Welcome to Yosemite 9945ft

Alright finally a good nights sleep, it was cool right from the start and no crazy animals to wake us up. There were a lot of really creepy birds all over the camp ground, seagulls. It reminded me of the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds." I guess Mono Lake is one of their major breading grounds and they stick around because all the dumb foreign tourist keep feeding them since they think it's so cool. Well anyway back to the ride. We got up on our own this morning, no alarm since it was suppose to be a shorter ride with only a large climb up Tioga pass and then we were told that it was pretty much down hill to the other side of the Park. So we said goodbye to Joel and told him we would wait for him at either the top or Tuolomne Meadows Village. We headed out and started a very grueling grind to the top but it was filled with endless gorgeous views. It wasn't too long into the ride and I was waiting for Kelly. Her knee was starting to bother her and I knew it would take awhile to get to the top. I was had been waiting for Kelly for about 5mins and figured that she had already gotten onto her own break schedule so I decided to continue riding and it wasn't more then 3mins later and I heard her voice, "how did she catch me" I thought to myself and then I looked back to see her sitting in the front seat of a jacked up white Ford truck. She said she was getting a ride to the top. This didn't upset me since she was having knee troubles but it was now a personal challenge to see how fast I could make it to the top. I began to peddle as hard as I could and when my legs burned too bad to peddle I got off and walked until they felt better and then got on and road. It took me only 1 hour and 45mins to summit the beast and found Kelly waiting at the top cheering me on. It was a welcomed sight since I was extremely exhausted. It turns out that she was dropped off at Ellis Lake about 3 miles from the top. The ride from there was very pretty and not too difficult. There was only one 200 foot climb and the rest was basically flat.
While Kelly was waiting she met one of the workers that cycled to work, her name was Anna and she thought what we were doing was amazing and told us that she would give us guest passes so we didn't have to pay the $10 a person entry fee. So we waited for Joel so that he could get in free too. As we sat there we chatted with people that drove by and asked us what we were doing. We wrote down our website for a bunch of them so the could check us out. We kept getting mixed messages about how far Joel was back but he eventually made it to the top and we headed to Tuolomne Meadows to get some food. Tuolome Meadows is a very eclectic gathering point. It was interesting to meet all the hikers stopping for a piece of civilization. The term civilization means something different to a cyclist than a backpacker. To backpackers civilization is any place with facilities and people, to me as a cyclist, since we run into towns pretty regularly it's a place that offers amenities that I guess you could call luxuries like Mc Donald's. After we had ate, sent a few post cards and grabbed some food and a 6 pack to enjoy later we hit the road. According to a motorcyclist we had met the day before it was all down hill from here on out. We learned very quickly that they must have been on some good drugs because we had some pretty good hills to climb before we got to our campsite. When we finally made it to the campsite we tied our beer to a rock and through it in the stream, set up camp and then joined the beer in the stream to cool off and soak our tired feet. The after noon was very relaxing and enjoyable. We got to chatting with some of our neighbors and they were super cool. One couple were doing a National Parks tour and almost done and the other couple were just out doing some mountain biking for a couple days. The first couple invited us over to enjoy their curry with them and we spent the rest of the night sitting by the campfire and swapping war stories. It was a good time! Thanks for your continued support!

A new companion and the wonderfully pricey town of Lee Vining

This morning we woke up around 5.30 or so but we were up on and off through out the night. Around midnight there was a siren that went off for about 10 mins. I'm assuming it was a rural fire volunteer wake up call because about 10 mins after that we heard a couple fire trucks go tearing by. Then around 4.20am this damn rooster started crowing and didn't stop, he was soon followed by a quartet of dogs and then some other animals that were unrecognizable. According to Joel the rooster was trying to stay on central time just like us. That was unfortunate for us, so much for a good nights sleep. Well we readied ourselves and headed out about 30mins before Joel. The mornings ride was absolutely brutal. We had a 7 mile climb that hit grades of 10% at times and that wasn't the worst of it. The head wind was almost unbearable and we had to push our bikes for much of the 7miles. Then there was a very long down hill and then right back up a long gradual grade. At the top Kelly and I stopped for a snack and saw Joel for the first time this morning. He was about 3miles behind us and we figured that he would catch up so we continued on. The next section was labeled the 5 mile dips. it was absolutely ridiculous. It was like a giant whoop section down a road. The hills were short and steep. As Joel later put it, what the f@#$, how lazy is California, why couldn't they just flatten that road. There are a million illegal Mexicans that will work for pennies. Just take a little damn sand out here and add a little there! Haha, it was hilarious because we felt the same way. Joel caught up to us at the top of the next hill as I was waiting for Kelly. He rode with us for the rest of the day. The most of the day was filled with climbing. We were told we would have about 10miles of climbing and then it would be down hill. I guess they can't judge distance very well or they just forgot about the summit of 8600 some feet. It was such a relief to see that summit sign. We had climbed about 3500 feet so far this morning and we were ready for some down hill. At the top of the summit sat an RV and they were setting up some sun shelters so we stopped by to see what they were doing since they had two nice road bikes on the back of the RV. When we got closer we saw the sign on the side. They were the Sag for a ride to help raise money for the Eastern Sierra Disabled Sports program. They were really nice and couldn't believe that we had ridden as far as we had with all our gear. They asked if we wanted to have a soda and we gladly excepted. Then they asked if we would stay for lunch so all their riders could meet us and we could meet this amazing man who was riding a hand bike and doing all the hills, unfortunately I can not remember his name, sorry. So we stayed around and enjoyed an amazing lunch. Joel almost ate them out of house and home. I thought I ate a lot. He's super skinny and eats like a horse! haha, but it was nice to meet all the people and we gave them our information. They guy on the hand bike was absolutely amazing and it was so motivating to see him climb that last hill and ride all the terrain that we struggled to. It was great to meet all of those great people and they were so supportive, they gave us some Cliff Bars and cheered us on as we road away. The rest of the ride was very scenic and extremely different to what we had gotten use to for the last couple of weeks. We dropped quickly into a densely forested area along Mono Lake, one of the oldest lakes in the US and it is a salt water lake that has a 25% higher salt content and is a 100% more alkaline than the ocean. The day was nice and cool but unfortunately we were not done climbing. We had one more shorter climb and then it was a gradual climb into Lee Vining. When we got to town we stopped at the Mobile Station just out side of town and ate at the Whoa Nellie Deli like we were instructed to by the other cyclists. The food wasn't super amazing or even that cheap but that's not what it was about. It was about the scene. It was a super cool laid back area were people from all walks of life stop to meet other interesting people. There were tons of tourists like everywhere but there were also longs of hikers and some mountain bikers and there was live music to enjoy while you ate. The manager of the deli loved what we were doing and gave us a free piece of pizza and a free beer. We ate our food and enjoyed the music and asked about camping opportunities and were directed towards the RV park since it was the only place were we could shower. So we headed over to Mono Lake Resort and RV Park, what a joke this place was. It cost us $23 dollars to set up our two tents on a plot of grass and then we had to pay $1 for every 5 minutes of hot water we wanted in the shower. They also advertised Wi-Fi so we were excited to use that but they failed to mention that it was $6 to connect. It was even worse then staying at a KOA. Fortunately there were some nice people that we camped by so that made it worth it. When we had set up our tent we went down to the local camp store to try and find Joel a new sleep mat since his blew out the back of a truck in NV when he was hitching a ride. When we got back to the camp site we sat around and chatted for a while enjoying the cool weather. Kelly was pretty tuckered out so she went to bed early. Joel and I met this guy doing a tour on his motorcycle and chatted with him for awhile and then made our way to bed as well. It was a biter sweet day. We had quite a struggle in the morning and then met some amazing and inspiring people and were blessed with a beautiful ride in the afternoon. Thanks again for all of your support. We are almost there!

Hmmm?

