Hi everyone,
I have added all my best photos to my Facebook Account, and they can be viewed in two different albums, here
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48519&l=a6bad&id=587797455
and here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48524&l=3f138&id=587797455
I hope this works out, and enjoy!
Friday, July 25, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Photos and Follow-Up
Hi all,
This is 
David. The first leg of our cross-country trip was a tremendous experience. What an 
adventure. It was so great to see the "other America" -- the rural countryside which is passed over by plane travel and the interstates. Before the interstate highway system, most folks knew about places like the ones we visited, but now these are towns and highways known mostly by the locals. And bikers like us.
David. The first leg of our cross-country trip was a tremendous experience. What an 
adventure. It was so great to see the "other America" -- the rural countryside which is passed over by plane travel and the interstates. Before the interstate highway system, most folks knew about places like the ones we visited, but now these are towns and highways known mostly by the locals. And bikers like us. I will put up a few of the better photos from Glacier National Park here to give a taste of the scenery we encountered, but to publish ALL the photos I think I'll put up an album on a photo website. More to come on that once I sit down and figure it out. 
In the meantime, thanks for all the emails and phone calls. It's great to be home. But already I do miss the biking and the open road. 
Sunday, July 13, 2008
And They're Home...
The train rolled into the station pretty much right on time this morning, and Sarah & I picked the guys up at about 7:45am. The train ride went well, but they were thankful to be done. David said it felt strange to ride in a car again. Neither Bill nor David seemed too sore. The four of us went out for breakfast at Keys and had a lovely time. Now it's time for a nap and a little down time! Come back soon to see more photos from their trip!
Friday, July 11, 2008
They Made It!
The guys sure have found some interesting accomodations on this trip! They've made it a game of sorts to try to stay at the place with the most outlandish name. At the Flamingo Motel last night in Cardston, they said pretty much everything was pink - pink fixtures, pink garbage cans, even evidence that all of the walls had once been painted pink. This afternoon they made it to the end of the biking portion of their trip in Shelby, Montana. I can't remember the name of the hotel they're staying in this evening, but they were greeted by a very friendly gal at the front desk named Theresa who had exactly one tooth. They were glad they made reservations ahead of time because the town is hopping with senior citizens who are in town for a class reunion for all classes from the '60s. Toothless Theresa recommended a place across the street for dinner. Actually, she first recommended that the guys come to her place for dinner! Oh dear...
Tomorrow they pack up their bikes in boxes and board the Amtrak train, bound for Minneapolis. They've become good friends with Paul at the Amtrak station because they've called so many times to amend their reservations and ask questions. Must be a small place because Paul always answers the phone!
David sent me this picture of the piece of huckleberry pie a few times, so it must be very important. :-)
And here are a few photos from the trip through Glacier National Park...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Going to the Sun
David & Bill were up well before the crack again of dawn this morning. It was a warm night without air conditioning at the place they stayed last night. David sent me a text message this morning saying that he soaked his shirt in cool water and wrung it out before wearing it to bed, and this made it cool enough to sleep comfortably.
They made it through Logan Pass by 9am this morning - well before the 11am cutoff for bikers on the busy Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National Park. Who-hoo! Way to go, guys! They accomplished this despite a few set backs. Namely, (1) David got a flat tire early on in today's ride and (2) road construction brought the already narrow, winding road down to one lane (sometimes gravel) at times. But they had all the tools necessary to fix the tire, and the road construction didn't slow them down too much. They said the climb over Logan Pass wasn't as tough as they feared - a steady 7-8% grade at times, but nothing they couldn't handle. They couldn't stop talking about the incredible beauty of Glacier National Park.
When they called about 12:30CST today, they had made it to the eastern edge of Glacier and had stopped for first lunch. Their plan was to make it to Cardston, Alberta (Canada) this evening. Tomorrow they'll pedal back into the U.S. to Shelby, Montana.
Originally, their plan was to make it as far as Minot, ND. But their mileage plan was a bit aggressive for mountain riding with so few towns to stop in, and they decided at the last minute to take the scenic jaunt up into Canada. This left less time to make up ground on the flat land. They've amended their Amtrak tickets so that they'll catch the train in Shelby, Montana instead. They'll catch the train in Shelby on Saturday around noon, and their train will roll into Minneapolis on Sunday morning.
