I'm flying out of BWI first thing tomorrow morning. It will be great to be back on the road. Being in DC was fun, though, and I am glad I came back.
Blogging without biking feels a little shameful. I won't be doing much of it until July 5th, unless something really funny happens, or unless my public demands it. I'll pay close attention to reader comments.
Tentative itinerary:
July 5th - Leave Fayetteville, resume biking
July 16thISH - Arrive in Colorado
July 19th-20th - GRUB Tournament in Boulder. I'm playing, maybe.
July23rdISH - Probably out of time and money at this point. Tentative return to Real Life.
Contrary to popular opinion, I am not "moving" to Colorado, at least not this month. Valerie seems to not believe me.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
Tentative Top Ten
So many people have asked me the same question: "What's the coolest thing that you've seen/done on the trip?" This is a near-impossible question to answer, simply because of the diverse nature of our activities. It's hard to compare standing at the top of the St. Louis arch with being drunk at the home of the mayor of Wytheville, VA. Apples and oranges. However, since I am at a brief stopping point in my TOEQFG, I'll try to sum up, in no exact order, as best I can, the best of the best, so far:
10. Rick's White Lights Cafe in Frankfort, Kentucky. An extremely quirky cafe owned and operated by one of the most charismatic men I've ever encountered. Cheap food, illegal beer, and well worth the 2.5 hours we spent there.
9. The Kentucky border, and the subsequent views from the hills that were nothing short of incredible.
8. The impromtu stop at an Indiana winery, and the subsequent drinking of the wine in a gas station from styrofoam ice cream cups.
7. Visiting the Cookie Lady in Afton. I will never, ever forget her house or her (long-winded) words of advice.
6. Travis and his family.
5. The Blue Ridge Parkway, with its absurd steepness and amazing scenic overlooks
4. Louisville, Kentucky (and Evan, who could not have made it more fun)
3. The view from the top of the St. Louis Arch
2. The crazy chain of events that found us in the home of the mayor of Wytheville
1. Riding through Virginia and seeing (kind of) where I was born.
There's more, obviously. These are what stand out.
10. Rick's White Lights Cafe in Frankfort, Kentucky. An extremely quirky cafe owned and operated by one of the most charismatic men I've ever encountered. Cheap food, illegal beer, and well worth the 2.5 hours we spent there.
9. The Kentucky border, and the subsequent views from the hills that were nothing short of incredible.
8. The impromtu stop at an Indiana winery, and the subsequent drinking of the wine in a gas station from styrofoam ice cream cups.
7. Visiting the Cookie Lady in Afton. I will never, ever forget her house or her (long-winded) words of advice.
6. Travis and his family.
5. The Blue Ridge Parkway, with its absurd steepness and amazing scenic overlooks
4. Louisville, Kentucky (and Evan, who could not have made it more fun)
3. The view from the top of the St. Louis Arch
2. The crazy chain of events that found us in the home of the mayor of Wytheville
1. Riding through Virginia and seeing (kind of) where I was born.
There's more, obviously. These are what stand out.
Proof that I'm actually doing this:
Beautiful Kentucky. The black fuzz in the corner is a spot on my lens.
We had to ride the interstate into Illinois from Indiana because of the flooding. Mildly terrifying, and filled with bugs.
Casks of bourbon.
Jon, sitting next to a winery, drinking a beer. Classy.
The shadow of the arch over the (intensely flooded) Mississippi River.
Very Brief Hiatus.
In response to your inquiries about where exactly I am at the moment:
I am in DC.
Don't panic! The bike ride is not cancelled, postponed, or falling apart in any way. We ran into some unexpected situations, but they are all being dealt with. Full story:
As previously reported, Iris's bike sustained massive trauma at the hands of a drunk driver. The parts were ordered, repairs were made, and the bike is good as new. However - Iris and Jon both had pressing engagements in Tulsa, OK, on Saturday morning. The original plan was to ride from Tuesday - Friday, end up near Fayetteville, Arkansas, and grab a ride into Tulsa. We were then going to stay in F-ville until July 5th, and then head towards Colorado.
Obviously, the 3-day setback made it impossible to bike form St. Louis to Arkansas and still be in Tulsa by Saturday. Once these facts became clear, I did some thinking. I have yet to move out of my apartment in Alexandria, something which must be done by the end of July. So, in an impromtu move, I cashed in all of my SouthWest Airlines credit and flew into DC late Wednesday night. I'm heading back to Arkansas to meet up with Jon and Iris on Tuesday morning. My bike is safe and sound in Tulsa thanks to one Mike Mertz, and by the time all is said and done, I'll be packed and mostly moved out by the end of this weekend.
Yes, I realize that in some ways, this constitutes "cheating", at least in terms of my original plan to bike nonstop across the country. I am very ok with this. The break will hopefully A.) give my poor, palsy-ridden hands some time to heal, and B.) alleviate the stress/anxiety I was feeling about leaving all of my personal belongings scattered across my apartment instead of packed and ready to move. Plus, I get to spend time with some wonderful people whom I've missed very much. Yes, homesickness was a mild motivator in this decision. I'm ok with that, too.
I've talked to Iris and Jon several times since I've been back in DC. There was absolutely some seperation anxiety, and I am VERY excited to get to Fayetteville. They are picking me up at the airport at 10:30 and we're headed directly to some local winery that Jon swears is a great time. There are also plans for some canoeing and just general promises of Fun.
In the meantime, I have plenty of chores to complete and people to see while I'm here. Even nomads appreciate the occasional return to Real Life.
I am in DC.
