September 2008 Archives

Crossing the Rockie Mountians has been quite the adventure.

It all started as we crossed the border into Dinosaur, CO. I was flagged down by a wonderful couple and found out that the husband, Dave, was also touring on his bike. We chatted a bit about the trip and route, but they were heading onto Maybel in the car together because the trip from Dino to Maybel isn't particularly fun. The girls and I consulted and we decided that having another chat with such an experienced touring cyclist was advantageous to our Rockie mission. So, we hitched a ride and met up with the Robinsons again.

It turns out that Dave was planning a different passage across the mountains and his route traveled on the hightest national highway in America, 12,183ft. This sounded like fun so we began planning together how many days and so forth. Then a miracle took place. Beth offered to take our gear. The next day to Steaboat Springs, 70 something miles, everyone was riding naked bikes with nothing on them. It was dreamy. From Steamboat, it was decided that we girls could rearrange our gear so that we only needed the stuff for the next three days, and Beth would carry the rest over the Rockies to our next destination.

The Rockie Mountians themselves are so incredibly beautiful. It was a considerable climb to the Continental Divide at 10,759ft. with swichbacks and cars zooming perilously close, but all three of us girls did it without a problem. The weather was warm in the sun and cool in the shade. We started our morning in parkas and were dressed down to tee shirts at the Divide. The Visitor's Center was only a two mile climb after the Divide, so after the regroup I ventured on. At this point once you crested the next pass you were able to see the ominous storm clouds. The temperature also began dropping rapidly, but it was all so beautiful and the elevation rise forced you to go slow, due to your oxygen intake so it was just steady and amazing. You get to one point were you see a switchback that must be a mile long that led to the Visiotr's Center. It was really neat. You could look down a ravine and see the elk mingling around and see all the peaks of the moutains. I figured the girls wouldn't be too far behind, which was good because the weather was deteriorating. After an hour of waiting and chatting with everyone in the Center I began to worry. I began asking everyone if they had seen the girls on their way up. No luck. At this point, there is an actual blizzard coming down on top of the mountains. I ask in despiration the last car as I am  heading out to find the girls and reach the summit, another mile and half, and they had seen them on the other side. The snow is falling like a blanket all over me. It was torture. The road was so narrow, and cars were freaked out by the storm, that it made it difficult to stay in the shoulder. I couldn't even see ten feet in front of me. I just kept going. The climb kept going. On and on and on. I was drenched on the outside and sweating on the inside. The snow was caking on my jaket hood arms and legs and piling up. Then the snow turned to ice and sleet. It blew so hard that I thought it would cut my face. My lips were numb. Here's the kicker, there is no sign to signify the summit. And the terrain goes up and down, so you aren't really sure if the ascent will ever end. I was halfway down the mountain when some wonderful people insited that I got a ride with them. (Even a tour bus offered me a ride.) I couldn't accept unless I had reached the top. I had looked hard into the storm to see the summit sign, and only after looking at the map did I realize there was no sign and that I was halfway down the mountain. It was only another mile or so before the storm disappeared. It was blocked out by another ridge. It literally disappeared. Blue sky, fluffy clouds, no death sleet, etc.

So, I fully enjoyed the rest of the way down in the comfort of the sedan. I ate cookies and crackers until my speech returned. My cognition took a little more chocolate, but I soon returned to my pre storm human self. Once they dropped me at the bottom, it was only 30 or so miles to our next destination. All of us girls didn't wind up meeting up until the very end of the day. But we all crossed safely and live to tell the tale.   

3. In an RV park in Arco, ID, after spending the night in the cemetary, we had breakfast. I drink my coffee black. Racquel likes hers with cream and sugar. They were out of cream, so they brought her a glass of milk. I drank half of her "cream." When the waitress returned with more coffee, she filled mine up to the brim, knowing I drank it black. But I asked her if I could possibly get some more of that fabulous creamer. She ended up giving us several glasses of milk all in the name of creamer. Thanks RV diner lady proprietor!

4. We are all now firm believers that powdered milk is a gift from god. It's white powdery goodness has made our lives better. We were all nervous at first, but that feeling has been replaced with sheer delight.

There are four stories that illustrate our life on the road, and how dairy has become the most meaningful food group--ever.

1. When I first set out on this journey, I made the claim that I am biking for beer and bacon. This has been ammended to include bice cream. Yes, "bice" cream. It has also come to include boys as well. Bice cream is still the most important of the four items, I crave it every single day. Even when it's 28 degrees.

2. In Blackfoot, ID, we happened upon the fire station. We were greeted by beautiful men in uniform and told to go to the State Fair for a tiger's ear and a brown cow. This souded like gibberish, but they were hunky and I was definately going to do what I was told. It turned out that our host escorted us to the fair and even purchased the combo for us. The ear was a deep fried yummy thing covered in sugar and honey butter. The piece de resistence was certainly the brown cow. Vanilla bice cream covered in chocolate milk. It sounds simple, but it is extraordinary. It crystalizes and turns milkshakey and delicious. The girls and I just ate a half gallon of bice cream and half gallon of chocolate milk worth of brown cows. Oh, goodness.

But we do hate the lady who lives outside Kemmerer near Fossil Butte National Monument. She yelled at us, shined a light in our eyes, and waved a gun. We didn't sleep well last night. Julia is convinced that wild rabbid cayotes, deer, elk, rabbits, men, cougars, or something like it was outside our tents. Needless to say, our opinion of Wyoming was off to a rocky start. We actually got into Kemmerer this morning and found food and solice in the grocery store and then found our way to their lovely library. We just outran a storm that was looming over us the whole way into town. I, more than anything, want to get out of Wyoming.

Yesterday, we were in three states. Bear Lake turned out to be amazingly beautiful. We snuck into a resort and Sarah swam in the lake. Julia found a shower by the member's only pool where we were both able to take our first showers in 3 days. Rocky got a shower in Montpelier. We stayed at the National Oregon/California Trail Visitors Center and Museum illegally in Montpelier. It was a little weird. We loved Soda Springs and saw the geyser go off twice while we ate lunch in the park. A lady at the grocery store there bought us a chicken.

This is an adventure. We had ice on our tents this morning. I wasn't sure if I would ever regain sensation in my fingers. My toes have only just defrosted, and I'm wearing wool socks! We have refined the art of layering and look aweful cute when we first get on our bikes in the morning. By noon, we look like normal cyclists (if spandex is ever considered normal..).

Mum, I'm alive. Don't worry. 

One of the things you must keep in mind, while planning a long trip on your bicycle, is to remain flexible. Our plans have changed so much since we set off. We have come to plan only a four days ride in advance. We consult locals to find the best roads with the most scenic views. After all, we are touring. And then we plug into the google maps and world to check terrain. We stay in the mountains whenever possible and actively seek out hot springs.

So far, some of the unexpected changes have included the inclusion of Utah to the mix of states, the exclusion of both Yellowstone and Jackson Hole (due to the weather and stupid tourons), and we might get to visit Missouri! I have been seeking out the help of friendly computer genius types to help add a map to this web deal so that you can more readily understand the scope of this odyssey. Another thing to remember, is to rest. We are very good at this, so much so, that we need to get a move on if we are going to make it across the Rockies before the snow. We out-biked the snow over Galena Summit by two days, but there is no telling what we may encounter next. It is getting colder...