Monday, August 24, 2009

Trip in Review, Final Post

Not sure how many people are still reading this, but just in case...

Several years ago, I compiled a list of “Life’s Goals” to pursue.  Near the very top of the list I wrote “Bike across America.” After graduating in May, I found myself at a good transition point to take a few months off for this purpose.  I reported to Providence on June 11 after having rented a car and leaving Ithaca with a surprising amount of sadness. I found myself a little bummed driving away with Cayuga Lake in the rearview mirror.  I didn’t have much time to be morose, however.  After a quick car ride, I arrived at Brown University for orientation.  Writing this two months later, it seems like a half-year ago. 

I entered thinking that I’d be riding solo for much of the trip, wanting to spend time in thought and enjoy the country’s scenery.  I imagined that as one of the older riders on the trip, I could maintain a comfortable distance from the rest of the crew.  That quickly went out the window, and looking back, I’m really thankful for it.  As the trip ends, I’m focusing on my happiness and sadness surrounding the people that I did it with more than the trip itself.

The dynamics of group living are something I am accustomed to from my service in AmeriCorps (11 people in close quarters for 10 months).  I had a great time then so I anticipated not having any problems this time either.  I actually had more opportunities for independence in Bike & Build; I could always take off and ride on my own if I wanted each day.  There are still a few small, bothersome things about our generation that arise in these situations (how we are never on time, for example), but I’m also consistently impressed by the abilities, open-mindedness, and spirit of my age-group.  Through AmeriCorps and Bike & Build, I’ve lived with two separate groups that care a great deal about the future of the world, and they are doers who want to drive change. 

Several traits stood out from P2S09: 

(1) It was the most adventurous group I’ve ever been around.  I guess you have to be if you want to bike across the United States.  This led to countless experiences I would have never found if I were doing the trip alone.

(2) I admired the overall competitiveness of the group.  Competition can bring out both the very best and the very worst in people, but the competitors on this team almost always fell into the former category.  I always think to Teton Pass day: I will forever admire Natalie for waking up at 4 AM to do the pass with a hard cast on her wrist (and in her second ring on her front gear because she couldn’t shift with her left hand), and Shawn for walking up the mountain with his beloved bike over his shoulder less than a week after getting hit by a car.  That’s competition in its most pure form, to test your limits and achieve what others cannot.

(3) Our happiness quotient was always extraordinarily high.  This is probably related to the first trait above; we had some very relaxed people who were just looking to enjoy themselves and live in the moment. When considering what a difficult mental and physical challenge this trip was, it’s remarkable that people kept such high spirits.

I hope that three or four decades from now, I can still call some of these people my friends.  Over the last few days, goodbyes with the group were quite difficult, displaying just how much these people meant to me over the last two months.

Beth was the toughest.  She helped make this trip as good for me as it was.  There is a multitude of things I admire about her and I’m so glad I got to know her well over the last two months.  I constantly found myself thinking about a scenario through my own lens and then through a “What Would Beth Think” lens.  She brings perspective to so many situations and makes you realize what is really important.  

Of course, this trip was about more than gaining new friendships.  I’d never spent much time in any of the states besides New York, Wyoming, and Washington, and I’d only ever driven quickly through Pennsylvania, Iowa, Montana, and Idaho.  Touring the country by bicycle affords you views and experiences that you cannot receive otherwise. 

As I close out this blog, I’m going to refer to my well-known penchant for lists.  Over the first few post-Bike & Build days, I’ve summarized the trip in a massive compilation of my favorite moments (roughly ranked) as a way to sort through what the trip actually meant to me.  I’ll share some of my favorites below.  Additionally, I’ve ranked my favorite riding days and the toughest riding days.  This exercise helped me realize just how incredible the summer was.  I’m so thankful to have had the opportunity to participate in Bike & Build’s P2S09 route.  Thanks to the rest of the riders and the readers on this blog.  And a special thank you to all those who donated to my ride; without you I literally wouldn’t have been able to do it!

See the next blog below for these lists...

