Finished =)

We made it!!! After a beautiful ride to the shore yesterday with one of our lovely sisters, Erin, Andrew and I have now completed our trip =) After around 450 miles of hitchhiking and around 3800 miles worth of biking in 53 days we are happy to be home.

I can not end this journey without saying thank you. First and foremost I want to give thanks to God for getting us home safe and sound and giving us such a great experience. It was a constant joy to see Him provide for us. I want to also thank our parents. Kevin and Carol Dolan never wavered in their support of their sons' crazy ideas for summer fun. Dad gave us the idea for the trip by doing it himself 30 years ago and generously let Andrew use his bike. Andrew and I are truly blessed to have the family we have and greatly appreciate all the little texts, phone calls, and messages recieved over the last 2 months! Now for those of you who remember when this all began back in June you'll remember we started in San Francisco. We could not have had such a smooth start if not for our family out West, the Levs. Thank you very much for welcoming us and putting us off on the right footing!! One more group needs to be recognized and that is all the people we've met along the way who made this trip such an adventure!! Andrew and I can't say enough how much we appreciate the kind words, actions and smiles all along the trip!

From me I want to say thank you to my brother Andrew. His unflinching perseverance, resolve, and near constant pleasant disposition made the daily riding a real joy. I am a better man from having spent this trip in his constant companionship.

And finally thank you to all of you who have donated to help give a gift to Living Water!! Because of your generiosity we were able to raise $1300 from private donors and from that we will be able to give a gift of $1100 to Living Water!!

Proof that we made it to the shore =)

Now that the trip is over life moves on, and will actually start speeding up very quickly. Andrew will be going back to school in a day or so to Liberty University where he will continue working on his degree and hopefully be getting a job in the area.

I will spend the next month here at home enjoying the company of friends and family I haven't seen in awhile. I will be preparing to move out to Illinois to start work for CAT on October 3rd. I am very excited about the opportunities before me and have never been more optimistic about the future. Living on my own I plan on learning to cook, golf, and speak Portuguese. I am also anticipating getting involved in the community and enjoying life on a river, ie kayaking =)

Any future adventures? Well...life's an adventure =) it's a matter of perspective, but as far as actual trips outside the ordinary Andrew and I have loose ideas of kayaking from Alaska down to Vancouver, either that or the Mississippi, and of course motorcycling all over the US is a given =)

If any of you are ever doing a big trip and want a loyal follower on a blog don't hesitate to email me at kndolan27.14@gmail.com

It has been a true pleasure,
Nate Dolan

Weather...

Specifically the wet kind, commonly referred to as rain, has been our constant companion almost since entering PA. Besides the little matter of being very wet very often we had a wonderful time through the East Coast. After initially being confused for menacing home invaders by a wonderful elderly couple we found the Colonial States to be very hospitable. We found that people here in the East are least likely to ask you what you're doing riding a bike looking like a drowned rat, I theorize that they must think we are deranged so see little point in talking to us more than they have to, but after we tell them what we are doing they become interested and are quite willing to help us in whatever way possible.

I think it is only fair to say that my chain broke, after all of Andrew's bike problems I finally had my own troubles. Quick note: Dan, I'm sorry for being unclear about what part broke on Andrew's bike, it's the crank arm that the pedal attaches to (I hope that's clearer). It sheared right off, I wish I had a photo with me but I forgot to take one. So anyway we were going through Wilkes Barre (spelling?) PA in the rain and my chain decided that it had had quite enough of this going up hills business and snapped. Praise God there was a bike shop within walking distance and a Best Western that was willing to put up two smelly bikers in dire need of a shower.

Oh! Big news of the day, after riding down the canal path north of Trenton (in the pouring rain) and after fighting through the traffic of 206 and after a wonderful woman asked us blankly how we got from San Francisco to NJ after we told her where we started...she had a delightful accent that just made the moment priceless. After all that we made it home =) we pulled into Daylily Drive to the sounds of loud party noise makers blaring and Molly, James, Sarah, Erin, Mom, and Chester all coming out to welcome us joyiously home. They quickly told us what many people were too kind to say earlier, they told us we stank pretty terribly and that we needed to take showers immediately. Molly, James, and Sarah also made their voices heard as to our general unkempt appearance, specifically our beards. Apparently we need to shave....I agree but not until after we ride to the shore tomorrow =)

So tomorrow we ride to the shore to complete our transcontinental ride. I'll put up one last post after this with closing remarks, photos of the finish and what not, but here are some photos of the last couple days. Enjoy.

This was in Watkins Glen New York. Right on the south end of Seneca Lake. We camped out on the spit of land on the left side of the photo. Lake side camp site for free =) There was a big NASCAR race going on while we were there, very exciting.

This was taken from Hwy 6 in PA going along the river. Beautiful country with great little towns. In recent years these quite hills have experienced an inflex of heavy truck traffic due to the oil shale industry moving into the area. It has caused a lot of angst amongst the small town citizens.



This is the result of me being tired of sleeping outside and being wet.

Our first night in NJ =)

We got to ride along the Delaware canal for a ways today, good thing too, because the road didn't have a shoulder and rain made visibility very limited.

Home =)



So one more ride tomorrow and this little journey is completed. It has been a ride of a life time. As always thank you all for reading along and commenting. It is a great encouragement!!

For one last ride,

Nate

Comment Response:

Liz: Thanks for following!! It has been a great joy to write about the trip and share it with others.

Uncle Bill: Haha amazingly it has held. While everything else has broken the duct tape has held =)

Why you riding eh?

