Yellowstone to Rockvale

I got ready and headed the five miles into town at Big Timber and got water. The truck stop was out of jugs, but they let me fill out of the fountain. I then continued on with a great tailwind all day. That seemed to be a theme in Montana and pretty much from my second day in Washington all the way to Laurel, MT. Nothing big happened today and I was again fighting clouds that surrounded me, but always seemed to hold off. I stopped at a rest area 20 miles west of Laurel and took one last break and noted the rain falling over Laurel. The wind had picked up and was probably 15+mph at my back. This blew me into Laurel, where I got wet for the last mile into town. I headed to Wal-mart to get some supplies and then to McDonalds to warm up and get a bit of energy for the last ride. The clouds slowly blew over and the sun came out for the rest of my ride. I headed south and got to a campground that I had found online.

It was only $7. I had to self register and the place looked abandoned, so I was worried if it was even open. I paid and went to set up. When setting up I noticed a guy out on a tractor mowing. He didn't come over, so I just kept to myself. I went to use the facilities and they were locked. Eventually the man got off the tractor. It took him quite a long time, but then he got in is hybrid car and drove over the tenth of a mile to where I was set up. He began to tell me his life story and how he is a physicist working on sonofusion in the Ukraine(and how it came to be in the Ukraine) and how he has worked on this concept since the late 40's. He wore glasses with one of the lenses out of the frame. We talked for a bit and he said they weren't quite open yet, though the sign said April. When he said he was leaving he said this would probably be the last I saw of him, and it was. He had opened the restroom and I went and got a shower. I went to fill up my water bottles and it reeked of minerals, so I headed the tenth of a mile to the gas station and decided to eat at the casino/restaurant that was there. It was very good. I got my water and went back and fell asleep and hardly stirred all night long.

Three Rivers To The Yellowstone River

I awoke in the morning and headed to the confluence which forms the Missouri River. I took some pics and hiked around on some rock outcroppings that gave good views of the surrounding areas. The only downfall was that all the mountains had clouds over them and my view was limited. I then headed on and got sprinkled on a bit more and had one more climb before a very nice downhill, where the wind shifted to my back. I got supplies at Bozeman just before this. I was surrounded by beautiful moutains on all sides and had the Yellowstone River flowing beside me. I had found a little patch of green on google maps a days ride from the Missouri and researched it and found it had camping. I decided to try for that and got there in good time. The downfall to the place is that it had no water and though I refilled my bottles at the last place possible, I was still low and in need of more. I eventually had to opt to treat a couple of bottles out of the Yellowstone. The river is quite dirty and the water was cloudy, but after treating it, it quenched my thirst enough. Across the river was the Crazy Mountains and they stood boldly above the hills in front of them, their white peaks jutting into the sky.

John Steinbeck said something along the lines that Montana is a lot like what a kid's vision of Texas might be like after hearing a Texan talk about Texas. I agree with that. The thing about Montana is it is big in a different way and reminds you how small you are. The scale of everything is huge. I have been here before but had forgotten how amazing it truly is. Words and pictures cannot do it justice. Perhaps in a couple days I can use some of the phrases and words that went through my mind as I rode this majestic landscape, but today's weather took a lot out of me. I also need some time to continue to process the magnificence of what I had seen.

I was again the only one at the campsite tonight, though there were a couple people here for day use. As I was sitting around relaxing, a couple of kayakers paddled down the river and chanced the rapids. It was a site to see. I again slept great, which ended up being a common theme in Montana. Possible better than any state overall, so far. That could possible be due to the ability to stay up later with the light, which tends to shine till after 9 every night.

Deer Lodge to Three Forks

My day from Deer Lodge was a fairly normal ride for the most part. I got up and headed to Butte and was making pretty good time. At Butte I got rained on for a couple miles. As I headed into town I could see the rain falling over town and eventually got it hit me. I headed into town and stopped at the bank and got some cash. They had a fountain pop machine so I got a glass of Mountain Dew and headed on. I had a climb out of Butte, but it wasn't as challenging as I was expecting, which made it even better. I crossed the continental divide and headed on. Clouds all around were looking ominous and I was nervous of an encroaching storm. When I got to Three Forks I found the exit I needed was closed and I had to add 6+ miles to get the next exit and backtrack to the campground. I camped at the headwaters of the Missouri River. I was the only one there other than the campground hosts. As I did my detour, rain began to fall again and I ended up getting wet, when I wouldn't have had the exit been open. This made my day 104 miles long, which was a bit much since it was beyond what I was planning, though I recovered quickly. The campground host informed me they had a couple of moose wandering the grounds and that I just needed to be aware of that. I went to bed fairly early and had a great night's sleep.

