Pedaling Across America

"Twenty cyclists dip their rear wheels in the waters of Padilla Bay before heading into the Cascades on a ride that will end in Maine."

6/8/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #1:

The bike tour got off to a wet start on Monday. Just as everyone was about to start, the rain also decided to start. Everyone put their rain gear on and moderate rain seemed to be in the cards for the day. The forecast for today and tomorrow was not very favorable.

The tour through Washington generally follows State Route 20. Monday was 51 miles from Anacortes to Concrete and today (Tues) was only 25 miles to Marble Mountain. The short day was because for the next many miles there was no lodging that could accommodate the group. Tomorrow will be 91 miles over the Cascade Mountains.

I met all of the participants at the orientation meeting and dinner on Sunday and it appears to be a great group of women. The average age is 56, the oldest is 66 (Judy is the next oldest), and the youngest will be Mary, our daughter-in-law, who is 37.

One of Judy's former fencing students and team members has added a section to his WEB site to cover this tour. Additional information will be added daily. So, if you want more information, go to www.lizardcity.com/PedalingAcrossAmerica.html. I'll include this link in each report.

As an aside, hopefully Judy got all of her bad luck out of the way before the tour started. Judy lost the new digital camera she bought for this trip while we were in a restaurant near Seattle. She bought a replacement the next day.

Gary

6/8/2004, Merryscot:

Beginnings are exciting because they offer new possibilities, a change from what has been, and a challenge not before conquered. And so, as we began our journey in Anacortes Washington riding to Bar Harbor Maine, we dipped our tires into the Pacific, 22 women from across the US, and we felt the thrill of a new adventure.

Day #1 Pouring rain pelted us as we began our 55 mile ride out of Anacortes to Concrete. Within one mile Judy Anastsio punctured her tire with a giant nail. Tire quickly changed but then again, Jean Preston had another flat. Pelting rain did not stop these hearty women. Eventually the rain stopped and we were able to enjoy the lush surroundings of maiden-hair ferns, magnificent cedar tress and white and pink foxgloves dotting the banks of the Skagit River. The highlight for some of us was the pair of American Eagles sunning themselves on the far side of the river. Arriving in Concrete we settled into the Northern Cascade Motel surrounded by the beautiful Cascade Mountains.

6/10/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #2:

Judy reported that on day #1, Monday, the rain stopped after a few hours. Tuesday was the short day with blue sky. Wednesday, the long (91 miles) and hard day over the Cascade Mountains started with fog. Most of the climb to the summit was sunny. The faster riders got down the east side of the mountain before the rain started. Most riders hit rain and some sleet from the summit to about 30 miles from the end of the day's ride.

Wednesday started at about 500' and crested the summit at 5,477'. However, because the road has ups and downs, the total vertical climb for the day was 6,727'. The total vertical climb for the trip so far is 9,095'. Judy started riding at 7:00AM and finished at Winthrop, WA at 5:30PM which is 10.5 hours, including breaks. She estimates actual riding time for the day to be 8:40.

Total miles after 3 days is 167.

Today, Thursday, is a rest day in Winthrop.

The next 3 days are 46 miles to Republic, then 80 miles to Colville, and then 87 miles to Usk, WA for those following on a map.

6/12/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #3:

Yesterday, the group traveled 46 miles to Omak, WA and continue to follow the route 20 corridor which is close to the Canadian border. The weather was and is expected to continue under blue skies with pleasant temperatures. Yesterday was another climb day: 3,203' over a 4,040' pass. The average climb was at 4% and there were sections with a 10% grade.

6/13/2004, Mary Pat Howard:

Encounter with a Goat - I looked up and saw Gretchen, who was ahead of me, pointing to the left. "What is is?" A bird? No - a huge, brown, furry, shaggy animal which was foraging along the road, outside of her fence. I did a U turn and wheeled back to two people who were using a buzz saw. Two dogs came to greet me. The man yelled,"Venus, Shadow, come back" I told him there was a goat on the road. He said, "Oh, that Molly; what are you doing on the road?" He thanked me profusely for saving Molly, his prize goat. From Mary Pat Howard of Virginia.

6/13/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #4:

On Saturday, Judy and the group rode 69 miles to Republic, WA climbing over Waconda Pass. Total climb for the day was 4,621' with a maximum grade of 8%. Today, Sunday, they went 80 miles over Boulder Pass to Colville, WA which is about 75 miles mostly north and a little east of Spokane and still on State Route 20. Today's total elevation climb was 4,072' with an average grade of 4% and maximum grade of 10%. They have now climbed a total of 21,662' in 6 days and 362 miles of pedalling.

They have now been over four passes and had rain on each of them. The last two days started sunny and the rain began as they approached the summit and then down the mountain. Today the rain started about 150' from the summit and continues for about 6 miles.

Tomorrow they ride to Usk, WA and then to Sandpoint, Idaho. Sandpoint is in the very narrow portion of northern ID. After that they generally follow US 2 across Montana (MT). They will be in MT for 12 days. Hey, it's a big state. Tomorrow morning is still mountainous and after lunch and for the following two days the route is generally flat.

