Larry Rides America

Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright National Monument

2007-08-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Ocean - Yorktown, Virginia

2007-08-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Ocean - Yorktown, Virginia

2007-08-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

Yorktown Victory Monument

2007-08-07T11:34:00.000-07:00

Yorktown Victory Monument

2007-08-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Yorktown, Virginia

2007-08-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

Historic Yorktown

2007-08-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

Historic Yorktown

2007-08-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

The Appalachian Mountains

2007-08-07T11:16:00.001-07:00

Entering Virginia - The Last State of the Ride

2007-08-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

Daniel Boone State Park - Cumberland Gap

2007-08-07T11:12:00.001-07:00

Bike Museum at Cumberland Gap

2007-08-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Bike Museum at Cumberland Gap

2007-08-07T11:06:00.001-07:00

Three States Cornerstone

2007-08-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

Nancy, Kentucky

2007-08-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

THOUGHTS FROM THE RIDE

2007-08-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I have finished safe and sound! Yea!! 4,409 miles and 72 days later, Yorktown, Virginia looked great. I finished my ride at Yorktown Victory Monument, which is where the British surrendered to America. I am very happy to have finished in one piece.

The challenges of logistics (maps, roads, and distances), weather (rain, sleet, snow, wind, and sun), terrain (14 mountain ranges including the coast ranges of Oregon, Cascades, Maury, Bitterroot, Clear Water, Tipton, Blue, Beaverhead, Pioneer, Powell, Smokey, Appalachian, Blue Ridge, and Garden), nutrition, the bike and so much more.

I appreciate your support, it was needed! I was happy to know that people were really interested and concerned for me. Thank you so much!!

It definitely was a life changing experience - being on your bike and knowing that each and everything depended upon me. I know that life is precious and that I need to make my time count. It can be complicated or it can be very simple. You have a choice and I really plan on making each day important. I believe when I find the days running together, that most likely, I am trying to do too much. How much is enough to satisfy my need to be productive, to be a good husband and father, and to take care of community and business responsibilities? I hope that my belief in God and my determination to make a difference of some kind (small as it may be) in this life will direct me in a positive way. I do enjoy nature and the environment, which needs all the help that I can give her. I do believe Lance has a determination more focused than anyone I have seen to fight the battle of cancer for all of us! Cancer can be overcome just as we have with other diseases. I will try and support that fight the best I can.

Life is short, I am excited about its future for me.

My very best to each one of you.

Larry

Tim O'Reilly And Our Bikes

2007-07-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

With Steve Pitliangas

2007-07-14T14:30:00.001-07:00

With Jim Rives

2007-07-14T14:23:00.001-07:00

Straw Bales in Carlyle, Illinois

2007-07-14T14:20:00.000-07:00

Crossing the Mississippi River on A Ferry

2007-07-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

WIth Nancy and Gollie in the Sedalia, Missouri Train Depot

2007-07-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

With Casey in Adrian, Missouri

2007-07-14T14:02:00.000-07:00

With Rosalie and Carrie in Adrian, Missouri

2007-07-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

THE FINISH LINE!!!

2007-07-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

On my way to Virginia, I had to go through a tunnel at Cumberland Gap National Park at the point where Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee meet. They would not let me go through the tunnel on my bike and there was no way around the tunnel. So I loaded my bike on a hazardous waste escort truck and it drove me through the tunnel. The Cumberland Gap was explored by Daniel Boone who was hired by the government to create an East to West route through the mountains. I visited the Daniel Boone State Park in Tennessee that had some very interesting exhibits.

I spent the Fourth of July in Radford, Virginia. I did not go to the park to see the fireworks, as it was two miles away, and I was too tired and did not want to ride in the dark. In this part of the country, they really take the Fourth seriously. Everyone had an American flag out and some people had three or four.

The Blue Ridge Mountains were the last mountains to cross. The Blue Ridge Parkway was built in the 1930's. It was built by the government to basically create jobs. There were two major climbs, one was four and a half miles and one was three miles at 4000 feet elevation. After you cross the Blue Ridge Mountains the elevation drops to zero.