Don't panic! The bike ride is not cancelled, postponed, or falling apart in any way. We ran into some unexpected situations, but they are all being dealt with. Full story:
As previously reported, Iris's bike sustained massive trauma at the hands of a drunk driver. The parts were ordered, repairs were made, and the bike is good as new. However - Iris and Jon both had pressing engagements in Tulsa, OK, on Saturday morning. The original plan was to ride from Tuesday - Friday, end up near Fayetteville, Arkansas, and grab a ride into Tulsa. We were then going to stay in F-ville until July 5th, and then head towards Colorado.
Obviously, the 3-day setback made it impossible to bike form St. Louis to Arkansas and still be in Tulsa by Saturday. Once these facts became clear, I did some thinking. I have yet to move out of my apartment in Alexandria, something which must be done by the end of July. So, in an impromtu move, I cashed in all of my SouthWest Airlines credit and flew into DC late Wednesday night. I'm heading back to Arkansas to meet up with Jon and Iris on Tuesday morning. My bike is safe and sound in Tulsa thanks to one Mike Mertz, and by the time all is said and done, I'll be packed and mostly moved out by the end of this weekend.
Yes, I realize that in some ways, this constitutes "cheating", at least in terms of my original plan to bike nonstop across the country. I am very ok with this. The break will hopefully A.) give my poor, palsy-ridden hands some time to heal, and B.) alleviate the stress/anxiety I was feeling about leaving all of my personal belongings scattered across my apartment instead of packed and ready to move. Plus, I get to spend time with some wonderful people whom I've missed very much. Yes, homesickness was a mild motivator in this decision. I'm ok with that, too.
I've talked to Iris and Jon several times since I've been back in DC. There was absolutely some seperation anxiety, and I am VERY excited to get to Fayetteville. They are picking me up at the airport at 10:30 and we're headed directly to some local winery that Jon swears is a great time. There are also plans for some canoeing and just general promises of Fun.
In the meantime, I have plenty of chores to complete and people to see while I'm here. Even nomads appreciate the occasional return to Real Life.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
St. Louis.
Made it into St. Louis just in time to load our bikes onto the back of Mike's car, drive into the city, and get rear-ended by some drunk idiot. Iris's bike needs a few parts, so we're waiting in St. Louis for them to be ordered and her bike repaired. Our itinerary, for the immediate, is uncertain. It will most likely involve 2 days in St. Louis and a ride to Arkansas. Jon needs to be in Fayetteville by Friday, hence the sense of urgency.
FYI, everyone in the car was fine, and insurance will cover the bike repairs. Best possible outcome to a crappy situation.
It is pouring rain in St. Louis right now, and I have yet to shower after yesterday's 93 mile ride. Jon and I are getting ready to order some type of unhealthy food and watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. We will see the arch tomorrow morning.
FYI, everyone in the car was fine, and insurance will cover the bike repairs. Best possible outcome to a crappy situation.
It is pouring rain in St. Louis right now, and I have yet to shower after yesterday's 93 mile ride. Jon and I are getting ready to order some type of unhealthy food and watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. We will see the arch tomorrow morning.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Indiana:
"Hoosier Hospitality." That was the explanation offered by the elderly couple who paid for our lunch on Saturday afternoon in southern Indiana. They asked us a million questions about our trip, wished us luck and safety, and announced that they were paying. Amazing.
To backtrack: We crossed the bridge into Indiana from Kentucky on Friday afternoon. We didn't get on the road until 2PM, and all three of us were tired and a little bit cranky. We rode about 15 miles before finding a genuine biker bar called the Hog Tavern, where we befriended the bartender, a woman named Caroline. Caroline gave us 12 free jello shots, which I put on ice and carried in my drybag.
Sometime around 6PM, the three of us got into an argument outside of a gas station at the top of a very steep hill. Ten miles later, Iris secured us a place to stay for free, with a hot tub. We got into the hot tub, took the jello shots, and became friends again. Incidentally, the place we stayed was called the Scout Mountain Hideaway, and the owner, Mike, was fantastic. He is in the process of starting a winery, and we slept in his air-conditioned workroom, surrounded by glass jugs and other sundry peices of equipment.
On Saturday, refreshed from a good night's sleep, we were on the road by 8:30 and on track to be in Evansville, Indiana, by 5:00 or so. We were riding a beautiful scenic road through a forest, and we were riding far apart from each other, enjoying the view and not worrying about speed. I crested a hill, looked for Jon, and found him sitting against a tree, drinking a warm can of PBR, and pointing to a sign for a nearby winery. The three of us went in for a complimentary tasting, and inside we met Brent and Beth, a couple from Illinois who enjoy traveling to local wineries. They were curious about our trip, and offered to house us if we ever found ourselves in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Foreshadowing? Read on!
Even after a wine tasting, free lunch, and our FIRST FLAT TIRE OF THE TRIP (congrats to Iris) we somehow made it to Evansville, Indiana, where we stayed with a professor named Chris whose phone number we got from Evan (in Louisville.) Chris took us out to dinner at a GREAT German restaurant, where I ate more fried pickles and tried a Rueben for the first time in my whole life. It was delicious. Afterwards, he took us to 80's night at a bar in downtown Evansville. As Indiana IS the birddogging capital of America, Jon pulled out all the stops, and even wore a normal shirt, but he lost to a total Bro and ended up dancing with me and Iris to "Shout." We passed out in Chris's living room in front of Arrest Development and got on the road around 11 this morning, after stopping at WalMart for breakfast and our daily map meeting.
