Coming Along...

Today went a lot smoother than the last couple of days. No rain, only a couple of dog attacks (two of the worst, though), and I found a nice camp ground with a POOL.

I've discussed it with the other bikers I've met, and between all of us, no one has the perfect solution to avoid the dog attacks. And the worst part is, as we come out of the Deliverance area of Kentucky, the dogs seem to be getting smarter and more organized. They don't just all-out run, they set up look-outs, flanks and ambush positions.

It used to be that you just heard them barking and getting closer, so you pedal faster and out run them, but now I am starting to see them hiding in bushes waiting for the perfect moment. One guy will bark as I pass, then I look back and he is still there, but then I see the dogs up the street move into position. Two will stand right in the road, one will run along the left side, and as I move to avoid hitting the decoy dogs, another one will pop out of the bushes to my right and lunge at me.

Now this may seem like chance and cooincidence, but it happened twice. Plus, they are silent. Except for the look-out giving the first warning to the others, they are all silent and focussed- like ninjas.

Barking dogs are no big deal, it's just instinct and excitement, but silent dogs are scary. When they are silent, you can see the calculation in their eyes... They demonstrate patience and planning.

So even though the dogs are getting significantly smarter, the people still trail slightly behind. I have been running into some really friendly and helpful people, but for the most part, the towns are still full of arrogant and zealous bigots masquerading as patriots and Christians. Guys, the civil war is over. Please stop clinging to the notion that the South is a sovereign country and calling people from the North "Yankees". No one cares anymore. It wouldn't be so bad if it were just for fun, but like most baseless and mindless beliefs, when it effects the way you treat people and make decisions, it becomes a problem.

Anyway, Central Kentucky is turning out to be a lot better. There is a lot more agriculture and production. Eastern Kentucky is so mountainous and crazy that there really is no way to make anything out of the land. They can't grow anything, they can't really transport anything through the place, so there isn't even potential for jobs. Even the coal industry (which is essentially the only line of employment for that region) is suffering and shrinking. I don't know what they are going to do in few years...

Central and Western Kentucky are full of farms and businesses. I actually saw numerous farms today growing things other than corn and soy. It was really cool to see people raising food instead of feed. This is what the whole country should be doing.

The campground I am staying at tonight is pretty decent. They have a pool, a bench swing (which I am currently in) and showers. The owner even made me a BLT for free. He just came in to the bathroom while I was shaving and asked me if I wanted it. Of course the answer was yes.

The bike felt great today after I cleaned and oiled it all last night. It was running cool and quiet. I finally got a few oppurtunities to lay out today too. So far, it has been all hills, but today I got a few flat stretches where I could just kick it into high gear and let it rip. It felt good to be going at 16 mph again and it not be just going down a hill. I was pushing 20 mph for a little while, too. That expression, "stretching the legs" is so perfect to descibe how it feels to finally be able to roll at full speed. There were still plenty of hills, but they are getting shorter, farther apart and shallower. The end is near! Can't wait for the plains!

Time for bed. Only 70 miles today, but it was good to take the morning and limber up. I didn't get rolling until 10:30am and stopped at 6, but it was still a pretty solid day of riding. Now to look ahead at the map and figure out what tomorrow holds!

Location:Elizabethtown, Ky

Still Going Strong

Put down 96 miles today... Actually more since I got off course for a few miles.

Another guy saved my day today, too. I just got done flying down this insanely steep hill (crazy dog chase too) and a guy pulled up along side in a pick-up and asked if I was on "the bike route". I told him I was, thinking he just wanted to give me a thumb up, but he then went on to explain that I was off route.

I stopped and talked it over with him, and he confirmed that I had fallen victim to a prank played by the local thugs. They take some of the road signs down just to make bikers go down that steep hill and then the road loops back around to about 10 miles back on the trail. So if you figure it out, you have to make your way back up the hill, and I don't think anyone could pedal it, you'd have to walk it, and if you don't figure it out, you go all the way back to where you were an hour ago.

Luckily, he told me of a way to link back up with the route without losing too many miles, but it still involved a huge hill. I had to push the bike up some of it because it was just too extreme, so the whole process ended up adding about 45 minutes onto my day.

Oh well. I'm just glad I met that guy. The last few days in Kentucky have really been an exercise in tolerance for me, having to deal with so many ignorant and mean natives but trying to embrace the few who have been extremely nice and inviting. I have to keep reminding myself to give equal weight to the positive interactions because it's so easy to allow one loser to ruin my day and sway my whole impression of an area.

Today was slightly better overall. It didn't rain, the hills were shorter, and I got an awesome sandwich for lunch. Berea is a nice town, by the way. It's like a diamond in the rough. You don't have to go very far to find yourself in a totally impoverished and sad area, but the town itself is really cool.

