Cecilia Anderson's Big Bike Ride

Day 73: Berryville, VA to FINISH LINE: Washington, DC

2008-09-02T19:51:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 69

FINAL TOTAL MILEAGE: 3737

The last day of my Big Bike Ride had arrived. I had mixed feelings as we left Berryville. I was excited to get to DC, but not looking forward to facing the "real world" again: job, rent, bills, ugh. Mostly, though, I was excited to finish the bike trip.

We rode in on the Washington & Old Dominion bike path from Purcellville, which was a nice change of pace from the highways we had been traveling. Laura had put up welcome signs along the way!

We crossed Key Bridge into Washington, DC and headed for the Thomspon Boat House on the Potomac River. But first -- the finish line!

I was really happy to see all kinds of friends and family had turned out to welcome me home.

Laura and baby Lionel were wearing special T-shirts for the event, including a map of my route and a list of cities I had toured through on the back!

I dipped my front tire in the Potomac, making my arrival by bike in DC official.

Ana Marisa carried our gear back to her house so the bikes were light for the final climb up Wisconsin Avenue to her house. It was a good thing I had all those balloons, because I didn't have a bike light!

The bike ride across the country was an amazing couple of months. I accomplished something big, and along the way pushed myself past my comfort zone more than a few times.

I was able to let go of a lot of frustration at the world and focus on the important things, like what kind of ice cream do I want right now? Being forced to live in a very physical realm, where my only real concerns were about shelter, food, body and bike performance allowed me unwind from the stress of my job and forget the sillier things that preoccupied me.

I got to see our beautiful country up-close at a slow speed. I already knew it was beautiful, but I feel that I know these places more intimately now: their roads, their roadkill, their hills.

Meeting great people along the way was one of the best things about the trip. Because we traveled mostly through small towns, we were always somewhat of a spectacle and people loved to stop and ask us questions. It will be strange being a "nobody" again after two months of virtual celebrity. The people we met were friendly and generous. Many times, we were fortunate to be offered food and lodging, and people were always helpful with information about the area.

Many thanks to all my companions on the trip: Dave, Wesley, Rosemary, Fox, Debbie, and Karin. You were always a ton of fun, and a source of inspiration and motivation when my legs didn't want to pedal anymore.

Day 72: Romney, WV to Berryville, VA

2008-09-01T04:24:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 53
Total Mileage: 3668

We woke up in Sherri's yurt and were treated to tarot card readings. It was a riot!

We headed out for a late breakfast, and didn't get on the road until 11 a.m.! There were a bunch of tough little hills, one after another, and the road curved dangerously with no shoulder. After a brief stop in Capon Bridge, we crossed into Virginia, the state where I went to college and lived on and off for a few years growing up. Getting closer and closer!

The rest of the ride into Winchester was easy, and the road opened up into a four-lane with a shoulder. We ate at a Thai restaurant and waited out the last of the afternoon heat in a coffee shop in historic downtown Winchester.

The evening ride into Berryville was beautiful, with rolling hills, the best kind that get you enough momentum to get back up the next one. The campground we had picked out ended up being further than we thought, and we wouldn't be able to get there before dark, so we decided to stay in town. The only lodging was the Battletown Inn, which was way out of our price range. The owner, James, was so impressed by our bike trip that he gave us a big discount and set us up in two adorable adjoining rooms. What a treat on the last night of the trip!

Day 71: Oakland, MD to Romney, WV

2008-08-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 49
Total Mileage: 3615

The morning was bright and clean on top of Backbone Mountain, and the air was cool. As we headed down, we ran into heavy, blinding fog as we re-entered West Virginia. Luckily, there was a restaurant open just on the other side of the state line, so we breakfasted there while the morning warmed up.

The first climb of the day was our last real big one in the Allegheny range, Mt. Storm. Because it was pretty easy, I wasn't sure if we had actually gotten to the top... but we were rewarded with a fun 5-mile downhill.

The rest of the day was a bunch of ups and downs through some of the prettiest country imaginable. The sun filtered through a leafy canopy over the road and the climbs were short, cutting between the hills instead of over them.

Once in Romney, we sat down for a late, well-deserved lunch at the only place open. The pizza was tasty, and we were exhausted. It was still somewhat early, and we considered riding further, but were discouraged to learn that there were no towns or places to camp for quite some distance East.

We decided to stay in Romney (which was our original plan anyway), and spent a couple hours resting in some grass by the gas station, hoping to meet a friendly local who would let us use their computer.

The computer was not to be, but we did meet Sherri and her dog Toby, who offered us a place to stay in their yurt. None of us had ever been inside a yurt before, so naturally, we accepted. The yurt was awesome - like being in a huge round tent, but homey and comfy like a house. Sherri had all kinds of neat stuff to look at and share with us.

Day 70: Belgium, WV to Oakland, MD

2008-08-30T22:08:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 49
Total Mileage: 3566

We woke up to the sound of rain beating down on Danny's tin roof and decided to sleep another half hour. Once on the road, we looked for a restaurant to have some warm breakfast, and ended up stopping at a little place where there was no food, but the people were friendly. Two ladies gave us coffee and lots of information about the road ahead. When a husband showed up with McDonald's, it turned out they had gotten some extra free food, so they offered it to us too. The ladies also gave a donation to the World Wildlife Fund, the organization Debbie and Karin have been raising money for.

We continued along Highway 50 in the cool morning air, enjoying the hills and the green forests surrounding us. Our first mountain was Thornton, which we climbed easily and in good spirits.

We stopped for lunch in Fellowsville, and got more tips from the waiter about what to expect ahead. After climbing Laurel Mountain (tougher than expected) we had an awesome, windy descent to the legendary Cool Springs, which we had been hearing about since the day before. Cool Springs boasted a park full of old rusty tractors, some burros, and a store FULL of tourist schtick.

Outside the store we met Carl, who we convinced to carry our gear up Cheat Mountain, the biggest climb of the day. He agreed to leave our panniers, etc. at the convenience store in Aurora, at the top of Cheat Mountain, and we headed out on our light, naked bikes. It was a long 9% grade on a road with no shoulder, but we conquered it easily.

Once in Aurora, we collected our gear and decided what to do. We learned of a cheap motel just a few miles up the road, and decided to go for it, since our camping option would have taken us several miles off-route.

Highway 50 took us into Maryland, and the last two miles were a climb to the top of Backbone Mountain, where the motel was. We laughed at how hard it had been to get up to 3095 feet, considering the huge mountains we had pedaled over in Colorado.

There was a bar across the street, and we chatted over beers with some of the locals before heading back to the room for showers.

Day 69: Mountwood Park, WV to Belgium, WV

2008-08-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 65
Total Mileage: 3517

The morning began gray and foggy, but we were in good spirits, because at least it wasn't raining. We set out from the Mountwood Park cabin in search of some breakfast at the reasonably early hour of 8:30. After a few miles we arrived in Ellenboro and ate omelets at the Log Cabin restaurant.

We stopped at every town that popped up along the way, which broke the ride up nicely. A few miles out of West Union, a car stopped to offer some cold drinks. We talked with Danny for a while, and learned that he had also done some cross-country bike touring. He was headed West, but gave us the key to his house so we could crash for the night.

We had a late lunch in Salem, then headed on to Clarksburg in search of a library. The sun had finally come out and the afternoon was considerably warmer than the morning. In Clarksburg, we found the Italian Festival, which had musical and dance performances, as well as tons of food and junk to buy.

After a quick trip to the library to use their computers, we decided to grab a bite to eat in Glen Elk, on the North end of town. We happened upon a cute little place, and ended up having a great meal with wine.

At that point, we left for Danny's house, but were annoyed to learn that bicycles were forbidden on that portion of Highway 50. We thumbed a ride to Bridgeport from Fred, Jason, and Dip. How we managed to fit all of our junk into Fred's Jeep was a miracle. In Bridgeport, we met Doug and Scott, who introduced us to their family and drove us the rest of the way to Danny's house. It was dark by the time we arrived, but we found our way in and were so happy to rest.

Danny's place was filled with his Indian crafts and artwork. Every inch of space was filled with something interesting, and we had the whole place to ourselves!

Day 68: Athens, OH to Mountwood Park, WV

2008-08-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 59
Total Mileage: 3452

We woke up at Scott's house to the smell of "garbage eggs," a delicious scramble he had whipped up. He took us to his workplace in Athens, a center that offers services for people dealing with mental illness. We had coffee and talked with some of the members of the Gathering Place before heading out on our way.

The day was as rainy as the day before, and we were thoroughly drenched by the time we reached Coolville for a snack. Luckily, there was a wide shoulder most of the way, so the riding was easy.

We crossed over the Ohio River into West Virginia! Our next stop was in Parkersburg for a (late) lunch. We were thrilled to find a Lebanese restaurant and ate heartily, much thanks to Rick, who comped our meal. Rick also called Roger, a reporter from the Parkersburg newspaper, who came to the restaurant and interviewed us about the ride. Even better, Roger gave us some good information about a cabin right on Route 50, so we didn't have to get off track and camp in the rain as we had planned.

See Roger's story at http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/508771.html

Day 67: Chillicothe, OH to Athens, OH

2008-08-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 60
Total Mileage: 3393

Our host Lee started our day with a light breakfast, and we headed out in search of coffee. The day began a little late, and we had to travel in the rain to McArthur. It was slow going, and the bumpy shoulder didn't help matters.

In McArthur, we lunched at a pizza place and I warmed up with some hot tea. It was hard to get back on the bike, but within a mile I caught a second wind and sped into Athens. The rain continued, but at least there was a decent shoulder, making the riding a lot less stressful.

We hung around a coffee shop in Athens for a while, staying out of the rain and hoping to make friends with somebody who would let us crash at their house. As friendly as we made ourselves appear, we didn't score a place to sleep so we headed out to find some dinner.

The restaurant where we ate had great ingredients and a decent beer list, and we started chatting people up at the bar. Soon enough, a nice guy named Scott offered us a place to stay... it didn't take much convincing when he mentioned he had a hot tub. We also enjoyed some lively conversation and shooting darts with Scott's blow gun.

Day 66: Hillsboro, OH to Chillicothe, OH

2008-08-26T07:02:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 36
Total Mileage: 3333

We awoke at dawn and it was very cold and hard to get out of bed. Karin decided she was sufficiently tired to sleep a few more hours, so Debbie and I decided to go on without her, taking advantage of the cool morning air. The morning air was actually pretty chilly, which made the uphills more enjoyable than the downs, because I could warm up a little.

I wasn't feeling great on the bike and was VERY ready for lunch and a rest by the time we arrived in Chillicothe. I had just had a bunch of work done on the bike the day before, but now there was some new obnoxious squeaking going on. My body felt stiff and my butt was sore.

Luckily, we were in Chillicothe (our intended midpoint) nice and early, and we were able to enjoy a leisurely lunch. The waiter even gave us some free buckeyes, which were neither nuts off a tree (as I had presumed) nor a deer's eyeballs (Debbie's literal interpretation) but tasty chocolate-covered peanut butter balls.

I spent a long time in the library trying to figure out a new plan. We had covered more miles than planned a couple days before, which had put us about a half-day ahead of schedule. Ideally, we could make up some more miles along the way and arrive in Washington, DC a day earlier than planned. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Sometimes, the geography and placement of towns decides your fate for you. There weren't enough camping and lodging options to cover a couple stretches over mountains, so we decided to revert to our original plan. This meant that we would stay the night in Chillicothe, making it a very short day. We napped for a while in the park, then approached a police officer about camping there. He wasn't sure what to tell us, but suggested that we might get away with camping in the woods at the edge of the park... would have to risk possible drug dealers and vagrants bothering us. We weren't thrilled, but decided we didn't have much of a choice.

