Day 92, August 20^th, Anacortes, WA to Edmonds, WA.  I was wrong to make a big deal yesterday about finishing the tour.  Today I rode to Edmonds to meet my relatives, Sherm and Mary Williamson and it turned out to be one tough ride.  Sherm and I talked and agreed that I would ride to Kingston, WA and catch the ferry to Edmonds.  It was cool and cloudy in Anacortes this morning.  I found a café for breakfast about 6am and got on the road by 7:15.  After riding out of town, I began the series of climbs that would last all day.  The islands of the Puget Sound area are NOT FLAT.  I crossed Fidalgo island and went across a very high bridge across Deception Pass, a narrow strip of water between Fidalgo and Whidbey islands.  The tide was flowing out at a very fast pace and there were many whirlpools.  The route across Whidbey island started out okay but then the Adventure Cycling route took me out along the shore.  Did I mention that the islands were NOT FLAT?  The climbs up onto the bluffs were some of the hardest of the entire trip.  The scenery was great but I am not sure worth the effort.  I finally made it to Coupeville for a snack of coffee and a Danish.  It warmed up some, but was still cool near the water.  It was a short ride to the first of 2 ferry rides over to Port Townsend.  Coming off the ferry, I was faced with more climbs across the Upper Olympic Peninsula.  I decided to take the most direct route but I still had to push pretty hard to get to Kingston by about 4 pm.  I did cross a huge bridge across the Hood Canal with 4 separate draw-bridge sections.  Traffic was very heavy and I couldn’t stop for pictures.  On the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds I met 5 women from Mount Lebanon, PA, in town for a reunion.  All had graduated from Mount Lebanon HS which is an adjacent town to my home town of Carnegie.  I had estimated the mileage to be about 50 Arba-miles and true to form, mileage for the day was a little more at 75.11.  I am NOW AT THE END!       

Day 91, August 19^th, Sedro-Woolley, WA to Anacortes, WA.  The day is finally here for the last few miles to the Pacific Ocean.  The day dawned overcast and a light rain or mist was falling as I left Sedro-Woolley.  Tom and Paula are also finishing their ride today and Tom was not interested in the winding Adventure Cycling route.  He and Paula just headed off down Route 20 toward the goal.  I wasn’t arguing and followed along.  The route was flat and we pedaled straight through to Anacortes.  We could smell the ocean about halfway to Anacortes.  We crossed the Twin Bridges to Fidalgo Island and into Anacortes.  We took the Tommy Thompson Bike Trail across Fidalgo Bay and then headed to the west end of the island to Washington Park.  This is the official end of the Northern Tier Route and we dipped our wheels in the Puget Sound.  It has been quite a ride of over 4300 miles, 12 states, and a lot of beautiful scenery.  I am thankful to many for their prayers, words of encouragement, companionship for part of the ride, and all those who allowed me to realize my dream.  My special love and thanks to Cindy for her love and support through the whole trip.  Tomorrow I head for Seattle, link with my cousin Sherm and family, and send the gear home.  Mileage for today was 31.49.      

San Juan Islands

Across the straight to Anacortes. (old railroad bridge)

Day 90, August 18^th, Newhalem Campground to Sedro-Woolley, WA.  We were up early and on the road before it was fully light in the valley.  The sun was hitting the tops of the Cascade peaks, some with snow, but the valley was still just getting light.  We headed down the Skagit River valley in the cool.  It was mostly downhill and we made great time to Marblemount and breakfast.  We were all hungry since we have been eating snack and camping food for 2 days.  After breakfast we took the Adventure Cycling route off Route 20 which was a quiet back road down the valley.  We rolled back on the route at Rockport and kept going to the town of Concrete (formerly Cement City).  It turned out to be “Cascade Days” in Concrete, their annual community celebration.  There was a parade and booths to catch some food.  I had a Root Beer Float for the first time in ages.  Yum!  We stayed about an hour in Concrete and then headed toward Sedro-Woolley.  The wind picked up out of the southwest and made the ride harder than we wanted, but we kept pushing along.  About 2pm, we all got hungry and decided to stop for a late lunch/early dinner.  Sedro-Woolley was only about 8 miles away, so we rolled in about 4pm.  It was time for my first shower in 3 days and to rinse out some riding clothes.  Tomorrow is the LAST day on the trek.  Anacortes, WA, is only 30 miles away.  Mileage for the day was 60.58.

