Ride 4 Habitat

Bar Harbor, ME July 2 and 3

2008-08-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

We got an early start to climb six miles to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. This is the traditional road to run, hike, bicycle or drive up in order to get a 360 degree view of Acadia National Park. Unfortunately we only saw fog, but we had to do it to complete our trip which was 4,223 miles on my odometer. Luckily we were able to buy postcards to show us what we would be able to see on a clear day.

Then we rode to the bike shop to turn our bicycles in to be shipped home. As Carol's friend, Donna Ikenberry said, "You've just shipped away your identity." Not so fast. We were having lunch when a young couple approached us to ask if we had bicycled across the country. They had seen our bicycles at the bike shop and identified us by our grease stained yellow rain gear and bicycling shoes. We felt like celebrities as we answered their questions about our trip. They told us they have three months and are contemplating buying bicycles to make the same trip themselves. We wished them luck and exchanged addresses in case they have questions.

Our last day in Bar Harbor we toured Acadia National Park by bus and foot. We dipped our feet in the Atlantic, took photos of the coastal rocks and trees coming down to the Atlantic and even enjoyed watching a seal frolicking in the surf.

Our great adventure is behind us and maybe not too soon. Our tires are wearing thin and our hair is bushy. Our bicycling clothes are looking tired from daily use and many washings. Our bicycles have been well used and beat up through rain, mud, grit and gravel. And we are more than ready to return home to reconnect with the people whom we love and who have enthusiastically supported us along the way. But we are especially grateful for the moving memories of all the people along the way who started out as strangers and became our inspiring, supportive friends.

Searsport, ME to Bar Harbor, ME 60 Miles

2008-08-01T16:30:00.001-07:00

Carol and I were excited to know this was our day to ride into Bar Harbor, our goal since we started pedaling in Anacortes, WA on May 16th. The people we have met in Maine have treated us beautifully and given us fond memories. But, the Maine Coast has not been a supportive fan of bicyclists.

We started off today in fog, but the temperature was warm enough not to need any jackets. We experienced some slight drizzles early but nothing alarming, though the skies looked threatening. We did continue climbing up and down hills like we have for the past two days. About 30 miles into our ride we stopped to eat in Ellsworth. We found a park in front of the public library, but since the benches were wet, we sat under the porch steps in front of the library, where we met Cliff Skinner. He was spending the day with his children and noticed all our bicycling gear. We talked a while and told him about our journey. He was so impressed he pulled out his wallet and handed us a donation on the spot. This is so touching to me when people do this.

After our stop in Ellsworth we had only 28 miles left to arrive in Bar Harbor. The first 14 miles took us around a bay where it began to pour heavily. I began to feel discouraged at the narrow roads and the difficulty of seeing through fogged up glasses. But, after five miles the rain stopped and I saw glimpses of the beautiful ocean as trees opened onto meadows. I also passed an old cemetery where I was reminded, again, how fortunate I am to Be Here Now and be able to live my dream. I will be resting soon enough. I was able to continue in high spirits all the way into Trenton, where we stopped in the Bar Harbor information center. There we were met by an enthusiastic woman who couldn't wait to share her own cross country cycling adventures with us and encourage us on our way. We were only 14 miles from our goal and we were excited to continue.

As I said, the Maine Coast threw all it had at us. We never had a moment when we could say, "It's all downhill from here." The rain began again, and the hills kept on coming one after the other. The rain poured harder and as I was pushing uphill, I was watching the water flow down the hills in sheets. There was never any thought of stopping, there was nowhere to stop anyway, but I was questioning my sanity when we finally arrived at the entrance to Acadia State Park. where we did not stop for photos.

We finally arrived in the town of Bar Harbor where we found a dry spot under the gazebo on the town green with all the other tourists looking for refuge from the downpour. We found the First Baptist Church where we were met by Pastor Scott Records and his wife Joanne. They were so gracious when we stood in the doorway dripping all over everything. I literally poured water out of my gortex rain socks.

Pastor Scott and Joanne quickly helped us with our bicycles into the church basement, brought us dry towels and showed us where we could settle in. They were doing this in the midst of completing church duties, preparing for their own vacation getaway as well as preparing for house guests. They just kept asking, "what can we do for you?"

Carol and I still can barely believe we have arrived at our destination. We cleaned up, got warm and dry and went out to see Bah Habah and eat Lobstah. It has finally stopped raining.

Damariscotta, ME to Searsport, ME 55 Miles July 31

2008-07-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

We are only 65 miles from our destination of Bar Harbor and feeling more excited and giddy each day. But, the adventure continues to the last. We stayed on Highway 1 today to avoid the worn, torn, hilly Highway 52 which our route suggested. We had gentler hills than the last two days, but more traffic than we are used to. Carol was especially unnerved when our nice wide shoulder completely disappeared, and the trucks kept coming. Being from LA, I am used to traffic, besides we did have forest on the side of the road as opposed to the cliffs of Highway 1 in California.

One especially beautiful town we passed through today was Camden. With its compact center and narrow streets it felt quite European. We had a picnic lunch on the lovely "Green". As we rode through and out of town we couldn't help noticing that the curbs lining the blacktop sidewalks and streets were actually made of granite. We have enjoyed seeing granite everywhere in New Hampshire and Maine. People use granite posts as decoration in their yards and gardens. Today we passed a business which carves granite memorial stones and they even had one that was shaped like a shiney black motorcycle.

We were able to see the beach in Lincolnville and celebrate the fact we have ridden "from sea to shining sea". Our last ten miles today were in light rain, but we still arrived in Searsport in good spirits. We were met by Pastor Stephen McCloud of the United Methodist Church. He and his fiance are both pastors and seminary students. But he took time out of his busy schedule to make sure we had everything we need. We were offered a shower in his home, and given a warm dry place to sleep upstairs in the sanctuary because it is the one part of the church that has carpeting. The only drawback is that the beautiful stained glass window facing the street is lit up at night from the inside. But, we are prepared to cope with anything. I try to pack items which will be used in more than one way and I could never take a trip without my bandanna. This keeps the sun off of my neck, can be soaked in water to keep me cool, can be used as a washcloth or a towel and will be used tonight to keep the light out of my eyes in the sanctuary of the United Methodist Church.

We are ready for our ride into Bar Harbor tomorrow.

Buckfield, ME to Damariscotta, ME 62 Miles July 29

2008-07-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

Carol and I left Buckfield feeling strong and positive after being over the ¨big" climbs which show on our map elevation profile. Our first stop was in Turner Center at Nezinscot Farm. This is a working organic farm where they have a herd of about 300 dairy cows and make their own cheese. I had to sample and buy the GreGarian, amazingly delicious. They also had low bush organic Maine blueberries, the sweetest I have ever had. Carol and I also drooled over their beautiful hand spun, loom woven woolen goods. We tore ourselves away because we were expected to arrive in Damariscotta to stay with Marjorie Swett and I had given her an estimated arrival time of 3:00 PM, thinking we would arrive by 2:00 PM.

At 11:00 AM we still have 35 miles to ride and the climbing began in earnest. We planned to take a break in Litchfield five miles down the road, but we came to one steep hill after the next and in Litchfield I needed a bathroom urgently. Unfortunately the small store answered my request with ¨itś broken¨. I went across the street to be told, amidst three hysterical poodles, ¨Itś flooded¨. Finally at the hardware store, they told me they did have a Ladies room, but no one ever used it, but I was welcome to. It did work.

Back on the road we had a flatter section of road before the climbs came back with a vengeance. I was so tired, I would see a hill up ahead and just begin laughing hysterically, all the way in to Damariscotta where we arrived at 3:35 PM. Marjorie Swett met us at the Baptist Church, where we locked our bicycles inside and Marjorie drove us to her home at Round Pond. Round Pond is a salt water harbor 11 miles off of our route which is used by commercial lobster fishermen as well as recreational boaters.

Marjorie welcomed us to her beautiful home that her husband designed and built for their retirement. Carol and I enjoyed the huge windows overlooking the harbor with its resident Loon, Great Blue Herons, and undeveloped tree covered islands. After a delicious dinner, Carol and I talked and felt that after such a tough ride and looking at two more tough riding days, we would like a day off. Marjorie generously welcomed us for a second day.

We woke up to see the sun rise over the harbor and hear the loons calling. We had a lovely picnic after touring the Pemaquid Lighthouse. This is such an icon of Maine, that it was chosen as the symbol to grace the back of the Maine quarter coin. This is our first rest day since Niagara Falls and we are thoroughly pleased with our decision.

After resting and being hypnotised by the beautiful shore view, Marjorie prepared another lovely dinner for us, before driving us back to the church in Damariscotta to spend the night. We did not want to impose on Marjorie to drive us back to town before dawn to start our ride to Searsport.

The church was quiet, except for the chiming of a clock every hour and half hour. At 9:00 PM after nine chimes, I decided to see what I could do about the clock. I was able to stop the pendulum, and sleep uninterrupted. However, in the morning the fear and guilt began. I was sure someone would see the clock stopped at 9:00 PM and know those bicyclists had done damage to the clock. But after a little bit of examining, I was able to reset the clock correctly and continue on with a clear conscience.

Center Conway, NH to Buckfield, ME 46 Miles

2008-07-28T14:06:00.001-07:00

Carol and I enjoyed Sue's company early this morning as we ate breakfast and organized all our possessions in plastic bags. This is how we deal with life on the road. Plastic bags keep us organized as well as protecting our STUFF from the elements.

We celebrated again as we crossed the border into Freyburg, Maine. Even though our route today did not involve mountain climbs, we still had ominous hills. One hill forced us to get off and walk. I wanted so badly to keep pedaling, but when I looked up and saw how far it was to the top, I just put my foot down and said, "It's not worth it, I'll walk." Even the trucks were straining getting up Waterford Hill Rd. We knew there was an even bigger climb ahead so when we reached the town of South Paris at the foot of the climb, Carol and I debated whether or not to continue on, or quit for the day and save the climb for when we would be fresh and cool tomorrow morning. Also, we had no idea where we would stay in the tiny town of Buckfield as people we spoke to were not encouraging about us finding any accommodations.

In the meantime I had made calls from the contacts Sue Davidson had given me. Reverend Stephen McCloud offered us a place in his church in Searsport. When I asked if he had any contacts in Buckfield he said he would get back to me. While Carol and I were discussing "The Climb", I heard back from Reverend Eva K. Thompson of the Buckfield Community Church. She enthusiastically offered the church to us for the night and we decided to push on up Streaked Mountain Road.

We did approximately six miles of climbing and never had to walk, though we did have to make a good effort. We arrived in town just before 1:30 PM feeling thrilled to have the climb behind us and a place to stay for the night. Reverend Eva drove the half hour from her home to open up the church and give us fresh towels and soap so we could enjoy a hot shower in the church. We were ecstatic. Eva told us to make ourselves at home and enjoy Buckfield. We are. There is a little grocery store across the street, a library with a fast Internet connection and a lovely river which flows through the center of town.

Reverend Eva even went back home and set up a contact for us for tomorrow night in Damariscotta.

Life is good in Maine.

North woodstock, NH to Center Conway, NH 45 Miles July 27

2008-07-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Looking out of our motel room window we could see Kancamagus Mountain. This is the last mountain pass we needed to cross on our transcontinental bicycle tour. We needed to gain 2,000 feet of elevation to get over what the locals refer to as The Kanc. The climbing began almost from our motel door. It was ever so slight, but just enough for my legs to feel heavy. I kept looking down to see if I had a flat tire. I finally asked Carol, "Are we climbing?" She replied, "Yep, we sure are."

I soon fell behind as I stopped to take pictures and enjoy the roaring river views. The climbing never felt too steep and I found myself at the top with a beautiful overlook facing the 4,000 foot peaks of the White Mountains. I celebrated by asking another traveler to snap my picture to commemorate the last climb on our journey. We had a nice conversation and I got back on the bike, pedaled down and around the corner to see the REAL climb. I pushed up another three and a half miles before I found Carol at the real top of THE KANC. Kancamagus is a Native American name which means, "fearless one". We did feel fearless standing at the top of the pass, especially when we saw the sign which told us we had climbed the last three and a half miles at a 9% grade with fully loaded bicycles. This time we celebrated with garlic hummus and garlic cheese. Doesn't it sound delicious? It was.

Coming downhill I was grinning from ear to ear. We took our time coming down to enjoy the many overlooks of the White Mountains, which are especially rewarding on the downhill side.
Our route took us through Dugway Road, a back way into town which took us across the Albany Covered Bridge and meandered through cool shady trees as it hugged the river.

In Conway we called Sue Davidson to open the door for us to the United Methodist Church. When she and her husband Tom arrived to meet us, they informed us that we would be staying at their home. We were thrilled to ride five more miles, along our route, to arrive at their lovely farm house in Center Conway. We visited with Tom, Sue and Tom's 90 year old mother Mauren. Tom owns the UPS Center in Conway, Sue is a full time nurse and the Pastor at two United Methodist Churches.

Tom's mother Mauren entertained us with stories about how life used to be up here in New Hampshire when she was a young bride of 21. She got married and moved here from the big city of Boston, Massachusettes. Life took a lot of getting used to in the New Hampshire country side, but she successfully raised her family in this same home which has been in the family for 100 years. Mauren has two children, five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren who refer to her as Gigi, (great grandma). Mauren still plays the piano at church services on Sundays as well as the organ at a local retirement home. She is a devoted Red Sox fan. She's been following the team since her young days when Babe Ruth was playing and a ticket cost 10 cents.

Sue took Carol and me on a town tour on a trip to the grocery store. We also picked up Tom and Sue's three year old granddaughter, Jordan who entertained us with her renditions of "ABC's, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". Jordan has big blue eyes and blond curls and I can tell there is never a dull moment around her.

Before we went to bed, Sue got onto the computer to look up contacts for us further along our route. She helped us by giving us phone numbers and sending e-mails to her fellow United Methodist Pastors. This was a lot of energy to put out for us after her long day of leading church services, attending a church meeting, taking care of us and her three year old grandchild and preparing a dinner party for seven.

Carol and I are tired but gratefully clean, dry, well fed and tickled to be so close to Bar Harbor, ME.

We were able to get in touch with Pam and she did get a ride to Portland, ME and flew back to Missouri on July 25th where she is happy to be back home with her family.

Fairlee, VT to North Woodstock, NH 40 Miles, July 26

2008-07-26T12:59:00.000-07:00

Scott, from the Silver Maple Lodge, got up extra early to make sure we had breakfast before we began our third day of climbing. After riding a mile, we celebrated with photos as we crossed the Connecticut River into New Hampshire. Carol and I were concerned about our climbs today because our map guide read, "after you reach the White Mountains in New Hampshire, the route steepens." Yikes!! We had already walked the 15% grades on Middlebury Gap.

Well, we never had to walk today. We had long climbs with some respite with flats or even downhill sections so we worried for nothing. I did take more frequent breaks today to rest and snap some photos, so Carol kept plodding on ahead, not wanting to break her stride.

As I was riding I was passed by many fast weekend cyclists. One couple who rode with me was Dave and Holly of Maine. They are vacationing in New Hampshire to celebrate Holly's birthday. When they heard about our journey, Dave didn't even have to slow down his riding to slip me a donation for Habitat. I was so surprised, but I didn't break my stride either as I reached over to grab the money.

At the top of the pass was lovely Beaver Pond. I decided to sit and enjoy the water and have a bite of lunch. I couldn't believe I was already at the top of the pass. After feeling revived, I got back on my bike and around one curve, there was Carol waiting for me. We had a great downhill ride into North Woodstock where we are enjoying a busy tourist town on a sunny summer weekend.

We are grateful to have a room at the Autumn Breeze Motel, which we were told is the last in town. We have one more big pass tomorrow, the Kancamagas. We had been shaking in our beds at night thinking about it, but after our experience today, we feel ready to tackle our last major climb between us and the coast.

Rochester, VT to Fairlee, VT 55 Miles, July 25

2008-07-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

What a treat to wake up to a sunny day in Vermont. We knew it was beautiful even in the rain, but we are grateful to experience this beautiful state in sunny weather. Ginny and Eric got up early with us for breakfast. We had fresh picked blueberries and gooseberries along with fresh brewed coffee and Vermont yogurt. We were fortified for our second day of climbing in the Green Mountains.

Carol and I started with a fun ride along the White River. Lots of rolling, mostly down hills. I stopped in South Royalton to get photos of the lovely green they had there. A green is the town square, which is a beautiful grass area in the center of town. This one had its own gazebo.

Our real climbing began at Sharon, about 30 miles down the road. We stopped to rest and eat before the climb. Again, it was horrendously steep at the bottom, but I gritted my teeth and did not have to walk today. Like yesterday, after a few tough sections, the mountain leveled off and we came to a long 13% downhill. This was much better than yesterday's experience in the rain. Every few miles we came to a little New England town. Usually we would see a general store, a tall white church and maybe a post office, then we would be in the country again.

We had been trying, with no luck to arrange lodging for tonight, but our cell phones do not work in the Green Mountains. We were looking for a land line where we could use a calling card, when Nancy Schindler just happened to see us outside her home and asked if she could help us. She invited us in and encouraged us to use the phone without using the calling card. She helped us look up names and addresses in the phone book and gave us the scoop on the different lodgings in Orford, NH. We called one place and were told, "You picked a bad weekend, because it is a Dartmouth Parent's weekend and a Children's Camp Parent's Weekend. Everything is booked, everywhere." We called another place, right across the river in Fairlee, VT. The owner, Scott, was so excited to hear from us. He told us he had been moaning, because he just received a last minute cancellation and would be thrilled to let us have the room. He had done a cross country bicycle trip himself, in 1972.

