"Pedal or Die" Bicycle Trip - Summer 2009

Driving back to PA and FINAL STATS!!

2009-07-09T12:29:00.001-07:00

Steve and Janis Cross

Dave, Beth, Hadassah and Micah Clark Fourth of July Fun!
More fun on the 4th...
Pyrotechnic delight at the Clark's house

Sleepy Sasha on the drive from Great Falls

Zhenya, in the same mode (Lee stayed awake the whole time!)

Doing his best "BOLT" impression!

Mount Rushmore

Welcome to Pennsylvania!

This way to York......

The guys spent their last 2 days in MT visiting the Clark and Cross families. Thanks to each of those families for extending hospitality and good times to Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha. The fireworks were a highlight! As you can see from the photos, Zhenya and Sasha caught up on some sleep as soon as the car departed Great Falls. Lee woke them to show them the roads they had started bicycling on just a few weeks prior.

Before leaving Great Falls, Lee set the trip odometer to zero in order to see how far they would have to drive before hitting 1,155 miles -- the number they had bicycled during their trip. They called me from Albert Lea, Minnesota (not too far from Rochester) to say they had just made it to mile 1,155! They were very impressed with the distance, and also quite glad to have ridden in the beauty of Montana as opposed to crossing the more barren parts of eastern MT, WY, and all of SD!

Sasha has given permission to share this quote that he made at the end of the trip, "My calves are hard as rocks." I believe that they all have much more muscle than when they started!

FINAL STATS:

1,155 total miles

Google map mileage from YORK, PA to MIAMI, FL is 1149 miles

That is pretty amazing, isn't it???

Over 30,000 feet of elevation gained in vertical climbs

Mount Everest is 29,035 feet high....

These guys have accomplished a very impressive feat

Thank you for your prayers and interest in this marvelous adventure! We hope to see many of you at the cook out on the 18th of July!

Day 24 Going to the Sun Road!!

2009-07-04T12:34:00.000-07:00

Removing layers of clothing once the sun came up! Storm clouds gathering over Lake McDonald as the sun was rising.

Rained on the guys for 45 minutes! Climbing Going to the Sun Road

Cliffs and curves....

So glad I didn't see them on their bikes on this road. Lee with Heaven's Peak in the background

Sasha summiting Logan Pass
(taken by Lee, over his shoulder, while riding!) Zhenya summiting Logan Pass
This is what perseverance earns!
They are a great looking team.

Taken at a stop along the very fast descent down the east side of the pass.

Lee called to say that they made it to the top of Logan Pass by the 11:00 am cut-off time and have ridden successfully through Glacier National Park. Our friends, Dave Clark, and his daughter Hadassah, picked the guys up in East Glacier. They ate a well-deserved lunch before departing the East Glacier area.

They started pedaling at 4:50 am and got to the park at 6:30. There was no one at the entrance to check their annual parks pass so they rode right on through! A thunderstorm hit at 7:30 and rained on them for 45 minutes. They still managed to make the summit by 11:00, not a minute sooner nor a minute later. They took a picture of the clock to prove it! The sun came out and it was a gorgeous, perfect temperature riding day. Lee said that he stopped to take tons of photos on his cell phone (the camera dove off his bike on the 100 mile day and died, how sad). The boys thought he was just being slow and asked why they had to wait for him to catch up to them. He is the king of chronicling trips and they will appreciate all of those photos one day! :)

DAILY STATS:

65 miles from Columbia Falls to St. Mary's Lake

4:50 am to 1:45 pm, sunny and beautiful

(other than that rainstorm!)

3400 feet elevation gain

1155 TOTAL MILES IN THE PEDAL OR DIE TRIP

They have achieved their goal and have finished the course set out before them. I am so proud of all 3 of them. Thank you all so much for your prayers and your interest in their trip. Please join me in praising the Lord for His watchcare and protection over them!

Day 23 Water Slides and Resting

2009-07-04T05:29:00.000-07:00

Friday was a much needed day of R&R after achieving their goal of riding 100 miles in one day. Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha went to the Big Sky Water Slides and enjoyed a day of refreshment riding tubes down water slides, soaking in the hot tubs, and sliding down a slide called the Geronimo (which is so high it causes you to slide at a high enough speed that it feels like it is ripping your skin off ~ ouch!). Sasha told me he preferred the inner tubes!

Lee told me that after watching the boys for three weeks and spending so much time with them he is convinced that they have an unlimited capacity for sleep! They slept until 10:30, so he didn't have to feed them breakfast. :) They do have a new favorite restaurant now -- the A & W Drive-In (which they walked to). Sasha wants to know if there are A & W restaurants in Pennsylvania.

Needless to say, they all enjoyed a day out of the saddle. The plan was to go to bed early as they needed to be up and pedaling by 4:30 am (yes, AM) in order to get to Glacier National Park in time to start biking Going to the Sun Road. There are rules about when cyclists must be off the road in order for motorists to be allowed to start driving on it. If the guys don't finish in time they will have to get on a shuttle and catch a ride to the other side of the park that way. We are praying that Sasha's legs wake up quickly this morning!!

Thanks for your prayers and your interest in the trip!

Day 22 Century Day ~ 100 miles!

2009-07-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

THEY DID IT!

Starting at 7:00 am from Seeley Lake

(the third creature is not Lee, FYI)

Hearty brunch to fuel their bodies for more miles! Mid-morning in the Swan Valley

The guys rode through the beautiful Swan Valley (Salmon Lake was the day prior) beginning at Seeley Lake and then spent many hours pedaling along Swan Lake. It was yet another gorgeous blue sky day with winds from the north giving them headwinds for their 100 miles. I am not sure they would know what to do with a tailwind at this point. :)

New tire for Sasha.

The guys arrived safely in Columbia Falls this evening after a long day of pedaling that included 2 tire changes. They had to change Sasha's front tire fairly early on and then at the 98 1/2 mile point Lee's rear tire went flat and had to be changed. Total bummer! More info on tire changing. They have gone through all 3 spare tires and 5 out of the 9 inner tubes they took on the trip. The road trash over the last week was really bad. As far as riding conditions on their 100 mile day, there was NO SHOULDER for almost half the ride (white paint was right next to the grass) and for the first time ever they encountered rude ranchers who did not like sharing the road with them. It made for some interesting riding!

Here are 3 quotes from the Century Day:

Quote #1 ~ Zhenya, at the 90 mile point, stated "That wasn't so bad."