Well Well, where to start? I guess I will start from the beginning. We were staying with Carl, who was extremely hospitable, and when we had first met him outside the bank we had inquired if he knew anyone that was heading in our direction, namely Tonapah. It was more or less a rhetorical question, since it was half way across the state and everyone we had asked earlier had told us we wouldn't find anyone going that way until we passed the Hiko turnoff. He of course didn't know of anyone and said he would have loved to help us only if his wife would have been home to take care of the cats. Fortunately for us he decided after awhile that he would take us since he was retired and didn't really have anything better to do on a Saturday. So he went looking for us and found us at the laundry mat. It was amazing, probably one of the best days of the trip to that day. So that's how we ended up staying with him. So we woke up Saturday morning and ate breakfast with Carl and hit the road about 5.45am. We made pretty good time. When we stopped in Ash Springs, about 40miles into the ride, I (Chance) took over driving and lets be honest here. I was a little on the fence here. I didn't really want to take such a large helping hand. I was struggling with the idea of "cheating" not completing the trip ourselves but there were a few variable involved in the final decision. One being the intense heat, two being the large distances without services, even though there was water available that we could filter, and the third and most important to me was that Kelly's knee was starting to bother her again. So I talked it over with my dad and was still a little on the fence but decided it was the best idea and by the time I had driven two hours through the most desolate land I had ever seen in my entire life I knew that we did the right thing. After about three and a half hours of riding we pulled over in a turn out, just pass the ghost town of Coaldale NV and loaded up our bikes ate our sandwhichs we got at the gas station, thanked Carl for all his help and said goodbye.
We had about 35 miles to ride that day and we had a pretty good since summit to climb before we reached California. The summit was long but it wasn't too demanding. The heat was starting to intensify very quickly and we had no real idea if there was anything waiting for us in Benton CA or not but we pushed on. The decent was quick and a little iffy because we had a 15-25mile an hour head wind. Wind is that variable in riding that one cannot predict or train for. You never know what it's going to do and it can really make your bike unstable at higher speeds. From the top of the climb to Benton was only about 10miles but due to the intense head wind it took us one and a half hour to do it. When we were getting back on our bikes after taking our boarder picture I was almost blown over by an intense gust of wind. For the first time ever I had been stopped by customs inside the US. When you cross over the CA boarder you have to declare if you have any fruit, veg, or livestock from another state. Of course we didn't and they didn't pursue it and we proceeded to Benton. Benton was basically a ghost town. The only thing in it was a park, a dinner/gas station and a church, where we spent the night. The Dinner was alright, nothing special but the Indian taco I had was amazing. While we were there we met this really nice couple from Tonapah and spent the next hour talking with them about our trip and what lay ahead of us. The were so kind they paid for our lunch, thank you! After lunch we sat around and chatted with the ladies working there, trying to beat the heat. Finally we decided to go set up our tent but when we got to the park the wind was blowing so hard it would have been impossible to set it up and then it started to pour, so we were chased back to the dinner. We decided to pick up some snacks for later and some pop tarts for dinner, unfortunately we didn't check the dates on either and both were out, fortunately the checks mix was only out a week or so and it taste good still but the pop tarts were out 6months! They have a year shelf life! That means they had been there for a year and a half!! wow, well anyways the weather died down and we were going to go set up our tend commando style in the park, even though it said "no over night camping" on a big sign. As we were walking out this lady stopped us and asked if we were the "kids" looking for a place to camp and she told us she was the pastors wife, as she was holding a case of beer and a bottle of booze, haha how ironic. She said we could camp at the church. So we did. It was sand, not grass but it was nice. We set up camp and used the sink in the park bathroom to clean up and were just hanging around.
That's when we met Joel! He was riding by and we waved him down, it turns out he was looking for a place to set up camp as well. So we told him he could join us at the church and he did. He had just graduated from Western Illinois and was riding his bike to LA where he was going to catch a flight to New Zealand and hitch hike and ride his bike around there for three months. He was traveling alone because his friend that was going to go with him had gotten a DUI and couldn't afford it. It turned out that he was going the same way as us, at least for the next couple of days, so we had a new member of our team! The rest of the night was spent getting to know each other and reminiscing about the each others trips so for. It was pretty ironic that we had both pretty much made our own routes and taken more or less the same way and met a lot of the same people. What a small world! Thanks for all your support!

Short Day?

Well, last nights sleep was a little off due to the immense train traffic at night. Man are those things loud. The dogs also like to bark at nothing so every once in a while I would wake up to that. But all in all the night cooled down and sleeping was pretty good. When our alarm went off the sun was still not up so we went back to sleep. This mornings ride was very easy to say the least. The only climb we had was Panaca Summit. Once we got to the top there it was pretty much all downhill from there. We FINALLY got into Nevada!!! That means we are almost home and ready to be back. It's been a long time away, but an unforgettable adventure. So we stopped in Panaca at the gas station to grab a little snack and some Mt.Dew. We didn't get our Mt.Dew yesterday and it is crazy because Chance and I actually got headaches from our lack of caffeine. So we asked what the road was like to Caliente and they told us it was pretty flat one little hill. So when entering Nevada we also entered the Pacific time zone. So we got into Caliente at 9:00 am and had already done 47 miles and our stopping point for the day! You may ask why so early? I will say today it was already 88 degrees by 8am. So if you go into the afternoon you hit the 100 degree mark and it is horrible to be in. So we stopped and were going to do our laundry but had to stop at the bank to get some change. We ran into a very wonderful and hospitable man named Carl who is our life saver and has been a great help. After our laundry was finished Carl took us to his house hooked us up with some cool temps, lunch, shower and a nice place to sleep! He is defiantly a man of all trades. He designed and built his own house that is absolutely beautiful. Also his cool cars that he restores! Carl thank you for everything! We are now going to continue to rest and have such wonderful conversation with Carl. Thanks again for supporting us and we will hopefully see you all soon!

Modena Utah..

Hello again. Today we woke up at our over priced piece of dirt campsite at the KOA to a fairly cool morning, not cold enough to wear jackets. This was the first campsite ever that other people were up at the same time as us. So we got rolling this morning and stopped at the gas station to fill our tires. Chance got a new tire last night so we had to make sure that had proper air in it. We had a very gradual climb for most of the morning and then reached the summit. It wasn't too bad of a climb. If only all climbs could be as such. We then had a very nice downhill for quite a while. Today so you know was pretty lack luster for the most part. We got into a town called New Castle and stopped at the gas station and had a little something to eat. They told us Modena had nothing in it and we were disappointed because that was going to be our stop for the day. So we decided we would continue riding as far as we could and take a break in the shade and let it cool down a bit. SO we road the flats all the way to Modena about 50 miles from Cedar City. We found an old abandonded building and were going to take up camp for a little rest. So, we sat down and noticed this oasis of vibrant greens and beautiful flowers across the street. We then saw Carol. I needed to use the restroom so I told Chance I would see if she would allow me to do so. But she was so very kind and allowed us to come over have some cool water, and sit on the patio that was cooled by the swamp cooler so it was super nice. WE took a little nap and talked with Carol for a bit. It did not get cooler. So we decided to stay here and again so kind she is allowing us to set up camp in her front yard! She also had the fixings for sammys and some soup that filled us both up! After awhile it finally started to cool down probably around 7pm mountain time. We set up our tent and Carol's husband Vince came home. So we continued to chat while the rain came down in a heavy sheet! So as you can see today was pretty boring for you to read about. Tomorrow we will be in Nevada, a new time zone and closer to our destination of San Fran! Thanks for reading and continue to pray and hope for cooler weather, kind people and healthy bodies!

Circleville to Cedar City, UT..

Howdy to everyone reading our blog. Today we find ourselves in Cedar City, Utah and now you will hear the oh so wonderful story! This morning started off a little later then most, roughly 6:30 Mountain time. The great thing about this morning is that it was nice and cool to ride! We were lucky enough to get to ride between canyons so the sun stayed off us for about 37 miles until we hit the large climb for the day. Now when I say large I mean very very long. The summit was only at 7,000 some feet but with an 8% grade and 2-3 miles long it was one we were not looking forward to.. However, while the climb was difficult, it was also easy. That means compared to other climbs in Utah we were able to ride all the way to the top with only half a mile of walking or less! I must add it was a beautiful ride to the top and all the way to the interstate. When we got to the top and saw that down grade sign we were very happy! We got to go downhill at an 8% grade for 6 miles and that pretty much took us to our date with the interstate. Now to you cyclist out there, of course you never really want to go on the interstate, but when it makes you ride shorter and it is pretty much flat with some downhill you are happy to take it! Utah is one of the only states where cyclist are allowed on the interstate, that may change though because a cyclist and a few others were killed just the other day. Once we hit the interstate it felt like the temperature suddenly got much hotter and that is probably because we were in the mountains all morning. With cars zipping by us at 75+ miles per hour and the sun beating down on us in the valley between all kinds of mountains, I must say..... I am ready to be out of the mountains and not see them for quite some time.. I hope all of you in MN don't complain too much about your weather because I would rather have your weather then the 90's-100's we continue to run into here. So any ways back to the interstate, we decided to stop off at a truck stop to grab some lunch at Subway. Upon entering we meet James and Tara a very nice couple who were very interested in hearing about our journey! We are always grateful to run into such people. We then set out to beat the heat! As we got going there were a lot of blown tires on the side of the road, it is bad for bicycle tires because of the wire running through them. Yes, I ran one over! So in probably one of the most dangerous places to be standing, Chance had to change my flat tire and hope all the drivers speeding past us were able to see us. I also must say it is crazy to think that we sat there for like 10 min and not once did someone ask if we needed help! So in the future for you all reading if you see a cyclist on the side of the road in some place they probably should not stop, be kind, slow down and ask if they need anything! About 2 miles from our exit into Cedar City I ran out of water and was pretty much dying. So we stopped into a truck stop yet again, cooled down and had tons of water. So after a 75 mile day we are in the library getting you all up to date and going to hit the bike shop, campsite and get some dinner! Tomorrow will be our last day in Utah!!! So you can all cheer with us! Thank you all for your support and please continue to spread the word! Thank you also to everyone who has been emailing us, it helps keep us in high spirits when others tell us how we are doing such a great thing! See you all soon!

