Peggypedals

2011-08-17T06:35:00.000-07:00

We left Bucksport early, even though we only had to ride 46 miles to a planned rendezvous point at the Acadia National Park Visitors Center. It was raining the entire route, so for the first time in the entire trip (YES!), we got to don full rain gear for the slog into Bar Harbor. It was kind of a get er done kind of ride where we didn't want to take any pics for fear of damaging our cameras. I'm pretty sure the rain lifted as we rode into a very crowded downtown Bar Harbor, or if it was raining, we didn't notice in all the wonderfulness of completing this big ride. More on the end of the trip to follow......

2011-08-17T06:31:00.000-07:00

Our last map meeting in the hotel lobby at Bucksport, ME. The mood of the group seems to be a mixture of excitement that we are about to complete an incredible journey mixed with a sort of grieving that we will have to say goodbye to all of us in a few hours....

2011-08-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

We had a perfect day of riding today, out of Bath to Bucksport, ME, our next to the last day of the tour. We had to pinch ourselves when riding along in the quiet of the beautiful Maine backwoods, chatting about the fact that we have ridden our bikes from North Dakota, how lucky we feel to be able to take part in such an amazing journey.

The weather report was bleak - rain all day essentially. Several of us elected to be 'bumped' (ie ride in the van) part of the route. We all got out in Camden, and while most of the riders elected to go off route on route 1, Elisabeth, Beth and I followed our cue sheets onto a beautiful hilly back road. The hills were easy since we were fresh, and we got in to Bucksport for lunch and with enough time to take some much needed time to get organized. I'm feeling giddy and sentimental about tomorrow, the end of this weird lifestyle of living out of a suitcase and just getting up and having the entire day to go for a bike ride with an incredible group of women and our two very gifted guides. Tomorrow's ride is reported to be hilly, so we'll be leaving early I imagine - will find out at our last map meeting after dinner tonight. I plan to wear my parent's cross country jersey and dip my front wheel into the Atlantic. More to come....

2011-08-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

The ride into Bath was long and hilly, which seems to be the order of the day in Maine. We're passing lots of beautiful lakes, seeing new varieties of shore birds and there has been cloud cover, a summer bikers dream. That's a field of sunflowers that stopped us up on a ridge - wow! Bath is right on the Kennebec river, and we got arrived in time to have a lobster roll at a riverside restaurant across the street from our hotel. I had a message waiting for me from good Camp Hill High School buddy and now Portland local Alice Mazurie, saying that she was on her way up. It was wonderful to see her - anyone who knows Alice will appreciate that much guffaw took place in our short time together. These long time friendships are really prescious.

2011-08-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

Here's our luggage outside of the hotel in Bridgton, ME. We were really happy to see another Southern Tierer, Marcie and her husband Michael there. Then, as icing on the cake, my friends Janice and Sean, also en route from Acadia National Park (and our final destination...) stopped and had dinner before heading home. These visits with friends have been really fun - it's great being on your extended home turf!

2011-08-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

Soon after a really long descent and a latte in Conway, we crossed into Maine - VERY exciting! The route got us off of the main roads - images follow....

2011-08-15T14:01:00.000-07:00

We left Lincoln just after sunrise for the 11 mile climb up the spectacular Kancamagus Highway, and a full day that would total 69 miles. The climb was so doable - not too terrible grade and good shoulder and road surface. As you can see, the views were stupendous and we got the climb out of the way before it heated up on the road.

2011-08-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Laurey headed back to NC from Middlebury - it was hard to say goodbye to her, but plans are in the works for another reunion. Thanks for surprising us kiddo!

Vermont Corn - Ain't it green?

2011-08-12T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hello from Lincoln, NH, in the heart of the White Mountains! We have NOT seen any corn here, but passed this beauty of a field on the River Road near Orford, NH on our way out of White River Junction this morning - seems like eons ago! I am well, nursing some really nasty bed bug bites - yes, and from a pretty classy establishment at that, not Ish's Super 8. I am also completely out of blog energy, so the blog will have to wait until such time as I get it back, and I'm not sure when that will be. We ride up up tomorrow, an 11 mile climb on the beautiful Kancamagus Highway. In the meantime, here is an adorable young burrow who came to check us out just above North Haverhill, NH. Later....

Crossing Lake Champlain into VT

2011-08-12T12:35:00.000-07:00

After a short ride through Fort Ticonderoga, we boarded a small ferry for the 7 minute ride across Lake Champlain and into Vermont. Our spirits were high, especially those of Ellen and myself, the trip Vermonters - it felt so great to spy the Green Mtns as we rode down to the Lake. As we approached the VT shoreline on the ferry, a few of us saw a person waiting on the shore who had a remarkable resemblance to our fellow Southern Tier rider Laurie, who lives in NC and was originally scheduled to do this ride with us. What an incredible delight to find that it was indeed Laurie! We had a great time visiting with her for the next 2 days.

