Day 38

Montrose, CO to Grand Junction, CO. About 63 miles.

Uneventful day...so far. My ride was easy - mostly downhill w/ a tailwind - and short. Left Montrose 'round 7:40 and arrv'd in Grand Junction 'round 11. I've been working from Main Street Bagels since then. Sean's on his way to pick me up...we're gonna find a bar and kick back a few. Mark, Dan & Kasia will arrive later today, and perhaps others. We'll all be mtn biking tomorrow in Moab, and racing on Sat/Sun! Good times! My trek to SF is on hold for now, probably until Spring, '11. I've only about 1,000 miles to go; ten days of hard riding, or 2-3 weeks at a leisurely pace. I have plans to rope in a riding partner, in which case the emphasis will be on enjoying the ride rather than maximizing mileage. There's lots to see and experience between here and SF.

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Day 36 & 37

Took Monday "off" and worked. Tuesday: Salida, CO to Montrose, CO. 129 miles. 9,700' ascent.

Today's ride was the most challenging I've ever faced. For me, it was epic. I was committed to camping short of Montrose if I felt any stress in my Achilles, Patellar, etc. The stress never came...just tired legs. So I rode 129 miles through the Colorado Rockies. Highlights included climbing the 11,300' Monarch Pass; coasting down a 6% grade road, uninterrupted, for nine (!) miles; two add'l 1,000' climbs; and a merciful, fifteen mile descent into Montrose. I've only about 60 miles to go until Grand Junction, CO, where I'll end this segment of my journey. I'll be meeting some friends there for several days of mountain biking, including a 24 hour race in Moab, UT, before heading home. Life is good... 

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Day 35

Pueblo, CO to Salida, CO. About 95 miles & 6,300 feet of climbing. Perfect weather!

What an awesome day of riding. The scenery was breathtaking, and the weather perfect. My legs were a bit tired. What a welcome change from the High Plains. I felt like I was in Kansas, though, when I got lunch: a vegetable burrito, which consisted of vegetarian hamburger "meat", iceberg lettuce & tomatoes wrapped in a burrito and topped w/ unmelted grated cheese. No beans.

The food in Salida was better. What a lovely little town; I'll take Monday off here to give the legs a rest and catch up on work. Lots of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and Amica's, a great little micro brewery and wood fired pizza place. I stumbled across Simple Hotel & Hostel, a cozy, clean, friendly lodge right in town. $22/night 1st night's stay; $11 for the 2nd night! This place has it all over the boxy, cookie cutter hotels and run down motels typically on offer. Kimberly, the mountain bike touring host, gave me intel on where to go in town, and where to camp between Salida and Montrose, 130 miles away through the Rocikes and the next town where lodging's available. I traded stories w/ Dave, who was in town for the weekend from Boulder to mountain bike. He gave me all sorts of sport nutritional provisions for my ride and reminded me how much I'd likely love living in Boulder.

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Day 34

Eads, CO to Pueblo, CO. Just over 115 miles. Cool weather.
Left before sunrise w/ rain gear on. It was raining heavily as I prepared my ride, but let up by the time I was under way. I had a nice tailwind most of the way, and made good time. No flats! Pueblo consisted of a sleepy downtown, with ample evidence of planned civic restoration. I stopped at a bar, had a few beers, and met Lincoln and Brad. Brad crashes cars on the weekends; demolition derby. Lincoln, after wrapping up a 1 hr, 13 min phone call, suggested I take Rt 50 instead of 96 to Salida. I checked into the Comfort in, amidst strip mall hell, and was briefly locked out of my room. Somehow the latch closed along w/ the door; it  s/ only engage when someone in the room engages it. I managed to open it w/ a credit card. I had penne marinara for dinner at a "casual dining" spot, and was pleasantly surprised that the pasta was not overcooked, thought the sauce was of course too sweet; worked for me, though.

I was glad to arrive in Kansas; it was flat. I'm happier still to be at the foothills of the beautiful Rockies.

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Day 33

Leoti, KS to Eads, CO. About 80 miles, clear skies, pleasant temperatures. Crossed into the Mountain time zone from Central shortly before leaving KS behind for CO.