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Trip in Review, Lists

Favorite Memories from Bike & Build, Providence to Seattle 2009:

1.     July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID- The entire climb up Teton Pass from Jackson and our celebration on top

2.     August 9 - Wallace, ID to Coeur d’Alene, ID- The whole sweep day with Beth, going about 4.6 miles per hour throughout the day, leaving at 8:45 AM and not arriving until about 7:15 PM.  Activities included: a really cool gondola ride up Silver Mountain in Kellogg; really good burgers, fries, and ice cream at Humdinger’s in Kellogg, part of 5 hours that I spent in Kellogg; great conversation on the river; bike paths out of Wallace and into Coeur d’Alene; biking along Lake Coeur d’Alene; and the 4th of July Pass climb.

3.     June 30 - Gambier, OH to Columbus, OH- Getting into Ohio Stadium (the “Horseshoe”) and playing around on the field with 14 other people on The Ohio State’s football stadium

4.     June 18 - Poughkeepsie, NY to Roscoe, NY- Meeting the lead group in the Grahamville Deli (Erika, Shawn, Chong, Peter, Eileen, Jonathan, Jake, and Tino) and having their hardcore attitude really allow me to enjoy the whole rainy day situation

5.     August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- The final shakedown in the water, led by Raj.  This capped off a 10-15 minute celebration with lots of hugging and yelling in the Sound

6.     July 10 - Clinton, IA to Mount Vernon, IA- The adrenaline rush we got when we realized that we could ride but we had to bust our ass in difficult elements, prompting us to ride 20 miles in our first hour

7.     August 14 - Omak, WA to Early Winters, WA- Sleeping on the banks of Early Winters Creek under the stars with incredible views

8.     July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID- Going back down the pass to go up again with Jake but part way up deciding to carry our bikes with Shawn; in total Cool Runnings fashion, about 6 others joined us before we reached the top

9.     July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY- The morning of Togwotee Pass, including getting psyched up outside the Dubois church before our ride (with music, warm-ups, stretching, war paint ala John Randle, and handshake with Chong) and then speeding up the ascent to 9,600 feet in cool, crisp mountain air on a pass that turned out to be a lot easier than we all thought

10.  August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA- Doing the 15-mile climb up Washington Pass (about 5,400 feet) in 1 hour, 20 minutes; this was also our final climb of the trip and rewarded us with some great views on the overlook of Washington Pass

11.  August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- Crossing the finish line in Lincoln Park in Seattle with all the parents there, dropping our bikes, and then as quickly as we could we stripped off our shoes and any thing that might get wet and sprinted into the Pudget Sound.

12.  July 3 - Dayton, OH to Hartford City, IN- How high everybody’s morale was when we get to Hartford City despite a day of adversity (something I toasted to at dinner).  I rode the final 30 miles with Danny, Eileen, Maso, Chong, Sam, and Isabel in a great session.

13.  August 2 - West Yellowstone, MT to Bozeman, MT- Biking along Gallatin River through the Gallatin Mountains in a gorgeous valley on a day almost entirely filled with downhill

14.  August 16 - Rockport, WA to Everett, WA- Doing the handshake line with my partners (7 or 8 of them) and getting a video of it

15.  August 14 - Omak, WA to Early Winters, WA- Climbing Loup Loup Pass (4,020 feet) with Shawn, being the first two up.  I was riding with about 5-7 people (Suzanne, Ali Mae, Beth, Kyle, and maybe more) and then when Shawn passed me on the start of the first hill, I decided to go with him.

16.  July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY- Biking along the Tetons in Teton National Park

17.  June 21 - Binghamton, NY to Wysox, PA- Playing all sorts of sports in the backyard of the church, including wiffleball, football, frisbee, and basketball (at the YMCA where we took showers).  It was on the longest day of the year, so all of us were out on the lawn and it didn’t seem like the sun would ever set

18.  August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA- Hitting 48.7 mph on the descent near Ross Lake when I drafted off a truck towing a boat and actually had to brake (I could’ve gone 50, maybe 55); I enjoyed it so much that I climbed up over a mile and did it again (I only hit 46 the second time b/c I missed my draft)

19.  August 16 - Rockport, WA to Everett, WA- Alie Orange and Suzanne doing Bike & Build trivia at a bar and my team of Natalie, Jonathan, Maggie, Ali Mae, and Sam winning in convincing fashion (and then drinking and dancing in the bar afterwards)

20.  June 29 - Tallmedge, OH to Gambier, OH- Pulling into the parking lot at Watson Hall at Kenyon College and just leaning over my handlebars in complete exhaustion, and Shawn and Isabel giving me hugs when I finished

