Day 10 (June 29th) - Fast Ride to Mountain Home, Idaho

Here is a quick photo summary of an exhilarating ride from Boise to Mountain Home.   We had a 30 mph tailwind, and just cruised into Mountain Home with all flags flying.   We managed to outrace a thunderstorm.   All of our 35 riders were gleeful after this fast and exciting ride.

To see some other great photos, go to bamacyclist.com.   In the meantime, here are my i-phone pics.


Leaving Boise before the Thunderstorm (Terry and Barry)


We made it to the first SAG stop


The Storm is getting closer - We decide to Outrun it!


What a tailwind - we were flying today


At 30 mph, almost as fast as Fedex


The Hills are a lot easier with a little tailwind


Here's my riding partner Barry Lucas signaling that we've beat the storm!


And Russell Goins is catching up with us, storm in the distance


Russell is from Warrenton, Virginia and is a cookie lover (at every SAG stop)


Here's Barry and Mike after a 30 mph run outracing the thunderstorm


As we pull in to Mountain Home (56 miles later), the tail wind is still blowing (see the flag)

And here we are at the Best Western at 1:00 pm after lunch at the local Wendy's.



Mike Munk leads a flat tire changing clinic this afternoon.  Mike can change a flat tire in 28 seconds (wow)

Tonight we rest up as tomorrow is a 98 Mile Day to Twin Falls Idaho.
More Tomorrow...
ME

Day 10 (June 29th) - Boise to Mountain Home (53 miles)

Today is a short ride to Mountain Home, Idaho after a welcome day off (Day 9) in Boise.   We spent rest day cleaning our bikes, picking up a few supplies at George's Bike Store in Boise, a mid-day massage and getting some rest.   I also got a welcome package of supplies from Lauren.  So nice to see something from home.   I think we are all a little homesick at this point.

So far we have cycled 644 of the 3700 mile course, about 1/6 of the total.   Today starts the second leg of our journey.   We will be in Idaho until the 4th of July when we roar into Jackson Hole, Wyoming after our longest day of climbing Teton Pass.   We are all looking forward to seeing the Grand Tetons.

That's later.   For now, we are enroute to Mountain Home.   More at the end of today's ride.......

Day 8 (June 27) - Idaho at Last

Today we have a short 62 mile ride from Ontario, Or into Boise, Idaho.   We are pretty excited today about seeing Idaho and also getting our first day off (Tuesday in Boise).   We all need to do laundry and could use a little down time in preparation for the Grand Tetons and Jackson Hole next week.   Here are some details.


Crossing the Snake River into Idaho.  After 8 days in Oregon, we are ready for Idaho


My Favorite Idaho.  As we cruise into Boise, we are all wearing our America By Bicycle blue jerseys.   Everywhere we go, people want to talk about our trip.  It's really pretty exciting the way people are just amazed by this.   So am I.


ME in Idaho.  I couldn't resist this shot.   After 8 days in Oregon, I am glad to see my new favorite Idaho.

Barry and I enjoying the Idaho Hills

Lucy and Sharon at our first SAG stop today.   We are about to turn left into some of the most beautiful farmland you have ever seen.

Pretty farms in Idaho - Lots of retired military here living high on the hog

Some painted horses along the way.   Look at the standing water and the green grass of home.


A Texas Longhorn in Idaho?  Can you imagine these horns before they were sawed off?


Dinner tonight??  After 8 days on the road, I 'm ready for a steak.   This one looks a little thin, but it'll have to do.


Oops, looks like I teed off the big daddy.  He's about to jump over the fence and have me for dinner.


First let's do lunch at a biker bar (Hyde Park, just west of Boise).  It has got to be more than 94 degrees today, too hot to ride!!


Here we are in some nice air conditioning just before the ride into the Capitol. (ME, Blythe, Barry, Montreal Mike)


And here we are at the Idaho State Capitol, Blythe and Mary in foreground


Boise - The State Capitol.  We are riding into Boise in full dress uniform.   Just behind the capitol is our hotel, the Courtyard Marriott, where we will spend the next two nights, including a well deserved day off on Tuesday.


