Dog on Wheels Travel Journal

My Latest Adventure

2007-08-28T11:07:00.000-05:00

It has been fun to watch - to experience - the way that last summer's cross-country trek has developed into another adventure of a wholly different sort.

I don't remember if I ever explained here about how my ride became a fundraiser for The School for Ethics and Global Leadership (SEGL) - apart from the fact that Noah is a good friend and the school is a project I really believe in. When I began sharing that I intended to cycle across the U.S. with my dog several people responded that they would like to sponsor me. It seemed odd that they would sponsor my vacation, so I became a man in search of a cause. And the first cause I identified was the Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society, an animal shelter in the city where I now live. They were definitely intrigued by the plan but ultimately decided that it might not be entirely safe for Coltrane. Anxious about what it might mean for them if something were to happen to him on the trip, they rejected my offer to raise money. About that time I received an email from Noah, who, after working several years at the Mountain School, was studying at Columbia University's Teachers College. He announced that he was moving forward with a dream that the two of us had discussed years previously, to begin a semester program dedicated to grappling with tough philosophical and ethical questions. I knew immediately that SEGL should be my cause. I didn't quite anticipate how involved in the project I would become.

Our financial gains last summer were quite modest, not more than a couple thousand dollars. But I am particularly excited about a couple of the significant connections that proceeded from my ride. I advertised the trip and SEGL to nearly everyone I have ever known. Matt Ellis, a friend from my first years at Dartmouth, a graduate of St. Mark's Academy in Dallas, now an international law attorney in DC, was quickly interested in SEGL and offered to help. In the past year Matt has been an incredible asset to the project, particularly for arranging the legal assistance necessary to achieve 501(c)(3) tax exempt status with the IRS. Matt has been nominated to be the Head of SEGL's board, and a decision will be made soon. Another great connection began with a friend at the University of Chicago. Harold Liss was, at the time, a resident of the undergraduate dorm I work with. He got excited about the project and thought it would really appeal to the Head of his high school alma mater, Newark Academy in Livingston, New Jersey. Newark Academy became SEGL's first sending school.

While riding last summer and over the course of the past year it has been thrilling to watch Noah's progress with SEGL. Noah's passion is incredible; his diligent work, tireless; his resourcefulness, surprising; his accomplishments, truly staggering. He has secured the support of a real dream team of collaborators. So when Noah and I discussed the opportunity to get my hands dirty with the project again this summer, I couldn't refuse. This really will be a unique program. Sometimes the language we have used to assert that SEGL will be life-changing feels to me needlessly dramatic - I am usually a pretty understated guy - but this experience really will change lives, it will capture the imagination of its students and open them to all sorts of new questions and opportunities. To be sure, a single semester will not be the last word for any of these students, but the junior year of high school is exactly the time that most young people are determining who they want to be.

The summer before my junior year in high school I spent the summer with a compelling Christian community. I am not part of the same community now, and my understanding of the Christian tradition and experience has matured significantly. But that summer was for me the beginning of the questions, concerns, and commitments that still inform my academic research and my personal faith. SEGL, of course, is not a religious institution, but my own experience recommends that we not trivialize the potential of a meaningful community, tough questions, and a true mentorship opportunity to break into a young person's routine, to help shape character, and to orient significant life decisions.

My tasks this summer have been varied. Probably the biggest jobs have included approaching charitable foundations and scouting for an appropriate facility. Other jobs have included general networking and determining what it will take to feed our students and faculty. I spent a couple days soliciting restaurants for gift certificates to use at fundraising events, I spent this morning trying to identify an accounting firm that might provide pro bono services, I have collected a huge database of nearly every school in the United States that could send students (there are about 24,000 of them) and I've been trying to chase down a mattress company all summer to get a product donation. Some days feel long and productive. Other days the tasks feel nonspecific, phone calls and emails come to dead ends, and it can feel like a waiting game - waiting for someone to bite at one of the lures I've cast. Early this summer I distinguished work with SEGL from my usually academic occupation for its clear practical tasks and perceivable progress. Now I think the two are not quite so distinct. This work requires self-discipline and the industry and creativity to determine what jobs need most to be done. Above all, it requires confidence that it will be successful and that it is important.

One of the great stories of the summer comes out of the facility search. I spent my first days in DC identifying potential properties, driving and riding my bike throughout the District with my camera and a notepad. I looked at over 50 properties: an abandoned gas station, a couple retired churches, the old Italian embassy ($16 million to purchase, $12 million to renovate), single family homes nearly as large as the dorm I direct in Chicago (home to 80 students), a wonderful collection of storefront properties near Eastern Market, and several office spaces that might be converted. Of course, SEGL's requirements are difficult - size, cost, proximity to public transportation, proximity to open space, safety, zoning, aesthetics.

Noah asked me to look into an empty-looking building on Massachusetts Avenue, next door to the Johns Hopkins SAIS building. I looked up the assessor's info to discover that it belonged the Philippines government, apparently their old embassy. With the help of our brokers at CB Richard Ellis, we approached the Philippines about the property. The building was vacated in 1994 when the Philippines moved into a new building across the street. It has not been offered for sale or lease, but they were very excited that someone might like to fix the building up, so excited that they initially offered a no-cost lease if we would assume the renovation expenses. Very excited about the possibility, Noah and I arranged to tour the facility.

On a hot afternoon, a friendly, quiet man named Ernesto unbolted the chain on the front door and let us in. The interior was incredible, like the occupants had fled quickly in the middle of a workday and never looked back. In the ensuing years pigeons and rats have made the building their home. We picked our way among the bird droppings. The building is full of old office furniture, typewriters, passport applications and other paperwork, and a wonderful portrait of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. Some of the windows are cracked and broken, the electricity and air-conditioning were off, so we worked our way through dusty shadows. Each door we opened was an adventure, as we were likely to encounter a family of pigeons that, when disturbed, would fly at us in the confined quarters of the hallway. But underneath the dust is an incredible building - grand rooms with high ceilings and beautiful moldings. The size was just right, and what a great story. It seems fitting that we should negotiate a contract with a sovereign nation for our program in international affairs. Noah and I loved the building and, for a while, were really excited to move forward.

The details of subsequent developments might be tedious to recount. It has become clear that it may be difficult to work with Philippines, and the lease deal is not quite the boon we first thought it might be. We have now directed our attention elsewhere and are very excited about the present British School of Washington building on 16th Street NW. But I don't think Noah and I will ever forget our tour of that beautiful and frighteningly neglected building.

Because this blog began with last summer's trek, I am glad that my experience in DC has been an occasion to reestablish some of the connections I made last year. On my way to DC from Chicago I stayed an evening with Rhonda Collins, a wonderful, generous woman I met near Covington, KY, last year. She is working on a degree in pharmaceutical studies, a second career after working many years as a jockey and then briefly as a television broadcaster. I admire her a great deal for reasons that would take too long to detail here. I also reconnected this summer with a couple I stayed with in West Union, West Virginia: Paul and Sharon Weekley. When I stayed at their home last summer they took me to the Doddridge County Fair, where I saw my first demolition derby and got to meet the Queen of the Fair. I expressed interest in returning to the fair this summer, and Sharon invited me to be a judge for the fair pageant. I am a stranger to pageants and have some anxiety about their potential shallowness - a la Little Miss Sunshine - but I was thrilled at the invitation. A week ago today I drove to West Virginia for the pageant and had a wonderful time. The girls were great, and it is clearly a significant event in the life of the community. It was an honor, really, to be included in it.

In the world of biking, this summer has been much less active than last. But I got out a couple weekends ago for a long ride on Skyline Drive, through Shenandoah National Park. I was distressed to discover I'm not in the shape I was last summer, but it didn't dampen the beauty of the landscape or my enjoyment of the road.

It has been a wonderful summer, and I am sad that it must come to an end. I will be teaching two courses this fall, preparing the final manuscript of an anthology for publication, supervising the dorm, and plugging away on a dissertation. I can't sustain a full-time commitment to SEGL, but I remain a supporter of this project, will glad to pick up the occasional helpful task, to follow up on a few of the relationships I have established this summer, and - naturally - to watch eagerly as the program comes even closer to its opening day.

Fund raising is a real priority now. One donor has just pledged that he and his friends can be counted on for at least $250,000. Before they will release the gift, however, they are requiring that we have $500,000 committed from other sources. Please, if you are in a position to support the school, however modestly, this is the time to give. Please consider making a donation at the SEGL website: www.schoolforethics.org.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-28T23:48:00.000-06:00

Day 80 - 9/2/06
Started: Washington, DC
Stopped: Grasonville, MD
Today's Miles: 79.75
Total Miles: 4508.71
Today's Total Ascent: 3138
Today's Total Descent: 3381

Day 81 - 9/3/06
Started: Grasonville, MD
Stopped: Cape Henlopen State Park, DE - THE END!
Today's Miles: 83.70
Total Miles: 4592.41
Today's Total Ascent: 1092
Today's Total Descent: 1065

Last Weekend I grilled the Thanksgiving Turkey on the Weber grill. There's nothing like it: the smokey flavor and the meat that melts in your mouth. Wyatt was in Chicago for the day, and we ate with a small group of students from the dorm. I think it was Derek's first Thanksgiving, and I admit to being surprised by Jimmy's contribution to the meal, some sort of hot dog-sloppy joe concoction. Smriti makes cranberry sauce with a citrus bite, and Harold's mashed potatoes are wonderful. I started the morning with David, here from New York to see his family, and we ran the 8k Turkey Trot through Lincoln Park. The weather couldn't have been better. It was about 60 degrees with clear skies. I'm glad David encouraged me to do it. I didn't do much exercising for the several weeks after my return. When I did finally begin running I quickly determined that biking and running use different muscles. I spent several days very sore. Thursday we ran at a modest pace and crossed the finish line gobbling like turkeys.

I don't know what happened to the fall. Life hit me quickly and hard when I returned to Chicago. Somehow three months have past since I finished my summer tour. I still owe letters to many people: those who provided equipment and food for the trip, sponsors who sent money to the School for Ethics and Global Leadership, and strangers who became friends along the way. I will try to get to all of you. Let me thank you publicly, and in time I promise I'll send something to each of you individually. Among the sponsors, let me particularly name Jay Margedant, the President of Flint River Ranch, who provided all of Coltrane's food for the summer, and Henry Shires, President of Tarptent, who provided my shelter for the summer. Both of them were wonderfully generous and encouraging. Additionally, their products and services are really fantastic. I tried to talk them up along the way, and I want to give them a final shout out. Regarding SEGL, the project is apparently moving forward with long, bold strides. The project sounds more exciting every time I talk to Noah, and I really believe it will quickly become a model of place-based, experiential, ethically focused education. This is going to be a truly remarkable program, and I feel really honored to watch it happen and contribute even modestly. Those who helped along the way are too many to mention, and regrettably they haven't even all made it into the travel journal. These people were the single most exciting part of the adventure. Thank you for showing me love and support, for inviting me into your homes and communities, for feeding me and giving me water, even for waving and sharing a smile.

When I last wrote about the trip I was in Washington, staying with Christie, a college friend. I had a couple days to let my muscles rest, to sleep late, and to connect with several great friends. I also carefully watched the weather. I landed in DC on Wednesday. Thursday was clear most of the day, but Friday the echoes of Hurricane Ernesto hit Washington and the Chesapeake Bay pretty hard. My friend David Stephan (the same guy who ran the Turkey Trot) was coming in from New York City. He and David Hunter, now also a friend, one of David Stephan's groomsmen, who lives in DC were planning to join me for the last couple days of riding. We were concerned that the weather would make it unsafe to hit the roads or that flooding might require significant detours from the ADT. Fortunately, most of the heavy wind and rain hit on Friday evening. By the morning, the rain had slowed to a comfortable drizzle.

The storm actually worked to our advantage. These last days took an inordinate amount of planning. Most mornings I had begun riding not knowing where exactly I would lay my head that night. But my flexibility lessened when I gained travel partners, and it can be hard to find a place to sleep near the Chesapeake Bay over a holiday weekend. The storm, fortunately, scared many tourists away. On Thursday I couldn't find a room anywhere near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. By Friday afternoon, finding a room was a breeze.

We needed to get a vehicle to the coast with us. For the last two days I rode the full distance, but the Davids alternated riding with me and driving David Hunter's truck. I left Coltrane and most of my stuff in DC with Christie, so the bike was light, fast, and a thrill to ride after 11 weeks carrying 150 pounds on my back. I loved having company, and the Davids were great.David Hunter, actually, pushed me pretty hard. He was riding a fancy, light road bike, and he is a competitive inline skater. He's in good shape and rode fast. I had become quite good at a slow, steady pace, but 20+ miles/hour still took a bit of work.

I honestly don't know how to capture these last two days. They were wonderful and unlike any of the others. Riding quickly and often keeping conversation I didn't attend quite so much to my surroundings, but the ride was beautiful, the roads lightly trafficked, and the final push felt good. The end of the trip sort of surprised me. In most ways the last day of riding was unremarkable, distinguished from much of the trip by the pace, the company, and the lightness of my ride, but still not so different from my now familiar routine. The difference was simply that at the end of this day I ran out of land. The three of us rode together to the end of the state park and stood for some time overlooking the waves. We talked and took a few pictures before finally venturing down to the beach. It was great to have my friends there, but there was no party, and that felt appropriate. The end marked a significant accomplishment, but it was mine. I didn't mostly want to celebrate, just to listen to the waves and internalize it. I did dive in, then carried the bike in with me and invited David Hunter to snap a few pictures. It was really satisfying.

That night we ventured down to Dewey Beach, a little south of Rehoboth. We stayed in a total dump of a hotel and spent the evening listening to a local cover band across the street. The next day we drove back to DC, where I picked up Coltrane and all my stuff. David Stephan and I then traveled to New York, where I would spend the evening with my sister, brother-in-law, and mom (who was visiting them for the holiday weekend). Tuesday morning I hit the road for Chicago.

I miss the road. My bike is being repainted to cover up the bruises she sustained this summer. She should be back next week, and I'm excited to take her out again. I am still paying for this summer, but every expense was worth it. Already I am thinking about what might be my next adventure.

checking in

2006-09-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

It's been almost a month since my last very brief post. I did, in fact, finish my trip to the Delaware coast on Sunday, September 5. I promise that I will soon return to fill in some details on the last days and weeks of the trip. Very quickly I returned to Chicago and the multitude of obligations I found there. It was also very nice just to stop riding and to stop thinking about the trip for a little while. Now I am missing it and thinking back on all sorts of adventures. Anyway, if you check back in about a week, you should see some new reflections. In the meantime, check out the photos page. All my pictures are up, and I think some of them are quite good.

Personal Note: Sharon Weekly, if you are still checking up on me, I've been looking for your email. I thought I had it but can't find it anywhere. Can you send it to me at cabell@dogonwheels.us? Thanks.

riding to the end with Ernesto

2006-09-01T12:27:00.000-05:00

I'll be back to fill this in with details, but here's the latest info.

Day 71 - 8/24/06
Started: Parkersburg, WV
Stopped: West Union, WV
Today's Miles: 52.70
Total Miles: 4065.50
Today's Total Ascent: 2368
Today's Total Descent: 2649

Day 72 - 8/25/06
Started: West Union, WV
Stopped: Philippi, WV
Today's Miles: 60.0
Total Miles: 4125.50

(broken computer)

Day 73 - 8/26/06
Started: Philippi, WV
Stopped: Davis, WV
Today's Miles: 50.0
Total Miles: 4175.50

(broken computer)

Day 74 - 8/27/06
Started: Davis, WV
Stopped: Keyser, WV
Today's Miles: 43.29
Total Miles: 4218.79
Today's Total Ascent: 1099
Today's Total Descent: 3296

Day 75 - 8/28/06
Started: Keyser, WV
Stopped: Hancock, MD
Today's Miles: 72.57
Total Miles: 4291.56
Today's Total Ascent: 2183
Today's Total Descent: 2457

Day 76 - 8/29/06
Started: Hancock, MD
Stopped: Frederick, MD
Today's Miles: 72.40
Total Miles: 4363.96
Today's Total Ascent: 3301
Today's Total Descent: 3618

Day 77 - 8/30/06
Started: Frederick, MD
Stopped: Washington, DC
Today's Miles: 65.0
Total Miles: 4428.96

(broken computer)

Day 78 - 8/31/06
Rest Day at the Ciabottis' in Takomah Park, MD

Day 79 - 9/1/06
Rest Day at the Ciabottis' in Takomah Park, MD

mostly stats

2006-08-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

I'm not writing much tonight. I've got a little computer time, but I'm taking it to download my Kansas pictures. Some of them, I think, are pretty good. If you haven't noticed yet, there are comments about most of them if you want to know where they are taken or maybe a little about what we were doing at the time.

