We’ve finished our first nine days on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. Nine days. 410 miles. One shower. Zero laundry. Just enough food. Tent and stove wearing out, sleeping pads with slow leaks (as usual). And blissfully happy to be on the road, living the simple and rewarding life of bike touring.
We began the trip with a van ride from the El Paso airport to Columbus, New Mexico, on Wednesday, May 22. We stayed with old but worthy habits and visited their library. John had a great conversation with Gordon, longtime library volunteer. Spent the night at the Los Milagros, a wonderful place with two adorable and well-dressed dogs, Minnie and Bonbon. Headed south the next morning to begin our trip at the Mexico/US border. We hit gravel road on the second day of cycling. Only one car passed us for 45 miles. Desert wildflowers in bloom, temps in the 70s. Headwinds but not as bad as some we’ve encountered. Third day, as we were leaving Silver City and I was engrossed in a podcast while riding my bike, a rattlesnake crossing the road in front of me had the common sense to stop, rear up, and make some noise in order to get my attention. And she did get my attention. Thought process when encountering rattlesnake: oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, should I go back and take a photo, no, snake is probably already gone, don’t want photo, go, go, go. On days three, four, and five, we rode through the Gila National Forest. Beautiful mountainous scenery with many steep and long climbs. Many times pushing bikes up gravelly roads. But that’s why it’s called “bikepacking.” Many times you are carrying or pushing your bike. And no one can shame me when I push my bike, I know my limits. 55 year-old woman with asthma riding the GDMBR. Doing it. But at the end of these days my legs just quit. They told me when they were done. I knew I had to stop and was grateful for the many opportunities to wild camp. Beautiful spots all to ourselves and at no cost. We had groceries, water, stove and fuel, camp chairs (worth every ounce), tent, sleeping bags, and enflatable pads and pillows (leaky but nice). I also have my phone with Netflix and Prime downloads, ebooks, music, and podcasts. This is the good life. Another thing that added to our happiness on the road were the trail angels. Anthony Hawkins, NFS firefighter, gave us cold Gatorade on day five and warned us of upcoming strong headwinds. Helped us get through the three hours of 25mph northerly winds. And one house that provided free water and food for GDMBR riders. Because of their generosity we were able to dump the green water we had collected from a cattle tank and resupply with potable water. And their cookies, peanuts, and apple sauce got us through to Pie Town. We learned a valuable lesson about grocery shopping in remote areas—count the calories in the food. Simple math: we each need at least 4,000 calories a day. Multiply by number of days. KIND bars don’t cut it. PIE TOWN!! A magical place. The vision of Pie Town kept me going during lean and steep times. We arrived Wednesday, May 29, around 2pm. Headed straight to the Gathering Place restaurant and ordered a cherry pie with ice cream, coffee, and coke. Continued with chicken enchiladas, beans & cornbread. Finished with root beer floats. Went back the next morning for breakfast and coffee. These calories go a heck of a lot further than instant oatmeal and pop tarts. Zoom!!! Feel the power in your legs. And today, after two relatively easy days of cycling through beautiful scenery, including the El Malpais National Mounument, we are in a hotel for two (TWO) nights in Grants, NM. Bathed. Laundry done. Food in the fridge. My birthday present to myself. Blissed out due to good clean living. Why hit yourself in the head with a hammer? Because it feels so good when you stop.
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We've been in Kansas for the past ten days, recovering from selling our house and getting rid of stuff. We spent a lot of time tromping around eight acres of Kansas farm land we plan to buy and hanging out with family. We begin the Great Divide Mountain Bike Ride Thursday, planning on taking 70 days to complete the route. After we finish the GDMBR in July, we'll be bicycle touring Yellowstone with friends and hanging out with Emma in Chelan, WA.