Grumpier Old Man Saved Our Day

Well today we woke up this morning a little later then normal since there was going to be a free continental breakfast at 6. It was nice to sleep in and especially in a nice comfy bed. After breakfast we hit the road. It was pretty chilly out since we were technically in the mountains and there was a chance of thunder showers and the sky was overcast. It didn't take us long to get to the next town of Bicknel, unfortunately nothing was open but the post office so we stopped in there and dropped off our post cards and asked the lady about the ride to come she said its not bad once you get to the top and well the ride to the bottom of the hill was really easy but we could see what laid in front of us, a daunting hill, from at least 10 miles away. When started to climb we just couldn't efficiently turn our peddles over so we gave up and began to walk, luckily for us we didn't have to push long before an older guy stopped and asked if we wanted a ride to the top and of course we wouldn't turn that down, we made that mistake once and never again. As I was putting my bike in the back the guy was like "hurry up lazy bones I've got places to be!" So yeah one would assume that if they offer you a ride they would typically be a nice person but not this guy. He should have been a fill in on grumpier old men! He didn't talk much. He asked some questions about us and asked if Kelly was old enough to be hanging out with me, haha and he didn't seem to keen on the fact that we weren't married. Oh well he helped us out big time and we thanked him and coasted into Koosharem. It was intended to be our destination for the day but it was only 10.30am and we were feeling pretty good. So we stopped at the local dinner for a bit to eat and asked about the ride to Circleville. They told us it was flat with a down hill lie but of course it's Utah and there must be at least a couple hills. When we had finished eating it was still pretty nice our and the sun remained behind the clouds so we took off. The ride was nice, probably the best ride in Utah. It was filled with nice scenery, that we could actually enjoy since we weren't busting our butts up hill after hill. The best part of the ride was through Kingston Vally, it reminded me of Colorado, unfortunately there was a slight head wind to slow us down. There wasn't much of the way of towns along the way so we didn't have much need to stop. We made great time and were in Circleville around 2.30. We weren't quite ready to call it a day, but we knew that there was a large climb between us and the next inhabited area. Kelly was hungry again so we went to the local dinner to get some grub. We met some Mormon Missionaries, and yes I know what you're thinking. The guys in the white shirts with their name tags that come to your door but you pretend you're not there. Well I typically do the same thing but these guys were actually really cool and not pushy at all. They did make sure to tell us about their mission and get in a few things about their religion but what can ya do. They were actually more interested in our trip then spreading the "good word" so when we were finished we said good bye and tried our luck at hitch-hiking for a bit but were unsuccessful so we had to call it a day and find a camp ground. The campground was nice, the guy running the place was a little weird and we couldn't get the Internet to work but it had nice facilities and that's all we need. We met a guy from Cali there and we got a little excited, hoping maybe he was heading our way, but he actually had just moved there and told us how much better it was in Utah then Cali, personally I think he's nuts. Utah is beautiful but it is too hot and way to sparsely populated for me. We both were pooped so we enjoyed the cooler day and took a nap under the shade tree and cleaned up before spending the rest of the afternoon reading. We both hit the hey early! Thanks again for your support!

It's not Utah without hills...

Today started off on the right foot. We were well rested after a good nights sleep and got up around 5am to head out before the major heat. It was already about 77 when we woke up but it was nice because we had some cloud cover for most of the morning. We packed up, filled water bottles and said goodbye to Lucas then headed out. The morning was actually really beautiful with the red rocks that surround the Utah landscape. We knew we had to climb about 2000 feet before out destination we just didn't know when it would come.. It was some rolling hills and again Chance and I were able to ride close and chat for a bit. It really helps me to keep a positive attitude and not think about how hot it is or how tough the terrain is. Then the afternoon hit. We had two big climbs but we just went right back downhill so we still had that 2000 feet to go up. Our ride today was 47 miles and they will continue to be short in Utah because of the extreme heat. We road through some beautiful canyons and some wonderful scenery that we would love to come back and see in a car so we can go off our route and see all the amazing things we have heard about. On the road we ran into two other cyclists who were going from CA to NY. Man did they start late and we told them about the heat they would hit and they told us how we might get a little cool down in temps. So we chatted with them for a bit and headed off again. We got to the visitor center about 11 miles from our destination of Torrey Utah and used the restroom and sat down for a bit in the AC. Then we were off. The sun came out from behind the clouds and it got hotter, not as hot as yesterday. We then knew we had a 11 mile climb the whole way to Torrey. We got to a climb that was about a 9% grade and was very hard to bike. I could see Chance in the distance start to walk and so I did the same. I was not walking for that long when a truck pulled up and asked if I needed a ride. Now get this they asked me if I needed a ride I did not hitch hike today. So I said well yes of course. We stopped and got Chance and headed to Torrey. The ladies who picked us up were sisters, Sarah and Else from California. They were on a road trip and heading back. They were very kind and even told us if we were in Santa Barbara to come and stay with her. Once we were in Torrey, I decided I wanted a bed, AC and pool to take a dip. So I choose to get a hotel at the Days Inn. Very nice!! We headed to Subway and got some lunch. We also stopped at an outdoor shop and talked with the ladies there for a bit. Now it is time to take a nap, rest the muscles and take a dip in the pool!! Thanks again for following and keep sending emails we love to hear from everyone!! We also decided to go off our Adventure Cycling Maps and use a route Chance and his Dad made. Another note to travelers like us, unless you are an absolute die hard that loves the pain of climbing relentles hills for no reason and riding miles and miles out of your way to get to a particular location never say no to a helping hand and it doesn't really hurt to find your own way. Our new fly by the seat of our pants route will cut 200 miles off our trip and hopefully a couple summits. Thanks again for everything!

105 degrees is not fun.....

This morning was an early one. We left our campsite about 4am.. It was nice because it was cooler out but it was very scary. It was so dark I could barely see Chance in front of me. We were in the middle of the desert and all you could hear was coyotes and other animals. The morning ride was good for the first couple hours. Then the terrain changed and we had one huge climb that pretty much killed us. With the climb the temps grew. Now when you read the rest of this blog, remember it was 105 degrees and Utah is not the place to be in July. So we started to head towards our destination which was an 80 mile ride with absolutely no services. It was extremely hot and it was getting harder to breath with the stale air along with I was not feeling well. The night before I got sick from the heat and was not feeling well. So as we were riding we were desperately hoping for a truck to come by and help us out by giving us a ride. It took awhile, but eventually two really nice people came along. We would like to apologize to all the purist out there reading this that believe you truly don't complete the Trans Am if you don't peddle every stroke across the US, obviously they have never been in Utah in July on a bike and in fact we don't feel as if we cheated, we consider it improvising and it is our journey and we see it as a supplement to our adventure, a little of our own spice. Plus we get to met a lot of really cool people this way, like Todd and Jerry were so nice. They had a loaded truck but they said we could make it work. So we strapped our bikes to the 4-wheeler in the back of their truck and road a few miles where we met their dad and brother. They were all headed out towards where we were going to get a car unstuck. So we got in the other car with more room and AC which was awesome. I fell asleep because I was not feeling well while Chance chatted. So they ended up dropping us 26 miles from Hanksville which would have taken us two days. So we got a jump ahead. Then we started biking again. The environment around us was all sand so it made the ride that much hotter. About 18 miles from Hanksville, we were lucky enough to get another ride the rest of the way. That is when they told us it was 105 degrees out. Good thing we got a ride because not long after there was a wild sand storm. So we got into Hanksville and sat and ate at Stan's Burger Stand for awhile. Then we decided to head to our camp ground that we got for free! It was still super hot. The bathroom was much cooler so as crazy as it sounds I went and sat on the bench in the bathroom for a bit while Chance changed his flat tire. Eventually we both showered and went in the nearby restaurant to get something cold to drink, really it was just to sit in the air conditioning. Later that night a guy name Lucas from Calgary came in on his motorcycle and so we chatted with him for a bit. He was riding his motorcycle from Calgary all around the states for 3 weeks. The sun finally went down and we headed to our tent to get some much needed sleep. So again, with getting rides, like other cyclist have told us especially through Utah and Nevada it is a must to get a ride if you need one, it is not enjoyable to have a massive sufferfest, this is a voluntary adventure not a prison sentence, so don't kill yourself. We see it as part of our adventure and have met some great people along the way!

Oh my gosh it is hot!

Well I'd like to start today's blog thanking everyone we met yesterday at the amazing Hollywood Bar, sorry if I don't remember your names but I would especially like to thank Whiskey Don for the meal last night and Tara and Scott for being so hospitable, sorry if Misha woke you up this morning! Well we actually got up and going a little earlier than normal and it was great. It really helped us out because the heat intensified very quickly! The ride thus far was not too bad. We are currently in Monticello UT. That's right another one bites the dust! 10 states down and 3 more to go. Right away this morning we had a climb out of Dolores and from there on out it was pretty much rollie. We could tell right away that it was going to get hot, the scenery around us quickly began to look more and more like desert as we approached the Utah boarder. We stopped in Dove Creek to grab a little lunch at Deb's Dinner and quickly got back on the road, hoping to beat the really heat of the day. Kelly was the first to fall victim to the heat and began to slow and complain about a head ache so we decided that it would be better to hide inside for a little bit before we pushed on to Blanding. So we continued on to Monticello and took refuge in the local public library. We have spent the last two hours reading, journaling and surfing the net, slowly waiting out the heat of the day and replenishing our body with plenty of liquids. Unfortunately we wont be out of the heat anytime soon. Actually it will only be getting hotter, pray for rain! Tomorrow will be our first real challenge in a while. We will have to travel about 80miles between services and then another 60 miles the next day until we reach a proper town. So wish us luck and continue to follow our progress and we proceed towards California and tackle the desert!

Lizard Head Pass....

