shelby, montana

Goodbye, Rocky Mountians. Hello. plains.

 I'm not sure any two days could be more different than today and yesterday. Yesterday was mountain climbs, and the Continental Divide at Marias Pass. Today was mostly flat. Yesterday, we had lots of downhill runs with the wind in our faces. Today we pedaled almost every minute of the day, no coasting, with the wind still in our faces. We did have a great tailwind to start the day and, at times, realized we were cruising at twenty to twenty-six miles per hour with little or no pedaling. About halfway to Shelby, the wind turned on us and tried to blow us off Route 2 into the fields. Yesterday we were in bear country with bear spray in hand. Today we were in cattle country with no spray necessary. Yesterday we had a cold start and today it was pretty much warm all day. But I loved both days! And . . . I found three Montana license plates today. How 'bout that! Someone in Coram told me that Montana has the biggest variety of license plates in the nation. I don't know if that's fact or fable but I've found five plates now and they are all different. Maybe it's a fact.

Margaret and I departed from Cottage 2 at Jacobson's Cottages in East Glacier Park around 7:45 am, stopped by to pick up Phil, and then Phil and I headed to Shelby at 8:30. At 2:20, Phil and I arrived at the Comfort Inn in Shelby. Comfort Inn is one of the ways Margaret spells camping. Other spellings include Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express. Of course, I'll camp with her. "You can't make it too tough for me to complain." 

Thanks to Erik and Susan for their hospitality and comfy and clean little cottages last night. We also enjoyed talking with them about their cottages, the local area, biking, and how they got to East Glacier Park. Erik is a cyclist and a physical therapist along with his responsibilities at the Jacobson's Cottages. When I told him that I was glad to be out of the mountains, he said, "Do you want one more? There's a beautiful little four-mile climb right up this road. I may ride it tomorrow."

I told him, "You go ahead and ride it twice. Once for you and once for me. I'm okay to be out of the mountains for a while." Should you ever decide to ride the Northern Tier with the Adventure Cycling maps, Jacobson's Cottages are right along the way. Stop by and stay.

This is Memorial Day. It's a special day for America to remember its fallen heroes. Among those fallen heroes are the Founding Fathers of this free country. Men who lived and died for their country. Years ago, Paul Harvey, a patriot and very popular radio broadcaster said of these heroes,

Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.

What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants; Nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in rags.

Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in Congress without pay while his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Eillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge and Middleton.

At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr. noted the British General, Cornwallis, had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Morris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.

Standing tall, straight and unwavering, they pledged: “For the support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”

They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn’t just fight the British; we were British subjects at that time and we fought our own government!

Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn’t.

So, take a few minutes while enjoying your holiday, and silently thank these and other patriots like them. And remember: Freedom is never free!

Remember.

east glacier, montana

We got over it!

 Today was my favorite riding day of our thirteen days of pedaling. It was almost perfect even though we climbed around 3,600 feet to go over the Continental Divide at Marias Pass. The day included lots of sunshine, wind blowing both directions, beautiful views, courteous drivers which meant a whole lot where the shoulders were narrow, snack stops and lunch at the SnackWagon, nice people, trains, wildlife, and about sixty two miles connecting Coram to East Glacier.

Now . . . we are east of the Rocky Mountains and shouldn't see much of anything close to a mountain until we get to New York State. I'm happy with that, According to WAZE, we have 447 miles to North Dakota and should be there next Sunday. We will also leave the Mountain Time Zone and be in the Central Time Zone, one time zone closer to home.

The roads ahead for many miles will be everything from plains to farmlands with ranches, barns, plowed and planted fields, cattle, tractors, and wildlife. We've pedaled for thirteen days, 726.53 miles, through mostly mountainous terrain so the flat roads will be welcomed with gladness. Today's last real climb, over the Continental Divide was probably the easiest climb we've done, mainly because of the weather which was warm and dry. As we move from the mountains to the plains we'll miss all the photo opportunities but may make better time because of that. I think we must have at least 3,492 photos of waterfalls, 649 photos of rivers and streams, 4 shots of bald eagles, 4 pictures of black bears, 19 photos of creative junk, and one or two accidental pictures of our shoes in parking areas. That is, of course, a slight exaggeration, but may be closer than I'm thinking. I am so glad we are now in the age of digital photography. Film would break the bank!