Home On The Range

I'm finally in Wyoming. State 24. My last few days have exhausted me. I have had a tailwind since my second day in Washington, until today. I had a headwind that got increasingly worse and then hills. I will update on details later. I'm too exhausted right now. Let's suffice it to say I made state 24 and will be visiting friends in three days. I will give full reports on my travel as soon as I have energy, battery power, and reception.

It's All Downhill From Here

Well...maybe not...but the water does all lead to the Atlantic Ocean. I crossed the continental divide for the second and final time on my trip. It occurred to me a half mile from the top that both times I crossed it I was on interstate and there was a storm to the north of me pounding the route I could have taken instead. Lo and behold I made it over relatively dry and not too worn out. That doesn't speak for the end of the day.

I had been battling ominous clouds all day and got rained on for a couple miles in Butte and another mile on a later climb, but that was pretty much it, until...I got to the turn off for the place I was planning on going to and it had a detour that made me go an extra 6+ miles out of the way. During this detour the sky decided to open up again for most of the way. This would've been avoided by having my tent up had I been to the campground when planned. This also made my ride 104 miles. A little too long for my desire. I was thirsty, tired, and hungry when I arrived and just wanted to go to bed, which I did shortly after I made dinner. I can't do the full day justice right now as I am again tired and need to turn my phone off soon so I have battery left until my next full charge.

Today was an 85+ mile day and was uphill to start, like yesterday. I had a climb out of Bozeman and then a wonderfully downhill and. A couple rolling hills followed by more downhill. I am now riding along the yellowstone river. My average speed increased by almost 4mph after the summit. I am camped at a fishing hole with camping with views of the crazy mountains and the absarokas. The river flows swiftly a few feet away and just recently a couple of kayakers paddled past.

I would love to do a more vivid description of the last two days but am in need of rest.

The Bull's End

I left Missoula today. I went to pick up a couple things from the store and went I came out I had a low tire. I expected this at some point since I had rotated my tires and that's when one usually goes flat. I repaired it and took off. It took a while to get going because I had to answer a few people's questions about my ride. I finally got going and onto the interstate. This is not my preferred choice of travel but was about the only option. I headed east and took frequent breaks because I had time to kill. My planned destination was 60 miles away. I was there by 1:30. This even with breaks and more questions due to stopping at rest areas. Many people were friendly and I had very little trouble with traffic. This was partly due to the lack of traffic on Montana roads. The temperature reached the mid-80's today and was beautiful and sunny until the last 15 miles of the day. I had seen storms in the mountains all around me but thankfully that's where they stayed. I got sprinkled on a couple times and the wind picked up. This wasn't too bad since just to the east of me the sky was dark and I could see the rain coming down pretty good. The last mile was the hardest due to about 15 mph crosswinds. That last mile seemed to last forever, partly due to the wind and partly due to the fact that the exit was nearly a mile from it's mile marker. I pulled in to the campground just off the interstate and the people were friendly and gave me the discounted rate. That's good since the only other true camping option was koa. I set up and showered and then headed to the restaurant a block away to which the campground gave me a discount coupon. The food was very good but I had a hard time deciding because I was so hungry everything looked good. It is now 8 pm and the sun still has about an hour until it sets. This has taken some getting used to since arriving in Missoula.

The title refers to a restaurant I rode by on my ride today. It had pictures and all.

Missoula By Bicycle

As you can see, I have been making changes on my site. Part of this is due to having the time to do it. Another part is currently having access to a computer. I have added a statistics box to allow people to see my progress a little easier. The mileage is most likely not 100% accurate. I'm using a wireless computer and I try to change the batteries regularly, but I feel that I don't always get it done in time. I have also added a link to a Google Maps map that I am working on. It is not fully up to date, not all the locations are accurate if you zoom in, and the icons are still being changed. I also plan on adding route lines to allow you to see highways I have travelled. Currently it shows you roughly my route around the country and has most of my nightly locations highlighted. I will continue to work on this as time and computer access allow, so stay tuned for updates.

