Sunday, May 20, 2007
In the beginning, there were two.
So, we're (Joanna and I, Ben) are planning a cross-country (USA) bike trip for summer 07. Our flight to San Fran leaves early Wensday morning the 23rd of May. We will then be biking north to Oregon and all the way back to the east coast. We're planning on camping most nights and sightseeing the entire way. California coast, redwood forest, Yellowstone...the route's semi-flexible, but expect to see some of the country's best sights! We will both be riding the Trek 520, a bike designed for long distance touring. We will try to post updates on our progress and photographs here as often as possible.
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42 comments:
good luck and have a great and safe trip
good luck you two!!! :]]]
Just talked to Ben. They are doing great. Ben beat his speed record today going over 50 mph. They are currently around Bodega Bay, CA. He did complain about it being a lot colder than he thought as mid-40s at night, but also have the coastal winds so actually colder. There are a lot of hills to ride up, but he said the people have been friendly! Ben, we love you - have a great trip - stay smart and safe!! Miss you lots!
Hey Ben,
Hope all is well on the road. Just got back from vacation in Canyonlands and Arches. If you have half as much fun as we did hiking it'll be great riding!
Keep posting, and good luck!
Dave
Ben called and they are around Manchester State Beach Park headed for Fort Bragg. Yesterday they went through small towns like Stillwater Cove and Fort Russ. Temps are high 60s during the day and mid-40s at night. They have met a lot of nice people like the good samaritan that stopped when Joanna's bike seat clamp broke. He actually ended up giving them a new clamp which once installed was better than new. At one of the small towns they stopped and talked to an older lady, who once she found out what they were trying to accomplish, ended up giving them $20. The countryside is beautiful with the beaches and dunes as well as all the farmland and redwoods. Ben did comment though that it wasn't at all like the "Baywatch" scene he was expecting. Sorry Ben you don't get to see all the bikini beauties! Remember we love you and miss you lots. God Speed! Be safe and ride smart! Love you!
Good luck!! This trip sounds like a great way to see the country and meet some really great people. Can't wait to see the pictures of the trip when you get home. Will keep you both in my thoughts and prayers for a safe trip.
This is awsome, great job guys. Im looking todo this next year. Keep posting
I did a very similar bike ride across the country. My brother and I started in Grand Rapids, MI and rode west. We went through Yellowstone and up to Missoula, MT. We hit the west coast Florence, OR and went south through California and started going east again near Arcata, CA. It was the time of our lives and we finished in 77 days.
Talked to Ben on Sat. They have passed through the Avenue of the Giants. "This world-famous scenic drive is a 31-mile portion of old Highway 101, which parallels Freeway 101 with its 51,222 acres of redwood groves. It is by far the most outstanding display of these giant trees in the entire 500 mile redwood belt and is accessible to all with convenient services provided along the way. The Avenue of the Giants is surrounded by Humboldt Redwoods State Park which has the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world." Ben said the passed the tallest redwood in the world. The previous tallest redwood was there, but had fallen over. They were camping out that night outside of Leggett.
On Sunday Ben called and said they had gone through Leggett and staying outside McKinleyville at Clam Beach County Park. Weather was good and they rode about 60 miles. Headed towards Crescent City and Oregon (about 2 days out). Didn't call Monday, but found out they rode through heavy rain; so they ended up staying at a youth hostel where they were able to shower! Last night they had gone another 60 miles or so and had reached Oregon. Staying at Harris Beach State Park outside of Brookings. Ben was excited to be able to shower again. Temperatures had cooled off some and were around 55 during the day and 40 at night. Expected to reach the TransAmerica Trail in under two days. Hoorah - means they are headed in the right direction ...TOWARDS HOME!!!!
Ben called and they rode about 86 miles yesterday going over Oregon's tallest bridge (over 350 ft high). They reached Bandon (population 2900 or so). "Call it Bandon, or call it Bandon-by-the-Sea. This seacoast town will delight you with its charm, its scenic beauty, its rich opportunities for recreation and relaxation, and its warmth shown you by its people. Located on the Southern Oregon Coast at the mouth of the Coquille River, Bandon Oregon is 90 miles north of the California border, about a 90 minute drive to Interstate 5 at Roseburg, five hours by car from Portland and about nine hours from San Francisco." They stayed at the Bullards Beach State Park. "Bullards Beach is a large, family-oriented park located just two miles north of Bandon. The campground is nestled among shore pines and well protected from the strong ocean breezes. The historic Coquille River Lighthouse is located at the end of the beach access road in the park. And there's more nearby. Across the river is Bandon by the Sea. Visit a variety of shops, galleries, and restaurants in the town that is called "The Cranberry Capitol of the World," as well as the "The Storm Watching Capitol of the World." Learn the legend of Face Rock and access miles of shoreline at our day-use state parks on Beach Loop Drive." Ben said the heavy rain had subsided, but temps were only in the 50s (cold). Joanna did have problems with one of her tire innertubes which needed to be replaced. Ben sounded a bit tired, but they both are still enthusiastic.