The best part of an already really great day was that my daughter Eliza drove down from her home in Burlington to have dinner with us. We got to catch up over a couple of lattes and then she got to meet the gang.

2011-08-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

The day drew to a close with a memorable occasion, 2 years in the making. Jan Bee, an alum of our 2009 Southern Tier cross country trip, had formally requested membership in a club started by my cousin Barb Kehew in the late 50's as a way to encourage correspondence between she and I. In the last 20 years, the club has had a total makeover, but is still open only to family members by marriage or birth - VERY exclusive..... Barb, who is President for Life, had armed me with an official induction kit, complete with gold hive pin, official club tee shirt, and bee stationary. Since member by birth Eliza was visiting, as was Laurey who is writing a bee keepers cook book, we scheduled the official ceremony. It was a blast, with the President on speaker phone from Pittsburgh, lining up Laurey to be the keynote speaker at our next Bee -in. Welcome Jan Bee, the first non-Kehew EVER to be accorded membership in the Busy Bee Mail Club!

2011-08-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Oopps - Here is Leslie in the kitchen. She came the furthest to ride with us as she lives in Australia. We are brushing up on Aussie expressions and really enjoying HER!

2011-08-10T11:38:00.000-07:00

From the sounds of it, I missed some primo climbing while reunioning in PA (tho I did ride a token 20 miles around some key Camp Hill memory spots....I really miss my lifetime friend Kath, who passed in May this year. The whole place feels weird without her.) Getting back into the swing of things with the tour felt odd at first, but was cured with the first day back in the saddle. Riding in the Adirondaks was awesome - the smell of the woods/pines so refreshing, and with low traffic and decent shoulders. We got soaked at the relative beginning of the day, ended up riding 60 hilly miles into Scroon Lake, NY. We stayed at the very funky Blue Mountain Motel run by a very accomodating family who had among other animals, a miniature black and white donkey who launched off into a majorly loud bray whenever he thought someone was headed his way.... he's up for adoption and a few of us wanted to ride him home. Here are a few pics of The Mother Ship, loaded with bikes, with guide Michelle looking on, and Leslie sitting in the kitchen half of the trailer. It is phenomenal what Linda our chef can cook up in this space. We are eating like queens!

2011-08-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

The reunion was a blast - we delved into Kehew family history (3 new Salem Witches discovered! Next reunion to be in Salem to dig deeper...), had the usual costume Happy Hour and generally got to know each other a bit better. Here are Aunt Nan and her granddaughter Rebecca, and Aunt Stace, flanked by the President and Vice President of the Busy Bee Mail Club, which dates from 1959. Rebecca was inducted as the youngest member ever - what a thrill for her!

2011-08-03T12:04:00.001-07:00

Niagara Falls is incredibly beautiful. We are staying a 10 minute walk away from the falls so have been hanging out there for much of our rest day. We're headed to another family picnic this afternoon, thrown this time by the family of our fellow rider Kit.

Spied the best line ever in the history of Rock and Roll on a wall in the otherwise not too interesting downtown.

We ride tomorrow into Brockport, NY, where Jim will be waiting to fetch me from the group in order to drive to Camp Hill, PA for our bi-annual Kehew Family Reunion. Our get togethers have been happening since the late 1940s with a few gaps over the years. We really have a good time - am especially looking forward to seeing my Aunt Stace and Aunt Nan who are fabulous role models for living well into their 90's.

2011-08-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

Our Southern Tier 2009 friend Donna rode her bike over from near Rochester to join us for a couple of days - it is so good to have her. We've been playing, chatting, noshing and generally having a great time together. Donna is holding the yellow jacket, below.

2011-08-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

The ride into Niagara Falls was truely a beauty - cool, no wind, blue skies and lots of interesting things to see. Crosssing the Peace Bridge into Canada was a breeze - well marked route for cyclists, including a special line through Canadian customs. We then rode along a bike trail that paralled the Niagara River to the falls (Canadian side), then traversed the Rainbow bridge back to the US.

2011-08-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

Note to The President, Busy Bee Mail Club.....could there bee a more perfect vehicle for you? I think the club may need to do some serious fundraising so as to allow you to buzz around in style. I was destined to see this car..

2011-08-03T11:30:00.000-07:00

On the Road notes....Although mismatched, these riding gloves are turning out to be incredibly comfortable. I note them here because my friend Ann noted that CyclePro has been out of business for a long time, leading me to believe that they were likely worn by either Es or Jim, my parents who were one of two scouting pairs for the Trans America Bike Trail, inaugurated as part of Bicentennial in 1976. They cycled across in 1974 for Bikecentennial, which has since morphed into Adventure Cycling, whose maps we are using for this very trip. Needless to say, their presence is felt every day, with tons of gratitude.

2011-08-03T11:20:00.000-07:00

Lots more riding along Lake Erie, past many noteworthy sites. That's Buffalo off to the left in the Lake photo.

