Day 58......0 miles, the end

As I sit on the airplane from Jacksonville to Philadelphia, I can’t help but review the last 58 days.

I can’t believe it’s over. I’ve left the biking bubble and am on my way home again (albeit via Philadelphia) and the real world. I’m not sure life will ever be the same…..

It was with a tinge of sadness that I watch my Jamis Coda being lifted to the top of the van today for transport to the shop for packing and shipping…..as I walked the streets of Old Town St. Augustine, I missed my bike, I really did. Now I’m wondering how I’ll make it until it arrives in Phoenix

I owe a debt of gratitude to many people for making this journey possible. First and foremost my wonderful husband Paul, who is the one who encouraged my final decision to commit and embark on this awesome task……..

To family, my sisters, the one who rode with me every day, and the one who supported from afar, logging many hours travelling back and forth from AZ to PA to support dad in the care of my mother while we were on the road, to brothers who supported with prayers and encouraging emails and phone calls…….

To LaVerne and the “Ladies” and the Saturday rides that started the process of getting me in shape and teaching me the rules of the road. To Charlie and the Sunday riders, that helped me further hone my riding skills ……….

To all those who believed in my cause for Connecting to Serve and spoke loudly through their generous donations…..

And finally to the incredible 24 women that were there every day on the ride, each one made a difference in my life and made this journey possible. The laughter, the tears, the riding encouragement, the support, the drinks, and the cheesecake…..

Since the arrival at the Atlantic Ocean many people have asked if this was a life changing experience or how my life will be different. I’ve finally come up with an answer……. Ask me next year, after I’ve been out of the biking bubble a bit longer and maybe I’ll have an answer

So here we are at the end of the blogging experience, thanks for reading my daily posts, and perhaps I’ll see you out of the bubble…..

Day 57........ Palatka, FL to St. Augustine, FL 47 miles

Here I sit in a hotel room in St. Augustine, FL and I did not ride in a car to get here!  I'm still a bit dazed, I can't believe I rode my bicycle across the United States.  One year ago, I could barely ride more that 10 miles at a time....and yet, here I am!

It was amazing, as we left the hotel this morning we were all eager to get to our appointed destination, the St. John's Fire House by 10:30 am, a 40 mile ride.....around mile 34 we realized that just about all of us were riding together, in one long beautiful ride...there was singing and laughing and I'm sure hidden somewhere some tears.......

We arrived at the firehouse in plenty of time, and there were our escorts, a police car, a police motorcycle and a police SUV.......we began our last ride together to the beach at St. Augustine with much fan fare.....lights flashing and occasional sirens.  We did not need to stop for one red light, they stopped traffic for us...(we did have to stop while the draw bridge was up) people stopped and waved along the route, and then, there it was the Atlantic Ocean, friends and family, holding signs and calling out....even my dad was there holding a sign along with niece Sara and her children Jasmine and LJ...what a treat to be welcomed like royalty....I also had the fabulous treat to ride the day with my sister....the one that inspired me....off to the farewell dinner....more tomorrow...

Day 56 ......High Springs, FL to Palatka, FL

Wow what a day.....73 miles....the rain cooled things off last evening, so glad it waited until we were finished with dinner....this morning, it was cool, and bright, and yes, that big ol' blue sky was there and that bright yellow sun...all ready for our last major ride before hitting the beach at St. Augustine tomorrow.

In so many ways it seems like we just started yesterday, then in other ways it seems like we've been at this forever.  It will feel pretty strange to get back to regular life out of the biking bubble....plastic chairs in parking lots, dinner on our laps (scrumptious food I might add) and always having someone around to laugh with.

We got teary-eyed at dinner tonight, our last one in true tour fashion in the parking lot.....as we each shared our favorite part of the tour...mine of course was happy hour.....and the increase in my personal biking skills.  I have each member of the tour to thank for that.  Each in their own way has helped me increase my skills...for that I am grateful.

I've also grown as a person, and have learned that I can accomplish what I've set out to do.  I look forward to going home.....

Eagerly looking forward to tomorrow and the Atlantic Ocean!

Day 55 ..... Perry, FL to High Springs, FL 76 miles

What can I say?  Just another great day of riding the Florida countryside.  I was struck by how rural and agricultural it the views are....ranches (in Lancaster County, PA where I am from, one would call them farms)

My riding is strong, but the "end days" gloom has set upon me....I'm feeling the pinch, three more days then back to reality.

High Springs was a cute little town, upon arrival we managed to find a small cafe with ice cream and sandwiches...just the thing after 76 miles.  Then some shopping to pick up last minute end of tour items...there was no reason to hang out at our no star hotel, no internet...so that's the reason for the late post of day 55.

Tomorrow, our last full day of riding, before we  head to the beach at St. Augustine...

more later...

Day 54......Wakulla Springs, FL to Perry, FL 51 miles

That bear that I ate the otherday, got eaten again today........another personal best!  We left the park after 8:00am this morning, turned right, and never looked back.  The conditions were perfect.  Bright sun, but still cool, the road was smooth, and a nice shoulder and FLAT.

The scenery was a bit boring, pine trees and scrub pines....miles and miles....when we pulled into the town of Perry, looking for a place to eat lunch, my average mph was over 17!  It's amaing what a day of rest will do....and yes, perfect conditions.

I do wonder if I will ride when I get home....will I be motivated?  Will I ever want to get back on the bike?  Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see.  I dont' have long to wait...three days of riding left....

Day 53 ........ Wakulla Springs, FL 0 miles

Our rest day at Wakulla Springs State Park was just that REST!  We had a feroucious thunderstorm early morning on Sunday, and it poured until early afternoon.  We were all glad that we were not on the bikes.....

We spend some time in the lodge lobby watching a DVD about the park, it's history, and the wildlife.  The neat connection for me was that the builder/developer of the park, Edward Ball was married to the sister of A.I. Dupont and apparently DuPont money financed the building of the lodge and the personal private retreat that later became Wakulla Springs State Park.  As some of the readers may know I was born in Wilmington, DE and early years were spent on a farm owned by A.I. DuPont, directly across the street from the DuPont estate....so on my day off, I learned a little history and thought about Wilmington, DE, the house on Rockland Road and many happy times.

While Wakulla Spings was beautiful, probably not my favorite choice for a day off location.  It was hot, humid, buggy, lousy cell service, no internet (thus no blog) and no TV in the rooms...but if this trip has taught me anything, it is flexibility.  So we made our own entertainment and read books and rested, getting ready for the last four days of riding.....

Day 52.....Quincy, FL to Wakulla Springs, FL

Some days you eat the bear and some days the bear eats you.....or so they say.  Well today, I ate the bear...I had one of my personal best riding days ever....ok, so we only rode 40 miles...but when I pulled into the Wakulla Springs State Park, where we would enjoy our day of rest on Sunday, my average speed was 15.4 mph.  I have never done that before. 

The bummer part about being early was that we arrived around 11:00am and our rooms were not ready until 2:30....so....time for a hot dog and an ice cream cone from the park snack shoppe and a snooze on a picnic table bench rounded off the day.  It also gave me a chance to catch up with some friends and family by phone......

Day 51 Marianna, FL to Quincy, FL 54 Miles.....HOT

When we woke this morning our hotel was enveloped in fog....dangerous for biking...so we had to wait until after 8:00am to leave, till the fog lifted....and after that as usual the sun came out, the sky was blue....but then it got hot.

The ride was 54 miles, after a 94 mile day that might not seem like much, but the hills, the heat, and 94 miles the day before it was a stuggle.

I"m also struggling with knowing that the end of the tour is coming, it's like a cloud has decended....real world is next, and I'm not sure I"m ready for it.  The mornings are tough, it's like I don't think I can do another mile.  After I get on the bike and ride for the next few days...it will all be over, 2 months of riding, a different hotel every night, eating dinner sitting on white resin chairs in parking lots....all across America......

As always, snug in bed, looking forward to tomorrw, 39 miles to Wakullah Springs and our last day off....

Day 50 ....... Crestview, FL to Marianna, FL 94 miles

Today's ride from Crestview to Marianna was 94 miles, and other than that pretty unremarkable.  So, it was long, rolling hills, pine trees, swamps, turtles and even alligators.  And again, blue sky, big sun, light breeze, some clouds...warm...

We started followed Route 90, which parallels Interstate 10.  So our saying for the day was 90 on the 90 in the 90's....

We did discuss riding circles in the parking lot to get to 100 miles so we could have another "century" ride, but after climbing the last hills into town, being hot and tired, we gave that up.

Hard to imagine that one week from today we'll be rolling into St. Augustine......

So, like our ride today, this blog post is unremarkable...

Snug in bed...looking forward to tomorrow

Day 49 ......... Pensacola, FL to Crestview, FL 69 Miles

The 69 miles to Crestview were filled with fabulous road surfaces and beautiful rolling hills....so I guess we are now in the Florida hill country.....the same broken record....big blue sky, bright sun, breezes.....