FREE DAY

Yesterday I took a free day in Missoula. My hosts here had a friend who was turning 30 and planned a 30 mile bike ride, hoping for 30 riders, along which they would visit the three local breweries. He ended up getting 30 riders. I was allowed to tag along and so spent the day "resting," which was partly the case since I had very little gear attached. We started out at the birthday boy's house and rode for roughly 20 miles before coming to the first brewery. I was able to see a lot of Missoula that I would normally not have been able to see or know about. We rode some beautiful roads and had very few hills, all at a relaxing pace. We visited Big Sky, Kettle House, and Bayern and had a brief stint at each before heading to the next one. There was a lot of good socializing going on and I met a lot of neat people and many wanted to hear about my trip. The day ended by meeting back at his house and having a grilling session along with live music. Many people were Environmental Law students, since that was his field of study at the University.

Today is another free day and I spent it working on my bike and trying to relax a bit. I haven't decided yet if I am going to ride every day to Douglas, WY, or if I am going to take a free day along the way and split the trip in half. The weather has been beautiful and makes me think I might take another break if location allows.

The Road From Walla Walla by Pics

The visitor's center at Lolo Pass, elev 5235
Downhill into Montana
The yellow sign is a very favorable sign
James, the cyclist I met headed east

The Lochsa Lodge
Our rustic cabin in the woods
Riding along the Lochsa River
The view from my tent along the Lochsa River
Riding the Clearwater River
Kamiah (cam-ee-eye) city park stage along highway 12 on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation
An earlier view along the Clearwater River just east of Lewiston, ID
Idaho, along the Snake River
The pass before an incredible downhill with speeds nearing 50mph
Lewis and Clark Trail State Park along the Touchet River in Washington, just behind my campsite

You Have A Big Climb Coming Up

Those were the words I constantly heard all the way up to Lolo Pass. The truth is - it wasn't that bad. A mere 1,600 feet over 13 miles. Not much compared to the other climbs on my ride.

Last night was a peaceful sleep in a peaceful location. I awoke somewhat early and was soon packed and ready to go. I left around 8 and met a couple of British cyclists coming down. They started on mountain time and therefore made it over a bit before me. I was still probably the first headed east.

I forgot to fill my water before I left so I was on empty to start the day. I didn't want to turn around after I realized it because that was more climbing. I therefore resolved that once I found an accessible spot on the river I would fill up and use my chlorine drops. I only filled one bottle. That got me to the visitors center at the pass where I was able to fill up a couple more.

At the center I talked with a young couple with a 1 1/2 yr old girl named charlotte. She was entertaining and the couple was curious about the cyclists they see on the road and what their stories are.

I soon headed on and had a great initial 4 mile downhill that allowed me to get to almost 40mph. Then it was a very mild ride all the way to missoula. I stopped for a break in Lolo and a girl was looking at me with a grin so I said hi and she giggled and said she liked my sunglasses. They had my mirror attachment on. I got to missoula and called the people I was staying with and then headed there. I got the tour, cleaned up, and then have just been relaxing and sharing stories. I'm gonna stay here for a couple days and then start a six day ride across big sky country to my midway state.

Cruisin' On Highway 12

I have wifi tonight, though I haven't had phone reception for the last couple days. As I mentioned last post, I have company for the portion of the trip from Washington to Missoula. We have shared campsites every night and tonight the last three campgrounds were closed and the next open one was two miles out of the way. We considered going there or finding a place in the woods. We were at a resort type area that had little camping cabins and decided, just for fun, to see what the rates were. It turned out to be fairly affordable, had two beds, and a restaurant on site so we decided to stay. I just finished up having a great bison burger and salad and fries. It is in a lodge of golden pine logs with a beautiful gas fireplace in the center of the room and game mounts and rugs decorating the walls. We are surrounded by forest and far enough from the highway to hear not a sound. The staff is very friendly and welcoming of our cycling tales and metabolism.

Yesterday I decided I was going to have a long ride day to try and make the next couple of days shorter, since we would be going over Lolo Pass. The ride was a pleasant winding road next to the Clearwater River and didn't have as much traffic as usual. The shoulder was sporadic and nonexistent at times, but averaged out to a foot or two wide most of the day. The traffic was generally friendly. Shorly after the day started the layers came off. For part of the day I was even able to ride without a shirt. Most of the ride was across the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. This followed much of the Lewis and Clark trail and had waypoints along the way.