They rode another 60+ miles and ended up outside of Reedsport, OR at the Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area. "Miles of sand dunes provide a delightful way to play the day away. Slide down mountains of sand with bare feet and land right in the Pacific Ocean. In designated places, you can ride and jump off-road vehicles over the huge hills of sand. With beaches to walk, campfires to build, animal life to watch and pictures to capture, the memories are sure to last a long time. Enjoy romantic sunsets over the dunes and waters."
Hey guys,
Sorry I have not been able to write to the blog in so long. Me and Joanna are doing well. We decided to take a lay over day right outside of Florence Oregon. It is right before we are making the “big turn,” from going north up the coast to going east back home. There is almost always a rather strong head wind going up the coast which has made things tough but I know me and Joanna are much strong now and ready for the country. The Cali coast was absolutely beautiful and rather hilly. Just south of Florence are the Oregon Sand dunes. These are absolutely gorgeous couple hundred feet tall dunes that form right along the ocean. They are rather mystical and I can not believe that I had never heard of this place before we got here. We are working on a way to post pictures but so far all the libraries computers have been unable to do so. We have also expanded our camp cooking abilities adventuring into burritos, fajitas and others. Have fun guys.
Glad to hear you two are doing so great. Altough you know answers your brother's phone call every once and a while would be nice.
LOL
Keep up the great and keep being safe
And work on the grammer
Friday night after laying over outside of Florence, OR, they stayed at "JESSIE M. HONEYMAN MEMORIAL STATE PARK. This park is situated half way up the Oregon coast and three miles south of Florence on scenic Highway 101 and is the second largest overnight camp in the state. There are two miles of sand dunes between the park and the ocean. Two natural freshwater lakes are within the park. Cleawox -- which is great for swimming -- and Woahink, which has a public boat ramp, is used for all water sports." It rained all day Saturday; so when Ben called last night he said everything was WET including the sleeping bags. Unfortunately, there was very little cell reception; so we didn't talk but a minute. They stayed at Richardson Park at the Fern Ridge Reservoir outside of Eugene. Looks like today they should be starting on the TransAmerica trail towards HOME! Sounds like they are having a great time! Keep up the phone calls and MISS you lots!
Ben called and they have started the trek towards home. Hoorah!Camped out somewhere near Walterville, OR last night. Everything is still a bit damp from the heavy rain a couple days ago. Cell reception in and out; so didn't get to talk much. Joanna's bike rack broke; so they had to get that fixed yesterday. They did manage to travel about 80 miles though. Enjoy and be safe!
Hey guys,
We climbed up McKenzie pass yesterday and boy is that a long way up. The highest elevation was 5,324 feet. And considering that we started from the ocean two days before that is all on us. Getting over it did give us a boost of confidence, as this will be one of our (not the biggest) single day climbs that we will be doing. All in all it was not that bad except for the cold. We got to see the lava fields, Mt. Washington and the sister (a couple really big old volcanoes). You would think that losing a couple thousand feet of elevation would be fun, but the bitter cold kinda took that away. It is also strange how this side of the mountain range is so different from the side near the ocean. It is a lot drier and arid. There is very sandy loose soil and not nearly the dense forest that were one the other side of the mountain.
We are in Remond Oregon right now with freshly washed laundry, (to bad I am not as clean) and we are getting ready for the 30 more miles to our camp site tonight. The sleeping bags have finally dried so I am looking forward to a warm nights rest. Tomorrow we are looking at 2 couple thousand foot climbs which we are gearing ourselves up for. Oh well, got to get going because we are already going to get into camp super late tonight.
Sounds like you are both doing really great. Miss you. Stay stong and positive you can do anything you set your mind to. Keep safe will be checking back to see how your doing and where you are. Hopefully you will find someone that can upload your pictures so we can see where you have been. love you Nancy
Ben,
Wish I were there right beside you, in my car that is! Sounds like you are having a good time and seeing some beautiful sights. Stay safe and we will see you when you get home. Love ya!
Hey Ben
This brings back memories of being in college and cycling all over Wisconsin. Hope you continue to have a really great safe time.
Love
Aunt Mary
Hey Ben, Now i can see why you would miss your cousins wedding for a trip like this! It sounds amazing! i'm so jealous!!! Derek, Alexys, and I are thinking of you! Hope you have a great trip! Stay safe, and we can't wait to see pictures!
