That's all Folks

Yorktown - A promise made is a debt unpaid...RS

If you haven't already, I suggest if you get the opportunity, visit Williamsburg and the surrounding Virginia area. Jamestown, the first American colony is only nine miles away and Yorktown where the decisive battle that won our independence from King George is just 13 miles away. Not only should you visit for the historical significance but it is a beautiful area with old Virginia charm. However, charm was not what I was thinking about as I rode the 13 miles into Yorktown. I had mixed feelings. I was elated the trip was finally coming to an end and I could go home. But, I was also a little sad that all of a sudden it was over. Now what? Five years of thinking about it, two plus years of planning and about six months of my life devoted to doing it and now poof it's gone. As I rode across the U.S. and especially Kentucky and Virginia my mantra was simply, keep moving. Run Forest Run....Stop! Well, I've stopped. What do I do now? How do I turn it off, the go button. Before I got back on the road in September, I made a promise to someone that I'd finish the trip. Now that the debt is paid I should be able to rest but for how long. I owe you one more blog entry so when I get home tomorrow hopefully I can make sense of it all.

Williamsburg

Got a good rest in Short Pump (no jokes) yesterday so today I was ready to roll. Short Pump is actually a suburb 12 miles NW of Richmond city center. I started early, about 7:15, so I could avoid heavy traffic and since today was Sunday I breezed through the city. I was almost through the city and only needed to make one turn onto US 5 when I saw another biker headed East on the road above me. I was a little uncertain as to which road to take and connect onto US 5 so I fell in behind him. He was from Quebec and was headed to Texas following Adventure Cycling maps down the Atlantic Coast to Jacksonville then turning West. He had been on the road for about three weeks and was on his first tour. He was a nice young fellow but due to the amount of gear he was hauling his pace was a little slow. He did however offer me a look at his map and lucky for me we were on the road that turned into route 5. We were only together about two miles when the road split and I took US 5 and he turned North. At that point I had about 50 miles to go. 50 miles, but it was a great day to bike. The sun was shining and the temperature was around 70 degrees. And oh yes there is some level ground in Virginia. Aside from a slight headwind, the day was ideal for biking and for the first time in a long time I really enjoyed being on the bike. Around Charles City I ran across another biker. He started in Maine and was going down to the Outer Banks and ending his trip on Tybee Island. He was riding a road bike with no gear and was assisted by his wife in the Sag, Hag, Nag wagon. I told him based on my experience he was probably doing it the right way. After we parted ways I had about 20 miles to Williamsburg and since it was pretty much level I made good time arriving around 2:30. I found a red dot hotel, got a good meal and now it is time to rest for tomorrow. Tomorrow. I have biked over 4000 miles and tomorrow it's 13 miles to Yorktown. Yorktown is the end of the line. Maybe it's time to think about travel arrangements.

on the move

Thursday my doctor's appointment was at 8:15. Russ said he didn't see any reason why I couldn't resume biking if I felt strong enough. That was all I needed. I had been sitting around almost a week and was really getting anxious to get underway. As soon I got back to my sister's house I got my bike and gear packed and we headed to Afton. When we got to Afton I had to make one more try to see June Curry, the Cookie Lady. This time she was sitting on the steps and even though still sick with the flu and 89 years old, her light blue eyes twinkled when she spoke of the many cyclists she has met. I took a tour of the house she offers bikers as they pass through Afton. The house is filled with cards and memorabilia from bikers back to 1976. Almost every inch of the four room house is covered with a card, letter or a token left behind by bikers to commemorate their stay with the cookie lady. After talking with June I was stoked and ready to continue my ride. It was only about 30 miles to Charlottesville so it was a great way to ease back into the game. I think all of Virginia is either going up or down so by the I got to Charlottesville I was ready to rest. I said goodbye to my sister around 5pm with mixed emotions. She was a tremendous help and had it not been for her I'd probably be on the side of the road with my legs kicking fruitlessly in the air. Anyway, I checked into the Red Roof Inn just past the college in Charlottesville and got a good nights sleep. Yesterday I got an early start. Now loaded with my panniers and gear I was on my own again. I rode about 20 miles and passed three bikers headed West. Odd, I thought for it's pretty late in the year to be headed West. About five miles further down the road I came to an intersection with a store to my left. I saw two bikers there and thought it a good time for a rest. Turns out the bikers were two English blokes from the London area. They started the first part of August near San Diego and were finishing in Yorktown. Prior to my arrival they had talked with the three bikers I saw. The three were young Germans and were planning to bike the TransAmerica and end it in San Francisco in December. I didn't think it possible with the weather out West and the blokes agreed since a lot of the passes close by November. After we discussed the Germans fate, they suggested an alternate, more direct route to Richmond. Since my goal has been narrowed to just biking across America, the shortened route sounded pretty good. The scheduled route out of Charlottesville went South then North with numerous road changes along very narrow back roads. Even though the road wasn't heavily traveled when the cars did come, they came fast and had there been cars going the opposite direction, it would have been very interesting. So after weighing my options I decided I would follow Steve and Dave's lead and go the more direct route. In so doing I was able to get just West of Richmond and a hotel for the night but I paid for it. The downside was a 70 mile bike ride. By the time I got to my room I was spent. Today the forecast was 50% chance of rain with clearer weather tomorrow. Also, tomorrow is Sunday so the traffic through Richmond should be minimal. Therefore, I elected to rest today and start again tomorrow. I probably have 15 miles through Richmond and another 50 miles to go East of Richmond. Getting close but I'll probably take two days to finish.

Wait, wait & wait

Went to the doctor, now known as Russ since I have become a regular patient, on Monday. I told him my temperature had stabilized Sunday and the emergency room doctor thought I'd be ready to bike within 24 hrs. after stabilization. He just laughed and said well I disagree. Dr. Davis is old school and I am sure has seen a lot of pneumonia cases throughout his years living in Virginia. When he asked me when I was leaving I told him that depended on what he said because I was going to finish the trip as soon as he cleared me. Come see me again on Thursday was his response. So for the last couple of days I have just been resting at my sister's house and pondering my fate. I need to finish this trip/adventure/saga, whatever it has become before it gets much colder. I am ready to be home and I know being away has been difficult on my family. When I look back, it really burns me that I couldn't finish in July. Not because of something I did, a missed gear or I took a curve too fast, but I was robbed of a significant emotional event because a dog owner didn't keep his pets under control. Bummer. Now I just want to finish the trip whereas before the fall, I would have really enjoyed the last two states. There's a lot of history in Virginia but I'll probably miss most of it in my haste to finish.

What, no cookie!

Got up early Friday morning feeling pretty good so I decided to get the mountain out of the way. Turns out it wasn't quite as bad as I thought. Don't get me wrong, I needed frequent rest stops during the climb and a long rest at the top but it could have been worse. The touring map stated that there was a four mile steep climb but the first two miles were less steep than the last two. After reaching the parkway the work wasn't finished. The overcast sky and windy conditions didn't make for a leisurely ride. And unfortunately, the leaves have only the least bit of color change so the view was not as spectacular as it can be. But, having the last climb of the trip behind me, I made my way to Afton and the Cookie Lady. June Curry has three buildings on her property, from West to East: her home, an old building that was probably a store at one time, and a house she allows bikers to overnight in on their way across country. There is also a sign that directs you to her back door but hard to see if you are traveling West to East. I went to the door only to see a sign she had posted. The sign said,[ I have a cold and I took a pill and laid down for a nap. If you want a room for the night ring the bell and sit down. I am old and move slow and I'll get there as quick as I can.] I wasn't planning on spending the night so there was no way I could disturb a sweet old lady like her. Hopefully, when I resume my trek I'll get to meet her. As of now I am not sure when I'll start back. Friday after Afton my sister picked me up and took me back to her house to rest. Friday night my temperature reached 104 and my niece, Fran, threatened me with 911 if I didn't get in the car with my sister and go to the hospital. As it turns out, I am stubborn. Bottom line, I have a mild case of double pneumonia. Tomorrow I go back to the doctor for a follow-up and will have a better idea how long my rest period will be. It just gets better and better.

