An Across America Cycling Adventure

..."it sho am good!!"

2007-05-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Somewhere out West as Judd, Rob and I sat at dinner...we saw this old advertisement for flour. It was an African-American man saying..."it sho am good!". We quickly adopted this as our catch-phrase throughout the trip. If the road (or weather, or scenery or whatever...) was particularly good...one of us would say.."It sho am good"...and the others would chime in..." it sho am"!

I really had a great time! I went into this thinking it would be a "cycling" adventure. In reality...it turned into a "life" adventure! The thought of jumping into a group of 27 other cyclists was a bit scary for me. Those of you who ride with me know I can be a little picky about the people I surround myself with in "the pack". This group had all skill levels represented. There were strong, seasoned riders and there were relative newbies....some of which (because of the weather up north) had only trained a few days outdoors ( a few only on a trainer in the basement!)...with zero work in a paceline. They all ended up impressing me! When someone was having a bad day there'd be a crowd around them trying to cheer them on. People who had never met before became instant friends. And, I suspect...friends for life! We were all in this together. And you had a sense that the "group" would have done anything to get you to the end! It was pretty amazing to be a part of this experience. To the entire group and ABB staff...Thank you for an epic adventure! To my buddy's Rob and Judd (and Iain) ...I miss you already! My stomach isn't hurting today...the first day I haven't had to laugh thru a 10 mile climb (try it sometime...it's not easy!). I'll never forget this trip..and I thank you for making it so memorable. Rob couldn't resist and gave us "Moon over Kingston"...right down Main Street! I'm afraid that town will never be the same!! Stay safe out there my brothers!!!

To my beautiful and supportive wife, Katie: THANK YOU! Thank you for being so supportive and for insisting this was a "must-do" dream to fulfill. I could not have done this without you! I can't wait to see your beautiful face!

I hope everyone has enjoyed following along on this adventure! I had a bunch of photo ideas that I let slip...in favor of not turning this into "work". There were a few nights that I'd have rather gone to bed...but, I knew you were out there and I knew that you cared enough to check on me. For that I thank all of you!

See ya! dd

Day 32 Keene,NH to Salisbury Beach,Mass 125 miles

2007-05-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Today was another tough one...mentally, emotionally and physically! Plenty of really tough climbs...a few in the 12-15% grade. Our legs are really tired! We really tried to soak it all in today! We laughed and talked about all of things we have seen...and about how incredibly fortunate we are to have been able to be a part of such an amazing adventure!

We rolled out of Keene,NH pretty early...and were greeted by our first set of 15% hills. Not the way you want to start a ride after a full breakfast!! I know I was dragging about 5 pounds of pancakes up that hill! The weather was again...spectacular! Not a cloud in the sky all day and temps in the 80's! More beautiful country roads...then a few fairly busy highways into Salisbury,Mass. We passed thru our final series of wonderful small towns...many with American flags all along their Main Streets.
I will certainly miss starting my days like this.

Iain's wife, Liz, drove up from Boston...to cheer him on thru the final leg. After a quick hug and a kiss (and a photo-op) the "I-Man" was back on his bike...not wanting to lose "his inner climber"! He's done a great job getting thru this on minimal training! I've used the "find your inner climber" joke...as encouragement when he's struggling. Be proud "I-Man"!!!!

The last 40 or so miles were pretty tough. The early climbs (combined with the previous 15 days without a rest)...had begun to take a toll on me. I could tell I was "done"! There was a series of rollers near the end that made me start to wonder of I'd make it! Mentally...I was ready to be done! I wanted to get on a plane right then and there and get home to my Katie! But...I had to get this done...so I kept rolling. The plan was to gather the entire group at a stop on US 1....about 3 miles from the beach. From there we'd roll as a group into Salisbury Beach and the "wheel dip" in the Atlantic. "A.J." and Dave had taken another wrong turn and were a few miles back...so we had extra time to eat ice cream and talk until they arrived. It was a lot of fun! Finally, Mike came along with "A.J." and Dave in tow...and off we went. We rolled as a group along Rt 1A out of New Hampshire...and into Massachusetts...and Salisbury. Cars were honking and people were shouting from balconies as we passed! As we turned east at Salisbury Beach we caught our first glimpse of the Atlantic and a good size crowd of family and friends who had all come out to welcome us! It was pretty cool! We all did the wheel dip and then took the final group photo.

It wasn't until I called Katie that the emotions came over me. I couldn't speak for the first minute or so. (It's even hard to sit here in the airport and type without getting teary-eyed!) I am so fortunate to have such a supportive wife. I SURE DID MISS YOU KATIE!!! Thanks for making this dream of mine...a reality!

After the wheel dip ceremony, we got a Police escort back to the hotel in Amesbury,Mass. After a frantic bike packing session, it was off to get a shower and get ready for the banquet. They did a great job! Everyone had a chance to get up and speak about their adventure. Some were funny...some were emotional...all were heartfelt! It was really a nice way to finish off the ride. More than a few of us (me included) had trouble holding back the emotions.

2007-05-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

The final day ride profile. Combined with Wednesday's hilly route...we did more than 14,500 feet of climbing in the final two days!!! What a way to finish!

Glad we didn't have any "moose encounters" on the bombing descents today!

Early morning departure from Kenne,NH

Some of today's beautiful scenery!

Our special guest...Kasper!

2007-05-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

"I-Man" and his wife,Liz. Liz drove up from Boston and cheered us on most of the day. After a quick hug and kiss...the "I-Man" was back on his bike. There was still a lot of work to do before it was over!!

Rob, Liz, I-Man, me and Judd

Bill and Brian. Today was our last day for taking pictures of the group. Even Brian has gotten good at the "bike-cam"!

Rolling thru small town America! I will miss it!

New Hampshire

2007-05-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

Our last day roll thru the New Hampshire countryside

Rob working on his signature jersey

Mike Munk (our ride leader)...bringing in "A.J." and Dave. They had a way of getting off course...most days! We waited for them before rolling as a group to the beach.

The entire group rolling towards the end!

"I-Man" rolling the final miles to Salisbury Beach

2007-05-25T06:10:00.000-07:00

The final feet to the Atlantic!

Our "welcoming party" of family and friends at the beach in Salisbury,Mass

The "I-Man" family.

A triumphant "I-Man"!

Kasper and his family...all the way from Amsterdam!!

2007-05-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

We made it fella's!!

A triumphant Rob!

A triumphant Judd!

A big wave came in and soaked us as we posed for the group photo

Bob Long pouring the ceremonial water from the Pacific into the Atlantic

2007-05-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Boys!!! Thanks for a great trip!

Judd and his (very proud) Mom!

Our police escort from the beach to the hotel

My bike and junk inside the "aircaddy". I was in such a hurry...I just tossed everything in.

...and ready for shipping!

Day 31 Amsterdam,NY to Keene,NH 122 miles

2007-05-23T18:00:00.000-07:00

Another Top 5 day in my history of riding a bike! Weather...spectacular, scenery...spectacular, company...goofy as usual!
We left the hotel in Amsterdam this morning with about 15. Our plan was to ride hard on the connecting legs between towns and then take it easy and recover once we were in town. Our first hard effort seperated us from the group...Judd, me, Shane and Rob. We kept the pace up the first 16 miles into Milton, NY, where we slowed for some "recovery sightseeing". Then cranked it back up until we got to Ballston Spa. This is Saratoga County...big time horse country. Beautiful rolling hills of the greenest grass I have ever seen. Plenty of hills to make this a workout! We stuck with the plan til the first SAG at 40 miles...when we lost Shane. Shane is one of the ride leaders...and sometimes has to interupt his ride with official duties. He's great to have along as the 4th guy gives you a longer break between pulls at the front. The town of Hoosick got Rob and I started on another laugh-fest that lasted for miles! "Hoosick?"..."I'm not sick...you sick?" A modern day Abbott & Costello...ha! Rolled thru beautiful Bennignton,VT and then the "10 mile climb". Rob is a climbing machine...so the agreement was we'd regroup at the top. When I got to the top, Rob was waiting and we decided to have a little fun at Judd's expense. We hid behind a house just off the route. (Thanks for the idea Beasterling!!) Once he passed us we slipped in behind him. It was clear he was not happy we had left him....but pretty funny once he knew what had happened!! The climbs today were really tough. It's one thing doing 122 miles on legs that have been working so hard for so long...it's another thing to add in a couple thousand feet of climbing. Today we had a a bunch of small tough climbs, the 10-miler, a 4-miler and a couple 3-milers...and it got pretty hot just to make it interesting! Some screaming descents to help cool us off. We stopped at a bike shop in Brattleboro...a hopping little town that seems to love the outdoors. Lot's of kayaking, mountaineering, snow skiing & boarding and bike related outfitters. Looks like a fun place now...not sure I'd be able to handle it in the winter! Had a locally made root beer while Rob changed out a broken water bottle cage. We crossed into New Hamshire to get to tonight's hotel in Keene,NH. Tomorrow is the end! It will be another tough day. Some 15% climbs right out of Keene and then rollers most of the way to the Atlantic.

Today was great day to reflect on this trip. It's late and I have another 130 miles to ride tomorrow! So, I won't wax on too philosophically. We rode hard to test our legs...and we are all much stronger than when we started. I know I have become so much more aware of things around me...the sound of the water in the stream next to the road, the fresh smells that came from the Hudson Valley forest...the color of the sky and the amazing green of the hills. It has been a truly amazing experience! I am thankful to be blessed with the health to accomplish this journey...but mostly, I am grateful to my incredibly supportive and beautiful wife, Katie! Without her encouragement and support I would never have been able to do this. I love you Katie and can't wait to see you!

Shane, Rob, Judd and I...on our early get-away today!

Downtown Valley Falls,NY

We crossed the Hudson River and entered the Hudson River forest. A breathtakingly beautiful ride along the river...shrouded by trees.

Some really beautiful scenery today!

My good buddy "A.J." from the UK. This guy has powered his way across the USA...completely by himself! Most of us have ridden in small groups that make battling the headwinds considerably easier. A.J. just churns out the miles...and he does it on a 30lb bike!! He's my hero!

2007-05-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Vermont! Note Rob in his usual position.

Tulips!!

The beauty of today's route

The road into Bennington,VT

At the top of today's 10 mile climb...Rob and I jumped behind this house and let Judd go by. Then followed him down the hill. The agreement was that we'd meet at the top. It was pretty clear he was not happy we had left him. He got a good laugh when we came up from behind.

2007-05-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Today's self-portrait. Nice "zinc job"...eh?

Getting ready to make a withdrawal from the First Gravitational Bank of Vermont!

Me...with the Green Mountains of Vermont as a background

For most of the day...the road followed along this river. It was amazing to ride along to the sound of the water rushing.

More beautiful roads

2007-05-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to New Hampshire!

Pretty beautiful out there today!!

The boys entering Brattleboro. This town was hopping! They have definitely figured out how to make things work. With such a vibrant downtown...I'd venture a guess there was no Walmart or Target close by.

