Astoria, Oregon

Our trip will likely go down in history (at least in our minds).  First, it was Lewis and Clarks 2 year journey, but now it is Joe and Jeff’s 4 year journey to reach Astoria. Obviously, our journey was harder because it took longer.  L & C’s adventure started in St. Louis in 1804 and they returned in 1806.  We started in St. Louis in 2009 and went to Havre, Mt. and now in 2013 we have completed the journey.  While L &C’s journals document their triumphant exploration, all we have is this and our prior blog…but we are getting ahead of ourselves.

This morning we started from Cascade Locks by getting on a bike path that took us west along the interstate for about 5 miles.  From there, we had to get on the interstate for only 3 miles.  We were early enough that we only had to endure very little traffic noise and none of the headwinds that challenged us on the previous days.  From there we transitioned back to “Historic Route 30” that took us by the many water falls that are located along this part of the gorge.  Next we had a long climb up to Vista House that was above the clouds and offered a wonderful view.  As we continued west we cycled along the top of the ridge for several miles before we came to the long anticipated down hill.  As we were flying down at 20 to 30 mph, Joe called to Jeff that we needed to stop or miss the short cut that he found in the cycling guide books.  Indeed, this short cut eliminated a mile from staying on Route 30.  What Joe did not tell Jeff, was that to save a mile of great down hill cycling we would need to climb several 100 additional feet before getting an even longer down hill ride.  Needless to say, Jeff was not happy sacrificing his original down hill just to do a big climb with a longer down hill.

As we worked our way into Portland, we cycled mostly on bike paths along the Columbia River with Mount Hood looming behind us.  Once we got into the city we headed for the River City Bike shop where we left our bikes to be shipped home.  Next, Joe’s daughter-in-law picked us up and took us to her home.  After relaxing with her and her daughters we got into a car and headed to Astoria. 

We had to come to Astoria because this is where Lewis and Clark wintered before heading home.  Both of us recently read a cycling article that espoused the charms of Astoria and were looking forward to spending time here.  However, we were disappointed.  We expected a quaint little town with the charm of Cannon Beach, Oregon (just south of here).  Instead, we found is a city that did not meet any of our expectations. It seemed over developed and worn out.  Despite our disappointment, we look forward to our drive back to Portland and then flying to our homes in New York and Virginia.

Today’s photos

Today’s Map

Astoria, Oregon

Our trip will likely go down in history (at least in our minds).  First, it was Lewis and Clarks 2 year journey, but now it is Joe and Jeff’s 4 year journey to reach Astoria. Obviously, our journey was harder because it took longer.  L & C’s adventure started in St. Louis in 1804 and they returned in 1806.  We started in St. Louis in 2009 and went to Havre, Mt. and now in 2013 we have completed the journey.  While L &C’s journals document their triumphant exploration, all we have is this and our prior blog…but we are getting ahead of ourselves.

This morning we started from Cascade Locks by getting on a bike path that took us west along the interstate for about 5 miles.  From there, we had to get on the interstate for only 3 miles.  We were early enough that we only had to endure very little traffic noise and none of the headwinds that challenged us on the previous days.  From there we transitioned back to “Historic Route 30” that took us by the many water falls that are located along this part of the gorge.  Next we had a long climb up to Vista House that was above the clouds and offered a wonderful view.  As we continued west we cycled along the top of the ridge for several miles before we came to the long anticipated down hill.  As we were flying down at 20 to 30 mph, Joe called to Jeff that we needed to stop or miss the short cut that he found in the cycling guide books.  Indeed, this short cut eliminated a mile from staying on Route 30.  What Joe did not tell Jeff, was that to save a mile of great down hill cycling we would need to climb several 100 additional feet before getting an even longer down hill ride.  Needless to say, Jeff was not happy sacrificing his original down hill just to do a big climb with a longer down hill.

As we worked our way into Portland, we cycled mostly on bike paths along the Columbia River with Mount Hood looming behind us.  Once we got into the city we headed for the River City Bike shop where we left our bikes to be shipped home.  Next, Joe’s daughter-in-law picked us up and took us to her home.  After relaxing with her and her daughters we got into a car and headed to Astoria. 

We had to come to Astoria because this is where Lewis and Clark wintered before heading home.  Both of us recently read a cycling article that espoused the charms of Astoria and were looking forward to spending time here.  However, we were disappointed.  We expected a quaint little town with the charm of Cannon Beach, Oregon (just south of here).  Instead, we found is a city that did not meet any of our expectations. It seemed over developed and worn out.  Despite our disappointment, we look forward to our drive back to Portland and then flying to our homes in New York and Virginia.