VMI

Got into Lexington yesterday early enough to do some sight seeing. I stopped by the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery and toured the campus of VMI. The local brochure tauts VMI as the West Point of the South and the only military academy that actually had a unit fight in a war. About half of the graduates go on and enter the military. It really is a beautiful campus with stately old buildings in a town rich in Southern history. I wanted to go to the Chapel where Robert E Lee is interned but it closes at five and I missed it. Going into Buchanan the other day and bucking that wind took more out of me than I thought. I was quite chilled and it took me about two hours to warm up. Likewise yesterday when I got to Lexington, I just couldn't get warm. About 5:30 my sister called and asked how I was doing. She then surprised me and said she was driving to Lexington. When she arrived we went for a quick dinner. While at dinner I guess I complained too much about the cold in Virginia. She put her hand on my forehead and said I felt feverish. Well she wouldn't have it any other way, we had to go get a thermometer and take my temperature. Well the trail God is not finished with me yet. I did have a pretty high temperature but was able to get it down enough to take a short ride today. I only got in 18 miles but that puts me at the foot of my last big climb in Virginia. I am still fighting the fever but hopefully I can ride tomorrow and then take a rest.

Buchanan

Today there was no rush. In fact, I was dreading the ride today when I started packing this morning. I told you it was easy to get lazy and after being picked up and dropped off without the panniers Sunday and Monday, today I put them back on. I did however, eliminate some unnecessary gear which lightened my load. My more than perfect son-in-law (The Real Man)quickly and accurately pointed out that since I didn't carry my gear from Marion to Catawba, I couldn't claim an unsupported trip across America. I'd agree with that however, I kinda felt like the unsupported moniker ended somewhere between Bardstown and Danville, Kentucky. So be it. After parring my gear, Sandra drove me to my last Spot position, Catawba and I took off in less than ideal conditions. It was overcast and windy which made the 60 something degree temperature seem much worse. The winds were blowing NW at about 5 to 10G15. Had it not been for the wind, the day would have been enjoyable especially after Troutville. (It was mostly downhill.) I rode yesterday and today mostly down the Roanoke Valley between two mountain ranges, a scenic view with farm land and rolling hills. The picture was taken outside my doorway at the Wattstull Court Motel. Tomorrow is a climbing day and Lexington or further is my goal. Getting close to the Parkway and June Curry, "The Cookie Lady".

R & R

Yesterday was a rest day and lucky that it was. If you watched the Miami/Virginia Tech game you know that it rained hard most of the day. Oh, too bad Miami lost... not! While the game was being played I was on a field trip with my sister to eat oysters. Since we were far from the coast before I was willing to go with her, I wanted to make sure that we were going to eat the seafood type of oysters and not mountain oysters. Being given that assurance, I rode with my sister and Becky to Waynesboro, Va. for an oyster feast put on by the Ruritans. Last year I was told that the occasion fed 1500 people. I believe it because, in spite of the rain, we had to wait almost 45 minutes to be seated. After we got out seats, we were treated to a buffet of fresh vegetables and fried oysters, well worth the three hour drive. Today was a great biking day. Pat, The Real Man, drove me back to Marion so I could take up where I left off on Thursday. At first it was a little cloudy and cool, but after I had been on the road for an hour there was nothing but clear skies and good biking. Ideal conditions but the terrain is still up and down and as I get further North the hills are getting steeper. I did cheat a little today which made the biking even more enjoyable. Since my plan today was to bike from Marion back to my sisters house, I rode sans panniers. Talk about a big difference. I felt like I was flying. Tomorrow I think I'll ride again without the gear but I have to be careful, it would be very easy to get lazy. Also tomorrow I'll close out map eleven, one more to go.

Rest Day

I made it to the top of the mountain by pushing, pulling, and tugging my bike most of the mile and a half to the campsite. By the time I got to the top of the mountain I was totally exhausted and dehydrated. The family that lives there and runs the campground was really nice. I didn't meet the husband till the next morning but the wife and two young sons were very friendly. But had I known it was that difficult to get up to the place I would have passed it by. I could have reached the next town by the time I got to the campsite. The next morning I met John and he offered me a ride back down the dirt road. I am glad he did since I probably would have fallen down because of the rocks on the gravel road. After leaving the campground I made it to Marion about 60 miles from my sister's home in Christiansburg. To be honest I was ready for a break. Yesterday completed eight days of biking with a lot of uphill/downhill on the sleep gained while sleeping on the ground. Not to mention that most of my clothes have been wet for a week. I needed to wash, rest and de-louse. I called Sandra and said I was getting a hotel in Marion and resting there for a couple of days. Lucky for me she wouldn't let that happen. She drove to Marion and plucked me from the road and brought me back to air conditioning and home cooking. Last night I went to bed around 7:30 and slept till eight o'clock. I probably could have slept till noon. Today I cleaned the bike, got my clothes washed and generally rested. Today was also my sister's anniversary so to celebrate we all went out to eat at the Farmhouse, a local steak house. After resting today, I almost have feeling back in my legs and can walk without stooping over. Tomorrow the forecast is for more rain and temperatures in the low 50s. I am stubborn but..I think I'll take another day.

One more to go

Sorry it's been so long since my last blog, but Western Kentucky is tough to plan. When I departed Hazard I thought I had at least two B&Bs to choose from. As it turned out I had neither. So I had to scurry when I reached Hindman. What a mistake. I stayed in the worst hotel you can imagine. I didn't even want to sleep under the covers. To make matters even worst I had to bike up hill two miles to sleep in a dump. I even had some drug user walk in my room while I was watching TV. What a surprise and it wasn't a mistake on his part. If I hadn't been there all my stuff would have been gone. The next morning I got up early and hit the road as fast as I could. I had planned on camping and headed to Elkhorn City. Unfortunately I got some wrong directions from two different people and ended up stuck. Do I backtrack five miles or go down the busy, narrow and curvy road. As I was pondering my dilemma Jamie and his son Cody intervened and offered me a space in their yard. They saved the day for me and even entertained me that night. They both play the guitar and the banjo. However, Cody mainly plays the banjo. They call themselves the Hilltop Boys and often play in the local area. Cody is a Sophomore and has been playing since he was ten years old and Jamie for about 25. They were both quite good. The next morning I had biscuits and gravy and Jamie dropped me off back on the road I should have been on before I got off track. I am indebted to both. They reestablished my faith in the good folks of Kentucky. After being dropped off I headed to Council where I pitched a tent in Harris Park thanks to Karen Taylor. She is the Principal at the local high school and like some other one-time Principal I know, very efficient. Today I got up early and made it to the woods. My map said B&B right off of the highway. Yeah, 1&1/2 miles straight up. I was totally exhausted when I reached the top of the hill, but I have to admit, the view is wonderful. Next time out I think I'll use more recent maps. Gotta cut it short as I have no electric and losing power.