I just heard from them about an hour ago, and they've made it to Cardston. They abandoned their plans to camp this evening when they got to the campsite and the folks in the office gave them a different story than when they had called ahead to make reservations. The office staff said they couldn't share a campsite, even though their one-man tents aren't much more than the size of a sleeping bag, and the cost was more than they had been quoted. So instead, they went up the road and found a room for the night at the Flamingo motel, where the staff doesn't speak much English, but they are very helpful and kind. David described their room as palatial - more like a suite, since they each have their own bedroom.
No pictures this evening, since they're in the extended network in Canada. But I'm sure they'll pass along some photos from Glacier as soon as they're back in the States.
They made it through Logan Pass by 9am this morning - well before the 11am cutoff for bikers on the busy Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National Park. Who-hoo! Way to go, guys! They accomplished this despite a few set backs. Namely, (1) David got a flat tire early on in today's ride and (2) road construction brought the already narrow, winding road down to one lane (sometimes gravel) at times. But they had all the tools necessary to fix the tire, and the road construction didn't slow them down too much. They said the climb over Logan Pass wasn't as tough as they feared - a steady 7-8% grade at times, but nothing they couldn't handle. They couldn't stop talking about the incredible beauty of Glacier National Park.
When they called about 12:30CST today, they had made it to the eastern edge of Glacier and had stopped for first lunch. Their plan was to make it to Cardston, Alberta (Canada) this evening. Tomorrow they'll pedal back into the U.S. to Shelby, Montana.
Originally, their plan was to make it as far as Minot, ND. But their mileage plan was a bit aggressive for mountain riding with so few towns to stop in, and they decided at the last minute to take the scenic jaunt up into Canada. This left less time to make up ground on the flat land. They've amended their Amtrak tickets so that they'll catch the train in Shelby, Montana instead. They'll catch the train in Shelby on Saturday around noon, and their train will roll into Minneapolis on Sunday morning.
I just heard from them about an hour ago, and they've made it to Cardston. They abandoned their plans to camp this evening when they got to the campsite and the folks in the office gave them a different story than when they had called ahead to make reservations. The office staff said they couldn't share a campsite, even though their one-man tents aren't much more than the size of a sleeping bag, and the cost was more than they had been quoted. So instead, they went up the road and found a room for the night at the Flamingo motel, where the staff doesn't speak much English, but they are very helpful and kind. David described their room as palatial - more like a suite, since they each have their own bedroom.
No pictures this evening, since they're in the extended network in Canada. But I'm sure they'll pass along some photos from Glacier as soon as they're back in the States.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
On Glacier's Edge
I heard from the guys a couple of times today. The first was about 9:30am CST, when they were stopped at a little coffee place for breakfast. They walked their bike through the drive-through to order coffee and breakfast sandwiches. The second call was when they had finished their 90-mile trek to West Glacier, MT at about 4:30pm CST this afternoon. They're now on the edge of Glacier National Park, and they've planned an extra-early bedtime for this evening. Their typical sleeping schedule this days has shifted dramatically - they're usually in bed by 5:30pm and up by 4:30am to get on the road.
Tomorrow morning will start for them about 3am so that they can get through much of Glacier by 11am. That's when the "no biking" restrictions begin on the narrow portion of the road that crosses Logan Pass.
They said their lodgings for this evening felt more like a camp than a hotel - a line of quaint little cottages a little ways outside of the touristy town. They said the cabin was an eclectic mix of rustic vs. luxury. There were no phones, but each cabin did have a TV with Dish Network and about a million channels. There was no air conditioning, either, but they said the weather was cool enough that it wasn't uncomfortable. A bit warm at the time, he said, but it will likely cool off this evening.
Along their ride today, another biker came up alongside them and started talking to them. The guy was older, and David described him as scraggly. "You biking across the country?" he asked. "Yep," David said. "Going through Glacier?" he asked. "Yep," David said. The one-word answers continued as David hoped to be left alone. Then the guy went to talk to Bill, and he started telling them about this "back way" to Glacier. They weren't interested, but they listened politely. At the first sign of a convenience store, they pulled off and said goodbye. The guy proceeded to rattle off very detailed directions for his shortcut to Glacier, but none of it included actual road names - just "turn left by Smith's store," "take a right by the fire station," and so forth. Again, they listened patiently and then did their best to scramble into the store without being followed. They were still laughing about it when the continued on their way, until they noticed Smith's store, then the fire station - their route was taking them on his "back way" to Glacier! "Who would have guessed the old cook really knew what he was talking about?" David said.
