The Wingnuts Wanderings

My five day vacation from riding, touring Colorado with my wife Kathy was fantastic. Torwards the end I was ready to continue my trip. I have come to enjoy life as a traveling explorer. Sunday morning could not come soon enough. Saturday afternoon I found myself with nothing to do. There was a park a short distance from the hotel. In the park I saw a friend Jethro. Kathy and I stopped to see if he was alright one day by the side of the road. Jethro is traveling by bike with his dog. He is not sure of his destination. He mentioned the dakotas, or maybe just heading into the national forest for awhile.  A real free spirited traveler. We talked for a long time about everything and nothing. Good luck Jethro. My first day back touring I did not ride the ACA route. Earlier in my travels a group of fellow tourist heading west offered up a short cut for my trip today. I avoided a 9600ft pass and saved about 16 miles. Don't  tell anyone I cheated. It's not like I had an easy da...

After leaving the Tetons and climbing Togwotee Pass the route generally heads south through Wyoming's Great Basin. The route instructions warned of southern winds. The second day I experienced  those winds. That night in Jeffery City the 5 of us cyclist  that stayed at  the Jeffrey City Community Church all came to the conclusion that an early start would be best to try and beat the winds that typically start around 10AM. I guess it didn't  bode well for the day ahead when the first guy up at 5:15 stuck his head out the door and said "shit the wind is already blowing". I was on the bike at 6:15 headed east while the other four headed west. Things didn't  start to bad, cross wind and a slight tail to start down a small canyon. I stopped and talked to a local on an e-bike headed up canyon, he could have been Jethro's cousin. He warned that as soon as I exited the canyon the road turned  due south. I had no idea how foreboding his warning would be. If I ...

" I've come along way, I've come along way I've been five hundred miles today and I've  never even left LA." Michelle Shocked. I have come along way, maybe not 500 miles today and I'm  nowhere near LA but with a little inspiration from a song I can't  get out my head my adventure must continue. Again ahead of me I face a large challenge. Hoosier Pass at over 11,500 feet. After the challenges I have overcome on this ride, I'm  confident I will conquer this also. Alot of time, and and even more adventures have passed since I last updated my blog. Hopefully I can touch a on a few of those memories now. Kathy flew into Denver on Monday July 1st and drove north and west to meet me in Walden CO. We were tourist ourselves, drove around north central Colorado for several days and enjoyed ourselves immensely. Having never been to Colorado before we both where constantly wowed by everything. From Steamboat Springs to the rodeo in Granby and everythin...

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...