B & M's Cycle for Freedom

Finished! - 8/20

2008-08-30T10:52:00.001-07:00

We reached the pier at Bar Harbor around 1pm on August 20th. Bonnie's parents were waiting for us to come in. Of course we had to go down the boat ramp to dip our tires in the Atlantic Ocean, completing our trip. Then we posed with the sign Mike had made, taking tons of pictures while random people came by to congratulate us. We had great weather for our last day. After 4,246 miles and 86 days on the road, we are done!

Crossing to Desert Island

2008-08-30T10:30:00.001-07:00

We crossed the bridge at Tremont to Desert Island. We had breakfast at a picnic spot by the water, then crossed the last of the hills towards the finish. We stopped at the Acadia Park sign for a shot, then biked through Bar Harbor to the pier.

Last camping spot

2008-08-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Our last camping spot was not a great one. By the time we finished dinner, light was starting to fade, and we'd missed the turnoff for quieter Rte 233 that our bike maps showed us taking. Instead, we were on busy Rte 3, with suburban sprawl and no good places to camp. We found a pulloff with a small opening, far enough from the highway so we couldn't be seen, but not out of earshot of traffic. We barely had time to set up camp as we lost the last of the daylight. In the morning, we had a number of slugs crawling on our tent.

Almost There - 8/19

2008-08-30T09:48:00.001-07:00

We had heavy downpours in the morning. We stopped at a used bookstore, one of our favorite pastimes, to get out of the rain. We crossed the Penobscot River Bridge to Verona Island, and stopped in Ellsworth to do laundry for the last time on the trip. We found a decent Chinese food place for dinner, to celebrate our last day before reaching Bar Harbor.

Camden, Maine

2008-08-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

We biked through the tourist town of Camden, Maine, and camped at the state park there. We took Rte 1, which had very high traffic but a good shoulder. We caught our first glimpse of the Atlantic Ocean - the first sign that we have truly made it coast to coast.

Signs it's time to go home

2008-08-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

Several signs that it's time to go home:

-Algae is growing in our water bottles. (Really)

-Our shoes are coming apart at the seams.

-Our pedal bearings are loose, tires are bald, bike seats have holes, chains are junk, and the bikes in general are starting to fall apart.

-The tent, sleeping bags, and pillows are all dank and smelly. Nothing has fully dried out since we hit the Northeast.

-Motorcycles are starting to annoy us.

-Work is looking like a fun alternative to biking.

Maine - 8/16

2008-08-30T09:22:00.000-07:00

Maine - 'The way life should be', according to the state sign. We crossed through North Conway and into Maine on the morning of August 16th. At this point we're tired of traffic, tired of hills, and just tired in general. Only 4 days 'til Bar Harbor.

Kancamagus Pass

2008-08-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

We had do do a farily big climb before even reaching the Kancamagus Pass. At the top, we crossed the Appalachian Trail. We reached Lincoln, NH around noon, and started climbing the Kancamagus Pass in early afternoon. The day had started out clear and sunny, but just as we started to climb it began raining. Luckily it was a light rain that kept us from overheating, which made for good conditions climbing. Traffic was heavy and the shoulder was small, but the climb wasn't bad. And the roads dried off so we could enjoy the downhill. We had climbed this pass over Labor Day Weekend in 2007 in great weather, so we didn't mind that it was overcast. Plus, the high cloud ceiling let us see most of the mountain veiws anyway. Last pass down, now only rolling hills left!

New Hampshire - 8/14

2008-08-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

We crossed the Conneticut River into New Hampshire in early afternoon. We started seeing the White Moutains in the distance. We camped by a church in North Haverhill, and prepared for our last big climb - the Kancamagus Pass - the next day.

Vermont

2008-08-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

We entered Vermont, and the scenary instantly became more quaint and charming. Not really - it looks exactly like New York, but Vermont does a good job of marketing itself. Not having billboards or Walmarts helps, too.
Our route took us through backroads and small towns, which was good for having lower traffic. But the small towns usually had only a small general store, which would have no produce and hugely inflated prices. We were always happy to hit a bigger store so we could buy fruits and vegetables.

Green Mountains

2008-08-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Green Mountains of Vermont challenged us in many ways. The terrain, detours, and lack of markets are a few examples. Only two days and one night was spent in Green Mountain State but the Brandon Pass made us feel like we were out west again. We were forced to take a 20 mile detour due to Breadloaf Pass being closed because of flooding. Off our route we crossed the Brandon Pass which is the green mountain range. Wet, long, steep, and tiring. The famous Long Trail was at the top.

Welcome to Vermont - 8/13

2008-08-30T05:58:00.000-07:00

After our illegal sleep at Fort Ticonderoga, we cycled only a half mile to Lake Champlain, where we awaited our ferry to Vermont. New landscapes would lie ahead of green rolling hillsides as we were back in New England for the first time since late May.

Fort Ticonderoga, NY

2008-08-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

We reached the town of Ticonderoga, at the northern end of Lake George, in early evening. We had wanted to bike by the fort, but the road had closed at 5pm. However, bikers could still get through, so we went up to the grounds of the fort and looked around. We ended up making dinner there, and camped that night behind an old building in the King's Garden. Mowers arrived at 6:45 the next morning, but we managed to sneak out the back entrance.

Fast Food Nation

2008-08-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

We discovered halfway through the trip that it is MUCH easier to get fast food than it is to stop at a store, shop for food, set up the stove, cook dinner, and clean everything up again afterwards. Subway became our fast food place of choice, although we never eat there at home. It was actually pretty cheap, and not unhealthy. Dairy Queen was our other obsession - we made a beeline for it whenever we found one. It gave us a chance to get out of the sun for a while, fill up our waterbottles, and of course get large ice cream cones.

Lake George

2008-08-27T13:40:00.000-07:00

We detoured from the Northern Tier route to spend a couple of days at Lake George. We swam, kayaked, skied, boated to Sandy Bay, played miniature golf, and rested. Mike got to try out Scott's rowing shell, which he enjoyed. We got to see some of the Olympic coverage, which both of us really like and regretted missing. We had a great visit with relatives (Bonnie's), and got to sleep in real beds for a while. Still, we didn't exactly feel energized when we hit the road again. We're starting to get tired, and a few rest days aren't enough for the leg muscles to recouperate.

Company Biking - 8/9

2008-08-27T13:26:00.001-07:00

Bonnie's sister Chris and nephew Thomas joined us to bike for a short way on rte 9, just north of Warrensburg, NY. It wasn't the greatest place to bike, with high traffic roaring by, but at least there was a good shoulder. It was fun to have company on the road, and Thomas took off on his bike as though training for the Olympics. We had to pedal fast to keep up with him. Then they loaded their bikes back on the car and headed home, while we headed for Lake George.

