Bike Across
America 2000

Welcome

Click on a state to jump to the write-ups.

New York	Wisconsin	Wyoming	Washington
Ontario	Minnesota	Montana
Michigan	South Dakota	Idaho

8/26, 8/27, and 8/28/2000- Port Orchard, WA- The Last Day
   We enjoyed a great breakfast prepared by one of the church members on our last day of biking. The sky was grey, just like it was on the first day out of Silver Lake. We did have some sprinkles along the route, but no torrential downpours. The ride included a great bike trail that led us into Seattle. Once in the city, we walked around the area near the pier and finally boarded the ferry that would take us to Bremington. The group ate lunch on the ferry and then, once in Bremington, caught the ferry to Port Orchard. Immediately after getting off the ferry, we had climb up a HUGE and very steep hill to get out of the town. The ride was anticipated to be 16 miles to Pilgrim Firs, but in actuality was only about 5 or 6 miles long. We enjoyed a great dinner prepared by the camp director and then had our final meeting of the trip. On Sunday we packed up our bikes to be shipped back, packed up our gear, took a final group picture, and bid a farewell to Ken and Lyn, who were driving the RV back to Vermont.

8/25/2000- Monroe, WA
   After leaving the cabin, we had an 18 mile climb up to Stevens Pass (a total elevation climb about 2,000 feet). Most agreed that it was not as bad as it seemed. After the climb, we had a 6% grade downhill for 7 miles. The ride was mostly down from then on, and lunch was next to an espresso bar with 100 flavors of milkshakes). We arrived in Monroe with some difficulty, as the volume of traffic was immense with people going to the state fair. Dinner was leftovers, since we have only one day left of biking... wow.

8/24/2000- Leavenworth, WA
   Shortly after leaving Waterville, we flew down "Pine Canyon," a 6 mile, 6% grade downhill that was a legend two years ago (since they had to go UP it). The area down in the canyon was acre upon acre of fruit farms with hundreds of fruit stands. Some stopped at a fruit stand but remembered that fruit + lots of  biking = upset stomach, so they held off until lunch. We ate lunch in the town of Leavenworth, which is our third Bavarian town on the trip. This town  is much more touristy than Frankenmuth, since the town has no German roots and the Bavarian theme was resurrected to save the town's economy years ago. Our place of residence for the night was a a cabin 18 miles up from Leveanworth. Dinner was prepared by Russ and was fabulous.

8/23/2000- Waterville, WA
   We had another nice tailwind in the first part of the day after leaving Wilbur. Lunch was in "the coulee," which is a large canyon. We had quite a climb out of the coulee- the sun was beating down on us and the uphill was long and tiring to traverse. Nevertheless, we still made it out alive. The ride otherwise was very uneventful since there were no sights to see along the way. Once in Waterville, we set up camp in the town green and enjoyed a delicious supper prepared by Russ.

8/22/2000- Wilbur, WA
   The ride to Wilbur was sunny and beautiful. We were lucky enough to have a nice little tailwind to push us along. A lot of group members believed that we had been magically whisked back into South Dakota, since the area was very desolate and there was nothing but wheat. Dinner in Wilbur was made by some very nice ladies from the church, and after a few people were brave enough to try out Nancy's recumbent. Oh, and Happy 13th Anniversay, Ken and Nancy!

8/20 and 8/21/2000- Spokane, WA
   We left Camp N-Sid-Sen fairly late in the morning, but only because the camp was kind enough to make us breakfast before we left. We rode the exact opposite route that we took yesterday back down to I-90 and then backtracked the Centennial Trail route that we took yesterday. We had lunch at the border of Idaho and Washington and then used the trail all the way into Spokane. Once Spokane, we wove our way around the city and up a HUGE, 17% grade hill. We made it into the Immaculate Heart retreat center in time for dinner, and then a small portion of the group went into Spokane to play Laser Quest. The next day was a rest day, so the majority of the group just hung around the retreat center and rested.

