Day 61
Today was our last day of riding which was a little bittersweet. I am truly excited to come home but I am also sad to end the adventure for now. I have seen so much, learned so much about the states we have travelled through, been incredibly supported by family and friends (big shoutout to Marie) an...
Day 60
We set at from Show Low this am at the City Park and happily rode on a trail/sidewalk for the first two miles. As that came to an end we were very pleased to find that Rt 260 had a decent shoulder to ride on as the traffic was continuous and the cars and trucks were going about 65 mph. Thankfully, i...
Day 59
Waiting out the windstorm seems to have been a good decision although we've felt "stuck" in the Springervale/Show Low area for too long. Dale and Marie broke up the monotony by going to the theatre last night; first time in 2 1/2 years because of Covid-19. They enjoyed "The Lost City" as a silly es...
Day 58
We've made some major decisions yesterday and today. I've traveled around 2100 miles, climbed from sea level to 8000 foot elevation and decided I've proved to myself that I can do this. It may not be the fire swamp with flame bursts, lightning sand, and ROUS's like the characters in the "Princess Br...
Day 57
The high winds were projected to hit Eastern Arizona early afternoon so we got an early start and drove 30 miles toward Show Low, where we stopped to bike, again with the wind, back to Springerville. It was a cool morning, with a steady wind already blowing. We decided we'd do these 30 miles and if...
Day 56
Today is Palm Sunday morning and should have been a rest day but looking at the weather report and seeing very high winds in the forcast for the coming week we decided to ride today and take the rest day later. B&B's are rare in the South and SW and the few we've stayed at previously didn't serve br...
Day 55
We enjoyed breakfast at a different cafe in Mandalena this morning. The cafe was for sale, but Marie wasn't interested in setting up shop there and still plans to move to Florida... so we headed out on our bikes and left our new favorite little town of Mandalena. Our incentive today, especially for...
Day 54
Today, a Thursday, was Dale's first day back. I had to remind him that my legs were tired and he was fresh so he might have to slow down; but he assured me that he was pedaling plenty hard and that I was biking much stronger than when he'd last biked with me, a month earlier, in Arkansas.- We biked...
Day 53
The day started with a great breakfast prepared by our B&B host. She nicely got up early to have breakfast ready at 7:30am so we could get on the road. She made a delicious cheesy vegetable quiche, bacon and hash browns. She joined us for breakfast and we enjoyed hearing stories about her B&B and th...
Day 52
We started early today to try and get ahead of the wind. It is important to note that although wind was forecast at higher than desired levels, the forecast/actual wind was significantly lower than yesterday. It was a beautiful sunny day and we set off right from our motel. The first 4 miles were ba...
Day 51
Today was both disappointing and great. We started out early in effort to beat the wind which was forecasted to start at 10am in Tinnie and later as we moved west. The wind was expected to be 25-35mph NNW with gusts. It was sunny and in the low 60s. The wind hit us immediately even though it was onl...
Day 50
Part 2 of the bike saga… Marie got up at her usual pre-sunrise hour and was the first customer at Home Depot. She bought a pipe cutter and trimmed the bike seat pipe. Fortunately, Marie is so competent and we were able to get the bike to fit Katye! Relief all around. We headed back to Rt 380 and Kat...
Day 49
Rest Day! We got up early this am to drop Kay at the airport at 5:50am. After we dropped Kay off, it seemed to Marie and me like a perfect opportunity to go out for breakfast. We felt a little guilty as we dropped Kay at the airport with no nourishment as nothing opened before 6am but that didn’t st...
Day 48
Today was my last day riding with Kay and we had a great ride. I am really happy she made the decision to join me on this adventure. She was a lot of fun to be with, helped me with some bicycle issues (chain coming off and barb wire wrapped around my tire and sprockets), full of interesting stories...
Day 47
Marie started our morning by making the three of us breakfast, eggs, sausage and toast. It was yummy and a perfect start for a day of bike riding. After cleaning up and packing the truck, we headed 10 miles west to continue our trip west. We were only 5.6 miles from New Mexico. The weather and roads...
Day 46
We started our Thursday biking right from the hotel in Brownfield, Texas. We then biked to Plains (our last stop in Texas) which was about 42 miles. We continued to bike on Rt 380 and it had a good shoulder when it was one lane of traffic in our direction and a narrow shoulder when it was two lanes...
