
Keeping two wheels on the ground as we ride across the US
Follow along as we ride our bikes across the country




First day of biking from Olympic Peninsula: August 1, 2026
Follow us as we drive across the country from July 8 – 31 and then bike back to Washington DC, August 1 – October 11
Recent Blog Posts
- Bike Trip Day 62: Waynesville to Lincoln Village, OHby d_bortreeBiking: 64 miles. Ah, a paved bike path. Today was an easy ride, just what I needed on a sore knee. In fact, it hurt very little today. The paths we followed are rails-to trails, built along current and former railroad beds. Our first stop on the path was the Xenia Station, about 14 miles… Read more: Bike Trip Day 62: Waynesville to Lincoln Village, OH
- Bike Trip Day 61: Brookville, IN to Waynesville, OHby d_bortreeBiking: 68 miles. We officially crossed into Ohio today, and it feels more and more like home. Today’s ride had a lot of climbs, some very steep, on the first 45 miles and then it smoothed out on the beginning of the Ohio-to-Erie bike path. We’re grateful to be on the bike path for the… Read more: Bike Trip Day 61: Brookville, IN to Waynesville, OH
- Bike Trip Day 60: Columbus to Brookville, INby d_bortreeBiking: 67 miles This is our last day in Indiana before crossing into Ohio tomorrow. The climbing today was mild, and that’s a good thing because my knee is still giving me a lot of trouble. I made it to the end of the ride, but it’s not looking good. The temperature in the morning… Read more: Bike Trip Day 60: Columbus to Brookville, IN
- Bike Trip Day 59: Rest day in Columbus, INby d_bortreeThis is our next to last rest day. So hard to believe that the trip is coming to an end soon. It feels like forever since I’ve been home, but it’s all going by so fast. We’ve ridden over 2800 miles, and we only have about 800 left. Just 12 more cycling days. Unbelievable. Here’s… Read more: Bike Trip Day 59: Rest day in Columbus, IN
- Bike Trip Day 58: Bedford to Columbus, INby d_bortreeBiking: 40 miles Another beautiful day biking in the Indiana farmland and through the woods. Today’s ride was great until about half way through when we hit some killer hills, up to 13 percent grade. But, it wrapped up with a nice paved trail through the outskirts of Columbus and right into the downtown area… Read more: Bike Trip Day 58: Bedford to Columbus, IN
- Bike Trip Day 57: Vincennes to Bedford, INby d_bortreeBiking: 75 miles. This was a beautiful day and a great ride. It was a long day in the saddle, but the climbing was moderate, the views were amazing, and the temps were mild. More days like this, please. We rode through the countryside and through Amish farmlands. We only had one reroute, when RWGPS… Read more: Bike Trip Day 57: Vincennes to Bedford, IN
- Bike Trip Day 56: Flora, IL to Vincennes, INby d_bortreeBiking: 67 miles. Today we crossed from Illinois to Indiana.That also means we’re back in the Eastern Time Zone and we’re one day closer to home. Today’s ride confirmed our suspicions that RWGPS has no idea whether roads in Illinois are gravel or paved. After riding difficult road after road, we took matters into our… Read more: Bike Trip Day 56: Flora, IL to Vincennes, IN
- Bike Trip Day 55: Highland to Flora, ILby d_bortreeBiking: 63 miles Today looked like a straightforward ride from Highland to Flora but turned out to be an adventure in rerouting when RWGPS sent us on roads that didn’t exist and led us to crazy gravel roads that were hardly passable. But, in the end, we made it to our destination. As we move… Read more: Bike Trip Day 55: Highland to Flora, IL
- Bike Trip Day 54: St. Charles, MO to Highland, ILby d_bortreeBiking: 61 miles. Today was surprisingly good despite a few minor reroutes and berm issues. The weather is cooler, and today was overcast. It’s the first day that really felt like fall. We started the day riding the last 15 miles of the Katy Trail from St. Charles to the end in Machens, MO. Our… Read more: Bike Trip Day 54: St. Charles, MO to Highland, IL
