The Bike Blog
JGA and our clients have always benefitted from the expertise of our Adjunct Consultants. We like to keep tabs on them, and thought you might as well.
Recently, associate Thomas (Tom) King embarked on a 20-day, cross-country bike trip. King began his trip in Beaver Creek, Colorado and will end in Grandview Lake in Columbus, Indiana. King’s reason for biking cross country?
“I haven’t a clue. It just seemed like a challenge at 67 years old.”
While on the road, Tom stops to blog about his daily experiences. We found his blogs so captivating that we wanted to share them with you.
King has been active in volunteer management, community development and philanthropy throughout his career, and served as President of the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation for 8 years and the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce for 13 years. He has served as a volunteer for a number of community organizations including Big Brothers of Central Indiana, Goodwill of Central Indiana, Butler University, and The Indy Partnership.
The Final Blog: A Composite
Read Tom’s post-trip reflection as he comments on every aspect of the trip including physical, spiritual and psychological experiences – as well as some other favorite memories.
Day Twenty: Wednesday, September 16
The Moots bike and its jockey, affectionately known as “Moots Man” by his grandkids, descended his driveway on Grandview Lake. The Moots has landed.
It was a momentous occasion, but I had more fans in Kansas than were at the finish of this adventure. Verletta had gone ahead and was waiting when I arrived. And, Brian had taken the afternoon off and was here when the big ride ended. Scott and Greg have called sense to check to make sure I made it.
By 2:45 p.m., Verletta and I were sitting on the deck overlooking the lake with a celebratory beer and glass of wine. Grandview never looked so good!
Today’s ride from Bedford to Grandview was very nice. I took Indiana 58 just about all the way. It meandered up and down through Southern Indiana, and included such noted locations as Heltonville, home of Damon Bailey (those of you who are not Hoosiers might not recognize that name as one of Indiana’s basketball legends), and then on to Freetown for lunch.
Freetown is this little wide spot in the road where Indiana 58 and 135 diverge. There’s nothing there except The Freetown Grocery, a post office and an ice cream store. The grocery also is a cafe. But, it was noon and suddenly the place filled with 15 to 20 customers, who were greeted by their first name, by the mother and daughter proprietors. They served a very good hamburger.
Because they were resurfacing Indiana 135, I took Indiana 58 most of the way North until cutting across via back roads to Grandview. Without fail, however, I did make a wrong turn that took me to Ogleville, another small town about five miles out of my way. Fortunately, I recognized where I was and was able to find my way back. Total ride was 52 miles.
Well, the saga has ended. I rode 1,528 miles in 20 days while climbing the equivalent of 7 vertical miles. I will have to say that some of the prettiest and most interesting riding was in Southern Indiana, even though the cows in Kansas were much more attentive.
Verletta keeps quizzing me about why I did this and would I do it again. I don’t know that I can answer either of those questions. I do know that I’m glad I did it, and I’m feeling pretty exuberant right now and do have a sense of accomplishment. But, my body, particularly the knees, need to recuperate before hazarding an opinion on those questions.
One of the things I enjoyed most about this adventure is writing these daily e-mails and I appreciate all of you for reading them.
I plan to write one more in a couple of days to wrap up some thoughts about the trip and try to tie all this together.
Meanwhile, here’s a picture of SAGagewea with her official SAG wagon warning sign, and a picture of the triumphant “Moots Man” at the conclusion of today’s ride.
Thanks to all for your support.
Tom
Day Nineteen: Tuesday, September 15
We made it to Bedford, no thanks to the map I’m using. The main roads are fine, but none of the back roads shown do what the map says they do. So, once again, we spent a lot of time wondering around. Total mileage for the day was 72 miles.
The other thing I’ve learned is that none of the locals know the names of the roads. They just intuitively know how to get there. But, it’s difficult for them to render good directions.
Anyway, we left Jasper around 9 a.m. and made it to French Lick/West Baden for lunch. We had lunch at the West Baden Hotel. What a spectacular place that is. Bill Cook deserves a medal for the restoration of that place. I’m sure they appreciated a sweaty bicyclist coming there for lunch. But, I did show up and they served me.
After lunch, I tried to get to Paoli via back roads. The road I took went by Larry Bird’s former property, but the basketball court on the property no longer sports a Boston Celtics logo on it.
The road was characterized by a lot of compressed hills with fairly steep ups and downs. This road worked for half the distance to Paoli, but then the road I planned to take was gravel. So, I ended up on US 150 for the remainder of the ride to Paoli. Then, I went back roads again and got hopelessly lost. But, I ended up in Amish Country and saw a young man in a horse and buggy who looked at me on my bike as if I was unusual. There also were older men working in the fields with their hats on and horses pulling wagons upon which they were loading whatever it was they were harvesting. Their houses were all white, and very neat. I finally ended up on IN 37 for about 5 miles into Bedford. It had a nice wide shoulder, but the sounds of cars and trucks buzzing by takes away some of the ambiance of the ride.
There have been a lot of different experiences over the past 1,400 miles, but I’ll have to say that two of the most interesting, surprising and and unique experiences have been right here in Indiana, i.e. the serenity and peacefulness found in New Harmony, and the elegance of West Baden out in the middle of nowhere.
SAGagewea is doing fine but worries a lot when she can’t find a road intersection where we are supposed to meet. This is not her fault because none of the back roads do what the map says they will do, and if they do, they are named something different than what’s on the map. Anyway, we’re making our way and only have tomorrow left.
More tomorrow from Grandview!
Day Eighteen: Monday, September 14
Today was a 70-miler from New Harmony to Jasper.
After a hardy breakfast at the Main Cafe in New Harmony, I got on the road around 9 a.m. This was a little later start than was the pattern when Bill was on the ride.
Anyway, I am having to do some thinking for myself about the route, rest and lunch options. That’s always a danger when I have to think for myself. Anyway, SAGagewea, a.k.a Verletta, and I got along pretty well figuring out the back roads. The only real stress point was when one of the roads I selected was closed and I ended up on US231, a road that was a little too busy for my tastes.
By getting started a little later than normal, the winds had already picked up . . . and their direction, as you might guess, was directly out of the east.
This brings me to the subject of patriotism . . . it is alive and well in middle America. Many of the courthouses have multiple flags on display. Many farm houses, particularly in Southern Indiana, fly Old Glory. There has not been an absence of flags. The only problem is, they are all flapping beautifully toward the west. Just once before this trip ends, I’d like to see them blowing out to the east!