Thank you, again, for all of the notes, cards, and texts. I read two of the notes and cards each morning before I pedal. What encouragement! I plan to do a blog with the names of all the encouragers in the days ahead just to say Thank You. The notes are like fuel in the tank.

"A sweet friendship refreshes the soul." (Proverbs 27:9)

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."                   (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)

"Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord." (Psalm 31:24)

 "Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God." (Philippians 1:3)

Above is our comfy, little home at Jacobson's Cottages in East Glacier, Montana. I'm about ready to hit that comfy little bed. I think we've got around seventy-two miles tomorrow. Good night.

Goodbye mountains.

Encourage one another!

coram, montana (rest day)

Somewhere flowing under Route 895, Montana

 Today is another rest day so we decided to visit Clacier National Park. That did not happen. Even though we had a National Park Pass and Margaret had also purchased a pass that would allow all six of us in our vehicle into the park, we were denied entry because beginning yesterday a $2.00 per person reservation fee was added and we knew nothing about that. We all know, when you add the word government, now, there will be complications. Instead of Glacier, we went down the road to Hungry Horse Dam and drove on Route 895 just a little past where it became a dusty, gravel road. Beautiful stuff and lots of photos. Montana is once again showing off. 

There's a story about Hungry Horse and the surrounding areas. I saw it at the Welcome Center by the Hungry Horse Dam. During the severe winter of 1900, two draft horses owned by some Montana logging pioneers wandered away from their logging sled. For days, Tex and Jerry struggled through belly-deep snow looking for food. Almost a month later after their disappearance both horses were discovered alive.

Some loggers nicknamed the gaunt survivors, the "Mighty Hungry Horses." The name stuck and was eventually given to this dam, a mountain, a lake, a creek, and the town downstream.

I did notice, however, amidst all the beauty around Hungry Horse Dam, that Montana did allow foul language to be posted on the bridge itself. But seriously, what a beautiful place to visit. No fees required, just drive there and you are a welcomed guest. Big Sky Montana! As we were driving up Route 895, we saw signs for Lost Johnny Point Campground, Jimmy Ridge, Margaret's Lake, and Sullivan Creek. Margaret's family must have some kind of roots in this vast woodland. There's a lake named after her, a point and a ridge named after two of her brothers, and a creek named after her Granny. We may have to go to an ancestry website and start checking this out.

Just so you know, Margaret and I are in Moose cabin at the Glacier General Store & Cabins. It is quite a nice place to stay. Becky and Kevin are in Elk and Phil and Gale are in the North American RV Park right behind us. I think this would be a great place to hang out for a week. I will post some pictures at the end of this blog so you can check out our lodgings.

 

Tomorrow, Lord willing, Phil and I will pedal over the Continental Divide at Marias Pass, at 5,236 feet, and down to East Glacier. The elevation, here in Coram, is 3,186 feet. So take 5,236 feet and subtract 3, 186 feet and you get  2,050 feet of climbing tomorrow. (I did that without any help from Common Core Math.) The Divide is approximately forty-nine miles from here and it looks like there is a nice, paved bike trail that runs beside Route 2. We will give that a try until it runs out. Then we will get back on the road. The weather is supposed to be good and maybe we will have a tailwind. I will certainly let you know.

Tomorrow is Sunday. I'll be missing the church services at Prince but I can still listen, thanks to the internet. My pastor will be preaching from the book of Hebrews. If you'd like to listen, simply go to pabc.org and click on watch and, BOOM! you'll be there.

Does our cabin look like a bike shop to you?

Our address for one more day in Moose, Montana.

The thought of climbing Marias Pass to the Continental Divide tomorrow is overshadowed by the thought of going down our last major mountain pass of the wild west. We still have a bunch of miles in Montana but the mountains are mostly behind us, I've found my Montana license plate, and I've added more stickers to Billy's car top carrier and my shop storage cabinets. What more could a guy ask for?

Brothers (and sisters), I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

coram, montana

"Ya ready, fellas?"

