Spokes and Stems Bicycle Tour

With the tour over for nearly two weeks now Spokes and Stems is slowly easing back into life beyond the roadside. I've started this process before Ben I guess, word reached me yesterday that he just finished what was supposedly a very wet ride from Seattle to Portland. On my side of things winter will most likely be spent in Missoula, Montana and the past week has been spent running around town finding solutions to two problems: being homeless and unemployed. When you're on your bike neither of these two issues are problems, so long as you can find enough to eat and the weather doesn't beat you into submission. Now, getting off the road though, it's time to find a place to call home, at least for a little while, and get jobs. Whatever the cards I'm dealt in the days ahead the two things I really hope not to forget from this tour are: the kindness of strangers and most people in general, and secondly, the need to slow my days down so they don't pass in a haze of schedules and things to do. Even though my roadside days are over, for now that is, I hope that in my life I won't walk around terrified of the people around me or even be very skeptical of them. I doubt I'll be terrified, it's not really my nature. However, the subtle ways in which humans, or maybe more so Americans, come to fear one another is what I don't want to slip into. After this summer, meeting so many good people, I feel like I would being doing a dis-service to the world by forgetting the goodness that has found me in front of gas stations, foodstores, or just past the little white line on the highway. I wonder how many people have been treated as well as Spokes and Stems has been in a country that according to the media is filled with crazy people. However many have, I hope never to forget the goodness which is quietly around me. Secondly I hope the pace of my life never outstrips the pace of my brain and body. In a technological world we can rely on many things to propel our lives and allow us to get more done. At what point though does life merely get to fast. I think this is a personal question, but I'm beginning to realize that my life should only go as fast as I can make it without too much help, living like you ride I guess. My life is proof I like getting things done, but there's a point for me that getting so many things done seems worthless, almost like I haven't done them because they were such a blur and I hope to stay away fromt hat point as much as possible.

Well that wraps up my rant and it may very well be the last one which graces the pages of this site. There might be more to come in terms of writing about Spokes and Stems but that will all be figured out this winter. Anyway I'd just like to throw out one last thanks to all the people in this country who helped us out. America is a great country and I can assure everyone, it's got everything to do with the people who live here. Keep in touch.

Steve Cash

Here’s the second and final list of the trees we’ve planted during our journey. The names included are all people who I’m pretty certain wouldn’t mind being associated with our tour. If anyone would like their name to be posted or removed simply let me know and I can make it happen. Email me at cashman83@yahoo.com and use the subject SpokesandStems so it doesn’t get tossed by the mail system. Also if you see any incorrect spellings, locations, or any other problems email me and I’ll resolve it. And by the way Missoula was left with the biggest SpokesandStems trail of Green throughout the entire tour, 22 trees in total. So whooo hoo!!!! for MO-town 

- Steve Cash

Tree # and Species                                                                  Locations and People