Camping Spots

2008-08-27T13:03:00.000-07:00

Camping options started to deteriorate once we hit the Northeast. In addition to schools and churches, we have now camped at such places as a sandpit, an abandoned railway line, a hayfield, and on the grounds of the historic fort at Ticonderoga. The last was probably the most illegal, since the road to the fort had been closed to car traffic. (Bikes got through easily). We asked permission where we could, and left no trace behind. Still, it was tiring to have to hide out of sight and hope that no one bothered us in our 'unofficial' campsites.

Rainy Days

2008-08-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Once we hit the Adirondack region, we found that the Northeast has been having a fairly wet summer. It rained for at least part of every day, and our ride along scenic route 28 through the Adirondacks was one long slog in heavy downpours. We hid out under trees by the edge of the road, then by a church in Blue Mtn. Lake, then we just rode through the rain. It was disappointing, since I (Bonnie) had looked forward to this part of the trip. I've hiked all over the Adirondacks, and I was looking forward to seeing all my favorite mountains and lakes. We didn't see many views of the mountains in the wet weather.

Old Forge

2008-08-27T12:35:00.001-07:00

We had planned to meet up with Patty and Jay at Jay's family camp on Fourth Lake, part of the Fulton Lake chain in Old Forge, NY. We had dinner with Jay's family and got to stay overnight in one of the cabins. It was a steep trek down the gravel road to the camp, but the company and hospitality were worth it!

Adirondacks, NY

2008-08-27T12:25:00.000-07:00

We hit the official 'Adirondack Park' sign on 8/7. We took scenic backroads in the Adirondacks, with little traffic. Of course it is hilly again - the days of flat roads ended sometime in Ontario. At least now we get some shade while biking.

Selkirk Shores, NY

2008-08-10T12:27:00.001-07:00

We had lunch in the park at Selkirk Shores on Lake Ontario. There was a strong wind, and the waves on the lake made it look more like an ocean. After lunch, Mom and Dad headed home, and Mike and I continued East, with a strong tailwind.

Biker Support

2008-08-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad (Bonnie's) met up with us in Fulton, NY, on 8/5. We camped near Fulton, and the next day Dad joined us for 30 miles of biking. Mom supported us by bringing snacks and lunch in the car. Now we know what it's like to have supported riding, and we liked it!
It took a lot of planning and effort to meet up, but it worked out well, and we were glad for the visit with family.

Lake Ontario, Western NY

2008-08-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

We left Marion on 8/4 and biked north and then east along Lake Ontario. It seemed much clearer and less polluted than Lake Superior. Western NY had acres of apple, peach, and cherry orchards. The terrain began to get very hilly again. This Fingerlakes region is a pretty part of NY.

Rest Days - 8/2

2008-08-10T11:50:00.001-07:00

We made it to Patty's house in Marion, NY,(Bonnie's cousin) on Saturday evening, after a long 88 mile day. We were happy to have a few rest days, with good food and a real bed to sleep in. We made it just days before Patty packed up the house and moved south, so our timing was good. We went out on Canandaiga lake on Tim and Tracey's boat, which was fun. We hung out in the backyard, went in the hot tub, and helped out a little with yard work to make up for all the food we were eating. It was a great visit overall.

Erie Canal, NY

2008-08-10T11:32:00.000-07:00

We got on the Erie Canalway, a bike trail that runs along the Erie Canal, starting at Lockport, NY. The bike path was easy riding because it was flat and straight, but most of it was gravel dust, not pavement. We were able to camp right on the canal by Middleport. The sites were mainly for boaters, but bikers use it as well. We enjoyed the bike trail, although at certain spots it deteriorated into mud and puddles after a storm went through.

Crossing the Border

2008-08-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

We had a terrible time getting over the bridge at Niagara Falls and back into the US. First we missed the sign for bike crossing and went several miles in the wrong direction. Then we came back, and finally found the bike entrance at the Canadian customs side. We crossed 4 lanes of traffic, then joined a long queue of cars waiting to get into the US. We bypassed some of them, then got in line again. It was too hot and hectic to get a shot, but it was a rather dangerous way to have bikers cross the bridge. Luckily we got right through customs once we made it to the head of the line.

Maid of the Mist Boat Tour

2008-08-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

The 'Maid of the Mist' tour boat goes past the American Falls and gets as close as possible to Horeshoe Falls on the Canadian side. We got to wear stupid-looking rain suits, got wet by the spray, and got some water-eye views of the falls.

Niagara Falls

2008-08-03T11:40:00.001-07:00

Niagara Falls was probably the biggest highlight since leaving Glacier National Park. We acted like typical tourists, taking numerous pictures and going on the 'Maid of the Mist' tour.

Niagara Bike Trail - 7/31

2008-08-03T11:29:00.000-07:00

We got a good bike trail from Port Colborne that ran 25 miles to the Niagara River. We could look across and see Buffalo, USA. We were getting excited to be done with Ontario and back to the US.

Port Dover, Ontario - 7/30

2008-08-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

We've been pretty lucky with the weather - no full days of rain since Washington. But we got hit with a storm in Port Dover, Ontario. At first the rain felt good, but when it got heavier we had to hide out in a carwash. At least we weren't stuck in a cornfield when the rain started.

Lake Erie

2008-08-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

Our route followed the shore of Lake Erie, but we weren't always close enough to see the water. At a few places, we came out right at the water's edge. We did go wading once, but the water didn't look all that clean. That didn't stop many people from swimming, though.

Ontario Agriculture

2008-08-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

We crossed through Ontario following the North shore of Lake Erie. The area is largely agricultural, with many farms, fields, and orchards. We passed fields of blueberries, apple orchards, cherry orchards, wheat, cucumbers, many acres of corn, and even what appeared to be asparagus. A lot of the lake shore is farmland - probably because there is a steep cliff drop-off to the water's edge and it would be hard to build there.

Ferry into Ontario, Canada - 7/27

2008-08-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

After many miles of bike trails to Marine City, Michigan, we crossed the St. Clair river into Sombra, Ontario. The roads we traveled in Ontario were awful, no shoulders, and worst yet the road drops down a few inches to a gravel shoulder. Very dangerous and surprised that this is part of the Lake Erie connector bicycle route, glad we are through with that section.