I stayed at the Northbend Plantation that is over 200 years old and is in Charles City. There are many huge plantations in this area. I spent about two hours talking to the plantation owner's daughter and daughter-in-law about life, family, kids, and work. The only thing we did not get around to talking about was religion.

If I had been with other riders on this trip, I probably would have stopped more and taken more side trips. It really was about the ride and meant total involvement in preparation, the bike, maps, routes, nutrition, distance, weather, places to stay, and mental focus. You really cannot plan more than two to four days ahead as it is imperative that you do not get ahead of yourself.

At last, I reached the Memorial Monument in Yorktown. The finish line is here; I really cannot believe it. My equipment performed great. I started having some tire problems toward the end of the ride. I blew a tire and tube and then had a flat all in a 24-hour period. This is not surprising considering all the different surfaces you ride on off of the pavement such as gravel, grass and dirt. I am very glad to be here; however, I am very tired. Total mileage for the trip was 4,409 miles.

Nancy met me at the finish line and we are staying in Virginia Beach. The Historic Triangle is centrally located between Richmond and Virginia Beach and consists of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. Each town is full of little shops, taverns, and antique stores.

Last night, we had dinner with Nancy's brother, Brad Tisdale, and his wife, Susan.

I will write one more blog next week to summarize my trip. Thanks to everyone for their encouragement and support.

Talk again next week,

Larry

ALMOST FINISHED

2007-07-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Hope all is well. I left Kentucky and Tennessee and am now in Virginia. I made it through the Appalachian and Blue Ridge Mountains. The mountains were every bit as as hard as I thought they would be. I am glad to be out of the mountains, but am now dealing with the humidity and heat. Yesterday was very hot and I knew that it would be important to take in additional fluid, so for the first time on my trip, I stopped and purchased three containers of Gatorade and drank all of them.

Unfortunately, my GPS system bit the dust. It stopped working a couple of weeks ago.

I did want to mention that while I was riding in Missouri, my sister, Rosalie Wooten, my neice, Carrie McLiney and her husband, Casey McLiney drove to see me. We had a very nice visit and it was good to see them.

I have now ridden 4000 miles and am getting very close to the end of my journey. Nancy, my greatest supporter, is driving to Yorktown to pick me up. It will be good to see her again. I did get a chance to see her in Clinton and Sedalia; however, these were not rest days so I did not get to spend as much time with her as I would have liked. I really appreciaate the fact that she took over the completion of the constuction project that we had going on at our home. She has been a real trooper in her support of the journey.

Talk again soon,

Larry

Royal Gorge Bridge - Colorado

2007-06-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

Royal Gorge Bridge - Colorado

2007-06-28T07:22:00.000-07:00

Hartsel Jail - Colorado Funny Little Building

2007-06-27T15:10:00.001-07:00

Larry and Charlie at Hoosier Pass (Elevation 11,542 Feet) Highest Pass of the Trip

2007-06-27T15:07:00.001-07:00

Moose Crossing River at Willow Creek - Colorado

2007-06-27T15:04:00.001-07:00

Continental Divide Willow Creek Pass - Colorado

2007-06-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

ILLINOIS AND KENTUCKY

2007-06-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

The Katy Trail ended in St. Charles, so farewell to Missouri and hello to Illinois. I crossed the Mississippi on the Grafton Ferry. The ferry captain asked me what I was doing, and when I explained I was riding across the country to raise money for the fight against cancer, he gave me back the $3.00 he had charged me to cross the ferry.

My brother, David, met me in Alton and we had a very nice dinner at Tony's restaurant. It has been a long time since we have spent any one-on-one time together and we had a very good time.

Illinois is very dry, the winter wheat looks good, but the soybeans and corn are burning up. I'm sure the humidity and heat are here to stay the rest of the trip.

On to Carlyle, where my nephew, Tim O'Reilly, and two friends Steve Pitliangas and Jim Rives met me for dinner. Again, it was another enjoyable evening. Tim proceeded to ride with me for two days through Carbondale and Golconda. We spent the night in Anna at Dick and Midge Bigler's house (Brooke O'Reilly's parents). I really appreciated their hospitality.

