In recent days, stories have been circulating in and around counties abutting the Blue Ridge Parkway indicating that the Parkway is going to CLOSE TO CYCLISTS.
The story has enough “legs” under it to garner comments from the Adventure Cycling Association and Blue Ridge Outdoors. So, my plea is to Superintendent Phil Francis that he issue a clarification of the Parkway’s intent regarding cyclists under the current draft plan…
The sun has again set on another trip to the Low Country of S.C. The Navigator and I are back home and back to work digging out from the pile of duties that built up during our absence from work. The week long excursion to Folly was a fine gastronomical event with a smattering of cycling included.
(Pretty memories of this year’s Folly Beach excursion are all that remain…)
Tuesday, July 20th, was a day like so many other days here in Western North Carolina this time of the year. It was hot and muggy – hotter than normal for this time of year, which seems to be our trend for the summer. A nice late afternoon shower rumbled through close enough to end of work time to make me question if I’d get to commute home as planned. The Navigator was scheduled for her water aerobics class and missing my planned ride would mean hanging out in my office another 90 minutes or staying around town wandering aimlessly – well, I could have gone to Wal-Mart and wandered aimlessly there…
The shower was heavy while here but fortunately short-lived. The sun was quick to return and heat up matters again but, I clearly was going to be able to ride home. I had not ridden since the Wood-man’s and my jaunt around 25 miles of island this past Friday. I was ready to go.
I headed out on my typical ride home opting for the Lee Road route and across Old Clyde Highway to Canton. It was a pleasant ride without incident and I came into Canton feeling good about the ride. My first new discovery of the day was about to glide by me on 2 wheels.
As I came around the bend at the Canton Rec Department, I was met by a cyclist clearly loaded for touring. We spoke as we passed and I thought to myself “I’ll bet this guy has a story!” Knowing that the Navigator was still a good 40 minutes from heading home, I circled around and rode beside this gentleman and struck up a conversation. He let me know he was on day 19 of a tour coming up from Florida and on his way to Asheville, NC to get some brake pads. He had climbed Soco Mountain out of the Cherokee Indian Boundary in 3 hours and then descended it in 12 minutes.
As we chatted, he asked what my line of work entailed and I provided him with that information. To which he says, do you know “so-and-so”? To which I replied, “yes, he is a co-worker of mine!” So, Discovery #1, it really is a small, small world. What are the odds that this gentleman and I would intersect in time and space in that location and that time and then discover we had someone in common? I promised to let old “so-and-so” know that we had met and give him my companions best wishes. Turns out he had stayed with my co-worker this past Monday night. We rode on a moment and I assured him he was headed in the right direction. I said my good-byes and wished him well as I turned back to my route home. Having such a nice encounter buoyed my spirits and made a pleasant ride more pleasant.
As I was passing Rogers’ Express Lube, I noted the owner’s sign. He typically has some kind of inspirational or other saying posted. I liked today’s so stopped and grabbed a picture of it.
I was reminded that what we put out there to the public whether words, dots on a screen, or our actions cannot be taken back. The sign also made me think about wasting too much time being in the “poor, poor pitiful me” place I sometimes go to in my head. Again, time lost that will never come back…
I spun my way on up to Love Joy Road and hopped across the intersection of US 276 to extend my trip home a few miles. Doing so led me to what I still consider one of the prettiest, most pleasant roads to ride in Haywood County. Love Joy is simply a joy! The fertile valley is over running with abundant crops growing, the West Fork of the Pigeon River makes its way along parts of this road, the family gardens are well kept as are the homes, and the folks sharing the road have always been pleasant.
On the upper end of Love Joy, the trees arch out over the road and create this wonderful enclosed space. Following yesterday’s showers, the wonderful scent of the soil, grasses, and leaves were fully in “bloom” and my olfactory senses relished in the experience.
(Love Joy Road in the quiet of the evening)
As I finished up the Love Joy portion of my extended loop, I caught the sun illuminating Riverside Baptist Church. This pretty church sits alongside the West Fork and is one of many of the community churches that I ride by on a daily basis. You can’t ride far in Haywood without passing a church of some denomination.
So Discovery #2 for the day or, more properly, Rediscovery #1 is a reminder of what an incredible portion of this earth I am able to reside in and enjoy. The contrast from yesterday’s ride and my recent weekend in the hot stickiness of the Low Country couldn’t be more well defined than by what I enjoyed Tuesday.
O.K., so what was Discovery #2? Well, it goes back to my encounter with the touring cyclist. I contacted my co-worker and found out the name of the touring cyclist (Charles Pahl) and many other things. This was not Discovery #2 – The real Discovery #2 was that my co-worker is a cyclist and blogger! Jack’s blog “Velohobo” is very interesting and well done. I’ll be adding it to my list of recommended readings shortly.
If I were riding home in my car with the windows rolled up trying to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, I would never have found out any of this information. Only because of cycling and commuting did I get to enrich my life on Tuesday, July 20th. Thanks to the “powers that be” that brought all of this to me yesterday!
