Ruth and Mary Jo's Cycling Adventure

2010-05-08T15:06:00.000-07:00

Yes, we did make it back to Cincinnati. We are happy to be back with family and friends. In the spring, Mary Jo enjoys gardening and the lettuce that she planted in early March was ready for harvesting.

On the way back to Cincinnati, Ruth stopped to see her beautiful grandaughter, Maddie. As you can see, she is preparing her for a cross-country trip.
We loved the trip and are proud and happy about the accomplishment. We have no regrets about the way we did the trip - staying in motels, having all the motels booked before embarking on the trip, riding west to east although we had a lot of headwinds, and having our patient husbands sagging for us the first two weeks. If you are considering cycling the southern tier please feel free to contact us.
morleyruth@hotmail.com or mjpeairs@gmail.com
We urge all to take a chance and do some of your own exploring. Whether by foot or bicycle or traveling to another place, find out what's over the hill, around the corner, or down the road. We want to hear all about your adventures, so keep us posted!
Thank-you for taking the time to read our blog.

Ruth and Mary Jo

3045 miles and we are still good friends!!

Day 42, Palatka to Anastasia State Park, 47 miles

2010-05-01T16:04:00.001-07:00

3052 miles! 42 days on the road! Eight states! We actually did it by just pedaling our bikes. It was an adventure of seeing backroad America and meeting so many helpful and kind folks.

For the last time the rooster alarm went off and for the first time Ruth got out of bed before Mary Jo. After seeing the beginning of the sailboat race on the St. Johns River, we started off for the last time.

We helped another turtle across the road and helped some workers pick cucumbers. Later this summer, the workers will be in northern Ohio picking cucumbers.

It was becoming hot and the wind was coming from the east. We approached St. Augustine and passed the park where Mary Jo ended her East Coast Ride nearly five years ago.

We went over The Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island. With our excitement and maybe a few tears in our eyes we almost missed the entrance into the state park. We quickly turned around and there were Don and Bill with a congratulatory banner. Now we were crying.

We cycled down the park road to the beach, pushed our bikes through the sand, and reached the ATLANTIC OCEAN! The front wheels were bathed by the surf.

After setting the bikes down we ran into the cool, refreshing waves. We did it, we found the Atlantic Ocean.

Mary and George, who we have been sharing the road with these last few days, appeared to congratulate us. Next year they are planning to do a transamerica crossing.

The guys had done their usual and brought a picinic lunch to us. I don't have to tell you where the sandwiches were from. Then four champagne glasses appeared with a bottle of champagne.

Two beautiful trophies appeared; Ruth had a red bike on her trophy and Mary Jo had a blue bike. (Thank-you Evelyn.) We ate the best picnic lunch ever!

We arrived at the Super 8 motel with another congratulatoy message.

Tonight we eat a healthful dinner, hopefully no fried food. Tomorrow we head back to Cincinnati and we will try to remember how to live a normal life.

When we return to Cincinnati, we will do one more blog.

"It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ursula K. LeGuin

Day 41, Gainesville to Palatka, 61 miles

2010-04-30T14:55:00.001-07:00

Today was our last full day of riding.

We left Gainsville before seven and soon found the connector to the Gainsville-Hawthorne Bike Trail.

The connector bike trail took us south of the University of Florida and we were soon out of the city and on the beautiful trail that led us to Hawthorne. The trail was spectacular with us going through swamps. Luckily we did not see an alligator but did help a turtle cross the trail.

In Hawthorne we reconnected with Mary and George who are cycling in the Southeast. Their final destination is Savannah.

We cycled with them until our stomachs told us to stop for lunch. We did find our favorite place and bought sandwiches for a picnic in a nearby park.

With a little drizzle we quickly cycled into Palatka where we are spending the night in a motel along The St. Johns River. Many sailors are gathering for the annual Mug Race to Jacksonville.

How are our bikes? We do not want to jinx our good fortune but our bikes have now gone three thousand miles without any major difficulty. Ruth had two flats and Mary Jo's odometer stopped working in Louisana. Both our bikes are road bikes not touring bike. Ruth rides a Trek Pilot and Mary Jo rides a Fierte Serrotta. Before the trip our bikes were completely overhauled and we both had new Continental Ultra Gator Skin tires put on the bikes. Because we did not have to carry camping gear, we were given the small Arkel bags by our children and these small bag worked well for our meager belongings protected by ziplock bags. We brought only the essential tools - tire irons, a small hand pump with a guage purchased through Adventure Cycling.com, a multi-tool kit, a universal rivoli chain tool, an extra chain link, a fiberax spoke repair kit, a small bottle of prolink to lube and clean the chain, and FIVE SPARE TUBES. Each bike has two cages for our water bottles. We have grown very fond of our bikes; they are our trusty steeds.

Mary Jo's bike

Ruth's Bike

How are we feeling? We do not have anything that hurts but we are doggone tired! If we had to ride more days we would but we are really looking forward to giving our bodies a rest.

" A Bicyclist's Ode to Subway Sandwiches"

"Cycling 'cross America really takes its toll,
But yummy Subway sandwiches play a mighty roll,
In powering the body to make the wheels roll.
It takes much more than sports drinks to achieve this mighty goal.
Wanna stop to eat there? There's no need to cajole!
A sandwich for the body and a cookie for the soul!" - Ruth L. Morley

Day 40, White Springs to Gainsville, 90 miles

2010-04-29T18:23:00.001-07:00

After eating a delicious breakfast of French Toast and scrambled eggs cooked by our hostess, we started riding west to rejoin our route.

We enjoyed seeing our shadows in front of us but we were not paying close attenion to our route.

After riding seven miles we noticed the same tomato field that we saw yesterday.

Luckily a lady was there and she told us that we had missed our turn five miles back. Despite adding ten miles to our day, the morning was pleasant and it was the perfect day for two good friends to ride. We cycled back the five miles and turned south on route 137 and crossed I10. This is only the second time that we have missed a turn in nearly three thousand miles.

(Mary Jo by the tomato fields, YESTERDAY!)

Down the road we saw the Whistlestop Deli. We purchased sandwiches for our lunch and could not resist the blueberry scones and a quick jig with the chef.

At noon we stopped at the Ichetucknee Springs State Park. While eating our sandwiches we watched a man swimming laps across the pristine natural pool formed by the spring. We both had the same idea and quickly changed into our swimsuits and took a quick dip in the seventy-two degree water.

During the afternoon we cycled through beautiful pasture land and through the town of High Springs.

We were now approaching Gainesville. We followed the tree lined route 232 into Gainesville. There was a clearly marked bike lane and it made our cycling into the city less nerve-racking then cycling into Tallahassee. We cycled passed the University of Florida and found the Super 8 Motel.

Tomorrow we are taking a bike trail out of Gainesville and will cycle to Palatka. It will be our last full day of cycling.

Day 39, Monticello to White Springs, 78 miles

2010-04-28T17:01:00.001-07:00

After our last few days of hard cycling, we slept in and did not have breakfast until seven. We enjoyed chatting with our hostess and then started east again on state route 90. We enjoyed the wide shoulders and light traffic and the shade of the trees. All was forgiven for the heavy traffic in Tallahassee.