One of our river crossings today

Day 30 Liverpool,NY to Amsterdam,NY 120 miles

2007-05-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

Beautiful weather again today...40 degrees at the start...and up to the 70's by the time we rolled into Amsterdam. It was a little crazy out there today. I find it interesting that in a trip across the entire country...it's not until we get into New York (which would probably argue it is "the" most sophisticated state) that the crazy people come out to harrass us! What's up with these NY drivers??? We had an old lady run me completely off the road...and at least 5 other cars full of idiots who thought it would be great fun to yell out the window at us. Other than that...it was another spectaular day on the bike!
Today's route took us across Rt. 5E...thru more than a dozen small towns. Many of which date back to the mid-1700's. Most have seen better days. It's really sad to see what bad shape these historic areas are in. Some pretty important events in our nation's history took place around here. We crossed portions of the Erie Canal, we checked out one of the first fortified farms to be established in what was then Mohawk indian country. We also passed a bunch of historic homes and meeting places. It was fun to see. A mix of road surfaces today from ultra-smooth with a wide shoulder to chip n' seal with no shoulder. We really had to be on out toes! A good bit of long climbs again today...with two more days of it before we reach the Atlantic.
I definitely feel more powerful. The last few days of having to sit while climbing have also helped. I was able to stand and climb today...WOW, what a difference. My ribs still hurt, though mostly when I laugh...which is a lot!

I can't believe how many women mow the lawn up here. I would say that well over 3/4 of the people we have seen mowing the lawn are female. Riding mowers, push mowers...heck, in the Mennonite areas I saw women using old manual mowers!
I think the smell of fresh cut grass will always remind me of this journey.

Only two days left!!! They'll both be tough! I really want to gauge my fitness...so, I think I'll work hard both days. We've been taking it easy and "soaking in" the last few days.

Mike warned us all today that we should start "tapering down" from the huge meals. Without expending those 4000+ calories a day....one could swell up in a hurry! Cutting back on breakfast will be the hardest for me. At home, a big bowl of cereal is all I usually need before a long ride. Now that I have grown accustomed to the "Grand Slam"...it could be a challenge.

Gotta get some sleep! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and miss you Katie!

My last Denny's on this trip...and, hopefully, FOREVER!

Today's profile. Yes, it was a little hilly! Tomorrow and the last day are supposed to offer considerably more climbing

The World's Smallest Church in Canastota,NY

New York Rt 5E

2007-05-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

The Fort Klonk site. This was a fortified group of farms built in the mid-1700's. Forified against the Mohawk Indians who were probably not too happy to have them as neighbors!

New York RT. 5E

The town of Little Falls,NY

Cows do go to church!

The guy who built this house invented the "sleeper car" for the railroads. It has fallen into a severe state of disrepair.

2007-05-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today's sky matched with the green of springtime made for some spectacular views.

The traffic in Nelliston was much heavier than we had expected...and very little road shoulder thru town.

Rollin' down Rt. 5E

The New York State countryside. Tomorrow it' s over those hills!

Many of the towns we rolled thru today have seen better days. It seems textiles were the main industry...and when those jobs all went to Bangladesh and China...these places fell on hard times. It's really pretty sad to see.

Day 29 Batavia,NY to Liverpool,NY (Syracuse) 121 miles

2007-05-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

Only 3 more days left! I can almost smell the Atlantic Ocean! I sure do miss Katie and can't wait to see her again!

Another cold start this morning...39 degrees. It only got into the 60's, but stayed sunny all day. A stark contrast to yesterday!
Rob, Judd and I rolled out last this morning along with Team Europe. After an early flat in Team Europe...we rolled slowly ahead. Apparently, there was a multiple flat problem and we never saw them again until the first SAG at mile 36. We were still the second to the last group...with everyone else out in front. We were definitely not in a hurry today! After SAG we only passed a couple of other riders. Not until the lunch SAG did we even see the others...and only as they were leaving. It was nice to take it easy today. I think the slower pace helped my ribs and back today. I want to be really strong for Wednesday & Thursday. We rolled thru some more beautiful little towns and the boys had fun sprinting to the city limit signs. I actually snuck a couple wins of my own in today. I've enjoyed downplaying their wins with "go ahead...take advantage of a crippled old man" (me). I'll give them a run for their money in the final couple of days!

Huge thanks to Rob for working on my back and ribs last night! It hurt like crazy while he was doing it...but it did the trick. I could stand to pedal today and the pain wasn't nearly as bad as the last few days.

Got a haircut in Liverpool and had the usual response of amazement from the owner and patrons when they heard what we've been doing. Dinner tonight at the Colorado Mine Co. I was in the mens room when someone (guess who) started signing "You ain't nothin' but a hound dog..." over the intercom. Dining out with Rob is always an adventure!

We've got an early start in the morning...with a Denny's breakfast at 5:30A...woohooo!

Gotta get some sleep.

Breakfast was scheduled for 6A...do you think this group is ready to eat? Check the clock!

Glad I found out...even more glad I have already spent the month "celebrating"!

A beautiful Upstate New York road

and...another!

2007-05-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

My favorite sign..."truck-on-cheese"! It means a screaming downhill is coming!

We passed a group of vintage street rods today

Rob along the shore in Geneva,NY

Robb wins the sprint finish into Geneva...

Judd wins the sprint finish into Waterloo. I should be up for a little speedplay tomorrow...the ribs are feeling much better today!

2007-05-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

Rob filling up on "high-test"!

A New York State country road

The entry road into Liverpool,NY

Bella Bakery in Liverpool, NY..did some damage here!

Entering Syracuse. What a forward thinking community to have planned beautiful bike lanes like this.

Day 28 Dunkirk,NY to Batavia,NY 89 miles

2007-05-20T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today was pay-back for yesterday! It was raining and cold all day. My bike and my entire body were coated in NY States finest road grime. When I took off my leg warmers there was a “grime-line”. We rolled along the shore of Lake Erie north on Rt. 5 for the first 5 miles…then swung inland towards Batavia. We stopped in Orchard Grove to visit the World’s Largest collection of vintage bicycles. It was cool to learn the history of the bicycle…especially when you realize that many of the early roads were built for them, as cars had not yet been invented! Try explaining that to the next impatient driver who yells at you! The most amazing piece of history was a collection of memorabilia celebrating Thomas Stevens. Mr Stevens was the first person to ever ride a bike across the USA. He started in San Francisco and finished in New York…in 1884! There were no roads at the time…and certainly no Denny’s! How could you possibly ride across the USA without a Grand Slam to start your day? By the time we finished at the bike museum…it was raining pretty hard! A miserable trip into Batavia. I was freezing cold. We swung thru town to find some “local grub”…and ended up at a great pizza spot that was still hopping at 3:30P! I love a NY pizza!

Because it was so cold my ribs and back were really sore today…so I’m loading up on ibuprofen again. The last 4 days are all 120+ with plenty of hills. I still can’t stand to pedal (even to climb!), so I’m working the same muscles all day. The last day (Thursday)promises to be a real test of our fitness with several very long 15% climbs…one right out of the hotel. Hoping it’s warmer in the morning

Me, testing out a “bone-shaker”…just what I need!

The Thomas Steven’s memorabilia. That must have been one tough trip!

Just about every bike ever made

Judd...begging samples from the girls in the Candy Store in Batavia

My “grime-line”

Day 27 Niles,OH to Dunkirk,NY 138 miles @ 18.4mph

2007-05-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Not much to say about today other than...EPIC! "THE" best ride of my life! The weather was chilly and sunny at the start and stayed cool the rest of the day. Mostly because we rode along the eastern shore of Lake Erie for over 50 miles with a 20+mph tailwind...woohoo! Left Niles,OH and traveled thru more spectacular Ohio farmlands...then into Pennsylvania. The first half of Pennsylvania was mostly forest...then turned into the vineyards as we got to Lake Erie. The lake was truly spectacular! Bright blue like the sky! Beautiful homes perched all along the cliff a couple hundred feet above the water. A lady we met (who lives right on the cliff) explained that they get very little snow and that it really doesn't get that cold as the lake helps moderate the temps.

It was really a great day! Great views, great friends and lot's of laughs! And a trip to the winery just to top it off! I doubt the Concord from Penn Shore winery will make Owlman's "wine thread" on the Windermereroadies site...but it sure was good on a day like today! Hey, suddenly my ribs don't hurt quite as much!

Rob and I have been duking it out with Judd trying to win sprints to the "City Limit" signs. Since none of us have every ridden the route (and have no idea where the signs will be)...we've all got to be on our toes! Go too early and Judd will be able to ramp up his sprinter legs and run you down. I go for the stealth approach. I look far ahead to see the sign and then slowly drop back...lulling him into thinking I haven't seen it...then I jump with a surprise attack! It's my only hope!

I hope today's pictures tell the story!! 138 miles of pure bliss! It's funny how easy it is to ride these distances now. We have all gotten really strong.

I am a very fortunate man! I love you Katie!

Me and my shadow!

Rob and Judd in the early morning light

Ken and his shadow

Rob and Judd

The last of the beautiful Ohio farmlands

2007-05-19T16:43:00.000-07:00

Our early group of Rob, Judd and Ken. We like having Ken ride with us...but he's a huge history buff and likes to stop at every historical marker (and there are a lot of them out here). He never stays with us long.

A typical intersection in the Ohio farmlands

Farm & field

Pacelining trees

An Ohio Mennonite greeting!

2007-05-19T16:38:00.000-07:00

"I-Man", Judd,Rob and me...Welcome to Pennsylvania!!

Voted "Most Scenic SAG Stop"

Some beautiful country roads

Rolling thru the first of Pennsylvania's vast coastal vineyards

Pick your Christmas tree now and save!

2007-05-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

The beauty of Pennsylvania roads

Judd on the Erie Bike Way. There was a big local cycling event today, so it got busy. One stud flew by us on a Trek Team bike and I yelled..."we'd kick your butt if we didn't have 3100 miles in our legs!!" He slowed to talk and was impressed by our trip!

Homes of Erie,PA

"T.C." from Erie,PA...Today's winner of "Pimp my Bike"

Landes' pre-winery stop jersey! Enough snacks to keep everyone happy

2007-05-19T16:26:00.000-07:00

Me at Lake Erie. The day started at 37 degrees and only got up to about 62. Pretty cold near the lake with a stiff wind.

Judd and Rob at Lake Erie

Vineyard with a view

Some really beautiful coastal Pennsylvania vineyards

The selection

Day 27 pics

2007-05-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

No wine snob...that's for sure! If it pours into a glass...I'll drink it!

The tasting at Penn Shore Winery. I doubt it will ever make Owlman's wine thread...but it sure tastes great on an epic day like today!

Eat your heart out Mike Starr!! When pressed for a way to get some wine another 40 miles to Dunkirk...our man Rob volunteered to carry the load!

Lot's of beautiful homes along the shore of Lake Erie

Rob, me and Judd...Welcome to New York!

2007-05-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Nothing like cruising down the highway at 27mph without peddling. We had huge tailwinds for the last 60 miles today....weeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Dear Owlman, I have found the perfect summer home for you and Mrs. Owl! Great views, great cycling...and it's smack dab in the middle of a vineyard! What more could you ask for?

Mike snapping an action shot of Judd

Rob along the coast of beautiful Lake Erie

At dinner (immediately following our ride today)...this lady walks in and announces: "you cyclist's got some fine behinds"! Here she is comparing "booties" with Kasper

Day 26 Wooster,OH to Niles,OH 95 miles

2007-05-18T16:17:00.001-07:00

Mike mentioned at route rap this morning that with only a week left, "now is the time to soak it all in!" Many of us have been pushing pretty hard. His point was well taken. Everyone seemed to take today much easier than we have been. It was a good thing for me. After yesterday's low-speed crash...my shoulder was fine, but my ribs were killing me! Mike asked "how ya feelin'"...and I replied "I'm fine as long as I don't breathe or tense my muscles"!! With a 95 mile day with hills...that was gonna be tough! It was! I tried to stay stretched out in my aerobars, but everytime I had to sit up it hurt like crazy. The hills were also tough because standing to pedal is hard. I joked later in the day that..."wild dogs could chew off my leg and I would finish this ride"!