- Bike Trip Day 53: Rest Day in St. Charles, MOby d_bortreeOver 2500 miles completed so far. We are about to cross into Illinois, and then it’s only Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland to go. I’ve mentioned before that rest days are days off the bike but not necessarily restful. We spend a lot of time cleaning and prepping. And, that’s often when we make reservations… Read more: Bike Trip Day 53: Rest Day in St. Charles, MO
- Bike Trip Day 52: Hermann to St. Charles, MOby d_bortreeRiding: 67 Miles Our third day on the Katy Trail and another great ride. It rained overnight again, but still the surface of the trail was in good shape. However, we did encounter a couple downed trees. It’s been interesting to me to see all the farming on our route. We’ve seen so many silos… Read more: Bike Trip Day 52: Hermann to St. Charles, MO
- Bike Trip Day 51: Rocheport to Hermann, MOby d_bortreeBiking: 81 miles. A thunderstorm delayed us by about 30 minutes this morning, but we still managed to get on the Katy Trail by 8:30 am. It’s our second day of riding the trail, and we’re really loving it. Despite the rain, the trail was in pretty good shape. There were a few branches and… Read more: Bike Trip Day 51: Rocheport to Hermann, MO
- Bike Trip Day 50: Sedalia to Rocheport, MOby d_bortreeBiking: 52 miles. Our first day on the Katy Trail – what an amazing trail. We started at the Katy Depot near the northeast end of Sedalia and rode all the way to Rocheport, stopping at a few of the towns along the way. The surface was mostly crushed limestone. It reminded me of the… Read more: Bike Trip Day 50: Sedalia to Rocheport, MO
- Bike Trip Day 49: Carrollton to Sedalia, MOby d_bortreeBiking: 61 Miles. Today was another hot day, and the last of three days of tough climbing on the road. Looking at the scheduled route, we realized it was full of steep rollers. But, studying the map, we found an alternative route, on Rt 65, with the same distance but half the climbing. But, riding… Read more: Bike Trip Day 49: Carrollton to Sedalia, MO
- Bike Trip Day 48: Gallatin to Carrollton, MOby d_bortreeRiding: 64 miles. Today was a scorcher. So hot. No clouds and no shade. Again, we rode the rolling hills of Missouri, but unlike yesterday’s ride which had cloud cover and mild temps, today was just brutal. With a real feel of 105 near the end of the ride, I was starting to experience heat… Read more: Bike Trip Day 48: Gallatin to Carrollton, MO
- Bike Trip Day 47: Maryville to Gallatin, MOby d_bortreeRiding: 58 miles Another day of storms. We got a late start to our ride as we needed to wait out the storms. The RWGPS predicted a lot of climbing, and it wasn’t wrong. My Wahoo computer typically underreports our climbing, and it said about 3800 in 58 miles, but really, it was closer to… Read more: Bike Trip Day 47: Maryville to Gallatin, MO
- Bike Trip Day 46: Rest Day in Maryville, MOby d_bortreeThis was a much-needed rest day, as our rides are getting longer and our rest days are less frequent. We’ve passed the halfway mark. In fact, we’ve finished six of the 10 weeks. Just 26 days to go – 23 riding days and 3 rest days. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s a lot.… Read more: Bike Trip Day 46: Rest Day in Maryville, MO
- Bike Trip Day 45: Malvern to Blanchard, IAby d_bortreeBiking: 42 miles Malvern had thunderstorms all through the night and into the morning. We debated about what to do today. Our original plan was to get on the road by 7:30 am to cover the 77 miles before it got too hot. At 9 am the storms were still hanging over the town, so… Read more: Bike Trip Day 45: Malvern to Blanchard, IA
