#29 – Still on the Road…and off!

On November 13, 2021February 27, 2022 By KBGearDaveIn On the Road5 Comments

November 7 – 17

Any respectable list of “things to do in Wisconsin” has to include a trip to the “thumb” which juts out into Lake Michigan. We’d planned a trip to Door County (the “thumb”) later in the week after visiting family and friends in Milwaukee. When we saw a tiny window of good weather in Door County early in the week, with rain forecast later, we quickly changed plans. Sunday morning we drove north of Sturgeon Bay, parked our vehicle and set out for a quick three day bicycle tour of the backroads and towns of the peninsula.

New lookout tower in Peninsula State Park

Egg Harbor. Fish Creek. Ephraim. Sister Bay. Peninsula State Park. Backroads and bars. Sunny skies. Favorable winds. Unseasonably mild temperatures. Off season lack of Illinois tourists (aka “FIPs” – long standing point of contention). Suffice to say Door County did not disappoint.

Eventually though, the weather window closed and it was time to head south. First stop was to the town of Erin to visit with our former neighbor Jennifer and friend Barry. As always we enjoyed Jennifer’s unfiltered wit and humor, serious conversations, and a tour of her historic country estate. Barry is deeply involved in all things Irish in Milwaukee and graciously took the time to give us a fascinating behind the scenes tour of Milwaukee Celtic, the local repository of Celtic heritage and the Ward Irish Music Archives. ( https://wardirishmusicarchives.com/ ) He also is responsible for finding talent for Irish Fest, by far the best of the summer ethnic festivals that take place on the famous Milwaukee lakefront festival grounds. https://irishfest.com/Milwaukee-Irish-Fest.

The rest of the week we spent in our old Milwaukee neighborhood staying with Sharon’s sister and family. Thanks Sue, Alan, Eric and Andrew for your hospitality. While Sue and Allen were working the salt mines, we paddled through downtown on the Milwaukee River, walked along the lakefront, and – as always – sampled some of the beer still making Milwaukee famous. We also had a lovely visit with a special friend Jean. I won’t embarrass Jean by singing her praises too loudly, but she is a unique individual. Her passionate compassion in the areas of civil rights and education are inspirational and humbling.

As much as we enjoyed our time with family and friends, by the time Sunday rolled around we were ready to move on. Milwaukee certainly has much to offer, but it is still a big, congested, at times garbage strewn city filled with impatient and often dangerous drivers. While we have many fond memories of our time in Milwaukee, truth is we’re just not big city people. So onward to the friendly embrace of Green Bay. The cold, blustery weather did not deter the Packer faithful. We latched onto a rocking tailgate party thanks to an invite from Kathy and Phil and did a right, proper pregame – doncha know! The good feelings lasted throughout the evening as the Packers downed the Seahawks.

As we joined the happy throng streaming out of Lambeau, we realized we had ticked all the boxes for our stay in Wisconsin. Visit with mom in Rhinelander – check! Biking and kayaking around the state – check! Sightseeing in Door County – check! Family and friends in Milwaukee – check! Microbrews – check! Friends, tailgate and victory at Lambeau – check! Our work done, we pointed Bumpy3 south and started the long butt flattener drive back to Flagstaff.

The drive was uneventful save for two important stops. The first was at Joe’s BBQ in Kansas City. This is the restaurant – or should I say Temple of BBQ Goodness – that ruined every other BBQ joint for me. We left with full bellies and seven bottles of Joe’s sauce to share. The other important stop was a last minute meet up with Chris and Rachael. Chris and Rachael stayed for a time in our apartment in Flagstaff. We met for some amazing Mexican food in Albuquerque. Their enthusiasm for life and for making a difference in the world is infectious.

And so it ends. Late Tuesday, many thousands of miles and seven months after leaving, we rolled back into Flagstaff. At some later date I’ll try to write some final thoughts about our travels. For now I’ll say this…while we are both looking forward to not being in constant motion, we are in no way ready to be done traveling. If anything, the past seven months have made us even more excited to see more of the world and meet more amazing people. So even as we are enjoying the warm embrace and welcome from friends here in Flag, we are also planning and plotting the next steps in our journey.

Still on the Road #28

On November 7, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road, Water Stuff2 Comments

October 31 – November 6

Growing up in the northern latitudes, one learns very quickly to embrace outdoor activity in the cold months. Madness lies down the path of trying to hide from the cold and snow. Thus it was that during our week in northern Wisconsin we braved the cold, the wind, the snow…and the occasional sunny day…and seized the carp outside.

In our humble, yet devastatingly accurate opinion, Wisconsin has the best secondary road system in the country. Thus we would have been remiss if we didn’t sample some northern tarmac while we were here. It did not disappoint – even if we did have to wear down jackets and winter clothes.

Biking old haunts, backroads and favorite trails

Given that water freezes at 32 degree, the car thermometer and snow flurries did give me a moment of pause. Perhaps…just maybe we’d moved beyond prime paddling season? No! Conditions just guaranteed I didn’t have to worry about bugs, sunscreen, or tourists. With the right gear I actually had some excellent paddling on local lakes.

For us, these outdoor activities were a necessity, and were quite fun. As always though, the best part of this week – much like last – was the chance to spend time with family. We talked, played games, did puzzles, crossed several items off Mom’s “honey do” list, did some baking (and eating – lots of eating), and just generally relaxed and had a great time. Sharon also took the opportunity to visit and share memories were her cousins at the family cottage. They all lived next door all through their childhood, so they are really more like brothers and sisters to Sharon. Sharon also got together with some former co-workers from her time in Rhinelander. No photos of that evening were available to the press. I’ll let that fact speak for itself. Apparently what happens at Dawn’s house stays at Dawn’s house!

This being Wisconsin, there are plenty of bars – but only one microbrew in Rhinelander. In keeping with our microbrew fact finding mission, we spent an entertaining afternoon enjoying the staff, the beer, and two fun couples from Florida visiting Wisconsin for the first time.

And thus draws to close a lovely week in the Northwoods. As much as we love Flagstaff and the west, there is a special place in our hearts for Rhinelander. I spent much of my childhood here. Sharon and I met and married here. And of course Mom is here. I can’t imagine leaving the west, but it is always a joy to be able to return “home” from time to time.

Still on the Road #27

On October 31, 2021October 31, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn On the Road1 Comment

October 17 – 31

As planned, we spent the week in Durango interacting with wee humans, their adult wranglers and assorted family and friends. A week with the grandkids is enchanting – and at times – exhausting. It involves crafts, leaf fights, trips to the pool and Sonic for ice cream, avoiding hot lava, reading books, officiating disputes, playing with cars, building (and destroying) towers, airplane rides, spinning and running around, snuggles, and on, and on, and on.

The highlight of the week came at the end. Since Oliver’s birthday wish was to go camping and bike riding, a large group of family and friends made the trip to Hartman Rocks outside of Gunnison. Wind, rain and overnight temps in the teens did not detract from the fun.

All good things must come to an end. On Sunday we bid adieu to Chris and Donna, Meghan, Rob and Emma, Katie and Kevin, Aaron, Vanessa, Oliver and Kiri. Two long days of driving brought us to Sioux Falls…home of the sestra Sandy, broheme-in-law Blair and nephew Seth. We enjoyed several days of jocularity, good food, games, an evening with some of Blair’s family, and over due car maintenance. Sandy even went out of her way to cook some of my favorite foods in honor of a recent birthday. Good stuff.