Today we left Telluride in the cold cold morning. It was only about 45 degrees this morning when we left for yet another day on the bike.  We found a sneaky way to get around one huge climb that we would have had right out of Telluride. So we took the gondola with our bikes and bags up to Mountain Village and started off from there.  We then started our 65 mile ride to Dolores, CO.  The morning went well, it was a bit chilly but we had quite a few hills to climb so it kept us warm. Yet again the scenery is to die for. As one guy in a bike shop once told us "You work for the beauty around you." meaning those climbs are worth it in the end.  So we started up Lizard Head Pass. This pass was still long but the percent grade was workable. I was still breathing a bit hard and I was actually not far behind Chance this time.  We got to the top which was 10,222 feet above sea level and once again we were overjoyed!  From there it was pretty much a downhill ride.  We stopped in a little town called, Rico to get some lunch. So we stopped at one place that we thought looked open. They were open but they were limited on their food and drinks because they had just opened 5 days ago. we would have eaten lunch there but they only took  cash and we had only 4 dollars. So we had something to drink and decided to eat a quick snack and make our way towards Dolores.  So we continued our nice ride downhill. We had to stop one time to eat because I was starving.  We then got into Dolores and called Tara who we would be staying with tonight. She told us where she lived and we headed that direction. They live in a really cute house with an awesome bathroom!  So we talked with Tara and the cute dogs for a bit. Then we headed to the bike shop but it was closed. So she showed us where she works tonight and we will most likely head over there to eat!  Tara is super cool and gave us some snacks and really good cold lemonade!  Thanks Tara for allowing us to crash here!  Again the great people we keep meeting.  BIG excitement for tomorrow... We will be entering UTAH!!!! That means out of Colorado and one state closer to being home!! Thanks for the support and lets hope that instead of the 90-100 degree days it will be 60 hahaha!  Thanks again!

Beautiful Telluride Colorado!

Today was a great morning! We got to sleep in and I think it was a great thing for our bodies and minds. So since we slept in that obviously means we decided to take a break day today! Upon waking up Chance and I cane downstairs to eat breakfast with Will. Melissa made us the most delicious breakfast of waffles, bacon and fruit! Then we sat around for a bit and packed up our bags. We then said goodbye to Melissa and her son Will because they would be going out of town for a swim meet and to pick up the other son Jake. So Chance and I rode our bikes into the beautiful town of Telluride! The views are absolutely amazing, probably one of the most fantastic views I have seen! So in town we took the gondola up to the Mountain Village. Mountain Village is where a lot of celebrities and wealthy people reside for shorts amount of time during ski season. Let me tell you these houses are left empty most of the summer which is absolutely nuts. So we walked around the village for a bit going in and out of shops while taking in the breath taking views. I keep talking about the scenery and the pics will be up soon hopefully! Then we made our way back down the gondola to Telluride where we headed to get some lunch. Our lunch destination was this cool little place called Smugglers. The food was good and Chance had one of their home brews and had only good things to say about it. From there we headed to the library to catch up on our internet doings. Then it was time to head back to Mark and Melissa's to get our bags and find a place to crash for the evening. When we got back, Mark was home and told us to just stay here again which was more then we could have asked for. All we wanted was to camp in their yard but he said " you sleep in a tent every other night, a bed is much better for tonight." We then made some noodles for dinner, checked our maps to see how much longer we thought we would be riding and took showers. Again, we would like to thank Melissa, Mark and Will for their wonderful hospitality and great stories and conversations they shared with us. And for you Will, I will get you in a game of Egyptian rat slap when we come back this way :) Thank you so much! We would like to thank all who continue to read and donate, as you all know we are riding for the American Cancer Society and with your help we can help to make a difference. So please tell all of your friends and help spread the word!

We should have just stayed in bed!

Well today started off like any other day. We woke up did our normal routine and thanked our new friends for letting us stay in there back yard and for helping us out so much! We were just about to leave and Harris offered us a ride "if we wanted to cheat we could ride with him to Ridgeway" but we declined and hit the road. The first 10miles or so weren't too bad, but than the wind began to blow and it only took a couple miles and my legs were shot. We both began to regret not taking this ride. It was only 26 miles but it would have put us pretty much right at the bottom of Dallas Divide with fresh legs but we didn't and Kelly began talking about how she wasn't going to make it up the mountain and how she would do anything for a ride over and I was actually pondering the idea myself but I told her we would discuss it over lunch. By the time we had got to Ridgeway it was settled we would try to find a ride over the pass or we would have to pull up short in Ridgeway. I don't think we would have made the pull over the pass. So we ate at Kate's Place and met an interesting fellow. I'm pretty sure he was a gypsy drifter and definitely a relic from the 60's. When we were done with our meal we road back to the gas station to see if we could find a ride. Kelly lucked out on her first try. We met this guy named Joe, our saviour for the day. He was a blacksmith and was filling up his propane tank and said he would be going to Placerville which was over the pass and about 14mile from Telluride. We asked if we could pay him and he said he'd take a 12pack if we didn't mind so we grabbed a 12pack and loaded our bikes and we were off. We cheated, we both admit it but I think in all honesty it just ads a new angle or twist on the whole adventure aspect, hitch-hiking and I guess that's the thing to do in the mountain towns so we fit right in. It was nice definitely a much quicker and easier way over the pass. It didn't look like it was a difficult pass but a very long drawn out one and on the back side there was road construction that would have made our life hell. There was only one lane and dead stop traffic that we would have had to try to avoid since the cars were part way in the shoulder. The ride was nice and greatly appreciated. We had a great conversation with Joe about his interesting career as a Blacksmith. I didn't even know that that career was still really around with all the modern manufacturing. So I guess you learn something everyday and it was really interesting. We went back to his shop and he showed us all his tools, he actually made most of them himself, even cooler. He told us about his family, two children and his wife Courtney who is the director of adaptive sports in Telluride, way cool! It was just a great afternoon spent talking and learning about new things. Finally we had to get back on the road and finish out the last 14 miles and man I'm glad we got that ride because I don't think that we would have made it even if we made it over the pass. We had to climb Keystone hill and that should have been considered a pass in it's own right. It was long and step and I was exhausted but had to remain strong because Kelly was done and ended up having a bit of a mental break down about a mile from the top. It took a bit to get her back on the bike but she pulled it together and showed her true toughness and I'm glad I didn't have to stay were she wanted to quit. It was on the posit side of the guard rail and the edge of a cliff, probably not the safest place to camp. When we finally got to the turn off where got on the bike path we were so close to victory I could taste it and my legs were screaming for it to be over. We pulled into Melissa and Mark's house, absolutely amazing! It would probably be my dream house located in one of the most amazing spots in Colorado! They were absolutely nice people, even though the dog didn't like me, I guess I wont take it personal since I saw the dog about eat the Fed Ex guy, haha. We met their son Will, great kid, good luck at your swim meet! Their other son Jack was at ski camp at Whistler, luck duck! It was so nice to be done today. They had to go to Will's swim club dinner so we took showers and tried to journal but I just couldn't keep my eyes open and I was out. I woke up just before they got back. We spent the rest of the night hanging out talking and getting to know each other. Mel made us an amazing dinner and afterwards we play some crazy card game that I think Will made up and ofcourse he one, cheater! haha jk. When it was time for bed I was more than ready and it felt good to crash in a cool bed. The room was completely dark and we could see the stars out the window and they were just amazing. Over all the day couldn't have worked out any better. We continue to meet amazing people along the way and hopefully make friendships that will last a life time. Thanks so much Joe for the ride, you were a life saver and thanks Melissa and Mark for being so hospitable and letting us enjoy your amazing house with you! Take care everyone and thank you for supportin us along our journey!

Windy is all I can say.....

This morning we woke up in the hostel and it was nice to sleep in a bed again. Carolyn got up before we left and gave us some no bake cookies she made and we said our goodbyes. We got about 4 miles out of town and Chance realized he forgot his phone so we started to go back. I got behind and didn't hear Chance tell me to stop and some how on his way back from the hostel we didn't cross paths so I was at the hostel and he was back down the road. So eventually I caught up with him. The morning ride was actually quite cold and we kept our jackets on for some time. We went through some very beautiful mountain and lake areas that were rolling hills pretty much! We have some great pictures so I can't wait to get them up so you all can see them! We stopped about 15 miles into the journey and had one of the cookies Carolyn made for us and they were delicious! Then we were off again. We had a pretty nice climb up the Blue Mesa which was a bit rough but we also had a 4 mile downhill that was crazy. But because of the winds I actually had to peddle downhill quite a bit. So we stopped right out side the small town of Cimarron, CO and had lunch. The lunch was pretty good. The man there told us we would have a pass that was about 4 miles long. I was very disheartened by this and not looking forward to it. So after eating lunch and drinking our Mt.Dew we were off to our destination of Montrose,Co. The climb was not really that bad. Yes, it was tough but it was way way way better then Monarch Pass. So we stopped at 2 miles up the hill to take a break, I was really tired and would not have minded just laying down right there on the side of the road. I figured with semis and RVs passing at 60 it was not the best idea. So we kept going. At the top we took a picture and then it was downhill again 4 more miles. This time down was kinda scary for me because it was super windy and kept blowing me sideways. At the bottom I met up with Chance and we rode the last 7 miles into Montrose. Once we entered Montrose or you can call it the desert of Colorado we headed to the tourist info center. There we met Jodi and Yvonne who were helping us out. Yvonne was so kind and is allowing us to stay in her back yard tonight! What can we say the nice people just keep showing up! They enjoyed hearing about our journey! So they sent us in the direction of the library where we are now to do a few tings. Once Yvonne is done with work we will head over to her house for the evening and get up tomorrow and do it all again! Thanks for reading and please hope for a safe ride for us!and continue to support us by reading, writing and spreading the word!

Up and Over Monarch Pass....

