Fwd: RideForJim Update

After arriving back home on August 9, 2008, the weekend for the final leg of the TransAmerica ride arrived.  As promised earlier, this blog will cover the final events.

August 22, 2008  The ride from Hanover County into Richmond.

I packed all of the gear onto the bike and rode the 30 miles to Dave Jenkin's home in Richmond.  He was a roommate of Jim's at the University of Richmond and for the past three weeks or so has been planning a Block Party to welcome me back to Richmond and to launch the final day ride to Yorktown, VA.  Also, Doug Gardner, another college friend and roommate of Jim's. was going to come to Richmond from Winson Salem, North Carolina to join in the final ride.  Dave has been a whirlwind of activity ever since I have been back in town, spinning a new idea for the party every few seconds.

I rode the 30 miles into Richmond Friday afternoon.  The block was closed by the police at 4:30 for the party.  Soon after two Model A Ford cars from the Old Dominion Car club showed up as one of the attractions.  Next a guy who does tree climbing for kids arrived with his ropes and tree climbing gear.  He positioned ropes WAY up in the tree and then the children actually propelled themselves up into the tree.  The kids, about 8 to 11 years of age, loved it and the parents were breathless.  It was quite an attraction.  I mean, they were way up into the tree.

Meanwhile the 10 members of the Greater Richmond Pipe and Drums were arriving and tuning up??? their bagpipes not so inconspicuously in the backyard of Dave and Lisa's home.  One tent was set up in Dave's front yard for the spaghetti supper which was served to those who were cycling to Yorktown the next day.  Two beer kegs for everyone to enjoy were in his yard also.   In the next door neighbor's yard (they weren't home, but Dave said they supported the party... I hope so) was another tent for the Caribbean Band, "Ban Caribe" and its 8 members.  So the stage was set.

At 6:30 the bag pipers lead me onto the block.  We paraded down the block and back with one final number in front of the tents.  The crowd roared in appreciation.  Then Dave made some remarks and introduced Doug Gardner, whom I had never met we in person; we had emailed often and talked by phone.  I was really happy to finally see him face to face.  They even gave me a beautiful plaque commemorating the ride.   I gave my thanks for everyone's support and introduced my "team" of Nancy, Philip, Davis who rode with me the first two weeks, and Don Schubert who began the ride in Astoria.

The Carrabian band began playing and all of the riders enjoyed a big pasta feast to fuel up for the ride the next day.  My bike was hung in front of the tent for people to tie various colored ribbons on depending on the amount that they pledged to the Jim Popp Fund.  It was a real happening event and I can't thank Dave and his wife Lisa enough for all they did to create the RideForJim Finale Rally.  What a couple they are!!!

August 23, 2008     Ride to Yorktown:  the final leg

I  went home and got up early to arrive at Dave's house by 7:00 AM so Dave, Doug and I could ride to the medical college where all of the riders were going to meet at 8:00 to begin the final leg to Yorktown.   It was a perfect morning for the ride, clear blue sky and low humidity.  The final count at the start was 13 riders which included two current medical students Charlie Nottingham and Jonathan Katz.  They rode with us about 30 miles and then turned back to go to the library and study.  Studying always has gotten in the way of a good time.  It was a special treat to have a couple of our present day students show up to honor Jim.  Thanks guys!!

We rode about half way to Charles City where there is a Mom and Pops kind of place for a rest stop.  It was exactly like the hundreds of similar places I visited on my ride.  Then on to Williamsburg for lunch at about 12:30.   This was about the 60 mile point.  Davis picked a great Deli for the stop which had very ample subs and many other choices of high octane fuel.   We did a nice ride down the Duke of Glouster Street in Colonial Williamsburg, well, actually we sort of did a couple swings down the street before we got our bearings and found our way back to the Colonial Parkway and off to Yorktown, 12 miles further.

As we rode onto Water Street in Yorktown which is right on the York River, we were greeted by the loudest and longest AHOOOOOOGA I have ever heard.   Five  Model A cars along with an enthusiastic gang from the Old Dominion Model A Club that I am a member of were there to greet us.  They had driven their cars all the way from Richmond just to show their support for the ride.  It was a real thrill to see, and HEAR them.   Thank you all for the interest you have shown all along in the RideForJim.  Your are the greatest.

Next came the big moment of dipping the front wheel in the York River.  The ride is not exactly from sea to shinning sea, as my friend Don Schubert will quickly point out to you.   Instead it is actually from the mouth of the Columbia river from which one can SEE the Pacific to the mouth of the York River, from which one can ALMOST see the Atlantic Ocean.  So the dipping marks the end of the trail.

I went to the water's edge and put the front wheel in the water with my team, the team that rode the last day with me, their friends and family that met them in Yorktown, and the Model A club all watching and taking  pictures.   Suddenly I was being sprayed by something.   What was going on???    Dave and Doug each had a bottle of Champaign and had popped the cord and were giving me a celebratory shower.   What a surprise.   Of course there were lots of other beach goers at the scene wondering what in the heck was going on.  Some of them were eventually filled in on what the occasion was.  In fact one group got the email address and is going to send the pictures they took of the antics.

I could not have written a better script for the final leg of the trip, the RideForJim Finale Rally.  The weather was perfect, we had just the right number to do the ride so that we could all hang together without interfering with traffic,  and it was a perfectly compatible group.  The dipping at the end was much more than I expected and will be something that I will never forget.

Now we are hoping that this ride can become an annual event, with perhaps someone doing the TransAmerica ride each year and culminating in the RideForJim Finale Rally.  Dave has LOTS more ideas to add into the mix for next year.  I think he was actually planning next year's event even as this one was being launched.

We hope for the fund to reach $50,000 before we start using income generated to fund a medical student for summer cancer-related research.  Before this weekend the total had reached about $21,000.  We are very pleased with how far we have come thanks to the efforts and contributions of so many great family members, dear friends and so many others who have heard about the fund and were moved to help.



We will be posting updates to the web site from time to time in the future so stay tuned.

Thank you for your interest and encouragement this past months.

Jack on behalf of the whole Haar family

Blog update Aug 9, 2008

> August 8, 2008 Rode 60 miles to Charlottesville, Virginia
>
> After a hearty breakfast at Gertie's Store in Vesuvius, VA I faced
> the four mile climb up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway. As with most
> of the challenges of the trip, I imagined the climb to be nearly
> vertical and impossible, so the reality was not nearly as bad as I
> had pictured. Unlike most of the climbs in the Ozarks, this one was
> well worth the effort. The weather was the best I could have asked
> for, clear, cool and low humidity. That is a rarity on a Virginia
> morning in August, There were many beautiful views of the
> Shenandoah valley from the Parkway. Then came an exciting two mile
> downhill ride to Afton, VA. The fear going downhill is riding the
> brakes so much that the wheel rim heats up and blows the tire. None
> of that happened and I made it down safely. Along the way in the
> morning, fellow cyclist, Jim from Cinncinati caught up with me and
> then another young fellow from Illinois, Cody, joined us. The route
> ftom Afton to Charlottesville was meandering through winding
> picturesque back roads over many streams, each of which was yet
> another up hill and down hill.
>
> That night we "camped" in the Youth Lounge at St. Mark Lutheran
> Church. Many thanks to the good folks at St. Mark for their
> generous hospitality. We went into "The Corner" at the heart of
> the U. of Virginia campus for a sub at Little Johnn 's Deli. This
> was one of Peter's favorite eateries when he was a student at UVa
> and he recommended the "Sampson Sub". I ordered the 12" Sampson,
> and as the name would imply this was NOT a sub of modest size, but
> it did not faze this hungry cyclist. It gave me fuel for another
> day.
>
> August 9, 2008 Rode 85 miles to Rocketts, our home in Doswell,
> Virginia
>
> This was the day that I was going to reach home and could sleep in
> my own bed for the first time in 9 weeks.
>
> It was another beautiful morning for a ride through Virginia
> countryside, past Monticello, Ash Lawn and the Kluge estate. Near
> Palmyra I stopped for a second breakfast of B & G and met a retired
> C-ville policeman who now raises cattle. His name was D L junior
> (he said the D L stood for dumb and lazy). He invited me to share
> the picnic table with him outside the Mom and Pops general store and
> I learned about the cattle business in Virginia.
>
> Nancy drove on to meet me midway in the morning and then drove
> home. When I reached Hanover County I called her so she and Don
> Schubert, who rode at the beginning of the ride in Oregon, could
> ride out on their bikes to meet me. We rode together the last 5
> miles and as we approached the home of our neighbors, Hugh and Sally
> Campbell's, there was a group waving flags and welcoming me home.
> What a great neighborhood we have.
>
> At the end of the ride it seemed very strange to be back in familiar
> territory rather than searching for yet another place to spend the
> night. The reality of having cycled all across the country has not
> really set in yet. There are so many images to process from the
> past 9 weeks of places, generous people and experiences. Nearly
> everyone I talked to along the way about the fund we are trying to
> establish had stories to tell about their own battle with cancer or
> the loss of a loved one to cancer.
>
> It was really a privlidge to have been able to do such a ride and
> see this grand country up close at 10 miles an hour from a bike, and
> to meet the common everyday people who meet for breakfast at the
> diner each morning and go off to do their jobs each day.
>
> We began the ride June 9 and I reached home on August 9. In total I
> have ridden 3911 miles in 56 days of acual riding, for an average of
> almost 70 miles a day. The journey lasted 61 days of which I took 5
> rest days. Once I reach Yorktown I will have covered very close to
> 4000 miles.
>
> So now I have one more day to ride from Richmond to Yorktown,
> Virginia. Two college friends of Jim Popp's, David Jenkins and Doug
> Gardner have been planning the final event. We hope to have a
> party on Friday evening, August 22, the Ride for Jim Finale Rally,
> for everyone who will be riding to Yorktown or anyone interested in
> the event. Then on Saturday, August 23 the group will meet at the
> Medical College of Virginia campus and ride as a group the 70 miles
> to Yorktown. The plans for this final event are still being made
> so please visit the web site in the days ahead for more details.
>
> I will post another entry after the ride on August 23rd.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