I spent the night cleaning/lubing/tuning the bike and trying to relax a little, so I'm about to get a solid 8 hours and get off to a slow start tomorrow. I plan on going either 46 or 63 miles tomorrow depending on how I feel. I would like to go another 100, but I think my body needs a slow day to recover a little. I plan on taking a rest day once I got out of the hills.

Bed time.

Location:Harrodsburg, KY

Kentucky Sucks.

Only 66 miles today. Still took from 9am to 5pm because of rain, hills, and dog chases. Got off to a late start because my wonderful host, David, from Hindman made a delicious breakfast and we chatted for a bit. The place I stayed last night was amazing. I think it will be a highlight of the trip. He had kittens roaming around all over, wrestling eachother at my feet, climbing around and doing cool stuff everywere I looked. He did my laundry, made me a CRAZY baked potato, ordered pizza, had delicious home made iced tea, made breakfast, played classical music on the radio, and had great stories. He describes himself as a "Mountain William", or an educated hill-Billy. He is involved in theater and is most likely the smartest resident of Kentucky. Now, that doesn't say much, but he really was a smart and intellectual guy.



They all said, "there are going to be bad days..."

This has proved to be very true. My second day of Kentucky has been full of dog attacks, hills, and rain. Lots of rain. It was kind of like being submerged in water up to the neck, where you couldn't possibly be any wetter.

I don't want to dwell on the negative, but there was a lot today. Lots of scary locals and aggressive drivers, and of course the rain.

Anyway, I'm ready to be out of these hills and out of these sketchy areas. I've had enough of the surprise hills waiting around the corner and the roads that just fall off the side into an abyss of foliage and rocks. I'm also a little tired of these sewage rivers they have here.

Since every resident of Eastern Kentucky dwells in a trailer home, they are all responsible for their own sewage. There is no infrastructure or pipe system in these parts, so running parallel with all of the roads are these ditches/waterways. Each house has a little bridge, usually just a bunch of planks, connecting the road to the yard. Underneath those bridges runs the water and sewage runoff from each trailer. It flows like a stream passing each property along the way, for miles and miles. I've even seen kids playing in there.

These streams are full of brown water, garbage, tires, old appliances, and scrap metal. They are on every street and it's really gross. I thought I knew what poverty looked like from being in Philly, but the poorest areas of Philly look like Beverly Hills next to these pitiful dwellings.

I've learned though, that the reason all of these houses have the "keep out, no trespassing, beware of dog, private property, etc." signs is because there is a lot of meth and pot production in these hills. The scariest looking houses are either places where the drugs are made, or they are places where the users hide out. Either way, this part of the country seems to be totally overlooked by mainstream culture. These people are not even on the grid. They just lurk out here in the hills and live totally isolated and sheltered lives. Also, there are only three or four surnames per town. For miles at a time I will see only three last names on the mailboxes, and then when I hit a new town, it's three different ones. Based on what I've gathered from talking to some locals, the family all stay together and don't ever mix with the others. I'm not saying they are all inbred, but it is a reality down here. No one denies it.

Anyway, time for bed. Camping behind a church in Booneville, KY. Met a couple other bikers, just graduated high school. They are going a lot slower, so I doubt I'll see much of them after today, but it was cool to chat for a while. Very nice guys. John is here, too. Can't seem to get rid of this guy! (just kidding, John!)

92 miles tomorrow, headed to Harrodsburg, KY. I'll be out of Appalachia soon!!!!!!!!!

Location:Booneville, Ky

KEEP OUT!

First day in Kentucky.

Another 100 miles down.

The first day has been very interesting as the trail winds through the deep Appalachian hill-country of eastern Kentucky. I've noticed one curious fact in particular: the poorer a person/family is, the more covetously he guards his property. Or in most cases, his lack of property.

First of all, this area of Kentucky is characterized by abject poverty and miserable living conditions. The roads are just lined with crumbling trailer homes and tin shacks. With the exception of the forest and hills, it looks just like an African refugee camp. All along the hills and up in the trees, sometimes in places that I still don't understand how one is expected to get, trailers and junk cars fill the space between the trees.

It still eludes my comprehension what exactly these people are so adamantly protective of. As far as I can tell, there is no conceivable reason why anyone would ever want to trespass on these properties, but just like I always see in the poor areas of Philadelphia, people preemptively defend their territory before a threat even exists. The nice houses have no signs at all.

Anyway, my overall impression if Kentucky so far has been slightly balanced toward the negative. Although there have been a few great people, most have been very unwelcoming. Examples include guys sitting on porches with guns, releasing dogs, calling out names, driving by dangerously close, and just giving dirty looks. Also, after seven straight days of uninterrupted sun and record high temperatures, it finally rained. I was halfway up the third and final big climb of the day and it just opened up. I was certain that I was going to die. Between the lightning, cars speeding by, loss of traction, cliffs with no guard rails and trees and rocks falling onto the roadway, I believed in my heart of hearts that I would die. There was absolutely nowhere to stop for shelter as both sides of the road were cliffs, one up and one down. I even started thinking about how I would endure a lightning strike.