(realizing that they would, indeed, make their goal of 100 miles in one day)

Quote #2 ~ Lee, "Saddle rash isn't so bad once it finally advances from raw to numb."

Quote #3 ~ Sasha, "Neat, now my tires match."

(after Lee and Zhenya spent 20 minutes changing his front tire for him)

This cartoon was too good to pass up for the 100 mile day.

Click on it to enlarge it to see the fun details.

DAILY STATS:

101 miles from Seeley Lake to Columbia Falls

7 am to 8 pm, sunny and beautful!

No elevation gain

1090 total miles to date

Tomorrow is a much anticipated day of rest. Lee will be taking Sasha and Zhenya to one of the coolest water parks, ever! It is right across the street from their motel so they don't even have to get on their bicycles to go to it. Good planning, eh? Please join us in thanking the Lord for His provision of good weather, road conditions, health, and bicycle maintenance for our 3 bicyclists over these last few weeks. Only one more day of riding remains and it will be a spectacular view of God's creation as they ride Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National Park. GNP shouts of God's majesty!

Day 21 Missoula to Seeley Lake

2009-07-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

Wednesday was another sunny, beautiful blue sky day. It is easy to see how Montana got the nickname "Big Sky State"! They rode through the Clark Fork River Valley and said that it was very pretty. Those prevailing summer winds that are usually from the south were not evident yesterday. Winds came at them from the north producing more headwinds, which the guys are accepting with resignation at this point. :) It's not like they can change the direction of the wind....

There were 2 flat tires yesterday. One was Lee's from the previous day that still needed to be changed. He changed it 13 miles into their ride and the rest of the day went relatively smoothly until Zhenya's tire went flat with only 3 miles left until they reached their motel. As Zhenya prepared to change his tire, Lee realized that he left the tire changing tool by the road 43 miles back when he changed his tire earlier in the day. Needless to say, this caused Lee to be very displeased with himself. Necessity is the mother of invention (or some silly saying like that) and Zhenya managed to change his tire in record time using 2 quarters instead of the tool meant for the job. Lee was very impressed with Zhenya's skill and adaptability to the "new tool"! Sasha has a bulging front tire that they are keeping close tabs on. They had narrow roads for the last 14 miles of their ride, but other than that it was a great day!

Lee says the boys are doing great. They are looking forward to getting up early today (Thursday, 2 July) for their 100 mile day! I spoke with each of the boys last night and they sound really excited about riding the 100 miles. They told me they had to get an early start because it was so many miles but they were ready for it.

DAILY STATS:
57 miles from Missoula to Seeley Lake
8:30 am to 6 pm, sunny and 80 to 85 degrees
No elevation gain
989 total miles to date

Today is the BIG day! One hundred miles is huge. Please pray for them as it will be a long day, but they are motivated and eager to make this goal. Thanks for your prayers! Tomorrow is a day of rest. They are going to spend it in Columbia Falls (near Glacier National Park) at the Big Sky Water Slides. FUN!

Day 20 Sula to Missoula

2009-06-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Beautiful mountains

Neon sign on a building near Lolo, MT

Missoula at last!

Lee woke to a flat tire today. They stopped every 10-15 miles to add air and made it the entire way to Missoula. He plans to replace the tube tonight. They were grateful they didn't have to spend time fixing it during their 74 mile ride.

Today started with a 13 mile ride to breakfast at Mustang Allie's Cafe in the little western town of Darby. The guys enjoyed Darby as much as Red Lodge and Virginia City. To their surprise, Darby was the last pretty place they saw on their ride today. Lee said he never thought he would associate the word "yuck" with the Bitterroot Valley, but after seeing the truck and residential traffic combined with broken bottles, cans, bolts, etc., along the road from Hamilton the Missoula...."Yuck". Not at all what they thought would be there. It is the first road trash they have come across in their travels. One saving grace was an 8 mile bike path from Florence to Lolo that was free from traffic and trash and a lovely place to ride.

The weather was gorgeous again today! Blue sky, sunshine, temps reaching 90 degrees by mid-afternoon (too hot for riding, really), and believe it or not... the nasty headwinds found them. Normally winds would be out of the south (giving them a tailwind) but the winds shifted today and came at them from the north. They are all tired of headwinds. Each of them is gaining a suntan, but it seems that Zhenya has some interesting tan lines due to incomplete sunscreen application today. Hmmm..... They made frequent stops in air conditioned places for cold drinks and to cool off during the heat of the day.

The hotel ritual today was laundry for Lee, pool for the boys. Lee told the boys to put anything they wanted washed into the laundry pile in the middle of the floor. Sasha said, "I'm going to put my gloves in the laundry. They stink." Zhenya said, "Me, too." Lee found this amusing since he has washed his gloves before on the trip, and asked the boys previously if they wanted theirs washed and they always declined.

DAILY STATS:

74 miles from Sula to Missoula

8:30 am to 6 pm, sunny and 90 degrees

No elevation gain

932 total miles to date

Tomorrow is a 55 mile ride to Seeley Lake. They only have 3 more days of pedaling! Please pray for safety as they finish the trip. They are heading toward Glacier National Park over the next 2 days followed by a day of rest. The final day is riding through Glacier on Going to the Sun Road. Thanks for your prayers!

Day 19 Jackson Hot Springs to Sula, MT

2009-06-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

Big Hole Valley

Wisdom, MT
Boys climbing the pass

Lee at Chief Joseph Pass

Zhenya and Sasha in town of Sula

Playing in the river behind Rocky Knob Lodge

Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha rode 65 miles today. The weather was gorgeous -- 85 degrees by mid-afternoon, sunny, and no winds to fight. They needed to use mosquito spray again as they rode through the valley before beginning a gentle 1300 foot climb up and over Chief Joseph Pass (7,264 feet) and Lost Trail Pass (7,014 feet). Both of these passes are on the Continental Divide, although the second one is downhill from the first pass and not another climb. Lost Trail Pass dips into Idaho for 1 whole mile, so the boys have now been to another state on this trip! Lee says that climbing into the Bitterroot Mountains is the most scenic ride they have had so far. The Bitterroots are simply beautiful.