Once Karin arrived, we did some laundry and I went back to the library for more internet time. Debbie roamed around town and found her way to a coffee shop. It turned out that Lee, our waiter from lunch at Grinders, also worked at the coffee shop. Fortunately for us, he offered to let us crash in his living room.

We ate dinner at a lively bar, and waited around for Lee to get off work. We arrived at his house, and were relieved to have a roof over our heads, as it was scheduled to rain overnight.

Day 65: Cincinnati, OH to Hillsboro, OH

2008-08-25T04:34:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 69
Total Mileage: 3297

We began our day a little later than usual, because all of us had enjoyed staying up to watch TV the night before, and we agreed to sleep in until 8 a.m. Continental breakfast at the Ramada was ritzier than we're used to, so we ate a bunch before heading out on our bikes.

The ride out of Cincinnati was sort of ugly and there was a ton of traffic. Even once we had found our way out of downtown, there were tons of cars on the road. We happened to see a bike shop, so Karin and I stopped in to get a few minor problems fixed. Smitty's Bike Shop turned out to be a real find, and the guys inside were so helpful and generous! I got my rear brake fixed, my rear wheel trued, my right hood back in place, a cable replaced and all my gears tuned up... as well as a free water bottle and socks! Thanks, Marty and Grant!

Karin and I set out for Skyline, one of the chains famous for Cincinnati Chili, which is a sort of a meat sauce served over spaghetti with a TON of cheese. By the time we were nice and full of chili, it was already 2:30, so we continued the ride to Hillsboro.

Highway 50 had no shoulder and a lot of traffic. Further complicating matters was the introduction of some hills, a land feature I had forgotten about since the Ozarks: argh!

We finally made it to the campground, just a few hilly miles East of Hillsboro, where Debbie was waiting. There was just enough time for a shower before it was dark and we crawled into our tents.

Day 64: North Vernon, IN to Cincinnati, OH

2008-08-24T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 77
Total Mileage: 3228

We began our day when it was still dark out, and headed to the motel to meet Karin and score some free breakfast. (Karin had gotten in late the night before, so she opted not to search through the dark woods for us and get some good bed rest after a crazy last night in Louisville).

The three of us headed back to Highway 50 and covered the first 45 miles quickly it was only 12:30, so we took a lunch break at a restaurant overlooking the Ohio River. We decided to go the rest of the way into Cincinnati, even though it meant we would have to splurge for a hotel room. We crossed into Ohio, and the ride took us along the river through a very industrial area and some light rain.

Day 63: Bloomington, IN to North Vernon, IN

2008-08-23T18:17:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 64
Total Mileage: 3151

It was hard to say good-bye to Andy and Victoria. We had such a good time in Bloomington that we didn't get on the road until almost 10 a.m.

The day started out overcast and humid, and soon turned to really hot and humid. Luckily, the ride was mellow except for a couple surprise hills that popped up out of nowhere. We were making good time, stopping only for a brief look around a flea market and lunch in Columbus. We had some delicious pasta salad and more of the birthday cake that Victoria had packed for us.

When we got to North Vernon, the campground wasn't where Google had said it would be, but a friendly local pointed us in the right direction. Muscatatuck County Park was a real gem. We were covered in sweat but felt a lot better after cool showers.

Debbie and I didn't feel like riding back into town to find food, because there was one REALLY steep hill into the campground and we didn't feel like getting sweaty and gross all over again. Fortunately for us, we lucked into a ride into Old Vernon from a nice guy in a Jeep. Dinner was at a cute log cabin restaurant, and by the time we were finished eating, the evening air had become cool and bearable. The mosquitoes, however, were neither cool nor bearable.

Days 59 - 62: Rest Days!

2008-08-22T23:58:00.000-07:00

We spent several days in Bloomington, Indiana at the home of Andy and Victoria, friends of Debbie's from her days in New York. We rested a bunch and had a ton of fun. We visited Oliver Winery, ate Indian and Tibetan food, and enjoyed some incredible cooking, complete with home-made bread and home-grown tomatoes. I got hooked on a cartoon called Avatar, we went to a neighborhood pool with a really cool slide, and we walked around Indiana University.

I got to celebrate my birthday in Bloomington with an acupuncture treatment and had a great time singing karaoke, visiting a microbrewery, and eating a delicious chocolate cake made by Victoria. The best thing was borrowing all of her cute clothes and not having to wear those same tired rags I've been wearing for the past two months!

Day 58: Red Hills, IL to Bloomington, IN

2008-08-18T04:48:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 69
Total Mileage: 3087

We awoke unrested after a night of dealing with raccoons. The night before, Karin had tied a bag of fruit in a tree, but forgot the bag of nuts in her handlebar bag. And thinking that raccoons wouldn't be able to open zippers, Debbie left three sandwiches in her panniers. My tent was closest to the bikes, so I woke up every time the raccoons visited us and shined my light to scare them away. Karin was terrified, and there was a lot of screaming when she got out of her tent to put the food in the bathroom where it would be safe. All in all, the raccoons were pretty neat: the one sandwich and nuts they stole were taken cleanly, without any ripped packages or food bits left on the ground. The moral of the story is not to run over dead raccoons with your bike, or their families will wreak havoc on your camp in revenge.

We rode into Lawrenceville and found our detour on the old US Highway 50. This took us over the Wabash River and into Vincennes, Indiana. A couple of days before, I had been disappointed not to see an official "Welcome to Illinois" sign, but decided that crossing the Mississippi was good enough. Not to have a sign upon entering Indiana was just downright unwelcoming!

We did some laundry and had lunch in Vincennes. Then Debbie and I headed Northeast to Bloomington to see Andy and Victoria, friends of hers from New York, while Karin headed Southeast to Louisville, Kentucky to see another friend.

The ride to Bloomington was pleasant. The road conditions were pretty good, as was the weather. A stop in Bicknell to use the library took some extra time, so we ended up finishing our ride at night, enjoying a gorgeous sunset over cornfields and some cool fog that settled in the low spots.

We arrived in Bloomington at Andy and Victoria's place, an adorable country cottage with excellent decor.

Day 57: Carlyle, IL to Red Hills, IL

2008-08-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 92
Total Mileage: 3018!

We woke up and got an early start on the road, relishing the cool morning air. We stopped after about 15 miles for breakfast in Sandoval. We kept trucking and made it to Flora, where we had a late sit-down lunch, and talked to several nice people.

After lunch, we stretched out in the park while Karin fixed her flat. The owner of the local Dairy Queen heard about our story and came by to offer us gift certificates. Nobody can say no to free ice cream, so we made our way there and ate as much as we could manage after an already-filling lunch.

Needless to say, the flat tire and ice cream put us a little behind schedule, and it was after 4 p.m. By the time we left Flora.

When we reached Olney, we were pleased to learn that our campsite was 9 miles closer than we had anticipated. We weren't sure if there were showers, so we debated showering at a truck stop before continuing on. I decided to take a gamble and keep riding to the campground while there was still light out.

It was an easy ride, but pitch dark by the time I got to Red Hills State Park. Luckily, there were showers and I got ready for bed quickly. Karin and Debbie followed soon after. After hearing that they both ran over a dead raccoon in the road, I'm glad I was riding while there was still daylight!

Day 56: St. Louis, MO to Carlyle, IL

2008-08-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 46
Total Mileage: 2926

We began our morning with a calm, lovely ride into downtown St. Louis. The streets were tree-lined, the weather was cool, and the traffic was light.

We arrived at the St. Louis Arch and met up with Larry and Diana Tyler, who we had been staying with two nights before. They were very concerned about our route out of St. Louis because there was no way to avoid the sketchy neighborhoods on the East side of the river. We decided to cross the Mississippi River on bikes, then let the Tylers drive us a few miles farther into Illinois.

Our ride ended in Carlyle, where we found a nice Army Corps of Engineers campground with no available spots. Luckily, there was tons of open space so we set up in an unofficial campsite. We had a little run-in with the rangers, who weren't sure they could allow us to camp where we were, but it wasn't long before our girlish charm won them over. We even got one of them to give us a ride into town. After dinner, we ran into the ranger again at the gas station and convinced him to give us a lift back to the campground. Two other rangers stopped by to chat before we went to bed, and said they would try to get a story in their newspaper about the bike trip. Yay for the Army Corps of Engineers!

Day 55: Washington, MO to St. Louis, MO

2008-08-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 60
Total Mileage: 2880

Mmm! No better way to start a day than with a hot breakfast. After saying farewell to the Tylers, we were back on the Katy Trail and on our way to St. Charles. I had miscalculated the mileage, so we arrived before lunch and decided to continue on to St. Louis in the afternoon.

We had lunch at a brewery, then walked around historic downtown St. Charles. After some ice cream, we headed out for St. Louis. The route I had mapped out took us along a state highway, but it ended up being a HUGE freeway-style road, complete with fast cars and dangerous exit ramps, before it returned to a reasonable two-lane road. Luckily, we all made it safely into the city.

We headed for a motel near the airport with cheaper prices, and enjoyed some showers and relaxation before checking out the town. A hotel shuttle took us to the airport where we caught the Metro into Delmar Loop, a "happenin'" part of St. Louis. We ate dinner at an outdoor cafe that featured Belgian beers.

Day 54: Rest Day!

2008-08-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

...And then there were three.

We woke up at the Tyler home in Washington, Missouri and said a sad farewell to Wesley. He has to return to California for school by August 24th and decided to bang out the last 900 miles in 9 days. We don't doubt that he'll do it, but we'll miss him. In any case, I'm glad to still be traveling with Karin and Debbie, especially now that Wesley is gone.

We spent the day exploring downtown Washington with Diana and Ian, including a delicious lunch overlooking the Missouri River, and then a follow-up chiropractic adjustment at Larry's office. We ate great barbecue and potato salad, and enjoyed the Tyler family's company.

A big treat for me was getting to see some of my family. It turned out that Aunt Nita and Allan were passing through the area with my Vovo, who they were helping to move into her new place in Branson, Missouri. I was thrilled to be able to receive them at the Tyler house and visit for a while.

New Photos Uploaded!

2008-08-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to post some new pictures, most of them thanks to Debbie's excellent photo-documentation of the trip. For a special tan-line treat, check out my legs in Day 39.

I deleted one of my maps, because I'm re-routing a whole bunch... so stay tuned to see where we end up! (I'll post a new map once I have a good one worked out... look for me on Route 50).

Day 53: Tebbetts, MO to Washington, MO

2008-08-13T21:19:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 70
Total Mileage: 2820

We woke up nice and early at the bike hostel and got ready to ride some more on the Katy Trail. We were looking forward to riding without any cars, but this time in the daytime where we could enjoy the scenery a little more.

After some quick breakfast and trips to the post office, we were on our way. The day was great - cool air underneath the tree canopy, and lots of humidity made easy breathing. Plus, riding along the Missouri River meant no hills! I was happy, except for the annoyance of gravel getting stuck between my the top of my brake and my tire... the problem is that my bike wasn't made to fit my burly tires, so I have very little clearance and any small bit of debris makes my wheels drag. It sounds like I'm flying an airplane... but besides that, the riding conditions were great!

We stopped in Hermann for lunch, and wasted a bunch of time around town, fixing bike noises and eating chocolates. We finally got back on the trail and continued riding into the evening to arrive in Washington, where we would be staying with the Tylers, family of Sarah (Karin and Debbie's New York friend).

