I Feel Small

No picture could ever express what I have experienced in the past few days. No video could ever capture the wonder of ascending over 11,000 feet to the top of the continental divide. No words could ever convey the feeling of descending through a mountain pass, staring at the towering cliffs and mountains that surround you. You feel small, in a breath-taking and awe-inspiring way. I have never seen anything as beautiful as Colorado in my entire life. At the top of the divide I was over two miles above sea level, still starring at peaks far above where I stood. I’ve climbed passes through mountains so tall they seemed surreal. Riding a bike through this land provokes an incredible array of emotions, and makes you wonder how such masterpieces were ever created. To live a life without riding these roads, and feeling how I have felt, is to deny yourself one of the most incredible feelings I believe you could ever experience.

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Day 44:

Of course, there was an adjustment period. The awkward thing about Colorado is that the mountains are so huge, they overshadow grades in the road. You think that you’re going downhill, when in fact you are steadily climbing. Needless to say, that was a hard lesson to learn.

Rolling out of Pueblo, I thought I would feel great. With two days of rest, I was ready for anything...false. I felt like absolute garbage. It seemed like I couldn’t go anywhere. I must have gotten off my bike ten times in the first two miles to check if my tires were flat or my brakes were rubbling. My legs wouldn’t propel me forward. It seemed my bike was the victim of a faulty motor.

Then I noticed it...my legs, my ankles...swollen. I thought I had come down with a horrible disease. I looked like the Pillsbury Doughboy. Worried, I continued to push onward. Little did I know I was actually climbing slowly with the wind in my face. After a long, tedious ride I finally made it to the small town of Wetmore. 30 miles and I was ready to die. I found two women (who may have been the only two people in the entire town) and popped the only question in my mind:

“When do you start feeling the altitude?”

One women replied...”oh dear, where did you grow up?”

Finding that I lived at sea level my entire life, she quickly led me to the library, explaining that I would have a headache and feel completely exhausted until I adjusted. Swelling is also normal...a very unfortunate side effect.

Wetmore was at 6,000 feet...far above where I started in Pueblo. Well, at least this explained my terrible morning. Lying down on the couch, I passed out for two hours.

When I finally woke up, I ate a small lunch and said my goodbyes. Her parting words:

“Watch out, there’s an eight mile climb up ahead.” Wait...EIGHT MILE CLIMB?

And so I pushed on, immediately regretting my decision to leave. I still felt horrible, and now I had to climb eight miles...

Making matters worse, mid-climb I got hit with an afternoon thunderstorm. Freezing, I pushed on. Surprisingly, I actually started feeling great the more I climbed. I guess I just shocked my body into adjusting to high altitude.

What came next words cannot actually describe. Reaching the top, it was like I could see all of Colorado. Beautiful mountains and a clear blue sky. The entire state opened up, leaving a breath-taking view. It was a truely amazing, once-in-a-lifetime. What’s more, I found a friend.

Vinny was just a few miles down the road, stopped on the side. Riding up to him, we chatted for a bit, and decided to ride down to Westcliffe together for the night. He told me about a women that let cyclists sleep on her porch for free...I was sold.

Now something about these mountain passes should be explained...they’re HUGE. This one (the first of many) took us from 6,000 to 9,000 feet in eight miles. A challenging feat, but very worth it. The views are absolutely spectacular, and the decent down the other side is another experience all together. Picture 10 miles of stunning scenery flying by at 30mph, and the most work you have to do is squeeze a break lever. Not a bad finish to the day.

After out huge decent, Vinny pointed out the Bed and Breakfast that would host me for the night. He rode off to a real hotel, but I met Mo, the very nice and cheerful owner who showed me around. An absolutely stunning setup, in a quaint, quiet town. She gave me a hammock to sleep in for the night, overlooking a grotto. Now that’s my kind of accommodations.

Check it out:

Miles Covered: 58

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Day 45:

Around 8:00 Vinny rode by the hotel and we started off together. He’s an amazing guy, pushing about 100 miles a day. Incredibly nice, and a great riding partner. Did I mention he’s 53? If I’m 53 and able to bike across the country, I certainly did something right.

Here he is:

The downhill kept us rolling for the next 20 miles or so, with small uphills and flatland mixed in. A beautiful morning riding alongside towering mountains and a roaring river...I thought I was in heaven. The day flew by rather quickly, but there was one thing in the back of our minds that left an uneasy feeling. Today was the day...Monarch Pass over the Continental Divide.

At 11,312 feet it would be the highest pass we would ever go over...and we were doing it on the second day. After a long lunch break in Pancha Springs, we started off on the climb. All told...it looked a lot better on paper.

The climb started off as a slow, gradual uphill. Facing a massive headwind, this was a terrible way to start the pass. We rode frustratingly slow while working unnecessarily hard. Finally after miles of crawling, the road turned south. This meant two things:

1. The headwind was lessened
2. We hit the mountain

We said our last prayers, and started climbing. It was over 10 miles of a steep 7% grade, carrying us slowly through one of the most scenic passes in the state. Legs and lungs burning, we pushed on. Just when I thought it was over I would turn turn through a switchback and see the road kept climbing. It was frustrating, monotonous, and incredible; all at the same time.

No words could capture the emotion that I experienced at the top. I had just hauled a fully loaded mountain bike to over 11,000. My reward was incredible views, and the massive downhill to follow. Waiting for Vinny to get to the top, I relished in my victory and took in the inspiring vistas that surrounded me.

Deciding to stick together for the night, we descended down to the very small town of Sargents. We stayed the night in a cozy (in every sense of the word) cabin, got laundry done, and ate dinner at a restaurant close by. Exhausted after the huge climb, sleep came very easy.

Cozy...

Miles Covered: 80

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Day 46:

Meeting Vinny was a blessing. It was great to have someone to express the hardships that each mountain pass presented, and well as satisfaction that comes upon reaching the top. Today we had three more passes to climb, and I was glad to have company along the way.

