Still in Kansas...

Today is Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Once we arrived in Tribune, KS we were directed to a gazebo which is where the cyclists usually stay whenever they are in town. This shelter was O.K., there was a really bad fly problem, and the showers were cold without any water pressure, but we were able to wash off.
The storm came that night with lightning, rain and wind. The local kids would drive by shouting obscenities at us but we figured what else they have to do in this little town.
The next morning we woke to a damp and cold morning. Packed up and headed east towards Scott City about 43 miles away. With the sun on our faces without any rain or wind, we thought that we had it made. As the day continued, we finally arrived at Scott City and went directly to the market asking for shelter. A woman in the store heard that we were from Portland, OR and told us that her daughter lived there now and that we were more than welcome to stay at her house.
Lyn Palen and her family welcomed us with open arms and a plate full of Lasagna.
We were able to wash two loads of laundry and take showers. Yoshi was stuck outside in the Kennel with the other dogs and howled all night long.
In the morning, Lyn set us up with warm clothes for the winter, including Under Amour popular thermal underwear for outdoor athletes. Four PB&J's for our ride towards Ness City. Thank you Lyn for all of your generosity!
Ness City was our next location in Kansas. We arrived 55 miles from Scott City and were greeted by Jim or "Jimmy" at the local Church. He let us in and showed us around. We ended up staying in the basement where there was two couches with a projection machine for us to watch movies. We watched "Fireproof" and "Amazing Grace" before going to sleep.
The next morning, we were off east towards Great Bend, KS.

This was the most difficult section so far of all of Kansas. It was 63 miles away, and we had the "southerly winds" at our side. We finally made it to Great Bend where we immediately went to find food!
Wendy's was our choice because of the $1.00 menu. We entered Wendy's and meet a couple that we very interested in our travels. Tim and Claudia were also cyclists who had just recently did the Cycle across Kansas in July. They were sympathetic to our cause and were eager to help us find a place to stay for the evening. We were able to get a voucher for a free night at a motel from the city Sheriff's Department. Thank you Tim and Claudia for your help and encouragement to continue our trip.

The next morning we were off again East, but decided to head north on the 156 instead of the 56 East.
From the 156 we were able to junction to the Hwy 4 which was more traveled by cyclists with less traffic. We were however fighting the "southerly winds" again at our side. We made it about 43 miles to Geneseo, KS where we were able to pitch our tent in the backyard of the Mayor of this small town.


We are currently in Lindsborg, KS known as "Little Sweden" to the locals. I must say that this is the cutest town in all of Kansas. So far, we have only seen small barely there towns that are neglected and run down.
The "southerly winds" of Kansas has thus far felt like pedaling through MUD!!

We met another cyclist on our way towards Geneseo. He was from Macedonia a small country close to Greece. Dejan Zafirov was his name and he was traveling from New York to San Francisco. He was handicapped with a leg that seemed to be a birth defect, but this didn't stop him from riding his bike across our country. Just like my handicaps are not stopping me!

We are looking to make it to Topeka, KS by Friday where we will skirt around Kansas City and begin our trip through Missouri on the KD Trail. This is a trail dedicated to Cyclists where we will not be bothered by vehicular traffic. We will see... we may choose another path through.

Thanks for reading!!

Woman of Scars and Vesper

Kansas!!

Today is Friday, 10/7/2011

From Kiowa, CO we traveled to Limon, CO, 45 miles. Up and down, up and down all the way to Limon.
Once we were in Limon, the sun had already set and we were very tired.
We had to decide to either continue through town to the KOA, which would cost us $26 to pitch a tent or to travel across the street to the T&A truck stop and camp with the truckers for free.
We chose the FREE choice.
After sleeping with the hum of the diesel engines, we woke to the sun shinning and a rumble in our tummies.
MC D's was across the street and the dollar menu was on the platter. 5 Sausage McMuffins, 1 Hash brown and 2 Small coffees later we set out west towards Hugo, CO.