I did have an amusing encounter today with a road worker who was holding one of the signs at the west end of some road construction where they were stopping traffic because only one lane of the road could be used. I rolled to a stop where the young man stood holding the sign. I asked him how far Lynnville was. In my mind, I was about 12 miles away, but I wanted to confirm my thinking. The kid said, “I don’t know. Out on the interstate it takes about 15 minutes, but this here road might be a little quicker.” I didn’t have the heart to point out to him that I was on a bicycle.
Last Saturday, I encountered a similar construction situation where they were only allowing one lane to be used and alternating groups of cars going east and then going west. Well, the sign holder on the west end failed to tell the gate keeper on the east end that there was a bicycle in the group whose turn it was to go east. So, the sign holder let the cars traveling west go before I had covered the distance of the construction. So, I am facing all of this head on traffic for the last quarter mile of the construction. It was an attention-getter.
Verletta and I met for lunch in Lynnville. It’s funny how all these little towns always have a local restaurant with really good food. This one even made milkshakes, something I’m treating myself to because of the calories I am supposed to be burning.
We ended the day in Jasper, another great Southern Indiana town with a great German heritage. We had dinner at the Schnitzelbank Restaurant.
Tomorrow it’s off the Bedford by way of Patoka Reservoir, French Lick, Paoli and Orleans. We won’t be on back roads as much. So, we probably won’t be lost as much.
Yesterday I promised pictures of our crossing the Wabash River into Indiana. They are attached.
More tomorrow from Bedford.
Day Seventeen: Sunday, September 13
Day 17 started 40 miles from the Illinois-Indiana Border. I was anxious to get to Indiana, as was Bill. The land was reasonably flat, but the wind which has picked up over the past few days, was directly out of the east. It slowed us down.
We’re off the TransAmerica trail and sort of bushwhacking our way north and east. Bill picked out a good route, but there was a bridge out on one of the roads he selected that necessitated a bit of a detour.
We can’t quite figure out this wind thing. We have calculated that we’ve only had about 20 miles out of this entire trek when the wind has been with us. Go figure. The prevailing winds are supposed to be from the West.
Anyway, we crossed the Wabash River on Route 141 at 12:50 p.m. Finally, back to God’s country, Indiana. It was another 10 miles from the Wabash River to Mount Vernon where Verletta was waiting to take over the SAG duties.
Based upon input from some of you who are reading this daily stream of consciousness, I am going to call Verletta SAGagewea, after Sacagewea, the female guide for Lewis and Clark. I took some liberties with the first syllable in order to match the bicycling lingo.
After a farewell lunch on the Posey County Courthouse lawn in Mt. Vernon with Bill and Tonto, Verletta went on to check in at the New Harmony Inn and I rode my bike up to New Harmony.
What a neat place New Harmony is. We took some time to wonder around the town and then had a nice dinner and catch up conversation at The Red Geranium.
The ride with Bill and Tonto was fantastic, but I still have three days left to get to Grandview. I can’t lose forcus now.
Our plan is to ride to Jasper tomorrow, Bedford tomorrow night and Grandview on Wednesday. These will be three 60-to-65 mile rides. I’m cutting back a bit since we got Bill to Indiana before he had to leave the trail. He probably could have made Indianapolis if he hadn’t had my slow behind slowing him down.
I’ll send pix tomorrow of our crossing the Wabash into Indiana.
Anyway, today was a major milestone and I’m trying to maintain my focus despite the facts that I’ve made a sub-goal, i.e. getting to Indiana, and I’m being distracted by female company. Quite honestly, during the morning ride I kept counting the miles until I could see Verletta.
More tomorrow from Jasper.
Day Sixteen: Saturday, September 12
Today’s adventure started 4 miles west of the Mississippi River. We were excited about crossing the river and it was cool crossing it. It is a mighty big river and I’ve attached a couple of pictures taken on, and from, the bridge. We crossed over into the town of Chester, IL, where we learned something.
Chester, IL is the birthplace of Popeye. Just after we crossed the bridge, there is this little park with a bronze statue of Popeye and a bunch of information about him and his creator. But, there’s more! Not only is Chester, IL the birthplace of Popeye, but today was the annual Popeye Festival in Chester. So, we were trying to pedal our way through Chester in the middle of the annual Popeye Festival.
We were stopped as we approached main street by this rather authoritarian woman who wouldn’t let us proceed because there was going to be a 5k race coming our way sometime in the next hour. We asked if there was a way to get to the east side of Chester without going down main street. She responded, “Not without going up and down some hills.” We told her we thought we could handle the hills, but she still wouldn’t give us directions through town that avoided the race. Bill and I wondered through some side streets and found another point of entry onto Main Street. We convinced a policeman that our bikes wouldn’t be a problem for the runners. He allowed us to go ahead. So, we rode our bikes against the grain of the Popeye Festival 5k Run. It was a hoot.
After clearing Chester, we rode off to Murphysboro, where once again our Adventure Cycling directions were a little off. Bill, Tonto and I all ended up in Murphysboro in different locations and spent a half hour or so cell phoning each other to re-assemble our party. I came to the conclusion that we are just having trouble re-entering society and civilization. These major metropolis’ like Murphysboro and Carbondale are just more than we can handle.
After Murphysboro, we went to Carbondale for lunch. From there we abandoned the TransAmerica Trail to head north for our entry into Indiana tomorrow. Bill mapped out a pretty decent ride that took us through some lakes where there were a lot of people fishing. So, it was back to the countryside where we are much more comfortable.
And, speaking of the countryside . . . winter is coming, my friends. For several days now I’ve seen hundreds of wooly worms crawling on the roads. Just an observation that becomes more obvious when you’re staring at the ground while pedaling away for six hours a day.
We ended our ride about 9 miles east of Interstate 57 in Corinth, IL. Don’t bother to look it up, the place didn’t even have a sign on the road identifying it.
Tomorrow, we have about a 40-mile ride to the Ohio River and then about 10 miles to Mt. Vernon, IN. There, we plan to meet Verletta at the Courthouse in Mt. Vernon around 1 p.m. We plan to have lunch together and Tonto is going to “train” Verletta to be a scout. I wish him luck. I’ve been trying for 44 years.
Verletta and I have a room at The New Harmony Inn for tomorrow night and then I will begin figuring out how to get from New Harmony to Grandview Lake.
To date, we’ve ridden 1,300 miles, and Bill’s cycling computer calculates that we have climbed 6.8 vertical miles during our 16 days of riding. No wonder my knees are sore.
I am anxious to see Verletta, but will have mixed feelings about Bill and Tonto leaving the trail. They both have been absolute delights since I picked them up Aug. 27 at the Denver Airport. We’ve made a pretty compatible team both on and off the bikes. I’ve gained two good friends and shared a very unique experience with them. I’m particularly glad we are making it to Hoosier soil before Bill has to return to the reality of work.