About one mile before entering Carbondale, the road was concrete and the shoulder was asphalt with the shoulder lower than the road. When Tim went to get back on the road from the shoulder, his front wheel caught the edge and down he went. I knew he had to be hurting, and so did the people in the cars that saw him go down, as a couple of people stopped to check on him. He said he was okay and continued to ride with me the next day. Tim left me in Golconda, so once again I am back on my own.

I had a rest day in Elizabethtown. I stayed in a cool bed & breakfast owned by the state of Illinois called the Rose Hotel, which was built in 1812. It overlooked the Ohio River and this was the first time I had seen the Ohio River. The town also had a very good bar with very cold beer. I had some great fried catfish for dinner.

I now have made it through Illinois and am now in Kentucky. The state of Kentucky reminds me very much of Missouri. Very few shoulders on the road and very small towns along the route.

I stayed at the First Baptist Church Hostel in Sebree as there were no hotels in Webster County. The pastor of the church, Bob Hardison, and his wife, Violet, are two very special people. They have set up the youth center of the church as a hostel for cyclists. It had separate rooms for sleeping, mattresses, sofas, shower, a full kitchen, and snacks. Bob and Violet's home is next to the church/hostel and they invited me and the other six cyclists that were staying at the hostel to their home for dinner. Violet fixed the most amazing dinner of ham, green beans, corn, sliced homegrown tomatoes, cantaloupe, and corn bread. For dessert there were cookies and three kinds of homemade ice cream. What a delicious feast! She also did every one's laundry for them. They enjoy meeting the cyclists that visit their hostel. They truly do make you feel right at home.

I rode to Cave In Rock and took a ferry across the Ohio River as there is no bridge.

All is well in mind, body, and bike.

Talk next week,

Larry

CONTRIBUTIONS TO LARRY RIDES AMERICA

2007-06-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank everyone for their contributions to my ride. Currently, $190,000 has been raised. Your generousity is so very much appreciated. Following is the list of people and businesses that have made donations:

Mark Allenspach
Aftermarket Alliance
Catherine Anderson
Two Anonymous Donors
Doug Arnold (Sherman Williams)
Bob & Becky Bach
Ann & Norb Bagley
Chris Baldwin
Annie Barnes
Tony Bartholomew
Bill & Cindy Bates
Andrea Baty
Jim & Lorna Batten
Whit Bazemore
Patrick Bauer
Cynthia Bennett
Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP
Midyette Bigler
Armine Boustani
Jim Budzinski
John & Crystal Buerlein
Jim Bugg
Jay Burchfield
Tom & Saundra Burks
Virginia Bussey
Evee LeeAnna Butchetta
Roger & Kathleen Cady
Joe & Marie Carmichael
John & Jennifer Carnahan
Carrollton Speciality Products
Ron & Sue Carrot
Ken & Pat Carter
Jenny Carr
Kathryn Charles
Allen Casey
Michael Chevalier (R.B. Howes & Company)
Mike & Krystyna Clarke
Jeanette Clinkenbeard
Jeremy Collins
James Combs
Steve Connolly
John Courtney
KC Cowan
Andrea & Tom Croley
Trevor & Cabrini Croley
Anne & Warren Davis
Kim & Carol Day
Credit Suisse - Chris Baldwin
Dian DeChant
Eddie & Molly Deck
Greg DeLong (Edward Jones)
Betty & Joe Dukert
Ann Drennan
Drury University Athletic Department
Jack & Beverly Emmitt to Honor Vicki Hume's Birthday
Kathy Van Eeuwen
Doug Evans
Frank & Sara Evans
Nancy Fazzino
Alan Fears
John & Jeris Ferguson
John & Pat Ferguson
Dain O'Reilly Flisher
Isabel O'Reilly Flisher
P.J. O'Reilly Flisher
Buddy Freeman
Tom and Susan Froehlich
Rob and Cindy Fulp
Gary Funk
Charlie Gallagher
Dorthy Gardner
Walter & Martha Gaska
Laura Gemery
John Gentry
Kevin & Shelley Gerschefske
David Gohn
Carol Gough
Brian & Julie Gray
Joe Greene
John & An Greene
Bill & Elayne Gordon
Kathleen Griesemer
Larry Gurian
John & Lee Haik (James Decor)
June & Sam Hamra (Wendy's)
Joe Hankins
Bill & Ginger Hardie
Bill & Louise Harding
Alexis O'Reilly Havens
Rich & Dana Havens
Eric & Tricia Headley
Greg & Becky Henslee
JoDee & Peter Herschend
Diana Hicks
Dallis & Darlene Higginbotham
David Hogan
Kevin & Cindy Hogan
Dwayne Holden (Custom Metalcraft)
Jack & Robin House
John Hume
Vicki Hume
Jim & Jeannette Hutcheson
Steve & Pamela Hutchinson
Mike Ingram (Ingram Enterprises, Inc.)
Linda & Jerry Jared
Trish Jeffrey
Brian & Kelly Johnson
Jeff Johnson
Richard Jones (Merrill Lynch)
VIrginia Jones & Buddy Ball
Amy & Ross Keller
Kurt & Kim Keltner
Michele Kiser
Dave Koenigsfeld
Melissa LaBolle
Kurt & Sally Larson
Paul Lederer
Felicia Liebman
Larry Lipscomb
Brenda Logsdon (Whitlock, Selim & Keehn)
Saunny & Tom Lynch
Sallie Mae
Tom & Jennier McFall
Terry & Mary Kay Meek
Ed & Jane Mellers
John Mihalevich
Ron Middleton
Mike Miner
Father Fergus Monaghan
Chuck & Nickie McCann
Tom & Ann McAlear
Rick & Jane McElvaine
Casey & Carrie McLiney
John Montgomery
Dick & Linda Morgan
Peter Morse
John & Jeanie Morris
Bob Murray
Kari Myli
Doug Nabholz
James Nelms
Mike Netzel
Charlie & Mary Beth O'Reilly
David, Lindsay, Matt & Austin O'Reilly
Erin O'Reilly
John O'Reilly
Kenna Lou O'Reilly
Larry & Nancy O'Reilly Family Foundation
Lauren O'Reilly
Nancy O'Reilly
Pat O'Reilly
Terry & Scott O'Reilly
Tim & Brooke O'Reilly
Tony O'Reilly
Ben Parnell, Jr.
Todd Parnell
Mike Patton
Jim & Debbie Penn
Glen Perrini (East Penn Manufacturing)
Steve & Julie Peterie
Dave & Sue Pitts
Angie & Mike Pivac
Tom Prater
Wayne & Sherri Price
Larry & Linda Pryor
Tom & Penni Quinn
Tom Rankin
Ronald Rashkow
Joseph Ray
Joe Rayl
Bill & Camille Ricketts
Jim Rives & Eileen Bartow-Rives
Blaine & Liz Rollins
Carol Rose (Rose and Associates)
Bob Roth
Susan Rowe
Tom & Joyce Samsel
John Schaefer
Michele Schafer
Steve Schneider
Tom & Diane Seboldt
John & Helen Selig
Jeff & Kelly Shaw
Wade & Shanne Shipman
Paula Shumaker
Mindy & Brent Singleton
Amy & Randy Smith
Ted Smith
Larry Snyder
Springfield Engineering Company (Jerry Fielder)
Springfield Trust Company
St. John's Hospital Foundation
Thessaly Startzell
Phil Stocker
Tom Stout
Tony Stubblefield
Mike Swearengin
Jon Swope
Bianca Taulman
Peggy Taylor
Ron & Sue Carrol Terry
Erica & David Thiessen
Rhonda Thomas
Paula Tindell and the Victim Center Advocates
Becky Tinkham
Mrs. Howard Tisdale
Don and Phyllis Tisdale
Stephny Tisdale & Cary Barneycastle
Gerald Toler
Bill & Ann Turner
Doug Ulman
Colin Wallis
Arch & Tina Watson
Sylvia Weitzman
Terry & Jean Whaley
Mike & Nancy White
Phyllis & Carl Wilcox
Randy & Marge Wilson
Mike & Carol Williamson
Gary & Lynda Wingo
Bob Woodworth
Majorie Wolfe
Rosalie Wooten
Randy Wooten
Steve & Betty Wutke

Thank you everyone! We continue to receive donations and hope to reach my goal of $250,000.