August 7 Day 59 from Vesuvius, VA

August 7, 2008  Rode 66 miles to Vesuvius, VA

Today I rode through Buchanan and Lexington along railroad tracks and streams so the terrain was pleasingly - well not flat but flatter.  What WAS flat was my back tire after a stop to admire a 1740s era house.  This time the new tube held air and the new tire pump Philip bought me did the job without a single "horse collar."  It was the back tire which always means grease all over one's hands after getting the chain disentangled from the cassett.  Jack's helpful household hint:  If the cyclist has forgotten to bring hand de-greaser along, Suntan Lotion SP30! works just fine.  Coat your hands with lotion, then using the saved Subway Sandwich napkins, wipe your hands clean.  Finally, just as I thought I was out of dog territory, I was chased by two pit bulls.  The owner was outside and called them back- and they listened.  I threw him a bit "Thank you."  Tonight we camp in Vesuvius behind Gerti's general store, and tomorrow climb 4  miles up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway.

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It's time to go back to school! Get the latest trends and gadgets that make the grade on AOL Shopping.

Blog for Aug 5 and 6

August 5, 2008   Rode 63 miles to Fort Chiswell, Virginia

 

Much of the ride today was parallel with I 81.  Some of the areas were in the back country with beautiful views of farms in the valley, but there was nothing too exciting happening.  I had hoped to post a blog update at the library in Wytheville but the computers there would allow me to read my messages but not send. 

 

I am pretty happy with the weather I have encountered.  The temps during the days have been in the mid to high 80's and mostly clear with some scattered clouds to provide welcome shade.  For August in Virginia I could not hope for anything better. 

 

That night we chose to stay in a motel and Nancy did laundry - ahhhh, clean cloths. 

 

 

August 6, 2008     Rode 91 miles   to Daleville, Virginia (just east of Roanoke, VA)

 

Up early and on the road for a long ride.  The route took me through Radford and Christiansburg, two places we have not seen before.  In C-burg I met a cyclist , Andy, heading west from Yorktown, VA.  He must be the last rider heading out.  Andy's story was that he has quit his job, sold everything and is spending the next six months cycling across the country to Astoria, Oregon and then along the Pacific coast to San Diego.   So if some of you reading this think I am crazy, there are some cyclists out there with an even worse affliction. 

 

Another Subway sandwich for lunch fueled me for the long hills and curves that lasted all the way to Daleville.   Several times along the way I stopped to make sure I had not missed a turn.  One helpful group included a fellow on the back of a pickup with a coondog.  They assured me that Route One Hundred was in fact different from Old Route One Hundred which I was still looking for.  In the afternoon a helpful Verizon repairman again assured me that I had not missed a turn. 

 

We spent the night at the Howard Johnson and had a great Mexican meal at a local restaurant.   We are getting close to home!

Blog posted Augusst 6, 2008 from Dalefille, VA

August 3, 2008   Rode 73 miles

 

The big news this day was crossing the state line back into Virginia.  After looking at small panels of map for each day of the ride, it is hard for me to realize that I have actually cycled from Oregon back to Virginia.  There even seem to be fewer dogs chasing me, but just as soon as I  think there are no more dogs, another one appears.  The Virginia dogs are more friendly though!!  

 

We camped at Breaks interstate Park Campground which was great.  Hot showers, a nice lodge with a restaurant offering a complete buffet dinner.  Again, they lost money on me. 

 

August 4, 2008   Rode 63 miles

 

The morning started with pretty heavy fog which was nice to look at but presented a bit of a hazard on the twisty hilly roads so I waited until 8:30 to get started.  The route presented many challenging climbs, this being Clinch Mountain.  I think this is home to famed country musician, Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain boys.  If this is not correct I know someone with greater understanding will correct me.   The road is known in Virginia as the Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail and Crooked Road is a perfect name.  The road is VERY crooked both horizontally and Vertically.  

 

That night Nancy talked to Kathy, the librarian at the Hayters Gap Community Center, who contacted, Jack, the building manager, and arranged for us to camp in the park adjacent to the building.  She also located a cafe in Meadowview, a few miles up the road when they prepared JUMBO burgers,   I mean they were huge,  for our supper.  She also met Betty and Jay Sneevely in the nearby general store  who gave us helpful advice.  Their general store has been in the family for 75 years.   General Stores such as theirs are disappearing from the landscape I learned, mostly because suppliers no longer will sell them supplies, even if they go to the warehouse to pick them up.  The Sneevelys can still get their supplies from a supplier in N. Carolina. 

 

We have seen much evidence along the way of the disappearing or failing small towns in the country and the little mom and pop general stores. 

 

blog from Aug 2, 2008

August 2, 2008      Hindman, KY  Rode 48 miles

 

This morning Philip left to drive back to Richmond in order to seek medical treatment for his knees which are healing  very slowly.  At the same time Nancy is driving to Hindman to meet up with me for the remainder of the trip.   Philip has provided much needed support and encouragement all along the way.  It was a big disappointment for both of us that he could not ride.  He put as much effort into planning for this whole adventure as I did.  However, we have really enjoyed the time that we have had together and the many experiences and people that have presented themselves these past weeks. 

 

In Hindman I have set up camp at the Knott County historical Society B&B.  Actually the B&B is under renovation so the tent is required but the host, David Smith, is providing a home away from home.  The B&B is at the top of a VERY steep hill and once I reached the top - walking - he greeted me with a tall glass of iced tea.   Then he served a homemade lunch of on his patio.   Many cyclist who I have met along the way have mentioned this stop and gave it high marks.  I can see why.  

 

 

Blog for Aug 1, 2008

August 1, 2008      Buckhorn, KY    Rode 78 miles

 

I always enjoy the riding in the early morning and riding out of Berea was one of the best.  There was a nice morning dew rising from the fields,  the route was through beautiful country lanes with no traffic, and even some stone fences bordered the road so it had the feel or riding in the Cotswalds of England.   Boonville was a pleasant stopping place for lunch at the Dooley Diner (get the potato soup if you are ever there) then on to Buckhorn, KY.  There we camped at the Buckhorn Lake Dam Campground run by the Corp of Engineers.  For a town with a population of only 144 it turned out to be a great stop.  

