Mapping The Route

Surprisingly, the easiest part of the trip has been mapping out the route. There aren't a lot of options for heading east from Seattle without adding a lot of unproductive, butt-sore, riding to the trip. The goal is to enjoy the journey--don't rush and don't waste too much time.

The first couple days will be easy: head east on I-90 through Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Once I get to Wyoming, I'll take the first planned detour: Devil's Tower National Monument. This place has been a fixture in my imagination since Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and has carried on to my present family life. We still make jokes at dinner whenever mashed potatoes are served, whispering, "this means something."

From DTNM, I'll take my next detour to Mt Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial. This will actually be a real test to see if I can relax for a couple days, do some sight-seeing, and not feel the need to rush east. It'll be important to build up my energy because the next leg of the trip is the hardest: South Dakota to Iowa.

I don't have a lot of expectations for this leg of the journey, yet. The map suggests long and straight roads. This can become boring if not managed right, and boring leads to sloppy riding. 

From Des Moines, the next planned stop will be around Indianapolis. I'd go directly to Columbus if I could but that's a long day to push it. It will be good to be back on campus at Ohio State, but that might need to wait a day.

The drive from Columbus to DC is very doable in a day--I've done it before--but it might be nice to stop for the night in Maryland on the outskirts of the metro area and then ride fresh into DC.

One of the big lingering decisions to make is whether I ride back home to Washington state or ship the bike and fly home.

The route east breaks down like this:

• Leave Redmond (dipping the tire will take place in the afternoon the day before) and drive east on I-90.
• Stay on I-90E through Spokane-Coeur d’Alene-Missoula-Butte-Billings-Sheridan.
• Hotel 1 night in Missoula (477 miles / 7 hrs 10 min)
• Camp 1 night at Devil’s Tower (1,117 miles / 16 hrs 21 min)
• Camp 2 nights at Mt Rushmore / Crazy Horse Memorial (1,234 miles / 18 hrs 33 min)
• Stay 1 night Des Moines (1,895 miles / 28 hrs)
• Stay 1 night Indianapolis (2,366 miles / 35 hrs)
• Stay 1 night Columbus (2,543 miles / 38 hrs)
• Arrive Washington DC (2,947 miles / 44 hrs)