I leave in the morning for four days of hiking along the Mendocino County Coast so my next report will be next Fri.

6/16/2004, Judy Agid:

From Coleville, WA to Sand Point, ID: We've had great weather for the last few days with the exception of some gusting winds 2 days ago when we rode from Coleville to Usk. Riding out of Coleville, some of us turned slightly before we were supposed to and ending up climbing a short but horrendous hill recorded as a 23% grade on my cyclometer! After finding Hwy 20 once more, we had a long gradual climb of about 30 miles before heading downhill. We had some crosswinds with pretty good gusts as we headed downhill with some fairly tight curves. As I was going around the last curve neaqr the bottom, I was blasted with sand and wind which caused my bike to do some pretty serious squiggles but I managed to keep the bike and myself upright. The rest of the day we followed some pretty flat terrain going over chip seal road for about 30 miles. I was very happy to see the sign into Bear Paw Camp at mile 80.2 where we were spending the night.

The next day was absolutely beautiful with mostly rolling hills. Several miles before reaching Sand Point, ID, we picked up a bicycle path and when we reached the bridge ove Lake Pondereille, everything opened up to a gorgeous view of the lake with the mountains in the background. The Lakeside Inn where we spent the night and a day off is located right on the water and our little back porch overlooks a small marina. It is quite picturesque and unfortunately it is going to be torn down next yeaqr due to highway construction. We celebrated crossing the state line into Idaho last night with Margueritas sharing the lawn with t... (incomplete, email text ended)

6/17/2004, Sue on pocketmail:

Thurs., June 17

Today was a long day with headwinds for most of the day. It was also the first century for Virginia Sorrow and Jane Whicher. We crossed the state line into Montana and entered the Mountain Time Zone and we had exciting wildlife sightings.

1) a moose and her calf

2) a bear crossed the road between two riders

Both sightings were within 5 minutes of one another.

6/18/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #5:

Since my last report, the group traveled:

87 miles from Coleville, WA to Usk, WA on Monday;

46 miles from Usk to Sandpoint, ID on Tuesday;

Wednesday was a rest day in Sandpoint;

100 miles from Sandpoint to Libby, MT on Thursday, climbing 3,520'; and 68 miles from Libby to Eureka, MT, today, Friday, climbing 3,425'.

The weather has been outstanding with the exception of some head winds and 43 degrees temperature at the start of one day. There has been much wildlife along the way. A bear ran across the road about 30 feet in front of Judy and she got up close to a moose with a calf.

The total climb to date is 34,046' and they have traveled 663 miles. The 100 miles yesterday was the first century ride for two of the women. They've got six more century rides to go.

The tour has been in Mountain Time since entering Idaho. Tomorrow they go to Whitefish and then to Lake Macdonald in Glacier National Park. Then it's over the Continental Divide and the crest of the Rocky Mountains. And then, theoretically, it's all downhill from there???

6/20/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #6:

Yesterday, Saturday, the group traveled 59 miles and climbed about 1,000' from Eureka, MT to Whitefish, MT.

Today, Sunday, was a short day and they traveled 40 miles and climbed a little more than 2,000' in rain to Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. They are now about 20 miles from the summit.

Tomorrow they ride the "Going To The Sun Highway" 40 miles through the Park and over the summit (Continental Divide) to Saint Mary, MT which is just east of the Park boundary and in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. There is a 30% chance of rain in the morning and an expected temperature of about 40 degrees in the morning. They must get an early start because Park regulations require all bikes to be off the road by a certain morning time.

Corrections/clarifications:

I previously reported that 24 women were riding the whole way from Anacortes to Bar Harbor. The actual number is 19, and three of them will share in driving one of the support vehicles. An additional five women will be riding a third of the trip. So, the total trip participants is 24.

I previously reported that the ride generally follows State Route 20 through Washington and US 2 through Idaho and Montana. Judy estimates that about 25% of the miles are on those roads and the other 75% are on small, lightly travelled, paralleling roads.

6/23/2004, Judy Agid:

After going over Logan Pass (The Going -to-the Sun Highway)in Glacier National Park, we had a day off in St. Mary. Upon arriving in St. Mary, severql of us relaxed with espresso concoctions of various sorts and then headed for our motel. But before getting there we passed by the famous Park Cafe, known for it's wonderful homemade pies and could not resist another stop. There were a number of repeat visits to the Park Cafe the next day including one individual, Deanna, who confessed to 4 pieces of pie that day. We do tend to eat alot!

The women on this tour are amazing. Janet from Hawaii had a flat tire earlier in the day on today's ride to Cut Bank. Later in the day, the tire blew out and she ended up sagging in for the last 30 miles. Being determined to ride every mile, she changed both tires upon reaching the Motel and then proceeded to ride 30 miles to make up for the ones she missed.

All of women are strong riders, but none-the-less, there seems to be a frenzy to get started in the morning. There are a few of us who are somewhat amused at this because we cannot quite understand this urge to get out and to the next motel and town for an early arrival.