Trouble uploading today’s photos – will try tomorrow L

Today’s Map

Cascade Locks

We started this morning with something new, a tail wind.  We had to cycle east for one mile to get on the trail that would take us west along the Columbia River.  After that we were back into headwinds.  While the trail was paved, it was more of a nature trail than a bike trail.  It meandered with lots of twist and turns meant to give the tail user a look at the flora and fauna that grows in the marsh along the river.  From there we got on what is called Historic Route 30, a rarely used road that goes into the mountains overlooking the river.  While we had some climbs we enjoyed the vistas and lack of traffic.  Route 30 then transitioned into a section of road that has been closed to auto traffic but available to walkers and cyclists.  This went on for about 30 miles and took us into the town of Hood River where we stopped for coffee and a morning snack.  Unfortunately, we next had to get back on the dreaded Interstate Highway.  Our travels on this highway were much faster than yesterdays but the level of traffic was still very annoying.   We cycled about 10 miles on the Interstate, expecting to go about 5 miles more before we could again take side roads.  At this point we saw an exit sign and remembered the Columbia River Gorge Bike map that a trail guide gave us earlier in the day.  Sure enough, we could get off of the interstate, 5 miles earlier than planned.  While this option involved a modest climb, it was worth getting out of the fast moving traffic.  Like most tough climbs, this one was followed by a great down hill ride into the town of Cascade Locks.  Usually when we come to fast down hills, Joe flies and Jeff follows at a more cautious speed.  However, today Jeff broke with tradition and stayed with Joe all the way to the bottom.  Joe was impressed that Jeff kept up, but Jeff just questioned his own sanity.  

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Today’s Map

Trip to Date

The Dalles

Another day with strong head winds kept us on the road longer than we like.  We left our hotel early and found a breakfast place then headed west.  Actually, we were pointed west and pedaling in that direction but our forward progress was very slow.   The only road available to us was the Interstate Highway that runs next to the Columbia River.  It should have been nice but with the noise of the vehicles and the wind, it was just not fun.  Finally, we arrived in Arlington, Oregon by late afternoon and decided that their only motel was not the place we wanted to spend the night.  After a quick meal we went back to the Interstate on-ramp and put out our thumbs.  It took a while but Mike finally picked us up and drove us to The Dalles. Mike even complained about his truck being buffeted by the headwinds.  Mike was kind enough to drop us off at a nice motel and suggested some things that we should see and do.  Unfortunately, we are too tired to do any of them.

Today’sPhotos

Map of Today’s “ride”

Umatilla, Oregon

NOTE:  we prepared 2 blog entries yesterday for Dayton.  The first dealt with our arrival into town and the second with our time exploring the town.

Cycling out of Dayton this morning we stopped at Ray’s Diner, the only place in town open at our early hour.  Ray fixed us breakfast and served us coffee for the start of our long day.  Dayton is a large agriculture area where the primary crop appears to be wheat.  If we paid closer attention to Wally, during yesterday’s ride, we could have identified the other crops.  Farming continued to fill the landscape as we headed westward.  About half way to Walla Walla, Washington we saw a fenced pasture with lots of horses and one camel.  Of course we had to take a picture of the camel before moving on.  As we approached Walla Walla we noticed lots of wind turbines on the ridge south of town.  As we cycled west they continued for 25 miles.  There must have been thousands of those turbines.  Another interesting thing about Walla Walla is that Joe’s wife told us that they grow great onions here.  As we headed out of town we passed many onion farms and watched the workers harvest some of the fields.  The smell of fresh onions permeated the air.

While we did not have a direct head wind we were still challenged by the southerly winds that seemed the strongest when we felt the weakest.  Surprisingly, they were not so bad once we got to the Columbia River Gorge and entered Oregon.  We cycled down river and got to enjoy the Union Pacific trains as they raced by.  We also enjoyed the smell from the many onion trucks that passed by.  After each truck, Jeff had to mention his fantasy of having those fresh onions on a grilled hot dog with mustard.  Food fantasies were to be expected since there was no where to eat after leaving Walla Walla and we were getting tired of our bananas and trail bars.

If this blog sounds a little choppy and we have more misspellings than usual, it is because we cycled 85 miles today and were on the road from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.  We are exhausted!

