16-04-30       Day 34      Bike Magic

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

I was in no hurry to start biking. The guidebook said the ride was full of steep rollers, the forecast was for spotty rain and westerly wind, and I’m tired…

John said he was riding to Golden City, 80 miles… Humm. That wasn’t going to happen. My lights were dimming so was I.  I ate some oatmeal and biked to the store for some new batteries. By the time I got all the chores done it was 9:00..

The ride was as predicted.. I worked through it and at 1:00 I stopped at Bolton Country Market…. It was Saturday so it was busy with the friendliest people..The tenderloin sandwich was delicious and home made chocolate chip cookie topped it off.

As I was pedaling into Walnut Grove I could hear misc playing. What?? “Come on over, we are having a race and we have lots of food”. My belly was still full of lunch but I managed to shove in some watermelon and oranges…  The Idiots Running Club were having a 30 and 50 mile race.. WOW now that’s a accomplishment.

The route turned south and the wind was still out of the west so pedaling was a little easier. Nathan Boone’s homesite was a welcome distraction to take a break….  I took the shortcut to his house so I missed the lesson and will need to check if out later..

Ash Grove let’s bikers stay in a house in their park and I was done biking for the day. John texted me that he changed his mind and was at the park.. The VFW was having a Spaghetti Dinner and Dance at 5:00… It was 4:30 and my lucky day….

I stayed till 7:30 talking with Clyde and Brenda about Ash Grove over 50 years..  I even shook the hand of Mayor Jan and friend Jaynie. The band was filled with talent that missed the big time by a grain of wheat.. And the cherry and peach cobbler was to die for…..

A challenging Yummy Day….

THANK YOU ASH GROVE!!!!!

My batteries are recharged……….

Marshfield, Mo to Ash Grove
50 miles

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16-04-29       Day 33  East Wind

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

I tried to sleep outside but the neighbors dogs were barking so I moved back into the Man Cave to sleep. John was up early which ment I was up early. Garrett was fast asleep. Wes brought out a full pot of coffee… Such wonderful hosts…  Really… John left at 6:30. I messed around and left at 7:30. Garrett said he would be along as I left…

The forecast was for storms all day and at 9:30 the rain started to fall. Actually riding in the rain wasn’t so bad. As long as I didn’t stop. But I had to stop… And rest… And eat..

After riding 18 miles, I pulled into the convenience store in Bendavis. AJ, 11, Abe, 9, and James, 6, were working at the tables with pencils in hand, studying weather. Great day to do that…..   Their dad was looking for tractors on the computer behind the counter.

James showed me where the bathroom was and AJ got me some fresh water because the water from the sink “Made the Coffee Taste Funny”.  Such a great way to raise a family….

The thunder boomed and the rain fell as I pedaled towards the next town of Hartville. I stopped and ate an apple by a one lane bridge that would shake as the cars sped past… It was crumbling and had angle iron brackets on each side patching it together hoping to get a few more years of service before it needed to be replaced…

Hartville was a blur and I was on my way to Marshfield. The wind was from the east and the rain stopped. The terrain smoothed out .. Nice so Nice….. John called and said the campground wasn’t that nice and got a room. I called Garrett to see where he was and ask if he wanted to split a double.. He wanted to see if we could find a place other than a motel so I called a few churches. Usually no problem but in Marshfield, no go… Wow.. I was shocked…

I got a double at the Plaze Motel and went out to dinner with John as Garrett was a few hours behind.

Once again Garrett’s friends who he met a few towns back bought him a room at the Holiday Inn and off he went… ..

The rain fell and I was glad to be inside….

Houston, Mo to Marshfield, Mo
62 miles

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16-04-28       Day 32    Oh No…..

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

Looking at the #Adventurecycling maps we knew we were in for a challenging day. John was up at 4:00.  Really…  Garrett soon after…  Well I was not interested with getting up for anything before 5:00 am.  Since it was a small hostel, it is a part of traveling with others….  my goal is around 60 miles a day so that means 50 to 70 miles depending on the towns… and terrain. Today would be 30,20,20…   take your pick. Either a 50 miler or 70 with lots and lots and lots of climbs..

John and Garrett left at 6:00 am. I left at 7:00.  it was nice to get on the road early.. Light breeze, birds chirping, Morning…..

The pedaling through the Ozark National Scenic Riverways made me think of backpacking… The trees were now leafed out and the wind made them wave as I huffed and puffed my way, Up……     and Down…….  By 11:00 my legs were turning into jello so I stopped in the forest and listened to the birds and felt the warm wind restle with the newly leafed out trees… So peaceful..

It was 1:00 pm and the Flat Top fire tower call out… “Come climb me”.  I grabbed my food bag and climbed the 13 set of stairs and YES the trap door was unlocked… It looked like in 2005 the watchman put down his Readers Digest, Binoculars, and left.. Missouri looked so flat but I know better…..

