12.84 - $298.29

We got up at 7:00 this morning. Georgia was so worried we would be late today. She thought we might want to leave at 7:00. We had cereal for breakfast (Quaker Granola, Bran Chex, and All Bran). Georgia was talking about how wasteful people are. She mentioned how we waste trees. We thought she meant we should conserve and not cut so many down until she said that we waste trees by letting them fall down. She thinks we should harvest them as soon as they are ready.

We left her house around 8:30 and got some fruit at the store. We left Darby around 8:50. When we got up it was quite clear, but by the time we left the Western sky was getting very dark and the East was starting to cloud up too. Fortunately, we rode out of the clouds in fairly short time. The first 20 miles were gentle uphill with a tailwind. The last 10 miles to the Idaho border and Lost Trail Pass were quite a bit steeper. About 5 miles from the top it started raining and then a mile later hailing. I put my rain gear on and continued riding. Less than a mile later it stopped and the sun came out. Shortly after it stopped I caught two bikers coming out of the trees where they had been hiding from the hail. They were from Milwaukee and had flown to Seattle three weeks ago. They were headed to Virginia. They didn't seem to like the rain or the hill, especially the one who was a bit chubby.

At the top of the pass it started raining again. We had a snack before heading in to Salmon. It stopped raining before we left, but started 3-4 miles later on. At first I thought I was behind the rain because the road was real wet, but it wasn't raining. Then there was a bolt of lightning and a loud crack of thunder and it started pouring. Then it started hailing real hard. I almost stopped, but I could see blue sky ahead. It stopped hailing briefly before starting up again. It continued for about 5 miles and then we broke out into the sun again. We had a nice downhill with a vicious tailwind to North fork. We then had a gentle uphill to Salmon. We had a brief squall outside of North Fork and a real heavy one was bearing down just outside of Salmon. Fortunately, we made it by and into Salmon before it passed over Highway 93. We are in a commercial campground which has a great view of the mountains. It's nice, but a little expensive ($16.84).

I forgot to mention yesterday the trouble I had with my left arm. I had numbness and pain all day. Mostly in the joints. It actually started in my thumb while in St. Louis. Having just buried Bob with a heart attack it was scary having numbness in my left arm.

Sunday, June 23, 1991	Day 51	68 - 1563

Salmon, ID to Challis, ID	Challis Hot Springs	$14.18 - $312.47

I got up at 7:00 to a mostly sunny day. However, by 7:30 clouds were moving in from the South. The sun stayed out enought to dry the condensation off the tent and ground cloth. By the time we packed and went to the store it was 9:00 when we left. The road followed the Salmon River all day with constant uphill. Less than 10 miles into the day we stopped and ate. It was completely cloudy by then and getting cold. I put my tights and long socks on. I already had my long sleeve shirt on. After a few more miles it warmed up enough to take off my long sleeve shirt. Eventually I took my tights off too. The sun even came out for a little bit (very little).

At 3:00 we came to a post office with a covered porch just as it started raining. Since it was time for a break we had lunch and waited for it to quit raining. Just as we were about to start out again it started raining again, but quit by the time we put on our rain gear. The final 20 miles into Challis was off and on showers, mostly off. Just as we got into Challis it cleared. The final 3-4 miles into town were very straight and seemed to take forever. It was steeper than it looked and we had a headwind. We did a little extra uphill by turning into the business district only to find the grocery store closed. A woman from Minnesota told us a store on Highway 93 the way we were going was still open. We found the store and bought 6 pumpernickel bagels (we haven't seen them in a long time) and a lot of fruit. We also bought a 32oz yogurt which we devoured.

We then rode the final 7 miles to the hot springs which were mostly downhill. We got in before 7:00. We set up the tent and hit the hot pool. Actually we hit the coolest of the pools which was only 95º. The hot pool was 110º which is way too hot. We stayed in the pool until 9:00 and then got out and showered. Needless to say, it was getting rather dark by the time we finished dinner. I am sitting in the bathroom writing this right now at 10:50.

The pool had a rock bottom and we think the warm water percolated through the rocks. There was a couple of obnoxious couples in the pool when we got there, but fortunately they left after a little while. There were a couple of balls in the pool which we played with.

Shirley found a postcard of Stanley, Idaho which we will mail to Doug and Marty Stanley in Portland. We had hoped to mail it from Stanley, but with Bob's death we are a little behind and in order to meet Frank on the 29th in Yellowstone we will have to take a shorter route.

My arm and hands are doing fin today. Just the normal hand problems.

Monday, June 24, 1991	Day 52	82 - 1645

Challis, ID to Arco, ID	Lost River Motel	$30.00 - $342.47

We got up at 7:30 today to a very overcast sky. It started raining early this morning and rained lightly off and on until just before we got up. Not hard, but enough to get the tent and table wet. Shirley is in her period and in a bitchy mood. After breakfast it started raining and I wanted to take the tent down, but Shirley didn't. I asked if she was ready and she said I could do whatever I wanted. I told her I didn't dare touch her stuff. This made her very mad. I apologized, but it didn't help much. After I took the tent down she prepared to leave. I stopped her and she cried and complained I always bitch at her when she isn't feeling good. Not a good start to the day. She ended up leaving 15-20 minutes before me.

It was really raining to the West and North when I left. After 3-4 miles I thought I was really going to get soaked. I put my rain gear on and it, of course, quit raining. I caught Shirley a little later when she stopped to eat. She seemed to have forgiven by then.

We picked up a strong tailwind and the ride up to Willow Creek Summit was pretty easy. It was very cold and windy on top and we took off after a couple pictures. The ride to MacKay was pretty easy and pretty in spite of the clouds. It rained about 5 miles from MacKay and I was pretty miserable. It finally has gotten below my enjoyment level. However, as we got into MacKay the sun came out. We decided to take advantage of the tailwind and ride the 26 miles to Arco. It took 1:20.

We saw an ad for an RV and Motel and decided to check it out. They didn't have tent spots so we took a room. It has a microwave and refrigerator. We went to the store and got some yogurt and microwave pizza and spring rolls and popcorn. The pizza was OK, the popcorn was greasy, and the spring rolls were OK. The reading material in the room included a Penthouse. I enjoyed the pictures and letters, but they didn't turn me on as much as I expected.

Tuesday, June 25, 1991	Day 53	83 - 1728

Arco, ID to Rexburg, ID	Beaver Dick Park	Free - $342.47

I forgot to mention yesterday that we passed by Mt. Borah, the highest point in Idaho at 12,622 feet. We couldn't see it very well, though, because of the clouds. We also passed an earthquake site from 1958 when the valley floor dropped 9 feet and Mt. Borah rose 6 inches.

We woke up to sunshine today. Even where we came from yesterday was clear. The wind which was blowing real hard yesterday afternoon and evening had pretty much died down. We took off about 8:00.

The ride to Howe was rolling with a little breeze. We stopped at Howe and ate. It started clouding up on the way to Howe. By mid afternoon it was real cloudy over the mountains and showers were spilling over to the plains North of us.

We met a couple of Canadians in Mud Lake who were traveling with a truck and motorcycle. They had been down to Nevada and spent most of their nights at hot springs. One drove the truck and one rode the motorcycle. We chatted with them for a while. I had bought 6 donuts and OD'd so I offered two to them. In return they gave us some sherbert.

Between Howe and Mud Lake we rode through a department of energy complex. There were restricted and closed roads. Since Arco is the first town to have it's lights lit by nuclear power I assume it was nuclear (AEC) testing. We found a whole bunch of blooming cacti on the complex, though. In Mud Lake a 32oz yogurt was on sale for 2 for 99¢. I noticed the expiration date was 6/14 on all but one of them which was 6/21. Guess which one we got. Between Mud Lake and Rexburg it sprinkled on us a couple times. The last time it rained just enough to get me cold and make me put my raincoat on. We rode through sage brush all day and mostly flat. We lost about 500 feet all day.

We were wondering where we would stay when about 3 miles from Rexburg we found a rest area. I passed it at first, but came back to it after less than a mile. It turns out it is very nice and it is legal to camp here. The only problem is that the pump doesn't work. Fortunately, it is right on the river and we used river water to cook. I cooked a package of macaroni and put a packet of taco sauce mix and a packet of spaghetti sauce mix in it. It was so terrible neither of us ate it. Shirley thought it was too salty and I thought it was too spicy. We threw most of it away.

Wednesday, June 26, 1991	Day 54	36 - 1764

Rexburg, ID to 10 Miles West of Tetonia, ID	Green Caynon Hot Springs	Free - $342.47

We got up at 7:45 to mostly sunny skies. It was cloudy in the South today. We rode into Rexburg for food after eating some cream of rice with no granola. It was already clouding up as we rode in the 5-6 miles. Before we left the caretaker of the park came by. We told him the pump didn't work. He got right on fixing it. Unfortunately, he wasn't successful and left with part of it.

At the store we bought $24.00 worth of food. I ate a 32oz yogurt plus a Long John and half of a lobster salad. Shirley ate the rest of the salad and an apple fritter. We bought quite a bit of other food.

Neither of us felt like a long day today so we headed for Green Canyon Hot Springs. Along the way we saw a historical site sign telling us of Teton Dam which broke in 1976. It was only 1 1/2 miles away so we went to it. It was pretty impressive to see the middle of the earth dam still there, but the sides missing. It had been 280 feet tall.

The last four miles to the hot springs were a dusty and hilly dirt road with lots of gravel. It wasn't a lot of fun. We paid for the campground ($6.00) and swimming ($2.35 each) plus an extra buck each to be able to return after dinner. When we went out to set up the tent we met the owner. He said he had a soft spot for bicyclists and would let us camp free. We told him we had already paid and he said to see him later and he would give us our camping fee back. So, our camping is free.

We stayed in the pool for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. It is a huge pool, but not real hot. There is a hotter, but tolerable outside pool and a real cold pool next to it. While we were swimming it really poured rain a couple times. Luckily, our bikes were under cover. When we got out to eat it had stopped raining and looked like it was clearing. It did, however, cloud up again quickly and then cleared again.

I knew we were getting low on gas and had planned to get some in Tetonia. However, since we didn't make it there I was afraid we might not have enough gas for dinner. We did, though. Now we have to see about breakfast.

Thursday, June 27, 1991	Day 55	60 - 1824

10 Miles W of Tetonia, ID to 9 Miles NE of Ashton, ID	Warm River NF CG	$6.00 - $348.47

I have never seen gras watered as much as at the Green Canyon Hot Springs. He turned the sprinklers on about 4:30 yesterday afternoon and they were still going this morning when we left around 9:30 or 10:00.

It was a typical day weather wise. Started out suny and clouded over by 9:00 or 10:00 with a clearing spell in early afternoon followed by afternoon showers. Fortunately, we missed the showers although the road into Ashton was partly wet for the last 7 miles. It has sprinkled several times since we arrived in camp, starting in the middle of cooking dinner. Nothing serious yet, but a foreset service employee in Ashton said there was an 80% chance of rain tomorrow.

The terrain today was rolling hills. Not my favorite, but it didn't seem too bad. We had side to head wind going into Tetonia, side to tail wind going into Ashton, and little wind the las 10 miles to camp.

The tent sites are full so we had to pay $6.00 instead of $5.00 to use a non-tent site. The hosts seem to be a strictly by the book sort.

I forgot to mention that we had some food stolen last night. When I got up my front pannier cover was off and my food bag was out on the bench with an apple and nectarine on the ground. I thought at first it was an animal, but nothing had been chewed up. Someone took our tortillas, 4 bagels, a brick of Swiss cheese, and our baby carrots. Shirley also thinks her pannier was rifled because her pannier cover had dirt and green paint, but nothing was taken.

Friday, June 28, 1991	Day 56	58 - 1882

9 Miles NE of Ashton, ID to West Yellowstone, MT	Thunderbird Motel	$42.80 - $391.27

It rained all night last night. Sometimes hard and sometimes easy. It stopped just before we got up at 6:00. We packed most of our stuff while breakfast was cooking. While eating it started dripping off and on. We got the tent packed during a lull and were off around 8:00.

We thought about taking an old railroad grade to West Yellowstone, but since we had very limited food and time we decided not to. Highway 97 was real quiet and nice. Lower and upper Mesa Falls were interesting. Lower is 65 and upper is 115 feet. At the upper falls there were 2 swans and a rainbow. Highway 20 was quite a bit busier, but luckily there was a shoulder. For a change it cleared during the day and was partly to mostly cloudy. It was pretty warm this morning and I didn't even need my gloves. I wore a short sleeve shirt most of the day and was usually too warm when I didn't. Targhee Pass was pretty easy. We didn't even get into our little chain rings. The pass was very evenly graded for 30 miles. The last 7 miles into West Yellowstone seemed hard because they were flat or slightly uphill, and I had been prepared for downhill.

We rented a motel, expensive by our standards. The owners just bought it 2 months ago from their daughter. They went to China 2-3 years ago and will probably go to New Zealand in January.

Shirley and I showered together and at one point we bumped heads and my glasses got bent. It turned out the edge of the frame that the temple attaches to was bent. I managed to bend it back without it breaking. After I fixed them we moved to the bed. After that we went to the grocery store. We also saw a bike shop with a side to side tandem. It had two sets of pedals, one on each side of the bottom bracket and 2 seats on one seat post. There were also 2 sets of handlebars. We then ate diner at a pizza place.

Saturday, June 29, 1991	Day 57	50 - 1932

West Yellowstone, MT to Yellowstone NP, WY	Grant Village CG	$4.00 - $395.27

We didn't get up until 7:30 - 7:45 today. The temperature was 50º and it was partly sunny. We ate breakfast and then went to the store for sun screen. We also waited around for the bike shop to open to ride the buddy bike. It still wasn't open at 9:05 and we were about to leave when the owner arrived. As I went to put my helmet on to leave, the snap broke on it. So, I bought a new snap (which I put on in camp tonight) and then we rode the bike.

Yellowstone is very busy. Fortunately, much of the road had a small shoulder. We saw 2 swans, 4 elk, and 6 bison today. The bison were all very close, the farthest about 100 feet. We also went on the Fountain Plains Drive which had a lot of thermal activity. Shirley had never seen it before and was really excited. We hiked among some of the hot pools. As we were coming back Shirley asked if one of the pools was bubbling so much earlier. Just then the pool erupted into a small geyser. Shirley was fumbling with the camera trying to get it out and I was laughing real hard.

We also stopped at Old Faithful and got there about 5 minutes before it erupted. We also got an extra in that Beehive Geyser erupted while we were there. It was actually much better than Old Faithful. It was higher and larger. It rained on us a bit after we left Old Faithful, but not real hard. I was real hot in my rain gear. There were some real heavy clouds behind us, though. We got into Grant Village about 7:35. There were only 3 other bikers there. It's pretty cold since we are at 7700 feet. The host told us there was a bear in camp this morning. Frank arrived around 8:15 and has his car in the site next to us.

Sunday, June 30, 1991	Day 58	41 - 1973

Yellowstone NP, WY	Canyon CG	$4.00 - $399.27

Miserable day today. It started raining some time during the night. It had quit by the time we got up at 7:15, but started again while we were cooking breakfast. Fortunately, it wasn't real cold. By the time we were ready to leave it had stopped again.

Frank drove his car to the Visitor Center. He had trouble getting back out of the campground because he didn't have a receipt for camping. He compounded the error by saying his receipt was on his bike at the hiker/ biker site. He finally got out, though. In the meantime Shirley paid for the 3 of us so we had a receipt when we left. Frank then had to verify he could leave his car at the Visitor Center. By the time we left it was 11:00. However, a person at the Visitor Center told him that tents were not allowed in Canyon CG. Frank has cycling shoes with cleats and looked very funny walking around.

It rained off and on all day and got real cold a couple times. It also got pretty nice a couple times. Mostly, though, I was too cold from the wind and rain or too hot from my rain gear.

We saw many bison today. I was just thinking they were starting to get like deer, so common that you don't pay attention to them, when we came upon a couple in the middle of the road. I thought they wanted to cross to my side so I changed sides. One of them started to walk slowly toward me. At that point I got on the other side of a car going in my direction and passed safely. Shirley and Frank did the same thing eventually.

During the day we stopped at the West Thumb Geyser basin, the mud pots, sulfur cauldron, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. The Canyon CG is open to tents and the host told us to pick any site in the RV loop. There were several sites open even though the sign said "campground full". While we were eating a family moved in next to us with at least 4 kids. They set up a huge tent and we hope they go to bed early. The guy on the other side is building a bonfire and keeps running around cutting down trees. There are no hiker/ biker sites or storage lockers so our food is in the restroom. I always get nervous leaving our stuff there because it is too easy to swipe. However, the threat of bears is also very real.

Monday, July 1, 1991	Day 59	0 - 1973

Yellowstone NP, WY	Canyon CG	$4.00 - $403.27

Glorious day today. We woke up to a sunny, but cold morning. Not super cold, but cold enough my toes got cold cooking. We went to the store for lunch food and to the Visitor Center for hiking information. She suggested Observation Peak which is an old lookout. It was a nice hike and view. We saw some more bison and an elk. When we came back to camp we took showers and did the laundry. Frank and I bought a quart of frozen yogurt which we ate while cooking dinner. The mosquitos were real bad. Shirley and I wore our mosquito hoods which worked real well. Much better than I had hoped. At 7:30 we went to the ranger program which we thought was on bison, but was more on the Indians and how they used bison. We had to change seats once because of a smoker and then again. We finally left early to go to bed.

Tuesday, July 2, 1991	Day 60	40 - 2013

Yellowstone NP, WY	Mammoth Hot Springs CG	$4.00 - $407.27

Today started off with the ranger banging on our tent and wanting to talk to us. Shirley had left one big plastic water bottle sitting by her bike and he was about to write us a ticket. He thought the white plastic was a bottle of milk. After I told him all our food, stove, etc. was in the restroom and that the bottle has only had water in it, he was satisfied and left. This was at 7:00, probably an hour before we would have gotten up on our own. By the time we ate and packed it was 9:30. Just as we were leaving a couple came in and wanted our site. While he went to pay, she stayed and set up a few things to save the site. She was from California and he was from Germany. We talked to her briefly in German and found out her kids wouldn't speak German. She was very easy to understand.

I then got gas for the stove and wrote our itinerary (approximate) to Denver on a postcard for my sister Donna. I'm not sure how much it will help if she needs to reach me, but it will make her feel better. Shirley went to the store while I did that. We then got air at the gas station for our tires and were off.

Dunraven Pass was pretty easy and was pretty. The road down to Tower Falls was really in bad shape and took some of the enjoyment out of it due to all the traffic. The little shop at the falls was a real zoo. People were parked in the lot and along the road. I was real surprised to see so many people getting out of their cars and actually walking to the bottom of the falls. Frank and I had double scoop ice cream cones with the largest scoops I have ever seen.

The ride to Mammoth from Tower was rolling up (steep up) for about 9-10 miles and then pretty much downhill after that. On the downhill part I saw two coyotes pretty close to the road. I should have a good picture of one. The last mile into Mammoth was steep uphill. Then we had a steep downhill to the campground. No host appeared tonight to tell us where the hiker/biker site was so we started looking around. We found a motorcycle site with a bicycle next to it and an RV in the site. It had a food storage box which the cyclist had locked with his own lock. We continued looking and finally found the ranger who told us where the hiker/ biker site was. It had two food lockers. Someone else (a non-biker) was in the site and had their tent in front of one of the lockers. We camped by the other table a little further from the lockers. When the owner of the tent returned I talked to him and told him we would be using one of the lockers. He moved his tent even though it wasn't necessary. Within 5 minutes he drove off again.

The campground is in a sage brush area with a few trees. It is an entirely different eco-system than we were in yesterday. The weather today was sunny and quite warm after a low of about 35º this morning.

Wednesday, July 3, 1991	Day 61	40 - 2053

Yellowstone NP, WY	Madison CG	$4.00 - $411.27

I got up at 7:15 to a warm and sunny day. Frank and Shirley got up 15-20 minutes later. We didn't get ready to leave until 9:40. Shirley and I were ready a bit earlier, but had to wait for Frank. Another couple had moved into the hiker/biker site last night while we were out walking. They had put their tent right next to the food locker we were using so I told them we were using the locker and they moved the tent. This morning they put their tent on their car roof and moved to a regular site.

We went to the store and wandered around Mammoth Hot Springs for a long time. We then had lunch and were on our way about 12:30. We saw a male elk with a real good rack just past Roaring Mountain. By the time we got to the Norris Geyser Basin it was 3:30. We hiked around for a while and waited for an hour for a geyser to go off. It goes off every 35-75 minutes and had just gone off at 3:30. It didn't go off for us until 5:00. By the time we got back to our bikes and ate and were ready to go again it was 5:50. Fortunately, the ride to Madison was easy and we made the 14 miles in an hour. There are 5 or 6 other bikers here. They started in Astoria and are doing Bike Centennial to Virginia. After dinner we found a warm pool on the river for a bath and then Frank and I went to the ranger program on the 1988 fires. It was sort of interesting. Now it is time for bed.

Thursday, July 4, 1991	Day 62	40 - 2093

Yellowstone NP, WY	Grant Village CG	$4.00 - $415.27

The other group of cyclists packed and were off by 7:00. We weren't ready to go until almost 10:00. We took Firehole Canyon and Fountain Plains Drives again today. The geyser that spouted for us last Saturday spouted even better today. We also hiked to Fairy Falls which was quite nice. We stopped at Old Faithful which seemed to do a better show than last week. We got there about 45 minutes before the eruption and pigged out while we waited. Afterwards we took a look at the old inn.

We got into camp around 7:00. Shirley and I stopped at the store and bought dinner and a quart of frozen yogurt. We ate the yogurt and then Shirley went to take a shower. When she came back I took a shower. It was 9:20 by the time I got back and was getting dark.

Friday, July 5, 1991	Day 63	58 - 2151

Yellowstone NP to Teton NP, WY	Jenny Lake CG	$4.00 - $419.27

Frank was up by 7:00 this morning and off to take a shower. He was ready to go shortly after 9:00, by far the earliest he has been ready all trip. Around 10:00 we all rode over to the Visitor Center so Frank could load up and leave. We looked at the bear exhibit and around 10:30 we were off for Teton Park and Frank left for Denver.

Traffic from Grant Village to Teton National Park was very heavy with no shoulder. Fortunately there weren't any major climbs although we did cross the Continental Divide again. A group of cyclists on a Timberline tour were going our way. They were fully sag supported. We met a Cycle America group at Flagg Ranch going North. So for a while there were a lot of bikes on a busy road.

I forgot how lovely Teton Park is. The road has a shoulder and the mountains are really impressive. The road is mostly flat with a few small hills. Just as we got to Colter Bay a hard shower hit. It got us pretty wet before we got to the Visitor Center. There we found out Jenny Lake does have hiker/biker facilities.

Right out of Colter Bay I saw a mama moose and a baby. Around Jackson Lake Dam we saw another mama and baby moose. This one was in a small pond right on the side of the road and was eating off the bottom of the lake. By far our best views of moose.

About a mile from the Jenny Lake campground we met a German cyclist heading North. He said the people at Moose had told him that Jenny Lake was full and he would have to go to a primitive site North of North Jenny Lake Junction. We talked him into coming back to Jenny Lake with us. There we found a large hiker/biker site with about 10 people already there. You are supposed to camp on gravel pads which most people have ignored. We did because it is flat. After one night you are supposed to get a regular campsite, but I don't think we will.

One couple here is from Denver and came up much of the route we are going to take so we got some valuable information. Another guy is heading to Portland so we were able to give him some information.

Saturday, July 6, 1991	Day 64	0 - 2151

Teton NP, WY	Jenny Lake CG	$4.00 - $423.27

Shirley got up about 6:00 this morning. You can always tell when there are mountains around. The sky was a bit cloudy and cleared and clouded up a couple times during breakfast. Shirley went to the ranger and got another fee envelope for the hiker/biker site even though we are only supposed to stay one night in the biker sites and then get a regular site.

We decided to hike up to Lake Solitude which is 9 miles (7 if you take the boat across, which we did). The hike was beautiful although the boat ride was $2.75 each - one way. The views of Teewinot, Owens, and the Grand Teton were breath taking.

We got to the lake at 12:45. After eating we decided to do the loop over Paintbrush Divide and down Paintbrush Canyon which would give us a 20 mile loop. The divide was very pretty with lots of little alpine flowers. The trip down Paintbrush Canyon had lots of snow starting right at the Divide.. Only the first little bit was hazardous, though. There also was a very nice cornice along the Divide which we eventually walked under. Coming down we found a campsite with a coat rack bear pole. There was a bag laying in the water under the pole. I tried to put it on the pole, but it was so heavy I couldn't do it. It's not as easy as it looked.

Just before we got to String Lake I saw a bear cub in the woods, but no sign of mama bear. I didn't get a very good look. We also met a man and his daughter who gave us a ride back to camp. We got back 10 minutes before the store closed so we bought some snacks.

The German cyclist left his food out today and had it confiscated and a note was on his tent saying he had to vacate. They let him stay with a warning. We were told we will have to get a regular site tomorrow.

Sunday, July 7, 1991	Day 65	0 - 2151

Teton NP, WY	Jenny Lake CG	$8.00 - $431.27

Sort of a blah day today. We started by getting up at 7:00 to search for a campsite. The first pass through people were either not up, not leaving, or already had their site claimed. The second time through Shirley found someone up who was leaving. In the meantime, several cars were also circling. Shirley locked her bike to a tree next to the site and I went and got a pay envelope. We didn't have $8.00 in change, so we just put the stub on the site and waited for the store to open so we could buy something and get change. Meanwhile we went back to the biker site and had breakfast. By the time we ate, bought food for the day, and got packed for the move, our site was empty. We carried the tent without taking it apart. We got a lot of weird looks. Shirley just told them we always take our tent for a walk. One guy admired our RV. All this seemed to take a long time.

We hiked up to Amphitheater Lake today. From the trail head it's only 4.8 miles, but we walked the 2-3 miles to the trail head. The lake was pretty, but overall yesterday's hike was more beautiful. Today's trail didn't give good views of the mountains most of the time. It did have lovely meadows of sunflowers, though.

Shirley was very poopy today. I wasn't sure I could walk slow enough behind her on the way to the trail head. I figured she would pick up once we got there since the approach was on a horse trail across a hot open field. However, the hike wasn't spectacular enough to get her revved up. Both up and down I was way ahead and had to wait a lot for her. Fortunately we got a ride back past most of the open meadow.

Now Shirley is ready to leave tomorrow. I think it would be nice to stay another day even if the only trails left are around Jenny Lake or along the valley. I think Shirley has been too long without fruit and vegetables (2 days) or a shower (3 days). Our new site is nice except it is a long way from the bathrooms and even farther from the food lockers.

Monday, July 8, 1991	Day 66	61 - 2212

Teton NP, Wy to Bondurant, Wy	Smiling S Motel and Trailer Park	$8.00 - $439.27

I got up about 6:00 this morning to pee and found it all cloudy. A few minutes later it started dripping a little so I brought my laundry in, but the rain never materialized. At 7:00 when I peed again it was clear. We finally got up at 8:00. We finally took our occupied til 7/9 sign down around 8:30 or 8:45. No one asked us about the site until 9:30 when a couple from Illinois asked if the driveway was part of our site. We told them it was our site, but that we were leaving. They were relieved since they had driven straight through from Illinois and had spent last night at Gros Ventre Campground.

We were finally off at 10:00 after Shirley stopped to take a picture of the bear food boxes since we will hopefully not need them any more. We thought we might have to pay again for the parks since our entry fee we paid on 6/29/91 was only good for 7 days and this was day 10, but they weren't checking at the exit. We took a longer back road into Jackson which went by Teton Village Ski Area. Most of it was paved, but there was a short (3-4 miles) stretch of very rough dirt.

We stopped in Jackson for food and hopes of finding a Konditerei. We finally found a fudge company where I got a brownie and Shirley got a caramel roll and a cookie. I paid for them with a traveler's check so I once again have money after only having $1.00 for a couple days. We ate our goodies in a little park across the street. Prior to that we had found a frozen yogurt shop and had some yogurt. The owner told us the person before us was in there twice a day and never leaves a tip. He also said she was rich and never worked a day in her life. I sort of think he was hinting we should tip. We bought a lot of food, especially fruit since we hadn't had any since we got to Jenny Lake. Jackson is definitely a tourist town and we were glad to get out of there. On the way out Shirley wanted to stop at a gas station and get some air. We stopped at 3, but couldn't find one with a gauge so we didn't get any.

The ride to Bondurant was not too bad. The first 13 miles were mostly gentle down and the last 21 were mostly gentle up. About 10 miles from Bondurant it looked real dark the way we were going so we stopped and put our pannier covers on. Fortunately, we didn't get any rain. We are staying at the place a couple from Colorado told us about. We met them at Jenny Lake 3 days ago. They had stopped here. They were traveling by bike with a small child which they carried in a bugger. The owner here remembered them when Shirley told her that's why we were here.

The mosquitos (which weren't bad tonight) were driving Shirley nuts. She got real cranky before I snapped at her when she told me for the third time she wasn't very hungry. We both apologized and got on with dinner.

Tuesday, July 9, 1991	Day 67	43 - 2255

Bondurant, Wy to Pinedal, Wy	Camp O' The Pines Motel	$43.68 - $482.95

Today started out very bad!

Turkey

Monday, March 15, 1993	Day 682 Greek Day 34	Turkey Day 1	1-17748

Marmaris, Turkey	Hotel Imbat

It seemed like Shirley and I laid in bed a long time this morning, but even with screwing and cuddling it was only 7:00 when I got up. I think it seems later because it is getting light earlier and because it is a little warmer so we don't bury down in the covers so much. After a shower I went to the store for bread and eggs. The only eggs were prepackaged in plastic. Six eggs were 180d ($.84). We had a substantial breakfast of eggs, bread, butter, and coffee. We were both hungry. I guess we didn't eat enough yesterday. About 9:00 we went to American Express to buy our ferry ticket. We changed them and apparently paid a 240d ($1.12) for the privilege. The total was 18240d ($85.15). He kept our passports and said we would get them back at immigration one hour before departure. We asked about a bookstore and super market. The bookstore was a flop. It had more miscellaneous items than books and didn't have English books. Shirley also looked for a small notebook, but couldn't find one small enough. The super market turned out to be a department store with 4-5 floors. The food section was quite large and surprisingly cheap. We did manage to buy 2900d ($13.54) of food, though. We had also looked for wash cloths. Shirley found one in a store, but it was part of a 3 piece set. In the department store wash cloths were 600d ($2.80). We ended up buying a sponge for me and a mitten sponge for Shirley for 260d($1.21) total. We went back to the room to eat our yogurt and pudding. Shirley washed our water bottles in water we trusted before heading to Turkey where the water may not be as pure. We packed up and left about 11:30. We found a bench on the waterfront to wait until time for the ferry. I went to the PO and bought a couple aerograms. After we filled them out Shirley went to buy fruit and gyros and spend the last of our drachmas. She came back with bananas, oranges, carrots, and 2 gyros. She managed to spend all the drachmas. We ate the gyros and then it was time to go to the ferry. The immigration office didn't open until 1:30 for the 2:00 ferry. Shirley had bought Jamie a jar of peanut butter since he had mentioned he couldn't find any. She had wrapped it up in newspaper. He was very appreciative. I think he ate half of it already. The ferry was a small ferry. We thought it was just a passenger ferry, but they fit 2 cars and 1 small truck/van on also. We left at 2:10 and fortunately had calm seas. There were a couple of British women talking to a Canadian guy. The Canadian had no idea how big Turkey was or where Istanbul was. He is even less prepared than I am. He is only going to spend 3 days in Turkey. He also said he hated the American accent and pronunciations. The British said we add letters to words and spell bad. It was interesting listening to them. We got in around 4:30. Unfortunately we were near the end of the line because we were blocked by the cars. The immigration line moved very slowly. Our bicycles were entered into our passports. We finally got through the line. Outside was a money exchange, but they didn't do traveler's checks. Shirley went to another exchange where we saw someone and even though it was probably closed they changed $200 in traveler's checks for her. Our guidebook said the rate was 2200. It is now 9400. For our $200 we got 1,877,000 lira. That's hard to deal with. A hotel tout talked us into looking at his hotel along with Jamie and 3 others. It turned out to be OK. For $10 we got a large room with 3 beds, small closet, small night stand, and private bath and balcony. For $4 the others got a 4 bed room with bath. We are on the second floor. Jamie and I carried our bikes up fully loaded. One of the Turks carried Shirley's up. After settling in we went out to enjoy the sunset. We then did some shopping. In some ways it seemed like India. A guy came up and asked how he could be of service. Shirley asked where we could find bread. The guy took us to a bakery about 100 feet away. We bought some pide (pizza bread) for 4,000 l ($.43). It probably would have been cheaper if Shirley hadn't had the guy take us there. As we walked around we passed several restaurants. It is the Muslim Ramadan when they aren't supposed to eat or drink from dawn to dusk and people were sitting at the tables waiting until the proper time to eat. We also bought a liter of apricot juice for 11,000 l ($1.17). A carpet salesman greeted us and said he wanted to show his hospitality. I didn't want to go, but Shirley did so we went in. We had a glass of tea and he showed us some wool and silk carpets with from 4-24 knots per centimeter. A silk carpet about 2 ft x 4 ft was $10,000. It was lovely and supposedly took 2.5 years to make. The guy was a little frustrated that we kept to our story about not buying anything. We went briefly to the room and then went shopping again for TP. We bought 2 rolls TP for 1200 l ($1.28), butter for 5,000 l ($.53), 1/2 liter yogurt for 6,000 l ($.64), and a loaf of bread for 2,000 l ($.21). Shirley was really in a wandering mood tonight. Finally we got back to the hotel. The showers were barely not cold. We don't have TP, sheets, or towels, and have only 1 blanket each. Shirley is using her sleeping bag so I will use the blankets from all 3 beds. On the ferry I fell down a flight of stairs. We were on the upper deck and I went down to the toilet. The stairs were very steep and not very wide. About halfway down the boat rocked and I slipped off. I bashed my butt, back, and elbow. I will have a couple bruises, but nothing serious fortunately. It is now 10:00 and I'm bushed. Time for bed. It may be 11:00 in Turkey, but we are not sure. We will need to find out tomorrow.

Tuesday, March 16, 1993	Day 683 Turkey Day 2	39-17787

Koycegiz	Pension Sonnenschein

There is one thing I forgot to mention the other day in Rodos. On the wharf there was a guy pounding his octopus on the concrete. He would pick it up and slam it down like Asian and Latin American women do their laundry. Jamie said he saw a guy rubbing one on the concrete also. Very odd. About 4:00 this morning (we guess) a drummer went thru town to wake people so they could eat. It is Ramadan and Muslims can't eat after dawn so they are awakened early by the drummer. This goes on for a whole month. The more I see religions and their practices, the more I wonder how any religion became popular. They all seem so stupid and illogical. I guess that's why I became a programmer and not a priest. We got up at 6:45. Once again I was surprised how early it was. We ate our breakfast such as it was. A little before 8:00 (we are still on the same time as Greece) we went out to find a map. A sign on the tourist bureau said it opened at 8:00. There was someone in it and about 8:00 it opened. The guy gave us a map of Turkey and 2 or 3 brochures. All were free. The map is in German and a little difficult to read (not because it is in German), but is a lot better than nothing. There was a sign pointing to MAPS international estate agency. Shirley decided it was a place that sold maps. As I thought it was not. It was an acronym. We went back and packed. Shirley went to pay with a 100,000 note. She was hoping to pay 94,000. She actually paid 93,500 by the time the guy fished around in the safe and his pockets for change. The Turks smoke a lot, as did the Greeks. Our host chain smoked and the info man was smoking this morning. When we left today about 9:00 we saw Jamie. He wasn't ready yet. Maybe we will see him again somewhere. We had a little trouble finding our way out of town, but managed to find the correct road without too much problem. It was cold when we went to the tourist office, but was almost warm when we left. About 2K from the hotel we started uphill and we quickly stripped to shorts and T-shirt. We climbed for 5K before having a nice cold downhill. The landscape was forest with pine and deciduous trees. The evergreens were lovely, but the others still look like winter. After 20K we turned onto a different road and headed East. We had another short hill and then fairly flat. At times it was cool and sometimes quite warm. There were very few houses or buildings along the way. There were a few small towns, but mainly off the road. Unfortunately traffic was a bit heavier than we had hoped, although not unpleasant. Many people, including truck drivers, honked and waved at us. Of course, several trucks and cars also passed another vehicle and made us get off on the shoulder. The road surface was mostly good with a packed gravel or dirt shoulder. We stopped to eat a couple times. The second time we were off the road, but could still be seen by the observant. Just as we were getting ready to leave a guy on a motorcycle saw us, turned around and came back. He shook my hand and asked by mentioning turns in opposite directions which way we were going. He gave us two oranges from a large bag he had on the back of his cycle. He then gave us two more. We thanked him and left. We got into Koycegiz before 4:00. There were lots of signs for hotels and pensions. We picked one to look at, but it seemed closed. We spotted another called Sonnenschein and with a name like that we hat to try it. It turned out to be quite nice. The lady spoke only a few words of English. We asked for a room, upgraded to a room with shower, got the price, and got breakfast included all from the words in our guidebook. The lady was very patient and repeated words for us. We agreed to have breakfast at 7:30 tomorrow. It cost 20,000 ($2.13). Shirley was reluctant to take it, but I thought we should try it. It probably will only be cheese, bread, and coffee which we could do for 5,000 l, but we will see. The room is very clean and nice. We have 3 single beds, 2 night stands, blanket, towels, soap, and TP. Much better deal than last night. After we settled in and washed our socks we went for a walk along the lake (actually the ocean). There was a retaining wall and the water must be fairly deep. The waves did not break. They simply came in, hit the wall, and went back out again. The effect was a very interesting wave pattern. After an hour we came back to town to buy food. We found a fruit stand (actually 3 or 4 together) and bought 5 bananas, 4 apples, a tomato, and a weird apple for 25,000 l ($2.66). Shirley also bought a few carrots and a cuke for 5,000 l ($.53). We then found a small store and bought 1 pide and 2 regular breads, 1 liter of yogurt, and some cheese for 28,000 ($4.05). The yogurt was 14,500 l ($1.55). The cheese must have been fairly expensive since the bread should have only been around 8,000 or less. There is at least one other person (Turkish) staying here. He must have taken a shower and used most of the hot water. Shirley's was cool and mine was a little cooler. We ate all the pide bread and half the yogurt. Maybe we will eat more later. I'm a little sore today from falling down the stairs yesterday. My upper arm and shoulder are sore like I pulled a muscle. I have a sore spot and light bruise on my butt, and a sore spot on my back. My elbow hurt a little now and then while riding today. The Turks are into billboards in a big way. We must have passed hundreds today. However, it was not always, perhaps usually not, clear to me where the hotel or business was. There are also lots of greenhouses. Some big, some just 3-4 feet high, but several hundred feet long. Lots of tomatoes and other vegies begin grown. On the first hill today I had a lot of gas and I tried to peddle too hard and got a pain in my chest. Gradually on the second and third hills I got rid of some gas and could peddle harder. There are frogs everywhere there is water. They sound really strange. At first I thought someone was talking through a voice synthesizer until Shirley said something about frogs.

Wednesday, March 17, 1993	Day 684 Turkey Day 3	49-17836

Fethiye, Turkey	Avalac Pension

It got a little cool last night, but not bad compared to recent nights. I had to put a shirt on early this morning. We got up at 7:15. We weren't sure where breakfast was. At 7:30 I went out and the guy from the pension was just coming in the gate with bread and tomatoes. While waiting for breakfast we talked a little with the other guest. He is apparently staying there and working in town. Breakfast was finally served outside about 7:45-7:50. It consisted of cucumbers, tomato, cheese, egg, olives, and bread plus a glass of tea. Except for the olives it was worth the 2,000 l. I gave my olives to Shirley. My egg was very soft boiled and when I bit into it I got egg yolk all over my hand. We left about 8:50. We took a short ride by the ocean. The ocean was very calm this morning. It was 9:00 when we finally left. It was pretty easy going until Dalahan with only 1 or 2 relatively short hills. At the first hill we once again stripped to shorts and T-shirt. Just after Dalahan we stopped to eat. Good thing we did because after that we climbed for 8K and then had lots of ups and downs. Much of the up was steep. Traffic was a little heavy until Dalahan and afterwards it sort of disappeared. Once again we had lots of pine forests. There were even a few deciduous trees with leaves today. One short section of road was under construction and was very rough. It didn't look bad, but the rocks were just the wrong size for biking. We finally got to Fethiye about 3:40. The main street was cobble which wasn't very pleasant either. We stopped at one pension but didn't get an answer. We tried another which is really a hotel. The room is tiny with bath down the hall. There is barely room for our gear. We probably could have done better for 60,000, but I was tired of looking. The owner speaks German so most of our conversation was in German. That was easier than trying to speak Turkish. From our window we can see some Lycian tombs. After taking our showers to make sure we had hot water we walked up to see them. They are carved right into the rock and must be 40-50 feet tall, maybe more. We then went in search of the Lycian fort. We sort of missed it and were coming back to it when two young girls acted as our tour guide. They led us through some houses and up a hill to it. They shook our hands and gave Shirley some flowers. As we left they said "money, money, money". I sort of figured they would. We passed lots of young school kids today. Many of them said "Hello" in perfect English. A couple said "money, money, money". We had dinner in again tonight and both of us feel tired even though it is only 8:00. We've been so inactive that when we get a little sun and do a few miles we feel tired. It could be we are getting old too.

Thursday, March 18, 1993	Day 685 Turkey Day 4	51-17887

Kalkan, Turkey	Cetinkaya Pension

We got up late at 7:45 today. We ate breakfast in. We had coffee. The plug is in the hall about head high which means we had to stand there and hold our cup until it boiled. When we went to pay breakfast was waiting for us. Shirley had gone in to pay and cam back and said it was my job to deal with it. I told him I didn't think we had ordered it. He said OK and didn't charge us for it. We said we were very sorry and he was very gracious. I wonder what he really thought. It's really too bad because if we had known it was waiting we would have gone down and eaten it. We left at 9:10. It was already warm and I was overdressed with my tights and long sleeves. We were in a developed area for 13K. For about half that I really had to pee. I didn't think we would ever get to an area where I could pee. Finally, as soon as we started to leave the valley the houses ended. The hill was pretty short and then we were in another flat area. Just before we headed south there was a turnoff for Kemer. It was very strange in that the town was on the left. The turn lane went to the right and then crossed both lanes of traffic. I t seems it would have been easier to have thru traffic use the right lane and turning traffic use the left lane. South of Kemer the road is being rebuilt and there are stretches of bumpy, dusty, rocky road. The road will be much straighter and less hilly when they finish. In the meantime it is terrible biking. About 11:30 we stopped for lunch. We could see lots of snowy mountains for much of the day and it seemed less hazy today. When we left Fethiye we had a strong tailwind, but after we headed south it became a side wind. Between the wind and rough stretches progress slowed considerably. Just after Esen we stopped at a market and bought a liter of Pepsi for 15,000 ($1.60). Very expensive compared to what we were used to. The guy brought us 2 glasses to use. I felt bad sitting there drinking it in front of the guys who are fasting till dusk. Shirley said for 15,000 lira they probably don't mind that much. After that we had some very steep hills. We got to the Pataia turnoff about 2:50. Last night I had thought we should stay there tonight because it seemed cheaper and also had a few old ruins. However, when we got there today we had a strong tailwind and I felt strong. I told Shirley I could be convinced to go to Kalkan 11K farther on. She said OK although I think she sort of wanted to go to Pataia. Shortly after continuing we had a short steep uphill and then level for 5K. Then we started uphill again. It was very steep for 3K. Finally we got to the top and could see the road going up the next hill after Kalkan. We went down the hill to Kalkan. We ened up on the water's edge. The first pension we tried wanted 100,000 ($10.66) for a small room with bath. down the hall. It smelled like paint besides. They said some Germans were arriving tonight. We decided to try elsewhere. A little farther on we came to a nice looking pension. The lady said they weren't open yet, but we were welcome to stay if we wanted. A small room with a very tiny bath is 100,000. It's nice and the people friendly. They just bought the place and aren't ready for visitors yet. The guy mentioned that next week is a holiday. I went to the bank to see about getting money while Shirley went shopping. I got there at 4:45, just too late to get in. After I came back I read in the guide book that most banks don't charge commissions, but Bankasi charges up to 3%. Of course the bank here is Bankasi. Tomorrow I will try again, and if the rates are too bad wait until Kas to get money. There was very hot water for showers and after Shirley did a little laundry we went to a rooftop patio for dinner. It was very nice, but did cool off a little after the sun set. After dinner the owner asked when we would leave. When we said 9:00 he said 10:00 would be better since they don't get up early because they are fasting. He said kick on the door when we are ready. We would pay tonight and just leave, but my bike is in their house so I have to get it before we leave.

Friday, March 19, 1993	Day 686 Turkey Day 5	16-17903

Kas, Turkey	Melisa Pension

We didn't feel near as tired last night as the night before. However, we still went to bed around 9:30. We weren't in any hurry to get up this morning since we didn't figure we would leave till 10:00. Fortunately, Shirley was quite horny this morning. We still got up by 7:30. We had breakfast out on the balcony. It was pleasant even though we weren't in the sun. After breakfast I packed a little before going to the bank around 9:00. I was wrong yesterday about which bank charges commission. Bankasi is the word for bank and it is Turkiye Is Bankasi that charges. I went to T.C. Ziraat Bankasi. When I entered a guy asked in English what I wanted. He took me to a counter and showed me who would help me and told her I wanted to exchange money. She quickly (5-10 minutes) processed it. I had to sign my name twice, write my home address, and write my Kalkan Address. I got a better rate than Shirley did. For $300 I got 2,838,000 lira. It is hard to count that high when you're not used to it, especially when I was counting 100,000 notes as 10,000. Finally, I verified the amount. When I returned about 9:30 my bicycle was outside. I guess the family got up early for us. I bought a loaf of bread on the way back. I finished packing and we were off about 9:50. It was warm enough to start in shorts and T-shirt. The climb out of town back to the highway was very steep. My legs were wobbly and I was hungry already. We road about 7K to a gorge and stopped to eat. There was a small beach at the bottom of a lot of stairs. We sat at the top to eat. Some guy climbed down the other side of the gorge and was going through trash. He eventually made it all the way down and started up the stairs. We left just before he got to the top. The road was much flatter today, but unfortunately we had a headwind. There were a couple short hills and it was hot. We got to Kas around 12:30 and decided to stop for the day. I was feeling real poopy today. There is a long hill climbing out of Kas. We looked at the guide book to find the pension area and then just rode around until we saw one we liked. Most were big and looked more like hotels. We found a relatively small one with 6 rooms. We got a large, bright, corner room for 50,000 ($5.30). The lady speaks almost no English. When we were looking at the room her daughter wrote down 60,000. I said it in Turkish and the woman looked shocked and said 50 in Turkish. The room has 3 beds, 2 tables, 5 chairs, a night stand, closet, and balcony. We also got TP, soap, a top sheet which looks like a table cloth, and blanket. It's a good deal. The only bad thing is our heating coil won't fit the plugs. Shirley went to buy food while I did laundry. After eating we went to play tourist. We stopped at the tourist office and got a free map of Turkey which is better than what I have. We then went to look at a sarcophagus (tomb). They are actually pretty boring. We then went to see an ancient theater which was in OK shape considering it was over 2,000 years old. We looked for a Doric tomb from the 4th century B.C. We found what was definitely an old tomb, but it wasn't where the guide book said nor did it look like how the tourist literature described it. Eventually we returned to the room for showers. On the way we stopped at a pastry shop and got a couple meat pies. Shirley decided that was dinner. Later we went looking for a book store. We eventually found one. He only had a few used books and none any good. We did buy a phrase book for 49,000 ($5.20). Earlier Shirley bought toothpaste for 1,000($1.06) and hand cream for 30,000 ($3.18). We bought some pears today at 15,000 ($1.59) per KG. They were pretty good even though crunchy and a little bitter. Shirley also was hoping to find a notebook, but all the stores were closed. The road today was seal coat rather than asphalt. Not as smooth a ride. We also lost the pine forest today. Mostly scrub brush and small trees. What a change

Saturday, March 20, 1993	Day 687 Turkish Day 6	30-17933

Kale	Kent Pansio

Today was a day to meet people. We thought we laid in bed a long time, but it was only 7:15 when we got up. It was a little breezy on the balcony so we had breakfast in our room. We left about 8:50. We stopped at a store to buy bread on the way out of town. Just as we sere leaving to start up the big hill Jamie came down a side street. He had seen us from the hotel he was staying at. He mentioned the hills weren't bad and we were amazed since he complained about the hills on Rhodos and these are much worse. We then found out he is traveling with the 2 other Kiwis that were in Marmaris and his bicycle is still there. He smelled of marijuana. We talked a while and didn't leave until 10:40. We then climbed for about 10K, steeply at times. It was quite warm and I was actually sweating. My glasses fogged up and I had to stop and put defogger on them. It wasn't perfect, but it helped. We then had 25K of up and down before an 8K downhill to Kale. Almost halfway I saw a bicyclist on the side of the road and stopped to talk to him. It turned out to be Bill from Nebraska that we first met a year ago in New Zealand, then in July in Australia, and October in Thailand. It sounds like there is a chance of seeing him again in Bulgaria. He has been to Nepal, India, and Pakistan. He really liked India and loves Turkey. He has been here for 2 1/2 weeks. We talked to him for 1.5-2 hours. After a little while a Turk who spoke only a couple words of English and German came over. We didn't really want to do the effort necessary to communicate with him since we were trying to catch up with Bill. Eventually the guy tired to get us to give him our phrase book, glasses, or helmet as a geschenk (gift). We told him no. Eventually he went back to his field. Several other people showed up while we were there. Mostly they sat on the hillside and watched us. Some would catch a bus when it went by. We finally headed on about 3:30. Bill said we only had a short uphill before the downhill to Kale. He kind of forgot about the 10K of up and down he had done. We got into Kale about 5:00. It is very different from the other places we have been. It is very noisy from tractors and motorcycles. There are very few pensions, and Shirley didn't like the looks of most of them. A guy told us about a pension he owned. He quoted us 100,000 but dropped to 60,000 when we said no. He had a boy lead us to it on a bicycle. It was 2K away and was rather rundown. The room was a dorm room with 4 beds and bath down the hall. We declined. We went back a ways to a nicer looking pension. There wasn't anyone around. Eventually a guy showed up and showed us the room. When we asked how much he wasn't able to tell us since he was living here, but wasn't the owner. We sat around a while before 2 young guys showed up on bicycles. They weren't the owners either, but they said we could have the room for 18 (in English). We finally figured out he meant 80. We told him that was too much and he dropped it to 60,000. We said OK. We asked him if the owner would agree and he said no problem. We moved in. Shirley showered while I went to the store. Since we were 2K from town I went to a couple small shops nearby. They didn't have much. I did get 300g cheese and 650g yogurt for 19,000 ($2.01), bananas for 10,000 ($1.00), 2 breads for 4,000 ($.42) and milk for 3,000 ($.32). While paying for the milk I dropped the bag from the other store with the cheese and yogurt. The yogurt container broke and leaked yogurt into the bag. Good thing it was plastic. I had tried to get jam, but was offered glasses, light bulbs, etc. I tried for marmelade and was offered Marlboros. I had left the guide book and phrase book in the room. I returned to the room so we could eat the yogurt. Shirley was making tea when the owner showed up. He speaks good German and pretty good English. We told him we were told we could stay for 60,000. He said it was normally 80,000, but 60,000 was OK. He turned on the TV and sat down to talk a little. He then said he was going to visit his family. He barely made it out the door when a German couple arrived and took a room. He stayed and talked for a while. Then another German couple arrived and took the third room. About 8:30 we all retired to our rooms and the owner left. While sitting here writing in my diary one of the two guys who showed us the room put a chair in front of the door and peeked through the transom. We have a frosted glass door and I could see him doing this. When he saw me watching he quickly ducked away. Just now he tried again. When I opened the door he walked out the front door. What a pain. The last German couple who arrived unfortunately smoked. They and 2 Turks lit up while we were eating. The German guy was quite big, both tall and wide. Very un-German looking.

Sunday, March 21, 1993	Day 688 (1 year, 46 weeks) Turkey Day 7 (1 week)	51-17984

Olympus, Turkey	Kadir's Bungalows

As far as we know nobody peeked in our window again, but who knows, We slept well and got up about 7:20. The owner was cleaning dishes when I went to the kitchen to make coffee. We ate breakfast outside in the bright sunshine. I had trouble seeing it was so bright. We walked the 1/2K to the ruins of Myra. A sign said the fee was 10,000 l ($1.06). There wasn't anybody at the ticket window so we looked at the sites and figured we would pay later. There were lots of tombs which are really more interesting from a distance. There was also a large theater that was in pretty good shape for being 2500 years old. There was also a lot of rubble in and around the theater. On the way out I paid, but the guy only charged me 10,000 for the two of us. I didn't argue. We stopped at the store on the way back for cheese, bread, yogurt, and a little cake thing. We ate the yogurt and cake before leaving about 10:15. We bought some oranges, tomatoes, and carrots on the way out of town. The 30K to Finike were pleasant. Mostly a tailwind and relatively flat right along the ocean. There were a few clouds over the mountain, but they disappeared after a little bit. We both started with only one water bottle since we both forgot to fill up this morning. We planned to get water at Finiki, but forgot. We stopped at a store for bread since we had eaten the loaf we bought this morning. The wind was blowing so hard some plastic tables and chairs went skidding across the sidewalk like someone was bowling. Fortunately it was a tailwind. The really strong wind only lasted a short time. It was flat for another 16K to Kumluca. We then started uphill. We knew we had at least 9K up from talking to Bill yesterday because he said it was 9K down to Olympos. At the bottom of the hill was a sign in Turkish saying there was a 9K passing lane. The total uphill was about 12K. There were plenty of good views of some very white mountains. Unfortunately it was hazy. We then had 3-4K of downhill to the Olympus turnoff. Bill had said Olympos was interesting and Shirley saw a picture last night so we decided to go there. It was only about 8K down. There was then a sign pointing down a dirt road for Olympos and the paved road continued straight. Shirley for some reason decided we should go straight. We rode about 2K before turning around and going back to the dirt road. There was a little mini market at the junction. It was very tiny, but we should have stopped there as it turns out. It was 3K to a couple of pension/restaurants. We had to cross a stream 5-6 times. The crossings were not too bad, but I managed to put my foot in the water in one of them. I was concentrating on Shirley who had stopped just after the crossing instead of on getting through. The first pension wanted 100,000 ($10.60) for a small room with toilet and shower outside and breakfast included. We decided that was too much. We went to the other pension across the river. He had little bungalows with cold shower in the room and toilet outside ro 80,000 ($8.48) with breakfast. The room was very dark, but they brought a bulb from another socket and made it quite satisfactory. We decided to just take sponge baths rather than cold showers. To my surprise our coil fits the plug in the room so we can have hot tea and coffee. Since we ate at 4:00 we decided not to have dinner at the restaurant since we figured it is probably expensive. We decided to pump water tonight rather than trust the water. Shirley did the pumping. I hope breakfast is good tomorrow since I will be hungry and we don't have any food for tomorrow. I doubt if the mini market will have much.