We crossed over the wide Missouri once again, enjoying the sunset on the silver water as fog covered the surrounding farmland. Once in Washington, a man in a pickup truck stopped us on the street... and it turned out he was Larry Tyler, there to drive us the last three miles to his house. As it was dark out by this point, we were grateful for the surprise and piled the bikes into his truck. The Tylers welcomed us with a glass of wine, a beautiful home, a warm shower, a chiropractic adjustment, and their excellent company.

Day 52: Eldon, MO to Tebbetts, MO

2008-08-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 51
Total Mileage: 2750

I woke up at 10 a.m. and was shocked that I had managed to sleep in so late, even though it was pitch black in the basement where I had spent the night. Oh well... I guess needed it. In any case, we had planned to spend the morning with the Pike family, so I wasn't late getting on the bike.

After some delicious pancakes and eggs, courtesy of Wesley, the activities began. We played with the goats, blew bubbles, rode bikes, and best of all, rode the horses. I got stuck with Mackenzie's horse Silky, who was high-spirited and kept trying to scrape me off on the fence. I had a great time, even though riding bareback was challenging and a little scary.

We said our good-byes and got on the road at 1:30. It was an easy 30 miles to Jefferson City. We visited J & D Bike Shop, where Wesley fixed a spoke and Debbie got her gears tuned up.

For dinner, we splurged a little and went to an Italian sit-down place and indulged in some wine, since we only had a few miles left for the evening, and it was all on a bike path.

Our ride out of Jefferson City took us across the Missouri River at sunset - quite a sight with the Capitol building in the background.

We were so excited to arrive at the Katy Trail, a bikes-only trail that crosses almost the entire state. The trail is made of crushed rock (white chert) and is well-maintained. Frogs were everywhere, and sadly, I'm pretty sure I ran over a couple slow ones by accident.
As night closed in around us, the trail got spooky. There were no lights but the the small lamps we had on our heads, and the trail was covered in cobwebs that stuck to us as we rolled by. Of course, our imaginations got the best of us and we started creating axe-murderer scenarios in our heads. We were riding fast, but not fast enough to beat the darkness. Luckily for us, the trail was smooth and we all stayed upright on the bikes.

We got to Tebbetts and started looking for the bike hostel. The key was hanging from a hook on a telephone pole, and we let ourselves in. I can't remember the last time I was so happy to see a long row of bunkbeds. This place was AWESOME! There were showers and a bike maintenance room, and we had it ALL to ourselves.

Day 51: Linn Creek, MO to Eldon, MO

2008-08-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 22(+)
Total Mileage: 2699

We began our day with a hike down a steep gravel road to the camp bathrooms, and talked a little with our friendly hosts before heading on our way. They were surprised to hear that we had been through Iola, Kansas, their old stomping grounds, and even gotten in the newspaper.

The first stop was in Osage Beach for a delicious breakfast. We headed for Pike Chiropractic, where we would meet our hostess for the night, the sister of Debbie and Karin's friend Scott in New York. After passing countless miniature golf courses, go-cart tracks, and other tourist attractions, we arrived at the Pikes' practice. We met Amy and Chuck, who graciously offered us a stay at their home in Eldon that night.

While Debbie used the computer at the chiropractic place, Wesley, Karin and I headed on to Lake Ozark in search of a bike shop. We were really pleased at the friendliness and great service we found at the Ozark Cyclery. Wesley had his bottom bracket fixed, and Karin managed to get rid of a bunch of excess baggage, fitting all of her necessary belongings in two small panniers and mailing the rest home. I had given up on my handlebar bag the day before because it was interfering with my shifting, but I broke down and bought a new, smaller one that I am very happy with.

We purchased a few spare tubes and were on our way to Eldon. Amy's instructions were to look for a billboard advertising knee replacement surgery after getting to the top of a big hill, and turn left into her driveway. Although a knee replacement is probably what I was thinking about after climbimg this hill, I must have been distracted... I missed the billboard entirely and went another four miles before I sensed I had gone too far. After consulting with the others, who were already showered and lounging, I turned around and found the Pikes' driveway. I had NOT been warned about the insanely steep driveway, but was relieved to learn that all of us had been forced to walk our bikes up it.

Once at the house, I met three of the Pike girls, Carissa, Mackenzie, and Abigail, and visited with their lovely 80-year-old babysitter. The house was huge, comfortable and beautiful, and the girls were very gracious and welcoming. The Pike parents came home and we had a delicious family-style dinner, did some laundry, and watched the Olympics.

Day 50: Galmey, MO to Linn Creek, MO

2008-08-10T08:22:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 49
Total Mileage: 2677

We woke up nice and late, sleeping in until 7:30 after our evening out at the bar. Breakfast was short and sweet at the Triangle store, but we managed to meet a cool local guy who talked our ears off, even though, he assured us, he was the "quiet type."

A few more miles took us over the Pomme-de-Terre dam and back to our normal route. We stopped at a couple of gas stations for refreshments, but mostly just rode hard. Again, the hills were endless.

We were sad to say good-bye to Alpine Dave in Camdenton, where he parted ways with us. He managed to complete a grand total of 1500 miles on the trip, roughly halfway across the country, depending on how you slice it.

There was no camping to be had in Camdenton, so we continued on a few miles to Ozark Trails Campground in Linn Creek. We were excited to have a pool, showers, and a game room to hang out in, but the walk up a steep, gravel road to the campsite nearly killed us.

Day 49: Nevada, MO to Galmey, MO

2008-08-09T04:45:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 65
Total Mileage: 2628

The morning sky was covered with clouds, which cheered us, as we were hoping to avoid the heat. Before leaving the campground, Debbie checked her e-mail and learned that we had been featured in a front-page article of the Iola Register! "Brockway" was quoted extensively - man, he never shuts up! I checked out the article at http://www.iolaregister.com/ or you might still be able to get to it directly through JB's comment on yesterday's blog - thanks, JB!

We had a hearty breakfast at the nearest diner, which featured the old cloth roller towel in the bathroom (yuck). The reason this was funny, though, was the sign warning people not to hang from the towel!

We soon found out that Missouri is all hills: there isn't a single flat piece. And while the hills were small, they were endless. It was really hard going! I think my muscles were tired from the day before, because I had been pushing myself really hard. We stopped in Collins for lunch. In addition to the hot soup, we were lucky to have a great waitress who gave us lots of information about the area.

It turned out that Preston, our evening destination, was a tiny town where we wouldn't have any camping options. Instead, we turned off-route in Wheatland in search of Pomme-de-Terre Lake. The campground was great, and the lake was even better - the warmest water you can imagine!

After a swim and a shower, we stripped the gear off our bikes and headed up the steep hills back into town to go to a bar called the Mule Lip. We had been warned not to enter the bar without Dave or a tazer, but it turned out to be pretty mellow. After some nachos, beers, and dancing we raced over to catch the store before it closed. A nice local had given us money for ice cream. The single cones were HUGE! And best of all, they had my favorite flavor, Moose Tracks.

Day 48: Iola, KS to Nevada, MO

2008-08-08T13:30:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 60
Total Mileage: 2602

We started our day with breakfast at the gas station. While we were there, Debbie made friends with Bev, the nice lady who worked there. She was so excited to have cyclists passing through Iola that she contacted the newspaper to take some pictures and do a story on us.

We continued on our way, stopping at Uniontown for some ice cream. A few miles later, we arrived at Fort Scott, the site of a Civil War-era Union encampment (just South of Ft. Leavenworth). The town of Fort Scott was cute, but the cobbled streets were all torn up for repairs. We ate some lunch at a Mexican restaurant, which required at least an hour of lying around in the grass to digest.

The final twenty miles of the day took us over the state line to Missouri. The scenery changed abruptly: lots of lush green trees and LOTS of hills.

We made it into Nevada (believe it or not, pronounced Ne-VAY-da) in time to buy a ton of food, find a campground, and hop in the pool before it closed at dark. What followed was the biggest feeding frenzy I have seen so far on the trip. After dinner, we all repaired to our tents for some well-deserved rest.

Day 47: Eureka, KS to Iola, KS

2008-08-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 51
Total Mileage: 2542

We woke up to driving rain. The clothes we had put out to dry were newly drenched. The tents were wet too, and the rain showed no sign of letting up.

We took our time, hoping that things would dry out a little. Wesley and Dave were busy fashioning rain gear out of trash bags, while Debbie tried to make her green poncho more stylish, with the end result making her look like a little elf. (Wesley and Dave just looked silly).

We wasted a little more time eating a hot breakfast at the Copper Kettle, and headed on our way. A little after the rain had let up, I got a flat tire. It was just my luck, since the day before, Wesley, Karin, and Debbie had gotten about 8 flats between them.

Lunch was at the park in Yates Center. The flies were gross, but they were nothing compared to the scary bathroom, located under an old stone stadium. I avoided it, but Alpine, Wes, and Debbie were all scarred from the experience, saying that it was like peeing in the Blair Witch Project.

The afternoon ride was pleasant. We cruised into Iola to find a campground with showers AND laundry! We were so thrilled at the prospect that we were a little late heading into town for dinner, and we had only one option for food: Sonic.

Day 46: Park City, KS to Eureka, KS

2008-08-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 62
Total Mileage: 2491

We began the day with a continental breakfast. Wesley was harassed by the hotel staff because he did not look as though he belonged at the hotel breakfast. After confirming that he was a guest, the woman came back to apologize.

The morning was rainy, but we made it to El Dorado (pronounced El Do-RAY-do by the locals) for lunch at a cute little cafe. We were happy to find salad and soup, the two things we had been craving all day.

It started pouring during the second half of our ride. My rain gear was at the bottom of my panniers, so I kept riding. Needless to say, I was soaked to the bone when I reached Eureka.

We opted for some comfort food: a Chinese buffet. Let's just say that the restaurant probably lost money that night, because we gorged ourselves on plate after plate of warm food, and followed it up with seconds, thirds, and fourths of dessert.

We camped in a large neighborhood park. It had stopped raining, but all of our stuff was wet. Wesley and Karin even managed to sneak in the pool before the sheriff rolled around to check on us.

Day 45: Rest Day!

2008-08-05T19:40:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 20
Total Mileage: 2429

"Mileage?!" you say, "On a rest day?!"

Yes, it's true.

We were in the Southwest corner of Wichita to meet Alpine Dave, who flew in to ride with us for a week. In order to set ourselves up for a speedy getaway the next morning, we decided to head for the Northwest edge of town.

First, we stopped and had a Nu-Way, Wichita's own steamed-ground-beef-on-a-bun-sandwich. Then we headed to the bike shop. It turned out that my bike did NOT have a cricket problem, but DID need a new bottom bracket. I also splurged on some new shorts.

Then our ride took us along the scenic Arkansas River (again) and into a weird industrial train yard part of town. It was 106 degrees out, and the short ride was sapping us of energy. Finally, we stopped in Park City for the night and enjoyed a dip in the indoor pool, which was the perfect temperature.

Day 44: Hutchinson, KS to Wichita, KS

2008-08-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 46
Total Mileage: 2409

After hitting the snooze button WAY too many times, I got up and planned the route to Wichita. Although it was after 8 by the time I left, the day was still cool and fresh.

The ride to Wichita wasn't bad. The day started heating up, but the road was basically flat, and there were several stops for refreshments. As usual, the natives were curious about our trip, and many people stopped to ask questions.

The afternoon was spent lounging around. I indulged in a lot of mindless TV watching, which is about all my sore butt would allow.