We sooned arrived in the lovely historic village of Madison. We took a little cycling tour around the courthouse square and ventured down some side streets to view stately victorian homes. As Ruth was taking her last picture, she realized that her front tire was flat.

Now we were truly on our own-no husbands, no Evelyn, no other cycling groups, and no bike store until Gainsville, a hundred miles away. We calmly got out our tools and directions on how to change a tire. We methodically followed the directions. Twenty minutes later the tube was replaced, pumped up tp 100 psi, and the tire was back on the bike. We were ready to go again.

(proud tire changers!)

We bought a picnic lunch at a nearby grocery store and headed for Suwannee River State Park. Upon entering the park we met other cyclists who are going from St. Francisville, La. to Savannah, Ga. via St. Augustine. They told us that we would have the park to ourselves and we truly did. The view of the river was spectacular and the day was perfect for a picnic - tempeature in the low seventies, low humidity, and a slight breeze.

We were now off of ninety and cycling along real backroads with no traffic. We passed groves of timber, cattle and horse farms, peanut farms, and tomato farms. The locals call this "the other Florida."

Then we saw towering signs for McDonalds and gas stations. What was ahead? It was I-75! Cincinnati is just up the road. Mary Jo desperately tried to turn north but Ruth distracted her by buying McDonald's milkshakes.

We headed into White Springs and are staying at a B&B.

We ate dinner at the local restaurant whose name did not appeal to us. The pork dinner was better than the Odwalla bars fermenting at the bottom of our panniers.

Tomorrow we head to Gainsville; we only have about two hundred miles left to reach the coast.

"Way down upon the Swanee River,
Far, far away,
There's where my heart is turning ever,
There's where the old folks stay.
All up and down the whole creation,
Sadly I roam,
Still longing for the old plantation,
And for the old folks at home." - Steven C. Foster

We are longing to see Bill and Don. We can't wait for Saturday. Ruth & MJ

Day 38, Marianna to Monticello, 100 miles

2010-04-27T18:48:00.001-07:00

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.

Day 37, Milton to Marinna, 120 miles!

2010-04-26T18:39:00.001-07:00

That's right we rode 120 miles today! Today our maps took us on route 90. The road surface was smooth, there was little traffic, there was a wide shoulder, and the westerly winds were still at our back.

We had planned to end the day at DeFuniak Springs. However, we arrived at the town at 11:30 am. We circled the perfectly natural round lake and admired the victorian homes on Circle Dr. See below for waffle geographical features.

We found a bustling restaurant and realized that we both had the same thoughts, "Why stop now and waste this tailwind?"

We studied the maps and Ruth made phone calls to change our lodging for the next few days. The new schedule worked out beautifully. Instead of cycling over 100 miles to finish at St. Augustine on Saturday, we now will only have forty miles to cycle to reach our final destination. We fortified ourselves with frozen peanut butter pie and headed back to our windy road heading east.

We made a quick stop at the small town of Ponce de Leon and MJ drank a few drops of water from a fountain. Who knows? Maybe this fountain has the same qualities as the one in St. Augustine?

We had the good fortune to cycle through Caryville(population 218,) the worm fiddling capital of the world. Participants in the festival rub objects on posts in the ground to force worms to the surface. Most of the winners are women and since we were feeling victorious today we regretted missing the festival.

We pedaled and pedaled with the wind behind our backs and sailed into Marianna. We are staying at the delightful Hinson House B&B .

Maybe MJ has taken John B.'s advice about pedaling back to youth and drinking special waters too seriously.

"I thought of that while riding my bicycle." Albert Einstein

Day 36, Dauphin Island to Milton, Florida, 85 miles

2010-04-25T15:50:00.001-07:00

We found it! We found Florida!

This morning along with Bubba's group we took the ferry from Dauphin Island to Fort Morgan. The winds were calm. Yesterday the ferry stopped running because of the high winds.

After passing Ft.Morgan we cycled along a peninsula where on the left we saw the Mobile Bay and on the right the Gulf of Mexico.

We took a bike trail into Gulf Shores and soon entered Florida - Finally - The end is in sight! But, we are not finished yet; we still have the long length of the Florida Panhandle.

With the wind at our backs we easily pedaled into Pensacola. Homes and condos lined the Bayfront Parkway.

We stopped for lunch at a sandwich shop in a park and the next customer in line was a strange bird.

In the afternoon, we followed a scenic highway with beautiful views of the Escambia Bay.

We continued following Route 90 into Milton. With our recovery day yesterday and the winds at our back, it was an easy ride. We are hoping the next six days will go as well.

Thank-you for all your comments and encouragement. We are excited that this blog has enticed Bill's Aunt Marion to discover the Internet!

Mary Jo and Ruth

Gatorade, our drink of choice, was named for the University of Florida Gators where the drink was first developed.

Day 35 Rest Day on Dauphin Island

2010-04-24T17:48:00.001-07:00

A relaxing day with a slight breeze!

Day 34, Van Cleave to Dauphin Island, Alabama, 62 miles

2010-04-23T16:54:00.001-07:00

The only time my knees have hurt on this trip was last night as I curled in the fetal position trying despertely to stay warm in our tent. Ruth's knees are fine but she claims that she only slept for twenty minutes. We did hear the bull frogs croaking throughout the night. We were not prepared for sleeping in the cool night air because Don and Bill took our clothes for warmth back to Cincy.However we were truly grateful for the shelter and paid our fair share.

We ate a bagel, said good-bye to Bubba (below), his crew, and the other cyclists before breakfast was served.

The early morning ride took us through beautiful cyprus swamps.

After riding fifteen miles we stopped at a Waffle House for eggs, potatoes, and waffles but no grits.

When we left the Waffle House the skies were becoming cloudy and the winds were picking up. We shortly entered Alabama and had our picture taken by another cyclist.

Shortly up the road there was a shortcut of smooth hardpacked oiled dirt. The six mile shortcut was recommended by our maps and this time the shortcut worked. We continued cycling hard but the wind was picking up and naturally it was in our face.

We entered the marsh land of the Mobile Bay area and exhausted we finally reached the causeway and high bridge that would take us to Dauphin Island. Bubba and his staff were at the entrance to the causeway warning their cyclists that the winds were fierce and advising the cyclists not to cross the bridge. He was loading the bikes into a trailor and carrying the cyclists in a van across the bridge.

Even though some of the cyclists did ride across the bridge we took advantage of the offer. We are especially vulnerable with the wind because of our bags.

We were dropped off at the campsite and rode our bikes two miles back to our motel. This is the view of the Mississippi Sound from our terrace.

We arrived with thunder rumbling in the distance. We are now waiting for the storm to stop so we can eat dinner at a nearby restaurant. Tomorrow is a rest day. On Sunday we will take a ferry to the mainland and enter Florida!

"We had a tailwind all day! We've just been going the wrong direction." - Janice of Salt Lake City, a member of Bubba's group

Day 33,Poplarville to Vancleave, 75 miles

2010-04-22T16:01:00.001-07:00

The Gods are looking after us. We started cycling before seven - the early morning is cool and quiet. We had a little fog but the road we were on had no traffic. In the morning we always have our blinking lights on and wear our reflective clothing.