8/19/2000- Harrison, ID
   The group left the park in the cool morning air and pointed our bikes into the wind, where it steadily blew into our faces as usual. We hopped onto a bike trail that would take us into Coeur d'Alene, where we had to pick and choose our way through the city to pick up the Centennial Trail. We ate lunch at a local gas station and then used the trail for a few more miles until we reached the end. At this point, we had to hop a fence to get onto I-90, which would give us the stretch of road that would take us to another route that would take us into Harrison. This route was nice to bike on as it runs alongside Lake Coeur d'Alene. Upon arrival at Camp N-Sid-Sen, we found out that we would have to put up our tents the next day since all the other beds were taken the next night. The group decided to bike one more day into Spokane and take the rest day there, which was agreed that it would be more relaxing than spending it in a tent. That night, we celebrated Russ's birthday... Happy Birthday, Russ!

8/18/2000- Athol, ID
   The ride out from Clark Fork was not nearly as cold as the one going from Libby. The weather was pleasant and cool, and we stopped in Sandpoint to wander around the town and hit a few bike stores. On the way out from Sandpoint, we took a nice bike trail and crossed the lake on a bridge with a seperate lane for bikers. After the bike trail ended, we picked up some back roads that took us through another town and then finally into the Farragut State Park. We set up camp and then enjoyed another dinner prepared by Russ. We also acquired another group member: Shelia, who is Russ's wife, will be accompanying us for the next few days.

8/17/2000- Clark Fork, ID
   Breakfast in Libby was a very good one, for the youth minister at the Lutheran Church invited us over to her house for pancakes. That morning was also very cold- the coldest that it has been the entire trip. We biked along the Kootenai River, where "The River Wild" was filmed. The ride was beautiful, and we ate lunch alongside a brook. Some group members decided to go for a swim and it turned into a chance to earn some cash. Along the bottom of the brook were some coins (and since the water was so cold) whomever was able to dive down and get the coins was paid cash per coin. Head on over to the photo gallery for a peek at the situation. After lunch, we crossed over the state line into Idaho (and a new time zone!). Our place of residence for the night was the University of Idaho field campus, and Russ made an excellent dinner of pizza.

8/16/2000- Libby, MT
   The morning brought more cold and more frozen toes to the group. We layered up and faced the chill along the road. Unfortunately, the forest fires that have been spreading over the west were close to the road we were biking on, so the area was very smokey. The ride was very beautiful- we biked along Lake Koocanusa and ate lunch right near a hawk nest. After lunch, we stopped by the Libby Dam and then continued on to Libby. Once in Libby, some members of the church were kind enough to let us use their showers in their houses. After that, we were treated to a delicious potluck supper.

8/15/2000- Eureka, MT
   Needless to say, the morning on the way to Eureka was also very chilly. This time, the thermometer read it to be 45 degrees- brrr. We kept truckin', however, and by lunch the temperature was much higher than it had been. After lunch, Eureka was only a short distance away, and we wove our way through the back roads to the "Peaceful Lodge." This house contained a whopping 23 beds and beautiful view. A great dinner was made by Russ and Nancy, and with pie for dessert.

8/14/2000- Whitefish, MT
  The ride into Whitefish was very short: only 31 miles. When we woke up in Apgar, it was 50 degrees and pretty chilly next to the lake. We all left fairly late in the morning since the day was so short and still had a great ride into Whitefish. Upon arrival at the hostel, we basically hung out and did all the usual biker stuff: wrote in journals, watched a video, etc. Dinner was made by Nancy (and was excellent).

8/13/2000-Apgar, MT
   The day's ride was probably one of the most anticipated rides of the entire trip: the trek over the Rockies. Fortunately, the climb up through Glacier National Park was not as grueling as one would think, and the scenery along the route made up for the upward portion. Once at the top, we ate lunch at the Logan's Pass visitor's center and took a hike to pass the time. Bikers are not advised to continue down the other side of Logan's Pass until 3:30 because of the high traffic volume. After we winded our way down, we rode alongside McDonald Lake into Apgar. In Apgar, we ate dinner at a local restaurant and crashed at the motel.

8/12/2000- St. Mary, MT
   Imagine our surprise this morning when we woke up to find our trunks covered in frost! It was really cold last night- cold enough for it to freeze the morning dew. Kent was kind enough to prepare an excellent breakfast of pancakes and hot chocolate. The wind gods finally decided to take a vacation from torturing the poor bikers and gave us a nice tailwind to start off the 23 mile day. The terrain was rolling (but mostly uphill), and the scenery was gorgeous. We were able to see the 4 states of plains and flat ground from the very top of the range. After 18 miles of climbing, we finally reached the top... and rolled 5 miles downhill into St. Mary for lunch. Once we reached the KOA, some went for a swim in the "freezing cold" lake, and/or took showers.