As I was getting close to Houston I called Garrett to see what was up… He had made friends a few towns back who knew a friend of a friend and now we had a new friend, Wes and Judy.  We stayed at Wes’s man cave and were treated to chinese…. A blessing after a long, Challenging Day….

THANKS WES AND JUDY…

Ellington, MO to Houston, Mo
69 miles

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16-04-27       Day 31     Ozarks

        Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
    2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

          I was not interested in riding in the rain all day. Weather Bug’s radar showed Blue, Dark Blue, Orange, and Dark Orange…..  Decision time….

         Pilot Knob was 20 miles away with Centerville and Ellington spaced evenly apart. The worst would be that I would be 2 to 3 hours in it so I packed up and headed out. Don headed to New Orleans, John ahead and Garrett was still in bed….

          On my way out of town I greased up at McDees and packed a hot coffee in my cooler. I could sip on it as I biked upppp and downnn.  

         Pilot Knob is another historic place of Fort and battle… I am still in the civil war arena…

I toured their museum and read about the battles…  Sad…  again I wondered why….

          A little farther down the road was Johnsons Shut-In State Park. As I was looking around, John rode up…  Again “How did I get ahead?”. We started on our way to Centerville for lunch but John was hungrier and boom, he was gone.

          In Centerville, Nancy made me a huge Ham sandwich and I was ready to hit the hills… I could see John’s bike at the Country Market in Ellington. He said he knew where the place was to stay in town so I followed him a mile out of town. The parks bathrooms were locked so I waited while John rode back in town to see what’s up…

         After a half hour waiting I decided to look at my info and there is a hostel back in town hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.  As I was headed back into town John rode back.. Alot of riding back and forth…

          The hostel was nice and the Mexican restaurant was delicious.  Thankfully the BIG storm never showed up…

    Farmington, MO to Ellington, MO
                          64 miles     

#AdventuringCycling,#transamericablog,#transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes,#marktrailrocks,#illinoisbiking,#brooksspecialflyer,#Biketouring

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16-04-26       Day 30      Farmington

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

The insects pestered me all night long. I love to sleep cowboy style, (On the ground without a tent), and am thinking these days might be numbered… On the road at 7:30 am for a short ride to the Our Place convenience store to put in my contacts and get a bite to eat.

As I biked into Missouri the rollers began and the farther I went the slower I pedaled…  There was no pedaling over 10 mph… The Ozarks are coming and memories of the Appalachians  still fresh in my mind..

The weather forecast was for heavy rain and hail so I was keeping an eye on the sky. Pete was on a bike ride and quickly rode up behind me.. ” Riding the Trans Am? I Rode it in 2012″. Yea. A fellow biker. Pete is from Chicago and visiting Farmington.  “You staying at the Hostel?”. It was early but the weather was starting to get dicey. Pete rode with me to Farmington’s Old Jail. Al’s Place 76 Bikers Hostel. I called for the code to get in and The place was decked out with everything you could imagine. Nice furniture, bunks for 20, showers, washer and dryer, the whole works. I decided to stay.

It was a short day but I could use a day to catch my breath. I rode to the grocery and could hear the rain hitting the roof of the store. It was coming down in sheets…

It was only a short ride back to the hostel so off in the rain I rode…. Garrett, from Salt Lake who I biked with three days ago and Don from Design Moines was there… Soon John from Colorado showed up… After a month of being alone the dynamics are changing… Who knows who where when but at least there will be some discourse..

I made a salad and pasta meal, shared stories, watched the movie Departed…  (Not that good) and off to bed.

Thank you Wonderful Farmington for creating Al’s Place.

St Marys, MO to Farmington, MO
30 miles

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16-04-25        Day 29      Popeye

        Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
    2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

          My legs were ready to get back on the bike. The stay at Bill and Martha’s was perfect… R & R….  I weaved my way back on the #transamerica bike route and rode south of Murphysboro crossing the Big Muddy River and it was muddy brown…

        I had two choices of routes. One along the Mississippi Levee, the other a little shorted over the rollers. I chose the levee.

        There were no convenience stores along the route so I stopped at the Gorham Post Office to mail my post cards and relieve myself.  Mike, the postman, was the only human being in town. He grew up close and gave me the history of the demise… The grocery store over there closed about 5 years ago. And that building 10.  All is left is miles and miles of agriculture.

          Although the wind was 13 to 20 and from the south, I had periods where it was almost to my back.. It felt like Dads hands pushing me on my first attempt to ride a bike….  

          I noticed barges filled with coal lined up along the Mississippi River bank. Then “The access from the Road to the loading dock.” Oh No…  Coal trucks were coming and leaving the port every 15 seconds..   Wow…   Lots and Lots of coal….  and Trucks… Later I learned the 1,200 truck loads of coal deliver to the port each day…  

I need to get to Chester and off this road….

         I was looking at #adventurecycling map and read about Chester, Il. home to the whole Popeye gang. Created back in 1929 by Elzie Crisler Segar. The town has recreated all the characters in granite and placed them all around town. There is also a biker host call the Flying Eagles Club…. WHAT??