Day 43: Rush Center, KS to Hutchinson, KS

2008-08-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 94
Total Mileage: 2363

The morning was lovely as the sun came up. The road ahead was empty of cars with softly rolling hills. It is amazing what a few hours of rest can do for your mood and morale.

I rolled into Great Bend and went in search of supplies. Most important was finding the right "butt grease." Since my Aquaphor had run out, I had returned to using the much inferior Chamois Cream on my rear end, and I was starting to feel it. After about five weeks in the saddle, it is still VERY important to take care of the tushie.

I continued on to Lyons, where my road turned South. The headwinds picked up, but what really sucked was the afternoon heat. Luckily, the adorable towns I passed through had places to get cold drinks, so I stayed hydrated and happy.

I rolled into Hutchinson and found a really cheap motel. I was SO excited to take a real shower and get some rest. I fell asleep without even eating dinner.

Day 42: Dighton, KS to Rush Center, KS

2008-08-02T15:37:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 66
Total Mileage: 2269

After sleeping a couple of hours in the grass by a museum, I got back on the bike and pushed on while it was still cool out.

I arrived in Ness City, a town that seemed to once upon a time have been something special, complete with cobbled brick streets ans some interesting old buildings. This Saturday, it was dead.

The kids at the pool let me take a shower, and I headed over to the laundromat. Luckily for me, the laundromat was carpeted - perfect for a catnap on the floor. Unfortunately, EVERYONE who came in wanted to chat, even though I had my map open over my face and was probably snoring too.

So I tried my luck at the park. For the first time since leaving the mountains, the flies weren't biting. I managed to get a couple hours of sleep, even though the baseball tournament announcer was really loud.

I had an excellent milkshake and waited around for the day to cool off. Around 9 p.m. I headed out on my bike. For whatever reason, the riding wasn't fun. I'm not normally afraid of the dark, but my mind was playing tricks on me and everything seemed to be moving around me. The night was loud with bugs, not like the night before. My butt was hurting, my legs didn't want to pedal, and I was NOT happy.

I managed to make it to Rush Center, where I "camped" beside the post office.

Overall, the day was a little bit of a let-down, both in terms of fun had and distance covered... but averaged with my miles from the previous day, I was still happy with my progress.

Day 41: Eads, CO to Dighton, KS

2008-08-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 125!!!
Total Mileage: 2203

We woke up super-early, and this time were able to beat some of the heat. It was so quiet as the sun came up, and I enjoyed watching the deer and jackrabbits on the prairie.

The road was bumpy and obnoxious in places, but the cool morning air kept my spirits high and I managed to ride at about 17 mph. It felt good to be cruising after so much slow, hot riding the day before. The ride was split up into manageable segments by the nicely spaced towns, and the people I met were great: helpful, friendly small-town folks eager to chat and give out free food.

After crossing into Kansas, I also crossed into Central Time, and suddenly the day felt a lot hotter. I decided to spend the afternoon lounging around Leoti before continuing on in the cool of the evening. Even lying in the shade, I was sweating, and the biting flies were eating me alive, so I didn't get much sleep.

Leoti was having their county fair, with 25-cent rides, so I rode the ferris wheel and "merry mixer" before deciding I was too dizzy for more.

Finally leaving town around 10 p.m., the road was empty and quiet. There were a million stars out, and I saw at least six shooting across the sky. Jackrabbits peered through glowing eyes before scampering off into the grass, and I tried not to think of the chupacabras. The best part was the night air at my back, cooling me and gently pushing me East. (I would say that the silence was lovely, but it was punctuated by the new cricket sound my bike makes when I pedal in certain gears - gotta look into this).

At 3 a.m. I arrived in Dighton and slept for a couple hours. I was so excited to have completed my first century ride!* I was so tired I barely even felt my sore butt and knees.

*And to any nay-sayers, I'm counting ALL 125 miles as my first century because they ocurred within one 24-hour period, even if I did take a long break in there!)

Day 40: Ordway, CO to Eads, CO

2008-07-31T15:01:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 63
Total Mileage: 2078

Once again, we attempted an early start to beat the heat. The cafe opened late, and our breakfast took a while, so we weren't on the road until after 8 a.m. The first few miles were cool and pleasant.
The winds kicked in strong, but they were mostly crosswinds. Nonetheless, our progress East was slow and grueling. We finally reached Haswell, the 2/3 rest point of our ride, where we were fortunate to find the propane shop open. The propane guy sold us tons of cold drinks and snacks, and after a couple hours of rest (me sleeping under a tree outside, Karin and Debbie watching TV on the couch inside), we were ready to finish the ride. It was somewhat cooler after 5 p.m. and the sun was at our backs, so we continued without too much suffering.

A few miles out of Eads, I remarked to myself how much the prairie dogs sounded like cats meowing. I was surprised to hear the sound still so close, and I turned around to look. Sure enough, it was following me! Only, it wasn't a prairie dog, but a tiny kitten racing down the highway behind me at full speed, and bawling at the top of his lungs.

Now, I'm not much of a cat person, but this little guy was too cute not to stop. Debbie and I figured he was an unwanted kitten left on the side of the road to die. He was so affectionate and starved for attention that we decided to take him into town, where he might have better luck. He wouldn't cooperate when we tried to balance him on top of our things, so we let him run alongside the bikes for a while. Then Debbie wrapped him in a towel and put him in her handlebar bag, where he sat calmly. We pulled into town and saw some children selling rocks, and the kitten jumped off the bike and ran to the arms of a little boy. I love happy endings. I'm sure that little boy's parents do too ;)

Wesley had managed to finagle a free all-you-can-eat dinner at the high school, but our cat-saving got us there too late to partake. We ate at a cafe and opted for a motel, since we were all badly in need of showers.

Day 39: Pueblo, CO to Ordway, CO

2008-07-30T06:43:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 58
Total Mileage: 2015

We awoke refreshed and rejuvenated at Aunt Irene's house. Wesley cooked up some eggs, and we lounged around for way too long before hitting the road. We didn't get off until 9:30 and it was already hot.

The ride out of Pueblo was fun, and we were excited to finally be on the official TransAmerica trail heading East.

The ride was mellow and flat. We stopped for lunch in Boone, and were happy to see a sign in the grocery store welcoming cyclists to the Prairie Horizon Trail. Bill was inside, and he offered us a map and lots of useful information about the area... such as, DON'T talk to the town pervert, a local con-artist who tricks children, senior citizens, and apparently cyclists into his lurid games. Sure enough, when we passed his house we saw a sign welcoming Adventure Cyclists into his lair.

The flat, mellow ride continued along happily. We found a restaurant open in Olney Springs, and stopped for a cold drink. This place also made a point of welcoming us to the Prairie Horizons Trail, and asked us to sign the log. They also tipped us off to a special treat 11 miles down the road in Ordway: the spray-park.

We arrived at our destination to find Wesley at a park, jumping around in a fountain. We changed into our bathing suits and joined him - what a great thing to find on a hot day like today! (It was also good, because it substituted for the shower we wouldn't be getting in the evening).

We ate an an excellent little cafe and headed off to the park to camp. I fixed a flat tire while some local guys tried to scare us. The high school was showing Spiderman on the football field, and kids were everywhere. The town park was apparently also the local "cruising" scene, so we listened to lots of carrying on while we tried to fall asleep. The dogs were barking, and there was a horrible poo smell that kept wafting in our tents, probably from a nearby farm... or perhaps from the park's porta-potty.

Day 38: Cotopaxi, CO to Pueblo, CO

2008-07-29T06:13:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 73
Total Mileage: 1957

We awoke with plans of getting an early start to avoid the heat of the day. My rain fly was still wet, and though the sun was up, it hadn't risen enough over the walls of the Arkansas River canyon to dry anything out.

Before leaving, a nice family brought us over some sausage-egg casserole and canteloupe, so we had a good breakfast base to ride on.

The leg by the Arkansas River was beautiful in the morning light. We arrived at our only real climb for the day, up and out of the Royal Gorge. A few more miles downhill put us in Canon City, where we had a bountiful picnic in the park.

The day wasn't getting any cooler, and we still had a lot of ground to cover, so we headed out. We had been deliberating back and forth on which way to go. After much map talk and consultations with locals, we decided on the straight route via Highway 50, even though it would be less scenic and more trafficky.

We had been told that Pueblo was basically downhill, save for a few rolling hills. It turned out to be ALL rolling hills, but unfortunately not the kind where your momentum gets you up the next one. In fact, we were facing HOT headwinds that had us pedaling the entire time. But luckily, we were all in good spirits and pressed on.

The day Karin and Debbie left on their trip, they had stopped at REI for some last-minute gear. The attendant there was a nice guy named Zachary, who told them he had an aunt in Pueblo. To make a long story short, we decided to stay with Aunt Irene, a woman we neither knew nor had any real connection to.

Boy, were we lucky! Aunt Irene had a beautiful home stocked with clean towels, an excellent showerhead, comfy beds, washer and dryer, and internet access... and tons of food! We were thrilled and went to bed happy. Aunt Irene was the best!

Day 37: Sargents, CO to Cotopaxi, CO

2008-07-28T06:12:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 65
Total Mileage: 1884

We started our day bright and early in order to have the cool part of the morning for the 9-mile ascent up Monarch Pass. This would be the high point (elevation-wise, anyway) of our trip at 11,312 feet.

It was a steady grade to the top, and while the climb was challenging, it was fun and beautiful. I guess all the "training" on mountains in Nevada paid off, because I made it up with little pain and no complaining. The mountains were beautiful.

At the top, we took turns standing on both sides of the Continental Divide. From this point on, all rivers would flow towards the Atlantic... and the significance of this as it relates to my leaving California wasn't lost on me. I hope it will give me the positive juju I need to keep riding towards the Atlantic.

The descent into Salida was fun, though I had to take it slow because my back tire was damaged. By the time we got into town, it was raining and my tire had lost a bunch of tread and was making flapping noises. The bike shop guys scolded me mercilessly for riding down off the pass on such a destroyed tire, but luckily they informed me that the Armadillo tires I had bought for the trip came with a warranty, and I got a new one for free. They were shocked that such a good tire could have gotten that way after only 1800 miles.

We went to have lunch and celebrate and an excellent pizza place/microbrewery. Afterwards, we went to meet up with Todd, the guy who had carried our gear over the mountain.

Because it was still raining, with thunder and lightning, we spent an hour hanging out at Todd's place. He was an interesting guy, and showed us lots of cool jewelry and other art he had made. He also cleaned our jewelry for us, which was good because my earrings were pretty badly tarnished. Thanks for everything, Todd!

We set out from Salida in a little bit of rain, and our shoes and socks were instantly soaked. By the time we got into the Arkansas River canyon, the sun was coming out and we had a beautiful evening ride into Cotopaxi.

We camped out and ate what we could from the mini-mart before collapsing into a restful sleep by the river.

Day 36: Crested Butte, CO to Sargents, CO

2008-07-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 59
Total Mileage: 1819

We said a sad good-bye to Rafa and Molly and headed out for an easy downhill stretch into Gunnison. The morning was beautiful.

After only a couple miles, Wesley got a horrible cramp in his thigh, and was only able to pedal with one leg. He still managed to keep up with us. He decided to stop in Almont and try to massage away the pain, telling us to go on without him.

The three of us girls met up in Gunnison for Sunday brunch and worried about Wesley. He was in a lot of pain. Would he be able to make it to Sargents by evening? Should he hitch a ride? Would he be able to ride up Monarch Pass tomorrow? We left him voice mail and text instructions to meet us in Sargents, even if it meant hitching a ride, and continued on our way.