Nancy, continued to help us, by explaining to us a different route to our destination. This involved a beautiful ride around Lake Fairlee, as opposed to the dreaded Thetford Hill climb. We were thrilled to opt for the Fairlee Lake ride and enjoyed a fast beautiful ride into Fairlee where we are enjoying one more night in Vermont.

Middlebury, VT to Rochester, VT 30 Miles, July 24

2008-07-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

We woke up early ready to leave Middlebury at 6:00 AM under dry but cloudy skies. We had an easy 10 mile ride to East Middlebury where we started serious climbing over the Green Mountains. Serious climbing meant serious walking. But, after the initial shock at the bottom, our hills leveled out a bit and we were able to ride most of the way. It felt great to be back in the mountains. We had thundering creeks tumbling beside the road, with all the leafy green foliage Vermont is famous for.

I stopped in the lovely little town of Ripton to take some pictures of a Community Building that dates from 1781. People here cherish their history. Breadloaf was the last community before the serious climb to Middlebury Gap. This section involved a little bit of walking as the rain began. We pushed hard for the last three miles to the top and congratulated ourselves as the rain became heavier. It was thrilling to reach the top of the Green Mountains, even with the rain. We have survived our first steep climb in the Green Mountains of Vermont. We saw a sign that warned us of a 12% grade for two miles of our downhill, as the rain came even harder. I was nervous as I squeezed wet brakes with not very secure results. After six miles of downhill we arrived in Hancock, a small town with a store where we were able to wring ourselves out before the last four miles into Rochester.

We met Reverend Gregory Homan who gave us permission to stay in the Federated Church of Rochester for the night. We took care of drying out all our possessions before going to use the computer at the public library. When I told the librarian about our trip she called another bicyclist in town, Ginny Bowman, who immediately spoke to me on the phone and invited us to her home for the night. Ginny and her 15 year old son, Montana have done a coast to coast cycling trip to raise funds for juvenile diabetes and wanted to share their home with other cyclists. We jumped at the chance to join Ginny and her family.

Ginny met us after work and walked us to her home. Her home was originally a church built in the 1827, then a school. Ginny and her husband, Eric bought the building and ran it as a youth hostel. Now, they have turned the building into a home for themselves and two children, Montana and Ada. As I said, these Vermonters do cherish their history.

Ginny prepared a delicious dinner with fresh vegetables from the garden. We certainly are in Vermont at the right time of year. Our clothes are hanging on the drying racks, Eric is drying our shoes on a special boot drying rack and we are promised a sunny day for tomorrow.

Ticonderoga, NY to Middlebury, VT 20 Miles, July 23

2008-07-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

We left our warm motel today in what was predicted and was pouring rain. We rode the short distance to the ferry to cross Lake Champlain. At the ferry dock, Pam decided to hitch a ride over the mountains in order to arrive in Portland, ME to catch an airplane home by July 29. Carol and I decided to brave the elements and make it a short day into Middlebury, VT.

Immediately upon arriving in Vermont, we felt the difference between New York. We were out of the forests and into the green rolling hills, small dairies and fruit orchards. The pouring rain continued and upon arriving in Middlebury, Carol and I decided to have some maintenance done on our bikes before we cross the last two steep mountain ranges of our journey.

While Dave at the Bike Center competently and efficiently took care of our bikes, Carol and I went to have coffee. We found a wonderful local hangout and enjoyed schmoozing about the awful weather with Sandra Murphy. After hearing about our trip, she spontaneously made a generous contribution to our cause. I love Vermont.

We were invited to stay with Peter and Margaret Carothers, who have done much work for Habitat in this area. They opened up their 1830's farmhouse to us. They live on the 175 acre Nash Farm which General Nash started in 1830. The farm has a long history, including several years when it was used as a hippy commune. It has since been refurbished and Carol and I were given a lovely bedroom.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner which included fresh picked vegetables from the organic garden. When I say fresh, I mean Peter literally picked the lettuce and broccoli, during the rainstorm, just as Margaret was ready to prepare them for dinner. We had quite a treat.

After dinner Margaret needed to run to a meeting. Peter's job was to haul the kayak, possibly an emergency escape vehicle, to higher ground. When the rain let up I offered to help him haul the kayak up, but I didn't want to get my one pair of shoes wet to do it. I asked Peter if I could just put on a pair of his shoes. I grabbed a big muddy pair from the porch and clomped around trying to keep my shoes on and hold up my end of the kayak. We relocated the kayak and were ready to prepare ourselves for tomorrow's ride.

The weather continued to be the topic of conversation. Ten years ago Peter and Margaret had been flooded out of their home when the river overflowed. So Peter was monitoring it constantly during this rainstorm. We were told as we went upstairs for bed that we would be notified if there was any need to evacuate during the night. We slept well in spite of these warnings.

Long Lake, NY to Ticonderoga, NY 64 Miles July 22

2008-07-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Mary Ellen got up at 4:30 AM to visit with us while we ate breakfast. Then we pedaled off into a foggy day. We continued the hills, but the most dreaded steep ones did not materialize. We had a celebratory moment when we crossed the Hudson River, we are getting so close to our goal now.

After much climbing Carol and I stopped at Jellystone Park Camp to take a lunch break. We met a delivery truck driver who described our road to Ticonderoga, with a big grin as "hilly, windy and steep". He enthusiastically asked many questions about our trip and even offered to transport our bikes in the truck because he had finished his delivery. It was tempting, but we are too close to cut corners now.

We had a beautiful ride into Ticonderoga, our last town in New York. Again, the climbs were overrated and we completed 64 miles feeling great. We stopped at the store to replace some run down batteries. As I was sitting outside I talked to 85 year old "Little Pat", visiting Ticonderoga from Long Island, NY. She was so touched by our journey that she gave us a cash donation on the spot. I was touched too. She wouldn't have her picture taken, but did ask us to put her name on the blog.

Ticonderoga is the end of the Adirondacks on the border of New York and Vermont. It is the first of what I would describe as a New England town. It is built in the middle of green hills and from above you see the view of the central town with church steeples.

We rode into Ticonderoga and called St. Mary's Catholic Church. Pastor Scott Tyler from the United Methodist Church returned our call and offered us a donated room at the Circle Court Motel. These are the gifts that materialize for us every day.

We had the most delicious dinner at Gourmet Gal Restaurant. As I said, another example of typical New York high style. This is our last night in New York. We have met and been taken care of by such special people as well as being able to ride on well maintained roads. Thank you again, New York.

Old Forge, NY to Long Lake, NY 49 Miles July 21

2008-07-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

We were able to sort out all of our gear and plastic bags and we still be packed and on the road by 5:30 AM. We did have plenty of hills today, but we only had to deal with some short periods of drizzle toady. We are riding along the Fulton Chain of Lakes and when Carol and I arrived in Blue Mountain Lake we stopped to eat at a Lakeside Park. We were approached by Jerry and Diane McIntyre who had just heard about us from Sheila, a woman Pam had just received a donation from. Jerry and Diane invited us to stay with them when we are in New Hampshire, so we are always well taken care of.

Just leaving Blue Mountain Lake was a long STEEP hill. I found out later, that this was part of the old road from the 1880s; in the old days the roads just followed the contour of the land. Half way up the hill, when we were huffing and puffing, we saw the Adirondacks Museum and decided it was worth a stop. It was done in typical New York high style. There were several exhibit halls, including one on Adirondack design. I learned that the most prevalent thing I see in the Adirondacks, the Adirondack Chairs, have nothing whatsoever to do with this region. We also saw an exhibit of boats. We saw one old Guide boat that weighed in at 53 pounds, but was able to port 1,000 pounds.

With only ten miles to go to Long Lake, mostly downhill, we arrived to find Pam's orange flag at the Wesleyan Church. We were staying next door with Pastor Chris Humby and his wife Mary Ellen. They generously took us into their home, even though they've only been in town for three weeks and have a two sons; five year old Patrick and two year old Micah, and Mary Ellen is expecting her third in November. I had forgotten how much energy it takes to keep up with young children. But, the boys were sharp and quite sweet. Patrick said Grace for us before dinner and Micah wanted to add his own with "Amen". Mary Ellen put the boys to bed with a story and asked them questions about what she read and Patrick could answer every question. The world will be in good hands with the next generation. This is the first home we have stayed in with young children and it was such a refreshing change. We all miss our families so this was special.

Redfield, NY to Old Forge, NY 57 Miles July 20

2008-07-20T16:21:00.000-07:00

After breakfast Cliff Gilbert drove us back to town to retrieve our bicycles and get back on the road. We were prepared for more hills today as we were heading to the Adirondack Mountains. We were not prepared for the deluge of rain today. It began in the morning and only rained harder as the day wore on. Unfortunately, this was the worst day for Pam's tire to blow out. This happened in front of a home. Pam didn't know what to do without a spare and she knocked on the door. The family thought of who they knew who could help out and called their friends. Steve and Craig who have been cyclists for many years and cheerfully came to help out. In the meantime Carol showed up with her spare tire, which the fellows mounted on Pam's bicycle. What luck!

We continued on through rain, which inhibited our vision when our water spotted glasses became foggy. We were saved by the wide shoulder and well maintained roads. Thank you New York! Our way was also made a little easier because the air temperature was not too cold, so though we were soaking, we never did have to bundle up in our rain gear. I believed it when told, they had about 6-7 inches of rain today! If this continues tomorrow this will be grounds for a day off.

In Old Forge we were donated a room at the Country Club Motel. The owner, Bill Wengert, is an avid cyclist and when we showed up literally soaked through, we were cheerfully given the room key and told not to worry about a thing. I have never ridden in rain this strong. It got to the point where I felt like I was actually sitting in a puddle of water.

Later, Charlie Swanton, a friend of Burt Goodnough from Redfield, picked us up and took us to his home for dinner. Charlie entertained us by giving us a tour of the home he has built from the ground up. He has put many unique decorative touches, such as moldings made of trees which still have on the bark. Charlie also has allowed us to wash and dry our clothes, so at least we will be starting off dry in the morning. Charlie reminded us that "there is never a bad day in the Adirondacks, even when it rains." I'd have to agree that today was beautiful, even with the rain.

We can see the end of our journey. We have about 500 more miles and only three mountain ranges between us and Bar Harbor.

Sterling, NY to Redfield, NY 58 Miles July 19

2008-07-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

We continue to get an early start to beat the predicted 92 degree heat and humidity on a hilly ride. Pam's cell phone rebelled again and she needed to find a new charger. She tried the 24 Hour Wal Mart a few miles down the road, with no luck. Then Carol and I caught up with her the next town where the T Mobile store would not be open for two more hours. Pam sped ahead to see what she would find.

Carol and I pedaled up and down many hills through woods today around more of Lake Ontario before turning East away from the lake. At 42 miles we rode into Pulaski where we found a happy Pam. She had found Burt Goodnough to take her to a store off route where she purchased a new charger. We found her enjoying barbecued chicken at a fundraiser given by the Masons. They all insisted Carol and I accept chicken and refused to take our money. They replied, "we help people." What a refreshing attitude. Actually we've experienced this along our whole trip.

We had been led to expect gut busting hills the last 16 miles into Redfield. Either we are stronger or the hills are just not as steep. When we arrived in Redfield at the unbelievable early hour of 12:30 we stopped at the corner of town and someone yelled "She went that away". We went that away too, where we were stopped by a car on the road when someone yelled, "She's at the Methodist Church." We arrived in time for lunch because there was a work party doing service on the lovely 1827 Church.

After a delightful lunch we were given a lift to Cliff and Candy Gilbert's home on Salmon River Reservoir. This is in a Cross Country Ski Resort Area. We arrived at this lovely cabin where Pam and I immediately took a dip in the lake off the front of the home. This is a quiet protected shore where much of the area is owned by the state, so it will stay in its natural state. Most of the residents here have been coming here for vacations for generations. We feel like we have been able to share a special haven in Upstate New York. Cliff and Candy are the only permanent residents here in the winter. They use a snowmobile to get in and out of their driveway to get to their car parked above.

Cliff will drive us back into town tomorrow at dawn where our bicycles are parked at the church. They only live four miles back down our route and you would think after riding over 3200 miles an extra four miles would not be a big deal. But, at the end of every day, every extra inch is a big deal to us.

Fair Port, NY to Sterling, NY 64 Miles July 18

2008-07-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

Shirley and Kristine got up this morning to see us off with coffee and breakfast. Of course they were sleeping downstairs next to the kitchen because they had given up their bedrooms for us upstairs.

We finished our tour along the Erie Canal in Palmyra and immediately ran into a long steep hill that put our quads into shock. We continued with these hills all day, though not as steep. Today we rode through the New York fruit basket. We passed miles of orchards; cherries, apples, raspberries, blackberries all giving the air a delicious scent.

It was exciting to arrive in Pultneyville where we were on the coast of Lake Ontario. There were no services here as the local grocery had just closed. We sat down to eat in the park when we were approached by Kathy. She had spoken to Pam earlier and taken her home to replenish her with water and ice to combat the 92 degree heat and humidity. Kathy was on the lookout for me and Carol and extended the invitation to both of us. We accepted her gracious offer and went to her home where we met her husband, Tim who wondered where all the strays were coming from. After filling our bottles with ice and water we were ready to continue, using the facilities and even releasing our trash, we were ready to continue.

Our maps showed several stretches on our route today with no services. But, when we arrived we found many fruit stands with local produce. We found one where we reinvigorated ourselves with ice cold blackberries and watermelon. Again, I am passing through an area which does not coincide with the image I had in mind. Upstate New York is lush, green, humid and filled with lovely curious people who enthusiastically support us.

When Carol and I arrived in Fair Haven, we discovered Pam had found lodging for us three miles down the road at Sterling Christian Church. After stocking up on groceries in town, Carol and I rode on and met Pastor JD. He was young and enthusiastic about our endeavor. He made sure we were well taken care of before enjoying the rest of what was supposed to be his day off.

We enjoyed an early quiet night.

Medina, NY to Fair Port, NY 63 Miles July 17

2008-07-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

We left Maureen Hungerford's at first light after a lovely, peaceful night's sleep. We still have the Erie Canal Trail to follow today. I love it because it is flat, hugs the water and is separated from traffic. The only drawback is that the trail is not paved, so with today's downpour our nice clean bikes and clean clothes became coated with a muddy soup.

When we arrived in Fair Port, Pam had gotten us adopted by Shirley Stickles from Assumption Catholic Church. Shirley took us home after work where we were able to scrub off all the muck from our bikes and our tired bodies. Then we were entertained by her daughter Kristine Rodriguez and her 12 year old son Tyler. Tyler was so proud to show off his four blue ribbons for being on his school honor role every semester he has been in middle school.

After making ourselves somewhat presentable Shirley, Kristine and Tyler took us out to dinner at the most upscale grocery store I've seen; Wegman's. Tyler was especially proud because his uncle is a District Manager for the store in Virginia. All of us were able to choose exactly what we wanted. I chose the Lentil Chili, while Carol and Pam chose pizza. We were also joined by Trish Fuchs, another friend who adopted Pam this afternoon. Trish had to do some last minute juggling of her schedule but she honored us by making such a heroic effort to be a part of our evening in Fair Port.

Shirley drove us home, making sure we knew the route to take us out of town at 5:30 AM tomorrow morning. Upon arriving home, we were all especially touched when Tyler dipped into his savings to make his own donation to our Ride4Habitat.

Niagara Falls, Ont. to Medina, NY 52 Miles July 16

2008-07-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

Glenn, from Clarkson Bicycles showed up with Carol's bicycle at 7:10 AM and we left with a full breakfast from Quality Inn. We continued on the Niagara Parkway and saw the Whirlpool Bridge and the Horticultural Clock. I saw two women working on the clock and asked if I could snap a photo as they were setting the clock. They informed me, "We are not setting the clock, we are clipping it." I smiled, snapped a photo and we all scattered just as the rain came. Actually, there was not much rain, but much lightning and thunder.

We had a lot of confusion getting to the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge leading back into the US. It turned out we missed the turn, because the sign which said "Bicyclists to US" was not facing our direction. We followed the arrow on our return, and were directed by the Canadian officials to merge into the truck lane. We followed instructions. Then the American official directed us to merge into the car lane. We followed instructions and made some drivers quite angry. The official did protect us by threatening the driver with jail if he hurt us. We cleared customs quickly, then found ourselves in the midst of some confusing highways and had to backtrack a little to get onto our route.

After a few miles we were on the Erie Canal Towpath. This was refreshingly quiet with calm water and no traffic and we were able to unwind from the previous stress of getting across the bridge. Pam and I stopped at a tall bridge to watch some boys who were ignoring the no trespassing signs to climb up to the top and jump into the canal. We warned them that we didn't think this is what they should be doing, as we stood there with our cameras to capture the moment they jumped in. Were we encouraging their delinquent behavior?

In Medina (MeDYna) we were met by Dave Miller who led us on his bicycle through the old downtown which dates from 1823, along with the Erie Canal. Dave treated us to cold drinks at the renovated Shirt Factory Cafe. Maureen Hungerford also joined us in town. Maureen opened her lovely home to us for the night. We are being treated royally, each with our own room.

