43 Hundred Miles

Day 91: Florence, OR

2008-08-01T15:36:00.000-07:00

I made it!

This morning was a cool and gloomy morning with typical rainy and foggy Oregon coast weather as we biked our last few miles into Florence. We found a spot under the Highway 101 bridge to do the wheel dipping ceremony. We sloshed through mud and high grass to get down into the water where my family took our pictures while it continued to rain on us...all apart of the adventure! I smiled all morning with a huge sense of accomplishment knowing I had accomplished a life goal of riding coast to coast that I have been dreaming about for four years.

The picture above was taken with my phone, but I will post more pictures when I get to a proper computer.

Day 83: Baker City, OR (rest day)

2008-07-24T11:09:00.001-07:00

pictures...

Old Timer's Day Festival - Jackson, MT

Jackson, MT

At the Adventure Cycling Association's office, they took portraits of each of us for posterity. (Missoula, MT)

Missoula has a giant concrete "M" on a hillside overlooking Missoula and the valley. I took the 15 minute hike up the hill. It is a breathtaking view. This is a picture of a tired kid who just hiked up the steep hill and is resting against the base of the "M".

A view from the "M"

We followed this river during our 80 mile downhill from Lolo pass.

Another bike tourist. Check out his homemade panniers.

I had to yell the cheesy line from the Titanic movie: "I'm king of the world!" This picture was taken between Grangeville and White Bird, ID.

Pete is known to draft (a little too close) so he doesn't have to fight the headwinds. We joke about the face we see in our rear view mirrors, so Terry asked Pete to pose for a picture giving his drafting face. Cait has scolded Pete many times for drafting to close behind us, but you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Between Grangeville and White Bird, ID

Switchbacks near White Bird, ID - check them out on Google Maps

Changing another flat tire...I believe this is my fourth puncture during the trip.

I always love seeing animals outside of their pen. (near Riggins, ID)

near Riggins, ID

Old farm equipment - seen everywhere in the middle of nowhere

Cait rigged a flower on her bike. Notice how the stem goes into her water bottle...ingenious. It reminds me of how girls put a flower in their VW Bugs.

Entering Hell's Canyon - There was a cold rain before we entered, so thankfully it was not hot as it is known to be. I was told that last years group had 110 degree weather when they passed through Hell's Canyon.

Brownlee Reservior in Hell's Canyon

The last one!

I had my eyes peeled, but didn't see any.

Hell's Canyon

Picking roadside black berries in Hell's Canyon...

...and they were good!

The original ruts of the Oregon Trail (east of Baker City, OR)

Sunset beyond the mountains (Baker City, OR)

Day 79: Riggins, ID

2008-07-20T20:00:00.001-07:00

We took a rest day in Missoula several days ago which is where the Adventure Cycling Association office is located. They give ice cream and soda to all the bike tourists who drop into their office. They gave us a tour of their office which has a lot of neat pictures and old bikes from the BikeCentennial. They gave us a picnic lunch and we got to meet and swap stories with all the employees. There are about 20 employees and nearly all of them commute to work by bike. Actually, Missoula is a bike-friendly city with lots of bike paths. The cars often insisted that we get the right-of-way. Of all the cities I have seen on this trip thus far, I'd like to return to Missoula to spend some time getting to know the city.

After Missoula, we crossed Lolo Pass which is the border beyween Montana and Idaho and followed a river downhill for about 80 miles. It was a great ride, especially being downhill, and tall pines and hillsides overshadowed the road and river. At times, the river reminded me of the movie "A River Runs Through It." There were a lot of river rafters and fly fishermen. The route follows the route that Lewis and Clark took on their expedition, so the roadside is littered with historical markers about them. The three days out of Missoula, I felt like I was in the middle of nowhere and there were very few services, much less phone reception. I am surprised we did not see a bear because it sure did look like bear country. I had an amazing sighting of a bald eagle. He flew directly at me and swooped 20 feet above my head...made my day.

