Friday 27 August 2010

And here are the final statistics of the North America path

Day        ROUTE M TIME DIST. MAX AVG DIST.
(H:MM) (KM) (KPH) (KPH) (MILE)
Washington DC (City) 37,82 42,0 23,50
1 Washington DC - Wilmington DE 08:36 188,94 52,0 22,0 117,40
2 Philadelphia PA - Brooklyn NY 07:44 168,37 42,0 21,8 104,62
New York City 30,71 25,0 19,08
3 Brooklyn NY - East Stroudsburg PA 09:33 178,47 67,0 18,7 110,90
4 East Stroudsburg PA - Binghamton NY 08:47 185,97 61,0 21,2 115,56
5 Binghamton NY - Geneva NY 08:57 184,30 49,0 20,8 114,52
6 Geneva NY - Buffalo NY 09:36 174,41 50,0 18,2 108,37
7 Buffalo NY USA - Burlington ON CANADA 06:55 139,93 59,0 20,3 86,95
8 Burlington ON - Toronto ON 05:39 91,06 36,0 16,1 56,58
9 Toronto ON - Barry ON 05:23 104,72 55,0 19,4 65,07
10 Barry ON -****- Parry Sound ON 03:43 88,54 47,0 23,8 55,01
11 Parry Sound ON - Sudbury ON 07:38 189,49 48,0 24,9 117,74
12 Sudbury ON - Iron Bridge ON 09:09 194,01 40,0 21,2 120,55
13 Thessalon ON - Sault St Marie ON 06:03 104,12 37,0 17,2 64,70
14 Sault St Marie ON - Wawa ON 10:19 224,96 58,0 21,9 139,78
15 Wawa ON - Marathon ON 09:32 194,29 54,0 20,4 120,73
16 Marathon ON - Cavers ON (rear wheel broke) 07:59 142,38 68,0 17,9 88,47
17 Thunder Bay ON CANADA - Lutsen MN USA 08:41 182,81 44,0 21,0 113,59
18 Lutsen MN - Duluth MN 06:58 153,56 50,0 22,0 95,42
19 Duluth MN - Grand Rapids MN 06:03 132,69 39,0 21,9 82,45
20 Grand Rapids MN - Alida MN 07:03 144,16 39,0 20,4 89,58
21 Alida MN - Grand Forks ND 07:30 178,78 42,0 24,4 111,09
22 Grand Forks ND - Minot ND 14:09 345,36 41,0 24,7 214,60
23 Minot ND - Williston ND 11:10 205,55 46,0 18,1 127,72
24 Williston ND - Glasgow MT (new back tire) 10:53 238,87 52,0 22,0 148,43
25 Glasgow MT - Havre MT 09:41 258,23 51,0 26,7 160,46
26 Havre MT - Shelby MT 08:13 175,17 43,0 21,4 108,85
27 Shelby MT - Bigfork MT 11:22 267,22 60,0 23,9 166,04
28 Bigfork MT - Troy MT 09:17 212,13 48,0 22,8 131,81
29 Troy MT - Sandpoint ID 04:58 107,76 50,0 21,7 66,96
30 Sandpoint ID - Colville WA 07:13 152,78 58,0 21,2 94,93
31 Colville WA - Wauconda WA 07:14 121,82 62,0 16,8 75,70
32 Wauconda WA USA - Copper Mountain BC CANADA 10:49 214,45 70,0 19,8 133,25
33 Copper Mountain BC - Vancouver BC 14:15 273,18 61,0 19,8 169,75
Vancouver BC 36,54 43,0 22,70
34 Vancouver BC CANADA - Bellingham WA USA 04:22 96,09 57,0 22,0 59,71
35 Bellingham WA - Seattle WA 06:16 144,08 53,0 23,0 89,53
36 Seattle WA - Olympia WA 06:04 136,86 59,0 22,6 85,04
37 Olympia WA - Portland OR 09:20 221,43 53,0 23,7 137,59
Portland City 26,87 35,0 15,5 16,70
38 Portland OR - Newport OR 08:11 182,38 62,0 22,3 113,33
39 Newport OR - Winchester Bay OR 05:47 121,62 58,0 21,1 75,57
40 Coos Bay OR -  Brookings OR 08:12 176,05 66,0 21,5 109,39
41 Crescent City CA - Eureka CA 07:06 136,76 49,0 19,3 84,98
42 Eureka CA - Wilits CA 09:46 213,26 59,0 21,9 132,51
43 Willits CA - San Francisco CA 12:59 283,90 56,0 22,9 176,41
Totals 359h05m 7762,85km 4823,61mi
Averages 08h21m 165,17km 21,1 102,63mi
Maximums 14h15km 345,36km 70,0 26,7 214,60mi

The final map, each color is a biking day, includes also the rides (some were forced cheating, had no other choice)


And all the details in GPS (allow some time to load the 3MB KML file to te map): Washington DC - Toronto ON - Vancouver BC - San Francisco CA

Tuesday 24 August 2010

San Francisco

So... A great week to rest, recover some weight and explore the city. Hadn't explorer the nightlife but the day has a lot to show. And unfortunately while I was copying the photos to the PC, I lost on the card and was not transferred to the PC. I'll try to recover them at home.







With more time I'll make this post more pretty! Now let's see when I will return to Europe. See Ya!

Friday 20 August 2010

2010-08-16 Willits CA - San Francisco CA (THE arrival!)