Monday, 22, 1993	Day 689 Turkey Day 8	26-18010

Kemer	Guney Pansiyon

I got up at 7:15. I t was a little cool last night with only 2 blankets. I decided Shirley needed a cup of coffee to entice her out of bed so I heated some water. She did get up and slowly drank her coffee. About 8:00 we walked to the restaurant, but when we got there the guy from the pension across the river said it was too early for breakfast because everyone over there (our pension) was asleep. We decided to got to the beach. We didn't realize we had to go thru the Olympos ruins which is in the pay area in order to get to the beach. The admission office didn't open until 9:00 so we went on in. Mostly all there was were crumbled walls and a few arches. There was more up on the hill we didn't go to. We walked the 300-400 meters to the ocean and saw another entrance station so we walked to it. Thee were a couple markets and a restaurant there and another road. We talked a little to the guy who was probably the ticket taker. He mainly spoke Turkish with a few German words and even fewer English words. He said the road was 7K to somewhere, but we didn't know where. He said we could bring our bicycles around and go out the road. We finally went back to eat breakfast. The ticket booth was still not open. The fee was listed as 10,000 l ($1.06). When we got to the pension people were up. The guy asked if we wanted an omelet and we said just whatever is included. Soon two large plates of bread came out along with our coffee. Eventually a dish of honey came out so we ate some of the bread with honey. A Turkish family sat at another table and got the normal egg, cheese, cucumber, and tomato breakfast. After a while one of the kids took our remaining bread and honey away and then our silverware and napkins. We decided we weren't getting any more. I went in and asked if were getting eggs and cheese. The head guy asked if we wanted 1 or 2 eggs and hard or soft. I said 2 hard boiled eggs. Shortly 2 eggs, 2 small slices of cheese, and 1/2 sliced tomato came out. We ate that and decided not to try for more. Fortunately we had bought a loaf of bread and large package of cookies at one of the markets and had eaten the bread before going to breakfast. I paid one of the kids 100,000 l and expected 20,000 change. Finally the head guy who speaks English came out and said Thank You and after a few seconds went back in. After a couple minutes I went in and asked about the change. He said I had paid 50,000 l. I told him in Turkish 100,000 l with two 50,000 l notes. He said something to the other guy I had given the money to and then gave me 20,000 l and said sorry about 5 times. I think at least one guy was trying to pull a fast one, and maybe both. I had a suspicion we were going to have trouble and was sorry we didn't have the exact change to start with. At least it all worked out. On the way back to the bungalow we asked the guy from the pension we didn't stay at about the other road. He said it is better to go back the way we came in because the other road was worse. It was 10:30 by the time we finished breakfast. While packing my bike fell against the shower and tore a hole in the canvas. I felt rather bad about that. It must have been at least 1:00 by the time we left. We did the 8 stream crossings with no problems and barely getting our feet splashed. I was surprised my shoes were practically dry this morning. I had expected cold wet feet when I got up. It was very hot climbing up the hill. We took what we hoped was the old highway 1.5K from the top. After 2K it started down again and we were a little worried, but it went down and met the new highway. A jovial guy stopped us along the way and was jabbering at us in Turkish. He showed me his hand and made scribbling motions on his hand. I thought he wanted something to write on. Shirley started to get her pad of paper out. Then she realized he wanted antiseptic for his hand. We indicated we didn't have any and he indicated we should leave. The ride to Kemer was pretty easy with only a few little uphills. Traffic was heavier today. Almost no trucks,, but lots of families driving around. We decided to stay in Kemer since we got a late start and it was another 43K to Antalya. We didn't want to get into such a large city real late. We got to Kemer about 3:15. The first pension we tried wasn't open. We found another and he was full. He called a friend who drove over to get us. The rooms at both places were 200,000 l ($21.21). We about choked even though the only place mentioned in the guide book was $20. The room is nice, but no better than our 50,000 l rooms. After doing laundry we explored the town. It is strictly a tourist town with lots of expensive shops and restaurants. We found a pastry shop where I bought a small loaf cake for 14,000 ($1.48) and Shirley bought 200g of baklava (honey and pastry) for 9,000 ($.95). My cake is OK, Shirley's baklava was very sweet. We found a market area and bought lots of fruits and vegies for lots of money. We have cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, cuke, oranges, and apples. We then went to a super market for cheese and yogurt and bread. All told we must have spent at least 100,000 ($10.60). We walked along the beach on the way back and somehow came back to our pension. After putting our goodies in the room I went out to see if I could get TP and more blankets. Shirley came out to fiddle with her laundry and because of the dust from work being done on the swimming pool she closed the door. Unfortunately it is the kind that automatically locks and the key was in the inside of the door. I told the owner and he asked if the key was in the door. When I said yes he said he couldn't open the door when the key was in the door. He tried to get in through the balcony, but we had locked that door too. He brought up a tool to try to pry the lock, but gave up. He went back to the balcony. Soon his son came up with a chisel and some pliers. While we were waiting the sanding of the pool was continuing and was very noisy. While we sat there his wife came by and asked what happened since I'm sure I didn't look very happy. When I told her she said "Does my husband know?" and when we said yes she left. Finally the owner opened our door from the inside. He had removed a window from the balcony door. He put the pane back in and will have to re-putty it tomorrow. We apologized profusely when he left. We had dinner on the patio. The cheese is a little strange. I would guess it is goat's cheese. I never did go back to ask for TP and blankets. Shirley tried once, but the guy was working on the pool. When it was being sanded it had lots of white powder on it. Now it has all been hosed down and the deck looks like marble. We thought they had been sanding concrete. But evidently they were polishing and smoothing the marble. Shirley is talking about getting blankets from the room next door a little later.

Tuesday, March 23, 1993	Day 690 Turkey Day 9	29-18039

Atlanya, Turkey	Erken Pansiyon

Today started out very nice. Shirley was extremely horny and spread her legs wide for me. What a sight! What a taste! We got up at 7:15. It seems it is getting light a lot earlier, but not staying light much later. We went down to check on breakfast about 7:35. The lady told us after 1/2 hour. When we got back a boy of another guest had just walked through the mud and mom was about to hose his shoes off with him still in them. Breakfast was ready. We got the normal breakfast of eggs, bread, tomato, cheese, butter, honey, jam, and olives. The cheese, butter, and honey or jam came in little packages. Definitely tourist city. When we were ready to leave the owner was telling his 3 year old son in Turkish to ask our name in English. He had to tell him 3 or 4 times, but finally he came out with a perfect "What is your name?". He was very cute. If kids were always like that I might be able to handle a kid. Alas, reality always arrives. We were off around 9:15. We rode along the ocean front and managed to get on the way out of town. We tried to find the old highway since traffic is heavier now that Ramadan is ending and a nine day holiday is going on. We tried one road which took us to a park which was very nice with trees and ocean. It looked like a National Forest campground except for the ocean. We got back on the highway and after 8K found the old road. It wasn't as quiet as I hoped, but better since traffic was slower. There were lots of resorts and more being built. About 10:30 we stopped for a snack before getting back on the highway. The last 25K were rolling hills and we got back on just in time for a tunnel. It was 130m long. Fortunately, it was straight and well lit. Even more fortunately no traffic came from either direction while we were in it. Later we had a 320m tunnel. It too was well lit, but it curved in the middle so we couldn't see the other end. We had some traffic go the other way, but none going our way. Traffic in Antalya was heavy, but not real threatening. In general the cars were pretty polite. Much better than Delhi. We stopped to get our bearings and a guy started talking to us. He asked if we had room for a small carpet. His friend, of course, had a pension for 12,000 l. We decided to look around. We rode down the road into old town for 100m or so. We stopped to look at a couple pensions. A shop owner sitting in the street on a chair and reading a paper told us the pension across the street was nice. He said "Most of the cyclists stay there". We laughed and he said "Don't get the wrong idea. I just tell you to be nice and maybe you come look at my shop.". I went in to look at a room. With shower was 200,000, without 120,000 l. If we don't get breakfast it is 90,000 l. Shirley went off to check some others. She found a couple cheaper but wasn't impressed by them. She looked at the room I had checked out and decided it was better. We have a small room with two twin beds, night stand, coatrack, and bottom sheet and blanket. No towels, TP, or top sheet. Bathroom across the hall. We have a nice mountain and ocean view and a terrace garden upstairs. After settling in we walked to the harbor. There are lots of tourists here, mostly Turkish, for the holiday. There were many tour boats going in and out. We finally went to get something to eat. We found a small kebab place where Shirley had a donner kebab (veal, rice, bread, salad) and I had two pizzas (bread with sauce). Total was 38,000 l ($4.03). We then bought 1KG bananas for 15,000 ($1.60) and then a big (6"-8") cookie for 7,000 ($.74). We walked through a street full of cafes and everyone wanted us to sit down. We went in search of the broken minaret and weren't impressed when we found it. We found a little park and sat overlooking the ocean. About 5:00 Shirley decided we should take a boat ride to see the Lower Duden Falls. We found a boat doing 1/2 hour rides for 20,000 ($2.12). Everything was done in German. We decided to go. We left at 5:35 and the sun set on the way back. The falls were very small and looked more like a storm drain. On the way back to the pension we bought some yogurt and jelly for 23,000 ($2.44). The yogurt keeps getting more expensive. The shower across the hall was quite warm and nice. On one hill today a family had parked their pickup half on the road while they had a picnic. The road is busy enough that they were in the way. I would think they would have picked one of the wide spots where they could get all the way off the road. This afternoon Shirley made me go to another carpet shop. The guy showed us carpets and kilims. Shirley asked the difference and he said carpets had "nuts". After a few times Shirley realized he was saying "knots". The kilims are woven on a loom. We had a little trouble with that too. He showed us many, many kilims. He got to breathing pretty hard from rolling them out. He also walked all over them to get others. That seemed strange to me. Turkey has public toilets. This afternoon I stopped in one. There was a 2,000 l fee which I paid when I went in When I left the guy asked me to pay. I told him I had paid. I don't think he believed me. Finally I just left.

Wednesday, March 24, 1993	Day 691 Turkish Day 10	56-18095

Side, Turkey	Kale Paysiyon

I got up early at 6:45. I went out to look for bread. There was a service at the nearby mosque. There were men all around the mosque facing Mecca. About half of them looked really bored. At the entrance were several girls who were doing collections or something. I found a store selling bread and bought one. In the store window was a girlie magazine with a big naked boob. Is this really a Muslim country. We had breakfast on the roof garden before leaving. When I paid the guy tried to charge 120,000, but when I told him the other guy had said 90,000 without breakfast he said OK. We left about 8:20. Getting out of Antalya wasn't too bad as traffic wasn't too heavy. It picked up a lot fairly quickly, but by then we were out of town and had a shoulder. The 45K to Aspendos went easy and we were there in 1.5 hours. We ate lunch before looking at the ruins. There were several tour buses and lots of cars. The theater cost 10,000 ($1.06). It has been partially restored and is quite impressive. We then wandered around and looked at some of the other ruins. At one point we heard a commotion in the weeds and investigated. It turned out to be 4 turtles butting each other. We figure they were males fighting for a female. We saw several other turtles around the site as well. After a couple hours we were ruined out and left about 2:30. The riding remained mostly flat, but was a bit harder due to the wind. We weren't sure where Side was and came to a junction with a bunch of signs pointing to hotels and saying Side. I thought the real turnoff was farther down the road so we continued. After a couple K we had our doubts. We started to turn around, but asked a guy and he said it was still farther down the road.. We rode another couple K before having serious doubts. I thought it was probably still farther along, but we turned back to the other road to be safe. It was 4:30 by now and we stopped to finish off our cookies we bought in Olympos. We turned down the road and after 2K started heading east again. About 6K later we finally came to Side. There was another road we could have come in had we continued on the main highway. Traffic in Side was horrendous. There were hundreds of people. We finally got through the traffic and found a pension. He wanted 140,000 without breakfast. Shirley talked him down to 110,000. I looked at another pension that wanted 100,000 with breakfast and bath down the hall. I probably made a bad choice, but I took the first one. The room is tiny with a double and single bed, closet, and bath. No towels or TP. After showers we went shopping. First we bought kabobs for 30,000 ($3.18). While walking and eating we were stopped by a shop owner who we talked to while we ate. We then went in search of more food. We bought oranges, apples, tomatoes, yogurt, and milk for 28,000 ($2.97). We then ended up at another restaurant. We got a lesson from the owner on what everything was. Shirley ended up with lentil soup and I got moussaka. Bread and water were free. Total was 24,000 ($2.55). We then found some butter for 8,000 ($.85). On the way back to the room Shirley stopped at a leather shop to ask if Leder was Turkish. It wasn't, it was German. We talked a while to the salesman who is just learning English. He got his book out and we helped with pronunciations. He has a long way to go. He tries to pronounce all the vowels like in Turkish. We finally left and on the way back another salesman stopped us. He also invited us for tea. Shirley accepted. He was soon replaced by a younger man. Both spoke good USA English. He talked to us a long time and tried several times to get us to look at carpets, but we didn't. It was interesting, but I tired and we left. We got a little lost on the way back and had a short conversation with another shop owner. According to the carpet salesman not many Americans have been coming to Turkey since 1985, which I think was around the Iran hostage time. 90% of the people who come are German. We expected that since everyone speaks German to us.

Thursday, March 25, 1993	Day 692 Turkish Day 11	0-18095

Side, Turkey	Kale Pansiyon

It was close to 8:00 by the time Shirley got up. After showering she went to the store and bought a very fresh loaf of bread. Breakfast was very good. After a little laundry we went to the beach. There were sand stretches and coarse sand stretches. The water is fairly warm and we waded and skipped stones. We finally turned around when Shirley had to pee. There were a number of other people walking also. On the way back to the room for food and sun screen we went through the edge of the ruins. They seemed rather interesting. We had lunch of meat pies and fruit. I also had a piece of chocolate cake. The meat pies were 5,000 ($.53) and the cake was 7,000($.74) for a total of 17,000. I paid with a 20,000 and he didn't have 3,000 change. He said tomorrow bring 2,000. We went back for 2 more pies a little later on the way to see the ancient theater. The theater cost 5,000 ($.53) each. It's not in as good of shape as Aspendos, but still interesting. There was also other ruins that didn't cost anything to look at. About 2:30 we decided to go back to the beach. We went to the west side, but Shirley decided we should go back to the east side. We did so via the end of the peninsula and came upon 4 columns with scroll work and faces across the top. They are right next to the beach. When we got to the east side there were lots of people on the beach and in the water. On the way there were also lots and lots of people on the street and in the beach side restaurants. All the seafood restaurants have fancy fish displays out front with swordfish with tomatoes on the sword and other fruits and vegies among the fish. It really looks pretty nice. When we were in the theater we could see the traffic jam coming into town. I said something to the effect that it was interesting but pitiful. At the beach Shirley went for a short swim. The water was just a little too cold for her to stay in very long. I forgot to put my trunks on before leaving so I just watched. Shirley then sunbathed for 1/2 hour. It was too hot to just sit in the sun so I returned to the pension to once again clean my bike. My brakes had been sticking a little so I took all the brakes apart and put grease on them. I also cleaned the cable guides and put grease on them. Hopefully it will shift easy now. We took showers and then I went to buy doner kebobs for dinnner. I got 2 and Shirley had one without salt. The bread tonight was large and I was comfortably full after eating 2. If there had been much meat on them I would have been stuffed. We finished just in time to go to the shore to watch the sun set. We walked around town for a while and Shirley looked for a book store. I told her I wasn't going in any shops tonight. I'm sure some of the shop owners consider us rude for not stopping to have tea or talk. Finally we bought cheese and yogurt for 16,500 ($1.75), fruit, and a box of apple tea mix (7,000 = $.74). The ingredients has neither apple nor tea in it. We returned to the room to try the tea. It is the kind that we are served whenever we go to a shop and they give us tea in a little glass. Out near the ruins there are camel rides available. The first time we went by the 4 camels were sitting with their feet curled under them. Later, 2 were out on a ride and the other 2 were laying on their sides sleeping. When the other 2 were coming in the guy who stayed behind got up and made the 2 laying down get up. Most of the people on the beach today were Turkish. The men mostly had what we would consider regular swimming trunks and some brief trunks. Many of the women had 2 piece suits and the rest normal one piece suits. None of the long suits and full skirts as in Thailand and Malaysia. Turkey doesn't seem Muslim except for the mosques going off 7 times a day.

Friday, March 26, 1993	Day 693 (99 weeks) Turkish Day 12	35-18130

30K W. of Alanya, Turkey (Alarahan turnoff)	Yali Pension

Once again it seemed like we had laid in bed a long time. However, even with screwing and cuddling it was only 7:15 when I got up. After showering I went to get bread. The store was closed, but a car was parking, I walked to the next store and it too was closed. I returned to the first store and it was open. The guy was just counting his bread. I think he was probably in the car that was parking. We ate the entire loaf for breakfast. When we left we bought another loaf for lunch. We left about 9:10. We stopped at the pastry shop and paid the 2,000 we owed from yesterday. Traffic was very nice when we left town. On the highway it slowly increased. After 10K or so the shoulder disappeared. It was decidedly less pleasant after that. The road was close to the ocean most of the way with a few hotels interspersed. Just as we stopped for a break 3 German cyclist caught us. We spoke briefly. They are in Turkey for only 1 week. They flew to Antalya and rode to Side. Apparently they are doing day trips from there. Today they were going to Alarahan, an old fort and castle on a hilltop. We ate lunch on some rocks right at the water's edge. We ate our second loaf of bread of the day. We continued on. When we got to the Alarahan turnoff there was a pension and we thought about stopping there for the night and going to see the castle. We decided to go on. Two hundred meters farther was another pension. Shirley decided she wanted to stop because traffic was too heavy. We went in. First a guy who spoke no English talked to us. He called a lady down. She didn't speak English either. They understood we wanted a room. They seemed a little disorganized, but took us to a room. They actually showed us 3 rooms. The first had 2 singles and a bath, the second 3 singles but no bath, the 3rd 2 singles pushed together and a bath. The last one faced the highway while the first one sort of faces the highway on one end so we took the first one. When we got to our floor we went into a room with 2 beds on top of each other. At first I thought that was our room, but it is sort of a common area for several rooms which branch off of it. We brought our stuff up with the couple's help. I asked the price and she said it in Turkish. She said it so fast I didn't catch it. Shirley got her to say it slower finally and I understood. We paid today so we don't have to worry about it. We then rode our bikes the 9K to Alarahan. We bought another loaf of bread in case we got hungry. The road was paved, but very rough. When we got there a guy blew a whistle and had us stop. I thought we had missed an entrance fee. He gave us some tea and his wife brought out a tray of food. We said no thanks. He sort of insisted we drink the tea and against my better judgement we did. He then asked for 20,000 for the tea. We said no and he went to 10,000 and then 5,000. Shirley finally gave him 2,000 ($.21). We shouldn't have given him any. We then rode the 100m or so to the end of the road. There a guy had us park our bikes and then get a flashlight. He said there was a tunnel and he would take us there and return. At first we thought he was going to be our tour guide, but he was just going to show us the way. I asked him how much and he said it was what sounded like "baksheesh"." We interepreted that as on a tip basis. We settled on 10,000 to rent his light. The tunnel was a staircase carved in the rock for maybe 200 feet vertical. It was a bit dark and the flashlight was useful. Shirley had hers with her, but it didn't work so we ended up renting the one from the guy. At the end of the stairway we came to some ruins and had lunch, eating our 3rd loaf of bread of the day. There seemed to be some underground rooms since we saw holes in the ground which seemed to be holes in roofs. We never found a way into the rooms though. We looked for a route to the top of the hill. The first way we tried was a dead end. We saw a group of women coming down. They spoke some German and said it was hard to get up. We went up where they had just come down and found stairs carved into the rock. Finally we went through an arch and I thought we were there, but we still had a ways to go. We lost the trail and eventually ended up crawling around the outside of the wall in a rather exposed area. I was a little nervous but we made it to the top. There were several dark chambers. It would not have been a good place to live. We found the main entrance out of the wall, but still couldn't find the trail. We finally found our way back to the arch and the path leading down. At the bottom we returned the flashlight and paid the guy 10,000 ($1.06). We stopped at a store on the way back and bought bread, cheese, and apples for 8,000 ($.85). At our place we bought a package of cookies, milk, and a small jelly for 17,000 ($1.80). We took showers in the common shower rather than get our bathroom all wet. The water was very warm. Just after we finished and I was still getting dressed the lady came up and Shirley asked for blankets and got them. A few minutes later the lady brought us some towels. Too bad we had already showered. We ate dinner and ate our 4th loaf of bread today. That's a new record for us. I feel very tired tonight. My head is throbbing, but not hurting. I hope I'm not getting sick again. I think I will go to bed early.

Saturday, March 27, 1993	Day 694 Turkish Day 13	16-18146

Alanya, Turkey	Berlin Pansiyon

I went to bed by 9:00 last night and fell asleep almost immediately. I slept soundly till morning. I didn't get up until 8:00. Shirley went to buy bread and saw a couple people eating breakfast at our pension. We sure thought they had told us no breakfast. We slowly ate and got ready and left about 9:30. The road had a small shoulder at times. Riding was little easier today as the wind wasn't blowing. We got to town around 11:45. We rode by the area the guide book said had some cheap ($5-$10) pensions. Mostly all we saw were hotels. We stopped at one pension. He wanted 125,000 for a small room that wasn't ready yet. It didn't seem really nice so we decided to look around. We found another for 82,000, but it was bath down the hall and didn't have a nice feel. At the third one we couldn't find anyone. We finally found a pension north of the main highway. The guy asked for 150,000, but we asked if he would give it to us for 100,000 ($10.60). He said he would ask his father. He came back very shortly and said OK. We got towels, but only one sheet, clothes closet, small table, night stand, balcony, bath, and communal kitchen. The guy wanted to be paid for both nights and took both passports to fill out a registration form. We got our passports back right away. After settling in we went out to explore the town. First we looked for food. We stopped at a small café for some sort of pastry with meat for 14,000 ($1.48). Shirley also had a tea for 1,000 ($.11). We tried to find the area that was supposed to have lots of places to eat and finally found it. We stopped at one and ordered doner kabobs. We waited 15-20 minutes and never got them. Our waiter had disappeared so we left. We found another place and tried again. We wanted our kebobs on regular bread and the guy said OK. We later noticed a boy came back with a loaf of bread and shortly thereafter we got our kebobs. They were 40,000 ($4.24). Shirley then started looking at some new clothes. I bought a couple post cards and went to sit by the ocean. Shirley eventually bought a new blouse and shorts set for 81,000 ($8.59). Some kids tried to sell me 5 pairs of socks for 30,000 ($3.18). Shirley asked at the store she bought her clothes and he was selling them for 20,000 ($2.12). We then hiked to the fort on the hill. We took a trail which got us to a locked gate. After backtracking a little we got over to the actual entrance. It cost 10,000 ($1.02) each to get in. It wasn't worth it. There wasn't much more to see inside than outside. We walked back to our pension. On the way down a Turkish guy started talking to us. He studies English in a 4 month course, 2 hours a day. His English is USA English. His teacher is Dutch. I told him my name is John and he said Johnnie. We bought cheese, bread, milk, yogurt, vegies, and fruit on the way back to the room. I had bread and cheese for dinner, Shirley had a fruit salad. I'm not as tired tonight, but am still a bit tired. Yesterday I had some muscle cramps while walking around the castle. My muscles still feel a little sore today, but not bad.

Sunday, March 28, 1993	Day 695 (1 year, 47 weeks) Turkish Day 14 (2 weeks)	0-18146

Alanya, Turkey	Berlin Pansiyon

I may not have been as tired last night as the night before, but I was certainly tired this morning. I woke up long enough to enjoy some time with Shirley, but sure didn't feel like getting up. Shirley got up about 8:00, showered, and went to the store. I finally got up about 8:30. We had scrambled eggs for breakfast. They really made a mess of the pan and there wasn't a scrubby to clean it with. There was a sponge and some scouring cleanser. With a lot of rubbing I finally got it clean. We did laundry and then went for a walk. We didn't make it very far along the beach before Shirley got mad because I was walking faster than her. I gave her the key and we went our separate ways. We have different ideas about how to see a city. I just like to walk around at a moderate pace to keep the touts and hawkers away. She likes to walk slow and look at the shops and deal with the salesmen. I hate shopping when I want something, much less just looking. I started out with my long pants and wool shirt. I had been cold yesterday in my shorts and T-shirt, but was too warm today. There were a few topless sunbathers today. I returned to the room about 1:00 for lunch. Shirley was already there. Good thing since she had the key. About 2:00 Shirley went to the museum and I went in search of a haircut. I was looking for a shop with no one it it. I finally found one. The guy told me 50,000 for a haircut. I said 30,000 ($3.18) and he accepted with no hesitation. He cut my hair and then lit some sort of stick with which he burned the hair in my ears. I have never had anyone do anything like that before and probably never will again. When I left I tipped him 5,000 ($.53) which I probably shouldn't have done after the 50,000 price quote. I also gave his young helper 1,0o0 ($.16). I was in my T-shirt and shorts and it had gotten quite cloudy and looked like rain. It never did rain, but it sure felt cold. I returned to the room. Shirley wasn't overly thrilled by the museum although the containers for the ashes of the dead did interest her. Later I went out to buy food at the store. I bought some flavored yogurt at 10,000 ($1.03) for 300g. Very expensive. My total bill was 34,900 ($3.70) and to my surprise I actually got 15,100 change for my 50,000 note. Usually the price is rounded up to 35,000. The 100 is on ($.01). Shirley also stopped at the tourist info office today and got another map of Turkey which we really didn't need and info on hotels between here and Silifke. According to the guy at the office there are hotels at a couple towns not mentioned in our guide book. Hopefully it is true so we don't have to ride 130-150K per day. I have feeling they might be resort hotels and expensive, though. We will find out. I stopped at the PTT (post office) today. I tried to inquire about what I need to make a collect call. The only reply I could get was "Nein!". I also asked about postage to the US and was told 3,500. The 4,000 stamps the postcard salesman sold me should cover it. I think I am tired of being hassled. I get easily annoyed by the shop owners and restaurant owners who want me to come in. That's one reason I was reluctant to leave Greece. We could walk anywhere and not be bothered. Here, once again we are targets. Not as bad as India, but I will react to it for a long time after India. Shirley on the other hand is really enjoying Turkey. She said today we may need 6 months in Turkey. Of course, we can only stay 90 days without a visa. I think I will be ready to leave by then. In reading the guide book it sounds like we will have very long distances to cover without accommodation once we leave the Mediterranean. We probably should buy a tent, but we probably won't. I'm tired of looking for a place to stay every night. Traveling is still fun, but parts of it are sure getting old. Too bad I'm so miserly or we could probably have more fun. We could stay in one place and do bus trips from there or something like that.

Monday, March 29, 1993	Day 696 Turkish Day 15	30-18176

Gazipasa, Turkey	Ozalp Pansiyon

About 9:30 last night it finally rained. Easy at first and then a real thunderstorm. It rained off and on during the night. This morning it was almost completely cloudy, but no rain. It was a little cool when i went to the store for eggs and bread. Today I made boiled eggs instead of scrambled. There were a couple blue patches in the sky so we packed up and left around 9:20. The streets were very wet and even muddy in spots. Shortly after we left it got pretty dark and I had doubts about how much fun riding would be. After 5K we could see it was clearer the way we were going. About the time I thought we had it made it started raining lightly. The road got wet and we stopped to put our pannier covers on, but not our rain gear. I had started in shorts and jacket. My legs and face got a little cold in the rain, and about the time I was thinking I may have to put my rain gear on it slacked off. Suddenly we were in the sun again. It quickly got warm and we got down to T- shirts. Traffic was light again today making cycling much more enjoyable. The 9 day holiday is over. The waves were really crashing in the Mediterranean today. They would have been good for surfing. The first 15-20K was a sandy beach, but then there were lots of rocks and cliffs for the waves to crash into. The spray would jump 20-30 feet in the air in some spots. It was quite impressive. There were lots of hotels along the sandy stretch and even more going up. We got to Gazipasa about 12:30-12:45. It's not on the coast like we thought, but inland 1K or so. We found a pension away from the center. I was in the mood to look around so we rode 1-2K through town. There were at least 5 hotels, but no other pensions. We went back to the pension. The guy didn't speak English, but he was used to dealing with people who didn't speak Turkish. We got a basic room with a wooden floor, 3 beds, closet, night stand, 2 chairs, and balcony for 60,000 ($6.36). The shower and toilet are across the hall. The toilet smells and the shower looks dirty, but feels clean. We have a corner room so it is bright. Even though we paid, the guy wanted Shirley's passport. After we moved in Shirley cleaned her bike and then took a shower. We walked into town to look for food. We went to the PO to mail a letter. We were told postage was 4500, but we ended up having to buy a 5000 l stamp. We bought 5 and I paid with a 250,000 note with no problem. We then went to buy a piece of fabric for me to use as a sheet since we often don't get top sheets. I only wanted 2 meters, but the piece of material left was 2.75m and he didn't want to cut it. The fabric cost 10,000 per meter, but he said he would sell it to me for 25,000 ($2.65). I finally said OK even though I really didn't want that much. We stopped at a fruit market and got a cauliflower, 2 tomatoes, some carrots, strawberries, and a kiwi for 20,000 ($2.12). We then went to a pastry shop for a couple cheese pies which were mostly just bread for 3,000 ($.32). We bought yogurt and bread for 17,000 ($1.80) and finally a couple more pastries for 6,000 ($.64). We sat in a park to eat our pastries and strawberries. The strawberries were good and the pastries OK. We didn't see any kebob places so we will eat in today. Shirley sewed up the hem of the material we bought. I will use it tonight since we don't have top sheets. The shower was really nice with lots of very hot water. Shirley tried to buy hand cream, but gave up after trying a couple stores. She said she will buy it in tourist land where it is easier. The toilet is plugged up and smells like urine.

Tuesday, March 30, 1993	Day 697 Turkish Day 16	54-18230

Anamura, Turkey	Kap Anamura Pension

We got up early today at 7:15. I went to the store for bread. There was someone staying in one of the other rooms. He also had a key to the kitchen. As we were taking the bikes outside the owner was coming down the stairs. He went back up and got Shirley's passport. We knew daylight savings was starting soon and when we saw a bunch of kids at school before 8:00 we figured it must have happened. We left at 8:15 and stopped at the store for bread. I looked at the girls watch and it said 9:15. All times for today will still be standard time, but tomorrow will be daylight time. The first 15K were pretty easy and then we started uphill. I thought we were just going over a small ridge we could see. However, it kept going up and then rolled for a while. We stopped for lunch on a slab of concrete overlooking the ocean. Shortly after that we went down to nearly sea level again. We found a little store and bought another loaf of bread. The road immediately started up again. The road was narrower and twistier and the grade was much steeper. We had seen some banana stands along the road and finally stopped at one that had some good looking ones. He said they were Chiquitas and were 15,000 per kilogram. I got 4 bananas which he said were 1kg. Actually it should have been less, but they were good. In the valley we finally saw some banana trees. Once again they were the variety that looked dead. On the way up the hill we were passed by lots of trucks carrying tomatoes and other vegies. We passed some strawberry vendors and Shirley bought a small box for 5,000. There were also lots of people selling some small fruit that looked like unripe peaches. Shirley tried one but didn't really like it. We ate the strawberries part way up the hill. Traffic was very light and there were lots of trees. We had another nice downhill and then immediately back up another steep hill. This one wasn't as long. We did several small ups and owns. We stopped to eat again. While eating a couple kids on bicycles stopped and looked. One sort of rode with us for 1-2K when we left. Finally we had another downhill into Anamura and a 6K mostly flat ride. We went to the beach side of town and got in about 4:00. The first pension we checked had a room that wasn't cleaned for 50,000 ($5.30). We decided to look elsewhere. We tried an expensive looking place and they had a room for 100,000 ($10.60) with breakfast. Two guys carried most of our stuff to the room. We have 3 single beds, 2 night tables, closet, phone, balcony with ocean view, and bath. I asked for a towel and got one. After showers we walked along the beach and town. We didn't really see our style restaurant (cheap and simple) so we bought some food at the store. There was a 200ml bottle of hand cream for 100,000. Shirley went to a different store and found 100ml for 25,000 ($2.65) which she bought. On the way back to the room we stopped at a restaurant that had people in it. First we had salad for 15,000 ($1.59) each and then soup and cheese pastry for 10,000 ($1.06) each. The bill came in a little fancy case. I was supposed to put the tip in there too, I guess, but I didn't. We finally returned to room close to 8:30 for coffee.

Wednesday, March 31, 1993	Day 698 Turkish Day 17	33-18263

Aydincik, Turkey	Pinar Motel

Once again we laid in bed a long time, but even with sex it was only 7:40 (daylight time) when I got up to shower. Of course, I did go to bed at 9:30, so 7:30 was pretty late. We didn't have to go to the store since breakfast came with the room. We went down at 8:00, but nobody was there. A few minutes later a guy showed up and around 8:30 or a little after we got our breakfast. The butter, jam, and honey came in little packets again. Breakfast was quite filling. I should learn how to say no olives since I don't like them and Shirley doesn't like them enough to eat hers and mine. After breakfast we finished packing and carried our stuff downstairs. Shirley paid with a 250,000 and the guy had to run around to find change. When we left I felt like we should have tipped the guy since he did help carry my bags and gave us a second cup of tea. After we left I mentioned it to Shirley and she agreed. However, neither of us did. It was quite warm even though it was only 9:30. We rode the 7K to the Mamure Castle, a third century Roman castle which was restored in the 14th century. It is right next to the highway so it was very convenient for us. It cost 10,000 ($1.06) each. It was worth the price. Most of the walls were pretty much intact. We walked around most of it on top of the wall. There were a couple spots that got a bit narrow and frightened me since we were 30-50 feet off the ground. There were also some hallways in the walls and stairs going up a tower that were interesting. We spent about 2 hours walking around. Outside the castle was a free toilet, a rare sight in Turkey. It was an Asian style and was plugged up, but it worked for peeing. One tourist looked in and left right away. I guess she didn't have to go very bad. We had lunch outside the castle before heading off again around 12:30. The lady at the ticket office gave me some nuts when I paid. They are hard to crack and we haven't eaten them yet. The riding was easy for 25K or so, but then we had a really steep 2K hill. After that we had a series of steep ups and downs. Traffic was light and the scenery interesting. It was the warmest day we have had in a long time. I actually sweated today. About 15K from town we stopped to eat again. Finally we got to Aydincik. We passed one motel which Shirley thought had character, but the rooms faced the highway. We found another motel on the ocean side of the road. A young boy showed me the room. When I asked how much in Turkish he struggled to tell me in English. Finally he took me downstairs to write it down. For 80,000 ($8.48) we have 3 beds, table, 3 chairs, balcony, and a tiny bathroom. We have top sheets and one small towel. Shirley showered and we did laundry. I then showered before heading out to look for food. I washed my long pants tonight so I had to wear my shorts. Fortunately it was warm enough. We had to walk 1-2K to find a store. We had to go to 3 or 4 to find our fruit, cheese, and milk. We saw a couple loaves of bread, but decided to wait to see if we ate out before buying bread. We had passed a kebob place coming in so we went to it. We ordered a kebob each for 20,000 ($2.12). For that we got a spicy kebob (ground lamb grilled over a fire), salad, and lots of toasted bread. The salad had lots of onion and the kebob was a little hot, but it was good. On the way back we passed a mosque at prayer time. To our surprise there was a live person standing in the minaret chanting the prayer over the loud speakers. We had been wondering if they were live or recorded. We stopped at a pastry shop and bought 100g of baklava (honey filled pastry). That's not much, but a little goes a long way. We got back to the room about 7:30. Walking along the road was not real pleasant. It seemed like a lot of noisy traffic. Our heating coil fits the socket so we can have tea or coffee tonight and tomorrow. Shirley bought a new pen tonight. The guy showed us 4 and told us the prices in Turkish. When we were slow on a couple of them he told us the price in English. She finally bought one for 2,000 ($.21). On one of the early hills today my right knee was hurting a little. I finally stopped and raised my seat 1/8 inch or perhaps a little more. My knee didn't hurt any more after that. It's amazing how little it takes to correct the problem.

Thursday, April 1, 1993	Day 699 Turkish Day 18	53-18316

Silifke, Turkey	Hotel Eren

We got up at 8:00. I went across the street and bought 2 loaves of bread. We ended up eating 1 1/2 loaves for breakfast. We took our stuff down about 9:15. I paid with a 250,000 ($26.51) and the kid had to go look for change. It was a different kid than last night, but he looked like a brother. While he was off getting change we loaded the bikes. By the time Shirley washed her hands he was back. We left about 9:30 and it was already warm. After 2-3K we started uphill and climbed for 7K It was pretty steep until the last 1-2K. The we had a nice downhill back to the ocean before starting right back up again. We continued up and down. At 12:30 we decided we should find a spot with a view and eat. We climbed for a few more K and never got a good view. We went down to the town of Ovacik where we bought bread and a liter of Pepsi (12,000 = $1.27). We could see a short (3-4K) hill out of town and we decided to go to the top for lunch. There was a good spot on top, but there was a motorcycle parked there with a guy sleeping next to it so we continued on another 1-2K. We found a nice spot just about the time I was getting very hungry. We ate another 1 1/2 loaves of bread, cheese, and tomatoes. It clouded up a little while eating and felt a little cooler. It was 1:30 when we stopped and we had only gone 35K. We still had 35-45K to go. Fortunately, it got much easier. We dropped back down to the ocean and then had a 20K flat stretch with a nice tail wind. Actually we had a tail wind most of the day. We had another steep hill. On the way down we passed a couple trucks. I thought the driver of the second one was going to climb out the window looking at us. We got to Tasucu about 4:00. After some debate we decided to go on to Silifke another 8-10K. Shirley decided Tasucu didn't look like a "real town". We got to Silifke about 4:45. Some how we got on a one way going the wrong way. We did pass a pide salon which excited Shirley. We finally turned off the one way and came out right by a couple of hotels. While a tout tried to lure us to a hotel we looked them up in our book. The other hotel was supposed to be a little more expensive, but quieter. We went to check it out. Shirley talked the guy down from 100,000 to 80,000 for a large room that is cleaner than it feels. It is old so it has that rundown feel. We have twin beds with full sheets, coffee table, 2 stools, small dresser, towels, and TP. Unfortunately, hot water is only from 8-12 PM. Since Shirley couldn't take a shower we walked to the fortress above town. We went by a schoolyard full of kids and everyone wanted their photo taken. Shirley did take one of a couple girls. The fortress was probably about 1K up the hill. Shirley was very slow. I hate going that slow. It makes me feel tired. The fortress looked pretty good from the outside, but inside it was a shambles. I had to leave Shirley sitting on a rock and go check it out about 100m from the top. She did finally come look. We probably would have climbed around more if we weren't so hungry. We went back to town. On the way we passed some kids who gave us some of the little green fruit that are being sold along the highway. I asked "Boonoon ahdi ne?" or "What do you call this". The boy understood and said something like "chalet". We went to the pide store and bought 2 warm pides. We ate both of them. The restaurant mentioned in the guide book appears hungry for customers. A guy came across the street to us to try to get us into the restaurant. We were eating the pide at the time. We then decided we didn't need a full meal. We bought fruit and yogurt. We wanted coffee, but the smallest jar was 100g for 50,000 ($5.30). A little too big to carry. We finally returned to the hotel. Shirley decided I should go to the restaurant and see how much breakfast is. The guy almost dragged me into the restaurant. He would have served me breakfast right then I think. Breakfast is 20,000 ($2.12) which is too much for bread and cheese. The shower was lukewarm. Warm enough for me, but not warm enough for Shirley. The lights flicker a lot here. I don't know if it is just the hotel or the whole town. While eating our pide we talked to a guy. He has 2 jobs, a day job in an office and driving taxi at night. He said our hotel is more expensive but cleaner than the other

Friday, April 2, 1993	Day 700 (100 weeks) Turkish 19	16-18332

Kizkalesi, Turkey	Yasmin Hotel

Today started out nice. Shirley was surprisingly horny and let me suck her tits before a nice session of screwing. I got up at 8:00 and went for bread. I bought a round loaf which was still warm and a regular loaf. When we went to leave the guy in the hotel was a little too helpful. I was planning to load the bikes in the room where they were stored, but he brought them out where it wasn't as convenient to leave them. He then had to hold my bike so it wouldn't fall. Shirley and I had a little trouble getting coordinated. She got in a huff before we got it sorted out. We were off around 9:30 once again. It was sunny, but very windy today. When we left it felt a little cool, but after a few K we warmed up. Traffic was heavier and unfortunately the road was rough and no shoulder. At least we had a tail wind and it was mostly flat. We got to Kiskalesi around 11:30. Our guide book said it had a few pensions and a hotel or two. Like the rest of the Turkish Mediterranean it has grown considerably and is still growing. For some reason we ended up in the big hotel section. Most of them looked closed. One small pension said "Wir sprechen deutsch". While looking at it a guy came out. He indeed spoke German and quoted us a price of 45DM. We asked how many liras and he didn't know. We figured that was a little under $30 so we didn't even look. We rode around and a guy came out of another hotel and in German told us to look. He wanted 100,000 without breakfast. We looked at the room. It is sort of a suite of rooms with a kitchen. We have a room with a real double bed. Shirley wanted breakfast included so she bargained a bit. At first he said 130,000 with breakfast and then 120,000. He said that was "billig". Shirley said "110,000 ist besser" and we all laughed. She then offered 120,000 ($12.73) for one night and 230,000 ($24.39) for 2 nights and he agreed. He had told us the room is "sauber" (clean) and "warmer wasser" (warm water). We do have warm water, but the room wasn't really clean. There was a layer of dust on the floor and mud on the bathroom floor. Shirley used the toilet bowl brush to sweep the floor and clean the bathroom floor. Then, we didn't have any water in the wash basin and only one faucet in the shower. Shirley was really grouchy. All she wanted was a clean room with no hassles and she got neither. I went down to ask about the hot water. The guy was dealing with a delivery truck and it took a while before I could talk to him. He then flipped a switch and I heard a motor start. Back at the room we had hot water only and none in the basin. I went down again. I had trouble explaining the problem with my limited German. He said something about the motor and pointed up and in a "halbe stunde" (1/2 hour). I got the impression a tank was being filled. Shirley remained surly and sat in the bed until we finally had hot and cold water. We had some lunch before going for a walk. It was too windy to be pleasant. The beach was cold and too much blowing sand. We walked along the highway to the castle ruins. It cost 10,000 ($1.06) each. It looked too ruined and it was too windy to pay. We went to a store and bought 100g coffee for 38,000 ($4.03). We went to another store and bought cookies and milk. It was too unpleasant outside so we returned to the room. We had done a little laundry earlier and it was drying quickly in the wind. Shirley mended clothes (her shirt, my wool shirt, my shorts) and I did puzzles. We went out to dinner and found a little kebob place. A guy had a small charcoal fire outside and for 50,000 we could get 1kg lamb and a salad. We went and sat down. I think locals probably would have picked out there meat and cooked it themselves. We got our bread right away, then our salad, and finally the cutlets. The butcher brought them to us to view before cooking. The staff was eating while we were there. One guy gave us one of his cutlets before we decided to eat there. It was very good. While we were eating he said his were better because he had done something since 12:00, we think marinade them. They were indeed better. The staff was very informal and took food from each other's plates, etc. Our total bill was 50,000 ($5.30), 35,000 for the meat, 10,000 for the salad, and 5,000 for our an unknown charge, perhaps the bread and water or a service charge. We returned to the hotel. The guy downstairs (different from the one who showed us the room) let us in and offered us tea. I declined, but Shirley accepted so we both got tea. He didn't speak English or German so we didn't have much of a conversation. When we finished we went to the room and made more tea. Later Shirley went to the balcony and saw that the castle was lit by lights. About 10:30 we walked to the beach to take a look. It was rather pretty. Of course, the guy had to let us back in. The castle is out in the ocean 200-300m.

Saturday, April 3, 1993	Day 701 (23 months) Turkish Day 20	8-18340

Kiskalesi, Turkey	Yasmin Hotel

It's so nice having a real double bed even if all we did was cuddle. We finally got up a little before 8:00. We went down to breakfast. As I suspected it wasn't anything special. Only 1/2 loaf bread, one little container of honey each, 1/2 tomato each, some cucumber, and an egg. We did get 2 cups of coffee each. We could have done the same thing a lot cheaper, but Shirley seems to like it better when it is served to us, although she wasn't real pleased with the breakfast either. We walked on the beach and rocks to the other part of town. We circled back on the highway. Shirley had hoped to find fresh pide at a bakery we saw coming in, but it was closed. We bought TP for 10,000 ($1.06) and 650g yogurt for 8,000 ($.85) and 2 loaves bread for 3,000 ($.32). We returned to the room for a late breakfast or an early lunch before heading out on the bikes to two caves know as Cennet and Cenhannem (Heaven and Hell). They are 6K away. It cost 10,000 ($1.06) each to see them. There were several young boys in suit coats offering donkey rides and several young girls and boys selling flowers. There were also some older guys giving camel rides. A group of what appeared to be US military boys in civilian clothes were there. We had seen them earlier on the beach at Kizkalesi. They bought a few flowers and at least one donkey ride. After they left we went to look at Hell which was a deep, wide hole in the ground. The rocks around it were very holy like lava rock and hard to walk on. We then went to see Heaven. There was a long staircase of rocks down into a valley and then into the cave. There were lights in the mouth of the cave. Just as we got there a group of teenage couples arrived. They made the usual teenage commotion. Fortunately they didn't stay long and we waited until they left to continue. The cave quickly narrowed down to about 2-3 feet high. We could hear a lot of water running. My little flashlight shined real bright, but it was too muddy to go through the small area. It would have been fun to go in a little farther. Right at the mouth of the cave was a small Byzantine church. Right where the cave narrowed down I slipped and fell on my wrist. It hurts a bit now. Darn it. We came back up after cleaning the mud off our shoes and had lunch at a picnic table. We rode our bikes to a cave supposed to cure asthma, but it cost even more so we didn't go in. We returned to the hotel. Shortly thereafter we went to the beach so Shirley could sunbathe. I went to the store for some fruit, bread, and cheese for 35,000 ($3.50). I joined Shirley and we had a light supper. I went for a swim, but only got up to my waist. My feet and legs were getting cold by then so I came back out. When I was pretty much dry we returned to buy some vegies and more bread for 11,000 ($1.17). After that we walked to the highway to an ice cream place Shirley had seen yesterday. We got 2 cones for 5,000 ($.53) each. Shirley got hers first. The guy had a 2-3 foot long scoop. He put Shirley's scoop on the cone which stuck fast. He twirled it and had Shirley hold it, but it wouldn't come off. Finally, the cone broke. He made another and took it off himself. I got a chocolate cone. The ice cream was very strange. It was like bubble gum and stretched. We were a little messy at first since we weren't used to ice cream leaving streamers and the guy brought us napkins. I liked mine, but Shirley didn't like her vanilla. On the way back to the room Shirley bought some apples. I thought she was going to look through the whole bin before finally settling on 3 apples. After weighing them the guy picked one more small one very quickly to make 1/2 kg for 3,000 ($.32). It was much nicer today since the wind wasn't blowing very hard. We even sat on the balcony today until after sundown. About 7:00 I ate dinner and ate a whole loaf of bread. I guess I was hungry.

Sunday, April 4, 1993	Day 702 (1 year, 48 weeks) Turkish Day 21 (3 weeks)	38-18378

Mersin, Turkey	Ocak Hotel

Not a very exciting day today other than the beginning. We had a power failure last night. Some of the lights came on sporadically. Shirley had been sewing my shorts and finished them by candlelight. I had been writing Ken and gave up. We finally went to bed around 9:30. Shirley drank too much coffee too late and couldn't get to sleep. She thought it was hot and then was attacked by mosquitos. She finally turned the fan on, the only fan we have had by the way. She didn't want to touch much during the night so I was surprised when she eagerly screwed this morning. Once again we got up about 8:00, showered, and went to breakfast. It was close to 9:00 before we got our breakfast. It seemed even smaller today and we didn't get a second cup of coffee. By the time we were ready to leave it was 9:50. When I paid I paid with a 250,000 lira note and expected 20,000 change, but only got 10,000. When I questioned it he said the extra 10,000 was for two extra coffees yesterday. What a crock! For $1 I didn't argue. The road also was in bad shape with a very rocky shoulder and lots of traffic. Not very pleasant. At Erdmeli the road became a wide 4 lanes and traffic seemed lighter. We then had another bad stretch before finally getting 4 lanes all the way. It was basically one city for the last 40K. once we got to Mersin. Traffic was heavy, but there was a wide shoulder. In Mersin we finally turned toward the ocean and found a wide road with less traffic. It turned out it took us within a block of the hotels we wanted to check out. We stopped once to look at the map of Mersin in our guide book and attracted a crowd of teenagers, 4 on bikes. They rode "with" us for a ways to make sure we didn't get lost. Mostly they rode in front, behind, slow, fast, all around. Finally we stopped and they continued on. The Buyok Hotel (cheap) looked too bad to even check out. The second hotel has been replaced by another building. The Kent Hotel was locked and I went across the street to the Ocak. The starting price was 220,000. The clerk did not speak much English, but he had a pad of paper. He then went down to 200,000. When I balked he gave me the pad and I wrote 100,000. He countered with 150,000 and indicated that was a s low as he would go. I looked at the room and it was pretty nice. I went to talk to Shirley and the Kent was now open. The guy had told Shirley 80,000 for a room. I looked at a room. It was not near as nice. The beds were not made yet and no towels. There was only a shower in the room and toilet down the hall. He went down to 75,000 then 70,000. When I still said no he said 60,000. We decided to go to the Ocak (Ojack) and pay the 150,000. Our room is big with double bed, full sheet, towels, heater, large closet, dresser, night table, bench, small table, phone, and a very clean bathroom. There is also a clean carpet on the floor. It needs paint, but other than that it is nice. We had to give our passports. We took showers and then went to Ataturk Park at the ocean. There were lots of people strolling, sitting, and playing. Several tour boats were doing cruises around the harbor for 5,000 ($.53) and several gun folks had balloons in the water to shoot at. We sat on the dike for a while and a guy came over to talk to us. His English was limited but pretty good. He invited us to stay at his house or have dinner tomorrow. He is studying to be a mechanical engineer. He said there are lots of US servicemen in Adana. He doesn't like the blacks, but his English wasn't good enough to tell us why. He said women in Turkey are second class, but most of the high school teachers are women. Finally he left. As we were leaving 3 sailors stopped. One has been all over the world, including Portland as a crew member on a merchant ship. He talked very fast and was hard to understand as a result. We wandered back to the hotel a different way. We bought fruit and vegies at 37,000 ($3.92) including a couple terrible pears. We then tried to buy some sort of sandwich, but the place was just closing. A guy took us to another place 3 or 4 doors away where I got the same thing. It was 4,000 ($.42). I think it would have been 3,500 if we hadn't had the guide. A little further on we bought a doner (veal) kebob for 10,000 ($1.06). We took it all back to the room to eat. The clerk said something about paying, but we put him off till morning. I hope we don't have a problem. The unknown sandwich was good, but a little spicy. After dinner I went to the PTT (phone, telephone, and telegraph) to try to call Mom. The only phone I could make a collect call from was in the lobby at the counter. I opted not to. I tried to find an English language newspaper with no luck. I returned to the room as it was getting dark. The room is hot so I put my wet shirt on to cool off. It has a hole in the sleeve so it's end is approaching. When we went through Erdemli today I was surprised to see two bicycles and a motorcycle stopped at a red light when there wasn't even any traffic coming. How unusual for them to stop.

Monday, April 5, 1993	Day 703 Turkish Day 22	42-18420

Adana, Turkey	Set Hotel

Today was less than a perfect day. We got up about 7:40. I went in search of bread, cheese, and margarine. The bread and cheese I found next door for 10,000 ($1.06). The only margarine they had was wrapped in paper. I had to go to several stores before I found one in a plastic container we could carry. We had our normal breakfast before leaving. We paid our bill with no problem. Getting out of town was easy although we took a side trip down to the ocean we didn't have to take. I had thought we had agreed to take the road right outside our hotel, Shirley thought we had agreed to go back to the ocean. I headed off on the road I thought and after 1-2 blocks Shirley turned to the ocean down a little road. We then had to jump a median in order to go a couple blocks to rejoin the other road. Sometimes Shirley does the strangest things to avoid a block or two of traffic. The road was pretty flat and 4 lanes all the way. Unfortunately, the shoulder was generally bad and there was heavy traffic. We passed what must have been a refinery or gas pipeline with hundreds of tanker trucks lined up. We also passed smoke stacks issuing all kinds of gases including one with very yellow smoke. We stopped at a gas station to pee. There were several lizards in the women's bathroom and I had to chase them away before Shirley would go in. She said one washed out the drain pipe when she washed her hands. We then went to a small kiosk next door and bought a liter of Pepsi for 14,000 ($1.48). We were sitting on the curb drinking it and the guy brought 2 stools for us. The curb was actually more comfortable since there were trees we could lean against. When we returned the bottle the guy asked if we wanted water in it. We declined. While drinking it a bike race went by going the other direction. There must have been around 100 racers plus lots of support vehicles with spare wheels and bikes. They had police escort and traffic was backed up behind them. We found a small turtle today that was heading out onto the highway. He was about 1.5 inches long. I picked him up and carried him to a field on the side of the road and pointed him away from the road. After we drank the Pepsi I had to pee real bad a couple times. We stopped at a couple more gas stations. We had lunch at one of them. We got into Adana about 2:00. It is a city of more than one million people and is a real city. We had trouble finding where we were on the map since we couldn't see any street signs. We stopped to study the book and drew quite a crowd. Shirley showed them the map and they had a big discussion. I thought they indicated we should go left and Shirley thought straight. We went straight and when we stopped again found out we had gone too far. We went back the way we had come and then up another street. We came out right where we wanted. We had to go down 1/2 block the wrong way on a divided road to get to a hotel. Just as we got there a policeman stopped to tell us we were going the wrong way. I was glad I could tell him we were going to the hotel and he left. I went in to look at a room, but only got as far as the desk. Prices started at 350,000 ($37.12). He finally got down to 250,000 ($26.51). When I said I was hoping for 100,000 he said try another hotel. There was one next door. I looked at it. They had a nice room with sheets and towels for 70,000 ($7.42). The only problem was it only had a sink in the room and the shower and toilet were down the hall. In a city like this Shirley definitely wanted a toilet in the room. We tried another hotel down the street, but it was full. I walked to the next one I could see. They started at 250,000, and went down to 200,000. I looked at a room and found it acceptable. First we looked at one facing the street. I asked for one in back and we went to a room that was apparently occupied. The guy quickly ushered me out. We went down a floor and found a large room with twin beds, couch, dresser, clothes closet, sheets, towels, TP, rug, and bathtub. It was clean and nice. Back at the lobby I asked if he could let us have it for 160,000 ($16.97). He discussed it with his boss and then said yes. He took my passport and copied the info and then asked for payment. I didn't have that much so I went to get Shirley. We brought the bikes into the lobby to unload them and then they went into the laundry room. The guy told us there would be hot water at 5:00. It was only 3:30 so Shirley decided to do some laundry. She discovered hot water and also took a shower. We decided we better go get more money. The first bank either wouldn't do checks or it was too late. We went to another bank. They didn't do checks, but said one 600m away did. On the way to the third bank a guy started talking to us and walking with us. When we got to the bank we thought we were rid of him. We got money at a rate of 9425 which is not real good, but in line with last time. When we came back out the same guy started walking with us and telling us about his hotel. We finally got rid of him. A little farther we picked up another one. He followed us to the tourist info place. He did help us find the guy at the office. We got a map of Adana and a list of hotels in Turkey. We think we found out where hotels are between here and Antalka. The guy followed us to our hotel. I showered and had very hot water. I had trouble getting the cold water on, but finally succeeded. When we went back out about 6:00 the same guy found us again. Shirley got really mad and started back to the hotel. I told the guy quickly and rather shrilly "We just want to walk alone!". He said "OK". I felt bad about that, but then caught up with Shirley. We went to a kebob salon where I had and Adana kebob and Shirley had a doner kebob. We also had a salad. The total was 39,000 ($4.14) which seemed very high, especially since we didn't even get any bread. We should have questioned it, but we didn't. We went to another place where I had some sort of sausage sandwich for 8,000 and Shirley had some sort of kebab for 10,000. It was a more pleasant relaxed place and they didn't rip us off. We then headed to see an old mosque, but Shirley got sidetracked to buy yarn for 4,000 and a super market. We bought an electric pot to boil water for 7,000 ($.74), a cup for 6,500 ($.69), toothbrush for 8,500 ($.90), 10 tea bags for 14,200 ($1.51), cheese for 6,500 ($.69), yogurt for 6,250 ($.66) and milk for 2,950 ($.31). The total was 51,800 and I paid 52,000. To my surprise I actually got 200 lira ($.02) change. We had to buy the heating pot and cup because of my stupidity today. We passed a kid who ran along with me and was hanging on. Later I noticed he had unzipped my side pocket on my pannier and had taken the cup and heating coil. I had been concentrating too hard on the bumps and traffic. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Our new pot holds about 1.5 cups and heats very quickly. I'm talking a matter of seconds. If it lasts very long it is well worth 7,000 ($.74). The street we are on has what appears to be a couple skin flicks on it. There are a lot of posters out front of them with nearly naked women. The boobs have censor stars on them and they have very small panties on. It would be interesting to check them out and see what they have inside, but I think I will pass.

Tuesday, April 6, 1993	Day 704 Turkish Day 23	54-18474

Yumurtalik, Turkey	Oztur Otel

I didn't sleep well last night as usual after a day of hassles. My mind kept working on the kid stealing the coil and the restaurant over charging us. Add the noise of the city and it means little sleep. I finally got up at 7:20. I found bread a couple blocks away. I got 3 small loaves for 5000 ($.53). Actually, I think it should have been 4500. After we packed Shirley went out to buy hand cream and sun screen. She came back with a 300ml bottle of hand cream for 21,000 ($2.23). The only sun screen she found was 110,000 ($11.66) so she didn't buy it. We loaded our bikes in the lobby and were off at 9:40. The first 27K were not much fun since they were on the main highway with lots of traffic and poor shoulder. We then came to the old highway and turned off. Traffic was much lighter and slower. People were also much friendlier. After 1K we stopped for 4 tomatoes and a cuke for 2,000 ($.21). After another 2-3K when I was just starting to relax and enjoy riding again we came to a turn for a mosaic museum. Even though we were standing on the road between 2 signs, both pointing down the road Shirley had doubts about whether the museum was down the road because it was a little dirt road. Two guys who spoke some English stopped to help. I wasn't in the mood to deal with them. I still haven't recovered from India. I tersely asked Shirley "Do you want to go or not?". When she said yes I said "Then let's go!". The museum turned out to be a building with a few column posts outside and a mosaic with a lot of it missing inside. I waited outside in the shade while Shirley had the caretaker open the door for her. It cost 5,000 ($.53). I don't think I missed anything. Finally we continued. We went over an old bridge that was rather picturesque. We could see the highway across the river and were glad we were not on it. We stopped for lunch. When we were about done an old man who lived in a plastic shack across the road offered us tea. At first we refused, but he came back with his teapot and we accepted, Shirley eagerly, me reluctantly. I still wasn't in the mood for people interaction. He made us tea and gave us 4 boiled eggs. He didn't speak English and we didn't speak Turkish so conversation was very limited. Shirley gave him 1/2 jar of coffee. I don't think he wanted it, but she insisted. I don't think he was just being polite. I feel bad about taking the man's tea and eggs when they probably represent a big investment to him. He was a nice old guy., but I didn't leave feeling good because I felt like we imposed on him. The riding after that was lovely, although the road was a bit rough at times. At least there wasn't much traffic. Shirley thought she had read somewhere that Yumurtulik had hotels and that we should go there. The road to the town dead ends there 24K after the last turnoff. I had my doubts since we hadn't seen any hotel ads, but we went anyway. The closer we got with no signs, the more I though we had made a mistake. Then, just at the edge of town were a couple ads for pensions. What a relief. We couldn't find either pension, but did find a hotel. Rooms started at 225,000, but Shirley got them down to 150,000. We were trying for less. We finally decided to check out a pension. We found a very dirty looking place and went back to the hotel. The owner was now there and said we could have it for 120,000. We asked about breakfast and he said that was 20,000 extra. To my surprise Shirley didn't want breakfast. Our bikes got put in a room. We even left some stuff on them today. Up in the room the manager asked for a pen and paper and wrote Kahualti (breakfast) and 120,000 and said "dahil". So for 120,000 ($12.73) we get the room and breakfast. That was nice of him. The room is actually quite nice with full sheets, table, dresser, night stand, phone, bright lights, and TP. Shirley got a towel from the room next door. We took very warm showers before going out to look at the town. We passed a pide salon and bought a pide for 1,700 ($.18). It was so good we bought a second. We had passed a kebob place twice on our bikes and twice on foot. Every time they tried to get us in. We bought vegies, took them to the room, and then went to the kebob place. We had 2 kebobs with pide, salad, and water for 25,000 ($2.65). Much nicer than last night. I paid with 100,000. They brough me a 50,000, 20,000, and six 5,000 notes back. I thought it was just the change at first. I sort of think they were hoping for a tip with that sort of change, but I just paid the bill. We then went for a walk and watched the lightening in one part of the sky and the rising full moon in another. A dog walked with us most of the way including right to our hotel. This is a nice quiet town, just what I needed after yesterday. We checked for sun screen at a pharmacy. They had some number 2 and 1, but that's next to worthless. Maybe we can find it in one of the stores here since we have decided to stay tomorrow too.