 

Each state seems to have its own unique aspects, one which in Kentucky is dogs.  All along the way fellow travelers heading west talked about all the dogs that trouble cyclists.  In the western part of KY this was not much of a problem although I acquired pepper spray to have handy just in case.  As I moved east in the state, the number of dogs increased very much with varying degrees of ferocity.  There has been a pit bull and a german shepard which the owners tried to call back with NO effects,  many little scruffy yappy dogs, one pac of 5 dogs that were on the road running TOWARD me as I approached, and a golden retriever in the middle of the road that leaned around and mustered the strength to offer one WOOOOF  as I passed.  I have tried to use the pepper stray only once and it went wildly off target but the dog stopped and it made me feel very much in control.   So I have the spray can hooked to my handle bar bag which has all of my valuables in it and that I carry wherever I go.   Slowly I realized that having my bag with a can of pepper spray fastened to it has resulted in amazingly great service in the restaurants, in fact since having the spray with me, not a since waitress has barked at me and service has been amazing.   It has to be the spray because when I enter, looking like a race horse that has been "rode hard and put away wet"  I don't look like I'm going to be a heavy

tipper.  

 

The other unique aspect of Kentucky is trying to follow the ^%$#@* map!!  There is an unbelieveable number of changes in route and twists and turns to get across this state.  For example the directions coming into Berea:   "Continue on CR 1355.  After bridge over the Middle Fork River (there was no sign) turn left uphill onto Jack Turner Rd. a single lane road.  Turn right onto unsigned SR 563 Jess Ray Rd.   At "T" turn left onto unsigned SR 39.  Turn right onto CR 1131.  At "T" turn right  to stay on SR 1131 and etc.      Often there are no towns for miles and several times I have flagged down motorist to ask which road I am on.  My greatest fear is flying down some wonderful downhill only to realize that I was  daydreaming and missed the turn onto unsigned SR 39 after crossing the unnamed Middle Fork creek.  All of the folks I have stopped have been extremely helpful and and eager to help.   Surprisingly I have not had to backtrack yet.   Hope my luck holds out for a few more days.   

Blog for July 31, 2008

July 31, 2008    Berea, KY    Rode 76 miles

 

Well, yesterday, July 30, after finishing my blog for the SECOND time,  just before the first epistle was finished it vanished into cyberspace,  Philip and I decided to drive back to Bardstown and take a tour of the Bourbon Distillary.   There are several distillaries in the area, this being the heart of Kentucky Bourbon country.   At Heaven Hills "Jim, I'll be your tour guide this afternoon" met us and explained all about the history of storing the product in charred oak barrels and the aging process.  The buildings I saw when I cycled into Bardstown are called Ricks and each had seven stories each filled with barrels of bourbon slowing aging for up to 18 years!!  At the end of the tour we tasted samples of 10 and 18 year old bourbon.   Most bourbon producers are concerned with color, fragrance and taste, but at Heaven Hills, "we also consider the FINISH of the product.   The best I could tell is the "finish" is the sensation of having a blowtorch suddenly aimed at the back of the throat when you swallow.   Both the 10 and 18 seem to have a very powerful finish in my opinion. 

 

The ride to Berea was, in a word, wet.   We awoke to rain and the forcast was for it to clear out by mid-day.   I set off about 9:00 AM when it cleared briefly but he rain soon soon began again.   Once you get wet through and through though, you can't get any wetter.   Stopping in Herrodsburg I had some great potato soup and coffee to warm up, then rode on in very heavy mist which was almost worse than the rain.  As I entered Berea at 3:30 the skies suddenly cleared with full sunshine.   The Italian Buffet did not make much profit on me that evening.

Blog from July 29, 2008

July 29, 2008   Rode 75 miiles to Springfield, KY

The alarm going off at 5:30 seemed REALLY early since we are now in the Easten Time zone.  Ten miles out of Sonora is the log cabin that Abraham Lincoln was supposed to have lived in for the first two years of his life.  Unfortunately it was recently discovered that it was actually built about 1850 or so.  The cabin is surrounded by a large building and I remember seeing pictures of it,  probably in a textbook in the 5th grade or so.  The cabin  is in almost the exact spot of the original.  Also, there is a spring nearby that was the water source for the family.  It was a good stop along the way. 

Mid-morning a ran into a fellow, R J,  heading west on the Trans-America trail.  He just graduated from Ohio State, and was on the swim team. so we did a little OSU, Go Bucks cheer on the road.  He grew up in Upper Arlington and we exchanged information about what each could expect during the next few days. 

Arriving in Springfield about 3:00 we ran into Morgan Beaver while having a milkshake.  He came over to our table to ask about the bike  ride and where we were headed.  Morgan is 94 years old, a retired farmer and still drives and cares for himself. 

My body was telling me that after 20 days of straight riding it needed a rest, so we are staying at the Springfield Inn, formerly the Days Inn.  Now the "Days" part is just painted out so the sign just says "Inn".   Along with losing the "Days" part of the motel they also lost the phone service.   None of the phones have worked for the past month and the owners cannot be contacted because there is no phone.  We have found some interesting situations along the way. I am sure there are more to come. 

July 30, 2008     Day of Rest,  Springfield, KY

We are really enjoying Kentucky.  Springfield is a very nice town of 2600 and a good place to spend a day doing catch up on email and laundry.  I will ride on tomorrow.  Nearby is a distillery where they produce KY Bourbon.   One place has 18 warehouses which each contains 20,000 barrels of again Jim Beam.  I will ride on tomorrow,  probably to Berea, KY.  

blog from July 28, 2008

July 28, 2008    Rode 92 miles to Sonora, KY

A long ride on a hot day.  One little angel girl at a mom and pop type place gives out ice cream to cyclists.  Boy did that taste good.  We camped that night in Sonora, KY at another fire station. This one even had hot water in the shower.   This was a good find since there were no other options in town this town of 350.   Niel, the fire chief,  was quite generous with information about the local history and options for places to find dinner.  Another milestone was passed we realized when it dawned that we had lost an hour by passing back into the Easter Time Zone. 

blog for July 27

July 27, 2008   Rode to Utica, KY    95 miles

The day started with a ride across the Ohio River into Kentucky on the ferry.  After breakfast at the cafe in Marion I rode through Sebree and on to Utica.   We had heard that the fire station in Utica allowed cyclist to camp there.  Everyone in this little town of 400 seems to know about this fact.  Philip asked about the possibility at the mini-mart and the clerks told him that it was across the street, was unlocked and cyclist stayed there all the time.  It was perfect,  A/C, a shower, TV with cable, and the firetrucks were there with the keys in the ignition!!  I guess we could have driven them around town if we had wanted to.  The children at the local Baptist church even had a box of goodie bags for the cyclists.  Our deep thanks to the good folks of Utica for the oasis they provided after a long days ride.   

blog for july 26

July 26, 2008   Rode to Cave In Rock, IL     63 miles

Breakfast at Delaney's on Broadway in Goreville got us off to a good start.  This cafe really caters to cyclist as do many stops along the way.  The walls and tables have pictures of the many cyclist that have passed through over the years.  Elizabethtown was the stop for lunch at a cafe floating on the Ohio River serving up catfish dinners.  Two ladies at the visitors center, Veldene Jerrels and Linda Jerrels, where very helpful in providing interesting information about the area.  This would be a nice town to return to.  

We camped that night at Cave In Rock State Park which is highlighted by, what else, a large cave.  The cave is huge and was a stopping place with shelter for many early pioneers, pirates. and other assorted folks. 

Fwd: Blog update

July 25, 2008

Goreville, IL     Rode 80 miles

Leaving Chester IL I rode along the levi road which goes along a levi separating the Mississippi from rich farmland.  Mid-morning I ran into a support van from The Black Bear Bicycle Tours company.   They were providing support for a group of about 60 cyclist raising funds for a conservation effort.  They  asked if I needed anything so I made use of the tire pump.  Seems like tire pressure is constantly on my mind.  Further along the way they had a snack stop set up where there were 30 or more cyclist who were interested in where I was going to and from.   I told them about my friend Jim, the fund I had set up, and gave them all sticky notes with the web site.  They were all quite encouraging about this effort.  

That night we camped at Ferne Clyffe State Park just outside Goreville.  In the night a pretty significant thunderstorm passed through with lots of rain.  The good news is that the tent does not leak.  The bad news is that after the storm Philip heard rustling of paper and when he got up to investigate found that a racoon had found the beef jerky I had stored in my pannier on the bike.  I know, I know,   It was a boneheaded thing to do.  You donn't have to tell me.  Philip has made that abundantly clear already.   They should provide big steel boxes for me to store my goodies in like they do in Yellowstone. 

Blog from July 25, 2008

Posting from Chester, Illinois on July 25, 2008

 

 

July 43, 2008   Rode 61 miles to Summersville, MO

 

This was basically a day of putting miles and lots of hills behind me.  By mid-day I had reached Houston, MO.   Some of the ride was in relatively light rain on roads that were not the best for biking. 

