We started our fifth week in Sheridan, MT where we enjoyed a nice motel since there were no campsites in town. We treated ourself to pizza, many yummy snacks, and my favorite — cranberry juice! We felt like royalty with all of the amenities and the next day we left feeling refreshed. The next day we passed through Virginia City: a gem of a town with semi-preserved ghost town buildings. When we arrived at our campsite, the camp host was so excited to see bikers that she let us stay there for free!

We went to bed that night excited to head towards yellowstone. When we woke up, we weren’t too worried about camping because we figured, “Aw heck, it’s a Thursday. There has to be at least one free spot somewhere.” As we were packing up to leave for the day, I happened to notice where else but from my birth control that in fact it was Friday, not Thursday. We rushed to West Yellowstone and were stressed to see as we finally approached the campsite that all of the hundreds of spots were filled. Luckily, the camp host was very empathetic and let us stay in a clearing behind his trailer. We went into town to get dinner and had amazing milkshakes in a decorative, old fashioned diner.

From there we embarked on our journey through Yellowstone and thus the start of Wyoming. I had never been to the park and Paula had but only as a younger girl. It was breathtaking. I can truly only describe it as the Walt Disney World of National Parks. The experience of seeing Old Faithful and Grand Prismatic in real life was unforgettable. That night, we scored a “hiker biker” spot in Yellowstone and our site “neighbor” went to the store and brought us back some gatorades!

After we left Yellowstone we entered the Grand Teton National Park which was just as astonishing. At lunch, we ate next to a pull out with an extraordinary view of the mountains and the glistening water. Once we exited the park, I got my first flat tire of the trip! It was stressful, however, because this conveniently happened as we were exiting a “Bear Crossing: Do Not Stop on Highway!” Warning area. Of course, as we were repairing it, a middle aged man thought it would be hilarious to lean out of his truck and shout, “Bear!” At us. Tldr: it was not funny at all. After the tire mysteriously not filling back up properly, we got the help of a Park Ranger passing by who not only made sure we were all set for the day, he also made some calls and got us a really good deal at a lodge next to our campground (which had filled since we were arriving two and a half hours later than we had planned on a weekend).

At the lodge we relaxed from a stressful evening with dinner and a bed. After getting a nice breakfast the next morning, we headed out for a ride of 25 miles and 3,000 ft elevation gain. It was hot, but we were excited because after this peak we would have two days of a long, sweet downhill.

A Funny Moment of the Week: The day before we arrived in West Yellowstone, we looked for a convenience store to stop at to stock up on some dinners and get some gatorades for lunch. The only store was attached to a newly constructed “lakeside resort” and we soon realized this was not the place for us. The only dinner food they offered was imported pasta from Italy for $6.00 and artisanal pasta sauce for $9.00. From our usual routine of Knorr Pasta Sides that cost a dollar each, we were peeved but desperate. The humor to this comes when we actually cooked the pasta. It was disgusting! The sauce was so bland and the noodles just tasted off. After this overpriced, ubderwhelming Penne we’ve decided to never sell ourselves short and to just wait for the cheap, good stuff instead.

What We’ve Learned: You don’t always have to please everybody. When we stopped for lunch in the Grand Tetons it was sweltering, we were starving, and we miraculously had service for the first time in 36 hours. We were excited to call our parents and I was looking forward to calling my boyfriend who was moving into college that day! As we approached our spot of refuge, an older couple started asking about our trip. I politely went into the spiel of “Oh we’re biking across the country! Yes, it’s been so fun! About 90 days for the trip, yeah.” Then, I politely excused myself to enjoy my lunch and wished them a great day.

About four minutes later as I was visibly FaceTiming my family, the couple came up again and said, “So sorry if we’re being bothersome, but XYZ.” They went into more questions. Despite my obvious preoccupation, they seemed to feel like I was their personal google without my own needs or issues. All I was there for in there minds was to satisfy their curiosity. I normally would feel bad for being so brute with someone, but I realized then that I don’t owe these curious onlookers anything. It’s not rude — it’s just understanding my limits. So, I answered them curtly and went right back to my call until they got the hint.

Something as simple as that was nice to reflect on because I think a lot of the time, especially of young women, we’re taught to appease others and accommodate despite discomfort. But it’s okay to put yourself first and you should. In the end I thank that couple for frustrating me so much that I went through some character development — Cheers to you.