Tonight we are sleeping in Riggins, ID which seems to exist merely to support rafting tourists. The town is in a valley between two very steep mountains. One thing I have enjoyed about this trip is seeing how quickly the scenery, vegetation, wildlife, etc. changes. Just 50 miles back, the mountains were covered by evergreens, but here it is somewhat arid and pretty hot (not Texas hot though). Idaho is a state that I never hear or think much about, but I have been shocked by how beautiful northern Idaho is. I would enjoy bike touring through this area again in the future.

I am sitting in a restaurant as I type this out on my iPhone. The rest of my group just left and apparently had a conversation with an old man outside who just entered and sat at the table next to me with a group of people. The old man said to the rest of his table: "Those people out there are amazing... Guess what they are doing?!? 43 hundred some odd miles on bikes! That sounds like a crash course in death or maybe a preparation for the rest of life." I wonder if he is right...

As soon as I get to a proper computer I will post plenty of pictures. Hang tight.

Cows...

2008-07-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

Pete and I came across this herd of cows being transported to another location via the highway and blocking a line of cars. I guess cows have the right-of-way. This was near Sheridan, MT. Enjoy...

(The video is shaky because the camera is mounted on my handlebars.)

Day 71: Dillon, MT

2008-07-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Since my last post, we have seen some amazing places. We spent the 4th of July at Colter Bay in Teton National Park where there is a spectacular view of Jackson Lake with the Tetons towering over the lake on the other side. The ride through Teton Park is beautiful with lots of wild flowers, tall trees and wildlife. I took a detour off the route to visit Jackson Hole Ski Resort where I ate lunch at the base of the ski slopes then took a pleasant bike path to Jackson. We had a rest day in Jackson and I met up with a college buddy to hang out for the day.

Leaving Jackson, we had quite a climb over Teton Pass with an incline of 9% for 5.5 miles. It was much more difficult than Hoosier Pass but still does not compare to the roller coaster of the Appalachian and Ozark Mountains. Crossing mountain passes are always rewarding with a steep downhill on the other side. Rick's inner tube blew out on the way down from his breaks over heating the rim.

Shortly after Teton Pass we entered Idaho. It was really pretty with green rolling hills and mountains in the distance. At first I was surprised at how green everything seemed, but then noticed they were constantly watering their fields of potatoes. We were in Idaho for two days and entered Montana at West Yellowstone where we took two rest days. We did not bike through the park because the tourists in their RVs would have run us over. My mom and sister flew up to visit me and tour Yellowstone. Driving through the park is a good way to see a lot, but was difficult to fully enjoy from within the car. Old Faithful and "Artist's Point" were highlights in addition to the buffalo herds, moose, bald eagles, etc. I had a woundedful time with mom and Sheridan and they enjoyed camping with us and meeting the rest of the gang.

In other news, a mosquito found itself inside of my tent the other night and landed on the screen lining of the tent. I flicked him with my finger and all the blood inside of him that he had sucked out of the local mammals splatered and stained the inside of my tent.

This was a taken at a beautiful pond east of Jackson Hole. The peaks and their reflection in the water took my breath away when I first saw the pond.

There's still snow...
(picture taken east of Jackson Hole)

Jackson Lake with the Tetons in the background

Teton National Park

a moose

When you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, this is the only guy around to talk to.

I am assuming these are the famous potatoes of Idaho. (near Ashton, ID)

A roadside field of yellow (near Ashton, ID)

yet another border

Old Faithful - Faithful to the clock, it erupts every 90 minutes.

Everyone who comes to Yellowstone sits on the edge of their seat to watch Old Faithful.

The runoff from the thermal pools in Yellowstone often look like martian soil. (My sister Sheridan)

A view from "Artist's Point" in Yellowstone

Pretending to be tough...

tough guy

Earthquake Lake is west of Yellowstone and was formed from an earthquake when a part of the mountain fell across the Madison River forming a dam.

I don't know what this is all about but thought it was picture-worthy. The truck is spray painted to say "No Trespassing". (West of Ennis, MT)

This bright field of flowers welcomed me into Ennis, MT.

Virginia City, MT

Real taffy (Virginia City)

Come as you are and tie up your horse to the post. (Nevada City)

Nevada City, MT

All the farmers wave (between Virginia City and Nevada City)

This one is for you sister.