Some folks like to poke fun at South Dakota (me included). Sioux Falls is really a lovely community. We spent a few hours one day cycling a bike trail that connects a whole string of parks and green ways around the city. Very nice.

Friday morning we hit the road yet again. This time with new tires freshly aligned, new brakes up front and a much lighter wallet. We made a brief stop at the Spam Museum in Austin, MN (yes – there is such a thing – it was a hoot) Next stop – my parents childhood home – Tomah, WI. Although we weren’t there to see family. We spent a few hours catching up with good friends Corey and Mandy who had moved there from Flagstaff.

We ended our long travel day at the madre’s home in Rhinelander. We’re planning to spend the next two weeks enjoying family and friends here in Wisconsin prior to attending a Packer game at Lambeau Field. Author/journalist Tim Cahill said, “A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles.” That has definitely been true of this part of our journey, and we’re looking forward to continuing that theme. Goodbye October – it’s been fun. Hello November! Until next time STC!

Still on the Road #26

On October 17, 2021October 17, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Mountain Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Six Wheels: October 10 – 16

Sunday, October 10. I was the only customer at the large casino/sports bar where I intended to watch the Packer game. Weird. The only worker in the establishment spent three hours talking to me…actually at me. (Did I mention the Packer game?) I know everything that can be known about Darryl…every place he’s ever lived and worked, marital status, opinions about his ex and current wife, child, interests and hobbies, opinions about covid, government’s response to covid, the sun’s 12,000 year cycle as it pertains to climate change, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. He knows my name. I didn’t mind, since I really wasnt in a sharing mood (Packer game??) But, I am stunned at how often people, like Darryl, show a complete and utter lack of curiosity…about other people…or the broader world outside themselves. Curious.

The game ended well, and I took advantage of a good weather window to hike up to Lamoille Lake in the Ruby mountains. It was worth soggy feet. Stunning.

Monday, October 11. Very windy + very cold + very snowy + eight days without a shower = a hotel room. The math was simple. Crank the heat. Take a hot, steamy shower. Cook with a microwave. Take advantage of fast wifi. Luxury!

Tuesday, October 12. “Hope springs eternal in the face of experience which proves otherwise!” In spite of failing miserably using Google Maps to find remote campsites in Nevada, I rolled the dice again! The satellite showed a likely spot, and this time I hit it big just into Utah near the Bonneville Salt Flats. It ticked all the boxes. Deserted? Check. Interesting terrain? Check. Free? Check. Mountain hiking at my doorstep? Check. All this with the added bonus of a strong cell signal and a pile of dry firewood. Coincidence? I’d like to suggest a direct connection between this perfect site and my whining a few days ago. Just saying.

Wednesday, October 13. Another frosty morning in the 20’s, but calm and sunny. Perfect weather to explore the local peaks.

After a brief side trip to check out the Bonneville Salt Flats, I made the drive to Salt Lake City to spend the night at daughter-in-law Katie’s apartment. As always an enjoyable time with stimulating conversation and good food. Tomorrow will be a joyful reunion with Sharon at the SLC Airport.

Thursday, October 14. A few days ago, heavy snow snapped a support pole on our small awning. The supply chain issues affecting the entire world have trickled down to me. No replacements are to be found anywhere, at any price. I had some ideas about alternatives, but thought I’d stop in at Hinckley Overlanding in SLC…just to see. Huge shout out to these guys, especially to Darren Scott. We all chatted a bit. I explained my problem. We looked at some hopeful looking alternatives. Then Darren went to his rig, pulled out a spare pole which, while not a match, can be made to work – and just gave it to me. Refused anything in return!!! Random acts of kindness and generosity really are the best thing ever. Always good to remember in my interactions with people. Check them out here. www.hinckleyoverlanding.com

Late afternoon Sharon arrived safely,, and we did have a joyful reunion. Even though we had talked several times while she was away, we had lots catching up. That evening I had the best mole sauce since being first introduced to this amazing food of the gods in Mexico eighteen years ago. Thanks for the suggestion Katie, and thanks for the hospitality.

Friday, October 15. Drive to Durango. Lots of good forward looking conversation as we “plan” our next year of travel. Speaking of joyful reunions…awesome to see the Durango family again!

Saturday, October 16. Nothing warms the heart of a grandparent like actively being a grandparent. That was Saturday.

It’s been a good week. We’re looking forward to another week (together) with Aaron, Vanessa, Oliver and Kiri, and all the family and friends here in Durango. We have another grandchild birthday to celebrate, work to do on vehicles, and a large family/friend camping/mountain bike trip in Oliver’s honor.

Here’s hoping you also have an amazing week to look forward to. STC!

Still on the Road #25

On October 10, 2021October 11, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Mountain Stuff, On the Road2 Comments

Six Wheels: October 3 – 9

Sunday, October 3. When we met in the Walmart parking lot I counted four teeth when he smiled. His belt fought a losing battle against his sagging landslide of a belly. I made certain… assumptions. Turns out he has an impressive resume of Yosemite big wall climbs, and hard-core backcountry ski trips. Currently he fills his free time racing up to 100mph on “sand yachts” three wheel sail driven vehicles. Not what I assumed!

Sharon flew out this morning to be with her folks and nephew Eric. After stocking up at Walmart for several days of solitude, I traveled about 50 miles east and eventually found a place to spend the night. It was not pretty, but at least it was quiet and remote.

Monday, October 4. If Fallon, Nevada was a paperback book, it was a faded, dog eared, worn and tatty looking one. Based on it’s cover, I also misjudged this particular book. I made what was meant to be a quick stop at the city park to organize gear and fill water jugs. It was meant to be quick, but locals kept stopping by to chat – and they were all so friendly! Hours later I was finally ready to head east. Well done Fallon! I should also add…every friendly Fallonian, completely unprompted, shared their extreme dislike of the Californians who have settled in their fair city! We’ve heard this sentiment often. I wonder if folks from the Golden state realize in what high regard they are held across the west.

Today I found my hoped for solitude. I put the quiet to good use, reading, scaling a local peak and enjoying the total absence of humanity.

Tuesday, October 5. Today was a travel day across Nevada on the county’s “loneliest” highway. Highway 50 crosses a series of north-south mountain ranges, then drops into long flat valleys and dry lake beds in between. While different in texture, it offered the same kind of vast, wide openness as the North Slope of Alaska. Wasn’t expecting that. The day ended in Great Basin National Park where there looks to be several days of climbing, hiking and spelunking.

Wednesday, October 6. The highlight of the day was sitting atop 13,058 foot Wheeler Peak. (See what I did there?) I lounged around the summit, catching occasional glimpses of the mountain and the valley far, far below. Eventually the clouds refused to leave, so I did instead. Im glad I left when I did.. By the time I arrived back at camp, those same clouds were lightening their load. It looks like that rain, and even snow will be my companion for several days.

Prior to the hike, I chatted with the German owners of this behemoth overland vehicle. They’d been traveling the world for several years in that beast. Seems a bit of an overkill just to travel the same places as Sharon and I in and on our humble vehicles. In their defense, we haven’t biked across Africa…yet!

