# Summer Tour Report



## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

One month ago I finished a 32 day transcontinental (USA) from Everett, WA to Yorktown, VA. It's taken me a while to process all the feelings, impressions and experiences. Here's about a photo a day (tho not one each day.)

This first batch is Whidbey Island WA, over the Cascades, through Spokane and into Sandpoint, ID.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*Montana, Montana and more Montana*

It took 6 days to get through Montana. It was my favorite state.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*Over the Big Horns and and across South Dakota*

We climbed the west side of the Big Horn Mountains. By far the hardest thing I have ever done on a bike. The sign is of the side we climbed. Then into Custer, SD, past Mt Rushmore to Rapid City. Then on into the Badlands to Murdo (148 mile day) then to Mitchell (142 mile day).


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*Minnesota, Wisconsin and across Lake Michigan*

We had two awesome sunny tailwind days through Minnesota then chilly damp days in Wisconsin. At Manitowac we took the SS Badger across Lake Michigan to Ludington, Michgan. The two people on the right o the photo on the boat are Lon Haldeman and Susan Norteangelo, the founders and owners of PAC Tour. They are both RAAM winners and what they don't know about supporting and guiding cyclists cross country isn't worth knowing.

Michigan had the worst roads, and we had an entire day of rain. Ohio roads were much better.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*West Virgina, Virgina and the grand finish!*

Two days of climbing through the West Virginia mountains, 9-10 K ft of climbing each day. Luckily by then we were all pretty strong.

Then a day of rolling hills to Ashland, VA. Our finish day seemed like an easy cruise, being only 80 mile to Yorktown Beach. We regrouped and all came in together, lead by our youngest (16) and oldest (73) riders.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Awesome and Amazing!

PAC Tour, I should have known.

So are you a total bike riding stud now or do you never want to see a bicycle again?

I'm bummed you didn't get in touch, we would have ridden down to meet you (we like Ashland but are smart enough to avoid the hills and loose dogs in West Virginia).


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## rebeccaC (Mar 21, 2013)

That is one great ride!!!!!.....and a wonderful sense of it through images!!!

Did you do a blog of the ride that you care to share?


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

Looks like an awesome trip! The Bighorn mountain comment was funny, last year I rode from west to east and back in a day, it's a longggggg climb!


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

MB1,

I had a week off the bike while driving back to New Mexico, but am back at it again. At a "normal" level of riding tho. A trip like this does give one a very deep level of fitness, no sense in wasting it.

The tour kept us moving really fast and I wasn't sure where you guys would have been at the time. But you are right, I could have dropped you a line somehow. Truthfully the last week of the tour we were all suffering from "PACTour brain" and just getting out of bed and on the bike every morning was about all we were capable of. Not sure I could have put two coherent sentences together.

I loved West Virginia. It was my second favorite state after Montana. The scenery was wonderful, the weather was great, the climbs were awesome, and not a single dog. We were amazingly dog-free all trip.

And another amazing thing; ZERO flats the whole way. Over 3400 miles.

The couple with the tandem getting on the ferry in the first photo were from Arlington. You might notice the DC Randonneurs jerseys?


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

I want to do that.


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

nice - thanks


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

Nope, no blog. A few of the riders did, as well as PAC Tour itself. Go to PAC Tour to find links to them


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## cparrish (Jun 21, 2010)

Cool to see you got a shot of the Long Bridge in Sandpoint, I grew up riding over that to school.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Holy smokes, Breeze.

I've been so out of the loop lately (not in the forums much) that I had no idea you were doing this. And you passed through my 'hood (PNW, Cascades, and Whidbey...my old training grounds). 

What a journey. Thanks for sharing it.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

Haven't been here much myself. Saw your San Juan Islands post. Looked beautiful!

I loved the ride over the Cascades, long but lovely (123 miles to Winthrop). Our next day into Grand Coulee was a beast. 103 miles and by the time we hit the Columbia river temps were upper 90s. I never would have expected that our hottest day on the trip would be central Washington and our coldest in Wisconsin.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Way too many pics to absorb. But I'm with bigbill: I want to do that too.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

wooglin said:


> Way too many pics to absorb. *But I'm with bigbill: I want to do that too.*


Me, too.

Thanks for the pics. I am green with envy.


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

theBreeze said:


> Haven't been here much myself. Saw your San Juan Islands post. Looked beautiful!
> 
> I loved the ride over the Cascades, long but lovely (123 miles to Winthrop). Our next day into Grand Coulee was a beast. 103 miles and by the time we hit the Columbia river temps were upper 90s. I never would have expected that our hottest day on the trip would be central Washington and our coldest in Wisconsin.


Riding along the Columbia in the heat of summer is...not pleasant. 

I was just up in N Cascades (on way to San Juan Islands), not riding but hiking. Winthrop area is kind of a nifty place. I don't think there's one car without a bike rack attached.  

Thanks again for the great post/pics.


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## CalgaryDave (Jan 7, 2002)

Sweet pics and what a life experience that must have been, thanks for posting about it. And, c'mon, 3400 miles of highway riding without even one flat? Was it uncomfortable riding while sitting on that horseshoe?

My girlfriend and I spent the first week of July in WA, mostly in Winthrop and Seattle. We rode from Winthrop to Washington Pass and back on Canada Day (July 1st) and can confirm that WA gets a tad warm in mid-summer. I believe it was the hottest day of this past summer. The toughest part of the ride, which we expected to be the easiest, was the ~15 miles from Mazama back to Winthrop, fighting a strong and unexpected headwind which felt like a furnace blast at times. The post-ride bevvies were well received.

The next day we drove to Seattle via the North Cascades Highway, stopping to hike to Blue Lake, and were wishing we'd had time to explore the east side of the pass. Paddle-in camping on Diablo Lake is now on my to-do list.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

I remember well the road from Mazama to Winthrop. We lucked out with moderate temps (being from New Mexico I call mid-80s moderate). A couple other riders and I had dinner at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery that night and were very happy, with both the brews and the food.

And I really can't explain the lack of flats. There were probably a half dozen of us who lucked out that way. I ran 25 mm Continental Hardshells which were new just before the trip, tend to underinflate them a bit (90-95 psi) and fwiw I am a small person. As a general rule I don't get a lot of flats, but 3400 miles? Good karma I guess.


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

Old news, but someone linked this.

Sounds like a great trip!

I too love Montana, although I have only driven those roads...


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## bradkay (Nov 5, 2013)

I don't think that I have ever seen Grand Coulee quite so green. You must have hit it in early June?


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

sweet!

but i have no desire to do that. transcontinental would drive me insane.


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

early July. the photo was from the hotel window and I think the green patch is watered lawn. it was really hot that day.


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