Life On A B-I7

Coincidentally, the Great Divide race is happening right now. The riders left Banff, Canada on Saturday and I have seen them on the road the last two days. Only briefly mind you. Most of their route is off-road. They are running fully kitted mountain bikes. The best in class will run the 2,700 miles from Banff to the Mexican border in 14 days. Second tier riders will do it in 21 days. Everyone else, 4 to 6 weeks. All of them, even the six week crew, are in a class by themselves. This year’s favorite is shooting to do it in 11 days! He’s carrying almost nothing and he’s planning on only 4 hours of sleep a night. That’s 250 miles a day! My hat is off to those guys!

Seven miles outside Eureka, Komoot took me onto a side road. Komoot is designed to do that to avoid highway traffic whenever possible. The only problem with this side road is that it was 7 miles long but only the first 2 miles was paved. The last 5 miles was Forest Service road. I felt like I was on the Great Divide! My bike (which I haven’t named yet, I’m working on it.) complained bitterly to me the whole way. It reminded me it was built for pavement not for this sort of thing. I was sympathetic, but I told it we had no choice. Misfortune like this is often accompanied by little surprises. At the end of the road was a Forest Service day-use area with an outdoor lavatory. Just in time I might add.

Five miles outside whitefish I hit road construction. Three miles of unpaved road. It wasn’t your ordinary road construction. The road was completely torn up and what was left was mostly unpacked dirt and gravel. (I heard my bike say “why are we doing this again?”) It was the sort of construction that a Pilot Car has to lead you through. I told the driver of the Pilot Car I probably wasn’t going to be able to make it in one go, she said that’s OK. Just pull over whenever I needed to. I managed 2 miles before traffic started coming towards me from the other direction so I pulled over to rest. I forgot to mention, more than half of the 3 miles of construction was uphill.

When I got into town, I found a terrific bike shop. It was about 2 PM. I took my bike in and asked the mechanic if he could do a tuneup for me. When they learned I was riding the Northern Tier, they were happy to accommodate me.I asked for a motel recommendation and they told me I should definitely stay at the Chalet Motel. The motel is at the south end of town. I checked in, got cleaned up, and took my bike back to the shop. When I got back to the shop, there were a half dozen Great Divide cycles being worked on. I asked the shop if they could still get to mine by the end of the day tomorrow and they said they would. They were super friendly and cool.

I’m staying at the Chalet Motel. It is a family owned business run by Momma Eve. She’s fantastic. Right next door on the property is Momma Eve’s Pizzeria. The bike shop told me it was the best pizza in town and they weren’t kidding. I had dinner there and it was terrific. Momma Eve’s son is a professional Free Ride Skier. He waits tables at the restaurant in the summer. I enjoyed chatting with about skiing.

Komoot loves the forest. My bike doesn’t think so highly of Forest Service roads. My bike does not want to be on the Great Divide.

Keeping horses in the city? I guess here in Whitefish there is no ordinance against that.

Itinerary

Today I’m happy to report: I did my first major climb, 6% grade for 1 mile. I did it on the big chain-ring upfront. That can only mean one thing, my legs are starting to get stronger. I’m running a double in the front. I’ve had to use the little guy consistently up to this point. The next climb, a 4% grade for about a mile, forced me to use the little guy. That reminded me of a valuable lesson; just because you take one step forward, doesn’t mean you will never take another step back.

I’m starting to feel more comfortable on the bicycle. Seat, knees, ankles, shoulders, arms, stomach, they all have to work together. They are starting to figure each other out. More and more often, I’m reminded how joyful travel by bicycle is.

For those of you planning to make this ride (why not?) there is a gem of a campsite just off the road at Mile Post 51. There’s even an outdoor toilet provided by the Forest Service.

I saw a couple standing on a ledge looking out at the view of the lake so I stopped and asked them if they would like me to take their picture. They said if I didn’t mind. I said sure. I climbed up to the ledge with them and took their photo. We got to chatting and it turns out they were a nice couple from Louisiana. They were headed for Spokane, Washington. I told them Spokane was a cool town. I told them I know some good people there so I wasn’t kidding them. We wished each other well and they headed West and I headed East.