WalMart has become an integral part of this trip. Anytime we pass a Supercenter, we go in, do our seperate shopping, and meet in the attached Subway for a team meeting. Iris usually brings some sort of fruit and deli meat combo, Jon buys a giant sandwich, and I have some strange combination of snack food. This morning, Jon had one of the "Sunday Supreme" sandwiches, Iris had turkey and fruit, and I had a bag of bagels, a tub of cream cheese, six Odwalla bars, and an apple. Obviously, most of that food was not comsumed in one sitting, although the bagels are already half gone because I was silly enough to let Jon carry them.
So. It turned out that Mt. Vernon IS on the way to St. Louis, so we called Brent and Beth, who were wonderful enough to allow us to stay with them tonight. They have four adorable daughters, and Jon, Iris and I are sleeping in a Hannah Montana themed room with bunk beds on one side and a single bed on the other. I let Jon and Iris have the bunks, since my childhood years were spent in bunk beds.
I simply cannot get over the willingness of the people that we meet to help us as much as they do. Every single place we go is marked by people who are so incredibly generous. It is very overwhelming.
To backtrack: We crossed the bridge into Indiana from Kentucky on Friday afternoon. We didn't get on the road until 2PM, and all three of us were tired and a little bit cranky. We rode about 15 miles before finding a genuine biker bar called the Hog Tavern, where we befriended the bartender, a woman named Caroline. Caroline gave us 12 free jello shots, which I put on ice and carried in my drybag.
Sometime around 6PM, the three of us got into an argument outside of a gas station at the top of a very steep hill. Ten miles later, Iris secured us a place to stay for free, with a hot tub. We got into the hot tub, took the jello shots, and became friends again. Incidentally, the place we stayed was called the Scout Mountain Hideaway, and the owner, Mike, was fantastic. He is in the process of starting a winery, and we slept in his air-conditioned workroom, surrounded by glass jugs and other sundry peices of equipment.
On Saturday, refreshed from a good night's sleep, we were on the road by 8:30 and on track to be in Evansville, Indiana, by 5:00 or so. We were riding a beautiful scenic road through a forest, and we were riding far apart from each other, enjoying the view and not worrying about speed. I crested a hill, looked for Jon, and found him sitting against a tree, drinking a warm can of PBR, and pointing to a sign for a nearby winery. The three of us went in for a complimentary tasting, and inside we met Brent and Beth, a couple from Illinois who enjoy traveling to local wineries. They were curious about our trip, and offered to house us if we ever found ourselves in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Foreshadowing? Read on!
Even after a wine tasting, free lunch, and our FIRST FLAT TIRE OF THE TRIP (congrats to Iris) we somehow made it to Evansville, Indiana, where we stayed with a professor named Chris whose phone number we got from Evan (in Louisville.) Chris took us out to dinner at a GREAT German restaurant, where I ate more fried pickles and tried a Rueben for the first time in my whole life. It was delicious. Afterwards, he took us to 80's night at a bar in downtown Evansville. As Indiana IS the birddogging capital of America, Jon pulled out all the stops, and even wore a normal shirt, but he lost to a total Bro and ended up dancing with me and Iris to "Shout." We passed out in Chris's living room in front of Arrest Development and got on the road around 11 this morning, after stopping at WalMart for breakfast and our daily map meeting.
WalMart has become an integral part of this trip. Anytime we pass a Supercenter, we go in, do our seperate shopping, and meet in the attached Subway for a team meeting. Iris usually brings some sort of fruit and deli meat combo, Jon buys a giant sandwich, and I have some strange combination of snack food. This morning, Jon had one of the "Sunday Supreme" sandwiches, Iris had turkey and fruit, and I had a bag of bagels, a tub of cream cheese, six Odwalla bars, and an apple. Obviously, most of that food was not comsumed in one sitting, although the bagels are already half gone because I was silly enough to let Jon carry them.
So. It turned out that Mt. Vernon IS on the way to St. Louis, so we called Brent and Beth, who were wonderful enough to allow us to stay with them tonight. They have four adorable daughters, and Jon, Iris and I are sleeping in a Hannah Montana themed room with bunk beds on one side and a single bed on the other. I let Jon and Iris have the bunks, since my childhood years were spent in bunk beds.
I simply cannot get over the willingness of the people that we meet to help us as much as they do. Every single place we go is marked by people who are so incredibly generous. It is very overwhelming.
Louisville: LOVES IT
I am absolutely overwhelmed with things to blog about right now. I will do my best.
Please bear with me.
On Wednesday (I am losing track of the days) Iris, Jon and I left the campground in Lexington, Kentucky, where we camped completely illegally and for free. We made oatmeal at a gas station and set a course for Louisville, with no plan in mind other than to charm someone into quartering us, which has worked for three weeks so far. It was a long, hot day, and we found ourselves about 15 miles out from Louisville and in danger of running out of daylight.
So, we made what turned out to be a crucial phone call to one Karl Doege, who is a legend in the South, apparently. I've never heard of him. He lives in Arkansas, which I only recently learned was a real state, but he somehow knew the time and location of Ultimate pickup in Louisville on THE VERY NIGHT we were going to be in town. Iris needed a quick tune-up from the local bike shop, so we sent Jon to scout the pickup. Iris and I got a ride in Louisville frm Dan, the bike mechanic, who dropped us off at a Walgreen's and wished us luck.
We found Jon at a local bar featuring a $10 all you can drink AND eat special. Sold. Fast forward to 2AM, which found the three of us in the living room of a young man named Evan, a fifth year environmental engineering major at U of L, who informed us that we WOULD be staying an extra day so that he could show us around town. Sold.