After six more days of riding, we completed our Baja Divide tour, Mulegé-La Paz. Memories: reaching asphalt just in time for our entry into Ciudad Constitucion, avoiding the mud but arriving at our hotel sopping wet; the beauty and solitude of the Sierra de Giganta; making camp in the evening with our deluxe chairs, sleeping pads, pillows, and cookstove; cresting the last ravine to see the Sea of Cortez and a 1800 foot descent; meeting Dang and trading bike touring stories; our own private campsites along the coast; beating the rain into La Paz and later walking through the flooded streets; receiving the email in a VIPs restaurant in La Paz, telling me I received the NYC Loft Director position. I’m already planning to come back and ride the complete Baja Divide. I’ll give myself 2 months—FYI, the record is eleven days. I really enjoyed the technical aspects of this type of touring. Very little traffic and good distance from the tourist industry. The required mental processes in technical riding help quite my monkey mind and I was surprised by my courage in descending the ravines, especially in consideration that I began the tour with a knee injury from skiing. My younger self would be pleased by what 55 year-old me can accomplish. Most of all, I enjoyed being here with John. We had so much fun and it was a constant joy to be here with my special person. As we get older, I cherish our good fortune to have our health and one another. It’s a cycle: gratitude adds to my happiness, my happiness adds to my gratitude. Ten days into our Baja Divide tour. It has been quite an adventure. To begin the story... the bus ride to Mulege. Our poor bikes, they were tossed in with the cargo below the bus. Good things—our bikes no longer looked new and we gained more experience in bicycle repair (like adjusting deraileurs).
Next morning we caught a boat ride across Bahia Concepcion with Pablo and his son. First day riding kicked out butts! Some single track, thorns (the miracle of tubeless tires saved the day), and learning to use our new GPS devices and apps. We are having to readjust our expectations for miles ride in a day, 30 miles is quite respectable, 45 miles is a very good day. Sometimes I worry during the night about sufficient food and water but the days are spent in wonder at the solitude, beauty, and fun. It is tough going but so very rewarding to test ourselves, build our cycling skills, and regain some muscle after a rather sluggish semester behind a desk. Heading out again today after three days rest in Ciudad Constitucion. Our plan is to ride 6-8 hours a day, enjoy all this food we are carrying, and absorb all the wonderfulness surrounding us. Days of happiness and calmness, so much gratitude for these opportunities. The following is our unedited article that later appeared (edited) in the Oxford University Press Blog, July 19, 2018.
After working for 26 years as academic librarians, we have reached a point in our careers where we are right-sizing professionally and personally. This year we requested and were granted a nine-month contract, enabling us to pursue our dream of cycling across the United States, from Washington, D.C., to Astoria, Oregon. Along the way, we are visiting public libraries, taking photos and making notes about library services and programming, and in particular, services available to bicycle tourists and other non-resident patrons. Although our careers have been in academic libraries, we are big supporters of public libraries. We believe them to be one of the few welcoming and safe spaces that offer services to the public at no cost. Serving as advocates for public libraries, we are writing about our library visits, sharing photos, and tracking our progress cross-country on our website: librariansonbikes.com. Why travel by bicycle? Now that we are in our 50s and 60s, cycling provides health benefits that will contribute to our well-being as we grow older. We enjoy camping and the slower pace of bicycle travel that allows us to see things, smell things, and hear things you would not experience in a fast-moving car. We have been bicycle touring since our 20s and have completed many bicycle tours in the last ten years, most recently a 1,000 mile journey down the Baja Peninsula (San-Diego, California, to La Paz, Mexico) last winter. When we travel on our bicycles we carrying everything we need: a tent, sleeping bags, stove and cookware, extra clothes, basic tools, food, and plenty of water. As self-contained cyclists we make frequent re-supply visits to grocery and convenience stores, occasionally eating at local diners and restaurants. We appreciate time off the bicycles to visit museums and local points-of-interests but most often we are stopping at public libraries. Fortunately, public libraries are still found in small towns across America, even in towns that no longer have a local grocery store or place to eat. As bicycle tourists, libraries provide a refuge and a personal connection. Crossing Kansas and Eastern Colorado, with 102-degree afternoon heat, the library was a wonderful place to get out of the high temperatures, spend time working on the computers, or log in to the library wifi to conserve our data. In talking with the librarians throughout our trip, we create a personal connection with the towns, learning so much more about the local history, the people that live there, and services and programs provided by the library. Currently our route follows the Adventure Cycling Association’s (ACA) TransAmerica Bicycle Trail, a route that originated in 1976 as the Bikecentennial Route. On their maps, ACA lists amenities (camping, hospitals, grocery stores, etc.) for towns situated along the 4,240-mile route. Around 2001, cyclists traveling on the route requested that ACA include sites providing internet access. ACA recognized potential problems with listing internet cafes due to their transient nature and decided the logical place for connectivity was public libraries. Since that time, ACA has included more than 1,500 public libraries on their maps. As of late June, we have visited over 20 public libraries, and bicycled 2,300 miles. The libraries are always very welcoming, happy to see you, and ready to help you. Our approach is to introduce ourselves to library staff, ask them questions about library services for bicycle tourists such as ourselves and other non-residents that may stop at the library. We still