Well, well, well...I've been able to secure a computer that does not have a time limit! I was using the one at the Lincoln Public Library, but now I am back at the house I'm staying at and I can use my host's computer. I feel like I have to go backwards now because it's been so long since I added a post. First of all, thanks to all the folks who have already read my previous posts, and thanks for your comments! One of the rewarding things about being away from home and all your friends and loved ones is that I feel like I now get to say things to people I never seem to say when I'm hanging around them all the time--like when's the last time you said "I love you" to a good friend? For me at least that doesn't often happen--but now being away from folks, it's like a big old love fest every time I talk to someone on the phone or write an email. Anyhow, I'm getting a little gushy.
The thing is the other day, June 22nd to be exact, I woke up at Pershing State Park in northern Missouri and had two voicemails from Gina and Phil from the previous night which was also the day they got married. ! They were lovely and hilarious voicemails and after talking to Gina for a few minutes on the phone that morning I began my ride that day feeling pretty darn great. In fact I couldn't keep myself from smiling to myself while riding down the highway and telling myself that I keep having the best days of my life on this trip. Like every day offers something surprising and rewarding: whether it's a short conversation with a stranger at a restaurant, or a great meal, or a completely flat, windless 10 mile stretch of road, or a small town that I pass through...That day I really felt a rush of giddiness and I definitely have Gina and Phil to thank for it.
At the same time, these past few days have also been some of the hardest. I think coming up on the first month of being out on the road is maybe a tough time for all bike tourers. At least for me it has been. The last two days in Missouri felt like they would never end or rather that the state would never end; I had all sorts of mishaps trying to get to a campsite one night which I'll write about in detail later on; and something people don't really understand about the midwest is that it actually isn't all flat. Missouri in fact has some of the hilliest ground I've had to cover. So I've had literal and figurative ups and downs over the past week or so since I left Bloomington.
Currently, as I said before, I'm in Lincoln, Nebraska, which is an awesome town. I've really been lucky to have connected with folks from an organization called Community Crops. An acquaintance (I feel like I've never had to actually spell that word before. Is that right?) of mine from DC who is doing a bike trip from DC to Montreal with a couple other people to document community garden and farm share (CSA) initiatives along the east coast told me about Community Crops and said I should check it out when I got to Lincoln. The folks here have been extremely welcoming especially since I contacted them completely out of the blue and just asked if I could help out and talk with them about the organization while I was passing through on my trip.
One of the staff, Brad, is hosting me at his house and all the other staff have already invited me to dinner at their house or to hang out tonight and see Lincoln's "Jazz in June" outdoor concert. I've been able to have great conversations about local food and whether there's really a "movement" in the U.S. to eat more locally grown produce and support smaller, regional farms. Today, as I wrote earlier, I spent the morning weeding rows of squash with some folks from Community Crops. Tomorrow I'm hoping to visit some of the youth community garden programs they have going.
There now, you have a new blog post to read. Talk to you all soon!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
A long time coming...
i have 4 minutes to update my blog! i don't have time for proper punctuation! i am currently in lincoln, nebraska and i am now actually beginning to feel like i'm in the west. since bloomington i have had oh so many more interesting experiences and i can't wait to write all about them as soon as i can.
in lincoln i'm visiting a community garden and farm project so i spent the morning weeding squash plants.
more later...
in lincoln i'm visiting a community garden and farm project so i spent the morning weeding squash plants.
more later...
Monday, June 11, 2007
Just some pictures
It was hard to get the right angle, but here's the proof:
And here's me and my bucket of fried chicken on the Ohio River which I'll write about later:
And here's when I finally got to Bloomington and got a ride with my cousin Rachel and her fiance Brandon. I walked out of a restaurant and saw my fully loaded bike hanging in mid air on the back of Brandon's car and burst out laughing. Isn't this a ridiculous sight?
And here's me and my bucket of fried chicken on the Ohio River which I'll write about later:
And here's when I finally got to Bloomington and got a ride with my cousin Rachel and her fiance Brandon. I walked out of a restaurant and saw my fully loaded bike hanging in mid air on the back of Brandon's car and burst out laughing. Isn't this a ridiculous sight?
Onward to Cincinnati
Before leaving Madison Lake State Park on day 11 I called my friend Adam to ask him to give his parents a heads up that I would be crashing at their house in the next day or two. I thought I would take a scenic route along the Ohio River to get to Cinci and it would take me a day or two, but then Adam told me about a rail trail that will eventually go all the way from Cleveland to Cincinnati that I could take instead.
I headed out and ran into another biker named Gary. He had done some touring and had all sorts of questions for me and stories to tell. He showed me where the Loveland rail trail started in London, OH and took me to the bike shop (Young's Cycles, if I remember correctly) to get my chain lubed up and my handlebar fixed from my fall the day before. Gary was a great conversationalist and we talked about everything from immigration policy and NAFTA to a cruise he'd taken with his wife in Alaska and what his kids do for a living. It made the 20 or so miles he rode with me to South Charleston go by a whole lot faster and more pleasant.
The next stop I made on the rail trail was Xenia, OH where I met up with Phil--yet another fellow biker who had done a lot of touring. He didn't know how many times he had crisscrossed the country but he had plenty of stories to tell and we bonded over out mutual interest and experience with Jewish film festivals. Then he bought me ice cream, and we also talked about immigration policy--I didn't even bring it up!! These rail trail bikers have a one-track mind!
So I continued on the rail trail and realized I'd be able to make it to Cincinnati that very day. Though I had to bike about 87 miles or so, it wasn't so bad since it was a flat, straight shot on the trail. That was the most I had biked in a day up until that point. I called Adam's dad and we planned for him to pick me up at Milford, OH.
Adam's House
Meeting Adam's parents and staying at his house was many things: hilarious, wonderful, revealing...it's funny to meet one of your friends' parents when your friend isn't there. Adam's dad, Al, did a cross country tour two years ago and we immediately bonded over our mutual fascination with country roads and eating as much food as you could ever possibly want to eat in one sitting. Al encouraged me to find more back roads to ride on, rather than the bigger roads I was choosing because they're more clearly labeled on the maps I'm using. And he had plenty of stories I couldn't yet relate to like drinking lots of beer every night and cresting steep mountain passes in the middle of snowstorms...but I'm sure I'll get to that.
Another great thing about Adam's house was the shampoo in the guest bathroom. It was called Wash 'n' Clean and the directions and ingredients were all in Russian. Where it would say, on an American brand shampoo, "moisturizing" or "for normal to oily hair" it said only "Greasy" in English. I thought the Russian manufacturer could use a lesson or two in marketing. But it made me laugh because it was a full bottle and I'm sure it's just there for show.
Skyline and Graeter's
The Gerhardstein's took me to Cincinnati staples Skyline Chili and Graeter's homemade ice cream. I'm not sure if I'm spelling Graeter's correctly...but anyway. The chili is an old Greek recipe and they put it on top of spaghetti noodles which I thought was CRAZY at first, but then got over it pretty quickly and thought it was great. I ordered the chili "5-way" with a layer of onions and a layer of beans along with the chili, noodles, and cheese. Graeter's was delicious of course, but I did work in an ice cream store for 3 and a half years in high school so it's hard for me not to love ice cream in all its forms.
