LaVonne I lost the dinosaur somewhere between Billings and Bozeman, now hes really extincted.Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Idaho
Hey everybody how have you all been? Well I am in Lewiston, Idaho which is on the western border to Washington state. I have had pretty good weather since I last wrote, everyday has been at least 80 degrees so that's been a real treat.
I had a pretty good time in Missoula, MT, I was able to visit the Adventure Cycling Association which is a non-profit that promotes bicycle touring and is the maker of the maps that I am using. I met a few guys at the local brewery and played disc golf with them, the course was pretty amazing it was right in the Blue Mountains just west of Missoula. That evening while trying to sleep in a city park I was rudely awaken by the sprinklers at 3am, I was only in my sleeping bag ,which ended up getting wet. I was up then trying to dry out my sleeping bag, I fell asleep at about 5 and not to much later I was awoken to some kids trying steal my bike, they didn't get far since it weighs 2 million pounds, interesting night.
On Friday the 26th I started out from Missoula, MT and from there I slowly climbed up Lolo Pass which is only 5,235 feet which is a lot I know but, small compared to the Continental Divide which sits another 1,000 feet higher at 6,375 which I climbed a week earlier. The difference was that Lolo climbs for 50 miles and the Divide climbs for 8 miles. At the peak of Lolo Pass is the border between Montana and Idaho it's a beautiful area with a ranger station and rest area. The trip down the other side of the mountain was pretty amazing, the view was wonderful, forest for as far as the eye could see. I camped that night in Powell Junction a nice camping area 13 miles into Idaho, it was nice after all this traveling to be able cook supper over a camp fire. The next morning I traveled west following the Lochsa River through the Clearwater National Forest the most amazing 65 miles I have ridden yet, every turn was another beautiful view of the river and forest in every direction. I have several new pictures posted on my Picasa site http://picasaweb.google.com/longhaultruckinmatt/BikeTrip?feat=directlink I had to make a new album so here that one too http://picasaweb.google.com/longhaultruckinmatt/BikeTrip2?feat=directlink. That evening I camped in Lowell tiny town of 26 people. Today I did my first 100 mile day of the trip from Lowell to Lewiston, it was a pretty good day considering it was 90 degrees most of the day, my legs started to cramp up at around mile 90, but water cures all.
Well that's it for awhile tomorrow I head into Washington state I have about 100 miles to get to Walla Walla, Washington. From there its about 200 miles to Portland, talk to around the 6th of July.
I had a pretty good time in Missoula, MT, I was able to visit the Adventure Cycling Association which is a non-profit that promotes bicycle touring and is the maker of the maps that I am using. I met a few guys at the local brewery and played disc golf with them, the course was pretty amazing it was right in the Blue Mountains just west of Missoula. That evening while trying to sleep in a city park I was rudely awaken by the sprinklers at 3am, I was only in my sleeping bag ,which ended up getting wet. I was up then trying to dry out my sleeping bag, I fell asleep at about 5 and not to much later I was awoken to some kids trying steal my bike, they didn't get far since it weighs 2 million pounds, interesting night.
On Friday the 26th I started out from Missoula, MT and from there I slowly climbed up Lolo Pass which is only 5,235 feet which is a lot I know but, small compared to the Continental Divide which sits another 1,000 feet higher at 6,375 which I climbed a week earlier. The difference was that Lolo climbs for 50 miles and the Divide climbs for 8 miles. At the peak of Lolo Pass is the border between Montana and Idaho it's a beautiful area with a ranger station and rest area. The trip down the other side of the mountain was pretty amazing, the view was wonderful, forest for as far as the eye could see. I camped that night in Powell Junction a nice camping area 13 miles into Idaho, it was nice after all this traveling to be able cook supper over a camp fire. The next morning I traveled west following the Lochsa River through the Clearwater National Forest the most amazing 65 miles I have ridden yet, every turn was another beautiful view of the river and forest in every direction. I have several new pictures posted on my Picasa site http://picasaweb.google.com/longhaultruckinmatt/BikeTrip?feat=directlink I had to make a new album so here that one too http://picasaweb.google.com/longhaultruckinmatt/BikeTrip2?feat=directlink. That evening I camped in Lowell tiny town of 26 people. Today I did my first 100 mile day of the trip from Lowell to Lewiston, it was a pretty good day considering it was 90 degrees most of the day, my legs started to cramp up at around mile 90, but water cures all.