Even though it was early I had to check it out.

            The buzzer sounded and the door unlocked. I walked into the private Club and was greeted with smiles and hospitality. Bubbles gave me a tour and after a beer I decided to push on. Kevin suggested I call the police department for an escort across the skinny Mississippi bridge into Missouri.  After saying goodbye to Popeye I was safe in the fourth state thanks to Officer Brockmeyer and the Chester Police.

          The wind continued as I pedaled another 12 miles to St Mary’s Trinity Baptist Church where I slept under their back porch.  

    Carbondale, IL to St Marys, MO
                           60 miles

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16-04-24         Day 28      Restful Day

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

It was nice to be able to sleep in. I wrote two blogs and caught up on email…  Martha was out early studying to become a PA….  Great future…. Bill made some sausage, cheesy scrambled eggs with crispy mushrooms and onions….  Just what the body needed… I wrote some cards and read up on the next #Adventurecycling map section 9. Illinois, Missouri and Kansas….

My snack bag was getting low so Bill lent me his car and off to the supermarket…  I love my small electric tooth brush that was wearing out so pretzels, nuts, oatmeal, moose tracks ice cream, and bananas, and a new tooth brush.

Martha had a lot of studying to do so Bill and I went to the famous 17th Street BBQ in Murphysboro. My plate was full of all kinds of meat. So much I had to bring half home.

Bill teaches English at Carbondale Community High School and they were going to the schools performance of Hairspray the Musical… Who would of thought? The performance was their last night with lots of memories stirred up from my high school days long past…  Thanks Mr. Wonzer, Baker High Band Teacher….

Memories of Home Sweet Home….. Again

Thank You Bill and Martha
Carbondale 0 miles

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16-04-23         Day 27        Rollers2

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

Sue and Bruce were leaving early to recertify there food handling permits so I had coffee while Sue busily buzzed the kitchen making Breakfast Casserole for the full house.

They ran out the door and I packed up and was on the road an hour later…

I have been focused on completing Kentucky and not really looking ahead so I had no plans for the days ride. My achilles tendon was inflamed. I raised my seat to high and now I’m hurting every time I turn the pedal…. I texted a few Warm Shower hosts but didn’t think I would have any luck since such short notice. Bill and Martha responded and offered a bed…. YES!!!

The highlight of the day was:

1.  A dog chased me and I couldn’t unclip fast enough so I fell in the middle of the road….

Best part… No dog bite and a guy stopped to see if I was alright…

2.  Jon and Susan stopped and took a picture of me. Jon writes a column for #crazyguyonabike website and wanted a pic to go with his column.

3.  Kristen stopped and gave me some water… Just at the right time.

4.   Crossed the Tunnel Hill State Bike Trail….  will have to return to check it out….   Do I hear roadtrip???

5. Devils Kitchen Lake and Little Grassy Lake recreation areas with fisherman, endless shoreline, areas and a sparkling spillway.

I texted Bill as to my progress. I estimated I would arrive at 7:00 pm but the rollers were kind. Only two, one breathers…. Rolled into Carbondale at 6:00….

To my amazement, Bill and Martha are Backpackers and Bikers. We talked about which and when and sure enough, we have common hiking friends…  “Shirks or Grits” from Alabama hiked with “Rock Lobster”  Bills trail name. I met Skitks in 2013 on the AT and tried to keep up with him on the CDT in 2015…   Small World…. Bill made a Great Dinner and we watched the Chicago Redwings beat Saint Louis in hockey.. Home sweet Home…..

Elizabethtown, IL to Carbondale
74 Miles

#AdventuringCycling,#transamericablog,#transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes,#marktrailrocks,#illinoisbiking,#brooksspecialflyer,#Biketouring

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16-04-22  Day 26    Illinois

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

I love trains so when the horn blew all night long I really didn’t mind… Being warm, clean, and dry was really comforting…

I was going to catch breakfast in town but Pastor Bob gave me a list of all the places to check out all the way to Carbondale. It was 10:30 and the first stop was Jeri’s Cafe in Clay, Kentucky. .. The fried catfish was worth the 20 mile ride.. WOW I love biking…..  I was craving a salad so in Marion, southwest salad and Moca Frappuccino.

Highway 91 dead ends into the Ohio River with the small town of Cave in Rock on the Illinois side…  Thank goodness for a ferry that runs back and forth all day for …. FREE …..

Really…  The river was milky brown and filled with tugboats pushing barges filled with coal south…

I made my way to the Cave in Rock State Park…  so beautiful. ….. The storys about the cave are varied with robbers taking advantage of river travelers being the most prevalent.

It was time to plan a place to stay.. Traveling alone is different than with a partner. I had no one to hang with so I pushed on to The River Rose Inn in Elizabethtown, Il. There was a place to camp at the towers along the way but was not listed on my map…  ??