By this time, the day was getting hot. We only had 33 miles to go, and it was rolling hills, that gradually took us back up to 8000 feet. I was riding slow, but made it to Sargents before any rain could get me. Debbie and Karin had been chatting up some folks before I arrived, and managed to perform an awesome Yogi -- getting our gear carried over Monarch Pass to Salida for us.

We kept our camping gear with us, and eventually Wesley caught up to us, having massaged his leg sufficiently to make the ride. We spent the night in a tepee.

Days 33 - 35: Rest Days!

2008-07-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Because we were at Rafa's house in Crested Butte, we decided to spend a few days hanging around relaxing and enjoying the high country.

What soon became known as Camp Rafa included lots of fun activities: archery, river rafting, slack rope walking, and eating CONSTANTLY. We watched the new Batman movie, and relaxed a bunch.

Thanks to Rafa and Molly for their amazing and generous hospitality. We had a great time!

Day 32: Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO to Crested Butte, CO

2008-07-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 42
Total Mileage: 1760

We awoke after a silent, restful night at 6:30. Debbie got lost on the way to the showers, but shortly we were fed on whatever breakfast we could scratch up at the marina store, and we were on our way.

It was just 15 miles to Gunnison, and my bike was already hurting me. But I was determined to ride the entire way, since we would be visiting my older brother. Perhaps I had something to prove, since I have been to Crested Butte to see him several times since he's lived here, including BY BIKE from San Diego, and he NEVER once visited me during the six years I lived there. But I'm not bitter.

After messing around for a little while in Gunnison, snacking on bagels and pirouettes, we headed north to Crested Butte. I got a head start, and Wesley caught me after about 9 miles. At one of my 10-miles stretch breaks, I realized that my saddle was not straight on the bike, and Wesley fixed it for me quickly. After that, I had no more back pain... so perhaps this was the culprit. I don't know how I could have ridden all that time without noticing my seat was crooked!

The rain came on strong, with big, fat, stinging pellets of water, and we scrambled to cover our panniers with rain gear. Just as quickly as it had come on, we rode out of it. Poor Debbie got a flat tire in the rain.

We arrived at Rafa's house, which was huge and beautiful. I was so happy to have a warm, dry place out of the rain.

Day 31: Montrose, CO to Blue Mesa Reservoir, CO

2008-07-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 54*
Total Mileage: 1718

What a crappy day!

We got a late start out of Montrose for no particular reason, and it was pretty hot out.
I made it about 6 miles out of town before I realized I was in WAY too much pain to continue. The day before, my back had been bothering me while riding, so I took off my Camelbak and strapped it to my bike, which seemed to help. Perhaps I had put too much strain on it yesterday, or perhaps sleeping in a bed was the problem. Either way, it hurt. (The pain was initially so sharp I actually checked to see if something had stung me!)

I hitched a ride to Cimmaron, our midway point, with a trucker named Brandon. There I took some pain medication and stretched out my back (and napped a little too).

I had passed my three companions as they grunted up the road, and a couple hours later Debbie and Karin rolled in. Wesley must not have seen me snoozing and pushed on. Karin was exhausted after sleeping poorly the night before, and the heat of the midday was getting to all of us. We biked two painful miles to a burger and pie place and rested a while.

At lunch, I got friendly with one of the locals - how I love those bearded older men!

The three of us planned to hitch a ride the rest of the way to Sapinero, but a ride together was unlikely with all of us and all our gear. I rode up another mile and got a ride from a nice lady in a truck. Karin and Debbie had continued riding up and finally into a pretty canyon.

I got dropped off by the sign that read "Sapinero" and found myself in the middle of nowhere. I rode a few more miles looking for signs of Wesley, but found nothing, so I doubled back to a likely spot to wait for the girls. I ran into a bike touring couple camped at Blue Mesa Reservoir, but they hadn't seen any of my companions.

Finally, Karin and Debbie showed up and we decided to continue down the road a stretch to check for Wesley at some campgrounds around the lake. Luckily, Debbie's phone got reception and we had a message from Wesley. We were happy to be reunited.

The evening colors were pretty over the lake, and we relaxed and planned for an earlier start the next day.

*Only 15 of these miles count for me since I was thumbing, but I'm putting them in here to keep an accurate record of the trip.

Day 30: Telluride, CO to Montrose, CO

2008-07-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 66
Total Mileage: 1664

After a night of partying in Telluride, we indulged a little and slept in until 8 a.m. After slowly drying out our wet tents, packing up our things, and making some last-minute adjustments to the bikes, we finally got on the road around 11.

The first few miles out of town were downhill. At Placerville, we took a new road and headed up to the 8970 ft. pass at Devil's Divide. It was a mellow climb, but I was looking forward to having a picture at the top. Although I've been higher than 8000' elevation on this trip, I hadn't yet gotten a picture of a summit at that level. So I was disappointed when I got to the top and there was no sign to add to my collection.

We cruised into Ridgway and had lunch at a cool little cafe that featured a bunch of posters of old Westerns, and some tasty chili.

We got back on the road after 4:30, and had a great time flying through the last 27 miles to Montrose. Even though there was a light headwind, we sped along the downhills and flats, watching the lightning and thunder brewing in the west.

Once in Montrose, we opted for a motel, which ended up being a good decision, since the wind picked up and drove some hard rain our way.

Day 29: Rest Day!

2008-07-20T15:25:00.000-07:00

Naked Mileage: 2

Because we were so enchanted with Telluride, we decided to spend a day hanging out around town. Our main goals were to get some laundry done and have our bikes worked on (I had a bent derailleur hanger), but we managed to have a ton of fun while we were at it. We ate a delicious picnic next to the crystal-clear San Miguel River that runs right through town. We rode the free gondola up the mountain, and Karin and Wesley took turns on a bungee-trampoline bouncy-thing, doing flips and amusing us all.

Normally, Telluride has some sort of music festival every weekend during the summer, but we happened to show up on the one weekend known as the "Nothing Festival." Luckily for us, the girl at the bike shop told us about the main activity planned for the weekend: a naked bike ride through town.

It had been raining and gotten decidedly cooler by the time the ride rolled around, but we decided to scope it out anyway. We showed up at the meeting spot (a bar) and made our way to several other bars (and through several tequila shots) before heading to the home of a local guy to disrobe. About 20 of us got naked and got on our bikes.

After a few loops around the traffic circle at the edge of town, the group biked down the main street to much applause and cheering from the crowds gathered on the sidewalks. We rode back to the house to gather our clothes and continue partying with the Telluriders.

There was a lot of Guitar Hero and general debauchery before we made our way back to the campsite.

Day 28: Stoner, CO to Telluride, CO

2008-07-19T10:05:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 49
Total Mileage: 1598

We woke up after a freezing cold night's rest and scrounged together some breakfast. With everyone's contributions, we ended up having a nice meal of oatmeal, granola, fruit and nuts.

We set out around 9:15 and the ride to Rico rolled through the mountains up the Dolores River, gradually climbing to about 8800 feet. Along the way, Karin, Debbie, and I were inspired by the scenery and we yodeled our way through the entire score of The Sound of Music... until we ran out of breath going up a hill singing.
In Rico, we had lunch at a pricy and less-than-satisfying lunch. I got a head start on the next leg of the ride: the climb up to Lizard Head Pass at 10,200 feet.

The ride was a pretty reasonable 12 miles, climbing slowly until a turn away from the Dolores River made the road significantly steeper for a couple miles. Somebody had spraypainted in orange some motivational messages along the road. The one that kept me going was "The force is strong with this one."

Wesley caught up to me in the last two miles up to the pass. He continued down the mountain, while I waited for Debbie and Karin, who had promised Oreo cookies.

We were looking forward to 15 downhill miles to Telluride, but a steep descent into a creek took us straight back up another 1000 feet. I grunted through it, and did surprisingly well. The last few miles into Telluride were along a bumpy path.

Wesley managed to get the clicking sound in his bottom bracket taken care of, while I asked the visitor's center for cheap motel recommendations. There were none, so we opted for the town campground. We were lucky to run into Rosie, who offered to let us pitch our tents in her campsite, which was nice because the campground was packed.

We set up our tents in the rain, and Debbie and I headed into town to a grocery store and bar. At Smuggler's Brewpub I sampled several beers, and settled on a nicely hopped Russell Kelly Ale. We ate dinner at Smuggler's and ended the evening looking for Karin and Wesley, who were also looking for us.

Luckily, the night air was a perfect temperature for sleeping, and the rush of the river nearby lulled us to sleep.

Day 27: Dove Creek, CO to Stoner, CO

2008-07-18T07:48:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 53
Total Mileage: 1549

We woke up early, in the chilly morning air to start our ride. The first 36 miles to Dolores were very pleasant: the air was cool, the hills soft and rolling, and the farmland picturesque.

We stopped at the Narraguinnep Reservoir for a dip in some refreshing water and some snacks.

Once in Dolores, we were thrilled to find the bike shop. My bike (aka the Shopping Cart) was making tons of noise and the gears were grinding all over the place. I also wanted to get a new stem, which would allow me to sit more upright, and hopefully relieve some back pain.

Wesley got some new cycling shorts, and we all admired his never-before-seen shapely legs. Karin got a rearview mirror for her sunglasses.

It was midday and hot, and since we had to wait for my bike, we lounged around Dolores. All of us were charmed by the little town, its restaurant, its children running a lemonade stand, and the relaxed pace of life under a tree at the park.

When my bike was ready, I decided to make another improvement to my set up, and bought a Camelbak-type of backpack. In addition to letting me carry more water, this new space let me move things around on my bike, eliminating the awkward tool bag on the back of the bike that had my gear sitting up way too high.

Satisfied with our purchases, we made one last stop at the Dolores River Brewery, where I was disappointed by their Pale Ale.

We expected the last 14 miles of the day to be a bit of a climb, so we didn't leave until after 5 p.m., when the day had cooled off substantially. We were pleased to enjoy an easy ride along the Dolores River.

The one campground in Stoner was empty, and we were happy to have use of the showers inside some vacant cabins.

The evening got colder and colder, and we were glad to have use of the cabins for cooking, since it turned out that the Stoner Cafe was closed.

Day 26: Blanding, UT to Dove Creek, CO

2008-07-17T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 47
Total Mileage: 1496

We woke up early to meet Debbie and Karin at the complimentary continental breakfast of a hotel where none us had stayed.

I had a flat back tire, and once I fixed it, we were on our way.

We were lucky to have morning cloud cover as we climbed some mellow hills to Monticello. The ride was easy, and I enjoyed having some female company on the road for a change.

After a short stop in Monticello, Wesley and I continued over rolling hills the rest of the way. There was some light rain, but nothing my pannier covers and raincoat couldn't handle.

We crossed over into Colorado, and I stopped at the bar located right at the state line for a beer, and to wait out the rain, since I only had a few more miles to go.

Wesley was waiting at a cafe in Dove Creek. Our camping options were limited, but after some asking around we ended up at a grassy neighborhood park.

Day 25: Rest Day!

2008-07-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

We had a full day in Blanding, Utah to relax and take care of business.

First, we breakfasted at two different hotels, neither of which was the one where we were staying. I tried valiantly to upload some pictures on the hotel computer, but the internet was too slow and buggy. I also tried at the visitor's center in town, but they wouldn't let me plug in my camera.

Finally, the public library opened, and Wesley and I spent a couple hour messing around with our photos, paying bills, etc.