Megan Joiner's parents joined us at Skyline and so I got a great update on Megan's seminary career. Megan's mom, Mary, also told us all about her trip along the Silk Road through China, Mongolia, Turkey, et al and that was particularly fascinating. If you're reading this Megan--it was great to be reunited with you at least spiritually at that point!
I got to see the Cincinnati skyline at night, and see the very steep church steps on Mt. Adam's where devout Catholics crawl on their knees to the top for Easter or some other holy day.
More on Cincinnati
I spent the next day in downtown Cinci at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center which is a great museum dedicated to the people and routes that made up the Underground Railroad. I'll have to write more about this in a subsequent "blog" or maybe just in my own journal, but it definitely got me thinking about the economic impact of slavery in a way I hadn't really thought of before--that our country's wealth was basically built on slavery and as an industry it was far more profitable for individuals than other industries of the time.
Since Al is a civil rights attorney and both he and Mimi, Adam's mom, have been involved in humanitarian and social justice causes for forever, they gave me a good social history of the city as well. Learning the history of racism in the city and the recent riots in 2001 that came out of police brutality towards African-Americans, made that history seem glaringly absent when there was no real mention of it, or ways Cincinnati is dealing with the effects of racism, at the Underground Railroad museum...I guess no one would want to got to a museum that hit you over the head with that much reality...but still. The museum included sections that were supposed to make you think critically about current social issues like immigration, gender and racial stereotypes, racial profiling, gay rights, the environment--it kind of went all over the place--but it still felt like there were elephants in the room that weren't being dealt with in a constructive way.
Enough about that for now. After the museum I had dinner with neighbors of the Gerhardsteins, Jen Thompson and her parents. They were hilarious, warm, and laughed at everything I said--basically they immediately made me feel part of the family by being just as eccentric as I am. They took me to Putz's Creamy Whip (soft serve ice cream) --and I will now only refer to ice cream as Creamy Whip because it's such a ridiculous thing to say. They also had a beautiful old house built in the 1850s with a backyard gazebo-type shelter built in the 1930s and two pretty little ponds for fish.
So then the next day, after deciding on a good route along the Ohio River with Al and having him replenish my supply of energy bars (Luna Bars are still my favorite, and the Snickers one is terrible, though it is "fortified for women"), I left Cincinnati and headed to Bloomington, IN to stay with my cousin Rachel. Al also gave me "Energy Gu" which is the most terrible, disgusting pudding-y substance that you will grow to actually love--I used it the next day when I was totally burnt out of energy--one pocket shot of Gu and I was full steam ahead for the next couple hours.
I headed out and ran into another biker named Gary. He had done some touring and had all sorts of questions for me and stories to tell. He showed me where the Loveland rail trail started in London, OH and took me to the bike shop (Young's Cycles, if I remember correctly) to get my chain lubed up and my handlebar fixed from my fall the day before. Gary was a great conversationalist and we talked about everything from immigration policy and NAFTA to a cruise he'd taken with his wife in Alaska and what his kids do for a living. It made the 20 or so miles he rode with me to South Charleston go by a whole lot faster and more pleasant.
The next stop I made on the rail trail was Xenia, OH where I met up with Phil--yet another fellow biker who had done a lot of touring. He didn't know how many times he had crisscrossed the country but he had plenty of stories to tell and we bonded over out mutual interest and experience with Jewish film festivals. Then he bought me ice cream, and we also talked about immigration policy--I didn't even bring it up!! These rail trail bikers have a one-track mind!
So I continued on the rail trail and realized I'd be able to make it to Cincinnati that very day. Though I had to bike about 87 miles or so, it wasn't so bad since it was a flat, straight shot on the trail. That was the most I had biked in a day up until that point. I called Adam's dad and we planned for him to pick me up at Milford, OH.
Adam's House
Meeting Adam's parents and staying at his house was many things: hilarious, wonderful, revealing...it's funny to meet one of your friends' parents when your friend isn't there. Adam's dad, Al, did a cross country tour two years ago and we immediately bonded over our mutual fascination with country roads and eating as much food as you could ever possibly want to eat in one sitting. Al encouraged me to find more back roads to ride on, rather than the bigger roads I was choosing because they're more clearly labeled on the maps I'm using. And he had plenty of stories I couldn't yet relate to like drinking lots of beer every night and cresting steep mountain passes in the middle of snowstorms...but I'm sure I'll get to that.
Another great thing about Adam's house was the shampoo in the guest bathroom. It was called Wash 'n' Clean and the directions and ingredients were all in Russian. Where it would say, on an American brand shampoo, "moisturizing" or "for normal to oily hair" it said only "Greasy" in English. I thought the Russian manufacturer could use a lesson or two in marketing. But it made me laugh because it was a full bottle and I'm sure it's just there for show.
Skyline and Graeter's
The Gerhardstein's took me to Cincinnati staples Skyline Chili and Graeter's homemade ice cream. I'm not sure if I'm spelling Graeter's correctly...but anyway. The chili is an old Greek recipe and they put it on top of spaghetti noodles which I thought was CRAZY at first, but then got over it pretty quickly and thought it was great. I ordered the chili "5-way" with a layer of onions and a layer of beans along with the chili, noodles, and cheese. Graeter's was delicious of course, but I did work in an ice cream store for 3 and a half years in high school so it's hard for me not to love ice cream in all its forms.
Megan Joiner's parents joined us at Skyline and so I got a great update on Megan's seminary career. Megan's mom, Mary, also told us all about her trip along the Silk Road through China, Mongolia, Turkey, et al and that was particularly fascinating. If you're reading this Megan--it was great to be reunited with you at least spiritually at that point!
I got to see the Cincinnati skyline at night, and see the very steep church steps on Mt. Adam's where devout Catholics crawl on their knees to the top for Easter or some other holy day.
More on Cincinnati
I spent the next day in downtown Cinci at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center which is a great museum dedicated to the people and routes that made up the Underground Railroad. I'll have to write more about this in a subsequent "blog" or maybe just in my own journal, but it definitely got me thinking about the economic impact of slavery in a way I hadn't really thought of before--that our country's wealth was basically built on slavery and as an industry it was far more profitable for individuals than other industries of the time.
Since Al is a civil rights attorney and both he and Mimi, Adam's mom, have been involved in humanitarian and social justice causes for forever, they gave me a good social history of the city as well. Learning the history of racism in the city and the recent riots in 2001 that came out of police brutality towards African-Americans, made that history seem glaringly absent when there was no real mention of it, or ways Cincinnati is dealing with the effects of racism, at the Underground Railroad museum...I guess no one would want to got to a museum that hit you over the head with that much reality...but still. The museum included sections that were supposed to make you think critically about current social issues like immigration, gender and racial stereotypes, racial profiling, gay rights, the environment--it kind of went all over the place--but it still felt like there were elephants in the room that weren't being dealt with in a constructive way.
Enough about that for now. After the museum I had dinner with neighbors of the Gerhardsteins, Jen Thompson and her parents. They were hilarious, warm, and laughed at everything I said--basically they immediately made me feel part of the family by being just as eccentric as I am. They took me to Putz's Creamy Whip (soft serve ice cream) --and I will now only refer to ice cream as Creamy Whip because it's such a ridiculous thing to say. They also had a beautiful old house built in the 1850s with a backyard gazebo-type shelter built in the 1930s and two pretty little ponds for fish.
