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Ikirwa School Fundraising Challenge is both an exciting opportunity and a slightly daunting task. It is a privilege to be able to raise much needed funds for the school, which was co-founded by my good friend. The challenging part is pedaling about 4000 miles across the US, with all of your supplies strapped to the bike (ok... it happens to be the fun part too).
2013.06 - Ikirwa Ride: Rocky Hill to Binghampton,NY
June 23, 2013
Mile 300 (just about). Binghamton, NY
June 15 came and went, and after a sweet goodbye ride with my wonderful sister and her family, the Ikirwa Ride adventure had commenced and enormity of what is to come began to slowly sink in. I got a lot of pedaling to do. :-)
It's been 8 days since I bid my farewells, and if this past week is any indication of what's to come, well then it's going to be a helluva ride. It's been a bliss riding through the picture perfect landscapes of rural Connecticut and New York. Blissful, but not easy. The hills, first gentle and rolling, then steep and never ending where a challenge, but what goes up, must go down -- I have been setting one speed record after another. It's been fun and a good prep for Rockies and other minor ranges on the way. From here on it should be relatively flat (I think?).
Already I have met wonderful people who kindly welcomed me into their homes and shared their meals with me. Thank you. And I was lucky to meet an avid cyclist on my first day. Alex, at 18, already pedaled cross country once and have done a few thousand miles since. It didn't take much convincing to have him join me and for the past 5 days he has been a great riding partner, encouraging me to tackle the monstrous hills and keep on pedaling.
See picture captions for more tidbits from the journey so far...
July 3, 2013
Mile 750. Cleveland, OH
In Binghimton, NY I part with Alex, who will return back to CT to start his summer job. After a day of needed rest I descend onto the Alleghany plateau, NY state's farm country. Bye-bye hills of Catskills, hello flatness... and head winds. Contrary to the popular way, I am biking west and so suppose to endure prevailing winds blowing from west to east. I haven't had the pleasure to encounter this natural phenomenon, until I set out from Binghimton. What a waste of a perfectly flat surface! The winds can slow you down to a crawl and it can be frustrating. I mean, I still want to feel the wind in my hair, just not at 6 miles an hour. Alas, it only lasted a few hours and since then I haven't had to battle any more unyielding gusts. I hear it'll be fun on the plains of N. Dakota and Montana.
Another natural phenomenon, commonly known as rain, adds a new twist to this adventure. There's been unusually a lot of it lately. My wonderful sister would text me hourly updates on the movement of storms and I would adjust my movement accordingly. Overall, I have been rather lucky and only had to test out my waterproof bags and my rain jacket once... but it did dictate my choices of overnight spots. I would choose a covered sheltered place (like a pavilion in a state park) over a camping whenever thunderstorms approached. It is, however, much better to ride on a cloudy, cool day then under a scorching sun, but clear sky.
We've had a good stream of donations coming in for our Ikirwa project. A big thanks to all that contributed. We are still a long way from our goal. If you haven't visited our campaign, please check it out: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ikirwa-school-project-ride
See photo captions for more from the trip...
July 16, 2013 / Day 31Mackinaw City, Michigan. Mile 1500
After the much needed R&R in Cleveland, I was back on the road. On July, 4th, I begin the 70 mile race to Sandusky, OH to make the 3:30pm ferry across lake Erie to Pelee Island, the southernmost point of Canada (I know, it's rather unpatriotic to leave US on July 4th... but the history buffs will say that the date is actually rather arbitrary).
Anyway, the entire time the clouds looked rather ominous and were threatening to give me a thorough wash -- a theme that had been re-occuring for many days now. I made it to Sandusky 30 min before the ferry departure time. Loaded my bike, sat down and watched in disbelief as the sky opened up and it began pouring. I have been lucky this way on more than one occasion.
During the ferry ride a young fellow came up to inquire about my ride and then graciously invited me to stay at his parents cottage right on lake Erie. Ohh and as soon as the ferry came up to the terminal the rain ceased as if on command. After a great day on the island with awesome hosts (also avid bikers), it was onto Canada's mainland. I wild camped right on the beach at the beautiful Point Pelee N.P. There is something magical about these places in the wee hours of the morning before the throngs of crowds begin pouring in. I pedaled through open fields of Ontario, occasionally battling headwinds, and re-fueling on fries with gravy (Canada's unique way of consuming french fries). I camped out at quaint city park on St. Clair river, which is also a border between the US and Canada. In the morning I paid $1 to take a boat back Marine City, Michigan and started pedaling towards lake Huron. I have been blown away by the Great Lakes (sometimes literally by the gusts of wind) . For one, they are indeed "GREAT"... enormous, in fact, and are more like fresh water seas. They are also crystal clear with shades of Caribbean emeralds and blues and they contain 95% of US fresh water supply.
