Den 15 april lamnade vi Afrim, Danielle och deras 2 soner Jack och James i New Jersey och begav oss vasterut. Hittils har vi tillbringat 102 dagar pa den Nordamerikanska kontinenten varav 60 har varit pa cykeln. 600 mil har avverkats genom 11 Amerikanska stater och 1 Kanadensisk provins (snart 2 da vi kommer upp i British Columbia om nagra dagar). Vi har traffat massor av trevligt folk, sett fantastiskt natur och helt enkelt upplevt Amerika pa ett ypperligt satt. Innan jag skriver en liten story om vad som hant de senaste dagarna tankte jag lista lite vad som ar sant och falsk om de rykten vi har om landet hemma i Sverige.
Falskt:
- Att alla sitter pa verandan i en gungstol med en shotgun och skjuter pa folk
- Att alla springer omkring med revolvrar och drar dem sa fort de blir arga pa nan
- Att alla Interstate (motorvagarna) ar 8-filiga overallt i hela landet
- Att alla ater Donuts till frukost (mestadels ar det faktiskt muffins:))
- Att Indianerna i Indian reservaten fortfarande lever i deras Tipis (talt)
- Att portionerna pa restaurangerna skulle vara enorma
- Att Amerikanarna skulle vara ogastvanliga
Sant:
- Att det finns en bar i exakt varje stad, ort eller hala oavsett invanarantalet
- Att det aven finns ett motel i varje stad, ort eller hala oavsett invanarantalet
- Att manga stader i vast fortfarande har ett "vilda vastern-stuk" och att manga bar Boots, Cowboyhatt och kor en gammal Ford Pick-up
- Ja, att i princip alla i landet har en pick-up
- Att det spelas mycket Countrymusik
- Att frukt och sallad kostar en formogenhet men skrapmat ar hur billigt som helst
- Att campingbilarna ar ENORMA. Skamtet om att folk tar med sig marbodalkoket pa campingturen ar inte langre ironi, det ar rena verkligheten.
- Att Amerikanarna ar otroligt gastvanliga och oppna for att mota nytt folk, sarskilt svenskar pa cykel:)
Pa morgonen den 12 juli lamnade vi den hyggligt stora staden Missoula i USA:s till ytan fjarde storsta stat, men aven den tredje lagst befolkade, Montana. Vi rullade forbi University of Montana och ner mot downtown Missoula for att forsoka hitta en frontage road (mindre vag) vid sidan om Interstate som skulle ta oss till HW 93 norrut. Detta misslyckades och for tredje gangen denna resa var vi tvugna att pallra oss upp pa den tungt trafikerade Interstate de ca 6 km till avfarten till 93:an.
Vinden var kraftig redan i borjan av dagen och som alltid har i Nordamerika sa kom den givetvis ifran vast vilket gjorde att vi hade den rakt i ansiktet samtidigt som vi forsokte parera sidvinden fran de stora lastbilarna som susade forbi oss till vanster. Vi nadde dock till slut avfarten och kunde borja en mer avslappnad resa norrut far att ta oss till HW 200 mot vast.
Under dagen tilltog vinden och under hela dagen hade vi en riktigt kraftig motvind som vi for ett tag trodde skulle blasa oss anda tillbaka till Minneapolis. Det hade ju i och for sig inte gjort nat for Dick hade ju sakert bjudit pa en ol och ett gang enchaladas:). Vi lyckades dock mastra vinden och lagom till eftermiddagsfikat rullade vi in i orten Perma. Har fick vi smakprov pa glesbygdheten i Montana. I Perma fanns en liten antikshop/fiskeshop/souvenirshop/lask och godisshop som var av storleken av toaletten pa Walmart. Vi traffar en aldre man och jag kan inte lata bli att fraga hur manga som bodde i Perma. Han reser ett lortigt pekfinger och ler med sin gula framtand.
- Only one, Oh no, it's actually three, theres two more than me
Perma slar rekord for minsta by vi vart i, forra var Checkerboard med befolkningen 7, aven den i denna enorma stat som i folkmun kallas Big Sky Country eller Treasure State. Ni som bor i Molnbo och Gnesta och tycker ni bor pa landet, skarp er och bete er som de storstadsmanniskor ni faktiskt ar:).
Vi lamnade Perma och cyklade vidare i vinden mot staden Plains som faktiskt ar av acceptabel storlek. Nar vi var i Helena, Montana, sa fick vi nummer till en man vid namn Seth Petitt av familjen Bostrom som vi bodde hos och vi forsokte kontakta honom for att fa tag i boende men han var ju givetvis pa besok i Helena precis da:). Detta gjorde inget. I en park fick jag tag pa Tanya och fragar henne var vi kan hitta taltplats for kvallen. Har ute i vast finns det givetvis massor av taltplats ute i bushen men vi vill ju traffa manniskor och inte ligga och brottas med skallerormar sa vi forsoker alltid att fraga nagon om de vet var vi kan campa vilket ofta leder till en backyard:).