Sorry for the delay in posting snipits from Ben's calls, but he usually calls about 2am our time; so I am half asleep and haven't been writing down notes on all the little stories, etc. After leaving Redmond, OR about 10 days ago, they traveled about 600 miles and also taken a couple days off; so they are averaging 70-80 miles a day. They went through Baker City, OR and onto Cambridge, Idaho. They stayed in Cambridge overnight in their "city park". " Cambridge is a small farming, ranching, and logging community situated in a sheltered valley approximately 100 miles northwest of Boise... The population of Cambridge, according to the 2000 census, is around 360 inside the city limits. The elevation of Cambridge is 2,650 feet above sea level with the surrounding mountains reaching elevations around 8000 feet, plummeting to around 1500 feet in Hells Canyon." They decided to eat breakfast in town before leaving because of a sign stating, "Best Biscuits and Sausage Gravy" and we know how Ben loves that! Ben called that afternoon and said they had gone thru New Meadows and Pinehurst and on their way to Riggins Rodeo to spend the night as one of the guys told them they could stay on the rodeo grounds. I found out last night though that they ended up going extra miles to White Bird. They met a guy who invited them to share his campsite on Salmon River as well as invited them to go whitewater rafting. Ben said he had a BLAST. He also drove a Manual transmission truck for the first time. The guy took them about 14 mi up river in his truck to go whitewater rafting going over some rapids. Afterwards, he gave Ben his truck keys and Ben rode his bike back to where the truck was parked and drove it down to the campsite. There were also hot springs which were just like a hot tub Ben commented. Yesterday there was a huge storm that was over quickly, but at least it was cooler afterwards as it had gotten to be 95 before the storm. They stayed somewhere aroung Grangeville. Today they had a 3300 ft climb and were headed towards Powell and ultimately Missoula, Montana. Sent off a care package today to General Delivery at a town along the way. They especially needed spices for cooking as they cook most of their meals; so I packed a lot of little things in one of those flat rate boxes. Hope he likes the little surprises from home! Ben did send home some lava rocks, fossels, and a scan disk filled with hundreds of pictures. Once I figure out how to upload them, I'll put some one the blog! Once again - sorry to all of you who have checked the blog expecting updates and didn't find them. I'll be more diligent and probably will put a notepad by the bed as it gets hard remembering all he tells me when I am half asleep at 2am. Ben - we love you!
OH..... forgot to tell you all about the snakes along the way. I guess there have been numerous snakes, but mostly when they come across them the snakes have been run over and dead. Well, Ben had three unnerving snake stories! First, about four days ago, while cycling about 30 mph, Ben heard a HISS and out of the corner of his eye he saw a rattlesnake strike the back tire of his bike! So he now rides not so close to the edge of the road. That same day, from a distance Ben sees another snake in the middle of the road and since the snake wasn't moving Ben thought it probably had been run over by a car. Joanna is drafting Ben at this point. All of a sudden the snake moves, and Ben hits the brakes (remembering the rattlesnake from earlier in the day). Unfortunately, this caused Joanna to plow into him. That night he ended up having to replace his tube in the tire. Lastly, while coming back from the whitewater rafting, the three of them are walking along and the guy tells Ben to watch out for the snake - too late - the 3-4 ft long moves and Ben jumps "sky high". That gave them all a good laugh!
On a better note, Ben mentioned he also saw a buck with the largest rack Ben had ever seen (thought it was a 12 or 14 point buck)! Well, it is almost 2am; so "bye".
They stayed in Powell, Idaho Friday night and decided to skip Missoula, Montana as the trail took them 26 miles out of their way. Yesterday they had a big climb, temp reached mid 80s, and are now at Hamilton, MT, elevation 3572 feet. "Hamilton sits in the heart of the Bitterroot Valley near the Idaho border. Because of its location between the Bitterroot Range and the Sapphire Mountains, the climate in this corner of the state is more moderate than the rest of Montana and the beautiful town is characterized by hundreds of small farms, ranches and orchards." They saw a couple different deer, one was the white tail and the other was one that hopped vs running. Not sure if that was a mule deer or antelope which are also in the area. Also noteworthy is that they saw Golden Eagles flying around the mountains when they were in Idaho. Getting here they also came across a trailer truck rig that had managed to tip over on its side. Unfortunately, the diesel fuel was running into the river that had a lot of salmon. The locals didn't seem to be to concerned about the fuel spill. Ben said they had called in a special wrecker, but it had already been over 4 hrs and they were still waiting. Unfortunately, there was also an incident. One of the local law enforcers had hiked up the side of the hill to get a better picture of the accident when he stepped into a nest of rattlesnakes and got bit a few times. Ben said he thought the man was ok, but that he was rushed into town for medical treatment. Speaking of that, I also just found out that Joanna got injured right after they went whitewater rafting a few days ago. Ben said she was in her flip flops, getting ready to head for the hot springs, when her bike fell over and the sprocket sliced her toe almost to the bone! It bled a lot and they finally got it cleaned out. Ben had brought tribiotic cream so he bandaged it up for her. Seems to be healing, but probably should have had stiches Ben said. They are watching it for infection. I guess Joanna's bike shoes are tight enough so she is still able to ride the bike! I think they were going to sleep in Sunday morning as they had been getting up around 5am each morning to try and get as far as they could before the heat set in. They were able to ride about 86 miles yesterday and were camping in a park in Hamilton, MT last night. If they beat the thunder storms coming in, they are suppose to have another big climb today and reach about an elevation of 6000 ft. About 70 miles away is the town of Wisdom which is at an elevation of 6,022 feet and is surrounded by mountain ranges to over 10,600 feet. They are on the trek towards Yellowstone.