Ohio has been really beautiful, but the Buckeye Trail, which we were trying to follow through most of the state quickly became frustrating for the rough roads it trapped me on. I've continued to shadow the trail as it winds its way north and south, but I'm sticking to paved roads - mostly state highways. Some of them are still quite remote and lightly trafficked and really still quite wonderful to ride. There have been more unleashed dogs in this state than in any other, and I always get a little anxious when I have to outrun them. Fortunately, we haven't had any untoward incidents. The hills are getting steeper, and a couple times we've met grades too difficult to pedal. These are very few. I'm pretty impressed sometimes that I am able to climb grades I wouldn't have even attempted at the outset of this trip. In Chillicothe I discovered that I had not only worn the tread on my rear bike tire, but I had literally worn it bald in several places. Luckily there was a bike shop, though not a very good one, in Chillicothe. We had to wait the next morning until they opened. They didn't have a tire in the size I wanted, so I have deferred replacing all the tires on the rig. I'm not sure if the tires on the trailer will make it to the end. We've had lots of flats recently.

Day 66 - 8/19/06
Started: Covington, KY
Stopped: Mt. Orab, OH
Today's Miles: 50.10
Total Miles: 3740.67
Today's Total Ascent: 1833
Today's Total Descent: 1625

Day 67 - 8/20/06
Started: Mt. Orab, OH
Stopped: Mineral Springs, OH
Today's Miles: 84.71
Total Miles: 3825.38
Today's Total Ascent: 4543
Today's Total Descent: 4981

Day 68 - 8/21/06
Started: Mineral Springs, OH
Stopped: Chillicothe, OH
Today's Miles: 58.73
Total Miles: 3884.11
Today's Total Ascent: 2518
Today's Total Descent: 2853

Day 69 - 8/22/06
Started: Chillicothe, OH
Stopped: Logan, OH
Today's Miles: 48.72
Total Miles: 3932.83
Today's Total Ascent: 2634
Today's Total Descent: 2632

Day 70 - 8/23/06
Started: Logan, OH
Stopped: Parkersburg, WV
Today's Miles: 79.97
Total Miles: 4012.80
Today's Total Ascent: 4037
Today's Total Descent: 4407

my way through the Ohio River valley

2006-08-19T06:54:00.000-05:00

Day 63 - 8/16/06
Started: Dale, IN
Stopped: New Albany, IN
Today's Miles: 87.77
Total Miles: 3531.15
Today's Total Ascent: 4098
Today's Total Descent: 4521

The trailer was working again this morning, and the ride felt smoother than it had in a long time. I don't know if it really was smoother, but psychologically I felt at ease. The weather was wonderful, my body felt good from the day off, and it was nice to be on the road again. Starting from Dale, I wasn't now on the ADT, and I didn't really want to ride south again to Santa Claus. I took 62 to St. Meinrad, where there is a beautiful abbey and seminary, and where the highway intersects the ADT. From there the ADT follows hiking trails into Hoosier State Forest. There isn't a clearly defined bike alternative, but I could have followed a winding route through the Forest; instead, I continued on 62 to Leavenworth and on toward Corydon. I have mild regrets about taking this route directly through because it really was incredibly beautiful, and I can only imagine that to ride even deeper in the forest would be even more beautiful. But I have no complaints about riding 62. The road was in great condition, and the traffic was refreshingly light. In most places trees shaded the road, often I was riding beside water, and it really was a fantastic day of riding.

After about 15 miles the ride started to feel a little less smooth. It felt like the trailer was shimmying, and I thought it was a problem with the right wheel (not the one I had replaced in Dale). We stopped the bike, and I checked it out. I couldn't find a problem, so we kept going. It wasn't until we stopped about ten miles further down the road, in Sulphur, that I realized the left wheel on the trailer had gone flat. I hate changing the trailer wheels because they aren't quick release. It requires pulling out the wrench is a little bit of a process. Anyway, I pulled out the tube, found the leak, realized it couldn't easily be patched, and replaced it with a new tube. The ride continued to be relaxing and scenic.

Leavenworth is a cute little town with sweeping views over the Ohio River into Kentucky. We stopped here to grab a sandwich at the general store, and I had a nice meal on the lawn out front. This was the least expensive sandwich with the most meat that I've had on the trip, and the Leavenworth General Store is charming. I recommend stopping there. Several locals came by and asked about the trip. Things were great until, ready to hit the road again, I discovered that the left rear trailer tire was flat again. So again we took the bike apart, this time to patch the tube. Fortunately, the ride had been so nice, people so friendly, and the weather so agreeable that I was still in high spirits. This puncture was in an entirely different place than the first, and I don't actually know that they were related. But the patch took, and we didn't have any more problems with the tire.

Coming out of Leavenworth, I could have taken the Old Forest Road through the Harrison-Crawford Woods, shadowing the Adventure Hiking Trail. Again, I am sure it would be gorgeous, but there the Old Forest Road intersects highway 62 the pavement was rough and cracked. It would have been nearly as bad as riding gravel. The racks on the back were still precariously secured, and I was enjoying 62 so much that it didn't seem necessary. I continued into Corydon on the highway. There I stopped at the Old Capition Bicycle Shop to have my racks re-secured. The owner was wonderful. He helped me replace the necessary bolts, gave me a free tube to replace the one I'd used that morning, and shared with me a bit about his own cross country ride several years ago. He was excited to hear some of the details of the trip, and I had a great time visiting with him. And leaving it was wonderful to feel like my bike was whole again. Here I did rejoin the official ADT, riding backroads through Bridgeport and north to New Albany.

Day 64 - 8/17/06
Started: New Albany, IN
Stopped: Manville, IN
Today's Miles: 76.45
Total Miles: 3607.60
Today's Total Ascent: 2805
Today's Total Descent: 3125

Today was a little muggy, but the temperature was great again. We traveled north from New Albany to Henryville and Underwood, before turning east. In Henryville we were stopped briefly by a man interested to hear about the project. But he was conscious that we wanted to ride in the cool morning temperatures, and we kept our comments short. We rode east through Lexington, Chelsea, and Saluda. The roads were more windy than reflected in the maps, and we have started to encounter some longer and steeper climbs than through most of the midwest. We rode through Hanover and took a quick tour of Hanover College, then rolled into Madison in the early evening.

In Madison I stopped in a Deli to ask about places I might stay. There I met David and Ronda G___. Ronda had seen me on the road earlier in the day, and they invited me to join them for dinner. Over the meal they invited me to stay at their home in Manville, about ten miles further on my route. So we parted to meet again about an hour later.

There isn't much to Manville. There's a grocery store, but David says it is never open. David and Ronda live a mile and a half down a dirt road on a 205-acre farm. They have two dogs, several goats, a wild Turkey and who knows what other animals. David is restoring 7 acres of the land to tall grass prairie, and he wants ultimately to keep some bison on the land. They are restoring their old farmhouse themselves. Apparently they bought it quite recently. It had been uninhabited for 15 years, and they found it full of snakes, rats, and other critters. They are in the midst of slowly remodeling, and it looks like it. There are exposed beams in several walls, floors are unfinished, and there is just "stuff" everywhere. But it looks like an exciting and ambitious project.

Day 65 - 8/18/06
Started: Manville, IN
Stopped: Covington, KY
Today's Miles: 82.97
Total Miles: 3690.57
Today's Total Ascent: 3525
Today's Total Descent: 3500

Wow, this day was muggy, muggy, muggy. But it was another beautiful one. Almost all day was spent on small roads in the Ohio River Valley. Lots of ups and downs on small, tree-lined roads beside farms and small rivers. It was really wonderful until the approach to Aurora on the highway, which was a little more stressful with traffic and a small shoulder. After Lawrenceburg I jumped back onto the backroads to cross into Ohio and rode roughly parallel to the river to the Anderson Ferry, a very small river ferry, which took me into Kentucky.

I stayed last night with a woman named Ronda, an ex-jockey, now pharmacy student who has been more than gracious. Last night we ate dinner with some friends of hers nearby who made an excellent salad and little pizza-like pastries, the name for which I won't try to spell. We had great conversation, and I have felt very at home. Coltrane spent last night playing with Ronda's 6-pound dog and the friends' Great Dane puppy.

I've had time now to post at least the balance of the Colorado pictures. Sorry about the lag, but I think there are some good ones there...

breakdown - the rig's and mine

2006-08-15T14:24:00.000-05:00

It's remarkable how quickly things can change out here. I've noticed often that over the course of a day my own mood and attitude can change several times, and it is not always clear what causes the shift. Other times it is absolutely clear - a shift in the wind, happening upon a particularly difficult road surface, Coltrane's restlessness, a nasty driver, a sudden storm, particular soreness can all precipitate frustration. But other times I can enjoy the rain or the challenge of the wind, I can laugh at the nasty driver, and I can even celebrate a bad road as an opportunity to slow down and maybe let Coltrane do a little running. And of course there are other things that help brighten a day, like a tailwind, comfortably cool temperatures, a generous or friendly stranger, a beautiful view...

Sunday was a good day. The day before had been fantastic, and I'd ridden over 90 miles. I planned to keep Sunday short (at about 60 miles), but I was entering Indiana and checking another state off the list, the weather was a little humid but not terribly hot, and I had been feeling particularly good on the bike. I started the morning in Shawneetown, IL, a very small town just outside the Shawnee National Forest. Only about two miles out of town a man slowed his pickup truck and said he would like to talk to me about my trip. Until his recent retirement, he had been the area's only physician. He has children about my age, and one of them even got a degree from the University of Chicago. He was very pleasant and expressed that he wished we had met the previous night. His family owns a house in the hills close to Shawneetown with a bunkhouse and a private lake, and he would have liked to put me up for a night. So I too was sorry we'd not met the previous night, but I was glad for the gesture and enjoyed our brief conversation.

The ride to New Haven, IL, was very nice. During the week the road I was taking might be more highly trafficked, but this morning the cars were few and the miles ticked off quickly. In New Haven I jumped on IL 141 to travel to the Indiana border. This road had a bit more traffic - though it wasn't bad - and unfortunately little shoulder, and I was looking forward to getting onto smaller roads after crossing the state line. Approaching the bridge over the Wabash River I noticed a big sign warning pedestrians to keep off the bridge. I thought it a strange sign, since the ADT is officially a coast-to-coast footpath. How had hikers crossed the river? There are no other bridges on my map anywhere nearby. Anyway, I decided I was not a pedestrian and rode across the bridge. Passing the tollbooth on the other side, however, the toll-taker yelled at me that I was not allowed on the bridge and should not have passed this way. I think this might have been when my mood began to sour. I got more frustrated when I discovered that the back roads on which the ADT travels from the border to Evansville are nearly all dirt and gravel roads. Refusing - as I do almost always now - to ride gravel roads, I was forced to stay on the highway, with its small shoulder and speedy traffic. Still, the weather was nice, and I was doing ok. The road through the west side of Evansville was a little hairy, but I was excited when I found a bike path along the Ohio River paralleling Waterworks Road. Park maps indicated that the path passed nearly all the way to Newburgh, where I planned to spend the evening.

A short way down this path I found a nice park with some shade, so Coltrane and I dismounted for an extended break. I called my family and spent a relaxing hour or two sitting by the river and watching kids play on the playground before resuming the ride to Newburgh. Unfortunately, my bike path inexplicably ended just past the park where I had stopped. I returned to riding roads, those designated by the ADT material. The roads were nice enough until - again - they turned to gravel. In fact, the road I think I was supposed to take was marked with a dead end sign. Maybe there was a way through the other end for a pedestrian or a bike, but I didn't want to take chances, so I was forced off trail again. On my way into Newburgh I was able to join the official route again, and again my spirits were up because I intended to end the ride within about ten miles.

Newburgh is a beautiful little town on the Ohio River. I think it may even be the only town in Illinois where a Civil War battle was fought. It is also home to a large Ohio River Dam through which there is still more boat traffic than even through the Panama Canal. The views of the river are beautiful, and the architecture is quaint. There are several good looking restaurants, and I was excited to spend a little time there. Contrary to my information, however, there are no hotels in Newburgh. At least, there aren't any that they know about at the gas station or at the restaurant where I stopped. I also spoke to a very nice couple from Owensboro, KY, who couldn't think of anyplace to stay (except 15 miles behind me in Evansville) for another 20 miles. I ran into a couple nice people and asked about places to stay, and I was very suggestive that I would be glad to camp or to find a friendly family to impose on. No one was inclined to help or offer their own home or yard. It didn't take too long to determine that I either needed to turn around and head back to Evansville or move forward. No one was certain there was a hotel in the next town on my route either, but several people said, "There must be. They have fast food." So I pushed on.

On the way from Newburgh to Boonville I noticed a scraping sound coming from the brake mechanism in one of the trailer wheels. The wheel was a little unsteady, and I could feel some resistance. But now I was racing against the sun to get too Boonville. I quickly tightened a couple bolts and resolved to address the issue after I had settled in for the evening. The ride was actually very nice, and I wished I wasn't so stressed about time. I rode through rolling hills that I thought must look wonderful in morning fog. But I pushed quickly through.

Boonville has one hotel: Motel Manor. It's about a mile out of town. It is owned by an Indian family. And they don't allow pets. I gave them my best appeal, assured them that Coltrane was housebroken, complained that I was on a bike and that there appeared not to be any hotels any closer than Evansville, and they begrudgingly determined that I could stay for the night. Relieved, I found my room, and I met several West Virginian workers who were staying in the neighboring rooms. They were in the area building a radio tower for an AM station. Usually they build cell phone towers. We talked about my trip and my dog, and when I began to disassemble the trailer they were interested in the problem.

The problem: the wheels on the trailer are equipped with disc brakes. The braking system is contained in a housing around the wheel hub. Running through the hub is a steel bolt that is secured to the trailer frame on either side. That bolt had broken. It had simply split in the middle. For the 20 miles from Newburgh to Boonville (if not longer), the weight of the trailer on the left side had been born by only one half of the bolt. I hope this description makes a little sense. Anyway, it would be nice maybe just to pull the bolt out and replace it with another one, but there are two problems. First, I didn't have a replacement bolt. Second, the half of the bolt that was still supporting the pressure on the wheel was irremovable from the braking mechanism in the wheel hub. With all their mechanical expertise, my new friends were also at a loss. One of them suggested that he could maybe weld the two sides of the bolt back together. Then he looked at it. He explained to me that the bolt was made of Grade 8 steel, and he didn't have anything that could reach the temperatures that would be necessary to weld it. In fact, he was flabbergasted that it could have broken. So I sat on the ground in front of my motel room feeling pretty helpless.

There is probably a bike shop somewhere in Evansville, which was now about 40 miles behind me. There is certainly a bike shop in Louisville, KY, which isn't actually on the trail, but was about 100 miles in the right direction. And the trail information says that there is a bike shop in Corydon, IN, which was about 80 miles away and on the trail. Some bike shops would carry a hub like the one I had broken, but most wouldn't actually have one in stock. Of course, I didn't actually need to replace the disc brake, I just needed a wheel that would safely roll. That night I decided that I had ignorantly ridden about 20 miles on this broken wheel. It wasn't ideal, but I would just have to try riding 80 more, find the bike shop in Corydon, and put together something that would work. Disheartened, I went to bed.

The next morning I attended to a couple other bike issues before hitting the road. There had been some squeaking coming from the front rack. So I checked the connections and discovered that one of them was loose. To make a long story short, one of the bolts securing the front rack had become totally stripped. Looking for a bolt long enough to replace it, I decided to use one of the bolts securing the rear rack (which I could replace with a shorter bolt I had available). Two new problems: First, the long bolt I wanted to remove, was in fact broken. As has happened a couple times now, the head of the bolt had sheared off. Unscrewing it, I simply removed the head of the bolt. The length of the bolt remained stuck in the braze-on. I have been unable to remove the length of that bolt with the tools I have with me. The rear rack, consequently is now secured with bolts at only three connection points (fortunately quite securely) and with duct tape in the fourth place. When I reach Corydon I will need to find someone to help me remove the bolt so I can replace it with another one. Second, I discovered that in the front not only had the bolt been stripped, but the braze-on has also. Even a long enough bolt won't screw into the fork because there are no threads to screw into. I think this is actually an easy repair - when I get to a bike shop. I just need to insert a long bolt through the rack, through the braze-on, and secure it with a threaded lug. But of course I don't have one. Now the front rack is secured also with duct tape and with bailing wire. Both racks are still surprisingly secure and sturdy, a testament to Bob Beckman's thorough work, but these temporary solutions make me nervous, and I am eager to get them fixed when I can. And this morning, already concerned about my broken trailer, they made my whole rig feel very unsure.

