They did it!

Mom and Joanna at Revere Beach, Boston!

I Did It!!!

Today we rode the last 18 miles to the beach. It was a sight to see! The last 4 miles we rode 2 by 2 behind the van. Our last ride together as a group! It was fun but sad. We went down to the beach and dipped our wheels in the Atlantic Ocean. I have a lot of pictures to share with you. It was an emotional experience. Today has been busy packing and taking the bikes apart to pack. Tonight we will have our banquet and say our goodbyes. It is hard to even type this without tears running down my face. I just can't say goodbye to my new family. I can only say I will see you again. I know that some of my friends read my blog daily. To any of them reading this now- I had the time of my life with all of you. We bonded together as a family and I will never forget that. Thanks for all the support along the way.

To my family and friends at home- I will see you all soon. Thanks to all of Team Lisa for all the help and support. I couldn't have done this without the backup. I never worried about any of my responsibilities while I was on the road. See you all soon.

Oh my gosh! One more day!

Today was our last big day of riding. That is hard to believe. This has felt like my new job for several weeks. We get up, get dressed to ride, eat, load the luggage and go out and ride for hours. When we get in we clean up, do laundry, eat, sleep and hang out together. I will not know how to act in the "real world" for a while. Sure hope everyone will be patient with me while I get used to being home.

Today we had the threat of rain but it never came. Many of you know I don't like thunderstorms so I was on a mission to get in before it came. I rode as efficient, safe and quick as I could. We had climbs early in the ride. One was a real tough, long, and steep hill. I had to use everything I had to get up that one. I used all the gears, went zig zag and then had to stand for quite a while. Tom said it registered 14% and it was LONG! Then the roads flatten out some as the ride progressed. We crossed into New Hampshire and then into Massachusetts all in the same ride! I remembered to sprinkle my sand each time. Tommorrow we will mix our Pacific sand with some Atlantic sand. How neat is that!?

Tommorrow's ride is only 18 miles. We will wear our team jerseys and ride 2 by 2 between the Crossroads vans. What a sight that will be. I know I will be crying when I say goodbye to my new family. At dinner tonight everyone had the opportunity to stand up and say a few words. It was so nice to hear that we all are feeling the same way.

So tommorrow is it- I dip my wheel in the Atlantic! WOW!
Stats for today:
88.3 miles
5:36 time
34.9 max
15.7 average
3415.4 miles to date

Greetings from the Green Mountains of Vermont

Today was supposed to be a tough day of climbing with over 5000 feet of elevation gain. I don't want to sound like I am bragging but my legs are so strong now that I had absolutely no problems today. The 7 mile climb and the steeper 2.5 mile climb were not bad at all. Being lighter than some of the others is to my advantage going up but not on the descents. We had some terrific descents today that made me grin from ear to ear. They were the kind that I could see where we were going. Not the switchback kinds like out west. I held off the brakes on most of the descents but wanted to be careful not to wreck this close to the end of the tour. It was a fun, fun ride. I really enjoyed it. Part of the route was through wooded areas with a small river flowing over large stones. It was so peaceful and cool through there. A large deer came out of the woods, looked at me and then ran across the road right in front of me. I could only say "WOW."

We crossed into Vermont today and I sprinkled my sand!

Once again, thank you to everyone for all their support and good wishes. I felt them the whole way!
Stats:
82 miles
5:43 time
34.8 max
14.3 average

We are almost there!!

I used today as a "recovery" day in preparation for our big climbing day on Wednesday. I did not want to go out hard, chase anyone down or go too hard on the inclines. Today was just an easy day to enjoy being outside. There was nothing exciting to see today except the rolling hills of green and the river. I rode with Rick ( our mechanic ) again. He is so nice to ride with and just a super person all around. While we were on the road today he very kindly did 2 mechanical repairs for 2 of our riders. He carries a large bag on his bike with all kinds of tools and parts. How nice is that!

I am looking at Wednesday's ride as our "final test." It sounds very challenging. At one point it says we have a 7 mile climb and then a 2.4 mile STEEP climb. After crossing into Vermont it says we should use caution on the descent because of tight curves. We had days like this out west so I know I can do it. I will let you know how it goes!
Stats for today:
69.4 miles
4:16 time
33.3 max
16.2 average

Today's ride to Little Falls, NY was a nice, easy one - the easiest in several days, actually. The scenery was still much the same with rolling hills, green fields and quaint little towns. Lots of strawberry patches and fragrant honeysuckle lined the way too. Unfortunately there was NO bakery to be found, though! Mom did happen upon a gift shop (!) selling locally made jewelry, where she bought a bracelet. She later bought a cake plate at an antiques store. Her stats for the day: 78 miles, 4 hrs 40 min, 30.8 max, 16.7 avg.

More of New York

Hi everyone. Greetings from Syracuse, New York! We had another beautiful day for riding. The sky was bright blue, the temperature was perfect and the wind helped us out!! Yeah! Rick ( the mechanic) and I decided to make today a "recovery" day and take it real easy. Our group left 1 hour later today because it was a shorter mileage day and typically the hotels are not ready for us on the weekends until later in the afternoon. We did have some climbing today. Some were long and steady and some short. The next 2 days we have less climbing which will be nice.