This evening we celebrated Suzanne's birthday with a strawberry shortcake birthday cake made by our wonderful cooks, Nicole and Sand... (incomplete, email text ended)

6/23/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #7:

Monday's climb over the 6,640' Logan Pass to Saint Mary started with rain but quickly became fair. Vertical for the day was 3,962'. Tuesday was a rest day in Saint Mary.

It rained hard in Saint Mary all of last night and early this morning (Wednesday) but when they started the 68 mile ride this morning through the Blackfeet Indian Reservation to Cut Bank, MT, the sun came out and it was beautiful all day. What they didn't expect was a 2,616' climb out of Saint Mary. After that, and for the next few days, they expect only rolling hills.

Total vertical feet for the trip is now at 44,510' (WHEW!!). I suspect now that they are over the Rockies they have already completed a high percent of the total vertical for the entire trip. Judy carries a cyclometer that includes an altimeter that accumulates vertical feet and that's the source of the footage I've been reporting. The cyclometer will confirm or dispel my suspicions when they get to Bar Harbor on August 15.

Cut Bank is on the eastern edge of the Reservation and is about 100 miles north and a little west of Great Falls, MT. Tomorrow they ride to Chester and then to Havre. The forecast is for 10% to 20% chance of thunderstorms the next two days.

6/24/2004, Judy Agid. Thursday, June 24th from Cut Bank to Chester, MT:

We had some sprinkles of light rain when starting out in the morning, but nothing serious developed and it became quite warm with sunshine later in the day. The riding was mostly flat open plains. Judy Anastasio reported tree sightings at miles 35 and 53 and Moira, Deanna, and Jeanne had an exciting experience with some antelope:

In Moira's words, here's what happened titled, "Where the bikers and antelope play"..."While riding along US 2, the northern "Hi-line" of Montana, I had a unique encounter with a herd of 8 short horn antelope.

Riding east I looked over across the plains and saw a group of strange beasts standing on the horizon. One look in my direction set them to stampeding....and the faster they ran the harder I pedaled. They ran parallel to the highway for over a mile and every so often I gathered a glimpse of them, free, wild and fast as they dipped up and over the landscape. At some point the Buck of the herd seemingly made a determined conscious decision to cross the road. Unfortunately, it was the very moment a 16 wheeler tractor trailer was traveling west. He laid on the horn, the buck kept coming and the three of us passed within 6 feet of each other! As if that was not exciting enough, the rest of the herd, anxious to re-join their fearless leader, then crossed in front of me which required me to hit the brakes to avoid being road-kill by the antelope."

6/25/2004, Judy Agid:

Our route today took us from Chester to Havre, MT. On occasion, our cook, Sandra gets to ride her bicycle and today was one of those occasions. While riding she came across a rattlesnake which was stretched out across the shoulder and partially on the road. Being the kind-hearted soul she is and not wanting the snake to become road-kill, she stopped, got off her bike and proceeded to prod the snake with her bicycle pump to urge it towards the grass on the side of the road. The snake did not seem to appreciate her efforts and started to attack the pump. Sandra, however, did not give up even under this duress and eventually did get the snake which was rattling pretty soundly, to a safer haven.

Addendum: Janet Olen came upon Sandra as she was dealing with the snake. Janet said thst the snake was all coiled up and striking at what looked like a stick in Sandra's hand. Janet stopped but did not offer to help. Instead, she commended Sandra for her courage and quickly rode on.

There was also a sighting of some kind of waterfowl by a group of our cyclists who were trying to identify the species in a bird book at one of the sag stops in the afternoon. Our sag driver for the day, Karla, decided to go back with the vehicle to have a look for herself after everyone had gone through the sag stop and later reported that after viewing the sight with her telescopic camera lens that the sighting was probably a bunch of Grey rocks that were out in the marshy area. So which is it? Waterfowl or rocks??

6/25/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #8:

The route they are following is mostly due easterly and less than 40 miles below the Canadian border. They have now completed about 1,000 miles. Today is half way to Christmas (very important info, right?) and sometime tomorrow the tour will pass through the 1/4 point of the trip on its way to Malta, MT. From there they go to Glasgow and then Wolf Point, MT. Tomorrow also passes through the Belknap Indian Reservation.

One of you asked me how much weight Judy is loosing on this trip. I asked her and she says she has no idea if she's loosing or gaining because she's eating a lot more than usual. Or as she says it, "I bike to eat."

6/27/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #9:

Yesterday, Saturday, the women rode 92 miles to Malta, MT on terrain that was mostly rolling hills. The day started with light rain which stopped after a couple of hours. Later, while many riders were taking a break in a coffee shop, it rained very heavily but stopped when they were ready to continue their ride.

Today, Sunday, they rode 72 miles to Glasgow, MT on more rolling hills and with beautiful weather. Total vertical is now 48,621'.

Tomorrow is their last night in MT before entering North Dakota for nine days.

6/29/2004, Judy Agid:

One of the interesting things about cycling is the people one meets and we met a very interesting woman a couple of days ago...She was traveling west on her bicycle. She was in the process of moving to the West Coast, but did not seem to know where. She started her travels someplace in North Dakota, but it wasn't clear where that was. She was apparently traveling with almost everything she owned. She left some things behind, but probably would not go back to retrieve them...maybe in 20 years she would.