Day 89, August 17^th, Lone Fir Campground (on the Washington Pass) to Newhalem, WA.  We broke camp about 6am, I ate some Pop Tarts, and we headed up the road toward Washington Pass.  The morning was still and cool and as we rode up the hill the view of the big mountains was absolutely stunning.  We stopped a lot for pictures which made the ride a series of short stretches and not hard.  There was a sharp switch back at about 5 miles which had a steeper grade but short.  After another mile we made the summit of Washington Pass at 5,477 feet.  We had about a 4 mile steep downhill and then a short easy up to Rainy Pass at 4,855 feet.  Two passes in one day!  After Rainy Pass, it was downhill for almost 24 miles.  The vistas just kept coming and after a while I stopped trying to take pictures.  There were many peaks with snow or mini-glaciers all at about 10,000 feet.  We ended at the beginning of the Skagit River valley which was damed in the early 1900s to provide electricity to Seattle.  We crossed the lake and rode down a the very narrow river gorge to the town of Newhalem.  The gorge had no water at this time of year because all water is diverted to a pipe to feed the Generating Station in Newhalem.  Newhalem was created along with the town of Diablo as worker camps and then evolved into company towns that continue today for Seattle City Lights workers in the area.  We were starving when we got to Newhalem and got some lunch at the Company Store.  It was already 2:30 and like the rest of the USA, the Northwest is experiencing heat.  It was supposed to be in the 70s but was probably close to 95.  Although I wanted to push on and get to the finish earlier, the heat and the wind in my face convinced me to stay with Tom and Paula.  We found another National Park Service campground and settled in.  Paula had purchased a couple of beers and that made the campground option sooooo much better.  Tom and I went to the Skagit River which was running very fast and washed off the sweat.  We hung out for an hour or two and it was time for sleep.  Mileage for the day was 51.11.

Diablo Lake and Dam

Day 88, August 16^th, Winthrop, WA to Lone Fir Campground (about ¾ of the way up Washington Pass).  I was back on the road today headed up Washington Pass.  I am still riding with Tom and Paula and we left the hotel early and found a breakfast place in Winthrop.  We headed up the Methow Valley with mountains on both sides.  It was a very scenic ride again today.  It seems like am repeating myself but it was beautiful.  The first stop was the little hamlet of Mazama at the base of the climb.  We stopped for another snack.  I had a cranberry-peach muffin and some more coffee to bolster me for the climb.  We headed up the North Cascades Scenic Highway.  The climb was tough for the first part and then flattened out for several miles.  Before we knew it we were at Lone Fir Campground before noon.  It is a lovely spot and we just sat around for the rest of the day.  Tom has complained about carrying a lot of stuff and now I know why.  He has 2 tents, 2 stoves, cooking gear, and a lot of food.  Tom cooked an early dinner for all of us.  We did a short hike late in the afternoon and then all headed to their tents.  Mileage for the day was 27.48.

Day 87, August 15^th, Rest day in Winthrop, WA.  It felt great to sleep in this morning.  I didn’t rise till about 7:30.  Dallied over breakfast in the motel and then rode about 1 mile to the bike shop.  I got a new back tire and then explored Winthrop.  Winthrop is a little town that time forgot.  I suspect it was like Williamsburg.  Most of the buildings look very old probably dating from the late 1800s or early 1900.  They are all wooden and there is a wooden, covered walkway on both sides of the street.  There are many restaurants and small shops catering to tourists who come for the hiking, mountain bike trails, and trout fishing in the Methow River.  I stopped at a coffee shop and decided to have one of their cinnamon rolls.  The roll was about as big as my bike helmet so I called it lunch.  The rest of the day was devoted to resting.  Tomorrow I head up Washington Pass at 5500+ feet.  I think we are going to halfway up and camp on the mountain which will be a new experience for me.  The next day we will go over the pass and down toward through the Cascades. 