46. Serbian Spruce                            Rotary Homestead Park, Lenny, Dean and Steve Cleveland, OH
47. Red Maple                                                                                     Hartzler Dairy, Wooster, OH
48. Red Maple                                                                                                 Hillsboro, OH
49. Sugar Maple                                                                                              Monterey, OH
50. Serbian Spruce                                                                                               Medora, IN
51. Red Maple                                                                                                     Sumner, IL
52. Serbian Spruce                                                                     Holly Residence, Odion, IL  
53. Serbian Spruce                                                                                              Tinton, MO
54. Sugar Maple                                                                                                  Tinton, MO
55. Red Maple                                                          Don and Barb Grewenbacher, Manhattan, KS
56, 57. Sugar Maple                                                                                     Clay Center, KS
58. Serbian Spruce                                                                                                Bailey, CO
59, 60. Hybrid Poplar                                                                                             Maysville, CO
61-66. Colorado Blue Spruce                                          Community Elem. School, Gunnison, CO
67. Serbian Spruce                                    Grand Junction Botannical Garden, Grand Junction, CO
68. Honeylocust                                                                   Roadsters Grill, Al, Preston, ID           
69. Honeylocust                                                               Town Park/ Fairgrounds Preston, ID
69-71. Honeylocust and Serbian Spruce                                             Ross Park, Pocatello, ID
72. Honeylocust                                           Crystal’s House (Owl Club Bartender) Salmon, ID
73-76. Ponderosa Pine                                                         Greenough Park, Missoula, MT
77-87. Colorado Blue Spruce                                                           Peas Farm, Missoula, MT
87,88. Honeyloucst and Red Maple                                   Schmidt Residence, Missoula, MT
89, 90 Red Maple and Honeyloucst                                  Adventure Cycling, Missoula, MT*
91,92. Ponderosa Pine                                the One and Only Brace Hayden’s, Missoula, MT
93. Ponderosa Pine                                                   Chad Dear, Laurie Ashley Missoula, MT
94,95. Ponderosa Pine                                                           Gooen Residence, Missoula, MT*
96. Ponderosa Pine                                                                                       Plains, MT
97. Ponderosa Pine                                                                              Thompson Falls, MT
98. Dawn Redwood                                                                            Lowe Family, Colbert, WA*
99. Colorado Blue Spruce                   Rice Family (Richard, Kathy and Hank), Grand Coulee, WA*
100. Giant Sequoia                                                        Rice Family again, Grand Coulee, WA*
101. Honeylocust                                                                                               Pateros, WA
102. Giant Sequoia                                                                Sweet River Bakery, Pateros, WA*
103. Giant Sequoia                                 Dave Sweetwood and Libby Roberts, Coupeville(Whidbey Island), WA

* - tree was left with individual or organization for planting at a more opportune time. Reasons for leaving a tree in someone’s care as opposed to planting it first hand range from bad weather conditions for planting, to a person’s desire to further contemplate the placement of the tree.

Well as the title says that fateful day for Spokes and Stems has come, in fact it's come and gone. Two days ago now the wheels of our bicycles finally hit Cape Flattery in Neah Bay, WA. Sorry for the delay in updating the site, but after the finish the rain was ever after us so we waited till we hit safe haven in Seattle to break the news, safe haven being the one and only Darcey Miller in West Seattle (somehow her and I are related but it's easier to just call it cousins). It may sound funny but after the tour's end we actually had to turn around and ride back to Seatlle where Ben and I are figuring out our futures. And amazingly the one solid day of rain we got in the entire state of Washington came today as we headed from Bainbridge Island to West Seattle, somebody in the clouds must have pitied us. In terms of the finish the last half mile of the cape ride was actually done on foot as opposed to on wheel, it was a small footpath. Nonetheless the 5,391 miles are done, and the tree count rests proudly ever after at 102. In total it took a day short of 4 months to make the journey. Those four months however include a number of days that weren't spent riding. To sum up the tour at the moment is impossible, digesting such a venture will likely take months. It still hasn't settled in for Ben or I that we can say we've ridden our bikes across the country, the beginning in Maine still seems recent. In other respects, the toll and time the journey has taken seems all too obvious. One thing that is certain is that for the rest of our lives neither Ben nor I, will ever forget this ride. Both the miles of road and the multitude of great people, along with some wild road stories will last surely when our minds have begun to forget other parts of the lives we'll have lived by then. One other certainty about this ride is that it proved the greatness of this country. Not because of America's politics or even our rights, beyond that is the right to ride a bicycle, but greatness which is built upon being able to ride across this entire land and be absolutely positive you will meet good people. Often times people are allowed and even told to believe America is packed with hostile people, folks just waiting for their chance to get you. From someone who's put that belief to the test, it's not true. For sure the world has its bad, but after 5,000 plus miles Spokes and Stems is testament to the fact that America is still packed full of good folks. I'm not telling people not to be afraid of this or that, but do yourself a favor and get to know some of the other people in this country there really are some great ones out there. With that said I'm gonna wrap this entry up. If this feels a bit pre-mature it is. In the next two weeks or so we'll continue to update this blog and hopefully share some of our thoughts on the tour after getting to digest and decompress a bit. For now that's all.

