The Maine event

The last time we were in Maine, two years ago, to visit with Jon we had a great time! We helped him on the farm he was working on and we drove up the coast to Acadia National Park. This year has been even better! It has been great to see the community that Jon has around him. And also see the progress he has made as a farmer -- his produce is awesome! Other than helping him on the farm, here are some of the other things we have done since coming to Maine:

The Common Ground Fair. Run by MOFGA (Maine Organics Farmers and Gardeners Association), it is a annual event that showcases farmers and artisans from all over the state of Maine.

Roof raising. Friends of Jon's had a work party to raise part of the roof of the barn they had built. It was defiantly more party than work. In less than an hours time the peaks where up and the food came out! Garden fresh salsa and soups, and homemade pizza! YUM.

Duck-pin bowling. This is WAY more challenging than ten-pin bowling, but it was fun none the less.

Welcome to Little Bridge Farm

Since the end of our trip we have been hanging out in Dresden with Jeremy's brother Jon and their parents. Jon leases land on Bridge Farm, and is the owner/opperator of Little Bridge Farm.
Bridge Farm is a 28-acre organic farm, established in 1763. Jon leases about an acre of land for growing vegetables as well as raising chickens. It is a beautiful farm and the perfect place to spend some time and decompress from our tour. I must admit though, it has been five days since we finished and I was itching to get back on my bike two days ago. I guess riding across the country has only strengthened our cycling addiction.
It has been really great living on a farm the last five days. There are fresh veggies everywhere! I think the amount of vegetables we have consumed since finishing is double or triple the amount we had eaten in 78 days. It still shocks me how difficult it was to find fresh food on our tour!
The best part about finishing in Dresden, besides the veggies, has been being able to spend time with Jon and Jeremy's parents. It's funny, before we left, Jeremy's parents told us that they would be at Jon's place September 16th and that we better be there. Of course we said we would try our best, but to not get their hopes up. We had no idea how long it would take us. Somehow we ended up arriving at the same time!

Day 78 - We are done!

Brunswick,ME - the coast of Maine (9 miles)

Last night we rolled into Brunswick exausted after a day of crisp air, occational showers, steep inclines, shoulderless roads, and speedy drivers. It wasn't our most enjoyable ride, but when we rolled up to our motel, looked at each other and smiled. We had done it. We were on the coast!

This morning, Tuesday, Sepember 17th,  we officially finished our tour -- 9 miles down a spit to the Atlantic Ocean and rolled our bikes right into the water! 4,236 miles in 78 days!

Day 77

Lovell,ME - Brunswick,ME (69 miles)

Maine is steep. And the hills are unending. The roads are terrible. So are the drivers. But it sure is pretty. One more day!

Day 76

North Woodstock,NH - Lovell,ME (57 miles)

This morning we set out to conquer the final pass of our trip: Kancamangus. We had heard that it wasn't bad, but we were both a bit skeptical. Not bad could mean a 10% rather than a 12% grade--one rarely knows when it is coming from someone who has never biked it.

To our delight, the steepest grade on "The Kank" was 7% - totally manageable, 12 miles up, 20 miles down. And we couldn't have had better weather:  clear blue skies and sunny. So we decided to take our time and really enjoy the ride and the beauty of the White Mountains.

After the pass, we road over the state line and into Maine. Can you believe it?! We are in Maine! And in two days we will be on Jon's farm in Dresden. A month ago we were in Petoskey,MI, hanging out with Theresa and Rick. Two months ago we were in Whitefish,MT, hanging out with Chuck and Rita. And before we know it, we'll be back in Milwaukee.

Day 75

South Strafford,VT - North Woodstock,NH (58 miles)

The dangers of riding a bike cross-country: Drivers

Most everyone we meet asks us
if we are afraid of riding across the country. Don't we worry about someone trying to harm us in any way, shape, or form? Don't we feel unprotected without a gun?

