We did it! After being on the road for 57 days, we finally dipped our front tires in the Pacific Ocean today!! Today is the day we've all been thinking about since we left Havre De Grace, MD. Even though we were all very excited to see our families and get the chance to sleep in, it also marked the end to a great chapter of each of our lives. Although this chapter ended for me, it's opened up many more possibilities for me with my new hobby of cycling and wanting to seek adventures in all parts of the world. This morning, I woke up before the 5:00 AM alarm because of the intensity of the bright full moon that was shining on my eyes. I layed on my back thinking about the trip and the fact that it was my last time packing up my tent for a very long time and in just a few hours I would see my mom and be on my way to our house. When the alarm finally went off and we started to pack up, we were all equally excited because we knew this was our last cold and dewy morning for a while! Our amazing hosts, The Swanson's, made us a small breakfast buffet with hot chocolate, orange juice, and parfaits. We all said our good byes and took one last photo together before we took off. Although I was fatigued from the past seven days of hard riding, I still got a chance to see the beautiful scenery as we rode by lakes and went through a rain forest. It was crazy to see so many mountains but also know that we were only 30 miles from the beach. Our group took a relaxing pace and the rest of the crew caught up to us about 20 miles from the beach. We all enjoyed the ride together as we like to call it "mega group" and made it to a vampire themed convenience store in La Push. This was a crazy moment in the ride for me because I remembered eating here last year right after my two older brothers and Brian Richardson departed on their 2019 cross country bike trip. It was a slap in the face for me that we were so close to the end, and although we wanted to take our time and enjoy the moment at the convenience store, we wanted to finish up the ride since we were only 5 miles from Rialto Beach. To make it more exciting we joined the bikeloud instagram live stream, until Max got a flat tire from his tires sitting in the sun. After changing the tire, we headed out for our final 5 miles of the 3,300 mile trip. We decided the order before departing the convenience store with my dad (Mike Malinchock) in the front, leading the rest of the crew. We continued the instagram live as we rode, until we decided to turn it off and enjoy the last mile as a crew. As we got closer, more and more cars passing us cheered us on because they must have heard our story from all of our family members at the beach, waiting for us. We turned the corner and were faced with a roaring crowd with cow bells and many friends and family cheering us on as we completed our final 100 yard stretch. I was shocked to see my girlfriend was part of the group cheering us on because I didn't think she could make it all the way out to Washington to see me finish. It was really so amazing to see her and my mom and give them both a big hug after being away from them for 2 months. We all walked our bikes down the beach that I saw my brothers and Brian take off from last year. I was filled with so much excitement and relief to have no more hills, headwinds, or bad gas station breakfasts. We all dipped our front tires, and took many photos but we were all too excited to just stand there so we threw our bikes on the beach and jumped into the Pacific Ocean. We cheered and hugged and splashed water every where until we nearly froze in the cold, salty water. I could barely feel anything from the amount of excitement and adrenaline I was feeling! We dried off and took many more photos before heading back to our houses in Port Angeles. As we drove back, we took the exact same route we biked, but we did it in a fraction of the time. We got our showers and cleaned up before having a big dinner to celebrate. It was so good to relax with a Spindrift and some of Evan's warm risotto as we laughed about all the stories from the trip. Looking back on the day, it really was filled with so much joy and surprises but also a sense of completetion to have finished so many miles in just 2 months. We all worked so hard for this moment of dipping our tires, and although I haven't really taken it all in, I'm excited for my next adventure. Signing off for now, Cole Malinchock
Day 56: Port Townsend, WA - Port Angeles, WA - 51 Miles - Sean Hankins
We were all amazed that today was our second to last day. It was also Hawaiian shirt day, a day where we all wear Hawaiian shirts while biking.
This morning we woke up to a light dew at 5:30. We are able to sleep in later today because we only have a bit over 45 miles planned. Once packed, we all went inside the local boy scout cabin and enjoyed some snacks that we bought the night before.
After our meal, we started a slow ride to a breakfast place about 39 miles away. The first 23 miles were on rolling hills that were hard to get over but you can get some speed on. The remaining miles were on a greenway in to Sequim.