The scenery was so beautiful today. We saw rolling hills of fields and tree lines for miles and miles. I love seeing the different shades of green and the different textures of the fields. We rode next to Lake Geneva early in the ride. The temperature was much cooler near the lake. We also rode near the Erie Canal. I have noticed that we are riding through more and more small towns. The buildings look older too. Some are made of stone. I 'm sure history buffs would know a lot about this area.

Time for a much needed NAP!!

Stats:
69 miles
4:28 time
32.7 max ( on a great downhill)
15.4 average
Total miles 3097.5 YEAH!

Another day, another bakery!

Saturday's route from Hamburg to Canandaigua included lots of hills and the all-important bakery near the first SAG! Mom left with a croissant and an oatmeal cookie, but they didn't last long! Her mileage has now surpassed the 3000 mile mark, with a total of 3028.5 miles. Her stats for the day: 94.6 miles, 6 hrs 15 min, 32.5 max, 15.1 avg.

1 week to go!

New photos!

Breezy day at Lake Erie

Made it to New York

Greetings from Hamburg, New York! What a beautiful day we had for riding. The sky is bright blue and the temperature was perfect. The bad news is that the wind was in our face all day. That made it tough. The scenery was just great though. We rode next to Lake Erie for miles and miles. On both sides of the road we saw vineyards. I didn't know there were vineyards in this part of the country. Just after crossing into New York we stopped at a historic light house on L. Daniel Reed Memorial Pier. I took pictures to share later. Guess what? I found another bakery!! I was in a 4 person pace line and I was in the back. I screamed out BAKERY and STOPPING!! The guys started laughing and stopped too. ( Tom E., Terry, Jim Haile ) We went in and shared a huge cinnamon roll. It was excellant. Jim asked how much they would charge to lick the icing off of the baking sheet!!! It was that good. I bought 2 cookies for later. They are now gone and were also very good. Tom took a picture so I will get a copy of that later too. The bakery was called Sweet Perfections.

Stats for today:
80 miles
5:23 time
29.9 max
14.8 average

Rest Day in Erie, Pennsylvania

Today was our last rest day. From here it is onward to Boston. I can hardly believe we are almost there. We just keep chipping away at the mileage each day. Wow!!!

It was a nice day off. I cleaned my bike and did my normal chores. Joanna's dad is here visiting from Japan so he took us in his rental car to 2 BAKERIES and 3 BIKE SHOPS. Yes, I said 2 bakeries. I just have to taste the local treats. John also took us on a car tour of Erie. It was nice not to have to walk. I took a 45 minute nap after our tour. Late this afternoon Tom Erceg and I were interviewed on a local live radio talk show. The studio is just a couple of blocks from the hotel. It was Tom's idea and he invited me to go along. It was really neat. The DJ's asked us all kinds of questions about our tour and how we trained for it. The interview only lasted about 15 minutes. We had a blast.

So tommorrow we are off to New York. Another new adventure for me.

Thanks for all the good wishes!

Ten days to Boston!

Yeah! Finally Erie,Pa.

Yesterday evening we were hit with a bad thunderstorm in Niles, Ohio. This morning we awoke to a beautiful day. The sky was bright blue and the temperature was cool. The wind however was very strong. It was a factor for most of the day. It was a very nice ride though. Yesterday and today we saw Amish families at their homes and in buggies. The children were very friendly and waved to us. I remembered to sprinkle my sand when I crossed into Pennsylvania. I sure want those fairies to shine on me !!!

I found another bakery today! This one was easy to find. It was next door to the laundromat where I was doing my laundry! I had to do something while the washer was going. I am proud to say that I "tasted" 3 items. A filled pizzella, cinnamon twist and an apple filled cookie. None of them were very big but they were my dessert following 2 very large slices of pizza that I ate before going to the laundromat.

Stats for the day:
89 miles
5 hrs 51 min
29.5 max
15.3 avg
Total mileage to date: 2853.9

Still Rolling Through Ohio Part 2

Today we continued on with some minor hills after leaving the hotel. As the ride went on the road flattened out at times and I was in aero bar heaven. The wind was our friend today so I was crusing down the road going 20, 21 and 22 mph at times. It was FUN!

I stopped in a bakery in Canal Fulton for a really, really good apple fritter. Oh my it was good!!!! That gave me the energy to ride strong!

At the second SAG today Tracy called Margaret to say it was raining 10 miles back. I decided to head out and try to beat the weather. It started sprinkling but nothing heavy. I went full guns for 22 miles to the hotel. It was fun AND I beat the weather.

I am enjoying the views in Ohio. It reminds me of my summer fun in Hamilton, Ohio on the farm with Aunt Ruth and Uncle Eddie. Fond memories.

Stats:
94.8 miles
6.08 time
36.6 max
15.4 average

Still Rolling Through Ohio

Yesterday was a long day! The hotel did not have a computer and I didn't call the webmaster (Carey). So today you get the report on 2 days.