Next comes the most interesting part....she was pulling a Burley (a type of a trailer generally used for toddlers which attaches to the back of a bicycle) in which she had 2 cats inside a crate as well as all her possessions. On the rack on the back of her bike, she was carrying an enclosed type of litter box. She apparently didn't let the cats out of the crate except to use the litter box.

The bike she was riding looked like an old-fashioned "girl's bike", but the gearing looked adequate. She did not wear bicycle-specific clothing and had on a pair of tennis shoes that she said were easy to slip on and off. That is what she liked best about them.

Meeting her was indeed a unique experience.

6/29/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #10:

Yesterday (Monday) they traveled 56 miles to Wolf Point, MT and today 101 miles to Williston, ND and they are now in the Central Time Zone. The last two days were mostly through the Ft Peck Indian Reservation with Wolf Point in the middle of the Reservation. It's been hot with the high today in the low 90's and they still have rolling hills. Total vertical is now 51,802'.

Tomorrow is a rest day in Williston and then the go to New Town and then to Minot.

6/30/2004, Judy Agid:

As said before, one of the best parts of cycling is the people one meets along the way. In one of the more desolate areas in Montana, we expected to see a store...well, we did, but it was closed for business..permanently. However, the owner, upon seeing bicyclists stopping by, opened the place up just so we could use the rest rooms. She said she was no longer able to run the business but welcomed us to to use the facilities. She was happy to have visitors and so were her two little dogs who seemed to relish the attention. People are special!!

7/1/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #11:

Today, Thursday, was a very hard 74 miles to New Town, ND. They had very strong head winds all day with a 3,606' vertical climb. The winds were so strong they had to pedal on the downhill sections. Fortunately, it was overcast and cooler than it's been. It's raining hard tonight and tomorrow's forecast is for showers. The good news is the wind is expected to be at their backs.

The route today dropped south of US 2 that they've been following for many days. Tomorrow's ride to Minot returns to US 2 at Minot. Then they continue to generally follow US 2 for another two days.

Total vertical is now 55,408'

7/1/2004, Deb and CJ: Are you gonna finish that?

As a change from the normal comedy team updates, we have decided to give you a little view of the Hoovering (TM) required to ride across country. We're discovering that Hoovering (TM) is a skill that anyone can learn as long as they are willing. Please do not try Hoovering (TM) at home. You really need to be riding across country or you'll end up huge.

One of our earliest Hoovering (TM) experiences was in WA. We stopped at a mini market in a small town. Deb went in and got 1 Pepsi, 1 bottled Starbucks thingy, and a large bag of Lay's Salt and Vinegar potato chips. While she was paying the store owner exclaimed, "I thought bikers ate healthy!". To that Deb smiled knowingly and said, "Not today." We sat on a bench in the sun and ate our prize. We augmented it with some homemade jerky that CJ made for the trip as well as some other things from our bags.

While the SAG started out with only healthy treats for the riders during the day, it now is a rolling junk food wagon. With the exception of some token fruit and cliff bars that no one eats, it is filled with candy bars, and high octane Fritos. We're experimenting with several new flavors of Oreos as well. We have found that a Slim Jim can make the difference between getting up the hill and bonking at the bottom.

Last year on the Southern Tier, we invented the Pre-Dinner Dinner (TM). The women on the Southern never warmed up to the idea of the Pre-Dinner Dinner (TM). The women this summer have embraced it wholeheartedly. There are more converts every day.

So what is the Pre-Dinner Dinner (TM) you ask? Well if it isn't time for breakfast or lunch and it's pretty close to dinner, like between 3-5pm then you eat the Pre-Dinner Dinner (TM). And yes, it is a complete meal, not a snack. Our fondest memory of the Pre-Dinner Dinner (TM) was in Apache Jct, Arizona. It was 4:30pm and we at huge sandwiches at a local diner. The waitress asked if we wanted any dessert. We look at our watches and said, "no thank you, we have dinner at 5pm". We walked from the Pre-Dinner Dinner (TM) to the back of the trailer and ate another complete meal.

This year Deanna has actually added the Post-Dessert Dessert (TM). After our dinner and dessert she heads into down to the local ice cream or pie shop and has another complete dessert. Sometimes she photographs the staff as they serve her.

Another group of riders are actually experimenting with the Post-Breakfast Breakfast (TM). We have not warmed up to this idea because it is often too early in the ride to consume the quantity of eggs and pancakes that these women do. And of course no Post-Breakfast Breakfast (TM) is complete without pie. They leave extra early in order to find just the right spot for the Post-Breakfast Breakfast (TM). Some days they're disappointed because the cafe they hoped for turned out to be a grain silo. We are pleased that the concept is taking off and growing!

While Deb began experimenting with eating while riding last year, this year she has honed her skills and is able to open packages and consume food while riding. She often hands food to CJ who is beginning to work on this skill set as well. We find that it helps optimize our Hoovering (TM). Plus when CJ rides with Marilyn later in the tour, she'll be able to get enough calories as Marilyn never stops. In order to perfect this eating method CJ must learn to ride no-handed. It's a stretch for her, but she's giving it her best shot.