Happy Birthday Ben! Spoke with Ben last night, they had traveled about 100 miles yesterday in very HOT weather. They were in Rawlins, WY spending the night in a park under a gazebo and sounded very tired. Well, they have traveled another 350 miles from West Yellowstone, MT, to Rawlins, WY. "Rawlins was a railroad town born in 1868, and by the 1870's was the departure point for those headed to the gold fields in South Pass. The town was also, and still is, a center for sheep ranching -- it was here that the sheepherder's wagon was invented. Rawlins has hosted Wyoming's state prison since 1901, and the original building is now open for tours. Rawlins was named for General Rawlins who discovered a spring here in 1867. Established 1868; Elevation (ft.) 6,755; Population in 2000 8,538"
Today they were headed for Colorado. Just coming off of spending approx. 5 days at Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Teton National Park. "In the world's first national park, the land, wildlife, vistas and famous attractions, including Old Faithful, are as wondrous as ever. President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the bill to create Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, Yellowstone is a true American wilderness – 97 percent of the park's 3,400 square miles (2.2 million acres) remains pristinely undeveloped." They saw a number of moose and elk. Also some bison, but they were warned about the bison as bison kill a few people each year. Ben wasn't impressed by Old Faithful as there were more interesting geysers. He said there were lots of people in the park. At the end of the 5 days they stayed at "the second largest lake in the park, Jenny Lake has an elevation of 6,783 feet and a maximum depth of 256 feet. It was named for a Shoshone Indian woman who was the wife of an early day trapper and guide, Richard “Beaver Dick” Leigh, for whom Leigh Lake was named." and visited the Grand Tetons. "An ethereal mountain landscape where jagged peaks tower more than a mile above the Jackson Hole valley, Grand Teton National Park is located in northwestern Wyoming just south of Yellowstone National Park and just north of the town of Jackson. Visitors can reach the park through U.S. 191." It was ironic that there was a PBS tv special on the Grand Tetons this past week; so it felt like we were seeing what Ben was seeing! They did some fishing and hiking and just a lot of cycling around the whole park to see the amazing sites and wildlife. I could tell from Ben's voice that the experience had made a lasting impression on him! They spent a night in Coulter Bay and Jackson on the 4th of July where there was a great fireworks display. They ended up spending the night on a porch at Josh's friend's home (someone they met in their travels). Cell phone reception has been sketchy and Ben had lost the charger so my updates have also been quick as he would borrow someones phone charger and get a quick charge at the Rangers' stations along the way. In Jackson he was able to get another charger with lots of coaxing from moi! Then on to "Dubois, at the shore of the Wind River surrounded by pristine forests, high mountains and the rough beauty of the Badlands welcomes you with its western hospitality and abundance of outdoor experiences, its cultural and artistic varieties and its historic but lively documents."
They were about 40 miles from the Colorado border; so they should be somewhere in CO tonight. Ben usually doesn't call till around midnight so you all will have to keep checking back for news as the saga continues.... Thanks for all your interest and reminders when I don't update as frequently as I should ...
Well, since it was Ben's birthday and very hot, they decided to take it easy so they only went between 40-50 miles instead of 100. Ben didn't hesitate to tell me he almost got bit by a 2" diameter rattlesnake in the middle of the road. He really likes to "pull my chain" and keep me worried! Ben said they saw another rattler approx 5" diameter, but it was already road kill. They went swimming under a tall bridge and caught crayfish which they cooked and ate. He called about 1am and let me know they were camping around Saratoga, WY at a campground. Saratoga has a Population: 1,714 and Elevation: 6785 feet. "Relatively unknown compared to other tourist
destinations in Wyoming, Saratoga still holds its unspoiled charm and western heritage to heart." Ben called John today and they were going to some hot springs; maybe even "Hobo Hot Pool. This is a natural mineral pool where visitors can swim and relax in the hot-baths 24-hours a day free of charge." If he has tooooo much relaxation, they definitely won't get in a 100 miles today!!!! Waiting for his call tonight....
