Flight....for the land

Day 52 - Back Home Again

2010-08-24T06:46:00.013-04:00

It's amazing what you miss from home when you're biking across America for 50 days!

You miss your husband's great cooking.

Fresh fruit on the counter.

Your own pillow.

Your car.

And of course, the kids!

KC and Nicky are at Debi's getting their going-back-to-college Debi haircuts.

TJ, who just got his license before I left, pulls up in Beluga, the white Corolla.

And look! The braces are off!

When I walk in the door, Dusty isn't too sure what to make of me.

Stubby just wants food.

But the puppies are thrilled that I'm back.

I've biked over the Rockies and the Black Hills,

but one more mountain to climb....

....the stack of slides waiting for me to review at work.

I'm so excited to see The Land again!

After all, we were raising money for land conservation because we fell in love with this little piece of heaven in New Castle Indiana.

The land is full of life...

...and sometimes danger!

Now it's time for a good night's sleep in a familiar bed...

After so many sunrises out on the road...

It's so nice to watch the sun rise

over your own front yard

back home.

Click here to see the Flight continue...

Day 51 - Transition

2010-08-23T05:34:00.000-04:00

This blogging thing has turned my world upside down.

Nothing duller than an airport.

Two hours of filtered air.

...muted talk

...stale light

But now that I see life as a blog, I find all sorts of interest in this trapped environment.

Patterns of light and shadow...

Stories waiting to tell...

Reflections

This time I enjoy my time wandering the airport looking for thoughts...

Now the bland moments of life are full of promise...

Patterns...

Moods...

Images...

The big moments

- the birthdays and Christmases

- they overwhelm you.

That's the time to toss the camera aside and live in the moment.

Granted, if you catch me with a camera under the Grand Teton, I'll have to take his picture.

But I begin to find more interest in the unnoticed bits of this world...

.

..like the airport trashcan.

But back to my story...

Sunrise in Portsmouth

(to drive KC crazy....)

It rained last night.

Bikes all packed for home...

People ready to be packed in vans.

A long drive to Logan airport...

chatting about the last 50 days we've shared.

The airport wait...

I migrate to the bookstore - my first in 50 days.

Everyone on the bike ride was reading Dragon Tattoo.

Finally I'm on the plane...

My outside world shrinks to 1x1.

But pull out my computer and my world opens wide!

I can feel the days in Wyoming all over again.

My thighs ache to be pedaling.

It seems just an instant before I see Indianapolis below the wing.

What will it be like to be home again?

Has my world changed while I wandered?

Day 50 Part II: Manchester to the Atlantic

2010-08-21T06:24:00.030-04:00

Gray morning
for the
final
bike ride...

Biking up hills...

(aren't we done with hills yet?)

...past houses of fellow bikers...

Remember when my Al had a bike like that?

Look at her now!

I see a flag on a mailbox...

Faded and frayed.

Maybe that's me.

I'm feeling frayed after 3500 miles of biking across America.

Or maybe that's America.

Certainly I've seen some fraying the last 49 days...

....and some beauty.

I love the proud churches....

...and the well tended gardens.

I'm off road getting another purple loosestrife picture when the other bikers start to pass...

...all in their ABB blue to celebrate our last day biking together.

I'd catch up, but this old cemetery catches my eye.

Could this be Robert Frost, my favorite poet?

Howard wonders about me as he spins by.

On to the last SAG...

....the last sign up sheet.

Good-byes to our MCs from the banquet...

Sandy and Toronto Mark.

And back to biking through New England forest.

I've loved seeing the landscape of America.

Beaches

Rivers

Mountains

Deserts

There is absolutely no better way to see this country than on the seat of a bicycle.

I'd just prefer to go a little slower...

In fact, I plan to do just that.

I want to continue to bike and blog about the land...

Maybe one state a year.

That will just take me
40 more years.

And I'll go at my own pace...

...so I have more time
to talk to people...

soak in the beauty of the wayside...

...and take lots of pictures!

I'll call
my new blog
The Flight Continues

But for today
I'm
following
Al's
little yellow ribbon...

...to the Bakery.

And look who's here!

Everybody!

It's a festive time together...

...but some of us are pensive.

What will life be like once the bike ride is over?

You know, we haven't made it yet.

There are still 10 miles to go and anything can happen!

I head out into the green walled roads.

How will I remember this incredible experience?

Will the pictures be enough?

Will my memories fade?

Wait!

I slam on the brakes!

There it is!

My souvenir for this trip!

Something that will always remind me of biking across America...

...of my last few miles before the beach.

I will plant this acorn at our Land in Indiana.

Over the years I will watch this tree grow...

Just like I watched Alex grow...

from the little girl with training wheels

to a cross country cyclist.

We're all together now.

Pedaling to our rendezvous.

Followed by our trusty sheep-dog van.

We gather at the school...

all of us...

The thoroughbreds...

Rod with wife Sue...

We're taking pictures

Waiting...

Thinking about the roads ahead of us....

I'm surprised to see my husband show up!

He's here to see his two girls.

But Alex's Aunt Cally has trouble with the camera!

It's time to line up for our final ride.

Three miles to the beach...

Mike Bike Leader calls the slow riders to the front - Ian, Ellen, Dereka and me.

We get to lead the group on those last three miles.

Police escort out in front.

And Mike in the white van clicking photos.

Wallis Sands Beach.

People are enjoying a peaceful day on the sand as the summer nears its end.

What do they think when they hear cowbells ringing
and a phalanx of red,white and blue bikers
charges into the parking lot?

We hoist our bikes up onto our shoulders.

To the ocean!

3,630 miles we've biked.

Hail

Wind

Rain

Grasshoppers

We've survived it all.

We dip our tires in the water...

And raise our bikes to the sky!

A grand cycling toast to the trip of a lifetime!

(I only think for a moment about tossing the bike in and walking away)

Alex throws her arms around me...

Tears in her eyes...

She says - Mom, besides life and maybe my education this is the best gift you've ever given me.

The End....

...but not really.

Life goes on...

...packing the bikes to mail home.

One last time on the top of the van for Ripley.

Farewell hugs...

Al will continue to bike back at Occidental.

I will
continue
to
bike
and blog.

The Flight will continue....

On The Beach

2010-08-20T04:50:00.001-04:00

What can you say about a day like August 9, 2010?

Some of the big days of your life come unexpected.

And some of them - like 8-9-10 - slam into you after months of preparation, dreaming, hard work and sheer grit.

I'm not sure we really knew what we were getting into that morning in Astoria, Oregon when we spun our pedals for the first time.

Certainly looking at her face at the end of that first day I would never have dreamed that this tired girl...

....would turn into this cool biker chick.

We've both changed.

I feel like this 50 day tsunami of life has left me on the sands...

...ready for a new start.

But the key moment...

That watershed moment...

That moment when the water hesitates before careening over the falls...

...it actually happened in Niagara Falls....

...dinner with fellow bikers...

...a glass of wine to loosen the mind...

Steve was commenting that most of the bikers were first borns - type As.

-Which are you? he asked me.

-Born third out of five, I replied.

-That explains why you are different from the rest of us, he said.

-We are all goal oriented Type As

-You are the creative, rebellious one.

Creative?

Rebellious?

In 54 years, no one has ever thought of me that way.

I kinda like it.

For 54 years I've studied, graduated and diagnosed.

Fifty-four years of being daughter, doctor, wife and mom.

Fifty four years that earned the moniker of "driven" as my husband's most apt word to describe me.

Creative, rebellious?

That's my wild daughter Nicky, not me.

Back in Wyoming Alex said, Mom, you've got to stop blogging! You're missing out on the trip!

That's when I realized that blogging - that wonderful mash of words and pics - had become the reason for the trip.

