What should I make sure to see on the way?

Greetings!

I've had tons of questions about my cross country ride, and thought doing a blog could be a fun way to communicate, share stories, meet up with friends on the way and post photos.

So ... the route and schedule are posted below. Give my your travel advice. I'd really hate to bike obliviously by great sites, food or kitsch. So have a look at the schedule and recommend local food specialities, local sites, tacky tourist opportunities, secret swimming holes or opportunities for a visit if I'm passing through your town.

Thanks!

Trip Schedule and hotel contact information

2009 Cross Country Challenge

Day 0 Saturday, June 6, 2009
Holiday Inn Express, 1250 Bayshore Hv.'Y" Burlingame, CA 94010
650-347-2381 FAX 650-685-8838

Day 1 Sunday, June 7,2009
San Francisco to Viejo, CA 73 miles, 3300 feet climb
Quality Inn, 44 Admiral Callaghan Ln., Vallejo, CA 94591
707-643-1061 FAX 707-643-4719

Day 2 Monday, June 8, 2009
Viejo CA - Sacramento CA 68 miles, 1100 feet climbing
Best Western Sandman, 236 Jibboom St., Sacramento, CA 95814
916-443-6515 FAX 916-443-8346

Day 3 Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Sacramento - Auburn CA 51 miles, 2380 feet climbing
Comfort Inn, 1875 Auburn Ravine Rd., Auburn, CA 95603
530-885-1800 FAX 530-888-6424

Day 4 Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Auburn CA - Truckee CA 74 miles, 8450 feet climbing (ouch!)
Best Western Truckee Tahoe Inn, 11331 Brockway Rd., Truckee, CA 96161
530-587-4525 FAX 530-587-8173

Day 5 Thursday, June 11,2009
Truckee - Sparks NV 65 miles, 4750 feet climbing
Holiday Inn, 55 East Nugget Ave., Sparks, NV 89431
775-358-6900 FAX 775-359-6065

Day 6 Friday, June 12, 2009
Sparks NV - Lovelock NV 91 miles, 3250 feet climbing
Sturgeon's Inn, 1420 Cornell Ave. orp.a. Box 56, Lovelock, NV 89419
775-273-2971 FAX 775-273-2278

Day 7 Saturday, June 13,2009
Lovelock NV - Winnemucca NV 72 miles, 1520 feet climbing
Best Western, 921 West Winnemucca Blvd., Winnemucca, NV 89445
775-623-6999 FAX 775-623-9190

Day 8 Sunday, June 14, 2009
Winnemucca NV - Battle Mountain NV 55 miles, 1650 feet climbing
Comfort Inn, 521 East Front St., Battle Mountain, NV 89820
775-635-5880 FAX 775-635-5788

Day 9 Monday, June 15,2009
Battle Mountain, NV - Elko NV 72 miles, 2500 climbing
High Desert Inn, 3015 Idaho Street, Elko, NV 89801
775-738-8425 FAX 775-753-7906

Day 10 Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Elko NV - Wendover UT 108 miles, 3350 feet climbing
The Rainbow, 1045 Wendover Blvd., P.O. Box 2457, Wendover, NV 89883
775-664-4000 FAX 775-664-6736

Day 11 Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Wendover UT - Salt Lake City UT 117 miles, 1450 climbing
Airport Comfort Inn, 200 N. Admiral Byrd Rd., Salt Lake City, UT 84116
801-746-5200 FAX 801-532-4721

Day 12 Thursday, June 18,2009 (Rest Day) finally!
Airport Comfort Inn, 200 N. Admiral Byrd Rd., Salt Lake City, UT 84116
801-746-5200 FAX 801-532-4721

Day 13 Friday, June 19, 2009
Salt Lake - Provo 65 miles, 1850 feet climbing
Fairfield Inn, 1515 South University Ave., Provo, UT 84601
801-377-9500 FAX 801-377-9591

Day 14 Saturday, June 20,2009
Provo - Price UT 75 miles, 3930 climbing
Holiday Inn, 838 Westwood Blvd., Price, UT 84501
435-637-8880 FAX 435-637-7707