I crossed Michigan from lake Huron to lake Michigan, staying with friends and relatives of people I met back a few weeks ago in NY state. Big thanks to Carmen from Hornell, NY! Visited cool towns like Mt. Pleasant and Traverse City, and villages of Boon and Luther where population is just a couple of hundred people and dwindling.
The other day I got up bright and early for a big day of pedaling... but, by the mid-day the sun was brutal. And despite the many dips I took in the many lakes along the way, I was drained and needed a shady place to let the days heat go by. The sun doesn't set until 9:30pm, so I can hang out till 5pm and then get another 2 to 3 hours of riding done. I was on a forest road that was hugging the shore of lake Michigan. I passed an iron gate with a road leading somewhere deep into the forest, but in the direction of the lake. I haven't trespassed up until this point, but the curiosity and tiredness were overwhelming. I parked the bike outside the gate and went in to investigate. The road winded through the forest and then... wow!... it opened up on a high bluff overlooking the lake, with a long wooden staircase snaking its way right down to a beautiful beach. The view was simply stunning! I couldn't resist and pulled my bike in and set up shop. I wasn't just going to rest here, I was going to stay here for the night. My hammock went out, the tent went up, and I went down for a long swim in the lake. I then settled with a book under a tree... before getting startled by a man who walked in out of nowhere and naturally scared the bejesus outta me. He turned out to be the owner of this patch of beautiful lake front piece of land. I had to fess up. I told him about my cross-country biking adventure and the need for a place to rest. Although a bit surprised to see me there, he turned out to be a bicycle enthusiast and was actually quite welcoming. We ended up chatting for a while about his biking adventures, took a dip in the lake and then parted ways (he actually visited again a few hours later with another bicyclist who rode cross-country in '77, so we naturally bonded over the love of bike travels).
And now I'm in the public library of Mackinaw City, a town of 900 people and a getaway to upper peninsula Michigan. I will spend the next few days biking towards lake Superior and then head to Wisconsin. Stay tuned.
Minot, N. Dakota
Mile 2000
There are two ways of getting over the Straits of Mackinac, which separates Michigan's lower and upper peninsulas -- either to get a ride over one of the world's longest suspension bridges (about 1/2 mile long), or hop on a ferry to Mackinac island and then another ferry to the upper peninsula. Naturally, with my affinity of islands, I opted for the 2nd option. Mackinac island is a unique place steeped in rich history of early explorations, trade and wars. Today its uniqueness is probably somewhat overshadowed by its 'bike and horses only' policy, but the conservancy organizations had done a great job of preserving the history of the place. Yes, it's touristy with all the bells and whistles of such place, but still a cool spot to spend a few days. I also got really lucky to stay with a local who's calls the island his home for the last 3 decades and with that had some interesting insights and stories about the place.
Leaving the island I noticed that my front tire was way under-inflated, a sure sign of a slow leak -- not an emergency, but an issue I would have to deal with eventually. I rode for about 30 miles before stoping at a tiny store to, once again, pump up the tire. I really didn't feel like changing out the tube, just yet. As I was leaving the area two ladies walked by and checked out my bike with a glance of a person who knows about bikes. So I inquired whether they perhaps had a floor pump (which would make this job a whole lot easier). My hunch was right on, and I couldn't believe my luck -- one of the women happened to be an avid cyclist vacationing nearby. We all walked back to their cottage and a torrent of kindness was unleashed! I was given a new pump, CO2 cartridges for emergency repairs, a new tube, and some food to keep me going. Lauren also deftly changed the faulty tube and discovered the location of the leak, demonstrating how the real bicyclist should operate. I took notes...
I pushed on in high spirits, and after a few hours pulled over by a quiet spot on lake Michigan. Soon after I ensconced in my tent, the darkest most ominous-looking storm clouds completely covered the sky. And the light show begun. Some disturbing thoughts passed through my head as the thunder blasted right over me. Luckily, this monster was gone in an hour or so, and I peacefully fell asleep to the sound of lake Michigan's waves.
