Day Twenty-nine

Today has been the most perfect day, ever. I feel completely at peace, like I’ve never felt in my entire life. Chuck and I are in Dalbo, Minnesota at the house of a saint. I took this picture as I blogged this.

I’ll start from the beginning…we got up from our night at the abandoned campground (thanks to the generosity of the Osceola Police Department), and it was a COLD night. We had the flannel sheet that Chuck had bought at the Salvation Army in Winona, but we shared a sleeping bag as a blanket, and it just didn’t work out. We need a blanket! Plus, it doesn’t help that I lost my flannel socks, so my feet were cold. I just can’t sleep if my feet are cold. We managed to get through the night, and in the morning we made coffee and I had a cup of apple sauce and some cheese for breakfast (not much). I headed on the road and Chuck disassembled the camp site.

We had planned on a rendevous in Harris, but a road closure forced a departure from the plan. We ended up meeting in North Branch. It was 12:00, but I was craving breakfasty stuff. We found a place called Joe’s with a sign on the front that said “Breakfast All Day” and there was a parking spot right in front. It was meant to be! We shared a plate of hash browns mixed with onions and cheese and some eggs on top. It was EXACTLY what I had been craving. Apparently Chuck too, since he did all but pick up the plate and lick it clean! I took off down the road, and Chuck went to do laundry.

It was just a beautiful day for a ride, and today was the first day I’ve actually had a pretty good tailwind! Plus, no dogs chased me today, and that’s always a good thing. So far Minnesota is very pretty, but not “amazingly spectacular” so I haven’t stopped to take many pictures. Mostly, just places we stop to eat. I talked to my friend Steve today, and told him about our problems finding places to stay, and he offered to put us up for a night in a motel. I love my friends! We’re going to save it for a time when we really need it (and the motel will definitely have a pool…oh yes, it will have a pool.)

I rode into Dalbo (a town of about 60) and asked some ladies riding by on bikes “Is Dalbo that way?” They laughed and said, “You’re IN Dalbo, and this is rush hour!” I was trying to reach Chuck on my phone, when he pulled up. We had found a place on my ACA map that offered tent sites for cyclists. I had called them, but got voice mail, so I left a message. When I arrived in Dalbo, there was a message from the man: “I have better than a tent site for you; you can have the bunkhouse and there’s a shower if you want it. Not a hot shower, but it’s a shower.” FOR FREE. This guy offers all this to cyclists passing through, at no charge. He has a barn with three bedrooms all set up with pillows and mattresses, and a kitchen with a fully stocked fridge, microwave, coffeepot, pizza oven and toaster. How cool is that???? And it’s all in a beautiful setting. I told Chuck I’d love to do something like this someday, and host people as they were passing through. He said it would be a really cool thing to do. Our host (Donn) mentioned it was a coincidence that I'm doing this for MS, since his wife has MS. She's been on a medication, however, that has almost completely cured her symptoms. I'm so happy that I get to see the research money making a difference in my lifetime!

We got all set up, plugged in all our things that need to be plugged in, and went to a place called “The Dusty Eagle”. I love the name. We had a fish sandwich, played some pool, laughed about the fact that they had pickled turkey gizzards behind the bar, and I tried to win us a 6-pack by throwing dimes into a shot glass…but failed. We went back to the bunkhouse and Chuck’s snoring away. He’s had a busy day, but I know he feels the same way I do about this trip and about today. This is the best adventure either of us have ever had, and the best decision I have ever made. I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Day Twenty-eight

Today was a much better day, but dogs are becoming a problem. I had another one chase me down on a rural road. It was especially frustrating because the road had been torn up for construction, I was on Isis, and there was no way for me to get away quickly. I made myself hoarse with all the times I had to shout at the dog to go home. His owner was right there the whole time. Later on, I asked someone at a bar if it was legal for me to use pepper spray at a dog that was chasing me down. He said, “Heck, you shoot him!” I called Dave, and he suggested spraying a water bottle or getting a little air horn.

We got up early (rough night sleeping) and headed over to Starbucks to use my gift card and some wifi. They had a little trouble getting Chuck’s order right, and they couldn’t toast my bagel (Starbucks sells bagels, but they don’t have toasters) so I had to wait to eat it. When we got back to the house, Ron and MJ were up. Ron fixed me some yummy granola with soy yogurt to have with my bagel, and I uploaded my photos to Facebook.

I took another shower, got my stuff together and Chuck drove me down the road to get started towards the Gateway Bike Path, which would take me all the way to Stillwater. I couldn’t wait. I love riding on the bike paths of this country! We parked, and I got busy switching everything over to the hybrid. It’s definitely better for bike paths, especially when I’m not sure if it’ll be paved. Only problem is, both tires are starting to look pretty worn. I’m not taking any chances with them. The place where we parked was right in front of an Asian market and I’m a sucker for those, so I went in. It was AMAZING. They had everything! I wish Stella had been with me so I knew what everything was! But I walked out with a big bag of rice crackers, some shrimp chips, a packet of instant hot and sour soup and some peanut candy for Chuck (which he loved).

I headed towards the bike path, and it was gorgeous. This time I listened to my Nano and it was a more interesting mix (my Shuffle is just full of dance songs). I saw bunnies and lots of frogs. I almost missed my exit off the bike path onto Route 12, but got on the road and headed for the village of Stillwater (Minnesota). Chuck was at the library, so I went there. It was huge and beautiful. Eventually, I found Chuck (he had been hiding) and we went looking for some lunch. We found a place right by the river, but the food was mediocre and way too expensive for our budget. That was annoying. I got my bike and crossed the bridge to take me back into Wisconsin (I know, I know….). There was a serious climb on the other side, but thankfully it was short. I rode on several county roads, all named with letters (I, E and V). It was very scenic and pretty.

I made it to Osceola and met up with Chuck at a bar called Cascades. We attempted to figure out a place to stay for the night, but there’s no campgrounds in town, and the motels want too much money. We headed to the police station. They were closed, but there was a phone on the wall, which I used. The nice lady said an officer would be there soon, and sure enough...he pulled up in a few minutes. He was SO nice and helpful. We asked if we could pitch our tent in the park, and he got on the radio to check but they had said no. He suggested we go to a campground in town that was closed and said it would be OK if we used it (but no showers and no water). It was very nice, and we set up camp and headed to a restaurant the cop had suggested called The Tippy Canoe. It was really nice, and we ordered some fettucine alfredo. I noticed a sign that said “Oyster Shooters $1.50 Each. Drink 3 and Get a Free Drink”. I couldn’t resist. I asked the waitress, “Is that some sort of challenge?” She said it was and I asked why. She said, “Cause they’re ICKY”. I said, “Set me up!” They were yummy, but super hot. I downed all three and gave Chuck my free drink. The plate of pasta they had given us was enormous. Chuck didn’t eat much but I finished the rest, and I explained to the waitress that I don’t usually eat that much, but I’m on a cross-country bike ride. She thought it was cool, but apparently not cool enough to donate any of our food.

We headed back to our private campground to go to bed.

Day Twenty-seven

Today wasn’t the most productive of days, but we did make it to St. Paul, Minnesota. Only problem was, I had been trying to do 114 miles today and make it to Stillwater, but I think I biked a grand total of 33 miles. In my defense, the wind was strong in my face, I biked up a mountain and I haven’t had a day off since Wheaton, Illinois!

We started the day by brewing some coffee in our Jet Boil, and this was really the first time it’s been successful, since the coffee I brought wasn’t ground finely enough. Chuck was in charge of the measurements, and it was very tasty! I had a huge breakfast of 2 crackers with a little peanut butter. I had a great breakfast at Jellystone the day before: yogurt with freshly picked blackberries and a little smoked gouda cheese.

I headed down the road, which was a fairly busy 4-lane highway, but it had a wide shoulder. I stopped at the first town and my map promised a restaurant. It looked like a pretty small town, but I had faith. I rode up the hill and found a little bar that looked like it was closed, but I took a chance and tried the door. Sure enough, it was open, even though the place was empty. There was a lady behind the counter and I asked, “Do you serve breakfast?” She said, “Just eggs, bacon and toast”. I said, “That’s fine – just no bacon please.” We chatted a bit and I told her about my ride. She was very friendly, and I enjoyed the conversation. She mentioned 4 young men on bikes had passed through town a few days ago, from Washington on their way to Maine. She didn’t think they were doing it for a charity, just on their own. I mentioned that the donations hadn’t been so good in the Midwest, and she gave me my breakfast for free! Sweet lady.

I rode on with renewed energy (I had been pretty hungry), and Chuck pulled up. He had grabbed a couple of doughnuts in Winona, so that was his breakfast. I grabbed my biking pants, since the temperature had dropped a bit, but I didn’t end up needing them. Chuck headed for Wabasha. This is where we had a bit of a communication breakdown. I thought he would stay in Wabasha and we would have lunch there, but I called him when I was a few miles away and he said he had gone on to Lake City, almost 20 miles away. I was disappointed, especially since I was surrounded by a group of stormy looking clouds, but Chuck’s been so great about everything, there’s no way I could stay upset with him! Right out of Wabasha, I had a huge climb and it was raining on and off.