Pete visits an oasis lemonade stand (Sheridan, MT)

Day 60: Lander, WY

2008-07-01T14:54:00.000-07:00

Thus far, I have said this trip would be deadly without two things: sunblock and my rear view mirror to watch for careless drivers. I must add another to the list - 100% deet. Deet is a strong and very toxic mosquito repellent. It is so toxic that it should not be applied to clothes since it can melt some synthetic fabrics. Surely this stuff also causes cancer. The mosquitoes have become very prevalent in Wyoming to say the least. Before entering Wyoming, we were warned by east-bound TransAm bikers that you must maintain at least 12.5 mph while riding to out run the swarms of mosquitoes. We have found this to be true.

Everyday on the TransAm is a new adventure. Today it was in a poetry book. A few miles west of Jeffrey City, I found a poetry book by Jim Morrison that had been cast out of a car window just to bring joy to my day. I placed the book on top of my handlebar bag and open it to read a few poems as I biked.

Tomorrow, we will take a rest day here in Lander. It has a great Main Street with plenty of things to fill my time. There is a bike shop where I have already eyed a spare tire that I plan to purchase and carry the remainder of the trip since mine are wearing thin. A different bike shop has a 29" unicycle that I will "test ride" tomorrow. It has been two months since I have ridden my unicycle and I think I have been having withdrawals. Plus, I look forward to showing off my unicycle skills to the rest of my group. Lander has a nice bookstore and a great coffee shop where I plan to loiter most of the day. Plus, there is a Shakespeare in the park tomorrow evening. I am sure my cultured biking group will be in attendance. And to prove to you that Lander is a happening place...the RV park where we are tenting had an ice cream social tonight. I chose to eat Mexican food instead of attending the social of the year; although, I should have attended just to take a few pictures of the characters who showed up to the RV ice cream social. Maybe next year...

A roadside chat with yet another biker (near Hot Sulphur Springs, CO)

A portrait of "Rocinante". If I had to give my bike a name, it would be Rocinante which is what Don Quixote named his steed.
(near Hot Sulphur Springs, CO)

Look closely and notice how most of the trees on the distant hillsides are brown. They are dying due to a certain type of beetle capable of destroying miles of trees. We are told there is nothing the park service is able to do other than let nature take its course and wait for a new generation of trees. Ranger Rick has warned us that these dead trees are a risk for forest fires. We saw many of these brown hillsides covered by dead evergreens from Breckenridge to northern Colorado. (photo near Walden, CO)

speeding trap?

Gabby and Caesar - eastern bound TransAm bikers

Yet another state line

This was our homestead for a night in Saratoga, CO. During the middle of the night, I had to leave the tent to use the restroom. I looked up into the night sky and saw a sky filled with stars. I have never seen such a glorious sight. We don't have these kind of stars in the big city.

"I guess we will keep going this way... "

We stayed at a motel in Jeffrey City because the mosquitoes prevented us from camping. The town is nearly a ghost town and has an interesting history. Read the article on Wikipedia about Jeffrey City.

This is rural America! (Sweetwater Station)

At a particular point in our ride today, I looked to the east and all the rocks and hills were a pale gray and to the west it was all red as in this picture. It is amazing to think back over all the land we have crossed and recall all the diverse landscapes. (photo taken east of Lander, WY)

Day 55: Hot Sulphur Springs, CO

2008-06-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

I am still alive even though I have not posted any pictures recently. We made it through arid eastern Colorado and over Hoosier Pass. The ride down from Hoosier Pass was beautiful and quite exciting. It has a series of hairpin turns and a fair amount of car and RV traffic. The ride down was really fun. I felt like a race car driver making the tight turns. I even reached a speed of 40 mph! Good thing I changed my brake pads before the ascent up the Rockies. The pannier bags make the bike really stable at high speeds due to the low center of gravity.

Our ride from Hoosier Pass ended in Breckenridge where we had a rest day. In Breckenridge, we stayed at a wonderful hostel called Fireside Inn - I forgot how sleeping in a bed can be such a luxury. I spent most of my rest day walking Main Street, visiting Frisco, searching for bookstores, reading in coffee shops and eating. JD and Anna were two other hostel guests that were in town to watch their son play in Breckenridge's symphony orchestra. They had an extra ticket and invited me to join them. The symphony didn't have a dress code, but I was a little under dressed to say the least. Before the concert, I wiped off the chain grease from the back of my leg and put on my best shorts and t-shirt. I seriously doubt Tchaikovsky cared what clothes I wore.