The biking was superfluous.

Creative, rebellious.

That's a new suit I want to try on for a while.

Turn around in the mirror and see how it looks.

Go back to Indiana and see how it feels.

Swim in it.

It all started as a bike ride - a big one, yes - but just a bike ride.

Where it has taken us, we don't know yet.

It will take years to find out.

Day 49 - Brattleboro, VT to Manchester NH - Sullivan's Hill

2010-08-18T05:38:00.021-04:00

Dawn.

Sunday, August 8.

Day 49 of our trip across America.

I cross the bridge over the Connecticutt River into our last state.

New Hampshire.

I'm greeted by my first New Hampshirean...

A bright orange salamander stretched out to catch the morning sun.

As I lie on the ground focusing my camera on this critter I see my first biker coming up the hill behind me.

Ian is out early today.

And he seems to climb this hill with ease.

Not so for me.

I seem to have burned out my legs yesterday.

They don't seem to want to give me anything today.

And I'm in a bit of a hurry.

You see, my husband Tom is getting on an airplane this very minute to fly to New Hampshire.

He will be at our hotel in Manchester at the end of this ride.

So I'm pretty darned mad at my legs for being so slumpy today.

I try to enjoy the scenery.

The old cemeteries hidden behind the trees...

The trees themselves.

My legs don't like the hills today.

But where we have hills, we have forests.

And my heart loves a forest.

The smell of the pine reminds me of Camp Honeyrock from my childhood days.

But danged this hill is steep!

Old Concord Road they call it.

Luckily I have my camera so if someone sees me walking my bike I can just say I'm taking pictures.

I get to the top - out of breath - and find a wishing well.

I wish I was already in Manchester....

Didn't work.

As I pause for a picture of this modest driveway I hear whirring bikers behind me.

It's the Swiss boys.

Old Concord is nothing to them!

New Hampshire is a hard state...

...in many ways.

Where Vermont was gentle and green,

New Hampshire strikes me as stoney.

Even the people are rather flint-like.

Isn't New Hampshire called the Granite State?

I pass the sign for Sullivan's Hill.

I wonder if Alex will succeed at climbing Sullivan.

I hear it's impossibly steep.

But she's ready to give it a try.

Good luck, Al!

I don't even think of trying for Sullivan.

But I have my own challenges.

A dirt road will slow me down!

As will any town that has two bakeries!

Now more bikers start spinning past me...

I could try to keep up...

...but I'm so excited to see little bluestem growing here.

I'm surprised to see my favorite prairie grass this far east.

And there's blue gentian!

I didn't think that would be blooming yet!

I'll never get to Manchester at this rate!

Luckily we have downhills leading us to the first SAG of the day....

And look who shows up at the SAG...

It's Super-Al...

photo by Jeff

...with stories about how she and Katie conquered Mt Sullivan!

Photo by Al

...but then the sad tale of how Katie got her first flat - Day 49 of a 50 day ride!

In New Hampshire even the churches are stone.

Beautiful delicate stained glass framed by solid rock.

I try to go in, but the door is locked...

...on Sunday?

I love the old bell tower.

"Something there is that doesn't love a wall."

These hand-mended fences remind me of the New Hampshire poet, Robert Frost.

He's one of my favorites.

"Good fences make good neighbors" runs in my head as I see neighborly chat by a shared stone wall.

This old church is open.

I have to go in!

The dark peaceful pews.

Waiting for parishoners.

A choir begins their harmony in a back room.

I know I need to leave this heavenly rest.

The door is open...

...back out into the harsh sun and loud world.

Luckily I have friends...

Renny is wearing his special shirt today.

He and wife Sara argue whether friends gave it to him for his 50th birthday or 60th.

Can't wait to get to Manchester and my Old Goat.

A logging operation.

Piles and piles of logs filling the stockyard.

To a tree lover like me, this is like seeing the bodies of old friends stacked on the dirt.

I want to go home and plant a new tree for every log I see.

But how can I replace the soil that was ripped up when these trees were dragged away?

...the nests that were crushed on the ground?

Another church.

I pray that I can make it to Manchester.

My legs are toast.

And I still have 30 miles to go...

And Joe English Hill!

I pray for a SAG van...

...and there it is!

Right at the base of Joe English!

Please Jim - Give me a bump up so I can go see my husband!

I really never appreciated the miracle of the motorized vehicle before this trip.

House for sale -

Beautiful old historic home...

I'd like to check it out...

But I've got to get to Manchester.

Nearing town...

A Skate Park!

I tried to get one built in New Castle.

I love to see the kids at play.

But I gotta go.

One mile from the hotel and there are The Thoroughbreds.

They pose for a picture...

Then they let me lead them into the Comfort Inn.

Tom is in the doorway and gets to see me leading in the troops.

Al gets to him first...

Then it's my turn!

And look!

We have my sister, Cally, too!

She has flown here from Chicago to cheer us on for our last day of biking.

What a great sister!

They get to be there to hear our last route rap.

The ABB staff is all decked out in matching shirts...

...except for Jim.

But this is serious business.

Tomorrow we bike to the ocean.

We want to do it right!

Then it's time for a party!

The final banquet!

The last time we will sit down with 50 of the best friends in the world and raise a glass to the trip of a lifetime.

We have skits.

Michael does his imitation of Mike Munk, our chiseled bike leader.

And Katie matches with her rendition of Karen giving the daily rap.

Ian is a star with his original poem about Biking in the Back.

The words are a riot...

... but the delivery - in his dry Scottish brogue -is what has us peeling with laughter.

Sandy and Toronto Mark regale us with their creation - The ABBY awards.

Everyone gets recognized...

Canada Jeff for his mechanical skills on the road.

Me - for The Blog as Visual Art.

Andrew got the Chocolate Mustache award.

Photo by Katie

And my Al won the Mom's Sherpa award.

There was even a fashion award to Todd for wearing his bike shorts inside out!

(I'm too modest to print the whole picture).

Great laughter.

Great fun.

Can you believe 50 days ago we were all strangers?

And tomorrow is the end...

The last time on the road as a family.

Tomorrow we bike the final miles to the Atlantic Ocean....

...if we make it.

Day 48 - Latham, NY to Brattleboro VT

2010-08-16T17:50:00.013-04:00

It's still dark when I get up.

We have 5500 feet of climb today and I'd better get started.

The question is - should I take a bump up?

Then I could relax and take photos and not worry about that 10 mile climb.

Yeah, but the big climb is in the middle of today's ride.

A bump-up at the beginning wouldn't help.

So I take off early hoping to get to the big hill in time to take pictures of the other bikers on the climb.

We have a steep hill right out of Latham...

...complicated by construction.

I pause and look back in amazement that I climbed this steepness with relative ease.

Maybe I have gotten stronger.

Or maybe it's the adrenaline.

Lovely views up this climb...

It looks like a painting.

Historic old towns...

The weathervane points my way east...

...to the Atlantic!

I'm doing well on these climbs.

My legs feel strong.

I'm cooking along when...

Crunch!

My chain and derailleur suddenly grind into a knotted mess!

I can't pedal an inch!

Little Margo, also out early, tries to help but it's beyond our ken.

Call to the Gold Van for help...

Mike Bike Leader finds I have a twisted chain.

Wrenches out...

...and in two seconds I'm on my way!

This is what we pay for!

That - and more hills....

I stop and talk to Nick...

He's out this early morning building picnic tables...

With his tracheostomy and wrist splint he has a sad tale to tell...

A shyster contractor has taken all his money and left his house in shambles.

Nick is now working around the clock to try to save the house for him and his wife...

Anyone want to buy a custom built crib?

Now we enter our 8th state.

Vermont - small state with big hills...

...and an untold passion for mooses.

It's beautiful here.