8/11/2000- Browning, MT
   Needless to say, we were not as lucky to have such a nice ride as we did to Choteau. The group was unfortunate enough to have a strong headwind throughout the entire day. Shortly after we had set out, a storm set upon us and various groups had to seek shelter from the lightning. The event was short-lived, and we all set out "on the road again." The rain continued on and off through the rest of the morning. We ate lunch about halfway, and by now the headwind had rotated into a strong 30-35 mph crosswind/headwind that threatened to run us all off the road. The going was slow, but we managed to straggle into the campground outside Browning late in the afternoon. It was a long and tough day for all.

8/10/2000- Choteau, MT
   The ride from Great Falls was a very nice one. After we had weaved our way through the city streets, we biked right alongside the interstate. However, the wind picked up shortly before lunch and left us with no other option to bike into another headwind. Most agreed that the wind was "not that bad," and we managed to pull into Choteau with enough time for an ice cream stop. At the Choteau KOA, we set up our sleep gear in either the teepee (guys) or a Kabin (girls). We enjoyed a great dinner made by Kent, and later 6 participants (Jake, Tom, Catherine, Kendall, Cassie, and James) went and played mini golf.

8/8 and 8/9/2000- Great Falls, MT
   The day's ride was very pleasant- the weather was mild and the scenery was nice along the road. We encountered our fifth consecutive day of headwind, but by this time no one seemed to be very opposed by it. We ate lunch at a rest area about 24 miles from Great Falls. Everyone was thankful that the ride was shorter that it could have been- we were staked out right next to a sign that said, "White Sulfur Springs- 75 miles" pointed south. We quickly finished the rest of the day's mileage with the wind calmer than it had been in the morning, and rolled into Great Falls in high spirits... tomorrow, a day of rest.

8/7/2000- Stanford, MT
   The group, happy that the route to Stanford would be a mere 68 miles, set out early Monday morning. Unfortunately, the wind gods were still angry and blew a 20 mph headwind at us as we struggled to Judith Gap. In Judith Gap, we all stopped at the local store for the best milkshakes of the trip (every flavor imaginable) and then set out again. Once on the other side of the town, the wind died down. We ate lunch at Eddie's Corner, a truck stop, and then continuedon to Stanford. Another headwind picked up for the last 8 miles of the day's trek, but everyone managed to make it into Stanford with time to spare. We ate dinner in town and camped out in the town park.

8/6/2000- Harlowton, MT
   It was a long and tough ride to Harlowton. The group left Billings early in the morning to get a head start on the day. The wind was still in our faces, which slowed the pace a bit. Since the wind was so relentless, everyone was pretty tired once we rolled into Harlowton. When the group told the waitress and locals at the cafe that the next day was White Sulfur Springs and then on to Great Falls, their jaws dropped. The locals then proceeded to tell us that that 100 mile route from White Sulfur Springs to Great Falls would take us over "the highest pass in Montana." They all then concluded that (and this is the exact quote), "You're gonna die!" The entire group reached a consensus that we should take the shorter, more direct route to Great Falls by going through Stanford instead.

8/5/2000- Billings, MT
   The day's ride to Billings was short in comparison to the one to Hardin. It was only around 50 miles, but the strong headwind and desolate land around the road made it seem longer. Needless to say, we stil made it to Billings alive and well. A few members hit the local bike shops, and then we enjoyed a great barbeque dinner and then hit the sack.

8/4/2000- Hardin, MT
   The ride to Hardin was a long one: in total, we accomplished about 92 miles. The group pulled out of Sheridan about 5:45 AM to get an early start. We crossed over the border into Montana and had lunch around mile 50 (and at 9:30 in the morning). After that, the group continued on toward Hardin. A few members stopped at the Little Bighorn battlefield (site of "Custer's Last Stand") in Crow Agency. The wind had picked up by this time, and the rest of the ride was into a headwind. Within minutes of our arrival at the motel, the wind had picked up to around 40 miles an hour. Supper was out on the town and we enjoyed a delicious dessert at Dairy Queen courtesy of Nancy's mom- thanks!

