Pictures!

If you only have 10 minutes, then scroll down and watch the video. But, if you have a little more time, here are three slideshows of more pictures from our trip.

Road signs take on a new meaning when you are a biker:

We had to get creative with our campsites:

Our bikes went a lot of places:

US Transcontinental bike trip photo video by Pat and Jess

Whew! We have done it! We challenged ourselves to pick 100 of our favorite photos to tell the fascinating story of our 90 day journey. So, with great pleasure and lots of smiles, Jess and I sifted and sorted for hours to select just the right 100 pictures from the thousands we took along the way. A grueling and difficult process for certain. After all each moment we captured is memorable and beautiful in its own right. Nonetheless, WE DID IT! And with what flare! If these photos convey even a fraction of the experience Jess and I marveled at on our 90 day adventure we will be thrilled. So please allow us to share these moments with you now…





The video is approximately 10 minutes long and does have sound so please turn your speakers on and enjoy!

Most computers are slow to upload the information. Tip: if it doesn't play smoothly the first time...play it again!!!

Hanging out in LA

A few days in Los Angeles and my brain has sped up.  Instead of processing the world at 10-12 miles per hour, it has caught up with the faster pace of traffic around here.  Readjusting to the world.....Showering everyday, clean clothes, those sorts of things.

Pat is healing well, but is not a very patient patient.  She only has a splint for her broken wrist (no cast), but is eager to discard that and downgrade to a smaller brace already. Until then, I have been cutting up her food, opening bottles for her, and washing her right hand.  All of which drives her crazy since she can't do those things herself. We did get some vet wrap from the pet store so now her arm is a bright blue, which is much more cheerful than the bland white stuff.

We reached LA several days ago and I still have not completely adjusted to sleeping in a bed and having space to stretch out. Those sleeping bags can be pretty restrictive and train you to lay still or do the rotisserie-thing to roll over. Also strange to cook fresh food and use several pots. There are so many dishes to wash!

We are going to spend the next few days exploring California - north and south, except by car this time. Pat is returning home to Chattanooga in a week, so we are going to try to fit a lot of sight-seeing. We plan to work on organizing our pictures and posting them online this week. No promises, but will let you know when they are ready.

Continuing to L.A.

Before our journey was so rudely interrupted by the previously described vehicular accident, we were biking our way down the California coast to Jess' place in Los Angeles. Today, our ultimate goal is still the same though our approach to the travel is a bit less intense. My cushioned seat back is in its full reclined position and my feet are kicked up on the dashboard of the sporty rented minivan. Haha! Apparently it was the only vehicle for rent in Fort Bragg capable of hauling our bikes on a one way trip to LA.

I say 'our' bikes but really it is Jess' bike and my pile of scrap metal and salvageable parts. The full steel frame of my bike is completely bent in half and the pedal arms are all twisted up. The back fender and rack is trashed as is the left rear saddle bag (pannier). I haven't inspected all the gear yet but I already know I owe Jess a new cooking pot. Regardless, it is all thrown in the back of the minivan.

Jess is having to do all the driving, poor thing, since my now diagnosed broken wrist is in a temporary splint. The radiologist called yesterday to advise of the break. We were already on the road and had to swing by a second hospital for treatment. The wrist will still need some follow up tests and casting in a few days. Anyway, I probably shouldn't drive with Vicodin on board. My bruises are becoming more impressive each day. If you use the slightest imagination you can even see the imprint of the SUV's side mirror on the back of my left arm!

I was planning to take the actual mirror home with me (it was left behind at the crime scene) but the police asked to keep it for the part number and as evidence. The young police officer impressed me with his determination to track down the hit n run driver.

Well, neither of us has/had any interest in continuing down route 1, so we are skipping our way through California vineyards and valleys. Ultimately we will sleep in LA tonight.
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Luck

Being hit by a car is a dramatic event and it is a statement that has
been repeated in disbelief dozens of times in the past 12 hours. Luck
- both good and bad. It was a straight section of road with a wide and
clean shoulder. Pat was several feet from the lane. It was the
afternoon of a clear and sunny day. Seems like great biking
conditions. No steep slope. No sharp or blind curves. No cliff. No
guard rail. No fog. No heavy traffic. Not riding in the car lane. No
bridge or strong wind. No obvious distractions for a driver...... Bad
luck to be hit. The good luck is that there was a nice embankment and
shoulder to land on. And we were riding near each other. And her
injuries are minor. And that there are good people in the world who
stop and offer help and put their jacket under your head when you are
laying on the ground.