I do want to mention something about the picture of the Marysville, Ohio sign. Jessica told us that Marysville is the home of Scott's Lawn Care. That is why it says the grass is always greener there. Interesting!

Yeterday we rode from Marysville to Wooster. We were told to expect hills of all sizes but the long steep ones were after mile 75. I tried to save energy and ride smart before mile 75. When I arrived at the last SAG I was a little nervous because the tough hills were about to happen. I spoke to a veteran from last year earlier in the day and was told I would have no problem. I expected hills like we have in the Hilly Hundred. I actually had no problems at all with any of the hills. I told some of the staff at the end of the ride that I couldn't find the hills. Were there any? I was very, very happy that I did so well. Choked me up!!!!
Stats for June 18
100 miles
6.43 time
33.6 max
15 average

Welcome to Buckeye Country

This morning I had a nice surprise in Richmond, In. My dear friend, Don Kaufman, came to see me off. He was there visiting family for Father's Day and took the time to come and show his support. Such a wonderful way to start a long day of riding. Thanks Don- you are super!

Today we rode into Ohio just about 2 1/2 miles from Richmond. I remembered to sprinkle my sand! I'm getting better at remembering that. The fairies are shining on me. Since my youngest brother lives in Ohio I knew there could be some hills on the ride today. We did find some but they were easy. The wind was our friend today and we had some flats so I was in aero bar heaven again. It still feels like home. I saw a lot of butterflies today and even wooly worms- just like at home!! I was hit with lots of kamikaze bugs on my legs and arms- again- just like at home. With all the sweat, sunscreen and bugs it took a lot of scrubbing to get clean today.
The ride was very nice today. I set a time goal for myself to do 100 miles in 6 hours. I met it right on the nose. I was very happy about that.

The best part of my day was when I arrived at the hotel. I was just rolling my bike in the door when I was met by my niece, Jessica! I couldn't believe my eyes. I was so surprised to see her! She lives in Ohio and drove about 30 miles to come see me. My sneaky family in Indianapolis knew she was coming and didn't say a word. Jessica got a big sweaty hug from her Aunt Lisa!!
My family is the best!! Thank you all! I love you!!!

Stats for today:
106 miles
6.27 time
30.1 max
16.5 average Total miles to date: 2569.4

Eastward ho!

After her brief stay in Indy, Mom is on the road again. Today was a "super nice", easy ride to Richmond on some of the smoothest roads of the tour. The route started out on 86th Street, which was luckily deserted early in the morning. Dan and 8 of their riding buddies met her about 17 miles out and rode along part of the route. Mom enjoyed letting them take turns pulling as she chatted with everyone and caught up on all the latest news. They parted at the SAG stop, where the tour riders enjoyed 7 dozen cookies and 4 dozen doughnuts that Mom ordered from Boyden's as a special treat. This was definitely a hit, as there were only two cookies left afterwards! Luckily the wind was at her back for most of the day, allowing Mom to roll along on her aero bars for a while at 20-22 mph. Her stats for this "great" day: 83 miles, 5 hrs 9 min, max speed 27.4, avg speed 16.2. She says "thank you" to Dan, Tony, Kevin, Kristen, Jim, Kate, Steve, Kyle, and Roger for riding with her today and also to Pete, Mark McClure and Ivis for coming out to greet her on Friday. Your support means the world to her and she says she carries it along with her!

Sehr schoen! Very pretty!

I'm Home!!!

Wow! I can hardly believe that I rode my bike home from Manhattan Beach, California. Chokes me up to think about it!!! This morning at breakfast in Crawfordsville, In. I told my table mates that I wanted to be on the fast train since part of my family and some friends were meeting me at the SAG. I was anxious to get going. About 29 miles into the ride I found Dan and 3 of my riding buddies heading out on our route backwards to find me. I was so happy to see them. We rode on into the SAG and there was Brandon waiting with his camera. My wonderful kids had yellow T-shirts made up in support of my ride. In black lettering on the front it says "TEAM LISA."On the back is a map showing our route. It says 'CROSS COUNTRY BIKE TOUR 2007" "3395 miles 50 days 15 states 1 bike" My kids are the best!!!! After visiting at the SAG, Dan and my friends rode with us to Lafayette Road. We went on from there and Dan picked me up at the hotel. I have had a nice afternoon at home. Doris was soooooooooooooooo happy to see me! I was so happy that she didn't forget me! This has been an emotional day for me. Tommorrow Dan and some other friends will ride with us for part of the ride. That will be great! (Especially since the wind will not be our friend again. They can pull!! Hee Hee)

Thanks to everyone who has come out to ride. It is so nice to have such a support team from home! Two weeks to go!!!!

Back home again in Indiana!