A side note about the mosquitos--perhaps they are not using enough spray. Zhenya's back has so many mosquito bites on it that Lee and Sasha stopped counting them. Sasha got a pen a was playing "connect the dots" on Zhenya's back. :)

The guys are staying in a little place called Rocky Knob Lodge. It is listed as being in Sula, MT, but they spent 30 minutes in the tiny "town" of Sula today looking for Rocky Knob only to discover that it is actually located 6 miles north of town! That is 6 less miles they will need to ride tomorrow on their way to Missoula. :)

The guys are borrowing a GPS from Steve Cross. It tells their altitude when they are climbing and has proven to be a very useful gadget to have on the trip. Thanks for the loan, Steve!

DAILY STATS:
65 miles from Jackson Hot Springs to Sula, MT
10:15 am to 5:00 pm, sunny and 85 degrees
1300 feet elevation gain
858 total miles to date

Please continue to pray for stamina for the guys to finish the course. They are dealing with warmer temps and some weariness, but the final stretch is in sight. Thank you for keeping them in your prayers!

Day 18 Twin Bridges to Jackson Hot Springs (with addendum)

2009-06-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a long day, for sure! Lee texted me early to say that he was packing while the boys slept and that they would be getting an early start. Around 11:00 am (their time) he called to say that they had made it to Dillon and were stopping for lunch. He sent the following photos from his phone during their lunch break.They still had to ride another 47 miles to the far side of those mountains in the background.
Lunch break at McDonald's was greatly appreciated! Sasha looks like he wants to take a nap!
What duct tape did for Lee's side view mirror. He is pleased with the "fix".
Lee refers to this photo as the "cockpit modification" that they have made to their bikes. Pipe insulation duct taped to everyone's handlebars makes for happy wrists.
He sent this one and declared happily that they have not had to utilize the services of this agency. (It says "SEARCH AND RESCUE")

This is where the typical blog entry stops because he did not check in with me last night. I am not sure if it was due to the lateness of their arrival, poor phone service, no pay phone availability, or whatever other reason there could be, but suffice it to say, I do not have updates for yesterday. I do have a very active imagination, though. I spent quite a few hours last night imagining different scenarios of the Search and Rescue agency, or a medical service, needing to help out our guys. So, I prayed alot (since I was awake anyhow), and as soon as it was a reasonable hour this morning I called the Jackson Hot Springs Resort to verify that 3 bicyclists checked in last night under the name "DeRemer". The very nice lady who answered the phone assured me that they were there. I told her my story (briefly) and thanked her for putting my overactive imagination to rest!

In all fairness to my favorite husband I will be adding an addendum to this day's entry with the stats for yesterday's ride. I do know that the pedaling is fatiguing, especially for Sasha. Please pray for stamina for the 3 of them.

Update from Lee:
Zhenya, Sasha, and Lee all agree that yesterday has replaced the previous "HARDEST DAY". After stopping in Dillon, the rest of the afternoon was tough. They forgot to refill their water bottles at that stop (bad, bad, bad) and ended up riding the last 15 miles of the day without any water. They crossed Badger Pass (6760 feet) and Big Hole Pass (7400 feet). There is a big valley between the two passes called Grass Hopper Valley. Our guys say that "Mosquito Valley" would be a more appropriate name. The afternoon temps reached 90 degrees, which is the highest temps they have endured. The lack of water was really hard on them. By the time they arrived at Jackson Hot Springs (6 pm) Lee was fighting heat exhaustion. He went to bed by 8 pm while the boys soaked in the hot springs. Lee soaked this morning while the boys slept. Lee says that they were all worn out last night but they got a good night's rest and were on the road today by 10 am. This photo is from "Mosquito Valley".

DAILY STATS:

77 miles from Twin Bridges to Jackson Hot Springs

8:00 am to 6:00 pm, sunny and 90 degrees

3600 feet elevation gain

793 total miles to date

Day 17 Historic Virginia City

2009-06-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Photo from Lee's phone-from the road today.

A day of rest really helped the guys ride well today. A special thanks to Bret Owens for cleaning and washing the sprockets and chains on all 3 bikes, ridding them of over 600 miles worth of road dirt and gunk.

After another hearty breakfast with the Owens family, the guys started pedaling. They had a long climb over Ennis Hill to go down into Virginia City, an old truly western town. They stopped in Virginia City to rest and celebrated the climb with some ice cream (Zhenya) and a rootbeer float (Sasha).

They had good riding conditions--another crystal clear blue Montana sky. Lots of suntan and a little bit of sunburn! Today they experienced what Mike McNeill calls the "Montana Bike Path". Four inches of white paint holding the edge of the road together ~ as in no shoulder! It was a very tight ride for the next 20 miles after Virginia City.

Twin Bridges is a neat little town. The guys are staying at a place called "The Old Hotel", whose owners (Bill and Paula) have been very nice and kind. Breakfast is normally served at 9:00 am but the guys need to get started by 7:00 tomorrow so Bill and Paula are coming in early to make breakfast for them. Way cool!

DAILY STATS:
47 miles from McAllister to Twin Bridges
10:00 to 4:30 pm, sunny and beautiful!
1700 feet elevation gain
716 total miles to date

Tomorrow is going to be a looong day. They have to ride 77 miles, including 2 long climbs over passes in the afternoon before reaching Jackson Hot Springs. Please pray for safety as they ride and for continued good health and fellowship. Thanks for your interest!

Day 16 Resting at the Owens' Ranch

2009-06-26T17:21:00.000-07:00

Good food, good fellowship, and good rest.

Lee says that he and the boys have experienced all three while at the Owens' ranch today. The boys woke to a hearty breakfast and then they got to explore the ranch. Zhenya and Sasha each held the goats, watched the baby calves get their ear tags, rode the 4-wheelers, and helped Gavin and Race with their chores. Rita continued to serve great food throughout the day. Bret told me that the boys even got to play a video game or two. They haven't held a game control for some time!

Thank you to the entire Owens family for sharing your day with the guys and opening your home to them. We appreciate the TLC you give them as they prepare for the next leg of their journey!

Tomorrow begins the final third of the trip. There are only 8 days left on the road, with 7 of those pedaling days. They head to Twin Bridges, MT in the morning. Please pray for stamina to finish the course set before them, for continued good health, and favorable road and weather conditions. Thank you!

Day 15 Bozeman to McAllister

2009-06-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

Sasha, Zhenya, and Lee enjoyed breakfast and a relaxing morning with the McNeills before hopping on their bikes and heading toward McAllister, MT. The forecast was for a hot day but some cloud cover moved in a gave them great shade for their ride.