Well that's it for awhile tomorrow I head into Washington state I have about 100 miles to get to Walla Walla, Washington. From there its about 200 miles to Portland, talk to around the 6th of July.
Monday, June 22, 2009
It is almost July right?
The only reason I ask is because it's 50 degrees and raining here in Deer Lodge, MT. I decided to sit today out since it was just to miserable outside, I am at a RV park there is a lot of traffic but, it's pretty quiet thankfully. Last night it rained for 8 hours my tent wasn't thrilled nor was I, the north facing side of my tent started to leak a little but it wasn't bad that's were all the rain was hitting. Everything was dry by 9 am until it started raining again for 3 more hours and then again most of the day so far. The rain is very frustrating, its not when your riding that its bad but, but when your camping and waking up and its down pouring rain and you have to tear everything down wet, that's whats frustrating about the rain. So that's why I have will have spent 2 nights here at this RV park in Deer Lodge, MT. Thats all I have to say about the rain in Montana in late June.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
It's been awhile!
Well some of you know that my first major stop on my trip was going to be Bozeman, MT, well I made it here awhile ago on June 3rd. Since I have been here I have gone up into the mountains about 4 different times its been a real blast hanging out here, everything has been green and beautiful. The photo attached is of Palasade falls just south of Bozeman about 9 miles. I am getting anxious to get riding again I will be leaving Bozmeman on Thursday, June 18th and I hope to be in Portland sometime around the 4th of July but we'll see. I am posting a link to my Picasa web portfolio this site has all the photos that I have taken since I started my trip. http://picasaweb.google.com/longhaultruckinmatt/BikeTrip?feat=directlink
I hope you enjoy them and keep looking because I update that more than this.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
My Bike
I have been riding for 10 days now and my legs are getting stronger and are able to deal with the increasing elevation, but my bike has been strong and ready since day one. I am riding a Surly Long Haul Trucker the frame is made of cromoly steel heavier then an aluminum frame but the ride quality is much nicer. I'm riding wheels that I built of course the front wheel is a old Sun Tour Super Be hub laced to a mavic A719 with double butted spokes and brass nipples. The rear is a Hope Pro II hub laced to a mavic A719 with double butted spokes with brass nipples. The wheels have been holding up well, not a bit out of true. My racks are made by surly also made of cromoly steel again heavier but if they were to break much easier to find someone who can weld steel over aluminum. My panniers which are stuffed with to much stuff are made by Axiom, they are 100% waterproof which is a nice feature. My drive train is 9speed shimano pretty standard, I'm using a mountain triple crankset which has a 22-32-42 ring size I wish that I would have had a bigger middle ring but its ok. Everything on the bike has been holding up real well haven't had any issues other then 2 flats. I'm riding a Bontrager race lite hard case it says it has triple puncture protection I have a tire liner just in case but, some how I got a flat in the rear getting into Billings. The front tire is a Nokian tour guard tire with a nice tread pattern and some how again it got punctured by glass oh well that's how it goes. Well there's a little bit about the bike and some of the equipement.
BIllings
Well I'm here in Billings, MT I last wrote from Miles City, from there I rode to Forsyth on Sunday. It was pretty good riding since I got into Glendive I've been riding interstate 94 which has been awesome except for 2 flats that I got from broken BUD LIGHT bottles which liter the sides of the roads. Forsyth had a beautiful spot by the Yellowstone river which I sat at for a while. I slept in Custer, MT on Monday night the town of Custer has about 150 people and I saw maybe 10 of them while I was there, very quiet with a decent city park.
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