21.  June 26 - Franklin, PA to Youngstown, OH- Having a great talk at a local bar (Cedar’s) with a great crew until curfew (Beth, Eileen, Kyle, Erika, Trevor, Ali Mae, and Chong)

22.  July 8 - Pontiac, IL to Peru, IL- 4-on-4 full court basketball with Kyle, Ashley, Beth, Erika, Chong, Natalie, and Suzanne

23.  July 2 - Build Day, Dayton, OH- Playing full and half-court basketball in the Sinclair CC gym where we slept with Chong, Tino, Beth, Kyle, Lauren, Isabel, Natalie, Ashley, and Eileen

24.  Town Hall Meetings throughout the trip

25.  August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- The final ceremony, including: great food put together by the parents, the certificates the leaders gave us, along with a little blurb about each of us, a gorgeous sunset, and Tino’s video that recapped the trip.

26.  August 11 - Coeur d’Alene, ID to Spokane, WA- All the chalk at the Idaho-Washington state line

27.  July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID- Shawn carrying his bike up the pass and Natalie biking the pass early in the morning because she was driving the van (in her middle front ring, no less)

28.  July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA- Pacelining with Shawn, Tino, and Jake on the final stretch and coming into Sioux City at a great speed

29.  August 9 - Wallace, ID to Coeur d’Alene, ID- Time trials with Danny, Shawn, Peter, Isabel, and Eileen (I took third behind Danny and Shawn)

30.  July 14 - Build Day, Carroll, IA- Reading the love letters that we wrote for the scavenger hunt, especially Shawn’s use of Trevor’s phrase “2 times,” kissing Trevor on the cheek, and Trevor reading his love letter to all the P2S ladies

31.  August 4 - Helena, MT to Lincoln, MT- Climbing Flesher Pass to cross the Continental Divide for the third and final time

32.  August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA- Whipping around 20-23 mph for the last 20 miles with Beth, Kyle, Eileen, Shawn, Tino, Sam, Erika, and Natalie at the end of the day with slight downhill, no wind, and great pavement (Eileen and I broke away to chase down Tino and Shawn)

33.  July 27 - Shoshoni, WY to Lander, WY- Biking through the construction zone with an escort and flying after we got out with a tailwind and downhill, including a great paceline after a construction zone with Kyle, Beth, Natalie, Jonathan, Isabel, Maso, and Scott, and after Kyle, Isabel, and Scott dropped, the last four of us came into Lander

34.  August 16 - Rockport, WA to Everett, WA- Swimming in a river and going off a rope swing at lunch

35.  July 26 - Casper, WY to Shoshoni, WY- Hell’s Half Acre canyon hiking in the middle of nowhere

36.  July 9 - Peru, IL to Clinton, IA- Natalie flipping over her handlebars when she and Danny rode headfirst into a cornfield (Beth taped it on Danny’s camera)

37.  July 28 - Lander, WY to Dubois, WY- Line dancing at the Rusty Pine with about 15 people

38.  August 19 - Seattle, WA- The great ferry rides to Vashon Island and back to Seattle, with a sunset at night and Rainier in the morning

39.  August 1 - Day Off, West Yellowstone, MT- Seeing the sunset while at Midlevel Basin with a bunch of paint pools around us

40.  August 13 - Wilbur, WA to Omak, WA- An ice cream eating binge late at night around a table in the main room between me, Beth, Elizabeth, Caroline, Saskia, Jake, Maggie, and Scott

41.  August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA- How beautiful Ross Lake, Diablo Lake, and Gorge Lake were as we biked by them

42.  July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID- The really fast descent down the other side of Teton Pass

43.  July 8 - Pontiac, IL to Peru, IL- Making 25 straight free throws

44.  August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA- Raj leading the group in a “shakedown” to warm up before we rode (counting down from 10 while wiggling your four limbs, then 9, then 8, all the way to 1)

45.  July 31 - Ashton, ID to West Yellowstone, MT- A very enjoyable ride along Hwy 47 through Targhee National Forest in the morning with Suzanne, Suzie B, Chris, Peter, Maggie, and Raj

46.  June 30 - Gambier, OH to Columbus, OH- The bike paths throughout the day, particularly going on the ones near Columbus with a big group