Eventually, I came to a road closure, and I called Chuck. I was done for the day. We drove to St. Paul and met up with my friend Russell’s brother, Ron. He and his wife, MJ are very sweet and they took good care of us. They have a beautiful house, too. We pulled out the fold-out couch and turned in.

Day Twenty-six

I made it through Iowa and part of Minnesota today, and there were some mountains! It was good to go up a mountain; I’m definitely out of practice after going through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. I didn’t realize how flat those states are. Wisconsin is slightly hilly, but I didn’t hit any steep hills there. Iowa was fun to ride in; I can see why Dave Crane likes it. Although when I started from Marquette, I saw a sign that said “No Shoulder.” Then I saw one that said “Falling Rocks”. And there was a train running right next to me along the road, just a few feet away! I was a little bit nervous.

As for the people I met…it was Sunday and I was at a meat market that was closed. They had vending machines out front and I was dying for a cold water since it was about 80 degrees, but I only had a ten, a one and some pennies, and a drink was $1.50. A local couple pulled up in their car and I told them the place was closed. They thanked me and started to leave, but I said, “Would you happen to have any change? I really need some cold water but I don’t have the right change.” I gave them my ten and they started hunting around for ones. I said, “Actually all I need is 50 cents if you want to donate that to my bike ride; I’m biking across the country for MS.” They said, “No, we’ll just find the change for your ten.”

I made it to the Minnesota border and managed to get a picture of the “Welcome to Minnesota” sign, but it was difficult. There was no place to set my camera, so I had to rest it on my bike against a pole that was pretty far away from the sign, set the timer and sprint back to the sign.

I continued my ride and it was absolutely beautiful with a wider shoulder at this point. The scenery was just incredible, and I was riding along the Mississippi River. I never realized how beautiful it is. At one point the sky turned almost completely black, and I got out my rain jacket and made sure my camera and cell phone were safely stowed away. I crossed into the area where the storm began, and a huge gust of wind hit me, stopped my bike and almost knocked it over! Then the rain began, slowly at first but then it turned into a downpour. I looked up and there was Chuck! He had driven back to get me when he saw the storm approaching. My hero!!! He drove me out of the storm and then I continued on my way.

I road to La Crescent and almost got hit twice my motorists who weren’t paying attention. My directions were a little off, but I managed to make my way to Route 29, which turns into Route 1. It’s an amazing, scenic ride. Probably the most beautiful ride I’ve ever been on so far. It climbs up and up, straight up a mountain and then there are the most spectacular views of the Mississippi and Wisconsin on the other side. I took some good pictures. I was pretty tired by that point, so I rode for about 10 more miles, and when Chuck called me I said I was ready to go to the campground. He had driven ahead and set everything up.

We stopped at a place called the Pickwick Inn, a great find! We were practically the only ones there, and the owner was very nice and chatted with us. They thought it was odd that we wanted to eat our dinner at the bar instead of at a table, but that’s what we do! We had some shrimp and a baked potato and the waitress showed us the waterfall and mill behind the inn. I wish I’d taken a picture of that. It was pretty.

We headed to the campground, which is right on the river and just gorgeous. Unfortunately, neither of us slept very well. Now that we have a comfortable mattress, we need a blanket! The sleeping bags won’t unzip all the way so it’s tough to have ourselves completely covered. Time to find a thrift shop!

Day Twenty-five

I’m writing this from our tent in the middle of a terrible thunderstorm. Thankfully, our tent is mostly waterproofed, but there are a few leaks coming in.

I headed out from Caroline and Bob’s house this morning after a fabulous breakfast of strong coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, matzo meal pancakes, fruit and yogurt. They are pescatarians, like Chuck and me, only they eat much more healthily. I need to work on that when we get home… I took a picture of the whole group (shown above) and Caroline and Chuck joined me on bikes for the first few blocks. Bob said something funny last night: we were talking about how Chuck would meet up with me and we’d have lunch and he said, “So he’s your ‘Chuck Wagon’, right?”. I liked that one! I ended up getting a late start, mostly because I didn’t want to leave Madison! What an amazing city! And everyone bikes there. Most of the people I saw in the city were very fit and I really didn’t see that many overweight people.

Once I got on the bike path, that basically runs from Madison to Dodgeville (about 50 miles), there were lots of people riding. Many of them had the Burley trailer on their bike that will hold a child. I was so impressed. And I saw parents teaching their kids the rules of the bike path. This time I was prepared and I had my Shuffle with me. I put it on and cranked it up. The road stayed paved but changed to dirt at Verona. I called Chuck and asked if he was nearby so I could switch to the hybrid. Thankfully he was and we made the switch. I was very grateful for that. I had to ride 40 miles on a dirt path and the Trek doesn’t do so well with that. I can’t seem to go as fast and I feel every little bump. Once I got on the Specialized, I was ROCKET WOMAN! The number of bikers dwindled off a bit. It was absolutely beautiful. I crossed a street one time, looked over and a deer was crossing about 50 feet away. She just stopped and stared at me.

Caroline had set me up with a power bar called “Pemmican”. When I started to get really hungry, I took it out and it really did the trick. It wasn’t bad tasting, either. I rode on some more, and got to a place called Waltz Park. I forget the name of the town it was in. They have excellent restrooms on this trail (the Military Ridge Trail – which costs $4 to ride on by the way) and there was a vending machine and some picnic tables under the shelter. I figured it was a good time for a lunch break. I dug out my bag of change, but I was a nickel short. I looked around on the ground, and found a quarter! I put my coins in the slot and they just fell right through. Then I had to find someone who could give me a dollar bill for my 4 quarters. I finally did, and that didn’t work either. Chuck was on his way with lunch, so I waited for him. We had snap peas, cheese and crackers, and edamame. It was good, and just what I needed. Chuck left and I continued on to Dodgeville. It took a while to get there, but I was going fast and making really good time. We stopped at a Subway for an iced tea, but I didn’t realize it was already sweetened and I didn’t enjoy it. I had one of my Emergen-C packets and that made me feel much better. I still had another 50 miles to go to get to Prairie du Chien, but I didn’t know if I was going to make it. The weather was pretty hot. I rode on Route 18, and it was nice. A wide shoulder, not much traffic and more gently rolling hills. Very scenic too. I saw a huge windfarm right by the highway and it reminded me of War of the Worlds. It’s really something to see.

I made it as far as Montfort, and called Chuck. We stopped in a biker bar for a beer and I had some broccoli bites, which I loved, but Chuck was little cranky at that point and refused to share them with me. That’s OK, more for me! This is where things went downhill. We drove to the State Park in Prairie du Chein but they refused to give us any kind of discount for the ride and actually tried to charge us more than Chuck had been quoted over the phone (they’re getting a letter from me). We left in a huff, hoping to find a motel that would give us a break (especially since I knew this storm was coming), but EVERY hotel room in Prairie du Chien was full. What the heck was going on? We didn’t know what to do. We had called Jellystone Park (the home of Yogi the bear) and they offered us a discount, but it was still more than we wanted to pay. I suggested we stop at an Irish pub for a drink and some food and see if anyone would be willing to help us. That didn’t quite work out, so we went to Jellystone. A nice lady named Sam checked us in, and here we sit. I really wish I had the foresight to leave my bikes in the “Ranger Station” since they’re just out there in the pouring rain. Not good for them. Plus my gel seat cover is getting completely soaked… Oh well, I hope the rain stops so I can get back on the road. The lightning was so severe this morning, that there was no way I was going to take a chance on riding.

Day Twenty-four

Madison, Wisconsin is a VERY cool city. I knew I’d like it. I biked most of the way from Beloit this morning, following my Google directions. We got up early and I drove over to the BP station and picked us up a couple of doughnuts and coffees. I really wanted to see Beloit College, where my parents met and went to school.

We walked around the campus and it was really pretty. I imagined my mom and dad walking around with books in their hands. My dad was an English major with a minor in Russian studies. I’m not sure if he graduated in 1969 or 1970. We went to the library and were able to use the computers to get online for a little while. After that, we went downtown. I was still hungry (you know me), and Chuck wanted to get online again, so we tried to find Starbucks, since I had seen someone walking around with a Starbucks cup, and I had a gift card. I asked at a barber shop, but the owner said the Starbucks was pretty far away, near the interstate. He suggested a bagel shop a few doors down, so we headed over there. The bagel was good, the coffee was hot, fresh and strong and Chuck was able to get online.

