Two nights!

Two nights in one place means laundry time! But then we went hiking and I got mud on some clothes.

I kind of miss dressing up nicely...and being clean. And grooming. I need to buy a comb. My one skirt is falling apart, as well, and I need to get a sewing kit. I also should have brought some pants, as hiking in leggings is not ideal.

Amigos, when you see me, pardon the mess.

Yesterday

So we have been hanging around glacier for a few days now in the hopes that we could ride the road to the sun. The rumor was that the crew clearing the snow took sundays off, letting peopple ride all the way to where they had cleared. However, yesterday was the first sunday the didnt take off. The snow pack is 180% more than normal this year.

So we went for a hike upto avalache lake. A bit of a muddy trail, but the lake was amazing. Anyway, we continued down the trail until we found a snow mass we then climbed a few hundred feet up and then sledded down on our butts. Not a bad consolation prize

Avalanche lake

See the snow mass on the right? We climbed that. 


Awesome scrambling and a good slide down.  Wish we had hiking gear.

Glacier

Back in Stanpoint, I teased Rachel about the series of flats she was having. Well now the tables have turned. I have had two flats where the tubes had upwards of three or four holes in different places. Right now, im hoping the tire will still have air tomorrow.

On the other hand, there are worse places to be stuck than in glacier national forest. It is amazing here. I wish my phone would let me upload photos to the blog.

On the advice of the guys at glacier bicylcery in white fish we are hanging out in glacier until Sunday, so we can ride as high as possible on the road to the sun. With luck, we can get to the weeping wall.

Sidenote, chris at the bike shop totally tuned up my bike. I went in just to get the rear brake tightened (of course, it was because a spoke was broken), but he found and fixed a couple other problems.

Also, our fellow campers have been great. The people next to us fed us great pineapple cobbler, and would have even given us some chicken if we had not already eaten. In other news, Im approaching my goal of 4000 calories a day. I've taken to having a quart of 2% milk for dinner. Life is good in glacier

Story pt 3

...been in Dennis's garage for 35 years. One day someone asked him to work on their bike, and it all took off from there.  He went to UBI (mechanic school in OR) some time ago.

Dennis didn't have an Apex or any other sram compatible 10 speed in stock, but he put on a sram x-9.  Not ideal, but better than a single speed. 

We also talked a lot. He recently revamped his diet, he has 4 or 5 gardens, bakes his own bread, attends an Assemblies of God church, and has four kids.  He's looking to retire soon, what with all the fancy new bike changes happening.  ("Did you know they make eleven speed now?")  But to me it seemed like the shop is gonna be around a long time.  Thank goodness.

But you can't ride a 9 speed derailleur on a 10 speed cassette with a cobbled-together 10 speed chain for long. So...

Story, pt.2!

Joyce and Frank drove me to Troy Bicycle Shop, which has ...

A story! Pt.1

Just outside of Clark Fork, MT, my derailleur broke.  In half. About 3 miles from the nearest anything.

Some other tourers passed us and told some of the folks ahead that some busted cyclists might be coming through. We were greeted warmly when we arrived at the convenience store, directed to a nearby campsite, and were even offered some free firewood.  Later on, an older couple stopped by to tell me that they'd be taking me to Libby or Troy the next day.  We met up at 9 the next morning and they drove me, my bike and gear and panniers, and will's gear to libby and then to Troy to find a shop.  Will had a fun ride up 56 in the meantime. 

The couple, Frank and Joyce, are United Methodists and were delighted to hear that I will be serving in a UMC church in Connecticut soon.  Joyce is a retired nurse and Frank a retired geologist.  They live off of hwy 56 near Nixon, MT. We talked a bit about life out there and tensions with Libby over the mines. 

They dropped me in Troy at....(more soon!)

Glacier national park

We have so many posts but each takes quite a bit of juice. So until then, here's this!

Also, my friends Rebecca and Jacob just had a baby! Welcome, little Esther. See you soon.

Ortlieb

One of the clips on one of my rear panniers broke a few miles after we got back from canada. I went over some railroad tracks and heard a snap.

Our panniers are made by ortlieb, which is known for its good quality. So, i was a little suprised and annoyed it broke. We were able to make it rideable and once we got back in cellphone range we called ortlieb.

Rachel's rear derailer broke, but sram is providing her an upgrade once we get to white fish. Soon, hopefully we can write a positive about sram.

Ian at ortlieb usa only asked for a picture of the damage, approved the warranty, and mailed out the replacement part the next day. I got it monday, installed it, and have been riding great since. Great customer service like that really means alot when you are riding cross country.