47.  June 17 - Kent, CT to Poughkeepsie, NY- Attacking our largest hill yet (about a 1,000 foot climb) and going to the top with Jake

48.  August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- Our whole group meeting on Beach Drive 1.5 miles before the finish line and riding together in a massive group

49.  July 31 - Ashton, ID to West Yellowstone, MT- Using Suzie B’s dress for our prom

50.  August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- When “All These Things That I’ve Done” came on at breakfast on our final day

51.  August 18 - Seattle, WA- Cooking and eating a really good salmon dinner at Saskia’s house with Shawn, Tino, Ariela, Sam, Suzanne, Beth, Peter, Alie Orange, and Saskia

52.  August 14 - Omak, WA to Early Winters, WA- An 8-mile descent from the top of Loup Loup

53.  July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA- Feeling very tired but content after probably the second or third hardest day to that point (Roscoe, Gambier), with headwinds in the morning and big climbs with rolling hills in the afternoon

54.  July 3 - Dayton, OH to Hartford City, IN- Our police escort out of Dayton

55.  July 18 - Lake Andes, SD to Winner, SD- Seeing Harry Potter at a drive-in movie theater in Winner

56.  August 1 - Day Off, West Yellowstone, MT- A neat hike overlooking Lake Yellowstone in the afternoon with Ashley, Maso, Caroline, Lauren, Natalie, Kristie, Beth, Erika, and Maggie

57.  August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- At our final wrap meeting, Alie Orange told the group that Seattle had 16% Asians, and Chong and Tino flipped out

58.  July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY- The descent off the mountain after the construction zone and into the valley with the Tetons in front of us

59.  August 4 - Helena, MT to Lincoln, MT- Camping for the first time, talking by the fire, and me sleeping outside

60.  August 6 - Build Day, Missoula, MT- Chong, Jake, and Tino getting me a bike computer

61.  June 11 - Providence, RI- Meeting the full crew with ice breakers, including the name game we played (Jabbin’ Justin)

62.  August 5 - Lincoln, MT to Missoula, MT- Cranking with Erika, Beth, Natalie, and Kyle for about 25 miles before lunch on a slight downhill

63.  August 6 - Build Day, Missoula, MT- Feeling very productive for the first time all trip on a build day because of good leadership and organization.  I worked with Kyle on cutting rebar (along with a few others), recycling wood scraps, preparing a front porch foundation, and installing a radon pipe in the roof

64.  July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID- Walking around Ashton with Beth at night and seeing the sunset in a field

65.  June 16 - Granby, CT to Kent, CT- Stopping at Kent Waterfalls and swimming in cold water

66.  August 7 - Missoula, MT to Superior, MT- Walking around the Superior Fair

67.  August 11 - Coeur d’Alene, ID to Spokane, WA- Seeing Shawn, Ebone, and Matt (old college roommates) and having dinner and drinks with them in Spokane

68.  July 22 - Chadron, NE to Lusk, WY- Climbing the rock formation 1 mile before the stateline

69.  July 28 - Lander, WY to Dubois, WY- Biking along Wind River, with some really cool red rock formations along the way

70.  August 5 - Lincoln, MT to Missoula, MT- Double helpings of ice cream after the ride at The Big Dipper (Vanilla & Reese’s and Maple Walnut)

71.  August 12 - Spokane, WA to Wilbur, WA- Going up a monstrous hill that was probably a 15% grade in Spokane within the first 4-5 miles, even though it was a detour

72.  July 31 - Ashton, ID to West Yellowstone, MT- Seeing Cassie from Blue 2 for dinner and drinks

73.  June 13 - Providence, RI- Putting up a wall at the Habitat house

74.  June 18 - Poughkeepsie, NY to Roscoe, NY- The feeling of finally finding the church in Roscoe after one hell of a day

75.  August 6 - Build Day, Missoula, MT- The music program by a church band (the Shenanigans) after dinner

76.  July 12 - Marshalltown, IA to Ames, IA- Doing the scavenger hunt in the morning, including putting a pipe cleaner star on an evergreen tree, writing a love letter from Shawn to Trevor, building a bike out of traditional materials, and much more