Bike Trip is Done

First - Pat is okay. She is only bruised and nothing is broken. Second
- Pat was hit by a car yesterday afternoon along Route 1 the costal
drive. It was a hit and run by a large SUV. She was pushed over her
handlebars. Tuck and roll into the embankment. She never lost
consciousness so unfortunately she remembers the entire event. I was
ahead of her and did not see the impact but was close enough to hear
and run back. Some very nice people stopped and called 911 for us.
Fast response from emergency services and there were 5 emergency
vehicles there inc police investigating the crime scene. We went to
the hospital - first time in an ambulance for both of us. The nurses
and doctors did their thing and lots of xrays were taken. Pats left
side is very bruised and banged up. Lots of abraisions and her left
wrist is very swollen but not as much as her left ankle which is
massive. No major damage though. Simply amazing considering the
vehicle and speed. The security guard drove us to a local motel for
the night.

Redwoods

We have spent much of the last two days in awe of the huge redwood
trees as we ride past them. There have been several scenic byways
through redwood groves and we take them all. Majestic and old and
gigantic. I will be coming back here again soon.......There are two
significant differences to this portion of the bike trip. First we
have come across as many bikers in our two days on the Cal coast as we
saw crossing the entire country. This route is pretty popular. Second
the ocean is a new factor. It has been foggy in the mornings and
freezing cold all day long. It has been warming up slightly as we head
south but the blistering hot desert of Idaho and Oregon is long gone.
Thats okay though. I gladly take the redwoods over the sagebrush and
do not mind the enveloping mist that comes with them.

Pacific Ocean

We did it!!! Today, after 4,627 miles and 90 days of bicycling our way across the country, Jess and I touched the Pacific Ocean...successfully completing our coast to coast Americana tour! If people could hug an ocean I think we would. The ocean just gives big sloppy wet kisses in return.
We landed at the coastline of the Pacific Ocean in Crescent City, California. We realize this is somewhat different than our original thoughts of reaching Portland, OR but we have new and exciting future plans...*see below...
Across the country, we went through 12 states, 3 new tires/7 flats, saw countless state parks and forests, endured 109 degree deserts, crossed 9,000+ foot mountain passes, sunk into caverns, road ferries, watched historic and modern baseball games, toured museums, read dozens of historic roadside markers, stumbled into rodeos and tractor pulls,were bombarded by hail, backed down by a bison, traversed mudslides, visited waterfalls, met hundreds of fascinating people, camped illegally more times than not, experienced local cuisine and culture, etc, etc, etc.. So, so many stories to tell. All in all it was the adventure of a lifetime! YEAH!!!!

* Note... We are having so much fun we have decided to continue our trip, extending it to Los Angeles. We plan to keep posting on this blog site as long as we are riding and hope you all keep reading.
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Crater Lake National Park

We spent yesterday biking to and around the remnants of a 6,500 year old volcanic event. In this case there were no spoils, no lava fields or barren mountain sides. Instead, a barely noticed void can be seen at the peak of a mountain. Only once you are standing at the rim of the void can you appreciate that deep within the mountain - also the mouth of the volcano, a large lake lays within. The pristine Crater Lake is an incomprehensible 4 miles wide, 6 miles long and something ridiculous like 4,000 feet deep. The depth accounts for its startling color variations from cobalt and royal blues to forest and limey greens. I have to admit we spent a lot of time at the rim just looking in. It is something of a wonder.

The long ride down out of the park finally brought us into the shades of Oregon that I am familiar with. (Imagine the fly fishing commercials you see on television suggesting your entire family would enjoy Oregon's wilderness, recreation, boating, hunting and fishing.) We were able to set up a tent under a full canopy of trees for the first time in...well, a while.

Jess claims she rode 13 miles down out of the Cascade mountains this morning without pedaling or braking. But I am skeptical!

Seems we may hit the coast in less than two days! We'll keep you posted.
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Central Oregon

We havent left left the planet just civilization! Yesterday we biked
an obscene number of miles through flat desert coverend in sagebrush.
It was very 2-dimensional and boring. And no towns aong the way so we
had to keep biking to reach water in tiny Christmas Valley. Our second
town of the trip called Christmas. Today was much improved as we biked
through national forests and saw trees again for the first time in two
states. Just lovely. Also went through a beautiful marsh and had to
climb over a ranchers locked gate to reach the water faucet. No towns
today either except for a tiny one early on. It would be lonely except
we both have great company along for the ride! Should be another five
days or so until we reach the coast. Lots of climbing over mountains
still to come. Why is there always one extra big hurdle just before
the finish line?

