PAC it Northwest: Part III

Looking down at our campsite while hiking along the Red Beds Trail. The Tower is behind us.

Days 9 and 10: On the road to Devils Tower

We said goodbye to Joe and Sara Jo on the morning of Day 9 after breakfast at Heydey, which was a walk to the top of the hill from their house in Seattle.  Our destination that evening was the KOA campground in Missoula, the same one we camped at on our trip out. 

First stop was in Ellensburg, WA to visit Jason White and to eat lunch at Iron Horse Brewery

Break from the road at Wild Horse Monument looking down at the Columbia River/Wanapum Lake

Completing our Idaho experience at the Crafted Tap House + Kitchen in Coeur d'Alene

I convinced Erin that I can't really say I have visited a state until I have had both a coffee and a beer there.  We had already had coffee in Idaho Falls, ID on the drive out, but we had yet to have a beer. So, we stopped for an early dinner and some beer at the Crafted Tap House + Kitchen in beautiful Coeur d'Alene where the Ironman was about to take place the next day.

By doing so, we had to forfeit any more fun time in Missoula. 

We had a quick breakfast at the KOA campground before our long drive to Devils Tower the next day. There were two major stops. The first was for lunch at Bridger Brewery in Bozeman, MT.

Oooooh! Rooftop seating? Count us in!

You may have to click on this picture to get the full size so you can best enjoy the mountains in the background.

The second major stop was in Sheridan, WY at the Wyoming Rib and Chop House. I ordered and ate the best pork chop I've ever had.

The best pork chop I have ever eaten.

With the long stops, we knew we would be arriving at Devils Tower in the dark to set up camp. Indeed, the KOA office was already closed, but an envelope with my name on it was hanging outside with all the information we needed.

Dusk photo of the moon and Devils Tower

As we set up camp, other campers were watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind at the outdoor theater. They play the movie there every night since it is the campground where it was filmed. 

Day 11: The Tower

I awoke before sunrise and enjoyed some pretty views and a cup of coffee before Erin got up. After experiencing Devils Tower, I believe we did everything right and couldn't have asked for a better time. Here are some of the things we both did and recommend: 

• Stay at the KOA campground where Close Encounters was filmed.
• Get up at the crack of dawn to begin hiking, and hike from the campground along the road. You will walk past the entry station where people in vehicles will pay a fee to enter the park.
• Just a little ways beyond the bridge, turn right onto the first trail you come upon. This will take you up to the Red Beds Trail loop. 
• Hike the Red Beds Trail in a clockwise fashion until you reach the Visitor Center up at the top. You will see a LOT of deer. 
• Now switch to the Tower Loop and hike that in any direction you would like. You will see plenty more deer and several breathtaking views of the tower and the land beyond. 
• Get back on the Red Beds Trail and continue in a clockwise fashion. The deer will start to disappear since it is getting to those peak hours of foot and vehicle traffic. 
• Return to the campground and be sure and wave at all the cars that are lining up and waiting at the gate, which you so intelligently bypassed. 
• Get into your car that was parked at the campground (because you camped there or because you parked their strategically) and travel home.

Devils Tower gave us plenty of opportunity for pictures. Please enjoy the several pictures and captions that follow. 

Sunrise at the KOA campground. Our new Base Camp 6 and the rental car we drove over 4000 miles.

The sun is so high for it being so early!!

There are so many different perspectives of this behemoth. 

The steep decline from the trail away from the tower.

Just off the Red Beds Trail, and now on the Tower Loop

Coming down the back side along the Red Beds Trail. 

In the shade of the Tower not to much after Sunrise.

We had breakfast after our hike, and I sent out several postcards from this place. It was magical.

Then began our 11-12 hour ride home. Although it was sometime past 1:00 AM when we finally got home, we were very much ready to be there. The beds and air conditioning were appreciated on a much higher level.

PAC it Northwest: Part II

Front Street in Leavenworth, WA

Day 7: Leavenworth

Jessica, Erin, and I had breakfast at the Mason Jar in Cheney before heading out. We had a tentative "drive by hugging" planned on our drive home, but (spoiler alert) we had left our shaker and a few other things at their house when we left, so the tentative became a solid plan. 