To most people's surprise, we tell them we haven't felt threatened by anyone during our trip and that 98 percent of the people we have encountered have been great.

What most people don't realize, is that the most dangerous aspect of our trip is aggressive driving. Every moment that we are on the road, we need to be alert to the drivers around us. Most are fine and will give us space. But there are some that put our lives in danger, simply due to distractions and impatience.

Here are the most dangerous drivers (in no order):
- those on their cellphone.
- those who pass us on blind hills / curves.
- those who do not realize how fast we are going and try to pass us when there is an on-coming car (fully loaded we average 12 mph).
- those who do not give enough space while passing.
- those who pass too quickly.
- those who pass too quickly AND too close (getting buzzed is really freaky).
- those who honk at us.
- those who are driving RVs.

I felt the need to write about this because today we encountered a disproportionate amount of dangerous drivers. ALL simply too impatient to wait 10-15 seconds so they could see if there was a car coming from the other direction, or too impatient to wait for the car in the other lane to pass before attempting to pass us. There were WAY too many close calls. One in particular was an older man driving a blue jeep. The road was snaking up the  hills, so I was making sure to keep an eye out for cars coming from behind us so I could alert them to on-coming cars if needed. This particular man disregarded my outstretched, waving hand and decided to pass us, far too close-- at the same time we were being passed by an oncoming vehicle no less! This guy could have killed us.

Still shaken up and totally pissed off, I saw the blue jeep at a gas station. I decided to stop and tell the man how terrifying it was for us when he passed us. Calmly and respectfully I tried to convey the danger he put us in. I can only hope that he drives with higher caution and care around other cyclists.

Day 74

East Middlebury,VT - South Strafford,VT (50 miles)

Today was cold and wet. And the Middlebury Gap (the pass we took over the Green Mountains) kicked our butts. Wecome to the North East, these hills are steep!

Green Mountains!

One should assume that the ice-capped mountains of the west are more difficult to ride through than the Appalachians. However, if one peruses on-line cycle-touring blogs (yeah, I'm sure you'll jump right on it) they will find that many experienced riders will actually claim the opposite. The Appalachians they say are the true leg-slayers. It's as if the entire Appalachian mountain range as a whole relishes in playing the under appreciated and disrespected step-child. The Rockys, The Cascades,  and THE SIERRA NEVADAS, are all so romantic and replete with their cache of writers that we're often brought up thinking that the only TRUE mountains are those topped not with majestic Oaks and Chestnuts, but with ICE, ROCK, SNOW. Manly things, you know, for manly mountains. Yet here the Green Mountains wait. Patiently. Quietly. Subtly. To destroy you. Oh, 4,000 miles ridden across this vast country? You think you can take on anything? Your legs are strong enough to handle the weight of your two-wheeled steed? HA! Think again, 'cause the Green Mountains are gonna throw 12% grades in your face. They're gonna make you walk (which I did for only the SECOND time on this trip). They're gonna be windy and narrow and force you to balance ever-so-gingerly between chewed-up pavement and a non-existence shoulder that (inevitably) falls off of a sheer cliff into a ravine 1,000,000 feet below,  far down into the depths of some rushing stream. The trees look so plush and soft. But underneath the thin, rocky soil are granite/marble monsters, contorted and moulded by over 450 million years of pressure and erosion. Thankfully, both the descents and ascents are much shorter than out west, for if I had to climb thirty-two miles up a mountain pass along Appalachian grades, I would literally die of exhaustion or go insane from frustration. Instead, the hill climbs in this part of the country relent JUST at the moment the situation seems to be dire, and down we go, coasting, at thirty-five miles per hour into a quaint New England village. Supposedly New Hampshire is worse....