My Tattoo

As my dad reminded me, I have not yet posted a picture of the tattoo I got earlier on this trip. So here it is. The AT symbol is the recognized sign for the Appalachian Trail and 2009 is the year I completed a thru-hike of the trail. It is on the outside of my left heel. Yes, I am thinking about another tattoo marking this cross-country bike trip. There seems to be a blank spot on the outside of my right heel. Haven't figured out a design yet. Any suggestions?
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OREGON!!

OREGON people! We are in OREGON! If you look at a map of the U.S. you
will see that OREGON has a significant border along the Pacific Ocean.
This is very exciting! Especially after the barren nothingness that is
the desert of southern Idaho. Also I know we have been saying we were
heading toward Portland OREGON but we ended up in central-southern
OREGON and dont see any reason to head back northward so the goal now
is just to head west until we hit the ocean. Very excited to be in
OREGON although it is also characterized by farms and sagebrush and
terrific wi

Campsite in ID

Tonights campsite sponsored by mother nature!
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Craters of the Moon Monument

How many people know that there is a place in the middle of the Idaho desert covered with a lava flow? As of today there are two more than yesterday. Jess and I just visited the Craters of the moon monument. It may not exactly resemble the craters of the moon but it is the pristine black lava image you conjure up in your mind when someone talks about volcanoes. In all there is over 50 miles of lava in all shapes forms and flow patterns. Very cool!

Will anyone come back here with me and go backpacking for a week of two? Jess is wavering on this. Rock temperatures exceed 150 degrees in the summertime and water is extremely scarce. Oh and the lava is jagged, sharp and loose underfoot. Who's in? Somebody out there must want to do this too?
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Wind Swept

Yesterday we had our toughest climb yet over Teton Pass to get over
the Rocky Mountains and leave Wyoming. If you are going to climb 2500
feet on your bike over 6 miles I highly recommend doing it in the cool
morning hours. The 10 percent downhill grade on the other side made it
all worth it!! Into Idaho!! Which seems to be the land of stormy
clouds. The clouds build and darken quickly. There is lightning and
thunder and then . . . about as much rain as if you ran thru a
sprinkler. Today we were literally pushed off the road by the wind!
Even with all the strength we have built up over these weeks it was
too windy to stay upright on the bike. Glad to have found another
abandoned barn for the night to block the wind gusts that keep popping
up still. Mostly though this weather just contributes to excitement.
Every day of this trip is different and a new adventure whether it is
climbing a mountain or tumbleweed chasing us or making the cows in the
pasture herd and run off. Every state has its own personalit

Be the mountain

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Yellowstone

We were there but I never did see the yellow stone everyone is all excited about. I had a vision of a huge yellow boulder not unlike like the Blarney stone with a lengthy line of tourists waiting to kiss it. LoL! Still we entered through the East entrance, circled the park, saw Old Faithful spout off the exited via the Southern gate.
In the past three days we encountered a range of wildlife: black bear, moose, deer, mule deer, elk and RVs. While in the park we did abide by the regulations governing tenting (sort of) and stayed in the designated tent/RV sites though we didn't actually register in any of them. Technically the sites were all full so we just asked people if we could share their camp sites. At night our food went in designated bear boxes or in other peoples cars for safe keeping. The hot showers at the camp sites made the gross numbers of tourists bearable.
Today with the temperature hovering at 42 degrees we biked our way into the Grand Teton National Park. Quite possible the most beautiful place thus far. I will have to ponder that some more. Just a little factoid the French originally called the Tetons 'the Three Breasts' perhaps because they loved them also!
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Happy Birthday Pat!

Today is Pats birthday! To celebrate she had breakfast in bed and then
we did one of her favorite activities - going for a bike ride! Reached
Cody WY a few minutes ago and already are seated with burgers on the
way. Chocolate cake is also coming soon!

Bighorn mountains

Here's how the bighorns look...30 miles up, 103 degrees, no shade, a 4,100 foot climb from Buffalo, WY to Powder River Pass at 9,666 feet, no shade, breathtaking scenery with distant snow peaks, several liters of ice water donated by other tourists and campers, no shade, prairie dogs and deer, one flat tire, and two really tired bikers, no shade

Honestly though today was amazing. The brass ring prize for us was the 18 mile downhill ride through the Ten Sleep Canyon. OMG! Talk about feeling like a very tiny speck in a great big world...a trip through this canyon drives that home. Centuries or erosion has exposed the walls of the canyon and the US 16 road drops travelers down into the middle of it all. Oh, and there is no shade in the canyon either.