Down Time

2008-08-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled, we have not had a lot of down time. In fact, we have not taken a rest day since Glacier National Park back in the middle of June. This was one of those nice surprises you get every once in awhile. We stopped for the night in St. Clair, Michigan only to find this private campground where the manager was very fond of cyclists. She only charged us $5 for the night. Bonnie kicked my butt in mini golf so bad, I had to cool off in the pool. Getting to this campsite was a problem though. The bridge that goes over the highway was torn down and under construction. It was either a 10 mile detour or walk across a six lane highway to the campground only yards away on the other side. Yes, we took the short cut. Waited till traffic slowed and went for it, the faces of the construction crew were priceless.

Lemonade Stand

2008-08-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

Hot days and thirsty bikers requires lots of fluids. These young kids had just opened their lemonade stand, and we just couldn't resist. I told these kids they are not charging enough at only 10 cents a glass. Of course we gave them more for our ice cold drinks, which hit the spot. Where were these stands in the middle of the farmlands, when we were facing over 100 degree days.

Sunflowers

2008-08-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

We were too early for the famous sunflower fields in North Dakota, but we found these sunflowers in Michigan.

Bike Trails

2008-08-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

Bikers love being on a bike path - no traffic, no worries about how wide the shoulder will be. We tried taking a bike path from Luther, MI, which a local had told us about. But it was just a weedy gravel path, very difficult to bike on, and we got back on the highway. However, there was a great 40 mile trail from Reed City to Midland, and we had a great time on that.
The trail ended in the Midland city park, by the 'Tridge' - a triple bridge for pedestrians crossing the Chippewa and Tittabawasee Rivers.

Flood Damage, MI

2008-08-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

We had heard that the Midwest experienced significant flooding, and locals told us that earlier in the summer we would have had a hard time getting through on parts of our route. This washed-out road was not on our route; we turned off just before it.

Michigan - 7/21

2008-07-25T10:16:00.001-07:00

We reached Michigan, our 8th state, on July 21st. We got off the ferry with the 45 supported cyclists, and all of us descended on the "Welcome to Michigan" sign to take pictures. Luckily, we spotted another sign on a second street, and got our photo there. Even though we have to carry our own gear, we wouldn't want to travel with such a large commercial group like the supported cyclists.

Manitowoc - Reaching the Ferry

2008-07-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

We reached Manitowoc, WI on 7/21, and took the 1pm ferry to Ludington, MI. It was a coal-fired steamer called the "SS Badger", apparently one of the last coal steamers still in operation. The ferry took 4 hours to cross Lake Michigan. There was a group of 45 other cyclists on the ferry that day as well. It was fun getting a break from biking to be on the ferry.

Scenary of Wisconsin

2008-07-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

The bike maps take us on quiet back roads, through woods or farmland. The landscape looks pretty much like anywhere in the northeast now, though less developed.

Dairlyland of America

2008-07-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin calls itself the dairyland of America, and we have certainly seen many dairy farms. We passed one farm just as the cows were being fed, and they all had their heads stuck through gates to get to the feeding trough.

Break Spots on the Road

2008-07-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

We stop for lunch, and usually breakfast, anywhere we see a spot that looks nice. For breaks, we take any spot where we can lean our bikes against something. Some spots are very nice, like picnic areas or parks. Some are just places to sit in the shade for a while.

Back in the Woods

2008-07-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

-With the advent of forests comes a new annoyance: DEERFLIES. They buzz around our helmets and keep pace with us as we ride. Apparently it doesn't tire them out to keep up with us for miles. Luckily they don't seem able to actually bite us.

Wisconsin Views

2008-07-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin is similar to Minnesota, with farmlands, small towns, and some forests. There are progressively more people and houses as we head East. It doesn't have the population density of the Northeast yet, but we do notice less open land.

-The weather is so humid! It was hot in the west, but it lacked the overwhelming mugginess of MN and WI. We've had several huge thunderstorms pass over us, but it doesn't relieve the humidity.

-Campgrounds are becoming scarce. In the past week, we've camped at several churches, a school, a strip of land between the town hall and the airport, and (thankfully) a real campground - full of campfire smoke and screaming kids. I guess that's the tradeoff for running water, bathrooms and showers.

-We are at 2800 miles and counting!

Reaching Wisconsin

2008-07-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

-We crossed the St. Croix River into Wisconsin on July 14th. We've reached our 7th state (counting Alberta, Canada).

Crossing the Mississippi - 7/13

2008-07-17T14:15:00.000-07:00

-We crossed the Mississippi River, which marked several milestones. First, we did a 'century' day - over 100 miles, and the first one of this trip. And we also calculated that we are halfway through our trip. 2000 miles down, 2000 to go!
-We camped at the Charles Lindbergh campground, which is right on the Mississippi River. Evidently Charles' boyhood home was here, and there is a museum about his life and accomplishments (though not open when we are there).

Minnesota

2008-07-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

-Minnesota truly is the land of 10,000 lakes. In the western part of the state, we see lakes of varying sizes every couple of miles. We took a half day when we had strong headwinds, and swam in one of the lakes.
-There are more dairy farms and fields of corn, also several turkey farms. We begin to see more trees and rolling hills. Also, we hear loons calling at night at our campsites. The loon is the state bird.

Fargo, ND

2008-07-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Fargo was a welcome sight because we can get more food options in a city, and because it is right on the border of Minnesota. Finally out of ND! Oh, yah. (Yes, North Dakotans do really say that a lot).

Rugby, ND

2008-07-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Rugby, ND, has the distinction of being the geographical center of North America. So of course we had to get a picture here, and make a video commemorating the event.

Hayfields of ND

2008-07-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

The weather was consistently hot and sunny the whole time we were in ND. Which must make it easy for the farmers making hay out here.

Town Parks

2008-07-17T13:52:00.000-07:00

Each little town that we passed through had a town park, and they let bikers camp there for free. Usually they had bathrooms and water. For the most part these parks were pretty and quiet, and we appreciated being able to camp there.

New Town, ND

2008-07-17T13:47:00.000-07:00

The appropriately named New Town, ND was having something of an oil boom. With the high price of oil, it is now worthwhile for them to drill old wells that had been capped off. There were oil tankers all over the roads, and we kept passing little oil rigs incongruously out in the fields of hay and grain.

Minot, ND - July 4th

2008-07-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

We reached Minot, ND on July 4th. It was the biggest town we'd come to yet, and they had a fireworks display. Nothing on the scale of Boston's, but still, we were happy they had some. We also visited the Roosevelt zoo, which had a number of animals, including lions, a tiger, cloud leopard, lemurs, and jaguars. Then we ate out at the Ground Round. That made it an exciting 4th for us!

ND Towns

2008-07-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

The average town size on our route is 100 to 300 people. The residents are friendly and welcoming. Unfortunately, these towns are dying out - literally. Most people are of the World War II generation - (we met several WW II vets) - and as they pass away, there are no new people to take their place. The farms today can be run with more land and less people, so the young people don't stay in the area.