Berea, Booneville, Hazard

Departed West of Danville on Thursday just in time for a photo op. Ben Kleppinger, a staff writer for the Danville AM News, wrote a follow-up story about my return to the trail. I thought it was well done, however, I am not so sure about the stubborn part. Anyway, I couldn't help but be a little nervous as I got back on the bike and headed to Berea. I was armed with two cans of pepper spray and an air horn to ward off the next attack. But the trip was uneventful and actually somewhat enjoyable. The terrain was fairly level with occasional medium sized hills to climb. I rode 40 miles to Berea and found a red dot hotel two miles outside of town and bedded down for the night. Berea is dubbed the arts and crafts capital of Kentucky. I didn't venture into that arena, but I did go by the small college. Berea College was founded in 1855 by Rev. John G. Fee and a benefactor, Cassius M. Clay. Both were ardent abolitionist and wanted the college to accommodate all races. The college today has 90% enrollment of local "mountain children", mostly underprivileged, and only 10% on a special basis from others areas. The students aren't charged a tuition fee and enrollment is highly competitive. Friday I got back on the bike feeling pretty confident about my return and headed to Boonville. There isn't a hotel in Boonville so I stayed in Hotel Richie behind the Presbyterian Church. Welcome back to the hard ground. Getting to Boonville was a lot more difficult than Berea. First off, it rained almost the whole way and there were hills and hills. Also, the last ten miles my legs were cramping and I had to nurse my way along. Luckily, the last seven miles were fairly level or I don't think I could have made it. Along the way I did see one thing that caught my attention. As I was approaching this house on my right that was set pretty close to the road, I noticed about 15 cars parked in the yard, across the street and basically anywhere they could find room. I wondered what was going on till I got a view on the opposite side of the house. About 15 yards off of the east end of the house was a pond, not a very big one, in fact no bigger than a large swimming pool. The water in the pond was the color of the Broad River after a heavy rain. And around the "pond" must have been 50 people fishing with poles and floats. I don't know what the occasion was or what they were fishing for, but it sure looked funny: all those people fishing almost shoulder to shoulder in that small area. Now today. It was brutal. I was worried about cramping up again, so I drank lots of Gatorade and water before trying sleep. I say trying to sleep because of the hounds chasing something till midnight and the all night mechanic reving engines it was hard to drift away. I got on the road early and decided to go only forty miles since I think I over did it yesterday. Lucky that I did. Today I climbed hills that rivaled any grade that I saw out West. I just wish I hadn't eaten all that ice cream during my recovery. After climbing what seemed to be never ending hills I finely got to flatter terrain about ten miles from the Daniel Boone Motel. There were some small hills along the way but had they been steeper, I think I would have slept under a bridge.

http://www.amnews.com/stories/2009/09/18/boy.290847.sto

On the Road Again--W.N.

Theresa and I got on the road by 7:30 am yesterday and made it to Chattanooga, Tenn. before we called timeout. After a short nap and quick breakfast it was back on the road to Danville, Kentucky. Ah, Danville, sweet memories. Actually Danville is a very nice town with a lot of decent and caring people. For example, Mr and Mrs Delk and my roadside nurse Theresa Crow will always have my gratitude for their aide in July. Additionally, the ambulance and medical staff at Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center were totally professional and thorough. If you happen to be biking through Kentucky and break four ribs, don't worry, you'll be in good hands. Lastly, I have to thank Shai Marshall, General Manager of the Hampton Inn Danville. When she heard of my accident, she made a generous offer of a nights stay when and if I came back to Danville to resume my trip. Today I thought I'd just see how sincere that offer was....thank you Shai.. and the warm cookies are great! After we got settled in there was still some daylight remaining so Theresa and I went on a dog hunt. We drove Hwy 150 along the same route as I biked from Bardstown. Pepperspray in hand, I was ready to bolt from the car and open up a can of whiplash on two unsuspecting hounds. But, alas, time heals wounds and erases bad memories. I couldn't with certainty find the point of impact even after making two passes. That's probably a good thing since tomorrow I am going to start biking on Hwy 150 and ride back into Danville. After Danville I hope to make it to Berea which is about 40 miles away. Come on feet, don't fail me now.

Bright Side of the Road--V.M.

It's almost departure time....again. We still plan to depart on Tuesday and hopefully arriving in Kentucky sometime Wednesday. But, I have to say preparation this time has been a lot more difficult. I can't help but look back and think that this whole trip should be nothing more than a fond memory. Yet, here again I am trying to get mentally psyched to finish biking across America. When I left Bardstown I was in my top biking condition. Additionally, Bardstown was the first time that I admitted to myself that I would actually finish the trip. I guess I got over confident. Anyway, it has been two months since the fall and four broken ribs later I am literally starting anew. I have been biking, some, but without much enthusiasm. Also, I have packed and repacked my gear, trying to determine the best mix. I wanted to drop my front panniers and decrease the weight but I need the space. So, I guess I'll continue like I started the first time out. Hopefully, it won't take too long to get my mountain legs back. I had about three weeks to reach Yorktown but it may take me a little longer now. Sitting on the couch and eating ice cream has taken it's toll.

September When It Comes- J.C.

How, or maybe better asked, when do we really know someone? Is it after living with them 40 or more years? Watching and studying their every move. Or can it be right after meeting them, having an intimate conversation, walking away and saying to yourself, "Gee I feel like I've known her all my life". And how much is enough? I saw a program on Primetime last night about a man who lost 90 million dollars in high-end real estate. On the program, he was auctioning away a lot of prized possessions including antique cars, great masters paintings and five homes. When asked how he felt about losing all of his luxuries he simply stated, never better. He went on to say, what did I need all that stuff for, who needs five homes anyway, you can only live in one at a time. Also, he added how simplified his life had become without all the trappings. Of course he still had 10 million in assets so he wasn't destitute but the fact was, he had a major lifestyle change. And when asked how long it took to realize that fact, he thought a minute and said, 65 years. Does it take us that long? Maybe it does unless life events intervenes, shakes us up and puts it all in perspective for us. Today I lost a friend. I had known this person about 50 years but really didn't know her at all till last year. Why? She explained it to me, it was simple. We just have so much time she said, and we choose how we use that time and with whom we will share it. This year she chose to share some of her precious time with me. And how lucky I am that she did. Thank you Anna.

Alea iacta est

Ok, it is put up or shut up. The ribs are almost healed, I've been riding again and it's time to set the date to finish the trip. Therefore, Theresa and I will leave Marco on the 15Th and hopefully arrive in Kentucky the 17Th and I'll start biking again on the 18Th of September. As soon as I start biking I'll hit mountainous terrain, ugh, and up till now, I am still having trouble leaning forward and standing on the pedals. It will be a tough start given my layoff, but, I want to get over the Appalachians before winter arrives. I'll start slow and if it takes me longer to cover the miles, then so be it. In preparation for the return, I've trimmed some more gear and will drop the front panniers to decrease weight and wind resistance. Hopefully those changes will make the bike easier to maneuver in the hills. I am looking forward to continuing the trip because September and October will be a great time to be along the Blue Ridge, the colors should be spectacular.

Roll on Down the Highway--BTO

It has been over six weeks and the ribs are getting better. In fact so much better that I have been biking again. When I first got on the bike last Saturday I was nervous. Nervous not so much for the expected pain but for my lack of confidence on the bike. The fall I experienced was the first in 14 years of biking in all kinds of conditions. Until July, falling and getting hurt was the least of my worries. I could control anything, I thought. So, Saturday as I sat on the bike preparing to start the ride I was a little shaken with all of the "what ifs". As best I could I shoved those thoughts aside and started out. I met two other bikers, Jean and Pat, at seven am on the corner where we all meet. During season we have as many as ten bikers meet for morning rides but during the summer months it's mostly just Jean and I who brave the summer heat. This year Pat and Vic stayed through the summer so Pat joined us. For the first time out in about two months I did OK. I could tell I've lost the peak condition I had when I left Bardstown but was able to cover 15 miles of the route we normally ride. Certainly not as fast but never-the-less I was able to ride again and without too much pain. I have ridden the bike several times since and am getting more comfortable on it. Perhaps by the time the ribs fully heal I will have pushed the memory of the fall out of my mind. For now, I am just riding the bike without the gear on it but pretty soon I'll load it up and start pushing to get back on the road. I still want to complete the trip before the end of October.