After that, we were walking back to the car when the barber came out and asked if we found what we needed. I thanked him and waved good-bye, but he asked where my trip was taking me. I told him Vermont to Seattle, and he asked us to come into his shop. He had a client in the chair and had been in the middle of cutting his hair! We sat down and told him and his wife all about the bike ride. He had lots of questions, and I was worried that the man in the chair wasn’t going to have any hair left by the end! The barber had the most amazing collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia I have ever seen. I think he had a Coke bottle from almost every country in the world, and he had one of those old fashioned machines that sold Coke for a dime and the bottles were small…and it still worked! It was a barber shop that doubled as a Coke museum. Very cool. The owner’s wife worked at Beloit College for 14 years, and she was very excited about the ride and immediately got on the phone with some people at the college. I think she was trying to get me in the paper, but wasn’t successful. She did ask if we could come back to the campus with her so she could take some pictures of me with my bike, and I gave her my articles and all my contact information.

I headed out of town after that. I had to ride on some highways for a little while, but it wasn’t bad. Soon after that, the scenery changed, and I fell in love with Wisconsin. Keep in mind that I’ve been riding through some very flat states for a LONG time. This part of Wisconsin was full of gently rolling hills and the weather was a bit cooler than it has been lately. The scenery was just beautiful. Even though there were more corn fields, I didn’t mind it because of the hills. There were also fields of soybeans. My Google directions made quite a few road changes and I had been doing well, but I guess I missed my turn at one point. I was trying to get to Madison, but I ended up going in the wrong direction. Just then a biker named Steve pulled up and asked if I was OK. I said, “No, I think I missed my turn.” He gave me some new directions, so I headed a different way. I was going down the road a little while later, when he came up behind me. I guess he had been worried! He said he’d ride with me and make sure I got where I was going. How sweet is that??

I called Chuck and told him I would need a lift, so he made his way to where Steve and I were. We were riding on Route 138, which is not the most bike friendly road in the world. It was in rough shape with very little shoulder. Chuck pulled up eventually, and Steve recommended a place called the Pour House in Stoughton, where he lives. His office is actually upstairs from the Pour House. I liked the place immediately. It was quite large and had a stage for the live music. They had 5 or 6 local beers on tap, and an extensive selection of microbrew beers in bottles. And they had Woodchuck! I was excited to see it, but they weren’t as excited as I was.

The bartender was very sweet and I liked her dry sense of humor. Three young men who had been riding motorcycles walked in and sat next to us and she kidded around with them. The conversation was great, and we were all laughing and having a good time. After they left, she told us they were cops! Interesting. I told the bartender that Chuck was a piano player and she asked if he could play something for her. She was so impressed by him, she had tears in her eyes! She said, “He’s just great! Are you going to be around for a while? We’re having live music tonight!” This is a problem we’re encountering along the way: we’re meeting amazing, cool people in a great town and we want to spend more time there, but we have to keep moving. Chuck said we just need to do another trip when time is not an issue.

We made it to Madison and found Caroline and Bob’s house (friends of my Uncle Howie and now friends of ME). They have a really nice place. Bob is an author of children’s books and he just finished one about Frank Lloyd Wright. Chuck is a huge fan of Wright’s work, so it was an amazing coincidence. One of the reasons we had wanted to come to Madison was because the Unitarian Church here was designed by Wright. Caroline and Bob’s neighbor, Lorna, took us to the church and gave us a complete tour with the entire history of not just the church, but a lot about Frank too! It was fascinating and I took lots of pictures. Our hosts had told us about a great Himalayan restaurant, and how often do we get to have Himalayan food, so we set out to find it. The main street of Madison reminded me much of Church Street in Burlington, only with more ethnic restaurants. The smells drifting out onto the street were just incredible. There were lots of interesting shops, and again, I wished we could spend more time there. We found the restaurant and had to wait a little while for a table outside, but it was worth it! I ordered another local beer called Capital Amber and Chuck ordered one he had liked called Spotted Cow. Apparently, it’s not available outside of Wisconsin. I can’t even describe how wonderful the food was. We ordered a combination platter so we could try several different things. The dal soup was rich and flavorful with lentils and spice. We had a samosa that was filled with potatoes and chick peas and it was spicy, but not too much. The vegetarian dumplings with peanut sauce and a little fresh tomato sauce on the bottom absolutely melted in our mouths, and we both loved the whole wheat flatbread. It was light and spongy, but flat at the same time, with a wonderful flavor. And it went very well with the dal.

We would have loved to stay downtown and hear the live music we had been told about, but he had to get back to the house and get to bed. I’m going to try for 100 miles today and try to make it to Prairie du Chien at the border. Apparently, there’s a campground there, and we can try out our new air mattress. Caroline and Bob are going to ride with us on the bikes for a little while and get me going in the right direction. Sweet!

Day Twenty-three

I rode about 80 miles today and made it to the town of my birth: Beloit, Wisconsin. It was a great day of riding, mostly on bike trails. There’s a fabulous trail that runs from Wheaton. Very well maintained, and paved for much of it. Jerry and Mary headed out with Chuck and me, all of us on bikes. It was nice to have some company for a little while! Jerry rode on after Mary stopped, and it wasn’t easy keeping up with him. I really like Jerry; he’s a free spirit (like Chuck) and does what feels good to him, without a thought to what others are thinking. I respect that. He’s very quiet during a conversation with several people, but he’s always listening. You can count on it. When he has something to say, he’ll say it, but he’ll never speak just for the sake of speaking. And he loves to sing. He sang to himself as we rode, and I joined him as best I could since I loved the song (Wouldn’t It Be Lovely). He stopped after 4 miles, said good-bye and wished me safe travels.

I rode for a while and it was absolutely beautiful. Lots of people on the path too, and most of them said “Good morning!” However, eventually, I came to point where there was a big sign that said “TRAIL CLOSED”, and there was no indication of a detour. Another biker pulled up and said he thought he could get me around it. “Do you want to take the chance?” he asked. I said, “Sure!” and followed him. He got me to a place where there was more construction, but I was able to walk around it and continue on my way.

Eventually I met up with Chuck at a gas station. We had an impromptu picnic on the grass by the highway: tuna sandwiches, pistachios and milk. It was very nice! I continued on and Chuck stayed behind. He doesn’t want to ride ahead of me, in case I need help. Having to double back to get me would add too much extra driving time. Thankfully, I was only on a busy highway for a short time. I was using Google map directions which aren’t always the best.

I was able to go from one trail to another pretty much (the next trail was the Fox River Trail), except for a section of western Illinois, where I had to ride through miles and miles of…you guessed it, CORN FIELDS. We grow a LOT of corn in this country. If I never see another corn field, that will be perfectly fine with me! It messes with your head when you ride through never-ending corn fields. You feel like you haven’t made any progress at all. It helped a little when I looked down at the pavement while I rode.

Thankfully, another bike path came fairly soon, and it had an ice cream shop on it! I stopped for a cold water and a vanilla shake. Yummy! It was very surprising to me to find this great bike trail in the middle of the corn fields of Illinois. Chuck had said he was at the Wisconsin border, and there was a beer waiting for me. I have never in my life biked so far, so fast. I was literally FLYING down that bike path (the Stone Bridge Trail). Not just because of the promise of a beer, but because I didn’t want to keep Chuck waiting. I called him when I got close to the border, but he had already moved on. Apparently, in Wisconsin, you can still smoke in bars. That’s changing on July 5th, but I guess everyone was smoking a little extra while they still could. Chuck couldn’t stand to be in the bar for too long.

I came to Highway 51, where Chuck had told me to meet him, but was like an interstate, and there’s no way I would have been allowed to bike on it. I stopped at a truck stop called “Love’s” and waited for Chuck to come and get me. We rode into Beloit and it felt very cool to be in the place where I was born. This time, I chose a place to get a beer and it was smoke free. We weren’t interested in the food there (it was very expensive), so we headed out to find our campground. We found it, but the gate was locked with a sign that said “Sorry, all full”. I went through the side gate and wandered around until I found the owner. I told him about my ride, and he said the campground was not open for the season yet, but we could stay there. I thanked him and asked him how much it would be for the night, and he said “Don’t worry about it; no charge”. Wow. We set up the tent and chairs, and it was a pretty comfy. We snacked on cheese and crackers and pistachios. Everything would have been great, but we didn’t have a mattress in the tent and I couldn’t get comfortable. I just can’t sleep on the ground. My back and neck were very sore in the morning from all the tossing and turning, and I asked Chuck if he could pick up an air mattress. He said he would. (YAY)

Day Twenty-two

Another great day off; I LOVE Wheaton, Illinois. It’s a great little city that’s got it all. A lovely park, a great library, lots of stores (Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods) and the train goes right through it that will take you to Chicago. I also love Jerry and Mary (Chuck’s brother and sister-in-law). They were so kind to us and I wish we could have spent more time with them. They have a beautiful house too, as I mentioned before.