I had a great ride....stonger on the hills than I would have ever dreamed 2 months ago....even with climbing my average speed was over 14....I continue to be amazed....

I got in to the hotel around a quarter to two.....don't think I've ever gotten in that early on a 69 mile day.  I had time to do laundry, sit by the pool, call my dad, call my fabulous sister in AZ and catch up on some email......

My thoughts today were in two categories......one, tomorrow is a 94 mile day, and I really want to complete...I've done 111 so, I should be able to do 94 right? 

The second focus of my thoughts were about the fact that the trip is coming to a close.  We have dubbed our situation as being in the "riding bubble".  We're all not sure how we will react to life outside the "bubble".  Our co-rider, Patti Hall, who had to leave the tour for a couple of days for her mother's funeral, joined us again yesterday...she confirmed our fears....life is different outside the bubble. 

As usual, snug in bed...excited about tomorrow......

Day 48 ......... Dauphin Island, AL to Pensacola, FL

Welcome to Florida!  That was the sign that greeted us, 40 miles in to our 60 mile ride today.

We've crossed our last state line....we left Dauphin Island via ferry this mornig to Fort Morgan.  The day was cloudy, which we have learned to appreciate now taht we are in a warmer climate.....the clouds give us great cover.  At times it looked as though it could rain, but we were lucky and it didn't.

After leaving the ferry this morming our ride was along the gulf shore and beautiful....flat.....and sparkling white sand and beaches.....a day to be savored.  So, we took our time....we took at little detour off route to visit the famed LuLu's of Gulf Shores, AL.  You may not all know LuLu, but your may know her brother, Jimmy, Jimmy Buffet...the side trip was well worth it....green fried tomato sandwich while sitting by the inter-coastal waterway....and of course a really cool tshirt......

We then continued along the beaches to the "Welcome to Florida" sign...where I then hopped the SAG to the Pensacola bike shop to get some new tires....so I'm ready for the rest of the trip.....the last 5 miles from the bike shop to the hotel took us through a revitalized downtown Pensacola.....

It's so hard to believe that we are in Florida already....the trip is winding down.......

Day 47.........Day off! 0 miles.

This is the day we have been waiting for.....beach front condos with a pool between the condo and the beach.  Full kitchens, washer and dryer in each unit, all the comforts of home.  A 7:00am walk on the beach in my pajamas....started the day off with a bang!

Many cups of coffee later, (starbucks at that!) and breakfast at Flamingo Faye's the day just got better.....swimming in the pool, reading a book, tooling around the island on a bike.....the first day off I've actually gotten on a bike.....

The best part was limited cell service and very spotty internet, so the phone and the computer were locked away....didn't even get them out until late....just to get the blog updated......

Tomorrow we start with a ferry ride, off the island...then we're in the panhandle of Florida, our last state!!!

It is just so hard to believe....it's almost over......

Day 46 ....... Pascagoula, MS to Dauphin Island, AL 42 Miles

Here comes the broken record again.....blue sky, big sun, FLAT, beautiful ride.... 42 miles, and we were assured, there were no tricks to a 42 mile day, other than just getting to our beach front condos for the day off.  It turned out to be true!  Since it was such a short day, we got to sleep in a bit, 8:00am breakfast, which is really late for us.....several of us decided the mission for the day was to find a coffee shop where we could sit and sip...knowing we'd have a short easy distance.

Well, after 15 miles, no coffee shop, we decided to ask at Walgreens if there was a coffee shop in the area, the clerk said "yes ma'am, McDonalds is just down the road.  Well it really wasn't what we had in mind but after 20+ miles it was the only thing we saw......so, McDonald's it was.

There were 3 of us that ordered coffee, we were pleased to see that the pot was empty, we knew that we'd get fresh coffe then....so we watched as the manager placed the coffee in the filter and hit the switch on the Bunn machine....but to our dismay, she walked away and didn't put the pot under the flow of coffee...we conferred for a few minutes, then decided to tell her....so ultimately we did get our coffe....

Then took a great ride over a 3+ mile bridge over an inlet, to Dauphin Island.....the shoulder was wide, and we had plenty of room to ride and a beautiful veiw of the Gulf....the shoulder was filled with debris, mostly glass...pop!  There it was.....a flat on the bridge.....

Thanks to my riding buddies for the day, we got it changed.....all was well, a stop at Barnacle Bill's for a fried grouper sandwich...then on to beautiful beach front condo's with a pool for a fabulous day off......

Day 45......Wiggins, MS to Pascagula, MS 67 miles

Now I know I am starting to sound like a broken record.....a beautiful ride today, blue sky, bright sun, light breeze.....more of Mississippi....green fields, great road sufaces, not to much trash in the ditches.  Cows, horses, pigs, donkeys.......lots of rural animals.  And of course the dogs.....we had one follow us about a half of  a mile before we could get it to turn around and head home.  We also rode through the Desoto National Forest, tall pines and gentle rolling hills.

The ride today was fast as well, a personal best for me....an average speed of 14.48, I am continuing to get stronger......

We crossed the causeway, then the Singing River, and here we are in Pascagula, on the beautiful gulf coast.

It is so hard to image that our time of travel through this great country is almost over....two weeks from tomorrow I'll be home in AZ.

I think it will be strange to wake up in the morning and not have to pack a suitcase, and carry it out.....to not have a cue sheet that tells you excactly where to turn and when...and then there's that cooking thing....we have wonderful meals prepared by our own chef....while I love my friends and family, there will be a down side to going home....

Looking forward to crossing another border tomorrow...Alabama here we come!  We've heard rumor that we may not have internet service on Dauphin Island, so perhpas no post tomorrow night, but don't worry, I'll catch up!

Day 44 ...... Bogalusa, LA to Wiggins, MS 60 Miles

Welcome to Mississippi.....we left the hotel this morning and 5 miles later we crossed the Pearl River and into Mississippi...another great day of riding.  Blue sky, big sun, light breeze....I feel like a broken record.  We have been so blessed by the weather....just perfect.  It's a bit more humid than I would like but.....I'll live, (I hope).

Unfortunately we had to say goodbye today to one of our members, Patti Hall, her mother passed away last night, so she's on a plane back home....hoping to join us again in Pensacola, FL to finish the ride.  I must say it hit a bit close to home for me, knowing that it could have possibly been me on a plane.  I continue to hope and pray that I will see my mother again on May 1st....heading there from Jacksonville, FL before heading home to Arizona.

The ride today was one of those perfect days...the weather cooperated, the terrain was rolling hills, so I guess we're in the hill country of MS...but they were perfect rollers, just enough down to get you up the other side.

Again, green fields, azaleas, cows, horses, and yes, the dogs.  We were told that Louisana was the home of the yard dog.....well, in my experience, it's Mississippi, we were chased today by at least 8 dogs, some big, some small, but in the end they all went home....

Day 43......Hammond to Bogalusa, LA 55 Miles

Another fabulous day in Louisiana hill country, again, who knew - hills in Lousiana ! But really again, it was just bumps....more of the same, green fields, horses, azaleas, a new family of Canada geese ...... and lots of road kill (mostly possums).

We started with a cool morning, just enough for a sleeveless jersey and arm warmers...blue sky, bright sun, and thankfully a little wind.  I was thankful for the wind today, it kept us from getting to hot!!

Two weeks from today we will be dipping our wheels in the Atlantic.  These two months have just flown by......CA and AZ seem like distant memories.

We are beginning to assess, what have we learned, how has this trip changed our lives......how will life be different after the ride....

Answers to those questions later....tomorrow another state line...on to Mississippi.....

Day 42 ........ St. Francisville to Hammond, LA 87 Miles

This morning we left our place of rest and relaxation and continued our journey East to Hammond, LA.  For the first 15 miles or so we were in Louisana hill country, who knew that Lousiana had hills.  Well, truth be told, there would be no comparison to the Texas hill country, it was really more like bumps.  It did add interest to the road.....more green forests, azaleas.....just beautiful....

I really don't know what happened after 15 miles, because I jumped in the van....it just wasn'd my day.  I rode strong for the last three 80+ mile days before the rest day, but today, I just couldn't pull it out.  So, I took the chance and hitched a ride.

A quiet afternoon in the hotel room, was just what I needed.  Looking forward to tomorrow, our last riding day in Louisiana, then it's off to Mississippi......

Here's the photo of us leaving the St. Francisville Inn this morning....

Day 41 ........... A fabulous day off, 0 miles

What a great day off......a quaint B&B, as many cups of coffee as I wanted in the morning, a beautiful town to stoll through...it was just a great day.

I did the usual day off bike cleaning, and thanks to my friend Coop' changed three tires...yes three...I rotated the front one to the back, then put a spare on the front, then realized that my tires were directional and had put the rear one on the wrong way......uhg!  So yes, three tire changes....but after that the day got better.