are uncertain if they are more surprised (excited too!) that we are bicycling across the country or that we are both librarians. Surprised by how many libraries would be willing to give non-residents a library card, we soon became interested in other issues such as library programming, staffing at the library, and support for the library by the local community. We’d like to highlight a few of the services and programming provided by the libraries we visited, but to read a fuller description, please visit our library blog (librariansonbikes.com/library-blog): Many of the libraries along our route provided services to bicycle tourists passing through their towns. The Kiowa County Public Library in Eads, Colorado is situated on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail and created a visitor guide specifically for TransAmerica cyclists with all kinds of useful information such as where to eat, shower, and camp, where to find ice cream, the grocery stores, and the swimming pool. The Council Grove Library in Council Grove, Kansas has created a Local Information space, a corner of the library that highlights the history, attractions, and businesses of the area. They serve as a second Visitors Center for the community, particularly since the library is open more hours. And two groups that provide educational travel opportunities—by bicycle, will be hosted by libraries. In Kansas, the Newton Public Library is hosting the MITSpokes in early July, 2018. MITSpokes is a group of eight MIT students that share their love of Science-Technology-Engineering-Math with local youth during stops at selected sites during their cross-country cycling trip. In Missouri, the Augusta Branch of the Saint Charles City-County Library (Augusta, Missouri) is expecting a group of ROAD Scholars to stop by this summer as they cycle the KATY Trail. We were impressed by the ease of access to computers and wifi for non-residents. An ID was never required in all 20 libraries and many provided access with only a signature or by picking up a slip of paper with a login. At least four of the libraries allowed anyone, regardless of residence, to obtain a library card with full borrowing privileges. All that is necessary is a government-issued ID and a piece of mail with your address. So even two bicycle tourists from North Carolina could have checked out books or downloaded ebooks onto our personal devices. All of the libraries that we visited had engaging summer programming, welcoming spaces, and personable staff. Here are just a few examples of how these libraries are doing an amazing job: In Hartsel, Colorado, a town of only 60 people, the community created the Hartsel Public Library in 1999. Books were donated and the library is staffed entirely by volunteers. The library is housed in a historic 1899 building, surrounded by a picket fence. The library recently received a grant to renovate the interior, creating a cozy and friendly space for community members and visitors. Brownstown Branch Library in Brownstown, Illinois (population 750) houses its library in an old bank, using the vault as a children’s reading area. The library employs two part-time staff members. They each hold two jobs: one is a librarian/firefighter and the other is librarian/Mayor of Brownstown. In 2018, the Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library in Pueblo, Colorado, received both the National Medal for Museum and Library Service (IMLS) and the Leslie B. Knope Award (community favorite/social media award). In winning the Knope Award, Pueblo beat out Beth’s hometown library, Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, Kansas, during the final four voting. Having visited both of these libraries this summer, we have to say we were blown away by the library buildings and outdoor spaces; their creative and plentiful programming, and the obvious love and support they received from their communities. Both of these libraries are outstanding examples of library as the heart of a mid-size city. We also visited communities that would greatly benefit from new library buildings or more support for library staff. The Kiowa County Public Library is housed in the basement of the County Courthouse, which limits its space and hours of operation. The Newton Public Library, suffering from water leakage and limited space, has been advocating for a new building since 2006. Many of the libraries we visited limit library staff work hours to avoid the cost of providing health insurance and other benefits. We were surprised that in one town (population 3,000+), even the Library Director was part-time. And libraries are not immune from the challenges faced by communities, in fact, they are often an important resource for connecting people in their community with services and support. In speaking with public librarians, we heard about the opioid problem, lack of jobs, and food insecurity among their patrons. One librarians told us they fear that one day medical intervention will be needed in the library or come too late for addicted patrons. Many libraries provide resume writing clinics and help patrons submit job applications online. Other libraries are providing free summer lunches to youth, age 1-18. Perhaps it goes without saying that the most appreciated services we found for bicycle tourists and other non-residents in the library were the simple things often taken for granted: a welcoming space with air-conditioning; electricity to charge our devices; internet connection; and the hospitality demonstrated by the library staff. One particularly hot afternoon, we witnessed a couple of other bicycle tourists camping at the city park. As we passed the park several times that day, on our way to the swimming pool, the library, and the soft-serve ice cream, we were puzzled why anyone would choose to sit in 102-degree temperatures while there was a wonderful library only three blocks away. Now, whenever we meet other bicycle tourists in town, we let them know that a wonderful library is just minutes away. Today we visited Eugene Public Library in Eugene, Oregon. We have always been big fans of Eugene and planned to spend a couple of rest days in town, visiting with our nephew and niece, Jason and Kaverii. The library is centrally located in downtown Eugene in a four-story building built in 2002. There is a beautiful courtyard outside the children’s library and an abundance of bicycle parking.