77.  Stopping for ice cream at a bunch of points along the way.

78.  July 24 - Douglas, WY to Casper, WY- The natural rock bridge with great scenery and a cool stream

79.  July 1 - Columbus, OH to Dayton, OH- Singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” with Lauren on the walk home from the bars

80.  July 13 - Ames, IA to Carroll, IA- Finishing the paint job on the trailer

81.  June 12 - Providence, RI- Great Shakedown Ride (20 miles) with lots of teamwork

82.  June 16 - Granby, CT to Kent, CT- Playing football with Trevor, Ashley, Beth, and Chong on the Kent field

83.  June 24 - Coudersport, PA to Warren, PA- Climbing the hill right before lunch with Jake and Peter and how happy I was to see Walter at the top of Mount Jewett

84.  July 9 - Peru, IL to Clinton, IA- Crossing the Mississippi River

85.  June 18 - Poughkeepsie, NY to Roscoe, NY- Hugging people who came in after they finished Roscoe

86.  Numerous naps throughout the trip

87.  August 11 - Coeur d’Alene, ID to Spokane, WA- Trevor and Natalie doing the milk gallon challenge at lunch (and Trevor succeeding)

88.  June 18 - Poughkeepsie, NY to Roscoe, NY- Biking on my own for about 15 miles around a gorgeous reservoir before I met the lead group for lunch

89.  July 19 - Winner, SD to Martin, SD- Eating a great double bacon cheeseburger, having great conversation, and laughing a whole bunch with Eileen, Suzanne, and Ashley at Jenni’s Diner in Martin courtesy of Ali Mae’s dad

90.  June 27 - Build Day, Youngstown, OH- Having a good conversation with Chong, which ultimately helped convince me to suspend the job search until after the summer

91.  June 27 - Build Day, Youngstown, OH- Knocking out the front side of the roof with Eileen, Scott, Beth, Alie Orange, and Ariela

92.  July 4 - Hartford City, IN to West Lafayette, IN- Watching fireworks from the parking lot

93.  Great meals along the way, including: a great breakfast of eggs, homefries, toast, and bacon at Louie’s (in Providence); a great spaghetti and meatballs dinner (in Pomfret, CT); having real maple syrup on a pancake for breakfast (in Wellsboro, PA); a fantastic breakfast at Kenyon College and then a great chicken dinner at the Columbus Athletic Club later in the day; pulled pork sandwiches at lunch (on the way to Lusk); pulled beef dinner (in Superior, MT); insanely good sourdough pancakes and huckleberry syrup for breakfast (in Wallace, ID); chicken and peanut salad at dinner (in Coeur d’Alene, ID); good spaghetti (in Omak); and blueberry pancakes at Saskia’s house on Vashon Island

94.  July 24 - Douglas, WY to Casper, WY- Drinking and dancing at Sidelines, a strange sports bar near our hotel in Casper

95.  June 15 - Pomfret, CT to Granby, CT- A great yoga session with a local church member

96.  June 17 - Kent, CT to Poughkeepsie, NY- Playing Bananagrams (scrabble-like) and Caroline getting really competitive (“Peel”)

97.  July 7 - Off Day, Pontiac, IL- Having dinner with Grandma and Grandpa at Bernardi’s and ice cream and DeLong’s

98.  Playing spades with Caroline, Saskia, and Suzanne at various points along the trip (including Pomfret, Lusk, and Wallace)

99.  July 24 - Douglas, WY to Casper, WY- Eating double helpings of ice cream at the DQ in Casper, a Butterfinger blizzard and a dipped cone, with a really cool group

100.   July 14 - Build Day, Carroll, IA- Playing Spoons with 12 others (card game)

101.   July 6 - Gilman, IL to Pontiac, IL- Going out with the full gang in Pontiac at a bar that we completely took over

102.   August 5 - Lincoln, MT to Missoula, MT- Going solo to a Missoula Osprey baseball game

103.   June 27 - Build Day, Youngstown, OH- Going to Buffalo Wild Wings and watching our newscast on the local news

104.   July 19 - Winner, SD to Martin, SD- Crossing into the Mountain Time Zone

105.   June 25 - Warren, PA to Franklin, PA- Talking with Pastor Sam while drinking his homebrew in his house

106.   June 19 - Roscoe, NY to Binghamton, NY- Biking around some great NY lakes and reservoirs

107.   July 20 - Martin, SD to Chadron, NE- Catching major tailwinds through most of the day between miles 20 and 70

108.   July 23 - Lusk, WY to Douglas, WY- Good conversation with Beth about gender, chivalry, and her career outlook before lunch