I worked furiously until FedEx arrived 'round 1:30 with my new rim strips. They worked like a charm.  Not a single flat today. What a relief. Despite a late start I made it to Eads, CO. This is extraordinarily desolate country. I didn't notice a single restaurant along the way and only a few, tiny, grain elevator towns.

The landscape changed noticeably shortly after crossing into Colorado. It's less intensively tilled, remarkably flat for long stretches, and dominated in areas by what appears to be sage brush. Between burying my head in work this AM and trying to make Eads before sundown, I met almost no one today. So happy to be riding w/o flats!

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Day 32

Dighton, KS to Leoti, KS. About 50 miles. Great weather; highs in the 70s or so.

Met some interesting people along the way, including a couple in a van who slowed down to invite me to stay at their place in Leoti. It's not unusual for people take in cyclists along this well established route, but I wasn't planning on staying in Leoti. When I arrived in town, their daughter, Abigail, flagged me down. She lead me to their home, where I met her two sisters and chatted w/ her dad for a bit before heading out towards my destination further west. Tire went flat again...

Nothing but tube problems all day. Patched my tire another 8 or so times today, the result of a faulty rim strip. I was a hair's width away from hitching to Pueblo again, but one call to Jim Vance turned everything around. He stopped whatever he was doing, cycled to James Vincent's bike shop, bought me two rim strips and other supplies then FedExed them. I checked into the Hi Plains Motel and settled in for the night. Thank you Jim!

Oh, these pictures really capture a part of my Kansas experience: "bull hauler" truck and horrible food. A disproportionate number of the bull hauling truckers, as Joe from Hornets Nest Cafe in Dighton calls them, find sport in buzzing bikers. Not motor cyclists, I'm certain. Their large, low to the ground rigs generate a powerful blast of air in their wake. One came so close to me while I was changing a tire today he knocked over my bike and pannier. Fortunately most drivers, especially truckers, fail to see the sport in dangerously hazing cyclists and tend to give wide berth.

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Day 31

Flew into Garden City, KS on Tuesday. 


I went through 8 tires patches yesterday, Wednesday, all but one as dusk approached. Two seemed to be the result of a old rim liner that I "fixed" with duct tape, and the rest from nasty prickly things - "goat heads" they're called - in what passes for grass. I rode about 80 miles, back to The Spot where I had ended the second leg of this journey. I intended on riding west from Garden City if I had no luck hitching a ride to The Spot, but after a half assed attempt to catch a ride, I hopped on my bike and cycled there. I would have preferred a ride, but I'm glad I started from where I had stopped. I'm in good spirits, but worried about running out of patches.

Met some good people yesterday. Kathryn and Fred, proprietors of the B&B in Garden City; Joe & his wife, owners of the pizza shop in Dighton, and Pastor Howard, who invited me to "camp" in his church, where I took a shower in a sink. I'm trying to experience this leg of my trip like most other TransAmers...sans hotels (at least some nights). 

Today I'm feeling particularly grateful for good friends, new and old! Also: for a well functioning tire pump, a contrast to the last leg of my journey.

Sent from my phone. Please pardon the tpyos. 

Sent from my phone. Please pardon the tpyos. 

Day 30

Garden City, KS.

I'm back on the road! Flew into KS yesterday. I'm killing time waiting for the post office to open so I can ship a borrowed bike case back home. Thanks for the loaner, Andrew. After that I'll attempt to hitch hike to this spot, precisely where mechanicals forced an end to the last segment of my ride and motivated me to hitch hike 250 miles to Pueblo, CO.

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Day 29

Pueblo, CO

Slept well. Booked a red eye. Booked a car. Drove up to Colorado Springs to hike with Mark and Steph, two new mountain biking friends who I'll be riding with in Moab, UT in Oct. We did a great hike up a very steep incline, then ran down. I managed to keep up w/ Mark, who tore down the mountain. Had a great salad and beers at a pub in Manitou, CO. Headed up to Mark's place - which is kind of a private resort complete w/ rock climbing wall, driving range, and all sorts of outdoor diversions. We mountain biked in the remarkably beautiful trails around Mark's house, trailed by Mark's son Austin on his unicycle. The east facing hills were covered in lush grass and wildflowers; I seriously wanted to pitch a tent, and was sorry I left my camera at the house. Thanks for taking the afternoon off, Mark! Good times!