Day 86, August 14^th, Omak, WA to Winthrop, WA.  This was the 3^rd day in a row with a big climb.  Today was the Loup Loup Pass.  I got an early start with Tom and Paula, but the day was already warm in the Okanogan River valley.  We gave up all the elevation from yesterday and left Omak at about 1000 feet.  The route followed the river to the county seat of Okanogan which had an interesting Court House building.  The area is very dry but everything gets irrigated so there is a stark contrast of brown hills and green fields.  The area is also filled with orchards and we stopped for some cherries for lunch.  The route then turned up toward the pass and the climb was quite steep for a couple of miles.  We pass other orchards and one of the workers gave us some peaches.  Every time the road seemed to be ready to level out, we turned a corner and climbed some more.  About halfway up, we lost most of our elevation gain on a big downhill to Loup Loup Creek.  It was back to the climbing.  We finally reached the pass at the 27 mile mark.  It was warm but not hot, but we were all pretty tired.  The downhill to the next town, Twisp, was very steep and lasted 11 miles.  As we descended, a blast of hot air hit us.  It was almost 100 degrees in the valley.  We ate lunch in Twisp and then road the last 10 miles to Winthrop and a motel to get out of the heat.  There is a green wear strip showing on my back tire so I am going to take a day off and visit a bike shop in town to get a new tire.  The tire lasted from Washington DC so it has probably 4000 miles on it.  Next on the route is Washington Pass at over 5500 feet.  The weather on the other side of the Cascades will be cooler.  Mileage for the day was 48.27.

View on the way down to Twisp.  Ahead is the North Cascades area.

Day 85, August 13^th, Republic, WA to Omak, WA.   We were up again before the sun to be able to get as many miles before the heat hit.  We left Republic, a town that has several buildings from its early times, and set out toward Wauconda Pass at 4310 feet.  We followed Granite Creek up to the pass, which was not a bad climb.  Along the way, we passed the original site of the town of Wauconda (named for Wauconda IL) where the Hedge brothers discovered gold.  The gold ran out so the inhabitants moved the town to the other side of the pass.  We ate breakfast in Wauconda which consists of one café/bar.  The next part of the ride was terrific.  It was downhill again for 25 miles and quite a steep grade (5-6%) for a lot of the ride.  I was grateful to be going west and not east again.  We took a short break in Tonasket about noon and the heat came on in full force.  The forecast was to be close to 100 degrees.  The terrain of this area of Washington was very different; very desert-like but with a green area close to the Okanogan River.  There were sprinklers watering everything from front yards to pasture land to orchards.  We headed to Omak and did about 20 miles in the heat with no shade opportunities.  The route along the river was flat and we made good time.  We planned to go another 3 miles to Okanogan but gave up at the first hotel.  Omak had their 97^th annual “Stampede” this last weekend, but all the visitors are gone.  Tomorrow is another pass, named Loup Loup, at 4020 feet.  Mileage for the day was 64.83.    

Day 84, August 12^th, Kettle Falls, WA to Republic, WA.  I was up early to start before the day got hot.  Forecast was another day above 95 degrees.  Tom and Paula (the couple I met yesterday) left before 6am but let me know that I would catch them on the route up Sherman Pass.  I headed out and crossed the Columbia River and started up toward the pass.  I did catch up with Tom and Paula and settled into their pace.  Paula rides quite slowly up the hill and I was worried it would not be for me.  I found the pace quite nice and I was able to ride all the way up the pass with not much trouble.  For Dave Stoakley and Mike Fore, the Skyline Drive was tougher.  The grade from the east up Sherman Pass was not steep, just long and unrelenting.  We just kept a steady 4-6 mph pace all the way up.  I am very grateful to Tom and Paula to have invited me to join them.  I would have pushed much harder early in the climb and probably have worn out before the top.  We stopped frequently and made the Sherman Pass Overlook for a lunch break of bagels with peanut butter and apples.  The pass summit was another mile.  We crested and had an 18 mile downhill ride to Republic.  Tomorrow is another pass (Waconda) with a longer ride after the pass to get ready for the next climb.  Tom and Paula and I agree to ride together again.   They have been on the road since leaving May 7^th from Cleveland.  I am very encouraged about the day and looking forward to the rest of the ride.  Mileage for the day was 44.25.   