North Dakota

2008-07-17T13:33:00.001-07:00

There are endless fields of wheat, oats, and other grains out here. Some of the more interesting views are the yellow mustard fields and the blue flax fields.

Reaching ND

2008-07-17T13:30:00.001-07:00

Yeah! Finally we reach a new state! Although the scenary isn't all that different.

Eastern Montana

2008-07-17T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hot and flat, flat and hot. That pretty much sums up Eastern Montana.

Eastern Montana

2008-07-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

The BNSF (Burlington Northern/Santa Fe) railroad has paralleled most of our route through Eastern Montana. Each little town has a grain silo and grain elevator on the track. We can tell we're getting close to the town when we see the silo in the distance. Also, there will be a little oasis of trees. Since the surrounding land is so flat, the towns can be seen from miles away.

Eastern Montana

2008-07-01T14:15:00.000-07:00

-Eastern Montana is fairly flat, with grasslands, cattle pastures, and wheat fields. The view gets fairly monotonous after a while. Thank God for the i-pod!

-Yellow mustard flowers, purple alfalfa, and clover grow profusely by the roadsides, so the air has a sweet scent. Also by the road are bindweed, chicory, and several other flowers I don't recognize.

-We see a dozen dead birds by the roadside every day, killed by passing cars. Also dead on the road are prarie dogs, racoons, skunks, even a fox and a turtle. Cars cause carnage. The only thing my bike has hit is a beetle.

Leaving the Rockies

2008-07-01T14:13:00.001-07:00

We can still see the Rocky Mountains behind us as we head up into Canada, and then into the flat prarie landscape of Eastern Montana.

Part 2 Sandpoint, Idaho to Cut Bank, Montana

2008-07-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

552 miles
1,095 miles total

Impressions:
-It was so cold the morning of Sandpoint, Idaho, we had to pour hot water on our hands to warm them up, while breaking down camp
- Rain, rain, and more rain, camped in East Hope, Idaho, soaking wet and freezing
- Hot drinks every morning to warm us up, before starting the day
- Crossed into Montana, June 11th
- Saw my 2nd Black Bear, it crossed the road right in front of Mike, near Noxon, MT
- Camp at Cabinet Gorge, Mt., it rained so hard, we hung out in the laundry room and set up camp right before dark, 4 other bikers arrived and stayed in a cabin
- Saw a moose, grazing in Bull Lake, MT.
- Sun came out, there is a sun
- Biked along the Kootenai River, and stopped at the Libby Dam visiter center
- Biked the 45 miles along lake Koocanusa, almost no car traffic
- Stayed at Dickey Lake State Park, 6 other bikers were there too
- Welcome to Glacier National Park, West Glacier, and the snow covered mountains
- Biked up as far as we were allowed to on the Going-to-the-sun road in the park
- The 1st 16 miles up to Aalanche Lake were open to everyone, the next 7 miles was only open to hikers and bikers
- At mile 23, no one was allowed past this point until July 3rd, when they open up the summit road to Logan Pass, 12 avalanches over the road has slowed the opening this year
- No bikes allowed on the Going-to-the-sun road from 11am to 4pm
- We got kicked off the road by a ranger, the rule just went into effect the day before we got there, had to wait an hour on beautiful Lake McDonald, not a bad thing
- Went for a swim (dip) in Glacier feed Lake McDonald
- Camped at almost every campground in Glacier National Park, Avalanche Creek Campground, Sprague Creek Campground, Apgar Campground, Two Medicine Campground, and Rising Sun Campground
- Campgrounds in the Park have Hiker/Biker sites, which are $5 per person
- Hiked 4 miles to Avalanche Lake, a beautiful lake with mountains and waterfalls all around it's glacier blue water
- Since the Going-to-the-sun road was closed, we had to bike around the southern part of the park and climb 5,216' Marias Pass, which is the Continential Divide
- Long, windy road to campsite in incredible, Medicine Lake, our favorite campsite of the trip
- Another black bear crosses the road as we cycled to Two Medicine Camp
- A ranger told us of a hike to do, during our day off biking, the hike was called Scenic Point, and was the best hike I have ever done, just incredible beauty at it's summit of 7,500', tired legs too
- Saw 3 big horn sheep and mountain goats on the hike up Scenic Point
- The bike out of Two Medicine Camp to St. Mary on the East side of Glacier was very difficult, hills, wind, and heat
- Biked the Going-to-the-sun road from the east side, all the way to the avalanche, which was only a half mile from the summit of Logan Pass, at 6,600'
- Cycle north into Alberta, Canada, and camped in Cardston, and back into Montana the next day towards Cut Bank
-Decided to take a pass on Waterton Lakes Park, and start heading east
- Hit the 1,000 mile mark
- Going east, long, flat, windy, grasslands, for miles and miles
- Welcome to Cut Bank, Montana

Part 3 Cut Bank, Montana to Minot, North Dakota coming soon
-

Leaving East Glacier

2008-06-27T10:43:00.001-07:00

Just inside the park at the St Mary's entrance. Beautiful day and beautiful fields of flowers!

East Glacier - Pass

2008-06-27T10:38:00.001-07:00

Great views from near Logan Pass, as far as we can go on Going-to-the-sun road. And no one around but us. But it was rather cold and windy up here. It was warm and sunny back in the valley, by St Mary's lake.

East Glacier

2008-06-27T10:34:00.001-07:00

Going-to-the-sun-road from the East side of Glacier. We got to go further up the road from this side. Cars were closed off at 12 miles, but we went all the way up to where snow covered the road. We could see the Visitor's Center, which is at the top of Logan Pass. We saw Bighorn sheep near the pass, and had 40 mph winds on the way up, but a great cruise back down with no traffic.

Panhandle Campground

2008-06-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

You wouldn't know it by this photo, but it rained hard all day and we finally pulled into this campground soaking wet. The camp host came over to us right away and said "it's on me tonight". He felt bad for us, dripping head to toe and freezing cold. After we set up and eat dinner under a tarp, the sun came out and dried us out.

Sandpoint, Idaho

2008-06-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is the same bridge Mike cross in 2006, during his Alaska to Mexico trip. Except, he was going south instead of east. A path just for bikes brings you into the city and away from traffic.

Marias Pass 5216'

2008-06-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Due to the Going-to-the-sun-road being closed, we were detoured around the park to the east side. That's where we crossed the continental divide in Montana.

West Glacier

2008-06-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

West Glacier

Going-to-the-sun-road closed past this point, 24 miles up. Cars not allowed past mile 16.