Around nine we were approaching Perkinston. Jim arrived and informed us that the route does not go through the town. The closest Subway was at least three miles away. Perkinson was the only place to purchase food on the route. Jim had told us about a service station on the busy State Route 49.

We carried our bikes over the RR tracks to the service station and found packaged sandwiches and chex mix for our lunch.

We continued cycling through the forest when a truck approached us and asked if we needed water, food, air for our tires, or tubes. It was Bubba!

We chatted with him for a while and when he found out that we were staying at a certain campground(there are no motels in the area,) he exclaimed that the place we had chosen to rent a cabin is a dangerous place and the owners would probably be in a methane daze!" Bubba invited us to spend the night with his group at the White Sands Campground located on a beautiful river site.

Bubba is a retired policeman from St. Louis. He saw a need of providing tents and air mattresses for cyclists on organized camping trips. This is his first cross country trip and he is supporting fifteen riders. Bubba's Pampered Pedalers-BIKERBUBBA@AOL.COM

We have been treated royally by Bubba and his staff and the other cyclists. We have a large tent with two thick air matresses and two sleeping bags. The showers are luxurious for a campground. And the most wonderful thing is that we do not have to go out and scavege for food tonight. We are having spaghetti tonight and we will have breakfast tomorrow morning and then head off for Dauphin Island. We have reservations for a motel tomorrow night. Bubba's group will be camping on the island.

"the traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see .". G. k. Chesterson.

Day 32, Franklinton to Poplarville, Mississippi 55 miles

2010-04-21T15:18:00.001-07:00

We have been yearning for a bountiful breakfast and finally there was a McDonalds in town and we ordered the big breakfast - eggs, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, and orange juice. Well nourished we started cycling shortly after seven.

After the town of Bogalusa, we crossed the Pearl River and entered Mississippi!

The remainder of the route was spent on very back roads. There were pine forests, bogs, and pastures for cattle and horses.

One horse was brave enough to try one of our healthy odwalla bars which he spit out. Apparently he thought the bar was just as tasteless as we had discoverd. ( Which one of the ladies do you think had a horse as a child?!!)

By noon we had reached Poplarville and had lunch at the Pearl River Community College - fried chicken that was plump and tasty.

The students came up and talked to us. Some of the students live on campus and after two years they can transfer their credits to the University of Mississippi. ( we asked them to clown for the picture.)

We spent the afternoon exploring Poplarville- an art studio, a secondhand book store, and a drug store with a with a soda fountain in the back of the store where we relished two chocolate ice cream sodas.

For dinner, we decided on a repeat performance at the college  cafeteria, since we are tired of all the usual fare. Once again, it  was tasty and economical at only five dollars. The staff there was extremely kind and interested in our trip.   People have been so very  nice

Tomorrow, off to Van Cleave, where we will be seeing Bubba and his  group again, we hear. That should be lively!

"And what's the reason?" Asked by a young man when hearing about our trip.

Day 31, St. Francisville to Franklinton, 92 miles

2010-04-20T16:04:00.001-07:00

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."

DAy 30, Washington to St. Francisville,70 miles

2010-04-19T19:14:00.001-07:00

We told you yesterday that we were going to ride one hundred miles. What happened? Read carefully to find out why we only cycled 70 miles.

The day began with eating an elegant breakfast with Miss June.

After admiring her paintings one more time, we hit the road bright and early.

We/cycled through fields of sugar cane. The road was rough with huge splits in the pavement. With all the jostling Mary Jo's odometer finally gave up. Shortly Jim appeared. Jim is sagging for John whom we met a couple of days ago. Jim suggested that we take route 10 instead of the long Adventure Cycling route that took us way north of our destination and then back to the south. He had checked the road and he found it smooth with little traffic. Mary Jo had mentioned Route 10 to Ruth the previous evening.

We decided to do Route 10. It was heavenly with smooth pavement, no traffic, and a shade covered road. After ten miles, we rode up to the top of a levee and this is what we saw!

No bridge! There was a ferry but it stopped running at 7:30 in the morning and would not begin until 4:30 in the afternoon. Jim and John arrived shortly. Jim was hoping to hire a fishing boat to take us across but everyone was out fishing. We decided to ride our our bikes south to busy 190. Before arriving at 190, Jim stopped with the red pick-up truck and we piled our bikes on the back of the truck. We drove over the busy bridge and spillway and then Jim dropped us off at ten on the other side of the river.

We had a quick lunch and then rode towards the mighty Mississippi River.

This time the ferry was working and we enjoyed the rest on the ferry.

Upon the east side of the Mississippi we entered the historic town of St. Francisville. At the Visitor's Center we learned about the Rosedown Plantation at the edge of town.

We quickly cycled to the plantation and had an informative tour by a young guide. The plantation was built by a wealthy planter of cotton, Daniel Turnbull. He owned seven thousand acres and tragically 450 slaves. Because the Turnbull family was able to keep the plantation until 1956, most of the original furnishings and gardens remain.

We finished the day by eating at the local Chinese Restaurant.

Take the honorable path and you cannot go wrong. - MJ's message in her fortune cookie. Tomorrow we will stay on the honorable path.

Day 29, Oberlin to Washington,La. 55 miles

2010-04-18T16:46:00.001-07:00

After our meager breakfast purchased at the grocery store the day before, we started cycling through the backroads of Louisiana. Flooded rice fields lined the road with red wing blackbirds flying about.

We started noticing the road kill and how it has changed since Texas. Dead deer and sheep were along the road in Texas and now we see dead armidillos and possums. As these thoughts were going through our head we came upon this sign on the road left by a previous cycling group.

We also passed by many cemetaries with cement slabs because of the high water level. The tombstones had French names.

We finished early in Washington, the third oldest settlement in Louisiana. We are staying at the Country House B&B in a cabin that was the previous outside kitchen.

The owner was a true southern hostess who treated us to lemonade on the porch when we arrive and then showed us the old house filled with her paintings.

We then left to visit the local antique shops and see the 1820 steamboat warehouse which is now a celebrated restaurant, unfortunately closed on Sunday evenings.

On our way back to the B&B, we passed some folks selling jambalaya, black peas, and cole slaw. We bought a serving to supplement our Subway sandwiches that we had bought for dinner in the previous town.

We are definitely in Cajun Country. The word Cajun is derived from "Acadia", the original home district in eastern Canada of the early French settlers in Louisiana. However, the food owes more to the Indians, the Spanish, and the slave cooks of the Old South than to the salted, oily foods of "old Acadia." (Info from cycling maps)

The blogmaster hard at work on her text.

Tomorrow we are riding over a hundred miles to St. Francisville where the next lodging could be found. We need the Babes Cycling Training Camp that took place this last weekend. We have been eating huge amounts of food and talk about tapering on our food consumption. However, without the extra calories, we run out of steam.

"You all take care of yourselves, honey." A well-wisher at Subway.

Day 28, Kirbyville to Oberlin, Louisiana, 80 miles

2010-04-17T16:09:00.001-07:00

Adios to Texas and Bonjour to Louisiana! Finally after more than a thousand miles and sixteen days in Texas, we crossed the Sabine River and arrived in Merryville, LA.

