Tour De Continental Divide

Final Post - The Meaning of Life

2007-07-15T04:51:00.000-06:00

Final thoughts, first these two quotes from Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the the United States. Coolidge may have been one of the greatest Presidents of the last century.

"I have never been hurt by what I have not said."

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

I did discover the meaning of life during this odessey. But I can't tell you the answer. That is the big secret. You have to find "It" for yourself.

There is a hint to what I think "It" is in the above photograph. I think this photo is my favorite of the entire tour.

So, what have you learned Dorothy?

2007-07-15T04:39:00.001-06:00

These are the lessons I learned during my odessey.

- This tour was much more difficult mentally and emotionally than physically.

- Stay positive and see the all the possibilities, not the obstacles. This will allow you to achieve great endeavors in your life.

- Never sign up for a bike trip when you have been drinking.

- Wear sunscreen.

- Always check the direction of the wind before peeing.

- Buy Fedex stock. I saw Fedex trucks every day of the trip in the most remote places.

- Riding into a headwind is really hard, and a tailwind is really easy. The difference between a headwind and a tailwind can mean taking one hour or four hours to finish the last 30 miles before reaching your destination. So whenever possible, go with the flow.

- People working together is so much easier than one working alone. I discovered this riding bikes taking turns drafting behind other cyclists. This is true in life too. It is easier to have others to help you share the effort. One can rest a little bit while the others takes on the effort. Still, I think I rode over 99 percent of the time by myself.

- Riding together can also lead to wrecks since you can't always see what is in front of you. So be careful who you choose to ride through life with.

- Never ever complain, no one listens anyhow. People will perceive you as negative and will eventually avoid you.

- You can almost live on granola bars and Gatorade.

- I did not see a newspaper or turn on a TV for six weeks. All the same news happened whether I watched it or not. So who cares, turn off the news. Leave the TV and radio behind.

- You can't roller skate in a buffalo herd, but you can be happy if you've a mind to.

- Take deep breaths.

- If all you do all week is go to work and come home at night and watch TV, then on the weekends work on your home and yard, all you have really done is build yourself a really nice comfortable prison.

- If there is something you really want to do in life, do it now, or make plans to do it. You never know when your time is up, and tomorrow is promised to no one.

- Anything is possible if you prepare and plan well, and are very organized. Then while in the endeavour, focus only on that day and the immediate task before you. Then go with the flow.

The Tour is Complete

2007-07-14T16:15:00.000-06:00

Totals from The Tour De Continental Divide:

- 2,455 miles ridden
- 139,397 feet of cumulative elevation gain, almost 5 times as high as Mt. Everest
- 38 days riding
- 200:28 hours riding time (elapsed time front wheel is turning as measured by the cyclocomputer, also the rear wheel is turning too!)
- 248:00 hours total time from departure destination to arrival destination

- Average Speed - 12.275 mph
- Top speed, 46.9 mph

- Total Days of Tour, 43
- Times rained on, 0
- Days of brilliant sunshine all day long, 42
- States, 5
- Countries, 2
- Provinces, 2
- Wrong Turns, 0

- Different motels, 41
- Times I forgot my motel room number and had to go to the front desk to get into my room, 1
- Times I locked myself out of my room, 1

- Sets of new tires, 3
- Flat tires, 0
- Mechanical Failures, 0
- Bicycle adjustments, 0
- Advil Pills, 162

Casualties - one camera broken, two lost cycling gloves, one Halo headband (guess I lost my halo on this tour, never mind, I found the headband as the last item I removed from my suitcase, amazing how something can get lost in a suitcase), one lost cleat cover, one deer.

Memory

2007-07-14T15:49:00.001-06:00

Funny thing is, one of my most distinct memories of the entire tour is one where I had no idea of where I was at all. I woke up around 2 am, like I normally did, since I got up at 4am just about every day of the tour. Usually I would go back to sleep for an hour or two. This night when I woke up, I had absolutely no idea where I was. I just knew I was not home. I did not know what town I was in, which hotel I was in, or where I was at all. I guess after almost 40 days on the road, each night in a different place, this is not too surprising. I needed to get to the bathroom so I could get a drink of water. I remember walking very carefully, shuffling my feet so very gingerly and slowly so that I would not stub a toe or trip in the dark over unseen furniture or my luggage and stuff strewn around the room. Since I had no idea where I was, I did not remember the layout of the room or where I put all my stuff which was often on the floor if there was not a second bed in the room. To this day I am not sure where this momentary lapse of remembering where I was happened. I just know it happened in Canada because it was near the end of the tour.

Bike for Sale

2007-07-14T15:12:00.001-06:00

Bike for sale, barely used, like new, low mileage, runs good, lots of chrome.

Southern Half of Pinellas

2007-07-14T15:00:00.001-06:00

Last shot before descending into Tampa Airport. I think it will be a few months or weeks before the magnitude of this trip really sinks in.

Mid section of Pinellas

2007-07-14T14:42:00.001-06:00

My home is somewhere in this photo.
I remember when I flew out of Tampa on June 1st, I could distinctly see my neighborhood. That day seemed like such a long time ago now.

Clearwater Pass

2007-07-14T14:36:00.000-06:00

View of Clearwater Pass the Memorial Causeway from downtown Clearwater to Clearwater Beach. The Rockies are beautiful, but this is a pretty nice place to live too.

Descending over Pinellas

2007-07-14T14:31:00.001-06:00

As the plane descended over Pinellas, it finally hit me how long I had been gone. It's great to be home again.

Approaching Coastline of Pinellas County

2007-07-14T14:27:00.001-06:00

What a welcome sight, seeing the familiar coastline of Pinellas County.

Thunderstorms Building of the Coast of Florida

2007-07-14T14:23:00.001-06:00

Spectacular view of thunderstorms building in the Gulf of Mexico from above the storms.

Coming Home

2007-07-14T14:12:00.000-06:00

Took these photos over the Gulf of Mexico out the window of the airplane on the last leg of the journey, the flight home from Dallas.

Icefields Parkway

2007-07-14T14:08:00.001-06:00

I posted about 50 photos of the Icefields Parkway, so if you want to see them, just keep clicking older post. The days and photos are posted in reverse order so you can follow along from day one through day three by scrolling down and see them in the same order I did.