109.   August 11 - Coeur d’Alene, ID to Spokane, WA- Biking with Isabel, Caroline, Maso, and Lauren throughout the day

110.   July 1 - Columbus, OH to Dayton, OH- Playing the word game “Contact” with Caroline, Lauren, Maso, and Shawn

111.   July 4 - Hartford City, IN to West Lafayette, IN- Having a good chat with Erika for about 20 miles

112.   July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY- Flying along the bike path in the southern part of the park

113.   August 11 - Coeur d’Alene, ID to Spokane, WA- How clear the river was on the ride into Spokane, and riding along the Centennial bike path

114.   August 10 - Build Day, Coeur d’Alene, ID- Putting up a fence with a bunch of other people throughout the day

115.   August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA- The really cool Casper Habitat project incorporating high schoolers into community service got $3,000 in funding, a program I pushed for

116.   August 13 - Wilbur, WA to Omak, WA- Stopping with Beth and Jonathan for some really good cherries and peaches at a neat store just beyond Grand Coulee

117.   August 4 - Helena, MT to Lincoln, MT- Riding with Lauren and Ariela and having good conversation throughout the morning to lunch

118.   August 13 - Wilbur, WA to Omak, WA- Seeing Grand Coulee Dam and checking out the visitor center

119.   July 22 - Chadron, NE to Lusk, WY- A solid climb up a mountain just past Harrison, NE and waiting for other riders while taking pictures of the scenic overlook

120.   July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA- Bike path next to the wildlife refuge early in the morning

121.   July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA- Talking with Trevor during much of the afternoon

122.   July 4 - Hartford City, IN to West Lafayette, IN- Trevor saying that Maso has 2 speeds, “stopped and fuckin’ fast”

123.   July 18 - Lake Andes, SD to Winner, SD- Stopping at Fort Randall Dam and Lake Francis with gorgeous scenery early in the morning

124.   July 28 - Lander, WY to Dubois, WY- Good conversation with Maso the whole day while riding together

125.   “Pointless Prosthetics” (plyometrics from track) throughout the trip, mostly with Ashley

126.   July 2 - Build Day, Dayton, OH- Seeing the Wright Brothers bike shop and workshop that has been turned into a historical site, where they built their planes

127.   July 22 - Chadron, NE to Lusk, WY- Stateline pictures at the Wyoming line

128.   June 26 - Franklin, PA to Youngstown, OH- Getting to the top of a 13% grade on a hill in PA

129.   July 27 - Shoshoni, WY to Lander, WY- Fireworks at Donna’s house

130.   July 9 - Peru, IL to Clinton, IA- Good conversation with Alie Orange throughout the afternoon

131.   June 14 - Providence, RI to Pomfret, CT- Dipping our tires into a harbor at the Brown Boathouse

132.   August 17 - Everett, WA to Seattle, WA- Kyle making it across the country on his original Bontrager tires without a flat (Seabiscuit was the one tire with tons of wear)

133.   June 26 - Franklin, PA to Youngstown, OH- Climbing 2 big hills early in the morning outside of Franklin

134.   August 4 - Helena, MT to Lincoln, MT- The descent off Flesher Pass

135.   July 24 - Douglas, WY to Casper, WY- Surprisingly nice biking on I-25

136.   August 13 - Wilbur, WA to Omak, WA- A 23-mile downhill from the top of the pass into Omak

137.   August 16 - Rockport, WA to Everett, WA- A camelback shower with Isabel

138.   July 5 - West Lafayette, IN to Gilman, IL- Good conversation at a local bar in Gilman with Ali Mae, Beth, Eileen, Trevor, and Kyle

139.   July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY- Getting really tasty energy bars from Dubois church members right at the start of our first climb of the day

140.   July 22 - Chadron, NE to Lusk, WY- Good conversation with Trevor on the way to Lusk

141.   Mail drops along the route

142.   July 23 - Lusk, WY to Douglas, WY- Pulling Natalie the first 9 miles in the chariot before Shawn’s accident, including up a big, long hill