I'll probably come back for the next leg of my westward journey in late Sept / early Oct, just before my Moab, UT trip. Mark suggested I ride the Kokopelli Trail into Moab. Sounds like a *great* idea. Moab's not quite on my route to San Fran, but it's more or less due west of Lane County, KS, where I'll resume my ride. I s/ be able to figure out how to get back on route from Moab w/o adding on too many extra miles!

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Day 28

Today's Route: GPS Details. Larned, KS --> Pueblo?! 330 miles (250 via Toyota).

The flats just wouldn't stop today. I'd already used both my spare tubes, and as the day progressed it became increasingly clear my patches were failing. It started w/ a tire that had gone flat overnight. I brought Slime Skab patches with me, an easy to use, peal and stick patch. I always found it to be a drag using the patches that require glue tubes. The only problem w/ the Skabs is they *do not work*. Sorry I had to figure this out in the middle of Kansas, with no on route or near route bike shop for 250 miles. Some asshole is making a mint selling this garbage. Bubble gum might work better. The amount of hassle he's causing bikers is monumental.

Shortly before leaving Ness City I decided I would keep heading West until my bike literally wouldn't roll. I was pleased with my sense of purpose and determination. I figured I could just hitch hike if necessary. People are very friendly 'round here. You can't call a cab, and many other services (bike shops) are in short supply. It's remote, and people have to rely upon one another. This was evident last night when I was fixing my flat - two drivers stopped and offered me a ride.

I fixed my tubes more than five times throughout the day, including before leaving my motel, at a truck garage before lunch, in Ness City after lunch, and a few miles outside the Lane County line, where I finally gave up the ghost - out of tubes & out of patches with one flat tire. Not that being out of patches mattered much; they only held for an hour or so.

So I hitch hiked for the first time in my life. I was incredibly lucky. On a very lightly traveled road, within 20 seconds of my having turned round to wait for an oncoming car, a Toyota crested the hill to the east. I stuck my finger out - my thumb of course! The driver - also named Steve - pulled over and asked where I was going. Pueblo, I told him. He was going there too. What luck! Thank you Steve. You're a good man. I hope you're enjoying time with your family!

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Day 27

Today's Route: GPS Details. Newton, KS to Larned, KS. About 117 miles.

Great day today, until I got a flat 5 miles from my destination. 

I could not believe my luck when a detour caused me to stumble upon a *great* coffee shop Buhler, KS. Good cappuccino, excellent egg & avocado & sprout sandwich, freshly baked scone, and of course friendly staff. Wow! Just what I needed. I was absolutely astonished such a place could survive in a small town. Is there an enormous opportunity to bring quality food to KS, or was this an inexplicable exception? I also met a couple of friendly road workers, w/ whom I chatted, as a result of the detour. 

I rode through the Quivira Nat'l Wildlife Reserve today. What a delight for the eyes, and spirit. No more seemingly endless rows of monocrop corn & soy. No more fenced in cattle disrupting the Plains ecology. Just lush, visually stunning vistas of grass and flowers and birds. Despite the intense heat and a long ride, Quivira was absolutely restorative. 

I continue to see other TransAm riders, every day it seems. Four today. Rode w/ one guy, Dave, for a bit. He looked like Death as I approached from behind. Wearing all black, w/ a huge backpack, and looking eerie in the distance as the distortion from the road heat made it seem as though he was floating. 

My flat: It took way too long to fix because: my pump and CO2 dispenser were not working properly and the tub required multiple patches. I finally tossed it...and my spare tube's valve was too short.