More tomorrow on the transition from Tonto to Verletta. I’ve got to think of a name for her in her new role.
Day Fifteen: Friday, September 11
Today was a relatively easy ride physically, but frustrating mentally.
We rode 90 miles, but the ups were not as many and, for the most part, not as severe. We did have to climb a couple of 11% grades, but most of the morning ride was down through this nice valley. We started in Centerville. One of the pictures I’ve attached was taken at the conclusion of yesterday’s ride of Bill and me in front of the Court House in Centerville.
While riding through the valley, I ran into some fellow cyclists, Pearce and Rick. They’re from Missouri and only had been on the road one day. They are headed for San Diego. Pearce had done the ride last year and was doing it again this year. I’ve attached their picture as well. These guys are going unsupported and I can’t imagine what it would be like to climb some of these ascents fully loaded like they are.
Just before our first break in Granitville, MO, I saw a pretty run down house. On the front lawn was a Confederate Flag. Another Confederate Flag was hanging from the front porch by its two upper corners with the words, “It ain’t comin’ down,” printed on it. It’s the first sign of the old South I’ve seen. The sad part is that you felt like this guy meant it.
The frustratingly mental part of the ride was that both Bill and I independently thought we were lost for a good part of the day. The Adventure Cycling maps have been so good and have kept us off busy highways. But, that wasn’t the case today. They put us onto Route 32 into Farmington, MO. Route 32 is a four-lane limited access highway with a wide shoulder for cyclists that was not well maintained. It kept your attention getting across the exits from and entries to the highway. It was one of the rare times I was a little insecure with the situation. And, I thought that I must have missed a turn or something. I hadn’t, but I plan to write Adventure Cycling and suggest a better route into Farmington.
The second incident was in the countryside and several of the towns listed on the map did not have signs identifying them. At one point, I had gone down a 3-mile descent and thought that I was going to have to turn around and go back up because I missed a turn. I called Bill on the cell phone and he had the same concern, but had found the turn just .5 miles farther down the road from where I stopped to call him. I’ve learned that in order to have a road sign identifying a town, a post office has to be located in the town. Anyway, just one of the frustrations of an adventure . . . only a three mile miscue can be costly, especially if the course required to correct it is a 9% grade uphill climb.
Finally, I’d like to comment on the folks we share the road with, motorists. On the back roads, they have been extremely courteous. Most of them, particularly in Missouri, will stop behind and follow you until there is a safe place to pass. When they do pass, they usually make sure you have most of the lane to yourself. Some of the motorists either wave or give you a friendly honk.
There are exceptions, however. Bill had a trucker hauling logs lay on the horn for a minute or more wanting him to leave the road. But, the experience on Route 32 was not the same as the courtesies we have found on the back roads. Don’t worry, we were very careful.
We ended our ride in St. Mary’s, just five miles from the Mississippi River. Tomorrow we cross the Mississippi into Illinois. Our goal for tomorrow is lunch in Carbondale and overnight someplace 40 miles beyond Carbondale. This will set us up to make Mt. Vernon, IN on Sunday. Bill can then declare victory and head back to the office on Monday. Verletta plans to meet me in Mt. Vernon on Sunday and provide the SAG support the rest of the way to Grandview. I’m looking forward to seeing her.
I’ve attached a couple of other pictures I’ve taken in the Ozarks:
1. Bill and me at the Centerville Courthouse.
2. Pearce and Rick
3. One of the pretty rivers we crossed over in the Ozarks (but you quickly learn that pretty rivers are warnings of long and steep ascents out of the valleys they are created over time.)
4 A welcome sign to bikers. It’s finally downhill!
5. Bill and I leaving Kansas.
More tomorrow from Illinois.
Day Fourteen: Thursday, September 10
We’re still in Missouri and today was our biggest climbing day of the trip. It was bigger by 100 feet than the first day when we climbed both Vail and Hoosier passes in Colorado. We climbed something like 5,130 feet. We descended about 500 feet more than we climbed. But, I keep wondering why Missouri can’t find some nice flat trail along some river instead of going up and over every damn mountain in the state.
Yesterday I talked about how steep the inclines were. I referred to the pitch in degrees. I should have been referring to them in terms of percent. Anyway, today we encountered four ascents of 15% before lunch. It was a good excuse to have some blackberry cobbler with ice cream with my lunch. After lunch, the hills tamed themselves to 11% and 12%. It was a big day. We covered 85 miles going up and down these monsters. I’d never have guessed that our biggest climbing day would have been in Missouri and not Colorado.
We ended our ride in Centerville, a cute little county seat in the middle of the Ozarks.
Today’s ride started in Houston, MO in the parking lot of the First Christian Church. As we were getting our bikes ready, a young guy came out with Levi’s, boots and a brown and yellow Wyoming t-shirt on. He asked where we were from and where we were going. He said that during the summers many of the bikers traveling through camp on the church’s lawn.
After our conversation, we were off to Eminence, some 42 miles away, for lunch. I had a couple of encounters with some dogs, but again, I was on a descent and they gave up pretty quickly. Upon my approach into Eminence, there was this guy sitting on the porch of a rather run down white house. He yelled from the porch, “Did you have any trouble with the dog when you were coming into town?” Since my encounters had been several miles back, I yelled back that I hadn’t. He then yelled back that every morning when he goes out to “walk his cow, that damn dog gives me trouble.” I’m thinking, who in the hell walks a cow on a daily basis?
The other amusing dialog with the local folks occurred when we checked into our hotel. We’re in Effington, MO (pop. 1,045), and there’s only one motel in town. In fact, it’s the only motel within 50 miles. Tonto checked it out and we got the last two rooms they had available for the night. When we checked in, Bill said that he understood that we had gotten the last two rooms that were available and that it must be a pretty good week to be in the hotel business in Effington. The young lady replied, “Yes, there’s been a number of funerals in town lately and that’s good for our business.” I’ve never thought of funerals as a market driver for the motel business, but in Effington it apparently is.
I don’t know what people do around here. We’re in the Ozarks and the farms seemed to have disappeared. The scenery is beautiful. So, I guess that there’s some tourism. There has been a number of Canoe liveries and we’ve seen people canoeing and rafting on the crystal clear rivers. But, other than tourism, there doesn’t appear to be too many economic drivers.
Well, tomorrow we’re shooting to make it to Chester, IL. That will be a 90-mile+ haul and the elevation profile on my Adventure Cycling map suggests that there are more “hills” in store. So, it’s 8:45 p.m. here and time for me to fall asleep.