The high altitude has affected all of our bodies to varying degrees. Besides the lack of air, the altitude has increased our flatulence, notably among the elder four in our group. :) Read the Wikipedia article on High Altitude Gas.

We have started heading north to Wyoming. Now that we are over the continental divide, it is all down hill from here...

A view across the reservoir near Pueblo, CO

A beautiful day

Somewhere in arid eastern Colorado

This is the bridge across the Royal Gorge. The view is breathtaking and pictures don't do the beauty justice.

A view from the Royal Gorge bridge

Dad and I on the Royal Gorge bridge. He came to visit and camp with us for the weekend. We had a wonderful time! We took a helicopter tour of the Royal Gorge. It is quite a sight from the air and the pilot was a little more acrobatic than I had expected.

How many bikers does it take to change a flat tire?!? Rick had a frustrating series of flat tires on this particular day. I have had two flats so far.

We made it to the top of Hoosier Pass which is over 11, 500 feet in elevation. Celebrate!

Dillon Reservoir near Breckenridge, CO

Falling rock! (Green Mountain Reservoir near the small village of Heeney)

2008-06-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hospitality and generosity strike again! Pete and Terry met Vivian (a barber in Sterling). Vivian and her daughters hosted us at their coffee shop in Larned which is named "Scraps". Vivian bought us smoothie drinks which hit the spot after the morning ride. They offered us free dinner during the jazz concert at their coffee shop too. Too bad we had already eaten. Scraps is not open on Sunday mornings, but they insisted they open their coffee shop early Sunday morning just for us to stop by, say goodbye and have another free cup of joe. It is the people like this that we meet who are really making this a special trip for us.

Yesterday, I crammed 2 days into one and rode 120 miles from Larned to Scott City. The rest of my group finished in Ness City, but I continued to Scott City where they will meet up with me today as I take a rest day. I slept on the couch at the Athleticlub which commonly houses TransAm bikers. I will stay there again tonight with the rest of my group when they finish their ride today. Even though the couch was a little short for me it was a nice change from sleeping on the ground; however, after 120 miles, I was so exhausted I could have slept on an alligator's back.

This morning I woke at the usual time of 5:45 AM even though I had hoped to sleep late. People started entering Athleticlub to use the pool and weight room, so I decided to search the town for breakfast. The restaurant a block away is closed on Mondays (how convenient) and there was not another breakfast place in sight, so I traveled down Main street and came upon a Wendy's and reluctantly entered. I ate a breakfast taco, but was not satisfied. I asked a local if there was a good breakfast spot and she sent me to the east side of town where I saw a plain building with no less than 15 dirty trucks parked outside. There were not any other types of vehicles...just trucks...big farm trucks. I knew I had hit the jackpot. It was the typical small town smoke-filled diner with old men drinking coffee and talking about their farms, crops and cows. I ate 3 large pancakes and returned to the Athleticlub to take a 9 AM nap.

great humor

I have seen many anti-abortion signs in Kansas. This is yet another.

This is the city park in Sterling, KS with a beautiful pond and walking trail. Cait tells us it is the nicest city park along the Trans American route. It was obvious the community is proud of their park.

I didn't see the sign for bike gypsies, so I used the front door.

These are two typical Kansas scenes. I love the golden fields.

It is Cam and Don again!

100 miles of solitude

Roadside scene

I chuckled when I saw this, but I am sure the early settlers had a different emotion.

Each small town in western Kansas seems to be centered around a grain silo. When one drops off the horizon behind you, there is one peaking over the horizon in front.

Day 43: Larned, KS

2008-06-14T13:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a video I took the other day while riding. This may give you an idea of what Kansas is like. Enjoy.

Day 42: Sterling, KS

2008-06-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

I just finished an easy 60 miles. The day is beautiful with blue skies and a slight breeze. No tornadoes here!