The campground last night was amazing. We were the only ones there and it only cost $5 total. We were camped on an embankment over the middle fork of the Clearwater and the stream drowned the sound of the traffic throughout the night. There was a glorious white sand beach at the foot of five steps leading down to the river right next to the tent. I ate my meal here with the sound of the mild rapids and the quiet washing of the waves from the eddy washing onto the beach. The last of the suns rays cast down and kept me warm before the heat was lost behind the pines to the west. My tent was set upon a luxuriant bed of pine needles which added to the comfort of my sleeping pad. Between that and the soothing sounds of the river, it was one of my most restful nights sleep. Over the 101 miles ridden this day we only gained 600 ft in elevation.

Today the ride continued along the river. We changed to the Lochsa river and soon began seeing rapids, which a small number of people were shooting today. Later along in the day I came upon a couple in a van that asked me about my trip. The driver was getting ready to do a cross country trip this July. They informed me that there were hot springs down the trail we were by. They told me it would be a great side trip and since it was 1:30 and I only had ten more miles to go, I decided to give it a try. I found them and stayed for about 20 minutes then headed back. It was real restful and relaxed my legs. There was no one around and it was picturesque, having a pool surrounded by rocks with beautiful pine and spruce surrounding the hill sides and a rolling mountain stream sounding peacefully in the background.

I soon returned to the road and began riding again. A trucker shortly passed me and pulled off at the next pullout. He got out and started checking his truck and then waved when I went by. I nodded back and continued on for a few yards when a thought struck me and I turned back. The truck was white pulling a tanker trailer and had NORCO on the side. This was the type of truck the brother of the family I stayed in Bend with drove. I met him one night when he came for a visit. It turned out it was him. We talked for a bit and he took my pic by his truck. He offered to take me over the pass, but I declined for a few reasons, one of which being James coming along behind me.

The weather has been in the 70s and the sun has been shining and very little wind has been blowing. It couldn't be more perfect for summiting a pass. I believe I will probably be the first cyclist to do the pass this year. We are a bit early for the season, so many things are closed and potable water isn't prevalent. I believe I have figured my route across Montana and Wyoming now, so it should be a pleasant trip to Douglas.

Company

Yesterday afternoon another cyclist strolled in to the campground to check it out and took a break and decided to stay. Turns out we were riding the same direction and decided to ride together today. He is on a loop from Chicago to san Diego and back and is currently on his way back.

The ride today was great, with a 15mph tail wind and a great 5 mi downhill that got speeds upwards of 45 mph. The day was sunny and the company nice. We got to clarkston, wa and went to the visitors center and they were very helpful. They had Idaho and Montana maps and gave us campground guides for hwy 12.

Not much else to post right now.

Exploration

I am working my way back across the union and am camping at a place where Lewis and Clark went through on their return journey. I am leaning against a downed tree along the Touchet river in southeastern Washington state.

Across the river are ferns of every color of green. This is a swift flowing river right now that has places of rapids that make a smooth gurgling sound. Birds of all types are singing before the impending rainstorm comes. The sky is an ash gray and resembles smoke from a wet fire slowly flowing overhead. Sparrows dart all around me and over my head then skim the waters surface and swiftly and gracefully dart above a felled tree in the water.

Earlier a hummingbird fluttered under my tarp and sounded like a giant bee before I realized what was there. It then perched on a branch and tried to look in every direction at once - natures ADD animal. Robins walked the ground near me and all seems oblivious to my presence.

From this location I can't make out the sounds of the highway. The long blast from the semi that went by me as I turned in here seems ages ago. I can visualize Lewis and Clark and their group exploring this unknown frontier. They hear the same sounds I do and have seen many of the same trees I have. I had similar visions at the Deschutes river - the last river crossing of the Oregon trail. A trail that was heavily used merely 150 years ago on wagons and livestock, without the amenities of graded roads, a/c, and rv's.

It reminds me that it was the toils of those people and their vision of things greater than themselves that made our nation what it is and gave them the character admired by so many. I often feel it is the lack of similar toils that make us nowadays not so stubborn or interested in the forming of our still young nation and the lack of commitment in so many realms, including family.

An experience like mine will undeniably build character in the one who partakes it. I'm not saying mine is the only type of experience that will do this. Working in outdoor leadership I see it all the time when people are challenged and pushed outside their comfort zones. I hope I never become so comfortable I grow stagnate. Ok...enough philosophy.