Wednesday, April 7, 1993	Day 705 Turkish Day 24	0-18474

Yumurtalik, Turkey	Oztur Otel

Not a very exciting day as rest days usually are. We got up around 7:30. We waited until 8:00 to go to breakfast. We got served very quickly. We had thinly sliced bread, small piece of cheese, a little container of jelly and butter, olives, and tea. The olives were very strong and I could barely stand to smell them much less eat them. Tomorrow I will try to ask for no olives. We came back to the room and did some laundry. Shirley started going through the list of cities with hotels and marking them on the map. I figured that was an evening task so I went out for a walk. First I walked to an old tower I could see. It had a stone staircase inside the walls. It was sort of interesting. I walked back via the shore and found several rooms carved into the rocks. One looked like it went in pretty far, but I didn't have my flashlight so I couldn't really tell. I found another old ruin right behind our hotel with a couple walls and some arches. I also found the Kucuk Pension we were looking for yesterday. Kucuk means small, but it look like it is becoming big. It is a one story building with 3 new floors being added. It looked nice enough. I walked over to the other part of town we could see. It was deserted except for a guy driving a herd of goats and 3 guys working on a tractor. It looked like a summer resort that hasn't been open yet. I walked back via the beach and cliff. As I got back to town I passed several people carrying bread. I followed the trail until I found the bakery. I got 2 loaves of hot bread and took them to the room where I ate 1.5 loaves. Shirley came back a little later. After a while I went to the park and did puzzles. About 4:00 Shirley came with a letter and we went to the post office. I bought a phone jeton to try to call Mom. About 6:30 I went to a phone and put the jeton in. Nothing happened. Eventually, the dial tone became a beep, beep, beep. I finally hung up. The jeton cost 5,000 ($.53). I need someone who speaks good English to tell me what to do. I finished my puzzle book before we went to dinner. We tried a different restaurant tonight. He said he had Adana kebob, chorba (soup), and something we didn't know. We had him show it to us. It looked like meat cut up. We took 2 Adana kebobs and Shirley had soup. We got a large salad with the kebob. As we were finishing the guy brought us some tea. Total was 30,000 ($3.18). We bought some carrots, tomatoes, apples, and cucumber for 10,000 ($1.06).

Thursday, April 8, 1993	Day 706 Turkish Day 25	0-18474

Yumurtalik, Turkey	Oztur Otel

Today was even more boring than yesterday. We didn't get up until 8:15. When we went to breakfast the restaurant was locked. We went downstairs and asked. The manager tried calling someone and got no answer. He came up and found the help still (or again) asleep in their room. He served us breakfast. I asked for no olives on one plate and he got the idea. We got a little larger slice of cheese and our bread was toasted. It had rained overnight and everything was wet. It was still cloudy, but we decided to leave. Just as we got all packed and carried our stuff downstairs it started raining hard. We decided to stay today and got the key back and returned to the room. It rained off and on till 10:30. We then went for a walk to the tower so Shirley could see it. It was very windy, but not very cold. We returned to the room for lunch. Later I sat in the park to read before going to the PTT to try to call Mom. I told the lady in Turkish I wanted to reverse the charges. She sent me to a phone where I think I would pay for it. However, I couldn't get through. I kept getting a busy signal. I tried telling the lady and she didn't understand. I never did get through. I bought a jeton (token) and tried dialing the operator. I again got a busy signal (I think). At least my jeton came back today. Shirley spent the afternoon reading the guide book and finding places on the map. At 7:10 we went to dinner at the place we went to the other night. I had an Adana kebob and Shirley had a peas and chicken dish. I then had the peas and chicken and Shirley had a salad. Our bill was a whopping 45,000 ($4.77). It was good and filling, though.

Friday, April 9, 1993	Day 707 (101 weeks) Turkish day 26	63-18537

Iskenderun, Turkey	Hotel Yelken

I keep forgetting to mention my wrist. Riding from Kizkelesi to Mersin it bothered me. From Mersin to Adana it seemed mostly good, but it hurt that night and the next day to Yumurtalik. Two days of not riding helped and it seemed much better today, especially for a long day. We got up around 8:00, but it was 8:15-8:20 by the time we showered and got to breakfast. The restaurant was open, but no one was there, but someone arrived shortly after we did. The very formal looking guy we have dealt with served us breakfast I tried asking for one with no olives, but instead we got extra olives. When we got done we tipped the guy 15,000 ($1.59). It was sunny when we got up, but sort of cloudy as we packed. After we loaded the bikes and I was pumping the tires up while Shirley paid and went to buy bread, it rained a little. Just enough to make me put my pannier covers on. It stopped without getting things wet and we were off around 9:20. I started in my jacket and Shirley in tights and long sleeves. We had a good tailwind and it was warm in spite of the clouds. We rode through a stretch of very wet road, but it didn't rain on us. I finally took my jacket off after a few K. The first 23 miles were very easy with a tailwind and mostly flat. Then we headed East. We came upon a fairly large crab which stood up on its feet and didn't run away. I was getting my camera out for a picture when Shirley rode past and he crouched down. I couldn't believe she did that to me. I took a picture anyway, but it will be lousy. The wind shifted and became pretty much a tailwind again. We had 3-4 fairly short hills and then it was flat again. We passed an oil field (we think) and finally stopped for lunch along the road. We got to the main highway to Antakya about 1:15. The road was very busy, but fortunately it had a wide shoulder. Without that it would have been very unpleasant. We had a headwind but we were still going 14-17 kph. We got to Dortyal about 2:30 and decided to go on to Iskenderun, another 30K. We bought some bread in case we got hungry. The wind became a side to tailwind and we got to Iskenderun about 4:30. We rode around looking for a hotel, but went the wrong way first. We finally found the right section of town and tried one on a quiet road. Rooms were 350,000 ($37.12). The guy who showed us the rooms only spoke Turkish. The rooms were nice with carpet, bathtub, and TV. I asked for one without TV and he did come up with one. Back at the desk I offered 140,000 ($14.85). A guy who spoke German showed up and appeared to be the manager. He seemed insulted by my request. He said they pay their help $20, but I wasn't sure for how long. I asked him to recommend a cheaper hotel. He said there were lots without TV, carpet, etc. I said we didn't need that. He offered to let us have the room for 200,000 ($21.20). When I left Shirley was not by the bikes. I finally spotted her across the street having tea and talking to some women. I went over to talk to Shirley and then went to check another hotel. The guy there spoke perfect English. I asked how much a room was and he wrote down 135,000. I looked at a room and it had full sheets, towels, TP, and hot water. I was hoping for one back off the road, but only the front rooms have bathrooms. I asked if he could lower the price to 100,000 and he said no. I said "I can only try" and he laughed. I took the room and then went to get Shirley. When we finally got back the helper had the doors open and was waiting for us. We unloaded the bikes in the hallway and he carried Shirley's upstairs and I carried mine. He carried several bags upstairs to the room. We tipped him, but only had 20,000 or 3,000. He got the 3,000. We took very nice showers and ate our loaf of bread before going for a walk. We walked to the ocean and found a very nice park. We strolled along the park and saw an impressive Attaturk statue which the guide book called pretentious. The park was closed to cars and was very well done. When it started getting dark we went in search of food. We bought fruit, yogurt, milk, and razor blades. That's the first blades I have had to buy since leaving home. Between the ones I had and the ones I picked up when Bob died I had lots. We stopped at a restaurant which was like a fast food place. We got a plate of rice, yogurt, and kebab and salad for 25,000 ($2.25) each. It was good and fairly filling if not relaxed. The waiters were running around frantically serving people. We asked for "acik su" (tap water). The guy repeated it and then brought us 2 bottles of water. I said no and repeated "acik su". He repeated it again and brought 2 glasses of water. He questioningly put them down and we accepted them. After dinner we went in search of sun screen. The pharmacies didn't have any or only number 4. We finally found a cosmetic store and found a 200ml bottle of number 12 for 74,000 ($7.85). We finally returned to our room after 8:00. Shirley went downstairs to see if they could tell her if there were hotels between Antakya and Gasiantep. They said there are hotels at a couple of towns. If it's true we won't have to ride much over 100K at a time.

Saturday, April 10, 1993	Day 708 Turkish Day 27	39-18576

Antakya, Turkey	Atahan Otel

Today was a lousy day. Lat night I drank a couple cups of water and then got one for Shirley. Since she plays with her water she noticed some "stuff" floating in it. One thing appeared to be an orange worm of some sort. That certainly made me feel good about drinking the water. I don't know if it had anything to do with it, but my head feels tight today, like it wants to hurt. Shirley went to get bread this morning. I started to heat some water for tea or coffee. The first pot turned very brown from rust. I dumped it out and started again. There were a couple big sparks under the water near the heating element. The cord started getting very hot so I aborted the water. I think our $.75 heater has just about lived its useful life. After breakfast I asked the guy at the desk if the water was drinkable. He said "No, no, no, no, no!". He gave me a 1/2 liter bottle of water. I went back to the room and filtered water. When we left we had help carrying the bikes and bags down. We were finally off around 9:20. It was windy, but sunny. We started climbing after 2-3K. We climbed fairly steeply for 9K to the town of Belen. Just before Belen we stopped to eat. As we rode through Belen it started raining. We put our rain coats but not pants on. We stopped at a bakery for bread. Unfortunately, they didn't have any bread ready and were more interested in giving us tea and having us wait for fresh bread. I wasn't in the mood for that. I had a sort of anxiety attack and just wanted to get out of there. As we were leaving he brought us 2 old loaves of bread. He didn't charge us for the tea or the bread. I felt bad about being such an asshole and hurrying off. He really was just being nice. I'm still not over India. I don't know if they are trying to give me something or sell me something. I'm tired of being the source of attention whether benign or otherwise. After that I was in a bad mood the rest of the day. It had stopped raining by the time we left. By the time we reached the top of the hill (740m) in another 4K it was warm again. We had a nice 11K downhill. At the bottom of the hill at the turnoff to Gasiantep we lost our good shoulder. Traffic was still heavy. We stopped for another snack and found a parallel road. It was nice, but lasted only 4-5K. We mostly rode on the unpaved shoulder. My pannier kept bouncing off today and then pushing on my brake. Later we found another parallel road just as it started raining again. This time we put full rain gear on. My booty ripped in half, plus I couldn't find my leg straps. That didn't help my mood. All I wanted to do was find a hotel and hide in the room. We had stopped to pee at a gas station and Shirley had accepted the invitation for tea. I think we could have missed the rain if we hadn't stopped so long. It stopped raining shortly after we got our gear on. The side road lasted till 7-8K from Antakya. It had a few muddy stretches toward the end. The wind was blowing very hard the last 15K. We could see another rain storm moving in. Shirley was riding much slower than I wanted to. I had a feeling we were going to get wet. We did make it to town before it started raining, but not a hotel. We put our rain coasts on and Shirley put her rain pants on too. We then found a store with an overhang to stop at. Shirley bought a package of cookies and we waited until it had almost stopped. We then headed for the hotel. It started raining again and the streets had large puddles. We finally found the hotel. Our bikes were quite wet and yucky. The hotel is fancier than we like and the room is 200,000 ($21.21) down from 290,000. We had a little trouble with the bikes. At first they wanted to leave them outside until 11:00 and then move them into the restaurant. We didn't like that very much. Finally they agreed to put them in a room off the lobby which is one flight up. The hotel bellboy was in a big hurry to help me unload my bike. He was more hindrance than help. We did finally get settled in the room. I hope the bikes don't drip too much. It rained for a long time and I think it's still raining. If it hadn't been raining we would have found a cheaper hotel. Our room is nice with new mattresses and down or fiber filled covers. The bathroom has a tub with curtain. The room is crowded since it has 3 beds, though. I didn't want go out again so after showers Shirley went shopping. She cam back with take away kebobs loaded with onions and with hot sauce. She also bought oranges and chap stick. The chap stick was 19,000 ($2.02). Dinner was 13,000 ($1.38) each. I also ate some bread and cheese. I hope my head clears up by tomorrow. I really hope it has nothing to with last night's water. At lunch today Shirley found a coin in the dirt. Then another and another. Eventually she found 6 total and 4 different sizes. We are guessing they are Syrian. They have Arabic script and definitely aren't Turkish.

Sunday, April 11, 1993	Day 709 (1 year, 49 weeks) Turkish Day 28 (4 weeks)	22-18598

Cervik, Turkey	Akdeniz Pansiyon

Today restored my good mood. It didn't start that way when we got up at 7:55. I think Shirley would have liked to have breakfast out, but instead she went to the store for bread and cheese for me. She also came back with two pastries with a dab of spinach. I could have done without that. She also bought yogurt. We ate breakfast, packed, and carried our stuff downstairs. I paid and we got our bikes out of the room and carried them downstairs. I was surprised no one helped us, but not disappointed. It was very sunny today. We took a wrong turn on the way out of town in spite of having asked directions one block earlier. We got straightened out and on our way. I felt sort of yucky for about half way and then felt better. Shirley had a headache and took on aspirin. The road was hilly, but traffic was light at first. Unfortunately, it increased and was heavy by afternoon. In Samandag the streets were very narrow and dangerous. We finally got to Cervik around 1:30. Our first reaction was not positive. We rode through town and looked at the lodging options. We finally stopped at one hotel. The guy who showed us the room had a German mother and Turkish father. He, of course, spoke good German. The room was OK, but didn't have any water. Shirley looked at the bathroom down the hall and said there was shit on the floor. We decided to look elsewhere. The next place didn't seem to have any water so we said no again. The third place was a real junker and didn't stand a chance. Finally we tried the Akdeniz. We had to wait 5-10 minutes while they prepared a room for us to look at. It turned out to be pretty nice with shower, sink, double bed, and single bed. It's not the Hilton, but it is quite serviceable. Shirley took a shower since there is solar hot water. When she was done she couldn't get the hot water off. I tried and couldn't get it to budge either. I finally went downstairs and had someone come up. He had trouble too, but finally managed to get it off. He then continued to play with the hot and cold until he had a good temperature. I'm not sure he even understood the problem was we couldn't get the hot off. We did laundry before going sight seeing. My poor shirt is about gone. The left sleeve developed several new holes. I'm going to have a Turkish shirt soon. We went to see the water diversion tunnel built by the Romans in the 2nd century AD. Our guide book said it was the only thing of interest. It was indeed very interesting. It was a long tunnel and canal. There were several rock tombs along it. On the way back we met 3 teenage boys (14, 15, and 17) who told us we should go see something 5 minutes away. They giggled so much we weren't sure we should go, but we did. They followed us. What we found was a very extensive graveyard in a cave. Many tombs had been carved into the rock floor and walls. It was indeed very interesting. They then showed us a few more on the way back. I had the phrase book out and they got interested in that. We gave them a page from one of the tourist books that had some phrases on it. When we got back to the start they just said goodbye with no hassle. They were very nice. On the way to Samandag a motorcycle pulled up next to me. I muttered under my breath for them to go away. I coasted by them, but they caught up again and the passenger held something out for me. I took it and they drove away. It was an old coin, I think. About 1/4 of it is missing. When we came back to the room I showered and still had plenty of very hot water. Unfortunately, the cold wasn't working. I nearly scaled myself. A little after 7:00 we went down to dinner. They had chicken or fish. We got a whole chicken, salad, humus, and bread for 80,000 ($8.48). It was quite delicious and filling. We took nearly two hours to get served and eat. There was a soccer game on TV and a bunch of guys were watching it. They got ver excited and apparently the right team won. It was just like a bunch of guys watching football in the US. We went for a short walk before retiring to our room. There were a fair number of people in town when we arrived, even more after we checked in and went back out, and a large number when we returned from the tunnel and tombs. Now it is quiet and nice again.

Monday, April 12, 1993	Day 710 Turkish Day 29	20-18618

Antakya, Turkey	Divan Otel

Today was an interesting day. I got up to pee at 6:30 and then went back to bed. It didn't seem like we laid there very long, but when I looked again it was 8:00. By the time we got down to breakfast it was 8:15. Breakfast was OK with cheese, cucumber, tomatoes, olives (not many fortunately), pide bread, and tea. There were lots of dolmus buses waiting next door. The owner said they run every 5 minutes to Samandag. He said he was going to town today so we paid him. We weren't sure if we were staying tonight or not. After breakfast we went for a walk down the road. We met the guy from the other hotel. He said his father was president of the tourist league and said they needed to clear the beach. He is right about that. The beach is very trashy. We walked along it for a while looking at the trash from various countries. We discovered we had oil globules (more like tar) on our shoes. The beach was covered with clumps of tar, some buried partially under the sand. We spent a while cleaning our shoes off. On the way we passed a Jandarme (army) post with guards outside. One wanted to talk to us so we chatted with him. He currently lives (or his family does) in Fetihye where we stopped on day 3. He doesn't like the army and has 10 months left. An officer who doesn't speak English came out to greet us. On the way back we stopped to talk again. Three officers came out to check traffic, one of their functions. I asked if we could take a picture, but they said no. He did it by raising his eyebrows and head. Our guidebook said that was how the Turks did it, but that was the first we had seen. After they left another officer invited us in for tea. We accepted. The guard got to be relieved so he could come in also. The officer made a point of doing paperwork while we were there. He pretended not to speak English, but we think he understood everything we said. After 20-30 minutes the guard had to go back on duty and we left. It was interesting. Next month he will be a waiter in the campground used by army officers. He will wear a white waiter's outfit then. For a while he was in an area where there is a Kurdish problem. He is Kurdish and doesn't like the army. He was quite open about that in front of his officer. On the way back to the hotel the other guard asked us to take a picture. He posed with me while Shirley took the picture. He was out of sight of the officers so we took the picture. We decided to leave so we packed up and were off about 12:30. It wasn't quite as windy today, but it was a tailwind and strong enough to make it easy. We stopped at the bakery in Samandag that we stopped at yesterday. The store next to it brought us 2 chairs to sit on. After we were done Shirley took a picture of the bakery. It was a slack period, but the guy came inside and posed at the oven. Outside Shirley took a couple pictures of some people outside. Our lady was embarrassed about it, but the others cajoled her into it. She then made another lady pose for us. She was older and had a scythe. She pretended to be fierce. The ride to Antakya was pretty easy. We went to a different hotel. It cost 135,000. I went next door and was quoted $34. We took the 135,000 ($14) room. The bikes are in the stairs where everyone passing by can see them. We feel a bit uncomfortable about that. Our room is OK with 2 beds, table, chairs, night stand, phone, and paneling and wall paper. The bathroom is large and pretty clean. It just doesn't have that spotless feel. Shirley went out to have her boots polished and got it done for 5,000 ($.53). I then went out to buy Shirley a birthday present. I was looking for a pair of socks, but had trouble. I was getting tired of looking when I met Shirley. We walked together a little before getting on each others nerves and we split again. I finally found a pair of socks for 7,000 ($.74). Not perfect, but acceptable. I then passed a guy with a whole pile of socks including lots of red ones. I bought another pair for 8,000 ($.85). I wrapped them in newspaper and presented them to Shirley. She took the red ones and I took the others. We went out to dinner. The kebob places I had passed earlier were all closed now. We finally found a place and Shirley had a kofte for 12,000 and I had a doner for 12,000 and pilav for 6,000. Total 30,000 ($3.18). We were both full. We bought butter, jelly, and milk for 19,000 before returning to the room. I thought Shirley was going to spend all night picking the jelly. I washed my pants before going shopping. Apparently I brushed against something because the butt has a bunch of dark stuff on it. A few more comments on the Jandarme guard. He said they got paid 29,000 ($3.08) per month. If they are married and no one supports the family they can apply for help, but it takes months to get approved.

Tuesday, April 13, 1993	Day 711 Turkish Day 30	32-18650

Kirikhan, Turkey	Otel Unal

Another interesting day today. We got up around 7:45. I went out for bread, yogurt, and tomatoes. I got yogurt in one store for 7,000 ($.74). They didn't have bread so I went in the direction from which people were coming with bread. I passed a long line of 20-30 people and noticed they were lined up for bread. I got in line and when my turn came I paid 4000 ($.42) and got 4 loaves of bread. It was on sale for 1000 each. I then stopped for tomatoes. Since my hands were full of bread I let them pick them. They gave me OK, but not perfect tomatoes. We ate our breakfast and debated whether to leave. It was overcast and windy, but not raining. The sun came out a couple times and we decided to leave. We finally were on our way about 9:45. When I paid I paid with 200,000. I was expecting 65,000 back, but got 70,000. He had a wad of money, mostly 50's and 20's. I don't know if he didn't have 65 or if the room really was 130,000 as listed on the door. Leaving town was a bit zooey for the first 2-3K, but fortunately traffic thinned quickly. We stopped at an old St. Peters Church carved into the rock. Shirley went in first to look while I guarded the bikes. Just before she came back out 4 dolmus loads of school kids arrived. I decided not to go in with all the kids. Many of them said "hi" or "hello". One boy said "What's...?", "What's...?", "What's...?". I finally said "What's your name?" and he said "Yes!". One of the adults smiled at that exchange. Shortly after we left town it cleared up. We had a tailwind and it was flat country. It was easy and fun riding. We stopped for lunch and I ate nearly a loaf of bread. I guess I was hungry. The last 10K were a little harder as we turned more into the wind. Kirikhan is a couple K off the highway and at the junction we asked a kid if there was a hotel. He said yes so we rode into town. At another junction we asked again and the guy indicated it was up the street, but it was one way so we had to go up the adjacent street. We didn't know how far and went over too soon the first time. The second time a young guy who spoke German wanted to take us to a hotel. When we said no he said "Warum?". Later he wanted to take us to his house and again said "Warum?" when we said no. In talking to others we learned there were hotels in both directions. We went to one back the way we came. I went in to check it out. I was told to sit down and wait, or at least that's the idea I got. A few minutes later someone arrived to take me upstairs to look at a room. It was OK and had sheets on the beds. The bath and toilet were down the hall. No hot water. Price 50,000. When I went back outside Shirley was sitting in a chair and was just getting a glass of tea. A street vendor lady had given Shirley her chair and had then gone to get her a glass of tea. There was a small group of onlookers that we asked if there was another hotel. We had a hard time finding out how far it was. With a little German, English, and Turkish we finally learned 4 blocks. We went up the 4 blocks and found 2 hotels. A young man insisted on taking us to one a block off the main road. We didn't need or want him. No one was there to show us a room. I finally walked to the other hotel while Shirley stayed with the bikes. I had a hard time communicating, but finally looked at a couple rooms for 30,000 with bath and toilet down the hall. No hot water and the toilet was on a different floor than the better room. When I went back to the hotel Shirley was at there was someone to show me a room. It was a windowless room, but there was a bath upstairs with hot water. I decided to take it. After we moved in we decided it might be nice to move to one of the 3 bed rooms that had a window. Just as I was thinking of going down to ask, the owner came up. We asked if we could move and he said OK. He was taking one of the beds out of one of the 3 bed rooms and moving it upstairs anyway. This was all in Turkish. The room is not very clean, but we have sheets which I hope are clean, 2 beds, and a chair. We went for a walk and bought some bread and walked down a side street to eat it. When we got back to the main road a young (12 yrs) boy stopped to talk to us. He was very shy and nervous. He asked us for tea and we accepted. He was off running to get us tea. We talked to 3 school kids ages 12-15 and had a crowd of another 10-15 people. The kids traded address with us. I think they will really write. Finally we moved on. I was looking for a T-shirt to replace my one from Bangkok that has a lot of holes in the left shoulder. The first guy had a nice plain T-shirt for 30,000. We went up the street and found a vendor with lots of shirts. The one I really liked was a triathlon shirt for 60,000. He had others ranging from 30,000-50,000 that were OK. I asked if he would take 40,000 and he raised his eyebrows to say no. I tried 50,000 ($5.30) and he agreed. Not far from there another kid wanted us to have tea with him. We agreed. He is 15 and his father has a TV shop. We talked a while before returning to the room. We took showers. The water was hot, but it wasn't a shower, just a faucet and basin. A little after 7:00 we went out to eat and ended up at a restaurant also run by the hotel owner. I had kafte and rice and Shirley had some chicken dish. Total was 28,000 ($2.97). On the way back we bought bananas, carrots, and cucumbers. The carrots are a little less than perfect. I'm surprised Shirley bought them. Back at the hotel the owner wanted my passport. He looked at it, but didn't write anything down, but he did ask for 50,000 so we are all paid up. The hotel is noisy with people walking around and talking. So far 2 or 3 people have tried our door. We definitely need to keep it locked. When the mosques went off tonight one of them sounded like someone grabbed the guy chanting by the balls. We thought it was quite funny.

Wednesday, April 14, 1993	Day 712 Turkish Day 31 (1 month)	67-18717

Kilis, Turkey	Acem Hotel

I probably don't have much to say today. I had to pee about 5:00 and heard the mosque go off. That seemed to be the signal for people to get up. We finally got up about 6:15. We ate breakfast and were ready to go about 7:15. We went to the bakery for bread and got there just in time for a tea delivery. We got a couple teas. The guy indicated to go to the store next store. I thought I was suppose to get change for the 10,000 lira note I had. When I came back he indicated we should go sit in the store to drink our tea. He and the store owner fixed breakfast of bread, cheese, and olives. He tried to give us some, but only Shirley took a small byte. We tried to pay for the tea, but only succeeded in paying for the bread. It was 7:40 when we finally left. It was gradually uphill all the way to Hassa, 40K away. We stopped for lunch just before the town. We stopped to buy more bread in town and Shirley decided she needed something to drink. She finally ended up with a 250 ml bottle of Coke. I didn't get anything. Shirley drank her Coke quite fast for her, but it seemed like forever. We had some up and down to the turnoff to Kiles. On the way to Hassa we passed a Jandarme who wanted to talk to us. Just bored, I guess. The first 15-20K after Hassa were fairly flat. Then we started uphill. We went through a few small forest patches and some clear cuts. We then got into a barren, desert like area with some olive groves and wheat fields. It was quite warm. The last 30K were a series of steep rolling hills. We didn't really have enough water to make it pleasant. About 6K from town Shirley had to stop to eat our remaining cheese and 2 oranges. We stopped by an ad for a hotel in Kilis with hot water. In town it was the first and only hotel we saw. I went in and looked at a room. It looked fairly clean so I took it. The bikes went into a locked room downstairs. Our room is small with an attached shower and wash basin. The toilet is down the hall. Our shower doesn't have hot water, but a shower down the hall does. I went to take a shower. I had a feeling the hot water heater was not turned on and I would have a cold shower. The water was cold, but not too bad. After I washed my hair Shirley yelled in and said the guy had to turn the heater on. She had me turn the water off although I'm not sure that was necessary. I did get hot water, though, which made for a very nice shower. After we both showered we went out to dinner. We found a small place where I had a chicken kebob and rice, Shirley had kofte and salad. All for 33,000 ($3.50). When Sirley paid the guy had written 33,000 which is about what I figured and also forty three. I think he was trying to show his English. Shirley paid 53,000 and was happy with 10,000 change and got confused when another 10,000 came. Finally the light dawned. On the way to the restaurant a fruit vendor had given us 2 strawberries. We stopped on the way back and bought 1/2KG for 10,000 ($1.06), plus apples, tomatoes, and cukes. We also bought cheese and cookies at another store before returning to the room. We discovered there is a light switch in the hall to turn our light on and off as well as in the room. I hope nobody turns it on in the middle of the night. The strawberries are too rotten for me. I forgot to mention yesterday that Shirley broke her mirror as we were leaving. She hit on the door to the street and snapped it right off. One less mirror I have to carry.

Thursday, April 15, 1993	Day 713 Turkish Day 32	38-18755

Gazi Antep, Turkey	Hotel Gullvogla

We went to bed about 9:30 last night. We must be getting old because a 100K day seems like a long way anymore. We got up about 7:15. I went out for bread and yogurt about 7:30. The town was just starting to wake up. The store across the street was open. I got 3 loaves of bread, but they only had 1 and 2Kg yogurts. The store next door had little ones and 1Kg. I looked some more and then came back and bought 2 little yogurts. Shirley ate her yogurt while eating the bread. She said it tasted strange. When I opened mine later it was moldy. The expiration date was either 3/1 or 3/31. Shirley realized why hers tasted funny. When we paid for the room the price was 50,000 instead of 40,000 because of the showers. I wasn't surprised. We were off about 8:30. The first 7K were easy with a tailwind. Then we gradually turned NE into the wind. We climbed in stages with flat in between. It wasn't quite as warm today and it didn't look quite as deserty. We stopped for a bread after 30-35K at some sort of park or monument. It had barbed wire all around it, but there was a bus load of Turkish women there. They left shortly after we arrived. There was a sign saying what it was, but we couldn't read it. It was the largest group of trees we saw all day. A guy on a tractor came in and tried to talk to us. We managed to tell him we were Americans, where we have been, where we are going, how much our bikes cost (we lied at $300), asked him how much his tractor cost ($10,000). We didn't know how much a tractor in the US cost. He finally left. Shirley was so excited that we could finally say "Gule, Gule" since we were staying instead of the long goodbye word that she may have insulted him by seeming glad he was leaving. He did wave, though, as he drove his tractor away. The last 7K were also easy as we finally turned eastward again and caught the tailwind. We finally managed to find the main street and a hotel mentioned in the book. Shirley checked it out and found it acceptable. We had a bit of a problem with where to put the bikes. They suggested putting them in the phone room. We didn't think they would fit. They suggested one in the phone room and one behind the couch near the elevator. We weren't too sure about that so he said they would have someone carry them 7 flights up to the terrace. We removed our luggage and decided to try putting them in the phone room and by the elevator. Mine fit nicely by the elevator and after they removed what looked like a generator Shirley's fit in the phone room. In the meantime a bellboy had carried all our luggage to the room. We are on floor 3 which is the 5th floor of the hotel. The bottom floor is reception and the 2nd floor is the lobby or TV lounge. There is an elevator, though. We were going to tip the guy who carried our stuff up to the room, but he disappeared before I got my money out. After showers and laundry we went to see the fortress. We walked all around the outside, but the ramp that was supposed to be an entrance appeared to be permanently closed. On the way back we walked through the back, narrow streets and came out right at our hotel. We bought 1/2 KG apples at 3,500/ KG. I was surprised when Shirley paid with a 100,000. She was thinking the will would be 17,500 instead of 1,750. The guy only gave 96,500 change. When we questioned it he gave us 97,500 change. We let him get away with that. We also bought some tomatoes and bananas before going to the room. About 6:00 I went to the PTT to try to call Mom. Every time I dialed the first digit of the international operator I got what appeared to be a busy signal. A young boy followed me from the phone booth for several blocks. He tried talking to me in Turkish. About the time I thought he would follow me forever, he left. I stopped in a bookstore and managed to buy a magic marker. Ours is just about empty. It cost 8,500 ($.90), but he let me get by with 8,000 ($.85). I tried calling Mom again and still got the busy signal. I decided to try again after dinner. While I was doing my laundry Shirley went in search of food, hopefully pastries. She came back with 2 large doners for 20,000 ($2.12). We thought that was such a good deal we went to the same place for dinner. I got a small bowl of kofte for 15,000 ($1.59) and Shirley had an eggplant dish for 18,000 ($1.91). Good thing they came with all the bread you can eat or I wouldn't feel full at all. I suspect we may have gotten tourist prices. When we left they gave us some lemon cologne as they often do. Shirley had an allergic reaction to it and has a runny nose. I tried calling Mom again and once again got what sounds like a busy signal. I wish I knew if I am doing something wrong.

Friday, April 16, 1993	Day 74 (102 weeks) Turkish Day33	39-18794

Birecik, Turkey	Mirkelam Motel

I didn't feel like I slept well last night yet I woke refreshed. Our light was rather dim so we went to bed about 9:30. I started to get up at 6:55, but when I noticed the time I went back to bed. I only stayed in bed another 15-20 minutes. The town was fairly noisy during the night. Oddly enough it seemed the quietest after the mosque went off this morning. I went out to buy breakfast. I found yogurt at the first store, but almost didn't buy it because it had expired 4/12. It looked a little weird on top, but the yogurt often has a crust on top. I bought it and it turned out to be fine. I had to go to another store for bread. We decided we should get more money today since today is Friday and we may be in a small town on Monday. I went in search of a bank. There was one 1/2 block away. The first lady I talked to didn't speak English apparently and when I tried my Turkish she left. Another guy took over who spoke English. Once I found out there was no commission I exchanged $300. The guy gave me tea while I was waiting. At first I was given mostly 250,000 notes, but I asked for 100,000 notes in Turkish and got them with no problem. When we left, the cleaning ladies were in the hall and called the elevator for us and carried 2 of Shirley's bags. They then asked for baksheesh (tip). They had given up when I got soft hearted and gave them 5,000 lira ($.53). In the lobby the guy who carried our bags yesterday was there so I tipped him 7,500 lira ($.80). I don't know if they expect anything or how much if they do. It must have been at least 9:30 by the time we left. There were 2 routes to Nizip, the main highway and a side road. We were hoping to find the side road, but missed the turn. We did see it parallel to the road, but I thought there was a turn up ahead, but it was just a distance sign. By that time Shirley didn't want to go back so we rode 40K on the main road. It wasn't that bad and there was a paved shoulder, although it was rougher than the road. We rode on the road when possible. The police at a traffic checkpoint told us to use the shoulder. We did until we were out of sight. We stopped for lunch at a gas station and sat under a shelter at one end to eat. It was quite warm and the shade felt good. Fortunately, there were some clouds today or it would have really been hot. We had a tailwind component and got to Birecek about 1:30. We passed a hotel which looked like a bus stop and then a fancy motel. We stopped at the fancy one. The clerk was asleep on the lobby floor. A sign said a room was 200,000. We finally decided to go into town and check for hotels. There were two. One was 50,000 and seemed clean, but the bath and toilet were less than perfect. I looked at the other one. I had trouble communicating there, but did establish a room was 60,000 plus 20,000 for a hot shower. The room looked clean, but was close to the lobby and TV. We decided to look at the hotels on the highway. The cheap one had a nice restaurant and terrace, but the hotel wasn't open till 6:00. It was now 2:15. Shirley had a tea and then walked to the fancy motel. The guy was now awake and quoted a price of 120,000 which we took. We got a nice, quiet room in the back. It's a little warm, but we have a fan if we want to use it. The bikes are in a room at the gas station. We walked into town and picked up some kids along the way over the bridge across the Euphrates. We were taking their picture and talking to them when a guy came up and said "It is illegal to take pictures of the Turkish people". He was kidding o course. He was a teacher and invited us to have tea which we accepted. He teaches Arabic and the Koran. He had a friend with him who was also a teacher. We talked a while and they tried to convert us to Islamism. Little did they know they first have to convert me to religion, much less to Islamism. It was interesting, though. We finally excused ourselves to go look at the old fortress. We ended up with a young boy as a guide. We would have had trouble finding the trail up without him. On top I tipped him 5,000 lira hoping he would leave, but he didn't. Two older guys arrived and helped lead us around. One was a barber who apparently left his shop to come up to see us. We took their picture and got their address. The barber wrote it so we couldn't read it, but the other guy rewrote it so we could. We followed the young boy a while and he took us to the mosque. We said thanks and left. We bought apples and cukes on the way back to the room. After showers we went to the cheap hotel for dinner and found a cafeteria style restaurant with trays and sliding rail for the tray. I had a chicken dish and Shirley had green beans. We both had salad and Shirley had rice pudding for a total of 46,000 ($4.88). Shirley decided she wanted another pudding, but waited until a bus arrived to get it. Then she sat there waiting for all the people to go through the line. I didn't like sitting there and got upset. Finally I went to get her one. She said it would be 2,000 and that's what I thought he said, but he didn't seem happy with my 5,000. I gave him another 1,000 and he accepted it as if it still wasn't enough. That put me in an even worse mood. I'm afraid I ruined Shirley's enjoyment of her pudding. We returned to the room.

Saturday, April 17, 1993	Day 715 Turkish Day 34	53-18847

Sanliurfa, Turkey	Hotel Harran

Our room last night wasn't as quiet as I thought it would be. There were noises from above and Shirley opened the window allowing outside noise in. Some time before dawn it sounded like someone was digging a hole. It still was fairly quiet, though. I first started to get up before 7:00, but went back to bed for an hour or so. Since there wasn't a store nearby we had breakfast in the restaurant. We got a plate of bread, cheese, olives, and either butter or cream cheese, plus a large glass of tea. The cheese was flavorless as was the butter/cream cheese. The olives looked like generic and Shirley said not very flavorful. Total was 27,000 ($2.86). When we were ready to leave no one was around the hotel to pay for our room. The restaurant man came out and we told him. He found the man to pay and we were off. We stopped in town to buy bread and cheese. We climbed a steep hill with lots of smoking trucks to get out of town. There was a short tunnel and I sprinted through it so a couple trucks wouldn't pass me inside. I was breathing fairly heavy as a result when they did pass me so I'm not sure I gained anything. We had a short flat stretch before another 4K steep uphill. The wind was against us also. It was overcast and felt real humid. We finally got to the top and stopped to eat. It was 11:30 by the time we got going again and we had only gone 17K. We passed a sign that said we were at 800m. That was good since Sanliurfa is at 540m (850 feet lower). We also passed a traffic police check point. They decided they wanted to talk to us. I thought Shirley was going to ride by the guy although he had clearly signaled to stop. They didn't speak much English so it was basically where are you from and where are you going. After that we had 25K that was easy. At Aligor, the only town shown on our map we stopped to buy bread. We stopped at a bakery where Shirley bought hot pide and a loaf of bread. We attracted a crowd of kids including a couple of girls. One guy offered us tea, but we declined. He brought us chairs to sit on to eat our pide. The kids were shy about talking to us, but we heard "What's your name?" among them. As we got ready to leave the baker brought us 2 teas. This was after I put my gloves and helmet on. I took the helmet off and we drank the tea. I hope the first guy wasn't insulted we didn't drink his tea. We had a few more hills after Aligor although mostly not as steep as the first one. We stopped again to eat with about 20K to go. Shortly after we sat down a dolmus stopped and let a guy off. He had to come over and try to talk to us even though he didn't speak English. That always makes eating less relaxing. The sun came out while we were eating. We had a couple more hills before Sanliurfa and a nice 3-4K downhill to town. We stopped to look at the map and a couple traffic police came over to "help". We didn't understand many words, but got the idea of where to go. We found one of the "cheap" hotels. For a sort of clean room with shower, but toilet down the hall it was 120,000 ($12.73). I tried an expensive hotel and it was 325,000 discounted to 250,000. I didn't even look at a room. I tried 3 more hotels which were all full. I tried another fancy hotel and was shown a room for 240,000 discounted from 300,000. This included a TV and breakfast. They wouldn't eliminate either. After talking with Shirley we decided to take the 240,000 room. They took our bikes and put them somewhere. We don't know where. We got a room in back so it is fairly quiet. We didn't have any tip money so we said "We owe you". The shower was very nice with extremely hot water. After showers and Shirley did some laundry we went to dinner. We found a small café where I got rice and a veggie dish, Shirley got salad and a different veggie dish. It was pretty good, but not as filling as I hoped for 30,000 ($3.18). Afterwards we went to a pastry shop and each had a cake with bananas and chocolate plus I had a bowl of hot fudge over chees(?). It was very good and filling for 19,000 ($2.02). Shirley tried unsuccessfully to find carrots so we returned tot he room.

Sunday, April 18, 1993	Day 716 (1 year, 50 weeks) Turkish Day 35 (5 weeks)	0-18847

Sanliurfa, Turkey	Hotel Harran

Today was a rest day so it was boring. I was hoping to get some time alone in the room, but Shirley wouldn't go out without me. I really don't like walking around a town with Shirley. She has such a different idea of what to look at and at what pace. Her traffic sense (motorized and pedestrian) is atrocious, plus I always have to be careful not to lose her. We got up about 7:45 and went to breakfast about 8:00. It seems most people had eaten by then. Except for the tea and coffee it was self service. There was bread, cheese, tomatoes, olives, and packets of butter, jam, and honey on a table. Unfortunately, the bread supply was a bit limited. We asked for more and got 4 slices the waiter had just cleared off another table. When we got coffee the waiter spooned the Nescafe into our cups. Shirley stopped him as he started to put a third spoonful in her cup. He tried to stop, but mainly managed to spill it. He then had to get a clean saucer for her. Back at the room I did some laundry, again. I kept hoping Shirley would to sight see, but she wouldn't. Finally I told her we should go. We went to the fortress which cost 5,000 ($.53). Inside was once again a disappointment. However, we could look across the moat to a party. There was a large gathering with men and women in a line dancing. There was a drummer and a flute like player. Every now and then someone would fire 8-10 shots into the air from a gun. A rifle was fired a few times too. I hope they were using blanks. Later we learned it was a wedding party. Finally we went down to some pools in a park with fish in them. Shirley had a glass of tea for 3,000 ($.32). We then went in search of food. Shirley stopped to pee. The boy attendant asked for 5,000. Shirley said no way. He then said 1,000. I think everyone else was paying 500. We finally found a doner kebob place. I had one on bread and Shirley on flat bread. I then had a second while Shirley left to buy yogurt and go to the room. I paid the 45,000 ($4.77) and left. I bought the only English language paper printed in Turkey on the way to the hotel. It turned out to be a real disappointment, especially for 6,000 ($.64). It was more like a weekend section of a US Sunday paper. The yogurt Shirley bought came in a plastic bag. I don't think that will be my favorite package for yogurt. We spent the afternoon reading in the room. There are a lot of more devout looking people in this town. The women are more covered from head to toe. It is a sacred place because the birthplace of Abraham is supposed to be here. Abraham is one of Islam's great prophets. We went to another kebob place for dinner. This one was a little more fancy with indoor/outdoor seating. For 20,000 ($2.12) we got a kebob, salad, and rice. Shirley ordered a salad not knowing we got a small salad. Total was 46,000, but we got 5,000 in change for our 50,000. While walking to the Kale (fortress) today we saw a heating coil for sale by a street vendor for 10,000 ($1.00). We bought it. We saw several others, some better, at other vendors later. I tried calling Mom again tonight. I've decided I need a bigger jeton, but the PTT didn't have any. When I asked he pointed to a sign that said something and then "Yok". I don't remember what the something was, but apparently it is the big jeton and Yok means none.

Monday, April 19, 1993	Day 717 Turkish Day 36	0-18847

Sanliurfa, Turkey	Hotel Harran

Boring day today. We got up about 7:00 to a very overcast sky. Breakfast was better today. Lots of bread and eggs. No tomatoes, but olives today. We got to make our own Nescafe and the waiter brought us refills on hot water and milk. I was still eating when Shirley decided to go buy the groceries we needed today. She came back quickly to report it was pouring. She had another cup of coffee. We went back to the room to contemplate leaving. We finished packing and decided if it was still raining at 9;00 we were staying even if it cleared because we have a long day. It was still raining. We eventually ended up having the best sex lately. It finally quit raining about noon and after showers and finishing the last of our books I went out for a walk and to find lunch. I bought bread, cheese, 2 liters of Coke, and fruit. It was 1:15 when I got back and Shirley was just leaving the room to go get something to eat. She came back in to eat what I had bought. The streets and sidewalks are very muddy so I didn't go out again. Shirley went out to buy hand cream and go to the tourist info office. The info guy wasn't very helpful other than to confirm a dam has been completed so one road is gone and another has been built. She only found one large hand cream for 100,000 ($10.60) which she didn't buy. She is now having second thoughts. It would have to be fairly large to be worth 100,000. The sidewalks were still rather wet and muddy. Shirley tried the new coil heater yesterday and it seems to work fine. We went to dinner at the same place we went to the first night. I tried to simplify the process by ordering for both of us. Unfortunately when I ordered chorba (soup) I pointed to another dish. When he asked if I wanted rice I mustn't have said no correctly since we got rice and the other dish as well as the chorba, kofte, and salad we ordered. We sent the other 2 dishes back. Total was 24,000 ($2.56). Shirley decided we should buy the sun screen and hand lotion she saw earlier today, but the store was closed.

Tuesday, April 20, 1993	Day 718 Turkish Day 37	71-18918

Adiyaman, Turkey	Hotel Beyaz Sarey

Boy, am I tired tonight. I first woke up this morning at 5:45 to a beautiful blue sky. Shirley crawled into bed with me about 6:00. As we lay there we heard thunder. Soon the sky was dark and it was raining. We went to breakfast about 6:40 in case it stopped. Breakfast today was cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and bread. We didn't get to pour our own coffee today, but there was plenty of bread. By the time we finished breakfast it was clearing. We packed and were down to check out about 8:00. We charged the room with no problem. Not even an extra charge for the privilege. We were led to our bicycles down in the depths of the hotel. We went through the entrance to the Turkish bath, past the kitchen, down some stairs and through passages that reminded me of the castles we have visited. Finally we got to the parking area and our bikes. We took them around to the front door and loaded up. We left about 8:20. The street was very wet and muddy for the first 2K. It then was mostly wet, but drying. After another couple K it was dry. The sky was completely clear. It was a bit cool and very windy. After 11K we turned pretty much into the wind for 90K. After 17K we stopped in a rock quarry for lunch. It was protected from the wind and felt warm. We had rolling hills until Bozova, 27K down the road. We stopped for bread. The bakery was across from a school and there were lots of kids who surrounded us. They were friendly and well behaved. On the way to Bozova a truck stopped and offered us a ride which we of course refused. We would rather knock ourselves out against the headwind. We had one more 3-4K hill after Bozova and then mostly flat or downhill for 30K to the Euphrates River. There is a new dam and hydro electric plant there and, of course, a Jandarme post. I rode by, but when Shirley rode by I noticed she stopped. They indicated for me to come back. Shirley had accepted an offer of tea. We each drank two glasses of tea. We didn't say much since they didn't speak English. Finally we were on our way again. After another few K we actually crossed the river and Shirley decided she needed to eat so we stopped on the river bank. The river here was crystal clear and lovely, unlike the muddy mess at Birecik. Somewhere in those 200K it became very dirty. We encountered a few more hills, but finally about 5:40 completed our 90K of headwind and turned toward Adiyaman. The last 15K were tailwind, but with a few nasty hills. We stopped at a hotel, but they were full. We continued to the other side of town and found a hotel mentioned in the guide book. We got a nice room for 130,000 ($13.79). We have full services. At first they wanted us to put our bikes in the garden, but when we balked they finally went downstairs. As usual we didn't tip the bellboy who helped carry our bags to the room. He was one of the few who acted like he expected one. We took nice hot showers and went to dinner at the hotel restaurant since there weren't any others visible. We had to go to the kitchen to learn what was available. We ended up with adana kebobs which came with french fries, onions, tomato, and the ever present bread (pide in this case). I got Shirley's fries. Total was 50,000 ($5.30). After dinner we bought cheese, jelly, margarine, tomato, and cuke for 21,000 ($2.23). It was 9:30 by the time we got back and now it is bedtime. About 20K from town a man and woman on a tractor insisted they should give us a ride. I told them no thank you. The woman kept pointing back at Shirley who was lagging behind. She lagged a bit today as is often the case on a long, hard day. I kept waiting for her and wondering if we would get to town before dark. We got to our hotel about 7:00.

Wednesday, April 21, 1993	Day 719 Turkish Day 38	21-18939

Kahta, Turkey	Motel Kommagene

After a few doors banging when we first went to bed our room was very quiet and we slept soundly. It was 7:00 when I first woke up and crawled in with Shirley and 8:00 when we finally got up. I went out and bought bread. We ate breakfast. At 9:00 our phone rang. When I answered someone said "Breakfast ...9:00...eating?". I think he was saying breakfast ended at 9:00 and if we wanted any we should do it now. I said "Kalvahti yok" or none. A little later I went looking for hand cream with no success. I was shown soap, shampoo, and Vaseline. The last guy told me no little store would have it. He then insisted I have tea. While drinking it he said the Turkish President had died. I didn't understand the Turkish word for died. He thought for a while and then made a sleeping motion and pointed skyward. He also said a pharmacy 3K away might have lotion. I went back to the room and we decided to go to Kahta and look for lotion there. When we checked out the guy tried charging us 150,000 which is about $16 rather than the 130,000 listed. He said something I didn't understand. I gave him 130,000 and he accepted it although I don't think he thought that was enough. While loading our bikes the staff had fun looking at and wearing Shirley's helmet. We were off around 10:00. The ride was pretty easy with only a couple short steep hills and a few gradual hills. We were offered a couple rides, one by a truck driver in a covered truck with no place for the bikes and one by a tractor full of rocks. We got to Kahta about 12:30. We rode through town. Shirley stopped at a pharmacy and find a small bottle of hand cream for 25,000 ($2.64). We then rode back to the Nemrut Daji turnoff and checked at the hotel there. It was an OK room for a lot less than the guide book said. Of course, it is off season. I did our laundry while Shirley went shopping for food. After eating we went out to buy envelopes and mail some letters. We walked around town a little more before Shirley went back to pee. I bought food for tomorrow. For lunch Shirley found yogurt that came in a metal pot that we had to take back by 4:00. We went to dinner a little before 8:00. After dinner the waiter insisted we have tea and bought us tea. Then a friend of his came to talk to use. He is Kurdish and mainly wanted to tell us about the Kurdish problem. He lives in Holland now. As a Kurd he cannot be a teacher in Turkey or a general in the army, or other jobs. He also tried to get us to take a mini bus to Nemrut rather than ride our bikes. He says the road is broken, meaning rutted and muddy we think. We are a little early in the year so it will be interesting to see if we can do it.

Thursday, April 22, 1993	Day 720 Turkish Day 39	42-18982

Kahta, Turkey	Motel Kommagene

During the night last night the wind really started blowing hard and was still blowing this morning. I got up about 7:00 and went to find bread. Not many stores were open, but the one where Shirley bought yogurt yesterday was. However, it was so windy he did have his door closed which is very unusual. He didn't have bread, but he indicated for me to sit down while jabbering at me in Turkish. He seemed to indicate either bread would come shortly or he would go get some. He did leave, but came back empty handed a couple minutes later. After a couple more minutes a boy arrived with a bag of bread. I bought 3 loaves and gave the guy 6,000. He looked at it and finally said Thank You. I think they were probably only 5,000 since they were small, but I figured it was worth an extra 1,000 not to have to wander around in the wind. It was cold coming back. Shirley was up and had a cup of coffee made already when I got back. While we ate we listened to the wind howl and it was obvious Shirley wasn't going anywhere. I would have preferred leaving. I couldn't stand the thought of doing nothing all day so about 9:30 I got ready to go for a ride, but it was close to 10:00 before I left. First I headed east to see where the new reservoir covered the road. The reservoir was a very pretty glacier blue and the road ended in the water after 6K and a 2.5K downhill. Unfortunately, I forgot to take any water so I got thirsty going back up the hill. I then headed south out of town and expected to come to the reservoir again. I rode 17K and did finally see it, but the road dead ended into a town. Actually, it continued as a dirt road. I then had to fight the head wind back to town. Finally, I headed up the Nemrut Daji road a ways. For the first 7.5K it is a "new" hard packed road. It sort of sags on both sides with a hump in the middle so you feel like your going to slide off. There were some oil wells and storage tanks along the way. After 7.5K the new road went right with a sign for Gerger. The left was to Nemrut Daji and is the old road. According to our maps which don't show the new road, it should intersect the road to Nemrut Daji again, but cuts off perhaps 20K. Too bad the signs don't say. I took the old road past Karakas, an old buried mound with 4 columns. I started to go on to an old Roman bridge, but it was about 8K down a very steep hill and since I didn't have food or water I turned around. I went up to Karakas and found it interesting. One pillar has a giant eagle on top of it. There was also a sheep herder boy who wanted me to take his picture. I pretended like I did and then he wanted to give me his address. He wrote very plainly. He followed me around as I looked at the mound. When I got ready to leave he wanted to ride my bike. I said OK, but he didn't seem to know how to get started. I finally held the bike while he got on and then held onto it as he rode maybe 30 feet. I don't think that's quite what he had in mind. I returned to the hotel to find Shirley gone. I ate the remaining half loaf of bread for lunch. I got back about 3:20. Shirley came back about 5:30 with a watermelon for which she had paid 30,000 ($3.17). It was not worth $.32. It was pretty bad. We had nice showers tonight. Last night the pressure was too low to make it up to the shower. Tonight it was perfect. We went to dinner about 7:20. We tried a different restaurant tonight that had a ready made egg dish. We each had a salad and I had a small pizza too. Total 32,000 ($3.38). While we were eating a guy did his prayers right next to Shirley. It took about 4 minutes. We stopped for yogurt on the way back. It was bulk and came in a bag. We asked for 500g and got 668g. We also bought cookies and milk. While walking someone yelled something about Kurds and Kurdistan. It's much colder outside tonight than last night. I felt chilly in my T-shirt, wool shirt, and jacket.

Friday, April 23, 1993	Day 721 (103 weeks) Turkish Day 40	37-19019

Karadut, Turkey	Karakut Hotel

I was very tired last night and went to bed at 9:30. I felt fine and all of a sudden I was very tired. Surprisingly I didn't sleep that well. I think it was Shirley being in bed next to me. It seemed like a long time until 7:00 this morning. I finally convinced Shirley to get up at 7:15 and go buy bread. I made coffee while she was gone. It was very sunny, clear, and calm today. We packed up and were ready to go at 9:05. The owner gave us a map of the Nemrut area and said we would have a good time on our bikes. He also gave us a couple business cards to give to other travelers. As usual Shirley tried to refuse them, but he insisted. I told her to just take them. Just as we were getting ready a couple of tourists walked by. When we left we saw them at a store and stopped to talk to them. They were heading to Iski Kahta and up the mountain tomorrow. They also have the Lonely Planet guide book and think it is not aimed at the walking tourist. We finally left at 9:15. A few K up the road they passed us in a wagon behind a tractor. They practically got bounced out. We inquired about the road to Gerger that might cut off 20K. Everyone told us to take the long way. We stopped at the burial mound so Shirley could see it. She wasn't overly impressed. We then had a 3K steep downhill and 5K up and down to an old Roman bridge. It seemed to stilo have the old cobblestones. We had another steep uphill and downhill to another river crossing. We were told by a guy with a restaurant we could go to Nemrut in 4 hours from Eski Kahta. Of course that would be hiking. He said by road it was a long way. We had lunch on a second old Roman bridge no longer in use. A group of guys came by as we were getting ready to leave. One spoke good English and told us today was a holiday. We then remembered it was National Sovereignty Day and Children's Day. We climbed a while after that and got to a point where we could see the Gerger road people had told us not to take. It went to the river, but there wasn't a bridge. We had another down and steep up. At Damlacik Shirley asked where she could find bread. The people she asked went in their house and gave us 5 large flat breads and wouldn't take any money for them. The lady did take our can of Nescafe, though. We had some more up and down before reaching Narino. Some boys had a couple half dead birds they were trying to sell. The town had people trying to get us to stop and I rode through to a quiet spot. Shirley was slowed by a hill and I finally went back to look for her. She had stopped at a store to buy apples and cucumbers. We also bought a hot pide. Shirley had to pee so we rode 1-2K before stopping to eat it. A couple of boys stopped to "talk" to us. Just as we were leaving a group from town came up. We had another steep uphill. A young puppy came running to greet me and then ran along nipping at my foot. I finally stopped and he was eager to be petted. He looked very dirty. He wouldn't let me ride and kept biting my shoes and socks. I gave him some water. When I stopped he would lay under my bike in my shadow. A man walked by but didn't help. I rode a little farther and came upon a boy. He held the rope tied to the dog while I rode away. Just before I went over the hill I heard the dog yelping like he had been hit or kicked. I don't know what I could have done. There was another downhill to the turn to Nemrut. We encountered some obnoxious begging kids. After 4K we got to Karadut. We picked up a whole pack of obnoxious kids. They eventually started throwing rocks at us. At the upper end of town we found the Karadut Motel. It turned out to be surprisingly nice. We got a single room with sheets for 70,000 lira. The shower and toilets are common. There is lots of hot water. We arrived about 4:45-5:00. After cleaning up we went for a walk up the road and then to town. Some women at a store wanted us to come in to buy something. The only thing we wanted was cheese, but they didn't have that. They were so anxious to sell us something they made me feel guilty not buying anything. We had dinner at our hotel of a bowl of veggie stew and a salad. It was a little spicy, but good. After dinner we had a glass of tea. It is cooling off a bit now. I will have to go climb under the covers.