At the 20 mile point they stopped to take a break and Zhenya noticed a bubble in Sasha's rear tire. Lee said that he had noticed it the day prior but forgot to mention it. They decided to see how far they could make it on that tire before needing to change it. It went flat in approximately 4 rotations of the tire! They changed the tire quickly exactly as Jason had taught them in their maintenance class and were on the road in short order.

In another 10 miles they reached the town of Norris. By this time the cloud cover began building into a wind storm and gravel from the road started to fly around them and pelt them with great force. That didn't feel so good! They climbed a 900 foot hill and on the other side coasted down into McAllister in the Madison Valley, which is absolutely beautiful. Bret and Rita Owens were waiting for them in their pick-up truck in McAllister to show them to their ranch. The guys are enjoying a homecooked meal with Bret, Rita, Gavin, Madison, and Race this evening (Gage left recently for the Air Force Academy). Tomorrow is a well-deserved day of rest from riding that is sure to be a fun time at the Owens' ranch.

DAILY STATS:
39 miles from Bozeman to McAllister
11:00 am to 4:30 pm, sun and clouds
900 feet elevation gain
669 total miles to date

What a delight to stay with friends in the midst of this adventure. Thank you to the McNeills and to the Owens families for welcoming the guys into your homes. We appreciate your kindness to them!

Please pray that this day of rest will be refreshing for Sasha, Zhenya, and Lee. They are in need of it! Thank you for your continued interest and concern for them.

Day 14 West Yellowstone to Bozeman

2009-06-24T18:11:00.000-07:00

Lee with Pete and Carla Neilsen

Today marked the most miles the guys rode in one day so far, finishing at 83 miles. It was another perfect, beautiful, sunny, blue sky Montana day. It felt a little chilly so the boys put on sweatshirts to start out. After only 2/10 of a mile Zhenya stopped to put on more warm clothing, Sasha was shivering and added more layers, and Lee put on his cold weather gear, too. Lee asked Zhenya to check the thermometer. To Zhenya's surprise it only read 46 degrees!

They had a 500 foot climb leaving West Yellowstone toward a 7,000 ft. pass that took them into the Gallatin Valley. The next 40 miles was mostly downhill, into headwinds. At this point the guys are convinced that they could put their bikes in a garage with the door shut and they would still have a headwind! The Gallatin River is beautiful. Lee says that it is begging to be canoed or kayaked. They spent an hour putting their feet in the river to cool off. Zhenya actually got in up to his neck!

At the 48 mile point Lee and the boys stopped at a gas station for a snack. Lee noticed a vehicle with a South Dakota license plate. He thought he recognized the profile of the man with the vehicle..... and that was because he knew the man! It was none other than Pete & Carla Neilsen and their daughters, Reagan and Randi. We were stationed together in Oklahoma almost 10 years ago. Small world, eh?

Road construction is still in season. There were 2 stretches today, both a mile long, and including pilot cars and rough gravel road. Lee's mirror suffered structural failure today due to road vibration! It lasted 13 days and a little over 600 miles. It seems like it should last a bit longer than that. The bikes are holding up well.

Mike McNeill and Sasha

The guys are staying with Mike and Shirley McNeill tonight. Mike was Lee's squadron commander when we were stationed in MT in the early '90s. This photo was taken shortly after arriving at the McNeills. Shirley started putting snacks out for the boys and the smiles grew even wider! All three "boys" are enjoying the hospitality offered by Mike and Shirley. Zhenya and Sasha like the McNeills new puppy, Riley, quite a bit, too. Thank you, Mike and Shirley, for opening your home to the guys!

DAILY STATS:

83 miles from West Yellowstone to Bozeman

7:40 am to 4:30 pm, sunny and ??

Total elevation gain of 500 feet, 7,000 ft pass, finishing elevation 5,000 feet

630 total miles to date

Tomorrow is a "short" day of approximately 40 miles. The guys are going to McAllister and will spend tomorrow and the next day with Bret and Rita Owens and their family on their ranch. Spending a day of rest on the ranch is a highlight for Zhenya and Sasha! Thank you for your continued prayer coverage for the adventurists!

Day 13 West Yellowstone and the 1# Buffalo Steak

2009-06-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

Zhenya appears to have learned the art of self-photography!

This cartoon seemed appropriate for the blog!

Today was a wonderful day! Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha slept well and long and enjoyed a hearty breakfast before watching the Old Faithful geyser spew up into the air this morning. It was a beautiful, sunny, crystal clear blue sky day with not much wind. Thank you, Lord! They had a fairly fast ride through the park, covering 33 miles in 3 hours. Great sightings of wildlife today along the Fire Hole River! They saw buffalo, coyotes, a bald eagle, cow elk (in the river), and well-dressed fly fishermen. Zhenya and Sasha liked the bubbling of the Fountain Mud Pots. They continued to see cars with license plates from all over the US and Canada. The favorite one from today was Hawaii!

Today's hotel is a hit. Their room is on the first floor (no losing BOB on the elevator today) and it has 2 hot tubs! Sasha and Zhenya explored West Yellowstone on their own this afternoon while Uncle Lee went to the laundromat. They are going to meet for dinner at The Three Bears Restaurant -- home of the 1 pound buffalo steak! Zhenya ate one last year when he vacationed with us and he has been telling Sasha about it ever since. Lee says that both boys have definitely earned this dinner! After dinner they are going to soak in those hot tubs to soothe their hard working muscles.

DAILY STATS:
33 miles from Old Faithful to West Yellowstone
Noon to 3:00 pm, sunny and 65 degrees
No elevation gain
547 total miles to date

Tomorrow the guys ride a long day -- 82 miles to Bozeman, where they will visit our friends, Mike and Shirley McNeill. Please pray for continued safety on the roads, good bicycle maintenance, and good health. Lee has had some numbness in his fingertips which is considered normal (?) for long distance riding. (At least that is what he tells me so I won't worry too much!)

Day 12 On to Old Faithful

2009-06-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

The NEW hardest day!

Monday was a very challenging day for the guys for three primary reasons: distance, wind, and climbs. They covered 69 miles with frigid, blustery headwinds "beating the daylights out of them," especially as they rode around Yellowstone Lake. All three of them ended up wearing their cold weather gear for most of the day. They crossed 3 passes -- each one above 8,000 feet elevation! I am told it would have killed lesser men. :) Throughout this very arduous day the boys rode strong and always rode safely down hills. Lee continues to be so proud of them for their mental and physical strength.

