Well, I have just spent 3 days in the wonderful Canadian city of Toronto! This city is incredible. If it weren't for the vicious winters, it would be tempting to stay for a while!
I will be meeting my dad in St. Cathrine in 6 hours! We will then bike the remaining 500 miles to his home in Rock Tavern, NY...close to NYC. I expect it to take about 10 or 11 days.
More to come soon, stay tuned!
Well, I have made the decision to head south and will be starting in Grand Rapids tomorrow, will pass through Port Huron into Canada. I'll have a brief stop in Toronto before heading to Niagara to meet up with my dad to bike the Erie canal. :)
I finally uploaded the photos from my jouney so far. I will go back through my blog when I have time to add them to the posts, but for now: Go here!
Friday, September 5th - 79.91 miles - 13.3 avg
I fear every entry will begin with me proclaiming "I'm tired, my body hurts!" So, from now on, unless noted, just assume that to be true. Actually, I think my body is adjusting to the constant work a little bit. When i was clenching my teeth in order to clear a hill today, I thought of the many workers on bicycles-carts pulling full loads in China. This was common sight for me in Shanghai. That's their job - sunrise to sunset probably. I bet they even bike to work and back. If they can do that with their skinny rice fed bodies, then there is no excuse for a complaint from me about a certain ache. I am extremely sore and stiff in the mornings though. ;)
I am continually amazed with the progressing beauty of the landscapes - vast green fields with bordering evergreens dipping into the heavens, sunsets of every color - so brilliant one could mistake if for the epitome of beauty, shady hardwood above lazy cows refugeing from the sun - the list goes on.
Sunset is still my favorite time of my journey. Every object around me takes on an ethereal attribute. Is all this and my ability to awe merely a manifestation of chance? If no, why is this monkey oohing and awing? And where's his banana?
Today was a very full day of biking. I'm proud of myself. Got up early and biked past sundown. I was stopped by a passing motorist who warned me of seeing a bear about 20 yards from me. So far, the dogs have been much more evil than the bears. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to find a place to stay for free tonight, as it began raining hard and word on the nighttime lows was a staunch 44 degrees. I almost tried the airport again, but while sitting down enjoying a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter outside a certain unmentionable "super center", I struck up a conversation with someone who was staying with YWAM.
So, somehow I'm staying at some one's house who happens to be good friends with someone I met at L'Abri last week I'm all fed and showered now, and the laundry is chugging away. This is sweet! It's cold and rainy outside. Adventure with the best of both worlds. Solitude on the road, but always meeting people. I think I draw a lot of attention with my bike rig, as I'm obviously "not from around these parts".
I fear every entry will begin with me proclaiming "I'm tired, my body hurts!" So, from now on, unless noted, just assume that to be true. Actually, I think my body is adjusting to the constant work a little bit. When i was clenching my teeth in order to clear a hill today, I thought of the many workers on bicycles-carts pulling full loads in China. This was common sight for me in Shanghai. That's their job - sunrise to sunset probably. I bet they even bike to work and back. If they can do that with their skinny rice fed bodies, then there is no excuse for a complaint from me about a certain ache. I am extremely sore and stiff in the mornings though. ;)
I am continually amazed with the progressing beauty of the landscapes - vast green fields with bordering evergreens dipping into the heavens, sunsets of every color - so brilliant one could mistake if for the epitome of beauty, shady hardwood above lazy cows refugeing from the sun - the list goes on.
Sunset is still my favorite time of my journey. Every object around me takes on an ethereal attribute. Is all this and my ability to awe merely a manifestation of chance? If no, why is this monkey oohing and awing? And where's his banana?
Today was a very full day of biking. I'm proud of myself. Got up early and biked past sundown. I was stopped by a passing motorist who warned me of seeing a bear about 20 yards from me. So far, the dogs have been much more evil than the bears. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to find a place to stay for free tonight, as it began raining hard and word on the nighttime lows was a staunch 44 degrees. I almost tried the airport again, but while sitting down enjoying a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter outside a certain unmentionable "super center", I struck up a conversation with someone who was staying with YWAM.
So, somehow I'm staying at some one's house who happens to be good friends with someone I met at L'Abri last week I'm all fed and showered now, and the laundry is chugging away. This is sweet! It's cold and rainy outside. Adventure with the best of both worlds. Solitude on the road, but always meeting people. I think I draw a lot of attention with my bike rig, as I'm obviously "not from around these parts".
Thursday, September 4th - 77 miles, 13mph avg, time on bike: 5:52, time in transit: 10am to 11:30pm.
As utterly tired as I am, I just have to write before bed. I am in Cumberland, Wi laying in my sleeping bag on a large door mat in the girl's bathroom in a small airport administrative building. Long story short - I met a pilot in Amery while I was fixing yet another flat who told me that there are pilot lounges that are always unlocked in each of the small private airports in most small towns. Well buddy, this one is locked! So, here I lay in the warm and cozy bathroom. After biking through the remote wilderness in the dark in 50 degrees, i was really hoping I would at least have a couch!
I left Amery at 7pm...usually about the time that I need to stop to set up camp, but I was thinking I'd have a warm couch to stay on. Dusk is always my favorite time to bike.
