U.S. Trek 2008

Last Stop in the U.S.

2008-08-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Lynden, Washington, the last stop in the United States before we traverse into Canada for the final two days. As of right now we are 82 miles from our destination meaning I've cycled 3,919 miles from the coast of Maine. Pretty incredible and it is still totally surreal. I never thought I'd make it this far, in fact, I never thought I'd make it out of New York. But here we are, all 30 of us in western Washington only 46 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Since my last posting we've left the Rockies and battled the Cascades which are possibly the most beautiful mountains I have ever been through. After leaving White Fish last week we had some pretty amazing downhill rides, there was in fact an entire day where we went downhill. Words though cannot begin to describe the scenery of the mountains. The color of the sky, the smell of pine, the sound of wind in the trees. I suppose that has been one of the most incredible things about this trip, just being out in the elements: rain, wind, sun, or snow - yes snow. Being in a car is a fantastic way to see the mountains, but if you want the full effect, you've got to battle it on a bike.

This week has been especially difficult and quite a test. After leaving Montana (thank god, I thought we would never get out of there) we spent an evening in a very cool town in Idaho where we spent a day building. That was a week ago and since that point in time we have been working our way through the mountains of the northwestern U.S. This week we climbed a mountain pass almost every single day, which is why I say it was a test. Several days ago we climbed Loup-Loup pass at a height of 5500 feet. It wasn't the height though that bothered me, it was the fact that we climbed uphill for nearly 30 miles. The physical difficulty of the trip is really no more. Not that days aren't hard, but we are in well enough shape that making it through a pass is less about the physical aspect and more about the mental aspect. Climbing for 30 miles does a real number on the psyche.

Yesterday though was probably the most intense day we have had on the trip. We had spent the previous evening camping in perhaps the most primitive campground I have ever been to following a day of rain. Everyone's stuff was wet and the entire night it rained. So we awoke to a cold morning with wet shoes and jersey's. Dressing for the weather was almost futile because the constant rain water logged everything and anything, water proof or not. So Anson and I - who has been my riding buddy for quite awhile now - began the climb knowing it was at least 20 miles to the peak only to be followed by a slight downhill and then another climb - two passes in one day.... So we made it up Washington Pass having climbed at least 3500 ft nearly frozen and it was snowing at the top of the pass. Everything was wet and several other riders looked as though there were in the nascent stages of hypothermia. So we flagged down a motor home and the driver, fortunately, was an avid cyclist who took us down the pass to the lunch stop nearly 17 miles away. There was no way we were going to ride 17 miles downhill cold, wet, and in 40 degree weather. We made it to lunch with bikes still at the top of the pass nearly 20 miles away. Other rides had huddled in the bathroom at the peak and several of us piled into the van to make the ride back up so people could warm up. Well we made it and nearly half of the B&B crew was in the bathroom - we seem to have an affinity for bathrooms.

To say the very least, I wasn't going to let the weather stop me. After warming up I rode my bike back down the hill and into lunch, grabbing some food, and continuing on. It was still cold and raining periodically, but the scenery kept my mind off of things. Coming around one of the corners we were struck with a look at Diablo Lake, possibly the most turquoise lake I have ever seen. The lake against the mountains with the clouds hovering there was absolutely stunning, no words to describe it. We wrapped around the lake and made it to the bottom of the hill where we found the first "service" in nearly 80 miles, a coffee shop. With a good caffeine fix six of us formed a double paceline and finished out the incredibly long day.

So here we are in Lynden and looking at a map still scares me. We've nearly made it - 4000 miles from Maine to Vancouver, British Columbia. Tomorrows ride will consist of riding over the border crossing into Richmond which is a city just south of Vancouver. Monday is it, 28 miles into the city. We will be dipping our wheels and then off to celebrate our cross country excursion.

I cannot thank all of you enough for your continued support. The trip has been difficult in a number of ways, but by knowing that there are people out there who read these silly blogs is a good feeling. I will probably post one last time when I get home, a recap of the final events and the ride home (on a plane).

Until then....

The Final Stretch

2008-08-14T12:06:00.001-07:00

So it's been several days since my last posting and for that I apologize. Last time I wrote I was in North Dakota traversing the grassy plains; now though the terrain has changed completely. I suppose I wasn't writing because there wasn't really much to write about - western North Dakota and eastern Montana are fairly banal. The first two days it was a nice change of scenery from the cornfields of the Midwest, but by day 10 or 11 I had lost interest. Within that stretch of time though we did come upon some interesting things. Other than the number of ridiculously small towns that eastern Montana has and the relentless wind, we also managed to ride through Glasgow, MT whose claim to fame is that their mosquito population is more dense than anywhere else in the world. 50% deet did absolutely nothing and some riders on the trip had bites on their necks the size of golf balls.

On Monday we finally crossed out of the plains and into the Rockies. What a site too. Pedaling along in the flat country of the plains only to be hit with a view of the Rockies was a site that could easily have been a painting on a wall. Absolutely incredible. The morning consisted of intense head winds, but by the time we got into the range the wind had dissipated and the only thing to worry about was the climb.