The day was gorgeous and sunny, with incredible views as they climbed over those passes. They had a steep 10 mile climb to the first pass. Later they crossed the Continental Divide twice! Temperatures stayed around 55 degrees with blustery winds all day. The boys said that the wind off the lake took away from some of the beauty. They saw 5 big horn sheep along the way.

After 10 hours of riding they arrived at their hotel... They were all very tired (an understatement). This is where a couple of funny stories occurred. The first had to do with getting the bikes and the BOBs into the hotel. I am not sure if any of you have considered how all of the gear gets to the hotel rooms each night. On this particular night they had to use an elevator to get to their hotel room. Zhenya went up in one elevator with a bike and a disconnected BOB. Lee sent Sasha up to meet him with another bike and BOB (Zhenya was waiting for Sasha). The elevator right next door opened so Lee hopped in and followed Sasha's elevator up. As Lee stepped off his elevator, there stood Sasha with a bike, but no BOB, giggling like crazy. Zhenya was just shaking his head and laughing. The BOB did not make it off the elevator and was riding around the Old Faithful hotel all by itself! They eventually re-united with their BOB and all was well.

The next story involves Sasha, too. After this grueling ride, they were all tired and ready for dinner. Sasha said that he was too tired to shower. Lee said that they all needed to shower since they had been riding all day. Sasha declared, "I smell good." Lee said that anyone who didn't shower wasn't eating dinner with him. Sasha sighed and said that he would shower after all.

DAILY STATS:
69 miles from the eastern border of YNP to Old Faithful
9 am to 7:15 pm, sunny, windy, 55 degrees
First pass 8,530 feet
Continental Divide #1 8,391 feet
Continental Divide #2 8, 262 feet
Total elevation gain of 3,200 feet
514 total miles to date

Thank you, again, for your prayers for the guys as they continue on this incredible adventure. They are truly enjoying God's creation and the fellowship of each other's company.

Day 11 Cody to the eastern border of Yellowstone National Park

2009-06-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

Sasha packed a tumbleweed!

PUMMELING HEADWINDS!!

Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha left Cody heading west toward Yellowstone National Park this morning. They had a steep climb for the first 4 miles to get to the dam at the Buffalo Bill Reservoir and went through 3 tunnels before the dam. From there they rode along the beautiful Shoshone River for most of the day, along neat rock formations in a canyon area. They saw cars with license plates from all over the US and Canada, filled with tourists on their way to Yellowstone.

That is the pretty part of the story. The ugly part is the 20 mph headwinds with gusts even higher coming at them down through the canyon for the better part of 35 miles. They pedalled for all they were worth and only averaged 6 mph. One hour into the ride Zhenya (who is always in front) turned to Lee and said, "I hate this," referring to the headwinds.

They stopped for lunch at a little cafe to get out of the wind, and to eat something with a little more substance than a cereal bar to help replace the calories they burned all morning! Sasha had breakfast for lunch, Lee chose a BBQ beef sandwich, and Zhenya stayed true to his Buffalo burger. :)

After 35 miles the canyon got a little tighter. Even though the climb was steeper, they made better time since they weren't fighting the wind so much. They all decided they would rather have hills than headwinds any day!

DAILY STATS:
48 miles from Cody to the eastern border of YNP
9:00 am to 4:00 pm, sunny and 65 to start, 75 at end of day
Total elevation gain of 1800 feet
445 total miles to date

Tomorrow the guys head back into Yellowstone. They will spend one night in the park. Please continue to pray for safety as they ride and for their bicycles to hold up under the terrain. Thanks for your interest and your prayers!

Day 10 Cody, WY and Buffalo Bill

2009-06-20T19:52:00.000-07:00

"These boys are incredible. I'm not sure they are human!" Lee's conclusion after finishing 67 miles in less than 6 hours today. Today's riding conditions were perfect! The guys got an early start at 7 am under sunny skies, no wind, with temps in the mid-60s most of the day. The road had big, wide shoulders that appeared to be swept clean almost the entire route.

They had to climb 1,000 feet today. As usual the boys waited for their Uncle Lee at the top. Lee said that throughout the day Zhenya and Sasha take off riding and set a good pace, riding for 8-10 miles before stopping for a short break. Then they hop on their bikes and start pedalling again. Never complaining, never asking "when will we get there?".

Sasha's handle bars came loose today and flopped down due to road vibration. Lee got out the really cool mini bicycle road kit and fixed his handle bars for him. The only other road fix they have had to date is a tire in Yellowstone that Zhenya popped off when he was disconnecting his BOB trailer. They have made numerous adjustments to their brakes, as you would expect. Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha have 3 great new bikes for this trip. Thanks to Jason and the guys at the Cycle Works in Wrightsville, PA for outfitting our guys and training them on bicycle maintenance.

Early starts allow for much fun at the end of the ride. They finished at 1 pm and celebrated with a trip to Dairy Queen. Then it was off to their hotel to get rid of the bikes and the BOBs and change into clean clothing. They took a bus into Cody (a 3 mile ride) and toured the Buffalo Bill Museum. After that Sasha chose Japanese for dinner. They finished off the evening with the movie "Up". The only downside to the evening is that the bus service ended before the movie was over so they had to walk the 3 miles back to their hotel. Those three are going to be in excellent shape by the time this trip is over!!

DAILY STATS:
67 miles from Red Lodge, MT to Cody, WY
7:00 am to 1:00 pm, sunny and 65 degrees
Total elevation gain of 1,000 feet
397 total miles to date

As the days go by Sasha and Zhenya have gotten into the routine of getting ready to begin riding in the mornings. They know what needs to be done to prepare the bikes and the BOBs and they help Lee without being asked. Morning departures are quicker and easier as the three of them work as a team. That is fellowship at its finest! Thank you for continuing to pray for road safety, smart riding, and good fellowship. Tomorrow they are riding from Cody to the eastern border of Yellowstone National Park (an entrance they have yet to ride through).

Day 9 Aaaahhh, a day of rest.

2009-06-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

What does a day of rest look like? Well, it starts with sleeping until you wake up! That is what we say at our house when we don't have to use an alarm or a person to wake us from a restful night's sleep. :) Lee woke up way earlier than the boys yesterday. In fact, he went to the post office, did the laundry, used the computer in the hotel lobby, and when he got back to the room he called me to say that the boys were still sleeping! I could hear the smile in his voice.