Dave Miller and his wife Gail prepared a lovely dinner for us with other guests who are active in the local Habitat for Humanity Affiliate. Dave is president and Maureen is the Volunteer Coordinator.

Dave took us in the car to the local grocery store and helped us clean our bicycle chains. Maureen helped us to do our laundry and made sure we are all taken care of for breakfast tomorrow.

Dave and Maureen informed us that their local Habitat Affiliate would be making a donation to our cause.

Every day we lay our heads down and feel grateful.

Port Colbourne, Ont. to Niagara Falls, Ont. 39 Miles July 14

2008-07-16T16:52:00.000-07:00

Richard and Loretta Vanderhoek sent us off with breakfast, a packed a lunch and Loretta even pinned us with three guardian angels to protect us on our journey. Our road was a flat beautiful bike path leading us right to thundering glorious Niagara Falls. It was magnificent to arrive here on bicycles, but a little overwhelming with all the tourists.

Pam had to do some fast talking but she did find us a donated room at the Thrift Lodge in the heart of the Clifton Hill Tourist District. It wasn't until we were settled in that she let on there was a "catch". They had karaoke going on right outside our room until 2:00 AM. Luckily we had a day off to tour the falls and we accepted the terms.

Our day off found us touring the falls on the Maid of the Mist tour. We climbed on board a boat packed in with many other tourists wearing blue plastic rain ponchos. Then we rode right up to the falls where the water was flying up so hard and fast, that the falls disappeared from view, only the noise reminded us of the overwhelming presence of the falls. That and all the water sloshing around inside my shoes.

After our tour we decided to vacate our room beside the karaoke stage. We had been ready to pay for a second night, but not after a night of listening to karaoke which got louder as the night wore on. I think as people drink more, the singing gets less inhibited; louder, but not better. So we packed up and the hunt was on for another room. This time it took Pam four tries. Just as Carol and I were about to give up and ride away from the area, Pam struck it rich at the Quality Inn. We had a lovely room, breakfast and even a swimming pool at our disposal.

Next, Carol and Pam rode to the bike shop to investigate Carol's rear brake rubbing on the rim. The bike mechanic discovered a cracked rim. This was serious and all the mechanic would do was true the wheel and charge $30. Pam then asked the mechanic to oil her chain and was charged $15. Wow, this is not how they expected to be treated.

Carol was now stressed, with good reason. A cracked rim can lead to a minimum of a flat tire and maximum to serious injury. I found another bike shop in the phone book, but it was about 12 miles off of our route. After much investigation, Carol hired a taxi to take herself and bicycle to the shop. She had to show the courteous taxi driver how to fold down the back seats in order to fit the bike into the trunk and he was pleased to learn something new. He then drove her to the shop, where he waited for her. Glen, the owner promised to rebuild the wheel overnight and deliver it to the hotel by 7:00 AM. The taxi driver told Carol he had to return to town anyway and offered to not charge her, she insisted and he said "OK, half price."

Once the bicycle problem was under control, Pam wanted to find the dish everyone in Canada had told her was the best, Putine (PooTEEN). This is french fries covered with gravy and cheese. I rode with her for moral support, not to indulge. We found "Potato Heads" which was a little red trailer parked by the side of the road. Robert, the owner ended up giving her the Putine for free after finding out all about our ride. Pam ate it but did not swoon the way she expected to. But, Robert was so generous. He even made a $10. donation to Habitat.

We are so happy to go to sleep in our comfortable, quiet room.

Port Dover, Ont. to Port Colbourne, Ont. 70 Miles, July 13

2008-07-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

Pam took off quickly this morning, Sunday, to make it into town for church services. Carol and I had a lovely 40 mile ride which took us around Lake Erie along the lake shore. Unfortunately when we reached the town of Dunville we stopped for coffee. Upon leaving the cafe we were approached by a well meaning man who wanted to guide us out of town on Highway 3. He said, "I'm a bicyclist too and I know the most direct way to Port Colbourne." We knew we wanted Highway 3 and followed him. Several miles along the route we realized we had wanted "Old" Highway 3 and now we were going to miss the rest of the route along the lake shore. Carol also asked me if I had noticed the beer bottle stuck in his rear pocket. Oops! We should have known better than to trust someone who was probably somewhat tipsy.

Because we were off our map we entered Port Colbourne by a different route than Pam had. We then tried to backtrack and cover the town by Pam's route but were getting frustrated, tired and were about to give up and find a motel. Then we were approached by Richard Vanderhoek, who asked us if we were looking for a third cyclist. I said, "Yes, do you know where she is?" I almost cried when he said, "Yes, she's at my house." Richard led us to his home where we met his lovely wife Loretta.

Loretta led us to the shower, which is always the first order of business then they both prepared food for us. After a delicious lunch, Richard took us on a tour to see the Locks in Port Colbourne. We saw a 200 foot ship going through the canal between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. To Richard it was all so passe, but to us, it was quite dramatic. That huge ship seemed to take forever to slide inside and fill that canal side to side.

The Canada leg of our trip is quickly coming to a close, but we cannot thank the Canadians enough for the warm, generous hospitality they have shown us.

Port Stanley, Ont. to Port Dover, Ont. 69 Miles July 12

2008-07-13T15:52:00.000-07:00

We are traveling through Canada's banana belt, which is actually south of Detroit, the same latitude as Northern California and it receives the same weather systems as North Carolina. It is hard for me to realize I am in Canada because the weather feels so tropical. We have warm humid days with warm rain. We're seeing a great variety of crops: corn, wheat, soybeans, asparagus, apples, cherries, blueberries and even tobacco. This is not how I pictured Canada. As we ride closer to Lake Erie, the breezes are keeping us comfortably cool as well as propelling the many wind turbines which are in this area.

Our route was mostly flat until we ran into a steep spooky hill just as we turned the corner onto "Spooky Hollow Road". We then had two more steep hills to climb out of the tiny hamlets our road was winding through.

When Carol and I arrived in Dover we again had no idea where to find Pam. Carol tried "Tourist Information" while I tried the church across the street. I got lucky as Pam had left a very large note informing us of our location for the night. We had two rooms at the lovely Wilson Family B and B donated to us by Melanie Wilson. It was a short two blocks to the beach on Lake Erie and Pam and I enjoyed a lovely dip in the mid 70 degree water. It was heaven after a long ride.

After exploring the town, where we got caught in a rainstorm, we found dinner, bought food for breakfast and turned in for the night, ready for another long day tomorrow.

Dresden, Ont. to Port Stanley, Ont. 71 Miles (115 K)

2008-07-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

We left our home for the night, Heritage Court, early this morning after being served a lovely breakfast. Mike Pilon was even awake to join us for coffee and see us off. We were primed to do the first Century of our trip, a metric century, we are in Canada after all.

As Pam pedaled ahead quickly Carol and I went at our normal slow pace. Our favorite stop was at New Glasgow Orchards. We had cold fresh fruit, from California. They did have delicious looking local veggies, but we have no way of cooking them. We were given a tour of the lovely garden where we had samples of the scrumptious raspberries which would be ready for sale in just a few days.

I am so enjoying talking with the many friendly Canadians we are meeting. They are well informed about American political affairs and not shy about voicing their opinions. I am thrilled with their perspective and wish they could vote in our elections. I've also asked about the National Health System and heard glowing reports.

Along the road today we had glimpses of Lake Erie, however, it wasn't until we arrived in Port Stanley that we were on the lake. Pam always arrives in town first, secures a place to stay and contacts us by cell to give us directions. We don't have cell service in Canada, so we had to "wing it". Carol and I felt a little overwhelmed when we arrived hot and tired after 71 miles. We did find a church, but when we went up to the door we saw it was locked up tight. I was trying to decide where to look next, when we were approached by a lovely lady, who said she had a message for us from Pam. She directed us to a home up the street and I thanked her profusely for her help and asked if I could give her a hug. She hugged me back and we were shortly in front of a lovely old home with a beautiful veranda. Kelly and Barb Cookson took us in, plied us with food and cold drinks and offered us a bubble bath. Pam went to jump into the bubbles and Barb showed us to our room. I was in awe and said, "it looks like we fell into a B and B." Barb replied, "that is what we had in mind when we remodeled the house, but we've been too busy traveling to open a business." She does put up actors who come to act in the local summer stock theater.

We have been offered dinner, tomorrow's breakfast and we are grateful.

St. Clair, MI to Dresden, Ontario, Canada 38 Miles

2008-07-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

We zipped along , a bike path to catch the Blue Ferry from Marine City , MI to Sombra, Ontario. Bicyclists pay the sum of $1.00 for the ferry. It seems that this run is most popular with the people from Canada who zip across the river into the States to buy beer half price of what it is in Canada. This is interesting. US Citizens cross into Canada to buy prescription drugs, Canadians cross into the US to buy cheap beer. Is something wrong with this picture?

We had no trouble crossing into Canada and I immediately noticed how the Canadian shore of the St. Clair River is not built up, it is protected and kept for public use. Pam stopped to put her feet into the water and pronounced it "Cold", then she zipped on to Dresden. When Carol and I stopped to enjoy the river, immediately a woman joined us to ask us where we were going on our bicycles. She apologized because she was in the midst of errands and couldn't invite us in for a snack. We enjoyed her company and continued on.

In Dresden Pam had connected with people who secured a place for us at Heritage Court. This is a retirement home owned by a father and son, Mike and David Pilon. We have a lovely room and they are even letting us use the laundry facilities. All these things add so much to the quality of our life on the road.

Dresden, Ontario was the home of Josiah Henson, a slave on the Underground Railroad who escaped with his entire family of wife and children. We visited the village he lived in which is called Uncle Tom's Cabins because Josiah Henson was the model for Harriet Beecher Stowe's slave character in her novel. Josiah Henson became a Methodist Minister and helped many other slaves find their way to freedom. He became so widely known that Queen Victoria wanted to meet him.

Tonight we are having dinner with the residents of Heritage Court as well as helping serve. I've been guaranteed that I don't have to worry about spilling anything. Canada has welcomed with open arms.

North Branch, MI to St. Clair, MI 60 Miles

2008-07-09T11:24:00.001-07:00

Even though our ride was 60 miles, it was a relatively easy ride with a few rolling hills and a few river crossings. Before our trip, I had no idea Michigan had so much farm and dairy land. I am seeing fields of corn, bright yellow wheat, alfalfa and numerous dairy cows.

We were thrilled pulling into St. Clair, our last town in Michigan. It is a lovely town on the St. Clair River. The water is a deep turquoise and picturesque with large barges being pushed or pulled by tugs, as well as graceful sailboats. It is a humid day, but the breeze off of the lake is quite refreshing.

The St. Clair Garden Club has done an exquisite job landscaping Palmers Park, along the waterfront. There are huge hanging baskets of multicolored petunias and large orange lillies lining some of the walkways. We look across the river at Canada, where we will be tomorrow night.

We enjoyed a Chinese dinner tonight, our first of the trip. It was delicious and a welcome change from many meals of sardines or cheese. We have been warned that the towns we are visiting in Canada may have few services so we have stocked up on some extra groceries.

Tonight we are in the United Methodist Church thanks to Pastor Don Gotham. Often, we are in the church basement, but tonight we living high in a lovely room surrounded by windows overlooking the turquoise St. Clair River.

Tomorrow we will be in Canada where more adventure awaits.

Bay City, MI to North Branch, MI 62 Miles, July 8

2008-07-08T13:12:00.000-07:00

We began riding under the threat of rain and warnings of a severe storm heading our way. Severe means lightning. Pam sped ahead as Carol and I decided to keep a steady pace and take frequent but short breaks. We had a couple of towns to stop in along our route today and enjoyed a delicious breakfast 21 miles down the road.

We have passed many farms in Michigan which have a plaque out front designating them "Michigan Centennial Farms". These farms have been worked and owned by the same family for 100 years. Today I stopped to photograph one which dates from 1856, over 150 years old. A man, who was looking out the window began questioning me about the load I was carrying. When he heard what I was doing, he was glad to allow me to take photos. He explained that his wife had inherited the farm from her grandparents and I was invited in to view photos. Because the skies were so black, I was sorry to decline his offer and got back on the road.

We did arrive in North Branch by 1:00 and the sun came out shortly after our arrival. Imagine, the weather prediction was wrong. We had a nice visit with Pastor Michael McCoy of the United Methodist Church. He then invited us to have a shower at his home and we are scheduled to go out to dinner tonight with Pastor McCoy and Lorraine Suva.

Lorraine has undertaken a project of her own. She makes special small quilts of different textures which she distributes to people in Alzheimer's facilities. She also teaches other people how to make these "blankies". She gets the materials and sewing machines donated and she has people from as far away as California asking for as many articles as she and her group can make. Lorraine saw a need and is working to fill it. Her idea seems small, but it is making a world of difference to people who have troubled minds and a need for something calming to do with their hands.

I continually remind myself how fortunate I am to be able to undertake this bicycle journey.

Clare, MI to Bay City, MI 54 Miles, July 7

2008-07-07T17:17:00.000-07:00

After a delicious breakfast of homemade biscuits, oatmeal and homegrown tomato juice with Merle and Wilma we were ready to start our ride, until we saw the lightning and rain. We delayed our start until 7:00 AM when the skies cleared giving us a lovely ride on the Pere Marquette Bicycle Rail Trail. This was such a treat with no traffic and a well maintained paved trail. It ended in Midland, MI 30 miles away where we enjoyed the riverfront park with the "Trige". This was where three bridges came together over the Tibawasee River, Salt River and another tributary. The Trige is strictly for walking.

Going through Midland we stopped to eat at Sid's, a party store. In Michigan, the convenience stores are called party stores, because that is where they sell liquor. When Carol and I entered the people there were so excited by our cycling adventure they asked if we would stay long enough to be interviewed by a reporter from The Daily News. Carol and I agreed to wait even though we were concerned about the predicted 1:00 PM rain storm. We were interviewed and photographed by Josh, then had another delay in Bay City because our route was closed due to road construction. We had to negotiate quite a bit of traffic before finding Pam at St. Luke's Methodist Church. But we arrived by 3:00 and the storm didn't arrive until after 4:00. We enjoyed meeting Pastor Juanita Ferguson who showed up on her own bicycle. I remarked to the Pastor that of all the churches we had stayed in, this was the first where we could take a hot shower and how special this is for us. She then told us that they have had the shower for years, but they only use it to store "stuff". When she heard we were coming she remembered about the shower and made sure the place was cleared out and ready for our use.

Later we were treated to dinner by Bob and Mary Davidson at Hooligans, the local restaurant. We were joined by others from the church and the waitress knew them all by name. Then Bob Jarve, the Director of Habitat in Bay City took me on a tour of Bay City and allowed me to use the Habitat Computer for this blog, while Pam and Carol decided to turn in for the night.

Bob had quite a story of his own to share. He and his wife were both public school teachers with six children, when two of their children were diagnosed with terminal illnesses. Their medical bills of $500,000. threatened to sink them, when their church raised funds to help them stay solvent. They did lose one son at 21 years old. The younger son, at 11 years old, received a liver transplant and today is 32.

Out of gratitude, Bob began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, in 1988. After 35 years as a special education teacher he retired and the next day became the first paid employee of Habitat in Bay City, Michigan. He said he works harder now than he ever did as a teacher and is loving every minute of it. Bay City Habitat is able to raise a Habitat House in approximately one month, with donated labor, materials and land. Their latest project is making the homes so energy efficient that the families have utility bills of $100. per year. They are really cutting edge on many levels.

Later in the evening, Pastor Juanita Ferguson returned to ask us if there was anything she could do to help us on our trip. She went to her office, at 10:00 PM and contacted the Pastor of the church in North Branch where we will be tomorrow. It is more and more obvious that it is the people we meet on this journey who continue to take care of and inspire us.

The trip through Michigan is going entirely too fast.

Luther, MI to Clare, MI 63 Miles July 6

2008-07-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

We rolled out of Luther this morning with everything calm and the streets clean. There was no broken glass or cans littering our way and no bodies passed out anywhere in sight. A few miles along our route I noticed a black carriage with a slow moving vehicle sign on the back. I did not know we would be in an Amish community. Then I saw a gentleman with a horse hitched to his buggy in his front yard. I stopped and asked permission to take a picture. He did allow me to photograph the horse and buggy, but he made sure not to be in the photo himself. After a few inquiries about my trip, he smiled and went back into the house as I took a photo of the horse and buggy.

Carol and I arrived in Clare exhausted from our lack of sleep. Pam had ridden ahead, because she wanted to arrive in time for the Sunday church service. She took a short cut and arrived in plenty of time for the service and to meet the people. When Carol and I arrived we had been invited to spend the night with Merle and Wilma Phillips and to have join a dinner party at Tom and Marsha Franklin's home on Lake Bailey. We hurried to get cleaned up and take a nap. Before a delicious homemade dinner Tom Franklin gathered everyone together to hear about our Ride For Habitat. He then told everyone he was putting a container out for Habitat donations. At the end of a lovely evening we had an additional $200.

Merle and Wilma drove us back to their home. Wilma shared some of her life story with us. She worked her way through teachers college while being a waitress. Then she got married to a doctor who wanted her to run a nursing home, so she went back to school to become a nurse and administrator, ran her own nursing home and raised two sons. Now she is retired, teaches Sunday School and leads an adult bible study group. In between she housed two women who were Vietnam refugees and raised funds to track down their sister and bring her to the US.