2011-08-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

Ashtabula, OH seems to be a hub - trains, boats, possibly planes. Shortly after crossing over the bridge across this rail yard where every single car was filled with coal, we encountered the dreaded BRIDGE OUT signage. And indeed, OUT it was. Fortunately it was a Sunday, so no construction workers were around to keep us from a major portage... we had to schlep down a 20 ft embankment carrying our bikes, cross an active RR track, then scramble up the other side. Our very loyal sag drivers were there to assist...bike shoes are not noted for their rappelling capabilities. Next it was another state crossing, this time into my birth state, the lovely Pennsylvania. I always feel I'm home when I cross the PA border. Earlier we had passed through Conneaut, OH, where I had spend many a happy hour at a small amusement park there when we lived in Titusville, PA. We stopped and asked a pedestrian about it and it has been gone for many a moon apparently.

2011-08-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Quaint, beautiful downtown Madison, OH. I'm pretty sure that I cycled through here 20 some years ago with my family (Jim, David, Eliza) and my parents (Es and Jim) on one of the early GOBAs, ie Great Ohio Bicycle Adventures.

2011-08-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

We traversed Underground Railroad territory between Cleveland and Austinburg, OH. Here's Ann, getting some historical perspective.

2011-08-03T09:42:00.000-07:00

OK, OK, so the blog is stuck in Cleveland...Internet service is sketchy here in the hinterland, time tight some days. It's catch up time! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is up there as one of the highlights of the trip for me - it basically chronicled my entire life. Note to brothers: The first 'Woman who Rock(ed) is 'the Amazing 17 year old Leslie Gore', the first non-45 record that I ever bought in the record dept of E.J Korvettes. Did you know that she was managed by Quincy Jones, a guy who obviously knew talent when he saw it! At any rate, I must go back - even staying till the last possible minute was not enough time to take it all in -highly recommended for the Woodstock Generation..

2011-08-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of aging Hippies trying to re-live the glory days..... and this only a few days after the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for me.....

2011-08-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone - we are just south of Buffalo! Internet connections have been sketchy (ex. .. it takes 1/2 hour to load 1 photo...) since Cleveland, so I'm going to go with the flow and wait until things speed up a bit before posting. But, we've been busy dodging potholes, portaging around bridges that are out by carrying our bikes down a 20 foot gorge and back up the other side, really enjoying riding along Lake Erie. I jumped camp to visit longtime very important friends in Westfield, NY last night. Those of you who know Dariel and Michael can imagine my evening, surrounded by beauty, fed food for the goddesses, they even did my biking laundry!!! It was so rejuvenating....

So, more when we're in internet hospitable places. Love to all.

2011-07-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here's Debbie, who threw the party for us. We discovered early in the trip that we are both Woodstock alumna, a perfect segway to Cleveland's FABULOUS Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But more on that later.. however, the poncho that Steven Stills wore on stage at Woodstock and then a few days later on the Dick Cavett Show was displayed at the RRHOF and oddly enough, I caught both performances, the Cavett show on my first night back in Camp Hill from the festival...

2011-07-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

We were getting really greased up and being unsuccessful at getting the back wheel on when a major stroke of luck occurred - two of the premier crackerjack mechanic/tire wonks showed up (Jan Bee and Susan Rosenthal) and they had that baby on there within a minute. All in all, a 15 minute ordeal and a confidence builder for me. We cleaned up with the makeup remover that we've stashed in our tool kits from hotel rooms along the way and were ready for the party!

2011-07-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

I have it on good authority (Annie) that flats happen more in rainy weather, and voila. Carol Wilder, our guide for the first half of the tour, had given me an excellent lesson in tire changing so I felt confident when I heard the hissing of leaking air. Jean, the sag driver happened along at a key moment, as she had a good pump.

2011-07-30T13:39:00.000-07:00

It was a short day as our friend/fellow rider Debbie was throwing a giant bash for us in her home town of Rocky River. I wish you could see how filthy we were as we sat here and sipped our lattes - the drizzle really kicked up the dirt.

2011-07-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Although we rode in drizzle and heavy traffic, the ride into Cleveland was great. Still pretty rural for the first half, then along Lake Erie where the traffic picked up. We met these neat riders en route - we think our helmets make it difficult to pick out the college students from the grandmothers.....

2011-07-27T14:22:00.000-07:00

Charging right around 'Road Closed' signs is getting to be so passe for us, though this one required that we carry our bikes through some really thick mud. It usually requires that we tell our story to the road crew (who are always impressed and wish us well..) and today we did ride on some really sticky asphalt and more scarified pavement for a mile or 2. Water towers grace every town, this the first orange one in Gibsonburg, OH. Tomorrow we are to be feted as we enter the Cleveland environs - we're riding right past the home of Debbie Milano, one of our riders, and her family is throwing a big bash for us.

2011-07-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

We rode for 8 glorious miles on this bike trail which began in Fremont, OH and continued into Clyde. It included this bridge across the Sandusky River and was newly paved, a real treat.

2011-07-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

This caught our attention as we pedaled through the Greater Clyde, OH industrial park - a huge recycling collection point for plastic bottles. These are actually giant bales of smushed up soda bottles, waiting to be transformed into a pair of fleece mittens, etc. Very uplifting...