After cycling just one more mile we also celebrated the TWO THOUSAND MILE mark. We only have one thousand miles to go!

The morning began eating breakfast with the locals at the grocery store.

The morning was cool and refreshing as we cycled on back roads. At noon we arrived in DeRidder, La. and ate lunch at cecil's Cajun cafe on the patio. In the center of town the Doll Festival was beginning and the president of this event, Todd, enthusiastically introduced himself to us, as he too is an avid cyclist. Check out www.ladollfestival.com.

We listened to the Dixieland Band which did include the mayor of DeRidder and Ruth found some pink bows for a favorite grandaughter.

The afternoon was hot but parts of the route went through the towering pine trees that provided shade. We also crossed two rivers,' the clearest in all Louisiana', according to the locals who were sunbathing and tubing.

Oberlin has a population of a thousand. We have lodging but there are no restaurants opened. There is a casino nearby and they will pick us up for dinner.

Ruth visited the local drive-through crawfish shack to get a picture of their 5 foot tall crawfish display. Upon hearing about our biking adventure, the owner gave her a free snowcone.

Breakfast shopping was done at Carol' s supermarket where there were two aisles of food.

Day 27, Shepherd to Kirbyville, 93 miles

2010-04-16T16:10:00.001-07:00

We started off with a meager breakfast of honeynut cherrios and dry toast. Luckily there was a grocery store where we could buy bananas and bars. We cycled on Farm Rd. 787 through the Big Thicket. In the past , the thicket has served as a hiding place for outlaws and smugglers.

An outlaw did not catch us but another cyclist going east did. John is finishing the southern tier route that he started two years ago. His friend, Jim, is sagging for him.

We stopped at Mama Jack's Restaurant in Kountze for another buffet. All the locals were there and if it could be fried - it was. We finished our lunch with peach cobbler.

During lunch we were able to share stories and when John stayed at the Comstock Motel two years ago, the only light was a bulb hanging from the ceiling. We are very thankful that the motel was rennovated for our arrival. We shared cell numbers with John and Jim and it is reassuring to know that there is someone else in the area to call if we have mechanical difficulty.

The afternoon ride began with a stiff head wind. But after Silsbee, we turned to the north and the wind was finally at our backs. We had thirty fast miles to end the day. Two weeks ago we entered Texas and we are still here!

It was no problem finding our motel on the main drag in kirbyville,and it has, not surprisingly, very good water pressure.

On our way to dinner at Elijah's cafe, we stopped to start our laundry at the local laundromat, where we struck up a conversation with another customer. Linda was so enthusiastic and supportive of our cross-country ride that she promised that she would ask her church to pray for us. In fact, we all joined hands right there beside the washers and driers as she prayed for our safety and vigilance. It was very touching for us, and we thank you, Linda!

After a good dinner (Ruth's first Cajun shrimp), we walked to thlocal Magnolia Festival where we enjoyed the lights of the rides, people watching and a ride on the ferris wheel. We were probably the only riders looking forward to getting off!

Ruth and Mary Jo

Day 26, Navosata to Shepherd, Texas 78 miles

2010-04-15T15:13:00.001-07:00

Bite by bite we are working our way across Texas!

Today started with great excitement as the Mayor of Navasota and their brass band gave us a big send off. (see yesterdays comments) It was also exciting because we began the fifth map out of seven. On the back of the map there is no elevation chart. Although there were rolling hills. The weather is humid and there were some showers today that came out of the gulf. We even saw a stream named a bayou.

Most of the route today went through The Sam Houston National Forest.

The forest consisted of pine trees with white oaks, sweet gums, and cottonwoods. The forest floor was covered with ferns and we lost sight of our beloved bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes.

We stopped at a small restaurant in New Waverly for lunch. The restaurant was crowded with folks eating barbeque and beef brisket served with corn bread and mash potatoes. We love our hearty lunches.

A mile and half from town Ruth decided that she could not live without the darling pitcher with bluebonnets painted by the waitress. MJ waited by the road as Ruth pedaled back to claim her treasure.

During the afternoon we continued through the forest with spoty showers. Services are very limited in Shepherd but our favorite restaurant is right beside the motel. Our fine dining experience was capped of by ice cream bars eaten al fresco.

"On THAT!?" - A local exclaimed as he looked at our bikes and heard that our final destination was St. Augustine, Florida.

Day 25, LaGrange to Navasota, Texas 71 miles

2010-04-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

Guess where we ate last night's dinner and this morning's breakfast? We are waiting for the sponsorship.

We began in a mist and cycled to Round Top, an antique mecca of southern Texas -shops named Clutter and Excess.

We had gentle rolling hills and were rewarded over and over with beautiful vistas of wild flowers. We did not see a long horn steer in bluebonnets but for Catherine we were able to photograph some angus standing in the wildflowers.

Today many pink primroses intertwined with the Indian paintbrushes and bluebonnets.

We cycled passed cattle ranches and some more oil wells.

Upon arriving in Independence we found a small grocery store and were able to eat on the patio. The owner has a book for cyclists to sign in and indicate whether they are riding east or west. For today we were the only cyclists that had signed-in. We found out from another customer that the goats devour Starbursts and Ruth happened to have some with her.

Independence is a small village of historic buildings. Sam Houston lived in Indpendence along with other wealthy plantation owners. Texas was an independent country from 1836 to 1846. However, Sam Houston, the first president of the Republic of Texas, advocated the annexation of Texas to United States and it became a state in 1846. (Elaine, we hope we have our facts correct.) When the railroad avoided Independence, the village declined.

From Independence, we cycled on lovely back roads lined with live oak trees into Navasota.

Tonight we are staying at a new Comfort Inn and are enjoying the comforts of the inn - hot tub and pool, laundry facilities, and new beds.

"Don't buy upgrades; ride up the grades." - Eddy Merckx

Answers to the sweepstakes!
1. Mary Jo drank the glass of white wine.
Ruth had the margarita and Evelyn had the cosmopolitan.
2. Evelyn rode 764 miles - more than one fourth of our whole trip. She did all of her cycling in Texas.
3. Lance Armstrong named his bike shop "Mellow Johnny" because when the Tour de France lead cyclist wearing the yellow jersey approaches, the French yell "maillot jaune"(yellow jersey in French.) To American fans it sounds like "mellow Johnny." Lance had all seven of his yellow jerseys on display in his shop.

The declared winner is Maxanna. She may collect Evelyn's bike in Maryland and Ruth and Mary Jo will deliver the two luna bars and one water bottle; and we hope she forgets about the pump because we still need it. Bon voyage! and take your vitamins!

Day 24, Austin to La Grange, 78 miles

2010-04-13T16:29:00.001-07:00

We started this morning right at daybreak and had an easy ride out of Austin. Most of the traffic was coming in. Within an hour we were out in the country.

There were gentle hills and instead of seeing bluebonnets along the road we were treated to miles and miles of red Indian paintbrushes.

We rode into the historically preserved town of Bastrop and ate pizza in the patio of a small cafe.

Fortified, we continued to the Bastrop State Park. WE followed a small, windy road through the park for 15 miles. The air smelled of pine and the hills were steep but short. Our legs did not complain too much after yesterday's massage and rest.