That evening we pitched camp right outside of Glacier National Park. Yes another camping night, but no horror stories like Teddy Roosevelt. The pass through Glacier, known as Logan's Pass, is a 7,000 ft monster with one road that goes through it - Going to the Sun Highway. The highway was constructed during the works projects era of the 1930s and has had little work done on it since. So we learned upon our arrival to the campsite that the road going down the other side of the mountain would be closed from 10am-4pm to cyclists because it was a one lane dirt road with no shoulder. So the options were this: get up at 5:15, make the 50 miles out of the park by 10am and have the rest of the day to do whatever or wake at 6:30am and wait until 4pm to finish about 55 miles. Well I opted for the first option and several of us woke at 515 to some pretty intense wind. We were on the road by 6am and manged to make it to the 7,000 foot summit by 8:15. During this time we were also able to watch the sun rise over the Rockies which was incredible. Being way up in the mountains on a bike is a pretty humbling experience.

By the time I got to the summit the group had broken apart and I was by myself. I got to the top without knowing fellow riders were in the lodge so I started the journey down, stopping though to take a picture of the Continental Divide sign and the 6% downhill for 12 mile sign as well. It should also be noted that the temperature at the peak was about 39 degrees and though I was all dressed up in long spandex pants and a shirt, when you've hiked 7,000 miles up and are really sweaty and then take a 30 mile ride downhill not needing to pedal, sitting on that bike gets really cold.

So I made it out before 10 and the group rejoined to take the 26 mile ride into White Fish, Montana. We were in by about 12 and the entire day laughed at the fact that even the first riders who had waited wouldn't arrive at the church until almost 7. So the few of us showered, hit the library for computers, ate several times, watched the Olympics, napped, ate dinner at the church, you get the idea. It was a fantastic idea to wake an hour early and save 7.

Since our Glacier Climb we have been in the mountains which words don't begin to describe. Riding a bike in the Rockies is something everyone should do.

So the clock is ticking and we're almost finished. Tonight is the last night in Montana and tomorrow we're going to Idaho. 2 build days leaves us with 8 more days of riding (not including today's).

I will blog again when I get a chance and again, comment or email, always good to hear from you.

Hot on the Trail of Lewis and Clark

2008-08-04T15:40:00.001-07:00

So Minot may not have been the most exciting place in the world, but I must say, they have an Amtrak station and Columbus doesn't, so perhaps I have not given Minot enough credit. The Empire Builder runs right through Minot and will take you to Minneapolis if you go east and Portland or Seattle if you go west.

Friday morning we left Minot for New Town, ND which is a small town located on an Indian Reservation. A hot breakfast was served upon wakeup and during our first 5 miles, we were chased by a news crew which was doing a story on Bike and Build for the evening news. This isn't the first time we've dealt with the media, but this is the first time that they've done some filming on the road which, after viewing the news clip, was pretty cool.

We rode due south of Minot for New Town - directly into a head wind - and after making it nearly half way to lunch, we learned that there would be no lunch stop because the van wasn't able to shift. It was towed to a local garage for repair, but we wouldn't see the van until much later that evening. The ride though was very pretty: rolling hills, lots of agricultural fields, and little development. Even without the van, Bike and Build did provide lunch; peanut butter and jelly from a small convenience store in the middle of nowhere.

Well we made it to New Town which I found quite fascinating. It is the town center for the Sioux Indian Tribe reservation and its Native American population is nearly 80% of the total population. I was fascinated by this because it is a population which is discussed so often in text books and within America as a whole, but little contact is made unless one ventures onto a reservation. After grabbing some lunch in town and wondering around checking the sites, the van made it in and we were able to throw some dinner together after a long day.

Incidentally, during the time that the dinner crew was putting together pasta and sauce, it began to hail outside. Pea size hail fell for about ten minutes and left the sky nearly black. Weather in the state of North Dakota is quite strange and very sudden, there is no telling what could happen in a given day.

The next morning was one we were all looking forward to, our ride to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This day though more than any other day was one I will not forget. I know I have done a descent amount of complaining about the scenery, but the ride from New Town changed all of that. No longer were we in the farm fields of the Midwest, we had ridden all the way to the grassy plains of North Dakota. I spent most of the day riding by myself and just thinking about how breathtaking the scenery was. Grass covered hills for miles with mountainous buttes rising off in the distance; I loved the ride so much I didn't want it to be over. Fortunately though, the finale, after lunch and all of the stops for pictures along the way was incredible, was a nearly two-mile steep downhill into the park which allowed my bike and I to go over 50 miles per hour. It was incredible and the scenery on the way into Theodore Roosevelt was even more amazing than that which I had seen all day.

(Now this camping experience which I will discuss is one I will never forget, one which will go down as one of the most ridiculous evenings I've ever had.)

Some debate occurred when we arrived at the park: should we stay or go back to town because we would be returning there in the morning. (Bike and Build has been visiting the park for 7 years, but riders must make a trip nearly 25 miles out their way to get to the park). Was it worth it? Would it be better to go back and shorten the ride for the following day? We decided that it was worth it and continued on to our camp sight where we pitched tents, fired up the grill, and watched the sunset over the mountains.