 Not much riding today and tomorrow is a rest day. We will visit Glacier National Park. The Passport Book Trio is excited because they will get new stamps in their National Park Passport Books. They are into this big time. But I suppose finding license plates is just about on the same level. And . . . I found this Montana plate in Eureka this morning. Not only is it a Montana plate but it is a Eureka Lions, Lincoln County High School plate, probably fell off of the front of a Lions football player's Bronco. It was still attached to the license plate holder and covered with dirt. It's gonna look good on my garage. Jeff Foxworthy said, "You might be a redneck if you have license plates on your living room wall." He didn't say anything about license plates on a garage so I guess I'm not categorized as a redneck.

The road we pedaled was dry, uphill most of the way, and with a good shoulder. The wind was kind and behind us for part of the ride. The scenery was Montana beautiful with ospreys and bald eagles often overhead. I think they were cheering us on. I think. Last night, after a wild thunderstorm, we were promised by the weather guessers, rain and 38 degree weather this morning. Didn't happen. What we got was much nicer. Even though the ride was short we are closer to our goal. We are closer to finishing the mountains and pedaling on flat ground for a while. I'm looking forward to the plains, the wildlife that hangs out there, some long trains, and the North Dakota ducks.

We are now in Coram, right outside of Glacier National Park. In fact, it's about six miles down the road. We are staying in Moose, a cabin at Sky Eco Glacier General Store & Cabins. Becky and Kevin are here as well. Phil and Gale are at an RV park directly behind the cabins.

On the way here, we stopped in Whitefish, a busy, busy western-looking town and fun place to visit. After visiting Glacier Cyclery & Ski and Great Northern Cycle & Ski, we were compelled to get ice cream at Sweet Peaks for ice cream, decals, and a chocolate milkshake. Whitefish would be a place where you could spend several days just visiting small shops and local historical spots.

Today begins the Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day 2021 will occur this coming Monday, May 31.

Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it marks the beginning of the summer season and the end of school in many places.

In spite of all the sacrifices of those who gave all, America is in trouble today. We need some help. Scripture says, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and heal their land." You would think it would be more difficult but it's not.

If you want to do something to honor those who have given everything, humbly pray, confess sin, and seek the face of God. His promise? He will hear, forgive and heal.

America needs your prayers.

eureka, montana

 Koocanusa Lake

From my journal this morning:

Hard to believe May is just about done. Yesterday was our tenth day of riding. So with five more days of riding this this month and thirty days in June, we will have ridden forty-four days or so by July 1st. Based on 2009 ride, we should be about eight days from the Atlantic Ocean, probably in New York and probably riding with Sarah and Barry . . . and Becky again. Probably. That's the word for the day.

In Montana, I am looking forward to getting to Havre. It will reconnect us to a place that I have ridden before . . . kind of like getting home. There are things on that part of the ride I am looking forward to seeing again.

OK, that is enough for this morning. I am working in my office, the bathroom, where there is much light and a place to sit. (This is not a habit of mine. I did it so the Queen could sleep peacefully.) I put the lid down, put a pillow on my knees, and I am journaling. And the Queen is sleeping peacefully.

This day, our eleventh, was another good day but certainly not easy. According to Strava, we covered 68.12 miles and climbed 4,170 feet in 6:08 hours. That brings our total miles pedaled to 632.33. But today, I am beat. I am out of gas. I am whipped. Yes, I am tired! The only thing that saved my life was supper at Trappers Saloon in Eureka. It is amazing what fish and chips, onion rings, and two glasses of root beer will do for a body. We are now in super nice cabins down the road from the saloon. We are also a mile and a half from Canada. We just had a quick, wild thunder and lighting storm which may carry over until tomorrow. At riding time, 9:00 am, the weather guessers are saying we will have rain and 48 degrees. We will see . . . tomorrow.

Coming out of Libby, this morning, we were joined by Andy Parker, who manages the RV park where Phill and Gale were staying. He will be here until mid-October when he will close up the park and head to Arizona. Andy pedaled with us for fifteen miles. Riding with him, I found out that we have just about the same pace for riding long distances. He rides a lot in the Libby area and was an excellent guide, taking us to a road with little and almost no traffic, one climb, good conversation, and some rolling hills that were not bad at all. Thank you, Andy.