So then the next day, after deciding on a good route along the Ohio River with Al and having him replenish my supply of energy bars (Luna Bars are still my favorite, and the Snickers one is terrible, though it is "fortified for women"), I left Cincinnati and headed to Bloomington, IN to stay with my cousin Rachel. Al also gave me "Energy Gu" which is the most terrible, disgusting pudding-y substance that you will grow to actually love--I used it the next day when I was totally burnt out of energy--one pocket shot of Gu and I was full steam ahead for the next couple hours.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Day 8 through Day 11
I didn't keep a good record over these few days. It all started because it rained the first day I was in Ohio and my bike computer mileage counter was disrupted for an unknown amount of miles. From Wheeling I crossed the Ohio River into Ohio and then had to come up out the valley I had so blissfully descended into the previous evening.
I didn't see the sign saying I had crossed the state line. It was on the bridge over the car traffic I've been told, but I was on the pedestrian walkway off to the side so I missed it. It took me a few minutes to realize I was in Ohio and then I finally was able to celebrate.
After a long time, through the rain and after I took a break for lunch, route 40 dead ended and turned into Interstate 70 which it had been paralleling up to that point. Having no other option, I had to choose between going north or south on "Country Road 100" which was a gravel "road" that weaved its way through rolling countryside.
Here's me in the rain:
And here's the countryside in the rain:
Detours and Dogs
So I chose south. As I walked my bike up the gravel hill to the top not knowing where it would lead me, I started singing "Are You Ready for the Country?" by Neil Young. That lightened the mood and made me feel less anxious. I finally reached some houses and was able to ask a guy on a tractor if the road would take me somewhere and not just dead end a few miles up. He sounded confident so I kept on truckin down the road into Barnesville, OH which was pretty cute if a little rundown.
My only obstacle was a ferocious-looking dog who came bounding towards me barking and growling as I tried to pass. He was only defending his house and territory and he stayed about 10 or 15 feet away from me the whole time, but he seemed a little wiley so I stopped my bike and tried to "talk him down." Not an easy task. But I put on my best cooing doggy voice, found a stick and threw it into the yard of the house. He was distracted for a split second so I tried to make my escape but he came bounding back barking louder this time. I kept calm and waited a little while before throwing a second stick. He finally took the bait and ran down towards the house and I made off like a bandit.
I went through Barnesville, through Quaker City and onto Lore City on great (paved) country roads with the sun going down and farmland all around. It was wonderful. As I rode through Quaker City a Little League game was going on and a group of kids yelled out to me "Biker! Hey it's a biker! Hi Biker!!" as I passed them 50 yards away. That was the best part of the day.
Cambridge, OH
I made it back to route 40 and found a hotel out past the downtown area of Cambridge. There were a number of signs for glass making studios and museums so I figure that is the craft of the area; though the museum was closed the day I was passing through so I couldn't check it out.
For hotels, I had my choice of the Best Western/Denny's corporate combo, the Holiday Inn/Ruby Tuesday's, or the Comfort Inn/Cracker Barrel. Of course I chose Cracker Barrel and was able to get a discounted price on the hotel room because the young woman behind the counter took pity on me after seeing me come in on a bike. Best way to travel, folks.
Day 9 to Granville
I spent the day on route 40 which had a nice bike lane along most of it. Nearing 8 pm I called Peggy and Kevin Corrigan, friends of my friend Barbara Wilson, who I would be staying with that night. Peggy asked if I wanted to be picked up and I of course answered "Oh no! I can make it! Don't worry!" Well, thankfully they didn't listen and Kevin came out and met me after I had turned onto route 37 about 8 miles outside of Granville. I believe I was eating a leftover piece of garlic bread when he showed up and said "I love Barbara Wilson" as the secret code so I knew it was him.
Staying with Peggy and Kevin was absolutely great--my first time staying not in a tent or in hotel--and Kevin cooked up some of the best food I could have hoped for. The night I got there I had little salmon appetizer things covered with poppy and sesame seeds, salad, rice, and shrimp dumplings, and homemade salt-crusted bread. We talked and Peggy told me about the train ride she took across Siberia when she was around my age and Kevin told me about winter hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains on an Outward Bound trip. In the morning Kevin made ricotta pancakes--so Kat write this down for when I get back to DC: ricotta cheese, white pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, apple cider vinegar...hopefully that's the full recipe or else we'll look it up. Anyhow, I had around 6 or 7 or the pancakes that morning.
Through Columbus
The next day I slept in, enjoyed the ricotta pancakes, and then headed off to Columbus. Starting off that morning I had to wear a long-sleeve shirt and pants because it was so chilly. I had discussed how to get into Columbus with Peggy and Kevin but ended up running into two other bikers on the road and they gave me a map of smaller roads ("country as all get out" one of the bikers said to me) to take into the city. But closer to the city i couldn't avoid biking through the sprawl, so it wasn't ideal conditions or great views, but it was all right.
Part of the time I was biking on the sidewalk on my way into the downtown area. One of my panniers clipped a "decorative rock" that was jutting out of someone's yard area so I fell over and smashed my right handlebar on the ground. I got a couple scrapes on my knee and ripped my long-sleeve shirt at the elbow, but I was able to get up and keep riding with no problem, though my handlebar was bent. So note to self: stay off the sidewalks, they suck.
I ate lunch in Columbus next to a fountain and said hi to the few bike messengers I saw in a spirit of solidarity. Though mainly I just wanted to leave the city because I felt too conspicuous with all my bags on my bike--occasionally the staring and attention gets to be a little much and when it's all condensed in one place like a larger, denser city, I just wanted to get out of there.
I rode through western Columbus across the bridge from downtown in order to get back on the roads that would take me to a state park. That part of the city is pretty poor but then leads into Grove City which is a posh-looking touristy area. Very strange where the magic line is that delineates poor from posh when it all seems continuous to an outsider like me.
Illegal Camping
I finally got back to the country roads and took route 665 to Madison Lake State Park. It was a nice time of the day to be riding and the road, though winding and somewhat hilly, was also quiet and serene most of the time. When I got to the state park I realized camping was prohibited, but I asked around and it didn't seem to bother any of the locals that I stay over (the park was located in a residential neighborhood). So I pitched my tent and got ready for bed. Around this time there were a couple rowdy dogs tipping over trash cans near me, but after awhile their owner who lived in a house nearby came out and began calling for them. Hearing all this made me feel better about sleeping alone outside in the park honestly. There was also a couple fishing at the lake (well after park closing time, mind you) and when they walked by my tent, they were a little surprised and called out "hello?" and I called back "Oh hi!" in my cheeriest, I'm not crazy voice. They said "We're just fishing!" and I said "I'm just sleeping!" and we each went about our business. The sheriff/park patrol did come by but they just shined a light onto the park grounds from their motorboat on the lake and failed to see my tent strategically placed behind a large tree.
I heard a train whistle in the distance, and thought to myself it was probably a recording of "camp night sounds" because why else would I hear a train whistle every night I've camped so far? If there isn't a train whistle, it just isn't camping. And then I fell fast asleep.
I didn't see the sign saying I had crossed the state line. It was on the bridge over the car traffic I've been told, but I was on the pedestrian walkway off to the side so I missed it. It took me a few minutes to realize I was in Ohio and then I finally was able to celebrate.
After a long time, through the rain and after I took a break for lunch, route 40 dead ended and turned into Interstate 70 which it had been paralleling up to that point. Having no other option, I had to choose between going north or south on "Country Road 100" which was a gravel "road" that weaved its way through rolling countryside.