I have yet to determine which side of the "mountain debate" I stand on. The length of the mountain passes out West make them extremely exhausting, yet VERY rewarding. The descents are always longer and the views, I must admit, are grander--there are fewer trees and thus greater vistas! The mountains in the east are definitely graded steeply (out west, you rarely see one over 6%), but the shorter climbs seem to alleviate some of the physicality of climbing a mountain on a ninety pound bike. What I have discovered is that riding over mountains on a really heavy bike is hard no matter where you're at (duh. I know.)

It's been nearly eighty days since Jamie and me set out on this excursion. We're now into our last four days of riding. It has yet to hit me how close we are to seeing my brother and my parents in Dresden, Maine. The monotony of a trip of this length lulls me into a frame of mind where I'm unable to grasp the "big picture" of anything. I know not the significance of this trip nor its point. And I'm not bothered. I never reflect on the physical accomplishment of this feat, even when EVERY person that I meet makes a comment about my physical strength and vitality. I have no concept of my future, even if it literally is only two weeks away. Right now I am living in the immediate present, concentrating on pushing towards the final mile, where I will find rest and reprieve and much-needed time for reflection. In the mean time, Jamie and I will be busy gliding (or grinding) up the granite-peaks of New Hampshire's White Mountains, bathing in fog as it rolls over the plump ridges, catching glimpses of the august blaze of maple trees turning red. 

Day 73

East Middlebury,VT (0 miles - rest day)

Today we decided to stay another day in Middlebury. After yesterday we weren't in the mood for more heat, humidity and thunderstorms. So instead of riding we caught up on calories, hungout with Lorie and Te'a, I painted a picture, Te'a did my nails, and we went up to Burlington to meet up with my cousin Ashley and her fiance Rob. Today was awesome!

Day 72

North Hudson,NY - East Middlebury,NY (46 miles)

Today was hot, really hot. And humid. We found out later that the heat index was 117-127 degrees and was listed as "extreme danger." Great.

Other than suffering from mild dehydration and near heat stroke, the day was pretty good! We made it to Vermont and got some free apple cider.

We also got thunderstormed on, then hailed on, and then just good old fashion rained on. But our day ended in a nice warm bed! However we had to work for our beds. We found a host house to stay at, but no one was home when we got there (which) we knew before hand. We were also told there would be a dog. So exhausted and wet we pulled up, only to find a dog barking it's head off at us from inside. Oh no. Great. Here we are, three strangers walking into a house andthis dog was going to rip us to shreads. Sara was the brave one who went in first. The dog, Sasha, was just as terrified of us, however, she made sure we knew who was boss and religated us to the kitchen as she held down the fort upstairs. Thank god there was a bathroom right off the kitchen! Periodically she would sneak down the stairs to see if we had left yet, only to see us looking at her. With a few barks at us, she would head back upstairs.

Once our hosts (Mark, Lorie and Te'a) got home, everything was fine. We made friends with Sasha and went up stairs to take a shower. Needless to say, today was and adventure, but we wouldn't have had any other way.

Day 71

Raquette Lake,NY - North Hudson,NY (60 miles)

Today started with rain. Actually, it started with me not being able to sleep because I kept hearing things rustling outside our tent - terrifying. Anyway, the rain started just before 7am and stopped around 10am. At one point the pond that had formed in front of Sara's tent had seeped its way into her tent. Eww. So the three of us packed up our bikes in the rain and went on our soggie way.

Once the rain stopped, out came the humidity. It got into the low 70's, and the sun never came out from behind the haze, but man was it humid! Jeremy's t-shirt was drenched after only an hour of riding. That hasn't happened since Michigan.

Since our tents were a wet mess and the forcast showed thunder storms during the night we decided to treat ourselves to a motel. I think I could have riden 80 miles today knowing that we would not be climbing into a soggie, dirt-caked tent. It's the small things that make us happy.

Day 70

Boonville,NY - Raquette Lake,NY (52 miles)

Today we officially entered into the Adirondacks! Woowhoo! New York state has already been tremendous because of its nature, but nothing in the state can compare to the flowing rivers, mossy rocks and endless vistas of the Adirondacks. All that being said, I'm pretty sure my favorite part of the day were all the wooley-bear caterpillars! They were everywhere!