(Sidenote: Jon attempted to charm the ladies of Louisville while wearing a bike jersey, but failed.)
So we spent the day in Louisville, a city that I could see myself existing in happily without any major modifications. I biked to the U of L library and explored the campus, and went for a run around the residential sections. We swam at a pool near Evan's house, and he took us for a drive through the parks and the touristy places. I ate the best strawberry ice cream of all time. At night, we went over to his friend's house who brews his own beer, and sampled a few amazing home brews. The night ended with us playing pool and eating fried pickles, which are apparently a big deal in the south. I love them.
Evan and his roommates were incredibly hospitable. We all ate dinner together on Thursday night and watched Wedding Crashers before going out. It was great to hang out in a college town with some very chill people.
So, that was Louisville. The people were amazing, the town was beautiful, and we ate breakfast on Friday morning at the quirkiest place imaginable with delicious French toast. It was the perfect way to end our stay in Kentucky, a state to which I will absolutely be returning.
Next post: Indiana!
Please bear with me.
On Wednesday (I am losing track of the days) Iris, Jon and I left the campground in Lexington, Kentucky, where we camped completely illegally and for free. We made oatmeal at a gas station and set a course for Louisville, with no plan in mind other than to charm someone into quartering us, which has worked for three weeks so far. It was a long, hot day, and we found ourselves about 15 miles out from Louisville and in danger of running out of daylight.
So, we made what turned out to be a crucial phone call to one Karl Doege, who is a legend in the South, apparently. I've never heard of him. He lives in Arkansas, which I only recently learned was a real state, but he somehow knew the time and location of Ultimate pickup in Louisville on THE VERY NIGHT we were going to be in town. Iris needed a quick tune-up from the local bike shop, so we sent Jon to scout the pickup. Iris and I got a ride in Louisville frm Dan, the bike mechanic, who dropped us off at a Walgreen's and wished us luck.
We found Jon at a local bar featuring a $10 all you can drink AND eat special. Sold. Fast forward to 2AM, which found the three of us in the living room of a young man named Evan, a fifth year environmental engineering major at U of L, who informed us that we WOULD be staying an extra day so that he could show us around town. Sold.
(Sidenote: Jon attempted to charm the ladies of Louisville while wearing a bike jersey, but failed.)
So we spent the day in Louisville, a city that I could see myself existing in happily without any major modifications. I biked to the U of L library and explored the campus, and went for a run around the residential sections. We swam at a pool near Evan's house, and he took us for a drive through the parks and the touristy places. I ate the best strawberry ice cream of all time. At night, we went over to his friend's house who brews his own beer, and sampled a few amazing home brews. The night ended with us playing pool and eating fried pickles, which are apparently a big deal in the south. I love them.
Evan and his roommates were incredibly hospitable. We all ate dinner together on Thursday night and watched Wedding Crashers before going out. It was great to hang out in a college town with some very chill people.
So, that was Louisville. The people were amazing, the town was beautiful, and we ate breakfast on Friday morning at the quirkiest place imaginable with delicious French toast. It was the perfect way to end our stay in Kentucky, a state to which I will absolutely be returning.
Next post: Indiana!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Shameless Plug
www.coasttocoastforvets.com
This is Iris's webpage. She is biking to raise money for disabled veterans, and Jon and I are riding to support her. I realized that I'd never actually sent many of you that link. Check it out - she is amazing.
Also, against my better judgement, I will provide you with a link to Jon's blog, which is slightly more candid than mine is:
http://champagneamerica.blogspot.com/
Enjoy.
This is Iris's webpage. She is biking to raise money for disabled veterans, and Jon and I are riding to support her. I realized that I'd never actually sent many of you that link. Check it out - she is amazing.
Also, against my better judgement, I will provide you with a link to Jon's blog, which is slightly more candid than mine is:
http://champagneamerica.blogspot.com/
Enjoy.
Thoughts from a Kentucky Library
We've looked at a lot of topography maps as we try to plan our alternate route. It looks like rolling hills from here until the Rockies, which is fine with me. I love biking through sine waves. The mountains, on the other hand, were so physically and emotionally draining that I thought I might cry. There is something so demoralizing about turning a corner and seeing more uphill, mile after mile. My first instinct, just like when I run, is to start out fast and try to maintain. This doesn't work for miles and miles of mountains. When this instinct starts to take over, I try and channel Bill Lott's eternal words of wisdom, heard most often during the third lap of the mile: "DON'T SHOOT YOUR LOAD."
(For those of you not fortunate enough to be former Henderson High School track stars, Bill Lott was our coach, a man fueled by narcotics and a love of the sport.)
I compare biking to running constantly. Some behaviors will never change - I speed up around corners and at the tops of hills, I time mile splits, I look behind me to make sure no one is catching up. But I'm learning to relax a little on the bike, which is helpful, because I'm usually on it for 5-7 hours a day. The ipod is good for this. I never ran to music, but I think that it helps me feel a little less competitive when I'm biking. My competitive instinct is hard to explain, and even harder to justify on this trip. When we ride, Jon is always in front. I'm second, and Iris is generally a minute or two behind me. Every day, I stare at Jon's back and focus completely on cutting the distance between us. Some days I can keep up, but most days he loses me after a few miles. At first I assumed that I was the only one playing this internal game, but now when I catch up to Jon at stopping point, he makes a point to tell me exactly how many minutes he's been waiting.