For today's ride, one song kept me pedaling:

I can do all things

Through Christ who gives me strength

But sometimes I wonder what He can do through me

No great success to show

No glory on my own

Yet in my weakness He is there to let me know

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone

He'll carry us when we can't carry on

Raised in His power, the weak become strong

His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

We can only know

The power that He holds

When we truly see how deep our weakness goes

His strength in us begins

Where ours comes to an end

He hears our humble cry and proves again

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone

He'll carry us when we can't carry on

Raised in His power, the weak become strong

His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect

That song, by Steven Curtis Chapman, was my mental concert for the ride. The song comes from two verses of Scripture that are very familiar to many folks:

Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness," Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

I've got a lot of room for His strength.

Andy said this is the place to get perfect train shots. He said the trains run by here often. That's our road to the right.

Goldfish and Sponge Bob Square Pants fruit gummies are healthy. After all, the word fruit is on the package. That makes them healthy, right?

libby, montana

Hello Montana!

We are in Montana! We are in Mountain Time!

68.89 miles with 2,829 feet gained in elevation in 5 hours and 23 minutes pedaling time. It was a great day but, I can't lie to you, it was not the easiest day I've ever spent on a bike. We left the Clark Fork Lodge around 9:00 am and 8 miles later saw the Welcome to Montana sign. We are now two states down and twelve to go. Of course, pedaling across Montana will be like pedaling across eight of Idaho's panhandles. We did take a fairly good chunk out of Montana with a little over sixty miles today. The terrain was up and down, the roads were sometimes without shoulders with logging trucks whizzing by, and most of the time we didn't have too much wind in our faces.

For lunch, we stopped just about at the halfway point at, this is the truth, The Halfway House Bar & Grill. At this fine eatery, you step in the door and step way back in time, way back. It was the days of the wild west but the food was so good. I had chicken strips, fries, and a root beer. (That's as close to a Chick-fil-A number 4, 3 count, with a root beer as I'll find out here.) We had a cowboy kind of fellow ask us, "You are riding your bikes out there on that road? I don't even walk on it any more. Lot of people get killed out there!" It really was not as bad as that sounded. Most of the drivers were very courteous and nobody tried to run us down.

When entering Montana there are signs posted to let drivers know that people die on the highways. Every death on Montana's highways is marked with a white cross. We saw way too many as we pedaled and one of the crew said, "I wonder if any of those were cyclists." Probably so. We are doing all we can do to stay safe on the roads. Many of the roads on our route and out in the boonies back roads. We may not have any car and truck altercations but we may get eaten by a bear!

This evening Margaret and I ate at the Cabinet Mountain Brewing Co down the street from our residence tonight, Evergreen Motel. I'm not sure what we had but we split something with elk, buffalo, cheese, crackers, grapes, and candied walnuts. Pretty good stuff. 

I suspect it will take us nine to eleven days to cross Montana. That includes the Continental Divide and lots of big skies on the prairies. There will be lots of wind as well and I'm hoping for some days the wind is at our backs. Kevin and Becky will be leaving us in Malta and we will get her back to ride with us from Ohio to Maine. Tomorrow is supposed to be another up and down day like today. It's also approximately 68 miles. I'm not real excited about two days like this back to back but it does mean we will be 136 miles closer to Maine.

Every day I ride, I thank God for the time on the back roads of America. I love the people I meet, their stories, the towns I pedal through, the hole-in-the-wall eateries, and the views along the way. I'm a thankful pedaler.

Thank you, Lord, for this day.

Margaret did find a new friend. She has a way with wildlife!

Maddie, our spoiled grandkid Facetimes us almost every night. Thanks, Maddie. Turtley@

Today was a great day to have a great day!

-Psalm 118:24

clark fork, idaho

1955 Nash Metropolitan restored by the lodge owners

 We left Priest River this morning around nine o'clock and arrived at Clark Fork, still in Idaho, around three o'clock. We are now at the Clark Fork Lodge where we will spend the night. It's a nice lodge right along the Clark Fork River which flows into the Pend Oreille Lake. All day we've been along the Pend Oreille River or Lake. Lots of water and lots of beauty as well.