Now watching thirty city people try to pitch a tent and fire up a camping stove is quite a site. Bags unpacked and stuff flying everywhere, who knew camping required so much skill? There was also no shower; only a small building which had guys and girls bathrooms. Many of us decided showering in the sink was worth it, but many did not, definitely a mixed bag.

The tents provided by Bike and Build were definitely not the newest model and several of them failed to possess the rain cover which when pulled taught allows any water to drip off the side and not into the tent. (I opted for one with a cover). Upon arrival to the park the ranger had nonchalantly mentioned the fact that there was a 40% chance of rain, something that perhaps we should have listened to a bit more closely.

Most were in bed by 10 and a few drops fell at around 12. Around 3am I was awakened by some of the brightest lightening I have ever seen, blinding lighting that illuminated the whole sky. The four of us in the tent figured we could hold out if anything happened and thought little of it. The few drops of rain and wind went from bad to worse extremely quickly and within several minutes the wind was so bad that our tent collapsed. We heard screams and laughs and saw many others making a break for the bathroom; we proceeded to do the same. After shoving my sleeping bag into its waterproof bag, grabbing my shoes, and my toiletries, I made a break for the girls bathroom. People were yelling and when I got to the bathroom, a small two sink two stall room intended for 4 people at most, there appeared to be about 21 people standing there cold, wet, and half asleep with as much stuff in their hands as I had in my own.

We hoped the rain would stop for a second, but it didn't, not at all, in fact it picked up. Seven of the eight tents pitched the night before had collapsed and those that had not prepared for the storm (which I had) were looking at all of the stuff in their tents get completely soaked. So we realized that the only option was to sleep in the bathroom. Several of us ran over to the mens room and within minutes I found myself sitting in one of the bathroom stalls while other scurried to dry their thermarests and sleeping bags. It was 3am and we were not going to wake until 6, so with wind and rain still demolishing our camp site, I fell asleep in my own private suite: the bathroom stall with my legs around a toilet.

I awoke hoping that it was all a dream and that I would be in the tent, but I was still in the bathroom and still straddling a toilet. The morning was chaotic, people trying to find clothing, bags, iPods, and anything else that had been left at the camp site. Being quite good at planning ahead, I had put all my bags in the trailer the night before and had grabbed everything from the tent in the heat of the moment leaving me with very few wet items.

The chaos of the evening was quite a precursor to our 95 mile day which left Theodore Roosevelt and took us to Culbertson, Montana. It began with a bike back up the massive 2 mile hill we had all ridden down the day before as well as some run-ins with the bison in the park. It was a long day with a lot of hills and some relentless wind, but we all managed. We threw all of the wet things into the church lawn and manged to dry just about everything in the evening.

So it has been an interesting last couple of days. Gorgeous scenery, arrival into Montana, and perhaps one of the most ridiculous evenings we've had yet. And perhaps the most ridiculous part of the evening in the park was the fact that it is the only night thus far that we have had to pay for our accommodations. $110 for the whole group and I woke up in a bathroom stall.....

I'll keep writing when I have more exciting things to mention, keep reading and commenting.

2008-07-31T15:47:00.000-07:00

Minot, ND may be one of the most boring places we have visited yet. Since my last posting, we have traversed the entire state of Minnesota as well as most of North Dakota and to be truthful, there is really nothing up here.

We left Duluth to begin our trek on Route 2, the route we will be taking all the way out to Montana. Long stretches of two lane road with nothing very interesting to look at along the way. Lot of open fields, few trees, and some extremely small towns along the way. The downfall of the trip over the last week has been the wind - 15 to 20 mile an hour headwinds that make 60 mile days as long as 120 mile days. Our direction sheets though have become quite short, turn out of church onto Route 2, continue on 2, turn into church at arrival. No chalking, few people getting lost, and a lot of people getting bored on the road.

The ride into Duluth was pretty flat, the ride out of Duluth was very hilly. We managed to hike up the ridge overseeing the city giving us quite a view of the city and the lake. Might I add too that I put my feet in Superior and it is quite chilly. It doesn't ever warm up past 60 or 65. So getting out of Duluth was a challenge and so began our battle with the wind. The day started out windless, but by the end, we were battling 15 mile an hour winds making the trip quite a long one.

The evening consisted of a "carnival" which should have been called dinner with games. By presenting dinner as a "carnival" many people had their hopes up, unfortunately it was a bust. Not enough food and the group and a number of goofy locals failing miserably at the hoola-hoop.

From there we touched on a number of other small Minnesota towns before crossing into North Dakota. Not much excitement, certainly not worth dwelling on. The ride though into North Dakota was the second longest day we've had yet, about 116 miles. The ride into Devil's Lake was an exciting one because we were going to be spending the evening with the Berg family. One of our trip leaders, Isiah, is from the small town just north of Devil's Lake. We all managed to get over there after the 116 mile ride only to be greeted by tractor rides, horse rides, and a hot tub (I also managed a haircut out of the equation as well). The farm was fantastic and the Berg family was so generous with everything - I would have lost my mind with 30 people destroying my home....