In May, Alec Chunn, Youth Services Librarian, contacted John and me and invited us to visit the library when we arrived in Eugene. We are sorry to have missed the chance to meet Alec (seems he is moving into his new house!) but we were welcomed by many of the other library staff members. We had a fabulous visit including a tour by Miriam and Lynda, plus a lunch attended by seven library staff members. During the tours, we had the opportunity to meet many of the people that work in the library, including behind-the-scenes visits to technical services (my people) and circulation. In touring Children’s Services with Miriam, we were struck by many things. Top of my list is their Language Center, offering support to households that speak a language other than English and to several language immersion schools for French, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. In signing up for the summer reading program, children can select and take home a book to keep! We were entertained by the library displays created by children on different library-related topics. Miriam also showed us the Maker Hub, a great example of public libraries providing access to technologies and creative spaces. Resources include a 3D printer, button makers, sewing machine, electronics kits, and an embroidery machine. Next door to the Maker Hub is the Media Lab, a place for recording and editing sounds and images. Upcoming workshops in August are available for recording/editing music and an introduction to virtual reality. As we’ve traveled through the United States, we’ve had the opportunity to discuss different topics with library staff. One interesting discussion we had over lunch today was about balancing the services for community residents with services provided to non-residents. At the Eugene Public Library, to use the computers, one must have a library card, pay three dollars an hour, or limit use to 15 minutes at one of open-access terminals. In our travels, this is the most restrictive policy thus far. In talking with library staff, they felt that there was such a high demand for the computers, that allowing anyone free access may have a detrimental effect on assuring access for the community members. We also discussed the challenges faced by a centrally located public library in a mid-size city with a homeless population over 3,000 people. Strong universal support was voiced in keeping the library available and welcoming to all. And one way to do this is to contract with a security company to be aware of activity outside the library, so librarians can focus their attention on what’s going on inside the building. Another amazing service offered at the library is a storage unity near the library where people can securely leave their belongings while using the library. Several people remarked on the library’s role in helping with social services, most notably partnering with White Bird Clinic to provide information about housing, food, showers, and other services. We were very touched by the hospitality of the Eugene Public Library and for Alec reaching out to us. We are grateful for the conversations at lunch--speaking on topics that add to our overall picture of public libraries, their resources, and the challenges they may face. Thanks to you all for your time, especially Alec, Miriam, and Lynda. It’s getting hot up here in Oregon! Today we went through Hells Canyon and hit temperatures in the triple digits. Made it to Halfway, Oregon, just after noon. Ate a massive lunch and then took refuge at the Baker County Library, Halfway Branch. What a treat to step into air-conditioning, find a comfy chair, and pull out my laptop for a while. Wifi openly available with a water fountain and bathroom nearby.
After working for about an hour, we introduce ourselves to Lourdes, the one and only library staff member at the Halfway Branch. She was busy boxing up books for tomorrow’s Library District book sale in Baker, proceeds to support the beautiful garden outside the library, maintained by the Friends of the Library (see photos below). The garden looks great today but Lourdes tells us it is amazing in springtime when the flowers are in bloom. It features two picnic benches and a table and chairs where people can relax and/or use the wifi. John and I took advantage of the garden, its shade, and the wifi, after the library closed at 4pm (beats going back to the hot campground). Next Thursday will be the fourth and final program for the Summer Reading program in Halfway. Lourdes has a strong group of 10 kids that attend the program, a good number for a town with 300+ population. The upcoming program will play on the national library theme, “Libraries Rock!,” by focusing on the geology of Oregon. Lourdes’ ten-year-old grandson will be bringing in his rock collection and a guitarist will play music. The kids will also be painting rocks, one to take home and one to hide in the community for someone else to find. In speaking with Lourdes, she tells us how residents support the library, even those that don’t use it. Many people do not have access to a computer or the internet, so the library fills a vital role here in Halfway. And the library itself, with its garden and welcoming space, is central to community life. We certainly enjoyed and appreciated it! Thanks Lourdes and thanks Baker County Library District! We had an early start this morning in New Meadows, Idaho. We rode about 20 miles and ate a second breakfast In Council, Idaho. Most days we eat first breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, a meal we call 'ice cream,' and dinner. Food is fuel and it's what keeps us going.