Day 45
As we watched the dust/wind storm last night and the weather indicating that it would continue until noon today, we made the decision to have a relaxing morning. We had another wonderful breakfast at the Garza Hotel B&B. The wind was settling down further west before it was forecast to settle in Pos...
Day 44
We got up early this Tuesday morning and had breakfast prepared by our hostess at Hotel Garza. It was delicious: eggs, thick perfectly cooked bacon and toast. Great start to the day. She nicely got us our breakfast early so we could try to beat the heat and the impending winds. We headed back 20 mil...
Day 43
Monday, Kay joined me for our first ride of the week. No surprise to me, she is a very strong biker and fun to be with! We lathered ourselves with sunscreen, filled our water bottles with ice water and gatorade and set off. It was a chilly start but that made for a really enjoyable first 15 miles. R...
Day 42
Sunday, Rest Day! We slept in on our rest day today. For me that meant 7:30am (v.6:30am) and for Marie that was 6am (v. 4:45am) so we had a leisurely start to the day. We checked out of the hotel around 10:45am and went to the store to re-stock groceries and fill the truck's gas tank. Then off to th...
Day 41
Saturdays are usually my favorite day biking. It’s the best because it is the last day before a rest day and the traffic is always quieter, far fewer trucks. Today was no exception. We started out early, 7:30am, to beat the heat of the afternoon and be done by noon to get to Abilene. We wanted to sq...
Day 40
As I mentioned yesterday, the weather has gotten progressively better each day of Elizabeth’s week as my riding partner and today was no exception. Today was sunny and low wind. It started off in the low 50s and is now about 80 degrees. Elizabeth and Marie started the day with breakfast at the Rusti...
Day 39
We started the day with a tire change despite nobody having a flat tire! We did our morning pressure check, decided to pump up the tires, and thought we broke the tube stem. Only after replacing the tube did we realize that it was actually an easy fix - oops! At least Elizabeth got to learn how to c...
Day 38
While the weather started out less than ideal this week, each day it gets a little better. It was sunny and warmer today. We still had WIND but less than yesterday. We started our biking abut 8 miles east of Jacksboro on a nice road. Joe was taking pictures of us along the route with his camera and...
Day 37
We finished biking today 8 miles outside of Jacksboro. Other than right outside of our hotel as we left in the morning, there was no evidence of the tornados we all heard about today. Thank you to all who realized how close we were and reached out. We were at our hotel 75 miles away when the tornado...
Day 36
It's Monday, a new week and what a great first ride with Elizabeth! The weather forecast was for thunderstorms all day so we were not sure how much we would ride. We rode for about an hour before it started raining but we never had thunder or lightning so were able to ride 39 miles. We were quite so...
Day 35 - Rest Day
Sam got up at the crack of dawn, 4:50am to head over to the airport for his 7am flight home. Despite being early, Marie was still up before him which is true everyday. She remains an early riser even in retirement! As Sam was getting on the plane to head east, Elizabeth was in Boston getting on a pl...
Day 34
So many feelings to start our Saturday: thrilled to have traveled so far; sad it's our last day biking with Sam; exhausted after a full week biking; excited to see Elizabeth; and grateful for Marie and others support. I think I let my sadness at knowing it was the last day with Sam and just being ex...
Day 33
Today’s most significant challenge was WIND. We had 25 mph winds with gusts up to 40mph for our whole ride. We had quieter roads, from a traffic perspective, for almost all of our 32 miles today which was a blessing. The roads were rough terrain but we hardly noticed as we were just trying to move f...
Day 32
We started our Thursday with a delightful breakfast at our B&B, The Courthouse Inn in Clarksville TX. Jill made us delicious cheesy scramble eggs, bacon, sausage, English muffins and fresh fruit. Perry and Jill joined us for breakfast and we learned about all of Perry’s interesting ventures and fami...
Day 31
Long day of riding 47 miles. Arkansas was my favorite state so far for biking. We spent a lot of time on AR 82 and the road was often in good shape with a nice wide shoulder and a rumble strip between the shoulder and road. I was hopeful that TX 82 would continue the same but for the first 30 miles...
Day 30
We had a slow start to our Tuesday due to the weather. It was raining with the forecast calling for clearing by noon. Marie was yearning for eggs so we decided to check out of the hotel and go out for breakfast today. We went to Mr James’ cafe for breakfast and left happy. We decided to drive to our...