Being that the next day was only 58 miles, we felt it would be a good idea to sleep in at the Berg farm and get on the road by 10; bad idea, that was the worth wind we've dealt with yet. Anson and I managed to finish the trip in about 6 hours, the same amount of time we finished 120 miles the day before. That evening though we managed a dance party and a formal dinner which was fantastic. Everyone had a great evening and we hung out at the Dairy Queen following dinner giving everyone the necessary sugar to stay up past nine.

Today was our day off in Minot and again, not much to say for Minot. I don't think I will be relocating to Minot anytime soon. The ride in yesterday was fantastic, 60 miles in about 3 hours.

From here we will be heading off to Theodore Roosevelt State Park and then onto Montana for 11 days. Once we've traversed Montana we'll be on the home stretch, only Idaho and Washington left. We're slowly getting there one day at a time, a few more miles on Route 2, then the Rockies and the Cascades....

Keep writing and I'll post when Internet is available.

Duluth, MN and Judaism

2008-07-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

Well I am sitting in a synagogue here in Duluth, MN which has possibly been one of the nicest places we've stayed yet. We rolled in yesterday after 80 miles on a paved bikepath and spent the evening wondering around Duluth, which I must say doesn't have much going on.

Since my last posting we have been through Minneapolis as well as a slurry of other towns. Wisconsin and Minnesota both have wonderful roads and I have really enjoyed cycling in this part of the country, it has been easy and enjoyable. Duluth sits right on Lake Superior which is the only lake I hadn't yet seen so this evening I ventured down and stuck my feet in thus completing a tour of the Great Lakes in the U.S.

Today we spent the day at a wonderful build site which was run by a local land trust. The homes were gorgeous, in fact initially, I didn't think we were in the right area. The homes are large and include hard wood floors as well as a number of other nice amenities. I was one of the lucky few who spent the day inside finishing up some painting; others spent the day moving dirt around outside while it was pouring down rain.....

Tomorrow we will be half way finished with the trip - 2000 down, 2000 to go. I continue to be amazed with the progress made, but now is no time to get complacent. We will be in North Dakota by Monday battling head winds across the state and out of the wonderful state of Minnesota.

Lot down, lot to go. I'll write again when I have a chance.

Incidentally, I did receive a wonderful gift today from a congregation member. Last night when I arrived at the synagogue I got to talking with a man who was preparing our kosher meal while I did some dishes. It turned out he was the local Jewish baker and would be supplying much of the food for the meal, including some whole made bread. Fantastic food, excellent bread, but no Challah. How can one have a kosher meal at the only synagogue within 350 and no challah? After having spent the day building, I returned to find a challah for me with a note wishing happy travels. Never know what you're going to find on a trip across the country. Who would have thought I would have managed a challah?

Probably The Hardest Day Yet

2008-07-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how I just posted recently, I really don't have much to say in regards to the places we have been, but I felt it necessary to discuss yesterday's ride from Madison to Gays Mills, WI. It was another century day which oddly went from being 102 miles to 126 miles which is what my odometer read at the end of the day.

Now 126 miles in a car is a long time, at least 2 hours on the freeway. Well what about the bike? I left Madison yesterday morning at about 7am and didn't get to Gays Mills until about 530pm, a solid 10 hours on the bike. The day started off nicely, quite nicely in fact, we were at the first lunch stop before I knew it. Before that point in time though we realized that there was a problem with our direction sheet, a 13 mile problem. According to the van odometer lunch 1 was at mile 38, I was at mile 51 when I got there. This though would not be last of the problems with directions. By the time we finished the day most had gone about 20 miles out of their way.

Lunch 1 to lunch 2 at mile 80 was fine until about mile 70 when things got hard. The sun was beating down, the temperature in the upper 80's, and we had some ridiculous hills; whoever said Wisconsin is flat should have their head checked. It's a good thing I got to the second lunch stop when I did because my camelbak was out of water and I was hurting. At this point in time my odometer was reading 100 miles.

As if the day wasn't difficult enough there was a another 25 miles following the second stop. I was hot, tired, and really in no mood to be around anyone so I rode most of the way myself. On the way to the second stop we had done some serious climbing leaving a 10% downhill on the way out. Not having to peddal and just holding on for the ride was fantastic until I realized that I was in the valley and Gays Mills was over the next pass. It was around this time that I would look down at the odometer and it had only moved about 1/10 of a mile. At about 10 miles out from stop #2 the last climb started, a climb that would last about 4 miles and move us up about 6000 feet. I couldn't even wear my glasses because they were covered in sweat and impossible to see out of. Every corner I turned there was more hill to climb, I didn't know whether to laugh cry, or just throw my bike in a ditch and walk. I was one of the first ones to leave from the second stop and at no point did anyone catch me which was surprising considering someone walking could have moved faster than me....