Jess may just have to splurge for the 100 SPF sunscreen when she buys her next bottle - she is currently on her fifth bottle!
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Century Ride!

We biked over 100 miles today! I am exhausted. Good night!

Wyoming

If I were a state I want to be Wyoming! It's rugged, seems larger than life and remains untamed!
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Buffalo . . . Check!

We saw hundreds of buffalo today!! While we were stopped to watch them
an entire herd crossed the road around us. In fact one particularly
large buffalo looked directly at us and seemed to decide he was not
comfortable with us. He started walking toward us slowly and grunting.
In a good decision making moment we backed up and went behind another
gawkers car when the buffalo was only about 25 feet away. Eventually
we rode off. Just over the hill were the donkeys! And the pronghorn!
And the prairie dogs! So I highly recommend the Wildlife Loop in
Custer State Park! By the time we saw another herd of buffalo in Wind
Cave National Park they were old news. Okay not really. They are
eternally cool. We also went to a woodcarving museum this morning and
a store called the Claw Antler and Hide Co and had elk burgers for
lunch. No joke! South Dakota has been fun and full of surprises. We
also passed the 3000 mile mark somewhere on a steep slope in the Black
Hills! Perhaps we have passed the halfway mark but who knows?!

Mt. Rushmore

Don't be fooled! I know they are called the Black Hills, but there are really large mountains hiding among them. One big one in particular is Mt. Rushmore! Yeah! We spent the morning biking from Rapid City up through beautiful pine forested spires to the visitor's center. One prideful mountain goat was waiting at the edge of the road to welcome us to the Park.
We also saw the Crazy Horse Memorial; the other mountain carved monument. Though it is not complete.
Today presented us with more total elevation gain than any single day of the trip to date. I don't recommend this section to people on bicycles...it's just ludicrous! But of course we are looking forward to biking more of the Black Hills tomorrow!
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Rodeo!

We heard a loudspeaker as we were leaving lunch and headed over to
check it out. The local 4-H club is having a rodeo!! We have been
watching calf roping and goat tying and cattle riding and bronco
riding and slalom with horses around poles all afternoon. This is
totally awesome!! And all done by middle school and high school age
kids and they know how to handle a horse. How would you like to put
the rodeo club on your resume? I see cowboy boots and a big belt
buckle in my future.

Badlands

The gentleman that took our picture said we are the craziest people he had ever seen! We had met him and his family in the heart of the Badlands atop a large butte overlooking miles of wind and water sculpted hills. We exchanged comments about the temperature being 100 degrees, numerous prairie dog sightings, and queries about rattle snakes.
Then he and his family climbed back in their air conditioned RV and Jess and I pedaled our way out of the park slap into the most ridiculous head wind we have experienced on this trip. I can skip the shower this week - the wind seemed to have removed all the dirt and peeled off my upper most layer of skin.
After cooling off with ice cream from Wall, home of the famous Wall Drug we made our first use of the Interstate for travel. A biking tour group informed us they used this particular section of I 90 due to very few other road options. So we took their advice and braved the big bad road. It wasn't bad. There really isn't that much traffic in SD.
All in all the Badlands were absolutely spectacular and fascinating. They are a must see for anyone vacationing near South Dakota. Next up, the Black Hills.
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Hay Field

We are truly in the Great Plains now! Yesterday we were awakened by a
cow mooing loudly at us for camping near his pasture. I am fairly
certain he was swearing profusely. The other cows came over to see
what the commotion was. They seemed to decide collectively that we
were not very interesting and moved on. Then we headed out to a real
Indian powwow. It was pretty cool! 36 tribes of Sioux danced in a big
circle in handmade costumes with beading and feathers and jingles and
bright colors. Lots of drumming and singing too. Apparently powwows
now involve judging on dancing and dress so everyone works hard to do
it up right. We talked to several Indians about the meaning and
various practices we observed. A neat cultural experience. After a
really long day of biking in hot weather today we are camped behind
some hay bales in a freshly cleared hay field. It was the only cover
for miles! You cant make this stuff up!!

World's Largest...