Still, I hit the road. What else could I do? I was in the middle of nowhere with no supplies, the hotel didn't want me to stay with my dog, and I needed to get to a bike shop. As I rode this morning I watched the trailer very carefully and was incredibly nervous every time I hit a bump in the road. About 15 miles in I heard a rubbing sound from the trailer. This is when I realized that the lopsided pressure on the back wheel was actually bending the frame, so the wheel was now angling in just slightly and rubbing against that canvas on the trailer. I might be able to travel 80 miles, but I might destroy the frame doing it.

Then the road turned to gravel. I was furious. I had to take the road or turn back nearly all the way to Boonville. So I let Coltrane out to run and we took the road. I was nervous about every jolt and over the course of just about a mile had to stop a couple times to tighten a bolt that kept loosening on the trailer hub. To my relief the gravel portion of the road was not very long, but the stress had been intense. And I hadn't noticed when my map of the area had apparently bounced out of the top of my handlebar bag. Then it started to rain. I really almost lost it then, but I resolved that I would make it to Santa Claus, IN, the next town of any size on my route. On the way I would pass by Lincoln's boyhood home and a couple other interesting sites, but I didn't pay them much attention and wasn't in the mood to take pictures. We just pushed to Santa Claus. On the way I decided that I needed to get in touch with Cycletote and arrange to get a new wheel mailed to me.

Santa Claus is a small town, but it is home to Holiday World, apparently the world's first amusement park. They have a couple restaurants, a single hotel, and a large campground/RV park with cabins for rent. I didn't have a phone number for Cycletote, so I stopped in a gas station and asked if there might be a library where I could use a computer. No. A customer explained that I was really in the middle of nowhere. But that same customer, interested to help, particularly when the rain really started to pour, contacted a friend whose office was across from the gas station and found me a place to use a computer for a short time. Coltrane and I found our way to the office, got in touch with Cycletote, and they explained that they could overnight me a wheel if I could get an address. I also would need a place to stay through the day today while I waited for the wheel to arrive. Not so full of the Christmas spirit, neither the hotel, nor the campground in Santa Claus were willing to let Coltrane stay for the night. They had no pity when I explained my predicament, and they sent me northwest (6 miles off my route and in the wrong direction) to Dale, where I am now. I was walking out of the Santa Claus Lodge into the rain after a particularly frustrating interchange with the manager when he offered: "be careful; it's not a very good day for riding." "It's not a very good day for much," I responded.

So here I am. The wheel did arrive at about noon today, and now the trailer is back in working condition. I'm not sure what to do with the old one. I suppose I'll just throw it away, rather than send it home to myself. I still need to deal with my rack issues, but they can wait a day or two. And tomorrow I'll begin riding again and get myself back on schedule.

I've committed now to finishing my ride on Labor Day. I'll roll into DC on Friday, September 1 and hopefully hang out with several friends that evening. A few of them will join me for parts of the last couple days, and I should hit the coast by early afternoon on Monday.

I know it has been a long time since I posted anything. There is much to be said about Missouri and Illinois and I hope I'll get a chance to post some of it sometime - maybe in Cincinnati. In the meantime, here are the stats for the last couple weeks. Also, I've just tried to post some more pictures, but the public library computers won't let me log into the photo album because it might contain questionable pictures. That will have to wait for another time too.

Day 51 - 8/4/06
Started: Kansas City, MO
Stopped: Sugar Creek, MO
Today's Miles: 27.81
Total Miles: 2789.80
Today's Total Ascent: 1530
Today's Total Descent: 1592

Day 52 - 8/5/06
Started: Sugar Creek, MO
Stopped: Waverly, MO
Today's Miles: 68.03
Total Miles: 2857.83
Today's Total Ascent: 3286
Today's Total Descent: 3694

Day 53 - 8/6/06
Started: Waverly, MO
Stopped: Franklin, MO
Today's Miles: 60.24
Total Miles: 2918.07
Today's Total Ascent: 1406
Today's Total Descent: 1763

Day 54 - 8/4/06
Started: Franklin, MO
Stopped: McKittrick, MO
Today's Miles: 89.68
Total Miles: 3007.75
Today's Total Ascent: 406
Today's Total Descent: 442

Day 55 - 8/8/06
Started: McKittrick, MO
Stopped: St. Louis, MO
Today's Miles: 65.60
Total Miles: 3073.35
Today's Total Ascent: 631
Today's Total Descent: 582

Day 56 - 8/9/06
Started: St. Louis
Stopped: St. Louis
Today's Miles: 26.17
Total Miles: 3099.52
Today's Total Ascent: 961
Today's Total Descent: 1011

Day 57 - 8/10/06
Started: St. Louis, MO
Stopped: Fort Kaskaskia SHS, west of Chester, IL
Today's Miles: 74.08
Total Miles: 3173.60
Today's Total Ascent: 1221
Today's Total Descent: 1379

Day 58 - 8/11/06
Started: Fort Kaskaskia SHS
Stopped: Cobden, IL
Today's Miles: 64.37
Total Miles: 3237.97
Today's Total Ascent: 1127
Today's Total Descent: 1166

Day 59 - 8/12/06
Started: Cobden, IL
Stopped: Shawneetown, IL
Today's Miles: 91.36
Total Miles: 3329.33
Today's Total Ascent: 3293
Today's Total Descent: 3692

Day 60 - 8/13/06
Started: Shawneetown, IL
Stopped: Boonville, IN
Today's Miles: 82.43
Total Miles: 3411.76
Today's Total Ascent: 1288
Today's Total Descent: 1365

Day 61 - 8/14/06
Started: Boonville, IN
Stopped: Dale, IN
Today's Miles: 31.62
Total Miles: 3443.38
Today's Total Ascent: 1085
Today's Total Descent: 1177

Day 62 - 8/15/06
Rest Day in Dale, IN
waiting for replacement wheel for trailer

what pancake was CNN riding?

2006-08-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

Day 42 - 7/26/06
Started: Syracuse, KS
Stopped: Garden City, KS
Today's Miles: 54.20
Total Miles: 2252.10
Today's Total Ascent: 502
Today's Total Descent: 790

When I made my last post, I was really excited to be in Kansas. Kevin Spence, a Dartmouth friend who rode across the country after graduation, has been singing the praises of this state for months. Definitely, here more than in the mountain states one gets a sense of the wide open road, and when you get into a rhythm, the miles can fly by. Also, in most Kansas towns travelers are allowed to camp in public parks for free, most towns have municipal pools where bikers can shower and cool off, and some routes are highly trafficked by cross-country bikers, so there can be a strong community of cyclists. Despite these exciting characteristics, Kansas has been for me easily the most difficult state I've yet encountered. The heat most days was unbearable, the wind was almost always a challenge, and as I traveled east I quickly learned that Kansas is not nearly as flat as I had anticipated. Coming out of the mountains I - maybe naively - thought the riding would become much easier. My average speed has risen a bit, but riding more even terrain, I've found, can be sometimes even more tiring than climbing the hills. The wind plays a significant role, but I think it may be attributable to the very steadiness of the task. Climbing hills there is a lot of variation in cadence and resistance, so I was using different muscles in different capacities throughout the day. On this terrain, I don't think the operative muscles get nearly as much relief.

A few words about Syracuse: After posting my last message I dropped by the post office to pick up some mail and was surprised by my first care package. I've picked up several scheduled drops throughout the trip, but in Syracuse I found a package from Rob Fank and Harold Liss full of food, dog treats, a couple letters, a book of crossword puzzles, some fortuitously necessary toothpaste, and a couple other good things. Of course, I am glad for all the support I've received by email and on the website message board, but it is really great to get a package. Thanks guys! You made my day.

The park in Syracuse turned out to be not nearly as great as I hoped. It was a very hot day - as all of them have been in Kansas - so I left the front flaps of the tent open. This was a problem when the sprinklers came on that evening. Everything in the tent got doused before I was able to close the flaps, including the floor of the tent. I got it cleaned up, and the wind and heat helped dry it out. But I was surprised with an encore performance in the wee hours of the next morning. Apparently the sprinklers are on a 12-hour cycle. Also, the tent was incredibly buggy - full of mosquitoes and flies. I simply couldn't operate outside the tent, even wearing mosquito repellent. While dinner cooked I paced, wiggled, and slapped at bugs, then hastily retreated to the tent to eat. One of my tires had a slow leak that I intended to fix that night, but I simply couldn't do it, choosing rather to spend the next day stopping every hour or so to pump the tire up again. And packing everything up the next morning was incredibly frantic and uncomfortable. While I rolled the tent, secured the panniers, and pulled together all of my things I could feel the bugs eating my flesh. Not a good experience.

It was a hot day, over 80 degrees when I began the ride at 5:30 and over 100 when I reached Garden City. There I stopped at a bike shop to pick up some chamois butter and a patch kit. (When I started my trip I had two patch kits. Fixing a previous flat I had used the last patch in one of the kits. Though I hadn't yet fixed my tire, I discovered in Syracuse that I had stupidly discarded the complete kit and held onto the one I had exhausted.) Anyway, I had been planning to push about another ten miles to Pierceville, but I learned at the bike shop that Pierceville is nothing but a grain elevator. My options were Cimarron (about 30 miles to a small town, about the size of Syracuse - maybe a restaurant, maybe a hotel, a public park, and a gas station convenience store) or Dodge City (about 50 miles to a town with fast food, a grocery store, and multiple lodging options). On a cooler day I would have continued to one or the other of them, particularly since the wind wasn't strong this day, but Coltrane and I were both hot.

Day 43 - 7/27/06
Started: Garden City, KS
Stopped: Dodge City, KS
Today's Miles: 52.08
Total Miles: 2304.18
Today's Total Ascent: 733
Today's Total Descent: 929

The temperature didn't bother me so much this day, but that's probably because I had the benefit of a strong breeze, right in my face. We rode southeast into 15-mile-an-hour winds all day. We made surprisingly good time, but I couldn't have gone much further at the end of this day. And I was excited to have a little time to explore Dodge City. I had hoped it would feel more old westy than it did. I didn't make it to Fort Dodge, but downtown is not terribly impressive. There is a block called Front Street that is a sort of replica of the storefronts of 19th-century Dodge City. But the fronts are not original, and they really are only facades. They are also part of a museum complex, set behind a fence, and Coltrane wasn't allowed in, so we only looked at them from a distance. Each night in the summer they enact a gunfight on Front Street, but it's a little kitschy and unimpressive. Still, it is fun to imagine the lawmen that used to walk the streets of Dodge, to think about life in the old west. Of course, I don't really know what it was like, but Kansas often has me thinking of old Clint Eastwood westerns.

Day 44 - 7/28/06
Started: Dodge City, KS
Stopped: Great Bend, KS
Today's Miles: 82.65
Total Miles: 2386.83
Today's Total Ascent: 564
Today's Total Descent: 823

The ride out of Dodge was really wonderful. The ride to Great Bend follows a mostly northeastern course, and the wind was coming out of the south, so I didn't have any of the resistance of the previous day. But the greatest thing was that I got an early start, and the road was shrouded in an impenetrably thick fog. For about three hours I rode in a fog so thick that I couldn't probably see more than about 20 feet in any direction. Fortunately the shoulder on the road was wide. The clouds kept the temperature down, and the moisture kept me even cooler. The limited visibility kept me from seeing the sweeping vistas of the plains, but it was a beautiful effect to look out over the fields and see them disappear into the mist. And for some reason I found it thrilling when a long freight train emerged from the fog to pass me on the tracks beside the road. In the afternoon the clouds burned off and the temperature rose, but the winds remained favorable, and I really had a wonderful day. This day convinced me that riding through Kansas could have been an entirely different experience than on the whole it was. It is thrilling to have the wind at your back, a cool mist on your skin, and the smell of freshly mown fields in the air.

I passed through Kinsley, KS, which apparently has the distinction of being exactly equidistant - by highway - from New York and San Francisco.

About ten miles out of Great Bend a car passed to my left making a lot of noise and smelling like burning. The driver seemed pretty oblivious until about a mile up she pulled onto the shoulder with an absolutely shredded tire. The driver and her passenger, both teenagers had no idea how to change a tire. They couldn't even find the spare, which I revealed for them under the deck of the trunk. They had an inflated spare and two jacks but no lug wrench. Another driver stopped to offer his assistance, but he didn't have a lug wrench either. In the meantime, I jacked up the car, hoping someone with a wrench would arrive shortly. And soon enough a highway patrolman arrived to offer his help. He and I worked together to change the tire before I returned to my ride. The girls didn't express much appreciation for my help, but I think it was probably good that I was there; they seemed pretty clueless.

Day 45 - 7/29/06
Started: Great Bend, KS
Stopped: McPherson, KS
Today's Miles: 64.07
Total Miles: 2450.90
Today's Total Ascent: 1340
Today's Total Descent: 1467

This, I think, was my most miserable day of riding so far. The ride was almost due east. The wind was coming directly from the south all day at 20 to 30 miles. The weather was hot hot hot. And the terrain was beginning to get hilly. Jen Bettano, who will be joining me tomorrow for the ride across Missouri, has told me a couple times about a news report several years ago on CNN. Apparently it has been scientifically proven that Kansas is flatter than a pancake. I don't actually know what a pancake would look like if you blew it up to the size of Kansas, but Kansas is not really flat at all, at least not in the east. It's a series of rolling hills, some of them quite steep. Also, what the CNN report seems to have ignored is that if you were to roll your bike over a pancake, the pancake would get even flatter. Kansas, however, remains hilly.

I really had hoped to push about 20 miles further today, to finish at McPherson County Lake State Park. I didn't make it.

Day 46 - 7/30/06
Started: McPherson, KS
Stopped: Council Grove, KS
Today's Miles: 89.41
Total Miles: 2540.31
Today's Total Ascent: 2483
Today's Total Descent: 2625

This was another hot day. And the wind was still gusting strongly from the south. The first half of the day, however, was a good one for several reasons. First, I got off the highway. For the western two-thirds of Kansas the ADT doesn't actually follow the highway. It meanders along the Arkansas River on dirt roads. Because I have found dirt roads not much fun to ride on this trip I had been sticking to the highways that most closely shadow the river and the trail. But this day I jumped off the highway (for the first half of the day), still not on the ADT's dirt roads, but still shadowing it as it bent to the north. The result was that I spent about 30 miles traveling northbound with the wind at my back. As before, I found the experience of riding with the wind immeasurably more pleasurable than the experience of fighting the wind. When I reached Herington Lake, where I had intended to stop, I just wasn't ready to wrap things up. With some regret I decided not to stay at the campground at Herington Lake, which was quite nice. We did stop briefly so Coltrane could wade in the water and cool off.

The push to Council Grove was more difficult than the morning ride, but I'm glad we did it. We ended up at a small motel on the east side of Council Grove. When I checked in the proprietor inquired about my trip, then told me that a young couple who had been walking across the country from Delaware had checked in earlier that evening. As it turned out Jakob and Tamar Teitelbaum, who are hiking the ADT, were also at the same motel. (A link to their web page is on the sidebar to this page.) It was great to meet people on a similar venture, to trade stories, and to hear about the trail ahead. Of course, their experience is quite different than mine. I honestly can't imagine walking the trail. This was my 46th day; it was their 95th. They cover about 20 or 25 miles in a day and talk about how every house along the way represents water and potential place to stay. Like me they were seeking respite from the heat and staying in hotels more than they anticipated. They gave me the names of some of the hospitable folks they had met, particularly along the Buckeye Trail in Ohio, and they gave me an exciting dehydrated meal, a recipe they swear by but I haven't yet tried. I'm saving it for a night when I need something good. It was really encouraging to meet these guys. Naturally, I wish them good luck and good health as they move forward. I hope we'll all be in touch again.

Day 47 - 7/31/06
Started: Council Grove, KS
Stopped: Ottawa, KS
Today's Miles: 68.97
Total Miles: 2609.28
Today's Total Ascent: 2077
Today's Total Descent: 2508

Shortly into this days ride I was overtaken by a lone biker, riding cross country from Oregon to New York. After we parted ways I realized I never got his name, though we shared a conversation for close to three hours. He is 24 years old, just graduated from college, majored in history, and about to move to west Africa with his fiance. He grew up in Lawrence, KS, and was quite an advocate for the state. He was riding an old refurbished bike outfitted with budget equipment. And curiously he chose to ride with his panniers gaping open. He explained that he liked to be able to grab stuff out while riding. He was an interesting guy, clearly an experienced outdoorsman, apparently an avid hiker, but pretty new to biking. His pattern was to sleep in a bit and take his time in the morning but to ride until nearly sundown, and he was covering 100+ miles most days. He liked to ride hard and spent most of his time off his saddle. We parted ways at Osage City, where he turned north toward Burlingame, and I continued east.