The B&B had great big porch repleat with rocking chairs ......so a good part of the day was spent on the porch in a rocking chair, with a computer on my lap....... then a stroll in the village, lunch at a cafe, t-shirt purchase.....then back to the B&B were the porch sitting changed to courtyard sitting.....

0 miles, great day!

Day 40 ............. Bridge, Ferry, and a Flat Tire

Another just gorgeous day in Louisiana!  Blue sky, gentle breeze, big sun.......and lots of water!  We had several highlights yesterday the first was crossing a 3.2 mile causeway bridge with no shoulder.  Fortunately the van and trailer were there to escort us across....it was an awsome site - 11 of us riding, in pairs ...... a van and trailers with flashing lights following us to escort us safely to the other side.

After the bridge more beautiful country side, huge cypress trees in water, lots of turtle's sunning themselves, azaleas galore.  The colors couldn't have been more abundant.

The road surface could have been a bit better, lots of debris.  I've seen more toilets and TV's in the ditches in LA than the rest of the trip combined.  Our riding day was 84 miles.  The 3.2 mile bridge came after 50 miles, a lovely lunch at "Not Your Mother's Cafe" at mile 67.5 and the flat tire right after chowing down on a catfish po' boy.  I figure I'm done with flats, this was my second one on the road, so that's an average of one every 1,000 miles. Then at mile 82 the mightly Mississippi River!  We crossed by ferry to St. Francisville, where the lovely St. Francisville Inn awaited.  It was a long day, but a great day.  This was the third day in a row of 80+ miles.  I'm tired.  Tomorrow thankfully is a rest day, and what a great town to have a rest day in...quaint historic properties, plantations, azaleas, live oak trees with hanging moss.....just a great place.

I've included a couple of photos.....one crossing the mighty mississip and the St. Francisville Inn......

Day 39 ........... Rice....Sugar Cane......Dogs......

We're definitely in Louisiana.....our route today was from Lake Charles to Lafayett, LA......the given route was 83 miles.....my meter registered a bit more after a wrong turn and a bit of being lost, but I eventually found my way and arrived to the Ramada Inn with the rest of the group.......

The morning was beautiful, blue skies, sun shinning, cool breezes and FLAT, my favorite terrain.  We passed fields and fields of rice, I also saw some sugar cane fields and lots of water.  Thankfully while the day was warm, the humidity was not to bad.  This was the second day in a row of over 80 miles, and we have yet another one tomorrow.  I got through these two, but tired and hurting a bit, I hope I can get through tomorrow!!

Lousiana is the land of "yard dogs" as our guides call them.  There is really a dog in every yard.  Many are behind fences or tied, or very well behaved and stay in their yards even as we bike by...but today, one stubborn little terrier (with 3 legs I might add) decided he was going to follow me, barking (yipping really) he just kept at it for about 1/4 of a mile, I paid him no attention and he finally gave up.

Tomorrow we head for St. Francisville, again 80+ miles and a day of rest!

Day 38 ....... Welcome to Louisiana!

Here we are!  Out of Texas at last......and into Louisana...... 80 miles.....Silsbee, TX to Lake Charles, LA ......more of the same in TX, tall pines lots of green and FLAT terrain.  Then, we crossed a river and wow....just like that, marshy swamps, gnats flying everywhere and water, water, water! 

We were again treated to breezy cloudy weather.....it makes biking so much more comfortable, the rain drops were just starting to spinkle when we turned into our hotel parking lot for the evening, so glad we made it in before the rain...

I am loving our flat terrain, the roads just go straight for as far as the eye can see....this seems to be my strength.  I am riding strong.

Again, snug in bed, looking forward to tomorrow.....

Day 37 ......... Last day in Texas

Cleveland, TX to Silsbee, TX, 64 Miles.  The scenery in TX now is ever changing, more and more green, pine trees, farm fields, and cows.  I've never really thought about safety until today.  We are in logging territory.  Local two lane roads, no shoulders,  with 18 wheelers flying by loaded with logs....usually not a problem until two logging trucks meet going opposite directions, exactly at the same location where you and your bike are; that's a problem, who's gonna give.  Well, since I'm typing my blog, you know I was the one that moved....off onto a grassy area, remained upright and continued pedaling....

We were agrain treated to a breezy, cloudy day.....we like that, the breeze keeps us cool and the clouds keep the sun from beating down on us to hard......

This is our last day of riding in TX and our last night in TX....I will be so glad to get on to Louisiana

Day 36 ........... Wow! (SIT)

Today was my day!  I turned right out of the hotel parking lot this morning and never looked back.  I'm not sure where the strenght came from, but from somewhere deep in side I pulled it out and rode faster and harder than ever before.  I doubt the engergy came from the pizza last night for dinner, or the hamburger and fries for lunch yesterday....but it was there!

I don't really have any stats but I arrived at the hotel at 1:00pm, that's not really meaningful since I don't know when I left Navasota (perhaps around 7:30am?) If thats the case, I rode 75 miles in 5.5 hours, definitly a record for me.

My burst of energy did have a down side.  I broke the cardinal rule of group riding, I left my sis and our riding buddy Coop' in the dust.  I do feel bad about that, and I promise I won't do it again.  There is comfort in riding together.  So, I did spend most of the day by myselft.  It was a welcome reprieve.  I spent some of the time reminiscing about my parents and my youth.  My mother is failing in health, I was thinking about all the good times at home, and how blessed I have been to have such wonderful parents.  I'm hoping that I get to see her again at the end of my adventure.

My burst of energy did help make the ride go fast, but a beautiful spring day, blue skies, bright sunshine and a tailwind also helped.  The rolling green hills and pine forests were a welcome site,  accentuated by random patches of wild flowers. 

This day will be remembered, Navasota to Clevland, TX 75 miles.

*Still in Texas

Day 35 ........... A Day of Rest!!!

We are thankful that every once in a while a day of rest rolls around ...... so here we are in the town of Novasota, TX (population 6,000 or so).  It is good to been a town with services.  We have two conenvience stores, a pizza hut, a steakhouse, Subway, a salon and spa, the library, and a wal-mart all within walking distance.  That's good becasue on our days off, we sure don't feel like getting on the bike to ride anywhere, and then there is also the issue of how to cary back on your bike all of your purchases. 

And, of course, as on our day of in Kerrville, it rained.  However, we donn't mind the rain on our day off.  At least we don't have to bike through it!  This was a perfectly relaxing day off, my bike got a sparking clean up, the chain oiled, the sprokets cleaned and it just some goood ol'e TLC.  Laundry was done, catching up with friends by telephone and pretty much just hanging out....it was a good day.

Tomorrow we continue East, we start a new section of our Adventure Cycling maps, and there is no elevation section on this map, could this possibly mean no climbing!  I hope.  While I do love the rolling hills, I'm ready for a change.

I'll let you know how it goes........

Day 34 ............ Still in Texas

Who new that Texas is such a big state!  One of the striking things to me is how the landscape has changed over the last two weeks that we've been in Texas.  West Texas with it's mountains, and arid desert like landscape, tumbleweed, cactus, and yucca trees.  The the landscape so gently changed to ranches, cattle, sheep, alpaca's and goats roaming and grazing.  Then the beauty of green rolling hills, lush fields, longhorns, bramas and wild flowers galore.

The ride today 70 miles from LaGrange to Navasota was one of my favorites.  Gently rolling hills, just enough down to help you with the next "up" and wild flowers were just unbelievable.  Blue bonnets, indian paint brush, wild mustard, butter cups, and more.....I'm sorry that I'm not a photographer and that I can't share more with you.......

We're here in Novosota for two nights, tomorrow is a rest day, looking forward to cleaning the bike, sleeping in, drinking coffee.....and just relaxing.  The legs are tired.....

Snug in bed, looking forward to tomorrow.....

Day 33 ......... Wildflowers Galore (SIT)*

How we could have been duped at this point in the ride is beyond me.....we looked at the schedule and thought, 41 miles.....we're out of the mountains, at the edge of the hill country, we'll have an easy day.....well....as you may have guessed it wasn't easy. Bastrop to LaGrange......

Our first 18 miles was through Bastrop State Park, a beautiful ride through pine forest, however, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I didn't think it was that cool. The road was narrow, winding, and steep. As you can image, the roads were not graded for heavy traffic, so the hills were really steep, 17% grade at some points. After the park, it got a bit better, winding rollers, and fabulous wild flowers....I've posted some pictures....one of Texas wildflowers and one of our riding pack in Bastrop State park.

Tomorrow we're heading to Navaroso, TX and to a day off....looking forward to that

*Still in Texas

Day 32 ....... 93 miles to Bastrop (SIT)*

When we woke this morning, there was rain.....wow! We have been incredibly lucky, we have not seen rain since day 4 on the way from Jacumba to Brawley, CA, that's 28 days without rain (on a riding day, we did have rain in Kerrvill on the day off). So we put on our rain gear and headed out for a 93 mile ride.