Here's me in the rain:
And here's the countryside in the rain:
Detours and Dogs
So I chose south. As I walked my bike up the gravel hill to the top not knowing where it would lead me, I started singing "Are You Ready for the Country?" by Neil Young. That lightened the mood and made me feel less anxious. I finally reached some houses and was able to ask a guy on a tractor if the road would take me somewhere and not just dead end a few miles up. He sounded confident so I kept on truckin down the road into Barnesville, OH which was pretty cute if a little rundown.
My only obstacle was a ferocious-looking dog who came bounding towards me barking and growling as I tried to pass. He was only defending his house and territory and he stayed about 10 or 15 feet away from me the whole time, but he seemed a little wiley so I stopped my bike and tried to "talk him down." Not an easy task. But I put on my best cooing doggy voice, found a stick and threw it into the yard of the house. He was distracted for a split second so I tried to make my escape but he came bounding back barking louder this time. I kept calm and waited a little while before throwing a second stick. He finally took the bait and ran down towards the house and I made off like a bandit.
I went through Barnesville, through Quaker City and onto Lore City on great (paved) country roads with the sun going down and farmland all around. It was wonderful. As I rode through Quaker City a Little League game was going on and a group of kids yelled out to me "Biker! Hey it's a biker! Hi Biker!!" as I passed them 50 yards away. That was the best part of the day.
Cambridge, OH
I made it back to route 40 and found a hotel out past the downtown area of Cambridge. There were a number of signs for glass making studios and museums so I figure that is the craft of the area; though the museum was closed the day I was passing through so I couldn't check it out.
For hotels, I had my choice of the Best Western/Denny's corporate combo, the Holiday Inn/Ruby Tuesday's, or the Comfort Inn/Cracker Barrel. Of course I chose Cracker Barrel and was able to get a discounted price on the hotel room because the young woman behind the counter took pity on me after seeing me come in on a bike. Best way to travel, folks.
Day 9 to Granville
I spent the day on route 40 which had a nice bike lane along most of it. Nearing 8 pm I called Peggy and Kevin Corrigan, friends of my friend Barbara Wilson, who I would be staying with that night. Peggy asked if I wanted to be picked up and I of course answered "Oh no! I can make it! Don't worry!" Well, thankfully they didn't listen and Kevin came out and met me after I had turned onto route 37 about 8 miles outside of Granville. I believe I was eating a leftover piece of garlic bread when he showed up and said "I love Barbara Wilson" as the secret code so I knew it was him.
Staying with Peggy and Kevin was absolutely great--my first time staying not in a tent or in hotel--and Kevin cooked up some of the best food I could have hoped for. The night I got there I had little salmon appetizer things covered with poppy and sesame seeds, salad, rice, and shrimp dumplings, and homemade salt-crusted bread. We talked and Peggy told me about the train ride she took across Siberia when she was around my age and Kevin told me about winter hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains on an Outward Bound trip. In the morning Kevin made ricotta pancakes--so Kat write this down for when I get back to DC: ricotta cheese, white pastry flour, baking soda, baking powder, apple cider vinegar...hopefully that's the full recipe or else we'll look it up. Anyhow, I had around 6 or 7 or the pancakes that morning.
Through Columbus
The next day I slept in, enjoyed the ricotta pancakes, and then headed off to Columbus. Starting off that morning I had to wear a long-sleeve shirt and pants because it was so chilly. I had discussed how to get into Columbus with Peggy and Kevin but ended up running into two other bikers on the road and they gave me a map of smaller roads ("country as all get out" one of the bikers said to me) to take into the city. But closer to the city i couldn't avoid biking through the sprawl, so it wasn't ideal conditions or great views, but it was all right.
Part of the time I was biking on the sidewalk on my way into the downtown area. One of my panniers clipped a "decorative rock" that was jutting out of someone's yard area so I fell over and smashed my right handlebar on the ground. I got a couple scrapes on my knee and ripped my long-sleeve shirt at the elbow, but I was able to get up and keep riding with no problem, though my handlebar was bent. So note to self: stay off the sidewalks, they suck.
I ate lunch in Columbus next to a fountain and said hi to the few bike messengers I saw in a spirit of solidarity. Though mainly I just wanted to leave the city because I felt too conspicuous with all my bags on my bike--occasionally the staring and attention gets to be a little much and when it's all condensed in one place like a larger, denser city, I just wanted to get out of there.
I rode through western Columbus across the bridge from downtown in order to get back on the roads that would take me to a state park. That part of the city is pretty poor but then leads into Grove City which is a posh-looking touristy area. Very strange where the magic line is that delineates poor from posh when it all seems continuous to an outsider like me.
Illegal Camping
I finally got back to the country roads and took route 665 to Madison Lake State Park. It was a nice time of the day to be riding and the road, though winding and somewhat hilly, was also quiet and serene most of the time. When I got to the state park I realized camping was prohibited, but I asked around and it didn't seem to bother any of the locals that I stay over (the park was located in a residential neighborhood). So I pitched my tent and got ready for bed. Around this time there were a couple rowdy dogs tipping over trash cans near me, but after awhile their owner who lived in a house nearby came out and began calling for them. Hearing all this made me feel better about sleeping alone outside in the park honestly. There was also a couple fishing at the lake (well after park closing time, mind you) and when they walked by my tent, they were a little surprised and called out "hello?" and I called back "Oh hi!" in my cheeriest, I'm not crazy voice. They said "We're just fishing!" and I said "I'm just sleeping!" and we each went about our business. The sheriff/park patrol did come by but they just shined a light onto the park grounds from their motorboat on the lake and failed to see my tent strategically placed behind a large tree.
I heard a train whistle in the distance, and thought to myself it was probably a recording of "camp night sounds" because why else would I hear a train whistle every night I've camped so far? If there isn't a train whistle, it just isn't camping. And then I fell fast asleep.
Mile 382.4--Wheeling, West Virginia
The best part about Wheeling, WV is that from the Pennsylvania border, which is about 14 or 15 miles away, route 40 goes completely downhill. I couldn't believe my luck. I had been going up and down those Pennsylvania hills all day and this was a welcome relief. I stopped at a little restuarant right before the state line to fill up on water and iced tea and a couple eating there told me they had passed me earlier on the road. They had passed me near that outdoor swimming pool called Sunset Beach where the water was the same blue as toilet bowl cleaner. The man said I had made good time and that at first he thought I was on a moped because of how fast I was going on a downhill. ( a little self-congratualtory pause is in order) He laughed increduously when I told him my final destination was Nebraska. I think even saying California doesn't get that great of a reaction because it's too ridiculous to even fathom. But Nebraska has a nice ring to it--far away but still believable.
I called Loren when I was in Wheeling and told him about my 10,000 calorie a day diet. (This is the best line I've come up with the whole trip--it always gets a good laugh from a broad audience.) I told him what I had eaten that day for lunch/breakfast (we don't call it brunch out here on the road). I had wedding soup and a quesadilla appetizer, then 2 hotcakes, an english muffin, scrambled eggs, home fries, 2 sausage links, with water and hot tea to drink. It was a whole lot of food and it all was delicious. Loren said, "That's your dream, Amelia." And it is. It truly is.