Haha! World,s largest pheasant! Huron, SD.
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Stormy skies

That scared the h*!! out of me! Somewhere between little-town Minnesota and yes-we-know there-is-a-town-listed-on-the-map-but-it-isn't here-anymore-ville we watched the 95 degree clear day magically transform to horrific thunder clouds. Winds began to whip around us and sent us scurrying into our meager little tent just 10 miles before the South Dakota border. It seemed that the tent was going to rip in half but the trusty shelter held up and all is now calm. When we had the courage to peek outside the sunset views were fabulous. We tried to capture the views in pictures but you really just need to be here!! Seriously.
This was the third ridiculous storm we have encountered in Minnesota. The first was a few days ago when the sky went black at 10:00AM. One would have thought an eclipse was surely taking place. From the safety of a commercial garage we barged into we watched the lightning, rain and hail. And the second storm came later that same day accompanied by lots of tornado warnings. Minnesota is all about making a statement with its weather. Can't you guys just have a little rain like everyone else!
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Daily ride

Everyday we climb on our bikes with the understanding that we will be riding between 45 and 85 miles. It is of utmost importance that we settle in and get as comfortable as possible.

Steps
1) Adjustment of hands on the handlebars: make frequent adjustments from top bar to bottom bar, turn hands in- turn hands out, forward and backwards. Do whatever is necessary to keep the index and middle finger from going numb within 10 minutes. Often this adjustment will be made every 2 to 3 minutes. Wherever the hands are if something hurts or goes numb repeat step one.

2) Adjustment on saddle/seat. Ideally you want to be comfortable here as well but in reality you are just trying to offend that region as little as possible. Really how comfortable is a fence post with a piece of cow hide stretched over it. They aren't fooling anyone with that cover up. It is still just a fence post! So when you get tired of the moving forward and backwards on your fence post, or are coming over yet another of mother natures obstacle course style hills, and have to stand up to pedal... go back to step one and readjust the hand position.

3) When everything else is positioned where you feel it needs to be, try relaxing the neck, shoulders and back. At some point in the day it occurs to you that nothing is trying to get you and you can let your guard down and relax. Try to enjoy the ride. Right about that moment a semi truck whirs by showering small pieces of road gravel all over you...you take a hand off the handlebar in a defensive move...go back to step one. After repeating steps 1, 2 and 3 and relaxing again a bumblebee the size of Manhattan with a vendetta against bikers slams into the side of your cheek. Go back and repeat steps 1,2 and 3. Minutes later you make a calculated decision to ride the rumble strip in an effort to avoid the unidentified road kill in your path. Go back and repeat steps 1, 2 and 3. After 15 more minutes in a maniacal manner you finally kill the deer fly that has been doing laps around your head. Go back and repeat steps 1, 2 and 3. Just then a gust of wind from out of where you will never know hurls your bike into oncoming traffic. You barely avoid missing the semi truck that then showers you with gravel...repeat steps 1, 2 and 3!

4) Remember this is fun!!!

Jess wanted me to add that we are camping near New London, MN!!! This IS fun!!
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Goodbye Wisconsin! Hello Minnesota!

We only spent 2 nights and 150 miles in Wisconsin. They were beautiful miles though. I will remember my time there fondly.

I realized that we haven't really told you what our daily routine is like. It can vary significantly, of course, but generally.... We wake up at 6:30 am and biking by 7:30 am. Three packets of instant oatmeal for breakfast (Quaker Oats only. We both prefer the fruit and cream flavors. We have tried other brands but they don't compare well). We take a break about every 90 minutes or so and eat a granola/trail bar or dried fruit or nuts or some combination of that stuff). We have eaten lunch in a town every day of the trip. Might be a little extravagant, but delicious and helps us get a better balance of nutrition. Also good for charging electronics and cooling off in air-conditioning.

The afternoon is much the same as the morning, except that one of the breaks often includes ice cream. Waffle cone, please! When we get tired in the evening we look for a camping spot. We have been having good luck in the last few weeks since we have been going through so much forest land with lots of little access roads that make it easy for bikers to get into the forest and away from the road. We cook dinner at the tent (aka "the bug-free zone"), write in our journals, and then we have been taking turns reading out loud from a couple of books we have with us. We had serious, reflect-on-your-life books in the first part of the trip, but have traded those in for the light and comedic voice of Bill Bryson. Once this one is done we will move onto the adventure of "Into Thin Air".

The daily routine may be broken up by various sight-seeing things we find along the way, and also mundane things such as grocery shopping and laundry. No daily target for mileage. We averaged about 40 miles a day for the first part of the trip and have bumped it up to about 60 miles per day for the last few weeks. Stronger and faster every day.

Wisconsin!