KATY TRAIL

2007-06-20T13:36:00.000-07:00

I just finished riding the Katy Trail, which is a historic trail of the route of Lewis and Clark. I encountered a lot of rain. This is the only part of the ride where I am on a crushed limestone trail and the rain made it very sloppy and slowed me down. My bike was covered with a white limestone mud and dust.

I saw Daniel Boone and his wife Rebecca's tombstones near Marthasville.

I stayed at a cool bed & breakfast in Augusta and the residents are excited because this summer, the professional biking tour (Tour of Missouri) will be riding through their town.

Made it through another state as I finished Missouri today. I will be crossing the Mississippi and Illinois rivers on the Grafton Ferry, which will take me into Illinois. I have now ridden 3100 miles.

Take care and talk again next week,

Larry

Two Story Bathroom - When the Snow Is So High It Blocks The First Story

2007-06-18T15:21:00.001-07:00

Hotel in Jeffrey City - Nothing But The Best For Larry

2007-06-18T15:12:00.000-07:00

Elk Cossing Sweetwater River - Wyoming

2007-06-18T15:09:00.000-07:00

Togwotee Pass

2007-06-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

Views from Yellowstone

2007-06-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

Entrance to Yellowstone

2007-06-18T14:54:00.000-07:00

Old Faithful - Yellowstone

2007-06-18T14:39:00.000-07:00

Entering Wyoming

2007-06-18T14:36:00.001-07:00

Snow in Beaverhead Mountains - Montana

2007-06-18T14:34:00.001-07:00

Ghost Town - Nevada City

2007-06-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

Chief Joseph Pass Continental Divide

2007-06-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Trapper Peak - Montana, South of Missoula

2007-06-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

St. Mary's Mission Historic Church - Montana

2007-06-18T14:09:00.001-07:00

St. Mary's Mission - Montana

2007-06-18T14:01:00.000-07:00

Springfield News-Leader Article on Larry

2007-06-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

Message from Vicki:

The Springfield News-Leader will be featuring an article on Larry's ride. I believe it will be in this Sunday's edition June 24. If not this Sunday, then the next.

BACK IN THE MIDWEST

2007-06-15T13:43:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone,

On the second night that Charlie, Mike, Tom, John, and I were camping in Pueblo, a storm came in with a wind like you would not believe. It blew over some of our tents, so we packed up and took shelter in a hotel room.

We had planned on riding from Eads to Tribune; however, Vicki discovered that the Ride Across Kansas was starting from Tribune with 800 riders on the day that we would be leaving. So we decided to ride to Leoti and spend the night. The guys left from Leoti, and so once again I am on my own.

I had a rest day in the quaint town of Lindsborg, Kansas. The first settlers of this town were from Sweden, and the Swedish ancestry and cultures have been preserved there. The signs, food, and names of the residents are all Swedish. There are many Swedish Dala Horses (which are carved wood horses brightly painted) sitting on the sidewalk.

I have now traveled 2600 miles. I made it through Colorado and Kansas and am now in Missouri. It is good to be back in the Midwest in familiar territory and out of the mountains. The weather is now hot, windy, and I am dealing with the rain. The wildlife I am now seeing is pheasant and quail. I will be traveling the Katy Trail so I am now off the TransAm Route.

Talk again next week.

IN COLORADO WITH GREAT COMPANY

2007-06-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I left Wyoming and am now in Colorado.

I spent one night at the Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & Spa, which is one of the nation's oldest and largest natural hot mineral springs spa. The springs are located at 7,600 feet elevation and have been in operation continually for the past 140 years. The resort adjoins National Forest land and the Colorado River.

My brother, Charlie, my cousin, Mike O'Reilly, John Mihalevich, and Tom Prater met me in Frisco and are riding with me all week. It has been an adventure with these guys and it has been great to have the company. We are having some fun.

Rode through Royal Gorge and it is always impressive to see the Royal Gorge Bridge. Hanging 1,053 feet above Colorado's Arkansas River, the bridge is the world's highest suspension bridge and is a legendary feat of engineering. It is over 1,260 feet long and 18 feet wide. The original cost to build was $350,000 and with today's cost estimated at 15 million. It has each of the state flags on the bridge. We camped at Royal Gorge KOA.

