Journal Archives
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Journal Archives
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Bike America '96 completed its 3500 mile, 50 day trek on June 30th when we arrived at the capitol steps in Washington DC at 2:00 in the afternoon. This is a consolidation of the "Daily Journals" that were being kept during the Bike America '96 Tour. Click on the date of a specific journal to view its complete contents. We received literally hundreds of e-mails from people around the world as we were biking across the country. Most were pats on the back encouraging us, reminding us that people were "watching" and riding vicariously through the daily journals.We are already putting plans together for next year's tour. The route will basically be the same as this year, leaving from Everett, Washington and finishing in Washington DC, 50 days later. We learned a couple things this trip that will make next year's even more exciting.We missed several events by ONE DAY! Now that we know what the time schedule is on the Volksmarch at Crazy Horse and the Rodeo Schedule is in Wyoming, we can include those as part of the trip.Some of the new side roads we discovered will be a permanent part of the tour. Check out the journal that goes from Ucross to Spotted Horse. It was voted the best ride of the trip.If you would like a short overview of the tour, go to the "Best of..." page. This will give you the links to the places and people that we thought were the heart of the trip.So...that's it. I hope you enjoy the journals. I will be updating the site with color photos as they come in from the various riders. If you would like me to e-mail you as I add pictures to the site, please drop me a note. I look forward to hearing from you. But right now, I'm in Kennebunk, Maine and there's still a lot of riding to do. Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island are too close to pass up. See you there...Mark Miller Keeper of the Journals Bike America '96 |
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Sunday, May 12, 1996 Day 1 Everett, Washington to Skykomish, Washington Miles: 51 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Lightly Rolling |
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Monday, May 13, 1996 Day 2 Skykomish, Washington to Leavenworth, Washington Today's Miles: 54 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 105 Degree of Difficulty: Medium to Hard Terrain: Long Climbing Grade with Gradual Descent |
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Tuesday, May 14, 1996 Day 3 Leavenworth, Washington to Coulee City, Washington Today's Miles: 83 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 188 Degree of Difficulty: Medium/Hard Terrain: Long, Graceful Downhill turning to Rolling Farmland |
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Wednesday, May 15, 1996 Day 4 Coulee City, Washington to Davenport, Washington Today's Miles: 63 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 251 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Rolling Farmland to Lighly Forrested Areas |
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Thursday, May 16, 1996 Day 5 Davenport, Washington to Deer Park, Washington Today's Miles: 55 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 301 Degree of Difficulty: Very Easy to Very Difficult Terrain: Rolling Farmland to Heavily Forrested Areas |
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Friday, May 17, 1996 Day 6 Deer Park, Washington to Sandpoint, Idaho Today's Miles: 63 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 364 Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Medium (because of weather) Terrain: Heavily Forrested Rolling Hills |
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Saturday, May 18, 1996 Day 7 Sandpoint, Idaho Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 364 Degree of Difficulty: No Riding, Rest Day Terrain: Lakes and Forests |
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Sunday, May 19, 1996 Day 8 Sandpoint, Idaho to Libby, Montana Today's Miles: 104 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 468 Degree of Difficulty: Medium/Difficult Terrain: Lakes and Mountain Peaks |
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Monday, May 20, 1996 Day 9 Libby, Montana to Kalispell, Montana Today's Miles: 95 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 563 Degree of Difficulty: Medium/Difficult (because of weather) Terrain: Heavy Forests and Large Forestfire Burn Areas |
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Tuesday, May 21, 1996 Day 10 Kalispell, Montana to Seely Lake, Montana Today's Miles: 93 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 656 Degree of Difficulty: Medium Terrain: Flat Farmland to Rolling Forests |
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Wednesday, May 22, 1996 Day 11 Seeley Lake, Montana to Helena, Montana Today's Miles: 101 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 767 Degree of Difficulty: Medium/Difficult Terrain: Flat Farmland to Continental Divide |
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Thursday, May 23, 1996 Day 12 Helena, Montana to Belgrade, Montana Today's Miles: 96 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 863 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Flat, High Mountain Plains |
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Friday, May 24, 1996 Day 13 Belgrade, Montana to Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Today's Miles: 88 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 951 Degree of Difficulty: Difficult (because of weather) Terrain: Climbing into the Rockies |
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Saturday, May 25, 1996 Day 14 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 951 Degree of Difficulty: Rest Day Terrain: Yellowstone National Park |
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Sunday, May 26, 1996 Day 15 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 951 Degree of Difficulty: Rest Day Terrain: Yellowstone National Park |
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Monday, May 27, 1996 Day 16 Yellowstone National Park to Cody, Wyoming Today's Miles: 51 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1002 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Rolling |
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Tuesday, May 28, 1996 Day 17 Seeley Lake, Montana to Helena, Montana Today's Miles: 44 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1046 Degree of Difficulty: Very Easy Terrain: Flat Farmland |
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Wednesday, May 29, 1996 Day 18 Byron/Lovell, Wyoming to Sheridan, Wyoming Today's Miles: 91 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1135 Degree of Difficulty: Extremely Difficult Terrain: Mountains, Steep Grades |
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Thursday, May 30, 1996 Day 19 Sheridan, Wyoming to Buffalo, Wyoming Today's Miles: 41 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1176 Degree of Difficulty: Very Easy Terrain: Slightly Rolling Farmland |
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Friday, May 31, 1996 Day 20 Buffalo, Wyoming to Gillette, Wyoming Today's Miles: 99 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1275 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Rolling Pastureland |
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Saturday, June 1, 1996 Day 21 Gillette, Wyoming Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1275 Degree of Difficulty: Rest Day Terrain: Campground |
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Sunday, June 2, 1996 Day 22 Gillette, Wyoming to Custer, South Dakota Today's Miles: 115 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1390 Degree of Difficulty: Moderate Terrain: Flat to Rolling |