We love Wisconsin! Took us over 2,100 miles to get her by golly here we are! Beautiful scenery, mature forest land, rolling well maintained and little used roads, clear skies, and clear sailing. We are finding it relatively easy to find campsites along the road and convenient to find food and water when we need it. The folks in these parts toss around words like wolf, bear and elk much like most people talk about the weather. They have caution lights set up as you might expect to see around a high school for students crossing the street, only these say Elk crossing! Sadly we have not seen any of this wildlife but we are still vigilant.

We did have a strange sighting in Ironwood, MI where a deer was running toward us on the main street of town. Seemed he may have felt as out of his element in the center of town as we do. The towns are fun and always provide entertaining stories to talk about later, but the real joy is out on the open road!
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Christmas in July

In the last few days we swam in Lake Superior and saw some waterfalls
and biked a whole lot of miles! We went through a town called
Christmas. Someone actually lives on Mrs Claus Lane and Reindeer Run.
There are a ton to really tall and big trees in the Upper Peninsula.
Remote and crowded at the same. Havent seen any bears or moose yet
though. Always on the lookout! We plan to cross into WI later today.
Finally! We have spent 4 weeks and biked 1000 miles in MI. I lived
here for 32 years but much of what we have seen was entirely new to
me. Great to be surprised everyday!

Taking the ferry

I grew up believing the state of Michigan was shaped like a child's mitten. In reality there is an extra tag of land above the mitten called the upper peninsula. These two land masses are separated by a five mile stretch of water known as the Straits of Mackinac. In the 1950's a great bridge was built to span the Strait but to date no bicycles are permitted access.
So to thwart this inept road system, we took a ferry across the Strait stopping at Mackinaw Island. The island is a huge tourist destination due to its uniqueness. In 1901 cars and other motorized vehicles were banned. The only exceptions being the lone ambulance (no siren) and snowmobiles. Locals get around quickly and easily on bicycles. Heavy labor such as taxiing tourists, hauling building materials and UPS deliveries utilizes the services of horses. So on our exploration of the island we were swallowed up in a virtual sea of bicyclists and horses. Quite a change from our daily routine.
We ate some locally made fudge, browsed some stores, ate lunch, followed an information carriage to glean some history of the Island and it's claim to fame: the Grand Hotel!
We are currently waving goodbye to Mackinaw Island as the ferry pulls in to St. Ignace. At last we can start heading West again. Woohoo!
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Harbor Springs, MI

We are doing laundry in Harbor Springs, MI this morning. Cute, little town way up in tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. We should reach Mackinaw City later today and head over to Mackinac Island tomorrow for a day trip.

Every day I am amazed at the generosity and good-heartedness that we encounter from uncountable strangers along this ride. Some things seem little, but they add up to a lot. Yesterday I was directed to the kitchen in the back of a service station because that is where the cold water was to fill water bottles. Later, we stopped at a gas station briefly and asked for restaurant recommendations from a couple that seemed to be familiar with the area. No only did we get that, we also got wonderful recommendations for a scenic route up the coast and possible campsites along the route that were not just "designated" campsites. And then that guy (aka Dave) bought us lunch. He wrapped it all up by saying "I'm proud of you!" His sincerity was striking and heart-warming. Here we are expressing our independence, doing everything the hard way, and often getting incredulous responses. For some reason this statement from a complete stranger resonated strongly.
Thanks Dave and Joan!!

We have biked over 1600 miles!!

Independence Day!

Fully pleased with ourselves after having watched the fireworks in Cadillac last night, we were not at all concerned about encountering other July 4th festivities. Imagine our surprise when we happened upon a parade route in a town boasting the slogan 'the best 4th in the North!' Fire trucks from three townships, candy flying though the air, decorated floats, clowns, bands, dogs pulling carts, horses pulling carts, kids pulling ponies, kings and queens and princesses oh my! It was in stark contrast to the Luther logging days we stumbled into yesterday... nothing to talk about there. But little Fife Lake with kids swimming and dogs welcomed everywhere, with its strawberry short cake topped by ice cream and whipped cream was perfect.

What a great way to celebrate our country's independence and our right to express our own freedoms! I love this country!



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Fireworks!

We have been calling this an Americana tour so it would not be
complete without fireworks on Independence Day. We are sitting
lakeside in Cadillac MI waiting for the show to start in just a few
minutes. We biked over 80 miles today to get here. Hope you have a fun
and festive holiday too!!