Carry on Wayward Son-----K.

Clean and sober I am, no more pills. I still have some low-level, dull pain but nothing like a month ago. Being off the pain medicine and having an occasional moment of clarity has helped me put the accident and surrounding events back into perspective. I knew before I started the trip that everything was on the table, anything could happen. When I look back on the trip, I can't help but think of the things that could have happened and be thankful. Now, I can't say I've put the dogs of Kentucky out of my mind but after all, dogs are animals and unfortunately a very small portion of people are too. I met both. But you know what? The things I saw, the good people I met, and the experiences I had far out weigh the disappointment of not finishing the trip as scheduled. Now, I'll finished the trip. It's just my nature. My ribs will heal and I'll ride again. But I'll be taking something with me back on the road that, until now, I really didn't fully appreciate. I've got Peeps! I've got backup! My wonderful family, friends near and far, school kids in a classroom in New York and even Coastguard units in Tampa and North Carolina are pulling for me. Thank you all. My short walks are getting longer and I am getting some stamina back. I am not exactly sure but hopefully I can get back on the trail sometime in September. I want to finish before All Hallows Eve.

Sitting Upright

Today marks three weeks since my encounter in Kentucky. This past week I didn't do very much except catch up on TV and eat. I am still taking some pain medicine but the pain has decreased considerably. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll be totally off pain pills all together. As for my recovery, I am disappointed that it is taking so long but I have reconciled myself to a slow recovery. But,I was able to do more this week than last. For example, I am now able to pick up something as heavy as a small pappillon which comes in handy several times each day. Also when rising from a prone position I can maneuver my body toward the right and swing around so I can get up without pain. And I've started taking short walks during the day and that has helped me both physically and mentally. I have always thought walking is one of the best exercises you can do and if you can walk you can be healthy. Even though I have been walking I haven't ventured out in public yet because I am still scared of being around crowds of people. The last thing I need at this point is a cold or flu or a quick jab in the ribs. I was lucky this weekend. In addition to Theresa I had my daughter Kristi to assist me. She is a good gofer and didn't complain one time when I asked her to freshen my glass of tea. I even sent her on a mission to replace my Ipod. I thought all along the only thing missing was my camera. Not so. I went through all my gear and discovered that my Ipod was gone. I hope whoever has it enjoys Baby Got Back. Anyway, I've replaced all my missing items and am on the way to recovery. My Air Force buds are planning a fall mancation and I'd like to participate even if I just drive the golf cart.

Home Again Jiggidy Jig

Theresa arrived in Virgina Saturday. I was still hurting and Doctor Davis wanted to see me again so we decided to stay in Virginia and have a nice visit. Besides, my sister is a great cook and Ronnie, my brother-in-law, keeps an assortment of candy in his country store/garage that I frequently raided during my short walks. Their home in Virginia is about as close to an old Southern plantation as you can get. They have about 30 acres with about half pasture for their horses and some wooded acreage that Ronnie clears during his spare time. The two story colonial house is set back from the road on about three cleared acres with plenty of mature trees to provide shade in the summer. The weather while we were there was perfect about 70 to 75 degrees during the day and cool at night. So during the day I could sit comfortably on the patio and listen to Ronnie's favorite blues station and drift away in a hydrocodon induced haze. On Tuesday I had another visit with Dr. Davis who just happens to be my niece Fran's father-in-law. He is without doubt the best doctor I have ever had treat me. If I lived anywhere near Radford, Virginia, Russel Davis would most definitely be my doctor. Fran is his office manager and with her and the excellent nursing staff he has I got the best care an unfortunate cyclist could ask for. Dr Davis didn't see any reason I couldn't make the trip home so Theresa, Ronnie and Sandra packed my gear and we departed Wednesday. The eleven hour drive to Gainsville was tedious and a little painful but I was amazed at far you could go in just an hour. For the last two and a half months it took me all day to get to the next town much less the next state. Anyway we stopped every two hours or so and I would go for a short walk and stretch my legs and change positions. The drugs dull most of the pain but I still feel the bones rub against each other when I move and that's a little disconcerting. Coughing presents intense pain in spite of the drugs, so I use my best manners when I eat and drink. We stopped in Gainsville and spent the night with Eve. We called her before we left Virginia and warned her that we were coming and she said she would fix supper for us. Knowing Eve I was not too surprised when we sat down to eat and she had prepared......spare ribs. Theresa and I got on the road Thursday around 1 o'clock and arrived back on the island around six. Today I checked in with my local doctor and got a new prescription of vicoprofen. My blood test had revealed slightly elevated liver enzymes and the new drug should bring them back into normal range. Broken ribs are like fingers and toes, not much you can do for them except manage the pain and don't sneeze. This week I am going to lay low, rest and stay close to home. The last thing I want is to get sneezed on and catch a cold. I want to get back on the bike as quickly as possible....the journey awaits.
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Dogged in Kentucky

First off I guess I have to fess up about the last entry. I didn't visit the distillery, tasting room nor my old Kentucky home. That was just to get you interested in seeing the video of those places. Of course when you expected to see houses and distillers you got to see me horsing around. And, no I wasn't three-sheets-in-the-wind when I did it, as was thought by my sister, Sandra. Sober and hangoverless, I left Bardstown Sunday morning. Sunday was a beautiful clear day. The road from Bardstown to Lexington was somewhat rough with no shoulders, but from Lexington to Danville was smooth with a wide shoulder. I left early as usual and planned on stopping in Danville and visiting the bike shop the next day. I was about 13 miles from Danville when fate stepped in again. I was rolling on a slight down hill when I looked to my left and saw two huge dogs running toward the road. My speed was somewhere between 15 and 20 mph and at first I thought I'd out run them. But then they angled to cut me off. I had two cans of pepper spray in my left front pannier but couldn't reach them. I should have stopped right then but didn't and kept thinking they would pull up and stop. They didn't. They were big dogs with heads like Rottweilers but they had stocky bodies of a much larger dog. They looked like small horses running toward me. One came to the front and one went to the rear. I am not sure which one hit me first, but the next thing I knew I was headed one way and my bike was headed the other. I often wondered what would happen if I fell. I always thought in a fall I'd probably break a leg due to the shoe clips but was pleasantly surprised when I hit the ground sans bike. I hit my right palm first, then my head, left arm/shoulder and finally the left side of my back. I laid on my right side after the impact and rested for a moment thinking ...well, that wasn't so bad. I was relived when the dogs went back to the other side of the road and didn't attack me. If they had I couldn't have defended myself. After a short while, I started checking body parts to see if they worked. Arms OK, shoulders OK, legs OK. Now knowing I wasn't paralyzed, I tried to sit up. An intense hot pain shot through my body, the worst pain I have ever felt. I knew then something was broken. After about ten cars passed finally a concern lady stopped and asked me if I needed help. At first I told her no that I'd be alright. Another car stopped and the women in it was a nurse. She convinced me that I needed an ambulance and a doctor. By this time about five cars had stopped and one was an off duty fireman. When the ambulance came they had to roll me over onto the stretcher. Ouch. Again at the hospital I was moved from table to table. Ouch, ouch and ouch! I was moaning and groaning so loud that the doctor said to hit me with morphine. I got two hits of morphine and another shot of something else. Only then did the pain subside. After the xrays, which exposed three broken ribs, they gave me another shot just for good measure. I was at the hospital, my bike was at the fire station 13 miles from Danville and my little buddy was with the sheriff. Once I knew I had broken ribs, I knew I'd need some time to recover. I called my sister, Sandra and she dropped what she was doing and headed in my direction. It took six hours to reach Danville. So when the doc released me the sheriff came and picked me up and drove 13 miles to get my bike. He had my buddy with him and then took me to the pharmacy to get my pain scrip filled. With all my gear (I thought) he then dropped me off at Hampton Inn to await my sister's arrival.
I arrived at Hampton Inn around two and Sandra arrived around eight. Since it was about a six hour drive and the room was paid for we decided to stay the night. Yesterday, we left early and made the drive to Christenberg, Va. but we had to stop a couple times for me to adjust my body. I thought I could go without pain meds but was severely reminded that I need it. Little can be done with broken ribs other than time. My breathing is labored and turning my upper body is like sticking a knife into my back. When I got to Sandra's house I got my dirty clothes out to wash and checked my panniers for my worldly possessions. The only thing that was missing was my camera. I downloaded all my pictures to a two-gig mini drive and that was in my camera case. Lost, all lost. Today I had to sneeze and the pain was immobilizing and Sandra had to take me to their family doctor. They took another xray and it appears I have four broken ribs and some water build up in my lungs. I got two more shots for pain and another more potent scrip and believe you me I'll take them. I am not sure how long my recovery will take. The doc in Danville said six weeks and the doc here said about eight weeks. I hope it's not that long. I'll rest here in Virginia until I can travel and then go home to recover fully. Theresa will come Friday or Saturday and I'll probably leave for the island shortly thereafter. Thank you all for following along with me and giving me your support. I'll go back to weekly entries until I can get back on the road. Doggone it.