Tanya ringer sin pappa Tom som driver en camping i narheten och vi blir erbjudna att bo hemma hos honom och hans fru Terry pa deras gard vilket vi inte tackar nej till. Vi har en trevlig kvall och far chokladkaka, tvatta klader och sova i en sang vilket var skont. Pa morgonen ger vi oss av ganska tidigt eftersom Tom och Terry skulle aka till Missoula och salja ett par av deras hastar. Aterigen ger vi oss av med en lapp och ett namn och nummer pa. Denna gangen till Jeff och Lori som bor i Trout Creek, Montana ca 50 miles vasterut pa vagen vi foljer. Efter gardagens vindcykling bestammer vi oss for att det ar en bra destination for dagen och ger oss av aterigen med vinden rakt i plytet.
Vid lunch halvags till Trout Creek stannar vi till pa en grocery store dar de har utforsaljning da de formodligen skulle klappa igen butiken. Vi far tag i billigt pulverkaffe och kan aterigen borja lyxa till frukosten:). Nar vi sitter utanfor affaren och ater vara mackor Tanya gav oss kommer Texasjohn fram till oss och borjar prata. Precis som det later, en kille vid namn John fran Texas som ar ute pa nagon form av roadtrip for sig sjalv. Han fragar varfor alla Nordiska flaggor har ett kors pa sig och det ar lite pinsamt att vi inte kan svara pa fragan direkt men Emil och jag kom fram till att det maste ha nagot med kristendomen och gora for att visa nagon sorts samhorighet mellan landerna, Nagon som vet? Han fragade om vi visste vad den amerikanska flaggan symbloliserade och vi sa att vi visste att stjarnorna symboliserade staterna men att vi inte visste vad randerna betydde. Det visste inte han heller och han fick helt plotsligt brattom att aka och ta reda pa det.
Vi packar ihop och borjar cykla vidare. Nar vi kommer till Trout Creek blir vi omkorda av TexasJohn. Han har vart och kollat upp om den Amerikanska flaggan pa biblioteket och talar om att randerna symboliserar de 13 ursprungliga staterna och stjarnorna ar som de flesta sakert vet symbol for de nuvarande 50 staterna. Den amerikanska flaggan har gjorts om hela 26 ggr eftersom det uppkommit nya stater hela tiden men den nuvarande flaggan ar fran 1960 efter att Hawaii blivit USA:s 50:e delstat 1959. Texasjohn aker sedan vidare mot Glacier NP och vi ser inte roken av han eller hans gamla bil mer.
I Trout Creek far vi under eftermiddagen efter mycket om och men tag pa Jeff och Lori som bor i ett fint hus som Jeff byggt for bara nagra ar sedan. Fantastiskt trevliga manniskor som bjuder in oss och vi har kanontrevligt. Vi tillbringar aven en vilodag dar och och paddlar kanot med deras son Isac pa sjon i narheten. Naturen ar otroligt vacker med sjoar, stora kullar och snobekladda berg som syns vasterut. Det ar hos Loris foraldrar Rev och Carol som vi ar just nu i Oak Harbor och om ett par dagar ska vi besoka Loris syster Janet och hennes familj i Bellingham som vi ser fram emot. Loris pappa Rev ar pensionerad stridspilot och har flygit en hel del snabba grejer:). De har bjudit oss pa seafood och china buffet middag har i stan och aven guidat oss runt US Navys kavarter har pa on vilket var intressant, fantastiska manniskor.
Efter en vilodag i Trout Creek ar vi redo att ge oss av mot nya aventyr och Lori ser till att vi an en gang ger oss av med mycket energi. Pankaka med sirap och gradde samt aggrora till frulle, det rackte anda fram till eftermiddagsfikat:). Under denna dag sa akte vi aterigen genom tre av amerikas stater pa en och samma dag. Vi at frukost i Montana, lunch i Sandpiont Idaho och middag i Newport, Washington vilket ar den sista staten vi kommer befinna oss i. I Newport slar vi dock senare upp taltet ute i skogen och somnar ovaggade till ljudet av 200 olika djurarter, ingen bjorn dock:).