We were in for a surprise!!
The wind started blowing from the south, wind that was not a soft breeze, but a hurricane force wind up to 70 mph. I have posted a video of our experience.
It was 13 miles until we reached the next town. The wind was so strong that at times it would push us into to road.
It was a life threatening day. We finally arrived in Hugo, recharged with some granola, and were looking for a ride. There was no way we were going to be able to make it to the next town in that weather.
There was construction on the 287 south and we needed a ride.
Tammy, from the Road Crew picked us up and drove us 8 miles to the nearest rest stop.
Vesper and I were alone at the rest stop thinking that a Tornado or rain was on its way. We began to walk our bikes down the road when we passed the Concrete distribution center when Vesper was stopped by one of the workers.
Luis Barraza with Castle Rock Construction Co. rescued Vesper and I from the 75mph winds.
He offered to give us a ride to Kit Carson but drove us all the way to Eads, CO where we were to pick up the

Transamerica Hwy

 that is famous for Cyclists touring across the USA.

Thank you Luis for the ride, your time, and the $20 you gave us to help us on our way to D.C.!!

Once the sun went down, the wind died down and changed direction. We were able to watch a lighting storm from an old barn that was rescued and used as a common area.

The sleep was welcome as we woke to today with a clear sky and no wind we pushed forth to Tribune, Kansas.
Tomorrow is a new day, In Kansas!!

Rest of Utah and the ROCKIES!!!

It has been quite a while since we had posted. A lot has happened.
Since Heber, UT we traveled along the 40 East towards CO. The rest of Utah was a blur.

Entering into Dinosaur, CO we met a fellow tourist with the same bike as mine a black on black a 2011 Surly LHT. He told us of a location in town that offered free camping including showers. We later found out that he did not stay there but stayed in the yard of the local store clerks Mother's House.
We followed the 40 towards Elk Springs....this is where the Woman of Scars had a seizure while riding her Bike!!!
I was feeling as if I was in a dream state just before I was laid down on the left side of the road. Vesper was ahead of me so he was not witness to the occurrence. He did however hear a voice which he pushed away telling him of what was going to occur.
He noticed a van that had passed earlier headed west had turned around and was slowing down. Another angel asked if we were O.K. because she noticed that I was lying on the side of the road as Vesper had stopped to wait for me to appear around the corner.
Vesper said, "where is she?!?!" and immediately turned and peddled back towards where I was lying.
With blood on the handlebars and in the corner of my mouth, Vesper brought me too and told me that I had just had a seizure.
I replied, "No I didn't" as he was helping me from the ground.
The woman in the Van said that she was on her way to Craig and offered us a ride. We agreed that we could use a ride after the seizure.
After loading our bikes and gear, she dropped us off at the Wal-Mart in Craig. Yoshi was full of Doritos from the daughters feeding him for tricks on the way.
Once at Wal-Mart, we washed our bikes at a carwash and looked for a Hotel to rest.
We found a great deal at the Lone Pine Motel for $35/night. We stayed there two nights so that I could visit the Hospital for a check up. All was fine. I was given a refill of my prescriptions.
We also found a bike shop for spare tubes and Mr. Tuffy's to help prevent flats which I am so prone to getting.

