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<channel><title><![CDATA[Revolutions for Relief - Journal]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal]]></link><description><![CDATA[Journal]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 26 Aug 2023 21:30:27 -0700</pubDate><generator>Weebly</generator><item><title><![CDATA[The Final Lap]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/the-final-lap]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/the-final-lap#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2014 19:01:01 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/the-final-lap</guid><description><![CDATA[Kellen SmetanaThis was it: our final state; our last bouts with the wind; our final mountain barrier; our concluding revolutions to the Pacific.&nbsp; We were ready to write the last chapter of another great story in our lives.&nbsp; The goal across the continent had always been simple, just ride west until we hit the other ocean.&nbsp; Early in the trip its grandness seemed at times unfathomable, but by now it had shrunk to a small, attainable, final stage.&nbsp; Energized legs and clear mind,  [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Kellen Smetana</font><br />This was it: our final state; our last bouts with the wind; our final mountain barrier; our concluding revolutions to the Pacific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were ready to write the last chapter of another great story in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The goal across the continent had always been simple, just ride west until we hit the other ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Early in the trip its grandness seemed at times unfathomable, but by now it had shrunk to a small, attainable, final stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Energized legs and clear mind, we checked to see if after three months we were still having fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Ride on.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2531511_orig.jpg?469' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2531511.jpg?469" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Still having fun?  Yes!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Saturday morning, we awoke drowsily after a fun, late night of partying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Kate, our host in Spokane, happened to host a birthday party for one of her friends the same night we were passing through; so, we were treated to some rousing fun with forty of her friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We had a great time sharing travel stories with our new friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Alas, Spokane offered no rest for our hungover eyes and weary legs, we were on a mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Four days remained of our fourteen day final sprint to the Pacific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By noon, we were on the road west again, only a bit lighter as Cory had lost his phone on the street sometime on our ride in to the city the previous day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After a brief, fruitless search for the phone on our previous path, we cut our losses and rode on.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1219599_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1219599.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Heading west again</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>I had read before that few states are as divided into two polar-opposite halves as Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was evident as soon as we climbed out of Spokane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Pacific rains that soak green Seattle and create a temperate rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula are completely shadowed by the steep Cascade Range across the middle of the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The east is as dry as the badlands and slopes slow and flat up to the foot of the mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Much of eastern Washington was eroded away in the last ice age from a series of massive floods originating in Montana&rsquo;s glacial lakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Even the Microsofts and Amazons of tech-rich, trading hub Seattle are countered by endless golden wheat farms in the east.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As we rode through this barren landscape, the wind gods descended to provide us one more challenge crossing the state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We took turns breaking headwind at the front of the peloton, taking strength in the fact that we were able to power through wind strong enough to create mini-cyclones in the fields surrounding us.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2738316_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2738316.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Truly open road</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2042208_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2042208.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Not much out here</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6366993_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6366993.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Peloton at sunset</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/163634_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/163634.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">It's a twister!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Our stealth camping prowess led us to sports fields for our first two nights out of Spokane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The first evening, we set up in a baseball dugout, proud of our ability to find shelter and dinner benches in a single location.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The only problem, we discovered while eating, was that the sprinkler system had not been calibrated to water only the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>While we frantically tried to cover our stuff, the water jet worked its way across the dugout like a laser from a <em>James Bond</em> film, until Cory sacrificed his dinner bowl and dry clothes to cover the source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a hilarious wet mess, but that bought us enough time to devise a shield of trashcans and high-school desks that lasted until morning.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5521608_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5521608.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Using ingenuity (and old desks) to build a sprinkler shield</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We repeated the episode the next night as we camped on the edge of a set of soccer fields in Wenatchee, Washington. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Wenatchee sits along the Columbia River, marking the stark eastern foot of the Cascade Mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Because of the abundant water source and cool, dry climate, every inch of the thin valley around the city is covered with orchards: peaches, apples, pears, nectarines, and more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>While the city boldly claims itself as the <em>Apple Capital of the World</em>, it seems they grow just about every non-tropical fruit tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Even the economics of this are evidenced through the mass of Mexican restaurants and Spanish signs in the city, as many of the workers here come from south of the border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On the soccer fields, we locked down the rainflies on our tents, preparing for another sprinkler onslaught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Unfortunately, this only came as we were packing up the next morning, and so we had to take turns manually turning the sprinklers to buy time to pack up the tents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This morning dance must have alarmed someone with an extremely uninteresting job at one of the local businesses, because soon security came screaming across the fields to let us know the park closed at 10pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We politely promised to not camp there again that evening.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9158150_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9158150.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Apple Capital of the World</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8576775_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8576775.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Orchards along the Columbia</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2200423_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2200423.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Drying our tents on the goal posts</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>From Wenatchee, we faced our final test of the tour: the Cascades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A few miles into our climb of Stevens Pass, we refilled water at a gas station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Normally, most people we meet actually have very little idea about local geography and road distances, and so when we ask about the road we usually just take an average of all input.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>(You might be skeptical of this last assertion, but do a quick test: Specifically, how many miles is it to the next city?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And is it uphill or downhill?... Probably kind of tough).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Every once in a while, however, we meet someone like the gas station attendant who told us exact distances, road grade, and the number of sharp turns up and down Stevens Pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Any more questions?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In that case, you only need to ask one person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Full of knowledge, we climbed on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After a sweaty Labor Day afternoon, we found ourselves atop the 4,061 foot Stevens Pass, our route across the Cascades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A celebratory beer was in order at the Stevens Pass ski lodge; immediately after, we cruised down the steep western slopes to a park in the town of Gold Bar, our final campsite on the trip.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9851222_orig.jpg?459' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9851222.jpg?459" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Back into the mountains</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5249100_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5249100.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Our final hurdle</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4689036_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4689036.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Lighting the way down</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next day we rose early, eager for our final 45 miles to Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As the culmination of a grand adventure for all of us, the day had an air of excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It showed in our rapid cadence on the morning ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Following highways of increasing traffic, we were finally tipped off to the Burke-Gilman Bike Trail, which parallels the Sammamish River into the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our first destination on this ultimate day was Golden Gardens Park, a peaceful beach that juts out into Puget Sound and opens to the Pacific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Convinced by a fellow rider to follow the scenic bike trail route, we passed stately Lake Washington, bustling Lake Union, University of Washington, the Lake Washington Canal, and impressive views of Seattle skyline before opening out to the Sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Only one mile to go to Golden Gardens, we jumped in a store to buy our celebratory champagne and asked directions from a couple girls who pointed our way to the park.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4619086_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4619086.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">So much better than the highway</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1224434_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1224434.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Welcome to Seattle!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9917698_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9917698.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Our first view of the city</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>One mile later &ndash; or 5,015.4 miles from Boston &ndash; we finally made it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On the afternoon of September 2, ninety-three days after leaving Boston, we rolled our bikes up to the shore, popped the champagne, took our celebratory photos, and baptized ourselves in the frigid water &ndash; it was cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>To top it all off, the same girls we asked directions (and who heard we rode from Boston) were so excited that they bought beer and came to find us on the beach to celebrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The Pacific rain held out long enough for us to enjoy our moment of triumph and relish the end to sore butts, headwinds, and tired legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a great day at the beach.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4851689_orig.jpg?334' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4851689.jpg?334" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Just a short bike ride from Boston</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6650533_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6650533.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Let the celebration begin!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/436810_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/436810.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">We made it!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1145299_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1145299.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">In spite of the temperature, we had to go for a swim</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3867451_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3867451.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Thanks for the beer!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>After our celebration, we rode our way into Seattle and to my friend Josh&rsquo;s, who had given us an invitation to crash on his couch indefinitely (bold move).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next day we celebrated yet again with a big dinner with a few of our friends in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It&rsquo;s always fun to recount stories from early in the trip &ndash; simultaneously diverting beard jokes &ndash; and to see old friends, some of whom I hadn&rsquo;t seen in over five years.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9149926_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9149926.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Celebrating with old friends</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next day, Theo flew back to England.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>His three week vacation was full of climbing, battling, rolling, and willing up, down, and over mountain to reach the Pacific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And it was nice to have him touring with us again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Over the next week, Cory and I visited friends, acted tourists in Seattle, hiked in Olympic National Park, took in a Mariners game, and drank copious amounts of Starbucks (which, I discovered after listening to <em>Moby Dick</em> on audiobook on this trip, takes its name from the first mate in the great American novel).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In that time, a good Samaritan back in Spokane found Cory&rsquo;s phone on the street and brought it to a store, where we were able to locate it and get it shipped to Seattle &ndash; just another example of the good people found everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At the end of the week, we boxed the bikes, packed one final time, and departed on a flight back home to Detroit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our adventure was over.</span></span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4204933_orig.jpg?289' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4204933.jpg?289" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Heading back across the pond again</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4528256_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4528256.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Hiking the coast of the Olympic Peninsula</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6013552_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6013552.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Rainforest in Olympic National Park</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8488003_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8488003.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Replenishing our sugar</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>When I dreamed back in Boston of the end of our tour, I envisioned an exhausted crew speeding to a glorious, triumphant finish in Seattle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Sure, we jumped in the water and celebrated with champagne, but otherwise the final stretch and final day just seemed like another fun day out on the bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And I liked it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We&rsquo;ve done so much cycling it&rsquo;s almost become second nature &ndash; a part of me, and I know I will be back in the saddle in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>For now, though, we&rsquo;re all in for another very, very long break.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6963136_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6963136.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Back home.  Time for a long break</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>It was quite a trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I, for one, am amazed how much I learned of the geography, history, zoology, sociology, geology, and economy from exploring what I had previously overconfidently labelled my own backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The US is a grand country, and I enjoyed every minute of the pulse of the environment as we crossed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The ride was a great test of wits and character that we learned to mold into laughs and more laughs along the way.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5716913_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5716913.