Before rolling into Rexford I spotted an eagles nest. One bird sitting in the nest, probably on eggs or hatchlings, another bird perched over the nest watching things, with dare I say it, an eagle eye…

I will often blow-by sights like this. The sound of this one captured my attention so I pulled over to have a look. I was rewarded with this view.

One of the best things about being on the road is meeting new friends.

The morning got off to a rough start when Komoot led me off track. Usually it does a pretty good job of finding alternate routes that avoid busy streets but this morning it failed me. It took me 2 miles out of town to a dead end road. I had to turn around and head back into town. About halfway back to town I opened up Apple Maps and selected “Bike Route,” it showed me an alternate that turned out to work pretty well. It added an extra 3 miles to today’s ride and it also added a significant amount of climbing, but it was beautiful.

Got to my campground at 3:30 pm. Set up my tent and fixed dinner. Tonight I’m having Grilled Chicken Jambalaya, Creole Style. I’m 41 miles from the nearest town behind me and 31 miles from the nearest town ahead. No cell service, so this won’t post until I reach the next town.

My reward for starting the day off course.

Hitchhiker trying to catch a ride. Yes. I look like a flower.

Today was a short day but it felt good after yesterday’s 60 miler. The first thing I did when I hit town was grab an espresso. It was chilly today and my hands got cold. It loots like a storm is blowing in this afternoon. I’m happy to be finishing up early. Tomorrow I’m going to wear my warm gloves! If you are an editor by nature, try and guess which two sentences above I normally would have combined into a run-on sentence but MIRACULOUSLY refrained from doing so.

Kootenai Falls.

Sadly, I did not see any!

This is the 50th anniversary of my first long-distance tour. I left Seattle in the summer of ‘76 and peddled to San Diego. My favorite part of that tour was the Oregon Coast, and the Redwoods. I still have that bike, a steel Raleigh. No, you can’t have it!

I passed three cyclists today. All three were headed West. I don’t know where they started from, we didn’t stop to chat, we just waved. We are all on a mission! It’s early in the season to have started from the East Coast.

My Mantra

I start each day with the following Mantra. It helps me prepare my mind for the work ahead. It’s also a reminder that this adventure is as much about the people I meet as it is about the personal experience.

I acknowledge the Creator and give thanks for the opportunity to greet another day. It is my intention to honor this day by presenting my best self to the world.

It is my goal for today to be kind to everyone I meet. I will look for the best in everyone and treat everyone I meet with kindness and respect.

I will share a smile whenever I can because I believe a smile has the power to make lives better.

I love the perspective. Reminds me of Escher.

The scenery today was awesome. Of course, that will probably be my caption going forward for all the photos on the tour

Rest Day, 0 miles.

I’m staying at the Clark Fork Lodge. This place is awesome and an exceptional value. If you are in Clark Fork and need a place to stay, this is it.

Last night I walked down to the local Bar & Grill for some dinner. Just minutes into my IPA the fellow next to me asked where I was from . I told him where I lived in Central Oregon and to my surprise he told me he grew up in the town just north of there. What a small world. He went on to explain how growing up, the boys in his town would always fight with the boys in my town. As a precaution, I made it clear I did not grow up there, only moved there five years ago. He did not mind. It was clear he was enjoying his reminiscing. He was very entertaining. My dinner was excellent too.

Besides a rest today, it’s time to repack my panniers. Before I do that, here is what I forgot to pack.

1. Light weight walking shoes
2. Sleeping shirt
3. Sleeping pants

REI is shipping these items General Delivery to Whitefish Montana.

Here’s my current kit. Last weigh-in, 37.5 lbs. Bike 34.5 lbs. I’m packing my age. That said, I’ll be running slightly over that once I receive my REI order in Whitefish.