Until later,
- Zeke
(Saturday, June 18th, 09:10 EDT update) Our friend and touring aficionado, Jim Artis of Cycling Experiences, got an early start this morning. He began moving around 5:00 a.m.this morning and appears to have covered 13.6 miles to his latest SPOT track. Note that SPOT tracks are not immediately updated so he is likely further along than this as I write. We’re all hoping the mechanical issues with the misaligned axle and friction from rubbing on the metal brake caliper have been resolved. It will be good to know if Fargo is moving along more smoothly today.
Using Google Earth to calculate the difference in mileage from Jim to Raphael Giraldo and the TOD: Ride for the Republic, it would appear that there are about 56 miles difference between the two. (I am NOT writing this to indicate or insinuate that Jim is attempting to reconnect with the TOD. I note this only as a point of reference between two riders that started at the same time and place 5 days ago.)
(Saturday, June 18th, 6:50 p.m. EDT update) Jim’s last SPOT track was at 4:26 p.m. at GPS coordinates 43.79051, -70.39734. Utilizing Google Earth Street View, I note this appears to be a motel. I’m guessing he has called it a day for travel. His metrics indicate he moved 22 miles today even though he continues to experience a “rubbing of the lexan”. His last post indicates he thinks he has isolated the issue and is working on a resolution. Check out his latest posts at Cycling Experiences.
(Saturday, June 18th, 7:00 p.m. Update) Mark has a new post up about the trials and tribulations facing this year’s riders. He notes that “Mountain Turtle” reports being in better physical condition than 5 years ago but reports that the trail is in much worse condition this year due to wet conditions. Check out Mark’s post for some excellent points on the race.
Rui da Costa of Caisse d’Epargne took stage 8 of the Tour de Swisse today. His teammate Jose Rojas Gil crossed the finish line second. GC leader Robert Gesink holds the leader’s jersey again as he finished one minute back of the stage winner. Team Radio Shack members Lance Armstrong (7th overall) and Levi Leipheimer (13th overall) finished 14th and 18th respectively at the same time of 1:16.
Pro rider Kim Kirchen was placed in an artificial coma after experiencing a heart attack while competing at the Tour de Swisse. He was hospitalized overnight Friday after reporting that he did not feel well. VeloNews is reporting that he is in stable condition.
Team Bent Up Cycles appears to have finished the Race Across America in 3rd place in the Mens, under 50, 4 man team category. The 3 top teams crossed the finish line in Annapolis within hours of each other. Jure Robic captures his 5th RAAM title in the Mens, solo, under 50 category completing the race in 9 days 1 hour and 1 minute with an average speed of 13.85 mph. Women’s solo under 50 leader, Barbara Buatois, is still on the course and has what appears to be a very comfortable lead on her nearest competitor.
The Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic Raphael Giraldo appears to be in Portsmouth, NH. He seems to have covered 22 miles today according to calculations based upon GPS coordinates in Google Earth. His last SPOT track was reported at 6:45 p.m. so he may have stopped for the day. Check out his daily updates at the TOD: Ride for the Republic.
More updates later.. I have to go “ride” my John Deere tractor for awhile…
My own update… (Saturday, June 18th, 7:26 p.m.) I’m tired… 3 yards, 1 field, 2 additional hours of running the weed-eater and more poison ivy than I care to recall. I didn’t travel anywhere near 22 miles today!
Best wishes to all of our ongoing riders and congrats to the winners of the various RAAM categories.
Until later,
- Zeke
Races/Tours that I am following:
(TOD: Ride for the Republic/Touring with Fargo: (updated 06/17/10 @ 11:30 EDT)
This brief update is to inform that Jim Artis of Cycling Experiences is now on his way to Bath Bicycle & Ski via the courtesy of yet “another angel on his trip”. He is being transported to Woolwitch, ME to get repairs on the Rohloff drive completed. Preliminary thoughts are that some pins sheared to protect the drive itself.
Given that Jim has retitled his tour effort separately from the TOD: Ride for the Republic, I believe that his intent is now to tour his way home at his pace and continue testing the limits of Fargo and himself. He is going to have a story rich in detail between the various cycle specific content and the human connection stories. I think we’re in for some good reading based upon both the TOD: Ride for the Republic and Cycling Experiences: On tour with Fargo. Most of Jim’s daily posts will be on a BROL thread so you can check there for more immediate details.
(Update 14:10 p.m. EDT) Jim is on the move again after having found out that mechanical #2 was really an extension of mechanical #1. The LBS got him assessed and fixed quickly. He was also able to ship some more weight home. It is raining at his locale as he started out again.
(Update 16:10 p.m. EDT) I just ended a phone call with Jim Artis and he updates the scenario as follows: The Rohlff did not have sheared pins and was not part of the mechanical problem. As it turns out, a snap ring was not in place for some unknonw reason and it had allowed the axle to shift. It shifted in a way that it was rubbing against a metal brake caliper and wearing it down. This was not discovered until Jim was ready to ride again. He is still at the LBS in Woolwitch affecting change to Fargo. Part of his weight reduction was the removal of a generator and chain, which will further reduce drag once he is rolling again. His hopes and plans are that Fargo will be healthy again shortly with no drag issues and he will ride briefly to lodging for the night. He does not anticipate significant mileage today. The LBS staff have been excellent and have connected with Ashely in Utah several times today to work out repairs. Jim remains upbeat and is very pleased with certain aspects of how Fargo has performed. He will post more details tonight at Cycling Experiences and on BROL.
The Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic
Raphael Giraldo is on the move for the past 3 hours. He is currently, according to his SPOT track, in Brunswick, ME. He is in what looks to be a very busy section of town (utilizing Google Street View for this info) and is either on or headed to Old Portland Rd.
The 213 km 6th stage of the Tour de Swisse was won by Robert Gesink of Rabobank. He topped the final summit alone and then raced the final 10k alone. the next group of riders came in 42 seconds later and included American Lance Armstrong. Former Tour leader Tony Martin could not maintain the pace today and came in 2 minutes after the winning time. Gesink holds a 29 second advantage on the field going into tomorrow’s hilly stage. In a tweat following the race, Armstrong indicated that the ride was “tough” but that he felt strong. He also indicated that Levi Leipheimer and Andy Kloedin had goo days as well. Armstrong has moved into 7th place overall at 55 secs. down.
VeloNews is reporting that Mark Cavendish has withdrawn from the tour after the crash in which he was penalized 30 secs and experienced minor injuries.
Until later today,
- Zeke
Word has just reached me that Jim Artis of Cycling Experiences and a participant in the Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic has abandoned the TOD.
On Day 1, Jim had a mechanical that cost significant time. He also found that the load he was pulling with Fargo and the Powerbox trailer was simply too much. He lightened his load on Day 2 by shipping home 11.5 lbs of material but came to the conclusion late last night or early this morning that he is still pulling too much weight to maintain contact with Rafael Giraldo. There also appears to have been some form of communication breakdown with the two riders as there has been no contact between them since Monday’s notice of the mechanical issue.
Given the tight time frame of the construction and delivery of Fargo plus final setup in Fayetteville, Jim was unable to perform sufficient road testing under load, which might have assisted in some significant fine tuning and avoided this outcome. I know that Jim is sorely disappointed in this outcome as he has invested much time and money in this project.
He has decided to continue his ride but not as part of the TOD: Ride for the Republic. His route calls for continuing to Richmond, VA and then home to Fayetteville at this point.
There are images posted of the start of the TOD and along the way of Day1 posted by Raphael Giraldo at the TOD site. (Day 1 images)
More on this sad turn of events later,
-Zeke
Update as of approximately 3:00 p.m. EDT:
I have been in phone contact with Jim this afternoon as he pedals his way through Maine. We have found a resolution to the weight of the trailer issue. Thanks to the internet and technology available to us, we located Darcy at Bath Cycle and Ski in Woolwitch, ME. Darcy was very helpful in getting word to Jim about dropping off his trailer and shipping it home for him. At that time, Jim was traveling southeast of Waldoboro and turned out to be only 3 miles or so from Darcy’s father-in-law. As I write, Jim should be connecting with him to drop the trailer. Darcy will then get the trailer and ship it to Fayetteville for Jim. This will allow Jim to drop considerable weight and, unfortunately, some camping supplies. His plans remain flexible as they must.
While on the phone with Jim, a woman stopped and offered him water and had a short chat about what he was doing. Turns out her husband had passed Jim and gone home and told his wife she should go see this cyclist on the road! I’m sure Jim will cover all of this in his updates later. According to my calculations using Google Earth, Jim is approximately 30 miles behind Raphael Giraldo.
Take a moment to drop a short note of thanks to Darcy for her assistance to a fellow cyclist!
Much more later as this story unfolds!
- Zeke
Day one of Jim Artis’s Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic is now history and he has posted his first report. He has experienced the weight of the matter (Fargo and trailer), had a mechanical, and met 4 angels – all in the first day!
Check out his report at Cycling Experiences!
Until later,
- Zeke
Links to the races/tours that I’m following:
TOD: Ride for the Republic:
As I write, Rafael Giraldo and Jim Artis are closing in on Ellsworth Maine after having departed Cadillac Mountain at sunrise this morning. Their route out of Bar Harbor took them along Eagle Lake Road and across Thompson Island. At 1:20 p.m., they were located at GPS coordinates 44.48757, -68.36987. Check in with Jim at Cycling Experiences this evening when we can anticipate his initial report on the road worthiness of Fargo.
RAAM:
Team Bent Up Cycles remains in 3rd place in the 4 man team category. They have travelled 858 miles at an average of 19.52 mph. The team tweats indicate that all is well and team members are maintaining positive attitudes. In the solo female, under 50 category, Barbara Buatois maintains her lead with a 111 mile lead over her nearest competitor. Jure Robic also maintains his lead in the solo male, under 50 category although only 64 miles separate him from his nearest competitor. He is averaging 14.45 mph and Buatois is averaging 11.3 mph. Check out the RAAM Leader Board to see current standings of all of the categories!
