Today I had the best day yet, I have finally found my place and hit my stride. I rode the 87 miles today to Pocadillo Idaho with about a 5 person group. There wasn't much climbing although somehow we are now up to about 4,000 FT elevation. We rode at a comfortably brisk but not a killer pace. We started at 6:30 AM with very cool temperaatures and fortunately finished by 12:30 when the temperatures were getting up over 90. But it is very dry and while riding there is always the wind in your face to cool you down.

 An easy day today in central Idaho. We started off with a very nice late start at about 8:30 because we only had a 38 mile day. We are positioning ourselves at the last outpost before 86 miles tomorrow through what is described as some of the most remote and desolate country we will cross on the trip. But that is tomorrow.
Today with the late start we began the day with a visit to the Snake River gorge and Shoshone Falls, the Niagra of the west as they call it.

View down river where Evil Kaniville tried to jump over with a motorcycle

A "ghost" bicycle on a stretch of road where a cyclist was killed

After the falls it was pretty barren with this scene pretty typical of the rest of the day. To alleviate the uneventful terrain we had a scavenger hunt and scavenged for various items such as road kill photos, a broken radiator belt, a blue flower, a coca-cola can, most unusual item, an Idaho quarter, a sprig of alfalfa, a church key, a used golf ball and other rare and unusual items.

A grueling ride today of 97 miles from Hope Mountain to Twin Falls Idaho. After the rest day on Tuesday and a relatively easy 60 miles on Wednesday I felt really rested and decided to test my metal (titanium hips that is) against the Alpha riders in the group. Anyone who knows bike riders knows the result when you put them into a group ride ..... egos .....competition and the sorting out of a hierarchy. And with 50 riders riding together every day even friendly rides become competitive. And you all know me when challenged. So far I have resisted by leaving last and trying to remain Zen and above being competitive. Meanwhile I have been sizing up the competition and feeling that on a given day I could be up with the 4 or 5 "leaders of the pack". Well today was the day!!!!

I went out when the gun sounded and hung with, and even did my share of "pulling the pack" today. We left at 6 AM with the temperature at 48 degrees and watched the sun come up through some beautiful country. No pictures of this since these riders do not stop for photos. Mike the tour leader who was in the van, has some photos of our fast pace line posted on the ABB site I am sure. Well the group dwindled down to 5 of us. A young 50 year old guy from NY City, a +/- 30 Australian woman who is tough as nails, another mid 50's guy from southern CA and my roommate from NH. This is the group below, with one extra female tourist in the white shirt.
I held my own for about 85 of the 97 miles. Then mostly from inexperience, not eating enough power bars, running out of water after the 2nd SAG stop and from being too old and slow on the climbs, I DIED. I just ran out of gas and in spite of their kindness, one time, to wait for me to catch the pace line and try to hang on, I pulled off under a shady tree to escape the 90 degree noon day sun.

I waited almost a half hour for the next group of riders. Here I discovered the riders I belong with, strong and steady with a brisk but not killer pace. There was a couple from Alaska, and a young German fellow trying to learn English, a Neurologist from Georgia and 2 childhood friends from Maine who both now live in Colorado. We had some time for pictures below of the Snake River Canyon where Evil Kan-evil did his motorcycle jump and I now know who I should be riding with.

Then there is this picture below with, yours truly with the 2 childhood friends from Maine posing in front of the bridge over the Snake river canyon that we had just crossed, 486 feet above the river.

Both are very strong riders and by coincidence both born like me born in 1950, all within 2 months of each other. Also both women like me are also very happily married and expecting their husbands to visit them during the trip. By the way I have have not been shaving and seem to be growing a beard.

 

 Today we are back on the road after a great day off in Boise. This is a picture of a really first class bike path leaving Boise and to emphasize my point about Boise being an enlightened cultural liberal oasis in the midst of a cultural and politically conservative wasteland, here is a picture of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. Not as world class as Lenox, but it looked to be a nice facility. Maybe Harry can check this out and let me know if it has a good reputation.

I was sorry to leave Boise and as we left we passed a huge Micron computer chip factory and I could see that some high tech and internet business was some of what has given Boise new life. Some of the guys I was riding with said that several silicone valley companies had moved up here to avoid the traffic and congestion of Northern California and because the cost of living and quality of life was better.

The ride today was pretty easy. There were no real hills and only about 55 miles into the very tiny town of Mountain Home, Idaho, miss named because I did not see any mountains around. There were a few but quite a ways in the distance as the picture below indicates. It started off cool in the 50's and with a cloudless sky got up to about 90 by the end of the day. 