2011-07-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

The bike trail passed a giant Whirlpool factory in Clyde, OH, then terminated at this beautiful old train station.

2011-07-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Fortunately this farmer was talking on his cell and not quite ready to turn on the sprayers loaded with who knows what manner of something I would rather not be breathing. We're still passing lots of soybeans and corn, but the days of the corn tunnels all day everyday are only an Iowan (or Indianan or Illinois) memory.

2011-07-26T14:23:00.000-07:00

In Napoleon, we stopped for breakfast at the Spengler Restaurant, where a bunch of elderly gents were having their daily 'breakfast club'. At least 8 of us chatted them up while we ate, a real break from the usual routine for them I do believe! We then rode past this giant Campbell's factory where one of my favorite electrolyte solutions, V-8 is made. We had to deal with increased tractor trailer traffic for a bit after that, but as usual, most of the drivers go out of their ways to get into the other lane when they pass us.

Unfortunately, my camera began acting up after that and is at the moment non-functional. I suspect a replacement is in order but will consult Susan first. More to follow, with or without photos....

2011-07-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Fisherperson along the Maumee River in Independence Dam State Park

2011-07-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

We rode along the towpath of the Miami - Erie canal for about 5 miles. The canopy was wonderful, and I spied a Green Heron in the river. Lots of roots to dodge on the path but well worth it.

2011-07-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

We had a short ride scheduled for today in comparison to the rest of the trip thus far, so got out at about 8 am, a first to our usual 6 am on the long, hot days. It was a beautiful day to be riding in every respect - coolish, no significant headwinds, beautiful scenery which included shaded roads and plenty of time to explore because of the low mileage. All but the last 15 miles was along the Maumee River, reported by the clerk at the mini-mart in Grand Rapids, OH to be the largest river flowing into a non-salty body of water (in this case, Lake Erie) in the world!

The Blogger.. (get it you Vermonters?)

2011-07-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

We rode in a cloud for the first hour or so, lenses completely dripping, a parade of hopefully very visible cyclists, assisted by our flashing lights and bright clothing. The cloud cover was a welcome treat, and lasted for a good part of the ride. At the first Sag stop, I happened to see this sign across the street along a railroad track, and as luck would have it since we didn't get a 'Welcome to Indiana' sign on our route, right across the tracks was a reasonable substitute! It was gusty wind wise which kept us relatively cool for most of the day.

2011-07-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

A gang of us stopped for lunch after the first 60 miles, in Paulding, Ohio, at the Past Time Cafe. Debbie, from Cleveland, was happy to meet up with some fellow Buckeye state residents. It was a great stop, and all of our aches and pains disappeared after some time out of the saddle and some food other than energy bars and gorp.

2011-07-25T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here's my fellow Vermonter Ellen Martyn from Brattleboro taking a shot of a field of Red Clover, which she also reminded me is the Vermont state flower. I didn't know our motto, "Freedom and Unity" - not bad!

2011-07-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

As we were arriving in Defiance, Ann was standing on the curb with a cup of ice cream in her hand - the group made an immediate turn to join her. Some friends, old and new, enjoying the fruits of their labors.

2011-07-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

When we stepped out of the hotel this morning, the humidity hit us like a solid. It had happily rained in Logansport last night (corn and beans are looking droopy) and mercifully, the cloud cover kept up a steady presence for most of the day - thus, it was a glorious riding day, the best yet for me. My back issues seem to be resolving as do the deraileure problems, and I felt great for the entire 70 miles. Not much of a photo op day so am including a pic of our Sag stop. The Subaru, driven by one of our sag drivers who rotate driving every third day, stops every 20 miles so that we can refuel essentially. This includes water, food, sunscreen, hand sanitizer and on a good day, shade. The driver checks us off of her list as we carry on, then we see her at the next stop. The array of salty and sweet snacks, along with fresh fruit and V8 really hit the spot, and we are blessed with 3 very competend sag drivers.

Tomorrow - OHIO!

2011-07-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

We're having a rest day in Logansport, IN - it is glorious to sleep in, catch up on correspondence, do laundry and see the sites. Here are Susan (who fixes everything in sight) and Ellen, a fellow Vermonter who I had a brief ride with before the trip. Do we ever miss our Vermont summer climate! Kin - doesn't Ellen look like Aunt Betty?

2011-07-23T14:01:00.000-07:00

Some of us Riders on our rest day, having an unrushed breakfast at the hotel in Logansport.

2011-07-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Our Southern Tier buddy Lois Buschbacher who lives in Indianapolis is here visiting us on our rest day. It is so wonderful to see her - these women will always be a precious group for me, having shared our first cross country trip together in 2009. She has her CAR and drove us around to all sorts of interesting spots in Logansport. Riding in a car felt so strange, as if we were traveling at warp speed.....