Today’sPhotos

Today’s Map

Dayton

After a shower and updating our blog, we decided to walk into town.  Dayton dates back to 1860 when Jesse and Elizabeth Day settled here.  Unlike many small towns, Dayton’s downtown has not only survived but appears to be thriving.  In addition to the new Best Western, we found several nice restaurants, a brew pub, several cafes, and the usual bar and pizza places.  It had several stores, art galleries, and antique shops. We walked to the County Courthouse and the restored train station.  This train station was built in 1881 by the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company and is the oldest surviving train station in Washington.   During our walk we decided to check out each of the restaurant’s dinner menus.  We stopped first at the Fire and Irons Brewpub and sampled their beers and ate some bar nuts.  Next we wondered into the Manila Bay Asian Café that required reservations and had some very interesting but expensive items listed; a place to take your spouse, not your cycling buddy.  We stopped at 2 others places, including the bakery where we wanted a slice of pie but had to settle for a chocolate chip cookie.  What kind of bakery runs out of pie?  We settled on Weinhard Café.  Later we went back for dinner.  We started with local beers; next Joe had cream of asparagus soup and Jeff had a mixed green salad.  With this they served their own flat bread with a chickpea and radish spread.  For our main course we each had fresh halibut over a bed of rice topped with green curry sauce and a side of asparagus spears.  For dessert Joe had pecan pie and Jeff had the black berry cobbler.  The menu changes daily and the breads and desserts are all “house made.” This was a fantastic meal.  We would call it the best of the tip but that would not mean much when we had mostly choices of hamburgers or fired chicken.

Photosof Dayton

Dayton, Washington

This morning started with breakfast at Tonya’s Café.  We soon found out that this early morning restaurant is also the watering hole for the local farmers and jokesters.  As the farmers rolled in, each shared a barb with Tonya and then with us.  Mostly, they kidded about her cooking and what it would do to us as we cycled.  We wondered how serious they were when we noticed that they were only drinking coffee and we were the only ones eating.  Despite their warning, the food was great and we enjoyed the company.   Tonya was not shy and traded each barb with one of her own. 

We have been leaving early to avoid the head winds that start as the day warms.  However, this morning we were met with 20 to 25 mph winds out of the south west.  It was ok for a while but we eventually turned southwest and would have been stopped in our tracks if it wasn’t for the slight down hill we had for 15 miles. The steady winds were not bad enough; the gusts were much stronger and occasionally blew us off the road. (We learned later that the gust were 30 to 40 mph.)  By the time we got to the bottom of this mornings climb we were only going 4 to 6 mph and working very hard.  This is where we decided that it is better to hitch a ride than go on.  Not long after we stuck out our thumbs, Wally stopped his flat bed farm truck and helped us load our bikes for a ride into Dayton, the next westward town.  Wally was a real character.  He did not stop talking during the one-half hour ride to Dayton.  We learned more about farming and farm equipment on this ride than we could absorb in years of study. When he talked, he looked to the side at us and the truck kept veering in that direction, making us nervous.  After we unloaded or bikes at a hotel, he kept us in the parking lot for another half-hour telling us about the town, its history, and Lewis and Clark trivia.

As we sat down to write this blog we received an email from our friend Hans-Peter.  As you will recall from an earlier blog he is heading east (and we are going west).  Hans-Peter complained that the headwinds were keeping him from moving on today.  We wondered how it could be that east bound cyclist and west bound cyclist both have head winds.  We guess that the old cyclist’s adage must be true, “no matter which way you are heading, you will have headwinds.”  Despite being a short cycling day we are in a brand-new Best Western and enjoying a great layover day.

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Today’s Map

Trip to Date Map

Pomeroy, Washington [from 6/10]

When we were checking in at yesterday’s hotel, the breakfast hostess was cleaning up from the morning meal.  She asked if we planned to leave early the next day, and when we told her that we did, she said she could have breakfast ready at 5:30, one-half hour earlier than scheduled.  Sure enough, at 5:30 we had fresh coffee, real eggs, sausages, etc.  Our hostess is from Hawaii and provided a wonderful start to our day with her good cooking and warm personality.   We regretted not getting her picture.