The Tour Divide:
Kent “Mountain Turtle” Peterson continues his trek along the Rockies. He is currently riding through the Flathead National Forest and was located at GPS coordinates 48.73535 , -114.57599 at 1:19 p.m. EDT. Check out “Mountain Turtle’s” SPOT tracks to see the circuitous route he is riding through the Rockies. Hint: It isn’t straight! You can hear the riders’ own reports on MTBCast.com as they call in to report how things are going from their perspective. Their reports include everything from sleeping in outhouses to avoid bears to dugouts at local ball fields. In day 2, there has also been quite a bit of “snow hiking” as the upper passes are snow covered.
Tour of Switzerland:
Congratulations to HTC-Columbia rider Tony Martin as he grabbed the overall lead from Fabian Cancellera in the Tour de Swisse. Frank Schleck grabbed the stage 3 win. Martin finished 10th in the stage but Cancellera was gapped at the end giving Martin a 1 second lead. Lance Armstrong finished in a group of riders 4 seconds back.
More reports later!
- Zeke
I’m currently tracking participants or those in preparation for 3 races and 1 great tour. At the moment, enthusiastic readers can follow:
Now, if that doesn’t keep you busy, I’m sure there are some other races out there to add to this list. These are the events that have captured my attention for the time being.
RAAM: I’m following Team Bent Up Cycles. I’ve done business with and know (virtually) Dana Lieberman, owner of Bent Up Cycles in Los Angeles. Dana has always been very friendly and honest when dealing with me even though we’ve never met and live on opposite ends of the country. The Bent Up Cycle blog will carry updates on the team’s progress as RAAM gets underway. Best of luck to Dana and crew as they make their way to the east coast into Annapolis!
The Tour Divide: Kent “Mountain Turtle” Peterson is underway on his trek to regain his title for swiftest completion of a single speed bike on this ultra endurance race. The race kicked off this morning in Banff, AB, Canada. As of this writing “Mountain Turtle” has just finished transiting the Spray Lakes Reservoir in the Spray Valley Provincial Park. According to my calculations, “Mountain Turtle” has travelled 46.046 miles or 74 km since the beginning of the race this morning. This is less than 1/2 the distance “Mountain Turtle” rode each day on his prologue just to get to the starting line. You can follow his progress on his shared SPOT page and get race summaries at his blog and eventually at MTBCast.com.
The Tour of Switzerland: The 74th running of this 9 day stage race is loaded with lots of top performers in the Pro cycling world as they work toward bringing themselves to peak form for the Tour De France. I’m pulling for Team Radio Shack but, who knows how this one will go. The top finishers of the Amgen Tour of California are all there. We’ll see how hard the teams want to ride as they round into shape.
The Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic: Rafael Giraldo is already on the road making his way north with his ride, Manifest Destiny, toward Bar Harbor, ME for the beginning of this educational tour that will touch upon all 13 of the original colonies. He will be joined tomorrow by fellow touring aficionado, Jim Artis. As I write, Jim is securing his rental van to carry the magnificent Fargo to Bar Harbor. Jim is now less than 12 hours before his departure to connect with Rafael in Virginia and complete the trip to Bar Harbor in convoy fashion. This ride begins as the sun rests its rays upon American soil on Cadillac Mountain on Flag Day, Monday, June 14th. You may follow this amazing trip via Cycling Experiences or through my own efforts here to stay abreast of the TOD. Please join me for this exciting summer trip!
All this racing and touring makes me want to ride! The current lightening storm outside my home is tending to keep me safely sitting in front of my computer, dubbed the Mean Green Machine by the local computer wonks that help keep me on-line. I picked up my Fuji from my LBS yesterday. The good news is that the crunching sound I dealt with on Monday after hitting bottom in a nasty pothole could not be replicated at the shop and an in-depth review of my cranks, pedals, drive train, and bottom bracket showed no damage and no explanation for the constant crunching that I heard. That leaves the possibility that something is wrong with the cleat on my left shoe. Failing that, it must have been my left knee! Oh well, time will tell. I hope tomorrow to put it all to the test as I climb my way up to the Blue Ridge Parkway from beautiful Bethel, NC.
Until later,
- Zeke
| Kent’s Travel Information Through Tuesday Night Date Miles Overnight Stop State/Province total Wed Jun 2 0.0 Issaquah WA 0.0 Thu Jun 3 102.1 Thorp WA 102.1 Fri Jun 4 124.5 Moses Lake WA 226.6 Sat Jun 5 154.8 Coeur d'Alene ID 381.4 Sun Jun 6 147.8 Libby MT 529.2 Mon Jun 7 112.7 Cathiness BC 641.9 Tue Jun 8 113.3 Dry Gulch BC 755.2 As of waking up Wednesday morning Kent had ridden 755.2 miles, or 1215.1 km. |
| Data courtesy of KentsBikeBlog and Mark Canizaro used under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Rights |
This is, by any standard, a remarkable “warm up” for a race! Have you ever wondered about what someone in Kent’s position might be ruminating on while pedaling hour after hour? Well, check out the answer to that question as Kent ponders seeing “Dennis Hopper’s Ghost”.