As I rode the few remaining miles into Larned, it started to stink. I immediately spotted the culprit: a feedlot. How poignant. The environmental impact of eating meat motivates me to steer clear of it nearly always. The environmental footprint of the livestock industry is enormous. Meat requires ten times more land per calorie than plant based foods (10:1). Energy input is up to 54:1 in favor of a plant based diet. Resource ratios for water are similarly outsized. I could go on... Anyway, I'd like to see more landscapes like Quivira, and fewer acres overgrazed by cattle.

It also seems many truck drivers hauling cattle hate bikers: was buzzed by at least six of them today. I have to fight the (smelly) draft of their huge vehicles to keep on the road, and they know it. Most of the drivers are very considerate, though, many moving clear over to the opposite side of the road when they pass.

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Day 26

Today's Route: GPS Details. Eureka, KS to Newton, KS. About 75 miles. Hot. Again.

Today was tough. I was tired and a bit demoralized. For good reason. Of course I've been biking lots of miles .: tired. I've also found it very difficult to eat well, which is driving me nuts. If it's not fried, it's meat. If it's neither of those, it's sugary sweet. Short post today...gotta get some work done, and sleep.

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Day 25

Today's Route: GPS Details. Pittsburg, KS to Eureka, KS. About 110 miles. Crazy hot &t sunny.

I'm falling behind on blogging...just pics today.

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Day 24

Today's Route: GPS Details. Marshfield, MO --> Pittsburg, KS. ~110 miles. 108 degree heat index.

It's Sunday, 9:12 AM, as I sit comfortably in the Pittsburg, KS, Starbucks writing this blog. I need some down time after yesterday's grueling ride, though this will be a short post as I s/ seriously be on the road pedaling. I couldn't resist uploading another gross up close of my skin, this time covered in bumps brought on by heat & my struggle to get to Tailwind's Bike Shop before they closed @ 4:00...reopening Tues AM. Well, I made it to KS, and the bike shop. John & Roger did a *great* job fixing my ride. It shifts better then ever, thanks I think to Roger tweaking my derailleur hanger so it was perfectly parallel w/ my rim. I recovered quickly from my overheating issue, and I met two cool riders from Oxford, England, Ed & Bethen. They were kind enough to hang at the El Charo Mexican restaurant and have a drink w/ me. We had a fun time trading ride notes before heading back to the motel and crashing.

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Day 23

Today's Route: GPS Details. Eminence, MO --> Marshfield, MO. ~110 miles. Heat, hills & hobbled bike.

Started the day off in a mild panic, thinking I might be stuck in Eminence 'till Monday, the next earliest possible delivery date for a shifter cable via FedEx. Yesterday I thought I had a bandaid solution to my broken shifter cable, which had reduced the number of gears on my bike from 33 to 3. When I set out to implement this solution before my ride I quickly realized shortening my chain might not be a great idea. It would have taken me from 3 speeds down to a single speed, albeit an easy to pedal on hills single speed (fixed gear?). Desperately trying to find a way to get my chain in an easier gear w/o losing more gears, I started messing w/ my rear derauiller limit screws. Bingo! I moved the lower limit way up the cassette, and was able to maintain three (easier) speeds. This was enough to get me out of the Ozarks, though to generate sufficient forward momentum I had to stand and pedal on all but the smallest hills.

I met only a few people today, focused as I was on putting miles behind me. On my way out of town I did have a pleasant conversation w/ a Nat'l Park Ranger - an interpreter - at the coffee shop. I also met Nile, "like the river", who was traveling eastbound, solo. He'd just repaired a blown out rear tire w/ electric tape & a folded up dollar bill. Necessity is the mother of invention. Nile's only 17. I s/ have done this ride when I was his age...better late than never!

I stayed in a $35/night motel, the Plaza in Marshfield, MO. Perfect for this trip: clean (except the carpet) & cheap w/ a bed & a shower. With luck and grit, I clear the Ozark hills tomorrow! Kansas beckons! FLAT!

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Day 22

Today's Route: GPS Details 97 miles from Farmington to Eminence, 91 degrees, 6,900 feet of climbing...on a 3 speed bike!