Vermont is rightly named Verte Montagne - Green Mountain.

I spin past wind sculptures...

...and the Vermont version of Stonehenge.

Entering the historic town of Bennington....

....the other bikers begin to catch up with me.

Including my favorite biker, Alex.

We're right at the base of The Big Hill...

... so we need energy!

Under the watchful eye of Benny, the chocolate moose, Al dutifully bites into her required energy snack.

I don't know what this is, but it certainly looks sinful!

Now it's time to face the mountain!

I follow Al - marveling at the skills she has gained in these past two months.

She pedals up this mountain like a pro!

I'm not doing badly, but I do have to stop to take pictures of the other bikers struggling up the slope.

We've had flat ground for most of the last two weeks.

Now's the time to test those muscles!

I find Al waiting for me halfway up the mountain.

She does her cool biker pose for this shot in front of her favorite sign.

And she takes a moment to befriend an owl...

(Al has always been afraid of birds; when she was a child I would have to call out her window "Go away Owl" before she could go to sleep.)

But moose don't scare her!

Don seems more than happy to take a break and look for moose.

And Dan helps out with his best moose impression.

Near the crest of the hill I actually do stop to scan this habitat for large brown beasts...

...at which time I'm startled by a wild herd of bikers of the noisy persuasion.

Here's my favorite sign of the trip.

When they are warning about runaway trucks I know my aching climb is coming to an end.

Here's the downhill we deserve!

I go 44 mph; Al hits 43.

Her fast buddies all flirt with the big 5-0, but I think they all top out at 49 mph.

We see Dereka near the bottom.

She is ebullient!

We made it!

They said that hill was hard!

That wasn't as hard as the Tetons!

We bump into Ian...

Yeah - at least here you could breathe, he says.

Up in the Rockies there was no air.

I'm just glad to have made it so far...

But - Oh, no!

Look at the map!

We have another hill yet to climb!

Alex leads the way!

We make it to the top together!

(Well, she got there a little ahead of me).

Now's the time for a tough decision...

Al goes for a twist.

And I even decide to indulge!

We browse the shop looking at local Vermont wares...

Mmmm. Sharp Vermont cheese to have for breakfast.

Beats the powdered scrambled eggs we usually get.

There's the red-tail shirt I want!

Photo by Gerard

One last long coast down to Brattleboro.

I'm too tired to take pics so I had to borrow these from Gerard.

Photo by Gerard

Brattleboro is a cute town.

Al and Todd stop at a music festival.

I head to the hotel for my recovery routine - feet up, PB crackers and chocolate milk.

At route rap tonight things are not as serious.

Mark looks more relaxed...

Rick even naps through rap.

And Allison looks...

Well, I don't know how to describe that look.

And tomorrow - we go to New Hampshire!

I can smell the ocean now!

Day 47- Little Falls to Latham, NY

2010-08-14T17:28:00.000-04:00

The hills begin today.

I now know this country as a giant basin.

The bowl of the plains and midwest bounded by the rims of mountains on either side.

And now it's time to climb the rim.

Today we will climb 2,100 feet - a warm-up.

Tomorrow it will be 5,050.

And Sunday - 6,000! Our biggest climb of the entire journey!

Are they trying to kill us?

As I begin that first big hill out of the valley I look back on Little Falls, New York.

The hills are so beautiful.

I wish I had had time to get to know them.

This hill is beautiful.

Where before I had cursed the strain hills caused to my legs...

I now enjoyed the climb for the new vistas...

Each turn brought fresh views....

The valleys below...

The placid cows unperturbed by this one lone biker....

Lovely old homes with straight clean lines and wavy glass windows....

The creeks tumble by with sparkling rocks and the clearest joyful water.

An old church...founded 1767.

Europeans laugh at our small American history.

Two hundred years is a baby next to the Coliseum.

But there's still a thrill to see glimpses of our past in these lovingly preserved old structures.

A monument!

Wow! I have to stop!

Crumbling old pillars...

Statues of white men and a lovely Indian maiden....

What is the story?

I later find out she was Kateri Tekakwitha - "the fairest flower that ever bloomed among the redmen."

She converted to Christianity and for that was shunned by her people.

Her face was scarred by the smallpox.

But she lived a life of purity and dedication to the church.

They say when she died at the age of 24, her scars melted away revealing a woman of extraordinary beauty.

She was the first Native American recognized as a saint by the Catholic church.

And what's this sign next to the memorial?

Shrine land for sale?!

I can't believe it.

I bike along - shaking my head...

Stop at the farmer's market...

Wow! Wonderful colorful fruits and veggies!

Sue offers me a taste of their sweet red berries.

She's so proud of their produce.

I love buying food directly from the person who picked the fruit from the fields.

First SAG stop and Barb is setting out fresh peaches for us!

Texas Tom is there - the first one to catch up with me today.

He's one of our fastest bikers.

But he takes the time to salute every time he passes an American flag.

Tom tells me Rick got held up by two flats today.

And he hadn't had any flats until the one yesterday.

I take off while Tom is still tasting the peaches.

I love the old bridges...

Their intersecting angles make such interesting patterns...

And they make me think of change...

crossing over from one side of our life to another...

But what's this on the horizon?

Dozens of bulldozers and steam shovels chomping at the top of this hillside.

They're in a devilish hurry to finish this giant warehouse

What are we doing to this world?

But there's more beauty ahead...

Rainbow houses...

The joy of the descents...

...into a valley

Oh, no!

This whole day has been alternating beauty and destruction!

A HUGE cement plant...

Chewing off the cliff face...

...filling the small stream with mucky silt.

Our tires slush through gray thick puddles.

Here's what I've been looking for!

All over the country I've seen these signs.

I want to buy it all!

Plant trees and prairies...

Protect some small portion of our great country for the future.

Leave a patch or two unpaved, untrammeled.

That's why I believe in these local land trusts.

The local people who care about the shrines and the creeks and the roadside farms.

Here it's the Otsego Land Trust.

At home it's the Red-tail Conservancy.

Each group protecting land in our own backyard.

Like our Land in Indiana.

OK. Back to the bike ride....

We found a wonderful bike path along the Mohawk River.

Here's Ellen with a big smile.

She wanted to quit back in Casper.

She's always been behind even me.

Now she's slimmed down and ready to roll!

Beautiful wetlands restoration.

Why two birdhouses so close together?

Swallows will take one - but another swallow won't nest so close.

So that leaves it open for a bluebird family.

And here are the people doing the restoration

The New York Department of Transportation!

Is that cool, or what?

Leo's enjoying the trail...

He stops for photo ops almost as much as I do.

We turn onto a busy street...

Narrow bridge...

Need to squeeze by the local walkers.

But it gets us to the famous Jumping Jack Drive-in!

Hope they don't mind if we Bike-in.

It's a biker party!

I think everyone is thinking about the fact we only have three days left.

They are slowing down....

taking time to smell the roses...

...and taste the ice cream!

SAG stop and I finally find my biker chick, Al.

She shows me her biker tattoos...

Look at these legs!

It's a jovial stop.

We're all together now.

The question of the day...

Who hasn't had any flats yet?

Katie and Gerard are the flatless ones.

Great downhills along the Mohawk leading into Latham.

But I end up with a flat.

It's fixed by the team, Mike and Karen - always in matching outfits.

Everyone watches the masters at work.

At the hotel at last we all line up for Jim's nightly mechanics session.

We all want our bikes ready for the big day tomorrow.

Tonight's route rap is serious stuff.

We know we have major climbing tomorrow - more than we've seen since Mt Rushmore.

Gary studies the route map intently.

Dereka and Teresa listen and wonder...

Can I do it?

Time to sleep.

We'll find out tomorrow.