Bardstown

Yesterday was a rest day so I toured Bardstown. Bardstown is the second oldest city in Kentucky and also called the Bourbon capital of the South. Of course a tour of the city wouldn't be complete without a tour of the historic Tom Moore Distillery. So I caught the city trolley and imbibed my way around town. Also, there is a tasting room that offers a sampling of all the bourbon made in Kentucky. After the tour and tasting I wobbled over to My Old Kentucky Dinner Train and had a nice ribeye to settle my stomach. And a visit to Bardstown wouldn't be complete without a visit to My Old Kentucky Homesite. Since I still had wobbly legs I chose to ride in the horse carriage that circles the city for a small fee. I am not sure what type of horse it was but I think it had a stomach ache. Anyway, the home was the inspiration for Stephen Foster's song My Old Kentucky Home. Even though he was a Yankee and only visited the South one time he was inspired enough to pen that and others such as Old Susannah. After that tour I'd had enough. I didn't take pictures but I made a video of the days events. Hope you enjoy it.

Honest...Abe, Wild Turkey

Thursday I packed and headed down Hwy 110 not knowing how far I'd go or where I'd spend the night. The roads where pretty good and the traffic was light. Along the way, pretty much in a place you wouldn't expect, I passed a great resort area for golfers called Rough River Dam State Resort Park. There were a couple of hotels to the left and small airfield to the right. The night before R.D. said it was one of the best courses in the U. S. I am not a golfer and wasn't familiar with the course but from the road it looked like a golf course to me. If you have an airplane and like to golf, Jack, you might want to check it out. As the Kentucky sun rose higher and started baking my brain I had a moment that I can only describe as "road trance". This part of the trip has a lot of turns to different roads, both numbered and named. So I was constantly checking the map making sure I was making the right turns. Somewhere in there I zoned out. I am not sure what happened but I can only describe it as road trance a kind of blank thought. Anyway, when I snapped back, I convinced myself I had missed a turn and I even remembered passing the numbered road. I turned around and started retracing my route. Right after I climbed a fairly big hill I met Mack and Zack coming down the trail. Mack and Zack were two of the six bikers I had stayed with in Sebree. At first they didn't recognize me. When Mack realized it was me his next question was where are you going. I asked if they had passed Hwy 79 and of course they hadn't. I know I sounded like a total idiot when I described my out-of-body experience and they probably wondered how I made it that far by myself. I rode with them for a couple of hours but their twenty something legs were too much for me and during one fairly long and steep climb, they dropped me like a bad habit. When I got to the top of the climb, there was a store on the right and I decided to take a break. The store is a combination grocery/hardware and restaurant and meeting place for locals. I had traveled about 45 miles, most of it up and down and was thinking about stopping for the day. On the map there was a camping icon at the intersection so as I got something to drink and asked the lady, Karen, where I could camp. Right here she says, they do it all the time. The store, The Double L Grocery, is owned and run by Arnold and Lucy. They allow biker/campers to pitch tents behind the store and treat them to dinner. OK, twist my arm, I decided to make it a short day and get out of the heat. As I drank my Gatorade Arnold showed up and welcomed me to stay and started making plans for supper. Apparently he has had lots of people stay at the store and right away started introducing me to all the locals that came in. One of them was Carl who hung out there most of the afternoon. Arnold suggested we play a game of "Toss the Corn". A game that apparently in rural Kentucky has replaced horse shoes. What the hay, I'm game. The game is played with four people (we only had three) with two on a team. You toss square packets of corn into a hole cut into boxes about thirty feet apart. Scoring is similar to horseshoes in that you get points for landing on the box or in the hole and can cancel each others score. Having spent the best part of the day in the sun it was a little demanding to pitch packets of corn for an hour but it's the journey. Finally we got back inside and dinner got underway. Lucy works as a family counselor and didn't arrive till around seven so Arnold fixed dinner. We had roast beef and potatoes and corn on the cob. After dinner and some small talk it was time for bed. Arnold said I could pitch my tent or sleep under the awning of the store. Then Lucy suggested I drag the recliner outside the store and sleep in it. At first I thought she was kidding. Realizing she wasn't I thought I'd give it a try. Didn't work. Outdoors, in a recliner, in the summertime even in Kentucky is probably not a good idea. Around midnight I pitched my tent. It was a clear night with little possibly of rain so I didn't need the fly. With just the mesh net it was like sleeping under the stars. Friday morning I drug the recliner back into the store, had a sausage biscuit and hit the road. I had one goal in mind, get to Bardstown and a hotel. My last rest day was with the Fishers on the 4TH and after three days on the ground and six days biking I was ready for a bed and rest. On the map Bardstown was a 71 mile ride but I was able to trim a few miles by avoiding tourist stops. I did however go by Abraham Lincoln's birthplace near Hodgenville and see the cabin that he supposedly lived in. Later on I topped a hill and enter Bardstown and was greeted with the very strong odor of Kentucky whiskey. After passing the distillery and turning left at the intersection, wham mo there it was a "red dot" hotel. Last night I slept soundly and today is a rest day. There's an all-you-can-eat buffet across the road complete with collards and cornbread.... my my.

