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, April 20, 2010

Day 31, St. Francisville to Franklinton, 92 miles

Today we began the sixth map out of seven! We began riding before seven and made good time in the early morning hour. There was an abundance of azalea bushes in full bloom lining the streets in towns and in people's yards.
In the next town we met up with John and Jim and we bought our usual sandwiches for lunch at Subway. (This picture shows two things that happen everyday, Ruth taking pictures and buying Subway sandwhiches.)
Along the backroads there were more plantations with long driveways leading to the houses. We were able to see one home that was closer to the road.
At mile 46 we refueled ourselves on the steps of a little white country church.

From the church steps, we saw some other cyclists making a turn on our
road. The cyclists were Bubba's Coast to Coast Ride. We have seen some of their markings on the road - C2C. There were seventeen riders and Bubba and his staff provide dinners and breakfasts, tents that they set up, and transportation of luggage. We were a little envious of their support but we are very use to our panniers now and like having everything on our bikes. The C2C group soon left us for their campground and we saw Jim and John's red pick-up truck head off for a motel.
(Can you spot Bubba in this picture?)

We continued pedaling to Franklinton to the next available motel. WE felt strong and enjoyed the mostly overcast day with cooler temps - mid seventies. Before dinner, Mary Jo did the laundrey and Ruth bought twelve odwalla nutritional bars for one dollar at The Dirt Cheap store by the laundromat.
Dinner update: Here's Ruth's dinner.... deep fried catfish, shrimp and hushpuppies with sweet potato fries. MJ's was much healthier (but less fun in Ruth's opinion): a grilled chicken breast.

Louisiana trivia for the day: Louisiana is the only state in the union that does not have counties. Its political subdivisions are called parishes. (We have seen this as we pass signs such as "Now entering Beauregard Parish."

5 comments:

  1. I knew you would catch up to the C2C people eventually. Good to know there are like minded people out there going your way. Maybe you could cycle up one of those driveways and take some pictures?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Congrats on making it to map 6 already! Moving right along.

    ReplyDelete
  3. wow! I"m gonna be sad when you arrive at your destination b/c I won't have your blog to read anymore! You guys are AWESOME, and I think that if I were ever fit enough to do what you are doing, I'd be tempted to go Bubba's Style :-) but you two have so much MORE to be proud of !

    ReplyDelete
  4. If you turn left on Saturday morning when you two leave Vancleave, you should be home in about nine days. Just an option you might want to consider. Otherwise, see you May 1 in St. Augustine. Love, Don

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think Don is getting just a bit lonely for his Mary Jo! I can understand that! But we will all so miss reading about your adventure on your blog! You're going to have to come up with "next" to keep your greedy public happy!

    ReplyDelete