Again just another warning... this is being done by professional riders on a closed course. Do NOT try this at home!

Hoovering (TM) our way across the USA

Deb and CJ

7/2/2004, Jane Hackenburg:

Pumping my arms at the freight train, I feel like my grandsons, Kobi and Aidan, waiting for the TOOT,TOOT response. What a thrill to hear the playful extended whistle and a wave as I pedal on route #2 with low mountains in the background and Georgia O'Keeffe clouds in the big, big Montana skies. I don't know why trains are so magical, romantic, and nostalgic at the same same time but they are are, all three. We ride along the Amtrak line and see many trains, the Empire Builder from Chicago to the East coast and many long, long freight trains. I never tire of them.

We are now on the prairie "flats" which is the antithesis of the Continental Divide at Logan's Pass. No more slow climbs of 5000 feet, but miles and miles of ribboned highways and rollers with blue pink and yellow flowers. My favorite are the fields of yellow canola flowers they use to make canola oil. They used to call them rape seeds but the name was changed recently. No explantion needed for that one. As we move east, we are beginning to see more traffic on two-laned highways. Sometimes there is not much of a shoulder so when large trucks pass only inches from our bikes they cause pressure that could knock you over if you weren't paying attention. Fortunately the mirrors we wear on our helmets warn us of passing vehicles. The ride into Williston, ND was long and hard with temperatures of 90 degrees. We crossed the border to ND and had our border crossing Marguerita. We had been riding for 7 days and a day of rest was needed.

On our day off, some of us took the van and went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. A spectacular park that looked like miles and miles of huge sand castles looking down on the cottonwoods and Little Missouri River. We saw a herd of buffalo, mule deer, prairie dogs, and grouse. You could see how outlaws would hide in these Badlands with all of the caves tucked away. Sort of like Osama. Impossible to find.

I misspoke. Hills. North Dakota is supposed to be relatively flat but we did find endless rolling climbs, the longest only 6 miles this time, but there were headwinds on our 75 mile day. Headwinds are the worst. It drops your speed down to 3-5 MPH. Those of us who are slower left the motel at 5:30 am and did not arrive to New Town until evening. Everyone was ready to pack it in. Yesterday was the Yin and today was the Yang. We had the same distance, but the winds were at our back. It was wonderful, the way it should be all of the time. We left the motel at 7am and arrived in Minot at 12:30pm. That is why I have time to email today. Unfortunately, most days the winds are not at our backs. Most people ride from east to west because of the prevailing winds, but I'm not sure it makes any difference. There seem to be winds both ways.

The other day we wanted to stop for a late breakfast on our ride. We stopped at a cafe with a sign that was very funny.

"Opened when we're here, closed when we're not."

Fortunately for us it was open.

Another sign on the way advertising Rudyard, Montana said, "596 Nice People -- one old sore-head Rip-snorting and raring for business"

Today as I was riding with the winds at my back, I saw wind-energy at work. The windmills looked futuristic but beautiful, painted a sky blue run by a plant called Prairie Winds. That is one thing they have here for sure, lots of winds. We only hope that it will continue to be on our side. Tomorrow we will ride through Belcourt, ND where we took the train to Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation for an exchange with AFS for high school seniors in the late '80's. Do you remember, David?

We'll be in Fargo in 4 more days. Not much longer to Minneapolis. Michelle, loved seeing you in Whitefish. Everyone still talks about Dr. Bob's Ice-cream.

Love,

Jane

7/4/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #12:

On Friday (7/2) the tour traveled 73 miles to Minot, ND with tail winds. Along the course they passed the 1/3 point of the tour. No rain.

On Saturday (7/3) they rode 68 miles to Rugby, ND, again with tail winds and no rain. Rugby is famous because it is the geographical center of North America.

After almost a month of traveling easterly close to the Canadian border, today (Sunday) they started a 17-day southeasterly route to get below Chicago and Lake Michigan. Today continued along the US 2 corridor to Devil's Lake, ND. It was supposed to be a 83 mile day, but because of the return of head winds, they took a shortcut by staying on US 2 and traveled only 56 miles. It's been heavily overcast but there was no rain.

They have now climbed 59,244 feet and traveled about 1,600 miles.

Tomorrow they ride to Cooperstown, ND and then to Fargo.

The web site now includes the itinerary for the entire trip if you want to see all the places they will be staying.

7/7/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #13:

The last two days of riding were less than fun.

On Monday, they rode 83 miles to Cooperstown, ND. The good news is it was not too hot and the rain was never intense. The bad news is it rained all day and the wind was 10 to 15 MPH into their faces.

Yesterday, it rained heavier all day during the 96 mile stretch from Cooperstown to Fargo, ND. They traveled either east or south. While going east, they had head winds but the south stretches were not too bad. Nonetheless, everyone was soaked by the time they got to Fargo.

Today is a rest day and the forecast for tomorrow is for more rain.