Day 15 Sunday, June 21, 2009
Price - Green River UT 67 miles, 1300 feet climbing
Holiday Inn Express, 1845 E. Main St., P.O. Box 659, Green River, UT 84525
435-564-4439 FAX 435-564-3333

Day 16 Monday, June 22, 2009
Green River - Grand Junction CO 96 miles, 3600 climbing
West Gate Inn, 2210 Hwy. 6 & 50, Grand Junction, CO 81505
970-241-3020 FAX 970-243-4516

Day 17 Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Grand Junction - Montrose 70 miles, 3130 climbing
Econolodge, 2100 E. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401
970-240-8000 FAX 970-240-4770

Day 18 Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Montrose - Gunnison 63 miles, 5050 climbing
Day's Inn, 701 West Hwy. 50, Gunnison, CO 81230
970-641-0608 FAX 970-641-2854

Day 19 Thursday, June 25, 2009
Gunnison - Salida CO, 66 miles, 4080 climbing
Gateway Inn & Suites, 1310 East Hwy. 50, Salida, CO 81201
719-539-2895 FAX 719-539-2953

Day 20 Friday, June 26, 2009
Salida - Pueblo CO, 95 miles, 2500 climbing
Holiday Inn, 4530 Dillon Dr., Pueblo, CO 81008
719-542-8888 FAX 719-542-8889

Day 21 Saturday, June 27, 2009 (Rest Day)
Holiday Inn, 4530 Dillon Dr., Pueblo, CO 81008
719-542-8888 FAX 719-542-8889

Day 22 Sunday, June 28, 2009
Pueblo CO - Lamar CO 121 miles, 1100 climbing
Best Western Cow Palace Inn, 1301 N. Main, Lamar, CO 81052
719-336-7753 FAX 719-336-9598

Day 23 Monday, June 29, 2009
Lamar - Garden City KS 105 miles, 1000 climbing
Comfort Inn, 2608 E. Kansas Ave., Garden City, KS 67846
620-275-5800 FAX 620-276-2204

Day 24 Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Garden City - Dodge City KS 51 miles, 650 climbing
Dodge House Hotel, 2408 West Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City, KS 67801
620-225-9900 FAX 620-227-5012

Day 25 Wednesday, July 1,2009
Dodge City - Great Bend KS, 85 miles, 280 feet climbing
Highland Hotel & Conv. Center, 3017 West Tenth St., Great Bend, KS 67530
620-792-2431 FAX 620-792-5561

Day 26 Thursday, July 2, 2009
Great Bend - McPherson KS 64 miles, 510 climbing
Best Western, 2211 E. Kansas Ave., McPherson, KS 67460
620-241-5343 FAX 620-241-8086

Day 27 Friday, July 3, 2009
McPherson KS - Abilene KS 64 miles, 525 climbing
Holiday Inn Express, 110 E. Lafayette Ave., Abilene, KS 67410
785-263-4049 FAX 785-263-3201

Day 28 Saturday, July 4, 2009
Abilene - Topeka KS 108 miles, 3300 climbing
Holiday Inn West, 605 SW Fairlawn Rd., Topeka, KS 66606
785-272-8040 FAX 785-272-8762

Day 29 Sunday, July 5,2009
Topeka - St. Joseph MO 88 miles, 2850 climbing
Drury Inn, 4213 Frederick Blvd., St. Joseph, MO 64506
816-364-4700 FAX 888-213-7720

Day 30 Monday, July 6, 2009 (Rest Day)
Drury Inn, 4213 Frederick Blvd., St. Joseph, MO 64506
816-364-4700 FAX 888-213-7720

Day 31 Tuesday, July 7,2009
St. Joseph MO - Chillicothe, MO 89 miles, 3350 climbing
Best Western Inn, 1020 s. Washington, Chillicothe, MO 64601
660-646-0572 FAX 660-646-1274

Day 32 Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Chillicothe MO - Kirksville MO 83 miles, 4300 climbing
Day's Inn, 3805 s. Baltimore, Kirksville, MO 63501
660-665-8244 FAX 660-665-8244

Day 33 Thursday, July 9, 2009
Kirksville MO - Quincy IL 97 miles, 2950 climbing
Comfort Inn, 4122 Broadway, Quincy, IL 62305
217-228-2700 FAX 217-228-2700