Our best to “Mountain Turtle” in the coming days as he heads south along the spine of the Rockies!
Until later,
Zeke
Hopefully, I’ll get through riding my John Deere tractor shortly and get to write about my own ride locally!
Until later,
- Zeke
Friday, June 4th @ 9:18 EDT update:
After stopping for the night around 12:30 a.m. EDT, Kent “Mountain Turtle” Peterson is on the move again. He appears to be riding the Iron Horse Trail just now approaching the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. Follow along on Kent’s journey to the beginning of the Great Divide Race by checking his SPOT shared page.
Meanwhile, our friend and soon-to-be east coast tourer, Jim Artis, is in Charlotte, NC picking up his fantastic quadricycle, Fargo. Final setup and prep for Jim’s departure is now in high gear. The Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic kicks off from the top of Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor, ME on June 14th! Follow this tour at Cycling Experiences! SPOT tracking and live streaming, when available, will be posted on this site as will numerous daily updates from the road!
Until later,
- Zeke
Some final thoughts on our recent sojourn around West Virginia and Virginia seem to be in order. The trip that started out headed to California was significantly shortened. What would have been about a 4600 mile trip in 16 days ended up being 960 miles over 11 days. A few final observations and I’ll move on…
On to other items:
Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic: We’re down to 18 days until the kick off on this important tour being undertaken by our good friend Jim Artis and Florida teacher Rafael Giraldo. This tour will depart from Bar Harbor, Maine at the crack of dawn on June 14th and make its way along the 13 original colonies that formed America. 2670 miles later, it will end in Key West, Florida. If you haven’t been following the trip preparation, check it out at Cycling Experiences. You can also see detailed information at Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic.
2010 Ride the Divide is approaching quickly. The race, which runs along the spine of the Rockies from Canada to Mexico, will begin in Banff, AB on June 10th. Our friend, Kent “the Mountain Turtle” Peterson, will be partaking of this adventure again. 
The use of electronic technologies plays important roles in both of these races. SPOT will be present in both adventures enabling us, the viewing public, to share virtually in the trip. Jim Artis has put together quite the travelling power shop to manage his various charging needs. He has multiple posts on the evolution of the Power Box.
Our best to both of these intrepid adventurers!
Finally, my home community will be sponsoring the first annual Blue Ridge Breakaway on August 21st. This ride will have century, metric century, 40 miles and 24 mile routes. Cyclists interested in climbing will be particularly pleased with the opportunities to climb Soco Mountain, Water Rock Knob, the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway and then descend back to the starting point. Registration is now open!
Until later,
- Zeke
Monday arrived right on schedule and our second week of travel began amidst the tall trees and rhododendron covered banks of Hungry Mother State Park. After enjoying a restful night of sleep, we enjoyed our morning coffee while sitting alongside the banks of Hungry Mother Creek. A small stream that moves at a slow pace, the creek is nevertheless chock full of life. Birds of numerous persuasions are constantly in and out of the water bathing themselves and seemingly enjoying a frolic in the water.
As we finished our morning breakfast of yogurt, banana, and coffee, the sun topped the mountain ridge and bathed the campsite in light bringing greater clarity to the clear waters of the creek. Our companion pair of Mallards made their morning visit and then moved on down the creek to the lake proper.
I had to telecommute to work for a couple of hours as I had done last week. This time, however, the Verizon 3G network was readily available at our campsite and I was able to connect to the company servers and do my duties while sitting by the creek. Let’s talk about a great view out of the office window!
Following completion of my work requirements, it was time to pay for an additional night’s stay and this was my opportunity to get in a ride. I headed down to the campground office and made it official that we would be staying at least another night. After some wrangling with the computer, we were checked in again and I headed out on my morning ride.
I pedaled out of the park back toward Marion, VA. and the bike lanes that we had encountered upon our arrival. The park itself doesn’t include that many miles of roads so leaving the park was the best alternative to get in some miles. The first couple of miles were along the shore of the lake and was an easy warm-up.
After exiting the park boundary, I came upon my first climb of the day. It turned out to be approximately 1 mile in length with a peak grade of 11%. The bike lane was much appreciated as this turned out to be a fairly busy state road. The drivers passing me by were courteous and gave me some additional space even though I was in the bike lane. I rode for 4 miles out to the local hospital before turning around and heading back to the campsite.
Once back in the park, I planned to explore some of the park’s roads but my keen navigation sense only ended up retracing my steps to our campsite. I did however keep going beyond the campground and found that I could ride to the end of the state maintained portion of the road for approximately 1.5 more miles. The road here is alongside banks full of ferns and rhododendron on the eastern side with open fields and meadows to the west. Some private housing exists here and it varied from relatively poverty appearing to high-dollar homes.
While I was riding…
The Navigator had stayed behind at the campsite in order to read. She thought she heard me returning from my ride but was quite surprised when a warm snout appeared on her left arm. She was warmly greeted by A.J., a Golden Retriever.