Driving from eastern to western Washington is a tease. Especially if you travel along State Highway 2 through Wenatchee National Forest (and most likely 20 through North Cascades National Park, although I haven't gone that route yet). I could spend several months in the parks that run on the east side of Interstate 5. Especially if one were to hike the Pacific Coast Trail as Cheryl Strayed did.  

Leavenworth is right in the heart of this beauty, and we found Icicle Brewing Company in this quaint little town. Leavenworth is a great destination city that has something for almost everyone. 

Our destination that evening was the Smolden's house in Everett. Jeremy went to school with Erin in Alaska and they have stayed very good friends. Jeremy and Sarah have three amazing children, Jayden, Lucy, and Kate.  When I asked Jayden how old he was he responded with "seven and ten twelfths." Sarah told him that could be reduced, and after a moment of thought, he corrected himself by answering "seven and five sixths."  

Lucy had fun with my watch. I was supposed to find it in a game of hide the watch and seek it out. It may have been more fun on her end than mine. 

Kate is two and one of the most adorable children I have ever encountered. She is very affectionate and can melt your heart. For example, as we were preparing to leave the next day, I came back from loading something in the car and I opened the door to Kate standing there. She looked up at me and said, "I'm giving you hug goodbye."  We were foolish and didn't get any pictures, so here is one of her and me in January of 2016. 

Try and add a year and a half of cuteness.

Day 8: Deception Pass State Park

We met Tiffany (Erin's good friend and bridesmaid who lives in Everett) at the Rusty Pelican Cafe for breakfast and met her little girl, Aria, for the first time. Since Erin and I are the best role models, we ordered bloody Marys to show Aria what was up. 

Since there was some time to kill before we were to hike at Deception Pass, we drove up to Bellingham for some lunch and beers at Aslan Brewing Company. The Simcoe Slice was delicious enough that I had two, an anomaly for me.

We met Bob Keough at Deception Pass State Park for a 5 mile hike. He made sure to get a long run in that morning.

The bridge connecting Fidalgo Island with Whidbey Island in Deception Pass State Park

Jason, Erin, and Bob 

View from Lighthouse Point

Deception Island

During our hike in Deception Pass State Park, we spotted what we thought were dolphins (we definitely identified fins). The weather could not have been more perfect for this hike. 

Bob suggested the Union Tavern in Anacortes for a bite to eat, so we followed him there. I kept pronouncing Anacortes as the proper name "Anna Cortez" instead of the correct way (anna-CORE-tis).

Leave yourself time enough to hike all 5 miles. Park in the "Upper" parking lot and do each of the three loops. We saved the Maiden of Deception Pass for last (but the order doesn't matter).  There were some great sites, but the phone died after the first two loops. 

Breakfast at Joe's with a view of Mt. Rainier

Day 8: Seattle

Joe Pietraszewski (petra-chef-ski) had a delicious breakfast for us on the morning of our 8th day. We graduated from Ottumwa High back in 1995 together. We try and connect with him more often than our class reunions now. 

From his flat, he took us for a walk along Lake Washington in Colman and Mt. Baker Parks. 

One of Joe's new year's resolutions was to not drink any alcohol for the entire year. He has been very diligent in sticking with his resolution, and the results are noticeable. Hanging out with us, however, posed quite the challenge. He took us to several beer places that we wanted to visit, yet still was able to stay true to his goal. It was quite the impressive feat.  

Prior to lunch, we drove over to the West Seattle area where there were pretty views of Elliot Bay, the Seattle Skyline, and a few fighting seals in the water.

One of our postcard views of Seattle while walking along Harbor Ave. SW

Beer Junction was a place all beer nerds should visit while in Seattle. It allows you to bring food in since they only sell beer. We stopped at the Mercantile Market for some fine foods to take over to Beer Junction so that we could enjoy amazing beers in front of Joe. Strong willed, our tempting libations didn't seem to phase him. 

Some fine salami and chocolate (?) while Joe drinks his water. 

