Where’s Dave?

Crossed the Straits of Mackinaw via Mackinac Island to the lower peninsular of Michigan.  55 miles, including the 8 around the island.

Dried out.  Nice ride along Lake Michigan from Manistique to Brevort, MI.  70 miles.

Really wet day. Munising on Lake Superior south across the U.P. to Manistique on Lake Michigan. Huge thunderstorms all day (the radar image below was one of three big fronts that came through during my ride). 42 miles.

Spent more time at the ski museum, then headed through Marquette and along the shore of Lake Superior to Munising, MI.  Rode in afternoon rain for the first time since Idaho.  56 miles.

Short day from Sagola to Ishpeming, MI.  Spent the afternoon in the U.S. Ski Hall of Fame and Museum, one of the key stops on my cross-country trip.  50 miles.

Watched the fireworks last night from Iron River’s city park/campsite, then had a short day to Sagola, MI.  Hot and humid, I just ran out of gas.  37 miles.

On the holiday, rode from Harrison, WI, northeast across the state line into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to Iron River, MI.  89 miles.

Rest day on Seven Island Lake in Harrison, WI, enjoying the hospitality of my friends, Diane and Steve, from Wausau.  Zero miles.

My first 100+ mile day: 109 today, with variable winds!  From Bruce to Harrison, WI, across the rolling north country.  Visiting friends Steve and Diane at their cabin.

Balsam Lake to Bruce, Wisconsin.  71 miles

Rest day at Binkie and Greg’s place in Hugo MN. Zero miles.

Milaca to Hugo MN to visit a college friend. 80 miles.

Sauk Center across the Mississippi to Milaca, MN.  Much of the way on the Lake Wobegone Trail.  87 miles.

Fergus Falls to Sauk Center, MN, the entire day on a rails-to-trails bike trail, and with a steady tail-wind.  Stopped in Alexandria to see Big Ole and the Rune Stone. 74 miles.

Crossed the Red River from Fargo into Minnesota, then headed SE to Fergus Falls, MN, into mixed winds.  A workout.  85 miles.

A rest day in Fargo.  Zero miles (I did ride across the Red River to visit the Viking ship museum, and to the great bike shop in the old train station, but only a handful of miles sans panniers).  Found a barber shop, too, and came out looking more civilized.

Enderlin to the big city, Fargo ND.  59 miles.

Gackle to Enderlin, ND, blown along what the locals claim is the straightest highway in the U.S. by a wonderful tail-wind.  83 miles.

Head-wind slowed me down today plus a late start after yakking with the locals at the diner. Napoleon to Gackle, ND. 40 miles.

I had another nice tail-wind today, not as strong as yesterday but enough to push me 74 miles from Bismarck to Napoleon, ND.

A good Father’s Day ride: strong tail-wind the whole day, so I made it from Richardton to Bismarck, on the Missouri River near where Lewis and Clark spent their first winter at the Mandan Village. 85 miles.  Time for a beer.

Challenging day from Medora to Richardton ND into strong head-winds. 62 miles.

Toured Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  A “rest” day.  39 hilly miles.

From Glendive MT across the state line into Medora, North Dakota!  The Badlands.  65 miles.

Circle to Glendive MT on a cold, threatening day. Nice tail-wind  didn’t hold as I came into Glendive; not hospitable to do another 30 until the wind changes.  Tammy Himes, you were right about your hometown – on to Medora ND tomorrow! 51 miles.

Another hard day into head-winds, over a 54 mile road due south from Wolf Point to Circle MT with zero services.  Crossed the mighty Missouri River. I’m detouring south in order to avoid the Bakken oil mess if I kept straight east on U.S. 2 into North Dakota:  too many industrial-sized trucks squeezing onto a small road with little shoulder for cyclists to be safe.

After  a lovely night sleeping in the tiny Lutheran Church in Hinsdale MT, the woman who invited us (two other cyclists and me) to do so cooked breakfast for us! These Road Angels are all around.  Had a hard ride today with side- and head-winds, no helping tail-winds.  I’m beat as I camp in Wolf Point on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.  85 miles.

Harlem to Hinsdale, MT, continuing across the plains of NE Montana along the Milk River on U.S. 2.  Rode a nice tail-wind for 91 miles.  Was invited to stay in the basement of the Lutheran Church to get away from the bugs.

Big thunderstorms overnight. Hingham to Harlem MT via Havre, where I stopped at a fascinating “buffalo jump” where Indians for thousands of years lured buffalo over the cliffs.  The ground contains layers with millions of buffalo bones. Long day, now in Fort Belknap Indian Rez. You can see by the map that my days are stretching out, both in mileage and traveling in long, straight lines (no pesky mountains to go around).  80 miles.

Shelby to Hingham (population 103) across the wide-open plains, into a steady headwind all day.  A work-out.  Camping in the town park, with farmers’ BBQ tonight – free beer and burgers! 71 miles.

I got blown by a 20+ mph tail-wind all day, from East Glacier through Browning (nice Museum of the Plains Indians) and Cut Bank to Shelby, MT. 75 miles.