Jeffery has some troubles with his bike on the road because his chain does not seem to fit his gears properly. This made it so he had to pedal constantly throughout the day. Breakfast was an amazing restaurant. They offered a variety of delicious foods. I was able to get an omelette and some extra thick bacon. Cole got apple pancakes that were OVER 3 INCHES THICK.
The remainder of our ride to our host’s house was relaxed and on the greenway. It had a couple of steep hills and also passed a local grocery store. We were able to find a lot of great dumplings and natural foods to enjoy before our final destination.
Our hosts were the Swanson family. Once we arrived at the Swansons, we were given a tour of the property. They had a portapotty and hose shower set up for us. In addition, they had watermelon and a playful dog waiting for us when we arrived. The dog played fetch with us for hours and had an amazing day as well.
We spent our night playing 3 on 3 basketball and sitting around a fire pit. This concluded our second the last day on a good note.
Day 55: Marblemount, WA- Port Townsend, WA- 108 miles, Daniel Gulisano
Today we woke up at you guessed it, 4:30 o’clock! Hopefully it’s the last 4:30 wake up, and I am perfectly fine with not waking up at the crack of dawn. It was chilly in the morning but it was beautiful because it was foggy and we were riding near the river. As we rode, we were in the valley and saw mountains to our left and right. We rode 25 miles to breakfast in Concrete, Washington. We had the usual diner breakfast, and continued on our journey. We were on one road for most of the way, and as the day went on, the road got busier. Eventually, we saw the water of the bay and traveled down Fidalgo Island and went through Deception Pass. It wasn’t really a pass, but we did cross a bridge with a beautiful view.
From there, we went some more miles to the tip of the island to catch a ferry. Needless to say, the bikeloud crew is fully supportive of ferries. This ferry was shorter than the last one, but it still provided a pleasant experience. After the ferry, we grabbed some Chinese takeout and then ate it overlooking one of the many bays in the area. We could see the mountains we had climbed a few days back. Tonight we’re staying at a Boy Scout cabin, and we’re all excited for what tomorrow has to bring.
Peace! Daniel Gulisano
Day 52: Republic, WA- Okonagon WA, 71 miles, Ryan Murphy
Today we went up and down our 3rd of 5 passes in 5 days, Wauconda Pass. It was also the pass with the least elevation gain, which we definitely appreciated after Sherman’s pass yesterday. It wasn’t too steep going up the pass until the end which made it a little bit difficult (I was pretty tired by then), but the downhill section was twice as much elevation as the uphill, which made the climb worth it. Unfortunately we had headwinds on the way down, but it was still a long, fun descent. The descent ended in Tonasket, which had not much other than a subway and a gas station that we were able to get food and drinks for the next 25 miles or so into Okanagon, the town we are staying in tonight.
The ride from Tonasket to Okanagon was a pretty one which featured lots of rolling hills. It got up to 104 degrees today, and the pretty hills sadly didn’t add much protection along the highway in the glaring afternoon sun. While the heat was brutal, we found a small town called Riverside with a grocery store 13 miles before Okanagon, which provided a much needed cold drink as my water was almost too hot to drink by the time we got there. The ride from Riverside to Okanagon was all downhill with the exception of one big hill at the beginning which brought sad memories back from the end of the pass earlier today. The last stop before Okanagon was a town called Omak which had much more food options than there were near our home for the night, so we got dinner for tonight, and breakfast and lunch for tomorrow there before finishing the ride.
Mr. Malinchock made the decision to stay in a hotel tonight after the long hot day, which was definitely an undisputed decision. We can all feel the La Push growing closer and closer and we hope the last five days are a great ending to an incredible trip!