I stopped in Osage City at about noon to buy some lunch. A very nice woman at the grocery store gave Coltrane ice and water while I nibbled on fruit and watched the temperature guage in front of the store climb - in just 20 minutes - from 90 to 94. About an hour and a half later I passed Vassar Lake. Coltrane and I found some shade to rest in. I don't know what the temperature was then, but it was hot. With just about 20 miles to Ottawa I was concerned that I'd need to rest 2 or 3 more times and I could feel the heat taking a toll on my energy.

We didn't end up taking those rests because somewhere between Vassar and Pomona, still about 15 miles out of Ottawa, a car pulled onto the shoulder in front of me. A woman wearing scrubs asked if I'd like a ride. I thanked her but assured her we'd be ok. Ottawa wasn't too far distant and wouldn't take more than two hours to get to. The woman, whom I thought must be a nurse, was insistent that it was too hot for both me and my dog and would not be dissuaded from giving me a ride. When I suggested there was no way we'd fit the trailer, the bike, the bags, and Coltrane and me into her car, she countered that we could find a way. If we refused the ride she would worry all day. So we relented. We had to take the weels off the bike, it took some maneuvering, and Coltrane had to sit on my lap, but we fit everything in. Janice, I discovered, was not a nurse, but works in housekeeping at the Ottawa hospital. She was very pleasant and obviously was concerned particularly about Coltrane. She enjoyed her job and had lived nearly all her life in Kansas. She felt sometimes unappreciated at work. Anyway, she dropped us off at a Days Inn on the south side of Ottawa and waited to be sure we were settled in before continuing to work. I took a little while to shower and relax before stepping into the heat about an hour later. As soon as I opened the door I was glad we'd taken the ride. I don't know what the temperature was, but it was too hot to cross the parking lot to take a dip in the pool. I didn't leave the room to grab dinner until the sun had begun to set.

Day 48 - 8/1/06
Started: Ottawa, KS
Stopped: DeSoto, KS
Today's Miles: 49.98
Total Miles: 2659.26
Today's Total Ascent: 1619
Today's Total Descent: 1769

This was a short day of ups and downs as we approached Kansas City. The weather was very hot again, and I was wary because of the previous day. We didn't need to cover much ground, so we ended early when it became clear that Coltrane was feeling the heat and panting hard.

Day 49 - 8/2/06
Started: DeSoto, KS
Stopped: Grandview, MO
Today's Miles: 51.40
Total Miles: 2710.66
Today's Total Ascent: 1746
Today's Total Descent: 1788

This was a really fun day of winding through a series of bike trails on the Kansas side of Kansas City - first along Mill Creek, then along Indian Creek. The day wasn't quite as hot as the previous few days had been, and the trails were largely shaded. It was nice to be off the road and to work our way through a couple of suburban neighborhoods. A little bit to my surprise, I found myself thinking Kansas City might be a pretty nice place to live. Of course I say that still not having seen downtown or eaten at a local barbecue joint.

Shortly after crossing the Kansas-Missouri state line I departed from the ADT to find my way to Grandview, where I would stay with Josh and Sarah Motlong, friends of my brother-in-law's brother. I found their house fairly easily. Neither of them was yet home from work, but Josh gave me directions to get into the house, and I made myself at home. Coltrane was glad to meet their two dogs, Mec (a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix) and William (an Airedale).

Josh and Sarah work at a place called the International House of Prayer. It is a community of Christians dedicated to prayerful living, specifically praying for revival and the return of Christ. It is a more pious sounding community than I have been a part of in a very long time. Still, I really found myself admiring Josh's and Sarah's faith and their commitment. They impressed me as thoughtful and caring people who are simply convinced that God, as expressed in the gospel, really changes lives and can work miracles. Josh told me that he routinely spends as much as four hours a day in prayer. Additionally, he manages an extensive sounding music recording and production program for the House of Prayer. Sarah is a singer who is going to school full time for a degree in voice, working a retail job, and also serving on a couple worship teams for the House of Prayer. We spent several hours speaking this night about theology and faith, about their experiences and mine in the church, about prayer and worship and the way God works. I found them to be very gracious. They were interested to listen to the way I find faith and academics interacting, and I was somewhat convicted by them to cultivate more my own life of prayer. Josh made me a great breakfast this morning and invited me to return any time. I hope that I will see them both again.

Day 50 - 8/3/06
Started: Grandview, MO
Stopped: Kansas City (KCI), MO
Today's Miles: 51.33
Total Miles: 2761.99
Today's Total Ascent: 2106
Today's Total Descent: 2392

I got back on the ADT for a while today to work my way through Raytown and Independence. Then I jumped off the trail to work my way toward the Kansas City Airport. Jen Bettano is flying into Kansas tomorrow. She will join me for the ride through Missouri and will fly out of St. Louis on the afternoon of August 9. I am really looking forward to her company for the next week.

in Kansas

2006-07-25T15:08:00.000-05:00

Day 37 - 7/21/06
Started: Colorado Springs, CO
Stopped: Cripple Creek, CO
Today's Miles: 56.25
Total Miles: 1926.58
Today's Total Ascent: 4460
Today's Total Descent: 2455

It was with just a little reluctance that I began this day. It is always hard to leave a comfortable home. Nancy Albertson made me a great breakfast of eggs, toast, and tea. We enjoyed a nice, liesurely conversation, and I got out of the house a bit later than intended. The day before had ended with an absolutely torrential downpour, and I expected the same this afternoon. Also, I had descended from the Rockies, but the trail this day would have me turn west and start climbing again into the Pikes Peak National Forest. I was correct to anticipate a difficult day, but the ascent was worth it. The scenery was really beautiful, and the ride felt good. In the morning I traveled through the Garden of the Gods from Colorado Springs to Manitou Springs. The Garden of the Gods is not very large, but it is quite beautiful - red rocks reminiscent of those in Utah. Despite overcast skies, there were a lot of people there. There are a number of nice, graded pedestrian paths through the park, and I think I might have been allowed to ride them on the bike, but Coltrane and I stuck to the road, from which we could see most of the big monuments. From Manitou Springs, a cute little town, we began the ride up around Pike's Peak.

I was aiming to hit Grean Mountain Falls by lunchtime, so that I could connect with Dick Bratton, the ADT trail coordinator for Colorado, for lunch. Unfortunately, his cell phone was turned off this day. I have another number for him, but I couldn't find it while I was on the bike. So we missed each other. I pushed on to Divide, where I stopped at a grocery store for some lunch food.

I had heard wonderful things about Mueller State Park and thought about stopping there for the night. But the park is about 1500 feet below the summit to Cripple Creek. And I had to be in Florence, CO, the next day before noon to pick up a mail drop. Also, it is really hard for me to stop at the bottom of a hill. I always feel like I ought to push to the top. So I ended my day in Cripple Creek - unfortunately unable to find a good place to camp. I suppose I should have pushed on just about five more miles and I could have easily found an out of the way place to set up a tent near the side of the Shelf Road. Anyway, I got a hotel room in town. It is an old gold mining town, now dominated by casinos. And these were not fun casinos - at least, not fun to my way of thinking. They were full of electronic gambling machines, computer slots, poker, blackjack, etc. I enjoy a good game a poker or blackjack, but I want it to be interactive. I like sitting at the table with other people. I didn't gamble in Cripple Creek.

Day 38 - 7/22/06
Started: Cripple Creek, CO
Stopped: Lake Pueblo State Park, CO
Today's Miles: 61.63
Total Miles: 1988.21
Today's Total Ascent: 1382
Today's Total Descent: 5519

The difference between the beginning of the day and the end was incredible. I descended from Cripple Creek into Canon City on the Shelf Road. For 12 miles it is a dirt road, descending very quickly for about 2500 feet, then more slowly as it winds along the cliffs above the river. It was very rough riding, hard on me, the bike, and the dog. But it was also absolutely gorgeous, possibly the most beautiful part of the ride thus far. We took lots of pictures, and stopped a couple times to play beside the road. North of Canon City the road emerges in a lush farm valley called Garden Park, where apparently many dinosaur fossils have been discovered. We skirted the edge of Canon City, where one can find - though I didn't - the world's highest suspension bridge. Very quickly the terrain flattened out, and it was hard to believe that the mountains were right behind me. I rode through Florence, CO, picked up some dog food, and proceeded to Lake Pueblo State Park. By the time we got there, it was incredibly hot, the mountains were visible only as shadows on the horizon, and the terrain was beginning to feel much more like the Nevada desert than the rest of Colorado.

Day 39 - 7/23/06
Started: Lake Pueblo State Park, CO
Stopped: Rocky Ford, CO
Today's Miles: 78.75
Total Miles: 2066.96
Today's Total Ascent: 1237
Today's Total Descent: 1650

This morning we passed some wonderful farmland. I wish I had stopped to take some pictures, but I didn't. It is a funny illusion of the flatlands, that they will go on interminably. But the terrain and the views do actually change. This was a long hard day. For much of the day I was riding into the wind. Today felt like a fight. And the day won.

Day 40 - 7/24/06
Started: Rocky Ford, CO
Stopped: Lamar, CO
Today's Miles: 75.39
Total Miles: 2142.35
Today's Total Ascent: 1068
Today's Total Descent: 1404

This morning, in La Junta, I met Debbie Schachner, who is section-hiking the ADT. It was really exciting to meet someone else doing the trail. She is hiking alone, taking her time and stopping often to speak with rotary and elks clubs to raise money for libraries. I think she said that her web site is www.walkingwithfaith.com. After La Junta I hit headwinds again and had a rough afternoon. It was particularly rough after the John Martin Reservoir. The trail took me onto a very rough dirt road for about 12 miles. We were able to press through, but I really am not enjoying riding rough roads with loose gravel. I'm going to have to be very careful to look ahead to the upcoming road surfaces and make changes still as I go.

Day 41 - 7/25/06
Started: Lamar, CO
Stopped: Syracuse, KS
Today's Miles: 54.70 (so far)
Total Miles: 2197.05
Today's Total Ascent: 514
Today's Total Descent: 713

Finally, the wind was at my back today. What a difference! It was a shorter day anyway, but really wonderful to have mother nature's help. We followed the trail to Holly; there we jumped onto US 50 to avoid gravel roads. The riding itself has been uneventful, but very hot. I think I need to get back to the early morning starts that I was doing when I traveled through the desert. Also, I think the wind is tending to be more favorable early in the day.

Tonight I am in Syracuse, KS. I've arranged to pitch my tent in a public park. And I understand there is a pool where I can shower and cool off. I need to go check them both out now.

There has been a special request for info about Coltrane... He is well. The heat gets to him and makes him sluggish. But the rash on his belly seems to have been resolved. And I am getting better about making sure he gets enough exercise and takes enough breaks from the trailer. He does not interact with other people or dogs nearly as much as he does at home or as much as I thought he might on the trip. Still, he really seems to enjoy exploring each new place that we stop. He particularly gets excited when there is a lake or river involved, so I try to stop at water whenever I am able. He is traveling like a real trooper, and of course it is wonderful for me to have the company. I think that we will spend several nights in Kansas in public parks. I am hopeful that this will give us occasion to discover other dogs and potential playmates for Coltrane.

Last, a couple weeks ago now, outside Frisco, we ran into a couple who was riding a tandem bike. They helped give me directions through a maze of bike trails between Frisco and Breckenridge. They took a picture of me. If you'd like to see it, visit http://www.denlynmor.com/MidJulyPhotos.htm

picking up speed again

2006-07-20T23:31:00.000-05:00

It's been a long day, and I'm afraid I don't have the energy for a long message tonight, but I do at least want to catch everyone up to date on my location. Since I rolled into Denver I've taken it pretty slow. I am taking my time so that I can meet up with my friend Jen in Kansas City on August 3rd. She is flying in from Boston, so it wouldn't do me any good to push to get there earlier. Also, I've had the good fortune of several generous hosts in the Denver area. It has been very refreshing to spend several evenings in homes, to meet friends of friends, to eat home-cooked meals, and to explore several residential neighborhoods. But tomorrow I will pick up the pace again, back to about 60 miles a day. I've got one more big climb. I turn west tomorrow from Colorado Springs to climb into the Pikes Peak National Forest. Tomorrow I'll stay in Mueller State Park or in Cripple Creek. Then I'll continue south to Canon City, turn east and pass through Pueblo, then head out of Colorado along the Arkansas River.

Day 30 - 7/14/06
Started: Leadville, CO
Stopped: Keystone, CO
Today's Miles: 43.83
Total Miles: 1657.03
Today's Total Ascent: 1994
Today's Total Descent: 3081

Day 31 - 7/15/06
Started: Keystone, CO
Stopped: Denver, CO
Today's Miles: 86.19
Total Miles: 1743.22
Today's Total Ascent: 3871
Today's Total Descent: 7775

Day 32 - 7/16/06
Rest Day in Denver
Today's Miles: 11.99 (to the bike shop)
Total Miles: 1755.21

Day 33 - 7/17/06
Rest Day in Denver
Today's Miles: 12.02 (from the bike shop)
Total Miles: 1767.23

Day 34 - 7/18/06
Started: Denver, CO
Stopped: Roxborough Village, CO
Today's Miles: 33.92
Total Miles: 1801.15
Today's Total Ascent: 1248
Today's Total Descent: 973

Day 35 - 7/19/06
Started: Roxborough Village, CO
Stopped: Castle Rock, CO
Today's Miles: 21.13
Total Miles: 1822.28
Today's Total Ascent: 839
Today's Total Descent: 584

Day 36 - 7/20/06
Started: Castle Rock, CO
Stopped: Colorado Springs, CO
Today's Miles: 48.05
Total Miles: 1870.33
Today's Total Ascent: 2371
Today's Total Descent: 2488

Sorry folks, details will have to wait. In the meantime, I have uploaded all my pictures up to Denver. To see them, go to the photos page. Click on any of the pictures in any of the states, and you will be transferred to a site where you can see comments I have made, make comments of your own, see a slideshow, download pictures, or do a number of other things.

Also, my friend Harold has fixed the archiving problems in the journal. You should be able to see past postings now by clicking either on the corresponding date or by title.

just about done with the mountains

2006-07-18T22:27:00.000-05:00

Before I give the quick daily numbers, I want to thank everyone who has expressed concern about my fairly long silence. I know it's been a while since my last post - made in Blanding, UT. I am doing well and tonight am staying with work colleagues of a friend south of Denver.

In the mileage report below, you will notice that for a few days after Moab the numbers are much less exact. The trip to Moab was an incredibly wet one. My bike computer held up all day and seemed to be working just fine. I charged it that night and even collected some information from it the next morning, but when I put it on the bike and tried to turn it on, it was unresponsive. A couple days later I tried to turn it on again and it made a beeping noise but wouldn't stay on, so I tried charging it again. The next day it turned on, but the numbers were all a bit off; the elevation was off by nearly 2,000 feet. Finally, the next day it turned on and appeared to give me accurate information. Since then, it has been back to working order.

Day 23 - 7/7/06
Rest Day in Blanding, UT.

I had to stay in Blanding this day at least until the post office opened, so that I could pick up some supplies. I had entertained the idea of riding to Monticello - a fairly short distance away. Ultimately, I decided to stay for a rest day. Riding to Monticello would not have been a particular advantage, the hotel I was staying in was incredibly inexpensive without being sketchy, and staying in Blanding would give me a few hours to upload pictures to the website. Blanding is a funny little town. It has some nice amenities. I had been jonesing for a pizza since Milford, and this was the first place I had stopped since then with a pizza parlor. There was also a movie theater, but I didn't see any movies here. It had a single screen and was showing the new Pirates of the Carribean movie at a single time (midnight on Friday, 7:00 on Saturday), and each time the movie was sold out. I woke up Saturday morning and thought I might find a nice place for breakfast, but I couldn't find any place that opened before 11:00. Of course, I could have asked for a recommendation at the hotel office, but when your hotel only costs $25, no one mans the desk until about noon on Saturday. I undertand it is a dry town - that is, they don't sell alcohol. I spent most of my time in the library or reading in my hotel room, but the people I met were friendly, and I had a very relaxing day.