Luckily all the climbing came at the end of the day, so we had plenty of time to warm-up and soak in the incredible views. Additionally, Vinny was leading me to Montrose, were we would be staying with a friend of his. Nothing keeps you going like knowing you have a shower and a home-cooked meal waiting for you.

There were two small hitches along the way though - flats. But two? So we each must have gotten one, right? NOPE. Both were mine. Wait...aren’t there only two tires on my bike that actually have tubes? You got it...and both went flat. Good thing I’ve gotten really good at fixing flats, so I had the bike up and running in no time.

After a rough afternoon, we finally hit the climbs. Of course we ascended all three like champs, just grateful they weren’t nearly as tall as Monarch (and without the headwind). Finally reaching the final top, we rode the downhill all the way to Montrose.

Reaching Ron’s house, we were greeted by warm showers (actually, quite possibly the best shower I’ve had so far), a huge dinner, and great company. Dinner went something like this: salad, burgers, fresh Colorado sweet corn, and pie. Delicious.

After dinner, Vinny and I left to get ready for bed. A bit later I went downstairs to get a glass of water and was greeted by the most awesome thing anyone has ever done for me. Ron was just getting back from the store with food for breakfast, and he handed me a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream...all for me. YES PLEASE. Fantastic way to end the night.

Here's Ron and his wife, thanks for everthing!

Miles Covered: 105

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Day 47:

Colorado was flying by. I took a second to catch my breath before Vinny and I left Ron’s, and decided to cut the day short and branch off. After talking to Ron and his wife about an upcoming town called Telluride, I decided to stop there for the day. About three miles off route, the town is in a box canyon and situated at the bottom of a huge ski mountain.. I couldn;’t let the entire state pass by without a trek into the woods, and Tellluride seemed like just the place,.

The ride into town was absolutely stunning. We rode the Dallas Divide, a pass at nearly 9,000 feet. Then we turned south to bike on the San Juan Skyway, dubbed one of the most scenic roads in Colorado. The ride was a combination of incredible red rock cliffs, towering mountain peaks, and vistas where we could see for miles. That was by far one of my favorite days of riding.

At mile 70, Vinny and I said our goodbyes, and I turned off-route into Telluride. I was sad to see him go, but the detour was definitely worth it. Telluride is everything that I ever wanted a town to be. It’s cornered on three sides by huge mountains, and is a hub for outdoors enthusiasts. EVERYONE rides a mountain bike, and not just one of those joke Wal-Mart bikes...I’m talking rides that have thousands of dollars invested in them. The streets are lined with bikes...not cars. Everyone lives outdoors - hiking, biking, rock climbing. I don’t think there is one overweight person in this entire town. If I could pick one place to spend a chunk of time, Telluride is it. They even tax you if you need a plastic bag at the grocery store. This place is going to save the world.

Of course I headed straight to the local bike shop and asked what there was to do in town. I got details about a concert that night, the best places to eat, and cool hikes to check out. I headed over to the town park and snagged a spot in the campground (yes, there is a legitimate campground right in town), and took a shower after setting up.

The rest of the day was all mine - I ate dinner at the local brewpub, met my neighbors at the campground, and decided to go to the concert. The band was Deer Tick - I never heard of them but I met two people who drove all the way from Salt Lake City, Utah to see them. Good enough for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Turning in for the night, I got a full dose of frigid Colorado nights at altitude. I don’t know how cold it got, but by morning I had put on a ton of layers to stay warm. This did make getting out of bed particularly difficult though...

Miles Covered: 70

Mountains!

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Day 48:

You could call it a day off, but it was anything but. After a little research, I found a 14 mile hike called Sneffels Highline. The route takes you through the Mount Sneffels Wilderness area, part of the San Juan National Forest. Scared of impeding thunderstorms, I got to the trail head nice and early. The hike has a total elevation gain of 3,600 feet, and is rated for 8-9 hours. I wanted it done in 5.

Climbing steep switchbacks right out of the gate, the trail wound through some of the most incredible scenery that I have ever seen. Take what I said about no words or picture being able to express the Colorado vistas, and multiply it by 100. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more amazing than what I saw today in my entire life. Climbing to 13,000 and looking across an endless landscape of beautiful snow covered peaks is an experience that should not be missed.

The weather was perfect, cool mountain air and nearly cloudless skies. I jumped over crystal-clear mountain streams, stepped through patches of snow, and ran through a trail lined with flowers. I ate lunch with my feet dangling over a cliff, looking out on more land than my mind could comprehend. I traversed the land some people deem the most beautiful in Colorado, and saw sights that will forever be imprinted in my mind.

I almost made it back to town before being caught in a massive rainstorm. Luckily I finished as quickly as I did or else I could have easily been caught in the storm above alpine level. It’s definitely scary how fast afternoon storms can move in. One second it was a beautiful day, the next you could hear thunder, which was quickly followed by a downpour. About 20 minutes of descending in the cold rain brought me back to town and under much needed shelter. Pretty good timing if you ask me. Total time for the hike: a leisurely 4 hours, 30 minutes. Not bad, eh?

It’s still raining outside, so I’m taking my time in the library. Apparently it’s one of the main attractions of the town, if I find quite interesting. It is rather packed on a Monday afternoon though...

Anyway, I hit the road again tomorrow. There’s one more 10,000 pass to climb, but I get to kick the day off right - I convinced a local hotel to let me sit in on their deluxe continental breakfast. Booyah.

Scenes from the hike:

A Reflection

On this vacation of mine, I decided to use some time to reflect on the progress I've made. I'm not one for mushy gushy feelings and emotions, so this is the best I could do. Enjoy.

Like all aspects of my life, I got ahead of myself in planning this trip. I foresaw mountain biking, endless exploring, and the ability to see everything. Although some of this has come true, it was ultimately a misguided assumption.

For one, mountain biking with a trailer is a near impossible thing to do. The Parsons Branch Road in the Smokey Mountain was the most technical trail I would ever take a fully loaded trailer on, and it was only a seasonal gravel road.