8/3/2000- Sheridan, WY
   Today's ride was very short: only 40 miles. The group decided to sleep in just a little and then hit the road around 7:30 to arrive in Sheridan in time for lunch. About halfway to Sheridan, we met up with Rev. Bob Miller from the congregational church where we were staying and rode with him the rest of the way. In Sheridan, the group headed over to the community pool for swimming and showers. A few youth from the church then showed us around town. Finally, we were treated to a great potluck supper by the church.

8/2/2000- Clearmont, WY
   The wind was blowing pretty strongly as we pedaled out from Gillette. Fortunately, the wind was coming from the southeast and gave us a nice tailwind as we were heading to the northwest. During the day, however, the wind shifted direction into a very nasty crosswind. We passed through two towns en route to Clearmont: Spotted Horse (see the photo gallery) and Leiter, where we ate lunch. Both had populations less than 25 people. Right after lunch, we had to pick our way through 8 miles of a stripped down dirt road where construction was taking place. We made it into Clearmont alive, where we stayed at the high school.

8/1/2000- Gillette, WY
   The ride out of Devil's Tower was fairly difficult as we had to climb 6 1/2 miles out of the area near the Tower. After that, the ride went up and through more hills and eventually spit us out in the vast open road in Wyoming. A few miles later, we stopped in Moorcroft for a snack around 9:30 and decided to continue on to Gillette and eat lunch there. The ride was flat for the rest of the way and we passed by a few trains hauling coal from Gillette. According to Nancy, Gillette supplies 30% of the country's coal. Anyway, we made it into the town at noon and ate lunch in a few different restaurants. We made our way up to the church and had another wonderful dinner prepared by Kent.

7/31/2000- Devil's Tower, WY
   The ride from Spearfish was also a pretty tough one. Shortly after we crossed the line into Wyoming, we ran into a steady headwind. After about 20 miles of this, we rolled into the town of Sundance for a quick snack at a gas station and then started out toward Devil's Tower. After making a 90 degree turn, the wind began to vary with the twisty road but was mostly a crosswind until lunch. After lunch, we continued to the now visible Devil's Tower and rolled into the campground around 2 PM. The majority of the group dived right into the pool in their bike clothes. After the swim, a few went on a trail ride on horseback through the woods. We then had a great steak dinner prepared by Kent.

7/30/2000- Spearfish, SD
   The morning out of Rapid City was a tough one. Our first challenge of the day was to do the mile long climb out of the Storm Mountain Center. After that, we had to make our way through the Black Hills, which included some very difficult hills and very nice "screaming downhills." Lucky for us, the 6% grade downhill into Deadwood (the day's lunch stop) was nice and long. After a leisurely lunch, we then faced the task of getting up and out of Deadwood. Everyone agreed that the two hills that took us out were "not that bad," and the very long downhill after the last one definitely made up for all the uphills from that day. We flew the last 13 miles with a tailwind into Spearfish, and enjoyed a great mac and cheese dinner prepared by Kent.

7/27, 7/28, and 7/29/200- Rapid City, SD
  The day's ride into Rapid City was HOT. We still set out early from Wall to "beat the heat," but regardless the mercury still jumped up early in the day. We rode 50 miles to lunch at the "Flying J" Truck Stop and ate outside while all the big rigs fueled up on gas and their drivers on beer. After lunch (now that we were outside of the Black Hills) we had "some huge mamas" to go up. After a few hours of leg numbing climbs and skin frying heat, we rolled into the Storm Mountain Center Methodist church camp. The next day we visited Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse monument, and the Black Hills National Forest. Driving through the forest was quite an experience as we drove through a giant herd of bison crossing the road!

7/26/2000- Wall, SD
   Many of you who have our address sheets might be wondering why I didn't write out our experience in Interior. Well, we all decided to beat the heat this day and set out from Murdo early in the morning. Since we crossed into Mountain Time after only a few minutes on the road, it gave us an extra hour to bike. This, and the addition of a very nice tailwind, threw us 11 miles from Interior (Cactus Flats) before noon. In actual fact, a handful of the group members had accomplished 60 miles by 10 AM! Ken decided to chop off 30 miles of the distance to Rapid City and changed our place of stay to Wall, 20 miles from Cactus Flats. This change, however, meant that we would not bike through the Badlands National Park the next day. After arriving in Wall, everyone headed on over to the Wall Drug Store, which is a huge drug store that sells everything and is the main attraction in town.