Luckily, the rain was really more like heavy mist or spitting, not sure that if we had been in a car we would have needed the windshied wipers full time. After 10 miles, the rain gear had to come off, because it was to warm, we decided that we would deal with the wet, to be cooler.

The rain soon stopped, but the day remained overcast and cloudy, but for that I was thankfull, with full sun and humidity, I would have been dragging. The terain was gentle rollers, now this is what I would define as "Hill Country" these were really hills, not mountains....the only problem was that the "down" just didn't quite carry you up the next "up". But all in all very enjoyable. I was concerned this morning, knowing that 65 miles did me in yesterday, but as so often happens, the strength comes from somewhere, and I just keep pedaling.....

So here I am, snug in bed...looking forward to 41 miles tomorrow....

*Still in Texas

Day 31 .......... to Blanco and beyond

I said good-bye to Paul this morning, got back on that tiny seat, and continued to pedal. Our task for the day was Kerrville to Blanco (yes, still in Texas) 65 miles. That seemed inocuous enough....the first 30 miles flew by, good road surface, nice and smooth, some climbing, but managable. Well, did I mention that it was 65 miles, so, after 30 there was another 35 to come....they were of a different ilk. We had rough road and climbing and did I mention heat, that's not so bad, I can handle heat, but the humidity.....yuk. It was bad.

There was one highlight of the day and that was a town named Sisterdale. Riding on this journey with my sister is great, but it would be better and more complete if the third sister were here with us. Sisters in Sisterdale, what could be better!

When we rolled into Blanco at 4:00pm I was spent, just spent. I could barely stay awake for dinner and our map meeting, were we learned that the next day's ride was 90+ miles....I was snug in bed by 8:30 and therefor no blogging...sorry not to keep you all updated, but I was tired....after 85 miles, what will 93 for tommorrow bring.....

Day 29 and 30 Days of Rest (SIT)*

Our stay at Foxfire Cabins in Vanderpool was a lovely respite and refreshing. On Thursday we were headed from Vanderpool to Kerrville to the YO Ranch Resort for our formal day off. I decided to hop the van today and be driven to the next stop rather than pedal. I decided that I needed 2 days of rest......we're now at the half way point in the ride....so I thought two days of rest would be better than one. When I arrived in Kerrville, I was treated to the surprise of a lifetime, there in the parking lot was my fabulous husband of 27 years, Paul. Needless to say I was shocked and still can't believe that he drove all the way from Phoenix to Kerrville, TX (13 hours) to surprise me and to spend the day off with me. What a treat.

So, on Friday, day 30 of our tour, we did the "day off" tasks.....shopping at Walgreens for toothpaste, and lotion and all that exciting stuff...shopping for some warm weather clothes, picking up my bike from the bike shop (new tires and rear brakes) just those usual Good Friday shopping tasks.....

A few days I will never forget.....

No blogging.....just R&R

*Still in Texas

Day 28 ....... Texas Hill County (SIT)*

I’m not sure why they call it the Texas Hill Country. When you are on a bike and climbing it for sure seems like mountains. Slopes of 10 -12% also don’t seem to qualify as hills. The rumor is that Lance Armstrong trains for the Tour here, so I’m sure it must be mountains not hills.

We rode from Camp Wood to Vanderpool TX, 39 Miles of climbing and the corresponding down hills. The views were ok, hills green and almost lush with spring foliage. But for me, I’d rather see the desert and red rocks of AZ, but then I guess that’s why I live there!

I did finally see some live wildlife…..2 wild turkeys. Most of what I have seen has been dead (road kill), deer galore, we stopped counting we saw so many, a Javelina, rattlesnake, turkey vultures, and I think I also saw a dead antelope, at least that’s what it looked like to me. But surprisingly enough I have not seen an armadillo alive or dead. I recall that when we lived in East Texas they were plentiful by the side of the road.

Tonight we are lodging at the Foxfire Cabins on the Sabinal River. I’m sharing a beautiful cabin with a huge deck right on the river, with a view of the Texas Hills, it’s quite relaxing, the sun is shining the sky is blue, it’s in the 80’s and there is a gentle breeze. It almost washes away the pain of the climbs earlier in the day….looking forward to dinner.

Day 27 ............... more of the same

The full moon was bright as we woke this morning to get ready to ride yet another day. Two more days until a day of rest on Friday the 2nd of April. We were treated to yet another day of Texas chip seal and ranches, goats, sheep, and a few mountains in the distance. I shudder to think what that means. Our ride today from Brackettville to Camp Wood, TX was really just more of the same, more of the same. The joints are now really aching from all the vibrating from the road. It's just hard to explain. It's like being in a milkshake making machine. It's even hard to read the road signs because your head just can't stop from vibrating.

We reached the bustling metropolis of Camp Wood, population 800 in time for a relaxing lunch in the Sister's cafe. I had a really good hamburger, the first since we headed out on this journey, a trip to the post office to mail some winter clothes back home to lighten the suitcase, then checking email and getting back "on line" made the afternoon complete.

Tomorrow's ride is 39 miles. I think I know what that means. It appears as though for the next 5-6 days the Internet access will be quite limited so ..... no blog updates.

Day 26 ........... Texas Chip Seal (SIT)*

So, I recovered from riding 111 miles, had a great night in Del Rio TX at the Lake View Inn, indeed with a view of a beautiful reservoir in a canyon. This morning we started out for an easy day of 43 miles. Really, now how difficult could that be? no climbing to speak of just a straight shot on State Route 90 to Bracketville TX and the Fort Clark Springs motel.

As it turned out it could be quite difficult on Texas chip seal. I've decided that this is one of those things that you just never consider, just as I never anticipated that it would be freezing and snowing on our trip.....The road surface was so tough we just bounced and vibrated for 43 miles. As my riding buddy for the day said "I feel like a bobble head doll with a broken spring". That pretty much sums it up. The wind was not in our favor. The scenery was, well, West Texas, pretty unremarkable. We did see some goat farms and lots of ranches.....

The high point of the day for me was being in the lead pack and beating the van and trailer to our place of rest for the night. I'll confess it's not as terrific as it seems, it's just that everyone else went shopping since Del Rio was the first town in miles....there was a Walmart and a Ross! But, since I had no need to shop, I just kept riding, and arrived at the lovely Fort Clark Springs Motel, on an old Army Installation built in the late 1800's. We were treated to a huge pool fed by natural springs, the day was warm and we were able to just sit and relax. Since we had no Internet service there was nothing else to do; like update Blogs etc......

On to Camp Wood, TX

*Still in Texas

Day 23 ......... 111 miles

111 Miles today, my first century. Still in Texas, uneventful. Very tired.

Sung in bed, hoping tomorrow is a shorter ride.

Day 22 ......... wheeeeeeeee! (SIT)*

The wind truly was a friend today......... tail winds made a good ride (54 miles) a fast ride. We got into the motel in Sanderson just a few minutes after 12:00 noon. So what a great day to really just hang out relax, laundry and other necessary tasks for life on the road. But now, I'm curled up in bed, watching TV and snacking on popcorn.

I'm nervously wondering about tomorrow; 111 miles. I've never ridden that far before. On the one hand, I'm nervous and trying not to stress out, on the other hand I'm thinking I'll just pedal as I normally do and go as far as I can, and then when I'm done I'm done, and I'll hop in the SAG.

I'll admit, I'm a little tired of West Texas scenery, this certainly is a big country and a really big state....we're here for another 2 weeks or more .... so I'll need to find other things than the scenery to keep me moving and motivated.

Thankful for the good weather....

*Still in Texas

Day 21 ......... wind friend and foe (SIT)

As we left the Davis Mountains State Park this morning, the sun was blazing in the blue sky and all seemed right with the world. Marathon, TX was only 60 miles away, what appeared to be an easy day.

The first 10 miles or so were ok, then the infamous Texas winds kicked in. I'm not a meteorologist, but based on the weather report this morning, I'm thinking that the gusts were 20 - 25 MPH. When the cross winds gusted, it was hard to keep the bike in a straight line. No other word describes it other than brutal. But winds are a funny thing. If you are going the same direction as the wind.....wow...

So the day was filled with contrasts. With a tail wind I was able to climb a 6% grade in the big ring at 14.5 mph ..... with a head wind I could barely hold 14 mph down a 5% grade. So, wind: friend and foe.

Our accommodations for the night are at the Gage Hotel in Marathon, TX. It's an old Railroad Hotel, beautifully restored....beautiful courtyards blooming flowers and a lovely pool. Just what the soul needs to refresh after 60 miles of riding, mostly against the wind.

As always, looking forward to tomorrow!

Day 20.........rest day (SIT)

Not much to say, rest day, still in Texas. Bike cleaning, coffee drinking, soaking up sun, and hanging with the girls. No cell phone service, no laundry facility, so not really much to do.