The Sixth Level of Existance

2007-07-14T14:03:00.001-06:00

The next set of photos is from the first of three days riding on the Icefields Parkway. Once again, I posted them in reverse chronological order so you can follow along during the day.
The first day of riding on the Icefields Parkway was not what I expected. Instead of feeling joy and triumph, I felt very low key, super peaceful, almost a melancholy feeling. I think feeling melacholy is probably the natual state of the soul, a resting spot for the soul between the highs and lows. Melancholy to me is feeling both happy and sad at the same time.
Maybe it was just a serene sense of relief the the tour was almost over. Or perhaps the accomplishment over the last 6 weeks that all the training and preparation paid off and I had pulled off the trip. I had been training and preparing for this tour since late in 2006. Preparing for being away from home for six weeks as well as all the training influenced so many decsions about what I had to do over the last six months. Many tasks and other activities were put on hold preparing for this tour. This tour simply loomed so large ahead and dominated just about every thought or action I had since the beginning of the year. Or maybe I was simply exhausted from the extreme effort from the day before riding from Radium Hot Springs to Lake Louise.
I felt happy, but sad the tour was now almost over with. I was not really thinking about anything at all, my mind just kind of wandering. I felt like all the hard work is done, you made it, but it's not really such a big deal after all. I felt good physically, mentally, and emotionally. Perhaps it was the release of emotions at Moraine Lake the evening before that put me into this state. Or maybe it was just being among such beautiful scenary. I suppose it was all of these thoughts together. Whatever put me into this state of mind, it was one of the most peaceful days of my life.

Start of Icefields Parkway

2007-07-14T13:36:00.001-06:00

Here is the beginning of the Icefields Parkway, the beginning of another beautiful day.

Crowfoot Glacier

2007-07-14T13:29:00.001-06:00

The glacier gets it's name from the shape of a crow's claw. Funny thing is, that a raven was hanging out in the scenic turnout I took this photo from. Ravens are members of the crow family, just very large. When I stopped here last year, there were also two ravens here. I wonder if this guy was one of the ones from last year. Ravens are smart, they stake out a territory and defend it. This raven must have been very dominant as he staked out a turnout where food from tourists was probably very plentyful. Crows are so smart that they have been known to drop nuts on roads so cars will drive over the nuts and break open the nuts for them.

Missing claw

2007-07-14T13:22:00.001-06:00

One of the crow's claws is missing now, the glacier is melting.

Bow Lake

2007-07-14T13:20:00.001-06:00

About 30 miles from the begining of the Icefields Parkway is Bow Lake. The Bow valley was once filled with a super massive glacier 15,000 years ago. As the massive glacier melted and receded, it carved out the Bow Valley. Now glaciers only exist at higher elevations and where they are shielded part of the day from the sun's warm rays.

Bow Lake 2

2007-07-14T13:14:00.001-06:00

Another view of Bow Lake.

Bow Lake 3

2007-07-14T13:11:00.001-06:00

Bow Lake looking back south. We rode from south to north on the Icefields Parkway. It's important to turn around once in a while or you miss some incredible views. I was always catching these incredible views in the rearview mirror I wore on my cycling sunglasses.

Bow Glacier

2007-07-14T13:08:00.001-06:00

View of Bow Glacier and falls draining into Bow Lake

Mountain behind Bow Lake

2007-07-14T13:07:00.001-06:00

Sorry the photo is crooked, in the bright sunlight I can just barely see the screen of the Treo 700. I just kind of aim and shoot hoping I get what I want in the photo.

Bow Pass

2007-07-14T13:05:00.001-06:00

Looking down from Bow Pass before beginning the descent.

Descent from Bow Pass

2007-07-14T13:03:00.000-06:00

View of mountians and glaciers on the descent from Bow Pass on the way to the Sascatchewan Crossing.

More mountains and glaciers

2007-07-14T13:01:00.000-06:00

More views of mountains and glaciers while descending from Bow Summit.

Turquoise Lake along Icefields

2007-07-14T12:51:00.000-06:00

A view of a lake along the descent from Bow Summit.
The turquoise color comes from the rock flour suspended in the lake. The rock flour comes from the glaciers grinding over the rocks as the glacier is pulled down the mountain by gravity. Meltwaters from the glacier drain into the lake carrying the ground up rock into the lake.
A common myth is that lakes are blue because they are reflecting the color of the sky. Lakes are blue because when the sun's rays reflect off the bottom of the lake, only the blue wavelengths have enough energy to reflect all the way back to the lake surface where the color can be seen . Blue is the shortest wavelength in visible electromagmetic spectrum and therefore has the highest energy of visible light. In a lake that has rock flour suspended in it from a glacier draining into it, some of the sun's rays are reflected back by the rock flour instead of being reflected by the bottom of the lake. Still, all the other colors of the visible light spectrum are absorbed except for green. Green has the second most amount of energy and is the next color down from blue in the light spectrum. Mixing green and blue colors together creates the turquiose color. The more active the glacier, the greener the water. Glacier fed lakes such as Lake Louise actually get greener as the summer progresses.

Looking back on descent

2007-07-14T12:31:00.000-06:00

View looking back up the descent from Bow Pass.

Exhilarating Day

2007-07-14T12:12:00.001-06:00

The following set of photos is from the second day on the Icefields Parkway, from The Crossing to Sunwapta Falls. They are also posted in reverse chronological order so you can scroll down and see the day as it unfolded.
I felt energized and fantastic riding from The Crossing to Sunwapta Falls. I was so melancholy yesterday and wondered if I was going to feel that way the rest of the Icefields.
I felt exhilarated and entralled cycling toward the place my cat Sunwapta is named after. My
legs felt fresh again, and my spirit and soul were soaring. The temperature was 44 degrees when we started. I was cold but felt great and wonderful cycling as fast as I could the 20 miles to the beginning of the climb to the Sunwapta Pass. I also was pedaling fast so that I could get into the sunlight so I could get warm.
The ride up Sunwapa Pass was great, the last pass of trip. I kept taking photos along the way, simply an incredibly beautiful day. The spirits of my departed cats joined with me again for the rest of the day.
The tour is essentially over now after a 65 mile day with 5000 feet of climbing.Tomorrow is a short day, 35 miles, a parade lap into Jasper
What started 41 days ago now comes to an end. Today was not an emotional day, but a day for the spirit and soul to soar.
I suspect tomorrow might be a very emotional day.