Nickerson is a small town we went through today. As I entered town, I noticed 4 boys in their early teens who where all on BMX bikes terrorizing the town. I had flashbacks to the rock throwing punks in Pippa Pass. They noticed me and one cracked a joke about how I was wearing a rearview mirror on my sunglasses. I guess he has never been run off the road by an 18-wheeler on a highway. They followed me through town until one pulled up beside me. It went like this:

Me: What's up?
Boy: Nothing
Me: Where are you heading?
Boy: The high school. You?
Me: Oregon. Want to race?

His face lit up and he raised off his seat and into the natural Tour de France racing position. He stayed on my tail for a few paces (I chuckled) so I shifted gears and left him in my dust. I heard him yell, "Ok, you win." I kept pedaling toward Oregon knowing I now own that stretch of road through Nickerson.

Day 41: Newton, KS (rest day)

2008-06-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

We are almost halfway across Kansas. We crossed I-35 yesterday but was surprised that it was not under construction as it always is in Texas. Kansas' terrain has been a nice change from the hilly Ozarks of Missouri. This is my first time in Kansas and it is not exactly as I had imagined. I expected there to be absolutely zero hills, extreme heat and little rain. The hills are far and few between yet slow rolling hills do exist. I did not realize Kansas received this much rain. As you will see in the pictures below, many of the fields are saturated and the streams have broken their banks. It has been hot but have not noticed since the extreme winds keep us cool. I am sure we will experience Texas-style heat if the wind ever dies. The wind is as bad as we were expecting. Yesterday, we battled a 30 mph southern crosswind with gusts up to 45 mph. That'll nearly knock you off two wheels and leave you laying in the roadside ditch if you aren't ready and clenching the handlebars. I am thankful the wind is not coming from the west because it would surely reduce our pedaling speed to a mere few miles per hour. One of the highlights of yesterday's ride was when the route turned north for 20 miles. I hoisted my sails and doubled my cruising speed on the flat terrain with the wind at my back. During this portion, I was able to relax, test my no-hands-on-the-handlebar-skills, text message friends while pedaling, etc.

Thus far, the Kansasians have been very considerate of us. Yesterday, a lady stopped her truck to fill up our water bottles. Today, a lady gave Terry $15 for three of us to spend on lunch. In Chanute, Joe and Oliver drove us to get showers, brought us cookies and fruit, drove us to dinner and gave a tour of their town. The Episcopal church in Newton opened their doors for us to stay and one of their members offered us her swimming pool and is delivering lasagna for dinner. My tummy is already calling for it. In Cassoday, we stopped at a gas station to eat lunch. One of the ladies let me try rhubarb pie and gave me her recipe. I have never had rhubarb pie before, but now I know why Garrison Keillor sings so highly about it on Prairie Home Companion. Rhubarb pie cooking skills will be a new attribute I seek in a future wife.

a fellow bike enthusiast (Pittsburg, KS)

where is the Dr. Pepper?!?

riding on water

saturated wheat fields

entering Chanute, KS

'Laughing Jesus' (a prized drawing in the Grace Episcopal church in Chanute, KS)

group photo op (Grace Episcopal Church in Chanute, KS)

Terry is saving yet another turtle from becoming roadkill. I am not sure why he is so worried about this one since we have not seen a car in 20 miles.

any shade will do

Kansas has a long horizon and a big sky

... and the cows are nice here too...see how they have lined up to welcome us

Day 34: Marshfield, MO

2008-06-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hello from deep in the Ozarks (a.k.a. land of many hills that make biking difficult). Here are some of my recent pictures. Enjoy!

Popeye and I in Chester, IL

Crossing the Mississippi. We must be important...notice the police escort.

enough said

This sign brought much relief.

An Ozark rain shower (campground at Eminence, MO)

(create your own caption)

We climbed this ranger tower and saw the following views...(next 2 pictures)

Breathtaking! (the picture does not do it justice)

I wonder if home owners associations exist in the country?!?

Thank you everybody who has left comments, encouraging emails and called. I really enjoy hearing from everybody.

P.S. Thanks for the care package Mom, Dad and Sheridan.

Day 29: Farmington, MO

2008-05-31T17:21:00.000-07:00

Yet another state line...