I am amazed how the people we meet continue to inspire me while they keep telling us what an excellent job we are doing.

Ludington, MI to Luther, MI 53 Miles July 5

2008-07-07T16:47:00.001-07:00

With the time change it is still dark at 5:00 AM, so we have reset our alarms to start our rides at 5:45. We are thrilled because the July 4th holiday in this part of the country is continuing. As Carol and I got close to Luther, we saw a sign that said TRACTOR PULL. This is something I've never experienced so Carol agreed to stop. It was a community affair, with contestants getting their tractors weighed in, children asking parents for money to buy homemade cookies and pop and moms keeping track of the kids and visiting. I snapped some photos of old 1951 John Deere tractors pulling 500 pound concrete blocks. We also observed a chain saw contest, a hatchet throwing contest and two man handsaw teams compete for prizes. We are really getting to soak in the local culture.

Luther continued the celebration with a street fair. The town streets were blocked off and people were allowed to drink alcohol, enjoy music and dance to their hearts' content until 1:00 AM.

We were sleeping in the United Methodist Church with the festivities going on outside. All was fine until we were wrenched awake with a thundering boom which shook the walls of the church, about 12:30 AM. This happened a couple more times before the band turned the sound all the way up for their finale. Things settled down again about 1:15 AM. We survived to tell the tale.

Ludington, MI Zero Miles, July 4th

2008-07-04T10:04:00.000-07:00

We have been having a beautiful time today. Ludington is decorated even with red, white and blue flowers. We have enjoyed exploring the bronze sculptures in the city park as well as an old lighthouse which the town is raising funds to restore.

I was amazed to see the beautiful pristine beach and water on the shore of Lake Michigan. Even with all the people and the boat marina there was no evidence of pollution. I began talking to a woman, Sue, sitting on the beach. She talked so much about how special the Great Lakes are, that I just had to dip in for a swim. It was quite refreshing at 62 degrees. When Pam and Carol came by and saw I really had gone for a swim, I was able to convince Pam to do the same. She agreed it felt great and the cold was not THAT bad. We had our pictures taken, hit the local grocery and got ready to watch the parade.

The joke was that because this is an election year, the July 4th parade is extra long. The highlight was THE SCOTTSVILLE CLOWN BAND. They have been in existence since before WWII. During the summer they have about 50 appearances. They pay for a band bus and any money left over goes for scholarships for music students. We have heard that the waiting list to join the band is approximately 12 years. A person has to wait for a member to die before a place opens up. The band members wear whatever they choose, and most decide to dress as women. We left the parade on a high, packed our gear and were ready to spend the evening with Pastor Evans and his wife, Judy.

We enjoyed a lovely dinner, then we were treated to Tom's passion which is ice cream. He had his own house of flavors. Everyone was invited to choose their own flavor from many cartons. When all had served themselves in very large bowls, Tom chose his own carton which he brought to the table to enjoy with his own fork. We were all jealous, because he is able to indulge and stay thin and not worry about cholesterol.

Judy shared her own passion with us which is quilting. She brought the quilts out one by one as we oohed and ahhed at her ability to put together stunning color combinations. We couldn't have planned a better place to enjoy July 4th.

Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI 60 Miles, July 3

2008-07-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Even though we traveled 60 miles today, we didn't pedal our bikes. We put them on the SS Badger, a car ferry between Manitowoc, WI and Ludington, MI. This means we are now on Michigan soil and in Eastern Time.

The ferry ride was quite an experience. It included opportunities to view movies, eat, watch TV, eat, sleep in the quiet room, eat and just enjoy all the lake views. I loved the feeling of walking around on the deck with the rolling motion of the waves underneath. However, Carol and Pam were both relieved when our four hour trip was over and we were welcomed into the United Methodist Church by Pastor Tom Evans. He spent a lot of time with us making sure we had everything we needed to make our stay comfortable. He even studied our maps to make sure our route was taking us on roads which were not washed out by recent flooding.

We couldn't have planned a better place to spend the July 4th holiday. The town is full for the weekend, and we have our choice of stores and restaurants. We had dinner last night at House of Flavors. This 1948 institution in Ludington is a restaurant and ice cream factory where they have at least 1,000 flavors, including Tiramisu, which Pam tried. We were amazed that people were still standing in long lines for ice cream at 10:00 o'clock at night, when we are not normally even awake at this hour.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to touring Ludington and enjoying the holiday festivities, including the Parade. People have already begun lining up their spots with blankets and chairs. We understand no one has to worry about anything disappearing overnight. Only people from Detroit come here worried about leaving something unattended. Well, they don't know about me, from Los Angeles.

Freedom, WI to Manitowoc, WI 62 Miles, July 2

2008-07-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

We usually leave early enough in the morning to avoid wind. Today the wind was up before we were, signifying a weather front. We have ridden quite a few days with no rain, so I finally decided to pack away my rain covers. I put them on again when we pedaled 11 miles down the road and heard the weather report: RAIN.

Approximately 23 miles into our ride, Carol and I began to see lightning and hear thunder. We debated whether or not to try to duck into someones barn or garage and decided to keep pedaling until we reached the town of Potter, 10 more miles along our route. As the lightning and thunder continued I wondered if we were being wise. We hit Potter just as the water poured down. The first place we came to was a tractor dealership. We parked our bikes in the entryway and asked if we could take shelter inside. We were led to comfortable chairs, clean rest rooms and a giant screen TV to watch the weather report. All this even though there was no chance of us acquiring a tractor. We ate our snacks and watched the weather which said we were in the middle of an emergency alert for thunderstorms and hail moving through the area at 35 miles per hour between 9:45 AM and 10:07 AM. I had never seen such precision regarding the weather. We comfortably waited out the time and watched the storm pass.

We got back on our bikes and noted the sky getting darker. I complained that I couldn't see through my sunglasses. Then came the ligtning, thunder and masses amounts of water. With the lightning we knew things were getting serious. We spied a home and pulled off the road to ride up to the porch. A dog announced our arrival and smiling faces appeared at the entrance to the garage inviting us in; no questions asked. We had a lovely conversation with this couple as I was wringing water out of my clothes and changing my socks.

The storm passed quickly and we were back on our way. When we connected with Pam in Manitowoc at the Super 8 we compared notes. Pam told us that she also got rescued from the storm by taking a ride in a car. You do what you've got to do in the face of a serious storm.

We are grateful to be warm and dry once again. This is thanks to Caryn Arsta who donated us this beautiful room at the Super 8. This is our last night in Wisconsin. Tomorrow we will be on the car ferry to Luddington, Michigan and into the Eastern Time Zone.

Bowler, WI to Freedom, WI 72 Miles July 1

2008-07-02T15:33:00.000-07:00

It is very exciting to see we have covered over 2600 miles. We are over two thirds finished with our journey. We have met many beautiful people. We have generously been provided with a roof over our heads every night.

Our ride today was a little warmer than usual. People here in Wisconsin are enthusiastic about finally experiencing SUMMERTIME. This means that the cold rains have passed, flowers are blooming, sunny long days are here, AND the dreaded mosquitoes are stronger than ever. Since we are sleeping inside every night, the mosquitoes are usually not much of an issue for us. But, when we want to stop by the side of the road, near any woods we need to make it fast or use bug repellent.

Carol and I arrived in the town of Shiocton, at noon. We still had 20 more miles to arrive in Freedom for the night. This meant we did not arrive until approximately 1:30 PM. This is a long day when we start pedaling at 5:00 AM. However, we did arrive and find that our accommodations for the night were in a vacant apartment. This was donated by Tom and Mary Murphy. It had everything we needed including kitchen, beds and bathroom. When we arrived and let ourselves in with our temporary key, the neighbors started dropping by to see who was invading their building. They seemed to relax when they were told we were only dropping by until tomorrow at 5:00 AM. Then they peppered us with questions until they could think of nothing more. We went about the business of cleaning up, eating and getting ready for tomorrow's ride.

Pam with Barb Seegers and Colleen Laha, Freedom WI

Crandon, WI to Bowler, WI 65 Miles, June 30

2008-07-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Sharon and Ralph got up at 4:00 AM to send us off with hugs and another great breakfast. We had to tear ourselves away and start pedaling off all that good food.

Leaving Crandon, we had a beautiful ride around Lake Metonga. We even got to glimpse an adult eagle that Pam spotted high up in a tree. We were close enough to watch his poop fall down as he watched over his baby learning to fly. It may have been the same family of eagles we had observed the day before.

Our first town today was Mattoon, 50 miles away. So Carol and I stopped to eat food from our panniers in a lovely spot, Bent Cemetery. I think the name is for the location at the bend in the road. Arriving in Mattoon we didn't find anything open except the Post Office. The local post mistress kindly filled up our water bottles and we were back on our way.

Right outside Mattoon we noticed a sign: Homestead, Welcome Neighbor, Come and Sit a Spell. Carol and I braked to check it out. There was a replica of a 100 year old village. This village was built single handed by Harold Knowles, whose great-grandfather had homesteaded the farm after the Civil War. Harold is a retired Junior High School Math Teacher and farmer. His wife, Carol is a retired school librarian, who had her own grandchildren in her classes.

Harold gave us a personal tour of his town. He is the Town Mayor and the Justice of the Peace. In the blacksmith shop he had original handmade tools, that a town blacksmith had donated. Harold even let me play the 100 year old pump organ that was in his miniature church.

We felt refreshed for our last 10 miles into Bowler, where we were greeted by Pastor Dave Dukovan of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Pam had found him sitting outside the church in his back yard. We were glad for the rest.

Pastor Dave Dukovan, Lutheran Church Bowler, WI

Crandon, WI Zero Miles June 29

2008-07-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

How great to have a rest day. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast of fruit, cereal, toast, coffee, juice that Sharon served with the comment, "after church we'll have a real breakfast." We were all bowled over.

At the church service we were invited to speak a little about our Ride 4 Habitat. After church there was another delicious meal. Then Ralph and his son Randy took us out in their boat on Lake Metonga. We went across the water to view a huge eagle's nest, with three eagles in residence. Through the binoculars we could see the adults feeding on a fish. They had one juvenile in the nest who looked like it was flexing its wings, getting ready to fly.

Eagles' nest, Lake Metonga, Crandon WI

Ralph and his sons are true sportsmen. Ralph hunts and fishes year round. I was amazed to discover that the preferred fishing season here is winter time. People wait for the lake to freeze thick enough to drive on with a truck. They then tow their ice fishing shanties onto the lake for the season, cut a hole in the ice and enjoy fishing for the same fish they would catch the rest of the year. By March everyone must have their shanties off the ice. If the ice melts and the house falls in, there is a big penalty.

After a day of rest, laundry, bike cleaning and good homemade food we are looking forward to another ride tomorrow. We are extremely grateful to be able to spend a lovely day with a generous family, because that is one thing we are all missing, our families back home. Cell phones just are not enough.

Boulder Junction, WI to Crandon, WI 77 Miles, June 28

2008-07-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

Crandon was a big mileage day for us, and Carol and I were especially concerned when we hit a detour on our route. Even though it was off our map, we were taken around a beautiful lake and only added a couple of miles. We were able to regroup with Pam in Crandon to find the home of Ralph and Sharon Walentowski. There was some miscommunication and Pam disappeared from our view around the first corner. Carol and I had only the information: there is a deck out front. We pulled up to the first house with a deck and were greeted by fierce sounding dogs and a young woman who was obviously not expecting us. She tried to help us and we explained that we only knew we were looking for a deck, she had a deck so we stopped. Then I remembered the people we were staying with were members of the United Methodist Church, but that did not help either. We continued down the road and finally saw the correct home as the rain poured down.

Ralph and Sharon immediately welcomed us into their home and family. Sharon plied us with delicious homemade food and cold drinks. They also had their son, daughter in law and granddaughter staying with them while we were there. Sharon and Ralph kept everyone entertained and happy.

Another happy ending to a perfect day.

Sharon and Ralph with family, Crandon WI

Butternut, WI to Boulder Junction, WI 57 Miles June 27

2008-06-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

The predicted thunderstorms did not materialize and we were off at 5:00 AM as usual. When Carol and I caught up with Pam a few miles down the road, she was excited to tell us about her first spotting of a Wisconsin bear who was crossing the road. As Carol and I kept on the lookout for bears, we saw several white tail deer. Or it may have been the same deer, several times. We also heard many bird calls; woodpeckers, melodic cardinals, even loons.

At Tom's Country Cafe in Mercer we were amazed to see the place packed. We rarely see many other customers when we arrive in these small town cafes, so I asked what the occasion was. I heard, "It's Friday morning." As Tom, the proprietor, rang up my bill he asked about the ride, then spontaneously replied, "breakfast is on us."

Pam rode ahead the 26 miles into Boulder Junction. When Carol and I arrived close to town we noticed a fancy resort BIG BEAR HIDEAWAY. Rustic Luxury. It looked inviting and way too expensive for us so we continued pedaling. Then Carol spotted Pam's bike in the front. We made a U turn and discovered our luxury home for tonight. Pam had spoken to Bill Brockman, the manager. He called Jeff Stadelmann the owner who gave us the last cabin available. It is more than we could have imagined. It is stocked with all the comforts including cold drinks and snacks. We went from happily sleeping in the church basement to Ultimate Luxury.

Pam with Bill Brockman at Big Bear Hideaway

We had a lovely visit with Jeff's partner Donna who told us their motto is "we're here to say yes." We are here to say we are feeling incredibly grateful...again.

Jeff and Donna Stadelmann, owners

Hayward, WI to Butternut, WI 60 Miles June 26

2008-06-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Whenever we enter a town lately, we are informed by the locals that we are in the heart of Wisconsin bear country. Eating breakfast in Clam Lake, one of the customers was leaving the restaurant and saw a bear across the road. We could not run outside fast enough to see the bear. We were told the bear would be making the rounds of the dumpsters in town even during the day. We kept ourselves on the lookout for bears all along our route, but none ever materialized--until we arrived in Glidden, where we did see what is claimed to be the world's biggest black bear at 675 pounds. He is posed and behind glass, right beside the Bruin Cafe. We visited with the owner, Karen Powell. She shared her historical photos of Glidden, then made sure we had plenty of ice and cold water for our last 10 miles into Butternut.

We arrived in Butternut at an ice-cream/candy store. We were offered samples of fresh cheese curds. I had been hearing about them since we arrived in Wisconsin. They are made from the leftover whey after the cheese is made. Add salt and voila, you have fresh cheese curds. Some people eat them fried, though we haven't tried that dish.

At Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, we were met by Vivian Ernst who is the church secretary. She showed us where to park our bikes, shower, do laundry and bed down in the church basement. She even organized food for our breakfast. The only thing we miss in Butternut is a grocery store. The only grocery store is closing tomorrow, for good. We stopped in and the shelves are on sale. We did find an excellent meal at Jumbo's, the town restaurant.

Vivian Ernst, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church

We stopped in the local feed store, owned by Vivian's son. They had many animals on display. One that was new to us was a Fisher. It is similar to a weasel. It is not native to this area, but was brought in to prey on the porcupines, which were killing the local trees. Now, the Fishers have become a pest by eating the farmers' cats. It's just not nice to mess with Mother Nature.

I was generously offered the use of a computer by Betty Hirtreiter. She is a retired reading specialist. She now does teaching in the church and keeps up with her grandchildren.

Tomorrow is sounding a little ominous, as thunderstorms are predicted. We will assess our situation when we get up in the morning.

Rice Lake, WI to Hayward, WI 50 Miles June 25

2008-06-25T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sunrise in Rice Lake

We have been riding many long days so Carol and I insisted on not tackling another 84-mile day. After much discussion, we agreed to split up our day's mileage. After a delicious breakfast of quiche and fresh fruit that Josie Pitts had prepared, and lovely conversation with Doug and Mattie, we were off. We did not want to repeat the routine of putting our bicycles in a vehicle so we just pedaled to our route. Yes, we did technically cut off maybe 20 miles. Oh well.

It has been an enjoyable, civilized 50-mile day. We rode around lakes, forest and rolling hills. I was thrilled to get my first wildlife photo. Carol and I were crawling up a hill on a narrow two lane road when a huge truck was chugging up behind. We decided to just pull over onto the grass. When I put my foot down I noticed a turtle in front of my wheel. I held my breath as I grabbed my camera. It takes a turtle to recognize a turtle. The turtle was alive, but never moved. I had just learned from Mattie that turtles go into a trance when they lay their eggs. We saw another turtle down the road doing the same thing. When we stopped to snap a photo of a river we even saw the hatched turtle eggs.

Turtle Laying Eggs

Of course it didn't compare to the photo Pam took of another fox, escaping the scene with a fresh kill in his jaws.

Fox with Lunch

When Carol and I arrived in Hayward, Pam had us checked into the Lac Courte Oreilles Lodge, which is an Indian gaming casino. Whatever our opinions of gambling, we have an excellent room, great food and no complaints.

Osceola, WI to Rice Lake, WI 60 miles, June 24

2008-06-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Doris had organized our breakfast the night before, but she was still up at the crack of dawn to see us off. She had not only put much time and effort into making our visit special, she also shared much of her personal life with us. We enjoyed seeing photos of her children and grandchildren and seeing her exquisite handiwork with a special type of Norwegian lace making. I'm sorry that I don't remember the name of the stitching.

