Day Fifty-nine (57.5 miles, 2767.3 total): Old Faces, New Places

6:00AM. I am already awake, staring at the ceiling, when my alarm finally goes off. I quickly shut it off and slip out from between the covers. Ella stretches out and rolls around the bed. Nothing was really unpacked, so I take a shower and quickly get dressed for the day. By 6:35AM, I am out the door and on the road again. I pedal down the sleepy streets of Missoula, making my way past the dark windows of closed stores and early morning joggers. The occasional local coffee shop sits open with short lines of regular customers on their way to work. The sun hides its bright face behind the early morning curtain of fog and clouds. At the edge of town, I stop at Starbucks for breakfast (giftcards, thank you!). I take my time and enjoy my breakfast sandwich and extra hot mocha. When I am finally finished, I slip back on the Land Yacht with Ella at the Helm. By the time we reach the main drag of highway, the wind has picked up considerably.

I power through the wind and slowly work my way around the curve of the mountains. The roads are filled with construction traffic and I slip between the neon orange cones to create my own bike lane. Leaving the last of the farmland behind, I worked my way up into the winding roads of the foothills. I made a push up one last big hill before I arrived in the small town of Lolo. Once again, every other store was some kind of casino or lottery vendor. I stopped in a gas station to fill up my water bottles with ice cold water before heading into the mountains.

I made my way through a pretty level stretch of forest, towering trees lined either side of the narrow road. The forest looked as though it had been recently burned, but the homes nestled within, looked like they could have been 30 years old. I realized that the forest fire must have happened before the homes were built and the damage just became apart of the new growth. As I cruised my way out of the burned forest, I spotted a few cyclist about a quarter mile ahead of me. I worked my way through the winding road to catch up with them. A few miles passed, before I was finally able to catch up with them. As it turns out, it's the same cyclists I had run into back in Yellowstone at Old Faithful! I didn't think I would ever see them again with my multi-day detour! We road along together all the way to Lolo Hot Springs. They stopped at the Hot Springs to check it out, but I headed on unwilling to pay the entry fee.

As soon as I passed the Hot Springs, the headwinds I had been fighting, doubled. It was like riding against a brick wall as I struggled up the mountain. There wasn't much shoulder to ride on, so I had to keep a close eye on traffic as I worked my way up Lolo Pass. I dropped into my granny gear and crawled against the wind. Mile after mile slowly passed by while I worked to reach the top. The crawling wasn't so bad because of the absolutely beautiful scenery all around me. Towering trees and trickling brooks distracted me from the constant struggle against the prevailing winds.

At last, as I climbed the final stretch to the top, I crossed the Missouri/Idaho border. I stopped for my obligatory picture, almost wiping out in the process, before cruising to the top and into the Lolo Pass Visitors Center. Relaxing out front, the other cyclists finally caught up with me and we all went inside to enjoy complimentary hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. Lolo Pass Visitor's Center is by far the most spectacular and welcoming State Park Visitor's Center I have ever been in.

We all stayed for about an hour or so to recover from the wind and the climb. The rangers let us know that no cell provider had signal for the next 107 miles to Kooskia. They provided cyclists with a WiFi password so we could contact friends/family before we made the 107 mile trek to Kooskia. I talked to my mom for a while and then headed back down the road. Fortunately for us, the next 107 miles were either all downhill or level ground. It was a major stroke of luck and I was ready to bomb it and make it to Kooskia in two days.

I started my charge down the mountain, quickly reaching 35mph+ whipping around every corner and leaning over every straight away. I was making great progress until the winds hit. I went from 37mph to 6mph in one single gust of wind. I felt utterly defeated. It was a contest just to keep a steady 11mph as I powered my way down the mountain. All downhill and I could only reach 11mph, how sad is that?? On the plus side, Idaho is one of the most beautiful pristine states I have even seen, especially the Clearwater State Park. I cruised next to the Clearwater River for the rest of the day. On my way down the mountain, I rode right into a forest of Giant Cedar trees. They were absolute beasts of trees, some had to be a good 8-10ft in diameter. It was a stunning sight to see.

When I reached Lochsa Lodge, I followed the road around back into the state park to camp for the evening. The Adventure Cycling group also happened to be in the same park and invited me to stay with them. It was a blast hanging out with my new friends. I got a sweet campsite and they invited me to dinner that night as well. They were an awesome group of people and I was glad to have met up with them. I spent the evening talking with everyone in the group and hiding from the rain under a massive fold out gazebo. When the sun finally set beyond the mountains and the dark veil of night filled the sky, I crawled into my tent, buried myself into my sleeping bag and went to sleep. I hope you are enjoying our adventures and continue to follow us as we head for the Left Coast!