Second, exploring takes time. Biking 70 to 90 miles a day doesn’t leave a ton of time to frolic in the woods. Some nights I barely want to cook dinner, let alone hike a mountain. I will try to be better about this though, especially moving into Colorado and Utah. There’s a lot to see out there, and I certainly don’t want to miss it.

Lastly, I expected more of myself than is realistically feasible...namely the Colorado Trail. Traversing an extremely technical 500 mile mountain biking route along the Rocky Mountains in the middle of a cross-county bike trip is a heck of a task. Doing it alone is another story all together. For that reason I am putting this goal on hold, and sticking to the more traveled (paved) roads through Colorado. Perhaps another time, when I have more time to plan, I will conquer the trail. Until then...

Most importantly though, this trip has far exceeded my expectations in every respect. I have met more people, been treated with more kindness, and experienced more than I ever thought. Every mile brings something new - whether I learn something about myself, someone else, or the area I’m traveling though.

I still have a long road ahead of me, but I can honestly say that this has been the experiance of a lifetime. I can think of nothing else I’d rather be doing, and I have stories that ’ll be telling for the rest of my life.

There have been challenges, moments of fear, and times when I thought I couldn't go on. I’ve grown because of these difficulties though, and my successes have kept me pedaling on. Everyday brings a new obstacle, but it’s the people, the progress, and the ultimate goal that pushes me forward.

It’s been an incredible experience so far, and I’m excited for all that lies ahead.

--Keep Reading! There's a new post below too:

Kansas, I Just Rocked Your World

Check this out:

Pittsburg to Eureka: 122 miles
Eureka to Sterling: 135 miles
Sterling to Ness City: 120 miles
Ness City to Eads, CO: 165 (yeah...that’s right)

So I cleared Kansas in four days of riding...not bad huh? I have to say though, luck was definitely on my side. I heard horror stories around every corner about bikers getting slammed in the face by 60mph headwinds, and barely being able to move. Most days I had some sort of tailwind, and if there was a headwind it was short and only lasted a few hours. Fine by me, but it makes me scared to ever attempt such an endeavour again...

Anyway, you may have picked up on this...

I’M IN COLORADO WHOOOOOOOOO

Safe and sound in Pueblo, CO. And I’m on vacation. The (bigger) mountains are looming, and I’m resting up before pushing on. It’s certainly going to be a tough road from here to the coast. Mountains, deserts, and sometimes both all mashed up together. Sounds fun, eh...good thing I’ve been training for the past 3,000 miles.

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Day 40:

One more huge thank you to Becky and her crazy (in a good way) family for welcoming me into their home and treating me like I could live there forever. I met two other bikers there named Tom and Angus, who both told me a ton about the road that lay ahead. Here's the crew:

Kicking off the day, I entered the flinthills of Kansas. These are basically small hills that try and prevent people from growing corn, but no one listenes. I head that it’s the most beautiful part of the state though, so I soaked it in for all it was worth...as I blew by at 20mph.

What I’ve come to realize about riding across the country, is that there are three types of towns:

1. Very Small - Sometimes there is a grocery store (this makes it a nice town)
2. Medium - Definitely a grocery store, maybe one fast food joints
3. Large - Every fast food restaurant you could ever imagine. Usually in these towns I get suckered into buying a very large milkshake

My big stop for the day was Newton...size #3. Here I stopped at a Walgreen’s to buy sunscreen, a decision I immediately regretted. It quickly turned into me getting into a fight with the Walgreen’s lady about how much I needed, and how much I was willing to spend. Long story story short...I lost, and now I’m carrying enough sunscreen to allow me to actually live on the sun. Dead weight at it’s finest.

Making up for it, I decided to spend even more money and feast for lunch. An entire cantaloupe, an entire box of cookies, and a huge peanut butter and banana sandwich later, I was moving on.

I pedaled through the blistering 120 degree heat to Sterling, where I stopped for the night. Nice town, but moderately podunk. Cooking dinner in the (very beautiful) city park, I may or may not have witnessed domestic violence, as well as child abuse. They let me swim in the pool though, so that was fine with me.

It was also that night I realized I have an incurable and unsatisfiable addiction to ice cream. I ate an entire pint in about 15 seconds flat and fully regretted not buying the half gallon. This does not bode well for the future.

Miles covered: 135

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Day 41:

This was a long day. In fact, Kansas is just long in general. Long, monotonous, and endless miles of flat land. And it’s HOT. When the locals are scared to go outside...that’s when you know you’re crazy. Did I mention it's flat?

And the seemingly endless road...

My morning kicked off with the Quivira Wildlife Preserve...AKA “There is Nothing Here. At All.” There is actually a sign that reads...“No Trees Allowed.”

Welcome to Kansas.

I ate lunch in Larned (size #2) where I made the awesome decision to forgo my usual peanut and banana sandwich in favor of a box of cereal. Yes, I ate a box of cereal and a half-gallon of milk for lunch. Delicious.

I finally made it to Ness City where I called it quits. I found the park, scoped it out, and was left utterly disappointed. The pool was closed. Who closes a pool at 6:00? So I jumped the fence and went swimming anyway. Win.

Having stupidly not consumed enough food over my long and tedious trek, I was absolutely starving after my renegade swim. Grocery store? Non existent...size #1, strike #2. Looking for a quick meal I b-lined it for a Cactus Club, a Mexican restaurant. For $15 I got a HUGE meal and accordingly proceed to stuff my face. It was so big they had to give me two plates...now that’s my kind of dinner. And of course I had to buy a pint of ice cream. Possibly overkill, but it just tastes so good.

My stay at the city park was less than spectacular. Some genius planner decided to put it in the only depression in the entire state of Kansas. While there were probably 25mph winds blowing the entire night, I was sitting in hot, stagnant air. I was sweating just laying down, which did not bode well for a good night’s sleep.

Miles covered: 120

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Day 42:

I knew in my mind that I wanted to get to Colorado, but what I’ve been taught is that planning is useless. Wanting to go tons of miles can quickly turn into not being able to move, if the winds are against you. Today, the winds were against me...or so I thought.