 

This bike 76 route was established in 1976, the year of the bicentenial.  It was called the BikeCentenial.  I am certain that 32 years ago the traffic on this route was much less intense.  Also, we notice that many of the small towns that we pass through have nearly disappeared or have lost most of their past glory.  So some of the stopping places where food was available in 1976 are no longer there.  It causes me to wonder what this ride will be like in the coming years.  If you are interested in learning more about this route and other similar routes that are mapped around the country, Google "Adventure Cycling".  That is the organization behind the planning.  Their headquarters are in Missoula, Montana, which we visited during our stay there. 

 

Back to the ride:  We decided to stay at the Green Roof Inn, a pleasant Mom and Pop kind of motel, cheap, clean with a good down home restaurant across the street.  Also a laundry next door so clean cloths again.  What a treat. 

 

That evening I had the house special of roast beef, mashed potatos on bread all smothered in rich gravy.   I notice on this ride that I am never famished, even after a long day's ride, but when food is presented I can eat everything in sight.  In fact I never really feel hungry while I am riding.   Also, only the good food looks or sounds good for the most part.  Fast food has no appeal. 

 

July 23, 2008      Rode 73 miles to Lesterville, MO

 

This day was riding through the main part of the Ozark Mts, although I actully rode in them for most of 5 days,   VERY steep grades and not much of a view after reaching the top, only another series of hills.  I had been told by many that the Ozarks are the hardest part of the ride.  So far, I think I agree.  We had a huge buffet lunch at, where else,  the HILL Cafe in Ellington.   There was a hardware in town where I finally found a metric size nut for one of the bolts on my fender.  I had been looking for one for the past month.  The Parks Bluff Campground on the Black River greeted us at the end of the day.  Philip made instant mashed potatoes - a serving for 4.  I ate most of it with hot cocoa since Philip was still full from lunch.  Sorry about all these detail about food but other than climbing endless hills, that is about all there is to talk about.

 

July 24, 2008     Rode 93 miles to Chester, IL

 

More hills, lots of hills for 82 more miles.  Farmington was reached by mid-day where it started to rain.  Philip was at the library in town and checking the radar weather.  It looked like there was a huge storm north of us.  Luckily most of it seemed to stay north and I waited for most of it to pass, doing, what else, eating at the local Chinese cafe, soup and an egg roll.  Finally after 82 miles I reached the flood plain for the Mississippi and could see the bridge over the river in the distance.   Riding over this old bridge on a bicycle is pretty scary since one can see all of the crumbling cement with rusting rebar sticking out and many pot holes.  This bridge could be the next one to make headlines.  There was no place for cyclist to ride except in on the  roadway.  Fortunately there was a kind driver behind me who put on his fourway blinker and followed me across.   Overall, the drivers all along the way have been very considerate and this was a prime example.  Chester is famous as the home of Popeye, actually the home of Elzie Segar, his creator.   

 

It feels good to have Missouri in my mirror and 2800 miles behind me. 

 

 

Blog from July 22, 2008

Continuation from July 19, 2008

 

The five other guests who arrived at Immanual Lutheran Church were heading west and were from England.   Two guys and a gal are college students, Ben, Owen and Liz.  They are the cyclists while two of their fathers are driving the sag vehicle.  They are riding to raise money for cancer research in the United Kingdom.  Their web site is www.usa-ride.com if you want to check it out.  It was an interesting evening visiting with them and trading the information about the best and worst places to stay along the way. 

 

July 20, 2008   

 

The ride this day took me 99.25 miles to Ash Grove.... I know, I should have ridden around the block to make it an even 100.  About halfway into the ride I started to hit the beginning of the Ozark Mountains with some interesting climbs.   Much of the reminder of the state will be like this I am told.   Golden City is home to Cookies Cafe which is famous among cyclist for its pies,  22 or more diffent kinds.  The day before, I met Connor riding west who told me about the pies, and in fact he had eaten 5 pieces while he was in Golden.  At Cookies I met a couple from Calif. heading east also.  They were fully loaded and were also pulling a two wheel cart housing their dog, Jack, a Jack Russel Terrier.  When I looked in on Jack waiting outside in his cart it did not look like he was having the best time of his life. 

 

Five miles before reaching Ash Grove I rode through Everton, a little spot of a town with a saloon that was open on this Sunday afternoon.  The gang of 8 or so in there was really wound up and had all kinds of questions and advice for me.  What a crew it was sitting in a dark very smoky bar on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon.  Ash Grove is a Mayberry, USA kind of place.  The pool is free, cyclists can camp in the city park next to the pool and the police leave the restroom with a shower open all night. 

 

July 21, 2008   Rode 75 miles to Hartville, MO

 

MORE hills.   Who knew the Ozarks are FILLED with hills?   The scenery is great, especially from the top of the hills overlooking the rolling landscape.  It is also refreshing to see lots of trees where some shade can be found for a break in contrast to much of the earlier landscape I passed through.    In the morning a met a father with his son, about 14 yrs old, from the Netherlands, Jon and Jon.   They are heading to Florence, OR from Yorktown.  In the afternoon there were two more guys, college students from Mass. heading west to San Francisco.  More sharing of stories and advice of where to stay and where to find good food.  You might sense a certain theme here. 

 

In Hartville cyclists are allowed to camp on the courthouse lawn.  When I arrived in town and saw the courthouse I asked the lady watering the flowers where cyclist could camp.  She pointed to a shade tree right in front of the courthouse and said, "Well, over there in the shade would be a good spot."   Somehow I can't imagine that happening in front of the courthouse in Fremont, Ohio or Hanover Courthouse, Virginia.  The Subway across the street had a great Philly Cheesesteak and A/C for cooling off.  In the morning we headed to Mom's Family Cafe for breakfast.   By 6:05 the morning crew had already arrived.  Every little town has this group of folks who assemble to solve the world's problems.   I call them the "Brain Trust".   We are really making inroads on this trip though.  This morning the Brain Trust in Harville invited us to join them at their table.  Among them was a UPS driver, retired farmer, a fellow who has 75 hives of bees (his honey was served at Mom's) a lady who is the rural mail carrier and other members who floated in and out.  It was a great start to the day. 

  

Blog posted July 21, 2008

July 18, 2008    Rode 98 miles to Toronto, KS

 

This was one of the first days to wake up with a light rain falling.  One fellow drove beside me in his pickup and asked me if I wanted a ride or if I wanted to ride in the rain.  I told him that I would ride in the rain.  How could I say I rode coast to coast if part of the way my bike was in the back of a pickup.  I actually would prefer rain to the hot sun.   Passing through the little town of Rosalia I noticed a cafe where I had a great mid-morning pizza and waited for the rain to clear.  Such a luxury to have a 10" pizza as a mid-morning snack.  Thinking the rain had quit I started out only to seek shelter at the grade school.  One of the teachers stopped to talk and gave me a description of the school environment in this little remote village, the kinds of students and what they end up doing.  She said most stay in the local area and farm.   There is a lot of corn growing in Kansas and most of it is irragated.  What a lot of work that is. 

 

Toronto KS is very small, probably less that 150 people but the state camp ground id great, even a new shower building with lots of hot water.   The little deli in town fixed a corn beef sandwich with the most generous portion of meat I have ever seen.  Tjhe meat alone was a stack easily one inch thick.  Even I could only eat have of it and had the rest for lunch the next day.  Brian Chance, the own of the deli pulled up a chair and entertained us will all kinds of stories growing up in the area and his experiences in the army. 

 

July 19, 2008

 

This was a 75 mile ride to a little Lutheran Church out on the plains about 7 miles of east of Walnut, KS.   This was a great stop.   Conner, a rider heading west, told me about the stop that morning and my cycling map also mentioned it as a stop.   Pastor John at Immanual Lutheran Church welcomed me like a long lost friend and offered that I could camp in the A/C fellowship hall.  He then offered the use of his shower in the basement of the parsonage and also picked three ears of sweet corn from his garden that I could cook in the Parish Hall kitchen for supper.   It turned out that 5 folks from England who were heading west were also going to be camping there.  So we had quite a road reunion

 

My time is up, the courthouse libarry is closing so I will finish the story next time. 

 

 

Blog from July 17, 2008

This posting is being written on July 17, 2008 from Newton, KS to catch up from the past couple of days when internet was not available for various reasons.

