Well, precisely 2 weeks have passed since we cycled into Bar Harbor on July 31. We completed the trek in 53 days, cycling 3751 miles for an average of just under 71 miles a day. Was it worth it? You bet. Was it hard? Of course! Would you do it again? Probably not. The amount of effort and preparation is hard to explain to people; one must go through this experience to understand what we went through. But I have a lifetime of memories:
+ the beautiful Cascade and Rocky Mountains.
+ the wonderful people along the route who were helpful, courteous, and interested in our story.
+ the huge pancakes at Bergie's restaurant in Montana.
+ the cyclists that we met and rode with along the way.
+ the kind people who took us into their homes and gave us warm showers, meals, computer access, etc.
+ the realization that my 60 year-old body could actually adjust to riding 70 miles a day.
+ the great food and beers that we experienced, including Pat's excellent campsite meals.
+ the beautiful weather in the west, including the outrageous 30 mph tailwinds in Montana.
+ the lousy wet weather in the east.
+ the restaurants that were closed in New York on Mondays and Tuesdays.
+ all the road kill, especially raccoons and possums.
I suppose I could go on, but you get the idea. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We thank all of you who expressed interest in our ride, who followed us on our blog, who contributed to our Livestrong fundraising. We had a blast and we succeeded. What else is there in life? You can make a contribution at the following link:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=193018522
Bill Jenkins
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Plover, WI (2)
Well, we have been back long enough that I think that I need to post a final update.
The overwhelming feeling that I have about the ride has nothing to do with pedaling, the bike, the climbs, etc. You may have already figured out from my previous posts that I was overwhelmed by how good the people that we encountered were. This is a great continent to live in. I would have normally said country, but the people in Ontario were outstanding.
I had to include a Best Of / Worst Of list, so here it is:
Best roads: (tie)
Wisconsin for the incredible network of county roads, making it very easy to get almost anywhere on scenic, lightly travelled roads.
North Dakota for the wonderful paved shoulders on large and small roads.
Worst roads: Vermont. The shoulders were crumbling or nonexistant on many roads. In addition, 3/4 of the lane was gone on several segments of State Road 125, which was the busy road leading to Middlebury Gap. Chip told me that before he got there, the rain had washed the entire road away. It sounds like he diverted onto some roads which were much nicer.
Best drivers: North Dakota, although all of the states from Wisconsin west could have won this one. In North Dakota, we had very few rude drivers, and actually had some people pull up along side of us and ask where we were riding.
Worst drivers: Vermont. This wasn't even close. Vermont had by far the highest percentage of aggressive, rude, and downright threatening drivers of anywhere we rode. In fact, the only driver who was threatening in Maine ( a red Toyota) had Vermont plates.
Best bike trails: Minnesota. This one wasn't close. Minnesota has an amazing network of paved bike trails throughout the state. We rode the Central Lakes and Lake Wobegon trails for 105 miles of cycling bliss.
Worst trail: Ontario. The Niagra Recreational Trail was horrible, winding through people's driveways, gravel segments, abrupt gaps in the trail, etc. After 12 or 13 miles and a flat tire, we finally abandoned the trail and rode on the road. We should have done this sooner.
Nicest people: North Dakota, although like the drivers, this could have gone to Ontario or any state west of Michigan. For a good example of what people were like in North Dakota, see my story of Butch in Goodrich ND in my post from Fargo. People here were amazing.
Unfriendliest people: Vermont. Actually, most people here were pleasant, but disinterested. My experiences with the drivers probably prejudiced me, but the people here were just not as friendly as anywhere else on the trip.
Most spectacular scenery: The Cascade mountains. We had great weather here, so we had a great view of the Cascades, but they were beautiful beyond description. The Cascades were named for the innumerable waterfalls (cascades), and the name is apt. The mountain streams and waterfalls were fantastic.
Most boring scenery: I can't honestly say that we found any. The closest would be New York along the Erie Canal, but this was pretty in its own way.
Most surprising scenery: North Dakota. We had all been told that ND is very long and BORING, and that you just tried to survive the monotony. NOT TRUE. We got off of the major highways and onto back roads, but the part of ND that we saw was beautiful. I was quite surprised to see all of the White Pelicans in eastern ND. Anything but boring.
Best food: Washington. We stumbled into some great places to eat in Washington, such as the restaurant on Whidby Island before we left and the brewpub in Twisp.
Worst food: The food was good everywhere.
Best beer: Montana. There are LOTS of great local and regional brews in Montana (look for Moose Drool in your local store).
Worst beer: North Dakota. Due to state laws, it is very difficult to buy beer in ND and you have to go through state licensed stores. As a result, the selection was pathetic.
Best dog: Kelly the Irish Setter in Fairhaven New York. Hands down. Kelly was a great dog.
Worst dogs: The pair of Pit Bulls that chased Pat in eastern New York.