Southern winds are a funny thing. You think you’re up against a headwind, but then you run into an eastern-bound biker who says the exact same thing. As long as you’re moving forward...

I did plan with optimism in mind though. I was riding by 6:00, and made sure to eat a ton of food throughout. If I made it across the boarder, it would be a huge day.

100 miles into the day I was done though. Headwind or no headwind, I was hot, frustrated, and ready to settle down. I rolled into Tribune and went to the pool to cool off. Next, I tried to find a grocery store. The only problem? It was Sunday. Apparently Tribune takes Sunday very seriously. The only thing open was a gas station with overpriced food and a rude staff. Needless to say, the town had not won me over.

What I realized next sealed the deal - I crossed over to mountain time. I gained an hour, and that made it 3:30 in the afternoon. Also, an eastern tailwind was going to start at 4:00. Colorado? DONE.

This is how it broke down:

Tribune: Mile 100
State Line: Mile 130
Eads, CO: Mile 165

What’s between Tribune and Eads? A whole lot of nothing. I did snag this picture though, my favorite so far. Notice the flag:

I stocked up on water, said my prayers, and pedaled onward. At 8:30 that night I made it to Eads, and THAT was one to my proudest moments. Expecting nothing when I got there, I found a gas station alive and well. The women working was incredibly nice, and gave me all the details about where I could safely spend the night.

The park was nothing more than a strip of grass, but it had trees and I was beat. I quickly cooked up some couscous, strung the hammock, and crawled into bed. Slept like a baby.

Miles covered: 165...holy crap, did I just do that?

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Day 43:

I’ve got Pueblo on my mind. Pueblo is like the halfway point. Actually for me, it’s a bit over 3,000 miles. It’s also a city, so there’s everything you could ever want. I booked a hotel, and the hotel is even right next to the bike shop.

Do you know how hard it is to bike 115 miles knowing you have the equivalent of paradise waiting for you? It’s misery. I was ready to stop and hitch hike at least 68 times. But I sucked it up, and pedaled through.

I got another 6:00 start to the day to beat the heat, and made decent time throughout the day. The winds were awkwardly for and against me, so I took my time getting through. After lunch they were suddenly on my side though, and I was pushing 20mph closer and closer into the city.

Finally, I made it. But one problem - my directions stopped about 30 miles outside of town. I quickly found myself in a maze of interstates, highways, and traffic. I knew where I had to get to though, so I booted up the GPS and plotted a course...the wrong one.

Attempting to get across the river that divided the city, I wound up on the interstate, getting repeatedly honked at and riding over a sea of broken glass. On the scale of scariness, I would rank this #2 (only after the brier patch incident). I quickly got off the closest exit, and was safely where I needed to be...with no flats!

Of course when I finally found the hotel there was a much calmer road that crossed the river close by, but now I can officially say I rode my bike on the interstate. Anyway, I checked in, showered up, stopped in at the bike shop, and went to a buffet. Good day? I think so.

Well, there it is. I’m at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, and I just rode my bike to freaking Colorado. It’s a long road ahead though so wish me luck, and stay tuned.

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One last picture. The thing about the endless Route 96 is that no one travels on it. That leaves a lot of room for tucks like these:

I was actually kicked off the road to make room for this guy and his 25 friends. Spiced up the day a little bit.

Intro To Flatland

What do you get when you mix flat land with a southeasterly breeze? 122 easy miles. Kansas, I love you.

Here’s a story for you:

I stopped in at the bike shop in Pittsburgh, Kansas to meet the locals and get my chain looked at. Sure enough, the thing was worn to pieces. After swapping it out for a new one, my cassette was miraculously declared in working condition and I went on my merry way.

I swung by the city park to get glimpse into where I would be spending the night and then headed off to the grocery store. To my surprise I pulled out onto the main street with a flat tire, and about 10 feet away from the bike shop. Of course, by this time it was about 7:30 and the shop was closed...so logically it seemed like a good place to stash my crippled ride.
I scratched the grocery store plan, found a restaurant (all you can eat sushi…not a good idea), and sat down to feast. Wait...did I just leave my entire life unlocked outside of a closed bike shop? Smart decision, Brian.

Anyway, I finished my meal and began the trek back to the store. To my surprise my bike was still there and the shop was open! Not that I don’t know how to fix a flat, but I pulled the tire off, went in the shop, and fixed it up with air conditioning and a floor pump. Just as I was about to leave I asked a question about a strange noise the new chain was making. This is where my good fortune comes in.

After checking out the cassette and the chain rings, the owner found that the cassette was actually to worn to function, and my middle chain ring was in only marginally better condition. Great. A small fortune later I was rocking a new cassette and an untouched worn chain ring that creaks like an old man...hopefully that isn’t dangerous.

Around 11:00 I finally made it over to the park and set up camp. Thanks to two unexpected thunderstorms though I got yet another horrible nights sleep, and found myself prancing around at four in the morning struggling to stay dry.

--

Day 38:

On the bright side, the rain, thunder, and my frustration caused me to get a respectably early start to the day. A quick stop at a donut shop to get my sugar fix and I hit the road around 8:00.

I hit the flat land, accelerated up to 20 miles an hour, and had a smile on my face until the sun came out. Welcome to Kansas! 65 miles done by lunch…fine by me.

Flash forward to mile 122 and I arrived in Eureka, KS at yet another lovely city park. Doing a loop to scope out the camping situation, I was greeted by Becky – the head manager at the pool. She ended up inviting me back to her house, feeding me dinner, and giving me a very comfortable quasi bed to sleep in for the night. Plus, the freezer was stocked with ice cream. This was a wonderfully unexpected surprise.

Miles Covered: 122

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Day 39:

Making myself at home in Becky’s house, I decided to get a full dose of Eureka and stay over for the day. Food, laundry, and a computer. Can’t go wrong.

Another biker just rolled into the house so I’ll even have some company for the night. Hopefully I’ll get an early start tomorrow and enjoy another long ride over flat land. I’ve got my sights on another 120 mile day…until next time.

