RollingAcrossAmerica.org

Well, I am now actively planning my next journey. I’ve decided to embark on a one year long bicycle adventure around the United States. Literally. It will total nearly 12,000 miles when all said and done. For those of you who followed last years trip you will recall that I was struck by how the economy had decimated the country, especially the heartland. On this journey I’ll be taking a video camera and conducting interviews with people with the goal of doing a documentary film about “the state of the nation.”

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“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more…..”  Henry V

Life has a funny way of revealing itself. I’ve been thinking about the next great adventure and what that might be and now I know. A couple of weeks ago my brother Mark called me and told me he wanted us to ride bicycles across the United States together. Needless to say, I said yes. We’ve been orbiting on different planes much of our lives and haven’t spent as much time together as we wanted. He retired from the army a few years ago, a veteran of tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. And he’s turning 50 this year. My little brother is turning 50. It’s kind of hard to wrap my brain around that. His kids are  grown as are mine and more importantly he got a hall pass from his wife, my sister-in-law so now is the time.

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One year ago I celebrated July 4th in Yellowstone and was well into my journey. Today I am working with my friend Scott on a couple of projects related to internet marketing. I’ve joined the Vancouver Bicycle Club recently and am starting to do some of the club rides.

As I reflect back on that four months in my life I realize that it changed me. Today as I am out riding it feels different than before I left. As many of you know I wasn’t really a cyclist before my journey. The bicycle felt uncomfortable to me in a way. The action of turning the crank was strange. Now I am one with my bike. In the afternoons when I go out to my garage and see my old Surly it’s almost like visiting with an old friend. I climb on and it’s natural to turn the pedals. While I may not be as fit as when I was in the Rocky Mountains I’m still in good shape and ride between twenty and fifty miles several days a week.

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I arrived home late Monday night after completing my journey in Wilmington, North Carolina on Sunday, October 10^th. That last weekend I rode from my brother and sister-in-law’s in Hope Mills down to the coast without my trailer and was grateful the entire way. Grateful because in America we are afforded the opportunity to live our dreams. Grateful because I’m blessed with a lot of great friends and family. Grateful that I made it safely across without injury.

Me in Raeford, North Carolina near the end of the journey

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I’ve made my way to Bowling Green, Kentucky after taking a rather circuitous route since leaving Missouri. As you recall, I went off the TransAm Trail awhile ago and am now blazing my own path across the United States. A few days ago I crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois out of Cape Girardeau Missouri. It was an emotional experience for a number of reasons. The Mississippi River is huge for one and really impressive. Second, it does symbolically separate the east from the west. And crossing it meant that I had ‘officially’ crossed over and was in the eastern part of the country. At that time I’d done 3,000 miles and now my odometer reads 3,337.78 miles.

Crossing the Mississippi River between Missouri and Illinois

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I have to apologize because apparently an email I sent out some time ago didn’t actually get sent. My laptop went south after I left Colorado and I didn’t have internet access for awhile. I tried to send an email blast out from a public library in Kansas and it didn’t go, probably due to operator error. Then my cell was left behind in another town and it finally caught up with me a few days ago. It too has a few issues which I will have to get addressed when (and if) I ever get to a town that has a cell phone store.

One early morning in Kansas I rode past this inspirational hillside

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Horace, Kansas

I’m sitting in the Barrel Springs Hunt Club in Horace, Kansas. Today I bid adieu to Colorado and for the next five hundred miles will be in Kansas. After leaving Kremmling, Colorado I headed to Frisco which is a nice little town near Breckenridge. I’d met the President of Bighorn Rentals the second day I was on the riding on the Oregon coast. He told me to contact him when I got to Colorado and he’d comp me a room. I wrote John Forrest a few days before heading to Frisco and as promised had a nice room waiting for me. I spent took an off day in Frisco which allowed me to explore the area. Also to eat some mighty fine food that was unavailable for the last couple of months. Ahi, polenta and all kinds of good stuff. I reckon that in most of the towns I’ve cycled through if I mentioned polenta someone would say guzentheit.

Had this place all to myself one night in Kansas

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When we last left our intrepid cyclist he was in Lander Wyoming……

I have made my way down the Rocky Mountains and am now in Kremmling Colorado. As always, it’s been an adventure the last week and a half. In Lander I made the mistake of eating at a Thai restaurant and got sick as a dog. I lost weight I couldn’t afford to lose and had to take a couple of days off. Not a pleasant experience.

Riverside, Wyoming

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Where’s Waldo? That’s what my daughter asked me when she called the other day. Well, Waldo is in Lander, Wyoming. It’s been awhile since I sent out an update so thought I’d better catch everyone up. Over the last week and a half I’ve toured Yellowstone and am nearly to my next major milestone which is Rawlins, Wyoming.