From Saratoga, WY they cycled about 60 miles through Walden, CO where Ben called and said they were continuing on another 45 miles or so to Hot Sulfur Springs, CO. "Hot Sulphur Springs derives its name from the hot mineral waters that seep from the hillside above the Colorado River. The town site was first platted in early 1860 by a Cherry Creek entrepreneur to develop as a vacation spa. A vacation at Hot Sulphur Springs is a step into the past. Grand County is encompassed by the Continental Divide and syncopated mountain peaks. Wide, sheltered meadows and forested hills brought Ute and Arapaho tribes here 9,000 years ago, followed by French trappers. Come see for yourself why this area remains a mecca for outdoor lovers and home to some of Colorado's oldest cattle ranches. Anglers will enjoy trout fishing along the five miles of public access on the Colorado River. Hot Sulphur Springs boasts a newly refurbished hot springs that is sure to soothe your spirit after a day of fun in the sun. The quaint mountain town of Hot Sulphur Springs, is located 1 hour and 45 minutes northwest of Denver via I-70 to Highway 40 and just over an hour to Vail and Steamboat Springs." Ben did say they got hailed on (about 3/4" wide hail), but luckily their helmets helped as they quickly found cover. Also, more thunderstorms with lots of lightening in the mountain valley. From Hot Sulphur Springs they headed for Breckenridge where they were invited to stay at Nicole's home (someone they met along the way) where they would sleep in a REAL bed and have REAL warm showers. Ben did mention that this is a tourist town. "Breckenridge, a National Historic District designation, has restored, gingerbread Victorian houses lining its streets. Set amidst mountain splendor and the Continental Divide for a backdrop, this former mining town was established in an 1859 gold rush - the first permanent settlement on Colorado's Western Slope. Named in honor of Vice President John C. Breckenridge (in order to get a post office more easily). In addition to the diverse terrain on the ski resort's three mountains, Breckenridge, at an elevation of 9,603', has the only Jack Nicklaus-designed municipal golf course, renown musical organizations, and miles of hiking trails. Be sure to check out the human maze at Peak 8 - a fun place to get lost! Surrounded by Arapaho National Forest, the city has fishing on the Upper Blue River or the nearby Mohawk Lakes." "Four 14ers (mountain peaks 14,000' and higher in elevation) can be climbed nearby." which peaked (NO pun intended) Ben's interest! When he checks in I'll have to find out if they climbed one of the 14,000+ peaks before moving on! He is just crazy enough...he did mention the air was getting pretty thin though as they are over 10,000 elevation. Well, I'll update again soon! Take care Ben and Joanna!!
Thanks for calling yesterday Ben! It was so nice to hear your voice and hear about your exciting trip. LEAVE THE RATTLE SNAKES ALONE!!!
Stay safe.
Love,
Junie
Well, they spent three nights and two days at Breckenridge, CO with Nicole and were just CRAZY enough to do it - they hiked up Mt Quandry - Elevation: 14265 ft. They even met a man who had RUN up the mountain! "Quandary Peak is the highpoint of Colorado's Tenmile Range, an aesthetically-pleasing and rugged chain of peaks stretching south from Frisco to the Continental Divide. Easy year-around road access, a class 1 standard route, and panoramic views from the summit ensure that you'll rarely find solitude on Quandary's summit."
The previous comment was from me, but John hit the publish button while trying to post some of Ben's new pictures. Continuing with their saga: the guy that had run up Mt Quandry invited them to stay at his mother's who lived in a small nearby town that the tv comedy SOUTH PARK is based. They took him up on the offer. The family was real nice - ordered them pizza and they watched the movie "The Astronaut Farmer". Ben said the movie was ok, but the theme stood out - "If you have a dream - JUST DO IT!" I guess that theme really sums up what Ben and Joanna are doing this summer! Guess what - another "tent free" night as they got to stay in the house and take warm showers (think that is four nights in a row). Over these past 3-4 days they have seen fossil beds and huge petrified red tree stumps as a volcano had erupted near by and buried a tree in 20 feet of ash.