In the morning, Chuck and I went looking for an internet café. We stopped at Starbucks, but couldn’t use their wifi because I hadn’t registered my card. So there was a funky little coffee shop across the street with free wifi, so we headed over there. I got a French roast and a bagel with tomato, and Chuck got a mocha coffee with a blueberry scone. I had trouble getting on the internet, but eventually did. We hung out there for a while, and then went back to the house. Mary and Jerry were up, and Mary and I made some rhubarb muffins with fresh rhubarb from her garden. It felt really good to be baking again! The baking muffins perfumed the house with a wonderful aroma, and when they were done, we all settled down to a meal (brunch, I guess it would be?) of hot, fresh muffins, coffee and melon.

Chuck and I went to the library to make some copies of maps, and then went back to the house. I didn’t realize how late it had gotten, and we were trying to catch the 1:50 train, so we rushed into town, but missed the train. We headed over to Sears to do some business there, and then barely made it back to the train station in time for the next train. The trains to Chicago are very nice, double deckers, clean and looked fairly new. The ride to Chicago took 50 minutes. It’s a nice city, but honestly, I prefer Cleveland. The architecture of the skyscrapers was cool and there were lots of people rushing around, doing their business. They all looked like they were on a mission. We stopped at a little Italian place called “Trattoria No. 10” but they weren’t serving food yet, and we didn’t really want a drink with no food. We apologized and headed out to the streets again. We went past a really ritzy looking hotel, and I happen to know that ritzy hotels usually have cool bars, so we asked the doorman. He said, “Sure, just go in and take a left.” It was just beautiful inside; a very historic building that had been beautifully maintained. We seated ourselves at the bar and asked for a menu. The bartender was nice, but he never seemed to quite warm up to us as much as people usually do. I ordered a Sidecar, which was excellent, and Chuck got a glass of Malbec. We ordered the “spinach and artichoke” which turned out to be artichoke mousse with some spinachy-type crackers (which were very salty). The dish really didn’t thrill me. It was better when we ran out of the crackers and they gave us some foccacia.

We decided to walk around a little before going back to the trattoria. We had heard that a storm was coming, so we tried to walk fast, but we ended up getting caught in it. And it was a DOOZY! Lots of lightning and pouring rain like you wouldn’t believe. We just let ourselves get drenched since there was no point in fighting it. We met some interesting people in that rainstorm in Chicago. One young man introduced himself to us and said that Steve Miller was playing in July at the stadium we had just passed. He mentioned that his last name was Miller, and I said Chuck’s name was Miller too, and he shook Chuck’s hand and said “MILLER POWER, DUDE”. We ran into him later on, too. Weird.

We made it back to the trattoria by cab, since it was raining so hard. I asked if Chicago had a “Cash Cab” but no such luck. The driver was very nice and we chatted while he drove. The restaurant was having a 12 dollar “bar buffet”. The owner had told us we could share one (unusual, I know), so we double checked with the bartender and she said that was fine. Sadly, they had just completely run out of shrimp as I walked up to the buffet. I was able to make a pretty good looking plate though, and the rigatoni alfredo was excellent. We had a nice time, and headed back to the train. It was 7:10 but the train we boarded was the 6:10, still sitting there since all the trains were delayed due to the storm. We stood there on that train (there were no seats available) for so long, I thought we would never get off it. We got back to Wheaton at around 10:00. The power was out at Mary and Jerry’s and Mary was so sweet, she was waiting up for us. She gave us some candles and flashlights and we turned in for the night, to the sound of the neighbor’s generator.

Day Twenty-one

I was awakened last night at 11:30 by someone pounding on my motel room door. Since I had a few drinks last night, I was not happy about it. But it turns out it’s a good thing it happened, since I had gone to sleep with my contacts in! Anyway, I won’t keep you in suspense: it was Chuck! He drove non-stop from Vermont to Indiana to get to me. I’d say that’s gotta be true love! I couldn’t believe he was really there. We went downtown to see if anyplace was open, and we found a bar (I had water). We played a game of pool (I won) and went back to the motel.

I was pretty tired in the morning. We went looking for a breakfast place and found a good one called “Gramma’s House of Pancakes.” (There’s a lot Houses of Pancakes around here). One of the locals told us about it and he said, “If you leave hungry, it’s your own fault!” The menu was similar to Stephanie’s House of Pancakes, only they had skillets too (I love skillets). Chuck ordered much more wisely than I. I had a skillet which ended up having 4 eggs (that’s 4 eggs) on top of it. Just an enormous amount of food for one person. Chuck ordered a bowl of oatmeal with a banana, and it was yummy. Next time! That would have been a smart choice for me (and cheaper).

We took apart the trailer (YAY) got everything in the car, and I headed west, towards South Bend. Chuck was delayed in Elkhart running some errands, so I got there before he did. I found a place to stop for a quick lunch, and it turned out to be really nice. The iced tea was fresh, and we had a little pizza margherita. Very tasty. I headed back on Route 20, but again, it was a very hot day and I was feeling it. Chuck waited for me in New Carlisle, and I decided that was it for me. It was a good time to stop, anyway, since getting to Wheaton would have been tricky. Driving down the interstate was pretty scary with all the truck traffic, but I cranked up the 80’s tunes and boogied in my seat. It was fun, and so great to be with Chuck again. He was amused by my antics….

We found his brother's house, and it was really nice. Built in the 30s with lots of character. I love the creaky floors and all the little nooks and crannies. Jerry’s wife, Mary, has a beautiful flower garden behind the house. I like this town. It’s really nice. We went for a walk last night to get ice cream after dinner, and the library is very impressive. I have to tell you about the dinner Mary prepared for us. There were deviled eggs, steamed green beans, cheese quesadillas, poached salmon, brown rice, salad with avocado and a fabulous German white wine. We both cleaned our plates! It’s really cool to see Chuck with his brother. It’s been 20 years since he’s been out here, but they visited Vermont a few years ago, and we were able to spend some time together.

Tomorrow is a day off for me, and it sounds like I get to see Chicago. I’m very excited, since I’ve never been there, and I love seeing new cities. I really liked South Bend. It looks like there’s a lot going on there, culturally. Art and music are very important there, I think. We’re sitting in a funky little coffeeshop, catching up on our internet business (although I’m having problems connecting). It’s a nice way to start the day with my sweetie.

My next stop will be Beloit, Wisconsin. It’s the town I was born in and the town where my parents went to college, met and fell in love. I can’t wait to see it again. I don’t remember much about it, since I was an infant when I left.

Day Twenty

Wow, what an interesting day. I feel incredibly guilty. I could have ridden further today, but the forecast called for severe thunderstorms, so I found a motel at 1:30. Of course, the weather was beautiful after that. I got out of bed at 4:30 and headed south on Route 127 from Angola and found an amazing breakfast place called Stephanie’s House of Pancakes. Their menu was the coolest I’ve ever seen; they had EVERYTHING: 12 kind of pancakes, 10 kinds of waffles, crepes, frittatas, omelets, etc., etc. I couldn’t decide! So I got 2 pancakes, 2 eggs, and hashbrowns. It was fantastic.

I sat there not talking to anyone, and the waitress asked if everything was OK. I said, “Yes, but I got an extra egg.” She said, “That happens a lot.” I said, “That’s fine; just extra fuel for my bike ride!” She said, “Where are you headed?” I said, “Seattle, Washington”. She set down her coffee pot and stared at me. I said, “I’ll go get my newspaper article….” The two waitresses were completely amazed by my ride, but no one else in the entire restaurant was the least bit interested, even after reading the article. I got a T-shirt from the restaurant, because it was SO cool I just had to have one, and went on my way.

I stopped in the next town for a water break and continued on. I was making really good time and the bike lane was wide and clear of debris (mostly). I went through Amish country and there were quite a few horse droppings, but I was able to dodge most of them. I stopped at a motel near Shipshewana, since I knew thunderstorms were coming soon. I had seen their billboard on Route 20 and it advertised “Clean Rooms and Cheap Rates.” I just wanted to ask if they had a map of Indiana and make sure there were other motels on Route 20, if I needed one. They had a breakfast buffet set up and the orange juice looked really good after all the riding I had done. The owner came out and the conversation went like this:

“I was hoping you could give me some advice”

“Um…OK”

“I was wondering if you had a map of Indiana, first of all.”

“No, we have no maps of Indiana. Do you have a reservation?”

I said, “No, I don’t have a reservation; I’m just passing through.” A woman walked in and grabbed one of their business cards. I said, “You should help her first.” The woman asked how much a room was, and the owner replied “95 dollars.” The woman walked out and I asked the owner, “Did you say 95 dollars?” She said “Yes” and I said, “Sorry, I just thought it would be cheaper.”

Anyway…I said I was doing a cross-country bike ride for MS and I knew some thunderstorms were coming so I wanted to make sure there were some motels along Route 20, in case I needed one. She said, “I don’t know about Route 20, but there’s some on this road.” I said, “OK…well, can I have a little orange juice?”

She said (and I’m not kidding here) “Do you have a room?” Many responses went through my mind, but I shook my head and said “No, but keep up the good work!”

