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Uphill and Against the Wind - TransAm E-W

Trans America Trail E-W

4,641 miles (7,469 km) over 90 days from May 17, 1986 to August 14, 1986

Topic: Bicycle Touring
Categories: Tour diaries, 1-3 months, TransAmerica Trail, USA Coast to Coast, East to West, USA East to West
Locales: North America, United States, Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon
Year: 1986

Permalink: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Tuz1986

Status: Completed Aug 1986
Last updated: Wednesday January 10, 2007 10:14 CST (edited Tue 8 Jul 2008 08:35 CST)
87,134 hits since May 3, 2006 (hitcounts updated nightly)
343 pics

Grand Teton National Park - July 13, 1986

I have this picture hanging on my wall, I've looked at it every single day since 1986.

Introduction

Prologue: It's About the Bike... Or is IT?

First Trip - to Mackinac Island

Wolverine 200 Marathon: Double Century

Bicycling Magazine, a Schwinn Paramount, and the Rec Room 1981

Lake Huron Circle Tour 1982

North Coast Tour 1983: Portland to San Francisco

1984-1985: Basketball, Cars, Friends, College..... not much Cycling

Final Preparations and Training: Sept 4, 1985 thru May 15, 1986

I made the News!

Equipment

Detroit to Yorktown: Long Car Trip

Trans America Trail - The Beginning

Virginia

Day 1: Yorktown to Jamestown - Someone calm my nerves please

Day 2: Jamestown to Ashland - Awesome ride, others, and a cold beer

Day 3: Ashland to Lake Anna - No 3 mile Islands please

Day 4: Lake Anna to Charlottesville - Long day, hungry, Monticello, and a little rain

Day 5: Charlottesville to Afton - The dog, uphill, uphill, uphill, and the Cookie Lady!

Day 6: Afton (Cookie Lady) to Vesuvius KOA

Day 7: Vesuvius KOA to Troutville - Brrrrrrr, it's COLD

Day 8: Troutville to Claytor Lake SP - Tough roller coaster day, the heat, and a shower!

Day 9: Claytor Lake SP to Wytheville City Park - The rain, wet ride, dinner and a movie

Day 10: Wytheville to Damascus - "The Place", or is it..... "The Ritz"

Day 11: Damascus to Damascus - Hangover, rest, and reflection

Day 12: Damascus to Elk Garden Hostel - Killer climb, dangerous downhill

Day 13: Elk Garden Hostel to Breaks Interstate Park - Awesome day all around

Kentucky

Day 14: Breaks Interstate Park to Pippa Passes Hostel - Damn trucks, heat and humidity

Day 15: Pippa Passes to Booneville - A great day.... NOT!

Day 16: Booneville to Berea - Calling all dogs, Halt !, a few showers, and all you can eat ....

Day 17: Berea to Berea - Rest day, sight seeing day

Day 18: Berea to Harrodsburg - Rolling hills, no horses, more pizza, and Daniel Boone

Day 19: Harrodsburg to Bardstown - A buzz cut, an old tavern, and a 100 item salad bar!

Day 20: Bardstown to Hodgenville - Rain, rain rain, but yet another dry day....

Note to Readers: Route Map

Day 21: Hodgenville to Rough River SP - Nice ride, a cool shower and a hacky sack

Day 22: Rough River SP to Sebree - Fred the bootlegger and a BBQ

Illinois

Day 23: Sebree KY to Golconda IL - Finally out of Kentucky - long hot day

Day 24: Golconda to Carbondale - Huge storm, a motel and finally a real shower

Day 25: Carbondale to Carbondale - A great time in Carbondale

Day 26: Carbondale to Chester - Popeye and the Mighty Mississippi River

Missouri

Day 27: Chester to Farmington MO - The Ozarks start pretty tough

Day 28: Farmington to Certerville - An irritating day on the TA

Day 29: Centerville to Eminence - The Ozark National Scenic Riverways

Day 30: Eminence to Houston - Ozarks finally come to an end

Day 31: Houston to Marshfield - A Lazy Crazy Guy, a high dive, and a dugout

Day 32: Marshfield to Ash Grove - Ohhh the Humidity

Kansas

Day 33: Ash Grove to Pittsburg Kansas - Welcome to friendly Kansas and midway

Day 34: Pittsburg to Pittsburg - Layover day, and another "buzz" of a time

Day 35: Pittsburg to Chanute - Hot, windy and boring

Day 36: Chanute to Eureka - Some late night YELLIN'

Day 37: Eureka to Newton - The rain, the wind and another small Kansas town

Day 38: Newton to Sterling - My lucky day!