Well I made it to the top of that hill only to be taunted by the sign "Gays Mills, 6 miles." At any other point I would have thought "6 miles, I can do this." Well at this point I was losing my head but I managed to push through and arrive at the church following a huge downhill which was a great finale. We were welcomed by Gatorade and a pool as well as some great food. The church was small, but worked perfectly for us. The sweeps made it in at around 830 and everyone was either asleep or in bed reading by 930; hell of day.....

Almost Half

2008-07-17T12:51:00.001-07:00

Madison, Wisconsin, what a town. I had heard alot about it from friends and family, that is a culturally rich town that just happens to get colder than hell in the winter. Well they were right and thank god I am not here in the winter. Linking the capital building to the university is a drag known as State Street which offers more ethnic restaurants than I have ever seen in one place, it is incredible. Last night we spent the evening wondering around campus and then found a watering hole for a much needed drink. I was still in bed by 1130....

The ride in yesterday was hot, damn hot, about 90 degrees. Wisconsin though is absolutely beautiful. The corn fields are vast and green and there is so much space out here. Yesterday, after departing from the small town of Janesville, WI we only had a 40 mile ride. Three of us decided to spend the morning in the library and were far behind the group, probably an hour or so. About 20 miles in we came to a piece of the road that was completely submerged by flooding; maybe 2 feet deep and 100 yards across. We could have just walked through, but conveniently, there happened to be a small paddle boat there. So two of us hopped in, bikes on the back, and paddled to the other side. I paddled back and picked up the third and we all managed to get our bikes across with no problems - props to the guy who left the boat there.

The last several days have been fairly easy and since my last posting, we blew through Chicago. The ride there was intense, about 115 miles from Edwardsburg, MI through Gary and into Chicago. The roads were fine until we got to Gary, then it got bad, really bad. Potholes that could easily swallow a bike. Guess we've had our first lesson in urban decay and where tax dollars go....

Chicago was amazing, as always. My mother met me there, along with a friend of hers, and we spent Saturday evening and all day Sunday just hanging out. I also slept in a real bed that evening which was phenomenal, this whole thermarest with a sleeping bag thing is getting old. It also seems as though every church we sleep in, whether air conditioned or not, is incredibly hot. I think I am the only one of the group who spends the first several minutes after arriving at the church looking for a fan of sorts. So anyway, Chicago was beautiful. Pakistani food Saturday, real food and coffee on Sunday, and then a walk up and down Michigan Avenue - if the city weren't so damn cold in the winter I would move there in a heartbeat.

Following our Chicago experience, we had a short day which took us through Northwesterns Campus and perhaps one of the most affluent areas I have ever been through. Mile after mile after mile or multi million dollar homes line the lake north of Evanston. Everything seems to be fading together, but I do remember that in Janesville we were graciously invited over to a families house whose son happens to be a trip leader on the route going across the southern U.S. The house was beautiful and the food was absolutely amazing. Grilled marinated chicken or tofu, roasted asparagus, green bean and tomato salad with basil, and beer, yes, lots of tasty imports. The evening was fantastic and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

So today I have spent my day off catching up on sleep - I was the last one up of the group. When did 1030 become sleeping in late? I walked downtown and have been catching up on mail and just doing my thing, Ipod and all. Madison continues to amaze me and I wish we had more time here, but there are fantastic things in store, we'll be in Minneapolis in the coming days.

Keep checking and I'll keep writing when I get a chance.

The 1200 Mile Marker

2008-07-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

First I'd like to personally apologize for not posting within the last week; we've been on the run and it seems as though all of the places we've been to do not have Internet access. Here I am sitting in Edwardsburg, MI in a church that looks as though it was built within the last two or three years. The main room that is currently home to our bicycles is enourmous with a concrete floor, it looks more like an airplane hanger than a church recreation room.

Todays ride was fantastic, it was one of the best rides I have had yet on the trip. It was a 78 mile day with the wind at my back most of the time and the roads in Indiana are so nicely paved, as though they new that bike and builders were going to be treking through their state. This morning we began in Camden, MI (not to be confused with Camden, NJ) and pedaled through Amish country which was beautiful. I spent most of the day talking with one of our trip leaders which helped to pass the time very quickly. We spent the day bouncing in and out of Indiana and Michigan following route 12, which again, was a great road for cycling.

The last several days have been quite busy. In fact, since my last posting on Sunday we have ridden all the way across Ohio and most of the Indiana/Michigan border putting us only 100 miles out of Chicago. Mind you, last Sunday we were in Cleveland. Riding through Ohio was quite interesting because we kept coming upon places which I had been to, but I had to remember that I had come by car from Columbus not by bike from the Atlantic ocean. For instance, one of our lunch stops was right at the entrance to Cedar Pointe, an entrance I know quite well. It was quite surreal knowing that I had come from New Hampshire.

That day, as well as the next day (yesterday) on our way to Camden were quite difficult. They were long, hot, and very windy. The day we rode into Bowling Green was a 98 mile day with a head wind fronting us the entire time. Given all the work that was done to get us there it felt more like 130-140 miles on the bike. Riding across Ohio was great, but that wind is relentless. Any direction you move it comes right at you.