Tonight and tomorrow we are camping at the beautiful Lake Pueblo State Park. It has plains to the east, and to the west, The Sangre de Cristo, Pikes Peak and Greenhorn mountain ranges provide a scenic alpine backdrop. The lake's irregular, 60 plus mile shoreline is rimed with limstone cliffs. At an elevation of 4,900 feet it has a mild climate.

The weather is now much more pleasant. We had a couple of thunderstorms, and at one point, I had to find shelter and the closest thing I could find was a road grader. I climbed inside and waited out the storm for about an hour. The other guys had to find shelter along the side of the road in a ditch and also in a trailer.

Crossed over Hoosier Pass, which is the highest elevation pass of the trip. Had a blowout, but no problems, I was able to get it fixed. I have ridden about 550 miles in the last nine days, since the last rest stop in Lander. Tomorrow is a rest day, so no riding for me tomorrow.

Hope all is well with everyone. Things are going great and I am now getting close the the halfway point of the ride.

Talk next week,

Larry

Lewis and Clark Trail - Bitterroot Mountains

2007-05-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

Top of Lolo Pass

2007-05-30T12:19:00.001-07:00

Lochsa River

2007-05-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

Where The Salmon and The Little Salmon Rivers Converge - Riggins, Idaho

2007-05-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

Falls in Bitterroot Mountains - Highway 12

2007-05-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Little Salmon River - Thawing of Spring Snow

2007-05-30T11:59:00.001-07:00

WYOMING

2007-05-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I left West Yellowstone, which is on the border of Montana and Wyoming. Yellowstone was beautiful with lots of wildlife. I stayed at the Old Faithful Inn and had a chance to watch Old Faithful. While leaving Yellowstone, I once again crossed the Continental Divide twice.

Two points of history I think are worth mentioning:

March 1, 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a bill creating Yellowstone National Park, which is 3,470 square miles. It is the first National Park not only in our country, but also in the world.

John D. Rockefeller visited Yellowstone in 1926 and was profoundly impressed with the grandeur of the Teton Range. In 1929, the Grand Tetons received National Park status, but the ranchers did not want to give up their private holdings of the land in the area, so he formed The Snake River Land Company in 1927. He acquired 35,310 acres and deeded the land to the government to be part of the Grand Teton National Park.

I am now in Wyoming, which has been my least favorite state of the ride. It is mountainous, dry, cold in the mornings, and warm and windy in the afternoons. If the wind was not in my face, it was trying to knock me off to the side of the road. The road snakes through the mountains so the wind is basically in your face during the entire day. Speaking of snakes, I was riding up a mountain in slow gear, when I thought I was getting a flat tire. I heard a hissing sound, but it was not a tire, it was a rattlesnake coiled up on the side of the road ready to strike at me. I quickly dodged it. I did not stop, but got a view of it. It was a large snake and I was probably about three feet from it. The closest medical attention would have been back in Lander, Wyoming, and 40 miles from my location.

Lander to Jeffrey City was the toughest day of the ride. It was 60 miles and against the wind. Jeffrey City is an abandoned uranium town. Lots of vacant buildings; however, a few loyal residents remain. This is a place of no phones - there are no phones in the motel room, no phones in the one bar in town, and of course no cell phone coverage. This is a very remote and desolate place.

On Memorial Day, I thought of so many families that have lost a son or daughter in the war. I pray for all those effected by the senseless war.

On your list of places to visit leave off Wyoming. The only bright stars of Wyoming are Yellowstone and The Grand Teton National Park. Both are beautiful.

I have now traveled approximately 1700 miles. Togwotee Pass has been the highest pass for far on this trip.