Post lunch beers were enjoyed at Seapine Brewing Company and Two Beers Brewing Co & Seattle Cider Company (located in same venue). 

Erin and I very much enjoy having so many connections in Washington. It is bittersweet, however, because it is too difficult to squeeze everyone in. We do make an effort, however, and I hear that counts for something. 

View from top deck at Joe's. Left to right: Mt. Baker (requires zoom in), Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Mt. Rainier

PAC it Northwest: Part I

Shot from Buckhorn Rd north of Masonville, CO

The weather for our entire trip to the northwest was gorgeous. There were only a few times where it got a little warm, and how we dodged all rain is beyond me. We traversed 9 states over 11 days, and Erin drove almost the entire way.

Our trip seems to be in three parts. Part I will be the trip out, highlighting Palouse Falls State Park. Part II will be arriving at the northwest corner of the U.S., with Deception Pass State Park as the main attraction. Finally, Part III will be our trip home, and our amazing experience at Devils Tower. 

Along with our own experiences and stories, I hope to also provide recommendations for those who also want to visit any of these spots. 

Day 1: Stove Prairie Creek

Originally, our first stop was going to be in Fort Collins for a quick visit with my cousin Jody. After working through a mishap in which I provided her with the wrong date (one week early), we worked it out so that we would join her camping in Roosevelt National Forest along Stove Prairie Creek on some private land.  

I had just camped for 7 straight days on my Biking Across Kansas trip. However, that was in a one-person tent. With Erin along, we would be staying in our luxurious Base Camp 6.  

Erin with our Indian Leftovers

This cool rock formation was across the creek

Stove Prairie Creek offered a natural sound machine

We weren't exactly prepared to camp with no amenities, but we improvised. Holes needed to be dug, fires needed to be started, and showers were just a dream. When roughing it, remember to bring the following:

• Toilet Paper
• A small spade
• A container to heat water in a fire
• Working Tripod Grill

Of course, there are several other things, but these were the things we missed. Jody and Erica set us up with the things we missed, however. They were great camping buddies. 

Day 2: Melvin Brewing Co.

Driving from Colorado to Wyoming, and then from southeast to west Wyoming was beautiful and windy. We had not planned on lunch in Laramie, but our timeline changes on the road. I contacted my graduate school friend Greg who is a professor of math at the University of Wyoming to check if he was available for this spontaneous stop.

Breathtaking Wyoming

At Altitude with Greg

We met him at Altitude Chophouse and Brewery and had a great time catching up. If you find yourself in a similar situation, don't make excuses not to contact someone you haven't seen in a while. Just do it. You will feel immeasurably better for having done so.

Pushing on, we arrived in Alpine at Grove's River Cove RV Park around 7:30. Erin and I set up a tent, stuffed ourselves with food from our cooler, and drove to Melvin Brewing in about 30 minutes. This left us an hour before closing.

The brewery is next to an industrial area down a very bumpy, gravel road. It sits on the fork of the Salt and Snake Rivers. If one wanted to swim out from the point about 500 yds, you would be in Idaho.

One day long before the brewery existed, the founders of Melvin Brewery were talking about melvins, a slang term for a frontal wedgie. One of the founders suggested, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could get someone to ask for a melvin?" To which, another founder inquired, "What if we could get someone to buy a melvin?" This discussion, we found out through our tour guide, was how the brewery was born.

Now with lettering! 

Since they are leasing their building at the moment, they were not supposed to paint their name on the building. They did anyway, and said, "send us the penalty fee." The small town of Alpine didn't really like that, but the mayor drinks there all the time, so everything is probably going to work out for them. 

In case you are interested, here is a life-sized version of Melvin with us and some new contacts in Fort Collins we will most likely hit up next time we visit. 

MELVIN!!!

We brought some Melvin beers back with us, but I don't think they will last long enough for you to try any. Sorry.

Day 3: Missoula by way of Idaho Falls

A very short distance away from Alpine, WY is the city of Idaho Falls, ID. We thought getting a coffee and walking along the falls for a while was a good idea. 