Glacier National Park

2008-06-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Glacier National Park was a highlight of our tour, and the weather co-operated just in time - we had good weather almost the whole time we were there. We spent a week in the park, and could have stayed longer had time permited.

And, yes, we finally can add some pictures!

-Mountains, mountains, mountains! I could live here.

Conflicting info all the way to the park, but once here, it's official: Going-to-the-sun-road through the pass is closed for at least another couple of weeks, due to heavy snowfall and avalanches.

-No bikes on the road from 11-4pm... so we hang out by Lake Macdonald 'til we can keep biking to our first camp at Avalanche Lake.

-Hike to Avalanche Lake - beautiful but crowded; if this is the slow season I'd hate to see the busy season.

Avalanche Lake

2008-06-27T00:12:00.000-07:00

A 4 mile hike into Avalanche Lake, in West Glacier. One of the many hikes we did in the park. About 6 waterfalls drop into this lake, making it a beautiful site.

Part 1 Anacortes, WA. to Sandpoint, ID.

2008-06-14T10:29:00.000-07:00

543 miles
543 total miles

Impressions:

-3:45am wake up for flight to Seattle, Wa.
- Drove to Logan airport, (thanks Dad)
-Rosemary picks us up in Mt. Vernon, Wa. with our bikes and drives us to Washington Park campground in Anacortes, (thanks Rosemary)
-May 28th, my 39th birthday, spent biking around Lopez Island, in the San Juans
-Bonnie, Rosemary, and Michael, took me out for a birthday dinner in Anacortes, at "Adift"
-May 29th, 2008 - 7:30am "Dipping of the rear tires" in the Pacific Ocean, Anacortes, WA.
-Biking Begins - Heading East
-Anacortes Bike Shop, to fix Bonnie's gears
-Tommy Thompson Bike Trail, to get through downtown Anacortes
-Padilla Bay Shore Trail, gravel path
-South Skagit Highway, low traffic, camped where Michael told us to, on the Skagit Land Trust
-Slug camp, thousands of slugs everywhere, and a jungle of a road to bike through
-"XM" radio working great, we can listen to the Red Sox, Celtics, and Comedy, and much more to entertain us at night
-Ice cream at the famous "Cascadian Farms"
-Made it to Marblemount, WA., Rosemary's and Michael's house
-Hiked 9 miles of the East Baker Lake Trail with Michael, thanks to him for taking us there
-Great Views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan
-Jump, Jump, Dance Party, at Rosemary's and Michael's (don't ask to see the video)
-Bonnie's I-pod erased, mad panic to put songs back on her pod
-Leave Marblemount, Rosie joins us biking for 2 days up the passes of the North Cascades
-Michael meets us in Colonial Creek campground with giant tent, lots of food, and water
-"Pass day" 3 of us bike over Rainy Pass at 4,855 feet, and Washington Pass 5,477 feet, in the Cascades
-See black bear cross the road on Rainy Pass
-Amazing downhill descents, 40 mph thru twisting roads and beautiful scenary
-Meet Steve from Portland, Oregon, biking the same route we are
-Farewell dinner in Winthrop, treated by Rosie&Michael, joined by Steve for dinner as well
-Sit in Twisp bakery for hours, waiting out a rainstorm, 2 ladies tell us where to camp in Fish&Wildlife refuge
-Steep climb up Loup Loup Pass, 4020 feet, freezing cold 7 mile descent
-26 miles of uphill to Wauconda Pass 4,310 feet, long steady climb in cold rain, 45 degrees
-Camp in Wauconda Community Center, lots of cold rain and wind
-Hailstorm and heavy downpour in Republic, got our first (and only) hotel of the trip so far
-Postman warned of 4 inches of snow on Sherman's Pass, we do it anyway, 5,575 feet, hit snow, slush, rain, cold, 30-35 degrees on top, freezing descent
-Meet cyclists Mike and Blair from Minnesota
-Camphost says it's on him, so free camping in Panhandle campground, soaking wet, he felt bad for us
-Crossed into Idaho, 15 states to go!
-Sandpoint, Idaho, I remember this place from my 2006 Alaska-Mexico trip; I biked through this same spot
Stay tuned for Part 2... coming soon, Sandpoint, Idaho to Cutbank, Montana

Greetings from (rainy) Clark Fork, Idaho

2008-06-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone is warm and dry, because we are not. I can't believe how much rain we have been through. It has been by far the wettest trip I have taken. It isn't only wet, but it is freezing cold. I don't like to complain, but this is crazy. Just to give you an idea of what we are dealing with, the mornings are around 40 degrees, the days warm up to a blazing 55 degrees, and it is raining around 75% of the time. Yes, we are still having fun, and yes, this is part of cycle touring. But, where's the sun! I am sure we will find some sun soon and we will be hot and sweating, so enjoy it now, I guess. This is the deal, we are cycle everyday through this wearing, 1 pair of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, 3 shirts, 1 jacket, rain booties, wool hat, winter mitts, and going down some of these mountain passes, we are still freezing cold. Going down Sherman's Pass at 5,575 feet in Washington, there was 4 inches of snow on the ground, the wind was about 30 mph, and the road was covered in slush, and almost had to get off the bike and walk it down. We didn't, but we did take it very slow until we were low enough to lose the snow and slush. This all sounds fun to you right? Well, it is. We are making the best of it and brighter days are to come. After all, this is an adventure. Yes, we are both tired of the conditions, but we can't control that and will make due no matter what gets thrown our way. It's just funny that back east it is 100 degrees and it is so cold here in the northwest. We are now in a very small town of Clark Fork, Idaho, pop. 530 and stopped to write a blog. The small town libraries computer won't allow us onto our site, so the blog will have to wait. We will be biking into Montana this afternoon, and will be in that huge state for awhile. We hope to bike the "Going to the Sun" road in Glacier Park but not sure the road will be opened due to snow. We heard yesterday that they are receiving "winter conditions" this week. So, the road in the park is 6,600 feet and I bet getting a lot of white stuff. I really hope we can bike this road, it is one of the main reasons I wanted to do this trip in the high north and I will be very disappointed if we can't do it, due to weather. Stay tuned to find out. Thanks to Rosemary and Michael for updating our site with photos and videos of when we were together last week. We had a great time with the two of you and we appreciate all you did for us. OK, that's it for now. Our clothes are dry and we are ready to roll. Keep in touch.
Mike and Bonnie

P.S. Bonnie adds: We passed though Sandpoint, Idaho, and camped in East Hope by Pend Oreille lake. We should reach Montana today. We heard that Glacier has been getting snow and the pass is not open. Our maps have an alternate route around the pass, but of course we want to do it. Maybe by the time we get there it will be open - but there's no point in hurrying.We have followed the river for several days now - it might be nice scenery if it weren't cloudy and rainy. But there are lupines blooming all over, I've seen lots of herons and ospreys by the water. One section of the road had lots of poles for osprey nests, and we saw a head sticking up from some of the nests. Last night there was a beautiful yellow bird, with black wings and a red head, hopping around the hemlock trees. I'd never seen anything like it - any ideas? Also, have seen several bluebirds around.