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Plenty of laughs along the way</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  The tour is over, but once again, this is not the end of the website!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In the next couple weeks we will post hundreds of photos, GPS tracks, videos, stats, and other materials &ndash; oh my!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Plus, we have plenty more to write about our favorite cities and characters along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Stay tuned.<br /><span></span><br /><span></span>Three years after departing Hong Kong, I can now proudly say I have toured the world on a bicycle.&nbsp; And it's been one heck of a ride.<br /><span></span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/497681_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/497681.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">One heck of a ride</div> </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Back with the Boys]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/back-with-the-boys]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/back-with-the-boys#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2014 08:11:24 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/back-with-the-boys</guid><description><![CDATA[Theo BrunBack on the road with the boys!&nbsp; Last I left them was on a hilltop town in near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border with a bellyful of homemade wine that would have served just as well as gasoline.      Same as it ever was     Nothing had really changed.&nbsp; Apart from the length of their beards.&nbsp; But the howling headwinds were familiar, the aching quads, the seriously questionable diet.&nbsp; So much for Great Falls and the edge of the great plains of Montana, as Kellen wrote we  [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Theo Brun</font><br />Back on the road with the boys!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Last I left them was on a hilltop town in near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border with a bellyful of homemade wine that would have served just as well as gasoline.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4212982_orig.png?458' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4212982.png?458" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Same as it ever was</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  <span>Nothing had really changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Apart from the length of their beards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But the howling headwinds were familiar, the aching quads, the seriously questionable diet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So much for Great Falls and the edge of the great plains of Montana, as Kellen wrote we were soon on to the awesome national parks of Glacier and Waterton (albeit in &ldquo;unseasonably cold&rdquo; weather &ndash; a phrase we heard a lot and which I came to hate).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Kellen has left you in Whitefish so I will pick up the thread there.</span><br /><span></span><br /><span></span><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We had a pretty steady ride through the day to a town called Eureka &ndash; just pine forests, old rail tracks, and very quiet little hamlets &ndash; ending our day at the tiny little village of Rexton on the shores of Lake Koocanusa (possibly the most satisfyingly-named natural feature in North America).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our &ldquo;stealth camping&rdquo; wasn&rsquo;t so stealthy that night; when we started to set up camp by a school, a teacher ventured out, thinking we were some of his wayward lads from the summer school he was running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We had a great conversation and he let us stay, but only to the other side of his building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He didn&rsquo;t want us scaring the girls when they woke up the next day, opened their curtains and saw three hairy bikers get dressed outside &ndash; fair enough, I suppose.</span><br /><span></span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7468081_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7468081.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">On the road again</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3532420_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3532420.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Peaceful riding through western Montana</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/413308_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/413308.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Cooking up couscous at the school</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Lake Koocanusa is amazingly long &ndash; 50 miles or more of uninhabited blue water, ending in the giant Libby dam.&nbsp; We were hammering along, GoPro&rsquo;s ablaze, up and down, up and down, trying to make distance &ndash; bonking (not in the rude sense), rehydrating, and sweating it all out again.&nbsp; Still, now it was hot, I certainly wasn&rsquo;t complaining.&nbsp; We found a spot to spend the night, courtesy of a man with, in my opinion, the most wonderfully American name, Harold W. Winslow.&nbsp; A logger, man and boy, who had lost his wife to some awful toxic mining pollution some years before and lived alone, next to his nephew and his wife.&nbsp; Bill let us stay in his back yard.&nbsp; It turns out most of the town went by the name Winslow too, and he had never travelled further than Spokane.&nbsp; The western woods of Montana are not what you might call a globally-oriented bubbling metropolis.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7889292_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7889292.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Cruisin' along Koocanusa</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2980346_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2980346.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Libby Dam, holding it all together</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4699343_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4699343.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Not very active geopolitically, but still very pretty</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">The next day&rsquo;s ride to Sandpoint was beautiful.&nbsp; We took our time, but the pesky headwind seemed to find us whether we turned north or west or any bloody direction of the compass.&nbsp; Just before Clarks Fork we crossed my first stateline &ndash; into the panhandle of Idaho.&nbsp; We celebrated with a huckleberry milkshake.&nbsp; As Kellen has I think pointed out, huckleberries are a wild fruit that only grow high in the mountains near pine trees (they benefit from the acidic soil), and generally sell for over $30 per gallon.&nbsp; But, pretty much anything made from huckleberries is going to be the most delicious thing you ever tasted.&nbsp; The shake was no different.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8975082_orig.jpg?457' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8975082.jpg?457" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">New state!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">We pulled into Sandpoint with a lot of the day in hand and had time to enjoy the lakeshore beach and have a look at the sailing boats cruising around the windswept waters of beautiful Lake Pend Oreille.&nbsp; We later found out Sandpoint is both a summer and winter vacation spot, with a massive ski hill overlooking the lakeshore from the west.&nbsp; We had a beer by the lake &ndash; or, as I&rsquo;m learning Americans often say, &ldquo;we <em>did </em>a beer by the lake.&rdquo;&nbsp; On a scale of &ldquo;not-at-all-hoppy&rdquo; to &ldquo;extremely hoppy,&rdquo; the beer was of moderate hoppiness.&nbsp; To an Englishman, the microbrewers&rsquo; obsession with how hoppy is any beer on the menu becomes a little ridiculous.&nbsp; More creativity is required, I feel.&nbsp; How about malty, grainy, sharp, sweet, tangy, bitter etc. etc.?&nbsp; I leave that for you guys across the pond to figure out.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1647067_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1647067.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding along Lake Pend Oreille</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1058052_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1058052.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Looking out over beautiful Lake Pend Oreille from the Sandpoint city beach</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  Through the Warm Showers network, we stayed with the very hospitable Marks family, who gave us the use of their pool, hot tub and giant TV, on which we watched the Lego Movie.&nbsp; (At least the others did &ndash; I passed out after about 5 minutes).&nbsp; This provided the theme tune for the next few days which was, very simply:&nbsp; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StTqXEQ2l-Y">&ldquo;Everything is AWESOME!&rdquo;<br /></a><br />    By and large, that was true, but there were some moments to come in Eastern Washington when the ghosts of those bad ole western Chinese deserts came back to haunt us.&nbsp; The ride from Sandpoint to Spokane was pretty forgettable.&nbsp; The roads got hotter, noisier, more dangerous, until &ndash; after pounding away into our now familiar headwind &ndash; we came to the twenty miles of urban sprawl out from Spokane&rsquo;s downtown.&nbsp; As far as I could tell we could have been anywhere in the States for a while &ndash; and very useful if you happen to need a new hot-tub whilst you are out getting your car fixed up and picking up some spicy chicken wings.&nbsp; As for any urban character &ndash; not so much.&nbsp; Until we did actually reach the city proper and discovered we had 15 blocks of uphill to unwind our tired legs on for the last few pedals of the day.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1830880_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1830880.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Can you feel the serenity of our crossing into Washington?</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">However, it was certainly worth it.&nbsp; At the top of our hill was our next host &ndash; Kate &ndash; the queen of communal living &ndash; our inspiring Spokane hostess who has pretty much the ideal set-up for receiving bone weary cyclists in her basement.&nbsp; She grows a lot of her own food which was the prime digestive antidote to the unending intake of muffins, lunch meat, and granola bars which become the cyclist&rsquo;s staff of life.&nbsp; She also brews a mean beer: very hoppy.&nbsp; But none the worse for that.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5897080_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5897080.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Cheers to new friends!</div> </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Return of the Triumvirate]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/return-of-the-triumvirate]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/return-of-the-triumvirate#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:39:12 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/return-of-the-triumvirate</guid><description><![CDATA[Kellen SmetanaThere are some weeks you remember why bicycle touring is more than simply riding past beautiful scenery.&nbsp; Reuniting with friends from adventures past and bringing them into the new, testing your mettle against the everlasting might of the elements, and exploring some of the most wondrous creations of the grand planetary scale: this week was one of those weeks.      It's more than just the bike   After a fabulous and filling stay with Willie and Don, we departed the growing Boz [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Kellen Smetana</font><br />There are some weeks you remember why bicycle touring is more than simply riding past beautiful scenery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Reuniting with friends from adventures past and bringing them into the new, testing your mettle against the everlasting might of the elements, and exploring some of the most wondrous creations of the grand planetary scale: this week was one of those weeks.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9858998_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9858998.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">It's more than just the bike</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>After a fabulous and filling stay with Willie and Don, we departed the growing Bozeman, continuing north to our next major destination: Great Falls, Montana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a speedy ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The first evening back on the road, a wicked storm descended, and we were lucky to duck under a park pavilion just after dusk, keeping us dry for the evening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next day we timed our ride to lunch on the lawn of the capitol building in Helena and even managed a mini-tour of the stately halls on our full stomachs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>That evening, we camped in a woman&rsquo;s yard in Wolf Creek, a small town hemmed in between deep red canyon walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Her husband had just driven to the other side of the ridge to check on a wildfire started by a lightning strike in the storm we hid from the previous night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At only 50 acres, it was just your everyday backcountry fire for these folks, and everyone we talked to seemed to think it was very much under control; still, it was cool to see the souped-up fire suppressant trucks racing about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was also interesting to interact with some of these responders, who come from all over the state and country to put in multi-week shifts out in the wildfire country out west.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8440189_orig.jpg?319' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8440189.jpg?319" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Stately lunch</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9060835_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9060835.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Wolf Creek Canyon</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7666966_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7666966.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Wildfire trucks racing off over the ridge</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>As has been the case across the state, we landed yet another great host in Great Falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Dropping down into the valley about 100 feet from the mighty Missouri River, we were greeted by John and kids Mark and Luke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>John has woven himself into the fabric of the cycling scene in the town and was able to navigate us around almost entirely on bike paths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He was also incredibly knowledgeable on the history of the city and its importance to the Lewis and Clark expedition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>One of President Jefferson&rsquo;s many tasks for the adventurous team was to map back to the source of the Missouri River; it was here in Great Falls, after all, they discovered they had chosen the correct fork of the river and then spent nearly three weeks portaging boats above the five falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On our rest day Cory and I paid a visit to the Lewis and Clark Center in town: it&rsquo;s quite cool to see how much of our recent journey has overlapped with theirs and also to imagine what it must have been like for them without maps or any real knowledge of the route ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A truly adventurous duo; I was glad to have refreshed my memory of their epic two-and-a-half year expedition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next day, Cory and I moved into the city, hit 4,000 miles en route, and finally hailed the arrival of our friend Theo!</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5635526_orig.jpg?467' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5635526.jpg?467" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding down to stay along the Missouri</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5683203_orig.gif?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5683203.gif?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Crossing paths with the great explorers Lewis and Clark</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9618798_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9618798.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">One of the five Great Falls</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Over three years ago on the last major tour, I pulled my bike into a hostel in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Upon arrival, the owner quickly showed me another loaded bike parked outside and introduced me to the adventurer behind the wheels, Theo Brun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It didn&rsquo;t take long to uncover our shared route toward Europe and lay out plans to ride together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A week later, Cory had arrived and the three of us set out for two months of cycling across the deserts of Central Asia on some of the most unforgiving roads in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Somewhere in the depths of western Uzbekistan a bond was formed strong enough to bring our friend back for a second tour with the Smetana brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>He left his flat in London to travel to Great Falls, and he will finish the ride with us to the Pacific.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2340914_orig.png?489' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2340914.png?489" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Our first dinner together in Uzbekistan three years ago</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2426222_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2426222.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The triumvirate returns</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We persuaded Theo to cross the pond with visions of glorious cycling challenges and adventure, and boy were we in for it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>His bike was built in the first few hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next morning we departed north for a couple days back in the great western plains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Cruising across this barren territory of barley fields and Native American reservations, we blasted out 180 miles in the first two days, riding deep into the night and battling incessant headwinds and cold rain under a constant shroud of clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I suppose Cory was just getting a little payback for what Theo and I put him through his first few days from Tashkent three years prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The riding was hard and Theo survived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Two days from Great Falls we had already made it far into Alberta, Canada and arrived at the doorstep of Waterton National Park.