Another sprinkle of sand later, Mom's back home (almost)! She rode 80 miles from Champaign to Crawfordsville yesterday, taking the time to slow down a bit and enjoy the many small towns along the way. Lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich and sugar cream pie at the Bus Stop restaurant in Veedersburg. Yesterday was also helmet decorating contest day, which provided many laughs for passersby and those the riders met along the route. Since Mom has been munching her way across the country, she used plastic fruit that she tied on with ribbon. Joanna was a pretty princess in her tiara! They didn't mind the laughter, but Mom dismantled her creation upon reaching Crawfordsville. Hopefully we'll be able to post some photos of them later. Next stop: home! Mom will be met by Dan and some of their friends who will ride along with her into town. Doris will be anxiously awaiting Mom's arrival, but surely confused when she leaves again! Two more weeks to Boston...

Almost Home

Greetings from Champaign, Illinois!! ALMOST HOME!!!!!!

Here goes the broken record again------- I HAD A GREAT DAY!!!! This morning I was headed out of the hotel parking lot when Rick ( our mechanic) comes by and said "let's see how long we can hold off the fast group." Well.............. you know I love a good challenge. Away we went at full speed. Rick and I successfully held off the fast group for 22 miles! When they did catch us we joined up with them and formed a 6 person paceline. Each of us pulled about 1 mile at a time. We did this all the way to the SAG at 46 miles. It was a BLAST! After taking care of business at the SAG I found I had a flat tire. Rick changed it real quick and away we went again. This time it was harder because the wind had picked up. It was a headwind the rest of the way. We stopped at mile 63 for a snack. While standing there my back tire blew. So........... I was going to put a new tire on tonight anyway but it got changed at the store instead. After that more headwind and a stop at a bike store.

I just got back from a treat at Culver's. Banana Foster Sundae in a waffle bowl. YUMMY!!!!!
Tommorrow is a rest day!!!


Stats:
86 miles
5:36 time
28.1 max
15.5 average ( the first 46 miles was 17.7)

No, we're not sisters...

Great Bend, KS

Springfield, Illinois

Finally a hotel with a computer!!!

Today we rode 108 miles from Quincy, Il to Springfield. The area reminds me so much of Johnson County riding. The only exception is that the roads are better here. We rode through miles and miles of corn. It is high enough here to be a wind break. BUT...................... the wind was not our friend today. Yes, it was a headwind. Oh well. I had a blast heading down the road on my aero bars through the corn.

I can hardly believe that Friday I will be home for one night. My dream of riding across the country is coming true. I am so very, very happy. Each day has been a challenge in one way or another. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world.

Thanks for all your comments and hope to see some of you on Friday!

Stats for today:
108 miles
7:17 time
32.7 max
14.9 average

In the land of Lincoln

Super hilly Missouri has given way to the lovely land of Lincoln! Sunday's 75 mile ride ended just beyond the state line in Quincy. The route was a rather soggy experience, with quite a bit of rain. Mom was luckily able to get her wet weather gear out of the group truck at the SAG, but still had to seek shelter later under an awning during some of the heaviest downpours. She crossed over the muddy Mississippi and into IL on a two lane bridge with no shoulder, which forced the group to move into the road. Mom stopped off the side of the road beyond the bridge to take a picture of the state line sign and sprinkle her sand (she remembered this time!), but had to start the next steep climb from a dead stop. She said it was straight up! I'm sure she had plenty to do last night, with a mud covered bike to be cleaned. Her total mileage to date is 2040.

Rollin', rollin', rollin'...

As you can see, Mom's having a great time! She claims today was her favorite day (yes, I know she's said that before!) The group pedaled 75 very hilly miles to Kirksville. The ride leaders actually counted a total of 148 hills, which varied from rollers to some that were straight up, and others that went up and down and were followed by a flat section. Two of the climbs prior to lunchtime required standing up. At the briefing for today's ride Tracy, the group leader, advised everyone to ride downhill using their big chain ring and then pedal hard uphill and shift down. Mom tried this and had a "blast"! One of the other riders told her she looked like an "aerodynamic chisel". The scenery was especially enjoyable, with the rolling green countryside and all the cows and horses around. Mom spotted many small vegetable gardens, of course lamenting not having one of her own this year. Speaking of food, there were leftover cinnamon rolls from yesterday's breakfast in Maysville, so Mom helped out and ate one for breakfast this morning and another after the ride. She did have a couple oranges, too, for some balance! Her stats for the day: 75 miles, 5 hrs 4 min, max speed 36.7, average 14.8.

Show me what, exactly?

Mom's (top) and Joanna's lovely tan lines!

Welcome to Missouri! Sounds as though today's ride was a pleasant one, especially weather wise, with temperatures in the low 70s and a cloudless blue sky. Mom and Joanna rode together the 31 miles from St Joseph to Maysville, where they waited to rejoin the group before continuing on. The residents of the town had lined a two block area, clapping, to greet them as the riders rolled in two by two wearing their team jerseys. Twelve years ago two riders from the tour stopped at the local historical society to get some local information and chatted with the woman on staff about their ride. Each year since then, when the group passes through town, the people of Maysville have come out to meet the riders and provide them with food. Today was a breakfast of cinnamon rolls, bananas and coffee as well as sandwiches to tuck into jersey pockets for later! The people were really friendly, coming up to chat and wanting to know where everyone is from.