My rear derailleur shifter cable snapped early in the ride. This is the second time it's snapped this year. There's no bike shop for at least another 150 miles. I tried to have a replacement cable FedExed - thanks for the assist, Jim! - but it would not have arrived until late afternoon Fri. I want to ride tomorrow AM. My work around for tomorrow: disengage chain from rear derailleur, shorten chain, and leave it in a large ring in the rear cassette. That'll make it easier to climb the Ozark hills. Hopefully it can all be put back together properly when I get to a bike shop.

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Day 21

Rest day. I didn't ride, at all. I worked, and by the end of the day felt relieved to have cleared my plate of a few items. A few eastbound riders arrived late last night at Al's Place, and I had a pleasant dinner with their support car driver / "team manager"! Not much more to report...other than Al's Place & Farmington have been a welcome respite. Tomorrow I continue my ride across MO / the Ozarks, the only mountain range between the Appalachians and the Rockies.

Photo: Al's Place. Nice!

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Day 20

Today's Route: GPS Details Rest day, sorta. Rode about 50 miles from Chester, IL to Farmington, MO.

I was going to stay in Chester, at the Stone House Inn, to rest my knee and get some work done. I was way backed up on work. The SHI looks like a nice place, with lovely views of the Mississippi River. However, Edward, an eastbound TransAm rider who I met at the FOE, told me of a great place to stay about 50 miles west: a beautifully renovated former jail in Farmington, MO. I went for it, and was glad I did.

Clearing another state - IL into MO in this case - is always uplifting. But crossing the Mississippi was truly a thrilling milestone. And arriving at Al's Place, the converted jail, was a relief. Great place, and a perfect town to stop & get some work done: it had a good coffee shop w/ wifi, and a good restaurant/bar, also w/ wifi. What more could I ask for? Oh, and there was a WalMart too...

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Day 19

Today's Route: GPS Details. Rode about 90 miles from Harrisburg, IL to Chester, IL, on the banks of the Mississippi and the MO border.

Today was...adventurous. It was at different times frustrating, satisfying, sublimely beautiful, nerve wracking, and exciting. It was a lot of other things too, but all in all, a memorable day! 

Frustrating: I stopped in a bike shop in Carbondale - the last bike shop until Kansas, to change my chain, a 20 or so minute undertaking. 6 hours and three bike shops later I was on the road! The new chain chain caused all sorts of drive train problems; I ended up putting the old one back on. No more proactive drive train maintenance until I'm back home. 

Satisfying: Longbranch Coffee in Carbondale. I'm eating everything in sight, and LB had a great menu w/ lots of vegetarian options...and smoothies! Throughout the course of the day I had coffee, a scone, two smoothies, hummus and a sandwich.  Yum! Probably the best food I'll have 'till I get to CO. 

Sublimely beautiful: A dramatic, seemingly 360 degree sunset. 

Nerve wracking: Getting a flat as darkness fell, with a pump that didn't seem to be working and an untested headlamp. Turns out only the gauge on the pump was not working...and the headlamp worked great! 

Exciting: Riding in the dark on unfamiliar country roads!


Oh, and I stayed in what would have been a tool shed were it not outfitted w/ bunks for TransAm riders. Accommodations were courtesy of the Chester, IL, Fraternal Order of Eagles. It was perfect because it was free, and I had access to a shower. The FOE is the place to be in Chester. A volleyball match was underway when I arrived. Sarah, the barkeep, told me I missed the following FOE sponsored events: mud truck show, and bikini bull riding. I did see Leno w/ musical guests KISS on the tube @ the bar, though. KISS?! Not every act s/ try for a comeback. 

Leslie, the Crab Orchard Lake picture is for you of course! I hope it brings back great memories. Thanks for all your encouragement! :)

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Day 18

Today's Route: GPS Details. Rode 143 miles today, from Falls of Rough, KY to Harrisburg, IL.