Sue and Bruce are from California and have been operating the Inn for 11 years…  Sue gave me the tour and a beer…. We sat on their wide and inviting porch watching the Ohio River traffic float by. Walked to the floating River Restaurant for another round of the local special ….   catfish…

Sebree, KY  to Elizabethtown, IL
64 Miles

#AdventuringCycling, #transamericablog,# transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes, #marktrailrocks,#illinoisbiking,#brooksspecialflyer

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16-04-21    Day 25      Fenders

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

The sound of rain on the metal roof made for restful sleep, but when I woke up I wasn’t in a hurry to ride in the rain… The forecast was for rain off and on all day… Garrett was on a tight schedule so he biked west while I biked east to the Fordville Diner…

Sandra asked if I needed a menu and filled my coffee cup….    America …..   got to love it ….     The State of Kentucky allows people to smoke in their restaurants. This made me eat faster than normal. Sandra loaded my gatorade bottle with hot coffee and into the rain I rode.

At first it was uncomfortable but by the time I was soaking wet….  well I’ll just say it’s part of the adventure. It wasn’t that cold and I would be sweating anyway. Stop, Sip Coffee, Eat and the rain continued to fall…

The country was filled with grain silos and no cows…. Rolling hills with a few breathers… My goal was Sebree where there is a church hostel… I needed a short day to let my legs rest from the 84 miler yesterday… Not sustainable..

In Utica I called ahead and Bob answered…. “Sure we will be looking forward to meet you”. Such a friendly voice made the ride go by quickly.. I was soaking wet and needed shelter. I found the church and a great friend of bicyclers.. Bob and Violet have been hosting bikers since they came to Sebree to pastor the church… Bob gave me the tour and invited me for dinner at their home at 6:00 pm.

Darlene, Violet, Bob and I enjoyed beef vegetable soup and cornbread. It was so nice to sit at a dinner table and share… I ate and ate…  They were accustomed to bikers appetite. They sent me on my way with prayers and a bag full of cornbread and cookies..  I am filled …. In all ways… And grateful… Thank you!!!

Fordsville to Sebree Ky 53 miles
Sebree Baptist Church Basement

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16-04-20 Day 24 Kentucky Rollers

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

Garrett was ready to ride, I was ready for coffee…  I rode over to the Howardsville Store and had a local sausage and egg biscuit. Garrett being half my age said goodbye and off he rode.

The riding was filled with roller after roller… Push to the top, ride to the bottom.. Big open fields…  Looked like beautiful horse farms only filled with cows….

I was having an afternoon snack and Garrett rolled up.. Humm…  ” How did you pass me?” he asked…  Ahhh.. Riding?

We rode together as I tried to keep up… Rain was coming so it was time to put in some miles… There was a time change so we had and extra hour to ride…  My legs were not aware of the time change. ..  But on they went..

As we were riding, three bikers rode up going East with semi loaded Bikes. Dan, Andy, and Scott from Los Angeles, are biking across the country one week a year…..  Now that is crazy amazing…..  All the bikes hit the dirt and it was like old friends who haven’t seen each other for years….  And then they were gone….  only after we traded our email addresses. …..  New Friends…

It started sprinkling at 5:00 while we were loading up on a grease burger… It was 16 miles to Fordsville… What the heck…. Lots roll…

It was getting dark when we arrived.. We looked for a place to stay… The fairgrounds 2 more miles or somewhere in town… Brandy at the convenience store called Lois and we were set at the Baptist Church Pavillion.  Joe the pastor offered showers and laundry…. A amazing day on the road…

Howardstown to Fordsville, KY
84.5 miles

Fordsville Baptist Church Pavilion

#AdventuringCycling,#transamericablog,#transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes,#marktrailrocks,#bikeillinois

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16-04-19 Day 23    Bourbon Capital

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

Judy and RJ’S home was next to the Baptist Church so I walked over to get a cup of coffee… Everything was laid out and Hand written notes guiding me through their home..  I started the coffee, took a shower, and had a peanut butter sandwich….   Life is SO good…

THANK YOU JUDY AND RJ!!!!!

There was The Lincoln Homestead State Park a short way up the road.  I was a little disappointed because it was Lincoln’s Grandmother’s home…. Humm. Stretching it a little… What about Grandfather’s homesite?

I must have been dreaming about when and where we preserved a structure when I missed a turn and almost pedaled to Springfield.

I realized when I came to RT 150. Something was wrong… Almost to Springfield  and,15 miles to Bardstown….  the shoulder was wide so no worries. The shoulder quickly shrunk to 2 feet with a 18″ groove cut in to it…  Needless to say, the only thing I saw was the cars and trucks in my mirrors for 15 miles. A couple close calls and I was ready for some Bourbon!!!!!

Bardstown is the Bourbon capital of the World…. Lots of drinking here in KY.  I visited the Bourbon history museum, and Barton Distillary. Lots of ageing barrels. 4 years or more for the good, good stuff…..