 

July 15, 2008

 

I cycled 65 miles to Rush Center, KS where it was 96 F when I arrived. I have no idea where the "Rush" came from for the name of this town.  On July 4th we camped in the town called Encampment which in earlier years was known as Grand Encampment.  Somewhere along the way, for what would be obvious reasons if you ever found yourself in that town, it is now known simply as "Encampment".  I  similar surgery could be done to shorten Rush Center to simply "Center".  On our way to Center we passed through Bazine where the main attraction was the Oil Rig Cafe.  There we found Bea Ribbletts twin sister waiting table.  I took a picture to prove it.  Next door was Elaine's B&B exclusively for cyclists so we stopped and chatted with Elaine for a bit. I was tempted to bring her 10 week old Golden Retriever puppy along as a surprise for Nancy but he would not fit in my bag. 

 

When we arrived in "Center" the only highlight I can remember was the 8 oz hamburger at the local watering hole.  We camped in a 4-H park next to the highway.  In the middle of the night it sounded like someone was unloading cattle next to our tent but I was too tired to investigate or care. 

 

July 16, 2008

 

We had a picnic b-fast that Philip fixed with his camp stove:  oatmeal, boiled eggs and tea.  He is quite the chef with the limited material he has to work with.  He also is a real drill sargent when it comes to breaking down the camp.  I can barely get out of the tent before he is stuffing it in the duffel. 

 

Rode 90 miles to Nickerson, KS.  Just before Nickerson I met a TransAm fellow heading west who had started in Yorktown about the same day we started from Astoria, OR.  Daniel, from New Zealand, was  traveling alone and had saved for seven years to make this trip.  He was around 28 - 32 in age.  We exchanged information about our experiences and I told him about our effort to promote funding for cancer research and he gave me $10 for our fund.  Thank you Daniel for your help.  

 

Nickerson has a great grocery which I immediately invaded.  Watermellons were in abundance but there were no slices.  When I explained that I could not use a whole mellon they offered to cut one for me.  It was very sweet and seedless.  I stood on the sidewalk eating it like a caveman.... probably the best mellon I have ever eaten.  Most of the food on the trip could be described as the best I have every eaten.  The combination of fresh air and burning so many calories really hightens the senses I guess. 

 

Nickerson does have library with a VERY particular librarian.   The time limit on the compter per user is 30 minutes,  and it does not matter if someone else is waiting to use it or not.   That woman must have been the character that Miss Buzzy was based on way back in "Laugh In" days, for those of you young enough to remember.  That is the reason no blog was posted yesterday.

 

A fellow cyclist, Jay,  came in the library while we were there.  He is currently a student at Va. Tech...  the second Tech student I have met on this trip.   He is also traveling alone and trying to do the trip on $10.  per day.

 

The Sunshine Cafe in Nickerson served up a good old down home special of meatloaf and homemade bread.   Also, once again we lucked out with rubarb pie, this one Edna was just taking from the oven when we had cleaned our plates.   One of the best we have had.

 

July 17, 2008

 

Today was a short 56 mile ride to Newton, KS.  Along the way in Buhler I met a nice middle age couple from The Netherlands heading west.  They left in early June and will fly home Sept. 12 from Oregon.  Newton has a population of 17,000 so we are using it as a stop to get clean and reorganize.   My heart almost stopped when I walked into the lobby of the Days Inn, it was so cold.   This is our first motel since Pueblo.   The adjacent truck stop has a laundry so all of our cloths are now clean.    We're looking for the perfect steak place next.  Seeing all the cattle munching away out on the planes has me pretty psyched for a steak.  

 

I was somewhat spooked about Kansas before getting here because it is so long, windy, with the possibility of stormes, and driving across Kansas can be rather boring.   I know, I have done it.  But on a bicycle on the secondary roads and stopping in the small towns it is competely different.   Philip says it is like looking at a DVD disc and thinking you have seen  the movie rather than actully putting it in the player and seeing what is inside.  The people here are the most friendly we have met.   Sometimes even motorcyclist  will wave to me.    That is a rareity.  We are enjoying Kansas. 

 

That's it for now.  More later. 

 

 

Blog from Dighton, KS,

July 14, 2005  

 

This update on our journey is being written from the library in Dighton, Kansas.  Looking at the past few days, Jack reports on: 

 

July 12, 2005   (the 34th day of the journey)

 

We went to the JR Truck Stop in Ordway to fuel up for the day.  We've learned that every little town has its group of local citizens that meet for coffee at 6:30 AM to solve the world's problem. Ordway was no exception.  The meeting had already begun on the front porch of JR's when we arrived.  I told the 8 guys that I could tell that they were the "brain trust" of the town.  All readily agreed and Mr. Reimschneider quickly took on the role of spokesman.  It was quite a jolly group and we enjoyed much kidding.  As is the case all along the ride everyone wants to  know where we are from, how far I've ridden, how far each day.  I eventually told them about the fund-raising effort and gave them sticky notes with the rideforjim.org weg site.  After we went inside to have b-fast, two of the fellows followed us in to follow up on our effort to promote cancer research.   It turned out the Mr. R. was a six-year survivor of cancer himself.  He owns about 20,000 acres and farms the hard way he said, compared to back east, since he has to irrigate everything he grows.   He has done quite well for himself with his 8th grade education.  He said he had the same teacher for 8 years, and after that amount of time he had taught her everything he knew so he quite going to school. 

 

On the road that day I met several cyclist going west, Eric, from Montreal, works for IBM and was riding to Oregon.  Jacque and Mary Lou are from Paris, France and are riding from Chicago to Denver.   They gave a very positive recommendation for the steak at the resturant in Eads.  The 63 mile ride that day was harder that the miles would indicate since it was into a strong headwind all day.   

 

July 13, 2008

 

The local resturant in Eads did not open until 7:00 and I was anxious to get on the road early to pass some miles before it got too hot so Philip heated water on his little backpacking stove and made oatmeal.   We added some packaged Salmon that Nancy had sent to us and had a little b-fast picnic.  It looked like a perfect day for riding since I even had a slight tail wind helping to push me.  Less that 5 miles into the ride I had aNOTHer flat tire.  At this least this one was on the front, which is much easier to take off the bike.   I had been told about the "Texas Tacks"  which are tiny, about one-quarter inch diameter burrs that are on the ground, are very sharp and easily capable of puncturing bike tires.  I inspected the tire and found numerous little spines from these guys in the tire where they had even punctured my Kevlar, bullet-proof tire.   They are most frequently found in grassy areas or in gravel I now know and I had ridden in such areas around the camping area of the city park where we had camped. 

 

So I took the wounded tube out and replaced it with a new tube and pumped it up.  Before I could even get the wheel back on the bike the tire was flat.  So I pumped some more and the pump jammed and would no longer pump air.  Philip had already passed me and by this time was way ahead of me.  So I decided to patch the wounded tube but first had to find the hole.  This is more difficult that it is at home when I just put the inflated tube down in a bucket of water and look for the bubbles to rise.   I tried pouring water on the tube with little success so finally licked and spit on the tube.  Even the first round of spitting on the whole tube did not reveal the breach.  Do you have any idea how much spit it takes to cover a whole bicycle inner tube?  This was Sunday morning and no one stopped to see if they could assist but I suppose I would not want to stop to help some guy standing by the side of a lonely highway spitting on a bicycle inner tube at 7:00 on a Sunday morning.  I found the hole, the patch worked but the pump did not.  The worst curse word I ever heard my dad utter was "Horse Collars".   So I laid enough "horse collars"  on the poor little pump to harnes 100 21 mule teams and surprisingly the little pump got the message and started doing what it is designed to do....  pump air!!!    It may have helped that I also took the pump apart and discovered that the "O-ring"  had gotten out of its little groove and need to be pushed back into position.  I had called Philip on the cells and he came back to assist putting everything back together and get me back on the road. 

 

After that I met 9 riders heading west.  We always stop to compare stories about what lies ahead.  Among them were two young guys from Sweden, a middle age couple and several other combinations of riders.   Arrived in Tribune, KS in the early afternoon having ridden 58 miles. 

 

So that day I crossed the line into Kansas which feels like a real milestone.  At this point we have been on the road for 5 weeks and have covered 2042 miles.  Tribune turned out to be a like a big "road family" reunion.  Emerson and Copper were there as well as a really nice couple from New York  who were heading to Washington state.   Also the Swedish guys arrived and this morning there was another fellow at the site who is a grad student at Columbia. 

 

July 14, 2008. 