Saturday, April 24, 1993	Day 722 Turkish Day 41	14-19033

Karadut, Turkey	Karadut Motel

I don't feel very well today. My head hurt and I had diarrhea when I got up. Fortunately the sun was shining since before 6:00. I took an aspirin before leaving at 8:30. The first 1.2K was dirt, then 2.1K of paving stones, and 8.4K of rough block cobbles. At 3.5K we met a couple guys on donkeys who rode a way with us. The last 3K were very steep and rough. I felt very weak when we got to Nemrut Daji. I ate a few cookies and felt better, but never good again. I sat around a lot while Shirley walked around. It was interesting to see the giant statues. The West side had a lot of snow covering much of the interesting part. On the way down we met the couple we met yesterday. They had been hiking for 6-7 hours. They wanted to know if it was worth going on. We told them definitely. Going down was hard on the wrists because of the bumps. Just before town a guy really tried hard to communicate with us. He was very excited to learn we were at the Karadut Motel. It turns out he has a brand new bike and it needed a lot of adjustment. The derailleur needed adjusting so the chain wouldn't jump off. The shifter needed tightening so it would stay where you put it. A nut was missing on the front axle and the front brakes didn't even touch the rim. Except for the nut we could help him. The front brake was touchy and I almost had it when he undid the nut holding the cable so the pads wouldn't touch and said that was OK. I went to bed shivering and slept till 7:15. We had dinner and now I'm about ready for bed again. I feel better, but far from perfect. I hope eating wasn't a mistake.

Sunday, April 25, 1993	Day 723 (1 Year 51 weeks) Turkish Day 42 (6 weeks)	37-19070

Kahta, Turkey	Motel Kommagene

Well, eating last night was a mistake. I went to bed about 8:00 and about 9:00 I got up and threw up. I slept good for a little bit after that, but was restless most of the night. It seemed it was a long time before dawn. There were some high clouds when we got up, but it was warm and sunny on the balcony. We ordered breakfast and waited to see what we would get. We got a large piece of cheese, olives, tomatoes, and bread. Shirley asked the owner about the kilam being used as a tablecloth and he said it was made by a local woman and he sells them for 150,000 ($15.83). That is very cheap. When I paid he itemized everything, 4 meals at 30,000 (3.17) each (very expensive), 4 sleeps at 35,000 ($3.69) each, and 2 breakfasts at 15,000 ($1.58) each. When he wrote it down he wrote 3,000 instead of 30,000 for breakfast. I corrected him and the bill for two days was 290,000 ($30.61). I paid with 300,000, but he didn't have a 10,000 lira note for change. I did have 90,000 which I was hoping to keep for smaller purchases, but I paid with it. We were finally ready to go a little before 9:00. Shirley wanted to stop at the store and buy something from the women there. She ended up with some stale cookies for 6,000 ($.63). Riding out of town was much nicer than coming in since we were going downhill and didn't collect a flock of kids. My seat was a little low and angled this morning as if someone had played with it. The quick release was backwards and not tightened correctly. At first I thought it was bent and jammed, but once I got it loose and realized it was just backward it was easy to fix. We stopped in Narince to buy bread and apples. We drew a crowd of boys who were chased away a couple of time but they quickly came back. After a couple more hills I hit a pot hole on a downhill and bounced my left rear pannier off. The springs holding it on came off and one broke. Shirley found them easily. I managed to bend the remaining bit around enough to hold my pannier on. However, I had trouble the rest of the day with it bouncing half way off with just a little bump. I needed to bend the clip down, but was too lazy to dig my pliers out again. Shirley had planned to go to Arsemica, and old fortress, but when we got to the turnoff it was threatening rain and she was too tired to ride the 2K up to it. I certainly didn't feel like it. I had the runniest diarrhea I may have ever had and had to shit once on the side of the road already. We stopped for lunch at the Selcuk bridge again. I ate just a little bread. The last 25K weren't too bad except for a 3K steep uphill. A group of boys came running to meet us and walked with us. They were obnoxious and asked for cigarettes, candy, and money. Finally we came upon two men walking the other way they made the boys stop. Earlier two boys had pushed up another small hill and then asked for pens, candy, liras. Shirley stopped and gave them an Indian pen which didn't work very well. We got back to Kahta a little after 3:00 and got the same room we had before. A young guy insisted on carrying most of our bags. I'm sure he said I was old and then added "But not too old". He said he was Rambo. Before he left he asked to ride my bike for 10 minutes. I would have let him, but he seems so exuberant I'm afraid he might over shift and break something I couldn't replace. We took nice showers and did laundry. I'm starving and ate some of the cookies. I don't want to overeat, though. I slept from about 5:30 to 7:30. Shirley was going to go get something to eat, but changed her mind and just had apples for dinner. I finished the awful cookies. I hurt my wrist again today when I hit the pothole that bounced my pannier off. I can hardly grip anything at times. It sure is hell getting old.

Monday, April 26, 1993	Day 724 Turkish Day 43	20-19090

Adiyaman, Turkey	Motel Beyaz Saray

Even though we went to bed at 9:30 last night we didn't get up until 8:00 this morning. Neither of us was in any hurry to get up. I slept good last night and felt much better today. I went to the store and bought bread, cheese, and yogurt. The cheese was hard little patties that are actually better for carrying. The yogurt came in the bucket again. I ate way too much even though we threw some of the yogurt away. Shirley retrieved the yogurt pot and went in search of hand cream and coffee. She found 250ml of Kalderma for 37,125 ($3.92) . We think that is a better lotion than we have had. A 70g jar of coffee was 27,500($2.90). We didn't leave till around 10:30. The wind was from the east which was good since we were going west. There were a few clouds around and at first I was a little cool, but soon I was really sweating and my glasses fogged. I felt bloated and riding was sort of hard. Shirley was faster than me today for the first time in a long time. We passed a dead horse and the smell about made me throw up. The wind was almost a dead on tailwind at the time and we were going uphill, so the smell lasted a while. Just before Adiyaman we saw an overturned cart in the river and what Shirley said was a horse still attached and apparently drowned. I just noticed a dark something in front of the cart. The guy still seemed to be doing something to the horse. Maybe it was still alive. We got to Adiyaman before 1:00. We tried to check out one of the other hotels, but had a real communication problem. We're not sure if it was closed or full or he didn't rent rooms till later. We finally said thanks and went to the same hotel we stayed at a few days ago. To our surprise they said they didn't have any rooms with shower and WC. We took a waterless room for 90,000 ($9.50). It is nice and the communal shower and toilet are clean and well kept. We cleaned our bikes before changing our clothes. About the time we finished it looked like it was going to pour. The wind was blowing hard, the sky was dark, and it was thundering. We locked our bikes under an overhang and went inside. It did rain a little, but not enough to get things wet and muddy. We took showers. I still have diarrhea and took some Lomotil. I went out for a walk and bought tomatoes, cukes, apples, and bananas. Apples were hard to find. There were lots of apples, but they must beat them off the tree with a stick. I bought a couple pide breads before returning. I was going to buy just 1, but it was 1,500 and he didn't have change for 2,000 so I bought 2 for 3,000. I hope the bread, bananas, and Lomotil will bind me up. We have a balcony and when we first moved in we noticed the door was locked so we asked for the key. The guy said something like in 10 minutes or at 10:00 or something. At 6:30 he finally brought us the key. It's not quite as warm out here now as in mid afternoon, but it is still nice. It is quite a bit noisier than in the room. Lots of birds and people noise. Shirley hasn't left the room since she cleaned her bike except to go to the shower or toilet.

Tuesday, April 27, 1993	Day 725 Turkish Day 44	41-19131

Golbasi, Turkey	Otel Yilmaz

I slept good last night and once again wasn't ready to get up when Shirley got up at 7:30. I was surprised she got up and went to guy bread. I had pide and bananas for breakfast and 2 more Lomotils for good measure. My shit was almost normal this morning. When we paid this morning there was no misunderstanding over the price like last time. There was another couple who appeared to be tourists, but I'm not sure. They didn't speak English and I couldn't tell what they did speak. We left about 9:05. It was sunny and we had a light tailwind. Traffic seemed real crazy going through town. It was sort of heavy to Sambayat, but not really too bad. It got lighter after Sambayat and even better after a loop road to Besni. The worst hills were on the section from Adiyaman to the Sanli Urfa turnoff. We got into some real hilly country, but in general they weren't real steep. At Sambayat we stopped to buy bread, but it was sold out. The owner of the store was quite abrupt about tapping (poking) me when he wanted something. We stopped to eat once today. We got into Golbasi between 1:30-2:00. We saw three hotels immediately. We went to the one that looked the best. Unfortunately it was closed and someone told us it would open at 4:00. We rode around town and looked at but didn't stop at the other two hotels. We started riding toward the lake we could see. A traffic police car stopped us and asked where we were going. I said "otel" and they said there were none the way we were going. We went back to a kebob salon and had an adana kebob and salad each for 30,000 ($3,17) total. I had to pee and went to the mosque to use the toilet. I wasn't sure if it was a pay toilet, but as I left a guy was jingling coins in his pocket and I got the hit. It was 1,000 lira ($.11). We sat in front of the kebob salon till 4:00 and then went to the hotel. It was still not open. A young man really looked our bikes over and was not shy about trying the brakes, putting my gloves on, putting his feet in the toe clips, etc. Later we attracted quite a crowd for a while, but after 10-15 minutes it dispersed again. Finally about 4:40 the guy showed up for the hotel. I'm not sure it was worth the wait. First he was more interested in showing me the TV room and having me sit down than in showing me the room. First he showed me a room right across from the TV room. I asked for one upstairs. He showed me one with 2 beds, a closet, and table. It was OK, but he wanted 100,000 ($10.55). We decided to take it and then worked on where to put the bikes. Finally, they went in a store downstairs. They may be on the prayer rug. I tried to get the price reduced, but he wasn't interested. The shared bath and toilet is pretty nice. The room is big enough that the shower doesn't get the toilet area all wet. There was also hot water. After showers we walked around town. We found a nice quiet business section. About that time it started raining. We ducked in a store and bought shampoo. We also bought some fruit and veggies. We asked what "Boom Boom" is since the kids ask for it. It is "Bon Bon", a butterscotch candy. He gave us a couple pieces for free. I was going to buy cheese, but all he had was unrefrigerated cheese in a big can. It was very runny and I didn't feel up to it after just getting well. We met a guy who lived in Switzerland for five years and now owns a fabric store here. He spoke very clear and slow German. We returned to the room. The manager knocked on our door and we thought "go away". All he wanted was our passports. When we first moved in our room overlooked the bus station. We asked if we could move across the hall. He showed us the room which has 3 beds and hence is more crowded, but it is quieter so we moved. Shirley wasn't hungry after our kebob snack so I went out and bought some cheese (refrigerated and solid) and cookies. I ate the rest of our bread and some of the cheese for dinner and the cookies for dessert. The hotel not opening till 4:30 sure ruined my plans. I had hoped to find a new diary today. Then it had to rain when we were out walking around. Soon it was too late and everything is closed.

Wednesday, April 28, 1993	Day 726 Turkish Day 45	64-19195

Kahramanmaras, Turkey	Otel Celtic Palas

We got up before 6:30 today in hopes of getting off by 8:00. I wasn't sure I would find a store open, but I did and bought four loaves of bread. We ate breakfast and ate nearly two loaves of bread. Across the street from our hotel is a cinema, I think. Yesterday there was a billboard with a poster of a half naked lady with a very large tit. Her nipple was starred out. Another poster had a couple laying down and the guy had his hand on her boob. Very unusual for a Muslim country. This morning they were gone. They must go in at night. When we went to leave the shop with our bikes was still locked. The hotel guy seemed to be saying the guy was coming to unlock it. After 5-10 minutes he drove up and we were off at 8:10. There was at least one other guest in the hotel who stayed in the room we were in first. When I went to buy bread the outside door was locked and it needed a key to open it from the inside. As I was trying to open it an alarm went off. Actually, it turned out to be the doorbell and someone pushed it while I was trying to get out. The guy came and opened the door. It was a bit cool when we left and I finally put my gloves on. My bike tried to roll away and the chainring gashed my leg. The first 10K were easy and then we had 1-2K up. By then I was warm and ready to take my gloves and jacket off. We then had another 10-15K downhill or flat before another uphill. I put my capilene shirt on for the down. We stopped for a snack in a tiny cemetery. There was an old wooden coffin (empty we think) in a tree and a partly broken one next to the tree. We had a few more rolling hills, steep at times to Pazarcik. We had lunch overlooking a reservoir. After that we rode the last 40-45K to Kahramanmaras. It was downhill or flat to the turn 30K from town. We had a steep uphill and then mostly down. The road for the last 30K is the Gaziantep-Kahramanmaras road and was busy and narrow. Lots of trucks wanting to go very fast. At the top of the steep hill was a jandarma post with two truck loads of soldiers and more standing around. One said "Mershaba" (Hello), another said "Welcome to Maras", and I think a third said "Where is your ride?". Several army vehicles passed us and later we saw where they were playing war games. We reached the edge of town by 3:00. We kept riding and asking for a hotel. Finally we got to one. It is the tourist hotel and the list price was 385,000 ($40). I asked if he could recommend a cheaper hotel and he wrote down 300,000. I tried again and he wrote 240,000. Finally he mentioned the Maras otel nearby. We went to it and their price was 250,000 lira, no bargaining. Shirley did the Maras and when she asked for a cheaper room the guy took her to another hotel. It was full, but a real cheapie across the street had a clean room with bath for 40,000 ($4.22). It's nothing special so we checked a different hotel but ended up at the first cheapie. The room is OK, nice for $4. We even had hot water. By the time we got settled in it was after 4:15. We showered and did laundry before going shopping. I wanted to find a new diary. We found a bookstore after two inquiries. I took this book with me to show what I wanted. He said he didn't have any. We saw some nice ledger books which gave me hope, so we looked around. We found some diaries. I finally settled on one that says "Baby Ball Player" on it. It is better, but smaller than this one and cost 30,000 ($3.17). We then found a small restaurant on a dead end street. It was quiet and pleasant. I had kebob and salad and Shirley had what looked like bean soup. Total 26,000 ($2.74). We went to a pastry shop and got rice pudding and chocolate covered cake for 15,000 ($1.58). Finally we bought fruit, veggies, and cheese for 33,000 ($3.48) before returning to the hotel. We asked if Goksun, the town 90K from here, has a hotel. The guy said yes. However, the next one after that is Kayseri another 200K away. Oops! I'm mostly well today. I feel a little weird in the stomach right now, but felt good all day

Thursday, April 29, 1993	Day 727 Turkish Day 46	57-19252

Goksun, Turkey	Goksun Otel

We are definitely in the mountains tonight. We are in a valley completely surrounded by mountains with snow. In spite of being next to the minibus station our room was quiet last night once a guy on a loud motorcycle quit riding around. I got up before 6:15, showered, and went in search of bread. I saw several large baskets of bread in front of stores and restaurants, but none were open. Only a couple tea places were open. Finally I found a store just opening and bought 3 loaves. They were big and I figured they were 2000 per loaf so I gave him 11,000. He gave me 5,500 in change. He had a huge wad of money in his pocket, probably his life savings. Shirley wasn't sure she was ready to leave because her stomach was a little weird, but finally decided she was OK to ride. We were off at 7:55. We found our way out of town very easily. When we turned onto our road I thought maybe it was closed. There were no cars, only sheep and a couple guys pushing pretzel carts. It was wonderful. We had to put our long sleeve shirts on until the first hill 6-10K away. After that it was very warm. Traffic remained fairly light all day and the scenery was lovely. We climbed a steep hill and went down again. We covered 16K the first hour. The second hour we barely did 10K as we went up a longer hill and back down. We stopped to have lunch after 30K. We then had an even longer uphill. A guy with a road grader wanted his pictures taken. He wrote his address rather messily so I may not send him a photo. We passed each other 2 or 3 times during the day. We had another downhill to a small town not on our maps. I was ahead and decided I better stop at a store if we passed one since Shirley would probably want something. Just when I thought there wouldn't be one we came upon two. We bought a liter of Pepsi and drank it at a table with chairs and glasses. Part way through the owner came over and said "Where are you going?". He sat down and chatted a little bit. He said it was 50K and all uphill to Goksun. When we left we went uphill, gently at first and gradually more steeply. We climbed for about 35-40K and got very close to the snow patches on the mountains. There was a tunnel marked on our maps and we were expecting a long tunnel. It was only 200m and perfectly straight so it was no problem. It spit rain on us a couple times, but never seriously. We finally got to a pass at 1630m (5348 ft). I figured we were at least at 1800m. We started today at 550m (1804 ft). We had a wonderful downhill for 3-5K where I hit 66KPH (41MPH). I was sure hoping I didn't come upon a pothole. I even made a car wait to pass me until oncoming traffic passed. We found a hotel very quickly. I went in to check it and was very pleasantly surprised to find a very nice room with sheets, towels, carpet, chairs, tiled bathroom for only 70,000 ($7.39). The bikes are in the entryway to the lobby. We showered and relaxed a little before heading out about 6:30. We walked through part of the town and headed back when it started dripping. We stopped at a restaurant to eat dinner. I had a meat and tomato dish cooked in an oven for 20,000 and Shirley had soup for 10,000 plus tea for a total of 34,000 ($3.59). It had quit raining, but started again as we headed to the hotel. There is also some thunder about. The guy at the restaurant said he had worked there for 10 years and has 5 sisters and 2 brothers. There are actually some other guests at the hotel and several people watching soccer downstairs.

Friday, April 30, 1993	Day 728 (104 weeks) Turkish Day 47	0-19252

Goksun, Turkey	Goksun Otel

We decided to take a rest day today. Shirley stayed in the room today except to go to dinner. I got up at 7:15 and went for bread. The store I went to only had 2 loaves so I suspected they were yesterday's, but bought one anyway. I bought yogurt at another store and when I came back the first store now had lots of fresh bread. We did a little laundry and hung it on the roof clothesline. My pants were filthy once again. About 11:15 I went for a walk. First through town and then towards Malayta. I had lunch at a nice little café for 10,000 lira ($1.05). Coming back a Traffic Police guy wanted to talk to me. I had trouble understanding him. He wanted to see my passport, but for a change I had left it in the room. He asked if I had a car and when I said bicycle he said goodbye. Shirley is not quite well today. Her body decides it is time to shit right now. We wrote a couple letters while it rained off and on. I went to mail them during a dry spell, but didn't get very far before it started raining. I ducked under an overhang. It slacked off and I started again and it started raining harder. It finally stopped and I made it to the PPT. There were 3 slots, once for local, one for internal, and one for abroad. I tried to put the letters in the abroad slot, but it was boarded up. I took them to the window and handed them to a guy who canceled the stamps and kept the letters. I assume they will go somewhere. We went to dinner about 7:00. After looking at a couple of restaurants we settled on one and had a chicken and potato dish each and I had rice. They gave us a glass of ayran (yogurt and water) each and tea after dinner. Total bill was 25,000 ($2.64). We asked if there were hotels in Pinarbasi, the town 95K away. After some difficulties in getting him to understand our question he said no. We asked at our hotel and they said yes. Both the manager and a phone worker said yes. They invited us to sit down and drink tea. At first we refused, but then went back. The phone man spoke some English and was interested in our phrase book. He drove the manager home to get a dictionary and a large phrase book/textbook. We really didn't have much of a conversation, but it was interesting. The other phone man is Kurdish and as usual made a point of telling us that. We learned, or at least wrote down, a few new words. It's still raining off and on outside. The phone man also had a Rubik's Cube which I played with for a while. Maybe I should buy one to keep myself busy when we spend hours in the room.

Saturday, May 1, 1993	Day 729 Turkish Day 48	0-19252

Goksun, Turkey	Goksun Otel

Today turned out to be another rest day. During the night we could hear the wind beating against the windows. It was still raining off and on this morning. I got up after 7:00 and it stopped raining long enough for me to go buy bread and cheese. About everything was closed and I had to walk 2-3 blocks to find an open store. While eating it rained some more and we decided we weren't leaving. We didn't do much until 1:30. I worked puzzles and studied how to put the Rubik's Cube on the computer. Shirley did puzzles and slept. We went for a walk and then had lunch at the café I went to yesterday. We had a nice egg and lamb dish for a total of 20,000 ($2.10). It was a second lunch for me since I had finished the bread earlier along with some cheese and 2 apples. It was starting to rain a little when we left the café and we decided to look for some cards. The first store didn't have any and pointed down the street. A guy started talking to us and took us to another store. They didn't have any either. A guy who spoke English told us it is difficult to find cards since it is considered bad to play cards except at coffee houses. He started talking to us and even though we said we didn't want any we got tea. We moved to chairs and ended up talking for 2-3 hours with him and a couple others. At prayer time all but 2 left. We mostly talked politics which is not our strong point. They wanted to know why the US got involved in the Gulf War and not in Yugoslavia and the human rights. The said the US is interested in money and oil and not human rights and they are of course right. We tried asking about the Kurdish problem, but all they would say is it is a problem caused by the Western countries and there is no difference between Kurds and Turks. Yet, whenever we meet a Kurd they are very pointed about telling us they are Kurdish. It rained very hard while we were talking so we were in no hurry to leave. A couple more glasses of tea magically appeared while we were there. At least everyone drank tea and not just us. The Kurdish subject seemed touchy and finally we left. It was still raining lightly. It was after 6:00 when we returned to the hotel. We didn't go out again. We finally ate our remaining food of a cuke, apple, 2 tomatoes, and some cheese around 9:00. We also washed our water bottles real good. They had a funny smell and taste. We had tried washing them yesterday, but didn't have anything long enough. Shirley picked up a couple sticks today. We boiled water with the coil and washed them good. Hopefully that will fix them. We must have gotten some strange water somewhere. One other interesting thing during our conversation today was that they said America was a good country because it has "In God we Trust" on our money and that is important.

Sunday, May 2, 1993	Day 730 (1 Year, 52 Weeks) Turkish Day 49 (7 Weeks)	0-19252

Goksun, Turkey	Goksun Otel

We wimped out again today. It was very wet although not raining when it got light. We laid in bed until 8:00 which pretty much guaranteed we weren't leaving. Shirley went out today for the bread and cheese. The cheese had some strange spots on it. We finally started re-reading a couple of the books we are carrying with us. I also worked puzzles and studied how to computerize Rubik's Cube some more. Finally about 2:45 we went for lunch. We walked to the café we ate at yesterday, but it was closed. We went by another café that didn't look interesting. We headed back to the bus station via the scenic route through the residential area. People seemed surprised and interested to see us there. At the bus station we ate at the café where we ate the other night. I had chicken, potatoes, and rice. Shirley had bean soup. She also got a rice she didn't order so I ate it. Total 30,000 ($3.17). They remembered we had asked about Pinarbasi and asked how we liked it. We tried telling them we would go tomorrow if it doesn't rain. This was all in Turkish. He also remembered my name is John. It rained again while we were having lunch. When we left the hotel Shirley noticed my bike had a flat tire so I went back to fix it while Shirley bought fruit and veggies. The hotel guy was in his bed by the stairs when I returned, but came out to "help" while I was changing tubes. I found 3 thorns in my tire. One looked like a goats head, but the others were much sturdier and bigger. When Shirley returned she said she had seen a small dictionary for 30,000. We decided to go buy it. When we got back and looked more carefully we noticed it is for Turkish people. The English->Turkish section has pronunciations for the English words, not the Turkish words. The sun was out so little today that there wasn't any hot water. The showers were a bit cool this evening. My stomach is not happy again. I suspect the cheese, but it could be anything including the water. I took Lomotil and ate bananas tonight. My brain has gotten tired of logic puzzles. I found 4 or 5 I couldn't solve today. Next time I work on them they will probably be easy. Unless it is really bad tomorrow we will probably leave. We are getting quite bored here.

Monday, May 3, 1993	Day 731 Turkish Day 50	59-19311

Pinabarsi, Turkey	Yayla Otel

It wasn't the best riding weather today, but we rode anyway. It actually looked promising when I got up at 6:45. It was cloudy with large patches of blue. We ate breakfast and finished the butter and jelly. It was 8:00 by the time we were ready to take our stuff downstairs. We bought another loaf of bread so we had 2 before leaving about 8:15. As we turned northward we could see dark ominous clods over the mountains. I wished I had put my boots on instead of my tennis shoes. After 2K I decided to stop and change shoes. I had to take all my stuff out of my rear panniers since the boots were on the bottom. Shirley went ahead and I told her I would be a while. I finally got changed and repacked. Only one guy walked by and he didn't stop. I soon realized I needed to raise my seat since my boots have a much thicker sole and make my legs longer. After 3-4K I saw Shirley riding back to see where I was. She didn't realize I meant it when I said I would be a while (15-20 minutes). We gradually went uphill for 22K and it was quite pleasant except for the clouds obscuring the views. Just after topping the hill we decided we should prepare for rain and it started raining as we put our gear on. It rained for 20K although never very hard, but enough to make it quite wet. When it stopped and we started uphill again we stopped for lunch. We had done 50K already. It was a bit cool eating. We continued and riding was pretty easy, mostly middle chain ring, sometimes little. I had to raise my seat a couple more times as my right knee was hurting. Part of the problem is wearing my rain pants which cause a strange pressure on my knee. It got warm and we took our jackets off. One truck stopped on a hill and waited for us so he could ask if we wanted a ride. Shirley was ahead at the time and he asked her. I didn't even realize he was offering since he stayed in his truck. Just as we got to the dokuz dolambac (winding) pass at 1710m (5610 ft) it started raining. We put our jackets back on. Fortunately, it only rained for 3-4K. It gradually got warmer and we stopped to take our rain gear off and eat. We followed a stream from the pass and I figured it would be downhill all the way to town when suddenly we did a 1-2K detour over a lump. There is a new road being built through the canyon. We got to Pinarbasi between 3:30-4:00. At first it looked doubtful there would be a hotel, but then we came to the town center. We stopped at the first hotel we saw and I checked it out. For a 3 bed room with no water he wanted 100,000 ($10.55). At first he said there was no shower, but then said aksam. I didn't understand what that meant, but when I asked if there was a shower he said yes. I looked up aksam in our dictionary and learned it meant evening. I asked if he had a cheaper room and he came down to 70,000 ($7.39). That's probably still more than a Turk would pay, but the room is clean and nice. We had a choice of the street or garden and took the garden. This town will probably be quiet anyway since it is off the main highway, but it is still nice to have a room in the back. We went for a walk and saw at least 3 other hotels. None looked much better than ours. We bought margarine, cheese, and milk for 16,000 and then jelly and cookies for another 16,000 ($1.69). It was thundering and rained a little while we were out. The water was off when we first got here, but was on when we returned. It's not clear if that has anything to do with showers in the evening or not. We went to dinner at 7:00. On the way a shop keeper stopped us. He said he was an English teacher and would like us to come talk to his students tomorrow. We told him we were leaving tomorrow if it wasn't raining. We said if we stayed we would go to his class. Dinner cost 30,000 ($3.17) for an egg dish and a lamb dish and rice. Back at the hotel we inquired about a shower at 8:00. He took us upstairs and dumped a couple shovels full of coal into a water heater. We then went downstairs and talked with a guy who spoke English as an interpreter. Finally about 8:40 the shower was ready. It was quite warm and the water heater heated the room also. It was very nice. About 9:15 we were invited to go out, although we are not sure where to. We declined.

Tuesday, May 4, 1993

Day	Date	Miles	Total	M/C	Comments

1	06/26	2.0	2.0	C	2 Miles South of Jackson Hole Airport - Free Camping on Side of Road

2	06/27	45.0	47.0	C	Teton National Park - Colter Bay Campground

3	06/28	48.0	95.0	C	Yellowstone National Park - Grant Village Campground

4	06/29	55.0	150.0	C	Yellowstone National Park - Norris Campground

5	06/30	49.0	199.0	C	Yellowstone National Park - Madison

6	07/01	83.0	282.0	C	Ennis, MT - Campground

7	07/02	71.0	353.0	C	Dillon, MT - KOA

8	07/03	49.0	402.0	C	Jackson, MT - Hot Springs Lodge

9	07/04	80.0	482.0	C	10 Miles South of Hamilton, MT - KOA

10	07/05	69.0	551.0	M	Missoula, MT - Myra's Friend's House

11	07/06	95.0	646.0	M	Missoula, MT - Myra's Friend's House

12	07/07	61.0	707.0	C	3 Miles North of Ronan, MT - Campground

13	07/08	60.0	767.0	C	Kalispel, MT - Campground

14	07/09	30.0	797.0	C	Glacier National Park - Apgar Campground

15	07/10	21.0	818.0	C	Glacier National Park - Sprague Campground

16	07/11	68.0	886.0	C	Belly River, AB - Belly River Campground

17	07/12	35.0	921.0	C	Twin Butte, AB - Provincial Park

18	07/13	55.0	976.0	C	Crowsnest, AB - Provincial Park

19	07/14	77.0	1053.0	C	10 Miles South of Fort Steele, BC - Campground

20	07/15	87.0	1140.0	C	Radium, BC - Campground

21	07/16	53.0	1193.0	C	Vermillion Pass, BC - Marble Campground

22	07/17	55.0	1248.0	C	Lake Louise, AB - Lake Louise Campground

23	07/18	23.0	1271.0	C	Lake Louise, AB - Lake Louise Campground

24	07/19	56.0	1327.0	C	Banff National Park, AB - Rampart Creek Campground

25	07/20	45.0	1372.0	C	Banff National Park, AB - Jonas Creek Campground

26	07/21	50.0	1422.0	C	Jasper, AB - Campground

27	07/22	18.0	1440.0	C	Jasper, AB - Campground

28	07/23	50.0	1490.0	C	Mount Robson, BC - Campground

29	07/24	80.0	1570.0	C	Blue River, BC - Free Camping on Roadside

30	07/25	85.0	1655.0	C	Little Fort, BC - Overlander Campground

31	07/26	55.0	1710.0	C	Kamloops, BC - Campground

32	07/27	70.0	1780.0	C	Vernon, BC - Campground

33	07/28	70.0	1850.0	C	Penticton, BC - Campground

34	07/29	73.0	1923.0	C	Riverside, WA - Free Town Park

35	07/30	65.0	1988.0	C	Near Mazama, WA - Early Winters Campground

36	07/31	20.0	2008.0	C	Washington Pass, WA Hwy 20 - Lone Fir Campground

37	08/01	50.0	2058.0	C	Newhalem, WA - Goodell Creek Campground

38	08/02	45.0	2103.0	C	10 Miles West of Darrington, WA - French Creek Campground

39	08/03	70.0	2173.0	C	Bothell, WA - KOA

40	08/04	40.0	2213.0	C	Denver, CO - Home

Thursday, June 26, 1980	Day 1	2-2

2 Miles South of Jackson Hole Airport	Free Camping on Side of Road

Today starts our trip from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to Jasper, Alberta, Canada. Going on the trip are:

John Price (me)

Andy Stout

Bob Adamek

Myra Jans

Diane Short is going to meet us in Missoula, Montana. The flight to Jackson Hole was interesting, but uneventful. We got in about 10:00, but it was nearly 11:00 PM by the time we got the bikes ready. We were planning to go to a campground about 7 miles from the airport, but it was so dark due to clouds that we ended up camping on the side of the road about 2 miles from the airport. It really was hard getting used to the weight and the bike was really wobbly. Hopefully I'll get used to it again. Andy is in a motel in Jackson Hole because his friend who was going to go got homesick and went home already.

Friday, June 27, 1980	Day 2	45-47

Teton National Park	Colter Bay Campground

Saturday, June 28, 1980	Day 3	48-95

Yellowstone National Park	Grant Village Campground

Sunday, June 29, 1980	Day 4	55-150

Yellowstone National Park	Norris Campground

Today was an interesting day. We got up around 7:00 AM and cooked breakfast of hash, eggs, and sausage. However, by the time we went to West Thumb to get snacks and look at the hot pots it was 11:00 by the time we left. We really took our time all day and saw the mud volcanoes and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We also saw 7 moose, 2 elk, 3 deer, 1 bison, and a marmot. We ate dinner in a restaurant in Canyon, but I really didn't enjoy it very much because I felt sick to my stomach. Fortunately, I started feeling better after we left. When we arrived at our campground it was full, but we met a couple real nice campers who allowed us to use their camp site. The weather was very marginal today. It was cloudy most of the time, but really never rained on us.

Monday, June 30, 1980	Day 5	49-199

Yellowstone National Park	Madison

Today was another marginal day as far as the weather goes. Fortunately we only went 14 miles to Madison and dropped off our gear before it started raining. After sitting out one rain shower we then went to Old Faithful. Along the way we saw a herd of antelope in a big field and a herd of people chasing them. On the way back from Old Faithful it rained on us. We had planned to visit some of the geyser basins on the way back, but due to the rain we didn't.

Tuesday, July 1, 1980	Day 6	83-282

Ennis, MT	Campground

We got a fairly early start today in spite of the cloudy conditions. Fortunately, it wasn't very cold. We rode into West Yellowstone for breakfast which was a pleasant ride. Along the way we spotted some geese and a couple of swans. By the time we ate and did our shopping for lunch and dinner it was after 11:00 and we had 70 miles to go yet. The sun played tag with us for quite a while, but in general it was warm enough to ride without warmers until we reached the Earthquake Visitor Center. We ate lunch there and when we were getting ready to leave the wind really kicked up (headwind of course) and we could see rain in the distance. Fortunately, the wind shifted to a tail wind within 10 miles and the rain had passed before we got to it. In Cameron we stopped and debated whether I should call Diane and tell her not to bring her tent. We finally decided to let her bring it and maybe send mine back from Missoula. Jack's deserting Andy really screwed up our plans. Now I have to worry about Andy having a tent and I can't be as free as I would like. While we discussed all this Bob had a beer in the bar. He wanted more, but we decided to go since it was getting late. We got in camp just as the person was collecting the fee ($3.00). The mosquitos were pretty bad, but tolerable with the repellent. The water was very brown from the pump and fortunately the camper next to us gave us some clean water. By the time I got my stove working everyone else had eaten. Unfortunately, the rain moved in while I was cooking so I ended up wearing my rain suit. After dinner we played a couple hands of Hearts until it got too dark to see. We then turned in early and I was really tired.

Wednesday, July 2, 1980	Day 7	71-353

Dillon, MT	KOA

I got up fairly early today and was busy packing when Myra surprised me with a cup of hot chocolate. She had gotten up early and had walked the mile or so into Ennis. Eventually everyone got up and packed and we went into town for breakfast. The prices were much more reasonable, but the service was really slow. By the time we got out and did our grocery shopping it was 9:00. Just outside of Ennis we started up a pass that climbed for about 10 miles. At first it appeared very gentle yet I was in 2nd gear. Then it became really steep and low gear was not low enough. It also was sunny and really hot. The trip into Twin Bridges was pretty uneventful, but very pleasant with good weather. However, we could see the thunderstorms building over the mountains. Finally, it became cloudy and cooled off a bit. Unfortunately, about 8 miles out of Dillon the wind really began to blow as a headwind of course. Then, about 2 or 3 miles out of Dillon it died down some. We stayed at the KOA and took showers and did our laundry. Our neighbors were 4 guys from Holland which was interesting to Myra since she is originally from Holland. On our other side was a guy from Oregon who seemed pretty lonely. Just after dark it really started raining hard and rained most of the night.

Thursday, July 3, 1980	Day 8	49-402

Jackson, MT	Hot Springs Lodge

We woke up fairly early again this morning to a very cloudy day. We still got up and cooked breakfast hoping it would clear and it appeared it might. Unfortunately, as we went up Badger Pass it became apparent it was going to get worse. We could see several rain cells moving across the valley we were going up. The first one missed us, but we weren't so lucky the second time. The wind then began to blow much harder. The pass became so difficult that it took us 2 1/2 hours to go about 15 miles. On top the pass I was ready to stop at the next campground about 5 miles away. Bob, however, didn't want to stay so we kept on. I'm glad we did because the wind let up quite a bit and the sky cleared for a while. I really started enjoying the trip again until almost the top of Big Hole Pass when I really needed to eat. After that we enjoyed the next 10 miles into Jackson. We originally had planned to go another 35 miles past Wisdom to a state forest campground, but Bob said there was no way he could make it. He wanted to stop along the road somewhere to camp. We asked the store owner about a campground and he said it was 9 miles on a dirt road. Well, that was definitely out so we prepared to leave. Just as we were leaving we bumped into a local who told us the lodge across the street would let us camp for a dollar and for $2 more we could use the hot springs. That sounded pretty good so we stayed here. It's not much, but what do you want for a buck per tent. The lodge has no cold water since all their water comes from the hot spring. We met some more of the people from Holland and found out there are 27 all together going at their own pace. Andy was really having problems today with his back and arms hurting. We tried raising his seat to see if that would help.

Friday, July 4, 1980	Day 9	80-482

10 Miles South of Hamilton, MT	KOA

We got up this morning to a mostly clear sky. Everything outside was wet, though, due to an overnight rain storm. The lodge was locked and the whole town was still dead so we packed up and prepared to go to Wisdom for breakfast. By the time we were ready, though, it was 8:00 and Rosy's Bar and Café opened, although she didn't seem real thrilled to have us. The food, though, was good and really cheap. It only cost me $1.25 for hot cakes. The ride to Wisdom was really easy and for some reason there weren't any mosquitos in Wisdom today. It was really strange because I had been telling the others about them and we had heard about them from other bikers along the way. Finally, we left Wisdom and had an easy ride up Chief Joseph Pass except for the last 2-3 miles. Up to then it wasn't even a 1st gear hill. Andy's back really started bothering him on the pass and he even stopped a couple times. By the time we reached the top he was talking of going home from Missoula. We also met a couple guys on a tandem. One of them was blind and they were being covered by PM magazine for a show in September or October. From the pass it was all downhill. We met Diane Short about 4 miles south of Darby. She had started riding in Hamilton (21 miles to the north) and was riding back to meet us. She was really surprised to see us so for north. We camped in the KOA about 7 miles north of Darby and should make it into Missoula tomorrow (about 60 miles).

Saturday, July 5, 1980	Day 10	69-551

Missoula, MT	Myra's Friend's House

We got up today to a very overcast sky. There were some breaks in the clouds, but it didn't look too promising. However, by the time we packed and rode into Hamilton for breakfast it was mostly sunny. Just out of Hamilton I got a flat tire and about 20 miles later Bob's tire came off the rim and he got a flat. By the time we fixed his tire a rain storm was moving in again so we raced it to the nearest shelter, but still got showered on lightly. After lunch the sun came out again and we continued toward Missoula. About 8 miles from Missoula the rain caught us again, but since we were staying at Myra's friend's I didn't put my rain gear on until I was soaked, and then only my top. Fortunately, as we got into town it stopped again. The first thing we did when we got into town was to find Braxton's Bike Shop to try to find a solution to Andy's back problem. Unfortunately, their solution was that his frame is too small and he needs a new bike. As a result Andy decided to go home since his back was bothering him too much. So, he made reservations on Greyhound for tomorrow night. Bob also bought a mirror finally. We then went over to Myra's friend's house. The house we stayed at was in the process of being remodeled and really was kind of a mess, but at least it was dry. Myra's friend Bob is a very friendly guy and is going out of his way to help us. We took him out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

Sunday, July 6, 1980	Day 11	95-646

Missoula, MT	Myra's Friend's House

Today was a rest day for most of us. However, Diane and I decided to go up Lolo Pass which turned out to be almost a century. It was a very hot day with almost no clouds. I didn't wear my jersey today and my tee shirt rode up a little bit so I now have a nice strip of sunburn about an inch wide. While we were doing this Myra did our laundry and visited her friends and Bob worked on the bikes. Andy in the mean time packed his bike in a box for the bus trip. Andy's bus was leaving at 11:45 so we took him over to the bus station. While waiting for the bus we sat on a luggage cart which began to roll. Myra then started helping it move and before I knew it we were rolling all over the station. Andy really got embarrassed and got up and I really couldn't get into the swing of it, but stayed on any way. Fortunately, the bus came as we were heading toward Main Street. After Andy got on we sat back on the cart and kept waving to him and really embarrassed him again. Finally, around 12:15 we went home and went to bed.

Monday, July 7, 1980	Day 12	61-707

3 Miles North of Ronan, MT	Campground

Today was a very slow starting day. Just about everything we had needed to be repacked. By the time we ate and packed it was well after 11:00. We then went to a bakery for some bagels. Afterwards we hit the Safeway and by the time we got out of Missoula it was well after noon. The sky was really clear today and very hot. We had a bit of a head wind, but it wasn't too bad. After about 12 miles we hit a fairly steep 2-3 mile hill and I thought I was going to sweat to death. However, I survived and then some high thin clouds moved in and helped to keep it cool. The wind then seemed to become a side or tail wind and the cycling really was easy. We took our time and took some long breaks along the way. We also decided to send a postcard a day to Andy. When we got to Ronan we decided to stop at the next campground. However, just as we were leaving town Bob broke his seat post. Fortunately, two locals came by to help and opened the bike shop we were right next to. He got a new seat post for $2.00, but unfortunately it isn't quite big enough and he will probably have to get another seat post in Kalispell. The sunset tonight was beautiful against the mountains and we hope to get a good sunrise tomorrow.

Tuesday, July 8, 1980	Day 13	60-767

Kalispel, MT	Campground

We woke to a beautiful morning today. We didn't get a real early start because the girls stayed up to 1:00 after talking to a couple guys from Holland who were camped near us. We rode into Polsen for breakfast and then took the east side road. Traffic wasn't too bad and the terrain was rolling hills. However, it was very hot which really slowed me down. We rode through cherry country and finally found a tree growing wild along the road and picked about 5 pounds of cherries, most of which were only half ripe, but still delicious. By the time we got to Bigfork we were ready for lunch and ended up spending about 2 hours there. However, we needed to get to Kalispel because Bob's seat post he bought yesterday was too small and really couldn't be tightened all the way. We got into Kalispel around 5:10 and found the bike shop stayed open to 6:00. By the time Bob got his new seat post I was ready to camp so we decided to camp along Hwy 2 a couple miles out of town. We stopped at a real dive and ended up paying $2.00 a piece. Only 1 out of 5 showers worked and it was very dirty everywhere. However, it was pretty empty and we were able to build a fire from the left over wood of another campsite. After a lot of discussion we decided to get up at 5:30 and ride Hwy 2 early to beat the traffic and try to get past the Lake McDonald bicycle restriction point before it closes. There was a Mormon family living in a large tent who had been caught in the Mount St. Helens volcano. The husband and father had been killed. The kids were extremely dirty and one had a big cut on his knee. He asked me if he should have stitches or see a doctor and I told him if it was my knee I would. They invited us over for dinner, but fortunately we didn't have time to go.

Wednesday, July 9, 1980	Day 14	30-797

Glacier National Park	Apgar Campground

We managed to get up at 5:45 this morning in order to beat the traffic on Highway 2 and to try to get past the road closure in Glacier at 11:00. We beat the traffic pretty well since it wasn't near as bad as last time. We also wold have made the road closure by 11:00 except for an automobile accident. I was ahead of everyone by about 50 feet when a car passed me and ran a car coming toward us off the road. All of a sudden I heard the tires squealing and saw the car swerving into the guard rail. She then swung into my lane behind me and hit the truck in front of the rest of the people. The truck stopped at the junction and the car then went off the road and into the ditch. The car completely disappeared, but fortunately no one was hurt. However, we stayed around until the police arrived so we didn't get into West Glacier until just after 10:00. We decided that didn't give us enough time to shop and get through the road closure so we camped in Apgar. We went hiking around Lake McDonald most of the afternoon and then went to the program that night. Another biker stayed with us although we didn't see him very much. He was a nice person, but seemed a little strange.

Thursday, July 10, 1980	Day 15	21-818

Glacier National Park	Sprague Campground

We planned to get up at 6:00 this morning for our assault on Logan Pass, but an early morning thunderstorm delayed us until we knew we couldn't make it by 11:00. Instead, we slept late and leisurely packed our wet stuff. Jeff (the other biker) left before any of us got up. We leisurely rode up to Avalanche Creek. Along the way it started raining and a little bit of hail. However, by the time we got to Avalanche Creek it had stopped. We ate lunch along the river and then locked the bikes under the trees away from people to go hiking. The trail we followed was really pretty and finally led us to Avalanche Lake and several 1/2 mile high waterfalls. About half way up it started raining and rained fairly steady until we got back down to our bikes. The sky was totally overcast and reports from Logan Pass were that you couldn't see a thing. We decided to wait until tomorrow and hope the weather cleared. We went down to McDonald Lodge for dinner and bought a few things at the store. We then went to Sprague to camp about 1 mile away and just over the first restricted stretch. At 9:00 we went back to the Lodge for a slide show by photographer Tom Ulrich which was very good.

Friday, July 11, 1980	Day 16	68-886

Belly River, AB	Belly River Campground

We got up early this morning (6:15) and started to pack. It was still cloudy, but there were signs of breaking. We went to the McDonald Lodge for breakfast and were on the road around 8:15 to try to get over the pass by 11:00. It became partly sunny as we approached the pass and was fairly warm. The pass itself was hot and cold depending on the wind and sun. It was really nice to see it without worrying about rain. However, the time limit really made us feel rushed. I didn't get to the top until 11:15 with Diane about 5-10 minutes later and Bob around 11:25 and Myra around 11:40. Fortunately, they didn't make us stop. After spending a couple hours on the pass we went down the other side to Johnson's Café for a family style dinner which was chicken and all the potatoes, salad, and corn we could eat. After eating and becoming very comfortably full we went another 30 miles to Canada. At the border we had the usual questions asked from the border guard. She also wanted to see identification and asked to see my travelers checks since I'm going to be here longer and wanted to see Myra's passport and papers since she's not a U.S. citizen. After a few pictures we continued another mile or two to the Belly River Campground. The water had to be boiled for drinking, but the campground still had a completely enclosed kitchen and flush toilets. We built a fire and had a light dinner in the dark.

Saturday, July 12, 1980	Day 17	35-921

Twin Butte, AB	Provincial Park

It rained pretty hard most of the night last night and was still raining this morning. We waited until it stopped until we got up and started to pack when it started raining again. Bob retreated into his sleeping bas and wouldn't come out. The rest of us went to the kitchen where someone had built a fire in the stove and the building was very warm. Unfortunately, some turkeys from California didn't know how to close the door so we had to keep closing the door. Very gradually it stopped raining and started clearing toward Waterton. We finally packed and headed out to do our laundry. We spent a lot of time in Waterton doing our laundry and took a shower for 25¢. We then headed out around 7:30 PM and went 10 miles to Twin Butte and the provincial park. It's not very bit, but still nice.

Sunday, July 13, 1980	Day 18	55-976

Crowsnest, AB	Provincial Park

We got up around mid morning today, but by the time breakfast cooked on the wood stove it was 10:00 before we left. It was really a clear day with a moderate wind. However, by the time we got to Cowley it was starting to rain and the wind was really strong. We stopped in the little Café for a snack to wait out the storm. Afterwards it cleared again and we got a tailwind. A couple more storm cells passed over during the day and each one brought increased head winds and a little rain. Crowsnest pass was extremely easy and it didn't even feel like a pass. We had been hoping to make it to Fernie, but we spent so much time along the way we stopped just before going into BC. Diane wanted to go on and camp by the side of the road, but I couldn't see that when we had a free provincial park campground. With water available so we stayed at the campground. There were two female bikers from California there and were quite friendly. They were heading toward Colorado. They told us to be on bear alert since they had seen several along the way from Jasper. I don't think we are really in real bear country yet, but we still put our food in the rafters. It was so windy and the ground so rocky that we decided to sleep on the floor of the covered kitchen.

Monday, July 14, 1980	Day 19	77-1053

10 Miles South of Fort Steele, BC	Campground

We got up about 6:30 this morning and ate. It's mostly cloud and a little cool, but the wind isn't too strong yet. However, by the time we left the wind was hard enough Diane and I were drafting each other. However, since it was basically downhill it wasn't too bad. We got into Sparwood around 9:00 and since the grocery store wasn't open yet we went to a restaurant for a snack. We then continued on to Fernie to find a store. About the time we got to Fernie it began raining. After shopping we went to a restaurant for something hot before continuing to Elko. It began raining again just as we left and rained all the way to Elko. At Elko we stopped at a little ice cream stand for some hot chocolate and to eat lunch. They didn't have any hot chocolate, but she gave us some hot tea and let us used the picnic tables to eat. Diane was pretty cold, but we were still doing all right. The woman at the restaurant said they had counted 8000 cyclists so far in Cranwood. By the time we left Elko it had stopped raining. We then ran into a small shower just before camp. The campground was $3.00 and was pretty nice except they forced us to set up our tents on a graveled area. It was hard to put in the stakes, but they gave us some large nails which worked very well. At least the sky was clear and no more rain.

Tuesday, July 15, 1980	Day 20	87-1140

Radium, BC	Campground

Today was a pretty easy day for the number of miles we did. Basically it was downhill and with a tailwind until the last 12 miles. There were quite a few rolling hills and a few fairly long climbs, but it wasn't bad terrain. When we got back onto 93 we were 2 KM north of Fort Steel so we continued another 18 KM to Wasa for breakfast. However, there wasn't anything open in Wasa until 11:00. Fortunately, there was a Pepsi man making a delivery and he told us of a café about 3 miles down the road. So we went there and ate. The waitress wasn't the best and overcharged Diane for some gum and tried to charge her for coffee which came with her breakfast. We stopped in Canal Flats for lunch which is a logging town. The log moving machines are really huge. The restaurant at which we stopped to get water had pumpkin-raisin muffins and Diane and Myra went crazy. They each bought 6 and Bob bought 2 which only left 1 for me. That's OK since they weren't anything special to me. Just after Fremont Hot Springs the shoulder turned to gravel and the wind turned against us which made for a very unpleasant trip. Traffic did finally die down a little somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00. By the time we got to Radium we were all pretty tired. By the time we set up camp and ate it was almost too late to got the 3 KM up to the hot springs so we decided to hit them tomorrow. Instead we did laundry until late at night. The showers were strange in that the cold water worked all the time, but to get hot water it was 25¢ for 4 minutes.

Wednesday, July 16, 1980	Day 21	53-1193

Vermillion Pass, BC	Marble Campground

We didn't get an early start today. For some reason no one got up very early this morning. We ate breakfast in a restaurant this morning and found another real winner of a waitress. The bill was totally indecipherable, but the total was close to $2.00 too high. We had her refigure it and this time she came out $1.00 low. Finally, we got it right. The restaurant also sold muffins and pastry so once again Diane and Myra flipped. They both bought 4 and Bob bought a couple tarts. When we finally got going we rode the 3KM to the Radium Hot Springs. It's a good thing they were on our way because the climb was fairly steep. Bob, Myra, and Diane went in for a swim, but I declined since swimming didn't do much for me, especially in hot water. However, it turns out the water was barely over 100º and not very hot. About the time they got out it was clouding up and a very light sprinkle hit just as we were leaving. We finally got on the road around 12:30. Sinclair Pass was pretty hard even with the tail wind we had, but it was short. Unfortunately, we had a head wind going down the other side and we could see rain showers all around. Fortunately, we didn't get hit until after 30 or 35 miles. When it did hit it was cold. We decided we couldn't make it to the campground near Banff so we stopped at Marble Campground on Vermillion Pass. It was full so we found the covered kitchen immediately to warm up and eat. There was a couple of Canadian cyclists who had pulled in early and were cleaning their bikes. We ate dinner and decided to sleep in the kitchen in spite of an offer by a guy from Oregon to share his site. So, after everyone except 2 guys left we sacked out. Shortly thereafter they left. We also went on full bear alert tonight and hung our food from the rafters which fortunately were pretty high.

Thursday, July 17, 1980	Day 22	55-1248

Lake Louise, AB	Lake Louise Campground

I got up pretty early today and it didn't feel too bad at first until the cold penetrated. By the time I packed and ate breakfast I was really getting cold. Since no one else was ready I took off without them and said I'd meet them in Banff. My hands and feet were really cold for the first couple miles. I finally stopped and put my rain booties on to try and stay warm. It helped, but my toes didn't really warm until I almost reached Banff. Luckily my fingers warmed up going up the pass. I stopped a couple miles from Banff at a lookout and waited for the rest. We got into Banff around 11:00. We hit the A&W for lunch and went over to the park for lunch. Myra, Bob, and I went for a quick tour of the gardens and then went on a gondola trip. The gondola was pretty interesting and the view was really good. On top there were some very tame mountain sheep. I tried to get some close up pictures, but it was very hard because of all the people petting them. In the meantime Diane spent nearly 2 hours in the gardens. Later we all met at the Banff Springs Hotel which is like an old castle. While we were there they lowered the flag which included a gal playing the bagpipes. After spending a lot of time at the hotel we finally went to a restaurant to eat and then to the Safeway for 3 days worth of food. By the time we left Banff it was after 7:00. When we got to the campground it was getting pretty dark. The campground said full, but we found an empty site. We were hoping we would get a free site, but the ranger came by. We hung our food in the kitchen shelter. The restrooms actually had hot water which made Diane and Myra especially happy since they could wash up. When we got to the site Bob and Diane set up the tents while Myra and I went to a small store about a half mile away for some hot dogs and coffee. That really tasted good, but not very filling. We hung our food in the shelter again. The important thing is that we didn't get any rain today.

Friday, July 18, 1980	Day 23	23-1271

Lake Louise, AB	Lake Louise Campground

We didn't get a real early start today and by the time we got into Lake Louise it was after noon. We tried to find a restaurant to eat in, but the first place we went to only served 3 different items which we didn't want. So, we went to another and had another real spacey waitress. Myra and I had a Chef Salad and Diane had soup Myra asked the waitress if she had crackers and she said yes and really looked like she wasn't going to bring any. We didn't leave any tip in spite of the fact that she didn't charge us for one salad. After lunch we rode up to Lake Louise and went hiking. We hiked to the Plain of the 6 Glaciers which was a very beautiful hike. By the time we got done we decided to stay in Lake Louise instead of going on. When we got to the campground there were 4 guys from Ontario in our site. We told them they could stay if they paid half which they agreed to. We also put our food in a motor home across the way

Saturday, July 19, 1980	Day 24	56-1327

Banff National Park, AB	Rampart Creek Campground

We got up about 8:00 this morning to go to an all you can eat buffet at the Post Hotel. We all stuffed ourselves, but Bob really filled up. He couldn't eat all of it and really felt bad. Before leaving Lake Louise we met a couple of racers from Calgary who were riding up to the Columbia Ice Fields today and coming back tomorrow. The ride today was really beautiful and we all felt pretty good. When we got into camp the campground was full, but we found a very nice couple from Edmonton who let us share their site. When we came into the campground the ranger said their was a hostel across the road and when I asked if we could share a site he said we would have to talk to the people and he'd be around to collect the $3.00 later. We put our bikes back in the woods where they weren't too easy to see and the ranger just drove by when he came through. The couple we stayed with wouldn't take any money, so we got a free camp. I met a woman from California at Peyto Lake today who is interested in taking a train from Jasper to Prince Rupert and bicycle from there. She said she would try to leave a message for me at the train station.

Sunday, July 20, 1980	Day 25	45-1372

Banff National Park, AB	Jonas Creek Campground

We didn't get as early a start today as I had hoped. By the time we left it was after 10:00. The family we shared camp with got up shortly after we did so we all said goodbye. It was an easy ride to the start of Sunwapta Pass, but the pass itself was really steep. Then, when it started leveling off the wind picked up and really cooled things off since I was sweating so much. We stopped pretty much on top for lunch before proceeding on to the Columbia Ice Fields. Diane and I hitched up the road to the Athabasca Glacier while Bob and Myra paid $1.00 for the shuttle bus. Since the snow cat tours had an hour wait we decided to hike instead. Bob and Myra didn't go too far, but Diane and I went up to a glacier off to the side. We had just gotten up to the edge of it and getting ready for a tourist shot when a huge hunk of ice about 100 yards away fell off. We decided not to stay under the ice very long. I think the hike was probably more enjoyable than a tour would have been. Afterward we ate at the Chalet which was a real ripoff. Finally, we took an easy 20 mile mostly downhill ride to the campground. We stayed in the tent only section which was on top a 50 foot very steep unpaved hill. However, except for the mosquitos it was quite nice.

Monday, July 21, 1980	Day 26	50-1422

Jasper, AB	Campground

Except for one hill on 93A the ride into Jasper was really easy today. It was mostly downhill and until the last 5 miles the wind wasn't bad at all. Bob had more bike problems today. First he broke a spoke on the freewheel side of course. He was able to fix it at the Athabasca Falls Lookout. Later, his front wheel was making so much noise we decided to repack the bearings. His front hub was dry and all the bearings on one side were really burned. We made a roadside change and were soon on our way again. We got into town around 4:00 and went to the information center where we found out the grocery, laundromat, and bakery were all within a block of each other. We decided while everyone else did laundry I'd ride the 2KM to the campground and get a site. When I got there, there was a long line of cars and RVs trying to get in. While in line a motorcycle pulled up behind me and we got talking. He was traveling alone and asked if he could share a site. I said yes which turned out to be a mistake. As a result we ended up in a loop of motorcycles and the party next to us had loud music and big mouths. At least the ranger finally told them to turn the music off sometime after 11:00. However, the talking lasted for a while. We fixed a big salad, fried potatoes, and had hamburger for dinner. Diane also bought a cake to celebrate Bob, Myra, and my birthdays and Bob bought some wine as a trip ending celebration. By the time we had done our laundry, showered at the swimming pool, did the shopping, and ate it was once again dark. The campground provided bear poles to hang all food and soap products, and while we were in the process of hanging the food a bear ambled by. Myra said "What's that?" and when we shined the flashlight at it the bear kept on going and we headed back to our tents.