Around the south side of Glacier N.P. and over my final western mountain pass — Marias Pass, 5216 ft. — and down into East Glacier on the Blackfeet Indian Rez. 60 miles.

A true rest day on the shores of Lake McDonald in Glacier N.P.after one of the best, most-scenic (not to mention strenuous) bicycling days of my life yesterday. Zero miles.

On a “rest” day from bicycling, we did a strenuous 12-mile hike to Huckleberry Lookout with spectacular views.

Rode a short day with Nick from Whitefish to Apgar, within the west entrance of Glacier National Park.  Impressive skyline, these Rockies! 34 miles.

Another rest day with Mary Sue and Nick.  We went back to the Whitefish Bike Retreat and rode mountain bikes all day through outstanding country and well-maintained trails.

Rest day in Whitefish with Mary Sue and Nick.  We hiked up to Avalanche Lake on the west side of Glacier National Park, in the rain.

A rest day (10 miles), the first of many as Mary Sue and Nick arrive tomorrow.  Lovely, quiet stop at the Whitefish Bike Retreat overnight, then a short hop into downtown Whitefish where I found the Great Northern Brewing  Company’s  brew-pub, with outstanding IPAs (Going to the Sun and Bluebird Day Double).  Life is good. 10 miles.

From Eureka, MT, south to Whitefish.  Camping at the Whitefish Bike Retreat, a neat spot out in the forest that caters to mountain bikers. 57 miles.

Up along Koocanusa Lake to Eureka MT, within five miles of the Canadian border and with the whole range of Rockies from Banff to Glacier in front of me!  45 miles.

Through Libby MT, by the massive Libby Dam, and camping along Koocanusa Lake above the dam.  66 miles.

Sandpoint, Idaho, to Bull Lake in NW Montana.  Gorgeous country!  66 miles.

Short “rest” day today (40 miles) from Newport to Sandpoint, Idaho.  New chain for the bike at Greasy Fingers Bike Shop.  Afternoon off to rest the body.

A long haul from Colville up 2,000 ft.,  then 50+ miles into a strong headwind, ending at a beautiful county park on the Pend Oreille River near Newport, WA, right on the Idaho border.  94 miles!

Another butt-kicking climb today from Republic up and over Sherman Pass (5577 ft.), which is higher than Washington Pass in the North Cascades! A long downhill brought me to Kettle Falls across the Columbia River/Lake Roosevelt, then a pleasant final 14 miles into Colville, WA. 64 miles.

Up through Tonasket, WA, then really up as I climbed over Wauconda Pass (4300 ft.), another serious workout, then a long downhill into Republic, WA.  Beautiful country in this neglected corner of our state. 57 miles.

Out of the Methow, up and over Loop Loop Pass (4,000 ft.), down into the Okanogan Valley, camping (with friends Jack and Jeanie Spurlock, who met me there!) in Riverside, WA along the Okanogan River. 74 miles.

Rest day in the Methow Valley. Lucy and Bernie are angels who swooped me up yesterday to sleep under a roof and dry out after a very wet pervious 24 hours. What a lovely spot in Carlton WA right on the Methow River. Met former colleague Steve Oien and his wife, Hanne, and stayed with them on Sunday night in Mazama.  Angels all around me!

The first big hurdle: over Rainy and Washington passes on the North Cascades Highway, into the Methow Vally.  Lisa Niehaus stopped by the side of the road for a quick and totally unexpected visit!  Saw Kim and Steve at North Cascades Basecamp. Stayed with houseboat neighbor Lucy Reid’s friend Bernie in Carlton down valley. 51 hard-earned miles.

20 May 16

Beautiful ride up the Skagit Vally through Concrete, Marblemount and Newhalem to camp at Diablo Lake just below Ross Dam. 57 miles.

Up Whidbey Island, across Deception Pass and the Skagit Flats to Hamilton, WA (Rasar  State Park) on the Skagit River upstream of Sedro-Wooley.  70 miles.  Cold and sprinkling rain off and on through the day.  Wonderful breakfast at Baz’ house on Whidbey (with Mary Sue, too!); lunch at the Farmhouse restaurant on Highway 20

Rest day on Whidbey Island.  Staying with old friend, Baz Stevens, in Freeland, WA. Zero miles.

Day 3: Dungeness Spit to Whidbey Island, via Port Townsend. More great off-road sections of the Olympic Discovery Trail. Lunch with Cindi Alberti. Ferry to Keystone, side trip to Freeland,WA.  70 miles (excluding ferry!).

Day 2: Crescent Beach to Dungeness Spit in Sequim, WA, via Port Angeles. Spectacular breakfast at the Blackberry Cafe (“you kill it, we’ll grill it”) in Joyce. 39 miles. Wonderful sections on the Olympic Discovery (bike) Trail.

Day 1: Neah Bay to Crescent Beach, Joyce WA. 62 miles along the Strait of Juan De Fuca.