At the entrance of the Clark Fork Lodge is this super nice 1955 Nash Metropolitan. Bill and Chele, the owners of the lodge did all the work from the body work to the upholstery. It sounded like Chele was the motivating factor behind this project. No matter who started it, the restored vehicle, with 60,000 original miles, looks like a brand new 1955 Nash Metropolitan right off the showroom floor.

The ride was rolling hills with no major climbs along the way. At places, the shoulder was mighty skinny but drivers here were very courteous and kind to us out-of-towners. While I've got the word kindness on my mind, let me say thank you to the kind folks in Washington. What a great bunch of folks. Everywhere we went, people wanted to know where we were going and why. We heard a number of responses like, "Are you crazy?" but that's to be expected. In a way we probably are crazy but the folks along the way encouraged us on and we're still Goin' to Maine. So thanks to the folks in Washington. May God bless you bunches.

Tomorrow, we should be rolling into Big Sky Country Montana. There are many miles to cover there, unlike the Panhandle of Idaho. We will probably take nine to eleven days to cross Montana. It will be a ride with a wide variety of terrain and landscapes ranging from mountains to plains. We'll cross the Continental Divide somewhere up the road. We'll also go from Pacific Coast Time to Mountain Time tomorrow. We may just have to have a celebration of some kind!

For supper we went to eat at Squeeze Inn in downtown Clark Fork. This is the real deal hole-in-the-wall, mom and daughter restaurant. All I can say is the food was extremely good. You'll have to understand that I'm the one in the family who says, "Food is food, it just comes in different sizes, colors and shapes." Here in Idaho I ordered, are you ready for this? Three tacos. I've never had tacos quite like this but they were so good. So good. Margaret had salmon. Phil and Gale had tacos and an enchilada. Kevin had pepperoni pizza and Becky had something with words in it that I've never heard before and cannot spell! It was all super good. And . . . we splurged and had something chocolate, ice cream, pecans, and hot fudge chocolate poured over the top. It was a fun (and very healthy) time. Any weight I lost pedaling for the last nine days is now back but it was worth it.

While Phil, Becky, and I were pedaling, Gale and Margaret visited Sandpoint, Idaho, 25 miles from where we are now. They ate lunch at Baxter's, did some shopping, and went to Greasy Fingers Bike Shop. Margaret bought me a new flashing red light for the back of my bike and a t-shirt, of course. She also got a few decals, one of which will go on the car top carrier and two that will go on a storage cabinet in my shop. She said they were birthday presents (August 4) but she'll forget!

Let me close with one of my favorite verses of Scripture simply because I believe this is one of the driving forces in my life for whatever I do, "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father."

Pedaling and happy in Him.

priest river, idaho (rest day update)

U CAN CTRL WHAT PUT N YER MOUTH

Here's a little update on our rest day in Priest River, Idaho.

I did not stay in bed until late-thirty. In fact, I was up before six o'clock. I did some major reading, did the other rest day blog, put a post on Facebook, and went to the Village Restaurant with Margaret for an early lunch. The Village Restaurant is another one of those super neat Mom & Pop Restaurants that get high marks for the food and service. My lunch was a cheddar burger, with super-good fries, and a root beer. I also was given rainbow sherbet because I cleaned my plate! The waitress gave Margaret sherbet, too, but she didn't even clean her plate. Hmmm.

I found an Idaho license plate already! Yes I did. After pedaling twelve miles, mostly uphill in the rain, there it was along the road. After twelve miles back to the motel . . . OK, OK, that's not true. The real story is I found it and purchased it at the local Thrift Store! $3.00! And I bought two. Give me a break! Idaho isn't quite wide enough, up here, to find many license plates so I just bit the bullet, spent the big bucks, and got the plates. (Chances are, since I bought two, I'll probably find six!)

Phil and Gale did laundry and organized inside their RV. They also checked out a local RV park. Kevin and Becky are fishing again. This morning, Kevin said Becky caught a rainbow trout and a bass. He said she out-fished him. For all of us, this has been a good read day.

I took this picture of some flowers holding their own  between asphalt and a concrete block wall. I'm not sure how this flower thing works, but I've planted and watered flowers for years only to get . . . dead flowers. This little bundle of blooms is thriving and, I'm sure, nobody pays it a bit of attention. But it's there and it's showing off and it's not giving up one bit.