So... what to say about this day? Pure happiness and some anger at same time in some parts of the road.
As my host had to work early, I departed from Willits at around 7:30, so.. as the distance is very doable like measured 250km, if I made the trip at an average of 22km/h would be quite like almost consecutive 12 hours on pedal and still have some time for stops. But let's divide in 3 parts:
The first one from Willits till Geyserville, which was mostly done as 4 lane freeway and on this part it's allowed to cycle. I was making a very good average, the road was mostly downhill, despite had some bits of opposite wind, at 12:00 I had done more than 100km, so if the trip remains like this I would arrive to San Francisco at around 7-8pm





but...
The second part, that was the most hated one as it was not allowed to ride the bike on the freeway due to much heavier traffic, had to go to inner cities, but the worse is that they are only connected by freeway! By normal road You have to make longer rides


And then more detours who made me arrive late to Sausalito and up to the Golden Gate.
Which that was the 3rd part and of course the happiness of finally had arrived, despited I would like to arrive there on a sunset. However the bridge had the pedestrian/bike door closed as I arrived there at around 10PM, but no worries! Just hit a button and someone will open the door for You (Only pedestrians cannot cross the bridge after 9PM, bikes are 24 hours).
Crossing the bridge despite being very windy and foggy has still great views even if You only can see nothing more than 300 meters.




And so arrived to San francisco at my host place as they live very close to SFO airport, so more 90 minutes and arrive at midnight.
And so.. that's it, there is still to show the city, so this trip is not yet closed! Only the long distance biking, as the bike is quite rusty and needs a decent cleanup, on which I'll do as soon I arrive to Europe. I need pedals too.

so here is the final route (pay attention on my path when leaving the US101 till the Golden gate entry): 2010-08-16 Willits CA - San Francisco CA

Which made me have this time: 15h41m, Distance 283,90km/176,41mi Moving time: 12h59m, Max Speed: 56km/h, Average: 22,9km/h Total: 7762,85km/4823,61mi Bike total since March 2009: 15142,6km

And a great song for the arrival and "finale": Chemical brothers - Dissolve

See Ya!

2010-08-15 Eureka CA - Willits CA

This day was quite long, mostly going uphill and with amazing landscapes on the Avenue of the Giants, which is a 50km detour of the freeway/highway US101, and only has positive and recomended passing by. Let's see: the road is mostly flat, so less tiring while going up and downhill, then the trees are still giant (above 100meters high) which means spectacular landscape, this time beside the Elk river, then mostly shadow which means less heat, and for sure in case of rain it would protect You from extra humidity! So a complete must!
Another note is about cycling on the freeway parts of the US101 which is completely bike friendly with white shoulders and does not forbid bikes. When using a search engine it avoids this road, but actually for the west coast bikers You can ride it without any problem and has many exits for food points for example.
Ah, I also must thank Ms Ilda (a nice lady of 80 years old) for the 5 dollar offer while I was eating the dollar pies in front of the fast food in Fortuna. I really love those apple pies! But actually had them because is hot food and also because I love sweets!











Route: 2010-08-15 Eureka CA - Willits CA



Time: 11h43m, Distance 213,26km/132,51mi Moving time: 09h46m, Max Speed: 59km/h, Average: 21,9km/h Total: 7478,95km/4647,20mi



Another Summer sound: Cut Copy - Where I'm Going

Sunday 15 August 2010

2010-08-14 Crescent City CA - Eureka CA

This day was a complete day full of wonders!
As a start my host Jessica (welcome to couchsurfing!) Offered me a ride between Brookings and Crescent City, her workplace which made me save around one hour on the bike. Second as is an early job, means there is no big rush to reach my destination, so there is some time to explore.
The day was mostly with lost's of fog, specially on the top of mountains and by the sea, but what was really wonderful to see were the big trees in the Redwood Park, on many of them are above 100 meters high and 6 meters diameter. And the trees have at least 2000 years old! With the fog has it's magic! It was similar to Pandora (from the movie Avatar, but with the real gravity, no floating rocks). Outstanding green area and full of hiking/biking trails, on this trip just made the scenic alternative route.
Then back to the Pacific Ocean on this last day who will I see very close from the road, which turned into a very bike friendly freeway on the entire US101 till Eureka.





Route: 2010-08-14 Crescent City CA - Eureka CA


Time: 09h31m, Distance 136,76km/84,98mi Moving time: 07h06m, Max Speed: 49km/h, Average: 19,3km/h Total: 7265,69km/4514,69mi

And of the Summer sounds: Gypsy and the Cat - Jona Vark (Wax Stag Remix)

Saturday 14 August 2010

2010-08-12 Coos Bay OR - Brookings OR

Well... these photos will tell how was my biking day :)
But make sure You listen this song before: The Cars - Drive













The route: 2010-08-12 Coos Bay OR - Brookings OR


and stats: Time: 10h07m, Distance 176,05km/109,39mi Moving time: 8h12m, Max Speed: 66km/h, Average: 21,5km/h Total: 7128,93km/4429,71mi


Thursday 12 August 2010

2010-08-11 Newport OR - Winchester Bay OR

And this one was really an amazing trip, landscape speaking. Big waves, some sea fog, beaches, uphills and view from some capes, but the wind... this one mostly from the west making steering not so steady and have to decrease speed when going down for example. This time I should arrive to Coos Bay, but considering the weather was cold all the time (15 degrees celsius), and the most important of the biking was done (Washington DC to Vancouver BC) any help to arrive to San Francisco (my final stop of this journey) is always accepted. So I have to thank Danielle (my host in coos Bay) for the offer and for the ride!

2010-08-10 Portland OR - Newport OR

This day started to be a cloudy day and soon I get closer to the Pacific and more windy. But the amazing was really yo feel the waves of the Pacific ocean! Reminds me a bit of Portugal! Sunset on the west side (unfortunately cloudy), another flat on the back wheel right in Lincoln City and consequent arrival at night. But a nice journey!