Tried my hand at some photos of the lovely Davis Mountains State Park, Indian Lodge. Highly recommend for a relaxing r&r time.

Looking forward to tomorrow, Marathon, TX, hoping the winds cooperate.

Day 19 ...... SIT (Stil in Texas)

I know that I have said before that we started riding at the "crack of dawn" but this morning, we really did, honestly, the sun was just peaking over the horizon and glaring on us making it difficult to see the road. The road, was Interstate 10 again, the beginning leg of our journey from Van Horn to Fort Davis (90 miles).

We were blessed again with tail winds, and we flew down the shoulder of I 10. But alas, we had to exit to make our way to Davis Mountains State Park and Indian Lodge, our sanctuary for the evening and tomorrow (a day off!). While I'm sure I'll complain about being in Texas for so long, the views of the Davis Mountains and the McDonald observatory were beautiful. As we exited I 10 the road turned and the tail winds became cross winds and the beautiful butter like shoulder of I 10 became Texas chip seal (see yesterday for description)

I struggled to get to the Woman Tours trailer for lunch at the 45 mile mark, and when I arrived I decided I had had enough, and jumped in the Van for the final 45 miles.

Life is full of rationalizations and today I rationalized myself to a ride in the Van. I've decided this journey is about the experience and not about biking every mile. I've already biked more than I ever thought I would. I'm learning flexibility, I'm learning that every day is a new gift (as long as the legs work) and that I should just enjoy myself and not beat myself up if I hop in the Van. That's my story and I'm sticking to it....

Tonight, I'm not snug in bed, but in a beautiful lobby of the Indian Lodge at the Davis Mountains State Park, built in 1934 by the Civilian Conservation Corps Workers. A beautiful architectural gift. Tomorrow perhpas I can get some pictures....off to dinner....

Day 18 ................ tail wind!

We left Fort Hancock at the crack of dawn....a long day (76 miles) and crossing into Central Time thus losing and hour made me nervous to say the least. We were welcomed by a cool morning, cycling past more farm fields and the ever present border patrol.

We were also treated to what they call "Texas chip seal" roads. It's kinda like pedaling with your rear brakes rubbing and a low back tire. It's hard work. However, despite the chip seal and some climbing, and losing and hour, we did make good time; thanks to a beautiful tail wind......

We also rode on I 10 for a few miles, a bit nerve racking with tractor trailers whizzing by, but it was a nice change from the chip seal....

I've been thinking about what I wanted to accomplish on this ride...it suddenly occurred to me that we are on day 18, and I've have no monumental life changing experiences. But then again, every day is new and each one is a new experience. I guess I was expecting some soul searching or epiphany.

One thing I do know, I set out to accomplish a task, and as for Day 18, it looks like I will do it!

Day18 ......... being a tourista

Today was a relaxing, visiting America day. We were encouraged to take it slow and stop and see the sights along our 47 mile trek. We were following the Mission Trail from El Paso to Ft. Hancock, TX.

We stopped and took a tour of the Mission at Socorro and at San Elizario. The architecture was stunning as well as the art. The sense of history was overwhelming.

The roads were flat the scenery agricultural, more pecan groves and cotton fields...and the sun was shinning.....the sky was blue.....

As usual, snug in bed....looking forward to tomorrow!

Day 17......Fantastic

What a glorius day! This is the kind of day that makes you remember why you love to ride a bike. I will admit that I was beginning to wonder after the freezing cold, and the snow, why in the world I embarked on this journey. But, alas, despite near freezing temps at the start this morning, the days ride was well worth it. We left our Las Cruces, NM hotel and pedaled through miles and miles of pecan groves and cotton fields, and fertile farm lands. The road was smooth, flat and fast! The 66 miles just flew by.

The pecan groves soon gave way to city as we rode through Sunland Park NM, then across the Rio Grande to the great state of Texas. We will be in TX for the next three weeks. It's a really big state! Lunch at the local Tony's Gorditas was a culinary treat, then on to a bike shop. It was time for brake cable replacement and a new chain. All is well and we rolled into the Comfort Inn at El Paso, just in time for a quick shower, laundry and a border crossing party. (we wont' have one of those again for a long time)

Tomorrow we pedal on to Fort Hancock, TX where there will be no internet service....so no update tomorrow night...

As usual, snug in bed looking forward to tomorrow.....

Day 16 ........... freezing

When one starts out on an adventure like I've decided to tackle, you know there will be unexpected circumstances. Well, I met mine today. I must admit that I never anticipated freezing temperatures. I thought it would be cooler at the higher elevations, but snow and cold, I never in a million years thought I'd experience that.

We left the bustling metropolis (population 30) of Kingston, NM this morning, the sky was a perfect blue, the sun was blazing, and I thought it would be a great day. I had some concerns about my riding abilities today, but as we started down the 9 mile descent, my confidence grew, then the wind kicked up, and it energized me over the rollers of the New Mexico ranch land. But soon, I realized that the white stuff beside the road was heavy, heavy, frost.....(later I found out that it was about 28 degrees this morning in Kingston) I did soon realize that my head was frozen, my butt was frozen, and I was cold to the core.

While my riding was good, and I felt much stronger than I anticipated after yesterday, I was frozen. So, at mile 26 at the first SAG stop, I bagged it and crawled in the warm van and headed to Las Cruzes. It took over an hour to stop shivering. Hopefully tomorrow will be warmer.

Day 15 ......... snow!

What a day, we left Silver City in 37 degree temperatures.....brrrrrr.....and then we headed up...the views were spectacular, but didn't make up for the climbing. I did take some photos but have not had a chance to download, so I'll try to post them later.

This was the day that my big sis got her groove back. She headed out and up and left me in the dust. This is the day that I began to question if maybe I've already given all I have. I felt stong last week, this week not so strong..... I did the total ride, 48 miles, ok, that's not many but they were mostly all up.....

When we arrived at Emory Pass, the snow began to come in flurries....then we headed down an 8 mile hill to the town of Kingston (population 30) to the Black Range Lodge. On the decent the snow came in big splat flakes and splatted on my glasses, then it turned to rain...and it was cold.....

I heard rumor of a 80 mile ride tomorrow....oy....

Day 14 ........ hangin' in Silver City

Ahhhhh......beautiful, no map meeting, no snacks set out at 7:00am, no pumping tires....just a day to relax. What a great place, Silver City, New Mexico.

The best thing about today was being able to sip more than one cup of coffee, not worring about were the next bathroom break might be! We could be here at the hotel all day! So after breakfast and laundry, we headed downtown Silver City via our legs, yes walking. We decided no bike seats for us today. The town did not disappoint with quaint shops, galleries, lots of restaurants, and of course gellato.

We had a scrumptious mexican lunch.....stolled some more......back to the hotel for
day off bike cleaning. Yes, I oiled my chain all by myself, and lubricated some squeaky points and pulled a burr out of my back tire, we hope it didn't punture the tube....we'll know tomorrow morning.

As always, snug in my bed, dreaming of pedaling...............

Day 13 ......the continental divide

The winds continued today....as we saw the cue sheet at our map meeting we noticed that today's ride was only 47 miles. By now we know that means climbing, and that we did...up, up, up (a total of 3,900 ft) and there it was a small side that said "continental divide". It did appear that we were at the top of the world. We did pause long enough to take a photo...then started our treat down hill.....

So, not only did we have winds we had climbing, it was another tough day. I thought that after my day of rest that my legs would be strong and I would climb as well as in the past. That did not happen.

We passed huge mining operations and tumble weeds and that was about it. I must say I am ready for different scenery.....

As usual, snug in bed, looking forward to a day off tomorrow!

Day 12......LInda takes a day off....

After the grueling ride to Globe, then dealing with the head winds yesterday, and waking with a sore throat....I decided to take a day off and ride in the van.

As I was laying in bed at 5 AM struggling to swallow, and made the decision not to ride, I felt confidend of my decision and packed and dressed accordinging. Then, at 6:45 as the rest of the women were packing their snacks and pumping their tires, I was suddenly jealous, and wavered on my decision.

Riding in the van we experienced blue sky and were treated to fields of wildflowers and yucca's galore. We could not feel the 20 - 30 mph winds.....after we arrived at our hotel in Lordsburg, NM and realized that only 4 of 23 women completed the 75 mile ride, all strugling for hours, some as many as 10 hours fighting with headwinds, I was glad that I sat the day out.

We celebrated at dinner as usual, we have one more state behind us (AZ) and are now experienceing New Mexico. Our toughest climbing days are ahead, I hear rumor that tomorrow will be tough. I'll be ready. I had a great day of rest, napped all afternoon, and this evening, feel much better. So, I'll be out there with the rest of them tomorrow....

As usual, snug in bed ready for lights out!