Day 69

Port Ontario,NY - Boonville,NY (55 miles)

Today we said goodbye to Lake Ontario and the Great Lake region and started our trek toward the Adirondacks.

We have gotten to the point on our trip that we have stopped telling people we plan in getting to Maine in late September. Today when asked, Jeremy told someone we would be in Maine in ten days. Ten days! That's crazy. As of today we have gone 3,835 miles and we have about 422 miles to go. I can't believe we are also done. I can't believe we will be parting from Sara ,once again, in four days. Don't worry, she won't be on her own for long, she will be meeting her dad in Burlington!

But back to the present. Today was a beautiful riding day. Not too chilly, sunny and the landscape was spectacular! We are also back in the hills, so needless to say it was challenging. And the hills are gonna keep coming!

Tonight we are staying at the Brown Barn Campground. The private campgrounds we have stayed at in New York State have been great! And the Brown Barn is at the top! For $6 a person we get to sleep inside, and have full access to flush toilets, hot showers, comfy couches, and a full kitchen! A touring cyclist can't ask for much more.

Day 68

Sodus Point,NY - Port Ontario (63 miles)

Day 67

Rochester,NY - Sodus Point, NY (52 miles)

We started our day off with a blue berry pancake breakfast, with homemade maple syrup, compliments of Bill and Shae. Then we headed back down the Erie Canal.

The first 25 miles were flat, mindless, and full of cute towns. The next 27 miles were far from flat as we made our way north through the drummal hills. But the hills were a nice change, and surprisingly the drivers gave us space. As we as road toward the lake we started seeing orchards everywhere and small road side farm stands about every 5-7 miles. Even cooler yet, we started seeing the "lake stone" houses.

Lake stone houses were built in the 1850's by Irish men who had dug the canal. There are 700 in the region and all the rocks used to make them came from Lake Ontario. The rocks were arranged in rows around the house, organizes by size and color to make for a uniform look on each side of the house. Today we saw 12 of the 700 houses.

Our day ended on Lake Ontario. Unfortunately the campground does not have beach access, but it was still cool to see a new great lake! Tomorrow we'll be sure to go see the lake and skip a few stones.

Day 66

Lockport,NY - Rochester,NY (65 miles)

I've got a bike, her name is Sal, 65 miles on the Erie Canal...

Today was just what we needed, straight, flat, mindless riding. After yesterday none of us wanted to have to think about where we were going on how to get there.

The canal trail is cool. Not only does it was great history, but there are cute towns along the way and there is tons of nature to look at (birds, turtles, foxes...).

We made it to Rochester today and spent a wonderful evening with Bill and Shae, our warmshowers host. As is our habit, we called them in the morning (I know, nothing like the last minute) to see if we could stay with them. In their generosity they not only offered us a warm bed and show, but also a killer dinner and great conversation!

Ninety Miles along the Erie Canal

When one conceives of an idea like hiking the Appalachian trail or biking across the United States, it is often expected that within the excursion there will be ample time for reflection. We all know the drill, right? Middle class kid from city suburb goes to college and gets some form of an "education"--if he or she is lucky. They read a lot of books by people like John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and Wendell Berry. Said middle class kid then begins to think critically about EVERYTHING in their often stifling, middle-class existence. No longer is highly-processed food appealing. No longer do they yearn to live in prefabricated mini-mansions in a cul-de-sac in some faceless suburb of some generic city. No longer do they want a "career" to just pay the bills, for they know that careers are going the way of the buffalo and that companies no longer care for regional loyalty. Service jobs are completely unappealing. They don't want to serve food, data process, learn excel, or sit on their ass in front of a computer. No. Not at all. John Muir has told them to explore the wilds of their homeland. To take on lightning storms under tall cedar trees, swaying violently in the wind. Wendell Berry has admonished them to actually MAKE something with their hands. Farm the land. Learn a trade. Build something. And Thoreau, well, he probably motivated them to annoy the living piss out of everyone around them with their stories of "sustainable living" and "getting back in touch with nature." To escape it all, the young person jumps on a bike (or puts on their boots) and heads out the door to the unknown, to go on an adventure of a lifetime where the future will be figured out, clarity will be found, and all political, economic, relational, and spiritual problems will be solved. At the beginning of the trip, the said traveler loads up their panniers or hiking pack with tons of unnecessary books: field guides, philosophies, journals, and  maybe even the Bible. They set a goal for themselves that they will read each night, under the stars, and write their thoughts down (rather eloquently of course) in a moleskin journal. Hell, maybe they'll even find a spouse, a new direction in life, or simply the most beautiful mountain meadow in which to think.