Right Front Pannier

• Rain Jacket
• Rain Hat
• TP, Wet Wipes, Shovel (small)
• Toiletries
• Watercolor Set (aspirational)

Left Front Pannier

• Warm Gloves
• Back Packer Stove
• Insulated Cup
• MSR ISOPRO Fuel
• Instant Coffee
• One Freeze Dried Meal
• First Aid Kit
• Matches, Lighter, Wind Screen, Utensils

Right Rear Pannier

• Jacket & Vest
• Socks
• Sleeping Clothes
• Off-Bike Clothes
• Inflatable Pillow
• Three Month Supply of Medicine

Left Rear Pannier

• Cycling Shirts (2 total)
• Cycling Pants (2 short, 1 long)
• Inflatable Air Mattress
• Emergency Tarp

Rear Rack

• Sleeping Bag
• Tent

Handlebar Bag

• Road Food
• Gloves
• Sun Screen
• Cable Lock
• Wallet
• Nitecore NB1000 Power Bank (Light Weight Li-Ion) x 2
• Charging Cables
• Medicine
• Notebook & Pen

Top Tube Bag

• Flat Repair Kit
• Tire Pressure Gauge
• Tire Pump
• Bicycle Tools
• Spare Batteries
• Head Lamp
• Tie Straps
• Bike Stand
• Bad-Ass Knife (3” Swiss Army)

Stem Bag

• Mulit-Lens Riding Glasses (clear, amber, smoke)
• Eyeglasses (off-bike)
• Lip Balm

Stem

• Quad Lock mounted iPhone

Cyclist’s Kit

• Cycling Shirt
• Cycling Pants (padded)
• Socks
• SPD Shoes
• Windbreaker (Hi-Vis)
• Helmet
• Brooks B-17 Saddle (hard)
• Long Sleeve Jacket (as needed for warmth)
• Vest (as needed for warmth)

Yes, when I get dazed and confused I can refer to this list…

The motel owner drives a Nash Metropolitan. It’s been perfectly restored. Driving this would be almost as much fun as riding a bicycle.

Sandpoint to Clark Fork, 27 miles.

Made it in good shape despite rain all day. Staying at the Clark Fork Lodge. Very nice room. I’m going to spend two nights here and hunker down tomorrow for a day of rest. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow, then clearing after that.

Riding in the rain is challenging. Yes, you do get splashed, but less than you might expect.

I got help along the road from two drivers. The first time I got help I was off the bike at a five way intersection with a dazed look on my face. A car stopped to ask if I was okay? I said I was trying to figure out how to get to Clark Fork. The driver pointed me in the right direction and wished me luck. Don’t tell my SAG I needed direction from a stranger. She’s already betting I’ll get lost before the trip is over and I don’t want her putting any more money down on that bet!

The second time I got help was when a car pulled over to chat with me. The driver had a nice road bike on the car’s bike rack. He told me of a great side-road that would get me off the highway for three miles. I took his advice. There was some climbing involved but it was a beautiful alternate route!

REI is shipping me Chamois Butt’r to Whitefish, MT General Delivery. That could be more than you need to know…

In the “More Than You Need to Know” department, I offer the following analysis. Your mileage may vary — literally.

Option 1 - puts maximum pressure on the pelvic bone (unless you can stay in the drops all day long).

Option 2 - is okay but may not provide the best pelvic relief on longer rides.

Option 3 - is the best because it puts the least amount of pressure on the pelvic bone, as long as you are sitting properly on the saddle (stomach muscles tight).

Option 4 - causes too much friction. Nothing more to say about this one.

I took a moment to get off the bike in the rain to capture this image.

Newport WA to Sandpoint ID, 30 miles.

Today was the best day of riding so far. The weather was perfect and the road surface was good for 28 of the 30 miles. I was relaxed and I started to feel comfortable on the bike again. It takes a few hundred miles to become accustomed to long distance days.

One of the joys of long distance bicycle travel is the opportunity to enter a state of mindfulness, much like that which results when meditating. While you are concentrating intently on the road in front of you, your mind can free associate. I’m sure it’s different for everyone. That is often where I find myself. Today while my mind was floating somewhere between the front tire and the road 10 yards in front of me, the following occurred to me…

Welcome to Idaho!

I know things and I can fix stuff.

Ione to Newport, 53 miles.

On the first day out of the mountains, instead of climbing I was greeted by wind, cold, and even a spot of rain. Thankfully the climbing was moderate, only 1,100 ft.

The highlight of today’s ride was getting chased by two dogs. The first dog, a Doberman, came out and tried to nip at my heel. To ward him off I simply barked at him louder than he was barking at me. He found my bark disturbing and he turned around. (He had no idea my bark is worse than my bite.) The second dog, a Shepherd mix tried to run in front of my bike while barking at me. (I guess that’s a Shepherd thing.) I turned the front wheel toward him and made like I was going to run into him. He retreated with no further interference.