In Wheeling I also succumbed to Dairy Queen and had an M & M blizzard. And Anne of Green Gables was on public television. This was bliss.
I called Loren when I was in Wheeling and told him about my 10,000 calorie a day diet. (This is the best line I've come up with the whole trip--it always gets a good laugh from a broad audience.) I told him what I had eaten that day for lunch/breakfast (we don't call it brunch out here on the road). I had wedding soup and a quesadilla appetizer, then 2 hotcakes, an english muffin, scrambled eggs, home fries, 2 sausage links, with water and hot tea to drink. It was a whole lot of food and it all was delicious. Loren said, "That's your dream, Amelia." And it is. It truly is.
In Wheeling I also succumbed to Dairy Queen and had an M & M blizzard. And Anne of Green Gables was on public television. This was bliss.
Bentleyville or Bust
So I just said trails were boring and my first day on roads was anything but boring. This was by far the hardest day of my trip up to this point Mostly because I had no idea what was in store for me and I had just come from a very straight-forward, no need to plan anything rail trail that was relatively flat and had a clear map with all the camping sites and food places labeled...
My compass, which had continuously pointed south when it was mounted on my handlebars, began to work again when I fastened it around my wrist. I think the trails were too rough and the compass couldn't handle the vibrations...that's my theory. But once I was on smooth roads it started working. And between it, my Pennsylvania road map, and the helpful advice of gas station attendants, I was able to find my way west and onto a pretty good route.
Route 40
I ended up on route 40 going west, which in Pennsylvania is a pretty busy two-lane highway but it turns into a less busy road when you get further along closer to the West Virginia border. There was a good shoulder to ride on and lots of easy places along the way to stop for a meal or stay the night most of the time. Though as I neared the end of that first day I couldn't seem to find a hotel to stay at. Asking around at the local laundromat in Brownsville, I was told that the closest hotel was back in Uniontown which I had just riden from about 15 miles. I decided to keep chugging on route 40 to get to the next town about 25 miles further west. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it that far since it was already almost 6 pm but there's no better motivator to keep moving than feeling like you might be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of an old coal mining town in southwestern Pennsylvania. Brownsville was by far my least favorite part of route 40...though it had what could have been a nice downtown area given some investment, it was completely abandoned and desolate.
Motel or Auto Glass Repair Shop?
Around this time leaving Brownsville I started playing a game I call "Is that a motel or an auto glass repair shop?" I could also have called it "Is that a motel or a liquor store?" Or "Is that a motel or a gentleman's club?"
There is a funny littel trick Pennsylvanians like to play on travelers. There are a number of "inns" or "hotels" that are actually liquor stores or bars. The bar happens to be housed in an old hotel or motel and they kept the same, now misleading, name.
Anyhow, this was distressing for me as I had already had a difficult and hilly day through the Pennsylvania hillside/mountainside and had promised myself the treat of staying in a hotel that night. I finally stopped at the right gas station and was told there was a Best Western about 6 miles north of where I was, in Bentleyville.
Bentleyville, PA
The road to Bentleyville was actually one of the most beautiful of my trip up to that point. My favorite views are of farmland and snug little houses and barns nestled into the hilly countryside. And there were a lot of those great views. I walked a fair bit up some hills so I had ample opportunity to gaze out and enjoy my evening stroll through the country.
I finally got to the Best Western and had never been so happy to see suburban sprawl in all my life. I ate great gnocchi and downed 2 root beer at CJ's Cafe across the street and then watched movies until late and slept in the next morning.
Duct Tape
I realized in Uniontown that one of the screws holding up my back rack had come loose and fallen out of the eyelet. So I bought some duct tape to keep that side of the rack secure and it's doing the trick. This is my one bike malfunction to speak of, so I think so far so good.
My compass, which had continuously pointed south when it was mounted on my handlebars, began to work again when I fastened it around my wrist. I think the trails were too rough and the compass couldn't handle the vibrations...that's my theory. But once I was on smooth roads it started working. And between it, my Pennsylvania road map, and the helpful advice of gas station attendants, I was able to find my way west and onto a pretty good route.
Route 40
I ended up on route 40 going west, which in Pennsylvania is a pretty busy two-lane highway but it turns into a less busy road when you get further along closer to the West Virginia border. There was a good shoulder to ride on and lots of easy places along the way to stop for a meal or stay the night most of the time. Though as I neared the end of that first day I couldn't seem to find a hotel to stay at. Asking around at the local laundromat in Brownsville, I was told that the closest hotel was back in Uniontown which I had just riden from about 15 miles. I decided to keep chugging on route 40 to get to the next town about 25 miles further west. I knew I wouldn't be able to make it that far since it was already almost 6 pm but there's no better motivator to keep moving than feeling like you might be stuck on the side of the road in the middle of an old coal mining town in southwestern Pennsylvania. Brownsville was by far my least favorite part of route 40...though it had what could have been a nice downtown area given some investment, it was completely abandoned and desolate.
Motel or Auto Glass Repair Shop?
Around this time leaving Brownsville I started playing a game I call "Is that a motel or an auto glass repair shop?" I could also have called it "Is that a motel or a liquor store?" Or "Is that a motel or a gentleman's club?"
There is a funny littel trick Pennsylvanians like to play on travelers. There are a number of "inns" or "hotels" that are actually liquor stores or bars. The bar happens to be housed in an old hotel or motel and they kept the same, now misleading, name.
Anyhow, this was distressing for me as I had already had a difficult and hilly day through the Pennsylvania hillside/mountainside and had promised myself the treat of staying in a hotel that night. I finally stopped at the right gas station and was told there was a Best Western about 6 miles north of where I was, in Bentleyville.
Bentleyville, PA
The road to Bentleyville was actually one of the most beautiful of my trip up to that point. My favorite views are of farmland and snug little houses and barns nestled into the hilly countryside. And there were a lot of those great views. I walked a fair bit up some hills so I had ample opportunity to gaze out and enjoy my evening stroll through the country.
I finally got to the Best Western and had never been so happy to see suburban sprawl in all my life. I ate great gnocchi and downed 2 root beer at CJ's Cafe across the street and then watched movies until late and slept in the next morning.
Duct Tape
I realized in Uniontown that one of the screws holding up my back rack had come loose and fallen out of the eyelet. So I bought some duct tape to keep that side of the rack secure and it's doing the trick. This is my one bike malfunction to speak of, so I think so far so good.
Ohiopyle State Park
I left Frostburg and made it the next day to Ohiopyle State Park where I camped for the night. The camping site was called something else--Kentuck Knob if I remember correctly--and the trail leading off the Allegheny trail and up to the camping area was also something else. It was extremely steep and bikers were asked to dismount and walk their bikes up the hill. No need to ask, it would have been impossible for me to bike up that thing. It was almost a mile long and I only felt vaguely satisfied that I made it up when I got to the top and walked through the campsite and had people ask me if I had just "lugged that thing" up the trail. Many people were impressed, and so of course I said it had been "no big deal."
Overnight there was just okay--a little noisy from the RVers, car campers, etc. There was also a raccoon that tried to get into my waterproof, extra durable Ortlieb bags and eat my food, but I hissed at it and shined my light in its beady little eyes...then I got out of my tent, unhooked my bags from my bike and brought them to the shower building not too far from my site. I stored them overnight there and could get a better night's rest not having to hear a raccoon sniffing around my tent.