2011-07-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

When I told this gent that I was from Vermont, he told me that he had been there and was a member of the National Maple Syrupers Assn. I then dropped my neighbor Willis Wood's name and wouldn't you know, this guy says he knows him!

2011-07-23T13:47:00.001-07:00

This just states that the Logansport Carousel is a National Historic Landmark.

2011-07-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

2011-07-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Lois then chauffered us to the Riverside Park (on the Wabash River - no train tracks seen, or Cannonballs...) where this fun, beautiful carousel graced the shores. We paid our 75 cents, grabbed some brass rings and had a blast riding on our favorite horses, amongst goats, lions, reindeer and giraffe, all hand carved by Gustav Dentzel. The volunteer says that there are only 3 of his carousels left in the US.

2011-07-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

2011-07-23T12:01:00.000-07:00

P.S. Camera is working, diagnosed and fixed by Susan - hooray! Teamwork rocks....

2011-07-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

With the prediction of more of the same weather wise for the next days's ride, a small group of Mutineers proposed doing the first 20 minutes in the relative 'cool' and then calling it a day - no pressure about having to make every minute in the saddle count in an effort to beat the oppressive heat, taking the tie to take pics, yes, having FUN! By the time we stepped out into the sauna like pre-dawn the next morning, there were about 8 of us. I started off with one group, rode along at a leisurely pace mostly by myself, found the van at the proposed 20 mile stop and hopped in. We got into Logansport, IN in time to eat lunch, get a pedicure and most of us turned in really early. Some photos of the day follow.

2011-07-23T11:44:00.000-07:00

2011-07-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

I rode solo for most of my 20 mile foray through the haze today - thought I was lost and found a woman on a lawnmower who assured me that I was not - phew! Off I rode anew until I came upon a barrier with a 'road closed' sign. As I was pondering what to do, Carolyn from Oakland rode up and said, 'this shouldn't be a problem' and she was right. It was rocky and sandy so we walked, following the bike shoe footprints of our predecessors.

2011-07-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

2011-07-21T15:05:00.001-07:00

It's another sizzler - isn't this getting old? My bicycle computer/odometer registered 100 degrees at 1000 and 106 degrees when I stopped after 70 miles at noon. If you are on our route, don't for a minute think that your house is safe from us using you hose, with or without spray nozzle, regardless of whether you are home or not, for a good soaking. We are getting to be garden hose experts, able to spot them from miles away from the seat of a bike going 17 mph. The benefits of being completely wet while riding last for a good 10 miles, so thank you to all of you who have contributed to our temporary comfort without even knowing it! Shade, here in Illinois and every state we've passed through thus far, is really at a premium. It is difficult to stay hydrated even with every ounce of focusing on drinking that we can muster. We eat salty things, take electrolyte tabs, drink Gatorade and guzzle from our Camelbacks and still go for long stretches without peeing. Also, we are now totally immodest about where we pee - any old roadside, even without cover will do, or we sometimes open both doors of the sag to create a bit-o-privacy, such as it is.

My camera is having problems. Susan Rosenthal, a mechanical engineer and alumna of our Southern Tier trip in 2009, is almost working full time advising us about all the mechanical issues that arise. It was she who diagnosed my faulty hub and she is also great at computer stuff, which those of you who know me will be able to appreciate. Besides me, there is another nurse and an ENT with our group, and lots of people with extensive bicycle touring expertise. We're taking care of each other. Bye for today.

Busy Bee Mail Club Membership bribe......

2011-07-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

2011-07-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

We headed out early with the intention of beating the heat - not....I really poured on the steam and put in 60 miles before the heat index of 120 got me to seek the company of my fellow saggers in the van. When Elizabeth and I had reached a heat saturation point without options to cool off, we stopped at a home with 2 cars in the driveway, knocked on the door and when there was no response, we in as polite a manner as we could, helped ourselves to their hose and water and sprayed each other down. It positively saved me for at least another 10 miles. It was more riding through corn corn corn with some soybeans thrown in for good measure, including the getting to be ever present crop dusting planes and huge grain elevators. My ice storm pics were just too chilly looking to resist - hoping they will create a visualization for me to focus on when careening through the haze tomorrow.

2011-07-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

2011-07-20T15:03:00.000-07:00

Mentioning the heat wave seems ludicrous since each day tops the last as the hottest, most hazy and humid. Our sag driver Carolyn told us today as we were soaking our arm coolers and do-rags in the ice cooler that this is a historic heat spell - trying to frame riding in it as participation in a history in the making event seems to have little effect on being able to tolerate it for some of us, me included. But, I digress - back to yesterday when we left Muscatine, IA, headed for Kanawee, IL. We all herded up and took the lane as we crossed the Mississippi River for the last time - it felt safe yet with a sense of power to be in a group. Soon afterwards, we turned onto a 5 MILE stretch of scarified pavement, where the top layer of blacktop had been scraped off in prep for a new rode. Very tedious, but the rest of the ride was fun, with rolling hills and a heat index of only 110. Our cook (really chef is a more appropriate term as she can turn out fabulous food using a 2 burner gas stovetop in a really hot trailer) had to move the salmon from the charcoal grill to the inside when we had a bit -o - rain. Just so you know how good we are eating, the rest of the menu was tabouli made with quinoa, fresh corn on the cob, huge green salad and fresh mixed berry salad. We feel so pampered - thanks Michelle and Carol. Thanks too to all the drivers who pull way over when they are passing us on narrow no shoulder roads.