7/25/2000- Murdo, SD
   The day's ride was much shorter than the previous's- only 70 miles. Unfortuantely, most were exhausted from the ride into Chamberlain and had to take the day very slowly in the 95 degree heat. Fortuantely, we had a slight headwind to cool us off (this will be the only time you will hear us say, "Headwinds are great!"). Since the day took so long, we didn't make it into Murdo until late in the afternoon. We stayed at the Camp McKenZ campground and ate anotehr great supper prepared by Judy. That night, we were surprised by a sudden storm and there was a mad rush to put up the rainflies on our tents... oops.

7/24/2000- Chamberlain, SD
   Knowing that the ride from Huron to Chamberlain would be verrryy long, most of the group set out before 6:00 AM. We started out heading south into a slight headwind and then turned west after 20 miles. A few miles after making this turn, it started to rain. The showers only lasted for a short while, but the clouds ahead were growing darker and bigger by the minute. We began to see lightning and took shelter in seperate places (we weren't all biking together in one group). After about 45 minutes, most of the danger had passed and we continued on with a steady tailwind at our backs... unfortunately, this tailwind forced the storm to switch direction and we had to outrun it. The last 20 miles of the trip were extremely difficult, as we had to turn east directly into the wind that was pushing us from behind. The total mileage that day was 98 miles. Needless to say, we were very happy to make it into Chamberlain to take showers at a local campground and eat a wonderful supper prepared by Judy at the church.

7/23/2000- Huron, SD
   The ride from Brookings to Huron was one of the best of the trip so far. Everyone agreed that the combination of mild weather, flat ground, and a slight tailwind made the 80 mile trip "just about perfect." Some left at 5:30 and made it into Huron before noon; the rest left later and still rolled in with plenty of afternoon left. We all relaxed in the motel for the rest of the afternoon, then all went to dinner together at "The Barn."

7/22/2000- Brookings, SD
   Today's ride was absolutely gorgeous- the weather was sunny and calm, and Route 14 was reasonably quiet. We zipped through the towns of Tyler, where a Danish (you know, the people) festival was taking place, and Port Benton, which contained 430 windmills. Since there was little wind, only a few were in motion, but it was truly a sight to see- the windmills seemed to go on forever. Lunch was right at the border of Minnesota and South Dakota, and we all made it into Brookings in record time. The newly built church had a shower (put in specifically for groups like us) and we had a delicious cookout in back of the church. Annnddd... HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY, JAMES!!

7/21/200- Tracy, MN
   The ride out of New Ulm was beautiful but still windy. We stayed on Route 14 throughout the day and had lunch along the Cottonwood River. After lunch, a few stopped in Walnut Grove, which contains the Laura Ingalls Wilder museum and the site where she lived in the book "On the Banks of Plum Creek." After that, it was only a short distance into Tracy. At the church, we had a great potluck supper.

7/20/2000- New Ulm, MN
   The finger-crossing apparently worked, because we had looming skies but no rain throughout the day. We continued on the Singing Hills bike path for another 25 miles and then followed various county roads until lunch. We had lunch alongside one of the thousands of cornfields in Minnesota and battled headwinds all the way into New Ulm. New Ulm is very much like Frankenmuth, MI, but it is a true Bavarian town and is not as touristy. The church treated us to a supper of lasagna and we walked over to the recreational center for swimming and showers.

7/19/2000- Sakatah, MN
   The skies threatened to burst throughout the day, but we were thankful that not a drop fell and we stayed dry. The weather was cool but the scenery was beautiful. The group rode on the "Singing Hills" bike path intothe Sakatah State Park where we camped for the night. We enjoyed a delicious dinner made Judy and settled down for the night with our fingers crossed in that there wouldn't be rain.

7/18/2000- Kasson, MN
   There is only one way out of Winona: over two large, solid masses of rock. Fortunately, these two loooong hills were in the morning while the weather was still cool. Unfortunately, this cool weather did not warm up and the temperature stayed below 60 throughout the day. The ride into Rochester (where we had lunch) was pleasant with a nice tailwind. We also passed another bike group on the way also coming from Washington. After lunch, we took the gorgeous, winding "Zumbro" bike path for short distance and then rode the rest of the way on various routes to the "AmericINN" in Kasson.