Senare nasta dag cyklar vi mellan Newport och Kettle Falls vilket bli en ganska handelselos historia forutom att vi far se en hel del vacker natur. I slutet av dagen slar vi upp taltet mellan 2 bjornburar i nagon slags public area precis innan Sherman Pass som vi skulle fajtas med nastkommande dag. Sherman pass ar pa en hojd av ungefar 5500 feet och det tog oss mellan 2-3 timmar att ta oss upp innan vi far en lang nerforsbacke till orten Republic. Dar tog vi lunch innan vi borjade klattringen till Wauconda Pass som ar nagot lagre man aven det tog ett par timmar och vi kunde senare avsluta en tamligen jobbig dag ner till orten Tonasket. Klimatet forandrades helt och hallet och blev otroligt torrt och varmt i denna sa kallade Evergreen State.
Nar vi kom ner i Tonasket tog vi en lyxmiddag i form av en varsin pizza och fick senare reda pa att glassbaren Shannons later folk sla upp taltet bakom deras hus vilket vi gor under den natten. Under kvallen gar jag till bensinstationen och fragar hur vagen till winthrop ser ut och tjejen bakom disken sager att det ar ganska platt. Hon glomde bara atta namna loup loup pass pa 4500 feet precis innan Winthrop vilket kom som en trevlig averraskning:). I Winthrop stannar vi till hos Loris vanner Lew och Judy som ager och driver Methow Valley Ranch utanfor staden och tar aven dar en vilodag.
De tva kommande dagarna efter staden Winthrop sa cyklade vi genom fantastisk fin natur och nu kunde vi forsta vad som menas med Evergreen State. Vi korsade North Cascades NP som ligger i nordvastra hornet av Washington. Skogen ar jattegron och bergen relativt hoga med jaggade snobekladda toppar vilket ar det basta som finns att beskada med ogat.
Pa aterseende
Howdy!
On April 15 we left Afrim, Danielle and their two sons Jack and James in New Jersey and headed west. So far we have spent 102 days on the North American continent, about 60 have been on the bike. 6000 km has been pedaled in 11 of the U.S. states and one Canadian province (2 soon when we're coming up in British Columbia in a few days). We've met a lot of nice people, seen amazing scenery and experienced America in a great way. Before I write a little story about what happened the last few days I want to do a little list of what is true and false about the rumors we have about America back in Sweden.
False:
- That all the American people sitting on the porch in a rocking chair with a shotgun and shoot people
- That all the Americans running around with guns and use them as soon as they become angry at somone
- That all Interstate (motorway) are 8-laned and huge all over the country
- That everybody actually eat donuts for breakfast (Sometimes it's actually muffins:))
- That the Indians in Indianreserves are still living in their Tipis (tents)
- That the portions on the restaurants would be huge
- The Americans would be rude in any way
True:
- That there is a bar in exactly every city, town or small village regardless of population size
- That there is also a motel in every city, town or small village regardless of population size
- That many cities in the west is built like the old "Wild West" and that many people wear Boots, cowboyhat and drives an old Ford pick-up
- Yes, that almost everyone in the country has a pick-up
- That it's a lot Country Music played
- The fruit and salad costs a fortune but how junk food is cheap at any time
- The RV:s are huge. The joke that people take with the Kitchen with them on the camping trip is no longer ironic, it's pure reality.
- That the Americans are incredibly hospitable and open to meet new people, specially Swedes on a bicycle:)
On the morning of July 12 we left the decent-sized city of Missoula in the U.S. fourth-largest state, but also the one with the third lowest population density, Montana. We rolled by the University of Montana and down to downtown Missoula to try to find a frontage road (less trafic) alongside Interstate that would take us to the HW 93 north. This failed, and for the third time this trip we had to go up on the heavily trafficked Interstate the approximately 6 km to the exit to HW 93.
The wind was strong early on the day and like always in North America it's coming from the west which meant we had it right in the face while we attempting to fend off crosswind from the big trucks that roared past us on the left side. However, we reached the exit and could start a more leisurely journey up north towards HW 200 that would take us west.
During the day the wind picked up and all day we had a really strong headwind and for a while we thought it would blow us all the way back to Minneapolis. It wouldn't been anything bad whit that becuse I think Dick had certainly offered us a beer and a some enchaladas:). We're however able to master the wind and just in time for afternoon break, we rolled into the town of Perma. We got taste of desolated areas in Montana. In Perma was a small antique shop / fish shop / souvenir shop / soda and candy shop that was the size of the restroom in Walmart. We meet an older man and I asked him how many people that lived in the town of Perma. He rised one of his dirty fingers and smiling with his yellow teeth.