Day 24 - 7/8/06
Started: Blanding, UT
Stopped: Moab, UT
Today's Miles: 74.24
Total Miles: 1277.70
Today's Total Ascent: 2643
Today's Total Descent: 5090

As I indicated above, it was really pouring this day. It wasn't bad when I started, but by the time I hit Monticello, I was drenched. I had ridden through several short downpours and lots of drizzle on other days, but this is the only day so far that I have ridden in all out rain for a full day. I was on the bike for about eight hours, and the rain was unrelenting. About ten miles out of Monticello a woman pulled over her pickup and asked if I needed a ride. You might think I would have been miserable, but I declined the ride. The rain was actually very refreshing, particularly after nearly two weeks of incredibly hot weather. It was refreshing to be cool, the terrain was not difficult, and I was having an excellent time. I'm not sure that Coltrane was enjoying it quite so much as me. I have rain covers for the trailer, but I left the front open. He likes to be able to see where we're going. And he stands up in the trailer with his head out the front. I decided getting wet was probably preferable to locking him in tight. But he got pretty drenched. By the time we got to Wilson Arch, he was absolutely soaked. We stopped a while to look at the monument, and a slightly beat up blue van pulled up next to us. A very friendly man named Andrew got out and asked if I would like a sandwich. He and his family were on the way to Whidbey Island on a family vacation, and they were stopping here in the rain to make lunch. Under the cover of the van's tailgate he made me a sandwich, I met his family, and we had a very nice conversation. It was a little chilly, standing there in the rain, but he was just so nice; I really live for these moments of generosity on the trail. I have been impressed by the good people I've met. Anyway, the rest of the ride was also nice. I think, there are lots of really cool rock formations to see on the way into Moab. Unfortunately, many of them were obscured from my view by the thick fog and falling rain. The shoulder on the road was often very narrow, so I had to ride in or close to the traffic lane. Fortunately, the bike is pretty visible, especially, when it's wearing all its yellow rain gear and the red light is flashing on the back of Coltrane's trailer. But I know that when semis passed on the road I would get buried in a cloud of spray, and I expect the cars behind were sometimes surprised to see me emerge from the mist.

It was still raining hard when I rolled into Moab. I had actually been looking forward to camping in this neighborhood. But I was drenched. As much as I had enjoyed my day riding in the rain, I really wanted a warm shower and a roof for the night. I checked into the Redstone Inn and jumped into the shower. When I got out, the sky was clear, the sun was high, and honestly it was really hot. It felt like a cruel joke. Anyway, Coltrane and I took the opportunity to walk and explore this very cool little town. And that night I went out to see Superman Returns. I was a little disappointed with the movie.

Day 25 - 7/9/06
Started: Moab, UT
Stopped: Fruita, CO
Today's Miles: 97.0
Total Miles: 1374.70

Again, this is the day my bike computer stopped working. It's too bad, because I am quite certain it is the longest day I've ridden yet. I determined the mileage mostly by highway mile markers, but they're not quite exact. In the morning it was clear that there had been some overnight rain. Several people told me that this was only the second time it had rained in Moab all year. One person said it hadn't rained there in over two months. When I started the day, the sky was clear, but after about ten miles, we hit hard rain until Dewey. Then, suddenly, the sky was clear again. We stopped for a while at Dewey (which is really just a bridge) to let Coltrane play in the Colorado River. And I met a guy - the guy who cleaned out the toilets at the picnic area - who had both done a lot of bicycle touring and had also been interviewed by the scouts for the American Discovery Trail. He was really very cool, and we had a great conversation about biking and camping on the road.

At the top of route 128, as I was turning east towards Cisco, a truck stopped to ask if I needed anything. I said no and explained that I was on my way into Colorado. I didn't know where I would stop that night, but I was headed in the direction of Grand Junction. The driver seemed excited about my trip and invited me to drop by Over the Edge Sports when I passed through Fruita. He said he would be there that evening. Fruita was still a long way distant, and it was already after 1:00, but his invitation gave me an incentive to make it that far. Despite heat and some very annoying little bugs I pressed on without much thought to stopping. Incidentally, how do those bugs do it? It doesn't matter how fast I'm riding; they just seem to hover in front of my eyes or beside my ears. But they're not hovering, they're traveling at the same speed I am. It amazes me - as it also annoys me - that they are so able to keep they're relative proximity to my face. After Cisco, I had to climb onto I-70 for the ride across the border. After the border, I could have taken 6 through Mack, Loma, and Fruita, but it had already been a long day so I stayed on the interstate to keep things simple and my route as short as possible. So it was distressing when Coltrane, who had been in the trailer since Dewey, where he had apparently swallowed significant portions of the Colorado River, jumped out of the trailer. He'd never done that before, but he really needed to pee. Fortunately, there was a wide shoulder, and Coltrane kept to the side with the grass to do his business. Unfortunately, he had started his peeing in the trailer. The foam rubber and faux sheepskin pad on which he sits was soaked through. And I needed to put him back in it. I felt awful, but he seemed to understand. Not a mile further I noticed that my rear tire was losing air. We were within spitting distance of the Fruita exit, so I pumped the tire up, decided to wait before patching it, and pushed on. After asking directions I made my way to Over the Edge Sports. I was hopeful that my bike-store friend would hook me up. Maybe he'd take me to dinner, maybe he'd give me a place to stay, maybe he would even offer to give my bike a free tune-up. The store was closing when I arrived, the guy wasn't there, the kid locking the door didn't recognize my description of him, and it was clear I was not going to get any special treatment here. As I made my way to the local RV park, the skies began to darken, the wind picked up, and I felt a bit of rain. The folks at the RV park were clearly not excited about a tent camper and wanted to charge me $30. As heavy rain was imminent, I - with some sense of shame - checked in at yet another hotel.

Day 26 - 7/10/06
Started: Fruita, CO
Stopped: Delta, CO
Today's Miles: 56.5
Total Miles: 1431.20

I didn't patch my tire until this morning. The previous night we had washed out the trailer and cleaned up Coltrane's mess. The rash on Coltrane's belly, which I had attributed to red ants at Hite, had flaired up again last night. I expect it's simply because sitting in urine is never good for a rash, but it still concerned me a bit. Anyway, we got a late start this morning. Also, the hotel offered an absolutely fantastic breakfast spread. I spent an uncharacteristic amount of time feeding myself this morning.

The ADT recommends traveling through the Colorado National Monument between Fruita and Grand Junction. It's a steep climb for about seven miles, and I wasn't feeling up to it this morning, so I rode CO 340, in the shadow of the monument. It was actually a very nice ride, and I don't have any regrets about not traveling through the park. I rode through a really nice neighborhood with big houses, many with lots of acreage and a few horses. A few years ago I think I imagined Carrington living in a place like this, before I learned that she was a city woman.

After a few miles I thought to myself that when I patched my tube, I had not checked the tire itself for the object that had punctured the tube. It was a stupid oversight. I dismounted and checked the tire pressure. As I suspected, I was losing air again. So I stopped in a gas station parking lot to patch the tube again. And this time I found the problematic object, a small piece of sharp metal, stuck in the tube.

It was a nice, uneventful ride into Delta. There was light rain for part of the ride, and some very foreboding skies, but it wasn't bad. We arrived with time to explore the city a bit, so Coltrane and I enjoyed a nice walk up and down the main drag.

Day 27 - 7/11/06
Started: Delta, CO
Stopped: Paonia State Park
Today's Miles: 49.0
Total Miles: 1480.20

This was a beautiful day and a gentle climb. Coltrane seemed to be in high spirits all day. We took several breaks, and he was full of energy, playing with sticks and exploring his surroundings. We passed through Bowie and Somerset, coal mining towns that reminded me of the movie October Sky. The piles of coal were imposing, and I found them both fascinating and troubling. I've passed so many mining sites on this trip. It truly is remarkable the way we can move mountains with our machines, reshaping landscapes and extracting valuable resources from the earth. But it is so often unsightly and while it marks human ingenuity it also feels like a violation of the earth's integrity.

We stayed at a very small campground this night. Very quickly we made friends with our neighbor, a man named Curtis from outside Dallas. He was on his way to a Honda Valkyrie rally in Frisco. He proved a good conversation partner; I particularly enjoyed talking to him about motorcycles. It was nice to be at a real campground again, not just an RV park. It was very soothing to sit among the trees, do some reading, and listen to the Gunnison River gurgle by.

Later in the evening we got a new neighbor. This man was a miner at the Somerset mine. He had a home in Delta, but he was working twelve hour shifts, and it didn't make sense for him to drive an hour to and from his house. So he would camp in his motor home. He had been at a free campground down the road, but he had reached the 14 day limit. So he moved to this campground (which cost $7). He had been working in the mine for just a month. He was making $16/hour. At six months, if they decided to keep him on, he would earn $23/hour. The man was still dressed in his work coveralls and covered head to toe in soot from the mine. He said it was a clean day.

Day 28 - 7/12/06
Started: Paonia State Park
Stopped: Aspen, CO
Today's Miles: 72.0
Total Miles: 1552.20

It started raining as I as packing my stuff up this morning. It continued to rain as I climbed McClure Pass. The rain made the climb frustrating, but it went smoothly enough. And by the time I got to the top things seemed to be clearing up. The roads were wet for about the next 10 miles, but the ride down the pass was wonderful, and soon enough even the roads were dry. The Crystal River, which runs beside the road, was beautiful, the cleanest and freshest looking river I had yet passed. Finally, the terrain was beginning to feel really comfortable, hospitable, and livable. I was feeling really good to be in the mountains, excited at all the green trees and grass. We passed through the town of Redstone, which is very nice and made me wish I had a cabin out here.

In Carbondale we stopped to grab some lunch. I ate outside and had a conversation with a few people who were intrigued by Coltrane's trailer. Then we hit the road toward Basalt. It rained again for another 30 or 40 minutes and was subsiding just as I approached Basalt. A car pulled onto the shoulder in front of us, a guy with a nice Douglas road bike on the top of his car wanted to tell me about a bike path that would take me into Aspen. I was very appreciative, as it is always nice to get off the road and onto a dedicated path. This path was paved for about 12 miles, then gravel for the last 8. About five miles out of Aspen I ran into a woman and her son who stopped me to ask about my trip. As a result of the conversation I was offered the basement apartment in their home in Aspen. Carrie, the woman, and her husband had just done a 3-day bike trip the previous weekend. Carrie's in-laws had ridden across the country twice, and she was very excited by bicycle touring. The family lives in Denver during the school year, but during the summer they move out to their home in Aspen, which is very nice and very close to downtown Aspen. The family had plans for the evening, so I didn't spend the time with them, but the apartment they gave me was incredibly comfortable and well furnished. It was nice to have my own space and also to have some time to go into town and explore.
I'd been to Aspen before. I went skiing at Snowmass and Aspen during spring break my first year in college. And I had visited Wyatt in Aspen when he lived there and worked for the Natural Capitalism Group. Still, it is a fun little town, full of good food and interesting people watching. And it was kind of fun to be there during the summer. I went out for dinner and a drink before returning to my chalet.

Day 29 - 7/13/06
Started: Aspen, CO
Stopped: Leadville, CO
Today's Miles: 61.0
Total Miles: 1613.20

Today I climbed to the highest point on my trail, Independence Pass. The climb begins directly out of Aspen. In just less than 20 miles I climbed about 4,000 feet to 12,095 feet. I am very proud to say that I actually rode (without walking) the whole thing. Lots of bikers ride the pass. It's a beautiful ride and a great challenge. But most people don't tow their dogs to the top. After about 12 miles we stopped at Lincoln Creek. There we encountered a mountain bike guide who was taking out a group. He stopped to admire the rig and expressed some incredulity that I would try to climb to the top - in a respectful, not dismissive, way. A bit later I was passed by a man on a very nice Colnago road bike (a very nice and expensive custom frame). As he rode by he said: "I may be riding faster than you, but I'm pretty sure you're tougher than I am." We stopped at Independence, a now uninhabited gold mining settlement about 3 miles shy of the summit, and were admired again, this time by a large group of motorcyclists. And from there to the top, nearly every cyclist we passed (there were many coming down the hill) made some acknowledgment of our feat. It was really very encouraging.

The summit itself was beautiful, and the ride down was great. But passing Twin Lakes I started to feel the burden of the day's work. I was looking forward to Balltown, a small town marked on the map, where I imagined I would get a cold drink and put my feet up for a while. Maps can be deceptive. Balltown consists of two things: a hotel and a river rafting outfitter. I stopped at the rafting outfitter because they had a very small store with overpriced drinks. I felt like I had walked into an episode of The OC. The guides, who all appeared to be in their 20s were all beautiful, tan, and windblown. No one mentioned that I didn't fit in... Anyway, I sat on their front deck for 20 or 20 minutes before getting back on the road.

The fifteen miles to Leadville were exponentially harder than the ride up Independence Pass. The wind was blowing strong and hard directly into my face. A strong headwind is miserable, and Coltrane's trailer might as well be a parachute behind the bike. I felt like one of those funny cars, the kind that race 50 yards than release a parachute to slow them down. Additionally, I had now ridden close to 50 miles, the road was not steep but was steadily climbing, and the last five miles into Leadville, the road was under construction, so dusty and incredibly uneven. I was riding about 4 miles an hour. With probably less than 4 miles before town a man with a pickup asked if I wanted a ride. This time I said yes. We loaded all the gear into the truck and he drove me in to the Leadville Hostel. There, Coltrane and I got a dorm room to ourselves. We spent a little time meeting the other hostelers before I excused myself to shower and find food. I had a great meal at the Tennessee Pass Cafe. I enjoyed Leadville, which feels a little raw and gritty. It was an early night, and I think both Coltrane and I slept very well.

There's still more to write to get you all up to date, but I've got to sleep tonight. I'll get back to this soon...

too late for the mail

2006-07-06T18:26:00.000-05:00

Day 17 - 7/1/06
Rest Day in Milford, UT

Day 18 - 7/2/06
Started: Milford, UT
Stopped: beside Hwy 153 in Fishlake National Forest at 10,237 feet
Today's Miles: 54.18
Total Miles: 929.08
Today's Total Ascent: 4272
Today's Total Descent: 772

Day 19 - 7/3/06
Started: Fishlake National Forest
Stopped: Koosharem, UT
Today's Miles: 58.27
Total Miles: 987.35
Today's Total Ascent: 1650
Today's Total Descent: 4820

Day 20 - 7/4/06
Started: Koosharem, UT
Stopped: Hanksville, UT
Today's Miles: 85.45
Total Miles: 1072.80
Today's Total Ascent: 2379
Today's Total Descent: 4787

Day 21 - 7/5/06
Started: Hanksville, UT
Stopped: Hite, UT
Today's Miles: 51.89
Total Miles: 1124.69
Today's Total Ascent: 1936
Today's Total Descent: 2375

Day 22 - 7/6/06
Started: Hite, UT
Stopped: Blanding, UT
Today's Miles: 78.36 (so far)
Total Miles: 1203.05
Today's Total Ascent: 4719
Today's Total Descent: 4022

First, I noticed Dad's post to the message board and understand that several of you are having trouble accessing the archives. I know about this problem but don't know how to fix it. But here's the easy solution for you. If you click on the titles of past posts, you will get a message saying the page can't be found. But if you click on the dates (listed below the titles), you will be able to see all of the posts made during the week beginning with the date listed. This archives feature does work and should give you access to anything I've previously written.

Second, I know some of you have tried to reach me by phone. Unfortunately, Sprint's service is nonexistent in the rural areas I've been traveling. I will return calls when I can. I might have service in Moab or Grand Junction, in the next couple days. Otherwise, I may not get service until I reach Denver, which will probably be about ten days from now.

Finally, today has been a long and hard day. I left the Hite Marina at 5:30 this morning and rolled into Blanding at about 5:00. More than 11 hours on the bike. It's about an 80 mile trip. The first 50 miles is a steady climb from about 4000 feet to about 7000 feet. In ten miles I cruised back down to 5000 feet. Then there was a series of steep ups and downs that could destroy anyone who'd already been biking for 9 hours. To make things more interesting, I spent the first 20 and last ten miles in the rain. Blanding itself is quite sunny right now, but the storm clouds are just west of here. I've been planning to camp tonight, but the RV parks are unexciting, and I saw a sign for a $25 hotel. It will surely be pretty simple, but if the price is for real, I think I'll take it. Anyway, rolling in this late means I have missed picking up a package at the post office. I'll need to get it tomorrow, but that means I can't start as early as I'd like for the 80 mile trip to Moab. I may just ride 20 miles to Monticello tomorrow, keep the day short and enjoy a slight break.