Until next week,

Larry

45th Parallel - Halfway Between the Equator and The North Pole

2007-05-30T09:10:00.001-07:00

Cambridge Motel (I Stayed Here) Idaho

2007-05-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

Brownlee Reservoir - 20 Miles Northwest of Cambridge, Idaho

2007-05-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Idaho State Line

2007-05-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Oregon Trail Interpretive Exhibit

2007-05-30T08:43:00.001-07:00

Oregon Trail Memorial

2007-05-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

Tipton Pass - Blue Mountains

2007-05-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Mitchell, Oregon

2007-05-30T08:14:00.000-07:00

Ochoco Divide Campground

2007-05-24T09:56:00.000-07:00

My Bike

2007-05-24T09:49:00.001-07:00

McKenzie Pass

2007-05-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

2007-05-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

MADE IT THROUGH THREE STATES

2007-05-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

Hope all is well. I have met my three goals for the first part of the trip, which were to:

1. Get to the top of the Cascade Mountains.

2. Get to Missoula, Montana, which was through the Bitterroot Mountains.

3. Get through Yellowstone. I am now at the west gate of Yellowstone.

I have left my third state and am now through Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.

I have been riding constantly in the mountains. After leaving Missoula, I have been through the following mountain ranges: Beaverhead, Pioneer, and Blacktail Mountains. I have crossed the Continental Divide twice. All the mountains are national forests.

I saw another black bear by the Madison River. I have seen proghorn antelope, big horn sheep, buffalo, fox, and more elk.

I experienced a true mountain storm starting on Monday afternoon. The wind was from the west and by 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. it was gusting about 50 miles per hour. I leaned into the wind, but it was so strong that it blew my bike and me from the shoulder of the road to the other side of the road into a ditch. I have never experienced this while riding. I was still four or five miles from Ennis, so I had to keep one foot on the pedal and one foot on the ground and slowly walk my bike into town. I hated to have to do this, but I felt it was too dangerous to ride.

On Tuesday, it snowed all day from Ennis to West Yellowstone. It stuck on the ground, on my outerwear, and on my bike, but since it was in the low 30's, it did not stick to the road. There was no wind, just snow. It got to the point where I was going stir crazy and not concentrating on my riding and had to force myself to focus.

I have traveled between 1400 - 1500 miles.

All is well, I am tired, but in good spirits.

Talk again next week.

Larry

CROSSED THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

2007-05-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I chose to start my ride in Astoria, Oregon, as this is where Lewis and Clark ended their exploration. On the route, the Pacific West Corridor, which is from the Cascades to the Ocean, is where I experienced the rain, sleet, and snow. Last week, the weather has been sunny, and I must admit, I am glad to be out of the rain. Temperatures have been in the low 40's and high 70's.

I made it through the Blue Mountains and over the three passes of Dixie, Tipton, and Sumpter. I was glad to get that behind me. I went through Baker City, which is a cool little town in the High Mountain Plateau. I stopped at a National Park Exhibit that was interpretive of the Oregon Trail. In the mid-1800's, tens of thousands of American settlers closed their businesses, sold their farms, and packed up their families for a 2000 mile journey across the Oregon Trail and the mountains to get to the West Coast. The park exhibit was up on a ridge with scenic views of the Blue Mountains where visitors can learn about the environment and what the pioneers experienced along the trail. I can only imagine the challenges that they faced. The exhibit explained that the settlers knew if they made it through the Blue Mountains then they still had to cross the Cascades. Many people died and only one-third of the people made it through the mountains. It has been interesting to observe all of the history.

The last couple of days I have been in the Bitterroot Mountains, which have been mostly in Idaho. After today, I will be leaving the Bitterroot Mountains over Lolo Pass for a rest day in Missoula, Montana. The Bitterroot Mountains are beautiful with no services for over 70 miles. I had to carry extra water. Last night, I stayed at the Wilderness Inn, and believe me, it was in the middle of the wilderness. The towns are very small and very rustic (Lowell had a population of 23). I have been leaving at 6:00 a.m. and riding 6 to 8 hours. Very long days with two-thirds of my time on the bike climbing, and one-third of my time have been in the flats and downhill.

I got a glimpse of two bears along the Salmon River. In the Blue Mountains I saw big-horn sheep. In the Bitterroot Mountains I saw Elk. For the last 100 miles, I have been on the Lewis and Clark Trail. It was explained to me that Lewis and Clark were very disappointed that the Little Salmon, Salmon, Clearwater, and the Payette Rivers were too aggressive to navigate. They are major rivers that are three to four times larger than the James River. I met three guys that are expert rafters and they are taking the Clearwater River down to the Salmon River. From what I have seen from the road, these rivers look very dangerous. I wish them good luck.