Trails
Staying on trails is wonderful, safe, and usually offers fantastically beautiful views of the hills you just climbed, the river you're following, wildlife, etc. etc. But they are also boring as all get out. Frostburg to Ohiopyle was my last full day on the trail and I kept myself entertained by singing songs from "West Side Story" and random other songs I knew only the chorus of or the first line, then I would hum the rest. I was pretty much alone on the trails so I felt free to belt it out.
Here's me on the trail when I crossed into Pennsylvania:
Overnight there was just okay--a little noisy from the RVers, car campers, etc. There was also a raccoon that tried to get into my waterproof, extra durable Ortlieb bags and eat my food, but I hissed at it and shined my light in its beady little eyes...then I got out of my tent, unhooked my bags from my bike and brought them to the shower building not too far from my site. I stored them overnight there and could get a better night's rest not having to hear a raccoon sniffing around my tent.
Trails
Staying on trails is wonderful, safe, and usually offers fantastically beautiful views of the hills you just climbed, the river you're following, wildlife, etc. etc. But they are also boring as all get out. Frostburg to Ohiopyle was my last full day on the trail and I kept myself entertained by singing songs from "West Side Story" and random other songs I knew only the chorus of or the first line, then I would hum the rest. I was pretty much alone on the trails so I felt free to belt it out.
Here's me on the trail when I crossed into Pennsylvania:
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Cumberland to Frostburg
Day 3 was more of the same on the towpath. I thought this bog was particularly striking when I passed it: 
One thing I decided was that I couldn't sleep at a campsite anywhere near an old canal lockhouse. Any creepy historical building nearby I knew would scare me silly that night so I ended up staying in a nice open field at a campsite called Pigman's Ferry, which is a stupid name but I got over it.
I did meet one fellow biker, a middle-aged fire fighter from Cumberland named Keith. He was very nice and informative about the trail, and immediately became protective as I told him about my solo status. He asked me if I would be staying at a "populated campsite" that night which I wasn't against doing, but I had planned to get further along the trail that day, past the busier campsite. So I was nonchalant and upbeat about staying alone at a site further up, and maybe that won him over. Keith took this picture of me and sent it to me over email:
Keith gave me good advice to continue after the C & O to the Allegheny Highlands Trail which is a recently almost-completed rail trail from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA. So FYI, you can bike all the way from DC to Pittsburgh on bike trails! I had already decided to get on the Allegheny based on Nick's (my sister's husband) recommendation and ride on it from Cumberland to Frostburg. Keith convinced me to continue on a little longer and since I needed to be a little further north in order to be parallel with Columbus, OH, I stayed on for about 100 miles. He also told me West Virginia was "hilly. VERY hilly" and that was all the pressure I needed to stay on a flat rail trail.
This is picturesque Cumberland, MD:
Though of course, it wasn't all flat as I found out on Day 4. The first 22 miles of the Allegheny trail rises in elevation from around 600 feet above sea level in Cumberland to over 2000 feet at the eastern continental divide. The first 16 miles to Frostburg, MD are the worst. I started along easy enough, and it LOOKED flat...but my bike computer told me I was going about 6 miles an hour, when I usually go 10-15. I thought, am I that tired? Under-fed? Dehydrated? Is my chain too dry? No--I was just going uphill for 16 miles. I had to stop to rest every half mile or mile; I went through 2 full bottles of water just on those 16 miles (there was also no tree cover so the sun beats down on you the whole time); and basically had to treat the total 30 miles I had done that day like the normal 60 miles I was doing on the canal path.
But Frostburg was a great destination. I stayed overnight at a little hotel at the top of the hill near the train depot, right off the trail. The owners were super nice and though they hadn't finished building and renovating the campsite next to the hotel, they let me pitch my tent for free and take a shower in one of their guest rooms for $7.50. The town of Frostburg caters mainly to the college students at Frostburg State...a tattoo parlor, a bike shop, a bunch of bars and pool halls. I pretty much stuck to my campsite. I was a little put off by the guy at the bike shop who wasn't sufficiently impressed by the fact that I had just completed the C & O in three days and had made it up that steep incline to Frostburg. This is me after I finished the C & O:
Tunnels
I passed through a number of tunnels on the C & O and Allegheny trails ranging from slightly disturbing to freakishly frightening. By far the most frightening was the PawPaw Tunnel on the C & O. It's over 1800 feet long and feels like you're in there for an eternity--no light, no sound but that of water dripping from the ceiling...It smells like clay inside and the temperature cools down substantially, which was its one redeeming quality. I used my headlamp and could literally only see the few feet in front of me where the beam of light hit the path. I felt like I was riding faster than I ever had rode before and I don't think I blinked until I left the tunnel behind me. Here's PawPaw before I went in:
The subsequent tunnels were not as long and I think it was the Big Savage Tunnel on the Allegheny trail that had dim lights built into the ceiling that made everything relatively visible.
One old train tunnel on the Allegheny had been closed and the trail...blazers, I guess they're called, created a detour around the tunnel. This was by far the most beautiful part of that trail. Much more wild and rugged than the rest of it and closed in by huge trees.
One thing I decided was that I couldn't sleep at a campsite anywhere near an old canal lockhouse. Any creepy historical building nearby I knew would scare me silly that night so I ended up staying in a nice open field at a campsite called Pigman's Ferry, which is a stupid name but I got over it.I did meet one fellow biker, a middle-aged fire fighter from Cumberland named Keith. He was very nice and informative about the trail, and immediately became protective as I told him about my solo status. He asked me if I would be staying at a "populated campsite" that night which I wasn't against doing, but I had planned to get further along the trail that day, past the busier campsite. So I was nonchalant and upbeat about staying alone at a site further up, and maybe that won him over. Keith took this picture of me and sent it to me over email:
Keith gave me good advice to continue after the C & O to the Allegheny Highlands Trail which is a recently almost-completed rail trail from Cumberland, MD to Pittsburgh, PA. So FYI, you can bike all the way from DC to Pittsburgh on bike trails! I had already decided to get on the Allegheny based on Nick's (my sister's husband) recommendation and ride on it from Cumberland to Frostburg. Keith convinced me to continue on a little longer and since I needed to be a little further north in order to be parallel with Columbus, OH, I stayed on for about 100 miles. He also told me West Virginia was "hilly. VERY hilly" and that was all the pressure I needed to stay on a flat rail trail.
This is picturesque Cumberland, MD:
Though of course, it wasn't all flat as I found out on Day 4. The first 22 miles of the Allegheny trail rises in elevation from around 600 feet above sea level in Cumberland to over 2000 feet at the eastern continental divide. The first 16 miles to Frostburg, MD are the worst. I started along easy enough, and it LOOKED flat...but my bike computer told me I was going about 6 miles an hour, when I usually go 10-15. I thought, am I that tired? Under-fed? Dehydrated? Is my chain too dry? No--I was just going uphill for 16 miles. I had to stop to rest every half mile or mile; I went through 2 full bottles of water just on those 16 miles (there was also no tree cover so the sun beats down on you the whole time); and basically had to treat the total 30 miles I had done that day like the normal 60 miles I was doing on the canal path.