2011-07-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

2011-07-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

We had a very eventful 'rest'day in Muscatine, IA. Several of us had appts at the bike store for repairs, so Carol loaded our bikes atop the van and we drove across town to Harpers Bike shop. I had spoken to the mechanic, Greg, and was optimistic that he could fix my faulty drive train. I am exceedingly happy to report that he was indeed successful (bent the cage of the front derailure, for you bikeys..) and for the first time since this voyage began, my shifting system is fully functional - many thanks to Greg. The owner of Harpers had a Highwheeler and not only gave us a demo on it but convinced one of us (Sue, brave soul..) to give it a whirl. We then went to the home of some relatives of Jean, one of our riders, who threw a big Iowan cook out for us, complete with triple digit temperatures, or so it felt. It was an amazing spread - catfish, trout and bluegill, all caught in the Mississippi, fresh Iowa corn and countless other yummy dishes. We also traipsed across the street and chatted for a good hour with John and Robert, the bachelor farmer neighbors who well into their 80's, still maintain a tight farming operation, with a flock of 60 chickens, 25 barn cats, a couple of cows and lots of fields that they still hay. It was such a treat. Jean's relatives were wonderful - what an opportunity. We felt like Iowans!

2011-07-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

2011-07-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

Re: the photo caption below, it wasn't only corn on this riding day of a proposed 96 miles, it was also heat, full sun, no shade with a heat index of 110 degrees. We headed out early and were enchanted by all the corn and 'beans' (as in soy..) until the raging heat made things a bit less charming. It became very not fun for us at varying mileage marks, for me at mile 35 (back issues persist, lousy kerplunk kerplunk road surface contributing) and we had a gang in the sag vehicles, necessitating a return trip to get the second batch. Seven very hardy women rode the entire way! Our guides and sag driver worked very hard to get us all where we needed to be quickly and safely - big kudos to all. The hazy hot and humid days are predicted for the rest of the week - stay tuned and keep cool yourselves, as apparently we are not the only ones experiencing the heat wave.

2011-07-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

2011-07-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

We climbed out of McGregor ( home, I might add, of the Ringling brothers) the next day in very hot and humid weather. The climbs were especially tough as my front derailure is not working and I am having to stop and manually shift into my smallest chain ring before each climb - really puts a crimp in the momentum, so important for the beginning of a good climb. (My bike is in the shop for the third time this trip as we speak....update to follow). We slunk into Dyersville, disgustingly sweaty and grimy, me covered with grease due to the above gear changing issue, but in time to see the National Farm Toy museum. Who would have thought that collecting farm toys is a huge hobby thing, and that apparently supports an industry of such? Jan Bee, who grew up on a farm in Idaho, shepherded us around and explained how combines and bailers worked.

2011-07-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

2011-07-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

Our night in McCregor, Iowa was fun. We dined outside along the river without any sign of a mosquito, finishing up just in time for a major thunderstorm with a good dousing of rain. The train track was right next to our hotel and well utilized but thanks to my trusty orange neon ear plugs, I didn't hear a thing. Note the giant grain elevator behind the hotel, and the 1938 chevy and it's proud owner in the front. The owner of the Holiday Shores Motel had a pill box full of Happy Pills (M and M's - they DID make us happy after our 67 mile ride!) waiting for each of us and he awakened at 0400 to make us cherry brioches for breakfast! Life is good...

2011-07-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

2011-07-18T06:06:00.001-07:00

Here are the caddis flies.

2011-07-18T06:01:00.000-07:00

One of the most amazing aspects of our route through this part of the Mississippi valley is the birding - 300 species of birds live here apparently, a large percentage of them songbirds and hawks. Many appear to be supported by the caddis fly population, who define 'prolific'. They are everywhere, and their carcasses need to be cleaned off of sidewalks, any and all light fixtures, even with the aid of a snowplow on the streets in some instances. Hopefully you can see them teeming on the leaves of the plant below.

2011-07-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

We met John Delaney, below, at the top of a climb on the way into McGregor, IA ( I think - the days start to blur the longer I go between posting..), but I could hear what sounded like a pack of dogs barking from about halfway up the hill. When I arrived at the summit, John was just driving his small ATV with trailer attached across the road, surrounded with a bunch of obviously related canines, tails wagging, stopping every few moments to sit down and scratch. They, and he were adorable. He was very happy to tell us all about his 25 dogs and just about anything else that we would stand and listen to. Jan Bee really knows how to make anyone feel at home.