Our route was unexpectedly hilly, but the Wisconsin drivers certainly are friendly. We are on narrow two lane roads with no shoulders. Often, the hills are long and we are crawling up them, with a car or truck behind us. No one honks their horn or tries to pass. They follow behind at a respectable distance, then smile and wave when it is safe to pass.

In Wisconsin, we began to see what we thought were license plates on the lawns in front of each home as we traveled on the back roads. We kept wondering why the houses needed license plates. We were later told they are fire markers to help locate the home in case of an emergency. These people in Wisconsin are well organized.

At one point Carol and I missed a turn. I felt somewhat inadequate until we flagged down different drivers and not one could tell us where 85th Street was. Finally, a driver we had asked earlier remembered where the street was and she doubled back to inform us what we needed to do. We got back on route and vowed to pay more attention to the road and less to our conversation. I also got confused when I saw streets like "21 1/2 Ave" or "6 3/4th St". I'm not kidding. The most fun street we came to was "Honky Dory".

When Carol and I needed a cold drink, we stopped at "County Line Tavern", a bar that sits between Polk and Barron Counties. Several men were having lunch and they sure seemed to enjoy hearing about our bicycling adventure. They couldn't believe we had already pedaled over 2,000 miles. They just kept muttering in awe "4,000 miles on a bicycle?" We are a little over half way and we can hardly believe it ourselves.

When we arrived in Cumberland, we met up with people from Habitat for Humanity who were driving us to Rice Lake, 20 miles away and off of our route, to stay with Doug and Mattie Pitts. The plan was for someone to drive us back to our route in the morning. There was a little confusion, but between a small truck and a station wagon, we, three bicycles and many bags were on our way to Rice Lake. Pam's bicycle was tied to the back of the pickup. I sat in the jump seat behind the front seat of the truck.

We were given a tour of some Habitat homes in Cumberland and even met Magritte Graf's family, who live in one of the homes. It was quite rewarding to meet the 5 children and Magritte who are so happy to have their own home. Magritte and her husband are working to individualize it for their own needs and all are thrilled to be out of a three-bedroom apartment.

Upon arriving in Rice Lake, there was just time to shower and eat a lovely fruit salad that Josie Pitts prepared for us before we were interviewed by the local newspaper. Then, Terry Warren, Executive Director of Rice Lake Habitat for Humanity, had arranged for us to have a question and answer session with any interested locals in the community. What a treat! It is so inspiring to know people are following along with us on our journey. Afterwards we were treated to a lovely dinner by Habitat. Pat, the volunteer secretary, accompanied us and told us which Wisconsin dishes we needed to try. Her top recommendation was Mexican deep fried ice cream. It was enough for me just to watch this part of the feeding frenzy.

We were also joined by my longtime friend Patty McCrery. We met in California and she now lives in Sparta, WI. She drove two and a half hours each way to see me on my bicycle in Wisconsin. We had a great visit and she was very polite about not divulging secrets about the nutty things we did in the 70's.

We returned to the home of Doug and Mattie Pitts at the North Shore Resort on Rice Lake. Their resort cabins were all booked and they put us up in their own home, in their own bedroom. After discussing our next day's route and visiting with Doug, Mattie and their daughter, Josie, we fell asleep, in separate rooms.

Josie, Doug and Mattie Pitts, North Shore Resort

Milaca, MN to Osceola, WI 72 Miles June 23

2008-06-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

Last night, as we were looking at our maps for today's ride, Carol and I counted up 94 miles and we threatened to mutiny at another long day. Since there was no place to stop for the night on our route, we were able to devise a more direct, though less scenic, ride for today. Bruce Cochran graciously checked our route for us at 5:00 AM when he got up this morning. He is the county engineer for Mille Lacs County, MN and was able to give us the scoop on what the roads were like.

Though our route was not as scenic as what we have been experiencing, we accomplished a lot on our journey. When we arrived in Cambridge, I spotted a place where Pam was able to get her cell phone repaired and get reinstated among the living. She is so happy. We also saw another bike shop, which was closed. As we were about to leave, the owner came by and opened up the shop just for us. He pronounced Pam's chain healthy, sold us some bright rear reflector lights and we were happily on our way.

We were excited to cross the St. Croix River into Osceola, WI. The states seem to be coming along faster. Of course they would be because they are getting smaller. We spent time taking pictures of "Welcome to Minnesota", and "Welcome to Wisconsin". There were beautiful signs announcing the St. Croix River, unlike the anonymous crossing of the Mississippi we had crossed.

We felt so welcomed by Doris Simenstad. She graciously opened her lovely home to us. She was ready to do anything we asked, from offering us cold drinks, to hot showers, to a dip in the front-yard pool. We enjoyed a delicious snack of locally made Wisconsin Gouda cheese as we gazed out the windows through a screen of trees overlooking the St. Croix River, which runs behind her backyard. Doris shared the Osceola town history with us. Her late husband was a physician here. She showed us the town history book her husband, Dr. John Simenstad, had authored. He even has a town bluff named in his honor because he was instrumental in preserving this open space from development.

Doris Simenstad, Osceola WI

Doris felt the hike up to the bluff would be more than we would want to tackle, so she drove us to St. Croix Falls to see the St. Croix Dalles. These are the bluffs overlooking the St. Croix River where it flows through Osceola between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The views were breathtaking. We were so grateful that she suggested this trip to us. We had no idea what beauty is in this area.

After a fabulous homemade dinner, which included Doris's signature "Hot Dish" (casserole), we are getting ready for tomorrow's adventure.

Oh, and in honor of crossing into America's most famous dairy-state:

Long Prairie, MN to Milaca, MN 74 Miles June 22

2008-06-22T15:25:00.000-07:00

Debbie and Bruce Cochran, Milaca, MN

Today was an exciting day for me. Starting out this morning I saw an Osprey nest. It was a big nest built on top of a wood platform. I could hear the babies chirping inside, but I couldn't see them. I could see and hear the mother flying above me and making a cheep cheep sound to scare me off.

I also saw Sandhill Cranes. They are birds the shape of the Canada Geese, but larger and with tan feathers. I saw them in fields and heard them calling to each other.

But the most thrilling thing I was looking forward to was crossing the Mississippi River between Bowlus, MN and Royalton, MN. I guess it is not such a novel thing for the people who live here because there is no sign posted to identify this landmark. But it was on my map and I especially enjoyed the moment because as I paused to enjoy the view, Fernando, my better half, called me on the cell. I couldn't wait to exclaim, "I'm on the Mississippi!"

Today's ride was sparse as far as towns to stop in. Or, I should say, there were towns, but very few places to EAT. Actually, there was exactly one bar. The other place was closed on Sundays. I was glad to find a convenience store and a park bench to rest and refuel for the road.

Pam arrived in Milaca and went to church where she was adopted by Bruce and Debbie Cochran. Debbie asked her jokingly if she likes to arrange furniture. Pam jumped right in on their home and Bruce said it does look better. It seems one of Pam's favorite pastimes is arranging furniture. Man, that's impressive after riding 74 miles. I was happy to have a hot shower.

Debbie has invited us to have dinner tonight, breakfast tomorrow morning and even took us to a real grocery store so we will have provisions for the road tomorrow.

Battle Lake, MN to Long Prairie, MN 68 Miles, June 21

2008-06-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

We left Battle Lake at 5:00 AM under an almost full brilliant moon. But, our road was soon in full light and we continued to see a plethora of lakes. Today I saw new birds: gold finches, hairy woodpeckers and more loons. Last night in Battle Lake Craig and Wendy wanted us to hear the loons calling. We were relaxing in our room when they called us out. We jumped up and grabbed articles of clothing in the name of decency as I yelled, "loon alert!" But we were too late. We traipsed back to our room to settle in for the night. A few minutes later we were roused by Wendy and repeated the drill. Again we were too late so Craig and Wendy gave up. But this morning, a few miles down the road I did hear the unmistakable haunting cry of a loon from a lake surrounded by trees. It was a beautiful unforgettable sound.

I also heard the same annoying chirp coming from my drive train. This time I found an abandoned or maybe just intermittent gas station to prop up my bike and squirt it with lube in the appropriate place. It worked and I felt relieved like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. That $2.00 lesson I had at Island Park Cycles has really paid off.

Outside of Long Prairie I saw a sign in front of a home that said CRAFTS, OPEN. I'm not a crafts person, but I always like an opportunity, or excuse, to stop. Especially at a private home in the country. I stepped into the quilting world of Peggy Korteum. Peggy told me her shop was really an excuse for her and her sisters in law to indulge in their favorite pastime. She compared it to a disease. I related to that sentiment. Riding over 4,000 miles on a bicycle is often labeled as an obsession and I suppose it is. I fell in love with a quilt and when she said she would ship it to my grandson in New York I couldn't resist. When I mentioned we were doing our ride for Habitat for Humanity she offered to donate the shipping costs to our cause.

Pam did not have a contact in Long Prairie and arrived with no place to stay. By the time I caught up with her and Carol in town, we had been invited to stay in the private home of Pastor Bill Bakewicz and his wife Karen of the Lutheran Church. They live outside of town approximately 5 miles and when we arrived with appetites for lunch we were treated to home made venison sausage.

Pastor Bakewicz and Karen, Long Prairie MN

Life on the road amazes us on a daily basis. We have different philosophies of where all this goodness comes from, but there is no denying that we have been recipients of much love and kindness from many wonderful people.

God's Painting

Glyndon, MN to Battle Lake, MN 85 Miles June 19

2008-06-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful dawn leaving Glyndon. Minnesota has lived up to its name of Land of 10,000 Lakes, if not more. Our route was constant up and down, but over every hill and around every curve was a gorgeous deep blue lake amongst reeds where small birds sang and played, distracting me from the effort of pedaling the hills. I had planned to replenish my water at mile 60 in Edwards where my map listed a business. Unfortunately it wasn't open when I arrived. I was desperate, so I knocked on the door of the house across the road and was given ice cold water from the hose. Carol had the same idea when she came through Edwards. Evidently we both have good "thinking outside the box" minds. The hills finally leveled off and I had an easy run to Battle Lake. I found our room at the Battle Lake Motel by spotting the laundry hanging outside the door.

Battle Lake, MN

When the three of us compared notes on the days' ride we discovered for the first time on this trip we had all been chased by dogs, though not the same dogs. I had one bark and chase me, Pam had three.

Craig and Wendy Molstad have generously donated 2 nights lodging at their "Battle Lake Motel" so we have a day off. Craig is the executive director of the regional office of Habitat for Humanity in this area. He has spearheaded the building of one Habitat house each year for the nine years he has been in this position. Wendy runs the motel as well as being a busy mom of Gunnar and Georgia.

Pam and Wendy Molstad at the Battle Lake Motel

Craig Molstad is proud of the work he's done for Habitat

Craig has taken the time to give us a tour of Glendalough State Park and the Battle Lake Community. In the park we spotted Loons, Red Ring Pheasant, huge Mayflies, even wild rice growing in the lake. Craig interviewed us for an article for the local paper AND he is sacrificing by getting up at "0 dark thirty" to get a picture of us ready to ride.

Loon at Glendalough State Park

Wild rice is native to Minnesota

Hope ND to Glyndon, MN 82 Miles June 18

2008-06-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

Today, our ride was easy with calm winds and a slight downhill. Fargo, ND was our last town in North Dakota. Because Fargo is a city of 100,000 people we were concerned about finding our way around and negotiating traffic. But, those problems never materialized.

My main concern was that there was an annoying squeaking/chirping coming from my drive train. There was an awesome bike shop in downtown Fargo, Island Park Cycles. There were five mechanics and they had recently relocated the 20 year old store to larger quarters in an old railroad depot.

From Depot to Bike Shop

All I needed was lube on the jockey wheels. I suspected that, but I had been putting the lube in the wrong place. I got a lot of relief for the whopping price of $2.00 and the best service I could have asked for.

Jen of Island Park Cycles, Fargo ND

After a latte fix in Fargo we crossed the Buffalo River into Moorhead, Minnesota. The first thing we noticed in Minnesota was a mother duck leading her ducklings along the wall of a sugar factory, we didn't know where she was going but when Pam stopped to take a photo the security guard from the sugar factory came to see what the excitement was all about. He was so excited to hear Pam's story, he didn't want to see her get back on her bicycle and ride away.

Ducklings at the sugar factory

We continued down the road to see several families of Canada Geese leading their young 'uns away from the road, up the hill, away from us.

We are extremely grateful to Kristin Johnson for hosting us tonight in the Lutheran Church in Glyndon, MN

Kristin Johnson, Family Minister, Glyndon, MN

Still in North Dakota June 16-18 Minnewaukan, Pekin, Hope

2008-06-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

We were off of Highway 2 today, on back roads. It was lovely with so many ponds which came up next to the road. When I pedaled by, I heard many surprised water fowl flapping their wings to get away. We saw families of Canada Geese; dad and mom shepherding the babies away from the road as we came by.

Pelicans at Devil's Lake ouside Minnewaukan

Devil's Lake Sunset

In North Dakota, there are many roads, but most are not paved. When I stopped for breakfast at the Esmond Cafe I asked some locals about the road to Minnewaukan. I was wondering about traffic or hills. But the answer I got was, "Oh, it's a good road, black top all the way, you won't have any trouble." This is the standard in North Dakota.

Louis Arnold, Diane Streifel, Rod Wolf, Helen Arnold ($10 donation)

Esmond ND

We continued on back roads through wetlands on to the little town of Pekin. This town's population was so small a number was not listed on our map, and there was no sign announcing its appearance along our road. I was concerned about us not having a place to stay there, because Pam's contact was not available. By the time I arrived, Pam had secured luxury accommodations for us at the Prairie View Lodge. Again, no need to worry.

Welcome to Pekin

When we walked the block to town we discovered Pekin was the home of the largest judged art show and sale in North Dakota. Since this would occur two weeks later, we were treated to a sneak preview. It was especially meaningful as so many of the scenes were of things we were seeing along our route.

Iris blooms in Pekin, ND

Pekin is also home to some beautiful Iris gardens. Gene Gunhus enthusiastically directed us to his gardens and let us know he shipped these plants all over the US. He even had an Iris bloom that smelled like chocolate. If you travel to Pekin to buy your Iris plant, you will be on the honor system to place your money in a jar and carry your Iris away in a paper bag. This is what life is like in Pekin, population 72.

Gene Gunhus, Pekin ND

Irises on the Honor System

The only thing Pekin lacked was a store. The only food available was a bar which served frozen pepperoni pizza. Luckily we were carrying some food with us.

On our ride to Hope we again spent the day flushing water fowl out of the wetland ponds as we passed by. The sounds were amazing with the clicking of frogs, honking of geese, flapping ducks, even the bark of a fox as Mom ran across the road in front of me after she warned her baby to hide in the tall grass below the road.

At the rest stop in Cooperstown I enjoyed the Coooperstown Antiques and Coffee Shop. I had an interesting visit with Connie Swensen. She not only runs this business, she is also an insurance agent for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. She is in the process of selling the shop, because she is trying to simplify her life. I understand that, but I thought people in North Dakota had already mastered this problem. It turns out, Connie is also Mayor of Cooperstown. Yes, she is a busy lady. But, she is loving all the things she is doing. None of them feel like work to her. She even offered me the use of her computer to check my e-mail.

Connie Swensen, Cooperstown ND

In Hope we were invited to spend the night in the fire station. We had a hot shower, a kitchen and private sleeping quarters above a garage full of fire trucks and ambulances, but no fire pole. And luckily, no fires. Though we did hear an alarm go off every three hours during the day, the last one sounded at 9:00 PM.

Hope Fire Hall aka Home for the Night

Antique fire truck as clothesline

We were again presented with a museum which depicted life on the prairie 120 years ago. But, this was a working museum. Pam took advantage of the opportunity to take a weaving lesson on a real loom. She made herself a rag rug that she mailed home.

Pam's Handiwork

Carol and I poked through all the interesting items at the museum. One thing that caught my eye was a tray full of antique dental instruments. They were BIG and scary. It was an incentive for Carol and I to keep flossing our teeth. I think in those olden days, the only instruments the dentists used were for extractions.

Antique dental instruments in Museum in Hope, ND

This was our last night in North Dakota and I feel grateful to all the people who have touched us so deeply. Anna Hoffman had told me a story which captures the essence of the generosity of North Dakotans. Senator Byron Dorgan, used to regale his Capitol Hill Colleagues with stories of his home town. When he drives his truck into town he never locks it and leaves the key in the ignition. His fellow congressmen asked, "Aren't you afraid of someone stealing your truck?" No, what if one of my friends needs to use my truck?" I'm learning so much about how beautiful America is.

Minot, ND to Rugby, ND 65 Miles, June14

2008-06-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

On our ride today I took a break in a roadside rest stop. I spoke to a young man there who was the caretaker. I asked him to recommend a cafe down the road for breakfast. He highly recommended one in Granville, 9 miles down the road. Just before turning off the road for Granville, I caught a glimpse of some huge wild turkeys. They wouldn't pose for a photo, but I enjoyed watching them slowly sneak away.

By the time I arrived in Granville, Pam and Carol were already eating breakfast in the Memorial Diner. When we asked Donna, the owner, for our checks, she informed us that Lance Johnson had already beat us to the cafe and paid for our breakfasts. We were overwhelmed. Lance works on an oil rig at night. When he gets off work he maintains the roadside rest area. On his way home to his family and some much deserved sleep, he stopped off to anonymously buy us breakfast. How could we not fall in love with the people in North Dakota?

