One 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

We 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

While 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 to Henry’s Lake

Biking: 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

Biking: 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, WY

Biking: 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

We’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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

We 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

Biking: 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 to Harrison

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Today 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.

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Biking: 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

Riding: 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

Countdown 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 to La Push, WA

Countdown 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

Countdown 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, WY

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

On 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.

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

Countdown 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

The 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 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

We 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

Brian 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?

We’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

We 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