- Bike Trip Day 44: Fremont to Malvern, IAby d_bortreeRiding: 80 miles Today Anita and Mark left their hotel in Fremont, rode to Omaha, navigated around the city, and hopped on the Wabash Trail that led them out of Nebraska and into Iowa. The first ride in that state. It was a long day, but the last 22 miles on the trail were great.… Read more: Bike Trip Day 44: Fremont to Malvern, IA
- Bike Trip Day 43: Norfolk to Fremont, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 77 miles This is a pretty intense week of riding for us. Most days we’ll be covering more than 70 miles. But, we’re getting stronger as we go, so the 70 miles that wiped us out in the first week don’t feel quite as difficult now. Today we took off from Norfolk and rode… Read more: Bike Trip Day 43: Norfolk to Fremont, NE
- Bike Trip Day 42: Ewing to Norfolk, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 55 miles Today we wrapped up our three-day adventure on the Cowboy Trail. It was another windy day, this time 20 mph winds with gusts up to 40 mph. We’re so grateful to be off the road and on the trail. It was difficult riding with that wind, even on the trail today. You… Read more: Bike Trip Day 42: Ewing to Norfolk, NE
- Bike Trip Day 41: Bassett to Ewing, NEby d_bortreeRiding: 71 Miles Another beautiful day on the Cowboy Trail. We really thought this would be a flat, boring, difficult trail, but wow, did it surprise us. It’s much more green than expected, and landscape is changing all the time. The surface is well maintained. Our biggest complaint is all the gopher holes…but I guess… Read more: Bike Trip Day 41: Bassett to Ewing, NE
- Bike Trip Day 40: Valentine to Bassett, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 64 miles Today was our first day on the Cowboy Trail. Wow! What a beautiful trail. We rode from Valentine to Bassett on the trail, except for a few miles on Route 20. We stopped for lunch in Ainsworth, NE, at a restaurant called Big John’s. Big John looks like he’s seen better days,… Read more: Bike Trip Day 40: Valentine to Bassett, NE
- Bike Trip Day 39: Mark’s reflection on the first half of tripby d_bortreeToday is a rest day, and we’re halfway finished with our ride. Here’s what we’ve ridden so far. Below are some interesting thoughts and analysis from Mark about the first five weeks of riding. From Mark: September 7th was the halfway point of the ride across the country. The plan calls for 72 days with… Read more: Bike Trip Day 39: Mark’s reflection on the first half of trip
- Bike Trip Day 38: Merriman to Valentine, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 62 miles (Denise), 38 miles (Anita and Mark) The three of us are finally in the same town tonight – Valentine. This is the trail head for the Cowboy Trail, and we’re looking forward to spending three days riding it. Last night Brian and I met another cross-country cyclist who was staying in our… Read more: Bike Trip Day 38: Merriman to Valentine, NE
- Bike Trip Day 37: Hay Springs to Merriman, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 57 miles (Denise), 100 miles (Anita and Mark) Today was a milestone day as Anita and Mark rode 100 miles from Chadron to Cody, NE. Amazing! They started out early this morning, and rode 21 miles to pick me up along the way. The early part of the ride had a strong headwind, but… Read more: Bike Trip Day 37: Hay Springs to Merriman, NE
- Bike Trip Day 36: Crawford to Hay Springs, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 47 miles (Denise), 27 miles (Anita and Mark) Today I rode to Hay Springs, and Anita and Mark rode to Chadron to stay in a hotel. They were smart because the temps were too high to camp. Besides the heat, the biking has been uneventful. We’re sticking to Route 20, with its wide shoulder… Read more: Bike Trip Day 36: Crawford to Hay Springs, NE
