Golden leaves and chilly temperatures signaled the arrival of fall as we departed from Libby, Montana. We cycled westward in hopes of reaching the milder Pacific Coast for the winter. But the Northern Cascades stood in our way, and we had to make it over the mountains before snow closed the high passes for the season. As we approached the Cascades, we cycled through the dry forests and open grasslands of the Okanogan region, following the path of several big rivers. And when we arrived in the mountains, good luck provided us with unseasonably warm and dry weather. We had a fabulous ride through some of the Northwest’s most scenic landscapes, without the hassle of summer crowds. In the end, we couldn’t have asked for a better ride.

We cycled for several hundred miles along the Rocky Mountain Trench, a deep, nearly straight, 1,000-mile rift between two of the region’s major mountain ranges. Along the way we discovered the headwaters of the Columbia River, disrupted a secret plot by a small band of wild turkeys, and eventually crossed the border back into the United States. With some deft planning, we also managed to piece together enough dentist appointments (in multiple cities) to finally take care of a nagging toothache. The mixture of gorgeous scenery and logistical complications ensured that each day was both hectic and an adventure on the way to Libby, Montana.

Heading east from Prince George, BC, we climbed steadily into the Northern Rocky Mountains. Before long we were cycling through some of the most majestic and stunning mountains we had ever seen. Power outages, campground closures, and a toothache had us constantly changing our plans. But each day we were rewarded with a sense of wonder at the vast wilderness of rock, ice and forests at the top of the world along the Icefields Parkway in Jasper and Banff National Parks.