Transam, Both Ends to the Middle; Buddy Rides a Bike - CycleBlaze

Transam, Both Ends to the Middle; Buddy Rides a Bike

Yorktown, VA to Canon City, CO; then Tillamook, OR to Canon City,CO; Both Ends to the Middle

By George Hall
4,294 miles (6,911 km) over 131 days between May 5, 2015 and Sep. 12, 2015
Introduction: "The difference between stupidity and genius is genius has its limits" heart 3
What Am I Doing?: Bicycle Tour From Virginia to Colorado, Then From Oregon to Colorado; Both Ends to the Middle heart 1
Why Am I Doing This?: (Must You Ask This Question?) heart 2
My Bike: Customized Surly Long Haul Trucker heart 3
Last-Minute Prep: Self-Doubt and Craziness heart 4
Day 0: Travel to Yorktown heart 2

Virginia

Day 1: Yorktown to Mechanicsville; My First Day Out heart 4
Day 2: Mechanisville to Mineral (VA); I'm Not Alone! heart 1
Day 3: "The Best Laid Plans" - Mineral to Greenwood heart 2
Day 4: Greenwood Campground to the Cookie Lady's House in Afton heart 1
Day 5: Over the Blue Ridge; Afton to Lexington heart 1
Day 6: Lexington to Troutville; Learning to Slow Down heart 1
Day 7: Troutville to Radford heart 1
Day 8: A Zero Day heart 1
Day 9: Radford to Rural Retreat; The Kindness of Strangers heart 1
Day 10: Rural Retreat to Meadowview; the Highest I Have Been So Far heart 1
Day 11: Meadowview to Breaks; It Just Keeps Getting Tougher heart 1

Kentucky

Day 12: Breaks to Hindman; I'm in Kentucky! heart 1
Day 13: Zero Day at the QuiltMaker Inn, and 1st Philosophical Rant heart 1
Day 14: Hindman to Booneville; Heat, Hills, Humidity and my Spirit Bird heart 1
Day 15: Booneville to Berea; Camping Details, A Typical Day heart 0
Day 16: Berea to Harrodsburg; Topography and Weather Both Change, Old Guy Got Lost Twice heart 0
Day 17: Harrodsburg to New Haven; Roller Coaster Day heart 1
Day 18: New Haven to Defunct Double L Grocery; Hoedown at the Hostel heart 1
Day 19: Defunct Double L Grocery to Utica; Tequila Sunrise in my Monkey Mirror heart 0
Day 20: Utica, KY to Cave-in-Rock, IL; Land of Lincoln, I'm in Illinois! heart 0

Illinois

Day 21: Cave-in-Rock to Carbondale, IL; Anything is Possible, Who Am I to Doubt Myself? heart 0
Day 22: Zero Day in Carbondale; Reflections and Ruminations heart 0
Day 23: Carbondale, IL to Farmington, MO; A Century on a Loaded Touring Bike, That's Crazy! heart 0

Missouri

Day 24: Farmington, MO to Ellington, MO; The Day I Raced the Devil heart 0
Day 25: Ellington to Houston; Hills, Rain, and Wind, But Houston we Have no Problem heart 0
Day 26: Houston to Marshfield; Will The Ozarks Never End? heart 0
Day 27: Marshfield to Everton; Riding the Missouri Roller Coaster heart 0

Kansas

Day 28: Everton, MO to Chanute, KS; Century Day Brings A Welcome Change of Topography heart 0
Day 29: Chanute, KS to Eureka, KS; Kansas Has It's Own Challenges heart 0
Day 30: Eureka, KS to Newton, KS; The Devastating Power of Nothing heart 0
Day 31: Newton, KS to Stafford, KS Vicinity; Off Route, Going Rogue! heart 0
Day 32: Stafford, KS Vicinity to Dodge City, KS; Kansas Can be Brutal heart 0
Day 33: Zero Day in Dodge City; Chillin' Out in Nice Digs heart 0
Day 34: Dodge City, KS to Lakin, KS; Someone Bought Me Breakfast heart 0
Day 35: Lakin, KS to West of Lamar, CO; Slow Climb to a Rocky Mountain High heart 1

Colorado

Day 36: West of Lamar, CO to Fowler, CO; Dancing With the Storms heart 1
Day 37: Fowler, CO to Canon City, CO; 1 Mile High and Falling Fast heart 1

