Cyclists riding cross-country stop in Havre

A father and son riding a tandem bicycle from North Dakota to Washington state arrived in Havre Tuesday.

Chris Fowler, 59, and Gordon Fowler, 27, were spotted Tuesday afternoon about five miles east of Havre on U.S. Highway 2. They were on their way to a Havre hotel and excited to take a two-day break from the road.

Chris Fowler said he looked forward to eating "a lot," and Gordon Fowler said he planned to "drink most things" once he arrived into town.

The Folwers don't always stay in hotels. They often camp out, they said.

Both men have obligations - Chris is a physical education teacher and Chris an accounting student - and this is the third year in which they have taken a summer bicycle trip. They estimate they will have ridden about 1,500 miles by the time they arrive at their stopping point of Wenatchee, Washington.

The summer bike trips was Chris Fowler's idea. The two joked that Chris sprung the idea on his son one day after he had enough drinks.

"I was absolutely ecstatic that he'll do this with me," Chris said, looking back on the time Gordon agreed.

The men said that cycling for such long periods of time is physically demanding and one of the hardest aspects of the trip. Gordon rides behind Chris and drives more of the load than his father. Gordon added his father also has a better view.

Chris Fowler said there are other unpleasant things about the trip.

He said there are scary times, moments when people yell things at them, swerve in their direction, throw things at them and honk their horns.

But people in Montana, he said, are "fantastic."

Once in Wenatchee, the Fowlers will fly back to South Bend, and the bicycle will be shipped back.