On our way to do laundry that evening, we spotted a large group of touring cyclists. It turned out to be a family of nine, the Foxes, who were riding their bikes cross-country until they run out of money. The kids ranged from ages 5 to 18. One of the daughters was on a recumbent bike with her dad, and the mom drove the mini-van to support them.

We also met Debbie and Karin, who had met up with the Fox family the day before and had the benefit of having their gear carried in the mini-van. We were headed the same direction and planning on the same stops, so we decided to ride together the next day.

We all threw some food and drinks together and had quite a feast, (Wesley ate FIVE hotdogs), including birthday cake for one of the boys.

Day 24: Hite, UT to Blanding, UT

2008-07-15T19:28:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 77
Total Mileage: 1449

We had a big ride with no water stops ahead of us, so Wesley and I got up early and managed to leave at 6:30 a.m.

The ride began with more of the same awful climb out of the Colorado River. We wound around through White Canyon and enjoyed the views in the morning light. The air felt fresh and we were smooth sailing. Every uphill was followed by a decent recovery period.

I was doing a good job of staying hydrated and resting/stretching my back every 10 miles.

When there were about 15 miles left to go, I was making my way up a steady grade when I met up with a touring cyclist headed the other way. She and I stopped to chat a couple minutes and look at each other's maps. I felt myself get a little head rush, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground with my bike on top of me -- I had fainted! How crazy is that?! The woman said I was only out for a few seconds, and I was glad she was there because she happened to be a firefighter. So, needless to say, I took a little rest in the shade and had some more snacks and water. I can only imagine that the heat got to me, or perhaps just exhaustion, because I really was well-watered and fed when I passed out.

I continued on, feeling strong, for about two more miles when all of a sudden, the ABSOLUTE steepest, longest, worst hills jumped up in front of me. (I know I keep saying that each hill was worse than the last, but Wesley agreed with me, so I'm not exaggerating).

I don't know how I managed those last few climbs. I definitely had to stop a couple times... but I made it.

I was so happy to see a gas station at the junction with Highway 191. I stopped to have one of the best-tasting Cokes I have ever had, even though there were only a few miles left to Blanding.
The clerk at the store promised me that the last few miles were a gentle grade, so I continued in to town, where Wesley had gotten a hotel room. Luckily for the store clerk, he wasn't lying.

Day 23: Hanksville, UT to Hite, UT

2008-07-14T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 50
Total Mileage: 1372

The ride to Hite, situated where the Colorado River enters Lake Powell, was 50 miles with no services, so we prepared ourselves with plenty of water and tried to get a semi-early start to beat the heat.

The first 20 miles we faced a stiff headwind. This was a pain, but since the sky was still cloud-covered, it was bearable, albeit slow.

The middle portion of the ride took us into a pretty canyon of red rock, with a tree-lined dry riverbed.

Leaving the canyon, there was some climbing before we were able to look out over the northern end of Lake Powell, where bunch of rivers dump into each other. The highlights (besides the pea-soup color of the water) were crossing our first two real bridges, over the Dirty River, and more notably, the Colorado River.

There was one final long uphill push after the bridge, and then a small side road took us to the Hite Recreation Area, where we found the only store for 50+ miles in either direction.

Luckily, the store was open for another hour or so, and the storekeeper was friendly and full of good information.

We opted to "camp" on some picnic tables under an overhang, and we watched the sky grow dark with storm clouds.

Some bikers (motorcycle types) decided to join us for the evening.

Day 22: Torrey, UT to Hanksville, UT

2008-07-13T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 49
Total Mileage: 1322

We knew we had an easy day ahead of us, both in terms of mileage and climbing, so we were able to take our time and enjoy the scenery.

The first 20 miles took us through Capitol Reef, where we saw beautiful red rock formations. What was neat was that a single bend in the road could lead us into a canyon with completely different colors and features.

Wesley (aka the Deer Whisperer) got some cool pictures of a deer eating apricots off a low tree.

The trip was mellow and uneventful. We stopped at a small organic farm and bakery where I got a delicious salad. It's amazing how my body craves fresh fruits and vegetables on this trip, and how easy it is to take these for granted in my "normal" life. On the road, our food options have often been the mini-marts attached to gas stations, so opportunities for real food are a welcome sight.

Toward the end of the ride we met a guy named Parker who was heading west. It's neat to find other bikers on the road and trade stories with them.

We got to Hanksville early, and lazed around a campsite, shooing away flies and catching up on phone calls. We also met some westbound cyclists staying the night in Hanksville.

Day 21: Escalante, UT to Torrey, UT

2008-07-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 64*
Total Mileage: 1273

Wesley and I bid farewell to Alpine (who made it a full third of our route across the country) and Fox (who conveniently joined us for the two most beautiful days so far), and we were on our way.

Still in the Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument, we descended into a deep and beautiful canyon. There were no guard rails anywhere, just red rocks and excellent panoramas.

And as with most downhills, this one was followed by an uphill: THE steepest, most insane uphill I have seen to date. At one rest point I stopped to watch a couple cars going up the steep grade and confirmed that this nightmare of a climb was not all in my head. I managed to make it up four painful, beautiful miles to the top, where we rode the crest of the mountains for a long stretch. The road was narrow and winding, but the views made up for it.

When I got to Boulder, our midday stop, I was unable to do anything before I put in a 30 minute nap. Then I managed to eat lunch and get my (shaky) legs back on the bike.

But it wasn't long before I realized that my legs would not cooperate. The first 5 miles were uphills disguised as downhills (confirmed by Wesley) and I could barely make the bike move. Perhaps I was spoiled after two days with the SAG wagon, or perhaps my legs had just had enough over the past few days... but I had to call it quits.

I debated hiding my bike behind a tree and crawling into a hole for the night, but decided it would be wiser to hitch a ride to Torrey. Luckily, the second car to pass picked me up. Brian and Anna were very kind and loaded me up with all my gear. They pulled off at all the scenic overlooks so I got to enjoy the ride.

I was so glad not to be Wesley, who climbed 3500 feet over the course of the last 37 miles. He was happy to claim his new top speed of 47.1 mph on the descent into Torrey - yikes!

We camped at a grassy little site and Wesley gorged on a huge sandwich and a whole pint of ice cream: well deserved!

*Yeah, I guess 32 of these miles don't count for me, but I'm putting 'em in here anyway!

Day 20: Panguitch, UT to Escalante, UT

2008-07-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 68
Total Mileage: 1209

Dave Fox, Wesley, and I started the day's ride out of Panguitch after a quick stop at the grocery store for some breakfast muffins.

After the first 9 miles, we entered Red Canyon and got to ride on a bike path away from traffic that was smooth as a baby's butt. The rocks around us were spectacular, and we rode slowly to take it all in.

Next, we passed through a section of Bryce Canyon. We enjoyed a huge, fast downhill through the canyon, only to find another beautiful canyon ahead of us, totally different from the last.

Lunch was at the unfortunately non-descript town of Cannonville, where Fox took over the driving and Alpine joined me on his bike. We had a couple climbs, including an ly steep one out of a canyon, but were rewarded with an 18-mile downhill stretch at the end of the ride.

The wind had kicked up, and a storm was brewing to the North. Fox stopped so we could prepare ourselves with rain gear, but nothing could have prepared me for the vicious crosswind that almost knocked me off my bike several times.

We were pleased to find Fox and Wesley at a cool cafe/outfitter where we enjoyed some of Utah's microbrews (all 4% ABV) and very drinkable.

Up until this point we had been complaining about how uncreative Utah is in naming streets and roads. No matter what town you visit, the streets are named things like 200 North and 1150 East. BORING!

But Fox wisely pointed out that all the creativity that was left out of the street naming went into the naming of s. Besides the Porter I chuckled about a couple days ago, we also saw Chasing Tail Ale, Virgin Stout, Evolution Ale (truly a dirty word in these parts), and Provo , to name a few.

Because the skies were uncertain, we opted to stay in an adorable cabin with bunk beds.

Day 19: Cedar City, UT to Panguitch, UT

2008-07-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 58
Total Mileage: 1141

Today was beautiful!

Dave Fox decided to start the ride with me and Wesley, while Alpine did our laundry and drove the SAG wagon.

Our ride took us up a gorgeous creek, complete with waterfalls, rock walls, and even some bighorn sheep.

We climbed for about 17 miles before reaching the 9910 foot summit. We continued on the road to Cedar Breaks, eventually reaching over 10,000 feet elevation.

Alpine Dave did a great job driving SAG, pulling over frequently to offer us cold water, ice, and snacks. He also doubled back several times to let us know what kind of terrain to expect in the upcoming miles.

Unfortunately, Fox took the "shortcut" (ahem, WRONG way) down the mountain and was not at the rally point we had designated. Luckily for all, we had the truck and Alpine was able to retrieve Fox before he ventured too far off course.

One of the highlights of the day was seeing Cedar Breaks, a beautiful red canyon-y rock area cutting into the mountain we had climbed.

After lunch in a meadow full of wildflowers, we began the 30-mile downhill to Panguitch. It was mostly fun, but the bumps in the road got a little irritating.

With 18 miles left, Alpine and Fox traded duties. The last part of the ride included a cool stream, a lovely lake, and a gorgeous gorge.

We set up camp at the KOA in Panguitch, thankful for the pool and shower. Dinner was at a Texas-style BBQ place in town, and shortly after we were ready for bed.

Day 18: Milford, UT to Cedar City, UT

2008-07-09T19:35:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 60
Total Mileage: 1083

We were excited to get going today, because it was a short, easy ride and we would be meeting Dave Fox in Cedar City for a couple days of riding with the team.

First, some of our gear needed to dry out from the previous night's mishap. We didn't get on the road until 10:30. The map for the ride out of town sent us along State Route 129... So when we missed the turnoff, we were a little concerned, even though Route 21 would also lead to Minersville. We decided to take a small paved road across to meet up with the 129 we were supposed to be taking. When we got there, we were dismayed (to say the least) to find a dirt road!

After several miles of grumbling, amid eating dust and appreciating the local agricultural scene, we arrived in Minersville where we picked up Route 130, which would take us all the way into Cedar City.

There was one mellow climb over a mountain range which was easily conquered. We could see our destination just a few miles away in the valley.

Two hours later, we STILL weren't there! For whatever reason, the physics of Utah's bumpy roads kept us going slow on the downhills and practically stopped on the flats. It was a hot day, and I was thrilled to find Wesley and Dave Fox hanging out in the pool at our motel. The water temperature was perfect, and even better, Fox had brought along some Ballast Point Big Eye IPA.

Day 17: Baker, NV to Milford, UT

2008-07-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 84
Total Mileage: 1023

"I Am Also a Shameless Beggar"

The day's ride began in good spirits, as we were only a few miles away from claiming a new state. The first few miles of Utah took us by a pretty stream and pasture land with happy-looking cows.

Because we would be traveling 84 miles without any access to services, we packed a lot of water and braced ourselves for the worst.

There were three mountain ranges to cross, and each was worst than the last. The valleys were full of hot headwinds and provided no rest after the long climbs. But we had no choice, so we pushed on.

Whoever dubbed Highway 50 "the Loneliest Road in America" clearly hadn't been on this part of Highway 6. Only about 15 cars passed us all day. We did see some deer.

Which is why I resorted to waving my water bottle at anything on four wheels. We were lucky to have a couple turn around and offer us cold cold water and ice. Alpine tried to score a , but the nice lady refused him, saying he would get dehydrated. The final push up and over the last pass was dreadful.