Tuesday, July 22, 1980	Day 27	18-1440

Jasper, AB	Campground

We slept in pretty late this morning and by the time we got ready to go into town it was 11:30. We went to a pancake house for breakfast and then Diane, Bob, and Myra made plans for heading home for Denver. At first Diane was going to take the bus at 2:30 AM tomorrow and then fly from Edmonton, but the bus didn't go anywhere near the airport. Then, she decided to hitch to Edmonton after we took a ride today. In the meantime Bob and Myra decided to take the 6:30 AM train to Edmonton tomorrow and fly out Thursday. After making all reservations we decided to take a trip to Maligne Canyon. It was a fairly steep climb to the canyon for 3 or 4 miles, but it was worth it. It was a very narrow and fairly steep canyon and was really pretty. Just as we got back to the parking lot it started raining, but we stayed dry by having lunch under some signs with small roofs. About the time we finished eating it stopped raining so we headed back so Diane could pack and get on the road. She left somewhere around 6:00 and just after she left it started raining. I hope it didn't take her long to get a ride. Myra and I had dinner in the shelter while Bob hid in his tent most of the time. Toward the end of dinner Bob did come out. After dinner we hitched into town for a couple drinks. We ended up walking all the way back to camp (about 2 miles) and by the time we got to bed it was midnight. Bob and Myra planned to get up at 4:00 so they could pack and be at the train station by 5:30 AM to check their bikes. Myra bought an alarm clock just so they could get up in time. It turns out Myra was extremely lucky last night since she had left her honey and granola in the tent all night. Fortunately, no bear decided he wanted it.

Wednesday, July 23, 1980	Day 28	50-1490

Mount Robson, BC	Campground

Bob and Myra get up at 4:00 AM today to leave as planned. When Bob got up there was a bear walking right along the edge of our camp. A little later we heard somebody from a couple campsites away chasing the bear away. It took Bob and Myra about an hour to get ready and I got up to see them off for about the last 15 minutes. It was really strange watching them leave and knowing I was alone. When I went back to bed I really felt nervous and then I suddenly realized I had put 2 donuts in my front handlebar bag and they were still there! I quickly removed them and put them on the picnic table. I got lucky this time since I could have easily lost another tent. I got up somewhere between 8:00 and 9:00 I would guess, and very slowly packed. I just didn't feel rushed at all today. I had planned to ride to Mount Edith Cavell without gear, but when I got to the train station to check my baggage all the lockers were full. Since it was already 10:00 I decided to forget about the side trip. I bought dinner for tonight and left planning on pulling over on the road somewhere tonight. Yellowhead Pass was really easy in spite of the headwind, but going down the other side was a struggle all the way. The wind just kept blowing at around 10 to 20 MPH. It made what should have been a very easy day into a rather hard day. I had planned to ride fairly late today, but by the time I had gotten to Mt Robson I decided to camp even though it was $5.00. The view of Mt Robson was spectacular and unlike in 1978 I could see the entire mountain. It was only 6:30 when I pulled into camp so I had plenty of time to set up camp, cook, and wash. When I arrived I rode around the entire campground hoping to find another biker to share costs with, but no such luck, so I decided to bite the bullet and pay. However, when the ranger came around to collect I asked if there was a break for bicycles and she said no. Then, as I was getting my money out of my bag she said If I was on a tight budget I didn't have to pay. I started to protest but she said it was all right. I was really surprised and very grateful. The temperature today was just about perfect for shorts and jersey all day long. I did have a problem of running short on water, though. I still had 20 miles to go when I was essentially out of water. The wind just really dehydrated me. Just when I thought I was going to die I came across a spring which BC had tapped for drinking water. Man, did that taste good.

Thursday, July 24, 1980	Day 29	80-1570

Blue River, BC	Free Camping on Roadside

It got pretty cold last night and I laid in my sleeping bag for a long time this morning before wanting to get up. When I finally did my tent was very wet from dew and my towels were soaked. It was still fairly chilly but not too bad. I once again took my time packing before starting out. At first I wore my warmers and wool gloves, but the gloves came off quickly and the warmers after about 10 miles. I came across a fruit truck selling fruit from the Okanogon Valley. She was selling them by the basket, but when I told her I didn't have room for that many she gave me a couple small ones. When I reached Valemont I bought a book to read which I haven't even started yet. Again today I ran into water problems. I had planned to fill an extra bottle at Canoe River, but all that was there was a rest area with no water. Blue River was 76 KM away and it was getting quite hot. I started conserving water, but was feeling very hot. I finally chewed some gum which helped quite a bit. At one river I took a break and dipped my sweat band in the water which really felt refreshing. About 15 KM from Blue River was another rest area and I stopped in. A family at the next table asked me over for some steak, tomatoes, celery, and roll. That and the long rest really hit the spot. While there another biker from Ontario came in and he got the same except for steak. He was heading back toward Ontario after going to Vancouver. By the time I left I was quite refreshed and made Blue River before I knew it. I checked the local campground and she wanted $4.50 for a single. I told her that was too much and left in search of a spot on the road. Within sight of town I found a spot on the hill that had been strip logged and the road still led up to a level spot behind a bunch of old logs. I decided that provided the cover and comfort I need. By the time I ate and wrote my journal entry it was getting dark. Just about enough time left to wash dishes and set up my tent. Tomorrow I think I'll go back into Blue River for breakfast.

Friday, July 25, 1980	Day 30	85-1655

Little Fort, BC	Overlander Campground

I got up to a mostly overcast sky this morning, but the clouds were not threatening looking at all. It was pretty warm and my tent was still dry. I packed up and rode into Blue River for breakfast as planned. The pancakes were sure a lot better than the fruit and nut roll I had yesterday. It was about 8:00 when I finished and since the store didn't open until 9:00 I continued on. It warmed up real quick and I soon had my warmers off. I stopped in Avola for lunch groceries and took a long break at the rest area just south of there. I stopped again in Vavenby for a fudgesicle and junk food break and took another lunch stop at the rest area at Birch Island. I was hoping to stay in the rest area just before Little Fort, but it was right on the edge of town and had no hidden spots at all. So, I decided to stay in the Overlander Campground which only cost $3.50 plus .25 for a 9 minute shower. My spot was very small and didn't have a picnic table. I used the table in the next spot to eat and then built a fire with the wood provided. However, I had to set my tent up much closer than I liked. The last thing I did before going to bed was take a shower. Today I carried an extra bottle of water but didn't need it since there were plenty of water stops.

Saturday, July 26, 1980	Day 31	55-1710

Kamloops, BC	Campground

I got a very late start today. Even though it was a very beautiful day I just didn't want to get up. By the time I left the sun was way up and hot and the traffic was heavy. I lost my good shoulder and now only have a very rough shoulder that's good only for emergencies. Along the way today I passed a radar trap and when I said I hoped I wasn't speeding he said I was going about 11 or 12 KM/hr. I figured that wasn't too bad since it was uphill at the time. I let my water supply run low again today. It was into the 90's and one of the little towns was nothing. I guess I'm going to have to make sure I carry an extra bottle of water as long as it is this hot. I finally got water about 23 KM from Kamloops. The thermometer said 92 and rising. The last 20 KM were really hot and not very pleasant. By the time I reached camp I was really overheated. While fixing dinner I was sweating and wishing it would cool off. Just as I was finishing it started getting a little cloudy and by the time I finished washing the dishes it was starting to drip. I'm sure glad I'm out of bear country so I could bring everything in the tent before it really started raining. At least it cooled things off and it doesn't look like it's going to continue too long. While waiting in my tent I started working on fixing my odometer. I put shoestrings through the holes and either later tonight or during one of my breaks tomorrow I will tie them to the spokes. I hope to get up and out early tomorrow to beat both the heat and traffic, both of which were really bad today. As of now I have $32 Canadian left and if I can keep my eating down I can stay in campgrounds the next 2 nights and still have enough to make it back to the states.

Sunday, July 27, 1980	Day 32	70-1780

Vernon, BC	Campground

I got up early this morning as I planned. At least it seemed early. The sun had not come over the hills yet anyway. It was just cool enough that my warmers felt good while breaking camp, but by the time I got out of town I took them off. It was partly cloudy when I got up and I hoped the clouds would stick around to help keep it cool, but they quickly cleared. I finally had a tailwind as I headed east towards the Okanogon, but when I hit highway 97 I had my work cut out for me. Right from the start there was a very steep hill which fortunately was only a couple miles long. However, I was really hot by the time I reached the top. After that it was mostly flat and downhill until about 5 miles from Vernon where there was another short hill of about a mile. This one wasn't near as steep, but it was just as hot. I'm staying the only campground I know of around here and it's not too bad. They have really nice washrooms, but for $5.00 they better. Just before camp I met a cyclist from Seattle and he told me Mount St. Helens blew again a few days ago. It sounds, though, like the ash went the other way. He also gave me his map of Washington so now I'll know where I'm going. It's a good thing I have my emergency ration of rice because the store in Falkland where I planned to get dinner was closed because it's Sunday. I don't know if Vernon had a store open, but it's still a mile away and I didn't feel like fighting the heat and traffic any more today to find out. The only rest area I saw today was only about 35 KM from Kamloops and I didn't feel it was hot enough for an extended stay so I never did fix my odometer until camp tonight. It seems to work OK with the shoestrings, but I'll find out for sure tomorrow. I developed my first real physical problem today. The tendon that runs along the shin on my right leg began hurting. As a result I really geared down a lot today and I even tightened my toe strap a little so I could pull more. It really doesn't bother me when I'm riding, but more when I walk. It's also sensitive to pressure. I had to get some more Coleman fuel tonight. I asked a guy from Washington for some which he reluctantly gave. I only had a $5.00 bill so I told him to give me back whatever he thought was fair. When he asked his wife what it cost she said it was cheap and to just give it to me. So, he gave me back my five.

Monday, July 28, 1980	Day 33	70-1850

Penticton, BC	Campground

I got up real early this morning and rode the 12 miles to Oyama before 7:45. It was pretty nice getting out that early before the heat and traffic got too bad. However, shortly after breakfast both started getting bad, especially the traffic. Up to Kelowna the shoulder was really rough and not very good riding. I had to replace my rear tire today since it was showing cord for much of the tire. I'm glad I got that tire from Diane although I probably could get one in Kelowna. However, it would have used up my Canadian money. I stopped at a McDonalds in Kelowna to fill my water bottles and decided I may as well have a Big Mac too, so I splurged. Leaving Kelowna I crossed the longest floating bridge (680 m) which is rather unusual. The road then became rather hilly, with the best downhill I've had in a long time. Due to the heat I stopped at every town and rest stop for water and rest. I got into Pentiction before 6:00 and all the campgrounds were full. I stopped at one finally and asked if she could squeeze me in. For $6.00 I got a spot just big enough for my tent behind the mailbox. To make it worse, the showers are pay showers. I did, however, go down to an empty hookup site and cook dinner on the table. Just as I was finishing and packing my stuff she put someone in the spot. After tonight I still have $6.00 Canadian left which should be just about enough for breakfast and snacks tomorrow. At the end of the day my odometer belt wasn't on anymore and it said I had gone 62 miles. I guess I'll try again tomorrow. I also know it's getting dark around 9:00 here in Pentiction. My leg didn't hurt today.

Tuesday, July 29, 1980	Day 34	73-1923

Riverside, WA	Free Town Park

I got up at 5:45 this morning in an attempt once again to beat the traffic. I was on the road by 6:30 and this time it paid off. I got to junction 3A a few miles down the road and fortunately most of the traffic took 3A to Vancouver while I took 97 to the States. Traffic was much lighter today and I didn't have to ride the bumpy shoulder very much. I carefully spent my remaining $6.00 Canadian on breakfast, peaches, cherries, 2 pens, and an ice cream. Unfortunately, I still ended up with 43¢ left. Oh well, I'll pass it off somewhere. I got back into the States with no trouble at the border and found a good shoulder on the highway. I hope all the roads in Washington are as good. I stopped at the state park near Oroville and it was real nice. I learned the camping fees are $4.50 for U.S. citizens and $6.30 for Canadians. After eating a small lunch I continued on since it was still early. I got into Tonasket around 2:00 and went to the National Forest Ranger Station where I got a state map and an Okanogon National Forest map. I'm really looking forward to the North Cascades Highway which I'll start tomorrow. I hope I can find some good hiking. I had another lunch at Tonasket before continuing on again. I had really felt good up to this point because I had a tail wind and the lack of traffic. After Tonasket, though, I got a headwind and it got pretty hot again. By the time I reached Riverside I was ready to camp. There was a real nice little park in town and the man at the grocery store and the lady at the western wear store both said it would be OK to stay there so I decided to stay. The town itself is only about a block long with some surrounding houses, but so far I like it. I guess my odometer is working pretty good. I guessed about 74 miles today and it read 73.6. That's pretty good confirmation. Once again today my leg didn't hurt so I guess whatever caused it the other day was a passing thing. Of course, I haven't hit any really steep hills the past two days either.

Wednesday, July 30, 1980	Day 35	65-1988

Near Mazama, WA	Early Winters Campground

I got up fairly early again this morning only because I went to bed early last night. It wasn't even really dark yet when I turned in. It was almost 7:30, though when I reached Omak for breakfast. There were 4 or 5 cafes on main street. Three of them looked empty and a 4th I couldn't see in. But there were cars parked in front of it. Also, there was a sign for a breakfast special for $1.50. So, I decided to try my luck and for a change I guessed right. The special was only 2 eggs, hash browns, and toast, but I also ordered 2 hot cakes and they were huge. I had almost ordered 3, but I'm sure glad I didn't. The whole thing was only $2.89 including tax. Not far from Omak I caught Hwy 20 west and started climbing immediately. For about a mile it was really steep and I was really wishing I had a triple. I climbed for about 15 miles to the top of Loup Loup Pass which wasn't even on the map. The summit was only 4020 feet so I must have started pretty low to do so much climbing. I stayed on top for a while before starting my descent. I only went about 1/2 mile when I passed a small campground so I stopped in the have lunch. I shared a table with a Washington family traveling with 2 dogs, 1 cat, and a duck. I talked with them for quite a while before taking a good descent into Twisp. I got into Twisp around 2:45 and since it was 3:00 by the time I did some grocery shopping I decided I'd stick around Until 3:30 (4:30 Denver time) and give Stacey a call and see how things are. However, the line was busy for 15 minutes and I finally went on to Winthrop. The ride from Twisp to Winthrop was really easy and I got there in no time. I tried once again to call Stacey and this time I got through. Everything seems to OK except I don't think she is watering my grass, which I really didn't expect anyway. Winthrop is a tourist town made to look like an 1860 town. That didn't interest me at all, although I did eat lunch in a very nice park just on the outskirts of town. When I left Winthrop for the campground about 16 miles away I had a headwind. However, it seemed to have cooled off some and I made pretty good time anyway since the terrain was mostly flat with a few rolling hills. The campground is small but really nice. The sites are rather large and not too close together. Also, there aren't too many people. This campground is supposed to be $3.00, but all I have is a 10 and a 1 so if they want their money they will have come get it. It was pretty cold this morning in comparison to past mornings. I had to put my warmers and on my hands got cold packing. In fact I wore my wool gloves until I finally got in the sun. After breakfast, though, I took the warmers off.

Thursday, July 31, 1980	Day 36	20-2008

Washington Pass, WA Hwy 20	Lone Fir Campground

I wasn't in any hurry to get up this morning and by the time I got going it was already hot. I had a wonderful breakfast of peanut butter sandwiches since I forgot to buy any breakfast items yesterday. Before taking off I went to the ranger station and got several ideas for hikes. The first one was only a mile or two up the road on Cedar Creek. I had to ride about 3/4 mile up a gravel road to the start, but it was a nice hike of about 1 to 1 1/2 miles to a small waterfall. I then went up a very steep hill to Klipchuck Campground to take a trail from there. This trail was strictly in the woods and after about a mile I decided it was too hot and headed back. I then rode up to Lone Fir Campground and set up camp. I decided since I was only 6 or 7 miles from the summit I'd ride an unloaded bike to the top. I was in low gear most of the way and really began wondering about riding it tomorrow with gear. However, it was a beautiful pass and was worth the effort. I then came back to Cutthroat Creek and after a mile of steep climbing took a trail to Cutthroat Lake. Since the sun was just about to go behind the mountains when I started it was a very fast 2 miles up and 2 miles back. It's a shame I had to rush it because it was a very pretty little lake. On the way back I was really hurrying and my sunglasses fell out of my pocket. I didn't realize it until 1/4 or 1/2 mile later and I had to back track to find them. On all three hikes I didn't meet any other people. By the time I got back to camp I was pretty tired. In camp I met another rider from Denver on his way to the Olympic Peninsula. At first I had hopes of riding with him, but he was hurrying and doing 100+ miles a day. By the time I finished eating and doing the dishes it was really getting dark.

Friday, August 1, 1980	Day 37	50-2058

Newhalem, WA	Goodell Creek Campground

I got up rather late again today, but it was still pretty chilly. I even wore my wool gloves until I was ready to leave and then I wore my warmers for a couple miles. Going up the pass with gear wasn't much harder than going up yesterday without gear. I was probably turning a little slower, but not that much. Going down the other side was really cold and I almost put my warmers back on when I finally started going up Rainy Pass which was only 1/2 to 1 mile long and not real steep. From Rainy Pass I hiked up to Lake Ann about 2 miles away. It was a very beautiful hike and I was going to continue up the ridge, but it started clouding up and since I didn't have any rain wear I decided I better go back down. The ride down the other side wasn't as easy as it should have been because of a cold stiff headwind which forced me to put my warmers on. I had to pedal most of the way. I stopped again at the Ross Dam Trail and hiked the 3/4 mile to the dam. It was very impressive and very windy on the dam. The hike back up really seemed hard since I was getting tired and hungry. The last 14 miles into Newhalem seemed forever and toward the end there was a series of small hills and 3 tunnels. One was a very narrow 1 lane tunnel for westbound only and I really didn't like it at all. I was really glad to see Newhalem and a store. The campground was then only 1 mile further and only cost $1.00 to stay. Since I had a buck I paid for the first time since I've been in Washington. While cooking dinner it sprinkled very lightly, but it is cloudy so more may be on the way. Also, I am once again in bear country. There are small signs on the message board warning about bears, and when I asked the ranger he said there was a possibility of bears. It doesn't seem to be a real problem, though, since he didn't mention any recent encounters. Still, I took all my food out of the panniers and placed it in a plastic bag on the table. I also left all my panniers on my bike and only took my camera and clothes in the tent with me.

Saturday, August 2, 1980	Day 38	45-2103

10 Miles West of Darrington, WA	French Creek Campground

I awoke early (I think) to the sound of dripping rain. It was barely beginning to rain so since it was light I decided to bring my rear panniers in the vestibule regardless of the threat of bears. I then went back to bed and laid there for a long time. I finally got up and ate my donuts and considered staying at Goodell Creek all day. However, it seemed pretty light to the west and was only occasionally misting so I decided to pack and move on. It must have been pretty late because by the time I got to Marblemount only 14 miles away it was noon. I stopped at a restaurant for a very bad chef salad and very slow service. However, while I was there the hardest rain of the day passed over and I was dry. A few miles out of town I was able to take my rain gear off for a while before it started drizzling again. About 5 miles out of Darrington it stopped raining again and I stopped and bought some lunch meat for lunch and dinner. As I was eating "lunch" I found out it was already 5:00. So, I decided to stay at French Creek only 8-10 miles down the road. It started misting again, but not very bad. The campground was about 1 mile off the highway on a very nice dirt road. It only has 10 sites and no water, but it's very nice. Just after I finished setting up my tent it started raining fairly hard again, but there were enough trees that I could stay out and eat. I don't see any signs warning of bears, but I'm still being careful and leaving all food and food bags on the table. I was really wrong about this campground. It turns out I just saw the first loop. There are several more sites further up the road. Unfortunately, there are also some real assholes in here. A couple sites up someone is playing their music way too loud and further up several drunks just scream every now and then.

Sunday, August 3, 1980	Day 39	70-2173

Bothell, WA	KOA

I got up pretty early today not knowing whether I was going into Seattle and go home or try to get close today and then go into Seattle and tour tomorrow before going to the airport. Although it was cloudy it showed signs of breaking up so I decided to take my time and try to get close to Seattle and hope to find a campground. The roads were really good and with a slight tailwind it was hard not to go all the way into Seattle. The shoulder disappeared for a while after Snohomish, but it wasn't too bad. When I got to Hwy 522 which I planned to take into Seattle I found it was a freeway and closed to bicycles. I found a road on the blow up of Seattle that I thought I could take, but as I was starting to turn around I saw a bicyclist head west on a road a block or two away. I decided to follow him if I could. I eventually lost him on a very steep hill, but I saw him turn left near the top. I also saw several cars turn there so I decided I would too. Just as I turned the corner a female cyclist came toward me. I stopped her and asked if I could get to Seattle this way. She then told me of a bike path starting a mile or so down the road that would take me to Bothell where I could catch another path to Seattle. She then rode with me to the start of the path and part way along it. She was a very nice person and I was sorry to see her turn around. When I got to Bothell I found another cyclist to tell me how to get to the other bike path. It turned out the couple I was talking to moved to Seattle from Denver a couple years ago. After getting the directions real clear I stopped and asked a guy about a campground. He told me of one about 3 miles the opposite way I wanted to go, but since I wasn't sure where there were any others and it was only 20 miles at most to Seattle I decided to use it. It turned out to be a very expensive KOA which charged me $8.75 plus tax to stay there. However, since this was my last night and I really wanted a shower and to do my laundry before going home tomorrow I decided to take it. As I expected I got a real crappy site, but at least it was dry. I got in early enough that my tent completely dried.

Monday, August 4, 1980	Day 40	40-2213

Denver, CO	Home

I didn't get up real early today since it got pretty cold last night. Unfortunately, it also got very damp due to dew. So, I packed a wet tent for the last time. When I finally left I didn't have any problem finding the bike trail into Seattle. It was pretty nice going right around the lake. When I got into town I stopped to look at the map and a local cyclist stopped to help me. He gave me a route to the Space Needle and the airport on roads which supposedly were 4 lanes with a wide shoulder. Well, I got to the Space Needle without too much problem, but I didn't see much of a shoulder. The Space Needle was interesting, but I was really disappointed in the view. It was very hazy either from smog or fog. I then went over to the international bazaar and looked around a little and then to the food circus where restaurants of various kinds are. I then took a short ride on the monorail to downtown Seattle where I just happened to see the Clydesdales. Afterwards I came back and decided to head toward the airport. Again I was on a 4 lane road with no shoulder. When I got to Hwy 99 it really got busy for a while. Then somehow I ended up on Hwy 509 going to the airport. The highway was a freeway and on the entrance ramps I could see signs that said "Motor Vehicles Only" although I never did see any the way I came. I rode on the freeway for 10 to 15 miles and was only about 2 miles or less from the airport when a cop stopped me. He forced me to get off onto a road that didn't have an access to the airport. I followed the road around to another entrance to the airport which also said "Motor Vehicles Only". Since I could see the terminal I decided to take it anyway and hope I didn't see the cop again. Just as I pulled up to the terminal I saw a cop car parked there, but fortunately no sign of a cop. I checked the air lines and found only Continental and United flew to Denver. Since it was 2:00 and United had a 3:25 flight I decided to try United. I was able to get a ticket after standing in line. I then stood in line to check some of my baggage and get a claim check for my bike. Then I had to go downstairs and check the bike. They forced me to box it which wasn't easy. I only had to turn the handlebar and take off the pedals except it was too long so I had to take off the front wheel. I had a lot of trouble fitting the front wheel in with the bike and the extra long skewer I was using was poking out the box. I didn't like the way it was packed, but I was running out of time so I left it the way it was. Finally, I went back upstairs to check my panniers. The line was really slow and it was 3:10 before I got my bags checked. Afterwards it was a rush to the gate which included a subway trip to the gates. There I found the plane was going to load at least 10 minutes late so I had plenty of time to wash up. I fortunately had a window seat since the mountains were really pretty. Mt Rainier and other tall mountains were poking through the clouds and we were barely above them. All the way home there were mountains ranges off and on. We landed in Denver about 6:35 and I was really worried about getting home before dark. I watched them unload my gear and then went to the bathroom. By the time I got to the baggage claim area my gear and bike were there already. I found the front skewer bent rather badly and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to straighten it. Fortunately I did and quickly loaded my bike. Things went so well that I got home just at sunset around 8:10. Of course, the sun had gone behind the mountains a little earlier.

Tuesday, August 5, 1980	Epilogue

Now that its's the day after and I've had time to reflect on my trip I think I'll never tour alone again. The trip was so much fun with the group of four. However, when I was by myself it was quite different. I still enjoyed the trip, but things such as the heat, heavy traffic, and loneliness really got to me a lot more during the 2 weeks I was alone. I found myself thinking of home a lot more when I was alone than when with the group. Still, the North Cascades was worth the extra 2 weeks alone. They are very impressive and well worth seeing.

This is the journal of a four month bicycle trip beginning on June 12, 1978. The proposed route is to head from Denver, Colorado to Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Glacier Park in Montana, Banff and Jasper in Alberta, Canada, make a loop into British Columbia, head east to Ontario, drop into Michigan and Wisconsin, pass through St. Louis, and finally return to Denver.

The participants are:	John Price (me)

Ed Hauser

Jane Goslin ( as far as Yellowstone)

Linda Landis (as far as Yellowstone)

1	06/12	55.0	55.0	C	5 miles west of Loveland, CO - Riverview CG

2	06/13	55.0	110.0	C	3 miles south of Virginia Dale, CO - Community Presbyterian Church

3	06/14	60.0	170.0	M	Centennial, WY - Motel

4	06/15	50.0	220.0	C	Saratoga, WY - Saratoga Lake

5	06/16	40.0	260.0	C	Rawlins, WY - KOA

6	06/17	50.0	310.0	C	7 Miles West of Muddy Gap - Split Rock Historical Site Stealth Camping

7	06/18	65.0	375.0	C	9 Miles South of Lander, WY - Taft Ranch

8	06/19	45.0	420.0	C	Bull Lake - Field at once was Bull Lake Lodge

9	06/20	55.0	475.0	C	14 Miles West of Dubois, WY - KOA

10	06/21	50.0	525.0	C	Teton National Park - Colter Bay

11	06/22	40.0	565.0	C	Teton National Park - Colter Bay

12	06/23	40.0	605.0	C	Yellowstone National Park - Grant Village

13	06/24	60.0	665.0	C	Yellowstone National Park - Tower Falls

14	06/25	55.0	720.0	C	Yellowstone National Park - Madison

15	06/26	85.0	805.0	C	Ennis, MT - Campground

16	06/27	70.0	875.0	C	Dillon, MT - KOA

17	06/28	85.0	960.0	C	Chief Joseph Pass (West of Wisdom, MT) - National Forest CG

18	06/29	75.0	1035.0	C	Stevensville, MT

19	06/30	25.0	1060.0	C	Missoula, MT - KOA

20	07/01	55.0	1115.0	C	Sealy Lake, MT - Sealy Lake CG

21	07/02	55.0	1170.0	C	Swan Lake, MT - Behind country store

22	07/03	45.0	1215.0	C	South of Glacier, MT - KOA

23	07/04	45.0	1260.0	C	Glacier National Park - Rising Sun CG

24	07/05	45.0	1305.0	C	Waterton National Park, AB

25	07/06	50.0	1355.0	C	Standoff, AB - Free CG

26	07/07	65.0	1420.0	C	Nanton, AB - Camping

27	07/08	60.0	1480.0	C	Calgary, AB - KOA

28	07/09	65.0	1545.0	C	Canmore, AB - Camping

29	07/10	20.0	1565.0	C	Banff National park, AB - Johnston's Canyon CG

30	07/11	60.0	1625.0	C	Banff National Park, AB - Waterfowl CG

31	07/12	60.0	1685.0	C	Banff National Park, AB - Jonas Creek CG

32	07/13	50.0	1735.0	C	Jasper, AB - Free CG

33	07/14	60.0	1795.0	C	12 Miles East of Tete Jeune, BC - Mt. Robson CG

34	07/15	85.0	1880.0	C	10 Miles South of Blue River, BC - Free Camping

35	07/16	80.0	1960.0	C	2 Miles North of Barriere, BC - Free camp at roadside picnic area

36	07/17	40.0	2000.0	C	Kamloops, BC - Campground

37	07/18	75.0	2075.0	C	Salmon Arm, BC - Campground

38	07/19	85.0	2160.0	C	Albert Canyon Hot Springs, BC - Hot Springs Campground

39	07/20	70.0	2230.0	C	Golden, BC - City Campground

40	07/21	60.0	2290.0	C	Lake Louise, AB - Lake Louise CG

41	07/22	55.0	2345.0	C	Banff National Park, AB - Waterfowl Lake CG

42	07/23	60.0	2405.0	C	Banff National Park, AB - Johnstons Canyon CG

43	07/24	20.0	2425.0	C	Canmore, AB - Provincial Park

44	07/25	90.0	2515.0	C	Strathmore, AB - Lambert Park

45	07/26	90.0	2605.0	C	5 Miles East of Brooks, AB - Tillebrook Campground

46	07/27	130.0	2735.0	C	Piapot, SK - Campground

47	07/28	65.0	2800.0	C	Swift Current, SK - Campground

48	07/29	110.0	2910.0	C	Moose Jaw, SK - Campground

49	07/30	60.0	2970.0	C	McLean, SK - Trans Canada Campground

50	07/31	55.0	3025.0	C	Grenfell, SK - Campground

51	08/01	70.0	3095.0	C	Moose Mountain, SK - Moose Mountain Park Campground

52	08/02	105.0	3200.0	C	Deleau, MB - Free Town Park

53	08/03	85.0	3285.0	C	Treherne, MB - KOA Campground

54	08/04	80.0	3365.0	C	Winnipeg, MB

55	08/05	90.0	3455.0	C	2 Miles East of West Hawk, MB - Campground

56	08/06	75.0	3530.0	C	45 Miles West of Dryden, ON - Free Camping

57	08/07	55.0	3585.0	C	2 Miles East of Wabigoon, ON - Kieffer's Lane Pine Camp

58	08/08	75.0	3660.0	C	10 Miles West of English River, ON - Free Roadside Camping

59	08/09	105.0	3765.0	C	Kakabeka Falls, ON - Happyland Campground

60	08/10	50.0	3815.0	C	30 Miles East of Thunder Bay, ON - Fall Lake

61	08/11	45.0	3860.0	C	10 Miles East of Nipigon, ON - Free Camping

62	08/12	60.0	3920.0	C	10 Miles East of Terrace Bay - Free Camping

63	08/13	65.0	3985.0	C	20 Miles West of White River, ON - White Lake Lodge Campground

64	08/14	75.0	4060.0	C	Wawa, ON - Big Sky Trailer Park

65	08/15	65.0	4125.0	C	Montreal River Harbor, ON

66	08/16	80.0	4205.0	C	Sault Ste Marie, ON - Bells Point Beach Campground

67	08/17	10.0	4215.0	C	Sault Ste Marie, MI - Sherman Park Free Campground

68	08/18	40.0	4255.0	C	Strongs, MI - National Forest Campground

69	08/19	50.0	4305.0	C	North Manistique Lake, MI - Campground

70	08/20	55.0	4360.0	C	Fox River State Campground - Campground

71	08/21	60.0	4420.0	C	Munising, MI - Munising Campground

72	08/22	40.0	4460.0	C	Marquette, MI - Campground

73	08/23	65.0	4525.0	C	Covington, MI - Do Drop Inn's Lawn

74	08/24	70.0	4595.0	C	Wakefield, MI - Commercial Campground for Free

75	08/25	25.0	4620.0	C	Upson, WI - Free Campground

76	08/26	75.0	4695.0	C	Earl, WI - Campground

77	08/27	55.0	4750.0	C	Cumberland, WI - Local Campground

78	08/28	50.0	4800.0	C	Exeland, WI - Free Town Park

79	08/29	45.0	4845.0	C	Cornell, WI - Brunet Island State Park

80	08/30	55.0	4900.0	C	Rock Falls, WI - Free Town Park

81	08/31	75.0	4975.0	C	Black River Falls, WI

82	09/01	60.0	5035.0	C	Elroy, WI - Elroy Town Fairgrounds

83	09/02	50.0	5085.0	C	Baraboo, WI - Hickory Grove Campground

84	09/03	65.0	5150.0	C	Glarus, WI

85	09/04	65.0	5215.0	C	Milton, WI - Free Town Park

86	09/05	80.0	5295.0	C	Rockford, IL - Rock Cut State Park

87	09/06	80.0	5375.0	C	Ottawa, IL - Starved Rock State Park

88	09/07	65.0	5440.0	C	Moraine View State Park, IL

89	09/08	70.0	5510.0	C	New Salem State Park, IL - Campground

90	09/09	60.0	5570.0	C	Beaver Dam State Park, IL - Campground

91	09/10	40.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/11	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/12	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/13	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/14	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/15	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/16	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

91	09/17	0.0	5610.0	M	Belridge, MO - Mom's House

92	09/18	80.0	5690.0	C	Mineola, MO - Free Camping on Roadside

93	09/19	55.0	5745.0	C	12 Miles North of Columbia, MO - Old Girl Scout Camp

94	09/20	75.0	5820.0	C	Backburn, MO - Town Park Free Camping

95	09/21	85.0	5905.0	C	Platte City, MO - Commercial Campground

96	09/22	105.0	6010.0	C	Fostoria, KS - City Park Free Camping

97	09/23	70.0	6080.0	C	Concordia, KS - Free Airport Park

98	09/24	100.0	6180.0	C	Glade, KS - Free Camping at Church

99	09/25	85.0	6265.0	C	Oberlin, KS - Free Camping at Rest Area

100	09/26	100.0	6365.0	C	Idalia, CO - Free Camp at High School Football Field

101	09/27	70.0	6435.0	C	Last Chance, CO - Free Camping at Town Park

102	09/28	75.0	6510.0	M	Denver, CO - Bob Adamek's House

Epilog

Monday, June 12, 1978	Day 1	55 - 55

5 miles west of Loveland, CO	Riverview CG

Perfect day to start a trip. High around 85-90. Perfectly clear sky and very little wind. Camped at Riverview CG just 5 miles west of Loveland, CO. Left Denver around 9:00 AM and arrived in camp around 6:00 PM. Took pictures 1-10 of roll 1 today.

Tuesday, June 13, 1978	Day 2	55 - 110

3 miles south of Virginia Dale, CO	Community Presbyterian Church

Hotter than Hell! Probably wasn't hotter than 85-90, but the sun was bearing down with no shade. Probably rode about 55 miles. Went through Masonville to Ft. Collins via Horsetooth Reservoir. Tried to go up Poudre Canyon to Cameron Pass. The pass was close due to 8 feet of snow and muddy roads. Decided to take highway 287 to Virginia Dale instead. Stopped three miles short of Virginia Dale at the Community Presbyterian Church to camp. Really was a nice place to stay. The day was really super. Saw six antelope along the road. Linda went crazy today trying to get truckers to honk their horns. We were warned about rattlesnakes today, but didn't see any. Took pictures 11-26.

Wednesday, June 14, 1978	Day 3	60-170

Centennial, WY	Motel

Another beautiful day sun wise. Everyone but Ed is at least a little sunburned. The inside of my legs just above the knees are on fire. The road to Laramie was great except for the trucks which carried a lot of wind. As soon as we crossed the Wyoming border the wind noticeably increased - no lie! We ate at Dairy Queen for lunch. Continued west on 130 to Centennial. The wind and sun were pretty bad. We decided not to continue up a steep hill two miles to a campground since Jane was very tired. We stayed in a motel as a result. At least we got a hot bath. Saw quite a few antelope.	Finished roll 1 of film.

Thursday, June 15, 1978	Day 4	50-220

Saratoga, WY	Saratoga Lake

Sunny again today, but again it was very windy. The ride over Snowy Range Road was really pretty. Near the top some of the drifts were 15- 20 feet. Going up the wind would practically stop us at times. Linda and Jane were only 20-30 minutes behind us going up. Coming down there was several miles of snow on both sides. When we got into Saratoga the only place to camp was at the lake just north of town. The people didn't seem very friendly in Saratoga. We tried to camp in town, but the woman told us campers (RVs) only. The old man at the lake was very nice and let us stay for free. The normal charge was $3.00 for nothing - including water. So much for Saratoga. Met two very old cyclists going the other way. I need brake pads, but couldn't find any in Saratoga.

Friday, June 16, 1978	Day 5	40-260

Rawlins, WY	KOA

Fairly easy day today. Twenty easy miles to Wolcott and twenty hard miles to Rawlins thanks to the wind. The wind was so strong it completely straightened a 15x25 foot flag. We helped put the flag up which was really hard in the wind. For the help the KOA manager gave us all a free ice cream. Saw two bikers going the other way - no contact. Rode with a biker, Robert Finken, going our way for a while, but he got tired of our slow pace. Met another biker from California going the other way at the KOA. Spent the night with him. Washed clothes tonight so once again we will be human. It was hard cooking due to the wind. The wind is still blowing fairly strong tonight at 10:00. It is also blowing in some clouds. Total other bikers now is six. Got my brake pads in a Western Auto.

Saturday, June 17, 1978	Day 6	50-310

7 Miles West of Muddy Gap	Split Rock Historical Site Stealth Camping

The wind never did stop last night. A few drops of rain during the night, but was negligible. The wind blew strong again all day today. I hope it stops soon. Ed lost one of the bolts to his carrier today. He fixed it with a piece of wire and won't stop for a bolt. My knees were bothering me a bit today. I hope it was just the cool wind causing it. Really got ripped at Lamont. 65¢ for a roll which was stale. Finally got a bit of a tail wind between Lamont and Muddy Gap. Wow! Stayed about seven miles west of Muddy Gap in a historical site. It was illegal, but nice since we could really get out of everyone's view. The mosquitoes were unbearable. We set up the tents and jumped in quick. Saw another biker going the other way during a six mile stretch of dirt. He said there are others behind him. Total other bikers is now seven. It was cold this morning. Finished roll 2 of film.

Sunday, June 18, 1978	Day 7	65-375

9 Miles South of Lander, WY	Taft Ranch

Started the day by riding 15 miles to Jeffrey City for breakfast. The waitress had two tables and was swamped. We decided not to leave a tip. While in Jeffrey City four other cyclists caught up with us going our way. One was from Ft. Collins, one from Colorado Springs, and one from Ohio. The two small fingers on the Ohioan's right hand were spastic from handlebar pressure. We talked to them for quite a while. Total other bikers is now 11. We saw our first deer today while coming into Jeffrey City. The wind was really atrocious again today. Had to pedal down what would have been some really good down hills. The scenery was really boring for 50 miles except for snow capped mountains in the distance. The last 15 got a little more vegetation and rolling terrain to break the monotony. Linda got really tired today. I try to block wind for Linda and Jane, but it doesn't work too well. About five miles out of camp Linda ran into me. She was about 30 feet behind me when I stopped to get a picture. Next thing I knew she hit me and was on the ground. No damage done since only the panniers hit. She cut her finger and scraped her leg. The wind is not dying again.

Monday, June 19, 1978	Day 8	45-420

Bull Lake	Field at once was Bull Lake Lodge

Last night's campground was one of the best yet. The people were really nice and the ground was level and had grass. The name was Taft Ranch. We had a little rain last night along with a lot of wind. The rain didn't amount to anything and the wind stopped around 11:00. Today's ride was fairly easy since the wind finally quit except for the last 2 or 3 miles when it became it's normal head wind. We camped in a field which use to be a trailer park at Bull Lake Lodge on the Wind River Indian Reservation. We managed to eat dinner and were just getting ready to wash the dishes when the wind tried to blow us away. I sure hope my tent survives the night. We saw four more bikers going in the other direction. Total of 15 now. May have been more because one gal we saw was going with the wind just as we poked our heads out of the tent. I doubt if she was alone. Two of the four we saw today were women.

Tuesday, June 20, 1978	Day 9	55-475

14 Miles West of Dubois, WY	KOA

Saw three more bikers go by this morning as we were breaking camp. Total now is 18. The wind blew for quite a while last night, but the tents held. Rode into Crow Heart for breakfast and ate at Coffee Tim. The coffee was 10¢ for unlimited amount. Hot cakes were 3 huge ones for $1.25. When ordering I asked how big they were, and the owner said regulation size. First reasonable place we ate at. Very little wind today so we covered a lot of ground in no time. It was so nice to be able to push high gears and to coast down hills again. As we approached the red walls of Wind River about 20 miles out of Dubois I really got psyched up again and just flew for a while. We stayed at a KOA 14 miles west of Dubois where he was originally going to charge $3 per person. I talked him into the camper rate of $4.00 for two plus .50 for each additional person for a total of $5.00. One of the four bikers we met in Jeffrey City came in later and stayed with us. He had been fishing and had caught three trout. About 10:00 it really started blowing and a cold rain started to fall. First test of Gore Tex.

Wednesday, June 21, 1978	Day 10	50-525

Teton National Park	Colter Bay

My tent leaked a little last night. The seam on the floor leaked a little as did the seam to one of the pockets. The seam to the may have leaked or it may have been condensation. I sure wish I had some seam seal. Togwatee Pass was as hard as Snowy Range for me, but everyone else thought it was easier. Of course, my rear tire was a little low. All the campgrounds in Teton Park were full by the time we arrived, so we rented a tent cabin for $11.00. Ed was rather pissed about that since if we had been alone we could have camped somewhere. Saw five more bikers today. Total now is 23. Two went by as we were breaking camp, and we met two on top of Togwatee Pass. The 5th was at Colter Bay in the park. Also in Colter Bay were the four bikers we first met in Jeffrey City. They had laid over a day in Lander. The four of them were going to stay in a group campground without a permit. Ed and I would have liked to join them except for the girls. Finished roll 3 of film.

Thursday, June 22, 1978	Day 11	40-565

Teton National Park	Colter Bay

We just rode around Teton Park today and took it easy. Ed didn't ride with us since he met someone he knew. String Lake was really pretty, as was Jenny Lake. We didn't see any new bicyclists today. We met Robert again, the cyclist we met coming out of Saratoga on the 16th. He never did find the bike shop in Rawlins and he stayed in a cemetery that night. We reserved tonight's campsite at 9:00 this morning for 50¢ a head. The last of the 4 cyclists we met in Jeffrey City also came in this afternoon. He had gotten a flat on Togwatee Pass and the others left him. They rejoined tonight since the others laid over another day. They did stay in the group campground the other night for free.

Friday, June 23, 1978	Day 12	40-605

Yellowstone National Park	Grant Village

Saw 10 more bikers today. Total now is 33. Left Linda in Colter Bay to wait for Ron while we rode to Yellowstone. About 30-35 miles out Ron and Linda caught us. We met them again at Grant Village in Yellowstone. Traffic wasn't near as bad as I had been led to expect. Whenever a string of traffic would come toward us I would get in the middle of the lane to keep traffic going our way from cutting it too close. Of course, there are always a few assholes. When we got to the campground it was full as we expected, but we looked around anyway. We got a couple of offers to share sites, but then we heard they were going to open a new loop. We were the first ones in and got a pretty good site. We locked our bikes to the tables, put our gear in Ron's car and drove up to Old Faithful. I was really disappointed in the geyser. We ate at the lodge and dropped $5.00. When it was time for Ron, Linda, and Jane to leave I really felt nervous and alone. It suddenly hit me we were on our own. I really felt WE WERE ALONE!

Saturday, June 24, 1978	Day 13	60-665

Yellowstone National Park	Tower Falls

Ed spilled jelly on his boots in the bags. Got up at 7:00 this morning and were on the road by 8:00. Man, was it cold. We saw six more cyclists today. Total 39. There was a group of 2 guys and a woman and another group of 2 women. The other guy was just on a 3 day trip around Yellowstone. He had his sleeping bag stolen while at a store yesterday, so we're not letting our stuff out of our sight. Most of the terrain today was rolling hills until the last 19 miles when we went over Dunraven Pass. It was a 5 mile up and a 14 miles down. It's about time we got a good downhill. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone was really impressive. The falls and depth of the canyon were amazing. We finally saw some moose today, including a bull, cow, and 2 calves. The campground was full when we arrived so we just found a spot and pitched our tents. The ranger came around later and made us pay the $2.00 fee. We met another biker who had an early winter tent. He is really happy with his. I almost ran over 3 big horn sheep standing on the road coming down Dunraven Pass. Ed saw some buffalo today.

Sunday, June 25, 1978	Day 14	55-720

Yellowstone National Park	Madison

Today was not the best of cycling days. We got up and it was snowing lightly, but not sticking. It had rained some during the night. We didn't get up until 8:00 and were freezing by the time we broke camp and went the 1/4 mile downhill to the store. We only had donuts for breakfast again and bologna for lunch. This is not enough. My camera is jammed and will not work anymore. We saw another cow moose and a calf today. Also saw some more elk. Mammoth Hot Springs was pretty impressive. The terrain between Tower and Mammoth was rolling hills. Coming out of Mammoth we had a 5-6 mile climb followed by a fairly flat stretch. About 2 miles out of Norris it started raining and I got to try my Gore Tex rain gear. I was very satisfied with the way it worked. It kept me dry and warm from without and within. We pushed on down a 14 mile gentle hill against a head wind to Madison. The campground said full, but there were 3 sites empty so we took one. The other two went within 5 minutes. Good timing. We didn't have any food, but our neighbor gave us some peanut butter and salami. High today was 45-50. It snowed on Dunraven Pass today. Finished roll 4.

Monday, June 26, 1978	Day 15	85-805

Ennis, MT	Campground

Saw 15 more cyclists today. Total = 54. We got up around 8:00 today and rode a cold 14 miles into West Yellowstone. On the way there were some elk right on the road and very nearby. I stopped and was staring eye to eye with an elk. Had breakfast in West Yellowstone, and then bought some emergency rations (rice) so we would never be out of food like we were last night. From West Yellowstone we continued predominantly downhill and with no wind or a tail wind. We had a head wind for about 5-10 miles while a small storm passed over. No rain though. I found out my camera isn't broken after all. The release has a safety catch and somehow that got put on. What a relief. We didn't leave West Yellowstone until almost noon. The cycling was so easy, though, we still did another 70 miles by 6:30. The campground was just outside of Ennis, and turned out to be free for cyclists. It would otherwise have been only $1.00. The mosquitos were pretty bad since we were right on the Madison River, but the Off is working. The only thing is there is not drinking water. Fortunately, I got Ed to fill the water bottles about 10 miles from the campground.

Tuesday, June 27, 1978	Day 16	70-875

Dillon, MT	KOA

14 more bikers. Total = 68. One of the bikers was a Canadian woman traveling by herself. She was very interesting to talk to. I noticed a patch on my tire which is down to the cord. We traveled mostly downhill with a tail wind. All we did was ride in big valleys except fro the 9 mile climb out of Ennis. The temperature was fairly warm this morning. At least we didn't freeze. We ate breakfast in a restaurant in Ennis. By the time we arrived in Dillon my rear tire had several spots of cord showing including a 2-3 inch patch, so I decided to buy a new tire. Had to settle for a 70 lb tire for $4.70. We stayed at a KOA for $5.00 simply for the shower and laundry. We did our laundry first which took 2 hours thanks to a lady with about 10 loads. We then showered and ate. By this time it was 10:00 and too late for me to change my tire. Lots of skunk on the highway today. I sure wish they wouldn't get hit.

Wednesday, June 28, 1978	Day 17	85-960

Chief Joseph Pass (West of Wisdom, MT)	National Forest CG

6 more bikers. Total = 74. We did 2 passes today for a total of about 15 miles uphill. The rest of the time was mostly downhill. Between Jackson and Wisdom we had a good tail wind and did 19 miles in 50 minutes. The mosquitos in the valley around Wisdom are terrible. We stopped in Wisdom and almost got carried away. We camped in a National Forest campground about 17 miles west of Wisdom and the mosquitos were still very thick. Fortunately the OFF works on most of them. Before leaving this morning I switched my front SEKAI to the rear and put the new Schwinn 70 lb tire on the front. Fortunately it was pretty warm this morning. There were at least 5 snakes sunning themselves bout 20-30 feet from our camp this morning. Tomorrow we will probably hit Missoula. I found a bit of mold on my tent this morning, but it seems to have washed off OK.

Thursday, June 29, 1978	Day 18	75-1035

Stevensville, MT	Camping

13 more bikers today. Total = 87. Ed and I split up temporary today. He rode to Sula for breakfast (22 miles away) while I fixed oatmeal at camp. The mosquitos were still swarming. I didn't leave camp until 11:00. We then climbed Chief Joseph Pass for 7 miles, of which only 3 were of any consequence. Then there was a steep 7% 7 1/2 mile downhill followed by a more gradual downhill for about 20 miles. About 40 miles out we toasted our 1000 mile mark as we rode and shortly thereafter our troubles began. At Derby Ed's bungy broke but he had a replacement. Then his spring broke on his panniers. Fortunately, we were able to put it back together. In Hamilton a shower passed over which we watched from Safeway. As we were leaving I ran over something and got a flat on the rear. Then, between Hamilton and Stevensville we passed a lot of freshly cut hay and rye and Ed had a bad attack of hay fever. We had to stop at a store for ice to get the swelling down in Ed's eyes. Ed asked a lady to use her truck mirror. She said sure, but don't crack it. 9 of the 13 bikers we saw were from Holland. Very few mosquitos tonight.

Friday, June 30, 1978	Day 19	25-1060

Missoula, MT	KOA

Saw 5 bikers on the road. Saw enough in Missoula to put us over 100. We got up at 7:30 this morning and rode 5 miles to Florence for breakfast. As we were leaving Florence our troubles began again. When Ed stepped on his pedals to go he broke a spoke. He had the wrong freewheel remover so we couldn't replace the spoke. He didn't want to adjust the other spokes to make it rideable so he hitched into Missoula while I rode. The guy he got a ride with took him all the way to a bike shop. Ed also stopped at an Exxon station and left a message for me. I just happened to stop there for air and this guy comes out and asks me if I'm looking for Ed Hauser. Surprise! While at the shop my front tire went flat. I decided to fix it later. It took all day to get Ed's wheel fixed so we walked to the Bikecentennial Headquarters and to several bike shops looking for bike shoes for Ed. Didn't find any that fit. Bikecentennial was just a little room. What a disappointment. I got caught in a very heavy rain while riding over to the hostel to see about staying there tonight. It was full so we stayed at a KOA a couple miles out of town. The guy at the bike shop got rid of my squeak by putting a heavier oil on the chain. I also bought another tire. Missoula is surprisingly big. We were advised not to take 93 to the north due to heavy traffic. Think we'll take the advice. Met a weird motorcyclist who just came back from Canada. My care package from Jane is not in Missoula.

Saturday, July 1, 1978	Day 20	55-1115

Sealy Lake, MT	Sealy Lake CG

Met Robert again last night around 10:30. He had a blow out going up Big Hole Pass and hitched to Missoula 150 miles away. He decided to go to Glacier with us so we waited while he went into town and replaced a spoke and a new tire. It was 1:00 by the time we left Missoula. We discovered his pace is much slower than ours. The traffic was fairly heavy on Hwy 200, but tolerable. The road was also fairly rough. Robert really didn't like the traffic or roughness. When we got up I didn't think we would bike at all because it was so overcast. Fortunately it cleared up around 9:00 and turned out to be a nice day. We did get a light shower just after eating. I called Jane and asked about my care package and she said she sent it on Tuesday. I left a forwarding address to send it on to Banff. We should be there Thursday, and hopefully, if the package gets to Missoula on Monday it will make Banff by then. If not we'll ride around the park for a couple of days. The campgrounds here are full tonight so we are sharing a site with a guy who was here by himself. It's not bad for 50¢ each. Ed briefly met a group from Denver going up to Banff tonight at a store. He didn't get any details, but hopefully we will see some of them tomorrow. I didn't realize it was a 4 day weekend this weekend until Robert mentioned it about 15 miles from camp. Total bikes = 4.

Sunday, July 2, 1978	Day 21	55-1170

Swan Lake, MT	Behind country store

Robert got us up at 4:00 this morning claiming our noisy neighbors had kept him up all night. They really were animals. Ed and I finally got up about 7:00 and rode into Seely Lake for breakfast. On the way I cut my tire pretty bad and had to replace it before going on. In the meantime Robert and Ed left. After I fixed my tire I met the 4 other bikers heading toward Banff. They just started in Missoula yesterday. They seemed like pretty slow riders so I left them behind. The terrain today was mostly uphill for 35-40 miles and downhill for 15-20. However, the downhill was depressing due to just enough head wind to negate the hill. The ride was beautiful with little traffic. The mountains were pretty and there were lots of daisies. The owner of the country store in Swan Lake let us stay behind the store for free. He let us use the rest rooms and running water. Very nice guy. The other 4 bikers also stayed in the same place. 3 women and 1 man. One woman was from Denver, one from Chicago, and one from Holland. The one from Chicago had a very nice personality and wasn't bad looking either. We walked and talked for quite a while. I learned today that I haven't been using my light meter correctly so all my pictures will be under exposed. DAMN!

Monday, July 3, 1978	Day 22	45-1215

South of Glacier, MT	KOA

We got up about 7:00 this morning. It's not that bad getting up early when it's warm like it is here. Unfortunately it was mostly cloudy today. When we started I was sure we'd get wet today. By the time we left Hungry Horse in the afternoon we were racing the clouds. We finally decided to stop about 6 miles short of our goal of Apgar and stay at a KOA. Shortly after we set up camp a steady rain started. It had been thundering and lightening for 1 or 2 hours before. I'm afraid I'm going to get wet since I still haven't gotten any sealant. The café in Swan Lake wasn't open yet when we got there so we rode about 15 miles to Big Fork for breakfast. The pancakes were $1.00 for whole wheat, but it took forever to get them. While in Big Fork I bought 3 rolls of film which blew my budget to Hell. I had to break another travelers check tonight already. I was hoping to make it to Wednesday. We saw the other 4 bikers shortly after breakfast. Who knows where they are now. We'll probably see them tomorrow going up the pass in Glacier. The traffic on highways 35 and 2 today was terrible. Also, the roads were not in very good shape. We met two guys who just came from Canada and they said the roads in B.C. were in even worse shape. We just had sandwiches for supper tonight. Good thing since it rained. It sure is boring sitting in my tent listening to it rain and waiting for my tent to leak. The Gore Tex itself seems to be leaking in spots. Total bikes = 6.

Tuesday, July 4, 1978	Day 23	45-1260

Glacier National Park	Rising Sun CG

I fell today taking a picture. Met a Canadian biker in camp. It rained quite hard and long last night. My tent is pretty wet inside and I'm not very happy about my tent. Robert suggest I make sure my ground cloth doesn't extend past my tent since that collects water under the tent and causes the floor to leak. We decided not to go over the pass, but move closer. We rode into town for breakfast and by the time we got to Glacier it was 10:00. There was not charge to get into the park. We then had to go about 10 miles before 11:00 since bikes weren't allowed on that stretch from 11:00 to 4:00. We made it by 10:45. The campground was full, but there were places to put our tents. However, I was hoping the weather would break and decided to wait until later to decide. Robert decided to stay so Ed and I rode towards the next no bicycle zone. On the way a ranger stopped us to warn us. About the no bicycle zone. We told him we knew about it and intended to wait. We really took our time and got to the stopping point about 1:45. We walked around a while and then cooked some rice. As we were loading our bikes my seat popped off the frame and we had a heck of a time getting it back on. We had to take the seat off the post and use a screwdriver to pry the seat back on the frame. About that time Robert passed us going up the pass and shortly afterwards 2 other bikers. I knew we'd get wet because the clouds were still visible on the pass, but Ed wanted to go so we went. It was really nice for about 5 miles and really wet for about 5 miles. While on top a cloud moved in and saw very little. Going down was very cold and Robert didn't camp with us. Saw 6 bighorn sheep.

Wednesday, July 5, 1978	Day 24	45-1305

Waterton National Park, AB

It rained quite heavy again last night. Everything was soaked when I got up. My tent leaks quite a bit. I hope it's better when I reseal it. My foam pad is a little wet, but my sleeping bag is dry. I hope it's dry tomorrow. It looks promising now. When we got up it was very cloudy so we decided not to go back up Going to the Sun road. Instead we left Glacier and headed for Canada. As we left the park we were riding single file and pretty far to the right when a woman ranger told us to ride single file and to the right. The ride to Canada was long rolling hills and mostly in the rain. The scenery, however, was beautiful whenever the clouds lifted. When we finally got to Canada it was raining fairly hard. The border patrol just asked us some routine question and let us go. We waited at the border a couple of hours before leaving, hoping the rain would stop. Just about the time it had, the 2 bikers we met yesterday came in. They got there bags searched. About that time the rain stopped so we left for Waterton. On the way Ed broke a spoke on the rear. This time he had a free wheel remover, but no wrench to fit it, so he limped into camp. The camp is $3.00 for a very wet camp. In the morning we had gotten $112 Canadian for $100 U.S. We entered Canada at Chief Mountain Customs. My shoulder is stiff. One other biker has broken 30 spokes.

Thursday, July 6, 1978	Day 25	50-1355

Standoff, AB	Free CG

My shoulder is still stiff. The sky was very cloudy when we got up this morning. During the night it was very clear with a lot of stars out which gave me hope. However, the morning was very disappointing. Ed decided to go to the gas station for a wrench to get his freewheel off. On the way he asked a guy in a camper if he had a wrench. The guy gave Ed a 12 inch crescent wrench which must weigh 5 pounds. However, Ed offered him $3.00 for it. He then proceeded to replace his spoke and true his wheel. By the time he finished and we broke camp it was after 11:00. We then road a couple blocks to town to get breakfast at the store. Instead we ate lunch and ate at a picnic table. While riding to the table we saw two sheep in the road. After lunch we rode to Standoff, mostly in the clouds. Fortunately, it didn't rain at all. We even got into camp early enough to dry our gear. About 2 miles out we passed a baby skunk on the road and really frightened him. He hissed at us and raised his tail to squirt us, but fortunately we didn't get it. He may have been too young to have a squirt, but we didn't stick around to find out. The terrain was rolling uphill for about 20 miles and then we reached the plains and had it fairly flat the rest of the way. Standoff was on an Indian reservation and the store was in an Indian town. We really felt out of place and unsafe. The camp was just off the reservation and free. It had running water and pit toilets and a covered cooking area. While we were there a couple Indians offered us a joint. We built our second fire in spite of wet wood.