Lastly for me it was Stephen Foster’s Cousins home… Again…. HUMM… Stephen Foster’s Cousin…  Brother, Sister, his home. Kentucky? Oh Kentucky’s State Song.   Great song writer… Way down upon the Swanee River………  Florida….

I rode to Howardstown and saw a pavilion behind St Ann Catholic Church… Nice. Neil Boone drove up and said it was OK to stay.

Lois at the convenience store also said it was OK and left the door to the bathroom door of the school open.  Thank you Lois!!!

At dusk, Garrett a biker rode up and decided to stay.. Yea a biker… Garrett is from Salt Lake City, riding to San Francisco, Ca…

Wow… Another crazy…

Mackville to Howards town. KY
64 miles
Howardstown’s  St Ann Picnic Pavilion.

#AdventuringCycling, #transamericablog,# transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes, #marktrailrocks,#brooksspecialflyer,reibikes

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16-04-18 Day 22.    Small Town

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure

The Mockingbird was singing …. Time to ride..  get up…..   I am so thankful for Maya opening her home and providing me two days of rest and healthy food to feed my growing appetite.

The guidebook said the terrain was going to become rolling hills and I was ready. There were two, one stop hills for me to get a breather. Thanks for the Adventure Cycling signs to guide the way. There were roads with no names and single lane.

I took a break and watched a bulldozer push down a single tree in a field… Big time entertainment.

I stopped at the convince store in Rose Hill and was going to eat a bite when Judy said Mackville had a great grill…. Well then Mackville Pool hall and Grill it will be….

At first I thought that this might not be what I was looking for but Ashley,Casey and Taylor changed all that…  The Chicken Wrap followed by a Cheeseburger was wonderful. Ashley called to see if I could camp at the church. Gary stopped by and set me up. Judy and RJ lived next to the church and said they would leave the back door open, get the coffee ready and put out towels if I wanted to take a shower…. So welcoming. …   WoW….

Berea to Mackville, 60 Miles
Mackville Baptist Church Back Porch.

#AdventuringCycling, #transamericablog,# transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes, #marktrailrocks

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16-04-16/17 Day 20/21 Days of Rest

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

After three weeks on the road,  I cleaned the bike and chain, I looked into replacing the worn chain and brake pads.  There wasn’t a bike shop in town and it would take more than two days to have one delivered.  I called a bike shop in Richmond 10 miles away and Jay offered to bring me the parts after he got off of work tonight… YEA!

It took a few hours to catch up with email and download the maps into my phone for Section 10 of the Trans America Bicycle Route. With all that done it was time to visit Berea…

Maya, the warm showers host, worked at the visitor center in downtown Berea. That was my first stop to see what thete was to visit. Berea College is unique as it is tuition free. The students are required to do 10 to 15 hours of work a week and can graduate with zero debt….  A great opportunity for Kentucky Gifted Children.

The school was having a dandelion festival with bands, games and arts and crafts… So nice to sit and take it all in.

Jay, from Mikes Hike and Bike,  stopped by on his way home and brought me new brake pads and put on a new chain on my bike. Sure hope it takes the strange squeaking sound away. Awesome Service…  THANK YOU JAY!!!
Rest Day 2

Maya is a kayaker so I decided to stay another day to go kayaking. . Like Iva, Maya has a stable full of kayaks…… We loaded up two and took a short drive to Owsley Lake Reservoir. The goal was to sneak up on a sunning turtle and touch one.  I think you should get credit for being the closest like horseshoes. No turtles were touched. There were also beaver…. Beaver and drinking water don’t mix in my book…  No beaver fever for me….

Since I was in town we picked up some vegetables and roasted them with some leftovers.   Yummy. …. Lemon cake and Moose Track Ice Cream….. Do you wonder why I like biking???

Watched a movie and dremp of being back on the bike…..

Two Restful Zeros

#AdventuringCycling, #transamericablog,# transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes, #marktrailrocks#mikeshikeandbike

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16-04-15        Day 19      Berea, Ky

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

I just laid in my cozy Alpinlite Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bag. Listening to the birds. Enjoying waking up slowly…..

The Boonville Presbyterian Church hosted Trans America route bicyclists.  Since I am one of the first bikers, the water was still turned off…. I packed up and biked to the Bus Stop Diner to wash up and have a bite to eat…

There was 9 hills and 50 miles to bike and still some hills that I had to stop and catch my breath on … My legs are feeling better while pedaling in the seat but when I stand up on the pedals, I need more time for the muscles to develope..

The route has been well marked and I have only been off route a few times. I look at the map when I cross every road.. Usually there is a sign marking the way….  Outside of Berea the Map and description noted taking a right at 1107….The sign on the road pointed left…. I rode left till I found where 1107 continued on to the left and checked the map again… Wrong Turn… Maybe I should follow the map… I took pictures to notify Adventure Cycling and cyclists behind me…

Maya is a Warm Showers Host and gave me directions to her home. Shower, Laundry and a short list of tasks to complete in town..