Day 54, 79 Miles, Mazama WA-Marblemount WA, Max Hird
Today we had an early wake up at 4:30 to get on the road for our last big climb. We packed up, and had some breakfast because there was no food on the road for 70 miles. We started riding around 5:30 and biked 6 miles to the beginning of Washington Pass. The pass was 20 miles long and contained something of the best scenery that we have had on the trip. We had been dreading the climb from the start of the trip, but found that we had improved so much from the beginning that the pass really wasn’t much to worry about. We reached the top which was 5500 feet up and were filled with joy that the passes were finally complete. The rest of our day consisted of some really steep downhills, and a few other tough uphills. We stopped at Diablo Lake, which had a very unique color. After stopping at the lake, it was about 25 miles into town which I found to be very tiring. We arrived in Marblemount around 2 and got some snacks from a gas station. We then went to an RV park for the evening for dinner and camping. One of Mr. Murphy’s friends brought us chicken, watermelon, and corn which was awesome! We all then went to bed ready to knock out the few remaining days! Until Tomorrow...
Day 53: 50 miles-Wyatt Benjamin- Okonagon WA- Mazama WA
This morning we woke up at 4:15 inside of a hotel. This was the first time in a while where I got really good sleep. I probably went to bed at 9:15 and woke up at 4:15. I only woke up once and fell back asleep right away.
Right away we were slammed with hills again. Pretty much for all of the passes so far, we have had to do some sort of climbing to get to it. After around three miles of riding uphill, we arrived at the bottom of the pass.
The first mile and a half of the pass was extremely hard. It was probably at an 8% grade, and was absolutely non stop. This sunk our hopes of this being an easy pass. After the first 1.5 miles, we had a slight grade uphill. This was really good for my legs to be able to recover. After a section of nice uphill, the grade became steep again.
This was definitely not as steep as the beginning, but was hard to do again. After five more miles of riding on this, my group (Max, both Daniels, and Blake) decided to take a break. After getting water in our systems, and a little food we were on the road again.
The next section was a lot like the second steep section. After grinding it out, we finally got to the top! Today felt a lot easier, because we decided to go slower up the pass. I would rank the passes from easiest to hardest, in order of days done, 4, 3, 2, 1.
After the pass, we had a crazy steep downhill. I got up to 43.6 miles per hour! This is a new record for me. After going all the way down the pass, we had breakfast in Twisp. Every other bike trip has stopped here for there cinnamon rolls, and we did the same. I got a cinnamon roll, and a bacon eggel. This was one of the best breakfasts that we have gotten yet.
After the pass, we had a steady climb to the end of the day. We wanted to get to our campsite as soon as possible, because we did not want to be riding when it was extremely hot. The high for today was 95!
Four passes down one to go! Huge day tomorrow
Day 51: Chewelah, WA - Republic, WA - 72 miles - Blake Hird
Today we had a early 4:15 wake up in Chewelah where we were staying in a cozy home, so spirits were low when we had to finally leave. With the opportunity to pack most things up the night before because there were no tents, the group rolled out fairly quickly and we were on our way to a market 31 miles away. The ride was scenic with nice views and up close looks at how forest fires rip through large amounts of land far to left of the road. Kettle Falls, WA was our breakfast destination getting there around 7:30 and everyone had lots of food and drinks before we started our mountain pass.
The group spread out a good deal because on pass days many like to do it solo and some leave in a groups of two or three. I left with Wyatt and started up the pass with the others close behind. The pass was not so bad for the first ten miles with amazing views of the mountains near by and about a 3 to 5 percent grade. The grade became much steeper and did not have any slight flats until the top which gave little opportunity to rest. With temperatures rising up to 100 the day became very hard and staying hydrated was tough.
The hills seem to never end but slow and steady we came close to the finish. I ran out of water with 5 miles to go which did not help my case and made it very tough to continue at the same pace I was at before. Seeing many signs around us we spotted one that said “Peak Stop 1/2 mile” leading us to believe that it was the end but it was not, pushing us onward to a steep winding road. About a mile up that road we finally reached the end bringing great relief to the whole group. Most were eager to go down the epic decent. With a 6 percent grade the crew went very quickly down the decent which lasted about 10 miles and at the bottom there was a gas station where everyone got some much needed food and drink. Then we went to a fair ground campsite and relaxed and propped our legs up to drain the lactic acid. A few different groups went to dinner staggering out over the night but everyone was back by 7 at the campsite, setting up tents for the night. With many tired the evening wound down and everyone relaxed and went to sleep early to be prepared for tomorrow’s pass not far up the road.