Yesterday in Hite was a funny day. The ride in was much shorter than today's, but the sun was hot, and I battled a headwind nearly all the way there. I passed through some really wonderful canyons and enjoyed the ride, but by the time I rolled into the marina I was really beat, even feeling a little weak. I was expecting a highly trafficked tourist spot, since the marina is on Lake Powell, and I had seen ski boats and jet skis on the road all day. I was mistaken. The boaters were all apparently headed to Bullfrog - further west on the lake. Hite used to be popular with fishermen, but that traffic has decreased a great deal since the lake has fallen. It is pretty low due to several years of drought. So when I got there, initially I saw nobody. The campground was an exposed dirt lot with picnic tables, and I really needed to get out of the sun. Fortunately, I ran into the park ranger, one of the five permanent residents of Hite (there is a couple, and a family with five children; the latter run the small market and gas station). The market was closed when I got there; it's only open from 11am to 2pm. Anyway, the ranger encouraged me to set up my stuff in the shade behind the ranger station and invited me to come have a cold drink at his house when his shift ended at 4:30. He was a very nice guy, and he biked cross country in 1969. He shared a few stories, and I took advantage of a cold soda and his air-conditioned living room.

Later in the evening two other cyclists rolled into the marina. They have been traveling for three weeks, traveling circuitously from north Tahoe to Durango, CO. It was really wonderful to run into them. They are really enjoying themselves, taking lots of time to stop on the road, frequently camping wherever they identify a quiet spot beside their trail, and not worrying about making it consistently to towns or showers. I had been feeling a little down on Hite, but they helped me relax and enjoy the beautiful sunset and the quickly cooling temperatures. And they gave me candy. It was fun to see how they navigate this touring thing, and meeting them reminds me to slow down, take more breaks, and not get caught up with destinations. Still, I like getting regular showers, and reliable water sources are still feeling pretty important. It also makes me think that the experience would be much different if I had someone with me. I have a friend joining me for the trek through Missouri, and I'm excited to see how that portion of the trip differs from the rest.

In general, things continue to go well. I do find these long days incredibly exhausting. Also, I notice that Coltrane has some red spots on his belly. I don't know if maybe some bug has been biting him, or if it's allergies, or maybe something else. I'll have to watch it.

Thanks to everyone for keeping up with me...

rest day

2006-06-30T18:36:00.000-05:00

Day 14 - 6/28/06
Started: Eureka, NV
Stopped: Ely, NV
Today's Miles: 85.94
Total Miles: 733.34
Today's Total Ascent: 3843
Today's Total Descent: 4316

Day 15 - 6/29/06
Started: Ely, NV
Stopped: Baker, NV
Today's Miles: 59.03
Total Miles: 792.37
Today's Total Ascent: 2234
Today's Total Descent: 3925

Day 16 - 6/30/06
Started: Baker, NV
Stopped: Milford, UT
Today's Miles: 82.53
Total Miles: 874.90
Today's Total Ascent: 2653
Today's Total Descent: 3816

I have been waiting until I reach a place where I have phone service before taking a rest day. But my legs are asking for a break, and the clouds, which have been sprinkling and threatening a heavy rain for the last two days look like they will finally burst tonight. So I am planning to spend tomorrow in Milford, getting a little rest and catching up on work for my fall conference. I would love to hear from many of you, but I've got only so much time on my prepaid phone card, and my cell phone is still out of range. If you have some time on Saturday, you might try to reach me in my hotel room. It is the Milford Oak Tree Inn, phone 435-387-5266, room 125.

One of the many things I think about while riding all day is what I might write here. I have particularly been planning an apology to the ADT trail coordinators, because I have bypassed some of the most scenic portions of the official trail in order to stay on paved roads. I really do regret that I have not been more able to explore the backroads and mountain trails. Every time I spoke with the coordinators from the western states they asked if I would be riding a mountain bike. I would always explain that I am riding a custom touring bike. It is not really a mountain bike but it should be quite competent on a mountain trail. The bike really is incredible, and I am loving riding it. And without all my gear, it would be great on the jeep roads and even some technical mountain biking trails. But a mountain bike bounces over obstacles. My bike, when loaded with the panniers, feels more like it is crashing into them. Every rock shifts the weight of the bike, and I worry about the strain on the racks and braze-ons. In short, off-roading is not fun on a loaded bike. Also, I am pulling my dog. Between him and and the trailer, the additional weight is nearly 100 pounds. The extra weight makes ascents, even on paved roads, quite difficult. The grade of some of the trails on the official route would be simply prohibitive. And descents are even a little worse. The brakes on the bike and trailer can usually stop the wheels from turning, but on steep dirt or gravel - as we discovered riding near Granite Bay on Folsom Lake - the rig will just keep sliding downhill. Last, the weather in Nevada this week really was incredibly hot. It didn't strike me as the right time to do solo adventuring. During my day off I will look more closely at the official routes and my anticipated detours through Utah and Colorado, but I expect that in these states where elevation is my primary concern, I may have to stick to the paved roads. I really do apologize to the coordinators who spent so much time helping me think through my route. And I regret that I am not seeing more of the off-road treasures.

The other thing I would really like to do is a short retrospective of my first few states. I've seen a lot of things in the last two weeks, and met a lot of people. Regrettably, I am in a public library, which closes soon and won't be open tomorrow. I'll try to get back to it.

The last few days have been good. I think the ride from Eureka to Ely may have been my favorite day so far. I was really able to relax into the ride, not to get too concerned about making it to my destination. I think my body is getting used to the routine, and I am even getting more comfortable with the weather. Still, my best riding this week has been in the morning, between 5:30 and 8:30. The sun at that time is not shining directly on you, but the temperatures are already in the mid to upper 70s. We're doing a lot of climbing still, between 2 and 4 significant summits each day. Yesterday was the highest and I think the steepest - climbing Sacramento Pass I might as well have been climbing a ladder.

On the ride to Middlegate several days ago I caught up with another cyclist, a young Japanese woman who is riding from San Francisco to New York. She doesn't speak much English and she keeps pretty much to herself. But we've stopped at the same sites nearly every night. She gets up really early and often hits the road as early as 4:00am. I don't usually get going until about 5:30. I'd start even later if the weather wasn't so vicious. Anyway, it feels good that every day I catch up with Misato about midday. It makes me feel good about my speed, even with the dog. But I don't envy her. She is riding a mountain bike - rather than a touring bike - with loosely fitted rear bags and a simple basket in the front. She wears a hockey jersey and a pair of dark grey cotton pants. And she doesn't have cycling shoes or clipless pedals, which I imagine makes the hills exponentially harder. She is a real workhorse, a gentle spirit, and it has been nice to have a familiar face on the road. We'll split ways here in Milford. She is headed south toward Cedar City, and I'll continue east through Beaver.

Coltrane is doing well. Today he even did a little running with the bike. But it was a hot day, and he is passed out now on the floor in our hotel room.

I think I mentioned that my rerouting will keep me from passing through Boulder. If you tried to send me something there already, please let me know so I can ask them to forward it. I will now plan to pick up a package in Blanding, UT (84511) on July 6. After that, look to the Whitewater post office listed on the "contact me" page.

sleeping in the park

2006-06-27T17:57:00.000-05:00

Day 12 - 6/26/06
Started: Middlegate, NV
Stopped: Austin, NV
Today's Miles: 64.15
Total Miles: 575.75
Today's Total Ascent: 2416
Today's Total Descent: 1366

Day 13 - 6/27/06
Started: Austin, NV
Stopped: Eureka, NV
Today's Miles: 71.65
Total Miles: 647.40
Today's Total Ascent: 2270
Today's Total Descent: 2999

I'm keeping this short. I am in a public library, and people are waiting for computers. First, I've determined that my total ascent and descent figures are not at all accurate. The altimeter (that's what those of us who can't handle Kevin's big words) is working, but it just doesn't keep track of it all. Trust me that I am climbing more than these figures indicate. I expect I'm probably going downhill more too. Still, I'll include them because they still give some idea of the kind of days I'm having.

The last two days I've been on the road by 5:30. It continues to be very hot, and I want to beat the sun. Tomorrow, still, will be quite long. It's 77 miles to Ely, the next town on the highway. I'm doing well, but these long days are tough, and my ass is hurting something vicious. I've decided my ideal day is about 60 miles on an 70-80 degree day.

The desert is barren, but there are a lot of mountains here, and it is really quite beautiful, increasingly so - I think - as I get further east. Still, I'll be glad to be done with Nevada in a few days. (I think I might take a rest day in Ely, particularly if I get phone service and internet access there.) Tonight I rolled into town and discovered the only RV park is just a gravel parking lot. A conversation with a local woman led me to the police station, where they gave me permission to camp for the night in a public park and to keep Coltrane with me even though pets aren't allowed into the park. I am using the internet in a public library. And I am off now to swim and shower at a public pool. It's a nice town. Like all of these Nevada towns, really small. But the people are friendly, and I'm having a great time.

105 degrees

2006-06-25T18:19:00.000-05:00

Day 7 - 6/21/06
Started: Auburn, CA
Stopped: Sly Park Campground at Jenkinson Lake, near Pollock Pines, CA
Today's Miles: 46.3
Total Miles: 320.38
Today's Total Ascent: 4763
Today's Total Descent: 3499

Day 8 - 6/22/06
Started: Pollock Pines, CA
Stopped: Strawberry, CA
Today's Miles: 31.04
Total Miles: 351.42
Today's Total Ascent: 3353
Today's Total Descent: 1925

Day 9 - 6/23/06
Started: Strawberry, CA
Stopped: Carson City, NV
Today's Miles: 48.05
Total Miles: 399.47
Today's Total Ascent: 3010
Today's Total Descent: 4293

Day 10 - 6/24/06
Started: Carson City, NV
Stopped: Fallon, NV
Today's Miles: 60.55
Total Miles: 460.02
Today's Total Ascent: 1076
Today's Total Descent: 1664

Day 11 - 6/25/06
Started: Fallon, NV
Stopped: Middlegate, NV
Today's Miles: 51.58
Total Miles: 511.60
Today's Total Ascent: 1125
Today's Total Descent: 823

This is day 11, and I've stopped for the night in Middlegate, NV. Middlegate is really just a restaurant/gas station/hotel. I am allowed to camp behind the restaurant for free, and in a state with no apparent shade trees, the site is not bad. Adjacent to the yard where I'll pitch my tent is a small collection of mobile homes and small, crooked buildings that comprise the town. It's pretty curious looking. When I rolled in I grabbed a sandwich in the restaurant and had a great conversation with the guy sitting next to me. At the time it was 97 degrees outside. It was about 1:00 in the afternoon. He was on at least his second beer and chewing tobacco. I asked how he ended up in Middlegate, and he explained that several years ago he had been living in California. He and his wife drove through on a road trip, loved it, and decided to stay. His wife loves the desert and was concerned that he wouldn't like it. She thought he would like more trees. His comment was that if he needed trees he could drive two hours back to California. Well, I miss the shade.

But there is something really nice about this place. Most people know each other. Sitting in the restaurant is a little like sitting in someone's living room. But it's rustic and feels a bit like the old west too. Like at any moment someone might overturn a table and accuse another man of cheating at poker. I think I could write a TV series set in a place like this...

The temperature is ridiculous. Even people from Nevada are complaining. In Carson City, I learned that temperatures this week are about 15 degrees above the five-year average. The result is that I am trying to get up very early and hit the road while the sun is rising. This morning I got going at 6:30, but hopefully tomorrow I can move even earlier. I'm 65 miles from Austin, my next big stop. I have got some significant elevation to climb during the day, but I understand it will be at least a few degrees cooler there and thereafter.

I wish I had time to write much more about how things are going. I've met some wonderful people. Kyle and Bonita Thomas found me struggling toward Tahoe in Strawberry, CA. Kyle has done a couple bike tours himself. They took me in, fed me well, and Kyle even rode a short distance with me the next morning. In Carson City I met Erick Studenmicker (sp?), a journalist and national guardsman who treated me to dinner, encouraged me to gamble and stop at a brothel, and offered to pick me up if I found any trouble crossing Nevada.

Coltrane is doing well, and I'm still healthy. My route is being slightly revised through the next few states so that I can avoid unpaved roads. I've simply discovered that they are too much, given the load that I'm carrying. I think, as a result, I will not make my scheduled mail pick-up in Boulder, UT. So don't send anything there. If I come up with an alternative spot soon, I'll let you all know.

Thanks for all the messages. It's great to know you're all following my progress. And I appreciate the encouragement. I'm having a great time, but on some of these difficult climbs, I can begin to wonder why I'm here. The messages help.

snow on the trail

2006-06-21T11:15:00.000-05:00

Day 3 - 6/17/06
Started: Lafayette, CA
Stopped: north of Antioch, CA at Eddo's Marina and RV Park
Today's Miles: 35.35
Total Miles: 120.43
Today's Total Ascent: 1539
Todays Total Descent: 1974

Day 4 - 6/18/06
Started: Antioch, CA
Stopped: Sacramento, CA
Today's Miles: 69.92
Total Miles: 190.35
Today's Total Ascent: 977
Today's Total Descent: 891

Day 5 - 6/19/06
Started: Sacramento, CA
Stopped: Auburn, CA
Today's Miles: 44.20
Total Miles: 234.55
Today's Total Ascent: 2208
Today's Total Descent: 1318

Day 6 - 6/20/06
Started: Auburn, CA
Stopped: Auburn, CA
Today's Miles: 39.53
Total Miles: 274.08
Today's Total Ascent: 3459
Today's Total Descent: 3817 (how is this not the same as the ascent?)

I apologize again that I have to keep my comments brief. It is morning of day 7, and I need to hit the road. Yesterday was a bit disheartening. I rode hard to climb almost 3000 feet from Auburn to Foresthill. I rode the whole way, without walking. And discovered there that the way forward is covered in snow. And there are now bike accessible paved roads between either Foresthill or Auburn and north Tahoe. The rangers in Foresthill sent me back to Auburn for the night. And today I will head south toward US 50, to ride around the south end of the lake. The story, really, is more colorful than my quick description, but it explains why day 6 begins and ends in the same place.

In general, Coltrane and I are in good spirits. The weather continues to be quite hot, and we are feeling the strain of climbing our first real mountains. Camping has been hard to find, particularly since we find that we need to stick more to paved roads than originally hoped. I'm spending too much money on hotels and restaurants and carrying too much food that I've not been able to prepare for myself. It looks like camping may be easier these next few nights.

One of the upshots of my being rerouted is that I will not be passing through Kings Hill, where I might have mail waiting for me. I will call them today to see if I can get the mail forwarded to another drop point. Otherwise, if you sent me something there, it might be coming back to you.

Thanks for all your messages on the message board. Check there too for occasional updates from my parents and friends. I'll use them when I can't get to a computer. I think I'll probably not get a chance to stop again until I'm in Nevada.

2006-06-17T18:24:00.000-05:00

Day 1 - 6/15/06
Started: Limantour Beach, Point Reyes National Seashore
Stopped: Marin City
Today's Miles: 43.08
Total Miles 43.08
Today's Total Ascent: 4624
Today's Total Descent: 4856

Day 2 - 6/16/06
Started: Marin City, CA
Stopped: Lafayette, CA
Today's Miles: 42.00
Total Miles: 85.08
Today's Total Ascent: 3013
Today's Total Descent: 2952

It's been a busy couple of days, though I'm not yet covering as much ground as I'd like. I'm learning lots of things and enjoying myself. But I am getting kicked off this library computer. So I will try to reply to emails soon. I am healthy and enjoying myself. But it is hot and hilly out there.

Time to get back to the road. I'll check in soon.

on the road

2006-06-12T08:05:00.000-05:00

There is much to write about this last week of preparation, but absolutely no time. We had a little drama with a broken fork on the bike and a little anxiety about rain covers for my bags that didn't arrive until Friday afternoon. And of course, I've had all sorts of last minute errands to run and tasks to wrap up. But Dad arrived in town yesterday. This morning the car is packed and we're headed out in just minutes. We'll land in San Francisco on Wednesday evening, and I'll begin riding on Thursday morning.

I am very excited and a little nervous about this adventure. I will try to get to computers regularly and let everyone know how I'm doing. Also, check the message board, where I'll ask family and friends to fill in some of the details when I can't do it myself.

I am excited about everyone who will follow my progress. If you want to reach me on the trail, please take a look at the "contact me" page. I'd love to see postcards, message board posts, care packages, or emails. I'll respond whenever I'm able...

I might be crazy

2006-06-06T00:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend Coltrane and I went on a test ride. Finally, we have most of the equipment for the trip, so we loaded up the panniers, threw everything in the car, and drove about an hour south of Chicago to Kankakee River State Park. I'd been intending to do a short test for several weeks, though I didn't actually spend very much time planning it. And originally I was going to leave on Wednesday, rather than Thursday. But things have been hectic, as I try to pull this trip together, and I just received the bags on Tuesday. Bob forgot to send the rain covers with the bags, and I still hadn't received the tent when I left; I understand the rain covers are on the way, and the tent just arrived today.