But Frostburg was a great destination. I stayed overnight at a little hotel at the top of the hill near the train depot, right off the trail. The owners were super nice and though they hadn't finished building and renovating the campsite next to the hotel, they let me pitch my tent for free and take a shower in one of their guest rooms for $7.50. The town of Frostburg caters mainly to the college students at Frostburg State...a tattoo parlor, a bike shop, a bunch of bars and pool halls. I pretty much stuck to my campsite. I was a little put off by the guy at the bike shop who wasn't sufficiently impressed by the fact that I had just completed the C & O in three days and had made it up that steep incline to Frostburg. This is me after I finished the C & O:
Tunnels
I passed through a number of tunnels on the C & O and Allegheny trails ranging from slightly disturbing to freakishly frightening. By far the most frightening was the PawPaw Tunnel on the C & O. It's over 1800 feet long and feels like you're in there for an eternity--no light, no sound but that of water dripping from the ceiling...It smells like clay inside and the temperature cools down substantially, which was its one redeeming quality. I used my headlamp and could literally only see the few feet in front of me where the beam of light hit the path. I felt like I was riding faster than I ever had rode before and I don't think I blinked until I left the tunnel behind me. Here's PawPaw before I went in:
The subsequent tunnels were not as long and I think it was the Big Savage Tunnel on the Allegheny trail that had dim lights built into the ceiling that made everything relatively visible.
One old train tunnel on the Allegheny had been closed and the trail...blazers, I guess they're called, created a detour around the tunnel. This was by far the most beautiful part of that trail. Much more wild and rugged than the rest of it and closed in by huge trees.
The Second Day
The whole crew headed back to DC on the second day after recording a farewell voice message on my fancy digital voice recorder and showering me with hugs. Meredith and Adam joined me for the first 20 or so miles that day which was great to not be left completely alone after having been with some of my favorite pals the whole day before. When they had to head back to Harper's Ferry we recorded a dramatic parting scene on Adam's camera which I'm sure will be put online sooner or later of me riding off into the distance and Meredith desperately trying to come to terms with our separation. I learned later that they had their own adventure on the way home including a flat bike tire and melted inner tubes (feel free to post that story!!) I on the other hand had smooth sailing to my first night destination--a hiker/biker campsite on the C & O.
The Ghost of the Old Hitch-Hiker
Now, you may think I am such a brave person to be going on this bike trip all by myself--and indeed, I am. That does not mean however that I can escape my true fears when I'm all by myself, at night, completely, utterly alone in the pitch black in a tent in the middle of the woods. But I am not afraid of potentially real things however, being murdered, being robbed...
I went to sleep before it got dark that first night, sensibly. I awoke in the middle of the night, 3 am or so, and immediately began to freak myself out by thinking of the scariest thing I could imagine: the ghost of the old hitchhiker. That to me is the epitome of scary. Some old drifter coming up to my tent on the towpath while I lay innocently sleeping. Just writing about this gives me the willies.
But it also is a great defense mechanism because honestly, where do I come up with this stuff? From those stupid Scary Stories and Scary Stories II books I used to freak myself out with as a kid--the one about the hook or the dismembered hand in the closet or however it goes. Upon further reflection the archetype of the old hitchhiker is pretty hilarious rather than scary.
Since that first night I have only thought about the old hitchhiker in the daytime and haven't freaked myself out at night since.
Dirty Socks
I'm sharing some personal information, not my own, in order to get a laugh from my audience so sorry Gina. Once Gina thought it might be a good idea to not wash her hair anymore and let her hair go through it's own natural process of taking care of itself. The thing was that she would have to have disgusting, oily hair for like 6 weeks before nature would kick in and take care of business. Phil, her soon to be hubbie, told her her hair would look like "dirty socks" if she went through with this plan. I thought of this on my second night on the road when my hair appeared to be forming dreadlocks from not having washed it for two days, not combing it, and wearing a helmet all day. In fact, I didn't wash my hair until I got to Frostburg about 2 days later and I could see what Phil meant.
Self Awareness in Animals
This weirds me out. Have you ever thought about animals understanding their own existence? I swear to God these horses totally stared me down my third day on the C & O. I was on some country roads following a detour from the towpath. I stopped for a break in front of a farm and these two horses appeared out of nowhere at the top of the hill and stared at me until I left.
Later, geese hissed at me, and these kamakazi squirrels kept running right in front of my front tire. I think groundhogs are the most self aware, and bunny rabbits are the least self aware. I base my opinion on the fact that groundhogs hear you coming down the trail and 50 feet in front of you scurry out of the way. Bunnies (the cutest word in the world, btw) on the other hand turn right, turn left, freak out, obviously can't see or hear a thing, and barely escape your tires as you pass.
The Ghost of the Old Hitch-Hiker
Now, you may think I am such a brave person to be going on this bike trip all by myself--and indeed, I am. That does not mean however that I can escape my true fears when I'm all by myself, at night, completely, utterly alone in the pitch black in a tent in the middle of the woods. But I am not afraid of potentially real things however, being murdered, being robbed...
I went to sleep before it got dark that first night, sensibly. I awoke in the middle of the night, 3 am or so, and immediately began to freak myself out by thinking of the scariest thing I could imagine: the ghost of the old hitchhiker. That to me is the epitome of scary. Some old drifter coming up to my tent on the towpath while I lay innocently sleeping. Just writing about this gives me the willies.
But it also is a great defense mechanism because honestly, where do I come up with this stuff? From those stupid Scary Stories and Scary Stories II books I used to freak myself out with as a kid--the one about the hook or the dismembered hand in the closet or however it goes. Upon further reflection the archetype of the old hitchhiker is pretty hilarious rather than scary.
Since that first night I have only thought about the old hitchhiker in the daytime and haven't freaked myself out at night since.
Dirty Socks
I'm sharing some personal information, not my own, in order to get a laugh from my audience so sorry Gina. Once Gina thought it might be a good idea to not wash her hair anymore and let her hair go through it's own natural process of taking care of itself. The thing was that she would have to have disgusting, oily hair for like 6 weeks before nature would kick in and take care of business. Phil, her soon to be hubbie, told her her hair would look like "dirty socks" if she went through with this plan. I thought of this on my second night on the road when my hair appeared to be forming dreadlocks from not having washed it for two days, not combing it, and wearing a helmet all day. In fact, I didn't wash my hair until I got to Frostburg about 2 days later and I could see what Phil meant.
Self Awareness in Animals
This weirds me out. Have you ever thought about animals understanding their own existence? I swear to God these horses totally stared me down my third day on the C & O. I was on some country roads following a detour from the towpath. I stopped for a break in front of a farm and these two horses appeared out of nowhere at the top of the hill and stared at me until I left.
Later, geese hissed at me, and these kamakazi squirrels kept running right in front of my front tire. I think groundhogs are the most self aware, and bunny rabbits are the least self aware. I base my opinion on the fact that groundhogs hear you coming down the trail and 50 feet in front of you scurry out of the way. Bunnies (the cutest word in the world, btw) on the other hand turn right, turn left, freak out, obviously can't see or hear a thing, and barely escape your tires as you pass.
Starting at the Beginning-May 27
I spent some time today between writing my introduction and now trying to figure out how to organize my thoughts...First I think it's important to say that writing things down each night has been extremely important for me. It gets me over any homesick blues I'm feeling because I know that eventually I'll be sharing these thoughts with someone and so I feel connected. And I think I have to just start at the beginning...