Next day they met a ranger and asked him where there were places to camp out. The ranger told them of a couple of places, but there was no cell reception to make a reservation so they continued on. Later in the day, the same ranger passed them and asked if they had any luck. Still having no cell reception, the answer was no. The ranger (originally from the Boston area) invited them to stay with him where they watched the Tour de France. Now - five "tent free" nights as they enjoyed the ranger's hospitality. The next day they were biking to the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Ben got another flat tire and noticed the rim on his bike was cracked. What is he to do?.... (it is late so the saga will continue tomorrow)......remember look for new pictures!
Next installment... Ben and Joanna found some wonderful people from the Colorado Springs Cycling Club who were connected to a new bike shop CS West Bikes. The bike shop was opened after Mindy(owner) "decided to attend all of the classes available at Barnett Bicycle Academy with the encouragement of all the people whose bikes she had touched over the years." The shop didn't have the rim for Ben's bike; so Rush (Mindy's husband/partner) found the rim elsewhere and drove over to get it. Then (even though Ben offered to rebuild it himself) Mindy, known as the "Wench with a Wrench" took to rebuilding and moving the 36 spokes from the old to the new and putting on another tire. This took about 2-3 hrs. Both bikes were also given a complete tune up, etc. The couple was fascinated with Ben and Joanna's trek and courage. Ben and Joanna were invited to spend a couple of nights with them while they waited and had a chance for site seeing. One of the cyclists from the club played harp at the Air Force Academy there in Colorado Springs and took them over for a tour. Unfortunately when they got there the tours had already stopped for the day. Not to worry... the harp player recognized the man locking up who happened to be a retired trumpet player. After chatting a bit, they all ended up getting a private tour of the Cadet Chapel, etc there at the Air Force Academy. "Soaring 150 feet toward the Colorado sky, the Air Force Academy Chapel is an all-faith house of worship designed to meet the spiritual needs of cadets. It contains a separate chapel for each of the three major religious faiths represented in the Air Force ‑ Protestant, Catholic and Jewish ‑ plus two all-faiths worship rooms. There are two main levels, with the Protestant nave on the upper level. The Catholic and Jewish chapels and one all-faiths room are located beneath it. Beneath this level is located the larger all-faiths room and two meeting rooms. Each chapel has its own entrance, and services may be held simultaneously without interfering with one another. The aluminum, glass and steel structure features 17 spires. There is no significance to this number. Original designs were judged to be too expensive, so changes were made, among them a reduction in the number of spires. The changes did not alter the basic design or the interior square footage of the chapel, however. The shell of the chapel and surrounding grounds cost $3.5 million to build. Furnishings, pipe organs, liturgical fittings and adornments of the chapel were presented as gifts from individuals and various organizations. A designated Easter offering was also taken at Air Force bases around the world in 1959 to help complete the interior.
The principal designer-architect of the chapel was Walter A. Netsch Jr. of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago. Construction was by Robert E. McKee, Inc., of Santa Fe, N.M." That night Mindy and Rush invited others from the Colorado Springs Cycling Club for a BBQ. About midnight Ben and Joanna borrowed their car (manual transmission) as well as a mountain bike for Joanna and they headed for Pikes Peak. Pikes Peak is the "most visited mountain in North America and the second most visited mountain in the world behind Japan's Mount Fuji, Pikes Peak forms a stunning backdrop for Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. At an altitude of 14,110 feet above sea level, Pikes Peak is the 31st highest peak out of 54 Colorado peaks. It is the farthest east of the big peaks in the Rocky Mountain chain, which contributed to its early fame among explorers, pioneers and immigrants and made it the symbol of the 1859 Gold Rush to Colorado with the slogan, "Pikes Peak or Bust"." Well, they road up to the top of Pikes Peak where it was FREEZING! They got there early in the morning. Now for the bad news... On the way down they found the road had been closed for the Pikes Peak Race; so they had no where to go and were freezing...they asked several people to let them sit in their car, but no one would. Eventually (hours later) the flag man drove them down. Luckily, they had the car at the bottom and headed back to the bike shop.
Check back soon as the saga continues tomorrow.....
Previous entry correction - Sean, co-owner of the CS West Bikes Shop, drove around to get the new rim. Rush is Mindy's husband. Ben just called; so I was able to ask him. Anyways...CHEERS and a BIG THANKS to the Colorado Springs West Bikes Shop and CS Cycling Club folks for being soooooo friendly and caring to a couple of strangers and now new friends!!!!! So all of you reading this, if you are in Colorado Springs don't forget to check out Ben and Joanna's new friends at the CS WEST BIKES Shop!!