Friday, July 7, 1978	Day 26	65-1420

Nanton, AB	Camping

It rained lightly last night, but not enough to get anything wet. I woke up early this morning and was greeted by a cloudy sky. However, by the time we were ready to go at 9:00 the sky was clearing. Unfortunately, it was clearing from the south and east and we went north right back into the clouds. We rode 31 KM to Fort McCleod for breakfast. Paid $1.75 for 3 small hot cakes. We then bought some Canadian 14 cent stamps for postcards and letters. Later we bought a roll at a bakery which was 25¢ to go and 35¢ to stay. We bought to go. We then rode 85 KM mostly uphill, mostly in the clouds, and against a moderate headwind to Nanton. On the way we saw what appeared to be a coyote on the side of the road. The ride was pretty boring since there was only the same farmland scenery. Wild roses were growing on the highway. Ed broke another spoke today. This time he finally had all the tools necessary to do the job. It didn't take long to change the spoke at all and when he put his wheel back on the wheel was true enough to ride. As we got into Nanton the wind had us down to second gear and we got into camp just as it started raining. Fortunately, the campground had a covered pavilion for cooking and hiding. We had Chicken Tetrazzini for dinner. My shoulder bothered me more today than it did the previous two. I must have really jammed it when I fell. I also pushed my big gears too long today since my knee finally started hurting. I went to lower gears for the last 14 KM. Talked to a guy from Tennessee who is retired.

Saturday, July 8, 1978	Day 27	60-1480

Calgary, AB	KOA

It rained off and on lightly last night, but nothing serious. Still, I'm glad we stayed under the shelter. It was extremely cloudy and looked like rain when we got up around 7:15. It was pretty chilly as we rode the mile to Nanton for breakfast. We ate in a little motel/café which charged $1.60 for 2 six inch pancakes. What a ripoff. We then went to the store to pick up enough food to get us through the day. Just out of Nanton it started raining. Ed heard his spokes making noise, but none broke. After about 20 KM the rain stopped but it remained cloudy all the way to Calgary. The terrain was basically flat with a gradual uphill. Toward Calgary there were some rolling hills. Calgary is a big town of about 500,000. As we came into Calgary we passed another biker going in another direction. He was from California. We ate bologna sandwiches in a shopping center in front of the Hudson Bay Company. The road we came in on must have been the busiest in Calgary with no shoulder. It was like riding on Colorado Blvd. We finally got off that road and wound our way through town to a bike shop. Ed bought a dozen spokes, a spoke wrench, and a water bottle. I bought an IRC Roadlite for $8.95. We then got on the Trans Canada Hwy which didn't have a shoulder until we got out of Calgary. We stopped at a house which was offering camping during the Calgary Stampede and she wanted $5.00 just to sleep and running water. We went to the KOA which for $5.50 we got a shower and a place to sleep in the overflow area which meant no picnic table. However, we met the guy from Tennessee again and we used his picnic table to make a delicious chef salad. After eating I was stuffed. The man thought we were unique young men. It's nice to feel unique again. We did our laundry and took showers and it felt good to be clean and dry again. When we went to bed it was partly cloudy. Total bikes = 10.

Sunday, July 9, 1978	Day 28	65-1545

Canmore, AB	Camping

When we got up this morning it was mostly cloudy. We went to the KOA store and had some donuts for breakfast and then started for Canmore expecting an all uphill day. It started out that way, but after about 40KM it became more downhill and flat into Canmore. The clouds also started to clear up as the day progressed and w\eventually we could see the Canadian Rockies. They really are pretty. Unfortunately, just enough clouds remained to ruin any picture taking. Ed rode way ahead of me all day and I didn't see him again until Canmore. We had a pretty good tailwind and we got into Canmore about 2:30. By 5:00 we had eaten lunch and had set up camp. We spent the time just taking it easy and airing everything out. We also looked at the B.C. map and tentatively decided on a short loop through B.C. Finally decided to eat supper as the clouds were building up around 6:30-7:00. We had fried potatoes and a Canadian version of Spam. Just as we finished the dishes it started raining. We had a steady rain for about 15 minutes.

Monday, July 10, 1978	Day 29	20-1565

Banff National park, AB	Johnston's Canyon CG

Today started out as a fairly nice day. The sun would shine a while and then the clouds would move in. The ride into Banff was fairly pleasant over rolling terrain. Coming into the park we saw some buffalo rolling in the dirt. Banff was quite a busy town and not the sleepy mountain town I expected. While there we saw a group of about 15 cyclists out for a short tour. We finally found the tourist information place which in turn pointed us to the post office. Unfortunately my care package wasn't there. So, I went to the sporting goods store in Banff and bought some sealant. The salesman said it was good for Gore Tex. I hope so. Now all I need is a dry day to apply it. After quite a hassle Ed and I decided to get several meals worth of food since we didn't know what was in the park. After quite a while we got 4 cans of Chunky soup for rice and a couple boxes of macaroni and cheese. We also got some lunch meat for lunch. By the time we left Banff we could see we would get wet before we hit camp. We also took 1A which was extremely rough. Im' not sure what's worse, the noise of 1 or the bumps of 1A. When we got to camp it was 5:00 and we set up our tents and ate sandwiches since it was starting to rain again. It later stopped and we hiked to Johnston's Canyon Falls about 11/2 miles away. They were pretty interesting and it was something to do. While up there it started raining again. About 5 miles from camp my pannier rack broke where it bolts onto the frame. I was just taking off from an information spot so no damage. At first I thought I was in real trouble, but I remembered my rope and was able to tie it back on. It's more stable now than ever before. I probably won't buy another rack. It looks like it's going to rain off and on all night. Right now it's mostly on. My shoulder didn't get tired today. I finished roll 6 of film. It's raining off and on.

Tuesday, July 11, 1978	Day 30	60-1625

Banff National Park, AB	Waterfowl CG

We had quite an experience this morning. About 4:30 or 5:00 this morning I was awakened by a bear shaking my tent. Then I heard my tent being ripped by the bear. I just laid there petrified wondering how I was going to get out of there alive. Then suddenly everything was quiet. After a few minutes I got up enough courage to put on my glasses and get up. There was a hole about a foot square in my tent an my front bag was gone. Like a fool I had left a granola bar in my front bag and the bear must have smelled it. He knew exactly where it was and tore my tent at the right spot to get it. Fortunately that's all he wanted. Ed had heard the tearing and saw the bear run off with my bag. After Ed got up we went behind an RV for a few minutes and Ed saw the bear in another campsite. We then grabbed our gear and headed for the restrooms. After a few minutes we came out and went back to our tents. By this time the bear was gone and it was getting light. We started looking for my front bag since my camera was still in it. Very carefully we headed in the direction Ed saw the bear run. After a while Ed found my bag neatly ripped in front. My camera and the other compartment was perfectly safe. By this time we started noticing the cold and decided to go back to bed around 6:30. I had trouble getting back to sleep but finally did. We finally got up around 8:30 and headed to a café for breakfast. Just as we left camp it started drizzling . For breakfast we got 3 6 inch pancakes for $1.50. Better! We then rode 60 miles in the rain with a slight headwind. The terrain was slightly uphill to Lake Louise and then over an easy pass to Waterfowl Lake. By the time we got there we were very cold and wet. Fortunately, some guy had a fire going in the pavilion right next to our campsite. We put our wet socks, gloves, and shoes in the wood drying oven while we cooked dinner. It turned out the guy worked for the park service and stayed there to after midnight keeping the fire going for us. The ranger for the park let us stay free and then joined us in the pavilion with his guitar. He sang a few songs and told a few stories to about midnight. By then we had dry clothes to start the next day with. I'm getting pretty discourages from the rain. Ed and I stayed in his tent with all our gear on the picnic table and covered by my plastic. We had rice and soup for supper.

Wednesday, July 12, 1978	Day 31	60-1685

Banff National Park, AB	Jonas Creek CG

Hooray! It's sunny today. It's so nice to get up and have it warm. We fixed some macaroni and cheese for breakfast and headed out toward Jonas Creek. Unfortunately we had a fairly moderate headwind. The terrain was mostly downhill for about 10 miles and then more or less flat for a while. We then climbed Sunwapta Pass which had a couple steep spots in it. On the last steep stretch Ed broke his 4th spoke. The scenery was fantastic and we were able to see it for a change. We saw a black bear on the road which we carefully took pictures of. There were, of course, cars around we could jump in if something happened. Along the top of the pass and by the Columbia Ice Fields it was very cold thanks in part to the wind. The campground only had about 20 spaces which were all full when we got there. There was another area up about 50 steps and a steep hill. We were going to take our gear up when some guy from B.C. offered to let us share his sight since ha had a trailer. We accepted and set up camp. I set up my tent just to dry it out. The man's wife fixed us some hot tea with real sugar and later he brought out some wine for us to try. It was cheap YAGO, but not bad. The park ranger made us pay a separate $3.00 from Les and his wife since it was obvious we weren't with them. After we cleaned up our dishes we shared a fire with them. He also let us put our food in his trunk.

Thursday, July 13, 1978	Day 32	50-1735

Jasper, AB	Free CG

We got up early today, at least for us. About 8:00. Les and his wife cooked us breakfast of an egg, sausage, pancakes, and hot tea. That was very good and nutritious for a change. We also fixed some macaroni and cheese to fill us up. We were really surprised and thankful. By the time we were packed and ready to go they had already left. It was noon by the time we were ready to go. It was cloudy all morning and looked like rain, but all we got was a little shower a couple miles from camp. It still remained mostly cloudy until we got to Jasper. The terrain was basically downhill but had several rolling hills. We also had a headwind part of the way. Ed rode ahead of me and I only saw him once, at the Athabasca Falls. When I got into town I didn't see him so I went to the store and bought some lunch meat for lunch. Afterwards I found Ed who had bought a dozen hotdogs and ate them raw. Yech! I bought some nylon patches for my tent. Now all I need is some time to use them. Since the hot dogs were on sale we bought 2 more packages for supper. By the time we finished Ed had 18 hot dogs in one day. We then went to the free camp ground the man at Waterfowl Lake told us about. When we got there we felt like we were in a commune. Since the only way to get into it was a closed dirt road, only backpackers and bikers were there. No RVs. There was someone there to run the place and there were pit toilets and running water. We built a fire to cook our hot dogs. I sewed up my front bag finally and then we talked to a couple other bikers and a hiker from Ontario. As we went to bed there was a guy playing bongos and another group playing the guitar, flute, and fiddle and singing. They also had bear poles to hang the food on although the caretaker said they hadn't been bothered by bears yet this year. All in all it was a very interesting campground. We saw another bear today and 3 goats. While eating dinner we got a couple of short showers.

Friday, July 14, 1978	Day 33	60-1795

12 Miles East of Tete Jeune, BC	Mt. Robson CG

We got up about 8:00 again this morning. We packed up and went into the store for breakfast. I had another wonderful breakfast of rolls and tarts. We also went to the bank and got another $50 in Canadian money. This time we only got .114. By the time we left Jasper it was after noon. We went up a very gentle pass called Yellowhead. It was only 3750 feet high and was so easy I couldn't believe I was at the top when I got there. We then had rolling hills with a predominant downhill since we were following the river. We were planning on going all the way to Valemont, but we found a campground 25 miles earlier which wasn't marked on the map so we stayed there instead. We finished off the hot dogs and I had some stew for dinner. Most of the way today we had a head wind which at times was moderately strong. Once again we got a couple short showers even though it was mostly cloudy all day. The roads in C. C. are noticeably worse. A gravel shoulder and fairly smooth road.

Saturday, July 15, 1978	Day 34	85-1880

10 Miles South of Blue River, BC	Free Camping

Last night I went for a hike to some falls about 11/2 miles from camp and really felt nervous. I was alone on the trail and really worried about bears even though I'm sure there aren't any anywhere near here. We got up about 8:00 and went to the store across the highway for breakfast. As we got up a huge blackbird or crow was trying to get into our gear. I finished roll #7 of film on him. I'm afraid that roll may be ruined because when I rewound it, it didn't feel like it had been winding properly. I started roll 8 with a picture of Mt. Robson. The terrain today was rolling hills for about 20 miles and then basically downhill the rest of the way as we again followed the river. Unfortunately, we had a moderate headwind most of the day, although for about 20 miles it shifted to a tail wind. Several Colorado type showers passed over during the afternoon, but I didn't get caught in any. The first one I stopped to put my rain gear on and I could see it pouring about 1/4 mile up the road so I just stayed where I was and let it pass. The others missed me also. Ed did get caught, though, since he broke two more spokes (total 6) and was a considerable distance behind me. Once I stopped at a turnoff by the river when an old man in an RV asked me if I wanted a cup of tea. I was pretty hot at the time so said sure. It turned out it was a man and his wheelchair wife and their daughter from just north of Calgary. They gave me a cup of tea and a doughnut. That sure hit the spot. We got into Blue River around 5:30 and ate our lunch meat. We then rode another 10 or 15 miles until we found a well concealed campsite just over a little hill. It looked like an old road or something and was just perfect for our needs. The only problem was the gnats or little black flies. They just swarmed us and left a lot of little welts. We saw two women cyclists heading toward Kamlooops in Valemont. They didn't seem very friendly and we didn't see them again.

Sunday, July 16, 1978	Day 35	80-1960

2 Miles North of Barriere, BC	Free camp at roadside picnic area

We woke up early today around 7:00. By the time we dried everything out from the showers we had overnight it was around 8:30. We then rode into Avala for breakfast. Unfortunately the store didn't open until 10:00. So we rode another 25 miles to Vavenby. On the way Ed broke spoke #7. He fixed it while I rode into Vavenby where he later joined me. We then rode more or less together all the way to Little Fort. Along the way there were several pretty long little hills even though we still followed the river. We also had a head wind part of the way and a tail wind part of the way. Coming into Little Fort Ed broke another spoke for a total of 8. A couple miles before the picnic table where we're camping he broke #9. He fixed this one without even taking his wheel off. Of course, he still has to true it. We're going to see about getting him a new wheel or his old one laced in Kamloops tomorrow. The weather was mostly sunny and at 5:00 it was 85 in Little Fort. Around 7:30 we had a little shower just after we finished eating. Tonight we're going to stay at a roadside picnic area which means no tent. Hope there aren't too many mosquitos. We saw those 2 women a couple more times today. Once when we were stopped at a viewpoint and once at our "camp". The first time they saw us and waved.

Monday, July 17, 1978	Day 36	40-2000

Kamloops, BC	Campground

We got up very early this morning at 4:45. We wanted to get an early start before the traffic picked up and before anybody saw us. We had heard the road into Kamloops was very rough, narrow, and heavily traveled. Last night's sleeping was terrible. It was too hot to sleep in the bag and too buggy not to. As a result we didn't get much sleep. The ride into Kamloops was pretty easy and Ed managed to make it all the way without breaking any spokes. The traffic and the road were not bad at all and we got into town about 9:00. We found a shop that would lace Ed's wheel by afternoon for $7.00 plus spokes. In the meantime we checked out the town. It's just a little city. Ed also kept looking at the map and decided he was going to California. That's no big surprise since he's mentioned it several times. So, tomorrow we go separate ways. Ed also bought 2 new tires. When we got his wheel back it didn't look right since the spokes all went over or under all the other spokes they crossed. Normally they go under 3 and over 1 or over 3 and under 1. It doesn't look as strong, but the mechanic says it's just as strong. Ed will find out. We went to camp early to fix my tent, but as I was setting it up one of my poles broke. I'm going to try to get another one tomorrow, but if I can't I'll buy a whole tent. That will probably be expensive. I did my laundry in a laundromat tonight and it cost 50¢ to wash and 25¢ for 10 minutes to dry. We also met 3 other cyclists in camp tonight. Two from the states and 1 from Holland. They're doing 90 miles a day because they're on a limited time schedule.

Tuesday, July 18, 1978	Day 37	75-2075

Salmon Arm, BC	Campground

We got up at 6:00 again this morning, mainly because I had to get up to answer Mother Nature. By 7:00 the other 3 cyclists had left. Ed and I sat around for a while but by 7:30 he left and I started waiting for the stores to open. I went to the city park right on the Thompson River and waited for a while. Some ducks were swimming and feeding in the public swimming area. At 9:00 I went to town and hoped the stores were open. Fortunately, they were. The only tent I thought I could afford was a cheap imitation of Ed's tent. The brand is Ridge Line and weighs 61/2 pounds. It's pretty roomy, but it takes 20 stakes and it comes with cheap plastic ones. It cost $138.65 with tax. Since the banks didn't open till 10:00, I let the store give me 10% exchange for 3 travelers checks. I probably could have gotten 11% at the banks, but I figured it wasn't worth $1.50 to wait 45 minutes. After I bought the tent I took it to the park again so I could put my old tent in the same box and mail it to Jane. The stuff bag that came with the tent was so cheap I'm using my Early Winters bag to carry my new tent. I also decided to mail my warmup suit back since I no longer have any room for it since I'm now carrying my cook set, fuel, and Linda's water bottle that Ed was carrying. As I was putting my gear back on my bike my seat broke again just as it had done in Glacier. This time I knew what to do to fix it if I was strong enough. While I was working on it a very nice old man from Kamloops came up to me and started talking to me. I mentioned that I needed some wrapping paper to mail my tent and I'll be darned if he didn't go to a nearby store and get a piece from his friend who ran the store. He also brought me some string. I then took the package to the post office where I had to fill out a customs slip. I hope it makes it to Denver OK. By the time I finally got on the road it was 11:30. I had the same sort of empty feeling as when Jane and Linda left Ed and me in Yellowstone. Stage 3 of my trip had begun. I had a tail wind most of the day and felt strong as a result even though I was going predominantly up. I was still following a river, but now I was going in the opposite direction. There were a lot of rolling hills, some of which were pretty steep. It was pretty cloudy in the afternoon, but nothing very threatening. However, I did get caught in a couple very light showers that weren't even heavy enough to get me wet. Each time, though, I got a pretty strong head wind as the cloud moved over. Shuswap Lake was really pretty with the mountains in the background. As I went along the mountains were gradually getting bigger and higher just as they smaller as I came into Kamloops. With the tailwind I got into Salmon Arm which is 75 miles from Kamloops before 5:30. In fact I went to the Tourist Information Bureau and 2 sporting goods stores before 5:30. I had to get a pot handle, metal utensils, and metal stakes. Well, I got the utensils, but I didn't like the handle or stakes they had, so I'll wait till Revelstoke. I think I better get the stakes soon, though, because these plastic ones won't last. At the info place I asked if there were any campgrounds for $3.00 in the area. She said no, but told me to try Green Trees and they might let me stay for $3.00. Well, I tried it and sure enough I talked him down form $4.00 to $3.00. That was nice. I set up my tent which seemed to take forever due to the 20 stakes compared to the 3 of my Early Winters tent. It really does look cheap, but I hop it keeps me dry when it rains. If it does that I'll be happy. I had 2 15oz cans of stew for supper. I never did eat the lunch meat I bought for lunch. I guess I'll eat that tomorrow. So far Highway 1 has not been the death trap I had been warned about. It has had a shoulder all the way even though it has been rough in some spots. However, traffic doesn't seem to be as heavy as I expected, so even if the shoulder does end it won't be as bad as I feared. I saw a herd of mountain goats along the highway today. At the time I was going downhill and looking at the lake to my left. Suddenly I heard a noise to the right and a bunch of rocks were falling. I had startled a herd of goats grazing on the hillside. I stopped and watched them for a while. I almost crashed twice today. The first time I was going down a steep hill and riding the rough shoulder when suddenly it turned to gravel. Fortunately, I saw it coming and slowed down enough to where I could get back onto the road. The second time I was riding right on the right edge of the shoulder because it looked smoother and I went off into the sand and gravel. I almost went down, but managed to get back onto the pavement again.

Wednesday, July 19, 1978	Day 38	85-2160

Albert Canyon Hot Springs, BC	Hot Springs Campground

I don't know what time I got up today, but I would guess around 8:00 because after I had ridden 15 miles it was 10:10. I'm sure it took me at least an hour to pack up before starting out. The road was definitely much more uphill and I'm once again among mountains with snow on them. Luckily, I still had my tail wind although not quite as strong today. The shoulder was good for about 20 miles to Sicamous. It then became a very rough, hard packed gravel pavement. In most spots it was rideable, but not very efficiently. Usually I rode on the road until a large string of traffic was coming toward me. That way I didn't tire myself out on rough road. This lasted for 40 miles until Revelstoke. The shoulder then became good pavement again, although the hills got worse. I was really disappointed in Revelstoke. I was hoping to get my metal tent pegs and a pot handle there, but couldn't find either. I went to about 5 different places with no luck. Leaving Revelstoke I missed my turn for Hwy 1 and went about 5 miles out of my way. Those miles aren't reflected in the day's total, although they should be. Everyone I talk to tells me how bad Rogers Pass is. It will be interesting to see how it is when I go over it tomorrow. I met a guy in camp who said he used to bike a lot and bragged how he once did 250 KM in one day. Heck, that's only 150 miles and I did that 3 times last summer. I'm in the campground overflow area which is OK with me since it's only $3.00 compared to $4.50 for normal. I was the first one in the overflow area which made me wonder if I was in the right place. I finally started putting my tent up and eventually others came along. The manager warned us of bears so you better believe I'm not taking any chances. All my food and soap is in a separate bag away from the tent and all my gear is outside the tent. I learned my lesson well. The showers are only available from 7:45 to 8:45 in the morning. I doubt if I'll use them. Instead I washed at the sink. The reason for the shower hours is they are the same ones used for the hot springs pools and they would rather be charging people $1.75 for a swim.

Thursday, July 20, 1978	Day 39	70-2230

Golden, BC	City Campground

I got up fairly early this morning and everything was wet from condensation. It was pretty cool and the dew was quite heavy. Even the inside of my tent was wet. I sure hate to see how this cheap tent will work in the rain. I put my warmers on and my wool gloves to stay warm. I decided not to try to dry my tent so packed it wet. By the time I got everything packed the sun was shining where I was and I took off my arm warmers and gloves. I decided to eat my breakfast rolls after riding a few miles and left camp around 8:20. I really felt sluggish and stiff until I warmed up a bit and found a picnic table about 10 miles up the road. I took off my leg warmers and ate my rolls. The terrain was mostly uphill for the first 25 miles as I went up Rogers Pass. The pass wasn't too bad except for the last 2 or 3 miles. Still, I was surprised when I reached the top. The mountains still rose quite high all around. It had taken just over 3 hours to get to the top. I then had a 6 mile downhill which was pretty steep even against a light headwind. The road passed through several snow sheds which was interesting due to the darkness. There was then a 10 mile rolling hill against a light headwind with some fairly long climbs. Finally came a 30 mile predominantly downhill stretch with the old tail wind again. The valley was surrounded by high snow capped mountains which were absolutely astounding. The weather today was perfect with very few clouds and hot temperatures. Some early evening cloudiness developed after I ate, but nothing threatening yet. I searched the town of Golden for metal tent pegs and a pot handle with no luck. The only handle I found I didn't like and all I could find was plastic pegs. I better find some metal pegs soon because I broke one tonight while putting it in. Another one is practically broke. I'm sure Banff will have some, but I probably won't go there till Monday as I want to go through parts of the park again. I'm staying at a city run campground which isn't too bad although it is buggy and the ground a bit rocky. It cost $4.00 and I couldn't talk the kid running it down to $3.00 for anything. Still, it's cheaper than the $5.50 KOA charges. I met a guy from Alberta as I was registering who recognized the quality of Campagnolo parts. He later asked to borrow some string for his tent. We talked a while and he asked me to come up for a drink later. It took me a while to figure out how to use the showers. There weren't any faucets and I couldn't see how to turn them on. Then I found the switch out in the hall from the shower. Apparently, they used to be pay showers and they converted them by putting a toggle switch on the meter box. The shower it turns out are pay showers. Apparently someone left some time on the shower when I went to check them out because when I went to take a shower it cost me 25¢.

Friday, July 21, 1978	Day 40	60-2290

Lake Louise, AB	Lake Louise CG

I got up around 8:00 this morning I was planning on getting up earlier, but I awoke to the sound of rain. Fortunately, it was just a light shower for 1/2 to 1 hour. When I did get up the fly was wet, but I used some paper towels to dry it off somewhat. While I was packing a small kid came along and wanted to help. I let him take some of the pegs out. His mother told me of the possibility of staying on farms while going across the plains. I'll have to look into that. I left camp around 9:30. I stopped at the store for some lunch meat and then took off. The first 10-15 miles were really hard. The grades were fairly steep and there wasn't any shoulder. Then the road leveled off and I got my shoulder back.. I took a side trip in Yoho National park to Emerald Lake. It was about 10 miles round trip, but was very interesting. At the lake there were 2 brass quintets just setting up to give a concert. I listened to all the songs of the first one which had two trumpets, a trombone, a base trombone, and a french horn and part of the second which consisted of a tuba, a french horn, a trombone, and 2 trumpets. They really were good and sounded great by the lake. They were students at the Banff School of Music and were on a short tour. As I was leaving I met a bus load of tourists and talked to a few. One lady took my picture. About 4 miles down the road I met the same bus of people and another lady took my picture. Another couple gave me 2 cans of orange juice. I drank one and saved one for tomorrow. Tonight I'm staying at the Lake Louise campground which naturally is full. I checked at the gate and the attendant said I could try to find someone to share a site. Well, I found what appeared to be an empty site and asked the neighbors if they had seen anyone there. They said no, so I started to set up my tent. About halfway through the people came back and didn't seem too happy about me being there. Fortunately, a family from California in the next site offered to let me stay there. So, I moved my tent and gear about 50 feet to where I was wanted. The store in Lake Louise has very little selection in food so I ended up eating ravioli, baked beans, and kidney beans for dinner. That has to be one of the worst meals I've had. Unfortunately, I'll have to buy tomorrow night's meal there before I leave tomorrow because there aren't any stores between here and the campground I'm going to tomorrow.

Saturday, July 22, 1978	Day 41	55-2345

Banff National Park, AB	Waterfowl Lake CG

I got started fairly late today because of the cold. I just laid in bed for a while until the sun came up. I decided to go to Lake Louise before heading for Waterfowl. The turnoff to the lake was only about 1/2 mile from the campground and said 4 KM to Lake Louise and 14 KM to Moraine Lake. Unfortunately, I didn't know that meant up a very steep hill. However, climbing up that high did offer a very good view of the town of Lake Louise. The lakes themselves were nice, but nothing special in the sense that they were like all the other beautiful lakes in the area. At noon I was just starting down from Moraine Lake and still had to buy lunch and dinner for today and breakfast and lunch for tomorrow. The hill down was so steep that it scared me and made me brake quite strongly. It sure didn't take long to get down. I ended up getting lunch meat for both lunches and 2 cans of ravioli and a can of Spam type meat for dinner. When I finally left Lake Louise there was more climbing right away than I remembered. It wasn't too bad, but was definitely first gear hills. It then leveled off as I remembered. Less than five miles out of town it started to rain and I thought here we go again. I put on my rain gear and almost turned around. However, it looked darker behind me and lighter in front so I continued on. I'm very glad I did because within a mile I rode out of the rain and into ever clearing skies. It turned out to be a very good day for riding. I'm also glad I decided to ride that stretch because there really was a lot to see. I remembered the observation points and points of interest, but this time I could see what they were talking about. I took lots of pictures this time and sure hope they turn out. Before I knew it I was on top again and dropped into camp. Chuck wasn't there this time and I had to pay for the second to last spot. Good thing I didn't take much longer. The site I had was a walk in site which was nice. As I was cooking my ravioli the kid from the next site said his parents invited me over for a glass of wine and to bring my pot and share their fire. So I did. They gave me a glass of wine, a bowl of salad, and 2 toasted buns. They were from north Calgary (pronounced Cal-Gary, not Cal-Gar-y) and were up for the weekend. They were very nice people and I stayed with them until I went to bed. In the meantime they also invited a German couple over and gave us all marshmallows to toast and Viennese coffee. It was really quite interesting as they compared various prices between Canada and the U.S. and I learned a little history.

Sunday, July 23, 1978	Day 42	60-2405

Banff National Park, AB	Johnstons Canyon CG

We had a few thunderstorms last night. Nothing serious, but it did lightning and rain as each one passed over. When I got up everything was wet, but not much more than a heavy dew. I put on my wool gloves and cap and went for a walk by the lake and river hoping to see some moose. No such luck. I then came back and packed and while I was doing so the nice family I met last night got up. Before I left I had another cup of coffee with them and the man let me use some lens adapter to take a close up of some flowers. By the time I left it was 10:45. The ride back up the pass was a little steeper than the other side, but I still got to the top before I expected. On top there was a road to Peyton Lake which was closed to traffic, but I went up anyway since I heard it was really pretty. It was a steep climb for 1/2 to 3/4 mile but well worth the effort. A very pretty blue-green lake was sitting down in a valley several hundred feet with magnificent mountains behind it. Words can't describe how pretty it was. I then easily traveled the few remaining rolling hills to Lake Louise by 3:00. After quite a bit of indecision I decided to stay there again, but the campground was full. So, I ended up riding 25 more miles to Johnston Canyon again. Once again I'm in bear country! I got in about 5:00 and this time a different gate attendant told me to hang my food between 2 trees. Tonight I think I'll take the trouble to do it.

Monday, July 24, 1978	Day 43	20-2425

Canmore, AB	Provincial Park

I didn't have any bear problems last night. I went to the nature talk and apparently there was a mother and 2 cubs that have been raiding that camp, even in the daytime. Fortunately, there was no sign of them last night. It was chilly this morning when I got up, but not real cold. I did wear my wool gloves and warmers, though. Everything was dry except for the bottom of my tent. I didn't feel like waiting for it to dry, so I packed it wet again. I left camp at 8:45 and rode the 10-15 very bumpy miles on 1A to Banff. I didn't eat my breakfast donuts until I got to town. Afterwards I started looking for some metal tent pegs and a pot handle. The first store had the pot handle but not the pegs so I bought the handle. I then went to a drug store and bought some envelopes and a birthday card for Robbie. It seemed to take me forever to make a package of maps and a package of film to be developed to be sent to St. Louis. I then went to the post office to send off Robbie's birthday card and the package. I also checked general delivery just in case my care package from Jane arrived. To my surprise it had made it. I went back to the park to open it. Inside I found the tent sealant, a liter bottle for water labeled dehydrated H2O, a liter bottle of fancy gorp with all kinds of nuts in it, a small bottle of dishwashing soap, an empty small bottle for whatever, and a jar of honey and peanut butter mixture. Unfortunately, the latter leaked a little and made things a little messy. Still, everything was appreciated. I somehow found room for everything except for the empty small bottle which I threw away. While packing some lady asked me where she could get a jersey and when I explained I was from the States she seemed disappointed. She said her son wears the shorts and would like a jersey. Afterwards, I finally found some light metal tent pegs and bought 10 for 25¢ each. By the time I left Banff it was 12:45. I was going to go to Calgary today, but about 5 miles out of Banff I decided to stop at the provincial park at Canmore and stay in the mountains one more day. So, I stopped in Canmore for some food and got into camp around 2:30 or 3:00. I'm right on the Bon River and if I put my tent any closer the front cord would be in the river. Since I got in so early I checked out the Alberta and Saskatchewan maps. It looks like I'll be able to hit provincial campgrounds in Alberta which is nice since they're free and possibly in Saskatchewan too. Of course, I don't know how much those cost. To make the provincial campgrounds will mean fairly short days of 60-70 miles in Alberta and possibly a couple long days of 100-120 miles in Saskatchewan. I also checked my money situation out and it breaks down like this:

Travelers Checks Left	$1050.00

American Money Left	$38.58

Canadian Money Left	$34.39

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Total Money Left	$1122.97

Money Spent (including tent)	$452.03 for a $10.51 daily average.

Money Spent (excluding tent)	$313.38 for a $7.28 daily average.

I'm going to try to keep track of my expenses for the next couple weeks and see how I do. I wasted a beautiful riding day by stopping early. The sky was mostly clear and there was a strong westerly breeze. In fact it got a little annoying when I was setting up camp and trying to eat. The breeze has let up but is still blowing steadily. I sure hope it's still blowing tomorrow. The trees around here are all oozing sap. I got sap all over my hands and even on my feet when I went barefoot. I had to choose carefully when I locked up my bike.

Tuesday, July 25, 1978	Day44	90-2515

Strathmore, AB	Lambert Park

I got up early this morning for some reason and got packed and started before the sun came up over the mountain. It was quite chilly for the first 5-10 miles until I finally turned the corner and got into the sun. It then warmed up rapidly and soon I switched to my riding gloves and took off my warmers. The ride into Calgary was rolling hills with a few rather steep uphills, but never over 1/2 miles except one. Right out of Cochrane there was a very steep hill for 2-3 miles. I didn't think I'd ever get over it. From there on it was gentle rolling hills. The prairies are not flat by any means. Once again Calgary was terrible to get through. When I asked for a good route I was told I may as well stay on Hwy 1. So, for about 15-20 miles I rode in fairly heavy traffic with no shoulder. Surprisingly, no one honked at me. I was planning on staying at a provincial campground just east of Calgary, but when I got there it was closed for reconstruction. It's just as well because there was no shade and it looked terrible and Strathmore was only 41 KM away. I headed off for Strathmore and about 10 miles out I started to run out of water and get over heated. Luckily, in a couple more miles I came upon a gas station. I got some fresh water and had a fudgesicle and felt great after that. For the last 10 miles into camp my Achilles tendon on my right foot started hurting. It bothers me because it still is sore. I guess I'll lower my seat a little tomorrow and see if that helps. I didn't get a good westerly wind today. In fact most of the day it was a cross wind or a head wind, but not too strong. Except for the steep hills I seldom got out of my big chain ring. The campground is free tonight in the Lambert Park at Strathmore. Today's expenses:

Pork and Bacon Lunch Meat (6g)	$0.68	Calgary Safeway

Bananas	.16	"

Bread (20 oz)	.43	"

Date Loaf (14 oz)	1.39	"

Pudding	.85	"

Stew	1.09	"

Fudgesicle	.25	Service station

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Total	$4.85

At the service station I stopped at today it was over 90º. Quite warm.

Wednesday, July 26, 1978	Day 45	90-2605

5 Miles East of Brooks, AB	Tillebrook Campground

I got up early today and was on the road by 8:00. The terrain continued to be rather hilly until Bassano, about 60 miles away. It then leveled off considerably. The wind today was basically from the south and south east at a moderate to light velocity. Unfortunately Hwy 1 was going in a south and southeast direction so I had a headwind almost all day. The worst thing, though, was the heat. About Bassano I was really getting hot and dehydrated. I stopped for lunch and had a fudgesicle and felt much better. Also, as I left Bassano the wind shifted slightly and gave me just a hint of a tail wind. Still, by the time I got to camp around 6:00 I was very hot and tired. Before I left this morning I lowered my seat just a little to try to help my Achilles tendon. Some of the early hills were fairly hard and my heel was hurting a little. I tried to quit ankling and that seemed to help. However, I had pretty well decided to stop at Bossono for the night. However, when I got there my heel felt pretty good and it was only 1:00 so I decided to go on to Brooks. I was going to stay at the provincial campground at Brooks when the manager of the COOP store where I bought dinner told me Tillebrook was only $1.50 and had showers. I decided it was worth it for a shower so I went the extra 5 miles to the campground. I ended up in the overflow area which was better than some campgrounds I've been in. It had lots of grass and picnic tables, and the showers were only across the road from the end of the row. As I was getting ready to take my shower a naturalist came by and told us that between 7:00 and 9:00 the naturalists from all the provincial parks in Alberta were giving a show. I took a quick shower and went to watch. They had several cute skits about bears, hoodoos, branding, and Sweet Betsie from Coots. They also had some songs. Very interesting. Afterwards I had dinner of stew and rice. Today's expenses:

10 14 cent stamps and 22 cent postage	$1.62	Bassano

6 oz salami	.79	"

2 apples	.63	"

Fudgesicle	.25	"

Apples	.85	Brooks Coop

Bread 20oz whole wheat	.48	"

6 oz mock meatloaf	.68	"

Donuts	.99	"

Camping	1.50

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Total	$7.80

Thursday, July 27, 1978	Day 46	130-2735

Piapot, SK	Campground

It became very breezy last night and rained very briefly, I think. It was still windy this morning so I was in no hurry to get up since I knew it would be a head wind. I finally did leave with a strong south to south west wind. Since I was going southeast this made it almost a direct side wind. I decided to stop at Medicine Hat about 65miles away. The wind was so strong my arms got tired trying to hold the bike on the road. My sunglasses kept being flipped up and at times it was hard to see. At Suffield the road turned slightly east and I got a partial tailwind. I flew the next 20 miles in and hour until I turned slightly more south into Medicine Hat. I got into Medicine Hat at 1:00 and decided that was too early to stop, especially since I was now turning due east and getting a full tail wind. I bought lunch at an IGA. While there a family stopped briefly to talk to me. I then rode the 10 miles to where I had planned to camp and had lunch. By the time I was ready to go again it was 3:00, but I decided I could easily go another 60 miles with the wind. The wind was so strong it was extremely difficult to eat. I then did the next 60 miles in 3 hours and went 40 miles into Saskatchewan. The wind sure makes a difference. The campground I'm staying at is a real dump. It has little round tables and toadstool type chairs and a messy shower which cost 10¢ for 3 minutes. Still, it's a place to stay. At the campground I met the family I had met at the IGA. They invited me over for a cup of tea after dinner and I talked with them for a while. The wind is still blowing quite hard even after dark. Today's wind was at least as strong as any we had in Wyoming including Bull Lake Lodge and Rawlins. I hope it continues tomorrow. The terrain today was basically flat. There were several hills just as I entered Saskatchewan and a few more along the way. It's hard to notice them with such a strong wind. My Achilles tendon didn't bother me at all today. The water here at the campsite tastes pretty bad. It must have iron in it. I took a half roll of toilet paper from the wash room since that's all I have room for in my bag. Otherwise I would buy a roll.

Today's expenses:

Comb	$0.39	Medicine Hat IGA

Pen	.29	"

Envelopes	.70	"

Wieners (.79/lb)	.83	"

Banana Bread	1.39	"

Camping	3.00

Shower	.10

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Total	$6.69

Friday, July 28, 1978	Day 47	65-2800

Swift Current, SK	Campground

It started out wet this morning so I just laid in my tent for a while. When I got up to go to the bathroom I shook the water from my fly hoping it would dry. By the time I was ready to pack it was dry. The ground was still dry so apparently it didn't rain much this morning. It was cloudy all day, but I never felt like it was going to rain. The wind started out as a cross wind with a slight behind vector which had no effect. It later switched to a head component. All day I really felt sluggish and that little wind rally tired me out. Now that its mid evening the wind has stopped and the skies are starting to clear. The campground I'm at isn't too bad. There's a section with trees which is mostly dust so I didn't camp there. There is also a large field with grass which is where I am. If it was sunny I'd be up in the dust where most of the people are. The wash rooms are pretty nice on the inside although they look terrible from the outside. The wind today was coming from the left. As a result the trucks were really blowing me around. About 5 miles from town I really felt faint, but it passed.

Today's expenses:

Postage for maps	$0.74

Nectarines (.65/lb)	.68

Chicken Stew	1.19

Canned Meat (like Spam) 12 oz	1.09

Donuts	.99

Mock Chicken Loaf 6 oz	.58

Bread 20 oz Whole Wheat	.52

Camping	2.00

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Total	$7.79

Saturday, July 29, 1978	Day 48	110-2910

Moose Jaw, SK	Campground

I was planning on cashing a travelers check today until I realized it was Saturday and the banks would be closed. I had enough money for today, but couldn't make it until Monday. So, I cashed a check at the campground at 10%. Once again I lost $.50 to $1.00. I was on the road by 8:30. Another bicyclist came in last night traveling extremely light. He didn't even have panniers. About all he had was a small tent and a sleeping bag. Of course, he was out for only 8 days. I had seen him briefly in Strathmore as I was leaving. During the day we passed each other several times. He must have stayed in the other campground in Moose Jaw, though. It was very damp this morning and I packed my tent wet. Even my wash cloth hadn't dried from last night. When I started out it was sunny with no wind. Within 10 miles the clouds moved in and a cool breeze started blowing from the right. Gradually the breeze warmed up. For a while, though, I put on my warmers. Once again there were a lot of hills, except for the last 30-40 miles. Then I got into flatter terrain with very long and very gradual hills. I raised my seat again today since my heel hasn't been bothering me. At the same time I pointed the seat more to the left. Pointing it to the left seemed to help, but I think I better lower it again because about 20 miles out my shin just above the ankle started hurting just like my Achilles tendon did a couple days ago. When I left Swift Current the lady at the campground said the Queen of England would be in Moose Jaw tomorrow. When I got into town I checked it out and she will be here about noon. I think I'll stay around at least till then. The man I borrowed a hammer from tonight said that from my accent I must be American. All this time I thought they had the accent.

Today's expenses:

Saskatchewan Patch	$1.29

Chuckwagon Stew 1lb 8oz	1.35

Camping	3.00

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Total	$5.64

Sunday, July 30, 1978	Day 49	60-2970

McLean, SK	Trans Canada Campground

Today was a very interesting day. I decided to stay for the Queen so I was in no hurry to get up. After laying in my tent for what seemed like a long time I got up at 7:00. Since I didn't have time last night I took a shower this morning. I then fixed some instant oatmeal for the first time in a long time. I mixed the last 2 bags of Linda's Cup of Soup with it which tasted pretty good. I then cleaned my chain and freewheel as best I could which wasn't very good. By the time I finished and got packed it still wasn't even 10:00 and the Queen wasn't due until 12:00. So, I went to town to buy something for breakfast, but the big stores were closed. I decided to eat breakfast out at Smitty's and had a ham omelet. It wasn't too bad. When I headed back toward the park people were lined up like for a parade. I really felt strange riding in front of everyone. I finally decided to stop and wait for the Queen and what I thought would be a parade. It turned out it was just a motorcade taking the Queen to church. Everyone, including me, then headed for the park. After church the Queen dedicated a plaque and walked through the park. I saw her from 30-40 feet away as she passed on the other side of the road. Suddenly she got in her car and was gone and the people quickly left too. As I was getting ready to leave 2 different newspapers interviewed me. If they print the story they will send me a copy. By the time I left Moose Jaw it was 1:30. Originally I had planned to go only 40 miles to Regina, but as I rode I decided to go another 20 miles to a Trans Canada Campground at McLean. It was pretty cloudy by the time I left and a moderate wind was blowing from across the highway and toward the rear. So, the trucks once again had an effect, but I made good time except for going through Regina and 4 miles into Balgonie when I headed into the wind. I got into camp around 6:30 or 7:00. The sites here are very secluded. You can't even see your neighbor. Not very good for meeting other people. I had to walk 2 sites down in order to get a hammer to put up my tent. It's quite chilly tonight, almost to the point of being cold. I'm sure I'll need my wool gloves and warmers in the morning. Since I arrived in camp the skies have pretty well cleared up. Only a few wisps left now. I lowered my seat again today to alleviate the pain in my ankle. It worked since I had no problems today.

Today's Expenses:

Ham Omelet	$2.95	Smitty's

Hot Tea	.40	"

Tip	.25	"

Stew 24 oz	1.15

Canned Luncheon Meat 12 oz	.99

Apples	.50

Campground	3.00

Shower	.25

------------------------------------	-------

Total	$9.49

Monday, July 31, 1978	Day 50	55-3025

Grenfell, SK	Campground

I decided to take a short day today for several reasons. First, I've developed quite a sore on my perineum between my testicles and thigh. It's an old problem being aggravated by constant riding. Secondly, I need to do my laundry and sew up my long sleeve shirt and jersey. As a result I was in no hurry today to get up. By the time I was ready to leave it was 9:45. I figured I'd ride about 17 miles to Indian Head to get some breakfast. Unfortunately, when I got there I found out the town is closed on Monday. So, I finished off the peanut butter and honey Jane had sent. I also met 2 Israeli bikers who were traveling to various places and decided to bike from Washington State to New York via Canada. They had met Ed about 11 days ago. I had a moderate tail wind today and the terrain was basically flat for the 2nd day in a row. I traveled in high gear most of the day and dropped into 9th only a few times for short distances. I got into Grenfell around 2:30 and felt so fresh I almost continued on. However, I finally decided not to. Grenfell also is closed on Mondays. Fortunately, a little confectionary was open so I could get some food. Also, the laundromat was open so I once again have a clean jersey and clean socks. I sewed up my shirt which took a while since it seems eery seam is tearing. I should have sewn even more than I did. I forgot to do my jersey. The campground I'm at is a combination campground and park. The swimming pool, tennis courts, etc. are all within earshot. There are quite a few trees around and it's really not too bad. I asked my neighbor if I could buy some stove fuel and he gave me what little he had left which was less than half a pint. The information booth in town was out of Manitoba maps so I'm still looking for a map. I did get an accommodations guide, though.

Today's Expenses.

6oz Bologna	$0.85

20 oz Bread	.55

Fudgesicle	.25

Cadbury Snack Bar	.25

2 lb Peanut Butter	1.80

24 oz Beef Stew	1.25

Camping	3.00

Laundry Soap	.20

Wash	.50

Dry	.30

-----------------------	-------

Total	$8.95

Tuesday, August 1, 1978	Day 51	70-3095

Moose Mountain, SK	Moose Mountain Park Campground

I finally figured out why I've been getting up so early of late. The sun is now setting between 9:00 and 9:30 which means I'm getting to bed much earlier. For a while there it was still light at 11:00. We had a pretty good but short shower just after dark last night. Everything was still wet this morning thanks to the dew. I packed my tent wet again and was on the road by 7:30. It felt cool as I was packing, but I figured it would warm up when I got into the sun. However, after a mile or two I put on my arm warmers and kept them on all day. It never did really warm up thanks to the clouds that moved in during the late morning. The ride was flat until I headed south on Hwy 9 to Moose Mountain. There I encountered a couple small hills which got me down to low gear. The wind was blowing from the west, northwest which made another easy day. If the park hadn't been my goal I probably would have gone over 100 miles again today. I must have gotten in here between 2:00 and 3:00 this afternoon. After setting up camp I went for a hike on a trail in the park. It was very secluded and apparently not used very much. I took my wind breaker since it was still pretty cool. While I was out I found out how quickly one can suffer from exposure and hypothermia. I had my shorts on yet and no gloves when a shower passed over. Within minutes my hands and legs were very cold. Fortunately it was only 10 to 15 minutes before the rain stopped and I was just coming out of the woods. By the time I got back to camp my hands would barely function. I had a very hard time buttoning my shirt and I could barely grip my zipper enough to get it started. When I fixed dinner I had to rest while opening a can of soup. Slowly, though, the strength is returning to my hands. I tried eating breakfast out today at a restaurant/gas station on the highway at Broadview. I was pleasantly surprised at getting 3 hot cakes, orange juice, and hot tea all for $1.80. The hot cakes were pretty large too, but definitely not "regulation size". I'll have to try my luck again. Moose Mountain park is nothing special. It's just built around a pretty large lake and a lot of trees. I still haven't found a Manitoba map.

Today's expenses:

Breakfast of juice, 3 hot cakes, hot tea	$1.80	Broadview

Tip	.35	"

Snack Bar Candy Bar	.25

9 oz Mustard	.45	Whitewood

Kraft Spaghetti & Meatball Dinner	.97	"

Donuts	.99	"

6 oz Luncheon Meat	.79	"

19 oz Vegetable Soup	.49	"

2 Apples (.89/lb)	.55	"

Camping	2.00

----------------------------------------------	-------

Total	$8.94

Wednesday, August 2, 1978	Day 52	105-3200

Deleau, MB	Free Town Park

I got up earlier than I planned today and was on the road by 8:30. I was forced into my tent pretty early last night because of the cold. Hence my early start today. The wind blew most of the night and was blowing fairly strong when I got up. As a result my tent was dry for a change. My shoes and socks were still wet, though. I put my shoes on the outside to dry which they did during the day. It was quite cold this morning and I didn't even feel warm with my warmers and wool gloves on. My first 3 or 4 miles were north into the wind which made it even colder. My groin area became so cold it was painful. If I had gone any distance in that direction I would have put on my rain pants just to act as a wind break. After I turned east my groin warmed up but I kept my warmers and gloves on all day. I had another good breakfast this morning in Wawola. I got 3 large hot cakes for $1.80 and hot tea for .30. A good breakfast for around $2.00 is money well spent. I tried getting a Manitoba map at a service station and he said he'd sell me one. I declined since I figured I'd find one somewhere in Manitoba. Sure enough, about 2 miles into Manitoba at the first little town the service station had an official Manitoba highway map for free. Now I know where I'm going and for how far. The kid working there also suggested I stay off Hwy 1 because the shoulders are gravel. So I took his suggestion and am using Hwy 2 which also has gravel shoulders but very little traffic. I stopped in Virden, Manitoba to buy dinner this afternoon and was riding into town when a man working in his yard started talking to me. After a bit he asked me in for a beer which I accepted. His wife then offered to make me a grilled cheese sandwich which I finally accepted and she came out with 2 sandwiches. I talked with them for a while before finally departing and riding another 40 miles to Deleau. On route I stopped at a Wayside Park which was really new. It had many trees and flush toilets and a covered kitchen. Surprisingly it was empty. I finally made it to Deleau not knowing what to expect. It turned out the campground was the town park and was free. It's off the highway and has lots of grass. It even has a totally enclosed room with electricity which is nice since it's cold and dark outside right now. It really is very nice, especially for free. A man I met here said a person can stay in most of the small town parks. I may find out if that's true. While riding today I found the current issue of Playboy and Penthouse in the middle of the road. That will make interesting reading one of these days. It was cloudy and cool, if not cold, nearly all day today. I think I'm ready for a good hot day again. The man I borrowed a hammer from to put up my tent also gave me a couple tea bags and some hot water. He said he'd give me some coffee in the morning if we are up at the same time. He also kept saying "Eh" when I was talking and I wasn't sure if he was hard of hearing or just liked to say "Eh"! Anyway, I kept repeating myself.	Today's expenses:

3 Hot cakes	$1.80	Restaurant in Wawola

Hot Tea	.30	"

Canned Luncheon Meat	.95	Verdin, MB

1 lb Mock chicken Meat	1.77	"

Donuts	.99	"

Bread 20 oz 60% Whole Wheat	.51	"

-------------------------------------	-------

Total	$6.32

Thursday, August 3, 1978	Day 53	85-3285

Treherne, MB	KOA Campground

I got a late start today. It was mostly cloudy in the morning and I was in no hurry to get up. The man who had offered me coffee in the morning left before I got up. No loss since I don't like coffee anyway. I ate some donuts for breakfast and took off. It was 11:00 before I got to Souris only 22 KM away. I decided to buy groceries there since it looked like the largest town I'd go through. In town I saw a sign for a historic suspension bridge so I went to see it. It was 582 feet long and originally built in 1904. I decided it was worth a picture so I had to buy some film. I was going to wait until Winnipeg so I could get some 200 ASA film. Instead I had to get 64 again. When I left Souris I didn't think I'd make it to Treherne at a reasonable hour since I still had 120KM to go. Fortunately, the tail wind continued and even taking it easy I got in at 5:30. I stopped along the way for a peanut butter break and also in a drive in restaurant for a hamburger and fries. The fries weren't bad, but the hamburger was a real rip off. For .95 I got a very little hamburger. It tasted good, but there wasn't much there. The campground so far is free. There's a sign that says $1.50, but unless someone comes around to collect it will be free. It was interesting today to see the various kinds of fields side by side. There was bright yellow rape seed, yellow sunflower seeds, dark green leaves with blue flowers flax, golden wheat, barley, and hay. Those are only the ones I know. Who knows what else I passed. This campground also has a few mosquitos and flies once again. Not too many, but enough. There is also an owl hooting tonight. It started out cloudy this morning but gradually cleared. I started with my wool gloves and warmers, but quickly shed them. I noticed a hole in my right thumb of my wool gloves which I promptly sewed tonight. I also finally sewed up my jersey. I looked at the Ontario map tonight and it's very confusing. North Ontario is on one side and south Ontario on the other. It's very hard to pick up miles off the map and there doesn't look like I have too big a choice of routes. There are very few roads in North Ontario which is north of the lakes.

Today's Expenses:

Hamburger Helper	$0.99	Souris IGA

Hamburger ($1.19/lb 1 lb 1oz)	1.30	"

Pork and Bacon Lunch Meat (6 oz)	.89	"

Pears (.69/lb)	.65	"

Film (ASA 64 Ektochrome)	4.65	Souris

Bakery	.43	"

Hamburger (restaurant)	.95	Glenboro

Fries (restaurant)	.55	"

------------------------------------------	-------

Total	$10.41

Friday, August 4, 1978	Day 54	80-3365

Winnipeg, MB

I wanted to get an early start today, but didn't do it. I hoped to be in Winnipeg by 3:00 to avoid some of the traffic. I must have left at 9:00 since it was just after 10:00 when I got to St. Claude only 25 KM away. It started out sunny and stayed clear all day today. It's about time. I started with my gloves and arm warmers since it was cool in the park, but within a mile I was ready to take them off. The wind was blowing pretty hard today so I cruised in high gear most of the time, and even wanted higher gears quite often. It was so easy it was sinful. The road was almost flat and was a good surface. I made it to the edge of Winnipeg by 2:30. I decided I better cash a travelers check since I didn't have enough to get me through the weekend. I got 12.75%, my best yet. I stopped for lunch in Starbuck and really astounded a small boy I met in the park. He was riding a small motorcycle and couldn't believe I was riding my bike this far "just for adventure". He wanted to know if I would get an award or if I was training for the Olympics. He took my water bottle to his house and got me cold water. It was 3:30-4:00 by the time I got my groceries in Winnipeg and I had to decide where to go to camp. I didn't really want to stay in Winnipeg because all I had listed in my travel guide were expensive commercial campgrounds. The next closest one listed was 60 miles away. At first I thought I would try for it since I had a strong tail wind. So I took off, but after a couple miles I decided to stay at the first commercial camp I encountered here in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, it was a KOA. It cost me $5.00 for a place on cement like ground. I ended up tying some of my rain fly ropes to logs rather than pegs. It is also fairly buggy around here. The ground is so hard I can't even get my metal stakes in the ground. I bought a Winnipeg newspaper which was pretty interesting. There was as much U.S. news as there was Canadian news. There was also a story on gold and everything was in U.S. dollars. A story of a flood in Texas talked of how many centimeters of rain fell and the river was only meters from LBJ's grave. I got my first real scare from a dog today. A big black dog came running at me without barking. I dodged him and really started swaying and almost lost it. Tonight I noticed my rack was broken down by where it attaches near the axle. I don't know if it's related, but that was the first time I felt that much sway.

Today's Expenses

Bread	$0.45

Cinnamon Rolls	.75

Beef Stew (15 oz)	.84

Pork and Bacon Lunch Meat (6 oz)	.59

Camping	5.00

Winnipeg Newspaper	.15

Manitoba Patch	1.21

------------------------------------------	-------

Total	$9.78

Saturday, August 5, 1978	Day 55	90-3455

2 Miles East of West Hawk, MB	Campground

Today wasn't quite as easy as past days. The wind was more of a cross wind most of the time although at times it was a tail wind. For a couple short stretches I turned northward and went right into the wind. The terrain was basically flat until I reached White Shell Provincial Park. Then I hit a winding rolling hills road. Also, I got into a much rockier environment. All day I was riding in trees but the park had huge boulders and rock cuts too. Just after I got into the park my rack broke some more. The top piece of the bottom triangle is now broke. Fortunately I was only 1/2 mile from a picnic area so I managed to make it there to look at it. I took some of the rope off the top of the rack and tied the bottom together. It held it fairly steady but it did come apart again before I got to camp. Since this is the beginning of a 3 day weekend in Canada all the campgrounds are full. As a result I was sent to a border campground right on the Manitoba-Ontario border. It was at the Manitoba information office and cost $4.00 for a very rocky spot. I had trouble but I did manage to set my tent up. I bought some Coleman fuel from one of my neighbors who is a sheep shearer. The Manitoba park system is really strict. They check the cars coming into the campground to make sure they have a permit and that the car license plate agrees with the permit.

Today's Expenses:

Pancakes and Tea	$1.75

16 oz bread	.63

Canned Luncheon Meat	.95

Stew (15 oz)	1.09

Jiffy Pop	.65

Camp Stove Fuel	.50

Camping	4.00

----------------------------	-------

Total	$9.57

Sunday, August 6, 1978	Day 56	75-3530

45 Miles West of Dryden, ON	Free Camping

I woke up to another sunny day today. By the time I got up it was warm enough that I didn't need my warmers or gloves. I oiled my chain again to get rid of a slight squeak that seems to come back every other day. I also retied my rack so it seems a little more sturdy. Apparently my easy days are over since I had nothing but hills today. As a result my derailleur is really getting a workout from high to low all day long. I even had to do most of the work today since my tail wind left me. In fact it was a head wind for quite a while. I entered Ontario almost immediately today and my first impressions were negative. The paved shoulder disappeared immediately and traffic was fairly heavy. It wasn't as heavy as I expected considering I was on the Trans Canada Highway and there really is no other route. Still, it was heavy enough to keep me from enjoying the scenery as much as I would like. About 15 miles in I found a restaurant where I was going to eat breakfast, but they didn't have pancakes. So I ended up going to Kenora which was another 15 miles. By the time I had breakfast it was 12:30. Also in Kenora I picked up an Ontario camping guide and found out the provincial parks are $5.00. The prices of commercial campgrounds aren't even given and I'm afraid to ask. I decided I would just stay on the side of the road somewhere. Fortunately things looked up after I passed Kenora. The highway went right through the town of 10,500 but upon leaving Kenora the traffic really let up. I then could enjoy Ontario which has lots of trees and rock outcrops and lakes. I didn't realize that Ontario was nothing but water until I looked at the map. All day long I passed lake after lake. It really was quite beautiful. When I finally decided it was time to stop I filled both liter bottles and Linda's quart bottle with water and started looking for an appropriate sight. I found one very nice field but I couldn't find a way to get to it. Every way was blocked by steep banks or marsh. I finally gave it up. A little later down the road I felt my rear tire going flat just as I got to what appeared to be and old road bed. I decided that was a good place to camp and hauled my bike back about 50 feet. It was a little buggy but the OFF fixed that and I was able to get my tent pegs in the ground. I was also hidden from the road which is important. By the time I ate dinner and fixed my flat it was getting pretty dark so I went to bed. It was sort of eerie at first being there all by myself, but that soon passed.