Missouri, You’re Killing Me

Missouri, You’re Killing Me

I’ll admit it; I had high hopes for the state. It’s not quite Kansas and I’ve heard no stories of crazy man-eating dogs. I have to say it though – Missouri, you’re hard from perfect. In fact, Missouri, you suck.

I’ve never been so awe-stuck, dumbfounded, and confused at one time...let alone three whole days. What’s got me so puzzled? The Ozarks.

What they should do is rename the mountain rage “The Unnecessary and Nauseating Series of Sharp Climbs and Ridiculous Descents.” I’m not sure if that would quite do them justice though. In fact, that probably wouldn’t do any justice.

I wish I could show you pictures. I wish I got the whole thing on video. Unfortunately I was too busy sweating bullets in the crazy heat and humidity, climbing mountains so steep that they defy traffic laws, and struggling to pedal on to my last hope - Kansas.

Colorado, you’ve got nothing on the Ozarks. They’re like a rollercoaster where all the fun has been painstakingly removed and replaced with misery and suffering. Over three days of riding, I climbed more mountains than I knew existed. There were long, grueling climbs. There were short, steep climbs. There were ups and downs that came so quick, I could barely keep up. It was terrible.

Fortunately, the Ozarks are behind me, like a horrible nightmare that I hope I never experience again. Missouri, you are my sworn enemy.

Doesn't even begin to represent it:

--

Day 33, part II:

Life lesson: Never take three bikers to Wal-Mart. I left with more food than I knew what to do with. I still have some of it. Between me and the two other people, we packed the entire trailer full of food...guess who had to pull it all home?

I still felt lousy at the end of the day, but it was nice to relax with some good company.

--

Day 34:

On the road again, and I had company (actually, lots of it)! I left Al’s Place with Greg and Chris, two guys from Britain. We biked about 15 miles and ran into the two girls from way back when, and they biked with us too. Here’s a picture of all of us...also, it’s rather difficult (and dangerous) to take a picture while operating a bicycle...

So we heard stories of the Ozarks, but the first 25 miles or so were deceivingly flat. But don’t worry, we found them. Now began the death march through Missouri...no end in sight. Not to mention it was hot and humid, with barely and relief from the shade.

We finally found some relief in Eminence, MO where we stayed the night. Unfortunately a dirt-cheap campground only goes so far...tons of noise, tons of trash, and a lousy night’s sleep. In the morning I ditched the Brits since they were going shorter and sleeping in.

I should also mention that in the midst of this tragic hill climbing, my bike is holding up strong. Out of five people there were two flats today, and neither of them were mine! Now how about that for good news...


Miles Covered: 90

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Day 35:

Back to the grind...in the most literal sense you could possibly imagine. Right out of the gate I was facing 15 miles of steep climbing, which proceeded to turn into an unforgiving rollercoaster of leg-demolishing steepness. An experience I’m struggling to forget.

Two awesome things did cross my path today though. The first – Ally Mill. Part of the Ozark Scenic Riverways, it was a pretty cool attraction:

The second – a huge fire tower at the peak of the Ozarks. I conveniently ran into Nina again (who is much crazier than I am) just as we approached the tower. She convinced me to go up with her – and it was a experience that I won’t forget. The view were absolutely amazing, check it out:

I called it a night when I hobbled into Hartville, MO. Starving, thirsty, and more tired than I can express, I muscled up the energy to cook up a pretty delectable dinner. Pasta, potatoes, meatballs, and veggies. Did I mention that I got my appetite back?

I made camp on the local courthouse lawn, and laid down for yet another unfortunately miserable night. Not only did traffic keep disturbing me, but it was so hot and humid that I was sweating just laying down. Not the sort of rest I was looking for.

Miles covered: 80

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Day 36:

Are we there yet? NOPE

The Ozarks play games with you...horrible, deceitful games. Just when you think they’re done and gone, they come back in full force.

I started the morning off with some slight technical issues - my phone stopped working. Lucky for me there was a Verizon store 30 miles away...literally right on the route. I’m not sure there could be a stranger coincidence, but luckly nonetheless.

So I have succumbed. Yes, I am now the owner of a smart phone. I don’t like it, but I guess now I don’t have to keep wasting time at these libraries. I now have more technology strapped to this bike than I know what to do with.

Anyway...back to the mountains. Let me paint the scene - Just when I thought they were over, I got hit with 15 miles of the STEEPEST most REPEDITIVE climbs that even the most insane amusement park couldn't dream up. Just take my word for it. I finally found relief from the hills and the heat at a gas station, and had this inspiring conversation:

Me: “Please tell me the ride out to Ash Grove is flatter than the ride from Fair Grove”
Gas Station Guy: “Haha...worse!”
Me: “Worse!?!”
Gas Station Guy: “Yup, just a ton of ups and downs” (with hand expressions to boot)

I almost set up camp right there on his floor…

Anyway, the ride wasn’t THAT bad. I mean it was bad...but not as bad as I thought. I finally made it into town, and started work on dinner. Pasta, potatoes, and veggies. I’m getting pretty good at cooking huge, tasty (in relative terms) meals with incredibly limited cookware. Plus I start up a fire in a grill...I’m so sustainable; Ithaca College should give me a medal.

Finally, an alright night’s sleep. Set up camp in the city park under a pavilion, and I think the temperature even cooled down a bit.

Just a sample:

Miles Covered: 75

--

Day 37:

Kansas, you’re my new best friend. The Ozarks were at it again for about 35 miles, but there’s no way they can find me here. I’m in corn country now, and I’ve never been so happy. I’m pretty sure the temperature rose about 10 degrees when I crossed the border, but I can deal with that for now.

For lunch I treated myself to a delicious meal at Cooky’s in Golden City, MO. Apparantly its famous, and for good reason. Huge servings, great service, and delicious pie. Dutch Blueberry Pie to be exact...hands down the best pie I’ve ever had.

Now I’m in Pittsburg, Kansas and it appears that a storm is moving in. I’ve heard there’s 75mph winds when that happens...should be fun to camp in.

Pray for a tailwind!

Miles Covered: 70

Shenanigans

It’s been a while, but don’t worry, I’m alive. Well...barely.