Day Fifty-eight (88 miles, 2709.8 total): How Much Does That Weigh Again?

RING! RING! RI-- I find my phone and shut of the incessant ringing. 6:00AM. I groan and unhappily pull myself out of my sleeping bag into into the morning air. It's a cool, dark, brisk morning. Not a ray of sun is penetrating the infinite veil of grey. Ella marches around me as I take down camp and pack up the panniers. After quickly getting ready for the day, I load Ella up into her Captains Chair and we set off down the road. I know it's going to be a long day, so oatmeal isn't going to cut it and I pull into McDonald's. Once I had gorged myself on a McGriddle and Mocha, I lazily hopped back onto the bike and pedaled on down the highway.

A heavy presence in the air told me rain was coming, so I rode on as fast as I could to avoid being caught in a storm. My morning was spent racing through the winding highway in hopes of out running any chance of rain. My efforts proved fruitless, as the rain came shuddering down. I pulled over and slip the rain covers over my panniers, Ella's cover over her basket, and finally slipped on my own rain gear. The rain continued to sputter on and off as I bolted down the road. I had a wide shoulder, wind to my back and barely an ounce of traffic to bother me. Late into the morning, the sun finally began to slowly break through the dark mass of clouds. A few more miles, I had finally reached the break in the weather and packed away my rain gear.

The roads are littered with debris; glass, metal, tires, plastic, trash, and other collections of waste. I watched every move of my bike crisscrossing the field of garbage in hopes of avoiding a flat tire. The piles of glass, stray bits of metal, and shredded tires seemed to never end. The day was growing hotter and hotter as I pushed on through the desert hills. I had to keep Ella cool by pouring water on her as I pushed on. Ella would always shake out after I poured water on her and she would effectively create a cool mist.

About 20 miles outside of Missoula, the winds betrayed me and flipped around. I had to work twice as hard to keep any speed I did have. On and on, I kept pedaling toward my destination in the now brutal heat of the afternoon. The sun beat down on me, cooking my back and heating the road. No amount of water could rid me of the searing heat. I created a sun shield for Ella, trying my best to keep her cool. Exhausted, dehydrated, and hungry, I pushed on in hopes of ice cold water and shade in Missoula.

Five miles from my destination, a hiss reached my ears, then my bike began to rumble. My tube had popped in the heat of the day and the debris filled roads probably didn't help either. Annoyed I clambered off my bike, unloaded my gear, and proceeded to deal with the problem. My tire had a long piece of metal buried deep into the rubber. I pulled out the culprit and swiftly installed a new tube. Once my tire was pumped and ready to go, I hauled myself back onto the bike and struggled on against the wind and the heat. Over half an hour later, I finally reached Missoula.

My first stop was the Adventure Cycling Association Headquarters. The old Church styled building was shining in a new coat of white paint, on the corner of a beautiful, green old town street. The staff was more than welcoming when I walked in. They allowed Ella to come in and gave us a full tour of the entire building. We had our picture taken and added to the wall of cyclists who had passed through. After the tour, I hung out in the Cyclist's Lounge, where I enjoyed ice cold water and ice cream. The Co-Founder came out and interviewed me on my trip, before taking us out to the back of the building to take a few black & white film photos of me. He has been working on this project for forty years and will be releasing a book next year in honor of the 40th anniversary of the TransAm Bike Route.

After take photos, they had me guess the weight of my bike, before weighing the whole rig on a hook. I guessed a reasonable 85lbs when I lifted my bike up into the air. Boy, was I wrong! After seeing the shocked look on everyone's face, they told me my bike weighed a whopping 131lbs! One Hundred and Thirty One Pounds! That's insane! I knew I was carrying a lot, but not that much!

Before I left, I picked up a few maps for the West Coast in the ACA store. My next order of business was finding a place to stay for the evening. After searching and asking around, I realized there were no places to camp anywhere near Missoula for a reasonable price. I ended up using a cyclist discount and staying at the Bel-Air Hotel, a cheap motel in the center of town. After sneaking Ella into the hotel and settling in, I took my unloaded bike and went to pick up some Subway. Thank goodness for Subway gift cards and all who send them to me, I am so grateful! Back in my room for the evening, I devoured my sandwich and relaxed. The rest of the evening was spent writing and uploading my photos from the previous week. By 11:00PM, I was absolutely exhausted and finally crashed for the night. Thank you all of your support on our trip and we hope you continue to follow us as we head into Idaho.