Day 29
Today was a good biking day due to nice roads, decent weather and being accompanied by Sam. It was our first day riding together. We started out on AR 82 which is a busy road but with a nice wide shoulder. After 11 miles we turned on to a scenic road with barely any traffic for 13 miles. We rode lei...
Day 28
Rest Day! We stayed in Monroe LA last night in anticipation of dropping Dale off at Monroe Regional airport this afternoon to fly home. Dale was great to ride with and always up for an adventure. We did more sightseeing these two weeks as he always found something for us to check out. After a relaxi...
Day 27
Saturdays are generally my favorite day to ride. However, today was quite chilly and we had snow on the ground from last night. We waited until it was in the high 30s, around 11:30am and headed out. Fortunately, Sam, Nicole, Elizabeth and Matt had gotten us fleeces for the trip. We have been wearing...
Day 26
We're getting into a pretty consistent routine by this time in the trip and today was a typical day biking along Route 82 with a nice wide shoulder so we didn't quite have to share space with trucks. Dale also had another flat tire which seems to be the norm lately as well. We made good time and end...
Day 25
First thing on the agenda this morning was also a momentous occasion as the hotel casino we stayed in last night was right next to the Mississippi River and it was time to cross into Arkansas, my 5th state. I was nervous because bridges scare me. I don't even like to drive over them because of the h...
Day 24
We spend most evenings playing a game or two of cards and reviewing maps to make a plan for the next day. Seeing that today's weather projected to be below 40 degrees until about mid-morning we decided to go to Leland MS to have breakfast and see the Birthplace of Kermit the Frog museum before headi...
Day 23
Tuesday started off great although the weather deteriorated throughout the day. It was a little chilly but we had layers on so quickly warmed up. The first 10 miles of our ride was on a beautiful country road surrounded by fields. The only challenge was driving by a tractor with a chemical sprayer w...
Day 22
Rest day!!!!! I am writing posts and Dale and Marie are off looking through local antique stores. I am afraid of what they will come back with. Otherwise, it will be a quiet day. We are hoping to find good BBQ for lunch and then naps and cards:). I was looking at the map today and feel I should expl...
Day 21
Normally, Sunday would be a rest day. However, the weather forecast for Monday is for thunderstorms so we decided to ride today and take Monday as the rest day. We were hopeful that, other than church traffic, the roads would be quieter. There were a few logging and other truck traffic but overall i...
Day 20
Saturday is generally a better day biking. After stopping at 30 miles yesterday due to the intense logging truck traffic, I was hopeful that the traffic would be less on a Saturday. We still had logging trucks zipping by at 60mph but at about 50% less intensity than yesterday. We were relived when w...
Day 16
We started the day with Dale discovering that his bike had a flat tire. It took the three of us and the help of Neil from Landry's video but we got the tire changed. We set out from Macon and rode 16 miles. At 16 miles, we took a break from riding the rolling terrain and discovered that the tire was...
Day 17
We headed to Eutaw to start our last leg in Alabama. We got off to a slow start due to road construction. We had to ride on the sidewalk and then walk part of the route. Then the road was smooth and enjoyable. We met Marie at a quick rest break and she let us know that there was a truck accident ahe...
Day 19
After 3 days of 40 plus miles, today we shared the road with logging trucks and so only rode for 30 miles today. We spent the whole day on MS 14. The first 14 miles were perfect. The road was relatively flat and the scenery was cattle ranches, row crops and catfish farms. The traffic was light and t...
Day 15
Today was a perfect day of riding. The ride started at 50 degrees and warmed up to the mid-60s and it was sunny with low winds. Although I have been trying to be a purist and ride every mile, there are times when safety and my mental health take priority and we make minor modifications since we have...
Day 14 (sorry Paula)
Today was my first day riding with Dale. We didn't leave Alexander City until about 10:00 AM because, surprisingly, it was a little chilly (40's) and we wanted to avoid the early morning traffic as the roads are still narrow and busy. We had a great ride together. Dale noted my improved riding and h...
Changeover Day
Hard to believe - we have completed two weeks of the bike ride! Sunday is our planned day off and we stayed in Birmingham so we could make the first exchange of riding partners. The day was rainy and cold and we were grateful that it was not a riding day. We have had great weather and only two short...