- Bike Trip Day 35: Lusk, WY to Crawford, NEby d_bortreeBiking: 54 miles This was one of the warmest days so far. It started out in Lusk, WY, with bright skies after a torrential downpour overnight. One thing I don’t write about enough is Brian’s journey. He spends a lot of time during the day breaking down camp and setting up at the next campground,… Read more: Bike Trip Day 35: Lusk, WY to Crawford, NE
- Bike Trip Day 34: Douglas to Lusk, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 60 miles The day started with a bit of a reroute, adding a few miles to our day. Three miles into our ride, we came to the Richard Street Bridge – closed. So we found a way around, on a bike path along the river. That led us to another bridge. As we crossed,… Read more: Bike Trip Day 34: Douglas to Lusk, WY
- Bike Trip Day 33: Casper to Douglas, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 65 miles Cyclists debate whether it’s better to ride across country east-to-west or west-to-east. Some say the prevailing winds come from the west, so west-to-east is best, more wind at your back. Others say the wind direction changes so much, it doesn’t matter. Besides, the west is so beautiful, save it for the end,… Read more: Bike Trip Day 33: Casper to Douglas, WY
- Bike Trip Day 32: Rest Dayby d_bortreeOne of the nice things about rest days is getting to focus on something besides eating, biking, and sleeping. Today, I’m looking at the mileage that we’ve covered so far. That’s 1400 miles of riding, more than 1/3 of the way across. We estimate we’ll be 1/2 way by next Monday. It’s like most things…the… Read more: Bike Trip Day 32: Rest Day
- Bike Trip Day 31: Alcova to Casper, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 27 Miles We had a good night in the AirBNB, and headed a short distance from Alcova to Casper today. Less than 30 miles of biking. Anita and Mark are staying in the city, and Brian and I are staying in the Casper KOA which turns out to be about 5 miles north of… Read more: Bike Trip Day 31: Alcova to Casper, WY
- Bike Trip Day 30: Jeffrey City to Alcova, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 76 miles Like yesterday, today was crazy windy. Up to 25 mph winds, and that can really slow you down or, if you’re lucky, make your day pretty easy. For us, we dealt with some mild crosswinds for the first 10 miles, but the next 14 miles felt like a repeat of yesterday, trying… Read more: Bike Trip Day 30: Jeffrey City to Alcova, WY
- Bike Trip Day 29: Riverton to Jeffrey City, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 57.5 Miles An easy day, we thought. Just 57 miles to Jeffrey City. We had a great rest day in Riverton and hit the road this morning around 8 am. We headed southeast for about 37 miles and then headed east for the last 20 miles. I knew winds could be an issue for… Read more: Bike Trip Day 29: Riverton to Jeffrey City, WY
- Bike Trip Day 28: Rest day in Riverton, WYby d_bortreeWe call it a rest day, but usually it’s a day to do all the things we can’t get to on riding days. For me, it was a day to take two of my bikes to the bike shop for repairs. Riverton doesn’t have a bike shop, so I drove the RV to a nearby… Read more: Bike Trip Day 28: Rest day in Riverton, WY
- Bike Trip Day 27: Dubois, WY to Riverton, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 74 Miles Last night, Brian and I had camped at the Longhorn Ranch Lodge and RV Campground. Our site was next to the stream that ran through the property. This was Oreo’s favorite campsite of the trip, it seems. For the first time, he tried to escape from the RV, and I think it… Read more: Bike Trip Day 27: Dubois, WY to Riverton, WY
- Bike Trip Day 26: Grand Tetons to Dubois, WYby d_bortreeBiking: 68 miles Good morning! This is what greeted us this morning. The Grand Tetons. We started out a bit before 8 am, but due to a miscommunication about the meet up point, we were delayed, finally leaving around 9 am. But, who complains about spending an extra hour in the Grand Teton National Park?… Read more: Bike Trip Day 26: Grand Tetons to Dubois, WY