Sunwapta Rides Again

2007-07-14T12:01:00.001-06:00

Sunwapta riding up the pass named after him.

The Climb to Sunwapta Pass

2007-07-14T11:56:00.000-06:00

Looking back into the valley we climbed out of, about one third of the way up to Sunwapta Pass.

Part way Up Sunwapta Pass

2007-07-14T11:45:00.000-06:00

View looking down at road we climbed up on our way to Sunwapta Pass.

Sunwapta Pass

2007-07-14T11:40:00.001-06:00

This is Sunwapta Pass. This entire area is named after my cat Sunwapta.

Sunwapta

2007-07-14T11:34:00.000-06:00

This is my cat cat Sunwapta. He looks like a snow leapord, that is why I named him Sunwapta. Sunwapta is in the middle, on the left is his mother Cheetah, and on the right is Spirit.

Descending Down from Sunwapta Pass

2007-07-14T11:25:00.001-06:00

View on the descent from Sunwapta Pass towards the Columbia Icefields..

The Massive Athabasca Glacier

2007-07-14T11:20:00.000-06:00

The Athabasca Glacier spills down from the Columbia Icefields. The glacier is shrinking, it used to come all the way down to the road.

Athabasca Glacier

2007-07-14T11:15:00.001-06:00

The Athabasca Glacier is one of six glaciers that spill down from the Columbia Icefields. Glaciers are to icefields as rivers are to lakes. Glaciers are actually slow moving rivers of ice drawn down a mountain by gravity.The Columbia Icefield is on of the largest icefields on the planet. The icefield covers a massive 180 square miles. The Columbia Icefield is also a triple divide. A triple divide means that water reaches three oceans from this icefield, the Atlantic. Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.

Toe of Glacier

2007-07-14T11:10:00.000-06:00

Road leading down to the toe of the Athabasca Glacier. Just a few decades ago the glacier extended down past where this road is now. There were markers along the road with a year number on them that indicated where the toe of the glacier extended to. This was a very dramatic way of showing how quickly the glacier is receding.

The Athabasca Glacier

2007-07-14T11:05:00.001-06:00

A closer view of the Athabasca Glacier.

Looking Back at the Icefields

2007-07-14T11:03:00.001-06:00

View looking back at the Icefields after a short climb.

Beginning of Sunwapta River

2007-07-14T11:02:00.001-06:00

This is the beginning of the Sunwapta River as we leave the Icefields. At this point the river is very wide and shallow and moving very slowly.

Mountains Behind Sunwapta River

2007-07-14T11:00:00.001-06:00

Wonderful scene of the Sunwapta River with mountains in the background.

Glacier Fed Sunwapta River

2007-07-14T10:59:00.001-06:00

Looking down at the Sunwapta River on the descent down to Sunwapta Falls .

Sunwapta River Widens

2007-07-14T10:49:00.001-06:00

The Sunwapta River widens as we follow it's course towards Sunwapta Falls. The Sunwapta River eventually joins the Athabasca River and flows to the Arctic Ocean.

Sunwapta Falls

2007-07-14T10:47:00.001-06:00

The Sunwapta River finally swells to a torrent and plunges over these falls.

Sunwapta Falls Resort

2007-07-14T10:44:00.001-06:00

Finally arrived at the Sunwapta Falls Resort. The last time I stayed here I had 3 solid days of rain. On this trip I never got rained on at all, truly amazing for spending 43 consecutive days in the Rocky Mountains.

Final Ride

2007-07-14T10:41:00.001-06:00

These photos are from the final day, once again posted from end to beginning so that as you scroll down you see them as the day goes on. I wish I could say I felt some special feeling this day, but I did not. I guess I was thinking about getting back to Calgary and flying home. The final day was anti-climatic. I guess the old adage is true, its not the destination, but the journey that is important.

Athabasca River Rounding a Bend

2007-07-14T10:37:00.001-06:00

The Athabasca river rounds a bend on its way to the Arctic Ocean.

Athabasca River in Morning Sunshine

2007-07-14T10:35:00.000-06:00

Another perfect morning, we had bright sunshine for 37 of 38 riding days. I was never rained on the entire trip.

Mountains Behind Athabasca River

2007-07-14T10:34:00.001-06:00

View after leaving Sunwapta Falls on the way to Jasper.

Athabasca Falls

2007-07-14T10:33:00.000-06:00

The Athabasca River roars over these falls.

Athabasca River

2007-07-14T10:31:00.000-06:00

Glacier silted river that empties into the Artic Ocean.

7th Plane of Existance

2007-07-13T11:23:00.001-06:00

I have finally reached the 7th plane of existance, it's called a Boeing S80. We took off over an hour late because the air pressure was low in the nose wheel tire. Now I was able to put 125 psi of air in my bike tires, both front and rear in 5 minutes and that was with a hand pump. Kind have to wonder why the pressure was low to begin with, hope it does not leak out. I hope we don't end up live on CNN as one of those planes flying around in circles to burn off fuel so that the plane can land with a bad wheel.

Ready to come home

2007-07-13T06:29:00.001-06:00

Much to my surprise, this tour seemed neither long nor short. I expected to want to come home after two weeks, but I never felt that way. The whole tour feels like one big blur. I can hardly remember flying to Tucson six weeks ago.
But I have had enough, I am really looking forward to coming home. I want to come home because that is where my friends are.

The Chase is Over

2007-07-12T12:27:00.000-06:00

The Chasing the Great Divide, The Tour de Continental Divide is complete. I am is Jasper now. We have a 7 hour van ride back to Calgary where we will break down and pack the bikes. Then I fly home early tomorrow. Photos of the Icefields Parkway and final thoughts are still to come, I will send them after I return to the United States.

Lake Louise at Sunrise.