It was about 40 degrees and sunny at the start. It only got up to around 60...so I had my tights, silk undershirt and long-sleeved jersey on all day. More beautiful farmlands today...with a few more hills sprinkled in. We also got into some really nice residential areas with 5-10 acres of land. They looked to be pretty pricey. Lot's of horses out here as well. With everyone taking it easy today we tended to clog up the roads. So...Rob,Judd and I rode about 1/2 mile behind the "clog". We've tried to be as low-impact on the cars we share the road with as possible. In the entire trip...we have only had 22 "honks". I keep track of them as "Members of the Rob Landes Fan Club". We don't know how many of those are friendly honks...but I suspect most are. We've only had one driver "freak-out" on us and start yelling.

The last part of the ride into Niles, took us down a beautiful "rails to trails" path...lined with trees and paved with the smoothest surface ever. Our hotel was short on non-smoking rooms...so I am in the Nicotine Suite. I've had the door open since 3P and have emptied 2 cans of air freshener to try to make it livable. It really stinks!

Tomorrow is another long one at 137 miles (and 3 states OH,Penn, NY)...into Dunkirk,NY. We'll be riding along the eastern shore of Lake Erie most of the day. We are all hoping for tailwinds as we've now been battling headwinds for almost two weeks! The headwinds wear me down more than the hills!

After a hot bath and some ibuprofen my sore ribs seems to be doing better. We'll see tomorrow.

2007-05-18T16:03:00.000-07:00

The group..."soaking it all in!"

Rob rolling down Stoner Road...far out man! Some really beautiful country neighborhoods today. Reminded me of western North Carolina

Today had a few hills...in case we didn't get enough yesterday!

Landes crams more stuff into the back of his jersey than Mike Starr. He's got 2 sandwiches, a bunch of cookies and a banana. If he got lost he wouldn't starve!

Rolling down the trail into Niles,OH

Day 25 Marysville,Ohio to Wooster, Ohio 105 miles @ 16.4 mph

2007-05-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

We woke to rain this morning...and it was cold! Breakfast at Waffle House...our first. I enjoyed it as I had been doing some "food training" at the Waffle House across the street from my office in the week's leading up to this ride. Everyone seemed to want to take it easy today....even the boys in Team Europe. I think they stopped for coffee in every town we passed thru! Judd, Rob and I rode with Iain most of the day. The route took us down Ohio Rt. 602, which is now my favorite section of road we have ridden. Absolutely beautiful farmland and big, long rolling hills...similar to Sugarloaf Mountain back home (only spread over 40+ miles!!). The rain let up by noon, but it stayed pretty cold! I've been trying to get photos of sheep for Sheepman. Today a spotted a beautiful flock off to my right about 30 feet from the road. The grass is really thick and green up here and there was (what I thought) a great little patch of lawn that I could roll onto...right up to the fence for a photo. About 15 feet into my side trip...I realized the grass looked a little different, longer perhaps and maybe disguise a....HOLE!! Just that instant the alarms went off in my head! The next thing I knew my front wheel dropped completely into the hole and I did what Mountain Bikers refer to as a "full end-o"! Over the bars and crashing on my left shoulder. I could here the sound of cartilege and instant pain in my shoulder as I piled into the grass....bike on top of me!! Fortunately...it was a grass landing! The rest of the ride was pretty painful. I was more mad at myself than anything. Got back to the hotel and Rob took a look (he's a PT so he know's his stuff). Nothing broken...full range of motion. It's gonna hurt like crazy for a few days. I've started a Fosters and ibuprofen campaign to battle the pain. It seems to be working so please forgive any typo's.

I have really enjoyed seeing these old farm homes...and thinking of how tough (and adventurous) the early settlers had to be.
Lot's more horse and dairy farms here as well.

Today's rain and mud mean I need to get to "mechanic's"...our scheduled time with Shane and Mike to go over any maintenance or preventitive maintenance issue on our bikes. Mine needs a thorough cleaning of the drivetrain tonight!

I sure do miss Katie!

These historic homes dot the countryside along our route

Judd sporting some improvised rain gear for his helmet from the hotel "amenity packet"

Red Barn # 3004

Judd pointing out that the road drops off to the right

Llama

2007-05-17T13:57:00.000-07:00

Downtown Frederictown, Ohio.

Iain and Judd were ahead of us thru this section of farm roads...where navigation can get very tricky. They missed this turn at Butler-Newville Rd. I thought about letting them climb that hill and figure it out on their own...but instead yelled for them to turn back! It's easy to get mesmerized by the sights out here and miss a turn.

Rob, Iain and Judd in full rain gear!

Rob and Judd about to make a withdrawal from the First Gravitational bank of Ohio!

Rob and Judd makng another deposit in the same bank where they just made a withdrawal!

Day 25 pics

2007-05-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

Iain making his way up another long climb

Ohio Rt. 603...a cyclists dream!

Another view of Ohio Rt. 603...my new favorite road!

Corn crib detail

This place could use an "Extreme Landscaping Makeover"!

Big Thanks for the Baked Goods!

2007-05-16T18:03:00.000-07:00

To Judd's Mom and Iain's daughter's Sarah and Allie...THANKS for thinking of us!
Your goodies have been a huge hit! A little taste of home! My belly is full!

Day 24 Richmond,IN to Marysville,OH 105 miles

2007-05-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

While I was posting late last night..I could hear thunder and rain. It was still wet as we rolled out of Richmond,IN this morning. Just a few miles in we crossed into Ohio...another state closer!! The weather stayed pretty gloomy throughout the day...with a few light sprinkles as we got close to Marysville. The first 65 miles of todays ride was along the Cardinal Bike Route. It's a beautiful road that goes across Ohio farmlands that look just like those in Indiana! Lot's of historic houses out here. I forgot to mention that the last 40 miles of yesterday's ride were along historic Rt. 40. Also known as the National Trail, it was commissioned in 1806 as the first "highway" into the center of the country. The houses along the route were really amazing. The cemeteries are also quite beautiful. The earliest tombstone I have seen was from 1854. It's really cool seeing this bit of American history.

I rode with Team Europe for most of the day today..while Judd* and Rob took today off as recovery. Tomorrow is all hills...again! The winds are forecast at 20 mph from the north...directly into our faces. I am not looking forward to this one!
It's also gotten cold. The forecast is for low 40's in the morning and highs in the mid-50's.

Judd and I go on high alert as we enter town. We look for either a place to get a "local meal", a milkshake or a bakery. Today, we caught a glimpse of Mrs. Renisons Doughnut Shop. As we passed I could smell the aroma of fresh doughnuts. They were magnificent. I had 2 regular glazed...way better than Krispy Kreme...and chocolate cake that was out of sight! Searching for and finding these little places has become an art form!

Sorry to cut this short again tonight. I need some sleep!

Welcome to Ohio!

*Judd rode with us for a bit today. It gave me a chance to take a photo that illustrates how the liitle guy in a paceline can use a big guy as a wind block. Here Big Greg provides a nice "out-of-the-wind" spot for little Judd. The wind is coming from the left.

My buddy Bill...pulling the gang across Ohio

Day 24 pics

2007-05-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

Lovin' a Mrs. Renison's doughnut! Is it just me...or does it look like her portrait was drawn by the guy who draws the "Bevis & Butthead" cartoons?

I loved the "Master Tinkerer" sign and the stuff in the window. I wish he'd been open.

A Marysville,OH home

Ohio farmscape

Some of the great architecture in downtown Marysville,OH

Day 23 Lebanon,IN to Richmond,IN 112 miles

2007-05-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Day 23 The Update!

The first 20 miles of our ride out of Lebanon to Richmond started out great. We passed thru more of the beautiful countryside we have enjoyed for the last few days. The only problem was it seemed to be "spray day" in the fields. The first blast was ammonia. Apparently, they inject it into the soil to activate the nitrogen. It about knocked me out! The middle of the ride, however, was a bit more nerve wracking. The route took us across the NE corner of Indianapolis' sprawl. Miles and miles of what used to be corn and wheat fields...now being turned into subdivisions! Cement trucks and haulers of all sizes try to squeeze by us on very narrow roads. It reminds me of what is happening on the west side of Orlando. Once we got clear of the Indy area...it was back to farmlands. The winds stayed pretty strong again today...alternating from cross to tail winds as we turn north and east on these farm roads.

I stayed up way too late doing 4 days of blog backlog...and paid the price for it today!

Today was tough. More crosswinds and hills...I'm tired!
It's time for this blogger to go to sleep! 5A wake-up in the morning! Details tomorrow!!

Visited the ROARK (no relation unfortunately!) bicycle factory today. This titanium track bike won "Best Titanium" at this years Hand-made Bike Show. It is beautiful!

Today's view

Judd and I trying to outrun some farm machinery!

Day 22 Tuscola,Ill to Lebanon,In 121 miles @ 18.5mph

2007-05-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

Absolutely perfect riding conditions again today! Another state closer to Massachussets!! We had a very strong wind out of the south today. The roads we ride are set up in grid pattern. About 1/2 the time we ride to the east...the other 1/2 to the north. When the wind is from the south, as it was today...it makes for some screaming fast tailwind legs! Most everyone ate breakfast in the hotel...except Ken and I, who opted for Dennys'! Neither of us able to pass up a real breakfast....especially with a 123 mile ride ahead! We watched the group roll by as we ate...figuring they had about a 20 minute head start. Shane came by to pay the bill...so it would be the 3 of us trying to make up the time we'd lost eating! Leg 1 was a crosswind to the east. Leg 2 was a 12 mile downwind section to the north...wooohoo! Shane is a powerhouse...so off we went! The two of us worked at the front with Ken hanging on as we stuck it at around 28-30mph! There were sections where we got to 32+. Around mile 18 , someone in Team Europe flatted. It's Shanes's job to help change flats...so it was down to Ken and I. I felt great today and kept the pace up...trying to get back up with Rob and Iain! These are little tiny field roads about 1 1/2 cars wide. You can go 10 miles without a car passing. It was funny to come upon Rob and more of the Landes clan out in the middle of an Illinois cornfield. She even had a sign that read: "Hi cousin Rob Landes"! I joked "what's next...skywriting?"
It's good to be another state closer to Mass. I have really enjoyed riding thru this part of the country. Our hotel tonight is directly across from a White Castle burger joint. I think there's one in my future!

Day 22 pics

2007-05-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Indiana!! If you look closely, you can see the gnats stuck in my zinc!

"Rotten" Rob...outside a bike shop in Crawfordsville.

Judd and his Mom!

Indiana farmhouse

A little excitement in Lebanon, In...a car fire!

Day 21 Springfiled,Ill to Tuscola,Ill. 77 miles @ 18.1mph

2007-05-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

Mikes said at last night's route rap..."tomorrow is really easy on paper. Unfortunately, we don't ride on paper!!" Man was he right! With only 77 miles to go we got to sleep in late. 7:30 IHOP breakfast and a 9A load....a full 2 hours later than usual. Rob's wife, 3 kids and his parents were all visiting last night and will follow us to Tuscola before heading home. It was great to meet them. Today's route was much like yesterday's...with miles and miles of dead flat cornfileds dotted with farms. The late start set us up for another long day of brutal headwinds...with little out there to break up the wind. From the start it was tough. We knew at the lunch SAG we'd need to get with a bigger group. The 3 of us would not make good time in these winds! About 5 miles out of the SAG we saw a big group coming up on us...and decided to jump on. Good decision!!! There were about 11 total and that is way more efficient than 3 of us working. The weather was once again...perfect! The roads were amazingly uncrowded. I think we had maybe a dozen cars pass all day. We went thru another small Memonite Community just before entering Tuscola. You can usually tell by the funny buggy tracks and horse poop in the road. I still marvel at their simple way of life. When you see a buggy cruising down the road and realize that is their "car"! I am really hoping the winds swing around for us tomorrow. We've had headwinds for over a week and that makes even the low-mileage days like today pretty tough!