I have to correct something from eastern Montana. I saw a Prarie Falcon, not a Merlin. Sorry for the mistake. I realized my mistake when I consulted my field guide when we got home.
If I think of anything else, I may put up an additional post. Hopefully Bill will get a chance to do one more.
Remember, if you want to contribute to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, follow this link:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=193018522
Dave Henneghan
The overwhelming feeling that I have about the ride has nothing to do with pedaling, the bike, the climbs, etc. You may have already figured out from my previous posts that I was overwhelmed by how good the people that we encountered were. This is a great continent to live in. I would have normally said country, but the people in Ontario were outstanding.
I had to include a Best Of / Worst Of list, so here it is:
Best roads: (tie)
Wisconsin for the incredible network of county roads, making it very easy to get almost anywhere on scenic, lightly travelled roads.
North Dakota for the wonderful paved shoulders on large and small roads.
Worst roads: Vermont. The shoulders were crumbling or nonexistant on many roads. In addition, 3/4 of the lane was gone on several segments of State Road 125, which was the busy road leading to Middlebury Gap. Chip told me that before he got there, the rain had washed the entire road away. It sounds like he diverted onto some roads which were much nicer.
Best drivers: North Dakota, although all of the states from Wisconsin west could have won this one. In North Dakota, we had very few rude drivers, and actually had some people pull up along side of us and ask where we were riding.
Worst drivers: Vermont. This wasn't even close. Vermont had by far the highest percentage of aggressive, rude, and downright threatening drivers of anywhere we rode. In fact, the only driver who was threatening in Maine ( a red Toyota) had Vermont plates.
Best bike trails: Minnesota. This one wasn't close. Minnesota has an amazing network of paved bike trails throughout the state. We rode the Central Lakes and Lake Wobegon trails for 105 miles of cycling bliss.
Worst trail: Ontario. The Niagra Recreational Trail was horrible, winding through people's driveways, gravel segments, abrupt gaps in the trail, etc. After 12 or 13 miles and a flat tire, we finally abandoned the trail and rode on the road. We should have done this sooner.
Nicest people: North Dakota, although like the drivers, this could have gone to Ontario or any state west of Michigan. For a good example of what people were like in North Dakota, see my story of Butch in Goodrich ND in my post from Fargo. People here were amazing.
Unfriendliest people: Vermont. Actually, most people here were pleasant, but disinterested. My experiences with the drivers probably prejudiced me, but the people here were just not as friendly as anywhere else on the trip.
Most spectacular scenery: The Cascade mountains. We had great weather here, so we had a great view of the Cascades, but they were beautiful beyond description. The Cascades were named for the innumerable waterfalls (cascades), and the name is apt. The mountain streams and waterfalls were fantastic.
Most boring scenery: I can't honestly say that we found any. The closest would be New York along the Erie Canal, but this was pretty in its own way.
Most surprising scenery: North Dakota. We had all been told that ND is very long and BORING, and that you just tried to survive the monotony. NOT TRUE. We got off of the major highways and onto back roads, but the part of ND that we saw was beautiful. I was quite surprised to see all of the White Pelicans in eastern ND. Anything but boring.
Best food: Washington. We stumbled into some great places to eat in Washington, such as the restaurant on Whidby Island before we left and the brewpub in Twisp.
Worst food: The food was good everywhere.
Best beer: Montana. There are LOTS of great local and regional brews in Montana (look for Moose Drool in your local store).
Worst beer: North Dakota. Due to state laws, it is very difficult to buy beer in ND and you have to go through state licensed stores. As a result, the selection was pathetic.
Best dog: Kelly the Irish Setter in Fairhaven New York. Hands down. Kelly was a great dog.
Worst dogs: The pair of Pit Bulls that chased Pat in eastern New York.
I have to correct something from eastern Montana. I saw a Prarie Falcon, not a Merlin. Sorry for the mistake. I realized my mistake when I consulted my field guide when we got home.
If I think of anything else, I may put up an additional post. Hopefully Bill will get a chance to do one more.
Remember, if you want to contribute to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, follow this link:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=193018522
Dave Henneghan
Monday, August 11, 2008
Return to Normalcy?
First, is normalcy a word? If it is, is it spelled correctly? I don't really care.
We finished our ride at Bar Harbor, ME on the 31st of July. On the 1st at about 8:00 pm we left Bar Harbor in a rental car with a recently purchased bike rack on it. We arrived home on Saturday the 2nd around 11:00 pm after 27 hours of driving. Bill and my dad (Dave) did a great job. I was unable to help because I am not yet 25.
Since we have returned we have been interviewed by a local television station, and two local newspapers. My dad was even asked to give a presentation at the Midwest Recumbent Rally which took place in our hometown. We have been surprised to find out how many people have been reading and appreciating our blog as we journey across the country.
Many people have asked us "is it weird not to be biking?" That is a very difficult question since we are not bicycling across the country anymore, but I have ridden between ten and forty miles almost every day that I have been home. Bill and my dad also have been out riding quite a bit. It really is amazing how many miles you can log just by commuting by bicycle.