The little flower in the asphalt reminds me of my pastor's Sunday message, from Hebrews 4:14-16. Times can get tough, things can go wrong, and we can suffer a bit . . . but we have a Great High Priest who has been thought it all. He cares, he understands, and he is Real Time Help Now. You must hold fast. You must draw near. (Psalm 16:8)

Let us fear. Let us strive. Let us hold fast. Let us draw near.

priest river, idaho (rest day)

 Today's our first rest day so I'll be lazy, take a nap, and be lazy again! Therefore, I am taking the route of "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Public Art (?) in Anacortes, WA.

Kevin and Becky, Time for cinnamon buns in Winthrop, WA.

Everybody needs a break. Washington Pass.

Climbing The Pass.

Tiny Home living above Tonasket, WA.

Winthrop Cycle & Sport, Winthrop, WA. Neat shop.

Gale and her oldest child.

The Queen.

I think Edo would have been a great neighbor. (Indian cemetery, Usk, WA)

Becky and Phil. Washington Pass.

Headed up The Pass to the snow.

Lots of white stuff.

priest river, idaho

Idaho! Thirteen states to go!

 Tomorrow is our first rest day. We are at the Eagle’s Nest Motel in Priest River, Idaho. Yep, Idaho. We rode into Idaho and about five miles down the road the light rain began. It wasn’t anything to worry about so we pedaled on into town. Just so you'll know, Phil is still riding with us. He is our photographer for this picture. We had no photographer with us so we alternated taking pictures. 

With one state down and thirteen to go, let me give you a quick run down of where we’ve made our stops along the way. Anacortes (the start), Marblemount (two nights), Winthrop, Tonasket, Republic, Ione, and now Priest River. Priest River is our first Idaho stop and we’ll be here for two nights. We’ve done a bunch of climbing, pedaled in rain and snow, and pedaled a lot of miles in our eight days on the road. (440.1 miles) Yes, we are looking forward to our day off tomorrow.

Take a look at the picture of the map and you can see our route and our towns where we stayed for a night or two. The colored cut out map of America shows in green the states we drove through to get to Anacortes. The states we pedal through will be shown in red. (Unfortunately the red marker over the already green states looks like dark purple but, hopefully, you’ll get the picture.)

Last night, in preparation for the ride today, I replaced my Speedplay clipless pedals with some platform pedals. I did it because my cycling shoes have become very uncomfortable and my running shoes are very comfortable. These pedals allow me to use the running shoes. (Let me be clear about one thing here: I am not a runner! A runner in my family helped me acquire my running shoes and since those shoes are light and comfy, I wear them while pedaling.) And another good reason I put the platform pedals on my bike . . . I like the color. They add a little fun to the yellow paint job on my bike.

Our 56.41 mile ride along the Pend Oreille River today was fairly flat with an equal amount of ups and downs. We did climb over 1,500 feet but not all at once so the ride would probably be considered an easy ride. Along the way we crossed the river, saw a large herd of bison and took lots of photos. We also

stopped at an interesting Kalispel Indian Cemetery before leaving Washington. In the cemetery I found many interesting gravestones with names like Marie Genevieve Bigsmoke, John Baptist Nomee who fought in World War II, Beannie Nomee, Steve “Red Heart” Pierre, and Edo A. Pierre. Edo’s photograph, on his tombstone, makes me think Edo was probably a joyful and encouraging fellow with maybe just a hint of mischief. (Just a thought.) Other highlights of today’s ride include lunch in the Snackwagon, a few fun downhill rides, deer, and being chased by three dogs. It’s been a super good ride today! 

I’m so thankful to get to do this again. I’m thankful that I’m healthy enough and kinda strong enough, too. I’m thankful for friends who have joined in and pedaled along. I’m thankful to Margaret for doing everything to make this happen. I’m thankful to Sarah and Carey for the send off goodies and encouragement notes. I’m thankful to God for this incredible creation we are enjoying each day. God is good.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 

ione, washington

Just a bit of tilt.

