Part 30: Continental Divide RideMexico to CanadaDave Turners impressions of America

By Frosty Wooldridge

Reflections on our Trans Am adventure

May 3^rd to July 20^th 2013.

4,152 miles, 10 States and 72 Days cycling.

On my grand journey up the Continental Divide, my cycling friend Dave Turner hooked up with me for a week.  We became great friends through our mutual cycling quest.  I found him to be funny, wise and kind. 

He wrote a summation of his coast to coast ride from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.  Enjoy Dave Turner’s recollections of his journey across America:

Since our return to Ireland the most asked questions are “what was the best moment?  What will you never forget?” the simple and honest answer is “all of it.”

When we started this 72 day cycling adventure on the shores of the Atlantic Coast in Yorktown Virginia, we had no idea of the warmth, generosity and kindness we would receive from the American people who we would meet along the way. There was Bill in Glendale, Virginia, a complete stranger who took us to his home, fed us, let us camp in his garden and fed us again in the morning, two paramedics who secretly paid for our breakfasts in Virginia, the 12 warm showers hosts who took us into their homes and tried to kill us with hospitality, the dozens of people who gave us cold drinks and water as we were cycling and the hundreds of people who just stopped for a chat, all interested in  where we were going and why we were doing it and the numerous drivers who waved at us.

(Dave Turner, Irishman, lives near Dublin, Ireland.  He worked as a perfume expert all his life and travelled the world as he followed his nose to the greatest scents for women worldwide.)

We were not sure exactly where we would be staying. In the end we stayed in camp sites, with warm shower hosts, hostels, hotels, motels, town parks, churches and fire stations and a jail.

We also had no idea of how tough some of the cycling would be, from the Appalachians in Virginia, through the Ozarks in Missouri, up and across the Rockies in Colorado, the Tetons in Wyoming and the Cascade Mountains in Oregon, these all tested our strength, stamina and determination.

We had no idea how windy some states were.  In Wyoming we had four days of severe head winds, going up the Togwotee Pass in the Tetons took us 6 hours to travel just 30 miles, and on the other hand we were blown into Hot Sulphur Springs in Colorado at 30 mph.

Nothing could have prepared us for the heat dust and sheer cycling boredom of Kansas; with temperatures reaching over 100 F we cycled some days from 3 a.m. until 10 a.m. just to avoid the heat.

(Dave Turner, Irishman, leading the pack across America.)

Nothing could have prepared us for some of the most spectacular, beautiful and awesome works of nature that it was our pleasure to experience.  These mainly started in Colorado and finished in Oregon.  Hot Silver Springs, Byers Canyon, The Tetons, Yellowstone, Hebgen Lake, Bitteroot Valley, Beaverhead Rock, Beaver Rim, Hells Canyon, Picture Gorge, The Cascade Mountains and The McKenzie Pass just to mention a few.

One of the saddest places was Jeffrey City, Wyoming .Once a thriving town of 6,000 people all working in the uranium mining industry is now a ghost town with a population of 46, we spent one night there, sleeping in the now crumbling and decaying Lions Club entertainment facility.

There are many places we will never forget the small town of Guffey in Colorado being one classic example.  With a cat as a mayor and the only accommodation being an original pioneers hut with no water, no electricity, a hole in the ground toilet and a cold outside homemade shower, all owned by an eccentric hoarder called Bill who had collections of old baths, old cars and various horse skeletons at various staged of decomposition all strewn about his premises.

We had heard through the Trans-Am grape vine that Wisdom, Montana was the mosquito capital of the United States, true to form the mosquitoes were assembled in Roman Battle Formation awaiting our arrival. We on the other hand were covered in so much repellent that they just slid off us, our arms, legs and heads were just too slippery to land on.

(Stacked bikes against a building while the riders enjoy lunch.)

We will have ever lasting memories of fellow cyclists who it was our pleasure to meet, some of them joined us for a short time, others for longer. Frosty Wooldridge was our longest fellow cycling companion, we met by chance in a store in Riverside, Wyoming and we rode together for six days before we very sadly parted company at Madison Junction when he headed north to Canada. He had a wealth of knowledge on cycle touring, camping, politics and any other subject you care to mention.  We just made him laugh!! .

Small simple things like a truck passing you and generating a few seconds of moving air that hits you in the face and has a cooling effect or the first mouth full of ice cold beer when you finish your day’s ride were two of life’s treasured moments. Reaching the top of a hard climb or realizing that your mosquito repellent was working were another two simple pleasures.

(Dave Turner showing off his “chain ring tattoo” while on tour.)

We passed through several Indian reservations and it looked to us that when the arguing and fighting stopped and the negotiations took place the native Indians would appear to have got the shitty end of the deal.

These are just a few thoughts and reflections on our great adventure, the scenery, the heat, the wind, the rain, the storms, the deserts, the mosquitoes, the mountains, the people we met, the laughing we did, the places we stayed, the food we ate all combined to make this such a glorious heart lifting and emotional experience that will stay with us forever.

That’s a recap from Dave Turner on his bicycle journey across America.  I can say that he and Gerry provided more laughter than I have enjoyed since watching Robin Williams and George Carlin in concert.  I expect to meet them again when I pedal in Ireland.  When I hit the local pub, I will mind my P’s and Q’s.  (Paying for my pints and quarts of beer. That’s where the old saying came from if you are interested.)

(Dave and Gerry riding north out of the Grand Tetons.)

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Frosty Wooldridge has bicycled across six continents – from the Arctic to the South Pole – as well as eight times across the USA, coast to coast and border to border. In 2005, he bicycled from the Arctic Circle, Norway to Athens, Greece.  In 2010, he cycled 3,400 miles coast to coast across America.  In 2012, he bicycled the northern tier coast to coast across America.  In 2013, he bicycled 2,500 miles from Mexico to Canada on the Continental Divide, 150,000 vertical feet of climbing and 19 crossing of passes, 10 of the Continental Divide.  He presents “The Coming Population Crisis facing America: what to do about it.”  www.frostywooldridge.com.  His latest book is: How to Live a Life of Adventure: The Art of Exploring the World by Frosty Wooldridge, copies at 1 888 280 7715/ Motivational program: How to Live a Life of Adventure: The Art of Exploring the World by Frosty Wooldridge, click:  www.HowToLiveALifeOfAdventure.com

Live well, laugh often, celebrate daily and enjoy the ride,

Frosty Wooldridge

Golden, Colorado

www.HowToLiveALifeOfAdventure.com

6 Continent world bicycle traveller

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