It is not a detour if you do not have a plan

That was our philosophy when we were deciding how to get out of
Michigan. So where are we? Excellent question! No exact answer except
we decided to take the really super long way and head north up thru MI
and then across the Upper Peninsula. Adds about 600 miles to our trip!
All part of the plan to not have a plan. We stopped in Saugatuck and
took the chain ferry across the river. Saw the big red lighthouse near
Holland. Had lunch with Barb and Nelda who are two lovely women in
their 60s who have been biking together for 20 years or so! They
helped us find the bike path the Grand Haven too. We got detailed
directions from a retired UPS driver to navigate thru Muskegon. They
were perfect! Perhaps more notable is that we actually followed them
for once! Heading inland now. Biked several miles on dirt roads today
and finally flagged down a truck to ask where the nearest paved road
to anywhere was. That is a direct quote! No worries! We always have
food and water so the isolated places are fun to explore.

Recycling for profit

As I walked into the grocery store carrying 7 empty beer and soda cans for recycling, oh excuse me Michiganians I mean beer and pop cans, I experienced a twinge of self consciousness. Not the least bit of it due to my smelling faintly like the horse pastures we've been passing nor the vision of my outlandish biking costume that I wear with pride into every store and restaurant. No, this uneasy feeling came from carrying a rainbow of Bud light, Miller light, and Busch light cans...in a town where locally brewed Bell's beer is the standard of high society. Welcome to Kalamazoo! I felt the shame rise within me as eyes diverted and I feebly carried my lesser quality (road kill) cans to the reverse vending machines. As other people fed their cans into the machines with ease...put the cans in, get the deposit money out...my machine had to get its final taunt in. The machine, obviously accustomed to Bell's beer, could not even stomach the Busch beer can and in front of everyone repeatedly spit it back at me. The humiliation of it all! I chuckled to myself as I heard the two quarters and a dime jingle to the bottom of my pocket and the Busch beer can clank in the recycling bucket.
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Us!

We are startlingly amazing in our physical strength and stamina!!
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YOGA!!

I love yoga! I am so glad that Pat loves yoga too. We spent the last 3
days at a yoga seminar in Lansing and we also dropped in on 2 classes
taught by the yoga teacher I studied with for many years when I lived
there. It was wonderful to be in that yoga studio again and to
practice with classmates that I studied with for many years. I missed
my sangha. I will be moving to San Jose CA in the fall to start a new
job and I know I must find a new yoga class there. I also know how
difficult that will be since the bar is so high now. Many thanks to KO
for her continuing support and to Mary Lynn and James for their very
generous hospitality. It felt good to be on a bike again today riding
past farms and small towns once more. This really is a fantastic life
I am leading!! "Can repeat over to men and women you have done such
good to me, I would do the same to you."

Visiting with Former Coworkers

Last September I wrote on the Appalachian Trail blog that you don't relaize how much you are a part of a community until you leave it. We have spent the last five days in Lansing, MI and it has emphasized this point for me.

Last night my former coworkers from the job I left 15 months ago held a gathering for me. Lots of people and food and chit chat. It was lovely. Familiar people that I spent so much time with during my years here. Time that I enjoyed a lot. I don't miss the work, but I do miss the people.

Thank you Karen for hosting the event. Thank you Kathryn for housing us for two nights. Thank you to all the people who came last night to see me again and listen to my stories and catch up on our lives. Since leaving Lansing, I have been moving around and living in temporary quarters. Visiting the people with whom I spent so many years was comfortable and familiar and reassuring. I don't miss the place, but again, I do miss the people.

So what pulls the tractor?

This was Jess' response when I told her she needed to go to a tractor pull. Ha! Well, for those of you less sophisticated folks that have never had the pleasure of witnessing a real-life tractor pull...ask Jess. She had an opportunity to see her first one today; an antique tractor pull at that. Perhaps a bit less fan fare than she expected...

Our Westerly progress has been temporarily shelved as we visit Jess' longtime friends in MI. This includes visiting her former yoga studio and attending classes with her previous instructor. Nicely done!

Strange that although every day is completely different, unique and unplanned they each seem common, genuinely habitual and play to the tune of human nature. I can't say enough about the unsolicited help we have been offered, the extra courtesy we have received as a result of people hearing of our journey or just nice common folk that are as sweet to us as they are to everyone they encounter. Such moments and exchanges speak volumes to me and reassure me of state of the world. The patterns of the people and their routines are starting to come through. All seems beautiful to me!!!
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Summer Solstice

In observance of the summer solstice we did 108 sun salutations! They
werent all pretty but they were done with good intentions and good
focus. And a lot of sweat! And where did we do these sun salutations?
I am so glad you asked. Tonight we are camped in the garage of an
abandoned house for sale. We were going to stay out in the shed and
had set up the tent there already. But the door to the garage was
unlocked and the space was irresistable. In order to get here we
meandered north and south and east and west and then all those
directions again.....we even went thru Hell literally, Hell MI that
is. Crazy day but it just felt so good to be back on the bike and
pedaling again.