The start of our first day off (Barry, Karina, ME, Lucy, Sharon)

As a side note, we have lost two riders to knee injuries.   He have several others with saddle sores (very common on long rides).   So far, I am doing great, enjoying my riding companions, the great food and welcome breaks from the long ride, and many exhilarating moments seeing America from a bicycle.   I am reminded of an Emily Dickinson poem that goes like this.

"Exhilaration is like the going of an inland soul to sea,
Beyond the houses, beyond the headlands, into great eternity......"

A not so well known fact is that Miss Dickinson wrote these lines shortly after her first bicycle ride!

More on Wednesday after we leave Boise.
Love to All,
ME

Day 7 (June 26) - 84 Miles Along the Oregon Trail (Downhill)

Its Sunday, June 26th and today we had a "downhill ride" from Baker City to Ontario, OR.   After two days of Mountain Climbing, we were all anxious for an nice long down hill stretch.   Today's route follows old route 30E downhill through Eastern Oregon farmland on old roads that parallel the Oregon Trail.  We did cycle about 6 miles on the Interstate (I-84), which was some fun, high speed and scary riding where we mostly hung on to our bikes and kept an eye out in the rear view mirror for the big rig trucks.  Late in the day we approached Snake River reservoir which is our signal that Monday we will be in Idaho.   Here are some details of the day.

Loading the Baggage at 7:00 am.   Here is the baggage line up that precedes each ride.   Our first job in the morning is to load the bags after breakfast.  Then we pump tires, then we roll.   This is a little like bicycle bootcamp.   Today we got a later start than usual (7:00 am vs 6:30) as yesterday was a long ride and many of us got in late.


Early Morning Stop and Peel.  It was 45 degrees when we left at 7:45 am.   By 9:00 am it was approaching 75 (enroute to a high of 85 degrees).   So we all stopped to peel off jackets and knee warmers.   This is also morning pee stop when we're in the back country.    Bikers have to make do.


On the Oregon Trail.  Our route today parallels the Old Oregon Trail used by the Conestoga wagons.   Today there is the Interstate (I-84) in the back ground, the Oregon Pacific Railroad, and old Rt 30 East where this picture is is taken from.


Farms along old Rt 30E.  I was particularly taken with this farmer who is raking alfalfa into big rows using the latest raking equipment.   Sometimes I think I am a farmer at heart.

Oregon Mountains in the Background, Mike Phyllis, Colin

Last day in Oregon - looking back at the Cascades

The Long downhill - we're heading for Idaho!

Here is I-84 (The Oregon Trail), our first ride on the interstate. 

Now we are on I-84, trucks to the left, trains to the right!

Rt 30E parallels the Interstate.  We are headed to Ontario.   Here is a cement plant used to build and maintain the interstate.


Our Trip Leaders, Karen Bauer and Mike Munk.  Our Trip Leaders frequently bike with us.   Here is Karen Bauer and Mike Munk, our two leaders.   They are both expert cyclists.   Mike Munk has been leading ABB Tours since he retired from the Air Force in 1996.   He is recognized as one of the best trip leaders in the cycling industry.


Stopping for Gatorade at the Country Store.  Jeff Laser, Mike Munk, Karen Bauer, and a few others.


The Cafe in Huntington, Oregon.  This old cafe sits right on the Oregon Trail.   We stopped for a noon bowl of potato soup (best I've had) and cornbread.   We didn't realize it was a Sunday until the Church Crowd came storming into the cafe at high noon.


Stevenson Park in Huntington, Oregon, right on the Oregon Trail and a site of a Shoshone raid on westward bound settlers


The Oregon Trail Cemetery.  Just east of town is the old cemetery for travelers along the Oregon Trail.   See the many tombstones on the left.  Many of these westward travelers didn't make their final destination due to either illness or Indian attacks.   The Shoshone were particularly notorious in this area for raids on wagon trains.


The Snake River Reservoir (and Oregon Trail to the Left).  This is a our first view of the Snake River coming out of Huntington.   The Oregon Trail is just visible on the left near Highway 84 in the background.


The Snake River in Oregon.  We began to follow the Snake River just east of Huntington.   We will follow the Snake Idaho for the next few days as we approach the Continental Divide.