Day 46 - Liverpool to Little Falls NY...and back

2010-08-13T06:32:00.010-04:00

Crisis!

My camera is missing!

I have torn the hotel room upside down and no camera!

How can I bike without a camera?

Well, luckily I have a spare.

When I bought the G11 for this trip, I kept my old G9 and brought it with me.

But my G11 has all my photos I've taken since Astoria!

And I haven't downloaded all of them yet.

I must have left it at dinner last night - and the steak house won't open till 11.

Must go.

Worry about it later.

Flummoxed, I hit the road, G9 around my neck.

It's hard to get started on today's photos.

The sky dull gray, featureless.

The camera feels odd.

The small towns look foreign through a different viewfinder.

Even the garden decor takes on a sinister look in my altered state of mind.

Tell me...

Don't you think this is a little bit creepy?

OK.

Barns.

What could be more normal than a barn with a bright blue steel roof?

I'm calming down...

...getting into the groove.

Talk to farmer John...

He's bringing in his squash from the roadside stand.

-We have rain coming, he warns.

Better get to the SAG...

Turn right at the castle...

Get to the SAG wagon just as the heavens let loose!

I duck under a nearby awning and wait for the deluge to slow down.

By the time the rain begins to let up, we have a deluge of cyclists at the SAG.

Come on, Rod.

Let's get going.

As soon as we get started, the rain starts to come down in buckets again.

The next time I see Rod he has stopped to help New Jersey Mark with a flat tire.

Is Rod a great guy or what?

Smallest church in the world?

Barely big enough for a door.

I was going to skip this photo-op, but when I saw Todd stopping for this picture I decided it was worth the soaking.

Another 10 miles of cold drizzle down our backs....

Finally we find a gas station where we can stop to wring out our frazzled hair.

Bikers love adversity, yes?

Margo looks like she's having a great time.

And Dan always has a smile on his face.

My route sheet is falling apart.

Even my diet coke got wet!

The next SAG is only 12 miles away.

By the time I get there the rain is letting up.

And I find my Alex.

She, too, had a flat in the pouring rain.

Changed it herself.

What a girl!

I leave quickly from the SAG.

I try to keep ahead of the group.

But when I stop to take my last picture of the Erie Canal...

...Al and Canada Jeff whoosh by me.

The rain turns to sun.

I'm in a hurry now to get to Little Falls - check on my camera.

This is no time for a flat.

Little Falls looks scenic...

Interesting signs distract my eye...

But I'm on a mission.

Yes! The steak house back in Liverpool has my camera!

I grab a taxi - I won't tell you what it cost - and book it back to Liverpool to rescue my wayward pixilator.

Pete, my taxi driver, says he can't use the a/c - he's allergic.

So I pay an arm and a leg for a two hour drive to retrieve my camera in a sweltering hot van.

Am I dedicated?

Or just crazy?

But I'm thrilled to get my camera back.

And we only have 4 more days to bike.

I'm beginning to think I will make it.

Day 45 - Henrietta NY to Liverpool NY

2010-08-12T05:41:00.009-04:00

It's going to be a long, hot day ahead.

I thought about taking a bump up at the beginning, but the scenic part of the ride will be the first 20 miles along the Erie canal.

So I start with the dawn and hope I can make it to Liverpool.

The others start early today too.

It's not long before Rick and Steve catch up with me.

But today even Rick stops to take photos.

I think everyone realizes our trip will be over in less than a week.

Some of the guys who've been chewing up the miles are slowing down and looking around.

Gerard and I take turns taking photos of each other - first before the bridge...

...and then after.

I watch ducks swim in a paceline.

Actually they invented it long before bicycles came along.

We get to watch the local rowing team practice their drills.

...and the local bike club out for their weekend ride.

Wonder what they would say if they knew the straggly group of bikers they passed have just biked across most of America.

At the town of Pittsford they request we walk our bikes on their bike trail through town.

It's kinda nice to slow down to a walking pace.

It gives me a chance to talk with the ducklings.

Things are even so relaxed this morning I get a picture of Joe.

Joe has been an ultra-marathoner - runs 24 hour races.

He thought about doing the Across America Fast Ride where you cross the country in 40 days.

But then he decided he wanted a slower pace.

But his slow is my speed demon.

Going through these cute little towns we sometimes feel like we're a parade.

The locals smile and wave.

The Pittsford Pirate flags remind me of Mike, the biker I met in Oregon...

Was that only 6 weeks ago?

All of these towns have their own flags on the lightposts...

A welcome sign...

A motto...

Clyde has a lovely central park with a gazebo.

The day has turn sizzling.

The fountain looks so refreshing.

And my bike needs a rest.

But we see all the other bikers passing us by.

We'd better get going.

It's so hot.

The road burns under my pedals.

I've fallen behind.

I'm feeling woozy.

I think I'm close to a bonk.

I stop at the next gas station for food and drink.

While I imbibe the sweeps come in.

Guess who's sweeping today.

Al is helping ABB Jeff follow the pack to be sure there are no stray sheep bikers falling behind.

This picture I asked her to look sweepish.

I try to keep going...

but the road goes on forever.

I'm falling farther and farther behind.

The heat is stifling.

Finally I take a bump up from Jim to the next SAG in a lovely park six miles ahead.

Jim tells the cyclists that I'm in the van cause he needed help with directions.

Yeah, right.

I take a break -

Talk with Todd.

Todd is interviewing all the bikers for his blog.

By the way, Al's quote for Todd's blog is "Old men are weird."

Back on the road again...

I'm not much better.

It's so hot.

I fall behind again.

Sometimes I think I'm imagining things when I see strange sculptures by the side of the road.

Are these supposed to be eagles?

They look like parrots to me.

I'm getting dizzy just watching the lines of the road go on and on.

Yellow lines...

Side by side...

I look up at the sun.

That was a mistake.

I can relate to the dried flowers crackling by the road...

baked dead by the heat.

I stop in the shade of a bridge.

My shaking hands turn the page of the route sheet.

I hear skinny tires crunching the road behind me.

It's my sweep!

I'll take you in says Alex.

I follow the bobbing yellow ribbon on the back of her bike.

I remember buying her that ribbon at a grocery store back in Wyoming so she could celebrate Argentina playing in the World cup.

She gets me safely to the town of Liverpool, New York...

...where I become a two fisted drinker.

We reach the hotel where there's a promise of a good meal ahead...

But there are mysterious people lurking behind newspapers in our lobby....

It's Katie's parents!

They are here to surprise her with a visit.

They've been reading my blog and know every one of us and our adventures.

Her Dad has a book for me...Travels with Charley by Steinbeck.

It reminds him of my blog.

...maybe this is all worthwhile after all.

Day 44 - Niagara Falls to Henrietta NY

2010-08-11T09:21:00.009-04:00

Early morning leaving Niagara Falls...

The other bikers still sleep.

I can't believe in one week this will all be over.

We'll have dipped tires in the Atlantic ocean and I'll be on my way home.

We've been in 41 hotel rooms in 44 days.

Half the time I don't know which room is mine.

I can't remember which way to go for the bathroom in the middle of the night.

It will be so nice to be home.

I thought it would be easier to bike after a day of rest.

But my legs are still asleep.

The gentle hills of Western New York don't feel so gentle.

The roadside attractions give me pause...

When man goes away the flowers will take over.

Purple loosestrife may inherit our world.

The New York cows cheer me on.

So nice to see cows out in fields in open air.

They chew their cuds thoughtfully as I spin by.

The legs are waking up.

They yawn and stretch.

They take a hill without complaint.

Maybe this rest day did help.

Morning apples call me to stop.

Their sunrise colors want my attention.

Mike says I get so tired because I stop to take so many photos.

I'm on the road longer than anyone else.