Thursday, October 7. Indecision! Disappointment! Delight! The forecast is for rain pretty much everywhere for several days. What to do? Not content to sit around in the rain, I found several intriguing back roads that led in the general direction of the Ruby mountains. Why not head in that direction and see what happens? Turns out…not much. Lots of mediocrity. And the last 40 miles – disappointment. Even though this part of the state is chock full, filled to the brim with nothing, every square inch is fenced, gated, padlocked and posted. Really? Fine then! I guess I’ll have to find some overpriced, noisy campground (grumble, grumble).

Delight. Imagine my surprise at finding a quiet, mostly empty, cheap and beautiful campsite right in Lamoille Canyon. Once again I stand corrected.

Friday, October 8. After a stormy night that left snow on the surrounding peaks, the sun was a welcome sight. Alas, it didn’t last. A rainy day seemed like a good day to do chores and explore nearby Elko. I completed my chores, and noted that Elko didn’t warrant much exploration. The weather hadn’t improved, so instead I endeavored to improve my mind at the local library. In addition to the books, one can learn much about a town through a bit of unavoidable eavesdropping. Thanks to patrons and staff, my curiosity about Elko was amply rewarded.

I was excited to see that while it had been raining heavily in town, it was snowing up in Lamoille Canyon. Excited until I saw that the wet snow had broken a support pole and partially collapsed our small awning. One more thing added to the list!

Saturday, October 9. As expected, I awoke to find everything covered by several inches of wet snow. It was lovely, but… Sharon and I pride ourselves on being flexible with our plans when circumstances dictate, such as the current weather. Overnight snow has been followed by a cloudy, unpleasant windchill kind of day…with more wintry weather on the menu. I wouldn’t mind, once in a while, not being dictated to and being able to follow through on plans. Lamoille Canyon is filled with hiking opportunities, and I was keen to spend several days exploring the trails. The weather is making that difficult.. Oh well, enough first world whinging right? Suck it up buttercup! I’m warm, dry, well fed, have good books and movies, as well as a nice selection of craft beer from which to choose. And, the wind died enough for a couple mile sunset hike. I shall endeavor to persevere! I hope you do as well. I’ll leave you with some pretty pics. STC!

Still on the Road #24

On October 3, 2021October 3, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Biking Stuff, On the Road, Water Stuff3 Comments

Six Wheels: September 27 – October 2

Monday, September 27. Question: When are we happiest not being on two wheels? Answer: Days like today!

“The sun did not shine, it was too wet to play, so we sat in the pub on that cold, cold wet day. I sat there with Sharon, we sat there we two. I said, ‘How I wish we had something to chew.” Too wet to go out, too wet to play ball, so we sat in the pub, we ate pretzels and all. And all we could do was to eat, drink, eat, drink, and we liked it a lot, not only a bit.” – The Cat in the Hat (Dave and Sharon style

Tuesday, September 28. Irrational optimism reigned supreme this morning. Surely, the sun will shine today and allow us to combine biking with some hiking in the Redwoods of Jedediah Smith State Park. That worked right up until it didn’t. We hadn’t even gone a mile when the rains came. Back to camp. An hour later we decided a drive would be nice. Good call as it rained on and off . We still managed to sneak in three lovely hikes. I can share pics and use a thesaurus worth of synonyms to describe the redwoods…but really, you just need to see them for yourselves.

Wednesday, September 29. Once again we turned to the Konas to experience the redwoods. We found a loop that included a coastal hiking/biking trail and a scenic highway. The coastal trail was definitely more hike than bike, and became a full body workout. We ended the day though having seen a remote stretch of coastline, elk, and more of the amazing redwoods.

Another highlight of the day was meeting Ann. An experienced rider, she is making her way from home in Port Angeles down the coast as far as time and desire allow. After chatting a bit, we agreed to camp together a few miles down the road at Patrick’s Point. Ann’s suggestion was brilliant. The views were amazing. In spite of the damp and cold, we stayed up way later than normal, talking and trading stories.

Thursday, September 30. Travel day. Left the coast and headed inland through Redding and Sacramento on our way to South Lake Tahoe. Lots of evidence of the fires that ravaged this area as well as beautiful areas that deserve more exploration.

Friday, October 1. Twenty-nine degrees this morning. Summer, it seems, is well and truly over. Not to be deterred, we donned our down and set off down (or in this case – UP) the road to an overlook high above Lake Tahoe. The lake lives up to the hype. As much as we enjoyed the overlook, and the climb to get there (not), the boats seemed like the better option for enjoying Tahoe. We chose…wisely. An added bonus of biking and a few hours on the water was a healthy appetite. We continued our Great Western Pub Crawl with a visit to the Lake Tahoe Aleworx. Excellent pizza and pints.

Saturday, October 2. Forty some years ago when I left Prudhoe Bay, I never imagined some day I would return to the Slope. During that original summer I met the most amazing person I’d ever encountered. Suzanne embraced life and adventure like no one I had ever met. I was inspired by her generosity and openness to life. For a few years after that summer, we kept in touch. She and her partner (and eventual husband John) would send the occasional postcard from Fiji, or Skagway, or some other far flung location. As happens though, we eventually lost touch.

On Saturday, we had a happy reunion at Suzanne and John’s home thirty minutes from Lake Tahoe. Not surprisingly, they had spent a lifetime working and traveling the world. It was such a joy sharing stories and finding that time has not diminished their adventurous spirit in the least.

We ended the day in Reno. Tomorrow Sharon will be leaving to spend ten days with her folks. For the past six months, we have been together 24/7. It will be a bit odd wandering around northern Nevada on my own. Not sure yet what I’ll do…the no plan plan is firmly in place. I look forward to finding out along with all of you where this road leads. Until next week…STC!

Still on the Road #23

On September 27, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn On the Road4 Comments

Six Wheels…”luxury!”

A week ago I may have said I was done blogging for a while. In my mind, no one would have the slightest interest in reading about us driving around in our 4Runner. It seemed so boring compared to reading about us riding around on our bicycles. Hmmm. Right. Well, I did have a few less awkward insights about the blog this past week that made me rethink that decision.

#1…I enjoy writing. Whether or not anyone reads what is written, I enjoy the process of putting pen to paper, as it were.
#2…It may seem contradictory, but I feel more observant and “in the moment” when I am at the same time thinking about how to describe what I am seeing, feeling, or experiencing.
#3… I realized that if I don’t jot down something, somewhere, in some fashion, days blur together. I have a hard time remembering where we’ve been and what we’ve done. I like remembering. These memories are precious, to Sharon and me at least.
#4…We continue to meet wonderful people as we travel. Many have fascinating lives and stories worth sharing. I enjoy sharing their stories and bringing attention to the good, kind, and generous folks we come across. And even though we are not currently bicycle touring, we are still touring full time in our tiny condo. Many folks still seem genuinely interested in our wanderings.

So, for a while longer at least, I will continue to share some details and thought about our travels. First thought. After bike camping, our little teardrop feels unbelievably luxurious. This is not “roughing it” in any sense.

It has been the perfect home as we hopscotch down the Pacific coast. In a departure from our norm, we’ve chosen to stay at campgrounds through Washington and Oregon. Free locations have been a bit challenging to find. Many of the sights have premium locations right on the ocean. As a non-campground snob, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the campground experiences so far. They’ve been quiet. It is nice having some amenities. The occasional shower is definitely appreciated. And some truly wonderful people have stopped by to chat. Some are interested in the boats. Some want to see the teardrop. Others notice the bikes.