We enjoyed a delicious meal and it was time for rest dreaming of touring the town of Berea, Ky.

Booneville To Berea, KY.  50 miles

#AdventuringCycling,#transamericablog,#westernmountaineeringalpinlite,#Transamerica,#surly,#jonesbikes,#longhaultrucker,#marktrailrocks

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16-04-13       Day 17       Coal Dogs

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

I heard Crystal leave with the children at 6:00 to drive them from Breaks Park to Elkhorn City school. The kids loved living in the camper and park…. Time to get up.

I stored my bike in the Campground bathroom . As I was finishing packing the bike, Teddy came in, ” Ready for coffee?” 6:32 am on the dot.Teddy and I enjoyed a cup of coffee and soon I was all bundled up for a chilling ride down the mountain to Elkhorn City for breakfast at the Golden Ring Restaurant.  I crossed the official State line welcoming me to Kentucky. It wasn’t long before I noticed an increase in trash along the road and loose dogs. You must not trade in your car in Kentucky. “That was my first car…. she was a beauty. And that one there….   Oh that’s my parts car….”.. Till the yard is full.

Crazy as it sounds, the 76 bike route goes right by Teddy’s home and sure enough there he was, line trimming the bank in front of his house as he said he was planning to do today… Hi Teddy and thanks for your wonderful hospitality.Lots of Coal trucks were carrying their load to the next point of shipment somewhere…. As the day continued, I rode deeper into the country and saw mine after mine sitting… rusting, mile after mile of CSX rail cars, trucks in all stages of repair, frozen in time.. No Coal, No work, No need to fix, No money…..

I was trying to make it to Hindman but I was pooped so I stopped at the Pippa Passes Caney Baptist Church. Pastor Lawrence was finishing his bible study and said it was OK to sleep inside. All the comforts of home. I made a Asian side and bed time after I ate half a bag of Little Debbie donuts… The appetite is kicking in.

Breaks Interstate Park to Pippa Passes.
64 Miles

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#transamericablog, #surly,#jonesbikes, #marktrailrocks

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16-04-12       Day 16      Kentucky

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

The rain was still falling as I pulled the packed bike out from under the picnic shelter…  It was 9:00 am… What’s the rush? I asked my self…  I rolled the bike back under the shelter and want back inside the church. The forecast kept moving the time the rain was supposed to stop back… I grabbed a book on a shelf and began reading about a lady whose family was split apart when she was three….  Sad

After yesterday’s ride, today’s was a piece of cake.. One BIG climb up Big A mountain. Then three right in a row. The city of Council had the biggest park… I mean big for a rural park…  It was cold so I stopped every chance I could do I could thaw out…  Davenport gas station didn’t have a deli so I pushed on to Birchleaf… The best chili/slaw dog in town…After another Breath Taking Climb I came to Breaks Interstate Park..  As I rode through the park I stopped at the lookouts to see the river in the Canyon 1,000 ft below… A hint of red here and there from the Blooming Red-buds.

Camp Hosts. Teddy, Crystal and their four children welcomed me as their only camper for the night. I took a long shower and was catching up and Teddy invited my to a dinner of Taters, Mac n cheese, Beans, and Chicken Tenders…. Yummy…  Thank You Crystal and Teddy…

I was invited for coffee at 6:30 am. I was to tired to blog and quickly fell asleep in a pile of leaves… In my tent….

Breaks Interstate Park, 41.5 Miles

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16-04-11      Day 15      Take it Easy

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

There was a four mile climb up to Hayter’s Gap and I was not eager to find out how it got it’s name.  I took my time catching up on the communication stuff… Writing, uploading, reading, relpying…..   Stuff..  I said goodbye to Lea about four times… Something just pulled at me to stay…  Paul got his chores done so it was time for early lunch at MoJos…

They told me there was a new chef that had returned home to open his own place. When we walked in, Susan  Seymore, a friend I met volunteering at Trail Days back in 2010/11, was working behind the counter…. “What are you doing here?” “This is my son’s place…..   What a small world… My visit is now complete…  I got to visit with my Damascus family and now it’s time to hit the road…..I pedaled north/west to Meadowview where I had to bike through some backyards to avoid a detour of undetermined length. Crossed the South Fork and the Middle Fork of the Holston River. Then the dreaded four mile climb up to Hayter’s Gap….  It was hard but not Hateful.Soon I pulled into Elk Garden UMC for the night…   Water, bathrooms, kitchen, a warm place to sleep. ( Storm In The Forecast) A Bikers Hostel Come True…..

Made some phone calls and early to sleep…..

Elk Garden Methodist Church
Short of Rosedale, 32.5 Miles.

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16-04-09     Day 13       Troutdale Zero

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

The wind shook the small bunkhouse as the freezing snow fell. Thankfully the wall heater kept us toasty. Ribbit and Goose, AT hikers, decided to wait the storm out. It was a no brained for me. My body could use the rest. We played poker till I had no chips, Then go fish till I had no cards.