After the boys finally awakened, Zhenya and Sasha started their day with some hot tub time. Next, the 3 guys went in search of food. They found a little restaurant called the Red Box Car that served buffalo burgers. The picture from today shows the boys smiling with their burgers. They roamed around the town of Red Lodge and Lee found a camera shop that was able to download a ton of photos off his camera card onto a disc for him. The hotel computer allowed for discs (not camera cards) so he emailed me over 100 photos to go through and add to the blog. Please look back through past entries as I have added pictures to all of the previous days. Just click on a picture and it will enlarge so you can see it better! Cool, huh?

Day 8 Bear Tooth Highway

2009-06-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

This is the view of some of the switchbacks on the Bear Tooth Highway. Your prayers were greatly appreciated!! The Lord protected them and they did a great job on a really wild road. (Click to enlarge in order to fully appreciate the riding they did today!)

The guys had a great ride from Top of the World, WY (not MT as I previously posted) up and over Bear Tooth Pass and down the Bear Tooth Highway today. Thank you for your prayers. Praise the Lord for His protection!

Today started with an 8 mile climb to the summit, into a cloud deck, gaining 1500 feet in altitude along the way. It was 42 degrees and raining when they summited. They rode 5 miles across to the eastern summit where it was 38 degrees with a mixture of snow and ice.

Next up was 16 miles of steep, downhill switchbacks. Lee rode in front to maintain a safe speed for the riders. The guys got really cold, really fast going downhill! They put on all of their cold weather gear. About 1/3 of the way down they stopped at an overlook to try to stop shaking from the cold and warm their hands. After another 10 or 15 minutes of riding they were in the valley and it was 60 degrees.

But not for long! A huge rain cloud was moving in fast so they put their rain gear on over their cold weather gear. They rode the last 8 miles in a rainstorm. Their feet were freezing cold and numb! End of day temps were around 50 degrees. When the boys realized they were within 1 mile of Red Lodge they took off like a shot! They rode at speeds up to 25 mph until Lee told them to slow down and finish safely. :)

I feel a need to share this quote from Lee regarding the cold and freezing temps on Bear Tooth Highway today, "I was very envious of all the cars with heaters."

Zhenya and Sasha continue to impress Lee. They are strong in mind, body, and spirit. He thoroughly enjoys their company and conversation.

DAILY STATS:
39 miles from Top of the World, WY to Red Lodge, MT
9:00 am to 2:00 pm, all kinds of temps and weather!
Total elevation gain of 1500 feet
Peak elevation 10,947 feet
330 total miles to date

Tomorrow is a much anticipated day of rest. They are going to see a movie, find an ice cream shop, do some laundry, swim in the pool, write out some more postcards, and play tons more gin rummy. They are going to try to have their bikes tuned up, also. On Saturday they will depart for Cody, WY, and a tour of the Buffalo Bill Museum. Thank you for your continued prayer support for the great bicycling adventure. They are having an incredible time, thoroughly enjoying God's majesty in the Great West!

Day 7 Top of the World!

2009-06-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Would you let this man take your children halfway across the country??? What was Dee thinking? :)

Yesterday was the most challenging day, but today had the hardest climb, for sure! They had a 13 mile stretch with a 6% grade for most of it while gaining 2600 feet elevation. Lee says that they are all doing well. Zhenya and Sasha continue to have great attitudes. The weather today was wonderful. They stayed ahead of the rain all day. Their cabin at Top of the World Resort is very nice. All 3 of them are eager to ride over Bear Tooth Pass and the Bear Tooth Highway tomorrow!

(I got all of today's info out of 2 separate one minute phone messages from my favorite husband. Not bad, eh?)

DAILY STATS:
26 miles from Cooke City, MT to Top of the World, WY
9:00 am to 2:00 pm, dry and beautiful
Total elevation gain of 3,000 feet
291 total miles to date

Tomorrow will be a day to remember! While at the top of Bear Tooth Pass they are going to stop to glissade on the huge snow banks before heading down the very steep and winding highway. Please pray for safe travel and favorable weather! After tomorrow's ride they will be taking a day of rest in Red Lodge, MT. Hopefully Lee will be able to send photos and more stories from Red Lodge to add to my ramblings. :)

Day 6 Antelope, buffalo, and bears. Oh, my!

2009-06-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

"The most challenging day so far -- by far." (Attributed to the mileage, elevation, rain, and mud.)

It started with the steepest climb to date, on the road from Gardiner, MT to the northern entrance to Yellowstone National Park. They logged 56 miles through 4 different rain storms and finished in 4 miles of muddy road construction. Through it all the guys maintained great attitudes. Zhenya is always out in front and Sasha keeps up with him very well. Lee says he has yet to find out what it takes to make Z tired!

The wildlife sightings were spectacular today. They saw bull and cow elk, bighorn sheep, antelope, coyote, and as a special treat -- a black bear cub ran across the street in front of Sasha with one mile left to ride. Sasha thought that was pretty cool! As for the roads in Yellowstone, Lee told me that after driving through the park many times over the years he thought he knew the roads well, but he is convinced now that all roads in Yellowstone are uphill!

Our 3 favorite bicyclists got to follow the pilot car for the first mile of the 4 mile stretch of road construction. Lee said that by the time they finished riding they were all covered in mud; bikes and BOBs included. The very nice owner of the motel allowed them to use a hose to clean off their bikes and trailers. Now they are ready for another day!

DAILY STATS:
56 miles from Gardiner, MT to Cooke City, MT
8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Started dry, Rain 4X during day
Total elevation gain of 3,000 feet (at 7,7oo feet right now)
265 total miles to date

Tomorrow is another big climb day as they head to "Top of the World". The day after that they will be riding the breath-taking Bear Tooth Highway. (I was in a car on that road last summer and had to close my eyes a few times. Yikes!) There is very poor communication from Top of the World, so I may not have a post until the following day after the Bear Tooth Highway ride. Please pray for safety for them as they ride these next days. They are having a wonderful time together. I feel a need to ask for special protection from the Lord for Thursday as they ride down and around the Bear Tooth Highway. Thanks!