Day Fifty-seven (85.1 miles car, 37.3 miles bike, 2621.8 total): Hot Roads and Cinnamon Rolls

6:30AM. My alarm is silently ringing between pillows and the bed. My hand blindly searches until I find the buzzing phone and shut it off. Ella stretches out like a fur scarf and rolls over. I pull myself out of the bed and get dressed for the day. After taking Ella for a walk, I gather up my gear and bring it out front to be loaded up. Shirley is out taking her sister to the airport and won't be back till 7:00AM.

When she returns, I carefully pack my bike and panniers into the trunk of her Honda Civic. It looked like a clown car when I finished; bungee cords holding down the trunk, back wheel hanging out over the bumper. Shirley insisted on driving out to Butte, so I couldn't refuse a lift. First, we stop at an amazing bakery in Three Forks, where I scarf down a giant plate of biscuits and gravy and a cinnamon roll the size of my head, covered in blueberry filling. I couldn't ask for a better way to start my morning.

We finish up breakfast and hop back in the car for the long drive to Butte. When we arrive, it is nothing but blue skies and a blistering sun, viciously heating the asphalt. I say goodbye to Shirley and give her a big hug before I set out down the road. The first thing I noticed about the bustling industrial park of Butte, was that every other building was a miniature casino. Everywhere I turned, cheesy signs flashed for a junky little gas station casino. I pedaled through the odd ball land of sad casinos and run down industrial facilities, till I finally reached the highway.

Despite the sweltering heat beating down against my back, I was moving along fairly quickly. The lush oasis of Wyoming and Paradise Valley were far behind me now. I coursed my way through the heavy traffic back into the desert plains. All around me were rolling hills of dead grass, sage brush, and the occasional patch of farmland. The roads opened up before me and the shoulders grew wide for a comfortable ride. I flew through the hills, a breeze to my back, and tank full of energy. Because of the fortunate lift given to me, I cut a few days off my new route allowing me time to catch back up with my old route. It wasn't long before I reached my exit into Deerlodge, MT.

The quaint little town was filled with strange attractions meant to bring in tourist revenue. Museums, stores, gift shops, novelty stands; all filled with trinkets and bobbles sporting the tiny town of Deerlodge. I made my way through the town until I reached a drive in, where I sat down and ordered a milkshake. A milkshake on a hot summer day is worth more than gold. While I was sitting under the gazebo, the weather took a dramatic turn and the sky filled with rumbling of storm clouds. I left in a hurry to find my campsite for the evening. Fortunately it was fairly close by and I made it before the rain came down.

After paying for my tent site, I sprinted under a pavilion just as the thundering crash of rain came down on the metal roof. The wind picked up and soon the rain was pushing under the extensive pavilion. I had to put on my jacket and rain pants as the rain and wind swirled all around me. From a clear bright sky to a mini monsoon. I waited until there was a lull in the storm and tried to leave the pavilion. As soon as I stepped out from my shelter, the rain came down in full force once again. I waited for about another 45 minutes until the storm finally cut out and I could escape.

My campsite had a thick pine tree where I could put my bike without worry of getting soaked and had a nice flat grassy space for my tent. Once I was set up for the evening, I went to take a shower after a hot day on the road. This campground had the nicest bathrooms I have seen on this entire trip. They were absolutely immaculate. In all honesty, this massive bathroom was nicer and cleaner than most hotels and homes. I was surprised and quite happy with the way things turned out. At last, I settled down and made my dinner for the evening. The rest of the evening was spent strumming my guitar and writing in my notebooks. When the sun finally went down and the mosquitoes came out, Ella jumped into the tent and I slipped into my sleeping bag for the night. Ella and I hope you are enjoying our adventures and continue to follow us as we head for the Idaho Border!

My awesome hostess - Shirley!

Day Fifty-six (59.3 miles - in a car, 2499.4 total): Sleeeeeeeeeep!

Grady and I are up early this morning. We quickly pack up my gear and load it into the back of a Ford Explorer. Ella is hidden in my backpack as we walk in between the car and the cabin. Ella wasn't supposed to be on the ranch all weekend, but we snuck her around in my backpack and kept her a secret. Once we had jammed the car full of gear, we hoped in and headed off for Bozeman.