Tomorrow it is supposed to get hot, but dry and we have a long 98 mile day on tap. I am going to bed early to be up at 5 AM for breakfast at 5:30 and load up and head out at 6.

Today we are in Boise Idaho for a day of much needed rest. I got to sleep until 9:00 and then just rested and hung out around our very nice hotel Marriott Courtyard in Boise and got a massage that was the best of my life. Below are some pictures of the ride into Boise and then of the city.







Boise is a very nice little city. It is an oasis of extreme liberalism in a desert of conservatism and a very youthful and progressive college town. There are great restaurants, shops and a parks along the river that runs right through down town. A few of us went out to a Basque restaurante in town. Evidently there was a large influx of Basque people who settled in Idaho because of the similarities to the Basque region in Spain.

Wild horses

Making a phone call

Typical scenery

I was able to down load some pictures from my roommate Charlie who is not only a computer genius but a great photographer.

The theme for today's ride is the march of the penguins. The post will be a day late, tomorrow which is an easy day to be followed Tuesday by a rest day in Boise ID. I should have more time then. ...Later on Monday........ I made it to Boise and Tuesday is a day off so I am going to try to catch up.

As I started to say, the theme for Sunday was the march of the penguins. First after what is typically a large catered breakfast at 6 AM we load and depart at 7 AM (earlier on a big climb or a long 100+ mile day). This is my worst time of day. I am not very good at having to not only pack up everything that I want in the truck, but remember everything I will need for a days riding. Here we are like penguins, loading up. I usually will go back for a 2nd cup of coffee or some final adjustments back in the room before being among the last if not the last to leave.

This is a gathering of penguins at a SAG short for (support and gear) stop along I 84 in eastern Oregon. Out here sometimes we have to go short distances on the interstate, which is legal. Sunday we covered about 85 miles mostly downhill out of the Cascades through very dry terrain to the Snake River and then along the river into Ontario Oregon. It became mostly agricultural with water from the river for irrigation.




And here some Penguins, following each other as they are want to do, took a wrong turn onto a highway and had to climb through and hand their bicycles over a barbed wire fence.









Here a lone penguin (me) is heading off into certain danger.

That is all for now. Tomorrow I will report on today's short "wind down" ride but interesting 60 miles, into Idaho and a rest day in Boise.

Another day in paradise, is what I would call today, about 75 to 80 degrees, sunny and dry. It was a relaxed day, or that was what I made it, by, in my usual fashion, leaving last. Only today, after proving my metal yesterday one of the most difficult days on the ride, I stayed at the back of the pack. I wanted to get to know the other 49 nutters on the ride. I am calling this the ride of "50 days with 50 nuts". Who else would rid a bicycle across the country?

Today was a tough 82 mile ride into Baker City with climbs over 3 passes, which now are up to about 5200 FT elevation. Then some 6 to 8 mile descents that are breathtaking. I have topped out at almost 50 mph so far. But I wanted to recover so I relaxed and rode in the rear of the pack and found that that is where they were having the most fun. I also took the time to take a lot of photos and chat up lots of folks, as I pulled a few up some gradual hills and through today's slight headwind. At the request of a dis-satisfied reader, I will try to include pictures of some of the penguins.

This one is of Mike a 64 year old retired college administrator from Davenport Iowa who slammed front wheel first, landing on his head (with helmet), into a concrete filled steel post designed to keep cars off the bike path in Portland. After a trip to the hospital, a new bicycle and one day off he has resumed riding. Today completing the entire ride. He was also examined by a neurologist and brain surgeon both riders.

Lastly, before signing off, especially for Bjarne and anyone else wasting time reading this blog when they should be working, I show a photo of the sales call I made today for EV Systems. Note the foundation that is undercut causing the silo to lean and also the huge birds nest on top of the bin vent. I ask Duncan since he knows birds for an identification. To me it looks like an osprey, but this is a long way from the coast of Maine.

Also Larry .... note the free advertising!!! Thanks for the shirt.

Today was a great day of anticipation because although we have been riding pretty hard with 6 to 80 mile days, today was 117 miles with 2 big climbs of + 2,000 FT. Most of the penguins (this trip has become sort of like the movie "March of the Penguins") were a little antsey and nervous at our 6 AM breakfast for the 7 AM start. Not so for Charlie, my roommate and I who, as has become our pattern, were not pulled together until 6:30 and among the last to leave.