Day 11.....the best lunch ever

If I remember the good things about a day, the bad things seem to fade away. By far the best thing about today was lunch. We were in the San Carlos Reservation, in Bylas, AZ and along the side of the road was a stand selling fry bread and tacos. I had stuffed fry bread, stuffed with beef, lettuce, cheese...it was yummy and just the thing after biking 44 miles....

Then the pain started. We were in a beautiful fertile agricultural valley with snow capped Graham Mountain and Turnbull Mountain as a back drop, it was a beautiful site to behold. Flat, what more could a biker want...suddenly there it was a ferocious head wind. We've heard reports of that it was up to 35mph. The rest of the day, 78 miles total, was one of the toughest rides to date. And this on the heels of climbing yesterday. I could barely get off the bike when we arrived at our hotel in Safford. My big sis gave it up about 15 miles out and took a ride in the SAG, again!

The best lunch ever, was followed up by a wonderful dinner by our own chef of grilled salmon, boiled potatoes, lentils and Waldorf salad. So I guess today's post is mostly about food. It's amazing what you can eat when you're expending so much energy.

As always, snug in bed looking forward to tomorrow.......

Day 10.........upward to Globe

Today was the toughest ride yet, Gold Canyon to Glob, AZ, even moreso than the climb out of San Diego. When I got the adventure cycling maps a few months ago, I showed them to my friend Charlie, and he said that the ride to Globe would be tougher than the inital climbs. Well, he was right. It was a very tough day, not only were there 7% grades for miles and miles, and a tunnel, and beautiful red rocks, there was no shoulder at times and steep drop offs. But I persevered. I rode every inch when others including my sister, chose to hop in the SAG for a few miles. I will admit I was determined to do it, I pulled down deep within and somehow completed the task. I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring...not sure my legs will take another day......while it was a comparably short day, my meter read 50 miles, it was hard.

So as usual, here I am, snug in my bed, dreaming of tomorrow and hoping it's easy!

Day 9.....riding with "The Ladies"

Today was a special day on two fronts. First, we left the hotel and started the ride following our cue sheets; after about 17 miles it all looked familiar and I was back riding with "The Ladies" on Invergordon, Mockingbird, and 68th St. I remembered riding those very streets as a newbie, getting my first flat, learning the ropes. Never dreaming that on a day in the not to distant future I would be riding those same roads "across America". It's amazing what can happen in a year.

The treat came, meeting "The Ladies" at the intersection of McDonald and Hayden, there they were, all 25 of them! What a treat to ride with them for a wee bit through the greenbelt to our Woman Tours SAG stop at Jack Rabbit and Hayden. There were hugs and kisses all around. Thanks team for coming out.....it was great to see you all again, I look forward to the day that we can ride, have bagels and just catch up on the adventure.

After our good-byes, we trekked on down the road, crossing and traversing many familiar streets to the far East valley and Gold Canyon where the second treat of the day awaited. This was family night, so not only did I get to see my husband again, but my sister as well. Times with sisters are always great. So, now I've said good-bye all over again, and am feeling a bit blue. The wide expanse of the USA awaits, but leaving family and loved ones is always sad.

Tomorrow another phase of the adventure starts. No more looking forward to home and familiar territory....not to mention a huge climb to the mining town of Globe, AZ. Hope it doesn't snow.

Snug in bed again, ready to rest up for the journey ahead!

Day 8....back in the valley

As we left from Wickenburg this morning, I anticipated a short easy ride...I had been looking at the elevation maps from Adventure Cycling and assumed a quick down hill ride...boy was I wrong...instead of a straight shot down route 60, we took 74 past Lake Pleasant and then the Carefree Highway....absolutely beautiful views of the greatest state however, lots more climbing than I had anticipated....

Then a stop at a bike shop to get some adjustments and repairs and an proactive change of back tire after observing a slow leak....so a much later arrival at the the hotel...but a shower and a quick clean up...and then my Friends from the neighborhood stopped by and we had a dinner out.....the food and fellowship was great, but the service was terrible...it was good to see my fabulous husband and friends from the 'hood

Today as I was pedaling along, I was thinking about all those early Friday, Saturday, and Sunday rides over the last year, climbing 5th Ave, 17th Ave, 9 mile hill and remembering how I would dream of other roads, roads from San Diego to St. Augustine...and now I'm on those roads. I week down, 7 to go. There are times when I question whether I can make it...and then other days I feel strong and know that I will...

Wonder what tomorrow will bring.....

Day 7........first flat

Today was monumental....I had my first flat of the trip. Not bad when you think about it...one week, riding everyday....thankfully a guardian angel came by to change the tire, I helped a wee bit....

We rode from Salome AZ to Wickenburg AZ, and really just more of the same big blue Arizona sky with a back drop of beautiful purple mountains majesty! I saw snow capped mountains in the distance, I assume Mt. Humphrey in Flagstaff, it was beautiful!

It is amazing that now 66 miles is a short day! I got to the hotel in Wickenburg by 3:00pm, what a treat. Time to do laundry check in on the email and just chill.

So, here I am again, snug in bed ready to call it a day.......zzzzzzzzz

Day 6…..sweet home Arizona

We said good-bye to California today. After a short bike ride to the Colorado River, we crossed into sweet home Arizona. Got a chance to ride on I 10 today, which was pretty cool, trucks flying by, lots of debris….but the good news was wide open shoulders and manageable grades.

We then stopped in Quartzite for a break, good coffee and lots of treats at Sweet Brenda’s Bakery, and the sticky buns were good…just the energy we needed to get back on I 10 and head to the exit for Route 60 to the small town of Brenda, AZ where our SAG (support and gear) was waiting with water fill ups and snacks.

After that we continued on Route 60 to the small town of Hope, AZ where we stopped at the Victory Lane Café for Lunch and to just chill….after that it was only 6 miles to our accommodations in Salome, AZ. If you take a moment to Google Salome, AZ you will note that there is one motel, that’s where we are!

It was a beautiful day of riding the vistas of the mountains in the back ground against our fabulous Arizona blue sky, it feel great to be “home”. The ride of 67 miles seemed to just fly by….

Day 5 postscript

No internet service at the hotel tomorrow night, don't think I'm saavy enough to post from the blackberry, so.....no update for day 6!

Day 6.....0 miles!

Today was our first rest day.....it was nice not to have to get on the bike. Although truth be told, I did miss it a little. I was a little restless. I guess I've gotten accustomed to all the new scenery....all things new, every day. But, also truth be told, my butt could use a day off, so I relaxed.....shopped, sat in the hot tub, and made a few calls.


I thought I'd take this opportunity to share some photos of what our daily routine entails and the support vehicles we have. Woman Tours has a 15 passenger van that can carry just about as many bikes and pulls a trailer that holds the kitchen and the luggage....here's the set up.....

Yes, the trailer really has a kitchen here it is!

Yes, this really is a kitchen, and wow the meals that come out of it are fabulous! It' s pretty much gormet all the way...fresh, wholesome and healthly just a way a girl needs to eat for riding 89 miles in a day.....

Well, tomorrow will come soon enough as we cross the border into Arizona........

Day 5..........long ride

Today's ride was 89 miles. I've never ridden that far in one day before. Ouch! That seat is really tiny.....

It was a beautiful southern Californina day.....blue sky, blazing sun, first the fertile imperial valley with fields stretching as far as the eye could see, with the chocolate mountains in the background.

The view then turned to the sand dues....big beautiful sand dunes.....the rolling hills....I love those....flying down the hill, seeing how far you can get up the other side, then down again...it was great.....

Then back down to the fertile farming town of Blythe, again with agricultural fields as far as you can see, again with mountains in the background. The best part is FLAT.....

Tomorrow is a day off.....so a day of rest.....

Day 4........rain, rain, rain.....

As I awoke this morning to the sound of rain on the roof (at least my bed and room were dry, many of my trip mates had water dripping not only in their rooms but on their beds)......... and wondered....will it ever stop...well the answer to the question is NO!! It rained all day, every inch and every mile....and wow..the dirt! The bike so so dirty, I was dirty, it all had to go in the washer when I got it. My rain gear did a great job, and I was toasty dry on top....with no rain pants, below the waist was a different story. Thanks to a gift from my sister at Christmas, my hands were toasty warm......

But, here is the really good news for the day.....we had a 22 mile flat stretch with a tail wind....wheeeeeeeeee........it was fun....if everyday could have the terain of today with no rain....that would be something. We are in the Imperial Valley of California very beautiful agricultural area, and yes, the agricultural aromas that go with it....we saw fields and fields of green stuff...(I was going to fast to see what it was) and then we came upon sheep!

Well, it feels good to be warm and dry........looking forward to a sunny day tomorrow, finally! Hope my shoes dry out!

Day 3....and again can you say climbing?

Wow, what a day! We left Alpine and first up was 8 miles almost straight up....then a little down hill then lots more up hill....we climbed from 2,000 ft. to over 3,500 feet. There was wind, there was rain, there was fog, and it was COLD.....

