- We made it to New York City!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- We're going to stay at Marta's (Regina's friend) in Lindenhurst
- I can't believe we're finished!!!!
Friday, February 8, 2008
Day 40: Somerville to Newark, NJ to New York, NY
Day 39: Hamburg to Allentown, PA to Somerville, NJ
- When crossing the bridge into N.J. we had to walk the bikes across (see picture)
- We were going to take the train to N.Y. (b/c we heard that we can't ride over the bridge), but we couldn't get the bikes on the train so we stayed in Somerville, N.J. (at the Holiday Inn!!!!) We will ride to Newark tomorrow.
Distance: 94.30 miles
Day 38: Chambersbourg - Hamburg, PA
- We got kind of a late start (Shane took back the jeans he bought)
- It's flat terrain for a change!!
- Cool little towns along the way
- We went over 3,00 miles today (no picture)
- Hamburg had really no place for us to stay (as in a hotel) and then we met Joseph (at the UCC). He took us to a campground (Blue Mountain Campground)
- Ralph (runs the campground) took us up to the pool so we could take a shower and that's where we camped
Distance: 109 miles
Day 37: Breezewood - Chambersbourg, PA
- Very wet and cold going up and down the hills. It was so foggy in some parts that going down the mountain we could hardly see in front of us
- Finally in Fort Loudon we stopped at Valley Pizza and met Oscar from Mexico (Puebla) who put us up at his house and we all (me, Shane, Pepe, Oscar, Antonio,...) all went out to a College bar in Shippensberg.
Distance: 25 miles (we had to stop b/c of the rain)
Day 36: Donegal to Breezewood, PA
- Got kind of late start b/c our stuff (tent and sleeping bag) got wet from condensation
- Shane broke another spoke on his rear wheel coming into Somerset (so that cost us some more time while we got it fixed)
- We stayed in a motel ($26.00)
Distance: 75 miles
Day 35: Bridgeport, OH to Donegal, PA
- Nice weather (low 70's) and clear
- The hills in PA really crank!!! (see my drawing of "3-mile Hill"). I really worked my butt off today {:-(
- Nice countryside
- Shane broke another spoke on his rear wheel coming into Mount Pleasant
- We camped at Laurel Highlands Campland (we ate alot of chow!!)
Distance: 91 miles
Day 34: Zainsville - Bridgeport, OH
- We started after 12 noon b/c of Shane's wheel (Larry got the tool to take it apart)
- Very humid!!!! (looked like it might storm)
- We had to ride on I-70 for about 10 miles
- There was alot of traffic heading towards the country music jamboree
- We met (actually Shane met) a man (Bob) who told him about Melman's Cafeteria and then told us about Janet (Hillside Motel) and she let us sleep on the floor
- We watched the opening ceremonies for the Olympics
Distance: 70 miles
Day 33: Dublin to Zainsville, OH
- Rainy day!!(we put trashbags over the panyards and sleeping bags and we also wore the trash bags --very cool!!)
- It's nice to have tapes to listen to again (long story)
- Shane got a trash bag caught inside the freewheel so Larry (owner of Wheel and Spoke) took us to a motel and will get a tool to take it apart. What a cool guy!!
Distance: 74 miles
Day 30: Delphos - Dublin, OH
- Cloudy day
- Tailwind into Dublin (and most of the day)
- We are resting at Shane's brother's house in Dublin, OH.
Day 29: Plymouth,IN to Delphos, OH
- Overcast most of the day
- Tailwind into Delphos (But it wasn't like yesterday's)
- It started to rain so we stayed in a motel
Distance: 119.2 miles
Day 28: Joliet, IL - Plymouth, IN
- We rode thru Chicago Hts. (the HOOD!!!) very scary!!!!
- We had a nice tailwind from the stateline all the way to Plymouth!!!!!
- Camped in a park
Distance: 96 miles
Day 27: Rock Falls to Joliet, IL
- Nice weather (overcast)
- B/c no one knew how to get to Martin Campgrounds, we had to get on I-80 (freeway) for 3 miles, and I got a flat. (pretty scary)
- Camped at Martin Campgrounds.