The past few days have been a mix of interesting, frustrating, and quite unfortunate circumstances. The main culprit? Tires.

Yup, it never stops.

Of course, tires have been the least of my concerns lately. Where to begin...

--

Day 26:

Ah, the remainder of my stay in Litchfield, KY. Might as well start on a pleasant note. It’s amazing how many things I find to do when I finally make time to do them. A planned day of doing completely nothing suddenly turned into a day of accomplishing a million things I couldn’t do while sitting on a bike. Which all told, is a day well spent.

After treating myself to a delicious steak dinner at B.B. Italian Restaurant (with $2 pints to boot), I headed back to the hotel. Along the way I met a few nice people who were in town for a family reunion. Talking to them for a bit, I heard some crazy stories about snake catching...not my cup of tea, but an interesting way to end the night.

Miles Covered: 0

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Day 27:

The morning after staying in a hotel is always a mixture of eagerness and dread. Eagerness in the sense that I get to gouge myself at a huge breakfast...and dread in the sense that I have to pull myself out of a comfortable bed, onto my bike, and out into the heat. I guess it could be worse...

Before riding out of town, I stopped at the local grocery store to pick up a few staples, namely nuts, fruit, and peanut butter. To my surprise, the cashier gave me a loaf of bread, and a free pack dried fruit...not a bad start.

(I should note though, my bag of nuts have since been ruined in the rain, and the loaf of bread now resembles something that should probably not be consumed).

And so commenced my first day of EASY riding. I’m talking roads as flat as a pancake...life was good. I even took an accidental detour that cut two miles off the trip, brought me along even flatter land, and caused me to stumble upon this:

A pre-fourth of July picnic. Translation? Tons of people, tons of free food, and a great place to take a break:

After enjoying the picnic festivities, I continued my leisurely ride into Sebree, KY, home of the famous hospitality that is Bob and Violet’s First Baptist Church. Not just famous by my own standards, I had literally been hearing about church over 200 miles out of Sebree.

...And the rumors were anything but false. First, Bob and Violet are the nicest, most caring individuals one could ever hope to meet. Second, the church facilities are nothing short of amazing. Third, they give you dinner, a shower, a bed, access to laundry, and probably anything else you could ever want. The place is absolutely amazing.

Not to mention the stories. These two people host hundreds of cross-country bikers every year, and they have a knack for remembering each one’s incredible story. Some astound you, some inspire you, and some touch your heart in incredible ways. I could have stayed there forever just listening to their wonderful tales.

Of course, I too had to move on...but, not without first leaving my own mark on the hostel...

That night I also had some company from a guy named Jim traveling west to east. Nice guy traveling at lightning-speed, clocking over 100 miles a day...good thing he was going the other way.

Miles Covered: 85

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Day 28:

This is where the tire trouble comes in. Now the downside of running tubeless on tires that have already been ridden with tubes is that the glue takes a long time to find and seal all of the holes.

This was my first mistake.

So, every morning since I first got the tubeless setup until this morning in Sebree, I would wake up and both tires would be flat. Then would commence the incessant pumping with my tiny hand pump...not fun, to say the least.

Waking up this morning, I saw a glimpse of hope though. My front tire had barely lost any air, and my rear tire was in a close second. I got out the pump for what I hoped would be the last time, and got the rear tire up to pressure. No sweat. And then I moved on to the front.

Do you know what sound a tire filled with 85psi of pressure makes when it blows off of a rim at full force in a fit of rage?

BAM

Yeah, my front tire blew up. Not to mention I was now covered in nasty, sticky, rancid tire sealant. Yeah...

This was the first warning...but sometimes I’m just too stubborn (and stupid) to learn from my mistakes.

After attending the Sunday mass, I told Bob the situation and he drove me out to the local gas station so I could use the air compressor and attempt to pop the tire up again. Success! Sort of...there was still one part of the bead that didn’t pop into the rim.

This was the second warning...but sometimes I’m just too stubborn (and stupid) to learn from my mistakes.

Back to the house we went, to use a floor pump to put more pressure in the tire. I started pumping, and Bob nicely held the tire in his hands. Remember what happens when a tire violently blows off a rim?

NOTHING GOOD

This time, it blew right in Bob’s hands, dousing him in glue and making me feel absolutely miserable.

This was the third warning...but sometimes I’m just too stubborn (and stupid) to learn from my mistakes.

After we got cleaned up, I said forget the sealant, and I popped in a tube (mind you, I also had a spare tire with me the entire time). I blew up the tire to about 60psi, popped it on the bike, and rode it up to the house. Violet invited me in for lunch, which was incredibly nice and unexpected since I had nearly just killed her husband. Walking into the house, she turns to me and says:

“I’m so sorry about your bike, did you finally get it fixed?”

And before I could even respond, I hear from the driveway...BAM

And that’s when I finally learned my lesson. I went out to the driveway, and actually took the time to inspect the tire. Sure enough, the bead of the tire was cracked in two...that might have been a good thing to notice earlier. So I trashed the tire, broke out the spare, and slapped it onto the bike. Frustrated, angry, and anxious to get back on the road, I experienced something that miraculously made my problems seem rather insignificant.

Just as I finished fixing the bike up, a guy rode into the church parking lot accompanied by a pickup truck. In the back was a bike, with both wheels bent up and the frame itself bent in two places. His brother had been directly hit by a deer, totaling his bike and landing him in the emergency room. He had surely come to the right place, and shown me that maybe my problems weren’t that big after all.

After saying my goodbyes and giving the biker my best wishes, I was able to ride 55 miles to the boarder of Kentucky and Illinois to the town of Cave-in Rock. Once there, I met a wonderful family at the campground who cooked me dinner and gave me tons of snacks for the trip. On top of that, I didn’t even have to pay for the night.

So a very rocky start and hefty dose of reality later, I had a positive end to a very long day.

Miles Covered: 55

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Day 29:

Happy Fourth of July!