We both have determined to not lose our hard earned fitness. So while there has been plenty of down time, we’ve also made sure to do something physical every day. Fortunately there are some beautiful hikes along the coast. In honor of my odometer ticking over to the big six-o, I rode sixty miles down the coast. While pleasant at times, I honestly don’t see why the Oregon coast is so popular among cyclists. There were long stretches with no views of the coast. I also found the traffic a bit too intense for my taste. At one point I had to dive off the road to avoid being flattened by an oncoming motorist who couldn’t be bothered to wait to make a pass. Sometimes two middle fingers just aren’t enough. My first day of being 60 was almost my last.

We made a new friend our last night in Oregon. We met Becky in Gold Beach. She has spent the last three weeks riding solo from north of Seattle on her way to the Redwoods of northern CA. Impressive by any measure. Even more so given that before setting out, she’d never done more than ride around her home neighborhood back in the UK. We enjoyed hearing her story over a few pints. So much fun finding kindred spirits on the road!

So that’s it for now. Today is going to be a soggy travel day as we seek to get established somewhere in Northern CA. We hope to spend a few human powered days exploring the Redwood region. So until next time, STC!

On the Road Again #22

On September 19, 2021September 19, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road3 Comments

September 12-18

Sunday, September 12. Poor road design yet again! Where do they find these engineers? I get saving money by having absolutely no shoulder on the road. Why pay to pave something that pick up trucks aren’t going to drive on, right? Makes perfect sense. Sure, it’s inconvenient, possibly even deadly for bicyclists, but we don’t belong on the road anyway! No, what I don’t understand are the unnecessary hills. I’m no engineer, or physicist, but the lake looks flat. Seems reasonable to assume that a road along a lake might also be flat – but NOOOO! Up and down and up and down!! Enough already! But I digress…

It was actually a lovely ride from Flathead Lake into Big Fork and then on into Kalispell! At the cleverly named Kalispell microbrew we had fun chatting up three folks who had just finished a through hike of the Continental Divide trail. Then a local cyclist gave me the skinny on the active year round bike scene in Kalispell. Sounds like a cool, active community. Like many other cool, active communities they are getting over run by work-at-home folks and people fleeing California and Texas. Eventually we moved on to microbrew #2 to watch the Green Bay Packers high school team get destroyed by a real NFL team…’nuf said.

Monday, September 13. A not great ride along a busy highway to Whitefish. The town, however, was pretty great. Visited with Whitney for several hours at Jersey Boys Pizzaria. Interesting how we viewed our respective bike trips. For us, this journey was the logical continuation of active lives spent outdoors. For Whitney, this trip was like stepping through a doorway into an alternate universe. A place where seemingly impossible tasks…like bicycling across the country, or around the world suddenly becomes possible! We parted ways with the knowledge that we will almost certainly meet again.

Tuesday, September 14. Last day on (near) the road. Lengthy lie in. A series of conversations – first with the campground trio of youngsters, then Dom and Donna at the lake, then Heidi at the farmers market. Nice folks all. Did I mention tasty food at the farmer’s market? Excellent music. Strolling around town and sitting by the lake. All the necessary ingredients for a relaxing last day to reflect on the previous 102 days. The day ended with us heading west on the Amtrak Empire Builder.

Wednesday, September 15. Amtrak spit us out at Everett. Several friendly locals helped us navigate the bus system. For the princely sum of $4 we were efficiently whisked from Everett all the way to Bellingham. Amtrak refunded the $48 they were going to charge us for a similar bus ride five hours later in the day. A delicious lunch with Cailie was followed by a quick ride up the hill to the Buckingham casa. One hundred and three days after leaving, our two wheel odyssey was officially over!

By the numbers…

103 days.
2,700 miles
600+ miles of gravel roads
4 flat tires
29 degrees…coldest biking temp
12,126’…highest elevation while biking (Cottonwood Pass, CO)
54 nights camping
10 grizzly bear sightings
22 hotel nights
27 nights spent with family/friends
6 different states

As I’ve noted elsewhere, numbers don’t tell the story. So in no particular order, here are some thoughts about this journey…

– During his long run, Forrest Gump stopped one day in Monument Valley and said, “I’m pretty tired…I think I’ll go home now!” That pretty much describes how our trip ended. Very anticlimactic.

– Our country is awesome! That word is over used to the point of being almost meaningless…but it fits. This country of ours regularly “inspired or induced feelings of awe!” So many images come to mind. The Brooks Range panorama. The endless expanse of the arctic. A grizzly mom and her cubs. A male grizzly sprinting at full speed (awesomely terrifying). Denali. A broaching whale. A tidewater glacier up close. The Rocky mountains.

– Social media would have you believe the world is a scary place filled only with horrible people. Turn off your devices! Ignore social media! Go! Interact with real people! With the possible exception of Idaho, people were almost universally kind, curious, generous, encouraging, and friendly. And if I’m honest, many people we met in Idaho were pretty cool as well! Consider just a few examples…

Pipeline workers stopped to share massive chocolate cookies and rice krispie treats.
Tom and Amanda gave us the use of their vacation home in Valdez.
Kay and John hosted and fed us in Anchorage, and allowed us the use of their Deshka cabin.
People regularly gave us rides through construction zones, dangerous stretches of road, or just when we needed a lift.
People regularly stopped to see if we were OK or if we needed anything.
An 11 year old boy caught and gifted us with salmon filets for lunch.
A restaurant owner in Walden comped us a meal for our anniversary. A Palmer couple let us camp in their yard and made us salmon burgers. A woman drove out of her way into Girdwood to buy us a beer.
So many people invited us to share their campfire, shared their stories, invited us to share ours, shared their knowledge, and their time.

– We worked very hard for many years to be physically and financially able to take a trip like this. Having said that, we recognize what a gift we’ve been given and what a privilege to be able to spend three plus months on the road. We also recognize the rare gift we have with each other. To not just tolerate, but enjoy spending 24/7 with another person through some grueling conditions…that is a rare gift indeed.

Wanderlust is a powerful force. In addition to the 3+ months bike tour, we’ve been away from home since mid April…and we’re not yet missing a more sedentary life. Ongoing thank you to Jack and Abby for taking care of business for us in Flagstaff. We’re both looking forward to new adventures. Having said that, we’re going to enjoy the luxurious life onboard the Tardis and Bumpy3 for awhile. We will continue to see where we’ll be able to go in the future,, and from that decide where we want to go.

Thank you all for traveling along with us. I really appreciated the comments and encouragement both on and offline. As an FYI…while we’re traveling on six wheels, I’m going to take a break from weekly posts. If something interesting comes up I’ll definitely share. Otherwise, figure that no news is good news. Seize the Carp and make your own adventures!

On the Road Again #21

On September 12, 2021October 17, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Two Wheels: September 5-11

Sunday, September 5. All across Wyoming we’d pointed our front wheel toward Yellowstone. Then at the very doorstep, we had second thoughts. Heavy holiday traffic with no shoulder to ride on…mmm, no thank you! Instead, we found a gravel road that cut west across the northern end of the Tetons into Idaho. “We can do gravel!” we said. So we did! We ended up at a very nice and eerily quiet campsite near the top of our climb across the ridge.