Needless to say, I did not die. I made it to Hindman and completed my second 100 mile day. Today was definitely hard, but I'm glad to be putting miles in the bank. Tomorrow might be short because my options are one town 63 miles away and the next being 122. I don't thunk I'm up for that distance yet!

Almost bed time. Found a GREAT cyclist B&B for the night. Thus guy has 13 kittens running around the terraced back yard, a beautiful patio and a nice warm shower. He made food, did my laundry, makes breakfast, met me at the gate with a glass of iced tea and played rennaissance music on the radio as we ate dinner. This rough day couldn't have ended better!

Location:Hindman, Ky

Don't Hayt the Player, Hayt the Game...

110.5 miles today. 4 of which took 50% of the time. And so begins the story of... "Hayter's Gap"... (biblical movie voice-over)

Legend has it that Hayter's Gap is the most grueling climb of the trail. I won't argue with that. It's not the longest or the steepest, but it's the perfect combination of the two to drive any mortal man insane. 3.7 miles of unrelenting 10% grade. It only covers about half a mile as the crow flies, but it winds up and around the side of the mountain. This feature of the trail usually becomes a focal point in most people's day as it truly is the single most challenging obstacle so far.

Randomly saw John again, too. I was finishing my lunch on the side of the road and he pulled up. It's true what they say- you really do keep running into the same people along this thing.

You know those cheesy god/angel shows on TV? You know, the ones which feature a different sour-fated faith-doubter in each episode, overcoming some great drama with the aid of an angel or god in the form of a helpful neighbor. Well, I actually experienced a perfect scenario for one of these tales today! Before I go into the story, I'll preface it by explaining that I am not suddenly given to supersticion and mysticism, but if somethig were to sway me, this would probably do it.

It all started as I began my ascent up the business side of Hayter's Gap. I gave John a head start since he usually climbs much faster than me, and I didn't want him to feel weighed down. We agreed that whoever made it first would wait for the other and then ride down the other side together.

Keep in mind that in rural Virginia, there are NO services of any kind for dozens of miles at a time. I had alreay put in 80 miles (60 before lunch :) and I did not expect to see any signs of civilization until my day was through. Hayter's Gap is one of those roads that is so twisty and steep, that no one has ever thought it a good idea to build anything along the road. It is just woods. Woods and Up.

As I began the climb, I decided that the best course of action was to just hunker down in the lowest gear, look down, and pedal until it's over. I knew 3.7 miles up that steep a hill could take over an hour, so it was time to just commit. Even in the lowest gear, it's work getting my loaded bike and my own fat body up that hill. I could feel a little relief after washing my hair six times in the motel last night and pulling out about a pound of it with every pass of my hand, but it wasn't enough weight loss to make this climb easy. So anyway, I'm off. It's happening, and there really is no turning back. You can't stop on this kind of grade because you'll never be able to start again, and you can't go any slower or you'll just tip over. So I'm plugging along and trying to wrap my head around the reality that I will be doing this for what will seem like an eternity.

About half way up the mountain, there was a flat spot. It was only maybe 20 feet before it began climbing around the next corner, but I made the decision to take a break. I figured I'd be able to start back up on the flat area, and my heartbeat was resonating in my ear drums so I made the executive decision to let things cool off a little bit before tackling the next half hour. All the while, crazed locals had been speeding by me in loud trucks and motorcycles, each one sending chills through my veins as it whizzed by.

After drinking from my bottle, I realized that I was down to less than half a bottle of water. I had two empties and just a few sips left. At this point, I started to think about the unknown that lies ahead... Maybe it gets steeper, what if there is no water up there, what if I run out and start panting, will I just run out of gas and roll back down to the bottom... Not a good feeling when you can still see the hill ahead winding up the mountain with no end in sight.

It was at this moment that a huge, shimmering white pickup truck came along. This is the Virginia hill-country equivalent of a gallant white steed, by the way. As he rolls by, we nod and ackowledge eachother. Just then, I see his brake lights come on and he slowly rolls back to where I am standing.

The driver is a man of probably 60 years, weathered like a man of closer to 75. From within the truck, he says to me, "How are you doing, son?"

Still panting a bit, I reply with as friendly an air as I can muster, "Oh, you know... Getting through it!"

I then heard him say in his rough but comforting southern drawl, "You got enough water there?"

Holding up my meager supply for him to see, I think I was trying to present myself as resilient and firm, but nonetheless dried out. I let out a little chuckle and said something like, "Oh, I'll live... Why? You got any water in there?"