My body has no time to recover in the evening.

But how can I ignore these lovely apples?

I pass a river -

No, this is no river.

Rivers are like me.

They like to meander...

weaving from side to side...

...not in a hurry to get anywhere.

This may be the Erie Canal.

This is a cheery countryside.

People do funny things like paint faces on hay bales.

Their yard art includes Tuggy the Tugboat...

...and flower filled toilets.

Farmers leave out their produce...

Just drop your money in the can and you get fresh green peppers...

...or garlic.

I'd never seen garlic at a roadside stand before.

First SAG stop at a wildlife refuge...

I've beat the truck to the SAG.

The only other biker out is Little Margo.

She couldn't sleep so she started out early too.

Love her Rolling Stone jersey from London Ontario.

I can slow down and read the signs at the Wildlife Refuge.

Lots of wetlands.

Hawks fly overhead - two more for the Red-tail Conservancy count!

Photo by Tom Williams

Great Blue Herons wake up and fly their lazy, slow wing strokes over the ponds.

Farmers till the rich soil...

Wait a minute! I thought we had learned not to till.

It takes hundreds of years to replace one inch of that topsoil blowing into my eyes.

Of all the resources we need to sustain for our kids' futures, the topsoil may be the most important.

The other bikers start to catch up.

The Swiss team and Katie moving fast...

Andrew a little slower on "The Tank".

We pass hedgerows full of tiny pink flowers...

Oh no! It's crown vetch!

A highly invasive plant that chokes out our natives and is toxic to horses.

Is this the same flower I saw in the Sioux Falls prairie?

I hope not.

And look, entwined with the evil crown vetch is deadly nightshade!

I think I'll avoid this dastardly hedgerow.

There's the reddest barn I've ever seen...

And one of the saddest...

How can we let these treasures of our history just crumble before our eyes?

I love to hear about the people who rescue old barn wood and give it new life.

Or Barn Again who saves the wonderful old barns.

More scary plants in New York state.

This vine seems to smother everything that doesn't move fast enough.

I'd better pedal faster.

This grape vine is everywhere

The birds love it.

And we've found a way to make wine with the grapes.

But wow!

It looks like the Niagara of the plant kingdom!

We're nearing town now.

Seeing houses with beautiful gardens.

A feast for the eyes and butterflies...

Speaking of feasts...

What's on the menu tonight?

Pizza Hut?

I don't think so.

So I stay in the hotel and order out spaghetti and meatballs.

Ken sits out on the picnic bench calling home.

I think we are all of us ready for home.

All of us but Alex.

I haven't seen her all day.

And as I crawl into bed she is staying up playing cards with her two Jeffs.

Young hands hold the cards.

Old hands know the tricks.

...and I sleep.

Day 43 - Niagara Falls Rest Day

2010-08-10T05:21:00.013-04:00

How would you choose to spend your rest day in Niagara Falls?

I would spend mine getting out of Niagara!

First I go for a soothing Aveda facial.

I ask Mandy, my Canadian facialist, what she thinks about America.

She is cautious - doesn't want to offend the customer - she says our music is better known...

...says she doesn't know much about America, but she's heard about our health care and she's glad she's Canadian.

Then I take a taxi out to Ball's Falls - a nature center.

I ask my taxi driver about today's holiday.

It's a civic holiday, he explains. No special event.

On top of the usual times like Christmas, they have some long weekend holidays.

More than one? I ask. How many civic holidays are there?

Twelve, he says.

Wow.

Ball's Falls is a quiet place - just what I want.

Hundreds of acres of woods, falls and picnic areas.

They have an education center which is LEED certified.

The water is recycled.

The building materials, locally made.

Solar lighting.

I talk with their activities director, Angela.

She is just back from her one year maternity leave.

This place gives you one year off with your baby? I ask, incredulous.

Oh, everyone in Canada gets a year. she says.

Is this a civilized country or what?

Balls Falls is along the Niagara Escarpment - a cliff between two land masses that extends from New York up into Canada then down west of Lake Michigan towards Chicago.

Does this mean it could earthquake?

This is a lovely place for families.

The kids see all kinds of wildlife here.

I just love the peace and quiet...

So glad to be out of Niagara Falls.

I see my first New England aster.

I love the brilliant purple flowers.

And so do the butterflies.

I go looking for the falls.

The path takes me through their historic village founded by the Ball brothers.

I wonder if they're related to the Ball brothers that founded Ball Glass in Muncie Indiana.

Their family has been a huge supporter of my charity, the Red-tail Conservancy.

Huge old barn.

The beams still show the rough edges where an axe blow chopped a solid tree trunk into straight angles.

Maybe I am sensitive right now to our muscles and how they react to stress, but I can almost feel the steely, sweaty arms of the pioneers axing those logs.

The floor - made of long planks of wood - wood we couldn't even dream of today - from back when the trees had grown slowly so the grain is tight.

Wooden planks broad because the trees were so large before they were cut down - by hand.

Very different from today's tree plantations - we're into fast growth and cut them as soon as usable.

I find a back stairwell into the basement.

It's cool and dark.

I listen to the soft sounds of footsteps over head.

People step slowly here - looking around in awe, respectful.

I think about the contrast with the noise and lights of Niagara Falls.

I'm glad I'm here.

Back on my mission - to find the falls.

I'm not the only one.

I follow a family with two young boys.

Are they twins? I ask.

No, they are cousins visiting the falls for a family picnic.

And yes! they lead me to the falls!

Water crashing 200 feet to the gorge below.

Birds flit in and out of the whooshing waters catching bugs - or just playing.

And look - the German lady with the big camera is on the other side right next to the falls!

I need to get there!

So I circle around up the river...

...careful not to disturb the old man enjoying his moment in the sun.

I find the secret entrance...

Down a narrow path - careful for the poison ivy!

And I find the walkout to the very edge of the falls.

I sit on the flat stone - only a few feet from the plummet.

Alone now... the families and old man have gone home to dinner.

And I have time to reflect...

...on water

....on silence

...on what my spirit needs on a day of rest.

I think about Al's impression of Niagara Falls.

How she stands at the edge and sees the water hesitate - pausing - scared before cascading into the crashing waves below.

I need to go.

Back up the public path to the center I hear a last Dad telling his son - "We're going on a nature adventure.

One last pause of my own...

....before I re-enter the crashing noise of civilization.

Dinner with Al...

We share our days.

Her day - a young one - exciting, energetic - packed with the sights and sounds of a new place.

My day - slow, quiet, reflective.

Do we rest like we bike?

We watch reflections on our walk to the hotel.

Tomorrow we begin the last leg of our adventure across the country...

Day 42 - Brantford, ON to Niagara Falls

2010-08-07T21:28:00.005-04:00

Another sunrise...

Another early day...

I like this leaving early.

I have a quiet ride in the morning.

I stop and take tons of pictures.

Then mid-ride the others catch up.

They pass me.

I get to chat and take their photos.

And then I'm still the last one in to the hotel.

As I bike this peaceful morning, I'm struck by the immense electric grid shackling our world.

So many towers...

So many wires...

Do we really need all of this?

My eyes fall to the road and I notice a small snail about to be smushed.

I rescue the little fella and set him on my bike bag.

At first he is shy - keeping his head tucked in shell.

Then he gradually peeks out an eye at the tip of his antenna.

As I wait, he gets bolder.

Finally he is cruising all over my bike bag exploring this novel new surface.

I watch my snail for at least 15 minutes.

No rush.

Just the pleasure of watching a fellow being explore his own world.

I don't need so much electricity.

We don't need so many thneeds.

All I need is a snail to watch.

I bike along the quiet Canada roads.

Nice house.

I see a man sitting on his porch.

Cup of coffee. Newspaper.