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3745643_orig.jpg?494' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3745643.jpg?494" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Enjoying good omens along the way</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9380744_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9380744.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding across the empty lands of western Native American reservations</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2367336_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2367336.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Crossing back into Canada</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6122580_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6122580.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">What it's like riding at night</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>I find it useful for my own memories to parse an extensive trip like this into major focal points or segments: this week surely centers around Waterton-Glacier National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This joint national park spans the US-Canada border and houses dozens of gaping glacial gorges and valleys, some of the most impressive geologic masterpieces of the last ice age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I envisioned the three of us riding across a sparkling, sunny, stunning landscape laughing like we were kids in <em>The Sound of Music</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I should know better by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We woke up the next morning to weather that seemed to arrive from the gates of Stalingrad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next three days it was bitter cold; rain soaked our bones and clouds shrouded down over all the mountainous heavens like a thick coat of white fur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Because temperatures dropped below 32 degrees, high elevations of the park actually got new snow &ndash; in August!</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8793574_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8793574.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Ready to set out into the cold</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7219325_orig.jpg?466' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7219325.jpg?466" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding under a blanket of clouds and rain</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Alas, as the appropriate proverb goes, we just rolled with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In fact, I must say we quite enjoyed it in a way only traveling cyclists can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The clouds brought fleeting mystery to the mountain peaks, and the cold rain brought some hearty tests of character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After all, what would adventure travel be without a bit of adventure?</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6031727_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6031727.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">A mystic shroud over the mountains</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6119269_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6119269.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Happy to put the "adventure" into "adventure cycling"</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Our first full day back in Canada, we climbed up into Waterton Lakes National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Fixing flats and battling rain all afternoon, we looked so pitiful that the girl working the park entrance booth simply let us in free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After spending a night in Waterton Village we explored the majestic Prince of Wales Hotel, overlooking mountain-bound Upper Waterton Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The lake is an amazing specimen of the grand scale of carving power evident in the sliding glaciers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Later that day we climbed back into Montana and down to the small town of Saint Mary, sitting on the border of Glacier National Park and marking the eastern end of the renowned Going-to-the-Sun Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After our initial push out of Great Falls, we had modified to shorter days in an effort to stall, hoping the clouds would eventually break and give us a chance to ride across the park in all its glory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This proved to be a prescient move.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5084813_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5084813.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Looking south across Upper Waterton Lake</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1489858_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1489858.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The majestic Prince of Wales Hotel</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5052349_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5052349.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Crossing back into the US</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next morning we awoke, crossed into the park, and began our ascent of the famous <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=going+to+the+sun+road&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbo=u&amp;source=univ&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=_br8U4SjJMPiiwLMrYCoDQ&amp;ved=0CDkQsAQ&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=633" target="_blank">Going-to-the-Sun Road</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This feat of engineering, completed in 1933, took over 12 years to build and is still the only road across Glacier National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>For over 50 miles, it winds up and over the continental divide at Logan Pass, carving out a ribbon of road clinging to the side of unbelievably steep glacial peaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Still under a blanket of mist, we pedaled past Lake Saint Mary and began our climb up the 6% grade to Logan Pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The mist turned to rain as we ascended into the clouds, grinding along the curvy path of the road as it climbed higher and higher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By early afternoon we reached the top and ducked into the visitor center to have lunch out of the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Because you burn so many calories climbing, riding up in cold weather is actually not so bad &ndash; each one of us only wore a single shirt; going down, however, is a different story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The wind of the descent rips all heat away from your body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So, bundled up in all our clothes, we prepared to descend twenty miles into the clouds and rain of the western slopes.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/977540_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/977540.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Early morning departure on the Going-to-the-Sun Road</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3992856_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3992856.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Exiting a tunnel into a wall of mist near the summit</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7720566_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7720566.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Knights in colorful armor</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Just as we paused for the obligatory photos at the pass, the clouds broke!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The wide valleys gaped opened and the sun lit the landscape as if a massive curtain of clouds had been pulled aside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I have ridden almost 15,000 miles on this bike, and these twenty rank among the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We followed the wondrous road as unwound lower and lower through the glacial valleys and down to the river below.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5400178_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5400178.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Opening the curtain onto pure magnificence</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2325065_orig.jpg?539' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2325065.jpg?539" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Unwinding along the mountainous walls as we drop into the valley below</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/143370_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/143370.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">An incredible feat of engineering</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4091551_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4091551.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">A modern day explorer surveying the land below</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>That evening we elected to camp one more day in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Arriving early, we sprung for a short hike up to Avalanche Lake, where we finally caught sight of our first bears of the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Two grown black bear cubs were foraging for food on the far shore of the small, scenic lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a perfect end to the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next morning we awoke early and sped down into the ski-town of Whitefish for a much needed half-rest day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Clothes washed and groceries restocked, we have conquered the great continental divide a final time and are ready to make our final push to the Pacific.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4413790_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4413790.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Baby black bear</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6105380_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6105380.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Welcoming evening at Avalanche Lake</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2301183_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2301183.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Finishing it all off with a rejuvenating piece of Huckleberry pie</div> </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Western Fun]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/western-fun]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/western-fun#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2014 20:53:32 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/western-fun</guid><description><![CDATA[Cory SmetanaWe left Jackson and coasted a few miles west to Wilson, the base of our steepest climb to date: Teton Pass.&nbsp; It was six miles up a ten percent grade, and we were fortunate that the side we climbed had a bike path to the top.&nbsp; After two hours, we reached the top and dove into the foggy posterior of the pass that also descended ten percent and then leveled out where Kellen and I entered the state of Idaho for the first time in our lives.&nbsp; I&rsquo;ll have to count, and I  [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Cory Smetana</font><br />We left Jackson and coasted a few miles west to Wilson, the base of our steepest climb to date: Teton Pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was six miles up a ten percent grade, and we were fortunate that the side we climbed had a bike path to the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After two hours, we reached the top and dove into the foggy posterior of the pass that also descended ten percent and then leveled out where Kellen and I entered the state of Idaho for the first time in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I&rsquo;ll have to count, and I know Kellen edges me out, but we&rsquo;re both a few shy of setting foot in all 50 states!</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2698333_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2698333.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding into a cloudy mist on the western side of Teton Pass</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/433894_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/433894.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Trying to get creative crossing into our 11th state</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Soon after our colossal border crossing we cruised into Victor, a relatively small town that houses many commuters to the Jackson area since Teton Pass is open year round and has a bus system that makes the trip twice a day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There was a wide street that ran through the downtown area and small neighborhoods that spread outward and spotted the wide open valley, holding gorgeous views of the distant mountains. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Down one of these long arterial roads was a small circle where our wonderful warm showers hosts, Gene and Jenn lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This couple left Chicago a few years ago to join the outdoor lifestyle and beautiful scenery out west that we have so often seen the past couple of weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We stayed an extra day to explore Victor and visited Grand Teton Brewing Co. where we joined some others in touring the brewery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>We learned about their brewing process, admired the giant barrels of fermenting yeast, and threw a couple back along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were also delighted when we learned the special on this day was buy one pint and get one free if you rode in on a bike!</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3193159_orig.jpg?309' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3193159.jpg?309" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Gene, our wonderful host in Victor, Idaho</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4684125_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4684125.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Touring Grand Teton Brewing Company</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>From Victor we headed north towards southwest Montana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We pedaled over some low rolling hills where dry fields of barley and oats glistened with a gold sheen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We biked underneath a low flying plane that was dusting his crops and into the city of Ashton where we ate lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The route from this town split two ways, one road directly north, and the other &ldquo;scenic byway&rdquo; trailing slightly out of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We took the scenic byway, chewing up more elevation in a shorter time than its counterpart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was well worth travelling through the more attractive part of Targhee National Forest as we were able to ride past Mesa Falls along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After the detour, we hopped back on the state highway and sped into Island Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We weren&rsquo;t out anytime soon seeing as the city, only 500 feet wide in most locations, claims to have the longest &ldquo;main street&rdquo; in America at 33 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This includes all the gas stations, lodging, and restaurants dotting the highway, serving this fly fishing hub of the US.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4271142_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4271142.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Fields of gold</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/185867_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/185867.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Mesa Falls, Idaho</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3512542_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3512542.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Making sure we don't go thirsty...</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next day a few miles into our ride we saw a mountain range standing tall in the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As the continental divide forms the border between Idaho and Montana, we were quick to label this as our next state crossing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And indeed it was!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This was now our sixth time crossing the continental divide and our third time entering Montana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Soon after, we were back skirting the western edge of Yellowstone as we continued north; we stopped in the park, only 30 miles short of Big Sky, to have lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The beginning of our meal, we were drying our tent in the sun from the previous night, enjoying our PB&amp;J bagels with a view and without a worry in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By the end of the meal some dark, ominous clouds stormed in out of the woodwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We put our jackets on to be safe, a prescient move seeing as a mile down the road it started to rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Then the rain turned into a treacherous pelting of hail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At this point we were riding through a tight river valley and had nowhere to seek shelter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We had a short stint, keeping half as dry, underneath a tree to put on our riding pants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Waiting and shivering under the tree would only make us more miserable, so we decided to keep riding to get our core temperatures back up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Shivering and cursing along the way, I looked forward to Big Sky and a shower, where we could look back at our short misfortune and laugh.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7343609_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7343609.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">This state border was easy to see</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2410410_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2410410.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Hiding out from the hail</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">To our advantage we were riding downstream along the Gallatin River which marginally shortened our miserable conditions into town.&nbsp; We made it a couple miles from town and dried off in a gas station bathroom, leaving behind puddles and drawing attention similar to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUfS_2UGftg">Ace Ventura in his search for snowflake</a>. &nbsp;We headed into Big Sky to stay with Carrie&rsquo;s good friend from college, Kate, and her boyfriend Tylor.&nbsp; The next few days were an absolute blast!