Anyway, the plan for the test was to load the bike pretty heavily. Though I was only out for two days - Thursday night to Saturday afternoon - I carried enough dog food for a week and food for myself to last a couple days. I wanted to get a sense for how hard this might really be, to determine how much water we're drinking, and to anticipate any particular problems I might have when we really begin. I carried food that could be consumed without using much water, as I expect I'll need to conserve water during some of the early stretches through Nevada and Utah. This short trip has, I think, turned out to be very important.

On Thursday we set up camp at the Chippewa Campground in Kankakee River State Park. It's a small park, but really quite pretty, with rolling hills along the north shore of the Kankakee River. I spent my first hour at camp assembling the trailer. It doesn't actually take that long, but I made sure every joint was secure and ready for a long ride. We set up the tent and explored the campground. Then we wandered down to the river as the sun was setting and took a few pictures. Dinner was Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese. I don't love that Velveeta cheese sauce, but it doesn't require butter or milk. While I ate, I began reading Hermann Hesse's "Narcissus and Goldmund," and I was enjoying it so much I regretted losing the sun. My neighbors, a college couple, were playing the guitar quietly, and invited me over to eat cookies. Then I did my dishes and turned in.

Lesson 1: cooking and cleaning on the trail take a lot of time and energy, even for a very simple meal. Of course, I know this from previous camping experiences. But I was reminded of how fast the sun sets. If I want time to cook, to sit with the dog and check him for ticks and other bugs, to do any laundry, to tinker with the bike or trailer, or simply to read or write, I need to stop with a few hours before sunset. I am used to staying up very late at home, but I think this trip will encourage me to rise with the sun, and begin riding in dawn's first light, and to retire early.

Lesson 2: it is hard to live out of a suitcase; it is harder to live out of four relatively small panniers. The bags are each about the size of a backpack, the kind you might wear to school. I don't think I had organized the bags very efficiently, and I need to reconsider my organization. I found myself wanting to spread out, to leave things in the trunk of my car and strewn about the tent, but of course I won't have the car with me, and I'm sharing the tent with my dog. I need to stay organized.

Lesson 3: you get dirty when you camp. This hardly revolutionary. But I think I'll include a nail file (for cleaning under my fingernails) among my things. And probably some hand sanitizer as well. Things like showering, even in a campground with plumbing, take a bit more effort while you're on the trail.

I'm not much of a breakfast eater. At home I'll sometimes grab a bowl of cereal or a piece of toast. On other occasions I might brew some tea. But I don't usually have a big meal until lunch. I had packed some mueslix, which could be eaten either hot or cold. The last thing I wanted to do in the morning was unpack the stove and wait to make breakfast. And of course I didn't have any milk. Cold water and mueslix sounds nasty. So I ate some of it dry. It was good stuff, but not really satisfying. So maybe I learned a corollary to lesson 1: I don't think I'll do much morning cooking. I'll need to explore the world of breakfast bars and pop tarts. On some occasions I'll make oatmeal or pancakes, but not often. I think when I camp near civilization, I might try to eat fresh fruit for breakfast, but there are many places where this won't work.

Our ride started on a wonderful paved bike trail through the park, along the Kankakee River. The views were beautiful in the morning light, and the trail was smooth, shaded, and delightfully curvy. I felt good, and was riding easily at 13 or 14 miles an hour. This was my first time riding with the bike fully loaded and with the trailer on the back. I could feel the weight, but it wasn't immediately tiring. There was a little shimmy in the front wheel, which I expect was consequent to an unbalanced load. Also, the rack had been mounted just a little unevenly to accommodate the fenders and the disc brake. This maybe is a place to interrupt the narrative of the day. Yesterday morning I took it upon myself to readjust the front rack, to space it evenly on either side of the fork. Removing the rack, I discovered that the bolt on the top left side of the fork had been sheared. That is, when I tried to unscrew it, the head of the bolt came off, and the threaded stem remained lodged in the fork. I called the guys at Get a Grip (the bike shop) and they have some ideas about how to get it out. I'll take it in on Wednesday morning.

My plan was to ride to the Illinois-Indiana border. I had estimated the distance at about 20 miles, though it turned out to be closer to 30. At the border I would join the northern route of the American Discovery Trail, heading west. I would ride up the state line for about 20 miles, then turn west toward Chicago's far south suburbs. It didn't look like I'd find a place to camp there, but the ADT trail information indicated I could find a hotel in a town called Steger.

Our trail along the river was wonderful, turning eventually from pavement to gravel. There were "closed" signs on the gravel portion of the trail, probably because water had eroded a couple parts of the trail. But I ignored the closure and rolled through. The trail really wasn't bad, and I was enjoying riding through the trees. The trail exited onto small street in a rural neighborhood. There I let Coltrane out to do a little running. We hooked him up to the Springer so that he could jog beside the bike. We've been using this device for about a month now, and he doesn't really like it. I don't know exactly why he dislikes it; maybe because it requires him to stay quite close to the bike and match its speed almost exactly. Still, on this occasion he ran alongside fairly well for about a mile. Then he began to drag, so I put him back in the trailer. We used the Springer several more times over the course of Friday and Saturday, usually less well than the first time. Coltrane really fights it, sometimes to the point that he just stops, ducks his head, and wriggles out of his harness. Onther time he pulled so hard that he broke that adhesive bond between the device and the bike frame. I really like the idea of the Springer, and it seems important to be able to leash Coltrane beside the bike. But it's a heavy, large, and awkward piece of equipment. Given how much he fights it, we might decide to leave it at home. He responds much better running beside the bike if I am holding his leash. I know that's less safe, but it's so much easier. I'll make the decision soon. Of course, I would feel a little bad about not taking the Springer with us. It was donated to us for the trip, and I don't want to dismiss the generosity of Springer USA.

Lesson 4: it might make sense to leave the Springer at home.

After about 20 miles we stopped to eat an energy bar and stretch our legs beside a shed and fields of soybeans. It was nice to relax. The miles had passed fairly painlessly, but it was a warm morning. I hadn't eaten much breakfast, and Coltrane and I were drinking water much more quickly than I had anticipated. Water, of course, is not a real concern in Illinois. Farmhouses aren't so far apart, we passed through towns at regular intervals, and there are small rivers and streams dotting our trail. But there will be days in the desert when we might not see water for a full day or two, and I need to be sure we can carry enough for those times. To jump ahead again, by about mile 45, we had emptied the five water bottles on the bike, and I was thirsty. Rather than knock on someone's door, I found a slow-flowing stream and filtered a single water bottle of water. Coltrane refreshed himself directly from the stream. At about mile 60, I was low on water again, but also beginning to look for a place to stay. I was pedaling slowly, and I saw a sign for a garage sale. As an excuse to stop, I decided to look around. I ended up having a wonderful conversation with the owner of the house and her sister. Coltrane climbed out of the trailer to run in the yard with their dog, Sam. And the owner put out a bowl of water for Coltrane and filled two of my bottles. I didn't see anything I needed at the garage sale, but it was nice to learn a little about the neighborhood. They were excited to hear about my plans for the summer. They told me, however, that I probably wouldn't find a hotel in Steger. There had been one ther 8 or 10 years before, but not any longer. They weren't sure where I should go to find shelter for the night.

Lesson 5: I need to be able to carry more water. And even when water is available, even if my bottles aren't empty, I should take opportunities to cap off my supplies.

Anyway, our stop at the farmside shed was a fun one. As we were getting ready to get back on the road, the farmer rolled up in a very large tractor. We talked briefly about my ride and my plans for the day, while he ate some marshmallowy, chocolatey candy bar. He told me that several years ago a cross-country biker had knocked on his door and asked to sleep in the backyard. He was a quiet guy, who kept to himself, but the farmer and his wife had convinced him to come in for some dinner. Then the biker returned to his tent. He was gone by the time the farmer got up in the morning. I have anticipated there will be times when I might need to knock on a door and ask for hospitality, so it was nice to hear others had tried it with success. The farmer clearly thought it was kind of nice to host this guy and hear a few of his stories.

By lunch Coltrane and I had reached the state line and begun travel on the ADT. We ate one a rusted old bridge over the Kankakee River. Signs and obstructions discouraged us from crossing the bridge, but I - choosing always to live on the edge - followed the trail across it anyway. We'd packed some hummus for lunch - a heavy luxury - but it had gone bad in the heat. So I lunched on pita chips. Not terribly satisfying. It was about now that I realized I had not packed food very well. Again, I was disinclined to commit to turning on the stove for lunch, though something like ramen noodles or a soup might have been nice. In the future, I'll prefer something like peanut butter to hummus. Pita did seem like a good option for bread. It tastes good and is not easily squashed in my pack. It may be because I was not eating very well that by mile 40 I was really tired and moving slowly. I had started the morning traveling nearly 14 miles an hour. By mile 40, I was traveling between 8 and 10. I decided that even if I were eating well, I ought also invest more in things like energy bars, goo, and other supplements. Bikers and triathletes, I understand, recommend eating an energy product for about every hour of intense activity. On top of meals, I think I should expect to eat about two energy products each day.

Lesson 6: buy more energy supplements.

At mile 57 I was exhausted. I was in a residential neighborhood in Crete, Illinois. At the top of hill I saw a shady patch of grass by the side of the road and decided it was time for a rest. I pulled the bike over, let Coltrane out of the trailer and sprawled out with his leash wrapped around my wrist. I don't think I quite fell asleep, but my eyes were closed, and I enjoyed the light breeze and the cool grass beneath me. I was probably there for 20 to 30 minutes before I opened my eyes to see a police officer pull up. He explained that neighbors had reported a man passed out by the side of the road. I assured him I was ok, and he explained that I couldn't sleep just anywhere. He recommended that I ride a few more miles to a public park, where napping would be ok. Then he complimented my bike.

Lesson 7: I need to be careful about vagrancy laws, but the nap was priceless. I really felt energized after my break. I need to remember to take time off the bike.

Lesson 8: It is very hard to appreciate the landscape when you're exhausted. All morning I had admired my surroundings. But as the task got more arduous, I stopped thinking. All my energy was going into the next revolution of the pedals. In some respects it is kind of nice to get into a focused zone, but I want to take my time and enjoy this trip. I need to be careful not to push myself just for the sake of pushing.

The women I spoke to in the afternoon were correct, there was no hotel in Steger. I talked to a couple people there who directed me further up the road, to Matteson. There I found a Holiday Inn that rejected me for having a dog. It took some work to find a hotel that would host us without requiring significant further traveling. We did find one, and it was wonderful to sleep in a comfortable bed. Of course, it also meant that I couldn't fire up my stove, so I ate at a restaurant for dinner. It was all pretty luxurious for just one day of riding.

The next morning we hit the road again. To return to the car I had to leave the ADT. Rather than retrace my steps, I chose to forge my own trail. Not being familiar with the roads, I took a few inconvenient turns, and I spent several miles on a busier highway than I would have liked. But it was a wonderful day of riding. It was 43 miles back to the car. We had enough water for the trip, and I felt pretty strong the whole way. It was a significantly shorter ride than the previous day, but nice to know I could handle several hours of riding so shortly after the first day.

The weekend was a real success. Definitely the load is heavy, and I'll want to consider what things I might be able to leave behind. Among the things I learned, I think I will scale back my distance expectations for the first couple weeks. I need to average 60 miles each day in order to finish on schedule, but in the first couple weeks, I think I will push only for 40 to 50 miles each day. They will be hard enough, climbing from San Francisco to Tahoe. I'll push for longer days after I've fallen into the routine and am feeling stronger. I also want to try and start earlier so that I have time in the evenings, first to find a place to sleep, then to take care of anything that requires sunlight. Coltrane is doing remarkably well in the trailer. I want to make sure he is getting enough exercise and enough water. And finally, I need not to be wedded to the trail. I want to make sure I feel free to detour whenever it makes sense, whether to save time, ride a different sort of terrain, to get to water or other resources, or simply to enjoy a spontaneous moment. I know that carrying the dog will make this trip hard. There really were times, when my quads were burning, that I thought this trip might be absolutely crazy. But the success of the weekend also convinced me that it is feasible. I think we can do this.

I passed!

2006-05-28T01:21:00.000-05:00

If the entire country had the topography of Illinois, every day were as beautiful as this one, and all my route were smoothly paved, I would have no particular concerns about this trip. Today Coltrane and I took our longest ride together with his trailer. We went about 35 miles without any problems. Towing the dog does slow me down by about 3 or 4 miles an hour on average, but it doesn't require me to strain particularly.

We haven't done much work with the trailer in the last week or two. Instead, I've been riding on my own and taking the dog for long walks and trips to the beach to keep him in shape. The last time we used the trailer before today I crossed a street traveling quickly. One of the trailer wheels caught the curb on the sidewalk, Coltrane jumped, and I flipped him. Fortunately, the trailer has a very strong roll bar, and Coltrane was able to scramble out. He was a little shaken, but none the worse for wear. After calming him down a bit, he was willing to climb back in and try again. But not until today had we tried another long ride. So I'm excited it went off so well.

It is also fun to listen to other people on the lakefront trail as we ride. People are suckers for a cute dog riding behind the bike.

My silence since my exams has been unintentional. I've intended to be a faithful blogger and keep everyone up to date on my last weeks of preparation. But there is indeed a great deal to do before I leave Chicago in two weeks, and it can be hard to find the energy to write here. Still, I will try to write something now every day or two. It's important to develop the habit of regular journaling before the trip begins. And I really don't want to forget all the interesting developments, of which there are many.

First, a couple quick comments about my exams. After the first one, I posted the questions I answered. Here I'll list all of them. As I think I've written before, there four written exams, each (in my case) with three questions administered by one or two examiners. I had four hours to answer each exam. Additionally, I submitted a paper to each of the examiners. Finally, there was an oral exam, to review my research interests, the paper, and the written exams.

The written questions:

Exam 1
1. Discuss how two figures from the reading understand and justify the fact of change in the formulation of doctrine in different historical periods. (I wrote on Ernst Troeltsch and Cardinal John Henry Newman.)
2. Compare and contrast Kant and Hegel on the place of religion within philosophical inquiry.
3. Compare Rahner and Barth on the doctrine of revelation.

Exam 2
1. Provide a detailed comparison of the teaching of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas on the necessity, gratuity, and efficacy of grace, with special attention to the following issues:
a. What are the essential errors Augustine and Aquinas combat?
b. For each thinker, what is the relationship between grace and freedom in different stages of salvation history?
c. What is the role of human cooperation in the process of salvation?
2. As to his deity, he was born from the Father before the ages, but as to his humanity, the very same one was born in the last days from the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, for our sake and the sake of our salvation: one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only Begotten, acknowledged to be unconfusedly, unalterably, undividedly, inseperably in two natures, since the difference of the natures is not destroyed because of the union, but on the contrary, the character of each is preserved and comes together in one person and one hypostasis, not divided or torn into two persons but one and the same Son and only-begotten God, Logos, Lord Jesus Christ (The Council of Chalcedon's "Definition of Faith").
Describe the path leading to the definition of the Son given at Chalcedon, with careful attention to the soteriological claims that gave rise to different Christological accounts. In what way can Anselm’s much later, “Why God Became Man?” be read as a vindication and soteriological explication of Chalcedonian orthodoxy?
3. Analyze the sixteenth-century crisis of authority as reflected in your readings.

Exam 3
1. The theme of "perfection" is important in the biblical texts. In this essay, explore the theme of perfection first in Leviticus and then in the "Sermon on the Mount" (Mt. 5-7). After isolating the important features of these accounts of perfection, continue your discussion with respect to one theologian from the classical period of theological ethics and one from the Reformation to modern period. Conclude your essay with reflection on the importance of the idea of perfection for moral inquiry. (I chose to write on Clement of Alexandria and John Wesley.)
2. Write an essay on the theme of love and marriage in Christian ethics. Begin with an exploration of Augustine’s ethics on this topic, noting especially the place of love in his marriage ethics. After you have clarified Augustine’s thought, compare and contrast it with the thought of Luther or Calvin. In making this critical comparison, draw specific attention to the practical import of each thinker’s claims about love with reference to the ethics of marriage. (For the second part, I chose to write on Luther.)
3. Sallie McFague in her recent works has argued that a central challenge to contemporary Christian theology is how to understand the theological and moral significance of the “nature world.” In this essay, examine her account of the world as the “body of God.” What does this account mean, what are the warrants (theological and otherwise) for this construal of the divine, how, methodologically speaking, does McFague develop her position, and what are the ethical claims entailed or implied in this account of God and reality? After clarifying McFague’s position, turn and isolate those points at which H.R. Niebuhr would have the greatest agreement and disagreement with McFague’s theology and ethics. Conclude your essay with an assessment of which position you judge to be most adequate for contemporary theological ethics and the reasons for your judgment.