Day 50: Sandpoint, ID to Chewelah, WA, 74 miles Hugh Carbrey
Today we left our hotel at 5:30 and biked 30 miles to eat breakfast in Washington! We were quite excited to finally be in Washington after 50 long days. However, our excitement didn’t last long when we realized that we had 5 passes in a row, starting today. To prepare for our first pass, we ate a hearty McDonalds breakfast.
We then biked 20 relatively flat miles to a gas station in Usk. We all ate a lot and stocked up on food and beverages for the pass. The pass started with 5 miles of flat country side riding, then quickly devolved into a gravel detour that burned everyone out, right before the roughest part of the pass. I biked up the gravel section with Max and Wyatt. We were all gasping for air when we turned onto the pass road. Once we got onto pavement, Wyatt dropped Max and I, and sprinted up the hill. Then Daniel G caught up to us, forming the group I would finish with. The pass was slow and exhausting, but seeing the top, knowing we had a large downhill to go until the end of the day.
We had an early dinner because everyone was hungry after the tough day. Everyone enjoyed their meal.
Zero day in Sandpoint, Daniel Price
Today was a great day to sleep in. Sandpoint marked our final planned break day for the trip and everyone took full advantage of it. Most rooms woke up somewhere between 8 to 11 am. Breakfast wasnt organized so we found whatever we could. Me, Daniel G, Max, and Hugh found a small bagel shop and other groups ate at a cafe right down the street called Connie's.
The rest of the day played out like a typical breakday. Lots of long naps in the hotel rooms, and snacking on any food we can find around town. Lunch was almost completely ignored by most of the team but we decided to have a big family dinner for our last break day meal. We made a reservation for 6:30 at a restaurant called The Match Box. We all walked over together, and spent dinner reflecting on the past 49 days of the trip. Evan laid out the plan for the last 8 days of the trip, including 5 passes in 5 days. Everyone knew that the last week in Washington would he hard, but it's hard to imagine that many hills in such a small amount of time.
After dinner everyone found food either at a gas station or a grocery store. A few of us visited the hot tub before bed but quickly left after getting swarmed by other strangers. Everyone went to bed early exited to start on the last week of the trip but also nervous for the upcoming gauntlet that the next week has been described as.
Day 48: Cole Malinchock, 27 miles, Clark Fork ID- Sandpoint ID
Before we even started the day, we decided to all wake up at 1:30 AM to see the stars because Evan said it was one of the best areas to stargaze from his bike trip last year because there was barely any light pollution in the area. I set an alarm and woke up everyone and Evan sure didn't lie, it was spectacular! You could see thousands of stars and the Milky Way stretching across all of our tents in the night sky. Unfortunately, none of our cameras could capture it, but it's definitely a sight worth looking for. We all went to bed following this and looked forward to our late wake up.
Max woke us up at 7:00 AM but we all packed up slowly knowing the breakfast in town would open at 8:00 AM. The night before we decided to have breakfast in town because it would be a short day going to Sandpoint. It was a slow breakfast and my group of Sean, Evan, and I were slowed down due to some bills the waitress mixed up. This put us behind the other group with the rest of the crew, but it also gave us a challenge to ride fast enough to pass them before Sandpoint!
The ride today was along Lake Pend Oreille. Even though there were several hills, the lake was mesmerizing with the mountains in the back and crystal clear water that flowed from the glaciers of the mountains. And what made me especially happy was the lack of headwinds on our ride! The last few days we've faced headwinds going up and down hills but it was really nice not to feel that today!
When we made it to Sandpoint after a short ride, but we had to wait about 2 hours before our hotel rooms would be ready. We took the time to change out of our chamois, grab some snacks from the gas station, and relax in the park by our hotel. Luckily, the time went by quickly and we were all able to get a shower and relax a little more!