Anyway, filling my ipod with upbeat music makes it a little easier for me to let go of my competitive spirit, especially around mile 50 or 60 when it isn't in the best interest of my legs to be pushed any harder than necessary. Here's a sample playlist:
In Other Words - Ben Kweller
Bad Best Friend - Nada Surf
Dr. Jones - Aqua
Frontwards - Pavement
You!Me!Dancing! - Los Campesinos
Shake It - Metro Station
The entire "The Best Of Del Tha Funkee Homosapien: Elektra Years"
Walcott - Vampire Weekend (Sidenote: I did a lot of hating on the VW album. I take it all back.)
Apple Blossom - The White Stripes
Get 'Em High - Kanye and Talib
Lots of remixes.
So that's in case any of you want to recreate this playlist and go for a bike ride and emulate my life. There are a lot more songs that I listen to, but these are my current favorites.
A LOT of you have expressed dismay, hostility, and straight-up rage that I haven't updated more frequently. You must understand that writing esoteric prose for this particular demographic has proved difficult at best, since I wish to a) be truthful, yet b) maintain some sense of propriety. Plus, sometimes it is hard to find internet, and when I do, sometimes I just want to read the news.
A Real Post
Aaaand...we are still in Kentucky. After a weekend of ultimate (in my case, watching ultimate) in Ohio, we are back at Jon's aunt's house doing laundry and prepping for the second part of the trip. We caught a ride back into Kentucky from a Marine named Kevin who gave us a quick driving tour of Cincinnati. Not a city I'd like to live in.
Poultry Days, the chicken festival / ultimate tournament in Versailles, OH, where we spent the weekend, was fun. A lot of standard debauchery, a lot of delicious food, a lot of Jon yelling drunkenly. It was hard for me to watch everyone playing ultimate and having to sit on the sideline. I've never been good at being injured.
Last night Iris spent some time researching places to stay in the upcoming days, while Jon and I made tacos. Jon actually permitted me to perform some rudimentary preparations - chopping tomatoes, etc. We ate the leftover tacos for breakfast this morning.
Iris, Jon and I had a conversation last night about our intentions for the rest of this trip. I think all three of us have realized, in our own ways, that this trip could quickly start to feel like a job if we are not careful. This was never about getting across America in record time, or clocking a certain number of miles a day. My "agenda" for this trip consists of little more than making it to Boulder, CO, and into Valerie's loving embrace, but I realized last night that our current route and pace would place us right in the middle of Kansas over July 4th. This feels unacceptable. July 4th has long been one of my favorite holidays, and even though it has been years since I've been an active participant in the 4th of July Lady Marley Memorial Tennis Classic, I feel compelled to be somewhere interesting, or at least somewhere fun. Kansas, where we have no housing and no friends to speak of, is not promising. So we made a Big Decision, and we are no longer following the TransAmerica route that we've been using so far. Instead, we're dipping south, into Arkansas and Oklahoma, where Jon and Iris both have friends and family. We're going to spend July 4th in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and from there, head into Colorado.
I'm generally happy about this change of plans, although it does alter the dynamic of the trip in a pretty big way. Iris and Jon are now on a course to see friends and family in less than two weeks. I am worried that I'm going to feel lonely while we're in Arkansas. I know I'll feel at least a little jealous. That being said, I've never been to Arkansas, and I've spent almost three weeks now listening to Jon and Iris explain to me why the south is invariably better than the north, so I think I ought to trek to Fayetteville and decide for myself before groupthink takes total control.
As for the next couple of days - we head out early tomorrow to Lexington, Kentucky. From there we're touring a couple of bourbon distillaries and then heading to St. Louis for the weekend. I'm excited to see the arch. I'm a nerd.
Poultry Days, the chicken festival / ultimate tournament in Versailles, OH, where we spent the weekend, was fun. A lot of standard debauchery, a lot of delicious food, a lot of Jon yelling drunkenly. It was hard for me to watch everyone playing ultimate and having to sit on the sideline. I've never been good at being injured.
Last night Iris spent some time researching places to stay in the upcoming days, while Jon and I made tacos. Jon actually permitted me to perform some rudimentary preparations - chopping tomatoes, etc. We ate the leftover tacos for breakfast this morning.
Iris, Jon and I had a conversation last night about our intentions for the rest of this trip. I think all three of us have realized, in our own ways, that this trip could quickly start to feel like a job if we are not careful. This was never about getting across America in record time, or clocking a certain number of miles a day. My "agenda" for this trip consists of little more than making it to Boulder, CO, and into Valerie's loving embrace, but I realized last night that our current route and pace would place us right in the middle of Kansas over July 4th. This feels unacceptable. July 4th has long been one of my favorite holidays, and even though it has been years since I've been an active participant in the 4th of July Lady Marley Memorial Tennis Classic, I feel compelled to be somewhere interesting, or at least somewhere fun. Kansas, where we have no housing and no friends to speak of, is not promising. So we made a Big Decision, and we are no longer following the TransAmerica route that we've been using so far. Instead, we're dipping south, into Arkansas and Oklahoma, where Jon and Iris both have friends and family. We're going to spend July 4th in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and from there, head into Colorado.
I'm generally happy about this change of plans, although it does alter the dynamic of the trip in a pretty big way. Iris and Jon are now on a course to see friends and family in less than two weeks. I am worried that I'm going to feel lonely while we're in Arkansas. I know I'll feel at least a little jealous. That being said, I've never been to Arkansas, and I've spent almost three weeks now listening to Jon and Iris explain to me why the south is invariably better than the north, so I think I ought to trek to Fayetteville and decide for myself before groupthink takes total control.
As for the next couple of days - we head out early tomorrow to Lexington, Kentucky. From there we're touring a couple of bourbon distillaries and then heading to St. Louis for the weekend. I'm excited to see the arch. I'm a nerd.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Kentucky
I've been a bad blogger. I'm sorry.