The ride today was short and through picturesque rolling hills with beautiful white clouds and blue skies. Behind me, however, a storm was brewing and those skies eventually grew gray. The wonderful part about that was the tailwind I had. It made the ride a lot faster than I had originally planned.

My time in Walla Walla was enjoyable and I had a great time getting to know my hosts and share stories of the road. They did a mom, dad, daughter, son tour on two tandem bikes across the northern US a couple of years ago and had a great time. They showed me a slide show the dad had put together and it was great. I am currently filled with a renewed energy to continue on and can only hope and pray it stays and gets me through the next few mountain passes I have before the plains.

The Wizard Of Oz

So last night I arrived to Walla Walla and waited for my warm showers hosts to get back from their sons baseball game. They arrived back and we talked for a bit as supper was being made and then I was offered the chance to go to the high school play of The Wizard Of Oz. It was supposed to be really good and a production company from Las Vegas had apparently helped them make flying monkeys. The school is around 1,800 students in a town of around 30,000 people. I decided I would go.

We got there right as the house lights were turned down and the show soon began. Dorothy came on stage followed by Toto, of which they actually used a live dog when able. Sometimes he was getting held too much or thrown around and they used a stuff dog that highly resembled him. They did very good at switching him back and forth during the scenes so one could hardly keep track of the real dog or the stuffed one.

Pretty soon the tornado hit and the next thing you know a model house is flying around on stage and a projector is showing twisters and flying debris in the background. Then the house lands on the witch and the next thing you know Glinda is flying in her bubble from stage left and slowly soars down to the ground. Then here comes the wicked witch flying on her broomstick above the stage from stage right and she soars to the ground, makes her speech, then flies away.

Later on three monkeys fly in and then one carries of Toto, the tin man is in the air, and Dorothy gets flown away.

It was quite the production. The wardrobe was very well done and the acting was really good. They have quite a lot of talent in the vocals area. For a high school production it was amazing. The use of technology was minimal but well used with a projector instead of changing backdrops. It also allowed the crystal ball scenes to be played out with their actors in dream sequences. The only drawback was they used a mic system and it was a bit loud. I was quite impressed.

I am taking a free day today to rest and make any repairs necessary before making a push to Missoula, MT for another rest day. In less than a month I will be back in Nebraska, though only for a handful of days. Then it's only three more months of this journey. I feel it's going to go too fast and not fast enough all at the same time.

Vegas Pics

Viewing Red Rocks Outside Las Vegas

The Belagio Fountains...To The Tune Of The Pink Panther The First Time

The Grounds Of The Condo We Stayed In

Hoover Dam And The New Bypass Bridge To Be Completed This Fall

Pics...Finally

The Rest of California, Oregon, and Washington by Pictures...


Oregon...Finally

Washington

In Case You Can't Read...Perhaps Visual Aides Will Help

UhOh...No Snow Tires Or Tire Chains...Made It Through The Snow Anyway

One Of The Slightly Below Average Redwoods. Many Were Wider, Just Couldn't Get A Picture

Riding Through The Drive-Thru Tree.

Apparently, The Wind Usually Blows Here. Yes, I Was Heading The Wrong Way. Trees At Fort Bragg, CA.

Some Help For The Winter. Grew This Out A Couple Times And Shaved It A Bit Early Both Times. Hopefully Won't Need It For A While.

A Giant Sequoia Fallen And Hollowed Out. No Problem Walking Through. Wider Than The Redwoods And Still Tall, Though Not As Tall. Branches The Size Of Regular Tree Trunks.

Another Wine Country

I tried to sleep in today but the 4 and 5 am fisherman decided to wake me up. I laid around a while and then got ready to go around 9. As I was leaving town I got a flat due to multiple thorns going into my rear tire. I fixed it and continued to move and soon I was riding along the Columbia river. Shortly after entering Washington again I got a tail wind that lasted until most of the way to Walla Walla. It was a pretty average day and this part of Washington has a lot of wineries, though I didn't see many vineyards.

I'm staying at a warm showers host house tonight and it was built in 1908 and is on the historic homes register.

I added a side tab that allows you to access the Bend article and will soon attach the two articles from my hometown paper as well.

Washington..No. Wait...Oregon?