Monday, September 6. Today was meant to be a relatively easy day. Mostly downhill and flat into Ashton, ID. Instead, in the words of a fellow cyclist, the road was “kind of chunky”. Loose, bone jarring chunky gravel road. Not so easy, it turns out. Turns out, also quite by accident, we found ourselves, on the Continental Divide mountain bike route. Consequently we came across more riders in one morning than we’d met our entire trip so far. All were planning to ride all the way from Canada to Mexico. That’s some pretty hard core stuff.

In Ashton we gorged on excellent pizza, then rode another six miles to a spot along the Henry Fork River. What looked to be a quiet place to camp was a veritable animal menagerie. We caught the Sandhill Crane rush hour after work. Hundreds came flying over on their commute home, all making their distinctive call. Up the road hundreds of cows were bellowing and bawling…not really sure what was going on there. Nearby a lively community of coyotes was having choir practice. Not to be outdone, the elk joined the chorus. Interesting night!

Tuesday, September 7. Best stop so far. Falls Drug store in St Anthony. We enjoyed a hearty breakfast for $3.77 each! You read that right. Unheard of! The huckleberry malt we had for breakfast dessert cost more. (You realize breakfast dessert is a thing, right?) The rest of the day alternated between sublime and sadistic. Sublime, flat, smooth, tailwind assisted riding gave way to rough gravel that led out into a sadistic Mad Max waterless wasteland. Back in civilization, Shane at the sheriff’s office gave us permission to camp next door in the Dubois city park. A lovely end to a long day.

Wednesday, September 8. To say the landscape today was butt ugly would be an insult to ugly butts everywhere.

In addition to the bleak landscape, people here seem not “too full of the milk of human kindness”. Those who acknowledge our presence at all, do so with a sort of sullen indifference. Sorry Idaho, you’re not winning hearts and minds. After forty unpleasant miles we decided to bag it and hitch a ride north. Right! Did I mention sullen indifference? What kind of people ignore two frail (yet friendly) senior citizens – literally in the middle of nowhere? For an hour and a half! In 90+ degree heat! We were not thinking kind thoughts of Idaho or Idahoans when Rob circled back to see if we needed anything. He then drove us 20 miles past his turn off to drop us in the nearest town. Well played. Faith in humanity partially restored. (Note to Idaho…the rest of you are not off the hook yet).

The scenery did improve as we moved north. Unfortunately we could see very little of it because of the dense smoke and ash from all the fires. The smell was so overpowering we sought refuge in a B&B in Baker.

Thursday, September 9. Another unhealthy, smoky, smelly day. We biked into Salmon and decided to play thumb roulette again. Craig seemed awesome. Offered to drive us forty miles north to the top of Lost Trail pass. Conversation started with his high end custom car building business. ( He’s the real deal). By the end we were hearing about gov’t death threats because he’d discovered a cure for cancer. We were super grateful for his generosity. We were super grateful to have survived the wild ride in his mega customized (insanely fast) 1,000 hp pickup truck. We were extremely grateful to be out of the truck and back on two wheels again! Apparently hitch hiking is also of like a box of chocolates…

By days end we’d arrived in Darby, MT. Local veterinarian Tom and wife Barbara graciously allowed us to set up behind their clinic. Not only that, but also gave us great local beta on the best food, and stopped by after work to make sure we had everything we needed. Thanks Tom and Barbara

Friday, September 10. Early start. Huge breakfast in Darby then our longest day yet! I’d like to talk about the beauty of the Bitteroot mountains, but we could only just make out their faint outline through the smoke. Basically, just a long day! We were excited to stay with Ethel, our Warmshower host for the evening. We met 83 year old Ethel bike touring through Alaska! She and her 70 year old friend biked from Seward to Fairbanks. So what’s your excuse? While at Ethel’s we met Whitney, her other guest for the evening. Whitney has biked most of the way across country by herself and was a joy to be with. By evening’s end we’d made plans to spend some time biking together.

Saturday, September 11. After biking 12 miles across town, Mark graciously ferried us 62 miles into Polson. From there we rode another 13 miles along Flathead Lake to Blue Bay campground. Meanwhile, Ethel’s neighbor Ann was showing Whitney the sights and eventually dropped her off at camp. We had a fun evening with Whitney swapping stories around the first campfire of our trip.

Perhaps you noticed that during this past week there has been a significant amount of vehicle assisted travel. While we are still very much looking forward to more bike touring, we are ready for this portion of our journey to be over. So today we purchased a ride on Amtrak to take us from Whitefish to Bellingham. We still have a few days to bike and see the sights of northern Montana, but the end is now in sight. Definitely a bittersweet moment, but after 3+ months of two wheel travel we can begin to imagine some new adventures. Maybe a bicycle tour with Whitney around Mt Rainier. Perhaps some hiking, or sea kayaking, or day rides on empty bikes. So many different ways to seize the carp!

On the Road Again #20

On September 5, 2021September 5, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road3 Comments

Two Wheels: August 29 – September 4.

Sunday, August 29. Today – People often ask what we do all day while we’re riding. Usually we ride together, admire the scenery and chat. At times, pace and road conditions lead us to ride apart. Sharon will occasionally listen to a podcast or an audio book. I have a little Bluetooth speaker and prefer music. Other times I will ponder the question of life, the universe, and everything…and other mysteries, such as…

I wonder if we could fund our retirement selling used bungee cords found along the road?
Who is in such a hurry that they need to pee in a soda bottle and chuck it out the window? Related question…how does one pee in a small neck soda bottle while driving?
I’m would love to know why a broken vibrator ended up alongside the road, and how it got broken…or maybe not!
Are there mates on the other side of the road for all the single gloves laying in the ditch on my side of the road?
Why does the driver of a behemoth semi-sized RV not need the training and special license required of a semi driver? 🤔
Hey Colorado! Roads don’t have to end at the white line! Wyoming has nice wide, smooth shoulders. Just sayin’

These are just a few of the odd places my mind wanders when I’m not paying attention to it. The route from Riverside to Rawlins was interesting and pleasant enough that my brain stayed home most of the day. After restocking our pantry, we found a nice wild camping spot spot a few miles north of town.

Monday, August 30. The blood red sun and early winds felt ominous. We expected a brutal day until the wind shifted to something called a ‘tailwind.’ I wasn’t sure what that was, so I looked it up. Turns out we like it. On the way to Jeffrey City we crossed the Continental Divide twice. We passed through an area that seemed like it belonged in Nevada. We were regularly surprised by the scenery served up by Wyoming. When at long last we arrived at Jeffrey City, we enjoyed chatting with Bill over a cold beer. A life long resident of this sad little town, he filled us in on the history, the scandals, and his own (fascinating) life story.

That evening we stayed at community church that hosts bikers on the Transamerica route. This route is the cycling equivalent of the Appalachian trail, or PCT. All along its 4000+ miles there are facilities like this and people willing to help ‘through bikers’. We spent much of the evening enjoying conversations with Jim and Gregg who were cycling all the way to the east coast.

Tuesday, August 31. Just about the time I decide I’m done with Wyoming’s endless scrubby open range, it surprises with some interesting topography. Still, after a long, hot, windy day we we’re both very ready to reach Lander and free camping in a beautiful city park.

