Two Wheel Journal

2018 Luna Lakes I Pre-Ride

Posted on July 29, 2018October 16, 2018 by Rich

Though neither of us is really conditioned for it, Isam and I quickly put this tour together. Since he’s in town, and Phil had generously loaned us his Surly LHT for Isam to use, it seemed like a perfect opportunity. Isam and I drove up the long way out US60 through Superior and Miami. We soon got a strange message on the car GPS that asked us if we wanted to re-route due to traffic conditions. Out here? Hoping for further explanation, we pushed yes. The re-route was a 7 hour detour around Show Low that actually took us up

Saguaro Lake

Posted on July 25, 2018August 5, 2018 by Rich

So little riding this year means that today’s modest ride gets a blog entry. Ah well. Isam and I took off around 6:30 this morning up Bush Highway. Already 90F – gonna be a hot one. But oh so beautiful overlooking the Salt River coming down King Kong. It was great to see so much regrowth of foliage after the big ‘Cactus’ fire in the salt cedars last year. North through one of my favorite sections, the rollers past Usery Moutain Road. We stopped at the Pebble Beach rec area to splash water on our heads and generally look around,

Mormon Lake Loop

Posted on July 15, 2018August 5, 2018 by Rich

Wow, a first decent ride of the year today! Phil, Isam and I got up early and headed north to Flagstaff to escape the heat. We commented that never had we been so physically ill-prepared for a ride. Isam is a regular runner, but rides bicycles only rarely around town. I’ve ridden maybe 100 miles the past 9 months. And Phil says he hasn’t been on the saddle since our Northern Rockies trip last August. Breakfast at IHOP, then off down S Lake Mary Road. We’d decided to do a repeat of last year’s training ride around Mormon Lake (the

Northern Rockies Tour – Summing Up

Posted on August 18, 2017June 22, 2018 by Rich

How does one sum up this Northern Rockies tour? Difficult, breathtaking (in more ways than one), stunning, magnificent. Words fail. The true highlights for me: Logan Pass, Sunwampta Pass and Columbia Icefields, Bow Lake, Lake Louise, riding through fires, the moose(!). I truly LOVED every bit of the camping – 12 nights in a tent at great campsites. My tent is now rolled up in my garage wondering why it’s not being used. The bike and gear really served me great. Each tour I think I realize this more. For the future, I need a new camp pillow (or maybe

NR15: ACA Headquarters, Missoula MT

Posted on August 17, 2017June 8, 2018 by Rich

I slowly wake this morning, fully up around 6:30AM. It’s just too nice laying there in my tent. Salmon Lake S.P. is one great stopover for cylists – don’t miss it. We make our way south 7 miles to the nearest restaurant. Cold this morning, but not as bad as the previous 2 days. Still, the heavy gloves stay on for most of the spin. Unfortunately, the Stoney’s Lounge restaurant does not open until noon, so we must resort to the adjacent c-store for coffee and stale nibbles. We’ve run into a fair number of closed businessses this tour so

NR14: Salmon Lake S. P.

Posted on August 16, 2017June 8, 2018 by Rich

Cold this morning! My lousy tent position created a slanted and lumpy floor last night. I kept ending up in a side corner and woke up very early, still yawning. It surprised me to find Phil and Jack up and packing at 6:30AM. Alas, we find the nearby Swan Lake Cafe closed and for sale. There is a general store slated to open at 8AM, but Jack and Phil don’t want to wait for it. A Starbucks doubleshot works out OK for my breakfast, and while I fiddle with it Jack and Phil take off. They seem impatient this morning

NR13: NW Montana

Posted on August 15, 2017June 8, 2018 by Rich

Wow – sure is cold this morning. Might even be pushing into the 30s! I’d hoped we were all done with that. The condensation on my tent walls turns my hands into frozen blocks rolling it up. Around 7AM we roll out to a nearby general store. The wind chill on our hands made it all the more wicked. In chatting with the proprietor, we applaud the great bike lane in this section of US2, and he indicates that area businesses have ponied up the money for it over many years. Jack and I have been discussing today’s route. Our

NR12: Logan Pass

Posted on August 14, 2017April 9, 2018 by Rich

Up at 6, and we’re all ready to go by 7. We’ve had something like 14 hours of luxurious sleep, and I think we’re keyed up to get riding. This route up Logan Pass is an anticipated treat for all of us. Jack and I had estimated today’s ride to be 36 miles while planning way back in Sparwood, but somehow we flubbed. It’ll be more like 55. At least it’s some consolation that we’re actually going up the pass the “easy” way, from the east. Should be around 2500′ climb for us, but it would be 3500′ from the

NR11: Entrance to Glacier NP

Posted on August 13, 2017September 25, 2017 by Rich

Phil’s snoring solidly this morning around 5AM. That guy was tired! And I probably did the same! He finally stops and I go back to sleep until 7:30AM. I’m actually a little sore from the ride yesterday but not too bad. With no wifi, I mindlessly watch the one channel on TV: Sesame Street. The three of us convene for breakfast across the street at the cafe here in Babb. As planned a few days ago in Sparwood, the ride today is a scant 10 miles to Glacier National Park, and thus we’ll get in some rest. We need it! We’ll start

NR10: Bison Liason

Posted on August 12, 2017July 31, 2023 by Rich

I unzip the tent fly early this morning to see a deer strolling by our site. Jack’s immune to them since they’re always in his back yard, but I still get a thrill. Maybe he thinks javelina are neat. Phil is unusually still asleep this morning as Jack and I are folding up tents, but minutes later he’s out, dressed, and folding his own. That guy moves fast. Our maps suggest there are few provisions out on the route today, so our first stop is a c-store. We head south out of town on 6. A tiny tailwind aids our