Sam Owen campground, outside Hope, ID

Wauconda, Washington

Hey, so we decided to stay in this wonderful place called Sandpoint. We ended up in a bike shop (greasy fingers) for a little longer than we planned, and we didn't want to try to beat rush hour traffic. So here we are in the bike friendly motel, K2.

Its our first motel stop and it will be nice to go out to dinner showered and not have to sleep on the ground.

I really want to do a summary post of washington, but I need a bit to figure it all out, but last Sunday we stayed in this awesome little town.

Wauconda, Washington is a town owned by one family, in so much as they own the post office, the grocery store, the gas stop, and the restaurant. Of course, it's all one building. I tried to take a photo, but Rachel's rear tire blocked the entire town.  The owners knew we were coming into town, and remembered our names when we went in for breakfast. The RV park was outside the old schoolhouse where the park's owner was a student. A great town.

Check out this article on waucounda.

Sandpoint, ID

Yesterday!

We enjoyed our leisure tour of Washington.  Now Idaho!

Kettle Falls, WA

Delicious breakfast and helpful directions!

On 20 east

Still here! Been without service for a few days.

A woman opened this little shop on 20 between Tonasket and Wauconda. We talked for a while about poverty and jobs and drugs in the area.  It's a good place to stop if you need a drink or snack.

More on Wauconda as well as drug issues later. Now! Must find some electricity to charge les phones.

Then sheep appeared.

Outside Okanogan

We had a really great stay in Okanogan thanks to Rich and Miranda and Zach!

Friendship

"I think one day we'll have to... Oh hell, i'll admit it. Ive become fond enough of you to no longer abstractly envision killing you." -WR

First flat

Don't lose your levers under the snow bank

After Washington Pass

"Well, I'm disappointed." - WR
We had to go downhill fast after that.

That person in the photos

For those of you who don't know me, I'm Will, a rising sophmore at Yale from New York. I was on the cycling team with Rachel this year.

Having worked in an office the last two summers, I needed to have some sort of an adventure. So here I am planning on Thursday to climb to over 5000 feet on a bike almost a decade older than me.

The bike is a Ross that my dad bought back when my mom and dad were first dating. My dad used to take me on rides on the bike; there was a little seat and pegs right behind the handle bar. Now

Entering New Halem

We will probably lose service for a couple of days. We will be climbing Washington Pass. Check out the elevation and some pics online. Gulp. We have good stories already.

Lesson #2

Always check your shoes.

Outside Darrington

Sedro-Woolley

Mt. Vernon, WA

Do we think it's Rainier?

Missed ol' Whidbey Island. Tis OK.

More great time in Seattle!

Well, last night we stayed at the Gerlachs' place in Seattle.  Their son, John, goes to Yale with Will, who most of you have not met yet.  In time.  The Gerlachs offered us a second night when it seemed clear that we would have a.... slow start today.  It's not that we weren't up early working, it's that we clearly demonstrated that we, indeed, are not bike mechanics.  We eventually figured out what to do, though!  I had to play a little bolt swap but am ready to go with just a few more adjustments tomorrow morning.  The front brakes sing like crazy when braking, and the rear brakes are a little to tight.  We rode to the store today, about 5 miles with a major hill, and it was really scary to go down it.  I hope that will work itself out over time.  Will had to abandon his rear fender, as there just wasn't enough clearance to make it happen with his caliper brakes. 

John's father, helped us out a bunch by going to the flagship REI and picking up some items I had shipped there.  That gave us more time to keep working on the bikes and to pick up a few other supplies.  John's mom made us breakfast this morning - so delicious and welcoming.  (We also had dinner at the house, too!)  We would be in much worse shape if it weren't for their kindness and hospitality.

We still won't have much climbing tomorrow but it will be our first day with the full packs, so if we hit 50 miles, I think it will be good.  We'll head up to the South Whidbey area and then go inland a bit after that. 

We drove with John in the car a little today.  It was sunny (aparently the first sun in 1.5 weeks) and a pleasant temperature.  As we climbed up the Sammamish Plateau, we saw some of the Cascades in the distance, still with some snow.  Whoa.

We're still on East Coast time. Time for bed!

Thank so much four your support, amigos.

Lesson and Advice #1

Be prepared to spend a day putting back together your bike and picking up stuff you need.  And accept help that friends kindly offer.

Cozy!

I don't want it to get cold on the plane.