Journal Entry #5
17 July 2001...
It has been a long time since we last
wrote, but it has been a long time since we have been in a decent sized
city at a decent hour... Here is a brief and condensed recap.
7-3-2001
--Left Sheridan, Dan feeling better after
being intravenously being pumped with sugar water (just like Shane
said)
--Tim gets sick and throws up on the Historical Marker on the way to
Virginia City.
--Virginia City is a cool ghost town, typical old western cowboy hang
out
--House stay, well, kind at the Virginia City state housing with Scott
and Lisa. All of us, all our bikes, all our gear, two beds, one 8x10
room... (Go look at your walk-in closet and you might be able to picture
it.) Lesson for the day: Those who have the least tend to give the most.
7-4-2001
--90+ mile day to West Yellowstone
--Meet up with John and Marilyn for one last night, they figured out
they need to bike 90+ miles/day for remainder of trip... (Good thing
tandems go FAAASTER!)
--Cool fireworks.
7-5-2001
--Bike 17 miles to Madison Junction,
Yellowstone...Day off.
--Naps are good.
7-6-2001
--Cool hot water things (Steve tells me
they are called geysers and hot springs, I think they are hoses and bath
tubs -- it is all relative...)
--Cool big animals.
--Three passes...
--Nice down hill (42 mph) leaving park
--Big hills in Grand Tetons...
--Better to see Parks and country on bikes cause it is slower...miss few
details.
--Paul cuts toe on rock when startled by
a bear...I mean dog, then cries about it till....well he still is...
--Feelings of great accomplishment and very vulnerable not being in a
car... (animals have teeth, but worse yet old people driving BIG RVs)
--Feeling of accomplishment passed when we look at the next map and
Hoosier pass of 11,543 ft.
7-7-2001
--Missed package Leah sent cause it was
Saturday. :( no cookies for Jason...
--Climbed second highest pass (9,658 ft)
--Met Grandson of founder of Schwinn Bicycle, Bob Schwinn -- awesome
guy, gave us free labor and food!!!
--Met several other bikers at campsite.
--Steve and Tim each had a Lumberjack at the Cowboy Cafe (a 1lb. burger)
Both had desert afterwards...
7-8-2001
--Biked 115 miles
--Steve, Paul and Jason blessed by U.S. Forest service by them giving
each person two bottles of water and a gatorade when we were 5 miles to
next water. Best part, it was cold -- Thanks Chad, Lance and Beth!!!
--Stayed with people at Sixth Crossing in SweetWater Station Wyoming,
treated us awesome and gave us food!!!
7-9-2001
--Biked 90 miles
--Met up with Adventure Cycling Group who is heading East also...It
would be great to average 50 mile/day and have about one day off a
week.... Oh well...
--Jason's back rack broke...needs a new support bracket
7-10-2001
--Started late as Jason got new rack and
Paul looked for a new wheel.
--Biked 15 miles on Interstate 80 -- felt kinda weird getting on the
Freeway and going 20 mph (at best) when the limit was 75 mph, but it was
the best shoulder yet!!
--Got hailed on. -- Not fun, no cover, heck no trees as far as you could
see!!!! We toughed it out though, we ARE, "MEN" on Bikes!!! ;)
7-11-2001
--Dan went wrong way, climbed extra pass
and biked 16 extra miles
--Paul breaks more spokes (it happened in the previous days too, but
that is pretty common so I didn't mention it) He has become better and
faster at changing spokes then changing tires.
--Camped with Adventure Cycling -- again, they offered leftovers to us
so that was awesome...
7-12-2001
--Climbed slight pass, after rolling
hills to Kremmling started climb to Hoosier Pass (11,543 ft)
--Air...get..ting....thin....please....send...help.....or...lower.....eleva...tion
--Biked 99.87 miles....Tim records 101.26 in his journal padding the
stats just to say he did a century
--Stayed in hotel in SilverThorne as we got rained on-- again -- day 2
of 3
7-13-2001
--Followed awesome bike trail to
Breckinridge
--Paul gets new 36 spoke wheel installed.
--Meet up with Adventure Cycling again -- say farewells
--Start climb to Hoosier Pass
--5 miles in...Paul breaks new wheel.
--Erin gives Paul ride to Breck
--Shop gives Paul new wheel, will send old new wheel anywhere after
fixing
--Rain day 3 of 4
--Steve says hi mom and we are #1
--Jason, Steve, Tim and Dan go on to Fairplay and wait for Paul.
--4 guys eat at Water Court party (we don't understand what it is
either, but the food and beer was free and good!!!)
--Paul arrives in FairPlay safe and sound...time: 9:30 PM -- eh?!?
--enjoy fire, marshmallows, and banjo music with Duwayne and Tyra locals of
FairPlay and fellow campers --good stuff.
14 July 2001
--Final Pass 9,000 some feet --
cakewalk...
--4,000 ft drop, 40ish miles, new land speed record...46 mph
--Rain day 4 of 5.
--Need we say more???
15 July 2001
-- Leave Canyon City, slight climb out
--Last down hill, new land speed record...47 mph...
--Coast to Peublo
--Great feeling of accomplishment and bittersweet enjoyment watching the
majesty of the Rockies fade into the horizon.
--Stayed with Quenton and Joan in Ordway
Colorado. They have an awesome house and were VERY generous people as
they let us shower, cooked us dinner, allowed us to use the phone and
sleep in their spare beds. (Pillows are neat!!) Before the night's end
Quenton paid us a huge compliment and wished us the best. Still leaves
an impact.
--People are the best part of the trip.
16 July 2001
--Hello Kansas.
--Hello care package from Leah -- cookies for Jason!!! Thanks!!
--Steve and Jason 140 miles
--Everyone else 200
--Welcome to the big time.
17 July 2001
--Steve and Jason catch up to the MOB in
Ness City
--Swim in City Pool
--Steve and Jason write novel to catch up on Journal entries for web
page
--Will eat much food as we will be BBQing...wish you were here...well, if
you were bringing food that is...
Well, that is the last two weeks in a
nutshell. We have really been noticing that we have become strong bikers
alone and as a team. We often work together as a team to pound out the
miles, but we also enjoy biking alone to think and reflect. It truly is
beyond words, and can only be experienced. The sound of the wind, the
hum of the tires, the smooth pavement and the endless miles of flat
fields, and the white line that goes on past our sight allows for great
thought and reflection. Good stuff. The smiles and friendly waves of the
Kansas people are priceless just as the experience that we attempt to
share with you. Take care, we miss you all. 28 days to go...If you
listen closely you can hear the waves on Virginia Beach call our name...
Ride On,
Jason, Steve, Paul, Tim, Healthy Dan
"A picture is worth a thousand
words, an experience...infinity."