The day ended with a family dinner at a local restaurant. It was a combination send-off and farewell dinner. Farewell because my SAG is departing in the morning. Send-off because family that was not able to be in Anacortes was able to meet me here in Newport.

It was a good day for all hut the two dogs.

I am definitely going to take up watercolor painting. I’ve been able to capture no shortage of subject material.

Kettle Falls to Ione, 48 miles.

Tomorrow I’ll be just a few miles from Idaho. My SAG is from Idaho so I’m looking forward to that portion of the tour.

Speaking of SAG, tomorrow is my last day of support. I’m going to miss her. If all goes according to plan we’ll be meeting in Maine!

A view from the road. That stretch of shoulder is actually some pretty good riding compared to previous miles. I’ve got Idaho in my sights…

Some beautiful landscapes. These shots were taken before it clouded over and wind blew in.

Meeting a fellow cyclist along the road yesterday was a pleasant surprise. There aren’t a lot of us out here (only two as far as I know). We shared some stories and a bit of riding. It was great fun.

Republic to Kettle Falls, 43 miles.

Highlight: Sherman Pass.

Another day of climbing. Slightly less than yesterday, but two days in a row takes a toll. That said, the downhill was fun! My bike is a race horse. I reached 40 mph on the downhill. I was only passed by one car in 10 miles.

We found another Northern Tier Rider today. He’s out of Florida. He has an awesome bike. A pinion/belt-drive gravel bike from a New York builder. I have to say I was a bit envious. Since this is the third trip cross-country with my Titanium Davidson, it’s too late to switch horses, even if you are not in the middle of a stream.

After finding a motel in Kettle Falls (my Florida friend and I got the last two rooms) SAG and I went downtown to see what we could see. It so happens Kettle Falls was having their annual Summer Street Festival! Beer Garden, live music, and oh my gosh, Kitch for sale like you can’t believe. We had a great time! I was wearing my tour T-Shirt and a local woman came up to me and asked me about it. I told her about the tour and she was so curious and gracious. She said she would keep me in her thoughts and prayers. I was humbled.

There is a correlation to the width of the shoulder and the rider’s IQ. I won’t describe the correlation in any detail, it could be direct or it could be inverse. As a friend of mine often says, to be a long distance cyclist only requires you to be a hard-working 81.

A watercolor painting waiting to happen.

A Tisket a Tasket I’m going to Tonasket… then on to Republic…

Omak to Republic, 66 miles.

Today was tough. Perfect example of biting-off more than you should attempt to chew.

Tomorrow will be a tough day as well but with slightly less climbing. 4,100 ft. today, 3,800 ft. tomorrow. Fortunately tomorrow is fewer miles by about 20.

My buddy Mike with the KLR 650, back at the Omak campground, gave this to me to protect me on my ride. I plan to carry it in my pannier.

Winthrop to Omak, 46 miles.

Today’s ride introduced me to a significant bit of climbing… 3,325 vertical. Getting hit with that out of the gate on day three is not my idea of an easy ride, but it was satisfying, even though grueling.

We are in the city park in Omak in a nice tent site. The fellow next to us is touring. He is on a KLR 650. He started at the Mexican border and is headed for the Arctic Circle. The three of us had a great time chatting about our tours!

Tomorrow will be a long day. You never know quite how far you are going to get until you get there…

Just follow the signs and you’ll be fine.

The public library in Twisp is smaller than I expected. One thing you don’t do on a cycling tour is carry books, for obvious reasons. The work that goes into deciding what to carry takes a fair amount of deliberation.

Detour around Highway 20 closure.

Not a lot to be said about today. It was a seven hour drive to get back on route. That was the shortest way possible too.

I’m grateful to have SAG along with me. The detour would have taken a week without SAG. The acronym stands for “Support and Gear.” Since SAG refers to support as well as the person supplying the support, I was cautioned by my SAG to be careful how I spelled that term. I was told under no circumstances was I to spell that with an “N” an “H,” or a B.”

Anacortes to Rockport, 64 miles

I learned last night that Highway 20, my planned route east from here is closed due to rock slides that occurred during the winter. It probably won’t be open until early July, this calls for a slight adjustment to the plan.