143.   July 20 - Martin, SD to Chadron, NE- Playing Mafia in a barn we hid in while waiting out a storm just 3 miles into the ride

144.   Waking up to different songs along the way (“It’s a Brand New Day” and “Africa” for example)

145.   July 28 - Lander, WY to Dubois, WY- The descent right before Hwy 26/287 junction (the one Natalie and Peter did twice)

146.   July 16 - Sioux City, IA to Yankton, SD- The first stretch on IA-12 just out of Sioux City, with a 12-person relaxed paceline

147.   June 16 - Granby, CT to Kent, CT- Flying down a hill at about 48 mph with Suzanne

148.   July 21 - Day Off, Chadron, NE- Hiking with Mom and Dad at Chadron State Park

149.   June 15 - Pomfret, CT to Granby, CT- Having good conversation with Caroline as Sweep

150.   June 23 - Wellsboro, PA to Coudersport, PA- Walking around the lumber museum

151.   June 16 - Granby, CT to Kent, CT- Seeing a car having gone through the back of its garage

152.   August 5 - Lincoln, MT to Missoula, MT- Seeing the ranch where Natalie worked 3 summers ago

153.   August 14 - Omak, WA to Early Winters, WA- Saskia’s parents cooking a great chicken dinner at the campground, and then S’mores and ice cream in front of the fire

154.   July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA- First lunch by a really neat lake in Lake View (Blackhawk Lake)

155.   June 22 - Wysox, PA to Wellsboro, PA- Swimming at the local pool in Wellsboro for free

156.   July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID- Riding the last 10 miles with Eileen

157.   August 2 - West Yellowstone, MT to Bozeman, MT- Seeing a black bear with Beth

158.   July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY- The rodeo in Jackson

159.   July 14 - Build Day, Carroll, IA- Conversing with Erika while we worked together cutting sophet for the roof

160.   July 13 - Ames, IA to Carroll, IA- Peeing while staying on the bike

161.   July 17 - Yankton, SD to Lake Andes, SD- Going into a casino with Danny and Isabel

162.   June 22 - Wysox, PA to Wellsboro, PA- Moustache Monday

163.   August 8 - Superior, MT to Wallace, ID- Waking up to “Taps” from Suzanne on the trumpet

164.   Seeing different college football stadiums around the country, including Iowa State, Washington, and Purdue (not to mention Ohio State)

 

Favorite Biking Days:

  1. July 30 - Jackson, WY to Ashton, ID
  2. August 9 - Wallace, ID to Coeur d’Alene, ID
  3. June 18 - Poughkeepsie, NY to Roscoe, NY
  4. July 29 - Dubois, WY to Jackson, WY
  5. August 2 - West Yellowstone, MT to Bozeman, MT
  6. August 15 - Early Winters, WA to Rockport, WA
  7. June 30 - Gambier, OH to Columbus, OH
  8. July 3 - Dayton, OH to Hartford City, IN
  9. August 14 - Omak, WA to Early Winters, WA
  10. July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA
  11. July 22 - Chadron, NE to Lusk, WY
  12. June 29 - Tallmedge, OH to Gambier, OH
  13. July 20 - Martin, SD to Chadron, NE
  14. August 11 - Coeur d’Alene, ID to Spokane, WA
  15. August 5 - Lincoln, MT to Missoula, MT
  16. July 27 - Shoshoni, WY to Lander, WY
  17. June 24 - Coudersport, PA to Warren, PA
  18. June 23 - Wellsboro, PA to Coudersport, PA
  19. July 31 - Ashton, ID to West Yellowstone, MT
  20. July 28 - Lander, WY to Dubois, WY

 

Toughest Days:

  1. June 29 - Tallmedge, OH to Gambier, OH
  2. June 18 - Poughkeepsie, NY to Roscoe, NY
  3. July 16 - Sioux City, IA to Yankton, SD
  4. July 19 - Winner, SD to Martin, SD
  5. June 19 - Roscoe, NY to Binghamton, NY
  6. July 15 - Carroll, IA to Sioux City, IA
  7. July 3 - Dayton, OH to Hartford City, IN
  8. June 21 - Binghamton, NY to Wysox, PA
  9. July 4 - Hartford City, IN to West Lafayette, IN
  10. July 1 - Columbus, OH to Dayton, OH
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