Onward from Craig towards our first encounter with the Rockies, Steamboat Springs. After waking up with frost covering the tent, we continued east over Rabbit Ears Pass: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_Ears_Pass
On our way to Kremmling, CO we stared at an RV Park.
Continuing on the 40 east towards Granby where WOS was pushed into the guard rail for her 3rd wreck.
Getting back on the bike, we headed all the way to Winter Park, "the Icebox of the USA" where we stayed at a campground on a bike path to take us back to the 40 and on our way to Berthoud Pass:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthoud_Pass
From there we peddled into Empire where we headed east through Idaho Springs and turned north on the 119 towards Central City/ Black Hawk where we graciously picked up and given a ride through a devilish road by Galen and Kim from Lakewood, CO. They saw us hiking our bikes up this crazy grade of road with Yoshi running ahead. They stopped and said that we must not be from around here. Gave us a ride past Black Hawk and dropped us off about 12 miles out of Nederland.
Back on the saddle again trying to reach a good location for our first Warmshowers.org host to pick us up at.
Riding in the dark, Ed Phelps picked us up and took us back to his house in Boulder, CO.
His house was amazing!! It is one of the oldest houses in Boulder being in the Historic District of Boulder and central to everything there in. We were taken out to dinner, Mexican, with himself and daughter.
We stayed a total of two nights and then made our way south towards Centennial, CO where we would find our 2nd Warmshowers.org host Joe. After mistakenly following the Google maps directions all the way through downtown Denver, Joe met us on the bike path 9 miles from his house and lead us all the way there.
He feed us and we talked for hours on the experiences we had. Gathered great information and went on to bed.
Waking up the next morning, I found that my upper lip was swollen from what looked like a spider bite.
The morning before in Boulder, I remember my lips feeling extremely dry as if they were chapped. All day I was slathering on the lip balm not noticing the sore that was forming on my lip. A spider had bitten me as we slept in the garage in Boulder.
We then were escorted by Joe once more by bike path down the Cherry Creek Trail South.
From there we followed the 83 to the 86 East towards Elizabeth.
While in Elizabeth, we discovered that we may camp at the Wal-Mart’s for free!!
My Father had taken a trip into CO for his birthday with Sherri as well as to pick up furniture from her family home in Centennial where she grew up. We were so close that Dad had to visit us in Elizabeth!
After driving about 30 min. to Elizabeth, the WOS saw her father once again after 3years in the parking lot of Wal-Mart.
We all went to breakfast at a familiar name of Guadalajara. A Mexican restaurant that exists in hometown of Boerne, TX which is a family favorite in two states now.
The visit with my Father and Sherri was a good one, a new beginning. They rejuvenated our mission to make it across the USA! Thank you Sherri for the natural medicine it has been working like a charm.

We are so very glad to be finished with the Rockies!! I was very nervous about them, but I have found that I tackle Mountains better than I tackle the rolling hills that come after. From Elizabeth we continued south towards Kiowa.

In the town of Kiowa, we were told that there was free camping at the Fair Grounds. On our way there, I saw a group of BULLDOG PUPPIES!!! I cannot resist puppies and had to play with them.
Bobbie and Dean are the couple that lives in the house that we posted with 3 of their 4 kids.
They took us in and have allowed us to become a part of there family for 3 nights now. This came at a good time because I was sick with a cold or the effects from the spider bite. It is now the 5th of October and we are about 50 miles away from our next destination of Limon.
Hope we can update this blog better and make it more current to our experiences.

Thanks for reading,
Woman of Scars and Vesper

Since Pocatello.....

From Pocatello, ID to Preston, ID via highway 91

Preston, ID is where the film Napoleon Dynamite was filmed. Since this ride was over 76 miles, it was getting dark when we arrived in Preston. We then had to ride 5 extra miles to the campsite up and down towards Grace, ID.
We were both tired and needed to rest. I broke down and started to cry when I saw yet another hill to climb on top of the fact that it began to rain on us. We became frantic as we descended the hill we just climbed thinking we were going in the wrong direction. Once we arrived all was well.

Preston, ID to UTAH!!!

Preston onward via 91 towards Logan, UT where we received free Chick-fil-A! We also were stopped by a Logan Popo and told that we needed to ride in the shoulder and that Utah drivers are not as friendly to cyclists as they are in OR which we had already determined.

From Logan, UT to Ogden, UT via highway 89   50 miles
Lance Armstrong is in Ogden for a triathlon race happening on the 24th. We believe that we saw him as we were riding through the Canyon Gorge and on up towards Trappers Loop. (The only way to reach the 84, without riding the 84 through town was on this pass.)
Now Trappers Loop was just that, "a TRAP". This was the gnarliest hill to climb. I was dehydrated and was feeling it in my thighs!! I had to hike the bike up the entire hill pretty much. Broke down crying again!
I know, WOS is a cry baby, but these hills are hard and with an uneven load on my bike, it is even harder. 