Day 5 Rain tested

2009-06-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Today marked the first day of riding in inclement weather. Lee says that all 3 of them are rain tested after a day of rain, clearing, then more rain, in repeated cycles. They rode safely and made it to Gardiner, MT in good time. After breakfast they all soaked in the hot pools one more before leaving Chico Hot Springs today. Other than the rain today's ride was uneventful (a good thing). After arriving at their hotel they relaxed in the pool and did some laundry. Dinner was a hit! Half pound buffalo cheeseburgers that required 2 hands to hold. Smiling faces all around!

This was the last of a 5 day warm up that Lee had built into the schedule to prepare for the next few days of more intense riding. They will experience higher vertical climbs as they cross the continental divide and view some absolutely majestic scenery.

DAILY STATS:
33 miles from Chico Hot Springs, MT to Gardiner, MT
10:15 am to 2:00 pm, mostly rain
No altitude gain today
209 total miles to date

Tomorrow they ride through the northern portion of Yellowstone National Park. Our prayer is for safety as they enjoy the beauty of God's creativity, seeing everything from buffalo to birds(hopefully no bears), mudpots, and so much more.

Day 4 Chico Hot Springs

2009-06-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine soaking in soothing, natural hot springs filled pools after several days of steady riding.... Zhenya, Sasha, and Lee have done just that, twice already today with plans to soak once more before the pools close tonight! Today was a relatively short day, with overcast skies and strong headwinds. Pastor Steve told Lee on Day 2 at King's Hill that hoping for no headwind is like moving to the other side of the campfire to try to avoid the smoke. I believe that means that headwinds will be mentioned time and again on this blog. :) The rain held off until they arrived at Chico Hot Springs Resort. Chico is a rustic old resort with western style architecture and furnishings. The boys think it is pretty cool. All three of them feel well after a short day's ride. Tomorrow they are off to Gardiner, MT, the last stop before entering Yellowstone National Park from the north.

DAILY STATS:
26 Miles from Livingston, MT to Chico Hot Springs, MT
10:00 am to 1:00 pm, 65 degrees and overcast
Total elevation gain of 300 feet
176 total miles to date

Thank you for your prayers for the 3 guys as they continue on their great adventure exploring God's creation. We continue to pray for safe road conditions, favorable weather, and great fellowship.

Day 3 75 MILES!

2009-06-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

All 3 bicycle boys completed 75 miles today! Praise the Lord for safety on the roads. Lee says there is no slowing the Mountain Goat. Sasha (aka Mongoose) had to be cautioned for riding too close to the vehicle lanes today despite a warning shout of "CAR" from the tour guide in the rear of the caravan. Sasha took the chastisement in the spirit in which it was intended (to keep him safe and bring him home to Mama!) and is duly minding the safety zone on the side of the road.

After an hour break for lunch the guys had a 600 feet descent (yeah!) and made great time covering the last 30 miles of the day. They averaged 12-14 mph in the afternoon and enjoyed beautiful scenery. They rode on I-90 for 2 miles because MT Rte 89 overlaps with I-90 on the way to Livingston. They sped up to 20 mph for those 2 miles (with a bit of a tail wind) and got off the interstate with smiles of accomplishment.

They have all had hot showers. The laundry is clean and dry, with their special cycling clothes hanging up all around the hotel room to air dry. They were heading to Pizza Hut for dinner followed by a good night's rest. Lee says they will sleep in tomorrow since they "only have to ride 35 miles tomorrow"!

DAILY STATS:
75 Miles from White Sulphur Springs, MT to Livingston, MT
7:45 am to 3:30 pm, 54 degrees to start/85 degrees by lunchtime
65 degrees for afternoon after high cirrus clouds rolled in
Total elevation gained 500 feet (then back down 600 feet)
150 total miles to date

Thank you for your continued prayers. The Lord has kept His hand of protection over them and for that we are grateful. Tomorrow is to be rainy. This will be their first day of riding in inclement weather. Please keep them in your prayers! They are having a wonderful time together--enjoying God's creation, having guy time, and not shaving!

Day 2....and now they have "Trail Names"

2009-06-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

Montana is definitely one of God's most beautiful creations! These photos show the climb the guys made up King's Hill today at lunch time. The elevation for this climb is 2500 feet to an altitude of 7300 ft., their highest to date. Pastor Steve Cross and his son, Dave, met the guys at the top of King's Hill with Subway sandwiches for lunch. How fabulous is that? Thanks, Steve and Dave for all of the support you have given to Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha.

Each of the cyclists now have "trail names" for this trip. Zhenya is known as "Mountain Goat" from his eager mountain climbing during our vacation to MT last summer. Sasha is called "Mongoose" because even though they are not big animals, they are strong and fast, and they like to eat snakes, which is really cool. The boys named Lee. They chose the name "Buffalo" for him, because (and I quote) "You are hairy." Lee wasn't sure if it was a good thing to be compared to a buffalo. He considers them to be big, slow, not so smart, and other unkind things. I laugh every time I think of the boys telling him that "he is hairy"! Their Papa (who passed away early last year) was very hairy. He would have been named Buffalo, too.

Tonight they are staying at White Sulphur Springs, MT. They relaxed in the sulphur mineral hot springs after their long day and said that it felt really good! Lee says that the boys rode safely today. They are very strong. He is proud of them. All 3 of them appreciate sleeping in a bed tonight!

DAILY STATS:

54 miles from Monarch, MT to White Sulphur Springs, MT

8:30 am to 4:15 pm, 43 degrees to start/85 degrees at end

Only 60 degrees at lunch time summit of King's Hill

Total elevation gain of 2700 feet

75 total miles to date

Thank you for continuing to pray for safe roads, favorable weather conditions, and great fellowship. They are definitely able to enjoy the beauty of God's creation! Tomorrow is a 73 mile day! Keep them in your prayers. :)

Day One, not exactly according to plan

2009-06-11T19:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings, family and friends! Today was the official start of the bicycle trip but it did not start exactly the way the 3 guys thought it would.... or when they thought it would. :) But we know that nothing that happened today surprised the Lord!