Shortly after leaving Orofino we got into the high desert area of western Idaho and eastern Washington/Oregon.  It was very desolate.  Back home trees are as common as pennies.  Here, there are no tress or much brush; just baron nothing. However, getting to Pomeroy started with a fast 40 miles to Lewiston/Clarkston.  We averaged 14.7 mph.  In Clarkston we stopped at a Fed Ex store and sent some of our unneeded gear home.  Next we stopped at a grocery store for lunch and to stock up with snacks for the rest of our ride.  While sitting in the shade eating our lunch, a young boy (on a scooter) and his father (on a mountain bike) stopped to talk.  The boy stared at our bikes for a few minutes then peppered us with questions.  One question was “what was the fastest that you have gone on your bike.”  Joe answered that he reached 50 mph going down hill on his tandem.  The boy was impressed!  The father, perhaps feeling inadequate, told his son that “he has gone 65 mph by catching the draft off an 18 wheeler.”  Since this is something Joe could never do, he was quiet and just watched the boy look admiringly at his father.

At Fed Ex, Joe left 14 pounds and Jeff 12 pounds.  Having less gear was a good thing.  Leaving Clarkston we had another easy 10 miles before we hit the hill from hell.  It was a 10 mile climb of over 2,000 feet in the heat of the day.  It took Joe 2.5 hours for his climb and Jeff about 30 minutes more. Jeff could have kept up with Joe if he only got rid of 2 more pounds of gear.  It was the hardest climb on this trip and one of the hardest we have had over the years.  After the climb, we had a “supposed” down hill into town, but with the head winds, we had to work all the way.  While we are tired from 75 miles of cycling, hill climbing, and the heat, we looked forward to a shower and 2 beers.  Cyclists know that after the beers and shower, adversity becomes adventure.

Today’sPhotos

Today’s Map

Trip Map

Elevation Profile of today's ride:

Orofino, Idaho

We left our A-frame cabin in Lowell early this morning to avoid the headwinds that come as the day warms.  We cycled for about 5 miles when we came to a 9 mile stretch where the road had been milled for repaving.  The milled surface provided a very rough ride that made us fell like we were on bicycles that predate pneumatic tires.  Those bicycles were called “bone shakers” and the road had us well shaken.  When the road surface improved so did our speed.  Near the town of Kooskia, ID we met Jack who was heading east on the Lewis and Clark route.  He recommended an excellent restaurant for breakfast, the Kooskia Café, where we filled up on calories, carbohydrates, fats, and coffee.  After breakfast we met Park, a South Korean cyclist that is heading to Virginia.

At Three Forks, the Lochsa River merged with the Selway River and became the Clearwater River.  It still looked the same to us and we were glad that we could spend another day being river-side.  About 10:30 a.m. the headwinds became strong and slowed us down.  As we entered town we saw a new Best Western across the river.  This was not our intended lodging but we could not pass it up.  The rate for this first class room matched the prevailing rate on this trip, but we got a much better lodging than most nights.  When we entered the lobby, Courtney, the manager, greeted us with bottles of cold water, a warm smile, keys to our first floor room, and directions to the in-motel guest laundry.  What more could we ask for?

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Today’s Map

Trip to Date Map

Yesterday’sPhotos (06-08)

Yesterday’s Map

Lowell, Idaho [from 6/8]

We left Lolo early and the music still played on.  Those groupies never sleep.  As we left the hot springs lodge, a large series of fire works sailed into the air in our honor…at least that is what we believe.  From there, we climbed for about and hour before the road got steeper as we crossed over Lolo Pass at 5,233 feet.  It was a relatively easy climb but the temperatures were in the mid-thirties and we were cold.  Next we had a great down hill ride of about 5 miles and then the terrain had a gradual decline for the next 70 miles. 

We planned a breakfast stop at Powell, Idaho where we had camped in 2002 when we crossed the United States.  Powell is not a town but rather a camp ground with cabins, tent sites, and a great restaurant. As we turned off the highway another cyclist was also turning off from the opposite direction.  We introduced ourselves and agreed to have breakfast together.  The other cyclist was Reinhare from Brenem, Germany and cycling from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine.  Our breakfast was excellent but to much for us to consume.  We took our remaining 2 large huckleberry pancakes with us and eat them for lunch along our ride. 

As we continued westward we met Becky and Denis who were cycling home to Delaware.  The stared 7 days prior in Portland, Oregon. We shared road and eating stories. While we recommended the restaurant in Powell, they warned us that all we had to look forward to were hamburgers; good hamburgers but not much else would be available to us for a while. 

We had hoped that our 70 miles of downhill would give us an easy day.  However, we had a constant head wind that negated any advantage the downhill provided and were ready to quit cycling after 87 miles.