Well, today I think the realization of my undertaking of this ride has set in. I am very tired. I have one more day to ride and then a rest day!

Thanks for every one's prayers, good wishes, and support.

Talk again in a week.

Larry

AMTHRAX SCARE!!

2007-05-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

Message From Vicki:

I took Friday off to work in my garden. While planting flowers, my cell phone rings. It is Julie Gray from O'Reilly Auto Parts Corporate Office informing me that the Missoula, Montanna Post Office is on the phone and they have stopped operations because a white powder substance is on the outside of a package addressed to Larry. I had mailed a supply package to Larry for him to pick up in Missoula so I immediately knew what had happened. The protein powder I had mailed him had somehow leaked out of the plastic bag. Julie transferred the Post Office Inspector to me and I informed her that I had mailed the package and the substance was a protein powder for my boss who was riding his bike across the country. They asked me what kind of protein powder it was and then thanked me for clearing this up for them. Apparently, they had googled Larry and found out that he was associated with O'Reilly Auto Parts. Nancy, said they left two messages on their answering machine at home, and after not reaching anyone there, called the company.

So after hanging up the phone, I then got concerned that he would not have enough protein powder since I had no way of knowing how much had leaked out. So I drove to the office and called the Missoula Post Office. I asked the Postal Inspector to open the box to see if any of the powder was left. I was informed that they would open the box, but from the looks of all the powder that was on their conveyor system, they suggested I send more, which I did.

So that is my story from Larry's ride.

REST DAY!!

2007-05-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone,

I am happy to report all is well. My ride started off a day earlier than I had planned. I discovered that the McKenzie Pass was closed because a snow avalanche destroyed the road and it was being reconstructed. This required me to take the Santiam Pass and make last minute changes to my route. The first three days it rained consistently all day.

On day four, I camped at Detroit Lake, which is an upper elevation lake in the Cascade Mountains that supplies power for the State Capitol of Salem, where I stayed the night before.

Santiam Pass was closed the day before I had planned to tackle it due to snow. Park rangers informed me on day five that it was now open, so from my campground in Detroit Lake, it was on to Sisters, Oregon, which is the town at the high point of the pass. I started through the pass and have never ridden in rain that turned to sleet, then snow. The temperature was in the 20's so the snow did not stick. Because of the rising temperatures, steam was coming off the road making it very difficult to see. It was a very different experience for me in my riding travels. I was well prepared with proper cold-weather cycling gear. I was never cold, and once I got started, it was comfortable riding.

The Cascade Mountains are amazing. They are experiencing their first signs of spring with localized wildflowers blooming and numerous varieties of massive ferns. The north center of the mountains has springs and waterfalls that are breathtaking. It is so very different from the Rocky Mountains because it is on the Pacific Ocean coast. Very beautiful!

Next stop is heading east of of Sisters down a valley to a more higher-plains plateau. The weather is much drier and warmer. Yea!! I reached John Day and it is a rest day. On to the Blue Mountains and tomorrow may possibly be one of the most difficult days of the trip. There are three passes to cross - Dixie, Tipton, and Sumpter. So tomorrow's objective is to reach Sumpter.

So all is well in bike, body and mind. Talk again in a week.

Larry

Rain and Sleet

2007-05-03T15:19:00.000-07:00

Larry is still in Oregon and road 80 miles yesterday. He had to endure rain and sleet, but made it safely to his destination. He said that it is a very rugged, mountainous coast that is very remote with very few services or places to stay. Cedar is logged in this area and he was passed by many trucks on narrow roads hauling lumber. He said that was not very fun. The temperatures have been in the high 50's and low 40's.

Tomorrow will be one of his toughest days of the trip. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

And Larry's Off!

2007-05-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

Monday, April 30, marks the first day of Larry's journey across America. Stay tuned for more of Larry's adventures as he peddles his way for a cure.

Send Off Party

2007-05-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

Larry's brother, David O'Reilly, hosted a SEND OFF PARTY at his lovely home on Saturday, April 21, in Nixa, MO. Above is a picture of Larry and his siblings Rosalie, Charlie and David.