We finished our coffee and latte respectively by this point. Freed up a hand for a selfie.

Along the Idaho Falls Greenbelt Trail

The Idaho Falls Greenbelt Trail and Sportsman Park were a pleasant break from the car. Our next stop would be a late lunch at a rest area in Lima, MT. We set up a picnic spot and enjoyed a bottle of King Sue. 

Erin is proudly wearing her new Melvin hoodie in Lima, MT. Garfield Mountain in the background.

In Missoula, we had our final night of camping, although it was urban camping at the KOA Holiday. I wouldn't exactly call that roughing it. 

Travel Tip: If you've got a tent, and like camping in general, staying at KOAs are a great way to save money when you're on the road. 

 Highlander Beer Company was our choice for some pre-dinner drinks. The Iron Horse Bar and Grill was where we had dinner, and then we finished the evening across the street at The Old Post. Their bloody Mary mix was staring us in the face, so we had to get one even though bloodys are our usual morning drink. They were fabulous.

This was our KOA campsite in Missoula.

Days 4 & 5 - Jessica & Jake and the amazing Palouse Falls State Park

Suppose you don't keep a journal and you're trying to remember where you went on days 4 and 5 of your trip to the northwest in detail. If you have an android smartphone, and if you use Google Maps, one way of checking this information is through your timeline. Your location services need to be on at all times, though.

For example, Monday, June 19th was the fourth day of our trip. My timeline says I had breakfast at Hob Nob in Missoula, MT, and then visited a book store called Shakespeare & Co. right next to where we parked. We then stopped at a travel center on our way for Huckleberry Ice Cream. (My timeline doesn't know that we purchased Huckleberry Ice Cream. This is a detail I had to fill in on my own.)

Once in Spokane, WA, we had to kill some more time since Jessica had to finish her grading for the semester. That time was well spent at Iron Goat Brewing Company. Fifty-five minutes later (according to my timeline), we left for Jake and Jessica's cabin.

They took us for a tour of Eastern Washington University, where both of them met while going there many moons ago and where both of them work now. There were margaritas drank at El Rodeo following the tour.

To burn off the margaritas, they took us to Manito Park and Duncan Garden for a walk in the park.

Jessica and Erin

Sneaking from one park to another

Having just had a late meal at El Rodeo, we went to the Manito Tap Room for drinks. We stayed there long enough that we eventually got hungry and didn't want to move anywhere, so we ordered food there. It was great to finally meet Jessica's beau, Jake. They seem to be a very good match.

On our last day with Jake and Jessica, they drove us down to Palouse Falls State Park. This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip, and hence, why it deserves its own part. We spent much of the day there, and even had a picnic with meats, cheeses, and wine.

View of Palouse Falls from the Parking Lot

Palouse River makes its way down to the Sanke River and Lyons Ferry State Park

These gorgeous set of falls lead down to the bigger falls. This is after a hike up river and then down into the basin.

Hiking rock to rock along the Palouse River

We had a pre-picnic snack at these fingers next to the falls, the half-way point of our hike.

Enjoying a break on our way back.

With all of the money we saved up by camping and taking food with us on the trip, we were able to splurge that evening at the Wild Sage Bistro in Spokane. There were cocktails, starters, entrees, and a port flight for dessert. It was decedent. 

Bee Aye Kay

Sunset at the High School in Tribune, KS

After experiencing Ragbrai from 2009-2014, and then 2 days of 2016, it was inevitable that I would compare Biking Across Kansas (BAK, pronounced "Bee-Aye-Kay" rather than "back") to Rabrai during my experience. However, I promised myself to enjoy BAK for what it was, and not hold it to any preconceived standards I may have developed from Ragbrai. 

My BAK Experience

BAK was a fantastic ride, and a wonderful experience. 

Although I have lived in Kansas for over two years before BAK, I had yet to be introduced to Kansas. During the first five days of BAK, Kansas finally introduced itself to me. The wind did not cease for that amount of time. It just kept blowing. 

And for five straight days, I saw infinite prairies like the one pictured below. 