So I set out to ride 70 miles today, and ended up riding 143. I didn't even tear a tendon. I arrived at my day's target destination, Sebree, at 11:30, and felt it was too early to stop riding. During lunch in Clay, KY, about 20 miles outside of Sebree, I ran into a group of four other riders traveling East. While waiting out a storm, one of the riders encouraged me to consider a shortcut that would shave about 50 miles off Adventure Cycling's route to Carbondale, IL. The shortcut was flat, to boot. I couldn't resist. I felt up to it, and was psyched to save 50 miles and ride another 50, the distance to the nearest hotel on my new route. I was told the route was as flat as Kansas, and that I s/ complete it in just three hours considering the single pannier I was carrying. I figured six hours w/ time for eating, picture taking, bike adjustments, etc., but did manage in a little over 3. **Thank you Doug, Alex, Jacob(?), etc!**

So I arrived in IL a day early, via a bridge over the Ohio River. Crossing this large body of water was an exciting milestone. Next river crossing: the Mississippi!

Oh, I need to vent just a bit: the food is remarkably horrible in this area. No wonder Americans are so obese. Solving our nation's healthcare crisis requires little more than changing what we eat. Everything on the menu at today's lunch spot seemed to be meat, or fried, or both. That's right, fried meat. The days' special was fried steak. Seriously. As if feed lot fattened beef won't kill you quickly enough!? I ordered okra, breaded cauliflower, and a baked potato, food I generally enjoy. I shouldn't have been surprised when the okra and cauliflower arrived cloaked in a jacket of fried something or another. Fortunately it pealed off easily!

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Day 17

Today's Route: GPS Tracks. Rode 85 miles today, from Bardstown, KY to Falls of Rough, KY.

Today's ride began at 5:50 AM, before sunrise. My front and rear flashing LEDs provided visibility to motorists, but were not powerful enough to improve my visibility of the road. There was enough light to allow me to ride safely, but I do plan on rigging out a more powerful headlamp tonight. Riding in the morning is sooo much better than in the blazing heat of day. It's cooler, of course, and very peaceful. If a headlamp allows me to begin earlier in the day, I'll do so for sure.

Today's highlights include stumbling across a bourbon barrel factory. One of the workers let me in to poke around and take pictures. I also met another cross country rider, Christian. British, it seemed from his accent. What a difference from my April riding, when I hadn't met a single xc rider. Now I'm seeing several a day, a number of whom are traveling westbound. It's gonna be *hot* biking across the the NV desert. Most everyone seems to be carrying more panniers than I, and camping. I'm down to just one pannier, and I'm warming to the idea of camping. I plan on buying a tent in Carbondale, IL, the next sizable town through which I'll travel.

Today's 'kindness of strangers' events: a free ice pop at Lucy's convenience store, and a $9 cyclists' discount on my motel room.

Falls of Rough, where I'm staying tonight, is a lake resort. Lacking a boat and not wanting to bike miles to the lake or elsewhere, I'm left w/ little of interest to keep me occupied. I arrived at my decidedly run down motel at 12:30, benefiting from a time zone change. I've exited Eastern Std Time and now set my watch to Central Time. I'm feeling increasingly confident I'll reach Pueblo, CO; my Achilles are feeling fine so far. I hope it lasts. I'd enjoy being home, but I want to finish this trip w/o being forced off my bike due to injury. Pueblo's my near term objective. Now that my journey's been interrupted, there's no magic to completing it w/o further breaks. Unless the spirit moves me beyond Pueblo, I'll head back to Jersey from there, returning to CO later this year to finish the last 1,500 miles.

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Day 16

Today's Route: GPS Details. Berea, KY -> Bardstown, KY.

I'm back in Berea, KY! Actually, I'm writing this from Bardstown after a day's ride. Great seeing Nick, Paul & Chynna at BC&T yesterday!

So my bike journey was delayed a few months due to what I first thought was tendonitis, but what turned out to be a torn Achilles tendon. Torn, not severed, so an operation was not necessary. It healed in a little over 6 weeks, but it took me 10 weeks to resume my ride because I was having so much fun back home. Parties at 220 11th, Dan & Mindy's E Hampton weekend, Jack Johnson concert, great night at MAD, and w/ few exceptions a fun something or another going on every day. It all became a bit exhausting, though, so I returned to where I paused my cycling odyssey, and I'm back on my Cannondale to San Fran. I arrived in Berea yesterday. My mother, Jim and I drove down together. Nice hanging w/ my mom yesterday evening, riding w/ Jim for ~ 15 miles this AM, and having company for the long car ride! Thanks mom & Jim!!