After the park road we traveled on some backroads and only saw a bar that did have some canned beans and luckily some water for sale. As we approached La Grange we saw our first oil wells and longhorn steers.

We are staying in a modest but very clean motel. After commenting on the delicious smells from the kitchen, we were given small bowls of rice with chicken and lentils. The owners are even washing our disgusting cycling clothes. They keep a journal of all the cyclists that have stayed at their motel. Tonight we are the only cyclists.

Tomorrow we will announce the winner of our sweepstakes. Bill is banned from all contests due to divulging answers to his dentist. Dr. Julia K. is eliminated from the sweepstake due to unlawful use of laughing gas to obtain information from her patient.

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." JFK

Evelyn, you chose the wrong half of Texas. Love, Ruth and Mary Jo

Hill Country Sweepstakes

2010-04-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to experience first-hand the Hill Country of Texas!

Grand Prize - one week of touring the Hills of the Lone Star State. You will recieve one water bottle, two luna bars, and unlimited usage of our new lightweight airpump. Evelyn's bike is free for the taking.

Consolation Prize - two weeks!
Participants need to answer the following three questions.
1. Last night we celebrated our arrival in Austin. Who drank what?

2. How many miles did Evelyn ride with Ruth and Mary Jo through our Texan Trail of Tears?
3. Why did Lance name his shop Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop?

Winner will be announced in forty-eight hours.

Ruth and Mary Jo

Day 22, Wimberley to Austin, Texas, 47 miles

2010-04-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

Today was a day of wrong turns (bonus miles.) We started after a fabulous breakfast of blueberry pancakes.

We rode in a drizzle all morning.

After an hour we made a wrong turn and realized that we were riding into the small town of Driftwood instead of Buda. With our maps and trusty smart phones we were able to navigate an alternate route and soon we were approaching Austin.

We followed the First Ave. South into Austin and soon we reached our hotel or what we thought was our hotel. The Garden Hilton was actually one block away from the Convention Hilton.

We took long hot soothing showers to wash away all the grime and grease on our bodies.
After revitalizing ourselves, we walked to Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop, owned by Lance Armstrong. Ruth bought another rear light and because her rear tire is losing air everynight, she had a new tube put in her rear tire. Mary Jo had her chain cleaned and lubed and more air in the tires and all was done for free. Thank-you Lance Armstrong!

We are heading out for celebatory drinks and dinner. Tonight is Evelyn's last night. We will truly miss Evelyn. She has kept us focused on safe riding and we will miss her exclamations of "Oh Noooo!" when another of the many hills came into sight.

"It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle." - Ernest Hemingway

Stay turned for the Hill Country Sweepstakes. Ruth, Evelyn, and Mary Jo

Day 21, Kerrville to Wimberley, 90 miles

2010-04-10T17:50:00.001-07:00

The Hill Country is not misnamed! All we did all day was go up and down hills. Upon leaving Kerrville we crisscrossed Cypress Creek with many ups and downs.

After 24 miles we passed through Comfort with its historic district filled with antique shops.

We then had 52 miles with no services but plenty of hills. Finally we reached the small town of Blanco where we found a wonderful cafe - The Redbud Cafe. (www.redbudcafe.wordpress.com)

We rewarded ourselves with healthy sandwiches and huge delicious cookies. (The cookies were consumed before the sandwiches arrived.)

We pushed ourselves to complete the final 24 hilly miles.

We were determined with visions of hot showers awaiting us. WE staggered into our log cabin motel to find that a hot shower did not apply to Evelyn's room.

We relaxed by the stream behind our cabins and explored the artsy town of Wimberley.

Tomorrow we cycle into Austin and on Monday we have a much needed rest day.

"Resistance is Futile." Annapolis bike racing team - Evelyn' s home team

Ruth, Mary Jo and Evelyn

Day 20, Leaky to Kerrville, 75 miles

2010-04-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Today we said good-bye to the desert and hello to budding trees and bluebonnets.

We started our ride with a triple-bypass, three major climbs within fifteen miles. And then we hit the big one - "the wall." The grade was between fifteen and twenty percent - moaning with heavy breathing. Remember we are now traveling with our fully loaded panniers.

With the major climbs behind us we entered the Hill Country where there were big rollers, a ribbon of the road, and the living was easy (well compared to the big climbs.)

We gradually came down to the Gaudelupe River and followed the river down to Hunt, passing a fence that had an old cowboy boot on every post. We crisscrossed the river many times seeing a heron and several turtles sunning on a branch.

We ate a hearty lunch with another decadent dessert at Elaine's Table.

We only had fourteen miles to go to arrive at Kerrville. However, along the way we reached THE HALF POINT - 1507.5 miles. We are now on our way to the Atlantic Ocean with still miles and miles of Texas remaining.

On the way into Kerrville we stopped at the Hill Country Bicycle Works where our tires were again pumped up to the correct psi and Evelyn discovered that the spacer was missing on her rear cassette.

Tomorrow we continue riding in the Hill Country and can hardly bear the thought.

"If pain is weakness leaving the body" then we are sure getting strong. The Navy Seals

Day 19, Brackettville to Leaky 70 miles

2010-04-08T14:31:00.000-07:00

We ate breakfast at a little cafe across from the fort. The breakfast crowd wanted to hear all about our trip and wished us safe travels. We took a back ranch road to Camp Wood. For fifty miles there were no services but the morning was cool and we carried extra bottles of water. The road was lined with yellow bladderworts, wild purple verbena, and yellow and white daisies. During the first thirty miles only eight cars were on the road.

There were enormous ranches set far back from the road and one ranch consisting of 733 acres was for sale.

At lunch in Camp Wood we met a group of eight cyclists heading for San Diego. They take turns driving a van carrying their camping gear. They warned us about the hard hills in Texas. We knew that we had a steep hill ahead of us. Before we started our long upward trek, Ruth bought chocolates as an incentive for us to do the ten mile climb.

As we climbed higher, there were laurel bushes with lavender blooms.

We trudged up the hill and just at the top we met a local cyclist who took some pictures of us coming down the long windy road.

We sailed into Leaky and are staying at the rustic, well-kept, Frio Canyon Lodge. The rooms are delightful. The owner has gone out of his way to help us. Because I have no service on my phone, he has let me use his own personal computer to type the blog and he drove Evelyn a mile and half down the road to the local laundermat.

We are now in the hill country of Texas. Maybe our legs will become as stong as Lance's. We have one huge climb tomorrow and then the steep rollers. We plan to enter Austin on Sunday.
We hope all is well with everyone.

Ruth, Mary Jo, and Evelyn

'The earth laughs in flowers' - Ralph Waldo Emmerson

Day 18, Comstock to Brackettville, 64 miles

2010-04-07T15:27:00.001-07:00

A Wonderful Day! A Chick Day! When we woke up this morning, it was raining. We ate a hearty breakfast at a cafe across from our motel. Every morning a small group of children wait for the bus in the cafe. By the time we had finished breakfast, the rain had stopped.