Jammin across the cornfields of Illinois

My POV most of the day

Check out that street name. Judd doing some interpretation of his own in the background!

Typical Illinois farmhouse

A group assault against a very strong headwind. Steve (aka, The Abilene Machine") with a long train behind.

Day 21 pics

2007-05-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

This is just part of the Landes clan that turned out to cheer Rob and our group on!

Rob's son Peyton trying to pump 120lbs of air pressure with only 50lbs!

Shane...making sure we din't end up in Kentucky!

Much easier to fight the headwinds with a big group

Today's flat section

Day 20 Quincy, Ill to Springfield,Ill 107 miles @ 18.3mph

2007-05-15T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today was the birth of the “Poodleboys”! It’s kind of a long story: On one of my last long solo training rides…I was riding along the Seminole County section of the Cady Way Trail, which happens to run near a couple of homeless camps. I was cruising along minding my own business when I approached a guy who was clearly homeless riding his bike (bags of cans, blankets, etc. draped off the frame). As we entered an intersection…I stopped for traffic…he kept right on going, as if he owned the road! Cars screeched to a halt…he just kept rolling. I eventually caught up to him and as I passed I said “Howdy”…and kept rolling. I heard him mutter, just loud enough for me to hear…”I bet you own a poodle”. Clearly, a derogatory comment (lycra shorts, shaved legs…). I slowed and asked …”what did you say?”…to which he responded…”I said excuse me sir”. I replied, “good answer” and went on my way. About 20 feet later I looked back just as he swung a left into his “camp”. He quickly stood up and shouted…” what I really said was…I BET YOU OWN A POODLE!!!!” I bust out laughing!

So, back to yesterday, Iain was riding with us and conversation somehow turned to the various “groups” that have formed on this ride. We call Kasper’s group of Greg, Paul and Bill…Team Europe. Mostly because for the first 3-4 days Kasper and Guenter rode together. Team Europe now refers to any group that includes Kasper! Judd asked Iain what we were called. Word is we were being referred to as the “Hammerheads”. Rob thought we should change our names …and quickly came up with “The Poodleboys”! So, during last night’s route rap with Mike, he mentioned we’d all be riding 14 miles out to the breakfast location in Liberty,Ill. He also made it clear that he wanted to handicap the start…”Hammerheads” starting 15 minutes behind everyone else! That’s when the “Poodleboy’s” became official! By the way, Mikes Place in Liberty, Ill. has the best breakfast I have had on this entire trip…and you know “I likes me some breakfast”!
The handicapping was completely ineffective! We decided to crank the speed up right out of the hotel…and by mile 10 had reeled in everyone who had been allowed to leave earlier. We got to Mikes and grabbed a seat…we were hungry!

Today was another picture perfect day. Clear skies and highs in the 70’s. We passed thru some really nice small towns and miles of wide-open farmlands…that stretched out dead-flat to the horizon. The 30 mile section between Jacksonville and the outskirts of Springfield were pretty brutal with 20+ mph headwinds and about only about a dozen trees to buffer the wind. It’s amazing what a small bunch of trees can do to make peddling easier. We started across with a group of 6-7 and ended up with just the 3 of us.
It’s great to have Rob and Judd, as we are very well matched as cyclists. We are all 3 very safe riders and have developed a good system of visual and audible queues to help avoid hazards in the road. When you are pace-lining…the guy in front is responsible for calling out holes, cracks or debris that may take down the riders behind.

Springfield is a really beautiful town. Most of the downtown area was closed today. We visited the local bike shop…searching for close-out bargains! Dinner tonight was at Bob Evans. Rob mentioned to the waitress that “he usually insists upon a kitchen tour before ordering”…bear in mind , this is Bob Evans!! He never stops!

The Landes family came from all over Illinois today to cheer Rob on. If they aren’t here today…they’ll be coming soon! I believe half of this state is related to him!

The pies at Mikes Place!

My breakfast at Mikes Place!

a view of today's route

when it's flat...it's really flat! But the winds more than make up for it. Today, they were really howling!!

Rob and Jeff about to cross the Illinois River

Day 20 pics

2007-05-15T18:05:00.000-07:00

Meet the "Poodleboys"!

Me

Judd

Rob says..." my taxes paid for that shiny silver paint job on the Capitol!"

the flatness of the countryside

Day 19 Kirksville,MO to Quincy,Ill 97 miles @ 17.4 mph

2007-05-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day! Clear skies and lows in the 60’s…warming to 88 as we rolled into Quincy,Ill. The first 65 miles of today’s ride from Kirksville,MO to the Mississippi River were still pretty hilly. All of us were a bit sore from yesterday’s hill-fest! Today’s were just long and high enough that you couldn’t roll over the top with the speed from the previous descent. Beautiful country roads dotted with horse, cattle and dairy farms. All but a few immaculately maintained (unlike the West!). We treated today’s 97 miles as recovery ride to yesterday’s 145 miler! The non-stop hills still made it tough! It was really cool to see the Mississippi River for the first time. We crossed it on a small ferry...with 15 of us along with a semi loaded with nitrogen and a family out on a fishing excursion. Another state behind us! Once we crossed the Mississippi, the terrain turned dead flat! I mean f.l.a.t….flat! We rolled along the base of a ridge about a mile or so to the east of the river. Nothing but farmland as far as you could see.

Quincy, Ill. is a really nice little town with some very impressive mansions and beautiful tree-lined streets. We stopped at the legendary “Maid-Rite” for a milkshake and a “Maid-Rite” signature burger…really more of a sloppy joe without the sauce. The waitress said they’ve been made the same way since 1924. People come from miles away to eat here. At 3P it was packed!!! We opened the front door and walked in…4 guys in cycling clothes…hot, sweaty and hungry. The entire place went hush and everyone turned in mid-bite to look. Right on queue, Rob announces: “we’re here!!”. Everyone goes back to their “Maid-Rites”…all is good! I always try to engage the locals. They are always curious about where we are going and where we came from. I love the look on their faces when they hear we left LA 19 days ago. Most are simply amazed…they’ve never heard of such a thing! “Why would you ride your bike across the country? Heck, I wouldn’t even drive my car across the country!” One old guy said to me. All offer words of encouragement…even if they don’t “get it”! At today’s first SAG I met a guy named Jim Fast. Ironic name as Jim doesn’t appear to move from the front porch of the local service station much! Great guy who loves to come out and cheer on long-distance cyclists! Meeting a guy like him can really make your day!

I rode alone a good bit today. I find that when I do that I take more photos. When I got to the hotel tonight I discovered my mac battery was dead…even worse it was not charging.
I rode 5 miles back into town to the local mac dealer and got only bad news. The power port has come dislodged form the motherboard…NOT a good thing!

Me and my man, Jim Fast!

The beauty of Eastern Missouri...I loved this section of the ride...even with the hills!

They just kept coming...

Ken and Judd on either hill 19 or 20...I lost count early on!

2007-05-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

Cyclist scarecrow

The "I-Man"...conqueror of hills!

My first view of the Mississippi River. We ate lunch under these trees...crosssed the river in the ferry and actually caught up to this tug and barge as we got into Quincy!

On the ferry across the mighty Missip'

Once we crossed the Mississippi, it got totally flat!

Day 19 pics

2007-05-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

Rob...aka "Mr. Cool". It got pretty hot out there today...and we can always count on him to lighten things up!

Up the hill into Quincy,Ill.

The pies at the Maid-Rite...YUMMY!

Rob, Judd and Iain surveying the damage after a low-speed crash leaving the Maid-Rite. Milkshake coma? Everyone was fine...Iain has a really cool "chain-ring" tattoo on his thigh after this one!

One of Quicy,Ill's beautiful homes!

We're Baaaack!

2007-05-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Thanks Katie for all of your excellent coordination and support! I sure do miss you!!!
And big thanks to my pals Gene, Buddy and Paulette for all they did to get me thru "The Mac Crash"!!

I just finished 5 days of photo edit and as soon as I get some food in my belly (today was tough!)...I'll get everyone caught up with what has happened since last Friday! Sorry for the technical difficulties!

d

Uh-Oh...

2007-05-11T16:34:00.001-07:00

Friday, May 11

I'm sorry to share the news that David's Mac laptop has 'died'. He's in Quincy, Illinois tonight, and managed to find a Mac. repair shop this afternoon, and received the news. He's going to make a call Monday and see if it's possible to have another Mac laptop over-nighted.

They crossed the Mississippi river today, and David has stories and photos he was looking forward to sharing...I'm sad he won't be able to post, and hope he can secure another laptop so we can continue to enjoy his adventure.

Katie

Day 18 St. Joseph,MO to Kirksville,MO 146 miles @ 19.6mph

2007-05-10T17:39:00.000-07:00

I must admit...today was the day I really wanted to have a great ride. It is the longest day of the tour and I wanted to test out the fitness and strength all of these miles have put into my legs! Rob, Judd and I have all been trying to ride smart the last few days leading up to the rest day. We took it easy yesterday by just adding in a few hard efforts across a relatively easy 89 miles. We all felt great today! We had a great strategy for dealing with the hills...where drafting is less effective. The guy on the front would roll into the valley...just as the climb began the opther two would roll thru and give him a wind break...the collective momentum helped us get up over 50 tough hills today. Today's course was by far the most beautiful of the tour. We made it Kirksville at 2:45PM! I honestly thought I would prefer riding out west...but the beauty of west-central Missouri is really something to see. Around every corner is some really cool little town or farmhouse. Beautiful horses, cows and ....oh, yeah...DOGS! The problem with riding with Rob is this: I'm on the front as we approach a farmhouse...I scan the front yard for dogs and see one...he is completely unaware of our presence...I give Rob the "silence" sign and he blurts out..."another dog?"...loud enough to be heard 1/2 a mile away...the dog immediately turns and gives chase...focusing on, you guessed it, ME! This happened about 5 times today! Each time I get this huge rush of adrenoline that only lasts 10 seconds (enough for a quick sprint until Fido gives up!)...then turns my legs to rubber! The highlight of the day was passin thru the Mennonite community of Jamesport,MO. It is really amazing to think that people still live such a simple life. Makes you wonder if what you are doing is really that important after all???!!! We were really flying again today...and got out ahead of our SAG support. Barbara flagged us down for water and we noticed that Mike had made a trip into the bakery in Jamesport There were fresh cinnamon buns and we were hungry. Barb had to fend us off like wild dogs! They were really tasty! My computer battery is about to die...gotta go! dd

Today's killer profile

Early morning roll thru the country

Sheepman!

2007-05-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

I've been on the lookout for sheep since we started this ride. Here ya go Nora!

Cresting a hill in the early morning

All of those miles in the west and we never really saw a "Cowboy" on a horse. Today, in Missouri...we did...go figure!

The "3-pack" plus Pam. She rode with us this morning til we got to the first SAG. She lives in Southern Missouri and is used to these hills.

Today's route was really beautiful!

The mystery solved...

2007-05-10T17:22:00.000-07:00

A look at some of the rolling terrain that made up today's ride. It never stopped!

We started noticing these weird marks along the road shoulder. At first I thought: "wow, there are a lot of cyclists around here"

As we approached Jamesport,MO (a Mennonite community), and say this sign it all started to make sense.

A Jamesport traffic jam on Rt. 6!

Rob and Judd dropping the guy on the horse! He's demanding a rematch in the morning.

My "Care Package"!!!!

2007-05-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

Today's ride was pretty epic...but it paled in comparison to getting my care package! Thanks for taking care of me!

