And on the Seventh Day, We Rested!

Teach Your Children Well

~Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young

You who are on the road
Must have a code that you can live by
And so become yourself
Because the past is just a good bye.

Teach your children well,
Their father's hell did slowly go by,
And feed them on your dreams
The one they picked, the one you'll know by.

And you, of tender years,
Can't know the fears that your elders grew by,
And so please help them with your youth,
They seek the truth before they can die.


This song has been going through my head for the last two days. It seems appropriate on so many levels.

It is so nice to have a day off the bike. Yesterday was quite eventful. First, Sonia and I got lost and added about six miles to our day (for a grand total of 77). I must say that the map was to blame this time, really. I need to write the Adventure Cycling people and let them know. Second, Sonia and I took a longer way than Alison and Gus (we followed the recommended route off the busy highway). Third, and most importantly, we got the bike fixed! I actually needed two bottom brackets, so it is a good thing that I had ordered one and that the shop got one in as well. The bike rides like new and no more popping and grinding (except the sounds from my knees!).

The people at Glacier Cycling were awesome. They got my bike up on the stand right away, replaced the bottom brackets, and fixed the derailleurs so that they no longer sounded like we were towing a herd (?) of crickets behind us! In addition, they told us about an awesome pizza place right next to the bike shop where we all ate heartily.

While in the pizza place we met a guy just out of college who is bicycling from Seattle to Wisconsin where he lives. He's riding with a friend he has known since they were three years old. We invited him to sit at our table and eat. He was in town to get a wheel fixed that broke down along the road. He shared some road stories with us and we shared some onion rings with him. Not a bad trade. A good road story is worth several baskets of excellent onion rings any day. In fact, the stories we hear from people we meet make the trip just as rewarding as beautiful scenery. We met a guy at the hotel in Eureka who was pulling a trailer with racing pigeons from a club in Utah (I never even knew there were clubs for racing pigeon enthusiasts!). He opened the trailer to show the kids the birds and explained how the races worked. These pigeons had 600 miles to fly and would be back in their owners' roosts before a full day was up. I envied the power of what I had previously considered a rat with wings!

Today the kids are at the water park. This is the first warm day Columbia Falls has seen in quite some time. The water park isn't crowded so they don't have to wait in line for any of the slides. And they get to spend a day away from their parents!

Tomorrow we start our uphill into Glacier National Park. It is a good thing we had a day off to rest...the next two days will really test our legs and lungs!

Dan

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"If they don't move over, they don't get no wave." --Gus
Rode on a main road in heavy traffic today. Library closes in 2 minutes. Dan getting bottom brackets put on the bike here in Whitefish while I write. Pizza here and then an easy 10 down the road to Columbia Falls.

After the third day of biking in the cold rain, sharing the road with logging trucks, Gus and I decided that the misery index is 4 on a scale of 10, where 10 is being run off the road into a ravine, with a broken leg and no hope of rescue in the pouring rain. Exuberance index is a low 3 today. --Alison

Finally -- The Sun!

A day like today is what riding is all about. We just got into Eureka, MT and had beautiful weather all day! The sun, a road high above a lake (Lake Koocanusa), and plenty of downhills to keep us going.

Yesterday was mostly rain-free. We rode from Troy to McGillivray Campground on Lake Koocanusa. Along the way we stopped at Kootenai Falls. We took about an hour off the bikes to explore the falls and a swinging bridge over the river. The kids seemed to get great pleasure from rocking the bridge while I was in the middle of it. It helps to break of the day with stops like this. Yes, we want to get to Maine, but we really want to get to that next rest stop, that next cafe, over that next hill! I guess it is all just a matter of perspective.

Last night we stayed at McGillivray Campground, about 300 feet above Lake Koocanusa. The campground was empty and quiet, the rain had stopped, and we were all happy to be in a dry place for the night. We all need, however, showers in a bad way! There was a line for the computer I am typing on now that quickly disappeared when I stood by the computer. I guess a bad smell does come in handy occasionally!

So far we have been able to stay on our schedule. Tomorrow is the longest day yet to Columbia Falls (about 61 miles). We'll stop in Whitefish, however, to try to get the bike fixed. In Columbia Falls we will take our first day off. There is a huge water park that we are all looking forward to.

Thanks to all of you who offered to help with a bottom bracket. I think I found the right one in Massachusetts and had it overnighted to Whitefish. Hopefully that is the right one! I'll post again looking for help if it isn't.

We hope to post some more pictures tomorrow from Columbia Falls. Thanks to all of you for writing!