KFC

Tuesday, having cleverly avoided Jimmy's fate, I crossed the ferry into Kentucky. Before I crossed the Ohio I had breakfast at Jay Gees. When was the last time you saw a Western Omelet on the menu for $3.50? At those prices I wanted to stay and have lunch but decided I better press on. My goal for the day was Sebree. The first Baptist Church and Pastor Bob Hardison and his wife Violet open their doors to cyclists every year. As I traveled Eastward all the West bounders I met said I had stay there. And, they were right. Six other bikers spent the night and we were all treated to a home cooked meal of spaghetti. They've been treating bikers like family for years, never turning anyone away. Their hospitality is legendary. Sadly, during dinner Bob was notified that one of their good friends and church member passed away and Bob went to console the family. I didn't see Bob again, as I rose early and got on the road to Fordsville, 55 miles closer to the coast. There were no hotels or camping spots designated on the map. So, I stopped at the Clerk of Courts and asked if they had a place to camp but the lady referred me to City Hall. I went to City Hall (across the street) and it was closed. As I sat there waiting a truck drove up with golden retriever in the truck bed. I told her the door was locked but about that time someone appeared at the door and said for us to come in. Again I asked about a camping site. She didn't know either but said I could ask the man who cut the grass at the park. The truck lady advised against it. So I left to ponder my fate. When the lady, Penny, came out she asked if I only wanted to camp and said she had a big tree I could pitch a tent under but that she'd have to clear it with her boyfriend, R.D. I followed her to the house and waited for R.D's OK. Having satisfied himself that I wasn't an ax murderer, he gave me the go-ahead to pitch my tent. As I waited for the sun to go down Penny brought out a jug of cold refreshing water which I immediately drank half of it. Later, R.D. came out to meet and satisfy his curiosity. I liked him and soon he was comfortable enough with me that he showed me his Harley, a Heritage Softail. A beauty. Pretty soon I had another jug of water and was in their kitchen eating one of my favorite meals, hot dogs. I pitched the tent and put the fly over it and lucky that I did. It started raining. R.D. offered the couch or the man room next to his Harley but the tent was high and dry. I entered the tent around 10 and lay listening to the rain hit the fly and occasional thunder. Suddenly it was morning and time to go again

The Ohio

Brian dropped me off next to Popeye on a cold, rainy and bleak Sunday morning. I heard him laugh as he smoked his tires up hwy 13. Just kidding Brian. No, we had a very good visit and Brian and Jane went way beyond expected courtesy and made me feel totally at home and welcome. Thank you, Thank you. After Brian dropped me off, I rode next to the Mississippi for a couple of miles. Enough time to see one of those exceptionally long barges that clog the river. It must have been two football fields long and sorry but no photo. I'll try to get one tomorrow when I cross the Ohio. As the road turned away from the Mississippi a light rain began to fall and actually was a little cool. Cool enough for me to put on a light jacket. It was fairly comfortable but the rain continued till I reached Carbondale. I waited around wishing that the rain would stop since I wanted to get in more than 40 miles. The rain did let up but didn't clear and I was afraid rain would come again. So, I found a hotel and stayed there for the night. This morning I rose to fog. It was bad but not bad enough to prevent me from biking. I turned on my lights that Matt outfitted me with and donned my yellow jacket and hit the road. The temperature was perfect all morning and most of the afternoon. I made several water stops, loading up on Gatorade and filling my bottles. My last stop was about 22 miles from Elizabethtown where I sat and talked with three locals, two men and one women, about the economy and local politics. As we were talking we kept hearing a pleating meow from a parked semi. The meow was obviously a small kitten and seemed to come from the wheelwell of the massive truck. The lady when over to investigate but couldn't locate it. So as I was leaving I gave it a try. Luckily I was able to coax the kitten out. Carl, one of the men and animal lover, took the kitten to add with two others he rescued. After doing my good deed for the day I got back on the bike and finished a 75 mile day, making up some of the missed miles. So, now I am 10 miles from Cave-in-Rock. Tomorrow I'll catch the ferry, cross the Ohio River and enter Kentucky. That means two states to go, but who's counting?

Happy Birthday

Yesterday I crossed a bridge over the Mississippi and entered Chester, Illinois. Over the past two months I've crossed, ridden beside and camped along a lot of great rivers including the McKenzie, the Powder and the Snake. But none gave me the feeling I got when I crossed the bridge over the Mississippi. I guess the Mississippi to me is not only a great river but in some ways represents the South and the South is my home. It will probably take me three to four days to cross the lower portion of Illinois and then I'll only have Kentucky and Virginia remaining. So, the Mississippi is like a huge sign saying, "welcome home boy". When I crossed the very narrow two lane bridge I looked back and saw a packed bike parked just across the bridge. I went back and saw a rider laying on a nearby bench resting. It was then I saw the statue of Popeye. Chester is the home of Elzie Segar, the man who created the character, Popeye the Sailor. As I took my picture with Popeye I made enough noise to wake up the biker. He was heading North to meet a friend and they were going to ride the Ragbrai in Iowa. We talked for a short while and soon it was time to find a room. There's only one hotel in Chester so I headed to the Best Western. As I registered my phone rang. It was Brian Fisher an Air Force buddy I reconnected with last year on a kayaking trip down the Suwanee River. He and his wife Jane live near St Lewis and they invited me up for a meal and warm bed. They have a lovely home in the burbs and spirited English Springer Spaniel named Ivy. Tomorrow Brian will drive me back to the Mississippi and I'll continue the trip. But, I've had two visits with family and friends and now more than ever I am ready to complete my journey.

K.C.

I left Chunute and on the way to Pittsburg met another eastbound rider. His name was Dave and he was 62 years old. He started in the LA area and was headed to Kentucky to meet his wife. Our speed was compatible so we spent the day on the road together. I stopped in Pittsburg and he went on to Golden City to make up time. He wanted to do the miles so he could stay on schedule. I told him about my bout with the heat the day before and that I needed another light day so I did my 60 and he pressed on. I was a little concerned about his decision but each rider makes his own rules. Pittsburg is a town of about 19,000 and a bike shop. I wanted to get a new set of tires but they didn't have what I wanted but it was a good stop anyway. I got a good nights rest and pressed on to Ash Grove the next day. Ash Grove is a small town of about 1400 with no hotel so I intended to camp. I got directions from a nice lady at the convince store and was headed to the park when I met three other bikers headed west. They were stopping in Ash Grove to camp as well and I told them to follow me to the park. As we started to leave Dave, the 62 year old, rode up. My concern about him pressing on turned out to be accurate. He ran into heat problems the day before and said he almost passed out. He called his wife and she told him not to worry if he didn't make Kentucky when she got there then she'd come pick him up. As the five of us went to the park, Mike, one of the local deputies, stopped us and said the city was opening up the community center for us to sleep in.
It was really great. They gave us access to the swimming pool, community center and provided bottled water and refreshments for us all. I talked at length with the city park director, another Dave, about the benefits of small town living. What a great community they have and I hated to leave the next day, Sunday. No WiFi so I couldn't blog but boy I really enjoyed the whole experience of Ash Grove, Mo. The terrain in Western Missouri is rolling hills with occasionally steep grades but on Sunday the extreme heat subsided and it was a fairly comfortable biking day. Dave and I left early while the westbound group were eating breakfast. My goal for the day was Marshfield. I had a date. My sisters Sandra and Cynthia and a friend Brenda were on a road trip and part of the trip was meeting me in Marshfield. I expected to see them around noon on Monday but 1200 0'clock that night I was pleasantly surprised when they knocked on the door. Oh, no Wifi at the hotel, kinda cheesy so I missed blogging again. The next morning we all jumped into the car and drove to Kansas City to meet Theresa. What a great mid tour R & R. Monday, Tuesday and today are rest days with my family. It has been so great seeing them after being on the road for two months. For a short while all was forgotten, no miles, no bike, no heat, just seeing people I love and have missed. Sandra put it all together and got the ball rolling, put dates and times together and for that I'll always be thankful.
Tomorrow it's over and back on the road but I am renewed and refreshed and ready to finish the tour.