The scenery has been just beautiful....and I'm learning that biking can be lots of fun if you don't push, push, push, all the time. It's been very liberating to stop for a cup of coffee, or a piece of pie....or just to catch your breath. See the thing is, you can push yourself really hard, but when you get into the hotel, dinner still is served at 5:30 or 6:00 so why hurry?

I also learned today, that things go much better when your front brakes are aligned properly and not rubbing....

So, we're only at day three, but I think this will be the adventure of a lifetime....

Day 2.....can you say climbing?

Wow, what a day, we started off by riding to the pacific ocean from our hotel and dipped our tires in the water......friends and family came to say good-bye...and we were off!

It was a strange sensation, just riding a bike, and knowing that your destination is 3,100 miles away. I have never riden with cue sheets before, I've always been a follower....well, after 3 miles, we were lost.....ouch! That was a bit scary....but several of us put our heads to gether and got back on track and I suddenly found myself paying much more attention to the roads.....

It was a short day of riding, but the last 7 or so miles were a steep incline. There is a reason the name of the town is Alpine.....

Here are pics from the start at the beach....looking forward to tomorrow...another day on the road....

It's almost time......

We had our first ride meeting today, we got to meet all the other crazy people....the ones who have decided to ride from San Diego to St. Augustine.....

I think it's finally hit me, what am I doing here? Who's bright idea was this? Well at least the other women seem great, a really fun bunch...but seriously 3,100 miles on a bike....what was I thinking.

I am so nervous for tomorrow....can I make it with the rest of the pack to the starting line? We need to ride 3 miles to the beach so we can dip our tires....then we head out or should I say up...it's a 2,000 ft. climb in elevation tomorrow.....

On the eve of this fabulous adventure, I declare myself ready, and so it will be....It was so great to have my dad, my niece and her kids, my riding buddy my sister, and of course the one and only ever supportive husband.......stay posted, hopefully I'll get a photo of the start tomorrow and get to post it for all to see......

Packing......checking the bike......getting nervous

Well, today's the day to head to San Diego....Paul and I decided to go over a day early for a bit of R&R.....

I'm ready to just get on the road already....this waiting is killing me a bit. The packing is challenging too....we're held to 50 lbs...One suitcase....so I'll be seeing alot of the SAME clothes over and over again.....

The send-off party was great, I'm trying my had a posting some photos...one of me pontificating from a chair...and one of the fabulous bike that will carry me across the country......thanks to Jim Jochim for the photos....

And the winner was.......I went for a ride.....

Riding in the rain is challenging, but it gave me a chance to try out my new waterproof booties....can't decide if they are the best things since sliced bread or totally useless......my shoes were nice and clean at the end of the ride....but my feet were still wet. Not quite as soaked as last saturday, but then I did step in a puddle......

Glad to be back home, warm and dry.....looking forward to send off party this afternoon at Keegan's Grill...hope it stops raining!

Sunday morning......5 days to go....

So here I sit, 6:00am Sunday morning February 28th. I'm wondering lot of things, most importantly will I ride today. This would be my last ride with Charlie and the gang from the Bagel Nosh, but alas, it's raining! As it can go in Arizona, it's possible that it's raining here, and not 3 miles down the road at our starting point. That has happened to me in the past. I so desperately want to go, but starting out in the rain....I could try my new rain booties, I do know that my rain jacket works........I'll wait perhaps a 1/2 hour or so and see how it looks.

The other things I'm wondering.....how did it get to be February 28th, 2010 so quickly, last April when I began contemplating this Journey, it seemed so far away. How did the starting time come so quickly....on the other hand, the time seems to drag, I just want to get to San Diego and get on the road already.....

I also wonder if I'll be strong enough to keep up, will the aches and pain keep me from pedaling.....

I wonder to about the home front....will my fabulous husband make it by himself. He has declared nothing but his undying support....but at times I think his sacrifice is more than mine......

Finally, full circle back to the beginning I wonder if I'll ride today....jury is still out....I'll keep you posted!

Around the mountain again.....6 days to go....

Saturday was the last ride with "The Ladies" before the big adventure. We rode 46 miles around South Mountain again....it was a perfect ride. The weather cooperated, not to cold, not to hot, and more importantly no rain!

We rode at a very steady pace, I've been wanting to try this...just holding it at 14mph rather than pushing for a faster pace. The last time we did this ride, I pushed 17 - 18 on the back side of the mountain then I just crashed on the front side.....so I was very pleased, this time the steady pace kept me strong....it was great!

So upon arriving home, I announced myself fit.....and ready for the long ride. The icing of the cake of day was the "Blessing of the Bike" and the journey by our pastor at Saturday night service. I now know that I am fit, and covered under God's protection and ready to ride....now if Thursday would only get here!

I have a new rain jacket.....so of course it rained!

Well, I finally got my chance to ride in the rain....I suppose it's just because I finally go a new rain jackt for the big adventure, and thought I should try it out on Saturday for the fit etc...well, it must have been a sign or something, after we were about 17 miles out, the heavens opened up and it began to rain....so I just took it easy in the beginning watching as my new shoes, my wonderful bike, my gloves, and me got just soaked, through and through.

I did learn a few things.....it's best to take your sunglasses off it you want to see in the rain, rain booties would probably be a good investment, my rain jacket does keep my dry, and now a day later, it takes a long time for soaking wet shoes to dry out....

So, with 11 days to go here I sit, watching it rain again in AZ, but I'm wimping out today, staying dry, figuring that I'll probably have many more chances to ride in the rain over the next couple of months....

13 days to go........

As I started out on friday's ride, I was thinking of all that needs to be completed before the big adventure....I rode softly, taking it a bit easy...the good news is that the body healed, and it felt good......

Ouch! 17 days to go......

I hurt, I'm sore in every nook and crany......Sunday's ride was the most spectacular ever, but it was hard. We left from East Mesa and rode to Tortilla Flats (name not descriptive of journey). The vews were specacular and so were the climbing elevations. I can't even begin to describe how challenging the ride was. And after riding by canyon lake and seeing the beauty, I was somehwat revived but....my legs still hurt.....

I however, did learn a few things, getting off your bike during a tough climb, even for 30 seconds to blow your nose........can revive you and give you new strength......getting off your bike to call the sag vehicle and discovering there is no cell service, can revive you....and most important it doesn't kill you to ride a bit in Sag.

The day began with a very tough head wind. The first 10 miles of our jorney was on relatively flat Brown Road, however, it was so windy I could barely hold 11 MPH, I was frustrated, and freeking out a bit.....keep in mind the day before I had no trouble holding 17 MPH on the flats in a bit of a wind. When it was time to start the climb, (appoximately 17 miles) I just thought one more turn, and I'll call for the Sag, then I'd get that little downhill thrill, look at the next hill and think, one more hill and I'll call for the Sag,....and so it went for a while, then I got to a sign that said 2 miles to Tortilla Flats, and I thought, that's it, I just cannot make it, so I tried to call for the Sag, alas, no cell service, so I just kept pedaling...and finally there they were, the rest of the Team and the Sag. Needles to say I rode in the Sag, back 17 miles...the pedaled the last 10 back to town, and with wind on your back, it's amazing how fast you can go!!

17 days to go.....

Pride goeth before destruction.......

Some of you may recognize the title from the bible, the book of Proverbs I think..it describes my day......I head out to The Ladies ride today, excited to be going around south mountain again, it's a relatively flat ride, but long (60) miles.....I'm thinking wow, this will be a great training day, just like the cross country ride, 60 miles.....

When we got to the first SAG stop after 22 miles, I checked my meter, I had averaged 16.7 mph and my average cadence was 90....WOW, was I full of myself. As I headed out to the second SAG stop 20 miles later I was drafting my blog in my head so that I could tell everyone what a great ride I had....suddenly "pride goeth before destruction" pops in my head, and I smile to myself, thinking ok, I probably can't hold this forever, but I feel good, let's try to keep it up....

Well, needless to say....I ended the day 60 miles, with an average of 13.7 MPH and average cadance of 70...and one very sore posterior...so very humbled by the whole experience...think I read somewhere that tomorrow's ride is 50+ miles with lots of hills....oy.....

Tackling Chandler Blvd over 50......

The world has not collapsed on it's axis....I got on the bike today for the first time since passing the 1/2 century mark.....today was the first time in 12 days that I was on the bike, and I was really nervous...all went well.....

Had a great ride with LaVerne and the Ladies, eagerly counting down the days until the big adventure begins.....20 days to go...so glad to be back in the saddle.

23 days to go and stil sick......

Went to the Dr. again today, sill feeling lousy and no biking....I guess the only good thing is that there is 23 days to go......

still sick with 25 days to go!

After being in bed for 3 days, and pounding pain in my ear, and a 4 hour trip to urgent care on Saturday night......I discovered that I have an EAR INFECTION! Thought that was only for kids, very painful, I might add......