My butt was in so much pain by the time we rolled (slowly) into Milford. It was dark out, and we ate an exhausted dinner before setting up camp at a local park.

After a horrible, trying day I learned a valuable lesson: camping on the soft green grass is NOT the best option when the soft green grass is maintained by sprinklers on a timer system that goes off in the middle of the night. Especially when you neglect to put up the rain fly!

Day 16: Ely, NV to Baker, NV

2008-07-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 64
Total Mileage: 939

We awoke rested and ready for our "easy" ride to Baker, Nevada, just west of the Utah border. We were fortunate to have ample time to warm up our bodies before climbing our first mountain, which was a fairly easy ascent to 7700+ feet.

The halfway point brought us to Majors Junction, where the map showed a cute little picture of a sudsy , indicating the only service there was a bar. In fact, the riders we had met two days before had tipped us off that the place also had decent burgers, so we stopped for lunch. The two real treats were the free ice cream cones the nice bar owner gave us, and the deliciously cool well water she filled our bottles with before we left.

The next few miles a headwind threatened our path, but we were lucky to turn away from it.

The second and last climb of our day turned out to be complete hell. What looked like a relatively mellow upgrade over a 7100 foot pass was long and steep. I was pretty pooped by the time I got to the top.

I started thinking, "Doesn't Sylvia owe me a back rub? Where IS that when you need her?!"

The last few miles descended gradually and with a light headwind into the tiny town of Baker. Wesley was already set up at the only campground in town. After showering and doing some laundry, we made it to one of the three stores in town JUST in time to find a good selection of microbrews for sale. I couldn't resist buying the Porter -- why have just one? LOL

Unfortunately, Baker has no cell phone service... so we have been unable to get in touch with people, and this blog entry will post late.

Day 15: Rest Day!

2008-07-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

We spent our rest day in Ely, Nevada. We were happy that Wesley had picked the coolest (and cheapest) hotel in town.

It felt good to walk around town for a change... Nice to be using my muscles in a different way. Ely is covered in murals.

After an unsuccessful visit to a place whose "high speed" internet was frustrating beyond belief, we parked ourselves at the lounge in the casino and had a couple drinks. I blew $1 on video blackjack, and felt my mind and soul go almost completely numb. What a waste of a dollar. Dave won $1.65 at poker.

Day 14: Eureka, NV to Ely, NV

2008-07-05T16:29:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 78
Total Mileage: 875

We woke up late (7:30 a.m.) and began a 4.75 mile ascent up the first summit on Highway 50. My bike felt SO heavy and the going was slow. I did spot a coyote crossing the road.

After crossing the first range, we entered a large basin. Wesley had some deer running alongside him (racing him?!) through the valley.

The day was long: several mountain passes at 7000+ feet punctuated by long valleys. There were few cars and no stops for water or snacks.

Shortly before the third big climb, we ran into some other touring cyclists going in the opposite direction. It really boosted my morale to talk to people with 77 days and 4300 miles under their belts. Best of luck to Jesse, Charlie, and Annie on their bike trip!

Even though the ride was long and tough, I had one of my best riding days so far - aches and pains were minimal and I felt strong and energized all day.

When we had only five downhill miles left to get into Ely, a fierce headwind kicked up. We fought our way DOWNhill at 7 mph and checked into historic Hotel Nevada, the tallest and first fireproof building in the state when it was built in 1929. Our room on the 5th floor was easily accessed by elevator, and we "enjoyed" showers that fluctuated drastically in temperature due to the old age of the plumbing.

Dinner was at a Chinese food place, which satisfied a need for fresh vegetables. We were all happy at the prospect of sleeping in on our rest day, so we indulged in some beers and stayed up until the late hour of 11:30.

Day 13: Austin, NV to Eureka, NV

2008-07-04T07:44:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 72
Total Mileage: 797

We awoke early after some very sound sleep, and were pleased to find the day overcast. Again, we would be traveling the whole day without access to water or other services, so we performed the ice cold water bottle ritual in preparation. The first 10 miles would include major climbing, taking us through two mountain passes over 7000 feet elevation.

Alpine noticed a flat as soon as we got going, so he and Wesley gave me a head start up the mountain. It was amazing how much easier a hard climb could be at the beginning of the day, when I was still feeling fresh and the temperature was still cool.

The third mountain pass was deceivingly difficult, but was followed by thirty miles through a nice flat basin with a tailwind to push us along.

Wesley was long gone, so Yogi and I stopped at (a pleasantly surprising, unannounced) rest area for lunch. Yogi flagged down an RV to beg for ice and water, even though we were more than amply supplied.

The ride took us through some pretty country before the small climb into Eureka. We had missed the 4th of July parade, but Wesley found us a grassy park to camp in.

We were also fortunate to find a laundromat that served beer. Clean clothes were long overdue. The town of Eureka was busy for the holiday, so we waited a while for our dinners, then headed to the main street to watch a really long fireworks display.

Day 12: Middlegate, NV to Austin, NV

2008-07-03T17:54:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 66
Total Mileage: 725

"Alpine Dave is a Shameless Beggar"

Our morning began in Middlegate with a delicious breakfast and some more mingling with the local yokels.

We knew we wouldn't have water or any other services for 64 miles, so we spent a good while preparing water bottles, including some ice cold bottles to be insulated in towels and left alone until the afternoon.

Our route took us along the Pony Express trail. When we passed by Cold Springs we happened to see some signs of life, and were invited to refill our water bottles from a hose.

We were so happy to have cold water to drink at the top of a couple mountain passes. Dave used a rest break as an opportunity to hold his empty water bottle out in to the road, complete with a hang-dog look on his face, and the first car to pass by stopped to offer us raspberry flavored water.

Later, we stopped at a small river with big fish so Dave could dip his swollen feet in. Hereforward to be known as Yogi, Dave suckered another passerby into giving us three Cokes and some more water. This was only 7 miles from the day's final destination, but we still didn't know just what we were in for.

We climbed almost 2000 feet in the last four miles into Austin. It was so painful and awful, especially after a long day of riding. Wesley gave me a pep talk and rode in with me the last 500 feet (he had already been in Austin for a while and saw my haggard body cranking up the hill)... only to to find out that we were camping even FURTHER up the mountain. (Wesley's half-mile was more than a mile).

I practically collapsed when I got there, but managed to set up my tent and take a shower. We walked to the closest possible place to eat. Walking back up the hill was exhausting, and I crawled into bed by 9 p.m.

Day 11: Fallon, NV to Middlegate, NV

2008-07-02T17:33:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 48
Total mileage: 659

The Day That Wouldn't Start

We began our morning in Fallon with a trip to Wal-Mart, and a couple of failed attempts to find a bike shop that didn't exist. Alpine Dave bought a new tire and we headed for the last mini-mart at the edge of town to stock up on water and snacks. After getting ALL ready to go, we started out for the road, only to discover that I had a flat tire. So it was back to the shade to fix that, and it was after 11:00 by the time we really got going.

Highway 50 is known as America's Loneliest Highway, and we were about to find out why. We passed through some salt flats and continued up into the mountains, and saw very few cars along the way.

We arrived at Middlegate to find a sign welcoming us to "the Middle of Nowhere, Population 17." When we saw what we were dealing with, we decided to continue another 13 miles to a private campground at Cold Springs. Wesley was busy tinkering with his bike, so Dave and I went inside the bar/mini-mart to sample the $1.50 Miller High Life. We were soon informed that Cold Springs had burned to the ground... So we decided to stay in Middlegate. There was free camping behind the bar, and it happened to be right under the only trees from Fallon to Ely.

We enjoyed a hearty dinner at the bar, listening to the local yokels gossip.

Day 10: Hawthorne, NV to Fallon, NV

2008-07-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 73
Total mileage: 611

The day began in good spirits with a big breakfast at the diner in the attached to our hotel.

As we left town, dave saw an Ordnance Museum and insisted on having his picture taken with some big ammo.

The first 20 miles took us along beautiful Walker Lake. Road conditions were less than optimal. Nevada is really big on ble strips, except these aren't any ordinary ble strips. Going over them on your bike rattles your brain around inside your head. The other problem is that they take up half of the shoulder, leaving only a foot-wide strip to ride on, sometimes less. And when there is a guard rail, forget about it - treacherous!

Up until this point, we hadn't seen much wildlife. The signs that claimed bighorn sheep were near didn't pan out, even with my excellent sheep calls echoing through the canyon... but we did see some of the biggest, scariest spiderwebs around.

We arrived in the small town of Schurz for a quick lunch. My butt was me, and so was my shoulder.

So we pushed on the final 40 miles to Fallon. There were a couple climbs and some nice long descents. Alpine got a flat at the top of the last hill, which he fixed without much ado. Later, he was hearing some weird sounds from his back wheel, and discovered that his tire had a big rip in it. He pushed on but shortly got another flat and opted to patch the tire with electrical tape. Thanks to Fox, Alpine had plenty of new tubes to spare. He made it the remaining two miles into town on the damaged tire.

Wesley was already in Fallon, where he discovered that the rodeo was in town. We opted for a hotel, since the only camping option was to pitch a tent at the fairgrounds amid the hustle and bustle of the rodeo.

Day 9: Benton, CA to Hawthorne, NV

2008-06-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 89!
Total mileage: 538!

We started our day at the hot springs just outside of Benton, CA. It's amazing that the same stretch of road can be so incredibly different going the other direction. The night before, we were struggling and pushing the last three miles to the campsite... but this morning we practically flew those same three miles back to the main route.

We had the good fortune to talk at great length with Diane, the owner of the hot springs. She is an avid touring cyclist and had lots of information to share about the area. After much deliberation, we decided to take a route that puts us somewhat more north and west than we'd prefer, but that at least promises some water along the way. (The other way to Ely via Tonopah would have put us through a 130 mile stretch with no access to water: not an option).

After six miles on Highway 6, we entered Nevada! We promptly began the three-mile climb to Montgomery Pass, where we cleared over 7000 feet of elevation.

Then we enjoyed a 25-mile downhill that took us back to almost 4000 ft. It was a good thing that it was downhill, because we traveled over 50 miles with no access to water except the dwindling supply we were carrying.

Things would have been great, but I got pulled over and ticketed for running THE ONLY STOP SIGN WITHIN 50 MILES! The citation will cost me $112 - ugh.

Downtrodden and demoralized, we stopped for lunch in Mina, the only inhabited place between point A and point B on today's ride.

Because there was nowhere else to stop, we had planned to make it a long day and continue the remaining 34 miles into Hawthorne. The last 25 miles were SO BRUTAL. Headwinds kept us from traveling more than 7 mph, including on the downhills. The air was hot, and permeated by the smell of fresh tar (which also made our tires sticky, slow, and covered with debris). It took over an hour to ride the last 9 miles of the day.

We were thrilled to check into a hotel with a pool, shower up, and relax. Best of all, our room was right by the ice machine. Ah, the simple things that make life so good.

Day 8: Big Pine, CA to Benton, CA

2008-06-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 58

Total mileage: 449

We awoke early to pack up our camp and head the remaining 16 miles into Bishop, a larger town where we could resupply. Specifically, I needed a shirt and Dave needed new flip flops. It turned out that Wesley didn't need a new tire after all, so we didn't delay there too long... Just a short detour to Mahogany Smoked Meats for some of their beef jerky I had been hearing about since San Diego.

We were all happy to get onto a new road, taking highway 6 northeast towards Nevada. Our plan was to stop in Basalt, NV, just over the state line.

For whatever reason, the going was slow. Flats felt like hills and downhills were deceivingly flat. The topgraphy made it difficult to judge distances, and I founf myself on several long uphill stretches that had initially presented themselves as molehills.