Oh yeah!!! A 2-Pack of Nutella and the rest of my Clif Shots (Thanks to my beautiful wife!!), some of my favorite brownies from Whole Foods (Thanks Nora!!), and soem Spinach lavash wraps (Thanks Jorge!!). All boxed up with a great card! Thanks for taking care of me. Happy to report the brownies are gone. Nutella tub #1 has sustained some serious damage and may not make it til morning! Tub #2 will have to be rationed!

Rob and I destroying the nutella and brownies as part of our post 145 mile ride feeding frenzy!

Downtown Trenton,MO

Hey...do I stay on "6" or take the "DD"???

Ruby Tuesday's in Kirksville,MO. We did some serious damage to their salad bar and then dove into our entree's

Day 17 Topeka,KS to St. Joseph,MO 89 miles @ 18.8mph

2007-05-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

It was another beautiful day on the bike! We started out with a guest rider, a local hammer who joined us for a the first 30 miles. The original plan was to take it easy today: (1) because we were off yesterday (2) because we knew how hard tomorrow's 154 miler in the hills will be....that plan didn't last long. Before we knew it we were clipping along at 26mph...so much for easing back into it! The second half of the ride got really hilly. We'll see plenty more of that tomorrow with over 7000 feet of climbing.

It was nice to see trees again after the bleakness of the Kansas prairie. As we get farther east, we pass a small town or village every few miles rather than every 50 or so miles when we were out west. St. Joseph,MO is a really beautiful city...it's nice to be in a neighborhood again. Had a fabulous BBQ lunch at "Bandana's BBQ" and ,yes, Rob scored a free bandana!!! It'll be early to bed tonight with another "signature day" on the bike tomorrow! I am really glad to be out of Kansas safe and sound! Those weather days were really tough and very scary!

dd

Welcome to Missouri!! We're not in Kansas anymore...thankfully!

Karen and Mike look like guides with a group of Japanese tourists!

Crossing the Missouri River bridge

This is a view of ther flooding along the Missouri River. We hope the rains hold off!

2007-05-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

Lot's of rollers again today. More of these over tomorrow's 154 mile course...OUCH!

Me hangin' onto the Dekalb Fire Engine

Some beautiful roads that make the downhills fun!

Rob, Jimmy and me. Jimmy's wife of 60 years, LulaBelle, opened the Community Center so we had a restroom.

Day 17 pics

2007-05-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

A country Church and cemetery along our route

One of the entry roads we rode into St. Joseph. It's amazing to have trees again.

St. Joseph,MO street scene. Finally, a neighborhood! Our first since we left Costa Mesa,CA.

Bills' wife Vicky came into St. Joseph,MO for a visit. He rode from the florist with these roses in his jersey...OUCH!

Rob giving "I-Man" a bit of cranial

One last bit of "Rob-ing" before we leave Topeka

2007-05-08T17:48:00.000-07:00

Rob and Craig with a Thank You gift for Katie!

Rob was so inspired by Katie's encouraging post, he couldn't wait to score a gift to show his appreciation! We went to Coyote Canyon, a local steak buffet (imagine Sweet Tomatoes with a full-on steak, chicken and pork chop station) for dinner tonight.
As soon as we walked in, Rob asked to see the manager (can you see the pattern here?). I went on to the buffet and when I returned the manager was sitting with Rob at our table. He returned a few minutes later with a Coyote Canyon t-shirt. Rob had asked if he could get one as a gift for (my wife) Katie. So, now I have another paid endorsement to post: Coyote Canyon is one of only 7 Kansas restaurants to receive a "BOB" (Best of the Best) award from the Governor...for cleanliness and food quality. It was very tasty!

Bike and body maintenance...

2007-05-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

Jeremy changing out my chain and purging my pedals

Iain and Rob hangin' at the local coffee shop

Off on a "Rob-ing" spree!

2007-05-08T12:20:00.000-07:00

This is my attempt at alerting the eastern half of the USA...that Rob is coming! If you work in either a Fast Food joint or a Health food store anywhere between Topeka,KS and Amesbury,Mass...prepare yourself!

Today was an epic day for what I will now refer to as "Rob-ing". It's kinda like "shopping", but takes way more charm! I have referred to this in earlier posts but today was extra special! We rode down to Capp's bike shop here in Topeka...me, Iain, Rob and the new guy, Dan (he didn't have clue what he was in for!). I needed to have the grease purged from my pedals and a new chain installed. While Capp's "ace mechanic", Jeremy Nutsell, was working on my bike...Rob rolled over to the local health food store. He soon returned with an entire backpack full of endurance and recovery drinks. Seems they were out-of-date and when Rob asked about a discount, the manager just gave them to him!!! Next came a trip to the Juice Stop. I got a smoothie and explained to the manager that Rob would only be interested if he could get a 20% discount. Without hesitation the deal was done! Then the Holy Grail of "Rob-ing"...ARBY's! Rob strolls in and asks for the manager. She's skeptical at first, but soon turns over a free order of curly fries. As we rolled out of the parking lot, she comes out and gives him a free shake!!
It's unbelieveable! Fast Food managers are putty in his hands! I can't stop laughing! I'm convinced if we needed it...he could stroll onto a used car lot and get us a free car in under 10 minutes! He's a genius! Just look how happy it makes these people!! I could go into another chapter about our trip to the Thai restaurant last night. As I hold the front door open for an 85 year old lady exiting with her to-go bag...Rob comes right out with a "how much for your take-out?" I gotta hand it to her, she never hesitated with "for you...20 bucks!!" I thought he was going into a slump. Clearly he recovered today!

Rob and some of today's haul!

Rob with the Arby's manager and his free milkshake!

Rob with his free curly fires!

Juice for the Journey! This is a paid endorsement...Rob says, "Without Juice Stop I would never have been able to peddle across the country!"

Rob with the Juice Stop manager

Rest Day ramblings!

2007-05-08T07:49:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that we are at the 1/2 way point. The start in Costa Mesa seems like months ago.

It felt good to sleep in this morning. The Holiday Inn breakfast buffet took a major hit this morning with all of us descending upon it. I don't think that waffle iron has ever worked so hard!

My body has held up well. My legs are getting stronger...not necessarily faster! I plan to work on that in the last few days of the ride when I start adding in some hard interval efforts. Right now I just want to be sure I stay healthy and infury free! I have developed a whole new level of respect for those folks who tackle "Race Across America". I now know what 8 hours on the bike feels like and I can't imagine doing 20+ hours...for 9 days! The pain of riding long-distance is hard to describe. I do "stand-up" drills as often as possible. On the long days I've been known to do them for over a mile...just so my seat and my body can have some time away from each other. The knee pain I was having early on has gone away. I haven't had to "ice" since day 3!

My bike has been a dream! Zero mechanical issues...other than a squeeky front skewer (the screw mechanism that holds the wheel into the fork). Jere...YOU are my hero! I was going to try to make this crossing on one set of tires...planning to rotate the front to the back today. As I did a closer inspection...there are more than a dozen small tears in the tread from the "chip n' seal" roads we've been on. Between the rocks, wires and radial tires debris of the interstates...and the razor sharp stones on these country roads...my Continental GatorSkin tires have served me well! Rather than risk a rash of flats, I'll put a new set of tires on for the second half. In St. Joseph,MO...I'll put on a new chain. Everything else...all systems go!

Off for a little "social ride" in a bit. 20 or so miles to keep my legs fresh! We'll hit the local bike shop (funny it's called "Capp's"...I'll take care of you Cap) and then hang out and have a coffee with the locals. There's also a big nap in my future!

dd

Day 15 Abilene,KS to Topeka,KS 108 miles @ 18.5mph

2007-05-07T20:41:00.000-07:00

After yesterday, we were all a little tired. I know I was ready to take it easy today...and I was definitely looking forward to getting to Topeka and our only rest day (Tuesday). What a beautiful route today! Rural country roads with zero traffic. Lot's of rolling hills that remind me of Buckhill Rd out near Clermont. It was a fairly tough day with a steady stream of hills to climb. The fields are so green because it's been raining here for weeks! All of the rivers we passed were flooded and many fields are still under water. The frogs seem very happy. They made this funny whirring sound...like a "ray gun" sound effect in one of those low-budget 50's sci-fi movies. Had a couple groups of horses run along the fence with me...I love that! As I descended this huge hill into the town of Eskridge,KS...my cell phone went off. I really wanted to talk to Katie but I was going about 45mph! When I got into town there was no longer a cell signal. So I ate lunch really fast and then started climbing back up the hill to get a signal again. I sure do miss you Katie!!!

I rode the last 50 miles into Topeka by myself. I'm not a big fan of riding solo at home...but out here it's fun to just roll at your own pace. It's also incredibly quite...very peaceful! The beauty of the countryside kept me busy today.

Had a great Thai dinner tonight...thanks to Sam for driving us around! We'll do a little "social ride" tomorrow to the local bike shop...and just to keep our legs fresh. I'm looking forward to sleeping in! dd

Steve rolling thru the Kansas countryside

I like to do the Cowboy "click" to get the horses to run along with us. Katie say's they want to part of our "herd". It always makes me smile when they play along!

Real tree...artificial flowers

Following Karen, one of our ride leaders, and Shane, our bike mechanic, up a climb.

Looking back across the Kansas countryside. Very nice!

Day 15 pics

2007-05-07T19:50:00.000-07:00

A typical Kansas farmhouse.

Lots of rolling hills today. For my "roadie" friends...it was like riding Buckhill Rd for 108 miles.

We said goodbye to Kate today...as she was only doing the Western 1/2 of the ride. We get a new rider tomorrow who is doing the Eastern 1/2.

Judd and his wife, Sam. Sam has a car. It is really wierd to ride in a car. After two weeks on the bike...it seems like you are going 100 mph.

Judd's bike becomes a group project!

The Fantasy V. The Reality

2007-05-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

Day 14 Great Bend,KS to Abilene,KS 129 miles @ 18.6 mph

Today was the toughest day yet! It was one of those days that teaches you the difference between the "fantasy" of cycling across the country and the "reality" of doing it! Trust me...they are very different!!

Moments after this morning's post about the tornado warnings...Mike returned with some bad news. There had been a tornado in the next town over, Ellinwood,KS and there were powerlines down and some major flooding. He was also very concerned about the radar! It did not look good! I did not want to SAG (ride in the van) to Abilene...that is just not an option for me on this trip! I was glad when he finally let us go...with a stern warning to take shelter if things got bad! Ellinwood was a mess, with many homes flooded and people just roaming around. Powerlines were snapped off along the road as we entered town. Another close call for us last night. This is getting old!!

It was raining lightly as we got close to Conway,KS. Unfortunately, that's when we got hit with a rash of flat tires...3 in about 5 miles. That slowed us enough for the rains to overtake us. It got pretty heavy! We made it to the lunch SAG just as the skies unloaded. Major rain and lightning. Mike held us there for almost 2 hours. It finally cleared enough for us to get back on the road. I flatted about a mile out! Rob and Judd stayed to help me get back onto the main group of about 8 riders, but the 6 miles of hard effort wore us all out! After another 15 miles, battling a massive headwind of 20+mph, we limped into Conway and were again asked to stay put til anopther storm cell passed by. This one was off to our east...the direction we were traveling! The winds were howling, it got really cold and it was close to 3PM! We wanted to get this suffer-fest over with! From Conway to Abilene was just over 50 miles. It sounded easy...but was far from it! The first 10 miles were on a
"chip n' seal" road with razor sharp stones that took a massive toll on tires today! Judd flatted first, then Rob. We were changing flats as team and got it down to less than 3 minutes (every second counts when the group is hammering away up the road). A NASCAR Pit Crew would have been slower than us! Then Steve flatted out of the main group and we stopped to help him. Good thing we did (see earlier post...he's a big engine and we needed him desperately!). The four of us put together a a huge final assault to get into Abilene. We passed several groups along the road with flats and a few of the solo riders who were battling the winds on their own. It is considerably easier when you can work as a group! Big thanks to Rob, Steve and Judd...for some great work out there today! That was one of the hardest days on the bike I have ever had. Treated myself to a massive food-fest tonight. Ready for bed. Tomorrow we roll into Topeka and get a rest day on Tuesday (our only day off!)...unless we another day of tornado warnings! Oh, yeh...HUGE thanks to Judd's wife Sam for doing our laundry tonight! dd

The radar when I woke up this morning

The town of Ellinwood,KS under water and without power!