Donna, Memorial Diner Owner

It was fun being in Rugby, the Geographic Center of North America. We snapped photos of ourselves at the official marker. Then Carol went to do laundry while Pam and I walked to the local grocery. The walk was a lot longer than the three blockes we were told. When it was time to return to our motel, Pam asked me if I'd like her to get us a ride back. I said, "Sure". By the time I went through the check out line, Pam had lined us up with a ride with a woman who was going right by our motel and she kindly dropped us off right at the door. Then she refused to have her picture taken. Thank you, Annette, wherever you are.

Rugby, ND Geographic Center of North America

Carol and I then went to tour the Rugby Pioneer Village and Museum. We saw a replication of a homesteading town. We went in one home and I wondered where the bathroom would have been. Carol reminded me that they had to go outside in those days. Just thinking about those cold winters made me grateful. Riding a bicycle coast to coast is not that hard.

Unfortunately our visit was cut short when people came running to tell us the museum was closing because a huge storm was coming. We ran outside to see a black sky and feel cold strong winds. We dashed next door to our motel room just in time to see the water and wind doing unpleasant things outside. We were grateful again to be indoors for the night.

Storm Brewing in Rugby, ND

Stanley, ND to Minot, ND 57 Miles June 13

2008-06-13T17:45:00.001-07:00

We are coming to you from Minot (MY-nut) North Dakota. We had a fast ride into town today because of favorable tail winds. Maybe Friday 13th is our lucky day. We stopped at a Cenex gas station for a rest stop on the road. I was amazed at what a person could buy. Everything from a cup of coffee to a leather motorcycle jacket was available. But, the most prevalent item seemed to be solid concrete painted statues, made in North Dakota. There were chickens, firemen even motorcycle chicks. Well, we weren't going to carry one home, but Eagle Eye Pam got a picture.

Concrete Biker Momma, Berthold ND

We arrived in Minot in time to hit the bike shop. This shop is not the only game in town, it is the only game in the state. Carol and I got some much needed work done on our bicycles. We explored old downtown Minot and enjoyed lunch, exploring an antique shop and an espresso shop while our bikes were occupied.

While we were occupied at the bike shop, Pam met Pastor Rick Fossum of the United Methodist Church. He took Pam home for lunch and she got her laundry done. She also met Sally Verstraete, the church secretary who took her into town to get some new pants. Sally also brought us food for tomorrow's breakfast. Pam must be a good talker, or does she just look hungry?

Church Secretary Sally Verstraete and Pastor Rick Fossum

We have fallen into a routine with our daily riding. We have come to the conclusion that our lives are becoming like "Groundhog Day", the movie. We wake up in the dark, get dressed in the same clothes, eat, hit the road, eat, arrive in a new town, eat, get organized to do it again tomorrow.

Transporting a wind generator

Williston, ND to Stanley, ND 73 Miles

2008-06-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Doug and Anna Hoffman have given us a glimpse of real life in North Dakota. First of all, when we arrived in town Anna was working the polling place for the local election and Doug was at work as business manager for the Trenton School District. In spite of this, they invited us to let ourselves into their home, never having met us. We were grateful to be in out of the weather.

Brandon, Doug and Anna Hoffman, Williston, ND

Doug and Anna told us how their home was originally a business establishment. It was used by a woman who always had a rummage sale going on. When Doug and Anna moved into their new home, people still walked right in, looking for bargains. One remarked, "boy, you sure don't have much here for sale do you?" Anna just casually mentioned that, "no there wasn't much, but I may be able to put something together, after all, this is our home now."

The morning after the election Doug shared the front page newspaper story with me: LOCAL ELECTION VOTING PENCILS FAILED. The hot topic of this election was whether or not to raise taxes one dollar per year for mosquito abatement. This was a 100 per cent increase. It passed.

As Anna had just taken us on a field trip to visit Fort Union, I learned that mosquitoes were the bane of existence for the soldiers in this region in the 1800s same as today. Mosquitoes here are so vicious they drive people to drastic measures. During the days of the army post, mosquitoes drove soldiers to abandon their post. In present time, the Commissioner of Mosquito Abatement in Williston quit the job because the locals threatened to harm his family. They were sure he was not doing what he was supposed to do because the mosquitoes were as vicious as ever. We have not had the opportunity of coming face to face with the dreaded monster mosquitoes.

We left Williston at 5:30 Central Time. It was 34 miles before we arrived in Ray, the first town. I was glad to stop in a gas station/convenience store/cafe for a second breakfast. The waitress was so nice. I asked for milk for the coffee rather than creamer and she continued to refill the glass until I had my fill of coffee.

A woman walked in and asked about the bicycling. When I explained we were raising funds for Habitat, she got very excited because her sister lives in a Habitat House in Great Falls, MT. I also spoke with a couple, Mr and Mrs. Lang who said they donated regularly to Habitat and couldn't wait to hand me $5.00 and introduce me to their friend Art Rice who is 101 years old.

L to R Mrs. Lang, Art Rice (101 years old!), Mr. Lang

When I hopped back on my bike the tailwinds propelled me down the road and the coffee seemed to have shaved down the hills. I was entertained along the way by a fox sneaking along the side of the road. I also stopped to watch the drama of a big hawk being chased away by a puny little red wing blackbird. The win for the round I observed went to that courageous little red wing.

When I arrived in Stanley, Carol was just pulling in. I was surprised she had just arrived and she informed me she'd had a flat, repaired it and was still in town before me.

We were greeted at the Lutheran Church by Minister Mark Narum. He offered us everything we need for our comfort and more. When we went to explore downtown Stanley, we saw the local paper with Pastor Mark's picture on the front page. Congratulations were in order as he has just been promoted to Bishop.

Newly Promoted Bishop Mark Narum

Stanley, ND is famous as the home of the Whirl A Whip. This is a special kind of flavored whipped ice cream. It even comes in Dill Pickle flavor. I declined this experience but Pam and Carol thoroughly enjoyed it. They didn't try dill pickle.

Barbara Missed Out on the Whirl-a-Whip

Culbertson, MT to Williston, ND 44 Miles

2008-06-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

We left Culbertson at 5:30 AM under sunny skies, after a rousing song that Pam chose for me to play on the church piano. But, there is always something to contend with on a bicycle. The biggest is headwinds which met up with us shortly when we rode out of town. The wind seemed to get stronger as I rode toward Bainville, our last town in Montana, 15 miles down the road. I arrived at 8:00, just as Pam and Carol were ready to leave. We did stop to take photos, as we finally came to a sign that said "Welcome to Montana".

Last Barn in Montana

The Bainville rest stop included a lovely latte as well as a lovely conversation with a retired 1st grade teacher. She had taught school for 39 years. I asked about class sizes and she mentioned that this year she had her largest class ever, 13 students. She said her average had been eight students. I remarked enviously, "No wonder you were able to teach for 39 years." She also mentioned that her granddaughter's senior high graduation class had eight students and all would be going on to college. The Montana schools are funded with oil money and they are experiencing an oil boom in this part of the country.

This same woman shared a story with me about when she chaperoned her granddaughter's class trip to New York City. She said the tour guide really put fear into the hearts of those kids when he warned them right before boarding the subway, "don't panic if you see a rat while riding the subway." I thought that was quite humorous considering I've seen so many gophers running around the Montana roadways.

The people on the prairie are not concerned with crime. These families do not lock their homes or cars. Traffic jams are unheard of here. However, they do have to worry about a deer crashing into their vehicle on the highway.

I dragged out this rest stop, not wanting to hurry up and fight the wind. I had nine miles to reach the North Dakota state line. The winds seemed to get stronger and I was wondering if these winds were trying to keep us in Montana, or were they sent from North Dakota to delay our arrival. At the state line the winds seemed to become stronger and the hills were going on and on. It was discouraging to look down and see 4 mph on my computer. However, I had to remind myself that with the rain, headwinds and cool weather we were being spared the triple digit temperatures common at this time of year. And the biggest scourge, mosquitoes big enough to ride like a bicycle. Time to stop complaining.

Seven miles from Williston and it still took another hour to reach the home of Doug and Anna Hoffman. But, what a welcome we received. They literally invited us to take over their small cozy home.

Today we are taking a rest day. This is good timing with the heavy rains coming down today. Anna prepared us a breakfast of deer meat sausage and fresh strawberries. She is taking us to visit the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.

The Rivers

We are safe, dry, rested and well taken care of for yet another day on the prairie.

Pelican near the confluence

Life on the High Line

2008-06-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

We are spending our last night in Montana tonight. Because we have stayed with so many local people we have been treated to a glimpse of life along the "High Line". I thought the High Line only referred to the rail road which runs along the Northern most route of the US. I learned from George Draper that the High Line also refers to all the towns and communities which have grown up along the route.

The towns developed as the railroad was built. This is why many churches along our route are now celebrating their 100 year anniversaries. First the men came to raise cattle and homestead. Then, the women came to organize the churches and communities.

We have been traveling through so much open space. But, there is a price to pay for enjoying all this wide open country. Towns were originally about 4 miles apart. Now the major towns are approximately 50 miles apart. The major towns where we stay are probably less than 200 people.

We are told that for any major medical visits people need to travel to Billings, MT which for some is 440 miles ONE WAY. This means a doctor visit requires an overnight in a motel. People also travel that far to find a major store like Costco or Walmart. The local towns have a small grocery store or even an Albertsons. But, the prices are quite high because there is no competition.

The clergymen we have met: Father Jim, Susan Watterson and George Draper all travel between two or three churches. These churches have small congregations of less than 20 people who are predominantly retirees. They may travel upwards of 100 to 300 miles on a Sunday to serve these communities. With few opportunities for young people, many of these towns are shrinking.

However, we have been presented with such a generosity of spirit in every town we have visited. If people here are worried about their way of life, we have not seen evidence of it. My impression, coming from such a large metropolitan area like Los Angeles is that the people here have such a refreshing lack of cynicism. The librarian here in Culbertson, Karen was enthusiastically sharing with us about how the town is building a new library. They were denied the grants they applied for, so over the years the townpeople have worked to raise the money themselves. They have the land and have begun to construct the building. It will replace the present one which welcomes Karen, during the summer months with live bats when she opens in the morning. Yes, it's time to move on and Culbertson is not waiting for someone else to come to the rescue.

Tomorrow we will cross into Central Time when we arrive in North Dakota.

Wolf Point, MT to Culbertson, MT 57 Miles June 9

2008-06-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Sunrise on the Prairie

Gerri Draper made sure breakfast was laid out for us the night before. But she and George still got out of bed at dawn to see us off at 6:00 AM.

Leaving Wolf Point, MT (early)

Our route now parallels the Missouri River. I do not know the meaning of Missouri, but today I think it means hilly. We had MANY long stretches of one hill after another. I kept expecting to be able to coast down, when I noticed another group of hills ahead. We had to work for our elevation today as we didn't have those steroidal winds to power us over the tops.

I arrived at the United Methodist Church in Culbertson just before the rains came down. We crossed paths with some young touring cyclists today. They left Culbertson at 10:30 AM. They are getting wet, Pam smugly reminded me. Yes, I am grateful for Pam's nudging to get us on the road at the earliest hour possible.

A Rider's Namesake

Pam CULBERTSON was excited to arrive in Culbertson, MT today. Mary Lou Weeks came to the church to welcome us and give us the grand tour of Culbertson. We loved the Culbertson Museum. It is filled with artifacts, which are beautifully displayed and depict life over the years on the Prairie. A bill for a doctor's visit, $3.00. We saw antique farm implements, ladies hats, even hand made quilts. She also showed us the Missouri Breaks, the reddish hills which make up the banks of the Missouri River.

Mary Lou Weeks and Barbara

Mary Lou's daughter Laurie Mattelin dashed over to the church on her lunch hour to prepare a homemade lasagna she made for us.

The sun is out now and we are enjoying moseying around Culbertson.

Car Wash & Winery (!?!?!?), Culbertson MT

Three Cyclists Still on the Prairie June 5-June 8 Chester to Havre, 61 Havre to Malta, 92 Miles Glasgow, 71 Miles, Wolf Point 51 Miles

2008-06-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

We have been leaving at our usual time of "O Dark Thirty" as Carol likes to say. We've had beautiful sunrises on the prairie as the sunlight is refracted through the clouds. We had some stunning sunny days with clouds building up as the days wore on. We had rain forecast every day, but we kept staying ahead of it.

So, I got complacent. We left Havre just after a huge downpour. I believed that was the end of it and chose not to put on my rain gear. WRONG. 24 miles down the road I stopped in Chinook to put on dry clothes and my rain gear. I felt a little discouraged standing outside the convenience store with everyone passing by and saying, "guess it sucks riding in the rain". What could I say?

While I was struggling at the convenience store, Carol and Pam were hanging out at Bikini Espresso just around the corner, laughing outside in the rain trading stories with the owner. I got dry and got back on the bike as the rain came down harder, and I tried not to feel sorry for myself.

Pam and Laurel LeChance at Bikini Espresso Shop, Chinook, MT

Then I began to look around me. The cows, sheep and horses were contentedly grazing. The meadowlarks continued their lovely 5 note melody, the ducks were swimming in the newly replenished wetlands. The farmers here are grinning from ear to ear now that the rains have arrived. I also noticed all the dead frogs and gophers squashed on the highway shoulder which keep the gulls snacking. What did I have to feel sorry about? I was here, living my dream of riding my bicycle coast to coast. When I chose to relax and enjoy the trip I noticed the great beauty and drama of the prairie playing out all around me. Life is so good and I sometimes forget how much I have to be grateful for.

Mealtime on the Prairie:

The unlucky one is a Montana Gopher
45 Miles down the road in Harlem, I found Pam and Carol in a convenience store with a Laundromat in the back. Pam had modestly fashioned herself a garment out of a garbage bag before stripping down to throw her wet cold clothes into the dryer. Then she found a woman who drove her to the hardware store to buy Scotchguard to put some life back into her raingear. Carol decided to dry her clothes in the laundromat also. I used to laundromat as a warm dry place to sit down and eat. Another creative solution to a problem of life on the road. We took off down the road happy, dry, fed and no more rain that day.

We flew down the road with the tailwinds until we hit a sign in Dodson which read, PAVEMENT ENDS. ROAD CONSTRUCTION 6 MILES. Our route turned into a mud road for 6 miles. Pam's biggest concern was getting mud on her new pearl white biking shoes.

Pam's New Shoes

I was concerned about not getting run over by a semi truck. We all arrived at Saint Mary's Church in Malta where Father Jim was amazed that we had come 92 miles on bicycles. I was amazed myself. After all that amazement we tackled the unamazing job of cleaning the mud off of all the intricate parts of our bicycles. I compare it to flossing my teeth, cleaning between all those gear teeth.

Coyote near Malta

I must admit that we are living life on the edge and are not always as civilized as we wish we were. We have tried to make our lives as simple as possible for these three months and sometimes problems arise. One morning I found myself in a roadside ditch with no toilet paper. So, I had the brilliant idea of going to the primitive solution when I spied the rocks around me. It worked and I was back on track. I thought, Carol would be proud as she is always reminding us, "You've got to think outside the box."

Yesterday morning we stopped for breakfast in Saco, population 130. OB's Cafe was a one woman operation: owner, cook, waitress. Pam, Carol and I arrived at the cafe in staggered order. It quickly became clear that this sweet woman was capable of taking care of exactly one person and one order at a time. The big clue was the fact that the restaurant had EXACTLY ONE MENU, one printed sheet of paper with the food selections. Luckily we three arrived at staggered times. It seems the locals had this figured out also. They only came in one or two at a time, ate, left, then another would come in. I wondered if they had made appointments.

In Glasgow, Reverend Susan Watterson honored us by asking us to speak at the Sunday Church service. It was especially festive because they were celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the United Congregational Church of Glasgow. It was a lovely church and the service was especially enjoyable with an organist who played Bach and a five member chorus who harmonized beautifully both with accompaniment and a Capella. I found the sermon especially interesting when the Reverend spoke of Jesus' followers asking him why he chose to share supper with "sinners and tax collectors". I wondered if that were written today, what profession would they choose to link with the "sinners?" I could think of quite a few, but I won't say.

Reverend Randy Hyvonen, Conference Minister, Reverend Susan Watterson, Barbara, Pam, Carol
Because of our attendance at the church service we didn't start down the road until 11:30. This was fortunate we sat in our motel room waiting for the rain to stop. It hadn't stopped at 11:30, but it had lessened and we were on our way. We again flew with favorable tailwinds. I felt so strong when I saw my speedometer reading 24 miles per hour and even 12 miles per hour UP hills. The last 10 miles into Wolf Point I did run into heavy rain which pelted me from the north, the way the winds were blowing.

Upon my arrival the sun came out and I got a nice picture of the "Welcome to Wolf Point" sign. I pedaled to our address for the night which turned out to be wrong. I got on the cell and got the correct directions from our hosts Pastor George Draper and his wife Gerri. Unfortunately I had to turn around and come back against the wind. I was lucky now to go 4 miles per hour to get to their home.

But, what a lovely home it is. We are treated to a cozy basement, a hot shower, washer, dryer and delicious home cooked dinner. As well as sparkling conversation. Yes, life is good here on the Montana Prairie, or as the locals refer to it "The High Line" because it is the northern most route across the country.