The Continental Divide at nearly 12,000 feet

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Well, that doesn’t happen every day. Being stopped by a herd of cattle that is. Today as I was riding from Jackson Montana to Dillon I came upon a sign on the side of the road – CAUTION: COWS ON ROAD. I moseyed on down the road a piece and yep, there were cows in the road. Lots of ‘em. As you can see from the photos I was pretty much stopped in my tracks for awhile. The cowboys were driving them from one grazing area to another smack dab down the middle of the highway. As they got closer I was a little concerned and didn’t know what to do. Do I turn around? Do I just sit there and hope they have the sense to walk around me and not through me? Luckily a local came along in his truck and had me follow behind him as he pushed them aside.

Yeah, sure. Cows on the road.

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Greetings from Big Sky Country, Missoula Montana. I made it here yesterday after a three day, 173 mile push from Grangeville, Idaho bringing my total mileage to 986 since leaving Astoria. My back gave out on me after the grueling climb out of White Bird so decided to lay low for a couple of days and give it a rest. Lots of stretching and Aleve. Tuesday I made the trek from Grangeville to Lowell and stayed at the rustic Three Rivers Resort at the confluence of the Clearwater, Lochsa and Selway Rivers. I’m starting to run into a lot of cyclists now which has been interesting. People from all walks of life are riding the highways and byways of America. Although I haven’t caught up with her yet there’s a woman who is riding a unicycle across the country. I’m sure to catch up with her in the next couple of days. I rode for awhile with a guy from Australia, a teacher from Virginia and a guy from Kentucky.

Taking a break in Lolo, Montana on the way into Missoula

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Greetings from Grangeville, Idaho. I’ve been in Idaho for a few days now and only 172 miles from Missoula, Montana. It’s been a treat getting out of the rain now for the last week or so and in fact got sunburned one day while riding from Halfway, Oregon to Cambridge, Idaho.

Me with a couple of Brits on the road in Oregon

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Walking into the saloon I tell the barkeep, “Hi, my name is David Jones and I have a room upstairs reserved tonight, number ten.” An older dignified gentleman was sitting across the room at the video lottery machine, Stetson sitting squarely on his head. A doppelganger for Sam Elliot including the massive neatly groomed moustache. He turned to me and inquired, “You aren’t one of those left wing environmental wacko’s are you?” It must have been the straggly beard I’m sportin’ and the ‘do rag’ on my head. I wasn’t exactly spoiling for a fight, mostly just wanted a hot shower and meal after making the fifty four mile ride in from Baker City. I looked him square in the eye and said firmly, “I’m a dyed in the wool libertarian who’s supported Ron Paul for half my life. I subscribe to the Austrian School of Economics more than the Keynesian crap of Bernanke and Greenspan. We should repeal the 16^th Amendment, abolish the Federal Reserve and return to the gold standard. And yeah, I think we could do a better job with the environment starting with widespread deployment of nuclear power and stop being held hostage by the Saudi’s and Hugo Chavez while burning all those fossil fuels. Any other questions?” We looked each other in the eye for a minute and then he slowly turned back to his lottery machine, ”You can stay” he said.  Well, that’s how it played out in my mind but what I really said was this, “Nope, just a weary cyclist looking for a bed and a shower.” Welcome to Halfway Oregon, population: Conservative.

I couldn't agree more

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Well, yesterday I rode 70 miles from Mitchell to John Day. I was in the saddle for 8 hours total over one 4,300’ mountain pass. It was like and 8 hour spin class. Needless to say when I rolled into town I was spent. I stopped at the summit of the pass and watched a bald eagle soaring across a ridge which was incredible. Later down the road a deer ran out in front of me not 50 feet away and nearly startled me off my bike. There are snakes and road kill, elk poop and rocks. I’m certainly gaining strength and confidence with each passing day. And I’m learning what to do and not do. For example, never leave on a 50 mile trip without eating breakfast. I’ve never been a breakfast eater so I have to force myself to eat sometimes. Also, as the country becomes more rural know what is ahead and expect the unexpected. The other day I left Prineville without eating breakfast knowing (yeah, right) that there was a little market up on Ochoco Pass that I could stop at to eat. It was closed. So I ended up riding from Prineville to Mitchell – 50 miles – over a 4,700 foot pass fueled only by Gatorade and one PowerBar. Not very bright.

Me up on the Ochoco Pass heading to Mitchell, Oregon

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Well, I’ve made it to Prineville Oregon. So far I’ve gone 374.24 miles since I started on May 18^th. It’s been an adventure to say the least. Yesterday I did a little 43 mile sprint from Sisters to Prineville in just over 3 hours. It was the first day with no rain which was pleasant. My bum wasn’t even tired when I rolled into town. I have to say I’ll be glad to get out of Oregon. Not because of the rain (though that is a factor) but because it feels like I’ve been here forever. The TransAm Trail takes a rather circuitous path throughout the state.

