The Wingnuts Wanderings

Today is the thirtieth day that I have ave been on the road. Currently I am holed up in Ennis MT at the Riverside Motel waiting out a storm. Today was rain , hail, sleet and more rain. Tonight there is a winter weather advisory for accumulating  snow above 6000 ft. Up to 12 inches untill 12:00 noon. I'm  at 6250 ft now. My plan tomorrow is leave Ennis and climb to 7200 ft just outside  West Yellowstone. There probably will be a change in plan. Here are a few stats from my first 30 days. Camped 24 nights Hostel/Church 2 nights Hotel/ Motel Holiday Inn 5 nights I know that equals 31. I did not include today's off day. I have been on the road 31 days. Of those 30 days I rode 25 days and had 6 days off including today. 1301 miles. Longest day 68 miles,  shortest day 37 very hilly miles. No flat tires and only one mechanical. I am riding a Brooks saddle and there is a bolt with a jam nut that allows the tension of the leather to be adjusted.  One morning...

Everyday, every corner I turn I am blown away by the view.  The most spectacular day, I think I have had yet, was the day I climbed out of White Bird ID. The route took me out of town on old hwy 95 up through the Nez Perce National Historic Park. This land was originally the ancestral home of the Nez Perce Indian tribal nation. History shows how the native Americans were chased from there lands to the reservation. This home to the Nez PerceTrail. The road switched back up the hills away from White Bird. The higher the climb the more stunning the views. After a short bit on 95 it was back to the switchbacks  on Old White Bird Hill Rd. The best part about all of the hard work done on the climbs is the downhill on the other side. Yipee!!  The downhill out of Grangeville ID. into Kooskia was incredible. I am glad I didn't have to climb it. 12 percent is steep. 90 and 180° turns, hard braking and big grins were the order of the day. That evening I camped i...

Several times instead of cooking at the campsite I have hit the local cafe/grill for dinner. What a surprise. First everyone is interested in your trip. "You started where", " your going where?", the questions and curiosity is endless. One example, at the Cambridge Grill for dinner came with soup, salad,big pork chop, mashed potatoes, sauteed summer squash and onions and half a piece of pie. $1.50 more gets a whole slice. $12.95. I told the owner and his wife they don't charge enough. Another night, baked stuffed chicken breast, rice pilaf, squash,  salad and pie $14.25. I can sure tolerate these prices. Want to go out to dinner?

My bike tour continues. I have now been on the road just over 3 weeks and I am in Missoula Mt. Having ridden the last eight days straight, it is time for a little rest and recovery. The last two days my level of exhaustion at the end of the day has been extreme. Time to listen to it and pause. Last evening and tonight I am camping at the Missoula KOA campground. A very nice facility, clean, quiet with a pool and hot tub. I watched the sun set at 9:30 PM from the hot tub. It is hard getting used to it getting dark at 10 o'clock at night. Can you imagine having to put the kids to bed at 8:00. One night I was camped in a town park in Koskia ID. And the town folk were still playing volley ball at 9:15pm. Man don't they realize I'm trying to sleep! Tomorrow I plan on visiting the headquarters of the Adventure Cycling Association here in Missoula. I look forward to weighing my bike, having my picture taken for the touring cyclists collage and meeting the people involved in th...

It has been fourteen days since I started this cross country bike ride haven ridden on eleven of those. As I write this I am in Baker City in eastern Oregon on a rest day. I have traveled a little over 600 miles so far. I am overwhelmed by so many things on the trip. Every corner you turn the views are more spectacular every corner that you take. What a change of scenery it has been. Started along in a coastal rain forest with stunning climbs and equally impressive coastal cliffs with ocean views. After 3 short days along the coast the route turned inland and wound it's way through and old growth forest torwards the Willimet River Valley. Quickly the environment changed from rain forest to a wide valley floor with farms, both livestock and agricultural farming, with a dominance on grasses. After a climbing and descending a small ridgeline I was now in the McKenzie River Valley.  Very green and lush. Moss growing thick on all the trees, back into the rain forest. The climb out of ...

Alot of campgrounds have hiker/biker camping. A spot is always available and a hiker /biker is never turned away. Nice to know. I noticed the hiker/biker sights are always set way aside by themselves. One site the sign said dogs, pets, bike campers, nice camping right next to the poo disposal receptacle. Another time the campground next to the lake had a sign pointing us travelers away from the nice spots overlooking the lake to the ones overlooking the road. I tried to joke with one of the park hosts that us hiker/ bikers must be an unruly bunch because we are always in the boondocks. She gasped and said "Oh no. You guys always get the preferred location."