C2C – 2019 Training Update

Hello Blog, time for a 2019 training update. Over 1900 miles logged in preparation for the next segment of the Coast-to-Coast ride. I’m feeling pretty good, especially after an epic Colorado ride from the foothills town of Evergreen (7,500 ft) to the Summit of Mount Evans (14,130 ft). Cycling up the highest paved road in North America is sort of a right of passage for crazed Colorado cyclists, and a litmus fitness test for both legs and lungs.

Mount Evans Summit: 14,130 ft. above sea level

Oxygen becomes somewhat scarce at 14,000 feet above sea level, especially when you are mashing pedals up a 6% grade. Even trees have a hard time breathing air up here, so they generally prefer to hang out below 12,500. On a bike, there is no shame in stopping a few times to catch a breath – as long as your oxygen-depleted brain remembers to apply the brake so you don’t roll backwards, or topple sideways down a rocky mountainside.

At the summit, a celebratory feeling of triumph washes away any climbing pains – and nodding smiles are exchanged with a few other congratulatory cyclists. While the hoard of motorists stare wide-eyed at us strange lycra-clad aliens and ask the remarkably dumb yet well-meaning question: “Wow, did you ride your bike all the way up here?”

So with a mountain summit, a city century ride, dozens of weekend jaunts, and scores of commuting trips – I’ll hopefully be able to keep pace with the 2019 America-By-Bicycle group as I join them mid-tour in Pocatello Idaho to pick-up where I left off in 2018. I’m eagerly looking forward to continuing the journey and sharing the adventure. Thanks for tuning in.

~Dan

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C2C Day 13 – Burley to Pocatello, ID

Another great day for a bicycle ride.  Come to think of it, every day is a good day for a ride – perhaps some days are just a bit better than others.

Cool enough for a light jacket this morning, even on the last day of June.  Winds were light, as was traffic on the farm roads and open cattle ranges we cycled through.  One lonely old stretch of highway was so open and peaceful, the ride transcended into a zen-like experience of being totally engulfed in the barren sage landscape.

I stopped at an interesting landmark called Register Rock.  Early pioneers who traversed this way carved their names and messages into a large boulder along the Oregon Trail. Sort of an 1850’s version of instagram or facebook.  The historic rock is smartly fenced off to prevent modern travelers (or cyclists) from registering their own messages.

More crossings of the slowly meandering Snake River highlighted the rest of the ride into the town of Pocatello – which marks the end of this year’s segment of my Coast-to-Coast bicycle adventure.  I hugged goodbye to my fellow cyclists and thanked the America-By-Bicycle staff for their awesome support.

Next year, my ride will start from here in Pocatello, Idaho and extend another two weeks and 1,088 miles to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

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Tomorrow I load the bike on top of a car and drive back home with AJ and Jackie.  It’s been an incredible two week journey, and I hope you’ve enjoyed the daily blogs.

~Dan

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C2C Day 12 – Twin Falls to Burley, ID

More tailwinds, and even cooler temperatures today.  Lovin’ those 70s – especially when I hear about triple-digit temperatures back in Denver.  An easy 45 mile cruise through irrigated fields of potatoes, beets, wheat and lavender – with a few detours to see Shoshone Falls and Twin Falls.  Shoshone Falls (pictured) is the prettier of the two.  Twin Falls is actually now just a single… one of the twins was dammed for hydroelectric power.  Ah, the price of progress.

We crossed back over the Snake River Gorge on the Hansen Bridge.  Before the original bridge was built in 1919, this 16 mile stretch of river gorge could only be crossed by rowboat.  The 900 foot bridge, suspended nearly 400 feet over the Snake River, accommodated two lanes of farm wagons as well as those newfangled automobiles that were starting to gain popularity.  The cost of the bridge in 1919?  $100,000.  Ah, the price of progress only 99 years ago.

Undoubtedly, the best part of the day came at the finish in Burley, where I was cheered on by my welcoming team of Jackie and AJ.  They got to meet fellow cyclists and experience firsthand this crazy ‘travelling summer camp’ atmosphere.  Jax and AJ also witnessed the results of a scavenger hunt competition as teams creatively vied to win over the judges with team photos, spotting of Where’s Waldos, and collecting interesting items from the side of the road today, among other challenges.  They’ll be staying with me tonight, but maybe not getting up with me at 5:30 for breakfast.

img_0525Tomorrow will be my last Coast-to-Coast ride for 2018.  87 miles to Pocatello, a farewell dinner with the rest of the crew, and one more night in a Best Western Hotel before the car ride home with my wonderful support team of AJ and Jackie.  I’m already looking forward to next year.

~Dan

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