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Monday, June 3, 1996 Day 23 Custer, South Dakota to Rapid City, South Dakota Today's Miles: 42 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1432 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Rolling |
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Tuesday, June 4, 1996 Day 24 Rapid City, South Dakota to Badlands, South Dakota Today's Miles: 99 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1531 Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Medium Terrain: Rolling |
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Wednesday, June 5, 1996 Day 25 Badlands, South Dakota to White River, South Dakota Today's Miles: 74 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1605 Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Medium Terrain: Rolling Indian Reservation |
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Thursday, June 6, 1996 Day 26 White River, South Dakota to Burke, South Dakota Today's Miles: 90 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1695 Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Medium Terrain: Prairie Land |
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Friday, June 7, 1996 Day 27 Burke, South Dakota to Niobrara, Nebraska Today's Miles: 84 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1779 Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Medium Terrain: Prairie Land to Slightly Rolling Hills |
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Saturday, June 8, 1996 Day 28 Niobrara, Nebraska Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1779 Degree of Difficulty: Rest Day Terrain: Campground |
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Sunday, June 9, 1996 Day 29 Niobrara, Nebraska to South Sioux City, Nebraska Today's Miles: 102 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1881 Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Medium Terrain: Flat Marshlands to Rolling Farmland |
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Monday, June 10, 1996 Day 30 South Sioux City, Nebraska to Blackhawke State Park, Iowa Today's Miles: 90 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 1971 Degree of Difficulty: Medium Terrain: Rolling Farmland |
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Tuesday, June 11, 1996 Day 31 Blackhawke State Park, Iowa to Story City, Iowa Today's Miles: 90 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2061 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Flat, Newly Planted Corn Farmland |
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Wednesday, June 12, 1996 Day 32 Story City, Iowa to Vinton, Iowa Today's Miles: 87 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2148 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Slightly Rolling, Newly Planted Corn Farmland |
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Thursday, June 13, 1996 Day 33 Vinton, Iowa to Anamosa, Iowa Today's Miles: 52 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2200 Degree of Difficulty: Very Easy Terrain: Slightly Rolling, Newly Planted Corn Farmland |
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Friday, June 14, 1996 Day 34 Anamosa, Iowa to Morrison, Illinois Today's Miles: 87 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2287 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Slightly Rolling, Newly Planted Corn Farmland |
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Saturday, June 15, 1996 Day 35 Morrison, Illinois Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2287 Degree of Difficulty: Rest Day Terrain: Rest Day |
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Sunday, June 16, 1996 Day 36 Morrison, Illinois to Starved Rock State Park, Illinois Today's Miles: 87 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2374 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Slightly Rolling Farmland |
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Monday, June 17, 1996 Day 37 Starved Rock State Park, Illinois to Kankakee, State Park Illinois Today's Miles: 75 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2449 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Rolling Forests to Rolling Farmland |
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Tuesday, June 18, 1996 Day 38 Kankakee, State Park Illinois to Tippecanoe State Park, Indiana Today's Miles: 83 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2532 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Flat Farmland |
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Wednesday, June 19, 1996 Day 39 Tippecanoe State Park, Indiana to Huntington, Indiana Today's Miles: 75 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2607 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Flat Farmland |
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Thursday, June 20, 1996 Day 40 Huntington, Indiana to Van Buren, Ohio Today's Miles: 116 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2723 Degree of Difficulty: Easy/Medium Terrain: Flat Farmland |
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Friday, June 21, 1996 Day 41 Van Buren, Ohio to Willard, Ohio Today's Miles: 57 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2780 Degree of Difficulty: Easy/Medium Terrain: Flat Farmland to Rolling Hills |
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Saturday, June 22, 1996 Day 42 Willard, Ohio Today's Miles: 0 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2780 Degree of Difficulty: Rest Day Terrain: City Park |
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Sunday, June 23, 1996 Day 43 Willard, Ohio to Doylestown, Ohio Today's Miles: 66 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2846 Degree of Difficulty: Easy/Medium Terrain: Rolling Hills |
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Monday, June 24, 1996 Day 44 Doylestown, Ohio to Guilford Lake State Park, Ohio Today's Miles: 60 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2906 Degree of Difficulty: Easy/Medium Terrain: Rolling Hills |
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Tuesday, June 25, 1996 Day 45 Guilford Lake State Park, Ohio to Washington, Pennsylvania Today's Miles: 85 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 2991 Degree of Difficulty: Medium Terrain: Rolling Hills |
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Wednesday, June 26, 1996 Day 46 Washington, Pennsylvania to Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania Today's Miles: 60 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 3051 Degree of Difficulty: Difficult Terrain: Steep, Rolling Hills |
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Thursday, June 27, 1996 Day 47 Ohiopyle State Park, Pennsylvania to New Germany State Park, Maryland Today's Miles: 42 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 3093 Degree of Difficulty: Difficult Terrain: Steep, Rolling Hills |
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Friday, June 28, 1996 Day 48 New Germany State Park, Maryland to Paw Paw, West Virginia Today's Miles: 60 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 3153 Degree of Difficulty: Difficult to Easy Terrain: Steep, Rolling Hills to Flat, Railroad Beds |
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Saturday, June 29, 1996 Day 49 Paw Paw, West Virginia to Purcellville, Maryland Today's Miles: 59 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 3212 Degree of Difficulty: Medium to Easy Terrain: Rolling Hills |
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Sunday, June 30, 1996 Day 50 Purcellville, Maryland to Washington DC Today's Miles: 58 Cumulative Miles for the Tour: 3270 Degree of Difficulty: Easy Terrain: Flat, Rails to Trails |
Bike America Tours
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