The red bearded Canadian asked me with a smile as he lounged in his lawn chair drinking a cold beer. His two large well bred German shepherds looked up to me with equally curious eyes, asking if I was crazy or not, or maybe they were just wondering if I would taste good...I'm not sure. The gregarious Canadian had just given us a patch of land to put our tent on his quad trails behind his house and we had been shooting the breeze. The question asked was simple enough. Why have Andrew and I spent our summer biking across the continent? He wasn't the first person to ask us and in all probability he won't be the last.

I gave a list of purposes at the beginning of this little journey that sound really good and are by no means untrue, but as the trip begins to come to an end I think it would be valuable to revisit for a minute. As I've pondered the question I think a deeper purpose of mine has been to meet America. I've lived in the Garden State for most of my life. I have always been plugged into what is happening around me. I keep myself up to date on the goings on of the world, and somewhere over the past 20 odd years I've grown to be a little cynical. I know it is not an admirable trait, but there it is, I had begun to believe that decent human behavior was no longer the norm, but instead a slim minority. I had begun to define my world by what I saw through the media. So I had a decision, do I accept this as an immutable truth or do I go out and see if it's true. Do I take a step way outside of my comfort zone and see what's on the other side of the fence.

This trip took me over the fence and I dare say a little over the horizon and you know what I found?? I found an America that still invites a couple smelly bikers into their homes and gives them something to eat. We have met an America that gives us a smile and a hot dog to keep us going on the road. We have met some of the most amazing people, whether they be entrepreneurs exploiting the liberal drug laws of California, a couple of Harley riders hoping to make a go of it as restaurant owners,  a small Southern Baptist church without a full time pastor trying to make ends meet, or just people out enjoying an evening walk, we have found generosity and a smile.

We have found that America is not at all to be defined by our government or media. America is a country made up of people who love to laugh, give of what they have to help those in need when they see the need, and perhaps most of all America is made up of people who are not to be taken for granted or written off. I do not know what the future holds, I am not naive to think everything is roses and buttercups, but I am coming away from this trip encouraged to know that America is still a place worth defending and being proud of.

Now as to the matter of "Where are you guys?" We are back in the US of A!!! The land of the free and the home of the free soda refill. Canada was a wonderful host, we camped free every night, and they have amazing ice cream =) There were many adventures had in our time there, hitchhiking after breaking the shaft on Andrew's bike, having some of the best Fish n' Chips in the world under a tarp in the pouring rain while talking to a man dressed in all white about economic systems, and of course seeing a play at the Stratford Shakespeare festival. Yes I'd say our brief time in Canada was very nice, very nice indeed, but the wind pushes us homeward and so we most go.

We will be taking Rt 20 east through NY to Rt. 14 south into PA and then take Rt. 6 East again and then make our way south east until we hit the ocean =) When looking at the map we are not far away at all.

Ok, now for pictures =)

This was from Manitoulin Island. Nice place, lots of water everywhere. Going this way between Huron and Georgia Bay saved us a couple hundred miles (very happy day!)

And when we got the end of the island we got to take a ferry. After playing around on the pier and going for a swim, we decided to take the midnight ferry over, on the other side we just put our tent down right next to the ferry. It was a very relaxing ride, through a pitch black night, the stars and moon were mostly covered in clouds.

This is a picture of the Festival Theater in Stratford. We got to see Camelot, it was very good, if you get the chance to see it I highly suggest you take the time.

This is what Southern Ontario looks like away from the industrial centers of the coast lines. Lots of dairy and farm land. 

Oh yeah, we went to Niagara Falls! It was beautiful. We found the surrounding cities to be places to get through as quickly as possible, but the actual falls are truly magnificent!

And so here you find us, around 500 miles left in the trip and none the worse for wear. Andrew and I are still on good terms, even though I'm consistently beating him in pool whenever we take time to stop and play =)

Riding on,
Nate

PS We are well over 2000 views for the blog! Now assuming that half of that is me checking to see if anyone is reading and at least a 1/4 is my family checking to see if we're still alive that means at least a couple people are legitimately following us! =) very exciting. Thank you for taking the time to read, we appreciate it greatly!

* To those new to our journey, 80% of all donations go to Living Water International (www.water.cc)

Oh Canada =)

We made it through the UP and are now in the middle of Ontario, specifically we find ourselves on Manitoulin Island.

But lets rewind. The last I spoke with you we were in Norway Michigan, a lot has happened since then, abandoned fire towers have been climbed, massive airstrips have been found in the wilderness, and friends have been made. The UP was very kind to us. Every night we found good people to stay with, or rather good people found us =) One of the first nights we stayed on a beautiful lake right outside of Gould City along Rt. 2 with a great couple, Steve and Gail. We met them at a gas station and they were gracious enough to invite us to their lake front property to spend the night in their spare bedroom (the Slipstream, or Airstream I forget what it's called, one of those shiny silver camping trailers). We greatly enjoyed the conversation, food and a warm place to sleep!! (Thank you both!!).

After that we had a ride up to Brimley (right near the border crossing). In Brimley we had the good fortune to meet Cindy and her husband Dan. They let us stay on their church property and gave us a great breakfast. We spent much of the day eating big hamburgers, watching big boats, and debating how to get across a rather large bridge. We did end up crossing into Canada with ease and have been enjoying the easy going nature of the Canadians since Thursday afternoon.

Today we stopped heading East and started heading South on Rt. 6!! This is big, mentally I was just tired of heading North and East. We both are ready to get home =) but first we're going to stop off in Stratford to catch a play and then check out Niagara Falls. After that we will be making for home with all possible haste. We are on schedule to make it back before our deadline of August 20th. I have no real major thoughts or reflections to add, except that I think I've grown to appreciate the need for a home. I've been gone for awhile now. Before this trip I was in Brazil, which I absolutely loved, and before that I was working in Ohio, which I enjoyed, and before that I was in school, which I finished =) but right about now I'm just ready to be sitting in front of the fireplace at home on the big couch away from all the mosquitoes and rain, and be reading a good book or playing games with my sibs.

Side note. Today is a very auspicious day indeed for more than the obvious reason of us reaching Manitoulin Island. Today is the day that two very dear friends of mine will be joined in Holy Matrimony (that is, they've decided to go off and get themselves married) actually it's happening right now. Nate and Jess, you know I wish I could be there, I wish you both the very best. I miss you both very much and can't wait to see you in September. I expect to have little nieces and nephews to spoil at your earliest convenience =)

Well now that I all done being sentimental, enjoy the pictures, we've enjoyed taking them and sharing them with you!

This is in the UP going down the driveway to the lake lot where we got to hang out with Gail and Steve. The lake you can barely make out at the end (I was a big dummy and didn't get a pic of the lake but it was really nice) We got to wash off, after which we actually felt almost human =)

Ok, this was me climbing up the fire tower. I recently asked Andrew what my biggest weaknesses are, he told me I thought too much and was a pansy...I disagree on both accounts. I would say my ability to think has often led me to avoid dangerous situations and I think being considered a pansy is often confused with being risk averse, but in this instance I put aside my fears of rickety, rusty, precarious fire towers and climbed (after all my little brother had just called me a pansy).

 And...this is the view we were rewarded with for risking life and limb. Trees. Lots of them. You couldn't even see the lakes (this was on the UP still).

 

This was a picture taken at the giant airstrip we found. It was comprised of 3 very long and very wide sections of concrete intersecting each other in a triangle. It was right outside of Raco MI if you care to look it up. It was really eerie to think of all the activity that must have surrounded such a huge piece of infrastructure that is no longer in use. 

This boat took a solid hour getting itself into the Locke at Sault Ste Marie. It was cool though to see how simple engineering could get such massive vessels across what previously had been an impassable stretch of water.

This was at a little restaurant beneath the bridge called West Pier. Andrew's pretty excited about eating a 1 lb. bacon cheese burger, I took the more conservative route of enjoying a 1/2 lb bacon cheese burger with a side of fries. We really have had good luck with finding these little hole in the wall type places. Last night we discovered the Canadian delicacy called Poutine. It's fries covered in gravy and cheese (sooo good).

This is the bridge into Canada. It's two lanes, one going and one coming, no shoulder, and yet they still let bikes go on it. It's like a joke to them I suppose. They don't let bikes across on the bus, but they get some sort of enjoyment out of seeing if bikers can make it across the bridge without getting hit. In all fairness the drivers were really courteous and we did cross uneventfully.

Oh my I am looking forward to being on a ferry tomorrow morning heading to Bruce Peninsula. We ran into a Canadian gentleman who insisted that we were cheating by taking the ferry....if biking over 3 thousand miles to take a ferry 50 kilometers is cheating we are guilty, but since we get to make the rules of our own adventure we've decided that it's not =) I definitely won't be losing any sleep over it.

Riding on,
Nate

* 80% of all donations go towards Living Water International

Comment Response

Mom: Haha yes it was big, it was actually in Wisconsin. Right now it's raining...and I don't like riding in the rain, so we're in the library in this great little town called Gladstone. It's right on a bay, quite nice actually =)

Dan: That's awesome! Tell her thanks for following!!

Megan! hmmm well I asked my brother and he and I agree that probably the funniest story was a giant deer (big antlers and everything) that we caught in Yellowstone taking a dump off the side of the road. Andrew took a video, I turned my head in respect. We also enjoy getting the cattle to run with us. Horses are less prone to do this, but cattle always seem to want to come along for the ride.

Uncle Bill: Thanks!

Liz: Thanks! I don't know, they've been in a little town called Crandon for six years now. He used to be a resturant manager. Great couple.

Greetings from Norway!!!

not Norway Europe, we're in Michigan =) We just crossed the border into the UP. We have a 60 miles to go before we reach our destination tonight. We had the good fortune to meet Ed, Donna, and other members of the Living Faith Church of God. They let us stay last night in the basement on couches!! It was soo comfortable and Donna made us dinner! We we're living like kings...and then we had to wake up and roll out this morning, but if we make it to Gladstone Ed has arranged for us to stay with friends of his.

But I'm ahead of myself. We are out of the Midwest and into the North woods!! You know you've crossed that vague border when gas stations start having big stuffed bears in the corner of their stores and the men start having grizzly Adams beards. We have definitely crossed that border.

Two days ago we nearly got caught in a very bad storm. We were flying along through the heart of Wisconsin. Clouds had been gathering all day but we had been assured by a store clerk that the storm wouldn't break for another several hours...well yeah it didn't wait that long. We were about 5 miles outside of the next town and the sky behind us turned green. The wind started kicking up and the rain started coming down. We rode faster =) we came flying into the town at 30 miles per hour on flat ground (very fast) the sirens started going off. Thankfully the local gas station let us take shelter till it blew over, but it was all very exciting I assure you.

Today's highlight was seeing the world's biggest soup kettle. Don't believe me? See picture below.

This is a scene from Minnesota. It kinda captures a lot of what we saw on our ride....a lot of farms.

This is Cascade Falls in the heart of a little town in Wisconsin. It was a pleasant surprise to find this gorgeous waterfall on a day when we did not really get anywhere due to construction and detours.

Oh yeah. It's big.

Woohoo Michigan!! Next stop Canada =) you didn't know this was an international trip did you? Well it is

That's all for now, my esteemed collegue, Andrew, is wanting to hit the road, and to be honest we should really be rolling or we'll run out of daylight.

Till next time,

Nate

PS Sorry about not being able to respond to your comments on the last post! I hope to be able to respond tomorrow!

Comment Response

Well once again I'm struggling to comment on my own posts...rather frustrating actually. But here are some responses to the previous two posts. Thank you for your comments!!

Hello Wonderful sister Molly. We missed Montana though I have it by reliable sources that it is quite beautiful =) Congrats on climbing Mt. Marcy! I have yet to climb it. We both love you dearly and miss you lots.

Mrs. Grimes! Happy to have you along for the ride! Andrew doesn't have a nickname yet, perhaps Juggernaut, or Mountain Master (M&M for short) but nothing has stuck.

Dad: I agree. thanks!

Erin: Haha well we're still a little ways away. What are the dates of VT? (text me the dates)

Farewell to the Wild Wild West

No longer will men be walking the streets proudly in cowboy hats. No more will we be seeing guns hanging above the ice cream ordering window being raffled off by the local fire department. Corn will be filling our horizons rather than open fields filled with cattle and horses. No longer will we be seeing museums commemorating the exploits of train robbers and sheriffs. No longer will we ride into town to the sound of a friendly howdy. It has been a good place to ride, the places and people have been welcoming but it is time to ride on to the East. I'll be back for sure, but for now the Mid West demands our attention.

We are growing used to slightly bigger towns (the town we're in now has a Home Depot!!). Minnesota has lovely parks and we're looking forward to going through some lake country. We hope to get into Wisconsin by Friday and into Michigan by Monday. We are on schedule to be home by our August 20th deadline =)

Below are some pictures of our past couple days.

This is a picture from a lovely little town called Beuhal, outside of Sturgis SD. We slept at the local campground along this creek and soaked in the amiable company of a family that was on vacation from Nebraska.

This is a picture from Spearfish Canyon. It's not a place that lends itself to being captured by photography, so I can only suggest that if you're in the area take a drive and enjoy the rambling stream through this canyon.

This is coming out of the Black Hills. Directly in front of us is Bear Butte (not Butt as some people would pronounce it, but rather Bute). If you'll notice something really exciting to the right of the Butte. No Mountains!!! Wow was I happy about that, if it hadn't been for a loss of daylight I could've ridden another 100 miles on the adrenaline that came from seeing such gloriously open land.

Have you seen this man? His name is Andrew Dolan and is known to frequent bakeries scowering for cinnamon buns. He is on a 30 year old bike but can still outrun a horse. He was last seen riding through the Great Planes of America, but by now he could be anywhere. If you see him no need to worry, just remind him to call home and say hi to his totally awesome siblings Erin, Sarah, Miss Molly, and Mr. James.

 Ok I have a confession. I have acquired a trail name...I don't like nicknames, let alone trail names. They always seem to be less than complimentary. Why can't I ever get a name like "Chainsaw" we met a couple who had a friend who they called Chainsaw, now that's a name I could roll with, but no I have "Taco Man" as bestowed by Andrew. You'll notice from this picture that my hair does a little wave. It doesn't go away. I've showered, washed my hair multiple times and the holder stays. Andrew saw it about a week into the trip and he thought it looked like a great taco holder and that morphed into taco man.

Well that's all for now folks, I have to say I enjoy writing these little blogs. Don't hesitate to comment, we love hearing from everyone.

Riding on,

Nate (aka The TacoMan)



Woohooo!!!

We are in the prairies! and holy cow are they big! We spent a day riding through Spearfish canyon on the suggestion of one of our biker friends from Idaho and a great couple, Peter and Marissa, we met in Greybull Wyoming. The canyon was beautiful, I have a picture below, but I'm afraid to capture the beauty of the stream rambling through the canyon you'll just have to go and check it out =)

Ok, so we were riding along at a nice relaxed pace, enjoying the vast open spaces that occupy the north western part of beautiful South Dakota. We rolled into the town of Dupree, hungry and ready for a night of rest. The waitress, Cindy, graciously offered her front yard as a campsite (Thank you!) and we spent an uninterrupted night sleeping beneath the stars. Yesterday morning we awoke, did laundry, and started out towards the local church, and that's when we noticed something. Andrew's tires that had been rotated the day before because of excessive wear on the back tire were now both very underinflated. The tire that was worn could not be relied upon to be ridden on, we needed a new tire that we didn't have. This was a problem. We were 240 miles from the nearest bike shop going East, the shop is in a town called Watertown.

 So we walked into Dupree Baptist Church looking forward to fellowshiping with fellow believers. We slid into the back row a couple minutes late and were instantly and warmly welcomed. They asked about who we were and where we were going and if we had any prayer request. Well we told them and then we told them we needed a ride to a town 3.5 hours away =) Our plan was to go to the gas station and try to thumb a ride, doable but less than ideal. After the pastor, Lonnie, who unbeknownst to us was going to Watertown the next day and lived an hour West of the city, got up to speak he offered us a ride, and that is how we found ourselves an hours car ride from Watertown last night eating pizza and enjoying good conversation. This morning we drove to Watertown, talked with the bike shop guys and they were able to fix everything up for us. So today we're spending catching up on life stuff, watching a movie tonight (Captain America!) and sleeping at one of the local churches.

After the service yesterday we were invited over for a cookout celebrating one of the kid's birthday. It was nice to relax and see the joy that this large family obviously gained from each other's company. The food was good and plentiful and the company was very amiable. Andrew and I, over the last couple of hours, have learned a lot about farming, ranching, and even a little bit about the sport of rodeo. All in all it has been a full couple of days.

Posting pictures right now has proven difficult, actually impossible would be a better term, but I promise that at the earliest opportunity I will post some from the last couple days. We plan on riding for the next week or so in Minnesota and Wisconsin then going up into the UP of Michigan.

As always your comments and suggestions for how to make the blog better are appreciated.

riding on,
Nate

PS We've pedaled over 2000 miles!! and we're on track to finish the trip =)

* 80% of all funds go to the Christian organisation Living Water International. They bring sustainable water sources to impoverished communities.

A Question of Time

I have been asked several times how long we spend riding each day. The answer is as varied as the people we meet. The truth is I very rarely will make an accounting for the time spent on the saddle for the simple reason that it won't matter. I don't have a watch on me (thank goodness) and the only reason I ever ask Andrew for the time is to make sure we have enough daylight to get where we are going. Miles are what matter. To think that we spent 11.5 hours going 130 miles yesterday is not nearly as motivating as to think that we went 130 miles fighting a stiff wind that persisted in going the wrong direction for most of it.

I met a man named Red who has also given up the constrictions of a watch. I hope that I can live similarily after this trip. Quality work is rarely associated with being overly conscious of time.

This post will be short due to the fact that one I just wrote something yesterday, and two I would like to go get something to eat =)

We will be spending the night in a little town just West of the South Dakota border tonight called Beulah. For those paying attention you will notice that we are no longer going to be visiting Mt. Rushmore. We held a council last night and decided that it would be better to visit Spearfish Canyon in SD and then start booking it across Rt. 212. Hopefully today will be the last day we spend on the interstate. As much fun as it is to have a lot of trucks going by you at 70+ mph I prefer quieter avenues of travel.

Here are some pics!

This is me resisting the urge to get up and go. We stayed behind some half abandoned building in Gillete. We were going to stay in the park but then found out from the local skater crowd that the park was patrolled by very uncool law enforcement, but they pointed us towards this building up the street where we were sure to be left alone =) This led to a new realization, if you want to know where to not be bothered by police, ask the skate park crowd.

Does no one else see the irony of having a cultural extravagance (Starbucks) next to a place where you can get a Cash Advance? Andrew didn't laugh, but I thought it was humorous.

This is Eastern Wyoming. You'll notice the little towers. These are filled with water. They use it for cooling purposes (I believe). You can see on the right an oil pump working away. After this picture a big coal train went across the train tracks (the black line across the middle of the picture). What you can't see are the horses hanging out in the shade of a tree to the right. It's a beautifully sparse land that is run by coal/oil interest, and local ranchers.

And we're off,

till next time,
Nate

A day on the road

A lot of people have asked about the logistics of this little trip we are on. It's interesting because it is a point on which I did not spend much time considering when deciding whether to go or not. Things like where we eat and sleep didn't occupy my mind, but I've found that now that I am actually on the road I think a lot about it =) So here's a brief rundown on a typical day.

The sun peeks into our tent, I open my eyes a crack to make sure the light isn't coming from headlights or a flashlight. Once it is determined that it is indeed morning I turn to my traveling partner, Andrew, and ask about the time. Typically it's around 7. At this point there is a crucial decision, do I overcome inertia and get myself out of my comfy sleeping bag and start the day, or do I shut my eyes for another half hour. So far it's 50/50 on which decision wins out, the best days are when we are forced out of bed, this morning it was by a man running irrigation on the local football field.

After we get up, pack up our stuff, and generally start feeling good about life and the ride ahead we determine where the nearest source of food is. A lot of times we like to get to the next town (10-20 miles away) and get breakfast there as cheap as possible. A four pack of blueberry muffins, poptarts, or McDonalds usually does the trick. By this time we are beginning to think about where we are going to stay for the night. It's best to have a town in mind. Today we've set our sites on getting to Gillete Wyoming. It's a 120 mile ride, but we need to make up for not making our goal yesterday.

After breakfast we ride for awhile (30-50 miles) and stop at a town of some substance (substance: a town with a library, food, and park) for lunch and a break. Then we go till we hit our target or find a nice place before it that makes for a good place to stay. This happened last night when we came over the Big Horns we found a whole party of bikers camping out at the local highschool so we decided to join them.

Once we reach the town that we had set as our goal we ask around about sleeping in the park, hopefully this proves to be an acceptable option, in the cases where it is not we go to the churches, when this doesn't work, Andrew starts talking about wanting to keep riding and finding a place on the side of the road. When this happens I start eyeing the local campground and deciding if I want a good night's sleep or not. I typically end up deciding to pay for the campground instead of chancing it on the road (as mentioned I like grass, trees, and picnic tables).

Once a place to sleep has been secured we spend our time reading, I also write about the day's events. Throughout the day we are running into a whole lot of people. The vast majority are very friendly and helpful. The reason we are where we are is because of the helpful people we've come across, everyone from the person who gives Andrew $20 to help out with trip expenses, to the couple giving us road advice going into South Dakota, to the motorcyclists just shooting the breeze asking about the trip and talking about life.

It's been a very freeing way to live, after this trip I don't think I will ever worry about having a place to lay my head =)

The big news of the day is we have made it past the Big Horns!!! After a grueling 18 mile uphill climb of over 4800 feet we made it up Granite Pass and road down to the little town of Dayton Wyoming. Below are some pictures of where we were.

These mountains were in our way. A large wall of rock obscuring the path of progress, but through sweat, a little tears, and a whole lot of positive thinking we made it to the top and got down in one piece =)

This is up at the top of the pass. A storm was rolling in so we didn't sit around to chat, but as you can see the top was rolling pasture land. It was kinda cool to be biking along herds of cattle at 9000 ft.

This is our campsite for the night on the East side of the pass. The storm that had been brewing all day came in at night with severe winds and gave us cause to be proud of our little tents structural stability =) though the winds did keep us from having a nigh of uninterrupted sleep.

Well the road beckons, more specifically I want an icecream bar from across the street so I must bid you all farewell until next time. Thank you for your comments, and as always if you think of anything that would make the blog better  or have any questions don't hesitate to let me know!

Riding on,

Nate

PS I saw antelope today! Hopefully we get to see buffalo, people keep telling me about these giant beasts of the plains but I have yet to see proof of their existence.

* 80% of all funds donated goes directly towards Living Water International. You can either donate through the blog or mail a check to Kevin Dolan at 11 Daylily Dr. Mt Laurel NJ 08054, write Living Water in the memo line.

Beautiful Wyoming

Teddy Roosevelt once said that the 50 miles connecting the East Gate of Yellowstone to Cody is one of the most beautiful roads in all of the US. Having now ridden it on a bike I am inclined to agree.

We made it up over Teton Pass and dropped down into Jackson. Once in Jackson we immediately began to miss the open roads of Oregon and Idaho. There were so many people going so many different directions my immediate instinct was to try to find the nearest road heading out of town. Thankfully Andrew suggested that we stop at the visitor's center. New rule: always stop at the visitor center. These wonderful places have people there who want to help you! It's such a great idea. At this one, we find a man by the name of Bill who told us about the Bike and Hike camping available in Yellowstone and Teton National Parks. This was a great boon for us, because I really didn't want to spend $20 for a campsite and they don't like people tenting on the side of the road in National Parks (dumb, I know, but true). So that first night we spent at Jenny Lake (see photo below), the next night we spent in Yellowstone at Bridge Port.

One thing I'm beginning to notice is that it matters how I view the trip in relation to myself. Do I view it as something that adds to my pride and ego, do I just passively accept that I'm riding for thousands and thousands of miles, or do I look at it as a privilidge? I read a book this past Spring about a man who road his bike through the southern route, he was an older dude, and one thing he kept saying throughout the book was what a privilidge it was to be able to ride. I didn't understand when I was reading it what the big deal was, but as we've gone on in this trip I've begun to understand. If I look at as just something that somehow adds to the Nate Dolan reputation as a matter of pride I will quickly become annoying to be around and anything gained from this trip will be for naught. A passive response is pretty much impossible for me, but if I look at riding as a privilidge it opens up the world. I'm able to wonder at everything around me. I'm able to learn from what's going on. I'm able to enjoy life =) So I feel that this blog would be incomplete if I did not say what a privilidge it is for us to do this trip. Not only to have the time, resources, and health, but also to have the desire. It truly is a privilidge.

Currently we are in Cody Wyoming, Rodeo Capitol of the World. We had the good luck to run into Mr. Reeder when asking for a place to put our tent he had the good graces to call his wife who works at the KOA and ask if we could stay the night for free. It was such a blessing to have showers, do laundry, and a free pancake breakfast!!

We hope to be at Mt. Rushmore in about a week. Below are some pictures from the last couple of days. My sister, Erin, has suggested that I include more human interest photos so you'll notice an increase of pictures with us or people we meet =)

This is at the beginning of the pass. If you'll notice the sign in the background says 10% grade. This translates to very steep, so far on the this trip I've yet to see anything great than a 10% grade sign.

This picture was taken at the top of Teton Pass, there was snow off the road =) Down in the valley is Jackson Hole.

This is a picture of the Tetons. This is definitely a place I will be coming back to.

This is Andrew taking a much needed bath in a snow fed lake. It was cold.

This was in Yellowstone National Park. Everything from here on will be downhill =)

This is the view coming down the East Gate. The ride down was one of the most beautiful of the trip. Thankfully whoever maintains the roads up here does a great job.

This was at the KOA last night. Andrew and I are now big advocates of KOAs.



So that's all for now, we look to be in Shell Wyoming tonight (just East of Greybull)

Best,

Nate

Trees!!

We have reached bonafide timber!! and along with it some rather large and intimidating mountains called the Tetons. We haven't seen forest since the beginning of Oregon, and as mentioned earlier I like trees.

Today we find ourselves in a little town called Victor just West of the Wyoming border. The town is nestled in the Teton valley and promises to host us comfortably. We have a concert in the park tonight and a good dinner of hamburgers and fries to look forward to. Tomorrow will require some climbing in the first 20 miles to get to Jackson. We've heard some bad things about this pass, regarding its steepness, lack of a shoulder, and just general undesirable nature, but we met an older gentleman coming off of the pass who didn't blink an eye when telling us what he had climbed. So the thinking is if he can do it, surely two young guys like us can do it, besides the fact that Andrew isn't going to let me wimp out and take the bus.

Well, alright, the last couple days have been busy. Alot of miles have been put on and we've met many people. I'll give some of the highlights. The first is an officer of the law in the small town of Kimberly. If I had been thinking I would've gotten his name, but as circumstances were less than ideal it slipped my mind. Andrew and I had spent the afternoon in the town's park talking with the local hoodlums, conversing with a young family, and in general enjoying the levity of a timeless corner of the world. We had asked around about staying in the park and everyone was totally fine with it. Well we looked around the park and saw the place we wanted to stay. It was a fortress in the sky, a refuge against all the enemies of a touring bicyclist (namely bugs and watersprinklers). This stronghold was none other than the playground (see picture below). So we put our bikes underneath and brought our sleeping bags upstairs and settled in for a much needed night's rest. Around 11 PM the man in blue shines his terribly brilliant flashlight and interupts all manner of attempted slumber. He informed us that a neighbor had called us in, so stumbling bleary eyed down the oversized purple ladder and fumbling for our IDs our protector of the peace checked to make sure we weren't felons. After telling him what we were about and trying not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation he graciously let us stay in our makeshift Hilton for the remainder of the night. So it goes.

The next morning we were riding into a town called Burley to get Andrew's bike new wheels. As we're riding into the heart of this town an elderly man pulls alongside me in a Cadillac DeVille. He asks me where we're going, I tell him New Jersey. His next question was if we planned on stopping by the newspaper office. I told him no but if he led the way I'd be happy to follow. This led to the meeting of one of Idaho's most generous citizens. His name is Dale Wipple. After taking us into the newspaper office and introducing us to the owner he asked him to do a story on us. It then came out that I really wanted business cards, to which Dale simply asked to have them made at his expense. He then took us to the bike shop and paid for Andrew's repairs. I could add a lot more detail to the story, but suffice to say we are very happy to know Col. Dale Wipple. He has graciously sponsored us through his organization, National Pioneer Hall of Fame, www.nationalpioneerhalloffame.com/news . We look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership.

One other highlight was the by chance staying in a little town just outside of Idaho Falls called Iona. I've never felt so at peace in a town as I have in this little community. We pulled up to the town hall after riding around 84 miles and after the police incident we wanted permission to sleep in the park. We talked to a couple of very helpful individuals who ended up calling the mayor to ask for permission, to which he generously acquiesced. They then contacted the park maintenance supervisor to check on the sprinkler schedule for us. After that we enjoyed a very pleasant afternoon in the park watching a softball game where the Ninja Turtles triumphed. All in all it was very nice to spend time in such a warm community.

Okay, so I have one more thought, then I'll put up some pictures then I'll get off this thing and get some dinner =) Having grown up on the East Coast, specifically in New Jersey, I have often felt that life is a dog eat dog affair, that people are primarily only concerned with themselves. This trip has proven otherwise. It has been such a joy to bike through small town Western America and experience the hospitality and generosity of those we pass. I think the key is to break down all walls of self sufficiency. I don't know how to articulate the openness that people feel when you ride up on a bike but it's real. People that would normally pass by behind their tinted sunglasses stop and talk to you. People who mom and dad would normally tell you not to talk to come up to you and start asking about what you're doing. Some are just curious, some want to give advice or local information, and some just want someone to talk to. I don't know how to capture the openness that comes with bicycling without a bicycle but if I can figure it out I'll definitely write a book about it. To bridge the communication gap between the elderly couple on vacation, the local trouble makers in the park, and the middle age parents out with their kids, that is something worth knowing. People, I believe, are for the most part intrinsically good and generous it's just a matter of bringing that out of them. With some people it's closer to the surface than others =) but I really think that there's vast potential for cross generational and demographic communication that is not being taken advantage of for the simple reason that we don't know how to go about getting the best out of people. I do hope that makes some sense, it's a first go at writing my thoughts and it is in need of revision, but I think the heart of the matter in its rawest form is there.

Below are some pictures from the last couple of days. This first one is of one of homes away from home. Kimberly's playground =)

This is a picture of one of the many wind farms we've passed. I've talked to some of the locals about it and they haven't seen a drop in their utility bill...but they are really cool looking.

This was at one of our campsites. Looks really picturesque right? Well over the horizon is a windmill, over our heads are high voltage lines, a hundred meters behind us is the local sewage plant, 300 meters up stream is a hydroelectric plant, and over the river is a bridge over which trains frequented at all hours of the night, but honestly we slept like rocks that night and couldn't have cared if we were sleeping a subway.

These mountains are in the way of progress. We got over them. We are currently facing larger mountains. Hopefully we get over them tomorrow =)

That's all for now, thank you for all your comments and support. If you're new to the blog we are raising money for Living Water International. 80% of all donations go directly to them. You can either donate through the donate button or mail a check to 11 Daylily Dr., Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054. Please make the check out to Kevin Dolan (my first name) with Living Water in the memo line.

Till next time,

Nate

Responses to Previous Post (for some reason I couldn't post this as a comment)

Bruce and Dan: Thanks for the posts!! It was a joy for us to run into you guys!

Christian: Thanks for the advice, we plan to take a picture up at one of the passes that he took a picture =)

Mr. James: We've only seen road kill rattlers, though we did see one snake that we almost ran over =)
Depending on where we are the stars are beautiful, but most of the time I'm asleep by the time they really come out. We've pedaled almost 1200 miles, and traveled a little over 1400. When not riding we eat, read, and sometimes play cards =) Love you James

Mr. Wallin: Thanks for the encouragement! If you have any ideas for how to make the blog better don't hesitate to suggest!

Liz: Glad you're enjoying the ride with us! Haha nope we didn't know them previously, they were a great group to meet though. I didn't realize you were back in the states. You can have fun at Wendy's =) Though admittedly Andrew and I have made McDonalds our fast food joint of choice.

Youtube link

I forgot to thank Unlce Bill for posting some videos of the start of our trip!!

Here's the link to one of the videos, the others will be shown on the right side of the screen. To be honest the best part of the clip is Ryan's commentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hEVSZrv8Uc&sns=em

We are in Idaho!

We crossed into Idaho this Saturday and rode from Ontario OR to Mountain Home Idaho on a 130 mile bike ride through desert and farmland.  We had planned to head out of Mountain Home on Rt. 20 but Andrew's bike was in need of a surgeon so we decided against the 250 mile ride through high desert where the population of rattlesnakes outnumbered those of the human habitants. We ended up taking a ride down the interstate =) and when a contruction zone made it inadvisable to continue we jumped a fence got on some back roads, asked directions, were confidently told how to get to where we needed to go, ran into a river without a bridge and promptly hopped the fence again onto the interstate for a twilight sprint to the next town praying that a truck didn't feel the need to ride the shoulder. So we made it safely, we are now in a small town off of Rt. 30 called Kimberly. We have it on good authority that the parts Andrew needs are in the town 30 miles down the road so we're waiting for a storm to blow over than we'll ride over and if all goes well we'll be riding out of Burley Idaho ready for whatever the mountains of Wyoming have for us =)

I need to give a shout out to the youthful group of riders we met on Saturday, their energy and exuberance for life was truly an inspiration! If you're reading this keep it up! Also a big thank you to the Father of the Parish in Ontario for letting us pitch our tent on an emaculate lawn! Last but certainly not least Andrew and I would like to thank Ed and Rose from Mountain Home for their warm hospitality and generosity in serving 2 hungry bike riders!

As we've gone on in this trip I've begun to learn some things about myself. One is that I do not like sleeping in random spots along the road. Andrew's much more flexible than I am. I don't need a lot, but I really like city parks with green grass, trees and picnic benches. This difference in temperments hasn't caused any major derission other than Andrew making some remarks about my overly sensitive sensibilities, but I can deal with that as long as I have my grass. Another thing I've learned is that I truly enjoy people. We've been biking through some large empty spaces and will continue to do so. This lack of constant human interaction has allowed me to stop and consider why in almost every town we come across I have to talk to someone. I just compulsively have a conversation with whoever happens to be around. I've gotten to talk with some very interesting people, everyone from the Hungarian who is now retired to California, but still can't really speak English, to the middle aged landscaper regretting past events but still looking to the future with a smile. It's interesting to me because in New Jersey or at school I have been constantly with people and I think I've forgotten how valuable people are. How each person has dreams, aspirations, and thoughts, and how those things must be taken seriously. If they are not valued all our talk about human value is just window dressing and we are no better than the worst of hypocrites. So all that to say my time on the saddle riding through small town America has reminded me that no matter the life circumstances that someone is living in they have value because they are after all human.

Now here are some pictures =) everyone loves pictures,

This first one is our bikes all geared out, this was in front of a small library in Vale OR, beautiful little town with a fantastic bakery!! (Andrew really likes the bakeries)

This next picture represents some of the new words that Andrew and I have been learning. In this instance "Congestion" means that there is a 50/50 chance you'll see two cars passing eachother in front of the RV park around the corner.

This is a scene that Andrew and I have been riding throug the last couple days. Lot's of irrigation, contrasted with lots of desert.

Yeah, we slept in a teepee. We rock.

As always it has been a pleasure writing to you all, your comments are a great encouragement to Andrew and myself.

Riding on,

Nate

"The wise consider the possibility of failure, but only a fool dwells on it." (A well known philosopher)

* 80% of all donations go to Living Water International. To date we have raised over $1200!!!



I think I like this...

Today I'm sitting in a brightly lit, airy library in the small town of Burns Oregon. The previous 140 odd miles were pretty much void of all human life. It was really impressive how much open space there was. We spent the better part of yesterday in Lakeview and then road out in the afternoon for a solid 50 miles. We came sprinting out of a mountain pass into a huge valley surrounded by bare mountains, nothing but road and high desert for miles and miles, the sun was setting quickly behind the mountains, but thankfully some wise Oregon Transportation official saw fit to put a rest area right where we needed camp so we spent the night in the valley behind some small trees. The stars are majestic out here. Again we were worried about running out of water so we asked the good people of Oregon traveling through the rest area for water, they gladly complied and supplied us with the next days water (the rest areas water fountains were not working).

Today we road 86 miles to Burns, it's a good sized town with a nice little park that we hope to make home for the night. Unfortunately there is no bike shop, and Andrew's wheel still could use replacing so we hope to find something in Ontario, OR. Physically we are both doing great, a lot of miles on a bike will get you in shape pretty fast =)

The traffic along 395 between Lakeview and Riley is very sparse, but it has been interesting to note that with only one exception the only people to wave hello are people on motorcycles or guys in trucks, the one exception is a very flamboyant lady in an antique car. I've come up with all sorts of social theories as to why this is, but Andrew thinks they are pretty much ridiculous. Basically my theory revolves around the fact that guys in pickup trucks are more prone to expressing themselves and thus freer with their emotions. I could expand but I'll leave it at that.

Highlight for the day for me was riding alongside stampeding cattle, I felt like a cowboy for about a minute, and then the road turned away and my herd was no longer with me. Andrew's highlight was getting to the Riley gas station after 90 plus miles of pretty disolate desert.

This first picture of one of the areas we went through. The second picture is off a big honkin lake with no people = lots of real estate potential!!! and the third and final picture is my favorite for the day. We rode through this town called Wagonwheel, the gas station was all boarded up, and I'm pretty sure population was approaching zero, but they did have shade and a skull at the entrance of the motel which just made me laugh.

Hope you're enjoying reading these posts, we're enjoying the ride. We are steadily getting the hang of this touring thing, the key is to talk to the locals, and not to look at your watch =)

From out west,
Nate

* 80% of all donations go to Living Water International, for more information see earlier post.