He let out a complementary laugh to even the odds and shook his head. I never expected him to have it, but hey, he did stop. Just when I thought he was about to convey some standard southern salutation and drive off, he looked back over at me and said with twinking eyes and a little smirk, "How about an ice-cold Gatorade though?"

As I tried to process what he had said, the man stepped down from his truck and began walking toward the tailgate. I noticed he was wearing all white and walked like he was 10 feet tall. A slow but sturdy gait carried him to the back of the truck where he lifted the lid, opened a cooler and drew from it a glistening red bottle of salvation.

I had only just begun to comprehend what was happening. In my time of dire need, this man rolls by and offers me the best thing I could have possibly been offered. I thanked him and said, "You are really saving my day!" I couldn't think of anything else to say. It also occurred to me that while this man had stopped here, not a single vehicle of any kind passed going either way. We were just on the other side of a blind turn and still, he had no reservations about stopping.

As he handed me the Gatorade, he looked me in the eyes, paused for an instant and said, "Just remember to pass it along to someone else when you can."

I knew exactly what he meant, and I looked right back at him and promised that I would.

He climbed back into the truck, fixed his cap, and took off. Just as suddenly as he had come upon me, he was gone. Vanished into the woods. I couldn't hear his truck struggling up the hill like all of the others that had passed me before- he was just gone.

A couple minutes and a sip of Gatorade later, I began my ascent once more. Still reeling from the excitment of such a great gift, my morale was restored and I knew I would make it up the hill alive. And the trucks and motorcycles resumed as well.

When I got to the top, John was waiting or me like he said he would. I asked him if he had seen the truck or the man, and he hadn't. I told him that the truck was huge and bright white with lights all along the top and the guy was giving away Gatorades, but John had seen no such truck.

There is something amazing about me being stopped and out of water just as this guy happened to be driving by with a cooler of Gatorade. If I had left my motel half an hour earlier or later, this may never have happened... Or would it...

Anyway, I'm not saying that I believe a 900 year old man collected 80,000 different species of spider along with everything else and singlehandedly repopulated the earth after surviving a total genocide of the entire human race, but I am impressed with the way people's paths cross in ways that elude our understanding.

Alright. Sorry for the long one, hope you enjoy the story and don't forget to check out my other thing:

TrackMytour.com/2220

Location:Council, Va

Virginia Means Business

Another 90 mile day in the bank. This one was harder than yesterday, but it's important to rack up miles when I can just in case I encounter a miserable weather day or get held up somewhere. So far, the weather has been exactly the same each day- record breaking heat, no clouds, and humidity like it's going out of style. At some point, I would not mind a little drizzle, or even a cloud!

Anyway, nothing to significant happened today. I had my first fall (pathetic story) and I met another TransAm cyclist.

Karen is also a teacher, in her 50's and started off the trip with her sister. The sister gave up after two days of these Virginia hills, and didn't even get a chance to see the Blue Ridge Parkway! Either way, Karen decided to push ahead solo. She is the first female I have encountered along the way, and from what I've been told, probably the only female that will be travelling alone. They like to run in packs, or herds, depending on your view of women (just kidding friends and family!) for safety reasons. Karen decided she would regret giving up before she was defeated, so she plugs forward at a slow and steady pace. Not as slow as I thought though, because after meeting her, she actually caught up with me... And that brings me to the fall.

Every so often, there will be a steep hill at the top of a normal hill, just to make it as hard as possible. You can climb for a mile straight, and then right before it lets up, it hits you will a nice 16% grade. It was at one of these moments where I made the fatal error of stopping to get a drink. I guess my thought process was, "I'll get a good drink and then kill this thing!" As I tried to start back up, the hill was so steep that my bike just vested off to the side, did a u-turn and dumped me off. Luckily it was slow and I didn't go flying or anything, but it did crack the base of my mirror.

From that point, I collected myself, picked up the bike, looked it over, straightened a few things out and decided that my best option was to walk it the last 100 feet. It was probably the same speed as I could have pedalled it anyway. I got to the top and took another second to regain focus before getting back on. This was the point at which Karen caught up and left me in the dust! She really put me to shame on that one, but it was my own fault for stopping on such a treacherous hill.

I also noticed a lack of confidence for the next couple of hours whenever I had to start from a dead stop. Hopefully I'll figure that out.

I made it to Wytheville, achieved my 90 mile goal for the day, and popped into Subway to replenish some of the calories I burnt off. I had them make me an Italian sub with two chicken breasts, roast beef, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, oil & vinegar, and all the cold cuts. It was sweet. People looked at me funny, but some of those people were taking family photos at the Subway and having a bug family event. So who is really the weirdo? Still me, I guess.