Steve Cash

I'd like to send out a huge thanks to Dave Sweetwood and Libby Roberts for the place to stay and the wonderful hospitality on Whidbey Island. You guys rocks.  

A day later and low and behold Spokes and Stems has found time to get to computers. We've become a bit lazy and unconcerned with our daily mileages at this point, and have even decided to take yet another day off today. Only 120 miles remain, 2 days worth of riding, so we're just staving off the end for a day more. This entry comes from Coupeville, WA, just a few miles down the road from yesterday's posting. In yesterday's few miles Spokes and Stems was treated to some beautiful Pacific Northwest scenery as we cycled over Decpetion pass and were shown our first true view of the Pacific. Deception Pass isn't a mountain pass, but is instead a small inlet that is notorious among sea-farers for the way water funnels through its small passage, and has thus led to the destruction of many vessels. Along with the amazing pieces of the Pacific Spokes and Stems has seen the forests of this piece of the country are also amazing. After mile upon mile of western dryness to be in a place that is so green and alive looking is refreshing. The morning dew on the sleeping bags isn't refreshing, but then again having a reason to sit down and drink coffee or tea everyday for an hour, and let our gear dry, is fine with me. So the ride continues even if it is perhaps a bit wetter then before. Not much remains but it's pretty certain we'll get wet somewhere out on the Olympic Peninsula. to end this I'd like to give out the weekly thanks I've promised and give credit to some great Washingtonians.

Thanks go to: Hal and Patty for the place behind their RV at Steamboat Rock State Park, and for dinner, breakfast, and the good conversation; to Kathy and Richard Rice in Grand Coulee for lunch and the awesome stories and family history, you folks are the first people I've met who can claim a family line that has been on the same ground for nearly a hundred years, travelling is an amazing thing but so too is sticking it out on one piece of ground and getting to know that land so intimately; to Joe, Todd and Caleb for the place to stay in Winthrop and also for the awesome dinner, you guys represent the goodness of today's youth and hopefully life isn't too hard on Joe; and lastly to Libby and Dave whose house we've stayed at the past night and will be at tonight, meeting you in Pocatello and then getting to stay with you in Washington has been a wonderful coincedence, as always the road works in funny ways and Spokes and Stems is glad that we crossed paths. That's all for now  

Well in the few short days since this blog has been updated a lot has changed for Spokes and Stems. First and foremost, the tour has crossed the flats of Washington, climbed the Cascades, and reached Whidbey Island in western Washington. Today offered our first view of a small piece of the Pacific Ocean at Deception Pass and only a bit less then 200 miles remain before the tour's final destination is reached. Before going on I must say how amazing the Cascade mountains are. For those who have never seen the rugged peaks and spires which form the range it's something that shouldn't be missed by anyone who calls themself an American. In the tour's opinion it's one of the most beautiful areas we have had the chance to cycle through. So beautiful in fact that as two worn out cyclist, we still feel the 40 miles of climbing from Winthrop, Washington was definitely worth the effort. On top of the scenery the people of Washington must not be forgotten. Since our last post we have had the good graces of meeting a kind couple in their RV who allowed us to share a campsite with them and cooked us a couple of meals, a family who generations back, two years shy of a hundred, had homesteaded on their land, and a good group of fellows in Winthrop, WA who found Spokes and Stems sitting for a drink in the local brewery and offered us a place for the night. Any one of these folks I could spend hours talking about, but due to my library time limit I'll only say that all these people represent the truly amazing pieces of America's citizens. Fear not though becuase when I get to a computer where patrons aren't in line, these folks will get their due with longer explanations. And if all this wasn't enough the weather has been with us the whole way. At the moment Spokes and Stems has travelled nearly three-fourths of the way across Washington and has yet to get rained on. I'm a bit hesistant to say this as rain will surely get us in the days ahead on the Olympic Peninsula, but so far the sun has held and we've been in someone's good graces. The tree planting has slowed a bit, but nonetheless the tour has succeded in planting tree 101 trees so far, and hopes to get a few more before the end. The word itself almost sounds unbelievable, though only 3 or so days remain. After what now totals 5,200 miles it's hard to believe that the point will come when the tour will reach a point so far west that we can't keep going. Of course cycling will never be far from the lives of the tour members, but this trip is fast reaching its destination. In truth the end will surely be a jumble of emotion. At some points it means the road will no longer wind, and for once the tour members can begin to look forward to a more stable, and less transient life. At other points its sad to think that all the experiences which have been had on this tour will also reach an end. That once again we'll have to get jobs and all those sorts of things, start being "grownups" some might say, although I don't think that I could do more growing up working then I've done in the past four months. As is evident in this writing the end of this tour is something that will be unlike anything Ben or I have been through. For sure it will take a few months to fully digest what we've seen and been through on this bicycle tour. One thing that is for sure is that the tour couldn't have culminated in a better way. The weather, the people, the mood between Ben and I, have all allowed this last week to construct an absolutley amazing ending to a tour that has been all over the map in more ways then one. With that said I feel there's not too much else to be written. A more formal thanks, as formal as Spokes and Stems gets at least, will surely be posted to the good people we've met in Washington sometime soon. Till then get out and enjoy the road as much as we are and will continue to do.  