Day Thirteen: Wednesday, September 9
Today, we crossed over the 1,000-mile mark since we left Beaver Creek 13 days ago. We’ve ridden 1,001 miles. The riding was more roller coaster riding like I described yesterday, only with the added challenge of rain.
We started out with a very light rain which was actually quite comfortable. It kept us cool. Then we stopped for lunch in this little town where I had a breaded tenderloin sandwich and a piece of homemade banana cream pie. It was delicious, and I’ve been eating like that regularly. I hope I can stop it when I quit burning 5K calories a day. Anyway, we emerged from the restaurant to find a very steady rain. We rode in that rain for the next hour. It makes things a bit interesting, especially the descents.
The hills here in Missouri are formidable. We regularly encounter inclines of 8, 9, 10 degrees, and experienced one today of 11 degrees and one yesterday of 13 degrees. To put that in perspective, Vail and Hoosier passes were generally around 6 degrees with but one short climb at around 10 degrees on Vail Pass. And, believe me you can tell when the angle of ascent changes by a degree or two. They are what I refer to as a “grunt.”
For those wondering how we know the angle of ascent or descent, Bill’s bike computer calculates it while he’s riding. His bike computer does everything but blow in his ear, and I’m not sure it doesn’t do that as well. What else would motivate him to ride so fast?
This morning while we were having breakfast at the motel, this group of motorcycle tourers were talking about something they would like to do some evening when they weren’t tired from riding 180 miles. It was all I could do to keep from saying, “You wimps, we’re doing almost half that on our bicycles.”
As far as sites today, we did travel through some Amish areas. Bill pulled alongside a woman and her two daughters in their horse and buggy, said hello and was on his way. When I came by, the buggy was in the barnyard. The mother was carrying a pale of something and there was this handsome Belgian draft horse standing close to the barn. It was a very picturesque scene. I did not stop to take a picture because it was raining. I wish I had.
This caused me to think about the number of churches I’ve seen in the rural parts through which we’ve traveled. There seems to be a lot more churches than it would appear the population could support. Some of these little drink-water towns have 2 or 3 churches, and the town will have a population of 300 or less. And the churches are all functioning churches. The only enterprise that might equal the number of churches could possibly be auto repair shops. Seems like there are more auto mechanics in these parts than are possibly needed. Oh well, whether its churches or auto repair, I guess these folks have gotten it figured out.
Also, there seem to be more donkeys and/or mules per capita in these parts. There are a lot of farms with cows, horses, goats and chickens, but mixed in with this menagerie of creatures are the donkeys and mules. We stopped for one of our breaks the other day with Tonto and there was this donkey across the road heehawing so loud that it distracted us from our conversation.
Well, I’m starting to discuss the critters I’ve been associated with these past two weeks and some of my friends are starting to make fun of my interest in their lives. So, I’ll sign off until tomorrow.
Day Twelve: Tuesday, September 8
Today’s ride can best be described as hills, heat and humidity. But, no wind!
We started our ride in Runnelsville – “the small drinking community with a farming problem.” Our first rest stop was in Pennsboro, MO. As we were pulling out from our short stop, a old man in an ‘84 Blue Chevy Pick-up pulled up alongside and asked, “How far you riddin’ so far?” He had an oxygen apparatus around his face. We told him about 13 miles. He then said, “Where you goin’?” And we responded Fair Grove, a ride of about 71 miles on top of the 13 miles we’d already ridden. The old man said, “You fella’s better get husslin’ because its gonna get hot.” He was right.
It got up to 86 degrees today and the humidity prompted the sweat to flow. I drank 1 and 3/4 gallons of water during todays 84-mile ride.
The topography has changed dramatically. The rolling hills of Kansas have become sharp and more pronounced. It was our second biggest climbing day, 3,900 feet. We descended about 2,900 feet. It was like a roller coaster on bicycles. Screaming 200-foot downhills, only to be met by what appeared to be walls to climb shortly after reaching the bottom. It’s challenging, but fun riding.
The dogs in this part of the country have proven themselves not to be all that bright. I had two encounters today and they were both after I had started down one of the screaming descents. The first chase started after I had already reached a speed of 33 mph. I figure if he caught me at that speed, he deserved a nip. He didn’t get close. The other encounter, also after I had started another screaming descent, was simply a preemptory bark without even an attempt to engage. At least he was smart enough not to waste the effort. If I had been going the other way, like many who ride the TransAmerica Trail do, I’d have been in trouble.
Also, more on the matter of road kill. There’s lots of it in Missouri. But, I wasn’t aware that there were armadillos in Missouri. I’ve seen armadillo road kill through most of Kansas, but for some reason thought they didn’t exist this far east. Not true. They do and they do not have a good track record against the automobile.
I think I’ve told you about Bill’s father, but not much about Bill, my riding companion. Many of you know him.
Bill is the principle at Ratio Architects. He’s really a strong rider. Bill and I start the today riding together and discussing the things that are of mutual interest, of which there are many. We pretty much stay together until there’s a hill. Then, even with him drafting, it is difficult for me to keep up. Rather than hold him back, I’ve told Bill that I’d be more comfortable if he’ just take off and just wait for me at the breaks. I’m too winded to talk anyway.
So, Bill takes off and we meet up with Tonto at the breaks.
Bill and I have a lot of mutual interests and philosophies. It is most interesting to ride through some of the more prominent towns along the way and here his commentary on the local architecture.
There are a lot of Carnegie Libraries in these Kansas and Missouri towns, along with some distinctive old hotels and train depots that have been kept in top notch condition. He points out National Register of Historic Places plaques and architectural details on old school buildings, bridges, courthouses and prominent public and private buildings. It allows me to see these communities through a set of eyes that are trained much differently than mine.
Our meal and dinner conversations are most interesting to me. And, the dinners are especially enjoyable because Bill likes to find the best non-franchise local restaurant for our dinners. We’ve found some very good places despite the remote locations for our adventure.
According to Bill’s cycling computer, he’s using between 4,400 and 5,400 calories a ride. But, don’t worry, this guy can eat more than any grown man I’ve known and still not gain weight. He devours his meals.
I wish I could keep up with him on the trail, but I’m giving away 18 years and a whole lot of talent. But, I know that I wouldn’t be ahead of schedule like we are if it weren’t for Bill. I appreciate his willingness to drag this old man along through this adventure. He’s a man for all seasons and the last two weeks of getting to know him better have been one of the benefits of this trip. Always positive. Always focused (whether it’s riding or eating.) And, always committed to performing at the best of his ability. He and his dad have both been a major part of the team effort to get this 67-year-old body back to Indiana on a bicycle.
That’s it for today. More hills are in store for tomorrow. Gotta’ rest up for them.
Day Eleven: Monday, September 7
We’re not in Kansas anymore! After 7 days, we finally crossed over into Missouri.