- Bike Trip Day 25: Ashton to the Grand Tetonsby d_bortreeBiking: 64 miles What a day! We climbed a lot. So many gravel climbs, but the road wasn’t as bad as I feared. I forgot to mention yesterday, that the road we’re taking today isn’t safe for the RV, so Brian stayed in Yellowstone last night, and Anita, Mark, and I stayed in an AirBNB… Read more: Bike Trip Day 25: Ashton to the Grand Tetons
- Bike Trip Day 24: Henry’s Lake to Ashton, IDby d_bortreeBiking: 53 miles Brian and I stayed at the beautiful Henry’s Lake in Idaho just west of Yellowstone. I biked from the campground to the resort where Anita and Mark stayed, just down the road, and then we took off for Ashton, ID. The first part of our route took us mostly on Route 20,… Read more: Bike Trip Day 24: Henry’s Lake to Ashton, ID
- Bike Trip Day 21-23: Dillon, MT to Henry’s Lake, IDby d_bortreeWhile Brian and I were in State College, Anita and Mark continued on the route to Henry’s Lake. They took a rest day in Dillon, and stopped by a bike shop to ask about the route from Dillon to Ennis. This was the leg of the trip that I rode on July 23, and it… Read more: Bike Trip Day 21-23: Dillon, MT to Henry’s Lake, ID
- Bike Trip Day 20: Wisdom to Dillon, MTby d_bortreeBiking: 66 miles Denise’s Ride: https://keepthewheelsturning.blog/2026/07/24/rv-trip-day-17-dillon-to-wisdom-mt/ Today’s route was a bit easier than yesterday but still lots of climbing and great views. Montana is beautiful. Anita and Mark rode 66 miles and climbed 2700 into Dillon, MT. It’s a great town with good restaurants and a bike shop. Below are some of their photos. Tomorrow… Read more: Bike Trip Day 20: Wisdom to Dillon, MT
- Bike Trip Day 19: Darby to Wisdom, MTby d_bortreeBiking: 56 miles Denise’s ride: https://keepthewheelsturning.blog/2026/07/25/rv-trip-day-18-wisdom-to-darby-wy/ Today was a challenge. A 15-mile climb with a head wind, but with beautiful views. Fortunately, the wind shifted and Anita and Mark caught a tail wind into Wisdom. They arrived in Wisdom and had pizza at Antlers Saloon which was quite the experience. Unfortunately, there are a few… Read more: Bike Trip Day 19: Darby to Wisdom, MT
- Bike Trip Day 18: Missoula to Darby, MTby d_bortreeBiking: 63 miles (Anita and Mark) Denise’s ride: See https://keepthewheelsturning.blog/2026/07/26/rv-trip-day-19-darby-to-missoula/ Anita and Mark continued on the route, taking the Bitterroot Trail from Missoula to Darby. This is a paved trail that runs along Route 93. The traffic noise can be a little annoying but the views are great. Here are a few pictures from their… Read more: Bike Trip Day 18: Missoula to Darby, MT
- Bike Trip Days 15-17: Rest daysby d_bortreeWe’re taking a few days off the bike while Brian and I head home to help our daughter get set up at college. Anita and Mark are staying in Missoula to visit with friends. I was able to get my bike fixed at the Specialized bike shop in Missoula – Big Sky Bikes. They are… Read more: Bike Trip Days 15-17: Rest days
- Bike Trip Day 14: St. Regis to Missoula, MTby d_bortreeBiking: 78 miles (Denise)/ 81 miles (Anita and Mark) Long day in the saddle. We were able to reroute and skip some gravel roads today, shortening our route by about six miles, but that meant riding up on I-90 twice. Each time was only one exit and less than 2 miles. Otherwise, we were on… Read more: Bike Trip Day 14: St. Regis to Missoula, MT
- Bike Trip Day 13: Wallace, ID to St. Regis, MTby d_bortreeBiking: 54 miles We crossed into Montana today. Another milestone for us. We saw two bears and a moose. Got to love the Montana wildlife! About 10 miles into the ride, we had a mechanical issue. Mark’s bike had a flat tire. He changed it, but the tire wasn’t seating properly. After a number of… Read more: Bike Trip Day 13: Wallace, ID to St. Regis, MT
