Bishop Bike Adventure Day 23 July 23, 2010

In life, as in biking, some days are better than others! Today seemed to be a struggle for a variety of reasons. We ventured out under ominous skies and struggled with a cross wind, high speed traffic, and challenging rumble strips all day long. Tim got to try out his rain gear and, even though it didn’t rain, found out that the pants are indeed waterproof. All of the sweat generated stayed well within the confines of the pants, as evidenced when they were removed as skies cleared later in the day. Debbie caught this on camera! But satisfaction came at the end of the day when we realized that we eclipsed 1,000 miles for our trip. (For a full listing of trip mileage and destinations, see trip log link to the right of the blog.)

The wind was curious today. It was blowing from WSW and we were primarily traveling NNE. We traveled on route 87, which took some angles in which we received a boost from the wind, making a big difference due to its strength, and other angles in which the wind became problematic. The road had rumble strips along certain stretches, with shoulders that varied in width. Although rumble strips are meant as a safety feature, they can be very hazardous for bicycles if they are not designed properly. Sometimes, rumble strips have no break in them, which would allow a biker to get off the road without crossing the strip to create more space from traffic approaching from behind. Sometimes the strips are placed on a roadway with inadequate shoulders, which effectively places the bicyclist on the roadway except in an emergency. When the strips are placed on roads with wide shoulders, this can help the bicyclist by creating a boundary between him and the traffic, but often the shoulder upon which the bicycle rides is gritty, putting the tires and brakes at risk. We experienced all of these today. Throw in high speed traffic, some of which are large trucks and oversized farm equipment, and you have a recipe for a stressful day of riding. The cross winds are altered by the force of a large vehicle passing nearby, making balancing a heavily loaded bicycle more challenging. Rumble strips in Washington state were placed in the middle of the road, making the bicyclist’s job easier. In general, most of the traffic was respectful to us and created ample space when they were able. We have found that most of the locals typically are concerned about our safety, which creates a nice feeling when we are out on the road.

Yesterday, we ordered another map from Adventure Cycling, due to our change in travel plans, and had it shipped to a motel in Havre, MT, which we booked in advance in anticipation of our arrival there today. Since we booked the motel sight unseen and got a very cheap rate, we both became concerned about the condition of the motel where we would be staying. Our fears were realized as we ended up on the seedy side of town in a rundown motel. However, we both agreed that it could have been much worse, and we made it out alive, to bike another day!