As it turns out, AJ is a well-known, not always appreciated, visitor to the campground. His home is up the road from the campground and he has been making his visits to Campground B for years according to one of our fellow campers. AJ enjoyed a good nap, a snack, and another nap with the Navigator before moving downstream to some more campers. He made a return visit later in the evening but was spotted under our picnic table by the camp hosts and shooed home. They reported that AJ has been known to spend a day or so at a given campsite if not sent packing. While his presence with us was in no way an irritant, the hosts indicated that other campers often feel less than accommodating to AJ and register their complaints about him frequently. It’s hard to imagine anyone complaining about this laid back dog…
A nice hike was in order…
Hiking trails and mountain biking trails are plentiful in this park. The Navigator and I headed out for a short trip along Lakeshore Trail with a return to the camp office and store along the way. The trail is well maintained and quite wide so there appears to be ample room for both hikers and cyclists. Horses are not allowed on these trails. Tire tracks in the low lying wet parts of the trail attested to the recent presence of mountain bikers. The broken bits and pieces of shale covering the trail would not work well with my skinny tired Fuji.
Hungry Mother has a very nice beach area. Most of the park’s amenities don’t seem to be open yet as their season is not officially here as yet. However, we did get a feel for what is available and this clearly would be a destination park rather than a stop-over location.
While at the campground offices, we were treated to a former employee getting to tear down his former offices! The old check-in and camp offices have been replaced by a newer much larger facility so the old one had to go…
I proffered my help to the dozer operator but he just grinned at me and kept going! It was a similar rejection as the one that I received in Douthat State Park by the employee, who was grooming the sand at the beach area of Watoga Lake with his Ford tractor. Some guys get all the great jobs!
Just prior to a supper of baked potato, salad, and steak grilled by the campfire, I tried to do my best Jim Artis impression and put “finger to keyboard” in order to get a blog posted. Jim is very dedicated to his readers and, while staying with us recently, made sure to keep fresh material available. So, here’s to you Jim!
Our night ended after some roasted marshmallows, watching a young small mouth bass in the creek feed, enjoying the drumming of a Pileated Woodpecker, and enjoying the sounds of other birds as night fell. I believe that we have found our premier campsite on this trip.
Until later,
- Zeke
After a day of planned delay, my “best half” and I headed out on what has the potential for being the longest vacation we’ve had in 8 years. Various responsibilities that need not be addressed here have kept our sojourns away from home and work to no more than 7 calendar days and most often only 4 to 5 days.
While our initial travel plans underwent some significant change, our revised plans kept us closer to home geographically and slowed the pace of travel considerably. Our original trip called for a cross country loop in 16 days. The revised plans keep us within about a 400 mile radius of home with today most likely being our longest travel day of the period.
The past week has been hectic taking care of all the regular job chores plus prepping for being away from work for 2 work weeks. In addition, it was planting time and the fertilizer that I threw out on several yards really kicked into gear resulting in a need for frequent mowing. Thanks to Capt’n Nick, staff photog of the recent “Jim Artis Experience”, our yards won’t be knee high to a giraffe when we return. Capt’n Nick is going on tour with Big Red and keeping our yards under control during our absence.
The prep for the trip also required taking the camper, a 2007 Keystone Hobbi, out of storage and getting it ready for travel. This included a pull down to Walker Service to have the wheel bearings and axels checked for safety and the tires evaluated. In doing so, a repeating nagging problem with the electric jack was found to still be an issue despite having had it fixed in November just before going into hibernation.
Originally, we planned to leave home on Saturday, May 15th but realized an extra day of prep was needed. Given that we no longer needed to be on the West Coast on the 20th, we took much needed advantage of the shortened trip in order to finalize getting the dogs to the kennel, planting, mowing, and packing.
This will be the longest we’ve been away from our favorite 4 legged “buds” in their lifetimes. I already miss having Zeke and Orla along on this trip as they are campers supreme!
The Trip Begins…
(Zeke “locked and loaded” for travel)
I sent out the final email at approximately 10:15 a.m. announcing that trip control was being handed over to the Blackberry Storm and SPOT was on-line. Under sunny skies and warm temperatures, Navigator Kathy and I hit the road and headed northeast to Tennessee along I-26 W, which oddly really runs north and south. The ride up I-26 from Asheville to Johnson City was gorgeous as we climbed the mountain and crossed over Sam’s Gap.
As we had not stopped to eat this morning nor had any of the required coffee that I usually need to get going, we pulled into a Cracker Barrel Restaurant in Johnson City to calm our grumbling stomachs. We followed the signs to the RV/Bus parking but could not locate it as we circumnavigated the building. Finally, I spotted the lanes reserved for RVs and busses. They were packed with cars parked tail to head and there was no “room in the Barrel” for us. That was o.k. because a Waffle House was within shouting distance and they had the welcome mat out. I heard a blueberry-pecan waffle calling my name…
Good Travel Weather Bids Adieu…
We had about 100 miles of continued good weather on our run north on I-81. Once you get past Bristol, Tn, I-81 could almost qualify as a scenic highway. We traversed some very pretty country along the Virginia corridor.