Right now, I'm in a public library in Florence, Kentucky, waiting for Seanboy to pick up me, Iris, and Jon and transport us to Versailles, Ohio, where we're playing in an ultimate tournament Saturday and Sunday. The tournament is called Poultry Days, and it's a great time. Unfortunately, I can't actually PLAY, since I am still minus one untorn ligament in my ankle. Lateral movements are risky at best. So I'll be hanging out on the sidelines, making friends and probably drinking beer. We set up camp in this library because it is right off the freeway, and we took over the children's section. Jon has his still-damp laundry draped over some chairs, and has spread his peronal effects all over one of the children's tables. These effects include a lone cigarette, a dirty bandana, and a pair of underwear.
Riding in Kentucky is incredible. It is so beautiful here. I am not entertaining notions of remaining in Kentucky, but it is absolutely a place I would consider living someday.
Next week, we're traveling back into Kentucky, where we're going to ride the Bourbon Trail and continue west. After that, we'll head into Kansas, which is supposed to be flat and boring and filled with corn.
Right now, I'm in a public library in Florence, Kentucky, waiting for Seanboy to pick up me, Iris, and Jon and transport us to Versailles, Ohio, where we're playing in an ultimate tournament Saturday and Sunday. The tournament is called Poultry Days, and it's a great time. Unfortunately, I can't actually PLAY, since I am still minus one untorn ligament in my ankle. Lateral movements are risky at best. So I'll be hanging out on the sidelines, making friends and probably drinking beer. We set up camp in this library because it is right off the freeway, and we took over the children's section. Jon has his still-damp laundry draped over some chairs, and has spread his peronal effects all over one of the children's tables. These effects include a lone cigarette, a dirty bandana, and a pair of underwear.
Riding in Kentucky is incredible. It is so beautiful here. I am not entertaining notions of remaining in Kentucky, but it is absolutely a place I would consider living someday.
Next week, we're traveling back into Kentucky, where we're going to ride the Bourbon Trail and continue west. After that, we'll head into Kansas, which is supposed to be flat and boring and filled with corn.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
DELIVERANCE! (Hopefully not.)
WE MADE IT OUT OF VIRGINIA.
By the end, we felt like we were waging war against the commonwealth. However, we officially crossed the border this morning, and Kentucky welcomed us with several miles of downhill cruising.
Kentucky is beautiful. This is by far the most time I have spent in the south, and I really love it here. Certainly a much different feel from what I'm used to.
Short post. I'm exhausted. I'll tell tales another day.
Per Big Al's* Request
Iris and I do look strikingly similar under certain conditions. Jon also looks a lot like both of us. It's a little odd.
*Big Al = my mother
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Photographs
View from the top of Blue Ridge Parkway near Afton, VA
Local restaurant that has all the customers sign the walls
Iris, taking a break
Fun times in Wytheville.
Polaroid of the three of us, taken by the Cookie Lady
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Wytheville, VA
I wrote this in two sittings. Updates are noted.
Iris, Jon and I rolled into Wytheville around 8:00 on Friday night. We sent Jon downtown to investigate entertainment options for the evening, while Iris tried to convince several hotels to give us a room for free. Jon called around 8:45, informing us that he had located an outdoor music festival with cheap beer. He also informed us that he had met the mayor. Long story short, we woke up this morning in the spare bedroom in the house of the mayor of Wytheville, VA. His wife made us breakfast. We hung out for a while with his 16-year old son, Tyler, who reminded me so much of Shane. I miss my brothers.
Iris, Jon and I rolled into Wytheville around 8:00 on Friday night. We sent Jon downtown to investigate entertainment options for the evening, while Iris tried to convince several hotels to give us a room for free. Jon called around 8:45, informing us that he had located an outdoor music festival with cheap beer. He also informed us that he had met the mayor. Long story short, we woke up this morning in the spare bedroom in the house of the mayor of Wytheville, VA. His wife made us breakfast. We hung out for a while with his 16-year old son, Tyler, who reminded me so much of Shane. I miss my brothers.
We're getting ready to officially enter the Appalachians in the next few days. Things are starting to get extremely hilly. We looked at some topo maps hoping to find an easier route, but I think we're going to have to suck it up and climb some moutains.
As is frequently the case in my life, I've run into a few difficulties. First, my ipod dock broke. This is a bigger deal than one might think. It is hard to bike for 7 hours a day without music. I'm hoping to find a replacement dock at the Wytheville WalMart.
UPDATE: $30 for a dock?! The ipod only cost $50. This is absurd. I hate Steve Jobs.
UPDATE: $30 for a dock?! The ipod only cost $50. This is absurd. I hate Steve Jobs.
Second, something is wrong with my hands. After googling my symptoms, I think that I am experiencing "Handlebar Palsy", which is something that I did not know existed. However, there are numerous websites available, should you wish to learn more. Sending text messages and typing are difficult, as are brushing my teeth and tying my shoes. I am not entirely sure what to do about this.
UPDATE: I purchased a pair of super-padded gloves. Hopefully this will help, otherwise I'm in trouble. Iris and Jon keep making fun of me but the gradual loss of all motor skills is starting to freak me out.
UPDATE: I purchased a pair of super-padded gloves. Hopefully this will help, otherwise I'm in trouble. Iris and Jon keep making fun of me but the gradual loss of all motor skills is starting to freak me out.