&nbsp; We went on a couple local hikes and floated the Madison River with Kate and her friends from work.&nbsp; We met more coworkers at a bonfire where we joined in on some innovative camping meals and treats.&nbsp; The last night Tylor took us skeet shooting, and Kate made us a delicious curry chicken with rice (we got the recipe).&nbsp; They were very gracious and generous hosts.&nbsp; Our trip would not be nearly as exciting without these fortunate connections and experiences.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7157188_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7157188.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Great times with Kate, Tylor, and Levon in Big Sky!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8965646_orig.jpg?458' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8965646.jpg?458" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Saturday afternoon float on the Madison River</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8469126_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8469126.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Clay shooting</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">From Big Sky we continued to trace the Gallatin River downstream to Four Corners, where we turned east to Bozeman.&nbsp; We left early enough, and planned on making it into the outskirts of town in between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm, the short window of Pizza Hut&rsquo;s lunch buffet which we&rsquo;ve been longing to indulge on this trip.&nbsp; After eating we biked through the vibrant downtown to REI for some bike maintenance.&nbsp; Our bikes endure all sorts of weathering and are constantly rattled from the unforgiving roads; tightening the bolts, cleaning the chains, and lubricating the gears gears every couple hundred miles help them run smoothly smoothly.&nbsp; A little TLC goes along way, keeping Kellen&rsquo;s Surly beast running for nearly 14,000 miles.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/404493_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/404493.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Pizza Hut lunch buffet: we each had over 10 slices</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Earlier in the trip I thought we would be on our own through Montana: just us and the elements.&nbsp; Gracious Warmshowers hosts coupled with our connections along the way have provided shelter and many meals along the way.&nbsp; Just east of Bozeman, in Belgrade, MT, we enjoyed a couple days off with a friendly, energetic and couple: Willie and Don, grandparents of Kellen&rsquo;s friend, Bree.&nbsp; They insisted that we should never have empty stomachs and shared many stories about growing up in beautiful western Montana.&nbsp; We took a day to back-track our route into Bozeman and explore the city, Montana State University, and the Museum of the Rockies.&nbsp; We enjoyed some short films in the planetarium, the countless dinosaur fossils dug up in Montana, and a visit to MSU&rsquo;s campus, the school that gave me false excitement in high school as I was waiting for Michigan State University&rsquo;s acceptance letter.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6373438_orig.jpg?458' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6373438.jpg?458" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Willie, Kellen, and homemade rhubarb pie!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3995116_orig.jpg?515' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3995116.jpg?515" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Montana State University football</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4087044_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4087044.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">More dinosaurs!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2688201_orig.jpg?466' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2688201.jpg?466" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">This museum was a little more science-oriented than the one in Glendive</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">On our final day off Willie and Don drove us near Three Forks to explore the Lewis &amp; Clark Caverns.&nbsp; We loved plunging into the wet darkness and out of the hot summer son to tour the maze-like caverns and learn a piece of the state&rsquo;s history that we would not otherwise have seen.&nbsp; The hospitality and graciousness in Montana and Idaho has been incredible.&nbsp; Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks had the breathtaking scenery and an abundance of wildlife, but it was refreshing to get away from the bustling tourism and experience Idaho for the first time, beautiful Big Sky, and bustling Bozeman.&nbsp; The ride should continue to amaze as we ride north through Great Falls and on to Glacier National Park, by far the most talked about location from fellow touring cyclists!</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4072742_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4072742.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Down in Lewis & Clark Caverns</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4149081_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4149081.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Leaving Willie and Don's home at the foot of the mountains</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Finally, check out the new <a href="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/photos.html">Photo Pages posted for Montana and Wyoming!</a><br /></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[A Fortunate Detour]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/a-fortunate-detour]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/a-fortunate-detour#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:49:42 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/a-fortunate-detour</guid><description><![CDATA[Kellen SmetanaNearly 150 years ago, several prominent American financiers commissioned artists and photographers to join geologic expeditions to this region of the country to help promote the American west.&nbsp; Over the last week, we saw first-hand in the jaw dropping scenery why the images they returned with led to the creation of the world&rsquo;s first national park (Yellowstone, 1872).&nbsp; Simply marvelous landscape: I&rsquo;ll try to keep the prose light and photos heavy.      Scenery l [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Kellen Smetana<br /></font></span><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Nearly 150 years ago, several prominent American financiers commissioned artists and photographers to join geologic expeditions to this region of the country to help promote the American west.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Over the last week, we saw first-hand in the jaw dropping scenery why the images they returned with led to the creation of the world&rsquo;s first national park (Yellowstone, 1872).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Simply marvelous landscape: I&rsquo;ll try to keep the prose light and photos heavy.</span><br /><span></span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2202567_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2202567.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Scenery like Yellowstone Falls</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  The Northern Tier cycling route, which Cory and I had been following since Minneapolis, rises north in Montana to hug the Canadian border as it passes through Glacier National Park and northern Idaho en route to the Pacific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Had we followed this route, we may actually already be close to completing our cross-country journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In planning our ride, however, we found that our friend Theo could join us later in August and decided to build in a detour south to accommodate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>That proved to be the spark for a route that took on a life of its own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The more we plotted and discussed our ride, the more excited we both became for this segment: it was time for some real mountains!<br /><span></span><br /><span></span>  The first major component of our ascending journey was the Beartooth Highway, a 65 mile national scenic byway crisscrossing the alpine Montana-Wyoming border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We first heard of this epic road from a fellow cyclist at a gas station in North Dakota; he heralded it as one of the greatest climbs in America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Of course, with superlatives like that, we weaved it into our own route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We had been slowly climbing since about Bismark and had caught our first sight of the Beartooth Range pulling into Billings, but now it was time to hit the mountains for real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After a wonderful sejour with our hosts in Billings, we had a late, speedy day along a gradual uphill to set us up for an ascent of Beartooth Pass the next day.<br /><span></span><br /><span></span>  <span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next morning we sped across the remainder of the gradual uphill to Red Lodge before the road bent further up like a launching pad skyward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>From there, it was a seven hour ascent to the top of Beartooth Pass: we climbed over 6,000 feet to reach the 10,947 foot pass, almost certainly our highest elevation of the entire trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a hot climb, but a smattering of cheers from passing motorists made us feel a bit like we were climbing in the Tour de France, only with less agility and a lot more baggage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>By 5pm we were over the top and bounding down into an absolute playland of natural beauty on the western side.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1213275_orig.jpg?504' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1213275.jpg?504" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Looking back down on the switchbacks of the road below</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3250321_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3250321.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Top of Beartooth Pass: 10,947 ft</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9118513_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9118513.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Dropping into a mountainous playland</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We elected to sleep high up in the mountains that evening; it was a great decision, even though an incessant rain moved in late evening and brought overnight temperatures down into the 30s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As we are now deep in bear country, our stealth camping is on hold in favor of established campsites, with bear boxes for storing food overnight and plenty of information on local activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We even picked up a can of bear spray in Billings: a worthy weapon that blasts 30 feet of pepper spray toward any overly aggressive furry intruder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I&rsquo;m happy to report zero incidences so far.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3279656_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3279656.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Keep your camp clean!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next morning, wet and cold but with high spirits we set off along the western end of the highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The camera was flying as we passed under high pines and jagged peaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Pulling into Cooke City, Montana, our ride across the scenic Beartooth Highway came to an end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Four miles further down the road crossed into Yellowstone National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was time to see what all the fuss was about.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/330188_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/330188.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Breakfast after the rain cleared</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2821769_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2821769.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding under the shadow of Pilot Peak</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>For some reason, I had categorized all my pieces of information about the park over the years into a simple representative summation: Old Faithful geyser.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Boy, was I wrong!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We spent nearly four days in the park, and my favorite part was actually the deep valleys of the north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Nearly as soon as we entered from Cooke City in the northeast, we were greeted by a herd of over 1,500 bison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Quite a sight to see!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Not to mention, the 2,000 pound beast can also raise the heart rate of any cyclist when any one (or usually many) of them defiantly plods a path directly on the road in front of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At one point we had to use a camper as a blocker as we passed one hairy gatekeeper in the middle of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Just awesome.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2948712_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2948712.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Ready to ride with the beasts</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5797732_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5797732.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">We had to use a camper as cover to dodge this behemoth</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We spent an evening in the northern end of the park and caught an interesting Park Ranger Talk about the return of wolves to the territory; the next day, we were down into the heart of the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I say &ldquo;heart,&rdquo; because much of the park&rsquo;s unique geologic formations revolve around the grand <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera">Yellowstone caldera</a>, the still active remnants of a roughly 40 mile diameter supervolcano that sits poised to blow big again sometime in the next 100,000 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Much of the park&rsquo;s scenery &ndash; the geysers, hot springs, deep canyons, mountainous ridgelines &ndash; are a result of this geologic feature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We first enjoyed the stunning formations in the deep canyon and falls of the Yellowstone River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The next day, we picked up over to the western end of the park to visit a more barren land of geysers, cauldrons, and hot springs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>To get to Old Faithful and back we crossed the Great Continental Divide (Atlantic-Pacific) four times; it looks to be the first of many crossings &ndash; I may keep a tally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The geysers were cool; even better, however, was the eerie watchful eye of Grand Prismatic Spring.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4513505_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4513505.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Stunning Yellowstone Canyon</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/199423_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/199423.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The watchful eye of Grand Prismatic Spring</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4024873_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4024873.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Old Faithful selfie</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Yellowstone definitely exceeded expectations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The environment was beautiful, and we shared campsites with plenty of other friendly, interesting hikers and bikers from Iceland to New Zealand to Idaho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There was only one negative element to the park: traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The park has no shoulders, mountainous roads, and ornery vacationers hustling about for wildlife &ndash; a perfect storm for the weary cyclist. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>In fact, Yellowstone had, unfortunately, the worst drivers on the whole 3,600 mile trip so far from Boston; we even received a couple lovely profane-laced jeers from passing drivers (a bit different than the encouraging cheers from Beartooth&hellip;).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I just smiled and waved at the passing simpletons, twisting whatever few points I could into their certainly already intolerable blood pressure levels&hellip; haha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Alas, the roads and traffic improved significantly as we pedaled south through the Tetons, including some newly paved bike trails.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8550237_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8550237.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Relax people, take some time to smell the flowers</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  After our meandering tour of Yellowstone, we cross the Great Continental Divide a fifth time (our legs appear to have strengthened since we left Boston&hellip;) and bound down south into the unmistakable Tetons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I doubted it could get much better than the idyllic Beartooth high valley and Yellowstone&rsquo;s geologic wonders, but <em>mon dieu!</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Grand Teton National Park was a great cap to the week.<br /><span></span><br /><span></span>  <span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Coming down into the valley east of the Tetons (much of which is known as Jackson Hole), we spent the first night alongside calm Jackson Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Ten million years ago, tectonic movement on the Teton fault caused the western plate to rise while the eastern valley floor simultaneously dropped, a displacement of some 30,000 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Over time glacial erosion crafted the magnificent mountains we find today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The amazing thing about the Tetons is that because the valley is so low and flat, we are treated with an unhindered view of the mountains in all their glory, touching down to the lakes of the valley below like giant sentinels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our first evening in the park, we went for a short hike and grabbed a refreshing swim in the lake.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5794463_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5794463.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Silent sentinels</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/455854_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/455854.