- Bike Trip Day 12: Harrison to Wallace, IDby d_bortreeBiking: 50 miles Another day on the Coeur d’Alene trail. Beautiful. We rode along the water and then through the woods, all the way to Wallace, ID. Really, the most notable thing about today was the amazing riding. We had lunch at the Blackboard Cafe in Wallace. The lady at the table next to us… Read more: Bike Trip Day 12: Harrison to Wallace, ID
- Bike Trip Day 11: Rest day in Harrison, IDby d_bortreeWe enjoyed a rest day in Harrison. In addition to the great bike shop, the town also has an ice cream shop. We had a chance to check it out tonight, and have some ice cream on the deck overlooking the lake. Tomorrow we continue on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes to Wallace. It’s… Read more: Bike Trip Day 11: Rest day in Harrison, ID
- Bike Trip Day 10: Cheney, WA to Harrison, IDby d_bortreeBiking: 20 miles A short day. The smoke has finally interfered with our route. We started out in Cheney, near Spokane, where the air quality has been very poor. Brian offered to drive us to Plummer, a place where the air quality was in the yellow. Not perfect, but so much better than in the… Read more: Bike Trip Day 10: Cheney, WA to Harrison, ID
- Bike Trip Day 9: Ritzville to Cheney, WAby d_bortreeBiking: 50 miles Smoky, so smoky. Our destination today, Cheney, WA, is just south of Spokane, where the wildfires are still not under control. As a result, the air quality here is in the red. We could definitely tell the difference between Ritzville, where air quality was in the orange, and here. We finished the… Read more: Bike Trip Day 9: Ritzville to Cheney, WA
- Bike Trip Day 8: Potholes State Park to Ritzville, WAby d_bortreeBiking: 60 miles Tailwinds. That’s the headline today. We love tailwinds. Today, I biked from Potholes State Park, and Anita and Mark biked from Othello. The sun was still rising when I left the park a little after 6 am. We met up about 13 miles into the ride, and covered the rest of the… Read more: Bike Trip Day 8: Potholes State Park to Ritzville, WA
- Bike Trip Day 7: Ellensburg to Potholes State Park/Othello, WAby d_bortreeBiking: 62 miles (Denise)/74.5 miles (Anita and Mark) Today was a good day on the bike. The three of us rode the Vantage Highway from Ellensburg to Vantage, WA. It started with a slow gradual climb for 20 miles followed by 10 miles of downhill. Perfect. The road had a wide shoulder, lots of visibility,… Read more: Bike Trip Day 7: Ellensburg to Potholes State Park/Othello, WA
- Bike Trip Day 6: Rest dayby d_bortreeToday we take the day off – do laundry, shop, clean our bikes, journal, sit by the water, and most importantly, sleep in a bit. Enjoying the time off the bike. Gearing up for tomorrow’s ride.
- Bike Trip Day 5: Lake Easton to Ellensburg, WAby d_bortreeBiking: 40 miles An easy day on the bike. The route was mostly flat from Lake Easton to Ellensburg, but the gravel was thick and the dirt was loose. There were sections that were easily rideable and sections that were difficult. I forgot to mention that on Day 4 as we descended from the Snoqualmie… Read more: Bike Trip Day 5: Lake Easton to Ellensburg, WA
- Bike Trip Day 4: Issaquah to Lake Easton by way of Palouse to Cascades Trailby d_bortreeBiking: 64 miles (but longer for Anita and Mark) The headline for today is the Palouse to Cascades Trail is a must-ride for any gravel cyclist. Wow. The views, the gravel, the bridges, the tunnel, it’s amazing and totally worth the trip. The subtitle for today is Choose-Your-Own-Adventure. It has advantages and disadvantages, and today… Read more: Bike Trip Day 4: Issaquah to Lake Easton by way of Palouse to Cascades Trail
