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 27, 2010

Day 38, Marianna to Monticello, 100 miles

Today was long and we discovered the hill country of Florida.

Early in the morning we cycled on rolling roads passing horse farms and tree farms. Most of the trees lining the roads were live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.
After crossing the Apalachicola River we finally entered the Eastern Daylight Savings Time.
We ate lunch at a local buffet and headed towards Tallahassee. Towards the center of the city our trusty bike lane ended and luckily there was a good sidewalk that we could ride on. We reached the east end of Tallahassee and calmed our nerves by having some yogurt.
We also stopped at the Higher Ground Bicycle Co., Florida's highest bike shop, at an elevation of 201 feet. The staff pumped up our tires and even gave us free tshirts. We now are riding with three shirts, two cycling shorts, one pair of regular shorts, one wind jacket, and one rain jacket.
We only had 26 more miles to reach our destination of Monticello. There was no tailwind and the skies were threatening. Then it happened; the skies opened and the rain came in buckets. We waited to the side of the road and became drenched. After the rain subsided we continued riding but we had some steep hills before arriving at our very comfortable B&B - Averaclarke.com

For supper we found a little restaurant that served spinach salads and had fresh vegetables-our reward for a hard day.
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6 comments:

  1. DonApril 27, 2010 at 7:00 PM

    Welcome back to Eastern Time Zone!! I believe this is your first real down pour, so I guess you can count it as getting your clothes washed in situ. You should be smelling that Atlantic sea air soon.

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  2. EvieApril 28, 2010 at 4:59 AM

    You're on the countdown of days. Enjoy each one!! Those legs are looking spectacular. Spinach, yum!!

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  3. NoraApril 28, 2010 at 5:34 AM

    I'll bet you showed those little whipper snappers in the bike shop (the one in the pic was cute) what REAL women can do...bike across the USA! Nice of them to give you the tee shirts :) Here's to overcast but dry skies today.

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  4. MaxannaApril 28, 2010 at 7:57 AM

    Oh No! Finally the Spring Downpour! But I am glad it was the final miles of the day rather than the early miles of the day! I hope you're dry by now!

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  5. kimberly10iApril 28, 2010 at 2:32 PM

    YOu are now both officially my HEROES! Did you really ride 220 miles in 2 days?? WOW!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMay 6, 2010 at 7:01 PM

    yep, the younger generation in the King household is definitely impressed...you're setting a new vision and standard for "young" in Julie King's mind.

    Barb King

    ReplyDelete

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