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Sunset swim in Jackson Lake</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next morning, we were up riding by 7am, pedaling down to vividly clear Jenny Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The ride was only 20 miles, but I think we took more photos than any full day previous to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Locking in an excellent campsite near the lake, we fit in a 12 mile hike that afternoon up Paintbrush Canyon to Holly Lake, sitting high between two of the Tetons.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2025337_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2025337.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The Tetons!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9957969_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9957969.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Campsite with a view</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5139249_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5139249.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Late lunch up high at Holly Lake</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Instead of resting in Jackson, we decided to spend one more day in the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We biked to Mormon Row &ndash; remnants of historic settlement in the valley, passed by Ansel Adams famed lookouts, and read alongside Jenny Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The camera was flying yet again.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9183685_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9183685.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Admiring an old Mormon barn</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2083791_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2083791.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Pink homestead in the valley</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9569765_orig.jpg?470' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9569765.jpg?470" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Bison were out and about again</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6122930_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6122930.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">A fox hunting near our campsite in the evening, he later came running back with a groundhog</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Travelers on the great open road, it&rsquo;s always time to keep moving on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Finally we rode downhill further into our most southerly point on the trip: Jackson, WY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was another wet morning, but we were treated with a bike path all the way down into the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Upon recommendation of another cyclist we met on the road, we decided to check out the National Museum of Wildlife Art on the way into town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Cory and I spent over two hours there, soaking up hundreds of years of art depicting the animal cousins we just spent a week pedaling alongside; it was a really great museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At 3pm, we finally cruised into Jackson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Having only eaten two granola bars and some pretzels on the day, we instinctively found a Chinese buffet and ate until we were sick (no joke, I left half a cookie on the table because I literally could not finish it).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were back into cell service and civilization for the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Later today, we will be back in the saddle and up over the daunting Teton Pass into Idaho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>More mountains await.</span></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Good people, badlands]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/good-people-badlands]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/good-people-badlands#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Sun, 27 Jul 2014 21:18:00 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/good-people-badlands</guid><description><![CDATA[Cory SmetanaWe left Fargo after our last rest day eleven days ago in the early afternoon.&nbsp; It didn&rsquo;t take long to get out of the city and into flat, ubiquitous farmland.&nbsp; The vast forests of the lake covered Midwest had disappeared and vegetation was only found alongside rivers and creeks now.&nbsp; After a flat and fairly uneventful day we stopped at a campsite down in the first river valley west of Fargo named &ldquo;Little Yellowstone Park.&rdquo;&nbsp; This was a great halfwa [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Cory Smetana</font><br />We left Fargo after our last rest day eleven days ago in the early afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It didn&rsquo;t take long to get out of the city and into flat, ubiquitous farmland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The vast forests of the lake covered Midwest had disappeared and vegetation was only found alongside rivers and creeks now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After a flat and fairly uneventful day we stopped at a campsite down in the first river valley west of Fargo named &ldquo;Little Yellowstone Park.&rdquo;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This was a great halfway point to Gackle, where we knew of a couple that offered hospitality to bicycle tourists, similar to Donn and his &ldquo;Bicycle Bunkhouse.&rdquo;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This abode in particular was named the &ldquo;Honey Hub.&rdquo;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A young couple and their few kids offered up their basement to traveling cyclists; the husband is a beekeeper, hence the name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The evening we arrived we found seven other cyclists staying the night, either camped outside or on a mattress in the basement, one of which we were able to secure with our early arrival.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1304009_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1304009.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding across the rolling hills</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7335216_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7335216.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">North Dakota is the largest beekeeping state in the US</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The next three days we set out for Richardton, another cyclist&rsquo;s secret I&rsquo;ll get to in a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was nearly 200 miles from Gackle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The first of the three days was tough, full of howling headwinds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The second day, however, the winds were in our favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We cruised into Bismarck for an early lunch, and crossed the Missouri River as we left town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After Bismarck the terrain drastically changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It went from the flat fields and farmland to tall, rolling hills with occasional buttes surfacing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When we reached New Salem, most renowned for its giant cow statue, we decided we had the energy to keep going to Hazelton, putting in another 100+ mile day.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3857855_orig.jpg?466' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3857855.jpg?466" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The hay bales watched us as we rode</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Because of our big day, the next day into Richardton would be a short one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We arrived early afternoon and ate at the local caf&eacute;; unfortunately for them, they still had their breakfast buffet available.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Unbeknownst to us, we had just crossed into Mountain Time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>With the extra hour in our pocket and pancake crumbs in our beards we set off to the other side of town, to our target, Assumption Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery that was built just over a hundred years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were told that the monks, who all live in the monastery, are very hospitable and have taken in bicycle tourists before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We entered the church, where we met a monk who told us to wait for Brother Odo, the one that deals with our kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We walked around the premises for a while, taking in the beautiful escarpment that sank into the distant hills and reservoirs behind the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>You could see for miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When Odo finished his Sunday afternoon walk, he was delighted to meet us and show us around the robust monastery with a picturesque sanctuary, which was refurnished about a decade ago.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6761649_orig.jpg?459' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6761649.jpg?459" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Assumption Abbey</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6682545_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6682545.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The ornate interior</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The property includes the church, a maintenance building, and a two story building containing college dorms, no longer in use (aside from a few random visitors like us).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There is also a ranch, a reservoir and more land behind the church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The monks strive to be self-sufficient, and live a very routine life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were invited to dinner and a silent breakfast the next morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Brother Odo noted that the silent breakfast would be an easy task for me, but joked it would have Kellen biting his tongue between bites for the meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After the early, hearty breakfast we packed up and continued west.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9186914_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9186914.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Writing on the edge of the escarpment</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5897482_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5897482.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Silent breakfast with the monks</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>It was smooth sailing in the morning and early afternoon of this mid-July Monday. We passed through the growing, industrial city of Dickinson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As we left the city, we started to see countless oil rigs, which we had only heard of until this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We learned from one of the monks that North Dakota had just risen above Texas as the highest producer of oil in all fifty states.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The gigantic oil boom has brought a surplus of money and has provided the state with enough jobs to give it the lowest unemployment rate in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Although these positive effects are shadowed by some negative, including a housing shortage requiring construction camps, increases in violent crime, and inefficient methods of production and capture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It also puts a lot of strain on the states roads, water supply and sewage systems causing many residents to take this up rise in economic activity with a grain of salt.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/879043_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/879043.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">We started seeing oil wells off the road</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Only ten miles from the majestic city of Medora, some dark clouds stormed in from the southwest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were fortunate to pull off at the next exit for a fantastic view of the Painted Canyon, part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>As soon as we took our first couple pictures of the gorgeous landscape it started to downpour and we hustled to the visitor&rsquo;s center a hundred feet from the lookout to keep dry during the short, but mighty storm.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/73338_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/73338.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">A wicked storm blew in from the southwest</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1082928_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1082928.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Fortunately we were able to hide out at the visitors center</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We were now in the thick of North Dakota canyon country and the badlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We made it to Medora and planned the rest of our day during lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were interested in hiking through some of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, seeing the Medora Musical (a theatrical tribute to Theodore Roosevelt and the state of North Dakota), and setting up camp afterward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Soon enough we were hiking on the first few miles of the Maah Daah Hey bike trail, an extensive bike trail starting just south of Medora and continuing 120 miles to the northern part of T.R. National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was nice to get off the bike and get some off road views of this dry, gorgeous terrain formed by deposition and erosion. </span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9845502_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9845502.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Beautiful views over Painted Canyon at Theodore Roosevelt N.P.</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6866834_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6866834.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Pausing for a pic at the edge</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/943982_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/943982.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Out for a hike in the park</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We left the hike and hustled back into town to grab a quick sandwich, all the while partaking in our usual activity of searching for a free camp spot (hard to come by in a tourist town like Medora).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This caused us to be late for the musical, rushing uphill just out of town to the musical venue while taking bites of our sandwiches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When we arrived, we finished eating and were calmed by the fact we could do this and watch the musical itself from a high railing outside of the seating area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We missed the beginning of the play and decided to continue watching the duration of it from the &ldquo;nosebleeds&rdquo;, while talking to some friendly bus drivers who had hauled in groups of tourists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Watching the play for free and finding a cemetery with surrounding green space halfway down that steep hill to camp can be attributed to our ongoing money saving prowess, or maybe just our unruly timing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Either way things were working out.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2343725_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2343725.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Catching the Medora Musical from the nosebleeds</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2753032_orig.jpg?498' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2753032.jpg?498" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">No view for us in the morning</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We left our campsite which had a breathtaking overlook of Medora which we enjoyed at night, but not on this particularly foggy morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It wasn&rsquo;t long after we left when we entered the enormous state of Montana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The days grew hotter, creeping well into the 90s; the sun was barreling down on us and the rocky asphalt that is Interstate 94.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We made it to Glendive, the first substantial city in eastern Montana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We hustled to this town, not only to stay out of the heat, but to pay a visit to the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, &ldquo;the largest dinosaur and fossil museum set in the context of biblical history.&rdquo;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They actually had some very interesting information about local dig operations and the process of casting and making durable skeletal replicas for the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We also spent some time exploring other &ldquo;interesting&rdquo; exhibits in the two-story museum, complete with diagrams condemning evolution, charts proving dinosaurs and men coexisted, and skeletons promoting biblical stories and their linkage to fossils found around the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were moving quietly through the exhibits until a trio of fellows, well-educated in creationism and biology came up to ask Kellen a few questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This led to a friendly two-hour debate about evolution, genetic code, plate tectonics, and the history of planet earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The conversation went an hour past the closing time of the museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were eventually nudged to leave by the employees.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5368224_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5368224.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">What riding through eastern Montana is like</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6228395_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6228395.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Dinosaurs!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2074785_orig.jpg?332' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2074785.jpg?332" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Doing his best Tyrannosaurus impression</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>After Glendive, we departed from the &ldquo;Northern Tier&rdquo; and were forced to map our own route on our detour to Yellowstone and Teton before we return north to Glacier National Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>With the spreading distance of towns and blunt absence of inhabitants in eastern Montana, we didn&rsquo;t have many options besides I-94.