Day 34 Friday, July 10,2009
Quincy IL - Springfield IL 106 miles, 1750 climbing
Day's Inn, 3000 Stevenson, Springfield, IL 62701
217-529-0171 FAX 217-529-9431

Day 35 Saturday, July 11,2009
Springfield - Champaign IL 97 miles, 790 climbing
Comfort Inn, 305 Marketview Drive, Champaign, IL 61821
217-352-4055 FAX 217-352-4055

Day 36 Sunday, July 12, 2009
Champaign IL - Crawfordsville IL 82 miles, 1100 climbing
Quality Inn, 2500 N. Lafayette Rd., Crawfordsville, IN 47933
765-362-8700 FAX 765-362-8700

Day 37 Monday, July 13,2009
Crawfordsville IN - Indianapolis IN 62 miles, 700
Comfort Suites, 515 S. West St., Indianapolis, IN 46225
317-631-9000 FAX 317-822-4100

Day 38 Tuesday, July 14,2009 (Rest Day)
Comfort Suites, 515 S. West St., Indianapolis, IN 46225
317-631-9000 FAX 317-822-4100

Day 39 Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Indianapolis - Richmond IN 74 miles, 1050 climbing
Holiday Inn, 5501 National Road East, Richmond, IN 47374
765-966-7511 FAX 765-966-4612

Day 40 Thursday, July 16,2009
Richmond - Marysville OH 104 miles, 2010 climbing
Super 8,16510 Square Drive, Marysville, OH 43040
937-644-8821 FAX 937-644-8821

Day 41 Friday, July 17,2009
Marysville OH - Wooster OH 104 miles, 3800 climbing
Best Western, 243 E. Liberty St., Wooster, OH 44691
330-264-7750 FAX 330-262-5840

Day 42 Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wooster OH - Niles OH 93 miles, 3000 climbing
Country Inn & Suites, 5570 Interstate Blvd., Youngstown, OR 44515
330-544-0300 FAX 330-544-0301

Day 43 Sunday, July 19,2009
Niles OH - Erie PA 96 miles, 1450 climbing
Avalon Hotel, 16 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501
814-459-2220 FAX 814-459-2322

Day 44 Monday, July 20, 2009 (Rest Day)
Avalon Hotel, 16 West 10th Street, Erie, PA 16501
814-459-2220 FAX 814-459-2322

Day 45 Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Erie PA - Hamburg NY 81 miles, 1450 climbing
Comfort Inn & Suites, 3615 Commerce PI., Hamburg, NY 14075
716-648-2922 FAX 716-648-2904

Day 46 Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Hamburg NY - Canandaigua NY 94 miles, 3850 climbing
Super 8, 4450 Eastern Blvd., Canandaigua, NY 14424
585-396-7224 FAX 585-396-7333

Day 47 Thursday, July 23, 2009
Canandaigua NY - Liverpool NY 69 miles, 2150 climbing
Clarion Inn, 401 Seventh North St., Liverpool, NY 13088
315-451-6000 FAX 315-451-0193

Day 48 Friday, July 24, 2009
Liverpool NY - Little Falls NY 79 miles, 1600 climbing
Knights Inn, 20 Albany Street, Little Falls, NY 13365
315-823-4954 FAX 315-823-4507

Day 49 Saturday, July 25, 2009
Little Falls NY - Latham NY 83 miles, 2100 climbing
Ramada, 946 New Loudon Rd., Latham, NY 12110
518-783-6162 FAX 518-783-0154

Day 50 Sunday, July 26, 2009
Latham - Brattleboro VT 77 miles, 5050 climbing
Holiday Inn Express, 100 Chickering Dr., Brattleboro, VT 05301
802-257-2400 FAX 802-257-8616

Day 51 Monday, July 27, 2009
Brattleboro VT - Manchester NH 86 miles, 6000 climbing
Comfort Inn, 298 Queen City Ave., Manchester, NH 03102
603-668-2600 FAX 603-668-2600

Day 52 Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Manchester NY - Portsmouth NY 62 miles 2500 feet climbing
Best Inn, 383 Woodbury Ave., Portsmouth, NH 03801 603-431-4400 FAX 603-43 J -4845

July 29 - fly home to Seattle