Tomorrow, they cross the Minnesota River and begin 5 days of southeasterly travel through Minnesota staying above I-94 until they reach the St Croix River to the east of Minneapolis and St Paul.

Our daughter-in-law, Mary, arrived in Fargo yesterday from Reno. She will ride the next three weeks with Judy and the group to Cleveland, OH. Judy and Mary will be rooming together. What an opportunity for bonding.

7/9/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #14:

The weather has been good the last two days except they had a little head wind yesterday. They also have three long days in a row.

Yesterday they rode 63 miles from Fargo to Pelican Rapids, MN. Today was 104 miles to Long Prairie, MN. Tomorrow is 90 miles to Milaca, MN. And Sunday is 109 miles to Stillwater, MN.

The excitement today was Mary getting bitten by a dog that did not have a rabies shot. Mary had to file a police report, go to a doctor to get a tetanus shot, etc. No stitches needed but Judy says it's a nasty wound on the thigh.

Sunday is not only a long day, it will also be a day of significance. During the 109 miles they will have completed 1/2 of the trip miles, (2,122 miles). At the end of the day they will have completed 1/2 of the riding days (30) and 1/2 of the total days, including rest days (35).

What follows is an excerpt about Mary from a report I just received from one of the other riders:

Meanwhile behind us on the road. Mary, Map Judy's daughter-in-law, who joined us in Fargo... got bit by a dog. What a bummer for day 2 of her riding to get bit by a dog. Luckily Jane Whicher, Girl Attorney, was on the scene. She interrogated the owner of Duke the dog. The owner's name (Jane wants you to all know his name and to watch for him) is Tim Underhill. So there were police reports and Jane visited Duke's supposed vet to see if he had his shots. Tim Underhill lied about the shots and other details. Hopefully all will be fine and the dog isn't sick. Keep your fingers crossed. Mary is fine and rode the last 15 miles or so into Long Prairie.

7/12/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #15:

Mary is OK and has been able to ride the last three days despite the dog bite. The dog is in quarantine and Mary will get a report soon on the status of the dog.

On Saturday (7/10) they rode 90 miles from Long Prairie, MN to Milaca, MN. It was mostly flat with some wind and no rain.

Sunday (7/11) was the longest day of the trip. It was supposed to 109 miles but, due to a wrong turn, they did 112 miles before arriving in Stillwater, MN. This town is on the west bank of the St Croix River and about 10 miles east of St Paul. Before starting, there was intense rain with thunder and lightning but when they started riding it was only raining and they got soaked. After 2 hours, the rain stopped. There were steep rolling hills during the ride and they climbed 3,600' for the day.

As I previously reported, this completes five weeks of riding and they are now a little more than half way to Bar Harbor.

Today Monday, (7/12), they rode 78 miles to Wabasha, MN following the St Croix River which becomes the Mississippi River after about 30 miles and near the town of Hastings, MN. They continued to Wabasha, which is on the west bank of the Mississippi, by sometimes riding on the Wisconsin side of the river. Today was hot, over 90 degrees, with less steep rolling hills and a climb of 3,000'. Total vertical for the trip is now 73,568'.

Tomorrow continues along the river to La Cross, WI which is followed by a rest day. Then it's to Iowa for three days before crossing Illinois.

7/15/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #16:

It continues to be hot and humid and occasionally hilly.

On Tuesday (7/13) they continued southeasterly along the west side of the Mississippi River for 69 miles to La Crosse, WI. They stayed on the Minnesota side of the river and crossed into WI for the night and a day of rest (Wednesday).

Today, the crossed back to Minnesota and traveled south along the Mississippi for 66 miles to McGregor, Iowa where they are staying right on the river. After about 30 miles they passed through the point where Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa all intersect. Toward the end of the day they encountered some "killer hills," so labeled mostly because of the heat and humidity. Total trip vertical is now 77,058'. In one month from today, the trip ends in Bar Harbor.

For the next two days they continue almost due south through Iowa before turning east again through Illinois. They will stay in Dyersville and Muscatine.

7/17/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #17:

The good news is it cooled off and there's been a slight tail wind. The bad news is they got caught yesterday in a major thunderstorm that caught them by surprise with no rain gear. The good news is no one got hit by the lightning that was striking all around them. The bad news is they got soaked. The good news is it was warm enough that they didn't get chilled. They were pelted by the heavy rain, with poor visibility, for 20 to 30 minutes before they found shelter where they stayed till the storm ended.

Yesterday was a short day: 42 miles from McGregor, Iowa to Dyersville. Today was a long day: 104 miles to Muscatine, Iowa.

On both days they traveled almost due south through Iowa starting on the Mississippi River and ending back on the river. However, the river, which is the boundary between Iowa and Wisconsin and Iowa and Illinois swings way to the east and is like a large nose protruding into IL before coming back to Muscatine. They did not follow the river. They crossed I-80 this afternoon and Muscatine is 10 miles south of I-80 near Davenport, Iowa.

They have now completed 2,500 miles with a total vertical of 83,504'.

Tomorrow morning they cross the river and travel mostly easterly, but still with a little southerly component, for three days through Illinois.

