The Story

Dear Friends,
I know, I've been out of touch for a LONG time. Things have been really busy, on the road and now that I'm here, in sunny (not really) Portland. While heading north in Colorado, I was forced to skip my planned Boulder detour due to impending "bad weather" in Rocky Mt. National Park. It was sure good I did that too, because when I awoke the next day, right at the boarder of Wyoming, my tent was covered in snow! That was one of the most challenging moments on the trip; as I packed up my tent, fingers red, wind whipping up under my 2 coats, I thought, can I really endure this for weeks. Fortunately, as a I crossed a snowy boarder into Wyoming, and headed on to Saratoga and it's beautiful hot springs, the white snow thinned and eventually dissapeared. It was the last time I doubted.

Approaching Yellowstone Park, on my way to Montana, I could see a dark plume of smoke rising over the Grand Tetons. Wildfires were burning in both national parks and while I managed to make it to Old Faithful, b/c of smoke (and it's less than complimentary effects on breathing) I had to pass on most of the park. Oh well! The funneling affect brought loads (6!) of bikers together. Gene, a 60 year old marathon runner, and I road together through some unbelievable country during the next week. Sometimes he'd disspear for a day or two and than suddenly appear! Approaching a killer climb outside of Dillon (two consecutive passes of two thousand foot climbs over the next 40 miles fighting wind gusts of over 20 miles/hour), Gene fell into step with me, seemingly out of thin air. What would have been a heady challenge turned into a lark as Gene proceeded to chat about the biomechanics and chemistry of running, racing, training. Needless to say, when we parted way at Idaho, him toward home and his wife, me on to Lolo pass, it was a bit melencholy for me.

And Idaho was a blast! The greatest surprise of the trip. I had no idea how beautiful it would be. The great fur forests and abundant hot springs welcomed me, as did all the other travelers I met along Idaho roads. At the western end, was a grueling climb through curvy, wind swept, isolated Oxbow reservoir... but it was spectacularly beautiful. Before I knew it, I was in Oregon! What a state! I've been through great deserts, thickly overgrown forests and rocky shores. Crossing my last big Mountain, on toward the coast, McKenzie pass was a great last romp. Early morning chill and unussually clear skies on a road closed to large vehicles, at the top I looked out over ancient lava flows at Mt. Washington, smelling distant sea air for the first time in months, remembering the many mountains behind me, the first hills just outside Philadelphia and my first great climb in Shenendoah. Anticipating my one last great descent to come, on my way to the Oregon coast, I knew from here on out, it was going to be smooth sailing.

It's true, on the Oregon coast I got rained on more days than all the other rainy days combined throughout the rest of my trip; but it was a blast anyway. Traffic was fierce, for the first time in a long time, but the riding was just awesome. Ups and downs along precipitous bluffs overlooking seemingly infinite vistas. Returning from the coast to Portland was the hardest ride, the last little push of an awesome trip.

Sincerely,
Jack