 

Today I rode to Dighton, KS,  for 72 miles.  This town of 1300 has a great pool so I cooled down, showered and now am at the library.    Next on the agenda is perhaps finding a steak dinner.  Not surprisingly the local Dairy King, which I located on arrival, is closed on Mondays. 

 

 

Blog update, July11m 2008

July 11, 2008    Jack writes: 

 

Today was a short ride and I have internet access so will take this opportunity to update our blog. 

 

 On July 9, 2008, my 66th birthday, I left Keystone, CO heading off to face the challenge of Hoosier Pass.  Riding out of Dillon I rode on the "Dam Road"  a road over a dam that was created to produce a source of water for Denver.  We had driven on the day before when the Leichnetzs drove us over to Frisco.   But on the 9th the road was closed to traffic.  It turned out that the Denver Water Board had closed the road for unspecified National Security reasons.  I read about it in the morning paper when I stopped in Breckenridge for coffee.  They had not closed it to bicyclists though, since it is quite obvious that we could not pose a security risk.  So I rode up to the pass with no real difficulty and wanted to have my picture taken at the top, 11542'.  Philp had a doc appointment in Boulder that morning so was not with me and at that time I arrived at the pass no one was around ask to snap the pic.  What to do?  So I took one of my bags off the bike and set it in the road to use as a tripod for the camera to take a delayed exposure, and then aimed the camera up toward the sign marking the pass.   To make sure the sign with me potentially in it was aimed properly I had to lie down on the road.  Of course I made sure I could not hear any cars approaching from either direction before getting comfortable in the road.  To my surprise another cyclist who I could not hear approaching appeared just at that moment.  He of course thought I was either injured or crazy.   Chris turned out to be a really nice fellow and graciouly took the picture for me.  As I was about to leave a group of 4 or 5 mostly young college age cyclist reached the peak so we stopped an chatted about where they were from and where they were going.  They had started in Yorktown.  One older fellow wondered how old I was since he was 50 something and, for some reason wanted to determine if he was the senior member of our little gathering.  So I told them that in fact it was my b-day THAT very day.   After all of the appropriate "you sure don't look that ancient" kind of comments they all gave me high fives.  I gave all of the stickynotes with our web site,  RIDEFORJIM.ORG  and rode on to Fairplay to a great Mexican resturant, for lunch.  Philip and I were supposed to meet up  in Harsel, CO but I determined that the planner who had designed Jeffrey City had also done some work in Hartsel so rode on toward Guffey.   What I had not counted on were the strong head winds and very significant climbs.   The afternoon turned out to be harder than the morning going over the pass.  So a 88.4 mile ride marked my birthday.  We stayed at a very primitive hostel (I wish you could see some of the places we have stayed on this trip).  It was a rustic cabin called "Badger Hole"  so that gives you some idea about the amenities.  The beds were quite comfortable and I slept like a baby, appropriate for my birthday I think. 

 

July 10, 2008

 

There was no breakfast available at "Badger Hole"  so we had some instant b-fast and beef jerky.   There were some  dining spots noted on the map within 20 or so miles where I thought I could fuel up.  All of the resturants were closed until we reach Canon City, CO, 40 miles into the ride, and found Big Daddy's truck stop.  They had the real deal,  Chicken Fried steak over scram. eggs, hash browns all smothered with gravey.  We even ordered a huge cinnamon bun to go with it.  One of the pleasures of this ride is being able to eat EVERYTHING I  see.  I was planning to make it to Pueblo, CO that day which was going to be a long ride and it was getting hot so I tried to keep my water bottles full.  Got water in Florence and planned to fill up again in Wetmore.  Wetmore is just a crossroads kind of place and when I got there the resturant was closed until 5:00.  I knew that in the town of Wetmore I needed "More-Wet" so when I saw a lady out behind Barb's Saloon and Resturant with her dog I asked if I could get some water.  The lady, Barb, graciously opened the resturant for me and filled the water bottles with ice and water.  It was going to be 28 miles to Pueblo so she decided I needed more water and gave me a plastic gallon jug half full that I cramed into one of my my panniers.  It was a good thing.  There was a lot of climbing with a head wind.  Thank you, Barb, for your generosity and hospitality.   Reaching Pueblo I headed to the great park they have in the middle of town and cooled down in the public pool.   Later I learned that the temperature yesterday was 99 F and I had gone 91 miles. 

 

July11, 2008

 

We stayed in a modest motel last night since the city park no longer permits camping, even though the maps from Adventure Cycling all say cyclist can camp there. The diner next to the motel served up a very adequate breakfast so I rode out of town before 7:00 with, for one of the first times in recent weeks, the wind to my back.  Boy did that feel good.   I as going 20 mph up gentle grades.  I planned to ride only 50 miles today to Ordway, CO since the temperature is forecast to reach 100 F.  In Olney Springs I met up with Emerson and Copper, two college age kids, who are also riding east.  They had similar stories about their stay in Pueblo.   Just after that I had my first flat tire, in fact I had just bragged to Emerson and Copper that I had not had a single flat so far, but it still is not a bad record. I have  gone 1921 miles in 28 days of actual riding with only one flat.  Still, I hope it is my last one.   

 

Riding down from the Rockies after Hoosier Pass I had mixed feelings.  It seemed sad to see the great Rockies disappear into my mirror as I rode east and I realized that all of the anxiety and some fear that I had in the first part of the ride was now behind me.  But it also gave me a feeling of confidence that I had accomplished going over all of those climbs and possibly could also face the Ozarks of Missouri and the Alleganies.  

 

Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to only reach 85.  I hope the wind is still to my back.

A scenic detour to Loveland Pass made everyone a little lightheaded
from the altitude, but the views were worth it.

George and Athalie Leichnetz, friends from Richmond, graciously hosted
Jack and Philip for a rest day in Keystone, Colorado today. The
Colorado scenery is just beautiful.

Blog update July 8, 2008

 

   More updates from the last few days. 

 

July 5, 2008     Jack writes:

 

After another robust breakfast at the Riverside Cafe I headed off to Walden. CO.  The ride was only 50 miles but included a 1000' climb and significant headwinds.   I have learned that a headwind is no fun.   On a steep climb there is a beautiful view at the end and a lovely long downhill reward.   With the wind it is just a long hard struuuuuuugle.  Along the  way I talked to two groups that were heading west so learned some of the idiosyncracies of Walden.  It was an interesting experience.  It is a rather modest town of 734 souls with a very imposing granite courthouse.    Cyclists may camp in the village park but must check in with the Sheriff's office first.  Millie at the office was very accomodating and just needed to know my name.  Showers were supposed to be available at the local pool.  It turned out that the pool was CLOSED for July 4th and 5th.  It was a lovely facility adjacent to the park.  Also the modern-looking library is always closed on weekends and is open only 10 to 6 during the week.   I called my new friend, Millie and she arranged to have the pool opened in the evening.  When I questioned the wisdom of closing the pool on the 4th she mentioned something about the power struggles that go on in small towns.  The Moose Creek Cafe in town was great, in fact we ate three meals there, about the best endorsement anyone can give. 

 

July 6, 2008

 

After breakfast at the Moose Creek, where else, I cycled on to Kemmerling, CO, a 90 mile ride.  A stop for a hot fudge sundae in Hot Sulphur Springs was fuel enough to complete the ride.  I am not sure how my mileage on burgers and sundaes compares to mileage on gasoline.  A nice nap and a big pizza at the best pizza in town ended the day.  We stayed the night at the Easton Hotel, a sort of European style hotel, modest but clean.  Dorothy at the desk was enjoying her day of watching the entire Harry Potter series non-stop and invited us to join her.  We decided that a good nights rest was going to be a greater benefit. 

 

July 7, 2008

 

Another great breakfast at the Family Resturant where they make fresh donuts every morning plus big servings of eggs, bacon and hash browns.   The 50 mile ride to Keystone, CO started in the rain,  the first messy start in almost 4 weeks.  The reward at the end of the ride was being welcomed by our longtime friends, George and Athalie Leichnetz at their condo in Keystone.   George and I have known each other since 1967 when we were in grad school at Ohio State together.   He arrived at MCV one year before I did, so we have known and worked together for over 40 years!!!  They have been feeding us ever since our arrival.  A sumptuous lunch,  grilled brots for dinner,  was followed by a good nights sleep.    Their condo is in the Rockies, 6 miles from Dillon but with the feel that one is in a very remote setting.  