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Greetings from Blue River, Oregon. Mile post 40 east of Eugene. So far I’ve covered 267+ miles since leaving Astoria and am now beginning to do some real riding. If you look at my trip log I’m averaging now well over 40 miles per riding day which is a far cry from how I started. Yesterday I rode from Eugene to Blue River. Today I begin my ascent of Santiam Pass which is my first real test in the mountains.

Hot dog shack in Blue River

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I made it to Corvallis yesterday after a nearly 47 mile ‘jaunt’ from Grand Ronde and taking a rest day. Needless to say, it has been an interesting first week. The Oregon coast was grueling. A couple of days I was battered about like a rag doll by 50+MPH winds on the coast highway. Someone told me there were gusts of 80MPH that day. The rain was unceasing and I wondered sometimes if it would ever stop. 101 was built in the 20’s and as such built on top of the mountains instead of the cut and fill approach of today. This means lots of hills and steep grades which were physically demanding. I’ve done 182+ miles so far since leaving Astoria last week. Not as far as I’d like but given my age and physical fitness level I’ll take it. Once I get to Eugene tomorrow I’ll head over the Santiam Pass into Central Oregon. And be done with Map 1 of 12 of the TransAmerica Trail.

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Against the wind
A little something against the wind
I found myself seeking shelter against the wind

-  Bob Segar

The first week is behind me now. I’ve peddled some one hundred and eighty two miles. I’m in Corvallis Oregon at least for another twenty four hours when I’ll move on to Eugene. Today I’m taking a day off to rest my body and charge my batteries a bit. Did a little maintenance on my bike this morning. Took it across the street to a car wash where I got rid of some of the road grime that had accumulated the last week in the rain. Cleaned and lubed my chain and drive train and made sure the rims of my wheels were sparkling clean.

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These first days have been a little more grueling than I thought. My daughter Jennifer took me to Astoria on Tuesday to get underway. It was great that she was with me as I embarked on this journey. I made it to Cannon Beach after a little more than twenty five miles. The coastal highway has some nice little grades, some over 7% and as much as 9%. Going up I have to use my lowest gears and going downhill I have to lean on my brakes. For the most part 101 is great for bikers but when a big truck goes by it’s a bit disconcerting.

My daughter Jennifer and I in Astoria, Oregon on departure day

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Well, it looks like I’ll be leaving on Tuesday the 18th.  A few days later than I wanted but no harm. It’s taken a little longer than I thought to wrap things up, get everything into storage. It may sound a little trivial but when one is going to be essentially homeless for a few months there’s a lot to consider. Where do you forward your mail? I’ve found that I must make my life as self contained as possible which is challenging. Read more »

I went over to Portland today to a bicycle show at the convention center. Lots of bikes and accessories. I connected with a woman who provides bicycle repair classes and workshops. Her name is Tori Bortman and she’s the owner of Gracie’s Wrench. I’m in the process of arranging a couple of one-on-one classes with her to learn a bit about repairs and maintenance before I get on the road.

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I picked up my trailer from River City Bicycles on Saturday and took it out for a little 15 mile jaunt on the Sweetwater Corridor along the Willamette River. It’s really easy to pull when it’s empty. I didn’t even know it was behind me for the most part. I decided to get the Ibex instead of the Yak because it has a suspension system which I’m told will trail better in the mountains, especially going downhill. So, without further adieu, here’s my transportation system for the next few months:

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I’ve started training in earnest the last couple of weeks. Getting out most every day and putting in a few miles. I’m getting used to my new bike and love it. The muscles used to ride a bike are different than running so it’s taken some time to get used to that. I’m sore like when I was running a lot but in different areas. I’m going to upgrade my saddle sometime soon to something a little more comfortable and easier on my tush. Last weekend I ordered my trailer which should be in next week. Stefan over at River City Bicycles again spent a lot of time with me helping me get my gear. I bought a computer (Cateye Strada) and rear rack which I installed Sunday. I’d thought about getting a high end GPS based system but have decided to keep it really simple. No fancy wireless gear or things that can break. Very simple, very reliable equipment that won’t break.

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This is the first of what promises to be many posts. Today I bought  a new Surly bike from River City Bicycles in Portland. Stefan over there has spent a fair amount of time with me the last couple of weekends and today I took possession of my new Surly Long Haul Trucker. When I got home I hit the road for a little ten mile jaunt. It’s a great bike and I’m looking forward to putting in a few miles before the trip begins. Last week I went over to REI in Clackamas to pick up some camping gear I’d ordered online. New tent, sleeping bag and pad. I have a three page spreadsheet with all the equipment I have to get the next couple of months. The bike is one big ticket item and the other will be the trailer which I’ll order next week.

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