I think about how he's going to be treated by watching 50 colorful bikers spin by his house in the early morning light.

Here's a man enjoying a peaceful walk with his dog.

They may not enjoy the excitement of so many bikers going by.

I enjoy the whimsy of some people out in the country.

Creative mailbox where few people ever pass by.

The bikers catch up with me at the SAG out in the country.

I stop in next door at a small church to use their ladies room.

The minister chats with me a while and then starts his service...

"Well, we're a small group today..."

There are only six people in the pews.

I bike by lovely nurseries full of lush flowers.

These snowball flowers seem especially popular.

At the next gas station this guy is amazed to hear about our long ride.

He says he'll think of us while he's kicking back on his boat.

It's all quiet flat roads until SPLAT!

We hit hills!

Steep hills. Granny gear and then some!

Carol handles the hills with aplomb.

Her husband Mark makes it look harder.

Dereka and I make it up these sharp hills without even taking a granny moment.

That's what Dereka calls it when you stop, catch your breath and let your heart stop pounding - then you finish the hill.

I end up behind the group coming into the drawbridge.

Left behind again.

Over the bridge and into Niagara Falls Canada.

No more quiet countryside.

Big glitzy buildings one on top of the other.

Yes, the falls are beautiful.

But all the people!

and still more people...

To quote the Grinch..."all the noise, noise, noise, noise!"

We need to cross the Rainbow Bridge to the American side.

Luckily I find Mike, our tour leader, in his Canada jersey leading the way through customs.

We wait almost patiently to cross the border.

I watch the other drivers wait patiently, too.

Finally we enter New York State!

Time for dinner and I can't face Denny's again.

So Mark finds the Red Coach Inn, a lovely historic restaurant just down the street from our hotel.

We find a few more rebels to join us in a dinner out.

Great dinner.

Nice wine.

Great conversation.

After dinner we mosey down to watch the rapids in the setting sun.

Tomorrow is a day off.

What will we want to do on our final rest day?

Day 41 - London to Brantford, Ontario - Feels like Fall

2010-08-07T04:37:00.010-04:00

It feels like fall this morning.

I start out while the others are still asleep or reading their newspapers.

When I clip into the pedals the air has a chill.

I wear a jacket.

On the dusky road I startle up wild turkeys.

Thank Thanksgiving.

I see starlings gathering for fall migration.

Even a single maple leaf begins to color.

By the side of the road I find a touch-me-not.

The last time I saw these flowers was when I took KC to her first day of college in North Carolina.

We found the plump seed pods and jumped when they burst at a touch.

As I kneel in the damp grass to take pictures I notice a tiny snail clinging to a leaf.

I remember at the beginning of this bike trip when Al and I biked together - we found a snail and laughed about how we were snails.

Now she bikes like the wind.

The bright red sumac berries are ripe for the migrating birds.

And the hay in the field may be ready for the third cutting.

Do they do three cuttings in Canada?

My Dad always loved fall.

I thought it was an old person thing.

Everyone knew spring and summer were the best seasons.

Now I like fall.

Speaking of old - my old bike is having trouble getting up this hill.

Oops. Flat tire.

Luckily Karen pulls up in minutes with the white van and rescues me.

(No. I've never gotten the hang of changing a flat. My bad.)

I see teasel growing spikily by the road.

In Wyoming the bloom was white.

Here it blooms like Indiana in purple.

I read that pioneer girls teased their hair with this plant.

I stop at a country store for a snack and see Jeff in this blinding bike jersey.

And where there's Jeff, I know there will be Alex.

They are two of our fastest bikers now.

I offer to buy Al a treat at the store.

She has trouble making up her mind.

They bike on ahead, but I see them briefly at the next SAG stop.

Everyone is excited about the biscotti provided by Canada Mark's wife.

I turn the corner and a small church catches my eye.

Look at the details on that steeple!

And the beautiful entry.

Do we build things with such attention to detail anymore?

Back on the road, more reminders of fall - the pagoda-like goldenrods...

Mountain ash trees ripe for the cedar waxwings.

I tried to grow these once.

They don't like Indiana.

I begin to see miles of crops growing under nets - is it for shade or to protect the fruits from birds?

Are they strawberries?

No, says Dericka, it's ginseng.

Normally it grows on the forest floor.

And what's that tall leafy crop behind Jim and Allison?

Such a delicate flower...

Who knew they grew tobacco in Ontario?

One thing I like here in Canada are the hedgerows.

Between the fields and the roads grow these wild jumbles of plants full of shelter and berries for the birds.

We've given up hedgerows in America so we can plant every inch of ground with crop.

The fields of America have no birdsong.

I stop at the House farmer's market to admire their veggies.

Fresh watermelons from Canada!

I wouldn't think they'd have a long enough growing season for watermelons.

Dare I eat a peach?

What I really want is a homemade cherry pie.

But I can't carry it on my bike.

The next shop is even more interesting - the Ginseng shop.

They sell ginseng every way you can imagine...

by the root...

as a powder...

like honey...

And even ginseng candy.

I ask Paul what ginseng is supposed to do for you.

He says it will make you stronger, give you more energy.

He gives me a free piece of ginseng candy.

I tell him if it make me a better biker I'll come back for more.

....

It doesn't.

It's so interesting approaching these small towns.

I never know what to expect.

Brantford, our home for the night, has beautiful flowers filling their medians.

But I never find out why they are tearing down half their downtown,

They have a lovely Catholic church.

Several of our bikers go to Saturday mass this afternoon.

Husband Tom goes to mass in local churches when we are on vacation.

There's Alex at mechanics - our daily bike repair clinic.

Looks like she needs a new chain and maybe a cog set.

Dang. I'm spending so much money on her.

And she doesn't even ride with me anymore.

I go to our dark little hotel room.

And there I find the homemade cherry pie Alex has bought me at the farmers market.

Thank you, Alex.

Day 40 - Port Huron, MI to London, Ontario - The Big Bridge

2010-08-06T05:20:00.006-04:00

Line up there!

We're going over the bridge!

Mike is barking out the orders.

He has us all dressed in our ABB shirts.

The bikes are lined up along the fence.

The riders chat nervously.

This is a tight operation.

If your bike gets a flat we throw it in the van and carry you over.

No time to dawdle.

And no stopping to take pictures!

...but Gerard cheats.

We wheel our bikes up to The Bridge....

...and wait tensely for the word.

Go!

The bridge is clear of cars.

It belongs to the bikes for ten minutes!

Howard leads the way!

But remember to stop and carry your bike over the kingpins...

We cross the bridge like pros and spin down to the customs in no time.

Time for another wait as they decide whether to let us all into Canada.

Yes! We're in!

...and we all stop to pose for photos.

It's nice to have a second on board to take the pics.

Canada Jeff takes us off route to meet his Mom.

She brings us cookies.

Thanks Mom!

Then he leads us through a lovely park....

...where we get a great view of Lake Huron from the Canada side.

Then back under our bridge...

...for a scenic entry to our neighbor up north.

And we all sing Happy Birthday to Michael!

Then we follow Jeff back under the bridge and out of town.

We've gone off of the route, so we have to follow closely.

Otherwise - lost in Canada!

It's too fast for me.

I struggle to keep up.

Detours add to our miles.

Finally we're back on route and everyone zips ahead.

Everyone but me.

I bonk.

But it's a weird kind of bonk.

I don't pass out.

I just feel intensely sleepy.

I stare at each passing tree - longing to lie down and go to sleep.

I shake my head trying to stay awake.

My bike wobbles.

I stop several times and snack hoping to get a boost from sugar or caffeine.

There's a bathroom break that provides some relief.

Odd thing - the bathroom is inside a carwash stall.

Oh, well, on a ride like this you take what you can get.

How is Canada different?