Day 13
Another good riding day. We drove back to our starting spot and hopped on the bikes. A cool day with low winds and low traffic. I have decided that Saturday is my favorite riding day as the traffic is significantly less. The ride was marked by rolling hills or "rollers". The up hill always looks big...
Day 12
After a needed rest the day before, Madeleine and I headed out from the hotel on our bikes to ride to Roanoke, AL. Marie drove ahead to meet us at the 10 mile mark. We left around 10:25am to miss some of the morning traffic. The temperature was cooler and the wind was low. It was a great riding day...
Day 11
A tough day! My anxieties about the trucks and the dogs combined with general fatigue and caused me to hit a wall. Physically it felt as though my heart was constantly pounding in my throat. My body was telling me to take a break. Marie and Madeleine were a huge support! They found a different route...
Day 10
Let me start by pointing out that I re-numbered the posts/pictures a little. I had ignored that we had a rest day on Day 7 and was counting biking days instead. I think that will get more complicated as time goes forward and we have more rest days so I now have included them in the count. As you wil...
Day 9
A nice day of riding with minimal wind. We started out on a busy 4 lane highway that had a decent shoulder. As we continued out of town, the road eventually became two lane but with minimal shoulder but fortunately the traffic lessened. After 18 miles, we turned on to a two lane road that had rollin...
Day 8
Another generally good day of riding although lots of hills to tackle. We started off on Deepstep Road which just the name should have given me a clue of what was to come. The first 10 miles were idyllic - perfect relatively flat riding, great riding weather, fewer headwinds and lots of nice scenery...
Day 6
We finished the first week! The day started out cold. It was 39 degrees at 8am. We waited until 10am to set out and the temperature was about 42 degrees by then and rose to about 64 degrees by 1pm. The wind was lighter and the roads were good. We passed a lot of fields of "row crops" and the traffic...
Day 5
Before I start on Day 5, I want to share a fun experience we had the afternoon before in Sylvania. While I wrote the blog, Madeleine and Marie went for a walk around the town to scope out a place for dinner. When they returned we were talking with Bob, our host, and they related how charming and cle...
Day 4
We started the day right with a great breakfast: egg souffle, strawberry cobbler, bacon and ham made by our host, Bob. We headed back to where we stopped on Revolutionary Trail in Allendale for a 38 mile ride. The ride was mostly on back roads with Pine farms on both sides of the road. Again, that m...
Day 3
Today was the best day so far! Riding today was what I had imagined biking across the US would be like - beautiful country roads, a little traffic but not too much (although still had logging trucks), and lots of nice scenery. We traveled 37 miles and could have gone further. We started seeing some...
Day 2
Day 2, February 15th, started with a nice breakfast at the hotel and a fun interaction with a family driving to Orlando. The little boy, wearing his Elmo slippers, shared with us his excitement about heading to Disney. He made us all happy with his joy. Day 2 was definitely less hectic from a logist...
On our way
We had a great start to our cross country bike trip. Kirk and Sara joined Madeleine, Marie and me in Folly Beach for a special send off. We started the day with a wonderful breakfast at Rita's in Folly beach and then took our bikes down to the ocean. I dipped my front tire in the Atlantic and then w...
On the road
Marie and I headed out Thursday am after a family champagne toast. It was a wonderful way to start the trip. We hadn't planned the route but knew we wanted to skirt NYC and DC. We took Rt 84 to Rt 81 and realized in the afternoon that we would be very close to Waynesboro, PA (home to my wonderful co...
Travel Partners and Thank yous!
With the amazing support of my sister-in-law, Marie, my husband, Dale, and friends and family, I am going to bike from Folly Beach, SC to San Diego, CA. We start biking on February 14th and expect to finish in about 10 weeks. Marie will drive a support vehicle and family and friends will take turns...
Sponsor me!
I would like this trip to benefit more than me and those supporting and riding with me. Therefore, I have made the decision to leverage this adventure to raise money for the following local non-profits: City To Saddle (www.citytosaddle.org): their mission is to provide equestrian opportunities for u...
Packing has begun - 6 days until biking
Let the games begin.... The truck is ready to be packed! We have Madeleine Arthur's bike in the truck as she is flying into Charleston on February 13th to join Marie and me. Marie and I are driving down to Folly Beach with a stop in Bald Head Island on the way to visit my brother and sister-in-law,...