Cross-Country Bike Tour §
During the summer of 2004 I rode my touring bicycle from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Cape Flattery, Washington.
The whole trip took 11 weeks, riding about 4000 miles of small roads through 12 states. During the day I rode my bike. At night I camped outdoors, stayed in hotels, and slept in gracious neighbors’ camper vans, spare rooms, and backyards. My friend P rode with me for the middle third. We ate a lot of lentils and rice, and a pretty decent amount of pie.
First Leg: Hatteras to Middlesboro §
I started at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse on the Outer Banks of the North Carolina coast, and rode mainly on the Mountains to Sea bike route (NC 2) until I reached the mountains. I then turned a bit north and rode across the Appalachians to the Cumberland Gap at Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Updates §
Second Leg: Middlesboro to St. Louis §
From Middlesboro I rode through the Midwest to meet up with P in St. Louis. I stopped for an extra day in New Harmony, one of those strange places that just seems to keep coming back into my life one way or another. Then I crossed Illinois at a leisurely pace, half-waiting until P could arrive to meet me in St. Louis.
Updates §
Third Leg: St. Louis to Sioux City §
P and I rode together through the Midwest. We crossed the Mississippi just north of St. Louis, taking a big detour to visit G in Bloomington. Then we crossed the Mississippi again and traversed Iowa’s endless rolling hills.
Updates §
Fourth Leg: Sioux City to Nemo §
P and I crossed the Missouri River and entered into the proper West. The Great Plains provided stunning scenery. We followed along the Nebraska side of the border with South Dakota, and then turned north outside Valentine to head towards the Badlands.
Updates §
Fifth Leg: Nemo to Dupuyer §
P had to return to the real world, and I continued the tour through the Plains, all the way to the foothills of the Rockies. After reading Ivan Doig’s beautiful memoir, This House of Sky, I was determined to visit Dupuyer and the surrounding area, which was just as beautiful as the book’s portrayal of it.
Updates §
Sixth Leg: Dupuyer to Flattery §
The last leg of the trip took me across many basins and ranges to the Pacific.
Updates §
Tour Data §
| Depart | Distance (km) | Elapsed (h) | Speed (km/h) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | 13 | Buxton, NC | 25.10 | 0.99 | 25.3 |
| 14 | Bath, NC | 128.95 | 5.51 | 23.4 | |
| 15 | Wilson, NC | 145.87 | 6.42 | 22.7 | |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | 100.87 | 4.73 | 21.3 | |
| 19 | Carrboro, NC | 62.36 | 2.95 | 21.1 | |
| 20 | Jamestown, NC | 110.65 | 5.61 | 19.7 | |
| 21 | Union Grove, NC | 124.76 | 5.69 | 21.9 | |
| 22 | Darby, NC | 77.44 | 3.74 | 20.7 | |
| 25 | Blowing Rock, NC | 55.27 | 3.61 | 15.3 | |
| 26 | Hampton, TN | 76.59 | 3.59 | 21.3 | |
| 27 | Natural Tunnel, VA | 108.99 | 5.44 | 20.0 | |
| 28 | Cumberland Gap, TN | 123.03 | 6.15 | 20.0 | |
| 29 | Middlesboro, KY | 5.97 | 0.59 | 10.0 | |
| 30 | Honeybee, KY | 113.18 | 4.75 | 23.8 | |
| 31 | Burnside, KY | 46.41 | 2.12 | 21.8 | |
| June | 1 | Columbia, KY | 90.98 | 4.27 | 21.3 |
| 3 | Mammoth Cave, KY | 94.96 | 4.50 | 21.1 | |
| 4 | Falls of Rough, KY | 90.18 | 4.11 | 21.9 | |
| 5 | Lincoln City, IN | 100.91 | 4.97 | 20.3 | |
| 6 | Cynthiana, IN | 80.91 | 3.37 | 24.0 | |
| 8 | New Harmony, IN | 20.84 | 0.97 | 21.3 | |
| 9 | McLeansboro, IL | 54.44 | 2.73 | 19.9 | |
| 10 | Mt Vernon, IL | 64.45 | 2.95 | 21.8 | |
| 11 | Carlyle, IL | 77.42 | 3.23 | 23.9 | |
| 16 | St Louis, MO | 70.31 | 3.75 | 18.7 | |
| 17 | Farmersville, IL | 163.66 | 7.11 | 23.0 | |
| 20 | Normal, IL | 140.63 | 6.86 | 20.5 | |
| 21 | Canton, IL | 128.33 | 5.70 | 22.5 | |
| 22 | Fort Madison, IA | 110.45 | 5.87 | 18.8 | |
| 23 | Keosauqua, IA | 76.65 | 4.23 | 18.1 | |
| 24 | Iconium, IA | 116.47 | 6.03 | 19.3 | |
| 25 | Osceola, IA | 91.82 | 4.11 | 22.3 | |
| 26 | Anita, IA | 141.21 | 6.78 | 20.8 | |
| 27 | Woodbine, IA | 128.92 | 7.00 | 18.4 | |
| 29 | Sioux City, IA | 134.73 | 6.80 | 19.8 | |
| 30 | Niobrara, NE | 180.14 | 7.86 | 22.9 | |
| July | 1 | Naper, NE | 104.25 | 5.06 | 20.6 |
| 2 | Valentine, NE | 150.34 | 7.05 | 21.3 | |
| 3 | Cedar Butte, SD | 132.15 | 5.48 | 24.1 | |
| 4 | Scenic, SD | 128.32 | 6.68 | 19.2 | |
| 5 | Nemo, SD | 119.20 | 5.51 | 21.6 | |
| 6 | Belle Fourche, SD | 78.76 | 3.64 | 21.6 | |
| 7 | Boyes, MT | 120.85 | 5.01 | 24.1 | |
| 8 | Colstrip, MT | 147.01 | 5.97 | 24.6 | |
| 9 | Ingomar, MT | 138.39 | 6.29 | 22.0 | |
| 10 | Grass Range, MT | 174.07 | 8.28 | 21.0 | |
| 11 | Moccasin, MT | 98.21 | 4.67 | 21.0 | |
| 12 | Great Falls, MT | 124.44 | 6.61 | 18.8 | |
| 13 | Dupuyer, MT | 134.87 | 5.50 | 24.5 | |
| 14 | St Mary, MT | 137.61 | 6.43 | 21.4 | |
| 18 | Whitefish, MT | 113.48 | 5.56 | 20.4 | |
| 19 | Libby, MT | 175.40 | 6.59 | 26.6 | |
| 20 | Ponderay, ID | 170.66 | 7.20 | 23.7 | |
| 21 | Spokane, WA | 137.99 | 6.35 | 21.7 | |
| 22 | Grand Coulee, WA | 137.94 | 6.10 | 22.6 | |
| 23 | Pateros, WA | 104.98 | 4.99 | 21.0 | |
| 24 | Mazama, WA | 97.51 | 4.37 | 22.3 | |
| 25 | Newhalem, WA | 98.31 | 4.94 | 19.9 | |
| 26 | Coupeville, WA | 175.15 | 7.71 | 22.7 | |
| 27 | Port Angeles, WA | 100.28 | 4.98 | 20.1 | |
| 28 | Neah Bay, WA | 126.01 | 6.23 | 20.2 |