Now let me back up and discuss our ride into Cleveland which was on Monday. We left Ashtabula Monday morning with some serious van problems. The previous evening (while I was out with my parents) the van had run into some trouble and had to be towed. It was taken to a repair place and the following day - Monday - the alternator was replaced. The procedure of course took the entire morning making it impossible for the van to catch us for lunch. Many of us stopped in a local diner type restaurant for some "lunchy" items which was fantastic - corned beef hash hasn't tasted so good in a long time. We sat at the counter and next to us sat a man who was probably still drunk from the night before. Now being that I did attend college, I do know how to deal with people who are still drunk at 11am. He was a nice guy, totally harmless, and quite interested in our trip. In fact, he had ridden his own bicycle to the diner for a bite to eat. Now I have heard some great quotes and I know some people struggle with geography, but perhaps one of the best things I heard thus far on the trip was:

"When you guys get to Washington D.C. can you get Bill Gates autograph?"

Close, but D.C. is on the east coast, Washington State is one the west coast. It was a bit of comic relief to say the least.

Upon leaving the diner we pedaled into East Cleveland which is notorious for being a pretty rough neighborhood. Yea the roads were bad but people were so facinated by us and amazed and excited when we told them what we were doing. Folks were yelling out of cars, off of porches, and from parking lots, it was great. Once we made it through East Cleveland we were on Superior Drive which took us right through the center of Cleveland. I gave some people a tour of the downtown area -hitting the water and the rock hall - and then took them over to the West Side Market which has been a family favorite for a long time. After we burned ourselves out on produce and fine cheeses we finally rode into Avon Lake - perhaps the best stop we've had thus far.

Avon Lake is a suburb of Cleveland to the east and a quite nice one at that. We were also to spend the two evenings there with host families, my family just happened to have a huge house right on the lake. Following dinner, the entire group traveled to my host families house for an evening of swimming in the lake. Perhaps one of the coolest parts was the fact that they had a trampoline as well as some other toys to play with in the water; we managed to entertain ourselves for the entire evening.

Tuesday was build day and was followed by a most generous donation - 30 tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Most of the people on the trip had never been and I must say, after not being there for quite awhile, I was very much impressed with entire thing.

The stay in Avon Lake was fantastic. The people were so generous and the food was phenomenal. Everywhere we've gone people have been so generous with their time, their food, their churches, their showers, their washers and dryers, it just amazes me how generous people can be. The trip continues to be fantastic and I am very much looking forward to our time in one of the great cities of the world, Chicago.

Continue to comment and email, I will post again in the near future.

Onward and Upward

2008-07-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

Two states in one day, not bad. We finally trekked out of New York today which was fantastic, I was getting sick of being only a few millimeters into our route on the back of the B&B shirts. The last couple of days have been quite busy and quite painful, a whole lot of miles. I am sitting in a church in Ashtabula, Oh right now after having spent the afternoon with my parents who so lovingly drove 200+ miles to the middle of nowhere to come and see me. It's always nice seeing family during a long trip like this; they want to do stuff like buy dinner and hang out. Ashtabula is located way in the top corner of the state about an hour from Cleveland right on the water. After walking through the quite limited downtown area we decided to try the only restaurant looking thing in the city. I had the prime rib, mom the fish, and dad opted for the Alfredo. It was descent and the waitress was nice; it's great to have someone else wait on you while you eat off of real silverware....

We left this morning from Westfield, NY which was our last stop in New York, located right on the border of Pennsylvania. It was a small little town, but the church was great and the dinner last night was phenomenal - I ate too much like I always do. It was a long day yesterday and after not having showered the previous day we were all ready for the well deserved shower, or so we thought. Showers were located at the public pool in a room no bigger than someones kitchen. It wasn't until after we had all jumped in the pool that we realized that the pool did not have any hot water, none and all, the only thing available after two days without a shower was the coldest shower I have ever taken - it was painful to say the least.

Yesterdays ride was nice, a bit long towards the end, but nice. One of my fellow riders (and midwesterns) Kathy decided about 80 miles in that she would clip the back of my tire and go flying off into a ditch. I don't know if she was just bored or what. She was fine, no injuries, just a little shaken up. Everyone stopped and we got her bike back in working order to finish off the trip. That morning we had left from Niagara Falls, NY following a day of relaxation at the falls.

Now the falls is perhaps one of the most surreal places I have ever been, it is as though the water is a nice back drop to a monstrosity of a casino or one of the many wax museums available for touring. July 4th we rode in from Lockport, NY which was a mere 20 miles. We unpacked, changed, and hoped in the van passports in hand for the falls. Several of us got there, looked at the falls (appreciated it for a time), crossed into Canada, looked in disgust at the silly touristy things, and ran as fast as we could out of there for some Chinese food. Well we found the Chinese and stuffed ourselves silly. Walking around the falls allowed our bellies to rest, but I swear I have never seen so many people in my life.