An unrelated, entertaining anecdote: At the frat house, Jon found a steak in the mini fridge of the room we stayed in. The former inhabitant had already moved out, so Jon put the steak in his dry bag, filled the bag with ice, and proceeded to bike 70 miles in 95 degree heat with the steak in tow. Bear in mind, this is the guy who several days ago mailed home his extra underwear in order to shed weight from his load. When we finally got to the campground, he took out the steak, built a fire, and grilled it. At this point, the steak was definitely beginning to turn, but he ate the entire thing, insisting that it was delicious.
Anyway, my internet time at the library is about up, and it is time to move on. Iris claims that we are staying in a hotel tonight with wireless internet, in order to "maintain her sanity."
UPDATE: We are, in fact, in a hotel. It feels amazing. We know it won't become a habit, but it was nice to veg out and watch tv for a while. We even swam in the pool.
This was a crappy post. I apologize. Jon and I are going to watch Office episodes and pass out while Iris fills out grad school applications.
UPDATE: We are, in fact, in a hotel. It feels amazing. We know it won't become a habit, but it was nice to veg out and watch tv for a while. We even swam in the pool.
This was a crappy post. I apologize. Jon and I are going to watch Office episodes and pass out while Iris fills out grad school applications.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Greek Life
I am blogging from a frat house at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. Iris knows a guy who knew a guy who's in a frat, so here we are, staying in a room with a futon, a hookah, and some condoms lying around. The brothers are graduating tomorrow, so it should be an interesting night. Right now I'm sitting at the "house computer", and there is a figurine of the Virgin Mary to my right. Luckily, her eyes are closed.
Last night we stayed at the house of the "Cookie Lady," and 87 year old woman who keeps a separate house for bikers to stay in. This experience warrants its own post. I'll do that later.
Today we rode 53 miles and climbed over 2500 feet. It was incredibly hard, but so beautiful. I'm glad that I'm getting to see a better side of Bat Country. Tomorrow's destination: Roanoke. The miles are getting easier and easier, especially now that we've mailed a lot of our stuff home to lighten our loads. Everyone brought a lot of extraneous gear.
We're hoping to be out of VA and into Kentucky in the next 4-5 days. I'm so excited for Kentucky - I have big dreams of bourbon and bluegrass.
Iris, Jon and I have solidified our morning routine. It goes something like this:
1. Oversleep
2. Iris wakes everyone up in a "mean mommy" tone of voice
3. Iris and I fight about something unimportant
4. Jon ignores us, and makes us breakfast
5. Iris and I pack up and eat breakfast
6. Iris and I yell at Jon for being a slow packer, even though the reason he is slow is because he makes us breakfast
7. We start to bike 3-4 hours later than we anticipated
Anyway. I am off to find dinner. I heard the rapture is going down in DC. Best of luck with that - the weather here is amazing.
Last night we stayed at the house of the "Cookie Lady," and 87 year old woman who keeps a separate house for bikers to stay in. This experience warrants its own post. I'll do that later.
Today we rode 53 miles and climbed over 2500 feet. It was incredibly hard, but so beautiful. I'm glad that I'm getting to see a better side of Bat Country. Tomorrow's destination: Roanoke. The miles are getting easier and easier, especially now that we've mailed a lot of our stuff home to lighten our loads. Everyone brought a lot of extraneous gear.
We're hoping to be out of VA and into Kentucky in the next 4-5 days. I'm so excited for Kentucky - I have big dreams of bourbon and bluegrass.
Iris, Jon and I have solidified our morning routine. It goes something like this:
1. Oversleep
2. Iris wakes everyone up in a "mean mommy" tone of voice
3. Iris and I fight about something unimportant
4. Jon ignores us, and makes us breakfast
5. Iris and I pack up and eat breakfast
6. Iris and I yell at Jon for being a slow packer, even though the reason he is slow is because he makes us breakfast
7. We start to bike 3-4 hours later than we anticipated
Anyway. I am off to find dinner. I heard the rapture is going down in DC. Best of luck with that - the weather here is amazing.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Photographic Evidence
Our carport campsite.
Southern hospitality.
Sunset at the gas station.
I did not know that this institute existed, but I am fairly certain that I violated some social norms by taking this picture right outside of their office.
Intense, but dinner tasted awesome.
Day Four
It's funny how people start to anthropomorphize their various modes of transportation. Today, for the first time on the trip, I started talking to my bike during uphill sections. I remember taking a 12 hour solo car trip during my senior year of college, and spending the last hour trying to convince my car not to break down. Today, I tried to coax my bike to make it to the top of each hill. I have not yet decided whether my bike is male or female.
We camped under a gas station carport last night. There was a big sign that said "Bicyclists Welcome to Camp", so we set up shop. All went well except for the 3AM wake up call from the police, who apparently have nothing better to do on a Sunday night than to harrass people camping legally. All three of us slept in one tent. We hung a headlamp from the ceiling, and there was some serious bonding over a fifth of whisky and a botched game of poker. The game went like this:
Jon: I'm in. One shot.
Iris: Call.
Me: I'll see your one shot, and raise you two shots.
Jon: Call.
Iris: Call.
Jon: FULL HOUSE. Drink.
Iris: Man, I had two pair. Queens and Kings.
Me: I had three Kings.
Me: This is a pinochle deck. Everyone drink.
We tried to play some high-low after that, but it was short-lived. Sleep occured not long after, and since the night got very cold, having three people in one tent was actually helpful. I think that in a few weeks, when we're farther south and the temperatures get warmer, we'll have to split up.