Day 27: Carbondale, IL (rest day)

2008-05-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

We recently finished our first 1000 miles and Yorktown is already a faint memory! We are starting to see a few West to East TransAm bikers. I met two yesterday who are from Holland. They are carrying less weight than we are since they are not camping, but they are averaging over 100 miles every day.

We always introduce Terry as the Mayor of Yorkshire when we meet locals. Recently he said, "Where I come from, that is not such a great compliment." Initially we were confused until he said he is not a mare female horse.

Everything is going well and we are in good health. The only thing I am lacking is news. The newspapers in the small towns we frequent every day mainly contain obituaries, high school graduation pictures and classifieds for farm equipment.

I plan to spend the remainder of my rest day in Carbondale watching the new Indiana Jones movie, eating (will probably seek the notorious man in Carbondale who barbecues bagels) and reading (thanks for the books John Williams).

"So after 1000 miles of hills, they finally give us warning." -Mike

a sign graveyard

Caitlin calls this a "rookie tattoo"

My daily dose of ice cream

a confused tree (Harrodsburg, KY)

a mailbox...I think

gone fishin'

replica of he the house Lincoln was born in

a round house

Rick proceeded to tell a joke: Why is it good for a man to live in a round house? Because his wife can never back him into a corner.

Our home for the night at the White Mills Volunteer Fire Department

Taking a break from the rain and lightening

After the storm

Crossing the Ohio River on the ferry between Kentucky and Illinois.

Finally out of Kentucky!

Day 23: Utica, KY

2008-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

The temperature won. We did 84 miles and it did 85 fahrenheit.

Day 19: Berea, KY (rest day)

2008-05-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

Hello from Berea where we are stretching and resting our tired legs. Things are going well and we are all in good spirits. Last night we ate an all you can eat dinner at Ryan's Steakhouse where we stuffed ourselves full. My internals are still paying the price for the feast. This morning we slept in late (7am) and ate pancakes at Cracker Barrel. Our Brit (Terry) said, "All my expectations of an 'American breakfast' have been fulfilled here at Cracker Barrel."

Yesterday was an exciting day. The day began when I realized a bracket on my back rack had snapped in two. Caitlin and I applied a roadside band-aid fix with a ziptie, but hopefully I will be able to permanently fix it today during the rest day. The dog chasings are just as frequent as when we first entered Kentucky. Pete was attacked by two dogs. One of the dogs took a bite out of his pannier cover. He was flustered to say the least and I could hear the sailor yelling at the dogs from where I pedaled 300 yards ahead. In addition, Caitlin was attacked by a wild pig! It was staring her down in the middle of the road as she approached, so she stopped to get her camera. When she started taking pictures it charged her and tried to attack her pannier. I wonder if dog mace has the same affect on wild pigs??? When we road into Berea, a grey-haired lady swiped Terry's handlebars, which caused him to hit the concrete. He is lucky that he and his bike survived unharmed. The lady did not stop and likely didn't know she almost killed someone.

Recent pictures...

Two AT hikers, "Grin" (left) and "Main Man" (right) in Damascus for the Trail Days Festival. Grin is from Round Rock, TX and I ran into Main Man at a lunch stop in Catawba, VA. (AT hikers go by aliases.)

A foggy morning.

Overlook at Breaks Interstate Park where we camped one night.

This is another overlook at Breaks Interstate Park which overlooks the border of VA and KY.

KY border crossing

Pete and Terry finish off the top of yet another steep hill

This is a roadside coal mine in KY. There was quite a bit of coal rocks and black dust on the side of the road left from the many coal trucks.

Mister Ed.

Day 16: Hindman, Kentucky

2008-05-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to Kentucky! Today we rode from Breaks Interstate Park on the border of Virginia to Hindman, Kentucky to total over 70 miles of riding. It rained several times and I even hid under a bridge during one of the storms due to lightening.

We were welcomed into Kentucky by packs of unleashed dogs and 3 undereducated 12 year old rock throwing boys. We were expecting the dogs since Kentucky is notorious among bikers for its many dogs, but we weren't warned about the rock throwing boys who threw rocks at each of us as we passed. Most of the time the dogs are looking to play a game called "Chase The Bikers", but I have Hault (mace spray for dogs) waiting for the first dog that tries to eat me. Terry, Rick and I were chased for over a quarter mile by two dogs. It became quite humorous, especially watching the relentless dogs respond to Terry's dog zapper that gives off a high pitch tone inaudible to humans but really irritating to the dogs' ears.