 

July 8, 2008

 

A day of rest.   I did not even get on the bicycle for the first time since Missoula, two weeks and two days ago.   The goal of fattening me up continued with a robust breakfast of waffles, eggs and bacon.   A tour, by car,  (boy, you can really cover a lot of distance in a short time by car) offered up spectacular views from Loveland pass. 

Tomorrow is my 66 birthday so a Black Forest Cake is waiting on the kitchen counter for the feast this evening.   I plan to ride over the last and highest pass of my trip tomorrow, the Hoosier Pass at 11,542,  the last two digets are for my birth year, 1942.

Philip and I offer our deep thanks to George and Athalie for their over-the-top hospitality which included using the internet to post these updates.  This has been a VERY welcome break in the trip.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. 

 

 

blog update: July 7, 2008

July 7, 2008  Jack writing from Keystone, CO.  Bet  you all have been wondering where we have been. 

 

It is time to do some serious updating at the web site.  Between not having access to the internet in some of the remote regions we have traveled through, the July 4th holiday on Friday, and  the library in Walden being closed on the weekend, this is the first I have been able to update. 

 

July 2, 2008

 

We traveled from very comfortable Lander, WO to Jeffrey City WY.   The landscape was dramatic but desolute with no intersting towns along the way.  However, there were several fellow Trans Am cyclist traveling west so we always stop to compare notes and learn what is coming up.   There is a sort of kindred spirit that links us together as a "Road Family".   One fellow, Tjoan Liang, was riding a recumbent and we had a nice visit.  He had stayed the night before in Jeffrey City which he said some refer to as "Jeffrey Dalmer City".  Once we got there I understood.   JC was city founded about 1955 as a camp for the Uranium mine.  At one point the population was 5000.   When the mine closed in the late 1970's the population quickly vanished and today is maybe 50 on a good day.   There was a diner where we stopped to eat since it was the only good stop in the 65 mile ride that day.   The cook/waitress was a really sweet lady who cooked a GREAT double pattie hamburger and home made french fries.   I think this was Hamberger #30 for the trip so far.  It is one of the food items that appeals most to me after a day's ride.   The best burger I have had on the trip is always the last burger.  There was a motel in Jeffrey City but it reminded be a lot of the motel in Psycho so Philip scouted out a primitive camp site about 4 miles out of town and over 3 cattle guard crossing on the rode.  We wanted to stock up on powerbars or fruit but the cafe was the only store in town and the grocery part of the store was a 5 foot shelf with, maybe 13 items on it.  The snack counter had a box with one Tootsie Pop in it which I did not have the nerve to take.   The good news about primitive camping now, according the a lady at the cafe, is the we are out of Grizzley territory.   So I stupidly asked what creatures roamed the hillsides.   "Oh there are some rattlesnakes and some cats."   I did not pursue what was meant by "cats" but was pretty sure it was not Tabby and Felix.  We did not purchase the $40 can of Bear Be-Gone Spray back in Yellowstone,  but now I was wishing that I had, thinking that it might be useful on the Rattlers.   This primitive site included some scattered dried cowpies which we scrapped away to have nice site of the tent.  A thunderstorn came through at sunset.  The tent does NOT leak and the "cats" did not make and appearance. 

 

July 3, 2008

 

Rode from Jeffrey City to Rawlings, WY,  56 miles.   There was a store in Muddy Gap,  the first stop of the day where I could get coffee, a real treat.   Crossed the Continental Divide twice with a couple of long slow climbs.  I've lost track of how many times I have crossed the divide now.   Rawlings has a population of 8538 so we thought it would be a good place to have rest day and spend the 4th of July.   It turned out that the only campground was a KOA for $35 or a terrible Psycy-type looking motel for $75.   So we decided to go to the Lutheran Church in town and ask if we could camp on the church lawn.  Pastor Wiley greeted us at the door and with a rather bewildered look, wondered what we two rather scruffy guys could want.  He quickly agreed that of course we could camp in the lawn but perhaps we would rather use the basement which was cool and had a beautiful kitchen.   It was perfect.   Thank  you,  Thank you,  Christ Lutheran Church, Rawlings, WY.   Pastor Wiley also directed us to the BEST Mexican Resturant of the trip, I think it was Rose's Larriete or something like that if you ever find yourself in Rawlings needing a great meal. 

 

July 4, 2008

 

Decided to ride on to Riverside/Encampment, WY, a 65 mile ride

 

Leaving Rawlings took us through Sinclare, WY, a small village of about 500.   Outside of the town was a huge oil Sinclare Oil refinery.   Oh, I see now where the name for the town came from.  Duh!!    The ride took me on the shoulder along Interstate 80 for 13 miles.  There has been every possible riding situation on this ride, including a wide shoulder to ride on, no shoulder, and carrying the bike down a steep stairway early on.  Mid-day found us in Saratoga, WY.  The 4th of July ceremony and parade were just about to begin.   The mayor read an impressive proclaimation declaring the day a holiday, we sang the National Anthem and then the parade began which included a 1931 Model A Ford that the owner had completely restored.   Outside of this town, population 1728, was an impressive airport with many small corporate jets parked all about the field.   The Sheriff directing traffic told me that Saratoga is a destination place for the rich who have huge vacation estates along the North Platt River running through the town.  Who would have thought that this little village attracted the rich and famous.  One person who owns a rubber company has a huge party on Labor Day that attracts so many that there is barely enough parking places for all of the jets. 

 

Arrived in Riverside, population 59 which is one mile away from Encampment, population 25.  There was a great place to eat, the Mangy Moose Saloon.   That was where we had our 4th of July burger and the best Heineken ever.   That night this little town put on a pretty spectacular fireworks display that kept us up way past our usual bed time of 8:00 PM.     

 

 

1 July Update

July 1, 2008 Today finds TransAmerica duo in Lander, WY. Jack writes: 

After posting the last blog from a lodge near the top of Togwatee Divide we returned to what I thought was a pretty primitive campsite about a half mile from civilization. Along the way we saw a huge moose grazing in an open field. Later just as we were getting into the tent I spotted another one behind the tent. What a sight, the moose in the foreground with snowcapped mountains in the background and a beautiful sunset arching above. I tried to take a picture zooming in on the moose, but it looks a lot like a closeup of the mosquitoes we seen on the OUTside of our tent in the mornings, immobolized by the cold. 

The campsites throughout Yellowstone and the Tetons all had warnings about Grizzily Bears in the area and not to have food around that would attract them. After camping in the Park Service camping area in Grand Teton Park along with LOTS of other campers, and having a kid whiiiiiing all night long in a tent not 30 feet from our tent, we both decided we would rather be attacked and eaten by a Grizzily than listen to whinning all night long. So Philip is the self-appointed campsite locater since he has the mobility of a Honda Passport and I only have a Bianchi bike. The campsite two nights ago had the Grizzily warnings and also a large steel box with an impressive door that latched with a hasp and chain. It is for the purpose of putting all of your food items in so the bear cannot get them. However, that box was only three feet from the pad where the tent was located, meaning that my head was three feet from the box where a very frustrated bear was going to go berzerko after smelling food that he cannot get to. He most likely would then settle for second best, a nice gummy humonoid. Since I am writing you can tell the night passed without incident. 

By the way, if one needs to venture out of the tent in the middle of the night for any reason, the sky full of stars is well worth the effort of leaving a warm sleeping bag. The stars are so bright it is almost frightening. Unbelieveable!!

So last night Philip located an even MORE privitive camp site. He now zooms ahead of me, actually it is not much of a zoom since I am going an average of 12 miles per hour and he is doing 60, goes to a fishing tackle store, finds a grizzled old fisheman and asks where a good place would be to camp. 
So using that technique, last night we were REALLY in a primitve site. It was three miles south of Dubois, WY, a good mile off of the paved road across three cattle guards on the Jakeys Fork River. This one did not even have a picnic table with the bear warning or the steel bear bate box. It was a beautiful site. 

Today along my 77 mile ride to Lander, WY I met a number of interesting people. Crowheart, WY, population 163, is basically an all in one general store. They jokingly called it the Crowheart Mall. That one building is the post office. hardware, grocery, filling station and community center. I took a picture of the postmistress, Nancy, beside the wall of mail boxes and one of the clerks. At a rest area about half way into the ride I met the Godfrey family from Missouri and told them about our ride and effort to generate funds in Jim's memory to support medical students to do cancer related research. They have a bed and breakfast south of St. Louis and offered that we can stay there when we reach that part of our journey. It would be great if they are somewhere near our route. 