Dan

The Story of the Last Two Days: RAIN!

Quote of the Day:



Sonia, after riding for an entire day in the rain and 40 degree temperatures: "They say hell is hot. I think hell is rainy and cold and I think this is it!



2nd Quote of the Day: After riding for a second full day in the cold and rain, Alison was trying to cheer up Sonia and Gus. "I'm so proud of you guys. I don't know many kids who would do this." Sonia's reply: "I don't know many kids who would want to do this!"



Even with all of the rain gear (coats, gloves, booties, etc.) there seems to be no way to keep all of the water out...especially when you ride for two straight days in it. Today, on the road from Troy to Libby, the sun finally came out enough for us to see our shadows. Gus and I gave a loud whoop from the bikes. Now, if we can just stay dry for a couple of days.



Last night we stayed in a Yurt in Troy. Since we were cold and wet we were all very thankful that it had a heater! Troy even had a laundromat where we could wash, but more importantly dry, our clothes. As I write this from the library in Libby, we are about to get back on the bikes and head to our next camping spot about 23 miles from here. Tomorrow we hope to be in Eureka and get a hotel and showers (which we all desperately need!).



The bottom bracket on my bike continues to make a lot of noise. We hope to get it replaced in Whitefish on Friday. It won't make it much longer. If anyone out there can get their hands on a 68x122 square taper sealed bottom bracket and can overnight it to us in Whitefish, let me know! The store there hopes they can get one but it didn't sound too promising. I'll keep you posted. Time to get back on the bikes!

Sorry, no pictures today. We keep crashing the computer when we plug in the camera!



Dan

First Day Done!

Our first state crossing: Sonia at the Idaho border



Crossing the bridge to Sandpoint, trying to beat the storm


Monday,June 9, 2008

Blogging from the Sandpoint, Idaho Public Library (I wonder if Benjamin Franklin could have even guessed in his wildest imaginings that one day someone would be able to not only use libraries to check out materials, but also as a virtual publishing house. Thanks, Ben!)

Before heading out from Walla Walla this morning I went up to Safeway to get a newspaper. We knew that an article was going to be in the paper about our trip, but never guessed it would be the front page, top half! I had four copies with me in the check out lane. As the checker scanned them she was looking at the paper. "Humm," she muttered. It was obvious she was looking at the story about the ride. When I asked her what she was remarking about, she said "This story on the front page." What she left out of the sentence was "...about these crazy people dragging their kids across the country on tandems!"

We reached Newport, Washington at about 2 and were finally on the bikes by about 3 PM. the ride consisted of mostly rolling hills all the way to Sandpoint. Everyone did fine, but it was great to get to the motel.

At one point along the way I was thinking about the time, the miles we needed to get done before it got dark, and not really into the ride. Until Gus gave out a loud "Wow!" and pointed into a field, where a great blue herron was about to land. We slowed down and everyone took in the graceful descent of the bird. I realized, for the first time while on the trip, why we were doing this. These moments of clarity, however brief, and possibly fleeting as we struggle up the next hill or mountain pass, bring everything into focus. It might be too much to ask for one a day, but it would certainly be great!

Along the route to Sandpoint I noticed a grinding noise coming from the rear bottom bracket of my bike . I had it checked out at a great bike shop here in Sandpoint (Outdoor Experience; Steve the mechanic is great). The verdict: a new bottom bracket is needed. Unfortunately, no one in town has the right size. I called ahead to Whitefish, Montana (we should be there on Friday). They will have one ready to install. The current bottom bracket is usable, but probably not for very long. Certainly it is not something we want to fail in the middle of North Dakota!

Today we are off to Bull River Campground (about 49 miles). Steve in the bike shop said it is a beautiful ride, and we are all looking forward to getting back in the saddle (always a good sign!).

Today's thank yous:

Steve at Outdoor Experience
The Sandpoint Public Library

Dan



Sonia and Gus eat at the bar at Richards in Sandpoint



A sign of the times

Helpful hints for the Map

I find it helpful to scroll down to the bottom of the map, then click on View Larger Map. On the larger map, you can use the four direction arrows to look around, or click on Terrain to see what the hills will be like.
As of this writing, Day One is Sunday, June 8, 2008 and Day 72 is Tuesday, August 19. We have one-way airline tickets from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon on Fri, Aug 22. Eleven weeks to bike across America and eight hours to fly home.
Just 36 hours now until we leave. I'm half-excited and half-terrified. Alison