Well today was the big day. By the big day I mean it was time to go up and over our biggest pass for the whole trip. We got up, ate some breakfast packed our bags and we were off. We were told to go on a bike path that would go to the road we needed but the bike path we took was a dead end so we had to go back. The ride from Salida out was a constant uphill not very much at first but as we got closer to Monarch pass we hit a grade of 6.5% for quite a while. This pass felt like it was never going to come to an end. It also was harder because we went up so much in elevation so our breathing was a lot harder than normal. We thought we were close to the top and we both see a sign that says "Monarch Pass Summit 6 miles." Chance said he almost cried and I am pretty sure I stopped right at that sign and maybe let a few tears come out.. So we stopped and took a break, had some gold fish and a bathroom break and then we were off. As most of you know Chance travels a lot faster then I do so he was off and I could not see him. I had been having problems with my tire leaking but it was holding air ok so we did not change it. So about 3 miles from the summit I picked up a little piece of wire and there went my tire. Chance was who knows where in front of me and I was not going to push my bike the whole way. So I ended up pushing my bike about a mile and then I tried to wave down a truck to help me out. Everyone just thought I was waving at them and they would wave back. So I walked a bit more. Finally a nice guy named Stac stopped and gave me a lift to the top which was not much further. We ran into Chance and he was just about to the summit. He told me right before that he thought he was going to die and went off the road feeling dizzy so he had to take a break just .5 miles from the top. The ride up was kinda scary at points because we had no shoulder for a lot of the time and some cars did not go around very well. But we made it to the top all 11,310 feet. So at the top Chance changed my tired while I went inside to sit down because I was not feeling well. Eventually we ate a snack of pretzel and cheese and our mt.dew. Sat around for a bit talked with some of the workers and then it was going to storm so we wanted to get off the mountain before it hit us. So we took our few pictures and then we were off. We did not get out in time half way down the rain came and it was really cold. I was shivering and I could not feel my fingers nor could I move them. So we got to the bottom of the mountain and stopped at a place to eat some real food for lunch. The morning ride was intense, to put it simply it took us 30mins to go from Salida to the beginning of the pass and 3 hours to go up the pass and 20mins to fly down it! At the bottom we ran into two guys who are riding their motorcycles on dirt roads from Mexico to Canada. They were very interesting guys and we ended up eating lunch with them and talking a bit more. From there we headed out for our destination of Gunnison, Co. The ride in the afternoon was awesome despite the rain we hit again. So we flew because it was pretty much downhill and we increased our average miles per hour from 7 to 11.6 mph which is awesome. We rolled into Gunnison right before the rain and lightening hit.. We stopped at the tourist place and asked where we could camp or stay and where a bike shop was. They told us where the campsite was which was 10 miles farther and it was quite a lot of money. So we decided to stay and the new hostel in town called Wanderlust. It is really a cool place and it is nice to shower and relax. It seems more homey then any other place you stay! We also stopped at the bike shop to pick up a tube and hit the post office to mail my huge book home. So now it is time to go grab some grub and get some rest after our 68 mile day and huge climb up Monarch Pass. Thanks to ya'll who read for the support!

Canon City to Salida, Co! 7/12/09

Well it was up with the sun today... Actually we were up before the sun and left camp as the sun was coming up. The morning was the hardest part of the day besides the wind. We had a 7 mile uphill climb up to Royal Gorge area. It was not too bad, rather gradual but still we were breathing a bit harder then normal. We made it to the top quite quickly. We then had a great downhill with spectacular views of the Rockie's as well as the Arkansas River which we rafted yesterday! The ride for most of the day followed the river so it made for pretty flat/rolling terrain! Our only enemy was the wind. It as about 9am Mountain Time and I was starving. So we stopped in Texas Creek at a small diner for lunch. I had a wrap and Chance had a burger. Sadly, they didn't have Mt.Dew so we had to have a Dr. Pepper instead, we need our caffeine to help us make it through the day. After lunch again the ride continued to be beautiful with similar terrain. There were a lot of points where we had no shoulder to ride on and an RV actually ran me off the road. Luckily, there wasn't a large drop so I only ended up on the gravel. We took small breaks here and there. About 15 miles before Salida Chance started talking with lady named Shelly and once I got there I chatted as well! She was very nice and filled our water and gave us some snacks for the road. Once we left the sky started to get darker so we knew the rain or storm was coming. We rode quickly hoping to get to Salida before the rain came down. we were pretty lucky and it only drizzled on us. We then pulled into Salida where Chance had a bad encounter with a rude man driving a truck but it's all good and worked out fine. We were told to go to Absolute Cycle once we got into town, so that is what we did. we picked up a few thins we needed and talked with one of the workers for a bit. He then told us there was no camping near by but there was a hostel we could check out. We went to the hostel and nobody was there so we went over to Amicas to eat! It was recommended by Aaron our rafting guide from Canon City. Chance and I both had pizza and it was rather good! After that we ran into a group of guys who are mountain bikers and asked us all about our journey and took a pic with us. So, we made our way back to the hostel called Simple Lodge and met the hosts. John and Julia greeted us and we come to find out they were originally from Minnesota and moved out here a couple years back! The hostel is really great and we got a good deal! It is decorated really cool and they are super friendly ( just like all people from MN!) So Chance and I showered up and headed down the road to check out a few shops, get some ice cream and some groceries. Now back to the hostel to relax for our big day tomorrow! We will be going over our biggest pass tomorrow called Monark pass which is roughly 11,000 feet and we will be going up hill for about 15 miles or so with a nice down hill! Wish us luck and continue to pray for good weather! Thanks for all of your support! We are looking to have Colorado behind us in just a couple days here!

Canon City Break Day! 7/11/09

Day of Adventure!! Today we woke up ready to white water raft. The amazing company we chose to raft with was the Whitewater Adventure Outfitters otherwise known as WAO!! So we made our way down the the office where they were so hospitable yet again and were very accomodating. We met a guy from Wisconsin who was on a month break from work and riding his motorcycle around to many different places. He was quite interested and again very proud of us for our bike ride! We met our guide Aaron the night before and were looking forward to getting in the boat. I have rafted before but this was a first for Chance and it was great to see the excitement before, during and after the trip. So we loaded the bus and headed for Big Horn Sheep Canyon to start our white water adventure. We got in the boat and we were off! Aaron was a great guide and we all worked as a team to successfully get down the river. In the morning we got to stop at one point and get in the water no boat and white water swim if that's what you want to call it! That was pretty cool! I kinda hit a rock though and it pushed me under water, but it's ok I was pretty thirsty and the water was cold! Then it was time to take a break and eat some lunch. The food was delicious and really hit the spot. So, we signed up for the all day trip and so we still had half the trip to go. The last part of the trip was throught The Royal Gorge!! The sights and rapids were simply amazing. We had a few close calls with falling out of the boat, I guess the tow Dougs liked to try and get Chance out of the boat but he stayed strong and kept himself in the boat. Then my turn, we came up on one larger rapid and it pretty much popped me up and almost out but because of my super strength I stayed in the boat:) Then the trip came to an end! We were both shrivled up prunes but had a BLAST!!! We got back to the WAO headquarters and talked with our guide for a bit. He then invited us out to get a cold drink with him and some of the other guides! So he was super nice drove us there and back! They are all very cool people! Thank you Kathy and Tony at WAO and Aaron for being a great guide and letting us keep our lives and for everything else you did for us!! If anyone wants to raft in Colorado let us know cause WAO was an amazing outfitter!! It was then time to clean up make some dinner. Again, it was too hot to sit in our tent so we sat on some chairs to read and write journals. Night Night from there.

Colorado Springs to Canon City.. 7/10/09

The morning was wonderful. We woke up with cooler weather and ready to ride. Jerry was eating breakfast with us in the morning and we said our goodbyes and we were off. The first bit of the ride was pretty nice, a lot downhill with slight inclines here and there. We went past Fort Carson on our way out and stopped at the grocery store to eat a sammy before we hit the road to Canon. Oh yes, I forgot to mention but I bet you all already would know, we had nice head wind again today. When I say nice I mean very mean and strong. So it was into the beginning range on the Rockies so that means more up hill and for longer periods of time. Now for Chance it was good for him because on the downhills he flew down them but for me, the stupid wind just tired to push me back up the hill so going down hill was actually very tough for me as I had to peddle quite hard to try and catch Chance. But all in all it was ok and not too difficult. Eventually we pull into the town called Penrose, CO to fill up on cold water and take a short break before out last 11 miles into Canon City, Co. While we were outside a nice family from Missouri came up to talk with us and were very happy with the adventure we decided to take on, they even asked to get a picture with us which in a way was odd but also very cool! So we had finished our snacks and it was time to go out in the sun and wind to Canon. We were very hungry so we stopped at the first food joint we ran into and that was Chilis. It was pretty good, the server gave me the wrong food, but that's ok. After dinner we made our way to Wally World (Walmart) to get some snacks and beverages for the night time. The rafting company that we were going to be rafting with the following day was ever so kind. Kathy and Tony allowed us to camp on their property and it was nice to chat with them and some of the guides while we were there. We then said our good byes and set up camp. This night was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo hot, we were sweating in the tent and it was almost unbearable, but we stuck it out and it finally cooled down later in the evening and made for much more comforatable sleeping.

Break Day in Colorado Springs.. 7/9/09

WOOO HOOOO!!! This morning we got to sleep in until 9:30! It felt nice and it was great to get a bed to sleep in last night. So we ate breakfast watched some tv until the cleaning lady needed to clean the living room. But that's ok, we had errands we had to run. So our first stop was the bike shop. There we got my bike looked at and it was super cool, they didn't charge us! We also chatted with them a bit about our trip and told us about a bike shop to hit when we went to Salida, CO. So then it was up a nice hill to REI to pick up some other needed items for the rest of our journey. Then guess what up yet another hill to the grocery store to get some snacks and sun screen. We go through sun screen very quicly so we always need some on hand. Then guess what???? You got it, another hill back to Jerry and Gayles house. When we arrrived back there we noticed a different car in the drive so we figured it was their son Travis. So Chance went around back to let us in and yea Travis was probably like who the yankee doodle are you. But Chance introduced himself and we were all good! So from there we did some things on the computer and even got to take a very nice nap! Oh how break days are so nice! Once Jerry came back he asked if we were hungry and again was ever so kind an made us dinner. It was great and consited of; steak, baked potatoes and rice! Yummy! Lucky for us it was Thursday and that meant we got to watch our two favorite shows. So Jerry, Travis, Chance and myself sat and watched Burn Notice and Royal Pains. From there we were quite tired and it was time to call it a night so we could get ready to hit the rockies in the morning! Overall, we would like to thank Jerry, Gayle, Travis and Mozart for taking us in and all of their very wonderful hospitatlity!