7/20/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #18:

For the last three days the tour crossed Illinois and they are now in Watseka, IL. which is about 70 miles south of Chicago and 15 miles west Indiana. This is the furthest south the tour goes. For the past 17 days they have travelled south and east for 1,290 miles. For the remaining 22 days of riding they will travel north and east to Bar Harbor.

On Sunday (7/18), they rode 75 miles from Muscatine, IA to Kewanee, IL. On Monday, it was 78 miles to Streater, IL, and today, Tuesday, they rode 85 miles to Watseka, IL.

There was no rain during the three days and it's been very hot and humid--and it's been very flat with lots of corn fields for scenery with some beans to break the monotony. Tomorrow is a 101 mile day. This afternoon, Judy scouted an alternative route that is only 75 miles to the next town (less miles dealing with the heat and humidity). Riders will have the option. Judy will do the longer route because there is much less traffic.

Mary took a couple of days off to participate in a nearby family reunion, so no news yet about the condition of the biting dog.

In the morning they cross into Indiana and the eastern time zone and in the next two days of riding they will generally follow the US24 corridor almost all the way across Indiana. Yes, the states east of the Mississippi River are smaller. During tomorrow's ride, they will cross the 2/3 point of the tour.

In Report #7 on June 23, I reported that they had already climbed a total of 44,510' and said, "I suspect now that they are over the Rockies they have already completed a high percent of the total vertical feet for the entire trip." They have now completed 87,812 feet and they haven't gotten to the Adirondack Mountains. So much for my theories. Those rolling hills add a lot of vertical feet.

7/21/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #18, Supplement:

Forecast for today's destination, Logansport, Indaina

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 3pm. Some of the storms could be severe, with damaging winds. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Partly cloudy and hot, with a high around 91. Heat index values as high as 101. South wind between 9 and 14 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe, with damaging winds. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind between 6 and 8 mph. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Chance of precipitation is 50%. Partly cloudy, with a high around 89. West wind between 6 and 9 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

7/22/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #19:

There is some uncertainty about the dog that bit Mary and she MAY need to get the series of shots. The dog was quarantined at the owners house and after 10 days when the health department folks went to see the dog, it and the owner were gone. They then learned the owner went on vacation and may have found the dog at the owner's parent's home. There is now a process of trying to ID the correct dog by sending photos from Minnesota to Chicago where Mary is staying with relatives. Hopefully, a good photo ID will be made by tomorrow. Standby for another report tomorrow night. Either way, Mary has decided to fly home to Reno and not do her last five days of riding to Cleveland. The good news is, if she needs the shots, they are not as painful as they once were and instead of 14 shots there are now 5 shots. The bad news is they are very expensive and not covered by health insurance.

Yesterday, the group did not get rained on while riding. The thunderstorms started after they arrived at their destination. In my last report a said the riders had a choice of a 75-mile day with heavy traffic (US24) or the original 101 mile, more rural, route. Judy and three others did the longer route and the others the shorter route. Thirty mile from the finish, Judy and the others with her jumped into a river to cool off.

Today was a rest day in Logansport, IN and tomorrow they get to within 45 miles of Ohio.

7/23/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #20:

Mary flew home today and, unfortunately, will begin the rabies shots for precautionary purposes due to the continued uncertainty about the status of the dog.

Judy rode 80 miles today to Huntington, Indiana, in beautiful weather with a high temperature in the mid-70s. The forecast for tomorrow is for more of the same. The route today was generally along the US24 corridor with lots more corn and bean fields. Huntington is about 30 miles southwest of Ft. Wayne.

Tomorrow morning they enter Ohio for six days, continuing north and east and ultimately riding along or close to Lake Erie. By the end of tomorrow they will have travelled 3,000 miles.

7/26/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #21:

Yesterday was the completion of seven weeks on the road. Three weeks to go. On Saturday they passed the 3,000 mile mark and tomorrow morning, Tuesday, they will have completed 3/4 of the trip miles.

On Saturday (7/24) they rode 77 miles from Huntington, Indiana to Defiance, Ohio.

On Sunday (7/25) they rode 50 miles to Bowling Green, Ohio which is 15 to 20 miles south of Toledo and Michigan. Judy reports this was a short and fun day.

Today was a 77 mile day to Huron, Ohio, which is about half way across Ohio on the banks of Lake Erie, and about 5 miles north of I-80 and I-90. This was not a fun day with head winds almost the entire ride. It threatened to rain but they didn't get wet.

Total vertical is now 93,291 feet.

From here, it's on to Cleveland, mostly along the shore of Lake Erie. The weather forecast is for a high probability of rain.

7/28/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #22:

Yesterday was the only riding day since my last report. The travelled 46 miles along Lake Erie to Cleveland, Ohio in light, misty rain. It was a short day so not so bad. Today was a rest day.

In my pre-trip report I said they would average over 71 miles per riding day. With only 16 riding days remaining, the average will be 66.6 miles for those days. There are only two long days left. Tomorrow they continue along the Lake to Austinburg, OH, then cross a very small lakeshore portion of Pennsylvania before entering New York on Saturday.