Ogden, UT to Morgan, UT
This is the day we did Trappers Loop through Mountain Green to Morgan, UT where we were again riding in the dark; however the weather was not as bad as a couple days before. The ride was about 2 miles from the highway to the campsite. The campsite was on a Golf Coarse. We were able to tent camp for only $10 which has been the smallest amount yet in UT.

Finally, Morgan to Heber, UT via Freeway 84S, Freeway 80W, Highway 40E    62Mi.
Riding on the Freeway is a lot easier than riding on the old highways in terms of grade, distance and road quality. The noise was greater, more road debris and a lot more dangerous with cars and trucks speeding past you at 70+ mph every 2-5 seconds.
There was still a grade issue in that there was one, but the biggest issue has to be the head winds that we were experiencing from the East. This makes it extremely difficult to pedal.
The morning started off with a flat tire on my rear wheel. We were out of my size tire tube, so Vesper used on of his tubes. This lasted about 10 miles. Another flat, used his other tube which lasted till we were 3 miles away from our destination in Heber City, UT. At this point, I had to stick out my thumb for a ride into town to the Wal-Mart for a replacement tube.
A nice young couple stopped for us who had two empty bike racks on the rear of there car. Kailie (Spelling) and Kevin? I believe were there names, gave me a ride into town to the Wal-Mart where I was to then wait for Vesper to ride down the hill to meet me. It didn't take him long since the ride was all down hill.
The Wal-Mart did not have my tire size with the Presta valve!! We were stuck! The only other place to get my tire size was closed on Sunday and was to open the next day at 10:00am.
We were forced to get a hotel. $50.18. It was nice sleeping in a bed and having a television to watch.

Today, 9/19/11 MONDAY
Went to Bike store, got tubes, pump, patch kit, valve adaptor and placed an order for a front pannier set for my bike. This will enable my bike to ride easier with better balance. It had to be done otherwise; I would never be able to make it across the Rockies. The bike seems to be getting harder and harder to pedal. I have been swollen every morning and feeling very stiff. This may be due to the fact that I am getting healthier and need some adjustment on my medication, or I am becoming a whinny baby.

We could really use some donations. My SSD is going to be $114 less than normal because of Medicare and funds are running out. We are hoping to make it to Ault, CO by the time snow sets so we are not traveling in extreme weather, but we will see. The weather has been on our side thus far, why stop now!! 

Until another library,
Thanks for reading,
Woman of Scars

2nd Day in Pocatello

Last night, once we returned to our tent at the Bannock County Fair Grounds after riding in the rain, we found our tent lying in a puddle of water.
We decided to move the tent to a dryer location on higher grounds. Looking like crazies in the super windy and rainy weather drying out our tent and sleeping pads in the wind, we were able to remake our sleeping quarters.
However, Vesper's sleeping mattress which had never been able to hold air for longer than 30min. was out of commission till the wholes could be patched. He slept on only the floor mat and is now suffering with a pinched lower back which is causing him a great deal of pain.

If any readers would like to donate for the sole purpose of getting Vesper a new air mattress to sleep on it will be greatly appreciated!!

2nd day in Pocatello, Tuesday 9/13/11

We began our day with patching another hole in one of my tires. Vesper is growing tired of Idaho's thorns and road debris. We decided that we were going to look into Tuffy's which is a liner between your tube and tire to prevent punctures. With further research, we decided that the liners usually cause the tears more so than the thorns. Plus they add an additional weight to your overall load. (Not good). So, we bought more patch kits instead.

Yesterday, I had contacted the makers of my Panniers to let them know that I had only had them for less than a month and I already had a tear in one of them. Without hesitation, the customer service rep. offered a replacement for the torn bag and threw in a handle bar bag for me as a gift to be shipped overnight to my location of choice. DETOURS is the brand name, which is a woman owned and run business which makes high quality recycled panniers for cyclists. They are super cute and tuff!
So, today we called and visited the local bike shop 2 times looking for the shipment from DETOURS at Barrie's Ski and Sports here in Pocatello, ID. The manager was really nice to me yesterday, but today he seemed annoyed by us. Hey, don't tell me that I can have an item shipped to your store location and then get snooty with me just because I am looking to receive it the next day. I am sorry that I only spent $1 in your store, but I am still a customer.