Random images along the Mississippi, July 15-19, 2011

2011-07-18T05:20:00.001-07:00

2011-07-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

It's July 14 - Happy Bastille Day! We bloggers must be tying up the lines as it just took me 5 min to upload these few pictures, so, I'm going to be brief. We have been weaving about with the Mississippi River as our constant for the last few days. It's been in the 70's (glorious!) and today was cloudy with few sprinkles and we rode about 70 miles. I woke up with a flat and then at the end of the day, in a bike shop mind you, had another! Having 2 flats in the presence of others who can change them in a few minutes is beyond lucky. I then had to put on a new tire back at the motel which I'd never done before. Our Guide Carol helped me and as she is a fabulous teacher, it was a breeze. We're in LaCrosse, WI, our first night not in Minnesota since Fargo, though we've veered over into WI a couple of times.

I'm still having bike problems but am getting tech advice and support from our guides - plan to see about another repair in a few days. The coccyx is improving with the daily administration of half of a Lidoderm patch, so things are looking up. We rode by a barge parking lot with a couple of tugs moving them around today on the river, a village of houseboats nestled up along the shore on an island and lots of robust, very green soybean and corn fields. We'll be in Iowa tomorrow - seems soon, but we've had high mileage days. Michelle feeds us incredible dishes and likes to make the same things that I do, so the food thing is excellent......and if you have ever biked over a few days, you know that it's all about the food.

More tomorrow - take care all of you out there.

2011-07-14T17:29:00.000-07:00

2011-07-12T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hello from beautiful Stillwater, MN, on the St Croix River! We're on our first rest day and thus far it has been very sweet indeed. I opted to do essentially nothing, priorities for the day being a good bike cleaning/maintenance followed by a massage. Our guide Carol is a great teacher of things bicycle, and she showed me how to tweek a few things. Then Ann, Connie and I walked through our suburban strip neighborhood to a 'Massage Envy' (who thinks up these names??) where we gorked out on being very relaxed - all in all a good day.

Yesterday's ride was adventuresome! My handlebars had been adjusted with the hopes that it would help alleviate my lower back pain (fell on tailbone 2 weeks ago). When I did my test ride, we heard a noise coming from the back hub, sounded like a popcorn popper. We left the hotel very early, as the route was 106 miles long. My popping continued to get worse and my mechanically minded friends convinced me that my rear hub was shot and that it wasn't a good idea to ride until it was fixed, a bike shop repair. So, I got off the road at mile 14, stood in the middle of a beautiful Minnesotan farm country morning for about 5 minutes when the van came and fetched me. Rode there until mile 43 when Ann and I got out and I rode Carol's bike from there. (THANK YOU Carol...) This worked well until about 35 miles later when my lower back began shouting at me, and I popped in the van for the rest of the ride. Disappointing but am thinking that I may have to play rides by ear until my back improves. Ah yes, one mile at a time... and I was actually happy to be able to log about 50 miles for the day. My bike was fixed that afternoon (really good timing for a bike shop repair) and I'll be back on it tomorrow, when we ride out to Wabasha.

Minnesota has been very friendly, and of course, all my years of listening to A Prairie Home Companion have really prepared me for the cultural subtleties, though noone has said "Uffda" that I have heard.

Here are Ann and I, about to take off from the Full Moon....more tomorrow.

P.S. We briefly dipped into Wisconson for a few miles, just enough to like it a lot and look forward to our next stop there.

2011-07-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

2011-07-12T11:07:00.000-07:00

2011-07-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

Hello from Minnesota where is REALLY HOT! What did I expect when I signed up for a bike trip across the midwest in July and August you ask? Not having ever been to the mid-West before, I suppose I thought this type of heat was reserved for Iowa, or possibly Indiana. But thus far at least, this is proving to be the hottest and most shade deprived riding that I have done in awhile, possibly ever! As many of you know, I am not a fan of the hot stuff, and neither is my body, which has been rebelling, acclimating, adjusting to it's non-Vermont set point with difficulty. Am also suffering the ill effects of a hiking mishap a week prior to the tour when I slipped on a wet rock and landed flat on my coccyx - very bad timing. The combo of the slow healing process and the hot climes have made for a rough start for me. After lots of consults from many in the know folks, a bike adjustment by our guide Carol, and hopefully some Lidoderm patches when we pass a pharmacy tomorrow, I'm optimistic that things will improve. We all agreed that I should take a day off today and I'll do a 50 miler tomorrow (instead of 106), the better to 'rest' my arse, and the heat exhaustion stuff will hopefully improve with time. Needless to say, it's been a frustrating start, but as my friend Susan from Santa Cruz reminded me, there is some sort of a weird lesson for me here.