I rode on until I saw this amazing Amish bakery called Rise and Roll. They had absolutely everything, and the pies looked amazing, but I had already had a huge breakfast and couldn’t eat anymore. I got an orange juice, and while I was waiting for a young girl to finish stocking the cooler with water, she started singing to herself, an Amish song. She had an angelic voice and everyone was just entranced by it.

I chatted with a very nice policeman after I left the bakery and he told me I should look for a motel in Middlebury, but I continued on after that. It started to rain and I saw some lightning, but it wasn’t too bad. I continued on to Elkhart and got this motel room. I walked down the road and found a bar called “Hunter’s Place”. I had a pretty good grilled cheese sandwich, and sat by myself eating. Later on, I moved down to where the people were, and chatted with everyone. A man mentioned that his mom had MS, so I told them about my ride. One man came over and sat next to me and started buying me drinks and asking about my ride. His name was Bob. He was very nice, and I enjoyed his company. He offered me a ride back to the motel, and I accepted. He ended up giving me a tour of the town and told me all about the railroad and the musical instrument company that used to be there. They decided to use foreign countries to produce the instruments, and the factory in Elkhart shut down, at a huge blow to the town (once again – I’ve been hearing this story quite a bit.)

As he pulled up to the motel, he said his brakes just died on his truck. He said he hoped he could make it back to the bar so someone could give him a ride. I hoped so too!

Day Nineteen

Another 90 degree day with almost no clouds. I’m amazed I’m not sunburned. This heat makes the riding very difficult, but I made it to Indiana today! I got up at 6:00 and the breakfast at the Holiday Inn was actually really good. I know I should be eating cereal and yogurt, but I always reach for the eggs and biscuits because I love them! I looked up the best way to get across Indiana on Google and the girl at the desk printed it out for me. So many direction changes though, I think I’d rather stick to Route 20.

I headed west on 20A from Wauseon and the traffic wasn’t bad since it was early Sunday morning. I think that was the best time of the week for me to be on that road, since it usually gets a lot of truck traffic. I just can’t get over how vast and empty it is around here. And flat! I’ve been so spoiled going through Ohio. No hills whatsoever. The next time I come to a hill, it’s going to be a challenge! But soon I won’t have the trailer behind me, so that will be nice. I told Chuck it’s just nothing but farmland as far as you can see, no stores, not a lot of trees, no parks, nothing! He said, “Welcome to the Midwest!”

I came to Montpelier…yes, there’s a Montpelier, Ohio, and Route 20 was closed. No indication of why, so I went into a gas station on the corner to find out. There was a man in there and a young girl behind the counter. He looked at me and said, “I almost hit you!” and I smiled and said, “Well, I’m glad you didn’t!” He said, “Yeah, there would have been a lot of paperwork to fill out…” Just his sense of humor. I asked about Route 20 and they both recommended taking the detour. He said it would take me past his house and not far out of my way, so I gave it a try.

He was a truck driver, and his directions were very clear. Of course, it helps that all the roads around here are almost perfectly straight. I was coming up on the bridge that crosses the interstate and I saw him standing in a driveway. He motioned for me to come over. He asked if I’d like any water or supplies, and I said sure. His wife was there and he had told her about me. They said they had both been very sick for the past year; I don’t remember what she had, but he has cancer (he told me as he puffed on his cigarette). Their house was modest, but nice. They had two huskies who were well into their teens, and it showed. But they are beautiful dogs. The woman gave me a huge glass of cold cranberry juice, which I did my best to finish, but it was a lot. They also gave me 3 bottles of water to take with me. They said they wished they could give me money, but their medical bills have really wiped them out. I said that was totally fine; I appreciated their help. They offered me some batteries, which I really needed, but I declined since I didn’t want to impose too much. Looking back, I should have accepted since they really wanted to help.

I headed back onto Route 20. It got to be time for a lunch break and I was really hot, so when I saw a huge Burger King sign, I hoped it meant there was something else there too…and there was. They had a Subway next door (this was right next to the interstate). I went in and got a pretty decent tuna sandwich and some really tasty iced tea. I can’t take anymore of the country music they play out here (and it was right over my head) so I went out and got my Nano. Thank goodness for the Nano!! The battery’s starting to go on it, though. I hope I can get it charged again.

I crossed into Indiana (another state that doesn’t clean up its roadkill) and took a picture by the sign. When I got to Angola, I started looking for a motel, but I decided to ask my friends for help. I know there’s motels on Route 20, but I didn’t see one, and I knew for sure that there were several on Route 127. I just didn’t realize it would be 10 miles down the road! It’s different when you’re on a bike. When you’re in a situation like that, you have to keep going, because if you turn back, you might not find something. So I kept going until I saw a Ramada. The girl turned me down even though I told her I was just about ready to die from the heat. I’m really surprised, but I tried not to get angry. I went down the road a little bit and found a place that would take $40 for the night. I really should have asked how much they usually charge, though. I might have overpaid!

It’s a comfortable room, I got some sleep, and now it’s 5:30 and I’m getting ready to head out. Chuck’s trying to tell me I’m “behind schedule” but I don’t buy it. We had planned on meeting in Chicago and I’ll be pretty close to it by the time he meets up with me. Riding in 90 degree weather, towing a 200 pound trailer is not easy, even when the road is flat!

Day Eighteen

Got an early start today. I headed down the street looking for a place to have breakfast, and I almost ended up at McDonald’s until I saw a place called “Don’s Doughnuts” and the sign said “Best Coffee in the World”. Well, how could I pass THAT up? I’m not a huge doughnut fan, so I asked if they had anything else and she said, “Sure, have a seat and I’ll get you menu.” So, I sat down and got my usual 2 eggs over easy with toast and pretty soon I was the only woman in the restaurant with about 15 guys. Some of them were talking about the storm we had last night. Apparently there was major damage and hail. My earplugs blocked out the whole thing. These were the kind of people I love to chat with, but none of them seemed interested in talking to me, unfortunately, so I left.

I got everything packed up, and not very well, I might add. The lady at the hotel gave me back my “key deposit” and gave me directions to the bike path. She told me to take the Anthony Wayne Trail, but it meant heading north into Toledo first. I was fine with that, as long as it got me back to the bike path. I crossed a bridge with a nice view of the city and while I was getting out my camera to take a picture, my ChapStick with sunscreen dropped out of my bag and rolled off the bridge. That was something I would really need later…

I found my way to the Anthony Wayne Trail, only to find a sign saying “Bicycles Prohibited”. I had no patience for finding an alternate route at that point, since I had already headed completely out of my way to get there. I started riding on that road, and since it was early on Saturday morning, there wasn’t much traffic, but still a few people felt it necessary to beep at me and yell. Thankfully, no one pulled over to give me a hard time. I rode for quite a while, and it seemed to allow bikes at one point, but then the signs appeared again and it was clear that it would be dangerous for me to continue. I asked a man in the Rite Aid parking lot (hmmm…wouldn’t that have been a good place to get more ChapStick?) for directions to the park near the bike path, and he told me the best way to go.

I found the path, called the Wabash Cannonball Trail, since that’s the railroad that used to run there, and it was awesome. Nicely paved, plenty of restrooms and vending machines dispensing a bottled water called “Deja Blue” that was very cold and tasty. I rode on for a while until I came to a tree that had fallen across the trail in the storm we had last night. There was no way for me to get over it with my trailer. A very nice man came along and was trying to help me when another man showed up. His entrance was pretty dramatic; apparently he was new at clipless shoes, so he tried to “unclip” and it didn’t work, so he ended up on the trail with his bike on top of him. He wasn’t injured at all, and he said, “I knew that would happen when I had an audience…” The two of them carried my trailer over the tree and I was on my way. The first man warned me that the trail turns rough right after that, but I didn’t have any other way to go. I said I’d take my chances.

It was OK for a while, but soon I had to walk my bike, and with the heat and humidity, it became a little dangerous. Especially since I had no protection from the sun for my lips! I switched to the county roads and just headed west. There was no sign of a store or gas station for miles and miles, and it was really hot. I just kept riding for what seemed like forever, and I finally made it to Wauseon. I had been hoping to make it to Montpelier, where my friend Russell had found several hotels, but there was just no way. It was too hot. I asked the lady at a gas station if there were hotels in town and she pointed me towards Interstate 80. There were several hotels there, one of which was a Holiday Inn, which I love, so I thought I’d give them a try first. I told the lady at the desk my story and she kindly offered me a room for half price. The first thing I did after checking in was swim in the pool and it was HEAVEN. I’m hoping to get an early start tomorrow. The hotel offers free breakfast starting at 6:00.

Chuck will be heading out to meet me tomorrow. I’ll be so glad to see him and also glad to get rid of the trailer. Hopefully the weather will be a little cooler tomorrow. I did pick up another ChapStick, so I’m all set there!

