Bike Quest 2023 Massachusetts to Seattle
Hello again everyone!
I gave a talk about my bike trip this week, for the local Council on Aging. I gave a PowerPoint presentation, and recorded it all and put in on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/vIESrC0Hmyc?si=IEE5OkPTU3gogoJV
I had a great time giving the talk. Maybe I can do it again sometime soon.
One last day. I have reached the Pacific Ocean here in Anacortes. On the way I saw a great treehouse.
I met a nice couple from Oregon on the bridge to Anacortes.
I went to the very end of the trail at the ferry terminal. I’m met Louise from Philadelphia on her way to a biking trip in Alaska. She helped take my picture.
I booked a flight tomorrow night from Seattle to Bradley Connecticut. Today I went to UPS and shipped back my gear, went to a bike store and arranged to ship my bike home, and got a room for tonight here in Anacortes.
Tomorrow I take a shuttle to Seattle. I have all day to hang out in Seattle before my flight at 9:30 pm. Dean will pick me up Wednesday morning.
I have bicycled across the country. I am quite proud of this accomplishment. I want to thank everyone who gave me encouragement along the way. It was a great trip, and it was best when I was able to share it with other people.
Left the campground and travelled along Diablo Lake
I have about 30 miles to go to the end of the trail in Anacortes. It’s just about over. It has been a treat to meet people from all over the country and tell them about my journey and hear a little bit about theirs. Everyone has been incredibly nice to me.
Had a nice chat with next door campers last nite. He was born in Finland, retired from IBM.
Left Early Winters campground early. I tied my food up in a tree branch last night, in case of grizzlies.
The big event of the day was getting over Washington Pass. it is my last big climb of the tour. It is such a relief to have gotten through the Northern Cascades. I will have lots of downhills from here to the end.
The downhill scenery was amazing
I’ve been camping for 3 days now, I hope I can find a room tomorrow. Maybe a room in the town of Concrete. And from there it is only 50 miles to Anacortes.
No Wi-Fi or cell service in this huge campground. It was full, but site #115 is reserved for bike only camping.
It is really crowded, I’m not used to so many people. I’m getting closer to Seattle and it really feels different than the empty world I’ve been used to lately.
I’m not sure when I can post this. I should get cell phone coverage in the next town tomorrow morning.
Update from Newhalen Sunday
Johnny the hiker setting of to do his 18 miles a day.
I was going to get a motel room before Washington pass, but no rooms were available. Dozens of motels in Mazama, but they were all booked. Locals I talked to said it’s been getting busier and busier lately.
At noon I got a first come first served site at the USFS Early Winters Campground, a couple miles into the Washington Pass climb. It seems to be the last available site.
There is no power here, there is running water. And no cell service, no Wi-Fi. I will try to bike back to cell service, it was only a mile or two back, downhill and back up.
I am running low on battery power, and there’s no power at the campground. I may be in another campground tomorrow without coverage or power, so my post tomorrow may be delayed till the next day.Don’t be alarmed if no post tomorrow.
I was worried about my brakes, the brake levers were hitting my handlebars as I braked. There was a bike shop in Okanagan so I went there in the morning.
The shop was closed, but I eventually got in touch with the owner on the phone. With his help, I adjusted the brakes and got on my way to Loup Loup pass.
I didn’t get started toward Loup Loup till about 10 am, and arrived at the pass about 3pm.
Got to Winthrop and stopped at bike shop and had them check my brake work. All looks good.
Had a wonderful meal with Johnny, comparing adventures. He is now hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, and trying to work toward buying a sailing boat and sailing around for a year or two.
I have one more hard climb, and then it is basically downhill from there to the Pacific. Tomorrow I will either do the climb, or get a little closer to where the climbing starts.
https://strava.app.link/A2hyudg7QAb
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Waconda Pass is the challenge for today. Going right to left, Sherman pass was yesterday, Waconda today. I got to Tonasket by noon, and went on to Omak. Tomorrow is Loup Loup pass.
There were many logging truck again today.
I got to Waconda pass by 9 am
I’ve biked 3642 miles. I’m about 200 miles from the end of the trail in Anacortes. From there I ship everything home and get a shuttle to Seattle airport. Maybe 4 days before the trip is over and I go home.
I’m feeling ready to get off the road and spend time with Pat at home. And stop pedaling for a while.
Today was a big climbing day. The highest pass of this entire trip is Sherman Pass at 5575’, and it is in the middle of my 40 mile day today.
Outside of Kettle Falls I crossed the Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt.
I saw a Civilian Conservation Corp site
After about 5 hours of climbing, I got to the top around noon
Near the peak, it started to snow. And for the next hour of downhill it got cold and wet. I changed into a dry shirt and pulled on long pants over my shorts. My hands were on the brakes to slow the descent, and my hands got very cold. My gloves are open fingered, so I used socks on my hands to keep my hands from going numb.
I’ve been worried about this climb, it is higher and steeper than Marias Pass in Montana. But it wasn’t so bad. The downhill was more of a problem with the cold and wet. I have a few more passes before Anacortes, but I’m feeling pretty good about the remaining challenges.
I had a noisy neighbor at the motel last night, and got very little sleep. I decided to just move it along 12 miles today to be closer to the start of the big climb.
I should be fine going over Sherman Pass tomorrow, but I want to be well fed and well rested. There is a Subways for lunch, I have time for a nap, and there is a restaurant next door. I’m all set.
I had a good test climb today, in preparation for the bigger climbs ahead.
I am going right to left, I went from Ione to Colville today. Tomorrow is Sherman Pass at 5575’, maybe the toughest climb of this trip. The climbs are going well lately. I think biking 50 miles a day for the last 80 days has gotten me in good shape.
I’m glad these big climbs are at the end of my east to west trip. I am in better shape, and maybe 25 pounds lighter here at the end of my trip. If I started in the west the hills would be much harder.
I talked to another bicyclist, and as we were talking it started to sprinkle. There is no cell coverage out here between towns, so I haven’t kept as close an eye on the weather forecasts. I think it was a 10% chance of rain when I left the motel this morning.
It rained on me for over an hour. And it was in the fifties, windy and wet. I kept adding more layers, and kept pedaling. Eventually the sun came out again, and pretty much everything dried out. Except my socks.
Bike West 2023