Beyond the rock throwing boys and attack dogs, I have not been impressed with the first 70 miles of Kentucky. There is a lot of litter on the side of the road and many of the neighborhoods look like a collection of small junk yards with attack dogs protecting it. My favorite yard had a car turned on its side so the guts of the car face the street.

On the other hand, the people have been very generous to us. One lady made donations to each of Pete and Terry's organizations. Another lady gave Pete two bottles of water. Pete bragged to us that he is finished drinking that awful tap water.

In short, the group is glad to finally be out of Virginia but isn't so excited about Kentucky. I'm sure tomorrow will be another adventure and have many more dog chasings. Tomorrow's ride has been described as "a death march" by previous groups...so we'll see what that is all about...

Day 13: Damascus, Va (rest day)

2008-05-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

I'll be resting today in Damascus while the town starts gearing up for the "Trail Days" festival where thousands of AT hikers come to town for the festival this weekend. Here are some pictures from the past several days...

Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains

an Appalachian Trail hiker, John and Mike (TransAm'ers) at the lunch stop in Catawba, VA

"The Cookie Lady" (aka June Curry)

The Cookie Lady's bike hostel

Jerry Lisenby (a "Biggest Loser" contestant) who is also biking the TransAm

one of our mid-morning breaks

This man puts fake roses on his holly bushes. They bloom year-round!

a mailbox

the gang

Day 9: Buchanan, VA

2008-05-11T10:50:00.001-07:00

Cold. Rain.

The Cookie Lady

2008-05-09T18:55:00.001-07:00

Tonight, I sleep at The Cookie Lady's bikers-only lodging in Afton, VA that doubles as a type of TransAm bikers museum. The Cookie Lady's name is June Curry and she is an 87 year old lady who has been providing hospitality to TransAm bikers since 1976. The walls in the biker's lodging are covered with thousands of postcards from bikers all over the world thanking June for her generous hospitality. The legend of The Cookie Lady is told in blogs and articles all over the Internet by the 14,000 bikers who have signed her guests books and accepted her hospitality. Until I have time to post pictures, you should do a Google search for "June Curry Cookie Lady" to read more about her.

Cheers!

Day 6 (Rest Day) : Charlottesville, VA

2008-05-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

Today is our first day of rest. We are in Charlottesville, VA and just finished visiting Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello. It is a beautiful and historic place.

Two nights ago we camped in the front yard of William Hale's place just outside of Mineral, Virginia. William is an Adventure Cycling instructor who happens to live close to the TransAm route.

Enjoying dinner and the sunset on William's porch. (William is on the left)

I am loving this life as a "bike gypsy", seeing the beautiful countryside and meeting many people who each have their own story. I enjoy stopping to ask the country folk on the side of the road, "Is this the road to Oregon?" They all have the same reaction...

My appetite has doubled and I am devouring something at least every hour. Pete says it best: "I'm so hungry I can eat the south side of a pig heading north." We have been creatively accommodating when it comes to dinners with Caitlin as a vegetarian and Rusty who doesn't like pasta. Stir fry with some type of meat has been our typical dinner. Pete and I have cooking duties tonight so we are skipping the kitchen and taking everyone out for a little carb loading session at the local pizza place.

Here is a picture of me and the boys at the Beaverdam Antique Shop in Bumpass, Va (unfortunate name for a town, don't ya think?!?).

Like many of the towns we ride through, Bumpass has only 1 stop sign. Some of the towns we ride through don't even have an intersection much less a stop sign! However, these small towns have one thing in common...the people wave at you as you ride by. Rusty says, "If you ever lose faith in the goodness of humanity, just take a long bike ride."

I should also mention, we have a new addition to our team. Mike is joining us here in Charlottesville and will ride with us the rest of the way. He is 27 and has ridden across the country once before with his dad. He has also biked the perimeter of Florida.

I wish I had more time to share some stories, but my time on this library computer is almost up. Don't worry 'bout me, I'm having the time of my life!