Lee, Sasha, and Zhenya spent some time this morning conferring with our friend, Steve Cross, who has done some bike trips in his time. Steve was concerned about the weight each of the guys had on their bikes. Lee had been contemplating this since before departing PA. The camping gear was quite burdensome. But, how to complete the trip w/out camping gear? Would it be possible to find a room in some of the tiny little towns where they would be stopping? Could they adjust the itinerary? Should they adjust the itinerary? In the end, Lee decided to forego the camping equipment in order to lighten their loads significantly in an effort to ensure success for the trip as a whole. This way they will have a bed in which to sleep each night, no time spent setting up and tearing down a campsite, and they each have far less equipment bogging them down as they make the incredible verticle climbs over the trip that add up to 29,000+ feet. WOW! By the way, Sasha was secretly rooting for no camping all along. :) They spent the night at the Cub's Den Motel. The boys enjoyed the heated indoor swimming pool before dinner. A serious game of Rummy 500 was followed by a good night's sleep. :)

DAILY STATS:

21 miles from Belt, MT to Monarch, MT

3:15 pm to 6:00 pm -- High temperature of 70 degrees

Total elevation gain of 1600 feet

Please continue to pray for their safety, favorable weather, and great fellowship.

Let the pedalling begin!

2009-06-10T19:13:00.001-07:00

Tuesday was another long day in the car, traveling the width of North Dakota and most of Montana. They stopped for a photo op at the "geographic center" of the United States. Hopefully the teachers following this blog will be impressed by that one! Zhenya and Sasha thought it was neat to stand in the middle of the USA. They arrived in Great Falls in time for dinner and spent the night with our friends, Steve & Janis Cross and their son, David.

Lee, Z, and Sasha bought food and other supplies for their trip today. They added some rain gear, safety flags, mirrors for the bikes, and campstove supplies. Most of the afternoon was spent packing all of their gear into the waterproof bags that they carry in their BOBs and Sasha's saddlebags. They worked out a system to have access to their rain gear, cold weather gear, food, and more commonly needed goods. I believe that Lee was overheard trying to figure out how to get more weight into Zhenya's BOB than his own..... Just kidding! Zhenya is quite strong, though, and Lee believes that Z might even be capable of pulling Lee and Lee's BOB behind him should the need arise. :)

Tonight the guys had dinner with our friends the Clarks. Dave, Beth, and family live north of town on a great country road. Zhenya drove the Durango out there, using his new learner's permit for the first time! So many firsts already and they haven't even started pedalling.

Thursday, 6/11/09, is DAY ONE of Pedal or Die! Please pray for safety for the guys as they start their adventure. Pray for good road conditions, favorable weather, and continued great fellowship for the 3 of them as they go enjoy God's beautiful creation!

Grand Forks Highlights - Who knew those boys could fly an airplane???

2009-06-08T16:53:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a loooong day in the car! 800 miles from 7 am to 7 pm..... They were all ready to get out of that Durango. Lee took the boys to dinner in East Grand Forks, MN at one of out favorite places. Zhenya and Sasha liked the Blue Moose restaurant with its moose heads hanging on the walls. Dinner and good conversation was shared with Pastor Vic Luiken and Phil, Bonnie & Bri Harmeson.

Monday was full of fun. Zhenya and Sasha accompanied Lee to Grand Forks AFB (where Lee was assigned from 2004-2006). Lee was able to get the boys into the KC-135 flight simulator. They each got to "fly" the airplane and even "landed" the airplane on the runway at Hickam AFB, HI! Next, it was off to the real KC-135 airplane for a tour. Zhenya and Sasha sat in the pilot's seat with Lee explaining the instrument panels and everything in the cockpit to them. They also saw where the boom operator lays to perform aerial refueling of other airplanes. As a bonus they were allowed to walk on the wings of the airplane! After the tour of the plane, they rode along the taxiway in an official Air Force vehicle and watched a 2-ship KC-135 cell departure. Very cool stuff!!

Zhenya and Sasha are journeling their adventures to share with family, friends, and classmates. They have been going over their bicycle maps to prepare for the trip. Tomorrow they have another long drive to their starting point, Great Falls, MT. They are all eager to start pedalling!

(Photos of all of this coolness will be posted soon....complications with computers. Sorry!)

On the road!

2009-06-07T04:53:00.000-07:00

Lee, Z, and Sasha departed yesterday in the mid-afternoon for the great west. They stopped in South Bend, IN close to midnight. They made short work of getting their bikes off the rack and into the hotel for safe keeping before enjoying a good night's sleep. Zhenya and Sasha are learning to read the atlas and are good at following road signs. Today they woke up early and are heading for Grand Forks, ND. Lee plans to teach them the "Alphabet Game" as they drive around Chicago! They will spend tonight and tomorrow with our friends, the Harmesons, and see some of our favorite spots from when we lived in Grand Forks. Lee plans to take them to Grand Forks AFB to show them the KC-135 air refuelers that he used to fly. BTW - it snowed in Montana yesterday!!

Packing, packing, packing!

2009-06-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight was all about packing. Lee, Zhenya, and Sasha had piles of clothing for bicycling, cold weather gear, camping stuff, and more, along with the things they will take for the car drive to and from Montana spread out all over the barn as they prepare to depart tomorrow. They were all in good spirits as they stuffed their belongings into collapsible water-proof bags for loading onto the BOBs and into the saddlebags. They plan to leave early tomorrow (SAT) afternoon (after Lee is done with the Army War College graduation) and head west toward MT. The first night's rest will be in South Bend, IN. They will continue on to Grand Forks, ND, Sunday and visit with friends before heading for Great Falls, MT, on Tuesday. Thursday, June 11th is the first day of the official "Pedal or Die" bicycling portion of the trip. The map on this post shows their driving route and bicycling route. I couldn't upload the powerpoint map so I took a photo of it and am posting that! Please be praying for safe travel for them and for good fellowship. :)

Shake Down Bicycle Trip - May 30, 31

2009-06-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

After much preparation, the 3 men (of various ages) took off on their bicycles from a point just west of Spring Grove, PA on the trial run. They were packed as if it were the "real deal". Sasha had full saddlebags w/a sleeping bag on top. Lee and Zhenya each were towing a BOB (a really cool trailer whose initials stand for Beast Of Burden!). They had a steep learning curve as they clicked their magic shoes into their special pedals and took off on their 105 mile adventure! The next day I (Marcie, blogger queen) picked them up in West Virginia. They were sporting 1 bloody knee, 2 bloody elbows, and 3 HUGE smiles! The background photo at the top of the blog was taken after the 105th mile. They did so well! Lee is very proud of Zhenya and Sasha. They are strong in both body and mind. All 3 of them are looking forward to conquering more miles and more mountains in Montana and Wyoming beginning next week!