The next day I made it all the way to lake Superior, the mother lake of them all! If you were to pour out all of Superior's water into a 5-feet deep pool, the pool would cover almost the entire length of the US! How's that for a Great lake?! Its coast is no less impressive -- sand dunes and sandstone carved by mother Nature into smooth, wavy, colorful walls. I dipped my toes in the lake, but didn't dare to go for a swim -- it's also the coldest of them all. Freezing, actually.
Riding through upper peninsula was a blast. The route mostly took me through forest roads with very little traffic and abundance of camping options, usually along small lakes. It was all fine and dandy, until I got hit by a cold front. Brrr! I'm talking low 40s in the morning. I couldn't bring myself to get out of my sleeping bag and when I finally did, I would hastily put on most of my clothes, which I wasn't expecting to don until the Rockies. For several days the temperatures wouldn't climb higher then 60, and on many occasions some serious drizzles would add to the miseries. The saddest part was that I was riding by some beautiful lakes, which were almost calling out my name with invitations for a swim, but the last thing I wanted to do was to get more wet. The folks from warmshowers.org (this is a forum of cyclist helping other cyclists -- fantastic idea, for which I am eternally thankful) helped out a great deal. After about 5 days of chilly, wet weather the sun peaked out. Finally!, I thawed...
I made it to St. Paul, Minnesota, and had to quickly re-adjust to defensive, urban biking, remembering about lights and turn signals and congested roads. The Twin Cities, however, are one of the most bike-friendly places in this country (always vying for the top spot with Portland and Seattle). I even noticed a free air pump station with bike tools along one of its numerous bike paths.
My detour into upper peninsula Michigan added an extra 600 miles to the trip and so put me a few weeks behind the original schedule. So from St. Paul I will stop pedaling for a bit and will hop on Amtrak train to Minot, N. Dakota, where we have a fundraiser scheduled for August 1st. From Minot I intend to 'train' it a bit further through N. Dakota into Montana. I have been hearing many discouraging things from cyclists coming from the west about N. Dakota's oil drilling boom, which made it dangerous and not particularly enjoyable to cycle through some parts of the state. So, the next update will probably be on the other side of the Great Continental Divide! Stay tuned...
Minot Fundraiser
Kate Jackson had done an amazing job rallying Minot folks for a night of live music and local brew. It was a good night for Ikirwa School Project. Thank you kind people of Minot, N. Dakota!
Mile 2500. Missoula, Montana
I am in Big Sky Country. Large, puffy cumulus clouds seem to be hanging almost right over your head -- a 180 degree unobstructed view. Plains are plain, but there is some beauty in that landscape, something I'll leave up to poets to describe. I resumed my pedaling in Shelby, Montana, straining my eyes to see the ridge of Rockies on the horizon. It came soon enough and began growing with every mile.
I wanted to make it to Glacier National Park in one day. I knew it was around 90 miles from Shelby, but I sort of forgot to check into topography of that ride. It was actually flat to downhill for the first 80 miles, with Rockies steadily raising up into the sky. Then, after 7 hours of riding, the road began to slope up... and up and up. It was 8pm, I was pretty exhausted and the hill seemed to have been going up forever now. I started to look around for places to wild camp, but then re-considered since I was now in grizzly country, plus I was almost out of water. I pushed on. Then started to consider wild camping again, and just when I was about to give up, I came up to the crest of this enormous hill and there in front of me snaked about 5 miles of steep downhill, right to the entrance of the park. Hugely relieved I zoomed down towards the mountains, at 35 mph.
Glacier National Park needs no introductions. It is a jewel and one of the most pristine parks in this country. My words won't do justice to the beauty of that landscape. My pictures may do a little better. I spent a few days hiking some of its trails, including one to an overwhelmingly beautiful glacier lake. It's berry season and I was stuffed with blueberries and huckleberries growing in abundance along the trails. Everyone carries a bear spray, even a jogger at a campsite was gripping a can of that stuff while running around. I was just singing out loud, scaring everything in the vicinity.
The main road, known as "Going-to-the-Sun Rd", is an engineering marvel -- it traverses the park, winding up the mountainsides peaking at 6645 ft. Riding this road meant a nearly 1500 ft of vertical climb, but the adrenaline rush from the towering, snow-covered peaks made it manageable. Once I passed Logan Pass, the exhilarating part of flying downhill began. Just incredible.
After leaving the park I began heading south to Missoula with Rockies towering on my left and right. It has been some of the most beautiful riding I've done to-date. It's now time to head west again -- Portland, here I come!