I'm in a Motel now. Three days without a shower or a restful nights sleep merits one night in a cheap motel in rural Va. I can clean up, get a shave, and maybe even sleep a full 8-9 hours! I had a chance last night, but the spot that I was camping in suddenly became overrun by AT hikers. These guys are everywhere and they are nuts...

If you think I'm crazy, my whole trip is supposed to be about 55 days; these guys had already been out for 55 and had another 100 to go! Now THAT is commitment. They were pretty cool and we had a lot of stories and jokes to share about our trips, but they stayed up until about 10:30, and I usually try to get to bed around 8:30. It was cool to talk with some nut-cases for a while though. It really puts my thing in perspective. These guys all quit their jobs and walked off into the woods. They go for up to five days without seeing a store or a road. I was complaining about not finding water in over 20 miles and these guys are really out there in the woods drinking from leaves and streams.

Anyway, I am going to devote the next two hours to becoming human again (i.e. shower, shave, clean hair, brush teeth, and trim/clean nails). Those, by the way, are things that AT hikers abandon around the second week of their 22 week journey.






Glove/sock tan.

Location:Wytheville, Va

Train Race and Fun With Locals

Not as much to report on today's ride. Yesterday really turned out to be an odyssey. Today went by pretty much as I expected, and I made up for some lost mileage.

I set out to do 90 miles today and I nailed it. Most people leaving out of Vesuvius stop in Troutville, and I admit it was pretty tempting, but I pushed through to Catawba. I'm glad I did, too. It was an extra 30 miles, but I got a nice all-you-can-eat dinner, another cool camping spot and a jump on tomorrow. Those last 20 miles were tough, so I'm glad I won't have to do that tomorrow morning.

I had a little help from two gents perched at their spots in front of a store this morning. They asked me where I was headed and I showed them my map. They took one look and both started telling me a better way to go. I was a little hesitant to go off the trail because the whole point of it is to cater to bikers, but these guys were very adamant, so I considered their points and decided to go for it.

They assured me that it would be mostly downhill, shorter, and less traffic to go their way. I guess I'll never know for sure, but I did get to my lunch destination a lot earlier than I planned based on the mapped route and there were a bunch of fun downhills. I guess thats what this is all about though... Getting out there and figuring it out.

One of the roads I took zig-zagged across a train track for about ten miles. I guess they just couldn't figure out which side they liked. At one point I stopped for some water and right next to me, the train was gettig ready to go. I was eye to eye with the engine, and then he started to move. I stood for a second and marveled at the whole process... A mile of cars being pulled from a dead stop. Then it hit me, I better go before I end up waiting 15 minutes for him to get over my road!

I shot off and crossed over the tracks with time to spare, but then one glance at the map indicated that I would encounter this same situation another few times. I was going along the road right next to the train and gaining a little bit of ground on him as I went. I got to the next crossing and hit it with just a moment to spare. Same thing again.

Now, to be fair, it takes a train about 30 minutes to get moving at even a reasonable speed, so it's not as though I was narrowly avoiding catastrophe at every pass. I could have crab-walked back and forth across the track before he got there. But still... It was a fun distraction.

I saw that train again about an hour later when my path linked back up with the tracks. He was still going slow and pobably made a stop along the way. I hoped that the engineer could see me riding parallel after all that time. I know he saw me during the "race".

Some very steep climbs today, much steeper than anything I have yet seen, but very short. I actually ended up on the granny chain-ring and the biggest sprocket for a couple of hills. I know that may be too bike-technical to make sense for most people, but that's basically a 1:0.5 gear ratio. Every time I pedal a full revolution, the wheel only turns half way around. It's really slow. Even then I was wobbling.

I made it to Catawba, and now it's bed time. Now that I have my headlight, I can have a much easier time getting around tonight. Shooting for another 90-100 mile day tomorrow. We'll see.

Location:Catawba, Va

So Many Possible Titles...

Mirages... Not limited to the desert!

You know that old "feeling of accomplishment" people talk about?

Blue Ridge Parkway- not as nice as it sounds.

The list goes on...

Today was full of crazy thoughts, sights, and places. Oh yah, and a mountain.

I started off this morning at my friend's house in Charlottesville. Woke up around 5:30, on the road at 6:00. Would have liked to go earlier, but he did let me use his AeroBed... That was the hardest part of getting up this morning- parting with the luxurious comfort of the AeroBed. Alas, I knew I had a long day of climbs, so I had to do it.

Starting off hurt like usual, but it also went away like usual. Within the first few miles, the pain started to fade and I could focus on what would turn out to be the craziest day yet. Just from looking at the elevation profile on the map, the climbs were easily 5x steeper and longer than anything I had yet encountered. The first big hurdle was Afton, and then on to the actual mountain.