Today's Expenses:

Pancakes	$1.75	Kenora

Tea	.35	"

Ontario Patch	.79	Kenora General Store

Tax on Patch	.03	"

Chunky Vegetable Soup	.73	"

Ravioli	.69	"

12 oz Canned Luncheon Meat	1.05	"

-----------------------------------	-------

Total	$5.39

Monday, August 7, 1978	Day 57	55-3585

2 Miles East of Wabigoon, ON	Kieffer's Lane Pine Camp

Just after I crawled into my tent last night it started raining lightly and rained off and on all night long. When I got up it was still cloudy but didn't look too threatening. I packed up and was off. About 1/2 to 1 mile down the road I found a gas station/restaurant for breakfast. The pancakes were normal Canadian size but the service was very slow. The cook was also the order taker and cashier most of the time. There was another guy helping but he didn't seem to do much. Within a couple miles the terrain changed slightly. It was still hilly, but there were no longer very many rocks. There were also some farms with hay fields - the first I've seen in Ontario. Still, it was mostly trees and lakes. I stopped in Dryden for lunch of peanut butter sandwiches and talked to a guy in the park about his bike. He said he had a CB on his and a radio. He really didn't look like much of a biker and I think most of what he told me was B.S. I decided not to ride long today and stopped around 2:00. I also thought Id try a campground. The first one I tried was right on the highway and cost $5.50. The owner wasn't there but there was a sign saying pick a site and they'd collect later. I decided that was too much and went a couple more miles down the highway and then 2 KM on a dirt road to Kieffer's Lane Pine Camp right on Wabigoon Lake. It's pretty nice, but all the campsites are in a big clearing with no shade. Since it decided to clear up just about the time I decided to camp, it's hot. I was really sweating just setting up my tent. I tried cooking some Jiffy Pop which worked really well except for the hole in the pan. Quite a bit of the oil leaked out which made quite a mess and kept me from popping all of it. Still, it popped plenty for just me. From talking to people over the last 3 days I guess today is a holiday simply because they didn't have any in August. I met a lady from Delavan, Wisconsin tonight and she said if I pass through it to stop in the restaurant she works at and she will buy me a hamburger and coke. It's not real convenient, but I'm going to try to work it in. I thing everyone here is from the U.S. It's not really a campground, but more of a fishing resort that allows camping. I'm sure I'm the only one here just fro the night. In fact, the last date on the register book was 8/5/78.

Today's Expenses:

Pancakes	$1.95

Tea	.35

Apples (.79/lb)	.59

Chicken Stew	1.19

Canned Luncheon Meat	.98

16 oz 40% Whole Wheat Bread	.65

Lemonade Mix	.25

4 Cans of Pudding	1.25

Camping	4.00

4 Post Cards	.60

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Total	$11.81

Tuesday, August 8, 1978	Day 58	75-3660

10 Miles West of English River, ON	Free Roadside Camping

I woke up once last night to stars overhead, but lots of lightening across the lake. When I got up this morning it was perfectly clear but by the time I got packed it was mostly cloudy. By the time I went the 2 KM to the highway it looked pretty threatening. I was hoping to have breakfast at t restaurant a few miles down the road, but when I got to Borups Corners I didn't see a restaurant. So, I rode until I came to a picnic area and had some peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast. By this time some of the clouds were so dark I just knew I was going to get wet, so I got my rain wear out and was prepared. I basically had a tail wind today and made it the 45 miles to Ignace by 12:30. I tried briefly to get some metal tent pegs and a new rack at a sporting goods store, but gave up. No metal tent pegs and a toy rack. I'll wait until Thunder Bay and see what I can find. It's suppose to be a very big town. While at the post office I heard some people say their neighbor saw a bear but they haven't. I wish they'd quit talking about bears. I went down to the public beach to eat some donuts I bought. Due to the weather nobody was there. I put my warmers on while I ate, but it soon got so windy and cold I decided to leave. I wrapped up the rest of my donuts and rode to a service station to get out of the wind. I finally decided to take off again and soon warmed up so much I took my warmers off. A little later I finished off my donuts. Unfortunately, I forgot to fill my water bottles as I had planned in Ignace, so I figured I'd have to go all the way to English River, another 36 miles away. I had already decided not to stay in a campground tonight so water was critical. Fortunately, about 20 miles out of Ignace there was a campground. I went in the 1/2 mile and asked what the price was. When she told mu $4.50 I got a liter of water and left. After another 5 miles I found a perfect place to camp. It's another old abandoned roadway which is no longer used. It curves around just after entering the forest and is totally concealed from passing cars. The only problem is that 1 liter of water really isn't very much, but it's only 10 miles into town tomorrow. So far it hasn't rained at all yet today which really surprises me the way it looked at times. The terrain was really a lot flatter today. There weren't near as many hills, but there were lots of long gentle hills.

Today's Expenses:

Deep Woods Off	$1.79	Ignace

Bologna (.99/lb)	1.33	"

Mustard	.33	"

Donuts	1.13	"

Donuts	1.13	"

Postage	.59	"

---------------------	-------

Total	$6.30

Wednesday, August 9, 1978	Day 59	105-3765

Kakabeka Falls, ON	Happyland Campground

I had some visitors as I was packing this morning. A group of 3 guys traveling back to B.C. stopped to rest on the roadside. While one was sleeping another one wandered back to where I was camped. Fortunately I was lucky and the didn't rob me as I feared might happen. Anyway, I packed and left as quickly as I could. It started out perfectly clear again but by late morning had become partly cloudy. It remained that way all day but never looked like rain. The towns were few and far between today, if you want to call them towns. Until I got to Kakabeka Falls the largest town had 2 gas stations and a restaurant. I had planned to do about 70 miles to Raith, get some food and then find a place to camp. However, it was so early and the gas station/store had such a poor selection I decided to go 15 more miles to Shabaqua Corners. About that time the muscle or tendon on my right shin started hurting. I geared down as much as feasible, but I also started hitting some good hills. At Shabaqua Corners the selection was even worse so I ended up with a can of stew. I also filled up all my water bottles. Next I tried to find a place to camp, but by now I was in a more populated area. I couldn't find a suitable spot and ended up going another 20 miles to Happyland Campground. About 10 miles out my leg was hurting so bad I wasn't sure I was going to make it up any more hills. At that point I decided I'd stay in a commercial camp and dumped my water to get rid of the weight. Fortunately, I also hit a series of good downhills. The campground is really pretty nice and the woman knocked a buck off the normal $5.00 without me even asking her to. By the time I ate and set up camp it was starting to get fairly dark. I was going to take a shower but it was another pay shower and I didn't have a quarter so I said the Hell with it. The only thing I'm worried about now is my leg. At least Thunder Bay is only 20 miles away and I won't go much past there. I have to get some handlebar tape and a new rack in town and then go put them on. If I have time I may also repack my bottom bracket. I had a lot of logging trucks today. They are the most impatient group of people I have ever seen. They constantly come very close or run approaching cars onto the shoulder. I hope I get out of their district soon.

Today's Expenses:

Bananas	$0.20	Upsala

Ice Cream	.27	Raith

Milky Way	.26	Shebaqua Corners

Beef Stew (15 oz)	.65	"

Donuts	.89	Kakabeka Falls

Camping	4.00	"

-----------------------	-------

Total	$6.27

Thursday, August 10, 1978	Day 60	50-3815

30 Miles East of Thunder Bay, ON	Fall Lake

Today went pretty much as I figured it would. I was in no hurry to leave today since I only had 15-20 miles to go to Thunder Bay so I let my tent dry completely before packing. As I guessed, traffic picked up considerably as I approached Thunder Bay, a town of 103,000. Still, it wasn't quite as bad as I expected. In town I found 3 bicycle shops, none of which carried a quality rack. As a result all I bought was some handlebar tape for $.50 a roll. I next tried to get my old rack welded. The first place told me they couldn't handle anything that small and the second told me at least $10.00. I said forget it and am still riding my broken rack. I hope I find something in the States in about 390 miles. By this time I was tired of Thunder Bay and decided not to camp there as I had planned. Instead I headed for a campground 30 miles east of town. Along the way I met another cyclist heading the other way. We stopped and talked quite a while. He was from Minnesota and had been to Newfoundland and was heading home. He said traffic would get better after junction 11 about 20 miles away. I had been hoping it would. He also said he had been sleeping on the roadside which included picnic tables. He said unless it looked like rain he didn't put his tent up. I wouldn't be able to stand the bugs. At camp I tried to talk them down from the $4.50 price but they wouldn't do it. I was feeling sort of down about that and my leg as I started to unload my bike when the guy next to me asked me if I would like a cup of coffee. I accepted even though I don't like coffee, but with cream and sugar it tasted pretty good. I even took a second cup. His wife fixed me a corned beef sandwich and gave me some cookies. They were out rock hounding and we talked for quite a while until I decided I better set up my tent. By this time it was 8:00 so I called St. Louis as I had promised to do on the 10th. Mom had gotten my film developed and gave me hope that I may have some good shots. After talking for a while I finally cooked supper and it was just getting dark as I finished washing the dishes. My leg feels better. I'm worried, though, because there are supposed to be some good hills between me and Saute Saint Marie. I'll take it easy again tomorrow and see how it goes. I think if I can average 50-60 miles a day for 7 days I can still get out of Canada before I have to cash another travelers check.

Today's Expenses:

2 Rolls Handlebar Tape	$3.12

Pears	1.42

24 oz 60% Whole Wheat Bread	.59

Donuts	.95

Canned Lasagna	.69

Ravioli	.63

Beefaroni	.63

Spork Canned Lunch Meat	1.09

Spork Canned Lunch Meat	1.09

1 lb Mock Chicken Loaf Lunch Meat	1.19

Camping	4.50

Shower	.25

-------------------------------------------	-------

Total	$16.15

Friday, August 11, 1978	Day 61	45-3860

10 Miles East of Nipigon, ON	Free Camping

Since I wasn't planning a very long day today I was in no hurry to get up and get going. However as I was packing I heard a radio newscast say it was 8:15. I took a walk down to the lake near the campground which was a very small lake. It didn't take long to get bored with it. Eventually I left and really took it easy. I geared down for every little hill and stopped at every picnic table. I really lucked out since it was pretty flat most of the way and for quite a while I had a tail wind. A little later the road curved more southward and I had a bit of a headwind. Fortunately, except for a very few hills it remained fairly flat or gradual uphill. However, I was protecting my shin so much that my Achilles tendon started burning a little. It doesn't really hurt, but I better go back to my normal pedaling. I filled my 2 liter bottles and got groceries in Nipigon since the next town was 43 miles and I knew I didn't want to got that far today. I was planning on going about 10 miles farther than I did today, but I found such a perfect campsite I decided to stop early. Besides, I figured the extra rest would do my leg good. This time I'm on the old highway which is still paved. It paralleled the road for about 40 feet until it came to a band of bushes and trees and then paralleled it some more. I went past the bushes and trees and am perfectly safe. The highway is just past the trees on one side and the railroad is past the trees on the other side. I was able to pound enough holes in the asphalt to put up my tent although I did break one more. I may have to buy some more plastic pegs if I can't find any metal ones. I also bent a couple of my metal ones pretty bad. I also managed to retape my handlebars this afternoon. They sure look a lot better now even if the rolls of tape were too short to cover all the way. My leg feels much better this evening but is still sore to the touch , although not as bad. Another couple easy days should do it. Unfortunately, I'm sure I'm going to hit some hills tomorrow according to what I've been told.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts	$0.89	Nipigon

Donuts	.89	"

Bread 24oz Whole Wheat	.59

------------------------------	-------

Total	$2.37

Saturday, August 12, 1978	Day 62	60-3920

10 Miles East of Terrace Bay	Free Camping

I got up once last night to answer mother nature and when I looked at the sky I was quite surprised to see the Northern Lights. It was really interesting to watch the light patterns constantly change. It was sort of like something flapping in the wind. While I was watching I also saw 4 shooting stars. Because I ran out of things to do yesterday I went to bed just as it was getting dark. So, I got up pretty early today. About a mile down the road I hit my first good hill and my leg worried me a bit. I really doubted if I would make it to Terrace Bay about 50-55 miles away. However, I geared down constantly and really took it slow and as the day progressed I was quite satisfied with my leg. I went over a number of pretty good size hills with no apparent problem. In fact I had my longest uphill and downhill since leaving the mountains. It started out clear today and the scenery from the hilltops was fantastic. The lake on one side and the forest on the other was breath taking. Unfortunately, it was hazy and the sea blended with the sky. As the day progressed it got foggier and foggier until I couldn't tell water from sky. It's unfortunate because that made it impossible to get any good pictures. I went through Rossport which took me right down to the water's edge. With the overcast the breeze coming off the lake was really cold. I eventually put on my arm warmers and later my leg warmers. But, after I climbed from the lake it got warm enough to take off my leg warmers. I left my arm warmers on but pushed down. After I left Terrace Bay I started looking for a place to camp. By now the road had leveled off some and I couldn't find a spot. I tried a couple spots, but they just didn't pan out. It started really getting dark so I decided to stay in a less than perfect spot. However, after hauling my bike in and finding there really wasn't any place to put my tent I decided to go on. Unfortunately, this meant going up another big hill. By now it was getting so dark I really felt unsafe on the road. On top the hill I found a quarry where I decided to stay. As I was pitching my tent the clouds broke and it turned out it wasn't dark due to lateness, but due to the clouds. Actually there was a lot of daylight left. I really don't like where I am because it is not very private. Already a truck came in to steal some gravel and a motorcycle came in. He parked a little ways off for a couple minutes and then left. That makes me nervous.

Today's Expenses:

Small Corned Beef on Rye	$1.20

Hot Tea	.35

Canned Hash	1.09	Terrace Bay

Canned Hash	1.09	"

Donuts	.95	"

Bologna (1.69/lb)	2.70	"

-------------------------------	-------

Total	$7.38

Sunday, August 13, 1978	Day 63	65-3985

20 Miles West of White River, ON	White Lake Lodge Campground

When I woke up this morning it was quite foggy so I decided to lay in for a while. By the time I got up again the fog had lifted, but everything was quite damp. I was in a shaded area so I decided not to wait for my tent to dry and packed it wet. The hills today were steeper than yesterday and really gave me a test. I'm really encouraged about my leg since it didn't give me any problems. Of course, I'm still gearing down where I probably wouldn't have a week ago. I also had a head wind most of the day which took away a lot of the down hills. It put me at least one and sometimes two gears lower than I thought I should be. After Marathon the road really leveled out and I even got a tail wind for a while. However, the head wind returned and I geared down again. At one point I passed a jogger and about a mile later when I stopped he was right behind me. That goes to show how slow I was going. After my rest I caught him again, though. I was planning on getting supplies for the night at Struthers, but when I got to where it was supposed to be all I found was a cardboard sign on a stake that said Struthers. Even it was had written and falling down. Fortunately, there was a Texaco station a couple miles farther on that sold groceries. I picked up what I needed and filled all 3 water bottles. It was then off to search for a campground. I found a couple places that would have worked but it was so early I wanted a better place to kill time so I turned them down. I then came across White Lake Lodge and thought I'd give them a try. Since they were only $3.00 I decided to stay there, especially since it looks like I'll make the Soo by Wednesday. I'm glad I stayed there because I met a couple guys from Minnesota who loaned me their axe to put up my tent and then invited me for supper. Supper consisted of potatoes and onions, turkey ham, and green beans. I probably could have eaten all they cooked and tried not to be greedy. Afterwards I ate 4 bologna sandwiches. Actually, 3 would have been enough but I wanted to get rid of the bologna before it spoiled. I also accepted 2 beers from them. Chris gave me his business card and said if I run into any trouble in Michigan to give him a call collect. The campground is nothing but a field with 1 picnic table for everyone, but the rest rooms are nice and I did get a shower. The string on my rack is starting to fray so I taped the string. There is also at least 3 more places where the crossbars have broken loose. I hope my rack makes it to Sault Ste Marie!

Today's Expenses:

Bread 24oz	$0.59

Stew	.89

Donuts	.95

2 Ice Cream Cones	.80

Camping	3.00

Shower	.25

-----------------------	-------

Total	$6.48

Monday, August 14, 1978	Day 64	75-4060

Wawa, ON	Big Sky Trailer Park

After I took my shower last night the mosquitos were terrible. I guess the OFF works until you wash it off. Chris and Larry asked me to have another beer and I nearly got eaten alive while drinking it. Two cats got into a fight last night and that really shook me up until I realized what all the noise was about. Once again it was a very warm night. Larry and Chris (Chris did the cooking again) invited me for breakfast this morning which consisted of a 3 egg ham and cheese omelet which was really good. By the time I had breakfast and packed it was 9:45 and quite warm. The sun was really baring down and I rode all day without my shirt. Unfortunately I also had a fairly strong head wind so the day turned out to be quite long. I was really taking my time and enjoying it in spite of the wind. I stopped at a picnic area near the river and had a couple sandwiches and went wading. I must have spent well over an hour there. Later I had a couple more sandwiches on a rock ledge overlooking the road. It was very nice but still in the sun. By the time I got to Wawa I was very tired due to the wind. The first campground I came to was a KOA which wanted $4.50 period. They wouldn't come down and since I don't like KOA's anyway I left. Next was Big Sky Trailer Park which is pretty nice. The owner was very friendly and knocked $1.00 off for me. The campground has a great view overlooking the valley. I came down today. Also, for a change the showers are free! I am definitely in skunk country as I smelled quite a few today. I sure wish they would quit getting hit.

Today's Expenses:

Pears (.95/lb)	$1.00

2 lbs York Peanut Butter	2.29

Bread (24 oz white)	.65

Camping	4.00

-----------------------------	------

Total	$7.94

Tuesday, August 15, 1978	Day 65	65-4125

Montreal River Harbor, ON

I met some more of the Canadian wildlife last night. Sometime during the night I woke to the sound of a paper bag tearing. It was my bread and donut bag which was just outside my tent in the vestibule. When I put on my glasses and looked out I saw a skunk. I yelled at it and fortunately he walked around the tent. I unzipped the tent and threw the bag a couple yards away and the skunk followed. I then got up and took my food away. I was so close to the skunk I could smell him. I put my food on the table and luckily the skunk couldn't climb up. However, he kept running around and went back to my tent. I kept trying to chase him off without getting him mad. At one point I got too ambitious and he hissed at me. Finally, he left without getting my food and without spraying me. I then wrapped everything in garbage bags and left them on the table. Today was extremely hot and muggy. It was so humid you could see the moisture in the air once again making it difficult to get good pictures. I finally stopped at Agana Bay and took a swim in Lake Superior. The water really wasn't very cold and really felt good once you plunged in. Amazingly my shorts dried before I got to camp a few hours later. I met a woman cyclist from Deluth riding around Lake Superior in the other direction. She was very nice and good looking and we talked for quite a while. I almost turned around and went in the other direction too. Most of the trip today was through Lake Superior Provincial Park which had no services. So, I had to carry enough water to last me for 80 KM. Fortunately one liter of water did it. When I finally got to Montreal River Harbor I had a really nice down hill into town. It must be the steepest hill I hit along the lake because even with a headwind I really flew. I tried the first campground and she wanted $5.00 and wouldn't come down so I tried the second and last one. Fortunately they only wanted $4.00. It was a fairly nice campground except the sites were right on the lake and the washrooms were up the hill with the cabins about 1/4 to 1/2 mile away. When I got to the campsite the only other person there was another cyclist fixing a broken spoke. He had started from Cleveland and was going in the other direction. After dinner he built a fire and we shared a glass of scotch he had. There were quite a few more skunks on the road today. They must be terribly dumb!

Today's Expenses:

BIC Pen	$0.25

Tax on Pen	.01

Apples (1.19/lb)	1.44

2 Cans of Stew	1.82

Camping	4.00

-----------------------	-------

Total	$7.52

Wednesday, August 16, 1978	Day 66	80-4205

Sault Ste Marie, ON	Bells Point Beach Campground

It rained quite hard several times last night and I really thought I was going to be stuck at Montreal River harbor another day. Fortunately, by morning it was just cloudy and looked like it was clearing. The wind was still blowing quite hard which did dry my tent, but I dreaded pedaling against it. I really had doubts whether I could make it to the Soo. The first 20KM went very quickly and I was encouraged. However, the second 20 KM seemed to take forever as I hit more hills and wind. The third 20 KM went pretty easy again and just at that point Chris and Larry from Michigan passed me and pulled over to talk a while. They hadn't caught very many fish but had a good time. When they left it was 11:45 and I was halfway to the Soo. I then missed the next two 20 KM markers and thought I was really making bad time when suddenly I was 9 miles from Soo. All day, though, I had a great urgency to get there and felt like I was just riding and not looking. It stayed cloudy all day, but I got my best look at the lake since there was no haze. I ran into a couple sprinkles but nothing serious. When I got to Sault Ste Marie I started looking for a bike shop. I soon found out there were no bike shops in Sault Ste Marie. I tried the sporting goods stores with no success. Since I couldn't get a rack I had $27.00 left over. I went to the DQ and had a large chocolate shake and then went to Colonel Sanders for chicken. By this time it was 6:00 and I was eating my chicken outside when it started raining. I packed my chicken and decided to go find the nearest campground. I'm at Bells Point Beach which is a nice campsite, but the washrooms are terrible. The showers are situated such that they flood the entire floor causing the place to smell and making it difficult to use the toilet without getting your pants wet. The rain lasted just long enough to set up my tent and then quit.

Today's Expenses:

Apples (.26 each)	$0.52

Cinnamon rolls	.89

DQ Chocolate Shake	1.15

Colonel Sanders Chicken	5.19

Camping	4.00

-----------------------------	-------

Total	$11.75

Thursday, August 17, 1978	Day 67	10-4215

Sault Ste Marie, MI	Sherman Park Free Campground

I got up before 7:00 today hoping to get an early start in spite of the heavy overcast. I took a shower this morning because I had hoped the washroom floor would dry overnight, but no such luck. At least the tent had pretty well dried due to the wind. However, the clouds and wind made it feel cool enough to use my warmers and wool gloves. About the time I was finished packing my neighbors asked me over for a cup of tea or coffee. I took the tea and talked with them for a while. By the time I left camp it was well after 9:00. As I was riding into town to eat breakfast at a restaurant I passed a thermometer which read 5º Centigrade which is 41º Fahrenheit. No wonder I felt cold. For breakfast I started with an omelet and since I had extra Canadian money I splurged and ordered an extra set of pancakes. Together they were just about enough. I then went into town to buy some film and see the Soo Locks. I finally found some 200 ASA film for only $5.10 plus tax. The locks were nothing spectacular and the only boats that came thru while I was there were a couple tour boats. In town I met a couple Canadian cyclists who had been mapping some bike routes thru Ontario and were about to fly home. We talked for quite a while and by the time I was ready to cross the bridge to Michigan it was 1:30. Also, by now it had started to clear and I even had to put my sun glasses on and I took my warmers off. I had already put my cycling gloves on after breakfast. The bridge across St Mary's River is 2 miles long and dips in the middle. In spite of the fact that there really isn't much traffic I'm surprised they let bikes ride across. I'm glad they do because it was a very pleasant ride. The U.S. Soo is much more commercialized than the Canadian Soo. On the Michigan side there were boat tours and pretzel vendors and a regular tourist trap. Fortunately, amid all this was a bicycle shop with an Avanti carrier. It's the same kind that I had, but I also bought 3 extra supports. One hooks to the rack and brake like its designed to and the other 2 I put on the triangle that hooks to the frame for extra strength. The shop keeper also told me about a free campground in the city park a couple miles from town. Before going there I went to the locks and this time saw a couple large ore boats go through. It was sort of interesting to watch these monsters rise in the water some 21 feet. I stopped at the Chamber of Commerce on the way out to ask where Sherman Park (the free campground) was and they said there wasn't any camping there. She then called someone else and found out there was. When I asked about a grocery store the woman told me about a super market and the guy then suggested a confectionary. He also asked me to mention the Chamber of Commerce sent me. I tried the confectionary and the prices were high and the selection not so good, so I went to the supermarket and finally found some Tuna helper which I couldn't find in Canada. By the time I left for camp it was after 4:00. After setting up camp and eating lunch I replaced my rack. It looks a lot sturdier with those extra braces. I also tied the main support like I did when it broke and tied it across the rack to keep the cross bars from breaking. Hopefully it will get me back to Denver. The campground is really nice, especially for free. It has picnic tables, beach, and lots of trees. It's also right on St. Mary's River, so there is a constant procession of ships going up and down river. I was surprised today how easy I got thru customs. The customs officer asked what country I was a citizen of, where I lived, and what I had to declare and that was it. He even seemed friendly and asked more about my trip.

Today's Canadian Expenses:

Ham omelet	$2.95	Smittys

Pancakes	1.65	"

Tea	.40	"

Tip	.50	"

Film (200 ASA)	5.10

Tax on Film	.20

Postcard	.15

Toll Bridge	.75

-------------------	-------

Canadian Total	$11.70

Today's U.S. Expenses:

Avanti Carrier	$19.90

Three Stabilizers	1.95

Tax	.87

Bread	.62

Donuts	.89

2 Cans Tuna at .73 each	1.46

Tuna Helper	.79

8 oz Salami	1.07

-----------------------------	-------

U.S. Total	$27.55

Grand Total	$39.25

Friday, August 18, 1978	Day 68	40-4255

Strongs, MI	National Forest Campground

Today started out bad and got steadily worse. It was partly cloudy when I got up but didn't look too threatening. As I was about to pack my bike I noticed I had a flat tire. It turned out to be an old patch that was leaking around the edge. I put another patch on the edge and pumped it up by hand. I then finished packing and took off. About 10 miles down the road my tire went flat. This was after I found out I couldn't ride the 6 miles down I75 to Hwy 28. So, I had to go a couple miles further east and take a narrow, but lightly traveled road to Hwy 28. The flat occurred right at the junction of 28 and there was a stop sign. This time I switched tubes and used the station pump to put air in my tire. About 1/4 miles down the road I decided to eat my breakfast and by the time I was done my tire was flat again. A patch had come off this tube also. For some reason I couldn't get the edges to stick. After 2 tries of taking the tire off and patching and putting it back on I thought I had it and took off. Six miles down the road another flat. All in all I took my rear tire off 7 times today and finally used up my last patch. This last one seems to be holding since I went 15 miles without a flat. However, by the time I got to Strongs it was almost 4:00 and since there was a National Forest campground right there I decided to stop for the day. The campground is practically deserted, but the people across the way offered me a beer. Their radio predicts possibly severe thunder showers this evening. It's been cloudy off and on all day and even sprinkled a couple times. Now it's very cloudy and raining lightly. I was really mad at my tires today and while I was playing with it the wind shifted from a tailwind to a headwind. I better not get any more flats till I get to a bike shop and a patch kit.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts	$0.99

Spiced Lunch Meat (8 oz)	1.05

24 oz Dinty Moore Stew	1.44

3 Musketeers	.27

Milky Way	.27

Wyler Lemonade	.20

Zest Soap	.20

Suzy Q	.31

Camping	2.00

---------------------------------	-------

Total	$6.73

Saturday, August 19, 1978	Day 69	50-4305

North Manistique Lake, MI	Campground

Today started out almost as bad as yesterday. It rained most of the night and was raining when I wanted to get up. I figured I'd stay where I was another day. Then it stopped raining so I decided to pack up and leave. I carefully tested my tire which still had air in it although it was low. There was no sign of bear last night in spite of a baited bear trap at one end of camp. I finally started off and about a mile from camp my rear gear cable broke. I wasn't even back on the highway yet and already I had problems. I rode up to the highway where I knew there was a gas station and changed cables on a picnic table that was there. Just as I was finishing it started to rain. It rained for 15 or 20 miles before it started clearing up. Eventually I took my rain parka off but left the pants on to keep my legs warm. I stopped in Newberry hoping to find a patch kit and possibly a tube. I got a real cheap patch kit which hopefully will at least fix any flats I get. I also got a break at the A&P although I didn't realize it until later. I bought a package of bologna for $1.09 along with some other stuff. The clerk accidentally rang $1.79. So, instead of subtracting .70 from the total he gave me $1.79 for the overcharge and then gave me my change for the total showing on the register. As a result I got the bologna free. I fought the old basic head wind all day today and the way things are going I will again tomorrow. I did my laundry this evening and it is really nice to have clean clothes that don't smell at least for a day or two. The campground I'm at is really nice. It has fairly flat tent spots, clean wash rooms which are also dry, and a clean laundry room. All this for a decent price. I hope I see a few more places like this along the way. I had wanted to take the loop along Hwy 123 to Tahquamenon Falls but was afraid I would get a flat so I went straight to Newberry. I still considered doing the loop backwards but since the weather was wet and I was fighting a headwind I decided not to. I still want to go to Grand Marais tomorrow though.

Today's Expenses:

4 oz Shampoo	$1.53	A&P

Tax on Shampoo	.07	"

Donuts	.89	"

Donuts	.89	"

A&P Canned Lunch Meat	1.09	"

A&P Canned Lunch Meat	1.09	"

Beef Hash	.97	"

Chili	.71	"

Hash Browns	.74	"

1lb Bologna	1.09	"

Tire Patch Kit	.37	Newberry

Tax on Patch Kit	.02	"

Camping	3.50

Laundry - Wash	.50

Laundry - Dry	.25

------------------------------	-------

Total	$13.71

Clerical Error at A&P	-1.09

------------------------------	-------

Total	$12.62

Sunday, August 20, 1978	Day 70	55-4360

Fox River State Campground	Campground

I woke up to a bright sunny day this morning although it was very wet from the dew. I had hoped to get an early start but decided to take my time packing to let my tent dry. I had a lot to pack anyway since just about everything was out from doing my laundry. I also dried my towel and wash cloth in the dryer again since they hadn't dried after my shower. As it was my tent was still fairly wet when I packed it even though it must have been after 9:00 before I got started. Another skunk rummaged thru my camp last night. This time he rattled the garbage around for a couple minutes before leaving. My food was safe on top of the table. I rode to Grand Marais and the sand dunes with hopes of making a loop out of it in spite of a 25-30 mile unpaved stretch. For the first 15 miles or so there was little or no wind and then I picked up a light tailwind making a nice ride to Grand Marais. There was a really nice drop into town and the view of Lake Superior was fantastic. There was no haze today and it looked like I had hoped it would all along. I then rode to Sable Falls which were nothing spectacular and then to Log Slide, one of the dunes. About 5 miles of the ride was unpaved and a mixture of sand and gravel. As a whole it wasn't too bad, but there were just enough patches of mostly sand to really make it difficult riding. It's a shame because the roadway was beautiful. There were trees all over and it was like going down a tunnel. When I finally got to the dunes it was breathtaking. I was some 200-300 feet above Lake Superior on top of a big dune. It didn't look that far down until I saw people at the bottom that were very small. I hiked down the very steep slope (at least 45º) to the lake and waded a while before heading back up. The trip up was definitely not easy and I was really sweating by the time I got to the top. I decided not to make a loop, but to go back to a state forest campground I had passed coming in this morning. Unfortunately, about 1/2 mile from Hwy 77 and pavement I got a flat. Once again one of my patches I put on the other day came loose. I put on one of the patches I bought at Newberry yesterday and I'm pretty sure it will hold. When I finally got to the campground it was full so I invited myself to share with a mobile home. They said sure that I wouldn't bother them. I barely had time to set up my tent and eat before it started getting dark. My chain and freewheel have so much sand on them it's a wonder they still work. I must stop early some day and clean them.

Today's Expenses:

Bread -1 lb Wheat	$0.72

Laundry - drying	.25

----------------------	-------

Total	$0.97

Monday, August 21, 1978	Day 71	60-4420

Munising, MI	Munising Campground

I didn't get a very early start today. Since I was in a state forest campground I didn't get the early morning sun to get me going. Then, as I was packing several people started talking to me. It was going on 10:00 by the time I left. The wind naturally was against me as it was a southwest wind. However, it wasn't too strong and I was on pretty flat terrain. At Shingleton I decided to try county road H13 instead of going into Munising and doubling back. So, I bought my supplies at Shingleton and took off. The road was very nice with little traffic. I finally got to H13 which leads to Miners Castle, one of the cliffs along Lake Superior. However, this unpaved road was mostly sand and although it was only 4 miles I turned around before 1 mile was up. It was just impossible to ride on. I then rode to the information office from which I planned to hike the 4 miles to Miners Castle. It turned out I left my bike 1 1/2 miles from the trail head and had to walk that as well. Since it was well after 3:00 by the time I left my bike I walked about a mile along the path before deciding I couldn't make it there and back and still have time to find camp and cook. The trail was sandy in spots and after going up a steep hill it was quite wet in spots, both of which made it slow going. So, I guess if I want to see the Pictured Rocks I'll have to take a boat tour tomorrow. After my experience on the road to Miners Castle I decided not to even try the road to the campground I had planned on. Instead I ended up at the Munising Campground which is basically a field next to Lake Superior. There was a slide show tonight on the Picture Rocks National Lakeshore which was very interesting. It was basically a picture hike thru the park.

Today's Expenses:

Fudgesicle	$0.25

Zingers Cakes	.31

Wylers	.23

Donuts	1.09

8oz Salami	1.19

1 1/2 lb Stew	1.20

Camping	2.50

-----------------	-------

Total	$6.77

Tuesday, August 22, 1978	Day 72	40-4460

Marquette, MI	Campground

After a lot of thought I decided to take a boat ride along the Picture Rocks. I figured that would be easier and quicker than hiking to Miners Castle. I almost didn't get up in time since it was pretty cloudy and didn't seem very late. By the time I did get up and get over to the tours it was 8:45 and the boat left at 9:00. It was starting to clear as we left and I didn't even have my warmers on. It was a 37 mile, 5 hour tour and was pretty interesting. In fact I shot about 12 pictures or more and finished my roll before I knew it. Unfortunately, the clouds moved in again and by the time we turned around it was getting pretty chilly so I rode inside for a while. On the way back the captain threw some bread to the gulls. It was amazing how so many of them hovered just 5-10 feet above the boat and waited for him to throw the bread. It was sort of like the movie "The Birds". When we got back to shore it was really cold and I was really uncomfortable as I ate my breakfast donuts. However, the thermometer said 58 even though it felt more like 40. Once I started riding it felt a little warmer. The wind was blowing off the lake from the north and gave me a headwind component for a while, but I was still in high range most of the time. Gradually the skies cleared and it got warmer as I got away from Lake Superior. However, I'm camped right on the lake and it's getting pretty cold again. I met a couple cyclists going the other way who were quite nice. They had ridden from California and have seen only 4 other cyclists. When I got into Marquette I decided to really splurge when I passed a Burger Chef and stopped in for dinner. I was ready for a hamburger. Eventually the wind became a tailwind for a while or at least a tail component. Mostly, though, it was a tailwind. About 20 miles out of Marquette traffic noticeably picked up. When I hit the junction of 41 there was a bike route into Marquette which wasn't real good at intersections, but I rode it anyway to get out of traffic. I had paved shoulders all the way today and for 15 miles they were even easily rideable. The rest of the time they were marginal and sometimes I rode on the shoulder and sometimes I didn't. The other 2 bikers told me to avoid Hwy 2 if I can. I have to ride it 11 miles from Wakefield to Ironwood but I'll try to find something else in Michigan.

Today's Expenses:

Picture Rocks Boat Ride	$6.75

Film 200 ASA	5.15

Tax on Film	.21

Michigan Patch	1.25

Tax on Patch	.05

Bread	.63

8oz Bologna	.99

Pepsi	.35

Burger Chef	2 Super Chefs	1.98

Large Fries	.50

Strawberry Shake .50

Tax	.12

Camping	5.00

----------------------------------------	-------

Total	$23.48

Wednesday, August 23, 1978	Day 73	65-4525

Covington, MI	Do Drop Inn's Lawn

It rained pretty much all night long last night with thunder and lightening. Reports of 3-5 inches are common from Marquette to Ironwood - my route. For a while I thought I was going to have to decide if I would pack in the rain this morning, but fortunately around 8:00 or so it stopped raining. Even though the sky was solid overcast I started packing. I had my tent all put away and was putting the gear on the bike when it started drizzling. I put on my rain gear and finished packing. By the time I left it was a steady rain. I needed to mail a roll of film and since I didn't know how much postage it was I needed a post office. Naturally, the post office was on the east side of town, the way I came in and the campground was on the northwest side. What's worse, I then got onto M28 where it was a 4 lane divided highway and bicycles were not allowed. By now it was raining hard and my glasses were so spotty and foggy I could just barely see. After a couple miles I stopped at a gas station/store to rest and clean my glasses. There I met a guy who told me about a county road within sight of the service station which went to Negaunee just 8 miles down the road, but at the other end of the 4 lane road. He said one of his coworkers rides a bike to work and that's the way he goes. I took it and it really was a nice tree lined road. I got pretty warm and had to drop my hood so my glasses wouldn't fog. By the time I got to Negaunee it had almost stopped raining and was getting a little brighter. After another 10 miles or so I took off my parka because it was getting too warm and put on my arm warmers. After that I passed thru a few light showers but nothing too serious and it was in the upper 60's so it wasn't too cold. Traffic was pretty heavy until I got to Champion at the intersection of Hwy 95. After that it really dissipated and now that I'm back on Hwy 28 it is really pretty light. By the time I got to Covington I was about ready to stop but figured I had another 20 miles to go. I didn't know of any campgrounds so figured I'd either stay in the roadside park near Trout Creek or try to find a church. Covington had a church perfectly located for staying in, but it looked so nice and clean I decided not to. I rode another 1/2 mile and saw a sign for a state forest campground and pulled into the Do Drop Inn motel, café, and service station to see how far it was. The man told me 7 miles on a sand road. He was a nice guy and reminded me of the Pennsylvania Dutch because of the way his beard was cut and the rain pants he had on which looked like bib overalls. We talked for a while and finally he offered to let me stay on a grassy spot right next to the motel. Since it was 5:00 and only 70 miles to Wakefield where I know there is a campground I decided to take him up on his offer. Since I didn't have to pay for a campground this way I decided to eat dinner in his café and dropped $4.68 for roast beef, mashed potatoes, tea, and pumpkin pie. Actually, it was pretty good, but restaurant servings really don't fill up a biker. I'll probably eat a little more of my bologna a little later. Now, I've got to look at my Wisconsin map and figure a route around Hwy 2. Of course, a lot of my route depends on whether I can get a map showing the bike routes. I sure hope so. As of today I've been traveling longer by myself than with Ed.

Today's Expenses:

Lemon Rolls	$0.75	Marquette

Brownies	.79	"

Postage on Film	.28	"

Bread 24oz White	.59	Negaunee

1lb Bologna	1.29	"

Roast Beef & Mashed Potatoes	3.50	Covington Do Drop Inn

Hot Tea	.35	"

Pumpkin Pie	.65	"

Tax	.18	"

-------------------------------------	-------

Total	$8.38

Thursday, August 24, 1978	Day 74	70-4595

Wakefield, MI	Commercial Campground for Free

It rained several times off and on last night and became quite foggy. It was still foggy this morning when I got up sometime after 8:00. It wasn't real cold and I debated for a while whether to put on dry short socks or my wet long ones. I wanted to keep my other pair of long ones safe in a plastic bag in case it rained. I finally opted for the wet long socks. Fortunately they weren't as cold as I expected. Of course, everything was wet that I packed. About the time I finished packing Gene and Jo came to open their café. I stopped in to thank them for letting me stay there. He asked if I had been bothered by any bears last night and when I said no he told me they had found some bear tracks a couple days ago. Now he tells me! All day long there was little or no wind and usually what little breeze did stir was in my favor. The sun though never did really poke through. Fortunately, within 5-10 miles the fog lifted so I could see and be seen better. My front derailleur will not shift into the big sprocket. The rear gears really grind when I'm on the middle sprocket. Some time when the sun is shining I really must stop early and work on my bike. I stayed in my low range today and used all 5 rear sprockets. The terrain was very gently rolling hills and as a result I tended to use too high a gear. At one point I could feel my right lower leg protesting at one of my rest stops. Fortunately it was not lasting. When I got into Wakefield I changed time zones which surprised me because I didn't think I would until tomorrow. At first I thought I had made remarkably good time. The town of Wakefield had a tourist park so I decided to give it a try. When I got there it had real nice facilities but nobody was there to tell me how much it was. There were a few campers there but nobody was around. I finally decided to go another couple miles to the campground shown in my travel guide. Just as I left town my tire went flat. I stopped at a gas station for air and tried to make it to the campground, but couldn't. So, I fixed it on the roadside. It looked like I hit one too many rocks on the "paved" shoulder. When I got to the campground I saw a sign for $4.00 and decided I'd pay it. I talked to the woman for a while before getting around to register. When I finally did register she said no charge for cyclists! We then talked for quite a while longer before I decided I better set up my tent and eat before it got dark and before it decided to rain. The tent sight isn't the best in the world, but it is fairly level. I had paved shoulders for a while again today. Some were quite nice and others were unusable. Even some that were nice were hard to use because of the gravel on them. I just "enjoyed" a rather cold shower in and unheated room. It's a good thing I didn't have to pay $4.00 for this campground. Plus, they have pit toilets.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts	$1.09

Can of Soda	.25

Fuel	.50

1 Qt Orang Juice	.69

24oz Beef Hash	1.49

15 1/4 oz Chicken Stew	.73

Pudding	1.09

Birthday Card	.30

Tax on Card	.01

---------------------------	-------

Total	$6.15

Friday, August 25, 1978	Day 75	25-4620

Upson, WI	Free Campground

It was still cloudy this morning and I could feel a mist as I walked. However, I started to pack up anyway. As I was packing Delmar brought me a map of how to get to the bike shop in Ironwood which I hoped would have information on Wisconsin bike routes. I finished packing and stopped to talk to Elaine before leaving. By the time I left it was almost 9:00 central which means an hour later than I had been leaving. I quickly rode the 10 easy miles to Ironwood only to find out the bike shop didn't open till noon. I decided to stick around so I had a couple hours to kill. I went to the Ironwood, Michigan Chamber of Commerce to see if they had anything. She said no and even tried the Hurley, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce with no luck. I then had her direct me to a city park for my breakfast donuts. That killed some time, but it was still only 11:00. So, I started working on my chain and since I couldn't get into low this morning I tightened the rear derailleur cable. I can now get low, but not high. For some reason cleaning the freewheel this morning before I left camp helped my front derailleur because now I can get high range. By now it was noon so I went to the bike shop for some oil and info. Unfortunately, he had neither. He sent me to a Gibson Department Store for the oil and had no info on bike routes. I went to the store and bought the only size can of WD-40 they had and once again silenced my chain. I then took off for Hurley, Wisconsin only a couple miles away. There I tried the Chamber of Commerce who sent me to the Iron County Highway Department who sent me to the County Courthouse. There I did find a map of a bike route around Sparta, but it was so confusing I didn't copy it. Besides, it said nothing about railroad beds. I finally gave up and took off on my own route and headed for a county park some 15 miles away on the map. At Upson, which is approximately where the park was shown, I found a free picnic and campground and decided to stay. It has a water pump, pit toilets, and a shelter. All the comforts of home. I set up my tent to dry and dried out all my stuff sacks. Since it was still pretty early I started cleaning my bike a little. I scraped so much dirt and sand off my freewheel and jockey wheels it's amazing they even worked. I also oiled the derailleurs and cable mounts. What a difference a little oil makes in the performance. It shifts so much easier now, at least upside down. The sun finally poked through late this morning and off and on all afternoon. It actually felt quite warm while I was riding. The clouds have pretty well taken over again, though. The wind was calm again today and I hope it stays that way. So far I'm the only one here and from the amount of traffic on Hwy 77 I'll be surprised if anyone else shows up. Oh well, alone again as usual.

Today's Expenses:

9oz WD-40 Oil	$1.37

Tax on Oil	.06

2 19oz Donuts @ .69	1.38

1lb Bologna	1.19

Scrubbie Scouring Pad	.35

2.5oz Mennen Speed Stick	1.44

Tax	.07

2 Cans Tuna @ .79	1.58

Tuna Helper	.79

Stamp	.15

-------------------------------	-------

Total	$8.38

Saturday, August 26, 1978	Day76	75-4695

Earl, WI	Campground

I woke up to fog again this morning. At least my tent was fairly dry for a change. I went to Copper Falls State Park in hope of getting information on bike trails since my Wisconsin map said to go to the nearest state park for info on biking and hiking. Unfortunately, he didn't have any info. As long as I was there, though, I stopped in to see Copper Falls and Brownstone Falls. For a car the charge was $1.50, but for me it was free. Either way you had to walk about 1/4 mile to the falls. The ranger said County Road GG was a good road so I decided to try it. It turned out to be and excellent road for a while and very acceptable the rest of the way. Later on Hwy 77 I ran into a detour due to the rain we had the other night. A bridge had washed out and I got routed onto a couple of county roads. They turned out to be very good roads and very pretty. I finally got on U.S. 63 which to my surprise was not very heavily traveled. So far I really like Wisconsin. I really scared a dog today. I was riding along when some sort of terrier mix came out of the weeds and into the road. He didn't notice me until I was right on top of him. He sure jumped when I went by and kind of half barked at me. As he regained his composure he started barking harder and even ran after me for a little bit, but not in a threatening way. I tried to call Ron and Linda today to see how my affairs are going and where the bike route is that they know about. However, I called 4 times from 10:00 to 7:00 and couldn't get an answer. Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow. It really got hot and humid today and the sun even poked out now and then. It was near 90 and I was really tempted to go without a shirt, but with the cloud cover I decided not to. When I got to camp and while I was still unpacking a guy came over and asked me if I could use a steak. He said they had cooked too many and I could have it if I wanted it. I took it and was it ever good. It was even still a little warm. Later I went over and shared their campfire and talked a while. I ran into a few hills today. None of them seemed very long or steep, but they were enough to get me in low and slow me down.

Today's Expenses:

2 Wyler's Lemonade @ .24	$0.48

Cadbury Candy Bar	.93

1 1/2 lb Stew	1.29

Chunky Vegetable Soup 15 oz	.73

Donuts 15oz	1.09

Bic Pens	.98

Tax	.04

Postage on map	.28

Banana Split	.99

Tax	.04

Camping	3.00

------------------------------------	-------

Total	$9.85

Sunday, August 27, 1978	Day 77	55-4750

Cumberland, WI	Local Campground

Although the stars were shining when I went to bed last night it rained most of the night. It was still raining steady but not hard this morning. Finally, I couldn't just lay in my tent any longer and decided to pack. I was able to pack my tent without getting it very wet. I tried another information center on bike routes and this time found a biker. The only one he knew of is the one down south from Kenosha to La Crosse. He also said I'd probably not like it because it's boring because of the grade and it's not really paved. He said depending on weather and use it may or may not be good. I then called Ron and Linda again and this time they were home. It turns out the route they were talking about is the Kenosha, La Crosse route. Well, I'll have to give it a try when I get down there. I started on state highway 70 today, but the traffic was too heavy for the conditions, so I turned at the first county road. However, county road B was closed going west when I got to it, so I started heading east instead. As a result my route today was nothing like I had originally planned , although I did eventually end up at my original destination. It rained all day today except for a few short periods when it looked like it was going to clear. It was quite hilly today, but they're so easy I tend to stay in too high a gear. As a result I can feel my right shin again. When I got to Cumberland no one had heard of the county park shown on my map, so I went to a local campground since I didn't feel like fighting the rain any longer. When I got there I saw a sign that said "Absolutely no tents". I looked down a nearby hill and saw a "no Camping" sign. I rode back to town (3/4 mile) to a police station. Nobody was there so I went back to a Holiday service station. When I told the manager my problem he called the police and asked them to come out. It turned out there was tent camping down the hill and I had looked in the wrong spot. The spot was good, but $4.50 was high for a flush toilet and running water and nothing else. At first I thought the money collector was going to let me stay free, but he didn't.

Today's Expenses:

Bread 24oz white	$0.69

Suzy Q	.31

Spam S/B 1.27	.27

Donuts 11 oz	.63

8oz Salami	1.19

Camping	4.50

----------------------	-------

Total	$7.59

Monday, August 28, 1978	Day 78	50-4800

Exeland, WI	Free Town Park

When I woke up this morning it was cloudy, but fortunately not raining. A light northeast wind was blowing and my tent had actually dried out a little. I packed up and rode the 3/4 miles into town. It was only 7:30 and about the only thing open was a Holiday service station/store. Since I had eaten my donuts last night for supper I bought some more and ate them at the station. I then headed east on Hwy 48. The traffic was pretty heavy, but there really weren't any county roads I could get on. Fortunately, the further I got from Cumberland the less traffic I hit and once I got past Rice Lake it was really light. Once as I was riding a truck came up behind me and honked 4 times. Then after traffic cleared he went around me and pulled over on the shoulder. I almost gave him the finger, but decided to just wave. I'm glad I did because it turned out to be one of the guys who gave me a steak a couple nights ago. He was in a state highway truck and was on the job. We talked a couple minutes before he wished me luck again and took off. The sun kept trying to come out but couldn't quite make it. It even misted very lightly a couple times. When I got into Exeland I stopped for water and met and old couple and chatted a bit. They told me about the town park which had water and toilets and camping for free. Well, I had planned to go another 25-30 miles, but since this park was free I decided to stay. I regretted it almost immediately. There was a truck camping there and a dog came out barking at me. He wasn't vicious just very noisy. The woman then came over to quiet the dog and along came 4 young kids. The kids starting turning the pedals and playing with my zippers etc. as I tried to get them away. I then set up my tent to dry it out and they were all in the way again. They also had corn on the cob which I certainly didn't want all over my tent. As I was setting up my tent the sun finally came out and it started to clear. The woman asked me if I would like some corn and I said yes, so she went off to cook the corn. After I got established I went over to her truck and fortunately the kids followed. There must have been 100 flies in the truck and it smelled rather bad. It turns out her husband works on the Soo line (railroad) and they have been "camping" here since Friday the 19th. This is a nice place to stay since it has a pump, covered pavilion, pit toilets, nice ground for tents and it's free. After I ate the corn and watched a couple soaps on TV I excused myself to wash some clothes. I washed my towel and wash cloth since they smelled pretty bad and washed my jersey. I really should do my laundry. I then tackled my bike. I cleaned a little more dirt off the freewheel. I sprayed some more oil on my chain and cleaned it a little. What I really need to do is take it off and clean it good. My front shifter will not work at all anymore. The nut will not tighten enough to do any good. I really don't know why. I tried buying another nut this morning but it didn't fit. Maybe I'll try a lock washer tomorrow. In the meantime I've got a 5 speed. The sky has finally totally cleared and the forecast is clear the next 3 days. Hooray! Just before dark I decided to patch my rear tire which had developed a slow leak a couple miles from Exeland. It turned out to be a previous patch leaking. I decided to patch my other tube and use it. However, when I put it on the tire went flat again. By this time it was getting pretty dark so I decided to fix it in the morning. I don't know why those patches aren't sticking.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts	$1.29

Fudge Brownie	.25

Luncheon Meat (8oz)	1.19

Nut for Shifter	.02

--------------------------	-------

Total	$2.75

Tuesday, August 29, 1978	Day 79	45-4845

Cornell, WI	Brunet Island State Park

Today really started off terrible. It got rather cool last night and a very heavy dew collected. I was awake at dawn before the sun was up, but since it was so wet and cool and I had to fix my flat yet I waited for the sun. Then I took off my tire and took the tube into my tent to patch. The problem this time was that I pinched it putting it in last night. When I put it back on I pinched it again. So I took it off and fixed that one. When I put it back on it still wouldn't hold air. By now I was really getting mad and took time out for breakfast. Then, once again I took the tire off. This time I found a couple more small pinch marks on the other side of the tube from another patch. It took a couple tries but I finally got a patch to stick. I pumped up the tube and it seemed to hold air so back on the bike. It seemed to be holding air so I started to pack. However, by the time I was ready to take my tent down the tire was soft again. So, off one more time. By now I was really getting mad and worried since I only had 3 patches left. I pumped up the tube but I couldn't find the hole. I finally had to get my pan out and fill it with water to find the hole. It turned out to be a real tiny pinch mark. I patched it and managed to get the tire on without pinching it again since it stayed up the rest of the day. With all that trouble it was really late by the time I got started. It's a shame too because it was really beautiful morning. To my surprise the kids from the truck didn't bother me, but another dog that had been tied yesterday really scared me. He really came charging at me quite ferociously, but stopped 5-10 feet short. He did this several times before finally going back to the truck. I rode rather quickly to Ladysmith, but it was still after noon by the time I got there. The first thing I did was stop in a gift shop and found a Wisconsin patch. I finally got that chore out of the way. Then I went to a hardware store for a tire patch kit and a washer for my front shifter. The man at the store gave me the washer which was nice. First I tried putting the washer on the outside, but it didn't fit, so I tried putting it on the inside where the original washer was. The hole was too small so the man then filed it down for me so it would fit. The washer was then a little too fat so he pounded it with a hammer and gave it a couple strokes with the file. This time it worked great. I then bought a 1/4 inch screw drive socket drive to tighten the nut properly. Now that I probably won't need it again I have it. After stopping at the grocery I was once again on my way. About 2 miles down the road I decided to take the county roads since traffic was a little heavy. Unfortunately, I ran into some road construction and had to turn around and come back to Hwy 27. The traffic wasn't too bad so I didn't mind too much. Besides this way there was a wayside to stop at. So, I did. I ate my 4 sandwiches for lunch and was getting ready to leave when an older couple asked me if I wanted a slice of cantaloupe. I accepted and ended up eating 3 slices since it was very good. Afterwards, I rode into Cornell where I had to decide whether to stay at Burnet Island or go another 20 miles to Chippewa Falls State Park. Since it was already 4:00 I decided to stay at Burnet Island only 2 miles away. First, though, I had an ice cream cone which was good since it was warm enough to take my shirt off. The park is actually on an island and is really nice. It has lots of trees and the sites are really level. Unfortunately, the trees will block the early morning sun. When the ranger came around to collect I mentioned I was looking for a bike route and he said he had information on it and he'd bring it by later. It turned out to be the same map that I saw in Hurly and it does have the railroad paths on it. I don't know why I couldn't make any sense out of the map at Hurly because it made a lot of sense tonight. Now I can plan my route. A small thunder shower passed over just after I finished washing after dinner. It brought a lot of wind and a little rain for about 15 minutes and it was gone. It's been so long since I had a full day of sun like today that my nose got sunburned again. Oh well, back to the suntan lotion again. The sole of my right shoe cracked today. The crack is about halfway between the toe clip marks and doesn't effect my riding at all.

Today's Expenses:

Wisconsin Patch	$1.00

Tax	.04

Tire Patch Kit	.78

Tax	.03

1/4 Inch Socket Drive	3.49

Tax	.14

24oz White Bread	.39

22oz Donuts	1.29

Chocolate Pie	.33

Roast Beef Hash (15oz)	.86

8oz Luncheon Meat	1.13

Ice Cream Cone	.36

Camping	2.25

----------------------------	-------

Total	$12.09

Wednesday, August 30, 1978	Day 80	55-4900

Rock Falls, WI	Free Town Park

Today started out bad and got worse. I got up really early and feeling great today. I just about had everything packed when I decided I better check my tire. Sure enough, it was flat again. Since I was in the woods and hidden from the sun it was rather cool this morning which made it a little harder to get my tire off. When I got it off I found 3 patches loose. I used up the remaining 2 patches from the kit I bought a week or so ago in Michigan. The 3rd one I used the new kit I bought yesterday. The first one I tried didn't stick because the pre cut patches are so wide and stiff that they won't fold around the tube. The next patch I cut down a little so it would fit without bending around the tube. It seemed to be fairly secure so I thought I'd give it a try. The tire appeared to be staying up so I finished packing. All this time I felt what I figured were hunger pains so I ate some donuts. That helped, but they didn't go away. They were stomach cramps and stayed with me off and on all day. I kept trying to figure which end it was going to come out of. About a mile out of town my rear tire went flat again. It happened right at the junction of Hwy 64 and 178 where a nice grassy spot was. I decided to try putting the tube that's been giving me the problem on the front since it's easier to work with. So, I put the front tube in the rear and pumped it up. I then replaced the 2 patches on the rear that I had put on this morning and put it on the front. By this time the rear tire had gone flat again. I then decided I would put my old IRC 1 1/4 tire back on hoping that maybe the narrow tire was pulling the patches off. It was extremely hard to get it on, but I managed to do it without pinching the tube. Since then both tires have stayed up. We will see how it is in the morning. After that I took the shortest route to Chippewa Falls in search of new tubes and a tire. There were 2 bike shops listed in the phone book and I finally found 1 halfway up a very steep hill. Unfortunately, he didn't have any presta valves. While talking to him I suddenly felt faint and spit up a little in my hand. After that I drank some water and laid down for a couple minutes and felt pretty good. However, the stomach cramps came back a little later. I then went to the other shop only a few blocks away, but it was only open from 5-9. Since it was only 1:00 I decided to ride into Eau Claire and see what they had. Since I wasn't feeling real great I took the shortest route which was about 10 miles on a four lane highway with no shoulder. Not very ideal for cycling. When I got to Eau Claire it turned out to be very much a college town. There were a lot of nice young ladies running around which drove me crazy. Anyway, I finally found someone who directed me to a bike shop. They didn't have any presta valves either, but I had them call one of their competitors and fortunately they did. So, I rode over to the other shop and bought 4 new tubes and another IRC High Racer. I'll save that narrow tire for emergencies. Now, if I get any more flats I'll replace the tube and hopefully solve my problem if I can get the tire on without pinching the tube. Just as I was leaving the shop a bike class was about to begin and the instructor asked me to say a few words to the class. I told them a few stories of my trip and answered a couple questions before taking off. The lady in the store said there was a little park on Hwy 85 West where I could camp so I headed that way. It turned out to be a Wayside with no water so I continued on. I figured I could find a church in one of the next 2 little towns. At Caryville there was nothing promising so I filled up my water bottles and headed for Rock Falls. There were 2 churches right in town. One looked too fancy and the other was locked. A guy then told me of a small town park right on the highway and river where I could see if I could stay. I stopped at the store to see if the owner would call a constable about staying here. He said there wasn't any ordinance against it and he didn't think there would be	any problem with my staying there so here I am. I ate some bologna sandwiches but still feel sick to my stomach. I hope whatever it is passes quick. I'm waiting for it to get sort of dark before putting my tent up since I can be seen from the highway. I saw many butterflies today. Most of them were small yellow or white ones, but a few were Monarchs.