8/1/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #23:

On Thursday, 7/29, they rode 66 miles from Cleveland to Austinburg, OH along Lake Erie.

Friday, they continued 50 miles along the Lake to Erie, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania's entire Lake Erie shoreline is less than 45 miles.

Yesterday, Saturday, it was 101 miles along the Lake to Lackawanna, NY. (Do you suppose Lackawanna is related to Winnemucca, NV?) This was the last 100 mile plus day for the trip. They woke to thunder and lightning which subsided to just warm rain for about 80 of the day's miles. Lackawanna, which is on the south edge of Buffalo, is the first of eight nights in NY State.

Today is the shortest day of the entire trip and they finish in Niagara Falls where tomorrow is a rest day. So, they will have almost two days for sightseeing in addition to the usual rest day activities like laundry, etc.

Two weeks to go.

8/3/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #24:

Sunday's 23 mile ride along the Canadian side of the Niagara River from Buffalo to Niagara Falls was beautiful and so was the day off after they got there. Judy didn't do much sightseeing since she had done that twice in 2001 when she scouted the bike route. She used the time instead to catch up on paper work. Some of the women used their rest day to tour the area on their bikes. The Niagara River is about 30 miles long and connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

Today was 75 miles to Brockport, NY, all along the Erie Canal. They all delayed the start of today's ride about 40 minutes because, at first, there was thunder and lightning without rain and then very heavy rain. They started riding in light rain for 40 minutes and then it was clear the remainder of the ride. Brockport is about 7 miles south of Lake Ontario and 15 miles west of Rochester, NY.

Who woulda thunk: they have now exceeded 100,000 vertical feet, 100,076' to be more exact.

8/6/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #25:

There has been three beautiful days of riding since my last report, although it was much cooler this morning when they started riding: 47 degrees.

On Wednesday, they rode 73 miles from Brockport, NY to Sodus Point, NY, which is on Lake Ontario at about its most southerly point. The route continued for the second day on the Erie Canal Trail for most of the day. This took them around the south end of Rochester before turning north for the last 10 miles along the Lake. The Trail excludes motorized vehicles for a more relaxing ride.

Yesterday (Thursday) they rode 66 miles, mostly along Lake Ontario, to Pulaski, NY where Judy's cousin, Mike, and his wife Abby, met Judy for dinner. They live near Syracuse which is about an hour south of Pulaski.

Today they traveled 78 miles easterly away from the Lake to Old Forge, NY which is at the base of the Adirondack Mountains. Nonetheless, they climbed 4,801 feet today for a trip total of 110,227'.

Tomorrow it will be two months since they started riding in Anacortes, WA. They now have about 500 miles to go in 8 days of riding (plus one rest day) with tomorrow being the last long day, 92 miles over the Adirondacks to Schroon Lake, the last day in NY State before moving on to Vermont.

8/8/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #26:

Yesterday the tour rode 92 miles over the Adirondack Mountains from Old Forge, NY to Schroon Lake, NY in light rain that began about noon. Although the mountain peaks back east are not high (Mt Washington in New Hampshire is the highest at only 6,288') the group climbed over 5,000' during the 92 miles. And despite the rain, Judy reports it was still a beautiful ride.

Today, Sunday, was a 39 mile day to Middlebury, VT in light sprinkles. They took a ferry over the very narrow southern end of Lake Champlain from Ticondaroga, famous for it's fort from one of our older, domestic wars. They have now completed 3,852 miles in nine weeks of riding with a total vertical is 118,377'.

Tomorrow is the last rest day. Then there are 400 miles to Bar Harbor in six days of riding with one more night in Vermont and one night in New Hampshire before entering Maine.

8/10/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #27:

Yesterday was a rest day in Middlebury, VT and today they rode 55 miles over Vermont's Green Mountains to Sharon, VT. They are now about 10 miles from the Connecticut River and New Hampshire. It was a beautiful day and Judy went for a swim in the White River which they followed for some miles.

Sharon, VT is very close to White River Junction and about 30 miles from the camp where Judy and I met when we were councilors in a summer camp during college days.

Tomorrow they quickly get to NH which at the latitude is only about 60 miles wide. Five more days of riding.

8/12/2004, Gary Agid for Judy Agid. Report #28:

Yesterday the tour covered 65 miles over New Hampshire's White Mountains to N. Woodstock, NH which is very close to Lincoln and about 6 miles south of Franconia Notch. There was thunder and lightning before they started riding, but no rain during the day, although it was threatening.

Today was 79 miles to South Paris in Maine, the final state. There were off and on sprinkles during the day and much climbing, including going over Kancamagus Pass. The day finished with a "horrendous climb with a 17% grade," to use Judy's words. Total vertical is now 131,058' with 4,539' today. They have now completed 4,050 miles with about 200 miles to go during the next three days. There is a massive storm bearing down on the South Paris area and the forecast for the rest of the trip is not good.

Tomorrow (8/13) is 73 miles to Edgecomb,

Saturday (8/14) is 76 miles to Bucksport, and

Sunday (8/15) is 54 miles to Bar Harbor and