I had planned on taking all day to go these meager 56 miles, taking a serious break every couple of hours, staying hydrated and maintaining focus. I knew that the entire day would be one long climb (and it was), so I figured if I put in 2 hours on the saddle and one hour off, I could pace it out without dying. And in that goal, although it was a pretty close match between me and the Blue Ridge Parkway, I came out victorious, albeit a Pyrrhic victory at best.

50 straight miles of uphill sounds like a lot, but you don't really grasp the scope of it until you complete mile 1 and assess how you feel and then remember that there are 49 more that just get steeper. Every turn reveals another hill, and every peak turns out to be just a fifteen foot flat section leading up to the next hill. Lots of disappointments in that department. Basically, it was really just an endless climb all day. I could spend another hour trying to convey all of the analogies, thoughts, and examples of how grueling it all was, but hopefully you get the point.

The Cookie Lady

As bikers scale the first major climb of the trip, Afton Mountain, many things come to mind... Why would I do this? Wow, this hill is steep. It's got to level off eventually, right? But just as all hope seems lost, you turn a corner and there, shining like a beacon of salvation, stand a sign reading, "June Curry, Cookie Lady"

Ever since the trail began in 1976, this insane woman has been baking cookies, providing water, and even putting weary bikers up for the night in her "bike house." At age 89, she has slowed down a bit and enlisted the aid of a neighbor. She no longer bakes the cookies on regular, but does continue to offer her home and water to anyone passing through.

The bike house is completely coated with postcards, articles, bike gear, pictures, and anything else bike related. I mean coated. Every conceivable surface in the house is adorned with more than an appropriate abundance of paraphernalia collected for over 30 years. It's quite a sight.


Back to the Blue Ridge Parkway...

I started to see many things. Some real, some imaginary. One of which, and I'm almost positive it was real, was weathered, bearded woodsman emerging from the trees just as I approached. His clothes, having become the colors of the woods themselves, hung loosely upon his clearly malnourised and sickly body. His beard extended to his chest, and his hair appeared as one unified cloud atop his grizzled and sun-burnt face. This man had obviously been living in the hills for some time.

As I approached, he walked out into the road and into my path. I was sure I was about to experience my first run-in with a crazed back-woodsman. Still nearer I got, and I felt some intensity grow. At least with the dogs, I could just punch them in the face and scare them away, but who knows what this guy could be looking for.

We finally passed and he held out his arm and just said, "alright!" He was just a hippie lost along the Appalachian Trail. I had heard stories of these guys who start out hiking the AT, then two months later they just fall off the grid and become hunter-gatherer wild men. I even heard of one guy who hiked the whole 2000 miles barefoot. His feet looked like shoes. Totally black, skin thicker than leather, toes completely mangled.


A few miles later, I saw a real mirage. For hours I had been totally consumed by the anticipation of SR 56. This wonderful sign would indicate the end of my climb and the 4 mile descent into Vesuvius. I looked ahead and finally saw it. I could read the number. The shape was right, the colors, the number, the sign post- it was finally over!

Nope. As I got a little closer, it was actually nothing. I saw nothing. I still had about 7 more miles of straight climb.

There's no way I could describe how good it felt to finally see the end for real, so I'll just skip that part. The next thing to look forward to was a smooth 4 miles of steep, shade-covered, speedy descent. I had heard stories of people losing brake pads trying to control the speed. After climbing 3500 feet all day long, the last hill is 2000 feet straight down. It is STEEP. Imagine going to the craziest roller coaster ever, but having to carry the cart to the top. It was fast. I hit 35 mph. I could have gone much faster but I was riding the brakes all the way down. At those speeds, and with all that weight on the bike, one false move could literally mean death. That's not an exaggeration. Winding hills with cliffs at the outside of each turn. One bad patch of gravel, a twitch, a turn of the head, a slight turn of the handlebars could all cause the front wheel to slip and send you flying at 35mph off a cliff with another thousand feet to bounce down through the trees and rocks. I wanted to enjoy it, but even if I took it a little safe, it was at least I nice break for my legs.
I couldn't have planned a better end to that ride. So gratifying.

In Vesuvius, loaded up on food and drinks at Gertie's Store. They have bikers camp behind the building in a little field, and I was the only one for the night. My friend John has been going a little further than me each day and went on to the next town for the night. I had to wait till morning to pick up my package at the post office. Thanks to Jon Katz for helping out there.

After hosing off behind the owners house and having a really great chat, I set up camp and settled in for the night.

Location:Vesuvius, Va

Dog Chases, Hills, and Home Made Lunch

Only put in about 56 miles today, but this was my most hill-filled day so far. I look at the map ahead and realze this is nothing compared to what I will encounter in the second half of Virginia, but it's all relative. I have already noticed that I am conquering steeper climbs with greater ease than my first day. Each day get a little more mountainous, but so grows my endurance.