We ended our ride where County Road 126 intersects with with State Road 43. Tonto found a nice shady tree next to a hitching post (seriously) and was dutifully waiting for us. I’ve come to appreciate that white Honda Odyssey with Tonto standing beside it. It has become the prettiest site I’ve seen since we left the mountains. It means it’s quittin’ time.
There was a ramshackle building at the 126/43 intersection that was a combination hardware, farm implements and convenience store that sold cold drinks. There was not a town listed on the map for the intersection nor any signs on the road indicating there was a town there. Bill and I went in to the establishment to see if they had Iced tea. The proprietor was a heavy guy in his 30’s who welcomed us saying, “Welcome to Runnelsville, the center of the universe.” We said, “Really, we’ve always been looking for the center of the universe.” He responded, “Well, that’s Runnelsville,” as he pointed to a hand carved signed that read: “Runnelsville – A small drinking community with a farming problem.” That was our welcome to Missouri.
The day itself was pretty routine. Cool morning. A little fog to start with, but nothing like what I wrote about earlier. It burned off around 9 a.m. and there were blue skies and continued cool weather until Noon. Then, it heated up a bit to the 80’s. It’s the first day we’ve not had overcast skies since we left Colorado.
Yesterday and today, I noticed that there was a little more humidity in the air. Not bad, but not the dry heat of Colorado and Western Kansas that evaporates perspiration immediately.
We didn’t see any other riders today. We did see the first wheat being grown since we started our journey. About the only diversion from the day’s routine was a race on two separate occasions with some dogs. The first race involved me and two dogs. They barked a lot but kept about three feet from my leg . . . not a very serious attempt compared to this dog down at Grandview who forces me off my bike every time I ride by. The second encounter was a little more formidable in that he had stamina. He chased me for about .1 of a mile . . . never snapping, but always within snapping range. Of course I speeded up on both occasions, while talking calmly to them telling them they’re ok and to go on home. The technique works . . . at least it has so far. The residual benefit of these encounters with the dogs is that it causes me momentarily to forget how sore my knees are.
I ice them before riding in the morning, when we stop for lunch and then in the evening while I’m writing this e-mail. The icing and lots of Aleve are getting me through this trip. Of course, I’ll probably have to have a liver or kidney transplant when I get back from all the drugs.
Back to the dogs . . . Bill had the same experience I did with the pack of two. He did not experience an encounter with the dog with all the stamina. We figured that Bill is fast enough that the dog didn’t want to waste his time, but that he saw me a slower fresh meat.
For those who think this life on the road is one of leisure, I thought I might give you an idea of the daily routine:
1. Up at 5:30 a.m.
2. Take care of morning hygiene requirements, including preparing your sitting area with several concoctions to prevent rash.
3. Suit up for the days ride.
4. Go to breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and load up on food.
5. Back to the room to get luggage.
6. Load up the car and prepare the bikes for the ride.
7. Begin riding around 8 a.m..
8. Meet Tonto about two hours out to refill water bottles and eat a mid-morning power snack.
9. Meet for lunch anywhere from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
10. Resume riding 45 minutes after stopping for lunch.
11. Meet Tonto to refill water bottles and eat some sort of energy bar. I really don’t like them.
12. Stop riding around 4 p.m.
13. Go to the motel.
14. Call Verletta and report on the day’s ride
14. Shower and wash out clothes worn for the day’s ride.
15. Go to dinner around 6:15 p.m.
16. Go back to the room and write this daily journal.
17. Fall asleep around 9 p.m., usually with an ice pack on my knee.
How’s that for excitement on the road?
So far, Missouri looks alot like Indiana. The farm/ranch houses are closer to the road, allowing the dogs to lay in wait. It’s supposed to get real hilly the day after tomorrow. You can be sure I’ll report when it does.
Thanks for your interest.
Day Ten: Sunday, September 6
It was another 82-mile day, mostly into the wind. I averaged a little over 13.5 mph. Bill was in the 15 mph range.
The terrain is mostly rolling, although not as pronounced as the last two days. We descended more that we ascended and for the first time since we left Beaver Creek in Colorado, we are under 1,000 feet in altitude.
The sunflowers along the side of the road are not as ubiquitous as they have been the past five days. There still are some, but there are other flowers in the mix.
We saw soybeans in the field for the first time. Up until now it has been corn and milo.
The only other bicyclists we saw today were a couple of recent graduates from Ole’ Miss who couldn’t find jobs after they graduated and are riding to Oregon, self-supported, and then down through California to, in their words, “find out if there’s any action out there.” I presume that means work.
The surprise of the day was a deli we found in Toronto, KS, where we had lunch. Toronto is a little backwater town near a lake where there’s fishing and hunting. There’s not much going on in Toronto, but this cafe was full and the food was great. The proprietor said that she drew customers from three or four different counties around her. I took pictures of her cafe, but I couldn’t import them into the computer.
I know that yesterday I mentioned the adoring fans who come to the road to show their appreciation for our herculean trek. I’ve attached some pictures of some of the fans who turn out in numbers to see us ride.
I think that I’m a favorite among the fans. The make of my bike is ‘Moots” and I hear cheers of, “Mooooooots, moooooots” constantly as I ride by. Again, I’ve attached pictures of some of the fans and a picture of my bike just so you will know that I’m not making this stuff up. They really like me.
Tomorrow we should make it to Missouri. We’ve been in Kansas seven days. The riding has been good, but I’d never have guessed that the wind would not have been with us for most of the time. Maybe the winds in Missouri will be kinder. I’m anticipating that the hills will be more severe according to the profile on my Adventure Cycling map.
Day Nine: Saturday, September 5
Today’s report will be about Neal, squirrels, road kill and something of a challenge that I have only hinted at in the previous two e-mails; that is, riding 70 miles on a bicycle with the “green apple quick step.”
First, Neal. Bill and I ran into Neal, a Brit from London who is riding across America unsupported (that means he’s carrying everything with him) from East to West. He started in Maine and will end up in Southern, CA. He’s been at it since July 7. He’s in his ’50’s. I asked him why he was doing it and he said he wanted to fall in love with his bike again and he wanted to see America this way.
I’m not sure I’m falling in love with my bike, but it is a close up and personal way to see America. You become so aware of the changes in terrain, the wild flowers along the road, the differences in road surfaces and the difference in the cattle.
As far as terrain, we’re in Kansas and this was our third biggest climbing day. We climbed 1,139 feet and descended 1,084 feet in 87 miles of travel. Go figure. Kansas is supposed to be flat, right?
Small sunflowers have lined the roads through most of Kansas, but they are beginning to share their space with a very pretty white daisy.