Limon to Colorado Springs!

Today we again woke up a bit later then normal. Not something good by any means. We packed up as quickly as possible and hit the road. Yet again we were unlucky and had a horrible head wind the whole way. This head wind was so mean that we actually had to peddle down a hill. Now who wants to do that, going down hill is suppose to be a break. So we continued on the lovely rolling hills and as we got closer the traffic started to get more and more. We are still lucky and have people honk and wave at us giving us their support and well being! At least they see us on the road, that is about all we can ask for! So we rolled into a little town called Calahan to eat lunch at a little place called Taste Buds. The food was quite good and we enjoyed some good converstation with our server and the cook. This other older guy started talking to us and we did not know whether he was trying to scare us or be informative in his own weird way. So from lunch we had about 28 miles left until Colorado Springs. The ride in was pretty good, we had more downhill and less hills. We then got to our location. We are staying with my Aunt Sues friend from college. Jerry and his wife Gayle have been very kind to us! Upon arrival we took showers and had a nice little rest. Once Jerry was done with his staining of his back patio he was so nice and took us on a car tour to the Garden of the Gods, Balancing Rock and on Gold Camp Road. Gold Camp Road is this really cool winding dirt road through the mountains! It was a lot of fun and places we would not have been able to see if he did not take us there. From there we stopped and picked up some Chinease food and brought it back to eat. The dinner was great. To end the night we sat on the patio and shared stories along with showing them our route the rest of the way! Thank you so much Jerry and Gayle for having us! Thank you to everyone else out there for supporting us. We are about to hit the rockies so wish us luck!

Road to Limon, Colorado.

We woke up this morning a little later than normal, packed up and headed out. We stopped at a nearby gas station to fill up our water becuase there would be absolutely no serivices for 75 miles until we got into Limon. So the morning ride started off chilly with a nice head wind. We had decided since we would not be stopping at a place to eat for lunch we would stop every 10 miles and have a snack instead of taking one long lunch break. That was working out fine until we hit the very little town of Last Chance. We stopped there and took a picture for Chance and found a picnic table in the shade. Here we sat and to take a little break and a super duper short nap. The only problem with not being able to stop for lunch is we did not get our Mt.Dew fix for the day. So while we were sitting in Last Chance hoping a Pepsi truck would go by. Now if a Pepsi truck were to go by Chance would run out and try to stop it and we would beg for them to sell us a Mt.Dew. But no luck with the Pepsi truck. So off we were again heading to Limon. The day started to get very hot with no wind and many large rolling hills. We got to one point where we both ran out of water and we still had about 15 plus miles to go. Now we both have 4 water bottles and did not think we would run out. So Chance saw on the GPS that there as a river, so upon approaching this river we were going to get some water to get us through the trip. So we get to this so called river, and what did we find? We found nothing but two puddles. Oh no, not good. So there was a house nearby where we went up to the door and knocked yelled and so on to see if we could get some water. No luck. But there was a hose on the front of their house so we borrowed some water from them. So, to the farm house right out of Limon thanks for the life saving water! If you're ever in MN and need water come find me! So we finally roll into Limon, both starving and hot. We end up eating at Pizza Hut. It was pretty delicious! From there we went over to the KOA camp ground. Let me start off by saying we have tried to avoid KOA's for one reason..... We had to pay $26 for one night tent spot that did NOT include water or electric. So as you can see the price is the reason we try to avoid such places. From there we set up our tent. I went to shower and I come back to find Chance holding up the tent. He told me the wind flattened it like a pancake. So he had to guide line it while I held it up in this crazy wind and hard rain. But in the end all was good and we did our normal routine at night and hit the hay!

Another State Bites the Dust!

This morning we woke up and got our stuff together. It felt great to get a good night sleep in a climate controlled environment with really comfy beds. When we had everything in order we mosied on down to the amazing continental breakfast! They had waffles, cereal, fruit and even biscuts and gravy! It was awesome to not have to eat pop tarts for breakfast. When we were leaving Shelley was pulling up and we thanked her again and hit the road. We road into a slight head wind and but it was more pleasant than a nussance. The ride went pretty good although we had literally no shoulder to ride on but the white line. The road wasn't too heave with traffic so we managed to do alright. It was a good feeling to see the Colorado boarder sign. So once we hit the sign, we took our picture! Nebraska another state down, so we are on the the 10th state! The morning went well and we pulled into Sterling to grab a bite to eat. Chance also called Garmin to try and figure out what was wrong with our GPS. So after lunch we headed out and the temp was definentaly hotter then it was in the morning. We thought we had 38 miles to go but the sign said 35 so that is awesome!! The afternoon ride continued to go well and the rode was nice, not much traffic so it allowed us to not worry so much about having to ride the white line. This afternoon was the first afternoon that I was not tired and Chance was! So I tried to cheer him up to make it the last 20 miles. Finally we made it to our destination of Brush, CO. We stopped at the gas station, got some COLD water and COLD gatorade then hit up the library. So now we are at the library trying to finish our GPS. We will be leaving shortly to set up camp at a nice campsite we found for free!! Tomorrow we will head to Limon and hope to be in Colorado Springs by Wednesday! Thanks again for all your support and emails!

Here comes the wind... July 5th

Wow, finally caught up on blogs!!! Today was a tough day with the wind coming from the south as we were heading south. Our GPS also decided to crap out today leaving us riding blind. Chance claims he does not like traveling the old way and I say "dude, we are on bikes, have you ever heard of these things called cars with engines in them!" So anyways, we said our goodbyes to our new rodeo friends and headed out. The morning was very long and we got in about 45 miles to Sidney after I got another flat tire. But it's ok, I have not gotten once since Minnesota, so this time Chance was not too unhappy. We pulled into Sidney right as the rain started coming down. We ate at Perkins and then headed over to the very first Cabelas and talked with a man about our GPS. We also found out that some thunder storms were coming in and we did not know if we would make it any further. So we called the day a short day and will just add on the extra miles tomorrow. So our task then was to find a place to stay. We ended up going over to the AmericInn where we talked with the assistant manager Shelley! She is a dear and helped us out very much! She lost her father to cancer and wanted to help the cause, so she knew she could not give us a comp room so she offered to pay for our room out of her own pocket. This was something very kind and we could never ask for anything more!! Thank you Shelley, we wish you all the best. The hotel is very nice and it is great to actually take a shower and get to sleep in beds tonight and have tons of room unlike our little tent where it pretty much fits us. So all in all, today was a pretty short day and tomorrow will be a longer haul into Colorado! Thanks again for all of your support! We have made it about 2200 miles so far and are continuing to have high hopes.

July 4th the day of Independence!!

What a great day we had today! We left Hay Springs with a very wonderful tail wind that helped push us right along!! On our ride we ran into this wonderful little place called Carhenge, it was like the stone henge only made out of cars. So there we took some pictures talked to a nice couple traveling and played with the very cute kitty!! The morning was like the rest, same old scenery and flying with the wind! Our speed brought us into Alliance very quickly and because it was the 4th of July there was not much for food options. So we stopped at a little Mexican place where we both got BBQ sammys ahhahaha!! They were delicious. After lunch it was on to our destination which was suppose to be Angora. So as we start to see Angora we notice there is nothing there but a bunch of old boarded up buildings. We were both feeling really good and decided we would push our miles to about 86 and stop in Bridge Port. This was a very good decision. This city is full of much history, the Oregon Trail, California Trail, Mormon Trail and Pony Express were a few trails to run through this great American City! we stopped a small history museum and look around and talked to the nice lady who told us of a few places to get some ice cream. So we were out to find some dairy deliciousness! There we started talking with a nice older couple about the rodeo that was in town and they told us about their grandson who was 2nd in the world for steer wresting. Steer wrestling is something I had never heard of and was very intrigued by the who dealing of such an event. This got me very interested in the rode and I had to see it. So Chance asked about camping and they told us we could camp right at the fair grounds with those folks in the rodeo! This was awesome! We were camping right next to some nice fellas who were part of the wild horse racing. Again something I had never heard of and I come to find out it is a very intense and dangerous sport. I was so very excited to see the rodeo and Chance just laughed at me.. I got my camera ready and watched the rodeo after getting a wagon ride from John and his father around the fair grounds! We got to sit in box seats right by the shoots so we could see all the action! I took lots of pictures and you will all be able to see them at a later time! The rode was wonderful and the best thing I could be doing on the 4th of July. It was so great to meet all these wonderful people watch the rodeo, fire works and celebrate the freedom we are so lucky to have but so many take for granted. So to all of you out there who are so very brave and are fighting for our freedom and for all of those who have lost their lives or loved ones Thank you for allowing us to live the life we live today!! God Bless America, it is truly one beautiful country and I am proud to live here!!