Mission Accomplished - Missoula to Seattle (transcription of voice recordings I made during the last part of the trip)
August 10
Today was a short ride, only 20 miles outside of Missoula, where I was for the past 2 days, relaxing and eating a lot. Stayed with an amazing warmshower host, Bruce Anderson, who literally opened his house to any cyclist who is passing by! You stay and donate whatever is necessary to maintain and run the place – be it laundry detergent, or TP. The entire house and its facilities are your to use. I was making breakfast, and took two showers! Also visited ACA office, which has it HQ in Missoula; got a few new maps for later parts of the ride. And then in the evening went to see a rodeo, which was truly a cultural experience, from everyone’s cowboy attire to fried food to the rodeo itself. There were three events: first, a cowboy had to ride a wild horse, then there was lassoing for a steer (young bull) and then steer wrestling, which is where a cowboy jumps from his horse and wrestles a steer to the ground by twisting its neck. Bizarre. The rodeo was delayed for an hour and a half because of a storm and chances of lightening. There was not much rain, but the wind kicked up some serious dust. Billows of dust rolled in from the plains. I had a huckleberry pie, baklava and stopped by an ice cream place on the way home for some green-tea flavored ice-cream. Got up in the morning, did some more laundry, packed and left Missoula around 10:30am (but not without having some huckleberry smoothie). Now I’m in some forest, and then tmrw I will tackle Lola pass, which is the border between Montana and Idaho.
Aug. 11th – Downhill
Dispatch from the town of Powell, ID, which is on Pacific time! Today I cross from MT to ID over Lola pass, which was not too bad. I was preparing myself for something more exhausting, but it was only a vertical climb of 700 ft over 5 miles. Not bad, although I did use my ‘granny’ gear for a bit. After the pass, the fun part began. I started going downhill and did not level out probably until 80 miles later! Wow! Almost the entire day of riding downhill. Just incredible. So I rode for 85 miles, with the average speed of 15 miles/hr – my highest daily average on this trip so far. The terrain around me was spectacular. I was in a river valley with coniferous forested mountains on both sides. Fresh air with the scent of cedar. River snaking its way through the valley. I enjoyed this day very much.
August 14th – Lewis and Clark State Park, Wash
I descend into Lewiston, ID (right on the border with Washington state) and all of a sudden find myself in a drastically different environment than the one I had been riding the two days prior. I’ve been descending for good 3 days now, and have lost a lot of elevation. From green, cool mountains to oven hot, semi-arid desert. In Lewiston, the temperatures soared to almost a 100 degrees, making it impossible to bike in the afternoons. So, yesterday I was up at 5:30 to start the trip with the sunrise. Tmrw I’m thinking of getting up at 4am so that I can finish by noon, otherwise the heat become unbearable.
I crossed into Washington state and have been riding in the desert-like environment (southeastern corner) for the past 2 days. Climbed 2 enormous hills. Went over a pass today (Alpowa Summit) and the flew down the longest hill since Glacier. The 2nd hill, however, was in the later part of the day and, boy, was it tough! It was hot! My energies were low, even my water was low. Trucks were zooming by me.
Met a French guy going the same direction. We had lunch in Dayton, WA. He then pushed on to Wala Wala and I stayed behind because the heat is just too much.
August 14th – Lewis and Clark Expedition. Camp Canoe
For some time now I have been following almost the exact route that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark took while exploring the western US in the early 1800s. And last night I wild camped at “Camp Canoe” historical site right by the river. I remember sitting by the river sipping my green tea with blackberries and looking over to the other bank and imagining that this where Lewis was looking at too some 2 centuries ago. Unfortunately, now the opposite bank had a fisheries and other industrial complexes, which makes for a very different vista.
The next day I camped at Chief Timothy city park. I arrived late took a shower, got up early and left without paying the outrageous $23 dollar site fee. Here, at Lewis&Clark park I didn’t mind paying the $12 dollar fee because there was a specific biker/hiker site.
August 22nd – On Columbia River… by Jones Beach, OR
I’m about 40 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Tmrw I will have officially crossed the US by bike and train. Last 2.5 days I spent in Portland. Impressive, bike-friendly city. Re-connected with an old college friend Jordana. And coincidentally met up with Tim Larson who was in town for a trade show.