“Milli”, our Garmin Nuvi 260 as we’ve name her, eventually directed us up I-77 toward Bluefield, West Virginia. The end of our good traveling weather was upon us. As we climbed a serious grade of highway, light rain began to fall and the road turned wet quickly. We came to the first tunnel that cuts directly through the mountain in Jefferson National Park. As we approached the northern exit of the tunnel, we could tell that the weather was changed dramatically and for the worse.
Heavy rains were on the other side of the mountain. Between the road spray, fog, and torrential rain, seeing the lane of travel was difficult. We enjoyed a shorter tunnel experience as we crossed out of Virginia and into West Virginia. The heavy rains continued unabated.
I Went To Princeton…
That would NOT be Princeton University but rather Princeton, West Virginia. “Milli” was calling for us to continue another 38 miles on I-77 and then to backtrack approximately 45 miles on I-64 to get to our eventual cutoff at Lewisberg, West VA. Navigator Kathy correctly pointed out that we were taking 2 sides of the triangle and could simply get on highway 219 at Princeton. We decided to get off the interstate, look it over, and make a decision. With Princeton being our first exit, we pulled off and discovered the West Virginia Visitors Center immediately on our right. Being the seasoned travelers that we are, we decided to get an opinion from the locals!
After connecting with “Bob” (not her real name), we were advised that on a sunny day 219 was a lovely ride but that in this terrible weather, it would be basically “nuts” to take it. “Bob” assured us the drive time would be similar even if we appeared to be going out of our way.
So, we took “Bob’s” advice and headed back to I-77 where we promptly saw what looked to be a very bad automobile wreck. The first responders were just appearing on the scene. The car was upside down and looking pretty well crushed. It appeared to be a one car accident so I’m not sure exactly what happened. I’m certain the weather played some part in the event.
I couldn’t believe it was possible but it began raining harder! Cars were pulled off on both sides of the interstate waiting out the heavy weather cell. There were numerous motorcycles under bridges and other places where some meager shelter gave a modicum of comfort. We kept plugging along at a sedate 55 mph and staying in the slow lane with the big trucks.
I’ll Bet It Is Beautiful Country…
On any other non-rain day, I’ll be this would be a gorgeous ride. We went over bridges that appeared to span valleys a thousand feet below us. The mountains held the highway in tight embrace in other places and I was reminded of the Cumberland Plateau in Kentucky in yet other segments of this trip. This area, known as the “Middle Appalachians”, appeared to be every bit as pretty as my home area in the “Southern Appalachians”. I’ll hope for better weather when we depart this section of America so that we can enjoy the vistas more.
Lewisberg At Last…
Our time on the interstate finally ended at Lewisberg, West Va. as did gas prices below $2.90 a gallon. While stopping to fill up at a local convenience store, we asked for a suggestion of a good grocery store nearby. We were greeted by just about everyone in line giving us different options and directions. One fellow even opined, “Well,the whole town’s only 5 miles long so just drive in the direction your going and you’ll see one (grocery store).” We took him at his word and sure enough found a very nice Krogers where we laid in supplies for the next few days.
Returning to Highway 219, “Milli” informed us we were within 34 miles of our destination and that it would only take another 56 minutes. Uh? That works out to about 30 mph for speed. Turns out “Milli” was right. Highway 219 is one seriously narrow 2 lane mountain road with grades of 7% and 9% for 3.5 miles at a whack. Going up was slow as my F150 pulled our 26’ Hobbi up the ascents and going down was slow as I kept it geared down to keep the camper from fishtailing around us in the many, many hairpin turns that we encountered.
Friendly Folk Abound…
We passed through small unincorporated communities (Droop, West Va. for one) and were pleased to see folks throwing up their hands in greeting as they stood on their porches. One particularly energetic greeting was at the Copper Penny Cafe. We may have to make a stop there in the next day or so. We passed by the birthplace of Pearl Buck, which now looks to be a museum.
Finally, Day 1 Travel Ends…
After what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived at our destination of Watoga State Park. Dusk was rapidly departing and night time setting in when we located a likeable campsite along the Greenbrier River. We had long since passed out of Verizon cell service. Of course, it was still raining when it came time to setup the camper. We decided to wait until the light of day and hope for better weather in which to get level and stationary.
Day 2’s Agenda…
Unfortunately, work calls in the morning so we must depart Watoga for nearby Marlinton, West Va. where I can get a WiFi signal so that I can do my duty. The good news is that will also give us the opportunity to stop at a local outfitter we spotted upon our arrival and can check into the rental of a couple of fat tire bikes. The riding begins tomorrow! We are sitting on the Greenbrier Rails-to-Trails path and we intend to make the most of it while here. The path runs 76 miles from end to end and has a 1% grade! I’ve also perused the map of the park itself and it appears I can get in many miles of road bike riding within the border of this 10,000 acre State Park.
