I made it!

Wow, so my big cycling trip is done. It's been a week and 3 days since I've pedaled into Eugene, OR.  Eugene was my destination since my friend, Bonnie, lives in Eugene and I thought it would be fun to finish at a friend's house. Plus I really didn't want to pedal anymore, at least not on the TransAm route anymore. Two months and a week; and 3,719 miles was enough. It's amazing how many really small towns (like with 69 people) there are in this country. Also how many trucks there are on the road: coal trucks, chicken trucks, over-sized trucks carrying parts of wind mills, trucks carrying farm equipment, logging trucks-esp. in Idaho, crazy pick-up trucks, etc.. Then there are RV'S that seem to be carrying enough people & things for a small cruise (no exaggeration), and motorcycles that produce enough noise that it sounds like a Mac truck.
However, one of the ways that encouraged me onward for as long as I did was days or parts of days like the morning of my last day on the ride. It looked like this:

This was how it looked as I was leaving Sisters, OR and going towards MacKenzie pass. After 4 hours of continuous (slow) pedaling and about 2,000 ft increase in elevation, my view changed to lava rocks. That's right,  you heard correctly. All the mountains around this area are volcanoes (some dormant, some active) and these lava rocks have been in pretty much their same positions for at least a thousand years.

I then climbed some more elevation and finally found the summit and the observatory made out of the lava stones.

So it was about 15 miles of continuous climbing and then about 25 miles of continuous decent on winding, not so steep roads with little traffic & going through lots of lush green forest and tons of bugs hitting my face. In other words, a perfect ride (well, not with all the bugs in the face : ). I don't have any pics of that area because I was going about 20+ mph down the entire mountain.

The rest of the day (so the remaining 60 miles,  totalling 100 that day), was less than perfect road conditions: narrow shoulders, lots of trucks, etc. but that's the difference between a bike ride around town and a bike ride across the country.  Sometimes there just aren't enough safe roads to bicycle on if one wants to get to a certain area or town. I did stop by a super small town (had just one street running through it) and saw this guy as he was painting a mural. Check it out :

The rest of the day I was in "pedal to the metal" mode, cranking away till I reached "civilization". First going through Springfield,  eventually getting on a bike path. And then once I started to see that I was super close to Eugene and that I was actually going to make it to my destination, I started to yell out to any passing cyclist or jogger: "I just crossed the country on my bike!". The response I mostly got was a blank stare because they couldn't hear me with their ear buds in their ears. Some other people just smiled. On occasion some people said something like "right on" or vocalize "woo hoo". One commuter cyclist called out to me, "wait up, I have something for you! ". When he caught up to me, he gave me a pear as we both were still pedaling - that was so special for me & nice! After receiving this gift, I didn't feel the need to yell out anymore, I was acknowledged! My TRIP was acknowledged. Isn't that what we all are looking for?

I wish I took a picture when I arrived at Bonnie's house,  but I didn't. I arrived in town at around 6 pm and at Bonnie's at around 7-7:30 pm after going to the supermarket (always thinking of food,  lol). However two days later, I was able to get the classic picture that all touring cyclists get of them and their bikes (thanks to Bonnie's willingness to be the photographer and her unending patience - it's not easy to pick up a bike & turn it upside down). The picture was taken in front of Bonnie's house.

So there you have it folks, a little sample of how my dream bicycle tour was. One part that I haven't mentioned about so far were about the dedications. While in Idaho, I started to dedicate climbs over passes and mountains in general. I did this after Cat, one of my cycling friends on this trip, started doing this. I found that this simple "act"* changed everything for that day. It was incredible. My day had more purpose, I felt more motivated to bike, & I started paying more attention to details during the day. I also felt connected with the person I was giving the dedication to that day. This made a difference to me especially since I was cycling by myself during this part of the trip. What a special way to spend my time and an opportunity to feel/sense more. So thanks again to everyone who responded to my request for dedications. I was enriched by that opportunity. (The word 'act' refers to something being done. However, this type of act was more like a state of being).

While I'm doling out "thank you's", I want to thank my entire family and my friends, near and far, for all your support, prayers, and love. Also I have so much gratitude for all the prayers that were spontaneously said for me by complete strangers whether they were just people I met on the street or pastors I met. I have been so touched by the kindness of strangers in all areas. I'm also grateful for all the motorists who gave me lots of room on the road. I would wave a thank you to those who did give me the room & I think it helped show the motorists behind them what is good to do.

It's kind of ironic that even though I did a bicycle tour that was SELF-supported, I did not do this tour by myself. I did have so much support in all the above mentioned ways from friends and family, from all the cyclists with whom I headed out of Virginia (I don't think I could have started without you all), and in so many other ways! People are the most important aspect in my life - that's what I've been reminded of even more during this trip. So THANKS people! Couldn't have done it without you!!

It's all down hill from here

It's all down hill from now on. Oh my gosh, people keep telling me this lately. It started after I pedaled up the pass in western Idaho. I was taking a rest on top of the pass and a sheriff with two official "sheriff" jet skis on his trailer stopped. He asked me the mandatory questions that have to be asked by ANYONE when they see a loaded bike: "So where are you heading? ; "where did you come from?"; "when did you start? ", etc.Then he proceeded to say that I done the hardest bit and the rest is "all down hill", as if to say the rest will be easy. True, the next 7 miles WAS down hill but at a 7% grade on a road that gets all types of vehicles from RV's to buses to trucks, speeding cars, etc. it is definitely not easy. In addition, there's SO much wind that it would make anyone tear up like a baby and hardly see a thing in front while flying down the road at 30 mph. 

But that wasn't the only big mountain to climb. Since then there have been two other days jam packed with big, small, steep, &/or very long & tedious mountains to climb and 2 or 3 guys (non-cyclers) who have told me "oh, from now on, it's all down hill". They lie!!! Here are a few pics from today and two days ago to prove my point.

On top of pass in western Idaho. 

The part of "Hell's Canyon" that's in Idaho. There's much more in Oregon & it's the pits to cycle through (hence no pics there in OR).

Still Hell's Canyon,  ID

Towards bottom of 7 mile down hill in ID, 7% grade. Steepness starting to get less at end.

Note the part that says "deepest" canyon in North America. 

Just starting the slow & very gradual ascent up one of two passes today (Tuesday). This was just outside of Halfway, OR.

The mountain ridge I climbed over this afternoon.

So if you're ever in eastern Oregon and people want to make you believe that it isn't really that hilly, just slap them and say wake up to reality man! That's my advice for today. Cheers!