Congratulations, team Bean! Great job, and I look forward to getting together sometime in the next couple months, even if for an adult beverage. I rode by your place on the river on Saturday, Sept 2, from the river side. My first time down from Chili Bar. I was with the EDSO and EDC Parks team. You obviously were not home yet, but later that day, I imagine! Well done!

Great journey and great journal. Congrats on accomplishing a pretty major feat. I’m sure that you will be looking back and remembering vignettes of this trip for many months to come, and inwardly smiling at each one.

Such a great journey! I really enjoyed following along.

Good journal. Thanks for posting, especially nature shots.

Congratulations on completing an epic adventure! It was fun following along. I can tell you from my own experience that this bike-touring bug is hard to shake, and I'll be surprised if there aren't some more long tours in your future. Best of luck,

Boo!

I bet Mike's mom was thrilled to see him....

I am really enjoying reading about your trip! In Edgley you were only 30 minutes from my dad”s hometown. I am reading your blog while cycling at the gym. You guys are inspiring!

Hey guys...I just learned about your trip and got (happily) derailed from my morning reading some of your blog posts. Wow...I'm so impressed and inspired by what you're doing! I particularly love hearing about all of the cool, helpful, kind people you're meeting. I'm a bit late to the party, but look forward to following the rest of your journey. Have fun!!!

I recall staying at the Blue Ridge Motel, two years ago this coming Friday! Did you stop at the Paradox Brewery? Great place for dinner! It was raining when I was there too!

Funny, I had a memory pop on on FB today - my layover day in Niagara Falls was two years ago today, August 12. Only a couple weeks left! Keep up the good work!

I love the water craft!

You wrote "Other times it just gets exhausting as well, and we just need some private time. It is a tough decision because that is how you get to know an area and get a pulse on America, by connecting with others. I wonder how other bike tourists feel; I do know that many use Warmshowers quite a bit while touring, and I would just feel like I was always on and never off. " - You expressed my own sentiments quite well. I like to meet folks on tour and chat a bit, but I avoid Warmshowers and even most B&B's because I don't feel like I have the time to socialize that much with strangers. Other cycle tourists do apparently want to do that - but if you are writing a journal each day, then the time it takes to ride the distance, prepare for the next day, and write and upload journal material - well, there's just not any "extra" time left. When it's all over, you will be very happy that you found the time to write a journal - decades from now you will re-read it and live the memories again.

You’re getting closer to Minnesota!!! The smoke was here but is gone now. So hopefully it will stay away! Wish I was around to see you guys!!! It was fun reading about your adventures in Montana and North Dakota. Brought back memories for me!
Enjoy! Keep blogging! You have inspired me to keep a journal on my adventure!

I'm enjoying your journal. I rode the Northern Tier in 2021 so I can connect to many of the places you've been and photos you take - and you have much adventure left! My journal from 2021; https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/warriordeath1/

I found it interesting that you wrote; "While I was out, I saw my first Confederate flag of the trip." That may be the only one you see, although it's still possible as you traverse Montana. It is a lot worse in the southern states, of course. I kept stats of confederate flags I saw on my trip last fall on the ACA Great Rivers South route; I saw 7 flags with 1 in Mississippi, 2 in Tennessee, 1 in Kentucky, 1 in Illinois, and 2 in Missouri. It won't be that bad on your route, but there definitely are some backwards folks in eastern WA, ID, and MT, and that's where I encountered the most aggressive drivers. You're about past that now, so enjoy the rest of your journey!