Our sleeping quarters have been varied - churches, schools, camp grounds, lodges and B&B's. I know this might not look comfortable but when one is so tired, I guess it does not matter. Notice the cute nursery we choose to sleep in at the church in Whitefish
We are actually leaving Eureka even though the sign says "Welcome!" The most scenic part of the day was cycling near Lake Dickey.
Our day was frightening for a biker - narrow shoulders, awful cut up roads with ruts, RVs, logging trucks - all going 70-80 MPH on this secondary road into Whitefish. I created a new type of stop for me - a stress stop. This stop enabled me to relax and go on.
Whitefish is a western town that is booming with new store fronts, theater, bike shops and anything you could need or want. The town does close early except for the bars. I was disappointed that the huckelberry ice cream store was not opened on our stroll through town.
On the road I spotted this flag sculpture, which stirred my inner patriotism for our country. Eureka is only 3 miles from the Canadian Rockies and we could see the Rockies from our bike.
The only scenic part of the ride was cycling above Lake Dickey. Our day was frightening for a biker - narrow shoulders, awfully cut up roads with ruts, RVs, logging trucks - all going 70-80 MPH on this secondary road into Whitefish. I created a new type of stop for me - a stress stop. This stop enabled me to relax and go on.
Whitefish is a western town that is booming with new store fronts, theaters, bike shops and anything you could need or want. The town does close early except for the bars. I was disappointed that the huckelberry ice cream store was not open on our stroll through town.
Try to find the osprey. We had been searching for miles until this find.
Many of you might wonder how we can travel on a bike for so many miles with drink and food. Well, Tim, our driver sets up snacks and drinks for the road after breakfast. Halfway along the route we find Tim with the trailer and he sets out lunch for us. He is a great person and accomodates all our needs with a welcoming smile
We cycled from Libby, Montana to Eureka. The scenery was majestic. The continuing climbs and downhills were challenging as we followed the lake. Along the way we stopped at the Libby Dam. After 72 miles we were delighted to find our lodge. On other days that might not be as strenuous, we stayed in churches using our sleeping bags.
,
We finally entered Montana today. We stopped for pie and a huckleberry milkshake at the famous Henry's restaurant in Libby. The temperature reached over 90 and we were happy to cool down here! It was impossible to photograph this sign correctly with the blazing sun reflecting on the metal.....so, perhaps, backwards is o.k. One certainly can tell it says "Welcome."
Notice that Ziva and I are now the same height as Sharon and Kim. We've grown quite a bit!
The day was again filled with beautiful scenery and so many photo ops that we did a lot of stopping. Our final destination was the Diamond T Ranch after 61 miles of cycling.
Most interesting after leaving Farragut State Park was a stop at The Wolf Shop. The wolves actually live on a 50 mile ranch with the owner Nancy, who believes that there is a spiritual bond between man and wolf. I purchased the symbol of the Wolf People, which looked like a hamsa with a wolf paw in the center. This necklace would bring me good luck!
This was my first day of riding again after my ankle accident. I was able to cycle in sneakers and standard pedals and was extremely happy to be back on my bike.
Hard to believe that we are in Idaho camping at the Farragut State Park. We will only be in Idaho two days before entering Montana. The park borders Lake Pend Oreille. The lake is 1,500 feet deep and was used by the navy for submarine training. We are tenting for the first time on the trip. Roasting marshmallows at the campfire reminded me of my girl scout days of old.
The city is bursting with people who will be participating in the largest 3 on 3 basketball festival in the world. All the hoops are in the streets ready for tomorrow. All the streets in the city will be closed and players as young as six will participate.
What you do not see in this photo is my wheelchair. My ankle was very swollen but the doctor at the clinic told me that I could ride in a few days.
I saw this view of Riverside Park from my wheelchair. The view of the falls along the Spokane River were a site beyond belief! By the end of our day off, we had seen a lot of Spokane, but Ziva must have been tired wheeling me in the $10 a day wheelchair we rented.