With Grady at the wheel, we were making great time flying down the highway. The hour and a half trip was cut down to about an hour by the time we finally reached Bozeman. Grady had to work by 11:00AM so we were trying to make the best time possible. I couldn't be more thankful to have a friend like Grady. Grady and I unload my bike and pack the gear onto the racks before walking into the bike shop. I check in my bike for a few tune ups and leave my gear behind the counter. I say goodbye to my best friend and he heads off for the ranch again.

Ella and I walk around downtown Bozeman while I wait for my bike to get done. My dad found me a place to stay in Bozeman, so I really didn't have to go far today! My dad works with a guy named Dave, who's mother-in-law just happens to live in Bozeman. I give Shirley, Dave's mom, a call and make sure it's still alright for me to crash at her house this evening. She is a super sweet lady and has a spare room for me to use. I spend the rest of the morning passing by the downtown shops and boutiques waiting for my bike.

For breakfast, I went to a local organic co-op store and had a great breakfast sandwich and smoothie. By the time I had finished my filling breakfast, the bike shop called me to let me know my bike was done. I head off to the bike shop to pay my bill and pick up all my gear. It doesn't take me long to get out of the shop and back on to the road. Shirley's house is just a mile or so away and it's not long before I arrive.

Shirley is super cool and one of the most active women of her age I had ever met. She was constantly on the go and had tons of energy. We talk for a few hours, before she headed off to a baseball game and I went to sleep. The weekend had finally caught up with me, because I never take naps. When I finally woke up, it was pretty late in the afternoon, almost early evening. I was still tired, so I ordered a pizza and flipped on the TV. I ate the entire pizza by myself I was so hungry. Shirley arrived back at the house around 10:30PM and watched a little bit of the movie I had on. By 11:00PM, I was exhausted and went to bed. It had been a less than productive day, but I got some much needed rest. We hope you are enjoying our adventures and we hope you continue to follow us as we make our way for the coast!

Days 53, 54, 55 (64.8 miles miles, 2440.01 total): A Few Days With My Best Buddy

RING! RING! RI-- I slap my phone off the bedside table and immediately get to packing. Ella is circling my legs as I tip toe back and forth with my panniers. I packed the night before so it doesn't take long to get ready for the day. I step out into the cool morning air and load my bags onto the bike. Ella is excited to go for a ride, so I finally lift her into her Captains Chair and we set off down the road. It's all downhill into Gardiner so I take my time and stop for pictures. When I get into the town of Mammoth, herds of elk are roaming the streets. It was pretty cool to be so close to them as they played together. While I watched, more people came onto the streets and the elk started to move back up the mountain.

I finally decided to move on and ride down the rest of the valley into Gardiner. When I pull into town, my best friend is waiting for me. Grady takes me to breakfast before we somehow manage to jam my bike and all of my gear into a Honda Civic. Soon we are off and headed for Paradise Valley. Five miles up a spine shaking dirt road, we finally arrive at the luxurious Mountain Sky Guest Ranch. Grady introduces me to all of his new co-workers and friends at the ranch. It's great to meet so many new people and have the time to hang out with them. Being on the road, you meet so many people, but only in passing.

The next few days, my best friend takes me around the valley and shows me a ton of new things. We went to the river, explored a few towns, went camping, spent time with friends, and just had a lot of fun. Seeing my best friend has been one of the highlights of my trip. Between school, vacations, and work, I don't get to see my friends very often, so I make the most of it when I can. When the weekend had finally come to a close, Grady got up early and drove me all the way to Bozeman. I honestly don't think I could ask for a better friend. He is as true as they come and there need to be more people like him in the world. After dropping me off at a bike shop, we said goodbye and Grady headed back to the ranch and I went to get my bike repaired. Thanks for a great weekend buddy!

Day Fifty-two (34.5 miles, 2375.3 miles total): The Rider, The Truck, and The Elk

SNIFFSNIFFSNIFF! Ella has her nose pressed to my ear trying to nudge me awake. 7:15AM, I way overslept my alarm this morning and almost jumped straight through the tent. When I finally managed to escape the confines of my tent, I realized that every other cyclist was still out cold in their tents. Must have been a long day for everyone yesterday! Thee weather is absolutely gorgeous and there's not a cloud in sight. I'm in no rush so I waltz on down to the ranger's station, where they have free coffee for cyclists. It was incredibly nice of them to do that for cyclists so I washed all the cups in the sink. When I'm done with my coffee, I head back to my camp and pack up my gear.