Unfortunately, all of this gets thrown out the window at about day ten. The drudgery of climbing hills, of dealing with mosquito bites, cleaning up blood, and finding a place to sleep, wear on the traveler's psyche. After riding 80 miles on a 90-pound bike, all one wants to do is throw it down, lay flat on one's back, and stare blankly into the tree tops. It is imperative, at this time of the day, to do NOTHING. No thinking. No moving. Only groaning and complaining. Tents are set up. Meals are prepared (usually a rather poor fair of tepid tea and tin-tasting soup). And night sets in. Sleep is immediate. No reflection has been undertaken. No major problems solved or revelations stumbled upon. To the contrary, the journal begins to look like a log of miles ridden and things eaten, rather than the magnum opus the idealistic traveler thought it would be!

A trip of this length and physical strain becomes, at times, monotonous. I often lose track of not only time, but what day it is. I have woken up not realizing where I was. I get up, ride, eat, and sleep. Instead of finding personal and spiritual clarity, I've found it hard to even think. Rather, my mind is concerned with its most primal needs: something to eat, a place to sleep, and a bush to pee on. The scenery, of course, is exquisite. Rolling hills, magnificent sunsets, birds, wildlife, and the fragrance of wild flowers attack my senses; lulling me into a deep meditative state where I'm not even thinking. I'm only reacting. And while I have yet to find an "answer" to the questions I brought with me upon this journey, I've found peace in letting the riding speak for itself. No longer am I forcing any kind of experience. I'm just letting them come my way.

We are now so far East that the reactions of individuals who ask us where we've come from, has become rather comical:

"You mean Washington, D.C.?"
"No, we mean Washington state. Along the Pacific Coast."
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?"
"Yeah. We are!"
"That's absolutely insane. I mean, I find it totally amazing and admirable, but I would NEVER be able to do that."
"Yeah, you pedal one mile at a time."
"Do you have jobs?"
"No. We left our jobs. But we have them back upon our return to Milwaukee."
"Why did you do this?"
"Just cause, really."
"No cause?"
"Nope."
"Insane. That's really insane."

Usually when they ask us where we are from, it gets all confusing:

"Where are you from?"
"Pennsylvania."
"But you started in Washington? You live there now?"
"No, we live in Milwaukee."
"What? So, you started in Milwaukee and went to Washington and now you're going to Pennsylvania?"
"No, we're going to Maine."
"I'm confused."
"Yeah, so are we."

 Well, gotta get back on the bike and ride north on the Erie Canal. More to come! 

