Day 28: cold clean water

Today I rode through the Ozarks and saw plenty of crystal clear streams and rivers. The ride had lots of ups and downs, and I came short of my goal to reach Houston, instead I will stay the night in Summersville park sleeping in my tent. It'll be cold but there's an all night gas station not far from my tent.

Day 27: into the ozarks

Because of some discussion about my route with the locals I decided to reroute to a highway 15 miles north of Marble Hill. My host volunteered to drive me to the new starting point. After a good nights rest and a bit of a drive I started from Fredricktown. I rode down highway 72 to where it meets with highway 21 and the TransAmerica. After and comfortable 65 mile ride I stopped in Ellington. While at the park I was mistaken for another eastbound rider who had arrangements to stay with a family. They decided to take me in as well. Tomorrow's ride will be hilly.

Day 26: crossing the Mississippi

From Metropolis we drove to Vienna Illinois, this was the planned starting point for today's ride. Today I was riding light because the parents rode along in the car and carried my gear. Riding through Illinois was hilly, but I could fly up the hills with no bags and no wind. By noon we went 45 miles to cross the Mississippi in Cape Girardeau. This is where I put the gear back on and parted ways with my parents. Twenty five miles later I made it to marble hill, I was planning to go farther but was drawn in by a community catfish dinner. I made some new friends there and filled my belly. This night I stay in a warm bed.

3rd day off

Took the day off today, no riding whatsoever. But we decided to drive the 60 miles I would have biked. So we crossed the Ohio river into Illinois and stopped at cave-in-rock to see the cave in the rock. Picked up some supplies and rested in Metropolis.

Day 25: meet the parents

From Utica it's a little over 60 miles to Marion, where I'll be meeting my parents who are coming down from Wisconsin to meet me. I like days like this; I know I have a nice warm place to stay tonight, and a rest day tomorrow, so I can just bike hard all day. Problem was the weather, word was rain along with a 20 deg drop in temperature. I got out of Utica dry, but thick clouds were looming. A little ways out I spotted this thunderhead, the nice thing was the shift to a cross wind that blew toward the storm. I easily avoided it. People were warning me of the weather all day, but it didn't come till I was just 2 miles from Marion, and it just dumped rain on me until I arrived at the bed and breakfast meeting place, then it died down. Anyway I got dry quickly, and it's nice to see my parents.

Day 24: firefighters delight

Tough I wasn't too cold sleeping in my tent tonight, as I rode out this morning I saw frost in a deep valley just down the road. Besides a couple climbers it was really flat riding most of the way. It was about 60 miles to Utica where I crashed at the local fire station (open to cyclists). I didn't see any firefighters while I was there, had the whole place to myself.

Day 23: the wind will blow

Today I realized why riding yesterday was so nice, it was calm. Today the wind was back blowing in my face. Regardless I managed to cover 60 some miles. I rode past Lincoln's birthplace and rebuilt home. Highlights of today: some old timer gave me two ugly but delicious pears, a local sculptor bought me a milkshake and I found a great place that welcomes cyclists, they fed me and now I'm sleeping in their yard. Tomorrow I cross the timezone, but my phone has been switching back and forth all night.

Day 22: short cut

Took a highway shortcut off the usual TransAmerica route. It cut off maybe 40 miles and was a nice low traffic (maybe because it's a Sunday?) alternative. Not really an eventful day. After pedaling 70 odd miles I'm laying on a hill outside of Loretto in my tent tonight.

Day 21: past the big hill

After a frosty morning it was a beautiful day for a bike ride. Today I happened to run into another eastbound TransAmerica rider, he was traveling solo, he was surprised to see me since he hadn't seen many tour cyclists. Anyway funny thing later this afternoon I met another solo TA rider heading east, the two were just one day apart from each other and had no idea. Tonight luck was on my side and I met a nice couple who made me a sandwich, brought me to a hay ride, and let me stay in their home. Tonight I sleep on a cushion of warm water.

Day 20: preparing for frost

I've noticed three things are everywhere in Kentucky; coal trucks, dairy bars and tanning beds. Today was a light ride, leaving late from my hotel and stopping early in Booneville, where there is a cyclist shelter. Great little town, Booneville. After laundry and dinner I'll be bundling up for a cold night. Tomorrow I'll cross the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Day 19: Kentucky

So far I've been riding through coal country. That means lots of big fast semis on the roads. Mixed with cold wet windy conditions parts of today's riding edged on miserable. Rode into the pedestrian free (from what I've seen) town of Hazard on a huge freeway, and tonight I finally sprung for a hotel to get off these crazy roads and out of the cold. Should be better weather tomorrow.

Day 18: a shift in the weather

Today I got an early start to try and cross the mountain then the border for Kentucky before the rain. By 9:30 it was raining and when I crossed into Kentucky it was getting cold. It was cold and rainy, with some winds all day. Couldn't get to a warm place to sleep, so s nice gent named Lizard invited me to stay in his fixer-upper camper for the night. He brought me a heater and a big plate of food. So I'm full, dry and warm.

Day 17: two mountains in one day

Today I rode from just outside Marion to the community of Davenport. I had to climb two mountains, each close to 2000 foot climbs. Energy draining, but the ride down each one was spectacular. Davenport is at the end of a beautiful winding valley. It's full of trailer houses, even a trailer bank. But the people are really friendly and helpful. Tonight I sleep on someone's carport, out of the rain.

Day 16: fighting the wind

Today I was seriously fed up with the wind. Coming directly from southwest it was right in my face most of the day at 10-15 mph with gusts of 30. I had trouble keeping up my energy, until I just stopped trying to fight the wind and just keep my speed slow. Things got better then, and the last 15-20 miles of my ride were down hill, so I'm feeling better at this point. Managed to ride almost 60 miles.