Wednesday, September 1. Technically this is only day 89 of our two wheel adventure, but it sounds cool to say we’re biking in our 4th month. No better way to celebrate than with a lie in and rest day to see the sights of Lander. Kudos to the unbelievably friendly and helpful folks at Gannett Peak Sports. For a few well spent dollars they replaced worn out chains and tweaked our tired bikes. Having someone else work on our bikes…LUXURY! Later that day we enjoyed dinner with Harrison, another biker on his way east.

Thursday, September 2. Based on advice from several folks, we skipped ahead 75 miles to Dubois, WY. HUGE thank you to Ireneus (sp?) for driving far, far out of her way to give us a ride. She happily filled us in on her life as a member of the Shoshone tribe. Our arrival in Dubois coincided with the arrival of a massive thunderstorm that seemed intent in hanging around. Good enough reason for a hotel, hot tub and hot shower.

Friday, September 3. Today we said good-bye to the open range, and hello you lovely mountains…finally! The wide open spaces were a nice change of pace…for awhile. We were quite happy to slog uphill all day to creep over Togwotee (TOE-go-tee) Pass. We were also quite ready to be done. As I write this we are comfortably reclined in our tent in a high meadow listening to elk bugling, coyotes yipping and a creek bubbling. Sublime!

Saturday, September 4. As expected at 8,500′ it was a frosty night. Going forward we’re going to keep elevation in mind as we pick our camp spots.

Even during Labor Day weekend, it was a pretty chill day riding into Teton National Park. National parks have started offering hiker/biker camping. Sites are almost always available – and at a reduced rate. We snagged a spot at Colter Bay. First order of business,, fixing our fourth flat tire, and also replaced worn brake pads. Maintenance completed, it was a relaxing afternoon.

Big picture, we’re now looking at Sandpoint, Idaho as our final biking destination. From there it looks like we can catch Amtrak to Seattle, and possibly Bellingham. That will give us a few more weeks of relaxed riding instead of having to crush big days to make it all the way to Bellingham in our time frame. Short term we’re going to bypass the traffic and narrow roads of Yellowstone by taking a remote gravel road across the northern Tetons into Idaho before heading north. Another stupid fun adventure! Whee!

So until next week…Seize the Carp! And for all you Flagstaff Imogene runners…have a great weekend! We’ll be thinking of you all!

On the Road Again #19

On August 29, 2021August 29, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Two Wheels: August 22 – 28

Sunday – Tuesday, August 22 -24. Another day…another herd of cows to help us greet the new day. Actually they were being herded by a young lady on a quad who scolded us for camping on private land. Upon learning that we called Flagstaff home, she said “Well, at least you’re not from California! I guess you’re all right!” We were glad to hear that!

Five miles down the road, we met with Kevin. He’d driven down from Loveland to climb with friends and we’d planned to drive back to spend a few days with he and Katie. Spent a nice day hanging with Kevin, Katie and their friends Mel and Aron at the crags.

Given the urban sprawl that is Denver and its environs, it made sense that to accept a ride from Kevin and Katie in order to visit them in Loveland. We spent a wonderful few days there enjoying time at a beach, playing games, sampling tasty Mo-Jo (Moore-Johansen) vegan cooking, and just hanging out. I won’t say it was a well deserved rest, but it was truly appreciated.

Wednesday, August 25. Fifteen miles up the road we stopped to meet up with former co-worker, former Flag resident, and current dear friend Glen. It was great catching up. And while it would have been nice to spend more time, the day was heating up and we had some miles to travel. The canyon containing the Cache la Poudre river was to be our home for the next few days. Beautiful!

Thursday, August 26. Anticipating more warm weather, we got an early start. The headwinds, anticipating our early start, got an even earlier start and reduced our forward progress to an almost glacial pace. On the plus side, this gave us plenty of time to enjoy more of the lovely Poudre river canyon. The downside was that we were barely making 4 miles an hour in our ‘no hero gear’ up a very gradual incline. Late in the day we gratefully accepted a lift up the last seven miles to the top of Cameron pass. Thank you Duncan and Julie.

At one point during the day, we rode through an area that had burned the previous summer. Just a few weeks prior to our visit, massive mudslides and flooding claimed four lives and caused significant damage. Certainly helped put our whinging about a headwind into perspective.

Friday, August 27. Thunderstorms made for quite a wild night. In spite of all the theatrics, our sturdy little tent allowed us to sleep peacefully through most of the drama. Friday morning dawned cold and clear with temps in the mid 30’s. While we’re still getting some toasty days,, it’s becoming clear that summer is beginning to wane. The wind, obviously feeling guilty about the poor showing yesterday, decided to help us the final 24 miles into Walden.

Walden was the perfect place to prepare for what could be some challenging riding across Wyoming. We treated ourselves to a massive breakfast, a hotel room, a hot tub, and then more food at “All Smoked Up” BBQ. Clearly we haven’t met all 870 residents, but Walden has to be in the running for “friendliest town” ever. Gas station and grocery store clerks, hotel folks, restaurant servers and owners…all were smiling and pleasant.

Larry and Shannon were over the top. Larry came to our table and thanked us for coming to his restaurant. As we chatted about our trip, we mentioned that we were splurging on dinner and a hotel to celebrate our anniversary from a few days prior. He insisted that our BBQ dinner was free. Thank you.

Saturday, August 28. Today we traded the mountains and canyons of Colorado for wide open Wyoming. That’s not to say there was no climbing. The hills were measured in single digit miles instead of double digits. It looked like we were going to have an ‘easy’ fifty mile day until a malicious headwind almost ground us to a halt. Still, we finished relatively early and had a relaxing afternoon/evening complete with shower.

It’s been another interesting week. There have been some mentally tough and physically demanding days. We’ve also had some beautiful, rewarding, and relaxing days as well. We’re currently in good spirits and ready to continue on. We appreciate the encouragement that’s come our way.

Small side note: Saturday was our 85th day on two wheels and we just surpassed 2,000 miles…400 of those in Colorado and Wyoming. Clearly there have been lots of rest days off the bikes. Also of note…if you don’t count flying into Colorado, after three months we finally biked across our first state border.

On the Road Again #18

On August 22, 2021August 22, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn On the Road6 Comments

August 9 – 21

Two Wheels: Durango and Beyond.

Like any good grandparent, I could prattle on endlessly about our brilliant and adorable grandchildren. I could go on and on about camping and biking and hiking and floating and reading books and playing hot lava and being silly and celebrating a birthday and just spending quantity and quality time with two small humans and their full time tenders. Instead, I’ll simply share a few photos and call it good.

Sunday, August 15. “Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say ‘good night’ til it be morrow.” Whenever we land someplace intriguing, whenever we meet some interesting people, one of the hard parts of travel is saying good-bye. Multiply that feeling a thousand-fold when we’re saying good bye to Aaron, Vanessa and the grandchildren. After a week though, it was time to move on. Aaron and Kiri were kind enough to drive us past the busy Sunday traffic (and massive climb) between Durango and the top of Wolf Creek Pass.

After our final ‘good-byes’ we set off downhill towards South Fork. It was glorious. There is nothing like mile after mile of downhill bliss. In spite of a rain delay, we made it to a campground 10 miles beyond Creede, just as the skies opened again. Good first day back on the bikes.

The glamorous life of bike touring – waiting out a monsoon thunderstorm.

Monday, August 16. Our goal this day was Lake City. On paper, 45 miles seems easily do-able. Paper doesn’t account for almost 4,000′ feet of climbing over two passes that included all the usual weather gifts. It was a challenging, beautiful day in the mountains.