So these are the words of a kind grocery store clerk in Davenport, WA. On the back of Ben's bike the sign reads Maine to Washington, and low and behold Spokes and Stems has made it. Maybe we'll change the sign but it's doubtful, we've grown lazy as of late. In spite of reaching Washington the tour still has got to cross the state, and pedal to the end of the Olympic Penisula. Then we'll be done. Needless to stay Spokes and Stems is back on the road and is settled in for the home stretch of the ride. The Kelchlin wedding went according to plan, congratulations to Jackie and Adam again, and thanks to the wonderful support of the Lowe family in Colbert, WA, Spokes and Stems headed out of Spokane yesterday and resumed there journey west. the ride is slated to go through the rugged North Cascades park on highway 20 before hitting the coast. Hey, what's four more passes when you've already ridden a dozen or so? At the moment the road still seems a bit distant as both Ben and I are getting re-acquainted to the old friend but soon enough the wheels will roll with that same old feeling. In many ways the break seems to have done the tour good as both Ben and I seem to be a bit more refreshed and ready to go. Surely, the road is seeming a bit long, but with only about 500 miles left both tour members are keeping in mind that sometime soon, two weeks or so, a journey that will never be forgotten will finally meet its end. In that time though Spokes and Stems plans to enjoy what the road has to offer, and hopefully continue the trail of trees that already stretches most of the US. Last night even, in Davenport, Washington, Spokes and Stems was treated to a small miracle of the road as we crossed paths with a nameless Wheat farmer who bought us dinner and chatted with us as he drank his beer. Being away from the road you can easily forget the way in which chance works, and to meet such a kind fellow on our first night out again was a great reminder of the strange workings of the world. One thing that is beginning to loom on the tour is a dwindling in funding. We surely have enough to reach the coast, but the tour will surely involve a lot more cooking and fewer dinners. Fall is also beginning to set in so that's a bit of a worry but after the 4,896 miles we've ridden so far, who cares. As long as we can ride we will. With that said there's not much else to say, that captures the mood in Davenport at the moment pretty well. The last thing I'd like to say though is a big thank you again to the Lowe family. Without their hospitality and willingness to drive a number of times to and from Spokane airport, Spokes and Stems would be a bit more weary from the road. So thank you Ted and Carolyn. That's all for now.  

Thanks go to all those people in Missoula who let us plant trees: Members of the Parks and Recreation Department who helped us get some Ponderosas in Greenough Park; The Pea Farms, Spokes and Stems is always down with a good community farm/garden; Brace Hayden, who also has a rocking yard packed with native plants; Carey Schmidt and his wife, hopefully the dogs don't go to wild on the trees; and Chad Deer and Laurie Ashleigh who also have a rocking yard, and who hopefully don't overwater their Ponderosa.

