Day 58 26/08/09 Skykomish > SEATTLE

Left in good time today to arrive in time for Sanchez & Frankie to meet me downtown. Very warm day, wouldn't have seemed right had i ended on a tailwind so the strong headwind seemed fitting. Stopped in at a UPS store to check the cost of shipping my bike back home... around $600! Cycling into the city was a little strange after having been out in the sticks for the last month! Waited around for the others to arrive, ended up next to a little piano on the streets with some guy playing a welcoming John Lennons 'Imagine.' Arranaged a meeting point with the others then met them for clam chowder! Both Frankie & Sanchez were absolutely knackered from the flights but my excitement of finishing the trip made up for it!

The past two months have been supurb! Have met a mass of people and have seen a great variety of sights!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me with the trip, especially to Mum & Dad for encouragement all accross the states, i am expecting a few more grey hairs on return!

Day 57 25/08/09 Cashmere > Skykomish

The penultimate day! Last climb today (it was meant to be) of the trip to just over 4000ft from 700. Not as tough as the big horns! Beginning to get more and more excited as the day went on approaching the finish line. Stayed in a cheap lodge which was very sociable met a lovely dutch couple who had cycled coast to coast before.

Day 56 24/08/09 Othello > Cashmere

Great day cycling with the wind! Very large mexican populations here - went in a restaurant where i was the only person who could speak english.. had to ask for 'agua' as they did not know what water was! 105mile day with a puncture on the last stretch! Cycled through lots of orchards. Decended to 700ft meaning a large climb the next day.. Fantastic 18oz steak in the evening made for a good ending! First mile marker for Seattle!

Day 55 23/08/09 Starbuck > Othello

Carol cooked me up a wonderful breakfast this morning whilst Floyd gave me a hand planning my route to Seattle. Made the decision with my Dad to go north along the 2 rather than taking the freeway into Seattle. Although this means cycling an extra 40miles through mountains it is likely to be much more enjoyable! Slow going today into the wind in tough hills. Spent the night in a nice motel to sort out the blog and arrange a few things for seattle!

Day 54 22/08/09 Lewiston > Starbuck

Thankfully the day started a bit later than planned! Had a fantastic day being taken around by andy. Took me out for breaky before going for a ride up river on his jet boat! Incredible scenery & wildlife up the Snake River and through Hells Canyon! Saw osprey, heron looking things, wild deer, wild turkeys amongst other things! The funny looking drawings ingraved in the rock are infact over 3000 years old and have been dated pre american indian! Had a few beerskies on the boat before heading back to get ready for the cycle! This had all taken alot longer than planned (definately worth it!) so Andy gave me a lift 20miles out of town so i could catch up with my mile count! Very desolate cycling rolling hills through prarie lands. Arrived at Starbuck where i had been told there was a motel.. there wasn't! There was however a booked up B&B, thankfully the owners Floyd & Carol were wonderful and let me pitch my tent up in their garden for free and use their showers!

Day 53 21/08/09 Kooskia > Lewiston

Waved off Blake then i went back to sleep and watched a few episodes of fraiser! Fairly long hot cycle to Lewiston although nice scenery along the Snake River. Stopped off for lunch along the way and had another photo session with their local newspaper! Met Andy on the way to Lewiston at a gas station who gave me his number incase i had any problems. Couldn't find a place to stay when i arrived so gave him a ring! Took me out to dinner with his friends which was fantastic and then into town for a few beers before putting me up in his house. Annual Lewiston party tonight with a drive-thru parade which he snuck his into with a classic quote Security Guard 'I'll call the cops if you go through there...' 'Okay!, call them!' Spectators must have wondered what a honder accord was doing mixed up with the classics!

Day 52 20/08/09 Weir Creek > Kooskia

Woke up feeling a little rough and went straight for a dip in the springs. Lovely and warm - felt instantly better! Left the others and cycled off for Kooskia. Warmed up pretty quickly & the hangover returned. Met Blake whilst waiting at a road construction - cycling from west virginia to portland! Cycled with him for the rest of the way & split the costs on a motel room. Had i think three shakes each in the evening! Shared alot of stories before grabbing a fairly early night.

Day 51 19/08/09 Missoula >Weir Creek

Left the sofa by 7, had a quick fry up at the nearby diner then made my way out of town. Followed the scenic 12 to the Lola Pass. Long ascent although having left early meant i missed the heat. Fantastic descent along the river. Stopped off for lunch before parking my bike up and walking to the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs (natural). Had planned to camp nearby here but the site was shut. A guy i met at the springs recommended i find myself a spot in the woods 10miles down the road at weir creek which was not signposted.
Whilst trying to find weir creek i met a group also trying to do the same thing! We then ventured into the woods! Fantastic people same age as me, Matt, Greg & Kelsey from North Dakota ended up camping with them drinking their beer & cooking chicken on the campfire! Stayed up till late in the hot springs which was fantastic.

Day 50 Philipsburg > Missoula

Left in good time this morning and had a lovely downhill tailwind for 20miles! Stopped for a quick shake and this however changed. Very strong headwind for the next 55miles made for an unpleasant afternoon! Ended up staying in a rather strange house managed by hippys that i think had lost touch with reality.. gave me a free place to kip tho so i couldn't really complain!

Day 49 17/08/09 Butte > Philipsburg

After a nearly freezing (34degrees f.) night in the tipi it was a lovely morning prior to cycling! Didn't get off to a very good start today however. The road i cycled on turned to gravel after a distance. I carried on with Neville creaking and groaning away. Got fed up and turned back on myself.. then my pannier rack broke. Managed to fix that up. Wacked on a bit of Lily Allen and things got better! Had a nice chat to Bob & the parentals and had a beast of an ice cream from DQ then continued. At the top i met Jim who asked whether i knew of couchsurfing.. obviously i did! So, he kindly offered me a place to stay! Had a lovely time with Jim chatting till gone midnight about our experiences with CS and his travels in East Asia.

Day 48 16/08/09 West Yellowstone > Butte

As a result of me making a massive detour to see mark i needed to make up some miles via hitching. Cycled 20miles out of the town and then hitched north to Bozeman with a road worker. Next lift was to Butte with a group of people who had been travelling the US for 5+years selling magazines! Driver smoking dope did not however fill me with confidence! After turning down a 'job' i continued cycling west until i found a campsite, in which i found my tipi for the night!