My dad has been very excited to be starting his new job in town. He is glad to no longer commute 45 minutes to Wausau, and to have more time to spend at home and riding.
Bill has been spending time with his family, and finding out the statistics on our trip (like a good scientist). The school year is approaching and so is his work.
I have come home and been volunteering at the Stanley Project, a workshop in town that fixes up old bicycles and gives them away. I have learned a lot more about bicycles and maintenance in my week or so working there. My family and I look forward to greeting my sister as she returns from her kayaking trip in the inside passage. We also look forward to working at family camp at Camp Manito-wish.
Although one journey has ended we all have a lot to look forward to. We have all been talking about our next bike tours. My dad and Bill are probably going to do supported bike tours with family next summer. My next trip is coming sooner when I plan to bike to school. I am still unsure when I am leaving for school this fall. St. Olaf is only 260 miles or so from my house, so it should take 2-3 days to bike there. I am very excited for this school year.
I hope that everybody has had a good time following us on our trip across the country, we certainly had a great time. It has been a once in a lifetime experience for all of us, and we are all glad we had this opportunity.
If anybody feels it is necessary to contact me my e-mail is hennegha@stolaf.edu, I am really bad about getting back to people, but will do my best.
--Patrick Henneghan
We finished our ride at Bar Harbor, ME on the 31st of July. On the 1st at about 8:00 pm we left Bar Harbor in a rental car with a recently purchased bike rack on it. We arrived home on Saturday the 2nd around 11:00 pm after 27 hours of driving. Bill and my dad (Dave) did a great job. I was unable to help because I am not yet 25.
Since we have returned we have been interviewed by a local television station, and two local newspapers. My dad was even asked to give a presentation at the Midwest Recumbent Rally which took place in our hometown. We have been surprised to find out how many people have been reading and appreciating our blog as we journey across the country.
Many people have asked us "is it weird not to be biking?" That is a very difficult question since we are not bicycling across the country anymore, but I have ridden between ten and forty miles almost every day that I have been home. Bill and my dad also have been out riding quite a bit. It really is amazing how many miles you can log just by commuting by bicycle.
My dad has been very excited to be starting his new job in town. He is glad to no longer commute 45 minutes to Wausau, and to have more time to spend at home and riding.
Bill has been spending time with his family, and finding out the statistics on our trip (like a good scientist). The school year is approaching and so is his work.
I have come home and been volunteering at the Stanley Project, a workshop in town that fixes up old bicycles and gives them away. I have learned a lot more about bicycles and maintenance in my week or so working there. My family and I look forward to greeting my sister as she returns from her kayaking trip in the inside passage. We also look forward to working at family camp at Camp Manito-wish.
Although one journey has ended we all have a lot to look forward to. We have all been talking about our next bike tours. My dad and Bill are probably going to do supported bike tours with family next summer. My next trip is coming sooner when I plan to bike to school. I am still unsure when I am leaving for school this fall. St. Olaf is only 260 miles or so from my house, so it should take 2-3 days to bike there. I am very excited for this school year.
I hope that everybody has had a good time following us on our trip across the country, we certainly had a great time. It has been a once in a lifetime experience for all of us, and we are all glad we had this opportunity.
If anybody feels it is necessary to contact me my e-mail is hennegha@stolaf.edu, I am really bad about getting back to people, but will do my best.
--Patrick Henneghan
Monday, August 4, 2008
Plover, Wisconsin
I will do a summary post in a day or 2. In the meantime, if you would likie to contribute to the Lance Armstrong Foundation, follow this link:
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=193018522
Dave Henneghan
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=158934&supid=193018522
Dave Henneghan
Friday, August 1, 2008
Bar Harbor. Maine (2)
The journey is over and we are enjoying a rest day here in Bar Harbor before driving home to Wisconsin. We cycled 3750 miles in 53 days, averaging just under 71 miles a day. What an accomplishment, what a feeling of achievement! It felt great to dip our front wheels in the salt waters of the Atlantic Ocean while tourists at the Bar Harbor waterfront congratulated us. We have many great memories, especially of the nice people we met along the way and the beautiful landscape of North America. It will be good to get home again to our loved ones and a daily routine.
Bill Jenkins
Bar Harbor, Maine
We are here! We arrived last night and dipped our tires in the rain. We had another long day yesterday but we are finished. We are staying with Nicole Herz, wife of Michael Rosenstein. We got to know Michael in Montana and rode with him for a couple weeks. Nicole took us out to a local favorite lobster restaurant last night and Bill and I ate the biggest lobsters we have ever seen. It was GREAT!
We are busy making arrangements to get home right now. We will all follow up with much longer posts after we get to Wisconsin and get some sleep.
Sorry about the light posting. We have not had access to computers very much in the east.
Dave Henneghan
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