 The ride from Kettle Falls to Ione was one of those rides we’d like to have every day. The scenery was what you’d expect to find in a travel brochure. There were barns, cattle, old log buildings, mountains, waterfalls, and small towns. Somewhere along the ride, we stopped, had a picnic lunch, took some pictures, and headed back up state route 20 toward Ione. Riverview Motel is our home for the night. It overlooks the Pend Oreille River. We do have a fisherman with us, Kevin who is Becky’s husband, and he is down on the dock fishing as I’m writing this. Because fish are plentiful, so are bald eagles. Through a spotting scope on a deck by the river we were able to watch a bald eagle mama feed her babies. There's a bountiful supply of fish here.

Whenever we arrive at our home for the night we unpack, shower, and head somewhere for supper. This evening we headed to the Snackwagon (Phil and Gale’s RV) and tortilla casserole was the featured item on the menu. Dessert was brownies with ice cream. Whatever we get is always good because we’re always hungry whenever we stop. (This is not a Weight Watchers trip, you know!)

I found another license plate! It’s from British Columbia, which is not on our route, but surely there’s a place in my shop for such a memorable item. Just so you know, I don’t ride all day looking along the road for license plates but when I see something ahead that even resembles a license plate I will check it out as we pedal by. I’ve decided that I will stop at a yard sale or garage sale and ask if they happen to have one from whatever state we’re in. Last time I did this, I got Vermont and Maine at yard sales and was given Pennsylvania and Ohio plates by friends on the way home. I will get my license plates.

This whole license plate thing reminds me of a story I heard from some preacher. He told of an old man in town, Fred, who was not the friendliest of fellows. Even a “Good morning” or a “How ya doin’?” received not much more than a grunt. The old fellow didn’t even look up as he walked. What he did do, was find stuff. Looking down on the sidewalk and in the gutters all the time, he was sure to find something. And he did. After he died, family members found in his small home, a mess of things. An old wooden box was found and, in it, all the items found from his years of looking down: four rusty pocket knives, several screwdrivers, one spoon, three license plates, thirteen baseballs, one ten dollar bill, eight pairs of glasses, a plastic whistle, combs, and hundreds of coins, mostly pennies and a few dimes. None of his family came to the funeral. He had no real friends but a couple of old fellows who knew him came just so somebody would be at his funeral. The message was short and simple and the burial was in a grave donated by the church. With the two old gentlemen standing by the grave and the preacher giving a grave-side benediction, he said, “Old Fred is finally looking up. Looking down all of his life, he found a bunch of junk . . . but he missed the beauty of God's creation, and lost his family and friends. He missed sunshine, seasons, children playing, Christmas lights, people, and the joy of being part of this community that would have made his life richer and enjoyable. Look up, fellas, look up.”

Good words of advice. It’s easy to focus on the junk in the world today. There certainly is enough to go around. 

Look up, fellas, look up! 

Hebrews 12:1-2

kettle falls, washington

Finally . . . the highest pass in Washington. And it's done!

Sherman Pass, the highest pass in Washington, is now behind us. 5,575 feet of mountain that we don’t have to climb again. Sherman Pass is beautiful but even more so now that it’s a completed part of the ride across America. Marvin Gaye sang it, probably just for us, "Ain't no mountain high enough."

The ride was about 43 miles. The weather was cooperative, the scenery was great, the climb was not steep, and we made decent time. The ride down the mountain was very cold at the top and warmed as we descended. In Kettle Falls, it was shorts and t-shirt time. We ate supper at T. J.s Bar & Grille. The food was good and plenty of it which is generally what we will find at all of the Mom & Pop Restaurants as we travel.  

Becky and Kevin have returned from Idaho with their repaired vehicle and Becky will be riding with us in the morning to Ione which is about 53 miles from here. 

Among my notes of encouragement I chose two this morning: one with artwork from some children and one that included eight 3x5 cards. The first card was a personal note of encouragement from a family I have know for a long time. On the additional seven cards were written Bible verses and bicycle quotes:

Proverbs 16:3 - “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 27:9 - “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.”