Mountain Dew is addicting!!! July 3rd

Well thanks to the storm I did not sleep well. So when Chance woke up I was very tired and actually went back to sleep for a short while. Once I got up I had trouble staying awake for the morning ride. Chance actually got very tired as well, we stopped to take a break and I closed my eyes and actually fell asleep.. CRAZY!! We ended up eating lunch in the town of Gordon around 11am. After our early lunch we headed out. The afternoon was very difficult to stay awake too. Chance and I tehn decided we had to stop and get a Mountain Dew, which is our only hope to keep us awake. The Dew definently saved our lives! Then the second wind hit and I was having troubles with trying to stop laughing. We also were making up crazy people we were seeing and it helped make the afternoon a bit more enjoyable. Hay Springs was our destination for the day. We pulled in at the right time. Because the thunder stared up and the sky did not look happy. we were directed to the park to camp and I saw a pool so I thought they might have showers. So while Chance was setting up the tent I asked use the shower and they were totally cool with it. The water in teh shower was freezing so it was a very quick shower. The rain then started to come so we hid out in the tent for a bit until the rain let up. We then headed into town to find there was only once place to eat and the only things we could get had to be fried. So that's what we did, we got fried food and we are kind of sick of that, but it was food. Then back to the tent to hang out and get some much needed rest!

July 2nd! Merriman, NE.

Today was a pretty quick day. We got up packed our things then headed up the hill into Valentine before we ate lunch. The mosquito's drove us up that hill very quickly. The morning started off with rolling sand hills and the temps were very nice so it was a great time to ride! We actually crossed into mountain time zone but decided to keep our watch in central time so we can get up early and get to bed early. We ended up with a nice tail wind which helped push us into the small town of Cody. We got there a bit early so we had to wait about 30 mins for the Husker Hub to open so we could eat. We had only $14 dollars so we went to the bank to get cash, we find out they do not have an ATM, the only bank Chance I had seen up to that point that did not have one. So we could only eat a little bit. We sat outside waiting for the place to open and a kind lady came up to us and stared talking. She donated money to us and told us we should be able to eat a nice meal! Yet, again all the wonderful people in small town America! After lunch we continued with a nice tail wind and continued to make great time. We then came across an RV on the side of the rode. Sitting there taking the RVs owner came back and we talked to them. Come to find out they had a flat and the RV did not come with a wrench to get the lug nuts off. After we chatted for awhile we were off like the wind... We saw an antelope that I thought was a something else and Chance started to laugh at me.. Not very nice if you ask me:) We eventually pulled into our designation of Merriman around 2pm Mountain Time. The town was quite small but had a huge heart! Ther we sat in a gas station and ate some candy and drank some lemonade. It was nice because it was air conditioned and the lady working told us we could camp in the city park and it had a shower! A shower is always something positive in a day! So we headed over to the park and set up our little orange tent! We did a little reading and then headed back to the gas station to make a pizza for dinner. While eating dinner the forecast changed drastically and started to rain cats and dogs. SO some kind folks gave us a ride to our tent and said we could come hang out at their house if we got sick of sitting in our tent all day. It was a very kind offer but we were both very tired. Chance eventually fell asleep but it took me a little longer. Once I fell asleep the rain and storm came very loud. It woke us both up and we found out the next day that it had rained 3.5 inches!

The City of Love! Valentine, NE July 1st!

The ride today was pretty boring for the first part. We did stop at the gas station in Spring View before we left to fill water and grab a quick bite to eat. We then rode and chatted for what seemed like forever and we ran into the smallest little town called Sparks. There we found a general store and grabbed some snacks. The lady working there was very kind and donated to our cause! From there the terrain changed and actually was rock with cliffs near the Niobrara River Valley. It is really beautiful what you see in all these states once you get off the main road ways! Today turned out to be a short day with 50 miles. So we got into Valentine fairly early and it allowed us to get some much needed chores in. We grabbed some lunch at Subway and then headed to the laundromat to do some laundry so we would not scare away the town folk in the days to come with our lovely aroma! Finally we also had some internet!!! Nebraska is a lot of very small towns so it is hard to find a place where you can actually get some wifi connection. After sitting in the library and air conditioning for a few hours we ate our dinner and headed down a fairly steep hill to our campsite. We were camping next to two guys who were riding their motorcycles back to Minnesota from Colorado. So we had some nice conversations yet again, set up camp and called it a night!

June 30th the sandhills of Nebraska!

Today stared off being a wonderful morning with cool temps and very well rested for once! So we packed up, ate a pop tart and set out on our days adventure. To start things off we had some good climbs out of the Missouri River Valley but it was a georgeous view! I got to see my first mule deer and I thought it was very odd how they hopped around instead of run like normal deer, but whatever gets them to their desitnation is fine by me. They probably look at us and think we are crazy too! We got to a point where we needed to take a snack break. Once we were through eating we saw two young lads coming towards us on bicycles and they had been in our camp site the night before. So we decided to wait for them and hear their story! We find out they had just graduated from high school and were riding from Illinois to Boulder, Co to see a friend. They had some great stories. 1) A raccoon ran off with one of their hats, but someone was kind enough to give him a new one 2) they ran into many dogs some kind but those that were mean they found out if you bark louder then them they are very likely to stop bothering you! 3) they ran into an old man who called himself "Chief" and they think he might have been one of the many mirages they saw in Iowa!! They were absolutely wonderful to ride with. We ended up riding with them for 4 miles until we both had to split off and go our own routes! We then hit the Nebraska border took our normal picure and were ready to see what NE had to offer us. We stopped off in the town of Butte where we were warned that the water was not good so don't get it:0 We ended up eating at a little cafe with a crazy owner who told us she wanted to open a whole chain of shitty resutrants in Nebraska! We stopped to take a little break about 1 hour after lunch and it was right next to a cemetary. There were some workers out there doing the duties they had to take care of after a funeral. Many of you know I am fascinated by many weird things. So we stayed there and watched what goes on after the people have left the funeral. It was acuatlly very interesting and we talked with the workers! They said it was a good job to have because people were dying to get in there so they did not have to worry about losing their jobs during this time of economic distress! A lot has been learned so far on this trip! We then rode and rode and rode, we saw a little sheep with it's head stuck in a cattle fence and I was worried for it. So Chance being the ever so wonderful hero he is jumped the fence and saved the sheep! He is now a celebrity in the sheep community! The destination we were hoping to stop at was a little town called Mills. It would have been about a 60 mile ride which would be good through the very rolling sandhills of Nebraska! We then come to Mills and find out there is nothing there but some houses, a church and 4 people. The man that lived next to the church told us we could camp there and use the restrooms in the church. That would have been ok if we had packed some extra food and were not in desperate need of a shower. So we took a short nap, ate a snack and rode 24 more miles to Spring View. It was a good decision because they had some place eat and a nice park with great showers.

Off to Fort Randall....June 29th

Well it was time to head out from our little campsite and start yet another day! The morning started off with a really good outlook for the day! I(Kelly) thought it would be really nice without the wind.. However, let me tell you now. It is much better to have some wind coming from any direction to keep the heat down. So anyways, We only had to ride 20 miles to eat breakfast/lunch because there would really be no other places to eat on the way. So we stopped in to Corsica, SD and ate at a truck stop type place! We both had the Belly Busters, however it busted my belly before I could finish and Chance's did not bust his belly so he had to eat the rest of mine as well! So milk is something kind of hard to come by on the way. I wanted chocolate milk and Chance decided he did as well. We asked the lady and she asked what size we would want, so she compared the small to our waters which were about the size of a small jar of jam and said the large would be just a bit bigger. Well bigger sounded much better. Then it came, the large pickle jar sized chocolate milk:) It was really delicious and as crazy as it sounds I finished mine before Chance yea!!! After that we headed out on what was kinda of a boring road of corn fields which we had been seeing for multiple days. We went about 10 more miles to Armour and stopped at the gas station to fill up on water. Once we left the gas stations things started to change for me. I was very tired and hot and was not enjoying the weather at the moment. Chance continued to be the strong support and we made it to Fort Randall Casino where we stopped at the gas station for a much needed COLD Gatorade!! Yummy in my tummy! That little boost helped complete the rest of the ride downhill to the Fort Randall Dam Park where we set up camp for the evening. It was a nice area with very nice facilities! We then took showers and moved from shaded spot to shaded spot trying to avoid the immense rays of heat the sun was giving off. Eventually the day cooled off and we were just sitting by a tree chatting when a very nice fella named Al came over and started up conversation! He and his wife Carma were in the RV next to our tent. He mentioned he had a Nebraska map we could have so we headed over to their plot of land! Carma was a wonderful gal who we talked to and enjoyed talking with into the evening! They were ever so kind and invited us over to eat some delicious Nebraska beef burgers, cole slaw, baked potatoes and of course dessert! So to the end of the day was wonderful and relaxing with cool temps which made for very comfortable sleeping!

Stepping out into the wide open spaces!