- Only one, Oh No, Actually it's three, theres Two More Than Me
Perma holds the record for smallest village we have been in, last was checkerboard with seven people, also in this enormous state by people known as Big Sky Country or Treasure State. To Those who live in Mölnbo and Gnesta and think you live in the countryside, your'e actually living in a fairly big town:)
We left Perma and went further into the wind against the city of Plains, which actually is of adequate size. When we were in Helena, Montana, we got the name to a man called Seth Petitt from the Bostrom family we stayed with and we tried to contact him in to ask if he could help us with housing, but he was obviously on a visit to Helena at that specific time:) . It didn't matter. In a park, I got hold of Tanya and asked her where we can find a campsite for the evening. Here in the West, there are obviously plenty of room for tents out in the bush but we want to meet people instead of wrestling around with rattlesnakes, so we always try to ask someone if they know where we can go camping and that often leads to a backyard:).
Tanya calls her dad Tom who runs a camp nearby and he offered us to stay with him and his wife Terry on their farm which we gladly did. We hade a nice evening and eat chocolate cake, washing clothes and sleeping in a bed which was nice. In the morning we left pretty early because Tom and Terry was going to Missoula and sell a couple of their horses. Once again we set off with a tnote and a name and phone number on. This time to Jeff and Lori, who lives in Trout Creek, Montana about 50 miles west on the road we're following. After yesterdays windcycling, we decided that Truot Creek was a good destination for the day.
At lunch halfway to Trout Creek, we stop at a Grocery store where they had a sale out because they where closing the business. We get hold of cheap instant coffee and were now able to start all days in the real way:). When we were sitting outside the shop and eat our sandwiches Tanya gave us, TexasJohn started to talk to us. Just as it seems, a guy named John from Texas who are on some sort of roadtrip for himself. He asked why all the Scandinavian flags have a cross, and it is a bit embarrassing that we can not answer the question directly but Emil and I figured out that it must have something to do with the Christianity and do to show some sort of connection between the countries in scandinavia, Someone who knows? He asked if we knew what the American flag symbolized and we said we knew that the stars symbolized the States but we did not know what the stripes meant. He didn't know it either and he was quite suddenly in a hurry to go and find out.
We pack up continued. When we come to Trout Creek, we were passed by Texas John. He had been on the public library and done some research of the American flag and said that the stripes symbolized the original 13 States and the stars that most people probably know the symbol of the current 50 states. The American flag has been remade as much as 26 times becuse new states have neen created during the years but the current flag is from 1960 after Hawaii became America's 50th state 1959.
On the afternoon in Trout Creek we finally get hold of Jeff and Lori, who lives in a nice house that Jeff built a few years ago. Fantastic people who invited us into the house and we have great time at their place. We also spend a rest day there, and took the canoes togheter with their son Isaac on the lake nearby. The Nature is incredibly beautiful with the lakes, hills and large snow-capped mountains visible in west. It is with Loris parent Rev and Carol we're spending some time in the city of Oak Harbor and in a few days we will visit Loris sister Janet and her family in Bellingham wich we look forward to. Loris dad ,Rev, is a retired pilot and has flown a lot of fast stuff in the US Air Force:). They have taken us on seafood dinner and china buffe in the town and guided us around the U.S. Navy facilitys on the island and that was interesting, fantastic people.
After a rest day in Trout Creek, we were ready for new adventures and Lori made us a breakfast that was incredable tasteful. Pancake with syrup and cream and scrambled eggs. During this day we once again went through three of America's states on the same day. We ate breakfast in Montana, lunch in Sandpoint, Idaho and dinner in Newport, Washington which is the final state we find ourselves in. In Newport, however, we later pitched the tent in the woods and fall asleep to the sound of 200 different species of animals, however, no bear:).
Later the next day we bike between Newport and Kettle Falls, which become a rather uneventful history, except that we saw see a lot of beautiful scenery. At the end of the day we pitched the tent between two bearcages in some kind of public area just before Sherman Pass that we was going to fight tomorrow. Sherman Pass is at an altitude of about 5500 feet and it took us 2-3 hours to get up on the top and the it was a nice downhill to the town of Republic. In Repiblic we had lunch before we started climbing to Wauconda Pass which is a little bit lower than sherman Pass. Suddenly the Climate changed completely and became incredibly dry and hot in this so-called Evergreen State.
When we came down in Tonasket, we took a nice dinner in the form of an pizza and later discovered that the glass bar Shannon's let people pitching their tents behind the house witch we did. During the evening I went to the gas station and ask how the road to Winthrop was and the girl behind the counter says it's pretty flat. She just forgot loup loup pass 4500 feet just before Winthrop, which came as a pleasant surprize for us:). In Winthrop, we stop to meet Loris friends Lew and Judy, which owns and operates the Methow Valley Ranch outside of town of Winthrop and we took a restingday there as well.
The next two days after the city of Winthrop we cycled through excellent scenery and from here, we could understand why they call it the Evergreen State. We crossed the North Cascades NP, which is in northwest corner of Washington. The forest is totally green and relatively high mountains with snow-capped jagged peaks which is the best that can be seen with the eye.
Take care
Team Sweden