For dinner, Sean and I shared a gigantic pizza filled with meats and mushrooms. We could barely even eat 2 slices each and had to maneuver a way to fit it in the super small fridge in our room.
Today, I was hit with the realization that we're mere days away from La Push, Washington when Evan showed all of the days we have left. I'm excited to reach that beach and to see my family and get to sleep in, but I'm going to miss the constant adventures we have every day whether it's meeting crazy people who want gophers or fitting a 5 pound pizza in a tiny fridge. No matter what, I'm excited to go on bike rides with the crew around Chapel Hill when we get back!
Signing off for now, Cole Malinchock
Day 47: Libby, MT - Clark Fork, ID - 68 Miles, Daniel Gulisano
Today we were up and at ‘em at a crisp 5:30 for another day in the saddle. We were planning on stopping 12 miles away at some waterfalls for a breakfast picnic. The ride there was cold as usual and beautiful since we rode along the Kootenay River. When we got to the picnic spot, we hiked a little to the waterfalls and ate our packed goodies. The water was clear, and we would’ve jumped in had it not been 8 am and freezing!
From breakfast, we kept on riding and our eyes were indulged with the Rockies. The road we were on was nice and the miles went by quickly for the most part. At some point we took a break, after a nice break consisting of eating and more eating we hit the road, only to realize that Hugh had a flat.
As usual, I helped out with the flat while most watched, and once it was handled, we hit the road for real. From there we rode some more until we hit a small grocery store. It was making fresh sandwiches which is a must in my playbook. After the grocery store, we only had 10 more miles until the Idaho border! Montana was a great state with plenty of memories and beautiful scenery.
After crossing into Idaho we had a few more miles to go to where we’re staying, Clark Fork. The owner of a restaurant called Squeeze Inn is letting us camp on their lawn. We ate there for dinner and it was delicious! After our dinner, we wound down, preparing for a shorter day tomorrow.
See ya later, alligator!
Day 46: Kalispell, MT- Libby MT- 94 miles, Sean Hankins
Today, we woke late at 5:45. Our alarm was set for 5:30, but we all slept through it. We took our time eating breakfast and packing up because we were upset to leave such a nice host family for a 92 mile day.
Our ride to breakfast was fun, but had over 1500 feet of climbing. We pulled into a small gas station with a large assortments of drinks and microwaveable foods. I had a Red Bull, iced tea, some mounds, and gummy Krabby paddies for breakfast. The ride to lunch was much easier. It was downhill but the winds were changing directions every other second, making it a very unusual ride.
At mile marker 84 (About 5 miles from lunch), we ran into a man named Devonte who was also biking across the country. He was doing it with less supplies than us and asked for help repairing his bike. With the support of some locals who stopped at the side of the road, we were able to temporarily fix his bike for the journey.
Lunch was a VERY inexpensive bakery that gave us sandwiches and cash donations for the Be Loud! Sophie foundation. They were nice workers that showed us amazing hospitality and generosity. We stayed in their bakery for over 90 minutes and ate their homemade sandwiches while discussing how the day went.
The last 10 miles were easily the best part of the day. It was on a small country road that had very little traffic. The entire group raced down the country road for the last miles. We were all yelling in excitement and amazed by the wildlife. At one point, an eagle flew over all of our heads while we cruising at about 30 mph. This easily made our day and made it one of the best days of the trip.
Our amazing 92 mile day (which felt like 50 miles) ended with a nice campsite next to a grocery store. The camp is one of the best places we have had to stay on this trip. Our dinner came from a local restaurant, and was one of the most filling meals of the trip. I got Chinese noodles in a bowl, but the other boys got BLTs and soups. This ended our amazing day on a good note and set us up for another day of biking.
Until tomorrow, Sean
Day 45: Kallispell, MT - Break Day - 0 Miles, Max Hird
Today we all happily woke up on our own terms under the roof of the Schwinghammers, the family who has been hosting us for our break day.
We had some muffins, eggs, and bacon for breakfast which was great, and spent the morning laying around, doing laundry, cleaning bikes, and napping.