Intermission Ramblings, Raves, and Prognostications

Conflicted Emotions: Farewell and the Long Drive Home heart 3
Thoughts Developed During This Tour: Car Culture vs. Bike Culture; Implications for the U.S. heart 1
Equipment & Gear Opinions at the Half-Way Point: What's Hot and What's Not heart 1
Yorktown to Canon City Statistics: Mileage Stats heart 1
Memories and Reflections of the First Half: Things That Stood Out and Some Rants heart 2
Second Half, Here I Come!: Considerations, Challenges, and Concerns heart 0

Oregon

Day 38: Tillamook to Coast and Back, a Wet Welcome to Oregon heart 1
Day 39: Tillamook to Willamina, Over the Coastal Range heart 3
Day 40: Willamina to Harrisburg; The Willamette Valley heart 0
Day 41: The McKenzie River Valley; There's a Rainbow at the End heart 0
Day 42: Rainbow to Prineville; Over the Cascades, Chased by Smoke, Gonzo Day heart 1
Day 43: Prineville to Mitchell; Water is Precious heart 0
Day 44: Mitchell to Dayville, Over Keyes Creek Pass heart 0
Day 45: Dayville to Mount Vernon, OR; Trip Interruption for a Smoke Break heart 0
Day 46: Mount Vernon to Baker City, OR; Chasing the Fires heart 0
Day 47: Baker City to Halfway, OR; Highway to Hell heart 0

Idaho

Day 48: Halfway, OR to Cambridge, ID; I Saw A Bear! heart 0
Day 49: Cambridge to Riggins; Rollin' to Riggins heart 0
Day 50: Riggins to White Bird; Time Zone Confusion heart 0
Day 51: White Bird to Lowell, ID; Fire Shuts Down My Next Stop, Now What? heart 7
Day 52: Fires Force an Unscheduled Rest Day; Water is Precious and the Smoke Gets Heavy heart 3
Day 53: Lowell, ID to Missoula, MT; Escape From Idaho, Gonzo Day Yields Several Milestones heart 3

Montana

Day 54: Rest Day in Missoula; Visit to the Adventure Cycling Offices heart 1
Day 55: Missoula to Sula, MT; Bandana Bicycle Bandit heart 3
Day 56: Sula to Wisdom, MT; In Pursuit of Wisdom and Clean Air heart 0
Day 57: Wisdom to Sheridan, MT; New High For Me, 2 Mountain Passes and a Century heart 4
Day 58: Sheridan to Ennis, MT; "Somewhere in the Middle of Montana" heart 1
Day 59: Ennis to West Yellowstone, MT; Clean Air! (But A Bit Too Forceful) heart 0

Wyoming

Day 60: West Yellowstone, MT to Grant Village, WY; Yellowstone & Consecutive BARs heart 0
Day 61: Grant Village to Moran, WY heart 0
Day 62: Moran to Dubois, WY; Foxy Way to Set a New BAR heart 0
Day 63: Dubois to Lander, WY; High Plains Drifter heart 0
Day 64: Rest Day in Lander heart 0
Day 65: Lander to Jeffrey City, WY; Who's Afraid Of A Spooky Church? heart 7
Day 66: Jeffrey City to Rawlins, WY; The Wild Wyoming Wind Can Be Brutal heart 1
Day 67: Rawlins to Saratoga, WY; "Saratoga by Lunchtime" heart 0
Day 68: Saratoga, WY to Walden, CO; I'm In Colorado! heart 0

Colorado

Day 69: Walden to Hot Sulphur Springs, CO; Coyote Ugly & 8th Continental Divide Crossing heart 1
Day 70: Hot Sulphur Springs to Silverthorne, CO; Hoosier Pass, I'm Coming For You heart 3
Day 71: Silverthorne to Hartsel, CO; New BAR, 9th and Final Continental Divide Crossing heart 0
Day 72: Hartsel to Canon City, CO; "Found Money" Coffee Time; Continental Crossing Complete! heart 0

Epilogue

If You Just Want to Read the Good Stuff: (Where to Find the Fun Parts) heart 0
Statistics That May Be of Interest to Other Cycle Tourists heart 0
Advice to Others: "Leave Early" is the Answer, Now What was the Question? heart 2
The Meaning of Life and Other Trivia: And a Personal Note as Well heart 0
Lastly, A Note For My Forensic Colleagues: Bicycle-Related Safety Issues I Noted While Riding Across the Country heart 2