I had a great ride today. Met my first two fellow cross country bound riders this morning, Chelsey - not Chelsea - and Rita. Two cool grad students headed to San Fran. We rode together for about 10 miles and enjoyed comparing cycling notes. I met Matt a bit later in the morning. He was traveling solo, Eastbound. He's got the right outlook for a cross country ride - keep your schedule flexible and when faced w/ the decision to ride, or to stop riding and explore whatever it is that's piqued one's interest: get off the bike. Right on! Much of what's piqued my interest is back home, though. 


Some of my fondest trip memories are in Berea. In a sense, I'm glad my Achilles tore. Had it not I'd have passed through far too quickly. So will I take Matt's advice and hang in Bardstown tomorrow, maybe for a distillery tour? Nope. I'll ride about 95 miles tomorrow, then dial back to 70 on Sunday. I expect to be in IL by Monday, and MO by Tues or Wed! Can hardly wait to get to Kansas - flat as a pancake.



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Day 15

Apologies for the gross picture of my swollen, farmer tanned foot. To prevent a chronic condition, I've concluded it would be wise to stop the activity that caused my tendonitis. Unfortunately, due to its poor blood supply, healing of the Achilles tendon is often slow, so it's likely I'll have to rest for at least several weeks. Here's some of what I've read online: "The tendon needs at least 6 weeks to form the scar tissue needed to fully repair the affected area. Scar tissue will continue to form in the affected area long after the six week period. The key to successful tendonitis treatment is patience. If you do not give the tendon enough time to recover tendonitis will return, it's as simple as that."

Well, on that note, I decided to spend one more night in Berea and head home Sunday morning. I'll return to Berea to continue my journey once doctors and I conclude my Achilles is back to full strength. Worthwhile endeavors are rarely reached without setbacks along the way...a metaphor for life. 

Oh, Berea's been great. I've received a remarkably warm embrace by the community. I'm looking forward to seeing my new friends and acquaintances again when my trip continues: Nick, who treated me with amazing kindness and generosity of spirit; Paul, the manager of Berea Coffee & Tea / epicenter of community activity; Jacob, who awoke early on Sunday to drive me to Hertz; Libby, whose conversation I enjoyed greatly and whose courage I respect immensely; Mike who drove me "home" from Saturday's awesome party; Joe, a talented poet, on his way to a stint at the Omega Institute; Sean, a farmer working to expand the distribution of his grass fed, locally processed cattle; the many very talented artisans of Berea including Warren May the master woodworker, and Jeff the master pottery maker; and Natalia & Chynna, intelligent, beautiful, vibrant young women - oh to be 15 years younger!


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Day 14

More rest for the Achilles'. The only riding I did was from my hotel into town. My left Achilles is swollen but didn't hurt much while riding; my right Achilles is not swollen but hurts a bit. The physical therapist I saw today said I need to ice, compress, elevate and rest (i.e. don't bike or walk) my heel. I s/ only consider riding Monday if I see a significant reduction in swelling. Uggh. Too aggressive in my mileage over the past two weeks, it seems. I'm hoping I don't have to come home before returning to Berea to continue the journey. We'll see on Monday. The PT was *incredibly* helpful. She saw me right away, gave me her home and cell number in the unlikely event the swelling becomes significantly worse, and didn't even charge for an office visit. Kindness of strangers. The weather forecast calls for several inches of rain this weekend...good time to catch up on some work and take a break. :)


Oh, I enjoyed immensely a performance of The Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble this evening. What a treat to hear bluegrass music in the graceful setting of Presser Hall, surrounded by the mountains and immersed in the culture Appalachia.