Arrived in Cambridge, Idaho, around 1:30pm and visited the museum, went to the city park to set up our tent (and bathe in the sprinklers), and headed to the Cambridge Community Library. We spent about an hour using the wifi to read emails and social media while sitting on a cozy couch and charging our devices in air-conditioned comfort. After we had saturated our minds with the internet, we spoke with the library director, Lorrie, about the town and the library. Right now the big thing for the library is the upcoming budget hearing, scheduled for August 1. The requested budget has been published in the local newspaper and a notice of the public hearing is posted on the library's front door. Lorrie says they usually receive what they request and she is feeling optimistic. I've included the budget from the newspaper below. Lorrie works hard to bring kids and young adults into the library. They just wrapped up a successful Summer Reading program for the community. A lot of the FFA and 4H kids use the library computers to complete projects and the library recently held a pizza parties for the teens and a pajama party for the little ones. And something I have not seen at any other library, Cambridge Community provides books for kids to take home (to keep, like forever!!) Lorrie loves books and reading and says she will do anything to promote them. The Cambridge Community Library has an interesting history. It began in Maude Donart's store in the 1950s, where Maude provided a rotating collection on loan from Boise Public Library. In 1973, a group of volunteers (led by John Mount) constructed a building to serve as the community library. As the collection grew and Cambridge needed a larger library, the former library director, Nina, called local businessman Robert Stinnett and asked him to donate a vacant downtown building. Stinnett agreed and the library moved to its current location. What a wonderful thing- a public space where we can just relax, think, and get out of the heat (at no cost). Plus, we learned something about the local history. Thanks Lorrie and Cambridge Community Library!! Today we rode up and up and up. A really demanding day with over 3,000 feet of climbing, plus sun, heat, and wind. Two things made the day pretty special, an A&W Root Beer restaurant waiting for us at the end of the ride in New Meadows, Idaho, and the company of another cyclist, Bryant. We met Bryant at Lolo Pass and have been riding with him for the past three days. He's done a lot of touring in the past 15 years and is a very interesting fellow, with knowledge about farming, nutrition, bicycles, and beekeeping. He left us this evening to head home but we plan on staying with him and his wife later in the trip.
After we ate/drank our root beer floats, John and I went to visit the Meadows Valley Public Library. One of the first things we saw at the library was an Adventure Cycling TransAm sticker in the front window. That made us feel very welcome. Kayrene, a library staff member, greeted us with a hello as we entered and we talked about the town and the library. New Meadows received its name when the original town (Meadows) moved west a few miles to be closer to the trains. About 500-600 people live here, many making their living in the cattle business. The library has been around "forever," moving into the current building about ten years ago. In addition to the TransAm sticker in the front window, we also saw a display with information about the Adventure Cycling Association and free copies of their magazine, Adventure Cyclist. Kayrene told us many cyclists come through New Meadows to use the computers in the library. All they need to do is read and sign an agreement about appropriate computer use. There is no wifi available in the library since appropriate use cannot be assured. I must say, I've never heard of this being a concern in other libraries and wonder as to the origin of the policy. The Summer Reading program is in full-swing. 39 kids were in the library earlier today for a program consisting of a 15-minute science program, a story, and a craft (making wind chimes). Participants earn tokens for reading and they can use the tokens to enter drawings for big prizes or trade-in their tokens for smaller prizes. All the prizes were purchased with donations from the community, the donors' names listed along the wall. In addition to the children and youth's Summer Reading, 28 adults have signed up to participate. They can use their tokens to enter a drawing for a Kindle reading tablet. Thanks to Kaylene for her time. We enjoyed speaking with you. And thank you to Meadows Valley Public Library for being so welcoming to bicycle tourists. It is very much appreciated! We've spent the last three days traveling from Missoula, Montana, to White Bird, Idaho. We either seem to be climbing or coasting downhill. Yesterday was one of the easiest days of riding (all downhill) while today was one of the most grueling, with two passes and about 3,500 feet of climbing. We didn't know what to expect from this part of Idaho. Growing up, I thought Idaho was all flat potato farm land. Obviously I didn't know much about Idaho. I've included some photos below of the scenery. Really gorgeous.
Right now, we are sitting outside of the White Bird Community Library, in White Bird, Idaho. The library is a community effort and staffed solely by volunteers. The library is closed but provides 24 hour wifi (The WiFi Zone) and outdoor seating. So although they are only open nine hours a week, they supply wifi around the clock to the community and tourists passing through. And in a place where our cell phones have a limited connection, it is very much appreciated! |