We washed our bikes today at the Bangal Car Wash.

Went to Wal-Mart on the other side of town, came back the opposite direction towards ISU for use of the Library to post another days event.

I am also posting new pictures of our travels so far.

Please try to join my blog. I will try to keep the entries as entertaining as possible!

Thanks for reading.
WOS

Pocatello, ID 9/12/11

Our last stop in Mountain Home, ID was intended for a trip to Wal-Mart for spare tubes for both our bikes as well as propane for our pocket rocket stove.
After constant uphill touring with a fierce head wind, we made it to Mountain Home.

Mountain Home is a medium size town that is mainly there to support the Air Force Base down the way. We arrived the day before a huge parade honoring all veterans of the Armed forces.

The cheapest RV Park was Cottonwood RV.
Cottonwood RV had one spot for tent campers for $10 which included a shower as well.
There was also a Laundry room we could take advantage of for $1 to wash and $1 to dry.

The manager of the Park was a retired Vet of the Air force, but we believed that he wanted to really be a Cop.
After Harassing us 3 times by telling us that he could have the cops there in 1 minute and that he had detectives watching the park as we spoke, he left. Not sure if he was jealous that we were able to ride where he was not, or he just didn't like us.
Yoshi didn't like him.

The price was good, but the water had chloroform in it as was posted in the laundry room.

We were going to go to the parade where there would be free food, but we needed to get out of town and on out of Idaho.

Thankfully, my Father did come through with some sponsorship $ where we would otherwise have to find quick jobs to get us through. (There are not many if any in Mountain Home, we looked). Sooo, Thank you DAD!!

We continued on to Three Island State Campgrounds where we had called ahead in Mountain Home to check on the price and if they had a "Hike and Bike" campsite like they do in OR.
Vesper explained to whoever answered the phone what we were doing and was told that all we needed to do was pay the entrance fee to the park.

Get to the park around 7:30pm
There is NOT a hike and bike, there is NOT a designated place for tent camping and we had to pay the same amount as the campers with big RVs did. $23.25.

After a long talk with the Ranger, we went on our way towards Bliss on the old Hwy. 30
What should only be a 25 mile ride, ended up turning into an all day fight against the grade and head force wind from the East, which brought with it a rainstorm.

Sheldon Bluestein, a former Topographer for the entire state of Idaho stopped and offered us a ride into Bliss. He is the author for Exploring Idaho High Desert and published in 1986 and is in the process of updating that book with a new one for today's Idaho. He ended up being the perfect person to talk with on how to get out of Idaho.
He liked us so much, that he changed his plans so that he could take us as far as Pocatello thus avoiding the rainstorm and the winds that came with it.
Thank you Sheldon for introducing us to Costco, Cloverleaf Creamery- Ice-cream and tons of good information on Idaho.
We were going to tell all to avoid Idaho, but if ID does become more bicycle friendly there could still be hope for this Agriculture State.
Better roads, hike and bike sites at the parks and overall knowledge of sharing the roadways with cyclists.

More tomorrow, from Pocatello, ID

Woman of Scars

Dayville, OR

9/1/11 Thursday

After spending the night in the haunted Town of Mitchell, Vesper and I packed up and headed east towards Dayville on 26. It was over a 7mi. hike to the summit in the Painted Hills area. Over 4300 ft. high. Vesper's knee was stilll acting up, so we took it easy.
Once at the top, we road down the mountain which was gorgeous and easy! This is the part of Touring that I enjoy!
We stoped and had Ramen then continued down to Dayville. We were told by some other cyclists that were headed the opposite direction as us, that there was a Presbyterian Chuch in Dayville that offered to Cyclists a Place to sleep, shower, do laundry, and had a full kitchen available.
After meeting Rose, the keeper of the chuch, we decided to rent a couple of movies at the local store and feel normal for a little while.
Thank God this Church was here!!

Friday, 9/2/11

We are leaving onward East on 26 to John Day. There are camping sites avaiable for Cyclists with both water and Electricity. the cost is $5/person/day.