woohooo! go ben and joanna :-P can't wait to see you folks back and hear the stories :-P
Ben has been checking in, but mostly talking to his father so my exciting stories are limited. After Colorado Springs, Colorado they traveled to Pueblo, CO; Ordway, CO (stayed the night); Leoti, KS; Ness City, KS; and Alexander, KS (292 miles from Pueblo). Ben picked up his care pkg I sent in Alexander, Kansas (sm town):
Pop. of Alexander, KS 98
Pop. living in urban areas 0
Pop. living in suburban areas 0
Pop. living in farm areas 13
Pop. living in non-farm areas 85
Avg Household Income $13,125
Per Capita Income $11,886
Avg House Value $30,200
From Alexander, KS they have gone another 790 miles through Great Bend, KS (spent night); Hesston, KS (rode 95 miles, went to a bike shop, & spent night next to a water tower ); Cassoday, KS (another 80 mi & spent the night); and another 100 miles onto Iola, KS where they spent a couple of days. Met Kathy, a nice lady who owned a cafe, and provided meals for $1 to the towns people. Kathy let them spend a couple of nights at the cafe. They talked to members of a small bike club and met a nationally famous painter, Gary Hawk, who painted them a small painting. Mr. Hawk is known for his paintings relating to Rural, Western, and Wildlife Art.
This is an excerpt from www.Hawkdesigns.net "Born on a farm near Hennessey, Oklahoma during the Great Depression, Gary Hawk moved with his family to a farm near Iola, Kansas in 1939, and still makes his home in Iola. A youth filled with riding horses, working cattle and running trap lines laid an early foundation for both a love of and familiarity with, his subject matter. Rooted in vivid memories of the past, that closeness has continued to grow through more firsthand experiences and ongoing relationships with today's ranchers, hunters and other outdoorsmen. After studying art at Kansas State University and the Kansas City Art Institute, Gary worked as a designer for two major greeting card companies before deciding to devote all of his time to art in 1976. Since then his career has spiraled and his work has become nationally recognized through the distribution of original paintings, limited edition prints, and on fine knives, belt buckles and other premium quality merchandise. Named governor's Artist for the State of Kansas in 1977, his creations are in the private collections of prominent political and religious leaders, actors, and even astronauts. One of his proudest moments came when he was commissioned to paint a portrait of "Doc Adams" of the long-running "Gunsmoke" television series. The character was played by Milburn Stone, a native of Burrton, Kansas. Mr. Hawk made a presentation of his work to then-president Ronald Reagan at the White House. Gary Hawk paintings have also widely adorned magazines, trade journal and telephone directories, and he has appeared on television and in-person before numerous groups, schools and associations. Treasured by those who possess them, Gary Hawk's renderings communicate in an unforgettable way with everyone who understands and appreciates the magic of the outdoor experience."
There had been a lot of flooding due to the hurricanes in May and a lot of towns people had lost a lot. Ben and Joanna helped some of the people move furniture and stuff from their homes into storage in an attempt to rebuild. Ben said Friday night a lot of towns people cooked all night for a town BBQ Saturday. Since Ben and Joanna were helping move items on Saturday, the people brought some BBQ food back for them. They left Iola, KS about 7 pm and rode 40 miles to Fort Scott, KS were they spent the night staying outside of a real Fort. From Fort Scott, KS they cycled over 100 miles to Everton, Missouri and spent the night. Traveled thru Fair Grove, MO; Houston, MO; Centerville, MO; and Farmington, MO; and Salem, IL and Edgewood, IL for another 400 miles. They have decided not to continue on to Virgina to get to the coast. Now headed Northeast towards home. More later.....
thanks for the updates mrs. shappee! it's good to know that ben and joanna are making plenty of progress and having a great experience!
Well, the two of them were reported in a couple of newspapers thanks to their new friends they met around Iola, KS. Here is the first article sent to Ben from the owner of the cafe that let them spend a couple of nights. The article was published in THE IOLA REGISTER, Friday, August 3, 2007, page 6: "BIKES were part of another story that whipped through Iola late last week. Kathryn Ronay, who owns Iola Tea and Coffee on Jackson Street, brought in a tidbit on two bicyclists from New Jersey. "They just came into town and stayed a few days. They are college students who heard a story by a frien about taking a trip on bikes on very little money," Ronay told the Register. "The two friends decided they were going to ride across the country this summer. They flew to San Francisco to start their trip since they figured it would be easier to quite if they started from home." Joanna Pudlo and Ben Shappee told Ronay and several other Iolans the story of their summer adventure last Thursday. They stayed for the Iola city band concert. Tom and Regina Woodworth took the two friends to their home for laundry duties. Shappee helped out at The One with Bob Hawk and Tony Leavitt moving furniture for flood victims. The D of the A-B-C's is Dave Fontaine of Iola. Dave and Lisa Fontaine are credited by Berntsen and Cox for keeping their bikes in "tip-top" shape. The Fontaines also treated Pudlo and Shappee to breakfast and checked out their bikes. "Joanna and Ben pointed out that they were NOT boyfriend and girlfriend. They said they were sure a three-month ride across the U.S. would put an end to a romance," Ronay said. Iola artist Gary Hawk took the two visitors to his studio and painted a picture for the two of them. "They really enjoyed Iola. They left Sunday after a thunderstorm, headed east to Fort Scott and home to New Jersey."