Here in Republic, Washington

2008-06-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

The State of Washington is much harder than I ever thought to cycle tour. It is beautiful, but the terrain can bring tears to your eyes. The elevation profile looks like a saw blade, lots of ups and downs. After a day cycling in the San Juan Islands, we departed Anacortes, Washington at sea level and never stopped climbing. Ok, there are some down hills, but tell that to our legs. Made it to Bonnie's sisters house in Marblemount for a very nice, short visit. Then Rosemary Joined us up Rainy and Washington Pass at over 5,000 feet in elevation and feet of snow on the roads shoulders. Going up Rainy pass, I saw a black bear cross the road just ahead of me. I stopped and gave it plenty of room. I didn't forget me last encounter with Yogi. We thought the east side of the mountains would bring us warm, sunny weather, but no luck. It has been very cold, and raining a lot. We have camped most nights, some at campgrounds and some in the wild, which I like. The last two days have brought us two more passes to climb, Loup Loup Pass and Wauconda Pass, both at over 4,000 feet. Today brought Hail and heavy rain right before we were to leave the town of Republic, but with the highest pass to climb next at over 5,500 feet we decided it's best to wait out the weather here. So we got our first motel of the trip. We did laundry and now in the library. So next, it's time to eat, and not instant oatmeal either. We are having lots of fun, but it's also hard work.

Guest Post by Rosemary

2008-06-04T21:38:00.000-07:00

What an awesome journey Bonnie and Mike have embarked on, and what fun that Michael and I could be part of it. Here is our website with a number of pictures from their first leg in WA, from Anacortes to Marblemount (where Michael and I live), then to Colonial Creek Campground, in the park where I work, and lastly up and over Rainy and Washington Passes. Cycle on, Maine will be yours!

Love,
Rosemary & Michael

Images from North Cascades leg

2008-06-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

Video 2: At Rosemary's House in Marblemount

2008-06-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

Video: The Dipping Ceremony

2008-05-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

First Week

2008-05-30T20:09:00.000-07:00

So far, so good! Our flight and shuttle went right on schedule, and Rosie picked us up at 3pm in Mt Vernon. We headed for our campsite at Washington Park in Anacortes, and the day cleared beautifuly. We made dinner by the water and watched the sun set over the Pacific.
The next day, we caught an early ferry to Lopez Island in the San Juans. My bike gears were not working well, which was a pain on the hills. But otherwise we had a good ride, covering pretty much the whole island. Lots of farmland and views of the ocean in the distance. We biked 45 miles in total.
The next day we did the "wheel dipping" ceremony with Rosie and Michael to cheer us on and take pictures. We didn't get far- just a few miles down the road to the bike shop, to get my gears adjusted. Finally we started off, thru Anacortes and then on to a nice bike path. We had a bad stretch of heavy traffic on rte 20, but thankfully soon got off on quieter roads. We ended on South Skagit Rdwy, and found a campsite on Skagit Land Trust property, recommended by Michael. It was a mile down a grassy (and slug-infested) track. It was a quiet and peaceful place to camp.
We left camp slug and hit the road by 9am, and then it was only 30 miles to Rosie's place in Marblemount. The day turned warm and sunny - a great afternoon to check out the gardens and have a nice dinner outside. So far, it hasn't rained on us and we're excited for the first pass, coming up next.

All Packed Up

2008-05-26T19:22:00.000-07:00

We're Off

2008-05-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

After many, many months of planning we are finally ready to depart on our long awaited cross country bike trip. Tomorrow morning, my Dad will drive Bonnie and I to Logan airport. There were times I thought this day would never come. We have talked about doing this trip since the middle of 2007, and now it's here. A cycle for freedom begins tomorrow morning, and we can hardly wait. Stay tuned - our next blog is from on the road, from who knows where! Have a good summer, everyone!

Bikes arrive, beat up, broken, and lost!

2008-05-15T09:25:00.000-07:00

The bike boxes beat up, parts broken, and gear lost, don't ask me, ask UPS! The good news first, the bikes did arrive at Rosemary's house in Marblemount, Washington when UPS said they would, last monday. The bad news is, they went through a war to get there. I thought the war was in the Middle East, not the Middle USA. The boxes were bad enough that the driver was ready to ship them back, for new ones I guess. But, these bikes aren't from a company Rosemary explained, and I need the bikes. After opening the war-torn boxes, she notice many problems right away. Bonnie's bike has a broken plastic piece and her front brake was damaged. My bike box had a foot hole in the bottom of it and funny that, I am missing a shoe. So much for going the safer way and putting all our trust in UPS, instead of the friendly skies. After talking to Rosemary on the phone and her e-mailing me many photos of the damaged goods, I marched into the UPS store we shipped from. No questions asked, we will get the money for all damaged and lost items, but no extra money for headaches and stress. This is at most a small set back, I believe we can fix all problems ourselves and not be delayed our start. Which is real good because day one is to bike around the San Juan Islands, and it's also my birthday. Can you think of a better birthday present then starting an adventure of many months with your best friend? For some maybe, but I can't. Many thanks to Rosemary, (Bonnie's sister) for all her time and effort to make sure we recieved all the infomation and photos to make a case at UPS. I guess it wouldn't be much of a journey, if everything went perfectly from start to finish, problem being we haven't even started yet. All in all, we are both very excited to get rolling and hope you'll follow us, through our blogs to the end. Just another day at the office, for an adventurer.

Bikes shipped UPS

2008-05-03T13:34:00.000-07:00

And they're off! Our bikes are now in the hands of UPS after a bit of panic and shock. After our test ride we broke down the bikes to fit into the large bike boxes we got from the airport (free of charge). Nice, well not really. Atfer hours of bike demo and driving them to the UPS store we find out that 1) the boxes are to big and 2) the price is double of what the airlines charge. Two happy bikers quickly turned into two upset bikers. We made the decision to cut the bike boxes smaller inside the store so they would be allowed to ship and pay the extra money. Well, it's a small price to pay for freedom!

Test Ride

2008-05-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

Despite cold tempertures and rainy conditions we took to the roads of Marshfield on our loaded bikes. Trying to get a feel for the extra weight of the packs and checking for any changes we may want before its to late. We found no problems in the short ride we took other than trying to keep the weight to a minimum. Mike's bike weighed in at over 85 pounds without food or water, Bonnie's has not been weighed loaded yet.