We then received information that we could rent a van for the afternoon and take a trip up to a Glacier National Park. We drove for about 40 minutes to the park and began our steep climb up into the mountains. We saw some amazing waterfalls and valleys. Once we got to the top, we did a 3 mile hike to the top of Logans Pass to see a hidden lake. By the time we finished the hike, it was already 6:30 and we had to return back to Kalispell. We hopped back in the van for a long ride down and arrived at the house around 8:30 for dinner. We ate bratwursts and watermelon which was great.
We all went to bed ready for a great day of riding
Day 44: Bigfork MT-Kalispell MT, 18 miles, Wyatt Benjamin
Today, we had the shortest day of the trip so far. Because we had a short day, we woke up at 7:00 and trickled out of camp according to how much time we needed. Because I was really well rested, I packed everything in 21 minutes. This was definitely a PR.
After packing up, Blake and I went to breakfast at a diner that was less than a mile away. For breakfast I got the classic breakfast, which fed me well enough for the day.
After going to the diner, we were ready to go. As soon as we pulled out of the parking lot, Daniel P’s rack fell off. The only other time that this has happened, was to me on the great Allegheny pass. Luckily for Daniel, he was not going 16 miles per hour. After fixing his rack, we were on the road again. This was shortlived, because we realized that his rear derailer was messed up. We finally decided to take him off his big gears which solved his problem. This is how he biked all the way to Kalispell.
After Daniels problem was fixed we were on the road again. We had an easy 18 miles to camp which consisted of a bike path, and a busy highway. My group much preferred the bike path.
Tonight we are staying at one of Mr. Gulisano’s friends house. We also have a break day tomorrow here. We are thinking of going to glacier park tomorrow!
Until next time...
Day 43: Seeley Lake, MT - Bigfork, MT - 73 miles, Ryan Murphy
Today we woke up at 5 and left an hour later in an effort to get to breakfast quickly. We had a 24 mile ride on roads we didn’t trust (as they caused 2 falls in the last 20 miles yesterday) to get to the Hungry Bear Cafe, to whom we owe thanks as they took our orders half an hour before they opened. The food was delicious and unexpected as I didn’t expect to see avocado toast and an açaí bowl on a menu in Western Montana.
We originally planned to stay in Swan Lake, but Mr. Malinchock said there was nothing there. This was confirmed when we stopped there for a break at the “Swan Lake Trading Post” which was not only closed, but had no floor inside.
We had 2 gas station stops about 30 miles apart which were much appreciated as it was hot today compared to the last week. We got in to Bigfork, MT our destination for the day, at about 3 p.m., but we struggled to find a place to stay. The National Park campground was full and we were told to go to this hidden place behind some energy plant on the lake with about 15 turns on the way by a local who said we could use his name if we were told to leave. But the group unexpectedly decided against that plan. Evan eventually found a pavilion at the school in town that’s near food, has a bathroom and power (which makes it a 5-star spot in our book).
Tomorrow we stop in Kalispell for a break day, and it’s only 18 miles away which makes tomorrow close to a break day too.
Until next time, Ryan.
Day 42: Lincoln, MT to Seeley Lake, MT - 55 miles, Blake Hird
Today we had a later, but still fairly early wake up time of 5:30. Everyone got packed up and had a small snack before our 27 mile ride to Ovando. The 27 miles were beautiful with scenery of rivers and mountains, it went by quite quick, not to mention it was mostly down hill. We met up with Mr. Gulisano in Ovando where he delivered some much needed gear to the crew.
After we had a great breakfast at a restaurant called The Stray Bullet. We departed another 13 miles to a gas station where we got some snacks and some bad news, Sean had taken a fall and was taken to a local medical center in the town we were staying. With sort of a grey area on the status of the front three, we left quickly and started on the last 15 miles.
We had a very rough road to get to the town, there were many pot holes and no shoulder for the whole time which was a bummer. About 10 miles into the last stretch we had to stop and regroup and right after Mr Murphy took a small fall which took about 15 mins to get everything back in place and fix a small issue with his bike.