Thanks beyond trees go to: Anyone who either feed us food or gave us a place to stay, the names are just to numerous; the one and only Kettlehouse, especially their bartender Mitchell, who very often gave us something to drink, keep brewing the good stuff; the folks down at Adventure Cycling who took interest in what we were doing and wondered why we had trees strapped on the back of our bikes; Missoula Free Cycles, not so much for giving us anything but more for allowing us to come and be apart of the amazing operation you guys have going on. Of any community bike shop I've been to Free Cycles is by far doing the best to get bikes into the community so check it out someday; Steven Handler and his girl friend Karen for holding onto our trees during our absence, and finally to Nicole Swenson for looking out for the trees at The Peas Farm.  

Well after such a long break Spokes and Stems is beginning to feel that funny twitch in the legs again as the road pleads for its two friends to come back. For anyone out there who doesn't know, the tour has been on hold for the past couple weeks to make way for the wedding of one Adam Blair, and one Jackie Kelchlin (Ben's sister). The wedding is still a couple days off so the riding won't resume until the 17th of September in Spokane, WA. From there all that remains is the great state of Washington, which will be crossed on either southern Highway 2 or the more northern Highway 20. Which highway will get graced by the wheels of the tour depends upon the autumn show of force mother nature decides to put on in the northwest for Ben and I. If the snows flying in the north Cascades we'll probablly end up down south on 2, though we've heard 20 is supposed to be amazing. Whatever road, whatever weather we'll hit that big Pacific Ocean someday.
Before I get too far ahead though I first like to make up for some time spent in Missoula, MT that hasn't yet gotten its due. So far Missoula stands as the place which has recieved the most plants of anywhere along the Spokes and Stems route, 18 in all. That number alone should give you an idea of the goodness of Missoula, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. Along with planting trees the Spokes and Stems boys were treated to good people, late and sometimes wild nights, some excellent food, and the amazing scenery which composes the five valleys, visible however only when the smoke isn't crazy like it was for a few days. One piece of the Missoula puzzle that did allude us for our stay was getting any press coverage. In spite of the high number of trees we palnted we weren't able to secure a single piece of coverage. I don't think it was that people weren't interested so much as it was high summer and there was lots of stuff going on in the media world. Anyway it's a very small black dot on a sunny day. So in many ways Missoula proved to be an excellent place to spend the longest break this tour will take. After three months on a bike, sharing most days with only one other person, it has definitely been good to take a break. This means that rather then hitting the Pacific tired and over the need to be biking, we'll hopefully be at a point where we are glad to be on our bikes and realizing just how lucky we are to have taken such a journey. Or maybe we'll simply be dirty and smelly and glad to be done with what will likely be 5,000 plus miles, the type of ending where you really need a bowl of Wheaties! Whatever the end brings Spokes and Stems isn't far off.

PS-this post comes to everyone from the great state of New York, the upstate part of it. And, no we didn't ride our bikes back for the wedding. They are waiting out west for our return and we've instead been getting in those nifty things called planes, which do so many hundred miles per hour compared to our meager ten to twenty.   

Thanks go out to: Terri and Deb Cash for the place to stay and the good directions, everybody at Portneuf Brewery on both sides of the counter, Bob Eldrige for the quick and unsuspected donation in Pocatello, Andy Hall and his grocery getter for a place to sleep and a fun night ride through town remember those 10 and 18, Dave and Libby Robberts for the donation and we're looking forward to seeing you guys in Washington, all the media folks in Pocatello, Channels 8 and 6 and the Idaho journal, without you guys people might think we were just riding our bikes, Crystal at the Owl Club for letting us plant a tree in her yard, keep those weeds down and water the little bugger, and the final thanks goes out to Jason Padden at Terra Nova nurseries for helping out with supplying trees. That's all for now.