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We travelled on the shoulder for the countless miles, stopping at rest stops for water and a place to set up camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>One night we even camped in the grass circle of a freeway exit ramp, hidden between some bales of hay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In this more remote part of the country, we decided to finally whip out the stove to start cooking our own food: rice and beans, ham, pasta, and steamed vegetables for good measure.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1677199_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1677199.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Some serious stealth camping</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3791112_orig.jpg?332' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3791112.jpg?332" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Cooking up some beans and rice</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>I-94, the familiar highway for us Michiganders, starts in Port Huron, Michigan and ends at the junction with I-90 just before Billings, Montana, the destination for our much anticipated rest day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Billings is the biggest city of the state and is home to many outdoorsy, friendly, good-spirited people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>On the way in town we stopped at a restaurant called Burger Dive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It is renowned for winning the Food Network national best-burger contest last year; needless to say both Kellen and I housed the award-winning Blackened Sabbath burger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The friendliness of people in town was evidenced when our host, Mike, said his arm would nearly go numb on drives around town from the number of waves he had to dish out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Mike, son Tanner, and dog, Zeus, were our gracious hosts in Billings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Not familiar with the city and what to do in the area, our rest day itinerary was made easy when Mike, a former rafting guide in California and Utah, invited us down to the river with the family on Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We had a wonderful day rafting, kayaking, and swimming in the Yellowstone River, the same river we&rsquo;ve traced and stared at with our eyes stinging of sweat, all the way from Glendive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>They provided incredible hospitality and some amazing meals as well for our stay in Billings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Learning about the area and exploring the Yellowstone River with an outdoor expert was a blast and no doubt a time well spent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I definitely feel like we&rsquo;re out west now, and am anxious to embark on our National Park binge in the near future.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8683221_orig.jpg?330' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8683221.jpg?330" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Enjoying the "best burger in the nation"</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6528039_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6528039.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Just a Saturday afternoon on the Yellowstone</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Finally, photos of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and North Dakota have been added, check them out on the <a href="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/photos.html">Photos page</a>.</div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Two Brothers]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/two-brothers]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/two-brothers#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2014 16:37:59 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/two-brothers</guid><description><![CDATA[Kellen SmetanaAfter 2,000 miles of tough but beautiful riding, Carrie postmarked the bike, tossed out old cycling clothes, said final goodbyes, and was off to greener pastures.&nbsp; She will be missed, but two remain to continue the journey.&nbsp; The Smetana brothers were ready to head west.      Ready to head west   Before departing, we made sure to catch up with all our friends in Minneapolis: Sheryl, Michael, Shelby, Anisha, and Varun.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s always great to share a meal or drink  [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><font size="1">Kellen Smetana</font><br /><span></span>After 2,000 miles of tough but beautiful riding, Carrie postmarked the bike, tossed out old cycling clothes, said final goodbyes, and was off to greener pastures.&nbsp; She will be missed, but two remain to continue the journey.&nbsp; The Smetana brothers were ready to head west.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8194094_orig.jpg?319' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8194094.jpg?319" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Ready to head west</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Before departing, we made sure to catch up with all our friends in Minneapolis: Sheryl, Michael, Shelby, Anisha, and Varun.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s always great to share a meal or drink with friends who have sprawled to various corners of the world.&nbsp; And, as has been evidenced, traveling cyclists always pause for a good meal.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7338064_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7338064.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Dinner with old friends Michael and Sheryl</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Back on the road, we crossed the 2,000 mile mark heading out of the city.&nbsp; Cory and I rode north along the great Mississippi River, trying to meet back up with the ACA Northern Tier in a town called Dalbo.&nbsp; Though we often simplify our journey down to two words, &ldquo;Northern Tier,&rdquo; when we meet other cyclists, Dalbo would actually our first time back on this route since Niagara.&nbsp; (For a good visual, check out <a target="_blank" href="http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/interactive-network-map/">the pink route on the ACA Overview Map</a>).</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8966688_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8966688.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding along the mighty Mississippi</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">We targeted Dalbo as our evening destination not for its bustling 80 strong population, but for one resident in particular, Donn.&nbsp; Donn owns a large farm in Dalbo.&nbsp; Nine years ago, sitting on his porch looking out on the construction on the state highway, he saw two cyclists pushing their bikes through the sand.&nbsp; He felt so bad for these sorry souls that he invited them in for a meal and drinks and through conversation learned that his home sat smack dab in the middle of a cross-country cycling route.&nbsp; The next day, he decided to turn an unused barn into a &ldquo;Bicycle Bunkhouse,&rdquo; allowing all passing cyclists an evening of shelter.&nbsp; Nine years later, he now has cots enough for 18, an outhouse and outdoor shower, and has even converted an old silo to really tall room for two.&nbsp; We first heard about it from fellow riders in Wisconsin, and since then it seems that anyone with panniers and two wheels knows of the legendary Donn.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4537576_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4537576.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The Bicycle Bunkhouse</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Traveling cyclists are still a rare breed, so most nights the Bunkhouse goes empty; this particular night we enjoyed the company of two other riders, Claude and Brad, also heading west.&nbsp; It was great to share war stories from the road &ndash; Claude had some particularly good pepper-spray drenched bouts with aggressive dogs &ndash; and also to spend some time with &ldquo;the Donn&rdquo; himself.&nbsp; Upon seeing the silo, Cory and I deduced that the opportunities to sleep inside a 70 foot vertical tube were sparse, so we immediately set up shop.&nbsp; It proved to be a good snooze until an early morning thunderstorm moved in with vengeance.&nbsp; The rain showers were amplified to the level of clanging pans inside the hollow metal silo; it was loud but bearable.&nbsp; When I saw the first lightning strike, however, I woke up Cory and decided we shouldn&rsquo;t be cooped in the tallest metal structure for miles, so we moved into the Bunkhouse barn for the rest of the night.&nbsp; Donn had a good laugh at breakfast when he told us he was thinking about us the previous night, chuckling, and wondering if the storm would wake us up in the silo.&nbsp; It did.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6025937_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6025937.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Fellow cyclist Brad and the legendary Donn himself</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1622900_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1622900.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">How one of the other cyclists felt about Donn's generosity in the guestbook</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9316241_orig.jpg?461' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9316241.jpg?461" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Sleeping inside the silo... we didn't last long when the storm moved in</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Claude gets his miles in early, so he was gone before we awoke; Brad, also heading west, opted to join us for the day.&nbsp; Tired of work, he quit his job as an aerospace engineer to bike across the US, he started in Virginia and has worked his way north.&nbsp; The three of us pedaling together, it was a nice easy day as we moved through the land of 10,000 lakes &ndash; it really is amazing how many small lakes and ponds dot the countryside here.&nbsp; Glaciers leave a long aftertaste.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7376185_orig.jpg?463' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7376185.jpg?463" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Riding with Brad for the day</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2856768_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2856768.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Land 'o' Lakes</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">After an evening camped out on a restaurant patio in the small town of Bowlus, we parted ways with Brad the next morning.&nbsp; He continued north to visit his grandparents, we went west toward Fargo.&nbsp; We may very well cross paths again in the west, but for now we were back to two.&nbsp; Minnesota has a fantastic rails-to-trails network: from Bowlus we set off on over 110 miles of continuous paved bike trails.&nbsp; It was quite pleasant not having to worry about traffic.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3666765_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3666765.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Covered bridge on the bike trail</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6223507_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6223507.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Beautiful riding (plus dinner on the back of his bike...)</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  We have often highlighted the benefits of bicycle tourism.&nbsp; One of those benefits is the development of an incredible connection to the history, economy, and culture of the places we pass through.&nbsp; As we moved across Michigan&rsquo;s Upper Peninsula, for example, we passed dozens and dozens of abandoned motels, general stores, and service stations, just another example of the far-reaching effects of Detroit&rsquo;s economic decline.&nbsp; A vast majority of tourists to that region still come from southeast Michigan, and the well-being of many of the smaller summer destinations has unfortunately moved in tandem with the city over the past two decades.&nbsp; Also in the UP, we learned that Michigan has resorted to generating small bits of revenue by selling off state land for logging, but has regulations preventing clear-cutting next to the road in order to keep the driving scenery natural.&nbsp; Interesting stuff.&nbsp; In the past few weeks we&rsquo;ve met all sorts of individuals with fascinating stories: FEMA workers who live at the ready to be anywhere in the country in 24 hours for natural disaster cleanup and control&hellip; sometimes multi-month projects; a woman who extolled the benefits of artificial insemination in cow reproduction; retirees who haven&rsquo;t been to a city in decades; and even people who explained how to covertly grow cannabis plants in trash bags suspended in pine trees.&nbsp; Our two recent city visits on the route have reminded us of the importance of transportation.&nbsp; Minneapolis / Saint Paul was once the site of a series of large falls on the Mississippi river, the furthest northern navigable point on the great waterway.&nbsp; Trade from the north coalesced there and built the cities into the bustling metropolis it has evolved into today.&nbsp; Fargo, our next destination, grew as the meeting of two major trade arteries: the Northern Pacific railroad and the mighty Red River.&nbsp; Major railroads still run right through the center of the city.<br /><br />    Back on the bike trail we were in for another lesson, this one geological, when we crossed an interesting sign about 5 miles south of Fergus Falls, Minnesota.&nbsp; It read, &ldquo;Continental Divide.&rdquo;&nbsp; I&rsquo;ve been out west enough times to remember crossing the continental divide in high passes through the Rockies, and we certainly weren&rsquo;t there yet.&nbsp; Fortunately, we ran into another cyclist, Kim, just as we were crossing this point who was able to explain to us that the continent is much more divided than I thought.&nbsp; It turns out this line divides waters north/south into those heading for Hudson Bay and those heading for the Gulf of Mexico.&nbsp; Just another day of biking and getting knowledge&hellip;</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7276104_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7276104.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Crossing the continental divide</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-none " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7726805_orig.png?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7726805.png?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Apparently we had crossed the Laurentian divide</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Fergus Falls was the end of the bike trails and we popped back on the roads.&nbsp; The further west we have moved across the state, the more the terrain has shifted from woodlands and lakes of Michigan and Wisconsin to open rolling farmland.&nbsp; This means when there is wind, we don&rsquo;t have anywhere to hide from it.&nbsp; It was brutal as we left Fergus Falls, but we didn&rsquo;t go far before taking a long mid-day break for the World Cup final.&nbsp; We zoned in on a tasty Mexican restaurant and were able to catch most of the game on Univision.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/600063_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/600063.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Nowhere to hide anymore</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7319926_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7319926.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Catching the World Cup final</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">We camped that evening further up the road behind the community center in the town of Cormorant.&nbsp; There must be some sort of renewed Polar Vortex coming down into the Midwest because that evening it dropped into the 40s &ndash; in July!; fortunately, Cory and I were prepared.&nbsp; Sleeping bundled up in a tent is actually much better than trying to avoid touching sweaty legs to a sticky bag.&nbsp; We didn&rsquo;t sleep all that well, however, because we were awaken twice in the night by a loud, large animal huffing just feet from our tent.&nbsp; Each time it was scared off and passed quickly.&nbsp; Needless to say, this also had us scared.&nbsp; We immediately hung the food in the swingset a hundred meters from the tent just in case and hopped on our phones to decipher whether we had just heard a moose, coyote, deer, or bear.&nbsp; Once we convinced ourselves it was definitely not the latter, we settled back in for a decent rest until morning.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6429867_orig.jpg?334' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6429867.jpg?334" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Ready for 40 degree temperatures</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7518779_orig.jpg?330' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7518779.jpg?330" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Hanging up the food away from the tent</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">The next day brought us to another new state!&nbsp; North Dakota is the first truly new one for Cory and me so far on the trip.&nbsp; We used the Warmshowers platform to find two fellow cyclists in Fargo, Ann and Ed, who were willing to host us for our stay.&nbsp; Ann has done quite a bit of cycling and even biked across the US several years ago.&nbsp; These wonderful hosts not only took us in and let us stay for two nights, but also cooked fabulous dinner both evenings!&nbsp; It was great to refill the tanks and hear their stories about the city.&nbsp; Most of you have probably heard of Fargo, and the reason is 1997.&nbsp; This was the year of both the eponymous Coen Brothers film and devastating floods in the city that made national headlines for weeks.&nbsp; Today it&rsquo;s a really pleasant town with clean shops, lots of bikes, quaint homes, and good business.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5402660_orig.jpg?331' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5402660.jpg?331" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">New state: North Dakota!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7102949_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7102949.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Lovely downtown Fargo</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2718005_orig.jpg?460' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2718005.jpg?460" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Ann was an amazing host - she even cooked us two fantastic dinners!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Coupling eastern North Dakota with Minnesota, we were in a territory of significant Nordic and Scandinavian immigration for over 150 years.&nbsp; On our day off we trekked across the Red River back to Fargo&rsquo;s sister city, Moorhead, Minnesota.&nbsp; There lies the amazing Hjemkomst Center.