I was treated to breakfast by the family that gave me dinner the night before, which was a wonderful treat to wake up to. We all headed to a restaurant in the park, and I started off the day with a delicious omelet. That was also the first time I’ve ever been taken to a restaurant on the trip. Thanks so much for everything, it was great to spend so much time with all of you!

Here’s a picture of all of us:

There are three bike shops in Carbondale, IL...and when I finally got riding, I had my mind set on all of them. The ride was not easy though. TONS of rain, and I was still a little scared that my tires would choose to show their wrath once again.

Luckily everything worked out for the best. The tires held up, the rain subsided, and I rolled into Carbondale in one piece. The day was not without it’s tire trouble though...about two miles out of town the trailer tire went flat...what luck!

Getting late and having no idea where I was going to stay, I didn’t even bother to fix the flat. I just pumped it up, hoped it would hold a little air, and kept riding.

So what would any irrational person do when they get into a city as the sun is going down, not having any idea where they are going to stay? Ride around aimlessly, of course! And so that is what I did...and surprisingly it worked.

Not after long, a group of kids called out to me...”hey man, you want a beer?” “Uh, yeah! I’d love one.” I got off the bike, grabbed a bear, and made some friends. That was the start of a good night.

After I showered and grabbed a bite to eat, we headed off to watch fireworks, then hit a bar to celebrate the night in style. This all sounds great, right? Well let me tell you, in the morning...the tables had turned.

Miles Covered: 90

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Day 30 and 31:

When I woke up, I felt like I had gotten beaten by a gorilla, hit by every wheel of a semi truck, and abused by a lifetime of Brian Cicero’s wet willie's. I was in rough shape.

Without sparing too many graphic details, I stumped off the couch, threw my head into the toilet, and forcibly expunged every gram of food I had eaten in the past week from my body. I then gathered all my strength to get back onto the couch, fell asleep, and repeated the entire process again an hour later.

Deciding that eventually someone would catch on to the fact that I was cutting year’s off of their toilet’s life and kick me out, I struggled to get all of my things together and leave the house.

This is when it would have been a good idea to fix my flat tire the night before.

Keeled over my bike, riding thought the streets at about 2 miles per hour with a flat tire, I found a breakfast place. What ensued was an epic hour-long battle between a breakfast burrito and my stomach...of which the burrito became the victor.

Unable to eat anything, I decided to find a place to sleep. Barely making it a half mile to a hotel, I threw my bike in the room, face planted on the bed, and slept for the next 14 hours.

I woke up disoriented, covered in sweat, thoroughly nauseous, and quite miserable. Still fatigued, I continued to sleep.

Finally able to hold down cereal in the morning, I gathered all of my strength and attempted to get my priorities together. I got to the laundromat, scoped out all three bike shops, and even finally ate my burrito for lunch.

By the end of the day I had gotten a new front tire, had the bike working like new, become best friends with the hotel toilet, washed my clothes, and made it to bed by 9:00. Not bad, eh?

Miles Covered: I don’t even want to talk about it...

--

Day 32:

Finally, I was riding again.

The good: the first 65 miles of the day were FLAT. I’m talking Mississippi River Valley, not one hill anywhere in sight

The interesting: Flooding...everywhere

The encouraging: I met up with the two girls from my second day of riding again (if only just for lunch)

The bad: It was hot, crazy humid, and I started the day dangerously dehydrated

Yeah...something's not right here:

I even had to traverse a road covered in water halfway up my wheel...

And that’s where things took a turn. After mile 65 I crossed the Mississippi River into Missouri...and then it got hilly.

If I was smart I would have stayed with the girls and stopped riding at mile 65...but if you haven’t learned that I’m not very smart yet, you need to start reading more closely.

So I pedaled on, facing the beginnings of the Ozark Mountains and an impeding thunderstorm. And then the unthinkable happened...

At about mile 75 I started to get an uneasy feeling that my back tire was flat. Sure enough, when I checked it, there was barely any air. Thinking there must be a hole in the sidewall, I removed the tire, pumped it up, and shook it up to get the glue everywhere. Within five minutes though, the tire was flat again...this was a problem.

On further inspection, my worst fear came true - air was leaking out of the bead...the exact thing that happened to my front tire that blew up in Sebree. Not wanting to risk the rear one blowing up in the middle of nowhere, I trashed it and put on my spare...see, I do learn lessons after a little while.

Finally up and running once again, I had to unfortunately deal with the hour and a half that I just lost. The sun was going down, the thunder was getting louder, and I still had 25 miles of hills to go. Not to mention I still felt horrible, had not eaten anything all day, and was incredibly dehydrated. This was shaping up to be a very dangerous day.

To make things worse, I had this encouraging conversation right after I finished repairing my tire:

Local who stopped to make sure I was alright: “Hey man, you need help?”
Me: “No thanks, just a flat”
Local: “Oh, ok. Where are you trying to get to?”
Me: “Farmington”
Local: “Today? …You’ll never get there today...”
Me: “Why’s that?”
Local: “There’s too many hills, you’ll never get there before the sun goes down”
Me: “Well, I don’t really have any other choice”

And so I rallied, chugged some water, and pedaled my heart out through pouring rain for 25 long, grueling miles. Questioning whether or not I would actually faint on the way (or get hypothermia because the rain was so cold), I finally made it to Farmington...which was one of the greatest sights I’ve ever seen.

I got some food, and made it to Al’s Place - a old jail that was converted into a bike hostel. Not only are a few people already here who I had met over past miles, tons of other cyclists are holding up here too.

Not to mention the place is amazing...way nicer than most apartments. Nice furnishings, a computer, laundry, beds, showers, and a kitchen. Quite a nice place to take another day off (with some company), and hopefully fully recover.

Oh, and I have also somehow managed to become quite famous on the bike route. Bob and Violet have been sharing my shenanigans with all their other visitors, and I have apparently earned myself quite the reputation on the trail.

So there you have it, let’s see what tomorrow has in store...

Miles Covered: 100

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Watch out for fires! Not sure what day this happened...but I meandered the road closure through the woods:

Happy Birthday, You’re In Kentucky!

