tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59946560701961934032024-03-12T18:57:10.983-07:00Doyle Bikes the USDoylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-78617413006725819122011-10-16T15:54:00.000-07:002011-10-16T15:54:44.295-07:00Epilogue<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">After almost two months, I decided to write an epilogue for my bike tour blog. I thought waiting awhile would provide me with better perspective. Following are some of things I consider most when thinking about the tour.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was both very physically and emotionally challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. Not just completing the whole tour, but every day. Sometimes it feels like a dream, but I must have done it as I have pictures and witnesses. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We live in a big beautiful country and there is no better way to see it than on a bicycle. I remember not only the scenery, but also the smells. Various parts of the country not only looked different, but also smelled different. Though I enjoyed all areas, my favorite was NE Oregon. I have spent a lot of time in Oregon, but not NE Oregon and I did not know how beautiful this area would be. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We had a great group of individuals on the tour along with the staff. Very bright, thoughtful, and funny individuals. This led to great conversation, very refreshing in today’s polarized society where demonizing and name calling those with whom we disagree is often common fare. The age ranged from 22 to 74 and about three-fourths had some serious medical problem in their lives including 6 cancer survivors. What life gives you is fate, what you give life is destiny. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I love history, all history, from ancient Greece to the Roman empire, to medieval times to America’s frontier from the early 1600s to the late 1800s. Riding through places that I had often read about was very interesting and provided great perspective. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">By profession and nature I am a planner, always thinking about the future and the past which provides perspective for today and tomorrow. On the tour, I was in the moment the most I have ever been, today and tomorrow was all I thought about. Though I am pretty good at avoiding most the noise in our daily lives from cable tv, the internet, radio and print media, being able to avoid it totally for 50 days was very refreshing. (I never listen to what is commonly called talk radio or tv. I generally listen to shows which include the interview of an independent academic or journalist with credentials and expertise in a specific area along with professionals with expertise in an area. I may not agree, but at least I can learn something.)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I had a lot of time to think on my bike and thought of lots of different things, but the three most often were friends and family, spiritual matters and politics. Family and friends are core to our lives and what makes life meaningful. I learned to appreciate them more. Spiritual moments can take place in lots of different places, but for me riding on my bike in a beautiful area can lead to amazing moments of complete serenity. In my estimation, the polarization of our country has gone beyond normal to toxic. I am and have always been an independent moderate. I often thought if I had millions of dollars and would get more than 10 votes, I would run as an independent for senate in ND. No matter who runs from each party, there is no doubt in my mind I would be better than whoever is elected. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I turned 60 a few days before the tour started. For the first time ever a birthday bothered me. I was not sure if it was because I know a lot of people who are 60 and some are very old, others would look at me differently, I would look at myself differently. On the tour, I was the youngest of 12 riders who were 60 or older. I now no longer care. Chronological age is not important. What is important is how we live our lives along with how we take care of ourselves with diet and exercise. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Would I do this again? Maybe. I have now biked around or through 18 different states and day rides in another 3 for a total of 21. I have no goal to ride through all 50 states, but I do think I want to see more states by bike. I can continue to do single state tours, but there is a ride across the southern tier of the US from San Diego to St. Augustine, FL, that looks pretty cool in two years. Stay tuned, more to come. </span></span></div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-24082826524944728412011-08-08T21:05:00.000-07:002011-08-08T21:05:17.393-07:00Day 50<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Done. Today I completed something that only a very small percentage of the population can say they have done. I biked across the United States and part of Canada. And I was one of the riders on the tour that biked every mile. A number of riders were forced to sag one day or more for a variety of reasons, injury, sickness or mechanical problems, but I was very lucky and did not have any of those problems, at least to the extent that it would have kept me from biking. Including detours and missed turns, a total of 3,736 miles and according to my bike computer, 235,183 total calories burned. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Today was a very easy day, it was only 50 miles and myself and the other riders took our time. The first pictures are of the only rest stop and the last one of the tour. The first two are of two of my best friends from the tour, Damien from Ireland and Diane from the Bay area in SF. We were to all meet at a junior high about 3 miles from the beach, so with time to spare all riders stopped at a bakery about 10 miles from the junior high. The first pictures are of the Netherlands group, brothers Andreias and Jan and Jan’s girlfriend Connie. The second is of Nancy and Adrianne. Nancy turned 69 on the tour and this is her fourth time biking across the US and this time she brought her daughter Adrianne. Nancy has also done a number of international tours in various countries. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The next pictures are from the junior high. The first is of riders who are 60 and older. Yes, I am in this group as I turned 60 a few days before the tour started. One of the things I learned from the tour is age is just a number and does not define a person. Though I hung out with individuals of all ages, three of my closest friends from the tour were 25 and younger. Each had a magnetic personality and were very bright and thoughtful. Individuals who are not set in their ways, are open to new ideas, have enlightening conversations, and can relate to anyone. One of the individuals, Lucy who is 22 told me she learned on the tour that old people can be fun. I assume she meant other old people, not me, though I am fun. The second is a picture of the group. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We had a police escort the 3 miles to the beach which was very cool. The final pictures are of me arriving and dipping my wheels in the Atlantic Ocean. Coast to Coast, pretty awesome. Also there is a picture of Kim and I at the beach and then out for a very nice meal at a restaurant in a building that was built in 1785. A great way to celebrate the end of the tour. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">After I have had some time to reflect on the Tour, I will add to the blog, but for now some thoughts. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I want to thank Kim, Courtney and Morgan who supported me the whole tour but even more important encouraged me to do the tour. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I want to thank my staff but before doing so, I want to thank my previous staff, Julie, Amanda, and Katie. Without them or the foundation they helped build, we would not be where we are today. I could send them gifts, but I am sure that would cheapen the moment for them. Along with Courtney and Morgan, thank you Ryan, Stephanie, Ashley and Chelsey. I am blessed with a very talented group of individuals. Thank you each of you very much. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Biking coast to coast was pretty awesome. More later. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-75128497895756393182011-08-08T10:29:00.000-07:002011-08-08T10:29:07.262-07:00Day 49<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We had a very nice day today. Again we got lucky with the rain. Though the road was wet in places, the rain had moved on by the time I got there. I entered New Hampshire about two miles from the motel. After taking days to cross the western states, it was weird going across Vermont in a day yesterday. When I talk with business people in New York City or Boston and I tell them I often drive from Fargo to our condo in Big Sky, MT, they often ask how many days it takes me to do so. When I say one, they are amazed, There is just a different sense of distance in the East. Distance is often measured more in time than in miles. </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The first picture is me under the welcome New Hampshire sign. The next two are of a creek we road next to for some time and wooded area. New Hampshire lived up to its billing of being very beautiful. The day started out as a combination of dense clouds and fog so riding through the valleys and climbing the hills was especially scenic as they were in and out of the fog. It was easy to imagine what I looked like 250 years ago before the white settlers moved in. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we go to the Atlantic Ocean. Again the forecast is for rain. We climb out of Manchester where we are staying tonight and then head for Portsmouth. </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5w_8-HhxVwJOTLVjQpoaGtzDPuHKvS8gAhDjJBnso6tXCYmGy4iBUcjVg1IQ0B8zaH2X-AaVcFg7GmvMPkzWX6nSfH3osDjuqU1-41v-hJ0IuiH8iKYWxTv-oQhc8nnu4BHj_LPICIs/s1600/Day+49++new+hampshire+sign+with+doyle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja5w_8-HhxVwJOTLVjQpoaGtzDPuHKvS8gAhDjJBnso6tXCYmGy4iBUcjVg1IQ0B8zaH2X-AaVcFg7GmvMPkzWX6nSfH3osDjuqU1-41v-hJ0IuiH8iKYWxTv-oQhc8nnu4BHj_LPICIs/s320/Day+49++new+hampshire+sign+with+doyle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-1E2kS9XHts_cgbRbyNxlyukXVaW5tE6Orf56JWCIhxP_csqBK4F2Sgdb2273wiEdsL1-Vou6_DIy4s0OpDdv7a1STZ616F9mkR3LAAu0TVZ1il9y7e1bOIHsAy4TciAEDqCyzrBng4/s1600/Day+49++view+from+road.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-1E2kS9XHts_cgbRbyNxlyukXVaW5tE6Orf56JWCIhxP_csqBK4F2Sgdb2273wiEdsL1-Vou6_DIy4s0OpDdv7a1STZ616F9mkR3LAAu0TVZ1il9y7e1bOIHsAy4TciAEDqCyzrBng4/s320/Day+49++view+from+road.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-65469823678619233582011-08-07T15:59:00.000-07:002011-08-07T15:59:36.878-07:00Day 48<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day 48 was difficult from two aspects. It was one of the longest climbing days of the tour, over 5,000 feet. Though not close to as high as the Rockies, the climbs were long and at times the grades were steep. Making it worse, was there were not shoulders and a lot of traffic. I had more close calls today than in the previous days altogether. I also had a flat tire which slowed me down. Bruce and Dan, both from New York, stopped to help me fix it. On this tour, if someone has a problem, other riders always stop to help. Though it rained in the late afternoon and is still raining, I made it before the rain started. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The route was scenic. After a few miles we left New York and entered Vermont. The first picture is of the Vemont sign. The second is of farm land right after the sign with the mountains behind them. The whole route was green like this. We went through several small towns, one of which was having their blueberry festival. We saw lots of pull outs on the road leading to hiking trails and a number of kayakers next to the river. There were houses the whole way. The last picture was of the view from the summit from the pass at Hogback Mountain. On a clear day, the locals said you can see for 100 miles. Kim and I definitely need to come back and spend more time here. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last picture is from supper. Kim and I along with Karina, Jeff and Julie went out for supper at local restaurant next to the river. The view was very nice and the food was great. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we leave Vermont and enter New Hampshire. Again a lot of climbing. The forecast is for rain all day. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-60016334547895246822011-08-06T11:16:00.000-07:002011-08-06T11:16:59.115-07:00Day 47<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Today started sad. Damien, our rider from Ireland found out last night his brother-in-law died yesterday afternoon in Ireland. He was 43, owned his own business and he and his wife had two little girls. He was on his yacht and had a blood clot. It is another reminder that life is not fair, but living life is always good. One of our mottos on our website is “Learn from the past, plan for the future, but live for today." It is important to study history, plan for tomorrow, but most important is to enjoy each day as there are never any guarantees. Damien said he was riding for his brother-in-law today and we told him we all are. His family told him he should finish the tour as that is what his brother-in-law would have wanted.</span></span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It was a very nice ride today. We started in fog and climbed out of the valley to a ridge overlooking the Mohawk River. It was very pretty but coming down the hill was a little exciting as between the fog and my glasses getting wet, it was tough to see the road. The pictures are from the top of the climb and riders behind me. The next pictures are of the Mohawk River and a lock on the River. Biking through the Mohawk River valley was very cool. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">There are also pictures of myself at the first rest stop and Kim and I at the second. Kim brought treats to the second rest stop and is a real hit with the riders. Today she brought mini-chocolate bars, a chocolate cake and banana bread. A nice change from the normal snacks we have had. For me, it is awesome having her here. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The last picture is from mechanics. At mechanics, riders clean their bikes and if there are problems, Jim, the full time bike mechanic fixes them. He is amazing and can fix anything. Jeff is also there and he helps riders with their bikes. He has taught me to clean my bike and made me a believer that it is important to do every day.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we leave New York and enter Vermont. It looks to be a difficult day as we have one of the biggest climbing days of the year. The forecast is for t-storms. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lQkx4trIb3N36lg8rxNfPWEUQ6omxM_2PNcrmBWJoTj9rPOsampjF4JWo_Z9kYoAr8YvemvKrS1SLm52XhT9Ka6i1qRnKMtqB6MUGXWROd6YTOGysrZPD0-zL2A_NahbQ8t2jwAAzDA/s1600/Day+47++Mechanics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lQkx4trIb3N36lg8rxNfPWEUQ6omxM_2PNcrmBWJoTj9rPOsampjF4JWo_Z9kYoAr8YvemvKrS1SLm52XhT9Ka6i1qRnKMtqB6MUGXWROd6YTOGysrZPD0-zL2A_NahbQ8t2jwAAzDA/s320/Day+47++Mechanics.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-55190754430139568132011-08-04T21:19:00.000-07:002011-08-04T21:19:57.010-07:00Day 46<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 45 was a mosy day for me. I did not feel bad, but not great either. We had a slight headwind so I just took it easy and meandered the whole way. I did make one wrong turn, but caught it right away. I told the other riders I was exploring. Once I got in,while I was stretching and cleaning my bike, Kim was exploring Little Falls. She described it as a very old mill town producing cotton and wool among other items. They just celebrated their 200 anniversary. </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The two pictures are of the Mohawk River and the road next to the river along with some riders. There is so much early colonial and American history associated with this river and Mohawk Indian Nation, it was a very cool experience. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The terrain today was rolling. There were some farms and lots of trees; however, I would not describe it as rural. There were very few times we were not going by houses. Some were very nice, some were average and some were minimalistic. There was a lot of traffic and though for the most part we had paved shoulders, some of the time we were on roads with no shoulders. As with the rest of the ride, most drivers were very considerate, but because of the greater number of cars, it seemed like we had more drivers honk at us in an unfriendly manner. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we ride to Latham. So far the forecast looks good. </span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2njPGoKl01E5Ve4SGVcOVkEmvPPLKdzFBevykKFNTxZ73Ap8pqshGM48rY_klYKJd2DAqlIpF4PWFTl5igUeRPVWJb42UuNgCDQIZk1ZntpaTW3E5CSmBjX2eRYRaJdHFGN8e6Nb9AQ/s1600/Day+46++Mohawk+River.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp2njPGoKl01E5Ve4SGVcOVkEmvPPLKdzFBevykKFNTxZ73Ap8pqshGM48rY_klYKJd2DAqlIpF4PWFTl5igUeRPVWJb42UuNgCDQIZk1ZntpaTW3E5CSmBjX2eRYRaJdHFGN8e6Nb9AQ/s320/Day+46++Mohawk+River.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjvbddhxzcYp8laV3Dbp88DmqwXjnZ2zAI59uzl6I1SJICegawRGFpK3Vh8Kkc2mZXKfR9t1qKLYBNiQoAau8bJ1iGPSGbBMC59_9j4eRlnOOt_ppVlSUMVlWwQkFGNCpjdRuEB81c78/s1600/DAy+46+view+from+mohawk+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfjvbddhxzcYp8laV3Dbp88DmqwXjnZ2zAI59uzl6I1SJICegawRGFpK3Vh8Kkc2mZXKfR9t1qKLYBNiQoAau8bJ1iGPSGbBMC59_9j4eRlnOOt_ppVlSUMVlWwQkFGNCpjdRuEB81c78/s320/DAy+46+view+from+mohawk+river.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-75374627332530566642011-08-03T22:53:00.000-07:002011-08-03T22:53:40.418-07:00Day 45<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 45 was good for me. 95 miles from Henrietta to Liverpool which is the north end of Syracuse. After getting out of city limits we road along the Erie Canal for about 25 miles. Though the trail was crushed gravel which made it more difficult, the canal is very impressive and the little towns that are by the canal were interesting. The first three pictures are from the canal area. The canal was started in 1817 to develop a water route from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. By 1822, 220 miles of the canal were open. It was very controversial at the time and many opposed the government investment in the future. All those who opposed are forgotten by history but those that supported are part of history. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The forecast was for rain today; however, I got an early start and though I was in sprinkles most of the day, never really got wet. Many of those behind me got caught in a steady downpour. I felt good and actually biked faster the last 60 miles today into a slight headwind and sprinkles than yesterday when I had a slight tailwind. Kim brought treats to the second sag station which was most appreciated by the riders tired of the same snacks every day. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Syracuse was the original site of the Iroquois Confederation which was originally five Indian nations before expanding to six. There has been much written how the Confederation was one basis for the colonial government for a representative form of government. The Iroquois Confederation is an amazing story which I have read much about. The Seneca were the west end of the Confederation and it is their lands which we are not biking through.