The infinite prairie of Kansas

There was useful information in these prairies. Those tall blades informed us of how strong a cross wind we were dealing with. And we were most definitely dealing with lots of wind. 

BAK involves 9 days of riding. On day 1 (which some call day 0, but who are they kidding), you get yourself to the starting point and bike to the border of Colorado and back. A few hitch rides to the border so that they can simply bike to camp from the border. A few more simply skip this ride and don't worry about it; they probably think 8 days of riding is good enough. 

After riding the first two days by myself, I rode the rest of the week with Wichita friends Neil McDaniel and Lauren Hirsh. Erin and I rode with them during the Cottonwood 200. 

Neil and Lauren using a downhill to their advantage

Me with Lauren and Neil at a MOST welcomed oasis: Tallgrass Tap House in Manhattan

My ride ended on Thursday in Rossville, less than 20 miles from Topeka. Erin brought a meal for four from Globe Indian Cafe. We had a small picnic on the high school parking lot while a tornado warning was issued. I felt somewhat bad about leaving Lauren and Neil to their tents while I drove home to an air conditioned night in my own bed for the first time in 7 days. 

That wouldn't last long, however, as the next three days were spent camping with Erin on our PAC it Northwest trip. More on that later. 

The Inevitable Comparison

Since I am a Ragbrai rider, I'll give my comparison of the two rides, by listing pros and cons from the perspective of BAK. 

Pros

• BAK is more intimate.
• There are four SAGs each day in which you don't have to spend a dime.
• There are four sponsored meals during the week on which you save money.
• If you do something barely interesting from a Ragbrai perspective (like carrying a speaker on my bike for music), it is extremely interesting to a BAK rider and will generate several comments and conversations.
• The only logistics you have to work out are how to get there and how to get home. Sites for tents and showers at the end of the day are taken care of for you. Your gear is hauled from town to town.
• Not as hilly as Ragbrai can be.
• There are never any lines.
• There are fewer inexperienced bicyclists around you to cause an accident.

Neutral Comparisons 

Although these are neutral comparisons for me, they may fall in pros or cons for someone else. 

• Sleeping in until 7am guarantees you will be at the back of the pack. 
• Longer average daily ride. 

Cons

• It is one day longer than Ragbrai. 
• There are no vendors (you rely on SAGs and pass through towns only).
• Getting a beer can be VERY difficult at times. Getting a GOOD beer can be EXTREMELY difficult at times. 
• BAK does not close roads, so you sometimes ride on very busy ones.

To be fair, it is difficult for me to compare the two objectively. Both experiences were fantastic and I look forward to experiencing them both again. 

The Numbers of BAK

The total mileage over the 9 days is 522 miles, which averages out to 58 miles per day. This does not seem accurate to anyone who experiences BAK. A closer look at daily mileage shows that the first day of 16 miles and the last day of 21 miles are extreme outliers. Throwing those out provides us with an average of about 69.3 miles per day over seven days, which is much more like it!

The 2017 entrant list posted on the BAK website had 761 participants listed. Several of these don't make it the whole way across Kansas (including myself for having missed the last two days of riding) and some ride only a select few days. 

From this data, I was able to find that 30 states were represented along with the country of Denmark. Kansas had the most participants at 566. The breakdown of the other states and country can be seen in this bar chart that I created using Excel. 

State by State participation rate in the BAK 2017

From this chart and the data, the top states participating in the BAK were 

1. Missouri
2. Colorado
3. Texas
4. California
5. Nebraska-Oklahoma (Tie) 

The breakdown of participants of top 12 highest populated cities in Kansas:

1. Wichita: 72
2. Overland Park: 20
3. Kansas City: 16
4. Topeka: 28
5. Olathe: 27
6. Lawrence: 24
7. Shawnee: 12
8. Manhattan: 30
9. Lenexa: 7
10. Salina: 19
11. Hutchinson: 34
12. Leavenworth: 10

It was interesting to see more participants from Manhattan than Lawrence, as well as see that the 11th most populated town of Hutchinson had the 2nd most participants in the state after Wichita. Way to go, Hutchinson!