2007-07-10T07:14:00.001-06:00

I am just about the only person at Lake Louise right now, everyone else is still asleep. Early morning is the best time for photos. In a few hours ten thousand people will be here. By time I will be long gone, cycling up the Icefields Parkway.
- Mountain Lion

Fairview Mountain

2007-07-10T07:09:00.000-06:00

I hiked up to the top of Fairview Mountain back in 2003. Fairview Mtn borders Lake Louise on the left side. The last 45 minuted it was so steep I had to stop every 20 steps to rest my legs, my calves were just burning. The view from up there was amazing, I could see for hundreds of miles in all directions. I could see mountain ranges behind mountain ranges.

Lake Louise

2007-07-10T07:02:00.000-06:00

The magnificient Lake Louise, perhaps the most photographed lake in the world.

Celebration

2007-07-10T05:37:00.001-06:00

The hardest days of the tour are now behind us. The next three days will be a relatively gentle 150 mile ride along the Icefields Parkway, kind of like a 3 day celebration and parade laps of this grand tour. National Geographic describes the Icefields Parkway as a "a highway hung from the stars." The road has mountains rising one mile high on both sides, has over 2000 glaciers and numerous glacier fed turquiose lakes and rivers all along the way. Unfortuneatly, cell connectios will almost certainly dissappear, at least they did last year, so I will have to sned photos when I get home. Today is a 50 mile ride to the Sascatchwen Crossing, then 60 mile ride to Sunwapa Falls, then 35 mile ride to Jasper and tour will be complete. Funny thing, now that I am in the Canadian Rockies again which are so familiar, it almost feels like two different tours. The other part of the tour feels like a distant memory, almost like it didn't happen at all.

Cabin Number Nine

2007-07-10T05:24:00.001-06:00

I stayed in this cabin 3 times in previous trips here. the cabin is tucked up along a forest above the lake with a great view of the lake and mountains. Seeing Cabin number 9 triggered a flood of memories and emotions of this special place. Moraine Lake is a very special and spiritual place for me.

Last Sunlight at Moraine Lake

2007-07-10T05:19:00.001-06:00

Here is a photo taken after dinner as the last rays of sunlight were hitting the mountain peaks. You can see the reflection of the mountains in the lake.

Moraine Lake

2007-07-10T05:14:00.000-06:00

We had dinner last night at Moraine Lake. Moraine Lake is the most beautiful place I have ever seen as ten mountain rise up dramatically over the lake. This is not a very good photo, taken late in the day. The best time to take photos is in the morning but you can kind of get an idea of what it looks like. It would be better to google Moraine Lake and see some better photos.

Strongest Day

2007-07-10T05:07:00.001-06:00

Today was the most strong and powerful I ever felt on a bike. Perhaps it was all the excitement and adrenaline from knowing I was heading into the Canadian Rockies. The morning started out with a seven mile climb at 7 percent. Then descending from Sinclair Pass I saw one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen. Ten cyclists all evenly spaced out descending at about 40 miles an hour, just gliding down the pass. It was a beautiful sight. At the bottom of the pass I caught up with all of them. Next thing I knew I was leading a paceline of the group. These were folks who usually finished hours ahead of me each day. I felt so lstrong and powerfull. Then we ran into a strong headwind for the next 40 miles and also mostly uphill. The day ended up be the most difficult day of the tour, 85 miles with over 8,500 feet of climbing and a strong headwind from 10:30 to 4:30 when we finished. I picked a good day to feel soo strong as I rode out front to break the wind and helped two other ride
rs draft behin me to help them finish the ride.

Final Crossing

2007-07-09T17:04:00.000-06:00

Made the final crossing of the continental divide today, I think the 24th crossing of the great divide. I am sitting at Lake Louise icing my knees. This is the same pass I made my first crossing back in 1996.
I feel wonderful, this is my favorite place in the world. Often I have dreams I am here. I have to keep thinking, this is not a dream, I am actually here.

Segment Ten Complete

2007-07-08T15:15:00.001-06:00

I am now in Radium Hot Spring, British Columbia. This completes segment 10 of 12, the ride from Glacier National Park to the gateway of the Canadian Rockies. I've ridden over 2,200 miles with over 120,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain starting back on June 3rd.
Tomorrow we ride into the Canadian Rockies and cross the continental divide for the last time. We will cross back to the east (Atlantic Ocean) side of the divide via Vermillion Pass on our way to Lake Louise. Vermillion Pass was the first time I ever crossed the continental divide on a bicycle back in 1996 so it's a fitting conclusion to the Chasing the Great Divide tour. I can remember that day back in July of 1996 like it was yesterday. Its a tough cycling day, 90 miles and two passes, as well as a 4 mile uphill finish to Lake Louise. I have done this ride 4 times before, but always in the opposite direction and usually in two days instead of one. I am seriously consider trying to hitch a ride tomorrow in the back of a pickup truck to the bottom of Vermillion Pass. I've done this route before and would rather just do the last crossing, and then take a detour before Lake Louise and ride to Moraine Lake instead of slugging it out through the headwinds in Kootenay National Park all day. Moraine Lake is the most beautiful place I have ever seen and I would much rather ride there and spend the afternoon at Moraine Lake. Google Moraine Lake if you get a chance. It's also called the Valley of the Ten Peaks as 10 mountain peaks rise dramatically over one high behind Moraine Lake. Its the most stunningly spectacular place on earth that I have ever seen.
After riding to Lake Louise tomorrow, we start riding up the Icefields Parkway to Jasper on Tuesday over three days. I know I will probable lose cell service there, I did last year. First we will crest Bow Summit on the way to the Sascatchewan Crossing. Then we will climb Sunwapta Pass on our way to Sunwapta Falls. Finally on Thursday, we will glide into Jasper as the tour concludes. Then we will van shuttle back to Calgary late in the morning. I will probably have to post photos from the Icefields Parkway after I return home because of cell service.
The ride up the Icefields Parkway will be a three day celebration, kind of a three day victory parade or lap after what we have been though over the last 34 days. I can hardly imagine my state of mind those three days but I suspect its going to be very emotional. The Canadian Rockies is the most beautiful place I have ever seen, and my favorite place in the world. This will be my 6th time here, the place I took my first bike tour back in 1996. This final ride into Lake Louise and up the Icefields Parkway will be perfect finale for this odessey.