So yesterday I commented to David that I might not recognize him with his new "mountain man" look when he gets home. I asked him to send some more close-up photos so that I could prepare myself. Well, as you can see from the photos below, I don't think "mountain man" fits the bill as much as "gangsta wanna-be"! Oh dear.... But I do love Bill's helmet hair!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Tuesday, July 8
The guys were in excellent spirits when I spoke with them this evening – lots of laughing and joking. David sent me this photo of Bill, who had fashioned a pair of mittens/arm warmers for the chilly weather in Glacier National Park.
They’ve started speaking in “Bear Grylls-isms,” for those of you who are familiar with the show “Man vs. Wild.” They decided they needed “fashion” something for their ride through “Glass’-ee-er.” (This will make more sense if you’ve heard Bear’s English pronunciations of certain words)
They’ve started speaking in “Bear Grylls-isms,” for those of you who are familiar with the show “Man vs. Wild.” They decided they needed “fashion” something for their ride through “Glass’-ee-er.” (This will make more sense if you’ve heard Bear’s English pronunciations of certain words)
They made the 74-mile trip from Libby, MT to Eureka, MT today. Tomorrow, they'll pedal about 85 miles to West Glacier, a town just on the edge of Glacier National Park. The following day, they'll be conquering what David called "the climb that ate New York" - also known as Logan Pass. This 6,600 peak is on a narrow, winding path called Going to the Sun Road.
They told me about Bill’s “luxury” purchase – a wind breaker from a sporting goods store in Libby. If you know Bill (the minimalist), you’ll understand why this was a splurge.
They raved about last night’s dinner at a little family diner. They said the food and the service were excellent. David said he was trying to decide between meatloaf and steak, and their waitress said, “Definitely the steak.” When he chose an 8-oz ribeye, she said, “I think what you really want is the 12-oz house sirloin.” He was thrilled she had recommended it – he said it was one of the best steaks he’d ever had. Then, of course, you must bear in mind that they’ve been biking all day and would probably eat slugs. :) (Good protein, per Bear Grylls) There was a salad bar, which they were excited about. They each ate their fill at this darling little mom ‘n’ pop family restaurant for about $13 each.
Before they left the restaurant, David was on the phone making hotel reservations for a future night when he heard Bill say, “Uh-oh, that’s not good…” Bill had somehow managed to drop his cell phone in a small space behind the back of the booth and the wall. He tried getting at it with a butter knife, but to no avail. They both laughed as they related that the nice people at the family restaurant practically had to demolish part of the booth to get the phone out!
To be honest, I can’t tell who’s who in some of these pictures that aren't close up. Their “no shaving” rule is starting to make me wonder if I’ll recognize my husband "the mountain man" when they return!
They told me about Bill’s “luxury” purchase – a wind breaker from a sporting goods store in Libby. If you know Bill (the minimalist), you’ll understand why this was a splurge.
They raved about last night’s dinner at a little family diner. They said the food and the service were excellent. David said he was trying to decide between meatloaf and steak, and their waitress said, “Definitely the steak.” When he chose an 8-oz ribeye, she said, “I think what you really want is the 12-oz house sirloin.” He was thrilled she had recommended it – he said it was one of the best steaks he’d ever had. Then, of course, you must bear in mind that they’ve been biking all day and would probably eat slugs. :) (Good protein, per Bear Grylls) There was a salad bar, which they were excited about. They each ate their fill at this darling little mom ‘n’ pop family restaurant for about $13 each.
Before they left the restaurant, David was on the phone making hotel reservations for a future night when he heard Bill say, “Uh-oh, that’s not good…” Bill had somehow managed to drop his cell phone in a small space behind the back of the booth and the wall. He tried getting at it with a butter knife, but to no avail. They both laughed as they related that the nice people at the family restaurant practically had to demolish part of the booth to get the phone out!
To be honest, I can’t tell who’s who in some of these pictures that aren't close up. Their “no shaving” rule is starting to make me wonder if I’ll recognize my husband "the mountain man" when they return!
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