- Bike Trip Day 3: Port Ludlow to Issaquah, WAby d_bortreeBiking: 45 miles Today was a day of rerouting, and generally getting by on our wits. We found out last night that the fast ferry from Kingston to Seattle wasn’t running today, and it looked like our only option was to add another 30+ miles to our route. That didn’t sit well with us. When… Read more: Bike Trip Day 3: Port Ludlow to Issaquah, WA
- Bike Trip Day 2: Port Angeles to Port Ludlow, WAby d_bortreeBiking: 75 miles Day two is in the books. We continued on the Olympic Discovery Trail to its end, and then rode about 20 miles more to reach Port Ludlow. It was another good day for riding, low 60s with some sunshine. The trail weaved along the coast and back through the woods, across bridges… Read more: Bike Trip Day 2: Port Angeles to Port Ludlow, WA
- Bike Trip Day 1: La Push to Port Angeles, WAby d_bortreeRiding: 64 miles It’s finally here! The first day of the cross-country bike trip. We started the ride from La Push, WA, right on the Pacific Coast. It was a beautiful morning, low 60s and sunny. Good biking weather. We hit the road, heading toward the Olympic Discovery Trail. Along the way, Ride With GPS… Read more: Bike Trip Day 1: La Push to Port Angeles, WA
- RV Trip Days 20-24: Missoula, MT to La Push, WAby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 1 day We’re finally in La Push, WA, after a 24-day trip across the country with so many great experiences along the way – Yellowstone, Badlands, Mount Rushmore, five days of biking in Montana, and now the Pacific coast. Wow. Between Missoula and La Push, we stopped at the Wanapum State… Read more: RV Trip Days 20-24: Missoula, MT to La Push, WA
- RV Trip Day 19: Darby to Missoula, MTby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 6 days Ah, day five of a five day ride. It’s a good feeling to be done! Most of today’s ride was on the Bitterroot Trail that runs along I-93. I was glad to be on a paved trail and not fighting traffic today, though the close proximity to the highway… Read more: RV Trip Day 19: Darby to Missoula, MT
- RV Trip Day 18: Wisdom to Darby, MTby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 7 days Mileage today: 57 miles Today’s ride was another segment with a wide shoulder (most of the way), and plenty of beautiful vistas as I descended a mountain pass. Headwinds and tailwinds. They are no joke in Montana. Today I was cruising at 20+ mph and didn’t need to pedal… Read more: RV Trip Day 18: Wisdom to Darby, MT
- RV Trip Day 17: Dillon to Wisdom, MTby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 8 days Mileage today: 65 miles Today was the big climb day, two mountain passes. The first was amazing. If you have a lot of free time, you can watch this video of me coming down the other side of the pass. The second was even higher, and absolutely beautiful, but… Read more: RV Trip Day 17: Dillon to Wisdom, MT
- RV Trip Day 16: Ennis to Dillon, MTby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 9 days Mileage today: 73 miles This was day two of the five-day ride from Yellowstone to Missoula. Another beautiful day, with incredible views of the mountains. Brian was my hero today, stopping four times on the route so I could restock with cold water or anything else that I needed… Read more: RV Trip Day 16: Ennis to Dillon, MT
- RV Trip Day 15: Yellowstone to Ennis, MTby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 10 days Mileage: 42 miles Over the next five days, I’ll be riding a section of the cross-country route. Why? Because Brian and I will be flying back to PA in mid-August to help Brynn get set up in her new apartment. During that time, Anita and Mark will continue on… Read more: RV Trip Day 15: Yellowstone to Ennis, MT
- RV Trip Day 9-14: Yellowstoneby d_bortreeOn a break while the family spends some time in Yellowstone. No biking, but a bit of hiking. We had an incredible time together in the park. I can’t believe how much we packed into a few days.