Day 65

Buffalo,NY - Lockport,NY ( 57 miles)
Today teetered between fun and frustrating. We spent a great night in Buffalo with Cliff and Carol. Breakfast was splendid. Attempting to find and stay on the poorly marked bike path was less than enjoyable. Biking across the bridge to Grand Island was really cool. Biking on the island itself was alright. Most of the way there was a large shoulder. But again, the bike route was completely unmarked at the moment it most needed to be marked. The bridge to Niagara, NY was cool. We could see the mist from the falls! The ride to the falls was lovely. It went right along the river and we watched the current get stronger as we neared the falls.
Niagara Falls might be one of the most touristy places in the US, but I think we can all agree it is really amazing. 675,000 gallons of water go over the falls every second! That's insane! We met up with Ken and Emme, two cyclists we met at the campground in New Halem. They had been behind us for awhile, but then took the route through Ontario. So it was nice to swap stories.
We decided to bike up to the whirlpool, and found ourselves on a bike super highway. It was seriously five lanes across! The problem was after we got to the whirlpool we couldn't get off the bike highway...why would they put people on a path they can't get off of with out having to hop a guard rail and cross a highway!?
Fear not, we found a safe way to cross, but we still found ourselves on really confusing bike unfriendly roads. At one point a road we turned down turned to dirt. I didn't know dirt roads still existed in Niagara! Crazy. Once we got on the road we needed we had one more signage issue before making it to Lockport, but by this time we were all tired of having to turn around.
Lockport started out pretty low. We got in late. The best we could do for food was a Rite Aid. And the the park we were told we could camp had no running water or restrooms - correction, there were both of those things, but the water was off and the restrooms were locked. The worst part was that the police, who told us to camp there, couldn't unlock them for us.
Rather defeated, we started to set up camp in the picnic shelter since it looked like rain. Sara took all our water bottles and went down the road to the pump. Five minutes later Sara comes sprinting down the road. Jeremy gets ready to fight someone and we ask what is wrong. "I found us a place to stay!" We always joke that Sara has all the luck, but tonight proved it. Not everyone came go to look for water and come back with a shower and a lawn to camp in!
So our day ended on a great note. Everyday is an adventure, but I think we are all hoping that tomorrow is a tad bit less eventful.

Day 64

Portland,NY - Buffalo,NY (70 miles)

Today we opened up our second-to- last-map. Can you believe it?! We are almost to Maine! Two months ago we were in Newhalem,WA, meeting Sara and preparing for our first mountain pass. A month ago we were in Bowlus,MN, enjoying a relaxing afternoon at Jordie's Trail Side Cafe. And a month from now we will be back in Milwaukee.

The ride to Buffalo was nice for the most part. Route 5 is great. Nice wide shoulder, low traffic, and scenic. We should have abandoned our map and road all the way on route 5 / lakeshore road, but we didn't know at the time that it went all the way. The Adventure Cycle maps are great, and I would highly recommend them, however there are times I wish they would give more options, or at least show larger sections of the area, so if you wanted to you could choose to go another way. Then again most everyone has a smart phone now and can look up alternate routes. Anyway, Hamburg to Buffalo was stressful. It still amazes me how many drivers choose to pass us and nearly collide with on-coming traffic rather than slow down and wait 10 seconds before passing us.  But we made it in one piece, so it was a good day!

Buffalo was not at all impressive when we road in. Abandoned buildings and empty parking lots. Great. Plus, the bike routes are so poorly marked it is a wonder we ever found them. But then we road to where we would be sleeping, the west side, and we were suddenly surrounded by beautiful old houses, stone churches, vibrant streets with shops and resturants, colorful murals and bike lanes. This is what the whole city should look like!

Tomorrow we are off to Niagara Falls!

Day 63

Fairview,PA - Portland,NY (50 miles)

Today we dusted off our bikes, wiggled the lazy out of our legs and headed to New York. We left my grandma's house this morning with my dad and brother. I was ecstatic that they wanted to ride! They got to see how an average day biking is, AND how stupidly happy we get when we enter a new state. Jeremy has a head cold, so we didn't put in too hard of a day, but it was still a great ride.

East of Erie we found ourselves in wine country. I grew up in the area so I knew about the vineyards, but I didn't know about the wonderful aroma that filled the air. It was like biking through a glass of grape juice. 