The first day of the trip I was joined by my entourage, a mix of family and friends--Kat, Loren, Scott, Lauren, Heather, Helen, and Nick--and we rode all the way to Harper's Ferry, WV. Here's a picture I like of me and my roommates:
We took a pit stop with my parents at the Sterling Unitarian Universalist Church and had a wonderful lunch prepared by mom, including the blueberry muffins (with lemon topping) I requested. We split evenly into two camps of those who prefer blueberry muffins with lemon topping and those who prefer them without. In honor of my grandma, who raged in the kitchen, and her muffin legacy, I prefer with lemon.
Here's a rather small picture of me and my mom and dad:
Leaving Sterling we headed northwest through downtown Leesburg, VA and into White's Ferry where two very disgruntled and most certainly dehydrated men operated the ferry that took us across the Potomac River. In Leesburg we passed Rolling Thunder bikers (motorcycles) and tried to show biker solidarity with them, but they were unresponsive. Nick commented on the contrast of us skinny road bikers and the quote "morbidly obese" Rolling Thunder bikers. More on this theme later.
White's Ferry was nice... Scott and Loren showed their manly spirit and swam across the Potomac as we watched from the ferry. Then we got on the C & O towpath along the Potomac and canal which took us the whole way to Harper's Ferry. The adventure had only begun when we rolled into town and met up with Meredith and Adam who had ordered us 5 large pizzas which we all ate ravenously followed by soft serve ice cream. The pineapple pizza was my favorite, as you can see here:
Then we had to find a place to sleep. It was getting dark, we couldn't carry all our sleeping bags and tents and such on our bikes to the remote camping site along the towpath so we had to find a place nearby that Adam and Meredith could drive to. Helen saved the day by 411-ing the Harper's Ferry hostel and getting slightly helpful directions. Adam and Meredith and Heather drove to the hostel while the rest of us set back out on the C & O in the dark to find the path that would lead us to the hostel. I think two of us had lights on our bikes. So at 9 or 10 at night we were on the towpath searching for the hostel turnoff. After about 2 or 3 miles we found a map that was barely useful on the trail. Just as Loren had called the hostel again and gotten better directions, a park ranger drove up to us on the path, and quite casually as I recall, asked us if we were lost. Between him and Loren we made it to the right place, pulled our bikes up a rocky incline, over the train tracks, and up a hill made only steeper by the fact that we had biked 60 miles that day and it was pitch black outside.
The hostel was a great place to stay the night, among Boy Scouts and some Appalachian Trail hikers. We got showers and Kat told true horror stories that made us all sleep easy. An auspicious beginning.
Here's the group sans Helen and Nick, who left a little early. Can you find the differences between these two pictures?
The first day of the trip I was joined by my entourage, a mix of family and friends--Kat, Loren, Scott, Lauren, Heather, Helen, and Nick--and we rode all the way to Harper's Ferry, WV. Here's a picture I like of me and my roommates:
We took a pit stop with my parents at the Sterling Unitarian Universalist Church and had a wonderful lunch prepared by mom, including the blueberry muffins (with lemon topping) I requested. We split evenly into two camps of those who prefer blueberry muffins with lemon topping and those who prefer them without. In honor of my grandma, who raged in the kitchen, and her muffin legacy, I prefer with lemon.
Here's a rather small picture of me and my mom and dad:
Leaving Sterling we headed northwest through downtown Leesburg, VA and into White's Ferry where two very disgruntled and most certainly dehydrated men operated the ferry that took us across the Potomac River. In Leesburg we passed Rolling Thunder bikers (motorcycles) and tried to show biker solidarity with them, but they were unresponsive. Nick commented on the contrast of us skinny road bikers and the quote "morbidly obese" Rolling Thunder bikers. More on this theme later.
White's Ferry was nice... Scott and Loren showed their manly spirit and swam across the Potomac as we watched from the ferry. Then we got on the C & O towpath along the Potomac and canal which took us the whole way to Harper's Ferry. The adventure had only begun when we rolled into town and met up with Meredith and Adam who had ordered us 5 large pizzas which we all ate ravenously followed by soft serve ice cream. The pineapple pizza was my favorite, as you can see here:
Then we had to find a place to sleep. It was getting dark, we couldn't carry all our sleeping bags and tents and such on our bikes to the remote camping site along the towpath so we had to find a place nearby that Adam and Meredith could drive to. Helen saved the day by 411-ing the Harper's Ferry hostel and getting slightly helpful directions. Adam and Meredith and Heather drove to the hostel while the rest of us set back out on the C & O in the dark to find the path that would lead us to the hostel. I think two of us had lights on our bikes. So at 9 or 10 at night we were on the towpath searching for the hostel turnoff. After about 2 or 3 miles we found a map that was barely useful on the trail. Just as Loren had called the hostel again and gotten better directions, a park ranger drove up to us on the path, and quite casually as I recall, asked us if we were lost. Between him and Loren we made it to the right place, pulled our bikes up a rocky incline, over the train tracks, and up a hill made only steeper by the fact that we had biked 60 miles that day and it was pitch black outside.The hostel was a great place to stay the night, among Boy Scouts and some Appalachian Trail hikers. We got showers and Kat told true horror stories that made us all sleep easy. An auspicious beginning.
Here's the group sans Helen and Nick, who left a little early. Can you find the differences between these two pictures?
The Blog begins
I am blogging. I have spent most of my adult life trying to avoid blogs, and now I am one of them. This is my self-conscious disclaimer. But it will be fun. I spend 60% of my time on the road thinking of jokes I want to tell my friends through this blog. I wanted to call it "Lose weight eating 10,000 calories a day! Ask me how!" but that title wouldn't fit. I chose "Ragin Grannie's Gear" based on a conversation I had with my roommate Scott the day I left on this trip. He was looking over my bike and said, "Oh good, you have a granny gear." I, offended, enraged, responded, "I hate that term! It's important to have a low gear when you're on a cross country trip--it's for mountains! I'm going over mountains!" "Yeah, yeah" Scott replied, "that's what I mean. Grannies are always going over mountains, that's why it's called the granny gear. Those grannies are out there, hitting all the mountains." I use my beloved mountain gear all the time, and I have seen some grannies out here too. And they're ragin.
This is my account of one crazy summer I spent biking almost across country. I hope you enjoy the stories I'll be telling. I think they're funny-ish and interesting-ish but mainly it's some simple stuff: meeting nice people, eating deliciously heavy food, not bathing for days on end, illegally camping, staying in seedy motels and watching HBO, and exercising all day but not considering it exercising. This will not be my last long bike trip, I am sure of it, but since it's my first it deserves some special attention.
So blogging means that you (meaning you out there) can respond, right? Please do! I sent out my first email a week ago and got so many wonderful responses from the people I love, it was really a great gift. But act fast because I'm already in Ohio and this trip only lasts until the end of July. I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible.
This is my account of one crazy summer I spent biking almost across country. I hope you enjoy the stories I'll be telling. I think they're funny-ish and interesting-ish but mainly it's some simple stuff: meeting nice people, eating deliciously heavy food, not bathing for days on end, illegally camping, staying in seedy motels and watching HBO, and exercising all day but not considering it exercising. This will not be my last long bike trip, I am sure of it, but since it's my first it deserves some special attention.
So blogging means that you (meaning you out there) can respond, right? Please do! I sent out my first email a week ago and got so many wonderful responses from the people I love, it was really a great gift. But act fast because I'm already in Ohio and this trip only lasts until the end of July. I'll try to keep this updated as much as possible.
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