Chunute

After Rosalia, I decided to stop in Eureka. It wasn't a long ride, only about 45 miles but after the ride to Cassoday it was a welcome break. Around five o'clock I went out for a soda and met another biker checking into the hotel. He was riding a recumbent and also doing part of the transam. He asked about dinner so I decided to tag along. We ended up at the Copper Kettle and at long last, a salad bar. My new best friend had a rib eye and I fell for the special, some sort of big pita stuffed with a small portion of cabbage and hamburger meat. OK, I made a bad choice, but the salad was good. My fellow biker had a bag fall off his bike and didn't notice it until he made a water stop. The bag contained his computer, cell phone and Ipod and all the charging wires. When he went back to get it someone had turned it in to the police but unfortunately prior to that someone ran over the bag. All of his stuff was wrecked. Yesterday I left the hotel at 6:30 and he was already gone. I caught up with him later in the small town. Toronto. He was having breakfast with two other bikers from Virginia that were heading West. Also, yesterday I met Lisa and Ted heading West. They were meeting Ted's family in Newton for a short visit. I've lost count of the number of people I've met biking the route but more than I thought I'd meet. Most of them have been accompanied but not all.

There is a camaraderie among bikers, a shared experience and maybe a shared pain. Anyway yesterday I arrived in Chanute with wet clothes (due to sweat), tired legs and hunger. So, today I washed, ate a lunch buffet of pizza and cooled it in the air conditioning. Back on the road tomorrow as I inch closer to Missouri.

Hot Hot Hot

I thought I was going to rip through Kansas in record time. After Dighton I had a very productive day (over 100 miles) into Larned. However, when I got up the next morning it was raining and rained all day. So, I took a rest day and generally just relaxed. I should have blogged and can't really remember why I didn't, senior moment I guess. In the afternoon I saw a cycling couple checking into the hotel so I went over to talk. They were heading east as well but they had been on the road since October. It seems they received a grant to go around the country asking people if they thought there was a new awareness about the environment. They live in New York, inside the city and are free lance photographers as well as journalist. They left NY and rode down the coast to Florida, then across the southern states to California, up the California coast and then picked up the Transamerica Trail. They will have logged over 10,000 miles when their trip is finished. I left early the next morning and didn't see them until about 15 miles before Hutchington. I talked to two groups heading West, one was a father and his daughter and the other was a lone biker who had some physical problems and had been delayed five days. He didn't say what the problems were. The father and daughter couple told me about the Zion Church in Hutchington and said it was a great place to stay. When I was talking to the lone rider, the NY couple rode up and we compared notes and decided to go to the church. It was a 15 mile accompanied ride, the first time I'd ridden with anyone on the trip. It was nice having someone to talk to for a change. When arrived at the church just as the congregation was sitting down to eat and celebrate a pastor retirement after 50 years of ministry. The welcome was amazing. In the church they had cots to sleep on, showers, full kitchen and insisted we join the celebration. The food was as you would expect homemade and delicious. But, there was no WiFi, small price. The people were fantastic and treated us like family. In fact that's what Harley said, you're home, just enjoy. That night three more bikers arrived, so there were a total of six that found their way to the church. The next morning the NY couple wanted to stay an extra day so I got up early and quietly got on the road. I rode 70 miles to Cassoday on a very h0t day. The last ten miles were brutal. It took me a lot longer than anticipated and by the time I arrived I was spent. My quarters for the night was the city park and hotel Richie. Again no WiFi. Last night was a mix. It was hot and sticky but absolutely clear. There was a store a block from the park so I was able to grab some food and water and an egg salad sandwich. I got a can of Campbell's sirloin and potato soup for today and went back to the park and built my nest. The park was well maintained and had a gazebo so I pitched my tent next to it just in case it rained. Just before night fall I was treated to a firefly display. They were every were and put on a luminous display that lasted over an hour. I can't remember the last time I saw fireflies but it was quite a treat. That night I had another treat as the train came through the town every hour until around midnight. I am sure the townspeople were used to hearing it blow the horn but something unusual for me. This morning I got back on the road and headed to Rosalia where I was going to have breakfast. Unfortunately, everything was closed. Rosalia, like a lot of the small towns on the route, has fallen on hard time.That's a problem with these maps which highlights the necessity to have emergency supplies. So, I opened my can of soup and had a small meal. The sun had heated the can, so it was not bad. I got back on the bike and was passed by several cyclists doing the race across America. In fact Mike Cook's support team gave me extra water and some power bars. I could only go 40 miles today. Either that, or camp again in the heat. I opted to sleep indoors tonight. No pictures this time unless you like corn and cows. And Pat, it was 100 degrees today, what is your cut off for thermal underwear?

Totoville

Departed Pueblo Tuesday rested, going downhill, and for the first time in a long time, with a tailwind. Life was good, so good I was able to ride 110 miles to Eads, about 25 miles short of Kansas. Along the way I passed three riders. One was another young man from Holland, the second was a 62 year old man, Jim, who was supported by his wife and finally Dane. Dane is young 20 something, young man from NC. I think he said he lived in Silva near Hendersonville. When I told him I was from Shelby he said his father grew up in Shelby and graduated from Shelby High. Dane's last name was Randall and said he thought his father was 56. Didn't recognize the name but what are the odds of meeting someone in the middle of the US on a bicycle with close ties to Shelby. It was a good day. Wednesday was more of the same. Weather was clear with the same quartering tailwind. I crossed into Kansas just East of Sheridan Lake and around noon reached Tribune about 60 miles for the day. I only met one couple Wednesday. They were German, riding a tandem and we talked for about 15 minutes. I told them about places to stay and they told me about Kentucky and the dogs. Apparently, the Kentucky boys sit on the porch and sic their dogs on bike riders. The couple said the dogs come in packs and really scared the sauerkraut out of them. They even gave me a can of pepper spray to use when I reach Kentucky. Today was a bikers dream. Other than the same flat scenery, I couldn't ask for better conditions. From Pueblo through Kansas it's a slight downhill grade and today the winds really pushed me down the road. Hopefully the winds will stay out of the West. Also, today was Transamerica day. I passed the official supported group as they made their way to Scott City. The wind was against them and most were struggling. I stopped and talked with the first two I met. They complained about the headwind and said it was the first day they had to deal with it. I was so sorry. Also, they said they were the first of 13 that I would see heading East. The group of 13 were spread out about 10 miles from the first two I met to the tailwind Charlie. I did want to talk to the couple on the tandem, recumbent and see how they were fairing but I got my answer when they wouldn't stop even though I moved to their side of the road. It must really be tough in the hills on a recumbent. When I got a mile outside of Dighton, my destination, I felt my back tire going flat. Enough air stayed in it to allow me to reach the hotel. I had about 1700 miles on the tires so this afternoon I put a new set of Continentals on my iron horse and readied it for tomorrow's ride. Life was good today. I entered Central Time Zone and had a flat tire and it wasn't raining.