We started to cycle and it was easy pedaling; the wind was behind our backs - Finally! We flew across the Amistad Reservoir and into Del Rio. We stopped at Lakeside Sports and a young ex-marine cleaned and lubed our chains, adjusted our cables, and pumped up our tires. Evelyn and Ruth bought new lights and we bought new tubes.

We rode into the historic district of Del Rio - there were trees, unique shops and galleries, and a cute restaurant named the Brown Bag. We had a girly lunch consisting of quiche, fresh fruit, and raspberry ice tea. We even looked around the boutique adjacent to the restaurant. We were rather grubby compared to the nicely coiffed ladies eating their lunches.

We only had 28 more miles to Brackettville. We were amazed by the fighter jets taking off from Laughlin Air Force Base. The planes zoomed from the runways and did sharp turns in front of us. A bit more down the road, we crossed a creek and swallows also entertained us with their darting manuevers.

Compared to our other rides, we quickly arrived at our lodging for the night- Fort Clark Springs. We had remainder of the afternoon to walk around the fort grounds and to put our feet in the springs. The water is only 68 degrees but that did not stop Ruth from taking a little dip.

Our thoughts go out to Lisa, Evelyn's friend, for a quick recovery.

"If you never have, you should. These things are fun and fun is good." By Dr. Suess

Ruth, Mary Jo and Evelyn

Day 17, Sanderson to Comstock, 90 miles

2010-04-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

Although the day was long and hilly, we feel much better than yesterday. There was no significant headwinds and it was overcast.

Don and Bill left us this morning but when we entered the first town this morning there was water waiting for us by the town's welcome sign.

We continued on route 90 and ate our lunch in Langtry, population 17. Langtry was the home of Judge Roy Bean.

Before entering Comstock, we crossed Pecos River and was able to see the Pecos River empty into the Rio Grande River. Again we are seeing many border patrol cars.

Tomorrow we continue on route 90 through Del Rio to Bracketville.

The name Texas comes from the Hasini Indian word "tejas" meaning friends. (Texas trivia tidbit courtesy of Elaine Schneider of Dallas)

Las Tres Amigas

Day 16,Ft.Davis to Sanderson, 110 miles

2010-04-05T20:06:00.001-07:00

110 miles! A Brutal Day! We began by eating breakfast at a small Whole Foods Store located by our motel; it was the only grocery store in town, lucky us! How different from the other towns we had been in. We began a scenic ride through a shady canyon with interesting rock formations to Alpine.

Soon our road led us back into the vast desert, with distant mountains giving us something to look at. We could easily imagine all the western movies that had been filmed in this region.

All was going well. We even stopped for a morning snack at McDonald's in Alpine, where we turned east on route 90. After several miles the winds picked up. They were not coming from the west, as hoped, but from the south, which we resented greatly, since we were traveling southeast. Evelyn showed us the "armchair formation." Two riders are in the front with the third rider slightly behind the front riders and in the middle. Every mile we rotated so that each person would have the easy armchair position. This broke the boredom of the ride and made riding easier.

We soon arrived in Marathon for lunch, where we enjoyed lunch with our sag team at a darling western cafe with healthy fare.

Fortified, we tackled the remaining 55 miles. We were hopeful that maybe the winds had shifted some, but it became obvious that the winds were still coming from the south. Fueled by a good lunch, we pedaled forcefully through the crosswinds. It was becoming hot. Soon everything was hurting. Evelyn's feet were killing her. Ruth cut slits into the sides of her shoes.

Without the pinched hot feet, Evelyn sped off. Finally Ruth and Mary Jo heard the friendly honk of the silver Prius. Don and Bill delivered fresh water and bananas and encouragement. Bill led Ruth and Mary Jo in for the last 25 miles which included Bill's own "bike clinic."

We finally reached Sanderson at 6:30 pm -eleven hours of cycling.

The sad news is that tomorrow Don and Bill, along with Nala, are leaving for Cincinnati. They have been so supportive of us and we are going to miss them greatly!

The good news is that there is a newly-reopened motel 90 miles away in Comstock. We thought that we would have to cycle over 110 miles again to reach the next motel, nearly to Del Rio. The following day was to be a short forty miles, so this new motel will help to balance out the miles. And our husbands are going to drop off our panniers at the motel while heading for Dallas, helping us out yet again.

Note: Evelyn survived our tough training program...50,70,90,110 miles...with flying colors! Tomorrow's taper to only 90 will be much appreciated by all!

"I came just in time for torture." Spoken by Evelyn while cycling into the wind.

Ruth, Mary Jo, and Evelyn

Day 15, Van Horn to Fort Davis, 89 miles

2010-04-04T19:11:00.001-07:00

While eating breakfast this morning, we were surprised to discover that our waffles were in the shape of the state of Texas. Ruth pierced her waffle with a fork on our location. We have miles and miles to cycle through Texas.

We began cycling on an I-10 frontage road just as the sun was rising over the distant mountains. On Easter morning we were blessed with a spectacular sunrise.

After twenty miles, the frontage road turned into a dirt road and we were forced to enter I-10, riding on the smooth shoulders separated from the other vehicles by rumble strips. We sped downhill with little traffic passing us. We soon left the expressway and began cycling south on state route 118. The road surface was gravel and tar and we had a two thousand feet climb. The road was not extra steep but we had to keep cycling and cycling upward and upward. The heat continued to increase.

The guys again came to our rescue. They brought us Subway sandwiches with cold drinks, and later returned with more cold water. Bill suited up in his biking gear and joined us for 20 miles on his trusty old Schwinn bike, providing protection against the strong wind. After visiting McDonald Observatory, they came back to check on us yet again. We have the best SAG team ever.

Our expertise on tire changing continues to increase as we got to practice on two more flats, one for Evelyn and one for Ruth.

Finally our exhausted legs pushed us over the pass and we began the long descent through a scenic rocky canyon and dude ranches to Fort Davis, the highest town in Texas. Besides having one of the best preserved western forts, the town has a picturesque downtown. We capped the day by visiting the rattlesnake museum.

Ruth, Mary Jo, and Evelyn

"It never gets easier, you just get faster." Greg LeMonde, former winner of Tour de France

(MJ and R's note: we just get slower!)

Day 14, Ft. Hancock, Tx. to Van Horn, Tx. 76 miles

2010-04-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

We again started early and had the back country road to ourselves. Along the way we would see a few horses, some cattle, and one herd of goats.

There were no homes or stores, just rolling hills, sand, sage brush and mountains in the distance.

Approaching twenty miles we continued east on a frontage road of I-10. At one point we entered I-10 to go through the mandatory inspection by the border control.

We cycled into the only town on the route, Sierra Blanca, and met the guys for lunch.

We continued pedaling on the frontage road and in the desolate countryside, Ruth and Mary Jo reached 1000 miles-only two thousand more miles to go!

As we were celebrating Evelyn says, "Oh No!" Her front tire was flat. This time the team tackled the flat tire with precision. Within ten minutes the tire was changed and we were on our way. We were able to pump up the tire to one hundred psi with a new light-weight pump that Mary Jo purchased from Adventure Cycling.

During the last ten miles we sped downhill and were greeted by Don in the town of Van Horn, the crossroads of the Texas Mountain Trail.