Suffered Today

2007-07-08T14:19:00.001-06:00

I was very tired today after yesterday's long ride. I rode 68 miles into a headwind that got stronger and stronger as the day went on. I kind of rode in a hazy fog today, not thinking or concentrating too much, not the best way to ride. Its much better to stay alert. I guess I would have been better off having something besides a bag of dill pickles potato chips for lunch.

Columbia Lake

2007-07-08T14:13:00.001-06:00

Not a great photo, but does show Columbia Lakeam the headwaters of the mighty Columbia River. It flows north in Canada for a while then turns around and empties into the Pacific Ocean in Astoria Oregon.

Headwaters of Colombia River

2007-07-08T14:09:00.001-06:00

Not sure if you can see the writing in the photo or not but if you can its interesting. Describes the Columbia,
fourth largest river system on the continent.

Loud Cows

2007-07-07T22:16:00.000-06:00

These were the loudest cows I ever heard, they were mooing a lot and loudly. Tanya said that was because the cows were hot. She also said she wished the cars would slow down, they were spooking the cows. I told her I understood since I was on a bicycle. She said this was only one of two cattle drives left in Canada that everyone else moves them by truck. I thought back to the world's largest truck and how many cattle it would move. They were moving 200 cattle, they had started last Wednesday and would be finishing by Monday.

Cows moving along

2007-07-07T22:13:00.001-06:00

Turns out they were movig the cattle 60 kilometers north for the summer to another grazing land. There tey mate with bulls and then they ring them back in October to have their calves. Wonder if that is why they were running sometimes and new what was awaiting them ahead.

Cattle drive

2007-07-07T22:10:00.000-06:00

I am not making this up. I thought this cattle drive was one of those City Slickers cattle drives, from a dude ranch with people from back east paying a lot of money to pretend to be cowboys. I was laughing mas ass off when I took these photos. There was a girl in a truck following along side with a cattle drive sign on top of the truck, I figured a warning to protect the tourists. After talking to the girl in the truck, her name was Tanya, turns out this was a real cattle drive. When I first went up I asked her where Billy Crystal was and she laughed.

Worlds Largest Truck

2007-07-07T21:52:00.001-06:00

Don't really know whether this is the world's largest truck or not,but that is what the sign said. I can't imagine what they would use it for except you could get a lot of cattle in it instead of a cattle drive. Saw this truck this morning about an hour into the ride.

111.7 Miles

2007-07-07T21:48:00.001-06:00

Road 111.7 miles today, the farthest I have ever ridden on a bike. Got up at 3am, loaded van by 4:30, then waited for it to get lighter so I could be seen on the road. I saw a shooting star that was a green dot streaking down from the sky. I took this meteorite as a good omen. I was quite anxious and nervous about todays ride. I had never ridden this far and worried about headwinds. I started riding at 4:58am and by 8:30 had already made it 50 miles. Then I just pretended that the day just started and I only had to ride 65 miles. I finished at 1:30, 8 and one half hours later. Tomorrow we ride to Radium Hot Springs and into the Canadian Rockies.

Windmills on My Mind

2007-07-06T21:05:00.001-06:00

There were hundreds of these windmills today after we reached Pincher creek. The size is deceiving in the photo, they must be over 100 feet tall. I kept looking at them off in the distance to see if they were turning or not and they were. Guess which was the wind was blowing, at my back, very unusual in this part of Alberta. However right at 12:00 the wind changed direction and a strong headwind was in my face until I got in.
Tomorrow is a 115 mile day, sure hope the wind helps us. We are starting at 5am.
Some of the windmills were not turning. I figured they were either tired or on strike.

Lady Luck Shine Down on Me

2007-07-06T20:56:00.001-06:00

I dropped my Sony camera today on concrete on the side of the road, and it is toast. I figured I would not be able to get another one until I got to Lake Louise. I did not want to buy one there because that area of the Canadian Rockies has raised price gouging to an art form. I was in the middle of nowhere in southern Alberta. Its a great camera, is the size of a credit card, perfect for putting in a pocket on the back of a cycling jersey. Sony uses a proprietary battery and memory stick so if I bought another camera I would have had to but memory etc too. I have taken so many photos of the Canadian Rockies I figured it did not matter that much, I would just take photos with the cell phone. I was kind of bummed. Less than a mile later I made a turn in the town of Pincher. I saw a Walmart that said Photo Center. I figure what the hell, I might as well go in and look. I walked to the back of the Wall Mart with my bike. People were staring and pointing at me, but I did not care, no way was I going to leave the bike out front. When I got to the photo center they had quite a selection of cameras. I saw my model, only a newer version, the Sony TSC- 10. I put my memory stick and battery in the display model and wah lah, it worked. So within one half hour or breaking my camera I had a new one that worked exactly like the last one. Pretty lucky. There have been days out here were I rode for hours without seeing any towns or stores at all.

Turbines of Wind Farm

2007-07-06T04:52:00.001-06:00

Directions for next two days
note reference to wind farm
uh oh

Spera Kicked out of Tour De Continental Divide

2007-07-05T21:55:00.000-06:00

Robby Spera, from Largo Florida, riding for team Sunwpata was kicked out of The Tour De Continental Divide for doping and testing positive for banned substances. Race officials and Canadian Police raided Spera's motel room and found a suitcase full of performance enhancing drugs. They include the following:
vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, vitamin D3, vitamin E, vitamin B1 and B3, niacinamide, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, d-biotin, pantothenic acid, iodine, magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, potassium, choline, inositol, paba, citrus bioflavonoid complex, rutin, betanine HCL, glutamic acid, synthetic testosterone, clariten D, pseudoepherine, budesonide cortisteroid nasal spray, sudafed non- drying sinus, advil, potassium, glucosamine, lutein, coenzyme Q-10, alpha liponic acid, selenium, chromium, molybdenum, boron,vanadium, nickel, chlorine, and cobalt.

When confronted by the Canadian Mounties, Spera said, "What can I say, you got me, I'm guilty, Mea Culpa."