Mom is discovering that Missouri isn't so flat. The route had 86 up and down sections, barely allowing her time to recover after each. She also rode 20 miles of short and steep hills, including one with an 11% grade which required standing up twice. One point of interest along the way was found in Lock Springs, population 69. It was a large monument, in memory of someone who's now deceased, reading "Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true." The ride wound up in Chillicothe with a total of 86 miles. Mom wasn't going for speed today - her stats: 34 mph max and 15.4 mph average. As you can see from the photo of a local sign, some of the local roads aren't in the best shape either!

(If you're curious about the origin of the Missouri state motto, here's what Wikipedia has to say... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri )*******************************************

*Mutti--- yes, you and Joanna rock!!!!!!!!*

Mom's route through Kansas

Time for the "webmaster" to post some updates! These photos are about a week old...

This appears to be Joanna

Joanna and friends

The halfway point between New York and San Francisco - Kinsley, KS

A restaurant somewhere west of Great Bend, KS

We are not in Kansas anymore!!!!

Today we left Kansas behind and rode into St. Joseph, Missouri. The winds were in our favor today. It was fun sailing along without pedaling for part of the ride. We are starting to have hot days now. I can feel the humidity in the air too. More and more it feels like home.

The roads in Missouri are in poor shape. I had to go back and forth from the shoulder to the road just to avoid debris and potholes. I had a flat today at mile 75. It was a piece of debris. Joanna had 2 flats today. We are getting real good at tire changing! Argh!

This afternoon was spent catching up on chores not done yesterday. I wanted to take a much needed nap but it was my turn to do the laundry. Our work is never done!!

Not much to report about scenery today. All looked the same as before. I understand that Missouri has a lot of hills. I'll let you know on that.

Stats for today:
85 miles
4:46 time
34.7 max
18 average

Thanks for all the encouraging comments. I love reading them!! Hopefully my webmaster will post some pictures for you soon. One picture I hope you will see is of Joanna and my hands. We are getting some funny tan lines.

Windy Day in Kansas

Today was a very challenging day. Probably THE toughest day yet. I know I have said that before, but it is true. When I signed up for this tour I knew I would push myself out of my comfort zone each day- that is so true today. If anyone had seen the Weather Channel for this area then you would know that there was a high wind advisory out for today. The local airport was reporting wind gust of 47 mph. The ride today was 106 miles of rollers on roads that twisted every which way. That actually helped with the wind gusts because we would go a short way with a head wind then the road would bend and it would become a crosswind or a tailwind. If this ride had been a straight and flat 106 mile road with a crosswind I doubt I could have finished. I had one especially tough section when I fought extremely hard to remain upright. I was leaning and the wind shoved me over to the other lane. We were lucky that the road was lightly traveled. I had to turn my bike into the wind and pedal faster to get back into the other lane. At one time I had to get off my bike and walk about 1/2 mile until I had a wind break. Then I got back on my bike and finished. I fought my bike several times just to stay going straight. Several riders were anxious to see how I did today because they were worried I would get blown off the road. Joanna and I got to the hotel together, gave each other a high five and said "WE ROCK." Trust me when I say- I'll never look at things in the same light again.

On one downhill with a tailwind I hit 44mph. It was a blast. We had an indicator of just how tough the wind was when we saw birds trying to fly and couldn't go anywhere!!!!!!!!

On to Missouri!!

Looking More Like Home

Today is a much needed rest day here in Abilene, Kansas. We have ridden 9 days straight. Sure doesn't feel like it though. The days are going too fast - way too fast.

Yesterday's ride was tough. Around mile 20 we turned into the wind for another 40 some miles. Everyone had trouble. Luckily I had good company and beautiful scenery. The farms are looking more like home. I have seen barns, water towers, silo and corn that looks so shiny it glistens in the sun. The road rolled up and down for miles and miles. At our SAG I enjoyed a warm homemade cinnamon roll made by a local.

Last night we had a wonderful dinner in an old Victorian house. It had been converted to a restaurant some time ago. It was a long leisurely meal with lots of laughs. Time to unwind and not worry about getting ready for the next day.

This morning we are going to take some time and explore downtown and some museums. Abilene was the home of Dwight D. Eisenhower. There is an Eisenhower museum that I want to check out first.

Tommorrow we ride 105 miles. Sure hope the winds are favorable.

Enjoy a few photos from this morning!

Mom and Tom

Mom and Jim (one of several!)

Mom and another Jim

Waiting to sign out for the ride

Amber Waves of Grain Continued

We had another beautiful day for riding. I found myself smiling and enjoying the views. The last 30 miles I rode by myself at a medium speed. I enjoyed the bright blue sky along with the deep green of the fields and trees. The crosswind didn't even bother me because it made the grain fields look like waves. I saw cows running through a field and then stop to look at me. It was one of those days when I didn't want to stop riding. I just wanted to keep going. Such a great feeling.

Our ride ended in McPherson, Kansas at Best Western. Our room is huge. Finally Joanna and I have room to move around our two bikes without catching on them.

Another awesome day!!! ( Have I mentioned that before?!)

Stats for today:
64.4 miles
3.50 time
24 max
16.7 average

Photos from yesterday - heading into the inclement weather.