Mary, Pastor Ken’s wife stopped by as she was headed to town to run some errands. “Want a ride?” Soon we were at Arby’s and Food lion to get some fruit and salad…Back at the Hostel more hikers showed up to warm up.  Forecast low was 17 degrees….Pushing the limits of our 20 degree sleeping bags…  The hikers were sharing stories of their adventures and it seemed like yesterday I was on the trail.

Hiker midnight came soon as I drifted into dreaming of sunny days ahead.

Troutdale Hostal, 0 miles…..

16-04-08         Day 12          Snow!!

Biking the TransAm 2016 Blog
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

I was coughing, sneezing, feeling drained. The forecast was not good. Snow and wind.. The plan was to rest and play tourist with Frank. Then bike to Troutdale.We visited the smallest church in Wytheville and then the giant pencil office supply… Soon it was time to get back on the trail and bike… Sadly I said goodbye to Frank as he encouraged me to pedal on…. Again. Thanks..

Soon I was in Cedar Springs and soon I was out. Just a few closed up buildings… Sugar Grove looked like a better opportunity to get something to warm me up but I passed the gas station thinking downtown might have a diner…

Again, no luck…. Next Troutdale.

In 2010 and 2011 Jacks Store and Diner was a great stop. The Troutdale Church has a hostel bunkhouse for hikers and bikers. Yea! Sadly, Jacks is closed…. It must be hard to keep a small town diner open… Long live the memories of Troutdale…

The forecast was for three inches and the snow started to fall as I climbed up to Rocky Gap. The mountains blocked the wind and the grade was not as hard as I thought. Soon I was safe and out of the weather at the Hostel… Rivvit and Goose were hiking the AT and my bunk mates. We traded stories and I was soon asleep.

Rural Retreat to Troutdale 22 Miles
Troutdale Church Hostel

16-04-07 Day 11 Wind, Wind, and Wind.

Biking the TransAm 2016
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

Again I took my time getting on the road. There was a microwave in the church kitchen so I made use of it, ate my granola and packed up.

Iron Lung

PoorHouse Farm…. Perfect!

I rode 10 miles to a McDonald’s for a warm cup of coffee and on to Wytheville for lunch. The winds were gusting above 20 mph. I was pushing to keep going 4 mph. My college buddy Frank was coming to spend the night so I was hoping to make it to Troutdale but that goal quickly drifted away. I stopped at the Wytheville Museum and learned of the hardship of Polio epidemic in the 50’s on the town. They had an Iron Lung machine on display and story boards of the sad effects. I remember having the vaccine as a child and not knowing how blessed I was. Mr. Macri, my second dad in Jacksonville, Florida, had Polio and walked with a limp…. He was so kind to me as I was trying to figure out what it was to be 20 years old..

A great role model and mentor.

My legs felt as if they were out if gas and the wind didn’t help. I pressed on towards Rural Retreat, 10 miles away for the next stop. Again the wind and lots of traffic. The local Sheriff stopped and checked my ID saying they had some complaints that I was obstructing traffic. I said yes I was, I was being blown all over the road… “Be Safe” he said as he drove away.

I looked for a Church in Rural Retreat, I was pooped… Frank suggested the Rural Retreat Lake Campground three miles away…

“Sure, I can make it…”. When I arrived it was closed and didn’t open till May… Humm….

I called Frank and made a reservation for the Best Western back in Wytheville…Frank picked me up at 6:00pm. It was my lowest point of the trip. Physically I was beat…. The hills, wind, and miles are taking their toll on me…..

A few hours later, showered,  we were having Chinese dinner…. Bike Angel Frank to the Rescue!!!  THANK YOU!!!

Draper to Rural Retreat 40 Miles
Best Western, Wytheville

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16-04-06 Day 10 The Cold Wind Blows!

Biking the TransAm 2016
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

The ice crystals crunched as I rolled over… No it can’t be…I am inside my tent…. Yep.  freezing…. It is going to be a long day… I took my time and sipped on my coffee as I packed up the wet tent… Maybe another cup of coffee to warm me up… Thank you Catawba Community Center.

I was all bundled up as I made my slow way to Christiansburg. The Church bells were tolling 12 as I crawled into town with 25 miles ridden in 4 hours.. Ugggg…

Burger King for another cup of coffee to thaw out… I snacked on some of my food to try to lighten the load…. I need to lighten up.

Radford had a nice community bike trail but much to short to really enjoy. Soon I was back on the road and traffic.  It was 5 o’clock and Newbern was all locked up. Luckily for me the town of Draper has Bryson’s Store. Terry Bryson shared all the local news and stocked  me up with water so I could camp up the road… Very nice visit…

I was really worn out as I crested the hill with the Draper Valley Presbyterian Church Shinning Bright… It was Wednesday night bible study and the parking lot was full. Nate greeted me as I quietly entered. After the lesson Pastor Bob invited me to sleep in the church.. Susan loaded me a plate full of salad and I was ready for bed…. I am a blessed man…

Draper Valley Presbyterian Church
Catawba to Draper. 55 miles

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16-04-05      Day 9       Crossing The AT

Biking the TransAm 2016
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!!