Aftermath of a high altitude monsoon storm.

Tuesday, August 17. On Monday we made the mistake of loafing a bit too much in the morning. We paid for it by having to ride in the heat, and then the unpleasantness of monsoon storms. We hit the road early, headed in the direction of Gunnison. After 20 miles of beautiful, generally downhill riding completed by 10am, we said, “Let’s go all the way to Gunnison.” We did not account for eight, brutal, uphill miles over two passes in sweltering heat. We also did not plan on the third flat tire of our trip. We did persevere however. We spent the evening in one of Gunnison’s stupidly overpriced hotels.

More “joy of the open road”…changing a flat with no shade and 80+ degrees.

After reaching the top of our first hostile pass today, I fist bumped Sharon. “Here’s to us being bad ass bikers!” Sharon’s response…”I’m tired of being bad ass!” That response led us to using the comfortable surroundings to have a serious conversation about our future. We’ve been cycling now for ten weeks and have covered some 1,800 miles. Many of those miles have been through tremendously challenging conditions. The prospect of more challenges to come led Sharon to question her desire to continue the trip. At what point does the enjoyment of travel and satisfaction of having completed something difficult no longer outweigh the suffering? Especially since we are here by choice and ostensibly are doing this to have ‘fun’. We had a healthy conversation about different strategies and goals, and by evening’s end, Sharon decided to continue this portion of our journey.

Wednesday, August 18. Reunion. Several weeks ago we said good-bye to our Ushaia bound traveling partner Marshall. Partly by chance, and partly by design our paths crossed in Gunnison. It was a real treat sharing another meal and libation with our compadre. All too soon we parted ways again.

Thursday, August 19. “How long have we been doing this?” Ever have one of those days? First we couldn’t find Sharon’s wallet so we unpacked and repacked everything. Then the skies opened and we decided to shelter in place for awhile. Then my saddle broke requiring a quick trip to the very excellent Tomichi Bike Shop in Gunnison. Then we rode and the skies OPENED again. So, lots of starts and stops. Ultimately we ended up having a short but beautiful day biking from Gunnison up Taylor River canyon.

Friday, August 20. This was the big ‘un. It was an all day slog up and over Cottonwood Pass. Even though it was uphill all day, it was one of my favorite days so far in Colorado. The road surface was excellent and not terribly steep. Blue bird skies. Courteous drivers. Stunning Alpine scenery all day long. Capped off with a nice wild camping spot. Yeah…this is why we ride!

Saturday, August 21. Payback is a …. beautiful thing sometimes. 18 miles into Buena Vista this morning, all downhill. After a hearty, totally unearned, breakfast we decided to loaf around Buena Vista and check out the sights for a few hours. We’ve driven through a few times before, but I’ve never really gotten off the main drag. We both very much enjoyed the ambience.

From BV we have 43 miles to a planned meet up with youngest son Kevin, Katie Jo and friends. Crazy, stupid, busy, reckless traffic led us to get off the narrow road up to Antero Pass. Thanks to trail angel #1 today. Then impending doom in the form of wicked thunderstorms all around led us to a quick pitch up and trail angel #2. Mark lost his wife in a year and a half ago. That and a very serious health scare led him to hit the road and fulfill his wife’s bucket list. He pulled off to offer us food , water and a touching story.

As summer winds down, we hope you made lots a good memories these past few months. We are now two weeks and several hundred miles into the Colorado portion of our journey. We’ve had some very high “highs” and some of the most difficult days yet. As mentioned earlier, we both have had some mental and physical struggles…to the point of questioning whether or not we should go on or fast forward to Bellingham. We continue to be open and honest with each other…and as of now, we’re choosing to continue our journey. As always, we remain open to alternatives. Until next time…STC!

On the Road #17

On August 10, 2021August 10, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Two Wheels: August 1 – 8

Sunday, August 1. This particular Sunday was not to be a day of rest. Rather, it was up and over a seemingly endless series of unnecessary hills from Clam Gulch to Homer – famous for the Spit extending into Kachemak Bay. It’s five mile length makes it one of the longer spits in the world. Which, as I’m sure you all know, pales in comparison to the longest in the world – the 68 mile long Arabat Spit in the Sea of Azov.

View from the last ‘hill’ before dropping into Homer

Homer Spit was both spectacular…and disagreeable. The world famous Spit checked all the positive boxes…ocean, seals, sea otters and sea birds, beach walking with views of the bay and snow capped peaks beyond. Unfortunately it also checked all the boxes for being an over priced tourist trap. We chose to enjoy the former and ignore the latter. We did have one serendipitous moment. A young local (Hayley) saw our bikes and sought us out. She had toured extensively in Asia and offered some great insights and ideas for us to ponder.

Monday/Tuesday, August 2-3. The sign identifies Homer as “The End of the Road.” Turns out, Homer was in fact the end of the road for us. We spent time on the Spit pondering our options, our timelines, our desire for more adventure, as well as all the events beyond our control. We finally concluded that the time had come to end this chapter of our story. We spent much of our last daily Homer sitting on the beach reflecting on the past two months. We talked about the people we’ve met, and all that we’ve seen and done. As all the BLE folks in Flagstaff know, “Don’t be sad it’s over, be glad it happened!” We’ve decided we can be both…and we are.

Wednesday, August 4. Six days of hard biking were undone in less than six hours. Having experienced the route from Anchorage to Homer on two wheels, the same sights barely registered when simply viewed from a bus. With no effort on our part, we arrived back in the big city to a day filled with preparations to leave. Happily we also found time to have a wonderful evening with a former high school classmate and his lovely bride. Unbeknownst to me, Jeff and Debbie have made Anchorage their home for the past 26 years.

Thursday, August 5. One last bike around town and the bikes were once again relegated to the status of luggage.

The highlight of the day was meeting up with our Warmshower hosts from Palmer, Chelsea and Gerrit. Chelsea (certified badass biker) completed an epic bikepacking ride of her own while we were loafing around Valdez and Anchorage. It was fun comparing notes and meeting some of Gerrit’s friends. It was an evening filled with entertaining conversation, superb pizza and tasty beer. Thanks Chelsea, Gerrit – and Moose’s Tooth Pizza for a memorable send off!

Friday, August 6. Goodbye Alaska! It’s been fun getting to know you. Now that we know where you live, we’ll try not to be strangers.

And just like that…a few hours and several thousand miles later we find ourselves, of all places, in Durango. If you’ve been keeping track, you may recall that our truck and trailer are in Bellingham, Washington. We are not geographically challenged. We realize Durango is nowhere near Bellingham. However, a certain young lady will be celebrating her third birthday this week – an event not to be missed! And, since Canada insisted on making southbound travel difficult and uncertain, we thought, “Let’s celebrate a birthday AND then bike north to Bellingham!” Win-win!

Saturday/Sunday, August 7-8. When we arrived in Durango, Aaron, Vanessa, and the grandkids were away on a San Juan River trip. We used the time until their Sunday evening return doing laundry, shopping, bike maintenance, as well as some serious loafing!

When the magic moment finally arrived, the looks of surprise and excitement from Oliver and Kiri were priceless. We’re all looking forward to spending some quality time together. So far the week is looking good.

At some point this week we’ll have some hard decisions to make regarding route. But that’s for later. For now we’ll focus on enjoying family and acclimating to life outside of Alaska.