Road surfaces make a big difference to bike riders. We went across one rather long section that had been roughed up for repaving. It slows you down at least 1 mph. Road surfaces also are a clue as to local materials that are available in the region and they indicated to prosperity of the county.
And the cattle . . . Kansas cattle are much more active. They line the road in groups. They get up and stare at you when you pass. Some of them run along when they see you. Indiana cattle don’t do that . . . maybe because they see too many people, but these do and they respond. I pretend they’re fans cheering us on. You’ve got to play those kinds of games to keep yourself focused.
A couple of other observations, there are a lot of Mennonite Churches out here, as well as oil wells. In some areas farther west, there are more oil wells than trees.
Next, are the squirrels. We haven’t seen a squirrel since we left the Rockies. But, today, just west of Newton, KS, Bill and I both observed, “Look, there’s a squirrel.” I hadn’t noticed that i hadn’t seen a squirrel until today. But, when we saw one, it was like seeing an old friend.
That leads me to road kill. There’s lots of it. The rattlesnakes we saw in Eastern Colorado were replaced by muskrats and skunks as we moved east. The second squirrel we saw was road kill. The other critter we find squished on the road are frogs, more than you can imagine. We’ve been following that storm that has been sweeping across the plains. It has provided some very cool and overcast days for us, but also a lot of water that is bringing the frogs out, and they’re not doing very well in their battle with the automobile. Anyway, I’ve never seen this many frogs in Indiana.
Finally, I’ve hinted over the past few days of an upset stomach. That has been an understatement. But, every good story has to have some adversity in it, and believe me this has been all the adversity I want on this trip. Yesterday and the day before, I had the worst case of “the green apple quick step,” as my mother used to refer to it. That I can remember. Now, think about riding 140 miles (70 yesterday and 70 the day before) with that condition. We cut each day short because of my problem. But, there are lessons to be learned from adversity. Cyclists need to carry toilet paper, which I did because I was aware of the condition before we started riding. Second, bib riding skins (pants) are not the best attire when riding with this condition. (You have to take your shirt off before removing the skins.) Nevertheless, I learned to make a very quick stop, dismount, shirt removal and assessment of privacy. In fact, if there would be a competitive event for this series of actions, I think I have trained myself to be a world class competitor in the event. Fortunately, there’s not much out here that causes concern for privacy but the cattle, and they seemed to understand, or at least not care. I also learned that I can’t be without Verletta. She talked me through a couple of different remedies by phone that have cleared the condition. Sorry to burden you with this inelegant matter, but I would have been less than authentic if I hadn’t documented it as part of the trip, because for the past two days it has been a very big part of the trip. Even though we cut our rides short on Days 7 and 8, I told Bill I was going for the Mental Attitude Award simply by riding those two days.
Today’s ride was much more pleasant. Rolling hills, no stomach cramps and an up and a down about every mile. The wind was in our face for 71 of the 87 miles. It was not much of a wind, but when we turned and got a quarter wind at our back, our speeds went from 12 mph average to 17 or 18 mph average. I shouldn’t say “our” because Bill is much stronger than I am and he rode the 87 miles in about an hour less than I did.
Well, that’s my report for today. We’re planning another 85-mile plus day tomorrow. We think we deserve a wind from the west one of these days. Maybe tomorrow we’ll get it.
Day Eight: Friday, September 4
Day 8 of the trip was much like Day 7: farms and ranches, friendly
people and increasing numbers of trees that were not planted by man.
They grew naturally. The soil in the middle of Kansas is rich black soil, unlike the light-colored soil in western Kansas. The people
continue to be friendly. The bikes seem to draw their attention.
Everyone wants to know where we started and where we’re going. They look at us kinda’ funny when we tell them. But, they always wish us safe travels. I don’t think we’ve made a stop that someone hasn’t approached us to learn about what we’re doing.
Yesterday, we met Randall, who saw us pulled over in a filling station as he was driving by in his pick up. He pulled in just to talk to us and tell us that there was a better route than the one recommended by Adventure Cycling. Randall’s wife, “the redhead in there,” as he referred to her, managed the restaurant that was in the filling station. It was no Interstate Gas Station/Restaurant. Now Randall didn’t appear to be the brightest bulb in the box, but he did like to talk. He’d been a truck driver. His son was leaving for the Navy. His son wrecked his motor cycle last weekend. And, mixed in with all this were his directions for the better route. We decided to take his advice. So, we departed from the Adventure Cycling trail upon the advice of a total stranger and it proved to be one of the best roads we’ve been on . . . no traffic, smooth surface and more direct. His mileage estimates on where to turn were spot on accurate. When we left Randall, he still had Tonto cornered and we feared we might never see our scout again.
Tonto did eventually escape and Randall’s route has returned us to the Adventure Cycling trail, but his route allowed us to avoid 68 miles of travel with no services available.
While on Randall’s route, we ran across the site of Kansas’ State Fair. It’s in the middle of nowhere, Nickerson, KS. Alongside the road we were on were about a dozen camels that I presume were there as part of the fair. I was shocked to see camels in Kansas.
I’ve learned a lot about the Kansas State Fair the last few days.
Not all the county fairs are held before the state fair, a matter of considerable controversy judging from the number of times the matter is mentioned.
The weather today was cool. We had a little rain for a short while, but not enough to cause us to stop. We covered 70 miles and averaged about 14.5 mph. I’ve cut down on the Gatorade because of an upset stomach. So, no Gatorade was consumed today. I did drink about a gallon of water.
One sign that we are slowly returning to civilization is that the golf courses are looking better. We’ve seen some pretty grim excuses for golf courses along the way. The Rush County Country Club, for example, is a flat piece of ground with beige fairways and rough and semi-green greens. It doesn’t have a Clubhouse, but rather 50 or more outdoor lockers, each of which looks like an outhouse. We saw that yesterday.
Today, we saw a course with some terrain to it, with green fairways, rough and greens. I presume the black soil provides better nutrients for the greenskeeper to work with.
Well, enough for today. Again, if you do not want this stuff cluttering your mailbox, let me know. I won’t be offended.
Day Seven: Thursday, September 3
Our original plan was to take each 7th day off, but we determined that there might not be anything to do in Ness City, KS, although it is the home of the “Skyscraper of the Prairie”, a four story stone building that once was a bank. So, we took an “easy” (Bill’s adjective) 60-mile ride. My only comments about the ride would be to emphasize the friendliness of the people along the way, and the fact that we started to see stands of trees after we stopped for lunch in Rush Center, KS. This is a big deal. We’ve seen an occasional tree, but not a stand of trees since we left the mountains five days ago.