Day 15: back on the road

My host made me a nice breakfast this morning then I joined him for church before getting back on the road. The head wind was still blowing so I didn't get as far as planned. I rode about 35 miles and set down for the night 5 miles before Dublin. This wind is not good.

Day 14: day of rest

I have taken rest days before, but on this rest day I still managed to ride 20 miles. I rode 10 miles in the morning, with the wind pouring over my body. When passing through the small valley town of Catawba I saw a group of men stirring big steaming kettles and decided to stop there. They ended up being a very friendly and generous bunch so I stayed and spent the day helping with their apple butter operation. Among the great people I met there was Ned. Fortunately for me he had planned on hosting guests that night at his cabin, but they were unable to make it so he invited me to stay the night (this is where the other 10 mile ride of the day came from). He was a great host and brought me to eat at the popular (1.5 hr wait to eat) local eatery "the Family Place." I had a great day off.

Day 13: the wind blows

After waking up and rolling my tent up in the rain, it stopped raining. Then the wind started blowing, a powerful wind blew directly in my face all day. I met a lone cycler heading east, it was a great wind for him. He shared lots of useful information of places to stop, shortcuts and other things I could expect in the days to come. Because of the wind I came short of my planned ride for the day, but stumbled on some really kind people who had a great place for me to camp. It's nice to be dry.

Day 12: over the blue ridge

Today once again it rained all day, not always heavy but it kept me dripping. I ascended the blue ridge where I rode 25 miles down the blue ridge parkway. Though I couldn't see far due to rain and fog, there were a few openings and the scenery was seriously breathtaking. For the first time I met another tour cyclist, we chatted a bit, but he and I were heading down separate paths so it was just a brief meeting. Tonight I ate a giant plate of spaghetti now with a full stomach I'm going to sleep, now under a clearish sky in Lexington.

Day 11: bethal babtist

Today it rained. I watched the radar to depart as soon as it finished. At 2 I left Charlottesville, but it kept raining. I rode about 30 miles on some spectacular country roads. Climbed then bombed some small mountains (or big hills, do hills have switchbacks?) then climbed 1600 ft to Afton where a small Baptist church fed me dinner. Now I'm laying down listening to the rain on my tent getting ready to climb some more tomorrow.

Day 10: Charlottesville

Today I rode around 70 miles to Charlottesville where I stayed at a nice hostel, Alexander House. Looks like rain in the forecast...

(don't know how to get this back in order right now)

Day 9: last day on the Atlantic coast trail

Today I peddled about 70 miles. So far just small rolling hills, but I'm expecting more drama in the days to come. And just in time, the leaves are changing, today I saw some bright red and yellow sweet gum trees. Tomorrow I'll turn west and work my way through the heart to Virginia.

Day 8: Virginia

DC was a nice place to layover. I walked around a bit, but didn't really see much of the sights. Stayed with a friends family, they were celebrating the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur by fasting Friday night and Saturday, then we feasted together at sun set Saturday night. It made me realize I havent been consuming enough calories, going to make an effort to eat more (don't get to say that often).

Today I took the Mt Vernon bike trail out of DC. It was a pleasant ride out, after riding 45 or so miles and eating a filling meal, I'm resting in a field in Virginia.

Day 7: DC already

I made it into our nation's capital tonight after an 85ish mile ride. Gonna take a days rest tomorrow. I'll say more in tomorrow's post.

Day 6: Marring Maryland

Last night I set up camp on a cold windy hilltop church yard. I biked hard this morning to make it to Maryland. The roads in Maryland are generally less steep than Pensilvania, and I know I'm getting better at peddling them. Guess it's good conditioning for Virginia, from the people I've talked to so far they say Pensilvania and Virginia have some of the most difficult biking on this route. Anyway right now I'm preoccupied with the biking particularly the climbing, once it becomes more automatic for me I can start to discus other topics. Tonight I'm sleeping in a forest surrounded by mansions outside a northern suburb of Baltimore. In 6 days I've learned it's very easy to find a place to pitch a tent out of sight almost anywhere.

Day 5: can't escape PA

Today I learned true difficulty. Climbing up a steep 2 mile stretch of hill almost too difficult for lowest gear, getting to the top riding straight back down and doing it all again. Over and over again. Chain problem caused me to miss 3 hours of riding. I rode about 30 miles. However I found a nice flat church lawn on the top of a hill to sleep on.

Day 4: still in PA

I underestimate Pensilvania hills, today there were longer and steeper hills then yesterday. But I rode all day hard, maybe I rode 60 miles.

Woke up this morning to the taunts of a snorting buck and the piter-pater of rain on my tent , going to bed tonight with a full stomach and head full of new ideas and inspiration. Ready to do it all again tomorrow.

Day 3: on to PA

There are so many hills in Pensilvania. Momentum is my friend, but when that runs out mechanical advantage is my last resort. I hope I get better at this. Today was a hard day of riding, and I only rode about 50 miles. The sun came out though.

Tonight I'm camping in Valley Forge. Tomorrow I'll skip Delaware and head into Maryland.

Photos

Check out my album from my trip.

tour america

Day 2 of riding: out of NY

Today I had a great ride. Rode to Manhattan then had to take the Jersy train because the ferries don't run on Weekends. Once I got out of Newark there were some pretty pleasant country roads that led me here to Sourland Mt park. Today was right around 65 miles of riding, it took around 7 hours. I'm so tired now.