It's only day four, but I'm loving Iris and Jon. We seem to handle each other very well. Today we rode about 50 miles, into Charlottesville, VA, where we're staying with a friend of Iris's. Right now, Jon is cooking dinner. It turns out that he's worked as a cook for years. Jon is intense about very few things, but he is an intense cook. Iris and I were not invited to help.
Later tonight, I'm hoping to hang out with BRAD UHL (!!!) and Jon has declared that tonight will involve "party hats", so I'm glad we have an easy day planned for tomorrow. We're riding into Afton to stay for free with a woman known as the "Cookie Lady." We found her in The Book (this incredible guidebook that Iris brought) and we called ahead today to let her know that we're coming. Today's ride was amazing. It was all rolling hills through farms and fields, with lots of color and tons of wonderful smells. Also lots of cows. The cows never act surprised when I ride by, but they follow me with big eyes, and their ears move from side to side.
The next couple days will be FILLED with mountains, and probably will not be filled with internet. I'll have my phone, though, and I love phone calls.
Thanks for comments, texts, etc. I miss a lot of people very much, but I can already tell this is good for me. Also, blogging is a little bit cathartic. Iris says that I am addicted to the internet. This may or may not be true. I'll post some pictures later.
xoxox
We camped under a gas station carport last night. There was a big sign that said "Bicyclists Welcome to Camp", so we set up shop. All went well except for the 3AM wake up call from the police, who apparently have nothing better to do on a Sunday night than to harrass people camping legally. All three of us slept in one tent. We hung a headlamp from the ceiling, and there was some serious bonding over a fifth of whisky and a botched game of poker. The game went like this:
Jon: I'm in. One shot.
Iris: Call.
Me: I'll see your one shot, and raise you two shots.
Jon: Call.
Iris: Call.
Jon: FULL HOUSE. Drink.
Iris: Man, I had two pair. Queens and Kings.
Me: I had three Kings.
Me: This is a pinochle deck. Everyone drink.
We tried to play some high-low after that, but it was short-lived. Sleep occured not long after, and since the night got very cold, having three people in one tent was actually helpful. I think that in a few weeks, when we're farther south and the temperatures get warmer, we'll have to split up.
It's only day four, but I'm loving Iris and Jon. We seem to handle each other very well. Today we rode about 50 miles, into Charlottesville, VA, where we're staying with a friend of Iris's. Right now, Jon is cooking dinner. It turns out that he's worked as a cook for years. Jon is intense about very few things, but he is an intense cook. Iris and I were not invited to help.
Later tonight, I'm hoping to hang out with BRAD UHL (!!!) and Jon has declared that tonight will involve "party hats", so I'm glad we have an easy day planned for tomorrow. We're riding into Afton to stay for free with a woman known as the "Cookie Lady." We found her in The Book (this incredible guidebook that Iris brought) and we called ahead today to let her know that we're coming. Today's ride was amazing. It was all rolling hills through farms and fields, with lots of color and tons of wonderful smells. Also lots of cows. The cows never act surprised when I ride by, but they follow me with big eyes, and their ears move from side to side.
The next couple days will be FILLED with mountains, and probably will not be filled with internet. I'll have my phone, though, and I love phone calls.
Thanks for comments, texts, etc. I miss a lot of people very much, but I can already tell this is good for me. Also, blogging is a little bit cathartic. Iris says that I am addicted to the internet. This may or may not be true. I'll post some pictures later.
xoxox
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Day Two / Day Three
This is Travis. Travis is an extremely magnanimous bike mechanic who took pity on three weary travelers and housed them in the room off of his parent's garage. Travis was the silver lining of a rather rough Day Two. We rode about 30 miles on Saturday morning to a convenience store in Charles City, where we met a woman named Dee who gave me a recipe for spaghetti squash and wished us luck.Jon ended up kicking his bike in a misguided attempt to dislodge his stuck chain, which, of course, caused the chain to snap. Iris and I were already out of sight, so he called Iris's cell phone, and told us that he would be hitching a ride from Dee into Mechanicsville, our ultimate destination for the day. Iris told him that if he planned on cutting 30 miles off of his day, he better find us a place to stay for free. Enter Travis, who works at the bike shop in Mechnicsville where Jon went to replace his chain. He lives with his parents, Bob and Donna, who were absolutely fantastic and made us feel completely at home. They even bought us food for breakfast this morning, and Jon made eggs. Eggs, like sandwiches, always taste better when someone else makes them for you.
Iris and I ended up riding close to 70 miles on Saturday. We passed a group of people celebrating the anniversary of the Battle of Cold Harbor, and we heard some cannon fire. By the time we located Jon and Travis, we were absolutely exhausted, but the promise of food and entertainment kept us from going to bed at 7PM. Travis took us to a Chinese buffet, and then to a great bar in Richmond with the most extensive beer list I've ever seen. We tried so hard to convince Travis that he should join us on our trek, but the logistics weren't in order. He did, however, tune up all of our bikes this morning, and rode with us for a few miles. We're hoping he'll call us in a few days and ask where he should be dropped off. We'll see.
Right now we're sitting in an ice cream shop in Ashland. It's the only place open on a Sunday, but they have delicious blueberry cheesecake ice cream. It's late in the day, but we want to keep riding. We're hoping to end up somewhere near Bumpass, VA, by the time it gets dark.
Riding today felt great. I'm definitely feeling the effects of six weeks of inactivity, but riding a loaded bike puts everyone on a more even field. Having music on the road is pretty helpful. I really, REALLY could use one of Val's mixes, filled with obscure European techno. As it is, I'm listening to a lot of remix albums, and also a lot of hip hop. Pavement and Nada Surf are great too. Send music suggestions.
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