Day Seventeen

Today might be the hardest day I’ve had so far. It started out really well. I packed up from the motel room in Vermilion and headed to Huron for breakfast. I found a nice place and enjoyed a bagel with scrambled eggs and cheese and some fruit. This is where my trouble began. What I should have done is stayed on my ACA route to Fremont from here. I headed north to Sandusky, not knowing that I wouldn’t be able to cross Sandusky Bay because bikes aren’t allowed on Route 2.

When I got to Sandusky, the Ohio Highway Patrol sent me to Fremont on Route 6. It was a very long, scary ride. Here’s why: today was very hot, about 90 degrees with no cloud cover. Route 6 has no shade and there’s nothing, no shops, churches, stores, anything for 18 miles. Add to that a very narrow shoulder with LOTS of traffic, mostly tractor trailers passing very close to me. Add to that a lot of people who apparently don’t like bikers on their roads, and it was NOT a good time. Frankly, I think it would be a lot safer for bikers to just allow them on Route 2, but that’s just me.

WOW – I just looked outside and it’s like a hurricane out there. Glad I’m not in my tent tonight, or I would have been in trouble. Sounds like some serious storms are supposed to hit tonight.

Anyway, I made it to Fremont and was dangerously close to heat stroke. I found a place called the Tail Gator Tavern and they were very nice. The bartender gave me a glass of water when she saw how awful I looked. I ordered some food: a walleye sandwich and some cole slaw and it fixed me right up. I also got some cranberry juice and ginger ale. It was just what I needed. I had been texting Gino about an alternate route, and he found me a bike path that pretty much takes me right to Chicago! Somebody pinch me!

The owner of the bar gave me excellent directions and I headed west on the bike path. It was beautiful and very well maintained. I rode it for quite a while, to Elmore, and then it suddenly turned into a foot path. Then it just ended, dumping me in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t know which way to go so I headed north on 51. Eventually I made it to Genoa, hoping for a motel, but there was nothing. Some nice people in town told me I needed to go another 10 miles to Northwood, and they gave me some cash. That was a TOUGH ride to Northwood, and I was crying by the end. Mean people shouting nasty things at me didn’t help at all either. When I finally walked into the motel office I burst into tears. It was pretty embarrassing. The lady was patient with me and took my information and gave me the key. The hotel had a huge swimming pool, but it was empty. I took a cold shower and got a Subway sub and felt much better. I’ll go to bed soon. Just watching one of the Bourne movies and relaxing a bit. Not sure how I’ll hook up with the bike path tomorrow, but I’m hoping Gino can help me again. I owe him big time after this!

No more tears.

Day Sixteen

Just a few more days until Chuck meets up with me. I’ll be so glad to see him! Yesterday was a very interesting day. I didn’t expect to like Cleveland so much, but I didn’t really know anything about it! I was amazed to see deer walking around in the city (I saw 2). I left the house at 10:30 and headed up to Route 283. It goes along the lake and I was thinking how easy it was to get through Cleveland, but I didn’t realize I hadn’t come to the actual city yet!

The route changed to the “Cleveland Bikeway” and the road was pretty rough in some spots, but generally not bad. The day had started out cloudy and cool, but the sun began to come out and it really heated up. Still I was glad I had worn my leggings so I didn’t have to worry about my legs getting sunburned again. I kept riding and the tall buildings of Cleveland came into view. I checked my phone and there was a message from Gino, inviting me to lunch. I had been planning on having a vanilla energy bar once I got past Cleveland, but lunch in the city sounded much more appealing! The section of Cleveland we went through was very clean and there were trees and flowers everywhere. I got a very positive vibe being there. I told Gino I’d love to come back someday with Chuck, and check out the nightlife with him! We went to a little mall with a food court and I had an excellent tuna sandwich (yes…I’m living on tuna and eggs over easy).

We walked over to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame because I had to get a picture of myself in the same spot where Chuck had his picture taken with Rick Redington and the Luv. Hope I was in the right spot! They were featuring the work of Bruce Springsteen inside. Gino and I parted ways again, since he had to go back to work and I had to head west.

I had a heck of a time getting through the rest of Cleveland. People kept giving me the wrong directions, and I stopped to ask for help several times. The guys were so nice at one restaurant I stopped at, they insisted on refilling my water bottles with cold water and asked if I wanted something to eat. I definitely would have accepted if I hadn’t just had tuna. Finally I got through it and made my way to Lakewood. Unbelievable houses in Lakewood! The picture shown above is the typical house I passed.

I decided to make Vermilion my overnight stop, and since Gino had generously given me a gift card, I negotiated a motel room for the price of a tent site. I can be pretty resourceful at times! The motel room had a bathtub, much to my delight, but no stopper, so I used a Ziploc bag and it worked great. I enjoyed my packet of tuna with the last of my Panera bread for dinner and flipped through the channels trying to find something good on TV. No luck, so I went to bed. Gino told me there’s a TV station interested in me, so I may hook up with them in Toledo. Today I’m going off my ACA route, so I’m a little nervous, but I’m sure it will work out fine. It looks very sunny and hot already, so I'll be covering myself with sunscreen today!

Day Fifteen

I enjoyed a much-needed day off today in Lyndhurst, Ohio with my friend, Gino. We headed out to get some breakfast, and I thought it was odd that we pulled into the CVS parking lot, but I thought “Maybe here in Ohio, they serve breakfast at CVS. Heck, I don’t know – I’ve never been to Ohio!” But it turns out we were headed for a little place tucked behind the CVS, and it was very popular! I can see why; the food was very good. I loved the hash browns. I never get tired of two eggs over easy, toast and home fries or hash browns. I’m pretty easy to please!

We went to a discount store that Gino likes, looking for an atlas for me, but he ended up getting a cool mini motorized vehicle thingy for his daughter, Isabelle and an inflatable mattress for moi, so I would be a little more comfortable on my second night. The prices were so good, it was amazing. I picked up a couple more packets of ready-made tuna, because it’s so convenient and cheap when I’m camping.

We headed home and just hung out for a while. Gino was trying very hard to get me on the news, but they weren’t responding unfortunately. I was kind of OK with it, since I hadn’t sleep well, and my eyelids were the size of melons. Gino said it just made me look more devoted to the cause. “See…I’m biking across the country on absolutely no sleep! That’s how much this means to me.” Honestly, I’d prefer a little sleep, but it’ll come when it comes, I guess.

We went out again after a while to find a bike shop and get my bike tuned up. Unfortunately, the only bike shop we found was not a good one. They put my bike on the stand, looked it over, and told me I needed a new chain. I said, “Are you sure? It’s a brand new bike.” They said, “That’s what the gauge is telling us; you don’t want to take a chance on your chain.” They said it would be at least $30 for a new chain plus labor. A red flag was really going up for me, so I said, “That’s OK, I’ll take my chances for now.” They did end up selling me a tool to clean my chain and some degreaser (which of course came in an enormous can, too big for my trailer) and I also got some Glide which the couple from Cape Cod had recommended for my butt. A young man who had just started working there helped us out to the car, and he commented that he was a little disgusted by their business practices and had noticed them selling people things they didn’t really need. I appreciated his honesty.

After that, we went for a drink and a snack to Buffalo Wild Wings. I’d never been to one; we just got one in Burlington but I didn’t get a chance to go before I left. It was OK. I really liked the margarita I had, but wasn’t impressed with the popcorn shrimp. Gino’s mozzarella sticks were really good, and I enjoyed watching the World Cup. Uruguay vs. South Africa.

Headed home after that, and Julie arrived soon after with the girls. Isabelle was thrilled with her gift, and I truly wish I had a photo of her face as she rode around on her new toy. It was priceless. We ordered pizza for dinner, and I started to watch Sherlock Holmes, but it was pretty awful and I was tired, so I headed off to bed on the new air mattress. I really enjoyed my day off, and I’m ready to get back in the saddle again!

Day Fourteen

I’m SO sleepy. I was given a perfectly comfortable futon to sleep on last night, which should have been fine, but I chose to sleep in the middle (where it folds) instead of on the side, and I couldn’t get comfortable. Now I get to be on TV with eyelids the size of doughnuts. Speaking of doughnuts, did you know there’s something called “doughnut peaches”? Peaches that look like little doughnuts! They were so cute, I had to get one.

Yesterday was good. I headed out early from the campground and stopped at a place for breakfast that was just opening up. Once again, as I was digging things out of the trailer, the bike fell over. I can’t believe my mirror hasn’t broken!

There were three friendly gentlemen there having breakfast, so I sat at the table next to them so we could chat. One of them, especially, was very interested in my ride and asked me lots of questions. I love that; I’m happy to answer everyone’s questions, and some of them really crack me up. He told me I look like a school teacher, and I decided to take it as a compliment.

The waitress told me that they were all enjoying $1.99 specials, so I got 2 eggs, toast and homefries for $1.99. I could have had meat too, but as you know, I don’t eat meat. Still, it was a good deal and right in my price range. The waitress was very nice, and I enjoyed being there. I updated my blog and went outside to repack my trailer since I had done a terrible job of it at the campground. The man at the site next to me, however, had been very impressed with my efficiency. He said, “You’re up and at 'em, aren’t you?” Quite a compliment coming from him since he looked like military! Truth was, I just really wanted to get away from the monster mosquitos!