The rain has stopped now and the chirping of the night bugs and croaking of the frogs can clearly be discerned amongst the occasional drop of rain from the overhanging trees. I think I hear a peaceful night’s sleep calling…
Until later,
-Zeke
If I’m going to ride a trainer, it is going to be on my own terms instead of the terms of this weekend’s “I-40 Storm”. Bro Dave is out there in sunny California planning his day’s ride under the blue skies and warm temps. He called last night to see how our storm was going while he sat with BoBo, the Weimaraner, underneath starry skies and warm temperatures. I was pleased to report to him that all major roads into Western North Carolina were blocked due to the storm. I-26 was a parking lot in Buncombe County and I-40 was shut down completely at Old Fort Mountain. I-40 from Tennessee continues to be blocked due to a rock slide now several months old plus two new slides since the original.
So, another session in the basement on the trainer was not my idea of fun. My now “cycling-centric” neuronal pathways began to perk with thoughts of riding. The second pot of coffee kicked in. I made some changes…
(Yes, that’s right - SUMMER weight. Take that storm!)
(Feeling “da luv of nature”!)
(Hmm, they don’t seem to cover this type of spring training!)
(Push through it now.Hey, who changed the flag?)
(Who me? No, I am NOT doping… Oh, I am a dope… Sorry!)
… and finally, with the finish in sight, I pummel the pedals until at last I can raise my arms in simulated victory just like the pros do on those stage finishes.
So, there you have it. Photographic proof that:
a) “I’m a Mountaineer born and a Mountaineer bred and when I die, I’m a Mountaineer dead.”
b) I have WAY too much time on my hands…
c) Bro Dave “can’t touch this!”
d) I have a VERY tolerant spouse, who agreed to document this entire non-event!
(Note: Kids: Do not try this at home. All simulated images of a training session were staged and planned by a man who knows not what he does. Had this have been a real training session, surely some sweat would have appeared on my brow. I take my leave now…)
Oh yeah, thus far the storm left us with 8.5” of snow at our humble abode and we’re still getting freezing rain/sleet. But, hey, we have a really, really nice smelling beef stew in the Crockpot! It’s to you Bro Dave!
Until later,
- Zeke
Rafael Giraldo, the south Florida teacher who cycled across America last summer, has announced the 2010 Tour of Discovery: Ride for the Republic. This year’s route will take in the original 13 Colonies and will once again focus on learning about America. Rafael will be joined this year by Jim Artis of Cycling Experiences as they leave Bar Harbor, Maine on their trip to Key West Florida. Jim introduced many of us to last year’s Tour through his extensive coverage of Giraldo’s efforts.
To see the ongoing development of this year’s Tour, visit Jim’s site Cycling Experiences.
Jim has been hard at work developing, enhancing, implementing, and refining the technological tools that will be used on this trip. Additionally, he is having Utah Trikes build him a special Quad Bike already named Fargo. The bike will have a decidedly stagecoach influence. Jim has been kind enough to let us go along on the journey of this build on his site and in the BROL forums.
CONGRATS JIM AND RAFAEL! We’ll look forward to another exciting and educational effort this year!
A BREATH OF SPRING WAS IN THE AIR…
Yesterday was one of those great “gifts” that we get from time to time in the middle of the winter. We enjoyed temperatures hovering at 60 degrees and great blue skies. I was able to reduce a full layer of clothing when making the ride home yesterday. My 18 mile run to the house was quite enjoyable as I bathed in the late afternoon sun hitting my back on the segment from Waynesville to Canton, once again via Lee Road. We’re not far from seeing some of the earliest spring flowers begin to make their appearances.
While on the busiest section of the ride home between Clyde and Canton, I was riding “as far to the right as practical”, which is still a little further into the lane than usual because of leftover debris and some ice chunks that are resisting the warming temps. I was buffeted by a passing vehicle and then somewhat surprised to see that it was a Drivers Education vehicle from the local school. Your first thought might be that a student just learning to drive needed some instruction on sharing the road. After all, this road is a split 4 lane highway and there were no other vehicles in the inside lane that would have prevented the student from moving into that lane of travel to pass me. Imagine my surprise when I realized the car wasn’t being piloted by a student at all but rather by the instructor. I pondered for a moment the irony of being knocked from my bike at speed by a Driver’s Education Instructor. Ah well, the pass wasn’t close enough to cause me to flinch but was certainly not observant of the requested 3’ clearance. It did seem to merit a head shake in wonderment.
The rest of the trip home was simply enjoyable. I noted more people out walking around the local recreation park although I was the only cyclist that I encountered after leaving Waynesville. I did see one motorcyclist but that was the sum of the 2 wheeled transportation variety I encountered. I was treated to a very pretty sunset as I rode up river to Bethel. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a camera with me yesterday to document it so the image will just have to live on in my mind.
As I watch the rain move in today, I’m particularly thankful for having the chance to ride yesterday. If the forecasts are correct, we’re in for a return to some slightly cooler weather with rain for the next couple of days.
Before signing off, let me encourage you again to check out Cycling Experiences and follow the preparations for this year’s Tour of Discovery!
Until later,
- Zeke
To make a tax deductible donation to support Appalachian State University Cycling, follow this link:
http://www.give.appstate.edu/.
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