Nancy and Adrienne at the Snake River SAG stop.  These are mother and daughter riders.   Mother Nancy has biked all over the USA and Europe.   Daughter Adrienne is a marathon runner, recently taken to biking.   We enjoyed a nice lunch in Huntington and are now making a beeline for the Hotel in Ontario to prep for our Day 8 ride into Boise.

This Eastern Oregon is beautiful country

Beautiful flowers at the end of the Day's Ride

Day 8 will be a short 62 mile ride from Ontario, Or to Boise Idaho.   After 8 days in Oregon (sounds like a song title)  we are all ready to see Idaho.   More later.....ME

Day 6 (June 25th) - John Day to Baker City, OR (81 Miles), 3 Summits

Day 6 was billed as the toughest ride of this stage of the trip.   First, because it is the day following the Day 5 ride of 118 miles (which most are still recovering from) and it also has 3 major climbs over Dixie Summit, Tipton Summit and Snall Summit, all three over 5200' (pretty tall for Oregon.   So we were all pretty nervous about taking on another tough ride right after the John Day.

While the 3 peaks were each difficult (the first was the hardest), it got progressively easier and in the end it turned out to be a great day. Here are some highlights. 

Following the Oregon Trail on Day 6.  Today we are following the Oregon Trail (Rt 26E).   Here is a picture of a big Conestoga Wagon commemorating the trail at the base of Dixie Mountain Pass.   Our crazy bikers (including me) are lined up to pull this Wagon over the pass.   We didn't make much headway, but we were trying to have a little fun before the big climb up Dixie Mountain.

A parting view of the Cascades.  Here is a shot looking west at the Cascade Mountain Range.   We won't see the Cascades again as we head  East.   We had great views of Mt Hood, Mt Jefferson, and the 3 sisters, all of which can be seen when you fly into Seattle and look South.   How beautiful they are from the ground. 

The First of the big climbs looking back at the Cascades.

Heading up Dixie Summit.  What a view of the Cascades

Now for the big down hill.

On the Road to Tipton Summit.  This old farm has been here a while, perhaps from settlers who passed this land while traveling the Oregon Trail.

Taking a Break on the Way to Tipton Summit.  Some bikers are natural climbers.   My partner Barry (pictured on left) is a great climber.   He stands up in the saddle and off he goes.   He has given me some climbing lessons on how to spin up the mountain (vs pushing the pedals).   I'm getting better with each climb.   I will need to get better to get over the Rockies (coming up in two weeks).  

Golf anyone?  Mike Munk (our trip leader) with 5 iron at the Summit.  So, here we are approaching the summit and I caught our trip leader who has stepped out of the SAG wagon and found a spot to practice his backswing with a 5 iron.   Mike rides with us every other day.   Now we know what he does in his spare time, golf.   Ha!

Cattle Ranch at Snall Summit.  This is gorgeous country here in Central Oregon.   Beautiful ranches, White Mountains in the distance.

A SAG stop along John Day Lake.   Here we had Subway Sandwiches, how great after a long day of climbing.  Thanks Jon Lynn!

The John Day River (along the Oregon Trail).  Everything in this part of Oregon is named for John Day, and early pioneer and settler.   Here is the fast flowing John Day river with some Black Angus cattle enjoying the shade.

Baker City, Oregon.  Here we are coming in to Baker City after 3 long climbs and 82 miles.   We were fresh enough at the end for Barry to set up a pace line an fly into town after 9 hours of biking.   Where does all this energy come from?

The John Day Tower in Baker City, OR).  Here is the 7 story John Day Tower in Baker City.   What an impressive Building!

Arriving at the Best Western - A Yoga Class?  We arrived at the hotel at 3:45, just in time to join our riders in a yoga class led by Leslie.  Hard to believe this group had the energy for a 3 summit ride of 82 miles and then time for some yoga.   After a jacuzzi, dinner at the Best Western (great food and lots of it), we hit the sack ready for Day 7, Baker City to Ontario, OR, 84 miles, all downhill!   Yippee, no climbs tomorrow.   More Later, ME