The blue line shows the route. The green line shows the progress.
Map done by Robby Poore.
The blue line shows the route. The green line shows the progress.
Map done by Robby Poore.
This is a daily log of a bicycle trip across the US with Ray Poore bicycling and Connie Poore driving sag wagon -- and also bicycling. Starting in Seattle, WA, July 24, 1997 and ending in Wrightsville Beach, NC around September 25, 1997.
During the trip, Connie and I can receive email at our usual address: rpoore@mdbdesign.com.
If all goes as planned, I will post the first log on the evening of July 23 -- just before the trip starts on July 24. One other note: If you are looking at this page often, make sure you tell your web browser to RELOAD (Netscape) or REFRESH (Explorer), in order to get the most recent posting. Otherwise the browser may use the previous view.
Start on the morning of July 24 from Seattle, WA.
Day 1: Seattle, WA - Leavenworth, WA 100 "The only good wind is a tail wind." - Anonymous bicycler, 1898.
"There are no people more set in their ways than old backpackers and old bicyclers." John Henry Cole, 1927.
"If there were any flat country around here, we would probably have head winds." Overheard at the Rocky Mountain Bicycle Club, 1981.
"If you think you are part of a team, just ride up one of those mountain grades and see how much you feel part of a team." Overheard at the Rocky Mountain Bicycle Club, 1983.
"The more I ride over gravel and glass the tougher my tires become." From "Bicycle Mythology", Vol. 1.
"If you have a head wind going there and a tail wind coming back, it's the same as having no wind at all." From "Bicycle Mythology", Vol. 1.
"Bicyclers are basically loners. Occasionally they ride in groups to reduce air resistance." John Henry Cole, 1934.
"If your head is worth $10, then buy a $10 helmet." Overheard in a Santa Fe bicycle store, 1975.
"I never met a bicycler I didn't like." incorrectly attributed to Will Rogers.
"The bicycles are coming! The bicycles are coming!" Paul Revere's warning to the American colonists when British soldiers were seen approaching on bicycles.
"There's no cross-dressing problem among bicyclers." Stephen Maister, 1996.
"Eat to Bike and Bike to Eat" seen on a bicycle shirt in Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1995.
"People tend to forget that in America a bicycler is actually a motorist, who happens at that moment to be bicycling." Name withheld by request, 1985.
How to do a long distance bicycle ride: "You push the pedal down on one side and it comes up on the other. Then you push that side down and the first one comes up again. Pretty soon the first day is over, and you start on the second. That's all there is to it." Author unknown.
The tentative bike trip schedule is below. the "Day" listed is the day spent bicycling. Current plans are to take off one day each week. The number at the end of the line is the approximate riding distance that day in miles.
Day 2: Leavenworth, WA - Ephrata, WA 65
Day 3: Ephrata, WA - Ritzville, WA 60
Day 4: Ritzville, WA - Spokane, WA 60
Day 5: Spokane, WA - Sandpoint, ID 60
Day 6: Sandpoint, ID - Troy, MT (Libby, MT?)70
Day 7: Troy, MT (Libby, MT?) - Columbia Falls, MT
Day 8: Columbia Falls, MT - Browning, MT 85
Day 9: Browning, MT - Shelby, MT 70
Day 10: Shelby, MT - Hingham, MT 70
Day 11: Hingham, MT - Harlem, MT 85
Day 12: Harlem, MT - Saco, MT 75
Day 13: Saco, MT - Wolf Point, MT 90
Day 14: WolfPoint, MT - Williston, ND100
Day 15: Williston, ND - Stanley, ND 70
Day 16: Stanley, ND - Granville, ND 80
Day 17: Granville, ND - Churchs Ferry, ND 90
Day 18: Churchs Ferry, ND - Niagara, ND 70
Day 19: Niagara, ND - Crookston, MN 70
Day 20: Crookston, MN - Detroit Lakes, MN 100
Day 21: Detroit Lakes, MN - Alexandria, MN 80
Day 22: Alexandia, MN - Willmar, MN 70
Day 23: Willmar, MN - New Ulm, MN 80
Day 24: New Ulm, MN - Owatona, MN 70
Day 25: Owatona, MN - Rochester, MN 50
Day 26: Rochester, MN - Decorah, IA 70
Day 27: Decorah, IA - Prairie du Chien, IA 50
Day 28: Prairie du Chein, IA - Dubuque, IA 70
Day 29: Dubuque, IA - Clinton, IA 60
Day 30: Clinton, IA - Wyanet, IL 70
Day 31: Wyanet, IL - Peoria, IL 60
Day 32: Peoria, IL - Decatur, IL 70
Day 33: Decatur, IL - Effingham, IL 60
Day 34: Effingham, IL - Vincennes, IN 70
Day 35: Vincennes, IN - Owensboro, KY 80
Day 36: Owensboro, KY - Munfordville, KY 80
Planned break of several days to meet up with sons Robby & Jonathan from Atlanta and Steve Maister from Johannesburg. Leaving for North Carolina no earlier than Sept. 8.
Day 37: Munfordville, KY - Russell Springs, KY 60
Day 38: Russell Springs, KY - Corbin, KY 60
Day 39: Corbin, KY - Jonesville, VA 80
Day 40: Jonesville, VA - Abington, VA 70
Day 41: Abington, VA - Elkin, NC 80
Day 42: Elkin, NC - Greensboro, NC 60
Day 43: Greensboro, NC - Chapel Hill, NC 60
Planned break in Chapel Hill with Bob & Inez van Arsdall & friends.
Day 44: Chapel Hill, NC - Clinton, NC 90
Day 45: Clinton, NC - Wrightsville Beach, NC 80
Famous Bicycle Quotes
Many thanks to Dave Glass at Jemez Bicycle Shop in Los Alamos for the excellent work he has done getting our bikes ready for the ride.
This web page has been automatically generated with a FileMaker Pro(TM) database written by Ray Poore.
© Ray & Connie Poore, 1997