That green sky I now hate to see!

Day 14 pics

2007-05-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

"I-Man" and Kasper waiting out the storm in the Canton,KS convenience store...with a friendly arm-wrestling session!
After a day of riding, your arms are the only parts of your body with any strength left!

We were "hunkered down" in this store for well over an hour! Ken getting a nap against the drink cooler. 28 cyclists and one poor part-time cashier. Her only complaint was that we had increased the humidity inside the store...and she was starting to sweat! Her manager will be impressed with her increased sales today! I hope she at least gets a promotion out of the deal!

Today was one tough ride! I was never so happy to see downtown Abilene!

A mid-dinner snap of my post-ride food throwdown! I know it looks like a caveman went after it. We had a huge plate of nachos and another huge plate of spring rolls...then the main course followed by desserts!

More tornado warnings!

2007-05-06T05:17:00.000-07:00

Late last night we were rousted from our rooms once again to take shelter in the lobby. There was another tornado on the ground...this time just two miles to our east! Thankfully, nothing like the storm that hit Greensberg! I'm waiting for our ride leader to return and give us the morning update. He is out in the van driving today's course to be sure it is clear of flooding and debris, as we'll be riding thru the path of last night's storm...great! It's raining pretty hard outside and the winds are howling from the SE. Today's route (123 miles) goes due east for 73 miles before turning north into Abilene...so it will not be easy! The hotel is full of Electrical & Emergency workers all headed to Greensberg to help out. It's hard to believe that an entire town is gone! I want to get out of Kansas as quickly as possible...so I hope Mike comes back with good news and allows us to get going! This morning's radar looks pretty bleak with these rain showers moving to the NE towards our destination in Abilene.

A tornado is coming...and you are getting a massage???!!!

2007-05-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Kate giving Brian a massage. I think his glutes were sore!!!

Kate working the kinks out of "I-man's" neck. With the crosswinds all day today everyone's necks were sore from leaning over into the wind.

Tornado sirens...oh my!

2007-05-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

Off to the Southwest was this huge dark green cloud. Within moments the sirens went off and the entire hotel was evacuated to the lobby hallway!

Our weather radar...just moments before the tornado sirens went off and we had to "hunker down" in the lobby hallway
By the way...we are in Great Bend!!!!!

The hallway crammed with a Wedding party, hotel patrons and even their dogs!

Dessert #1 for Norita!

Dessert # 2 for Norita!

Crazy Rob...off on another comedy adventure!

Auntie Em…Auntie Em!!!

2007-05-05T12:08:00.000-07:00

Ok…in last night’s post I mentioned we had a threat of tornados…little did I know we’d be just a few miles from one of the worst tornados to ever strike Kansas! Greenberg, Kansas is about 40 miles east of Dodge City and it was completely wiped out by a storm they estimated was 2 miles wide. The pictures on TV are terrifying! Our hearts and prayers go out to those effected!

Day 13 Dodge City to Great Bend, Kansas 84 miles @ 20.5mph

When we got up this morning it was clear that it was not going to be an easy day after all. We only had 84 miles to cover…but with the winds from the south we’d be getting hammered by a dead crosswind. The winds were 20-25 with gusts close to 35mph. Mike gathered us all together to have another safety meeting and I feared he may not allow us to ride in these conditions. He reminded us of how treacherous these crosswinds can be…especially when coupled with riders in a group, large trucks and those huge grain elevators. All can play major tricks on the wind…as we soon found out! We decided to ride as a group of 3 today…and also decided not to play around. We wanted to get to "get outta Dodge" as quickly as possible in case the weather turned. We felt bad leaving I-man to his own devices today…but he survived!! Rob, Judd and I made it thru the first 28 miles of major crosswinds riding in a modified eschelon formation. The shoulders today were much narrower than what we’ve been riding on…so we had to get creative. Typically, in a crosswind we’d ride 3 abreast the downwind guy slightly off the rear wheel of the guy ahead…in the draft! With the narrow shoulders we decided to have a “point man” riding as far to the right as possible. Then the second guy right on his rear wheel…with the 3rd guy drafting off to his left. It allowed us to really keep the speed up without being 3-wide (we just didn't have that much room!). You had to really pay attention to every move today. My bike and wheels extremely aerodynamic…which also makes them very prone to being bashed by crosswinds. At times it can slide sideways 4-6 inches. The huge grain elevators are also a hazard. As you approach one on the downwind side, the wind can swirl…from headwind to no wind and then…BAM!...back to the crosswind as you pass it. Pretty scary! We did a quick stop at the first SAG where Barbara told us the group was already pretty spread out and that she would probably not be at the lunch SAG in Larned, KS before we got there. Around mile 45 we made a left turn (north) towards Great Bend and our crosswind turned to a tailwind. A 20-30mph tailwind makes for some serious speed…and we took advantage of it! We kept a rotation going at just under 30mph for most of the last 40 or so miles. It was a blast!!!! You can tell by the lack of photos…we only stopped once today. At least until we got into Great Bend at 11AM…when we stopped at Braums for a chicken sandwich, chili and a milkshake. The problem with hammering that fast is the rooms aren’t ready and your luggage is still an hour or so behind! It was still fun!

Looks like the next few day will be a bit dodgy with storms and tornados possible!
“Fly monkey’s…fly!!”

dd

2007-05-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

An ominous sky greeted us this morning. It cleared nicely as we rolled into Great Bend…though we are back under tornado warnings again this afternoon

Katie got me this antique St. Christopher medal to wear when I was training for Ironman. This gives you an idea of how hard the crosswinds were blowing us this morning. That’s it flapping in the breeze off my left shoulder!

Rolling into Larned, Kansas

This is how I rig my que sheet everyday. It calls out mileage, turns, towns and stores. You do not want to get lost out here!

Our one stop today! Hey , I can’t resist an old bike shot!

Day 12 Liberal,Ks to Dodge City,Ks 83 miles @ 18.4mph

2007-05-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today was a very easy day! Super foggy at the start until mile 24 when the sun finally broke out. We had our lunch SAG at The Dalton Gang Hideout in Meade, Ks. A few ramshackle buildings and a small museum…dedicated to the glamorous lives of a bunch of bank and train robbers…only in America!

Once the sun broke thru it turned into another perfect day for riding. We had a fairly stiff crosswind to deal with that shifted to a tailwind when we swung north to Dodge City for the last 20 miles. Rob and couldn’t hold back. He blasted off the front first. I let him get a mile or so ahead and then proceeded to run him down. It’s amazing what a couple of easy days will do to put some power back in these little “chicken legs” of mine! We found the town bakery…which happened to be right next to the barber shop. Everyone is so fascinated with our trip. It’s really fun to just hang out and talk with them. Most everyone walked into town…only to find out that most of the tourist-related stuff is down until the summer season.

Rob was on fire today. We laughed so hard this morning that we both almost had to get off the bike. We were discussing getting a (leg) massage in Topeka…and it went downhill form there. He also loves giving a waitress or shop person a hard time…just for the fun of it. After dinner, we stopped by the DQ for some ice cream…the exchange between Rob (totally straight-faced) and the girls behind the counter went something like this:

Rob: “what do you do with your mistakes?”
Girl: “mistakes?”
Rob: “you know, when you make the wrong flavor milkshake or cone”?
Girl: “you’ll have to talk to the manager”
Rob: “how many pushups can she do?”
Rob again: “how many pushups can YOU do?”
Rob again: “OK…what happens if you drop something on the floor? Can I have it?”

By now the girls (and me) are laughing hysterically….he just keeps going!!

Off to Great Bend, KS in the morning. It looks like we may have another big rain day tomorrow…even a threat of tornadoes! If it comes with a tailwind I can handle it. Missed out on a nap today…so off to bed for me!

Kasper sporting a new pair of spurs!!

It was a “Pea Soup” start out of Liberal today

Welcome to Kansas…a typical road. Wide shoulders and little or no traffic…bordered by wheat fields for as far as the eye can see!

Day 12 pics

2007-05-04T18:11:00.001-07:00

Minneola? Did I make a wrong turn in Albuquerque?

Look closely and you’ll see the grain silo for the next town about 3 miles away. It seems to take forever to get there when you have a “target” on the horizon.

Rob and Judd slicing thru a field of green

The “I-man”

Rob and I have aerobars and frequently find ourselves getting very comfortable in them. No cars and beautiful roads can almost lull you to sleep.

Day 12 pics

2007-05-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

Our new ritual is to roll into town before we get to the hotel….in search of the local bakery or tortilleria. The perfect post ride carbo load and it’s only a couple of bucks…including a Guava Soda…yummy!

Most of the people in these shops don’t quite know what to make of us. We ride in and stuff our faces…then ride off into the sunset!

Rob getting’ a haircut and a shave. We had a great time “jawin’” with the locals in there today. Most of them can’t believe we came form LA…much less that we are going to Boston. These guys enjoyed having us in there goofing around!

I-man getting a cut and shave…he’s more aerodynamic now…don’t you think?

In Dodge City…do as the locals do! Even if you only have a banana as a weapon!

Day 11 Dalhart,Tx to Liberal,Ks 113 miles @ 19.6mph

2007-05-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

So much for our attempt at a sub-4 hour century. We had the team, we had the legs…unfortunately, the winds had not yet shifted to the south as they had been forecast. We started at mile 7 with a team of 6 and planned to crack it to the Kansas state line 100 miles to the NE. At mile 5 we were down to 5 guys…at mile 10 we were down to 4 and just a few miles later there were only 3 of us! It was NOT pretty! The wind was howling from the NE and we just couldn’t keep the speed up. My legs felt great again today. We settled into our usual comfortable pace….deciding to create a wind block for Iain. It was cloudy today…but rain free. Hard to believe we are in Kansas already! We passed miles of wheat fields that are the richest color of green I have ever seen. You can tell how far you are from the next town because you can see it's grain elevator on the horizon. Our hotel in Liberal,Ks is directly across the street from the Dorothy (Wizard of OZ) Museum. Had a great steak again tonight…hey, it’s cattle country. A couple easy days coming up (under 100 miles per day)…then a rest day in Topeka on Tuesday. I know I’ll be sleeping in!!

Sleep has been hard to come by since we started. Everyone has some sort of “issue” going on. For me it’s been…in bed around 8P, sleep and hour or two, wake up…go to sleep for another hour…repeat until our 5A wake up call. Yesterday, I think my body just decided that this is what we were going to be doing and it may as well play along instead of fighting it…and I slept most of the night! Most of the towns we stay in are very small and the hotels are right along the railroad tracks. I live in Winter Park and Katie and I both love the sound of the train at night…but when you can’t sleep it\’s a different story.

Sorry this is late…no wireless in last nights hotel and my dog yanked the Ethernet port out of my computer…no kidding!

Things get wacky when you wake up 28 cyclists at 5A to get ready for 8 hours of riding. Bill apparently forgot how to use the pump!