So with some antibiotics and pain killers I spend all day Sunday in bed, who thought I'd watch the super bowl from bed! Yea for the NFC....and the Saints!!!

Hoping to be able to get back on the bike soon.....

Sick.......

I can't believe it, I never get sick, and yet here I am, less than 4 weeks out on the big adventure and I am sick. I don't mean, just not feeling well sick, but really sick. Sore throat and cough like I have never experienced. I'm so bummed, "The Ladies" were doing pace line training today, and even though I'm not very comfortable with pace lines, I was looking forward to it....and tommorw we're riding around South Mountain, I must be out there.....

My fabulous husband just took time out of his day to run to CVS to load up on cold remedies.....

It it hard to image that 4 weeks from today I will have started on the journey.....I will have completed the first day and the ride to Alpine...

The New Seat is GREAT!!!

I can't say enough about the fabuouls brooks saddle, I'm so glad I took the chance....I'll admit I was very worried after the first few rides....but now that I've put in my 200 hundred miles....it feels great....so, I've got the new seat, new gloves thanks to a birthday present from my sister along with a great horn so I can honk across the country....

.....now I just need a wind/rain resistant jacket....how to find one of those in AZ!

32 days and counting.....from the age of 50

Today I joined the ranks of 50 year olds. There's a big coffee mug sitting on my desk that shouts "the big 50" that has been passed around my family for more than a decade, and it finally reached my hands. I'm the last sibling that will receive it....this is a momentous day for me...

I'll admit that long go the age of 50 seemed ancient. Now, 75 seems young....as I work towards this trek across the country, I'll be trekking forward in a new chapter, post 50. I have to say it's a good feeling. I think 50 is a great age.....experience is the best teacher. I view life far differently now than I did in my 20's, 30's, and 40's. Age is a great stabilizer. I'm calmer now, there are less emergencies, things can wait...ok, so this is a bit philosophical...I do need to get working, there are things to do, like packing lists to create, training rides to take....and of course just overall trip preparedness....more on biking later....

Hill training......

Today I started Wednesday hill climbing training with my friend LaVerne, or as I call her, my coach. We tackled the Road to San Juan 6 miles down, then 6 miles up. I wish it would have been the other way around!

The spinning works, and I was able to climb with more ease than ever before. I will never get to a point where I love the hills, but I will get to a point where I can do it.....

I'm looking forward to Wednesday's now, adding an additional day of training....I can't believe we're counting down...30 days...it's time to get a packing list started, making sure my bike is in tip top shape....new shoes....rain jacket...lots of things to do.

I'm going to kick back with shorter rides this weekend and friends are here from out of town to help celebrate my 50th birthday on Monday. 50....1/2 a century....

39 Days and Counting.....

Sunday brought cold sunshine and clear skies to the valley....as we were pulling out on the ride this morning the thermometer read 36 degrees...that's cold.....I wonder if it will be that cold on the trip....should I really break down and get gloves...these are the larger than life questions that I ponder as I ride...ok, I do sometimes think about greater things...

Day 4 on the new seat, I'm really liking it now....39 days to go (WOW that's close!)

Back on the "seat" .....41 days to go....

Ride three with the new seat! Saturday was one of the most beautiful and relaxing rides ever. It was great to be out on the road again after all the rain. While it wasn't raining, we did encounter wet roads, mud, huge puddles...sand and gravel....all good training for the big adventure!!

The new seat was great, the leather must be starting to mould to me...it's hard to believe how a taughnt leather seat can be more comfortable than mega padding, but it is...

The ride on Saturday was a ride I had never done before, and again I was dreaming of being somewhere in TX or AL....uncharted territory....41 days to go.....

The countdown continues.....

The countdown continues, but without riding.....this is getting to be a very scarry thing. I rode last Friday (a week!) second day on the new seat, and it was a struggling day. Here it is a week later, and I still haven't been out.

Family and Job took me out of town for a few days, then I returned to RAIN and then more RAIN, yes, in Arizona. We've had over 1/2 of our annual rain fall in the last 4 days. Flooding, mudslides, tornado watch.....yikes are we in Kansas!

The ride is approaching ever quickly.....and here I sit, not checking out the new seat, not checking out the ride in the rain....

Oh, and next week family comes to visit and help me celebrate the big 50....yikes, I'm getting old....

The great debut....

I got the first ride in today with my new seat! Wow! A Brooks saddle, it was like sitting on a freshly polished church pew, lots of slipping and sliding...it was great, I think this will go down as a wise choice. I am still a bit nervous about making such a big change so close to the ride....

It was one of those "this is why we live in Arizona days" The first time I was able to wear shorts and not long pants and short sleeves in weeks.....it was just glorius.

So, I took a little spin from Javelina, down Frye, to Pecos, out to 17th Ave, then to Chandler. I took the right turn on Chandler as I have done so many times in the past, but today I pedaled past 5th Ave...basking in the sun, and as I rounded a corner, there it was a HUGE incline. As I caught my breath and thought "where did this come from" I remembered a little voice in my head (LaVerne saying one day, "If I let you keep going straight on Chandler, instead of turning on 5th Ave. you would kill me") So, I decied to use it as a teachable moment, and keep on riding, knowing that on the trip, there will probalby be many times when we round corners, and a HUGE incline appears. So, I just kept on riding and pretended to be in New Mexico.......

52 Days and Counting.......

The great news came today! My new Brooks seat awaits me at Javelina Cycles...I immediately took the bike to the shop....great anticipation for tomorrow....I can't wait to try it out.....

53 Days and Counting.......

Sunday was a bit of a slacker ride. After the hard push on Saturday, I opted for a loca ride by myself. I managed to find an almost level path in Ahwatukee. I'll admit I did very little climbing. I wanted to just ride, relax, dream of roads and paths to come, from San Diego to St. Agustine...

I was pleased to note that without focusing, and without pushing that I could hold 14 MPH, that's my new goal. I did manage an average speed of 13.73, I was pleased, and slept well!

54 Days and Counting............

Saturday's ride was rough...."The Ladies" met at the new Tribe, it was great to see the magnificent new store....lots to view and new biking items to check out....we set out to the gate (s mile climb on Via Linda)and the group I was with pushed me harder than I have ever riden before. Somehow, I got with the "fast" group....we rode at 17 - 19 MPH I hung in there, I couldn't believe it when I looked at my meter and I was riding that fast.....however, when we reached the beginning of the incline (prior to reaching the bottom of the 5 mile hill)I was not able to keep that pace...but completeing a 40 mile ride, with a 5 mile incline, along with head winds, in 3.5 hours was a new personal best....just maybe I can do this....

57 Days and Counting......

Took a much needed ride this morning, I know I've said this before but sunrise over Ahwatukee is beautiful. Today as I was climbing the 5th avenue incline, I was imagining being somewhere else....uncharted territory between San Diego and St. Augustine...a new hill that I had never conquered before. I must admit, I got goose bumps, thinking about new and exciting challenges. There will be many wonderful things about this adventure but one of the most exciting to me is that all will be new everyday....never taking the same road twice...I am so looking forward to that!

I have learned from my riding companions who have researched such things that day one out of San Diego we climb 2,000. while I approach that with trepidation, I am also comforted that I have done that (well almost, 1,800 ft.) before. Twice in fact. Once from N. Scottsdale to the Bartlett Lake cutoff and once to the towers in the South Mountain preserve. I think I can do it..... counting down the days....

61 days.....

I tremble a bit everytime I log the day....it's getting closer and closer. Had a great ride today. I now believe I will get back to the level I was before the crazy holiday festivities began. For a while there I was worried that I had lost everything....and that I would be starting at ZERO.

We rode the hills of Ahwatukee...30 miles, still holding the average speed at over 13 mph, which I am thrilled about...maximum speed only got to 28+ today.

I am so thankful for the nice weather, even though it did seem cold this morning at 40+, I heard from one of my adventure co-riders, she was waiting for it to warm up to 30 to head out today. Thank God for Arizona!

62 days......

It was great to be back with The Ladies today, a wonderful ride to start the new year of biking. We were riding right here in Ahwatukee...so the roads were familiar and it felt great to be back riding again.

The stats are as follows: 29.92 miles (just couldn't hit 30), average speed 13.37 and maximum speed 35.8 (my favorite!)

63 days.....the countdown begins

Happy New Year! So, here it is, 63 days until the big adventure starts. I've put most of my extra curricular activities on hold...ready to focus, ride, and continue training for the big ride...

I did take time for one additional movie today, so here's the review - INVICTUS is definintly worth it. I know nothing about rugby, but the story of Nelson Mandella, uniting a very racially divided nation, through the rugby world cup is refreshing and invigorating.....

Now it's back to biking, training, and if my meter ever starts working - stats. I'm eager to try out my christmas present of a new books seat...hope it's all it's cracked up to be...