Day 83, August 11^th, Beaver Lodge Resort to Kettle Falls, WA.  Today was a planned easier day so I could hit Sherman Pass in the morning when it is cool.  I slept a little late but when camping as soon as it gets light, I am awake and ready to go.  I broke camp, packed the bike, and went to the lodge for breakfast.  Unfortunately or fortunately, the lodge did not open until 8am.  I sat in the sun at the lake front for about 40 minutes.  I saw a hummingbird and several ducks as well as the mist on the lake rising in the morning sun.  It was a very calming time.  We all should spend more time just taking in God’s creation.  It is so amazing how it all works together and is just stupendous (for Lauren and AG!).  While at breakfast, a couple I saw yesterday in Ione, WA came in for a meal.  Tom and Paula are also headed for Anacortes following their own route, but are on the Northern Tier for the last section.   Tom has ridden to Alaska but this is Paula’s first long tour.  I took off by myself toward Kettle Falls, WA along Washington Route 2.  It was a beautiful ride in the forest for the first part and Wilma and I stopped at a Crystal Falls along the way.  It was mostly downhill but the west wind made me pedal going down.  My first stop was Colville, WA, for something cold to drink.  I met another cyclist, Rick, who has done several long tours.  He gave me some encouragement for the climbs to come.  I headed on to Kettle Falls.  The area got much dryer with dry grass on the hills.  I also saw maybe the last Drive-In-Movie operating in the USA.  I stopped for lunch in Kettle Falls and when I left the restaurant, it had gotten plenty hot.  I had thoughts of going on ahead to a camping site but found a motel room at the same motel that Tom and Paula had mentioned.  I met them coming in about 2pm and we agreed to meet at 6am to ride together up Sherman Pass.  Mileage for the day was 38.11.    

  Day 82, August 10^th, Skookum Creek Campground to Beaver Lodge Resort and Campground (on the road to Colville, WA.  I dallied in the campground this morning.  It was cool and sleeping bag was toasty.  At 6:30, I finally started moving and I was on the road by 8.  The tent was very wet with dew and condensation underneath the rain fly.  I laid everything out in the sun and got it partially dry.  The route continued along the Pend Oreille River and was scenic as all the rides seem to be in this section.  The good part about the ride was that it was mainly flat and cool.  I rode the 4 miles to Usk, WA for breakfast but the only café was closed on Fridays.  I had some coffee and met 2 brothers vacationing in the area.  Duffy and Rick and I had a great conversation about Minnesota, truck driving, and real estate.  I headed toward Ione, WA about 35 miles away.  I had a pop tart and a granola bar to keep me going.  It was smooth to Ione but none of the restaurants were open on Friday.  I had a burger at the supermarket/hardware/clothes store.  After lunch, it got hot and I had the tough part of the ride in front of me.  The road from Ione to Colville starts with a 6-7 mile climb and there was very little shade.  I had many second thoughts during the climb about the rest of the ride, but the top finally arrived and it was downhill all the way to the campground.  Note to self: PLAN THE CLIMBS FOR THE MORNING WHEN IT IS COOL!  The Beaver Lodge Resort has was started in 1948 when the road was not even paved out of Colville.  It has survived for many years and many owners.  The view from the dining is wonderful and tonight there is a Blue Grass Trio playing.  This is for Lew Goodman.  I had a smoked Prime Rib wrapped in bacon for dinner.  They used burgundy wine and some secret ingredients for 12 hours of smoking.  This overnight stay was quite a find.  Tomorrow looks easy and then on to Sherman Pass.  Mileage for the day was 55.70.

Day 81, August 9^th, Sandpoint, ID to almost Usk, WA.  I moved into the Pacific  Time Zone and so I was awake early.  I delayed as long as I could and got up and put on my new front tire.  I watched the Today Show for a little while, at breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and packed everything.  I finally decided to get on the road about 9:30.  The route took me through downtown Sandpoint, a very nice town with lots of shops and restaurants.  There is plenty to do on the lake and a ski resort not far away.  There route took a 8 mile bike path south along U.S. Route 95 and then turned west up through a canyon to link with the Pend Oreille River.  I followed the river for most of the day.  There are many vacation homes on both sides as well as permanent residents.  It’s hard to tell  because many are around for the summer.  I don’t know how many stay all year.  I took it slow after yesterday’s push to get to Sandpoint to fix my tire problem.  My first stop was in Oldtown, ID which borders Newport, WA for lunch.  I decided to use my camping gear tonight and went about 15 miles further along the river to a Washington Dept of Natural Resources camping area, Skookum Creek.  It is primitive but has water.  Skookum Creek flows right passed my camp site.  Two Great Blue Herons flew in to feed, some Cedar Wax Wings have flown in for some berries, and a small brown squirrel with a white belly has been climbing some very tall pine trees to get pine cones. Mileage for the day was 51.32.  