Pretty similar to the states so far.

Signs in kilometers.

Smooth roads.

I think their hayfields look more golden.

I'm still trying to fight this drug-like sleepiness.

Finally I give up and ask the van to give me a bump.

I fall asleep during the drive to the next town.

Back with the other riders I eat lunch at this cute country store.

The smell of the freshly baked waffle cones is wonderful!

The town has huge balls of flowers hanging from the lightposts.

I'm feeling a bit perkier and continue on.

I watch a farmer taking out his crop of hay.

His threshing machine fascinates me.

....such beautiful patterns against the golden hay.

Lovely farms.

Well kept buildings.

Bright metal green roofs.

I watch a farmer liming his fields.

They must have acidic soil to add all this lime.

Nice to see the farmers out on the fields.

In all the cropland we passed in the US, I rarely saw a farmer.

Finally I limp into the hotel.

Recovery snack - chocolate milk and peanut butter crackers.

The room is gloomy.

Not much of a view.

And my butt hurts.

Instead of the usual buffet dinner with the group I order in a hamburger and fries and eat lying on the floor.

It's been a tough day - after that glorious start over the bridge.

But there's only 10 more days left!

Hopefully after a good night's sleep I'll be ready for more biking across Canada.

Day 39 - Birch Run to Port Huron, MI - To the Bridge...

2010-08-05T05:19:00.010-04:00

Mom!

You've got to stop starting all your blogs with sunrises!

It gets boring!

Sorry, KC.

But I like sunrises...

A cloudless morning...

Looks to be a nice day for cycling.

But my derriere suggests we take it easy today.

So we start out in the van again...

We have crises to deal with...

One rider hits his brakes and the rider behind crashes into him.

Broken handlebars.

Abrasions.

Smashed wheel.

All is fixed.

But by the time we arrive at the first SAG stop...

...the first riders are hot on our heels.

And who is this coming to see me?

It's daughter Al!

I hardly see her anymore since she bikes now with the fast bikers.

But she rejoins her friends and I continue on.

The road is lined with wildflowers...

The same ones I know from home...

I love the cornflowers

This looks to be a happier day biking...

Barns with shiny new roofs...

Cows enjoying a full field of grass...

Cute little towns like Yale, Michigan, Bologna Capitol of the World!

I bump into Leo looking for the famous Bologna museum.

No museum.

But I find the King and Queen Bologna.

I stop a local biker to ask directions...

but she is shy...

There's a house with Kitty windows.

Al always thought each of the dormer windows should have a kitty sitting in it looking out over the yard below.

Here's a farmer I'd like to know....

...and his contented cows.

Look at the headlines!

Michigan has an oil spill.

Know how we can cut down the risk of oil spills?

Eat local foods.

Your average American food travels 1500 miles to your plate.

When we eat the Michigan blueberries Al buys at a local stand we save all that gas!

And the food in the grocery has been selected for tough skin for the long shipping and sitting on a shelf for weeks.

Your farmer's market can sell fruits selected for the sweet taste.

Tom and I even joined a csa this year - community supported agriculture.

We found them through Local Harvest.

So every week we get a basket of the freshest vegetables, fruits, eggs, etc... from this farm just five miles from home.

You can't beat that!

As I bike along I have to stop to take pics of the white birches.

These trees don't do well at home in Indiana - too warm.

I love the white peeling paper bark.

There goes New Jersey Mark!

(We have three Marks so we call them New Jersey Mark, Toronto Mark and Baltimore Mark.)

I have to thank him for saving my blog last week.

When we were getting on the ferry my batteries died!

No camera for the whole ferry trip?!

Seeing my plight, NJ Mark gave me his camera to use for the whole ferry ride to Michigan!

As I rush to catch up I catch my first glimpse of Lake Huron.

It's so blue!

The brilliant blue water flashes between the large homes to my left as I bike down the road.

Finally I find a beach where I can enjoy the view...

And I find my fellow bikers!

Sandy is practicing her bike lift for the Atlantic Ocean.

On down the road we see The Bridge!

Here is our route into Canada...

Tomorrow morning the port authority will actually close the whole bridge to traffic so we can safely bike across to Ontario!

There are kids jumping in the clear waters under the bridge.

They sound Canadian.

Nearby we find a lovely old restaurant for lunch...

Beautiful stained glass entrance...

Great dessert tray!

And a view of The Bridge!

Al and her friends opt to sit outside.

I hurry on to the hotel.

We have work to do...

Studying the map...

The daily Route Rap when they go over the next day's ride in detail...

And before you know it the sun is setting and it's time for bed.

See, KC - I like sunsets, too.

Day 38 - Mt Pleasant to Birch Run - The Hand of Man

2010-08-03T20:10:00.007-04:00

The sun swims above the horizon

promising a hot and humid day.

Allison is ready to go...

The bikes are ready...

Although breakfast isn't slated to begin until 6:30, the dining room is packed at 6:15.

I'm spending my summer with a lot of very driven individuals.

But at 6:32 I cruise out of the parking lot while the others wait for luggage load.

Al will load my bags while I get started early.

I'm biking through an Indian reservation, but it looks just like another small town - a little on the shabby side.

The nicest sign is the mental health clinic.

Just out of town is another sad dairy factory farm.

When this ride is over only grass fed milk for me.

I enter the town of Alma - Scotland USA...

Homes with lovely gardens - much nicer than the town of Shepherd.

But the golf course has wide open greens - very American...

The church looks American...

Even the barber shop looks very USA.

I later found the only Scottish thing about Alma is the name of the high school sports team.

Out of Alma I bike many long miles alone...

No towns.

Few houses.

A crumbling barn.

By the time I hit the detour I'm desperate...

I knock on this farmhouse door and ask Shirley if I can use their facilities.

She lets me use the bathroom back in the workshop.

Not my usual reading materials...

She had looked a bit distrustful, but by the time I have flushed, she is friendly and wants to know all about our biking adventure.

My detour to visit Shirley gives the other bikers a chance to catch up with me...

We pass a sad old house looking neglected.

Broken windows...

Cracking bricks....

And just across the street another tumble down home.

Around the corner - a collapsed barn.

I've read articles lately about what would happen if man suddenly disappeared from Earth.

How long would our footprint last?

Ask these buildings...

All the fields of corn and soybean would go away.

They've been bred to be seedless.

First would come in annual weeds for a year or two...

Then goldenrods would hold the land for ten years - gradually enriching the soil with its biomass since no farmer would be there to remove the plants year after year.

Next the birds would seed the land with brambles - blackberries and such -

giving shade and more richness to the soil.

Soon - pioneer trees like ash and tulip poplars would filter in - oaks if you have blue jays to carry the acorns.

And in about 30 years all these fields east of the Mississippi would be wooded again.

But for now we have soybeans at our SAG stop...

And we need a SAG stop...

This humidity has been draining us...

We need to drink!

Tooling down the road again we pass an old barn...

It's been there for 136 years.

And now the plants are winning.

And the humidity is winning over bikers...

After ten more miles, we all stop at the only store on route - Nixon's grocery.

Chocolate milk - the drink of champions!

We buy gallons and share...

After all that milk Renny and Katie feel quite strong...

They match, too.

This is cool - recycling for clothes and things.

I hope they don't recycle Andrew's bike!

This small town is full of bikers...

This is how my Alex started...

Beautiful house along the way...

As I take pics the bikers pass me by...

There goes Leo on his little Bike Friday...

Tom and Kim are stopped by a broken spoke!

Call the Gold Van for help!

One more falling shed catches my eye...

Why so many neglected buildings today?

And what's that ruckus in the road ahead?

These crazy people are switching bikes!

Nan is trying to ride the Bike Friday...

And Andrew doesn't seem to know what to do with Katie's bike...