Proverbs 16:9 - “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

“You are one ride away from a good mood.” -Sarah Bentley, British cyclist

"Nothing compares to the pleasure of riding a bike." -John F. Kennedy

“I may not be rich and famous . . . but I have a bike and that’s enough to keep me happy.” -Anonymous

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” -Budget Travel

Six days we’ve pedaled and we’ve covered approximately 329 miles. The views have been spectacular, the weather has been mysterious (since we never knew what to expect), the people are very nice and encouraging, and I am more excited about pedaling America this second time than I was the first. I told Margaret that I remember the joy and excitement of finishing the 2009 ride at the Atlantic Ocean in Maine. It was such a sense of accomplishment and joy. Now, I’m feeling that same joy all over again but it’s at the start of the ride. And the flat tire, wrong road, sleet, rain, cold, and miles of climbing, do nothing to dampen the joy of riding this all over again . . . and we're not even out of Washington yet! It's like a celebration of the upcoming finish every day. I still find myself saying, “We’re going to Maine” probably because in my mind I'm already there. That’s the battle cry of the ride. So come what may, the focus is the finish. 

For all of you who are praying, I’m grateful. For all the cards, notes, texts, emails, calls, and even doodles, I say thank you. I trust that God will use this pedaling crew to encourage you as well.

Encourage one another.

We're going to Maine!

republic, washington

Curlew Lake, Republic, Washington

 Fiasco! That’s the word for today. The dictionary defines fiasco as a complete failure that ends in a ludicrous or humiliating way. We didn’t have a complete failure or any humiliation but this morning seemed like the day could go that way real fast. First, I had a flat three miles out of Tonasket. Second, we got on the wrong road and didn’t realize it until Margaret called and said, Gale and I are three miles from Canada.” The wrong road added, maybe, a little over fourteen miles to our ride. Third, the last twenty miles of the ride was without any pedal assist.

The flat tire. New bike with new tires and I get a flat. We were headed directly into the wind and the front of my bike started a little wobble that progressively got wobblier. (Is that a word?) Sure enough. I had nothing with me to fix a flat so Margaret came to the rescue and took me back into town where we found the Tonasket Tire Co. Dan and Ronnie met me and when I asked them if they could fix the flat they were more than ready to tackle the project. I was wondering whether or not I was at the right place when Don said, “I ain’t never seen a valve stem like that before.” But . . . he was determined to take care of the problem, and he did. Minutes later, I paid $12.00, thanked Dan and Ronnie, hopped into the Explorer, and headed back to get rolling again. 

We did get rolling but on the wrong road! We were on route 97 and should have been on route 20 east. After Margaret’s call, Phil and I turned around and headed back to Tonasket until Margaret and Gale arrived and we loaded the bikes into and onto the Snackwagon until we got to route 20 back in town. At this point, we had used much of our power on the bikes but headed up route 20 east anyway. And I do mean UP! And up! And UP! We thought it would never end. Not only did it never end but we experienced a day of about twenty-six miles of climbing in the cold with rain and sleet and wind. Wild day to say the least, but we did arrive safely at Tiffanys Resort right on Curlew Lake, showered, ate supper, and will be hitting the hay real soon.

While we were pedaling, today, the rain and sleet stung as it hit our faces, the wind kept hitting us head-on, it was a bit chilly, and we were still climbing. Then the pedal assist was gone for the duration of the ride up Wauconda Pass. In all this, I was warmed and happy about the ride because I knew we were headed to days of riding on flat roads, in shorts and short-sleeved jerseys, warmed by the sunshine of the plains. Today was just part of getting there.

Our pastor, Josh Smith, is preaching in Hebrews right now. He said last Sunday that he may get to chapter 11 by 2023. (I don’t doubt that!) Hebrews chapter 11 is often referred to as God’s Hall of Faith. It includes a Who’s Who of faithful followers who lived and died for their faith. After being recognized for their faithfulness, verses 4 through 12, we read these words,

“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. . . . But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” (v.v. 13-14,16)

They were not there yet but they saw where they were going and that kept them going. 

I know we certainly did not suffer as they did. Nobody was trying to kill us either. But the thought of better riding in the days ahead sure had a way to keep us pedaling. Fiascos are part of life. We get them whether we want them or not. The key? Don’t focus on the fiascos. Focus on the smooth roads warmed by the sunshine. Focus on a land that is better. Focus on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Today was an absolutely great day! Even with all the mess and mix-up, it was simply a fun ride. Sure, I wish we did not have the fiascos but we did. Will I get over them? I have. Am I ready to pedal Sherman Pass tomorrow? I am. And why? I know there are smoother roads ahead.

Focus.