Midway through our ride we ran into rain and wind. I had forgotten how windy it is near the lake! When the storm was approching we decided to take shelter for a bit at a park near the beach. It felt like a sand storm. Sand in our eyes. Sand in our teeth. Sand blasting our limbs. It was really cool watching the lightening out over the lake. It didn't end up raining, so we rode on....five minutes down the road we got poured on. Out came the tarp.

After the rain passed, the sun came out and it turned into a lovely afternoon. We found a place to camp at a state park on the beach,  met up with my mom and went out to dinner. Today was great!

Day 62

Erie area (0 miles - rest day- 35 miles by car)

Today is our final rest day with family. So what better than a Labor Day picnic?! It rained off and on throughout the day, but we got to see both sides of my (Jamie) family today and prepared for our departure (laundry, groceries, re-packing). The weather is calling for rain tomorrow as well, so cross your fingers and toes that we won't get too wet. It will be sad to leave western PA and all our family and friends, however we still have 820 miles to go! So there is no stopping now - Maine or bust!

Five Days "Rest"

It's been nearly a week since Sara, Jamie, and me rode a blistering 96 miles into Erie. We began that epic journey in the middle of a powerful thunderstorm that dumped sheets of rain on downtown Cleveland. Leaving at 11:00pm is not normally our modus operandi, but the bad weather forced us onto the road at a later time. Anyways, we decided to make the ride "epic" by agreeing to attempt a push into Fairview, PA, by the time night fell--a total of 96 miles. The riding was brilliant. We had flat terrain, a favorable wind, and the anticipation of seeing family and friends pushing us along our path. Finding relaxation in Pennsylvania, though, proved to be much more difficult than expected. Between the dinners, breakfasts, and drinks spent with friends and families, all three of us found it impossible to find the time to get some shut eye.  I'm not complaining, of course. Quite frankly, I enjoyed indulging in my lazy side, eating copious amounts of ice cream, donuts, and tacos; and staying up too late in a rather tipsy state. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that after two months of operating on a calorie-deficient diet, we all relished the food splurge.

But alas, the break time is over. We are now on the cusp of embarking on the last leg of our journey across this great country. Up next, New York. Then, New England. The steep grades of the Appalachian mountains beckon us with their rustic beauty. One would imagine that all of us would be exhausted after two months of travel. Many might assume that after spending five days relaxing in plush beds and taking regular showers, our bodies (mainly our minds) would be lulled into a state of "softness." HA! Rather, it's the contrary. The closer we get to the rocky shore of Maine, the more motivated we have become. Amidst all the pain and discomfort in the tendons and ligaments of the muscles; of humid nights spent in smelly tents; of too many frozen-dried meals ruined by too much boiling water; of mosquito hoards attacking ankles and necks; of calloused crotch sores (yeah, it's true); of numb hands and twitching fingers; of spoiled vegetables in panniers; of unrelenting hill climbs; of aggressive drivers; of bloody calves gouged by chain rings; of grime under fingernails and arms; of rank socks and underwear; of frustration, exhaustion, elation, and contentment, we are in high spirits. We are aware that our journey, one that is now stretching into its third month, is one that is often dreamed of but rarely undertaken. The fact that it will all soon be over is difficult to fathom. So we choose to respect it. Ride it to the end. And break forth to a beautiful future that will surely be molded by the people we have met and the situations we have come across along the way.

This past week has seen our first bout of truly bad weather--and it makes sense, considering we're now perched along the shore line of Lake Erie. For those of you unaccustomed to gray skies, driving rains, and howling snow, move on up to Erie, Pennsylvania. You'll see a lot of all three. Riding in the rain has its challenges. Ponchos don't work, for they get tangled in your legs while pedaling. They also act as gigantic parachutes, holding you back and making you look like a buffoon. And the bike itself sprays up water on your face and legs. So, I normally choose to just tough it out by riding, yep, you guessed it, shirtless. I hope I won't need to resort to this method tomorrow morning!!

More posts to come.