A bit chilly, so I keep on my long sleeve for the ride this morning. By 8:15AM, I was back on my bike and headed for Mammoth Hot Springs. My ride is beautiful all morning long as I pedal along side the river. It wasn't long before I was climbing again and packed away my long sleeve. Bright, blue, clear skies and not a chance of rain in sight. I stopped at a long stone wall at the banks of the river for a snack and to take in the scenery. After my quick snack, I started my only big climb of the day. Along the way, cars sped past like I wasn't there and I had to be really careful on the corners.

I pushed on and on up the massive hill. Signs for the Caldera started popping up along the sides of the highway as I pressed on. One driver stopped on the side of the road and got out to take pictures of me! It was really strange because after that, I started to notice more people leaning out windows to take pictures of me and Ella. I finally reached the peak and flew down the other side of the mountain. Lucky for me, traffic lulled as I plummeted down the hill and I was able to take more room on the road. As I raced down into the valley, the road twisted around bend after bend until it finally met the river again. I finally reached the small community of Norris by late morning.

After eating an entire jar of peanut butter, I rode another half mile before I had to hitch a ride in the back of a truck. A guy named Brian and his family picked me up and gave me a ride. The roads had turned from asphalt to dirt and construction debris. It was too dangerous for me to ride my bike over and a ranger had told me not to ride the zone as well. We waited for the guide car for about 45 minutes. Brian got out to walk around and gave me a beer while I chilled in the bed of the truck and played guitar. The guide car finally shows up and we sailed on down the heavily damaged construction zone. The construction filled the road for about twenty miles all the way to Mammoth. Brian drops me off at the Hot Springs and heads off with his family. I cruise my way into town and stop for directions to a local residential area.

I was in my way to meet a friend of Grady's and stay with him for the night. I ended up riding the complete wrong way and down a massive hill. A ranger gave me the correct directions and I started pedaling my way back up the gargantuan hill. As I struggled against the hill and a ridiculous wind, an elk started staring at me and walking right next to me. I could have reached out and grabbed the elk it was so close! I am pretty sure the damn elk was laughing at me as I struggled to breathe.

I finally made it to Grady's friend, Ryan's house. He wasn't home, but he left a set of car keys and left the doors unlocked for me. I was able to take a shower and work on my writing for a bit before he finally arrived home. Ryan and I immediately hit it off then sat and talked for hours. About 10:30PM, Ryan and I went into town for pizza and beer. After scoring a pizza just before the place closed, we head on back to his house. I finish up working on a few photos and bits of writing before I finally call it a night. I had a great day of riding, met some great people, made a new friend, and had a good place to stay for the evening! Ella and I hope you are enjoying our misadventures and continue to follow us as we cross into Montana!

Day Fifty-one (42.8, 2340.8 total): A Blast From The Past

5:30AM. I wake up to the pitter patter of rain falling on my tent. Rain wasn't in the forcast when I had checked the night before! I lie my head back down on my pillow and wait for the rain to pass. Around 6:15AM the rain lightens up and I bolt out of my tent to pack up before it rains again. I rush around shaking out my wet tent, throwing gear into packs, loading everything onto my bike and getting dressed into my cycling clothes. While I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off, Ella is following close behind nipping at my heels. Joel and Keith are still getting ready, so I park my bike under the shelter of the bathroom overhang and make some breakfast. After enjoying some coffee and oatmeal, Joel and I wait for Keith to finish getting ready to go. It's not until 8:15 that Keith is packed and we finally ride out of Grant Village.

It's a cold, wet, cloudy morning and I'm bundled up like Nanook of The North. Ella is buried in her basket under her blankets and protected by her rain cover. The roads leading from Grant Village are riddled with small hills climbing further into the mountains. I ride with Joel and Keith for about an hour before I really start jamming up the hills and soon they are out of sight. The forests around me are extremely dense, carpeted at the roots with a thick, green, layer of moss. It almost reminds me of pictures I had seen of the Canadian wilderness. The woodlands around me were unlike anything I had seen throughout the rest of my trip.