So, I had a relaxing ride from Little Falls, MN this morning in the WomanTours van with our guides, Michelle and Carol, who each rode for part of the trip. We crossed back over the Mississippi, meandered past the Charles Lindbergh State Park which was closed due to the shut down of state offices in Minnesota, though his childhood home is right along the road, easy to spot. The rest of the day was pretty much what we've been seeing for the last few days - rolling hills, wetlands full of standing water, lots and lots of farm and all of this on a perfect grid. The tour has been a birdwatching boon however thus far, with a siting today of 2 mature bald eagles and yesterday's BIG, new to the lifelist thrill, a Sandhill Crane!! Am hearing so many birdsongs, and thanks to Es, my mother who taught me lots of birdsongs, I have a pretty good idea of what's around even though I can't see them.

The hotel we're at has a touchy internet connection, so I can't add photos today, but will do them when I can get a good connection. Until then, all is well, I love the group and will get by this small bump in the physical road very soon. Tah Tah for now,

Peggy

2011-07-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hello out there -

It appears that it is time to dust off the old blog and add another adventure to it. I'm very rusty at it, (as will no doubt be very evident) but am about to ride my bike from Fargo (yes, THE Fargo) to Acadia National Park, ME, and blogging was such a fun and mostly easy way to record my last big bike trip, that I find myself at the keyboard again. So, here goes, and I hope it's as enjoyable to read as it is to write.

I arrived in Fargo on the 4th of July and very quickly found 3 of my friends from the 2009 Southern Tier Cross Country bike trip. There will be eight of us from that tour on this one, along with about 19 other women, most of us in or very near our sixth decades. Along with some heavy reunioning, we spend part of our first night here in the hotel basement when the tornado alarm in town went off 3 times, and called 911 when we came upon an injured Fargoian on our way home from dinner - we're off to a good start! Fargo is a very cool, if flat city, with some of the most beautiful turn of the century buildings, including the theater, whose pictures follow, which is on the National Register of Historic Sites. Also, very friendly people and great cloud formations. The bike shop is in a beautiful restored train station - not to be missed if you're ever in the area, especially if you happen to be biking. We begin to ride on July 7 - more later!

2009-05-05T06:31:00.001-07:00

By far the highlight of the trip was awaiting me as after a 76 mile ride into Palatka, FL., my cousin Barb jumped out from behind a sign sporting a headband with a Bee on top to surprise me, which she did!!! Her friend Cindy, whom I had known since junior high school, was there too - I was bolled over to say the least. I had failed to notice the 'Bee' posters that were on the bridge that I had just rode over and displayed all around the Best Western Courtyard. Some history here... when I was in 4th grade, Barb founded the Busy Bee Mail Club in an effort to better cousin communications. She and I were the only members until our spouses were admitted by marriage, then David and Eliza as birthrights (what lucky kids!!!) Membership is granted only if you take a club name from any of the Winnie the Pooh characters. Barb, President for life is of course Pooh, I am Kanga, though rumor has it that originally I was Piglet......Anyway, over the years, the club has played prominently in all family gatherings, with Pooh at the helm with elaborate decorations, bee oriented activities, food, etc. She has even worn a full bee costume, which she was unable to borrow for this occasion. It was so wonderful to have she and Cindy ( who has been hearing of the club all these years) there. Also, one of our riders is named Bee, and she knew of the club on day one of the ride. As of this writing, she is awaiting a presidential decision regarding the first non-Kehew family admission to the Club.....more as this develops. Note the bee windsock prominently displayed on the hotel sign. Pooh does not miss a trick!

2009-05-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T06:19:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T06:13:00.000-07:00

Mere moments after the initial surprise of Barb and Cindy showing up, my duct taped riding goggles were exposed, when Barb exclaimed in shock, 'Oh, look at your sunglasses!!" More background....she has been a sunglass salesperson for years so this faux pas stood out even more to her than to the rest of our group. These glasses should go down in Southern Tier history as most resilient, having stayed the course after just 2 applications of duct tape!

2009-05-05T06:11:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T06:08:00.000-07:00

The President presenting Laurey with her prize for completing the Bee Facts crossword puzzle in the most timely fashion....she did have an edge on the rest of us as she is a beekeeper.

2009-05-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T05:52:00.000-07:00

In keeping with Busy Bee Mail club tradition, Barb brought us a Hive Cake, which she had baked in Michigan and carried on the plane to East Palatka for the festivities.

2009-05-05T05:51:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T05:46:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T05:43:00.000-07:00

Little did I know what was awaiting me on the other side of the bridge when I took this picture....and I thought it was just going to be just another motel stay!

2009-05-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T05:39:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T05:36:00.000-07:00

We rode through some major agricultural areas as we neared the coast, with sandy soil and irrigation/spraying 'birds' like this one.

2009-05-05T05:17:00.000-07:00

2009-05-05T05:11:00.000-07:00

We took a 7 mile detour to visit these beautiful springs in a state park, both of whose names are gone from the trip memory bank at the moment. The water was 72 degrees, considerably cooler than the outside temp, and felt great. We also rode for a few miles on a bike trail today. Florida is to be commended for it's attention to bicycling - most of the roads that we travelled either had bike lanes, wide shoulders, good road services or all three. Our old nemesis 'chip seal' was a rarity and we didn't miss it.

2009-05-05T05:05:00.000-07:00