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The next pictures are of a park and Lake Onondaga which we biked by on the way to the hotel. The whole terrain today were green hills and farms in the valleys. The last picture is of supper, one of my three favorite meals of the day.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we bike about 80 miles to Little Falls. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbZngugXsZMAgyCRGCYIcbYY77Vdi82VXhi-ILmtz48Ywwim-ZVthVlrS2Z6XhkyUqLKv88SzxCrhYX0QP9MZj38-nPi6cm75WnJdyTQQZ9d4RISER26kYWiiJ8wAfzXpC2kiRBwF6GU/s1600/Day+45++julie+and+leslie+nxt+to+erie+canal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbZngugXsZMAgyCRGCYIcbYY77Vdi82VXhi-ILmtz48Ywwim-ZVthVlrS2Z6XhkyUqLKv88SzxCrhYX0QP9MZj38-nPi6cm75WnJdyTQQZ9d4RISER26kYWiiJ8wAfzXpC2kiRBwF6GU/s320/Day+45++julie+and+leslie+nxt+to+erie+canal.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSTGilYopuwis-yz3wOfvQFUCPA1MVQyt7A51pt2dSn3CXhUWa6J_KtCPSQZnER_bQPqFrwNjZbm4zQB0nIQBX3Uawj4HOrBnnlKeBEou7vKdseDcWBTyo7wrArrkwHUuHpzREDy2beI/s1600/Day+45+park+next+to+onaconda+lake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqSTGilYopuwis-yz3wOfvQFUCPA1MVQyt7A51pt2dSn3CXhUWa6J_KtCPSQZnER_bQPqFrwNjZbm4zQB0nIQBX3Uawj4HOrBnnlKeBEou7vKdseDcWBTyo7wrArrkwHUuHpzREDy2beI/s320/Day+45+park+next+to+onaconda+lake.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBcgsEZcgPu8kGdqd7CufhFdb9VUsR9A5vEdDmy01E7ToWNVDBNIZ3xj0qbG06K0F-RZy5OHvsmqkGzBaTThh1at5gVMSNxLAc_W1meDNYXA6fJk1-SzuBEtgjXHlPdNS9OOL5tIBW58/s1600/Day+45+supper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBcgsEZcgPu8kGdqd7CufhFdb9VUsR9A5vEdDmy01E7ToWNVDBNIZ3xj0qbG06K0F-RZy5OHvsmqkGzBaTThh1at5gVMSNxLAc_W1meDNYXA6fJk1-SzuBEtgjXHlPdNS9OOL5tIBW58/s320/Day+45+supper.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-6587667257447066812011-08-02T19:40:00.000-07:002011-08-02T19:40:34.449-07:00Day 44<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 44 was 84 miles under sunny skies and a slight tailwind. After getting out of Niagara Falls, we were on rural roads, but still lots of houses and a fair amount of traffic. Most roads had a paved shoulder. I took my time, and it was great to know that when I got done, Kim would be there.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Only took one picture, and that was of rap. Rap is the meeting we have each night to discuss the next day’s route. In Wyoming and SD it was not a long meeting as often we were on the same road all day, but since MN, we might have 30-50 turns in one day, so it is important to pay attention. I have a tendency to let my mind wander so I really have to stay focused. We get a trip sheet that lists all the turns and roads and distance between each turn and total mileage as one makes the turn. The trip sheet also list towns, food and where the rest stops will be. Many riders have missed turns including me and it is a real bummer to have to ride extra miles. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow could be a fun day as we ride on the trail for a few miles next to the Erie canal; however, the forecast is for rain and t-storms all day. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI38dTvbjMQYeXDnyU903wu-89SNMchn-A3299RfJvxbAHoz0t1vr0TFOZXxFN3zFeLdyvCRe2c9n7_g9frGS40s57DQpXtuQ8uPEMCSyzXI137wIg6Y_sIHHsMeAr15RpsoUMhz0eRD8/s1600/Day+44++rap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI38dTvbjMQYeXDnyU903wu-89SNMchn-A3299RfJvxbAHoz0t1vr0TFOZXxFN3zFeLdyvCRe2c9n7_g9frGS40s57DQpXtuQ8uPEMCSyzXI137wIg6Y_sIHHsMeAr15RpsoUMhz0eRD8/s320/Day+44++rap.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-79154012887551882242011-08-01T19:01:00.000-07:002011-08-01T19:01:27.269-07:00Day 43<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 43 is a rest day in Niagara Falls. Kim got here yesterday afternoon and we went out for a great supper last night at a local restaurant. It is great to have her here and today we are going to do some sightseeing. Kim tells other riders the reasons I wanted to have her here was first I do not have to eat at another buffet, second not wait in line to do laundry and third to see her. Though one and two are nice, three is actually number one and got all the first place votes with me. The initial pictures are of Kim and me on the Canadian side of the Falls. We spent some time looking at the Falls from a variety of points. Folloiwng are a few thoughts and comments. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Weather: We continued to be very fortunate with the weather going across the Ontario. Every day there was rain and t-storms around us, but we never got wet except for few sprinkles. Especially the day we went across the toll bridge when we had t-storms all night the night before ending just before we left. If the severe weather south of us had been 30 miles to the north, it would have been ugly. Also we had at least a partial tailwind every day which makes biking a whole lot easier.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Fun: People often ask me if I am having fun. The reality is the tour is very challenging, at least for me, rewarding, especially completing each day, incredibly scenic everywhere we have been, and spiritual, but rarely fun. There have been parts of some days which have been a lot of fun, for example the first day going across Michigan, but for the most part, I would not describe it as fun. At the same time, life should be fun at times, but also needs to be other things, most of which we have experienced on the tour. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Self Contained Riders: Since the first day in Oregon, we have seen self contained riders most every day. Self contained riders have touring bikes, which are much heavier than road bikes, and carry their own gear as they ride across the US. Adventure Cycling, a non-profit organization which promotes all types of bicycling, sells detailed maps of routes going across the US of which one parallels our route in many places. I have a new respect for self-contained riders. A few years ago I biked the coast of Oregon by myself and carried my own gear, but stayed in hotels. Many self-contained riders camp, some stay in hotels and some do both. Self contained riders are often carrying 50-70 lbs of gear including extra water and food as they never know if they will be at a place they can find more. Though I have always respected self-contained riders, my respect has increased 100-fold. Kim and I met a self-contained rider in Casper who was an ex-attorney, moved to Oregon and built a new type of touring bike and then was biking back to New York City. Though it is hard to tell in the last picture, the total weight including the bike, gear and himself approached 300 lbs. On the ferry across Lake Michigan there was a rider who had started in Oregon two days after us, carrying a total weight including himself of about 300 lbs, and was on the ferry with us. This means that he had two days of less riding, carrying his own gear and camping at night, ended up the same place we did with none of the support we have had. We all felt like weanies compared to him. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">In the moment: For most of my adult life, I have lived my profession by thinking and planning for the future for myself and our clients. However, on this tour I have been the most in the moment that I have been for many years. I think about today and tomorrow and that’s about it. Very few riders on the tour think or plan beyond tomorrow. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Speaking of tomorrow, we got to Henrietta, NY. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-87631295325367532632011-07-31T19:01:00.000-07:002011-07-31T19:01:34.338-07:00Day 42<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 42 was a relatively easy day from Brantford to Niagara Falls. I was excited to get done, partly because tomorrow is a rest day, mostly because Kim is meeting me in Niagara Falls. Again, we were in the middle of two rain systems, but we biked in cool cloudy weather and made good time. The first picture is of a brick mansion next to the road. What was unusual is that the house was not unusual, but common. Today and yesterday we saw huge brick mansions alongside the road, one after another. About 15 miles from Niagara Falls the terrain changed and was very wooded with houses interspaced. It felt like riding in a vail. The second picture reflects that part of the ride. </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Riding into the Canadian side of Niagara Falls at noon on Sunday was congested to say the least. I found some other riders on the walkway and took some pictures of the falls, myself and other riders. The whole walkway was full of people and we heard many different languages. Niagara Falls is the result of glaciers retreating about 50,000 years ago creating a lake which gradually uplifted creating the Falls about 12,000 years ago. The original Falls were about 7 miles north, but over thousands of years have moved due to erosion. I knew they were beautiful, but they were more majestic than I anticipated. Though Native Americans have lived here for thousands of years, I am sure the early white explorers were amazed at the first sight and hearing the Falls.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Five of us went over in a group. We had to be in the car lane as bicyclists are not allowed on the sidewalks. We were all wearing our ABBike jerseys and it was slow going across the bridge into the US. For that reason lots of passengers in cars asked us about our tour and wished us the best. Most could not believe we were biking across America, so do we. The next picture is Jeff and Julie behind me in line. When we finally got to customs, we all resisted the urge to be funny. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The last pictures are Gary, Jeff and me under the New York sign. About the same time we got to the hotel, Kim arrived and it was great to see her. We plan to hang out tomorrow and then hit the road again on Tuesday. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYGOYwFVuDFZslZVJe_RShllLyc5zy_eaEvxXKUCQRBQy9Us7oTUTB_RHr-AEsqXxVCga5jXtqwZMCYWNUKGlWAXWjoLlnwEB3SUVowwFkBH1zYeQK0vAZRVrjnhNN7r2UfqMTx7kYHk/s1600/Day+42++Doyle+Jeff+and+Gary+in+front+of+NY+sign+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYGOYwFVuDFZslZVJe_RShllLyc5zy_eaEvxXKUCQRBQy9Us7oTUTB_RHr-AEsqXxVCga5jXtqwZMCYWNUKGlWAXWjoLlnwEB3SUVowwFkBH1zYeQK0vAZRVrjnhNN7r2UfqMTx7kYHk/s320/Day+42++Doyle+Jeff+and+Gary+in+front+of+NY+sign+2.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-72034832993546450382011-07-31T16:40:00.000-07:002011-07-31T16:40:34.627-07:00Day 41<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">As biking days go, on a scale from one to ten, today from London to Brantford, Ontario was a twelve. Sunny, not a cloud in the sky, warm but not hot, not humid and a slight tailwind most of the way. It was a great day to be on a bike. It was “only” 68 miles so by tour standards was a short day. We did not leave until 8:30. I needed the late start as was tired after yesterday and was able to sleep in a little.</span></span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We were on local roads going through farm land and farmsteads. Like the states we just went through it was very green all over, especially after the recent rains. One thing at which I have been surprised is the number of farmsteads. Unlike the western US where ranches were far and few between, here there are lots of rural homes. Some were obviously big farming options while with many it was difficult to know if active farming or just lived in a rural setting. Since entering Canada there have been lots of small towns through we have biked. Close to Branford there were huge brick mansions alongside the road. The first picture is a rest stop in a small town and the second a corn field in the distance surrounded by trees. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Many riders stopped at small fruit and vegetable stands alongside the road at the 50 mile mark. They were selling fruit and vegetables grown locally plus pies and other baked goods. Some riders bought a pie to be taken to the hotel in the sag wagon. I thought about it, but was pretty sure I would eat the whole thing so opted to buy a basket of blueberries on which I have been snacking all afternoon. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Brantford is the birthplace of Wayne Gretzky and one of main highways is named after it. It also is the birthplace of Jay Silverheels who people my age and trivia experts would remember as Tonto on the series “The Lone Ranger.” The longest living Canadian died here, Andrew Lucas, who lived 125 years. He was born a slave and was owned by Stonewall Jackson of Civil War fame and died a free man in Brantford. Though the information I read did not state if Lucas was one of the slaves smuggled out of the South before and during the Civil War via the Underground Railroad ending up as free men and women in Canada. Canada is a great country and this part of their history is one of the reasons why. Finally, Brantford was the home of the parents of Alexander Graham Bell and along with New York City where Bell lived, claims to be the birthplace of the telephone as he worked on it here. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we bike back to the US crossing the border at Niagara Falls. Kim is flying in to Buffalo and then after renting a car will drive to Niagara Falls. Weather looks good so far. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Ssx3Hfa5Yv1SjM9QVyZR8T7Z3s7Kbjv1XzHWOJIGREBFF5SWGUelo2oPDXASVy-_hd27y3DRJZfhve5lXJTi0HEhdgaTumLvHaBOiFzEHXQU65KdPglmZVnj-24HjH4FTLCR6c6OAk/s1600/Day+41+rest+stop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg50Ssx3Hfa5Yv1SjM9QVyZR8T7Z3s7Kbjv1XzHWOJIGREBFF5SWGUelo2oPDXASVy-_hd27y3DRJZfhve5lXJTi0HEhdgaTumLvHaBOiFzEHXQU65KdPglmZVnj-24HjH4FTLCR6c6OAk/s320/Day+41+rest+stop.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPv3BRQu44RQOW1K95gOkWJcA8n8TkgxluixdOjr5F-G_v0EO7gkLjah8aGHqTZVCtWesc9UykBKDOiecXm5FpcuVYWJ1wdQwfg74sRJoj-KSa_GcbolwFDgIyZza80OP87R9s6qJN0M/s1600/Day+41+corn+field.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTPv3BRQu44RQOW1K95gOkWJcA8n8TkgxluixdOjr5F-G_v0EO7gkLjah8aGHqTZVCtWesc9UykBKDOiecXm5FpcuVYWJ1wdQwfg74sRJoj-KSa_GcbolwFDgIyZza80OP87R9s6qJN0M/s320/Day+41+corn+field.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-20206721093111078102011-07-29T15:57:00.000-07:002011-07-29T15:57:32.031-07:00Day 40<span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We caught another break with the weather. Today we went from Port Huron, MI, over the Port Huron bridge into Canada ultimately ending at London, Ontario, about 82 miles. Because of the bridge crossing and going through customs, we had a very structured start which was a little stressful. We had to load by 6:45 and at 6:55 (keep in mind Mike, the tour leader is a retired officer in the Air Force so times are precise), we left for the road to go across the bridge as a group. The bridge is a suspension bridge and we had to be very careful going over the joined parts as a tire can be very easily caught in one of them. Part of the tension was the structure and going through customs and part was the forecast was t-storms last night and today. We did have t-storms all last night and it rained hard, but it stopped raining shortly before we left. 30 miles south of Port Huron there was severe weather as well as in London. We just had a wet road. One of the riders hit a slippery spot on the bridge and went down but was all right. If the t-storm had been on top of us, we still would have to leave as customs closed the bridge while we crossed the bridge stopping all traffic making our passage very safe. </span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The first picture is loading the van, the second going through customs and the last, the sign for Ontario, Canada. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The stormy weather produced a nice wind from the west so we made very good time. Was cloudy and very humid, but no rain. We were on local roads with not a lot of traffic and farmsteads every few miles. After 40+ miles a guy in a car slowed down as I approached and yelled at me there was “a big Rottweiler about 5 clicks ahead.” Terrific. With the wind I was in high teens for average mph but with inspiration I kicked it up. Taking no chances on how far 5 clicks really is, for the next 5 miles I was in the 26-28 mph range. Adrenalin is an amazing thing. After four miles a big dog came charging out of a farmstead, but I was by in a blur (for someone with poor vision). Other riders were chased by the dog. Dogs can be very dangerous for cyclists and there have been a couple of encounters. The main risk is not getting bit by the dog, as that is very rare, but the dog getting in front of the bike and running over the dog which can be serious for the both the dog and cyclist. I don’t blame the dog, but the owners. Owners who let their dogs run free should be required to pick up dog poo for one year in a major city. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We road by a lot of farmsteads, almost all well kept. I am far from an expert, but the corn here and in Michigan did not look to be anywhere near the quality as what we saw in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. I cannot describe how, but the terrain was different. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">It looks like the weather will move out for awhile. Hopefully so. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-MLWHqr44CyTOO3LEUMdjjHg0uz4YaK83GsPalLrpVoGKoROBojjXN1euO-W-CZqGsXtlHudpSpBv2wRczVjFjo3Q-VdhDbSIjnHdtfNvTywnzY1Fi-PaqKxXR6vTAQcej2wCERJPVk/s1600/Day+40+loading+van+before+going+to+Canada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-MLWHqr44CyTOO3LEUMdjjHg0uz4YaK83GsPalLrpVoGKoROBojjXN1euO-W-CZqGsXtlHudpSpBv2wRczVjFjo3Q-VdhDbSIjnHdtfNvTywnzY1Fi-PaqKxXR6vTAQcej2wCERJPVk/s320/Day+40+loading+van+before+going+to+Canada.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHE5NT7EQxWVCvycBisl01Td-rS9sytsVq0u0pRrN_mPKMPHbqvFdumH0fylacug8Kiynz1uch71t1SCC_qNShFmPcRIyNIICknNTm7fIKl61UCbjgeuHJD-vYtHBDg9nhZ3pci-lRxjQ/s1600/Day+40++going+through+customs+to+Canada.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHE5NT7EQxWVCvycBisl01Td-rS9sytsVq0u0pRrN_mPKMPHbqvFdumH0fylacug8Kiynz1uch71t1SCC_qNShFmPcRIyNIICknNTm7fIKl61UCbjgeuHJD-vYtHBDg9nhZ3pci-lRxjQ/s320/Day+40++going+through+customs+to+Canada.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RKxxCpyzH-HpzmdacetsW5EEAYew1zRv41BSuUxPF9U_QDaUnqAoTJXk5EtPgcJK-aoRLpbBImXwXbUwG3Li1KBOk5m74RaoaRJdil9vziSikDKV3qkx7zqP5Actsivd9c9kV4zBqeg/s1600/Day+40++Ontario+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8RKxxCpyzH-HpzmdacetsW5EEAYew1zRv41BSuUxPF9U_QDaUnqAoTJXk5EtPgcJK-aoRLpbBImXwXbUwG3Li1KBOk5m74RaoaRJdil9vziSikDKV3qkx7zqP5Actsivd9c9kV4zBqeg/s320/Day+40++Ontario+sign.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-89604032564596542662011-07-28T20:52:00.000-07:002011-07-28T20:52:47.001-07:00Day 39<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We caught a break on the weather today. It rained with t-storms all night and the forecast was 80% rain and t-storms today. When we got up, there was severe weather south and of us with 2-3 inches of rain and flooding including some road closures. The first picture is the rain ending and the parking lot of the hotel. We held off departing until 7:30 and by that time the rain had stopped. It was cloudy and humid, but did not rain and there was a light tailwind so I averaged over 16 mph which is good for me. It turned out to be very good day as we road 87 miles. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I was one of the very last to leave as I could not decide on which rain gear to wear and bring. I have very good rain gear which I bought years ago when I biked the coast of Oregon by myself. I also have a very light jacket which is water resistant, but not waterproof. I hate being wet and cold so originally had on my rain gear, but given that it was already above 70 degrees and very humid when I was getting ready to go, I carried my rain jacket in a backpack, left my rain pants and wore my rain booties. Everyone gave me a lot of grief for being over dressed at the start. I am not used to riding in warm rain. In ND when a rain system comes through, unless it is a passing t-storm it can cool off and stay cool even in the summer. Anyway I changed on the sidewalk before loading my gear on the truck which was an occasion for more grief.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Though I road with Jeff and Karina for a while, for the most part I road by myself which I enjoy. One of the reasons is the fast riders who leave before me I will never catch and those that leave behind me normally catch me in 20 minutes to an hour plus depending on when they leave. The strongest riders, those who are on the route the longest during the day, I will normally catch within an hour or two depending on when they actually leave. The middle riders like me often do not see each other except at rest stops or if someone takes a lot of pictures as we are going close to the same speed. For that reason, after an hour or two it is not unusual to be pretty much by myself the rest of the day.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Morgan would say I like riding by myself because that is how I train and am not used to riding with other people. Courtney would say I like my personal space. Kim would say it is my personality or more accurately, lack of. They are probably all three correct.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The next picture is of Nancy and Adrianne at the second rest stop. The park is named after Adrianne’s father’s family who are from this area. Unfortunately, Adrianne’s father left Nancy and children when they were very small and Nancy raised the children on her own as a single parent. She became a very successful realtor. She probably kicked the sign after we were done taking the picture. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The last picture is riding into Port Huron and one of the homes alongside the lake. Many of the homes were spectacular mansions. Tomorrow we ride over the bridge to London, Ontario. The forecast is more rain. Like every other place we have ridden through, there is so much history here. Lake Huron is named after the Huron Indian tribe that inhabited part of the Great Lakes area. They fought with the French against the English and the Iroquois nation made famous in the book “Last of the Mohicans” and later the movie. We think of the frontier as the American West, but for well over a 100 years the frontier was throughout the eastern part of waht is now the US. There were many different tribes, all were eventually defeated and either moved or put on small reservations. Often all that remains are the names of towns and rivers. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvNF-3UvMHDjilulDYXhVjjMWpNmHvMLE2o8ZFJ_XqrOw4cUAGRFdJ-JKQQyuBQ7_lxweowV3kE-oGLenF_CiF0ot9s_xzH_iJAfzJgB7575Px3KTiHwMnIx2lC6BN-XZDD2QpjjS6oE/s1600/Day+39++rain+in+parking+lot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVvNF-3UvMHDjilulDYXhVjjMWpNmHvMLE2o8ZFJ_XqrOw4cUAGRFdJ-JKQQyuBQ7_lxweowV3kE-oGLenF_CiF0ot9s_xzH_iJAfzJgB7575Px3KTiHwMnIx2lC6BN-XZDD2QpjjS6oE/s320/Day+39++rain+in+parking+lot.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0oERdBnRG6E3Vmwch68n-Uw0WHKmY3I0FZG_okimIqxAJnd_waOYAEsQcos-ju4UWqaW5hyIILfvHwLcs7qzkb16ptv0XhmBUX5g1R6bTJSNKi5C3BS7i9LNLXMT1bl9r_2qpdT-OOM/s1600/Day+39++nancy+and+adrianne+at+ancesters+park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0oERdBnRG6E3Vmwch68n-Uw0WHKmY3I0FZG_okimIqxAJnd_waOYAEsQcos-ju4UWqaW5hyIILfvHwLcs7qzkb16ptv0XhmBUX5g1R6bTJSNKi5C3BS7i9LNLXMT1bl9r_2qpdT-OOM/s320/Day+39++nancy+and+adrianne+at+ancesters+park.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3MB2nA_NEP7DLkMHzoJPKjGJS47aunF-fYB99lJy814mTLhcn4bvOFjtTw08kCs_vWZhUBfvhG3Eknvsr8r18YPspy9eDKZ794MPS9NCQD3ELU_Wu6_BuFavT458lpv82Ss8D4WC7Ro/s1600/Day+39+mansion+on+lake+huron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy3MB2nA_NEP7DLkMHzoJPKjGJS47aunF-fYB99lJy814mTLhcn4bvOFjtTw08kCs_vWZhUBfvhG3Eknvsr8r18YPspy9eDKZ794MPS9NCQD3ELU_Wu6_BuFavT458lpv82Ss8D4WC7Ro/s320/Day+39+mansion+on+lake+huron.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-16562124901560616262011-07-28T11:44:00.000-07:002011-07-28T20:44:35.680-07:00Day 38<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 38 was 40 miles less than yesterday, but to me actually felt longer. I think there are a couple of reasons for this. One I felt really good yesterday and for the first part I was in a zone, but felt good all day. By comparison, the last 20 miles today was a real grind. I suspect another factor is we did not load until 7:30. Though I understand the reason for the late start, (shorter day and flat terrain), we are primed to be on the road generally between 6:00 to 6:30 so we just ended up sitting around after breakfast waiting to leave. The first picture is me kicking back before I left. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We did ride through some pretty wooded areas as we have before. The second picture is of a densely wooded area along the ride. We have been in and out of these areas yesterday and today and though difficult to describe, they seem different to me than wooded areas in MN. Part is the trees are right next to the road with no ditches in places. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">I got my chocolate milk fix when I got in. I also had a sub sandwich from Subway. I have eaten at enough Subway’s on the trip to be Jared's assistant. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">My room is very nice as have been the rooms all along the trip. Some were quite small, but they were clean and met the objective. I have met and thought a lot about the invisible workers in America on this trip. These are the service people who work at hotels cleaning rooms and working at convenience stores and restaurants among other jobs. These people work very hard, for very little money and the only time they get noticed is when they do not do their job. We all expect a clean room at a hotel and the hotel expects the rooms to be cleaned as fast as possible during the busy season. Many of these workers are seasonal, or laid off when business is slow, but also expected to work very hard when they are there. Many do not have health care or adequate dental care. I have seen women with few or only one tooth in their mouths. I have been impressed at how many take their jobs seriously and work very hard. I always try and visit with hotel service people and thank them for their work. Our country has spent most of the last two years debating raising taxes on the wealthiest in our country and though I am not super rich, I am clearly blessed and by most definitions would be considered in the wealthiest group. We spend very little if any time discussing the millions and millions of individuals who work hard cleaning rooms, bussing tables or working in convenience stores making our lives possible and easier.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow looks to be a long day with rain and t-storms all day in the forecast. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil15NtS7AuXYXD04OwD2j-gu0THgTYLSjcAaKfIWhFOVLP6Z7e9t5BHvsW3VKycU8A09qUghOSEuUjvE0FV-gG5s2MkG8THWCfLpAo0nZW_u8te7bMiTdZ1us7wkjAKW-mgh6fbet4Qc/s1600/Day+38++kicking+back+before+leaving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil15NtS7AuXYXD04OwD2j-gu0THgTYLSjcAaKfIWhFOVLP6Z7e9t5BHvsW3VKycU8A09qUghOSEuUjvE0FV-gG5s2MkG8THWCfLpAo0nZW_u8te7bMiTdZ1us7wkjAKW-mgh6fbet4Qc/s320/Day+38++kicking+back+before+leaving.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLSKC31s-yMeBd74sZsy8t6IR7RHJ9ZonxDDC3KOobfaJt2IZF7xY25bPDdEUfpJM7-u1fPDQ26LUXo4N0uZEkRDVpC534-rqlNFKsXp9SQAeCFq7bHJPy_zd61cBaawMSCuu-Got8Kg/s1600/Day+38+wooded+area.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLSKC31s-yMeBd74sZsy8t6IR7RHJ9ZonxDDC3KOobfaJt2IZF7xY25bPDdEUfpJM7-u1fPDQ26LUXo4N0uZEkRDVpC534-rqlNFKsXp9SQAeCFq7bHJPy_zd61cBaawMSCuu-Got8Kg/s320/Day+38+wooded+area.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-26625662082247726092011-07-27T09:24:00.000-07:002011-07-27T09:24:01.538-07:00Day 37<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some days life is just good and Day 37 was one of them for me. In athletics every once in awhile you can get in a zone and though mine are few and far between, today was one of them. For the first 40+ miles I just cruised and felt really good. I actually skipped the first rest stop as I did not want to get off my bike. (This is not good as we sign in at each rest stop, that is one of the ways the staff keeps track of riders. Fortunately, a friend saw me go and signed in form me.) We were going through county roads with low traffic, in or near a government forest land. We were often right next to the trees and even at 9:00 I was in an area where the road was completely covered by shade. Unfortunately, the zone ended and I still had 73 miles to go, a total of 113. But I still felt pretty good and made good time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The only picture is from the third rest stop which was next to a senior center. I could not help but think that some of the riders were the same age as some of the individuals in the senior center. Life is partly about genetics and health issues, but it is also about the lifestyle we lead and the choices we make. At a rest stop a friend told me he doesn't date women his age because they are “really old." I am not sure that is true as I know women his age that are pretty amazing, at the same time it was funny and had some truth to it. Many women could say the same thing about a lot of men. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After a great day of riding, I got great news. Morgan just found out that he passed the second level of the CFA (Charted Financial Analyst) exam. In my estimation, this is the most difficult program in the financial services industry and passing the second level is an amazing achievement. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we go to Birch Run.</span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-38274046676998224522011-07-25T20:37:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:37:41.145-07:00Day 36 - Part 2<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The ferry ride was better than I anticipated. Before getting on the ferry, I found a bike shop in Manitowac which had restored antique bikes. The picture is of bikes in the shop along with an owner. One of the bike was a kid’s bike from the 1950s that weighted over 50 lbs. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next pictures are of the ferry unloading, riders stacking their bikes and the Michigan coast from the ferry. The ferry was three stories and it was a beautiful days so most riders spent the ride on the top deck in lounge chairs. There were two restaurants, big screen TVs and bingo which I ignored. I read and took a nap.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last picture is me under the welcome Michigan sign. Tomorrow we ride 113 miles and again we lost an hour as we moved to Eastern time. Cuts the night short. </span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOr4BDJAU0csJIbt7ReMQjTGR4lIMyuJ1dCd-SeveYp9d9dvDacbsu5s3jOulZUQ0eacIEfVYRXOkFi_xolsYzbD6cHkvMr4J8QmfgJATutU7M1rNyOjPv6wpkTpHYv8hyeO47DGpuvLg/s1600/Day+36++bike+shop+with+antiques+manitowac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOr4BDJAU0csJIbt7ReMQjTGR4lIMyuJ1dCd-SeveYp9d9dvDacbsu5s3jOulZUQ0eacIEfVYRXOkFi_xolsYzbD6cHkvMr4J8QmfgJATutU7M1rNyOjPv6wpkTpHYv8hyeO47DGpuvLg/s320/Day+36++bike+shop+with+antiques+manitowac.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsgO1RlbaLDbVLGFFj4wqUx9veIJiXtbII0bzMDMSiPvpRPVMKshaRm3feElSD1D1Dl9RTCKvFPfFdYbeWpSwXbY9st6A9IuTPmiaP6bW-mo7b4GzxxvRSkF29Xg46I-PeHr2RxaxQI8/s1600/Day+36++michigan+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsgO1RlbaLDbVLGFFj4wqUx9veIJiXtbII0bzMDMSiPvpRPVMKshaRm3feElSD1D1Dl9RTCKvFPfFdYbeWpSwXbY9st6A9IuTPmiaP6bW-mo7b4GzxxvRSkF29Xg46I-PeHr2RxaxQI8/s320/Day+36++michigan+sign.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-79149707120113008092011-07-25T20:23:00.000-07:002011-07-25T20:23:53.292-07:00Day 36 - Part 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is virtually a rest day. We bike a few miles to the ferry across Lake Michigan and then when we arrive in Ludington. Then we bike a couple of miles to the hotel. A few comments.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wisconsin was a great ride. We caught a break with the weather as one day our ride was the only area in WI which was not getting hit by severe weather. Wisconsin is a great bicycling state. Part of it is all the paved farm (dairy) roads throughout the state. Part is WI was an early developer of the rails to trails bike trails which helped develop a bicycling culture. Part is WI is an outdoor state where residents and visitors enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities. It is also is a very beautiful state and the ride through was especially scenic. One of the riders said Wisconsin is the state Illinois always wanted to be, but could not. Not sure if that is true, but it is a great state. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Minnesota was beautiful as always. Riding through farm country in the prime of the growing season was to me very impressive. To often when we eat, we forget a farmers everywhere are working hard to grow the food we eventually consume. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since our last rest day in Sioux Falls we rode accross MN and WI in 7 days. Though hot in MN, we did not run into any major storms and caught a tailwind many days. For me it was a especially wonderful leg because of the people who came to visit me. It started with Dot and Ken in Sioux Falls who drove from Fargo to see me and take me wherever I wanted to go. Then, Charlie and the Barb and the banner going into Rochester. That is not only a tour highlight, but will be a lifetime highlight for me. That was followed by Morgan and Christi coming to Rochester. One of the riders asked Morgan if he brought his guitar, Morgan said no, just wanted to hang with his dad. Very cool and special. Then going out for supper with my friends at Harbour. That was a long day and knowing that great food and more important being with great friends really gave me incentive. Finally, Kelly and Kevin surprising me in Fond du Lac. They drove a lot of miles to be with me and it was very special. It is very easy in life to forget that you are important to other people. This leg helped me remember that. Thank you everyone and all the rest that have sent me good wishes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We lose an hour when we arrive in Michigan. Riders have been asking me if I will be torked again. I said yes, I do not mind losing an hour when I drive or fly, but on a bike tour it really bites, especially when we have 113 miles the following day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Time to pack and go find the ferry. I have four hours to get there. Hopefully, it will be enought.</span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-2457902409437780382011-07-24T21:44:00.000-07:002011-07-24T21:44:28.371-07:00Day 35<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By our standards, today was an easy day, 58 miles from Fond du Lac to Manitowac. Another very nice day for riding with a tailwind part of the time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first picture is of Nancy and her daughter Adrianne. Nancy turned 69 today. This is her second time on this ride. She did it four years ago and now is doing it again with her daughter Adrianne. She proves every day that all ages can do this tour, you just have to want to and train. Nancy works out all year long and has actually done bike tours all over the world. She is a very consistent and strong rider. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second picture is of the lighthouse as we left Fond du Lac. Pretty cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third picture is of an unscheduled rest stop. Travis, who is the rider with MS which is in remission, is doing this ride to raise money and awareness for MS. His wife SuEllen flew in from Denver a couple of days ago and some of his family from Chicago drove up to have cold water and snack bags for us. It was very nice and a real treat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fourth picture is our first sighting of Lake Michigan. As we approached the Lake and rode near it, the temps really dropped. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally there is a picture of Kim's sister Kelly and her husband Kevin from last night. It was awesome they came to see. They took me out for turtle sundaes and I think that was one of the reasons I was not hungury today. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow is virtually a rest day as we take the ferry across the lake to Michigan. We ride a couple of miles to the lake and a couple of miles when we get in at the other side. </span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7enS3jbx4sFzkY2pzD0U5bL7z0Mk3390SJ_2yuk-LVSTOBVKKP9P0wfMPBtzM1zkwG3TCskGfXMQlSoH9qL8Z4sf7y-ZzV46dIJ-Wyq4EvFuQALDHYiY49-YWDW-wVlyohGm6CkNbGqg/s1600/IMG-20110724-00036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7enS3jbx4sFzkY2pzD0U5bL7z0Mk3390SJ_2yuk-LVSTOBVKKP9P0wfMPBtzM1zkwG3TCskGfXMQlSoH9qL8Z4sf7y-ZzV46dIJ-Wyq4EvFuQALDHYiY49-YWDW-wVlyohGm6CkNbGqg/s320/IMG-20110724-00036.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxB5Q5NgtoQzFTtuMdzP6cP-sQs0N75_ibid9UpQJN2l9mBRq3rGg3n_SQw742xpStcK85OnEznO6rGt_-m8gxIsAoNeAhcvv6fTjNYQXmKATMKbNo3rqvlJLAvTN8iX_ENVrNjHE0KI/s1600/IMG-20110724-00039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxB5Q5NgtoQzFTtuMdzP6cP-sQs0N75_ibid9UpQJN2l9mBRq3rGg3n_SQw742xpStcK85OnEznO6rGt_-m8gxIsAoNeAhcvv6fTjNYQXmKATMKbNo3rqvlJLAvTN8iX_ENVrNjHE0KI/s320/IMG-20110724-00039.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCOJrb5HwEs7wdkg8HnyJZTKrK57iTP9uAzGrieMgW7e1dFHTjoSTzWMlrWDl31CEGpqTYn9ibv1pX9OzW9Hlj8X1NR5u9WPZwvHHuqu5j6ktvhnDL5r3DEnSqt6LDSa5JXqrtSUctEs/s1600/IMG-20110723-00035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwCOJrb5HwEs7wdkg8HnyJZTKrK57iTP9uAzGrieMgW7e1dFHTjoSTzWMlrWDl31CEGpqTYn9ibv1pX9OzW9Hlj8X1NR5u9WPZwvHHuqu5j6ktvhnDL5r3DEnSqt6LDSa5JXqrtSUctEs/s320/IMG-20110723-00035.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-70245637541883038442011-07-23T22:42:00.000-07:002011-07-23T22:42:08.756-07:00Day 34<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Day 34 was a good day. We rode 84 miles from Wisconsin Dells to Fond du Lac in Wisconsin. Again, we got a break on the weather which made the day better. The forecast was for scattered t-storms, some possibly severe; However, when I got up around 5:15 Fond du Lac was having a severe t-storm which essentially cleared all the weather out of the way for us. The rest of the bad weather was south of us. This meant we had cloudy skies and relatively cool temps for the first 40+ miles. I have commented before on the different smells as we have ridden through varous areas. Mountains with evergreens, prairies with sage, and all the farm smells when we road through MN. Today, with the recent rain, the smell was clean and fresh, as long as I did not smell myself or other riders. We rode along beside lakes through green wooded areas and crops growing. </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The first picture is of some falls at the first rest stop. The second picture is of me being totally color coordinated. My shirt is red with black biking shorts, my bike is red and white, my tires black with a red stripe, and my shoes black with red and white print on them. Normally, I could care less about fashion, especially on a bike, but yesterday I got a lot of grief from other riders for two reasons. I was wearing rubber booties over my biking shoes. The reason is the forecase was for rain and I wanted to keep my shoes dry and riding on the crushed limestone would be dirty, especially if wet. Since it only sprinkled, I ended up not needing the booties and caught a lot of grief. The second reason is normally I wear touring shorts with pockets, but every once and awhile I wear traditional biking shorts. Since I like pockets, I cut the bottoms out of some old touring shorts and put them over the top. Since they are both black most people do not notice (see picture), but yesterday word got out and I got a lot good natured ribbing. I just said I am a trendsetter. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Had a great surprise tonight. Kim's sister Kelly and her husband Kevin came to see me on the way to see his familly in Wisconsin. It was fun to hangout and eat some ice cream.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally, Courtney turned 30 today. I have talked to her and sent her a text, but also Happy Birthday Courtney. You are an amazing person and I am blessed to have you as my daughter. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we go Manitowoc.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-77535479821602798262011-07-22T21:38:00.000-07:002011-07-22T21:38:26.264-07:00Day 33<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">At 91 miles, day 33 was only three miles longer than yesterday, but it was much longer in a lot of other ways. It started late, as we loaded at 7:00 and then myself and a number of other riders waited to see if a t-storm would blow through. We left and the t-storm fizzled out. After about 30 miles we road on the Elroy-Sparta trail which is one of the earliest rails to trails bike trails in the US. It is very scenic and the first picture is of the beginning of the trail. The one problem is it is crushed limestone which slows down the average speed pretty significantly. </span></span><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Also there are three tunnels that you have to walk through and carry a flashlight. The first tunnel is about a mile long and it is completely black inside. Without a flashlight, it would be impossible to see. The picture is of the entrance -- it looks like something out of Lord of the Rings. When I entered the tunnel, I immediately remembered I do not like enclosed spaces. I finally got through and the next two were much shorter. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">When I got to the Wisconsin Dells, I had a great treat. Some friends from Harbour with whom we have worked for years came up to take me out to supper. We had a great meal at an outstanding restaurant. It was a great time and I am most appreciative of them taking the time to do so. It was very special for me. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we have chance of t-storms again. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXPRfzGbu6lpIIiMYmJedOPHC2Mk_MV1DaYz62fPOBSRAxArjAVK1b6xssmTZuqMGlkVucWDvTiX0jXDRMNvq4eePfy-A5z70dq9DLjisoOOIeFHwfVvC8uAKh3o5Iiq1BM4U1LrNBPQ/s1600/Day+33++Elroy+sparta+trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXPRfzGbu6lpIIiMYmJedOPHC2Mk_MV1DaYz62fPOBSRAxArjAVK1b6xssmTZuqMGlkVucWDvTiX0jXDRMNvq4eePfy-A5z70dq9DLjisoOOIeFHwfVvC8uAKh3o5Iiq1BM4U1LrNBPQ/s320/Day+33++Elroy+sparta+trail.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-9353063545126301092011-07-21T22:59:00.000-07:002011-07-21T22:59:30.797-07:00Day 32<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">If it is possible to have a rest day while biking 88 miles, today was it. Compared to the past few days, we had cool temps and overcast skies all day and either no wind or a slight tailwind. It was a great day to go for bike ride. I did not work very hard and still cruised. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">For the second day in row, I encountered a bicyclist coming toward me riding against the traffic or right at me. Both times I yelled at the cyclist, in a very kind and sensitive manner, that riding against the traffic is very dangerous and a good way to get killed. It also makes it less safe for other bicyclists who are obeying the laws. I would like to see any cyclist riding against traffic get a ticket just like a car. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The first two pictures are of views coming out of Rochester on a hill looking at fields and groves of trees and a cornfield. With all the rain that has taken place, it was like riding in a greenhouse. The next picture is of the first rest stop which was in a park next to a river. It was one of those places, if there was time, to kick back and contemplate the meaning of life. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">We biked through part of the Root River Valley. The Root River Valley trail system is one of the original rails to trails in Minnesota and may be the best. Kim and I have biked down here several times. The original bike trail runs from Fountain to Rushford City and follows the Root River most of the way. We did a branch of the trail from Rushford City to Houston. As the picture indicates, most of it was like riding through a canopy. We have ridden through a lot of beautiful places and the Root River is one of them. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">In Houston the rest stop was next to a very neat coffee, pastry, sandwich shop. Normally I do not eat lunch until the end of the ride, but a turkey sandwich sounded really good and it was. Unfortunately, coming out of Houston we had a mile climb which seemed straight up. In parts, it was over 15 grade. My sandwich seemed like extra weight the whole way up. From then it was just a cruise to Wisconsin. The last two pictures were of the enter Wisconsin sign and the Mississippi River. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Minnesota was good to us, or at least me. Even though we had extreme heat, we did have tailwinds most of the time and we biked through Southern MN farm land in the prime of the growing season. I am sure the rain had a lot to do with it, but it was green from the west to the east end of the state. Driving through farm land is one thing, but biking gives a person a time to appreciate the magnitude of miles and miles of corn fields, shelter belts and farmsteads surrounded by groves of trees. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">On a different note, we have had two bike accidents the last two days. Yesterday Adrian got her tire stuck in grove in the road and tipped over and today Barb had a mechanical problem and tipped over. Both are fine, though a little banged up. Both had cracks in their helmets which saved them from more serious injuries. I have always thought that individuals who ride without a bike helmet must believe that brain damage from a head injury would not be much different from their current brain functions. There is risk in bicycling or most activities for that matter, but for most of us the major risks in life include being overweight, smoking, drinking to an excess, not exercising, and living a life of stress. Bicycling is one answer to most if not all of those risks.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">After getting in I had two bottles of low fat chocolate milk and a dark chocolate Milky Way. The closest thing I have ever had to withdrawal was giving up caffeine a number of years ago; however, when I am done with this, I am clearly going to have withdrawal when I have to give up my chocolate milk habit. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we have another 90 mile day with the chance of rain. </span></span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtEAOVXSymg6Jyc1YsJzJ3STYjafTx8bRinW9Cpc_Rk7JlKaMp8hQmZckqBxO2rbkWu-_6hWT41Tpv7hEbBWuipJQfcLJvhFWHa8bNgrNi5-VPaRA8A309JRilhlY9oEobSEvcm9zXLc/s1600/Day+32++mississippi+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwtEAOVXSymg6Jyc1YsJzJ3STYjafTx8bRinW9Cpc_Rk7JlKaMp8hQmZckqBxO2rbkWu-_6hWT41Tpv7hEbBWuipJQfcLJvhFWHa8bNgrNi5-VPaRA8A309JRilhlY9oEobSEvcm9zXLc/s320/Day+32++mississippi+river.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-18581749153076124302011-07-20T20:28:00.000-07:002011-07-20T20:28:02.447-07:00Day 31<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 31 started early. The staff loads the sag van with luggage at the same time, today it was at 5:45 with breakfast afterwards. I made some oatmeal in my room and left as soon as I loaded. I thought the extra 20-25 minutes would benefit me later. The picture is of the flags in front of the hotel. The wind was 15-20 all day out of the SSW. Anything out of the west is always good, so had at least a slight tailwind most of the day. Even so, after yesterday's heat and 102 miles, 100 miles today was grueling at the end, especially with the heat. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Riding in heat like this can be very difficult, and many riders are suffering. The only happy rider is Terry from Tucson who is used to riding in 100+ degrees. So far, I have been hanging in there. I try to drink a lot of water which is one key. Also, not so bad when biking, but when I get off the bike, my first thought is wow, it is really hot here. Locals in various towns are always asking how we can bike in this weather. Some think we are crazy, others are sure we are. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">All day riders were mentioning to me the banner Barb and Charlie had made for me, they thought that was pretty special, and it was. Also, many met Morgan and Christi and were very impressed. The funniest was Karina who told me afterwards that “Morgan was really handsome." The way she said it while she was looking at me, it sounded likes given the genes, this was a total surprise. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Many riders are amazed that it can be this hot and humid in Minnesota. I told one rider that sometimes alligators hide in corn fields so be careful. He thought I was kidding, but not sure. He was pretty nervous the rest of the day. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow we leave Minnesota and cross the Mississippi to Wisconsin. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsC1_-IAdgxvTN_wnFpqLiRb_Za_Jb7-9t-CUo4i2NGZFY56z2Ec6RmlOPFwJ6doYtx2-QOxX-Y4Fw1aYXPf81Qkd7C0X1_I9YDjMlCW1iJdja5gViLl1jIHR_EIj5ujuqNlZrBLU17hQ/s1600/Day+31+flags+in+morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsC1_-IAdgxvTN_wnFpqLiRb_Za_Jb7-9t-CUo4i2NGZFY56z2Ec6RmlOPFwJ6doYtx2-QOxX-Y4Fw1aYXPf81Qkd7C0X1_I9YDjMlCW1iJdja5gViLl1jIHR_EIj5ujuqNlZrBLU17hQ/s320/Day+31+flags+in+morning.jpg" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-19283526477966447912011-07-19T22:21:00.000-07:002011-07-19T22:21:44.349-07:00Day 30<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Day 30 was one of the most amazing days I have had on the tour and probably ever. We biked 102 miles from Worthington to Mankato. As the first two pictures indicate, it was very hot early in the day, but fortunately we had at least a slight tailwind the whole day and I made a good time. The scenery was pure Minnesota farm land in the prime growing season with green fields of primarily corn but other crops as well along with groves of trees, shelter belts and farmsteads. I did not stop to take a picture, primarily because it was too hot and did not want to spend any more time out there than I had to.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">With the increasing heat, the last ten miles were difficult and I was ready to get to the hotel and air conditioning. We are staying at the Mankato City Center Hotel in downtown Mankato and when I pulled into the hotel drop off area, I had an amazing surprise. My very good friends Charlie and Barb from Bemidji had made a banner for me and driven down to Mankato to have it across the entryway when I pulled in. When I first saw the banner I thought that is very cool and when I saw it was for me, it was exhilarating. The pictures are of us in front of the banner and the three of us. My fan club may be small, but it is exclusive, classy, and contains very bright, thoughtful individuals. Charlie and Barb, thank you so much. They also had low fat chocolate milk waiting for me in a cooler. Again, thank you. This was a special moment that I will remember for the rest of my life. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The day got better as Morgan and Christi drove down from Minneapolis to spend the rest of the day with me. The pictures are the three of us around my bike. We went out for dinner at a very nice Italian restaurant. Making it better, Jeff and Karina from the tour and Adam, who I call my second son by different parents along with his wife Lindsey joined us. We had a great time, the conversation was excellent and the food was a nice change from the normal buffets where we have been eating. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow looks to be another long hot day with 99 miles to Rochester. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPbAIU89WtKWAYqhPH0YeEpaaqv-EcZZZZP6Vu70f4gRYx4KEJCZrmBtkCUJM627UsBLHFUu13Qx6GLLlQZOMauaTYP8598JKWoIip8cIXXTqaE7Pe96nIEPOyWfXPZBld2zX9wtEkos/s1600/Day+30+temp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbPbAIU89WtKWAYqhPH0YeEpaaqv-EcZZZZP6Vu70f4gRYx4KEJCZrmBtkCUJM627UsBLHFUu13Qx6GLLlQZOMauaTYP8598JKWoIip8cIXXTqaE7Pe96nIEPOyWfXPZBld2zX9wtEkos/s320/Day+30+temp.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExsFr5o14lcTWzoFn3ZEhbU4mf5tZxoibDvpg_0QXrhmjs2H70dH6hC_pHNL_9rnTWhUH2vePn_AHQJ5OsLtkrysmaWlc_EbH2qz6Jn1C65D0pFD9o9VjDhJAZwVJCBlJqkWEWXVM2OA/s1600/Day+30++Charlie+Barb+and+doyle+with+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExsFr5o14lcTWzoFn3ZEhbU4mf5tZxoibDvpg_0QXrhmjs2H70dH6hC_pHNL_9rnTWhUH2vePn_AHQJ5OsLtkrysmaWlc_EbH2qz6Jn1C65D0pFD9o9VjDhJAZwVJCBlJqkWEWXVM2OA/s320/Day+30++Charlie+Barb+and+doyle+with+sign.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hFDAhTrxnS0fWLsz5PKFYHYSRwTrR62dXjn4DJiBr_GjQwtRKOp4zBZ37z8qkR97wyG0IQYlbJSelXFTSJYo3h3fB4oIEo2jXAKzG0Py3Yk87JUdZ9ceLNVkzQBbUg-lnnDnxRp1Elc/s1600/Day+30++Charlie+Barb+and+doyle+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hFDAhTrxnS0fWLsz5PKFYHYSRwTrR62dXjn4DJiBr_GjQwtRKOp4zBZ37z8qkR97wyG0IQYlbJSelXFTSJYo3h3fB4oIEo2jXAKzG0Py3Yk87JUdZ9ceLNVkzQBbUg-lnnDnxRp1Elc/s320/Day+30++Charlie+Barb+and+doyle+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-50554485569866629352011-07-18T21:23:00.000-07:002011-07-18T21:23:37.754-07:00Day 29<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">By tour standards, Day 29 was pretty mellow. Sioux Falls to Worthington, MN, about 70 miles, and we caught a moderate tailwind so a I made good time. The first pictures are from the Falls in Sioux Falls, which are very impressive, especially with the high water in the Sioux River. I have been to Sioux Falls a number of times for business and have never visited the Falls or the surrounding park which was very nice. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The next two pictures were of the sign announcing we were entering Minnesota. Though SD is a great state, we are hoping for better weather in MN. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">The hotel we are staying at in Worthington would win the award so far for best welcome. When we arrived they had water bottles on ice, fresh fruit, and yogurt waiting for us. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Many riders could not believe that Minnesota could be this hot in the summer. I think some assumed it would be still snowing. For many of them, their frame of reference is the movie Fargo. They are disappointed I do not speak like the characters in the movie. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: black;">Tomorrow 102 miles to Mankato. Let’s hope for tailwind. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSimPrMIrrIPk86IM1ooqisBSzagQ6sgwtUFO8fUD6FH75MbYE85h-ZaO1bf-o7Jy6kCUytkZIczuvTt1vPuOSM2EoCpa6-G2G2WvFEqSdZc6trDkbR9cgVRTnMbnIFMuZQfmhmk2gUk/s1600/Day+29+sf+falls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQSimPrMIrrIPk86IM1ooqisBSzagQ6sgwtUFO8fUD6FH75MbYE85h-ZaO1bf-o7Jy6kCUytkZIczuvTt1vPuOSM2EoCpa6-G2G2WvFEqSdZc6trDkbR9cgVRTnMbnIFMuZQfmhmk2gUk/s320/Day+29+sf+falls.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><span style="color: black;"></span>Doylehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10883290184636397920noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5994656070196193403.post-11696203466541413952011-07-17T21:28:00.000-07:002011-07-17T21:28:50.642-07:00Day 28<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today is a much needed rest day and I spent the time with Dot and Ken who continued to chauffeur me around. Following are some comments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lost Day: Not only did I lose an hour going into Pierre which I am still upset by, but also seems like I have lost two days. It is now Day 28. Until I checked, I thought it was Day 26. The reality is if Dot and Ken had not been here, I would have no idea the day of the week or calendar date. Two nights ago, Mary was emailing her mother on the hotel computer and came running asking where we were - she had no idea. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">South Dakota: SD is a beautiful state, but no one will be sad to leave it. From climbing through the Black Hills to battling headwinds most every day, rain one day and excessive heat the next two it has been a very tough week. Everyone is tired, but there is a sense of accomplishment, especially for getting through the 117 mile day into the wind and rain. I cannot imagine a harder ride on a bike. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lewis & Clark: More or less we have been following L&C since leaving Astoria and now leave them for good. I have always been amazed by their collective achievements, but after biking in the type of weather we just biked through, I cannot imagine walking, pulling a barge in all temps wearing buckskin. Also, no air conditioning or massages. Amazing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great People: We have very bright interesting thoughtful individuals on this tour from many walks of life. To name a few, a social worker now in grad school but did suicide watch, an organic chemist, software consultant, nurse practitioner, consultant in global real estate deals, an IT marketing consultant, an IT attorney, two engineers from the Netherlands, a teacher from Ireland, a water engineer, an IT engineer, owner of a small manufacturing company, a math teacher who had a career as a electrical engineer, an ordained minister who specializes in grief counceling and a physician. It makes for very interesting and thoughtful conversations. Individuals are secure, respectful and interested in the opinions of others. I have not heard any demeaning comments when opinions are different, which is unique and refreshing in our polarized society. I doubt if anyone here gets their information from TV networks or talk radios. The only radios shows I listen to are extensive interviews with qualified academics, authors, journalists or professionals in a specific field. I may not agree, but at least I can learn something. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Friends: It was great to spend time with Dot and Ken. The picture is from the falls in Sioux Falls which are very impressive, especially with the river running so high. I have heard that if you have five real friends in a lifetime, you are truly blessed. I have at least two and am truly blessed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow we enter Minnesota and the forecast is hot. </span><br />
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