On the Road #16

On August 1, 2021August 1, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Two Wheels: July 25 – 31

Just to change things up a bit this week, rather than do a day by day journal, I’ll do something of an overview. From Anchorage on Sunday, we followed the road south with stops at Girdwood (1 night), Hope (2), Jean Lake (1), Soldotna (2), and Clam Gulch (1). As usual, we’ve had some wonderful experiences.

Along Turnagain Arm we were fortunate to follow an incoming bore tide. Amazing to see the power of the tide – as well as the surfers, SUP riders and kayakers riding the wave. As we we’re riding along following the progress of the bore tide, we met Debbie. Even though she was on her way home to Anchorage, she followed us to the Girdwood Brewery and insisted on buying us a beer. Trail Magic #1. At the brewery we met Bill and Marina from Truckee. They had just finished a five day sea kayak trip out of Valdez. They shared some incredible stories of kayaking in the same area we took our boat tour. The best was their description of a hunting pod of whales. One of the pictures below was from their trip.

Next day we made our way to Hope. Hope was exactly what you’d imagine an Alaskan village would look like. Most of the buildings date back to a gold rush in the late 1800’s. Back then as many as 3000 people lived in the area, hoping to strike it rich. Today fewer than 200 hardy souls call it home. We decided it looked like the perfect place to spend an extra day. As usual, the best memories came from some of the folks we met. In the Sea View bar we met family friends of the Seward Olympic swimmer – Lydia Jacoby. They were proud beyond belief. Fellow camper eleven year old Jacob caught and fileted a pink salmon for us. Trail Magic #2. We promptly fried it up for lunch. Delicious. In the same campground Debbie and Steve from Palmer invited us over for adult beverages around their fire. With many similar interests, we would easily see a friendship forming if distance weren’t an issue.

I had been to Soldotna several times back in the day, but remembered almost nothing about it. We enjoyed visits to both the St Elias and Kenai River breweries. We spent an off day doing laundry, meandering around town. taking our first opportunity to watch some of the Olympics, and getting caught up on chores.

After Soldotna we took a detour into Kenai to witness the spectacle that is dip netting. Apparently every AK resident head of household can dipnet 15 salmon, and 10 more for every member of the household. From what we saw at the mouth of the Kenai River, not many residents were passing on that opportunity.

We also spent time planning our next few weeks. We were disappointed to learn that the normal ferry between Homer to Kodiak had been reassigned elsewhere for the first two weeks of August. That effectively removes a visit to Kodiak as an option. Not to worry. We have Homer to explore. Seward still awaits. In the meantime, we’re enjoying the journey. Hope you are enjoying yours.

On the Road Again #15

On July 25, 2021July 25, 2021 By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

Two Wheels: July 18 – 25

Sunday, July 18. FOMO vs. RD. In the midst of sweating, slogging uphill, fighting a headwind… we fantasize about the pleasures of a rest day (RD). Sleeping in. Reading a good book. Enjoying beautiful views. Eating! On one of our rare rest days, FOMO (fear of missing out) whispers in our ear, “Go do something!! You’re missing…. something! FOMO vs. RD. On Sunday morning we listened to FOMO. We intended to hike up Mineral Creek into the mountains outside of Valdez. Rain cut that short. We took that as a sign. Later when the skies cleared, we sat by the harbor, playing cards, chatting with folks who happened by, eating, and just enjoying the little spot of loveliness that is Valdez. RD = 1. FOMO = 0

Monday, June 19. FOMO vs. RD. We’ll call this one a draw. We had talked about taking a boat tour in Seward. In an uncharacteristic change of plans (ha) we chose to seize the carp in Valdez. We chose…wisely.

Tuesday, July 20. For six hours we watched islands and bays materialize out of a foggy Prince William Sound, only to disappear back into the murk. That was the ferry ride from Valdez to Whittier. The town is much as I remember it. A not so attractive community in a stunning location. We decided to give Whittier a chance to show off. After setting up camp in a city campground, we hiked up to see the Portage glacier. It was a bargain hike. The pay off far exceeded the efforts of climbing up to the pass.. We ended the day firmly seated on the Bucks bandwagon, watching them win the NBA championship. It was a very good day.

Wednesday, July 21. Thanks to the rain arriving as predicted, we packed away a soggy mass of tent before heading to the tunnel entrance. A very friendly young man from Palmer agreed to take us through the persistent rain all the way to Anchorage. He was freshly off the PCT due to an injury. Born and raised in Palmer, he had a wealth of information to share. We appreciated the ride and enjoyed our chat.

After so many days in rural or small town AK, Anchorage was a bit jarring. We had a happy reunion with Marshal. Over lunch and a beer he regaled us with fantastic stories of camping with local homeless folks, leaping whales, and adventures with new friends and former co-workers. We parted with vague plans to meet the next day.

We ended the day chatting with friends Kay and John who have once again graciously opened their home to us. (The Deshka cabin was theirs as well)

Thursday, July 22. John and Kay work, so Marshall, Sharon and I biked some local bike trails. Beautiful. After a brief stop at 49th State Brewery, we finally parted ways with Marshall for the last time. Given the uncertainty about Canada, he is flying to Montana to continue his journey. We certainly wish him well on his travels. He will be missed.

It was fun biking around Anchorage reminiscing about my time here a lifetime ago. Later, Kay, John and I took an enjoyable romp down memory lane sharing stories of growing up in Rhinelander.

Friday, July 23. A few chores today. Sharon rode to do some errands. Kay and I strolled the beach below Kincaid park. This evening was spent getting to know a classmates lovely daughter and one of Kay’s dear friends. With access to real grocery stores and a proper kitchen, we provided home made pizza and apple pie. What a treat!

Saturday, July 24. You may have noticed, by the time we get back on the road tomorrow, we will have spent an entire week NOT bicycle touring. This is actually one of the best parts of bicycle touring. Yes, we do enjoy watching the scenery roll by while on the bike. The real point of the exercise though is to enjoy the places we visit. The bicycle just happens to be our chosen means of transport.

Today was a perfect example of enjoying a place. After doing some packing, sorting, preparing and planning, the four of us drove to Girdwood, took a pleasant hike, enjoyed a pint at Girdwood Brewery, had amazing deep fried halibut prepared by John and conversed late into the evening. An amazing day “bike touring” and nary a butt touched a bike saddle.

It has been a wonderful week enjoying beautiful places and wonderful people. Thanks again to Fairbanks Tom and Amanda for allowing us to stay at their place in Valdez. And special thanks to Kay and John for being the perfect host and tour guide during our stay in Anchorage. We’re looking forward to getting back on the road to explore the Kenai peninsula…and to making some final decisions about the next portion of our journey.

Until next time…Seize the Carp!

Seizing the Carp!

Category: On the Road

#29 – Still on the Road…and off!

Like this:

Still on the Road #28

Like this:

Still on the Road #27

Like this:

Still on the Road #26

Like this:

Still on the Road #25

Like this:

Still on the Road #24

Like this:

Still on the Road #23

Like this:

On the Road Again #22

Like this:

On the Road Again #21

Like this:

On the Road Again #20

Like this:

On the Road Again #19

Like this:

On the Road Again #18

Like this:

On the Road #17

Like this:

On the Road #16

Like this:

On the Road Again #15

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: