Day 15 - Joplin to Harlem 93.8 miles

"It's like cycling on the moon, but everything is covered in wheat." - Owen Jones. That more or less summed up this morning. We imagined that we were in something akin to the Truman Show, and we were cycling along a treadmill as the scenery did not change. Faint mountains in the distance lingered static for hours as we rode towards them. The road was straight for 40 miles, with rolling hills. We were surrounded by wheat fields, barley, peas and lentils. A couple birds of prey broke the boredom.

We stopped for lunch in Havre, and ran into a tourer we had leapfrogged the other day. We rode with him for a while in the afternoon. His name was Renee (I am not 100% on the spelling), he was a German teacher on a gap year cycling alone. He was faster than us and soon pulled away. We would pass him later where he waited by the roadside to say goodbye as he was stopping early.

We rode on, with Jakes' music on to break the monotony. We dropped down along Milk River, and the scenery became marginally less boring, but emphasis on marginally. By 1830 we made the campground, free of charge outside the town hall, and with a swimming baths next door that allowed us to use their showers.

We are sat here now chatting to an inquisitive young man named Robin, 8 years old, who is local to the area and very curious about our camping stuff and how we say things differently in the UK. He also had many suggestions for road games to keep entertained.

The mosquitoes are getting overbearing so I think it is time to retreat to the bar.

Day 14 - Browning to Joplin 111.5 miles

We were eager to get away early this morning with the prospect of a predominantly downhill morning ahead of us. Last night we watched the sunset over the Rockies and today we saw them fully illuminated by the morning Sun and said our goodbyes. It feels like the end of the first stage of our journey.

We set out, cheekily tearing it through the roadworks rather than wait half an hour for an escort. A few hair raising moments with the local dogs and we were out of the town and making way quickly down Route 2. For most of the morning we were travelling around the 20mph mark and made it to lunch at Shelby already with 60 miles on the clock! En route we stopped for a cheeky drive-thru McDonalds to keep us going.

The roads today have been the straightest we have encountered, as we expected, and it has been more a challenge to combat the boredom and keep ourselves entertained. Playing games such as getting the passing lorries to sound their horns at us kept us amused, and we even got a couple of freight trains (often a mile long) and an Amtrak (their passenger trains) to give us a couple of blasts!
We also saw some osprey, antelope and bison along the road.

After lunch it became less downhill, more flat with some steep undulating stretches to keep us occupied, but still straight as an arrow. Tomorrows road goes more or less straight for 40 miles, and often you can see traffic at the far end that takes a long while to actually pass.

Still feeling strong at Chester, we pushed on a little further to Joplin and the next campsite on route. We are pitched in the Joplin town park, which is free, sheltered and has all the amenities we could need! And there is a bar two blocks down, so I will end this one here...

Day 13 - West Glacier to Browning 71.6 miles

We said our goodbyes to Jamie and Siobhan in the morning, as they had to go early to work. Kindly, Jamie let us stay to cook our breakfast after she had left, and we set out at 0820. Feeling energised with rested legs and a comfortable night indoors we ate away at the miles doing 35 miles up the pass before lunch.

At lunch we met a Scottish man going the same way, but setting out earlier than ourselves and covering upwards of 90 miles per day. We spoke for a short while, as he rushed his lunch to get on the road again. We decided it was worth covering a few less miles per day if we could sit and enjoy our food at the cafe! We ordered a second course...

The pass was gradual and not as high as Sherman, so we were feeling relatively fresh when we topped out at 1500. This pass also marked the continental divide and it was strange to have the river flowing in our direction after so long riding against the course of the rivers.

Despite being promised by a local at lunch it was "all downhill to Browning" it turned out to just sort of plateau out, and we barely lost 300ft on the pass for over 15 miles. Then we dropped fast into Browning, breaking 45mph!

Browning seems almost third world in some ways. It is in the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Dogs roam free, chasing us occasionally through the town. Roadworks made navigating difficult and we had to be escorted through the worksite by a vehicle, which was a nightmare to keep up with in the headwind. The campsite is good though, with spectacular views out to the Rockies.

Things get very flat and the roads very straight from here on out.

For now see pictures at facebook.com/RollingEagleCyclingExpedition

Day 12 - REST DAY Columbia Falls to West Glacier 18 miles

Today was another rest day for us so we enjoyed a good lie in and I tried my hand at something more ambitious than the usual porridge with raisins: pancakes with bacon and maple syrup cooked on the gas stove. It worked out better than you'd expect although the gargantuan portion defeated Jake and Owen!

We resupplied, went to the library to do some admin on their computers before setting off to West Glacier. While at the library I decided to try making a Warm Showers profile. It is a website dedicated to cycle tourers where people can offer bed/ floor/ camping spaces to passing tourers. I sent a few enquiries to a couple of people in West Glacier in the hopes of a response.

On we went and halfway to Glacier I checked and we had a reply and a place to stay for the night! We carried on through some stunning scenery, with towering peaks around, and a river valley below. In West Glacier the buildings took on a more alpine feel. It also started raining again.

We found our hosts house, on a residential community for people working for the national park. Her name is Jamie and she works in Glacier as a Park Ranger, doing talks and guiding groups in the park. We got chatting with her and Siobhan her housemate about the local area, their work and the state of Montana, as well as her very interesting and entertaining recounting of her various travels.

She treated us to a cup of tea and a curry dinner, the best way to make us Brits happy! We then ventured out as the rain subsided to eat desert by the lake. This was stunning, with the larger mountains towering up on the other side of the lake, wreathed in cloud and looming over the surrounding area. On the other side a wildfire is being battled by over 600 local firefighters.

The evening passed quickly as we spoke and enjoyed pumpkin pie with ice cream. We rode back through the forest in the dark. Tomorrow we are set for an early start. The larger pass through the mountains, Logan Pass, is closed currently due to the fire, so it looks as though we will have to take a more Southern route. We only hope the views will still be good.

Day 11 - Fortine to Columbia Falls 50 miles

None of us wanted to get out of the tent when the alarm went off in the morning, with the rain thundering down outside, so we slept in an extra half hour. After breakfast we set out on route 93, a rather busy two lane road with not much hard shoulder. The road conditions were very poor, particularly on the edges, and at a number of times we were glad for the sturdy steel frames of our Dawes Galaxy bikes. Later the traffic became very heavy and the drivers were not as switched on as they have been so far, making for a stressful morning.

It was a gradual uphill most of the day, and certainly faster going than yesterday, with more towns and settlements to look at as we passed. We leapfrogged a couple of other cycle tourers carrying a lot more kit than we are, which made us wonder what they could need with an extra three panniers
(two on the front and a large one on top of the rear rack).

We stopped for lunch at Whitefish, the first large town in 100 miles of cycling. By the riverside we had a run in with a family of ducks. They were not phased by humans at all and the ducklings were clambering over and around our feet looking for food. They would nip at us occasionally if we put our fingers too close. It was one of our more unusual and enjoyable lunch breaks!

10 miles on and we made it to Columbia falls where we are stopping for a rest day tomorrow before tackling the main pass through the Rockies on Tuesday. A barbeque and beer tonight presents a welcome change from the usual spaghetti we have been living off!

Day 10 - Libby Dam to Fortine 67.5 miles

Today was a stark contrast to the morale lows of yesterday, despite the long stretches of road with no amenities and the plentiful and steep hills.

We set out north from Libby Dam around Lake Kukanusa. The lake side road climbed up and over a many spurs and down into re-entrants where creeks would flow into the Lake. The Lake itself was actually a large reservoir. We stopped at the dam for a water resupply after using the river water last evening. This would be the only opportunity to get water before Eureka in 55 miles. The Dam reminded us of something out of Goldeneye.

We have seen a number of eagles swooping down and picking fish out of the river this morning, with perfect precision. Other than the eagles we have seen groups of deer crossing the road, seeming unbothered by us on our bikes.

The last few days I have been having a few pains in my knee from an old running injury, however I am glad to say that with a saddle adjustment and cleat adjustments on my shoes, today has been relatively painless despite being the third hilliest day so far.

We kept a steady rate through the day and the mileage crept up. A lunch on the go meant we pushed through the area of no services without trouble, reaching Eureka by 3pm.

We took the Old Tobacco Road to Fortine from Eureka making it there by 5 after a couple larger hills than we were expecting.

At Fortine we are staying at a Saloon Bar who put us up in a field on the side, next to posts where the tie the horses to. Today has been raining on and off, and the main downpour came through as we got the tent up. It makes a difference from the heat of the last week; It barely crept above 20C today. We are getting well into the mountains now.

At the Saloon, with Elvis and various Country and Western tracks playing in the background, we have been sat speaking to the regulars, one of which we had a run in with on the way into town, where he hailed us from his Jeep. One local, Roy Don Maile, a US Marine for 30 years and 3 months leaving as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. He spoke of his time in a foxhole in Guantanamo during the time of Castro, as well as Vietnam, Okinawa and Tunisia. He offered us a warm shower but we are pushing on tomorrow towards West Glacier.

Day 9 - Heron to Libby Dam 76.3 miles

Yesterday we rode in three states, Washington, Idaho and Montana, and two time zones. The jump forward an hour between Idaho and Montana hit us this morning, and we didn't get away until 0940.

We set out up route 56 through a stunning valley system, very alpine and craggy. We are truly out in the sticks now, passing areas named "Wilderness" with high towering peaks and dense evergreen forest. Yesterday the high screes falling into the lake below was reminiscent of the Wasdale screes, and there are some towns here with Cumbrian names.

People have been fantastic so far, but we had our first unpleasant run in today, with someone launching a full litre bottle from a car window in our direction. Luckily he couldn't aim. A little riled, the scenery soon calmed us back down.

It was 50 miles to the next town, Libby, and the eatery in between us and there where we planned to pick up lunch was not open until 2pm, so we had to push on. We wound up the valleys past rivers and lakes to reach Libby by 2:30pm very much in need of a good meal. A local diner would suffice.

We had a 2/3lb double stacked burger each, which we struggled to finish. We also tried a local
'home comfort food" according to the waitress, called biscuits and gravy. Expecting a soggy plate of digestives with  Bisto, we were pleasantly surprised with the real thing, a sort of bready dumpling with a thick sauce.

We stocked up on food as the next 70 miles have no services. From here we followed route 37 out to Libby Dam, taking a 40 minute detour up Fraser River when we took a wrong turn at the bridge. We were tiring by this point and back on track we pulled in at the next campground, a national recreation area with no water/ amenities, but with good access to the river. We got the tent up, took a dip in the river which according to a local was around 50 degrees F, whatever that means. Still full from the burgers, we are having a quick brew by the river, with some music. We plan to take advantage of our remote location and see the stars tonight.

Day 8 - Newport to Heron 76 miles

We packed up early in the morning and watched the local squirrel/ chipmunks dropping pinecones on our camp, thudding in the dirt sending up little plumes of dust. It was a dirty and expensive campsite, and the host was not very welcoming on our arrival. Old American Kampground it was called. Not cyclist friendly.

We had to wait until 9 for the post office to open to collect our maps for the rest of the journey. To kill time we visited the local gun store which boasted a large number of semi-automatic assault rifles and shotguns as well as pistols of all calibres. Although rather worryingly had a smaller selection of ammunition that the Walmart we passed through in Colville earlier!

Once we collected the maps we set out through Newport to Highway 2, leaving route 20 behind along with the State of Washington! We attracted a fair bit of attention all day today with a few people asking us as we cycled past where we were headed/ from. All friendly people so far on this trip.

Today was up and down all day following a large river the Pend Orielle then around the Lake Pend Orielle and up the Cabinet Gorge Reservoir. We lunched just after Sandpoint, where Jake and Owen experienced their first Taco Bell, a kind of Mexican McDonalds.

Along the gorge we saw what looked like a bald eagle swooping over the road, reminding us of what a special place we were in.

On the way towards the campsite a kind man who passed us stopped ahead to tell us where the best campsites in the area were, which struck us as being very considerate of him.

This campsite was a world away from the dusty, dirty one of the night previous. With a secluded campsite area, a fire pit with complimentary wood, full amenities and at only $5 each it has been fantastic. The host of the site was warm and friendly too, offering us fresh towels as well! (I have been using a small hand towel. What a luxury a full sized bath towel has been!)

We are sat around the camp fire now, with Jake looking at the Montana state map of the route ahead and Owen filling in his journal. A few big climbs tomorrow.

Day 7 - Colville to Newport 84 miles

We opted for an early start today to beat the heat, knowing it was straight up a pass from Colville in the morning. This worked and with plenty of trees for shade, cooler temperatures around 30C and a shallower gradient made for an enjoyable morning. We made the top of the pass by midday and the next town soon after after a short, sharp and winding descent.

The store at Tiger was closed so lunch would have to wait, so we cracked on up the Pend Orielle River still along Route 20.  A constant headwind ate into our reserves and it was a welcome break when we reached a campground with a shop around 2pm to buy a quick lunch.

To combat the headwind we rotated through taking turns at the front and this was the first time we noticed the effects of this. It was remarkably easier in the middle or back.

We grinded on and made Newport on schedule at 6pm, passing a materials manufacturing plant that had apparently exploded the previous day! Plenty of fire engines around the site.

Day 6 - REST DAY Kettle Falls to Colville 8 miles

Today we set off from the city park in Kettle Falls early to ride to Colville, the next town on our route, before the heat kicked it. We stopped on the way at our first large Walmart we have seen on the trip. This was an experience in itself. A shop where you can buy your grocery shop alongside NATO 7.62 calibre rounds off the shelf. And literally everything in between!

We looked around then left with our food for the next few days. We also tried our first pumpkin pie, which I have always associated with America in my mind.

On to the campsite in the local fairgrounds/ showground we set up the tent and ventured to town in search of a launderette and a post office where I sent home a few garments that were not holding up to the heat.

When we got back we had a conversation with the campsite hosts and a local intern, Earl' who is staying at the site. We had a long and interesting chat with Earl who then accompanied us to a local bar and grill with some fantastic burgers at good value too. After a beer and burger we left and returned to the camp. We are now sat on the benches at the showground watching locals training on their horses, enjoying a hot brew.

One more pass tomorrow but not so large. We are also picking up some more detailed maps in Newport if we get that far.

Day 5 - Republic to Kettle Falls 40 miles

Having forgotten to buy breakfast on the way to Republic, this morning we stopped for breakfast at a local cafe/ diner at a service station. A cooked breakfast was a pleasant change of pace from the usual porridge. We knew we were only aiming to get over the next pass today, so with just 40 miles to ride to the next town, we took our time at breakfast. We set off just after 10am.

It was a steep and consistent gradient all the way up the pass but with cloud cover, trees for shade and better mental preparation following the last 4 passes we reached the top sooner than we expected at around 2pm. This was the highest pass and our highest point in our journey so far.

From here on it was predominantly downhill to Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, with a few ups that took us by surprise. The sun came out with a vengeance also. The temperature soared to 42C. After crossing the bridge over the lake we were surprised to find the town was not on the lake but in fact up a large hill to the East. In the heat this sapped at our reserves.

Once in town we asked at a local information office about local groceries and camping. They kindly called up the town hall and gained us permission to camp in the city park, with all the usual amenities nearby that we would look for at a camp site.

An easy afternoon, a dinner of hotdogs with chilli and a rest day tomorrow has all of us in higher spirits.

For pictures visit facebook.com/RollingEagleCyclingExpedition

Day 4 - Omak to Republic 67.4 miles

We set off from the Rodeo ground this morning, passing the hill where, similar to the Gloucester chees rolling, they ride horses down the steep sandy bank into the river once per year. Apparently this year saw the 32nd horse die at this event! We set out on easy rolling hills while the temperature soared. 33C when we set off it was pushing 40 by the time we reached Tonasket for lunch. We had one stop as a small beetle made its way into my Jersey and decided I would make a nice breakfast. Feeling like a wasp stinging me I threw the Jersey off and found the culprit! I still don't know what it was though.

We had a quick Subway lunch saving half for later and set out on the Wacounda Pass at 20 past 12. We checked the temperature gauges on our computers which were left out in the sun for 20 minutes and they read 56C. When we had ridden for a while that dropped to 45C and stayed that high for the remainder of the climb. Theyre was very little shade and we were putting away a bottle of water per half hour at one stage.

Water was the main problem today and it became a serious concern as we got around 3/4 of the way up the pass. At one stage there was a water sprinkler on an agricultural field which was half spraying the road. I almost pulled a wheelie on my loaded tourer rushing to get under the spray and cool off! Later we had to ask a friendly local lady for water to top up as we ran low. We also soaked our jerseys which gave precious relief for a good hour.

Some clouds came over giving shade ant the thermostat dropped to a "cool" 33C as we approached the top of the pass. From here it was a rapid descent to Republic with some interesting historical information boards lining the way describing the areas history as a gold miners hub with a number of "eureka" towns dotted around.

We passed through Republic, a real miners town with a more genuine feel than Winthrop. We stopped at their brewery and filled our bottles with beer rather than water. At $4.50 per litre it was incredibly value, and is going down nicely!

We also met the old manager for REM Bob Whittaker once we made camp! The water at the site was switched off due to power cuts as they repair pylons damaged in the fires, the aftermath of which we cycled through the day previous. He kindly offered us his water from his truck, and we exchanged details. He made a good point that the historical information we passed starts after the colonisation of the area and the dealings with the local tribes. He was busy petitioning for funding to add information of the history before the gold rush, "warts and all" as he said.

Dinner is ready and beer beckons so that is all for now. Sherman Pass tomorrow, the largest yet, so perhaps an early start to avoid the heat. Still having issues uploading photos so check out facebook.com/RollingEagleCyclingExpedition

Day 3 - Lone Fir to Omak via Loup Loup Pass 70 miles

Today we enjoyed a long downhill cruise from the campsite to Twisp, passing through Winthrop which was styled like an old Western town, with saloon bars and restaurants lining the main street. The town was busy with a blues and rhythm festival happening over the weekend up the road. The views were spectacular and breathtaking while the terrain became akin to the Mediterranean. We could have been cycling through Spain for much of the day.

In Twisp we stopped for lunch and a resupply, where we met a couple who had clocked our touring bikes parked up outside. Hob (short for Hiking or Biking - his nick name) and Deb were a couple who have ridden all over the US on their famous tandem bicycle "Old 22", the first bike of its kind to cross West of the Mississippi if I remember correctly. They proved a wealth of knowledge and experience giving us tips and advice for the tour including a handy canal route through the Appalachians towards New York! They also let us look at some of their more detailed maps which helped knowing what was ahead for the rest of the day. If you are reading this Hob and Deb, we wish you the best of luck on your trip!

After leaving Twisp we were straight into the long and steep ascent of Loup Loup Pass, our third mountain pass so far. This was slow and very hot going. We had to stop regularly in shaded spots to hydrate as the temperature reached 40C on the computers. We even took a break to dip our jerseys in a stream which saved us from the brunt of the head for a good hour or so as the water evaporated from us. Most of the trees lining the road had recently burned in a vast fire meaning while they did they the wind through there was very limited shade. We topped out on the pass at 5pm.

From then on, apart from a short steep ascent section ascent section it was down all the way to Omak where we found a campsite at a large Rodeo stadium. The views again were fantastic as we entered a vast open valley running North-South. Here we had a quick conversation with a couple from just over the Canadian border on a week long touring break from their work as straw housing construction specialists. Ashley and Heather kindly offered us a beer and we chatted while it got dark about each others various travels before going to bed. Tomorrow takes us over another pass, so I should be getting to bed!

Rich
Hob and Deb Old 22

Ashleigh and Heather straw housing

Day 2 - Rockport to Lone Fir via Washington Pass 70.8 miles

Today we aimed to be off by 8am however due to my inner tube puncture reoccurring and some other maintenance issues we were delayed until just after 9. My tyre went flat within half an hour again meaning we had to stop again to fix it. We found a small sliver of metal about 1cm long stuck in the tyre and once removed we had no further dramas for the rest of the day.

We knew today would be a long slog up into the mountains but we didn't appreciate just how long and steep the roads would be. With the panniers dragging us down it was slow going and hard on the legs. The scenery took our minds off it and when the trees closed in we had some music playing to push us through.

We resupplied at a few supermarkets and gas stations en route. Once we began the ascent into the passes proper we were out in the sticks. For water we found a waterfall of snow melt to fill our bottles, which was a test of endurance in itself standing under the full flow of the fall holding our bottles above us trying to catch a stream off the rocks!

We met a few interesting and very nice people today. Travelling as a group on the same route was a group of recent retirees, Roger, Susan, West and Ed Delano. We leap frogged each other for a few miles before stopping at a view point where we took photos and said our goodbyes before setting off ahead. Ed did however overtake us later on his bike with the aid of his electric motor. He was an 84 year old WWII veteran with 35 years of service in the reserves. He had cycles across America 6 times already! We passed him for the final time as he scouted his group a campsite and waved our goodbyes.

The hill carried on unrelentingly all afternoon, perhaps 7 hours of steep ascending in all. My legs feel as if I have just run an ultramarathon. First we topped Rainy Pass, before a quick descent to the start of the climb onto Washington pass. I had a close call with a rut on the side of the

road which caught my wheel and threatened to send me off, but I managed to keep control. Morale sank somewhat on the final ascent onto Washington Pass which was steeper than any yet. With the wide American roads it doesn't seem steep until you look behind. When the road levels out slightly it feels as if we are going downhill when we are actually still climbing quite steeply. This sometimes resulted in a few premature gear changes.

Finally at the top of Washington Pass we did a quick video, donned a warm layer and descended to the campsite. There were no campgrounds on the ascent of the pass meaning we were in it for the long haul, and didn't make camp until 8:30pm. It was full. Luckily a lovely lady called Ester offered us a pitch by her trailer which we hastily accepted, very gratefully.

Rich

Day 1 Anacortes to Rockport 58.2 miles

Our first day turned out to be quicker going than anticipated, despite a number of stop starts fixing issues on the bikes left over from transit. The baggage handlers were not merciful, and I had a broken guard for my gear system and Owen was left with a damaged chain which snapped on the first steep hill we encountered. A few quick repairs and we were off again though.\

We took the Bellair Airporter Shuttle from SeaTac to Annacortes early in the morning. The bikes had to be boxed for this according to their policy, so when we arrived at the Anacortes ferry terminal we set about reassembling the bikes. This is when I discovered the broken guard. We gifted our grip bags to a couple of people who came over to chat while we were working before setting out.

The next thing was the obligatory dipping of the wheels in the Pacific. This we achieved soon out of the ferry terminal. By this point it was 2pm and we stopped for lunch at a small market/ cafe where we had the pleasure to chat to a very tall man called Tom who was curious as to our jerseys. It turned out Tom ex US Navy. After a quick chat and exchanging some details of our trip we ventured back out into the sun.

 

Our route takes us on Highway Route 20 known as the North Cascades Highway which crosses the mountain range over a series of passes. It started of very busy, and remained so until after passing Interstate 5 back to Seattle. Then it became quieter the further into the Cascades we went. Despite the busy traffic, we felt relatively safe on its very wide hard shoulder, much more room than we would get back in the UK. Although a dust devil did have a good go at whisking us into the traffic at one stage with its crosswinds swinging us right, off the road, then left hard into the speeding lorries. 

Things calmed down and we cruised into the Cascades with tall hills all around. Large pine forest lined the highway and the Skagit River weaved in and out from the road. Soon we were in Concrete with its large grain silos and looking for a place to camp. We asked some locals and were directed to Rockport, a further 8 miles on. These 8 miles would see Owens chain break a second time, me receive a puncture and Jake's mudguard come loose! But we eventually made it to camp with enough light for a quick brew and dinner of spaghetti before bed.

We covered 58 miles today in all, and are set to clear the first big mountain pass tomorrow!

PS - I am having some issues uploading pictures on my tablet, but i am working on it! For now you can see them at www.facebook.com/RollingEagleCyclingExpedition

Training Ride 2

Day 1 Plymouth to Tiverton

Our second training ride saw the three of us set off from Plymouth north up cycle route 27, along an old railway line up the Plym Valley. We passed through Yelverton after 10 miles feeling fresh and enjoyed a rapid 30 mph+ descent along the main road to Tavistock. After climbing slowly back up into Tavistock we paused briefly to take in the World Heritage Site and more entertainingly watch Owen prove the reason that touring bikes have not taken off in the skate park scene. Skate park 1, Owen 0.

On leaving Tavistock we had a minor navigational error which we swiftly remedied and were back on track towards Okehampton. It was at this point that cycle route 27 took on a different character, turning more into a mountain bike trail than the road we were expecting. Plunging down steep banks, along narrow trails between fance and hedgerow, through fields, we put our Dawes Galaxy's through their paces. Thankfully they held up perfectly. This would occur again later when confronted by the option to take the "Summer Route" which as we found out takes you across the Moor towards the Willsworthy ranges over more rough trail and a ford. On a road bike and considering the Devon Coast to Coast cycle? Take the Winter Route.

We had a quick fish and chips in Okehampton and made our way out towards Tiverton. Typically, it was raining in Okehampton. Along the undulating Devon hills we cycled, following the main road, when a small van pulled up in front of us. A man rolled down his window with a concerned look on his face. He warned of a wasp nest spread out across the road ahead and that we should be cautious. Anyone who knows me knows that wasps and I do not mix, and this had me looking for alternative routes to cover the final 10 miles into Tiverton. We set off along smaller country lanes and the Devon hills came at us with a greater vengeance than any nest of angry wasps. 10 miles later we rolled jelly legged into Tiverton.

After a quick stop to ask for directions to a campsite, we found ourselves cycling along the Great Western Canal. We pitched up half way between Tiverton and Taunton in a campsite typically reserved for permanent static caravan homes. Most plots had a caravan home which had been converted superficially into grand looking mini homes with pillars, marble steps and manicured gardens.

Day 2 Tiverton to Bristol

This day was characterised by canals, flood plains and railway lines. Overall quite a flat day. We made our way along the Great Western Canal to Bridgewater which was peaceful and easy on the legs after Devon the day before. We then had a couple of small hills before descending into the Somerset Levels.

Having seen this area in the news during recent flooding, it soon became obvious how the levels must be prone to flood. Totally flat and crossed with irrigation ditches throughout, it felt like a different country to where we had been cycling before. After an hour we ascended into the Mendip Hills and found a nice level disused railway line to carry us through (Strawberry Line). We had a minor accident involving Jake and Owen resulting in Jakes rear mudguard breaking (again - the first being myself who rode into his rear). After this we grew weary and looked for a place to camp around 10 miles shy of the bridge crossing into Wales over the Severn.

Day 3 Bristol to Llantwit Major

The next morning we started through the fields of cars readied for export. Row upon row of Toyota Hilux pickup trucks. We crossed the Avon and made our way to the M42 Severn Crossing. This was exposed and cold so we stopped for a quick photo however did not linger. On the other side we ascended our first hill in Wales. By this stage my knees were complaining having still been recovering from an ill fated Plymouth to Exeter running attempt which injured my right knee after 16 miles. For the rest of the day I would be bringing up the rear up the hills as I made sure not to put pressure on my knee. I hoped that by taking it easy we could continue the ride and my knee would recover on the go.

Next stop was Newport, where we crossed the old transported bridge, much to Owens entertainment being a mechanical engineer. We rode through to Cardiff and soon we entered the Vale of Glamorgan, Owens home county. A home cooked dinner beckoned and we pushed on to Owen's home in Llantwit Major.

Day 4 Llantwit Major to Newport

We spent the morning exploring the coast of Llantwit Major with Owen and the old church in the village. That afternoon Owen had to depart back to university in Exeter, so Jake and I continued on ourselves, Jake opting to carry the cook set. We had an easy ride into Cardiff. Then things became interesting. Without the local knowledge of Owen on our side Jake and I soon became lost in the urban centre of Cardiff. At one stage we found ourselves riding for our lives through the dual carriage way underpass with traffic screaming past us, our ears deafened by the echoing roar of engines in the tunnel. We made it out and hopped back over to the cycle path.

On finding our way out we assisted a disorientated woman who had just been discharged from hospital find her way back home, before riding through some of the more deprived neighbourhoods of Cardiff. These soon turned to rural agricultural land and we decided to find a campsite to spend the night just shy of Newport.

Day 5 Newport to Ross-on-Wye

Heading from Newport to Abergavenney we found a canal which from previous experience we expected to be flat. How wrong we were. An incessant succession of lock gates brought the canal higher and higher into Wales towards Abergavenney. Many short and very steep ascents which don't lend themselves well to loaded touring bikes. From Abergavenney we ascended some very large, long, winding hills out of Wales and into Herefordshire. Jake encountered a member of staff from his old school in a small village nestled between two hills, and we stopped for a quick snack before pushing on in search of lunch. We found a pub and stopped to eat. The temperature was rising by this point and the hills were wearing on us. It was not far into Jake's family home though and we pushed on, stopping in Ross-on-Wye to collect the all important post ride pints.

Day 6 Ross-on-Wye to Taunton (our first century)

We set off down the Wye Valley in the morning, which for a descending river valley had an awful lot of up hill. We passed the Tintern Abbey ruin which I wasn't expecting and made for a nice treat and distraction. We carried on down (though still it was mostly up) the valley until a short and very steep descent to the M42 bridge back over the Severn. We hit our rhythm here and, feeling good, we steadily pushed on through the car fields, and up to the Strawberry Line through the Mendips. We stopped for a Subway shortly prior, and I spilled 5 pounds worth of nuts, raisins and snackage over a petrol station forecourt, resulting in a minor sense of humour failure much to the amusement of a passing family.

Still feeling strong and riding steady, we ate up the miles through the Mendips and the Somerset Levels. In Bridgewater we stopped for lunch and at over 90 miles in we evaluated our options. With only 12 miles to Taunton to go, and the prospect of riding our first 100 mile day, we pushed on. We picked up the pace to beat the weather and made Taunton in quick time. Our bikes looked like they had ridden 100 dusty miles and us more so, but we felt great with the prospect of a curry dinner waiting for us back in Plymouth!

What are we taking?

One question we have continually asked ourselves throughout training has been "how much stuff do we really need?"

We all have the mentality that less is more in many respects with an undertaking such as this. Every extra kilo is an extra kilo we have to haul up and over the Cascades and across 4000 miles of US highway. Equally, we are going to be travelling for 2 months and want something other than lycra shorts and jerseys to wear when we encounter civilisation, lest people think we are "weird". So a balance then; As light as possible but with enough comfort to get by in a family friendly manner.

The only way to work out what we needed and what was just dead weight was to get out on the bikes with the full kit and try it out. We did 2 training mini-tours to experiment and got quite slick with our drills by the end of the second tour.

So what kit have we taken? Below I have written a list of all the kit we have each (personally) and the group kit split between us. Add to it food and consumables when we get going and it should be pretty comprehensive. Split between us this worked out around 35 kg each (bikes and all) when weighed at the airport (I am writing this while en-route to Seattle!).

I may make edits to this in future to reflect what we didn't need in the end, or what we add as we go (less likely).

Personal kit:

Dawes Galaxy Plus touring bicycle
Altura rear panniers x2
Altura handlebar bag
Altura under saddle bag
Bike Shed water bottles x2
Cycle jerseys x2
Cycle shorts x2
Training jacket
Windproof
Packable waterproof smock
Cycle gloves
Compression sleeve (for my arm - it reduces the pain following an old injury)
Socks x4
Underwear x3
Helmet
Sunglasses
Tshirts x3
Walking trousers
Shorts
Campsite shoes/ flip-flops
Cycle shoes (SPD cleats)
Softshell jacket
Cap
Warm hat
Extra pair liner gloves
Sleeping bag
Roll mat
Dry bags (I have 7 - I like things organised into different bags)
Wash kit
Towel
Buff
Mug
Plate
Bowl
Spoon
Daysack
Spare inner tubes (at least 1 each)
Spare spokes (2 each)
Sun cream
Insect repellant
Foot powder
Leatherman
Bungees
Action camera
Phone + charger
Tablet (for updating this blog)
Speakers (for music as we go)
Notepad
Head torch
Batteries
Documentation

Group Kit:

Aluminium pot set (3 pots, 1 fry pan, 1 kettle)
Wild Country Hoolie 3 ETC 3 man tent (split between Jake and I; Owen gets the cook set)
2 gas camping stoves
Brew kit
Cooking utensils
Sponge for washing up
First Aid kit
Emergency blanket
Knee and ankle supports
Vaseline
Portable battery charger
Multi-socket adapter plug
and the Union Jack (of course!)

Rich