Day 39: Sterling to Great Bend - My Michigan accent?

Day 40: Great Bend to Ness City - Straight road, uphill, and the winds

Day 41: Ness City to Scott City - Brutal headwind, another storm, and a newspaper

I made the news, again!

Day 42: Scott City to Tribune - Finally nearing the end of Kansas

Colorado

Day 43: Tribune to Eads Colorado - Finally Colorado!

Day 44: Eads to Ordway - Desolate Territory

Day 45: Ordway to Pueblo - My first flat tire, some new Nikes, and an old friend

Half Way Stats

Day 46: Pueblo to Royal Gorge - An optical delusion?

Day 47: Royal Gorge to Fairplay - Snow Capped Rocky Mountains

The Big Race

Day 48: Fairplay to Breckenridge - Rocky Mountain High

Day 49: A parade, more Mexican food, and the Fireworks

Day 50: Back on the bike

Day 51: Kremmling to Walden - A cold morning and a Muddy Pass

Wyoming

Day 52: Walden to Saratoga Wyoming - Finally, a Tail Wind

Day 53: Saratoga to Rawlins - High Plateau Through Nowhere

Mackinac Island: Mountain Biking - July 6-9, 2006

Day 54: Rawlins to Lander - Ma's Boarding House

Ma's Boarding House

Day 55: Lander to Sinks to Lander - A day on the ranch

Day 56: Lander to Dubois - The Wind River Area - Hey, it's windy here

Day 57: Dubois to Moran Jct. KOA - Togwotee Pass and the Tetons

Day 58: Moran Jct KOA to Jackson - Teton National Park

Day 59: Jackson to Jackson - The "Coach"

Day 60: Jackson to Colter Bay - Hidden Falls

Day 61: Colter Bay to Old Faithful - Hail to the Victors

Day 62: Old Faithful - Rest Day

Montana

Day 63: Old Faithful to Quake Lake Montana - Big Sky Country

Day 64: Quake Lake to Virginia City - Party Time

Day 65: Virginia City to Dillon - A hang-over of a day

Day 66: Dillon to Wisdom - Side trip to Bannack

Day 67: Wisdom to Missoula - The Coup deta

Note: Thumbnail and Slideshow features

Day 68: Missoula to 520 South - "Get a List and Keep Planning"

Day 69: 520 South to 520 South - Sightseeing around Missoula

Idaho

Day 70: 520 South to Lowell Idaho - On my own for the first time since Yorktown

Day 71: Lowell to Riggins - Join the parade

Day 72: Riggins to Riggins - Salmon River float trip

Day 73: Riggins to Hells Canyon - Idaho Oregon state line

Oregon - 10th and Final State

Day 74: Hells Canyon to Baker City - One Hell of a day

Stayin' Cool - Michigan Style

Day 75: Baker City to Mount Vernon - Hot, headwind kinda day

Day 76: Mount Vernon to Mitchell - Another late start...

Day 77: Mitchell to Prineville - Central Oregon

Day 78: Prineville to Sisters - A hair cut and the county fair

Day 79: Sisters to Blue River - McKenzie Pass

Day 80: Blue River to Eugene - One day to Pacific Coast

Day 81: Eugene to Florence - COAST to COAST

Day 82: Florence to Beverly Beach SP

Day 83: Beverly Beach to Cape Lookout SP

Day 84: Cape Lookout SP to Cannon Beach - A surprise reunion with friends

Day 85: Cannon Beach to Astoria - The official end of the Trans America Trail

Day 86: Astoria to Newberg - My cycling attire isn't proper!

Day 87-90: Newberg Oregon - Final days

Epilogue +20: Final Thoughts

Where are we now?

My Official Cookie House Picture

Related pages:

Article: "Tour de Harsens Island and St Clair Flats" by Dave T (Completed Apr 2007)
Journal: "Colorado 14'er Quest 2007" by Dave T (Completed Jul 2007) in topic Hiking
Journal: "Hiking Sun Valley Idaho" by Dave T (Completed Oct 2007) in topic Hiking