&nbsp; This museum was built around the Hjemkomst boat, a modern replica of an old Viking ship built by a Minnesota family in 1982 and sailed to Norway the next year.&nbsp; The center documents this homecoming journey, and has expanded to include an incredibly intricate Norwegian replica cathedral and other exhibits highlighting the region (currently it&rsquo;s involvement in the WWII homefront).</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7198981_orig.jpg?490' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7198981.jpg?490" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Hjemkomst boat</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1179604_orig.jpg?489' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1179604.jpg?489" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Exploring the Hjemkomst Center and neighboring wooden cathedral</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Our great but short stay in Fargo is drawing to a close.&nbsp; Today we start our journey west, west, west across the state and hope the wind stays calm or is even at our backs. &nbsp;Tailwinds, interesting enough, may actually be more probable than you may think.&nbsp; Everyone knows the west-to-east jet stream blowing behind weathermen (and weatherwomen) across the country, but surface winds are actually much more variable and depend more on differences in pressure fronts.&nbsp; So, take a look at <a target="_blank" href="http://hint.fm/wind/">the cool map we recently discovered</a>, and look out &ndash; fingers crossed &ndash; for those easterly winds across the northern plains.</div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Great North]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/the-great-north]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/the-great-north#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Tue, 08 Jul 2014 14:43:39 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/the-great-north</guid><description><![CDATA[Carrie PerdueWe did it! Well, at least I did it&hellip;. After cranking out 2000 miles in just 27 days of riding we&rsquo;ve made it to Minneapolis, my last stop on this wild and crazy journey. My bike box and camping gear has been all packed up and shipped home, and tomorrow morning I fly out. For the curious, my bike and the gear I shipped home weighed in at 65 pounds, and I&rsquo;m probably still carrying another 5-10 pounds of stuff onto the plane with me&hellip; that&rsquo;s a whole lot of  [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><font size="1">Carrie Perdue</font><br />We did it! Well, at least I did it&hellip;. After cranking out 2000 miles in just 27 days of riding we&rsquo;ve made it to Minneapolis, my last stop on this wild and crazy journey. My bike box and camping gear has been all packed up and shipped home, and tomorrow morning I fly out. For the curious, my bike and the gear I shipped home weighed in at 65 pounds, and I&rsquo;m probably still carrying another 5-10 pounds of stuff onto the plane with me&hellip; that&rsquo;s a whole lot of weight to pedal up countless hills.<!--[if gte mso 9]>        <![endif]--></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9276553_orig.jpg?457' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9276553.jpg?457" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Fit the maximum size restrictions!</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">It&rsquo;s been an amazing trip and I&rsquo;ve had a total blast spending time with the Smetana brothers, Brandon, and the cast of absolute characters we&rsquo;ve met along the way. Travelling by bicycle is an incredibly intimate way to experience a place, and I can&rsquo;t imagine a better way to see my country, meet my fellow Americans, and get a feel for the interesting diversity of the USA&rsquo;s people, landscapes, cuisines, accents, and everything else she has to offer.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6315862_orig.jpg?320' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6315862.jpg?320" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Characters like Jim, who has everyone that passes through sign his guestbook</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">Since we left St. Ignace we have been burning up the road. The first day out we put in just under 90 miles to Manistique, a decent sized city in Michigan&rsquo;s Upper Peninsula. We indulged in the all you can eat spaghetti and meatballs at the local Big Boy restaurant, which inspired one of the quotes of the trip (see below). We woke up to a bad rain storm, but it quickly passed and we were on the road again. We passed through Escanaba late that afternoon, and I was introduced to a little slice of Michigan culinary heaven, the pasty. Not pastry. &nbsp;Not paste-y. Pasty&hellip;. Like pass-tee. It&rsquo;s basically a beef pot pie calzone if you can picture that&hellip; All in all not too shabby.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6134800_orig.jpg?470' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6134800.jpg?470" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Getting ready to ride in the rain</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4034533_orig.jpg?341' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4034533.jpg?341" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The delightful pasty</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">From Escanaba we pressed on another 15 or so miles to Perronville where we happened upon the only game in town, the Perronville Pub aka. Grand Ole&rsquo; P.P.&rsquo;s! This was a pretty small pub with a very &ldquo;ornery&rdquo; owner, Kathy. We heard about Kathy&rsquo;s inhospitable nature from some locals, but since it was our only option we stopped in. She did live up to her ornery reputation at first, but as the night wore on we won her over and before we left the bar we had secured a camping spot in the barn behind the bar.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1933743_orig.jpg?470' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1933743.jpg?470" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Grand "Ole" P.P.s</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8733463_orig.jpg?470' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8733463.jpg?470" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">We slept in the back</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">The next few days were spent riding through small towns in the Upper Peninsula and enjoying this little-travelled area. We endured some climbing, unfavorable winds, and rough roads, but in general it was a lovely ride filled with small towns and a lot of beautiful scenery. As we passed into northern Wisconsin, things got even more beautiful and the roads and the grades of the hills improved significantly. The woods became thicker, and there were hundreds of lakes on every side of us.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5696126_orig.jpg?471' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5696126.jpg?471" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Land-O-Lakes</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  The riding was really incredible&hellip; unless you stopped to rest. The second that we stopped our bikes (or unfortunately in my case, also when I was going super slowly up a steep hill), we were immediately swarmed with hundreds of mosquitos! It was awful!! We also were travelling through a fairly unpopulated area, so places to stop and stay were few and far between. The first night in Wisconsin, we stopped at a bar and hotel in the middle of nowhere. We were excited about the hotel, but little did we know that the mosquitos were so bad we would end up killing over 25 in our room! We also had easily the worst meal of the trip if not our lives&hellip;. I ordered a chef salad that had about 12 ingredients listed in it on the menu. When it came out it was just lettuce and a really weird ham. I told the waiter it was missing ingredients and he went back to get them and came back out a few minutes later and said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re out of all of that stuff.&rdquo; Hmmm&hellip;. The boys ordered &ldquo;whisky flavored&rdquo; pork chops. Cory immediately spit out the first bite after trying them. We later learned that the meat had been soaked for like 3 days in a gallon of whisky. It was literally like taking a pork shot, but apparently hunger and a gallon of A-1 sauce can cover up a multitude of cooking sins.<br /><br />    After that rough night, our expectations were low, but as we continued on we found a great spot to eat and camp the next night at Louie&rsquo;s Landing by Moose Lake. The view was incredible, the food was delicious, and the owners, Jack and his wife, were incredibly accommodating and nice. We finally reached civilization again by our final day in WI, and stayed in Cumberland, a really cute town set by another beautiful lake. It was July 3rd, and there were tons of vacationers there for the holiday, but we were still able to secure a spot at the local campground and partake in some of the festivities&hellip; Namely we could overhear a raging concert with by 90&rsquo;s cover band that every single person in like a 250 mile radius appeared to be attending.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2977815_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2977815.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Louie's Landing, our host for the evening</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">We set out on July 4th and Minneapolis was somewhat in our sights. It was a pretty rough riding day with bad headwinds and we were fairly surprised by how little celebration we saw. Spirits were somewhat raised when we reached a Dairy Queen and were definitely lifted when we hit the Minnesota state line. After the obligatory photo shoot, we headed on down to Scandia a two-stoplight town that looked completely abandoned&hellip; until Cory found a fairly lively bar and restaurant, literally the only thing in town that was open. We enjoyed a good meal and were invited to camp behind the restaurant. There was even one lonely pyromaniac who was sitting on the patio and shooting bottle rockets out of his hand. Nonstop. For like four hours. At one point his beard caught on fire, but he didn&rsquo;t seem to notice. We also learned that all of the drunk guys in the bar also sleep out back sometimes so that they don&rsquo;t get DUIs. We met one of them when he said it was about time for him to head home as stumbled out of an old maintenance truck that was parked about 15 feet from where we were camping as we were packing up to leave at 7:45am. God Bless America.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3372714_orig.jpg?462' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3372714.jpg?462" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Minnesota!  Land of great state signs</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4097317_orig.jpg?382' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4097317.jpg?382" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Getting patriotic on Independence Day</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">As we headed out on July 5th we were a mere 45 miles from our friend Bixby&rsquo;s apartment in Minneapolis and it ended up being a nice ride. The Twin Cities are surprisingly bike friendly and we spend a good part of our ride in on great bike trails or riding in the ample bike lanes. Once we arrived we spent the past few days exploring town, eating great food, catching up on errands, and we even had time to take in a Minnesota Twins game vs. the Yankees.</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2778504_orig.jpg?319' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2778504.jpg?319" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Bixby!</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5944245_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5944245.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Great American pastime</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  All in all it&rsquo;s been an incredible trip, and I&rsquo;ll sign off with some of the most memorable quotes from the trip so far:<br /><br />  &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;m going to throw up. Do you think Big Boy&rsquo;s will take that as a compliment?&rdquo; &ndash; Cory, after eating 4 plates of all you can eat spaghetti and meatballs<br /><br />  Random Guy on Motorcycle (RGoM): You guys went to Harvard?!? Do they still have that Mexican place right there by Harvard?<br />  Me: Uh&hellip; I guess&hellip; Border Caf&eacute; maybe?<br />  RGoM: Yeah, yeah&hellip; That&rsquo;s the place with the sizzling fajitas right?!?! Man I loved that place!! Everybody was always in there having a good time&hellip; The waitresses were always running around serving up sizzling fajitas&hellip;. Man that place was great!<br /><span></span><br />  &ldquo;You know, I almost played football for Northeastern. The weightlifting coach really wanted me to play, but I decided not to.&rdquo; &ndash; The SAME Random Guy on Motorcycle who loved sizzling fajitas. I literally answered this man&rsquo;s questions about the bike trip for 3 minutes and then he told me his life story. <br /><br />  &ldquo;Oooo&hellip;. I&rsquo;m going to have to go dab some water on that&hellip;&rdquo; &ndash; Kellen, every time he spills something on himself. So like 3-5 times per day. <br /><br />  &ldquo;You guys biked here from Boston?!?!? Did you ever think of doing the Tour de France?&rdquo; &ndash; Random Guy at Panera<br /><br />  &ldquo;Did you guys realize that Arsenio Hall has a new show?!?&rdquo; &ndash; Everyone, at least once. Somehow every place we&rsquo;ve stayed, even if we only have 2 channels, even if we&rsquo;re in Canada, one is playing Arsenio Hall&rsquo;s new TV show. And it&rsquo;s terrible. Then, when we rode into Minneapolis we passed the CW studios and they had an entire wall of their building dedicated to advertising Arsenio&rsquo;s new show. He&rsquo;s haunting this trip.<br /><br />  &ldquo;Sky&rsquo;s Out. Thighs Out.&rdquo; &ndash; Group motto. You gotta tan up those thighs when you have the chance</div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1716545_orig.jpg?320' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1716545.jpg?320" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Last pic with the boys pulling into Minneapolis (notice the "thighs out")</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/921802_orig.jpg?405' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/921802.jpg?405" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Signing off - it's been a fun ride!</div> </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Meandering through the Mitten]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/meandering-through-the-mitten]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/meandering-through-the-mitten#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Sat, 28 Jun 2014 14:03:52 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/meandering-through-the-mitten</guid><description><![CDATA[Cory SmetanaThe home cooked meals, showers, and downtime at home was outstanding.&nbsp; There&rsquo;s no place like home, but since Novi was not our final destination we hopped back on our saddles and headed due north.&nbsp; Our dad joined us for the first few miles of the Google maps route we planned on tracing back to our ACA maps, which would begin again the next day.&nbsp; We said our final goodbyes on this overcast morning and were on our way. &nbsp;Fresh legs and minds powered us through t [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Cory Smetana</font><br />The home cooked meals, showers, and downtime at home was outstanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There&rsquo;s no place like home, but since Novi was not our final destination we hopped back on our saddles and headed due north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Our dad joined us for the first few miles of the Google maps route we planned on tracing back to our ACA maps, which would begin again the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We said our final goodbyes on this overcast morning and were on our way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Fresh legs and minds powered us through the cities of Grand Blanc and Flint to our link: the Bavarian village of Frankenmuth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It was a Friday and the outdoor entertainment was in full force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Kellen, Carrie, and I joined in a free match of outdoor blackjack run by the local tourism board.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After I took the leaderboard with $500 (the initial chip count), and Kellen finished with a meager $5, Carrie stepped up and knocked me down a position.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7240142.jpg?464_orig.57894736842104' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7240142.jpg?464.57894736842104" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Blackjack champions (notice Kellen at the bottom...)</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Adjacent the blackjack tables stood a visitors center with a pavilion covering an overly enthusiastic cover band with banjos, xylophones and a bubbly man with a wireless mic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After enjoying the music and pretending to gamble we ate at a local restaurant and set up our tents a mile down the road at a nearby campground.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/362479.jpg?368_orig.05280528052805' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/362479.jpg?368.05280528052805" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">This lady was ROCKING</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>When we formed our route through Michigan in the initial planning of this trip, I learned we were travelling through my college roommate&rsquo;s hometown of Midland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I informed Mike, who immediately offered the hospitality, though precise planning does not always work out on a bike: we would need an additional 30 miles on the day to abide by the schedule. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>Thinking we would try to grab lunch together after a long 50 miles from Frankenmuth, it came to our attention that Mike&rsquo;s younger brother Keaton was having his graduation party that afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This fantastic coincidence led us to Mike&rsquo;s residence for the high school celebration. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp;</span>I enjoyed catching up with Mike and his family and appreciate the fact they were amicable to our bike short attire and sweaty hugs.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9181367.jpg?473_orig.2163742690058' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9181367.jpg?473.2163742690058" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Enjoying some lunch at the grad party</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>While eating, we met some of Mike&rsquo;s family friends who were intrigued by our trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We shared stories about biking, running, and our route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Making our destination of Clare known, our new friends, Brooke and her husband, went out of their way to connect us to members of their athletic club in the area so we would have a roof over our heads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A couple Facebook messages and phone calls later and we had an address plugged in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>With the &ldquo;friend of a friend&rdquo; ambiguity for both parties, it was exciting riding up to our destination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Up the long driveway past an old distinguished barn stood a gorgeous house on a hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We talked for a while with our evening host, Tom, and played street hockey with his son Cristian in their arena (garage).