Tomorrow we head out for Fort Davis and add 20 more miles for a third day in a row to Evelyn's tough training program (50, 70, 90).

Ruth, Mary Jo and Evelyn

Day 13: Las Cruces to Fort Hancock 102m

2010-04-02T17:16:00.001-07:00

After our rest day, our legs were raring to go and we headed south to El Paso. The road was deserted and we cycled past many irrigated fields and lots of groves of pecan trees.

After 30 miles we entered TEXAS. Because we were on a side road, the only indicator was a change in the pavement but a mile further up the road we found a sign.

After entering Texas, most of the day was spent following the Rio Grande River along the Mexican border and we saw our first border crossing.

We rode into El Paso and the traffic was light -Good Friday and mid-morning. Today Mary Jo's friend, Evelyn, was arriving. Evelyn has cycled with Mary Jo across the northern tier of the USA, from Maine to Florida, and through western Virginia. Bill and Don picked up Evelyn at the airport and her bike at a bike shop near the airport. They delivered Evelyn to a park on the route and the three of us began cycling towards Fort Hancock. The wind was behind our backs and we were flying.

Then it happened -our first flat tire. Would we be able to change it? It was a team effort. It was our impromptu bike clinic. We each brought something to the party. Ruth brought her pump, tube, and good observations. MJ also brought a tube , tools, and several CO2 cartiridges. Evelyn brought the flat and was still able to laugh. By the time we were finished, the police had already arrested someone across the street. We were so focused on the flat, we did not notice the situation.

We continued pedaling fast because of the tailwind and flew into Fort Hancock for an easy century, if there is such a thing!

On the road again,

Ruth, Mary Jo and Evelyn

'You never have the wind with you - either it is against you or you're having a good day.' - W. Somerset Maugham

BREAKING NEWS !!

2010-04-01T19:11:00.001-07:00

Heavy winds in New Mexico have changed direction and so we have decided to return to California!

Happy April 1st.

Ruth and Mary Jo

Day 11, Caballo Lake to Las Cruces, 65 miles

2010-03-31T16:02:00.001-07:00

We spent the night in Truth or Consequences which was actually named after the 1950's TV game show. Early in the morning Bill drove us the 15 miles back to the lake and we resumed where we left off on state route 187.

The morning was quiet with little traffic and little wind. We rode through fields of onions, groves of pecan trees, and fields being prepared to plant chili plants.

After thirty miles, we cycled into Hatch, the chili capital of the world. We bought more water and m&ms. Uncle Sam greeted Ruth.

Further down the road, we met two cyclists journeying to San Diego from St. Augustine. They left St. Augustine January 28 and have had to sit out 15 days because of cold temps and high winds. They warned us about the hill country of Texas and we did mention Emory Pass . They carried heavy panniers and we wondered how they will get over the pass with 10 to 12 percent grades.

As we approached Las Cruces, the winds picked up. We were riding mostly south with the winds coming from the west. Therefore we had strong crosswinds. We held on to our bikes tightly so that we did not fall over.

Today, Ruth focused on taking photos of adobe homes and we did not eat Subway sandwiches.

Tonight Paul and Peg Miller invited us over for dinner. Paul was the former minister of our church, Presbyterian Church of Wyoming.

Tomorrow the winds are suppose to be stronger and gusty but we are having a much anticipated rest day.

"Who has seen the Wind?

Neither I nor you:

But when the leaves hang trembling.

The wind is passing thro' " Christina Rossetti

Day 10, Riverside to Caballo Lake, 100 mile!

2010-03-30T20:48:00.001-07:00

By the light of the full moon, Bill drove us back to Riverside so we could cycle the twenty-five miles back to Silver City. The temperature was thirty degrees.

Upon approaching Silver City, we crossed the Continental Divide. We also started to shed clothes as temperatures rose quickly.

When we reached our motel, we stopped for a second breakfast.

We followed Route 152 through the desert and we went past the Santa Rita open pit copper mine.

Then the route began the long climb to Emory Pass. Again our SAG team delivered Subway sandwiches.

After lunch we continued the long climb. We passed through Ponderosa Pine forests with a gurgling stream below us and patches of snow along the side of the road. The scarcity of cars made the ride very peaceful. However, our legs began to scream that they had had enough climbing. Don and Bill came down the pass and brought the good news that we only had one more mile to go. We pedaled faster and made it to the top - 8,228 feet. We were thrilled and the views were spectacular.

Next came the descent. For the first six miles it was curvy and we were very cautious. Then came long straight runs where we flew - whee!
We were only planning to ride 83 miles to Hillsboro but our loving husbands encouraged us to continue and Ruth realized that we could reach a 'century' (100 miles) by riding to the banks of the Rio Grande river. With the wind behind us ,we pedaled hard and arrived at Caballo Lake with tired legs but huge grins on our faces!

Tomorrow we pedal to Las Cruces followed by a highly anticipated rest day.

Mary Jo and Ruth

'It sounds crazy to me... but in a nice way.' - The desk clerk at our Silver City hotel

Day Nine, Safford, Az. to Riverside, New Mexico - 90 miles

2010-03-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

We left Safford at daybreak and Ruth commented, "The desert is starting to lose its appeal." But within a few miles we were rewarded with miles and miles of yellow poppies blooming underneath rocky mountainsides. A storekeeper in Three Way told us that this year was especially spectacular because of the bountiful rains in the last month.

Today we climbed through two different passes. The first pass was doable with a climb of 1500 feet. The second pass was at 6,295 feet and we climbed nearly 2,500 feet. Luckily, there were few cars on route 180 - I guess motorists did not even want to tackle the zigzags.

Halfway up the mountain the best SAG team brought us lunch from Subway again. We sat in the shade and admired the beautiful vistas beneath us.

Ruth and Mary Jo continued the arduous climb. The poppies were replaced by cedar trees and Ponderosa pines. Finally, we crawled to the top and entered the state of New Mexico! We had a long descent through the pines and down into the Gila River valley. The land is used mostly for grazing.

After cycling nearly 44 more miles, we reached our next store at Buckhorn. The store was the only establishment in Buckhorn. The proprietor gave us a hearty welcome and recommended the chocolate chip ice cream cookies - nothing else could have tasted better. The storekeeper also told us that two weeks ago it had snowed. A young male cyclist arrived at her store at 7:30 pm covered with snow. He was able to spend the night at a local ranch.

We did not stay at a ranch but our hotel was still more than twenty-five miles away. Our husbands rescued us at Riverside and transported us to our motel in Silver City. Tomorrow we will go back and resume cycling where we left off. We were blessed today by temperatures in the low seventies and no wind! Your comments keep us going! Ruth and Mary Jo

"Life is like riding a bicycle - to keep your balance, you must keep moving." Albert Einstein

Day Eight, Globe,Az. to Safford, Az. 77 miles

2010-03-28T17:05:00.001-07:00

The day began with a long downhill from the Dream Manor Inn . We left State Route 60 and continued southeast on State Route 70. It was hilly with fun rollers to glide down and up over the next hill. The desert is green and snow still remains on some of the mountains.Around ten in the morning our good fortune changed. The wind picked up and of course it was in our face. Our pace dramatically slowed to a crawl. Luckily our dedicated SAG team came to our rescue. They delivered water, oranges and fig newtons. They drove ahead to find lunch and came back with Subway sandwiches and cold lemonade. There was no shade so we sat on suitcases beside the car.
Well nourished we continued onward to Safford. Several miles from Pima, we began to see signs advertising Taylor Freeze - malts, banana splits, 32 flavors of ice cream etc. Our mouths were watering but then we discovered that the shop was not open on Sundays.
Passing newly planted fields of cotton and a copper mine, we finally made it to Safford.