One month till takeoff

2008-04-30T14:10:00.000-07:00

Time is going fast. Bonnie and I are getting excited about our adventures to come. A lot of planning is still necessary before our departure date of May 27th. This week we plan on taking a practice run with our fully loaded bikes and make decisions on gear and equipment before shipping our bikes UPS this weekend to Rosemary Seifried's (Bonnie's sister) house in Marblemount, WA. (Photo: Mike's gear) Our bikes will weigh close to 100 lbs. which includes, the bike, tent, sleeping bag and pad, cooking stove, pots, clothes, bike tools, pump, spare tires and tubes, etc., not to mention food and water. Water weighs 8 lbs. per gallon. Over the next month we will be looking to lighten the load, by cutting back on unnecessary items, and believe me, every pound counts.

Our Plan - Washington to Maine

2008-04-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

Favorite Quotes

2008-04-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

- Today is the beinning of a new day. I have been given this day to use it as I see fit. I can waste it, or grow in its light and be of service to others, but what I do with this day is important because I have exchanged a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. I hope I do not regret the price I have paid for it.

- The journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step.

- A little uncertainty is perhaps the spice of life.

- Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.

- We are better than we know. If we can be made to see that, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.

- You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop and look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.

- There is only one success, to be able to spend life in your own way.

- The bicycle is the last machine simple enough to be understood by its owner.

- It's the journey that counts, not the arrival.

- Tommorrows life is too late, live today.

- What we take for granted can change in an instant. If there's something you have always wanted to do. What are you waiting for? Do it.

- For many of us, undertaking an adventure is the fulfillment of a dream. It may have begun as a wild and crazy idea, but what differentiates those of us who see it as possible from those who give up on it? Easy! We come up with either 10 reasons to do it or 10 reasons not to do it.

- Negative Reasoning, the "what ifs" that will probably never happen, bring some of us into our later years saying, "I wish I'd done that"! It is said that we are rarely sorry for what we have decided to do, but are long time regretting what we didn't do.

- The Answer to Sucess! by: My Dad
Always, always deal from the top of the deck.
Trust everyone but always cut the cards.
Always treat people as you would have them treat you.
Always try to be as helpful as you can, but never ever be overbearing about it.
Never go home from work at night wondering if everyone still loves you, if they do, it means you've been ducking the tough decisions and are afraid of being misunderstood.
And if ever you are torn by matters of conscience, then dig down deep within you, to find the courage, to do what is right.

Bike Preparation

2008-04-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

We still have 7 weeks to go 'til our bike trip, but there's a lot of preparation to be done before that time. We got our bike boxes yesterday from United Airways so we can ship the bikes to Rosie. Mike has declared himself head mechanic in charge of disassembling the bikes for packing. I don't like to see my bike broken down into pieces, but it's the only way they can be shipped. Next step is to lay out all my stuff and practice fitting everything in my saddlebags, plus make sure nothing is forgotten. And, even though it's cold and windy today, we're doing a training run. My bike hasn't been outside yet from the long winter hibernation, so it's time to get moving!

Adventure Cycling Association

2008-03-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

The Adventure Cycling Association Northern Tier Bicycle Route is a cross country route that roughly follows the northern border of the "lower 48" of the United States. The route is a total of 4295 miles (6915 km). The route is divided into three route segments as follows: Anacortes, Washington, to Fargo, North Dakota, Fargo, North Dakota, to Muscatine, Iowa, and Muscatine, Iowa, to Bar Harbor, Maine

Anacortes, Washington, to Fargo, North Dakota
This section, beginning at sea level, offers large expanses of mountains, the Great Plains, and some beautiful farmland areas in between. It can be ridden from late spring to late fall. Due to snow, State Highway 20 east of North Cascades National Park in Washington is only open through certain dates. The same is true for Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park in Montana, which is usually closed until early June. Even in the height of summer in July, cyclists must be prepared for cold nights and occasional snow in the higher elevations during storms. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns.
This portion of the Northern Tier begins in Anacortes, Washington, which is located on a peninsula in Puget Sound. Anacortes is also the jumping-off point for folks going to the San Juan Islands, a favorite cycling destination. At the start, the culmination of lush forest and ocean feeds and moistens the soul. Heading eastward along the rushing Skagit River, riders carry that feeling up to the top of Rainy and Washington passes in the Cascade Mountains. Descending to the east side of the Cascades, the route enters the drier part of the state and the widely known orchard country of the Okanogan Valley. Leaving this valley, riders climb and descend several more passes full of ponderosa pines and find many sleepy farming communities down along the rivers crossed. The river valleys tend to run in a north-south direction across the northwestern part of the United States, and because the route travels west to east, riders will be working their way up and down. There are plenty of towns, rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests in eastern Washington, Idaho, and western Montana until the route reaches Cut Bank, Montana, on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.
The spectacular Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is a hard climb but well worth it for the scenery. The route takes a jump into Canada to access Waterton Lakes National Park, and then heads back into the USA at Del Bonita, a little-used border crossing. Cut Bank is the beginning of the Great Plains, and from here on riders start praying for tailwinds. Supposedly, heading eastward, tailwinds predominate in the summer. The route uses U.S. Highway 2, the main road through central and eastern Montana along the railroad, so camping spots can occasionally be somewhat loud. Wherever possible, side roads are used to relieve the monotony of being on the highway. Afternoon thundershowers are a constant companion out on the Plains. The route follows the Missouri River from Havre, Montana, to New Town, North Dakota, and the plains of Montana eventually transform into the green rolling hills of western North Dakota. Sunflowers are everywhere, and they become the crop of choice as the terrain flattens out in eastern North Dakota. Fargo is located on the banks of the Red River, on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota.

Fargo, North Dakota, to Muscatine, Iowa
Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa stand out as some of the greenest and most verdant of all the states along the Northern Tier Route. From either direction, this greenery proves to be a relief from the giant plains to the west and acres of farmland to the east. Riders learn a lot about the history of the Mississippi River as they follow its course.
This portion of the Northern Tier Route can be ridden from late spring to late fall. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns, but tornadoes are common in Iowa. They mostly occur in May and June.
Heading east from Fargo and Moorhead in the Red River Valley, riders begin to slowly leave the Great Plains. Lakes and hills become the standard scenery, and the resident mosquitoes increase in number. The birthplace of the Mississippi River is in Lake Itasca State Park, in northern Minnesota. This area is so full of forests, lakes, and rivers that it draws many tourists during the summer months. The route follows the Mississippi River, until it heads east around the cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs. There is a spur into Minneapolis-St. Paul that ends at the airport. Along the St. Croix and Mississippi rivers, the towns are older and the buildings much more historic. At Prescott, Wisconsin, the St. Croix joins the Mississippi, and the route again follows that river southward for 175 miles. The route leaves the river occasionally on less-traveled roads, but these also mean climbing and descending the bluffs along the river. Upon entering Iowa, those not familiar with the state may think that the terrain is going to flatten out, but the hills continue after leaving the river. Small laid-back farm towns are abundant through Iowa. This section of the route ends in Muscatine, an old industrial town located on the Mississippi.