For most of the day we cycled along the Lochsa River.  It is a gorgeous and fast moving river. Along the way we saw many white water raft groups.  One of those groups support vehicles gave us extra water as ours ran out (there were no services between Powell and Lowell).  When we arrived in Lowell, we stopped for pie--Joe had rhubarb and Jeff blueberry.  Afterward we made our way to our motel just a mile away.  Yes, the diner special was a hamburger with salad.

Interestingly, we have not had cell service in 2 days but both hotels have internet connections that allow us to post our blogs.

Photos (06-08)

Today's Map

Lolo, Montana
 

Once we left the motel parking lot we cycled on a bike trail that took us to the other end of town.  After that, we were on a busy highway for several miles before turning onto a rural road that led us to Lolo.  This latter part of the ride was very pleasant with minimal traffic and lots of great scenery.  After checking in at the Lodge we went to the hot springs and had a great soak.  The water came directly from the hot springs and was 102 degrees F.  After our showers we went to the bar for our meal and were immediately thrown into a time warp.  When making our reservations we were told that a “pirate concert” would be happening just across the highway from our lodge.  Neither of us took this warning too seriously, nor did we have any option to stay else were. We still don’t know what a pirate concert is but let us tell you that the bass music has our building vibrating.  Furthermore, the clothing the kids are wearing is a direct throwback to the 1970s.  The guys are skuzzy and the girls half dressed.  Yes we are officially old.

 

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Today’s Map

Missoula, Montana

Before you think we cycled 120 miles today, we will confess to driving a rental car from Helena to Missoula.  While we had one day of rest we look forward to getting back on our bikes in the morning. Leaving Helena, we had to cross a 6,500 foot pass that would have been a real challenge on a bicycle.  However, the views were fantastic and worth the effort (ha ha).  Once we got to Missoula we dumped our bikes and gear at the motel and went into town for some pasta and a beer.  Later we went to Adventure Cycling HQ and met Arlen Hall, tours director, and some of the staff.  We plan to spend the rest of our day just taking it easy writing this blog, and preparing our maps for the days to come.

Pictures

Map of today’s “ride”

Helena, Montana

Note: we did not have any internet connection in Wolf Creek, so we uploaded yesterday’s blog today.  See the Wolf Creek entry below.

One of these days we are going to plan a bike trip by following the tailwinds and go where ever the winds take us.  Yes, we got beaten up again today and only cycled 36 miles. 

Before leaving Wolf Creek we had breakfast at French’s Café.  Despite the fact that the cook was late to open up, the meal was excellent.  During our breakfast several of the patrons spoke to us.  Fred, the most talkative, told us about his moving to Montana, his work, and love of the outdoors.  Before we left, he told us that no matter which direction we were heading we would have a headwind, thanks Fred.

Our first 8 miles out of Wolf Creek were in a scenic canyon that was, in effect, a wind tunnel.  Afterwards, we had our first climb before being dumped onto the interstate highway.  Thankfully, the highway had very limited traffic and wide shoulders.  Close to Helena we had a 2 mile climb that we estimated to be in the 6 percent range.  At the top of this mountain we met Marlowe Rames, who told us he had to stop because he remembered us from our rainy day ride between Fort Benton and Great Falls.  He said that he wanted to tell us how tough he though we were cycling in such bad weather.  Gee, we thought that we were just stupid…  Marlowe works for channel 3 KRTV, the local CBS affiliate and was out checking their towers.  He is also a cyclist who rides a Surly Long Haul Trucker and thinking of his first big tour.

From the top of the mountain into Helena was a drop of nearly 1,000 feet over 7 miles with the steepest drop in the first 2 miles.  Joe had a blast on the downhill, claming he didn’t have to pedal at all for the entire distance.  However Jeff was nervous with the crosswinds and made liberal use of his breaks. 

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Today’s Map

Wolf Creek, Montana  [from 06/04]

Sometimes words are not adequate to describe a great day; but we will try.  We left Great Falls early and headed southwest on the old highway that paralleled the interstate highway.  Our road was virtually devoid of traffic as we headed towards the Bear Paw Mountains.  While beautiful, these mountains were dwarfed by those behind them that were snow capped; presumably the Rockies.  As we cycled along we again saw lots of pronghorn antelopes and many interesting birds that we could not identify.  When we reached the town of Cascade, we stopped at the newly remodeled Cascade Coffee and Café.  Since we were the only customers, the owner and short order chief gave us their full attention.  The owner recently moved from Minnesota with her husband and purchased the café.  While very friendly, she could not compete with her cook.  Before long, he told us about his recent trip east where he spent a month in Plattsburg, NY, the home of Joes daughter and her family.  Once again we were struck by how small the world has become.  The place was a real gem and the food was great.