Spera Stripped of Yellow Jersey

2007-07-05T21:45:00.001-06:00

The disgraced Robby Spera was stripped of the yellow jersey after race officials discovered he was using performance enhancing drugs during the Tour De Continental Divide. Spera likely faces a lifetime ban from cycling since this is his second offense. When asked about the lifetime ban, Spera said, "I suppose I will just retire now and move to British Columbia, drop out of society and wear live animals as hats."

Mountain Lion

2007-07-05T21:43:00.001-06:00

Found this moutain lion in my room today, by unlike the moose, I let him stay because I ike cats. I miss my cats, hope he does not eat me in the middle of the night.

Wine and Cheese Party

2007-07-05T17:57:00.001-06:00

Here is a photo from the wine and cheese party on the layover day in Waterton. The rest day was much needed by the group, more from a mental aspect than physical aspect. Everyone seems relaxed and happy. Tomorrow record high tempertures are predicted with viscious headwinds. But for now, everyone is happy and relaxed.

Moose in motel room

2007-07-05T17:47:00.000-06:00

A moose snuck into my room today. I think he smelled the cheese I was preparing for a wine and cheese party I prepared for the cycling group. I lured him out to the balcony with some beef jerky. The moose took the entire package of beef jerky, gracefully jumped off the 25 foot balcony and ran off into the woods.

Doing laundry the old fashion way

2007-07-05T16:20:00.001-06:00

We do our laundry the old fashion way, we dry it on a line.

The Home Stretch

2007-07-05T10:45:00.001-06:00

The 10th segment of the tour starts tomorrow, from Waterton to Radium Hot Springs. There are only two nearly impossible days left. In two days we have a 114 mile day where there is a notation about windmill farms on the cue sheet. I have seen these gigantic windmills in 2004 when I drove down to Waterton. That is no accident that those windmills are there, they are used to generate electricity. That should be an interesting day.Then the day from Radium Hot Springs to Lake Louise, a 90 mile day with two major 3000 ft climbs as well as an uphill finish, 2 mile climb to Lake Louise. I have done that ride before in the reverse direction, its going to be much harder going this way. After that, the ride down the Icefields Parkway will be like a 4 day victory lap. I am likely to lose the cell connection until Lake Louise. I was astonished it worked here.

What a mess

2007-07-05T10:29:00.000-06:00

Today is a day to get all clothes washed and dried. The clothes dry in about 30 minutes on the railing of the balcony. Also a day to completely repack and get organized for the last time. Also will clean and lube the bike.

Rest day

2007-07-05T10:12:00.000-06:00

I am sitting on the balcony of my motel room with this view on our second rest day. Notice the waning moon just above the mountain on the right side of the photo. The rest day is very much needed, both physically and mentally. A deer and her two fawns just walked down the street in this picture.

Plane of Existance Level 5

2007-07-04T20:55:00.000-06:00

-from Tuesday, July 3rd
Today was the best day of the tour and one of the best days I have ever spent on a bike tour. That is remarkable because I have now spent over 150 days on bike tours.
I have experienced quite a bit of pain on this tour, both physically and mentally. Today was the first time during the tour I rode without any physical pain at all. I felt wonderful and strong all day long. Somehow, riding up Going to The Sun Road raised up my spirits and vanquished all my mental pain too. I suppose I just simply forgot how beautiful Glacier National Park is. Being out in nature and emmersed in such spectacular scenary lifts the spirits and heals the soul.
Most of the time we live on the first plane of existance, our every day to day normal lives. For us souls living in the corportate world we end up stressed out over work and the daily grind and routine at work. We don't quite realize how much work affects the rest of our lives when we are in the middle of it. We may say we leave work at work, and often we do, but we go to sleep at night knowing we have to go to work the next day.
Then on weekends, when we forget about work, we enter the second plain of existance. We do leave work behind and we think about home and family and doing stuff with friends.
Then when we are on vacation, usually around the 6th or 7th day, we enter the third plain of existance. Stresses about work and home are now gone. You can usually tell you have reached this state of mind when you are waiting in a line and don't care how long the line takes, you just feel totally relaxed. On this tour it took me three weeks to reach level three instead of a week. I think I took so long to reach level three because the tour was so fast paced and stressful. I did not anticipate getting up at 4am each morning, eating breakfast at 6am and being on the road by 7am.
Last week I entered the fourth plane of existance. I was so physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, that I was too tired to care about anything. I simply wanted to rest and not think about anything. I reached level 4 in Jackson MT. The next day I was in such a peaceful state of mind, that I had the best ride of the tour, even though it was nearly a 100 mile day. In the morning, I saw a moose cross the road right directly in front of me. The moose was less than 10 yards from me, This close encounter with the largest animal in the deer family was extraordinary. I did not even try to get out my camera, he was walking along steadily, I just wanted to enjoy the moment. Sometimes you are not exactly sure what kind of animal you are seeing, but this animal was so large I knew right away he was a moose. The creature was simply magnificient. Sometimes you can lose the experience of a trip if you become a slave to the camera. Anyhow, I was in such a relaxed and peaceful state of mind
that even the animal kingdom sensed my peaceful spirit and knew it was safe to be around me. That ride up to Chief Joseph Pass was best of the tour until today.
Today I reached the fifth level of existance. My body had no pain for the first time on the tour. I felt strong and powerful on the bike, almost as if I was one with the bike. The bike felt as if the handlebars, frame, and pedals were just an extension of my arms and legs. All my mental pain dissappeared as I raced off from the very start this morning in the absolute excitment and eager anticipation of riding up Going to the Sun Road on a perfect day in brilliant sunshine. The 22 mile, 3,500 foot climb up Going to The Sun Road seemed almost effortless. I felt like I was just dancing on the pedals.
I want to thank all the people who are reading and following along with me on this blog and this journey, and also for sending me messages of encouragement and support. Your support, thoughts, and words of encouragement has helped me more than you will ever know. Just knowing that there are people reading this blog has helped me tremendously during this odessey. I really don't think I could have done this without your support and thoughts. Thank you.
There is so much time to think on the bike. I have been on the bike almost two hundred hours over the last month. There is a lot of time to think about what to write on the blog, but not much time to write these thoughts. I am so thankful for this rest day so I can take the time to express my gratitude to you all. This gratitude has existed in my mind each day, but today was the first time I had a chance to sit down and express my thoughts and thanks the way I wanted to. Thank you all.
I think there must be a level 6. I am not sure what the sixth level is, but I think I have a pretty good idea now that I am at level five. I am not sure how planes of existance there are. I don't think there is a limit and they are defined by one's self.
Some may think I have finally gone off the deep end, and perhaps I have. I can tell you that the deep end feels pretty good.
Today has been an outstanding day.
- Mountain Lion