Want a taste of it?

Yup, lots of farms…and not much else. It’s a nice break from the mountains though, and I’m certainly enjoying the landscape, the people, and the easy riding. But I have to say; the mountains definitely whipped my butt into shape. There have been a few times where I had to ask for directions, and the ensuing conversation would go like:

Me: “Hey, can you tell me how to get to this road?”
Helpful Person: “Sure, it’s right up there on the right…you might not want to go that way though, pretty hilly over there”
Me: “Uh, that’s alright, I’m sure I’ll be fine”

And the hills? Nowhere to be found. Of course, Colorado will probably have something a little different in store for me. Until then, ignorance is bliss.

But anyway, I have successfully navigated my way into Kentucky and I’m about 30 miles from reconnecting with the Adventure Cycling TransAmerica route. Kiss the desolate Tennessee abandoned farmland goodbye, hello established cross-country bike route! Oh, and it’s my birthd...today is a good day.

So where am I?

Leitchfield, Kentucky. It’s a nice town, not too quiet and definitely beats some of the run-down places I’ve ridden through in the past few days. I’m staying at the very lovely Hatfield Inn, which has just about everything I could ever ask for – delicious free breakfast, spacious rooms, a computer, and a helpful staff. I could definitely stay here for a while...

But there’s always a downside – I’m in a dry county. Looks like Kentucky isn’t the alcohol-ridden state which rumors make it out to be. I should probably just stick to water anyway though...

But I know you’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to, so here are a few more cheerful anecdotes from the road:

Day 23, part II:

One note about Central Time – it doesn’t actually mean the sun sets an hour later (well, not when you’re 30 miles into it, at least). So, when the sun started setting at 7:00, it sort of took me by surprise. Out of options, I pulled into a very unfriendly neighborhood, in which I got a denied safe place to stay about 10 times. Finally I convinced a guy that I wouldn’t touch anything, would stay out of the way, and would be out of his hair by early morning. By this point it was actually dark out, so I scrambled to throw some food on the stove, set up camp, and get to bed. Wait…no trees!

Being forced on the ground for second time, I was subjected to the worst night’s sleep I’ve had in a while. With humidity at about 5,000%, I woke up spastically throughout the night covered in water, freezing cold. Eventually around 6:00 I just got up, packed my things, and rode into Cookville, TN.

Miles Covered: 75

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Day 24:

The upside to starting the morning really early? Cookville is actually an established town...with a bike shop! Finally, I could restock my dwindling stash of bike supplies. Given the store didn’t open until 10:00 though; I found a Laundromat and a café and bided my time until the doors opened.

After conveying my distress and frustration over flat tires and broken tubes, the owner of Caney Fork Cycles hooked me up with a tubeless set-up (something I should have done from the start given I’m riding tubes rims...yes Nick, you were right).

Departing the shop at 11:00, I started riding pretty quick to try and make up for a slow start. Given the flat-ish landscape (remember, I just got off the mountains), and the fact that there were absolutely zero distractions (I was riding through nothing…and I almost ran out of water because of it), I was able to fly. I finally crossed the Tennessee boarder into Kentucky and hit a town called Gamaliel where I was able to refuel...and pick up a $1.50 box of Pop Tarts.

What I decided to do next may or may not have been a good decision, but it did work out quite well. Starting around 5:30, I continued to ride on to Glasgow, KY knowing that I would be in the middle of nowhere. This is also assuming that:

1. The sun will set at 7:30
2. There are wild dogs in Kentucky
3. 30 more miles of riding will put me at 100 for the day

So off I went…FAST. 7:28 on the dot I crossed the Glasgow boarder, relieved, exhausted, and proud. My first century and I did it in less than nine hours...booyah.

What’s more? No more than 30 seconds upon entering the town a guy named Howard flagged me down and started talking to me. Being a biker himself, he told me about some of the trips he’s done, and invited me to camp out at his house...something I think is the single most miraculous thing that has happened to me thus far. Before heading out to the house though, I decided to treat myself to dinner at a local restaurant called A Little Taste of Texas.

Let me prefix this next part by saying that small towns are quite possibly the best places in the world. Nothing beats the people, the atmosphere, and the culture.

I sat down for a huge hamburger dinner and made friends with basically everyone that crossed my path. The guy sitting behind me gave me $20 to pay for the meal, and my nice and lovely waitress gave me a double serving of cheesecake for dessert. THAT was a fantastic way to end an awesome day.

Finally I rode out to Howard’s house, set my hammock up, and even took a (cold) shower with my portable shower setup (that sounds much more glorified than it actually is...)

In an effort to be completely honest, I should mention the one bad thing that did happen today. About 10 miles after leaving Cookville, I headed into the country and took a left on a road that went about 5 miles into the middle of nowhere. Before turning onto my next road, a guy came walking towards me saying something about a bridge being out...fancy that. So I unfortunately had to retrace the last 5 miles to a different road, and then continued on. No sweat.

Miles Covered: 100!

PROOF:

--

Day 25:

One more thing about Howard – he’s awesome. He put me in touch with his friend Mark who rode the TransAmerica route in the past. Anyway, Mark drove down to the town and met up with me to touch base with how I was doing. Not only did he give me a better route to get up to Mammoth Cave (my next stop), but he gave me a much better route navigating Kentucky and bringing me back onto the TransAmerica route (including a place to stay the night after I got out of Leitchfield). So thank you so much Mark and Howard, you’ve been incredibly helpful and made the trip a lot easier!

So up to Mammoth Cave I went. I took the tour (which was awesome), and met a girl named Nina (this one was not Norwegian) during it. She started talking to me after seeing my Ithaca bike Jersey, and I found out that she lived in Ithaca for a year (small world, eh?) After the tour she treated me to lunch, and we went our separate ways.

Here’s a glimpse into the amazing Mammoth Cave:

Well, that’s about all I have to report. Today is my second official rest day, and the most I’ve biked was about a half mile to the grocery store and back. I’ll be off to Sebree, KY tomorrow...and it’s look like it’ll be a hot one.