San Diego, CA to San Simeon, CA [Weeks 12-13]: We changed our whole route up (again) and decided to ride the PCH highway along the California and Oregon coast before cutting east in Portland, Oregon. Our new description to people on the road is that we are biking to Portland, Oregon then Portland, Maine.
San Simeon, CA to San Francisco, CA [Week 14]: The week of Big Sur and SF was something Suzie and I looked forward to as part of the PCH ride, and it did not disappoint. This was a week of epic scenery, hilly roads, relentless wind, new, and old friends.
San Francisco, CA to Eureka, CA [Week 15]: We high tailed this week to reach Eureka, climbing the most elevation of our trip into brisk headwinds. While a challenging section, we found the ride to be beautiful, particularly as we wove through the Avenue of the Giants.
Eureka, CA to Eugene, OR [Week 16]: This week was our toughest since we got back to the US. The long days on the road, punishing headwinds, and aggressive traffic pushed us to the limit a few times, but we made it safe to Eugene for a few well earned days off.
Eugene, OR to Baker City, OR [Week 17]: We fell in love with Oregon for this section of the ride. Moving over the McKenzie Pass and down through the canyons of the John Day Valley was a true introduction to "The West."
Baker City, OR to Riggins, ID [Week 18]: We entered the Rocky Mountain region this week as we made our way over the Oregon border and into Idaho. Where last week we were sleeping in below freezing temps, this week had us biking without shirts and trying to find refuge in shade to combat the heat. Without a doubt, the highlight was Hells Canyon, the deepest canyon/gorge in North America.
Riggins, ID to Missoula, MT [Week 19]: This week, we followed the route of the great explorers Lewis and Clark, taking the Northwest Passage into the Rockies. Crossing Lolo Pass into Montana was one of the most scenic roads of the entire trip, while our climb over White Bird Hill through the extreme heat of the day was one of our most difficult experiences to date.
Missoula, MT to Flathead Lake, MT [Week 20]: It was a short week for us on the bikes. We only rode for two days, taking an out and back route from Missoula up to Flathead Lake. The highlight was riding along the majestic Mission Mountains. We first gazed these beauties after cresting a four mile climb. From our perspective, the jagged, rocky, and snow capped peaks seemingly came out of nowhere and actually stopped us in our tracks.
Missoula, MT to West Yellowstone, MT [Week 21]: This week, we made a 5-day run into Yellowstone National Park. We got hailed on, caught in three wild thunderstorms high in the Rockies, saw a Moose, visited a few old mining towns, learned about a massive quake that hit the region, and made new friends everywhere along the way.