I’m going to ride to Rockport which is about 18 miles east of the closure. My SAG and I will camp in the Newhalem State Park, then detour around the closure. The detour will require us to go south, over the Cascades at Stevens Pass, then go north and west to Winthrop. It’s about a 200 mile detour. The detour will bypass about 80 miles of the route. I’m planning to make that up at the end of the ride by adding a side trip or two, probably somewhere in Maine.

Before I left Oregon I took pledges from a dozen or so people for their support of the homeless shelter in town. When I reached Rockport I ducked into the town bar for a beer. After describing what I was doing to a couple of patrons there, one generous soul gave me some cash for the shelter. I was blown away. My hat is off to you (when I’m not wearing my cycling helmet.)

Ready to leave Anacortes.

For the next three months or so (if all goes according to plan) I’ll be posting a daily entry here describing my bicycle ride across the country. Each entry will usually contain a photo and a story about that day. It may be slightly bold to say this, but I hope you will enjoy the journey along with me. I would be delighted to have you drop in here from time-to-time…

We spent the day wandering the Main Street of Anacortes. We hade lunch at “Dockside Dogs.” They have one of the best dog menus I have ever seen. Locally sourced, top quality dogs. Naturally I had the “Anacortes Dog.” It was terrific. Five stars!

A small gathering of family and friends came together for a send-off dinner. We shared an amazing evening of good food and good company. I learned from my friends that a portion of the road ahead in the mountains east of here is closed due to winter road damage. I will have to detour around a 35 mile stretch of the route. Fortunately I have SAG support for my first week on the road.

Tomorrow begins the journey. Wish me luck!

This morning we left Redmond, Oregon for Anacortes, Washington — the start of my tour. We decide that rather than slog up I-5 all the way to Anacortes, we would cut-over to Mukilteo, just North of Seattle, and catch the Washington State Ferry to Whidbey Island. We drove up-island and crossed the famous Deception Pass bridge. Built in 1935, it is a landmark in Washington. We parked and walked across the bridge (see photo below) and enjoyed the view from this remarkably preserved structure. Whidbey Island State Park is the most visited park in the state of Washington. It encompasses the bridge on both sides. Tomorrow we plan to enjoy the city of Anacortes and have dinner with friends and family before I begin the tour on Monday.

The view from the Deception Pass bridge on Whidbey Island.

I’m heading into the Apple Store to get my cat an iPhone.

When I’m cycling across the country, I want to be able to call him and see how he’s doing. If he misses me as much as I’m going to miss him, it’s the least I can do…

Today I will meet all kinds of people:

People with addictions.
People overcome by lust.
People that lack gratitude.
People that are angry.
People that are greedy.
People enslaved to ambition
…and many others…

All of these people I will treat with kindness.

This Stoic “Mantra” can be used to condition ourselves to remain calm when facing an annoying situation. These have been adapted from the writings of Seneca. I think Seneca would approve the use of these in the form of a mantra.)

Psychologist today would call these techniques “cognitive distancing.” The Stoics understood these techniques long before modern science “acknowledged” them._ 

I think about what it would be like to not complete my upcoming tour. I shouldn’t be thinking like that, I haven’t even started yet. if I were ten years younger, these doubts wouldn’t even be entering my mind. Today is a different story. if I am successful, I will be happy of course. If I don’t succeed, it’s going to be a huge disappointment. I realize that someday I will attempt something epic and I won’t be successful. That is when facing myself will become the most important thing I can do. Naturally, I want to put that off for as long as I can. At least I have given some thought to what failure might look like and what may be required in response. Thinking ahead helps prevent emotions from taking control of us.

One of the most effective ways to reduce worry is to simply monitor your inner judgements and the emotions they give rise to. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus called this practice prosoche. Translated, that means mindfulness or attention. The more thought we give before judging, the more control we have over our emotions.

May we all enjoy happiness and the cause of happiness.
May we all be free from suffering and the cause of suffering.
May we all be free of expectations from others and rejection by others.
May we all rest in boundless equanimity.
Ahmen.

In my mind, this does not fall far from Christian belief — or any other worthwhile moral philosophy for that matter. If I am ever called upon to offer a pray for some reason (let’s hope not) I would like to pull this out of my back pocket.