This was the first SAG. The rain came just after leaving...

David the cowboy and Ray the Patriot fan (boo!). And Mom of course!

Going to Great Bend, Kansas

Today's weather was completely different from yesterday. We had a beautiful day!! Bright blue sky, no rain and calmer winds. What a huge difference.



In Larned a small diner had a sign out welcoming bikers. Some of our riders had stopped already. Inside we were warmly welcomed by the staff and the locals. The owner of the diner wanted us all to sign a book and note where we were from. They also had a map on the wall of the U.S. We were to put a pin on our home. Joanna and I split a great veggie sandwich. For dessert I had homemade custard pie. YUMMY!



Note about yesterday- as we passed the highway split off to Greensburg, Ks. we noticed the road was closed. They still are not letting people through. Remember, this is the town blown off the map by a tornado.



Stats:

88.2 miles

5:18 time

25.5 max

16.6 average



Total miles this trip : 1484

Stormy weather!!

Last night in Liberal, Kansas we had a terrible thunderstorm. For those of you with the Weather Channel you could have watched what was happening to our area. We had just come from Guyman that day and boom, there was a tornado last night. Dorothy's house ( from the Wizard of Oz) was 2 doors down from our hotel last night. Some of my crazy friends were outside taking pictures of the storm. I was huddled in the hotel room watching the radar. Where was Toto?! I want out of here!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, this morning was wet, windy and chilly. As our ride progressed so did the rain clouds. We ended up watching the lightening and waiting it out in a store. Then we went on and boom- heavy rain and then HAIL. Guess what happen next? Yours truly had a second flat of my day- YES , in the HAIL. I just turned my back on the hail and got busy. Tom started laughing. What else could we do? So, we team tagged the tire and got back on the road. We made it to the hotel soaking wet, muddy and cold.

At the store where we waited, we met a real life cowboy. He was a big man! I took a picture of him. I'll try to transmit as soon as possible.

I didn't get to look at the scenery very much today because I had my head tucked down in the rain. I did see more grain! For the first time today I saw corn. Now it's starting to feel more like home.

Here are my stats for today:
83.6 miles
5:29 time
23.5 max
15.2 average

I forgot to give my stats for yesterday. Sorry.
40 miles
2:12 time
30 miles
18.4 average

And now for Texas and the Oklahoma panhandle! "Ohhhhhhhhklahoma!"

Have a look at the route through New Mexico! (Sorry for the delay...)

The land of Oz

Early this morning we were awaken by a thunderstorm. The sky cleared up by ride time proving that the good fairies were smiling on us once again. We only had a 40 mile ride to Liberal, Kansas. It hardly felt like a ride, just a warm up. The winds were in our favor so we arrived quickly. It was a nice day to just take it easy and talk while we rode. The scenery changed today to something I have been waiting to see - AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN. No kidding! It was so beautiful. The road kill is changing too- pheasant and armadillo were added to the snakes, skunks and birds.

I did remember to sprinkle my sand when we crossed from Oklahoma into Kansas today. The sign was in a construction zone of all places.

The Oz museum is here in Liberal but not being a Dorothy and Toto fan---- I will not be going there. My friends are teasing me about that too. Speaking of storms- there are some professional storms chasers here in the hotel!! Argh!

Remember Frank?? More bad luck for him. Yesterday he had to have a root canal! He did ride today though. And-- David did a face plant yesterday. Poor guy. Luckily we have a doctor on tour who took care of him.

Richard from Trinidad made a comment this afternoon about how strong the women riders are in this group. (Nice compliment!) He said no women would come on this tour if they weren't strong but wimpy men would!! He is always making me laugh.

Thanks to all of you who have made such nice comments on my blog. I do read them and it makes me choke up. I feel all of your love and support carrying me across the country. All my new friends are anxious to meet those of you who can come out to meet us either on Friday or Saturday. I look forward to seeing you all in about 2 weeks.

Heading to Oklahoma

During the night Joanna and I were awaken by a very strong wind pounding on our hotel window. I got up and looked out the window to see trees and bushes leaning over. The wind was howling!! I was a little concerned that we might have the wind in the morning too. This wind would not have been safe for riding. I have learned not to worry about anything so I went back to bed, covered my ears and went to sleep. This morning we woke up to calmer winds BUT for us it was blowing the WRONG way. It was a headwind/crosswind. Now all my riding friends know that I'm not fast in the wind but I get there. So to my relief, 2 of my new faster friends both named Jim wanted to go slower today. They are usually in the lead and I chase them all day. Today they rode with me and insisted on pulling all day for 73 miles. We formed an echelon and I was in the third position. I was still getting shoved around a lot from the wind. Everytime a semi came from either direction I had to hold on tight. When they come up from the back they shoved us forward. I could feel my jacket blow up my back. When they came from the front it felt like a slap in the face. AND when they came from both directions at once our bikes felt shoved forward and backwards at the same time. It was a very strange feeling. Luckily the weather was beautiful. The sky was bright blue with white clouds. It was really neat to see the blue sky meet the green of the landscape. FINALLY GREEN!! No more desert.