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Between the mini sticks in the hallway, hockey coaching equipment in the garage, and generosity of our hosts, I felt almost like I was home again.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2244593.jpg?466_orig.7543859649123' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2244593.jpg?466.7543859649123" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Even the driveway had an amazing view</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Carrie has never been to northern Michigan or the Upper Peninsula, so we decided to manipulate our itinerary to cater to some of the beautiful attractions this pure state offers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>From Clare we started biking over the rolling hills and past beautiful lakes formed by glaciers en route to the Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Lakeshore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We camped in a small town Sunday night to put us within striking distance of the dunes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After a brief encounter Monday morning with one of Kellen&rsquo;s friends from business school, Luke, on the road (when you&rsquo;re in Michigan, you find friends everywhere!), we arrived at the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The &ldquo;dune hike&rdquo; led us and our heavy legs over a few sandy hills to Lake Michigan.</span><br /></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1628629.jpg?468_orig.2456140350877' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1628629.jpg?468.2456140350877" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Michigan, where everybody knows your name</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8944486.jpg?465_orig.9774919614148' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8944486.jpg?465.9774919614148" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Sleeping Bear Dunes and Glen Lake</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We enjoyed the hike, but Kellen and I were confused by the smooth approach to the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It wasn&rsquo;t the steep and treacherous climb that ensued over a decade ago in our family trips up north.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Unsatisfied, we biked south along a freshly paved bike path to the visitors center and then uphill a couple miles to find the outlook we remembered so vividly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The $5 to enter these special dunes and two extra miles of climbing was well worth it.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1251766.jpg?484_orig.55089820359285' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1251766.jpg?484.55089820359285" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">450 feet straight down to Lake Michigan.  Yes, of course we ran down</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>From the dunes we continued east over more rolling hills with roads lined with towering pines until we reached the cherry capitol of the country, Traverse City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Since there were no restaurants or stores at the dunes and we were anxious to make it to Traverse City, all we had eaten during the day was a few Clif bars, some fruit, and vending machine ice cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Upon arriving late in the evening, stomachs growling, we deemed this the perfect opportunity to tackle the Taco Bell Challenge (consuming $20 each worth of this delectable fast food in one sitting).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Kellen and I finished the challenge, and the three of us, noses plugged, slept like champions the next two nights.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3085609.jpg?464_orig.57894736842104' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3085609.jpg?464.57894736842104" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Cherry trees everywhere</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1959946.jpg?466_orig.9799426934097' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1959946.jpg?466.9799426934097" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">This is what $20 at Taco Bell looks like</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The rest day in Traverse City held sunny skies and comfortable temperatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We sat poolside to start the day, and then headed into town early in the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We walked by the water and played beach volleyball with some locals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Realizing we shouldn&rsquo;t exert too much energy on our day of rest, we walked downtown to Cherry Republic where we indulged in a slew of free samples of cherry flavored drinks and treats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After a nice tour through old town, we finished the evening with dinner and a drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Two more days to the UP!</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8980316.jpg?362_orig.72419627749576' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8980316.jpg?362.72419627749576" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">75% of US cherries come from this region</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>The day out of Traverse City held cool temperatures and cloudy skies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We biked east, and then north along Torch Lake, voted one of the clearest in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After eating a lake side lunch we continued northeast to our home for the night, Boyne City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Yet again, we were kindly invited to stay with a couple we met at a local diner, making our home for the evening that much cozier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We have met many generous, welcoming people while riding through northern Michigan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After sharing stories around a bonfire with our hosts Chris and Fawn, we were sent off in the morning with a delicious bowl of oatmeal, dried cherries, almonds, and strawberries.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5634833.jpg?463_orig.77192982456137' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5634833.jpg?463.77192982456137" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Lunch next to Torch Lake</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9339846.jpg?464_orig.9741379310345' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9339846.jpg?464.9741379310345" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Evening bonfire with Fawn and Chris</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>We left Boyne City uphill while getting encouragement from a dude biking downhill &ldquo;Peace and love brothers, you&rsquo;re doing great!&rdquo;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This positive energy led us through the attractive towns of Petoskey and Harbor Springs, and the thought of a rest day powered us to the Mackinac Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We showed up to a payphone at the approach of the bridge where we could contact the visitor&rsquo;s center and organize a truck ride across, since biking across is not an option for cyclists.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3720897.jpg?470_orig.5350877192982' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3720897.jpg?470.5350877192982" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Sailboats off Harbor Springs</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1794110.jpg?464_orig.57894736842104' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/1794110.jpg?464.57894736842104" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">The Mighty Mac - longest suspension bridge in the Western Hemisphere</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;">  We made it to St. Ignace on the same weekend of their annual car show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I would be willing to wager my (fake) $500 blackjack winnings that we were the only group staying in the hotel with 27 gears on our mode of transportation, as opposed to 6 or less.<br /><span></span><br /><span></span>  <span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>On our rest day we took a ferry to Mackinac Island where we hiked, ate fudge, and visited the Grand Hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We were also able to get away from the crowds and relax on the back porch of the public library, which contained some amazing views of Lake Huron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Sunday morning we will head west along the northern shore of Lake Michigan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Next stop: Minneapolis.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3012884.jpg?470_orig.5350877192982' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/3012884.jpg?470.5350877192982" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Ferry ride over to Mackinac Island</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2664181.jpg?467_orig.5570175438596' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2664181.jpg?467.5570175438596" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Only bikes (and horses) allowed on the island</div> </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Crossing Canada]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/crossing-canada]]></link><comments><![CDATA[http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/crossing-canada#comments]]></comments><pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2014 06:13:58 GMT</pubDate><category><![CDATA[21. USA]]></category><guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/journal/crossing-canada</guid><description><![CDATA[Carrie PerdueIn Niagara Falls we enjoyed a glorious and much needed rest day full of putt-putt golf, poutine, and a lot of laying around a doing nothing. Before long, though, we were back on the road. After a short 20 miles we bid a fond farewell to Brandon and watched him pedal away, back to the US, across the Friendship Bridge in Buffalo, NY.      Brandon couldn’t look back lest we see the tears in his eyes as he makes a run for the border   And then we were three. We pointed our bikes westw [...] ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'><font size="1">Carrie Perdue</font><br />In Niagara Falls we enjoyed a glorious and much needed rest day full of putt-putt golf, poutine, and a lot of laying around a doing nothing. Before long, though, we were back on the road. After a short 20 miles we bid a fond farewell to Brandon and watched him pedal away, back to the US, across the Friendship Bridge in Buffalo, NY.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8925984_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8925984.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Brandon couldn&rsquo;t look back lest we see the tears in his eyes as he makes a run for the border</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>And then we were three. We pointed our bikes westward and started pedaling towards Michigan. We decided to divert from the Adventure Cycling Association Northern Tier route to ride through Michigan on the ACA Northern Lakes route. In order to connect to that route we would first need to cross Canada via the Lake Erie Connector route. It should not surprise you that we spend a lot of time staring helplessly at maps and wondering where we are. For once, though, this seemed fairly simple &ndash; we would just bike along Lake Erie for a few days before heading north and taking a ferry into Michigan. Easy peasy. No hills, nice lake views&hellip; we would cruise on through with no problems. And then we saw these guys:</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5678321_orig.jpg?292' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5678321.jpg?292" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Get out of my sight you devilish beast</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Wind. It can be a cyclist&rsquo;s best friend or worst enemy depending on how it&rsquo;s blowing. And in the US, when you&rsquo;re travelling east to west, it&rsquo;s usually NOT blowing your way. The first two days out of Niagara, we put in about 150 grueling miles into a tough headwind. This bad luck may have had something to do with the fact we were riding on Friday the 13th. Our troubles were even more compounded by the fact that for some reason we were also sharing the road with literally thousands of motorcyclists. As we set up camp the first night in Selkirk, we found out why. Apparently Port Dover, a nearby town, is something of a Friday the 13th motorcycle mecca. For years now, every Friday the 13th, thousands of bikers gather to ride around the region. A few years ago their 50th Friday the 13th ride attracted 500,000 bikers. Our ride corresponded with this year&rsquo;s only Friday the 13th and there were an estimated 150,000 bikers sharing the road with us.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5945829_orig.jpg?458' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5945829.jpg?458" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Even though we had two wheels and funny outfits in common, we still didn&rsquo;t really fit in...</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Spirits were fairly low, ears were somewhat deafened by motorcycle noise, and thighs were pretty tired (and in my case extremely sunburnt) on our second day out of Niagara when we pulled into the Sandcastle Restaurant in Port Bruce, Ontario, looking for dinner and a place to camp. We got a warm welcome from Barb, one of the workers there, who invited us to pitch our tents in the yard of her sister at a nearby, and nearly beachfront, trailer park. There was one important caveat, however: we would have to pretend to be Christine (the out-of-town trailer owner) and Barb&rsquo;s niece and nephews so that Marty, the trailer park general manager, didn&rsquo;t kick us out. There was one big problem with this plan&hellip; Barb could not remember Kellen&rsquo;s name. At all. She asked him 10 times what his name was, and then introduced him to Marty as Carrie. And then introduced him to her friends as Kyle. Then after learning it was Kellen&rsquo;s birthday that day, she gave him and Cory her last two beers&hellip;. and then told Cory, &ldquo;Happy Birthday!!&rdquo;</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8499850_orig.jpg?473' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/8499850.jpg?473" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Double-wide tent accommodations</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6180865_orig.jpg?475' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/6180865.jpg?475" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Beautiful sunset over Lake Erie </div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4921337_orig.jpg?334' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4921337.jpg?334" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Birthday boy enjoying a smores (granola bar) over our Lake Erie campfire</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>Barb&rsquo;s forgetfulness aside, a beautiful beach sunset and good night&rsquo;s sleep rejuvenated our weary souls and a shift in the wind kick-started our next day&rsquo;s ride. It was Father&rsquo;s Day, and we really wanted to get close enough to the US border to get cell service and call our families. This would mean putting in at least 85 miles, which would have been our longest ride to date. The wind finally cooperated, and while we didn&rsquo;t get an actual tailwind until over 60 miles into the day, we avoided direct headwinds all day. At 8pm, around the 95 mile mark, we stopped for dinner and learned we were only 15 miles from Sombra, the launching point for the ferry to Marine City, MI. Even better news was that the last ferry didn&rsquo;t leave until 10pm, so with the favorable winds we could probably make it back to American soil that night. What followed was the most enjoyable ride of our trip. Nice, crisp early evening air, another beautiful sunset, favorable winds, and, best of all, my first ever century ride (100+ miles). We made it to the ferry just in time, returned to the US in style, and set up our tents just after 11pm, after putting in 111 miles for the day.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9318842_orig.jpg?465' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/9318842.jpg?465" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Hitting 100 miles at sunset</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7490661_orig.jpg?467' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7490661.jpg?467" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Sunset with America in our sights</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2630436_orig.jpg?466' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/2630436.jpg?466" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">We made it! On the ferry to Marine City</div> </div></div>  <div class="paragraph" style="text-align:left;"><span style='line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;'>At Marine City we had decided to depart from the trail for a few days to swing by the Smetana family residence in Novi, Michigan. The next day of riding proved to be the most challenging of our trip because we faced a horrible combination of bad roads with no shoulders, tons of traffic, headwinds, high temperatures, and eventually unpaved bike trails. It was a long, hot, stressful day, but before we knew it we had met up with Mr. Smetana to ride the last few miles to their home and all of our troubles had melted away. It&rsquo;s been really fun getting to relax and to get to know the extremely kind and generous Smetana family and their hometown over the past few days. But the road is already calling us back. Tomorrow we set out again and continue our trek to Michigan's Upper Peninsula.</span></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7498372_orig.jpg?464' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/7498372.jpg?464" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Biking skills run in the family</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4832607_orig.jpg?469' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/4832607.jpg?469" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">One of the many AMAZING meals we&rsquo;ve enjoyed over the past 2 days</div> </div></div>  <div><div class="wsite-image wsite-image-border-thin " style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin-left:0;margin-right:0;text-align:center"> <a href='http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5939136_orig.jpg?470' rel='lightbox' onclick='if (!lightboxLoaded) return false'> <img src="http://www.revolutionsforrelief.org/uploads/6/6/8/5/6685696/5939136.jpg?470" alt="Picture" style="width:auto;max-width:100%" /> </a> <div style="display:block;font-size:90%">Trying to conquer a new sport on our day off</div> </div></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>