Missed Me, Ya Missed Me

I raced to Guffey ahead of another storm. This time I won but not by much. Guffey is a small town off route a mile, and mostly uphill. There was a campground at the bottom of the hill but another biker had told me about this quaint B&B in Guffey. Even though I had biked almost 70 miles and the storm was coming, luckily I chose the climb. I got to the B&B but no one was there. The restaurant across the street, Rita's, was open so I went in and asked about the B&B. Rita called Bill, the owner, and told him a biker was interested in a room. She gave me the phone and I talked with Bill. Apparently Bill was sick but just well enough to offer me the bunkhouse or the Honeymoon Suite. I wish now when I was taking the video I had panned further so you could see the full layout of the B&B. The "Honeymoon Suite" was the main building to the right in the video. Further right was the bathroom, an outhouse. Haven't used one of those since Grandma's. My bunkhouse was a very small one room wooden structure with only enough room for two built-in slats for beds and two chairs. I tried the light switch but wasn't surprised to learn I had no power. I pulled my bike onto the small porch hoping to keep as much rain off of it as I could. About 30 minutes after arriving, the storm came complete with driving rain, wind and hail. I grabbed the camera and caught the tail end of it. After the storm passed I walked the property. What a mess. I don't know why he saved all the old wood but piles of it were everywhere along with old cars, trucks and farm equipment. You can see the old Volkswagen, grateful dead bus in the video which was typical of the condition of everything haphazardly parked around the property. The small building to the right of the bus is the shower. The water was hot and the lights did work. I went into the suite and the brave soles who stay there have none of the comforts of home complete with wooden stove and VCR but no TV or phone. I had gone from Andy the proper Englishman's B&B to Bill's backyard bunk. I never met Bill: he didn't even tell me the price of the bunk but as it turned out concerning the storm, I guess I was lucky. That night I had a great dinner at Rita's (highly recommenced if ever in Guffey, Co.) and the next morning gave her $20 to give Bill. I was sure I over paid and told Rita to keep the difference since she made all the arrangements. Sadly, I departed Guffey yesterday and made it to Pueblo. Today was a rest day. I cleaned the bike, washed clothes and shipped some cold weather gear home. I don't think I'll be needing thermal underwear for the remainder of the trip. I checked my odometer, I've pedaled over 2,000 miles since leaving Astoria.

Breckenridge

I couldn't help it. I left Silverthorne and got on the bike path to Breckenridge and fell in love with the place. So, there was only one thing to do, after biking less than 20 miles I found a B&B and spent the night in Breck. The B&B, Fireside Inn, is a great place, two blocks from Main Street and a great view of the slopes. The Inn is run by an English bloke, Andy Harris and his wife, and for 28 dollars you get run of the house and one of four bunk beds to a room. Lucky for me only one other fellow showed up to share the room. Bad for him because I do have a tendency to snore a fact that one of my misfortune son-in-laws will attest to. After tossing in the bunk I got up early Saturday and climbed Hoosier Pass. I was a little excited and apprehensive about the climb considering the altitude. But, the climb went well. It took me less than two hours to make the climb but when I got to the top, I was stoked. I had some light headiness, and when I got out of the saddle to climb the turns at the switchbacks, I experienced shortness of breath. Other than that, reaching the top of the pass is a sense of elation that will stay with me until I get Alzheimer's I stayed at the top for about 15 minutes savoring the moment and then started the descent. The next ten miles went a lot faster and since I had started so early was able to get some good distance for the day. I managed to make it to Guffey and another B&B.

Hot Sulphur Springs

From Walden to Hot Sulphur Springs the trip was pretty uneventful. I spent most of the day on back road 125 shared with logging trucks and climbing over Willow Creek Pass, elevation 9'621'. It rained off and on during the day and when I got to the top of the pass, the rain turned to snow.I took a picture but I am not sure you'll get the full impact of the event. By the way, most of the truck drivers are great but some are just down right rude. Anyway, I turned on Hwy 40 and finally had a wide shoulder and only seven miles to Hot Sulphur Springs. Again the early afternoon headwinds kicked in. I think those seven miles were worse than climbing the pass. At least in a climb you have momentary reprieves but with the wind it just blows. Luckily the first hotel I came to was reasonably priced and were good accommodations. The Ute Trail Hotel, where I stayed, had an arrangement with the Hot Springs Resort. The resort is built at natural hot water pools where it is said the Ute Indians used to bath in the sacred waters to clean there spirit, body and soul. The resort has over 20 different hot pools to bath in and other grander pools that offer special pampering. Since it was rainy and bad, I decided to stay and take my rest day there. This morning I got up early so I could avoid the afternoon winds. Funny me. I looked out and it was raining so I laid back down and waited for it to stop. It didn't. So, around eight thirty I decided to leave anyway. Kremmling, the next city, was only 15 miles away so I thought I'd go for it and see how the weather was. It rained off and on, mostly on, the entire day but never a hard driving rain. Just enough to keep my eyes locked on the road and my camera warmly stowed away. Did I mention some truck drivers are rude. One nice fellow wanted me to have a clean bike so he came as close as he could and gave me a high pressure washing. It was good for my bike but I had to hand wash the seat of my pants when I got to the hotel. Tonight I am in Silverthorne just ten miles from Breckenridge and 27 miles from the top of Hoosier Pass. Hoosier Pass is my LAST pass to climb in the West. After Hoosier I start down to Pueblo and on to Kansas.

Rocky Mountain High

Left Rawlins and wanted to make Riverside, but settled for Saratoga. The reason was Wyoming winds. I try to have a solid plan for at least three days considering mileage, meals and sleeping arrangements but the wind made me go to plan B. The first part of the trip from Rawlins called for a 15 mile leg, East on Interstate 80. Aside from being in the mix with heavy traffic, it wasn't bad. The winds were WSW so they helped me down the road. Ah, but then I turned South. Terrain was up and down but with a quartering headwind it made the climbs tiring and that's an understatement. So, when I reached Saratoga I threw in the towel and gladly called it a day. Later, I checked the winds on the computer and they were listed at 25 to 30 with gusts. This morning I poked my head out to check the winds and they were calm. So, I loaded up and was on the road early hoping to make Walden which would put me back on schedule. Along the way I met two riders. The first was a Swiss, Mike, who was doing the Transamerica Trail, East to West. We met just outside of Saratoga. Both of us were dressed in foul weather gear since it was cold and rainy. He started about the same time I did but is better than half way across. The second person I met started in Louisiana and had traveled over 4000 miles. He planned to follow the trail to Missoula then go the Northern route to NY then back home amassing over 10,000 miles. I bowed to his supremacy. When I was about ten miles from Walden I noticed the foreboding dark clouds that had formed in all quadrants around my destination. I pedaled harder trying to beat the storm. I didn't. Three miles short, frontal gusts almost knocked me off the bike and rain mixed with hail started peppering me. I could not hold the bike steady and with the wind gusts, I couldn't even go forward since the wind was again out of the South. There was a stockpile of gravel on the side of the road for future road work. I pushed my bike over to the pile of stone and used it as a wind buffer as I hunkered down and waited out the storm. It didn't last long and luckily the thunder and lightning didn't get closer than four miles. The last forecast I saw, calls for more rain tomorrow. O Boy!

Rawlins

Had a good rest in Lander. So, this morning I got up ready to go. The forecast was for light rain so I had the covers on my saddlebags and wore my rain jacket. Didn't rain. Out of Lander most of the morning was was spent going up and down rollers and fighting a mean crosswind. There was a pretty good shoulder on the road and with the crosswind, I used every bit of it. The wind must have been 20 to 25 with some gusts higher and would sometimes blow me onto the main road. Going down hill as speed picked up and the crosswind gusts hit the bike, it almost knocked the bike out from under me a couple of times. Not wanting to pick small bits of gravel out of my arms, I did the prudent thing and slowed my descent. I was traveling 287 south but when the road turned to the left it gave me a quartering tailwind so I was able to make pretty good time when that occurred. I got to Jeffrey City earlier than expected and to take advantage of the tailwind, I pressed on. Didn't take any pictures since most of the terrain looks about the same but I did see a lot of antelopes along the road and in the pastures. A couple of stores and camping sites marked on my map were closed so I ended up being in the saddle longer than I wanted to (over eight hours). I made good time and advanced a day ahead but I paid for it. I found a new place to put a blister on my rear and my neck and back are stiff. Oh well Motrin and butt cream will help and tomorrow I am going to wear two pair of biking shorts to cushion my tush.