My pictures will not transmit still so I will catch that up when possible. I have pictures from crossing in to 2 states. I forgot to sprinkle my sand today at the Oklahoma line. I hope the fairies will still shine on me. They definately did today. Thanks to Jim Hall and Jim "Doc" for pulling me all the way today.

Stats:
73 miles
5:23 time
23.1 max
13.6 average
The stats tell you how difficult the wind can make a ride. Oh well, we made it! That is what counts.

Heading to Texas

Howdy from Dalhart, Texas- home of not much!

This morning we were treated to very strong tailwinds for our ride from Tucumcari to Dalhart. It was unbelievable!! We sailed along and had very little climbing. The road was smooth for the most part. Not much to look at today. I have noticed in the west that the roadkill is a lot different than Indiana. We have seen coyotes, snakes and lizards along the road.

Today we entered Texas where I sprinkled my sand so the good fairies will keep looking out for me. I took some pictures but the cell service is not allowing me to transmit them. I'll send them along when I can.

We rode past 3 cattle feed lots. There were thousands of steers in pens. From a distance the hills were all black. When we got closer we could see the cattle. I probably don't have to tell you about the smell. Plus there was a lot of bugs in the air. We were getting hit with them everywhere. I had to brush them off of my clothes, spit them out and wipe them off of my glasses. Nasty!! I felt bad for the animals. I was riding with Ray at the time. He said "there's my Big Mac!" Argh!

Here are my stats for today:
95.7 miles
5:08 time
32.8 max
18.6 average

The ride to Tucumcari, New Mexico

What a day I had today!! For all of you planning on doing RAIN, I am ready!! We rode to Tucumcari, New Mexico in perfect weather until the last 10 miles when the wind changed directions and was a headwind. The ride was 110 miles through hills and flats. There was one hill that is named "the Wall." It was a piece of cake. The steepest part was 9 % and it was 0.7 mile. On parts of the ride I was able to ride in my aero bars and fly. It hasn't been safe to do that on the interstate because of the blast from the trucks. I rode the first 5 miles with the peloton and the last 15 miles with Joanna. We were both tired of climbing near the end. I rode the rest of the ride by myself going as fast as I could without pushing too hard. The scenery has been changing gradually to green. The wildflowers along the road are just beautiful.

I have picked up a nickname within the group. Some people have been calling me "bluebell" because of my blue jacket. Others have been calling me hammerhead because I like to be with the fast group. We are having a great time. I just love being on this tour.

My stats for today are:
110 miles
7:16 time
34 max
15.1 average

Frank ( the man who fell in the cattle guard) is riding again. Today he is riding again but walking funny. I asked him about it and he said it wasn't his knee making him walk funny. He said it is his "male parts" hurting and making him walk funny. We talk about everything in this group!!!!

Riding to Las Vegas, New Mexico

Today started out with beautiful blue skies, no wind and perfect temperatures. By the end of the day we had been hit by hail, threatened by lightening and were full of mud. The ride itself was 74 miles. We started climbing right away. Then it was up and down all day. I hit a record speed on a downhill today!! I hit 38 mph without pedaling. I could see straight ahead so I let it fly. It was a lot of fun!! As I look outside the window here at the hotel I can see more storms approaching. Not my favorite kind of weather for sure. The staff pulled the last riders off the route when the storm hit really hard. They are always looking out for us.

Tommorrow we have a 105 mile ride. Some of it is desert and I understand that around mile 80 or so we have a 0.7 mile climb of 9%. The alumni call it "The Wall." I'll let you know what I think after I do it. Hopefully the storms will not come back to haunt us in the afternoon again.

Friday to Santa Fe

Hi everyone! I have access today to a very fast computer so I thought I would do my own post and give Carey the day off. She is doing such a GREAT JOB!! Hope you all are enjoying following me across the country. I am having a wonderful time. The last two weeks have been so awesome. At the end of last week I told Tracy ( our fearless leader) thank you for one of the best weeks of my life. It is hard for me to say. Our group has bonded like family already. We help each other in everyway. I know when I get to Boston it is going to be extremely hard to say goodbye to my new friends.

Friday, May 25 ( Happy Birthday to Brandon and Joanna)
We rode 68 miles from Albuquerque to Santa Fe. The beginning of the ride was extremely tough. We had headwind of 15 to 20 mph and HILLS. At one time I could only go 4 mph!! It was tough. I was not going to give up and ride in the van. The staff was standing at the top of the hill holding a big sign that said "we are going to Boston!" That's all I needed. The whole day was up and down of short and long hills. We had some great downhills too. I got up to 36 mph on one downhill. I have to say though that my fingers were cramping and the enamel on my teeth was coming off!! Just kidding! We stopped at a very small old mining town named Madrid. Believe it or not, I had a great buffalo burger! That powered me back up and I rode really good the rest of the way in which was about 22 miles. Today, Saturday, we have a rest day. Some people went sightseeing but I'm using the time to catch up and things.