Places that I have been chased by crazy dogs: Italy, Puerto Rico, Virginia.

Apparently the concept of leashes has not yet been introduced to the proud people of Virginia's heartland. The dogs just roam around the yard until someone comes by and then they chase. Those things run fast, too! I was maxing out my gears and this one little guy stayed right on my tail for a good 50 feet. I'm not sure what a 13 pound dog plans to do with me when he catches up, but I didn't stick around to find out. Luckily, the bigger ones are noticeably slower. All in all, the last thing I need during an already challenging climb is someone chasing me, but at least it is a distraction.

Getting into Charlottesville was pretty nice. The steepest climb of the day was right at the town sign into the main area. The route went right by Monticello, the famous home of President Thomas Jefferson, and Ash Lawn, the home of James Monroe. To describe these simply as homes is a bit of an understatement, but to some people, 200 acres of rolling hills, trees, orchards, paths, ponds, houses and servant quarters is a home.

My old drumming friend Chris Garay (marched United '08) has taken me in for the night. He made a nice lunch of vegetables, eggs, bacon, and some crazy organic donuts from a local stand. It may seem like unhealthy food, but when you spend 6-7 hours on a bike each day, you want extra protein, carbs, and fat. These will give me the energy to keep moving, as well as help to repair and build muscle. Eating an omelet, donut, and bacon everyday and then not doing anything the rest of the day is where people run into trouble.

Not much else to report for today. Short riding day. Hope to recover a bit, rest up and be back on the road by dawn. Only thing to do tonight is go to the local bike shop and pick up chamois cream!

Location:Bolling Ave,Charlottesville,United States

Small Towns

It turns out that many of the "towns" on the map are really just signs on the road. John and I passed through about five different towns to find that there was really nothing there. No gas stations, no stores, no houses, no signs of life at all- except for the sign. Sometimes, that didn't even exist.

So yesterday we put in about 70 miles and today about 80. By the time we got to Mineral, I was just about done. I think that when your brain no longer processes information and your legs just ache, it's time to rest. We stopped into a local restaurant and got some food.

John decided to push on to Charlottesville (another 56 miles), but I just couldn't commit to that. My body isn't ready for a 130 mile day. I am not convinced that he'll make it either, but he has some family that he is scheduled to meet there who might come to pick up his gear for the last leg.

I think the distance I have gone so far is pretty respectable for the first two days. I'd like to push it longer, but at this point in the trip, it's more important that I listen to my body. I'll have plenty of days to top 100 miles, but it will take some more conditioning.


The fire house is pretty cool. I took a nice shower and did my laundry in the sink and now I am just relaxing in the lounge area. They have me sleeping upstairs in the banquet hall, but it's really hot. I'm debating whether to ask them if I could sleep somewhere down here, but I don't want to push my luck or seem ungrateful.

Oh well. I'll feel it out and see how it goes. Either way, it's another decent place to crash for the night. Tomorrow night, I'll be staying with a friend in Charlottesville, and then it looks like I'll have to start camping.

Tiring day, but nothing a good 9 hours of sleep won't mend. Bed time will be 8:30.

Location:Mineral, Va

What Goes Up Always Comes Down... Unless you are Virginia.

Day 1 is almost over.

I was very fortunate to meet a guy last night at the house I stayed in who is also biking the TransAm. He is going to Oregon (back home) but we decided to ride together for a few days. He plans to take a rest day with some family in Charlottesville, and I will keep moving in. I'm sure we will see eachother again though.

He has done most of this route before and is a lot more experienced than I am. He is kicking my ass on some of these climbs. And by the way, biking up hill for over a mile should at least have a payoff of a nice descent on the other side, but not in Virginia. It seems like we just keep going up and then levelling off. Oh well. I guess that's what it's all about.

Meals today included some granola bars, two bananas, a PB&J Bagel, lots of water and even some Gatorade. I bought some rice to make tonight and for the next few nights. Nothing like plain white rice to reset the mind and body!

We are staying in a church tonight. It's pretty nice, too. The lady who lives next door (by the way, all churches in Va have a lady that lives next door and has keys to the church) let us in and turned the AC down to 68! We were able to do a little laundry (in the sink) and clean up (also in the sink) and I took the time for a much-needed shave. The plan is to get to bed early and hit the streets again at dawn.

We traveled over 70 miles today, which is more than I planned. By the time we got to Glendale, the plan was to sit and relax for an hour and then go the extra 20 miles to Mechanicsville, but after we sat there for a little while, we realized that 70 miles for the first day is pretty good and we were feeling it. Even though we are ending early today, we decided it's worth it to take advantage of this awesome church, recover, and get some serious sleep.

Tomorrow will be a long day. The goal is Charlottesville.