Distance: 108 miles
Day 26: Cedar Rapids,IA to Rock Falls,IL
- 77 miles (30 miles - break - 31 miles - break - 18 miles)
- We crossed the Mississippi River!! (couldn't take a picture b/c no film left)
- Camped on campgrounds
Day 25: Rest day Cedar Rapids,IA
- I rented a car and went to see my mom in Rockford, IL.
- Shane and I saw ID4 (Independence Day)
Day 24: Ames to Cedar Rapids,IA
- We got a really great deal on the room at the Econolodge!!!!!!
Distance: 101.2 miles
Day 23: Denison to Ames,IA
- Got a late start (10 am)
- Had kind of a tail wind (we're going east and the wind was out of the N.W. about 20 mph) so we made good time.
- When we got to Ames (shane had his back rim fixed (he broke a spoke) we found out that Cedar Falls was about 100 miles away.
- We met Mark at the bikeshop and he let us sleep in the living room of his frat house.
- Shane and I had our 2-beer buzz!!!
Distance: 99 miles
Day 21: Lexington to Silver Creek, NE
- Breakfast in Overton
- Camped outside Father Ken's house next to St. Lawrence Church
Distance: 125 miles
Day 20: Ogallala to Lexington, NE
- The day we were kicked of Interstate 80 (see warning)
- I went down on gravel (quick sand - see elbow)
- Bought more tubes in North Platt
- Shane and I did one-mile pulls 15 miles from Gothenberg
- I saw a Catholic church and went over to talk to the priest (not there), so then I went over to the Sister's house, and we put up a tent in her backyard (see picture). She was cool and let us shower in her bathroom (thanks to Shane!!)
Distance: 113 miles
Day 19: Sterling, CO to Ogallala, NE
- Made it to Julesberg, CO., ate lunch at the grocery store (town was deserted).
- Then it got hot!!!! (100's) and we rode on to Ogallala (it sucked!! It was very hot (oure ice water turns to hot water so fast) and head wind out the ass!!!.
- We took a shower at the local pool and then took a nap in the park!!
- Watched the fireworks (it's the 4th of July) in the park (wow!! Ha Ha!!)
- Camped in the park and no sprinklers!!!
Distance: 95 miles
Day 18: Fort Collins to Sterling, CO
- Took a shower and hung out at the Rec. Center (ping pong).
- Dinner: Shane got the all you can eat chicken buffet at KFC (actually we shared it - shhh!).
- Camped behind a church (late that night the sprinklers came on! (shit!!!).
Distance:105 miles
Day 16: Granby to Rocky Mtn Natl Park to Loveland to Fort Collins, CO
- Rode thru the Rocky Mtn Natl Park via US 34 (Trail Ridge Road) climbed to 12,183 ft. !!!!!!.
- On the descent my rim cracked and it rubbed the bike all the way to Ft. Collins.
- Took lots of pictures!!!(see lots of pictures).
- We'll stay in Ft. Collins until Wed.
Distance: 100 miles
Steamboat Springs to Hot Sulphur Springs to Granby, CO
- Leg feels much better.
- Climbed over Rabbit Ears Pass (9,400 ft) and I didn't have to go into my 26!! It was still pretty tough!.15 miles.
- In Hot Sulphur Springs we paid $7 to sit in the spring (smelled worse than rotten eggs!!!).
- We camped in a park I found.
Distance: 81 miles
Day 14: Maybel to Steamboat Springs, CO
- Today we went over 1,000 mi (see picture).
- Lots of pretty country.
- Cycling felt better when I scrape my feet technique - left knee not so bad.
- Right side of my right knee is now swollent and tender.
- Camped at the middle school amongst cyclists who did "Pedal the Peaks".
- We ate Italian and saw "The Nutty Professor" (lots of farting Ha Ha).
Distance:74 miles
Day 12: Heber City to Roosevelt, UT
- 8,000 ft pass was the 1st thing to do (the total climb was 12 miles - very gradual until the last 2 1/2 miles; then it was kind of steep but not too bad).
- Very nice landscape after the climb.