Today's Expenses:

4 Inner Tubes at $2.60	$10.40

IRC High Racer Tire	7.95

Tax	.93

24oz Bread	.49

Apple Pie	.31

Suzy Q Cake	.33

12oz Bologna	1.39

Pepsi	.30

----------------------------	-------

Total	$22.10

Thursday, August 31, 1978	Day 81	75-4975

Black River Falls, WI

Today started out very ominously. Sometime before dawn it started raining and when I woke up this morning the south was very black. I decided to go back to bed and hope. After yesterday I really didn't feel like riding in the rain. I went to bed last night before dark since I didn't feel very well. Shortly afterward I passed a lot of gas and felt much better. I woke up several time during the night and sometimes I felt good and sometimes I didn't. I know I passed a lot of gas during the night. Anyway, when morning came around I wasn't quite sure I was over it and I certainly didn't want to ride in the rain. When I finally got up again the rain had stopped and the sky seemed to be clearing from the southwest. I was feeling pretty good so I packed up wet and left. I put my warmers on after 1/2 block since it was pretty cool. Fortunately, my tires were still up so I didn't have to hassle with that. By the time I got to my first town of Mondovi the sun was coming out. The town had a very nice roadside park so I decided to stop and try eating some bologna and donuts left from yesterday. After that I actually felt better and very encouraged. After that the sky quickly cleared and it became a very hot day of 85-90. Was I ever glad I felt better today. Also, I found some very steep hills today on county roads H, Z, and VV. Fortunately, the second half of the day wasn't quite so hilly. Some of the hills were so steep I stood up to make it easier. I saw a lot more corn fields and butterflies today. The butterflies just fly everywhere and a number of them ran into me.

Today's Expenses:

Wylers Lemonade	$0.30	Elk Creek

7 UP	.35	"

Brownie	.20	"

2.5oz 3 Musketeers	.25	"

Bananas	.20	"

Spam	1.49

Chunky Sirloin Burger	.89

Apple Pie	.33

Donuts	.89

Camping	2.25

---------------------------	-------

Total	$7.15

Friday, September 1, 1978	Day 82	60-5035

Elroy, WI	Elroy Town Fairgrounds

I woke up to a really beautiful morning today. It was clear except for a few high thin clouds and it was fairly warm. Best of all, everything was dry. No dew to speak of last night. Before packing I took a 1/2 mile hike up a trail to a platform on a rock ledge. It was a nice short walk and the view was quite pretty. I could see 30-40 miles in all directions. While up there I also noticed a definite southern breeze. When I got back down I packed up and took off. Sure enough, when I got out of the forest there was a light to moderate south wind. Unfortunately, I was heading south for the next 26 miles. I stopped at a Wayside about 8 miles down the road to eat my donuts, but I found them to be moldy. I decided not to try them. About 7 miles later I ate my apple pie and that got me into Sparta. On the way to Sparta I found myself thinking about how I would program a general accounting package and just totally lost about 5-6 miles. I had no idea about what I passed during that time. In Sparta I stopped at the DQ and then found a laundromat. Once again I'm human for a few hours. The attendant said she gets quite a few bikers in there. I imagine she does since Sparta is on the Wisconsin Bike Route and at the start of the Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail. After my laundry it was off to the Bike Trail, an old railway bed that's been converted to bikes. There was a use fee sign for $1.00 which I ignored and took off. The surface was a fine packed gravel which was good for about 80% of the way. Actually, 20 of the 30 miles was closed due to heavy rains way back in early July. The surface had washed away in several spots and had become mud holes which had now dried. In several places I could see deep tire marks. I was really disappointed in the condition of the trail. I would rather ride county roads. The three tunnels were very interesting. The first one was 3/4 to a mile long and extremely wet. It reminded me a great deal of my spelunking days. I started to ride through, but really freaked out in the darkness and had to stop. As I did I went over too far to the side and fell into a stream of water. I got my feet wet but no damage. After that I walked through the tunnels because all you could see was a patch of light at the other end. I passed several day trippers on the trail, but no other tourists. Before I left Sparta my front tire went flat so I changed tubes and threw the old one away. I'm sure glad I had a new tube since it was a loose patch again. About 5 miles into the bike trail my front gear cable broke. No major problem but I couldn't shift into high range. After about 5-10 more miles I came to a city park and I replaced the cable. That was in Norwalk and from there on the trail was marked closed. I sure hope the other converted railway bed I hit later on is in better shape than this one. Tonight I'm staying in the Elroy Town Fairgrounds. It's a nice little park and I have it all to myself. A sign says Campers $2.00, Bikes $1.00, but so far nobody has come around to collect so it looks free to me.

Today's Expenses:

DQ Ice Cream Cone	$0.62

Laundry Soap	.20

Wash	.45

Dry	.30

Donuts	1.09

5oz La Choy Chow Mein Noodles	.65

12oz La Choy Fried Rice with Chicken	.69

16oz La Choy Chop Suey Vegetables	.63

2 Brownies @ .33	.66

----------------------------------------------	-------

Total	$5.29

Adjustment of .02	.02

-------

$5.27

Saturday, September 2, 1978	Day 83	50-5085

Baraboo, WI	Hickory Grove Campground

This has been a very frustrating day. So much so my trip almost came to an end. The day didn't start out too bad. It had rained a little overnight but when I got up it was just cloudy. I packed up and kept my rain gear out. By the time I was ready to leave the sky had pretty well cleared, so I put my rain gear away. My front tire was a little low so I was going to pump it up but my pump wouldn't work. I tried putting water and grease on the plunger but it didn't work so I left with my tire low. There was a moderate southwest wind which helped a while and hurt a while. Somewhere along County K I stopped at a little bar and the guy put some oil on the plunger of my pump. It works better than ever now. Good thing because just a couple miles down the road my rear tire went flat. That didn't bother me since I was running the old tire and tube. So, I put on a new tire and tube and promptly pinched the tube. That tire was so tight I then pinched the next 2 tubes also. Just as I was getting ready to put the 3rd tube on some guy offered me a ride into Reedsburg some 5-10 miles away I declined since I want to do the whole thing on my bike. However, after the 3rd tube I was ready to give up the whole thing and tried to hitch a ride. Very few cars passed and only 1 truck which didn't stop. Finally, I though I'd try that folding tire I have in hopes it would stretch better. It was tighter than the normal tire so I put it away. I finally decided to put the old tube back in and push my bike to Reedsburg. However, when I put air in the tire it held. I quickly loaded my gear and took off. I went a couple miles before I had to pump it again and finally got into Reedsburg. Now I could hear it leak when I pumped it up so I stopped to patch it. The hole wasn't a pinch or a loose patch which was encouraging. I also managed to get the tire back on again without pinching it. After that I felt much better and just took off with only 1 rest stop before Baraboo. Earlier in the day I almost ran over a squirrel. I could see him from a few hundred feet away and could hear a car coming up behind me. As I approached the squirrel he took off down the road weaving from side to side. Finally, just as the car passed me and I was only a couple feet from the squirrel he dived into the field on the right. I got to Baraboo in mid afternoon, but it was so hot and muggy and I hadn't had anything to eat except donuts I decided to stay at the state park just south of town. However as I approached the park I passed Hickory Grove Campground and decided to try it since I figured the park would be full on Labor Day Weekend. Two kids were running it and said I could stay for .25 so I decided to stay. Unfortunately, the "campground" turned out to be a hangout for a bunch of young drunks and pot smokers from Illinois and Wisconsin who "partied" all night. Every card and van was blasting its radio to be heard over the next. The only good thing about it was I did play a couple hours of volleyball. Of course, the others were so drunk they never knew or cared what the score was. Still, it was fun.

Today's Expenses:

24oz Bread	$0.49

Tuna Helper	.79

Lunch Meat	1.07

Donuts	1.29

Vegetable Stew	.85

Chicken Stew	1.19

Tuna 9 1/4 oz	1.25

Camping	.25

---------------------	-------

Total	$7.18

Sunday, September 3, 1978	Day 84	65-5150

Glarus, WI

Just as I expected I got very little sleep last night. Somebody had some bottle rockets and every once in a while would fire one off. A couple times they landed very close to my tent. Others had firecrackers and M-80's which were quite noisy. However, it really worried me to have a bunch of drunks with fireworks. After I went to bed someone yelled something to the effect of "Everyone up, if you think you're going to sleep you're crazy". That pretty well summed up the attitude of most people there. I couldn't wait for morning so I could pack up and leave. Finally, daylight did come and I was packed and on my way before the sun was up. Of course, my tent was soaked from the dew. I rode the mile or two to the state park and ate my breakfast donuts. I looked like I might have been able to stay there last night because it appeared they were allowing camping in part of the picnic area. While I dawdled there people began to get up and about so I decided it was time to be on my way. Very shortly after leaving the park I had to take a free ferry across the Wisconsin River which was sort of interesting. The ferry was just approaching shore as I pulled in which gave me just about enough time to take a picture before getting on. Later on down the road I passed a group of 5 pheasant or quail standing in the road by a corn field. They didn't fly away as I passed, but just ran a few feet in the direction I was going. I hit a few more hills today but at least the wind was a north wind today which made it a tail wind. However, that did mean it was very warm. Just as I was topping one hill which was very hot and I was getting low on water, on the right hand side was a water pump, shade tree, and a nice looking 22 year old by the name of Cheryl sitting there. She was riding her bike on a short trip around Wisconsin with a full back pack. I talked with her for some time before losing her on the next big hill. She was planning to go to the New Glarus Woods just as I was today so I had hopes of seeing her again, but I didn't. I got into New Glarus pretty early expecting a nice quiet little town, but instead I found Wilhelm Tell days and lots and lots of people. Today there was an art festival in the park which had everybody out. I rode around town a little and finally found a store open to buy some film since I only had 1 roll left. Finally, I left town and rode the 2 miles to the state park which, of course, was full. However, the ranger was really nice and said if I went down the walk in road to the primitive campsites and camped somewhere along the side he wouldn't see me. Before getting to camp I saw a sign in New Glarus for a pancake breakfast in the morning for $1.75 for all you can eat. I decided that sounded like a good deal and figured I'd go in the morning. I fixed my dinner in the picnic area before heading down to find a campsite. While there I met a man who lived not too far from Janesville about 1 days ride away who said if I rode the bike trail all the way to Bradhead instead of turning off at Albany as the Wisconsin Bike Route does he would show me a fairly flat route to Delavan. He drew me a fairly elaborate map and invited me over to his house for dinner as I went by. It was very nice of him and the offer is very tempting, but I'm not sure I'll follow his route for 2 reasons. First I'd like to see some more of the Bike Route, and second I still have hopes of meeting Cheryl again. I'll decide in the morning. By the time I headed down to camp the sun was setting and it was getting dark. On the way I met a real nice couple from Illinois who had driven up and had been biking. They were very easy to talk to and invited me to come up and talk some more after I set up my tent. By the time I found a spot it was getting pretty dark, but I don't need to see in order to set it up. Afterwards I went back up and talked with Larry and Jean some more. She was an ex caver and we swapped caving stories for a while. Finally, we gave up and went to bed. Surprisingly, there was a north wind today and since I was going south that meant a tail wind. If I had known of camping along the bike trail I would have gone further.

Today's Expenses:

Apple Pie	$0.33

Suzy Q	.31

Wylers	.25

Lunch Meat 8oz	1.15

Coke	.25

Film (200 ASA)	5.36

-------------------	-------

Total	$7.65

Monday, September 4, 1978	Day 85	65-5215

Milton, WI	Free Town Park

I woke up this morning to a very foggy day. I have no idea how late it was but I doubt if it was past 8:00 when I got up. I packed my tent et and started to leave. I found a bunch of spider webs with really huge spiders. The webs really looked neat glistening in the sun and some of them were the funnel type. I took off down the hill to New Glarus and it was so foggy I could hardly see. Then the mist gathered on my glasses which made it even worse. It was so hard to see my eyes were watering. Fortunately, no cars came along. I went to the all you can eat pancake breakfast and had 9 6 inch pancakes which made me feel just about right. By the time I had finished the fog had lifted and it was starting to get hot. After breakfast I ignored the use fee and started on the Sugar River Trail. This one was in good shape and wasn't bad to ride on. However, I could see quite a few tracks where it looked like it was soft when it rained. Actually, it was quite boring since there were no hills and most of the time the sides were so overgrown I couldn't see anything but the path. It was a very quick ride to the other end some 24 miles away. Along the way I passed a lot of day trippers on the path, many of which looked like they were having trouble because they were so out of shape. By the time I got to the other end I had decided to rejoin the Wisconsin Bike Route for both reasons I mentioned last night. However, I really didn't expect to see Cheryl again. So, I took County E back to Albany rather than the bike trail just to see what the difference was. The difference was a few cars and a few minor hills and a more interesting ride. At Albany I decided I needed some water so went into a tavern to get some. When I came out my rear tire was flat. I found a nice shady spot on the roadside and prepared to fix it. Once again it was a loose patch which I once again fixed. I then decided to put my tire on without a tire iron. By using Hurculean strength and laying the wheel on the ground and pushing the tire toward the ground I actually did get it on. After that I really felt tired but encouraged because now I know I can put a tire on without a tool. However, I think the hot weather really helped. I then headed off on the bike route once again and promptly found 3 or 4 more good steep hills. Much to my surprise when I pulled into Evansville there was Cheryl resting on the sidewalk. I stopped and talked a while and found her to be a very open lady. She took me by surprise when she said she started her period last night which explained why yesterday had been hard for her. I don't know if she is just a frank person or if she was trying to kill any ideas I might have. Whichever, it certainly did the latter. Even so, I rode with her into Milton although at a somewhat slower pace than I had been traveling. Once, she went off the pavement and popped her sew up off her rim without blowing the tire. It jammed in the brakes and stopped the wheel cold. I couldn't believe the tire didn't blow. I helped her put it back on, but let her glue it and get messy. On the way to Milton we passed some tobacco fields and drying houses. When we got into Milton we asked an 8th grader if there was any camping and she took us to a town park she said we could stay at. After she left Cheryl checked with a nearby service station and the attendant said it depended who was on duty as to whether we could stay there. We finally saw a police car and flagged him down and he said there was no problem with us staying there. He even left one of the rest rooms unlocked for us. Cheryl said she would crash at dark or shortly there after as if again trying to kill any ideas I had. About 1/2 hour after dark she did crash. I went for a short walk to work off my tensions and went to bed about 8:45. It turns out Cheryl comes from a split home and tried to kill herself once and now just lives with some other people and doesn't know where she's going. She said she has even juggled in the streets for money. Right now she's getting ready to go back to school. She's sort of a hippy with her "man" all the time, but is very interesting. The wind today was coming from the west which made it a tail wind most of the way even if it was light. The route today included 3 or 4 more fairly good hills.

Today's Expenses:

Pancake, sausage, juice, milk	$1.75

1 qt Pineapple-Orange Juice	.95

---------------------------------	-------

Total	$2.70

Tuesday, September 5, 1978	Day 86	80-5295

Rockford, IL	Rock Cut State Park

I got up this morning just as the sun was coming over the horizon. It was quite warm and I felt good without a shirt. I went into the rest room and washed pretty good this morning, something I haven't done for a while. Shortly after I got back and partially packed Cheryl got up. By the time we started packing she said she was usually riding. Still, we rode to the main part of town for breakfast and found the Squeeze Inn. Unfortunately, they were out of pancakes and we had to settle for French toast. Finally we left Milton around 9:00. Since I wanted to go through Delavan to see Betty White who I had met in Ontario in August, Cheryl and I rode about 10 miles together. As I watched her go her way I almost decided to stay in Wisconsin another day or two, but since she obviously was not my type and nothing would happen I decided not to. I practically sprinted into Delavan and got in there around 11:00. When I walked into the kitchen of the Travelers Coffee Shop she looked at me and said "Well, I don't believe it". She remembered her offer without me saying anything and did buy me a hamburger and coke. It wasn't much of a hamburger and I'm sure glad I didn't have to pay for it. She came and talked to me for a while and then disappeared. Next thing I knew a newspaper reporter was there. He didn't seem to think much of the story and only asked a very few basic questions. He then took our picture outside the shop and left. Betty and I exchanged addresses and since she had to get back to work I left too. I got back on the Wisconsin Bike Route into Genoa City before heading into Illinois in hopes of maybe seeing Cheryl once more. No luck, though. When I finally got into Illinois and headed west I started to regret coming so far east due to the light west wind. It was just enough to be noticeable and to make the last 40 miles a little more tiresome. I wanted to wait for the last town before the park to get dinner, but unfortunately the last town wasn't much of a town and didn't have a store. Someone did tell me of a store about 3 miles past the park. When I got to the park the sun was about tree level so I decided to live on peanut butter tonight. As I entered, the booth was empty but there was a sign saying camping ranged from $5.00 for class A to $1.00 for class D. I decided a class C for $2.00 would suit me. However, the only "C" I found was closed, but I did find a "B" for $4.00. I decided to wait for the ranger who finally showed up and told me only the $4.00 and $5.00 sections were open. I decided to take the $4.00 since I was tired. He then said I could use the showers in the $5.00 section which made it a little more worthwhile. When I asked him if he knew where the store was he said he would drive me there. As it turned out, though he was talking about the park concession stand and not a store. But, I figured that was better than nothing. On the way to the concession he told me of a race fight that occurred between two families over the holidays and 20-30 people ended up in jail. He seemed to be trying to make himself sound important by telling me he was actually a state trooper and had the power to arrest and all that. I wonder about that. After eating I set up camp and went for a shower. The showers were made to conserve water and worked only as long as you pushed the button. That made it very inconvenient to wash my back. However, it still felt good since it had been very hot again today. The road into the park was absolutely terrible. I was sure I'd get a flat

Today's Expenses:

Suzy Q	$0.31	Genoa City, WI

Blueberry Pie	.33	"

8oz White Chicken Loaf	1.36	"

1 qt Orange Juice	.69	"

2 hamburgers @ .65	1.30	At Campground

Fries	.50	"

Pepsi	.35	"

Tax	.11	"

Camping	4.00

French Toast	.95	Milton, WI

Sweet Roll	.30	"

Hot Tea	.25	"

Tip	.15	"

-------------------------------	-------

Total	$10.60

Wednesday, September 6, 1978	Day 87	80-5375

Ottawa, IL	Starved Rock State Park

I got up with the sun again today but I didn't get an early start. I was about 3 days behind in my map and 2 days in my journal so I brought my map up to date and wrote some in my journal although not enough to catch up. By the time I left it was between 8:00 and 9:00 I'd guess by the sun. Today my tent was dry on one side but wet on the other. I guess due to the breeze which was a light southwest breeze. So for Illinois is basically flat and boring. All I see is corn fields and bean fields. When I got to Ottawa and headed for the state park a sign said the park was 10 miles and the road was closed in 8 miles. Well, I figured I could probably get through with my bike so I went up the road. Traffic was pretty light which was nice. About a mile from the blockade a car stopped to warn me the road was closed. He didn't seem too sure I could get through but I decided to try anyway. It turned out the blockade was a big pile of dirt on the road followed by about 100 feet of dirt road which was very easy to walk my bike around. It looked like the edge of the road had slid into the valley below. Nothing serious for a bike luckily. As I approached the blockade and campground I hit a few short and somewhat steep hills. Nothing too bad except they were at the end of the day. I got into camp fairly late and by the time I set up my tent it was getting dark. I spent the last few minutes of light trying unsuccessfully to catch up with my journal. While sitting there in the twilight the ranger came through and stopped at the site across the road, which had a bright Coleman lantern, to collect the fee. I guess in the dark he didn't see me because he got back in his car and took off. The sight was constructed with a driveway for cars and the table and tent area was a little off into the woods. Easily seen in the daylight but not so easy at night. Besides, he was probably looking for a car and/or lights and I had neither at the time. Anyway, I lucked out and stayed for free. It then got too dark and I was forced to quit writing so I ate my dinner of fruit tonight and went to bed. Some of the roads in Illinois are really bad in spots, especially as you enter towns. There tends to be a lot of sunken cracks and very poorly patched holes and cracks. They really jar my wheel and I know my patches are going to come loose. According to a paper I saw today the high today will be in the 90's and the low in the mid 60's.

Today's Expenses:

Apple Turnover	$0.99

Tax	.05

Ice Cream Cone	.45

Tax	.02

Suzy Q	.33

Lunch Meat	1.09

Tax	.07

1qt Orange Juice	.65

17oz Fruit Cocktail	.46

16oz Canned Pears	.49

16oz Canned Peaches	.48

Cookies	.72

Tax	.14

----------------------------	-------

Total	$5.94

Thursday, September 7, 1978	Day 88	65-5440

Moraine View State Park, IL

I was up before the sun today and off early because I didn't want to stay around and possibly have to pay for camping. I rode a couple miles before stopping to look at the map and deciding where I was going today. Also, I ate my remaining cookies for breakfast and decided to find a café for breakfast. Unfortunately, I was in such a rural area that the only café I did finally find didn't even have pancakes so I didn't eat there. Once again all I saw today were corn fields and bean fields. Also, once again it was basically flat and there was a light southwest wind. The kind you don't realize haw much it is effecting you until you turn and go with it a while and shift up 1 to 2 gears. I also ran into hundreds of grass hoppers today which were feeding mainly on the bean plants. They were all over the road and several times I got hit by them. They wait until I'm right on top of them before they jump, oftentimes right into me or my bike. I noticed when they land on the pavement they just crash. They bounce and slide pretty rough before stopping. I was planning to get into camp fairly early today so I could bring my journal up to date which was 2 days behind, but it wasn't to be. When I stopped in a small town of Gridley the local newspaper report spotted me and decided I was a story. It was around 1:00 when I got into town, but by the time I talked to him and the bartender of the bar we had a beer at it was approaching 2:00. I then had to eat lunch because I was hungry. By the time I left Gridley it was probably at least 2:30-3:00. The bartender gave me an alternate route to go to the park which I took since he seemed to know what he was talking about. I sort of regret it since the roads were tar and gravel and were melting pretty bad. Other than that it was a nice route, though. Unfortunately, about 5-10 miles from Gridley I developed a slow leak in my rear tire. So, I started pedaling hard which was a mistake in the heat. By the time I got to Towanda I was about dead. Fortunately, there was a little town park where I rested for a while. I then took it a little slower to the park. Of course, I had to stop and pump up my tire a few times along the way. By the time I got to the park the sun was pretty low in the sky already. I decided to bring my map up to date again and write some in my journal before dark. About the time the sun was setting the ranger came by and said it would be $4.00 if I stayed where I was but only $2.00 if I went to the group camp where there wasn't electricity. I took that option only to find he had neglected to tell me there wasn't any water either. Fortunately, I had filled up my liter bottle and didn't need much water to cook. When I had pulled into the park I was planning on really drinking a lot of water, but I found it tasted so bad I didn't. What a disappointment. So, I ended up at the group camp by myself and cooking in the twilight. By the time I finished it was dark and since I still had some saurkraut left I decided to wait till morning to do the dishes. For the first time this trip I left a dirty camp and went to bed. One more thing, the reporter in Gridley gave me some tire patches he had. They look a bit more flexible than the ones I have.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts (11oz)	$1.09

BBQ Lunch Meat 8oz	1.59

1 lb Large Franks	1.59

2 lb Saurkraut	.49

Tax	.24

Mountain Dew	.35

Camping	2.00

----------------------------	-------

Total	$7.35

Friday, September 8, 1978	Day 89	70-5510

New Salem State Park, IL	Campground

I got up really early this morning to bring my journal up to date which I did. I guess I'm going to have to take time at my rest stops during the day and write as I go since it gets dark so early now. I still have to pack yet this morning and clean up camp. First, I guess I'll have to get some water. I think the saurkraut had its effect last night. I woke up once after having passed a lot of wet messy gas which I had to clean up. When I finally get going to day I have no idea where I'm going. I think I'll just take any roads west I can find in the morning and south in the evening and see where I am toward dusk. Of course, I still have to fix my tire. I think I'll take the new tube out of the front and put it on the rear and put the patched tube in front. I'm finally ready to go. I put the new tube from the front on the rear without too much problem. At least I didn't have to use a tire iron. I then patched one of the tubes I pinched the other day and put it on front. Unfortunately, it didn't hold air. So I took it off and found another pinch mark a couple inches from the first one. I patched it and this time it held air. I used the patches the reporter in Gridley gave me since they seem more flexible. It was so hot by the time I started packing I had to put my sweat band on to keep the sweat out of my eyes. The sun looks like it's about 10:00-11:00 as I leave. It has been extremely hot all day. It must have gotten into the 90's. Around 4:00 I nearly had heat exhaustion. I had over exerted to get through Lincoln and was extremely hot. Just in time I found a gas station and drank a quart of water and a Mountain Dew. I rested for quite a while and then felt pretty good after that. I felt so good that I made it much further than I had planned. I followed U.S. 136 for a while today which wasn't too bad traffic wise. Surface wise it was terrible. I was going to take it further until I got to I-55 and saw a frontage road. Since I-55 goes the way I want to go I decided to follow it. Actually, I ended up stair stepping down the highway most of the time with only a few stretches actually paralleling the highway. Also, I ended up going through Lincoln which I didn't want. I've decided the county roads are best to ride on because they're in better shape. The Illinois and U.S. highways tend to be cracked and have wheel bending depressions and patches. My patches held up good today and I feel much more secure now that I made the switch this morning. The wind today was light and started out as a southwest wind and slowly shifted to the south. It then died and later cam back as a southeast wind. I found a few small hills today, but Illinois is still basically flat. I got into camp pretty late today which made the last hour or two dangerous since I was heading west and had trouble seeing against the sun. I also felt vulnerable to the cars. I have to pull in earlier tomorrow. So far I haven't had to pay for camping since there wasn't anyone at the office when I came in and no one has come around since. I also got an unexpected bonus of a shower tonight. I have a feeling this is a $5.00 campground if I have to pay.

Today's Expenses:

2 Mountain Dew at .35	$0.70

Suzy Q	.31

Donuts 12 1/4 oz	1.09

8oz Cotle Salami	1.09

24 oz Bread	.50

Tax	.15

Suzy Q	.33

Apple Pie	.35

Tax	.04

------------------------------	-------

Total	$4.56

Saturday, September 9, 1978	Day 90	60-5570

Beaver Dam State Park, IL	Campground

I was up and packed just as the sun was coming over the horizon for two reasons today. First, I wanted to get an early start so I could get some miles in before it got too hot today. Second, I wanted to get out of the park before the ranger came around and made me pay. As I sat in my tent stuffing my sleeping bag he came around and unlocked the gate. He then drove threw the campground, but since I was still in my tent he didn't stop. As a result I got another free campground. As a result of my early start I'm at Waverly town park right now which is about halfway to where I'm going today and it's only 11:00. If I can do the same tomorrow I'll make Alton by noon which would be great. So far there's been a very light breeze out of the west, but not much more. Luckily it doesn't seem quite as hot as yesterday although it's getting there. I encountered a few more rolling hills this morning which caused me to gear down. Nothing long or steep, but just enough to notice. The breeze picked up just a little this afternoon to be like the past few days. It was in the 90's but didn't feel quite as hot thanks to a thin layer of high clouds and a much slower pace today. With the early start and short distance I wasn't in any hurry. It's so hot and humid, though, I decided I really didn't want to cook so I got stuff that doesn't need cooking except for the hash browns. It's starting to get dark now and it isn't cooling off at all. It's so humid the least little effort makes me feel sticky. Also, for the first time on my trip the gnats are very annoying. I never feel them bite but they are constantly buzzing around my face and ears. Still, I guess I'd rather have them than mosquitos.

Today's Expenses:

1 qt Orange Juice	$0.75	Waverly

Archway Cookies	.89	"

Bananas @ .35/lb	.23	"

Tax	.09	"

1 qt Orange Juice	.71	Chesterfield

10oz Fruit Cocktail	.85	"

15 1/2 oz German Potato Salad	.65	"

29oz Sliced Peaches	.73	"

Hash Browns	.65	"

Tax	.18	"

------------------------------------	-------

Total	$5.31

Sunday, September 10, 1978	Day 91	40-5610

Belridge, MO	Mom's House

I got up a few minutes later than I planned today and by the time I ate my fruit cocktail and got packed the sun was already 1/2 to 1 hour in the sky. I rode rapidly today since I wanted to get into Missouri and onto Dunn Road (the service road along I-70) as early as possible. I got to Alton shortly after 10:00 and traffic between there and I-270 wasn't near as bad as I expected. I still rode like a mad man, though, since I hate traffic. I slowed down a little when I hit the service road along I-376 about 4 miles from I-270. Just before reaching I-270 I met a local biker who did Bikecentennial and offered me any aid I need such as a place to stay. Ironic I get that offer in the one place I really don't need it. I then continued on to Mom's house on a little different route than I planned. I ended up taking West Florissant to Lucas and Hunt to Natural Bridge, all 4 lane roads. Fortunately, traffic was amazingly light on all roads and I didn't have any problems. I arrived at home about 5 minutes after noon. I got my laundry done today and washed out my foam pad which now once again smells clean. Now all I have to do is stay around here for a week at most to pay respect. Actually I'd just as soon head off for Denver tomorrow. I'm getting sort of anxious to get back although I really don't know why. I really don't want to go back to work. This is my last entry until I leave St. Louis for Denver. I'm not going to document my stop here since it is really a break in my trip.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts 10oz	$0.49

Suzy Q	.33

Tax	.04

------------------------	-------

Total	$0.86

Money left at this point:

$700.00	Travelers Checks

19.58	Cash

----------	-------

$719.38	Total

St. Louis Expenses:

Monday, September 11, 1978

Compound W (for warts)	$2.39

Tax	.10

Tootsie Roll	.25

------------------------------	-------

Total	$2.74

Wednesday, September 13, 1978

6 White Castle Hamburgers	$1.20

French Fries	.30

Tax	.07

---------------------------------	-------

Total	$1.57

Thursday, September 14, 1978

2 Big Macs	$1.70

French Fries	.30

Tax	.10

----------------------------------	-------

Total	$2.10

Friday, September 15, 1978

Lunch at Steak N Shake	$4.00

Candy	.53

----------------------------------	-------

Total	$4.53

Saturday, September 16, 1978

Lunch at McDonalds	$5.00

3 Sodas	.90

Pinball	.25

Bowling Shoe Rental	.40

Unknown	.04

-----------------------------------	-------

Total	$6.59

Total St. Louis Expenses	$17.53

Monday, September 18, 1978	Day 92	80-5690

Mineola, MO	Free Camping on Roadside

I'm back on the road again after spending a week in St. Louis. The sky was a little cloudy when I got up at 6:30, but was perfectly clear by 8:00 when I left. There was a moderate south southeast wind blowing when I left and the temperature was 77º with humidity of 75%. Definitely shirtless weather. During the day the wind gradually became harder until it was quite noticeable. It was nice when it worked with me, but terrible against it. The high today was at least 95 which practically killed me. I was sweating so much my shorts turned embarassingly white below my stomach from the salt. Highway 94 was very pretty, but extremely hilly. Several times I had to stop in the middle of a very steep hill to keep from getting too over heated. As a result I was not as far as I wanted to be at 5:00, but I thought I still had time to make it to Grahm Cave State Park. Unfortunately, my map was in correct when it showed Highway J running into Highway K just out of Big Spring. So, I ended up going 6-8 miles out of my way until I met someone who told me I had to go about 2 miles on a gravel road before I hit Hwy J. The gravel road included a very steep hill which I walked up and almost lost control going down the other side. By the time I finally got to Hwy J I was extremely tired and had trouble making it over the next hill. By this time the sun was setting and although I was only about 5 miles from the park I pulled off on the side of the road when I saw the next hill. I was right on the road in a small clearing, but I was so tired I didn't care. I couldn't find any rocks to use as a hammer, but fortunately I was able to get my pegs in just enough to hold my tent. I was so exhausted I didn't feel like eating, but I forced myself to eat a Suzy Q and a can of potato salad. Afterwards I collapsed in my tent totally drained. My legs were cramping very badly all around the thigh. I was really quite miserable. All in all, I'd say today was the hardest day of my trip. I got hit by a lot of grasshoppers today. They are all over the roads. The weeds my tent is on have been cut but there are stiff sharp stubs about an inch high sticking up. I'll be surprised if I don't end up with a hole in the floor of my tent.

Today's Expenses:

16oz Bread	$0.29

1 qt Orange Juice	.79

8oz Bologna	.75

Suzy Q	.33

Blueberry Pie	.35

Tax	.08

1 qt Orange Juice	.77

12 oz Donuts	.89

16oz Sliced Peaches	.57

15 1/2 oz Potato Salad	.67

17oz Fruit Cocktail	.61

Tax	.11

-------------------------------	-------

Total	$6.21

Tuesday, September 19, 1978	Day 93	55-5745

12 Miles North of Columbia, MO	Old Girl Scout Camp

Every time I got up last night my legs started to cramp if I wasn't careful. I got up at first light today and my legs still felt like they wanted to cramp. I packed my tent wet this morning from dew. I ate the peaches I had bought for last night for breakfast since I didn't want to carry the weight. The first hill I went up felt extremely tough, but gradually I loosened up. Also, the terrain became much less steep although there still were plenty of hills. For a while I rode on roads that weren't on my map which followed I-70. After about 10 miles I came to a truck stop and decided to have a real breakfast of pancakes. The pancakes were extremely filling and I had trouble eating them all. It was very warm again today. It must have been in the 90's at least. Today, though, I took it much slower and with the easier hills I never really got over heated. When I got to U.S. 63 and looked for Finger Lakes State Park I couldn't find it. Finally, I found a store and found out I had passed it about 6 miles back. The road isn't marked and there's no sign for the park. Finally, I found the park and after taking it easy for 1 to 1 1/2 hour I found out there wasn't any camping even though my map said there was. The ranger wouldn't let me stay, but said there was an old girl scout camp about 1 1/2 miles north that I could stay at. So, I packed up and headed for the camp. I found it without too much problem. It's pretty nice with picnic tables and a pavilion. Unfortunately, the water is no longer hooked up so I can't cook the tuna helper I bought. So, I'll eat the tuna and the fruit cocktail left from last night, and there is always peanut butter. There are still lots of grasshoppers along the road and today there were many, many caterpillars. It's a very muggy warm night again and I'm sweating just sitting here eating and writing. Fortunately, the bugs aren't too bad. I started out riding today without my shirt, but around midday my back felt very burned so I put it on. I have a feeling it was too late. No cramps tonight. The wind was calm in the morning, but gradually developed to a moderate south wind.

Today's Expenses:

3 Hot Cakes	$1.10

Tea	.35

Tax	.05

Tip	.25

Twinkie	.29

Eskimo Pie Ice Cream	.25

Tax	.02

Tuna Helper	.85

9 1/2 oz Canned Tuna	1.35

7 1/2 oz Ham Salad	1.09

Pear at .39/lb	.15

Tax	.11

----------------------------	-------

Total	$6.52

Wednesday, September 20, 1978	Day 94	75-5820

Backburn, MO	Town Park Free Camping

I didn't sleep very well at all last night. I don't know whether I was nervous about being vulnerable or just anxious to get going today. When I first went to bed it was too hot to sleep and I was sweating just laying in my tent. When I did go to sleep I slept good till around midnight. After that I just cat napped. I started packing before daylight and was on my way shortly after 7:00. The wind this morning was calm, but then a light east breeze began. By now, though, it has gradually shifted to a moderate west wind. It started pretty warm as it was 80º at 10:30, but by mid afternoon it had cooled considerably. It was mostly cloudy all day, but really didn't look like rain until around 3:30. By then it really cooled off and a solid overcast set in. I decided I'd like to set up camp before it rained so I stopped in Blackburn for groceries. When I asked if there was any camping I found out the store keeper was the mayor's wife. She got permission for me to stay in the shelter at the small town park. So, I get out the wind and rain if there is any tonight. Right now it's just getting dark and it feels quite cool. It's supposed to go down to the low 50's tonight which is quite cooler than the past couple nights. I had a flat tire today. I was riding on a shoulder and ran over a rock. Now I'm back to patches on the rear wheel. Fortunately, I didn't have too much trouble changing the tire without tire irons. I also had a very unexpected problem today. My pants wore a raw spot on the tip of my penis. It's really quite sore and I don't have any idea what caused this all of a sudden. If it keeps up tomorrow I'll have to start wearing underwear with my cycling shorts. The shoulders of my jersey were literally falling apart so I took time to sew them this evening. Now I don't look like such a rag doll. Both thighs are quite sore tonight. I guess I pushed too high of gears against the wind today. At least I'm not cramping like I did Monday. The terrain today was a bit flatter. There would be a series of hills and then a flat stretch followed by more hills, etc. The hills didn't seem as bad, though. I've got a bit of a sort throat today. Nothing serious - yet!

Today's Expenses:

Hammer	$3.39

Tax	.10

10oz Donuts	1.09

Bananas at .25/lb	.19

Tax	.04

12oz Donuts	1.09

4 5oz Canned Pudding	1.03

7 1/2 oz Turkey Salad	1.05

6 1/2 oz Tuna	.94

10 oz Bread	.59

Tax	.15

Chef's Salad	2.00

Ice Tea	.20

Tax	.07

------------------------------	-------

Total	$11.93

Thursday, September 21, 1978	Day 95	85-5905

Platte City, MO	Commercial Campground

I didn't get up quite so early this morning. It was quite cloudy and it felt so good in my sleeping bag I didn't want to get up. I really slept good last night due to the cool breeze. I didn't sleep in the shelter, but only under the pavilion. When I did finally get up there was a small clear spot to the northwest which was where I was heading. It was fairly cool so I put on my warmers and left my T-shirt under my jersey. There was a light south wind which was pretty cool. As I rode west the clear patch became larger and larger until by noon I was riding in the sun. I finally took my warmers and T-shirt off around 11:00 when it was 65º. I'm sure the high today was only around 70º which made for much nicer riding. Also, the wind shifted to the north-northeast which acted as a partial tail wind much of the time. The hills, however, just kept coming and coming with no letup. No real killers tody, but a lot of first gear hills. When I turned on highway 92 toward Kearney there was a sign which said road closed in 3 miles. I ignored it and hoped I could get through. Fortunately, it was only about 1/10 mile of no pavement which I passed with no problem. The only problem was the mounds of dirt they had all the way across the road. A car couldn't pass, but I could. The near side, though, was a little muddy from the rain they had yesterday. I also had a couple dogs scare me today. The first one was a Great Dane which stood about handlebar high. He didn't bark at me, but just trotted about 5 feet off my side for a while. The second one was a small collie which came running toward me at full speed. I wasn't sure he was going to stop before running into me when suddenly he jammed on his brakes and skidded to a halt just ahead of me. Several other dogs barked and half heartedly chased me. I got into Platte City around 5:50 and decided I had gone for enough today even though I'm only 10 miles from Kansas. There was a commercial campground just out of town and I felt a shower was in order so I decided to spend the $4.00 for camping. It's good to be clean again. I wore my under shorts today to keep from rubbing raw again. That worked, but now I have trouble with the seams. I can't win. The campground is really made just for trailers. There's about 25 graveled slots for trailers with about 6 feet of grass in between. I set my tent up in between two spots. My throat is still sore today.

Today's Expenses:

10oz Molasses Cookie	$0.89

Tax	.04

Mountain Dew	.35

7 1/2oz Ham Salad	1.05

17oz Fruit Cocktail	.50

24oz Stew	1.17

12oz Donuts	1.09

Bananas at .19/lb	.13

Tax	.13

Camping	4.00

Tax	.14

---------------------------	-------

Total	$9.49

Friday, September 22, 1978	Day 96	105-6010

Fostoria, KS	City Park Free Camping

I didn't get up real early this morning. It was rather foggy and chilly so I wasn't in a real big hurry. I put my warmers on and even resorted to my wool gloves. My tent and sleeping bag were soaked from condensation when I packed. I left around 8:15 and by then the fog had lifted and I could no longer see my breath. It was still a bit cool as the bank read 52º, but actually it was quite pleasant. I really felt sluggish until I got to Kansas only 10 miles away. It 's amazing how much flatter Kansas is. The hills are much more rolling and less steep. The second half of the trip was a little hillier. I found a couple stretches where there were several hills right after each other. The last 5 miles into Alaine were the worst. I had planned to stay at a state campground tonight, but I couldn't tell if it was on Highway 16 or Highway 99. I stayed on 16 and it turned out to be on 99. So, I pushed on to Fostoria and pulled in just as the sun was setting at 7:20. Fortunately, there was a little grass area with a couple of picnic tables right at the edge of town where I pitched my tent. Unfortunately, my liter bottle was only half full which really isn't enough water. The wind today was light to moderate and was an east to southeast wind. Since I had the wind with me, or at least not against me since it was so light at times, I decided to eat a cold dinner and ride late tonight. As a result I did the 100 plus miles. Unfortunately, my right lower leg is sore again so I guess I'll have to take it easy for a couple days now. My throat seems to be a little sorer tonight. I sure wish it would go away before I get worried about it.

Today's Expenses:

Apple Pie	$0.35

Suzy Q	.33

Tax	.02

Bananas	.16

Pepsi	.29

Tax	.02

16oz Lunch Meat	1.39

Bananas	.20

Tax	.05

--------------------------	-------

Total	$2.81

Saturday, September 23, 1978	Day 97	70-6080

Concordia, KS	Free Airport Park

I didn't get up today until 7:15. It didn't feel as cool as yesterday, but I still put on my warmers and left my T-shirt on. When I started handling the nylon tent and sleeping bag I also put on my wool gloves. My left glove had a hole in the thumb which seems to have occurred over night. I must sew it as soon as possible. Since Fostoria didn't seem to have any stores or cafes I rode 6 miles to Olsburg for breakfast. There I found a small café where I got ripped off for a small breakfast. The 3 6-7 inch pancakes weren't very filling although they were good. The hot tea felt good on my throat which is still pretty sore. The ride to Olsburg was really cold and even at 9:45 when I left. I left my leg warmers on although I took my arm warmers and gloves off. I didn't take my leg warmers off until 11:45. The wind started light and from the southeast. By midday it was a moderate wind and still from the southeast. Every now and then it would gust to the strong stage. At 2:30 it was only 75º and perfectly clear so it's been a nice day for cycling. I tried to take it slow and easy today for the sake of my right leg. It hasn't bothered me at all today, but I still want to rest it some more. My thighs are just a little sore now and I figure by tomorrow they should be OK. My throat also seems a little better tonight, but I'll find out for sure after sleeping all night. It's always the worst in the morning. I found some stickers today that probably could cause a flat. I'm going to have to be careful where I stay now that I'm in thorn country again. I may also have finally gotten to the plains. The last 14 miles were all level or slightly uphill. Either way, I was in the same gear the whole way. I got into Concordia around 4:30 and tried to get a sun visor. Unfortunately, the only store that looked like they might have it was out of them. Since tomorrow is Sunday, I decided to get enough food to see me through tomorrow just in case Kansas stores aren't open. I'm sure I'll find grocery stores open, but I'm going to play it safe. It seems I'm once again in dry country too. I washed up a little tonight and my wash cloth is amazingly dry after only an hour. My luck on campgrounds is continuing to hold. Concordia has an Airport Park which is right next to the airport (small planes only and not many of them) which has a section for free overnight camping. There is a pit toilet and running water. There is also a covered pavilion which I think I'll sleep under and not bother to set up my tent unless the bugs get worse. So far there haven't been any mosquitos and only a couple small black flies. Trees were a bit scarcer today to. It's hard to tell whether they were all replaced by fields or whether the fields are there because there weren't too many trees. For the first time since I left St. Louis I toured today. For the past few days I've just been riding.

Today's Expenses:

3 6 Inch Pancakes	$1.25

Tea	.25

Tax	.05

24oz Bread	.51

8oz Bologna	.79

Apple Pie	.35

Bananas	.28

Tax	.06

3 Turkey/Tuna Salad at 1.05	3.15

15 3/4 oz Beef Stroganoff Dinner	.99

Apple Pie	.33

Cupcakes	.31

Cookies	.79

12oz Donuts	.95

Bananas	.33

Tax	.21

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Total	$10.60

Sunday, September 24, 1978	Day 98	100-6180

Glade, KS	Free Camping at Church

I woke up to quite a surprise last night. Around 11:45 I was awakened by some cars stopping nearby and then some loud music. About 15 minutes later a truck pulls up with at least one keg of beer and lots of cans. Suddenly I was in the middle of a beer bash. I packed up my gear and was just about to go to another part of the park when a couple guys stopped to talk to me. They said there was a junior college in town and that it was quite common to have parties at the park. They offered me a beer and even went to get it for me. After finishing the beer I moved to a quieter place and decided to sleep on a picnic table. By this time it was 1:00 and since everything was still dry I figured there wouldn't be any dew. Unfortunately, sometime between then and morning the dew did fall and I awoke to a rather damp sleeping bag. Luckily, it wasn't too cold this morning and I waited for the sun to help dry things before I packed. By the time I left it was 8:00. I started out with my warmers and wool gloves, but quickly shed them after about 10 miles. The terrain today was basically flat. There were a few hills now and then, but not very many. Today was made even easier by a moderate to sometimes strong east wind. I can't believe I'm so lucky to get a tail wind across Kansas. The wind did blow in a lot of light clouds also. They really don't look too threatening, but there is a solid overcast building up. I got into Glade around 5:30 and debated whether to stay here or ride another 15 miles to Logan where there is a rest area. I finally decided to stay in Glade at the church. There is a picnic table I can use and some grass to set up my tent. I have a feeling I may regret not going on, though, because I know this east wind won't last. I may regret not taking advantage of it while I have the chance. I'm right on the time zone tonight. According to the map it looks like Glade should be on Mountain Time, but the clock in the store was on Central Time. Tomorrow all references to time will be Mountain Time. My throat is no longer sore and my leg muscles feel good. Once again I'm completely healthy.

Today's Expenses:

Donuts	$1.09

Tax	.03

----------------------	-------

Total	$1.12

Monday, September 25, 1978	Day 99	85-6265

Oberlin, KS	Free Camping at Rest Area

I started packing this morning at 5:50 while it was still pretty dark. It was fairly cloudy but everything was dry. By the time I ate my donuts it was 7:00 and the sun would have been up if it wasn't so cloudy. Although I had my warmers and wool gloves on it really hadn't felt too cold until I started riding. There was absolutely no wind, but I was cold. I wished I had left my T-shirt on under my jersey. After a couple miles I stopped to get my wind breaker out. After that I felt a little sweaty, but warm. I also got my rain gear out because I gave it about a 50-50 chance of rain. Fortunately, it became mostly cloudy and the sun came out off and on. By the time I went 30 miles I had to take the warmers off. Also, in Lenora I found out I'm still in the Central Time Zone and will be for most of Kansas. I guess my map is wrong again. I'll still quote time in Mountain Time anyway. By noon a light southeast breeze picked up which quickly increased thru the rest of the day. So, once again I get help from Mother Nature. It now appears I could easily be in Colorado tomorrow unless the wind shifts or I have tire problems. I didn't have any stretches of long flats today. The entire way was rolling hills. Nothing major, but enough to keep me constantly shifting. I had trouble finding grocery stores today. Between Glade and Oberlin the only town that had a store was Lenora. The other towns were either practically ghost towns or didn't exist. Fortunately, I didn't need much food or water today due to the cloud cover. I picked up a sand burr in my front tire today. Apparently it didn't puncture the tube because after 4 miles when I stopped to fix it the tire was still up. I changed tubes anyway just in case. I got into Oberlin around 3:30 this afternoon and considered riding another 25 miles to the next rest area on the map, but finally decided to stay here and take plenty of time to cook, wash, etc. After getting food I rode to the rest area at the edge of town on highway 36 and to my surprise found a sign that said "24 hour camping permitted". I figured I'd have to go a couple miles further east to the state park, but fortunately not. I've got a covered pavilion, water, pit toilet, and dried up grass. So far, there are no bugs either, so I'm not even going to put up my tent but sleep on the picnic table under the pavilion. I finally found out today how high I am. A sign to Oberlin gave the population and the altitude as 1/2 mile. So I guess I'm only around 2640 and still have some climbing to do over the next 300 or so miles to Denver. It also was warmer than I thought today. The bank in Oberlin said 79º at 4:40 (Central Time).

Today's Expenses:

24oz Bread	$0.67

8oz Bologna	.56

Apples at .55/lb	.41

Tax	.05

Bananas at .33/lb	.31

Chicken Salad (7 1/2 oz)	1.05

1.12 lb Hamburger	1.29

Hamburger Helper	.81

Tax	.10

10oz Donuts	.89

Tax	.03

-------------------------------	-------

Total	$6.17

Tuesday, September 26, 1978	Day 100	100-6365

Idalia, CO	Free Camp at High School Football Field

I got up at 6:00 this morning to a foggy morning. It was on the cool side so I decided to wear my wind breaker. By 7:00 when I left it was still pretty foggy, but I figured visibility was good enough to ride safely. The wind never died last night and was blowing lightly from the south when I left. Unfortunately, it shifted to a light to moderate southwest wind after about 15 miles. By the time I reached Atwood, 30 miles away, I had decided I wouldn't reach Colorado as I had hoped today. However, by pushing pretty hard I made better time than I thought I would. Then as I reached St. Francis the wind mercifully stopped. Since it was only 2:15 I decided to go ahead and go for Colorado. Before I left, though, I found a very nice rest area which even had showers. If I wasn't so close to Denver I would have stayed there. I got to the border pretty quick, but was very disappointed to find the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" sign missing. I did, however, find "Entering Mountain Time Zone" and "Denver 168" signs. About 5 miles into Colorado I had to stop and eat the donuts I had bought for tomorrow's breakfast. I had just been pushing too hard for too long and I needed the energy. When I got to Idalia there wasn't much there. When I asked the guy at the service station if there was a town park I thought he was going to laugh at me. So, I went to the grocery store and replenished my supplies. When I asked there about a place to camp the woman suggested I try the football field at the school. The coach lived right at the edge of the field so I checked with him and he said no problem. So, I stayed on the edge of the football field. The mosquitos were terrible and quickly chased me into my tent. The weather today was very changeable. It started out quite foggy and cool. By 7:30 the fog had lifted and had become a cloud cover. Then the sun came out and it started to warm up. Then the clouds moved in again and it started looking like rain. Finally, around noon it cleared up again and became a rather nice day.

Today's Expenses:

6 1/2 oz Tuna Fish	$0.97

16oz Sliced Pears	.69

16oz Fruit Cocktail	.69

10oz Donuts	.89

Tax	.10

7 1/2 oz Ham Salad	1.09

1 qt Orange Juice	.75

Bananas at .48/lb	.30

10oz Donuts	.87

Tax	.09

------------------------	-------

Total	$6.46

Wednesday, September 27, 1978	Day 101	70-6435

Last Chance, CO	Free Camping at Town Park

I got up at 5:50 this morning and was on the road at 6:35. It was really quite chilly and my hands really felt cold. However, once the sun came up it started to warm up and by 10 miles my fingers were warm again. All the way to Joes some 22 miles away I debated with myself how far to go today. I could go to Last Chance which is only 75 miles away or Byers which is 110 miles away. When I got to Joes I found a little park and while sitting there decided to take the shorter day. That only leaves about 80 miles to do tomorrow which is quite reasonable. If I went to Byers I would have to push all day again and I really don't want to do that. After I left Joes I was still sort of thinking about going to Byers, but trying to go slow enough so it would be infeasible. However, I picked up a light southeast wind which made it too easy. Then about 6 miles from Anton my rear gear cable broke which naturally put me in high gear. Fortunately, I had just gone over two hills and it was a fairly gentle climb into Anton. It was shortly after 12:00 so I ate breakfast before deciding what to do about my cable. I didn't have any more spare gear cables with me since I only expected to go through 1 set. So, I decided to make my spare brake cable work. Well, the head was way too large so I took it to a nearby Standard station. There I got the head cut down to size for no charge. However, my problems still weren't over. The brake cable was too short to reach the derailleur. To get it to work I ended up tying the old and new cables together just behind the chain rings. After a couple of stops to tighten the cable it works fine. It doesn't look so good, but it will get me to Denver. Even with the 1 to 1 1/2 hours I spent fixing my gear cable I still got into Last Chance around 3:30. I stopped at a Dairy King for a little snack and listened to the Denver station KHOW for a while. While listening I heard the weather forecast of low around 50 tonight and high around 85 tomorrow and clear to partly cloudy. The wind was variable most of the afternoon from the south, southeast, and southwest. However, as evening approaches it seems to have settled for a moderate to strong south wind. I sure hope it dies down by morning or shifts to the east. Last Chance is a very small town of 1 block with a restaurant, motel, Dairy King, and service station/grocery store and not much more. Fortunately, there is a little park where I can stay. It's right on the corner of Highway 36 and 71 and isn't much more than a pull over spot. Also, there's no drinking water. I asked if I could get water at the service station and was told they ship their water in because the water is so alkaline. The water at the Dairy King is better, but I bought 2 quarts of O.J. for drinking purposes and only used the water for my dishes. I certainly don't need to get sick on the water my last day out. I have a feeling this may be a busy place tonight since it is right on the junction of two highways. Right now 2 truckers and 2 families are also here. I think the families are just eating and the truckers resting.

Today's Expenses:

Bananas	$0.23

12oz Donuts	1.09

Tax	.04

Hamburger	.90

Lemonade	.50

Tax	.04

Chow Mein Vegetables 28oz	1.91

12oz Donuts	1.09

Tax	.09

2 qts Orang Juice at .95	1.90

Tax	.06

----------------------------------	-------

Total	$7.85

Thursday, September 28, 1978	Day 102	75-6510

Denver, CO	Bob Adamek's House

The wind never did quit blowing last night. At times it really blew hard. Every time I woke up I dreaded getting up and riding in the wind. I finally did get up around 6:00 and except for the wind it wasn't too cold. I still wore warmers and gloves, though, because of the wind. I left around 7:00 and decided to wear my wind breaker, but by the time I went a mile I had to shed that. The wind had lessened a little bit at sunrise and was more or less a south wind. At times it blew a little more from the southeast and at times a little more from the southwest. Fortunately traffic remained low and I didn't have any problems with getting blown off the road. I tried to take it easy today, but the closer I got to Denver the faster I rode. I rode pretty well the first 30-35 miles to Byers where I finally could get some water. At that point U.S. 36 joined I-70 although it didn't look like it on the map. Since there wasn't a sign prohibiting bicyclists I got on I-70 for 5 miles to Strasburg where I got off and found out I should have been on Colorado 36 since Byers. I continued on to Bennett where I stopped a few minutes for water and to adjust the rear gear cable for the 3rd time today. I finally stopped for lunch at Watkins which was only about 20-25 miles from Denver. From there I wasn't sure how I was going to get into Denver since Colorado 36 ended, but fortunately a service road started and took me to Highway 40 which of course is Colfax Avenue. From there it was only a matter of riding Colfax until I got past I-225 and then follow 14th, 13th, and 12th to Cheesman Park. I arrived around 2:30 and figured I'd kill and hour or two before seeing if Jane was home from work yet. However, I was only there for about 5 minutes and was just planning to update my journal when bob Adamek (one of the bike club members) came by and saw me. Since I didn't have anywhere to go he offered to let me stay at his apartment tonight which was just a few blocks away. Later, when he went back to work I went over to Jane's house to officially end my trip. She and her roommates Cathy and Barbara invited me over for dinner which I accepted even though I knew I'd be hungry. I finally was able to get hold of Ken who had my car around 10:00 and got some bad news. My transmission is stuck in 3rd gear. I'm sure it's nothing very serious, but I sure wish it had happened to me and not to Ken. I plan to go on the Glenwood to Aspen bike ride tomorrow evening so I probably won't get it looked at before Monday. All the way in today I kept looking for the mountains and couldn't see them because of light clouds and the hills I kept going up. Finally, about 12-15 miles out of Byers I think I could see their outline, but not enough to get a picture. They quickly disappeared again behind the hills and I really didn't see them clearly until I got to Bennett. By then they were getting pretty big and I could see them even through the haze. I'm not sure how my pictures will turn out, though. I didn't see Denver until 3-4 miles past Watkins and very close to Aurora. So ends my adventure of 1978.

Today's Expenses:

Zero

Epilogue:

Not counting the week I spent in St. Louis I rode around 6510 miles in 102 days for an average of 63.8 miles per day. My monthly cycling totals were:

June	1060

July	1965

August	1950

September	1535

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Total	6510

My total expenses including my stay in St. Louis and the new tent was approximately $950.00 for a daily average of $9.31.