Day 80, August 8^th, Libby, MT to Sand Point, ID.  It seems unreal that I have been at this quest for 80 days!  I was awake and ready to go today.  My plan was to make it to Clark Fork, ID to be close to Sand Point to make a stop at a bicycle shop.  The rubber on my front tire has begun to separate from the tire.  I think all the rocks and gravel have taken a toll on the tire.  Still, I believe I have gotten 5000 to 6000 miles on the tire.  I got on the road, U.S. Route 2 going north from Libby following the Kootenai River and the BNSF railroad.  It was cool and the ride was just spectacular.  I saw a freight and the AMTRAK Empire Builder heading east.   The ride was mostly downhill and the Kootenai River goes through a gorge and over a falls.   I made great time to the first turn at 15 miles.  Route 56 starts with an uphill but then drops through a valley following the Bull River.  It was almost 40 miles of mostly downhill through the Cabinet Mountains, one of the last habitats of the Grizzly Bear.  Unfortunately, there are only about 15 Grizzly Bears left in the Cabinet Mountains Wildlife Area.  I saw many deer but no bear.  I made 51 miles by noon!  After lunch, I headed for Clark Fork where the problems began. First, I crossed into Idaho and gained an hour, so I started thinking I should keep going.  Then I couldn’t find a campground or motel in Clark Fork.  I moved on to New Hope, ID, but missed a turn and went passed all the campgrounds.  At this point I decided to make a run for Sandpoint some 20 miles away.  Lucky for me the wind was out of the south and I had a tail wind.  The route followed the shore of Lake Pend Oreille, a large lake but just the remnant of a huge lake formed by glaciers.   I rolled into Sandpoint following the Adventure Cycling Route which took me passed my motel and I had to back track.  Along the way, I found a bike shop and purchased a new tire.  I am ahead of schedule so I plan to sleep in, change my tire and do a short day tomorrow.  Mileage was way more than planned at 99.42.      

Kootenai River Valley

Day 79, August 7^th, Eureka, MT to Libby, MT.  I was up and ready to go this morning hoping to beat the heat.  The forecast was for temps well over 90.  The local station just confirmed the temps were over 100.  The motel/gas station/convenience store/Subway didn’t open until 6:30.  I got a free coffee, ate a pop tart and headed out.  The morning was cool but I shed my vest very quickly.  The route followed the Koocanusa Lake, a manmade lake stretching from the Libby Dam into Canada.  I hit the lake road at the 5 mile mark and got to the dam at mile 52.  I checked the web and the official length of the lake is 90 miles.  The dam was built in 1972.  It was a scenic ride.  The lake is bordered by mountains that go straight up to 5-6 feet on both sides.  The road was fairly flat but there were enough plenty of hills that wore me out.  Three deer and a Big Horned Sheep ran across the road no more than 30 yards in front of me.  On both occasions I was unable to get my camera out fast enough for a shot.  I stopped at the Koocanusa Campground and Marina for lunch.  It is a beautiful spot on one of the side inlets from the lake.  Just below the dam, the route switched to an old haul road for lumber and for the dam.  It was parallel to the railroad, but no trains.  Coming into Libby was a typical scene of a small Montana Valley in this area.  I opted for another motel (surprise) due to the heat (camping is no fun at 95-100 degrees).  Tomorrow I will get to Idaho.  Mileage for the day was 70.72.   

Bridge across the reservoir about 30 miles from the dam

Wilma liked the ride today!

Coming into Libby.

Day 78, August 6^th, Whitefish, MT to Eureka, MT.  It was a slow start to the day.  I had to pick up my bike from Glacier Cyclery and the store didn’t open until 9am.  After getting my bike, I spent a while repacking all the gear into the panniers.  I decided to ship a couple of things home when I found the Glacier National Park Hiking Guide, so a quick stop at the Post Office was in order.  I got on the road about 10am.  It was finally good to get back on the road knowing this is the last leg of the journey.  Route 93, North was fairly flat and except for the first mile out of Whitefish had a good shoulder and not much traffic.  The scenery was beautiful and the route followed a valley through the mountains.  The mountains are not as high as Glacier and mostly forested.  I passed through some horse ranch areas as well as Dickey Lake area, which appeared to be a resort area.  There were a couple of showers in the afternoon to the east with some lightening, but I only got a spit of rain.  Rolled into Eureka about 4:30 and found the Ksanka Motel, an older motel but very nice.  The restaurant across the road was surprisingly good.  I plan a early start tomorrow to Libby, MT.  Mileage for the day was 63.93.