Regarding the friendliness of the people. I had to go to the bathroom as a result of a stomach flare up from a fish sandwich I had for lunch yesterday. I’ll spare you the details of that. But, I’m in the middle of nowhere and need to find a bathroom. I see this guy mowing his lawn. I stopped and asked him if I could use his bathroom. He said, “Sure, the back door’s unlocked.” So, I go to the back door. He never got off his lawn tractor. I used his bathroom. Got back on my bike and waved. He waved back and off I went. So, they’re friendly and trusting.
I also thought I might share some of the physical aspects of this venture.
First, something always hurts. It is not always the same thing, but something always hurts. In the beginning, it was the back of my upper arms and the muscles between the shoulder blades. These two areas take a lot of the shock from the road.
My hands have been a problem from the start. The fourth and fifth fingers of both hands seem to be a little numb.
My crotch (if you’ll allow me to discuss it) is tender for the first two or three minutes of each ride, but is not as sore and many of you have suggested it would be.
I don’t have much of a problem with my feet, but that is Bill’s primary physical issue.
So, most of the areas that are tender are related to the points of contact with the bike.
For me, the only irritation that is not at a point of contact is my knees. I take ibupropen regularly and ice my knees almost every night and that seems to ease the soreness. I’m open to suggestions to remedy this problem if some of you riders who are getting this daily blab have any answers.
I thought I’d provide this information just to be authentic about the pain that goes with the gain. All-in-all, however, it’s been worth it.
Today’s stats: 60+ miles, Average Speed – 14 mph (due to my stomach issues, 1 gallon of water and 1 quart of Gatorade.
Today’s picture: My view of Colorado and Kansas. Some of you might recognize it as Bill Browne’s butt. Note the “stand” of trees on the right. This was a very exciting moment in today’s ride.
Day Six: Wednesday, September 2
Today was a challenge.
We started at our usual 8 a.m. starting time. There was some light fog in the town we stayed in, but it was manageable. We put our blinker tail lights on and began our ride. As soon as we left town, the fog rolled in. There was so much moisture on my sunglasses and helmet that I had to take the glasses off and watch the condensation drip from my helmet. Bill’s dad (Tonto) was concerned and was riding behind me with his blinkers on. I was concerned that someone would come along and rear-end him, or have a head-on collision with an on-coming car while trying to pass him. I wanted to quit, but Bill Jr. was out of sight in the fog. Bill Sr. and I agreed that I would carefully continue along on the bicycle lane alongside the road and that he should chase down Bill Jr. and stop him. It was the first time on this trip that I have been insecure about the safety of the circumstances. Bill Sr. went off to find Bill Jr. and I carefully continued along the shoulder bike path. In about a quarter of a mile, I came upon Bill Jr. and Sr. on a side road. Bill Jr. had had a flat. Now, I don’t wish a flat tire on anyone, but if you’re going to have one, that was the time. It got us off the road and while Bill fixed his flat, the sun burned off the fog and we were on our way. I’m convinced that flat was divinely inspired. It became a much better ride after the fog lifted. I’m not telling this to cause anyone concern. I’m telling it because of the coincidence of when the flat occurred. You’re free to draw your own conclusions as to what caused it.
Anyway, we rode 40 miles in the morning at an average of just under 16 mph average. Then that damn fickle wind started coming straight at us. We were going downhill, but the wind erased any advantage of the descent. At one point I stood up to rest my you-know-what because I was on a noticeable downhill section. The wind was so strong that it stopped me. We rode 32 miles in the afternoon in that stuff and finished our total 72 miles with an average speed of 15.4 mph. The wind when it is against you really saps your energy.
Kansas, while green, is still desolate. We didn’t see any other riders today, but did run into a very nice guy who owned the Tasty Freeze in Dighton, CO where we had lunch.
I’ve been getting requests for pictures. So, I am going to try to attach a couple.
The first is of Bill and me at the summit of Hoosier Pass.
The second is of Bill Sr. at the start of the trip at Beaver Creek.
The third is at a restaurant that was closed in Olney Srings where we concluded Sunday’s ride.
The fourth is of Bill and I at the beginning of the ride.
And the fifth is of Kathryn, the 72-year-old cowgirl who maintains the outhouse and picnic table across the road from her house in Arlington, CO.
The sixth is the “West Wing” of the Tasty Freeze in Dighton, CO. The picture doesn’t do it justice.
More tomorrow. Let me know if you’ve had enough.
Day Five: Tuesday, September 1
The first half of the day was in Eastern Colorado and the second half in Western Kansas. Yesterday I told you how desolate Colorado became after you left the mountains. Well, it became more barren and desolate the farther east we went. The only thing of interest most of the morning was three dead rattlesnakes along the road. This is useful information if you are planning on walking into the weeds for nature’s call, which is sometimes a necessity when you’re biking. Anyway, the riding was pleasant . . . cool, good road and no traffic. Sometimes you feel as if you are the only one in Eastern Colorado.
The afternoon was in Kansas and, most interestingly, almost immediately after you cross the state line, things start to green up. It’s still remote, but there are farm houses with grass. There are crops. And, there are towns with people in them.
We stopped for lunch in Tribune, Kanasas at The Chatterbox Cafe. The waitress wanted us to make an entry in their bicyclist’s log book. Yesterday, Kathryn, the ranch lady who maintains the park, had a biker guest book to be signed hanging in the outhouse in the park. Highway 96 is so remote, I think that the TransAmerica trail is their primary economic development strategy.
The other thing of interest is other cyclists you meet along the TransAmerica Trail. Yesterday, we met Bob and, while not riding together, we keep running into him at motels and restaurants. He’s riding and his wife is providing SAG support, like Bill’s dad (alias Tonto) is providing for us.
Today, we met an African American couple who were riding their bikes, pulling trailers with camping gear, who were riding the trail from East to West. They have been out since June 6, when they started in Virginia. They are both retired military and they are riding to Napa Valley in California to get support for a winery they hope to develop back in Virginia.
We also met a young man from Witchita who was pulling a 1-wheel trailer on his bike, headed for Colorado Springs, where he then plans to hike Pike’s Peak.
There is a bit of bicycling culture involved in these encounters, I’ve learned. When you see someone, you stop and introduce yourself and learn about each other’s ventures. It’s a first name culture. No one provides their last name. Keith and Jeanne, the African American couple did give me a handwritten card with the website they created to record their trip.
Today, we stopped in Leoti, KS for a short break under an Elm tree in this guy’s yard. He came out of the house and I thought he might be coming to ask us to get off his lawn. Instead, he came out to ask if we wanted to use his bathroom. Bottom line so far: they’re not many folks out here, but the ones that are are mighty friendly.