They offer to let me join them, but I insist I'm a one bike woman.

Later Kim and Tom wonder what are the pretty flowers I'm admiring...

But these flowers are EVIL!

This is the dreaded purple loosestrife from Eurasia whose beauty is choking our wetlands all over the midwest...

killing orchids...

and destroying habitat.

There are so many destructive plants we have brought to America.

The beautiful Norway maple - a favorite shade tree.

It seeds prolifically

filling our forests.

Since it is from a colder climate it leafs out earlier in the spring.

Shading out the spring wildflowers that provide nectar for our native species.

Even if man disappears now these exotic species will continue their destructive ways.

But the bike ride continues...

I can buy all kinds of things along the route...

Corn...

Vegetables...

Even puppies!

I have to stop at this sign...

I love gladiolas!

Named for the gladiators lances, these bright spikes are worth a picture stop.

But it's getting late and I have a date in Birch Run tonight.

Tom Creech, a dear friend from high school days and his wife Cindy!

They take us out to a wonderful dinner.

But I have to sit carefully...

This long day with the heat and humidity has gifted me with incredibly painful saddle sores.

A fellow biker (who shall stay unnamed) kindly gave me rubbing alcohol and high powered cream for my shorts.

Weeooooh!

Wow! That rubbing alcohol stings! I tell her.

Oh, I know, she says cheerily.... My husband screams.

Doesn't this sound like a wonderful way to spend your summer?

Day 37 - Ludington to Mt Pleasant, MI - Local Food

2010-08-02T11:11:00.013-04:00

Back on bikes again...

Flat Michigan, but 113 miles today...

I get a bump up in the van so I can have time to enjoy the scenery.

Dew on the windshield

Not something we ever saw in Wyoming.

We stop at an old barn lit by the rising sun to watch the riders go by.

The first riders are pretty intense.

The later riders - more relaxed.

We have guests along the way.

Tall Margo has her uncle and cousin biking with us today.

And Dan brought two friends from Indiana in their new RAIN jerseys.

It's hard now to imagine biking 160 miles across Indiana in one day even though I've done it five times.

I used to be a strong biker.

What happened?

Deb drives ahead to the first SAG stop and drops me off under this shady tree...

What's this crop I ask.

Asparagus Deb says.

Oh, Tom loves asparagus!

And it is beautiful glistening in the sun like Christmas lights.

I love biking along with a variety of crops.

Yes, there is still the corn and soybean army.

But added in are some new characters...

Like the lovely orange flowers of a pumpkin patch.

I love the big crinkly blossoms.

But Michigan's first crop was her trees.

Wherever the land isn't mowed, plowed, or paved this land turns into forest.

The ground fills with rich ferns...

The dark plants flicker with the occasional dragonfly...

And the low areas light up with bright red cardinal flowers.

Around the turn of the century Michigan thrived on her timber market.

Towns bustled with lumberjacks and sawmills...

Then the trees ran out.

No jobs, no work...

It was a sad place until they began farming and auto making...

The secondary forest is coming back...

....but it's a shadow of its former self.

Biking on - my friends begin to pass me now...

Rick is always in the lead....

He always slows down enough to talk a bit before he zips ahead of me...

Many of the bikers are more relaxed now.

As the bike leaders say - it's not about the biking now.

We all know we can do it.

The trip is more social once we get in Michigan and we know we only have two weeks left.

And I can do my shopping along the route...

Want to buy a bed?

Only $400.

I love this mailbox!

We have a SAG stop under the smile of an angel...

Our friends from Indiana are there...

And Nan is there with her Koochaloo.

I don't know if biking makes people a little crazy...

...or if you have to be a little crazy to do a bike ride like this.

I'll ask Koochaloo.

Biking on, I hit a detour...

Big monster machine fills the road.

Trees are just a nuisance now...

...to be knocked aside.

I remember when my husband Tom cut down a tree on our land during the summer.

He later found a crushed nest and shattered eggs in the fallen branches.

He no longer cuts down trees during the summer.

I bike down the road and notice friends from home along the roadside...

A few big bluestems...

This land was all forest - a squirrel could cross Michigan on trees and never touch the ground.

But there must have been prairie pockets here and there.

Swamp milkweed with its bright buds...

...that burst into fireworks in the afternoon sun.

As we get closer to town, we begin to pass the farmers' markets...

I love the trust of leaving the can out for payment.

He is selling the most amazing Hibiscus...

Across the street someone is living in this old stone school house.

Their grill on the front porch...

Bird feeders in the side yard.

I enter the Isabella Indian Reservation.

We've passed through many reservations, only noted by a small sign - often overlooked.

The Chippewa River - clearest stream I've seen in the midwest...

It still meanders.

The water is very clear...

..brown with the tannins of the oak leaves.

Our rivers are so often ditched and straightened...

Trees cleared...

The water chokes with dirt - no sunlight to feed the water plants.

No water plants alive to make oxygen.

No fish.

I need cheering up.

Look at the sunflowers growing next to that farmhouse!

And the vegetable garden growing behind them...

Mmmm. one of my favorite crops...

My Indiana friend wonders why I'm hiding in the sunflowers...

The ride comes to an end...

We enter the small town of Mt Pleasant, Michigan.

Lovely parks...

...signs promoting local foods.

And speaking of local foods, look what the hotel has waiting for us!

Warm and home made.

It's been a good biking day in Michigan.

I look forward to tomorrow...

Day 36 - Manitowoc WI to Ludington, MI - Crossing Lake Michigan

2010-08-01T05:26:00.003-04:00

Back with the bike group but not biking...

We wheel our bikes onto the Badger to ferry us across this obstacle in our path - Lake Michigan!

Once on board some of us watch the shoreline fade into the distance...

Others work to amend their weird biker tan...

I am lucky to have a visitor for the four hour cruise...

Barry Banks, the director of the Red-tail Conservancy (RTC).

Barry has brought his family, Hunter and Jamie, up to ride the ferry with us and cheer on our Flight for the Land.

Al and I are riding our bikes across America to raise money for RTC and the other local land trusts all across the country.

RTC is protecting our 33 acres of land in Indiana...

...as well as 2,000 more acres of woods, farmlands and prairies in East Central Indiana.

And Barry tells me the big news....

The girl scouts want to sell Camp Munsee - 48 acres of a beautiful deep oak woods with a long history of raising girls to appreciate nature.

The forest hasn't been disturbed so it has a wonderful floor of woodland wildflowers.

But Red-tail needs to raise $150,000 to buy this treasure!

That's a lot of money for our small land trust.

Josie and Geoff Fox have donated $75,000, so we're half way there!

Al and I have only raised $4,000 so far for Flight.

But we're getting $1 for every red-tailed hawk we spot on our ride.

And ten cents for every mile we bike (from my Mother).

So Al will be raising more money than I will with her many long miles.

If you'd like to donate to our Flight and Red-tail, you can click here or send a check to RTC, Box 8, Muncie, IN, 47308.

Back to the boat...

There is a lot to do on shipboard

There's bingo....

The internet...

Or watch Wisconsin slowly fade into the distance.

Four long hours of waiting

watching the waters

thinking about the many miles left to the Atlantic ocean.

Land ho! calls Eileen.

We gather on the front deck to watch the state of Michigan slowly grow on the horizon.

The captain spins the great boat around so the cars and bikes will be able to roll out onto the dock of The Great Lakes state.

Not only surrounded, but bisected, by the great lakes, Michigan is famous for its forests and waterways.

I've read that in Michigan you are never more than 6 miles from a body of water.

More important to a biker...

Michigan will be our flattest state.

We gather on the deck to retrieve our bikes from below...

And Barry will return to Indiana to continue the good work of the Red-tail Conservancy.