A clear sign that we are in Texas

This is for you Robert…the closest thing I could find to the “Owl Capital of Texas”!

It is a very small world. Bill is a retired farmer and spends winters in Tucson,Az. Today…and unexpectedly, a car rolls into our SAG stop and asks for Bill. It was one of his Tucson cycling buddies heading back to Minnesota.

“I-man” leading the rest of today’s peleton into Liberal, Kansas.

2007-05-04T12:24:00.000-07:00

Whenever we see a “Welcome to” state sign there is always confusion. “Do we stop”…or go on? Team Europe stopped. I just shot this as we passed!

This guy ran out of the barn top follow us along the fence today…pretty cool!

Today’s peleton entering Kansas. Note crazy Rob hanging off the sign.

We try to stop at whatever bike shop happens to exist in some of these little towns. Most of their customers are long distance cyclists like us…some in desperate need of parts to continue on. I decided to try out this beauty!

Rob with his favorite video.

Day 11 pics

2007-05-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

Cyclist clothesline

Details…details! Not sure I want them working on my transmission. (photo: Mike Monk)

Iain, me, Rob and Judd in front of the Hooker Horny Toads sign in Hooker, Ok.

The gang with Mike our ride leader

When Judd is pulling…you never really know where he will lead you! (photo: Mike Monk)

Day 10 Tucumcari, Nm to Dalhart, Tx 96 miles @ 18.9mph

2007-05-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

The weather today was absolutely miserable. I'm not a big fan of riding in the rain. At home, if it's raining when I get up...I stay home. Out here...you gotta do the miles, regardless of the conditions. We left Tucumcari in a spitting rain that turned into a deluge just after crossing into Texas. We battled some pretty strong crosswinds again today. Fortunately, Highway 54 has the widest, smoothest shoulder we've ridden. We passed feed lots with 1000's of cows that you could smell for miles. At one point we spooked a field rabbit. Stuck between us on the road and a feed lot...the poor guy just kept running. We were going 23mph and he was still able to outrun us. He kept that up for well over a mile until he got to a clear field where he disappeared. I think he got his workout for the day. It was nice to get finished early today. Unfortunately, not much to do here in Dalhart. Had a great lunch at Hodies BBQ and a chocolate shake from DQ.

The weather should clear for tomorrow's 3 state (TX,OK,KS) run into Liberal, Kansas 113 miles away! HW 54 runs to NE as straight as an arrow. The winds are forecast from the SE...so our plan is to get a 5-man group together and try for a
sub-4 hour century (100 miles). We've taken it relatively easy the last 2 days and today my legs felt great! I think we can do it!

Welcome to Texas!!!

Say what you want about Texas being the homestate of G Bush...any state with road shoulders this sweet is fine by me!

Rain soaked self-portrait

"I-man" surviving another day on the road!!

Brian and Judd enjoying a stroll thru Dowtown Dalhart, Tx..."It's not just ugly...it smells bad, too!!"

Day 9 Las Vegas, Nm to Tucumcari, Nm 110 miles @ 16mph

2007-05-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to find an FTD Florist out here, so here are some flowers for my beautiful wife! I love you Katie…and miss you very much!

The scenery today was absolutely breathtaking! I have always been a big fan of the high plains…and they did not disappoint. After the last 3 days, everyone was ready for a “bunny ride”…if you call 110 miles over a pretty hilly and extremely windy course a bunny ride! As you can see by our average speed…we took it easy. We had a gang of 9 today, which made it even easier….me, Judd, Rob (who treated us to his version of “Moon over Tucumcari”), Kasper, Bill, Greg, Brian, Guenter and Paul. The weather was perfect..and the roads were in incredible condition with very few cars. We rode two abreast most of the day. My legs really needed a break today. We had a few really tough climbs and I could really feel them in my legs. Another great day on the bike!! dd

Day 9 pics

2007-05-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

As the sun came up we rolled past this farm. We spooked a group of about 6 stallions and they all started bucking and running for the barn….beautiful!

Judd rolling down the Rt. 104 to Tucumcari, Nm

This was by far…the most spectacular ride I have ever done. The high plains are magnificent!

Even with constant applications of zinc oxide and spf 60 sunscreen, my face is getting blasted!

The awesome beauty of today’s ride.

Day 9 pics

2007-05-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

The gang getting a little downhill in

Our “Gang of 9”…with Kasper and Judd on the front. Having 9 made managing today’s headwinds even easier.

Hard to believe…1000 miles in 8 1/3 days!

We take shade wherever we can get it. Pump 1 & 2 is Paul…Pump 3 & 4 is Kasper…Pump 5 & 6 is Greg and Pump 7 & 8 is Bill.

The longest, straightest road I have ever seen!

Day 8 Albuquerque to Las Vegas, Nm 135 miles 17.5mph

2007-04-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

OK…Today was officially billed as “make it…or break it day”! Meaning that if you made it thru the last 3 days of ultra-high mileage, difficult climbing and winds…you would, most likely, make it to the end!!! Well…I am happy to report…I made it! Yesterday was supposed to be the hardest day…but today was much harder. The winds, the early morning climb out of Albuquerque, the fatigue from yesterday, another 40+ miles on the interstate…and my nagging altitude headache (today topped out at over 8000 feet), were all conspiring against me! It was a tough mental day for everyone. You can see by the profile we did some serious climbing again today. The first big climbs were on backroads…the last were on the interstate. The problem with the interstate climbs is they are usually several miles long. They seem to go on forever…with your legs screaming in pain. I love the sound of an 18 wheeler approaching because I know there will be this huge rush of air that acts as a tailwind to help push you up the hill.

I rode solo for a good bit today. Everyone was pretty fatigued from Sunday’s ride and it was hard to get a consensus on how everyone wanted to approach today. Rob and Judd were ready for a recovery day, so was I! We rolled out together but soon separated on the climb out of town. I enjoyed the solo stretch between the hills and the interstate. Just me and the bike! At lunch, Judd decided to wait for our ride leader, Mike. That was the end of the planned “recovery ride”. Those two were hammering! I tried to hang on…they finally slowed in sympathy! Mike has been leading these tours for 15 years. He’s a great cyclist and has a ton of funny stories about life on the road. He, Judd and I rode into Las Vegas together and had dinner at the Rialto. That will be the plan from here on out. By the time you get to the hotel and take a shower, you just don’t feel like going out to eat…and eating is what you need most after these miles. You can see by the pics…I love to eat! Tomorrow, we are off to Tucumcari…more climbing…yipppeee!!! dd

: Me…about to take my first 12 mile withdrawal from the First Gravitational Bank of New Mexico. 48 mph on the way down…it took about 20 minutes. My legs were cramping from not peddling!

Today's ride profile. Climbing, followed by more climbing, followed by another 40+ miles battling headwinds on the interstate!

The other Dave climbing out of Albuquerque. He summers in Canada and winters in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Hope to see him on some of our “Roadies” rides next fall!

I rode alone for a good bit of the morning (after the big climb out of Albuquerque). After yesterday, we all needed a little quite time. It was such a beautiful morning with very little traffic...I enjoyed the time alone.

Day 8 pics

2007-04-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas buildings

Judd with his taco’s from The Rialto. Notice those tan lines on his forehead. Our helmets are vented…that’s why I wear a hat under mine. My hat also has a visor to keep the sun off my face…I still wear zinc oxide.

Mike (our ride leader and author of the “bamacyclist.com” site) trying to steal some of my dinner. I don’t think so!

Our table full of fabulous food from the Rialto in Las Vegas. Note to Nora: that’s hominy in the upper left corner of my plate. Not as good as yours but darn tasty after 132 miles on the bike!

The Rialto exterior…my trusty bike waiting for me!

Day 7 Gallup,Nm to Albuquerque,Nm 145 miles @ 18.6 mph

2007-04-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe I have been at this for 7 days!!! I have never ridden more than 5 days in a row and certainly never put in anything near this king of mileage in a week! Let alone the mountain sections we've come across!

I sure do miss Katie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We knew today, being the second longest mileage day of the trip, was going to be a challenge. Yesterday taught us (the hard way) that the 3 of us were working way too hard. We needed a recruitment campaign! At breakfast, we discussed adding at least 2 more riders to our group to lighten the load of pulling across another long stretch of wind-blown prairie. We got lucky and got 3...Steve (a huge engine), Ken and Geoff! We were set! All safe riders and very capable of keeping the pace up. For you non-cyclists: the "draft" is key. The guy at the front of a paceline is doing most of the work (pushing the wind). If you stay close to his wheel you can "draft" ala NASCAR and reduce about 20-30% of the effort. If you only have 3 riders rotating off the front of a paceline every mile...each guy is pulling once every 3 miles. If you have 6...each guy is working at the front once every 6 miles and sitting in the group getting a rest the remainder of the time. More guys=less work=the ability to maintain higher speeds over a longer distance. This sounds like one of those algebra questions I always hated! Anyway, we were a fine-tuned machine today. We were so far ahead...the staff wasn't able to get to the last SAG before us, so we rolled on into Albuquerque! Some beautiful scenery again today. Cowboy and Indian country. I have trouble getting the theme somg from "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly" out of my head...heyyahhh! Took some pics at the Continental Divide...and rolled thru a really cool lava field. Most of the day on the Laguna Indian Reservation. The poverty in this area is really sad to see. The people have all been extremely friendly. I talked to group of ladies at a store stop today...they couldn't believe we'd come from Los Angeles. They really flipped when I told them we were on our way to Boston.

Getting this post done early today so I can get an extra hour of sleep tonight. Another long one up to Las Vegas, Nm....no, not that Las Vegas...I wish!

Our early morning roll thru Gallup…to Denny’s Grand Slam #4. I swear, after this trip…to never eat at Denny’s again!!! We rode 8 miles to get there this morning. I was starving!

A table full of Grand Slam’s

Our “Gang of 6” heading toward Albuquerque

Me at the Continental Divide Trading Post

Me again at the actual Continental Divide

Day 7 pics

2007-04-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Judd, Rob and me at the Continental Divide

Judd rolling across the prairie

Woo Hooo!

Me gettin’ some doggy lovin’

Not a car (or anything else for that matter) for miles!!!

Day 7 pics

2007-04-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

Our version of a prairie freight train. As a group of 6 we were able to move considerably faster than when it was just the 3 of us. Big thanks to Steve, Ken and Geoff for the help today!

More prairie bleakness

Our lunch SAG

Our snack SAG

Mike putting bikes on the roof of the van. The State of New Mexico forced us to portage the bikes around construction
on I-40

Day 6 Winslow,Az to Gallup,Nm 127.2 miles @ 18.5mph

2007-04-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

One of the America by Bicycle Staff bikes…a “ROARK” titanium. It’s a beauty…even to a carbon fiber guy like me.

This is what we looked at for about 95 miles along I-40 today

Brian at the “lunch SAG”. You don’t go hungry!

Finally, as we approached Gallup,Nm the scenery changed.

I only took about 8 photos yesterday…that’s how empty the scenery was. Don’t get me wrong it was really beautiful…it just never changed til we got to the end. Note the only thing different in this shot is the red pebble road…I shot it! BTW, it was silky smooth, a huge relief from the interstate.

Today was really tough! I was actually longing for yesterday's mountains because we spent the entire day on I-40 (except the last 12 miles into Gallup). Riding on the Interstate is incredibly hard. Your senses are working overtime with 18 wheelers inches from you...and your body never gets a break from the constant grind without much change in elevation. Everyone is pretty wiped out. Tomorrow is our longest day yet at 143 miles (about 1/2 of that on I-40 again!)...so it's early to bed tonight. My legs feel great, it's the relationship between my body and my bike seat that needs some counseling!!