Soak Up The Sun - Cheryl Crow

2007-07-04T20:52:00.001-06:00

I think I sang this song to myself just about every day of the tour. I don't know all the lyrics, but mostly the tune. Its been sunny 33 of 34 days, simply remarkable.
I especially sang this song riding up Going to The Sun Road yesterday. I saw Sheryl Crow in concert last October. She is one of those rare artists that sounds better in person compared to the overdubbed music studio. My hearing may be really messed up now, but I still have nearly perfect pitch and her voice was strong, pure, and wonderful as I have ever heard..

Soak Up the Sun

(verse)
My friend the communist
Holds meetings in his rv
I can't afford his gas
So I'm stuck here watching tv

I don't have digital
I don't have diddly squat
It's not having what you want
It's wanting what you've got

(chorus)
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that)
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna soak up the sun

(verse)
I've got a crummy job
It don't pay near enough
To buy the things it takes
To win me some of your love

Every time I turn around
I'm looking up, you're looking down
Maybe something's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do

(verse)
Don't have no master suite
I'm still the king of me
You have a fancy ride, but baby
I'm the one who has the key

Every time I turn around
I'm looking up, you're looking down
Maybe something's wrong with you
That makes you act the way you do
Maybe I am crazy too

(chorus)
I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up (I'm gonna tell 'em that)
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up

(end)
I'm gonna soak up the sun
Got my 45 on
So I can rock on

Waterton

2007-07-04T20:43:00.000-06:00

Here is a view of the Waterton townsite(it might show up in this photo, along with the Prince of Wales Hotel. Even if the resolution is not good enough, you can see the Waterton National Park Valley and surrounding mountains. In 2004, I took a hiking vacation with Timberline here, some of the most spectacular vistas I have ever seen hiking.

Rest Day Number Two

2007-07-04T18:05:00.001-06:00

I am in Waterton now, our second rest day. Yippee! We have only two days off in 40 days. I plan to take it real easy, hopefully I will be able to stay up late enough to see the stars. I had hoped to see the stars alot while I am out here, but I always fall asleep at 9:30. I don't have to get up at 4am tomorrow morning so I am going to try to stay up a little later tonight.
Tomorrow I will clean and tune the bike for the final assault to Jasper Alberta. I will also clean the lenses on the camera and cell phone. I will also completely empty out suitcases and repack, who knows, maybe the missing gloves and loonies and toonies will show up.
Its good to completely repack and match up socks etc, everything that comes in pairs and gets separated and strewn about. After awhile you tend to put certain things in the same place, especially important things, but other stuff seems to get scattered about. I also will handwash many clothes since they get two days to dry here.
Tomorrow will mark 5 weeks of the tour. In a little over a week, this grand odessey will come to a conclusion. I thought I would really want to come home after a few weeks and was prepared to try to deal with that feeling. But to my surprise, I don't feel like that at all. I have never had that feeling on this tour. I could live this way for awhile longer. Of course I feel like that now knowing I don't have to get up and ride tomorrow.
Attached is a photo looking out my room in Watertown. Notice both the American and Canadian Flags.This is probably the nicest room of the tour so far. This is also the nicest room in the motel, the only room with a balcony and on the end of the motel facing the mountains. This may not be an accident, it is always best to be really kind to the tour leaders and thank them at every opportunity while being very sincere. I try to say thank you at every opportunity I can and really do mean what I say. A sincere little thank you goes a long way, all people really want is to be appreciated. I so much appreciate the Timberline Adventures Company for all the tours and experiences they have provided for me over the last 12 years. The current tour leaders, Leslie and Terri are wonderful. They have such a love of the outdoors and cycling. We have had great tour leaders the entire tour. Jim and Tim were also great on the middle leg of the trip. Jim was the nicest man you will ever meet. He reminde
d me a lot of Jimmy Stewart, sounded just like him. He had a wealth of knowledge about Colorado and Wyoming from living there all his life, not the kind of information you find in a guide book. The owners of the company, Dick and Carol led the first segment of the tour. They have led thousands of tours over the last 25 years and of course the tour ran very smoothly. When I got sick in NM they made sure I got into the next days motel as soon as possible, around 11am, even though that is checkout time from the night before. Dick's narratives about the land and what you are going to see are wonderful, he really should be a writer.The tour leaders do so much more than just bring your luggage along and follow you along with the support van. A lot goes on behind the scenes that guests just don't see. I have taken enough of these tours to know how much work it takes to make a tour run smoothly. While the guests are all asleep, the tour leaders are often working to midnight.
The best lodging is still yet to come. That special place will come on the last night of the tour when we settle in at Sunwapta Falls. Sunwapta Falls is my favorite place I have stayed on all my vacations. Well I have to include Moraine Lake Lodge too. They are both special places. I suppose Moraine Lake Lodge has a more comfortable bed. I have the same bed at home, thanks to Jeff and Sandi Kolvenbach who called Moraine Lake Lodge after staying there to find out what kind of bed they have there. But you are just as likely to get bitten by a spider in your sleep at either Moraine Lake Lodge or Sunwapta Falls.
I have stayed at Sunwapta Falls five times before. Sunwapta Falls is right along the Icefields Parkway with nothing else around it. Places like Sunwapta Falls are the best to stay in, even though they are not the most luxurious. The best places are not in cities or small towns, but in small rustic cabins in the woods.

Palm Tree

2007-07-04T17:08:00.001-06:00

Why is this palm tree in my room in Canada? I think it's called a Dragon Palm, I have two in my front yard. I had another strange coincidence today. While I was waiting in line at customs to enter Canada, the car in front of me had a Florida license plate and some sticker from Lake Wales. At first I didn't think anything of it, as we are right next to the world famous Prince of Wales Hotel. Then I noticed the Florida license plate. The plate was an unusual one, there was a turtle on it. I always thought it was odd to put endangered species on license plates, like the Florida Panther, since automobiles are one reason they are endagered.