As we left Grangeville, we were preparing to say goodbye to our second state. Overall, we left Idaho with very fond memories: all of the beautiful scenery, the friendly people, and the triumph of conquering Hell’s Canyon. We stayed in Lochsa Lodge that night and celebrated the “end of an era” with a real dinner inside the Lodge’s restaurant. That night, I was so excited not only because we were about to enter Montana, or because the next day was our rest day. I was excited because in Missoula, MT across Lolo Pass I knew my dad was visiting us! And I was so happy to be able to see him.

In Missoula, we had a great rest day. We got massages, stayed at the new Residence Inn and got to eat actual, tasty food! Not to mention some great ice cream. Before we left Missoula, we got our tire pressure checked and new chains from a bike shop in town. Needless to say, we left Missoula feeling fresh.

The next couple days, however, were like a fever dream. We took countless breaks, felt so lethargic, and even heard a woman at McDonalds get upset because she ordered a “cheeseburger NO burger” and they couldn’t get it right.

After that, we headed to Wisdom, MT and did 3,300 ft in one go! I was feeling notably grumpy that day and then as soon as we got to the top of the pass, it all just melted away.

We ended the week in Bannack, MT. Bannack will definitely go down in the list of the coolest places I’ve ever been to. The town was actually abandoned in the late 1800s and made into a state park. It remains one of the most intact ghost towns in the United States. It felt like we stepped through a time machine and were transported into these people’s lives.

A Funny Moment of the Week: I really think the “Cheeseburger — No Burger” takes the cake for me. I really thought this lady was joking, but as soon as I saw her face I realized this was a very serious matter for her.

What We’ve Learned: The enchantment of the trip comes and goes. There are some days where we look around and marvel at the beauty of the country and feel enamored with the world around us and this journey (real hippie stuff). But there also are days (albeit few) where we feel like all we want to do is lay down and watch TV and never look at our bikes again. And that’s ok. You don’t have to be completely starry-eyed all the time for this adventure to be worth it. But every time you heave and push and pant your way to the top of a real mountain, or even a mental one, you get to a point where you just look up and realize, “Ah, so that’s why this is all worth it.”

And here we are — week three! We started out this week traveling to Baker City, OR where we had our first rest day of the trip! We stayed at the Grand Geyser Hotel which was absolutely gorgeous and very accommodating to us and our bikes. We spent the day going to the Baker City Heritage Museum, lounging around in the room, and eating lots of junk food. All in all, we thought Baker City was so charming and were so happy we were able to have such a relaxing stay in such a beautiful place.

After Baker City, we travelled to Richland and spent our last day in Oregon! From there, we rode further through Hell’s Canyon and were so happy to reach Adams County, ID which was right across the bridge from the state line. The next day, as we prepared to climb another pass, we heard from a local that apparently the day before we were riding in 115 degree heat! Let me tell you, though, I believe it. I am just thankful we had plenty of water and had some shade when we arrived to the campsite.

Going further into Idaho, we saw so many beautiful environments — deserts, mountains, sandy beaches — and met so many friendly people. As we rode to New Meadows, ID we stopped at a convenience store that had a book that everyone doing the Transamerica Trail signed and it made everything feel real when we put our names and stories in it too. It was also a relief to see that everyone else was feeling the same kind of things: hot, tired, but knowing that the effort was so worth it. That night we stayed at Zim’s Hot Springs and got to spend some time in the Hot Springs Pool!

Heading into White Bird, ID we stayed at Swiftwater RV Park. It was such a great spot! We had a shady picnic area to use, outlets, WiFi, showers, Laundry, and beach access! The camp owner was also heading into town so he bought us Coke, chips and chicken! Paula grilled the meat perfectly and it was such a nice treat. The next day we climbed White Bird Hill and took Old 95. I was blown away by the breathtaking views of the countryside as we climbed up the countless switchbacks to the top. We ended the day and week in Grangeville and stayed in the city park. In a picturesque end to another week, we watched Ghostbusters in the local theater! It really brought us back to pre-Covid times as all the movie theaters back home are closed. Overall, this was another successful week filled with smiles and good times.

A Funny Moment of the Week: This is a small memory, but one I find very funny. Paula was drinking gatorade one day, and telling me a story between sips. At one point, she thought she could continue to drink and talk at the same time which led to a silly gargling incident that entertained me thoroughly.

What We’ve Learned: One thing I learned this week was that local food does not always mean great food. This week we endured “milkshakes” that were literally just slightly foamy milk and I had a cinnamon roll that tasted sour. Needless to say, we’re not complaining too much because anything is better than oatmeal and mac and cheese.