Two notes about 2 of my new friends-
Frank ,from Salt Lake ,was walking across a cattle guard the other day. He fell in and twisted his knee. He has not ridden since but says he is getting better. OUCH!!!

And-- Ray, from Ct, has been giving me a tough time about the Colts winning the Super Bowl. He has been wearing a T-shirt with the New England Patriots on it. I try not to associate with him when he is wearing that shirt.

Thanks to everyone for their support. It means alot to me!

This morning's weather was similar to yesterday as Mom and the group set out to Albuquerque. It was a chilly 31 F, and some participants opted not to ride because of that. For Mom it meant many layers: 2 on her legs, 4 on her torso, 3 for the arms, 2 for her head and 4 for the feet! She, Joanna and Cherise rode in a paceline to the first SAG of the day. Others were commenting that they were "machines"! Later, Mom was on her own for a 5 mile climb up I-40 at 7 mph. She enjoyed the scenery and the flowers that were planted along the way. Albuquerque finally came into view at the top of the climb before the 7 mile descent into the valley. She had to slow to about 2o mph due to a crosswind and the 1 ft shoulder area in a construction zone. Semis whizzed by within about an arm's reach! Mom said she'd never been so scared on a ride. The route crossed the Rio Grande, which Mom said looked very full, and took a 1/2 mile detour into old Albuquerque. She had plenty to keep her busy tonight, with a trip to a bike shop for a new tire. Her front tire exploded at a SAG, causing much laughter among the group. Several of the men surprised Mom by changing it for her while she was in the restroom. Tomorrow's ride continues to Santa Fe and will be followed by the second rest day of the tour.

Wednesday morning's weather in New Mexico was far from ideal as Mom and the group set out to Grants. The wind chill was 39 F, with rain and a headwind to boot. The rain stopped after about 20 miles but started up again to wash away some of the mud that was caked onto the riders and their bikes. Thankfully the route only followed the interstate for a short while today, with the remainder on frontage and side roads. Mom had another flat, around mile 25. She later encountered a fellow rider, Cary, walking along the road about 17 miles from the finish. He had a punctured tire, so she stopped to give him her spare tube, tire and last CO2 cartridge. Mom got a "thank you" lunch in return, and later will get a replacement tire. Cary has been telling everyone that Mom picked up a hobo walking along the road! Her stats for the day: 68.9 miles, 4 hr 18 min, max speed 29.8, avg speed 16.8. As you can see in the photo, Wednesday's highlight was crossing the Continental Divide, elevation 7275 ft. When Mom called this evening, she had already eaten three snacks and it was an hour before dinner! Yes, she's still chowing down!

Here's a map of the previous days' progress through Arizona...

Mom crossed her second state line today, with another sprinkling of sand and shedding of a few tears of happiness and excitement. The day didn't start as planned, as one of her tires went flat this morning just prior to the group's departure from Holbrook. She had a hand in getting it fixed, but not fast enough to depart with everyone else. The day was then spent mostly alone trying to catch up with the faster riders, with the goal of not being the last one in! Her tire was discovered to be low by the time she reached the first SAG, giving her two flats for the day. She and Tom also assisted fellow rider Felicia with a flat. Mom met her goal of not being last, passing many riders, but never did catch the faster group. Luckily, she had the help of a good tailwind. Rick, one of the mechanics who was riding today, had to work hard to catch up with her! Her overall stats were surprisingly better than Joanna's, who arrived at Gallup before her. Total distance - 88 miles; time - 4 hours 27 min; max speed - 35.6 mph; average speed 19.8 mph. As you can see below, Mom paused at a frybread stand for snack. For a background on the high calorie treat, try this Wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frybread

She's been eating so much on this ride that her friends respond with "tell us something we don't know" whenever Mom declares she's hungry!

Thanks for your patience! Here's yesterday's ride update:

"Today I was standing on the corner in Winslow, Az. Really! I have pictures on my digital camera to prove it!" And yes, that's our fearless rider atop the giant jackrabbit at the Jackrabbit Trading Post there. She rode 96 miles on I-40 to Holbrook in just over 5 hours. They had a tailwind the majority of the ride, with a bit of a crosswind too. Holbrook is apparently a neat old western town, "just like in the movies", but their hotel was so far outside it that the only sights to be seen were tumbleweeds! Mom says she's doing great, and it sounds to me that she's having plenty of fun! The group did, however, have a total of 21 flat tires due to glass and tire wires from the semis. So far, it seems drivers have been kind in giving the group room on the road. Since bikes technically aren't allowed on interstates, the tour leaders have been giving notice to local police when the route will utilize one, and police in turn have alerted passing truckers to be on the lookout. Mom gave a " thank you" wave to one driver and got friendly horn toot in response. She's enjoying all the comments that have been left for her here, so keep them coming!

Mom and Dan enjoyed the visit to the Grand Canyon on Sunday! Joanna and Tom rode along with them. Later they bumped into some fellow riders.



Kim, Tom, Mom, Joanna, and Ray

I'll be posting new photos as I receive them. The first two are from last Monday's ride to Indio, CA...

and these are from Friday's ride up Mingus Mountain.