I hoped I awoke early enough to watch Lee glaze his pottery. Rebecca was in the kitchen and handed me a cup of coffee as I ran to the pottery barn. Lee was half done so I asked question after question about the different glazes… Who Knew? Felspar, Iron, Wood Ash..  lots of complicated processes just to make a ceramic mug… Like firing the kiln for a week and letting it cool for a week.. Amazing…. Another great experience.

When we returned from the barn we enjoyed a big bowl of cheese grits and bacon….   Yummy…   Thank You Rebecca and Lee, Bike Angels…

I shoved off at 9:00 am and was in for another day of ups and downs. Buchanan was a cute town with it’s very own Pharmacy / Grill combo. Real home town…. I ate some of the food in my bag and enjoyed  an hour break.. Troutville was tiny and Daleville I missed. The bike route bypassed it I guess.

Crossing The Appalachian Trail

t was 4:00 pm and I had 16 miles left to Catawba. By the time I got to the last 4 miles my legs were wore out. I had to stop and rest as I pedaled up the last hills.

Appalachian Trail Volunteer Maintainers

I checked out the Catawba Community center for a possible place to camp. There was a meeting going on and I noticed a lot of AT license plates. I walked into a Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club Maintainers Meeting… I actually knew Michael from Woods Hole Hostel and Theresa and Homer, who I met in 2011, while they were maintaining the trail. They offered me some pizza, how could I resist?..

Community Center Home Sweet Home

They gave me well wishes and off they went..  I set up my tent and off to sleep.

Catawba Community Center             Lexington to Catawba Va. 62.5 Miles

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16-04-04  Day 8   The Blue Ridge Parkway

Biking the TransAm 2016
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!

It was cold and I could hear Susanna tossing and turning..”You Cold?” … ” My feet are cold”  … ” Here are some dry socks and a hat”. Again early in the morning… “You Cold” …”Yep”.. ” Here is my sleeping bag”.

For the first time in a new tent and sleeping pad, Susanna had the full experience of bike camping. The sun was coming up and we enjoyed a cup of coffee with hot chocolate… My favorite..  we packed up and was pedaling by 9:00am..

Again the climbs were long and abundant … I am looking forward to get some legs… Soon. We rode the 10 miles south on the Blue Ridge Parkway till we reached 56 and the much feared Vesuvius Hill…. Thank goodness Susanna made me go slow so I wouldn’t crash. It is 1000 ft straight up or in our case. DOWN …  We pedaled into Lexington and Susanna’s husband, John promptly picked her up… It was so nice to have a biking partner. Thanks Susanna and John…..

My heart sank knowing I would be pedaling alone from now on… Oh boy… Memories of loneliness of last years CDT hike flooded my head…  I looked to see if there was a Warm Shower Host in the area and called one and left a message.

As I was pedaling out of town, Rebecca called and invited me to there home. After making a wrong turn, I made it to Rebecca and Lee’s Beautiful Farm.

“Welcome, Would you like some Lemonade, Ice Tea, or Both…..?” We tried to sit on the front porch but settled next to the wood stove as the sun and temperature dropped. After dinner and shower I walked to the pottery barn to watch Lee put a coat of glaze on his last batch of mugs and vases. It was amazing to see the three stage kiln and hear of the process to dry the pieces… A week of heating and a week of cooling… I will have a new appreciation of clay vessels and dishes.

A few miles south of Lexington.
Love Gap to Lexington 35.5 miles.

16-04-03    Day 7   Climbing to Love Gap

Biking the TransAm 2016
2 Wheels, 6 Months, 1 Adventure!!!

I still had a bike load of work to do so when I woke up at 4:30 am there was no going back to sleep. Finally at 6:00 I went to work. Packing my life’s possessions into Iva’s basement closet, sending my last W2 to Florida, and packing up the gear for six months.. It was so cold outside I rethought my long underwear choice and changed to a thicker pair.

The birthday girl, Iva, beamed into the kitchen and proceeded to fill my bags with food….  The Best Bike Angel you could have….

We rushed to met Susanna at White Hall at 9:30 and started pedaling at 10:30….. We knew we had a climb but 2000 ft up was a challenge. Susanna did great and led the way…

Since it was Sunday there was a lot of traffic on the road. We stopped at the popcorn stand at Afton and enjoyed lunch were the Blue Ridge Parkway begins..

More climbing and more climbing. By the time we reached Ravens Roost we both were pooped. Since we needed water, We pushed on to Love Gap and Mountain Top Church. We ate dinner and decided to stay on the church property. I an so thankful to have someone bike with me….Very Nice…Thanks Susanna!!!

Mountain Top Church…31.5 Miles