I must say, the honeymoon may be over because now the girls know that I leave a trail of crumbs everywhere I eat.

Three Cyclists on the Prairie, 69 Miles June 4

2008-06-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

I woke up to use the bathroom, only to see Pam dressed, with a load of sheets and towels in the washer. I commented to Pam that it wasn't even 3:00 AM. Pam is frustrated because she hasn't had cell service since we entered Montana, hence her phone was wrong. Don't try to ride cross country with T Mobile.

After all that work, Pam still led us out the door and down the road at 5:15. With great tailwinds we flew down the road for 51 miles. But, for the next 18 miles the headwinds took their pound of flesh.

It's windy in Montana

We continue to be accompanied by the Rail Road. It is so exciting to wave to the conductor and get a big whistle and wave in return. Like the horizon on the prairie, the trains go on forever. I measured one train at one mile long. The landscape is either deep green or prickly brown, broken up with huge grain elevators and many abandoned barns. I was able to look straight down the road and watch the few bends match the lines on my map.

A train runs through it

Grain Elevator

Antique wooden grain elevator, Lothair MT

The most exciting thing I saw today was a huge bird nest. I stopped, but couldn't see anything in it. Down the road I connected with Eagle Eye Pam. She was so excited to show us the photo she took of the two baby Great Horned Owls which were in the tree. The only other birds we saw were seagulls eating the roadkill off the shoulder and meadowlarks which scattered when a bike came near.

Baby Great Horned Owls

We are in Chester, Montana tonight in the United Methodist Church.

East Glacier, MT to Cut Bank, MT 49 Miles June 3

2008-06-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Rebecca, our waitress in Two Medicine Grill this morning regaled us with her story of how she lives in a Teepee in the mountains near East Glacier, MT for four months of the year. The reason she only lives there for four months is because East Glacier has snow for the other eight months of the year. Pam asked if she ever had trouble with bears. She said she sees bears all the time, but depends upon her three trained bear dogs for protection. Those must be some dogs!

Rebecca and Cody, Two Medicine Grill

While eating breakfast in the Two Medicine Grill I commented on the thermometer reading a cold 38 degrees. Pam said, "Oh, that's not bad, when it's bad is when it is 20 degrees." I agree that yes, 20 degrees would be cold too. But when we went outside to saddle up, I noticed Pam dug into her panniers just like I did to put on every stitch of clothing available.

We had a mostly downhill day with a tailwind all the way to Cut Bank. We were now leaving the mountains behind. The mountains which had caused us to work for every mile we completed. The mountains which presented us with cold stinging rain and sleet. The mountains which showered us with such extravagant beauty in every direction. So, as we were pedaling so fast toward Cut Bank I was surprised to feel so sad at leaving the mountains behind. I looked around now and saw endless green fields. Our highway was now paralleling the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Rail Road. The mountains were receding through my rear view mirror and I felt a lump in my throat. I began singing "America the Beautiful". It felt so meaningful looking at the mountains behind and the prairie ahead. I actually wanted to slow down and enjoy the transition.

The Mountains Receding

Pam flew to Cut Bank. She just couldn't hold her bike back and she arrived one and a half hours before Carol or me. When I arrived in Cut Bank I was informed Carol was at the optometrist getting her glasses repaired. Luckily this catastrophe didn't happen on her birthday. When we saw Carol, the best the Dr. had been able to do was a temporary job with duct tape. Her husband Billy will mail her glasses from home. Everything takes a beating on a bicycle tour: bodies, bikes, clothes, even titanium glasses.

Thanks to arrangements Pam made with Mike Koeke we are in the Priest's Rectory in the Cut Bank Catholic Church. Another gift.

Mike Koeke and Pam

Buffalo just as prairie began!

Coram, MT to East Glacier, MT 62 Miles, June 2

2008-06-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Carol!

HAPPY 64th BIRTHDAY CAROL! She celebrated today with Huckleberry Pie and Cliff Bars. I got to sing her the Beatles Tune "When I'm 64". Carol said what a great job I did. Beggars can't be choosers, I'm thinking. But, her real gift was getting to cross the Continental Divide on her birthday. We crossed the Rocky Mountains at Maria's Pass 5,286 Feet.

We left at 5:15 AM under threatening skies. As we climbed we were presented with clear green creeks on the right side of the road, merging with the muddy, swift, wide Flathead River on the left side of the road. We also enjoyed the many different types of waterfalls alongside the route.

We had many restaurants listed on our map, but every one was closed on Monday. We were finally able to pull into the Half-Way House just before a deluge of water. We had a rollicking good time with Ron and Myrna Sullens, our hosts. They also had hot spicy chili which I tried to eat slowly to avoid being out in the elemtnes. But, since we laughed so hard at Ron's non stop monologue he was glad to let us stay as long as we wished. When we mentioned we were carrying sleeping bags he offered his crawl space under the house.

Half-Way Cafe Pam, Ron and Myrna Sullens, Essex, MT

The rain let up and we climbed the 17 miles to Maria's Pass. We must be a lot stronger because we all three felt like the ride was easier than expected. We were donated a free night at the Mountain Pine Motel in East Glacier. Pam had made contact with a park ranger, Sam Thornton, through the Internet. He came to the motel to meet us and gave us a stunning tour of East Glacier, by car.

Park Ranger Sam Thornton

We loved Two Medicine Lake surrounded by Rocky Peaks. We even got to see a bear close by grazing by the road. He was big and healthy, but didn't stick around long when the car stopped.

Black Bear in Two Medicine Lake

We also saw three mountain goats, a real bonus.

Whitefish, MT to West Glacier, MT 57 Miles May 31, June 1

2008-06-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

We had a short ride today to arrive at our accommodations in Coram, MT. We are being hosted in luxury by Pastor Tod Fox in the Fox Den. We are even able to stay an extra night for a day off.

Pam, Pastor Tod Fox, Barbara

After arriving, we dropped our bags and rode the seven miles to West Glacier Park. We felt discouraged by the $12.00 entry fee for each cyclist or hiker, same as a motorcycle. Pam did her best to talk the Park Ranger out of the fee, but he wouldn't budge. I chose to pay the fee to ride around Lake McDonald. Pam decided to wait for the opportunity to tour the park by car. It was a stunning ride with views of the snow covered peaks of the Rockies reflected in the lake.

Lake McDonald

Later that evening we met Pastor Tod Fox. He did loan us his car to tour the park. We were inspired by Avalanche Creek. It is churning furiously enough to tear down trees and carry them downstream.

Pam and I visited Pastor Fox's church service which he leads every Sunday in his home, The Bear Den. He even incorporated our Habitat Ride into his sermon and the congregation offered prayers for our safe journey.

We feel rested and ready to tackle our ride tomorrow over the Continental Divide.

Eureka, MT to Whitefish, MT 57 Miles

2008-05-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

Since Pam was getting a ride to the bike shop in Whitefish today, no one was cracking the whip to begin riding at dawn. Carol and I started off today at 7:00 AM. We had a beautiful back road with a steep climb right out of town which left us out of breath. When I made a couple of urgent stops Carol got way ahead. But, along came Laura Brimlow to the rescue. She took my bags and I was able to bridge the gap. Dave decided to ride a longer distance today, so we will miss not seeing Laura and Dave again.

We had a picnic lunch at the Ranger Station in Olney. I learned how serious a thunderstorm is when the fire ranger told us that two firefighters had been struck by lightning in yesterday's storm. They are both in stable condition today.

After lunch the sky behind us was getting blacker and blacker. The rumbling seemed to come closer and closer. I was staying right behind Carol the last 15 miles into Whitefish. The rain did catch us the last three or four miles, but it was never bad enough for us to stop and put on our rain gear. I must say I missed seeing Pam on the road with us today. If we had started at our usual ungodly hour, we wouldn't have gotten caught in the rain.

In Whitefish we were happy to know Pam's problems were all taken care of at "Glacier Cyclery".

We were met at the United Methodist Church by a newspaper photographer from Hungry Horse. He wanted us in our bike clothes, but I had to run for the lipstick. Afterwards we had dinner and it is now time for sleep. Pleasant Dreams.

Libby, MT to Eureka, MT 71 miles

2008-05-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

Susie Rice and her husband Greg showed up on their tandem at 5:30 AM to escort us out of town. Greg was choosing to get up at this hour even though it was his day off and even though it was 40 degrees outside. We took a short side trip to view two of the seven Habitat for Humanity homes they have built in Libby. We steered onto a beautiful back road which led us to a gorgeous view of the Kootenai River, after we climbed an 8% grade. But, as we were promised, it was the steepest hill we had all day, though not the longest.

8% Grade and Still Smiling

We still had Laura Brimlow carrying our panniers today, so the trip was not as difficult as we had feared. We spent most of the day pedaling around Lake Koocanusa. It was surrounded by a thick forest of Pine Trees. Then there was a thin layer of reddish sand before the deep greenish lake. We had many climbs which culminated in our going through road cuts of reddish rock mountains.

Lake Koocanusa

We worked to stay together today, by regrouping every 10 miles. This worked well. Then, Pam and Carol were concerned with the black clouds which were forming and thought we should keep moving. I am from Southern California. To me, clouds are just clouds and I thought they were rushing through this beautiful area for nothing. We finally stopped for lunch at the Lake Koocanusa Bridge, the longest bridge in Montana. I rode across it and heard the wind singing, or moaning, through the metal.

Lake Koocanusa Bridge

Longest in Montana

Yes, it really IS the longest bridge!

Pam got ahead of me, but her ride came to a screeching halt when she heard a "ping" going up the mountain. She knew she broke a spoke. When I came around the corner she was in the process of flagging down a car. Pam kept a positive attitude by reminding us, "I'm thankful it's not raining. I'm thankful it's not hot. I'm thankful I have plenty of water." The woman who picked Pam up had a small car, but managed to squeeze Pam's bike in after she put her grandson, Isaac, in the back seat. Lola lives in Eureka, so gave Pam a ride to our donated room at the Ksanka Motel. She even offered to drive Pam into Whitefish the following morning where there is a full service bike shop.

Pam, Isaac and Lola, Eureka MT

Carol and I pedaled hard to stay ahead of the thunder. We made it to the motel at 3:00 PM as the rain began falling. We had a show of thunder, lightning and buckets full of rain. I guess people in the Midwest know more about storm signs than those of us from Southern California.

Heron, MT to Libby, MT 60 Miles May 28

2008-05-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

After an excellent breakfast and watching the elks graze with a new baby elk, we tore ourselves away from Amber Bear Inn. We got a later start than usual because we lost an hour when we changed our clocks to mountain time. We were still on the road by 6:30 AM.

One of the herd

We did have a lot of up and down but it never felt that difficult. We had time to take pictures and enjoy the views. The snow covered Cabinet Mountains reflecting in the Bull River were stunning. We saw more Osprey nests today. We were told where to look for bears, but didn't see any.
We are excited because our sag support is back with us today. Laura passed us on the road and took our bags into Libby. She has graciously offered to carry them for us tomorrow into Eureka. We are especially grateful because this is a 74 mile day with mostly uphills. Today was mostly downhills. We even had time for a short hike to Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge. Kootenai Falls is the biggest falls we have seen so far on this trip. The swinging bridge was suspended over the Kootenai River, down a ways from the falls.
Today was the first day the three of us were on our own pace and seem to have gotten separated. When I got close to Libby I realized I didn't know where to go. Luckily I got a signal on my cell and was able to call Pam. But, often we are out here with no cell service. We will need a new plan. Carol was not able to get a call to Pam, but Laura was able to catch her before riding too far down the road.

When I arrived in town I had a message for the owners of the local feed store in Libby from another merchant we had met in Sandpoint, ID. I stopped in the feed store, introduced myself and was immediately offered a place to stay. I am overwhelmed with people's generosity.
We are treated tonight by Gerri Fink. She has offered us her guest house on her ranch. We can look out and see the birds floating down the river. She had the dining table set for dinner and decorated with lilacs. The first thing she did was entertain us with her South Texas larger than life personality. Every time she opened her mouth we were in stitches. We were especially attentive when she said, "My house, my rules. You don't clean a dish or make a bed in my house. And if you need anything be sure and ask."

She prepared snacks for us, then a beautiful meal. She wouldn't tell us what it was, she called it a "sussy", a surprise from South Texas. It was King Ridge Casserole with chicken, cheese, tortillas, tomatoes and green chilis. She included all the trimmings and even a pecan pie. We are figuring out a way to carry it all down the road with us. Who says there is no food between Libby and Eureka?

Riders with Geri and "sussy"

We have also been interviewed by Susie Rice for the local paper. Susie and her husband are cyclists and active here with Habitat for Humanity. They organize a bicycle ride here every year called the Stoker. They raised over $38,000 for Habitat for Humanity with the ride this year. This accounts for most of the operating budget for Habitat for Humanity in Libby, MT and has enabled this affiliate to build seven houses. Susie has offered to escort us out of town tomorrow morning on her bicycle at whatever hour we choose.

Life is good.

Greg, Susie and Pam

Sandpoint, ID to Heron, MT 43 Miles, May 27

2008-05-28T18:20:00.000-07:00

Today's ride felt so good after a day of rest. We left Sandpoint at 5:15 AM with a great tail wind. But, after about a mile the route didn't seem right. Since we are three directionally challenged travelers we were not above asking for directions from another early riser who was working in his front yard.

Yep, we were headed in the wrong direction. Of course we'd have to make it up going into a head wind. By 5:30 AM we were back at the church for the real start. We had a fairly easy ride along the river. But, along scenic Highway 200 we had more cars, trucks and even trains than we are used to. But, after they pass it is quiet. We even saw Osprey, huge birds who build their nests in the very tops of trees. They even like to build their homes on the top of utility poles. So the power companies have installed platforms on the tops of the poles which will keep the birds safe.
A Park Ranger told us that oftentimes after the Osprey go through the work of building the nests, the Eagles run them out and take over the nest.

We took a short detour into Hope and East Hope, hoping for coffee. They were open for voting but not for coffee. A few miles later we stopped in Clark Fork to eat at Lucy's Deli (Lucy was the name of their Jack Russell Terrier). Lucy made excellent chili, but only takes cash, no plastic.

We had time to browse the town so we stopped at Sweet's Bicycles and Marbles. Pam found a sun hat like mine, Carol found a cargo net like Pam's. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I wanted to buy a Park Tool toilet paper holder, but I wasn't willing to add to my load. We pumped up our tires with the shop pump, then the owner took our picture to add to his collection of touring cyclists and we were back on route.

We were headed to the Amber Bear Inn. We had to turn off onto a hilly dirt road for 3/4 of a mile into the woods. Where was Pam leading us this time? When we arrived we had to scrape our jaws off the ground. Mike and Nancy retired from the corporate world and built a 10,000 square foot B and B situated in the middle of a 400 acre wildlife sanctuary. They were closed Tuesday and gave us the run of the place. They were so generous to us in every way.

Because they do not allow hunting on this property the elk and deer graze on their front yard and swim in the pond morning and evening. The Osprey were diving for fish in the pond. The Canada Geese were resting at the edge of the water. They also told us, when the snow melts, the bear will come over the mountain and sit in the back yard by the creek. Mike and Nancy also have a pet llama which hangs out with the wild animals. They all seemed to get along beautifully.

We had huge windows to look out in every direction and we were always making alerts when we saw an animal. "There's an elk! A deer! Over there! Where? Grab the binoculars, grab the camera. Pam even spotted a killdeer and her eggs in a nest on the ground where the elks graze. Mike and Nancy said they had never even seen a killdeer before. Pam again lives up to "Eagle Eye". Mike and Nancy also have a beautiful restaurant and they treated us to whatever we wanted off the menu: salmon, vegetables, salad, all elegantly served on china with silver. Sure beats slurping peanut butter off of plastic baggies. Or trying to scrape it out of the jar with a too short plastic knife.

We tore ourselves away from the huge windows so we could go to bed to get ready for our 5:30 AM start. I was told Montana has the most beautiful night sky. I don't believe I will ever get to see it, because how will I ever get to stay up late enough for it to be dark while we are in Montana?

Ione, WA to Sandpoint, ID 90 Miles

2008-05-26T09:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right, 90 MILES!! Judy got up and joined us for a hot oatmeal breakfast at 4:00 AM. We were on the road at 5:00 AM. I told you, I'm getting organized since mailing back STUFF.

We had a beautiful up and down ride along the Pend Oreille River. Pam earned her nickname of "Eagle Eye" when she spotted a white spot up in a tree that she swore was an eagle. I honestly did not believe her until I saw the eagle take flight and reveal his white head and tail. It was magnificent. We also saw spectacular deer all day long bounding across fields and roads wagging long white tails from side to side like a clock pendulum. The highlight was when Pam came to a screeching halt when she saw a bear beside the road. It was still there when Carol and I came riding up. Pam got her camera out, but said she was shaking so badly she could hardly shoot the picture. He walked along the road before crossing and disappearing into the woods. Again Pam earned her "Eagle Eye" moniker.

We stopped to lunch in a restaurant overlooking the Pend Oreille River in Idaho. We congratulated ourselves upon arriving by 11:30 at mile 51 and getting back on the road before 1:00 PM. We saw ourselves in Sandpoint by 3:00 PM with an easy 39 miles to go. When we went around the first turn and saw the steep hills and felt the headwinds I knew we were in for a long day of riding.
I must say, when we crossed the border into Idaho I was already nostalgic for Washington. Our nice road shoulder disappeared and the drivers were not as courteous. However, the trees got bigger, and we were finally treated to warm sunshine. We were still following the Pend Oreille River as we climbed up, down and around. We really had a perfect day of riding.