We returned to the church in Niagara for a 4th of July meal and had some down time before the van left to take people back for the fireworks show. I was pretty excited, fireworks over the falls, cool no? Well, to make a long story short, we missed them. The van always has to take two trips because there are too many of us for a single ride. Fireworks started at 10 and the first van load didn't even leave until about 915 for the 15 minute ride (in good traffic....) The van returned for the rest of us at about 950 and we raced over to the falls hoping to catch the show. When we got there everyone was walking back to their cars as though the show was over. How could that be it was only 10:08. Well, it was over, way to go Canada you put on an 8 minute show for the 4th.... Several of us were pissed, most of us relatively apathetic. We walked to the falls and looked at the red, white, and blue colors adorning them and then walked back to where the van was supposed to get us. The first van load had left by the time we got there and given the traffic, it took nearly an hour for it to get back. Fortunately, right in front of our pickup spot was an Indian restaurant whose aromas filled the air. Unfortunately, it was an "all you can eat" buffet and none of us were hungry. So we sat and thought about how nice it would be if we were hungry.

Tomorrow we will be riding to Avon Lake on the west side of Cleveland. It is good to be back in my home state though I know I will only be here until Tuesday. We'll be in Michigan for a short time and then onto Chicago which should be right around the half way point of the journey. We haven't hit 1000 miles yet, but we're getting there. The roads have really flattened out and we're back to the terrain that I know so well and have come to love: flat, very flat.

I'll keep writing when I get a chance, keep commenting.

Incidentally, I'd like to add that after discussion with my father this evening it should be noted that I perhaps presented his response to my trip in an ill light. He was very supportive of the trip (still is) and was excited about the whole thing. He still thinks I am crazy for doing it - I am starting to believe him...

1/8 Of The Way

2008-07-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

I love sitting in public libraries, they are always interesting places. Right now I am sitting next to some old guy in black high-tops who insists on listening to really bad metal on head phones that everyone can hear; I am hoping he will be finished here soon it's been a long a day.

We're in Lockport, NY about 20 miles from Niagra Falls where we will be tomorrow for the Fourth (or "forth" if you are in rural New York).
(Also, if I might add, there was a sign posted in a small town the other day stating "no pubic restrooms". Take a look at the word before "restroom" it was actually spelled that way.) So, Lockport is a cute little town with some shops, restaurants, and at least one office building that is more than three stories. Todays ride was rough, it poured for most of the trip. We left Rochester, NY this morning with overcast skies. The entire morning we battled headwinds and slight rain, by the time we got to lunch it was absolutely pouring. Being that we had only 60 miles to ride today some of us figured we would just grin and bear it. Others decided to stick it out. The woman, in front of whose home we stopped, decided she would let people in from out of the rain to watch The Price is Right. The few of us who decided to go had to deal with pelting rain which is not easy to ride in, but we did it and made it into Lockport safely.

Rochester was relaxing - we spent two days there staying at the Rochester Institute of Technology which I must say is one of the ugliest campuses I have ever been to. Keep in mind that I graduated from Rutgers which is notorious for having one of the ugliest campuses in the country. We got into Rochester on Tuesday evening after an 86 mile day - which was sunny - and spent the evening doing nothing except eating and sleeping. Yesterday was a build day in an inner-city Rochester neighborhood where most of us spent the day clearing brush from behind houses. It was hot and those who were in charge of ordering lunch from Habitat ordered only enough pizza to allow each of the 30 riders two small pieces, people who are used to taking in about 5000 calories in a given day. It worked out, but the afternoon was hard.

We'll be out of New York on Sunday into Ohio and across to Chicago. We'll arrive in Chicago in 10 days which just amazes me considering we haven't even made it to Buffalo yet. From there we will move up through Wisconsin and Minnesota and across the forgotten states of North Dakota and Montana. People are still getting along and the trip has been a great experience thus far.

Keep commenting or emailing, I hope people are actually reading these long boring posts....

Picking It Up

2008-06-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in a church in Boonville, NY right now and no, don't ask me where that is because I have no idea. We pushed through the Adirondacks which was difficult but incredibly beautiful. Today was the first day we had without rain for a number of days which was fantastic; wet spandex, socks, and shoes are awful to ride in and to smell. It is amazing how much of a stench we as a group carry with us, every where we go smells terrible.

So getting back to the riding today was an 80 mile day, the longest one we've had thus far. Several of us managed to put together a pace-line which was fantastic, it really sped the process up. We were able to cover the 80 miles in about 5 hours and were the first people to the stop in Boonville. The pace-line is a long line of riders placing their tires just inches from the one directly in front of them. In doing this the riders in the back are able to ride in the draft of the first rider making it much easier to ride because there is no wind resistance. After the first rider pulls for awhile they drop to the back and the next person moves up - this continues as long as it has to.

Yesterday on the other hand was pretty rough. It was a 60 mile ride through the mountains the last 20 if which were spent climbing ridiculous mountain passes in pouring rain. The directions were wrong and we were supposed to stay at a camp site as well. Fortunately a local church offered us space which was great, every one was hungry, tired, wet, and angry. It was of course another town with no cell phone service and no stop light, but things should change over the next couple of days. We will be going downhill over the next couple of days and will be in the City of Rochester by Tuesday which is the largest place we've been thus far.