Welcome to Alberta

2007-07-04T16:31:00.001-06:00

We are now out of the states, and in Alberta. In a few days we will cross the continental divide for the next to last time and enter British Columbia. The Rockie Mountians and continental divide separate Alberta and British Columbia. Next Monday we will cross the divide for the final time and return to Alberta.
I love Canada, this will be my 6th time here, 5th time in the last seven years. Canadians are so polite and courteous, and the country is so clean. And if you like the photos of Glacier National Park, you have not seen anything yet, the Canadian Rockies will blow you away. The Canadian Rockies are simply stunning, the most beautiful place I have ever seen. Might not be able to post the photos of the CR's until I get home. By the time I take the photos, there will be no cell phone data service coverage to send them until I get back to Calgary.

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T16:17:00.001-06:00

Kind of a strange coincident that we left the USA on the 4th of July. So I turned around and shot a photo of crossing the border into the US. You might be able to see Old Glory in this photo. Made we wonder who owned the land between the US booth and Canadian booth. I think its called the 49th parallel, but the line is only as thick as a pencil line on a map.
Happy 4th of July everyone.

America the Beautiful

2007-07-04T16:14:00.001-06:00

I sang this song over and over to myself many times while cycling through America over the last month. I am so grateful to live in the USA. After seeing so many beautiful parts of America from a bicycle, these words bring tears to my eyes on this special holiday.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Border Crossing

2007-07-04T15:53:00.000-06:00

I was the only one who got in trouble at the border crossing. I had my passport out and cell phone camera. When the border crossing woman came up to me, she asked if I took her photo. I said yes. She said that was not allowed and ordered me to delete the photo. She said she does not allow her photo to be taken that there are people with vendattas or something like that. So I had to take off my helmut, sunglasses, put on my reading glasses which were in the back of my cycling jersey and try to see in bright sunlight (very hard on a pda screen) to delete the photo. All the while I was holding up a line of cars, it was obvious something was wrong with my entry. I don't think many terrorists enter Canada on a bike. I was trying to hold onto my helmut, sunglasses, cell phone, passport as well as all the plastic ziplocks I kept them in all at the same time as I was deleting the photos of her and not drop anything. I actually had two of her, I showed her what I was doing but she said she co
uld not see the screen. But I respected her right to privacy and deleted both of them. Then I turned to her and said, I only took your photo because you are so pretty, which was true. She instantly smiled, probably made her whole day. Then she went back to being business like and asked me if I bringing in any of the standard laundry list of prohibited items which was silly since I could not bring any of those things in on a bike.

Canada

2007-07-04T15:28:00.001-06:00

Arrived in Canada today, 34th day trip and 31st day of riding, 1969 miles. Along the way we rode though 5 states and crossed over, under or rode on all 5 major east-west interstates in the USA, I-10 and I-40 in New Mexico, I-70 in Colorado, I-80 in Wyoming, and I-90 in Montana. Next week we will cross over the major east-west highway in Canada, the Trans-Canada Highway.

Oh Canada

2007-07-04T15:11:00.001-06:00

-from July 3rd
Kind of a major transistion point tomorrow, as we leave the United States and ride into Canada and Waterton National Park. Waterton is an unusual national park in that it is located in two different countries. I think its called an international peace park and represents the friendship and bond between Canada and the US. Had to get out Canadian money and my passport this evening. Didn't have to change the credit card though, some slogan I barely remember about Visa being accepted worldwide. Oh I just remembered, Visa and Mastercard mostly all slipped in a 3 percent foreign currency translation cost in their fine print. But MacDill Federal Credit Union only charges one percent, have to switch credit cards too. Canadian money is very cool. Its all different colors and has pictures of wildlife and hockey players etc. Our money is all green and has dead white guys on it. They also have dollar and two dollar coins, called loonies and toonies and are commonly used, I think they are great.
I even brought some loonies and toonies with me from my trip to Canada last summer, but I cannot remember where I stashed them in the suitcase over 30 days ago.
I always thought we should change over all our money to different colors and make green money worthless in two years. That would flush out all the money from the underground economy that is not taxed, estimated to be about 30 percent of the overall economy. But that would cause chaos and there are not enough prisons to hold all the people who we be convicted of tax evasion.

Backpack

2007-07-04T14:48:00.001-06:00

When we went over Going the Sun Road, the Timberline Van was not allowed to pull a trailer. The trailer is where all the luggage goes. So they told us to fill a white trash bag for whatever we would need for the night before the ride through Glacier and for the next day, personal supplies, casual clothes and biking clothes. So I put what I needed into my backpack. I really did not need that much, I was surprised how little I actually needed. I thought I was doing good living out of two small suitcases and a day bag.
I remember preparing to evacuate for Hurricane Ivan in 2004. That was a Cat 5 heading directly for Tampa. I remember putting all this stuff on a bed in my second bedroom, including supplies to evacuate 5 cats. It was weird picking out the few things you could take. I realized whatever I did not select I might never see again. We ended up not having to evacuate. I remember putting all the stuff back and finding it odd some of the things I decided to take and leave behind. But people were not real rational then anyhow as people were panicking about losing their homes.

Sunrise on the Many Glacier Mountains

2007-07-04T14:35:00.001-06:00

Sunrise on mountain, view from lodge porch deck..

Lake at Sunrise

2007-07-04T14:31:00.000-06:00

Lake at Many Glacier at sunrise.

Sun Rising in Many Glacier

2007-07-04T14:29:00.001-06:00

Sun hitting the mountains peaks in Many Glacier.

Many Glacier in the Morning

2007-07-04T14:24:00.001-06:00

Here a photo taken from the Many Glacier Lodge at 6am this morning. Notice the moon as it starts to wane. When I started this tour, the moon was full. Then saw (or actually could not see moon at all, saw a lot stars that night) in Salida CO, then the full moon again, now the moon is dissapearing again. Interesting way to tell time.