Mary Jo and Ruth

"Maybe we should reconsider knitting and quilting." -Ruth

Day Seven: Tempe Az to Globe Az 80 miles

2010-03-27T18:52:00.001-07:00

Departing at 6:30 AM, Ruth and I found our street, Apache Trail, empty. We quickly covered the 26 miles from Tempe to Apache Junction. While passing through Mesa, this Gothic couple wished us 'Good Morning'.

After Apache Junction, the map directed us to get on the busy four lane state route 60. We frantically checked our phone maps to find another route - no other routes were available.

We carefully entered the highway and rode to the right of the rumble strip. Gradually the traffic became less. Some people stopped at an art fair, others at a renaissance festival and others turned off to hike in the desert. We enjoyed reconnecting with the desert flowers again.

We slowly climbed to Superior where we ate lunch. Just beyond Superior was Queen Creek tunnel which we had been dreading for months. We imagined a dark, narrow tunnel but fortunately it was well lit with two traffic lanes going east. With the car lights flashing, Bill and Don followed us through the tunnel.

We only had 24 miles to go but now had the wind in our faces as we continued to climb. The view of the dramatic rock formations kept us pedaling.

Finally we had a long descent but with a strong head wind. We climbed into Globe and looked for our Bed and Breakfast for the night which was perched on yet another hill. I (Mary Jo) was not thinking kind thoughts about Ruth who had made the reservations, as I slowly cycled up to the hilltop B&B. However, it was magnificent with a 360 degree view of the desert and totally worth the climb.

Thank you for all your words of encouragement. With today's ride, we have cycled over 500 miles and have completed 1/6th of the ride.

When faced with a mountain, I will not quit! I will keep striving until I climb over, find a pass through, tunnel underneath or simply stay and turn the mountain into a gold mine with God's help - Quote by Robert Half

Day Six: Surprise Az. to Tempe Az 44 miles

2010-03-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a nice change of pace as we rode through Phoenix. We rode along a 12 mile bike path and through pleasant neighborhoods filled with the scent of orange blossoms.

It was interesting to see many homes with arid landscaping using native plants.

While we were pedaling away, the guys were enjoying watching their second spring training baseball game.

There was also a chance encounter with another adventurer who is walking across America to promote healthy life styles. His sign reads 'Go walk 20 minutes today' Check out his blog at www.enjoythewalk.org

We may be slow but we are inefficient! - Quote from our waitress at lunch.

Day 5: Salome to Surprise, Az. 88 miles

2010-03-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

LONG DAY, MORE TOMORROW!!

Day 4: Palo Verde to Salome, Arizona 83 miles

2010-03-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today we completed our first state as we crossed the Colorado River from California into Arizona.
Because of the spring rains, the desert is in full bloom with poppies and cacti blooms.
This area is so desolate that the only paved road is an interstate highway, I-10, and so we rode along the wide shoulder dodging pieces of old tires for 25 miles.
We stopped at Quartzsite for lunch which consisted of mostly desserts.
Today's ride ended with a nice downhill run into Salome, Arizona. Dinner was at the local ice cream and burrito shop. Of course we ended the day with another dessert.

I gave up sweets and in a month I lost 10 pounds.... and my will to live! - Quote from Quartzsite Bakery and Pastry Parlor.

Day 3, Brawley to Palo Verde, 70 miles

2010-03-23T20:31:00.001-07:00

The morning began with overcast skies and cool and crisp temperatures-perfect cycling weather. We shared route 78 with other cyclists heading east to the Atlantic Ocean-two firemen from New York City, two men from Michigan, and the Wandering Wheels group from Indiana.

The landscape changed from irrigated fields to The Algodones Dunes. The only settlement in 70 miles was one general store in Glamis.

Don and Bill delivered Subway sandwiches to us and we ate alongside the road with many cacti near. Nala, Ruth and Bill's dog, became curious and she had many cacti spines on her paws and legs. We spent the next forty minutes removing the barb needles. It was very painful but with Ruth's words Nala remained calm.

We cycled the rest of the afternoon into a headwind to Palo Verde. In town there is a motel and bar. Ruth and Mary Jo

Day Two; Pine Valley to Brawley 97 miles

2010-03-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

This morning we put on many layers to combat the 38 F. low temperature in the morning. We went from over 4000 feet in elevation to twenty-five feet below sea level. Upon arriving in Brawley the temperature was 84 degrees.

Today's ride included some great long down hill runs.

The increasing heat inspired Ruth to seek a refreshing beverage.

It was fascinating to see the fence stretching across the border with Mexico.

We have one of the best looking SAG (Support and Gear) teams in the country.

Among the beautiful scenery we found a lovely spot for lunch.

Another perfect end to a long day with dessert at McDonald's.

On the road again......... Going places that I have never been...... Seeing things that I may never see again! - Willie Nelson

Day One; San Diego to Pine Valley: 53 miles

2010-03-21T19:50:00.000-07:00

We arrived at Dog Beach for a seven am departure and were greeted by Dolly and Dick Hartman former residents of Cincinnati.
After the ceremonial dipping of our rear wheels in the Pacific Ocean, we began our trek on the bike trail along the San Diego River. The traffic was light on Sunday morning and we made good time.

After twenty miles we began the long, steady climb to the Laguna Mountains. However, one must stop and smell the roses or the sweetpeas.

We continued the long grind upward to four thousand feet where in Pine Valley we saw a cyclist that had already gone to pot.

We celebrated tonight by having cherry pie with ice cream. Our jitters have left us and we are excited about the remaining 41 days!

Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy,free, the world before me.

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose..... Walt Whitman

Almost on the road

2010-03-20T20:39:00.000-07:00

Don and Mary Jo arrived in San Diego by plane and Ruth and Bill arrived by car. On Saturday morning we reminded our legs how to pedal and cycled out to Cabrillo Point on Point Loma www.nps.gov/cabr/index.htm In the afternoon we explored Ocean Beach. Nala was in her glory at Dog Beach. On Sunday Ruth and Mary Jo will start riding to the East on the bike trail that begins at Dog Beach.

Tonight we had our send off dinner with George and Jung Peairs, Don's brother and sister-in-law. We ate enough calories to last us until Texas.

Off to bed and hopefully the jitters will pass and we will pass out. We plan to depart from Dog Beach at seven am on Sunday, March 21.

Ruth and Bill travel to California

2010-03-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

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

Ruth's bike in Kansas

Ruth's bike in Colorado

Ruth's bike in Nevada

Ruth's bike in California. Will she take an artichoke?

Ruth and Bill in San Francisco

2010-03-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Training in Ohio

2010-03-11T19:45:00.001-08:00

Finally, the skies are sunny and I am able to ride.