Nearly 400 miles on the odometer and only 3600 miles to go. From here on out the days we have will be at least 60 miles but on much flatter ground than we dealt with in the New England area. My body is also getting used to the abuse I inflict on it everyday.

For all of those that are curious I am getting enough to eat, in fact this trip should be called "Eat & Build." People have been so generous with their space, time, and food, it has been fantastic.

I will continue to post when I get a chance, should be getting Internet access in the next couple of towns. Keep reading and posting, I really like getting comments on blog messages.

Crossing State Lines

2008-06-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

We finally crossed out of New Hampshire this morning only to be greeted by a 6 mile 13% grade pass after already pedaling about 40 miles in the rain. Not easy, in fact quite hard, but certainly worth the ride - it was incredible. Rochester, Vermont is a small town located in a valley surrounded by gorgeous tree covered mountains. We will only be in Vermont for one evening but I can already tell I will be needing to make a trip back to this state.

The last two days were spent in Lebanon, NH where we worked at two build sites. Lebanon is quite close to Hanover where Dartmouth is located. Dartmouth, Hanover, and Lebanon are all very cool places, but after 3 days there it was nice to get back on the bike. Tuesday we worked on a site putting in a mail box and prepping the foundation for the frame. The other build site (there were two) we spent on the roof hanging plywood which is to be shingled sometime in the next week. Both sites were interesting in their own different ways and I've come to learn that I feel surprisingly comfortable on a roof. We were also served many excellent meals by church members in Lebanon which is always fantastic; tonight will be a little different, I'm cooking spaghetti. This is also the first town without cell phone service which I find interesting, I thought Verizon and Sprint had visited every town in America.

We're only here for one night and then on to upstate New York tomorrow. The trip will really start to pickup in the coming days which is exciting, sitting on the saddle of a bike and seeing America in the process has been amazing.

Hitting the open road

2008-06-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

For the last several days there has been no Internet access; this is the first, a library in Lebanon, NH. Today was the first day we dealt with rain and it was rather uncomfortable. It started out as a sprinkle and by the time we got to lunch it was pouring, pelting down on us like bullets. I opted for the $10 glasses back in Florence, KY and they fog up terribly making it difficult to see in the rain - we'll see what happens.

We left this morning from New London, NH which appears to be a small resort town in the hills of New Hampshire. The church we stayed in was nicely air conditioned and the "women's society" fed us quite well. It rained most of the afternoon after our ride and in the evening it was incredibly foggy.

The first day of the ride - Saturday - we started the morning by peddaling to the Atlantic where everyone gathered to dip the back wheel of our bikes into the water. We will do the same thing on the other side when we dip our front wheels in the Pacific. Following that several of us decided to cycle up from Porstmouth into Maine right across the bridge really only for the sake of saying that we had biked from Maine to Vancouver. From there the goal was the catch the last riders from the other group so everyone was together. After making a wrong turn and going nearly 25 miles out of my way I managed to meet up with everyone at the lunch stop. We then rode in Concord, NH (state capital) where we spent the evening in the town square at a multicultural festival.

So what have I learned?
1. Quick dry towels are weird, it feels like you're drying yourself with a piece of saran wrap
2. Earplugs are a great invention
3. NH has a lot of rolling hills: fun going down, not fun going up...
4. Pelting rain against bare skin on a downhill is no fun
5. Going 50mph on a downhill is fun when it is sunny
6. Tan lines will be quite interesting by the end of the trip
7. I'm sick of NH and I want to start crossing some state lines

I don't know when the next time is I'll be able to post, in time. Write comments, drop emails, whatever, stay in touch.

IK

And so it begins

2008-06-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in a church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire right now and I have been here since Monday morning. Portsmouth is a very cool quaint little town that has a number of restaurants and shops in the downtown area. Tuesday I spent the day putting my bike together and then taking a ride around Portsmouth and Kittany, Maine which is right across the river.

Yesterday orientation began and there are 29 new people from around the country that are as crazy as I am. Wednesday we spent the day "ice-breaking" and then spent the evening cooking out - unfortunately, I got food poisoning the night before and wasn't really feeling it. Today we took our first ride as a group so as to work out the kinks and get everyone comfortable with riding. This evening we had dinner at another church in town and heard a presentation from the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. Tomorrow is our first build day which is in Farmington, NH about 45 minutes from here.

Saturday begins the ride - we are riding 65 miles to Concord, NH. I'm ready to hit the road I'm getting pretty antsy.

I'll post sometime in the next several days when there is new news from the road: perhaps a bear or a moose.

Ramping Up

2008-05-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

The comps exam allowing me to leave the grad program at OSU was last Friday. With that hurdle over, I now have far more time to concentrate on more important things like finding a job and finishing up the last pieces for this trip. I am incredibly excited about the trip, but it is very surreal. It doesn't feel like it is going to happen, it just feels like a trip someone else it taking. I am just playing with the blogging option right now for the first time and so far, no kinks - I still have not figured out how to connect my bio to the blog directly, should have it figured out here soon.

I may post something in the coming weeks, maybe not, lots to do.

Until then....
IK