Exam 4
1. In the modern history of Christianity, nature has frequently been represented as a place in which humans encounter the divine, eve as a redemptive space. At the same time, as for example in H. D. Thoreau's Walden, the encounter is also described in economic terms and by economic metaphors. Write an essay that explores the relationship between economic and religious interpretations of nature, with particular attention to American history.
2. Create a typology of the differing social forms and purposes of utopian communities in the 19th and 20th centuries.
3. Briefly describe the principal theological commitments of the Social Gospel movement and the consequences of these commitments for the Social Gospel understanding of the church’s responsibility to society. Compare these commitments to other 19^th and 20^th century Protestant and Catholic interpretations of the church’s responsibility to society.

The written tests were difficult, but very fair. Most of the questions on the first three exams could have been anticipated according to the questions asked in previous years. The questions on the last exam required me to think just a bit more on my feet, but the topics had arisen out of discussion with the examiner. Though the week of the written exams was incredibly tiring, it was also kind of nice. For the previous several months I had been studying as much as my own constitution would allow - probably a bit more. That meant that I was staying up late, drilling myself with facts, outlines, and arguments. My research was focused by the bibliographies, but the breadth of material that might be asked kept me unsteady and anxious. With the first exam I was able to actually relax a bit and settle into a prescribed schedule. I picked the first exam up at noon on Monday, May 1. I took the questions home and composed my answers on my own computer. At the end of the alotted time, Coltrane and I walked back to campus to turn them in. Then I jumped on the bike, which I had picked up just two days before and relaxed with a couple hours on the road. I didn't study anymore that night. I just relaxed and slept well. The next day I studied all day, and on Wednesday I followed the same routine as I had Monday. Again Friday and the following Monday. The exams themselves were difficult, but each was quickly over. I might spend a short time wishing I had written something I had not, or wishing I had not written something I had, but I expended little energy on regrets.

I had not been terribly anxious about the oral exam, which was conducted the morning of Tuesday, May 16. I've always been more comfortable speaking than writing. I know that I am a better teacher than author - at least, that my self-assessment. So I was surprised at the oral to find myself stumbling often for words, speaking too categorically, and even in a few instances misspeaking altogether. The bulk of the meeting was spent discussing my orals paper and its relation to my eventual dissertation interests. I had submitted a paper I wrote almost a year and a half ago suggesting a spatial theological anthropology. I don't think the paper is brilliant, but I like it for suggesting more clearly than anything else I've composed where I would like to take my research. Fortunately, I think the examining committee found the paper provocative, but they were appropriately critical of my writing and sometimes of the ideas they represent. It was a curious event because in some other context it would have been thrilling. Five very intelligent professors, whom I admire were seriously engaging my work. I never object to criticism, and I really got excited about some of the suggestions they proposed for the way I might approach again my topic. But this was a test, and I wasn't always sure it was going well. I suppose my feeling was similar when we turned from discussing my paper to discussing my written exams. There seemed to be few qualms with what I'd written, but I was pushed to think further about each of my answers. I could nuance them a bit, but I had written what I knew and found it harder than I anticipated to think new thoughts about these same ideas. Consequently, the news that I'd passed was harder than I'd expect it to be.

Several times now I've compared the experience of passing my exams to returning from war. Of course, I've never seen battle and don't mean to trivialize it. But I had expected to feel a kind of elation, an energetic and excited feeling, the kind that might make a person squeal with delight - if I were the squealing sort. But I didn't feel that at all. In fact, my initial thought was, "are you sure?" I had felt pretty good about my written answers, but the oral was hard, and I felt a little damaged. In addition, I had been actively studying for these exams for about two years. The last six months had been incredibly intense. Suddenly I didn't have that anymore. One thing the oral exam had done was clearly establish the limits of my knowledge. Further, it made clear that I have a great deal of work to do even before I propose a dissertation, let alone write one, and the standards will be much higher than for work I have previously submitted. So, maybe a little like a soldier returning home, I felt a sense of relief and a mild sense of pride in what I'd accomplished, but the work feels unfinished and I feel humbled, even a bit damaged by the process. In the ensuing week or two, the sense of relief has grown. Now it feels quite good. But I'm not sure I feel any smarter than I used to, nor have I finished learning all that I ought to learn to be a true scholar.

Next fall I will present a paper at my own conference, an essay that I expect will be published alongside some of the best scholars in my field. I also ought to propose my dissertation in the fall, though it may realistically have to wait until the winter. Before I leave in two weeks I need to think about each of these projects and set myself some realistic goals for work to be achieved this summer. In the meantime, my first priorities include finalizing the details of my route, contacting people I may encounter on the way, coordinating food drops and determining my diet, collecting my last bits of equipment, and continuing to get in shape. There is a lot to do before June 11.

one down

2006-05-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

Yesterday afternoon I took my first exam. I'm struck by a number of things. Four hours is a long time for to write without interruption. I am surprised at how much I was able simply to get onto the page, as long as I didn't get caught up in eloquent phrasings and finding just the right words. The results were not brilliance, but I guess I've stored away a lot of information. I don't know how long I'll retain it; it's been a long couple of weeks, and some of the information feels a bit insecure. Anyway, I feel pretty good about yesterday's work. I'd like tomorrow to take a little more energy to articulate a clear argument for each essay, but if it goes as well as yesterday's I'll be happy. I think maybe I'll think a bit about the order I want to write in too. Yesterday I just answered the questions in the order they were given, but the last essay felt clearly less thoughtful than the previous two. By the end I feel like I am writing in bullet points.

These are the questions I answered:
1. Discuss how two figures from the reading list (e.g. Bauer, Schleiermacher, Newman, Troeltsch) understand and justify the fact of change in the formulation of doctrine in different historical periods.
- I wrote about Troeltsch and Newman.
2. Compare and contrast Kant and Hegel on the place of religion within philosophical inquiry.
- I always feel clumsy talking about Hegel, but I think this went ok.
3. Compare Rahner and Barth on the doctrine of revelation.
- I spent a little more time here on their respective anthropologies than may have been necessary and slighted parts of their doctrines on revelation. But I can clean it up at the oral exam.

In trip news: I took the new bike out for its first real ride last night after my exam. I was out for about an hour and did a 16-mile loop up to Navy Pier. The weather was overcast and humid - not ideal, but it meant that the lakeshore path was clear. The bike is a lot of fun to ride. I am even more convinced now that it makes a difference to ride a bike that fits well. Unfortunately, the front wheel isn't true. To the uninitiated, that means that the wheel is lopsided and wobbles just a bit from side to side. It makes riding significantly less smooth than I would like. I'm not sure what happened, but Kevin will fix it for me when I get the bike back into the shop next week.

exams begin tomorrow

2006-04-30T15:20:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted here in the last couple weeks. I've probably had time to jot a quick message, but I've been stressed and preoccuppied preparing for my doctoral exams. Now they're here. I don't quite feel ready for them, particularly for those coming later in the week, but I've worked pretty hard and expect I'll do alright.

Real briefly I thought I'd explain how they work, so all of you out in online-land know what I'm up to.

There are four four-hour written exams and one two-hour oral exam. The first written exam is tomorrow; the others will follow on Wednesday, Friday, and the following Monday. Each of the exams will require me to answer a few questions. I'm expecting three questions on each of them, but there could be more or less. Between the four exams, I have six examiners. I will pick the questions up on campus and will do the work at my desk at home. Notes and books are not allowed. The oral exam is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16. At least four of the the examiners will be present, but they could all be there. The oral exam is an opportunity to discuss my future research plans, the answers I submitted for the written exams, and possibly other material not covered in the written exams.

The four exams are:
Theology 2: Modern and Contemporary Religious Thought, Enlightenment to the 20th Century
Theology 1: The History of Christian Thought Through the Reformation
Religious Ethics 2: Theological Ethics
History of Christianity 4: History of Modern Christianity, 1600 to the Present

Each of the written exams is based on a bibliography of - in my case - anywhere between 18 and 57 texts. These texts do not include important secondary materials. This is my fourth year of PhD work. I stopped taking classes for credit two years ago so I could concentrate on studying. Last year I continued to audit a few classes. This year I have not attended any classes. I have continued to work as a writing intern in the college's undergraduate core humanities program and as a resident head in an undergraduate dorm. Last summer, against my better instincts, I tended bar.

These exams do not mark the end of my program. Passing them constitutes permission to submit a dissertation proposal and, of course, write a dissertation. I expect it will still be three years before I earn my degree. The exams also establish my teaching competency at the university level. Beginning next fall, I hope to do more work lecturing at the University of Chicago and other area schools. I don't have a specific job yet, but I have applied to teach a quarter in the first-year humanities program here.

In other exciting news: I took delivery of the new bike yesterday. I took a break from studying to outfit it with some its gadgets - the bike computer, the Springer, a pump, and a trailer hitch - and it looks great. The racks are due to arrive around May 15, and then it will be complete. I haven't actually ridden it yet, but I think I'll get for an hour or two after my test tomorrow. I am really thrilled to finally have it. I'll try to get a few pictures up soon.

two weeks to the exams

2006-04-15T17:08:00.000-05:00

I regret that I've not been able to do more posting recently. Preparations for the trip have been coming together. I'm sure everyone reading these things is tired of hearing about equipment. I wish I could tell you about fun preparation rides, or even interesting ideas that are coming up as I plan. Unfortunately, I am now just two weeks from my doctoral exams. I'm pretty stressed these days and mentally taxed. I haven't been out for a ride in quite some time and don't think I'll get out for any distance until at least the first week of May. The exams begin May 1, and the last written test will be on May 8. If I'm ambitious, I may try to hard in the evenings after each exam as a way to unwind and begin to get in shape.

A couple weeks ago I commented that my left knee was bothering me. After a couple days, I thought the feeling had subsided, but the last couple days it has been uncomfortable again. I am really at a loss as to what it might be. I've not stressed it particularly recently. Massaging the muscles around the knee seems to relieve the pain or move it around, but it's been lingering for some time now. I think on Monday I'll get in touch with the University Student Care Center and see if I can't get in to see a sports physician. It can sometimes be a long time before they can fit you in, but then maybe it would be better if I can't get in to see her until after my exams anyway. The situation is not now one that would dissuade me from riding, but it does make me wary.

As my last post announced, the bike frame came in on Monday and looks great. This week has included several phone calls with Robert Beckman, who is making the racks for the bike. I am really glad to have a great craftsman attending to the racks. In conversations with him it has become quite clear what a challenge my frame is. It is unusual to have a touring bike with disc brakes, and they make things a bit more difficult because the brakes attach to the frame at the hubs, right where the racks are usually attached. The racks need to be positioned so that neither they, nor the bags, interfere with the movement of the wheels or the operation of the brakes. Additionally, to tackle the kind of route I am taking, this bike has a straight fork. It is not "raked" - that is, curved - like most road and touring bikes. This gives it an unusual geometry to bear a rack. Anyway, the racks are in production, and should arrive in a few weeks.

I received my Springer this week. It's a hard product to explain, but it is a contraption that clamps to the seat tube of the bike above the pedals. A metal arm extends out over the pedal and attaches to a large spring and can then be leashed to the dog. I've heard great things about the device and was very glad that Springer actually agreed to donate the product for this trip. Having now received it, I am impressed at its functional design. I'm a little concerned that it is quite heavy. I think the guys at the shop are afraid that using it will clutter up the bike. I'm not sure what I think right now. I think I'll need to give it a couple test drives.

the bike arrived!

2006-04-11T01:26:00.000-05:00

The frame and fork arrived today from Waterford. It looks great! Photos are posted, so check them out. A couple of them really capture the colors well.

When I arrived at Get A Grip, the bike was still in its box. It was like Christmas morning to unpack it. It's not even a complete bike at this point, but it really is beautiful. I love the colors, the lugs at each of the joints are clean, the decals are subtle and very nice, the frame is light and feels very strong. I'm no expert, but I think I've got a good bike. Adam and Kevin, the guys who are building it for me, seem really pleased with it too. There definitely isn't another one like it on the road.

They'll build it soon, and of course I'm eager to see it finished. But I've told them not to rush. For better or worse, I've got other things on my plate these days.

In the meantime, I understand the racks and bags are coming along well and are on schedule to arrive before May 15. I'm really excited to see it all coming together.

waiting

2006-04-08T17:54:00.000-05:00

I was told last Friday that the bike had been shipped, but I didn't hear anything during the week. So I called yesterday to follow up. I don't know exactly what the holdup was, but apparently it didn't ship last Friday, but it did ship yesterday. I have been vigorously assured that the bike will arrive at Get a Grip Cycle on Monday. If I can get away from my books for a short time, I'll go to see it and take a couple pictures. At this point, however, it is still just a frame and a fork. They've still got to build the thing. Though I am very anxious, it is probably better that I don't have it yet. I have too much work to do, and the last thing I need is another distraction.

I also followed up this week on my Springer, the device that will attach to the frame of the bike so Coltrane can be leashed to the frame while he jogs with me. I expected to receive the contraption a couple weeks ago, but it has fallen into the black hole of the postal service. They've agreed to send another one, and this one will come UPS with a tracking number. If I'm lucky, it too will arrive on Monday, and I can have Kevin put it on the bike for me while he's assembling it.

And last latest development is the continuing conversation with Flint River Ranch about how best to ship me Coltrane's food over the summer. They are willing to track me across the country and send 5 pound shipments to be picked up every few days. The problem is that their infrastructure is set up around UPS, which cannot be sent General Delivery to a US Post Office. So the question is whether I can pick up shipments at UPS Stores. The answer is yes and no. Along most of the route, UPS coverage is pretty good, but I'm traveling through some remote areas, and in at least one instance, there is an 1100 mile gap between possible pick-up points. Because I think it is an interesting conversation, I am including an edited version of my most recent email to Flint River Ranch.

There are just a couple long segments where I will not have access to a UPS Store for quite some time. If you could make a handful of special shipments via USPS, that would work. Otherwise, I would ask you to send maybe 50# of food to my mother in Seattle. She can then send it USPS when necessary. She might also be able to do an overnight shipment if, for any reason, I am in a bind.

State-by-State Details:
CA: There are lots of stores between San Francisco and Auburn, but I don’t expect I’ll need any shipments here. 5# should easily get me to Auburn. I will see my dad there, and he can give me an additional 5# bag. There are no more stores until Fallon, NV (approx. 270 miles).

NV: We’ll be pushing to make it to Fallon due to difficult terrain, but I think we can probably begin the trip with an extra pound or two. It won’t be hard to pack a little extra food at the beginning. After Fallon, there are no stores within reach of the trail until Grand Junction, CO (approx 1100 miles). This will be a long stretch, perhaps the most difficult of the trip. I expect that we may only make about 40-45 miles many days. This could take as long as three weeks – about 25# of food. I will definitely need someone to send it to me via USPS.

UT: No stores.

CO: There is a store in Grand Junction and another in Breckenridge. This terrain will be difficult too, and I can’t be certain of my pace. If I pick up 10# in Grand Junction, I could certainly make it to Breckenridge, or I could arrange a USPS drop at some intermediary point. There are several stores, around Denver (approx 100 miles). After Denver, riding will get much easier. But the next store is not until Great Bend, KS (approx. 600 miles). I could probably cover this distance if I pick up 10# again in Denver. But it would be nice to be able to get a USPS shipment if necessary.

KS: After Great Bend, Kansas shouldn’t be much of a problem. The next store is in Lawrence (approx. 260 miles), but at this point, I expect to be covering 80-100 miles a day. Kansas City is only about 50 miles further, and there are several stores there.

MO: There are lots of stores in Missouri. The longest distance between is only 150 miles.

IL: The situation in IL is a little tight. There are stores in Carbondale and Marion, each roughly 15 miles off my intended route. I could work with them if necessary, or arrange USPS shipments.

IN: There are several stores in Indiana, never with a distance of greater than 150 miles between.

OH: There are a couple stores in Cincinnati. The next is about 250 miles away in Chillicothe, which is 10 miles off the trail. It’s not ideal, but not unreasonable. It’s another 180 miles to the WV border.

WV: There are stores in Parkersburg and Fairmont. Fairmont is about 15 miles off the trail. It is then about 200 miles to the MD border.

MD: There is a store in Cumberland, which is about 20 miles in the wrong direction when I enter the state. But it should be an easy and scenic 20 miles on the C&O Canal trail. D.C. is about 200 miles down the road, and there are several stores there and through the rest of the state.

DE: We’re in Delaware for only a very short time. But if we are running low and need one last shipment, there is a store very near the conclusion of the trail, in Rehoboth Beach.