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.

And off we go! We just concluded week one of our Transamerica trip. So far, our two wheels have taken us from Astoria, OR to Koosah Falls, OR — a total of 354 miles! That puts us 8.4 % through. This first week has put us through a lot. We enjoyed beautiful views of the Pacific as we rode on the Oregon Coast Scenic Byway. Seeing the clouds and the shore from so high up felt like we were on top of the world. The first two days went very smoothly, but on the third, some “Road work ahead” made our day work… not so well. About 15 miles into our day from Cloverdale, OR to Rickreall, OR a bridge was closed and we were absolutely refused from crossing. This refusal was going to make our day 98 miles, but luckily, a bus running to Rickreall saved us from overexerting and ruining future days in our schedule. The next day was much better, we got to stop by a delicious blueberry farm, stayed at a Hazelnut farm we found on “Hipcamp” and everything went very smoothly! Since then, despite a minor issue with the cable housing wires coming out from my bike — an issue easily and quickly fixed by Arriving By Bike in Eugene, OR thanks to our amazing bike insurance company ‘RIDES’ — the week has finished off quite smoothly! The longer we continue on our journey, the clearer it is that this is an adventure we never will forget. The beauty has been astounding, the people so friendly, and the laughs we’ve shared together will keep our spirits high for years to come.

A funny moment of the week: While in Harrisburg, OR, I – Chloe – got confused with navigation and while looking at my phone, ran straight into a barrel that was a barricade to a restaurant’s outdoor patio. A big one! It was very embarrassing, especially when the owners ran out to see if all was OK. My bike and I were, but the poor barrel was lain sideways and my pride was not.

What we’ve learned: This first week, we’ve learned some already pretty valuable things. First of all, most logger trucks — even with a full load — will go right next to you, honk very loudly, and speed up as they pass you. It’s scary when it happens, but we’ve learned to expect it from all loggers and to be happily surprised if it doesn’t happen! Another sad realization was that Prineville did not like bikes. There were multiple times when we were flipped off, yelled at to “get off the road” and had to deal with trucks blowing exhaust in our faces. On a lighter note, another learning point was about planning and flexibility. Especially after the construction zone, we realized that not every day will follow our schedule and that you just gotta roll with the punches and laugh about it — after solving the issue and treating ourselves to ice cream, of course 😉

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