I wanted to get an early start today because I wasn't sure what the day held, where I was staying, and I figured the wind might pick up. 8am was the early start. I had breakfast and moved on, then a couple miles later had second breakfast. I then crossed the Columbia and rode highway 14 to the next interstate. I started out with good time for the first three hours but then the wind hit. When I started only a couple wind turbines were going but their easterly direction worried me. Sure enough, by 11am every turbine in sight was going strong and the river was white capping. I was still able to go strong but it was exhausting and drained the water. I went through a gallon of water, a cup of Orange juice, and a liter of propel and was thirsty when I arrived. I still managed to pedal 91 miles, which was good due to a camping location.

The town of Plymouth lies near the interstate and does have a campground but I needed water and wasnt sure if they had any and I was close enough I wanted to make sure I could cross on the interstate. It was a good thing. I was allowed on the interstate for a half mile and then was forced to exit. The tunnel under the freeway was blocked and I was forced to do a loop through Plymouth. I decided I should try hitch hiking to see if I could get a ride. I waited for five minutes and five trucks and then someone pulled over. His name was jerry and he would be glad to help. He said there was a walking bridge on the other side bit he didn't know if bikes were allowed. He dropped me off at the first exit and I proceeded to the marina and rv park. Thankfully they let tents camp there to. I was able to take a shower, of which I was dearly in need, due to three days hard riding without one. Tomorrow is Walla Walla and a warm showers host.

Chillin' By The Deschutes

I woke up to a tent covered in frost and toes that I still couldn't feel. One of my Windows was frosted over. Thankfully the wind died down overnight and the snow stopped. I got up and when I put my riding shoes on, which had been out all night, I was greeted with a surprise. The sun that was shining had warmed them up and they were quite toasty. I proceeded to pack, to one last quick look around town, then headed on. The ride was generally downhill, though I had some decent climbs as well. I made good time as well and was excited to see the wind turbines were not going very much.

Outside of Biggs I had a nice 4 mile downhill coast to the river. I stocked up on water at the gas station and proceeded to the state park. It is $12 cheaper to camp in the Oregon state park than the one across the river in Washington. The only drawback is I have some backtracking to do tomorrow. The great part is the sun has finally come out and I am sitting in the sun getting some color back in my skin and listening to the Deschutes river flow by right next to my campsite.

Sh-Sh-Sh-Sh-Shaniko

It's freezing outside and I have ridden through sleet and snow almost all day. I am sitting in the public restroom of a town of 27 people to stay warm for a bit. I am camped next to the stables with the permission of the mayor who happened to drive by the gas station as I asked if there was a place to camp. This town of Shaniko, OR has had a rich history, starting with a big part in the wool industry. It was located at the end of the line (railroad). Now it is in the cattle industry. It's a registered ghost town today, though people live here.

I left Bend today a celebrity. I had a photographer take pics of me as I left town for a photo and caption in the local paper. I hope to get a link to it soon. I delayed my departure from bend due to getting sick, so left today. I hope to be just across the river from Washington tomorrow.

My back is doing better due to a massage in Bend, though it is still sensitive. Hopefully I can get another one soon and clear it up. I hope to be in Montana in a week and a half. Hopefully I will only have to deal with snow one or two times more before it warms up.

Still cold so I'm gonna go get in my sleeping bag.

Bend

Not much to update. Didn't get access to a computer to upload pics but hope to this weekend in Walla Walla.

Serenity

The ride yesterday had a couple of short and steep climbs and then a gradual climb the rest of the day. It was one of those roads that looks flat in a car but is a constant climb. It was at least a peaceful ride with a wide shoulder. The drivers were some of the best this whole trip; even the RVers, the predominantly poorest drivers of the trip. Just about every driver got over if it was possible and gave me plenty of room. The nest and worst part of the ride was the wind: it blew from every direction for varying lengths of time, which meant I occasionally had a tailwind.

Today I'm on my way to Bend. I'm ahead of schedule so I stopped for lunch and a break. The ride so far has been great and is predominately downhill. It goes through forest most all the time and occasionally gives glimpses of the Cascades. I decided to listen to Celtic and classical music today since it fits well with the landscape. My imagination has been going today and I have imagined frontiersmen and native Americans running through the woods and one song made me envision an old time barn raising like in seven brides for seven brothers.

It feels good to have another mountain range behind me. My legs can really feel it. They haven't been worked this hard in awhile. I think I might've pulled a stomach muscle as well. With that and my back I look a pretty funny and sad site only being able to position my upper body a couple of ways.