I climb yet another hill, the rain finally lets up again and I am able to take a few pictures. At the top of the hill, I cross the Continental Divide again and stop for another photo. The hills are getting longer riding up, and longer on the way down as well. At the top of the first major pass of the morning, Joel and Keith catch up as I am taking pictures. We all stop for a break and take in the amazing views before bombing the next hill. At the bottom of the hill, we immediately begin the next ascent up our second major pass of the morning. With cool air and no winds to hold me back, I cruised up the next pass and over the Continental Divide like it was nothing. Later into the ride, we would end up crossing the Continental Divide one more time. After the last pass, it was basically all downhill for the rest of the day. I was flying and it felt great.

The sun still hadn't shown its golden face, but I felt good and it was a great ride. I found an interesting lake at the bottom of the last pass called Scaup Lake. I had to climb down through the foliage to get to it and it was worth it. I ended up on the shores of an eerie green lake surrounded by blown down or dead trees. There were no birds singing, the air wasn't moving, and the lake was still. After a few minutes of exploring the shores, it felt like something was almost watching you, despite being in the light of day. I climbed back up the banks and cruised back onto the highway.

Joel and Keith catch back up to me and we talk about the rest of the trip. They tell me about a few places to visit in Montana and ride with me all the way to Old Faithful. We take a minute to say goodbye and they head on down the road toward West Yellowstone. I cruise on into Old Faithful and explore the gift shops until it was time to go watch the famous geyser.

As I am walking around taking pictures, a guy decides to get upset with me and tries to start a fight. Now I never bumped into this guy or got anywhere in his way. Why he decided to get pissed off I'll never know. The man starts screaming and yelling all sorts of profanities right in front of his young children. That's not cool, you don't act like that or use that kind of language in front of kids either. I keep my cool and his wife starts yelling at him to calm down. While I am standing there amused, a British couple pulls me over near them and keeps me from getting in trouble. We talk and wait for about half an hour for the geyser to finally go off.

The geyser wasn't as spectacular as I remember and quickly head out on the road again. The sun finally comes out and burns away the clouds. I spend the rest of the day stopping by absolutely stunning geysers and hot springs. Despite the smell of sulfur hanging low in the air, I enjoyed exploring all of the amazing colorful hot springs along the road. The springs were filled with a mind blowing array of colors and each one was very different from the last. They were much more enjoyable to see than the predictable spout of Old Faithful.

After another hour of pedaling, I finally arrived at Madison campground. It was a campground I had stayed at with my parents when I was really young and it was great to be back. I had a sudden wave of memories flood back to the front of my mind as I stepped into the campground amphitheater. I remembered receiving my little junior ranger badge and dissecting owl pellets when I was little. It was really amazing to be back and remember so much. As a I was setting up camp, another cyclist shows up and sets up camp. He was heading East to west.

Out of nowhere, the sky turned dark and the rain camp pouring down. It rained for hours on end and we could see blue sky in the distance. Another group of three cyclists show up to hide from the rain for a bit before setting off later in the afternoon. After they leave, two more cyclist show up riding the Continental Divide! After the rain finally passes in the early evening, another two cyclist show up who are also riding the Continental Divide. Everyone was doing their own little thing and really kept to themselves. Finally one more camper arrived who had been hitchhiking to backpack all the National Parks he wanted to go visit. His name was Doug and he was a pretty cool guy. Everything was too wet for a fire, so Ella and I called it a night as soon as the sun went down. It had been an amazing day of riding and I enjoyed every moment! Thank you for all of your support and we hope you continue to follow us as we head for Montana!

Day Fifty (56 miles, 2298.0 total): Lakes. Rivers, and Cookies

6:00AM. I had slept through my 5:30AM alarm clock and didn't wake up until Ella started nudging me. Ella patrols outside of the tent while I collect myself. I finally summon up enough energy to pull myself out of the sleeping bag and into the frosty morning air. I get dressed into all of my layers and begin to pack up my gear. Joel and Keith are slowly packing up for the day and making breakfast. I finally get tired of waiting for my friends, so I fill up my bottles and head out of camp. I was pretty hungry, so I decided to stop at the general store to grab a breakfast sandwich and a chocolate milk. After downing some food, I finally have enough energy to jump start my day. The early morning air is brisk but the blue sky is only dotted with a few clouds. Ella sits on the front of the bike ready to go and I push off out of Colter Bay.