When Alpine and I caught up with Wesley in Benton, we were still 23 miles (and at least one mountain) away from our goal. Luckily, he had spent enough time yakking with the locals to find out that, in fact, there was NOTHING along the way until Tonopah.

Luckily for us, the locals also informed us of some camping at hot springs only a few milws off our route. We opted for this, and were pleased to find ourselves set up with a private hot tub for the night.

Even though it was still warm out, we all enjoyed lounging in the water until we were well past prune fingers. All in all, this little setback turned into a nice surprise.

Day 7: Rest Day!

2008-06-28T20:03:00.001-07:00

We woke up in an ant hill, I mean HELL, and decided to try another spot for our rest day. After all, stamping our feet while standing in place and swatting at our ankles did not exactly seem appropriate for a rest day. Wesley and Dave scouted out another camping spot while I lounged around on the picnic table, doing crossword puzzles and catching up on phone calls.

It turned out there was a great spot just up the hill, so we packed up and made the switch.

We spent the day lounging around and jumping in the freezing cold stream a couple times. Wes was feeling sick most of the afternoon from overdosing on apple juice, and Alpine and I recharged our systems with fresh fruit.

Day 6: Olancha, CA to Big Pine, CA

2008-06-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 72
Total mileage: 391

We got a late-ish start for the day, and decided to pedal the first 22 miles to Lone Pine for a hearty breakfast.

Along the way, Alpine and I caught up to Wesley, who had his first flat of the trip. Because he was almost done fixing his it, and since he tends to be a fast cyclist, he waved us on and we continued riding to the visitor's center to get some information about the area.

After waiting a while, we figured Wesley had continued into Lone Pine, so we went there to meet him for breakfast (which at this point had become lunch). Unfortunately, Wesley's tire had developed some kind of weird lump or warp after (as a result of?) changing the tube. But the tire issue was more annoying than actually a problem, and Wesley decided he could ride like that to Bishop, where he could buy a new tire. I was secretly hoping this might slow him down for a change, but I was out of luck.

We had very few miles under our belt, so we pushed on to Independence, saying Farewell to Manzanar as we passed the WWII era Japanese internment camp. In Independence, I exalted in the simple pleasures of a cold ice cube on my neck and munching on some sweet boysenberries under a shady tree. These days, the little things mean so much more.

Our butts were really starting to hurt, and I was beginning to worry that saddle sore might put this trip to a short stop. A stop at a rest area allowed me to reapply chamois cream to my most tender areas. Alpine and I were happy for the opprtunity to dip our feet into a cool stream, until it turned out that "cool" was actually bone-chillingly icy.

The last few miles were quick. We arrived in Big Pine to see that Wesley had already staked out a camping spot... right on top of a huge red ant colony.

The rest of the evening was spent hiding from the ants atop the picnic table.

Our butts told us in no uncertain terms that the next day would be a rest day.

Day 5: Johannesburg, CA to Olancha, CA

2008-06-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 70
Total mileage: 319

The ride out of Johannesburg started with a huge, fun descent for several miles. And like all huge, fun descents, it was followed by a brutal (2 mile) climb.

The rest of the day was a series of rolling hills through desert terrain much like the day before. What made everything better were the slightly cooler temperatures and the promise of water ahead.

Once again, Wesley took off like a bat out of hell and left Alpine and me in his dust. This day, we were lucky to find a really shady resting spot under a bridge, where the water of a now-dry river had washed the ground into a smooth comfortable place to stretch out for a few minutes.

The next stop was for lunch in Coso Junction, which was full of flies. Wesley had given up waiting for us after the first hour or so, and continued on to Olancha. As we were pulling out of Coso Junction, Wesley called to give us the option of pushing ahead an extra 25 miles to Lone Pine, because the only campground in Olancha was "just a patch of dirt"... but that sounded like crazy talk to me, especially because my butt was getting really sore by that point.

When Alpine and I arrived at the campground in Olancha, we were very pleasantly surprised. The "patch of dirt" had a pool, showers, and laundry, as well as a store stocked with cold beer.

After a deliciously cool and refreshing dip in the pool and some much-needed bathing, we sat around and talked about aliens and other creatures that might come for us in the dark. We even saw some stars!

Day 4: Hesperia, CA to Johannesburg, CA

2008-06-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 69
Total mileage: 249

The day started out GREAT! The first 20 miles or so we were flying down the road with a nice tailwind pushing us along.

We stopped for lunch at Kramer Junction, and I promptly fell asleep on the sidewalk next to the restaurant. Whether it was the heat, a full belly, or the combination of the two -- I was incredibly drowsy!

After about an hour, by the time the midday heat should have cooled off, we started on our way again. It was a good thing we had lots of water because there wasn't a single thing between Kramer Junction and our final stop for the day.

The two "high" points of the day were the ONLY twospots of shade along the road: the first, a huge Joshua tree, and the second a tiny sign post that provided about 4 square feet of respite from the sun. (Dave took this as an opportunity to nap for a half hour while I fried in the sun).

Finally, after what seemed an eternity through a bleak, unchanging desert, we arrived in the "town" of Johannesburg, just in time to resupply at the gas station before it closed.

Again, Wesley saved the day by having scouted out a community park where we could pitch our tents for the night.

Day 3: San Bernardino, CA to Hesperia, CA

2008-06-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 52
Total mileage: 180

Today was the day we were all excited for: Dave Fox was driving up to meet us and carry our gear up the mountain by Lake Arrowhead. The only sad part of all this was that it also meant losing Rosemary, as she had to return to work the next day.

I was feeling pretty crummy before the ride even started (read: vomited 3 times at the hotel). My bike gears were a mess, cranking and clanking every time I shifted. But we got going. Wesley soon left me and Alpine in his dust, so Alpine decided to ask some "reliable" guys on the street for the nearest bike shop so I could get a tune up before starting up the mountain. The search for the bike shop led us on a wild goose chase through a questionable (read: sketchy) part of town. Finally we found the elusive bike shop, where the fellow fixed me up for a mere $4.

Less than two miles later, I was a goner. The nausea returned and I was quite sure I wouldn't make it up the mountain in one day. As I lay dying, I found what I'm claiming is an arrowhead (how appropriate at Lake Arrowhead!) and some strange berries that tasted okay but I wisely decided against swallowing.

Luckily for me, Fox and Rosemary came to my rescue and endured my moans and groans of car-sickness as they carried me and my bike up the mountain.

Wesley powered up the mountain like the champion that he is, and Alpine Dave followed. We had a nice lunch in Crestline (by this time I was keeping down both fluids and solids).

Fox and Rosemary drove me and my stuff down the other side of the mountain to Hesperia (or Hysteria, as Fox aptly dubbed it) where I checked into the hotel and rested up. I bought some medicine, because by this time I had a full-blown hwad cold, and waited for the boys.
I was bummed to have skipped out on the third day of the trip, but I was lucky that it happened on a day when the generous help of good friends was available.

Thanks to Dave and Rosemary for taking such good care of me, and a job well done to Alpine and Wesley for conquering a truly brutal ride up the mountain.

Day 2: Temecula, CA to San Bernardino, CA

2008-06-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today's mileage: 58
Total mileage: 128

The day started out promising. Our route didn't include any major hills.

After passing up a water/supplies stop in Hemet, we began riding on a really really long stretch of nothingness.

Dave had a flat tire, which he fixed only to find that his new tube ALSO had a hole in it. So after about 45 minutes we continued on our way.

Once again, I was at the point of collapse. This time, I was not the only one who was horribly dehydrated and demoralized. Luckily, Wesley came through with an extra couple of water bottles to get us through.

When we thought we had finally gotten to a town, we realized we were wrong. We stopped at the first house we saw to borrow a hose for water and beg for mercy. We were pleasantly surprised when the lady of the house offered us ice and refreshments, as well as a spot to rest in the grass under a shady tree. We seriously considered pitching our tents and never leaving.

But it was on to San Bernardino, and after some pretty country, we finally arrived. We decided to wait behind a bush while I sorted out the details of our hotel. A hotel, it turned out, that didn't exist. We found a cheap place nearby and were thrilled to jump in the pool and cool off.

Day 1: San Diego, CA to Temecula, CA

2008-06-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

Today's Mileage: 70

Ugh. That's pretty much all there is to say after today.

The day started out beautifully. I was happy to have many friends meet me at the Ocean Beach pier, where a surf competition was in progress. After some sad good-byes, Wesley and I dipped our tires in the Pacific and started the ride with 16 friends in tow. We had expected the day to be really hot but the weather felt great once we were moving up the coast.

Our first stop was in Solana Beach, to meet up with more riders. We took pictures in front of Pizza Port, a favorite stop for post-ride beers. But since it was early still, we rode on to the Pizza Port in Carlsbad for lunch.

We continued up the coast to Oceanside, where I took my last look at the Pacific Ocean before heading East.

And then there were four: me, Wesley, Rosemary and Alpine Dave. The ride took us on a scenic bike path along a river.

At a certain point, things turned ugly (for me; everybody else was fine). It's hard to say exactly what my problem was, but I was NOT cut out for the last part of the ride. A long steady incline got the better of me and I had to stop several times to consider dying on the side of the road. Between the heat, the hills, dehydration, carrying extra weight, some inexplicable arm pain, and my general wimpiness, I had a really rough time. I was so glad to jump into the pool when we finally got to a motel in Temecula.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Countdown to Big Bike Ride

2008-06-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm excited to announce my big bike ride, in which I plan to ride my bicycle from San Diego, CA to Washington, DC. Am I crazy? Probably, but I'm going to do it anyway.

After six great years in San Diego, I've decided to move away and start fresh somewhere else. This Spring, I was one of many unlucky teachers who received a layoff notice after California planned to reduce its education budget drastically. That's when I decided it was time for a new adventure. Eventually, after a lot of support from my union, my layoff was rescinded... but I liked the bike trip idea so much I decided to go for it anyway.

My bike trip ends in Washington, DC and I may decide to plant roots there for a while... or I may decide to find a teaching job somewhere else. For now, I'm just looking forward to my trip and worrying about the rest later.

I will be accompanied on my ride for the first few days by some San Diego friends who are part of my regular riding group (Dave Fox, Rosemary Braun, and "Alpine" Dave Brockway) as well as another cyclist (Wesley) I met online.

For those who are far away: please visit my blog, where I plan to write about my trip and post pictures and maps: http://ceciliaanderson.blogspot.com/

For those who are in San Diego: I'd love it if you would send me off by joining me for the first leg of my journey! I will be leaving on Sunday, June 22 at 8:30 a.m. from Newport Avenue, just north of the pier in Ocean Beach. Whether you'd like to ride the whole way across the country, or to Temecula for the night, or ten miles, or one mile... or just show up to say to good-bye, I'd love to see you there.

Thanks to all for their support! I'll be in touch via e-mail and updating the blog, so please don't hesitate to contact me.

With love,

Cecilia

FAQ

Are you insane?!?! Perhaps :)
Aren't you scared? What scares me the most are the hills (unavoidable), the saddle sore, the bike breaking down, my body breaking down, and theft. But other than that, I'm just excited!
Will you be staying in hotels? Some, but I'll be carrying camping gear for most nights to keep costs down.
Do you have a route planned out? Yes, some of which I came up with on my own, and some which I borrowed from Adventure Cycling's great maps.
How much gear will you be carrying? About 40 lbs.
Will you come visit me? I'd love to, if it's anywhere near my route. Let me know if you want some company.