Our 70 miles ride to Spokane along route 2 was easy. We lunched under this gazebo and talked to other riders from The Big Ride, a group cycling across country for American Lung. Cycling into Spokane on the Centennial Trail we were able to view the magnificent Riverfront Park before reaching our dorm at Gongaza University.
This morning at the church in Wilbur, I missed a step. I know that this happened because I was wearing my dark sunglasses and riding shoes with slippery cleats. My ankle started to swell but I had no trouble riding my bike. By the end of the 72 miles, I was in great pain as I tried to clip out of my pedals. The photo above is before I took off my shoes to ice my ankle!
After 17 miles we dropped into an area called a Coulee. A Coulee is a valley of high walls of rock that formed during the ice age from receding and advancing glaciers. The view was magnificent and the three mile climb out of the Coulee not as easy as the downhill into the area. Strong head winds made the last 32 miles to Wilbur particularly taxing.
Passing through small and abandoned towns, one can see remains of the wild west and the boom towns that once were here. In Douglas today, the mail boxes represent the remaining towns people residing in the town.
We left Leavenworth and headed toward Waterville. On the way, we stopped in Cashmere to explore the town and tour their candy factory. The terrain is changing. Lots of orchards - cherries, apples, and pears - and mountains, sparse with little vegetation. The challenge today was the seven mile climb in Pine Canyon. The ride was short today, only 45 miles. Perhaps this is in preparation for our 72 mile ride tomorrow, our longest day since we started the trip. No more rain and temperatures in the low 80's. Part of the day we followed the Columbia River.
After a long day of cycling, Ed, Chuck, Tim and Dick are relaxing at the local beer garden in Leavenworth. Cheers!
We climbed 17 miles to Stevens Pass. Overcast and cold at the summit with an elevation of 4,000 feet. Then downhill for 17 miles and extremely cold. To our surprise, on the other side of the Cascades, it was warm. The view also changed - from snow covered mountains to rushing rivers and bright sunshine.
Thirty-seven of 52 miles were in a downpour. Still a great day with our group. The weather didn't really matter.
On the way out of Seattle with the group, we cycled to see the famous giant troll under the Fremont Bridge.
We took the ferry to Vashoom Island, Washington. The challenging hills on the island were part of our preparation for the start our trip tomorrow and for checking out our bikes.
Unfortunately, tomorrow there is a 70% chance of rain. Perhaps this will be the only rain day on our entire trip! I'm very optimistic.
This day was set aside to walk, not cycle. We went to the new Olympic Park on the waterfront, the Underground, and Pike Street Market.
We had an exciting evening, meeting the other bikers on our trip. We hugged our bikes knowing that they survived a UPS trip across country and were in great condition. Now we hope that the bikes will survive our trip pedaling them across country!
Spirits were high upon our arrival in Seattle, dampened only slightly by the surprise of cold, damp weather. The people we met were so friendly and helpful that we immediately knew why Seattle is on the list of the top places to live in the U.S. Did you ever hear of a bus driver calling a B&B to check their location and going off his route to get us there? Yes, this happened here.
Our B&B is lovely. We had the afternoon to bus downtown and explore the city.
On Saturday evening, Ziva and I had another surprise from our Havarah. The group toasted us with champagne and gave us a Merlot with a Red Bicyclette 2008 label.
We met Gabby from the Parkinson's Foundation this morning. She surprised me with a gift of two shirts bearing my name and the Parkinson's logo to wear on the ride. My brother Michael joined me today. He told me that he is deeply touched that I have designated part of my ride to help him and others with this disease.
On the last day before leaving for my ride, I visited my mom to say goodbye and show her how to access my blog. My instructions to her were to stay well. At age 91, she is an active senior and enjoying life at Bedford Court, a near-by retirement community.
I visited my grandchildren in New Hampshire this past weekend and showed them the route of the bike ride.
The youngest child could not figure out how I could ride across one of the Great Lakes! Their eyes bulged with awe as they followed the map from city to city and state to state.