These 2 pictures were typical of today's terrain. There were lots of high bluffs and mountains interspersed with some really flat sections of mostly open grazing lands. I took these pictures of the canyons because the flat open areas were a little boring. There was almost no traffic until we got into John Day, Oregon where we are staying again tonight. I found out why we needed to go the long 117 miles ..... there was nothing ... nada ....in the way of civilization except one very, very small town all day. Good thing the tour is supported with 3 Sag stops where we could get water, power bars, fruit and a lunch if we had packed it.

By now hopefully the majority of the people who have nothing better to do and are reading this blog have seen the pictures and left the site, so I will report on how I did on today's grueling ride .... well, in spite of, or maybe because of a leisurely start and leaving a half hour late, I was able catch up to almost all but about 3 or 4 of the riders. Charlie who dropped me in the first few miles, (I am very slow to warm up) fell victim to some broken spokes in his rear wheel or otherwise would have been with me at the end. I rode hard and finished by about 2:15 PM and felt really good. After a great hot shower a subway sandwich and cleaning up I promptly took a nap. Tomorrow we get up and will do it again riding about 80 miles to Baker City.

I feel like after 3 days of laying low in the back with lots of socializing and picture taking, today I did myself proud and proved that I can ride with the strongest on the ride.

A glorious day in the sun was in store for today. It was a "relatively easy" days ride of about 60 miles that became a 65 mile ride (5 of what are fondly called "bonus miles) when I missed a turn on the cue sheet. Not so bad except that I was in the lead of about a 5 person group and the others blindly followed me. We recovered had a few laughs and fortunately only had to retrace some flat terrain with some of the most gorgeous scenery imaginable. This is me above riding in my Ben and Jerry's shirt. 

 Here I am again, the guy looking good climbing hard in the back and warding off the big 18 wheelers trying to catch 2 of the young women on the ride. Wait that guy in between the 2 women is wearing a B&J shirt!?!? That can't be me.

So today was another great day made more interesting by getting to know some interesting really great people. Tomorrow is another story. It is one of the most challenging days on the ride. We leave at 6 AM on a 116 mile ride (with hopefully no bonus miles) that includes 2 climbs each of about 2,000 feet. It is expected to be warm not hot with the threat of some afternoon thunderstorms. Many of the penguins are nervous but we will stay together and survive. Tune in tomorrow to find out.

Last night we stayed  in Zigzag, Oregon and the name of the town should have given us an idea of what was in store for this morning; a big climb! I got up a 5 AM and ate a huge and delecious breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon and oatmeal. It was really cold, in the 40's but finally clear an crisp. This is me and although in the picture it doesen't look steep, the first 10 miles was a relentless climb over the shoulder of Mt Hood.

After the big climb to about 4,000 FT and a few breif ups and downs around the south side of the mountain, within the span of just a few miles it was though we landed on another planet. The cool and wet air and the solid carpet of trees all around disappearred and with the sun out it actually started to get hot. We rolled along a very dry high plateau for about 30 miles and stripped down to just our shorts and shirt before the most incredable decent I have ever made. I hit around 50 MPH going around some wide sweeping switch backs into the town of Warm Springs. Tonight we are staying at the Kah-Nee-Ta resort.

Mt Hood is now in the distance. My legs are a little bit sore, but with a good hot tub now 2 nights in a row they feel pretty good. All in all I feel pretty good. I gained some confidence today because I started out with the pack maybe a little ahead and even with the big climb was among the first 4 or 5 to finish the 65 mile day. What will tomorrow bring?

There was no internet available last night when we stayed in Welches right near Zigzag, Oregon. So I will make a double post tonight to cover the past 2 days. Tuesday was another rain soaked day of riding. We rode about 80 miles from St. Helens just west of Portland along the Columbia river and through the north side of Portland between the airport and the river. The picture above was a brief clear moment typical of the days ride. Much of the ride through the city was on bike paths which giving huge credit to Portland were among the best I have seen anywhere. The 2nd half of the ride Tuesday was the beginning of the climb up toward Mt Hood and the crossing of the Cascade range. Again I slept as late as possible, tried to linger over breakfast and was the last to leave. I rode again with my roommate Charlie who is 58 and from NH. We are still sizing up the group to find the strong riders and finished strong.

All in all even with rain 75% of the day it was a great ride. We stayed in a really nice mountain resort near enough to Mt Hood to have the lodge type resort filled with the youth national ski team who trains on the glacier on Mt Hood all summer long.

Here I am leaving to start the journey with the Pacific Ocean and the constant Oregon rain in the background. Note the slight bulge in the mid-section where I have thoughtfully stored up many good meals to be held in reserve to burn as needed when fuel intake cannot keep up with the pace. Also with me is Picasso as I have named my my trusty bicycle. It is a first class ride; a Cannondale carbon fiber frame that puts me once again in a place that I like, where my bicycle is worth more than my car.

This was actually taken yesterday (Sunday) when we all independently took a short 14 mile ride from the hotel out the the beach to "dip our wheels". Today the ABB Team, all 50 of us, got an early start between 7 and 8 AM in a cold driving rain leaving Astoria, headed east. Most of us rode alone or in small groups. As is my style, I left last along with my roommate Charlie. That way no-one ever passed us and I could catch up with, chat up and meet, getting to know some of my fellow riders. I finished the 69 mile day having overtaken about half of the group. It is mostly an older crowd with mid 50's being the average age.

It was cool, but not cold by New England standards and rained almost all day sometimes very hard, with only a few brief, but very welcomed patches of sun. We went east along the Colombia River with a few modest climbs in and out of the valley to the Best Western in St Helens. In spite of the rain it was a great day and a fantastic ride. There were some very picturesque mist shrouded views, some amazing trees and interesting people.

Tomorrow we head through Portland and begin to climb up toward Mt.Hood. It is not predicted to rain as much so I will try to take some pictures.

Saturday I arrived in Portland and was hosted by Sarah's friend Lori, from the Vermont Art Commune. Lori was like an angel from heaven who picked me up from the airport and I stayed in her row house that is filled with the most amazing things; drawings paintings, pottery and every object of use was a piece of art. Here she is in her studio at the college where she teaches. We had a fantastic Peruvian dinner, did the city of Portland up right and I was able to take a great 30 mile warm up bike ride. It was a rare "not raining" sunny day and the locals were all out riding remarking about the fact that "Mt. Hood was OUT".

Sunday we drove 80 miles east through the rain to Astoria on the coast. I checked in with the group, America by Bike here after referred to as ABB.It is sort of like what I might have imagined "boot camp" in the army would be like, but more on that later. I met Charlie my roomate from Concord, NH who seems like a great guy. He comes with a jolly laugh and a sense of humor, which as Sarah says "will get you through anything".

A photo of Sunday is below taken of the Columbia river. I will try to post again tonight on today's ride (Monday). Hopefully nobody is reading this as I do ramble on and am treating the blog as a diary for my own use.

The farewell bash was a blast. Sarah was a good sport about the surprise. And enjoyed all of our friends who came and enjoyed the limited but delicious menu of pizza, beer and red wine. I think I was forgiven by the fact that when serving, her father Bobby handed out napkins with the pizza; or were they just paper towels from the roll? At any rate the gathering was a huge success and best of all the Vin Fleurie wine from France was given rave reviews by some of the most educated pallets in Berkshire County who be forming a syndicate to import.

Thanks to all who came and especially best and oldest friend Chico who bailed me out cooking the pizza.

The days until departure are dwindling down. I think I am ready. Sarah has been my inspiration. When she set off fearlessly for the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont last fall and set the bar high, for how to live life to the fullest in our recently emptied nest I felt compelled to follow suit, or be left behind. And now that Sarah has been accepted in the UMass Masters program to go back to school and teach, I have real a real motivation for this cross country adventure.


Thank you Sarah !!!!!

Okay ....I have received all of the feedback about not posting anything on the blog. Well it is not easy for an old guy who is not particularly comfortable with new technology to dive into something new, like this blog. It is kind of scarey, but here goes!!!!

I am nervous ... about the blog and the ride and leaving home for 7 weeks. Not nervous about the physical challenge of the ride because as you can see in the photo, I made it up to the top of Mt. Graylock on Sunday, 72 miles round trip with my friend and inspiration Steve Yarmo!!!!! But nervous and anxious about all that I have to do to get ready before leaving my tranquil life as I know it here in Stockbridge, leaving Sarah my love and support and living with with a new and unknown roommate and 30 to 40 strangers for 7 weeks..

........not to mention apprehensive in anticipation of the big bash ..... party ....... wine tasting ......farewell to everyone I know that will take place here on Wednesday night.

But more than nervous, I am excited for the adventure that lies ahead.

Stay tuned for the next posting on the BIG FAREWELL BASH !!!!!!

Pre ride send off

This will be the story of my trip across the country by bicycle, but it is first going to start with the weeks leading up to the ride. Above ....... my daughter Hannah's graduation.