This ride started participating in the 2025 TransAm Bike NonStop across America. Astoria, Oregon to Washington DC. This is what I trained for all winter with the help of Coach Max and many, many hours on my trainer. I also rode my fatbike to the mountain most days and skied 130 mornings in the ski season. Unlike the North Cape 4000 in 2023, I planned, planned and over planned for this ride with daily breakdowns, Komoot and Garmin GPX files and daily Evernote Points of Interest files. I was ready physically and knew what I had to do for 27 days averaging just over 137 miles per day.
The start was at 6:00 am from the Astoria Columbia River Maritime Museum. About 50 riders in total with variations on three different routes across the Country. It was a perfect day to ride with cool temps and overcast. What a fun start riding together until the two main routes separated. Everyone was in great spirits and excited about the journey and challenges that lie ahead.
Riding together, I got to Vernonia after the first 64 miles by 10:30am. A great start. I had targeted the super market in Vernonia as my first stop and resupply. It was fun riding with Jai, whom I had met on the 2023 North Cape 4000 ride, Michael from Manchester (red not blue), Vinny from Dublin Ireland, and a retired Dr from Alaska and she was a beast. Then off to Portland. The ride from Vernonia to Portland was beautiful along the Vernonia Trail for about 20 miles. Then back on rural roads.
I came into Portland via an alternate route that brought me by the Audubon Society along Cornell Road through a wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary and a few old tunnels. I dropped right down into Portland to Overton Street one of the main Bike Routes across the City. Once I got down to the river it took me a bit to find the bike path to the Steele Bridge across the Williamette river but I was there before 4:00 and still making great time. Once across the bridge it was mostly bike paths and cycleways out of Portland and on to Boring, Oregon. The Springwater Corridor Cycleway is fantastic and I met a local cyclist, 66, that regularly pounds the cycleway from Boring to Portland and back on his Trial bike. We rode together a bit but he was needing speed.
My original plan was to get to Boring and camp at Barton Campground but I got to Boring by 6:00 pm, early and a beautiful day out and feeling great. So on to my next goal of Estacada, Oregon. I reached Estacada about 7:00 pm after 151 miles for the day so far. I needed calories, preferable a meal. I stopped at Granny’s Burgers and Shakes and ordered a blue cheese burger, tots and a shake. While I was there, Vinny and the recombinant cyclist showed up. We started looking for area campgrounds on Google and located Promontory Campground about 8-10 miles out of town but on the route.
I rode with Vinny out to Promontory and then he rode on. He was going to ride late in the night. Vinny ended up finishing the TransAm to Washington DC in 6th place in only 19 days and 18 hours.
What a great first day. Setup tent as it was getting dark and had a great campsite. Feeling amazing and proud of a big first day.