From there we only had 5 miles to Seeley Lake which we finished quickly and stopped at the medical center. From there Mr. Malinchock called Evan, and Evan informed him that Sean was alright, he had a minor bruise but was completely fine. We went to a gas station and got some food and headed to a local park. We were staying at the fire station but we could not set up camp until 5 pm so we stayed in the park and napped and relaxed until that time. When it was time we went across the street to the fire station and set up camp for the night on some pavement to the right of the station. We had a great dinner at a local restaurant where everyone had either nachos or tacos. Then we settled in for the night and went to sleep early.
Day 41: Craig, MT to Lincoln, MT - 55 miles, Hugh Carbrey
Today we woke up fairly late, feeling uneasy because of an impending pass and 3,000 feet of climbing over a relatively short day. The morning was cold, so we all hustled to get packed up. The faster you pack, the more time you get to relax in your fleece and warm clothes. To start the day we had a continuation of the road from yesterday for 9 miles to Wolf Creek, where there was a gas station. This was our only opportunity to get food for the whole day. There was little information about the gas station on the internet, so we were hoping it was unlike Chick-fil-A, and it was open on Sunday. Luckily, it was open, so we stocked up on food and drink for the day.
After breakfast, we had a 20 mile stretch to the base of our pass. We were told to expect climbs on the way to the base, so we braced ourselves for a tough 20 miles. The road started out flat. The first hill was a gradual climb with some switchbacks. This hill was no big deal until we turned a corner and got smacked with a long 9% grade that disappeared around a corner. This hill was very draining, perfect for right before a pass. After this hill we had long, steep rolling hills until the base of the pass. The views of the Rockies helped me to ignore the burning sensation in my legs, but it still lingered. At the base of the pass we all pounded some snacks and waters to fuel up. The pass was just over 10 miles long, and the last 3 were supposed to be brutal. Much of the first part was rolling hills, but there was a strong headwind so we couldn’t get speed up. This made everyone quite frustrated, as downhill should mean fast, but we were crawling through the downhill sections. The last 3 miles seemed to be just a gradual uphill, but when we stopped for a brief water break we looked back and it looked very steep. At the top of the pass we saw a sign warning drivers about the 6.5% grade that we had just done. The top of the pass was the continental divide, which was a cool landmark to see.
After the pass, we had 18 miles left of downhill to town. Because I was excited to see how fast I went, I tracked my ride on Strava for the first time ever. The wind continued however, so my top speed was only 33 miles an hour. This downhill was quite fun, but the headwind put a damper on our moods, especially after dealing with wind nearly all of last week. When we rolled into town we saw a nice park with a large pavilion. We all said to ourselves “Wow that would be a perfect place to stay the night!” and went to the restaurant across the street from us to meet the other group. They then informed us we were staying at the park, which helped the mood a lot. We will probably have a fairly late wake up as we have a semi easy day tomorrow. Some of us might wake up in the middle of the night to see the stars, which were really pretty.
Day 40: Great Falls, MT- Craig, MT - 50 miles, Daniel Price
Today we woke up at 6 am and quickly left our 2 star Great Falls hotel. Blake somehow forgot his helmet in his room, but besides that small bump the morning went surprisingly well. We left Great Falls around 6:45 and started our ride with a massive climb that had most of the group exhausted only 20 minutes into our day.
Throughout the first ten or so miles of our ride we could see the Rocky Mountains slowly growing on the horizon. It wasn't until after our nice breakfast in Cascade that we finally hit the mountains. Instead of a deadly uphill that you would tend to expect from miles of huge mountains, we took a side road off of the highway down to the Missouri River. We spent the rest of the day cruising on mostly flat terrain surrounded by gorgeous scenery and towering mountain peaks that singlehandedly changed Montana from one of the worst states to one of my favorites. The planned mileage for the day was around 55 miles, but because of a lack of available camp grounds we stopped in the town Craig to try and find a new place to stay.
By some miracle the owner of the restaurant we were all sitting outside of, asked about our cause and trip and decided to let us stay in a small field right behind the restaurant. We set up camp early and spent the afternoon napping in the shade and spending a lot of time in Izaak’s restaurant.