Don't get me wrong - I am grateful I didn't have to set up camp at midnight in the cold and dark. I gave myself a warm sponge bath nd am now clean and cozy! Today my moral was low - it started last night when I lay in my hammock alone in the wild recalling emails from friends and family in warm SE Asia. If I had left sooner in the summer, I woudln't be faced with this cold weather, and I'd be back in SE Asia by now. I'm feeling much better now though, after meeting the pilot and became more focused on my here and now.
As utterly tired as I am, I just have to write before bed. I am in Cumberland, Wi laying in my sleeping bag on a large door mat in the girl's bathroom in a small airport administrative building. Long story short - I met a pilot in Amery while I was fixing yet another flat who told me that there are pilot lounges that are always unlocked in each of the small private airports in most small towns. Well buddy, this one is locked! So, here I lay in the warm and cozy bathroom. After biking through the remote wilderness in the dark in 50 degrees, i was really hoping I would at least have a couch!
I left Amery at 7pm...usually about the time that I need to stop to set up camp, but I was thinking I'd have a warm couch to stay on. Dusk is always my favorite time to bike.
Don't get me wrong - I am grateful I didn't have to set up camp at midnight in the cold and dark. I gave myself a warm sponge bath nd am now clean and cozy! Today my moral was low - it started last night when I lay in my hammock alone in the wild recalling emails from friends and family in warm SE Asia. If I had left sooner in the summer, I woudln't be faced with this cold weather, and I'd be back in SE Asia by now. I'm feeling much better now though, after meeting the pilot and became more focused on my here and now.
September 2nd
Well...I certainly didn't plan on this! I'm over a week behind schedule, and I haven't biked since Rochester. I ended up staying much longer at L'Abri than I first planned. Anyone who has stayed there can certainly understand, as it wasn't to uncommon to hear about people who prolong their stay by months. It can be difficult to pry away from such a nice environment.
I came to Minneapolis to go to Ron Paul's Rally for the Republic. I've never been to any sort of political rally before and I wasn't disappointed. It will be nice to be able to vote for someone this November who represents me!
The weather is starting to change. This worries me, as I'm not prepared for the cold. I'll be heading out along Adventure Cycling's North Lakes route to Escanaba, Wi. 400 miles for this leg of the trip!
Sunday - August 24th - 40 miles.
Today was a very short day. I did plan it this way though. I spent most of the day at Rice Lake with Nic, Jenna, and Morgan saying our long goodbyes. I finally shoved off by myself at 16:00. Not 5 miles down the road I noticed I had a puncture! Great..
As it turns out, the inner tube was defective at the valve...as two attempts to patch it were unsucessfull. I had to dig out an old tube and repatch that. Very anticlimaic.
I biked hard, trying to reach L'Abri before dark. I watched as the sky changed from blues, to oranges, and purples as shadows grew long over the hilly farmland. It's really looking beautiful now. Trees now line most all of the fields. This is why I am here.
Saturday, August 23rd - 68 miles, 15.5mph
Success!!!! My bike isn't hurting me anymore. I am also about 15 pounds lighter, as I mailed off some unneeded belongings to my parent's in NY. For the first hour out of Mankato, we sustained a constant 20mph average! Incredible! If the rest of the trip goes like this, I'll be set!
I met up at Rice Lake with Morgan's brother, (and my highschool friend and Shanghai roommate), Nic. We camped here and said our parting goodbyes, as form here on out, I will be on my own! Morgan is heading back to university in South Dakota.
Friday, August 22nd - 50 miles - 13.5mph average.
We reached Mankato at noon today. The senery is slowly starting to change. Thank goodness too. I'm glad to be out of the prarie.
First things first: I found a bike shop and had my bike adjusted. This should fix the problems i've been having with pain.
We stayed in Mankato for 1 day to rest up and relax with a friend from South Dakota. We met a guy from Sierria Leone who was really into biking, he wants to go the first 40 miles with us tomorrow.
Wednesday - August 20th - 66 mile, 12.5mph average
Wow. What a day! Within the first hour of the trip i was already asking myself the same question everyone else has been asking: "Are you crazy??!"
My legs are so tired - rightfully so! - I think I'm pulling around 60 extra pounds. Morgan and I left Sioux Falls at 8:30 and finished our day at 19:00 at Lismore, MN. 66 miles is less than we hoped to do, but is not bad for our first day! We stopped for about 3 hours at Blue Mound State Park. We had lunch there, napped, and swam. The park was pristine prairie - it was the old buffalo hunting grounds for the Lakota Sioux.
Right now, I'm in my hammock...hoping y new untested sleeping bag will keep me warm.
Thursday, August 21st - 80 miles to St. James, MN
Argh! Damn you wind!! I spent this morning struggling through a windy day in one for the most windy parts of the country at an average of 11.5mph. Slow and strenuous!! I'm feeling a lot of pain in my elbows and shoulders, thankfully my legs seem to be holding up just fine! 1mg of tylonol should help out those shoulders.
So far, these small towns have been nice...other than the lack of credit card acceptance. I don't think anyone will be accepting my 50mb green mao anytime soon either...hopefully that will change by the end of the year!
I must say again: the wind is incredible. With the wind at our backs, 18mph is easy and sustainable.
Today's ending was not the most encouraging: cold damp rain, a nasty puncture from a screw, and being thrown from my bike when my tyre got caught in the space between the road and a driveway. I wasn't harmed seriously, but I did have to spend the next 10 minuets digging small stones out of my hands with my utility knife.
We found a campground and lights out were at midnight. What a tiring stressful day. I really hope tomorrow will be better.
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