What GREAT people are in Iola, Kansas. I am very thankful that Ben has met such wonderful new friends on their journey. Thank you Kathy for watching over a couple of strangers when visiting your cafe and town!! I can tell already that this has been a life altering adventure for Ben and one he will tell stories about for years to come. Maybe even write a book some day about "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL" and the SPECIAL PEOPLE they met!
I forgot to mention that the previous newspaper article from THE IOLA MESSENGER also contained a picture with the caption: "At right, Iola's Gary Hawk presented a painting to Ben Shappee (left) and Joanna Pudlo, college students from New Jersey, who stopped in Iola last week. They stand in front of the Iola Tea and Coffee."
Second newspaper article was thanks to Frannie Milner of Toronto, KS. Published in THE YATES CENTER NEWS (Coming to you from the hay capital of the world), serving Woodson County Since 1877, article dated Thursday, August 2, 2007, Volume 130, Issue 31: "Frannie's, a good stop for cyclists" by Stewart Braden. Recent visitors to Frannie's Fix 'n Go in Yates Center, were two young university students who decided one evening, during a college party, to bicycle across the United States. Good friends Ben Shappe and Joanna Pudlow, both from New Jersey, heard about one of their fellow students who (perhaps on a bet) jumped on a cheap, run-down Huffy bicycle (the kind with the front basket and bell ringer) and rode it from New Jersey all the way up to Montreal, Canada an back, and survived. "If he could do something crazy like that, so could I," Ben said. He asked around for anyone crazy enough to do such a thing, and Joanna was the only brave taker. The two shipped their bikes out on a DHL truck, and hopped a flight from Philadelphia Penn., arriving in San Francisco, Calif., to begin their trek. Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, the two headed north up the coastline, braving a strong headwind, and eventually made it to the Oregon coast. They both walked their bikes down through a sandy beach and symbolically dipped their rear wheels in the Pacific Ocean, with the intent of dipping their front wheels in the Atlantic Ocean when they reached Yorktown, VA., their final destination and campus where they are both attending college (NOTE: The writer mixed this up). They headed east through Oregon, up over the McKinsey Pass and into Idaho, down through Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Teton mountain range, and eventually in to Breckenridge, Colo. After a short rest there, they made it down to Pueblo, Colo., and then turned east toward Kansas. Taking a brief stop at the KDOT rest area west of Toronto, they noticed a brochure advertising Frannie's (I think the writer meant the Iola Tea and Coffee cafe), where they could get a meal for one dollar. They were going to try to make it to Fort Scott before another stop, but changed their minds on the spot. "We were running on a tight budget, eating mostly peanut butter and jelly, and ramen noodles," Joanna laughed. "The idea of a hot meal for a buck was just too good to pass up." During the brief stop, they described their adventure to Frannie, noting how genuinely kind and generous people had been to them throughout their trip. "We were a little uncomfortable dealing with strangers at first, and were wary of possible bad situations. But for the most part, folks have been really nice," Ben said. "It's been just an amazing trip." Ben is majoring in physics, math, astrophysics and statistics. Joanna is an aerospace and mechanical engineering student.
There was also a picture with the newspaper article with the caption, "TRANS AMERICA cyclists Joanna Publow (at left) and Ben Shappe (at right) sit down with Frannie Milner and Emmett Steck of rural Toronto, for a piece of pie, and to tell the story of their adventures crossing the United States."
Thank you Frannie for your generosity and caring for two visitors!!
They have made it through Illinois, Indiana, and now in Ohio headed home. Ben did comment last night that the mosquitoes are "huge" as they camped out last night. It was extremely HOT!! They have been trying to average a 100 miles a day. Yesterday they went another 85 miles as they had to rest some in the middle of the day due to the heat. The day before it was high 90s with a heat index of 106! Will let you know more as I hear from Ben this weekend!
good thing ben and joanna know about staying hydrated :-)
Almost home!!!!!!!!!! They went thru Detroit, took a ferry to Canada, rode through Canada for about 5 days, stayed near Niagra Falls (Canadian side), through NY, PA, and are now in NJ. Three months later and almost home....
Ben should be updating this with particulars soon. As they pushed for home I really didn't get long phone calls with stories of their adventures to report to you all...
good to know my roommate will be back in time for move-in to share his wild crazy stories :-P
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