From Portland to Buffalo
Johsnton bikes America for summertime fling

GUILDERLAND — Warm sun shining down with the wind to your back while riding across wide-open country through various parks and little towns that dot the landscape — all the while meeting friendly locals who offer food, shelter, and a good story along the way.
Sounds like the great American adventure, right"

For Altamont native Emily Johnston, it was all that and more, rolled into one summer trip.

Johnston rode her bicycle from Portland, Ore., to Buffalo, N.Y., in just under two months on her first-ever bike trip. After hearing story after story of her boyfriend Anders Gunnersen’s trip across the United States two years ago, Johnston decided to make the trek herself.
"We both didn’t have any plans so we figured we could have an adventure," Johnston said of the trip she made with Gunnersen. They flew out from Buffalo and landed in Portland, then from June 22 to Aug. 18, they peddled back to Buffalo where it all began.
"I’ve only been cycling since the trip; I never really rode before," Johnston told The Enterprise. "When you’re riding, bugs just stick to your sweat."

Johnston is a 2001 Guilderland High School graduate and a 2005 University of Buffalo graduate with a dual major in anthropology and psychology.

The couple rode north from Portland towards Seattle before heading back east along the Northern Tier.
"We had a fantastic time. At first we worried we’d get sick of each other from spending every day together"but we had so much fun," Johnston said. "I liked eating anything that I wanted — lots of fast food, anything greasy."

Only carrying the essentials and camping most of the way, Johnston and Gunnersen kept their costs down.
"We actually traveled very light. We saw a lot of other bikers who seemed to have a lot more gear than us," said Johnston. "We were scrimping pretty much the whole way. We saved $2,000 each before the trip, but we only ended up spending about $1,200"It’s a cheap way to travel."

Johnston said she fell in love with the biker-friendly Oregon State Parks, with their picturesque views, well-maintained trails, and low-cost campsites, affording an occasional shower or two along the way.
"I actually have a sticker on my bike now that says, ‘I heart Oregon State Park,’ because it was just so nice," said Johnston.

Heading east

The trip east had its ups and downs — literally.
"We went over the Cascades and we went over the Rockies"The Cascades were kind of tough," said Johnston. "We made it to the top and then coasted all the way down.
"The toughest day was in eastern Washington," Johnston said. "Apparently there’s a desert in eastern Washington."It was 110 degrees in the shade, and there was no shade."

Peddling through intense sun and high temperatures, Johnston began to worry about water conservation between stops. The extreme environment cut down their pace from an average of 12 miles per hour to about 4 miles, according to Johnston.
"We just kept riding and riding, wondering where the next stop was because we starting to get low on water. It seemed like it took forever," Johnston said.

The couple’s nervousness subsided once they reached the next town and were able to restock their supplies.

There was only one incident where they stopped because of the conditions, she said. Gunnersen began suffering from heat stress, and they stopped near a farm where they were given fresh water and rested in the shade for about half-an-hour before continuing.

Johnston’s only unpleasant incident was a small crash on some broken asphalt alongside a road.
"I was following right behind Anders and couldn’t see the broken asphalt ahead of him. I hit it and then spilled onto the side of road and got some scrapes. I still have some of the marks now," Johnston said, pointing to some scars on her arm.

Stories galore

There were many stories along the 3,000-plus miles across the country, Johnston told The Enterprise. Going from park to park and small town to small town, the couple was given concert tickets in one town and also attended a customer-appreciation party in Montana where they were given free steaks and beer.
"People were really nice to us everywhere," said Johnston.

However, it was the daily trials and tribulations that really made the trip special.
"One of the things that was so hard when I got back was that every day I had a goal. The feeling of accomplishment was nice," Johnston said. "I don’t like falling short of a goal. That feeling of accomplishment is really worthwhile."
Overall, Johnston described the cross-country trek as "an amazing trip," but said it did not provide the epiphany that many college and post-graduate people her age are looking for.
"I thought it would be this life-changing event that would open my eyes and provide all of this insight," said Johnston. "But it didn’t. It just gave me a really great summer."