The forecast had called for rain, which I was looking forward to, but as the morning progressed it became clear that they were wrong. It turned sunny and very hot. I knew Gino was meeting up with me soon, so I held off on the sunscreen. The biking was nice today; my route took me right along Lake Erie and it’s just beautiful. I was passed by a tandem with a married couple in their 50s. They had been biking from Cape Cod and were on their way to Chicago (wish I’d asked them about their route, since I have to go off mine to get there!). After Chicago, they were going to ride south to New Orleans! They weren’t camping though; hotels all the way. They had a small B.O.B. trailer like Earl’s had tried to sell me, and I’m very glad I went with the Burley Nomad. It’s much better suited for what I’m doing. I chatted with them for a while, we all stopped and had a snack and then we parted ways.

Soon after that, Gino spotted me (YAY!). He took me for some lunch and we went to his house. He and his wife, Julianne, have a nice house that was built in the '40s, 2 adorable little girls and 2 chihuahuas. After I got settled we went to the store and Gino bought me some beer from a local brewer called Great Lakes Brewing Company. The beer is Holy Moses White Ale, and I love it. Wish I could bring some with me! We went out to dinner later on to a fantastic Japanese restaurant called Otani that was offering ½ price hibachi night. I kinda wish I had chosen that, since it looked so good, but I had my heart set on sushi. It was very good, and I had some spinach with sesame oil on the side. The girls, for the most part, enjoyed the show and it was a fun evening. The chef was great, and the “onion volcano” he made came out perfect!

Turned in for the night after that. I realized that I have to completely change my route from here if I’m heading to Chicago. The ACA route takes me much too far south. Hmmmmm…..

My Website

Just wanted to post my website for anyone who heard me on the radio tonight (and anyone who didn't!):

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/bob.blue

Thanks everyone! I wish you all good health!

Day Thirteen

Made it across Pennsylvania today. I got up at a ridiculous hour, something like 4:30, and played on the internet a little. The bed at the motel was really comfortable, and I tried to go back to sleep, but my mind is too active I guess. I made some coffee, ate some of my cheese bread and did some preventative maintenance on my bike. I cleaned the chain a bit and patched a nick in my rear tire.

Got on the road around 10:30 and decided to wait until lunchtime to eat. I stopped at a gas station and got a tuna wrap, milk and some energy bars for later. Sat in the parking lot eating, and I was amazed how many people were sitting there in their cars, with the engines running, smoking and texting on their cell phones. For the ENTIRE time I was eating. What a waste of gas, plus I had to breathe in their exhaust fumes. I really can’t believe how many people I’ve seen smoking. Seems like every person I run into is smoking or about to have a cigarette. People driving by throw them out their car windows and most of the billboards advertise cigarettes or tell you where to get them CHEAP! I had thought, as a nation, we were smoking less, but I’m not seeing that. I did see a clever billboard today, from McDonald’s no less. It had a picture of a new coffee they were offering and it said, “If coffee is Joe, this is Joseph.” I liked that one.

I made it to the Ohio border at 4:30. A man riding by on a bike took my picture when I asked him, since I was having trouble getting a good shot. I made it to Ashtabula and was pretty tired, but there was nowhere to camp, so I kept going to Geneva-on-the-lake. I was completely exhausted when I pulled into town. It was really touristy, and I sped by all the shops and restaurants. I stopped at a motel, hoping the owner might give me a discount for my ride, but I was turned down. He said “$69, that’s as low as I’ll go.” That was too much, so I kept going to the State Park. The office was closed, and there was a nice young man checking in with a camper with Colorado plates and a dog named Micro. He had a cool name: Tim Sweet. He invited me to stop by his camper after I got set up.

A father and daughter pulled up and asked if they could share my site, and I said “Sure!” They were very nice, but I didn’t get to talk to them much. I headed to the showers and was impressed. It was very clean in there and the water pressure was good. Then I walked over to Site 70 and hung out with Tim for a while. He offered me a cold beer, and I couldn’t refuse. He had his camper set up very nicely with surround sound and a flat screen TV. His dog was very cool too. He told me he’s a graphic designer on his way to New York City. We chatted for a while and then I headed back to my tent. A rough night, trying to sleep and then an early start to try to make it to Cleveland. My friend Gino said he’s going to get me on the radio and TV. I’m nervous about the TV part! I know it’s a good idea for my fundraising, but I have terrible stage fright. Can’t wait to see Gino again and meet his family. He was a good friend in Florida.

Thank You's

I just want to say a few thank you's to some people while it's on my mind. First of all, a BIG thank you to Brian Cummings for the use of a laptop on my trip. I really don't know what I would do without it. Thanks to my grandparents, Bert and May Shepard, for all their support, and Dave Crane, Karen Waters, Matthew Kaseta, Mike Gannett, Sue Wilson, Ivy Knipes and Bobby Webb. The gear is awesome, Bobby; my lack of sleep has nothing to do with that. Thank you Kevin and Laura Bedford. Your kindness took my breath away. Thanks to the Hickok & Boardman family of companies for their generous donation, and thanks to Coldwell Banker for my amazing set of maps. Thanks to Jet Boil, EMS, Earl's Cyclery, Chili's Restaurants and Panera Bread. Thank you to all the nice people at the Adirondack Hotel in Long Lake, The Cellar Restaurant & Pub, Gordy's Inn Too and the Colonial Motel in North East, Pennsylvania. Thank you to the almost 200 people who have made donations to my ride! I also want to thank everyone who came to my going away party. I had such a good time and smile when I think of it. And of course, a big thank you to my sweetie, Chuck Miller, for his love and support.

I'm sure there will be many more people to thank, but wanted to make sure I did this now.

Day Twelve

Today has not started out well. It rained last night, but I was prepared. All my stuff was safely tucked away and my rain fly was secured. I got up around 5:00 and it wasn’t raining, so I thought, “Great! I’ll get all packed up and get an early start for Pennsylvania.” Got everything spread out on the picnic table, and the sky opened up and it started pouring. Then, I was reaching under the picnic table to get my newspaper articles and I got stung by a bee. Grrrrrr…… Tried not to scream and curse too loudly; didn’t want to wake the neighbors. Then I thought back to some advice I heard recently: I simply remembered my favorite things, and you know what? I didn’t feel so bad! Wonder if that will work when the dog bites….

Got packed up and headed to a really nice breakfast place (wish I had gotten the name). It was the best breakfast I’ve had so far, and after I chatted with the owner about my ride, it was free. Then I headed on to look for a laundromat. The change machine ate my last five dollar bill, and there was no attendant to be found. A nice man walked in, tried to find the attendant, then gave me a handful of change, some laundry soap and a lottery ticket worth $2. I’m still amazed by it all. My clothes are clean and dry, and I just need to get packed up again.

Rode through the rain almost the whole way to Pennsylvania…YES I made it to Pennsylvania today. It was a very pretty, and FLAT ride (yay) with lots of views of Lake Erie, and I passed the vineyards for Welch’s grape juice! Route 5 was a nice ride, with a wide shoulder.

I figured I’d been through enough today, so I pulled over at the first motel I came to, and it’s a very nice one! The owner’s daughter just graduated from high school, so they’re having a big cookout for her. I told him about my bike ride and he gave me the room for half price and told me to come back and get a plate of food from the cookout. I’m pretty stuffed now, since I ate all that, a bag of chips and some #9 I bought in town. They have #9 in Pennsylvania…pretty cool. A taste of Vermont.

I actually have no idea where I’m headed tomorrow. Guess I should look at the next map! But first a shower. I love showers!!!! I’ve been watching Castaway on TV; I always liked that movie, especially when he finally gets the fire started. It’s nice to be able to relax a little at one of my stops. Seems like every time I stop for the night, it’s so late, I have to get to bed and then get going again in the morning.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I know it’ll be good!

Day Eleven

I've been less than thrilled with the New York State Campgrounds. This is the worst one so far, and the most expensive. I’m at Evangola Campground in Irving, NY. On the plus side, their store was actually open and the last of my gin tastes really good with this Ohana Raspberry Lemonade, Doritos and tuna sandwich with my FREE excellent loaf of Three Cheese bread from Panera. I’m in heaven with that! Thank you Panera!!!!

Today was a good day, don’t get me wrong. I started out at 8:30, with some oatmeal. I had to choke it down a bit because I don’t get too excited about oatmeal. But I know it’s good fuel for me when I’m biking.