The least know Apostle.

Location:Glendale, Va

Track My Tour

You can now go to this link:

Trackmytour.com/2220

to follow along with my trip. For as long as I have cell signal, I'll be able to plot all the places I stop and that website allows you to see exacty where they are on Google Maps.

I am trying to be diligent with it, but it's only day one. By day 20, it might be a different story. But at least now, if I die, you will be able to see the last place I charted on the map and you can get an idea of where my body is.

Arrival in Yorktown, VA

Thanks to Jeff and Marie for driving me down here!

After about six hours of driving, we arrived safely in Yorktown. The main area here is actually pretty nice. With the exception of a few confederate-flag-donning locals, the people seem to be inviting and courteous. I'll be spending my first night in an above-garage apartment that one of the residents allows bikers to use for free. It's beautiful, too.




The first day was not without issues, though. While the driving was good, the bike rack held up, and we made decent time, I did discover that I had left my helmet (with headlight) at home, so now I will have to get it shipped ahead for general delivery and go for a couple of days without.

Normally, I would just buy a new one, but everything is closed down here on Sundays, and I can't afford to stall for two days. So, I will ride at daylight and set up camp before the sun sets.


Now for what will probably be my last real shower for two months!

Why Bike Across America?

Most people react to the news that I am embarking on this trip with skepticism, doubt, shock, confusion, awe, or some combination thereof, but usually negatively. Common questions include, "Why would someone do that?," or, "Aren't you afraid of the [wilderness, cars, murderers, weather, distance, risks, unknown]?" The answers are pretty simple: "Why not" and "No".

"The country is not going anywhere, just do it next year." To this argument, I can only respond by loosely quoting Mark Twain- Rarely do we regret the things we have done as much as those which we have not done. There are always a million reasons to stick to the routine and "put off" our dreams, but if you never go for it, you'll find that the perfect time never comes. There will always be sacrifices to be made, so delaying in hopes that you might avoid this is senseless. I could think of plenty of reasons to stay indoors all day, but the risks we take just by walking out the door seem negligible when compared to the potential benefits. Just exaggerate that same concept as it applies to more grandiose endeavors.

This is not the best time to do this. My life isn't organized enough yet. There are too many open ends.

The reality is that those exact same excuses can be applied at any time in any persons life. The best time doesn't exist. You make it. Life will always be out of control and you will never be as organized as you wish. Every open end that you close just makes way for another.

Since there is no perfect time, now is just as good as any other time. Now is the time to do what you are driven to do.



As far as the wilderness, etc., people have dealt with far worse conditions than anything I could possibly encounter along the secondary roads of rural America. I actually look forward to challenges because I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment when I overcome. I have experienced the feeling of being an inch away from passing out, I have pushed through the heat when it seemed like I would collapse at any second. I try to embrace these chances to push my limits and test my endurance.

The Coast-to-Coast factor is just a convenient way of packaging what basically amounts to an epic journey. It's a goal, something to aim for, a clear finishing point. If I lived in Panama, a similar journey would be significantly less impressive, but the continental US just happens to provide a suitable distance for the time that I have.

I'm hardly a spokesman for following dreams and overcoming adversity, but this is what I can do for myself. This is what I can commit to and this can be my personal success or failure. It's out of the ordinary and it's full of mystery and difficulty, but this is what I can do to bring myself to the edge and create a self-defining moment. Everyone has different limitations and abilities, but this is what I can do.

The Gear

Rear Right Pannier:
Sleeping Bag
Mattress Pad
Tent
Sleeping Bag Liner








Rear Left Pannier:
Pots/Stove
Thermos
Spare Tire/Tubes(3)
Rag
Towels
Pillow
Camp Soap
Tent Poles/Footprint








Front Left Pannier:
Toiletry Bag
Rain Cape
Windbreaker Jacket
Maps
Sandals
Real Shorts
Spare Spokes








Front Right Pannier:
Bike Socks(6)
Bike Shorts(3)
Gym Shorts
Sunglasses
Arm Warmers
Jerseys(3)
Chain Lube
Scrub Pants








Handlebar Bag:
Gloves
Camera
Phone/charger
Lighter
Headphones
Key (bike lock)
Documentation
Knife
Cyclo-computer








Saddle Bag:
Multi-tool
Leatherman
Tire Levers
Spare Screws/Brake Pads
Rear LED Light








Attached to Frame:
Pump
Water Bottles








Cannondale Touring Bike
Helmet with Headlamp
Rearview Mirror (att. on brake lever)
Cable Lock (rear rack)





-Dynamo Hub (front wheel)










-Electrical Circuit for Charging iPhone via Dynamo (thanks to Matt Prockup, electrical engineer)






Fully Loaded.



Most equipment is designed for backpacking and is therefore very light and compact.