Issue link: http://tcnj.uberflip.com/i/1515745
9 Prairie WINTER 2024 OCTOBER 29 Enjoyed a frigid ride through a winter wonderland. Our coldest night awaited us, and our route was separated by the infamous Lolo Pass, our last big climb of the trip. This historic pass is known for giving Lewis and Clark many troubles as they continued their journey to the coast. We were welcomed to Idaho with a foot of snow and snowboarders at the top of the mountain (two things you don't exactly want to see on your bike trip). After a treacherous hike of slipping and sliding on the side of a cliff, we found a hot spring where we were greeted by the local Idahoans. Hard to say if these people are crazy for soaking in a hot spring in these temps or we are for biking all the way here. OCTOBER 31 Crossed the 45th parallel, which we didn't know was a thing, but was cool. We didn't get any candy this year, but we got a delicious pie from Shy Simon's Pizza. NOVEMBER 1 Crossed into Oregon (our final state)!! Ate a couple of bull rider burgers for dinner, which seems fitting for a pair of cowboy hopefuls. NOVEMBER 2 Fueled up for our ride today by eating the largest cinnamon rolls known to man. Spent our 4th?! day in Hells Canyon. Saw an American flag on a cliff and were glad to learn we were still in the U.S. NOVEMBER 3 Today marks 10 weeks in, which is a long time to bike. NOVEMBER 5 Had a typical Oregon day of on-again, off-again rain, but with some beautiful sunny weather mixed in. We passed some fossil beds, but unfortunately, we did not unearth any bones to make a major contribution to science. "We are crushing it with donations for @oceansharborhouse so let's keep that ball rolling!" NOVEMBER 8 We enjoyed a scenic ride on the iconic Mackenzie Highway, known for its beautiful views and ancient lava fields. Luckily for us, the road was closed for the winter season so we had it all to ourselves. We slowly started to realize that maybe the road was closed for a reason. Rain turned to sleet and sleet turned to snow the higher we climbed. We were rewarded with a 20-mile downhill to escape the blizzard and dropped roughly 4,000 feet! NOVEMBER 11 Final destination, Astoria, Oregon. Still doesn't feel real yet, but this trip has meant so much to us. We had the time of our lives, and we hope you enjoyed the trip we took you on.