The Iowa to Maine section stretches from the Mississippi River to the Atlantic Ocean. In between it touches two of the Great Lakes, and Niagara Falls, one of the scenic wonders of North America, and then follows a transportation corridor that opened the country west of the original colonies. It passes through cities that were once the backbone of American industrialism and are now remaking themselves into the modern idiom, through hamlets, villages, and towns that define the region with a story to tell, and through places that played pivotal roles in the history of the United States.
This portion of the Northern Tier can be ridden from early spring to late fall. Due to changing local conditions, it is difficult to predict any major wind patterns. The Midwest and Great Lakes summers can be hot, especially inland. Along the Great Lakes, breezes provide cooling and are sometimes a friend and sometimes a foe.
Beginning at the Mississippi River, the route traverses the large prairie farms of central Illinois and the smaller farms of Indiana and Ohio, eventually reaching the shore of Lake Erie at Huron, Ohio. Also available is a ferry trip to one or more of the Lake Erie islands and visit the area where Commodore Oliver Perry defeated the British fleet in the War of 1812. Heading through busy Cleveland, Ohio, you'll pass the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Science Center and its IMAX theater, a retired Great Lakes iron ore freighter, and a World War II submarine.
Along the lake shore in eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania, the route passes through small towns, where tourists flock to the shore during summer. In Erie, Pennsylvania, there are miles of sand beach at Presque Isle State Park, along with the replica of the sailing ship Niagara, Commodore Perry's flagship in the War of 1812 Battle of Lake Erie. Leaving Erie, the route enters the fruit and wine region of Pennsylvania and New York and hugs the relatively rural lake shore to the outskirts of Buffalo, New York. Views across Lake Erie of the Buffalo skyline and Canada usher the cyclist into the bustle of the southern end of the metropolis. A short side trip will takes riders to the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum in Orchard Park. The route passes the magnificent Basilica of Our Lady of Victory in Lackawanna, and seeing its magnificent Italian Renaissance and French Baroque architecture is a must. From Lackawanna to the Peace Bridge, the route passes through a depressed post-industrial area to emerge at the lakefront Buffalo Naval and Military Park with World War II vessels open for visits.
The route uses the Peace Bridge into Canada and follows one of the most scenic recreational trails in North America along the Niagara River to Niagara Falls. Visitors may take the cable car ride across the Whirlpool Rapids and visit the other attractions along the trail. The route then crosses back into the U.S., enjoying the view of the Niagara Gorge. Heading east, the route uses the Erie Canalway Trail for 90 miles along a waterway dripping with history. Riders can take the time to explore the towns along the Erie Canal. At Palmyra, New York, the route turns north to Lake Ontario, where it follows the lake shore to Sodus Bay, dips inland to Fair Haven, and then leaves the Great Lakes to cross the Adirondack Mountains and arrive at Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. A visit to Fort Ticonderoga will give meaning to Revolutionary War history.
After a short ferry ride over the lake, riders are in New England, cycling through Vermont farmland, forested hills, and picturesque villages. In New Hampshire, the route follows the Connecticut River, passing through the villages of Orford with its ridge houses and Haverhill, a classic New England village with its fenced village commons and old homes. The route crosses the White Mountains, the backbone of New Hampshire, on the famous Kancamagus Highway. Mt. Washington, noted for its fierce weather, is just a few miles north, and the Kancamagus shares some of its weather reputation. Riders must be prepared, even in summer. Entering Maine, the route traverses forests and fields, arriving at Damariscotta on the Atlantic coast. Riders should allow time to savor the quintessential ambiance of the coastal towns. Before crossing the Penobscot River, riders can stray off route to visit Ft. Knox, an exceptionally well-preserved unused Revolutionary War fort. A fitting end to the trip includes cycling the gravel carriage paths of Acadia National Park and viewing a sunrise from atop Cadillac Mountain. The park is near the town of Bar Harbor, at the end of the route.

States and Provinces on the Northern Tier Bicycle Route
Washington
Idaho
Montana
Alberta, Canada
North Dakota
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Iowa
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Vermont
New Hampshire
Maine

Northern Tier Route Summary

2008-03-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Anacortes, WA, to Bar Harbor, ME (4,295 mi.)

1. Anacortes, WA, to Sandpoint, ID (462 mi.)

2. Sandpoint, ID, to Cut Bank, MT (452 mi.)

3. Cut Bank, MT, to Minot, ND (591.5 mi.)

4. Minot, ND, to Fargo, ND (316.5 mi.)

5. Fargo, ND, to Grand Rapids, MN (231.5 mi.)

6. Grand Rapids, MN, to Stillwater, MN (237 mi.)

7. Stillwater, MN, to Muscatine, IA (396.5 mi.)

8. Muscatine, IA, to Monroeville, IN (402 mi.)

9. Monroeville, IN, to Lackawanna, NY (401.5 mi.)

10. Lackawanna, NY, to Ticonderoga, NY (412.5 mi.)

11. Ticonderoga, NY, to Bar Harbor, ME (404.5 mi.)

Countdown

2008-03-16T16:48:00.000-07:00

With less than three months till takeoff, we are getting very excited about our adventure. The plan is for Bonnie and me to fly from Boston to Seattle on May 27th, 2008. Bonnie's sister Rosemary (who lives in Washington State) will help us get our bikes to the starting point of our trip at Anacortes, Washington. Before cycling east, we hope to spend several days in the San Juan Islands getting acquainted with our loaded touring bikes, and gearing up for the massive mountains of the North Cascades. The route that we are taking across the country is called "The Northern Tier". The Northern Tier crosses three mountain ranges: the Cascades, Rockies, and Adirondacks. Along the way, our route passes through the San Juan Islands, North Cascades National Park, Glacier National Park, Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park, the Great Plains of the midwest, the headwaters of the Mississippi, Amish country, Lake Erie, Niagara Falls, Lake Champlain and Lake George, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Acadia National Park, and finally ends when we dip our wheels in the icy blue waters of Bar Harbor, Maine. In total, the Northern Tier Route is 4,321 miles long, crosses through 16 states, 2 countries, and 4 National Parks. "Good Luck" - We'll need it!