Upon arriving at the Pacific Coast, we had entered a new world. We now cycled through the most densely populated part of Washington, albeit on more rural, secondary roads. Our route constantly rose and fell, as we traversed the stony ridges that form the backbone of Puget Sound’s islands. Evenings were marked by blazing orange sunsets. Mornings were shrouded in mist. And spooky sounds in the forest at night heralded the approach of Halloween, as we made our way south towards Oregon.

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.