Best Scenery Shot
Winner- Stoney Indian Pass in Glacier National Park at sunrise
Runner Up- Freight train at sunset on the Columbia River
Honorable Mention- Fields of wheat in eastern Washington
Best Road Sign
Winner- "Wildlife at Large" from the Black Hills, South Dakota
Runner Up- Tipping truck (this is why we need more graphic artists) from Washington state
Honorable Mention- 31 mph from Trenton, Tennessee
Oddest Photographed Sight
Winner- Deer chewing on glove at construction area in Glacier National Park
Runner Up- Grocery... with other services available in rural Oregon
Honorable Mention- Air Force installation aimed at Canada as found in Wyoming
Best Self-Portrait
Winner- "Waiting"... a scene from Labodie, Missouri during a rainstorm
Runner Up- "Muddy"... taken after my tussle with the mud in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Honorable Mention- "Redgap"... the top of Redgap Pass in Glacier National Park
Best Miscellaneous Picture
Winner- Pistachio shell pile next to the journal at camp
Runner Up- Bike parked in snow at Logan Pass, Glacier National Park
Honorable Mention- Collection of cycles outside a grocery in Missoula, Montana
Most Challenging Times Picture
Winner- Mud in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Runner Up- From my Glacier hike, crossing this melting ice bridge across a raging creek
Honorable Mention- Conquering Logan Pass, Glacier National Park
Foulest Water in America
Winner- Aladdin, Wyoming: Population 15, the lady at the general store said the water was "good"... wow. It was distinctly brown in color, decidedly pungent in odor, and definitely the worst tasting liquid I've ever had in my mouth.
Runner Up- Jordan, Montana: The only reason they didn't win was because the water was so bad I never actually tasted it myself... I met some cyclists in southern Alabama heading from San Diego to St. Augustine and they even warned me about the water in Jordan- some 2500 miles before I would ever reach there.
Honorable Mention- Northern Idaho: The whole length of US Hwy 12 from the state line with Montana all the way to the Washington state line, I've never stopped at so many different places that consistently had brown water, high-iron water, and/or sulfuric water (which is by far the worst of the three). I think this is the only time that my stomach paid a small price for my refusal to by the bottled junk.
Most Hospitable Town
Winner- Jordan, Montana: A small town in mideastern Montana, I rolled in after traveling 84 miles through empty prairie. Perhaps my deep desire to see an occupied building again started me off well, but from the local restaurant to the library to the newspaper crew, these were definitely the most friendly people I met. I ended up staying in town exactly 24 hours, which is precisely 23 hours 59 minutes and 30 seconds longer than the average person traveling through via car- and there can't be more than 10 of those people each day.
Runner Up- Nebraska City, Nebraska: Again, somehow I made it in the local newspaper, but the real reasons for this award are Bruce and Joan, some folks who took me in, literally as the tornadoes were falling from the sky. A nasty midwest squall line rolled through the area and we waited out the sirens in the basement... after eating at an amazing Italian buffet!
Honorable Mention- Kalispell, Montana: This could really count for Jordan as well as Kalispell because some folks I met in Jordan passed this blog and their own accounts of my visit onward to other friends, two of which were in Kalispell and wanted me to stopover. The stop came after hiking in Glacier for a week... not only did I smell bad but every last article of my clothing was in desparate need of soapy water.
Cycling Facts
Longest mileage days: 140mi, 135mi, 122mi, 118mi, 117mi
Days with a tailwind: 2- really just 2 AFTERNOONS
Days with a headwind: innumerable
Number of flat tires: 0
Quick Yet Perhaps Disturbing Facts
Longest stretch without a shower: 6 days*
Longest stretch without washing my socks: 12 days
Number of times the water bottles were washed with soap: 0
Number of times the pot and spork were washed with soap: 0
Number of times I was sick or otherwise incapacitated: 0
* Event occurred on two occasions
I'll probably put together a concluding thought during my 4 day train ride back to Florida... which begins in approximately 6 hours. I may have a chance to post it somewhere along the way but more than likely I won't see the internet again until the middle of next week. Again, thanks for following along...
2 comments:
YOU DID IT!!!!! WHOOOOO YOOOO!!!! That's awesome! Congrats and love all your pictures! And the most hospitable town award- whoop!!!!
Can't wait to see what adventure you'll go on next!
Congratulations! You stud you! Didn't know you were such a good photographer, by the way. Those are some quality pics!
I also made it in the paper recently. Not for bicycling across country, but just for being one of the brave few who bicycle on South Florida roads. See the Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel. Also see my blog post about it. Come bicycle down this way sometime and we could trek down to Key West or something!
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