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Day 13

No riding today. Rest day! I'm not tired, particularly, but I am looking forward to checking out Berea's arts & crafts and hopefully meeting some more locals today. I'll also call my doctor re: what do to to prevent long term damage from my recently developed tendonitis, and catching up on work. I'm seriously thinking I should back off my desire to reach SF by early June. I'm not going to risk chronic Achilles issues for the sake of biking 4,000 miles in ~45 days. Oh, some stats: 949.3 miles traveled | 11 riding days .: 86 miles / day average | latest estimated total trip miles: 3,983 .: ~ 25% of the way to San Francisco!

I'm chillin' at Black Swan Cafe this morning. Interesting observations in this excellent cafe: folks talking about bicycles and home brew and heirloom tomato gardening on the one hand, and on the other hand comparing notes on gun sizes and quantity of guns owned. Wow! Okay...I'm going out to explore Berea...

I'm back. I did my share to support the local economy today. Purchased furniture, blown glass, pottery, a hand made broom, etc. Nice stuff, and good prices! Also caught up a bit on work and emails, but there's plenty more of both awaiting, as usual.

My friend Dave emailed me a few good questions today re: the most interesting views, events, and people I've encountered so far. My response:

- Most interesting view(s): Mangled mountains in KY, lots of them, the result of mountain top removal coal mining. The massive physical impact our quest for energy has had on the Appalachians is arresting to witness first hand.

- Most interesting event: Hmmm. No one stands out. Many, many little ones, like the realization I enjoy eating at Ruby Tuesdays.

- Most interesting people: Again, no one single person stands out, but a few are of course more prominent in my mind than others. The woman at the Christiansburg, VA Ruby Tuesdays (where else) who seems to have endured heaps of personal challenges with grace, fortitude and success. The coal miners at Your Place restaurant in Hazard, KY with whom I perceived a shared sense of mutual respect, despite environmental and economic interests that pit us sharply against one another. John, a touring bicyclist who's planning a Chicago to MD ride, and who inspired me to step up my mileage a bit. And the Berea crowd: Nick the bicycle shop owner who went out of his way to share his knowledge about bicycle touring, and who did a beer run (!); Natalia, a charming and smart Ukrainian exchange student; and Paul, who works at a hot spot coffee shop in Berea & has excellent taste in '50s music!  

Pictures: Mosaic at the Main Street Cafe, Berea. Bicycles in the window at Nick's bicycle shop. The composition sucks on the bicycle picture. I was in a rush; on my way to dinner!

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Day 12

Today's Route: GPS Tracks

Today's ride was great other than worries about my Achilles tendons. That's right, plural. I've found my weak link - literally, my Achilles' heel. Oh, that and sprinting from so many dogs I lost count. I'm just happy no one shot a rifle at me. Okay, I'm not really concerned about pot shots. I am however feeling a mix of being welcomed and decidedly unwelcomed. People I meet in shops and restaurants are almost unfailingly friendly, as are many drivers, most of whom give me wide berth while passing. A handful have even honked and given me the thumbs up. The unwelcome feeling runs strong, however, while outrunning dogs, sucking exhaust from the cars and trucks that accelerate hard as they pass uncomfortably close, not to mention zero bicyclist sightings for days...until today's arrival in Berea. A genuine bicycling culture seems to exist here!

I took a pass on the regional fare on offer today: Dolly Parton pie at Dooley's Diner in Booneville, KY. Strawberries and cool whip and I can't remember what else. Strawberries: good. Cool whip: no thanks. The food was tasty, especially the home made carrot cake, and the waitress made me feel at home. Ditto the guy at the store in Big Hill who invited me to sit down at the counter and rest, and bade me farewell by intoning me to 'be safe'.

I felt relieved when I reached Berea, a town with coffee shops, a college, and a large number of artisans. After my usual hotel routine: check in, plug in electronics, upload pictures & GPS tracks then shower, I eagerly headed into town. Met Sune at his gallery, which represents more than 30 artisans; Chelsea at Main St Cafe - also owned by Sune; and Natalia, Paul and Nick at Berea Coffee & Tea. There's enough bicycle tourists coming through here for Paul to inquire if I was riding the TransAm. Nick, an avid bicycle tourists and owner of a used bike shop, introduced himself. He had lots of solid advice for stealth camping and related bicycle tour survival tactics. All in all a very pleasant end to the day.

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