Anyway, this is probably more than you want to know about what I’m finding to be of interest in this crazy venture.
Cycling statistics for the day are: Distance – 84 miles, Average Speed – 15 mph, Gatorade consumed – 1/2 gallon, Water Consumed – 3/4 gallon, Calories Consumed (according to Bill’s bicycling computer) 4, 453, Calories Taken In – I haven’t a clue, but if I ate like this normally, I’d be a candidate for bariatric surgery.
Day Four: Monday, August 31
The scenery has changed. We’re in eastern Colorado and there ain’t nothin’ here except cattle, deer, antelope and buffalo, and we’ve seen all of the above. You can’t help but see them because the land is so flat you can see anything that presents a profile on the horizon. We are following Colorado Highway 96 and it is unbelievably desolate. A car or truck passes you once every couple of miles. The towns along the way are a hoot. The most amusing one today was Arlington, CO (pop. 20). There, we met 72-year-old Kathryn who maintains a picnic area and outhouse across Highway 96 from her house specifically for people bicycling on the TransAmerican Trail. Bill and I met up with his dad at the “park” to reload the Gatorade and Water. When Kathryn saw us in the park, she hopped across the road to tell us all about her park and the history of Arlington. She was quite a character . . . weathered face, patched Levi’s, weathered straw cowboy hat, denim shirt and well-worn boots. We’ve also met a couple of other riders and compared notes about places to eat (there aren’t many) and places to stay (even fewer). Bill’s dad has been finding places to stay on more traveled roads that are 20-miles either north or south of Hwy 96.
The other interesting site today was 12 continuous miles of moth-balled transport rail cars that once were used to move automobiles to the market. It was a telltale sign of the economy and the state of the automobile industry. Bill and I concluded that this isolated part of the country is a good place to hide these out-of-use rail cars. It took us an hour to ride the entire line of these cars.
Anyway, today’s stats: 75 miles and average speed just under 15 mph. Only drank a half gallon of Gatorade because I’m finding that it spills out when I put it back in the bottle holder while moving and leaves a sticky residue on the bike and its gearing. So, I only drink it when we stop. I did, however, drink over a gallon of water.
It’s interesting how what might first appear to be a dull, desolate and boring landscape can produce such interesting sites and characters.
Day Three: Sunday, August 30
Today was another good day of riding. I learned again that the wind is fickle. We came out of the mountains and through Pueblo, CO. The route took us through some very nice parks in Pueblo. Then it was out into the plains where we pleasantly found the wind at our back and we were clipping along at 19 mph. Then, the wind shifted and it was a grind. We concluded our ride in Olney Springs, CO. It was another 82-mile day and we averaged just under 15 mph.
Bill’s dad, Bill Sr., has been providing our support, driving the van and checking on things ahead. He has been a key ingredient in making this excursion enjoyable and he is an absolute delight. Bill Sr. is 82 years old. He goes ahead to find hotels, places to eat, etc. He also is a great conversationalist and source of encouragement whenever we catch up to him. I’ve certainly enjoyed getting to know him. I told him today that I might have to start calling him Tonto because he is such a great scout. He makes it a point to learn something about the local area while he is waiting for us. He’s very observant and a great resource for us. I don’t know how you could do a trip like this without someone like Bill Sr., but his enthusiasm and vitality at his age are particular blessings.
We’re hoping that the winds shift tomorrow back to their kind west-to-east ways like they are supposed to be.
Day Two: Saturday, August 29
The first half was the kind of day cyclists dream about . . . wind at our back, newly paved road and very little traffic. Bill and I buzzed along at 27-to-28. I was able to do that because Bill, who is a much stronger rider that me, was willing to let me draft off of him most of the way. It was the least he could do for his elder. The second half of the day was pretty good too, mostly descending, but with a few surprise 600-to-700 foot ascents. But, the winds shifted and we faced a headwind most of the afternoon. I learned that headwinds and ascents are a formidable challenge for cyclists. But, we made it to Florence, CO, which is about 8 miles beyond our goal for the 3rd day and this was Day 2. So, we’re perking along, but certain parts of this old body are a little sore.
Anyway, stats for the day: Distance – 82 miles, Average Speed – just under 17 mph (the headwind and surprise ascents scrubbed off some of the speeds from the morning’s gradual descents and tailwinds), Max. Speed – just over 40 mph for me and 45 mph for Bill, Gatorade consumed by me – 3/4 of a gallon.
Day One: Friday, August 28
Today’s riding might be the most difficult of the trip. We started in Beaver Creek, CO, and ended the day in Fairplay, CO. This was a distance of 71 miles and involved going over two mountain passes; Vail Pass at 10,500 feet and Hoosier Pass (of course) at 11,500 feet. The ascents to the summits of these two passes cover a distance of 10.5 miles for Vail and 12.5 for Hoosier. The reward for the effort is the descents.
Here’s the statistical summary from Bill Brownes cycling computer: Time: 6 hours and 1 minute, Distance: 71 miles, Average Speed: 11.8 (because we spent four of our six hours climbing, Ascent: 5,286 feet, Calories burned: 4,449, Max. Speed: 47 mph for Bill and 42.74 for me.
We survived what has to be our most difficult day of riding. Tomorrow looks like it should be mostly downhill.
Before the Trip: Thursday, August 27
The bike trek begins tomorrow. Bill Browne and his dad arrived safely this morning. We spent the day checking out the Vail Valley and plotting our attack on Vail and Hoosier passes. I think we’re going to try to do both of them tomorrow. Will let you know how that goes. It’s time to stop talking and start riding. Will let you know how that goes tomorrow.
Right now, we’re heading for my favorite Vail Valley restaurant to fuel up for the first day. Do you think wine will be good for my energy level? As my friend Deryl Hedge used to say, we have to drink heavily in order to face that traffic confidence.
Before the Trip: Monday, August 24
An eventful day, and the bike trip hasn’t even started. I came out early to acclimate to the altitude. So, today I did a ride here in Beaver Creek. I chose to ride up Holden Road, a road here in Beaver Creek that climbs from 7,500 feet to about 10,000 feet over just under five miles. I wanted to see how I handled a climb like that at this altitude. Well, I was at about the 9,000 foot level and doing pretty well. I rounded a switch back on the way up and square in my path is a very nice sized brown bear. I contemplated continuing the ride up under the assumption that he would take off. But, then I considered what might happen if he stood his ground. I figured my chances were better with me going downhill, as opposed to challenging his territory going uphill. So, I turned around and got the hell out of there.
I’ll try the same route tomorrow morning and, hopefully, will make it to the top of Holden Road without any more encounters with bears.
All this, and the ride doesn’t start until Friday.