Today, on my way to Astoria, I spontaneously decided to turn off rt 30 and head to Jones Beach on Columbia river, which was impressive – expansive plot of sandy beach right by the river. I didn’t find a nice place to came there and instead decided to trespass and camp a little further down the river. I carried my bike and pannier over a small, barbed wire fence, set up my tent down by a small river embankment behind a stack of hey. Went for a swim, made some dinner and tea. All was well, until well after dusk as I was preparing to call it a night, I saw headlights and the sound of a truck pulling in. Someone walked out. Then a couple of minutes later, the engine started and the truck was gone. My heart was pumping so hard I thought it was going to explode. I was out at the daybreak, without the best night sleep.
August 23rd – Cape Disappointment State Park, WA
Left early from my hide out spot by the Columbia River and set off in high spirits – this was the day I was suppose to reach the Pacific Ocean, although not the end of the trip, but symbolically momentous. Had lunch in the town of Astoria and then crossed a gigantic bridge over the Columbia river to enter, once again, into the state of Washington. The bridge was under construction and I had to let all the traffic pass and then was allowed to go. Cars behind me were stopped and the opposite traffic began moving, which means I had plenty of time to get off the bridge – a good thing, because there was literally no shoulder for biking. It took a good day to get to the campsite. I remember picking up a cigar on the way to celebrate this occasion. True to its name, the park was a disappointment, but only in that the weather prevented me from heading over to the beach and paying homage to the ocean. Drizzle turned into a steady shower and kept me inside the tent well after the sunset. At dusk, when the rain finally abated, I wandered to a small bay (but not the view of the ocean as I hoped) and lit my cigar. The bay was strewn with deadwood and had an ancient, still sense about it. I was in contemplative mood, trying to absorb the magnitude of the trip. The cigar was disgusting and gave me a nauseating aftertaste that didn’t want to go away. Celebration will have to wait another day.
August 24th – KOA camp near South Bend, WA
Today I only went for about 45 miles. After 2.5 months of almost continuous cycling the physical exhaustion is taking its toll, and the closer I get to the finish line the lazier I get about the long days of cycling.
August 25th – Grayland Beach State Park, WA
Leaving South Bend I was cycling by Willapa river, famed to have some of the best oysters in the northwest. I slurped half a dozen of enormous mollusks for only 2 bucks.
I arrived at Grayland campsite around 4pm. Quick shower and off to the local bar (see pic) for celebratory dinner – burger, fries and beers – cravings satisfied. Then, finally, to the shores of the Pacific Ocean to salute the parting sun and set foot at the end of the continent, a symbolic end to the journey.
August 26th – Sylvia Lake, Montesano, WA
Only 35 miles from Grayland I pull into this state park. The weather looks ominous and it rained several time already. The camp ranger presciently suggests I put up my tent in a pavilion by the lake to avoid getting soaked. I oblige and as soon as the tent goes up, it begins pouring. Thank you, camp ranger. The sound ofrain drops lull me to sleep
August 27th Camp Bishop YMCA, Lost Lake (Shelton, WA)
I am ahead of schedule by 3 days, so I decide to break my final approach to Seattle into several days. Really taking it easy this time. After a little over 30 miles of riding I spot a sign for a YMCA camp and veer off to explore. I lucked out and the camp is completely empty, probably a few such days during the entire summer. The camp manager was at first reluctant to let me stay, but after learning that I made it that far from the east coast, relented and even decided not to charge me for the stay. We ended up chatting for hours about the story of the camp and his retirement plans. I ended up falling asleep on a very comfortable couch in the lounge, instead of my tent.
August 28th – Seattle, WA
Mission accomplished!
Seattle was the final stop for my pedaling adventure, but the trip wasn’t over yet. I had to make it to Alaska. The best way to experience the remarkable beauty of this coast is via a three-day ferry, which takes you through the waterways -- known as the Inside Passage -- dotted with lush, green islands, bounded by towering mountains and teeming with dolphins, whales and bold eagles. It was a great way to conclude this memorable journey, and just in time for the final fund-raiser in Juneau.
August 28 – September 6 – hanging out in Seattle, WA.
Ikirwa Fundraiser.
Sold my bike. L
Drastically increased calorie intake.
Bought ferry tickets to Alaska
September 6-9
Alaska Marine Highway: Bellingham, WA to Juneau, AK
Sept 10-30 – Alaska
Exploring southeastern Alaska: Juneau, Sitka, Haines. Hiking, glaciers, totem poles and Alaskan Amber…
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