For some reason photos are not uploading from the Taj Mahal in which I staying....I'll try again in the morning.
dd

Day 5 Cottonwood,Az to Winslow,Az 107 miles@17.2 mph

2007-04-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today was another beautiful day! Filled with incredible contrasts from the desert to the Red Rocks of Sedona to the mountains and then the bleakness of the prairie desert into Winslow. All beautiful in their own way. It was also Day 2 of monster climbing (see profile). The “Gang of 3” me, Rob and Judd started the day together again, having spent all day yesterday climbing and laughing (so hard my stomach hurt last night!). The laugh-fest started with an innocent comment from Rob (whose last name happens to be LANDIS…he swears no relation to Floyd, but I am suspicious!) ,doing an impersonation of (british) Tour de France commentator Phil Ligget: “it looks like Landis has the boys in a spot of bother”…as he rolled away from us on a climb. I responded in my best Phil voice as we caught him: “oh, no Bob…it looks like Landis has sipped from the challis of pain one too many times”. (If you don’t watch the Tour de France this won’t make sense…I apologize!) Anyway, the rest of the day was spent bantering back and forth as if we were being commented on by Phil, Paul and Bob…pretty funny! It also makes the climbing much less painful. We added a 4th member today, Bill. He was a huge help as we battled the headwinds down I-40. He’s also a great bike handler…and that’s why we’ve been so careful about who we let in. He’s safe, steady and predictable. And he laughs at our dumb jokes! I felt great today. I was really worried that another day in the mountains would wipe me out. I’ve been eating every chance I get ...and I think that has made a big difference. I have a huge breakfast…usually 2-3 eggs ,a couple of pancakes, some bacon, hash browns, OJ and a coffee. Then 3-5 bananas, a couple of Clif Shots (Thanks Rocco!!)…before our first SAG around 10A. At lunch I take a big tortilla and put everything I can find on it…barely able to fold it. Then finish that off with my new creation: The Dessert Sandwich! More Clif Shots and bananas...then a Clif Bar or two at the hotel. All finished off with a big dinner wherever we can find within walking distance of the hotel. I’m hoping to gain weight on this trip and appears my plan is working!
Tomorrow start a 3 day ultra-mileage torture-fest…127 ~ 146 ~ 133 …OUCH!
Gotta get to bed! dd

Day 5 pics

2007-04-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Our early morning trip down Rt. 89A from Cottonwood to Winslow

Traffic light with a view in Sedona

Downtown Sedona

Rolling across the bridge out of Sedona on Rt. 89

“I-Man” and Brian rolling out of Sedona

Day 5 pics

2007-04-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED! Hey, Rest Areas are built for people going 80 mph in a car. When we gotta go…we gotta go!

My now famous after lunch dessert sandwich. 1 slice of bread…1/2 coated with peanut butter ½ with honey…the pile on the gorp mix…yummy!

Check out those switchbacks we climbed today. I could only capture 3 levels in this frame.

Rob aka: “Slide Rock” Seriously, that was his break-dancing nickname!

Trees at last! Today was a day filled with contrasts , from the desert to the Red Rocks of Sedona , to the mountains…and back into the desert.

Day 5 pics

2007-04-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Here I am “Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona”…with the Don Henley statue behind me (under construction)

It’s not often you can finish a 100+ mile ride and turn around to see where you came from. We crossed those mountains at mile 30 this morning.

The newest member in our “Gang of 4”, Bill…showing off his newest acquisition, courtesy of I-40.

I always wanted to visit the Meteor Crater as a kid. Had to pass up the chance today to stay with the boys and their 30 mph paceline down I-40.

Rolling east down I-40…a very different view than we had this morning! Nothing!

Day 4 report

2007-04-26T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today was the day we all feared. Our 4th ride of over 118 miles in a row...with 11,000 feet of climbing. Last night everyone was icing knees and guads...to get ready! First up was Yarnell Pass on Hwy 89, about a 10 mile climb. It's 2 lanes going up and 2 lanes coming down...plus a wide shoulder so there was plenty of room. Most of my pics are being shot from the bike. Rob, Judd and I have been riding together and it's tough to stop for a photo op and then have to run them down. My original plan was to stop and shoot everything I found interesting. The new plan is to keep the camera in the Bento Box frame bag (thanks Cori!) and shoot what I can. Hey, this is supposed to be a vacation...ha! I am perfecting my ability to take photos while bombing down hill. Rob, Judd and I all climbed together today. We thought we would duke it out for King of the Mountain (KOM) all the way up Mingus. We kept the pressure on each other the entire way up. We had to stop at the top to put on cold weather gear for the descent, so we decided to award KOM via a sprint finish at the Cottonwood city limit sign. Our lunch stop was early today to get everyone fueled up for the big climb up Mingus Mountain. It worked out great, because I was ready for a really decedent lunch after all that climbing...and Jerome had just the place. Perched on a hillside overlooking the valley and Cottonwood...is Haunted Hamburgers. As we got there we saw another cyclist...it was Ken (one of ours)! Since he had clearly beaten us over the mountain he won the KOM...at 55!!! Good work Ken! Seems he passed on the last SAG (food) stop in Prescott and we never noticed him. Rob and Judd are maniacs when it comes to bombing these downhills. The last one was 12 miles long with speed over 50mph...tons of very sharp 180 degree swithbacks...but these two were flying! They had about 1/2 mile on me at the bottom. They are younger (and way crazier than I am...clearly!). My buddy Iain was particularly worried about his climbing today. Happy to report he did great! I've renamed him
"I-Man" (short for Ironman)...having not been able to train as much as the rest of us...his efforts are amazing!

The scenery today was absolutely spectacular. Everywhere I turned...looking up or looking back was amazing. This is a beautiful country...and I am very fortunate to be seeing it this way. Yesterday, I thought about how boring it must be to drive these roads in a car, insulated from the world listening to music. When you are on a bike every inch of the road seems different. Your senses are so tuned into your body, the truck flying by you at 80, or a small beautiful wildflower. It really is hard to decribe!

That burger is wearing off...it's time to eat again. I love to eat! dd

last of Day 4 pics

2007-04-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

Rob,Ken (55yrs) and Judd having a burger at Haunted Hamburgers in Jerome. What a view! And a fabulous burger after all of that climbing!

The outside of Haunted Hamburgers with the entire groups bikes propped outside. Some were on the roof of the shed...some were even inside the dumpster shack!

The town of Jerome...an old copper mining town perched on the side of Mingus Mountain.

more Day 4 pics

2007-04-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

Logan making his way up Yarnell with Wickenberg in the background....way down in the valley!

Judd bombing down the backside of Yarnell at over 50mph! I've been getting good at taking pictures on the bike...Don't try this at home kid's! As G$ says: weeeeeeeee!

Looking back as we climb up Mingus Mountain. There's a cyclist on the road below so you get a sense of scale.

King of the Mountain contenders (so we thought) me,Rob & Judd at the top of Mingus!!!

Looking out towards Cottonwood and Sedona from Mingus

Day 4 Wickenberg,Az to Cottonwood,Az 103.2 miles 11,000+ feet of climbing!!

2007-04-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

Today's ride profile. Yarnell Pass and Mingus Mountain for a total of 11,000+ feet of climbing

Our morning "Route Rap"...a detailed discussing about the route and any hazards or safety issues. Today focused on "bombing downhill at over 50mph"!

my early morning shadow

Leaving Wickenberg and heading north towards Cottonwood with Yarnell Pass on the horizon

The climb up Yarnell. Look closely and you can see the road snaking up above.

Iain zipping along Rt. 60

2007-04-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today's ride profile...

2007-04-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

Up, up, up...then a nice 15 mile downhill into Wickenberg...weeee!

2007-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Arizona

Leaving Blythe...heading into the morning sun

I-10 heading into the mountains. That ribbon of highway was a 12 mile climb

The sign says: 3 Dreamers RV park....keep dreaming!

Super smooth Rt. 60 road surface...you do have to be careful crossing the rumble strips

Day 3 Blythe,Ca to Wickenberg,Az 117.4 miles

2007-04-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

First a word about average speeds. I forgot to post it yesterday for Thousand Palms to Blythe...it was 18.4mph. Today was 17.89mph. Admittedly, not what you'd call flying...especially when you consider that most of our rides at home can have sections in excess of 30mph. Between the 10-15 mile long climbs and the headwinds the past two days...it's been tough to keep it even close to 18mph! And tomorrow is an 11,000 feet of climbing into Cottonwood,Az.

I started the day with a flat. One of those microscopic wires from a blown-out steel belted radial had worked it's way thru my tire. These things are finer than a hair and sharp as a razor. The weather today was perfect. It's really our last day in the desert. Being from Florida, I hardly even broke into a sweat. We started off on I-10 for the first 30 miles...then onto Rt. 60. Rt. 60 has very little traffic and a wide bike lane. It is, however, 80 miles of absolutely dead straight road into Wickenberg.
A few fun sights along the way...and a ton vacant RV parks. Seems everyone clears out of the desert when summer approaches...good idea! It was pretty hot today...but it's a "dry heat"...ha!

Tomorrow will be tough. Gotta run get an ice pack on my knees...I'll need all the help I can get.

dd

For all you BoBbies...here are the girls!

2007-04-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

There are 2 girls in our group of 28 riders...Pam (top) and Kate (who is only with us for the western section to Topeka). Both are riding really well.

Route map and profiles...

2007-04-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

Each morning we get a detailed route map that list each turn to get to our destination. On the back is a ride "profile", basically and side view of the route that illustrates how much we will be climbing or descending. It has a mileage scale at the bottom, so you know at mile 80 you'll start a 10 mile climb. It is very helpful in planning your effort for the day. So far, no navigational issues. Today is easy...I-10 for 40 miles to Rt. 60...then another 80 miles to Wickenburg. dd

I-10...Part 2

2007-04-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

Just back in from Denny's Grand Slam #3...(starting to get old!). We load bags in 45 minutes, so I'll do a quick update.

The first 40 miles today are back onto I-10. Yes, M-Starr...in the west when there are no other options it is legal to ride on the interstate. The truckers are all pretty good about moving over and that rush of wind left in their wake pushes you down the road. I watched my speedometer jump about 5mph each time one came by...weeeeee! I have to apologize for last night's lame post. That was a long day in the desert and my brain was fried! The 3 weeks of rest leading up to this was the best thing I could have done. My legs feel great. My knees are a bit sore, but I think that's just from switching back onto this bike from my Kuota. Yesterday was a good day for me to sort out who I feel comfortable riding with. There are a couple of guys that I will steer clear of...strong cyclists, low on skills! We have developed a bit of a core group: Iain, me, Rob, Logan and Judd (all but Iain are "younger" than me...but thanks for noticing Owl-y). FYI, you can also go to "www.bamacyclist.com" and check out our ride leaders blog. More pics and a better description of what happened each day...because he's doing most of the route driving a van instead of peddling!

For all of the "Bobbies" out there...we have 2 girls on this trip. I'll try to get pics of them today!

I miss Katie!!!

this is for Rob's family!

2007-04-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

Rob at Monday's wheel dip in the Pacific. One of the handful of riders I have become comfortable with in the group...and a heck of a nice guy!

Another day in the desert...

2007-04-25T05:05:00.000-07:00

Another day in the desert. I'll be hoping that General George S. Patton is watching over us! He used this area as a training ground.

Pearl Izumi gloves $24.95...two days into the ride...worthless!

2007-04-24T19:53:00.000-07:00

This is the second day riding in these gloves! I have a pair of Louis Garneau's that have lasted two years. These things are done after two days!