After leaving Cascade, our trip got more interesting as we began cycling along the Missouri River.  Our road continued to be devoid of traffic and became a wonderland of interesting sights.  While the nearby interstate highway climbed over the mountains, we continued alongside the river.  Our ride took us through the river canyon for 10 to 15 miles before it opened up to a wide valley. (Check out the attached pictures.)   The canyon snaked through sheer cliffs and the Missouri River was always by our side.  There were many fly fishermen in boats along our path and most took the time to wave as we passed. 

The weather surprised us today with intermittent sunshine but cool temperatures.  We ended at Wolf Creek without any confirmed lodging.  The first place we passed was out of business so we stopped at a bar and got directions for a fishing outfitter “down the road” that also had cabins and a small motel.  After seeing all the fishermen on the river, we were afraid that we may have had to rough it.  On a prior journey down the Mississippi, the lodging at one destination was booked up by fishermen requiring us to cycle 10 miles further, something that we did not want to do today. However, today we lucked out and were able to secure a small room with 2 beds.  The town of Wolf Creek is not much more than several outfitters, a post office, 2 bars, and a Baptist Church.

Somephotos along today’s ride

Today’s route

Trip to Date

Great Falls, Montana

The city of Great Falls must have gotten its name from the amount of water falling from the sky.  It not only rained today, it poured and the temperatures stayed in the low 50s.  Because of the weather we cut our travels short and only went 43 miles from Fort Benton to Great Falls.  Because we were cold and wet we took the first motel we saw; very nice but a little expensive.  Because of the weather, we did not get out our cameras, read any historic markers, or stop to smell the roses.  Thus, we have no interesting things to share.  According to one man with whom we spoke, this area had 4 inches of rain last week and they are expecting 2 more inches today.  He further stated that this is the wettest spring that he can remember.  All of this does not bode well for our days to come.  However, the weather forecast shows emerging sunshine for the next several days.

Today’s Map       

Trip Map

Fort Benton, Montana

Finally, we did some serious cycling today.  The first 30 miles were a gentle upgrade in elevation but with a tail wind.  For the next 20 miles we continued to gain elevation but at a slightly steeper grade; but not really hill climbing.  However, the winds shifted and we were buffeted by a head wind.  It wasn’t all bad.  About 20 miles out of Fort Benton we enjoyed a 2 mile down hill.  Yes, a real down hill with a 5 percent decline that lasted over 2 miles before leveling off.  Near the end of our day’s journey, we had another great down hill as we dropped to the Missouri River.  The bottom line for us is that we are exhausted from our 73 mile, first day’s ride.

Along the way we did see several pronghorn antelope racing across the fields.  We also saw a pheasant but mostly the ride was uneventful.  The topography changed as we got closer to Fort Benton when it went from the plains to bluffs and a view of the Bear Paw Mountain range.  Finally, when we arrived in Fort Benton we got our first glimpse of the Missouri River that is right across the street from our hotel.

Fort Benton was one of the most important early trading posts built along the Missouri River.  Steamboats brought supplies upriver to here but could go no farther because of the rapids. Today the town is a national historic landmark.

  

Today’s photos

Map of today’s ride

Havre-day 3

For all of our family and friends following our blog, we will start our journey tomorrow.  Regardless of our extended layover atrophying our muscles, we are having a great time.  We even cycled 15 miles today to check out the “Buffalo Jump” and an alternative route out of town. 

Three different Native American groups used the buffalo jump just west of Havre.  The buffalo jump got its name from the practice of stampeding the buffalo off the cliff so the Native Americans could gather the meat and hides. The site was discovered in the late 1960s and archaeological digs began.  The site dates back 2,000 years and used by 3 different groups over that time.  Archaeologists have uncovered 3 distinct layers showing the sites use over time and how the buffalo were processed.  After the buffalo were driven over the cliff, those not killed or badly injured were put in stockades, the others were killed and processed.

After we left the buffalo jump site we cycled the long way back into Havre and then to the Amtrak station to meet Hans-Peter our Swiss friend who is cycling east across the United States.

Today's Photos