Ruth and Mary Jo's Cycling Adventure: Ruth and Bill travel to California

Why are two crazy ladies riding across the United States?

Seven years ago while I was huffing and puffing to keep up with Ruth's running pace, she asked me if I would run across the USA with her.

You are crazy!" I gasped. "but I will cycle across the states with you."

We started planning the trip that day. We ordered the transcontinental maps from Adventure Cycling Association. Then Ruth's husband got a job in Evian, France, and we put our plans on hold.

Throughout the last seven years, we continued to discuss our trip. Then this last Fall, Bill and Ruth returned to Cincinnati. We looked at our maps again,checked into various cycling groups that are crossing the states this year, and kept pedaling on the back roads of southwestern Ohio.

As we learned the prices and the dates of the organized trips, we realized those trips would not work for us. We finally decided that a spring trip would work, and we decided on the Southern Tier Route. The maps route us through southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and then to our final designation - St. Augustine, Florida.

Throughout the trip we will stay in motels and bed&breakfasts and travel as lightly as possible. We plan to average eighty miles per day, take three rest days, and reach our destination on May 1st.

Our husbands are traveling with us the first two weeks. They will carry our gear for us and will be playing golf or attending spring training baseball games while we are cycling. Hurray for our very supportive husbands!

We will try to update the blog every day. Some nights we may be so tired that the only words we will be able to type are: "We made it!" We may be in a motel without a computer or cell coverage.

We will miss our family and friends along the trip. As St. Patrick's Day is approaching we think of this Irish Blessing:

May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields and

Until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

To All: Please Take Care! Love, Mary Jo and Ruth

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Ruth and Bill travel to California

What my humble colleague is failing to mention is that she has about a gazillion more cycling miles under her belt than I! Yes, our initial plan to ride across the U. S. fell by the wayside when Bill and I deserted the ship and moved to France. However during our six years of croissants, cheese and champagne, Mary Jo did cross the U. S. via a northern route, as well as follow the eastern coast from Maine to Florida. So I am extremely grateful that she is willing to make such a long trip again to help me achieve my dream of crossing the U. S.

The winter's weather was extremely hard with record amounts of snowfall and frigid temperatures in February. Although we did some long rides in December, we spent many hours in spinning classes at the YMCA. We did back to back spin classes and would remain after class to spin an additional hour. We have many hills and mountain passes waiting for us.

Bill and I have completed our 2500 mile drive from Cincinnati to San Francisco. Along the way, we stopped to see friends and family. I got in some nice training rides in Kansas, Colorado, Nevada, and California. It was a great joy to bid winter goodbye as we headed down out of the Sierra Nevadas! Warm weather really does exist somewhere out there. This trip is really going to happen!

Thank-you folks for caring enough to check how we are doing. Love, Ruth