Downtown Shoshoni

Continuing a Tradition

Another 5am wakeup courtesy of our Project Manager Jeremy’s wonderful singing voice started us off from Kellogg High School in Kellogg, ID. Today was going to be tough. 105 miles and over 6,000 feet of mountain climbs were on the itinerary. Supposedly one of the toughest days on the Journey. This morning was cold and after we enjoyed our crew chief breakfast we began preparing ourselves for a long yet scenic ride.

In the early part of our ride my paceline enjoyed conversations about life, girls, and funny college stories. As we began our first mountain climb of the day on rough roads, conversations quickly stopped as we huffed and puffed up the winding mountain path. When we reached the top we were greeted by a crew van who enthusiastically greeted us while their van was blasting Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” Motivating stuff. However we did get a chance to play four square at the top, a game that has taken this team by storm. I’d like to add that I’m the reining champion, welcoming all challengers. After taking a quick breather we started the descent but the numerous switchbacks and gravel on the road prevented us from going very fast.

After about 20 miles through the valley we began our second, and thankfully last, mountain climb of the day. Thompson Pass, elevation 4,800 feet, was longer and steeper than the first climb but the view at the top was that much more spectacular. Visibility was good today and we could see for miles. This time the descent was a little more enjoyable as we had better roads and fewer switchbacks. I suppose there is no way to ensure complete safety while going 44mph on the way down as the only protection I have is spandex and underarmour but we made sure to play by the rules and enjoy the quick ride down.

Another crew chief lunch on the side of the road was a welcome break near the Clarks Fork River. We devoured our midday rations and hit the road once again about 50 miles out from our destination. All the pacelines were making great time but thunder and lightning forced all of us to rack and ride to lodging at mile 85, about 20 miles outside of Paradise. Thankfully this was the first time all summer we have had to rack due to weather.

The team arrived at Quinn’s Hot Springs Inn and immediately headed for the pool. We had heard about this one and were excited to jump in. At the pool were 5 segmented hot tubs each with its own temperature of water. It ranged from absolutely freezing to standard hot tub warmth. Man law dictated that each of us fully submerge ourselves in the freezing water before we head to the comfortable hot tub. Please don’t make me explain the logic behind this choice, I’m not sure that there is any. After a relaxing hour in the hot springs, we enjoyed a filling dinner sponsored by Denise Moreth of Quinn’s Hot Springs Inn. After that, a few of us decided to continue the tradition of eating ice cream the night before each century ride. We went to the gift shop and pick from a freezer of frozen treats. 15 minutes later each one of us went back for seconds. We’re all eating enough food to feed a small army. I’d like to say how fun it is each and every day on the Journey as our team has really grown close and turned the challenging days into good memories. Time for bed, tomorrow brings us another 5am wakeup and century ride into Missoula, MT which we need to complete before noon to be on time for a sponsored lunch. I’m sure all our legs will be “Feelin’ the Hope” by then.

Week 1 Recap

Today's day off in Missoula, Montana has finally given me an opportunity to update my blog and tell about my experiences thus far. I'll give short day by day summaries for the past week but I promise to provide longer stories in the days to come. Let's get started.

Day 1 of riding took us 75 miles to Skykomish, WA. Honestly the most memorable part of this day were how bone chillingly cold the showers were. I swear the school we stayed in pumped their water directly from the river next to it. Guys, we're talkin a shrinkage factor of 12. On a 10 scale. Other than that, it was cool to see some geography other than Indiana's rolling cornfields. Beautiful foothills and pine forests as far as I can see. We're officially at the base of the Cascade Mountains and the climbing will really begin tomorrow.

Day 2 took us through Steven's Pass (elev. 4,100 ft.) through the Cascades to Wenatchee, WA. This day was very challenging but my paceline rocked it up the mountain and we were all too busy taking in the gorgeous mountain scenery around us to get tired. I also enjoyed the chance to see my cousin Rachel, her husband Andy, and their 7 month old baby boy, Caleb. I'll definitely have to visit them again soon. While visiting, they took me to a bakery a quarter mile from their house where I had the best cupcake ever made. Ever.

Two days later we arrived in Spokane, WA and had a much needed day off. We had a friendship visit with the Muscalar Distrophy suppport group of greater Spokane and it was a great time. While talking with the kids and their families, we played games ranging from pie eating contests to frozen t-shirt thaw races. Me and a guy from Virginia Tech faced off in the t-shirt thaw and we looked like cavemen as we slammed our frozen t-shirts against rocks trying to break the ice around them. My readers may be surprised to know I lost. Big time. I think the competition was rigged...

Washington's landscape has blown me away. I thought the whole state consisted of mountains and pine forests. The ride up to Steven's Pass was a rain forest. Wenatchee was on the other side of the Cascades and a much more arid climate. The ride to Coulee City from Wenatchee took us through a desert with steep canyon walls and hot sandy roads. Between Coulee City and Spokane we rode through rolling farm land. Finally in Spokane we saw more mountains and pine forests. Each day was distinctly different from the rest and kept the rides interesting.

The next day we had a short ride into Coeur d'Alene, ID where we stayed at a camp across a lake that I cannot quite describe. Let's just say it's something that me and my teammates will never forget. Some of the days seem to run together throughout the course of the journey but this one will definitely stand out for years to come. Anyway, the camp was situated on a beautiful lake and my team had fun relaxing on the beach as we took the afternoon off. We slept in "cabins" on the top of the hill which were more like treehouses. A guy remarked they looked like Eewok huts from the Star Wars films. Nerd. But really, they did. The night ended with a good round of ghost stories told by the unique staff.

Finally our Journey took us to Kellogg, ID. We were able to take a bike trail 80 miles all the way from Coeur d'Alene so the ride was quick and smooth. We didn't have any scheduled events for the evening so we hit the town in search of food. About 15 of us bombarded a local chinese place and I was able to satisfy my craving for some General Tso's chicken. Not as good as Rice Cafe of course. We all then went for ice cream afterwards as tomorrow's trip would be our first century ride. Eating whenever possible has become a theme with these guys.