- Lots of wind (crosswind head wind); Yuk!!!
- We caught the fraternity we'd heard so much about during the ride (they're sponsored by Saturn).
- Then it rained on us (very cold!!!).
- There goes my left knee and right shoulder again.
- We camped on a football field b/t 2 sheds.
- It rained all night (we have a good tent!!!)
Distance: 96 miles
Day 11: Park City - Heber City, UT.
- Hit some pretty bad weather so decided to hang out at the coffee shop in Heber City.
- Spent the night at the house of the coffee shop's owner. That was cool.
Distance: 20 miles
Day 10: Salt Lake City to Park City, UT
- Shane's still sick so his friend Howard Schatz took us to his place in Park City.
- Park City is nice and Shane and I went walking into town (what a cool place!). A TV movie was being filmed downtown.
- We ate at Cisero's Italian ristorante (very good!).
Distance: 0 miles
Day 9: Wendover, NV to Delle, UT to Salt Lake City, UT
- Whole lotta wind!!!
- The Bonneville Salt Flats are barren!!!!
- Took a mid day nap under an over pass 40 miles into the ride.
- Shane got very sick (can't say) --it must have been the lake water he drank in the Sierras.
- We hitched a ride (50 miles) to SLC since Shane was so sick.
- We got a $50 room at the Motel 8 (the TV was bad which is why the room was that price)
Distance: 70 miles (should've been 120 mi)
Day 8: Elko to Wells to West Wendover, NV. (border with Utah)
- Still riding I-80.
- Easy to Wells (50 miles).
- Hard ride to Wendover 59 miles (3 hills yuk!!!).
- Shane ran out of water coming into Wendover (see picture).
- We met 2 cool deaf riders who are cycling from Washington D.C. to S.F. They have alot of guts!!
- KOA's are too costly so we snuck a shower (there) and camped on the baseball field. (the sprinklers came on around midnight)
Distance: 109 miles
Day 6: Battle Mountain to Elko, NV
- Left knee still aching!!
- This is where we'll have our first rest day.
- We saw "Cable Guy"
- We're staying in a motel for these 2 nights.
Day 5: Lovelock to Winnemuca to Battle Mountain, NV.
- We got a late start 12:00 pm.
- Took Metrix for the first time this trip.
- Ouch!!! My left knee, my right shoulder, and then my right leg!!!
- Good pace the whole way: 72 mi in 4 hrs.
- Brenda (from the restaurant where we ate dinner) let us stay in her room at the Nevada Hotel.
Day 4: Genoa to Carson City to Fernly to Lovelock, NV.
- By the time we reached Fernly, we had covered 65 miles.
- We rode Hwy 50 to Fernly and then jumped on I-80
- In Fernly we stopped at Mac D's and were given some free drink coupons by some cool kids!!
- From Fernly, we went to Lovelock (56 mi) and made excellent time.
- Margaret Boyd and her sister bought us dinner (pizza, salad, etc) so we stayed in a motel ($20).
Day 3: Silverlake, CA. to Genoa, NV.
- Very Nice Weather
- Had good breakfast at the Kirkwood Inn.
- Only had 2 climbs: Luther Pass (8,000 ft) and Kingsberry Grade
- Spectacular descents into Lake Tahoe and Genoa
- Lake Tahoe and Hope Valley were very nice!!!!
- Stayed at Shane's aunt and uncle's house
Day 2: Valley Springs to Silver Lake, CA.
- Hills hills hills!!!
- ran out of water with 2 hrs of climbing to go!!!!
- Climbed to 8,000 ft.
- Shane dropped me a cliff bar- What a pal!
- We must figure out a system for emergency food and water.
- The descent into Silver Lake was spectacular (you could see the lakes).
- We camped at a campsite $8.00.
Distance: 70 miles
Day 1: Fremont to Valley Springs, CA.
- Much much wind and Crosswind (tailwind out of S.F) coming out of Altima Pass
- Crosswind almost knocked us over.
- Need to drink lots of water!!
- We're definitely roughing it (camping behind a Coca Cola warehouse)
Distance: 109 miles
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