7/16 and 7/17/2000- Winona, MN
   Today's ride was fabulous and the majority of it was on more bike trails. After breakfast, we continued on the Elroy-Sparta trail. After that ended, we picked up the La Crosse trail for 23 miles. The Great River trail began at the end of the La Crosse trail and brought us another 20 miles. The last two miles of this trail were through a wildlife preserve, which was very beautiful to look at. A few miles after the trail ended, we crossed over the Mississippi River into Minnesota. After we arrived at the church in Winona, we took showers at the Winona State University and did 3 tons of laundry. The church then treated us to a great potluck supper.

7/15/2000- Norwalk, WI
   The day's ride was very beautiful and consisted of quiet roads and beautiful (but buggy) bike trails. The first bike trail (actually a Rail-Trail) was called the "Old 400" and was nice to bike along except for the occasional blood-sucking deerfly that chose to chew on some lucky biker's behind. Lunch was between the end of the Old 400 and the beginning of a the new trail. This trail was called the "Elroy-Sparta" rail-trail and was the first rail-trail made. We arrived in Norwalk and set up camp in the park alongside the trail. Unfortunately, we chose to camp out on a night where the next pavilion was hosting a Spanish fiesta/birthday party until midnight. Needless to say, we were able to get to sleep OK and greeted in the morning to the pancake breakfast hosted by the Lioness Club nearby.

7/14/2000- Portage, WI
   A portion of the morning's ride from Fond du Lac was ridden on the "Wild Goose Trail," which was very quiet. After getting off the trail, we all met up in Fox Lake for a quick snack and then hit the road to lunch (10 miles later). The ride from lunch was reasonably quiet, except for a minor incident that included two obnoxious dogs who decided to chew on each passing biker's front tire. After this, we contacted the local sheriff, who decided to pay a visit to the dogs' owners later that day. We managed to arrive in Portage safe and sound, and were treated to a nice dinner by the church.

7/13/2000- Fond du Lac, WI
   Today's ride and the weather was very beautiful despite a persisting headwind. The group rode through the countryside past countless dairy farms and cornfields on the infamous Wisconsin lettered county routes ("W," "CC," "P," and "CCC" just to name a few). The church was generous to pay for a trip to the local YMCA for swimming and showers, and after that we all enjoyed a great potluck.

7/12/2000- Manitowoc, WI
   This was a short trip for biking- we only rode about 5 miles in total, since we took the ferry from Michigan to Wisconsin. The ferry ride itself was pleasant- movies were shown and karaoke was performed (see the photos). We arrived in Manitowoc at 10:30 central time- clocks were set back- and had lunch in town. Everyone explored the downtown area and went shopping, and we then all met at the church for a fabulous potluck supper.

7/11/2000- Ludington, MI
   The ride today was very beautiful- we had a tailwind at the beginning of the day and also rode along 12 miles of the Hart Rail/Trail. Lunch was early in the day (due to our quick pace) and we made it into Ludington before 2:00. We checked into the Lighthouse Motel and ate dinner in town- the majority of the group had a great meal at the "House of Flavor."

7/10/2000- Fremont, MI
   Today's ride was considerably easier than the previous day in that there was no wind. We left Fremont and had to ride down a dirt road that was stripped for repaving (much to the delight of some, to the dismay of others) and headed through the countryside and also through an Amish community. It was quite interesting to see a few horses and buggies traveling down the road. We ate a quick lunch and sped through the last 17 miles of the journey into Fremont. At the church we were welcomed with a delicious potluck supper.

7/9/2000- Stanton, MI
   Although the terrain was flat, the day's ride was rough with horrendous headwinds and rain pelting down on us early in the day. Everyone managed to make it to lunch in Ithaca, where the rain finally stopped and the sun came out, but the winds never ceased. From Ithaca we traveled about 25 miles into Stanton, where we were welcomed at the church with snacks and rides to showers. Dinner was also great, and most of the group watched a movie before lights out.

7/8/2000- Frankenmuth, MI
   The ride in the morning was chilly and overcast, with skies that looked as if rain was imminent. We stopped for lunch in Otter Lake, where the sun finally came out and we were able to shed our rain gear. We had a strong headwind for most of the day until about 5 miles from Frankenmuth, where we were able to jet into the town with a tailwind with the change of direction. Once settled at the Frankenmuth Motel, we headed into town to eat at the "World Famous" Zehnder's Restaurant.