Lander, WY where we are staying tonight is home to NOLS, National Outdoor Leadership School. Philip has done two 4 week backpacking trips with this organization, so he feels as if he is home. Surprisingly he has arranged for us to stay at the NOLS hotel with real beds and a hot shower. Now it is time to do some grazzing in town. We hope to be in Rawlings, WY in two days, the fourth of July. Rawlings has a population of 8538 so we are thinking there should be some hoopla going on for the 4th. 

June 29, 2008:  Finally the RideForJim duo have access to a computer at a campground halfway between Moran Junction and Dubois, WY so a more detailed blog can be entered.   Most of the bloggin has been done using Philip's iPhone which Jack's fat fingers have trouble typing on. 

 

We find ourselves moving along pretty much on target time wise.  The ride has been every bit as challenging as Jack expected but after three weeks in the saddle the days are becoming more routine and the legs and butt are now conditioned to spend seven to eight hours grinding out the miles.  Today was the second highest climb of the entire ride.  It was over Togwotee Pass at 9,658 feet.   The highest peak comes just past Keystone, CO in 9 days or so.   The climbs are just long and slow, going in the lowest gear at between 4 an 6 MPH.  The weather has been absolutely perfect except for the first three days when we had gloomy drippy cold to contend with and, you may recall, tire problems and tendon issues which still are not resolved. 

 

Some possibly interesting asides from the trip thus far: 

 

Jack has had ample time to take note of the various types of debris scattered along the road.  The most common article along the road side he has seen is bungee cords, especially in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.   Do the people in those states ever arrive with any of their bungess still attached????  They are everywhere along the road. 

 

In contrast the road sides in Montana are absolutely spotless.   Jack saw one bag of trash that must have escaped from a load and ONE plastic bottle along the road side.  That was it for the whole state.  If Lynn Watkins, our former neighbor who organized the twice annual road site clean up where we live in Doswell, is reading this,  you would LOVE Montana.   Bill would too,   well maybe not,  they do have winter there. 

 

Concerning road kill:   The most common victim in Montana is the skunk.  Hugh Campbell, can trap the skunk under our front porch you should bring it to Montana.  It must be an endangered species here. 

 

The tent used for camping on the trip is very high tech but, sadly did not come with satallite hookup, high def TV or a DVD player.   So Philip and Jack have been entertaining themselves reading portions of a couple books, mostly "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson.  They recommend it as a great read.  It is about Bill's attempt to hike the Appalacian Trail with a friend, but it is interesting that there are many points of commonality with a TransAmerica Bike ride.  For one example he notes that distances on foot  are much different than distances in a car.  The same is true on a bike.  Taking a 5 mile detour on a bike is something to think about.  He also has a deep concern about grizzely bear attacks.  Our duo is currenty in Grizzely Country south of Yellowstone with ample warnings on all picnic tables.  One night when Jack was camping alone at a very privitive site along the Bitter Root River, he barely slept thinking about Bill's description of bear attacks.   Actually that's not true at all.  He slept like a baby he was so tried and actually did not care if a bear attacked.  Bill Bryson also has a vivid description of Gatlinburg, TN which  P &J have decided could easily fit West Yellowstone, MO.   If you have never been there you probably don't need to make the effort.   This book is a great read and has provided many evenings of pleasant reading.  Fortunatly there is no one on the trip that fits the description of Katz in the book. 

 

Another random fact, a Bianchi Volpe, Jack's bike, is capable of catapaulting down a steep grade at 43.5 MPH. 

 

At most stopping points there is some curious onlooker who wants to know where Jack is riding to or from.  This happens at resturants, water stops, waiting for Old Faithful to erupt, or historical markers along the way.  In answering their questions we mention that the ride is in memory of our friend, Jim and give them a sticky note with the web site on it.  In several cases the people have given us a donation to the fund on the spot.  This morning a lady spoke to Jack at a rest area and mentioned that her sister died of breast cancer six months ago and gave him $20 for the fund.  One cook at a Minit Mart where Jack was having biscuts and gravey (B&G) in Montana,  had a lymphoma that was treated 18 years ago with a bone marrow transplant.  There are just a few of the many similar events that have occured. 

 

Many times Jack meets long distance riders coming from the other direction and the always stop to talk and compare information about what challenges have just passed and what lies ahead.   It is a sort of fellowship out there with a sort of instant bonding. 

 

Time for our duo to call it a day in order to ride on tomorrow. 

 

Thanks to all for your prayers and support  and interest in this adventure.  If any of  you were spelling bee winners the writer apologizes for the errors.  He never won a spelling bee in his life and hopes your eyes aren't bleeding from the typing errors and lack of a spell check.   

 

Leaving West Yellowstone, Montana thus morning. It is amazingly
commercialized and a little disgusting. Many RV's park here because
one entrance to Yellowstone Park is here. In any case, today we will
see Old Faithful and camp in the park tonight. Tomorrow we will be
through Yellowstone on the Wyoming side.

The past few days in Montana have been wonderful. We stayed in
Jackson and Cameron, both very remote towns with kind people. Jackson
had a natural hot spring with a great rustic lodge. We met a group of
eight teenagers who were riding along the Lewis and Clark trip with
their teachers one bicycles. Also we met Walter who is riding
transamerica to Brooklyn. He told interesting stories from his time
as a 9/11 survivor.

The weather is working out beautifully and the ride is actually ahead
of schedule a little bit.

Here in Jackson

Today Jack rode 73 miles from Darby to Jackson, Montana. the
challenging part was a three hour climb up Chief Joseph Pass.

Philip called a truce with his knees so he will drive the support
vehicle until a better settlement can be negotiated.

Today Jack and Philip met Jim Popp's parents, Jean and Allen for
lunch. It was a wonderful way to transition to the next phase of the
trip, as the riders head off tomorrow.

Missoula has been a great place to get a few day of rest after 11 days
of riding for Davis and Jack. What a beautiful spot rimmed by
snowcapped mountains, blue sky overhead, low humidity and temps in the
70-80's. Gosh, a lot like richmond. Now it's time catch up on some
blog.

Friday: June 20, 2008 One important feature of Missoula is the
outstanding diner we found for breakfast. They serve these thin
sliced potato items that Jack loves. Davis was leaving the ride on
Saturday so after b-fast his bike went to the bike shop to be packaged
for shipment back to Richmond. Jack's bike also went to the shop to
have more gears added for the long sloooow climbs up the mts. His
Bianchi now has a new casset, derailer and chain. That afternoon
the group ran into the "Sacramento Four" the four guys Jack and Davis
met two days ago on the road. They all had dinner together that
evening and exchanged stories of all the strange on-the-road tails.
Most were probably, maybe, true.

Saturday: June 21, 2008 After breakfast at our new favorite diner,
Jack's bike with the newly acquired very low gears was picked up. He
can't wait to try it out on the road. Sadly, Davis left us at noon.
He has been the best traveling-cycling companion ever, a strong
rider, creative in solving any problem, and always upbeat. Thank you,
Davis, for being on the first part of the ride. That evening Philip
and Jack met Gary and Dave from the "Sacramento Four" for Mexican fare
and good conversation. They leave tomorrow for White Fish, MO. Safe
traveling, guys. It was great meeting up with you on the road.

Sunday: June 22, 2008 Philip and Jack researched Lutheran churches
in Missoula and decided on St. Paul Lutheran. It turned out to be a
great choice. Their fears that arriving for the service at 8:30
looking like cyclist (the only clothes they have with them now) might
raise some eyebrows were quickly laid to rest. Tom and Donna greeted
them warmly as did the entire congregation. The service was
uplifting and the post-service coffee and pastries refreshed the
body. Pastor Chris Flohr gave them a special tour of the newly
refurbished pipe organ and offered a prayer for their safety as they
departed. The highlight of the weekend was meeting up with Jim Popp's
parents, Alan and Jean Popp, for lunch. They have been coming to
Montana for many years to vacation in June and coincidently they were
going to be close to Missoula today. They treated Philip and Jack to
a lunch. It was very moving to have the chance to meet up with them
and feel a real connection through them with Jim, Barbra, Nicole,
Kyle, Brent, Reed, Grant, Mark, Brenda, Jeff, and Robin. Thank you
Alan and Jean for a great lunch and coming down here so we could be
together.

They are hoping that the tendonitis in Philip's knees has healed
sufficiently that they can ride on tomorrow. It is time to get back
on the road. We will keep you posted.