Arrrrggg......

2008-05-05T10:08:00.001-07:00

Who knew a man could be punished for wearing tights?!?

Wheel dipping pictures

2008-05-05T10:01:00.003-07:00

Victory Monument in Yorktown

2008-05-05T10:01:00.001-07:00

Williamsburg, VA pictures

2008-05-05T09:52:00.001-07:00

One of the many Civil War battlefields we have passed...

2008-05-05T09:05:00.001-07:00

Our fearless leader contacting the home office...

2008-05-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

Day 1: Yorktown, VA

2008-05-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

Today we officially started the TransAm route. We biked east from Williamsburg to historic Yorktown. Victory Monument in Yorktown marks the beginning of the route.

This picture was taken on the beach in Yorktown using my phone just after we had the traditional wheel dipping ceremony where we dipped our back tires into the Atlantic. When I have access to a real computer (I am currently posting from my iPhone) I will be able to post more pictures that are on my camera.

I have arrived...

2008-05-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

I have arrived in beautiful Williamsburg, Virginia! I had an uneventful plane flight yesterday which was truly a nice change from flying to O'Hare the last six months where it was always eventful (cancellations, delays, turbulence, etc.). From the airport, I hitched a ride with my seat mate on the plane to Bikes Unlimited in Williamsburg to pick up my bike. She was gracious enough to go out of her way to offer me a ride. I look forward to all the interesting people I will meet throughout my trip!

I packed most of my gear and clothes in a box for the flight. The airline weighed my box when I checked it at the counter. I was excited to see that my box weighed only 42 pounds for two reasons: 1) I was able to avoid the excessive weight fee and 2) it probably means I didn’t pack too much unneeded gear. So, with some of the extra things I carried on the plane, I estimate my total gear weight is right at 50 pounds.

At the bike shop, I unloaded my box of gear. Barry, the owner of the bike shop, told me I barely missed Jerry Lisenby (http://jerrylisenby.com/) who just left the store. He was a contestant on the Biggest Loser reality TV show and is doing the same TransAm route we are doing. He is starting a day ahead of us, so we will likely catch him on the road. I heard he is carrying a lot of gear and has already shipped home 30 pounds of gear.

Within 5 minutes of leaving the bike store I had two people on the street stop and ask me if I was ridding across the country. I guess I stick out like a sore thumb with my bright yellow pannier bags and 50 pounds of gear. I rode my bike through the colonial village in Williamsburg. This is a restored and mock colonial village where the workers dress up as characters from the time period. I was told there are 88 original buildings which have dates from the 1600 and 1700’s. When I get a chance I will post some of my pictures.

Last night, I stayed at the White Lion Motel which is the meeting point for our group. I met Rick and Rusty (both 55) who are both veteran adventurers. Rick did a 2,000 mile trip around Wisconsin. Rusty has hiked the Appalachian Trail 3 times and also the PCT. Today, I met my trip guide. Caitlin is a little older than I and just completed a bike trip from California to Austin. She is a bike messenger in Portland. Peter has also arrived to Williamsburg. I believe he has completed 2 trips around the Great Lakes. Terence is the only person yet to arrive. He is flying from the UK, but should arrive here tonight. The second person from the UK had to cancel at the last minute. I can’t wait to sit around the campfire and hear everybody’s stories.

Tonight, we have dinner and a meeting to discuss the trip. Caitlin is going to cook on the picnic table in front of the White Lion Motel only using the cooking gear we will have available to us on the trip. Tomorrow morning, we have a “shake down” ride to the beach in Yorktown which is where our route officially begins. A church is providing lunch for us there and we will ride back to Williamsburg in time to stop by the bike shop to for anyone who needs to pick up any last minute items. I still need to find pepper spray for the occasional unleashed dog. I also need to finds some wind pants. I didn’t think I would need long pants since it is summer, but the others have long pants for the occasional cold morning or cold rain.

By the way, I still love my newly shaved head! Rick said he is planning to shave his head after the wheel dipping in Yorktown.

My time is expiring on this public library computer, so I will try to post pictures later...

Cheers!

packing list

2008-04-30T22:32:00.001-07:00