My day starts with a few sets of hills to warm me up and it's not long before I'm packing layer back into my panniers. Towering pines line either side of the road, casting shadows across the asphalt. As I rode along, the shadows kept me from the direct sunlight and helped me keep cool as the day warmed up. The pines on my left grow thinner as a brilliant blue lake works its way closer to the road. I stop at a picnic area right on the lake to snap a few pictures and to let Ella run around for a few minutes. While I am wandering about the area, a wonderful Irish couple pull up on a motorcycle. We start talking for a little while and they give me cookies! They were great homemade cookies from a small bakery in Dubois. The couple had been traveling from St. Augustine, FL to Seattle, WA. We talked about my trip and took a few photos before we headed our separate ways down the road. Man, those cookies were good and I love cookies.

My morning ride kept me right next to the lakes and meadows as I worked my way through the rolling hills. Around every turn was an absolutely stunning landscape that just stopped you right in your tracks for a picture. The picturesque mountains and cool, crystal waters of the rivers and lakes held me in awe. It was incredible just to experience and actually have the time to enjoy this beautiful area. By mid morning, I had reached the end of Jackson Lake and finally received cell signal again. I took an opportunity to call my mom and update her on the trip and my plans for the day. When I finally hung up, I was immediately swamped by a flock of Asian tourists. Not one of them spoke English and I had to really push to escape the horde and get back on the road.

About half a mile or so past Jackson Lake, I began climbing and climbing and climbing. Up into the mountains I went, it wasn't difficult climbing and I was making pretty good time for how long it was. It felt like I was climbing for hours, on and on it went. Cars were flying by me like I wasn't even there, so I had to be more careful as I climbed on. Twisting and winding around the mountains, the roads became narrow and finding space to ride was becoming more scarce. Eventually the wall of pines broke as I entered into the Lewis Canyon with the Snake River rushing hundreds of feet below. With a rock wall on one side and a guardrail on the other, I continued my ascent up into the mountains.

At one overlook, I read the history of forest fires throughout Yellowstone and the famous fire of 1988 which you can still see the major impacts from. It was pretty crazy, looking at the photos, to see how much had changed in the pack over the years. Two cyclists passed by me and you could tell they were just racing through, there was no look of wonder on their faces as they sped through the beauty around them. At the top of the canyon, the roads finally slanted into a sizable downhill. As I rocketed down the pavement, I was averaging 36+ miles per hour, it was the safest speed I could hold with traffic racing down past me.

At the bottom of the mountain, I stopped at a bridge to take some more photos of the amazing scenery around me. Around the corner, traffic was slowed to a dead stop and I flew past the immense line of cars, trucks, buses, and RVs. A few miles of passing stopped cars, and I finally reached the main entrance to Yellowstone National Park. The roads became even more narrow inside the gate and I was forced onto the gravel a few times throughout the day. Not far past the gate, I heard a waterfall and climbed down a slope to get a few pictures. A few miles past the waterfall, I rode right next to Lewis Lake. It was too beautiful not to stop and just watch for awhile. I found a sandy beach that was isolated from any kind of tourists and I just enjoyed the moment. The waters lapping onto the sand made me miss the ocean more than ever.

I finally left the deep blues of Lewis Lake and pressed on down the narrow park highway. Not long after Lewis Lake, I finally reached Grant Village. Madison was another 35 miles and a few Continental Divide climbs, so I elected to stay there at the village. The park ranger was super friendly and quickly gave me a nice secluded camp at site 426. Unfortunately, this site didn't have a bear box and I had to get another. The next site he gave me was 413. This site was stripped of a bear box as well. Eventually I was given site 408, where I finally had a bear box to store all of my gear. Once I had unloaded my gear, I changed into some cooler clothes.

The day was getting pretty warm, so I found a nice flat shaded area to set up my camp. When I was finally done, Keith and Joel rode into camp, they had decided not to ride for Madison as well. Once everyone is set up and gear stored in the bear box, we head on up to the general store for lunch and to  stock up on grocery supplies. Grant Village is a great place to camp, but the showers are $4.00 per person, a bit ridiculous if you ask me! After lunch the three of us ride back into camp to hang out for the night.

Early in the evening, we had three more guests arrive at our camp to spend the night. Two girls, Becca & Sophia, were traveling across country by car. Our other guest, was a Belgian cyclist on a recumbent bike, he was headed West to East. After the sun went down, we all had a campfire and the girls brought out s'mores for everyone. Around 11:00PM, the fire died and we all set off for bed. Ella jumped right in and immediately fell asleep. Ella and I hope you are enjoying our daily adventures and continue to follow us on our journey across the country!