7/7/2000- Columbus, MI
    Our ride from Canada back into the states was gorgeous, with almost no traffic on the back roads (except for the random construction sites) and a pleasant tailwind. We all ferried across St. Claire River into St. Claire, Michigan, and made our way into a headwind up into Columbus, where a great potluck supper awaited us.

7/6/2000- Wardsville, Ontario
    The ride into Wardsville was beautiful, as the roads we took had almost no traffic on them. We also were fortunate to have a nice tailwind to push us along, but we were hit by a little rain later in the day. At the church, we shuttled over to a nearby campground to take showers, and later on we were given a great supper along with pie : ).

7/5/2000- Port Burwell, Ontario
    The day's ride was different for all, as the bikers were given maps of the county and asked to find their own route to take to the next destination. Fortunately, no one got lost along the way because the roads weren't TOO badly marked, and we were able to find the Provincial Park campgrounds with no problem. Supper was hamburgers and hot dogs, and we can now call Lyn our "cookout queen" as she took over the grill a few times.

7/4/2000- Selkirk, Ontario
     On our way out from Niagara, the weather was pretty dismal and dreary, but the sun came out after lunch. We all made it to the campground at "Peacock Point" and ate a wonderful spaghetti supper. Many went swimming in Lake Erie, and since it was Independence Day on the U.S. side, we were able to see a few fireworks coming from across the lake.

7/2 and 7/3/2000- Niagara, Ontario
     The day's ride consisted of bright blue skies but a nasty headwind after lunch. We all grouped up at the Canadian border and made our way across customs with no problem. Once at the hostel, we ate our last dinner with Judy and Erica (our fabulous drivers for the past week). The next day was our rest day, and the group we down to Niagara Falls for sightseeing and other attractions.

7/1/2000- Spencerport, NY
     The ride out to Spencerport was calm, and (much to our delight) 99% bike trails. Despite some having gotten off the beaten path into downtown Rochester, we all made it to the Spencerport Congregational Church in time for a fabulous supper and great shower. After that, we were treated to a showing of "Siegfried and Roy" at the IMAX theater.

6/30/2000- Palmyra, NY
    Today's ride included cooler temperatures and a steady headwind, but roads with great wide shoulders. We saw a lot of interesting roadkill today, including cats, birds, turtles, foxes, racoons, squirrels, a weasel, and some we could not identify. We stopped for lunch in Clyde, we met up with a relative of the CE director from Baldwinsville. We had a great supper here and refreshing showers at the local high school.

6/29/2000- Baldwinsville, NY
    AKA the "day of flat tires"... The ride out of Herkimer was nice and we were fortunate to have a tailwind following us up to lunch. Lunch was at a mobile home sales lot and we were unfotunate to run into a thunderstorm on the way out from lunch. Everyone, however, was able to get under cover and wait out the rest of the storm. The church was kind enough to let us attend their "2000 Ark Avenue" vacation bible school presentation and ice cream social.

6/28/2000- Herkimer, NY
    Despite a horrendous headwind, we all managed to roll out of the Ramada just in time to miss the rest of the commuter traffic rolling through Schenectady. The group followed Route 5s along with some "mighty nice" bike trails along the Mohawk River. After lunch, we hit some major hills with incredibly steep grades (unexpectedly). The Herkimer Methodist Church was very hospitable and friendly. A few of the group members bought some of the pies that were being sold as a fundraising event.

6/27/2000- Schenectady, NY
    The weather was pretty dismal as everyone left the Darrow School this morning. Despite four people getting off track (it was not particularly anyone's fault, just routes that were not meant for bikes to go on...), we eventually converged and detoured into Albany for lunch. After lunch, we headed out on the Mohawk bike trail all the way into Schenectady.

6/26/2000- New Lebanon, NY
    The group managed to make it out of Silver Lake by 9:30 am, with a cheerful "good-bye" from some of the SLCC conferences. Some pictures were taken and a prayer was made, and the majority of the group headed out on the road (while the RV took Jake hostage to find a doctor so he could take his required physical). Lunch was in West Stockbridge next to the Shaker Mill Restaurant. We arrived at the Darrow School 15 miles later and were greeted with great showers and great food.