I rode up the road a bit and almost went by a terrific find. It was called Fast Teddy’s and their sign said “Cold Coffee and Lousy Food”. I couldn’t resist. I struck up a conversation with the gentleman next to me (whose name I did not get) and he was SO nice. And funny! He had me in hysterics by the end of my meal, which he insisted on paying for, after I told him about my ride. I gave him my card, so I hope to hear from him. He’s a food supplier, and I told him about my catering business. He said he’d send me some samples of his soup mixes. I chatted with a nice man in the parking lot too as he was leaving in his truck. He was fascinated by my ride. I’m so glad I stopped there. Seriously, don’t pass up places that don’t look like much on the outside. They’re usually the best places to eat with the nicest bunch of people you ever met. My eggs, toast and homefries were quite good.

I headed down Route 265 towards Buffalo. Some of the neighborhoods were not the best, as my friend in the pickup had mentioned, but everyone smiled back when I smiled and waved back when I waved. Buffalo was a little confusing, and I had some trouble getting through it, but a nice man in the parking garage booth pointed me in the right direction. Once I got out of Buffalo, I stopped for lunch at, again, a place that didn’t look like much from the outside, but was AWESOME. It was called “Gordy’s Inn Too” and if you’re ever in West Seneca, I highly recommend it. It was a very hot afternoon, so it was so nice to sit in air conditioned comfort, in a nice, clean bar. They had an excellent liquor selection, but of course I was still riding, so I had a cranberry juice and ginger ale. The cook wasn’t there yet, but I was in no rush. I chatted with Dan (the owner) and Kat (the bartender). Hope I got her name right; I’m terrible with names. They were so interested in my story, they almost got on the phone with Channel 2 and told them to come over. They said they would mention me on their Facebook page and gave me my lunch (a yummy veggie quesadilla) as a donation for my ride. The place was really nice with a brand new pool table, internet juke box, large room in the back for parties, and it was definitely the kind of place where I would have liked to hang out for a while.

I headed west with a smile on my face. Orchard Park was a lovely town. It reminded me of Bar Harbor with lots of little interesting shops that were obviously doing well and nice, funky looking restaurants. Very clean and everyone seemed happy to be there. I rode on and got my first glimpse of Lake Erie (shown above). Just incredible (I’m looking at it now too). I’m just speechless when I see these lakes. Riding down the Old Lakeshore Road, I realized many of the houses are in that “Unique Properties” magazine on the coffeetable at work. We’re talking CASTLES. Vastly enormous homes of stone and marble that just go on forever. There’s a lot of money along the shores of Lake Erie!

I kept on riding and eventually made it to Pointe Breeze. The areas before it didn’t really thrill me. Lots of teenagers and very touristy. I was looking for a campground that was not a state campground, but obviously didn’t have any luck.

Well, I enjoyed my dinner and my drink. Think I’ll go to bed. I’m hoping to make it to Pennsylvania tomorrow. I’m ready to move on from New York. The people in this campground are not all that friendly. The girl at the desk told me thunderstorms are predicted tonight. I’ll get everything shut up tight and curl up with my Four Agreements. Chuck’s been trying to call me from his gig, but the cell phones aren’t cooperating. I love you Chuck, wherever you are, and I hope you’re having a good night. You’re a joy in my life, and I can’t wait to see you again. Hugs and kisses.

Day Ten

I broke one of my rules today…but it was a silly rule. Going down the Canalway Trail on the Erie Canal is beautiful, yes. But after a while, it gets a little monotonous. Not much change in scenery and just the lonely sound of tires churning on gravel. I’ve seen lots of bikers going by with their iPods on, grooving to the beat. So, I decided to wear mine. What a difference! I haven’t biked with music since high school, and it was really nice. I was bopping on the bike seat and making really good time. When I got to Medina, guess what? My first flat, but not on my bike, on the trailer. And I was not prepared for that. I had no idea what caused the flat; I tried to pump up the tire with no luck. I was really hungry for breakfast, so I headed into town for that.

Actually, let me backtrack a little. After a mostly restless night, but a comfy one, I stumbled over to the canal station and two very sweet gentlemen greeted me: John and Bob. “Are you Katy Blue?” I said, “Yes...forgive my appearance, no sleep for a week. Can I use the bathroom?” They said, “Of course, would you like some coffee?” “YES PLEASE”. I freshened up a little and sat with them and had coffee and chatted and they shared their oatmeal with me, and it was really nice.

I packed up and was on the trail by 9:30. John had recommended Captain Kidz in Medina for breakfast. Since I had a flat, I figured I could have a big breakfast with no worry of stomach cramps. I enjoyed a mushroom and cheese omelet with home fries and toast. Brought my trailer up to Thomas Tire and they fixed the flat. The nice man had run his hand around the inside of my tire to find out what caused the flat, but couldn’t find anything. When he was putting the repaired tube back on, he pulled a fish hook out of my tire. “This might have caused your problem,” he said. I’m SO glad he didn’t find that when he was running his hand around the inside of the tire – yikes! He said, “Wow, I’ve been riding that bike trail for 20 years and I’ve never picked up a fish hook.” I said, “See how lucky I am??”

With my tummy full of omelet and my tire full of air, I went on my way. The trail was being repaired at the end, at Lockport, so I found my way around the construction and headed towards Niagara Falls, but I realized something very important: my route takes me into Canada, and I don’t have my passport with me. I won’t dwell on how stupid that was of me; I’m sure that’s apparent. I took a wrong turn and wasn’t sure what to do, so after a few phone calls to Customs and my friends, it was clear I needed to go back to where I took the wrong turn, skip Niagara Falls for this trip and head to Buffalo. It was getting late and I had no idea where I would stay. Chili’s had donated some gift coupons, so I stopped there and had a nice meal of grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and iced tea. Couldn’t stay too long after that, since the air conditioning was cranked in the restaurant and I was quite cold. I headed down the road, and stopped when I saw a friendly-looking motel. The price was right so I’m sitting here watching Pretty Woman, munching dried fruit and drinking a Sierra Mist with a little gin.

It all works out in the end, doesn’t it? Love you Gramma and Grandpa! Sending a hug.

Day Nine

Whew, the rough nights just keep coming. Still no sleep, and I was in a really comfortable bed surrounded by soft pillows. I’m getting a really late start today because I kept trying to sleep, with no luck. Just went for breakfast in the hotel and it was absolutely awful. Home fries that bad should not even be served to Canada geese! I was hoping to run into the two gentlemen from last night, but they were probably long gone. I gave them my contact info, so I’m sure I’ll hear from them.

Not sure how I’m going to find the Canalway Trail again, but I Google Mapped it, so I’ve got some scribbled directions that will hopefully help. I had really hoped to make it to Niagara Falls today, but it’s late and it’s a long way off. I’ll shoot for Lockport. There’s actually a campground there, so we’ll try the tent again. The new pillow didn’t work out the night before last, but I had stuck a pile of my clothes under it. I’ll skip that this time, and see how we do. No little alcohol bottles either. Perhaps that’s messing with my sleep too. Or maybe I just miss Chuck!

Gonna pack up my stuff, try to clean up my bike and head out. Write more when I get settled tonight. Later, dudes.

So, a tough day of riding followed by a really nice surprise. It was spitting rain a little bit, so I took out my rain jacket, but after a while, I didn’t need it. Turned into a bright, sunny, WINDY day. Riding was hard because of the headwind, and the path was mostly gravel, with only a few sections paved. I rode from Rochester to Spencerport, which was a lovely town. Definitely the kind of place I’d like to come back to. I’ve been so impressed to see the amenities available for bikers on this trail. In Brockport, there was a sign that said “Bikers take notice! We have showers, bathrooms, wifi, television, etc. available for your use.” Of course I didn’t require any of those things when I was passing through, but I think that’s pretty cool. I met a very nice man on the path, and we chatted for a little while. He’s a psychiatrist, and definitely looked the part. Very distinguished with his mustache perfectly curled at the ends. I told him I was reading the Four Agreements, and he said, “There’s some good points in that, but it seems to me that if you live your life by the Four Agreements, your existence is somewhat lacking in passion.” I thought to myself, “Obviously, you haven’t seen Chuck and me together.”

When I pulled into Holley, I was standing there looking perplexed when one of the “canal guys” came down from his little booth and said, “You look like you have a question…or three.” I said, “Yes, I was wondering if there’s anywhere here that I can get a slice of pizza.” He directed me into town to a little pizza shop, but no pizza to be had for me, sadly. All they had was pepperoni, by the slice. I got a pretty good veggie sandwich, ate half and saved the other half for later. Got way down the bike path before I realized I hadn’t paid for my water. Ooops! Kept on going to Albion, getting tired at this point. I made it as far as Knowlesville, and I was pretty tuckered out. I took the advice of the first canal guy and looked for a canal guy at this town. Found one, and he was SO nice (his name was Mike). He told me there was a cheap motel nearby, but said I could pitch my tent by the bridge if I wanted. That worked for me! He offered me the use of the restroom and even went to the store and picked up a few groceries for me. I’m sitting here by the canal eating yummy peanut butter on crackers, drinking milk (no booze for me tonight) and just about to go to bed. I got a sleeping mask and my pillow’s ready for some serious sleeping action!