So after our nice break in Aberdeen it was time to hit the road and I found it a bit more difficult to try to leave home and for the first time understood what Kelly was talking about when we left Woodbury, but before we got on the road we had to tie up a couple loose ends. We packed our stuff and got everything ready to go and then we had my mom take our pictures for our individual pictures and we picked out a good picture of us together and added them to the envelope. Then we went outside and after about 8 or 9 takes we had our video complete. Finally we had finished our application for the Amazing Race, now we can just cross our fingers! Well with that all finished we said our good byes and hit the road. My mom and grandma were waiting at the end of my Grandma's driveway to wave us good bye one last time. The trip to Redfield didn't take too long and went with out much of a hitch. We had to ride on a bit of gravel because old hwy 281 all of a sudden was no longer paved. When we finally got to Redfield we stopped in at Terry's Steak House, where my Grandpa set up a tab for us since they were out of town and we would be staying at them place. The people at Terry's were super nice and we hung out there for a little bit and then headed to my grandparents place. When we got there we unloaded our gear and started to watch tv and quickly fell asleep for a couple of hours. When we woke up we orderd pizza and enjoyed our dinner watching the beautiful sunset over the Redfield Lake.
When we got up we had a little more hustle in our step since we knew we had a long ride to Plankinton. Once we left Redfield we headed towards Wolsey and the last sign of Civilization until we got to Plankington. We stopped to eat in Wolsey at the truck stop and rested up. The rest of the afternoon was spent peddling and talking to cows. The ride was so boring and decolate it was almost unbarable. When we got to Plankington we stopped in at DJ Drive-In. It was a nice little place and the food was good. We had corndogs and a shake. After dinner we made our way to the campgrounds, which we found out was owend by the same people, what a coinsidence since the town was so huge, haha. But it was really nice they had a pool, which we took advantage of and very nice facilities. It was a long day but over-all it wasn't too bad.

Aberdeen down time....

June 25th
This morning we woke up at a nice leisurely pace without a care in the world. I got up and took a shower and let Kelly take her time getting up. When we were both showered and ready for the day we grabbed our stuff and checked out and headed back to my parents place. We had a few errands to run, like going to the bank and cashing some checks. When we were done driving all over town we went to my good buddy Doug’s mom’s house to pick up the BBQ and bars she had prepared for Kelly and mines meet and greet, it smelt delicious. We dropped that stuff off at home and relaxed for an hour or so until it was time to get our massages! They were absolutely amazing, a little weird being in the same room. I guess that the massage was so good that I fell asleep and snored a little. Kelly made a joke when we were done about how the massage was suppose to be relaxing but how could she relax with me snoring the whole time. After the massage we went home and backed our bags and loaded our bikes up and made our way over to the Eagles Club to help my mom set up the food and everything. The meet and greet went well. It was nice to see all the people come out and support us and our cause. We chatted with people about our trip so far and where we were going next. Some people wanted to know about our gear and what we brought with us, so we showed them how we cooked our food and some of our other neat gadgets. Some people picked our bikes up and wanted to know how much they weighed. My dad weighed it on his big game scale and my bike weighed in at 87lbs, that’s quite a bit and I’m sure it fluctuates from day to day a little bit. After that was all said and done we made our way back to Doug’s house to watch some of the shows he had taped for us. That’s where we spent the rest of the night relaxing until we fell asleep on the coaches.

June 26th

Today we started off the day with the radio station in Aberdeen at 8:20 so not much sleeping in for this rest day. Were lucky enough to get up and get yet another massage that Bethlehem Church provided to us! It was yet again a wonderful massage. After we met Brenda Chances mom for lunch and chatted for a bit about the days activities. From there it was home to relax and get ready for the rest of the days events. We then ended up going to the movie the Proposal which was absolutely wonderful! From there we hurried home to have some delicious ribs, salad and corn on the cob! I can't wait to go home and be able to have delicious meals every night and tons of food in the fridge! After the wonderful meal we headed out to the brown county race way to watch some Friday night stock car racing! It was a good time and Chance was able to hang out with a couple of friends. Thanks also to the kind people of Aberdeen for your wonderful donations! Sadly, it started to rain and the races were cancelled early. We headed out to Chances friend who was racing and had some good laughs and conversation. From there it was home and to bed so we could be ready to ride in the morning!

Last stretch to Aberdeen!!

June 24th
When I woke up there was no fog, it was a nice change of scenery being able to see when you get out of the tent and Kelly got up without much struggle, so that was a bonus. We had everything packed up and ready to rock out the last 38miles by 7am. We stopped by city hall on our way out to use the bathroom but it was locked, but luckily I remember the guy at the bar saying that there was a gas station on the west edge of town so we headed that way and when we got there it wasn’t open either. Fortunately there was a group of older guys standing there and they told us it would be open in about 5mins. They lady finally showed up and we used the restroom and filled up our water bottles and hit the road. We had a light tail wind and it made a difference. We made awesome time to Groton which was 20miles away, but when we get a tail wind, that means storm and that great time was negated by a 45 minute wait inside the grocery store as a very small but nasty storm blew over. There was one thunder that shook the table we were sitting at. After the storm passed we hit the road again but this time we had a strong head wind and so I buckled down expecting a long 18 mile ride to Aberdeen but the head wind only lasted like a 5 minutes and then we got a really strong warm tail wind and we flew down the road, averaging 22 mph for about 3miles. Then the wind died down and became a light head wind again but it didn’t take long to get home, just over an hour. My mom, grandma and aunt were waiting on the side of the road to cheer us on and take pictures. When we got to my house I was mauled by big baby of a dog, Scooby. He whined and yelped for a good 10minutes making me continually pet him. Oh but it was good to be home. After an afternoon of unpacking and relaxing we headed out to the motel, my mom had won a free nights stay at the Best Western so we went out there for the night and a couple buddy’s came out and we sat around drank a couple beers, watched baseball and shot the breeze until the wee hours of the night, ok 11 but that’s the wee hours for us.

In the middle of no where!!

Hey everyone sorrry for the lack of corrispondance but we were really busy in Aberdeen durring our break there and once we stepped out of Aberdeen we stepped into the middl of BFE, I wont elaborate on that acranim but you can figure it out for yourself. Today is the first day that we have had access to the internet, let alone the library. So thanks for baring with us. Now let me give you the run down.
June 23rd
When we got up in Milbank it looked like déjà vu, I woke up at 5.30 and it was so foggy I could hardly see. The fog put a hold on our riding until later into the day which ment hotter weather. I asked Kelly what we should do and she asked if I was hungry so we headed down to the corner dinner called Trevet’s Café. The food was alright and we met some nice people when were waiting for our food. Like most older people we met along our way they were interested in what we were doing and in turn thought we were a bit crazy and we probably are but heck we’re having a great time. When we were finished eating Kelly paid the bill and I went outside to call the radio station to give them an update on our progress. They told us there was a storm front moving our way but it looked beautiful to me, by know all the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining bright. When we left Milbank we had to climb “Mount Milbank”, it was a small over pass leaving town but it was the only hill we had seen in days. The ride started out fine, we were making good time but it didn’t last long. Within about 5 miles we were met with a brutal head wind. This turned the ride into a tooth and nail battle to stay on the small shoulder while tractor trailers were flying by almost pushing us off the road in typical condition now it was causing a confusing swirl of wind that forced me off the road. It was a bit dangerous because of the small shoulder and then there was loose gravel on the side that caused my bike to get a little squirly at times. The morning ride didn’t quite go how I expected, I thought it would be a pretty easy ride with a small hill section and we would have made it to Webster by lunch, which was about 45miles. Instead had only hashed out 19 miles to the Summit truck stop. It was a very long morning and we sat down to enjoy some chuck wagon burgers and ice cold Mt. Dew. It was a much needed hour break that rested our legs and put our differences for the morning at rest. After lunch the ride was a little easier. The wind had died down but someone had turned the thermostat to 11! It was hot, in the upper 80’s and there is absolutely no shade on hwy 12. There isn’t much shade on any highways but especially not in SD. It was nice though that the shoulder had quadrupled in size so Kelly and I could ride side by side and talk about all sorts of good things. It was nice to see the farther west we go the people become more receptive and friendly. We were getting a lot more waves, honks and thumbs up, so that was cool. By about mid afternoon we had made it to Waubay and had to stop and get our usual afternoon cool down break, which consists of sitting in air-conditioning and eating ice cream. Waubay has a cool little ice cream shop call the Purple Cow, and the ice cream was great. We were both a little reluctant to head out in to the heat again after such a nice break but we couldn’t sit there all day. Once again, back to the bikes. It wasn’t too long before the heat drove us back inside though. We road about 10miles further to a little bit bigger town of Webster and since it was too early for dinner, it was only 2.30 or so we located the library and went there to kill some time and beat the heat. After an hour or so at the library we head back down the street the way we came and decided it was still too hot to ride so we pulled into a little dinner and ate an early dinner. The food was great and by the time we had left it had almost dropped another 10 degrees. So it made riding a bit easier. We pulled into Bristol SD. It looked like a ghost town there were a few cars parked on the road but all the shops were closed and it looked as if no one was around. We flagged down an older couple that were headed our way in a golf cart. We ask were we could get a cold drink and they were like right here and we told them it was locked and they said nonsense you must have tried the wrong door. It turns out that the older couple in the golf cart knew my grandparents. So we paid the $2 tab and head to the park. We were so tired we just sat in the shade for a good 30mins before we even tried to set up the tent. Just after we got the tent set up we saw a red truck that had a familiar decal on the side and Kelly was like hey isn’t that your mom’s truck and I was like no it can’t be but it was my parents drove down to see us, they couldn’t wait another day to see me. It was nice though. We said good bye to my parents and headed over to the outhouse, to find it was locked. So we had no bathroom and we were in the middle of the neighborhood so we couldn’t just do our business outside. So the public restroom was only about 4 blocks from the park and city hall wasn’t much but a two room brick building, one being the bathroom. So we did our business and cleaned up in the sink and then made our way back to our tent. I was so exhausted, all I wanted to do was sleep so I covered the bikes and put the rest of the stuff away and got in the tent but I couldn’t sleep. I still felt gross and sticky and it was humid out. After a bit it cooled off a bit and I finally fell asleep.