Friends and Baseball

We reached the Ypsilanti/Ann Arbor area on Wed and spent 4 lovely
nights sleeping indoors at the same place. Many thanks to Jenn and
Kathryn for their generous hospitality!! I gave Pat a lengthy tour of
the Univ of Michigan campus and downtown Ann Arbor. She was very
patient as I told old stories about my yrs there. I got a new camera
since I got the other one wet - third summer with a camera purchase. I
seem to be hard on them so I got one that is water/shock/dust/freeze
proof. J & K took us to Greenfield Village and a historic baseball
game on Sat and a Detroit Tigers game today. We also visited two
nights with Becky and Lori and Chris and Ken. It was lovely to sit and
chat with friends that I had not seen since leaving MI over a yr ago.
Dropped in for a few yoga classes too. Back in the tent tonight out on
the road. Heading up towards Lansing over the next few days. More
friends yet to see and crash with!!

Tattoo!!

I got a tattoo today! Perhaps is was the high of a great trip or, more likely, the bad influence of friends who already have tattoos, but I was in the mood to finally get that Appalachian Trail symbol on my left foot. I went to the studio frequented by Kathryn and Jenn, friends who are graciously hosting us for a couple of nights. Pat came along. Very appropriate to get this particular tattoo with her present since she is my AT buddy and fellow survivor. This is my first tattoo and it did not hurt very much actually. That is not an operating room in the pic but the artist bent over my foot. Let this one heal before we talk about more.....but it looks really damn cool! I will post an up close pic when it heals.
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Fire alarms

It's hard to believe that I have lived my whole life without ever stepping into a fire station. Had I realized how much fun it is I would have gone a long time ago. Woohoo, did someone sign me up for fantasy camp? I got to put on the whole outfit including oxygen mask, gloves, boots and helmet thanks to Jenn at the Dearborn fire station. She is one of 4 female firefighters there. I felt like I was four years old when I was told I could climb on the truck. Oooh and then I got an ax and a really cool thermal thingy that finds people inside buildings by registering their body temperature on a screen! Let's not even talk about the jaws of life! Strong little toy - that one is.
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Even more pics

Great view from the road!

My bike taking a break

The tunnel of willow trees

Another great camp site!

Resting by the water

More pics

At Cedar Point in our "town" clothes

Lake Erie

Stopped for the Lake

A good camp site and sharp bike tan lines

One of the best camp sites ever!

A few pics

Crossing the border in Canada

By Niagara Falls


Loaded and ready!

Not such a big girl after all

By the mulch at the hardware store

What we have...

Today brought with it a firm reminder to be thankful for what we have; our homes, family and lives. We started the day by exiting a metropark in Ohio (our hidden campsite) where unbeknownst to us a tornado had touched down recently. It was obvious that branches were strewn about but a lot of clean up had already taken place. As we made our way to the main road we saw the true destructive force of the tornado. House after house with missing pieces and trees topped or felled by the wind.

In an odd twist (pun intended) of events we ended our day in Michigan. From our campsite we are overlooking yet another recent tornado touchdown alley. The tornado painted almost the same picture...debris strewn fields, houses lifted and dropped, cars totaled, and entire buildings destroyed. To bear witness to two such natural disaster sites in one day speaks volumes. My heart goes out to all those that experienced loss from the tornadoes.

On a happier note Jess and I have one of the coziest campsites yet! We are staying in an abandoned barn! No chickens in here. This lifestyle may just change me forever!
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A Day at the Park

Yesterday we ate cotton candy and funnel cake and cheese fries and ice
cream and donuts and pretzels. Cuz we were at Cedar Point!! We spent
the day at the amusement park in northern Ohio. Lots of big roller
coasters and water rides and food that will rot our teeth.
Wonderful!......Now we are huddled in our tent as a thunderstorm rages
above. Made it in just in time! ............The down side of amusement
parks is that you have to leave the cheerful country roads in order to
get there. This afternoon we accidently found a bike path made from a
rails to trails program. Riding past the farms in peace and quiet was
a nice change from the busy roads we have been on lately. Hard to
believe it has been three weeks already. Bodies are holding up well
and bikes are looking loved.

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