- RV Trip Day 8: Cody, WYby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 17 days Ah, for the first time on this trip, we are NOT driving today. Yeah! I took advantage of the time to ride one of the most amazing trails – Stagecoach Trail. It’s a gravel road that runs along Buffalo Bill Reservoir – it’s part beautiful road along the lake… Read more: RV Trip Day 8: Cody, WY
- RV Trip Day 7: Mt Rushmore to Cody, WYby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 18 days Good news. The tire shop was able to replace our RV’s damaged tire quickly this morning. Well, technically, they replaced all four rear tires. Not cheap, but we’re on our way with four good tires. We were on the road by 9:30 am and finally pulled into the Cody… Read more: RV Trip Day 7: Mt Rushmore to Cody, WY
- RV Trip Day 6: Badlands to Mt. Rushmoreby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 19 days We made a bit of a change to the schedule. Originally, we planned to take an extra day at the Badlands, but with temps over 100 degrees, we decided to keep moving and take a day off when we reach Cody, WY, after our one-day stop at Mount Rushmore.… Read more: RV Trip Day 6: Badlands to Mt. Rushmore
- RV Trip Day 5: Sioux Falls to Badlandsby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 20 days It’s Sunday, a day of rest, but Brian had an 8-hour work meeting. This happens from time to time. A technical meeting that was supposed to be an hour or two somehow becomes a day-long event. So, I took advantage of the morning and found some gravel roads near… Read more: RV Trip Day 5: Sioux Falls to Badlands
- RV trip Day 4: Sparta, WI to Sioux Falls, SDby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country bike trip: 21 days No riding today. We took advantage of a Saturday morning and slept in a little bit. Got on the road around 8:45 am local time (Central). This was our longest day of driving, 380 miles. Arrived at the KOA in Sioux Falls around 3:30 pm. It’s slow going… Read more: RV trip Day 4: Sparta, WI to Sioux Falls, SD
- RV Trip Day 3: Indiana Dunes State Park to Sparta, WIby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 22 days Another great day in the books. We drove to Sparta, WI and stayed in a Harvest Hosts. I can’t say enough about this place. It was so peaceful and beautiful, and the owners had a good sense of humor! Given our good experience, I’m looking at options for our… Read more: RV Trip Day 3: Indiana Dunes State Park to Sparta, WI
- RV Trip Day 2: Sandusky Ohio to Indiana Dunes State Parkby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 23 days We’re working our way across the country. Today’s drive was mostly I-80/I-90 through Ohio and Indiana…straight, flat and frankly kinda boring. But, we made it to Indiana Dunes State Park (and National Park). I was able to get a quick ride in on the trails, some paved and some… Read more: RV Trip Day 2: Sandusky Ohio to Indiana Dunes State Park
- RV Trip Day 1: State College to Sandusky, Ohioby d_bortreeCountdown to cross-country biking: 24 days And, we’re off! Brian and I left this morning to drive across the country. Hard to believe this is really happening after three years of planning. In just 24 days my friends and I will start biking from Washington state back to Washington DC. But, first, Brian and I… Read more: RV Trip Day 1: State College to Sandusky, Ohio
- Less than two weeks and countingby d_bortreeThe countdown continues. Just 12 days until we pull out in the RV and start driving west. It’s been a busy couple of months preparing for the trip, figuring out the wifi setup for Brian, mapping out the campground and biking routes, and getting the bike equipment ready to go (and so much more!). We… Read more: Less than two weeks and counting
- Two months and countingby d_bortreeTwo months from today, Brian and I will be pulling out of the driveway in the RV and heading to La Push, Washington. We’re taking the long, winding route through South Dakota Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, and other stops along the way. Our estimated arrival in La Push – July 29. In the meantime, we… Read more: Two months and counting
- Oakley Meta Glassesby d_bortreeWe have so many decisions to make and pieces of the trip to plan as we move through the next six months. One thing I’ve been thinking about is taking pictures and videos during our rides. Lots of riders use their phones and take one hand off the bars to shoot. But, that makes me… Read more: Oakley Meta Glasses
- Buying the RV support vehicle: Part 1 – What about a travel trailer?by d_bortreeBrian and I spent about a year researching options for a support vehicle for the cross-country bike trip. Our biggest challenge was finding something we could live in for three months, and something that Brian could work from during the day (and sometimes over night). We started by looking at small travel trailers that could… Read more: Buying the RV support vehicle: Part 1 – What about a travel trailer?
- Choosing our bikesby d_bortreeWe’ve been planning this trip since 2023, and one of the choices we had to make was the bike – which bike can get us across the country comfortably? We always knew we would ride on paved roads and rails-to-trails. And, we love gravel riding, so adding that to our route was an option as… Read more: Choosing our bikes
- Planning the routeby d_bortreeWe originally planned to take off for our cross-country bike trip in May 2026, a day after Penn State commencement. Our goal – ride from Washington, DC to the Oregon coast. That gets us through the midwest heat before the height of summer. But alas, an unexpected job change for me (Denise) makes that timing… Read more: Planning the route
Follow along on our journey
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”
Susan Sontag



































