Count this "like" as 10 or 11.

That's quite the landmark! Congrats!

I just read the Wiki article about his death... is IS very intriguing.

Uff da! That was some tough riding: in the cold, against the wind, up the hills.... hats off!

I saw a couple of different people hiking The Old Trace with loaded backpacks.

I am really digging these songs!

I stayed at the same place when I did the Southern Tier in 2008! And I was the only guest!

Weird - I don't know what happened - it was just a link to a Youtube video - I fixed it, hope it stays fixed this time.

Yes, I saw hundreds of them the year before.

Arlo's best song.... thanks for pulling that one out and dusting it off.

Ha! Hilarious!

Kelly - I looked at the Bella Coola route - that's an interesting thought. RWGPS says it has 9% unpaved roads, so I'd probably go with a slightly larger tire than my usuals (I usually ride 38mm tires, I'd go with 42mm if I was expecting a lot of gravel). One could combine it with the Chicago to New York City and Eastern Connector routes for a truly epic tour. Wow, so many possibilities - thanks for pointing out this one.

Thank you for the mention of our border to border route. When asked independently about our favorite tour ever, Jacinto and I both answer without hesitation that it was our border to border trip. The part that made it the best tour, for me, was the changes in geography - you get red rocks and dirt, Monument Valley (!), grasslands, high desert, alpine, pine forests, etc. The geology never dulls. Lodging was mostly easy to arrange.

We rode the Sierra Cascades route for Jacinto's 50th birthday - all motels. We only made it as far as Reno, because I absolutely couldn't book us through Yosemite - I was too late. It was an enjoyable route. I trained really hard and was happy with my performance - you are correct. It's much more difficult than our border to border.

I've also ridden the Lewis and Clark from Great Falls, MT to Astoria. That was with ACA, one month long, and my first big tour. It's the one that gave me confidence to ride long tours.

I am biased, admittedly, to my most excellent border to border route - I think it stands out for the variety of terrain, and the fact that it can be motel-ed. There's also the swagger factor of going border to border.

I have another idea to toss out at you - it's a trip that's been on my back burner for years - but this fall I did look at lodging, and I'm pretty sure it can be done as a motel trip. Let's see if this one appeals to you - Take the ferry through the Inner Passage from Vancouver to Bella Coola, BC - then ride back to the states. If you look at my name on RWGPS, and put in Bella Coola - the route should come up. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40765402

There is a monster climb coming out of Bella Coola that has an interesting story behind it, if you google. It has been pointed out to me that perhaps the sane cyclist would ride INTO Bella Coola rather than out, the ride would be much friendlier. I can see the value in that. Most of what is stopping this route from becoming a reality is rain - it rains a lot in Canada. We've gotten spoiled the past few years while touring and haven't been rained on to speak of.

I think having a fun, positive daydream is a good thing. It's much better than worrying about potential health problems. Stewing over them won't help. I'm a great worry wart. I should be taking my own advice! Seriously - here's wishing for the best possible outcome.

I enjoyed the ride! Thanks for sharing your journey.

Thank you for taking the time to write these past two pages. You are excetat the post tour synopsis. That is very helpful for upcoming riders doing their research.