We had a few unexpected flat tires due to the heat, but the rest of the day was mostly uneventful.
The idea that the trip is coming to an end has everyone excited, but also fearful of what comes after. Tomorrow is going to be an even shorter ride than today and everyone is ready to hit the road again!
Day 39: Great Falls, MT - Break Day - 0 miles, Cole Malinchock
It's been a nice and relaxing break day after a long stretch of hard riding. The past few days have been some of the hardest days of the trip with a pass, crazy 25 mph head winds, and an extremely difficult century (riding 100+ miles) yesterday. It felt so good to sleep in and to wake up without shivering in a cold sleeping bag. As everyone slowly woke up, Evan and I headed to a local cafe for breakfast. I ate a gigantic cinnamon roll that was the size of my face and tasted amazing!
We made it back to our hotel room and rested while we watched Ghost Adventures (Our go to show for break days). It was Daniel Gulisano's Birthday! So we surprised him with an amazing cake with a Disney princess picture frame as well as some flarp goo! After several hours we got the determination to get some lunch in the restaurant below our hotel. It must be a theme in this town to make huge meals because my grilled cheese for lunch was at least three inches tall and packed with four different cheeses! At this point I was completely stuffed, but I knew I had to clean up my bike since I had the time and the hotel gave us a hose to use. I thoroughly went through my gears clearing it of any dirt and it was very satisfying to see such a clean drive-train (The gears in the back). My dad and I found a bike shop that had a new tire for me to use since mine tore. We also picked up a lot of other important bike maintenance items like handlebar tape, tubes, and tire levers. We spent the afternoon maintaining all of our bikes and I was able to put a new cool handlebar tape on Lewis (my bike’s name).
Some of us headed out to dinner and went to a pizza restaurant to celebrate Daniel Gulisano's birthday! Afterwards we picked up some ice cream and headed back to the hotel. Right now, we're packing up so we'll be ready to leave tomorrow morning by 7:00 AM. We were able to get a much needed break day with a lot of rest. Even though last week had some very difficult days, I'm worried about what's to come as we head towards the mountains but I'm also excited to get some of the best views of the trip. That pretty much sums up this trip for me, a lot of worries, but so much excitement for what's to come.
Signing off for now, Cole Malinchock
Day 38: Lewistown MT- Great Falls MT,107 miles, Sean Hankins
Today marks our second “century” day. We did a total of 107 miles into a town called Great Falls.
We woke up at 4:30 in a Lewistown park pavilion to Wyett’s alarm. Site was broken quick while we all joked about our time spent biking. Evan, Cole, and I left around 5:30 to make our first 25 miles to breakfast.
We owe a great thanks to the workers of Gramma Ruby’s Cafe in Hobson for opening almost 30 minutes early to create a breakfast for a hungry group of cyclists. The only chef at the cafe worked like a well-oiled machine and made us diner-style food in minutes. I enjoyed a nice vegetable omelet with avocado and sour cream on top before getting ready to ride. We left for Stanford, a town about 25 miles from breakfast. It had a nice gas station that had a nice collection of Arizona iced teas and 5 hour energy drinks to keep us prepared for the long day ahead of us.
We determined that we did not have much more difficult riding left. After about 20 more miles, the rest of the day would be down hill. This lead us to stop at a small tire shop to get some cold beverages after we had gotten through the most difficult parts of the route. The store had nice dogs waiting for us by the door and a classic cash register machine. Seeing these things brightened our spirits.
Before going in this long ride, we were told we would have possible crosswinds and maybe a slight tailwind throughout the day. However, these winds all formed into headwinds due to the mountains. I pulled through the headwinds for the next couple hours, and I enjoyed a well earned descent towards Great Falls. Great Falls is a large town that has given us an opportunity to take a break day at a hotel. We all decided to take our day off tomorrow, which will be our first break day in what feels like an eternity. Tonight, we are all getting comfortable around the television and catching up on our favorite shows before hopping on the road again.
Until tomorrow, Sean