Seven miles before reaching Sandpoint, we came to a paved bikepath. We decided to stop for lattes to give us the energy for the last leg of our journey. It was already 5:00 PM. With our hot lattes in our bellies we hit the bike path. We were revived and soared over the little ups and downs on our own private trail. We had a long bridge across the Pend Oreille Lake with sparkling water and snow covered mountains as a back drop.

We talked about taking a day off. When we got into town we had 89.5 miles. Pam said we needed an even 90 to earn our rest day. We dutifully cruised the pleasant neighborhood while waiting for Pastor Hewson to deliver our key to the church.

We are delighted with Sandpoint. We are installed in the United Methodist Church base

ment. We have the place to ourselves as it is Memorial Day. We are enjoying a well deserved rest day.

Paster Darryn Hewson and daughter Ainsley with riders

United Methodist Church, Sand Point, ID

Everything You Wanted to Know About Life Off the Bike...But Were Afraid to Ask

2008-05-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

Eat, drink, ride, eat, drink, ride, sleep. That's the short answer. But, whether you want it or not, let's get to the nitty gritty.

The question I'm asked most often is, "How do you go to the bathroom?" This is only a question from women. Because we are traveling on scenic low traffic back roads, we go for many miles with no services. Because we are eating and drinking constantly we need to use our imagination to create discreet spots. Carol is classy and disciplined. She takes her time to find something resembling privacy. Pam and I have the philosophy, "It's too much trouble, just be fast." Mostly it works. Except the time I was exposed at the top of a hill as a huge semi truck came lugging around the corner. Pam was almost falling down with laughter as she pointed to me. I could tell by that driver's expression that I made his day.

For safety, we try not to get too spread out on the road. This means Pam and Carol usually wait for me to bring up the rear. In Pam's lexicon it's "Barb's suckin' hind tit."

Sometimes nature calls more urgently. At these times I fall farther behind. When we regroup Pam says in her deadpan Missouri drawl, "Dang, I didn't know you were gonna' be layin' pipe to Alaska."

When we arrive in a town first thing we do is get settled into our home for the night. We get ourselves, our bags and our three bikes into the room. Then we relish a hot shower and wash our bike shorts in the sink. Carol scouts out a place to hang her portable clothes line. We then need to give our bikes some TLC. This means some lube for the chain and air in the tires and greasy hands. The most amazing thing is that we manage so well. We all seem to keep our stuff within a particular space and no one gets irritated after a grueling day of riding.

Republic had a library with internet so we hit that before closing time. Pam and I were each on a computer with a person between us. We kept talking back and forth: What town are we in? Where did we come from today? What was our mileage? What interesting thing happened today? I think the librarian was relieved when our computers were timed out after one half hour. She was extremely patient with our noisy questions.

Our next order of business is prowling for food. In Republic, we found a great salad bar. Unlike California, the salad bars in Washington don't let you go back for unlimited helpings. But, you can at least pile as much as possible onto the plate.

The toughest part of cycling day after day is where the seat meets the seat. The delicate part of our anatomy is taking such a beating. The remedy is Bag Balm. We checked the drug store and found, in the baby section, Butt Paste. After inane questions to a patient clerk, we bought it.

Next we found a garden shop. They were ready to close but invited us in to look for Bag Balm. We found a slew of baby chicks. We were treated to "Chickens 101". The roosters get eaten. The hens get a reprieve of 5 years, until menopause. We bought the Bag Balm and were on our way.

We just had time to make it to the grocery store for our next day's rations. Usually that means a lot of cheese and peanut butter. Imagine our surprise when we found the librarian and the drug store clerk doing their own shopping after a long work day. We really stood out with our brain dead expressions and bright yellow grease stained cycling jackets. Life in a small town.

Our last job was sorting our STUFF to get ready for a mail drop in Ione. Pam decided to let go of her sub zero winter gear AND the Butt Paste. I decided to let go of my books. But Carol really cracked us up when she shared with us, "the heaviest thing I'm carrying is my prosthesis". That was when we discovered she is a breast cancer survivor. I am in some awesome company. Like I said, "no whiners, no complainers".

Before dropping off to sleep, Pam leads a discussion about what time to set the alarm. She always wants to leave earlier and I always want to leave later. It gets settled by going earlier. What does earlier mean? To Pam it is first light. Since we are so far North, this results in us going to sleep when it is still light out so we can get up in the dark. It's a good thing we do leave early because we have had some 12 hour riding days.

The three of us met from a classified ad Pam placed in Adventure Cycling Magazine. She did specify "early riser". But imagine her surprise when, as a devout Christian she found herself locked into living intimately for three months with two heathens , a fanatic with lipstick and an early riser who doesn't want to leave the day before.(Honeymoon's over, "we're not equally yoked"). Pam has resigned herself to the lipstick by sneaking a new deodorant back into her bag. I am getting ready earlier. When there are two beds in a room, it is easy to divide the Christians and the Heathens. Pam said, "if lightning strikes, He can get two for one." What kind of Christian idea is that?

Pam says her next ad will be more specific. "early riser means leave at dawn, must be a Christian, no lipstick." I am sure she wouldn't have as much fun as we're having now.

Then it is pleasant dreams so we can get up and start the fun again.

Colville, WA to Ione, WA 43 Miles

2008-05-26T04:51:00.000-07:00

We are without sag support now. Dave and Laura Brimlow had some mechanical trouble with their RV. In addition they will be taking a rest day on Sunday to go to church. We miss them dearly. We are incredibly grateful that we have had them to help us over two mountain passes.

Ione is a small quiet town. But, Pam tracked down a lovely lady, Jean Munding. She is 87 years old and still going strong and living independently in a trailer. She packages her "Holy Tea" and sells it over the internet. She was in the process of distilling her own drinking water when we arrived. Jean fed us delicious homemade turkey soup before handing us over to her daughter, Judy, who offered us her camping trailer to sleep in. When we got to Judy's house we saw Jean's artwork beautifully displayed. Jean is a genuine artist. She had lovely paintings of birds and nature scenes. Jean also showed us her lovely prizewinning quilt. Each of 50 squares was a state bird. The detail and colors were stunning.

Judy's 12 year old son Eric, 6 year old granddaughter, Emma and friend Sean were outside jumping on a trampoline. I couldn't resist joining them. Pam said, "Barb if you get hurt, we're leavin' you behind." I had so much fun, Pam couldn't resist joining in.

We had set up a mail drop at Jean's house in Ione. I had lost my gortex socks and been using plastic bags for protection on those cold rainy passes. I chastised myself because this is the result of having too much stuff. I feel like I've toured enough to know better. But, I've never been on a tour which encompasses such a long time and such drastic changes in weather. Beth Smith, who hosted us in Anacortes, e-mailed me with the news that my socks were left behind at her house and offered to mail them to me. I was so excited to receive them in Ione along with some fancy chocolate and special green tea. We all felt like we were receiving a care package "on the front". Thanks again, Beth.

Our most important business in Ione was mailing stuff back home. With no sag, we decided we really needed to reevaluate our needs as opposed to what we could carry. Is this a big life lesson here?

I let go of my bike lock, an extra pair of shorts and the most difficult of all the heavy books I was carrying. But NOT the lipstick...yet.

Jean and Judy gratefully offered to carry our packages to the post office when it opens on Tuesday.

Republic WA to Colville WA - 57 Miles

2008-05-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

At 5,575 feet (yes, that IS nearly 300 feet over a mile, for those who are counting) today’s ride included the highest pass to date.

They left in a light rain, which became a driving rain on the ascent. (More statistics include a 6% downhill grade for six miles, that would have been welcome, but for the driving, windy, bone-chilling cold rain that it eventually became on the descent.)

So that’s pretty much the story of the day. But, truth be told, it wasn’t all work. The report is that the Columbia River was not only a major inspirational landmark to cross, but quite stunning and beautiful at the same time.

Tonight’s rooms are being provided by Benny’s Colville Inn. Pam has demonstrated her sweet-talking ways by managing to secure a room for $5 per cyclist! Meanwhile, Colville Methodist Church is serving up three (probably the equivalent of six) well-earned meals.

But hey, at least the riders are finished with passes for a while.

Tonasket, WA to Republic, WA 43 Miles

2008-05-22T15:35:00.000-07:00

Barbara is the speck to the left of this logging truck.

Last night we were graciously treated to a free room at the Junction Motel in Tonasket.

We were on the road at 5:50 AM, after dropping our bags off with Laura and Dave Brimlow. Dave doesn't hit the road until 9:00 AM so we were sure to drop them off QUIETLY outside the RV. We had another long pass to climb today up to Wauconda. It was about 24 miles of climbing, but not as steep as Loup Loup, and what a gift to feel like we were flying without our loaded panniers.

Today it was so peaceful on one section of the road that we could hear the wind underneath the wings of a huge black bird as he was starting his flight. We also learned to share the road with the logging trucks. They really were quite courteous and did drive wide around us. However, they made me nervous so I just pulled off to the side. At one point we were going up an extremely tight curve with a hanging rock at the top. A logging truck was going up on our side and a rock truck was coming down the other direction. We squeezed ourselves to the side of the road and just let them pass.

We arrived in Republic at 1:30 PM, same as Dave, who didn't start until 9:00 AM. We all felt like we earned a rest and a hot shower. We have been treated to this at the Northern Inn. Kathy is the owner and host and we are grateful for her generosity. She told us she is so enthusiastic to help us promote Habitat for Humanity.

Northern Inn Room

Republic, WA

Winthrop, WA to Tonasket, WA 70 Miles

2008-05-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

Tom Sullivan is an avid cyclist. He and his wife, Carolyn really knew how to take care of us. We hit the road EARLY so Tom was in the kitchen by 4:30 AM to prepare us a breakfast of oatmeal, yogurt and even lattes. We were on the road by 6:15 AM. We had a big 11 mile climb up Loup Loup pass. Loup is French for Wolf. But we were the only ones howling on those 10% grades. As we were approaching the top, Pam noticed an RV parked by the side of the road. She said, "maybe that's my aunt who has come to help us carry our gear." I, the skeptic commented, "you have a big imagination." As we rode by the RV a woman came out and told us she was supporting her husband on a coast to coast bike trip. Would be like for her to carry our gear also? No pause, I blurted out YES!! We couldn't unhook our load fast enough.

Laura Brimlow is supporting her husband, Dave Brimlow on his coast to coast bicycle trip. Dave has been diagnosed with MS and he is raising money and awareness about what a person can do even with the diagnosis. Their story is quite heartwarming and we are grateful to be a part of it.

You can read their blog at: www.freewebs.com/jubileetour

We ended up having a long hard day even after the pass because of headwinds. This meant we had to pedal in our lowest gears even downhill. Everyone had told us, "you've already done the hardest part after the Cascades, the rest will be a piece of cake."

Downhill through the Cascades

Well, we shot our wad on Rainy Pass and Washington Pass. We dragged in to Tonasket at 4:30 PM. Imagine, what would have happened to us if we had to carry our own bags. I hate to think about it.

This trip is really teaching me about the synchronicity of the universe.

May 20, 2008 Newhalem, WA to Winthrop, WA 75 miles

2008-05-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

WOW!! We did it!! Rainy Pass and Washington Pass. We left Newhalem at 5:00 AM in the rain. Boy, these girls from Kansas and Missouri are hard core. No whiners or complainers on this trip. We climbed for 43 miles. Total elevation 6,000 feet of climbing.

We left the Skagit River and climbed all day. Instead of creeks and wildflowers of the past two days, we were treated to a plethora of waterfalls. Each was grander than the last. At the top we were startled to see blue glaciers.

We started up the pass before it was officialy open. The report said it was scheduled to open at 3:00 PM today. We figured we would be at the top by the time it was opened. Well, we surprised ourselves by arriving at the top by 1:30 PM. We are better than we think. Of course the rain and sleet kept us moving. But, the treat was that we had the entire road to ourselves all day, not one car could get through.

When we arrived at the gate there was a line of RVs waiting to drive through the pass. I was hoping while they were sitting there they would think of making hot coffee. We were so cold. But, we did look pretty scruffy when we came down.

We are hosted tonight in Winthrop by Tom and Carolyn Sullivan and their son John. They didn't even bat an eye when we showed up looking or at least feeling like drowned rats.

Riders at Tom & Carolyn's House

Concrete, WA to Newhalem, WA 39 Miles

2008-05-19T12:02:00.000-07:00

Before we left Concrete, WA Harold Hanson treated us to a barbecue dinner at one of his four airplane hangars. Then, his pilot, Jim flew us around the Cascades in Harold's 1954 Bonanza. Carol and I were in awe. Most spectacular was Mount Baker with its own halo of black cloud back lighted by the sun. Pam chose to keep herself on the ground, promising to take pictures, as she hollered to us, "If you don't return, I got dibs on the lipstick, I'll wear it to your funeral!"

We spent another day along the majestic Skagit River with its thunderous creeks, my favorite being Damnation Creek. We felt privileged as we arrived in Newhalem to our private bunkhouse with all amenities included. We cannot thank Pam enough for the work she has put into arranging lodging for our trip.

We are awaiting word on when Washington Pass will reopen. This promises to be our most challenging ride of the trip, 66 miles with major climbing and no services.

May 17, 2008 Concrete, WA

2008-05-17T11:12:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we rode from Anacortes, WA to Concrete, WA 57 miles.

6:45 AM to 2:00PM.

Leaving Anacortes

It was hard to say good-bye to JB and Beth Seaman. They hosted us in their lovely home, fed us and shared all their love and interests with us. Beth even generously picked me up at the train station in Mt. Vernon, 21 miles from her home.

L to R: Beth, Barbara, Pam, Carol, and JB

Darlene Laubenstein and her sister Betty drove Pam and Carol from Warrensburg, MO to Anacortes, WA in her van. In addition we were all surprised when Pam's Aunt Lorene and her friend Mike showed up from San Jose, CA, 900 miles away, just to see us pedal off. They made sure to send us off with a healthy 2nd breakfast.

It had been cloudy, cold and rainy. Everyone kept telling me what a bad spring Washington was having. Coming from sunny Southern California I was quite worried about the cold going over the Cascade Mountains. Well, be careful what you wish for. We left Anacortes in beautiful weather. In fact it is said this will be the hottest day of the year in Western Washington. They are experiencing a High Pressure Weather System from California. Could I have brought that with me? Now, the enormous amount of snow is melting so fast that they have closed our first mountain pass due to avalanche danger. It will be reassesed on Monday. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

We can attest to the spring runoff. We rode along the Skagit Highway and oohed and ahhed as we passed one thundering creek and waterfall after another pouring into the Skagit River. Then every direction we looked we saw snow covered peaks or lush green ferns. Now, we understand we may pay a price for all we've been treated to. We are hoping to ride over Rainey Pass on Tuesday.

In the meantime we rode into Concrete Airport yesterday where we have been installed in the pilot's lounge. We have a kitchen, showers, hide a beds and the most stunning view of the forest and snow covered peaks as we watch small planes land and take off.

We were treated to dinner at Annie's Pizza.

We were even loaned a car by Jack Mears to drive around Concrete. We decided to stay here another day before heading to Newhalem at the bottom of the pass.

Jack on right with friends.

We took a leisurely ride this morning along the Skagit River and got some beautiful pictures. We returned to Concrete where we were given a tour of the airport.

Harold Hanson is retired from building ski resorts and shopping centers. He is a pilot, collector and restorer of rescued planes. He showed us his stable of approximately 50 vintage airplanes. The oldest is from 1932. A true visionary, he has almost single handedly led the town of Concrete into developing this airport. We so enjoyed not only looking at the lovingly restored planes, but hearing his stories of all the things he has done in his life. He is working hard to put Concrete on the map and after 5 years it seems to be happening as more and more flight enthusiasts retire here. He has done everything from planting grass to organizing community events.

Harold with a sliver of his collection

Pam, Carol and I just met face to face on Thursday, May 15th. We feel so fortunate to have connected through an ad in Adventure Cycling Magazine. We are on a honeymoon. Let's hope it lasts.

Our first night together Pam was trying to winnow some weight from her panniers. She asked for my help in discarding unneeded items. I assured her letting go of the deodorant would not be a problem. Then, when we cleaned up after our ride to Concrete I pulled out my lipstick. She chastized me for jettisoning the deodorant and carrying the lipstick. I replied "you can't smell the pictures." Like I said, "Let's hope the honeymoon lasts." We are having great fun together.

May 14 Lopez Island, San Juan Islands WA

2008-05-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I spent the day on Lopez Island, in the San Juans. This is the farthest west I will go on this "expedition". Began my ride in the rain, because this is what people do in Washington. Besides, the forecast was for the rain to stop. It did after about three hours of riding.

After a steep climb from the ferry landing on Lopez I had beautiful rolling hills around the island. I was pedaling through lush rain forest all day. Every driver who passed waved or said "Hello". I had to laugh to myself when they suggested preferred routes to avoid traffic. Being from LA I don't consider two cars per hour traffic.

The high point was seeing an animal in the middle of the road. I thought it was a cat, then a fox, but as I got closer I was amazed to come wheel to face with a baby fawn. When it saw me it skittered across the road on its spindly legs into the forest.

Life is good.